washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Democrat's praise of strict gun law roils Kansas Senate race

TOPEKA , Kan. ( AP ) - Republicans on Sunday circulated a video of the Democrats ’ candidate for an open U.S. Senate seat in Kansas praising strict Australian gun laws that she said “ took them all away ” to undercut her campaign as a political moderate in what ’ s been an unexpectedly tough red-state race for the GOP .
Democrat Barbara Bollier ’ s spokeswoman accused Republican Roger Marshall ’ s campaign of being “ duplicitous ” in highlighting the video from an Oct. 3 “ lawn chair chat ” at a Kansas City-area park .
Bollier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same event that included moments in which Bollier said she supports the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting gun rights and recalled hunting with her father .
The race appears to be close between Marshall , a two-term congressman for western and central Kansas , and Bollier , a Kansas City-area state senator who was a lifelong moderate Republican before switching parties late in 2018 .
As the GOP fights to keep its 53-47 majority in the Senate , Marshall and his supporters have attacked Bollier on issues that favor Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun rights .
Both a 2 1/2-minute video clip provided to The Associated Press by the Marshall campaign and longer audio from Bollier ’ s show that she noted that an adult daughter lives in Australia and praised a law there that in the 1990s forced owners of 700,000 guns to sell them to the government as “ this amazing thing.
” “ They have no guns .
They don ’ t allow them .
They just took them all away , ” Bollier told her audience .
“ And you know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Bollier also noted that Australia imposes licensing and training requirements for gun owners .
Kansas law allows adults to carry weapons openly , and it allows them to carry concealed firearms without a permit - a policy Bollier opposed as a legislator when it was enacted in 2015 .
“ Who thinks you can just go out and have a gun ?
Seriously , ” Bollier said .
“ You can ’ t drive a car without training .
You can ’ t basically do anything without some kind of training .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the video clip began circulating , Bollier tweeted Sunday afternoon : “ I do not support gun confiscation .
I never have .
I never will.
” Republicans have not lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932 , but Bollier has flooded the airwaves with ads that have included testimonials from former GOP state lawmakers .
The race had seen a Kansas record of $ 32 million in advertising as of last week , with Marshall and his allies being outspent , according to the media advertising firm Advertising Analytics .
Bollier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 9 million , with outside groups paying for about $ 8 million more .
Nearly 90 % of the roughly $ 14.5 million in ads for Marshall were covered by outside groups , with the Marshall campaign spending about $ 1.5 million , according to Advertising Analytics .
Bollier ’ s remarks on guns first were reported Sunday by The Washington Free Beacon conservative site .
Marshall ’ s campaign manager , Eric Pahls , texted a 36-second excerpt to The Associated Press .
He later provided a link to a longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer to a question from a woman who said she recently bought a handgun and was “ completely disturbed ” by how easy it was for her one to buy one and carry it concealed .
“ This may sound good to Bollier ’ s donors in San Francisco , but to Kansans , this is disqualifying , ” Pahls said in a later text .
“ Even among Democrats , forced gun confiscation is an alarming concept.
” Bollier spokeswoman Alexandra De Luca provided nearly eight minutes of audio from the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate a few minutes before the question that led Bollier to praise Australian gun laws .
Bollier said she still has one of her father ’ s shotguns but called gun violence a public health crisis .
“ Roger Marshall and his allies in Washington want to take Barbara ’ s comments completely out of context for their political benefit , ” De Luca said in a statement .
“ She knows we can protect the rights of gun owners and keep our communities safe.
” But Pahls suggested that Bollier ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent “ carefully scripted talking points ” and that with off-script answers to questions , “ she exposes herself for the radical leftist that she is.
” Pahls also suggested Bollier ’ s staff ended the event shortly afterward because “ she got off her rehearsed talking points.
” De Luca called it “ an outright lie , ” then provided 32 minutes of audio from the event .
It showed that she began wrapping up about a minute later - after answering a final question and saying she supports background checks for @ @ @

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Republicans on Sunday circulated a video of the Democrats’ candidate for an open U.S. Senate seat in Kansas praising strict Australian gun laws that she said “took them all away” to undercut her campaign as a political moderate in what’s been an unexpectedly tough red-state race for the GOP.
Democrat Barbara Bollier’s spokeswoman accused Republican Roger Marshall’s campaign of being “duplicitous” in highlighting the video from an Oct. 3 “lawn chair chat” at a Kansas City-area park. Bollier’s campaign released longer audio from the same event that included moments in which Bollier said she supports the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting gun rights and recalled hunting with her father.
The race appears to be close between Marshall, a two-term congressman for western and central Kansas, and Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator who was a lifelong moderate Republican before switching parties late in 2018. As the GOP fights to keep its 53-47 majority in the Senate, Marshall and his supporters have attacked Bollier on issues that favor Republicans in much of the state, including gun rights.
Both a 2 1/2-minute video clip provided to The Associated Press by the Marshall campaign and longer audio from Bollier’s show that she noted that an adult daughter lives in Australia and praised a law there that in the 1990s forced owners of 700,000 guns to sell them to the government as “this amazing thing.”
“They have no guns. They don’t allow them. They just took them all away,” Bollier told her audience. “And you know what? It’s pretty darn safe.”
Bollier also noted that Australia imposes licensing and training requirements for gun owners. Kansas law allows adults to carry weapons openly, and it allows them to carry concealed firearms without a permit - a policy Bollier opposed as a legislator when it was enacted in 2015.
“Who thinks you can just go out and have a gun? Seriously,” Bollier said. “You can’t drive a car without training. You can’t basically do anything without some kind of training. This is a lethal weapon.”
As the video clip began circulating, Bollier tweeted Sunday afternoon: “I do not support gun confiscation. I never have. I never will.”
Republicans have not lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but Bollier has flooded the airwaves with ads that have included testimonials from former GOP state lawmakers.
The race had seen a Kansas record of $32 million in advertising as of last week, with Marshall and his allies being outspent, according to the media advertising firm Advertising Analytics.
Bollier’s campaign had spent more than $9 million, with outside groups paying for about $8 million more. Nearly 90% of the roughly $14.5 million in ads for Marshall were covered by outside groups, with the Marshall campaign spending about $1.5 million, according to Advertising Analytics.
Bollier’s remarks on guns first were reported Sunday by The Washington Free Beacon conservative site. Marshall’s campaign manager, Eric Pahls, texted a 36-second excerpt to The Associated Press. He later provided a link to a longer video clip with Bollier’s full answer to a question from a woman who said she recently bought a handgun and was “completely disturbed” by how easy it was for her one to buy one and carry it concealed.
“This may sound good to Bollier’s donors in San Francisco, but to Kansans, this is disqualifying,” Pahls said in a later text. “Even among Democrats, forced gun confiscation is an alarming concept.”
Bollier spokeswoman Alexandra De Luca provided nearly eight minutes of audio from the event, which included comments from the Democratic candidate a few minutes before the question that led Bollier to praise Australian gun laws. Bollier said she still has one of her father’s shotguns but called gun violence a public health crisis.
“Roger Marshall and his allies in Washington want to take Barbara’s comments completely out of context for their political benefit,” De Luca said in a statement. “She knows we can protect the rights of gun owners and keep our communities safe.”
But Pahls suggested that Bollier’s comments in support of the Second Amendment represent “carefully scripted talking points” and that with off-script answers to questions, “she exposes herself for the radical leftist that she is.”
“Her true colors started shining through,” he said.
Pahls also suggested Bollier’s staff ended the event shortly afterward because “she got off her rehearsed talking points.”
De Luca called it “an outright lie,” then provided 32 minutes of audio from the event. It showed that she began wrapping up about a minute later - after answering a final question and saying she supports background checks for gun purchases.
___
Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Police: Son shoots and kills mother, then waits for cops

JACKSON , Miss .
( AP ) - A son has been charged in the shooting death of his mother @ @ @ @ @ authorities said .
Darrell Harper shot his mother after they argued early Saturday morning inside @ @ @ @ @ said .
Mary Harper , 59 , died shortly after the shooting , police said @ @ @ @ @ the home and was arrested when officers arrived , authorities said .
Darrell Harper was @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t known if he had a lawyer .
Mary Harper ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ Jackson in 2020 , news outlets reported .

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A son has been charged in the shooting death of his mother in her Mississippi home, authorities said.
Darrell Harper shot his mother after they argued early Saturday morning inside a Jackson home, police said.
Mary Harper, 59, died shortly after the shooting, police said.
Her son stayed at the home and was arrested when officers arrived, authorities said.
Darrell Harper was charged with murder. It wasn’t known if he had a lawyer.
Mary Harper’s death was the 98th homicide in Jackson in 2020, news outlets reported.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Lauren Witzke says campaign event blocked by Grotto Pizza after leftists harassment

WILMINGTON , Del .
— A pizza restaurant chain has blocked Republican U.S. Senate candidate Lauren Witzke from holding a campaign event at one of its locations , saying it believes in remaining politically neutral .
The Delaware News Journal reports that Grotto Pizza canceled a private “ meet-and-greet ” event that Witzke ’ s campaign planned to hold Friday at one of its Wilmington restaurants .
“ We do not allow campaign events in any of our locations and do not support any specific candidates in any elections , ” the restaurant chain said in a Facebook post , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message posted on Twitter , Witzke claimed Grotto Pizza canceled the event “ due to persistent harassment from a few loud and rabid far-leftists.
” Her tweet said roughly 30 people had registered to attend .
Witzke , who is challenging Democratic incumbent Sen. Chris Coons , is one of dozens of current or former congressional candidates who have promoted or expressed an interest in QAnon , a baseless conspiracy theory that President Donald Trump is waging a secret campaign against enemies in the “ deep state ” and a child sex trafficking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Witzke has been photographed wearing a QAnon T-shirt and has used the QAnon slogan “ WWG1WGA , ” which stands for “ Where We Go One , We Go All , ” in some of her Twitter hashtags .
Witzke told The Associated Press in January that she had stopped promoting QAnon months earlier , dismissing it as “ mainstream psyops to get people to ‘ trust the plan ’ and not do anything.
” QAnon followers often encourage each other to “ trust the plan.
” “ I certainly think it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
In an email to The News Journal , Witzke wrote , “ While we respect Grottos ’ right as a private business to refuse service , I personally spoke with a Grottos representative Thursday evening , and told him in no uncertain terms that we were holding a political event , at which point the Grottos representative did not inform us about their company policy against hosting political candidates.
” Jeffrey Gosnear , vice president of Grotto Pizza Inc. , said the chain did not know it was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If we had known that it was a political meet-and-greet prior to them booking it , we would have told them upfront that we can ’ t do that , ” he said .
Gosnear said the chain created its rule against hosting political gatherings after the 2018 midterm elections .

WILMINGTON, Del. — A pizza restaurant chain has blocked Republican U.S. Senate candidate Lauren Witzke from holding a campaign event at one of its locations, saying it believes in remaining politically neutral.
The Delaware News Journal reports that Grotto Pizza canceled a private “meet-and-greet” event that Witzke’s campaign planned to hold Friday at one of its Wilmington restaurants.
“We do not allow campaign events in any of our locations and do not support any specific candidates in any elections,” the restaurant chain said in a Facebook post, according to the newspaper.
In a message posted on Twitter, Witzke claimed Grotto Pizza canceled the event “due to persistent harassment from a few loud and rabid far-leftists.” Her tweet said roughly 30 people had registered to attend.
Witzke, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Sen. Chris Coons, is one of dozens of current or former congressional candidates who have promoted or expressed an interest in QAnon, a baseless conspiracy theory that President Donald Trump is waging a secret campaign against enemies in the “deep state” and a child sex trafficking ring run by satanic pedophiles and cannibals.
Witzke has been photographed wearing a QAnon T-shirt and has used the QAnon slogan “WWG1WGA,” which stands for “Where We Go One, We Go All,” in some of her Twitter hashtags.
Witzke told The Associated Press in January that she had stopped promoting QAnon months earlier, dismissing it as “mainstream psyops to get people to ‘trust the plan’ and not do anything.” QAnon followers often encourage each other to “trust the plan.”
“I certainly think it’s more hype than substance,” she said.
In an email to The News Journal, Witzke wrote, “While we respect Grottos’ right as a private business to refuse service, I personally spoke with a Grottos representative Thursday evening, and told him in no uncertain terms that we were holding a political event, at which point the Grottos representative did not inform us about their company policy against hosting political candidates.”
Jeffrey Gosnear, vice president of Grotto Pizza Inc., said the chain did not know it was a political event until several customers called.
“If we had known that it was a political meet-and-greet prior to them booking it, we would have told them upfront that we can’t do that,” he said.
Gosnear said the chain created its rule against hosting political gatherings after the 2018 midterm elections.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Teen charged in stabbing death of girl at Tifton apartments

TIFTON .
Ga. ( AP ) - An 18-year-old man was charged with murder in the stabbing death of a 9-year-old at her Georgia apartment complex , authorities said Sunday .
Semaj Antonio Moss was arrested over the weekend in Lowndes County after Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents determined he was a suspect in Alazia “ Ally ” Johnson ’ s death Tuesday , Tifton Police Chief Steve Hyman said .
Hyman and GBI agents gave few details about what led them to Moss or any connection he had to the girl at a news conference Sunday , .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not all of the answers can be given today , ” GBI agent Marko Jones said , The girl ’ s death brought an outpouring of concern in Tifton with signs , flowers and rumors on social media .
“ If there is a way to control what people post it would make it a lot easier for our investigators and it would also make it where the public is not in fear because a lot of things that have been posted aren ’ t exactly like how they are , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ malice murder , felony murder and aggravated assault , the GBI said .
It wasn ’ t known if he had a lawyer .

TIFTON. Ga. (AP) - An 18-year-old man was charged with murder in the stabbing death of a 9-year-old at her Georgia apartment complex, authorities said Sunday.
Semaj Antonio Moss was arrested over the weekend in Lowndes County after Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents determined he was a suspect in Alazia “Ally” Johnson’s death Tuesday, Tifton Police Chief Steve Hyman said.
Hyman and GBI agents gave few details about what led them to Moss or any connection he had to the girl at a news conference Sunday,.
“While there are a lot of questions, not all of the answers can be given today,” GBI agent Marko Jones said,
The girl’s death brought an outpouring of concern in Tifton with signs, flowers and rumors on social media.
“If there is a way to control what people post it would make it a lot easier for our investigators and it would also make it where the public is not in fear because a lot of things that have been posted aren’t exactly like how they are,” Hyman said.
Moss is charged with malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault, the GBI said.
It wasn’t known if he had a lawyer.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Case against man linked to extremist group could be near end

COLLEGE PARK , Md .
( AP ) - Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys may be close to resolving the criminal case against a Maryland man whom the FBI linked to a violent white supremacist group , a court filing says .
In Friday ’ s status report , Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Windom said efforts to resolve the case against William Bilbrough IV have been “ slowed somewhat ” by defense attorneys ’ ability to confer with their jailed client and “ the timing of facility mail , ” an apparent reference to the jail .
“ The parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next month .
If no such disposition is achieved , the parties propose setting a deadline for an additional status report ( on Nov. 9 ) , ” Windom wrote .
Bilbrough ’ s attorney , Robert Bonsib , declined to comment Sunday on the status of the case or WIndom ’ s court filing .
Bilbrough , of Denton , Maryland , was 19 when FBI agents arrested him and two other men in January as part of a broader investigation of The Base .
Authorities said the three men were members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was to accelerate the overthrow of the U.S. government and replace it with a white supremacist regime .
Authorities in Georgia and Wisconsin also arrested four other men linked to The Base .
U.S. Army veteran Brian Mark Lemley Jr. , of Elkton , Maryland , and Patrik Mathews , a former Canadian Armed Forces reservist , pleaded not guilty in Maryland to federal charges including transporting a firearm and ammunition with the intent to commit a felony .
Bilbrough pleaded not guilty to charges that he helped transport and harbor Mathews , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. from Canada .
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang hasn ’ t set a trial date for the case .
Lemley and Mathews discussed “ the planning of violence ” at a gun rights rally in Richmond , Virginia , in January , according to prosecutors .
Lemley and Mathews also face separate but related federal charges in Delaware , where they shared a home .
A closed-circuit television camera and microphone that investigators installed in the home captured Lemley talking about using a thermal imaging scope affixed to his rifle to ambush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I need to claim my first victim , ” Lemley said on Dec. 23 , according to prosecutors .
“ And the thing is you ’ ve got tons of guys who … should be radicalized enough to know that all you got ta do is start making things go wrong and if Virginia can spiral out to … full blown civil war , ” Mathews said , according to prosecutors .
Bilbrough , who worked as a pizza delivery driver and lived with his grandmother , is the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t facing firearms-related charges .
A prosecutor has said Bilbrough participated in early discussions about traveling to Richmond but had tried to distance himself from the group shortly before his arrest .

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys may be close to resolving the criminal case against a Maryland man whom the FBI linked to a violent white supremacist group, a court filing says.
In Friday’s status report, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Windom said efforts to resolve the case against William Bilbrough IV have been “slowed somewhat” by defense attorneys’ ability to confer with their jailed client and “the timing of facility mail,” an apparent reference to the jail.
“The parties expect disposition in this case within the next month. If no such disposition is achieved, the parties propose setting a deadline for an additional status report (on Nov. 9),” Windom wrote.
Bilbrough’s attorney, Robert Bonsib, declined to comment Sunday on the status of the case or WIndom’s court filing.
Bilbrough, of Denton, Maryland, was 19 when FBI agents arrested him and two other men in January as part of a broader investigation of The Base. Authorities said the three men were members of the group and that its goal was to accelerate the overthrow of the U.S. government and replace it with a white supremacist regime. Authorities in Georgia and Wisconsin also arrested four other men linked to The Base.
U.S. Army veteran Brian Mark Lemley Jr., of Elkton, Maryland, and Patrik Mathews, a former Canadian Armed Forces reservist, pleaded not guilty in Maryland to federal charges including transporting a firearm and ammunition with the intent to commit a felony. Bilbrough pleaded not guilty to charges that he helped transport and harbor Mathews, who is accused of illegally entering the U.S. from Canada.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang hasn’t set a trial date for the case.
Lemley and Mathews discussed “the planning of violence” at a gun rights rally in Richmond, Virginia, in January, according to prosecutors.
Lemley and Mathews also face separate but related federal charges in Delaware, where they shared a home. A closed-circuit television camera and microphone that investigators installed in the home captured Lemley talking about using a thermal imaging scope affixed to his rifle to ambush unsuspecting civilians and police officers, prosecutors said.
“I need to claim my first victim,” Lemley said on Dec. 23, according to prosecutors.
“And the thing is you’ve got tons of guys who … should be radicalized enough to know that all you gotta do is start making things go wrong and if Virginia can spiral out to … full blown civil war,” Mathews said, according to prosecutors.
Bilbrough, who worked as a pizza delivery driver and lived with his grandmother, is the only defendant in the case who isn’t facing firearms-related charges. A prosecutor has said Bilbrough participated in early discussions about traveling to Richmond but had tried to distance himself from the group shortly before his arrest.


Virus Outbreak-New England

BOSTON ( AP ) - A look at coronavirus-related developments in New England on Saturday : An elementary school in York is going remote for at least two weeks after reporting an outbreak of COVID-19 .
WMTW-TV reported that the superintendent of the York School Department says the Maine CDC determined there was an outbreak of COVID-19 at Coastal Ridge Elementary School .
It was unclear how many people had tested positive .
The school plans to rely on distance learning until October 23rd .
A contact tracer will be in touch with people who had close contact with anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 27 new cases of coronavirus and no new deaths Sunday .
The 27 additional cases bring the total in Maine since the outbreak began to more than 5,720 .
A vendor participating in the Enfield Market on Saturday was asked to leave following reports that the vendor - Whiskey Kissed Co. - had tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 24 hours .
The vendor left the market immediately at the request of organizers after being on site from about 10 a.m. to noon , according to a press release from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all patrons who visited the vendor ’ s booth were believed to have been wearing face masks .
Enfield officials said the town takes the safety of all residents and visitors very seriously , adding that Enfield Market organizers will cooperate with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to make sure appropriate steps are taken , including contact tracing and any potential need for individuals to self-quarantine .
Vendors that participate in the market are informed of health safety rules , include a wide range of precautions specific to COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths and 570 newly confirmed cases Sunday , pushing the state ’ s confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 9,388 and its confirmed caseload to more than 136,100 .
The seven-day weighted average of positive tests stands at 1 % .
The true number of cases is likely higher because many people have not been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick .
There were more than 510 people reported hospitalized Monday because of COVID-19 , and more than 80 in intensive care units .
The three-day average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has climbed to 514 , up from 339 about a month ago .
All state-run COVID-19 testing sites in Rhode Island will be closed on Monday .
The testing sites include all locations for Rhode Island ’ s dedicated K-12 testing program , the Rhode Island Convention Center , the Cumberland and Newport Stop & Shop testing sites , and the Block Island Fire and Rescue Barn .
Officials also announced that the Beat COVID/K-12 Dexter Street testing site in Pawtucket is moving to 354 Pine Street in Pawtucket .
It will reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The site will continue to be reserved for Central Falls and Pawtucket residents and people getting tested through the K-12 testing program .
The Vermont Health Department on Sunday reported another 11 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19 .
That brings the total number of cases detected in the state since the beginning of the pandemic to nearly 1,870 .
No COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in Vermont hospitals .
The number of COVID-19 deaths in Vermont remains at 58 .
More than 172,800 people have been tested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered from the disease .
Trinity College in Hartford has extended its shift to online classes until at least Friday , Oct. 16 .
The Hartford Courant reported Sunday that the decision came after the number of active cases of COVID-19 more than doubled .
The announcement came in an email sent late Saturday to students , faculty and staff by school officials .
There are now 45 active cases among the student body - up from 20 last week - according to the school ’ s COVID-19 dashboard .
Students who live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new cases .
Ten students have returned home to quarantine and the rest are being moved into on-campus isolation facilities .
The college requires students to be tested twice a week for the coronavirus , school officials said .

BOSTON (AP) - A look at coronavirus-related developments in New England on Saturday:
___
MAINE
An elementary school in York is going remote for at least two weeks after reporting an outbreak of COVID-19.
WMTW-TV reported that the superintendent of the York School Department says the Maine CDC determined there was an outbreak of COVID-19 at Coastal Ridge Elementary School.
It was unclear how many people had tested positive. The school plans to rely on distance learning until October 23rd.
A contact tracer will be in touch with people who had close contact with anyone who tested positive.
___
Maine health officials reported 27 new cases of coronavirus and no new deaths Sunday.
The 27 additional cases bring the total in Maine since the outbreak began to more than 5,720.
Active cases stood at 610 on Sunday.
___
NEW HAMPSHIRE
A vendor participating in the Enfield Market on Saturday was asked to leave following reports that the vendor - Whiskey Kissed Co. - had tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 24 hours.
The vendor left the market immediately at the request of organizers after being on site from about 10 a.m. to noon, according to a press release from the Hanover Police Department.
The vendor and all patrons who visited the vendor’s booth were believed to have been wearing face masks.
Enfield officials said the town takes the safety of all residents and visitors very seriously, adding that Enfield Market organizers will cooperate with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to make sure appropriate steps are taken, including contact tracing and any potential need for individuals to self-quarantine.
Vendors that participate in the market are informed of health safety rules, include a wide range of precautions specific to COVID-19.
___
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts reported 16 newly confirmed coronavirus deaths and 570 newly confirmed cases Sunday, pushing the state’s confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 9,388 and its confirmed caseload to more than 136,100.
The seven-day weighted average of positive tests stands at 1%. The true number of cases is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
There were more than 510 people reported hospitalized Monday because of COVID-19, and more than 80 in intensive care units.
The three-day average of the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has climbed to 514, up from 339 about a month ago.
___
RHODE ISLAND
All state-run COVID-19 testing sites in Rhode Island will be closed on Monday.
The testing sites include all locations for Rhode Island’s dedicated K-12 testing program, the Rhode Island Convention Center, the Cumberland and Newport Stop & Shop testing sites, and the Block Island Fire and Rescue Barn.
Normal operations will resume on Tuesday.
Officials also announced that the Beat COVID/K-12 Dexter Street testing site in Pawtucket is moving to 354 Pine Street in Pawtucket. It will reopen on Tuesday morning at its new location.
The site will continue to be reserved for Central Falls and Pawtucket residents and people getting tested through the K-12 testing program.
___
VERMONT
The Vermont Health Department on Sunday reported another 11 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
That brings the total number of cases detected in the state since the beginning of the pandemic to nearly 1,870.
No COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in Vermont hospitals.
The number of COVID-19 deaths in Vermont remains at 58. More than 172,800 people have been tested in the state, while nearly 1,660 have recovered from the disease.
___
CONNECTICUT
Trinity College in Hartford has extended its shift to online classes until at least Friday, Oct. 16.
The Hartford Courant reported Sunday that the decision came after the number of active cases of COVID-19 more than doubled. The announcement came in an email sent late Saturday to students, faculty and staff by school officials.
There are now 45 active cases among the student body - up from 20 last week - according to the school’s COVID-19 dashboard.
Students who live in off-campus housing make up the majority of new cases. Ten students have returned home to quarantine and the rest are being moved into on-campus isolation facilities.
The college requires students to be tested twice a week for the coronavirus, school officials said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Judge won't order immediate switch to hand-marked ballots

ATLANTA ( AP ) - A federal judge on Sunday expressed serious concerns about Georgia ’ s new election system but declined to order the state to abandon its touchscreen voting machines in favor of hand-marked paper ballots for the November election .
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by voting integrity activists that challenges the election system the state bought last year from Dominion Voting Systems for more than $ 100 million .
The activists argued that the system places an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote because voters can not be confident their vote is accurately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has significantly updated and secured its election infrastructure in recent years , and that the new machines have been thoroughly tested and that security measures will prevent problems .
They also said last-minute changes would be extremely costly and difficult to implement in time .
In-person early voting begins Monday and Election Day is just over three weeks away .
The new election system uses touchscreen voting machines - known as ballot-marking devices or BMDs - to print a paper ballot with a barcode that is read by a scanner .
The activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerability and operational issues that may place Plaintiffs and other voters at risk of deprivation of their fundamental right to cast an effective vote that is accurately counted , ” U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg wrote in a 147-page order issued Sunday night .
“ The Court ’ s Order has delved deep into the true risks posed by the new BMD voting system as well as its manner of implementation , ” Totenberg wrote .
“ These risks are neither hypothetical nor remote under the current circumstances.
” The activists have shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during pilot elections last year and this year ’ s June primary and August runoff elections “ caused severe breakdowns at the polls , severely burdening voters ’ exercise of the franchise.
” But the judge noted that U.S. Supreme Court precedent recognizes states ’ “ authority and power to regulate their elections and the voting process itself ” and acknowledged that the high court has repeatedly said in recent months that lower courts must use great restraint in ordering any substantial changes so close to an election .
“ Implementation of such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not but cause voter confusion and some real measure of electoral disruption , ” she wrote .
For those reasons , Totenberg wrote , she must deny the activists ’ request for an immediate replacement of the new voting system with one that uses hand-marked paper ballots .
But she wared that “ the vital issues identified in this case will not disappear or be appropriately addressed without focused State attention , resources , ongoing serious evaluation by independent cybersecurity experts , and open-mindedness.
” “ We are deeply disappointed that Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election on unreliable touchscreen machines that produce results that can not be audited , ” Marilyn Marks , executive director of the Coalition for Good Governance , a plaintiff in the suit , said in an email .
The secretary of state ’ s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday .

ATLANTA (AP) - A federal judge on Sunday expressed serious concerns about Georgia’s new election system but declined to order the state to abandon its touchscreen voting machines in favor of hand-marked paper ballots for the November election.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by voting integrity activists that challenges the election system the state bought last year from Dominion Voting Systems for more than $100 million. The activists argued that the system places an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote because voters cannot be confident their vote is accurately counted.
State officials argued that Georgia has significantly updated and secured its election infrastructure in recent years, and that the new machines have been thoroughly tested and that security measures will prevent problems. They also said last-minute changes would be extremely costly and difficult to implement in time.
In-person early voting begins Monday and Election Day is just over three weeks away.
The new election system uses touchscreen voting machines - known as ballot-marking devices or BMDs - to print a paper ballot with a barcode that is read by a scanner. The activists’ challenge “presents serious system security vulnerability and operational issues that may place Plaintiffs and other voters at risk of deprivation of their fundamental right to cast an effective vote that is accurately counted,” U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg wrote in a 147-page order issued Sunday night.
“The Court’s Order has delved deep into the true risks posed by the new BMD voting system as well as its manner of implementation,” Totenberg wrote. “These risks are neither hypothetical nor remote under the current circumstances.”
The activists have shown that equipment and voter registration database problems during pilot elections last year and this year’s June primary and August runoff elections “caused severe breakdowns at the polls, severely burdening voters’ exercise of the franchise.”
But the judge noted that U.S. Supreme Court precedent recognizes states’ “authority and power to regulate their elections and the voting process itself” and acknowledged that the high court has repeatedly said in recent months that lower courts must use great restraint in ordering any substantial changes so close to an election.
“Implementation of such a sudden systemic change under these circumstances cannot but cause voter confusion and some real measure of electoral disruption,” she wrote.
For those reasons, Totenberg wrote, she must deny the activists’ request for an immediate replacement of the new voting system with one that uses hand-marked paper ballots. But she wared that “the vital issues identified in this case will not disappear or be appropriately addressed without focused State attention, resources, ongoing serious evaluation by independent cybersecurity experts, and open-mindedness.”
“We are deeply disappointed that Georgia voters will be voting in this important election on unreliable touchscreen machines that produce results that cannot be audited,” Marilyn Marks, executive director of the Coalition for Good Governance, a plaintiff in the suit, said in an email.
The secretary of state’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Joe Biden razzed after pulling down mask to cough into hand

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden has accused President Trump of not taking mask-wearing seriously enough , but the Democrat himself may be unclear on the face-covering concept .
Mr. Biden pulled down his mask to cough into his hand during a drive-in rally Friday in Las Vegas , Nevada , which did not go unnoticed on the right .
“ You can ’ t make this up , ” tweeted Republican National Committee rapid-response director Steve Guest .
“ Joe Biden just removed his mask to cough in his hand .
Talk about unsanitary !
” The video has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clip from the same speech in which he called for a “ $ 15 million minimum , $ 15,000 , $ 15 minimum wage , ” as he pulled his mask down below his mouth .
“ Biden dutifully lowers his mask and coughs into his hand .
And that ’ s how it ’ s done folks !
” tweeted Justin Hart .
“ Right ?
!
” It was unclear from the video whether Mr. Biden was within six feet of anyone as he spoke to the drive-in crowd from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received a scolding after coughing into his fist during a remote interview with CNN ’ s Jake Tapper .
“ You know , you ’ re supposed to cough into your elbow , ” said Mr. Tapper .
Mr. Biden , who was not wearing a mask , replied : “ Actually , that ’ s true , but fortunately I ’ m alone in my home.
” Mr. Biden has called as recently as Oct. 7 for “ nationwide mask mandates , ” although he said at an Oct. 5 town hall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enact a mandate on federal property , adding that he doubted the president could impose a national rule .
The Democratic presidential candidate also said that he “ wasn ’ t surprised ” that Mr. Trump had contracted the novel coronavirus , and criticized the president for taking off his mask after climbing the stairs to the White House following his Oct. 5 release from Walter Reed .
“ I would hope the president , having gone through what he went through—and I ’ m glad he seems to be coming along pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American people : Masks matter , ” said Mr. Biden .
“ These masks , they matter .
It matters .
It saves lives .
It prevents the spread of the disease .
”

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden has accused President Trump of not taking mask-wearing seriously enough, but the Democrat himself may be unclear on the face-covering concept.
Mr. Biden pulled down his mask to cough into his hand during a drive-in rally Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada, which did not go unnoticed on the right.
“You can’t make this up,” tweeted Republican National Committee rapid-response director Steve Guest. “Joe Biden just removed his mask to cough in his hand. Talk about unsanitary!”
The video has since gone viral, as has a clip from the same speech in which he called for a “$15 million minimum, $15,000, $15 minimum wage,” as he pulled his mask down below his mouth.
“Biden dutifully lowers his mask and coughs into his hand. And that’s how it’s done folks!” tweeted Justin Hart. “Right?!”
It was unclear from the video whether Mr. Biden was within six feet of anyone as he spoke to the drive-in crowd from the podium.
When wearing a mask, please do not remove the mask to cough into your hand.
That is defeating the entire purpose of the mask.
Keep the mask on and cough into your elbow. pic.twitter.com/TxLlGM7MME — Dr. David Samadi, MD (@drdavidsamadi) October 10, 2020
Please enjoy these videos of Biden saying “breast” during a speech, then calling for a $15M minimum wage, then removing his mask to cough into his hand https://t.co/CkNhK6zzIK — Not the Bee (@Not_the_Bee) October 11, 2020
In March, Mr. Biden received a scolding after coughing into his fist during a remote interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper.
“You know, you’re supposed to cough into your elbow,” said Mr. Tapper.
Mr. Biden, who was not wearing a mask, replied: “Actually, that’s true, but fortunately I’m alone in my home.”
Mr. Biden has called as recently as Oct. 7 for “nationwide mask mandates,” although he said at an Oct. 5 town hall on NBC News that he would only enact a mandate on federal property, adding that he doubted the president could impose a national rule.
As president, I will:
- Implement nationwide mask mandates
- Ensure access to regular, reliable, and free testing
- Accelerate the development of treatments and vaccines
I won’t waste any time getting this virus under control. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 7, 2020
The Democratic presidential candidate also said that he “wasn’t surprised” that Mr. Trump had contracted the novel coronavirus, and criticized the president for taking off his mask after climbing the stairs to the White House following his Oct. 5 release from Walter Reed.
“I would hope the president, having gone through what he went through—and I’m glad he seems to be coming along pretty well—would communicate the right lesson to the American people: Masks matter,” said Mr. Biden. “These masks, they matter. It matters. It saves lives. It prevents the spread of the disease.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Bubble Kings: Lakers run past Heat for 17th NBA championship

This season , for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers , had it all .
And it ended in the only fashion that they deemed would be acceptable , with them back atop the basketball world .
For the first time since Kobe Bryant ’ s fifth and final title a decade ago , the Lakers are NBA champions .
James had 28 points , 14 rebounds and 10 assists , and the Lakers beat the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday night to win the NBA Finals in six games .
Anthony Davis had 19 points and 15 rebounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the enormous anguish that followed the death of the iconic Bryant in January and all the challenges that came with leaving home for three months to play at Walt Disney World in a bubble designed to keep inhabitants safe from the coronavirus .
It would be , James predicted , the toughest title to ever win .
They made the clincher look easy .
James won his fourth title , doing it with a third different franchise - and against the Heat franchise that showed him to to become a champion .
Bam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Miami , which got 12 points from Jimmy Butler - the player who , in his first Heat season , got the team back to title contention .
Rajon Rondo scored 19 points for the Lakers .
With that , the league ’ s bubble chapter , put together after a 4 1/2-month suspension of play that started March 11 because of the coronavirus pandemic , is over .
So , too , is a season that saw the league and China get into political sparring , the death on Jan. 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man who did so much to make the league what it is - and then the shock on Jan. 26 that came with the news that Bryant , his daughter Gianna and seven other died in a helicopter crash .
The Lakers said they were playing the rest of the season in his memory .
They delivered what Bryant did five times for L.A. - a ring , and the clincher was emphatic .
Game 6 was over by halftime , the Lakers taking a 64-36 lead into the break .
The Heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from anywhere : 35 % from 2-point range in the half , 33 % from 3-point range and even an uncharacteristic 42 % from the line , not like any of it really mattered .
The Lakers were getting everything they wanted and then some , outscoring Miami 36-16 in the second quarter and doing all that with James making just one shot in the period .
Rajon Rondo , now a two-time champion and the first to win rings as a player in both Boston and Los Angeles - the franchises now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 for 6 in the half , the first time he ’ d done that since November 2007 .
The Lakers ’ lead was 46-32 with 5:00 left in the half , and they outscored Miami 18-4 from there until intermission .
Ball game .
The 28-point halftime lead was the second-biggest in NBA Finals history , topped only by the Celtics leading the Lakers 79-49 on May 27 , 1985 .
True to form , the Heat - a No .
5 seed in the Eastern Conference that finished with a losing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embraced the challenge of the bubble like none other - didn ’ t stop playing , not even when the deficit got to 36 in the third quarter .
A 23-8 run by Miami got the Heat to 90-69 with 8:37 left .
But the outcome was never in doubt , and before long confetti was blasted into the air as the Lakers ’ celebration formally and officially began .
Lakers : Davis did not wear the gold-painted sneakers that he had for Game 5 ; instead , he went with red-and-black ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dion Waiters , who began this season with the Heat ; 19-year-old Talen Horton-Tucker ( he turns 20 Nov. 25 ) and Kostas Antetokounmpo - the brother of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks .
Heat : Goran Dragic ( torn left plantar fascia ) checked in late in the first quarter , his first appearance since Game 1 of the series .
… Jae Crowder had 12 points and Duncan Robinson had 10 for the Heat .
John Salley and Robert Horry were , until Sunday , the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ franchises .
James ( Miami , Cleveland ) and Danny Green ( San Antonio , Toronto ) added their names to that list with this title .
Miami led the NBA with 94 games played this season - 30 more than Minnesota , which played the fewest in the NBA .
The Heat finished with 1,247 3-pointers this season , including playoffs , 290 more than any other year in team history .
Nobody knows .
The draft is set for Nov. 18 , but the dates for the start of free agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s schedule could be weeks away from being finalized .

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The ultimate anguish. The ultimate joy.
This season, for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, had it all. And it ended in the only fashion that they deemed would be acceptable, with them back atop the basketball world.
For the first time since Kobe Bryant’s fifth and final title a decade ago, the Lakers are NBA champions. James had 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Lakers beat the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday night to win the NBA Finals in six games.
“Our organization wants their respect. Laker Nation wants their respect,” James said. “And I want my damn respect, too.”
Anthony Davis had 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who dealt with the enormous anguish that followed the death of the iconic Bryant in January and all the challenges that came with leaving home for three months to play at Walt Disney World in a bubble designed to keep inhabitants safe from the coronavirus.
It would be, James predicted, the toughest title to ever win.
“We have a Ph.D in adversity, I’ll tell you that much,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We’ve been through a lot.”
They made the clincher look easy. James won his fourth title, doing it with a third different franchise — and against the Heat franchise that showed him to to become a champion.
Bam Adebayo had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which got 12 points from Jimmy Butler — the player who, in his first Heat season, got the team back to title contention. Rajon Rondo scored 19 points for the Lakers.
With that, the league’s bubble chapter, put together after a 4 1/2-month suspension of play that started March 11 because of the coronavirus pandemic and came with a promise that it would raise awareness to the problems of racial injustice and police brutality, is over. So, too, is a season that saw the league and China get into political sparring, the death on Jan. 1 of commissioner emeritus David Stern — the man who did so much to make the league what it is — and then the shock on Jan. 26 that came with the news that Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other died in a helicopter crash.
The Lakers said they were playing the rest of the season in his memory.
They delivered what Bryant did five times for L.A. — a ring, and the clincher was emphatic.
“You have written your own inspiring chapter in the great Laker history,” Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said. “And to Laker Nation, we have been through a heartbreaking tragedy with the loss of our beloved Kobe Bryant. Let this trophy serve as a reminder of when we come together, believe in each other, incredible things can happen.”
Game 6 was over by halftime, the Lakers taking a 64-36 lead into the break. The Heat never led and couldn’t shoot from anywhere: 35% from 2-point range in the half, 33% from 3-point range and even an uncharacteristic 42% from the line, not like any of it really mattered. The Lakers were getting everything they wanted and then some, outscoring Miami 36-16 in the second quarter and doing all that with James making just one shot in the period.
Rondo, now a two-time champion and the first to win rings as a player in both Boston and Los Angeles — the franchises now tied with 17 titles apiece — was 6 for 6 in the half, the first time he’d done that since November 2007. The Lakers’ lead was 46-32 with 5:00 left in the half, and they outscored Miami 18-4 from there until intermission.
Ball game. The 28-point halftime lead was the second-biggest in NBA Finals history, topped only by the Celtics leading the Lakers 79-49 on May 27, 1985.
“We didn’t get the final result that we wanted,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But even what I mentioned to the guys, these are going to be lifetime memories that we have together. This locker room … we’re going to remember this year, this season, this experience and that locker room brotherhood for the rest of our lives.”
True to form, the Heat — a No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference that finished with a losing record last season, a team that embraced the challenge of the bubble like none other — didn’t stop playing, not even when the deficit got to 36 in the third quarter.
A 23-8 run by Miami got the Heat to 90-69 with 8:37 left. But the outcome was never in doubt, and before long confetti was blasted into the air as the Lakers’ celebration formally and officially began.
“Laker Nation,” Vogel, now a first-time champion bellowed. “We did it.”
TIP-INS
Lakers: Davis did not wear the gold-painted sneakers that he had for Game 5; instead, he went with red-and-black ones Sunday. … Among the ring-winners: Dion Waiters, who began this season with the Heat; 19-year-old Talen Horton-Tucker (he turns 20 Nov. 25) and Kostas Antetokounmpo — the brother of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Heat: Goran Dragic (torn left plantar fascia) checked in late in the first quarter, his first appearance since Game 1 of the series. “I just wanted to be out there to help my team as much as possible. It is what it is. The Lakers were better,” an emotional Dragic said. … Jae Crowder had 12 points and Duncan Robinson had 10 for the Heat.
JOIN THE CLUB
John Salley and Robert Horry were, until Sunday, the only players to win championships with three different franchises. James (Miami, Cleveland) and Danny Green (San Antonio, Toronto) added their names to that list with this title.
HEAT SEASON
Miami led the NBA with 94 games played this season — 30 more than Minnesota, which played the fewest in the NBA. The Heat finished with 1,247 3-pointers this season, including playoffs, 290 more than any other year in team history.
UP NEXT
Nobody knows. The draft is set for Nov. 18, but the dates for the start of free agency, training camps and next season’s schedule could be weeks away from being finalized.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Inside the Beltway: President Trump stands up for Christopher Columbus

Columbus Day has been around for a while .
The first recorded celebration of Columbus Day in the U.S. took place on Oct. 12 , 1792 , and was organized by the New York City-based Society of St. Tammany — also known as the Columbian Order — to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Christopher Columbus ‘ landing in the Americas .
So says the Library of Congress , which notes that the first official Columbus Day holiday took place in 1892 , set forth in a proclamation by President Benjamin Harrison , who called Columbus “ a pioneer of progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades , the Knights of Columbus , an international Roman Catholic fraternal society , lobbied state legislatures to declare Oct. 12 a legal holiday .
Colorado was the first state to do so in 1907 , followed by New York in 1909 .
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated Columbus Day a national holiday in 1934 .
In keeping with such traditions , President Trump has issued his own proclamation which praises both Columbus and Americans with Italian heritage .
But Mr. Trump took his statement further .
“ For our beautiful Italian American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Columbus remains a legendary figure .
Sadly , in recent years , radical activists have sought to undermine Christopher Columbus ’ s legacy .
These extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast contributions with talk of failings , his discoveries with atrocities , and his achievements with transgressions .
Rather than learn from our history , this radical ideology and its adherents seek to revise it , deprive it of any splendor , and mark it as inherently sinister , ” Mr. Trump said .
“ They seek to squash any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not give in to these tactics or consent to such a bleak view of our history .
We must teach future generations about our storied heritage , starting with the protection of monuments to our intrepid heroes like Columbus , ” the president said .
“ On this Columbus Day , we embrace the same optimism that led Christopher Columbus to discover the New World .
We inherit that optimism , along with the legacy of American heroes who blazed the trails , settled a continent , tamed the wilderness , and built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen.
” Many people wonder why the nation can ’ t celebrate both Columbus Day and Indigenous People ’ s Day without a fuss , but that ’ s another story .
And what do polls say about Columbus Day ?
One survey broached the topic four months ago , when the defacing and destruction of multiple heroic statues — including those dedicated to Columbus — was at its peak .
A Just the News Daily Poll of 1,000 registered U.S. voters conducted June 18-20 by veteran pollster Scott Rasmussen asked this question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eliminating Columbus Day as a national holiday ?
” The answers : 36 % of voters “ strongly oppose ” nixing the holiday , 16 % “ somewhat oppose ” it .
Another 23 % strongly favor and 12 % somewhat favor getting rid of it while 12 % were not sure .
The media went after Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis plenty for his COVID-19 policies .
He declined to issue a statewide face mask mandate and lifted restrictions on bars and movie theaters in early June .
He also eased capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In an interview with Fox News host Mark Levin on Sunday , Mr. DeSantis explained he was protecting those most vulnerable to coronavirus “ rather than trying to suppress society as a whole ” — and that he also ensured area hospitals were up to the challenge .
“ But then third , and I think this is really important , we wanted society to function .
You can ’ t burn down the village in order to save it .
So if you look now , Florida ’ s open for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theme parks — all that have been open for months .
And we have kids in school in person .
Parents have the option to opt for virtual learning if they want , but they have the in-person option , which is very , very important , ” the governor said.
” North Korea staged an enormous public gathering on Saturday to honor the nation ’ s 75th anniversary — displaying a brand new , jumbo-sized intercontinental ballistic missile — that ’ s ICBM in the vernacular .
The missile ’ s launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any force harms the safety of our nation , we will fully mobilize the strongest offensive might , ” North Korea leader Kim Jong-un said .
“ Despite North Korea being hammered this year by three typhoons , constant food insecurity issues , international sanctions and now threats from COVID-19 , the Kim regime has shown the world once again its long-range missile program will continue to advance with each passing day , ” say Harry J. Kazianis , senior director of Korean Studies at the Center for the National Interest .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what appears to be a new liquid-fueled ICBM that seems to be a derivative of what was tested back in late 2017 , known as the Hwasong-15 — is much bigger and clearly more powerful than anything in the nation ’ s arsenal .
Such a massive road-mobile missile — likely the biggest such missile on the planet — would have the capability to add either increased range or be able to carry a bigger payload , ” the analyst notes .
“ While North Korea ’ s growing missile capabilities are surely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry is the clear lack of any coronavirus safety measures such as masks or social distancing where thousands of people congregated .
This parade could end up being the ultimate super spreader event if just a few people were to be infected , ” he advises , adding that the display of such a missile “ is not worth the risk.
” • 69 % of U.S. adults say they are “ extremely motivated ” to vote ; 71 % of Trump voters , 72 % Biden voters and 31 % of third-party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have given “ a lot of thought ” to the election ; 71 % of Trump voters and 71 % of Biden voters agree .
• 39 % overall will vote by absentee or mail-in ballot ; 25 % of Trump voters and 51 % of Biden voters agree .
• 33 % overall will vote in person on Election Day ; 50 % of Trump voters and 20 % of Biden voters agree .
• 21 % will vote in person before Election Day ; 20 % of Trump voters and 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : A PEW RESEARCH CENTER poll of 11,929 U.S. adults conducted FROM SEPT. 30 TO OCT. 5 .

NEWS AND OPINION:
Columbus Day has been around for a while. The first recorded celebration of Columbus Day in the U.S. took place on Oct. 12, 1792, and was organized by the New York City-based Society of St. Tammany — also known as the Columbian Order — to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Christopher Columbus‘ landing in the Americas.
So says the Library of Congress, which notes that the first official Columbus Day holiday took place in 1892, set forth in a proclamation by President Benjamin Harrison, who called Columbus “a pioneer of progress and enlightenment.”
In the next two decades, the Knights of Columbus, an international Roman Catholic fraternal society, lobbied state legislatures to declare Oct. 12 a legal holiday. Colorado was the first state to do so in 1907, followed by New York in 1909. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated Columbus Day a national holiday in 1934. In keeping with such traditions, President Trump has issued his own proclamation which praises both Columbus and Americans with Italian heritage.
But Mr. Trump took his statement further.
“For our beautiful Italian American communities — and Americans of every background — Columbus remains a legendary figure. Sadly, in recent years, radical activists have sought to undermine Christopher Columbus’s legacy. These extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast contributions with talk of failings, his discoveries with atrocities, and his achievements with transgressions. Rather than learn from our history, this radical ideology and its adherents seek to revise it, deprive it of any splendor, and mark it as inherently sinister,” Mr. Trump said.
“They seek to squash any dissent from their orthodoxy. We must not give in to these tactics or consent to such a bleak view of our history. We must teach future generations about our storied heritage, starting with the protection of monuments to our intrepid heroes like Columbus,” the president said.
“On this Columbus Day, we embrace the same optimism that led Christopher Columbus to discover the New World. We inherit that optimism, along with the legacy of American heroes who blazed the trails, settled a continent, tamed the wilderness, and built the single-greatest nation the world has ever seen.”
A RARE COLUMBUS DAY POLL
Many people wonder why the nation can’t celebrate both Columbus Day and Indigenous People’s Day without a fuss, but that’s another story. And what do polls say about Columbus Day?
One survey broached the topic four months ago, when the defacing and destruction of multiple heroic statues — including those dedicated to Columbus — was at its peak. A Just the News Daily Poll of 1,000 registered U.S. voters conducted June 18-20 by veteran pollster Scott Rasmussen asked this question: “Do you favor or oppose eliminating Columbus Day as a national holiday?”
The answers: 36% of voters “strongly oppose” nixing the holiday, 16% “somewhat oppose” it. Another 23% strongly favor and 12% somewhat favor getting rid of it while 12% were not sure.
MEANWHILE IN FLORIDA
The media went after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis plenty for his COVID-19 policies. He declined to issue a statewide face mask mandate and lifted restrictions on bars and movie theaters in early June. He also eased capacity restrictions on bars and restaurants in September.
In an interview with Fox News host Mark Levin on Sunday, Mr. DeSantis explained he was protecting those most vulnerable to coronavirus “rather than trying to suppress society as a whole” — and that he also ensured area hospitals were up to the challenge.
“But then third, and I think this is really important, we wanted society to function. You can’t burn down the village in order to save it. So if you look now, Florida’s open for business. We have everything — like theme parks — all that have been open for months. And we have kids in school in person. Parents have the option to opt for virtual learning if they want, but they have the in-person option, which is very, very important,” the governor said.”
MEANWHILE IN NORTH KOREA
North Korea staged an enormous public gathering on Saturday to honor the nation’s 75th anniversary — displaying a brand new, jumbo-sized intercontinental ballistic missile — that’s ICBM in the vernacular. The missile’s launch vehicle had 11 axles.
“If any force harms the safety of our nation, we will fully mobilize the strongest offensive might,” North Korea leader Kim Jong-un said.
“Despite North Korea being hammered this year by three typhoons, constant food insecurity issues, international sanctions and now threats from COVID-19, the Kim regime has shown the world once again its long-range missile program will continue to advance with each passing day,” say Harry J. Kazianis, senior director of Korean Studies at the Center for the National Interest.
“What North Korea has shown us — what appears to be a new liquid-fueled ICBM that seems to be a derivative of what was tested back in late 2017, known as the Hwasong-15 — is much bigger and clearly more powerful than anything in the nation’s arsenal. Such a massive road-mobile missile — likely the biggest such missile on the planet — would have the capability to add either increased range or be able to carry a bigger payload,” the analyst notes.
“While North Korea’s growing missile capabilities are surely concerning, I would argue the bigger worry is the clear lack of any coronavirus safety measures such as masks or social distancing where thousands of people congregated. This parade could end up being the ultimate super spreader event if just a few people were to be infected,” he advises, adding that the display of such a missile “is not worth the risk.”
POLL DU JOUR
• 69% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely motivated” to vote; 71% of Trump voters, 72% Biden voters and 31% of third-party backers agree.
• 69% overall have given “a lot of thought” to the election; 71% of Trump voters and 71% of Biden voters agree.
• 39% overall will vote by absentee or mail-in ballot; 25% of Trump voters and 51% of Biden voters agree.
• 33% overall will vote in person on Election Day; 50% of Trump voters and 20% of Biden voters agree.
• 21% will vote in person before Election Day; 20% of Trump voters and 22% of Biden voters agree.
Source: A PEW RESEARCH CENTER poll of 11,929 U.S. adults conducted FROM SEPT. 30 TO OCT. 5.
• Helpful information to jharper@washingtontimes.com.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--COVID cases force delay of Baylor game vs No. 7 Oklahoma St.

WACO , Texas ( AP ) - Seventh-ranked Oklahoma State ’ s scheduled game Saturday at Baylor has been pushed @ @ @ @ @ of an increase in positive COVID-19 cases and concerns of a potential outbreak inside the @ @ @ @ @ Big 12 Conference announced Sunday night that the game has been rescheduled for Dec. 12 @ @ @ @ @ that it was pausing football activities to evaluate recent positive tests for COVID-19 , but @ @ @ @ @ play the game against the Cowboys ( 3-0 , 2-0 Big 12 ) .
But @ @ @ @ @ until at least next Saturday .
Big 12 officials said the league ’ s championship @ @ @ @ @ 12 or 19 , depending on game results needed to determine who would play in @ @ @ @ @ State and Baylor ( 1-1 , 1-1 ) were off Saturday .
The Cowboys are @ @ @ @ @ against No .
20 Iowa State at home on Oct. 24 , when the Bears @ @ @ @ @ Texas .

WACO, Texas (AP) - An increase in positive COVID-19 cases at Baylor and concerns of an outbreak have led to the Bears’ scheduled home game Saturday against No. 7 Oklahoma State being pushed back nearly two months.
The Big 12 Conference announced Sunday night that the game has been rescheduled for Dec. 12. That move came three days after Baylor announced a pause in football activities to evaluate recent positive tests for COVID-19.
“We are disappointed to postpone another game,” Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades said. “However, the significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases has led to concerns of an outbreak and the decision to suspend team practice through October 17. Secondly, this has caused a position group to fall below the minimum threshold of available players.”
Baylor didn’t provide any specific numbers for the team, or say which position group or players were affected.
Both Oklahoma State (3-0, 2-0 Big 12) and Baylor (1-1, 1-1) had scheduled open dates Saturday. The Cowboys are next set to play against No. 20 Iowa State at home on Oct. 24, when the Bears are scheduled to play at Texas.
Big 12 officials said the league’s championship remained tentatively scheduled for Dec. 12 or 19, depending on game results needed to determine who would play in that game.
There have been 27 FBS games postponed or cancelled since Aug. 26, but this is the first Big 12 Conference game to be rescheduled.
“In situations like this, it is best to do all that you can to break the chain of transmission to help mitigate the length of time for ongoing spread of the virus,” said Dr. Christopher J. Hostler, co-founder and co-owner of Infection Control Education for Major Sports, which serves as a consultant to the Big 12 on matters related to COVID-19.
When Baylor announced its pause in football activities on Thursday, it said then it was hoping to play the game against Oklahoma State. That pause instead has been extended through at least next Saturday, the day that game was scheduled.
This is the third time Baylor and first-year coach Dave Aranda have had a scheduled game altered because of coronavirus issues.
The Bears’ original opener Sept. 12 didn’t happen because Louisiana Tech had widespread positive tests for COVID-19. A hastily arranged game against former Southwest Conference foe Houston was canceled a day before it was supposed to be played on Sept. 19 because Baylor was unable to meet COVID-19 roster thresholds set by the Big 12.
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Lindsey Graham to lead Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearings amid Senate race

Sen. Lindsey Graham will be front and center when the country tunes in Monday for the partisan battle at confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett .
The South Carolina Republican ’ s prominent role leading the Judiciary Committee , however , won ’ t necessarily be a boon of free publicity back home , where he ’ s fighting for political survival in one of the toughest reelection bouts of his career .
The race unexpectedly heated up in the fall and the three-term senator now is tied in the polls with Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Committee who formerly chaired the state party .
“ I think if you had told any of us back in March or April that this was coming , we would have been shocked .
It has been a perfect storm of events and circumstances , ” said Danielle Vinson , a politics professor at Furman University in Greenville , South Carolina .
The Supreme Court battle is at the very center of that storm , highlighting the balancing act Mr. Graham needs to pull off .
Mr. Graham ’ s failed presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump has made him a national political figure .
But that ’ s not necessarily helpful for him back in South Carolina , where Trump fatigue amongst some Republicans and accusations of hypocrisy are hurting him .
“ Being so close to the president is a double-edged sword .
If you hug too tight , disaffected Republicans or moderates don ’ t like it .
If you distance yourself from the president , the president ’ s base gets angry .
It ’ s a fine line to balance , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want to be identified .
Mr. Harrison , who is Black and a former Capitol Hill staffer for longtime South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn , gained momentum in the spring as the Black Lives Matter campaign gained traction across the country , energizing young and minority voters .
A native of Orangeburg , he was able to hammer out his message as someone who knew the state well without much pushback early on from the Graham campaign .
“ Graham didn ’ t realize until it was late in the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hands , and as a result , Harrison got a huge head start , ” said Ms. Vinson .
Additionally , Mr. Harrison benefited from a flood of campaign cash .
In the second quarter , he brought in nearly $ 14 million — nearly doubling what he brought in in his first three months — compared to Mr. Graham ’ s $ 8.4 million , according to federal campaign finance reports .
His third-quarter haul of $ 57 million , which the Harrison campaign announced Sunday , set a new record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate .
Mr. Graham hasn ’ t been shy about the money problems either , going on Fox News several times in the past few weeks with fundraising pleas .
“ What changed is that Jamie Harrison is being supported by a historic deluge of cash .
He ’ s raising more every week than a normal South Carolina statewide campaign , ” the Republican strategist told The Washington Times .
The Supreme Court fight might be a way for Mr. Graham to bring back some of the Trump-wary conservatives who nevertheless overwhelmingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Indeed , the Graham campaign is going full throttle to promote the senator ’ s role in confirming conservative judges , with the crowning jewel being Judge Barrett ’ s appointment to the Supreme Court .
Mr. Graham was a vocal figure in both confirmation hearings for Mr. Trump ’ s two previous picks for the high court , Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch .
But this week ’ s confirmation hearings will be his first as chairman of the committee .
“ Senator Graham is fighting for South Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , and working to ensure a conservative Supreme Court with Judge Amy Coney Barrett as the newest member , ” said TW Arrighi , a Graham campaign spokesman .
“ Meanwhile , Democrat Jaime Harrison in on his way to spending $ 100 million in out-of-state , liberal money in an attempt to buy a Senate seat with wall-to-wall negative ads.
” “ ‘ Hiding Harrison ’ thinks he can hide his radical views from voters and run from reporters , but South Carolinians know a liberal Democrat when they see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal polling has us on track for a victory in November , but Senator Graham is fighting for every vote as he never takes anything for granted.
” The Harrison campaign did not respond to request for comment for this story .
In 2014 , Mr. Graham sailed to victory with a 15-point margin in his last bid for reelection in the reliably red state .
Mr. Graham ’ s seat has been held by a Republican since 1956 and Sen. Tim Scott ’ s seat has been in the GOP column since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Political Report moved the South Carolina Senate race from a ‘ Leans Republican ’ to ‘ Toss-up ’ — meaning it ’ s too close to call .
So how does either one break out of this dead heat ?
Mr. Graham will likely continue to hammer his challenger as a liberal member of the Democratic establishment , rather than a moderate from a swing district .
Mr. Harrison needs to continue to find ways to chip away at wavering Republicans from the GOP ticket .
And , Ms. Vinson pointed out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down to who can drive out the vote best on Election Day .

Sen. Lindsey Graham will be front and center when the country tunes in Monday for the partisan battle at confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
The South Carolina Republican’s prominent role leading the Judiciary Committee, however, won’t necessarily be a boon of free publicity back home, where he’s fighting for political survival in one of the toughest reelection bouts of his career.
The race unexpectedly heated up in the fall and the three-term senator now is tied in the polls with Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison, a 44-year-old associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee who formerly chaired the state party.
“I think if you had told any of us back in March or April that this was coming, we would have been shocked. It has been a perfect storm of events and circumstances,” said Danielle Vinson, a politics professor at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Supreme Court battle is at the very center of that storm, highlighting the balancing act Mr. Graham needs to pull off.
Mr. Graham’s failed presidential run in 2016 and subsequent alliance with President Trump has made him a national political figure. But that’s not necessarily helpful for him back in South Carolina, where Trump fatigue amongst some Republicans and accusations of hypocrisy are hurting him.
“Being so close to the president is a double-edged sword. If you hug too tight, disaffected Republicans or moderates don’t like it. If you distance yourself from the president, the president’s base gets angry. It’s a fine line to balance,” said a South Carolina Republican strategist who didn’t want to be identified.
Mr. Harrison, who is Black and a former Capitol Hill staffer for longtime South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, gained momentum in the spring as the Black Lives Matter campaign gained traction across the country, energizing young and minority voters. A native of Orangeburg, he was able to hammer out his message as someone who knew the state well without much pushback early on from the Graham campaign.
“Graham didn’t realize until it was late in the game that he actually had a race on his hands, and as a result, Harrison got a huge head start,” said Ms. Vinson.
Additionally, Mr. Harrison benefited from a flood of campaign cash. In the second quarter, he brought in nearly $14 million — nearly doubling what he brought in in his first three months — compared to Mr. Graham’s $8.4 million, according to federal campaign finance reports.
His third-quarter haul of $57 million, which the Harrison campaign announced Sunday, set a new record for third-quarter fundraising by a U.S. Senate candidate.
Mr. Graham hasn’t been shy about the money problems either, going on Fox News several times in the past few weeks with fundraising pleas.
“What changed is that Jamie Harrison is being supported by a historic deluge of cash. He’s raising more every week than a normal South Carolina statewide campaign,” the Republican strategist told The Washington Times.
The Supreme Court fight might be a way for Mr. Graham to bring back some of the Trump-wary conservatives who nevertheless overwhelmingly support the president’s judicial picks.
Indeed, the Graham campaign is going full throttle to promote the senator’s role in confirming conservative judges, with the crowning jewel being Judge Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court.
Mr. Graham was a vocal figure in both confirmation hearings for Mr. Trump’s two previous picks for the high court, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch. But this week’s confirmation hearings will be his first as chairman of the committee.
“Senator Graham is fighting for South Carolina, helping families and businesses get through the pandemic, and working to ensure a conservative Supreme Court with Judge Amy Coney Barrett as the newest member,” said TW Arrighi, a Graham campaign spokesman. “Meanwhile, Democrat Jaime Harrison in on his way to spending $100 million in out-of-state, liberal money in an attempt to buy a Senate seat with wall-to-wall negative ads.”
“‘Hiding Harrison’ thinks he can hide his radical views from voters and run from reporters, but South Carolinians know a liberal Democrat when they see one. Make no mistake — our internal polling has us on track for a victory in November, but Senator Graham is fighting for every vote as he never takes anything for granted.”
The Harrison campaign did not respond to request for comment for this story.
In 2014, Mr. Graham sailed to victory with a 15-point margin in his last bid for reelection in the reliably red state. Mr. Graham’s seat has been held by a Republican since 1956 and Sen. Tim Scott’s seat has been in the GOP column since 2005.
Last week, The Cook Political Report moved the South Carolina Senate race from a ‘Leans Republican’ to ‘Toss-up’ — meaning it’s too close to call.
So how does either one break out of this dead heat?
Mr. Graham will likely continue to hammer his challenger as a liberal member of the Democratic establishment, rather than a moderate from a swing district.
Mr. Harrison needs to continue to find ways to chip away at wavering Republicans from the GOP ticket.
And, Ms. Vinson pointed out, it’s ultimately going to come down to who can drive out the vote best on Election Day.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-10-11--Kim Jong-un unveils North Korea missile to send Trump a message

North Korea ’ s rollout over the weekend of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of targeting the U.S. with a nuclear warhead showed that Pyongyang continues to expand its illegal weapons arsenal despite increased sanctions and diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration .
The communist regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un unveiled the road-mobile ICBM during a massive military parade in Pyongyang that U.S. experts said was clearly designed to send a message to Washington and its allies in the region , including South Korea .
“ This parade was orchestrated to show that despite the sanctions and hardships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advance its capabilities across the spectrum , from nuclear weapons and missiles to conventional systems to individual soldier equipment , ” said David Maxwell , a former U.S. Special Forces colonel focused on North Korea .
“ Most important , it laid the foundation for continued blackmail diplomacy with the South and the U.S. , ” said Mr. Maxwell , a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies .
He circulated his comments via email as U.S. officials scrambled to gauge the technical implications of what they had seen over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadcasts .
The ICBM that rolled through a parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Kim regime ’ s ruling Workers ’ Party appeared to be a significantly ramped-up version of the Hwasong-15 missile that Pyongyang test-launched in 2017 .
The ICBM , which had not been shown before in public , was rolled onto a transporter-erector launcher with 11 axles , two more than the Hwasong-15 — also known as the KN-22 .
It marks the fourth ballistic missile that the North Koreans have developed in a class that also includes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade in Pyongyang also showcased the KN-20 and a submarine-launched ballistic missile called the KN-11 .
The larger , newer ICBM is expected to have a longer range than the others , with a potential capability of flying some 7,000 miles — notably farther than the distance from Pyongyang to Washington .
National security sources have predicted for months that North Korea might use the Workers ’ Party anniversary parade for a missile reveal , delivering an “ October surprise ” to capitalize on perceived policy uncertainty in Washington surrounding the impending U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official expressed frustration over the reveal .
“ It is disappointing to see the DPRK continuing to prioritize its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile program over working towards a brighter future for the North Korean people , ” the official told Reuters , using the acronym for North Korea ’ s official name , the Democratic People ’ s Republic of Korea .
The development appears to fly in the face of the Trump administration ’ s pursuit of a major denuclearization deal with the Kim regime .
Talks toward such a deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the February 2019 Hanoi summit between President Trump and Mr. Kim .
Mr. Trump said he walked away from the summit early because Mr. Kim demanded sweeping sanctions relief in exchange for only a limited commitment to destroy part of his nuclear arsenal .
The period since has been marked by on-again , off-again provocations from Pyongyang , including months of short-range missile launch tests that the Trump administration has largely ignored .
Mr. Trump has repeatedly pointed out that , despite the tests , the Kim regime has thus far held to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the first summit between the two men in June 2018 in Singapore : not to carry out any more ICBM or nuclear launches .
This weekend ’ s action was considered a parade rollout , not a test launch .
While the Trump administration remains eager to resume dialogue with the North Koreans , it has gradually increased sanctions on the Kim regime .
U.S. officials have vowed to maintain a “ maximum pressure ” campaign until Pyongyang denuclearizes .
But Washington has struggled to get a full buy-in for the sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with North Korea and is Pyongyang ’ s main strategic and economic backer .
Hawkish foreign policy advisers in Washington have called on the Trump administration to level sanctions directly against Chinese banks doing business with the Kim regime .
The regime , meanwhile , has shown an ongoing ability to produce nuclear bombs and increasingly sophisticated missiles , exposing the limitations of U.S. and international sanctions .
North Korea has been under United Nations-backed sanctions and a nuclear embargo for more than two decades and has repeatedly violated past diplomatic nuclear agreements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. panel of experts reported several years ago that North Korea ’ s mobile missiles were built on transporter-erector launchers converted from Chinese lumber-carrying vehicles exported in the early 2000s .
The display of missile force over the weekend was the first since 2018 , when the Trump administration began its push for diplomacy with the Kim regime .
Video of the Saturday parade in Pyongyang showed Mr. Kim opening the proceedings with a midnight speech .
“ We will continue to strengthen war deterrence for self-defense to deter , control and manage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including ever-growing nuclear threats , from hostile forces , ” said the North Korean leader , who was dressed in a light-gray suit , according to South Korea ’ s Yonhap News Agency .
North Korea uses the term “ war deterrence ” in referring to nuclear arms .
Mr. Kim also said North Korean military power would not be used preemptively .
“ But , ” he said , “ should anyone undermine our national security and mobilize military power against us , I will retaliate by using the most powerful offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preemptive manner.
” North Korean long-range missile development in recent years has forced the Pentagon to reevaluate its strategic missile defenses .
“ I believe we have the capability today to deter North Korean aggression , but given where we think the North Korean capability might be in terms of their missiles in the next five years , I think we must continue to explore , improve and resource our entire missile defense capabilities , ” Adm. Philip Davidson , commander of the military ’ s Indo-Pacific Command , said in 2018 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( THAAD ) in Guam and South Korea , missile defense ships in the Pacific and near Japan .
“ I support planned improvements to the [ ballistic missile defense ] of the homeland architecture via the new Homeland Defense Radar for Hawaii , additional purchase of Ground Based Interceptors , and a detailed study that ascertains the efficacy of positioning interceptors in Hawaii , ” Adm. Davidson said .
The admiral also said he wanted to see improvements in the capabilities and numbers of ballistic and cruise missile interceptors that he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and protect key regional nodes from North Korea ’ s aggressive action against the United States.
” Richard Fisher , a military affairs specialist with the International Assessment and Strategy Center , said the new North Korean ICBM unveiled over the weekend appears to have the same diameter as the previously revealed KN-22 , “ but is longer , to accommodate a new warhead bus and possible third stage.
” “ The warhead bus is large enough to carry multiple warheads , but how many would depend on their size , something not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Fisher said .
The new 22-wheeled ICBM vehicle , a transportor erector launcher ( TEL ) , appears to be a variant of the 16-wheel transporters that China sold to North Korea in 2010 .
“ With 22 wheels , this new ICBM has the largest mobile TEL in the world , exceeding the previous record of the HS-15 ’ s 18-wheel TEL , ” Mr. Fisher said .
“ It is either made in China or assembled in North Korea with substantial Sanjiang Space Group/China Science and Industry Corp. assistance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe to conclude this is yet another massive Chinese violation of the North Korea sanctions regime .
”

ANALYSIS:
North Korea’s rollout over the weekend of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of targeting the U.S. with a nuclear warhead showed that Pyongyang continues to expand its illegal weapons arsenal despite increased sanctions and diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration.
The communist regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un unveiled the road-mobile ICBM during a massive military parade in Pyongyang that U.S. experts said was clearly designed to send a message to Washington and its allies in the region, including South Korea.
“This parade was orchestrated to show that despite the sanctions and hardships, [North Korea] has continued to advance its capabilities across the spectrum, from nuclear weapons and missiles to conventional systems to individual soldier equipment,” said David Maxwell, a former U.S. Special Forces colonel focused on North Korea.
“Most important, it laid the foundation for continued blackmail diplomacy with the South and the U.S.,” said Mr. Maxwell, a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
He circulated his comments via email as U.S. officials scrambled to gauge the technical implications of what they had seen over the weekend on North Korean state-controlled TV broadcasts.
The ICBM that rolled through a parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Kim regime’s ruling Workers’ Party appeared to be a significantly ramped-up version of the Hwasong-15 missile that Pyongyang test-launched in 2017.
The ICBM, which had not been shown before in public, was rolled onto a transporter-erector launcher with 11 axles, two more than the Hwasong-15 — also known as the KN-22. It marks the fourth ballistic missile that the North Koreans have developed in a class that also includes the Taepodong, KN-20 and KN-22.
The parade in Pyongyang also showcased the KN-20 and a submarine-launched ballistic missile called the KN-11. The larger, newer ICBM is expected to have a longer range than the others, with a potential capability of flying some 7,000 miles — notably farther than the distance from Pyongyang to Washington.
National security sources have predicted for months that North Korea might use the Workers’ Party anniversary parade for a missile reveal, delivering an “October surprise” to capitalize on perceived policy uncertainty in Washington surrounding the impending U.S. presidential election.
A senior Trump administration official expressed frustration over the reveal.
“It is disappointing to see the DPRK continuing to prioritize its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile program over working towards a brighter future for the North Korean people,” the official told Reuters, using the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The development appears to fly in the face of the Trump administration’s pursuit of a major denuclearization deal with the Kim regime. Talks toward such a deal have been stalled since the breakdown of the February 2019 Hanoi summit between President Trump and Mr. Kim.
Mr. Trump said he walked away from the summit early because Mr. Kim demanded sweeping sanctions relief in exchange for only a limited commitment to destroy part of his nuclear arsenal.
The period since has been marked by on-again, off-again provocations from Pyongyang, including months of short-range missile launch tests that the Trump administration has largely ignored.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly pointed out that, despite the tests, the Kim regime has thus far held to a promise he said Mr. Kim made at the first summit between the two men in June 2018 in Singapore: not to carry out any more ICBM or nuclear launches. This weekend’s action was considered a parade rollout, not a test launch.
While the Trump administration remains eager to resume dialogue with the North Koreans, it has gradually increased sanctions on the Kim regime. U.S. officials have vowed to maintain a “maximum pressure” campaign until Pyongyang denuclearizes.
But Washington has struggled to get a full buy-in for the sanctions from China, which shares a border with North Korea and is Pyongyang’s main strategic and economic backer. Hawkish foreign policy advisers in Washington have called on the Trump administration to level sanctions directly against Chinese banks doing business with the Kim regime.
The regime, meanwhile, has shown an ongoing ability to produce nuclear bombs and increasingly sophisticated missiles, exposing the limitations of U.S. and international sanctions.
North Korea has been under United Nations-backed sanctions and a nuclear embargo for more than two decades and has repeatedly violated past diplomatic nuclear agreements with the wider international community.
A U.N. panel of experts reported several years ago that North Korea’s mobile missiles were built on transporter-erector launchers converted from Chinese lumber-carrying vehicles exported in the early 2000s.
The display of missile force over the weekend was the first since 2018, when the Trump administration began its push for diplomacy with the Kim regime.
Video of the Saturday parade in Pyongyang showed Mr. Kim opening the proceedings with a midnight speech.
“We will continue to strengthen war deterrence for self-defense to deter, control and manage all dangerous attempts and threatening acts, including ever-growing nuclear threats, from hostile forces,” said the North Korean leader, who was dressed in a light-gray suit, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
North Korea uses the term “war deterrence” in referring to nuclear arms.
Mr. Kim also said North Korean military power would not be used preemptively. “But,” he said, “should anyone undermine our national security and mobilize military power against us, I will retaliate by using the most powerful offensive force at our disposal and in a preemptive manner.”
North Korean long-range missile development in recent years has forced the Pentagon to reevaluate its strategic missile defenses.
“I believe we have the capability today to deter North Korean aggression, but given where we think the North Korean capability might be in terms of their missiles in the next five years, I think we must continue to explore, improve and resource our entire missile defense capabilities,” Adm. Philip Davidson, commander of the military’s Indo-Pacific Command, said in 2018.
Upgraded defenses include Theater High-Altitude Area Defenses (THAAD) in Guam and South Korea, missile defense ships in the Pacific and near Japan.
“I support planned improvements to the [ballistic missile defense] of the homeland architecture via the new Homeland Defense Radar for Hawaii, additional purchase of Ground Based Interceptors, and a detailed study that ascertains the efficacy of positioning interceptors in Hawaii,” Adm. Davidson said.
The admiral also said he wanted to see improvements in the capabilities and numbers of ballistic and cruise missile interceptors that he said would “further enhance homeland defense capabilities and protect key regional nodes from North Korea’s aggressive action against the United States.”
Richard Fisher, a military affairs specialist with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said the new North Korean ICBM unveiled over the weekend appears to have the same diameter as the previously revealed KN-22, “but is longer, to accommodate a new warhead bus and possible third stage.”
“The warhead bus is large enough to carry multiple warheads, but how many would depend on their size, something not clear from North Korean sources,” Mr. Fisher said.
The new 22-wheeled ICBM vehicle, a transportor erector launcher (TEL), appears to be a variant of the 16-wheel transporters that China sold to North Korea in 2010.
“With 22 wheels, this new ICBM has the largest mobile TEL in the world, exceeding the previous record of the HS-15’s 18-wheel TEL,” Mr. Fisher said.
“It is either made in China or assembled in North Korea with substantial Sanjiang Space Group/China Science and Industry Corp. assistance,” he said. “It is safe to conclude this is yet another massive Chinese violation of the North Korea sanctions regime.”
• Bill Gertz can be reached at bgertz@washingtontimes.com. • Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.