washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Indonesian cleric turns himself in for COVID-19 violations

JAKARTA , Indonesia ( AP ) - A firebrand Indonesian cleric turned himself in to authorities Saturday after he was accused of inciting people to breach pandemic restrictions by holding events with large crowds .
Rizieq Shihab , leader of the Islamic Defenders Front , arrived at Jakarta police headquarters a day after police warned they would arrest him after he ignored several summonses .
Wearing a white robe , turban and face mask , Shihab told reporters that he never ran away or hid from police .
“ With God ’ s permission , I can come to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the laws and regulations , ” he said ahead of questioning .
Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus told a news conference Friday that Shihab is accused of ignoring measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 by holding an event to commemorate Prophet Muhammad ’ s birthday and the wedding of his daughter last month that pulled in thousands of his supporters .
He said Shihab could face up to six years in prison if found guilty of inciting people to violate health regulations amid an outbreak and of obstructing law enforcement .
Shihab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jakarta and West Java attracted large crowds with attendants visibly ignoring physical distancing and many failing to wear masks .
Jakarta Gov .
Anies Baswedan and West Java Gov .
Ridwan Kamil have been questioned as witnesses in the case .
The gatherings took place less than a week after his arrival from a three-year exile in Saudi Arabia .
Shihab left Indonesia in 2017 for a pilgrimage to Mecca shortly after police charged him in a pornography case and with insulting the official state ideology .
Police dropped both charges a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities in Saudi Arabia had banned him from leaving the country without an explanation .
The Islamic Defenders Front , known by its Indonesian acronym FPI , has a long record of vandalizing nightspots , hurling stones at Western embassies and attacking rival religious groups .
It wants the Islamic Shariah law to apply to Indonesia ’ s 230 million Muslims .
The group has gained significant influence in recent years through humanitarian and charity work .
It was a key organizer of massive street protests in 2016 and 2017 against the Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imprisoned for blasphemy .
Indonesia has reported more than 600,000 cases of the coronavirus , the largest tally in Southeast Asia and second in Asia only to India ’ s 9.8 million cases .

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A firebrand Indonesian cleric turned himself in to authorities Saturday after he was accused of inciting people to breach pandemic restrictions by holding events with large crowds.
Rizieq Shihab, leader of the Islamic Defenders Front, arrived at Jakarta police headquarters a day after police warned they would arrest him after he ignored several summonses.
Wearing a white robe, turban and face mask, Shihab told reporters that he never ran away or hid from police.
“With God’s permission, I can come to the Jakarta police for an investigation according to the laws and regulations,” he said ahead of questioning.
Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus told a news conference Friday that Shihab is accused of ignoring measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 by holding an event to commemorate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday and the wedding of his daughter last month that pulled in thousands of his supporters.
He said Shihab could face up to six years in prison if found guilty of inciting people to violate health regulations amid an outbreak and of obstructing law enforcement.
Shihab’s presence in several events in Jakarta and West Java attracted large crowds with attendants visibly ignoring physical distancing and many failing to wear masks.
Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan and West Java Gov. Ridwan Kamil have been questioned as witnesses in the case.
The gatherings took place less than a week after his arrival from a three-year exile in Saudi Arabia.
Shihab left Indonesia in 2017 for a pilgrimage to Mecca shortly after police charged him in a pornography case and with insulting the official state ideology. Police dropped both charges a year later due to weak evidence, but authorities in Saudi Arabia had banned him from leaving the country without an explanation.
The Islamic Defenders Front, known by its Indonesian acronym FPI, has a long record of vandalizing nightspots, hurling stones at Western embassies and attacking rival religious groups. It wants the Islamic Shariah law to apply to Indonesia’s 230 million Muslims.
The group has gained significant influence in recent years through humanitarian and charity work. It was a key organizer of massive street protests in 2016 and 2017 against the Christian governor of Jakarta, who was subsequently imprisoned for blasphemy.
Indonesia has reported more than 600,000 cases of the coronavirus, the largest tally in Southeast Asia and second in Asia only to India’s 9.8 million cases.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Chemical weapons watchdog criticizes Syria over 19 issues

UNITED NATIONS ( AP ) - The global chemical weapons watchdog criticized Syria for failing to declare a chemical weapons production facility and respond to 18 other issues , while Russia accused the watchdog of conducting a “ political crusade ” against its close ally , the Syrian government .
The clash Friday came at the U.N. Security Council ’ s monthly meeting on Syria ’ s chemical weapons , where the director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons , Fernando Arias , briefed members for the first time since May and was pummeled with questions from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nebenzia .
Arias said seven years after Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013 , its initial chemical declaration has unresolved “ gaps , inconsistencies , and discrepancies ” and “ still can not be considered accurate and complete.
” He told the virtual meeting that one of the 19 outstanding issues is a chemical weapons production facility that President Bashar Assad ’ s government said was never used to produce weapons , but where the OPCW gathered material and samples indicating “ that production and/or weaponization of chemical warfare nerve agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had requested Syria to declare the exact types and quantities of chemical agents at the site , but got no response .
Britain ’ s new U.N. ambassador , Barbara Woodward , said another unresolved issue in Syria ’ s declaration is the thousands of munitions and hundreds of tons of chemical agents that Syria has not accounted for .
A joint U.N.-OPCW investigative mechanism accused Syria of using chlorine and the nerve agent sarin during its civil war , while the Islamic State group was accused of using mustard gas twice in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , an OPCW investigation blamed the Syrian air force for a series of chemical attacks using sarin and chlorine in late March 2017 on the central town of Latamneh .
Arias said in late October that Syria failed to meet a 90-day deadline set in July to declare the weapons used in the attacks on Latamneh and to disclose its chemical stocks .
France , backed by over 40 countries , has proposed that the OPCW suspend Syria ’ s “ rights and privileges , ” which would include its voting rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet the July deadline .
The OPCW ’ s 193 member states are expected to take up the proposal at their spring 2021 meeting .
Russia ’ s Nebenzia accused the OPCW of backing Western nations who tried “ in vain ” to topple Assad ’ s government with the help of opposition groups .
“ And they maintain this anti-Syrian narrative despite all the discrepancies or counter evidence presented by Syria , Russia and independent experts and exploit these allegations in their political crusade against Assad government , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , alleging the OPCW used double standards , didn ’ t maintain the “ chain of custody ” of evidence , and attempted “ to turn a blind eye ” to 200 tons of chemical weapons precursors missing in Libya “ while in parallel pressuring Syria to explain the ` disappearance ’ of even tiny amounts o chemical substances.
” He also questioned why concerns by inspectors allegedly weren ’ t considered by the OPCW .
Arias responded in a closed session after the open meeting , so his answers were not made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members Britain , France , Germany , Belgium and Estonia along with Ireland and Norway , which are joining the council on Jan. 1 , issued a joint statement expressing “ full support to the OPCW ” and to Arias .
The seven European nations backed action against Syria for the attacks on Latamneh and stressed their support for efforts to collect evidence of violations of human rights , international humanitarian law and abuses “ with a view to future legal action.
” Germany ’ s U.N .
Ambassador Christoph Heusgen accused Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told the council it has failed because the organization remains strong and respected .
U.S. deputy ambassador Richard Mills supported the OPCW ’ s “ impartial and independent work ” and urged “ the Assad regime ’ s enablers , particularly Russia , to encourage Syria to come clear about its chemical weapons use and current chemical weapons stocks .
”

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The global chemical weapons watchdog criticized Syria for failing to declare a chemical weapons production facility and respond to 18 other issues, while Russia accused the watchdog of conducting a “political crusade” against its close ally, the Syrian government.
The clash Friday came at the U.N. Security Council’s monthly meeting on Syria’s chemical weapons, where the director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Fernando Arias, briefed members for the first time since May and was pummeled with questions from Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.
Arias said seven years after Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013, its initial chemical declaration has unresolved “gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies” and “still cannot be considered accurate and complete.”
He told the virtual meeting that one of the 19 outstanding issues is a chemical weapons production facility that President Bashar Assad’s government said was never used to produce weapons, but where the OPCW gathered material and samples indicating “that production and/or weaponization of chemical warfare nerve agents took place.”
Arias said the OPCW had requested Syria to declare the exact types and quantities of chemical agents at the site, but got no response.
Britain’s new U.N. ambassador, Barbara Woodward, said another unresolved issue in Syria’s declaration is the thousands of munitions and hundreds of tons of chemical agents that Syria has not accounted for.
A joint U.N.-OPCW investigative mechanism accused Syria of using chlorine and the nerve agent sarin during its civil war, while the Islamic State group was accused of using mustard gas twice in 2015 and 2016.
In April this year, an OPCW investigation blamed the Syrian air force for a series of chemical attacks using sarin and chlorine in late March 2017 on the central town of Latamneh. Arias said in late October that Syria failed to meet a 90-day deadline set in July to declare the weapons used in the attacks on Latamneh and to disclose its chemical stocks.
France, backed by over 40 countries, has proposed that the OPCW suspend Syria’s “rights and privileges,” which would include its voting rights in the OPCW, for failing to meet the July deadline. The OPCW’s 193 member states are expected to take up the proposal at their spring 2021 meeting.
Russia’s Nebenzia accused the OPCW of backing Western nations who tried “in vain” to topple Assad’s government with the help of opposition groups. “And they maintain this anti-Syrian narrative despite all the discrepancies or counter evidence presented by Syria, Russia and independent experts and exploit these allegations in their political crusade against Assad government,” he said.
Nebenzia posed eight detailed questions to Arias, alleging the OPCW used double standards, didn’t maintain the “chain of custody” of evidence, and attempted “to turn a blind eye” to 200 tons of chemical weapons precursors missing in Libya “while in parallel pressuring Syria to explain the `disappearance’ of even tiny amounts o chemical substances.” He also questioned why concerns by inspectors allegedly weren’t considered by the OPCW.
Arias responded in a closed session after the open meeting, so his answers were not made public.
Before the meeting, council members Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Estonia along with Ireland and Norway, which are joining the council on Jan. 1, issued a joint statement expressing “full support to the OPCW” and to Arias.
The seven European nations backed action against Syria for the attacks on Latamneh and stressed their support for efforts to collect evidence of violations of human rights, international humanitarian law and abuses “with a view to future legal action.”
Germany’s U.N. Ambassador Christoph Heusgen accused Russia of “undermining the OPCW” but he told the council it has failed because the organization remains strong and respected.
U.S. deputy ambassador Richard Mills supported the OPCW’s “impartial and independent work” and urged “the Assad regime’s enablers, particularly Russia, to encourage Syria to come clear about its chemical weapons use and current chemical weapons stocks.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--The Latest: German officials want tougher measures on virus

TOKYO - Tokyo reported 621 new coronavirus cases Saturday , setting a new record in the capital where a lack of government measures triggered concerns about a surge during the holiday season .
Nationwide , Japan reported a total of 174,000 cases , with about 2,500 deaths since the pandemic began .
Experts on a Tokyo metropolitan task force say serious cases are on the rise , putting burdens on hospitals and forcing many of them to scale back on care for other patients .
Japan issued a non-binding state of emergency in the spring and has survived earlier infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task force on Friday asked the national government to take tougher steps to slow social and economic activities , such as suspension of out-of-town trips and requesting shorter business hours in areas where infections are accelerating .
Latest data shows that ongoing measures have been ineffective and the situation could worsen during the holiday season .
- US allows emergency COVID-19 vaccine in bid to end pandemic - As he rails on election , Trump largely mum on toll of virus - Hours before t he Food and Drug Administration authorized the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House official told the agency ’ s chief he could face firing if the vaccine was not cleared by day ’ s end , two administration officials say .
- Some Americans are now falling sick with COVID-19 after celebrating Thanksgiving with people outside their households .
Health officials are warning people not to make the same mistake during this month ’ s celebrations .
- Drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline say their potential COVID-19 vaccine won ’ t be ready until late next year as they seek to improve the shot ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : WELLINGTON , New Zealand - New Zealand and the Cook Islands say they plan to have a travel bubble in place early next year , which will allow people to fly between the two countries without going into quarantine .
The arrangement would represent the first travel bubble that New Zealand has agreed to since closing its borders when the coronavirus first hit earlier this year .
New Zealand has moved cautiously on restarting international travel after stamping out community spread of the virus .
Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrive without going into quarantine but that arrangement isn ’ t yet reciprocal .
The Cook Islands , with a population of only about 10,000 , is self-governing but has close ties to New Zealand under a free-association arrangement , and its economy relies on New Zealand tourists .
SEOUL , South Korea - South Korea has reported another 950 coronavirus cases , its largest daily increase since the emergence of the pandemic , as fears grow about overwhelmed hospitals in the greater capital area .
The figures released by the Korea Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s caseload to 41,736 , after health officials added more than 8,900 cases in the last 15 days alone .
Six COVID-19 patients died in the past 24 hours to bring the death toll to 578 .
Most of the new cases came from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area , where health workers have struggled to track transmissions popping up from just about everywhere , including hospitals , long-term care facilities , restaurants , saunas , schools and army units .
Infections were also reported in other major urban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daejeon , Ulsan and Daegu , a southeastern city that was the epicenter of the spring outbreak .
The government had eased its social distancing restrictions to the lowest tier in October despite experts warning about a viral surge during colder weather , when people spend longer hours indoors .
Officials restored some restrictions in recent weeks , such as shutting nightclubs and allowing restaurants to provide only deliveries and takeouts after 9 p.m. , and could be forced to clamp down on economic activity further .
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions to the highest level , which includes a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people , school closures , a halt to to professional sports and requiring companies to have most of their employees work from home .
President Moon Jae-in in a Facebook message apologized for his government ’ s failure to contain the outbreak despite months of measures that hurt the economy .
He pleaded for vigilance , saying the country was going through its “ last crisis before the arrival of vaccines and treatment.
” SAN JOSE , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in Santa Clara County has been traced to an illegal youth basketball tournament held last month in Placer County .
Officials say those who tested positive attended the event Nov. 7 and 8 at Courtside Basketball Center in Rocklin .
They included 39 middle- and high school players , three coaches and 35 additional contacts .
An additional 17 cases outside Santa Clara County also have been traced to the tournament .
The California Department of Public Health has initiated an enforcement investigation involving the tournament operator .
SANTA FE , N.M. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 43 people have died due to COVID-19 complications .
The number released Friday is among the highest daily death tolls for the state in recent weeks .
Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham said her prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and she urged people to abide by the state ’ s public health restrictions .
Officials also reported an additional 1,849 confirmed cases , bringing the statewide total since the pandemic began to 116,565 .
New Mexico is preparing next week to receive its first round of vaccine doses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ frontline health care workers .
WASHINGTON - The U.S. has given the final go-ahead to the nation ’ s first COVID-19 vaccine , marking what could be the beginning of the end of an outbreak that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans .
Shots for health workers and nursing home residents are expected to begin in the coming days after the Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized an emergency rollout of what promises to be a strongly protective vaccine from Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech .
Initial doses are scarce and rationed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other countries in scrambling to vaccinate as many people as possible ahead of winter .
It will take months of work to tamp down the coronavirus that has surged to catastrophic levels in recent weeks and claimed 1.5 million lives globally .
JUNEAU , Alaska — Alaska Gov .
Mike Dunleavy is proposing what he calls an extraordinary response to revive Alaska ’ s pandemic-stunted economy .
His proposal outlined Friday includes about $ 5,000 in direct payments to residents from the state ’ s oil-wealth fund and an infrastructure plan he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Alaskans and businesses are suffering , and now is the time to act .
The state ’ s economy has been battered by the coronavirusndemic , with tourism and hospitality industries hit hard .
North Slope oil prices have been below $ 50 a barrel for much of the year .
SANTA ANA , Calif. — A California judge has ordered a 50 % reduction in the populations at Orange County jails to protect incarcerated people from a major coronavirus outbreak .
Superior Court Judge Peter Wilson ’ s decision comes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Civil Liberties Union that said conditions at the jails violate the state ’ s constitution and disability discrimination law .
The county has been ordered to file a plan with the court no later than Dec. 31 .
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes says his department is “ evaluating the order , its impacts and our options for appeal.
” MEXICO CITY - Mexico ’ s medical safety commission has approved the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the coronavirus .
Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell said Friday that Mexico is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain , Canada and Bahrain .
Mexico is set to receive 250,000 doses of the vaccine , enough for 125,000 people .
López-Gatel has said that front-line health workers will get the shots first .
Vaccinations are expected to begin as soon as next week .
López-Gatel says the approval “ is of course a reason for hope , ” though the initial rounds of shots are not nearly enough for Mexico ’ s health-care workforce .
KALAMAZOO , Mich. - The U.S. Justice Department is supporting Michigan faith-based schools in their court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ban on in-person classes in high schools .
The department ’ s Civil Rights Division filed an argument in favor of three Roman Catholic high schools and the Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools .
A federal judge in Kalamazoo will hear arguments Monday .
The filing says schools and families have a constitutional right to practice their religion through in-person instruction .
It cites a recent U.S. Supreme Court order that barred New York from enforcing certain restrictions on religious services in areas hit hard by the coronavirus .
Michigan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary to control the spread of the coronavirus , especially after Thanksgiving gatherings .
FLAGSTAFF , Ariz. - The U.S. federal agency that provides health care to Native Americans says it ’ s expecting more than enough coronavirus vaccines to protect all the people working in the hospitals and clinics that it funds .
The Indian Health Service was treated much like a state for distribution purposes .
It submitted a plan to vaccinate more than 2 million Native Americans and Alaska Natives .
The agency expects to receive 22,425 doses of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Moderna vaccine by the end of the year .
Those doses will cover the more than 44,000 people who work at hundreds of facilities that are receiving vaccine allocations through the Indian Health Service .
UNITED NATIONS — Eight mainly Western nations are accusing North Korea of using the pandemic “ to crack down further on the human rights of its own people , ” pointing to reports of an uptick in executions related to the coronavirus and strict controls on movements around its capital .
The statement was issued Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Korea ’ s human rights situation .
Germany and others had sought an open session but Russia , China and other council members objected .
Seven council members — Germany , Belgium , Dominican Republic , Estonia , France , Britain and the United States — joined by Japan criticized North Korea for rights abuses .
They also said the North Korean government ’ s decision “ to prioritize its weapons programs ” is inevitably worsening the impacts of the pandemic on the North Korean population.
” LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a one-day record of 55 deaths due to COVID-19 and 2,770 new confirmed or probable cases .
“ We have once again reached a grave milestone in this pandemic , ” Gov .
Asa Hutchinson said in a statement .
“ While we may have hope ahead from promising vaccine news , we can not grow weary over the next few weeks , ” he said .
In a statewide address Thursday night , Hutchinson said the state is seeing a surge in cases after Thanksgiving and suggested Arkansans travel less for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both before and after travel .
The state Department of Health reported a total of 2,875 deaths due to the illness caused by the virus and 181,624 total cases since the pandemic began .
The health department reported 1,059 people hospitalized with the virus .
WICHITA , Kan. - A Wichita fitness studio ’ s owner and his business are suing Kansas for compensation for being forced to shut down and reopen with restrictions this year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The lawsuit filed this week in Sedgwick County District Court by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the state used his and the business ’ private property “ for the benefit of the general public ” when it and local officials imposed their restrictions .
The lawsuit cites part of the state ’ s emergency management law that says people can pursue claims for compensation in court if their property is “ commandeered or otherwise used ” by state or local officials .
The Kansas attorney general ’ s office declined comment , saying it was reviewing the lawsuit .
Gov .
Laura Kelly ’ s office did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment .

TOKYO - Japan’s daily coronavirus cases have exceeded 3,000 for the first time while the government delays stricter measures for fear of hurting the economy ahead of the holiday season.
The 3,030 new cases, including 621 in Tokyo, took Japan’s national tally to 177,287 with 2,562 deaths, the Health Ministry said Sunday.
Experts say serious cases are on the rise around the country, putting burden on hospitals and affecting the daily medical treatment for other patients. They urged authorities to take measures such as suspending out-of-town trips and requesting stores to close early.
Recent media surveys show support ratings for the government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga have dropped about 20 points from around 70% during his first three months in office amid public discontent over his coronavirus handling.
Japan issued a non-binding state of emergency in the spring and has survived earlier infection peaks without a lockdown. Experts say the ongoing resurgence in the dry and cold season would be a bigger challenge.
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SEOUL - South Korea has set another record for its daily coronavirus tally with 1,030, as authorities struggle to suppress the viral spread. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday the additional cases including two deaths raised the national caseload to 42,766 with 580 fatalities. About 80% of the new cases were found in the densely populated Seoul area, where authorities have shut nightclubs and other high-risk venues, banned late-night dining and taken other steps to slow the spread. But such measures have shown little effect. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Saturday his government may have to enforce its highest-level social distancing rules if the virus doesn’t slow down. Such restrictions would ban a gathering of more than 10 people, shut down schools, theaters and department stores and suspend professional sports leagues.
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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
U.S. officials say the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning. Trucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies deliver Pfizer’s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the United States.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump hasn’t publicly acknowledged this week’s record number of coronavirus deaths, hospitalizations and cases. He hailed the vaccine but made no mention of the toll the virus has taken.
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Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
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BALTIMORE - The U.S. has recorded more than 16 million cases of COVID-19, by far the most of any country in the world, according to data kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Cases of the virus have been rising across much of the U.S., causing record death totals in recent days.
India and Brazil are the only two other countries that have reported more than 3 million cases of COVID-19. Globally, more than 71 million cases have been confirmed. The actual number of cases is believed to be far higher because many people haven’t been tested and some who get the disease don’t show symptoms.
The U.S. also leads the world in deaths related to the coronavirus at more than 297,600, including a record 3,309 recorded on Friday.
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into U.S. hospitals on Monday. The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals.
The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths.
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FRESNO, Calif. - California public health officials say the number of available intensive care unit beds in the vast San Joaquin Valley has dropped to zero for the first time Saturday. Just a day earlier, ICU capacity in region comprised of 12 counties was at 4.5%.
The news comes as ICU units fill up across California amid spiking COVID-19 cases. Last week, San Joaquin Valley and the enormous Southern California region were ordered to follow the strictest anti-COVID-19 rules under a new stay-at-home order.
Overflowing ICUs was a major factor in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to implement the new order.
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The U.S. has reached a record 3,309 daily coronavirus deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The deaths reported Friday exceeded by 6% the previous high of 3,124 deaths reported Wednesday.
The U.S. also reached a record daily confirmed infections at 231,775, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. That’s nearly 4,000 more than the previous high on Dec. 4.
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into hospitals on Monday. The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals.
The U.S. leads the world in confirmed cases at 15.9 million and deaths at more than 296,000. The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths.
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WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration says pilots may receive the COVID-19 vaccine but may not fly for 48 hours.
The FAA says it is requiring the observation period “to maintain the highest level of safety” in the airspace it regulates. The 48-hour observation also applies to air traffic controllers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved emergency use of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and shipments are expected in various states on Monday. The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses taken three weeks apart. The 48-hour period applies after both doses.
The FAA says it will monitor reaction to the vaccine. It requires similar waiting periods after aviation employees receive other vaccines, such tuberculosis and typhoid.
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ROME - Italy added another 649 coronavirus deaths Saturday, bringing its official total to 64,036 and just shy of Britain’s Europe-leading 64,123 dead.
Italy could overtake Britain despite having 6 million people fewer than the U.K.’s 66 million, and trails only the much larger U.S., Brazil, India and Mexico, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Italy has the most deaths per 100,000 population among the most affected countries. Italy has added nearly 29,000 dead since Sept. 1.
More than 1.8 million Italians have contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic. Health experts say the numbers reflect an underfunded health care system with few ICU beds, government delays in imposing restrictions and an elderly population.
Global cases and death tolls are believed to greatly underestimated because of missed infections, limited testing and different counting criteria.
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PHOENIX - Arizona reported 8,076 confirmed coronavirus cases, one of the state’s largest daily total.
The Department of Health Services reported 77 more deaths on Saturday, increasing the state’s confirmed totals to 402,589 cases and 7,322 deaths.
The cases eclipsed Friday’s 6,983 as the third-largest daily case report, behind 12,314 on Tuesday and 10,322 on Dec. 1.
The coronavirus hospitalizations on Friday reached 3,534, up 52 from Thursday and topping the summer surge high of 3,517 on July 13. There were 799 patients in intensive care units.
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WASHINGTON - U.S. officials say the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning.
Army Gen. Gustave Perna says trucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies UPS and FedEx begin delivering Pfizer’s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the states. An additional 450 sites will get the vaccine between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Perna is with Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s vaccine development program. He says the vaccine was timed to arrive Monday morning so health workers would be available to receive the shots and begin giving them.
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BOISE, Idaho - Idaho Gov. Brad Little has authorized another 150 Idaho National Guard soldiers to help medical facilities battle the coronavirus.
The Republican governor added the soldiers to the 100 he activated last month to help the state deal with surging infections and deaths. The 250 soldiers will help with mobile testing support, facility decontamination and coronavirus screenings. They are also helping at food banks.
State officials say nearly 120,000 Idaho residents have been infected. There have been 1,151 confirmed deaths.
The positivity rate is 20%, well above the 5% or less state officials recommend.
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VATICAN CITY - Vatican citizens, employees and their families will begin to receive the coronavirus vaccine early next year, according to Vatican News.
The head of the Vatican health service, Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, says the Pfizer vaccine has been chosen, but others might be introduced later. Arcangeli says the Vatican health services planned a campaign to underline the importance of the vaccine, which can be administered to anyone over 18.
The Vatican, a tiny city state of about 600 people in the center of Rome, has beefed up its coronavirus measures amid a resurgence of the outbreak in Italy, including requiring protective masks indoors.
In October, a resident of the Vatican hotel where Pope Francis lives and several Swiss Guards tested positive.
Italy has registered 1.8 million confirmed cases and more than 63,000 confirmed deaths, sixth highest in the world.
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PARIS - The French government is allowing care home residents to spend time with their families and receive visits, even if residents are positive for coronavirus.
The deputy health minister in charge of elderly affairs says injecting the spirit of Christmas into care homes is “essential” to maintain family ties and fight loneliness. The relaxed rules will start Tuesday to Jan. 3.
Roughly one-third of France’s more than 57,500 virus deaths have occurred in care homes. Residents have been subjected to strict confinement measures, including being limited to their rooms, to curb infections.
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LIMA, Peru - Peru suspended an advanced-phase trial of the coronavirus vaccine from Chinese state company Sinopharm after an elderly volunteer developed muscle weakness.
Peru’s Health Ministry says “the adverse event is under investigation to determine if it is related to the vaccine or if there’s another explanation.”
Germán Málaga, professor of medicine at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia and coordinator of the trial, told RPP radio a 64-year-old volunteer showed a “decrease in strength in the legs” and the condition could be related to Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Sinopharm began its Phase 3 trial in Peru in September. It includes 12,000 people ages 18 to 75.
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MINNEAPOLIS - New coronavirus patients say they socialized over Thanksgiving with people outside their households, despite emphatic public health warnings to stay home and keep their distance from others.
That’s what contact tracers and emergency room doctors are hearing repeatedly from patients across the country.
The virus was raging nationally even before Thanksgiving but was showing some signs of flattening out. It has picked up steam since, with new cases per day regularly climbing well over 200,000 by Friday.
That’s a 16% increase from the day before Thanksgiving, according to an Associated Press analysis. Deaths are averaging almost 2,260 per day over a seven-day period, about equal to the peak seen in mid-April when the New York City was under siege.
The dire outlook comes as the U.S. stands on the brink of a major vaccination campaign against COVID-19, with the Food and Drug Administration giving the final go-ahead Friday to use Pfizer’s shot.
The coronavirus has killed more than 295,000 Americans and infected 15.8 million.
___
SANTA ANA, Calif. - A California judge has ordered a 50 percent reduction of the population in Orange County jails to protect people from a coronavirus outbreak.
Superior Court Judge Peter Wilson’s decision comes in response to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union that says conditions at the jails violate the state’s constitution and disability discrimination law.
The county was ordered to file a plan with the court no later than Dec. 31. Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes says his department is “evaluating the order, its impacts and our options for appeal.”
If the order stands, it could result in the release of more than 1,800 inmates, Barnes says. He says the latest outbreak at Orange County jails had 74 confirmed cases, 75 tests pending and more inmates waiting to be tested.
___
BERLIN - Senior German officials are calling for tough new measures to curb the spread of coronavirus and record high cases.
The country’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, reported 28,438 confirmed cases in the past 24 hours and 496 deaths.
Germany, which had a much lower death rate than some of its large European neighbors in the spring, now has 1.3 million confirmed cases and 21,466 confirmed deaths since the start of the outbreak.
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz called for the swift closure of most stores and pledged financial support for affected businesses.
The governor of the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, says he expects a “hard lockdown” before Christmas.
Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to meet the governors of Germany’s 16 states on Sunday to discuss the next steps in containing the pandemic.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Bismarck choir director uses technology to produce 'Messiah'

BISMARCK , N.D. ( AP ) - This fall , Jason Thoms didn ’ t want to see the coronavirus take one more thing from his enjoyment or his livelihood .
School performances and professional gigs were drying up during the pandemic for the professional singer and music professor in New York City , so he packed up and moved to Bismarck .
“ I lived just outside of New York City for the last 13 years , ” Thoms said .
“ The coronavirus has decimated all of the ( professional work ) .
One reason why I moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is too expensive to live on just working one job.
” Out of misfortune came opportunity .
Thoms started teaching this fall semester at Bismarck State College as the new assistant professor of music and director of choral activities .
In New York , he was a professor of music and director of choral activities at Concordia College-New York , a four year liberal arts college north of New York City .
He also worked as the music director and conductor of a small community choir in Connecticut .
As Thoms settled in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he realized one of the casualties from the COVID-19 pandemic back in Connecticut was the annual performance by the Danbury Community Concert Chorus of the Christmas classic “ Messiah , ” composed by George Frideric Handel .
Thoms was the music director and conductor for the choir .
“ This is our 64th year ( of performing Messiah ) and I didn ’ t want them to break that tradition , ” Thoms said .
“ I was the director of them the last couple of years , so we had all done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thoms began to explore the new concept of virtual choir and performance while sheltering-in-place last spring .
By using computer video conferencing , like Zoom , as a performance tool , he has helped numerous school and community choirs across the country produce their own performance videos in place of actual concerts , The Bismarck Tribune reported .
“ We have to be creative in these weird times , ” Thoms said .
Since September , Thoms has been conducting rehearsals of the famous “ Messiah ” oratorio via the internet from Bismarck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and soloists from Connecticut and across the country to create a virtual performance of the composition written in 1741 .
But unlike a normal rehearsal where everyone gathers at a church or auditorium , Thoms conducted weekly practice sessions viewing the individual choir members in their own homes , but collectively in small squares , like a checker board , on the computer monitor .
To complicate the sessions more , the choir members couldn ’ t sing together during the sessions because not all internet servers are created equal and caused audio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to sing as an ensemble .
To solve the problem , Thoms had each of the 36 choir members , four professional soloists including Thoms , a bass , a 10-member orchestra and two accompanists record individual videos of their vocals to be uploaded and sent to Thoms for editing .
“ Just like any choir , everyone sounds a little different .
I had to maybe play a little bit of a therapist this fall , ” he said .
“ All of these folks are used to sitting in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their own individual voice — they don ’ t hear it quite as much .
And I was getting emails from them saying , ‘ I sound terrible.
’ And I said this is just like any other choir situation ; you sing your voice , you record your voice and then when I put it all together , it ’ s pretty good.
” Another opportunity created by the pandemic fell Thoms ’ way as he discovered another professional soloist , Anna Ward , who was temporarily living in Bismarck for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the performance .
The two have worked together in the past .
Ward , a Bismarck native and St. Mary ’ s Central High School graduate , has sung professionally as a soprano in Boston for the past 10 years .
With COVID-19 ravaging the East Coast , forcing schools to close and singing gigs to dry up , Ward , her husband and two children have rented a house in Bismarck to be close to her family .
“ It ’ s fun that we are in the same town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a rare treat .
COVID has really hit our industry hard.
” The pair recorded their parts at the Church of Corpus Christi in Bismarck and were accompanied by Beverly Everett , music director and conductor of the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra , on the organ .
“ I ’ ve seen how much ingenuity he ( Thoms ) has brought to this experience , ” Ward said .
“ It didn ’ t surprise me that he is taking this upon himself to make sure that the community gets the music it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the performance ’ s release date , Thoms is busy at his desk with two computer monitors editing , mixing and blending the voices and instruments to a fine tune .
Thoms expects the performance video to be about 45 minutes .
It will have graphics and closed captioning .
The performance will be released on Dec. 20 on the Danbury Music Centre website .
“ We have a relationship and they are a great group of people .
Building relationships and singing together , that ’ s what makes a community choir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about words when it comes down to it .
Ultimately singing is about sharing some story with people .
”

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - This fall, Jason Thoms didn’t want to see the coronavirus take one more thing from his enjoyment or his livelihood.
School performances and professional gigs were drying up during the pandemic for the professional singer and music professor in New York City, so he packed up and moved to Bismarck.
“I lived just outside of New York City for the last 13 years,” Thoms said. “The coronavirus has decimated all of the (professional work). One reason why I moved to North Dakota, because New York is too expensive to live on just working one job.”
Out of misfortune came opportunity.
Thoms started teaching this fall semester at Bismarck State College as the new assistant professor of music and director of choral activities. In New York, he was a professor of music and director of choral activities at Concordia College-New York, a four year liberal arts college north of New York City. He also worked as the music director and conductor of a small community choir in Connecticut.
As Thoms settled in at his new home this fall, he realized one of the casualties from the COVID-19 pandemic back in Connecticut was the annual performance by the Danbury Community Concert Chorus of the Christmas classic “Messiah,” composed by George Frideric Handel. Thoms was the music director and conductor for the choir.
“This is our 64th year (of performing Messiah) and I didn’t want them to break that tradition,” Thoms said. “I was the director of them the last couple of years, so we had all done the Messiah.”
Before moving west, Thoms began to explore the new concept of virtual choir and performance while sheltering-in-place last spring. By using computer video conferencing, like Zoom, as a performance tool, he has helped numerous school and community choirs across the country produce their own performance videos in place of actual concerts, The Bismarck Tribune reported.
“We have to be creative in these weird times,” Thoms said.
Since September, Thoms has been conducting rehearsals of the famous “Messiah” oratorio via the internet from Bismarck with more than 50 singers, musicians and soloists from Connecticut and across the country to create a virtual performance of the composition written in 1741.
But unlike a normal rehearsal where everyone gathers at a church or auditorium, Thoms conducted weekly practice sessions viewing the individual choir members in their own homes, but collectively in small squares, like a checker board, on the computer monitor.
To complicate the sessions more, the choir members couldn’t sing together during the sessions because not all internet servers are created equal and caused audio lag times, making it impossible for them to sing as an ensemble.
To solve the problem, Thoms had each of the 36 choir members, four professional soloists including Thoms, a bass, a 10-member orchestra and two accompanists record individual videos of their vocals to be uploaded and sent to Thoms for editing.
“Just like any choir, everyone sounds a little different. I had to maybe play a little bit of a therapist this fall,” he said. “All of these folks are used to sitting in a choir next to each other and singing. Their own individual voice — they don’t hear it quite as much. And I was getting emails from them saying, ‘I sound terrible.’ And I said this is just like any other choir situation; you sing your voice, you record your voice and then when I put it all together, it’s pretty good.”
Another opportunity created by the pandemic fell Thoms’ way as he discovered another professional soloist, Anna Ward, who was temporarily living in Bismarck for the year. She agreed to be part of the performance. The two have worked together in the past.
Ward, a Bismarck native and St. Mary’s Central High School graduate, has sung professionally as a soprano in Boston for the past 10 years. With COVID-19 ravaging the East Coast, forcing schools to close and singing gigs to dry up, Ward, her husband and two children have rented a house in Bismarck to be close to her family.
“It’s fun that we are in the same town,” Ward said. “This is a rare treat. COVID has really hit our industry hard.”
The pair recorded their parts at the Church of Corpus Christi in Bismarck and were accompanied by Beverly Everett, music director and conductor of the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra, on the organ.
“I’ve seen how much ingenuity he (Thoms) has brought to this experience,” Ward said. “It didn’t surprise me that he is taking this upon himself to make sure that the community gets the music it needs and deserves.”
Now and until the performance’s release date, Thoms is busy at his desk with two computer monitors editing, mixing and blending the voices and instruments to a fine tune. Thoms expects the performance video to be about 45 minutes. It will have graphics and closed captioning. The performance will be released on Dec. 20 on the Danbury Music Centre website.
“We have a relationship and they are a great group of people. Building relationships and singing together, that’s what makes a community choir,” he said. “Singing is about words when it comes down to it. Ultimately singing is about sharing some story with people.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Pheasant Fest cancellation an economic loss for South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS , S.D .
( AP ) - The annual Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic scheduled for February 2021 in Sioux Falls has been canceled due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
The event would have brought millions of dollars to the Sioux Falls and South Dakota economies , officials say , but it ’ ll be back .
Officials for Pheasants Forever , the nonprofit behind Pheasant Fest , are already talking to Experience Sioux Falls about returning to the city in 2024 , said Bob St. Pierre , chief marketing and communications officer for Pheasants Forever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come back to Sioux Falls as soon as possible , ” St. Pierre said .
“ It ’ s one of our favorite markets.
” Pheasant Fest ’ s first foray to the Pheasant Capital in 2018 resulted in landmark successes for both local tourism officials and the national groups that organize the three-day convention , the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported .
Topping 28,000 in attendance , the event drew guests and vendors from across the Midwest and the region .
The same people who spent their days in the various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 1201 N. West Ave. also made their mark on the rest of the Sioux Falls community .
The money they spent on hotels , food , entertainment , transportation , medical care and everything else guests might want or need during a three-day stay totaled in the millions of dollars .
The estimated economic impact of the 2018 event was $ 3.9 million , said Teri Schmidt , executive director of the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau .
The Sioux Falls community expected the same or better turnout for the planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
“ We really feel badly about it , but it is the reality of our time right now , ” Schmidt said of the cancellation .
“ Even if we save one person from passing away from COVID , then we have absolutely done what ’ s right .
One person ’ s life is more valuable than pushing for an event that can wait.
” Several large events , conferences and conventions have been impacted due to the pandemic .
Economically , it ’ s a hit to not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whole to not have the event in February , Schmidt said .
And Sioux Falls isn ’ t the only one losing out because of the decision .
Pheasant Fest is one of the Pheasants Forever ’ s largest fundraisers and would have raised nearly $ 1 million for the nonprofit , St. Pierre said .
“ There ’ s a worldwide pandemic going on and it ’ s not getting any better in the short-term , ” St. Pierre said .
“ This decision was not made lightly , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foremost.
” While it isn ’ t finalized that Pheasant Fest will return in 2024 , it is the earliest they can return since they ’ ve already committed to Omaha in 2022 .
The organization does not sign multiple year contracts , St. Pierre said .
But he ’ s sure they ’ ll return , based on the outpouring of support when Sioux Falls last hosted the event .
And Sioux Falls will be waiting when they do .
“ We ’ ll be ready , open arms and orange carpet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re ready to come back , ” Schmidt said .
Although the in-person event was canceled , there will be a virtual gathering in late February .
Until then , Schmidt is waiting until Pheasant Fest can return to South Dakota .

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The annual Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic scheduled for February 2021 in Sioux Falls has been canceled due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
The event would have brought millions of dollars to the Sioux Falls and South Dakota economies, officials say, but it’ll be back.
Officials for Pheasants Forever, the nonprofit behind Pheasant Fest, are already talking to Experience Sioux Falls about returning to the city in 2024, said Bob St. Pierre, chief marketing and communications officer for Pheasants Forever.
“It’s our intent to come back to Sioux Falls as soon as possible,” St. Pierre said. “It’s one of our favorite markets.”
Pheasant Fest’s first foray to the Pheasant Capital in 2018 resulted in landmark successes for both local tourism officials and the national groups that organize the three-day convention, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported.
Topping 28,000 in attendance, the event drew guests and vendors from across the Midwest and the region. The same people who spent their days in the various halls and show floors of the building at 1201 N. West Ave. also made their mark on the rest of the Sioux Falls community.
The money they spent on hotels, food, entertainment, transportation, medical care and everything else guests might want or need during a three-day stay totaled in the millions of dollars. The estimated economic impact of the 2018 event was $3.9 million, said Teri Schmidt, executive director of the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Sioux Falls community expected the same or better turnout for the planned event when it was announced earlier this year.
“We really feel badly about it, but it is the reality of our time right now,” Schmidt said of the cancellation. “Even if we save one person from passing away from COVID, then we have absolutely done what’s right. One person’s life is more valuable than pushing for an event that can wait.”
Several large events, conferences and conventions have been impacted due to the pandemic. Economically, it’s a hit to not only Sioux Falls, but South Dakota as a whole to not have the event in February, Schmidt said.
And Sioux Falls isn’t the only one losing out because of the decision. Pheasant Fest is one of the Pheasants Forever’s largest fundraisers and would have raised nearly $1 million for the nonprofit, St. Pierre said.
“There’s a worldwide pandemic going on and it’s not getting any better in the short-term,” St. Pierre said. “This decision was not made lightly, and the safety of our audiences was first and foremost.”
While it isn’t finalized that Pheasant Fest will return in 2024, it is the earliest they can return since they’ve already committed to Omaha in 2022. The organization does not sign multiple year contracts, St. Pierre said.
But he’s sure they’ll return, based on the outpouring of support when Sioux Falls last hosted the event.
And Sioux Falls will be waiting when they do.
“We’ll be ready, open arms and orange carpet ready to roll out when they’re ready to come back,” Schmidt said.
Although the in-person event was canceled, there will be a virtual gathering in late February. Until then, Schmidt is waiting until Pheasant Fest can return to South Dakota.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--COVID-19 hits Minnesota Latino community particularly hard

ST. PAUL , Minn. ( AP ) - The last time Emilia Gonzalez Avalos saw her father healthy , he surprised her at her home with breakfast and a pot of coffee .
It made her day .
“ Then we chatted for a little bit , and he said , ‘ You know , I ’ m feeling uneasy .
… I am tired , I don ’ t know what ’ s going on , ’ ” Gonzalez Avalos recalled .
Her father went home that November morning , and a few days passed .
Then a phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling Gonzalez Avalos that she ’ d better check on her dad because he ’ d been coughing .
She grabbed a mask and raced to his house .
“ When I opened the door to his room , he was just laying on his bed , ” she recounted .
“ His eyes have really deep dark circles .
He looked very sick .
And when he saw me , he tried to get up and pretend he was fine.
” But he couldn ’ t even get onto his feet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ room , despite his misgivings - he was worried about the bill .
When they got to the hospital , doctors told Gonzalez Avalos her father ’ s oxygen level was low and that he had “ COVID lungs.
” On Thanksgiving Day , he took a turn for the worse and was put on a ventilator .
The rising COVID-19 cases are startling everywhere , but the rates in the Latino community in Minnesota and across the country are particularly alarming .
Many Latinos work essential jobs that can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be exposed to the virus .
And those who are not authorized to be in the country are in a particular bind : They don ’ t qualify for government benefits that can be a financial lifeline for families struggling during the pandemic .
Recent data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows that 11 percent of those admitted to intensive care units with COVID-19 have identified as Hispanic .
Minnesota ’ s Hispanic population is just 5 percent , Minnesota Public Radio News reported .
Public health officials say they are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has contributed to the spike in cases in the Hispanic community .
But with many Latino immigrants filling essential jobs in places like construction sites , food-processing plants and cleaning companies , community organizers say these workers don ’ t have the luxury of working from home to limit their exposure to coronavirus .
Gonzalez Avalos ’ dad is 66 .
Originally from Mexico , he lacks authorization to be in the United States and has been waiting for documented status since 2001 .
Meanwhile , he ’ s worked jobs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding work through a temp agency .
The last job he had was packaging food .
Gonzalez Avalos said the only way she ’ s been able to connect with her father is through the hospital ’ s iPad .
It ’ s hard waiting for any piece of news .
“ Those doctors are truly fighting to save his life , ” said Gonzalez Avalos , the executive director of the Latino community group Navigate MN .
The Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs conducted several listening sessions over the summer inviting community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coping during the pandemic .
They spoke of working conditions , financial pressure and distrust in government , said executive director Rosa Tock .
Some fear that they might risk their immigration status by seeking benefits such as food assistance and unemployment benefits , Tock said .
Others are also afraid to test for COVID-19 .
“ There is some perception already in some communities that the info would not be confidential and be shared with other federal entities , ” she said .
The impact of the coronavirus on working-class Latinos has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 , recently found herself in line with more than a dozen cars waiting to get tested for COVID-19 at a drive-up site in the Twin Cities .
It was only 7 a.m. , but she and her sister got there nearly two hours before the site opened in hopes of beating the crowd .
Morales , an organizer with the group Faith in Action and University of St. Thomas college student , spent last month taking care of her critically ill mother and sister in Illinois .
Family members suspect they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in construction .
Morales stayed in a hotel room with a kitchenette and made food for her little nieces while her mother and sister spent several days at the hospital .
Morales ’ sister was in the intensive care unit .
Morales was so consumed by the thought of losing her mom and sister that she didn ’ t have the capacity to think about hotel and travel costs and any forthcoming medical bills .
“ There was a set of days that we were , like , my mom and sister are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ One : I ’ m going to lose my mom , but then the second thing is thinking what are my nieces going to do without their mom ?
” Both relatives eventually recovered and left the hospital .
Morales ’ s brother-in-law is back at work after losing about a month of income .
But for Emilia Gonzalez Avalos , the tough journey with the disease has not yet ended .
On Twitter she posted a side-by-side screenshot of a recent Zoom call showing in one picture herself and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealed a heartbreaking picture of her dad .
He was lying in a hospital bed while hooked up to a device to support his breathing .
“ This is how my kids have to visit their abuelo who is in critical condition , ” she wrote .
“ His face is blue .
My son remains in the corner because he is scared and yells ‘ te amo ’ from afar .
There are very different kinds of pain in the world .
Again , I don ’ t wish this to anybody @ @

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The last time Emilia Gonzalez Avalos saw her father healthy, he surprised her at her home with breakfast and a pot of coffee. It made her day.
“Then we chatted for a little bit, and he said, ‘You know, I’m feeling uneasy. … I am tired, I don’t know what’s going on,’” Gonzalez Avalos recalled.
Her father went home that November morning, and a few days passed. Then a phone call: It was her uncle, telling Gonzalez Avalos that she’d better check on her dad because he’d been coughing. She grabbed a mask and raced to his house.
“When I opened the door to his room, he was just laying on his bed,” she recounted. “His eyes have really deep dark circles. He looked very sick. And when he saw me, he tried to get up and pretend he was fine.”
But he couldn’t even get onto his feet. Gonzalez Avalos rushed him to the emergency room, despite his misgivings - he was worried about the bill. When they got to the hospital, doctors told Gonzalez Avalos her father’s oxygen level was low and that he had “COVID lungs.” On Thanksgiving Day, he took a turn for the worse and was put on a ventilator.
The rising COVID-19 cases are startling everywhere, but the rates in the Latino community in Minnesota and across the country are particularly alarming. Many Latinos work essential jobs that can’t be done remotely and are more likely to be exposed to the virus. And those who are not authorized to be in the country are in a particular bind: They don’t qualify for government benefits that can be a financial lifeline for families struggling during the pandemic.
Recent data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows that 11 percent of those admitted to intensive care units with COVID-19 have identified as Hispanic. Minnesota’s Hispanic population is just 5 percent, Minnesota Public Radio News reported.
Public health officials say they are not aware of a specific event or outbreak that has contributed to the spike in cases in the Hispanic community. But with many Latino immigrants filling essential jobs in places like construction sites, food-processing plants and cleaning companies, community organizers say these workers don’t have the luxury of working from home to limit their exposure to coronavirus.
Gonzalez Avalos’ dad is 66. Originally from Mexico, he lacks authorization to be in the United States and has been waiting for documented status since 2001. Meanwhile, he’s worked jobs in construction, and most recently has been finding work through a temp agency. The last job he had was packaging food.
Gonzalez Avalos said the only way she’s been able to connect with her father is through the hospital’s iPad. It’s hard waiting for any piece of news.
“Those doctors are truly fighting to save his life,” said Gonzalez Avalos, the executive director of the Latino community group Navigate MN.
The Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs conducted several listening sessions over the summer inviting community members to share how they’re coping during the pandemic. They spoke of working conditions, financial pressure and distrust in government, said executive director Rosa Tock.
Some fear that they might risk their immigration status by seeking benefits such as food assistance and unemployment benefits, Tock said. Others are also afraid to test for COVID-19.
“There is some perception already in some communities that the info would not be confidential and be shared with other federal entities,” she said.
The impact of the coronavirus on working-class Latinos has worsened since then.
Catalina Morales, 29, recently found herself in line with more than a dozen cars waiting to get tested for COVID-19 at a drive-up site in the Twin Cities. It was only 7 a.m., but she and her sister got there nearly two hours before the site opened in hopes of beating the crowd.
Morales, an organizer with the group Faith in Action and University of St. Thomas college student, spent last month taking care of her critically ill mother and sister in Illinois. Family members suspect they were exposed through her brother-in-law, who works in construction.
Morales stayed in a hotel room with a kitchenette and made food for her little nieces while her mother and sister spent several days at the hospital. Morales’ sister was in the intensive care unit.
Morales was so consumed by the thought of losing her mom and sister that she didn’t have the capacity to think about hotel and travel costs and any forthcoming medical bills.
“There was a set of days that we were, like, my mom and sister are both going to die,” she said. “One: I’m going to lose my mom, but then the second thing is thinking what are my nieces going to do without their mom?”
Both relatives eventually recovered and left the hospital. Morales’s brother-in-law is back at work after losing about a month of income.
But for Emilia Gonzalez Avalos, the tough journey with the disease has not yet ended.
On Twitter she posted a side-by-side screenshot of a recent Zoom call showing in one picture herself and her young son. The other side revealed a heartbreaking picture of her dad. He was lying in a hospital bed while hooked up to a device to support his breathing.
“This is how my kids have to visit their abuelo who is in critical condition,” she wrote. “His face is blue. My son remains in the corner because he is scared and yells ‘te amo’ from afar. There are very different kinds of pain in the world. Again, I don’t wish this to anybody.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Minnesota grants will prioritize EV charging solar panels

ST. PAUL , Minn. ( AP ) - The next group of electric vehicle charging station grants from Minnesota ’ s Volkswagen emissions-cheating settlement will prioritize projects that incorporate solar panels or other sources of local clean energy .
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has already awarded grants from the settlement to install nearly 50 Level 2 and fast-charging stations on major state highways .
For the next round , the agency will spend $ 170,000 on 22 Level 2 charging stations .
This time , the criteria for judging applications will reward developers who add solar panels or source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As part of these installations , we would like to encourage renewable energy to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels , ” said Rebecca Place , the agency ’ s electric vehicle coordinator .
“ We ’ re trying to incentivize using renewable energy - we ’ re trying to see if ( developers ) do decide to add solar and whether they will pair it together with charging stations.
” Applicants will receive up to 35 points ( out of 100 total ) for offsetting 10 % to 50 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Applicants will receive fewer points for purchasing renewable energy from utility or community solar programs instead of installing their own solar .
Other changes this round include adding points for building chargers in neighborhoods with poor air quality and health issues or by installing more powerful Level 2 chargers .
The nonprofit news outlet Energy News Network provided this article to The Associated Press through a collaboration with Institute for Nonprofit News .
One potential hitch for developers is that the grants will not include additional funding to cover the cost of solar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the cost of public Level 2 charging - up to $ 7,500 - and 60 % for workforce charging installations .
Developers must apply to install at least two Level 2 dual-port stations .
Public electric vehicle charging is currently a tough market .
The pandemic has left many Americans driving significantly less .
Adoption of electric vehicles has been slow , and most car owners charge at home rather than paying to use public stations .
In a survey of 1,500 electric vehicle drivers , the data software developer FleetCarma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primarily charge at home .
They cited convenience and the lower cost .
A third of respondents said they would not own an electric vehicle if they could not charge at home .
Still , public charging stations are a key piece of states ’ electric vehicle strategies , wanting drivers to see enough chargers to feel comfortable buying an electric vehicle without worrying about an empty battery when away from home .
An average public charger in Minnesota gets roughly one use a day , though in busier spots along interstates they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Place said .
“ They ’ re definitely not sitting there not being used , ” she said .
Solar does offer potential financial benefits for the grid , and in particular for utilities , said David Shaffer , executive director of the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association .
“ Reducing capacity needs through on-site PV ( solar ) might make sense in certain spots even without extra money because the alternative might be system upgrades due to added demand , ” he said .
The Great Plains Institute recently released a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The report identified several benefits , including reducing or removing utility demand charges and reducing or eliminating capacity and overload problems on distribution grids .
Synchronizing solar and vehicle charging by using smart chargers works best at workplaces , where cars often stay parked for several hours during the day .
Brian Ross , the report ’ s author , joked that the major finding was that the sun shines during the day , “ but it is obvious that you want solar with EV charging when they ’ re both happening.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ work as well when a driver pulls in for a charge while shopping at a grocery store or grabbing a cup of coffee , he said .
Instead , EV-solar ’ s advantage comes when cars will be stationary for long periods , such as workplaces , downtown ramps or park-and-ride lots , Ross said .
A solar array above a parking stall can fully charge a car on a sunny day , he said .
A larger-scale project with more than one array above a parking stall makes more sense , allowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Great Plains Institute managed a synchronized pilot at its Minneapolis office this summer .
A 30-kilowatt solar installation on its roof fed electricity to three chargers .
Despite being a small solar project , “ it was more than enough to provide power for those three chargers when the sun was shining , ” he said .
Ross said the lack of solar funding in the state program should not matter because installations pay for themselves in power production .
The grants should attract more organizations who may not have thought about adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is encouraging people to take a second look at solar who probably ought to be looking at solar anyway , ” he said .

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The next group of electric vehicle charging station grants from Minnesota’s Volkswagen emissions-cheating settlement will prioritize projects that incorporate solar panels or other sources of local clean energy.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has already awarded grants from the settlement to install nearly 50 Level 2 and fast-charging stations on major state highways. For the next round, the agency will spend $170,000 on 22 Level 2 charging stations.
This time, the criteria for judging applications will reward developers who add solar panels or source renewable power from another local source.
“As part of these installations, we would like to encourage renewable energy to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels,” said Rebecca Place, the agency’s electric vehicle coordinator. “We’re trying to incentivize using renewable energy - we’re trying to see if (developers) do decide to add solar and whether they will pair it together with charging stations.”
Applicants will receive up to 35 points (out of 100 total) for offsetting 10% to 50% of the chargers’ capacity with solar. Applicants will receive fewer points for purchasing renewable energy from utility or community solar programs instead of installing their own solar.
Other changes this round include adding points for building chargers in neighborhoods with poor air quality and health issues or by installing more powerful Level 2 chargers.
Applications are due Feb. 8, 2021.
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The nonprofit news outlet Energy News Network provided this article to The Associated Press through a collaboration with Institute for Nonprofit News.
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One potential hitch for developers is that the grants will not include additional funding to cover the cost of solar panels. The state pays for 80% of the cost of public Level 2 charging - up to $7,500 - and 60% for workforce charging installations. Developers must apply to install at least two Level 2 dual-port stations.
Public electric vehicle charging is currently a tough market. The pandemic has left many Americans driving significantly less. Adoption of electric vehicles has been slow, and most car owners charge at home rather than paying to use public stations.
In a survey of 1,500 electric vehicle drivers, the data software developer FleetCarma found 86% of respondents said they primarily charge at home. They cited convenience and the lower cost. A third of respondents said they would not own an electric vehicle if they could not charge at home.
Still, public charging stations are a key piece of states’ electric vehicle strategies, wanting drivers to see enough chargers to feel comfortable buying an electric vehicle without worrying about an empty battery when away from home.
An average public charger in Minnesota gets roughly one use a day, though in busier spots along interstates they are used multiple times per day, Place said. “They’re definitely not sitting there not being used,” she said.
Solar does offer potential financial benefits for the grid, and in particular for utilities, said David Shaffer, executive director of the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association. “Reducing capacity needs through on-site PV (solar) might make sense in certain spots even without extra money because the alternative might be system upgrades due to added demand,” he said.
The Great Plains Institute recently released a report on pairing fast chargers with solar energy. The report identified several benefits, including reducing or removing utility demand charges and reducing or eliminating capacity and overload problems on distribution grids.
Synchronizing solar and vehicle charging by using smart chargers works best at workplaces, where cars often stay parked for several hours during the day. Brian Ross, the report’s author, joked that the major finding was that the sun shines during the day, “but it is obvious that you want solar with EV charging when they’re both happening.”
But the solar pairing does not work as well when a driver pulls in for a charge while shopping at a grocery store or grabbing a cup of coffee, he said. Instead, EV-solar’s advantage comes when cars will be stationary for long periods, such as workplaces, downtown ramps or park-and-ride lots, Ross said.
A solar array above a parking stall can fully charge a car on a sunny day, he said. A larger-scale project with more than one array above a parking stall makes more sense, allowing multiple cars to charge at once.
Great Plains Institute managed a synchronized pilot at its Minneapolis office this summer. A 30-kilowatt solar installation on its roof fed electricity to three chargers. Despite being a small solar project, “it was more than enough to provide power for those three chargers when the sun was shining,” he said.
Ross said the lack of solar funding in the state program should not matter because installations pay for themselves in power production. The grants should attract more organizations who may not have thought about adding solar. “What this is doing is encouraging people to take a second look at solar who probably ought to be looking at solar anyway,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--No. 20 UNC runs wild, rolls past No. 9 Miami 62-26

MIAMI GARDENS , Fla. ( AP ) - Michael Carter and Javonte Williams accomplished something that no teammates in major college football history had previously done .
The Orange Bowl - where North Carolina has never been - might be their reward .
Carter and Williams set a Football Bowl Subdivision record by combining for 544 yards rushing , and No .
20 North Carolina embarrassed No .
9 Miami 62-26 on Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams .
Carter ran for 308 yards and two touchdowns , while Williams had 236 yards and three touchdowns for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast Conference ) .
Per the NCAA , it was the seventh time that two teammates each ran for at least 200 yards , the first since 2016 and the first such instance in ACC history .
There were many numbers , all of them bad for Miami ( 8-2 , 7-2 ) .
The combined total by Carter and Williams topped the NCAA ’ s listed FBS record for teammates , set on Nov. 30 when Jaret Patterson ( 409 ) and Kevin Marks ( 97 ) rushed for 506 for Buffalo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 778 yards - the most ever yielded by Miami and a Tar Heels record - and 554 yards rushing , also the most allowed in Hurricanes history .
Sam Howell threw for a score , ran for a score and caught a TD pass for the Tar Heels .
It was the first instance of a North Carolina player doing that since 2014 , and it almost became an ancillary note given how Carter and Williams played .
“ We ’ re just in a moment right now , ” Carter said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before .
It ’ s a blessing.
” It was the third-most points allowed in Miami history , the most since 66 for Syracuse in 1998 .
The record is 70 by Texas A & M ; in 1944 .
D ’ Eriq King completed 18 of 30 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns for Miami , which had won five in a row and probably lost any hope of playing in the Orange Bowl .
“ Excuse my language , ” King said .
“ I think we got our ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina scored on its first six possessions , a streak that was only stopped by the clock getting to halftime .
The Tar Heels had 10 rushes that went for 20 yards or more , averaged 10.4 yards per play and Howell connected with Dyami Brown on an 87-yard pass - the longest pass play of Howell ’ s two brilliant years at North Carolina .
Brown had 167 yards receiving .
Again , with the way North Carolina ran the ball , nobody may have noticed .
It added up to North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top-10 team since 2004 - also against then-No .
4 Miami .
“ This is the first time we played a complete game , ” Williams said .
“ We showed just how special we can be.
” It was 34-10 at the half , and North Carolina kept the ball for 7 minutes , 36 seconds on the opening drive of the third quarter - chewing up clock and adding to the margin when Howell stretched the tip of the ball onto the goal line for another Tar Heel touchdown , capping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TD pass on a trick play in the third quarter , and his streak of games with a touchdown pass - now 24 , representing his entire college career - was extended when he found Kamari Morales with 11:00 left for a 55-26 lead .
“ I sure wouldn ’ t have thought that we could have accomplished the things that we did tonight , ” Brown said .
Miami ’ s previous records for yards allowed were 670 total against UCLA on Dec. 5 , 1998 , and 544 rushing against Auburn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That was probably as good as they can play , ” Diaz said , “ matched up with probably as badly as we can play.
” North Carolina : The Heels haven ’ t played in a New Year ’ s Six bowl since going to the 2001 Peach Bowl .
If ACC finalists Notre Dame and Clemson both go to the College Football Playoff semifinals - a real possibility - an Orange Bowl berth goes to the league ’ s next highest-ranked team by the CFP committee .
And when those rankings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heels will more than likely jump the Hurricanes ; Miami was No .
10 in those rankings this past week , seven spots clear of North Carolina .
Miami : King remains the biggest bright spot for Miami .
He now has more than 300 passes for the Hurricanes , which qualifies him for the school ’ s all-time lists - and at this rate , he would pass Bernie Kosar ’ s career completion percentage record .
King has completed 63.5 % of his Miami passes ; Kosar completed 62.3 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and North Carolina will rise .
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit ’ s morning started at West Point , where he and the “ College GameDay ” crew were broadcasting in advance of Saturday ’ s Army-Navy game .
He finished the show in a helicopter that was carrying him from the United States Military Academy to Teterboro Airport , where he hopped in a private jet for the flight to Miami .
The plane landed at 2:59 p.m. , just 42 minutes before kickoff .

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) - Michael Carter and Javonte Williams accomplished something that no teammates in major college football history had previously done.
The Orange Bowl - where North Carolina has never been - might be their reward.
Carter and Williams set a Football Bowl Subdivision record by combining for 544 yards rushing, and No. 20 North Carolina embarrassed No. 9 Miami 62-26 on Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Carter ran for 308 yards and two touchdowns, while Williams had 236 yards and three touchdowns for the Tar Heels (8-3, 7-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Per the NCAA, it was the seventh time that two teammates each ran for at least 200 yards, the first since 2016 and the first such instance in ACC history.
“Remarkable,” North Carolina coach Mack Brown said.
“Humiliating,” Miami coach Manny Diaz said.
There were many numbers, all of them bad for Miami (8-2, 7-2). The combined total by Carter and Williams topped the NCAA’s listed FBS record for teammates, set on Nov. 30 when Jaret Patterson (409) and Kevin Marks (97) rushed for 506 for Buffalo against Kent State.
North Carolina finished with 778 yards - the most ever yielded by Miami and a Tar Heels record - and 554 yards rushing, also the most allowed in Hurricanes history. Sam Howell threw for a score, ran for a score and caught a TD pass for the Tar Heels. It was the first instance of a North Carolina player doing that since 2014, and it almost became an ancillary note given how Carter and Williams played.
“We’re just in a moment right now,” Carter said. “Something that nobody ever did before. It’s a blessing.”
It was the third-most points allowed in Miami history, the most since 66 for Syracuse in 1998. The record is 70 by Texas A&M in 1944.
D’Eriq King completed 18 of 30 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns for Miami, which had won five in a row and probably lost any hope of playing in the Orange Bowl.
“Excuse my language,” King said. “I think we got our (butt) whooped all night.”
North Carolina scored on its first six possessions, a streak that was only stopped by the clock getting to halftime. The Tar Heels had 10 rushes that went for 20 yards or more, averaged 10.4 yards per play and Howell connected with Dyami Brown on an 87-yard pass - the longest pass play of Howell’s two brilliant years at North Carolina.
Brown had 167 yards receiving. Again, with the way North Carolina ran the ball, nobody may have noticed.
It added up to North Carolina’s first win against a top-10 team since 2004 - also against then-No. 4 Miami.
“This is the first time we played a complete game,” Williams said. “We showed just how special we can be.”
It was 34-10 at the half, and North Carolina kept the ball for 7 minutes, 36 seconds on the opening drive of the third quarter - chewing up clock and adding to the margin when Howell stretched the tip of the ball onto the goal line for another Tar Heel touchdown, capping a 13-play drive.
Howell caught a TD pass on a trick play in the third quarter, and his streak of games with a touchdown pass - now 24, representing his entire college career - was extended when he found Kamari Morales with 11:00 left for a 55-26 lead.
“I sure wouldn’t have thought that we could have accomplished the things that we did tonight,” Brown said.
Miami’s previous records for yards allowed were 670 total against UCLA on Dec. 5, 1998, and 544 rushing against Auburn on Nov. 24, 1944.
“That was probably as good as they can play,” Diaz said, “matched up with probably as badly as we can play.”
BIG PICTURE
North Carolina: The Heels haven’t played in a New Year’s Six bowl since going to the 2001 Peach Bowl. If ACC finalists Notre Dame and Clemson both go to the College Football Playoff semifinals - a real possibility - an Orange Bowl berth goes to the league’s next highest-ranked team by the CFP committee. And when those rankings are updated Tuesday night, the Tar Heels will more than likely jump the Hurricanes; Miami was No. 10 in those rankings this past week, seven spots clear of North Carolina.
Miami: King remains the biggest bright spot for Miami. He now has more than 300 passes for the Hurricanes, which qualifies him for the school’s all-time lists - and at this rate, he would pass Bernie Kosar’s career completion percentage record. King has completed 63.5% of his Miami passes; Kosar completed 62.3%.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Pretty simple: Miami will fall, and North Carolina will rise.
CLOSE ARRIVAL
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit’s morning started at West Point, where he and the “College GameDay” crew were broadcasting in advance of Saturday’s Army-Navy game. He finished the show in a helicopter that was carrying him from the United States Military Academy to Teterboro Airport, where he hopped in a private jet for the flight to Miami. The plane landed at 2:59 p.m., just 42 minutes before kickoff.
UP NEXT
Both teams await bowl announcements on Dec. 20.
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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Statement: Atlanta mayor turned down Biden's Cabinet offer

ATLANTA ( AP ) - Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms turned down an opportunity to serve in President-elect Joe Biden ’ s Cabinet , according to a spokesperson for the mayor on Saturday .
The statement did not say what Cabinet position she had been offered .
Bottoms , one of the state ’ s most influential Democrats , had previously been under consideration to become Biden ’ s vice presidential nominee .
“ Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was honored to have been offered a role in the Cabinet , which she respectfully declined , ” a Bottoms spokesperson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s focus remains on the people of Atlanta and the great state of Georgia , ” the statement said .
“ Out of respect for the process , and the other candidates under consideration , no additional comment will be forthcoming on this matter at this time.
” The statement also rejected speculation that Bottoms had turned down a chance to be an ambassador .
“ She was never offered an ambassadorship , ” the statement said .
Bottoms made national news earlier this year as she clashed with Republican Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority to mandate that masks be worn in Georgia ’ s largest city .
Bottoms , a Black woman , was also widely praised in late May for her passionate and deeply personal plea for demonstrators in downtown Atlanta to go home after protests over racial injustice turned violent .

ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms turned down an opportunity to serve in President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet, a spokesperson for the mayor said Saturday.
Bottoms, one of the state’s most influential Democrats, had previously been under consideration to become Biden’s vice presidential nominee.
“Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was honored to have been offered a role in the Cabinet, which she respectfully declined,” a Bottoms spokesperson said in a statement.
The statement did not say what Cabinet position she had been offered.
“The Mayor’s focus remains on the people of Atlanta and the great state of Georgia,” the statement said. “Out of respect for the process, and the other candidates under consideration, no additional comment will be forthcoming on this matter at this time.”
The statement also rejected speculation that Bottoms had turned down a chance to be an ambassador.
“She was never offered an ambassadorship,” the statement said.
Bottoms made national news earlier this year as she clashed with Republican Gov. Brian Kemp over whether she had the authority to mandate that masks be worn in Georgia’s largest city. Bottoms, a Black woman, was also widely praised in late May for her passionate and deeply personal plea for demonstrators in downtown Atlanta to go home after protests over racial injustice turned violent.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Virus outbreak at Hawaii prison infects 89 inmates and staff

HONOLULU ( AP ) - Hawaii prison officials said an additional 63 inmates and six staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus at a state prison .
The outbreak has left 68 inmates and 21 staff members infected with the virus at the Halawa Correctional Facility in Oahu , Hawaii News Now reported Friday .
There are 936 inmates at the facility , all of whom are now being tested .
A lockdown has been instituted in the facility that suspended all inmate movement and blocked transfers to and from the prison .
The quarantine will last for at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enacted its pandemic protocol to isolate these inmates and begin mitigation efforts , ” said Max Otani , the state Department of Public Safety ’ s director .
“ Our security and medical staff are working around the clock to safeguard staff and inmates and keep the virus from spreading .
I am so proud of everyone at the facility for their dedication to pulling through this situation as a team.
” This is the third major outbreak at a Hawaii prison since the pandemic began .
The Oahu Community Correctional Center has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus while the number of inmates infected with the coronavirus at the Waiawa Community Correctional Center in Waipahu is over 200 .
More than 600 Hawaii inmates have also tested positive for the virus at a privately owned prison in Arizona .
The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .

HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii prison officials said an additional 63 inmates and six staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus at a state prison.
The outbreak has left 68 inmates and 21 staff members infected with the virus at the Halawa Correctional Facility in Oahu, Hawaii News Now reported Friday. There are 936 inmates at the facility, all of whom are now being tested.
A lockdown has been instituted in the facility that suspended all inmate movement and blocked transfers to and from the prison. The quarantine will last for at least two weeks.
“HCF immediately enacted its pandemic protocol to isolate these inmates and begin mitigation efforts,” said Max Otani, the state Department of Public Safety’s director. “Our security and medical staff are working around the clock to safeguard staff and inmates and keep the virus from spreading. I am so proud of everyone at the facility for their dedication to pulling through this situation as a team.”
This is the third major outbreak at a Hawaii prison since the pandemic began. The Oahu Community Correctional Center has had 449 inmates test positive for the virus while the number of inmates infected with the coronavirus at the Waiawa Community Correctional Center in Waipahu is over 200. More than 600 Hawaii inmates have also tested positive for the virus at a privately owned prison in Arizona.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Inmate who said he was forced to join escape loses appeal

OMAHA , Kan. ( AP ) - A Nebraska inmate who escaped from a maxim security prison with another inmate in laundry carts has lost an appeal that claimed he was forced to participate .
The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday against Timothy Clausen .
The court said that if Clausen wanted to assert that he was forced to join in the escape with fellow inmate Armon Dixon , he should have turned himself in as soon as the two separated .
The court also rejected Clausen ’ s argument that he was denied a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were barred from testifying in his defense and Clausen ’ s own testimony was stricken .
Dixon , while willing to describe how he and Clausen managed to escape , told the trial judge that he wouldn ’ t testify about who provided him drugs and a cellphone that were used in the escape unless he was given immunity .
The trial judge ruled that the information was closely associated with the crime and that to not allow prosecutors to question Dixon about that would be unfair .
Jacobsen also ruled out testimony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on hearsay .
Clausen ’ s testimony was also stricken after he shouted to jurors about the disqualification of his two witnesses .

OMAHA, Kan. (AP) - A Nebraska inmate who escaped from a maxim security prison with another inmate in laundry carts has lost an appeal that claimed he was forced to participate.
The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday against Timothy Clausen. The court said that if Clausen wanted to assert that he was forced to join in the escape with fellow inmate Armon Dixon, he should have turned himself in as soon as the two separated.
The court also rejected Clausen’s argument that he was denied a fair trial when Dixon and another inmate were barred from testifying in his defense and Clausen’s own testimony was stricken.
Dixon, while willing to describe how he and Clausen managed to escape, told the trial judge that he wouldn’t testify about who provided him drugs and a cellphone that were used in the escape unless he was given immunity.
The trial judge ruled that the information was closely associated with the crime and that to not allow prosecutors to question Dixon about that would be unfair. Jacobsen also ruled out testimony from the cellmate, saying it was based on hearsay.
Clausen’s testimony was also stricken after he shouted to jurors about the disqualification of his two witnesses.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--New York's 21 Club closes indefinitely due to pandemic

NEW YORK ( AP ) - The storied 21 Club in midtown Manhattan , a favorite of celebrities and the power elite for nine decades , is closing indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic , but the owners are optimistic about reopening at some point .
The restaurant ’ s owners filed notice about the closing with the city on Wednesday , saying all 148 employees will be terminated on March 9 .
The news comes as indoor dining at New York City restaurants will be banned again starting Monday in an effort to halt a resurgence of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still be allowed .
“ At this early stage , we are not ready to announce any final concept or timeframe , ” a statement by the restaurant said .
“ But the vision is that 21 Club will always remain an important social and cultural hub and icon of New York , one that is well positioned to fulfill its role in the City ’ s exciting future when the time comes.
” The restaurant has been closed since last March during the first wave of the pandemic , as indoor dining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a favorite dining place of presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt ’ s day .
Shortly after the 2016 election , then-President-elect Donald Trump broke protocol by leaving his Trump Tower residence without taking along his press contingent to eat at the restaurant .
John Steinbeck , Ernest Hemingway and Frank Sinatra had favorite tables at 21 , and Humphrey Bogart proposed to Lauren Bacall there .
It appeared in films ranging from the 1950 Bette Davis classic “ All About Eve ” to 1987 ’ s “ Wall Street .
”

NEW YORK (AP) - The storied 21 Club in midtown Manhattan, a favorite of celebrities and the power elite for nine decades, is closing indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the owners are optimistic about reopening at some point.
The restaurant’s owners filed notice about the closing with the city on Wednesday, saying all 148 employees will be terminated on March 9.
The news comes as indoor dining at New York City restaurants will be banned again starting Monday in an effort to halt a resurgence of the virus, but takeout and outdoor dining will still be allowed.
“At this early stage, we are not ready to announce any final concept or timeframe,” a statement by the restaurant said. “But the vision is that 21 Club will always remain an important social and cultural hub and icon of New York, one that is well positioned to fulfill its role in the City’s exciting future when the time comes.”
The restaurant has been closed since last March during the first wave of the pandemic, as indoor dining was prohibited.
The 21 Club was a favorite dining place of presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s day. Shortly after the 2016 election, then-President-elect Donald Trump broke protocol by leaving his Trump Tower residence without taking along his press contingent to eat at the restaurant.
John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway and Frank Sinatra had favorite tables at 21, and Humphrey Bogart proposed to Lauren Bacall there. It appeared in films ranging from the 1950 Bette Davis classic “All About Eve” to 1987’s “Wall Street.”