washingtontimes--2020-06-07--'A long time coming': Iconic Lee statue to be removed

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) - David Harris Jr. , a nephew of humanitarian and tennis legend Arthur Ashe , tried for decades to get a street named after his uncle in Richmond , the hometown that once denied Ashe access to segregated public tennis courts .
Finally , in 2019 , the City Council approved the renaming over the objections of some city residents .
So it was gratifying , Harris said , to see Virginia ’ s governor announce plans to remove an iconic statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee after days of protests over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hat is off to them for getting this done , ” Harris said Friday .
“ It took me 25 years to get the street name changed .
I commend these young folks for getting these guys to see it within a week and a half.
” In recent days , amid an extraordinary outpouring of grief over Floyd ’ s death , Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam has pledged to remove the Lee statue , while city leaders have also committed to taking down the other four Confederate memorials along Richmond ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount to a reshaping of how one of America ’ s most historic cities tells its story in its public spaces - and a rethinking of whom it glorifies .
“ It ’ s been a long time coming .
… We ’ ve tried marches , petitions , protests , going to city council ” to get the Confederate monuments removed , said Phil Wilayto , a longtime community organizer and activist with the Virginia Defenders for Freedom , Justice & Equality .
“ And it took what is in effect a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these things are not acceptable.
” Republican lawmakers , Confederate heritage groups and a Monument Avenue preservation group have criticized the decisions .
Many have equated the monuments ’ removal to erasing history .
“ Attempts to eradicate instead of contextualizing history invariably fail , ” Senate GOP leaders said in a statement .
Floyd , a black man in Minneapolis , died after a white officer jammed his knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes as other officers watched .
Video captured Floyd ’ s arrest and final moments , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world that demonstrators have vowed to turn into a sustained movement focused on addressing racial injustice .
The Richmond monument decisions , part of a wave of Confederate monument removals around the country , has stunned some observers in this former capital of the Confederacy , a place where even three years ago many residents said they considered removing the statues impractical , or nearly impossible due to a state law that protected war memorials .
The new Democratic majority at the General Assembly rewrote that law earlier this year , an effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take effect July 1 , giving Richmond and other localities around the state permission to do as they please .
The Lee statue , meanwhile , was on state property .
“ Yes , that statue has been there for a long time , ” Northam said Thursday .
“ But it was wrong then , and it is wrong now .
So we ’ re taking it down.
” The idea to erect a monument to Lee originated “ within hours ” of his death , according to a National Register @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rival campaigns to raise money for the memorial dragged on for more than 15 years , and the selected site was a gift of a prominent Richmond businessman , the documents show .
The statue was the first of five Confederate monuments to be erected on Richmond ’ s Monument Avenue .
It was unveiled in May 1890 , at a time when the Civil War and Reconstruction were long over , and Jim Crow racial segregation laws were on the rise .
The statue arrived in Richmond in pieces from France , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginians used wagons to help pull the pieces for more than a mile to what was then an empty field .
That field is now part of Monument Avenue , the city ’ s grandest boulevard and one that ’ s been visited over the years by dignitaries including then-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Britain ’ s Queen Elizabeth .
To white citizens in the late 19th century , the statue of Lee , a Civil War hero and native Virginian , was a cause for celebration .
Some even saved pieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statue as souvenirs .
But black citizens felt a deep-seated animosity toward the statue , seeing it as a glorification of slavery , the Civil War and their treatment as second-class citizens , said Julian Hayter , a historian and professor of leadership studies at the University of Richmond .
Today , the 21-foot ( 6-meter ) bronze equestrian sculpture that shows the general in military attire sits atop a 40-foot ( 12-meter ) pedestal on whose side is featured a single word : “ Lee.
” Northam emphasized the monument ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that at six stories tall , it towers over homes , businesses and “ everyone who lives in Virginia.
” “ And when it ’ s the biggest thing around , it sends a clear message : ‘ This is what we value the most.
’ But that ’ s just not true anymore , ” he said .
Joseph Rogers , a descendant of enslaved people and an organizer with the Defenders who spoke with AP this week from a rally at the Lee monument , said he felt he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be removed .
He also said the moment felt like “ a fulfillment of prophecy , ” a reference to words written by the black editor of the Richmond Planet newspaper who covered the unveiling of the Lee memorial .
“ ( The black man ) put up the Lee Monument , and should the time come , will be there to take it down , ” John Mitchell Jr. wrote .
Elsewhere on the broad avenue are statues to Confederate President Jefferson Davis , generals J.E.B .
Stuart and Thomas “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer Matthew Maury .
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced this week that he and a city councilman would introduce an ordinance removing the statues , and the Richmond Times-Dispatch has reported the city council has unanimously affirmed support for such a move .
Dr. Fergie Reid , who grew up in segregated Richmond and in 1967 became the first African American elected to the Virginia General Assembly since Reconstruction , called the monuments ’ removal “ long overdue.
” But Reid , 95 , said he thinks they still have historical value .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a museum - just like the dinosaurs , ” he said .

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - David Harris Jr., a nephew of humanitarian and tennis legend Arthur Ashe, tried for decades to get a street named after his uncle in Richmond, the hometown that once denied Ashe access to segregated public tennis courts.
Finally, in 2019, the city council approved the renaming over the objections of some residents. So it was gratifying, Harris said, to see Virginia’s governor announce plans to remove an iconic statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee after days of protests over the death of George Floyd.
“My hat is off to them for getting this done,” Harris said Friday. “It took me 25 years to get the street name changed. I commend these young folks for getting these guys to see it within a week and a half.”
In recent days, amid an extraordinary outpouring of grief over Floyd’s death, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has pledged to remove the Lee statue, while city leaders have also committed to taking down the other four Confederate memorials along Richmond’s prestigious Monument Avenue.
The changes amount to a reshaping of how one of America’s most historic cities tells its story in its public spaces - and a rethinking of whom it glorifies.
“It’s been a long time coming. … We’ve tried marches, petitions, protests, going to city council” to get the Confederate monuments removed, said Phil Wilayto, a longtime community organizer and activist with the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality. “And it took what is in effect a mass uprising of the community to say these things are not acceptable.”
Republican lawmakers, Confederate heritage groups and a Monument Avenue preservation group have criticized the decisions. Some have warned it could impact tourism, and many have equated the monuments’ removal to erasing history.
“Attempts to eradicate instead of contextualizing history invariably fail,” Senate GOP leaders said in a statement.
Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, died after a white officer jammed his knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes as other officers watched. Video captured Floyd’s arrest and final moments, and his death has sparked protests around the world that demonstrators have vowed to turn into a sustained movement focused on addressing racial injustice.
Late Saturday, a small group of demonstrators toppled a statue of Confederate Gen. Williams Carter Wickham in Monroe Park, a Richmond police spokeswoman said. She said she did not know if there were any arrests.
Meanwhile, in southwest England, protesters toppled the statue of a prominent slave trader. Footage from local broadcaster ITV News West Country showed demonstrators attached ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down in the city of Bristol. Colston, born in 1636, was prominently involved in Britain’s sole official slaving company at the time, the Royal African Company, which transported tens of thousands of Africans across the Atlantic Ocean, mainly to the Caribbean.
The Richmond monument decisions, part of a wave of Confederate monument removals around the country, has stunned some observers in this former capital of the Confederacy, a place where even three years ago many residents said they considered removing the statues impractical, or nearly impossible due to a state law that protected war memorials.
The new Democratic majority at the General Assembly rewrote that law earlier this year, an effort led by black women lawmakers. It will take effect July 1, giving Richmond and other localities around the state permission to do as they please. The Lee statue, meanwhile, was on state property.
“Yes, that statue has been there for a long time,” Northam said Thursday. “But it was wrong then, and it is wrong now. So we’re taking it down. ”
The idea to erect a monument to Lee originated “within hours” of his death, according to a National Register of Historic Places nomination form. Two rival campaigns to raise money for the memorial dragged on for more than 15 years, and the selected site was a gift of a prominent Richmond businessman, the documents show.
The statue was the first of five Confederate monuments to be erected on Richmond’s Monument Avenue. It was unveiled in May 1890, at a time when the Civil War and Reconstruction were long over, and Jim Crow racial segregation laws were on the rise.
The statue arrived in Richmond in pieces from France, where it was created. Thousands of Virginians used wagons to help pull the pieces for more than a mile to what was then an empty field. That field is now part of Monument Avenue, the city’s grandest boulevard and one that’s been visited over the years by dignitaries including British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.
To white citizens in the late 19th century, the statue of Lee, a Civil War hero and native Virginian, was a cause for celebration. Some even saved pieces of the rope used to haul the statue as souvenirs.
But black citizens felt a deep-seated animosity toward the statue, seeing it as a glorification of slavery, the Civil War and their treatment as second-class citizens, said Julian Hayter, a historian and professor of leadership studies at the University of Richmond.
Today, the 21-foot (6-meter) bronze equestrian sculpture that shows the general in military attire sits atop a 40-foot (12-meter) pedestal on whose side is inscribed a single word: “Lee.”
The listing of the Lee Monument on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places recognizes the statue as a “masterpiece” of French academic sculpture.
Northam emphasized the monument’s enormous size in his remarks Thursday, saying that at six stories tall, it towers over homes, businesses and “everyone who lives in Virginia.”
“And when it’s the biggest thing around, it sends a clear message: ‘This is what we value the most.’ But that’s just not true anymore,” he said.
Joseph Rogers, a descendant of enslaved people and an organizer with the Defenders who spoke with AP this week from a rally at the Lee monument, said he felt he was witnessing history when he learned the statue would be removed.
He also said the moment felt like “a fulfillment of prophecy,” a reference to words written by the black editor of the Richmond Planet newspaper who covered the unveiling of the Lee memorial.
“(The black man) put up the Lee Monument, and should the time come, will be there to take it down,” John Mitchell Jr. wrote.
Elsewhere on the broad avenue are statues to Confederate President Jefferson Davis, generals J.E.B. Stuart and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, and Confederate naval officer Matthew Maury.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced this week that he and a city councilman would introduce an ordinance removing those statues, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch has reported the city council has unanimously affirmed support for such a move.
Dr. Fergie Reid, who grew up in segregated Richmond and in 1967 became the first African American elected to the Virginia General Assembly since Reconstruction, called the monuments’ removal “long overdue.” But Reid, 95, said he thinks they still have historical value.
“I think they should go to a museum - just like the dinosaurs,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Wolf headaches persist for ranchers in elk-rich Jackson Hole

JACKSON , Wyo .
( AP ) - Russ Lucas first noticed in mid-April that an unwelcome neighbor - wolves - were back on his family ’ s Spring Gulch cattle ranch .
The hindquarter of a calf , he recalled , had been bit into , and its hide peeled back .
Seeing the severity of the wounds , the third-generation rancher knew exactly what had happened and what he needed to do .
“ They tore him up bad enough , I had to kill him , ” ” Lucas told the Jackson Hole News & Guide ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfolded just 4 miles ( 6.4 kilometers ) north of Jackson , traces to the abundant elk population just across Highway 89 , where a vast ungulate winter range sprawls across the National Elk Refuge .
Wolves , in turn , thrive on the same landscape , and almost invariably the large carnivores start wandering and looking for an easy meal when the elk start their migrations .
They find it on private land just over East Gros Ventre Butte , where the Lucases , the Meads and owners of the Walton Ranch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s last remaining working cattle ranches .
The canine-bovine clash has reached a fevered pitch at times .
In 2016 the refuge ’ s then-resident Pinnacle Peak Pack were being targeted by federal trappers employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture ’ s Wildlife Services .
But the wolves were never entirely eliminated .
And in the four years that have since lapsed the conflict continued , albeit with less fanfare .
Lucas knows firsthand .
There ’ s been a single year in recent memory - 2018 , he thinks - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit .
Their presence is more than a passing frustration for a family that has most of its land locked up in conservation easements and depends on its cattle income .
Reimbursement payments , he said , aren ’ t guaranteed , such as when a calf or cow is too eaten up to confirm a cause of death or when an animal is injured while being chased or protecting its offspring .
Wolves have been a state-managed species since 2017 , when a federal appeals court overturned an earlier ruling that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Endangered Species Act .
Now it ’ s the Wyoming Game and Fish Department that manages the conflict in this portion of the Equality State .
Dan Thompson , who leads the agency ’ s large carnivore program , said solving the chronic Spring Gulch cattle conflict is not straightforward and that there ’ s an ever-changing ecological system at play .
Last winter , for example , the Huckleberry Pack displaced the Pinnacle Peak Pack from their longtime home range on the refuge .
The newcomers could have been naive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highway , leading to a lull in conflict .
That was not the case .
“ Huckleberry and Pinnacle were both involved frequenting ranches and in depredations , ” Thompson said .
Confirmed losses to date in 2020 , Thompson said , are three calves and a grown cow , incurred on two ranches .
Most of that has occurred over the last several weeks , though at this point the agency has no plans to lethally target the culprits .
“ The agency control , ” Thompson said , “ we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Some Spring Gulch neighbors who value wolves in their backyards appreciate the restraint this spring .
West Gros Ventre Butte resident Lisa Robertson said she wants to see the state strive for coexistence .
“ They need a range rider out there , someone on guard , ” Robertson said .
“ Game and Fish , as I understand it , has a mile ( 1.6 kilometers ) of fladry.
” Fladry is a line with strips of fabric that flap in a breeze , and they ’ ve been a tactic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past .
The Natural Resources Defense Council debuted the technique on the Walton Ranch in 2016 , and though it worked for a time the organization left the valley and the wolves eventually returned .
Robertson said the Jackson Hole community ought to fill in the gaps - and she believes the appetite is there to do it .
“ I think the public is very interested in helping anyway we can , ” Robertson said .
“ As neighbors , we would love to help every way we can for alternative control @ @ @

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - Russ Lucas first noticed in mid-April that an unwelcome neighbor - wolves - were back on his family’s Spring Gulch cattle ranch.
The hindquarter of a calf, he recalled, had been bit into, and its hide peeled back. Seeing the severity of the wounds, the third-generation rancher knew exactly what had happened and what he needed to do.
“They tore him up bad enough, I had to kill him,”” Lucas told the Jackson Hole News&Guide on Tuesday.
The conflict, which unfolded just 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) north of Jackson, traces to the abundant elk population just across Highway 89, where a vast ungulate winter range sprawls across the National Elk Refuge. Wolves, in turn, thrive on the same landscape, and almost invariably the large carnivores start wandering and looking for an easy meal when the elk start their migrations. They find it on private land just over East Gros Ventre Butte, where the Lucases, the Meads and owners of the Walton Ranch run cattle on some of the valley’s last remaining working cattle ranches.
The canine-bovine clash has reached a fevered pitch at times. In 2016 the refuge’s then-resident Pinnacle Peak Pack were being targeted by federal trappers employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services.
But the wolves were never entirely eliminated. And in the four years that have since lapsed the conflict continued, albeit with less fanfare.
Lucas knows firsthand. There’s been a single year in recent memory - 2018, he thinks - when the wolves failed to pay a visit. Their presence is more than a passing frustration for a family that has most of its land locked up in conservation easements and depends on its cattle income. Reimbursement payments, he said, aren’t guaranteed, such as when a calf or cow is too eaten up to confirm a cause of death or when an animal is injured while being chased or protecting its offspring.
Wolves have been a state-managed species since 2017, when a federal appeals court overturned an earlier ruling that had kept the species under the protective cloak of the Endangered Species Act.
Now it’s the Wyoming Game and Fish Department that manages the conflict in this portion of the Equality State.
Dan Thompson, who leads the agency’s large carnivore program, said solving the chronic Spring Gulch cattle conflict is not straightforward and that there’s an ever-changing ecological system at play.
Last winter, for example, the Huckleberry Pack displaced the Pinnacle Peak Pack from their longtime home range on the refuge. The newcomers could have been naive to the new prey source across the highway, leading to a lull in conflict.
That was not the case.
“Huckleberry and Pinnacle were both involved frequenting ranches and in depredations,” Thompson said.
Confirmed losses to date in 2020, Thompson said, are three calves and a grown cow, incurred on two ranches. Most of that has occurred over the last several weeks, though at this point the agency has no plans to lethally target the culprits.
“The agency control,” Thompson said, “we don’t usually go straight into that.”
Some Spring Gulch neighbors who value wolves in their backyards appreciate the restraint this spring. West Gros Ventre Butte resident Lisa Robertson said she wants to see the state strive for coexistence.
“They need a range rider out there, someone on guard,” Robertson said. “Game and Fish, as I understand it, has a mile (1.6 kilometers) of fladry.”
Fladry is a line with strips of fabric that flap in a breeze, and they’ve been a tactic for dissuading Spring Gulch wolves in the past. The Natural Resources Defense Council debuted the technique on the Walton Ranch in 2016, and though it worked for a time the organization left the valley and the wolves eventually returned.
Robertson said the Jackson Hole community ought to fill in the gaps - and she believes the appetite is there to do it.
“I think the public is very interested in helping anyway we can,” Robertson said. “As neighbors, we would love to help every way we can for alternative control measures.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Montana moves forward with plan to ease Madison River crowds

BOZEMAN , Mont .
( AP ) - Montana is moving ahead with its attempt to ease crowding on one of its most popular rivers .
Montana Fish , Wildlife and Parks has put forward a proposal for regulating fishing outfitters and easing crowding on the Madison River , one of the top fly-fishing destinations in the world , the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports .
Its proposal would cap the number of guided trips , bar guides from some river sections on certain days and create a stamp program for anglers to begin gathering data on non-guided fishing pressure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 51-page environmental assessment that considers a variety of regulatory options , goes before the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission in a virtual meeting next week .
The commission will vote on putting the document out for public comment , a step that would begin a public review process that state officials hope would lead to regulations going into effect in 2021 .
But already there are people pushing to kill the process , arguing that the coronavirus pandemic makes this the wrong time to consider regulating the river .
Mac Minard , executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association , said because the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic , the commission should put the process on pause .
Minard said it ’ s “ unbelievable that we ’ re actually resurrecting this now.
” Others don ’ t want to see the process tanked , but don ’ t like what they see in the new proposal .
And some feel an urgency to keep the process moving after years of heated debates and negotiations .
Pat Byorth , the commissioner representing southwestern Montana , said the work has already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus , and that it ’ s just time for it to come back up .
“ The idea that we ’ re ramrodding this through is misplaced , ” Byorth said .
“ I think there ’ s a sense of urgency to get the process out so people can comment.
” It ’ s been more than two years since the commission rejected FWP ’ s original recreation plan for the river , which set a state record in 2017 with 207,000 angler days .
A citizen committee tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulating the river , and the commission has rejected petitions from groups putting forward their own plans .
FWP put out a survey to gauge public opinion on different proposals , like keeping guides off parts of the river or banning boats entirely from the wade-only sections .
Then it began writing the proposal released recently .
The commission is scheduled to take it up on June 12 .
The document looks at different ways to cap commercial use and reduce social conflicts between anglers .
FWP ’ s proposal is a package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FWP ’ s plan , guided trips would be capped at 2019 levels .
The agency would look to the outfitting industry to decide how those trips would be split up between the more-than 200 outfitters who run trips on the river .
Commercial guiding would be banned from a part of the river two days a week from June 15 to Sept. 30 , an idea referred to as “ rest-and-rotation.
” Boats would be kicked out of the river ’ s two wade-fishing only sections - Quake Lake to Lyons Bridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two days per week for the same time period .
FWP would take steps to improve management of fishing access sites , and any new land acquisitions below Greycliff Fishing Access Site on the lower Madison would have limited development , a move meant to maintain the primitive nature of the river ’ s lower end .
And FWP would begin a Madison River stamp program .
The stamps , which would be free , would be given to all people who fish the river .
Stamp holders would have to report their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came from people with a variety of interests in the river , said Eileen Ryce , FWP ’ s fisheries division administrator .
She said FWP heard from guides , outfitters and people who fish the river and don ’ t hire guides or outfitters .
She added that the agency thinks those proposals “ really strike that balance between what the non-commercial and the commercial folks want.
” Some on the commercial side already see flaws .
Mike Bias , executive director of the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana , said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for public comment , saying it ’ s missing some options he ’ d suggested , like a shorter time frame for the “ rest-and-rotation ” schedule .
He wants to see that happen only in July and August , not from the middle of June to the end of September .
But he doesn ’ t want the process torpedoed .
The need is still there , Bias said , and he thinks attempts to delay it further are really attempts to ensure regulation never happens .
“ FOAM thinks we should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the path we started two years ago , ” Bias said .

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - Montana is moving ahead with its attempt to ease crowding on one of its most popular rivers.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has put forward a proposal for regulating fishing outfitters and easing crowding on the Madison River, one of the top fly-fishing destinations in the world, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports. Its proposal would cap the number of guided trips, bar guides from some river sections on certain days and create a stamp program for anglers to begin gathering data on non-guided fishing pressure.
The proposal, lined out in a 51-page environmental assessment that considers a variety of regulatory options, goes before the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission in a virtual meeting next week. The commission will vote on putting the document out for public comment, a step that would begin a public review process that state officials hope would lead to regulations going into effect in 2021.
But already there are people pushing to kill the process, arguing that the coronavirus pandemic makes this the wrong time to consider regulating the river.
Mac Minard, executive director of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, said because the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the commission should put the process on pause.
Minard said it’s “unbelievable that we’re actually resurrecting this now.”
Others don’t want to see the process tanked, but don’t like what they see in the new proposal. And some feel an urgency to keep the process moving after years of heated debates and negotiations.
Pat Byorth, the commissioner representing southwestern Montana, said the work has already been delayed by a few months because of the coronavirus, and that it’s just time for it to come back up.
“The idea that we’re ramrodding this through is misplaced,” Byorth said. “I think there’s a sense of urgency to get the process out so people can comment.”
It’s been more than two years since the commission rejected FWP’s original recreation plan for the river, which set a state record in 2017 with 207,000 angler days. A citizen committee tried and failed to craft a proposal for regulating the river, and the commission has rejected petitions from groups putting forward their own plans.
FWP put out a survey to gauge public opinion on different proposals, like keeping guides off parts of the river or banning boats entirely from the wade-only sections.
Then it began writing the proposal released recently. The commission is scheduled to take it up on June 12.
The document looks at different ways to cap commercial use and reduce social conflicts between anglers. FWP’s proposal is a package of some of those ideas.
Under FWP’s plan, guided trips would be capped at 2019 levels. The agency would look to the outfitting industry to decide how those trips would be split up between the more-than 200 outfitters who run trips on the river.
Commercial guiding would be banned from a part of the river two days a week from June 15 to Sept. 30, an idea referred to as “rest-and-rotation.” Boats would be kicked out of the river’s two wade-fishing only sections - Quake Lake to Lyons Bridge and Ennis to Ennis Lake - for two days per week for the same time period.
FWP would take steps to improve management of fishing access sites, and any new land acquisitions below Greycliff Fishing Access Site on the lower Madison would have limited development, a move meant to maintain the primitive nature of the river’s lower end.
And FWP would begin a Madison River stamp program. The stamps, which would be free, would be given to all people who fish the river. Stamp holders would have to report their river use to FWP.
The ideas came from people with a variety of interests in the river, said Eileen Ryce, FWP’s fisheries division administrator. She said FWP heard from guides, outfitters and people who fish the river and don’t hire guides or outfitters.
She added that the agency thinks those proposals “really strike that balance between what the non-commercial and the commercial folks want.”
Some on the commercial side already see flaws. Mike Bias, executive director of the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana, said his group will oppose putting the plan out for public comment, saying it’s missing some options he’d suggested, like a shorter time frame for the “rest-and-rotation” schedule. He wants to see that happen only in July and August, not from the middle of June to the end of September.
But he doesn’t want the process torpedoed. The need is still there, Bias said, and he thinks attempts to delay it further are really attempts to ensure regulation never happens.
“FOAM thinks we should be responsible public managers and continue on the path we started two years ago,” Bias said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Bourdeaux back in race for Congress, but Democrat has rivals

ATLANTA ( AP ) - Carolyn Bourdeaux got famously close in 2018 to claiming Georgia ’ s 7th Congressional District for the Democrats .
After losing by 433 votes , six other Democrats now also see the opportunity to win the seat , with Republican incumbent Rob Woodall declining to seek another term after his narrow 2018 victory .
Like the neighboring 6th District , the 7th is likely to be one of the most closely watched contests nationwide in November , as Republicans try to win back control of the House and Democrats seeking to maintain or expand their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same rainbow of races and nationalities made up by the voters of the district , which includes suburban areas of Gwinnett and Forsyth counties .
Bourdeaux ’ s opponents include state Sen. Zahra Karinshak , state Rep. Brenda Lopez Romero , former Fulton County Commission Chair John Eaves , political activist Nabilah Islam and 2016 Democratic nominee Rashid Malik .
A runoff , if needed , would be held between the top two Democratic finishers on Aug. 11 .
The winner of the Democratic primary will go on to face the winner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to finish the job , arguing that she ’ s spent two years expanding a network of political and community support .
“ We got very , very close , ” Bourdeaux said .
“ We just had that momentum that had taken a year and a half to build.
” But other candidates argue they would be better choices , saying they reflect the diversity of a majority-minority district and that Bourdeaux isn ’ t doing enough to reach out and could lose again .
“ Getting close is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rewarded the next time around , ” Eaves said .
All the candidates say they support the expansion of health care , although there ’ s some disagreement on how .
Bourdeaux and Karinshak favor keeping the current framework put into place under President Barack Obama , while adding a government-run public option for insurance and completing the expansion of Medicaid that Georgia Republicans have rejected .
Islam has been staking a position to the left of those two .
She ’ s the loudest voice in the race calling for a universal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as advocated by former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders .
Islam , who ’ s been endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive figures , is also pushing ideas for a $ 15 minimum wage and an overhaul of environmental and economic policies to fight climate change known as the Green New Deal .
“ My story isn ’ t unique , it ’ s the story of the district , ” Islam says of her modest background before she moved into politics .
“ I think folks want someone who is bold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a district that ’ s starving for represenation.
” Lopez Romero also supports the Green New Deal , and says that as an immigration lawyer , she would be the best choice to fight changes to the nation ’ s immigration system .
Eaves also supports Medicare for all .
He emphasizes his work with young people and said he ’ s more sensitive than some other candidates to people who are underserved and marginalized .
Candidates have tried to make an issue of Bourdeaux ’ s work as a legislative staffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apologist ” and “ enabler ” for Republicans who cut education and health care .
Other candidates note that gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams carried Gwinnett County in 2018 but Bourdeaux did not .
“ This isn ’ t anybody ’ s seat , ” Karinshak said .
“ This is wide open in my estimation.
” Bourdeaux said she got into politics in part because she disagreed with those choices and argues that she closed the gap on Woodall .
“ We are coming back this time with a coalition that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

ATLANTA (AP) - Carolyn Bourdeaux got famously close in 2018 to claiming Georgia’s 7th Congressional District for the Democrats.
After losing by 433 votes, six other Democrats now also see the opportunity to win the seat, with Republican incumbent Rob Woodall declining to seek another term after his narrow 2018 victory. Like the neighboring 6th District, the 7th is likely to be one of the most closely watched contests nationwide in November, as Republicans try to win back control of the House and Democrats seeking to maintain or expand their majority.
The Democratic field features the same rainbow of races and nationalities made up by the voters of the district, which includes suburban areas of Gwinnett and Forsyth counties. Bourdeaux’s opponents include state Sen. Zahra Karinshak, state Rep. Brenda Lopez Romero, former Fulton County Commission Chair John Eaves, political activist Nabilah Islam and 2016 Democratic nominee Rashid Malik.
A runoff, if needed, would be held between the top two Democratic finishers on Aug. 11. The winner of the Democratic primary will go on to face the winner of similarly crowded Republican field.
Bourdeaux is back to finish the job, arguing that she’s spent two years expanding a network of political and community support.
“We got very, very close,” Bourdeaux said. “We just had that momentum that had taken a year and a half to build.”
But other candidates argue they would be better choices, saying they reflect the diversity of a majority-minority district and that Bourdeaux isn’t doing enough to reach out and could lose again.
“Getting close is not a guarantee and getting close is not necessarily rewarded the next time around,” Eaves said.
All the candidates say they support the expansion of health care, although there’s some disagreement on how. Bourdeaux and Karinshak favor keeping the current framework put into place under President Barack Obama, while adding a government-run public option for insurance and completing the expansion of Medicaid that Georgia Republicans have rejected. Islam has been staking a position to the left of those two. She’s the loudest voice in the race calling for a universal public insurance plan - Medicare for all as advocated by former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
Islam, who’s been endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive figures, is also pushing ideas for a $15 minimum wage and an overhaul of environmental and economic policies to fight climate change known as the Green New Deal.
“My story isn’t unique, it’s the story of the district,” Islam says of her modest background before she moved into politics. “I think folks want someone who is bold and outspoken about the issues. This is a district that’s starving for represenation.”
Lopez Romero also supports the Green New Deal, and says that as an immigration lawyer, she would be the best choice to fight changes to the nation’s immigration system.
Eaves also supports Medicare for all. He emphasizes his work with young people and said he’s more sensitive than some other candidates to people who are underserved and marginalized.
Candidates have tried to make an issue of Bourdeaux’s work as a legislative staffer, with Karinshak calling her an “apologist” and “enabler” for Republicans who cut education and health care. Other candidates note that gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams carried Gwinnett County in 2018 but Bourdeaux did not.
“This isn’t anybody’s seat,” Karinshak said. “This is wide open in my estimation.”
Bourdeaux said she got into politics in part because she disagreed with those choices and argues that she closed the gap on Woodall.
“We are coming back this time with a coalition that’s stronger than before,” Bourdeaux said.
___
Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeffamy.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Chad Thiessen arrested in stolen bulldozer on way to protest

OMAHA , Neb .
— A man has been arrested after stealing a bulldozer from a construction site and telling a 911 dispatcher that he was headed to Omaha to protest , authorities say .
Chad Thiessen , 39 , said he planned to “ deliver a message to the world about all the corruption and false information the media and government are communicating , ” the Cass County Sheriff ’ s Office said in a news release Friday .
He also said that people should “ stay out of his way.
” Thiessen fortified the cabin of the bulldozer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the town of Muray , which is located just south of Omaha , the sheriff ’ s office said .
He fastened two large pieces of lumber to the bottom part of the front windshield , and he placed many other pieces of timber in the side entrances .
He also set a small piece of lumber on the driver ’ s seat , the Fremont Tribune reported .
Deputies arrived as the bulldozer was being driven on the grassy shoulder of U.S. 75 near the Plattsmouth Airport and eventually were able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roadway .
Authorities reached the driver by phone and persuaded him to stop the bulldozer in an open field and exit the bulldozer , the sheriff ’ s office said .
Lt. Larry Burke said the chase was dangerous because of the size of the bulldozer .
“ We can ’ t put any of our vehicles up in front of something like that .
He would have crushed our patrol cars just from the weight and type of vehicle it was , so blocking him in wasn ’ t an option , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Plattsmouth Airport ’ s runway , farm fields and twice became entangled on the Union Pacific railroad tracks , authorities said .
Burke said Thiessen would be charged with criminal mischief and the theft of the bulldozer , and that other counts were likely as the investigation proceeds .
A man who answered the phone at the jail said he didn ’ t know whether Thiessen had an attorney who could speak on his behalf .

OMAHA, Neb. — A man has been arrested after stealing a bulldozer from a construction site and telling a 911 dispatcher that he was headed to Omaha to protest, authorities say.
Chad Thiessen, 39, said he planned to “deliver a message to the world about all the corruption and false information the media and government are communicating,” the Cass County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Friday. He also said that people should “stay out of his way.”
Thiessen fortified the cabin of the bulldozer after stealing it from a road project in the town of Muray, which is located just south of Omaha, the sheriff’s office said. He fastened two large pieces of lumber to the bottom part of the front windshield, and he placed many other pieces of timber in the side entrances. He also set a small piece of lumber on the driver’s seat, the Fremont Tribune reported.
Deputies arrived as the bulldozer was being driven on the grassy shoulder of U.S. 75 near the Plattsmouth Airport and eventually were able to divert the driver onto a county roadway. Authorities reached the driver by phone and persuaded him to stop the bulldozer in an open field and exit the bulldozer, the sheriff’s office said.
Lt. Larry Burke said the chase was dangerous because of the size of the bulldozer.
“We can’t put any of our vehicles up in front of something like that. He would have crushed our patrol cars just from the weight and type of vehicle it was, so blocking him in wasn’t an option,” Burke said.
The driver damaged the Plattsmouth Airport’s runway, farm fields and twice became entangled on the Union Pacific railroad tracks, authorities said.
Burke said Thiessen would be charged with criminal mischief and the theft of the bulldozer, and that other counts were likely as the investigation proceeds.
A man who answered the phone at the jail said he didn’t know whether Thiessen had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Afghan cricket team starts training despite virus fears

KABUL , Afghanistan ( AP ) - Afghanistan ’ s national cricket team began a month-long training camp Sunday , even as the coronavirus was spreading widely across the country and an international aid organization warned it was on the brink of a humanitarian crisis .
Afghanistan has officially recorded more than 20,000 cases countrywide , but the actual number is believed to be much higher .
Still , the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced the start of the training camp for its 22 players a day after the government laid out new guidelines to tackle the spread of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing and limiting gatherings to 10 people or less .
Abdullah Pakthani , a spokesman for the Afghan Cricket Board , said players are under strict orders to abide by government rules for social distancing and practice will be restricted to five or six players at any one time .
The players won ’ t be tested for COVID-19 but they are not allowed in the stadium if they are unwell or have a fever .
The cricket board says it started the camp under guidelines of the International Cricket Council and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most popular sport in Afghanistan and Afghans have embraced the national team as a welcome diversion from relentless war and poverty .
Stars like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi are considered national icons .
But the training camp opens as international aid organizations warn that the coronavirus is still rife within Afghanistan ’ s 36 million people .
Last week , the International Rescue Committee warned Afghanistan was on the brink of a humanitarian crisis .
COVID-19 is rapidly spreading undetected through Afghanistan , the IRC warned , saying the number of confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May .
The country ’ s extremely low testing capacity means many more people are going untested , it added .
Afghanistan ’ s Ministry of Health says it only has the capacity to test 2,000 people per day , but are receiving between 10,000 and 20,000 samples daily .
That means up to 90 % of potentially infected people are not being tested .
And at 40 % , Afghanistan has one of the highest rates of positive tests of all the countries where the IRC works , the organization said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 350 deaths .

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan’s national cricket team began a month-long training camp Sunday, even as the coronavirus was spreading widely across the country and an international aid organization warned it was on the brink of a humanitarian crisis.
Afghanistan has officially recorded more than 20,000 cases countrywide, but the actual number is believed to be much higher.
Still, the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced the start of the training camp for its 22 players a day after the government laid out new guidelines to tackle the spread of the virus that includes wearing face masks, social distancing and limiting gatherings to 10 people or less.
Abdullah Pakthani, a spokesman for the Afghan Cricket Board, said players were under strict orders to abide by government rules for social distancing, and practice will be restricted to five or six players at any one time. The players won’t be tested for COVID-19 but they are not allowed in the stadium if they are unwell or have a fever.
The cricket board said it started the camp under guidelines of the International Cricket Council and the World Health Organization.
Cricket is the most popular sport in Afghanistan, and Afghans have embraced the national team as a welcome diversion from relentless war and poverty. Stars like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi are considered national icons.
But the training camp opens as international aid organizations warn that the coronavirus is still rife within Afghanistan’s 36 million people. Last week, the International Rescue Committee warned Afghanistan was on the brink of a humanitarian crisis.
COVID-19 is rapidly spreading undetected through Afghanistan, the IRC warned, saying the number of confirmed new cases rose by 684% in May. The country’s extremely low testing capacity means many more people are going untested, it added.
Afghanistan’s Health Ministry says it only has the capacity to test 2,000 people per day, but are receiving between 10,000 and 20,000 samples daily. That means up to 90% of potentially infected people are not being tested. And at 40%, Afghanistan has one of the highest rates of positive tests of all the countries where the IRC works, the organization said.
Officially, the country has about 20,000 confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 350 deaths.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Cole Carini, 'incel' would-be bomber, blew off own hand, FBI says

ABINGDON , Va. — A southwest Virginia man who blew off his hand in an apparent explosives accident has been charged in federal court after authorities say they found evidence he was making a bomb and wanted to target “ hot cheerleaders ” because of his sexual frustrations .
An FBI affidavit filed Friday in federal court in Abingdon says 23-year-old Cole Carini of Richlands showed up at a hospital Wednesday with one hand blown off , fingers blown off his second and other shrapnel wounds .
He told authorities he ’ d been in a lawnmower accident .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explosives materials , rusty nails , pipes and pieces of flesh .
They also found parts of a scorched letter that referenced tension “ as he now approached the stage of hot cheerleaders ” and “ I will not be afraid of the consequences no matter what I will be heroic I will make a statement like Elliott Rodgers.
” Elliott Rodger killed himself in 2014 after killing six others , including two women outside a sorority house near Santa Barbara , Caifornia , leaving behind a manifesto that has been a rallying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
Incels , a shorthand phrase for “ involuntarily celibate , ” justify violence against women as revenge for men who are rejected as sexual partners .
Online court records show Carini is being held in custody pending appointment of an attorney .
He is charged with making false statements to law enforcement .

ABINGDON, Va. — A southwest Virginia man who blew off his hand in an apparent explosives accident has been charged in federal court after authorities say they found evidence he was making a bomb and wanted to target “hot cheerleaders” because of his sexual frustrations.
An FBI affidavit filed Friday in federal court in Abingdon says 23-year-old Cole Carini of Richlands showed up at a hospital Wednesday with one hand blown off, fingers blown off his second and other shrapnel wounds.
He told authorities he’d been in a lawnmower accident. But authorities searched his property, and found explosives materials, rusty nails, pipes and pieces of flesh. They also found parts of a scorched letter that referenced tension “as he now approached the stage of hot cheerleaders” and “I will not be afraid of the consequences no matter what I will be heroic I will make a statement like Elliott Rodgers.”
Elliott Rodger killed himself in 2014 after killing six others, including two women outside a sorority house near Santa Barbara, Caifornia, leaving behind a manifesto that has been a rallying point for the online “incel” community. Incels, a shorthand phrase for “involuntarily celibate,” justify violence against women as revenge for men who are rejected as sexual partners.
Online court records show Carini is being held in custody pending appointment of an attorney.
He is charged with making false statements to law enforcement.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--New York City curfew lifts early following peaceful protests

NEW YORK ( AP ) - New York City is lifting its curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule , Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday morning .
The 8 p.m. citywide curfew , New York ’ s first in decades , had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday , with the city planning to lift it at the same time it enters the first phase of reopening after more than two months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus .
“ Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcement of the curfew ’ s end “ effective immediately.
” “ Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart.
” The move followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands took to the streets and parks to protest police brutality , sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police .
More than two hours after the curfew had passed Saturday night , groups of several hundred demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn , while police monitored them but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and civil liberties advocates had called for an end to the 8 p.m. curfew , complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it .
But de Blasio had initially insisted the curfew would remain in place throughout the weekend .
At protests in Manhattan earlier Saturday , volunteers handed out snacks , first aid kits and plenty of water bottles on a muggy afternoon .
One person carried a sign listing nearby open buildings for those seeking to escape the heat - which some soon did when a rain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan , where other groups numbering in the hundreds to thousands marched or gathered in places like Foley Square , home to state and federal court buildings , and Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village .
Further uptown , police had erected barriers to all but close off Times Square to vehicle and foot traffic .
As the curfew passed , a large group of protesters walked onto the FDR Drive , the main north-south artery along Manhattan ’ s east side , closely monitored by police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of the roadway .
Earlier , Julian Arriola-Hennings said he didn ’ t expect the movement to slow down anytime soon .
“ I ’ m never surprised by people taking action because inaction , it really hurts the soul , ” he said as he told protesters at Washington Square Park that they would soon march from there to City Hall .
“ People ’ s feet get tired , their souls get re-energized for the right purpose.
” One of Saturday ’ s marches was enlivened by a band led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Late Show with Stephen Colbert .
Images on social media on Friday night about an hour after a Brooklyn protest ended showed officers surrounding a group of protesters and chasing down some with batons .
And officers on Manhattan ’ s East Side also used force to break up remnants of a march that started near the mayor ’ s official residence .
There were about 40 arrests citywide Friday - far fewer than previous nights - and no obvious signs of the smash-and-grab stealing that marred protests earlier in the week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t surprised people were still marching after more than a week , even though she said she had seen violence from police earlier in the week .
“ Our first couple of protests ended a bit violently but we ’ re back out here .
We ’ re not going to stop fighting , ” Henry said .
She added she thinks protests could continue next week , even as some will go back to work when New York City begins its reopening .
“ I think as long as we stay organized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will and should happen , ” Henry said .

NEW YORK (AP) - Thousands of people marched through New York City’s streets again Sunday to protest racism and police brutality, but after a peaceful weekend the city appeared ready to begin a march back toward normalcy after three months of quarantines and nearly two weeks of civil unrest.
Mayor Bill de Blasio lifted the city’s 8 p.m. curfew ahead of schedule after several days free of the clashes or ransacking of stores that rocked the city days earlier.
Some of the marches Sunday took on a celebratory feel and tensions between demonstrators and police were noticeably eased.
As hundred of protesters stood chanting in front of police officers outside Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as night fell, officers looked on, standing relaxed and without riot helmets that were standard-issue earlier in the week.
Some officers a few blocks away were even smoking cigars. Others posed for photos with vest-wearing bikers. At one point, police moved barricades so protesters could approach the Trump International Hotel and Tower in midtown Manhattan.
“I want to thank everybody who has expressed their views peacefully,” de Blasio said Sunday morning. “I made the decision to end the curfew. And honestly, I hope it’s the last time we will ever need a curfew in New York City.”
The curfew, New York’s first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through early Monday morning, with officials planning to lift it at the same time the city enters the first phase of reopening after nearly three months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.
The move to end it early followed New York City police pulling back on enforcing the curfew Saturday as thousands took to the streets for another day of marches and rallies sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Catherine Corien, a 60-year-old dental hygienist in Brooklyn, held off attending protests all week because she was afraid of catching the virus, but she stood near the back of a protest in Bed-Stuy on Sunday wearing a mask and keeping some distance from other protesters.
“I’m very concerned, but at the same time, a lot of people, if they are like me and decided to stay home, nothing would have happened,” she said.
Brandon Watts, a black pastor at Epiphany Church in Brooklyn, mandated that participants wear a mask at a “Pray & Protest” march he organized Sunday with several other churches. Attendees were offered free coronavirus testing at one of the participating churches.
“COVID-19 hit the inner city harder than anybody else,” Watts said. “And so we have to be very careful. We’re the only ones in a pandemic within a pandemic.”
De Blasio said police had arrested just four people and issued 24 court summonses during Saturday’s protest. There were more than 2,000 arrests made through Friday morning, with the largest number coming on Sunday and Monday, when hundreds were arrested as the police tried to control crime in Manhattan’s shopping districts.
Local politicians and civil liberties advocates had called for an end to the 8 p.m. curfew, complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it. But de Blasio had initially insisted the curfew would remain in place throughout the weekend.
Civil liberties organizations had threatened to sue if the curfew was extended beyond Sunday.
The end of the curfew comes as New York City prepares to begin reopening some businesses Monday, including manufacturing and construction companies, wholesalers and retailers.
Between 200,000 and 400,000 people are expected to head back to the workplace Monday in the city.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo reiterated his call for people who have attended the protest marches to get tested for the coronavirus.
”Get a test. Get a test,” the governor said Sunday, adding that the state planned on opening 15 testing sites dedicated just to protesters so they can get results quickly. “I would act as if you were exposed, and I would tell people you are interacting with, assume I am positive for the virus.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Fairfax County police arrest officer for assault and battery after he tasered citizen

Fairfax County police in Northern Virginia arrested one of its own officers , Tyler Timberlake , for assault and battery after he tasered a citizen who was disoriented .
The incident was recorded on other officers ’ body cameras .
Mr. Timberlake , who is white , faces three counts of assault and battery for inappropriately using his stun gun on a man , who is black .
The victim was walking in circles in the street , appearing to be suffering from a sort of mental health episode or possible intoxication .
Other officers had called an ambulance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the ambulance when Mr. Timberlake deployed his stun gun .
In addition to facing a sentence of up to 36 months , Mr. Timberlake has also lost his job as an officer .
Edwin C. Roessler Jr. , the Fairfax County police chief , told reporters at a press conference late Saturday night that the victim “ is alive and resting at home with his family.
” The officer ’ s firing and arrest come as the country has a reckoning over police brutality against black men and women .
Protests locally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guided by the Black Lives Matter movement , which demands that governments “ defund the police .
”

Fairfax County police in Northern Virginia arrested one of its own officers, Tyler Timberlake, for assault and battery after he tasered a citizen who was disoriented.
The incident was recorded on other officers’ body cameras. Mr. Timberlake, who is white, faces three counts of assault and battery for inappropriately using his stun gun on a man, who is black.
The victim was walking in circles in the street, appearing to be suffering from a sort of mental health episode or possible intoxication. Other officers had called an ambulance for him and were trying to guide him to the ambulance when Mr. Timberlake deployed his stun gun.
In addition to facing a sentence of up to 36 months, Mr. Timberlake has also lost his job as an officer.
Fairfax County Police calling a late press conference tonight to announce the arrest of one of their officers, Tyler Timberlake, for assault and battery of a citizen— after the officer fired his taser on duty. They’re showing us video from an officer’s body camera.@ABC7News pic.twitter.com/0Z18piMGy7 — Carl Willis (@CarlWillisTV) June 7, 2020
Edwin C. Roessler Jr., the Fairfax County police chief, told reporters at a press conference late Saturday night that the victim “is alive and resting at home with his family.”
The officer’s firing and arrest come as the country has a reckoning over police brutality against black men and women. Protests locally and across the U.S. have been largely guided by the Black Lives Matter movement, which demands that governments “defund the police.”
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Fox News sorry for black deaths-stock market graphic on 'Special Report with Bret Baier'

LOS ANGELES — Fox News apologized Saturday for how it displayed a chart correlating the stock market ’ s performance with the aftermath of the deaths of George Floyd , Martin Luther King Jr. and Michael Brown .
The graphic that aired Friday to illustrate market reactions to historic periods of civil unrest “ should have never aired on television without full context .
We apologize for the insensitivity of the image and take this issue seriously , ” the cable channel said in a statement .
The chart included on “ Special Report with Bret Baier ” illustrated gains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ index after King ’ s assassination in 1968 ; the Ferguson , Missouri , police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in 2014 , and the May 25 death of Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody .
It also measured the financial yardstick against the 1991 acquittal of Los Angeles police officers in the beating of Rodney King .
It was shown as part of a segment with Fox News and Fox Business reporter Susan Li focusing on the market rally that followed an unexpectedly lower number of jobless claims .
Other business publications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared the market ’ s performance to current and historic social upheaval , but with significant background and explanation .
Rep. Bobby Rush , D-Illinois , tweeted that the graphic makes it clear that Fox News “ does not care about black lives , ” while Michael Steele , former Republican National Committee chair and a MSNBC political analyst , posted , “ This is how they mourn the loss of black men at # FoxNews - by how much the stock market goes up.
” Later Saturday , on Fox ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telecast , anchor and senior correspondent Eric Shawn said the graphic should not have been used .
“ Last night , Fox News Channel aired an infographic attempting to show the stock market on occasion gained ground in the midst of turmoil , civil unrest and even tragedy , ” Shawn said .
“ In trying to make that point , the program ‘ Special Report ’ failed to explain the context of the times we are living in and should not have used that graphic .
”

LOS ANGELES — Fox News apologized Saturday for how it displayed a chart correlating the stock market’s performance with the aftermath of the deaths of George Floyd, Martin Luther King Jr. and Michael Brown.
The graphic that aired Friday to illustrate market reactions to historic periods of civil unrest “should have never aired on television without full context. We apologize for the insensitivity of the image and take this issue seriously,” the cable channel said in a statement.
The chart included on “Special Report with Bret Baier” illustrated gains made by the S&P 500 index after King’s assassination in 1968; the Ferguson, Missouri, police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in 2014, and the May 25 death of Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. It also measured the financial yardstick against the 1991 acquittal of Los Angeles police officers in the beating of Rodney King.
It was shown as part of a segment with Fox News and Fox Business reporter Susan Li focusing on the market rally that followed an unexpectedly lower number of jobless claims.
Other business publications and TV channels in recent days have compared the market’s performance to current and historic social upheaval, but with significant background and explanation.
Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Illinois, tweeted that the graphic makes it clear that Fox News “does not care about black lives,” while Michael Steele, former Republican National Committee chair and a MSNBC political analyst, posted, “This is how they mourn the loss of black men at #FoxNews - by how much the stock market goes up.”
Baier retweeted Fox’s apology without further comment.
Later Saturday, on Fox’s “America’s News HQ” telecast, anchor and senior correspondent Eric Shawn said the graphic should not have been used.
“Last night, Fox News Channel aired an infographic attempting to show the stock market on occasion gained ground in the midst of turmoil, civil unrest and even tragedy,” Shawn said. “In trying to make that point, the program ‘Special Report’ failed to explain the context of the times we are living in and should not have used that graphic.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Stan Wischnowski, Philadelphia Inquirer editor, resigns over 'Buildings Matter, Too' headline

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Inquirer ’ s top editor is resigning after an uproar over a headline lamenting damage to businesses amid turbulent protests denouncing police brutality against people of color , the paper announced Saturday .
The newspaper said Stan Wischnowski , 58 , was stepping down as senior vice president and executive editor .
The Inquirer had apologized for a “ horribly wrong ” decision to use the headline , “ Buildings Matter , Too , ” on a column Tuesday about looting and vandalism on the margins of protests of George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer .
The backlash came as The New York Times was widely criticized for publishing an opinion piece by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton advocating the use of federal troops to quell the protests .
About 30 members of the Inquirer ’ s 210-member editorial staff called in sick earlier this week , and black staff members angrily condemned the headline .
It appeared over an article by architecture critic Inga Saffron , who worried that buildings damaged in violence over the past week could “ leave a gaping hole in the heart of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after it replaced that headline online with one that read , “ Black Lives Matter .
Do Buildings ?
” Eventually , the newspaper settled on “ Damaging buildings disproportionately hurt the people protesters are trying to uplift.
” The Inquirer published an apology from senior editors .
Publisher and CEO Lisa Hughes said in a memo to staff that the headline was “ offensive and inappropriate ” and said the newspaper needed a more diverse workforce .
Wischnowski had worked at the Inquirer for 20 years and was editor when the paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service for an in-depth investigation into violence within Philadelphia schools .
He will formally leave the newspaper June 12 .
Hughes did not immediately name a successor .

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Inquirer’s top editor is resigning after an uproar over a headline lamenting damage to businesses amid turbulent protests denouncing police brutality against people of color, the paper announced Saturday.
The newspaper said Stan Wischnowski, 58, was stepping down as senior vice president and executive editor.
The Inquirer had apologized for a “horribly wrong” decision to use the headline, “Buildings Matter, Too,” on a column Tuesday about looting and vandalism on the margins of protests of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis at the hands of a white police officer.
The backlash came as The New York Times was widely criticized for publishing an opinion piece by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton advocating the use of federal troops to quell the protests.
About 30 members of the Inquirer’s 210-member editorial staff called in sick earlier this week, and black staff members angrily condemned the headline. It appeared over an article by architecture critic Inga Saffron, who worried that buildings damaged in violence over the past week could “leave a gaping hole in the heart of Philadelphia.”
The Inquirer drew fresh scorn after it replaced that headline online with one that read, “Black Lives Matter. Do Buildings?” Eventually, the newspaper settled on “Damaging buildings disproportionately hurt the people protesters are trying to uplift.”
The Inquirer published an apology from senior editors. Publisher and CEO Lisa Hughes said in a memo to staff that the headline was “offensive and inappropriate” and said the newspaper needed a more diverse workforce.
Wischnowski had worked at the Inquirer for 20 years and was editor when the paper won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for an in-depth investigation into violence within Philadelphia schools.
He will formally leave the newspaper June 12. Hughes did not immediately name a successor.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Pandemic triggers big swings in prescription drug use

As most of the nation hunkered down amid the coronavirus pandemic , visits to doctor offices and outpatient clinics plunged .
That ’ s helping cause major swings in prescription drug use .
Express Scripts , a top prescription benefit manager with over 100 million customers , saw big jumps in people getting three-month refills via mail delivery , as people with chronic health problems stocked up early in the crisis .
Refills jumped 18 % between mid-March and mid-April .
Then prescription orders started dropping , partly from all the patients who ’ d just stocked up .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or avoided medical facilities for fear of catching the virus .
For some types of drugs , orders are bouncing back , and one category has spiked sharply .
The Associated Press discussed the changes with Dr. Glen Stettin , who oversees trend and formulary management at Express Scripts , which is owned by health insurer Cigna .
The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity .
Q : When did changes in prescription-filling patterns start ?
A : The shifts began around Feb. 15 , and they peaked the week ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started to go into effect .
Q : What ’ s happened with new prescriptions , ones for medicines a patient hadn ’ t taken before ?
A : Those declined by roughly a third before bottoming out in mid-April .
People aren ’ t getting checkups , so they ’ re not being diagnosed with conditions like high blood pressure , high cholesterol and diabetes , which have silent symptoms .
There ’ s also been a drop in people being diagnosed with cancer .
New prescriptions have been on the rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Which medicine category has had the biggest increase in use ?
A : We saw large increases in the use of medications for mental health conditions , including antidepressants and medications for anxiety and insomnia , with a 40 % increase for anti-anxiety drugs in the first half of March .
Q : Has use of those medicines ever jumped like that before ?
A : We did see increases in use in this category after 9/11 and after the 2008 recession , but nothing like this .
It ’ s several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ categories have seen big decreases in use ?
Q : What other trends stand out ?
A : Prescriptions for health conditions associated with higher COVID risk - diabetes , high cholesterol , high blood pressure and respiratory issues - increased 21 % in March , then decreased 12 % in April .
Q : Has Express Scripts offered extra financial aid or other help to patients amid this crisis ?
A : With more people feeling stressed , depressed and anxious , we made treatments such as online cognitive behavioral therapy available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also started Parachute Rx , which offers low co-payments for thousands of drugs to people who have lost insurance coverage and are experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic , even if they ’ re not Express Scripts customers .

As most of the nation hunkered down amid the coronavirus pandemic, visits to doctor offices and outpatient clinics plunged. That’s helping cause major swings in prescription drug use.
Express Scripts, a top prescription benefit manager with over 100 million customers, saw big jumps in people getting three-month refills via mail delivery, as people with chronic health problems stocked up early in the crisis. Refills jumped 18% between mid-March and mid-April.
Then prescription orders started dropping, partly from all the patients who’d just stocked up. Other people lost jobs and health insurance, or avoided medical facilities for fear of catching the virus.
For some types of drugs, orders are bouncing back, and one category has spiked sharply.
The Associated Press discussed the changes with Dr. Glen Stettin, who oversees trend and formulary management at Express Scripts, which is owned by health insurer Cigna.
The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: When did changes in prescription-filling patterns start?
A: The shifts began around Feb. 15, and they peaked the week ending March 15, when the stay-at-home orders started to go into effect.
Q: What’s happened with new prescriptions, ones for medicines a patient hadn’t taken before?
A: Those declined by roughly a third before bottoming out in mid-April. People aren’t getting checkups, so they’re not being diagnosed with conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which have silent symptoms. There’s also been a drop in people being diagnosed with cancer. New prescriptions have been on the rise as shelter-in-place orders are relaxed.
Q: Which medicine category has had the biggest increase in use?
A: We saw large increases in the use of medications for mental health conditions, including antidepressants and medications for anxiety and insomnia, with a 40% increase for anti-anxiety drugs in the first half of March.
Q: Has use of those medicines ever jumped like that before?
A: We did see increases in use in this category after 9/11 and after the 2008 recession, but nothing like this. It’s several times higher.
Q: What medicine categories have seen big decreases in use?
A: Acute care medications, such as antibiotics.
Q: What other trends stand out?
A: Prescriptions for health conditions associated with higher COVID risk - diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and respiratory issues - increased 21% in March, then decreased 12% in April.
Q: Has Express Scripts offered extra financial aid or other help to patients amid this crisis?
A: With more people feeling stressed, depressed and anxious, we made treatments such as online cognitive behavioral therapy available free to our plan members. We also started Parachute Rx, which offers low co-payments for thousands of drugs to people who have lost insurance coverage and are experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic, even if they’re not Express Scripts customers.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Jacob Frey, Minneapolis mayor, rejects 'full abolition' of police department, told to leave protest

MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told protesters during a Saturday demonstration in the city where George Floyd died at the hands of police that he didn ’ t support the “ full abolition ” of the police department .
Those attending the event organized by the local advocacy group Black Visions issued a plea to the mayor to defund the Minneapolis Police Department , the Star Tribune reported .
The protest ended up outside Frey ’ s home and he came outside to address the crowd .
After saying that he ’ d been “ coming to grips with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor was asked whether he would defund the police force .
“ I do no support the full abolition of the police department , ” Frey told the crowd , adding that he favored police reforms .
He then left after being told to do so .
The march was peaceful and featured several speakers , including Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar .
“ The Minneapolis Police Department is rotten to the root and so when we dismantle it , we get rid of that cancer and we allow for something beautiful to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstration was one of many taking place across the world Saturday to protest racism and police brutality .
They were sparked by the May 25 death of Floyd , a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on Floyd ’ s neck while he was handcuffed and lying face down on the ground .
The Minneapolis City Council voted Friday to ban police officers from using chokeholds and neck restraints .

MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told protesters during a Saturday demonstration in the city where George Floyd died at the hands of police that he didn’t support the “full abolition” of the police department.
Those attending the event organized by the local advocacy group Black Visions issued a plea to the mayor to defund the Minneapolis Police Department, the Star Tribune reported. The protest ended up outside Frey’s home and he came outside to address the crowd.
After saying that he’d been “coming to grips with my own responsibility,” the Democratic mayor was asked whether he would defund the police force.
“I do no support the full abolition of the police department,” Frey told the crowd, adding that he favored police reforms. He then left after being told to do so.
The march was peaceful and featured several speakers, including Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar.
“The Minneapolis Police Department is rotten to the root and so when we dismantle it, we get rid of that cancer and we allow for something beautiful to rise,” Omar said.
The demonstration was one of many taking place across the world Saturday to protest racism and police brutality. They were sparked by the May 25 death of Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on Floyd’s neck while he was handcuffed and lying face down on the ground.
The Minneapolis City Council voted Friday to ban police officers from using chokeholds and neck restraints.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Seattle police: Officers injured by 'improvised explosives' amid George Floyd protests

SEATTLE — Police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse a crowd of protesters in Seattle Saturday night after authorities said rocks , bottles and explosives were thrown at them .
Police said via Twitter that several officers were injured by “ improvised explosives.
” The mayhem in the city ’ s Capitol Hill neighborhood came on the ninth consecutive day of George Floyd protests in the city .
It followed a large , peaceful demonstration earlier with medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality .
It also came a day after Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the department ’ s use of one kind of tear gas .
A small group of protesters started throwing objects at officers about 7:30 p.m. Saturday , police said , and the crowd was ordered to disperse .
Incendiary devices were then used .
After police were severely criticized by protesters and public officials alike for using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse largely peaceful crowds , Durkan and Best said Friday outside groups would review and update crowd-control policies , including the use of pepper spray and deadly force techniques @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She and the mayor added that the ban on one kind of tear gas known as CS could be extended if groups need more time for policy review .
Earlier Saturday thousands of doctors , nurses and others - many in lab coats and scrubs , in addition to face masks - marched from Harborview Medical Center to City Hall on Saturday .
One sign said , “ Nurses kneel with you , not on you.
” Another said , “ Police violence and racism are a public health emergency.
” Nhi Tan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Washington , told The Seattle Times she joined the demonstration out of “ overwhelming sadness.
” “ It took irrefutable proof - the perfect video , the perfect camera angle , the perfect light - for white America to see what ’ s going on , ” she said .
Crowds also demonstrated in other parts of the city and throughout the state , with protests held in Shoreline , Bellingham and elsewhere .
Durkan said Saturday she is encouraging protesters to be tested for COVID-19 , after the city and King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cover asymptomatic people who have attended large protests .
“ Over the last week , residents across Seattle have been gathering to build community and share their anger and frustration about the killing of George Floyd and injustices against black Americans , here in Seattle and across the country , ” Durkan said in a statement .
“ While I believe everyone should exercise their right and speak out , we must also remember we ’ re in the middle of a pandemic.
” Protesters have gathered across the U.S. and around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Floyd , a handcuffed black man who died after pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyd ’ s neck .
Seattle last week also addressed other concerns of the protesters , lifting its curfew and forbidding officers who work the protests from covering up their badge numbers .
The protests in recent days had been more peaceful than last weekend , when small groups engaged in rioting and looting .

SEATTLE — Police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse a crowd of protesters in Seattle Saturday night after authorities said rocks, bottles and explosives were thrown at them.
Police said via Twitter that several officers were injured by “improvised explosives.”
The mayhem in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood came on the ninth consecutive day of George Floyd protests in the city. It followed a large, peaceful demonstration earlier with medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality. It also came a day after Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best imposed a 30-day moratorium on the department’s use of one kind of tear gas.
A small group of protesters started throwing objects at officers about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, police said, and the crowd was ordered to disperse. Incendiary devices were then used.
After police were severely criticized by protesters and public officials alike for using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse largely peaceful crowds, Durkan and Best said Friday outside groups would review and update crowd-control policies, including the use of pepper spray and deadly force techniques such as neck and choke holds. She and the mayor added that the ban on one kind of tear gas known as CS could be extended if groups need more time for policy review.
Earlier Saturday thousands of doctors, nurses and others - many in lab coats and scrubs, in addition to face masks - marched from Harborview Medical Center to City Hall on Saturday. One sign said, “Nurses kneel with you, not on you.” Another said, “Police violence and racism are a public health emergency.”
Nhi Tan, a medical student at the University of Washington, told The Seattle Times she joined the demonstration out of “overwhelming sadness.”
“It took irrefutable proof - the perfect video, the perfect camera angle, the perfect light - for white America to see what’s going on,” she said.
Crowds also demonstrated in other parts of the city and throughout the state, with protests held in Shoreline, Bellingham and elsewhere.
Durkan said Saturday she is encouraging protesters to be tested for COVID-19, after the city and King County public health departments expanded testing criteria to cover asymptomatic people who have attended large protests.
“Over the last week, residents across Seattle have been gathering to build community and share their anger and frustration about the killing of George Floyd and injustices against black Americans, here in Seattle and across the country,” Durkan said in a statement. “While I believe everyone should exercise their right and speak out, we must also remember we’re in the middle of a pandemic.”
Protesters have gathered across the U.S. and around the world to demonstrate against the death of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died after pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck.
Seattle last week also addressed other concerns of the protesters, lifting its curfew and forbidding officers who work the protests from covering up their badge numbers.
The protests in recent days had been more peaceful than last weekend, when small groups engaged in rioting and looting.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Damon Gutzwiller, Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputy, shot in ambush

SANTA CRUZ , Calif. — A Northern California sheriff ’ s deputy was killed and two law enforcement officers wounded Saturday when they were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect , authorities said .
Sgt .
Damon Gutzwiller , 38 , was shot and killed in Ben Lomond , an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz , Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said .
A second deputy was injured , and a third officer from the California Highway Patrol was shot in his hand , Hart said .
Gutzwiller “ was a beloved figure here at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheriff said .
“ Damon showed up today to do his job , to keep this community safe , and his life was taken needlessly , ” a visibly shaken Hart said .
The suspect , Steven Carrillo , 38 , was shot during his arrest and was being treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries , Hart said .
The Sheriff ’ s Department and the FBI are investigating .
The deputies responded to a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. about a suspicious van .
The caller said there were guns and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When deputies arrived , the van pulled away and the deputies followed .
The van went down a driveway at Carrillo ’ s home and the deputies were ambushed by gunfire and explosives after getting out of their vehicle .
Gutzwiller was wounded and later died at a hospital .
Another deputy was wounded by gunfire or shrapnel and struck by a vehicle as the suspect fled .
Carrillo attempted to carjack a vehicle and was wounded while being arrested .
Hart said Carrillo was taken to the hospital for treatment and would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting shocked Ben Lomond , a town of about 6,000 people tucked up in the Santa Cruz mountains .
Resident Kathy Crocker brought a bouquet to the sheriff ’ s office as Hart gave a news conference about the shootings .
“ It just breaks my heart that this keeps happening , ” she said , as teary-eyed deputies entered the building .

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A Northern California sheriff’s deputy was killed and two law enforcement officers wounded Saturday when they were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect, authorities said.
Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was shot and killed in Ben Lomond, an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said. A second deputy was injured, and a third officer from the California Highway Patrol was shot in his hand, Hart said.
Gutzwiller “was a beloved figure here at the sheriff’s office,” the sheriff said.
“Damon showed up today to do his job, to keep this community safe, and his life was taken needlessly,” a visibly shaken Hart said.
The suspect, Steven Carrillo, 38, was shot during his arrest and was being treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Hart said. The Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are investigating.
The deputies responded to a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. about a suspicious van. The caller said there were guns and bomb-making devices inside, Hart said.
SEE ALSO: Steven Carrillo, suspect in Damon Gutzwiller ambush killing, is active-duty Air Force sergeant
When deputies arrived, the van pulled away and the deputies followed. The van went down a driveway at Carrillo’s home and the deputies were ambushed by gunfire and explosives after getting out of their vehicle.
Gutzwiller was wounded and later died at a hospital. Another deputy was wounded by gunfire or shrapnel and struck by a vehicle as the suspect fled.
Carrillo attempted to carjack a vehicle and was wounded while being arrested.
Hart said Carrillo was taken to the hospital for treatment and would be charged with first-degree murder.
The shooting shocked Ben Lomond, a town of about 6,000 people tucked up in the Santa Cruz mountains.
Resident Kathy Crocker brought a bouquet to the sheriff’s office as Hart gave a news conference about the shootings.
“It just breaks my heart that this keeps happening,” she said, as teary-eyed deputies entered the building.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Gen. Williams Carter Wickham Confederate statue toppled in Richmond protests

RICHMOND , Va. — A small group of demonstrators toppled a statue of a Confederate general in the the former capital of the Confederacy late Saturday , following a day of largely peaceful protests in the Virginia city .
The statue of Gen. Williams Carter Wickham was pulled from its pedestal in Monroe Park , a Richmond police spokeswoman said .
She said she did not know if there were any arrests or damage done to the statue .
A rope had been tied around the Confederate statue , which has stood since 1891 , The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after it was pulled down .
Photos and video from the newspaper showed the what appeared to be red paint splashed or sprayed on the statue .
In 2017 , some of Wickham ’ s descendants urged the city to remove the statue .
Confederate monuments are a major flashpoint in Virginia and elsewhere in the South .
Confederate memorials began coming down after a white supremacist killed nine black people at a Bible study in a church in South Carolina in 2015 and then again after the deadly white nationalist rally in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week , Gov .
Ralph Northam announced that a state-owned statue of former Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee would be removed from its perch on the famed Monument Avenue “ as soon as possible.
” The Lee statue is one of five Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue , a prestigious residential street and National Historic Landmark district .
Monuments along the avenue have been rallying points during protests in recent days over Floyd ’ s death , and they have been tagged with graffiti , including messages that say “ End police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney last week announced plans to seek the removal of the other Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue , which include statues of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Confederate Gens .
Stonewall Jackson and J.E.B .
Stuart .
Those statues sit on city land , unlike the Lee statue , which is on state property .
Stoney said he would introduce an ordinance July 1 to have the statues removed .
That ’ s when a new law goes into effect , which was signed earlier this year by Northam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting Confederate monuments and instead lets local governments decide their fate .
Wickham ’ s statue stood in Monroe Park , about a mile away from the Lee statue and surrounded by the Virginia Commonwealth University campus .

RICHMOND, Va. — A small group of demonstrators toppled a statue of a Confederate general in the the former capital of the Confederacy late Saturday, following a day of largely peaceful protests in the Virginia city.
The statue of Gen. Williams Carter Wickham was pulled from its pedestal in Monroe Park, a Richmond police spokeswoman said. She said she did not know if there were any arrests or damage done to the statue.
A rope had been tied around the Confederate statue, which has stood since 1891, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, adding that someone urinated on the statue after it was pulled down. Photos and video from the newspaper showed the what appeared to be red paint splashed or sprayed on the statue.
In 2017, some of Wickham’s descendants urged the city to remove the statue.
Confederate monuments are a major flashpoint in Virginia and elsewhere in the South. Confederate memorials began coming down after a white supremacist killed nine black people at a Bible study in a church in South Carolina in 2015 and then again after the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
Last week, Gov. Ralph Northam announced that a state-owned statue of former Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee would be removed from its perch on the famed Monument Avenue “as soon as possible.”
The Lee statue is one of five Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue, a prestigious residential street and National Historic Landmark district. Monuments along the avenue have been rallying points during protests in recent days over Floyd’s death, and they have been tagged with graffiti, including messages that say “End police brutality” and “Stop white supremacy.”
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney last week announced plans to seek the removal of the other Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue, which include statues of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Confederate Gens. Stonewall Jackson and J.E.B. Stuart. Those statues sit on city land, unlike the Lee statue, which is on state property.
Stoney said he would introduce an ordinance July 1 to have the statues removed. That’s when a new law goes into effect, which was signed earlier this year by Northam, that undoes an existing state law protecting Confederate monuments and instead lets local governments decide their fate.
Wickham’s statue stood in Monroe Park, about a mile away from the Lee statue and surrounded by the Virginia Commonwealth University campus.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Israeli PM: Killing of Palestinian with autism a "tragedy"

JERUSALEM ( AP ) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called the deadly police shooting of an unarmed Palestinian man with autism a “ tragedy , ” although he stopped short of apologizing for the incident .
Netanyahu ’ s remarks were the first he ’ s made since police in Jerusalem ’ s Old City shot and killed Eyad Hallaq last week .
The 32-year-old Palestinian with severe autism was chased by Israeli border police forces into a nook in Jerusalem ’ s Old City and fatally shot as he cowered next to a garbage bin after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The shooting has drawn comparisons to the death of George Floyd in the U.S. and prompted a series of small demonstrations against police violence toward Palestinians .
Some Israeli figures have paid condolence visits to the grieving Hallaq family .
At last week ’ s Cabinet meeting , a day after the shooting , Defense Minister Benny Gantz , who is also Israel ’ s “ alternate ” prime minister under a power-sharing deal , apologized for the incident .
Netanyahu , seated next to him , made no mention of it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What happened with the Hallaq family , with Eyad Hallaq , is a tragedy .
A person with disabilities , with autism , who was suspected we now know unjustly of being a terrorist in a very sensitive place , ” Netanyahu said Sunday .
“ We all share in the grief of the family.
” Netanyahu said he was awaiting police examinations of the event , but unlike Gantz did not apologize .
Israel ’ s Justice Ministry has said two officers have been placed under house arrest , but gave no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Old City spotted a man carrying a “ suspicious object that looked like a pistol.
” When the man failed to heed calls to stop , police said they opened fire and “ neutralized ” him after a chase in a volatile area that has seen several previous attacks .
The shooting came two weeks after another fatal shooting of an Arab man outside an Israeli hospital .
According to police , the man was shot after stabbing a security guard .
Security camera footage showed the man , who reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground when he was shot multiple times .
For Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem , and members of Israel ’ s Arab minority , these cases reflect what they see as Israeli forces ’ loose trigger fingers when it comes to dealing with Arab suspects .
Hallaq ’ s death , in particular , has reverberated across Israel , with his image raised on signs at a demonstration in Tel Aviv Saturday night against Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signs bearing Hallaq ’ s image .
Inspired by the protests in the U.S. , demonstrators held signs reading “ Palestinian Lives Matter ” and photographs of Hallaq alongside Floyd .
Lone Palestinian attackers with no clear links to armed groups have carried out a series of stabbings , shootings and car-ramming attacks in recent years .
Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups have long accused Israeli security forces of using excessive force in some cases , either by killing individuals who could have been arrested or using lethal force when their lives @ @ @ @ @

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called the deadly police shooting of an unarmed Palestinian man with autism a “tragedy,” although he stopped short of apologizing for the incident.
Netanyahu’s remarks were the first he’s made since police in Jerusalem’s Old City shot and killed Eyad Hallaq last week. The 32-year-old Palestinian with severe autism was chased by Israeli border police forces into a nook in Jerusalem’s Old City and fatally shot as he cowered next to a garbage bin after apparently being mistaken for an attacker.
The shooting has drawn comparisons to the death of George Floyd in the U.S. and prompted a series of small demonstrations against police violence toward Palestinians. Some Israeli figures have paid condolence visits to the grieving Hallaq family.
At last week’s Cabinet meeting, a day after the shooting, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who is also Israel’s “alternate” prime minister under a power-sharing deal, apologized for the incident. Netanyahu, seated next to him, made no mention of it in his remarks at the time.
“What happened with the Hallaq family, with Eyad Hallaq, is a tragedy. A person with disabilities, with autism, who was suspected we now know unjustly of being a terrorist in a very sensitive place,” Netanyahu said Sunday. “We all share in the grief of the family.”
Netanyahu said he was awaiting police examinations of the event, but unlike Gantz did not apologize. Israel’s Justice Ministry has said two officers have been placed under house arrest, but gave no further details.
Police said that officers in the Old City spotted a man carrying a “suspicious object that looked like a pistol.” When the man failed to heed calls to stop, police said they opened fire and “neutralized” him after a chase in a volatile area that has seen several previous attacks.
The shooting came two weeks after another fatal shooting of an Arab man outside an Israeli hospital. According to police, the man was shot after stabbing a security guard. Security camera footage showed the man, who reportedly suffered from mental illness, lying on the ground when he was shot multiple times.
For Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem, and members of Israel’s Arab minority, these cases reflect what they see as Israeli forces’ loose trigger fingers when it comes to dealing with Arab suspects.
Hallaq’s death, in particular, has reverberated across Israel, with his image raised on signs at a demonstration in Tel Aviv Saturday night against Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. “This is what occupation looks like,” read signs bearing Hallaq’s image.
Inspired by the protests in the U.S., demonstrators held signs reading “Palestinian Lives Matter” and photographs of Hallaq alongside Floyd.
Lone Palestinian attackers with no clear links to armed groups have carried out a series of stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks in recent years.
Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups have long accused Israeli security forces of using excessive force in some cases, either by killing individuals who could have been arrested or using lethal force when their lives were not in danger.