washingtontimes--2020-05-06--Mississippi gov says pandemic no 'excuse' to release inmates

JACKSON , Miss .
( AP ) - Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves said Wednesday that the state will not consider early release for prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic , even with inmates living in conditions that make social distancing difficult .
“ Unlike many other states , I do not believe we ought to use the excuse of a pandemic to change our sentencing structure in our criminal justice system , ” the Republican governor said in response to questions during a news conference .
Mississippi has one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mississippi Prison Reform Coalition , issued an open letter to Reeves this week .
It demanded that the state release all juveniles , elderly and medically fragile people from custody .
It also demanded release of all inmates who have been granted parole and are awaiting release and all inmates with less than two years left to serve .
“ The men and women who are incarcerated remain fearful for their lives and are counting on you to help measure that don ’ t turn their sentences into a matter of life or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter .
Nsombi Lambright is executive director of One Voice , a human rights group that ’ s part of the coalition .
She told The Associated Press on Wednesday that inmates and prison employees need to be protected from the highly contagious virus .
“ All of their lives are at risk , ” Lambright said .
Empower Mississippi , a group aligned with Reeves on issues such as support of charter schools , has also called for the state to enact policy changes to reduce long prison sentences .
Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , J. Robertson , told the AP on Wednesday that Mississippi needs to offer more coronavirus testing in prisons and provide easy-to-find information about results .
Some other states have such information online ; Mississippi does not .
“ Prisons are a perfect breeding ground for this virus , ” Robertson said .
Reeves said Wednesday that 37 Mississippi inmates have been tested for the virus , and four of those tested positive .
He said 43 Department of Corrections staff members have been tested , and seven of those tested positive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody .
Reeves said testing has been done on inmates or prison employees showing symptoms of the virus .
The state said last week that inmates and prison employees have received masks and gloves .
Some of the masks were donated by REFORM Alliance , a group affiliated with entertainment mogul Jay-Z .
Jay-Z , rapper Yo Gotti and Team Roc , the philanthropic arm of Jay-Z ’ s Roc Nation , are paying for two federal lawsuits filed early this year to challenge living conditions in the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February that it had begun investigating Mississippi ’ s prison system after several inmates were killed or injured in outbursts of violence in late December and early January .
State health inspections have shown repeated problems in Parchman with broken sinks and toilets and moldy showers .
The state Health Department said Wednesday that Mississippi - with a population of about 3 million - had at least 8,424 confirmed cases and 374 deaths from the coronavirus as of Tuesday evening .
That was an increase of 217 cases and 32 deaths from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For others , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , the virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal .
The Health Department said Wednesday that more than 80,300 coronavirus tests had been done in Mississippi as of Tuesday .
The department said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been confirmed in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes , with at least 163 deaths from it in those facilities .
Reeves is easing some restrictions on restaurants .
Starting Thursday , they may serve food in their dining rooms or in outdoor areas with limited numbers of customers .
Servers must wear masks .
The Legislature is returning to the Capitol on Thursday to consider aid to businesses hurt by the pandemic .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak @

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that the state will not consider early release for prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic, even with inmates living in conditions that make social distancing difficult.
“Unlike many other states, I do not believe we ought to use the excuse of a pandemic to change our sentencing structure in our criminal justice system,” the Republican governor said in response to questions during a news conference.
Mississippi has one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States. An advocacy group for inmate safety, the Mississippi Prison Reform Coalition, issued an open letter to Reeves this week. It demanded that the state release all juveniles, elderly and medically fragile people from custody. It also demanded release of all inmates who have been granted parole and are awaiting release and all inmates with less than two years left to serve.
“The men and women who are incarcerated remain fearful for their lives and are counting on you to help measure that don’t turn their sentences into a matter of life or death,” the coalition said in the letter.
Nsombi Lambright is executive director of One Voice, a human rights group that’s part of the coalition. She told The Associated Press on Wednesday that inmates and prison employees need to be protected from the highly contagious virus.
“All of their lives are at risk,” Lambright said.
Empower Mississippi, a group aligned with Reeves on issues such as support of charter schools, has also called for the state to enact policy changes to reduce long prison sentences. Its director of employability and criminal justice reform, J. Robertson, told the AP on Wednesday that Mississippi needs to offer more coronavirus testing in prisons and provide easy-to-find information about results. Some other states have such information online; Mississippi does not.
“Prisons are a perfect breeding ground for this virus,” Robertson said.
Reeves said Wednesday that 37 Mississippi inmates have been tested for the virus, and four of those tested positive. He said 43 Department of Corrections staff members have been tested, and seven of those tested positive. Mississippi has more than 18,000 prisoners in custody. Reeves said testing has been done on inmates or prison employees showing symptoms of the virus.
The state said last week that inmates and prison employees have received masks and gloves. Some of the masks were donated by REFORM Alliance, a group affiliated with entertainment mogul Jay-Z.
Jay-Z, rapper Yo Gotti and Team Roc, the philanthropic arm of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, are paying for two federal lawsuits filed early this year to challenge living conditions in the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. The U.S. Justice Department announced in February that it had begun investigating Mississippi’s prison system after several inmates were killed or injured in outbursts of violence in late December and early January. State health inspections have shown repeated problems in Parchman with broken sinks and toilets and moldy showers.
The state Health Department said Wednesday that Mississippi - with a population of about 3 million - had at least 8,424 confirmed cases and 374 deaths from the coronavirus as of Tuesday evening. That was an increase of 217 cases and 32 deaths from the previous day.
The number of coronavirus infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.
The Health Department said Wednesday that more than 80,300 coronavirus tests had been done in Mississippi as of Tuesday. The department said at least 1,008 cases of the virus had been confirmed in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, with at least 163 deaths from it in those facilities.
Reeves is easing some restrictions on restaurants. Starting Thursday, they may serve food in their dining rooms or in outdoor areas with limited numbers of customers. Servers must wear masks.
The Legislature is returning to the Capitol on Thursday to consider aid to businesses hurt by the pandemic.
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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-05-06--Jared Polis: Colorado first coronavirus case in January or February, not March

Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis said Wednesday it was “ extremely likely ” that the state had its first case of the novel coronavirus in January or February , well before the first official diagnosis on March 5 .
“ It is now found to be extremely likely that the virus was circulating in Colorado unbeknownst to us before that first case was diagnosed , ” said the Democratic governor at a press conference .
State officials announced March 5 that “ patient zero ” was a California man in his 30s who flew to Summit County for a ski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that the second case was an elderly Douglas County woman who had also traveled internationally .
Since then , there has been “ increasing evidence that in fact that had been greater spread across the world , but it had manifested mostly as pneumonia symptoms in hospital wards , ” Mr. Polis said .
“ We don ’ t know whether that first case in Colorado was in January or in February , but it is very likely that the first diagnosed case , the confirmed case in Colorado , was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is the same for states across the country , ” he said .
The state had recorded 17,830 cases and 921 deaths as of Wednesday , not the tens of thousands of deaths predicted by the initial models for Colorado in the first two months .
“ Modeling was showing tens of thousands of deaths , a catastrophic breach of the health system by now , but thanks to actions you took , we averted that , ” Mr. Polis said .
Mr. Polis has moved more aggressively than other Democratic governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths and hospitalizations decline , but he urged Coloradans to continue to maintain social distance and reduce their personal interactions by two-thirds from January levels .
“ If we slack off , it means more unnecessary deaths of our friends and our loved ones , might even be yours , and more economic disruption , ” he said .

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Wednesday it was “extremely likely” that the state had its first case of the novel coronavirus in January or February, well before the first official diagnosis on March 5.
“It is now found to be extremely likely that the virus was circulating in Colorado unbeknownst to us before that first case was diagnosed,” said the Democratic governor at a press conference.
State officials announced March 5 that “patient zero” was a California man in his 30s who flew to Summit County for a ski vacation after spending time in Italy, and that the second case was an elderly Douglas County woman who had also traveled internationally.
Since then, there has been “increasing evidence that in fact that had been greater spread across the world, but it had manifested mostly as pneumonia symptoms in hospital wards,” Mr. Polis said.
“We don’t know whether that first case in Colorado was in January or in February, but it is very likely that the first diagnosed case, the confirmed case in Colorado, was not the first case in Colorado, and that is the same for states across the country,” he said.
The state had recorded 17,830 cases and 921 deaths as of Wednesday, not the tens of thousands of deaths predicted by the initial models for Colorado in the first two months.
“Modeling was showing tens of thousands of deaths, a catastrophic breach of the health system by now, but thanks to actions you took, we averted that,” Mr. Polis said.
Mr. Polis has moved more aggressively than other Democratic governors to open up the economy as COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations decline, but he urged Coloradans to continue to maintain social distance and reduce their personal interactions by two-thirds from January levels.
“If we slack off, it means more unnecessary deaths of our friends and our loved ones, might even be yours, and more economic disruption,” he said.
NEW: @GovofCO Polis starts his briefing saying that Colorado’s first COVID-19 case was likely in January or February, long before first diagnosed case. Will thread briefing details here. #9News #covid19colorado pic.twitter.com/8rvCazqIHb — Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) May 6, 2020
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-05-06--Officers fatally shoot suspect armed with gun near Denver

COMMERCE CITY , Colo. ( AP ) - An investigation is underway after officers shot and killed an armed suspect @ @ @ @ @ Commerce City police officers were helping the Denver Police Department and the Department of Corrections @ @ @ @ @ they encountered him in a parking lot at an apartment building just west of the @ @ @ @ @ Refuge on Wednesday morning .
Police say the suspect , who was wanted for a @ @ @ @ @ with a handgun , and shots were fired .
He was hit multiple times and @ @ @ @ @ No officers were injured .
Investigators have not released the suspect ’ s name , @ @ @ @ @ what led to the shooting .

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) - An investigation is underway after officers shot and killed an armed suspect in the Denver area.
Commerce City police officers were helping the Denver Police Department and the Department of Corrections track down a suspect when they encountered him in a parking lot at an apartment building just west of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday morning.
Police say the suspect, who was wanted for a violent crime, was armed with a handgun, and shots were fired. He was hit multiple times and died at a hospital. No officers were injured.
Investigators have not released the suspect’s name, age or any details about what led to the shooting.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--South Africa parliament video call hacked with pornography

JOHANNESBURG ( AP ) - A virtual meeting of South African lawmakers has been disrupted by hackers who flooded the @ @ @ @ @ .
In the the incident on Thursday , the hackers also hurled racial and sexual @ @ @ @ @ s chairwoman , Thandi Modise , who is the speaker of the National Assembly .
@ @ @ @ @ is closed and all its meetings are currently held by video conference calls as the @ @ @ @ @ restrictions to combat the spread of the coronavirus .
A shocked Modise said that she @ @ @ @ @ the virtual meetings platform Zoom for the meeting .
The parliamentary meeting later continued with @ @ @ @ @ least one other South African parliament video call has been similarly hacked .
Zoom has @ @ @ @ @ a result of reports of hackers who who disrupt meetings by posting offensive content .
@ @ @ @ @ of Zoom calls , has been frequent in recent weeks as new users join the @ @ @ @ @ the spread of COVID-19 and the cancellations of public meetings and events .

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - A virtual meeting of South African lawmakers has been disrupted by hackers who flooded the video call with pornographic images.
In the the incident on Thursday, the hackers also hurled racial and sexual insults at the meeting’s chairwoman, Thandi Modise, who is the speaker of the National Assembly.
South Africa’s parliament is closed and all its meetings are currently held by video conference calls as the country remains under strict lockdown restrictions to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
A shocked Modise said that she had earlier warned about using the virtual meetings platform Zoom for the meeting. The parliamentary meeting later continued with a different link.
At least one other South African parliament video call has been similarly hacked.
Zoom has been facing criticism internationally as a result of reports of hackers who who disrupt meetings by posting offensive content.
Zomb-bombing, or the hacking of Zoom calls, has been frequent in recent weeks as new users join the platform amid the battle against the spread of COVID-19 and the cancellations of public meetings and events.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Woman identified as victim in cabin fire

CLAREMONT , N.H. ( AP ) - A 29-year-old old woman died in a fire in a Claremont cabin , @ @ @ @ @ .
Mia Follensbee , of Claremont , died in the fire Tuesday .
The cause @ @ @ @ @ toxicity from smoke inhalation , the medical examiner ’ s office said .
The exact @ @ @ @ @ fire remain under investigation .
Follensbee was found dead in the cabin after the fire @ @ @ @ @ said .

CLAREMONT, N.H. (AP) - A 29-year-old old woman died in a fire in a Claremont cabin, New Hampshire fire investigators said.
Mia Follensbee, of Claremont, died in the fire Tuesday. The cause of death was carbon monoxide toxicity from smoke inhalation, the medical examiner’s office said.
The exact cause and circumstances surrounding the fire remain under investigation.
Follensbee was found dead in the cabin after the fire was put out, investigators said.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--The Latest: Woman arrested while trying to attend meeting

KENOSHA , Wis. ( AP ) - The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Wisconsin ( all times local ) @ @ @ @ @ arrested a woman who tried to go to a Kenosha County Board meeting this week @ @ @ @ @ Mary Moser said she felt she had a legal right to attend the meeting , @ @ @ @ @ two deputies who stopped her Tuesday night .
The Kenosha News reports Moser cited an @ @ @ @ @ Josh Kaul that stated that all public meetings must remain open .
The 57-year-old Moser @ @ @ @ @ two citations for obstructing an officer as she tried to get on an elevator to @ @ @ @ @ was handcuffed and led out of the building .
Moser said each citation carries a @ @ @ @ @ that she intends to challenge them .
Her court date isn ’ t until July @

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Wisconsin (all times local):
7:15 p.m.
The city of Madison is allowing homeless people to camp in certain city parks and greenways to help protect them against the coronavirus.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway signed an emergency order on Thursday. The Wisconsin State Journa l reports the order allows the city to designate locations in city parks and greenways where “temporary permissible encampments” won’t be disturbed, as long as guidelines are followed.
The move is designed to let homeless people camping outside stay where there are, not encourage new encampments.
City officials say based on previous counts, an estimated 150 to 200 homeless people in the Madison area aren’t in shelters but sleep in cars, under bridges, on sidewalks and in doorways, and in tents in warmer months..
Instead of disrupting such encampments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends local governments try to support encampments and connect them to services.
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3:40 p.m.
Students looking to enroll at most University of Wisconsin System schools won’t have to submit ACT or SAT scores as part of their admission applications this year or next.
The system’s Board of Regents approved a plan Thursday to scrap requirements for the test scores in applications to all system schools except UW-Madison for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years. System officials say dropping the requirement will allow applicants to move ahead without being penalized for their inability to take the tests as testing agencies cancel appointments during the coronavirus pandemic.
Regents President Andrew Petersen told the board that UW-Madison was exempted from the waiver because it’s the only system school that mandates applicants provide test scores; submission is voluntary for applicants to any other school.
UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank told the regents that almost all applicants for this fall had to turn in their applications by Feb. 1 so they had already taken the tests before the pandemic struck. If 2021-22 applicants are struggle to find settings to take their tests next year the university may revisit its policies, she said.
The regents approved the waiver unanimously.
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10:15 a.m.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Thursday that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of reopening some parts of the state less affected by the coronavirus sooner than others, even though he worries about that approach leading to an outbreak.
Republican legislative leaders have been pushing for a regionalized reopening plan. Rural parts of Wisconsin have seen far fewer cases of COVID-19 than more urban areas. Milwaukee, the state’s largest city, has seen the greatest number of deaths and positive cases.
Regionalization was one idea Evers discussed with Republican leaders on Monday.
“We didn’t come to any conclusions,” Evers said on WTMJ radio. He expressed concern about COVID-19 cases in rural areas being under counted because of a lack of testing. Bringing more people to those areas, particularly those that rely on tourism over the summer months, could lead to a spike in cases, he said.
“I never say never in this situation,” Evers said of regionalization. “There may be cases where we do it. I think we can do a lot of things, reopening, that are statewide and impact all counties at the same time.”
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is currently weighing a Republican-brought lawsuit that seeks to block the current “safer at home” order due to expire May 26 and take authority away from Evers’ administration to issue similar such orders going forward. Evers said he hoped to not have to extend that order, which was originally slated to end on April 24, but the future of his powers now rests with the conservative-controlled court.
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6:30 a.m.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested a woman who tried to go to a Kenosha County Board meeting this week despite restrictions on attendance.
Mary Moser said she felt she had a legal right to attend the meeting, but was told otherwise by two deputies who stopped her Tuesday night.
The Kenosha News reports Moser cited an opinion from Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul that stated that all public meetings must remain open.
The 57-year-old Moser said Wednesday she was given two citations for obstructing an officer as she tried to get on an elevator to attend the meeting. She was handcuffed and led out of the building.
Moser said each citation carries a fine of $767.50 and that she intends to challenge them. Her court date isn’t until July.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Authorities: Armed suspect shot, killed during car chase

GRAHAM , N.C. ( AP ) - Authorities in North Carolina shot and killed a suspect accused of pointing a @ @ @ @ @ chase through two counties early Thursday , officials said .
The Orange County Sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ suspect around midnight before the pursuit crossed the county line and Alamance deputies and Mebane @ @ @ @ @ quoted the Alamance County Sheriff ’ s Office as saying .
About 10 minutes later @ @ @ @ @ vehicle at an intersection in Graham and pointed a gun at law enforcement , officials @ @ @ @ @ deputy and a Mebane police officer each fired at the suspect , who was struck @ @ @ @ @ the Alamance agency .
The suspect and officers involved were not immediately identified .
Officials @ @ @ @ @ the initial chase .
The officers were placed on administrative leave as the state Bureau @ @ @ @ @ , officials said .

GRAHAM, N.C. (AP) - Authorities in North Carolina shot and killed a suspect accused of pointing a gun at officers during a chase through two counties early Thursday, officials said.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office began chasing the suspect around midnight before the pursuit crossed the county line and Alamance deputies and Mebane police joined, news outlets quoted the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office as saying.
About 10 minutes later, the suspect exited the vehicle at an intersection in Graham and pointed a gun at law enforcement, officials said. An Alamance County deputy and a Mebane police officer each fired at the suspect, who was struck and killed, according to the Alamance agency.
No officers were injured.
The suspect and officers involved were not immediately identified. Officials did not say what prompted the initial chase.
The officers were placed on administrative leave as the state Bureau of Investigation reviewed the shooting, officials said.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Neel Kashkari: Real unemployment likely 23% or 24%

Neel Kashkari , president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis , on Thursday said Friday ’ s jobs report will likely understate the real unemployment picture in the United States and that the country should steel itself for a “ long , gradual ” recovery .
“ It asks people are you actively looking for work ?
And a lot of people who have just lost their jobs and were all sheltering in place — they ’ re not actively looking for work , ” Mr. Kashkari , who oversaw the Treasury Department ’ s bank bailout program after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on NBC ’ s “ Today ” show .
He said the Friday jobs report that covers April will likely show an unemployment rate of 16 % or 17 % , but that the real number is around 23 % or 24 % .
“ I ’ m hopeful that we can bounce back , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ re actually headed for another Great Depression.
” Mr. Kashkari said the U.S. is likely in for a “ long , gradual recovery.
” Over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the U.S. have filed for unemployment , which translates to close to 20 % of the American workforce .

Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, on Thursday said Friday’s jobs report will likely understate the real unemployment picture in the United States and that the country should steel itself for a “long, gradual” recovery.
“It asks people are you actively looking for work? And a lot of people who have just lost their jobs and were all sheltering in place — they’re not actively looking for work,” Mr. Kashkari, who oversaw the Treasury Department’s bank bailout program after the 2008 Wall Street crash, said on NBC’s “Today” show.
He said the Friday jobs report that covers April will likely show an unemployment rate of 16% or 17%, but that the real number is around 23% or 24%.
“It’s devastating,” Mr. Kashkari said.
“I’m hopeful that we can bounce back,” he said. “I don’t think we’re actually headed for another Great Depression.”
Mr. Kashkari said the U.S. is likely in for a “long, gradual recovery.”
Over the last six weeks, about 30 million people in the U.S. have filed for unemployment, which translates to close to 20% of the American workforce.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Cops: Dispute over 'intimate partner' spurred murder-suicide

ROSS , Pa. ( AP ) - The shooting deaths of a researcher who was studying the coronavirus and another @ @ @ @ @ “ long-running dispute over an intimate partner , ” authorities said .
Bing Liu , @ @ @ @ @ times Saturday in the head , neck and torso in his townhouse in Ross .
@ @ @ @ @ , 46 , of Pittsburgh , then got into his car parked at the complex @ @ @ @ @ said .
Ross police did not provide further details about the motive for the shooting @ @ @ @ @ ’ s work as a researcher did not play a role in the murder-suicide .
@ @ @ @ @ professor in the computational and system biology department in the School of Medicine.at the University @ @ @ @ @ started working on a project involving the coronavirus , A statement issued by the department @ @ @ @ @ prolific researcher and an excellent mentor .
Liu ’ s wife was not home at @ @ @ @ @ , and it did not appear that anyone else was in the residence .

ROSS, Pa. (AP) - The shooting deaths of a researcher who was studying the coronavirus and another man were sparked by a “long-running dispute over an intimate partner,” authorities said.
Bing Liu, 37, was shot multiple times Saturday in the head, neck and torso in his townhouse in Ross. The shooter, Hao Gu, 46, of Pittsburgh, then got into his car parked at the complex and killed himself, authorities said.
Ross police did not provide further details about the motive for the shooting except to note that Liu’s work as a researcher did not play a role in the murder-suicide.
Liu was a research assistant professor in the computational and system biology department in the School of Medicine.at the University of Pittsburgh and had recently started working on a project involving the coronavirus, A statement issued by the department said Liu an outstanding and prolific researcher and an excellent mentor.
Liu’s wife was not home at the time of the shooting, and it did not appear that anyone else was in the residence.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Northeast Missouri man dies in grain bin accident

PALMYRA , Mo .
( AP ) - A 63-year-old northeast Missouri man is dead after falling into a grain @ @ @ @ @ the accident happened Tuesday evening near Palmyra , Missouri .
The victim was identified Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ Philadelphia , Missouri .
Marion County Coroner Rick Jones said Smith died of suffocation , @ @ @ @ @ ruled an accident .
Palmyra is about 125 miles north of St. Louis .

PALMYRA, Mo. (AP) - A 63-year-old northeast Missouri man is dead after falling into a grain bin.
KTVO-TV reports that the accident happened Tuesday evening near Palmyra, Missouri. The victim was identified Wednesday as Theodore Smith Jr. of Philadelphia, Missouri.
Marion County Coroner Rick Jones said Smith died of suffocation, and the incident has been ruled an accident. Palmyra is about 125 miles north of St. Louis.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Eagan's mayor pleads guilty to drunken driving

EAGAN , Minn. ( AP ) - Eagan ’ s mayor is finally talking about his decision to drink and drive .
At the end of a virtual City Council meeting Tuesday , Mayor Mike Maguire said he had pleaded guilty to driving while impaired earlier in the day and was “ accepting , without objection , the consequences ” of his mistake .
Maguire said he had been drinking while watching the Minnesota Vikings lose a playoff game last January before he got behind the wheel .
Maguire crashed into a snowbank in Eagan and blew a 0.19 when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit , according to a criminal complaint .
He spent the night in jail .
“ I ’ m embarrassed .
I ’ m extremely grateful that no one was hurt as a result of my actions , and very disappointed in myself , ” he said .
“ Not only did I disappoint myself , I disappointed my family , my 17-year-old , my colleagues and many people in the community who rightfully expect more from me .
For that , I am truly sorry and I apologize.
” The St. Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled for next Wednesday .
Maguire served four years on the Eagan City Council before being elected mayor in 2006 .

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) - Eagan’s mayor is finally talking about his decision to drink and drive.
At the end of a virtual City Council meeting Tuesday, Mayor Mike Maguire said he had pleaded guilty to driving while impaired earlier in the day and was “accepting, without objection, the consequences”of his mistake.
Maguire said he had been drinking while watching the Minnesota Vikings lose a playoff game last January before he got behind the wheel.
Maguire crashed into a snowbank in Eagan and blew a 0.19 when tested, more than twice the legal limit, according to a criminal complaint. He spent the night in jail.
“I’m embarrassed. I’m extremely grateful that no one was hurt as a result of my actions, and very disappointed in myself,” he said. “Not only did I disappoint myself, I disappointed my family, my 17-year-old, my colleagues and many people in the community who rightfully expect more from me. For that, I am truly sorry and I apologize.”
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports a court date is scheduled for next Wednesday.
Maguire served four years on the Eagan City Council before being elected mayor in 2006.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--US jobless claims set to surge again before April jobs data

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - The government is set Thursday to release another dire picture of the layoffs that have @ @ @ @ @ , one day before it will issue what is sure to be the worst monthly @ @ @ @ @ seven decades ago .
The Labor Department will likely announce that several million more people @ @ @ @ @ week , after more than 30 million sought aid in the previous six weeks after @ @ @ @ @ the country to close .
Most nonessential businesses remain shut down , though a majority @ @ @ @ @ ease restrictions for some categories of companies despite concerns that it may be too soon @ @ @ @ @ new infections .
For the April jobs report coming Friday , economists are forecasting at @ @ @ @ @ and an unemployment rate of 16 percent or more - the highest rate since the @ @ @ @ @ .

WASHINGTON (AP) - Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak deepened the worst U.S. economic catastrophe in decades.
Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces. That is the equivalent of one in five Americans who had been employed back in February, when the unemployment rate had reached a 50-year low of just 3.5%.
The Labor Department’s report Thursday suggests that layoffs, while still breathtakingly high, are steadily declining after sharp spikes in late March and early April. Initial claims for unemployment aid have now fallen for five straight weeks, from a peak of nearly 6.9 million during the week that ended March 28.
Applications for jobless aid rose in just six states last week, including Maine, New Jersey, and Oklahoma, and declined in the 44 others.
The report showed that 22.7 million people are now receiving unemployment aid - a rough measure of job losses since the shutdowns began. That figure lags a week behind the figures for first-time unemployment applications. And not everyone who applies for jobless aid is approved. The number of laid-off workers receiving aid is now equal to 15.5% of the workforce that’s eligible for unemployment benefits.
Those figures are a rough proxy for the job losses and for the unemployment rate that will be released Friday, which will likely to be the worst since modern record-keeping began after World War II. The unemployment rate is forecast to reach 16%, the highest rate since the Great Depression, and economists estimate that 21 million jobs were lost last month. If so, it would mean that nearly all the job growth in the 11 years since the Great Recession ended has vanished in a single month.
Even those stunning figures won’t fully capture the magnitude of the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on the job market. Many people who are still employed have had their hours reduced. Others have suffered pay cuts. Some who lost jobs in April and didn’t look for a new one in light of their bleak prospects won’t even be counted as unemployed. A broader measure - the proportion of adults with jobs - could hit a record low.
The impact has fallen unevenly on the U.S. population, with Hispanics much more likely to suffer an economic hit. According to a survey in mid-April by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 61% of Hispanics said their household has lost income because of the coronavirus, whether through a layoff, reduced hours or pay cuts. That compares with 46% of blacks and 43% of whites who said so.
Layoffs have also been more concentrated among the less-educated. Twenty-eight percent of Americans without college degrees say they’ve endured a layoff in their household, compared with 19% of people with college degrees.
The official figures for jobless claims may also be under-counting layoffs. Surveys by academic economists and think tanks suggest that as many as 12 million workers who were laid off by mid-April did not file for unemployment benefits by then, either because they couldn’t navigate their state’s overwhelmed systems or they felt too discouraged to try.
On Thursday, the government also reported how many self-employed, contractors and gig workers, who are newly eligible for jobless benefits, applied for them last week. Nearly 584,000 people did so. The government reported that figure separately because it isn’t adjusted for seasonal patterns, as the 3.2 million figure is.
Economists are projecting that the gross domestic product - the broadest gauge of economic growth - is contracting in the current April-June quarter by a shocking 40% annual rate. As it does, more layoffs appear to be spreading beyond front-line industries like restaurants, hotels and retail stores.
GE Aviation, for example, has said it is cutting up to 13,000 jobs. Uber will shed 3,700 positions. MGM Resorts International has announced that the furloughs of more than 60,000 employees could turn into layoffs.
But the job cuts have hammered workers at restaurants, hotels and retail firms particularly hard. According to the payroll processor ADP, about half the total jobs in the hotel and restaurant industry - 8.6 million - disappeared in April, based on data from its corporate clients. A category that includes retail and shipping shed 3.4 million workers.
The difference between the 30 million-plus unemployment claims that have been filed in the past several weeks and the expected April job loss of slightly more than 20 million reflects differences in how the figures are compiled.
The government calculates job losses by surveying businesses and households. It’s a net figure that also counts the hiring that some companies, like Amazon and many grocery stores, have done. By contrast, the total jobless claims are a cumulative figure; they include applications for unemployment aid that began in mid-March.
In addition, the government conducts its surveys for the monthly jobs reports in the middle of each month. So layoffs from the final two weeks of April won’t show up in Friday’s jobs report. They will instead be included in the May jobs report to be released in early June.
After problems with state computer systems had slowed the distribution of federal benefits for many laid-off workers, all 50 states are now paying the $600 extra weekly benefit that the federal government included in a relief package enacted in late March. That represents a significant help to millions of laid-off workers, many of whom still remain anxious and uncertain.
Jamie Stewart is renting out a spare bedroom in her home to try to make ends meets after losing her job at a southwest Florida resort. Having applied for unemployment benefits in late March, she finally received her first payment of $1,200 this week. Stewart, a 37-year-old resident of Bonita Springs, works as a concierge in the off-season and as a shift manager and bartender in the resort’s restaurants.
After her layoff, she deferred her car payment for two months and cancelled non-necessities like Zoom, Pandora and Netflix. She recently signed up for food stamps, which cover about half her monthly grocery bill.
“My mental health has deteriorated to a point that I don’t recognize myself anymore,” she said. “My eyes are swollen and bloodshot all the time now from regular moments of weakness that leave me completely inconsolable.
“It looks like I have aged 10 years since the lockdown started.”
___
AP staff writer Kelli Kennedy contributed to this report from Miami.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Man dead, woman in custody after St. Louis County shooting

CLAYTON , Mo .
( AP ) - A man is dead and a woman is in custody after a @ @ @ @ @ of St. Louis County .
Police say the shooting happened around 6 p.m. Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ at a home .
He was taken by ambulance to a hospital , where he @ @ @ @ @ s name has not been released .
Police say the man and a woman argued @ @ @ @ @ woman , who is in her 20s , is in custody but it wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ has been charged with a crime .

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) - A St. Louis County woman is accused of fatally shooting her father.
Charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action were filed Thursday against 28-year-old Christine Taylor, in the death of 55-year-old Lieutenant Carter.
Taylor is jailed on $100,000 cash-only bond and it wasn’t immediately clear if she had an attorney.
The shooting happened Wednesday at a home in an unincorporated area of the county. Arriving officers found Carter, who was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died.
Police say Carter and Taylor argued before the shooting.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--What is a good reason for a personal loan?

Unsecured personal loans can pay for almost anything .
Their flexibility makes them easy to turn to when you want to consolidate your debts or put in that kitchen island .
But first assessing all your financing options can save you money .
As the economy shifts , so will the way a personal loan fits into your plans .
Right now , for example , the cheapest way to get extra cash might not be with a personal loan , but with 401 ( k ) funds .
The government is allowing penalty-free withdrawals from these savings for those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money from your 401 ( k ) could mean you lose out on potential market gains and set your retirement plan back .
Even if an unsecured loan isn ’ t the cheapest , it may be the next-best option .
Here ’ s what financial planners say about some of the reasons people take out personal loans .
A debt consolidation loan lets you pull existing debts from different sources , like credit cards and other loans , into a single loan .
It can save you money if you get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loan .
It ’ s also an option if you don ’ t want to pay off your debts from smallest to largest , also called the debt snowball approach , says Miami-based certified financial planner Angela Moore of Modern Money Advisor .
That repayment method focuses on little victories , but it won ’ t save you time or interest .
She says what makes personal loans work well for consolidation is the end date they put on your debt .
Credit cards , such as balance-transfer cards that can also be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revolving balances and open credit lines that you can continue to spend against .
But if you have a habit of using credit cards , try to put those to rest before you commit to the repayment terms on a loan , says Sacramento-based certified financial planner Tony Matheson .
“ I want to make sure that ( people are ) not going to just get into a deeper hole by compounding the problem with more debt , ” he says .
If spending time at home is giving you the urge to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay for them .
They don ’ t require you to have home equity or use your home as collateral .
But they often have higher interest rates and shorter repayment periods than home equity loans or home equity lines of credit .
The main argument for something like a HELOC is a low interest rate , Moore says .
But she recommends treading lightly where you ’ re borrowing against your home .
“ If you do a home equity line of credit , ” she says , the lender could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to pay back the money .
“ So , you ’ re trading something for that lower interest rate.
” If you ’ re hit with a big medical bill you can ’ t cover all at once , a personal loan could cover it .
But another , potentially less expensive option is a low- or no-interest payment plan through the medical provider , Matheson says .
He recommends comparing the term lengths and monthly payments to decide which works best for your financial situation .
You can also work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spot expensive errors and negotiate down costs to make your bill more affordable .
Just be sure to ask about the advocate ’ s fees .
Financial planners broadly recommend against getting a personal loan to help someone else .
Though he understands the urge to help , Wisconsin-based certified financial planner Ben Smith suggests reviewing what borrowing on someone else ’ s behalf may do to your own financial plans .
Will lending the money derail your retirement plans or delay your dream of owning a home ?
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an airplane and the flight attendant says , ‘ Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others , ’ ” he says .
Taking out a personal loan to cover a mortgage or utility bill is a case when getting a loan can do more harm than good .
If you ’ re affected by COVID-19 , this could be the time to consider a penalty-free withdrawal from your 401 ( k ) instead , Smith says .
If you can ’ t make ends meet after cutting your budget , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at a larger lifestyle change , like moving in with your parents or selling your home .
“ I think that people need to be thinking more long-term , more strategically , ” she says .
“ I recommend finding ways to just reduce your needs - reduce what you need in terms of money by eliminating as many expenses as possible.
” This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet .
Annie Millerbernd is a writer at NerdWallet .
Email : [ email protected ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What is an unsecured loan ?
http : //bit.ly/unsecured-personal-loans-101

Unsecured personal loans can pay for almost anything. Their flexibility makes them easy to turn to when you want to consolidate your debts or put in that kitchen island.
But first assessing all your financing options can save you money. As the economy shifts, so will the way a personal loan fits into your plans.
Right now, for example, the cheapest way to get extra cash might not be with a personal loan, but with 401(k) funds. The government is allowing penalty-free withdrawals from these savings for those affected by COVID-19.
Still, withdrawing money from your 401(k) could mean you lose out on potential market gains and set your retirement plan back.
Even if an unsecured loan isn’t the cheapest, it may be the next-best option. Here’s what financial planners say about some of the reasons people take out personal loans.
DEBT CONSOLIDATION
A debt consolidation loan lets you pull existing debts from different sources, like credit cards and other loans, into a single loan. It can save you money if you get a lower annual percentage rate on the new loan.
It’s also an option if you don’t want to pay off your debts from smallest to largest, also called the debt snowball approach, says Miami-based certified financial planner Angela Moore of Modern Money Advisor. That repayment method focuses on little victories, but it won’t save you time or interest.
She says what makes personal loans work well for consolidation is the end date they put on your debt. Credit cards, such as balance-transfer cards that can also be used to consolidate debt, usually have revolving balances and open credit lines that you can continue to spend against.
But if you have a habit of using credit cards, try to put those to rest before you commit to the repayment terms on a loan, says Sacramento-based certified financial planner Tony Matheson.
“I want to make sure that (people are) not going to just get into a deeper hole by compounding the problem with more debt,” he says.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
If spending time at home is giving you the urge to renovate, personal loans are one way to pay for them.
They don’t require you to have home equity or use your home as collateral. But they often have higher interest rates and shorter repayment periods than home equity loans or home equity lines of credit.
The main argument for something like a HELOC is a low interest rate, Moore says. But she recommends treading lightly where you’re borrowing against your home.
“If you do a home equity line of credit,” she says, the lender could take your home if you’re unable to pay back the money. “So, you’re trading something for that lower interest rate.”
MEDICAL BILLS
If you’re hit with a big medical bill you can’t cover all at once, a personal loan could cover it. But another, potentially less expensive option is a low- or no-interest payment plan through the medical provider, Matheson says.
He recommends comparing the term lengths and monthly payments to decide which works best for your financial situation.
You can also work with a medical bill advocate, who can spot expensive errors and negotiate down costs to make your bill more affordable. Just be sure to ask about the advocate’s fees.
HELPING SOMEONE ELSE
Financial planners broadly recommend against getting a personal loan to help someone else.
Though he understands the urge to help, Wisconsin-based certified financial planner Ben Smith suggests reviewing what borrowing on someone else’s behalf may do to your own financial plans. Will lending the money derail your retirement plans or delay your dream of owning a home?
“It’s kind of like when you’re in an airplane and the flight attendant says, ‘Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others,’” he says.
COVERING BILLS
Taking out a personal loan to cover a mortgage or utility bill is a case when getting a loan can do more harm than good.
If you’re affected by COVID-19, this could be the time to consider a penalty-free withdrawal from your 401(k) instead, Smith says.
If you can’t make ends meet after cutting your budget, Moore says, you’re probably looking at a larger lifestyle change, like moving in with your parents or selling your home.
“I think that people need to be thinking more long-term, more strategically,” she says. “I recommend finding ways to just reduce your needs - reduce what you need in terms of money by eliminating as many expenses as possible.”
_________________________________
This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Annie Millerbernd is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: amillerbernd@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @annieanyway.
RELATED LINKS
NerdWallet: What is an unsecured loan? http://bit.ly/unsecured-personal-loans-101


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Suspect caught after 3 dead in string of Houston shootings

HOUSTON ( AP ) - A man suspected of fatally shooting three men during the span of less than an hour at separate locations in Houston was captured early Thursday following a short chase , police said .
Joshua Kelsey , 35 , was taken into custody about 4 a.m. and was driving a car that was stolen from the scene of the first slaying Wednesday night , Houston police said in a post on Twitter .
The shootings appear to be drug-related , Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner said .
Kelsey was described by police as a suspect in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced as of early Thursday .
“ Kelsey is now being questioned by homicide detectives , ” the post said .
The first shooting happened about 8:15 p.m. and left one man dead and another person injured , Finner said .
The gunman then forced his way into a home and fatally shot a 60-year-old man , Finner said .
The gunman then drove to another house about 9 p.m. and fatally shot a man , police said .
Names of the dead and additional details about the circumstances of the shootings weren @ @ @ @ @

HOUSTON (AP) - A man was charged Thursday in the fatal shooting of three men in Houston, as police reported a nearly 50% uptick in homicides in the city this year.
While investigators are still trying to determine a cause for the spike in killings, one being considered is a reduced illegal drug supply due to the coronavirus pandemic, said Houston police spokeswoman Jodi Silva.
The shootings happened within an hour Wednesday night but in three different locations in the city. Police said the first was believed to have been drug-related, while motives for the other two were under investigation.
The suspect, 35-year-old Joshua Kelsey, was taken into custody about 4 a.m. Thursday following a short pursuit in a car he was accused of stealing from the scene of the first slaying, police said.
Kelsey was questioned by detectives then charged with murder and capital murder. Court records did not list an attorney for Kelsey.
The shootings began at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday. Investigators believe Kelsey was involved in a confrontation over drugs and shot two men at a home in south Houston, said Executive Assistant Police Chief Troy Finner. One of the men was killed and another was injured.
After stealing a car belonging to one of the men, Kelsey drove to another home about 5 miles away, forced his way inside, and fatally shot a 60-year-old man around 8:36 p.m., Finner said.
Kelsey then drove to another house, arriving around 9 p.m., and fatally shot a third man, police said.
Investigators believe Kelsey knew the first two men but they are still trying to determine his connection to the two other victims, Silva said.
There have been 121 homicides in Houston so far this year, a 49% increase on the 81 during the same period in 2019, Silva said.
One theory being explored to explain the jump in homicide numbers is the drop in the illegal drug supply due to the pandemic, she said.
“The same buses, trains, planes that transport people, transport drugs. There’s less movement, so there’s less movement of the supply of drugs,” Finner said. “You see drug dealers fighting over territory and the drugs, the supply.”
Law enforcement officials say the lockdowns related to stopping the spread of the virus have disrupted the drug trade worldwide.
The reduced drug supply has apparently prompted some drug transactions to turn deadly as those involved try to rob one another, Finner said.
These “drug disputes are really pushing the homicides in our city,” Finner said.
Other crimes have also increased in Houston during the pandemic, including aggravated assault, domestic violence and burglaries, even as some crimes have dropped off in other parts of the world under lockdown.
___
Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--US to grant Iraq gas waiver in show of support for new PM

BAGHDAD ( AP ) - The U.S. plans to grant Iraq a 120-day sanctions waiver enabling the country to import Iranian gas and electricity to meet its power needs , the State Department said , hours after a new prime minister was sworn in early Thursday .
The exemption would be the longest period of time in months granted to Iraq to prove it is making progress in becoming less reliant on Iranian imports , a key condition of receiving the waiver .
The waiver would indicate a show of support after the inauguration of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed the majority of his Cabinet appointments early Thursday .
Strategic talks between Washington and Baghdad are expected next month and will run the gamut of U.S.-Iraq relations , from military to economic support , according to Iraqi and U.S. officials .
Key questions including the nature of U.S. troop presence are expected to be discussed .
Al-Kadhimi ’ s new program includes a vow to hold early elections , address Iraq ’ s severe health and economic woes amid falling oil prices , and bring arms under the control of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Lawmakers approved 15 appointees out of a Cabinet of 22 , allowing al-Kadhimi to form a government under Iraqi constitutional guidelines .
Other ministry portfolios will be subject to further negotiation with parliamentary political blocs .
Shortly after he was officially named premier , al-Kadhimi spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , according to a statement from the U.S. State Department .
“ In support of the new government the United States will move forward with a 120-day electricity waiver as a display of our desire to help provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said spokesperson Morgan Ortagus according to the statement .
Recent waivers gave Iraq just 30 days to make headway in developing domestic gas supply or else find alternative sources to meet energy needs .
They were a sign of growing impatience from Washington as Iraqi elites jockeyed over al-Kadhimi ’ s proposed Cabinet lineup .
Iraq needs Iranian gas and electricity imports to meet up to 30 % of domestic power needs .
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said talks next month would “ reaffirm ” ties with Iraq .
“ The new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work of implementing much needed reforms and addressing the needs of the Iraqi people .
Our upcoming Strategic Dialogue with the government of Iraq aims to reaffirm the value of the U.S.-Iraqi partnership for both of our countries , ” the embassy said in a statement .
U.S.-Iraq ties suffered under the administration of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi .
The tense relationship was exacerbated by a Washington-directed airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani outside Baghdad airport .
Abdul-Mahdi staunchly supported ejecting U.S. troops from Iraq following the killing , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition has withdrawn from several Iraqi bases across the country in line with a planned drawdown conceived in December .
Troops have consolidated in Baghdad and the sprawling Ain al-Asad base in Anbar province .

BAGHDAD (AP) - Despite a boost from the U.S. hours after his inauguration early Thursday, Iraq’s new prime minister will have to walk a tightrope to appease both powerful Iran-backed political factions and allies in Washington.
Shortly after Iraqi lawmakers approved the government of Mustafa al-Kadhimi, the U.S. said it plans to grant Iraq a 120-day sanctions waiver enabling the country to import gas and electricity from Iran to meet its power needs - an indication of support for the new premier.
The exemption would be the longest period of time in months granted to Iraq to prove it is making progress in becoming less reliant on Iranian imports, a key condition for receiving the waiver.
Al-Kadhimi’s new program spells out measures welcomed by the U.S., including a vow to hold early elections, address Iraq’s severe health and economic woes amid falling oil prices, and bring arms under the control of the state. But Iraqi officials and experts said the new prime minister will have to maneuver between the competing interests of Iran-backed factions and allies in Washington, while managing financial shortfalls, the coronavirus crisis and rampant political dysfunction.
For now, al-Kadhimi has support from both Tehran and Washington.
Earlier this week, an Iranian political delegation arrived in Baghdad to inform Shiite political blocs of Tehran’s support for al-Kadhimi’s premiership, two senior Shiite political leaders said, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to disclose the information.
Strategic talks between Washington and Baghdad are expected next month and will run the gamut of U.S.-Iraq relations, from military to economic support, according to Iraqi and U.S. officials. Key questions, including the nature of U.S. troop presence in Iraq, are expected to be discussed.
During these talks, al-Kadhimi will have the difficult task of pushing the Iraqi wish to reduce the controversy surrounding the American presence in Iraq without alienating Washington and losing financial support, said Toby Dodge, head of the London School for Economics’ Middle East Centre.
With deals being struck up until the last minute, lawmakers approved 15 appointees out of a Cabinet of 22, allowing al-Kadhimi to form a government under Iraqi constitutional guidelines. Other ministry portfolios will be subject to further negotiation with parliamentary political blocs.
That al-Kadhimi, who has no solid political base, had to change ministry portfolios to appease political blocs several times was a deliberate attempt to demonstrate power, said Dodge. Iraqi officials close to al-Kadhimi have said he plans to consolidate control within the prime minister’s office to push out reforms.
“In the run-up to become prime minister he was deliberately outflanked and humiliated by political blocs who showed him who has the power,” Dodge said. “What he desperately needs to do is appeal to rally public opinion above the widely discredited political elite.”
Passing a budget law for the year will be his first big test, officials and experts said. With it, Iraq can unlock much needed international loans to plug in a growing deficit amid falling oil prices. But austerity measures to balance the budget, such as cutting the country’s bloated public wage bill, will likely create both political and public discontent.
Shortly after he was officially named premier, al-Kadhimi spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to a statement from the U.S. State Department.
“In support of the new government the United States will move forward with a 120-day electricity waiver as a display of our desire to help provide the right conditions for success,” said spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, according to the statement.
Previous waivers gave Iraq just 30 days to make headway in developing domestic gas supply or else find alternative sources to meet energy needs. They were a sign of growing impatience from Washington as Iraqi elites jockeyed over al-Kadhimi’s proposed Cabinet lineup.
Iraq needs Iranian gas and electricity to meet up to 30% of domestic power needs.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said talks next month would “reaffirm” ties with Iraq.
“The new government must now turn to the hard work of implementing much needed reforms and addressing the needs of the Iraqi people. Our upcoming Strategic Dialogue with the government of Iraq aims to reaffirm the value of the U.S.-Iraqi partnership for both of our countries,” the embassy said in a statement.
U.S.-Iraq ties suffered under the administration of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi. The tense relationship was exacerbated by a Washington-directed airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani outside Baghdad airport earlier this year. Abdul-Mahdi staunchly supported ejecting U.S. troops from Iraq following the January killing, which strained ties with Washington.
The U.S.-led coalition has withdrawn from several Iraqi bases across the country in line with a planned drawdown conceived in December. Troops have consolidated in Baghdad and the sprawling Ain al-Asad base in Iraq’s western Anbar province.
___
Associated Press writer Matt Lee in Washington contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--5 things to know today - that aren't about the virus

Your daily look at nonvirus stories in the news : 1 .
WILDFIRES RAGE IN FLORIDA PANHANDLE Forecasters say dry @ @ @ @ @ high winds have whipped up the fire which started as a prescribed burn , forcing @ @ @ @ @ homes .
2 .
‘ PEOPLE FELT BREATHLESS ’ A chemical gas leak from an @ @ @ @ @ has killed at least 11 people and left about 1,000 others suffering with breathing difficulties @ @ @ @ @ .
CARDINAL PELL KNEW OF ABUSIVE PRIESTS An Australian inquiry says the prelate knew a @ @ @ @ @ ago because he had sexually abused children and should have suspended an unstable priest in @ @ @ @ @ WHO ’ S SUDDENLY CHATTY Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas , who once went 10 @ @ @ @ @ in court , has been an active questioner for three straight days .
5 .
@ @ @ @ @ SPEECHES The Hall of Fame quarterback is repaying $ 1.1 million in welfare money that @ @ @ @ @ where he did not show up , the Mississippi state auditor says .

Your daily look at nonvirus stories in the news:
1. WILDFIRES RAGE IN FLORIDA PANHANDLE Forecasters say dry conditions, low humidity and high winds have whipped up the fire which started as a prescribed burn, forcing hundreds of people from their homes.
2. ‘PEOPLE FELT BREATHLESS’ A chemical gas leak from an industrial plant in southern India has killed at least 11 people and left about 1,000 others suffering with breathing difficulties and other problems.
3. CARDINAL PELL KNEW OF ABUSIVE PRIESTS An Australian inquiry says the prelate knew a priest had been moved decades ago because he had sexually abused children and should have suspended an unstable priest in another parish.
4. SUPREME COURT TOSSES “BRIDGEGATE” CONVICTIONS - In a unanimous decision, the court ruled the government overreached in prosecuting Christie allies Bridget Kelly and Bill Baroni for their roles in creating a traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge.
5. TRUCKER FACES SCRUTINY ACROSS US - Investigators from multiple states are looking into whether a long-haul trucker from Iowa who’s implicated in three women’s slayings in the 1990s could be responsible for other unsolved homicides.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Ex-prosecutor sues Justice Dept. after misconduct allegation

Roanoke , Va. ( AP ) - A former federal prosecutor in Virginia accused the Justice Department of removing her from her job over a false sexual misconduct allegation .
The accusation was made in a lawsuit filed during the weekend by Ashley Brooke Neese , a former prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office for the Western District of Virginia , the Roanoke Times reported .
Neese said she was put on paid leave hours after a report to the office alleged that she engaged in a “ sexual relationship with a subject or target of a grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She has denied the allegations .
During her leave , Neese said her superiors did not give her an explanation as to why she was taken out of the office .
According to the lawsuit , she was assigned to lower level tasks upon her return to work .
She said she was also given a different office , and was restricted from accessing computer systems and different floors in the building .
She resigned in June 2018 after “ continual mistreatment , ” the lawsuit said .
Nearly two years later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not know the specific allegations that were made against her .
She said records about the allegations she requested from the Justice Department in a separate lawsuit were withheld .
According to the lawsuit , she is seeking reinstatement to her job , a similar position or monetary compensation .
In 2016 , a judge ruled that Neese engaged in prosecutorial misconduct after she misrepresented her account of a possible sexual assault by a Bedford County deputy against a grand jury witness , the Roanoke Times reported .
There are several defendants in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cullen , Attorney General William Barr and the Executive Office for United States Attorneys .

Roanoke, Va. (AP) - A former federal prosecutor in Virginia accused the Justice Department of removing her from her job over a false sexual misconduct allegation.
The accusation was made in a lawsuit filed during the weekend by Ashley Brooke Neese, a former prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, the Roanoke Times reported.
Neese said she was put on paid leave hours after a report to the office alleged that she engaged in a “sexual relationship with a subject or target of a grand jury investigation,” the lawsuit said. She has denied the allegations.
During her leave, Neese said her superiors did not give her an explanation as to why she was taken out of the office. According to the lawsuit, she was assigned to lower level tasks upon her return to work. She said she was also given a different office, and was restricted from accessing computer systems and different floors in the building.
She resigned in June 2018 after “continual mistreatment,” the lawsuit said. Nearly two years later, the lawsuit said Neese still does not know the specific allegations that were made against her. She said records about the allegations she requested from the Justice Department in a separate lawsuit were withheld.
According to the lawsuit, she is seeking reinstatement to her job, a similar position or monetary compensation.
In 2016, a judge ruled that Neese engaged in prosecutorial misconduct after she misrepresented her account of a possible sexual assault by a Bedford County deputy against a grand jury witness, the Roanoke Times reported.
There are several defendants in the lawsuit, including U.S. Attorney Thomas Cullen, Attorney General William Barr and the Executive Office for United States Attorneys.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Cross orders UW to prioritize courses, prepare for layoffs

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) - University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross directed campuses Thursday to quickly identify signature programs worthy of preservation and brace for layoffs as the coronavirus pandemic deepens the system ’ s financial losses .
Cross said he wants campuses to evaluate their programs by January with an eye toward cost , whether they are duplicated at another campus and student demand .
System officials will decide which courses stay and which will vanish , Cross told reporters during a video conference Wednesday afternoon .
Campuses should be ready to move forward with scaled-down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The only guarantee he could offer was each campus will continue to offer basics such as English and math that undergraduates need to earn a diploma .
But he warned that staff layoffs will be unavoidable .
“ We ’ re facing some unprecedented challenges , ” Cross said .
“ We ’ re trying to be responsible stewards .
If we want the system to survive on the other side of this pandemic … we ’ ve got to act now .
We just don ’ t have the time.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ consolidate functions such as information technology and human resource operations by January 2022 .
He wants to bolster online course offerings , too , ordering the system to create four additional courses by the beginning of June .
Cross said the system has been inching along on consolidation efforts in recent years but will have to scramble now as the pandemic freezes up the economy .
The system shut down in-person classes in March , canceled all spring sports and told students to move back home .
System officials estimate the moves will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss for the spring semester alone .
Those costs include the refunds for on-campus parking , dining and housing , technology purchases to move classes online , payments to student workers who lost their jobs and athletic ticket sales .
The system took another hit in April when Gov .
Tony Evers ordered state agencies to reduce spending by 5 % by July to save roughly $ 70 million .
The Wisconsin State Journal reported that UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank told that school ’ s Faculty Senate on Monday that the system ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 46 million to $ 47 million , with $ 20 million coming out of UW-Madison .
New budget figures released Wednesday show an $ 870 million drop in tax collections in April .
The situation is worsened by declining state aid for system schools .
Cross said in his plan that the system ’ s portion of the state budget has shrunk 6 % since the 2007-08 fiscal year .
And Republican legislators have kept tuition for in-state undergraduates frozen since the 2013-15 state budget .
System regents in mid-April overwhelmingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered employees in system administration to take one furlough day per month for the next year , an effort he says will save $ 3 million .
Chancellors are free to impose their own furlough plans at their respective campuses .
The UW schools aren ’ t the only colleges struggling to weather the pandemic ’ s financial fallout .
Holy Family College in Manitowoc announced Monday that it will close its doors by the end of August .
The school was already struggling with a deficit and enrollment for 2020 was down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all enrollment activity to a halt , the college ’ s president , Robert Callahan , told the State Journal .
Edgewood College in Madison plans to buy out about 30 full-time positions by the end of the spring semester and increase its student-to-instructor ratio from 9-to-1 to 15-to-1 over the next few years by eliminating 10 % of course sections offered .
The school still plans to have students on campus this fall .

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - University of Wisconsin System leaders are working on safety protocols that could enable students to return to campus if the coronavirus pandemic stretches into fall, system President Ray Cross told regents Thursday.
Cross told the regents during a teleconference that system leaders want to be able to test all faculty, staff and students - a task he called “monumental.” They also want to be able to trace student contacts, create a way to isolate and quarantine the sick as well as infected people who aren’t showing symptoms.
Leaders also want to be able to identify public spaces where people could meet safely and provide protective gear to faculty and students.
“We will be back in session in fall,” Cross said. “How we deliver that, it won’t be normal. It will be different.”
Regent Tracey Klein said it would take an “unbelievable amount of work” to bring students back to campus.
But Cross and UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank tried to paint a positive picture. Cross said several weeks ago that he thought opening dorms was akin to putting students in a petri dish or on a cruise ship, but advances in testing have given him hope. Blank said her executives are looking at smaller class sizes; lectures with 200 to 300 students won’t happen, she said.
“I have every hope we will open fully,” Blank said. “(But) it won’t be a normal semester.”
UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone said his campus might start with only distance learning and then transition to small groups. But he warned that the school may have to go back to distance learning if the virus spikes again.
But Cross said the goal was to be able to handle a resurgence on campus.
The meeting came hours after Cross introduced a plan calling for the system’s regional campuses to get ready to cut programs by January and brace for layoffs as the system grapples with the economic fallout of the pandemic.
The system shut down in-person learning, sent students home and moved classes online in March, leading to financial losses in parking fees, athletic ticket sales, food sales and technology purchases.
System Vice President for Finance Sean Nelson told the regents that the system expects to lose $212 million through the summer semester. Federal stimulus aid and cost-saving measures such as furloughs, a hiring freeze and travel reductions should reduce that loss to $98.6 million.
The system has already been chafing under a resident undergraduate tuition freeze Republican lawmakers imposed in the 2013-2015 state budget. State aid for the system has been trending down as well; Cross said in his plan that aid has shrunk 6% since the fiscal year 2007-08.
Cross told regents that no campus is in danger of closing but “if we want the system to survive on the other side of this pandemic … we’ve got to act now. We’ve got to act as if our future depends on it. It does.”
The regents had been set to discuss the pandemic further in a closed session Thursday, citing an exception to the state’s open-meeting laws allowing closed meetings for competitive or bargaining reasons. But they scuttled it at the last minute after open government advocates complained that the regents were applying the exception too broadly.
“This is an interpretation that could swallow the rule that meetings should be open,” Christa Westerberg, an attorney specializing in open government laws, said in an email to The Associated Press.
Regent President Andrew Petersen told the board that he didn’t want any “confusion” about what would be discussed at the open meeting and closed session.
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This story has been updated to correct the name of the finance vice president to Sean Nelson.
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Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Suspect claims Norway mosque attack was 'emergency justice'

COPENHAGEN , Denmark ( AP ) - A Norwegian man suspected of killing his stepsister and then storming an Oslo mosque and opening fire said Thursday on the first day of his trial that it was an act of “ emergency justice ” and that he regretted not having caused more damage .
Philip Manshaus appeared at a court west of Norway ’ s capital and denied charges of murder and terror read to him by a prosecutor , the Norwegian news agency NTB said .
Manshaus has acknowledged the facts but denies the accusation , saying he opposes non-Western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his testimony Manshaus claimed the white race “ will end up as a minority in their own home countries ” and criticized those who ” blackmail national socialism.
” The prosecution says Manshaus , 22 , killed his 17-year-old stepsister , Johanne Zhangjia Ihle-Hansen , by shooting her four times - three in the head and one in the chest - with a hunting rifle at their home in the Oslo suburb of Baerum .
Shortly after that , prosecutors say , Manshaus drove to a nearby mosque where three men were preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a helmet with a video camera attached and a bulletproof vest , They say Manshaus was armed with a hunting rifle and a shotgun and fired four shots with the rifle at a glass door before he was overpowered by one of the men in the mosque at the time , Muhammad Rafiq .
During the scuffle , two more shots were fired but no one was hit .
Rafiq was slightly injured in the struggle .
The prosecution says Manshaus acted “ with the intention to kill as many Muslims as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the men at the mosque and Manshaus ’ father , are expected to give evidence .
If found guilty , Manshaus could face up to 21 years in prison .
The prosecutor has said it would consider a sentence where he would be sent to a secure mental facility for as long as he is considered a danger to others .
Norwegian media have reported that Manshaus was inspired by shootings in March 2019 in New Zealand , where a gunman targeted two mosques , killing 51 people , and in August 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an assailant targeted Hispanics and left at least 22 dead .
Norway ’ s domestic security agency PST said it had a “ vague ” tip about Manshaus a year before the shooting , but it was not enough to act on because they had no information about any “ concrete plans ” of attack .

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - A Norwegian man suspected of killing his ethnic Chinese stepsister and then storming an Oslo mosque and opening fire said Thursday on the first day of his trial that it was an act of “emergency justice” and that he regretted not having caused more damage.
Philip Manshaus appeared at a court west of Norway’s capital and denied charges of murder and terror read to him by a prosecutor, the Norwegian news agency NTB said. Manshaus has acknowledged the facts but denies the accusation, saying he opposes non-Western immigration.
Broadcaster NRK said that during his testimony Manshaus claimed the white race “will end up as a minority in their own home countries” and criticized those who “blackmail national socialism.”
In court, Manshaus, 22, described how he killed his 17-year-old stepsister, Johanne Zhangjia Ihle-Hansen, by shooting her four times - three in the head and one in the chest - with a hunting rifle at their home in the Oslo suburb of Baerum. Ihle-Hansen was adopted from China as a 2-year old.
Shortly after that, Manshaus said he drove to a nearby mosque where three men were preparing for Eid al-Adha celebrations. He wore a helmet with a video camera attached and a bulletproof vest,
Manshaus was armed with a hunting rifle and a shotgun and fired four shots with the rifle at a glass door before he was overpowered by one of the men in the mosque at the time, Muhammad Rafiq.
During the scuffle, two more shots were fired but no one was hit. Rafiq was slightly injured in the struggle. In his testimony, Manshaus said he wanted to kill Rafiq.
“I did everything I could to carry out the attack,” he told court, adding he was exhausted when police arrived.
The prosecution says Manshaus acted “with the intention to kill as many Muslims as possible.”
The video recorde by his helmet was played in court Thursday. NRK said it showed Manshaus shooting at the mosque door before kicking it open. An elderly man - Rafiq - is then seen walking toward him and Manshaus is heard yelling: ”You should never take over Norway.”
Minutes later, when the suspect has been overpowered and is on the ground, Manshaus is heard moaning and begging to be killed, saying: “I can’t do anything more. I am faithful to my people.” The camera is facing the ceiling.
Some 30 witnesses, including the men at the mosque and Manshaus’ father, are expected to give evidence.
If found guilty, Manshaus could face up to 21 years in prison. The prosecutor has said it would consider a sentence where he would be sent to a secure mental facility for as long as he is considered a danger to others.
Norwegian media have reported that Manshaus was inspired by shootings in March 2019 in New Zealand, where a gunman targeted two mosques, killing 51 people, and in August 2019 in El Paso, Texas, where an assailant targeted Hispanics and left at least 22 dead.
Manshaus’ plans and his reference to national socialism also recall those of Norwegian right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik, who in 2011 killed 77 people in a bombing and shooting rampage. Breivik, who gave a Nazi salute in the court room, is serving a 21-year prison sentence for carrying out a terror attack.
Norway’s domestic security agency PST said it had a “vague” tip about Manshaus a year before the shooting, but it was not enough to act on because they had no information about any “concrete plans” of attack.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Air France-KLM report $1.9 billion in losses, outlook grim

PARIS ( AP ) - Air France-KLM lost 1.8 billion euros ( $ 1.9 billion ) in the first quarter , mostly just in a few weeks in March as travel restrictions grounded planes worldwide , and said Thursday that it will take several years to recover .
The partner airlines , which have already won billions of euros of bailout loans from the French and Dutch governments , forecast that the second quarter will be far worse , with traffic down 95 % .
Air France-KLM predicted a slow resumption of activity over the summer , but estimated it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third quarter compared to previous years .
In a statement , the company forecast a “ prolonged negative impact on passenger demand , not expected to recover to pre-crisis levels before several years.
” Air France-KLM announced increased revenue in January and February , but then a big drop in March as countries closed borders and confined much of the world ’ s population .
It reported 5 billion euros in revenue over the quarter , down 15 % from 2019 .
Profit for the quarter was down 1.8 billion euros compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first quarter of 2019 .
Like airlines around the world , Air France-KLM is working to ensure virus protections in its planes , in hopes of persuading people to resume flying once travel restrictions are lifted .

PARIS (AP) - Air France-KLM lost 1.8 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in the first quarter, mostly just in a few weeks in March as travel restrictions grounded planes worldwide, and said Thursday that it will take several years to recover.
The partner airlines, which have already won billions of euros of bailout loans from the French and Dutch governments, forecast that the second quarter will be far worse, with traffic down 95%.
Air France-KLM predicted a slow resumption of activity over the summer, but estimated it would still be down 80% in the third quarter compared to previous years.
In a statement, the company forecast a “prolonged negative impact on passenger demand, not expected to recover to pre-crisis levels before several years.”
Air France-KLM announced increased revenue in January and February, but then a big drop in March as countries closed borders and confined much of the world’s population.
It reported 5 billion euros in revenue over the quarter, down 15% from 2019. Profit for the quarter was down 1.8 billion euros compared to a 324 million euro loss in the first quarter of 2019.
Like airlines around the world, Air France-KLM is working to ensure virus protections in its planes, in hopes of persuading people to resume flying once travel restrictions are lifted.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--German industrial production down 9.2% in March on virus

BERLIN ( AP ) - Industrial production in Germany , Europe ’ s biggest economy , dropped 9.2 % in March compared with the previous month as shutdowns around the continent and elsewhere started to bite , official data showed Thursday .
The figures reported by the Economy Ministry came a day after data showing that factory orders plunged 15.6 % in March - the month in which the coronavirus pandemic hit Europe .
Italy and then other countries began imposing sweeping restrictions on public life and businesses that month .
Germany started shutting down in mid-March .
Authorities never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop production in some areas - such as the automaking sector - and supply chains were disrupted .
Thursday ’ s figures showed a relatively modest 1.2 % decline in production in the first quarter compared with last year ’ s fourth quarter .
But the Economy Ministry cautioned that “ a significantly stronger slump in production ” can be expected for April .
Germany and many other European countries are now in the process of gradually loosening restrictions imposed in March , but the economic impact is expected to be deep .

BERLIN (AP) - Industrial production in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, dropped 9.2% in March compared with the previous month as shutdowns around the continent and elsewhere started to bite, official data showed Thursday.
The figures reported by the Economy Ministry came a day after data showing that factory orders plunged 15.6% in March - the month in which the coronavirus pandemic hit Europe. Italy and then other countries began imposing sweeping restrictions on public life and businesses that month.
Germany started shutting down in mid-March. Authorities never ordered factories closed, but companies did stop production in some areas - such as the automaking sector - and supply chains were disrupted.
Thursday’s figures showed a relatively modest 1.2% decline in production in the first quarter compared with last year’s fourth quarter. But the Economy Ministry cautioned that “a significantly stronger slump in production” can be expected for April.
Germany and many other European countries are now in the process of gradually loosening restrictions imposed in March, but the economic impact is expected to be deep.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--Police: Maryland man delayed call for help after man drowned

CROWNSVILLE , Md .
( AP ) - A Maryland man who allegedly delayed a call for help after a man drowned was charged a year following the man ’ s death .
The state ’ s Natural Resource Police , which originally dubbed George Jaeger ’ s May 2019 drowning an accident , said in charging documents Tuesday that Thomas James Coale Sr. neglected to immediately call for help after failing to get Jaeger out of Maryland ’ s South river .
Coale then traveled from the river to the Liberty Marina , where a video shows him sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an hour and neglecting to ask multiple people for help , the Capital Gazette reported .
After some time , he got into his vehicle , called 911 and said Jaeger , 76 , fell off the boat .
Jaeger , who had a weak pulse when Anne Arundel County firefighters pulled him from the river , died after being taken to a hospital , according to charging documents .
Coale , 54 , told police he and Jaeger were drinking alcohol before they got in the boat and that Jaeger was urinating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was too intoxicated to pull Jaeger out of the water .
Maryland Natural Resources police said Coale failed sobriety tests and made several statements taking the blame for Jaeger ’ s death during a hospital trip for a blood test .
He faces several charges , including manslaughter , by way of criminal summons .
It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf .

CROWNSVILLE, Md. (AP) - A Maryland man who allegedly delayed a call for help after a man drowned was charged a year following the man’s death.
The state’s Natural Resource Police, which originally dubbed George Jaeger’s May 2019 drowning an accident, said in charging documents Tuesday that Thomas James Coale Sr. neglected to immediately call for help after failing to get Jaeger out of Maryland’s South river.
Coale then traveled from the river to the Liberty Marina, where a video shows him sitting in his boat for more than half an hour and neglecting to ask multiple people for help, the Capital Gazette reported. After some time, he got into his vehicle, called 911 and said Jaeger, 76, fell off the boat.
Jaeger, who had a weak pulse when Anne Arundel County firefighters pulled him from the river, died after being taken to a hospital, according to charging documents.
Coale, 54, told police he and Jaeger were drinking alcohol before they got in the boat and that Jaeger was urinating before he fell. He allegedly added that he was too intoxicated to pull Jaeger out of the water.
Maryland Natural Resources police said Coale failed sobriety tests and made several statements taking the blame for Jaeger’s death during a hospital trip for a blood test.
He faces several charges, including manslaughter, by way of criminal summons. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.


washingtontimes--2020-05-07--California father suspected of throwing daughter from cliff

INDIAN WELLS , Calif. ( AP ) - A Southern California father suspected in a stabbing later grabbed his 1-year-old daughter after a car crash and flung her off a cliff before he was captured , authorities said Thursday .
Adam Slater , 49 , of Palm Desert was taken to a hospital and will be booked on suspicion of murder after he is released , according to a statement from the Riverside County Sheriff ’ s Department .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf .
The killing was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The investigation began early Thursday when deputies received a report of a stabbing at a church parking lot in Indian Wells .
Deputies found an injured woman , who was taken to a hospital in stable condition , according to the Sheriff ’ s Department .
Chris Grome told KESQ-TV that the victim is his niece , Ashley Grome , 23 , who was married to Slater and is 6 months pregnant with their second child .
“ He attacked her and tried to stab her several times in the stomach and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ She fought him off and tried to protect herself.
” The attacker fled with the child in a car that later rolled over on Highway 74 south of Palm Desert , authorities said .
Bystanders stopped to help and the driver took back his daughter after stabbing a man who had removed her daughter from the car , authorities said .
“ Multiple witnesses saw the suspect take the child and throw her over a steep cliff into a ravine , ” the Sheriff ’ s Department release said .
Slater ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chase , the Sheriff ’ s Department said .
The child died at the scene .
The man who was stabbed sought his own medical treatment , authorities said .

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) - A Southern California father suspected in a stabbing later grabbed his 1-year-old daughter after a car crash and flung her off a cliff before he was captured, authorities said Thursday.
Adam Slater, 49, of Palm Desert was taken to a hospital and will be booked on suspicion of murder after he is released, according to a statement from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. It wasn’t immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
The killing was being called the result of domestic violence.
The investigation began early Thursday when deputies received a report of a stabbing at a church parking lot in Indian Wells. Deputies found an injured woman, who was taken to a hospital in stable condition, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Chris Grome told KESQ-TV that the victim is his niece, Ashley Grome, 23, who was married to Slater and is 6 months pregnant with their second child.
“He attacked her and tried to stab her several times in the stomach and the throat,” Grome said. “She fought him off and tried to protect herself.”
The attacker fled with the child in a car that later rolled over on Highway 74 south of Palm Desert, authorities said. Bystanders stopped to help and the driver took back his daughter after stabbing a man who had removed her daughter from the car, authorities said.
“Multiple witnesses saw the suspect take the child and throw her over a steep cliff into a ravine,” the Sheriff’s Department release said.
Slater ran into a canyon and was captured after a chase, the Sheriff’s Department said.
The child died at the scene. The man who was stabbed sought his own medical treatment, authorities said.