washingtontimes--2020-12-25--Push on to release inmates; Vermonters to track vaccinations

BOSTON ( AP ) - A look at coronavirus developments in New England : Prisoner advocates in Massachusetts are redoubling their legal efforts to release inmates from state prisons because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Prisoners ’ Legal Services of Massachusetts argued in a Suffolk Superior Court filing Thursday that the state Department of Correction needs to release inmates to home confinement , furlough , medical parole and other legal measures so that the remaining prisoners can safely socially distance behind bars .
The organization submitted accounts from roughly 40 inmates about crowded conditions in state prisons and their fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prisoners ’ Legal Services also said four prisons - MCI-Norfolk , MCI-Shirley , NCCI Gardner and MCI Concord - account for nearly all of the more than 1,000 new cases of the virus in the correctional system since Oct. 29 .
“ The failure to create the opportunity to distance inside prison walls has resulted in uncontrolled outbreaks , mass sickness and preventable deaths , ” Elizabeth Matos , the organization ’ s executive director , said in a statement Thursday .
The state Department of Correction declined to comment on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population has dropped by more than 1,200 people since March , and its facilities are at 61 % of capacity .
Vermonters can now follow the progress of the state ’ s efforts to vaccinate the population against the virus that causes COVID-19 on a new dashboard on the website of the Health Department .
The dashboard , which went live Wednesday , will provide information on the number of people who have been vaccinated and how many people have completed the two-shot series of vaccines needed to have immunity against the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of vaccination by age , sex , race and ethnicity .
As of Thursday just under 4,400 people had received the first dose of one of the two vaccines currently being administered in Vermont .
The state expects to receive a total of about 34,000 doses of vaccine by the new year .
Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine says that initially the dashboard will be updated weekly , on Wednesdays , but as progress is made in the state ’ s vaccination campaign it could be updated more frequently .
An inmate at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day after having contracted COVID-19 .
The name of the 79-year-old inmate was not disclosed .
He had been serving a life sentence for murder , according to a press release from the state Department of Corrections .
He had been incarcerated at the ACI ’ s medium security unit .
The man is the second inmate with COVID-19 to die in a Rhode Island prison this month .
Director of Corrections Patricia Coyne-Fague said in written statement , according to the that The Providence Journal , that the department is doing “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe as possible.
” Maine reported two more COVID-19 deaths and 321 additional cases of the coronavirus on Friday .
To date there have been more than 18,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in the state since the pandemic began .
More than 1,000 people have been hospitalized during the pandemic and 319 people have died .
On Friday there were 185 people hospitalized with COVID-19 .
Fifty-four people were in critical care and 16 people were on a ventilator .
Friday ’ s numbers come as Maine is preparing to expand access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional doses expected next week , the Portland Press Herald reported .
Those doses will go toward vaccinating healthcare workers and residents and staff at long-term care facilities .
More than 15,700 people have been vaccinated in Maine .
A respiratory therapist is embracing his talent for baking to cheer up his co-workers .
Daniel Liberatore is part of the respiratory therapy team at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene , He and his colleagues have struggled to help patients with COVID-19 who are struggling to breathe .
That often translates in long , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came back to the medical field after owning his own bakery , Master Pieces Cake Art .
Libertore said he ’ s using that talent now to bake birthday cupcakes for his co-workers .
He estimated he ’ s baked hundreds of cupcakes .

BOSTON (AP) - A look at coronavirus developments in New England:
MASSACHUSETTS
Prisoner advocates in Massachusetts are redoubling their legal efforts to release inmates from state prisons because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts argued in a Suffolk Superior Court filing Thursday that the state Department of Correction needs to release inmates to home confinement, furlough, medical parole and other legal measures so that the remaining prisoners can safely socially distance behind bars.
The organization submitted accounts from roughly 40 inmates about crowded conditions in state prisons and their fears of contracting COVID-19 to bolster their appeal.
Prisoners’ Legal Services also said four prisons - MCI-Norfolk, MCI-Shirley, NCCI Gardner and MCI Concord - account for nearly all of the more than 1,000 new cases of the virus in the correctional system since Oct. 29.
“The failure to create the opportunity to distance inside prison walls has resulted in uncontrolled outbreaks, mass sickness and preventable deaths,” Elizabeth Matos, the organization’s executive director, said in a statement Thursday.
The state Department of Correction declined to comment on the pending litigation, but noted its inmate population has dropped by more than 1,200 people since March, and its facilities are at 61% of capacity.
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VERMONT
Vermonters can now follow the progress of the state’s efforts to vaccinate the population against the virus that causes COVID-19 on a new dashboard on the website of the Health Department.
The dashboard, which went live Wednesday, will provide information on the number of people who have been vaccinated and how many people have completed the two-shot series of vaccines needed to have immunity against the virus.
It will also show the rates of vaccination by age, sex, race and ethnicity.
As of Thursday just under 4,400 people had received the first dose of one of the two vaccines currently being administered in Vermont.
The state expects to receive a total of about 34,000 doses of vaccine by the new year.
Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine says that initially the dashboard will be updated weekly, on Wednesdays, but as progress is made in the state’s vaccination campaign it could be updated more frequently.
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RHODE ISLAND
An inmate at the Adult Correctional Institutions died on Christmas Day after having contracted COVID-19.
The name of the 79-year-old inmate was not disclosed. He had been serving a life sentence for murder, according to a press release from the state Department of Corrections.
He had been incarcerated at the ACI’s medium security unit.
The man is the second inmate with COVID-19 to die in a Rhode Island prison this month.
Director of Corrections Patricia Coyne-Fague said in written statement, according to the that The Providence Journal, that the department is doing “everything we can to keep people as safe as possible.”
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MAINE
Maine reported two more COVID-19 deaths and 321 additional cases of the coronavirus on Friday.
To date there have been more than 18,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in the state since the pandemic began.
More than 1,000 people have been hospitalized during the pandemic and 319 people have died.
On Friday there were 185 people hospitalized with COVID-19. Fifty-four people were in critical care and 16 people were on a ventilator.
Friday’s numbers come as Maine is preparing to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines with the arrival of additional doses expected next week, the Portland Press Herald reported.
Those doses will go toward vaccinating healthcare workers and residents and staff at long-term care facilities.
More than 15,700 people have been vaccinated in Maine.
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NEW HAMPSHIRE
A respiratory therapist is embracing his talent for baking to cheer up his co-workers.
Daniel Liberatore is part of the respiratory therapy team at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, He and his colleagues have struggled to help patients with COVID-19 who are struggling to breathe. That often translates in long, difficult shifts.
Libertore’s other passion is baking.
WMUR-TV reports that Libertore came back to the medical field after owning his own bakery, Master Pieces Cake Art.
Libertore said he’s using that talent now to bake birthday cupcakes for his co-workers. He estimated he’s baked hundreds of cupcakes.


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--The Latest: Lower-tier English soccer hit by virus outbreaks

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world : While the Premier League charges @ @ @ @ @ soccer games have been suspended because of coronavirus cases .
Rotherham ’ s scheduled Boxing @ @ @ @ @ the second-division Championship was suspended after the visitors had “ recent positive COVID-19 tests.
” @ @ @ @ @ against Wayne Rooney ’ s Derby County had also been called off .
The club @ @ @ @ @ after “ an increased series of testing.
” Millwall this week announced an outbreak that @ @ @ @ @ ’ s game against second-place Bournemouth .
It ’ s been rescheduled to Jan. 12 @ @ @ @ @ games have also been postponed because of coronavirus cases .
Doncaster ’ s match against @ @ @ @ @ before kickoff Saturday .
The day ’ s other suspended games include league leader Portsmouth @ @ @ @

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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Southern California’s men’s basketball team will play a different team on Dec. 29.
The Trojans will host Santa Clara instead of Long Beach State, which had to cancel because of ongoing COVID-19 issues in its program.
It will be the Trojans’ first game since Dec. 8. The team had to halt activities on Dec. 13 because of a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the program, which caused four games to be either postponed or canceled.
The Trojans (4-1) are set to resume practice on Sunday.
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UCLA’s women’s basketball game at Oregon State on New Year’s Day has been postponed indefinitely.
The Beavers announced a confirmed case of COVID-19 on Dec. 20. As a result, their game against the Bruins had to be called off because of testing and contact tracing.
The 10th-ranked Bruins will still travel to Eugene to play at Oregon on Jan. 3.
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The Cleveland Browns have delayed their flight to the New York area for Sunday’s game against the Jets to conduct contact tracing after a player tested positive for COVID-19.
The team issued a statement Saturday announcing the positive test and saying it had closed its facility for tracing. The team was scheduled to leave Cleveland at 2:45 p.m. But players are staying home while the tracing is completed. The player who tested positive was not immediately identified.
The Browns (10-4) can potentially clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Jets (1-13).
Also, the team has not yet announced if rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills will play. He was placed on the COVID-19 list Thursday after having close contact with a person outside the team.
Like numerous other NFL teams, the Browns have been dealing with positive cases for most of the season. Defensive star Myles Garrett missed two games after contracting the virus.
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The Houston Rockets will be without DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon, Mason Jones and John Wall for at least two games while they complete quarantines related to the NBA’s coronavirus safety protocols. Their quarantines, provided they test negative, would end Wednesday.
The Rockets play in Portland on Saturday in their delayed season-opener.Their original opener was set to be this past Wednesday against Oklahoma City and had to be postponed because Houston did not have enough players. They also play at Denver on Monday.
James Harden is expected to play Saturday. He served a four-day quarantine for breaking protocols, one reason the Rockets couldn’t play Wednesday.
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Arsenal says center back Gabriel is self-isolating because he had close contact with someone with COVID-19 and will miss the next three matches.
The London club also tweeted that former Chelsea players David Luiz and Willian feel unwell, but both have recently tested negative for the virus. All three players were unavailable for the English Premier League match against Chelsea on Saturday.
Arsenal said “we will continue to monitor, support and assess their conditions.”
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While the Premier League charges ahead, several lower-tier English soccer games have been suspended because of coronavirus cases.
Rotherham’s scheduled Boxing Day game at Middlesbrough in the second-division Championship was suspended after the visitors had “recent positive COVID-19 tests.”
Rotherham’s previous match against Wayne Rooney’s Derby County had also been called off. The club discovered more cases this week after “an increased series of testing.”
Millwall this week announced an outbreak that forced the suspension of Saturday’s game against second-place Bournemouth. It’s been rescheduled to Jan. 12.
Several third-tier League One games have also been postponed because of coronavirus cases.
Doncaster’s match against Accrington Stanley was suspended hours before kickoff Saturday.
The day’s other suspended games include league leader Portsmouth against Swindon Town.
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--COVID-19 vaccine shipments arrive across EU before rollout

WARSAW , Poland ( AP ) - The first shipments of coronavirus vaccines have arrived across the European Union as authorities prepared to administer the first shots to the most vulnerable people in a coordinated effort on Sunday .
The vaccines developed by BioNTech and Pfizer arrived by truck in warehouses across the continent on Friday and early Saturday after being sent from a manufacturing center in Belgium before Christmas .
The rollout marks a moment of hope for a region that includes some of the world ’ s earliest and worst-hit virus hot spots , including Italy and Spain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republic , that were spared the worst early on only to see their health care systems near their breaking points in the fall .
Altogether , the 27 EU member states have seen at least 16 million cases of the coronavirus and more than 336,000 deaths .
“ It ’ s here , the good news at Christmas , ” German Health Minister Jens Spahn said at a news conference Saturday .
“ At this moment , trucks are underway across Europe , across Germany and its regions , to deliver the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day after tomorrow .
This vaccine is the decisive key to end this pandemic.
” “ It is the key to getting our lives back , ” Spahn said .
The rollout is the result of coordination on the part of all 27 member states , helping the bloc to also project a sense of unity in a lifesaving mission of logistical complexity after difficulties in negotiating a post-Brexit trade deal with Britain .
The first doses , however , are limited just under 10,000 doses in most countries , with the mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January .
Each country is deciding on its own who will get the first shots - but they are all putting the most vulnerable first .
French authorities said they will prioritize the elderly , based on the high impact on older populations in previous virus surges in France .
The French medical safety agency will monitor for eventual problems .
Germany , where the pandemic has cost more than 30,000 lives , will begin with those over 80 and people who take care of vulnerable groups .
Spanish authorities said early Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine to reach the country had arrived in the central city of Guadalajara - where the first shots will be administered on Sunday morning at a nursing home .
A nurse in Rome at Spallanzani Hospital , the main infectious diseases facility in Italy ’ s capital , should be the first in the country to receive the vaccine , followed by other health personnel .
In Poland , the first two people to be vaccinated on Sunday will be a nurse and a doctor at the Interior Ministry hospital in Warsaw , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , followed by medical personnel in dozens of other hospitals .
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki recently called it the patriotic duty of Poles to get vaccinated - a message directed at a society where there is a high degree of vaccine hesitancy born from a general distrust of authorities .
In Bulgaria , where suspicions also run high , the first person to get the shot will be Health Minister Kostadin Angelov , who has promised an aggressive campaign to promote the benefits of the shots .
In Croatia , where the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday , a care home resident in Zagreb , the capital , will be the first to receive the vaccine on Sunday morning , according to state HRT TV .
HRT TV also reported that authorities would launch a pro-vaccination campaign that will include celebrities and other public figures getting the vaccine on camera .
“ We have been waiting for this for a year now , ” Romanian Prime Minister Florin Catu said on Saturday after the first batch of the vaccine arrived at a military-run storage facility there .
The vaccinations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new variant of the virus that has been spreading in the U.K. have now been detected in France and Spain .
The new variant has caused several European countries to restrict traffic with Britain .
A French man living in England arrived in France on Dec. 19 and tested positive for the new variant Friday , the French public health agency said in a statement .
He has no symptoms and is isolating in his home in the central city of Tours .
Meanwhile , health authorities in the Madrid region said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all of whom are in good health .
Regional health chief Enrique Ruiz Escudero said that the new strain had arrived when an infected person flew into Madrid ’ s airport .
German pharmaceutical company BioNTech is confident that its coronavirus vaccine works against the new UK variant , but further studies are needed to be completely certain .
Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels , David McHugh in Frankfurt , Germany , Angela Charlton in Paris , Joseph Wilson in Barcelona , Spain , Frances D ’ Emilio in Rome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Veselin Toshkov in Sofia , Bulgaria , contributed to this report .

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Germany, Hungary and Slovakia began giving out their first coronavirus vaccine shots on Saturday only hours after receiving their first shipments, upsetting the European Union’s plans for a coordinated rollout Sunday across the bloc’s 27 nations.
“Every day that we wait is one day too many,” said Tobias Krueger, operator of a nursing home where immunizations began in Halberstadt, in the northeast German region of Saxony-Anhalt.
The first person at the home to be immunized with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 101-year-old Edith Kwoizalla, the dpa news agency reported.
Krueger said 40 of the home’s 59 residents wanted the immunization shot along with 10 of around 40 workers. He was among those immunized but added, “I also understand the concerns.”
In Hungary, health care workers were vaccinated at the Southern Pest Central Hospital in Budapest, while in Slovakia, the first person to receive a jab was a 60-year-old top expert on infectious diseases, Vladimir Krcmery. He was vaccinated along with doctors at the University Hospital in the city of Nitra, in what Health Minister Marek Krajci called a “historic moment.”
The first shipments of the vaccine arrived at hospitals across the EU in super-cold containers late Friday and early Saturday after being sent from a manufacturing center in Belgium before Christmas.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen released a video celebrating the vaccine rollout for the bloc of nearly 450 million people, calling it “a touching moment of unity.”
“Today, we start turning the page on a difficult year. The COVID-19 vaccine has been delivered to all EU countries. Vaccination will begin tomorrow across the EU,” she said.
The rollout marks a moment of hope for a region that includes some of the world’s earliest and worst-hit virus hot spots - Italy and Spain - and others like the Czech Republic, which were spared early on only to see their health care systems near their breaking point in the fall.
In all, EU nations have recorded at least 16 million coronavirus infections and more than 336,000 deaths - huge numbers that experts agree still understate the true toll of the pandemic due to missed cases and limited testing.
Still, the vaccine rollout helps the bloc project a sense of unity in a complex lifesaving mission after it faced a year of difficulties in negotiating a post-Brexit trade deal with Britain. It also brings a sigh of relief for EU politicians who were frustrated after Britain, Canada and the United States began their vaccination programs earlier this month with the same German-developed shot.
“It’s here, the good news at Christmas,” German Health Minister Jens Spahn told a news conference Saturday. “This vaccine is the decisive key to end this pandemic … it is the key to getting our lives back.”
The first shipments were limited to just under 10,000 doses in most countries, with the EU’s mass vaccination programs expected to begin only in January. Each country is deciding on its own who will get the first shots - but they are all putting the most vulnerable first.
In Hungary, the first shipment of 9,750 doses - enough to vaccinate 4,875 people, since two doses are needed per person - arrived by truck early Saturday and were taken to the South Pest Central Hospital in Budapest. The government said four other hospitals, two in Budapest and two others in the eastern cities of Debrecen and Nyíregyháza, would also receive vaccines from the initial shipment.
French authorities said they will prioritize the elderly and the French medical safety agency will monitor the vaccine rollout for any potential problems. Germany, where the pandemic has cost more than 30,000 lives, was beginning with those over 80 and people who take care of vulnerable groups.
Spanish authorities said the first batch of the vaccine arrived in the central city of Guadalajara, where the first shots will be administered Sunday morning at a nursing home.
In Italy, which has Europe’s worst virus toll at over 71,000 dead, a nurse in Rome’s Spallanzani Hospital, the main infectious diseases facility in the capital, will be the first in the country to receive the vaccine, followed by other health care personnel.
In Poland, the first two people to be vaccinated Sunday will be a nurse and a doctor at the Interior Ministry hospital in Warsaw, followed by medical personnel in dozens of other hospitals. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said it was the patriotic duty of Poles to get vaccinated - a message directed at a society where there’s a high degree of vaccine hesitancy born from a distrust of authorities.
In Bulgaria, where fears about vaccines also run high, the first person to get the shot will be Health Minister Kostadin Angelov, who has promised an aggressive campaign to promote the benefits of vaccines.
In Croatia, a nursing home resident in Zagreb, the capital, will be the first to receive the vaccine on Sunday morning, according to state HRT TV. Authorities also planned to involve celebrities and other public figures in a pro-vaccination campaign.
“We have been waiting for this for a year now,” Romanian Prime Minister Florin Catu said Saturday after the first vaccines arrived at a military-run storage facility.
The vaccinations began as the first cases of a new virus variant that has been spreading in the U.K. have been detected in France and Spain. The new variant, which British authorities said is much more easily transmitted, has caused European countries, the United States and China to put new restrictions on travel for people from Britain.
A French man living in England arrived in France on Dec. 19 and tested positive for the new variant Friday, the French health agency said. He has no symptoms and is isolating at home in the central city of Tours.
Health authorities in Madrid confirmed the U.K. variant in four people, all of whom are in good health. Regional health chief Enrique Ruiz Escudero said the new strain had arrived when an infected person flew into Madrid’s airport.
The German pharmaceutical company BioNTech is confident that its coronavirus vaccine works against the new U.K. variant, but said further studies are needed to be completely certain.
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Gera reported from Warsaw, Poland. Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels, Angela Charlton in Paris, Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain, Frances D’Emilio in Rome, Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, Karel Janicek in Prague, and Veselin Toshkov in Sofia, Bulgaria, contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://a pnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccin e and https: //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Fire at Egyptian hospital kills 7 coronavirus patients

CAIRO ( AP ) - An intensive care unit at an Egyptian hospital caught fire on Saturday , killing seven coronavirus patients , officials said .
Local police said the blaze erupted at a private hospital in Obour , an outlying district of the greater Cairo area .
The fire injured at least five others .
The injured and other patients were evacuated to nearby hospitals , the police said .
Firefighters were able to put out the blaze , the cause of which police and prosecutors are investigating .
The state-run al-Ahram daily reported that an initial investigation blamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A similar blaze erupted at the coronavirus ward of a private hospital in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria in June , leaving seven patients dead and one injured .
There was another fire in May in a coronavirus isolation center in Cairo that didn ’ t cause any casualties .
Egypt has seen a surge in the confirmed cases of the virus , forcing the government to reopen most of its hospitals designated to treat and isolate COVID-19 patients after the first wave of the pandemic subsided .
The Health Ministry reported its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday at 1,113 , along with 49 deaths .
The new numbers have brought the county ’ s official tally to more than 130,126 cases , including at least 7,309 deaths .
However , the actual numbers of cases in Egypt , the Arab world ’ s most populous county with over 100 million people , are thought to be far higher , in part due to limited testing .

CAIRO (AP) - An intensive care unit at an Egyptian hospital caught fire on Saturday, killing seven coronavirus patients, officials said.
Local police said the blaze erupted at a private hospital in Obour, an outlying district of the greater Cairo area.
The fire injured at least five others. The injured and other patients were evacuated to nearby hospitals, the police said.
Firefighters were able to put out the blaze, the cause of which police and prosecutors are investigating.
The state-run al-Ahram daily reported that an initial investigation blamed an electric short-circuit for the fire.
A similar blaze erupted at the coronavirus ward of a private hospital in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria in June, leaving seven patients dead and one injured. There was another fire in May in a coronavirus isolation center in Cairo that didn’t cause any casualties.
Egypt has seen a surge in the confirmed cases of the virus, forcing the government to reopen most of its hospitals designated to treat and isolate COVID-19 patients after the first wave of the pandemic subsided.
The Health Ministry reported its highest daily number of confirmed cases on Friday at 1,113, along with 49 deaths.
The new numbers have brought the county’s official tally to more than 130,126 cases, including at least 7,309 deaths.
However, the actual numbers of cases in Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous county with over 100 million people, are thought to be far higher, in part due to limited testing.


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--3 UN peacekeepers killed in Central African Republic

BANGUI , Central African Republic ( AP ) - Three peacekeepers from Burundi were killed and two others wounded in Central African Republic in attacks Friday by armed combatants , the spokesman for the United Nations secretary-general said .
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attacks in Dekoua , Kemo Prefecture and Bakouma ahead of Sunday ’ s presidential and legislative elections , according to a statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric .
Attacks against peacekeepers may constitute a war crime , the statement said , calling on authorities in Central African Republic to investigate the “ heinous attacks and swiftly bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the town of Bambari earlier this week from rebels who had seized it Tuesday .
The government blames the unrest on former President Francois Bozize , who returned from exile a year ago and has been blocked from running in the election .
He has been accused of joining up with armed groups in an attempt to stage attacks and a coup .
He has denied it .
Rwanda , which has peacekeepers in the country , and Russia have sent in hundreds of troops to support the government as rebels advance on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and international bodies are calling for peace after a February 2019 agreement between the government and 14 rebel groups .

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) - Three peacekeepers from Burundi were killed and two others wounded in Central African Republic in attacks Friday by armed combatants, the spokesman for the United Nations secretary-general said.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attacks in Dekoua, Kemo Prefecture and Bakouma ahead of Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections, according to a statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Attacks against peacekeepers may constitute a war crime, the statement said, calling on authorities in Central African Republic to investigate the “heinous attacks and swiftly bring perpetrators to justice.”
The U.N. retook the town of Bambari earlier this week from rebels who had seized it Tuesday.
The government blames the unrest on former President Francois Bozize, who returned from exile a year ago and has been blocked from running in the election. He has been accused of joining up with armed groups in an attempt to stage attacks and a coup. He has denied it.
Rwanda, which has peacekeepers in the country, and Russia have sent in hundreds of troops to support the government as rebels advance on the capital, Bangui.
The government and international bodies are calling for peace after a February 2019 agreement between the government and 14 rebel groups.


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--UN: Libya’s rivals swap prisoners, part of cease-fire deal

CAIRO ( AP ) - Libya ’ s rival leaders kicked off a U.N.-brokered prisoner exchange , United Nations and Libyan officials said Saturday , which was part of a preliminary cease-fire agreement between the warring Libyan groups .
The exchange of a first batch of prisoners , supervised by a joint military committee , took place Friday in the southwestern village of al-Shwayrif , according to the U.N. Support Mission in Libya , or UNSMIL .
Libya is split between a U.N.-supported government in the capital , Tripoli , and rival authorities based in country ’ s east .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ array of local militias as well as regional and foreign powers .
The oil-rich country was plunged into chaos after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi .
In April 2019 , east-based commander Khalifa Hifter and his forces launched an offensive to try and capture Tripoli , a campaign that collapsed after Turkey stepped up its military support of the U.N.-supported government .
Turkey deployed hundreds of troops and thousands of Syrian mercenaries to back up its Libyan allies .
The two sides signed a nationwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exchange of all war prisoners .
UNSMIL announced the prisoner exchange without giving details on how many prisoners were freed for each side .
It called for both sides to speed up the implementation of the cease-fire deal , including the exchange of all prisoners .
Fathi Bashaga , the powerful interior minister of the U.N.-supported government , hailed the exchange in a tweet , attaching photos of released prisoners .
The Tripoli Protection Unit , a militia allied with the capital-based government , also posted a 31-second video apparently showing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the names of those released .
The cease-fire deal also included the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya within three months .
However , no progress was announced on the issue of foreign forces and mercenaries two months after they inked the deal .
Thousands of foreign fighters , including Russians , Syrians , Sudanese and Chadians , have been brought to Libya by both sides , according to U.N. experts .
Meanwhile , Turkey ’ s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar , the military chief of staff Yasar Guler and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where they were meeting with their allies in the U.N.-supported government , according to the Turkish defence ministry .
They would visit Turkish troops stationed in western Libya , according the ministry .
The unannounced visit has underscored the close ties between the Tripoli government and Ankara .
Akar and Guler also visited Libya in July .
Saturday ’ s visit by Akar and other military officials came after the Turkish parliament on Tuesday extended for 18 months a law that allows the deployment of Turkish troops to Libya .
The Turkish decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries within three months .
The cease-fire deal also called for “ military deals on training inside Libya ” to be frozen and for foreign trainees to leave the country .
It did not name a particular country but apparently referred to Turkey , which has struck military and disputed maritime deals last year with the Tripoli administration .

CAIRO (AP) - Libya’s rival leaders kicked off a U.N.-brokered prisoner exchange, United Nations and Libyan officials said Saturday, which was part of a preliminary cease-fire agreement between the warring Libyan groups.
The exchange of a first batch of prisoners, supervised by a joint military committee, took place Friday in the southwestern village of al-Shwayrif, according to the U.N. Support Mission in Libya, or UNSMIL.
Libya is split between a U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, and rival authorities based in country’s east. The two sides are backed by an array of local militias as well as regional and foreign powers.
The oil-rich country was plunged into chaos after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
In April 2019, east-based commander Khalifa Hifter and his forces launched an offensive to try and capture Tripoli, a campaign that collapsed after Turkey stepped up its military support of the U.N.-supported government. Turkey deployed hundreds of troops and thousands of Syrian mercenaries to back up its Libyan allies.
The two sides signed a nationwide, U.N.-brokered cease-fire deal in October that included an exchange of all war prisoners.
UNSMIL announced the prisoner exchange without giving details on how many prisoners were freed for each side. It called for both sides to speed up the implementation of the cease-fire deal, including the exchange of all prisoners.
Fathi Bashaga, the powerful interior minister of the U.N.-supported government, hailed the exchange in a tweet, attaching photos of released prisoners.
The Tripoli Protection Unit, a militia allied with the capital-based government, also posted a 31-second video apparently showing the prisoner exchange, with an official reading the names of those released.
The cease-fire deal also included the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya within three months.
However, no progress was announced on the issue of foreign forces and mercenaries two months after they inked the deal.
Thousands of foreign fighters, including Russians, Syrians, Sudanese and Chadians, have been brought to Libya by both sides, according to U.N. experts.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, the military chief of staff Yasar Guler and other military commanders arrived in Tripoli Saturday, where they were meeting with their allies in the U.N.-supported government, according to the Turkish defence ministry.
They would visit Turkish troops stationed in western Libya, according the ministry.
The unannounced visit has underscored the close ties between the Tripoli government and Ankara. Akar and Guler also visited Libya in July.
Saturday’s visit by Akar and other military officials came after the Turkish parliament on Tuesday extended for 18 months a law that allows the deployment of Turkish troops to Libya.
The Turkish decision comes despite the cease-fire deal that envisioned the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries within three months.
The cease-fire deal also called for “military deals on training inside Libya” to be frozen and for foreign trainees to leave the country. It did not name a particular country but apparently referred to Turkey, which has struck military and disputed maritime deals last year with the Tripoli administration.
___________________
Associated Press writer Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Virus besets Belarus prisons filled with president's critics

KYIV , Ukraine ( AP ) - A wave of COVID-19 has engulfed prisons in Belarus that are packed with people in custody for demonstrating against the nation ’ s authoritarian president , and some of the protesters who contracted the coronavirus while incarcerated accuse authorities of neglecting or even encouraging infections .
Activists who spoke to The Associated Press after their release described massively overcrowded cells without proper ventilation or basic amenities and a lack of medical treatment .
Kastus Lisetsky , 35 , a musician who received a 15-day sentence for attending a protest , said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days at a prison in eastern Belarus and diagnosed with double-sided pneumonia induced by COVID-19 .
“ Humid walls covered by parasites , the shocking lack of sanitary measures , shivering cold and a rusting bed —that was what I got in prison in Mogilev instead of medical assistance , ” Lisetsky told the AP in a telephone interview .
“ I had a fever and lost consciousness , and the guards had to call an ambulance.
” Lisetsky said that before he entered prison , he and three bandmates were held in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the floor of a cell intended for only two people .
All four have contracted the virus .
Lisetsky must return to prison to serve the remaining seven days of his sentence after he ’ s discharged from the hospital .
He accused the government of allowing the virus to run wild among those jailed for political reasons .
“ The guards say openly that they do it deliberately on orders , ” Lisetsky said .
More than 30,000 people have been detained for taking part in protests against the August reelection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote that opposition activists and some election workers say was rigged to give Lukashenko a sixth term .
Police have repeatedly broken up peaceful protests with clubs and stun grenades .
The alleged vote-rigging and the brutal crackdown on demonstrations have prompted the United States and the European Union to introduce sanctions against Belarusian officials .
Opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , who placed second in the presidential election and was forced to leave the country after she challenged the official results giving Lukashenko 80 % of the vote , urged foreign leaders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus outbreak in Belarus ‘ prisons .
“ In the center of Europe , inmates are being deliberately infected with coronavirus , ” Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press .
“ They move the infected people from one cell to another , and the cells are overcrowded and lack ventilation .
It ’ s an atrocity , it can only be assessed as abuse and torture.
” Authorities haven ’ t released the number of prisoners with COVID-19 , but rights activists say that thousands of protesters tested positive after they were detained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ penitentiary system has contributed to an outbreak of COVID-19 in prisons , but the authorities haven ’ t even tried to improve the situation and have put thousands of activists on that conveyer , ” Valiantsin Stefanovic , vice chairman of the Viasna rights center , said .
Artsiom Liava , a 44-year-old journalist , said he got infected last month while awaiting a court hearing in a jail cell intended to accommodate 10 but housing about 100 inmates .
Liava was detained while he was covering a protest in the Belarusian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belsat TV channel .
“ First , fellow inmates and then me stopped feeling the prison stench , ” he told The Associated Press .
“ All of us had a fever , strong cough and were feeling feeble , but they weren ’ t giving us even hot water.
” Liava said that after receiving a 15-day sentence , he was moved to different jails and prisons in Minsk and nearby towns as authorities struggled to house inmates in overcrowded detention facilities .
He said he witnessed similar conditions in all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathing , and prison wardens treating them with emphatic neglect .
“ It was like a mockery , doctors weren ’ t responding to pleas and complaints , ” Liava said .
“ It was forbidden to lie down during daytime and mattresses were folded up .
We all felt exhausted , but we were forced to stay seated on iron beds in the basement without any access to fresh air.
” The journalist said he didn ’ t get a single dose of medicine during his stint behind bars .
The day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he tested positive for COVID-19 , and a CT scan showed that his lungs were badly affected .
“ Prison doctors should be prosecuted for negligence .
They put our lives in danger by refusing us ( basic ) medical treatment , ” said Liava , who had a strong cough and was breathing with difficulty while speaking to the AP .
Belarus has reported more than 180,000 confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic , but many in the ex-Soviet republic of 9.4 million people suspect authorities of manipulating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s outbreaks .
Lukashenko cavalierly dismissed the coronavirus early during the pandemic , shrugging off the fear and national lockdowns the new bug had caused as “ psychosis ” and advising citizens to avoid catching it by driving tractors in the field , drinking vodka and visiting saunas .
His attitude has angered many Belarusians , adding to the public dismay over his authoritarian style and helping fuel the post-election protests .
Ihar Hotsin , a doctor working at a top oncology hospital in Minsk , was detained when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crackdown on demonstrations .
He said he and four of his colleagues who were arrested all contracted the virus in custody .
Hotsin , 30 , believes he got infected at the prison in the city of Baranovichi where he was held in a 12-square-meter ( 129-square-foot ) cell together with about 80 other inmates .
“ Five doctors from our hospital were detained , and all five tested positive for COVID-19 after being released , a 100 % rate , ” Hotsin said .
“ We must cry out loud about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with political prisoners .
”

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - A wave of COVID-19 has engulfed prisons in Belarus that are packed with people in custody for demonstrating against the nation’s authoritarian president, and some of the protesters who contracted the coronavirus while incarcerated accuse authorities of neglecting or even encouraging infections.
Activists who spoke to The Associated Press after their release described massively overcrowded cells without proper ventilation or basic amenities and a lack of medical treatment.
Kastus Lisetsky, 35, a musician who received a 15-day sentence for attending a protest, said he was hospitalized with a high fever after eight days at a prison in eastern Belarus and diagnosed with double-sided pneumonia induced by COVID-19.
“Humid walls covered by parasites, the shocking lack of sanitary measures, shivering cold and a rusting bed —that was what I got in prison in Mogilev instead of medical assistance,” Lisetsky told the AP in a telephone interview. “I had a fever and lost consciousness, and the guards had to call an ambulance.”
Lisetsky said that before he entered prison, he and three bandmates were held in a Minsk jail and had to sleep on the floor of a cell intended for only two people. All four have contracted the virus. Lisetsky must return to prison to serve the remaining seven days of his sentence after he’s discharged from the hospital.
He accused the government of allowing the virus to run wild among those jailed for political reasons.
“The guards say openly that they do it deliberately on orders,” Lisetsky said.
More than 30,000 people have been detained for taking part in protests against the August reelection of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in a vote that opposition activists and some election workers say was rigged to give Lukashenko a sixth term.
Police have repeatedly broken up peaceful protests with clubs and stun grenades. The alleged vote-rigging and the brutal crackdown on demonstrations have prompted the United States and the European Union to introduce sanctions against Belarusian officials.
Opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who placed second in the presidential election and was forced to leave the country after she challenged the official results giving Lukashenko 80% of the vote, urged foreign leaders and international organizations to intervene to help stem the coronavirus outbreak in Belarus’ prisons.
“In the center of Europe, inmates are being deliberately infected with coronavirus,” Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press. “They move the infected people from one cell to another, and the cells are overcrowded and lack ventilation. It’s an atrocity, it can only be assessed as abuse and torture.”
Authorities haven’t released the number of prisoners with COVID-19, but rights activists say that thousands of protesters tested positive after they were detained.
“The horrible condition of Belarus’ penitentiary system has contributed to an outbreak of COVID-19 in prisons, but the authorities haven’t even tried to improve the situation and have put thousands of activists on that conveyer,” Valiantsin Stefanovic, vice chairman of the Viasna rights center, said.
Artsiom Liava, a 44-year-old journalist, said he got infected last month while awaiting a court hearing in a jail cell intended to accommodate 10 but housing about 100 inmates. Liava was detained while he was covering a protest in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, for the independent Belsat TV channel.
“First, fellow inmates and then me stopped feeling the prison stench,” he told The Associated Press. “All of us had a fever, strong cough and were feeling feeble, but they weren’t giving us even hot water.”
Liava said that after receiving a 15-day sentence, he was moved to different jails and prisons in Minsk and nearby towns as authorities struggled to house inmates in overcrowded detention facilities. He said he witnessed similar conditions in all of them - cellmates coughing or experiencing difficulty breathing, and prison wardens treating them with emphatic neglect.
“It was like a mockery, doctors weren’t responding to pleas and complaints,” Liava said. “It was forbidden to lie down during daytime and mattresses were folded up. We all felt exhausted, but we were forced to stay seated on iron beds in the basement without any access to fresh air.”
The journalist said he didn’t get a single dose of medicine during his stint behind bars. The day after he left prison, Liava said, he tested positive for COVID-19, and a CT scan showed that his lungs were badly affected.
“Prison doctors should be prosecuted for negligence. They put our lives in danger by refusing us (basic) medical treatment,” said Liava, who had a strong cough and was breathing with difficulty while speaking to the AP.
Belarus has reported more than 180,000 confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, but many in the ex-Soviet republic of 9.4 million people suspect authorities of manipulating statistics to hide the true scope of the country’s outbreaks.
Lukashenko cavalierly dismissed the coronavirus early during the pandemic, shrugging off the fear and national lockdowns the new bug had caused as “psychosis” and advising citizens to avoid catching it by driving tractors in the field, drinking vodka and visiting saunas. His attitude has angered many Belarusians, adding to the public dismay over his authoritarian style and helping fuel the post-election protests.
Ihar Hotsin, a doctor working at a top oncology hospital in Minsk, was detained when he joined a rally of medical workers opposing the crackdown on demonstrations. He said he and four of his colleagues who were arrested all contracted the virus in custody.
Hotsin, 30, believes he got infected at the prison in the city of Baranovichi where he was held in a 12-square-meter (129-square-foot) cell together with about 80 other inmates.
“Five doctors from our hospital were detained, and all five tested positive for COVID-19 after being released, a 100% rate,” Hotsin said. “We must cry out loud about an outbreak of COVID-19 in jails overcrowded with political prisoners.”
___
Follow AP’s virus pandemic coverage at:
https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Milkhouse Creamery adapts and expands in pandemic

SUGARLOAF , Pa. ( AP ) - Paul Dagostin pulled his pickup truck alongside the barn at the Bloss Farm in Hollenback Township last month to pick up nearly 600 gallons of raw milk for the Milkhouse Creamery .
Within hours , the cream would be separated for ice cream and eggnog , while the remainder of the processed and now pasteurized milk – whole , skim and otherwise – would be bottled and ready for sale in its three shops and other retail locations .
The Milkhouse , which opened as a small , craft ice cream shop inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 , began bottling and selling its own milk and cold tea in July .
While many businesses buckled under the state shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic , Milkhouse managed to adapt and expand through the crisis .
Business owner Dagostin , who hails from two lines of dairy farmers , including the Pecoras in Sugarloaf Twp.
, wanted to start bottling milk in early 2020 , bolstered by a state grant to aid local dairies .
But acquiring and restoring the vintage processing and bottling equipment needed and the retooling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer than expected .
Then , the pandemic brought statewide shutdowns and shortages .
Milkhouse , which had been selling another dairy ’ s bottled milk until its own small-scale operation could get up and running , shifted gears .
Dagostin and his son-in-law , Erik Maselkevich who serves as production manager , wanted to do door-to-door deliveries someday , but realized now was the time .
Milkhouse literally brought back “ the milkman ” with products delivered to people ’ s doors when many couldn ’ t risk going out for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was overwhelmed with orders in the early days of the pandemic , but determined to service as many areas as possible as phone lines rang constantly in early March .
People as far as Danville and White Haven to the west and east and Pottsville and Wilkes-Barre to the south and north requested deliveries .
The business focused on different towns each day .
As shortages eased and the state slowly reopened , deliveries began to slow , but Dagostin had learned of another opportunity , he said .
The former Fairchild ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Berwick was available , and the same store that once competed with his grandparents ’ dairy , Will-O-Bett , also in Berwick .
Milkhouse wasn ’ t ready to start bottling its own milk yet , and wanted to wait to make the move , he said .
The owners agreed to hold the business , he said .
In July , Milkhouse opened the Berwick location the same day they began bottling their own milk , Maselkevich said .
Deliveries began to wane as the state and country reopened , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glass bottles took off , he said .
Dagostin and Maselkevich debated whether or not to do glass bottles early on , but a Facebook poll showed people longed for the old-school dairy .
They knew that they ’ d be making an investment in the glass bottles , as they ’ d need at least three bottles for each customer , Maselkevich said .
One bottle would be at the customer ’ s home , another going through the wash and sanitization and a third filled waiting in the cooler , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creamery ’ s name on them , but then had to buy plain bottles to keep up with the demand .
People also brought in bottles from long shuttered dairies that they had in their basements , Dagostin said .
If the bottles ’ lids were the same size , Milkhouse used them , running them through the same wash and sanitization process as their own bottles , Maselkevich said .
Dagostin pointed out that they wouldn ’ t use bottles from an existing dairy , and returned bottles to the Lancaster dairy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as they came in .
Seeing the old bottles being used again tickles Dagostin , who enjoys the nostalgia as much as the customers seem to , he said .
Many want to say that they ’ re recycling the old bottles , but they ’ re really re-using them , he said .
“ Nothing thrills me more than to see a 50-year-old bottle , cleaned , sanitized and still being used , ” Dagostin said .
They ’ ve seen bottles from area dairies and even one from the Rolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
“ I think the timing was right on this , ” Dagostin said .
“ The health scare … helped us , because people wanted to know where their products were coming from.
” Milkhouse had already decided to work with the Bloss Farm , because its cows produced quality milk with a consistently high butterfat , which lent itself well to its ice cream base .
Owner Jeff Bloss was happy to work with the Milkhouse , and the cooperative that he sells the majority of his milk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take some of the raw product .
The deal with Milkhouse helped Bloss through the pandemic , which has seen milk production change , he said .
Bloss was cut off at 85 % of his production base in March , and sales to Milkhouse helped to stabilize the price of milk for him , as the operation takes 15 to 20 % of his product .
“ We should be taking all of it , ” Dagostin said , adding that he ’ d like to see a local product stay local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” products from the Sugarloaf Township , Berwick and Wright Township locations , Maselkevich said , and some area stores and farm markets began carrying the products .
Milkhouse ’ s West Hazleton location closed , but Hazle Park Meats in the borough and Tarone ’ s Market in Hazleton now carry Milkhouse products , as does the Crest Haven Farm Market in Danville and Broyan ’ s Farm Market in Nescopeck .
Milkhouse placed picnic tables outside its Sugarloaf Township location along with a play area for children to draw people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trucks , which also benefited from the partnership , Dagostin said .
“ I ’ d like to have that every weekend , ” he said .
“ But the food trucks are hard to get now.
” Dagostin wouldn ’ t mind expanding the business again to do food , possibly a food truck of their own , Dagostin mused .
For the moment , the Milkhouse was preparing for its first Eggnog Fest earlier this month , when food trucks were to return as they celebrated the return of the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dairy treat .
And eggnog was available at all of the Milkhouse locations .

KELLY MONITZ, The (Hazleton) Standard-Speaker

SUGARLOAF, Pa. (AP) - Paul Dagostin pulled his pickup truck alongside the barn at the Bloss Farm in Hollenback Township last month to pick up nearly 600 gallons of raw milk for the Milkhouse Creamery.
Within hours, the cream would be separated for ice cream and eggnog, while the remainder of the processed and now pasteurized milk – whole, skim and otherwise – would be bottled and ready for sale in its three shops and other retail locations.
The Milkhouse, which opened as a small, craft ice cream shop inside the Bowl Arena in West Hazleton in 2017, began bottling and selling its own milk and cold tea in July.
While many businesses buckled under the state shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Milkhouse managed to adapt and expand through the crisis.
Business owner Dagostin, who hails from two lines of dairy farmers, including the Pecoras in Sugarloaf Twp., wanted to start bottling milk in early 2020, bolstered by a state grant to aid local dairies.
But acquiring and restoring the vintage processing and bottling equipment needed and the retooling of the former Pecora’s Dairy took longer than expected.
Then, the pandemic brought statewide shutdowns and shortages. Milkhouse, which had been selling another dairy’s bottled milk until its own small-scale operation could get up and running, shifted gears.
Dagostin and his son-in-law, Erik Maselkevich who serves as production manager, wanted to do door-to-door deliveries someday, but realized now was the time.
Milkhouse literally brought back “the milkman” with products delivered to people’s doors when many couldn’t risk going out for their milk and dairy products.
The business was overwhelmed with orders in the early days of the pandemic, but determined to service as many areas as possible as phone lines rang constantly in early March.
People as far as Danville and White Haven to the west and east and Pottsville and Wilkes-Barre to the south and north requested deliveries. The business focused on different towns each day.
As shortages eased and the state slowly reopened, deliveries began to slow, but Dagostin had learned of another opportunity, he said.
The former Fairchild’s Dairy and Store on Orange Street in Berwick was available, and the same store that once competed with his grandparents’ dairy, Will-O-Bett, also in Berwick.
Milkhouse wasn’t ready to start bottling its own milk yet, and wanted to wait to make the move, he said. The owners agreed to hold the business, he said.
“It was a blessing,” Dagostin said.
In July, Milkhouse opened the Berwick location the same day they began bottling their own milk, Maselkevich said.
Deliveries began to wane as the state and country reopened, but the new location with their milk in glass bottles took off, he said.
Dagostin and Maselkevich debated whether or not to do glass bottles early on, but a Facebook poll showed people longed for the old-school dairy.
They knew that they’d be making an investment in the glass bottles, as they’d need at least three bottles for each customer, Maselkevich said. One bottle would be at the customer’s home, another going through the wash and sanitization and a third filled waiting in the cooler, he said.
Milkhouse bought bottles with the creamery’s name on them, but then had to buy plain bottles to keep up with the demand. People also brought in bottles from long shuttered dairies that they had in their basements, Dagostin said.
If the bottles’ lids were the same size, Milkhouse used them, running them through the same wash and sanitization process as their own bottles, Maselkevich said. Dagostin pointed out that they wouldn’t use bottles from an existing dairy, and returned bottles to the Lancaster dairy, whose product they used to sell, as they came in.
Seeing the old bottles being used again tickles Dagostin, who enjoys the nostalgia as much as the customers seem to, he said. Many want to say that they’re recycling the old bottles, but they’re really re-using them, he said.
“Nothing thrills me more than to see a 50-year-old bottle, cleaned, sanitized and still being used,” Dagostin said.
They’ve seen bottles from area dairies and even one from the Rolling Acres Dairy in Jerome, Somerset County, he said.
“I think the timing was right on this,” Dagostin said. “The health scare … helped us, because people wanted to know where their products were coming from.”
Milkhouse had already decided to work with the Bloss Farm, because its cows produced quality milk with a consistently high butterfat, which lent itself well to its ice cream base.
Owner Jeff Bloss was happy to work with the Milkhouse, and the cooperative that he sells the majority of his milk to agreed to let the small operation take some of the raw product.
The deal with Milkhouse helped Bloss through the pandemic, which has seen milk production change, he said.
Bloss was cut off at 85% of his production base in March, and sales to Milkhouse helped to stabilize the price of milk for him, as the operation takes 15 to 20% of his product.
“We should be taking all of it,” Dagostin said, adding that he’d like to see a local product stay local.
Milkhouse sells its “old-time dairy” products from the Sugarloaf Township, Berwick and Wright Township locations, Maselkevich said, and some area stores and farm markets began carrying the products.
Milkhouse’s West Hazleton location closed, but Hazle Park Meats in the borough and Tarone’s Market in Hazleton now carry Milkhouse products, as does the Crest Haven Farm Market in Danville and Broyan’s Farm Market in Nescopeck.
Milkhouse placed picnic tables outside its Sugarloaf Township location along with a play area for children to draw people in, and teamed up with area food trucks, which also benefited from the partnership, Dagostin said.
“I’d like to have that every weekend,” he said. “But the food trucks are hard to get now.”
Dagostin wouldn’t mind expanding the business again to do food, possibly a food truck of their own, Dagostin mused.
For the moment, the Milkhouse was preparing for its first Eggnog Fest earlier this month, when food trucks were to return as they celebrated the return of the family recipe for the thick, spicy yuletide dairy treat. And eggnog was available at all of the Milkhouse locations.
___
Online:
https://bit.ly/37IBbCZ


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Black-owned camp aims to make hunting more diverse

If Warren Gamaliel Harding Brown could see the hunting camp his grandson has crafted in the Poconos , he ’ d admire the large , stone fireplace , the taxidermied deer head , and the turkey feathers on display beside some spent shotgun shells .
The flatscreen television mounted on the wall might have surprised the late patriarch , but the spirit of the place would have pleased the man who taught older family members to hunt and inspired the younger ones , decades ago , in rural Virginia.That ’ s why Jonathan Wright named the the place “ Pocono @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one who started it all , this deep connection to the woods , ” Wright , dressed in camouflage and safety orange , said in the camp on a recent weekday .
Wright , 34 , doesn ’ t promote Pocono Browns , which he bought in April , as a Black-owned hunting camp , but it ’ s fair to say there aren ’ t many in the Northeast .
Most hunters who rent his place are white , he said , but Black hunters , particularly newer ones , have sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy drive here all the way from Columbus , Ohio to hunt here because he was a Black hunter who was new to hunting and he wanted that level of comfort , ” Wright said .
“ One of my passions is to get more Blacks into hunting.
” Jonathan Wright says he wants “ people of all backgrounds ” to come to the hunting camp he owns in the Poconos , “ but an interest is to get more Black hunters to come here , particularly young kids and their dads .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and peace.
” Hunting groups nationwide have lamented the slow , steady decline of registered hunters over the last decade , so getting any new hunters into the fold is critical .
Portions of hunting license fees contribute to conservation efforts nationwide and also help fund the state agencies that regulate hunting .
Pennsylvania has seen fluctuations in hunting numbers dating back to 2009 , when 941,970 adults and children purchased licenses .
By 2019 , the total had slid to 860,743 .
The numbers of licenses sold did rise slightly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic bump that sent the nation clamoring for outdoor activities .
The Pennsylvania Game Commission doesn ’ t track hunting license sales by race , but the agency has found some success promoting the sport in parts of the state where hunting isn ’ t as ingrained , like Philadelphia .
Mentored hunts at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum have taught many young hunters in the city and surrounding areas how to take a whitetail deer with a crossbow , said Lamar Gore , the refuge manager .
“ We had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people were resistant , ” Gore said .
“ We had to change what they thought of as hunting.
” Lamar Gore , manager of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum , has helped promote deer hunts there to city residents .
Gore , 49 , grew up in Trenton and found his own way into the outdoors , much to the worry of his parents .
“ There was a a concern that I would cross ways with the wrong white person out there , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher who is biracial , found a love for the outdoors much the same way Gore did .
He was was a self-starter .
Annoni wrote a memoir , From the Hood to the Woods , and in 1994 , he started Camp Compass Academy , a nonprofit that aims to introduce kids from urban areas and with diverse backgrounds to hunting .
“ My father died of a heroin overdose and I would have to go to my biological mom ’ s on weekends .
There was an adjacent wood lot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there chasing rats and squirrels and starlings , ” said Annoni , who grew up in Allentown .
“ It was a process through the pain for me .
And I found out that Mother Nature loved me.
” Wright , an attorney who lives in Morris County , N.J. , with his wife and three children , said he grew up hunting with family on his grandfather ’ s property in rural Buckingham County , Va. , about 75 miles west of Richmond , where he grew up .
Wright commends every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sport on his or her own , but he knows having an adult male figure or a group of them , like his grandfather , cousin , and uncles , can cement the bond .
“ I want people of all backgrounds to come here , but an interest is to get more Black hunters to come here , particularly young kids and their dads , ” Wright said .
“ It ’ s a form of wellness , and peace , sitting in the woods like that .
Whatever has kept minorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric Morris , a Georgia-based hunter and guide with his own show on Pursuit Channel , said Black hunters have been active for centuries , the familial bonds to the hobby like Wright ’ s more common in the South than the Northeast .
Morris , who is Black , believes one reason more diverse groups aren ’ t engaging in hunting is a longtime lack of representation in outdoors television programs and magazines .
“ When you watched a hunting or fishing show , it was mostly older , white men from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s rare you ’ d see a non-white person.
” Morris said the television landscape isn ’ t changing .
Even with his own show , he said finding sponsorship is difficult .
Gore , of the Heinz Refuge , believes hunting has a marketing problem .
“ We have groups that are lamenting the decline of hunting and the remedy is to continuously reach out to the people who are already hunting , ” Gore said .
“ I ’ m not saying all of it is an intentional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s people out there who are definitely trying to keep folks out .
” Wright hopes his camp , which sleeps six , will be the first of many .
He hopes to open others in Michigan , where he went to college , and Virginia .
“ I feel at home having a deer camp , ” he said .
“ It ’ s an anchor .
I think other people will feel that , too .
”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -
If Warren Gamaliel Harding Brown could see the hunting camp his grandson has crafted in the Poconos, he’d admire the large, stone fireplace, the taxidermied deer head, and the turkey feathers on display beside some spent shotgun shells.
The flatscreen television mounted on the wall might have surprised the late patriarch, but the spirit of the place would have pleased the man who taught older family members to hunt and inspired the younger ones, decades ago, in rural Virginia.That’s why Jonathan Wright named the the place “Pocono Browns.”
“He’s the one who started it all, this deep connection to the woods,” Wright, dressed in camouflage and safety orange, said in the camp on a recent weekday.
Wright, 34, doesn’t promote Pocono Browns, which he bought in April, as a Black-owned hunting camp, but it’s fair to say there aren’t many in the Northeast. Most hunters who rent his place are white, he said, but Black hunters, particularly newer ones, have sought him out.
“I had a guy drive here all the way from Columbus, Ohio to hunt here because he was a Black hunter who was new to hunting and he wanted that level of comfort,” Wright said. “One of my passions is to get more Blacks into hunting.”
Jonathan Wright says he wants “people of all backgrounds” to come to the hunting camp he owns in the Poconos, “but an interest is to get more Black hunters to come here, particularly young kids and their dads. It’s a form of wellness, and peace.”
Hunting groups nationwide have lamented the slow, steady decline of registered hunters over the last decade, so getting any new hunters into the fold is critical. Portions of hunting license fees contribute to conservation efforts nationwide and also help fund the state agencies that regulate hunting.
Pennsylvania has seen fluctuations in hunting numbers dating back to 2009, when 941,970 adults and children purchased licenses. By 2019, the total had slid to 860,743. The numbers of licenses sold did rise slightly in 2020, likely due to a coronavirus pandemic bump that sent the nation clamoring for outdoor activities.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission doesn’t track hunting license sales by race, but the agency has found some success promoting the sport in parts of the state where hunting isn’t as ingrained, like Philadelphia. Mentored hunts at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum have taught many young hunters in the city and surrounding areas how to take a whitetail deer with a crossbow, said Lamar Gore, the refuge manager.
“We had community meetings about it and, initially, people were resistant,” Gore said. “We had to change what they thought of as hunting.”
Lamar Gore, manager of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, has helped promote deer hunts there to city residents.
Gore, 49, grew up in Trenton and found his own way into the outdoors, much to the worry of his parents.
“There was a a concern that I would cross ways with the wrong white person out there,” he said.
John Annoni, an Allentown School District teacher who is biracial, found a love for the outdoors much the same way Gore did. He was was a self-starter. Annoni wrote a memoir, From the Hood to the Woods, and in 1994, he started Camp Compass Academy, a nonprofit that aims to introduce kids from urban areas and with diverse backgrounds to hunting.
“My father died of a heroin overdose and I would have to go to my biological mom’s on weekends. There was an adjacent wood lot, I spent a lot of time out there chasing rats and squirrels and starlings,” said Annoni, who grew up in Allentown. “It was a process through the pain for me. And I found out that Mother Nature loved me.”
Wright, an attorney who lives in Morris County, N.J., with his wife and three children, said he grew up hunting with family on his grandfather’s property in rural Buckingham County, Va., about 75 miles west of Richmond, where he grew up. Wright commends every hunter who found a love for the sport on his or her own, but he knows having an adult male figure or a group of them, like his grandfather, cousin, and uncles, can cement the bond.
“I want people of all backgrounds to come here, but an interest is to get more Black hunters to come here, particularly young kids and their dads,” Wright said. “It’s a form of wellness, and peace, sitting in the woods like that. Whatever has kept minorities away from that needs to change.”
Eric Morris, a Georgia-based hunter and guide with his own show on Pursuit Channel, said Black hunters have been active for centuries, the familial bonds to the hobby like Wright’s more common in the South than the Northeast. Morris, who is Black, believes one reason more diverse groups aren’t engaging in hunting is a longtime lack of representation in outdoors television programs and magazines.
“When you watched a hunting or fishing show, it was mostly older, white men from the South,” he said. “It’s rare you’d see a non-white person.”
Morris said the television landscape isn’t changing. Even with his own show, he said finding sponsorship is difficult.
Gore, of the Heinz Refuge, believes hunting has a marketing problem.
“We have groups that are lamenting the decline of hunting and the remedy is to continuously reach out to the people who are already hunting,” Gore said. “I’m not saying all of it is an intentional, exclusionary tact, but I think there’s people out there who are definitely trying to keep folks out. ”
Wright hopes his camp, which sleeps six, will be the first of many. He hopes to open others in Michigan, where he went to college, and Virginia.
“I feel at home having a deer camp,” he said. “It’s an anchor. I think other people will feel that, too.”
___
Online:
https://bit.ly/37nvL01


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--After 41 years, final run for firm's first female bus driver

LANCASTER , Pa. ( AP ) - At the wheel of the Route 18 bus , Denise Smith , 64 , departed Lancaster ’ s Queen Street Station with two riders at 12:10 p.m. on a recent Friday on a run to Elizabethtown that would prove routine in every way but one : it was her last after 41 years .
A pleasant , reserved woman , wearing a scarf , gray fleece and black facemask , Smith kept to a tight schedule on a winding , two-hour , 45-mile roundtrip through snow-blanketed Landisville and Mount Joy to Elizabethtown ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back the same way to Lancaster .
All told , she transported 10 riders .
“ Be safe out there , ” said one as he got off in Mount Joy with a companion who used a walker .
Smith has seen traffic get heavier and motorists get ruder over the decades .
Otherwise , driving a bus hasn ’ t changed much since Smith became the first woman hired by Red Rose Transit Authority .
Smith , at 23 , didn ’ t set out to be a trailblazer .
She was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home who saw in the want ads that the transit authority was hiring .
She thought , Why not ?
It didn ’ t particularly worry her that she had never driven anything bigger than a Chevette subcompact .
The transit authority hired the Warwick High School graduate in November 1979 and trained her for more than two months before deciding in February 1980 she was ready for her first solo run .
It was from Lancaster to Columbia .
” People would get on and look at me .
Nobody said a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a little intimidating.
” But that was then .
Today , 33 of RRTA ’ s 65 operators are women .
“ She was first , but she also is one of our best , ” said David Kilmer , the transit authority ’ s executive director .
“ I wish I could clone her.
” Kilmer said Smith had few accidents over the years , all minor , and he can ’ t remember a rider complaining about her .
Early on , a handful of drivers bedeviled the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief driver , they ’ d pull in late so she wouldn ’ t start out on time .
Or she would find the destination sign changed , forcing her to hand crank it to the correct route .
She warned one driver she would tell a supervisor .
“ That took care of it , ” Smith said .
“ He acted as if he was my best buddy after that.
” What ’ s changed over four decades ?
The bus is five feet longer and motorists ’ patience is shorter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be behind a bus , and I understand that , ” Smith said .
“ But it ’ s not like they ’ re going to be behind us long because we ’ ll pull over again.
” Instead of flashing headlights to signal a bus to get back on the road , too many drivers speed up .
“ It ’ s getting tougher and tougher out there , ” Smith said .
Her scariest moment came in Manheim when a car blew through a red light after she got the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heart in throat , she hit the brakes , and the reckless driver disappeared .
Smith ’ s particularly enjoyed the laid-back White Horse run along Route 340 , and she didn ’ t mind buggies .
“ That ’ s their lifestyle , their way of getting around , ” she said , adding that buggy drivers are generally good about staying to the side .
One Elizabethtown run took nearly 90 minutes longer because of slick roads .
Another wintry day featured a police escort on a nail-biting crawl over Chickies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story is the time ice brought traffic to a halt on a slope along Lincoln Highway East .
A passenger asked to get off .
A few minutes later , he came out of a store with a bag of kitty litter that he sprinkled around the bus ’ rear tires .
It worked .
The bus got traction , and Smith completed the run .
Smith enjoyed many of the regular riders .
Those coming from Central Market often gave her a pastry or fruit item .
“ We ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from , ” Smith said .
An older woman named Betty , who lived on West Chestnut Street , got on many mornings and rode for two or three trips .
“ We chatted the whole time .
It made the trip go faster , ” Smith said of the 15-year friendship that ended when Betty died .
Smith and her husband , Ricky , a retired plant manager for Case New Holland , have talked about road trips after the pandemic .
Key West and the Kentucky Derby are likely destinations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ricky does most of the driving .
“ It ’ s like a mailman , ” she said .
“ They don ’ t take a walk on their day off.
” Driving through Lancaster on West Chestnut Street , with only a couple of minutes left on her last run , Smith saw a driver in a Ford Taurus pull suddenly from a parking space .
It caused Smith to brake quickly and mutter something under her breath .
“ We don ’ t stop on a dime , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center at 2:14 p.m. , letting two riders off .
Waiting to congratulate Smith were operators Suzanne Pfeiffer and John Habanec .
Because it snowed the day before , Smith had called Pfeiffer and told her , “ Do not bring me a cake .
I do not want you out in the weather.
” Pfeiffer showed up instead with a pastry box containing a fancy cupcake .
“ She trained me and taught me a lot , ” Pfeiffer said .
“ She ’ s going to get a cake one way @ @ @ @

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - At the wheel of the Route 18 bus, Denise Smith, 64, departed Lancaster’s Queen Street Station with two riders at 12:10 p.m. on a recent Friday on a run to Elizabethtown that would prove routine in every way but one: it was her last after 41 years.
A pleasant, reserved woman, wearing a scarf, gray fleece and black facemask, Smith kept to a tight schedule on a winding, two-hour, 45-mile roundtrip through snow-blanketed Landisville and Mount Joy to Elizabethtown’s Amtrak station. Then she headed back the same way to Lancaster. All told, she transported 10 riders.
“Be safe out there,” said one as he got off in Mount Joy with a companion who used a walker.
“I’m trying,” Smith replied.
Smith has seen traffic get heavier and motorists get ruder over the decades. Otherwise, driving a bus hasn’t changed much since Smith became the first woman hired by Red Rose Transit Authority.
Smith, at 23, didn’t set out to be a trailblazer. She was an evening cook at Brethren Village retirement home who saw in the want ads that the transit authority was hiring.
She thought, Why not?
It didn’t particularly worry her that she had never driven anything bigger than a Chevette subcompact.
The transit authority hired the Warwick High School graduate in November 1979 and trained her for more than two months before deciding in February 1980 she was ready for her first solo run. It was from Lancaster to Columbia.
”People would get on and look at me. Nobody said a word,” Smith said. “It was a little intimidating.”
But that was then. Today, 33 of RRTA’s 65 operators are women.
“She was first, but she also is one of our best,” said David Kilmer, the transit authority’s executive director. “I wish I could clone her.”
Kilmer said Smith had few accidents over the years, all minor, and he can’t remember a rider complaining about her.
Early on, a handful of drivers bedeviled the first woman operator. If Smith was their relief driver, they’d pull in late so she wouldn’t start out on time. Or she would find the destination sign changed, forcing her to hand crank it to the correct route.
She warned one driver she would tell a supervisor.
“That took care of it,” Smith said. “He acted as if he was my best buddy after that.”
What’s changed over four decades? The bus is five feet longer and motorists’ patience is shorter.
“It seems that nobody wants to be behind a bus, and I understand that,” Smith said. “But it’s not like they’re going to be behind us long because we’ll pull over again.”
Instead of flashing headlights to signal a bus to get back on the road, too many drivers speed up.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher out there,” Smith said.
Her scariest moment came in Manheim when a car blew through a red light after she got the green and started into the intersection.
Heart in throat, she hit the brakes, and the reckless driver disappeared.
Smith’s particularly enjoyed the laid-back White Horse run along Route 340, and she didn’t mind buggies.
“That’s their lifestyle, their way of getting around,” she said, adding that buggy drivers are generally good about staying to the side.
Smith did not enjoy snowy days.
One Elizabethtown run took nearly 90 minutes longer because of slick roads. Another wintry day featured a police escort on a nail-biting crawl over Chickies Hill, near Columbia.
Her best story is the time ice brought traffic to a halt on a slope along Lincoln Highway East. A passenger asked to get off. A few minutes later, he came out of a store with a bag of kitty litter that he sprinkled around the bus’ rear tires. It worked. The bus got traction, and Smith completed the run.
Smith enjoyed many of the regular riders. Those coming from Central Market often gave her a pastry or fruit item.
“We’re not just some person getting them to and from,” Smith said.
An older woman named Betty, who lived on West Chestnut Street, got on many mornings and rode for two or three trips.
“We chatted the whole time. It made the trip go faster,” Smith said of the 15-year friendship that ended when Betty died.
Smith and her husband, Ricky, a retired plant manager for Case New Holland, have talked about road trips after the pandemic. Key West and the Kentucky Derby are likely destinations.
Smith said she’s fine if Ricky does most of the driving.
“It’s like a mailman,” she said. “They don’t take a walk on their day off.”
Sudden stop
Driving through Lancaster on West Chestnut Street, with only a couple of minutes left on her last run, Smith saw a driver in a Ford Taurus pull suddenly from a parking space. It caused Smith to brake quickly and mutter something under her breath.
“We don’t stop on a dime,” she said afterward.
Smith finished at the transit center at 2:14 p.m., letting two riders off.
Waiting to congratulate Smith were operators Suzanne Pfeiffer and John Habanec.
Because it snowed the day before, Smith had called Pfeiffer and told her, “Do not bring me a cake. I do not want you out in the weather.”
Pfeiffer showed up instead with a pastry box containing a fancy cupcake.
“She trained me and taught me a lot,” Pfeiffer said. “She’s going to get a cake one way or another.”
___
Online:
https://bit.ly/3h9YmZR