Recent Missouri editorials

We agree with Gov .
Mike Parson and the Missouri Legislature ’ s attempts to plug federal aid into the state budget to fight a pandemic that ’ s spinning out of control .
The amount of money being added , $ 1.2 billion , isn ’ t too little .
But is it too late ?
Last Wednesday , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Missouri broke a “ litany of records on Tuesday for COVID-19 cases , hospitalizations and deaths.
” Hospitalizations have more than doubled since July to more than 2,000 patients .
As of this writing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
Of the $ 1.2 billion being budgeted , the vast majority is coming from the federal Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security Act and must be spent by Dec. 30 .
About $ 12 million will come from the state ’ s general revenue fund .
The biggest chunk of the funding , about $ 140 million , will go to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to ramp up testing and contact tracing , reporting and other related expenses .
Much of the rest will go toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the relief package is that the federal government is giving us - and other states - money it doesn ’ t have .
So what ’ s another $ 1 billion or so when the country ’ s debt already tops $ 26 trillion ?
The late U.S. Sen. Everett McKinley reportedly cautioned federal spending had a way of getting out of control , saying , “ A billion here , a billion there , and pretty soon you ’ re talking real money.
” That was before he died in 1969 when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( it was roughly one-third of a trillion ) .
These are unprecedented times , with little questioning about unprecedented spending .
No doubt , the money will help .
But if the federal aid was forthcoming earlier , why are we waiting until now ?
Some experts have predicted the worst is yet to come this winter , but the virus will start to dissipate early in 2021 .
So , while much good still can be done with the money , it seems to us the biggest bang for the buck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further ramp up testing and contact tracing earlier .
Perhaps we wouldn ’ t be in the dire straits we ’ re in now .
So let ’ s put the money to good use , and do so quickly .
How odd that some of the biggest “ Back the Blue ” supporters pay no attention at all to police when it comes to a subject they happen to know a lot about : guns .
Somehow , the same people who like to say that “ Blue Lives Matter ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement had more resources also tend to disregard everything police have to say about keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers .
A new Star investigation into gun violence , and specifically domestic violence , details how fatally that scourge plays out in Springfield , Missouri , the 11th most violent city in the country .
Springfield is also the domestic violence capital of a state that ’ s second only to Alaska for its per-capita rate of men killing women .
And women whose abusers have access to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be murdered .
Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams , who is highly focused on and forward thinking in his approach to intimate partner violence , sees a direct link between the spike in all kinds of violence and the relaxation of gun laws in Missouri in recent years .
In 2016 , as president of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association , he and the association he headed strongly opposed the passage of the Missouri law that tossed out the concealed carry permitting requirement .
“ We had something that worked really well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and danger of a firearm .
We should do safety training and background checks , ” Williams told The Star .
As he said in an interview with The Star Editorial Board , “ We had a really good concealed carry statute , and we did away with that .
And we ’ ve seen a proliferation ” of all kinds of violent crime in the years since “ that ’ s somewhat tied to that .
What I ’ ve seen is people turn to using a firearm to settle problems ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed .
His police organization “ fought that long and hard , but I don ’ t see us going back.
” Though Williams is probably right , there ’ s no reason that it has to be that way .
The only thing precluding commonsense curbs is political squeamishness about doing anything to limit gun ownership .
Asked about red flag laws that would take guns away from domestic abusers , Williams said , “ removing the possibility of a firearm from a domestic violence situation can have nothing but a positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parson was asked about red flag laws earlier this year , he said , “ The red flag laws , and whatever the definition of a red flag law is , I haven ’ t been supportive of that .
I don ’ t even know what the definition of that is , and I don ’ t think a lot of people know .
The bottom line , I ’ ve been pretty clear .
When it comes to law-abiding citizens , I ’ m going to protect the Second Amendment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens , though , even if they aren ’ t often prosecuted until the charge is homicide .
Protecting lives is important , too , isn ’ t it ?
As a Springfield police officer told Janice Thompson when she called to report yet another violation of her protective order , “ Ma ’ am , until there ’ s a chalk outline around your body , we aren ’ t going to do anything.
” Which is ugly , but all too often accurate .
As that comment makes obvious , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even in places such as Springfield , where they ’ ve been teaching victim-focused , trauma-informed handling of domestic violence cases for years .
But police do know better than anyone other than victims themselves that lives would be saved by taking guns away from those with a history of domestic violence .
If more Missouri lawmakers and Gov .
Parson listened to them , they ’ d know that taking guns away from abusers is no threat to the Second Amendment .
As the pandemic worsens and coronavirus cases surge in Missouri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical professionals continue to fall on the deaf ears of Gov .
Mike Parson .
Like President Donald Trump , Parson continues to view the coronavirus through the prism of politics , discussing mask mandates in terms of liberty instead of the life-saving tools in a once-in-a-century global health crisis that they are .
“ The wolf is at the door , ” warned Herb Kuhn , president and chief executive of the Missouri Hospital Association , in a letter to Parson on Friday .
“ Missouri ’ s hospitals urge you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was echoing pleas from the head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force , Dr. Alex Garza , who was even more direct : “ We ’ re at war .
And right here , right now , the virus is winning.
” Poll after poll shows that the vast majority of Americans support a nationwide mask mandate .
It is only a vocal , mostly right-wing fringe element that stands in opposition , fueled by a lame-duck president who denies science as well as his own election loss .
To date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over science and has denied the requests of doctors and hospital administrators , leaving Missouri ’ s mayors and county executives to fill the leadership void and take the political blowback that Parson is avoiding .
The state requires citizens to do any number of things for the common good , from wearing seat belts and having car insurance to abiding by posted speed limits .
This ill-timed philosophical debate over the perceived authoritarianism of mask mandates has real-life ramifications .
Hospitals are filling up .
Medical staffs are overwhelmed .
Elective surgeries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start dying at higher rates .
Unnecessarily .
The “ personal responsibility ” political shield Parson has hid behind is the governor ’ s way of running from his own responsibility .
With Thanksgiving just days away , thousands of unknowingly infected Missourians will sit down , unmasked , with close family members .
Health professionals are bracing for the disaster that will follow , which is why they are begging Parson to show leadership before it ’ s too late .
Masks alone aren ’ t a cure-all .
But political resistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of the reasons America leads the world in coronavirus cases and deaths .
The nation ’ s physical and economic health depend on leadership at the state and national levels .
Parson must not wait until it ’ s too late , and the numbers no longer allow him to deny the science .
He must not wait until local leaders have no choice but to close more businesses and schools to ease the load on overwhelmed hospitals and cause even more economic harm .
Parson can swallow his pride and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can demonstrate the political courage to do what is right in order to save lives and the economy .
History will judge whether he embraced his personal responsibility as governor or ran from it .

Jefferson City News-Tribune, Nov. 15
We agree with Gov. Mike Parson and the Missouri Legislature’s attempts to plug federal aid into the state budget to fight a pandemic that’s spinning out of control.
The amount of money being added, $1.2 billion, isn’t too little. But is it too late?
Last Wednesday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Missouri broke a “litany of records on Tuesday for COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.”
Hospitalizations have more than doubled since July to more than 2,000 patients. As of this writing, the state has seen more than 3,300 deaths.
Of the $1.2 billion being budgeted, the vast majority is coming from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and must be spent by Dec. 30. About $12 million will come from the state’s general revenue fund.
The biggest chunk of the funding, about $140 million, will go to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to ramp up testing and contact tracing, reporting and other related expenses.
Much of the rest will go toward social welfare programs.
One problem with the relief package is that the federal government is giving us - and other states - money it doesn’t have.
So what’s another $1 billion or so when the country’s debt already tops $26 trillion?
The late U.S. Sen. Everett McKinley reportedly cautioned federal spending had a way of getting out of control, saying, “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.”
That was before he died in 1969 when the federal debt was measured in billions (it was roughly one-third of a trillion).
These are unprecedented times, with little questioning about unprecedented spending.
No doubt, the money will help. But if the federal aid was forthcoming earlier, why are we waiting until now?
Some experts have predicted the worst is yet to come this winter, but the virus will start to dissipate early in 2021.
So, while much good still can be done with the money, it seems to us the biggest bang for the buck would have been to use it to further ramp up testing and contact tracing earlier. Perhaps we wouldn’t be in the dire straits we’re in now.
So let’s put the money to good use, and do so quickly.
______
The Kansas City Star, Nov. 15
How odd that some of the biggest “Back the Blue” supporters pay no attention at all to police when it comes to a subject they happen to know a lot about: guns. Somehow, the same people who like to say that “Blue Lives Matter” and that violence would be curbed if only law enforcement had more resources also tend to disregard everything police have to say about keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.
A new Star investigation into gun violence, and specifically domestic violence, details how fatally that scourge plays out in Springfield, Missouri, the 11th most violent city in the country. Springfield is also the domestic violence capital of a state that’s second only to Alaska for its per-capita rate of men killing women. And women whose abusers have access to a gun are five times more likely to be murdered.
Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams, who is highly focused on and forward thinking in his approach to intimate partner violence, sees a direct link between the spike in all kinds of violence and the relaxation of gun laws in Missouri in recent years.
In 2016, as president of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association, he and the association he headed strongly opposed the passage of the Missouri law that tossed out the concealed carry permitting requirement. “We had something that worked really well, and responsible gun owners know the value and danger of a firearm. We should do safety training and background checks,” Williams told The Star.
As he said in an interview with The Star Editorial Board, “We had a really good concealed carry statute, and we did away with that. And we’ve seen a proliferation” of all kinds of violent crime in the years since “that’s somewhat tied to that. What I’ve seen is people turn to using a firearm to settle problems” a lot more automatically since the law changed. His police organization “fought that long and hard, but I don’t see us going back.”
Though Williams is probably right, there’s no reason that it has to be that way. The only thing precluding commonsense curbs is political squeamishness about doing anything to limit gun ownership. Asked about red flag laws that would take guns away from domestic abusers, Williams said, “removing the possibility of a firearm from a domestic violence situation can have nothing but a positive effect.”
When Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was asked about red flag laws earlier this year, he said, “The red flag laws, and whatever the definition of a red flag law is, I haven’t been supportive of that. I don’t even know what the definition of that is, and I don’t think a lot of people know. The bottom line, I’ve been pretty clear. When it comes to law-abiding citizens, I’m going to protect the Second Amendment. Period.”
Domestic abusers are not law-abiding citizens, though, even if they aren’t often prosecuted until the charge is homicide. Protecting lives is important, too, isn’t it?
As a Springfield police officer told Janice Thompson when she called to report yet another violation of her protective order, “Ma’am, until there’s a chalk outline around your body, we aren’t going to do anything.”
Which is ugly, but all too often accurate. As that comment makes obvious, more police training is needed, too, even in places such as Springfield, where they’ve been teaching victim-focused, trauma-informed handling of domestic violence cases for years.
But police do know better than anyone other than victims themselves that lives would be saved by taking guns away from those with a history of domestic violence. If more Missouri lawmakers and Gov. Parson listened to them, they’d know that taking guns away from abusers is no threat to the Second Amendment.
_____
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Nov. 16
As the pandemic worsens and coronavirus cases surge in Missouri, pleas from overworked and increasingly overwhelmed medical professionals continue to fall on the deaf ears of Gov. Mike Parson. Like President Donald Trump, Parson continues to view the coronavirus through the prism of politics, discussing mask mandates in terms of liberty instead of the life-saving tools in a once-in-a-century global health crisis that they are.
“The wolf is at the door,” warned Herb Kuhn, president and chief executive of the Missouri Hospital Association, in a letter to Parson on Friday. “Missouri’s hospitals urge you to issue a statewide masking mandate.”
Kuhn was echoing pleas from the head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, Dr. Alex Garza, who was even more direct: “We’re at war. And right here, right now, the virus is winning.”
Poll after poll shows that the vast majority of Americans support a nationwide mask mandate. It is only a vocal, mostly right-wing fringe element that stands in opposition, fueled by a lame-duck president who denies science as well as his own election loss. To date, Parson has sided with the fringe over science and has denied the requests of doctors and hospital administrators, leaving Missouri’s mayors and county executives to fill the leadership void and take the political blowback that Parson is avoiding.
The state requires citizens to do any number of things for the common good, from wearing seat belts and having car insurance to abiding by posted speed limits. This ill-timed philosophical debate over the perceived authoritarianism of mask mandates has real-life ramifications. Hospitals are filling up. Medical staffs are overwhelmed. Elective surgeries are being postponed. And people will start dying at higher rates. Unnecessarily.
The “personal responsibility” political shield Parson has hid behind is the governor’s way of running from his own responsibility. With Thanksgiving just days away, thousands of unknowingly infected Missourians will sit down, unmasked, with close family members. Health professionals are bracing for the disaster that will follow, which is why they are begging Parson to show leadership before it’s too late.
Masks alone aren’t a cure-all. But political resistance to even this most simple of solutions is one of the reasons America leads the world in coronavirus cases and deaths.
The nation’s physical and economic health depend on leadership at the state and national levels. Parson must not wait until it’s too late, and the numbers no longer allow him to deny the science. He must not wait until local leaders have no choice but to close more businesses and schools to ease the load on overwhelmed hospitals and cause even more economic harm.
Parson can swallow his pride and listen to the medical professionals. He can demonstrate the political courage to do what is right in order to save lives and the economy. History will judge whether he embraced his personal responsibility as governor or ran from it.


Recent Kansas editorials

If you ’ re upset about Wichita-area school districts postponing a return to in-person classes or moving students back online , ask yourself this : What are you doing to curb the spread of COVID-19 ?
Are you : a ) Heeding the Centers for Disease Control ’ s suggestions - avoiding travel , forgoing large gatherings , limiting interactions outside your household , self-isolating if you ’ ve been exposed , staying home if you ’ re sick , and wearing a mask when you ’ re out and about ?
In Sedgwick County , too many are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agonized this week before finally voting 5-2 to keep secondary students learning remotely for the rest of the semester - a decision that ’ s sure to have a profound impact on children , families and the community .
Sadly , they didn ’ t really have a choice .
As the county ’ s positive test rate for COVID-19 hits record levels - Wednesday ’ s figure was 22.7 % - area hospitals are full , and health officials are sounding an alarm .
Dr. Garold Minns , the county ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tightening restrictions , including limits on mass gatherings and an earlier curfew for bars , nightclubs and restaurants .
All indicators , Minns said , are pointing in the wrong direction .
None of that will make a difference if residents don ’ t change their behavior .
“ If we want to get control of this , ” Minns said , “ we ’ re going to have to have better compliance.
” The very word - compliance - will no doubt send some opponents through the roof .
They ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refusing to acknowledge the generations of Americans who made sacrifices for the common good .
During World War II , the U.S. government created a rationing system for supplies such as gasoline , meat , butter and sugar .
During the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 , many cities mandated face masks , and with few exceptions , people obliged .
But here we are in 2020 , griping about take-out .
Several Wichita-area restaurants and other businesses are closing temporarily or adjusting their hours in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ernestine Krehbiel said she wished more students could go back to in-person classes , but the numbers are too high and the risk too great .
“ I wish the public would get smart , ” she said .
It ’ s smart to cover your mouth and nose whenever you ’ re out in public .
New findings from the CDC this week show that wearing a mask protects you , not just those around you .
But more than that , following public health safety guidelines is the right thing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thoughtful and generous .
It shows you care about the people around you .
It shows you ’ re thinking of the greater good .
It shows you ’ re an adult who ’ s not afraid to act like one .
There ’ s some mixed signals coming from our newly elected national delegation .
Sen.-elect Roger Marshall claimed victory over Barbara Bollier on Nov. 3 .
On Nov. 4 , his Facebook page thanked those who voted .
On Nov. 6 , the Republican was rallying against election fraud .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And it should not be hard.
, ” he wrote .
“ Transparency should not be hard .
Doing those two things at the same time should not be hard .
And it ’ s necessary in earning the American people ’ s trust.
” Tracey Mann , the congressman-elect for Kansas ’ 1st district and a fellow Republican , also claimed victory on Nov. 3 .
He later echoed Marshall ’ s sentiment , also on Nov. 6 on Facebook , saying , “ Every legally cast vote needs to be counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be.
” Mann asked his constituents to consider donating to President Trump ’ s recount fund .
Both men are upset their party ’ s leader lost his bid for re-election .
Both men claim mass voter fraud in the election .
Both men claimed victory in their races .
So which is it ?
Were the elections rigged or fairly fought ?
You ’ re sending us mixed messages , and that ’ s not OK .
Both men were on the ballots alongside President Trump .
They happened to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clearly .
Election officials have made that abundantly clear .
It ’ s time Republicans admit this to be the reality of the situation .
The country can ’ t move forward unless we do .
It ’ s time we as a nation and we as Kansans reject this false narrative of “ Count every legal vote.
” This is beyond political sour grapes .
It hurts the rightful transition of power and undermines our democracy .
Frankly we ’ re embarrassed that two members of the Kansas delegation would be so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another Kansan , Mike Pompeo , the current U.S. secretary of state is making similar claims .
It should be noted that neither Ron Estes nor Sharice Davids made such claims of widespread voter fraud on their social media channels .
Kansas is known for being a state of common sense .
Kansans pride ourselves on our ability to tell it like it is .
Marshall , Mann and Pompeo aren ’ t doing that .
They ’ re spreading disinformation and hurting civil discourse by their actions .
It ’ s unbecoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kansans deserve better .
We know that losing can be hard .
We know that our current president has a penchant for breaking with tradition , but we in Kansas believe in plain talk .
So if Marshall and Mann choose to claim victory in their elections , we think it ’ s only fair they keep their comments about voter fraud to themselves .
You just look bad otherwise .
Marshall and Mann , for the love of all things Kansas , either respect the outcome and the democratic process or keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open letter to Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts .
We ’ re writing today to appeal to your sense of patriotism , and to ask you to take a step forward at an important moment for the country , your party , and your legacy .
You have both been great public servants , and we in the Manhattan area thank you for that .
You have always looked out for our interest , and what you defined as the interests of the country .
Sen. Roberts , as you get ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our cap to you for all you ’ ve done for us , including the crucial support for Fort Riley and the locating of NBAF here .
We ’ ll have more to say on all that later .
Today , though , we want to ask both of you to begin to lead your political party - and our country - away from a dangerous path .
As you know , Donald Trump has claimed that the election we just concluded was fraudulent and that it was stolen from him .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the White House , the people ’ s house , the seat of executive power in our country .
He also of course has said it repeatedly on Twitter .
He has continued to say it , in many different ways , lacking any evidence , and despite a great deal of evidence to the contrary .
He ’ s making it up .
Those allegations are destructive , because - as you know - faith in the system is really the key to the whole thing .
Without that , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ republic or an East Bloc dictatorship .
It ’ s just all about power .
We note that your colleagues , Roger Marshall and Tracy Mann , have donated campaign money to a fund to help Mr. Trump in his efforts to overturn the election .
They may characterize such donations as intended to investigate the claims , and provide transparency .
We of course support those principles .
But the donations have the appearance of siding with Donald Trump ’ s claims , and that ’ s the path of destruction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of political expediency , knowing that Mr. Trump carried this state , and that he remains the leader of the party .
As our state ’ s senior statesmen , you can illuminate a different path .
You can publicly support a more sober , moderate , professional direction , steering your party in this state away from the conspiracy theories pumped by the likes of Kris Kobach .
( As you well know , Mr. Kobach did not survive politically , so that is the path of self-destruction , too .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump ’ s delusions .
You can specifically take a stand against his unsubstantiated allegations .
We know you are loyal Republicans , and taking such a stand against the leader of your party is difficult .
But this is the moment to face the difficulty and do the right thing .
It ’ s in the country ’ s best interest , and , as we suspect you already know , it ’ s in your party ’ s best interest , too .

The Wichita Eagle, Nov. 12
If you’re upset about Wichita-area school districts postponing a return to in-person classes or moving students back online, ask yourself this:
What are you doing to curb the spread of COVID-19? Are you:
a) Heeding the Centers for Disease Control’s suggestions - avoiding travel, forgoing large gatherings, limiting interactions outside your household, self-isolating if you’ve been exposed, staying home if you’re sick, and wearing a mask when you’re out and about?
Or, b) Screaming hogwash, hokum, or hoax?
In Sedgwick County, too many are going with Option B.
Wichita school district leaders agonized this week before finally voting 5-2 to keep secondary students learning remotely for the rest of the semester - a decision that’s sure to have a profound impact on children, families and the community.
Sadly, they didn’t really have a choice.
As the county’s positive test rate for COVID-19 hits record levels - Wednesday’s figure was 22.7% - area hospitals are full, and health officials are sounding an alarm.
Dr. Garold Minns, the county’s health officer, issued a new order tightening restrictions, including limits on mass gatherings and an earlier curfew for bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
All indicators, Minns said, are pointing in the wrong direction.
And yet.
None of that will make a difference if residents don’t change their behavior.
“If we want to get control of this,” Minns said, “we’re going to have to have better compliance.”
The very word - compliance - will no doubt send some opponents through the roof. They’ll squawk about liberty and personal freedom, refusing to acknowledge the generations of Americans who made sacrifices for the common good.
During World War II, the U.S. government created a rationing system for supplies such as gasoline, meat, butter and sugar. During the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, many cities mandated face masks, and with few exceptions, people obliged.
But here we are in 2020, griping about take-out.
Several Wichita-area restaurants and other businesses are closing temporarily or adjusting their hours in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, Wichita school board member Ernestine Krehbiel said she wished more students could go back to in-person classes, but the numbers are too high and the risk too great.
“I wish the public would get smart,” she said.
It’s smart to cover your mouth and nose whenever you’re out in public. New findings from the CDC this week show that wearing a mask protects you, not just those around you.
But more than that, following public health safety guidelines is the right thing to do because it’s kind, thoughtful and generous. It shows you care about the people around you. It shows you’re thinking of the greater good.
It shows you’re an adult who’s not afraid to act like one.
____
The Topeka Capital-Journal, Nov. 16
There’s some mixed signals coming from our newly elected national delegation.
Sen.-elect Roger Marshall claimed victory over Barbara Bollier on Nov. 3. On Nov. 4, his Facebook page thanked those who voted. On Nov. 6, the Republican was rallying against election fraud.
“Every LEGAL vote should be counted. And it should not be hard.,” he wrote. “Transparency should not be hard. Doing those two things at the same time should not be hard. And it’s necessary in earning the American people’s trust.”
Tracey Mann, the congressman-elect for Kansas’ 1st district and a fellow Republican, also claimed victory on Nov. 3. He later echoed Marshall’s sentiment, also on Nov. 6 on Facebook, saying, “Every legally cast vote needs to be counted and not a single illegally cast vote should be.” Mann asked his constituents to consider donating to President Trump’s recount fund.
Both men are upset their party’s leader lost his bid for re-election. Both men claim mass voter fraud in the election. Both men claimed victory in their races.
So which is it? Were the elections rigged or fairly fought? You’re sending us mixed messages, and that’s not OK. Both men were on the ballots alongside President Trump. They happened to win, but Trump has clearly lost. Clearly. Election officials have made that abundantly clear.
It’s time Republicans admit this to be the reality of the situation. The country can’t move forward unless we do. It’s time we as a nation and we as Kansans reject this false narrative of “Count every legal vote.”
This is beyond political sour grapes. It hurts the rightful transition of power and undermines our democracy.
Frankly we’re embarrassed that two members of the Kansas delegation would be so brazen. To make matters worse, another Kansan, Mike Pompeo, the current U.S. secretary of state is making similar claims.
It should be noted that neither Ron Estes nor Sharice Davids made such claims of widespread voter fraud on their social media channels.
Kansas is known for being a state of common sense. Kansans pride ourselves on our ability to tell it like it is. Marshall, Mann and Pompeo aren’t doing that. They’re spreading disinformation and hurting civil discourse by their actions. It’s unbecoming of their respective offices. We as Kansans deserve better.
We know that losing can be hard. We know that our current president has a penchant for breaking with tradition, but we in Kansas believe in plain talk.
So if Marshall and Mann choose to claim victory in their elections, we think it’s only fair they keep their comments about voter fraud to themselves. You just look bad otherwise.
Marshall and Mann, for the love of all things Kansas, either respect the outcome and the democratic process or keep it to yourself.
______
The Manhattan Mercury, Nov. 14
This is an open letter to Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts.
Dear Sirs:
We’re writing today to appeal to your sense of patriotism, and to ask you to take a step forward at an important moment for the country, your party, and your legacy.
You have both been great public servants, and we in the Manhattan area thank you for that. You have always looked out for our interest, and what you defined as the interests of the country. Sen. Roberts, as you get ready to retire, we particularly want to tip our cap to you for all you’ve done for us, including the crucial support for Fort Riley and the locating of NBAF here. We’ll have more to say on all that later.
Today, though, we want to ask both of you to begin to lead your political party - and our country - away from a dangerous path.
As you know, Donald Trump has claimed that the election we just concluded was fraudulent and that it was stolen from him. He said this while standing at a podium in the White House, the people’s house, the seat of executive power in our country. He also of course has said it repeatedly on Twitter. He has continued to say it, in many different ways, lacking any evidence, and despite a great deal of evidence to the contrary. He’s making it up.
Those allegations are destructive, because - as you know - faith in the system is really the key to the whole thing. Without that, we’re no different than a banana republic or an East Bloc dictatorship. It’s just all about power.
We note that your colleagues, Roger Marshall and Tracy Mann, have donated campaign money to a fund to help Mr. Trump in his efforts to overturn the election. They may characterize such donations as intended to investigate the claims, and provide transparency. We of course support those principles.
But the donations have the appearance of siding with Donald Trump’s claims, and that’s the path of destruction. We presume that they made those donations out of political expediency, knowing that Mr. Trump carried this state, and that he remains the leader of the party.
As our state’s senior statesmen, you can illuminate a different path. You can publicly support a more sober, moderate, professional direction, steering your party in this state away from the conspiracy theories pumped by the likes of Kris Kobach. (As you well know, Mr. Kobach did not survive politically, so that is the path of self-destruction, too.)
You can repudiate - directly - Donald Trump’s delusions. You can specifically take a stand against his unsubstantiated allegations.
We know you are loyal Republicans, and taking such a stand against the leader of your party is difficult. But this is the moment to face the difficulty and do the right thing. It’s in the country’s best interest, and, as we suspect you already know, it’s in your party’s best interest, too.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Give us a week: Businesses urge clarity on England lockdown

LONDON ( AP ) - Business leaders urged the British government on Tuesday to give them at least a week ’ s notice over what restrictions they will face when the lockdown in England expires in early December .
With the four-week lockdown due to end on Dec. 2 , businesses forced to shut during November are hoping they will be able to reopen to salvage something of what is for many the most important trading period of the year .
Under the terms of the lockdown in England , the country ’ s hospitality sector , such as pubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , swimming pools and entertainment venues have had to close .
Stores selling items deemed to be nonessential , such as books , clothing and sneakers , have also had to close though they can provide takeaway and online services .
The government has said it intends to revert to a localized approach when the lockdown ends , with areas still recording the most coronavirus infections facing the toughest restrictions .
However , it has been reluctant to say what restrictions will be in place for any particular area .
Health Secretary Matt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s too early to say exactly ” what will happen on Dec. 3 .
Before the national lockdown started in England on Nov. 5 , there were three tiers of restrictions .
The highest level included the closure of pubs that don ’ t serve “ main meals.
” There ’ s growing speculation that another level of tighter restrictions will be introduced that potentially keeps more sectors of the economy closed .
Ralph Findlay , chief executive of the Marston ’ s brewery , bemoaned a lack of communication from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months as restrictions were tightened again , and urged it to not make the same mistakes now in the run-up to the lockdown ’ s end .
“ I don ’ t know what restrictions at this point I ’ ll be working to , ” he told lawmakers on the Business , Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee .
“ We need at least a week in order to plan what tier we are going into , ” said Findlay , whose company operates 1,300 pubs in England .
Like other parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.K. have reimposed varying degrees of restrictions following a resurgence of the virus .
There are some signs they are effective .
However , the number of virus-related hospitalizations and deaths are set to continue to rise as there is a lag between someone falling ill and requiring health care .
The U.K. has Europe ’ s highest official virus-related death toll at 52,147 .
Helen Dickinson , chief executive of the British Retail Consortium , said the social and economic impact of the latest lockdown has been “ severe ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The most important thing is that we have real clarity that that reopening goes ahead as planned , ” she said .
So far this year , she said 13,800 stores have had to close and that number will rise sharply if businesses can ’ t open for Christmas , not least because the online and logistics capacity of most retailers is “ close to capacity.
” Kate Nicholls , the chief executive for the UKHospitality lobby group , also noted that businesses in the sector are “ far less resilient ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring lockdown because many have already depleted their cash reserves .
She said that the sector has already shed 660,000 jobs this year and is now back in “ intensive care ” as it misses out on revenues during the “ golden quarter ” between Halloween and New Year ’ s Eve .

LONDON (AP) - Business leaders urged the British government on Tuesday to give them at least a week’s notice over what restrictions they will face when the lockdown in England expires in early December.
With the four-week lockdown due to end on Dec. 2, businesses forced to shut during November are hoping they will be able to reopen to salvage something of what is for many the most important trading period of the year.
Under the lockdown in England, the hospitality sector, such as pubs, restaurants, and entertainment venues, have had to close. Stores selling items deemed nonessential, such as books, clothing and sneakers, have also had to close, though they can provide online services.
The government has said it intends to revert to a localized approach when the lockdown ends, with areas still recording the most coronavirus infections facing the toughest restrictions. However, it has been reluctant to say what restrictions will be in place for any particular area.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told lawmakers on Tuesday that “it’s too early to say exactly” what will happen on Dec. 3.
Before the national lockdown started in England on Nov. 5, there were three tiers of restrictions. There’s growing speculation that another level of tighter restrictions will be introduced that potentially keeps more sectors closed.
Ralph Findlay, CEO of the Marston’s, the brewery which operates 1,300 pubs in England, bemoaned a lack of communication from the government, and urged it to not make the same mistakes in the run-up to the lockdown’s end.
“I don’t know what restrictions at this point I’ll be working to,” he told lawmakers on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee. “We need at least a week in order to plan what tier we are going into.”
Like other parts of Europe, the four nations of the U.K. have reimposed varying degrees of restrictions following a resurgence of the virus.
Scotland, which has retained a localized approach, went further Tuesday with the news that 11 of its 32 local authorities, including Glasgow, will be placed into its highest tier of coronavirus restrictions. The restrictions are set to run from Friday until Dec. 11.
“The infection rate in all of these areas remains stubbornly and worryingly high,” First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told Scottish lawmakers.
There are some signs that the restrictions in England are working. However, the number of virus-related hospitalizations and deaths are set to continue to rise as there is a lag between someone falling ill and requiring health care. The U.K. has Europe’s highest official virus-related death toll at over 52,000.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said the social and economic impact of the latest England lockdown has been “severe” and that many firms face going bust.
“The most important thing is that we have real clarity that that reopening goes ahead as planned,” she said.
So far this year, she said 13,800 stores have had to close and that number will rise sharply if businesses can’t open for Christmas, not least because the online and logistics capacity of most retailers is “close to capacity.”
Kate Nicholls, the chief executive for the UKHospitality lobby group, also noted that businesses in the sector are “far less resilient” now than they were going into the spring lockdown because many have already depleted their cash reserves.
She said that the sector has already shed 660,000 jobs this year and is now back in “intensive care” as it misses out on revenues during the “golden quarter” between Halloween and New Year’s Eve.
___
Follow AP’s coronavirus pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Cases in Bismarck shooting transferred to federal court

BISMARCK , N.D. ( AP ) - The cases against two Minnesota brothers accused in a shooting in Bismarck have @ @ @ @ @ .
Javaar Watkins , 20 , was charged with attempted murder and Tee Anthony Watkins @ @ @ @ @ as an accomplice to attempted murder , court records show .
Both men , from @ @ @ @ @ unlawful possession of a firearm .
Court documents show the state charges against the two @ @ @ @ @ County State ’ s Attorney Julie Lawyer said both men have now been indicted in @ @ @ @ @ brothers were charged after a man suffered gunshot wounds to his head , back and @ @ @ @ @ Bismarck Sept. 27 , the Bismarck Tribune reported .
According to police , the brothers @ @ @ @ @ s apartment to retrieve a cellphone that had been picked up during an altercation in @ @ @ @ @ Bismarck bar earlier that night .

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The cases against two Minnesota brothers accused in a shooting in Bismarck have been transferred to federal court.
Javaar Watkins, 20, was charged with attempted murder and Tee Anthony Watkins, 28, was charged as an accomplice to attempted murder, court records show. Both men, from Rochester, were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
Court documents show the state charges against the two have been dismissed. Burleigh County State’s Attorney Julie Lawyer said both men have now been indicted in U.S. District Court.
The brothers were charged after a man suffered gunshot wounds to his head, back and hand at an apartment in Bismarck Sept. 27, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
According to police, the brothers went to the man’s apartment to retrieve a cellphone that had been picked up during an altercation in the parking lot of a Bismarck bar earlier that night.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Crews searching wooded area for missing Tennessee boy

ASHLAND CITY , Tenn. ( AP ) - A search continued Tuesday for a Tennessee boy who disappeared into a @ @ @ @ @ home two days ago , authorities said .
Officials initially issued an endangered child alert @ @ @ @ @ , was reported missing in Cheatham County , but upgraded it to an Amber alert @ @ @ @ @ continued through Monday night and the ground search resumed Tuesday morning when light broke , @ @ @ @ @ Josh DeVine told news outlets .
TBI officials said they are concerned about the boy @ @ @ @ @ temperatures Sunday and Monday nights .
The boy was last seen walking into the woods @ @ @ @ @ jeans and a short-sleeve T-shirt , officials said .

ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee boy who disappeared into a heavily wooded area near his home two days ago was found safe Tuesday, authorities said.
The boy, 9-year-old Jordan Gorman, was found at a creek bed about three-quarters of a mile from his home, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday on Twitter. The boy told investigators he found a blue tarp and built a shelter, where rescuers found him.
The TBI said he was cold and hungry, but in good spirits.
Officials initially had issued an endangered child alert when Jordan was reported missing Sunday in Cheatham County, but they upgraded it to an Amber Alert on Monday.
An air search continued through Monday night and the ground search resumed Tuesday morning when light broke, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine told news outlets.
TBI officials had said they were concerned about the boy’s health given cold temperatures Sunday and Monday nights.
The boy had been last seen walking into the woods by his Joelton-area home wearing jeans and a short-sleeved T-shirt, officials said.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Woman who struck 5 with car, killed 1, sentenced in Virginia

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) - A woman in Virginia has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for driving her car into a crowd outside a nightclub in Virginia , killing a woman and injuring several other people .
Shiauna M. Harris pleaded guilty earlier this year to the fatal June 2019 crash that killed Shanice Woodberry , the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported .
But at her sentencing on Monday , she still insisted that she fled the scene not knowing whether she hit anyone that night .
Prosecutors said the trouble began when a fight broke out in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood in Richmond , and spilled into the street outside .
Woodberry , 22 , was not involved in the fight and didn ’ t know Harris .
She had been standing outside the lounge when Harris plowed into the crowd with a car and killed her , the newspaper reported .
Prosecutors played videos from the scene during the sentencing that show Harris turning around the car and accelerating before hitting two women , in addition to Woodberry .
One of them spent several days in a coma and suffered a brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also injured , and another woman was touched by the vehicle .
Harris pleaded guilty to second-degree murder , felony hit-and-run and two counts of malicious wounding earlier this year .
But she told Richmond Circuit Court Judge Beverly W. Snukals on Monday that she had fled in fear after someone threatened to shoot her on the street , and didn ’ t know as she fled that she hit anybody .
Prosecutor Christine Cestaro disputed those claims .
She said Harris stopped in front of the lounge when she turned around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 20 seconds .
“ That doesn ’ t sound like someone fleeing in fear , but someone driven by rage , ” Cestaro said .
Harris apologized to Woodberry ’ s family during the sentencing .
“ I ’ m very sorry , ” she said .
“ I didn ’ t mean to take your daughter from you .
I didn ’ t mean to change your whole lives .
It has affected mine .
”

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A woman in Virginia has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for driving her car into a crowd outside a nightclub in Virginia, killing a woman and injuring several other people.
Shiauna M. Harris pleaded guilty earlier this year to the fatal June 2019 crash that killed Shanice Woodberry, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. But at her sentencing on Monday, she still insisted that she fled the scene not knowing whether she hit anyone that night.
Prosecutors said the trouble began when a fight broke out in a lounge in Shockoe Bottom, a neighborhood in Richmond, and spilled into the street outside.
Woodberry, 22, was not involved in the fight and didn’t know Harris. She had been standing outside the lounge when Harris plowed into the crowd with a car and killed her, the newspaper reported.
Prosecutors played videos from the scene during the sentencing that show Harris turning around the car and accelerating before hitting two women, in addition to Woodberry. One of them spent several days in a coma and suffered a brain injury, authorities said. A man was also injured, and another woman was touched by the vehicle.
Harris pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, felony hit-and-run and two counts of malicious wounding earlier this year. But she told Richmond Circuit Court Judge Beverly W. Snukals on Monday that she had fled in fear after someone threatened to shoot her on the street, and didn’t know as she fled that she hit anybody.
Prosecutor Christine Cestaro disputed those claims. She said Harris stopped in front of the lounge when she turned around her car and exited the vehicle for about 20 seconds.
“That doesn’t sound like someone fleeing in fear, but someone driven by rage,” Cestaro said.
Harris apologized to Woodberry’s family during the sentencing.
“I’m very sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to take your daughter from you. I didn’t mean to change your whole lives. It has affected mine.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--About 20 COVID cases discovered at Delaware's largest prison

SMYRNA , Del .
( AP ) - About 20 inmates at Delaware ’ s largest prison have tested positive @ @ @ @ @ cases were discovered at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna after rapid tests were @ @ @ @ @ Friday , the state ’ s Department of Correction said Monday in a news release @ @ @ @ @ tested positive were transferred to the prison ’ s COVID-19 treatment center , the release @ @ @ @ @ Miller previously told The Delaware News Journal that inmates who show symptoms of the virus @ @ @ @ @ and isolated .
There are currently 24 COVID-19 cases among inmates in Delaware , and @ @ @ @ @ according to the department ’ s website .
About 590 inmates have tested positive since @ @ @ @ @ , and 11 have died from complications related to the virus .
The department stopped @ @ @ @ @ last week amid concerns about rising coronavirus cases .
They have also added daily temperature @ @ @ @ @ prisons , the release said .

SMYRNA, Del. (AP) - About 20 inmates at Delaware’s largest prison have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The cases were discovered at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna after rapid tests were administered at the prison since Friday, the state’s Department of Correction said Monday in a news release.
The 18 inmates who tested positive were transferred to the prison’s COVID-19 treatment center, the release said.
Department spokesperson Jason Miller previously told The Delaware News Journal that inmates who show symptoms of the virus and their cellmates are tested and isolated.
There are currently 24 COVID-19 cases among inmates in Delaware, and all are at Vaughn, according to the department’s website. About 590 inmates have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic, and 11 have died from complications related to the virus.
The department stopped in-person visitations at its facilities last week amid concerns about rising coronavirus cases. They have also added daily temperature and symptom checks at several prisons, the release said.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--U.S. Navy shoots down ICBM in 'defense of Hawaii' test

The U.S. military early Tuesday morning shot down an intercontinental ballistic missile over the Pacific Ocean in what officials called a “ defense of Hawaii scenario , ” demonstrating a new capability to counter potential attacks by North Korea , China or other actors in the increasingly tense Pacific theater .
The test — the first time American forces have shot down an ICBM with sea-based interceptors — was carried out by the Navy in conjunction with the Pentagon ’ s Missile Defense Agency .
Using a SM-3 Block IIA missile , sailors aboard the USS John Finn targeted an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islands .
The ICBM was headed “ toward the broad ocean area northeast of Hawaii ” when it was successfully shot down .
“ This was an incredible accomplishment and critical milestone for the Aegis BMD SM-3 Block IIA program , ” said Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill .
“ The department is investigating the possibility of augmenting the ground-based Midcourse Defense system by fielding additional sensors and weapon systems to hedge against unexpected developments in the missile threat.
” Tuesday ’ s test represents a key “ step in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of an architecture for layered defense of the homeland , ” he said .
“ My congratulations to the entire test team , including our military and industry partners , who helped us to achieve this milestone.
” Officials with Raytheon , the contractor that co-developed the SM-3 Block IIA missile defense interceptors , called the successful launch “ an unprecedented homeland defense test.
” “ This first-of-its-kind test shows that our nation has a viable option for a new layer of defense against long-range threats , ” said Bryan Rosselli , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raytheon Missiles and Defense .
Tuesday ’ s test comes just weeks after North Korea unveiled a massive new ICBM during a military parade .

The U.S. military early Tuesday morning shot down an intercontinental ballistic missile over the Pacific Ocean in what officials called a “defense of Hawaii scenario,” demonstrating a new capability to counter potential attacks by North Korea, China or other actors in the increasingly tense Pacific theater.
The test — the first time American forces have shot down an ICBM with sea-based interceptors — was carried out by the Navy in conjunction with the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency. Using a SM-3 Block IIA missile, sailors aboard the USS John Finn targeted an ICBM that was launched from the Marshall Islands.
The ICBM was headed “toward the broad ocean area northeast of Hawaii” when it was successfully shot down.
“This was an incredible accomplishment and critical milestone for the Aegis BMD SM-3 Block IIA program,” said Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill. “The department is investigating the possibility of augmenting the ground-based Midcourse Defense system by fielding additional sensors and weapon systems to hedge against unexpected developments in the missile threat.”
Tuesday’s test represents a key “step in the process of determining its feasibility as part of an architecture for layered defense of the homeland,” he said. “My congratulations to the entire test team, including our military and industry partners, who helped us to achieve this milestone.”
Officials with Raytheon, the contractor that co-developed the SM-3 Block IIA missile defense interceptors, called the successful launch “an unprecedented homeland defense test.”
“This first-of-its-kind test shows that our nation has a viable option for a new layer of defense against long-range threats,” said Bryan Rosselli, vice president of strategic missile defense at Raytheon Missiles and Defense.
Raytheon co-developed the SM-3 with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Tuesday’s test comes just weeks after North Korea unveiled a massive new ICBM during a military parade.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--St. Louis police say man shot to death in Hamilton Heights

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - A man was shot to death in St. Louis ’ Hamilton Heights neighborhood , @ @ @ @ @ shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. Monday along Montclair Avenue , police said .
Officials had @ @ @ @ @ s name by Tuesday morning .
The fatal shooting marked the city ’ s fourth @ @ @ @ @ St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported .
Police did not immediately offer details on what may have @ @ @ @ @ whether investigators have any suspects in the case .

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A man was shot to death in St. Louis’ Hamilton Heights neighborhood, police there said.
The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. Monday along Montclair Avenue, police said. Officials had not released the victim’s name by Tuesday morning.
The fatal shooting marked the city’s fourth homicide since Sunday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Police did not immediately offer details on what may have led to the shooting or whether investigators have any suspects in the case.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Ex-Cub Scout leader sentenced to life for child sex abuse

ST. CHARLES , Mo .
( AP ) - A former Cub Scout leader has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing five children over the past decade .
Matthew Baker , 51 , was sentenced Monday after he pleaded guilty to several counts of child molestation , statutory sodomy , witness tampering and exposing himself to a child , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported .
Baker admitted sexually abusing the five children , who were all under the age of 12 and included two of his relatives , at his home in O ’ Fallon , Missouri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witness tampering charges were brought earlier this year after police say he tried to arrange from jail to have someone attack two of the children to keep them from testifying against him .
Prosecutors said Baker also asked a fellow inmate to send a letter he had written to the parents of a 10-year-old victim , asking them to have their child recant the accusations of abuse .
Baker ’ s sentence came on the same day as the deadline for abuse survivors to submit claims against the Boy Scouts of America in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 90,000 sexual abuse claims have been filed in that case .
The 110-year-old organization filed for bankruptcy protection in February in the face of hundreds of lawsuits alleging decades-old sex abuse by Scout leaders .

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) - A former Cub Scout leader has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing five children over the past decade.
Matthew Baker, 51, was sentenced Monday after he pleaded guilty to several counts of child molestation, statutory sodomy, witness tampering and exposing himself to a child, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
Baker admitted sexually abusing the five children, who were all under the age of 12 and included two of his relatives, at his home in O’Fallon, Missouri, from 2010 to 2018. The witness tampering charges were brought earlier this year after police say he tried to arrange from jail to have someone attack two of the children to keep them from testifying against him.
Prosecutors said Baker also asked a fellow inmate to send a letter he had written to the parents of a 10-year-old victim, asking them to have their child recant the accusations of abuse.
Baker’s sentence came on the same day as the deadline for abuse survivors to submit claims against the Boy Scouts of America in the organization’s bankruptcy case. About 90,000 sexual abuse claims have been filed in that case. The 110-year-old organization filed for bankruptcy protection in February in the face of hundreds of lawsuits alleging decades-old sex abuse by Scout leaders.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Former Virginia speaker makes gubernatorial run official

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) - Former Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox is making his gubernatorial run official .
Cox announced Tuesday his run for governor in 2021 , saying he had the right background and approach to win in a state where no Republican has won a statewide race in more than a decade .
Cox was elected as speaker in 2018 , but he lost that role after Democrats won a majority in both the House and Senate last November .
He announced in August that he was seriously considering a run for governor , citing what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” created by Democrats .
In October , he filed a “ statement of organization ” to establish a campaign committee .
His formal announcement comes two weeks after Democratic President-elect Joe Biden defeated Republican President Donald Trump by huge margins in a state where a growing number of suburban voters has flocked to Democratic candidates in recent election cycles .
But Cox , a retired high school teacher , said in a Monday interview with The Associated Press there ’ s a strong chance swing voters will be unhappy with how Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking for an alternative .
He said he plans to run as a conservative , particularly on social issues like guns and abortion , but also as someone who can work with Democrats on kitchen-table issues in a respectful way .
“ I feel like that ’ s a winning way to be , ” Cox said .
Current Gov .
Ralph Northam , a Democrat , can not seek a second consecutive term under state law .
Cox has been highly critical of how Northam has handled the coronavirus , saying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s also blasted Democratic efforts at criminal justice and police reforms in the wake of the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis .
Cox has characterized some of the police reforms as “ anti-law enforcement.
” Cox has strong pro-business and anti-abortion credentials , but he also helped push through Medicaid expansion , which many conservatives opposed .
Firebrand conservative state Sen. Amanda Chase has announced she ’ s running for governor .
Northern Virginia businessman Pete Snyder may also run .
Republicans have not won a statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats , including former Gov .
Terry McAuliffe , either have announced they are running or have indicated they might .
Cox currently represents the 66th District in the House of Delegates , which includes Colonial Heights and parts of Chesterfield .

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox is making his gubernatorial run official.
Cox announced Tuesday his run for governor in 2021, saying he had the right background and approach to win in a state where no Republican has won a statewide race in more than a decade.
Cox was elected as speaker in 2018, but he lost that role after Democrats won a majority in both the House and Senate last November. He announced in August that he was seriously considering a run for governor, citing what he called a “vacuum of leadership” created by Democrats. In October, he filed a “statement of organization” to establish a campaign committee.
His formal announcement comes two weeks after Democratic President-elect Joe Biden defeated Republican President Donald Trump by huge margins in a state where a growing number of suburban voters has flocked to Democratic candidates in recent election cycles.
But Cox, a retired high school teacher, said in a Monday interview with The Associated Press there’s a strong chance swing voters will be unhappy with how Democrats have led the state and will be looking for an alternative.
He said he plans to run as a conservative, particularly on social issues like guns and abortion, but also as someone who can work with Democrats on kitchen-table issues in a respectful way.
“I feel like that’s a winning way to be,” Cox said.
Current Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, cannot seek a second consecutive term under state law.
Cox has been highly critical of how Northam has handled the coronavirus, saying the governor has botched school reopenings. He’s also blasted Democratic efforts at criminal justice and police reforms in the wake of the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. Cox has characterized some of the police reforms as “anti-law enforcement.”
Cox has strong pro-business and anti-abortion credentials, but he also helped push through Medicaid expansion, which many conservatives opposed.
Firebrand conservative state Sen. Amanda Chase has announced she’s running for governor. Northern Virginia businessman Pete Snyder may also run.
Republicans have not won a statewide race in Virginia since 2009. Several Democrats, including former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, either have announced they are running or have indicated they might.
Cox currently represents the 66th District in the House of Delegates, which includes Colonial Heights and parts of Chesterfield.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Boston church leader charged with child sexual assaults

BOSTON ( AP ) - The leader of a Boston church who was once considered a mentor and role model for children has been arraigned on allegations that he sexually assaulted three teenage boys more than 15 years ago .
George Swain , 71 , a bishop at the Greater Victory Temple church in the city ’ s Mattapan section , was held on $ 75,000 bail at his arraignment Monday .
Not guilty pleas to rape of a child and indecent assault and battery were entered on his behalf .
Swain attended the virtual hearing from the hospital where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue .
One victim was 8 years old when the alleged assaults started in 1997 , and continued until 2004 , prosecutor Audrey Mark said in court .
The second alleged victim was assaulted between the ages of 13 and 16 from 2001 until 2004 , while the third teen was assaulted between the ages of 13 and 16 starting in 1997 , Mark said .
“ They were encouraged by their families to spend time in the church because he was seen as a role model , ” Mark said .
Swain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said outside of court that her client denies the allegations .
Swain ’ s health puts him at risk of developing COVID-19 if he is jailed , she said .

BOSTON (AP) - The leader of a Boston church who was once considered a mentor and role model for children has been arraigned on allegations that he sexually assaulted three teenage boys more than 15 years ago.
George Swain, 71, a bishop at the Greater Victory Temple church in the city’s Mattapan section, was held on $75,000 bail at his arraignment Monday. Not guilty pleas to rape of a child and indecent assault and battery were entered on his behalf.
Swain attended the virtual hearing from the hospital where he is being treated for a medical issue.
One victim was 8 years old when the alleged assaults started in 1997, and continued until 2004, prosecutor Audrey Mark said in court.
The second alleged victim was assaulted between the ages of 13 and 16 from 2001 until 2004, while the third teen was assaulted between the ages of 13 and 16 starting in 1997, Mark said.
“They were encouraged by their families to spend time in the church because he was seen as a role model,” Mark said.
Swain’s attorney, Lauren Greenberg, said outside of court that her client denies the allegations. Swain’s health puts him at risk of developing COVID-19 if he is jailed, she said.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--First woman of color to lead Anne Arundel County police

ANNAPOLIS , Md .
( AP ) - Maryland ’ s Anne Arundel County has appointed a police chief who @ @ @ @ @ of color to take the position .
The Capital Gazette reports that Amal Awad will @ @ @ @ @ to hold the position permanently .
County Executive Steuart Pittman announced the appointment on Monday @ @ @ @ @ be confirmed by the County Council in December .
Awad has more than 30 years @ @ @ @ @ career in Prince George ’ s County and previously worked as chief of staff in @ @ @ @ @ ’ s currently the police chief in Hyattsville .
She joins at least two other @ @ @ @ @ to head major law enforcement agencies in the state .
Lisa Myers is the first @ @ @ @ @ chief in Howard County .
Melissa Hyatt is the first woman to lead Baltimore County @ @ @ @ @

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland’s Anne Arundel County has appointed a police chief who will be the first person of color to take the position.
The Capital Gazette reports that Amal Awad will also be the first woman to hold the position permanently.
County Executive Steuart Pittman announced the appointment on Monday. Awad is expected to be confirmed by the County Council in December.
Awad has more than 30 years experience. She started her career in Prince George’s County and previously worked as chief of staff in Anne Arundel County. She’s currently the police chief in Hyattsville.
She joins at least two other women who were recently named to head major law enforcement agencies in the state. Lisa Myers is the first Black woman to be police chief in Howard County. Melissa Hyatt is the first woman to lead Baltimore County’s police department.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Vermont: $75M more for restaurants, lodging hurt by pandemic

MONTPELIER , Vt. ( AP ) - The state of Vermont is allocating $ 75 million to help businesses and @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic .
The Legislature ’ s Joint Fiscal Committee also has approved nearly $ @ @ @ @ @ who need help paying their rent .
The grants will provide relief to food and @ @ @ @ @ between March and September , with a cap of up to $ 300,000 .
The @ @ @ @ @ up of leaders from the House and Senate ’ s finance panels , has the @ @ @ @ @ proposals from the administration of Republican Gov .
Phil Scott for allocating money from federal @ @ @ @ @ be spent by the end of the year .
“ We don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ whole , ” said state Sen. Ann Cummings , a Democrat .
“ So we @ @ @ @ @ we can to find a way to keep everybody afloat .
” ’

A clearly frustrated Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Tuesday again urged people across the state not to hold small social gatherings that have been shown to be the largest source of new virus cases in the state.
Speaking at his regular news conference while the state is trying to knock down the largest surge in cases since the pandemic began, Scott said that while the hours for indoor dining have been restricted, restaurants have not been shown to be a source of the new cases, nor have gymnasiums, schools or out-of-state visitors to Vermont.
But between Oct. 1 and last Friday when a series of new restrictions were announced, including the closure of bars, 71% of the new virus outbreaks had been linked to parties and social gatherings, at homes and in bars and clubs. The rules designed to minimize the spread of the virus in restaurants and other locations have been working.
He said he understood why people would become frustrated with the rules and many had become complacent after months when Vermont had some of the lowest rates of virus infection in the country.
“In the environment we’re, in we’ve got to prioritize need over want. In my view in-person education, protecting our healthcare system and keeping people working as long as we can do it safely, are things we need,” Scott said. “Parties and cookouts, hanging out with people you don’t know just to socialize may be fun, but they are wants, not needs, and they put a lot of people at risk.”
Scott also aimed his frustration at people who resist calls for mask wearing, social distancing and other measures designed to minimize the risk of spreading the virus, by claiming they are standing up for what they see as their rights and the patriotic thing to do.
“Patriots also stand up and fight when our nation’s health and security is threatened,” Scott said. “And right now are country and way of life is being attacked by this virus, not the protections we’ve put in place.”
Despite his frustration and the rapid spread of the virus, Scott said he remained reluctant to impose penalties for people who don’t follow the rules.
“It’s always an option,” Scott said. “I still believe in Vermonters willingness to put this behind us and so that we can get to whatever the normal was over the last three or four months as we await a vaccine.”
___
NUMBERS
On Tuesday, the Vermont Health Department reported just under 100 new cases of the virus, bringing the statewide total since the pandemic began to just over 3,100.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont has risen over the past two weeks from 19.43 new cases per day on Nov. 2 to 84.71 new cases per day on Nov. 16.
The number of deaths remains at 59.
___
BUSINESSS ASSISTANCE
The state of Vermont is allocating $75 million to help businesses and lodging establishments hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Committee also has approved nearly $6.5 million to help Vermonters who need help paying their rent.
The grants will provide relief to food and accommodations businesses that lost revenues between March and September, with a cap of up to $300,000.
The Joint Fiscal Committee, made up of leaders from the House and Senate’s finance panels, has the authority to approve or reject proposals from Scott’s administration for allocating money from federal COVID-19 relief funds that must be spent by the end of the year.
“We don’t have enough money to make everyone whole,” said state Sen. Ann Cummings, a Democrat. “So we’re trying the best we can to find a way to keep everybody afloat.”’


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Ohio senator joins COVID-19 vaccine study to set example

CINCINNATI ( AP ) - A U.S. senator is participating in a COVID-19 vaccine study , hoping to encourage others to volunteer to take part in testing .
Ohio Republican Rob Portman told The Associated Press that he wanted to do what he could to help “ explain the great potential for these vaccines ” and the need for volunteers .
Portman decided to sign up after hearing about the that need from executives with Covington , Kentucky-based CTI , which is recruiting volunteers and doing vaccine tests for multiple drugmakers .
“ I could help … encourage more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Portman said .
He said he also wants to send a message about vaccine safety .
“ One of the challenges as you know is assuring that … .
people will be willing to be vaccinated.
” He noted that some surveys have shown that many Americans are wary of vaccine safety when vaccines become available .
He received an injection Nov. 5 at a CTI Cincinnati lab that is testing for Johnson & Johnson ’ s vaccine candidate .
Volunteers get either the vaccine or a dummy shot but aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He does daily monitoring of vital signs , keeping a log and working with the lab .
Portman , who will turn 65 next month , said he feels great and hasn ’ t experienced any side effects .
The only discomfort was shoulder soreness at the site of the injection , similar to a flu shot .
He said he is donating the $ 1,200 stipend offered to charity .
Portman ‘ s aides said they weren ’ t aware of any other members of Congress who are participating in vaccine testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brunswick , New Jersey-based J & J ; , is testing a single-shot vaccine in 30,000 volunteers .
Late-stage testing started in September .
The company has also started final testing of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine .
CTI spokeswoman Caitrin Cardosi said the company needs some 10,000 volunteers for five different vaccine trials and has around 8,000 now .
And the company will need more volunteers even after vaccines are in use for continued research on how to improve them .
“ We ’ re very grateful for all our volunteers , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t authorized to identify other volunteers , but said even if not well known , they help spread information about the testing within their own networks .
Portman said he applauded the Trump administration ’ s Operation Warp Speed , which is helping develop and distribute COVID-19 vaccines , and that Congress should offer more bipartisan support for long-term funding .
“ I think the White House needs to continue to support the scientists and not make this political at all , ” Portman said .
J & J ; ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late-stage testing in the U.S. Two companies , Pfizer Inc. , and Moderna , have reported their preliminary results show their experimental vaccines are strongly protective .
Both companies could seek permission within weeks for emergency U.S. use .
The pandemic has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide , with more than 245,000 deaths in the United States .

CINCINNATI (AP) - A U.S. senator is participating in a COVID-19 vaccine study, hoping to encourage others to volunteer to take part in testing.
Ohio Republican Rob Portman told The Associated Press that he wanted to do what he could to help “explain the great potential for these vaccines” and the need for volunteers.
Portman decided to sign up after hearing about the that need from executives with Covington, Kentucky-based CTI, which is recruiting volunteers and doing vaccine tests for multiple drugmakers.
“I could help … encourage more people to step up and join the trials,” Portman said.
He said he also wants to send a message about vaccine safety.
“One of the challenges as you know is assuring that …. people will be willing to be vaccinated.”
He noted that some surveys have shown that many Americans are wary of vaccine safety when vaccines become available.
He received an injection Nov. 5 at a CTI Cincinnati lab that is testing for Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine candidate. Volunteers get either the vaccine or a dummy shot but aren’t told what they received.
He does daily monitoring of vital signs, keeping a log and working with the lab. Portman, who will turn 65 next month, said he feels great and hasn’t experienced any side effects. The only discomfort was shoulder soreness at the site of the injection, similar to a flu shot.
He said he is donating the $1,200 stipend offered to charity.
Portman’s aides said they weren’t aware of any other members of Congress who are participating in vaccine testing.
Belgium-based Janssen, owned by New Brunswick, New Jersey-based J&J, is testing a single-shot vaccine in 30,000 volunteers. Late-stage testing started in September. The company has also started final testing of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine.
CTI spokeswoman Caitrin Cardosi said the company needs some 10,000 volunteers for five different vaccine trials and has around 8,000 now. And the company will need more volunteers even after vaccines are in use for continued research on how to improve them.
“We’re very grateful for all our volunteers,” she said, adding that she wasn’t authorized to identify other volunteers, but said even if not well known, they help spread information about the testing within their own networks.
Portman said he applauded the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, which is helping develop and distribute COVID-19 vaccines, and that Congress should offer more bipartisan support for long-term funding.
“I think the White House needs to continue to support the scientists and not make this political at all,” Portman said.
J&J’s candidate is one of four vaccines in late-stage testing in the U.S. Two companies, Pfizer Inc., and Moderna, have reported their preliminary results show their experimental vaccines are strongly protective. Both companies could seek permission within weeks for emergency U.S. use.
The pandemic has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide, with more than 245,000 deaths in the United States.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Man found on roof, killed after standoff with Alabama police

HUNTSVILLE , Ala. ( AP ) - A man who was found on the roof of an Alabama restaurant is @ @ @ @ @ police during a standoff early Tuesday , authorities said .
Officers received a call about @ @ @ @ @ of Ted ’ s Bar-B-Q with a gun around 10 p.m. Monday , said Lt. @ @ @ @ @ for the Huntsville Police Department .
Officers arrived and after several hours of negotiation the @ @ @ @ @ a ladder , he said .
“ We believed that he was going to be @ @ @ @ @ said .
But the man ran once on the ground before turning and pointing a @ @ @ @ @ said .
Police shot and killed the man , who was pronounced dead at Huntsville @ @ @ @ @ released immediately , and it was unclear why the man was on the roof .
@ @ @ @ @ how many shots were fired .

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - A man who was found on the roof of an Alabama restaurant is dead after being shot by police during a standoff early Tuesday, authorities said.
Officers received a call about a person on the roof of Ted’s Bar-B-Q with a gun around 10 p.m. Monday, said Lt. Tony McElyea, a spokesman for the Huntsville Police Department. Officers arrived and after several hours of negotiation the gunman agreed to come down a ladder, he said.
“We believed that he was going to be giving up,” McElyea said.
But the man ran once on the ground before turning and pointing a gun at officers, McElyea said. Police shot and killed the man, who was pronounced dead at Huntsville Hospital.
No names were released immediately, and it was unclear why the man was on the roof. Authorities didn’t say how many shots were fired.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Harvard students push ban on Trump officials: Report

Some Harvard students want to blacklist former Trump administration officials , according to a report Tuesday evening on Fox Business @ @ @ @ @ Lydia Moynihan , citing a Harvard student with direct knowledge , reported that a petition @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration officials from teaching , speaking , or attending the Ivy League school .
@ @ @ @ @ a petition asking classmates to sign on to an effort to hold the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ them off campus , ” wrote FBN ’ s Charles Gasparino .
“ In the @ @ @ @ @ with a Trump alum , they demand the school ‘ create and share with students @ @ @ @ @ why that Trump official is allowed on campus , ” he wrote .
Harvard had @ @ @ @ @ FBN report .

Some Harvard students want to blacklist former Trump administration officials, according to a report Tuesday evening on Fox Business Network.
FBN’s Lydia Moynihan, citing a Harvard student with direct knowledge, reported that a petition was circulating seeking to ban Trump administration officials from teaching, speaking, or attending the Ivy League school.
The students are “circulating a petition asking classmates to sign on to an effort to hold the Trump administration ‘accountable’ by keeping them off campus,” wrote FBN’s Charles Gasparino.
The ban needn’t be absolute, Mr. Gasparino added.
“In the event the university does associate with a Trump alum, they demand the school ‘create and share with students transparent guidelines’ as to why that Trump official is allowed on campus,” he wrote.
Harvard had no immediate comment on the FBN report.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Salt Lake Tribune hires Sacramento Bee exec as top editor

SALT LAKE CITY ( AP ) - The Salt Lake Tribune has hired Sacramento Bee President Lauren Gustus as its @ @ @ @ @ the third woman to serve as the newspaper ’ s executive editor in its 150-year @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
She will oversee all news gathering processes and a newsroom staff of about @ @ @ @ @ 3 .
Gustus will supervise the newspaper ’ s transition away from printing a daily @ @ @ @ @ company will focus on publishing online every day and supplementing that with a weekly print @ @ @ @ @ an assistant sports editor at The Tribune from 2004 to 2007 before serving as managing @ @ @ @ @ and overseeing the Coloradoan .
She most recently served as president at The Bee and @ @ @ @ @ The McClatchy Co .

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The Salt Lake Tribune has hired Sacramento Bee President Lauren Gustus as its new editor.
Gustus becomes the third woman to serve as the newspaper’s executive editor in its 150-year history, The Tribune reported Tuesday. She will oversee all news gathering processes and a newsroom staff of about 70 journalists starting on Dec. 3.
Gustus will supervise the newspaper’s transition away from printing a daily edition. Instead, the company will focus on publishing online every day and supplementing that with a weekly print edition.
Gustus worked as an assistant sports editor at The Tribune from 2004 to 2007 before serving as managing editor for the Reno Gazette-Journal and overseeing the Coloradoan. She most recently served as president at The Bee and as Western region editor for The McClatchy Co.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Washington again reports record number of virus cases

SEATTLE ( AP ) - The Washington state Department of Health has reported 2,589 additional COVID-19 cases and 23 more deaths , setting another new record .
The previous record was set Sunday with 2,519 cases , The Seattle Times reported .
The state has set multiple new records in the past week .
The update brings the state ’ s totals to over 134,000 cases and 2,571 deaths .
That means 1.9 % of people diagnosed in Washington have died .
State health officials also reported that 9,573 people have been hospitalized in the state because of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health officials also said Tuesday that a deadly outbreak of the coronavirus among residents and staff at Josephine Caring Community in Stanwood has grown to 99 cases .
The 99 cases - split about evenly between residents of the long-term care facility and staff - is an increase from 94 reported over the weekend .
Seven people have been hospitalized , including five who have died , Dr. Chris Spitters , Snohomish County ’ s health officer , said in a Tuesday briefing .
The cause , according to Spitters , is widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections are rising and putting increasing stress on emergency medical services and hospitals .
“ It ’ s very difficult , we ’ re seeing this with many long-term care facilities , that even with good infection-control precautions , it ’ s hard to interrupt the spread of this virus in close congregate settings like long-term care facilities , ” Spitters said .

SEATTLE (AP) - The Washington state Department of Health has reported 2,589 additional COVID-19 cases and 23 more deaths, setting another new record.
The previous record was set Sunday with 2,519 cases, The Seattle Times reported. The state has set multiple new records in the past week.
The update brings the state’s totals to over 134,000 cases and 2,571 deaths. That means 1.9% of people diagnosed in Washington have died. State health officials also reported that 9,573 people have been hospitalized in the state because of the virus with 55 new hospitalizations since Monday.
Health officials also said Tuesday that a deadly outbreak of the coronavirus among residents and staff at Josephine Caring Community in Stanwood has grown to 99 cases.
The 99 cases - split about evenly between residents of the long-term care facility and staff - is an increase from 94 reported over the weekend. Seven people have been hospitalized, including five who have died, Dr. Chris Spitters, Snohomish County’s health officer, said in a Tuesday briefing.
The cause, according to Spitters, is widespread virus activity in Snohomish County, where infections are rising and putting increasing stress on emergency medical services and hospitals.
“It’s very difficult, we’re seeing this with many long-term care facilities, that even with good infection-control precautions, it’s hard to interrupt the spread of this virus in close congregate settings like long-term care facilities,” Spitters said.
A wedding earlier this month near Ritzville with more than 300 people is now linked to dozens cases of COVID-19 and two subsequent outbreaks, according to health officials in Grant and Adams counties.
On Tuesday, officials said the tally was nearing 40 in Grant County and was at three so far in Adams.
“This is the perfect example of what we don’t want to see,” said Karen Potts, director of the Adams County Health Department. The Nov. 7 wedding was held indoors in a large agricultural building in unincorporated Adams County, The Seattle Times reported.
Wedding ceremonies had been capped at no more than 30 people when the wedding was held. Starting this week, indoor wedding receptions are banned in Washington to slow the spread of the virus.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Catholic bishops wary of Joe Biden undermining church doctrine

The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued Tuesday a statement about Joseph R. Biden , saying the presumptive election of the nation ’ s second Catholic president “ presents certain opportunities but also certain challenges.
” Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez also called for the formation of a working group to address any “ confusion ” about a faithful response to a Catholic politician backing public policy that goes against church teachings , such as abortion and same-sex marriage .
“ This is a difficult and complex situation , ” Archbishop Gomez said during the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting .
“ We have reason to believe that he [ Mr. Biden ] will support some good policies … but we also have reason to believe that he will support policies ” that undermine Catholic doctrine .
Archbishop Gomez , who was elected conference president last November , noted “ unanimous support ” from fellow bishops in making his surprise announcement during their virtual meeting .
He noted Mr. Biden ’ s “ good policies ” on immigration reform , climate change and anti-racism initiatives , but specifically called out the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hyde Amendment , which prevents federal funding of abortions .
“ We have long opposed these policies strongly and we will continues to do so , ” the archbishop said .
“ But when politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them , there are additional problems .
Among other things it creates confusion for the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions.
” Details about the working group were not released Tuesday .
Earlier Tuesday in a public-facing session , the bishops discussed racial unrest and the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maladies that have rocked the church and the nation over the last year .
“ I saw people kneeling in front of churches when we couldn ’ t open them ” said Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville , Texas .
“ This is the renewal that I find very personally strengthening.
” Archbishop John Charles Wester of Santa Fe , Texas , who spoke of “ angry ” letters from parishioners about limiting access to the Eucharist , noted what he called a “ double-edged sword ” of opening up parishes to in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s kind of a perfect storm , ” Archbishop Wester said .
“ What we really need at this time is to come together and pray tighter … what the virus really needs is for us to come together , to be together in large groups.
” Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron called for a nationwide initiative to “ bring someone back to church who has been away for a very long time.
” The conference also heard from fellow bishops representing sites of racial reckoning , such as Archbishop Mitchell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferguson , Missouri , was “ located just 20 minutes from our chancery.
” He said a commission on peace and justice has held listening sessions and some parishes have worked to be “ anti-racist.
” Archbishop Alexander Sample in Portland , Oregon , defended his city ’ s reputation , saying that rioting and looting “ hijacked ” coverage of the call for racial justice after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis .
“ I kept saying , ‘ Who remembers George Floyd anymore ?
’ ” Archbishop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed him to learn more about “ the experience of African Americans here in our own communities.
” Baltimore Archbishop William Lori spoke about being moved to write a letter in defense of the phrase “ Black Lives Matter ” in America magazine earlier this year .
“ As ‘ Black Lives Matter ’ signs began to appear all over town … I guess I was prodded , maybe kicked in the pants by the Holy Spirit to sit down and write an article in which I attempted to make a little contribution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black lives matter , ’ through the lens of Catholic social teaching , ” Archbishop Lori said .
Tuesday ’ s meeting concluded the annual gathering of Catholic prelates normally held in Baltimore .
This year ’ s session was held virtually , and normal voting rules were suspended .
On Monday , the bishops dealt with the recent Vatican report documenting the rise of disgraced cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick .
That report received no mention Tuesday .

The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued Tuesday a statement about Joseph R. Biden, saying the presumptive election of the nation’s second Catholic president “presents certain opportunities but also certain challenges.”
Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez also called for the formation of a working group to address any “confusion” about a faithful response to a Catholic politician backing public policy that goes against church teachings, such as abortion and same-sex marriage.
“This is a difficult and complex situation,” Archbishop Gomez said during the last day of the bishops’ annual two-day meeting. “We have reason to believe that he [Mr. Biden] will support some good policies … but we also have reason to believe that he will support policies” that undermine Catholic doctrine.
Archbishop Gomez, who was elected conference president last November, noted “unanimous support” from fellow bishops in making his surprise announcement during their virtual meeting. He noted Mr. Biden’s “good policies” on immigration reform, climate change and anti-racism initiatives, but specifically called out the former vice president’s proposal to repeal the Hyde Amendment, which prevents federal funding of abortions.
“We have long opposed these policies strongly and we will continues to do so,” the archbishop said. “But when politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them, there are additional problems. Among other things it creates confusion for the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions.”
Details about the working group were not released Tuesday.
Earlier Tuesday in a public-facing session, the bishops discussed racial unrest and the coronavirus pandemic, sometimes speaking personally about twin maladies that have rocked the church and the nation over the last year.
“I saw people kneeling in front of churches when we couldn’t open them” said Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas. “This is the renewal that I find very personally strengthening.”
Archbishop John Charles Wester of Santa Fe, Texas, who spoke of “angry” letters from parishioners about limiting access to the Eucharist, noted what he called a “double-edged sword” of opening up parishes to in-person worship during a pandemic.
“It’s kind of a perfect storm,” Archbishop Wester said. “What we really need at this time is to come together and pray tighter … what the virus really needs is for us to come together, to be together in large groups.”
Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron called for a nationwide initiative to “bring someone back to church who has been away for a very long time.”
The conference also heard from fellow bishops representing sites of racial reckoning, such as Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis, who said Ferguson, Missouri, was “located just 20 minutes from our chancery.” He said a commission on peace and justice has held listening sessions and some parishes have worked to be “anti-racist.”
Archbishop Alexander Sample in Portland, Oregon, defended his city’s reputation, saying that rioting and looting “hijacked” coverage of the call for racial justice after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.
“I kept saying, ‘Who remembers George Floyd anymore?’” Archbishop Sample said, adding that the unrest pushed him to learn more about “the experience of African Americans here in our own communities.”
Baltimore Archbishop William Lori spoke about being moved to write a letter in defense of the phrase “Black Lives Matter” in America magazine earlier this year.
“As ‘Black Lives Matter’ signs began to appear all over town … I guess I was prodded, maybe kicked in the pants by the Holy Spirit to sit down and write an article in which I attempted to make a little contribution to the conversation by saying, ‘Black lives matter,’ through the lens of Catholic social teaching,” Archbishop Lori said.
Tuesday’s meeting concluded the annual gathering of Catholic prelates normally held in Baltimore. This year’s session was held virtually, and normal voting rules were suspended.
On Monday, the bishops dealt with the recent Vatican report documenting the rise of disgraced cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick. That report received no mention Tuesday.
• Christopher Vondracek can be reached at cvondracek@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-17--Wayne County, Michigan reverses course, certifies election results for Biden

Republican members of a county election board on Tuesday reversed their decision to block the certification of Detroit election results .
The two members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers voted to certify the results after an outcry from state officials and Detroit voters .
About three hours earlier , the board deadlocked in a 2-2 votes along party lines that blocked certification and kicked the contested Nov. 3 election to state officials .
The failure to certify the results was hailed as a victory for President Trump , who is mounting federal court challenges to the ballot counts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reverse Democrat Joseph R. Biden ’ s projected win of the White House .
The Republican board members had said absentee ballot poll books in heavily-Democratic Detroit were discovered to be out of balance .
The failure to certify would have triggered a state takeover of the canvassing process .
Detroit voters , however , protested and accused Republicans of trying to steal the election .
Before the second vote that succeeded in certifying the results , Wayne County Board of Canvassers Vice Chairman Jonathan Kinloch , a Democrat , called the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” according to the Detroit News .
Chairwoman Monica Palmer , a Republican , said the poll books didn ’ t add up .
“ Based on what I saw and went through in poll books in this canvass , I believe that we do not have complete and accurate information in those poll books , ” she said .
Absentee ballot poll books also were out of balance in the August primary election and the 2016 general election , which were certified without disputes , according to the newspaper .
Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims mail-in ballots were tallied out of view of poll watchers and ballot-scanning machines are suspected of switching votes to presumed President-elect Joseph R. Biden .
Mr. Trump trailed Mr. Biden by about 148,000 votes in unofficial results .

Republican members of a county election board on Tuesday reversed their decision to block the certification of Detroit election results.
The two members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers voted to certify the results after an outcry from state officials and Detroit voters.
About three hours earlier, the board deadlocked in a 2-2 votes along party lines that blocked certification and kicked the contested Nov. 3 election to state officials.
The failure to certify the results was hailed as a victory for President Trump, who is mounting federal court challenges to the ballot counts in Michigan and several other states to reverse Democrat Joseph R. Biden’s projected win of the White House.
The Republican board members had said absentee ballot poll books in heavily-Democratic Detroit were discovered to be out of balance. The failure to certify would have triggered a state takeover of the canvassing process.
Detroit voters, however, protested and accused Republicans of trying to steal the election.
Before the second vote that succeeded in certifying the results, Wayne County Board of Canvassers Vice Chairman Jonathan Kinloch, a Democrat, called the two Republican members “reckless and irresponsible,” according to the Detroit News.
Chairwoman Monica Palmer, a Republican, said the poll books didn’t add up.
“Based on what I saw and went through in poll books in this canvass, I believe that we do not have complete and accurate information in those poll books,” she said.
Absentee ballot poll books also were out of balance in the August primary election and the 2016 general election, which were certified without disputes, according to the newspaper.
Mr. Trump’s federal lawsuit in the state claims mail-in ballots were tallied out of view of poll watchers and ballot-scanning machines are suspected of switching votes to presumed President-elect Joseph R. Biden.
Mr. Trump trailed Mr. Biden by about 148,000 votes in unofficial results.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.