washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Family worries as shelter strained by virus outbreak

MIDVALE , Utah ( AP ) - The day before Thanksgiving , 32-year-old Jessica Green didn ’ t know where she , her husband and their two little boys would be sleeping that night .
No longer could they afford the two-bed motel room she said they had been paying about $ 1,100 a month for .
It ’ s where they had been staying since mid-April after they moved out of the Road Home ’ s Midvale Family Shelter due to an early spring COVID-19 outbreak , the Deseret News reported .
At first , Green said they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free because both of their boys , 6-year-old Aiden and 1 1/2-year-old Atticus , are asthmatic , with notes from their doctor explaining they ’ re high risk for negative COVID-19 effects .
But after about four weeks in the motel , Green said the voucher expired because Road Home staff said it was safe for her family to come back .
But Green and her husband , Blake Jackson , were wary of bringing their children back into a shelter setting where they wondered when the next COVID-19 outbreak would again jeopardize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ pawn basically every single possession we had , ” Green said , donate plasma , and use Jackson ’ s unemployment checks to stay in the motel .
“ With that amount of money , we could have gotten into a place , ” Green said , explaining that the money they could have saved for a security deposit and first and last month ’ s rent for an apartment all went into the hotel .
“ But because we didn ’ t trust the ( shelter ’ s ) conditions with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re high risk .
They ’ re both asthmatic .
If they got COVID it could be really bad for them .
So we ended up basically sacrificing that so they could be safe.
” Green said it essentially forced her and her husband to choose between their family ’ s health or draining their finances .
“ It was a hard choice to make , but at that point we didn ’ t feel like we had another choice , ” she said .
But last week , Green said they ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s unemployment benefits ended .
Earlier this year , Jackson had been laid off from his job as a Salt Lake City restaurant manager because of the havoc the pandemic reaped on the industry , and has since struggled to find another job .
“ We ’ ve never been put into this kind of situation before .
We ’ ve both had a job and a home , ” Green said , her voice straining as she held back tears .
“ It makes you feel like a failure of a parent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely helpless.
” Green , resigned to the fact that the Road Home was now their only option , said she called a week before the rent money was to run out - the day before Thanksgiving .
But she said she wasn ’ t given clear answers of whether she ’ d even be able to stay at the family shelter or if she could be given another motel voucher .
“ We just didn ’ t know , ” Green said , describing how shelter staff would give her vague answers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the shelter expecting a bed or else they would “ turn her away ” ( Road Home officials dispute whether families are “ turned away , ” saying instead they ’ re referred to other shelters like the Lantern House in Ogden or a diversion program ) .
It was only after she pressed did Green find out the 300-bed family shelter was dealing with another COVID-19 outbreak .
Since Nov. 4 , at least 100 people in the Midvale Family Shelter tested positive for COVID-19 as of Thursday , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least 219 shelter residents and 41 staffers were tested for COVID-19 in the last month .
The most recent testing event conducted Monday involved 69 residents and 13 staff members and added five more positive tests ( all shelter residents , four of them under the age of 18 ) to what was 95 positives as of Nov. 25 , according to Salt Lake County Health Department spokesman Nicholas Rupp .
So far , at least 64 out of the 100 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 are under the age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 100 who have tested positive , plus those who have been directly exposed , Rupp said , were invited to move to a quarantine and isolation facility .
Salt Lake County officials have been using places such as hotels to isolate populations who aren ’ t able to self-quarantine at home , but have refused to disclose their locations .
The timing of the outbreak and the strain it placed on the Midvale shelter fueled uncertainty for families like Green ’ s .
Green said her family was eventually allowed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again to new families .
The day she was let in was Nov. 25 .
Since then , Green has stayed in touch with the Deseret News , expressing concerns about the conditions inside the shelter .
Those include what she says is lack of social distancing , inadequate cleaning , bedbugs and a lack of transparency around what families get to be placed in motels , with some being placed in motel rooms while others with high-risk conditions are kept in the shelter .
Green took pictures inside the shelter , showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family ’ s beds had been filled by a separate family , going against what she said was the shelter ’ s own 6-feet social distancing rules .
This week , Green said she found out from that family ’ s mother that their kids had tested positive for COVID-19 , compounding her concerns that her children have been exposed .
“ It ’ s hard to describe , ” Green said .
“ We ’ re just scared.
” Michelle Flynn , the Road Home ’ s executive director , discussed those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview Wednesday evening , saying she doesn ’ t know about or discount Green ’ s personal experience .
But she said the Road Home is doing its best to house and help homeless families , while acknowledging a congregate shelter setting is far from ideal and extra challenging amid COVID-19 times .
“ It ’ s been a moving target over the last six to eight months … and how we ’ re able to respond in the shelter system , ” Flynn said .
“ It ’ s really shown and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong it is , really , for people to be experiencing homelessness to have to stay in a congregate shelter , and how much better it is to stay in your own home.
” Flynn said requirements around which families do or don ’ t qualify for motel vouchers as it relates to high-risk conditions evolves based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance , which she said has more information for at-risk adults than for children .
She said the Road Home still has funding it needs for motel vouchers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use all resources , including both shelter capacity and motel vouchers .
“ We ’ re going through all the families that we have currently in the facility , making sure we ’ re reassigning based on the latest criteria , ” Flynn said .
“ We ’ re really trying to keep the ( number of ) families down in the shelter - it ’ s very tight , very little opportunity for families to social distance , particularly in sleeping quarters , so we are trying to use the resources strategically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the motel vouchers as efficiently as possible.
” Flynn said the Midvale Family Shelter will now have COVID-19 testing on site every week into the future , something that wasn ’ t happening regularly before because the shelter hadn ’ t yet seen an outbreak of this size .
Green agreed to share her family ’ s experience because she said she didn ’ t feel families inside the Midvale shelter have a “ voice.
” She also wanted to detail the frustrating experience her family has had with the facility , fed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of transparency and consistency around motel vouchers , inconsistent abidance to COVID-19 rules inside the shelter , and what has felt like a strain on the shelter system amid last month ’ s mass outbreak .
“ I feel like the people in there need a voice from the inside , ” she said .
“ Rather than all of the shelter ’ s fluff ( saying ) ‘ We ’ re doing what we ’ re supposed to be doing.
’ No you ’ re not .
I ’ m there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you guys aren ’ t doing what you ’ re saying.
” Green said she ’ s grateful her family has a roof over their heads , but she ’ s still frustrated that the Road Home has declined to provide another motel voucher for her family , even though her children have doctors notes explaining their asthma and their risks from COVID-19 .
She ’ s hounded Road Home staff for a motel voucher like the family received earlier this year , she said , but was told they weren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was able to talk to a shelter supervisor early this week did Green find out that her family didn ’ t qualify again for a motel voucher .
She was told shelter staff was using CDC guidelines to prioritize who qualified for motel vouchers , narrowing that field to those over the age of 60 , those with diabetes , and those with existing medical conditions like heart problems .
“ So we go down that totem pole , ” Green said , frustrated that it took days to understand those requirements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , Green said she found out other families in the Midvale shelter were being moved into hotel rooms , including one that told her they didn ’ t have any high-risk conditions , and were being moved to allow more “ social distancing ” space inside the shelter .
“ I get that funding can ’ t support everybody , ” Green said .
“ But for somebody to tell me ( my boys ) aren ’ t high risk , and then they ’ re moving people out for social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better .
… Why are people that aren ’ t high risk being moved and there are people who are that are still here ?
” She criticized the Road Home for not being more transparent with families about qualifying for motel vouchers , especially considering her family qualified for one before but now apparently doesn ’ t .
In a series of prepared statements issued in response to multiple requests for information from the Deseret News last week , the Road Home officials confirmed the Midvale Family Shelter had pushed pause on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the COVID-19 outbreak , but disputed any notion that the shelter was turning families away .
“ Our onsite partner , Utah Community Action , is using a robust diversion program to help support families with other safe options for shelter and when that is not an option , we have access to funds for motels for those who can not be diverted .
We have had funding and used motels for a number of years , ” Flynn said in a statement .
“ Utah Community Action and the Road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family based on their individual needs , ” Flynn said .
“ Families are diverted to a variety of safe locations including other shelters as appropriate or motels if that is an option .
We do have funding to utilize motels.
” Green said she ’ s already been through Utah Community Action ’ s diversion program .
Initially , that program housed them with her brother in his apartment for a few weeks earlier this spring , but Green said his landlord “ wanted him to end up paying a ton of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people staying in his apartment .
“ We ended up having to leave there so he didn ’ t have the chance of being evicted as well , ” she said .
The statement that there is motel funding was available was news to Green , who said a different story had been coming from shelter staff , before a supervisor finally explained to her this week why her family didn ’ t currently qualify .
“ They ’ re telling people they don ’ t have funding , that they don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Green said .
Flynn said the criteria the Road Home uses to determine which families qualify for the motel vouchers “ changes regularly from the CDC , and we continue to work closely with the health department on what those criteria are.
” “ I ’ m sure it ’ s hard for families , I know it ’ s hard for families and they would prefer to be in a hotel , ” Flynn said .
“ I can assure you that the families that are put in the hotels are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we would not prioritize families with lower risk over a family with a higher risk.
” As of Wednesday night , 170 people in 50 families stayed in the Midvale shelter , while six families stayed in motels - numbers that change regularly , according to Flynn .
Those did not include additional families that were offered shelter in Salt Lake County quarantine and isolation facilities if they had tested positive or been directly exposed to COVID-19 .
That tally was at about 103 as of Thursday , according to Rupp .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s also become increasingly frustrated with how some shelter staff members treat families living there .
“ The staff , they treat you like you ’ re a rat .
They don ’ t treat you like you ’ re a human being .
They treat you like you ’ re lower than they are .
I ’ ve seen how they talk to some people , and it ’ s appalling , ” Green said .
“ These people don ’ t ask to be in this situation .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We were fine .
We had a home .
We had everything that we needed , and we never thought we ’ d see ourselves in a homeless shelter .
It ’ s not something somebody wishes upon their family .
And to go into that situation already feeling like you failed , already feeling like I ’ ve failed my kids to having somebody treat us even worse is so hard .
Because you ’ re literally fighting for everything you can to try and put yourself in a better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she didn ’ t want to discount Green ’ s experience , encouraged Green to “ talk to our supervisors ” about her concerns .
“ We take these concerns seriously , ” Flynn said .
“ I know our staff is very committed to working within a trauma-informed framework and being empowering and encouraging in all of our conversations with families .
That doesn ’ t mean she didn ’ t have that experience , but we definitely want to make sure that ’ s not something she has to experience .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hope , and we want people to feel that way.
” Green also wanted to call attention to conditions inside the shelter .
Even though the shelter has a deep clean schedule , Green said the shelter staff doesn ’ t clean as well as they should .
After one of those “ deep cleans , ” Green took pictures of the dust and other trash her husband swept out from under the bunks , including a half-eaten apple , a plastic bag , and a used tooth flosser .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ like , I don ’ t believe they sanitize at all.
” Green and Jackson also showed red bite marks on their arms and their boys ’ faces , what they suspected were from bedbugs .
“ We ’ ve been bitten all over , ” she said , adding that if families raise the issue , shelter staff deny the problem .
“ If you call them and ask them , they will claim that they don ’ t , that their mattresses don ’ t allow it.
” Flynn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s continued to be a “ challenge ” in the Midvale facility and other shelters .
“ It ’ s a challenging place , you have a lot of families coming in and out .
We ’ ve been addressing bedbugs throughout shelters for many , many years .
We have a great system in place where we focus on prevention , ” Flynn said , describing the “ bedbug oven ” the shelter uses to sanitize bedding and clothing .
“ But it ’ s an ongoing work in progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s anyone who would say it ’ s not an issue .
It is an issue , and one that is a work in progress and that we want to address.
” For Green ’ s complaints about cleaning and her continuing questions on why she has continued to be passed over for a motel voucher , Flynn urged her to continue to talk with shelter supervisors and case managers .
“ Every day , every week , situations change , ” Flynn said .
“ We ’ re flexible , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encourage her to keep that conversation going.
” Flynn said the challenges that the Midvale shelter and other facilities have faced amid the pandemic are a “ serious issue ” that the Road Home takes seriously .
But she also said she ’ s been “ inspired ” by her staff , which continue to “ come to work every day , putting their own health at risk ” to help families .
“ It ’ s just beyond anything the community realizes , ” she said .

MIDVALE, Utah (AP) - The day before Thanksgiving, 32-year-old Jessica Green didn’t know where she, her husband and their two little boys would be sleeping that night.
No longer could they afford the two-bed motel room she said they had been paying about $1,100 a month for. It’s where they had been staying since mid-April after they moved out of the Road Home’s Midvale Family Shelter due to an early spring COVID-19 outbreak, the Deseret News reported.
At first, Green said they were given a voucher to stay there for free because both of their boys, 6-year-old Aiden and 1 1/2-year-old Atticus, are asthmatic, with notes from their doctor explaining they’re high risk for negative COVID-19 effects. But after about four weeks in the motel, Green said the voucher expired because Road Home staff said it was safe for her family to come back.
But Green and her husband, Blake Jackson, were wary of bringing their children back into a shelter setting where they wondered when the next COVID-19 outbreak would again jeopardize their safety. They instead decided to “pawn basically every single possession we had,” Green said, donate plasma, and use Jackson’s unemployment checks to stay in the motel.
“With that amount of money, we could have gotten into a place,” Green said, explaining that the money they could have saved for a security deposit and first and last month’s rent for an apartment all went into the hotel. “But because we didn’t trust the (shelter’s) conditions with both of our kids … They’re high risk. They’re both asthmatic. If they got COVID it could be really bad for them. So we ended up basically sacrificing that so they could be safe.”
Green said it essentially forced her and her husband to choose between their family’s health or draining their finances.
“It was a hard choice to make, but at that point we didn’t feel like we had another choice,” she said.
But last week, Green said they ran out of money because her husband’s unemployment benefits ended.
Earlier this year, Jackson had been laid off from his job as a Salt Lake City restaurant manager because of the havoc the pandemic reaped on the industry, and has since struggled to find another job.
“We’ve never been put into this kind of situation before. We’ve both had a job and a home,” Green said, her voice straining as she held back tears. “It makes you feel like a failure of a parent. But it also makes you feel completely helpless.”
Green, resigned to the fact that the Road Home was now their only option, said she called a week before the rent money was to run out - the day before Thanksgiving. But she said she wasn’t given clear answers of whether she’d even be able to stay at the family shelter or if she could be given another motel voucher.
“We just didn’t know,” Green said, describing how shelter staff would give her vague answers, some urging her not to come to the shelter expecting a bed or else they would “turn her away” (Road Home officials dispute whether families are “turned away,” saying instead they’re referred to other shelters like the Lantern House in Ogden or a diversion program).
It was only after she pressed did Green find out the 300-bed family shelter was dealing with another COVID-19 outbreak.
It was big.
Since Nov. 4, at least 100 people in the Midvale Family Shelter tested positive for COVID-19 as of Thursday, according to the Salt Lake County Health Department.
At least 219 shelter residents and 41 staffers were tested for COVID-19 in the last month. The most recent testing event conducted Monday involved 69 residents and 13 staff members and added five more positive tests (all shelter residents, four of them under the age of 18) to what was 95 positives as of Nov. 25, according to Salt Lake County Health Department spokesman Nicholas Rupp.
So far, at least 64 out of the 100 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 are under the age of 18, Rupp said.
All of the 100 who have tested positive, plus those who have been directly exposed, Rupp said, were invited to move to a quarantine and isolation facility. Salt Lake County officials have been using places such as hotels to isolate populations who aren’t able to self-quarantine at home, but have refused to disclose their locations.
The timing of the outbreak and the strain it placed on the Midvale shelter fueled uncertainty for families like Green’s.
Green said her family was eventually allowed in to the shelter, after it reopened again to new families. The day she was let in was Nov. 25.
Since then, Green has stayed in touch with the Deseret News, expressing concerns about the conditions inside the shelter. Those include what she says is lack of social distancing, inadequate cleaning, bedbugs and a lack of transparency around what families get to be placed in motels, with some being placed in motel rooms while others with high-risk conditions are kept in the shelter.
Green took pictures inside the shelter, showing that the bunks directly next to her family’s beds had been filled by a separate family, going against what she said was the shelter’s own 6-feet social distancing rules. This week, Green said she found out from that family’s mother that their kids had tested positive for COVID-19, compounding her concerns that her children have been exposed.
“It’s hard to describe,” Green said. “We’re just scared.”
Michelle Flynn, the Road Home’s executive director, discussed those issues with the Deseret News in an interview Wednesday evening, saying she doesn’t know about or discount Green’s personal experience. But she said the Road Home is doing its best to house and help homeless families, while acknowledging a congregate shelter setting is far from ideal and extra challenging amid COVID-19 times.
“It’s been a moving target over the last six to eight months … and how we’re able to respond in the shelter system,” Flynn said. “It’s really shown and exasperated how challenging it is and how wrong it is, really, for people to be experiencing homelessness to have to stay in a congregate shelter, and how much better it is to stay in your own home.”
Flynn said requirements around which families do or don’t qualify for motel vouchers as it relates to high-risk conditions evolves based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which she said has more information for at-risk adults than for children. She said the Road Home still has funding it needs for motel vouchers, but it has been working to efficiently use all resources, including both shelter capacity and motel vouchers.
“We’re going through all the families that we have currently in the facility, making sure we’re reassigning based on the latest criteria,” Flynn said. “We’re really trying to keep the (number of) families down in the shelter - it’s very tight, very little opportunity for families to social distance, particularly in sleeping quarters, so we are trying to use the resources strategically to utilize the shelter as needed and the motel vouchers as efficiently as possible.”
Flynn said the Midvale Family Shelter will now have COVID-19 testing on site every week into the future, something that wasn’t happening regularly before because the shelter hadn’t yet seen an outbreak of this size.
Green agreed to share her family’s experience because she said she didn’t feel families inside the Midvale shelter have a “voice.” She also wanted to detail the frustrating experience her family has had with the facility, fed up with what she said was lack of transparency and consistency around motel vouchers, inconsistent abidance to COVID-19 rules inside the shelter, and what has felt like a strain on the shelter system amid last month’s mass outbreak.
“I feel like the people in there need a voice from the inside,” she said. “Rather than all of the shelter’s fluff (saying) ‘We’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing.’ No you’re not. I’m there. I’m experiencing it firsthand, and you guys aren’t doing what you’re saying.”
Green said she’s grateful her family has a roof over their heads, but she’s still frustrated that the Road Home has declined to provide another motel voucher for her family, even though her children have doctors notes explaining their asthma and their risks from COVID-19.
She’s hounded Road Home staff for a motel voucher like the family received earlier this year, she said, but was told they weren’t giving them out. Only after she was able to talk to a shelter supervisor early this week did Green find out that her family didn’t qualify again for a motel voucher. She was told shelter staff was using CDC guidelines to prioritize who qualified for motel vouchers, narrowing that field to those over the age of 60, those with diabetes, and those with existing medical conditions like heart problems.
“So we go down that totem pole,” Green said, frustrated that it took days to understand those requirements.
And yet, later in the week, Green said she found out other families in the Midvale shelter were being moved into hotel rooms, including one that told her they didn’t have any high-risk conditions, and were being moved to allow more “social distancing” space inside the shelter.
“I get that funding can’t support everybody,” Green said. “But for somebody to tell me (my boys) aren’t high risk, and then they’re moving people out for social distancing doesn’t make me feel any better. … Why are people that aren’t high risk being moved and there are people who are that are still here?”
She criticized the Road Home for not being more transparent with families about qualifying for motel vouchers, especially considering her family qualified for one before but now apparently doesn’t.
In a series of prepared statements issued in response to multiple requests for information from the Deseret News last week, the Road Home officials confirmed the Midvale Family Shelter had pushed pause on taking in new families in recent weeks because of the COVID-19 outbreak, but disputed any notion that the shelter was turning families away.
“Our onsite partner, Utah Community Action, is using a robust diversion program to help support families with other safe options for shelter and when that is not an option, we have access to funds for motels for those who cannot be diverted. We have had funding and used motels for a number of years,” Flynn said in a statement.
“Utah Community Action and the Road Home take a problem-solving approach with each family based on their individual needs,” Flynn said. “Families are diverted to a variety of safe locations including other shelters as appropriate or motels if that is an option. We do have funding to utilize motels.”
Green said she’s already been through Utah Community Action’s diversion program. Initially, that program housed them with her brother in his apartment for a few weeks earlier this spring, but Green said his landlord “wanted him to end up paying a ton of extra money” for the four more people staying in his apartment. “We ended up having to leave there so he didn’t have the chance of being evicted as well,” she said.
The statement that there is motel funding was available was news to Green, who said a different story had been coming from shelter staff, before a supervisor finally explained to her this week why her family didn’t currently qualify.
“They’re telling people they don’t have funding, that they don’t have any kind of help,” Green said.
Flynn said the criteria the Road Home uses to determine which families qualify for the motel vouchers “changes regularly from the CDC, and we continue to work closely with the health department on what those criteria are.”
“I’m sure it’s hard for families, I know it’s hard for families and they would prefer to be in a hotel,” Flynn said. “I can assure you that the families that are put in the hotels are the families that have the highest risk, we would not prioritize families with lower risk over a family with a higher risk.”
As of Wednesday night, 170 people in 50 families stayed in the Midvale shelter, while six families stayed in motels - numbers that change regularly, according to Flynn.
Those did not include additional families that were offered shelter in Salt Lake County quarantine and isolation facilities if they had tested positive or been directly exposed to COVID-19. That tally was at about 103 as of Thursday, according to Rupp.
Back in the shelter, Green said she’s also become increasingly frustrated with how some shelter staff members treat families living there.
“The staff, they treat you like you’re a rat. They don’t treat you like you’re a human being. They treat you like you’re lower than they are. I’ve seen how they talk to some people, and it’s appalling,” Green said.
“These people don’t ask to be in this situation. We didn’t,” Green continued. “We were fine. We had a home. We had everything that we needed, and we never thought we’d see ourselves in a homeless shelter. It’s not something somebody wishes upon their family. And to go into that situation already feeling like you failed, already feeling like I’ve failed my kids to having somebody treat us even worse is so hard. Because you’re literally fighting for everything you can to try and put yourself in a better situation.”
Flynn, who again said she didn’t want to discount Green’s experience, encouraged Green to “talk to our supervisors” about her concerns.
“We take these concerns seriously,” Flynn said. “I know our staff is very committed to working within a trauma-informed framework and being empowering and encouraging in all of our conversations with families. That doesn’t mean she didn’t have that experience, but we definitely want to make sure that’s not something she has to experience. We’re a place of refuge and hope, and we want people to feel that way.”
Green also wanted to call attention to conditions inside the shelter.
Even though the shelter has a deep clean schedule, Green said the shelter staff doesn’t clean as well as they should. After one of those “deep cleans,” Green took pictures of the dust and other trash her husband swept out from under the bunks, including a half-eaten apple, a plastic bag, and a used tooth flosser.
“The conditions there,” she said, “like, I don’t believe they sanitize at all.”
Green and Jackson also showed red bite marks on their arms and their boys’ faces, what they suspected were from bedbugs.
“We’ve been bitten all over,” she said, adding that if families raise the issue, shelter staff deny the problem. “If you call them and ask them, they will claim that they don’t, that their mattresses don’t allow it.”
Flynn, when asked about bed bugs, said it’s continued to be a “challenge” in the Midvale facility and other shelters.
“It’s a challenging place, you have a lot of families coming in and out. We’ve been addressing bedbugs throughout shelters for many, many years. We have a great system in place where we focus on prevention,” Flynn said, describing the “bedbug oven” the shelter uses to sanitize bedding and clothing. “But it’s an ongoing work in progress. I don’t think there’s anyone who would say it’s not an issue. It is an issue, and one that is a work in progress and that we want to address.”
For Green’s complaints about cleaning and her continuing questions on why she has continued to be passed over for a motel voucher, Flynn urged her to continue to talk with shelter supervisors and case managers.
“Every day, every week, situations change,” Flynn said. “We’re flexible, and we want to meet the needs and encourage her to keep that conversation going.”
Flynn said the challenges that the Midvale shelter and other facilities have faced amid the pandemic are a “serious issue” that the Road Home takes seriously. But she also said she’s been “inspired” by her staff, which continue to “come to work every day, putting their own health at risk” to help families.
“It’s just beyond anything the community realizes,” she said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Relatives make plea for info on Hong Kong detainees in China

HONG KONG ( AP ) - Relatives of a dozen Hong Kong residents who have been detained in mainland China for more than 3 1/2 months made a plea Saturday to be informed of the timing of any trials and whether they can attend .
The request underscored the sharp contrast between the relatively open legal system in Hong Kong , a semi-autonomous Chinese territory , and that of the mainland , where often little information is divulged until a trial is over .
“ I miss my son so much , ” the mother of Wong Wai-yin , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
“ I want to visit him so badly .
I haven ’ t seen my son in a very long time - it ’ s almost four months .
Please tell me ( about the trial ) .
I ’ m just an ordinary mother.
” The 12 were arrested at sea in August while they were apparently making a bid to flee to Taiwan after a tough national security law took effect in Hong Kong earlier this year .
They were picked up after entering mainland waters for crossing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some took part in anti-government protests in 2019 and were facing charges in Hong Kong .
Though Hong Kong is a part of China , travelers must still pass through immigration when going to and from the mainland .
Two are being held on suspicion of organizing an illegal border crossing .
The group has been locked up in Shenzhen , a southern Chinese city that borders Hong Kong .
The relatives covered their faces with masks , and some wore sunglasses , caps or hoods to hide their identities as they spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not give their names .
Owen Chow , an activist who has been helping the families , said they wanted to know whether the trials would be open to the public and if family members could attend .
He and some family members questioned the authenticity of letters some of the latter had received , purportedly from their detained relatives , saying they were being held in a good environment and not abused .
“ The only thing I can do is to have dissatisfaction and be angry , ” said a relative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I don ’ t know what else to do .
”

HONG KONG (AP) - Relatives of a dozen Hong Kong residents who have been detained in mainland China for more than 3 1/2 months made a plea Saturday to be informed of the timing of any trials and whether they can attend.
The request underscored the sharp contrast between the relatively open legal system in Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory, and that of the mainland, where often little information is divulged until a trial is over.
“I miss my son so much,” the mother of Wong Wai-yin, one of the detainees, said, choking up. “I want to visit him so badly. I haven’t seen my son in a very long time - it’s almost four months. Please tell me (about the trial). I’m just an ordinary mother.”
The 12 were arrested at sea in August while they were apparently making a bid to flee to Taiwan after a tough national security law took effect in Hong Kong earlier this year.
They were picked up after entering mainland waters for crossing the maritime border without permission. At least some took part in anti-government protests in 2019 and were facing charges in Hong Kong.
Though Hong Kong is a part of China, travelers must still pass through immigration when going to and from the mainland.
Two are being held on suspicion of organizing an illegal border crossing. The group has been locked up in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city that borders Hong Kong.
The relatives covered their faces with masks, and some wore sunglasses, caps or hoods to hide their identities as they spoke at a news conference. They did not give their names.
Owen Chow, an activist who has been helping the families, said they wanted to know whether the trials would be open to the public and if family members could attend.
He and some family members questioned the authenticity of letters some of the latter had received, purportedly from their detained relatives, saying they were being held in a good environment and not abused.
“The only thing I can do is to have dissatisfaction and be angry,” said a relative of Tang Kai-yin, another detainee. “I don’t know what else to do.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Prince William thanks pandemic workers at Christmas show

LONDON ( AP ) - Britain ’ s Prince William and his family attended a Christmas show in London on Friday night , where he paid tribute to medical staff and other frontline workers for their efforts during the pandemic .
William , his wife Kate , and their three children , Prince George , Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis , watched a traditional British pantomime performance at the Palladium organized to thank the city ’ s essential workers and their families .
It was the first time the family of five has appeared together at a “ red carpet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of health service staff , teachers , emergency services workers , and researchers , among others .
“ You have given your absolute all this year , and made remarkable sacrifices , ” he told the audience before the show began .
Earlier in the week , the couple took a three-day train tour of Wales and Scotland to spread Christmas cheer and thank frontline workers there for their hard and dangerous work .
However , they received a frosty welcome from leaders in those regions , with one Welsh official saying he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unnecessary visits ” during the coronavirus pandemic .
Britain has Europe ’ s deadliest COVID-19 outbreak , with more than 61,000 reported dead .

LONDON (AP) - Britain’s Prince William and his family attended a Christmas show in London on Friday night, where he paid tribute to medical staff and other frontline workers for their efforts during the pandemic.
William, his wife Kate, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, watched a traditional British pantomime performance at the Palladium organized to thank the city’s essential workers and their families.
It was the first time the family of five has appeared together at a “red carpet” event.
William noted the contributions of health service staff, teachers, emergency services workers, and researchers, among others.
“You have given your absolute all this year, and made remarkable sacrifices,” he told the audience before the show began.
Earlier in the week, the couple took a three-day train tour of Wales and Scotland to spread Christmas cheer and thank frontline workers there for their hard and dangerous work. However, they received a frosty welcome from leaders in those regions, with one Welsh official saying he would rather “no one was having unnecessary visits” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Britain has Europe’s deadliest COVID-19 outbreak, with more than 61,000 reported dead.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--UNC Wilmington hold virtual commencement for Class of 2020

WILMINGTON , N.C. ( AP ) - The graduating class of 2020 at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington @ @ @ @ @ a first-ever virtual commencement made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic .
The school said graduates @ @ @ @ @ December will be recognized in two separate ceremonies which will be livestreamed through the school @ @ @ @ @ commencement website .
The ceremony for May graduates begins at 9:30 a.m. , and the @ @ @ @ @ set for 1 p.m. , the school said .
According to the school , the @ @ @ @ @ t be far removed from live exercises , with remarks from the chancellor , provost @ @ @ @ @ other university representatives .
Each academic dean will address their respective school or graduates , @ @ @ @ @ recognized by a slide listing their name , degree and any academic recognitions , the @ @ @

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - The graduating class of 2020 at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington is being recognized Saturday in a first-ever virtual commencement made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The school said graduates from May, August and December will be recognized in two separate ceremonies which will be livestreamed through the school’s homepage and its commencement website. The ceremony for May graduates begins at 9:30 a.m., and the August and December ceremonies are set for 1 p.m., the school said.
According to the school, the virtual commencement ceremonies won’t be far removed from live exercises, with remarks from the chancellor, provost, board of trustees and other university representatives. Each academic dean will address their respective school or graduates, and all graduates will be recognized by a slide listing their name, degree and any academic recognitions, the school said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Program helps families get help after COVID-19 diagnosis

AVONDALE , Ariz. ( AP ) - A new pilot program in Avondale is helping families who have found themselves stuck in a desperate position after testing positive for COVID-19 .
Some have no place to isolate and no means to get the help or resources they need to protect themselves and their families .
The pilot program just launched in November , and already they ’ ve been able to help 11 families .
It took a partnership between several entities to make it possible , and for some of those involved , it ’ s personal .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already difficult for some , getting a positive COVID-19 diagnosis can feel like rock bottom .
“ They ’ re scared .
A lot of them are scared they don ’ t know what to do , ” said Edny Gonzalez .
“ Right now , there ’ s a lot of need but not a lot of help available because of funds that have run out.
” Gonzalez knows firsthand .
Her husband was diagnosed with COVID-19 in July , azfamily.com reported .
“ I think all I needed was that emotional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re OK or do you need anything ?
It was hard .
So that ’ s where my heart is in this .
I want to be that person that ’ s there asking , ‘ Do you need something ?
Are you OK ?
’ ” Gonzalez said .
She ’ s part of the nonprofit “ Helping Families in Need AZ ” and teamed up with Valleywise hospitals and Arizona State University to launch this pilot program to help families who just tested positive and may have nowhere to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the discussions we were having about rising case counts , ” said Dr. Satya Sarma .
Dr. Sarma , with ASU ’ s College of Health Solutions , helped start the project with Valleywise Health after seeing a similar trend in vulnerable areas , like Avondale .
“ We really became convinced that while testing is critical , we were seeing some signs that after people test positive , they really don ’ t have the help they need to be able to isolate , ” she said .
Once somebody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program can help with anything from rent assistance to a place to isolate , to utility assistance , and even grocery help .
But everyone involved is seeing the change they ’ re making in these people ’ s lives .
“ She just stood at the door and she was just telling me , ‘ God bless you.
’ You know they ’ re just so grateful with the help , ” said Gonzalez .
“ We ’ re able to visit them .
Able to see them .
Able to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a pilot program , so if they want to continue , they ’ ll need more funding .
They ’ re hoping to get help from the state , public universities and private foundations moving forward , so they can eventually expand this program to all 11 Valleywise health centers in the Phoenix area .

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) - A new pilot program in Avondale is helping families who have found themselves stuck in a desperate position after testing positive for COVID-19.
Some have no place to isolate and no means to get the help or resources they need to protect themselves and their families. The pilot program just launched in November, and already they’ve been able to help 11 families. It took a partnership between several entities to make it possible, and for some of those involved, it’s personal.
In a time where making ends meet is already difficult for some, getting a positive COVID-19 diagnosis can feel like rock bottom.
“They’re scared. A lot of them are scared they don’t know what to do,” said Edny Gonzalez. “Right now, there’s a lot of need but not a lot of help available because of funds that have run out.”
Gonzalez knows firsthand. Her husband was diagnosed with COVID-19 in July, azfamily.com reported.
“I think all I needed was that emotional support, somebody calling to see if you’re OK or do you need anything? It was hard. So that’s where my heart is in this. I want to be that person that’s there asking, ‘Do you need something? Are you OK?’” Gonzalez said.
She’s part of the nonprofit “ Helping Families in Need AZ ” and teamed up with Valleywise hospitals and Arizona State University to launch this pilot program to help families who just tested positive and may have nowhere to turn.
“This really started in some of the discussions we were having about rising case counts,” said Dr. Satya Sarma.
Dr. Sarma, with ASU’s College of Health Solutions, helped start the project with Valleywise Health after seeing a similar trend in vulnerable areas, like Avondale.
“We really became convinced that while testing is critical, we were seeing some signs that after people test positive, they really don’t have the help they need to be able to isolate,” she said.
Once somebody tests positive at Valleywise Avondale, the program can help with anything from rent assistance to a place to isolate, to utility assistance, and even grocery help. But everyone involved is seeing the change they’re making in these people’s lives.
“She just stood at the door and she was just telling me, ‘God bless you.’ You know they’re just so grateful with the help,” said Gonzalez.
“We’re able to visit them. Able to see them. Able to see if they’re sick.”
This is a pilot program, so if they want to continue, they’ll need more funding.
They’re hoping to get help from the state, public universities and private foundations moving forward, so they can eventually expand this program to all 11 Valleywise health centers in the Phoenix area.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--2 charged with stealing ventilators headed to El Salvador

MIAMI ( AP ) - Two Florida men are facing federal charges that allege they stole nearly 200 ventilators the @ @ @ @ @ El Salvador to help the Central American country treat coronavirus patients .
Yoelvis Hernandez and @ @ @ @ @ containing 192 ventilators from a Palm Beach County parking lot on Aug. 9 as the @ @ @ @ @ Miami International Airport , where they would be shipped to El Salvador , prosecutors said @ @ @ @ @ not indicate if the men have attorneys .
Ventilators are used to treat coronavirus patients @ @ @ @ @ on their own .
According to the U.S. government , El Salvador has been hard @ @ @ @ @ The country of 6.4 million people has had 1,180 deaths or one for every 5,441 @ @ @ @ @ has done worse , however , with one coronavirus death per every 1,130 residents .

MIAMI (AP) - Two Florida men are facing federal charges that allege they stole nearly 200 ventilators the United States was shipping to El Salvador to help the Central American country treat coronavirus patients.
Yoelvis Hernandez and Luis Montero stole a trailer containing 192 ventilators from a Palm Beach County parking lot on Aug. 9 as the driver was transporting them to Miami International Airport, where they would be shipped to El Salvador, prosecutors said Friday.
Court records do not indicate if the men have attorneys.
Ventilators are used to treat coronavirus patients when they cannot breathe on their own. According to the U.S. government, El Salvador has been hard hit by the disease. The country of 6.4 million people has had 1,180 deaths or one for every 5,441 residents.
The United States has done worse, however, with one coronavirus death per every 1,130 residents.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Florida sisters impact fishing industry through blogging

ISLAMORADA , Fla. ( AP ) - Emily and Amanda Gale have had a passion for fishing since a young age , starting off the docks of Islamorada .
The South Florida twins out of Weston have spent much of their lives on the water , enjoying what ’ s right in their backyard .
The 25-year-olds found ways to balance their love of fishing with full-time classes and pole vaulting careers at the University of Miami , studying microbiology and immunology until graduating in December 2017 .
The sisters began documenting their fishing adventures on a blog in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering tips and letting their audience get to know them better .
On an ice fishing trip that year , Emily decided she ’ d add a video component , not knowing how much fun she ’ d have filming , editing and publishing .
Slowly , the blog transitioned into a vlog .
And now , the twins exclusively post videos on their Facebook and YouTube pages .
“ We just had a natural tendency , ” Emily said .
“ And it was fun for us.
” The videos haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potatoes ” of their brand , Gale Force Twins .
The sisters used to charter full-time , but when the coronavirus pandemic hit Florida in March , charter fishing stopped altogether .
Jobless , they decided to focus on their YouTube presence .
The sisters talked to friends who are professional YouTubers and created a job for themselves filming and editing videos .
“ When COVID ( -19 ) started , we had about 1,000 subscribers on YouTube , ” Amanda said .
“ We thought it was now or never ( to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , before publishing a video of them docking a 35-foot boat in a 40-foot canal , the Gale twins had about 10,000 YouTube subscribers .
After posting it , their channel blew up to 40,000-plus subscribers .
“ All of our videos leading up to that ( one ) were kind of fishing intense videos , ” Emily said .
“ This one was just so simple and it ’ s something a lot of people struggle with.
” The twins natural ability to connect with viewers on the joys of fishing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has grown more than 52,000 subscribers and their videos have more than 4 million views .
“ We ’ re still working really hard at it , and it ’ s opened a lot of doors for us , too , ” Amanda said .
There ’ s no fancy equipment or high-tech programs involved .
The twins taught themselves how to use Final Cut Pro , an Apple-based video editing software program , and they film their adventures on a GoPro or an iPhone 12 , which features the wide lens they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their vlogging , the Gale twins don ’ t have to charter anymore outside of their fishing camps and events , which started in August with an overnight trip to Yankee Capts Pulley Ridge .
Their next event is scheduled for May 2021 .
“ It ’ s always been a goal of ours , ” Amanda said .
“ On a fishing charter , I can teach the person in front of me , but on YouTube , I can teach the world .
”

ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) - Emily and Amanda Gale have had a passion for fishing since a young age, starting off the docks of Islamorada.
The South Florida twins out of Weston have spent much of their lives on the water, enjoying what’s right in their backyard. The 25-year-olds found ways to balance their love of fishing with full-time classes and pole vaulting careers at the University of Miami, studying microbiology and immunology until graduating in December 2017.
The sisters began documenting their fishing adventures on a blog in 2018, writing stories about their findings, offering tips and letting their audience get to know them better.
On an ice fishing trip that year, Emily decided she’d add a video component, not knowing how much fun she’d have filming, editing and publishing.
Slowly, the blog transitioned into a vlog. And now, the twins exclusively post videos on their Facebook and YouTube pages.
“We just had a natural tendency,” Emily said. “And it was fun for us.”
The videos haven’t always been the “meat and potatoes” of their brand, Gale Force Twins. The sisters used to charter full-time, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit Florida in March, charter fishing stopped altogether.
Jobless, they decided to focus on their YouTube presence. The sisters talked to friends who are professional YouTubers and created a job for themselves filming and editing videos.
“When COVID(-19) started, we had about 1,000 subscribers on YouTube,” Amanda said. “We thought it was now or never (to do this).”
This summer, before publishing a video of them docking a 35-foot boat in a 40-foot canal, the Gale twins had about 10,000 YouTube subscribers. After posting it, their channel blew up to 40,000-plus subscribers.
“All of our videos leading up to that (one) were kind of fishing intense videos,” Emily said. “This one was just so simple and it’s something a lot of people struggle with.”
The twins natural ability to connect with viewers on the joys of fishing is clear. Since March, their following has grown more than 52,000 subscribers and their videos have more than 4 million views.
“We’re still working really hard at it, and it’s opened a lot of doors for us, too,” Amanda said.
There’s no fancy equipment or high-tech programs involved. The twins taught themselves how to use Final Cut Pro, an Apple-based video editing software program, and they film their adventures on a GoPro or an iPhone 12, which features the wide lens they need to capture their footage.
Because of their vlogging, the Gale twins don’t have to charter anymore outside of their fishing camps and events, which started in August with an overnight trip to Yankee Capts Pulley Ridge. Their next event is scheduled for May 2021.
“It’s always been a goal of ours,” Amanda said. “On a fishing charter, I can teach the person in front of me, but on YouTube, I can teach the world.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Snake and eggs? Floridians could soon eat invasive pythons

FORT LAUDERDALE , Fla. ( AP ) - Donna Kalil estimates she ’ s eaten a dozen pythons in the last three years or so .
That ’ s not including the python jerky , says Kalil , a python hunter for the South Florida Water Management District .
“ I eat that several times a week because I take it out with me on python hunts and I eat it out there.
” State officials would like to see more people like Kalil putting pythons on the menu - not because of their nutritional value but as another way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Burmese pythons are considered an invasive species in Florida .
The voracious appetite of these apex predators disrupts the food chain in environmentally fragile areas like the Everglades .
Believed to have begun their Florida invasion after owners released them into the wild , python numbers have boomed and the state has struggled to reign them in .
“ We would like to use consumption as another way to encourage people to remove pythons in Florida if the meat is safe to eat , ” Carli Segelson , a spokesperson for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in an email .
“ The study will help ensure that is safe.
” Other invasive species are consumed - most notably lionfish - as a way to control their populations .
Some people even eat iguanas .
But there ’ s a concern about eating pythons , and it ’ s one the state has started to research : The massive snakes , like some fish , could be full of mercury , a neurotoxin that is dangerous to humans .
That ’ s why the Florida Department of Health is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservation Commission to conduct tissue samples on pythons to determine whether they contain too much mercury for human consumption .
If the levels are safe , get ready to make new entries in your Florida invasive species cookbook .
Python is good in chili - or so Kalil says .
She also likes it in stir fry .
But her favorite way to eat python is to pressure cook it for 10 or 15 minutes , sauté it with onions and garlic , and add it to pasta and sauce .
Kalil , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real estate job to hunt pythons full time , said the meat is rubbery and tough if you don ’ t prepare it properly .
The pressure cooker makes it more tender , she said .
And the taste ?
“ I don ’ t really want to say like fish because it is more the texture of fish , ” Kalil said , “ but it definitely does not taste anything like fish , it tastes more like chicken.
” Or , maybe , another white meat .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ More like a pork chop maybe.
” The Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration say the safe limit for mercury is 0.3 parts per million .
Some of the Everglades pythons registered more than 100 times that .
“ The pythons were hundreds of parts per million , ” Darren Rumbold , a Florida Gulf Coast University professor .
More recently , a study found pythons in southwest Florida near and just north of Naples had concentrations of less than 5 ppm .
“ We have one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world in the Everglades and South Florida , ” said Rumbold , who was among the study ’ s authors .
The reason is because rainfall carries pollutants from the air to the ground and marshes in the Everglades convert the mercury into a form that is dangerous for humans .
As the state attempts to find resolution in the mercury problem in pythons , the Florida Python Challenge , the state ’ s annual hunt that awards cash prizes for the most , largest and heaviest pythons caught , is being squeezed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The delay is to maximize the number of snakes captured , Segelson said , and also an attempt to keep hunters safe from the COVID-19 threat .
“ The winter months are a good time to capture pythons , ” Segelson said .
“ However , we have also seen great success in the summer when pythons ’ nests are hatching and are more likely to be found together in greater numbers .
COVID was also a consideration when making this decision.
” The state hasn ’ t yet announced when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s python hunters work mostly in the Everglades .
And it ’ s not an especially lucrative job .
Kalil , the state ’ s first certified female python hunter , got her start when the state-sponsored python hunts began in March 2017 .
She said she ’ s not concerned about the delayed start of the hunt this year .
“ These last nine pythons that I caught actually took me nearly a month to catch , ” she said .
“ It definitely has slowed down .
It always does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving around as much because of the cold.
” Among those nine pythons Kalil says she ’ ll make jerky out of five or six .
“ It ’ s a wonderful tasting meat , ” she said .
“ But it is limiting.
” That ’ s even true in her house .
Her husband won ’ t eat her python pasta .
“ I don ’ t want say it ’ s an acquired taste , ” she said .
“ It ’ s an acquired thought process.
” Kalil started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animal that she caught but didn ’ t eat .
She knew there was a mercury risk so her daughter , who is a vegetarian , bought her a mercury-testing kit .
The biggest pythons tested positive so she didn ’ t eat them .
Even today she won ’ t eat pythons more than 7.5 feet long because she thinks there ’ s a bigger mercury danger in snakes that size .
For preparation , Kalil filets the python ( you ’ ve got to go slowly to cut off the sinew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A 7.5-foot python generally yields a 5-foot long filet and 3 to 4 pounds of meat .
“ To put it on a plate like sautéed or whatnot in one piece would look sort of interesting , ” she said .
To make jerky , Kalil marinates the python meat in mojo sauce overnight and then puts in the dehydrator for 12 to 15 hours .
The state is now working to develop guidelines for safely eating pythons , and Kalil is “ thrilled ” about the efforts .
“ If they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in specific areas…that means there ’ s something going on with our environment , ” she said .
“ And wouldn ’ t it be wonderful to use the pythons to determine where the pollutants are coming from and getting into the Everglades and be able to shut that down ?
” As for the idea of eating pythons , well , clearly Kalil likes that , too .
She ’ s eaten three of Florida ’ s most popular invasive species - lionfish , iguana and python .
Lionfish is her favorite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ python .
And she encourages more people to give it a try .
“ If you could do the trifecta of all three , ” she reasoned , “ you could help the environment and still have some meat on your table .
”

CHRIS PERKINS, South Florida Sun Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Donna Kalil estimates she’s eaten a dozen pythons in the last three years or so.
That’s not including the python jerky, says Kalil, a python hunter for the South Florida Water Management District. “I eat that several times a week because I take it out with me on python hunts and I eat it out there.”
State officials would like to see more people like Kalil putting pythons on the menu - not because of their nutritional value but as another way to encourage hunting to control their population.
Burmese pythons are considered an invasive species in Florida. The voracious appetite of these apex predators disrupts the food chain in environmentally fragile areas like the Everglades. Believed to have begun their Florida invasion after owners released them into the wild, python numbers have boomed and the state has struggled to reign them in.
“We would like to use consumption as another way to encourage people to remove pythons in Florida if the meat is safe to eat,” Carli Segelson, a spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, wrote in an email. “The study will help ensure that is safe.”
Other invasive species are consumed - most notably lionfish - as a way to control their populations. Some people even eat iguanas.
But there’s a concern about eating pythons, and it’s one the state has started to research: The massive snakes, like some fish, could be full of mercury, a neurotoxin that is dangerous to humans.
That’s why the Florida Department of Health is working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to conduct tissue samples on pythons to determine whether they contain too much mercury for human consumption.
If the levels are safe, get ready to make new entries in your Florida invasive species cookbook.
Python is good in chili - or so Kalil says. She also likes it in stir fry.
But her favorite way to eat python is to pressure cook it for 10 or 15 minutes, sauté it with onions and garlic, and add it to pasta and sauce.
Kalil, a Miami native who gave up her real estate job to hunt pythons full time, said the meat is rubbery and tough if you don’t prepare it properly. The pressure cooker makes it more tender, she said.
And the taste? “I don’t really want to say like fish because it is more the texture of fish,” Kalil said, “but it definitely does not taste anything like fish, it tastes more like chicken.”
Or, maybe, another white meat. “I’m going to say pork,” she said. “More like a pork chop maybe.”
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration say the safe limit for mercury is 0.3 parts per million. Some of the Everglades pythons registered more than 100 times that.
“The pythons were hundreds of parts per million,” Darren Rumbold, a Florida Gulf Coast University professor.
More recently, a study found pythons in southwest Florida near and just north of Naples had concentrations of less than 5 ppm.
“We have one of the worst mercury problems in the world in the Everglades and South Florida,” said Rumbold, who was among the study’s authors.
The reason is because rainfall carries pollutants from the air to the ground and marshes in the Everglades convert the mercury into a form that is dangerous for humans.
As the state attempts to find resolution in the mercury problem in pythons, the Florida Python Challenge, the state’s annual hunt that awards cash prizes for the most, largest and heaviest pythons caught, is being squeezed out of its usual January starting date.
The delay is to maximize the number of snakes captured, Segelson said, and also an attempt to keep hunters safe from the COVID-19 threat.
“The winter months are a good time to capture pythons,” Segelson said. “However, we have also seen great success in the summer when pythons’ nests are hatching and are more likely to be found together in greater numbers. COVID was also a consideration when making this decision.”
The state hasn’t yet announced when the 2021 Python Challenge will begin.
Florida’s python hunters work mostly in the Everglades. And it’s not an especially lucrative job.
Kalil, the state’s first certified female python hunter, got her start when the state-sponsored python hunts began in March 2017. She said she’s not concerned about the delayed start of the hunt this year.
“These last nine pythons that I caught actually took me nearly a month to catch,” she said. “It definitely has slowed down. It always does this time of year, they stop moving around as much because of the cold.”
Among those nine pythons Kalil says she’ll make jerky out of five or six.
“It’s a wonderful tasting meat,” she said. “But it is limiting.”
That’s even true in her house. Her husband won’t eat her python pasta.
“I don’t want say it’s an acquired taste,” she said. “It’s an acquired thought process.”
Kalil started eating pythons because they were the only animal that she caught but didn’t eat. She knew there was a mercury risk so her daughter, who is a vegetarian, bought her a mercury-testing kit. The biggest pythons tested positive so she didn’t eat them.
Even today she won’t eat pythons more than 7.5 feet long because she thinks there’s a bigger mercury danger in snakes that size.
For preparation, Kalil filets the python (you’ve got to go slowly to cut off the sinew) and chops up the meat.
A 7.5-foot python generally yields a 5-foot long filet and 3 to 4 pounds of meat.
“To put it on a plate like sautéed or whatnot in one piece would look sort of interesting,” she said.
To make jerky, Kalil marinates the python meat in mojo sauce overnight and then puts in the dehydrator for 12 to 15 hours.
The state is now working to develop guidelines for safely eating pythons, and Kalil is “thrilled” about the efforts.
“If they’re finding really high level of mercury in specific areas…that means there’s something going on with our environment,” she said. “And wouldn’t it be wonderful to use the pythons to determine where the pollutants are coming from and getting into the Everglades and be able to shut that down?”
As for the idea of eating pythons, well, clearly Kalil likes that, too.
She’s eaten three of Florida’s most popular invasive species - lionfish, iguana and python. Lionfish is her favorite, followed by iguana, and then python.
And she encourages more people to give it a try.
“If you could do the trifecta of all three,” she reasoned, “you could help the environment and still have some meat on your table.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Flamethrower drone incinerates wasp nests in China

BEIJING ( AP ) - A drone has been converted into a flying flamethrower in central China in a fiery campaign to eradicate more than 100 wasp nests .
Blue Sky Rescue , a volunteer group that conducts search and rescue and other emergency work , have teamed up with villagers in Zhong county near the city of Chongqing .
They raised 80,000 yuan ( $ 12,200 ) to buy a drone and equip it with a gasoline tank and an arm-length nozzle .
Videos released by Blue Sky show a recent mission by the six-arm drone .
It hovers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suitcase before swooping down .
The drone operator flips the ignition switch , and the drone spits bursts of fire onto the hive .
“ The burning ashes of the wasp ’ s nest gradually peeled off and fell , and the surrounding residents applauded and praised the rescue team , ” said an article on a local news app run by state-owned Chongqing TV .
The article quotes a resident thanking Blue Sky for helping the village : “ Now we don ’ t have to worry about being stung by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroyed 11 hives so far .
There are more than 100 to go .

BEIJING (AP) - A drone has been converted into a flying flamethrower in central China in a fiery campaign to eradicate more than 100 wasp nests.
Blue Sky Rescue, a volunteer group that conducts search and rescue and other emergency work, have teamed up with villagers in Zhong county near the city of Chongqing.
They raised 80,000 yuan ($12,200) to buy a drone and equip it with a gasoline tank and an arm-length nozzle.
Videos released by Blue Sky show a recent mission by the six-arm drone. It hovers above a hive as large as a suitcase before swooping down. The drone operator flips the ignition switch, and the drone spits bursts of fire onto the hive.
“The burning ashes of the wasp’s nest gradually peeled off and fell, and the surrounding residents applauded and praised the rescue team,” said an article on a local news app run by state-owned Chongqing TV.
The article quotes a resident thanking Blue Sky for helping the village: “Now we don’t have to worry about being stung by a wasp.”
Blue Sky said it has destroyed 11 hives so far. There are more than 100 to go.


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Italy's staggering virus toll poses uncomfortable questions

ROME ( AP ) - Italy could soon reclaim a record that nobody wants - the most coronavirus deaths in Europe - after the health care system again failed to protect the elderly and the government delayed imposing new restrictions .
This wasn ’ t supposed to happen .
Italy was the first country in the West to be slammed by COVID-19 and , after suffering a huge wave of death in spring , brought infections under control .
Italy then had the benefit of time and experience heading into the fall resurgence because it trailed Spain , France and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections .
Yet the virus spread fast and wide , and Italy has added 28,000 dead since Sept. 1 .
“ Obviously there needs to be some reflection , ” Guido Rasi , former executive director of the European Pharmaceutical Agency , told state TV after Italy reported a pandemic-high record of 993 deaths in one day .
“ This number of nearly 1,000 dead in 24 hours is much higher than the European average.
” Italy added another 761 victims Friday , bringing its official total to 63,387 , just shy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Johns Hopkins University .
Both numbers are believed to greatly underestimate the real toll , due to missed infections , limited testing and different counting criteria .
Still , Italy could overtake Britain despite having 6 million people fewer than the U.K. ’ s 66 million , and would trail only the much larger U.S. , Brazil , India and Mexico .
According to the Hopkins tally , Italy also has the most deaths per 100,000 population among the most affected countries .
Public health officials argue that Italy has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the elderly are the most vulnerable to the virus .
The average age of Italian victims has hovered around 80 .
In addition , 65 % of Italy ’ s COVID-19 dead had three or more other health problems before they tested positive , such as hypertension or diabetes , according to Italy ’ s Superior Institute of Health .
But that doesn ’ t explain the whole picture .
Germany has a similarly old demographic and yet its death toll is one-third of Italy ’ s despite its larger population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest daily number of coronavirus victims Friday - 598 - but has only 21,000 dead overall .
Analysts point to Germany ’ s long-term higher per-capita spending on health care , which has resulted in greater ICU capacity , better testing and tracing capabilities and higher ratios of doctors and nurses to the population .
But Germany also imposed an earlier , lighter lockdown this fall and is now poised to tighten it .
“ If you can act sooner , even a bit lighter in the measures , they work better than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late , ” said Matteo Villa , research fellow at the Institute for International Political Studies , a Milan-based think tank .
Italy , he said , waited too long after infections started ticking up in September and October to impose restrictions and didn ’ t reinforce its medical system sufficiently during the summertime lull .
“ If you look at France and the U.K. , you can see Italy did fare much worse , ” he said .
“ And if you look at a comparable population with similar demographics , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse.
” With another wave of infections feared to be just around the corner with Christmas visits and the winter flu season , many are wondering how many more will die .
Doctors have blamed systemic problems with Italy ’ s health care system , especially in hardest-hit Lombardy , for failing to respond adequately .
They have cited the growth of private hospitals in Lombardy in recent years at the expense of public ones .
Brain drain and bureaucratic obstacles have resulted in fewer doctors going into practice , while general practitioners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite being the backbone of the system .
Nearly 80,000 Italian health care workers have been infected and 255 doctors have died .
“ We asked for a lockdown at the start of November because the situation inside hospitals was already difficult , ” said Dr. Filippo Anelli , head of the country ’ s doctors ’ association .
“ We saw that it worked in the spring and allowed us to get out from under COVID .
If this had been done , probably today the numbers would be coming down.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide lockdown this fall , knowing the devastating impact on an economy that was just starting to come back to life after the springtime shutdown .
Instead , on Nov. 3 the government divided the country into three risk zones with varying restrictions .
But by then infections had been doubling each week for nearly a month and hospitals were already overwhelmed in Milan and Naples .
Italy also went into the pandemic poorly prepared .
It had fewer ICU beds than the average of developed countries .
And in recent weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hadn ’ t updated its influenza pandemic preparedness plan since 2006 - which could help explain its critical shortage of protective equipment early on and its chaotic initial response to the pandemic .
A World Health Organization report , which was posted and then immediately taken down from the WHO website , noted that Italy ’ s 2006 plan was merely “ reconfirmed in 2017 ” without being updated .
The report said the plan was “ more theoretical than practical ” and that when COVID-19 hit , all hell broke loose .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ severely ill patients , the initial reaction of the hospitals was improvised , chaotic and creative , ” said the report .
The U.N. health agency said it removed the report because it contained “ inaccuracies and inconsistencies , ” and then decided not to republish it because it developed other ways to assess countries ’ responses .
Italy also ranked 31st - between Indonesia and Poland - in a 2019 survey of 195 countries compiled by the Global Health Security Index assessing abilities to respond to a pandemic or other health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency response , preparedness , and communications with health care workers during a crisis .
Government officials admit they were caught unprepared but have strongly defended their response to the resurgence as scientifically sound and proportional to prevent the economy from collapsing .
Domenico Arcuri , the government ’ s virus commissioner , said Thursday that the November restrictions were flattening Italy ’ s infection curve .
“ Daily infections are coming down , hospital admissions are coming down , the number of people who unfortunately are admitted to intensive care ( is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That is small comfort to Marcella Polla , who announced the death of her 90-year-old aunt on Facebook Dec. 6 , saying she caught the virus in a hospital in October after complications following an angioplasty .
“ My aunt was tough , made of Trentino fiber , ” Polla wrote in explaining the extraordinary photo she posted of her aunt , holding herself up on a set of gymnastics rings this year .
“ I want to remember her like this , even though the thought of her and so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a body bag torments me .
”

ROME (AP) - Italy is reclaiming a record that nobody wants - the most coronavirus deaths in Europe - after the health care system again failed to protect the elderly and government authorities delayed imposing new restrictions.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Italy was the first country in the West to be slammed by COVID-19 and, after suffering a huge wave of death in spring, brought infections under control.
Italy then had the benefit of time and experience heading into the fall resurgence because it trailed Spain, France and Germany in recording big new clusters of infections. Yet the virus spread fast and wide, and Italy has added nearly 29,000 dead since Sept. 1.
“Obviously there needs to be some reflection,” Guido Rasi, former executive director of the European Pharmaceutical Agency, told state TV after Italy reported a pandemic-high record of 993 deaths in one day. “This number of nearly 1,000 dead in 24 hours is much higher than the European average.”
Italy added 649 more victims Saturday, bringing its official total to 64,036. According to the official British government total of 64,024, Italy did overtake Britain, though the Johns Hopkins University tally late Saturday still showed Britain leading Europe with 64,123 dead. Both numbers are believed to greatly underestimate the real toll, due to missed infections, limited testing and different counting criteria.
Italy is taking over the dishonorable ranking despite having 6 million people fewer than the U.K.’s 66 million, to trail only the much larger U.S., Brazil, India and Mexico. According to the Hopkins tally, Italy has the most deaths per 100,000 population among the most affected countries.
Public health officials argue that Italy has the world’s second-oldest population after Japan, and the elderly are the most vulnerable to the virus.
The average age of Italian victims has hovered around 80. In addition, 65% of Italy’s COVID-19 dead had three or more other health problems before they tested positive, such as hypertension or diabetes, according to Italy’s Superior Institute of Health.
But that doesn’t explain the whole picture. Germany has a similarly old demographic and yet its death toll is one-third of Italy’s despite its larger population of 83 million. Germany recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus victims Friday - 598 - but has 21,500 dead overall.
Analysts point to Germany’s long-term higher per-capita spending on health care, which has resulted in greater ICU capacity, better testing and tracing capabilities and higher ratios of doctors and nurses to the population. But Germany also imposed an earlier, lighter lockdown this fall and is now poised to tighten it.
“If you can act sooner, even a bit lighter in the measures, they work better than acting harshly a bit later or too late,” said Matteo Villa, research fellow at the Institute for International Political Studies, a Milan-based think tank.
Italy, he said, waited too long after infections started ticking up in September and October to impose restrictions and didn’t reinforce its medical system sufficiently during the summertime lull.
“If you look at France and the U.K., you can see Italy did fare much worse,” he said. “And if you look at a comparable population with similar demographics, which is Germany, Italy did a lot worse.”
With another wave of infections feared to be just around the corner with Christmas visits and the winter flu season, many are wondering how many more will die.
Doctors have blamed systemic problems with Italy’s health care system, especially in hardest-hit Lombardy, for failing to respond adequately. They have cited the growth of private hospitals in Lombardy in recent years at the expense of public ones. Brain drain and bureaucratic obstacles have resulted in fewer doctors going into practice, while general practitioners have complained of a lack of support despite being the backbone of the system.
Nearly 80,000 Italian health care workers have been infected and 255 doctors have died.
“We asked for a lockdown at the start of November because the situation inside hospitals was already difficult,” said Dr. Filippo Anelli, head of the country’s doctors’ association. “We saw that it worked in the spring and allowed us to get out from under COVID. If this had been done, probably today the numbers would be coming down.”
But the Italian government resisted re-imposing a nationwide lockdown this fall, knowing the devastating impact on an economy that was just starting to come back to life after the springtime shutdown.
Instead, on Nov. 3 the government divided the country into three risk zones with varying restrictions. But by then infections had been doubling each week for nearly a month and hospitals were already overwhelmed in Milan and Naples.
Italy also went into the pandemic poorly prepared. It had fewer per capita ICU beds than the average of developed countries. And in recent weeks, investigative news reports have noted that Italy hadn’t updated its influenza pandemic preparedness plan since 2006 - which could help explain its critical shortage of protective equipment early on and its chaotic initial response to the pandemic.
A World Health Organization report, which was posted and then immediately taken down from the WHO website, noted that Italy’s 2006 plan was merely “reconfirmed in 2017” without being updated. The report said the plan was “more theoretical than practical” and that when COVID-19 hit, all hell broke loose.
“Unprepared for such a flood of severely ill patients, the initial reaction of the hospitals was improvised, chaotic and creative,” said the report.
The U.N. health agency said it removed the report because it contained “inaccuracies and inconsistencies,” and then decided not to republish it because it developed other ways to assess countries’ responses.
Italy also ranked 31st - between Indonesia and Poland - in a 2019 survey of 195 countries compiled by the Global Health Security Index assessing abilities to respond to a pandemic or other health care crisis. Italy scored particularly poorly in emergency response, preparedness, and communications with health care workers during a crisis.
Government officials admit they were caught unprepared but have strongly defended their response to the resurgence as scientifically sound and proportional to prevent the economy from collapsing. Domenico Arcuri, the government’s virus commissioner, said Thursday that the November restrictions were flattening Italy’s infection curve.
“Daily infections are coming down, hospital admissions are coming down, the number of people who unfortunately are admitted to intensive care (is) coming down,” Arcuri said.
That is small comfort to Marcella Polla, who announced the death of her 90-year-old aunt on Facebook Dec. 6, saying she caught the virus in a hospital in October after complications following an angioplasty.
“My aunt was tough, made of Trentino fiber,” Polla wrote in explaining the extraordinary photo she posted of her aunt, holding herself up on a set of gymnastics rings this year. “I want to remember her like this, even though the thought of her and so many others dying alone and then being put in a body bag torments me.”
___
Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-12-12--Shadowy Ethiopian massacre could be 'tip of the iceberg'

UMM RAKOUBA , Sudan ( AP ) - The only thing the survivors can agree on is that hundreds of people were slaughtered in a single Ethiopian town .
Witnesses say security forces and their allies attacked civilians in Mai-Kadra with machetes and knives or strangled them with ropes .
The stench of bodies lingered for days during the early chaos of the Ethiopian government ’ s offensive in the defiant Tigray region last month .
Several mass graves have been reported .
What happened beginning Nov. 9 in the agricultural town near the Sudanese border has become the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the shadows .
But even here , much remains unclear , including who killed whom .
Witnesses in Mai-Kadra told the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International that ethnic Tigrayan forces and allies attacked Amhara - one of Ethiopia ’ s largest ethnic groups but a minority in Tigray .
In Sudan , where nearly 50,000 people have fled , one ethnic Amhara refugee gave The Associated Press a similar account .
But more than a dozen Tigrayan refugees told the AP it was the other way around : In strikingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others were targeted by Ethiopian federal forces and allied Amhara regional troops .
It ’ s possible that civilians from both ethnicities were targeted in Mai-Kadra , Amnesty now says .
“ Anyone they found , they would kill , ” Tesfaalem Germay , an ethnic Tigrayan who fled to Sudan with his family , said of Ethiopian and Amhara forces .
He said he saw hundreds of bodies , making a slicing gesture at his neck and head as he remembered the gashes .
But another refugee , Abebete Refe , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him who stayed behind were massacred by Tigrayan forces .
“ Even the government doesn ’ t think we ’ re alive , they thought we all died , ” he said .
The conflicting accounts are emblematic of a war about which little is truly known since Ethiopian forces entered Tigray on Nov. 4 and sealed off the region from the world , restricting access to journalists and aid workers alike .
For weeks , food and other supplies have run alarmingly low .
This week Ethiopia ’ s security forces shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first assessment of how to deliver aid , a senior Ethiopian official said .
Ethiopia ’ s government and the Tigray one have filled the vacuum with propaganda .
Each side has seized on the killings in Mai-Kadra to support its cause .
The conflict began after months of friction between the governments , which now regard each other as illegitimate .
The Tigray leaders once dominated Ethiopia ’ s ruling coalition , but Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sidelined them when when he came to power in 2018 .
Long-held tensions over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is located , between Tigrayans and Amhara have added fuel to the fire .
Amnesty International said it confirmed that at least scores , and likely hundreds , of people were killed in Mai-Kadra , using geolocation to verify video and photographs of the bodies .
It also remotely conducted “ a limited set of interviews.
” But Mai-Kadra “ is just the tip of the iceberg , ” Amnesty researcher Fisseha Tekle told an event on Tuesday as fears grow about atrocities elsewhere in Tigray .
“ Other credible allegations are emerging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” in the nearby town of Humera , the town of Dansha and the Tigray capital , Mekele .
In Mai-Kadra , witnesses told the visiting Ethiopian rights commission they saw police , militia and members of a Tigray youth group attack Amhara .
“ The streets were still lined with bodies yet to be buried ” days later , the commission said .
One man who looked at identity cards of the dead as he cleared away the bodies told Amnesty International that many of them said Amhara .
But several ethnic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allied Amhara regional forces for killings in the same town at the same time , saying some asked to see identity cards before attacking .
In some cases , they said they recognized the killers as their neighbors .
Samir Beyen , a mechanic , said he was stopped and asked if he was Tigrayan , then beaten and robbed .
He said he saw people being slaughtered with knives , and dozens of rotting corpses .
“ It was like the end of the world , ” he recalled .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were near.
” Cut off from their homes , refugees now wait in Sudan in bare concrete houses or under shelters lashed together from plastic and branches , playing checkers with Coca-Cola bottle caps or stretching out on mats to sleep , seeking a brief escape from ghastly memories .
The AP has been unable to obtain permission to travel to the Tigray region and has been unable to independently verify the reports of the massacre .
Neither Amnesty International nor the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission agreed to requests to speak with witnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an entity created under the country ’ s constitution , called its findings preliminary .
Its researchers were allowed by the federal government to visit Mai-Kadra , but when asked whether it was being allowed to also investigate other alleged atrocities , spokesman Aaron Maasho replied , “ We ’ re working on it.
” The U.N. human rights office this week called for independent investigations into the conflict , but Ethiopian officials have rejected what they call interference , saying this week the government doesn ’ t need a “ babysitter.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do such work itself “ is belittling , ” senior Ethiopian official Redwan Hussein told reporters on Tuesday .
The prime minister has called the killings in Mai-Kadra “ the epitome of moral degeneration ” and even expressed suspicion that the perpetrators may have fled to Sudan and be hiding among the refugees .
Abiy offered no evidence , only pointing to the number of young men among the refugees - though roughly half are women .
The prime minister also has rejected allegations of abuses by the Ethiopian defense force , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person in any city ” during the conflict .
But the Tigray leader , Debretsion Gebremichael , blamed the “ invading ” federal forces for the killings , telling the AP that “ we ’ re not people who can commit this crime , ever.
” The ethnic frictions and profiling must stop , the U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet warned this week , saying they are “ fostering divisiveness and sowing the seeds for further instability and conflict ” - in a region already rife with both .
Associated Press writers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Atlanta contributed .

FAY ABUELGASIM, NARIMAN EL-MOFTY and CARA ANNA

UMM RAKOUBA, Sudan (AP) - The only thing the survivors can agree on is that hundreds of people were slaughtered in a single Ethiopian town.
Witnesses say security forces and their allies attacked civilians in Mai-Kadra with machetes and knives or strangled them with ropes. The stench of bodies lingered for days during the early chaos of the Ethiopian government’s offensive in the defiant Tigray region last month. Several mass graves have been reported.
What happened beginning Nov. 9 in the agricultural town near the Sudanese border has become the most visible atrocity in a war largely conducted in the shadows. But even here, much remains unclear, including who killed whom.
Witnesses in Mai-Kadra told the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International that ethnic Tigrayan forces and allies attacked Amhara - one of Ethiopia’s largest ethnic groups but a minority in Tigray. In Sudan, where nearly 50,000 people have fled, one ethnic Amhara refugee gave The Associated Press a similar account.
But more than a dozen Tigrayan refugees told the AP it was the other way around: In strikingly similar stories, they said they and others were targeted by Ethiopian federal forces and allied Amhara regional troops.
It’s possible that civilians from both ethnicities were targeted in Mai-Kadra, Amnesty now says.
“Anyone they found, they would kill,” Tesfaalem Germay, an ethnic Tigrayan who fled to Sudan with his family, said of Ethiopian and Amhara forces. He said he saw hundreds of bodies, making a slicing gesture at his neck and head as he remembered the gashes.
But another refugee, Abebete Refe, told the AP that many ethnic Amhara like him who stayed behind were massacred by Tigrayan forces.
“Even the government doesn’t think we’re alive, they thought we all died,” he said.
The conflicting accounts are emblematic of a war about which little is truly known since Ethiopian forces entered Tigray on Nov. 4 and sealed off the region from the world, restricting access to journalists and aid workers alike. For weeks, food and other supplies have run alarmingly low. This week Ethiopia’s security forces shot at and briefly detained U.N. staffers making the first assessment of how to deliver aid, a senior Ethiopian official said.
Ethiopia’s government and the Tigray one have filled the vacuum with propaganda. Each side has seized on the killings in Mai-Kadra to support its cause.
The conflict began after months of friction between the governments, which now regard each other as illegitimate. The Tigray leaders once dominated Ethiopia’s ruling coalition, but Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sidelined them when when he came to power in 2018.
Long-held tensions over land in western Tigray, where Mai-Kadra is located, between Tigrayans and Amhara have added fuel to the fire.
Amnesty International said it confirmed that at least scores, and likely hundreds, of people were killed in Mai-Kadra, using geolocation to verify video and photographs of the bodies. It also remotely conducted “a limited set of interviews.”
But Mai-Kadra “is just the tip of the iceberg,” Amnesty researcher Fisseha Tekle told an event on Tuesday as fears grow about atrocities elsewhere in Tigray. “Other credible allegations are emerging … not only in Mai-Kadra but also” in the nearby town of Humera, the town of Dansha and the Tigray capital, Mekele.
In Mai-Kadra, witnesses told the visiting Ethiopian rights commission they saw police, militia and members of a Tigray youth group attack Amhara.
“The streets were still lined with bodies yet to be buried” days later, the commission said. One man who looked at identity cards of the dead as he cleared away the bodies told Amnesty International that many of them said Amhara.
But several ethnic Tigrayans who have fled blamed Ethiopian and allied Amhara regional forces for killings in the same town at the same time, saying some asked to see identity cards before attacking.
In some cases, they said they recognized the killers as their neighbors.
Samir Beyen, a mechanic, said he was stopped and asked if he was Tigrayan, then beaten and robbed. He said he saw people being slaughtered with knives, and dozens of rotting corpses.
“It was like the end of the world,” he recalled. “We could not bury them because the soldiers were near.”
Cut off from their homes, refugees now wait in Sudan in bare concrete houses or under shelters lashed together from plastic and branches, playing checkers with Coca-Cola bottle caps or stretching out on mats to sleep, seeking a brief escape from ghastly memories.
The AP has been unable to obtain permission to travel to the Tigray region and has been unable to independently verify the reports of the massacre. Neither Amnesty International nor the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission agreed to requests to speak with witnesses they interviewed.
The Ethiopian commission, an entity created under the country’s constitution, called its findings preliminary. Its researchers were allowed by the federal government to visit Mai-Kadra, but when asked whether it was being allowed to also investigate other alleged atrocities, spokesman Aaron Maasho replied, “We’re working on it.”
The U.N. human rights office this week called for independent investigations into the conflict, but Ethiopian officials have rejected what they call interference, saying this week the government doesn’t need a “babysitter.”
To assume the government can’t do such work itself “is belittling,” senior Ethiopian official Redwan Hussein told reporters on Tuesday.
The prime minister has called the killings in Mai-Kadra “the epitome of moral degeneration” and even expressed suspicion that the perpetrators may have fled to Sudan and be hiding among the refugees. Abiy offered no evidence, only pointing to the number of young men among the refugees - though roughly half are women.
The prime minister also has rejected allegations of abuses by the Ethiopian defense force, saying it “has not killed a single person in any city” during the conflict.
But the Tigray leader, Debretsion Gebremichael, blamed the “invading” federal forces for the killings, telling the AP that “we’re not people who can commit this crime, ever.”
The ethnic frictions and profiling must stop, the U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet warned this week, saying they are “fostering divisiveness and sowing the seeds for further instability and conflict” - in a region already rife with both.
___
Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta contributed.