washingtontimes--2020-12-20--In Georgia, Warnock brings faith and activism to the arena

ATLANTA ( AP ) - In 2008 , when Barack Obama was under fire for a sermon his former pastor delivered years earlier , the aspiring president distanced himself from the preacher ’ s fiery words that channeled Black Americans ’ anger over racism .
The Rev .
Raphael Warnock defended Jeremiah Wright .
“ When preachers tell the truth , very often it makes people uncomfortable , ” he said on Fox News .
Now Warnock is the politician running for office and the one under attack for his sometimes impassioned words from the pulpit .
And once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warnock , 51 , says his run for U.S. Senate in Georgia - one of two races on Jan. 5 that will determine control of the Senate - is an extension of his years of progressive activism as head of the church where the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. preached .
Warnock is calling for bail reform and an end to mass incarceration ; a living wage and job training for a green economy ; expanded access to voting and health care , and student loan forgiveness .
It ’ s an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats he needs to turn out to vote in the runoff election .
But it also carries risks .
His opponent , Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler , has blasted his rhetoric and proposals as “ radical , ” socialist and out of step with Georgia residents .
It ’ s a line of attack that could sway moderate suburban voters in a state that hasn ’ t elected a Democrat to the Senate in 20 years .
“ I ’ m a pastor who is running for political office , but I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politician , ” he told The Associated Press .
“ I honestly don ’ t know anything to be other than authentic.
” Warnock would join a small group of other ministers in Congress , including at least one other Black pastor , Rep. Emanuel Cleaver .
He said his model was King , “ who used his faith to activate change in the public square.
” In high school , he listened to the civil rights icon ’ s sermons and was particularly drawn to “ A Knock At Midnight , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the “ critic of the state ” and fight for peace and economic and racial justice .
Warnock has embraced that mission .
In 2007 , he warned that the U.S. could “ lose its soul ” in a speech that condemned President George W. Bush ’ s decision to send more troops to Iraq .
At the Georgia Capitol in 2014 , he was arrested while protesting the refusal of state Republicans to expand Medicaid .
After the killing of George Floyd by police in May , he expounded on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus ” he dubbed “ COVID-1619 ” for the year when some of the first slaves arrived in English North America .
His campaign draws heavily from his early life .
Warnock grew up poor in public housing in Savannah , Georgia .
He cites his father ’ s small business hauling old cars to a local steel yard to push back on attacks he is against free enterprise .
He attended Morehouse College and earned a Ph.D. in theology from Union Theological Seminary , funding his education with help from student loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keith , one of 11 siblings , served more than 20 years in prison for a first-time , drug-related offense , and Warnock has used his case to argue for criminal justice reform .
“ He knew what it is to struggle .
He knew what it is to go without , ” Bishop Reginald T. Jackson , a leader of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Georgia , said of Raphael Warnock , whom he supports .
“ He ’ s able to speak to where a lot of people are.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enter the ministry .
His father was also a preacher , and enlisted his son at a young age to help him read the small print in a biblical reference book because he refused to get prescription glasses .
Warnock recalled giving his first sermon , “ It ’ s Time I be about My Father ’ s Business , ” at 11 .
His social activism is part of a tradition of resistance in many Black churches that developed from the fight against racial inequality .
Black pastors have called out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using terms that can be discomforting to outsiders .
In his much-scrutinized sermon , Wright decried the country ’ s mistreatment of Blacks with the exclamation , “ God damn America.
” Loeffler has used the clip in an ad that accuses Warnock of defending Wright ’ s “ hatred.
” Loeffler has also used snippets of Warnock ’ s own sermons to argue that he is against police and the military .
In one clip , Warnock says that nobody can serve “ God and the military.
” Warnock , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father served in World War II , has said he was preaching from a biblical text and trying to impart a lesson about prioritizing God and laying a moral foundation for life .
Loeffler has used another clip to accuse Warnock of denigrating police .
But his remark about “ police power showing up in a kind of gangster and thug mentality ” in that sermon was a specific reference to police practices in Ferguson , Missouri , that the U.S. Justice Department investigated after a white police officer fatally shot Michael Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He has actually made sure that we know who he is in his own words , ” Loeffler said at a debate in December .
“ Those aren ’ t my words.
” Cleaver said the attacks on Warnock ’ s sermons using lines with no context are “ woefully unfair ” and show no understanding of the role of a Black preacher .
“ I ’ m just made sick over what they ’ re trying to do , ” he said .
At the debate in December , Loeffler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2002 on suspicion of obstructing a child abuse investigation at a camp in Maryland run by the Baltimore church he headed at the time .
Warnock said he was trying to make sure young people had lawyers or family present when questioned by authorities .
The charges were dropped .
Warnock ‘ s estranged wife accused him earlier this year of running over her foot during an argument , but police said they found no visible signs of injury , and they did not charge Warnock with a crime .
The effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the strategy Republicans used with some success against other Democrats in down-ballot races this year .
But it also echoes the attacks that segregationists leveled against King and supporters of the civil rights movement .
That could help turn out the state ’ s large African American population to vote in next month ’ s runoff .
Warnock is right to keep focusing on his platform of a living wage , expanded health care options and voting rights , said the Rev .
William Barber II , president of the Repairers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fights poverty and discrimination .
“ You don ’ t win by being Republican lite , ” Barber said .
“ You win by lifting up people from the bottom .
”

ATLANTA (AP) - In 2008, when Barack Obama was under fire for a sermon his former pastor delivered years earlier, the aspiring president distanced himself from the preacher’s fiery words that channeled Black Americans’ anger over racism.
The Rev. Raphael Warnock defended Jeremiah Wright. “When preachers tell the truth, very often it makes people uncomfortable,” he said on Fox News.
Now Warnock is the politician running for office and the one under attack for his sometimes impassioned words from the pulpit. And once again, he is not backing down. Warnock, 51, says his run for U.S. Senate in Georgia - one of two races on Jan. 5 that will determine control of the Senate - is an extension of his years of progressive activism as head of the church where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. preached.
Warnock is calling for bail reform and an end to mass incarceration; a living wage and job training for a green economy; expanded access to voting and health care, and student loan forgiveness. It’s an unabashedly liberal platform that may galvanize the Democrats he needs to turn out to vote in the runoff election.
But it also carries risks. His opponent, Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, has blasted his rhetoric and proposals as “radical,” socialist and out of step with Georgia residents. Georgia voters are also likely to hear more about that from President Donald Trump, who announced Saturday that he will return to the state on Jan. 4, the eve of the runoff, to rally support for Loeffler and fellow Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue
It’s a line of attack that could sway moderate suburban voters in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate in 20 years.
“I’m a pastor who is running for political office, but I don’t think of myself as a politician,” he told The Associated Press. “I honestly don’t know anything to be other than authentic.”
Warnock would join a small group of other ministers in Congress, including at least one other Black pastor, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. He said his model was King, “who used his faith to activate change in the public square.” In high school, he listened to the civil rights icon’s sermons and was particularly drawn to “A Knock At Midnight,” in which King exhorts churches to serve as the “critic of the state” and fight for peace and economic and racial justice.
Warnock has embraced that mission. In 2007, he warned that the U.S. could “lose its soul” in a speech that condemned President George W. Bush’s decision to send more troops to Iraq. At the Georgia Capitol in 2014, he was arrested while protesting the refusal of state Republicans to expand Medicaid. After the killing of George Floyd by police in May, he expounded on the country’s struggle with a “virus” he dubbed “COVID-1619” for the year when some of the first slaves arrived in English North America.
His campaign draws heavily from his early life. Warnock grew up poor in public housing in Savannah, Georgia. He cites his father’s small business hauling old cars to a local steel yard to push back on attacks he is against free enterprise.
He attended Morehouse College and earned a Ph.D. in theology from Union Theological Seminary, funding his education with help from student loans and federal grants. His older brother Keith, one of 11 siblings, served more than 20 years in prison for a first-time, drug-related offense, and Warnock has used his case to argue for criminal justice reform.
“He knew what it is to struggle. He knew what it is to go without,” Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, a leader of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Georgia, said of Raphael Warnock, whom he supports. “He’s able to speak to where a lot of people are.”
Warnock knew early on that he wanted to enter the ministry. His father was also a preacher, and enlisted his son at a young age to help him read the small print in a biblical reference book because he refused to get prescription glasses. Warnock recalled giving his first sermon, “It’s Time I be about My Father’s Business,” at 11.
His social activism is part of a tradition of resistance in many Black churches that developed from the fight against racial inequality. Black pastors have called out the country’s troubled racial history using terms that can be discomforting to outsiders.
In his much-scrutinized sermon, Wright decried the country’s mistreatment of Blacks with the exclamation, “God damn America.” Loeffler has used the clip in an ad that accuses Warnock of defending Wright’s “hatred.”
Loeffler has also used snippets of Warnock’s own sermons to argue that he is against police and the military. In one clip, Warnock says that nobody can serve “God and the military.” Warnock, who has two brothers who are veterans and whose father served in World War II, has said he was preaching from a biblical text and trying to impart a lesson about prioritizing God and laying a moral foundation for life.
Loeffler has used another clip to accuse Warnock of denigrating police. But his remark about “police power showing up in a kind of gangster and thug mentality” in that sermon was a specific reference to police practices in Ferguson, Missouri, that the U.S. Justice Department investigated after a white police officer fatally shot Michael Brown, a Black teenager, in 2014.
“He has actually made sure that we know who he is in his own words,” Loeffler said at a debate in December. “Those aren’t my words.”
Warnock accused her of lying “on Jesus.”
Cleaver said the attacks on Warnock’s sermons using lines with no context are “woefully unfair” and show no understanding of the role of a Black preacher.
“I’m just made sick over what they’re trying to do,” he said.
At the debate in December, Loeffler also questioned Warnock about his arrest in 2002 on suspicion of obstructing a child abuse investigation at a camp in Maryland run by the Baltimore church he headed at the time. Warnock said he was trying to make sure young people had lawyers or family present when questioned by authorities. The charges were dropped.
Warnock’s estranged wife accused him earlier this year of running over her foot during an argument, but police said they found no visible signs of injury, and they did not charge Warnock with a crime.
The effort to paint Warnock as a radical is similar to the strategy Republicans used with some success against other Democrats in down-ballot races this year. But it also echoes the attacks that segregationists leveled against King and supporters of the civil rights movement. That could help turn out the state’s large African American population to vote in next month’s runoff.
Warnock is right to keep focusing on his platform of a living wage, expanded health care options and voting rights, said the Rev. William Barber II, president of the Repairers of the Breach, a nonprofit group that fights poverty and discrimination.
“You don’t win by being Republican lite,” Barber said. “You win by lifting up people from the bottom.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Foundation launched in grief helps families of sick children

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) - He shows up at hospitals with comfort food and corny jokes , an emissary of empathy for people likely experiencing the worst moments of their lives .
Roger Reynolds shares not only goodwill with the parents of children who are seriously ill or dying .
He also shares an intimate understanding of what they are going through .
He knows what they know .
He has been there .
His daughter , Charlotte Jennie , who was also known as CJ , had brain cancer .
There were delicate surgeries , exhausting treatments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only 4 years old when she died in January 2010 .
In their grief , Roger and Rachel Reynolds launched CJ ’ s Thumbs Up Foundation as a way to honor their daughter ’ s memory and to help others going through similar struggles and , in what Roger describes as “ kind of a selfish way , ” to bolster themselves when they needed it most .
“ Otherwise , I ’ m just curled up on the floor in a fetal position and that ’ s not good for anybody , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept the foundation going for a decade is a testament to them and the important work they do .
At UVA Children ’ s Hospital , one of the two hospitals where Roger delivers food and cheer once a week , child-life assistant Patricia Carrubba says , “ He has totally made a difference in so many lives , one sandwich at a time.
” Roger is a musician by training and trade .
He performs , teaches and has worked as a radio deejay , though his primary job now is director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he is often the face and personality .
He also describes himself as a “ part-time , stay-at-home dad ” for their 13-year-old , Prudense .
Rachel is program manager at Cameron K. Gallagher Mental Health Resource Center .
“ This is my one little thing that I do , ” he said .
“ All of the nuts and bolts of the nonprofit and the budget and all that stuff , that ’ s our amazingly wonderful board .
The board is not afraid to say ‘ no ’ to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad ideas , and they saw that .
“ My wife is the genius behind everything .
… I ’ m the crazy idea guy ; she ’ s the smart one .
But it works .
It ’ s a hardcore team effort.
” The inspiration to start the foundation came from the Ashland couple ’ s experience , not only in the way they were supported by friends and relatives but from their observations that not every family seemed to enjoy that kind of community embrace .
They also saw children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital , which is why the original idea was to volunteer at hospitals and sit at kids ’ bedsides , read them stories and just keep them company .
However , he said the “ red tape ” they would need to unravel to perform that sort of service was too complicated .
So , they turned to financial assistance for families under the duress of long-term hospital stays with their children - rent , utility bills , that sort of thing - and eventually to meals , which is something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect sense to Reynolds , who had eaten his share of odd-hours , soda-and-chips meals from vending machines when he didn ’ t want to leave his daughter ’ s bedside .
“ We had to find our niche , and we did , ” he said .
“ It ’ s like music therapy , but meal therapy.
” They started at Children ’ s Hospital of Richmond at VCU , where CJ primarily had undergone treatment .
They raised funds , started connecting with generous restaurateurs and went to work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week for families .
A few years ago , they added UVA Children ’ s Hospital .
Besides food , they distribute blankets , for chilly nights sitting next to hospital beds , and solace .
Carrubba , a longtime hospital educator , became connected to Reynolds and the foundation after being assigned to the child-life department at UVA .
One of her new duties , she discovered , involved “ helping with lunch.
” It didn ’ t sound like the sort of work she was accustomed to and figured she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The experience turned out to be something quite different than she imagined .
“ I went into this conference room , and Roger shows up , and he ’ s just his jolly self , and he ’ s got this food , ” Carrubba recalled .
“ Roger ’ s telling jokes , and one by one people are getting food.
” As they picked up their food , Carrubba recalled , they thanked Reynolds profusely and made comments like , “ You have no idea , we haven ’ t eaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the first hour , I thought , ‘ My God , this is such a meaningful thing , ’ ” Carrubba said .
“ It was so moving to hear these people tell me , ‘ My child is dying , ’ or ‘ My little girl was in a terrible accident , she ’ s on life-support.
’ One story after another .
They don ’ t want to leave the hospital , and they don ’ t really want to leave the bedside.
” And here was Reynolds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little comfort in the form of a sandwich or slice of pizza , a smile , a pat on the arm .
Said Carrubba , “ I couldn ’ t wait for the next week.
” Michelle Veach came to be acquainted with Reynolds and the foundation in Charlottesville and Richmond , as her son , Adam , who was born prematurely at 23 weeks , spent most of his short life in the hospital .
Veach was driving back and forth between her home in Winchester and the hospital in Charlottesville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skipping meals and generally not taking particularly good care of herself as she juggled her hospital visits with her children at home .
She heard about Reynolds from the hospital staff and showed up for lunch one day .
“ I think he made a joke and gave me a little blanket , ” Veach said .
“ He would introduce us to other parents .
He made me realize you ’ re not really alone in this.
” When Adam was transferred to Children ’ s Hospital of Richmond , “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died at age 2½ in June 2017 ( his twin , Benjamin , survived and is doing well ) , but she never forgot what Reynolds and the foundation did for her family - she still has the blankets Reynolds gave her and the hats for her kids ( “ I ’ m almost going to cry telling you , ” she said ) , not to mention the warm memories of how he made sure her kids had pizza for the long ride home when they came for hospital visits .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill once and covered her first month ’ s rent when she had to move temporarily to Richmond .
“ I will forever be indebted , ” said Veach , who now lives outside Little Rock , Ark .
“ He just really has a powerful impact , He lost his daughter , and he ’ s done amazing things .
How did he find the strength do that ?
” Besides food , Reynolds and the foundation distribute blankets for chilly nights sitting next to hospital beds , directs parents to resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solace at a difficult time .
The pandemic has created additional challenges , particularly when he couldn ’ t enter the hospitals for a while and had to drop off the food with child-life specialists at the hospital .
He missed the interaction with families .
Also , the coronavirus has rendered buffets a thing of the past , at least for now , so Reynolds has to arrange to deliver individually wrapped meals , which he ’ s managed to do because of the kindness of his supporting restaurants .
He even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down and provided meals on additional days at the hospitals .
The foundation ’ s budget eventually ran low , and they had to back off , but it ’ s maintained its regular schedule .
The foundation has served more than 11,000 meals for the year .
“ Our supporters have been super generous , ” he said .
“ As long as everybody keeps helping us out , we ’ re doing OK , but we definitely want to do more in the future.
” Longtime supporter Cris Leonard suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the “ Making a Difference ” series , marveling at the level of care and compassion , impressed by the “ drive that leads him to influence so much good to benefit others.
” As Michelle Veach put it , “ The world needs more Rogers .
”

BILL LOHMANN, The Richmond Times-Dispatch

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - He shows up at hospitals with comfort food and corny jokes, an emissary of empathy for people likely experiencing the worst moments of their lives.
Roger Reynolds shares not only goodwill with the parents of children who are seriously ill or dying. He also shares an intimate understanding of what they are going through. He knows what they know. He has been there.
His daughter, Charlotte Jennie, who was also known as CJ, had brain cancer. There were delicate surgeries, exhausting treatments and numerous hospital stays. She was only 4 years old when she died in January 2010.
In their grief, Roger and Rachel Reynolds launched CJ’s Thumbs Up Foundation as a way to honor their daughter’s memory and to help others going through similar struggles and, in what Roger describes as “kind of a selfish way,” to bolster themselves when they needed it most.
“Otherwise, I’m just curled up on the floor in a fetal position and that’s not good for anybody,” he said.
That they have kept the foundation going for a decade is a testament to them and the important work they do. At UVA Children’s Hospital, one of the two hospitals where Roger delivers food and cheer once a week, child-life assistant Patricia Carrubba says, “He has totally made a difference in so many lives, one sandwich at a time.”
Roger is a musician by training and trade. He performs, teaches and has worked as a radio deejay, though his primary job now is director of programs for the foundation, of which he is often the face and personality. He also describes himself as a “part-time, stay-at-home dad” for their 13-year-old, Prudense. Rachel is program manager at Cameron K. Gallagher Mental Health Resource Center.
“This is my one little thing that I do,” he said. “All of the nuts and bolts of the nonprofit and the budget and all that stuff, that’s our amazingly wonderful board. The board is not afraid to say ‘no’ to me. I’ve had some really bad ideas, and they saw that.
“My wife is the genius behind everything. … I’m the crazy idea guy; she’s the smart one. But it works. It’s a hardcore team effort.”
The inspiration to start the foundation came from the Ashland couple’s experience, not only in the way they were supported by friends and relatives but from their observations that not every family seemed to enjoy that kind of community embrace. They also saw children spending much of their days alone in the hospital, which is why the original idea was to volunteer at hospitals and sit at kids’ bedsides, read them stories and just keep them company.
However, he said the “red tape” they would need to unravel to perform that sort of service was too complicated.
So, they turned to financial assistance for families under the duress of long-term hospital stays with their children - rent, utility bills, that sort of thing - and eventually to meals, which is something that is not always considered. It made perfect sense to Reynolds, who had eaten his share of odd-hours, soda-and-chips meals from vending machines when he didn’t want to leave his daughter’s bedside.
“We had to find our niche, and we did,” he said. “It’s like music therapy, but meal therapy.”
They started at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, where CJ primarily had undergone treatment. They raised funds, started connecting with generous restaurateurs and went to work, providing a buffet meal one day a week for families. A few years ago, they added UVA Children’s Hospital. Besides food, they distribute blankets, for chilly nights sitting next to hospital beds, and solace.
Carrubba, a longtime hospital educator, became connected to Reynolds and the foundation after being assigned to the child-life department at UVA. One of her new duties, she discovered, involved “helping with lunch.”
Her reply?
“Excuse me?”
It didn’t sound like the sort of work she was accustomed to and figured she had been saddled with a dreadful chore. The experience turned out to be something quite different than she imagined.
“I went into this conference room, and Roger shows up, and he’s just his jolly self, and he’s got this food,” Carrubba recalled. “Roger’s telling jokes, and one by one people are getting food.”
As they picked up their food, Carrubba recalled, they thanked Reynolds profusely and made comments like, “You have no idea, we haven’t eaten for two days!”
“By the end of the first hour, I thought, ‘My God, this is such a meaningful thing,’ ” Carrubba said. “It was so moving to hear these people tell me, ‘My child is dying,’ or ‘My little girl was in a terrible accident, she’s on life-support.’ One story after another. They don’t want to leave the hospital, and they don’t really want to leave the bedside.”
And here was Reynolds in the middle of it, bringing a little comfort in the form of a sandwich or slice of pizza, a smile, a pat on the arm.
Said Carrubba, “I couldn’t wait for the next week.”
Michelle Veach came to be acquainted with Reynolds and the foundation in Charlottesville and Richmond, as her son, Adam, who was born prematurely at 23 weeks, spent most of his short life in the hospital. Veach was driving back and forth between her home in Winchester and the hospital in Charlottesville and later the one in Richmond, skipping meals and generally not taking particularly good care of herself as she juggled her hospital visits with her children at home.
She heard about Reynolds from the hospital staff and showed up for lunch one day.
“I think he made a joke and gave me a little blanket,” Veach said. “He would introduce us to other parents. He made me realize you’re not really alone in this.”
When Adam was transferred to Children’s Hospital of Richmond, “I found Roger there, too.”
Adam died at age 2½ in June 2017 (his twin, Benjamin, survived and is doing well), but she never forgot what Reynolds and the foundation did for her family - she still has the blankets Reynolds gave her and the hats for her kids (“I’m almost going to cry telling you,” she said), not to mention the warm memories of how he made sure her kids had pizza for the long ride home when they came for hospital visits. The foundation paid the family’s electric bill once and covered her first month’s rent when she had to move temporarily to Richmond.
“I will forever be indebted,” said Veach, who now lives outside Little Rock, Ark. “He just really has a powerful impact, He lost his daughter, and he’s done amazing things. How did he find the strength do that?”
Besides food, Reynolds and the foundation distribute blankets for chilly nights sitting next to hospital beds, directs parents to resources that might help them and generally offers solace at a difficult time.
The pandemic has created additional challenges, particularly when he couldn’t enter the hospitals for a while and had to drop off the food with child-life specialists at the hospital. He missed the interaction with families. Also, the coronavirus has rendered buffets a thing of the past, at least for now, so Reynolds has to arrange to deliver individually wrapped meals, which he’s managed to do because of the kindness of his supporting restaurants.
He even stepped up when other nonprofits had to shut down and provided meals on additional days at the hospitals. The foundation’s budget eventually ran low, and they had to back off, but it’s maintained its regular schedule. The foundation has served more than 11,000 meals for the year.
“Our supporters have been super generous,” he said. “As long as everybody keeps helping us out, we’re doing OK, but we definitely want to do more in the future.”
Longtime supporter Cris Leonard suggested Reynolds and the foundation as a subject for the “Making a Difference” series, marveling at the level of care and compassion, impressed by the “drive that leads him to influence so much good to benefit others.”
As Michelle Veach put it, “The world needs more Rogers.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Delaware community bands together to support wounded officer

MILFORD , Del .
( AP ) - Susanne Whitney was at one of her part-time jobs Thursday evening when she received news that a Milford police officer had been shot .
President of A Walk in Their Shoes , a Delaware nonprofit aimed at uniting the community and law enforcement , Whitney has long worked with police across the state .
She ’ s also known several Milford officers for more than 20 years .
“ A great deal of my friends are law enforcement , ” Whitney said , “ So my heart just dropped.
” As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began receiving phone calls from community members and organizations asking how they could help Sr. Cpl .
T.J. Webb , who ’ d been shot numerous times by 37-year-old fugitive Evelio Rivera .
Shortly after , Larry Thompson – founder of Delaware Helping Warriors Outdoors , an organization that aids first responders – contacted Whitney .
He suggested the two create a Facebook page where they could post centralized information about Webb .
In the days since , the page , TJW # 5107 Strong has garnered several thousand “ likes ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hub for information about Webb ’ s condition .
Most recently , Whitney and Thompson have shared a Delaware State Police bank account set up to support Webb .
But more importantly , the page has done what Whitney and Thompson hoped : It has shown Webb ’ s family , Milford police and law enforcement across Delaware just how willing the community is to support them .
“ The outpouring - I mean , I ’ ve seen it before , like when we lost ( Delaware State Police ) Cpl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitney said .
“ But it still amazes me , every time.
” Webb , who was shot as he tried to arrest Rivera outside the Rehoboth Beach Econo Lodge Inn and Suites , has a long road to recovery ahead of him .
Since being rushed to Beebe Healthcare by police and later airlifted to Christiana Hospital , he has undergone several surgeries .
At least one Milford police officer and a U.S .
Marshal have been by his side 24 hours a day since the incident , said Milford Police Sgt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is getting stronger day by day - Thompson called him “ a fighter ” - he remains hospitalized .
And even once he can return home , it likely won ’ t be an easy journey .
Because of this , Whitney said she hopes the page “ isn ’ t something that ’ s just going to end when Sr. Cpl .
Webb is out of the hospital.
” ″ ( Policing ) is a hard job on a good day , and it ’ s a really hard job when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I just hope that this love and support continues long after people forget about this incident .
”

MILFORD, Del. (AP) - Susanne Whitney was at one of her part-time jobs Thursday evening when she received news that a Milford police officer had been shot.
President of A Walk in Their Shoes, a Delaware nonprofit aimed at uniting the community and law enforcement, Whitney has long worked with police across the state. She’s also known several Milford officers for more than 20 years.
“A great deal of my friends are law enforcement,” Whitney said, “So my heart just dropped.”
As the events of the evening unfolded, Whitney began receiving phone calls from community members and organizations asking how they could help Sr. Cpl. T.J. Webb, who’d been shot numerous times by 37-year-old fugitive Evelio Rivera.
Shortly after, Larry Thompson – founder of Delaware Helping Warriors Outdoors, an organization that aids first responders – contacted Whitney. He suggested the two create a Facebook page where they could post centralized information about Webb.
In the days since, the page, TJW #5107 Strong has garnered several thousand “likes” and “follows.” It’s become a hub for information about Webb’s condition. Most recently, Whitney and Thompson have shared a Delaware State Police bank account set up to support Webb.
But more importantly, the page has done what Whitney and Thompson hoped: It has shown Webb’s family, Milford police and law enforcement across Delaware just how willing the community is to support them.
“The outpouring - I mean, I’ve seen it before, like when we lost (Delaware State Police) Cpl. (Stephen) Ballard,” Whitney said. “But it still amazes me, every time.”
Webb, who was shot as he tried to arrest Rivera outside the Rehoboth Beach Econo Lodge Inn and Suites, has a long road to recovery ahead of him.
Since being rushed to Beebe Healthcare by police and later airlifted to Christiana Hospital, he has undergone several surgeries. At least one Milford police officer and a U.S. Marshal have been by his side 24 hours a day since the incident, said Milford Police Sgt. Robert Masten.
Though the corporal is getting stronger day by day - Thompson called him “a fighter” - he remains hospitalized. And even once he can return home, it likely won’t be an easy journey.
Because of this, Whitney said she hopes the page “isn’t something that’s just going to end when Sr. Cpl. Webb is out of the hospital.”
″(Policing) is a hard job on a good day, and it’s a really hard job when you think everybody hates you,” she said. “I just hope that this love and support continues long after people forget about this incident.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Maryland girl appears on 'Little Big Shots,' TV commercial

FREDERICK , Md .
( AP ) - Dressed in a magenta sweater and purple sneakers , Savannah Dahan took the stage of NBC ’ s “ Little Big Shots ” earlier this year to perform Sara Bareilles ’ hit song “ Brave.
” The song exploded in sound around her while the lyrics were projected on a screen .
The audience cheered her on , and her face and body swayed and pulsed as she expressed the emotion of the song .
Savannah wasn ’ t singing though .
Instead , she was performing the song through her own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Savannah was born Deaf , but that has not stopped the 10-year-old from enjoying music .
And her love for it has launched her to stardom over the past year .
Born and raised in Frederick , along with two sisters and parents who are also Deaf , Savannah has always loved performing .
She is a student at Maryland School for the Deaf and has been involved in many school theater productions .
But it was a simple home video that launched her new-found fame .
Savannah ’ s father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day as she used sign language to “ sing ” along to country music singer Carrie Underwood ’ s song “ The Champion ” .
After sharing it on Facebook with friends and family , Richard was encouraged to share it publicly to gain more views and share Savannah ’ s talent .
“ At the time we were like , she ’ s 8 years old but we decided to go ahead , and wow , it became viral , ” said Savannah ’ s mom , Jennifer Dahan .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , we were like , oh my goodness , this is really taking off … just to watch that , it was incredible.
” Savannah and her parents spoke through an ASL interpreter .
The video was eventually uploaded to Youtube and has since been watched over 100,000 times .
Since that first video went viral in 2019 , Savannah has signed ASL alongside Underwood , gained almost 20,000 Instagram followers , and appeared in a Hallmark Christmas commercial .
“ Really , the word is wow , ” Savannah said when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s dad said he thinks people are impressed at what she ’ s able to do at such a young age .
“ Her ability to go from the English to ASL , it ’ s not easy , and there is a lot of emotion that she has that goes in alignment with the music videos themselves , ” he said .
“ Her ability to be able to express the same intensity of the music and the meaning behind the music … to understand that and to communicate that in ASL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Soon after the home video , Savannah was contacted by Underwood and invited to attend one of the singer ’ s concerts and meet with her backstage .
Savannah taught Underwood some basic ASL and then signed along as Underwood sang “ The Champion ” again , this time with Savannah right beside her .
The video was shared by Underwood on her own Instagram page along with the caption , “ Savannah !
You bring so much joy to # TheChampion !
Thank you for such a special moment.
” Savannah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her best memories and what led to her other opportunities with “ Little Big Shots ” and Hallmark .
Savannah is now well-known across social media and within the Deaf community as “ SavvyASL ” .
Savvy is her nickname , and ASL is her whole purpose .
“ I want to make signing accessible to everyone .
Music should be accessible to everyone , ” she said .
“ Music is beautiful .
Hearing and Deaf people should both be able to benefit from it , and Deaf people should be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she uses her platform to bring awareness to issues important to her - such as marine life conservation - and to advocate for greater accessibility .
Specifically , Savannah would like to see more music videos produced with captioning and for there to be ASL interpreters available at concerts .
Until that is achieved on a mass scale though , Savannah said she will continue to be the connection for the Deaf community .
“ Whenever people are seeing me signing , I am in some ways the captioning .
They can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there ’ s a connection there , ” she said .
When asked how she is able to sign along to the songs while being Deaf , Savannah explained that she uses a hearing aid to softly pick up the sound .
That , combined with reading the lyrics , helps her understand the song and express the message of it .
“ With Deaf people , there ’ s a range and different levels of being Deaf … some people , there are certain sounds that they ’ re able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so my hearing aids do help a lot in that situation , ” she said .
“ They don ’ t help 100 percent , but with practice , I ’ m able to identify sounds.
” Her musical signing has also led to other creative opportunities .
She recently appeared in a Hallmark Christmas commercial that was ASL friendly with captioning and each character using ASL .
Savannah said it was an honor to be included in such inclusive content and hopes she can continue to showcase ASL in such a positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure that people know ASL is a beautiful language and that they can relate to it and the important message of representation of different people .
Even if people can ’ t hear , they can do so many things , the only thing they can ’ t do is hear , that ’ s it , ” she said .
Savannah ’ s father agreed , saying he hopes both Savannah and others who are helping bring ASL to the forefront can show that Deafness is more than a medical trait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a medical problem , they ’ re able to see the beauty of our language , our own language , our culture and the so many things that Deaf people have , not just the language but also the expressiveness , ” he said .
Going forward , Savannah said she hopes to continue to promote ASL and keep performing .
Her parents said they will continue to support her as long as she enjoys it .
It ’ s rare that a 10-year-old has 20,000 Instagram followers , but for Savannah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just with a few really cool blips along the way .
“ Some people started asking for my autograph , wanted pictures with me , and I realized , wow , I really did impact so many people , ” she said .
“ And I really do enjoy it , but of course , I ’ m still a normal person .
”

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - Dressed in a magenta sweater and purple sneakers, Savannah Dahan took the stage of NBC’s “Little Big Shots” earlier this year to perform Sara Bareilles’ hit song “Brave.”
The song exploded in sound around her while the lyrics were projected on a screen. The audience cheered her on, and her face and body swayed and pulsed as she expressed the emotion of the song.
Savannah wasn’t singing though. Instead, she was performing the song through her own language - American Sign Language (ASL).
Savannah was born Deaf, but that has not stopped the 10-year-old from enjoying music. And her love for it has launched her to stardom over the past year.
Born and raised in Frederick, along with two sisters and parents who are also Deaf, Savannah has always loved performing. She is a student at Maryland School for the Deaf and has been involved in many school theater productions.
But it was a simple home video that launched her new-found fame. Savannah’s father, Richard Dahan, filmed her one day as she used sign language to “sing” along to country music singer Carrie Underwood’s song “The Champion”.
After sharing it on Facebook with friends and family, Richard was encouraged to share it publicly to gain more views and share Savannah’s talent.
“At the time we were like, she’s 8 years old but we decided to go ahead, and wow, it became viral,” said Savannah’s mom, Jennifer Dahan. “I remember, as the views were racking up, we were like, oh my goodness, this is really taking off … just to watch that, it was incredible.”
Savannah and her parents spoke through an ASL interpreter.
The video was eventually uploaded to Youtube and has since been watched over 100,000 times.
A BANNER YEAR
Since that first video went viral in 2019, Savannah has signed ASL alongside Underwood, gained almost 20,000 Instagram followers, and appeared in a Hallmark Christmas commercial.
“Really, the word is wow,” Savannah said when describing the past year.
Savannah’s dad said he thinks people are impressed at what she’s able to do at such a young age.
“Her ability to go from the English to ASL, it’s not easy, and there is a lot of emotion that she has that goes in alignment with the music videos themselves,” he said. “Her ability to be able to express the same intensity of the music and the meaning behind the music … to understand that and to communicate that in ASL … I think people were really fascinated.”
Soon after the home video, Savannah was contacted by Underwood and invited to attend one of the singer’s concerts and meet with her backstage. Savannah taught Underwood some basic ASL and then signed along as Underwood sang “The Champion” again, this time with Savannah right beside her.
The video was shared by Underwood on her own Instagram page along with the caption, “Savannah! You bring so much joy to #TheChampion! Thank you for such a special moment.”
Savannah said performing alongside Underwood is one of her best memories and what led to her other opportunities with “Little Big Shots” and Hallmark.
ADVOCATING THROUGH ASL
Savannah is now well-known across social media and within the Deaf community as “SavvyASL”.
Savvy is her nickname, and ASL is her whole purpose.
“I want to make signing accessible to everyone. Music should be accessible to everyone,” she said. “Music is beautiful. Hearing and Deaf people should both be able to benefit from it, and Deaf people should be able to relate to it.”
These days, she uses her platform to bring awareness to issues important to her - such as marine life conservation - and to advocate for greater accessibility.
Specifically, Savannah would like to see more music videos produced with captioning and for there to be ASL interpreters available at concerts.
Until that is achieved on a mass scale though, Savannah said she will continue to be the connection for the Deaf community.
“Whenever people are seeing me signing, I am in some ways the captioning. They can access it and understand it through me, and there’s a connection there,” she said.
MAKING AN IMPACT
When asked how she is able to sign along to the songs while being Deaf, Savannah explained that she uses a hearing aid to softly pick up the sound. That, combined with reading the lyrics, helps her understand the song and express the message of it.
“With Deaf people, there’s a range and different levels of being Deaf … some people, there are certain sounds that they’re able to recognize specifically with hearing aids … so my hearing aids do help a lot in that situation,” she said. “They don’t help 100 percent, but with practice, I’m able to identify sounds.”
Her musical signing has also led to other creative opportunities.
She recently appeared in a Hallmark Christmas commercial that was ASL friendly with captioning and each character using ASL.
Savannah said it was an honor to be included in such inclusive content and hopes she can continue to showcase ASL in such a positive light.
“I just want to make sure that people know ASL is a beautiful language and that they can relate to it and the important message of representation of different people. Even if people can’t hear, they can do so many things, the only thing they can’t do is hear, that’s it,” she said.
Savannah’s father agreed, saying he hopes both Savannah and others who are helping bring ASL to the forefront can show that Deafness is more than a medical trait.
“Instead of people viewing Deafness as a medical problem, they’re able to see the beauty of our language, our own language, our culture and the so many things that Deaf people have, not just the language but also the expressiveness,” he said.
Going forward, Savannah said she hopes to continue to promote ASL and keep performing. Her parents said they will continue to support her as long as she enjoys it.
It’s rare that a 10-year-old has 20,000 Instagram followers, but for Savannah, her life still feels the same, just with a few really cool blips along the way.
“Some people started asking for my autograph, wanted pictures with me, and I realized, wow, I really did impact so many people,” she said. “And I really do enjoy it, but of course, I’m still a normal person.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Kuwait's key reformer, son of late emir, dies at 72

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates ( AP ) - Kuwait ’ s Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al Sabah , the eldest son of the late emir , who emerged as an influential reformer in the oil-rich Gulf sheikhdom , died on Sunday , the country ’ s state-run news agency reported .
He was 72 .
Sheikh Nasser , who held various government posts over the years including minister of defense and deputy prime minister , had been considered a top contender for crown prince following the death in September of his father , the 91-year-old Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his ambitious mega-projects and anti-corruption efforts , he was passed over for his uncle , Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah , a more cautious choice of heir apparent at a turbulent time for Kuwait ’ s politics and the wider region .
The KUNA state-run news agency did not specify how Sheikh Nasser died , but he was known to be in fragile health after having a lung tumor removed two years ago .
In a country that depends on oil for some 90 % of its revenues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kuwait ’ s economy by building up a business hub with a free zone and deep sea port in the country ’ s north .
But with many in Kuwait ’ s parliament committed to the status quo , his ideas repeatedly ran aground even as fears mounted that the country was falling behind its more powerful and better-developed neighbors , Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .
Last year , Sheikh Nasser ’ s public allegations of government corruption vaulted him into the national political scene , as he pressed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of millions of dollars from a military fund .
His efforts backfired when his father , the emir , ousted him from government , but he retained a substantial following and continued to make public statements about the need to fight corruption both in Kuwait ’ s sprawling bureaucracy and his own ruling family .

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Kuwait’s Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al Sabah, the eldest son of the late emir, who emerged as an influential reformer in the oil-rich Gulf sheikhdom, died on Sunday, the country’s state-run news agency reported. He was 72.
Sheikh Nasser, who held various government posts over the years including minister of defense and deputy prime minister, had been considered a top contender for crown prince following the death in September of his father, the 91-year-old Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.
Although he drew popular support for his ambitious mega-projects and anti-corruption efforts, he was passed over for his uncle, Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, a more cautious choice of heir apparent at a turbulent time for Kuwait’s politics and the wider region.
The KUNA state-run news agency did not specify how Sheikh Nasser died, but he was known to be in fragile health after having a lung tumor removed two years ago.
In a country that depends on oil for some 90% of its revenues, Sheikh Nasser championed bold plans to diversify Kuwait’s economy by building up a business hub with a free zone and deep sea port in the country’s north. But with many in Kuwait’s parliament committed to the status quo, his ideas repeatedly ran aground even as fears mounted that the country was falling behind its more powerful and better-developed neighbors, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Last year, Sheikh Nasser’s public allegations of government corruption vaulted him into the national political scene, as he pressed for investigations into the suspected embezzlement of hundreds of millions of dollars from a military fund.
His efforts backfired when his father, the emir, ousted him from government, but he retained a substantial following and continued to make public statements about the need to fight corruption both in Kuwait’s sprawling bureaucracy and his own ruling family.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Covered bridge linking NH, Vermont, to get repairs

CORNISH , N.H. ( AP ) - Repairs are planned to start next month on an historic covered bridge between @ @ @ @ @ The New Hampshire Department of Transportation plans to replace several worn deck planks on the @ @ @ @ @ Bridge , starting Jan. 4 , 2021 .
The bridge will be closed to traffic @ @ @ @ @ 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the next four weeks , drivers will use one @ @ @ @ @ The bridge will be open to two-lane traffic at the end of operations each day @ @ @ @ @ posted at the bridge .
The work should be completed in early February .
The @ @ @ @ @ , connecting the towns of Cornish , New Hampshire , and Windsor , Vermont .
@ @ @ @ @ National Register of Historic Places .

CORNISH, N.H. (AP) - Repairs are planned to start next month on an historic covered bridge between New Hampshire and Vermont.
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation plans to replace several worn deck planks on the end of the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, starting Jan. 4, 2021.
The bridge will be closed to traffic for one week, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the next four weeks, drivers will use one lane of alternating traffic. The bridge will be open to two-lane traffic at the end of operations each day. Message signs will be posted at the bridge.
The work should be completed in early February.
The bridge spans the Connecticut River, connecting the towns of Cornish, New Hampshire, and Windsor, Vermont. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Businesses, lacking legal immunity, fear COVID-19 lawsuits

PORTLAND , Maine ( AP ) - Plans for a lawsuit against a Maine venue that hosted what became a “ superspreader ” wedding reception underscore the liability risks to small businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic and an uphill push by Republicans in Congress to give such outfits legal immunity .
Behemoths like Walmart and Tyson Foods , which have been the target of COVID-19-related lawsuits , can largely absorb any losses .
But hundreds of negligence lawsuits have been filed across the country , with mom-and-pops most fearing the prospect of litigation that could put them under .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they win a lawsuit , ” said David Clough , of the National Federation of Independent Businesses , because costly litigation can bankrupt small businesses that don ’ t have deep pockets .
For the family-owned Big Moose Inn in Millinocket , Maine , it ’ s not a theoretical problem .
The estates of at least three nursing home residents whose deaths were linked to a wedding reception there in August intend to sue the inn and the nursing home , said the families ’ attorney , Timothy Kenlan .
The wedding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 180 people and caused at least eight deaths , state officials said .
Seven of those who died were residents of the Maplecrest nursing home in Madison , Maine , whose attorney declined to comment .
A notice of claim indicates damages will be sought from the inn for hosting an event that Kenlan contends violated state safety protocols during a pandemic .
“ What stands out here is the egregious conduct .
They put profits ahead of people , ” Kenlan said .
“ They were flouting the rules.
” Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said there ’ s no way to prove the wedding reception was the source of infections .
There were several other events including an outing at a lake and the wedding itself at a nearby church that were just as likely to have been the source of infections , he said .
The number of reception guests at the inn exceeded the state limit of 50 people , the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said .
But Brown contends the business tried to follow rules by dividing the reception into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so there was no violation , he said .
During the reception , signs warned guests to wear masks and to maintain distance , but there was no mandate at the time to enforce those rules .
A national lawsuit tracker by Hunton Andrews Kurth indicates more than 6,000 coronavirus-related complaints have been filed across the country .
Many involve attacks on pandemic restrictions , while others have targeted banks and insurers , and there have been thousands more workers ’ compensation claims , as well , said Alexandra Cunningham , of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But a much smaller number - about 270 individual lawsuits - are wrongful death , personal injury or workplace safety claims , mostly targeting cruise ships , meat-processing plants and other businesses , including nursing homes , she said .
The lawsuits tend to focus on the most egregious cases .
A lawsuit targeting a Tyson Foods plant in Iowa said workers lacked masks and were forced to work close together , while managers bet on how many workers would get infected during a coronavirus outbreak .
Tyson investigated in response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit after a worker died of COVID-19 complications in March .
A class action lawsuit is targeting McDonald ’ s .
The ACLU sued on behalf of workers at a Nebraska meatpacking pant .
And a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by Amazon warehouse workers .
“ Although there are very few cases , those cases are really important because they represent critical cases of worker safety , ” said Julia Duncan from American Association for Justice , which represents trial attorneys .
Those large corporations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses like the Big Moose Inn , for whom legal fees and damages could be crippling .
Republican efforts to protect businesses from legal liability were a sticking point in Congress over a $ 900 billion-plus pandemic aid package .
Many Democrats object to a liability shield and say the Trump administration has already given companies the upper hand on safety issues by relaxing protections for workers .
The liability issue has been set aside for now but will be back in the new year , and state lawmakers likely will weigh in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses , which represents nearly 3,000 small , independent businesses in Maine .
Before the liability issue was set aside , the discussion focused on immunity for businesses except in cases of “ gross negligence , ” something trial lawyers criticize as a fancy way of dressing up full liability from virus lawsuits .
There haven ’ t been enough lawsuits to justify special protections , trial lawyers say .
While the specter of lawsuits unsettles business owners , it might be difficult for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a specific establishment , or of proving negligence , because the rules and safety guidance have evolved .
Masks , for example , were not recommended initially ; now they ’ re recommended and sometimes mandated .
Lawsuits require a plaintiff to prove both harm and negligence - that an entity failed to protect someone from a reasonably foreseeable event , said Jim Burke , professor emeritus at the University of Maine School of Law .
Proving where someone contracted the virus is central to winning a lawsuit , and that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , Burke said .
“ As the community spread gets broader , it will become harder to prove causation , ” he said .
For the Big Moose Inn , its lawyer believes some form of liability protection is warranted .
“ If a business is complying with the requirements , doing the best they can , making the effort to keep employees and guests safe , then there should be some liability shield , ” Brown said .
“ If they ’ re working hard and trying , they shouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s really outside their control.
” Many attorneys are likely waiting to see how lawsuits like the one that ’ s anticipated against Big Moose Inn play out , Cunningham said .
The statute of limitations for such negligence claims generally is two to three years , she said .

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Plans for a lawsuit against a Maine venue that hosted what became a “superspreader” wedding reception underscore the liability risks to small businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic and an uphill push by Republicans in Congress to give such outfits legal immunity.
Behemoths like Walmart and Tyson Foods, which have been the target of COVID-19-related lawsuits, can largely absorb any losses. But hundreds of negligence lawsuits have been filed across the country, with mom-and-pops most fearing the prospect of litigation that could put them under.
“They can end up losing even if they win a lawsuit,” said David Clough, of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, because costly litigation can bankrupt small businesses that don’t have deep pockets.
For the family-owned Big Moose Inn in Millinocket, Maine, it’s not a theoretical problem. The estates of at least three nursing home residents whose deaths were linked to a wedding reception there in August intend to sue the inn and the nursing home, said the families’ attorney, Timothy Kenlan.
The wedding and reception sparked outbreaks that infected at least 180 people and caused at least eight deaths, state officials said. Seven of those who died were residents of the Maplecrest nursing home in Madison, Maine, whose attorney declined to comment.
A notice of claim indicates damages will be sought from the inn for hosting an event that Kenlan contends violated state safety protocols during a pandemic.
“What stands out here is the egregious conduct. They put profits ahead of people,” Kenlan said. “They were flouting the rules.”
Paul Brown, attorney for Big Moose Inn, said there’s no way to prove the wedding reception was the source of infections. There were several other events including an outing at a lake and the wedding itself at a nearby church that were just as likely to have been the source of infections, he said.
The number of reception guests at the inn exceeded the state limit of 50 people, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said. But Brown contends the business tried to follow rules by dividing the reception into two groups of fewer than 50, so there was no violation, he said.
During the reception, signs warned guests to wear masks and to maintain distance, but there was no mandate at the time to enforce those rules.
A national lawsuit tracker by Hunton Andrews Kurth indicates more than 6,000 coronavirus-related complaints have been filed across the country.
Many involve attacks on pandemic restrictions, while others have targeted banks and insurers, and there have been thousands more workers’ compensation claims, as well, said Alexandra Cunningham, of the Richmond, Virginia, law firm.
But a much smaller number - about 270 individual lawsuits - are wrongful death, personal injury or workplace safety claims, mostly targeting cruise ships, meat-processing plants and other businesses, including nursing homes, she said.
The lawsuits tend to focus on the most egregious cases.
A lawsuit targeting a Tyson Foods plant in Iowa said workers lacked masks and were forced to work close together, while managers bet on how many workers would get infected during a coronavirus outbreak. Tyson investigated in response to the lawsuit and fired seven managers.
Walmart is the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit after a worker died of COVID-19 complications in March. A class action lawsuit is targeting McDonald’s. The ACLU sued on behalf of workers at a Nebraska meatpacking pant. And a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by Amazon warehouse workers.
“Although there are very few cases, those cases are really important because they represent critical cases of worker safety,” said Julia Duncan from American Association for Justice, which represents trial attorneys.
Those large corporations can better weather a lawsuit than small businesses like the Big Moose Inn, for whom legal fees and damages could be crippling.
Republican efforts to protect businesses from legal liability were a sticking point in Congress over a $900 billion-plus pandemic aid package.
Many Democrats object to a liability shield and say the Trump administration has already given companies the upper hand on safety issues by relaxing protections for workers.
The liability issue has been set aside for now but will be back in the new year, and state lawmakers likely will weigh in, as well, said Clough, the state director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, which represents nearly 3,000 small, independent businesses in Maine.
Before the liability issue was set aside, the discussion focused on immunity for businesses except in cases of “gross negligence,” something trial lawyers criticize as a fancy way of dressing up full liability from virus lawsuits. There haven’t been enough lawsuits to justify special protections, trial lawyers say.
While the specter of lawsuits unsettles business owners, it might be difficult for plaintiffs to prove they caught the virus at a specific establishment, or of proving negligence, because the rules and safety guidance have evolved. Masks, for example, were not recommended initially; now they’re recommended and sometimes mandated.
Lawsuits require a plaintiff to prove both harm and negligence - that an entity failed to protect someone from a reasonably foreseeable event, said Jim Burke, professor emeritus at the University of Maine School of Law.
Proving where someone contracted the virus is central to winning a lawsuit, and that was difficult even before the latest surge of the virus, Burke said. “As the community spread gets broader, it will become harder to prove causation,” he said.
For the Big Moose Inn, its lawyer believes some form of liability protection is warranted.
“If a business is complying with the requirements, doing the best they can, making the effort to keep employees and guests safe, then there should be some liability shield,” Brown said. “If they’re working hard and trying, they shouldn’t be penalized for something that’s really outside their control.”
Many attorneys are likely waiting to see how lawsuits like the one that’s anticipated against Big Moose Inn play out, Cunningham said.
The statute of limitations for such negligence claims generally is two to three years, she said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Fix promising better dementia care for veterans approved

AUGUSTA , Maine ( AP ) - A proposal backed by the four members of Maine ’ s congressional delegation @ @ @ @ @ care for veterans is slated to be signed into law .
The proposal is designed @ @ @ @ @ care for veterans who live with early-stage dementia , sponsors said .
It passed both @ @ @ @ @ and U.S. Senate unanimously .
The four members of the delegation said the measure will @ @ @ @ @ Veterans Affairs with more flexibility so they can allow veterans to receive the care they @ @ @ @ @ Collins , independent Sen. Angus King and Democratic Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden said @ @ @ @ @ who need care from falling through the cracks of the system .
Maine Veterans Homes @ @ @ @ @ said the law change will correct an administrative problem that has made it harder for @ @ @ @ @

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - A proposal backed by the four members of Maine’s congressional delegation to expand access to dementia care for veterans is slated to be signed into law.
The proposal is designed to address a gap in care for veterans who live with early-stage dementia, sponsors said. It passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate unanimously.
The four members of the delegation said the measure will provide the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs with more flexibility so they can allow veterans to receive the care they need. Republican Sen. Susan Collins, independent Sen. Angus King and Democratic Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden said the proposal will prevent veterans who need care from falling through the cracks of the system.
Maine Veterans Homes chief executive officer Kelley Kash said the law change will correct an administrative problem that has made it harder for veterans to access care.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Several EU nations halt UK flights, fearing virus variant

BERLIN ( AP ) - Several European Union nations on Sunday banned flights from the U.K. and Germany was considering limiting such flights to make sure that a new strain of coronavirus sweeping across southern England does not establish a strong foothold on the continent .
The Netherlands banned flights from the U.K. for at least the rest of the year while Belgium issued a flight ban for 24 hours starting at midnight and also halted train links to Britain , including the Eurostar .
Austria and Italy said they would halt flights from the U.K. but did not give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Twitter that the government was preparing the measure “ to protect Italians ” from the new coronavirus variant .
About two dozen flights were scheduled to arrive in Italy on Sunday , most in the northern region of Lombardy but also in Veneto and Lazio , which include Venice and Rome respectively .
German officials , meanwhile , were considering “ serious options ” regarding incoming flights from the U.K. , but have not yet taken action .
The Czech Republic , meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the U.K .
The EU governments say they are acting in response to tougher measures imposed Saturday in London and its surrounding areas by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
He immediately put those regions into a new Tier 4 level of restrictions , saying that a fast-moving new variant of the virus that is 70 % more transmissible than existing strains appears to be driving the rapid spread of new infections in London and southern England .
“ There ’ s no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or that vaccines will be less effective against it .
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Sunday said he was issuing the flight ban for 24 hours starting at midnight “ out of precaution.
” “ There are a great many questions about this new mutation and if it is not already on the mainland , ” he said .
He hoped to have more clarity by Tuesday .
The World Health Organization tweeted late Saturday that “ We ’ re in close contact with U.K. officials on the new # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ update governments and the public as more is learned about this variant .
The new strain of coronavirus was identified in southeastern England in September and has been circulating in the area since , a WHO official told the BBC on Sunday .
“ What we understand is that it does have increased transmissibility , in terms of its ability to spread , ” said Maria Van Kerkhove , WHO ’ s technical lead on COVID-19 .
Studies are under way to better understand how fast it spreads and and whether “ it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or a combination of factors with behavior , ” she said .
She said the strain had also been identified in Denmark , the Netherlands and Australia , where there was one case that did not spread further .
“ The longer this virus spreads , the more opportunities it has to change , ” she said .
“ So we really need to do everything we can right now to prevent spread , and minimizing that spread will reduce the chances of it changing.
” Susan Hopkins of Public Health England @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circulating since September , it wasn ’ t until this week that officials felt they had enough evidence to declare that it has higher transmissibility than other circulating viruses .
The strain has spread to other parts of the U.K. but in smaller amounts than in London and surrounding areas , she told the BBC .
Germany has not yet spelled out a ban but is considering limiting or halting flights from the U.K. as well , the dpa news agency reported Sunday .
A high-ranking German official told dpa that restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option.
” Europe has been walloped this fall by soaring new infections and deaths due to a resurgence of the virus , and many nations have reimposed a series of restrictions to reign in their outbreaks .
Britain has seen over 67,000 deaths in the pandemic , the second-highest confirmed toll in Europe after Italy .
Johnson on Saturday closed all non-essential shops , hairdressers , gyms and pools and told Britons to reorganize their holiday plans .
No mixing of households is now allowed indoors in Tier 4 areas , including London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into and out of such areas .
In the rest of England , people will be allowed to meet in Christmas bubbles for just one day instead of the five that were planned .
Also Saturday , video emerged showing crowds of people rushing to London train stations , apparently making a dash for places in the U.K. with less stringent coronavirus restrictions before the new rules came into effect .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said “ those scenes were totally irresponsible.
” “ We in government of course have a responsibility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ The plea that I have is that people will play their part .
Because it is only by acting - all of us - that we can get this under control.
” Raf Casert in Brussels , Sylvia Hui in London and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed reporting .

BERLIN (AP) - A growing list of European Union nations and Canada barred travel from the U.K. on Sunday and others were considering similar action, in a bid to block a new strain of coronavirus sweeping across southern England from spreading to the continent.
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and Bulgaria all announced restrictions on U.K. travel, hours after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Christmas shopping and gatherings in southern England must be canceled because of rapidly spreading infections blamed on the new coronavirus variant.
Johnson immediately placed those regions under a strict new Tier 4 restriction level, upending Christmas plans for millions.
France banned all travel from the U.K. for 48 hours from midnight Sunday, including trucks carrying freight through the tunnel under the English Channel or from the port of Dover on England’s south coast. French officials said the pause would buy time to find a “common doctrine” on how to deal with the threat, but it threw the busy cross-channel route used by thousands of trucks a day into chaos.
The Port of Dover tweeted Sunday night that its ferry terminal was “closed to all accompanied traffic leaving the UK until further notice due to border restrictions in France.”
Eurostar passenger trains from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam were also halted.
Germany said all flights coming from Britain, except cargo flights, were no longer allowed to land starting midnight Sunday. It didn’t immediately say how long the flight ban would last. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said he was issuing a flight ban for 24 hours starting at midnight “out of precaution.” “There are a great many questions about this new mutation,” he said, adding he hoped to have more clarity by Tuesday.
Canada announced its own ban Sunday night. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement that for 72 hours starting at midnight Sunday, “all flights from the UK will be prohibited from entering Canada.” He added that travelers who arrived Sunday would be subject to secondary screening and other health measures. A follow-up statement from the government said cargo flights were not included in the ban.
The Central American nation of El Salvador, meanwhile, said it would refuse entry to anyone who has visited Britain in the preceding 30 days.
The British government said Johnson would preside at a meeting of the government’s crisis committee, COBRA, on Monday in the wake of the other nations’ measures. They come at a time of huge economic uncertainty for the U.K., less than two weeks before it leaves the EU’s economic structures Dec. 31, and with talks on a new post-Brexit trade relationship still deadlocked.
Johnson said Saturday that a fast-moving new variant of the virus that is 70% more transmissible than existing strains appeared to be driving the rapid spread of new infections in London and southern England in recent weeks. But he stressed “there’s no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness,” or that vaccines will be less effective against it.
On Sunday, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock added to the alarm when he said “the new variant is out of control.” The U.K. recorded 35,928 further confirmed cases, around double the number from a week ago.
Germany, which holds the rotating EU presidency, called a special crisis meeting on Monday to coordinate the response to the virus news among the bloc’s 27 member states.
The Netherlands banned flights from the U.K. for at least the rest of the year. Ireland issued a 48-hour flight ban. Italy said it would block flights from the U.K. until Jan.6, and an order signed Sunday prohibits entry into Italy by anyone who has been in the U.K. in the last 14 days.
The Czech Republic imposed stricter quarantine measures from people arriving from Britain.
Beyond Europe, Israel also said it was banning flights from Britain, Denmark and South Africa because those were the countries where the mutation is found.
The World Health Organization tweeted late Saturday that it was “in close contact with U.K. officials on the new #COVID19 virus variant” and promised to update governments and the public as more is learned.
The new strain was identified in southeastern England in September and has been spreading in the area ever since, a WHO official told the BBC on Sunday.
“What we understand is that it does have increased transmissibility, in terms of its ability to spread,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19.
Studies are under way to better understand how fast it spreads and whether “it’s related to the variant itself, or a combination of factors with behavior,” she added.
She said the strain had also been identified in Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia, where there was one case that didn’t spread further.
“The longer this virus spreads, the more opportunities it has to change,” she said. “So we really need to do everything we can right now to prevent spread.”
Viruses mutate regularly, and scientists have found thousands of different mutations among samples of the virus causing COVID-19. Many of these changes have no effect on how easily the virus spreads or how severe symptoms are.
British health authorities said that while the variant has been circulating since September, it wasn’t until the last week that officials felt they had enough evidence to declare that it has higher transmissibility than other circulating coronaviruses.
Patrick Vallance, the British government’s chief scientific adviser, said officials are concerned about the new variant because it contained 23 different changes, “an unusually large number of variants” affecting how the virus binds to and enters cells in the body.
Officials aren’t certain whether it originated in the U.K., Vallance added. But by December, he said it was causing over 60% of infections in London.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for U.S. surgeon general said Sunday that the emergence of the new strain doesn’t change the public health guidance on precautions for reducing the spread of the virus, such as wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands.
“While it seems to be more easily transmissible, we do not have evidence yet that this is a more deadly virus to an individual who acquires it,” Vivek Murthy said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “There’s no reason to believe that the vaccines that have been developed will not be effective against this virus, as well.”
Europe has been walloped this fall by soaring new infections and deaths due to a resurgence of the virus, and many nations have reimposed a series of restrictions to reign in their outbreaks.
Britain has seen over 67,000 deaths in the pandemic, the second-highest confirmed toll in Europe after Italy. Europe as a whole has recorded nearly 499,000 virus deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that experts believe is an undercount, due to limited testing and missed cases.
The European Medicines Agency, meanwhile, is meeting Monday to approve the first COVID-19 vaccine for the European Union’s 27 nations, bringing vaccinations closer for millions of EU citizens. The vaccine made by German pharmaceutical company BioNTech and American drugmaker Pfizer is already in use in the United States, Britain, Canada and other countries.
The EMA moved up its assessment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by a week after heavy pressure from EU governments, especially Germany, which has said that after the EMA approval it could start vaccinating citizens as early as next Sunday.
In an urgent address to the nation on Saturday, Johnson ordered all non-essential shops, hairdressers and gyms in London and large parts of southern England closed and told Britons to reorganize their holiday plans. No mixing of households is allowed indoors in the region, and only essential travel is permitted. In the rest of England, people will be allowed to meet in Christmas bubbles for just one day instead of the five that were planned.
After he spoke, videos emerged online showing crowds of people at London’s train stations, apparently making a dash for places in the U.K. with less stringent coronavirus restrictions. Health Secretary Matt Hancock called those scenes “totally irresponsible.”
While Hancock insisted officials had acted “very quickly and decisively,” critics said Britain’s Conservative government should have moved against rising infections much earlier.
“The alarms bells have been ringing for weeks, but the prime minister chose to ignore them,” said Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party. “It is an act of gross negligence by a prime minister who, once again, has been caught behind the curve.”
___
Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber reported this story in Berlin and AP writer Sylvia Hui reported from London. AP writers Jill Lawless in London, Thomas Adamson in Paris, Raf Casert in Brussels, Colleen Barry in Milan, Karel Janicek in Prague, Veselin Toshkov in Sofia, Bulgaria, John Hanna in Washington and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Georgia pastor and Trump adviser tests positive for COVID-19

GAINESVILLE , Ga. ( AP ) - The leader of a north Georgia megachurch who has been a spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Jentezen Franklin , the senior pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville was absent from Sunday services , news outlets reported .
Pastor Javon Ruff announced the diagnosis during Free Chapel ’ s Sunday service , held both in-person and streamed live .
“ We want to make you aware that Pastor Franklin has come in contact with COVID , but he is doing perfectly fine .
He actually is doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He went and got tested and his test came back positive so he is doing the right thing to do and staying quarantined and continuing to be distanced .
We ’ ll continue to pray and lift him up.
” The diagnosis came within days of Franklin attending a Christmas party at the White House .
On Tuesday , Franklin posted on Instagram a photo of himself and his daughter at a White House Christmas party .
Trump watched Franklin ‘ s church service during a National Day of Prayer earlier this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press that he ’ s met with Trump at least 10 times on faith matters , also appeared at a virtual “ call to prayer ” event for Trump ’ s campaign when he and first lady Melania Trump were themselves being treated for COVID-19 .
No direct connection has been made between Franklin ‘ s diagnosis and his attendance at the party .
More than a dozen parties at the White House have been criticized for being held indoors and not enforcing mask-wearing .
“ Pastor Jentezen Franklin ’ s visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his diagnosis , ” a church spokesperson told WXIA-TV in a statement .
The spokesperson said Franklin on Thursday was exposed to a congregation associated who was infected .
Ruff announced that Free Chapel ’ s Christmas Eve candlelight service will be held virtually only “ out of an abundance of caution ” and that weekly services would resume Jan. 3 .

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) - The leader of a north Georgia megachurch who has been a spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump has tested positive for COVID-19.
Jentezen Franklin, the senior pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville was absent from Sunday services, news outlets reported.
Pastor Javon Ruff announced the diagnosis during Free Chapel’s Sunday service, held both in-person and streamed live.
“We want to make you aware that Pastor Franklin has come in contact with COVID, but he is doing perfectly fine. He actually is doing great,” Ruff said. “He went and got tested and his test came back positive so he is doing the right thing to do and staying quarantined and continuing to be distanced. We’ll continue to pray and lift him up.”
The diagnosis came within days of Franklin attending a Christmas party at the White House. On Tuesday, Franklin posted on Instagram a photo of himself and his daughter at a White House Christmas party.
Trump watched Franklin’s church service during a National Day of Prayer earlier this year. Franklin, who previously told The Associated Press that he’s met with Trump at least 10 times on faith matters, also appeared at a virtual “call to prayer” event for Trump’s campaign when he and first lady Melania Trump were themselves being treated for COVID-19.
Franklin hosts the broadcast program “Kingdom Connection.”
No direct connection has been made between Franklin’s diagnosis and his attendance at the party. More than a dozen parties at the White House have been criticized for being held indoors and not enforcing mask-wearing.
“Pastor Jentezen Franklin’s visit to White House had no correlation with his diagnosis,” a church spokesperson told WXIA-TV in a statement. The spokesperson said Franklin on Thursday was exposed to a congregation associated who was infected.
Ruff announced that Free Chapel’s Christmas Eve candlelight service will be held virtually only “out of an abundance of caution” and that weekly services would resume Jan. 3.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--WSU Tech moving forward with plan for new culinary program

WICHITA , Kan. ( AP ) - Wichita State University ’ s technical college is moving forward with plans to open a culinary school downtown in Kansas ’ largest city and has hired married chefs who helped build another program in the area .
President Sheree Utash said that WSU Tech expects to submit its plan for the new program to the Kansas Board of Regents this spring , and it hopes to start classes in a temporary location in August , The Wichita Eagle reports .
WSU Tech ’ s board of directors last week approved a letter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also has hired John and Lexi Michael , who helped build a Butler Community College culinary program that began in 2012 .
The Butler college ’ s program is based in a recreation center well west of downtown .
The two schools have been in discussions about possible partnerships since 2018 , but Utash said those talks have ended .
She said the Butler college ’ s program , operating outside its normal service area , will have to move by July 2021 , and Butler President Kim Krull said her school was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a 45,000-square-foot former department store building in downtown Wichita to house WSU Tech ’ s culinary school should begin this spring and be completed by August 2022 .

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Wichita State University’s technical college is moving forward with plans to open a culinary school downtown in Kansas’ largest city and has hired married chefs who helped build another program in the area.
President Sheree Utash said that WSU Tech expects to submit its plan for the new program to the Kansas Board of Regents this spring, and it hopes to start classes in a temporary location in August, The Wichita Eagle reports. WSU Tech’s board of directors last week approved a letter of intent to move forward.
WSU Tech also has hired John and Lexi Michael, who helped build a Butler Community College culinary program that began in 2012. The Butler college’s program is based in a recreation center well west of downtown.
The two schools have been in discussions about possible partnerships since 2018, but Utash said those talks have ended. She said the Butler college’s program, operating outside its normal service area, will have to move by July 2021, and Butler President Kim Krull said her school was looking at options.
Utash said renovation of a 45,000-square-foot former department store building in downtown Wichita to house WSU Tech’s culinary school should begin this spring and be completed by August 2022.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Officials: Officer shot outside Pennsylvania police station

MCKEESPORT , Pa. ( AP ) - A Pennsylvania law enforcement officer was shot Sunday evening while taking a man @ @ @ @ @ police station , according to a county spokesperson .
The officer was shot outside of @ @ @ @ @ taken to a local trauma center , Allegheny County Communications Director Amie Downs said .
@ @ @ @ @ and condition were not immediately known .
The suspect escaped and was being sought Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ agencies , Downs said .
Allegheny County police said law enforcement and EMS were dispatched @ @ @ @

MCKEESPORT, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania law enforcement officer was shot Sunday evening while taking a man into custody outside of a police station, according to a county spokesperson.
The officer was shot outside of the McKeesport Police station and taken to a local trauma center, Allegheny County Communications Director Amie Downs said. The officer’s identity and condition were not immediately known.
The suspect escaped and was being sought Tuesday night by multiple law enforcement agencies, Downs said.
Allegheny County police said law enforcement and EMS were dispatched to the station.


washingtontimes--2020-12-20--Ariana Grande announces engagement, shows ring on Instagram

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) - Ariana Grande has announced she is engaged in a series of photos of her @ @ @ @ @ engagement ring .
The “ Rain on Me ” singer posted the photos of her @ @ @ @ @ a luxury real estate agent , on Instagram on Sunday .
Grande included a close-up @ @ @ @ @ the post , which was captioned “ forever n then some.
” The singer ’ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter , saying she was excited to welcome Gomez to the family .
Grande @ @ @ @ @ , “ Positions , ” in November .
On Monday , Netflix will release a @ @ @ @ @ Sweetener ” world tour , titled “ excuse me , i love you.
” She @ @ @ @ @ Saturday Night Live ” cast member Pete Davidson in 2018 , but they ended their @ @ @ @ @

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ariana Grande has announced she is engaged in a series of photos of her and her fiance and her engagement ring.
The “Rain on Me” singer posted the photos of her cuddling with Dalton Gomez, a luxury real estate agent, on Instagram on Sunday. Grande included a close-up shot of the ring in the post, which was captioned “forever n then some.”
The singer’s mother congratulated the couple on Twitter, saying she was excited to welcome Gomez to the family.
People magazine reported Grande and Gomez started dating earlier this year.
Grande released her latest studio album, “Positions,” in November. On Monday, Netflix will release a behind-the-scenes movie on her “Sweetener” world tour, titled “excuse me, i love you.”
She was previously engaged to “Saturday Night Live” cast member Pete Davidson in 2018, but they ended their relationship later that year.