talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-30--DeSantis Gripes About ‘Foreigners’ On Infected Cruise Ship Set To Dock In FL

Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) took aim at “ foreigners ” on a COVID-19-infected cruise ship that is set to land in Fort Lauderdale , during a Monday morning interview on “ Fox and Friends.
” When asked about the infected cruise ship that cut through the Panama Canal and is supposed to dock in Fort Lauderdale , DeSantis immediately pointed out that he thinks “ a lot ” of these infected people are “ foreigners.
” DeSantis went on to tout how the state has made efforts to clear hospital space , saying that almost 33 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida right now and that field hospitals have been set up in south Florida in case of a surge .
DeSantis then argued that the state can ’ t afford to have non-Floridians “ dumped into south Florida using up those valuable resources.
” “ So I am in contact with the White House on this .
I ’ m in contact with the local county officials in both Broward and Miami-Dade , ” DeSantis said .
“ But yes , we view this as a big , big problem .
We do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southern Florida right now.
” DeSantis , who has vehemently refused to close down the state ’ s beaches , ordered anyone arriving from New York City-area airports to enter a 14-day quarantine last week .
Hours after his interview on “ Fox and Friends , ” DeSantis announced that he would sign an executive order urging those in Miami-Dade , Broward , Palm Beach and Monroe Counties to stay home through mid-May .

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) took aim at “foreigners” on a COVID-19-infected cruise ship that is set to land in Fort Lauderdale, during a Monday morning interview on “Fox and Friends.”
When asked about the infected cruise ship that cut through the Panama Canal and is supposed to dock in Fort Lauderdale, DeSantis immediately pointed out that he thinks “a lot” of these infected people are “foreigners.”
DeSantis went on to tout how the state has made efforts to clear hospital space, saying that almost 33% of hospital beds are available in Florida right now and that field hospitals have been set up in south Florida in case of a surge.
DeSantis then argued that the state can’t afford to have non-Floridians “dumped into south Florida using up those valuable resources.”
“So I am in contact with the White House on this. I’m in contact with the local county officials in both Broward and Miami-Dade,” DeSantis said. “But yes, we view this as a big, big problem. We do not want to see people dumped in southern Florida right now.”
DeSantis, who has vehemently refused to close down the state’s beaches, ordered anyone arriving from New York City-area airports to enter a 14-day quarantine last week.
Hours after his interview on “Fox and Friends,” DeSantis announced that he would sign an executive order urging those in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe Counties to stay home through mid-May.
Watch DeSantis’ remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-30--FDA Gives Emergency Authorization To Potential COVID-19 Drugs, But Doubts Remain

The FDA over the weekend issued its first emergency authorization for COVID-19 therapies .
But absent any solid data on the drugs , medical and legal experts questioned the move .
The “ emergency use authorization ” ( EUA ) from the FDA applies to two drugs , hydroxychloroquine sulfate and chloroquine phosphate .
President Donald Trump and a smattering of doctors around the world have boosted the drugs ’ potential for weeks despite limited clinical data supporting them .
Versions of the drugs have been used for years to treat malaria , lupus and rheumatoid arthritis .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortages of the tried-and-true treatments for their conditions as doctors rush to fill prescriptions for the drugs — and sometimes hoard them for themselves .
In a press release Sunday , the HHS office for Preparedness and Response , which manages the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile , emphasized that the emergency order would “ ease supply pressures for the drug ” for patients who ’ ve long used it for existing treatments .
Still , the drugs aren ’ t backed by proven results from the large-scale , controlled studies on COVID-19 patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use .
Armed with little more than anecdotes of successful treatment and very limited trials , doctors across the country have legally prescribed chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in an “ off-label ” capacity — meaning for something other then their approved use — and some hospitals have begun using the unproven drugs in cases severe enough to justify taking a risk .
New York state recently began a large-scale trial of the drugs , and the World Health Organization included chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in a global study it recently announced of several potential therapies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , or BARDA , to distribute millions of doses of the drugs — which were recently donated to the government by Bayer and Novartis ’ generics division , Sandoz — to public health officials for this off-label use .
“ The EUA is specific to how BARDA distributes the drug from the strategic national stockpile , ” Holly Fernandez Lynch , a professor of bioethics and law at the University of Pennsylvania , told TPM .
Without the EUA , BARDA would be violating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treat COVID patients .
And while the FDA said the emergency-authorized treatments should be limited to patients for whom “ a clinical trial is not available , or participation is not feasible , ” the language was “ wishy washy ” and difficult to enforce , Fernandez Lynch said .
It could also have an unintended consequence : Decreasing the amount of potential data available on the drugs ’ effectiveness .
Doctors for patients who are otherwise eligible to participate in trials , Fernandez Lynch said , “ could just say ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial , but I don ’ t want you to participate in that , I ’ m just going to give you the drug . '
” “ That ’ s really , really the wrong thing to do , because it will mean that the physician will be in no better position treating their 150th COVID patient than they were treating their first COVID patient , because they will just be relying on anecdotes , not evidence.
” Steve Joffe , a pediatric oncologist and bioethicist , wrote on Twitter Monday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unproven drug is going to make it devilishly hard to figure out whether that drug , as well as every other promising drug , actually works.
” As things stand , there ’ s little proof of the drugs ’ effectiveness against COVID-19 .
The FDA ’ s chief scientist , in her letter of authorization to BARDA , simply said that based on the “ totality of scientific evidence available to the FDA , ” it was reasonable to believe the drugs may be effective , and that their known and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks .
Later , the letter noted that guidelines published by several other countries recommended using the drugs against COVID-19 based on “ limited in-vitro and anecdotal clinical data.
” But it did not note studies to the contrary .
“ It is within FDA ’ s authority to decide whether the standard is met , ” Fernandez Lynch said .
“ But they have not made a very convincing case.
” As the agency ’ s former acting chief scientist Luciana Borio wrote Sunday , there is a “ total lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the treatment of COVID-19.
” “ EUA is supposed to be issued when the evidence indicates that benefits outweigh the risks , ” Borio added .
Zachary Brennan , editor of the online journal of the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society , told TPM in an email that the drugs joined a tiny handful of therapeutics ever approved for emergency use by the FDA — alongside Doxycycline , as an anthrax treatment , and freeze-dried plasma , used to control hemorrhage from battlefield trauma .
“ Will be curious to track if any hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their doctors decline to use them [ because ] of the scant evidence , ” Brennan wrote .
One man hasn ’ t spent much time dwelling on the scant evidence .
Trump has boosted the drugs relentlessly in recent weeks , speculating recently that a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin could turn out to be “ one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine.
” Last week , an Arizona man died after consuming chloroquine phosphate in the form of a fish tank additive .
His wife subsequently told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President and others promote the product as “ pretty much a cure .
”

The FDA over the weekend issued its first emergency authorization for COVID-19 therapies. But absent any solid data on the drugs, medical and legal experts questioned the move.
The “emergency use authorization” (EUA) from the FDA applies to two drugs, hydroxychloroquine sulfate and chloroquine phosphate. President Donald Trump and a smattering of doctors around the world have boosted the drugs’ potential for weeks despite limited clinical data supporting them.
Versions of the drugs have been used for years to treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, Americans with those condition have experienced shortages of the tried-and-true treatments for their conditions as doctors rush to fill prescriptions for the drugs — and sometimes hoard them for themselves.
In a press release Sunday, the HHS office for Preparedness and Response, which manages the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile, emphasized that the emergency order would “ease supply pressures for the drug” for patients who’ve long used it for existing treatments.
Still, the drugs aren’t backed by proven results from the large-scale, controlled studies on COVID-19 patients that would normally be required before FDA-approved use.
Armed with little more than anecdotes of successful treatment and very limited trials, doctors across the country have legally prescribed chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in an “off-label” capacity — meaning for something other then their approved use — and some hospitals have begun using the unproven drugs in cases severe enough to justify taking a risk.
New York state recently began a large-scale trial of the drugs, and the World Health Organization included chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in a global study it recently announced of several potential therapies.
Sunday’s EUA allowed the government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, to distribute millions of doses of the drugs — which were recently donated to the government by Bayer and Novartis’ generics division, Sandoz — to public health officials for this off-label use.
“The EUA is specific to how BARDA distributes the drug from the strategic national stockpile,” Holly Fernandez Lynch, a professor of bioethics and law at the University of Pennsylvania, told TPM. Without the EUA, BARDA would be violating federal law if it distributed the drugs to treat COVID patients.
And while the FDA said the emergency-authorized treatments should be limited to patients for whom “a clinical trial is not available, or participation is not feasible,” the language was “wishy washy” and difficult to enforce, Fernandez Lynch said. It could also have an unintended consequence: Decreasing the amount of potential data available on the drugs’ effectiveness.
Doctors for patients who are otherwise eligible to participate in trials, Fernandez Lynch said, “could just say ‘Oh yeah, there’s a trial, but I don’t want you to participate in that, I’m just going to give you the drug.'”
“That’s really, really the wrong thing to do, because it will mean that the physician will be in no better position treating their 150th COVID patient than they were treating their first COVID patient, because they will just be relying on anecdotes, not evidence.”
Steve Joffe, a pediatric oncologist and bioethicist, wrote on Twitter Monday that the EUA “and widespread use of an unproven drug is going to make it devilishly hard to figure out whether that drug, as well as every other promising drug, actually works.”
As things stand, there’s little proof of the drugs’ effectiveness against COVID-19.
The FDA’s chief scientist, in her letter of authorization to BARDA, simply said that based on the “totality of scientific evidence available to the FDA,” it was reasonable to believe the drugs may be effective, and that their known and potential benefits outweigh their known and potential risks.
Later, the letter noted that guidelines published by several other countries recommended using the drugs against COVID-19 based on “limited in-vitro and anecdotal clinical data.” But it did not note studies to the contrary.
“It is within FDA’s authority to decide whether the standard is met,” Fernandez Lynch said. “But they have not made a very convincing case.”
As the agency’s former acting chief scientist Luciana Borio wrote Sunday, there is a “total lack of scientific evidence that chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine are beneficial in the treatment of COVID-19.”
“EUA is supposed to be issued when the evidence indicates that benefits outweigh the risks,” Borio added.
Zachary Brennan, editor of the online journal of the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society, told TPM in an email that the drugs joined a tiny handful of therapeutics ever approved for emergency use by the FDA — alongside Doxycycline, as an anthrax treatment, and freeze-dried plasma, used to control hemorrhage from battlefield trauma.
“Will be curious to track if any hospitals receive donations from the national stockpile but their doctors decline to use them [because] of the scant evidence,” Brennan wrote.
One man hasn’t spent much time dwelling on the scant evidence. Trump has boosted the drugs relentlessly in recent weeks, speculating recently that a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin could turn out to be “one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine.”
Last week, an Arizona man died after consuming chloroquine phosphate in the form of a fish tank additive. His wife subsequently told NBC News that the couple had seen the President and others promote the product as “pretty much a cure.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-30--Life on a Block With an Emergency Morgue Truck: ‘We Hear the Hum of the Refrigerator Going All Night

Life on a Block With an Emergency Morgue Truck: ‘We Hear the Hum of the Refrigerator Going All Night Long’

This story was first published at ProPublica .
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom .
Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox .
Across New York City , there are unthinkable scenes everywhere .
Empty public spaces .
Teeming emergency rooms .
Shuttered churches .
For Marc Kozlow , the unthinkable played out on Stanhope Street in Brooklyn this weekend .
He lives on the block with his fiancee and dog , a rescue named Hank .
Near his apartment is Wyckoff Heights Medical Center , a 350-bed nonprofit hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most of the hospital ’ s patients are people of color ; about a fifth are 70 or older .
This month , Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an 82-year-old Brooklyn woman at Wyckoff was the city ’ s first official COVID-19 death .
As of Sunday , the city ’ s death toll had risen to 776 , accounting for more than quarter of the deaths nationwide .
The city has brought in at least 45 refrigerated trucks and tents , in case hospitals and morgues reach capacity for the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are distributed as needed to support hospitals , ” said Aja Worthy-Davis , a spokeswoman for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner .
Wyckoff has a refrigerated truck , said hospital CEO Ramon J. Rodriguez .
It is on the side of the hospital , close to the loading dock .
The morgue is in the basement .
Kozlow shared with ProPublica several pictures he ’ d taken because he wants the country to take sensible precautions .
“ I understand the time that we ’ re in , and I understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ I shared the photos with the intention that the rest of the U.S. knows to take it seriously .
This is what the country should be aware of , and hospitals around the country should prepare for this to come.
” His account has been edited for clarity and brevity .
“ It ’ s not a huge hospital .
We have a dog .
I have to take him out three or four times a day .
All around the hospital is littered with surgical masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ways into trash .
I started thinking , ‘ What the hell is happening ?
’ “ And then two days ago , the trailer arrived .
I didn ’ t think twice of it .
I thought it was possibly one of the many additional medical supply trucks that the hospital needed .
When I was taking the dog out for the evening walk , I walked past the truck .
I watched a man in full protective gear work the trash compactor in a hazmat suit .
A doctor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , ‘ They got mad bodies in there.
’ “ And then on Saturday morning , they started building a platform .
They ’ re drilling and setting up this platform system on the street .
They finished the platform , and then they basically carted out what looked like a body in a gurney , but I was very unsure of what it was and they opened it up and it was a coffin .
The guys on the platform pulled out a body from the trailer , and put it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four hours later , it was like a conveyor line of bodies .
“ This was about 6 to 7 p.m .
There were at least 10 bodies going into the trailer .
The first ones had bags , and then they were one by one on gurneys , and then they started coming two per gurney , they were just covered in sheets .
“ We leave our windows open and we hear the hum of the refrigerator going all night long .
It ’ s disturbing to know what ’ s @ @ @ @

This story was first published at ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.
Across New York City, there are unthinkable scenes everywhere. Empty public spaces. Teeming emergency rooms. Shuttered churches.
For Marc Kozlow, the unthinkable played out on Stanhope Street in Brooklyn this weekend. He lives on the block with his fiancee and dog, a rescue named Hank.
Near his apartment is Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, a 350-bed nonprofit hospital in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. Most of the hospital’s patients are people of color; about a fifth are 70 or older. This month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an 82-year-old Brooklyn woman at Wyckoff was the city’s first official COVID-19 death.
As of Sunday, the city’s death toll had risen to 776, accounting for more than quarter of the deaths nationwide. The city has brought in at least 45 refrigerated trucks and tents, in case hospitals and morgues reach capacity for the number of deceased that they can hold. “They are distributed as needed to support hospitals,” said Aja Worthy-Davis, a spokeswoman for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
Wyckoff has a refrigerated truck, said hospital CEO Ramon J. Rodriguez. It is on the side of the hospital, close to the loading dock. The morgue is in the basement.
Kozlow shared with ProPublica several pictures he’d taken because he wants the country to take sensible precautions. “I understand the time that we’re in, and I understand how this virus is taking over everything,” he said. “I shared the photos with the intention that the rest of the U.S. knows to take it seriously. This is what the country should be aware of, and hospitals around the country should prepare for this to come.”
His account has been edited for clarity and brevity.
“It’s not a huge hospital. We have a dog. I have to take him out three or four times a day. All around the hospital is littered with surgical masks and used gloves that are not finding their ways into trash. I started thinking, ‘What the hell is happening?’
“And then two days ago, the trailer arrived. I didn’t think twice of it. I thought it was possibly one of the many additional medical supply trucks that the hospital needed. When I was taking the dog out for the evening walk, I walked past the truck. I watched a man in full protective gear work the trash compactor in a hazmat suit. A doctor and a nurse were walking and the doctor said, ‘They got mad bodies in there.’
“And then on Saturday morning, they started building a platform. They’re drilling and setting up this platform system on the street. They finished the platform, and then they basically carted out what looked like a body in a gurney, but I was very unsure of what it was and they opened it up and it was a coffin. The guys on the platform pulled out a body from the trailer, and put it into the coffin. About three to four hours later, it was like a conveyor line of bodies.
“This was about 6 to 7 p.m. There were at least 10 bodies going into the trailer. The first ones had bags, and then they were one by one on gurneys, and then they started coming two per gurney, they were just covered in sheets.
“We leave our windows open and we hear the hum of the refrigerator going all night long. It’s disturbing to know what’s in there.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-30--Census Tweaks Its 2020 Count Plans Due To The Pandemic

The Census Bureau is continuing to adjust its operations in light of the coronavirus outbreak .
On Saturday , the Bureau announced it was extending its freeze on in-person operations until at least April 15 , after previously delaying them until April 1 .
Here are some of the other tweaks COVID-19 has forced the Bureau to make to its survey plans , via a chart created by NALEO : • The deadline for self-response to the survey has been extended from the end of July to mid-August .
• Its initial round of non-response follow up has been pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The Mobile Questionnaire Assistance program won ’ t begin until at least mid-April , a delay from the original plan to launch the program at the end of March .
Lawsuit Seeks To Loosen WI ’ s Mail-In Ballot Requirements : As the pandemic ushers in a major expansion of absentee voting , voting rights advocates have sued Wisconsin to relax one of the requirements the state ’ s imposes on mail-in ballots .
Specifically , Wisconsin mandates that absentee voters get a witness to sign their mail-in ballots .
A lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voters of Wisconsin alleges that this requirement places a major obstacle on people who live alone , especially older people or those with medical conditions that keep them homebound .
Those concerns are only exacerbated by the need to self-isolate during the COVID-19 , the League said .
Delaware , Rhode Island Postpone Primaries : Add Delaware and Rhode Island to the list of states that have delayed their presidential primaries due to the outbreak .
The states ’ primary will now take place on June 2 , instead of April 28 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Rhode Island Gov .
Gina Raimondo ( D ) both announced last week .
Intra-GOP Clash Erupts Over Mail-In Voting Expansion In Ohio : Ohio ’ s GOP legislature passed a bill expanding absentee voting in the state , but not without adding some obstacles that have drawn the criticism of voting rights advocates and even Republican secretary of state Frank LaRose .
Under the proposal put forth by LaRose , the state would have automatically sent out postage-paid applications for absentee ballots to all registered voters who had not voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , the bill passed by lawmakers will have LaRose ’ s office designing and sending out postcards making voters aware of the option to vote absentee .
The voters would then need to obtain a ballot application by either printing the application out themselves or requesting that their local election officials send them one .
LaRose and others have raised concerns that the extra steps — which also include the voter getting postage for her absentee ballot application — will make it extremely difficult to turn around the entire process in time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The Census Bureau is continuing to adjust its operations in light of the coronavirus outbreak. On Saturday, the Bureau announced it was extending its freeze on in-person operations until at least April 15, after previously delaying them until April 1. Here are some of the other tweaks COVID-19 has forced the Bureau to make to its survey plans, via a chart created by NALEO:
The deadline for self-response to the survey has been extended from the end of July to mid-August.
Its initial round of non-response follow up has been pushed back until at least May 7.
The Mobile Questionnaire Assistance program won’t begin until at least mid-April, a delay from the original plan to launch the program at the end of March.
Lawsuit Seeks To Loosen WI’s Mail-In Ballot Requirements: As the pandemic ushers in a major expansion of absentee voting, voting rights advocates have sued Wisconsin to relax one of the requirements the state’s imposes on mail-in ballots. Specifically, Wisconsin mandates that absentee voters get a witness to sign their mail-in ballots. A lawsuit filed Tuesday by the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin alleges that this requirement places a major obstacle on people who live alone, especially older people or those with medical conditions that keep them homebound. Those concerns are only exacerbated by the need to self-isolate during the COVID-19, the League said.
Delaware, Rhode Island Postpone Primaries: Add Delaware and Rhode Island to the list of states that have delayed their presidential primaries due to the outbreak. The states’ primary will now take place on June 2, instead of April 28, Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) and Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) both announced last week.
Intra-GOP Clash Erupts Over Mail-In Voting Expansion In Ohio: Ohio’s GOP legislature passed a bill expanding absentee voting in the state, but not without adding some obstacles that have drawn the criticism of voting rights advocates and even Republican secretary of state Frank LaRose. Under the proposal put forth by LaRose, the state would have automatically sent out postage-paid applications for absentee ballots to all registered voters who had not voted in the primary yet. Instead, however, the bill passed by lawmakers will have LaRose’s office designing and sending out postcards making voters aware of the option to vote absentee. The voters would then need to obtain a ballot application by either printing the application out themselves or requesting that their local election officials send them one. LaRose and others have raised concerns that the extra steps — which also include the voter getting postage for her absentee ballot application — will make it extremely difficult to turn around the entire process in time for the new April 27 primary deadline.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-30--Feds Throw Family Docs A Financial Lifeline To Ease COVID-19 Cash Crunch

In what has been a bleak environment for health care practices dealing with the effects of COVID-19 , Saturday brought providers a bit of good news .
The Trump administration announced a new policy that will give health care providers a much-needed revenue boost , as their typical financial models have been scrambled by the pandemic .
Specifically , the federal office in charge of implementing Medicare announced that it was allowing all types of providers to get upfront Medicare payments for services they expect to bill in the months to come .
“ With our nation ’ s health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fight against COVID-19 , dollars and cents shouldn ’ t be adding to their worries , ” said Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services Administrator Seema Verma in a statement Saturday .
“ Unfortunately , the major disruptions to the healthcare system caused by COVID-19 are a significant financial burden on providers .
Today ’ s action will ensure that they have the resources they need to maintain their all-important focus on patient care during the pandemic.
” These types of payments — called “ accelerated ” or “ advance ” payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past only for critical-care providers , like hospitals , who face a cash crunch while scaling up for natural disasters and other localized emergencies .
But under the new policy — which was made possible by the $ 2.2 trillion stimulus bill President Trump signed into law Friday — primary care doctors and other types of providers will now also be able to apply for the upfront Medicare payments .
As TPM reported last week , even in places not particularly hard hit by the coronavirus , primary care doctors and other providers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ re seeing a serious drop of in-person visits , a major source for revenue , due to the directive that Americans avoid non-essential in-person interactions .
As their cash-flow dries up , many clinics have laid off staff and fear that they ’ ll need to close down entirely in a matter of weeks .
Beyond making sure these practices are still operational at the end of the pandemic , they ’ ll need to be the front line of defense for when the virus hits their communities .
The new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to get emergency funding for short-term cash flow problems that they may be experiencing , ” said Juliette Cubanski , the deputy director of Kaiser Family Foundation ’ s Program on Medicare Policy .
Those cash flow problems are being created by both the increase in services being given to COVID-19 patients , and the decline in revenue from non-essential health care services that have been put off during the pandemic , Cubanski said .
The new CMS policy lays out a formula for determining how much money each type of provider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the timeframe during which practices must pay back any excess payments they claim for services they did not ultimately provide .
The expansion of upfront payments to essentially all Medicare providers who meet the requirements , and not just hospitals , reflects the unique way this pandemic is affecting the entire U.S. health care system .
“ The issues are not just for hospitals , which may typically get these payments in emergency situations , but doctor ’ s offices and other types of providers , ” Cubanski said .

In what has been a bleak environment for health care practices dealing with the effects of COVID-19, Saturday brought providers a bit of good news.
The Trump administration announced a new policy that will give health care providers a much-needed revenue boost, as their typical financial models have been scrambled by the pandemic.
Specifically, the federal office in charge of implementing Medicare announced that it was allowing all types of providers to get upfront Medicare payments for services they expect to bill in the months to come.
“With our nation’s health care providers on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19, dollars and cents shouldn’t be adding to their worries,” said Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services Administrator Seema Verma in a statement Saturday. “Unfortunately, the major disruptions to the healthcare system caused by COVID-19 are a significant financial burden on providers. Today’s action will ensure that they have the resources they need to maintain their all-important focus on patient care during the pandemic.”
These types of payments — called “accelerated” or “advance” payments — have been made available in the past only for critical-care providers, like hospitals, who face a cash crunch while scaling up for natural disasters and other localized emergencies.
But under the new policy — which was made possible by the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill President Trump signed into law Friday — primary care doctors and other types of providers will now also be able to apply for the upfront Medicare payments.
As TPM reported last week, even in places not particularly hard hit by the coronavirus, primary care doctors and other providers have faced a dire financial situation. They’re seeing a serious drop of in-person visits, a major source for revenue, due to the directive that Americans avoid non-essential in-person interactions. As their cash-flow dries up, many clinics have laid off staff and fear that they’ll need to close down entirely in a matter of weeks. Beyond making sure these practices are still operational at the end of the pandemic, they’ll need to be the front line of defense for when the virus hits their communities.
The new policy will “give Medicare providers the ability to get emergency funding for short-term cash flow problems that they may be experiencing,” said Juliette Cubanski, the deputy director of Kaiser Family Foundation’s Program on Medicare Policy. Those cash flow problems are being created by both the increase in services being given to COVID-19 patients, and the decline in revenue from non-essential health care services that have been put off during the pandemic, Cubanski said.
The new CMS policy lays out a formula for determining how much money each type of provider can get upfront. It also extends the timeframe during which practices must pay back any excess payments they claim for services they did not ultimately provide.
The expansion of upfront payments to essentially all Medicare providers who meet the requirements, and not just hospitals, reflects the unique way this pandemic is affecting the entire U.S. health care system.
“The issues are not just for hospitals, which may typically get these payments in emergency situations, but doctor’s offices and other types of providers,” Cubanski said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-30--CNN Chief Defends ‘Very Difficult Decision’ To Air Coronavirus Briefings

CNN chief Jeff Zucker reportedly defended the network ’ s decision to continue airing President Trump ’ s coronavirus press briefings on Monday amid criticism that the briefings have essentially taken the place of the President ’ s campaign rallies and spread misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic .
According to a Daily Beast report Monday , Zucker said during an internal employee call that he has “ probably spent more time on this topic than anything else believe it or not ” by fielding an increasing amount of emails and calls on the subject .
Last week , the Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleaded for their networks to cut Trump ’ s coronavirus press briefings , arguing that they ’ re “ open-mic nights ” full of “ misinformation.
” The press briefings typically run for about two hours , with Trump oscillating between pats on the back for himself , vitriol for the media and anyone he feels is against him and ramblings about whatever is on his mind at the time .
Multiple sources told the Daily Beast that in addition to arguing the importance of airing critical information from coronavirus task force members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deborah Birx , Zucker also believes that it ’ s important for CNN ’ s audience to see how the President handles reporters ’ tough questions .
Acknowledging that the network considered airing parts of the briefings after they ’ ve aired , Zucker reportedly told employees in the call he ’ s comfortable with the “ very difficult decision ” to continue airing the briefings live due to the opportunity for reporters to ask questions .
Prior to his briefing Sunday evening , President Trump tore into the media by touting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a series of tweets .
TPM reached out to CNN , MSNBC and Fox News for comment about the briefings .
We will update this post if we hear back .

CNN chief Jeff Zucker reportedly defended the network’s decision to continue airing President Trump’s coronavirus press briefings on Monday amid criticism that the briefings have essentially taken the place of the President’s campaign rallies and spread misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic.
According to a Daily Beast report Monday, Zucker said during an internal employee call that he has “probably spent more time on this topic than anything else believe it or not” by fielding an increasing amount of emails and calls on the subject.
Last week, the Daily Beast reported that CNN and MSNBC staffers pleaded for their networks to cut Trump’s coronavirus press briefings, arguing that they’re “open-mic nights” full of “misinformation.”
The press briefings typically run for about two hours, with Trump oscillating between pats on the back for himself, vitriol for the media and anyone he feels is against him and ramblings about whatever is on his mind at the time.
Multiple sources told the Daily Beast that in addition to arguing the importance of airing critical information from coronavirus task force members such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, Zucker also believes that it’s important for CNN’s audience to see how the President handles reporters’ tough questions.
Acknowledging that the network considered airing parts of the briefings after they’ve aired, Zucker reportedly told employees in the call he’s comfortable with the “very difficult decision” to continue airing the briefings live due to the opportunity for reporters to ask questions.
Prior to his briefing Sunday evening, President Trump tore into the media by touting the high ratings of his coronavirus press conferences in a series of tweets.
TPM reached out to CNN, MSNBC and Fox News for comment about the briefings. We will update this post if we hear back.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-30--Fringe Pro-Trump Pastor Briefly Arrested After Flouting COVID-19 Order

Rodney Howard-Browne , a fringe pastor , outspoken Trump booster and conspiracy theorist was briefly arrested Monday after flouting public health orders and holding services the previous day .
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said at a news conference that he ’ d obtained an arrest warrant for Howard-Browne , of The River at Tampa Bay church , for two second-degree misdemeanors : Unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency rules .
Jail records from the Hernando County Detention Center on Monday subsequently showed Howard-Browne being booked at 2:20 p.m. and released at 2:58 p.m. Howard-Browne held two services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay at home and prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
The pastor , who ’ s lived in Florida for decades but maintains a slight South African accent , laid hands on President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in 2017 and led several other evangelical leaders in praying for Trump .
He frequently veers into the hare-brained and conspiratorial , such as when he asserted that the Christchurch mosque shooting massacre , in which a white nationalist murdered 49 Muslim worshipers , was a “ false flag ” event .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Hollywood elites “ drink blood of young kids.
” “ Because of the reckless disregard of public safety and after repeated requests and warnings , I worked with our state attorney , Andrew Warren , to obtain a warrant for unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency rules , both of which are second degree misdemeanors , ” Chronister said , per The Tampa Bay Times .
“ Our goal here is not to stop anyone from worshiping , but the safety and well-being of our community must always come first.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders .
On Monday , he retweeted a reporter who posted about the sheriff ’ s arrest warrant against him .
Responding earlier in the day to a reporter who pointed out that the crowd in his church was packed in , shoulder-to-shoulder , Howard-Browne wrote : “ Now do Walmart , Costco , Home Depot !
” On Sunday , he dismissed the county rule barring gatherings of more than 10 people , saying , “ Suddenly we are demonized because we believe God heals , that the Lord sets people free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be some sort of kooks , ” the Times reported .
Howard-Browne bragged of having installed machines in his church that would “ basically kill every virus in the place.
” “ If they sneeze , it shoots it down , like , at a hundred miles an hour , ” he said last week , adding : “ We have the most sterile building in , I don ’ t know , the whole of America.
” This post has been updated .

Rodney Howard-Browne, a fringe pastor, outspoken Trump booster and conspiracy theorist was briefly arrested Monday after flouting public health orders and holding services the previous day.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said at a news conference that he’d obtained an arrest warrant for Howard-Browne, of The River at Tampa Bay church, for two second-degree misdemeanors: Unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency rules.
Jail records from the Hernando County Detention Center on Monday subsequently showed Howard-Browne being booked at 2:20 p.m. and released at 2:58 p.m.
Howard-Browne held two services Sunday despite a county order to residents to stay at home and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The pastor, who’s lived in Florida for decades but maintains a slight South African accent, laid hands on President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in 2017 and led several other evangelical leaders in praying for Trump. He frequently veers into the hare-brained and conspiratorial, such as when he asserted that the Christchurch mosque shooting massacre, in which a white nationalist murdered 49 Muslim worshipers, was a “false flag” event. In 2017, he claimed in a sermon that Hollywood elites “drink blood of young kids.”
“Because of the reckless disregard of public safety and after repeated requests and warnings, I worked with our state attorney, Andrew Warren, to obtain a warrant for unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency rules, both of which are second degree misdemeanors,” Chronister said, per The Tampa Bay Times.
“Our goal here is not to stop anyone from worshiping, but the safety and well-being of our community must always come first.”
Howard-Browne has openly flouted government COVID-19 orders. On Monday, he retweeted a reporter who posted about the sheriff’s arrest warrant against him. Responding earlier in the day to a reporter who pointed out that the crowd in his church was packed in, shoulder-to-shoulder, Howard-Browne wrote: “Now do Walmart, Costco, Home Depot!”
On Sunday, he dismissed the county rule barring gatherings of more than 10 people, saying, “Suddenly we are demonized because we believe God heals, that the Lord sets people free, and they make us out to be some sort of kooks,” the Times reported.
Howard-Browne bragged of having installed machines in his church that would “basically kill every virus in the place.”
“If they sneeze, it shoots it down, like, at a hundred miles an hour,” he said last week, adding: “We have the most sterile building in, I don’t know, the whole of America.”
Rodney Howard-Browne will continue to hold services because his church is the most sterile building in America, as it contains 13 machines that can instantaneously kill any virus: "If they sneeze, it shoots it down at like 100 mph. It'll neutralize it in split seconds." pic.twitter.com/Z5PLFXlPfp — Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) March 27, 2020
This post has been updated.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-31--US Death Toll Eclipses China’s As Reinforcements Head To NYC

NEW YORK ( AP ) — The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus climbed past 3,500 Tuesday , eclipsing China ’ s official count , as hard-hit New York City rushed to bring in more medical professionals and ambulances and parked refrigerated morgue trucks on the streets to collect the dead .
The crisis hit close to home for Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , who reported teary-eyed that his brother , CNN anchor Chris Cuomo , was infected .
Elsewhere around the world , hard-hit Italy reported that the infection rate appears to be leveling off and new cases could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is far from over .
Spain struggled to fend off the collapse of its hospital system .
Vladimir Putin ’ s Russia moved to crack down on quarantine violations and “ fake news ” about the outbreak .
And China edged closer to normal as stores in the epicenter city of Wuhan began reopening .
Worldwide , more than 800,000 people have been infected and over 40,000 have died , according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
Italy and Spain accounted for half the deaths , while the U.S. had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s official toll of about 3,300 .
New York was the nation ’ s deadliest hot spot , with about 1,550 deaths statewide , most of them in New York City .
The governor pronounced the disaster unlike any other the city has weathered : “ This is ongoing and duration itself is debilitating and exhausting and depressing.
” A 1,000-bed emergency hospital set up at the mammoth Javits Convention Center began taking non-coronavirus patients to help relieve the city ’ s overwhelmed health system .
A Navy hospital ship with 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to begin accepting patients on Tuesday .
The indoor tennis center that is the site of the U.S. Open tournament is being turned into a hospital as well .
The city also worked to bring in 250 out-of-town ambulances and 500 paramedics to deal with a crush of emergency calls .
The fire commissioner said ambulances are responding to double their normal daily total of 3,000 calls to 911 .
A five-day stretch last week was the busiest in the history of the city ’ s emergency services operation .
In addition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more volunteer health care professionals and hoped to have them on board by Thursday .
Nearly 80,000 former nurses , doctors and others are said to be stepping forward , and the governor said officials are doing background checks for disciplinary actions and otherwise making sure they are fit for duty .
As for Chris Cuomo , the 49-year-old TV newsman tweeted that he has suffered from fever , chills and shortness of breath and that he would be doing his shows from his basement , where he has quarantined himself .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife and children but added : “ We will all beat this by being smart and tough and united !
” “ Luckily we caught it early enough , ” the governor said .
“ But it ’ s my family , it ’ s your family , it ’ s all of our families .
But this virus is that insidious , and we must keep that all in mind.
” Figures on deaths and infections around the world are supplied by government health authorities and compiled by Johns Hopkins .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health experts because of different counting practices , a lack of testing in places , the numerous mild cases that have been missed , and perhaps government efforts to downplay the severity of the crisis .
For example , in Italy , where the death toll was put at about 12,400 , the country ’ s emergency coordinator , Domenico Arcuri , acknowledged that officials don ’ t have a handle on how many people are dying at home or in nursing homes .
Still , there was a glimmer of hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Italy ’ s institutes of health , said that three weeks into a nationwide lockdown , the hardest-hit country in Europe is seeing the rate of new infections level off .
“ The curve suggests we are at the plateau , ” he said .
But “ arriving at the plateau doesn ’ t mean we have conquered the peak and we ’ re done .
It means now we should start to see the decline if we continue to place maximum attention on what we do every day.
” With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the pressure , a field hospital , built in just 10 days , was unveiled at the Milan fairgrounds .
“ We made a promise and we kept it , ” said the head of the project , former civil protection chief Guido Bertolaso , who ended up catching the virus while on the job and had to work from his hospital bed .
In Russia , lawmakers approved harsher punishments , including prison sentences of several years , for violating quarantine rules and spreading misinformation .
The chief doctor at Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he tested positive , a week after shaking hands with Putin .
Spain reported more than 840 new deaths , pushing the toll above 8,000 and forcing Madrid to open a second temporary morgue after an ice rink pressed into service last week became overwhelmed .
Dozens of hotels across Spain have been turned into recovery rooms , and authorities are building field hospitals in sports centers , libraries and exhibition halls .
Israel ’ s Defense Ministry said it has converted a missile-production facility into an assembly line for ventilators .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathing machines , despite promises by the White House of more equipment .
Cuomo described the bidding for ventilators as like being “ on eBay.
” Louisiana ’ s governor said the hard-hit New Orleans region is on track to run out of ventilators by the weekend and hospital beds a week later .
The Trump administration has committed to sending 150 ventilators from the national stockpile , but the state hasn ’ t received an arrival date .
Michigan said it needs 5,000 to 10,000 more .
In Florida , the Holland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to let two ships dock and carry off the sick and the dead .
Dozens aboard have reported flu-like symptoms , and four people have died .
But Gov .
Ron DeSantis said on Fox News : “ We can not afford to have people who are not even Floridians dumped into South Florida using up those valuable resources.
” For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
But for others , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among the few positive signs : In Britain , where the number of dead reached nearly 1,800 , the medical director of the National Health Service ’ s operations in England said there is evidence that social distancing is working .
And China reported just one new death from the coronavirus and 48 new cases , all of them from overseas .
In Wuhan , people were ready to “ revenge shop ” as the city that was once at the very center of the outbreak reopened .
Still , Dr. Takeshi Kasai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional director for the Western Pacific , cautioned that the risk in Asia and the Pacific is not gone .
“ This is going to be a long-term battle and we can not let down our guard , ” Kasai said .
Rising contributed from Berlin , Long from Washington .
Associated Press writers around the world contributed .

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus climbed past 3,500 Tuesday, eclipsing China’s official count, as hard-hit New York City rushed to bring in more medical professionals and ambulances and parked refrigerated morgue trucks on the streets to collect the dead.
The crisis hit close to home for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who reported teary-eyed that his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, was infected.
Elsewhere around the world, hard-hit Italy reported that the infection rate appears to be leveling off and new cases could start declining, but that the crisis is far from over. Spain struggled to fend off the collapse of its hospital system. Vladimir Putin’s Russia moved to crack down on quarantine violations and “fake news” about the outbreak. And China edged closer to normal as stores in the epicenter city of Wuhan began reopening.
Worldwide, more than 800,000 people have been infected and over 40,000 have died, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Italy and Spain accounted for half the deaths, while the U.S. had around 3,550 by midday, overtaking China’s official toll of about 3,300.
New York was the nation’s deadliest hot spot, with about 1,550 deaths statewide, most of them in New York City.
The governor pronounced the disaster unlike any other the city has weathered: “This is ongoing and duration itself is debilitating and exhausting and depressing.”
A 1,000-bed emergency hospital set up at the mammoth Javits Convention Center began taking non-coronavirus patients to help relieve the city’s overwhelmed health system. A Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds that arrived on Monday was expected to begin accepting patients on Tuesday.
The indoor tennis center that is the site of the U.S. Open tournament is being turned into a hospital as well.
The city also worked to bring in 250 out-of-town ambulances and 500 paramedics to deal with a crush of emergency calls. The fire commissioner said ambulances are responding to double their normal daily total of 3,000 calls to 911. A five-day stretch last week was the busiest in the history of the city’s emergency services operation.
In addition, New York authorities sought to bring on more volunteer health care professionals and hoped to have them on board by Thursday. Nearly 80,000 former nurses, doctors and others are said to be stepping forward, and the governor said officials are doing background checks for disciplinary actions and otherwise making sure they are fit for duty.
As for Chris Cuomo, the 49-year-old TV newsman tweeted that he has suffered from fever, chills and shortness of breath and that he would be doing his shows from his basement, where he has quarantined himself.
He said he is worried about infecting his wife and children but added: “We will all beat this by being smart and tough and united!”
“Luckily we caught it early enough,” the governor said. “But it’s my family, it’s your family, it’s all of our families. But this virus is that insidious, and we must keep that all in mind.”
Figures on deaths and infections around the world are supplied by government health authorities and compiled by Johns Hopkins.
But the numbers are regarded with skepticism by public health experts because of different counting practices, a lack of testing in places, the numerous mild cases that have been missed, and perhaps government efforts to downplay the severity of the crisis.
For example, in Italy, where the death toll was put at about 12,400, the country’s emergency coordinator, Domenico Arcuri, acknowledged that officials don’t have a handle on how many people are dying at home or in nursing homes.
Still, there was a glimmer of hope there: Dr. Silvio Brusaferro, head of Italy’s institutes of health, said that three weeks into a nationwide lockdown, the hardest-hit country in Europe is seeing the rate of new infections level off.
“The curve suggests we are at the plateau,” he said. But “arriving at the plateau doesn’t mean we have conquered the peak and we’re done. It means now we should start to see the decline if we continue to place maximum attention on what we do every day.”
With the country’s health care system buckling under the pressure, a field hospital, built in just 10 days, was unveiled at the Milan fairgrounds.
“We made a promise and we kept it,” said the head of the project, former civil protection chief Guido Bertolaso, who ended up catching the virus while on the job and had to work from his hospital bed.
In Russia, lawmakers approved harsher punishments, including prison sentences of several years, for violating quarantine rules and spreading misinformation. The chief doctor at Moscow’s top hospital for coronavirus patients said he tested positive, a week after shaking hands with Putin.
Spain reported more than 840 new deaths, pushing the toll above 8,000 and forcing Madrid to open a second temporary morgue after an ice rink pressed into service last week became overwhelmed.
Dozens of hotels across Spain have been turned into recovery rooms, and authorities are building field hospitals in sports centers, libraries and exhibition halls.
Israel’s Defense Ministry said it has converted a missile-production facility into an assembly line for ventilators.
Michigan and Louisiana were running out of breathing machines, despite promises by the White House of more equipment. Cuomo described the bidding for ventilators as like being “on eBay.”
Louisiana’s governor said the hard-hit New Orleans region is on track to run out of ventilators by the weekend and hospital beds a week later. The Trump administration has committed to sending 150 ventilators from the national stockpile, but the state hasn’t received an arrival date. Michigan said it needs 5,000 to 10,000 more.
In Florida, the Holland America cruise line pleaded with state officials to let two ships dock and carry off the sick and the dead. Dozens aboard have reported flu-like symptoms, and four people have died.
But Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Fox News: “We cannot afford to have people who are not even Floridians dumped into South Florida using up those valuable resources.”
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe symptoms like pneumonia.
Among the few positive signs: In Britain, where the number of dead reached nearly 1,800, the medical director of the National Health Service’s operations in England said there is evidence that social distancing is working.
And China reported just one new death from the coronavirus and 48 new cases, all of them from overseas. In Wuhan, people were ready to “revenge shop” as the city that was once at the very center of the outbreak reopened.
Still, Dr. Takeshi Kasai, the World Health Organization’s regional director for the Western Pacific, cautioned that the risk in Asia and the Pacific is not gone.
“This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard,” Kasai said.
___
Rising contributed from Berlin, Long from Washington. Associated Press writers around the world contributed.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-31--Decision On Docking Ill-Fated Cruise Ships In FL Could Be Punted To Washington

MIAMI ( AP ) — Passengers from an ill-fated South American cruise are anxious to disembark once they reach Florida , but Gov .
Ron DeSantis said the state ’ s health care resources are already stretched too thin to take on another ship ’ s coronavirus caseload .
The U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday that the decision would be punted to Washington if authorities can ’ t agree .
With the Zaandam and Rotterdam ships arriving as early as Wednesday and at least two people on board needing emergency attention , a “ unified command ” of state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to approve a detailed docking plan requiring Holland America to handle all medical issues without impacting South Florida ’ s already-stressed hospitals .
“ There are no great choices left .
These are all tough outcomes , ” Coast Guard Captain Jo-Ann Burdian told Broward County commissioners at an emergency meeting Tuesday .
Holland America said the Rotterdam took on nearly 1,400 people who appear to be healthy from its sister ship , leaving 450 guests and 602 crew members on the Zaandam , including more than 190 who said they are sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on both ships combined .
The governor said he had been in contact with the White House about diverting them .
“ We can not afford to have people who are not even Floridians dumped into South Florida using up those valuable resources , ” DeSantis told Fox News on Monday .
Holland America President Orlando Ashford penned an opinion column in the South Florida Sun Sentinel to plead with officials and residents to let the passengers disembark .
Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony called the situation a “ humanitarian crisis ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to decide based on emotion .
Allowing the ship to dock would burden the local healthcare system and put residents at risk of additional exposure , he warned .
“ This ship has been turned away from several countries already , ” Tony said .
“ We are in some very , very critical circumstances where we as a county are going to have to determine are we willing to take on this responsibility.
” William Burke , chief maritime officer for Carnival , which owns Holland America , told commissioners “ we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resort , ” and that his staff had worked through the night on a docking plan .
Four people on board have already died .
Burke said he hopes two others who are severely ill “ will survive the transit.
” Despite the pleas for help , commissioners appeared frustrated with the company when they learned that another Carnival-owned ship with people presenting flu-like symptoms was sailing toward Fort Lauderdale and scheduled to arrive in April .
One of the commissioners then interrupted the meeting to ask Burke whether a sick patient had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday and suggested it had not notified local officials .
A Broward County Sheriff ’ s fire rescue official said the agency had responded to a 911 call to take a patient with a very high fever and pneumonia to a hospital .
Chief Harris Henbest said deputies were told several crew members were also sick and had been ordered into isolation , but it wasn ’ t clear whether they were infected with the COVID-19 virus .
“ I have a lot of concern when a company would bring sick people into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said commissioner Mark Bogen .
The Zaandam and other ships became pariahs as country after country sealed borders in response to the pandemic .
Zaandam passengers said they were asked to keep their rooms dark and leave their drapes closed as they passed through the Panama Canal .
At least two of the four deaths on the Zaandam were caused by the coronavirus , according to Panamanian authorities .
Carnival said nine others have tested positive .
And while many more reported feeling ill , most of the passengers and crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good health .
Laura Gabaroni and her husband Juan Huergo , who work for a defense contractor in Orlando , saw their dream vacation turn harrowing as countries shunned them and people fell ill. Fever-free and without symptoms , she and her husband were transferred to the Rotterdam .
She wrote DeSantis imploring her governor to let them off .
“ Florida continues to receive flights from New York , and it allowed spring break gatherings to go on as planned .
Why turn their backs on us ?
” Gabaroni said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 7 — a day before the U.S. State Department advised to avoid cruise travel and before any substantial restrictions were in place in Florida .
DeSantis declared a state of emergency in the state two days later .
The ship had been scheduled to stop in San Antonio , Chile , and then depart on another 20-day cruise to Fort Lauderdale in early April .
But beginning March 15 , the Zaandam was denied entry by port after port .
Passenger Emily Spindler Brazell , of Tappahannock , Virginia , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meals , wine and unlimited phone calls , but have had to isolate in their rooms .
“ The captain said something like , ‘ This is not a trip anymore .
This is not a cruise .
This is a humanitarian mission , ’ ” she said .
This story has been edited to correct the spelling of Zaandam throughout .

MIAMI (AP) — Passengers from an ill-fated South American cruise are anxious to disembark once they reach Florida, but Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s health care resources are already stretched too thin to take on another ship’s coronavirus caseload. The U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday that the decision would be punted to Washington if authorities can’t agree.
With the Zaandam and Rotterdam ships arriving as early as Wednesday and at least two people on board needing emergency attention, a “unified command” of state, local and federal officials will be asked to approve a detailed docking plan requiring Holland America to handle all medical issues without impacting South Florida’s already-stressed hospitals.
“There are no great choices left. These are all tough outcomes,” Coast Guard Captain Jo-Ann Burdian told Broward County commissioners at an emergency meeting Tuesday.
Holland America said the Rotterdam took on nearly 1,400 people who appear to be healthy from its sister ship, leaving 450 guests and 602 crew members on the Zaandam, including more than 190 who said they are sick. More than 300 U.S. citizens are on both ships combined.
The governor said he had been in contact with the White House about diverting them.
“We cannot afford to have people who are not even Floridians dumped into South Florida using up those valuable resources,” DeSantis told Fox News on Monday.
Holland America President Orlando Ashford penned an opinion column in the South Florida Sun Sentinel to plead with officials and residents to let the passengers disembark.
Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony called the situation a “humanitarian crisis” and asked commissioners at the Tuesday meeting not to decide based on emotion. Allowing the ship to dock would burden the local healthcare system and put residents at risk of additional exposure, he warned.
“This ship has been turned away from several countries already,” Tony said. “We are in some very, very critical circumstances where we as a county are going to have to determine are we willing to take on this responsibility.”
William Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival, which owns Holland America, told commissioners “we are coming to the place of last resort,” and that his staff had worked through the night on a docking plan. Four people on board have already died. Burke said he hopes two others who are severely ill “will survive the transit.”
Despite the pleas for help, commissioners appeared frustrated with the company when they learned that another Carnival-owned ship with people presenting flu-like symptoms was sailing toward Fort Lauderdale and scheduled to arrive in April.
One of the commissioners then interrupted the meeting to ask Burke whether a sick patient had been taken from a Princess ship earlier Tuesday and suggested it had not notified local officials.
A Broward County Sheriff’s fire rescue official said the agency had responded to a 911 call to take a patient with a very high fever and pneumonia to a hospital. Chief Harris Henbest said deputies were told several crew members were also sick and had been ordered into isolation, but it wasn’t clear whether they were infected with the COVID-19 virus.
“I have a lot of concern when a company would bring sick people into the port and not alert the county,” said commissioner Mark Bogen.
The Zaandam and other ships became pariahs as country after country sealed borders in response to the pandemic. Zaandam passengers said they were asked to keep their rooms dark and leave their drapes closed as they passed through the Panama Canal.
At least two of the four deaths on the Zaandam were caused by the coronavirus, according to Panamanian authorities. Carnival said nine others have tested positive. And while many more reported feeling ill, most of the passengers and crew on both ships appear to be in good health.
Laura Gabaroni and her husband Juan Huergo, who work for a defense contractor in Orlando, saw their dream vacation turn harrowing as countries shunned them and people fell ill. Fever-free and without symptoms, she and her husband were transferred to the Rotterdam. She wrote DeSantis imploring her governor to let them off.
“Florida continues to receive flights from New York, and it allowed spring break gatherings to go on as planned. Why turn their backs on us?” Gabaroni said.
The Zaandam originally departed from Buenos Aires on March 7 — a day before the U.S. State Department advised to avoid cruise travel and before any substantial restrictions were in place in Florida. DeSantis declared a state of emergency in the state two days later.
The ship had been scheduled to stop in San Antonio, Chile, and then depart on another 20-day cruise to Fort Lauderdale in early April. But beginning March 15, the Zaandam was denied entry by port after port.
Passenger Emily Spindler Brazell, of Tappahannock, Virginia, said they’ve been treated to extravagant meals, wine and unlimited phone calls, but have had to isolate in their rooms.
“The captain said something like, ‘This is not a trip anymore. This is not a cruise. This is a humanitarian mission,’” she said.
___
This story has been edited to correct the spelling of Zaandam throughout.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-31--COVID-19 Remote Learning Poses Hurdles For Students With Disabilities

BOSTON ( AP ) — At school , Rose Hayes , 8 , works with a team of teachers and therapists trained to help with her genetic condition .
They set goals for her reading , give her physical therapy to improve her balance and make sure she stays on track .
But for the last two weeks , her only connection to school has been through a computer screen .
Rose , home amid the coronavirus pandemic that has shuttered schools across the country , now watches lessons her teacher posts to YouTube .
Her therapists check in via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works through daily assignments .
Her parents say it ’ s the best they can expect , but they still struggle .
Rose has difficulty working on her own , so they need to stay nearby .
And without the therapy equipment Rose uses at school , they have to improvise .
“ We ’ re trying to be teachers .
We ’ re trying to be therapists .
We ’ re a little bit of everything right now , and it ’ s very stressful , ” said Rob Hayes , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his wife work for pharmaceutical companies and have continued working during the pandemic , trading turns staying home with Rose and their 2-year-old daughter .
Across the U.S. , schools and families face new challenges in maintaining instruction for students with disabilities .
Teachers are exploring new ways to deliver customized lessons from afar .
And while parents of all children have taken on schooling duties , those whose children have disabilities are adding therapy , hands-on lessons and behavioral management to the list .
Last year , nearly 7 million U.S. students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , according to federal data .
Schools are required to craft individual education plans for each one : For some , it ’ s mostly a matter of providing extra time on assignments ; others need an array of complex services , and some have lost access to expensive technology they use at school to help them communicate .
As they adapt to shutdowns , some schools are turning to video conferencing to provide lessons and therapy sessions , while others are bringing small groups of students back for services or training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have hesitated to move special education online .
As virtual instruction began unrolling , the U.S. Education Department issued a reminder that students with disabilities must be granted the same opportunities as other students .
It led some districts , including Philadelphia ’ s public schools , to forgo online instruction entirely , citing concerns about their ability to serve all children .
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos blasted that approach , saying schools have a duty to serve their students .
She urged schools to use online platforms or , if that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like work packets or written assignments .
“ It was extremely disappointing to hear that some school districts were using information from the Department of Education as an excuse not to educate kids , ” DeVos said in a March 23 statement .
“ This is a time for creativity and an opportunity to pursue as much flexibility as possible so that learning continues.
” Many districts say it ’ s inevitable that families would have to help .
Some are asking parents to guide students through daily lessons or administer tests measuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key component of special education laws .
Officials in South Carolina ’ s largest district said they know it ’ s a tough ask , and they ’ re asking families to set realistic expectations .
“ We can ’ t replicate the general education curriculum in the home , so we ’ re not trying to replicate the special education program either , ” said Traci Hogan , Greenville ’ s assistant superintendent for special education services .
“ It ’ s not perfect on our end , and we don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their end.
” Advocates say it ’ s crucial that students with disabilities continue to receive instruction during closures .
Research has found that breaks in schooling — even for a day or two — can erode ground on skills students were starting to master .
But keeping them engaged from afar will be a challenge , schools say , especially for those with severe disabilities .
A rescue package approved by Congress aims to help by providing $ 13.5 billion that schools could use to buy computers and technology for students with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consider whether the government should temporarily waive requirements around the instruction of students with disabilities , a move disability advocates strongly oppose .
Amid rapid change , some parents say they already feel left out .
Darlene Gildersleeve , of Hopkinton , New Hampshire , has a 14-year-old daughter whose education plan includes counseling , occupational therapy , speech therapy and specialized instruction .
Her school is offering to arrange some of that by phone and Google Classroom , but Gildersleeve hasn ’ t heard anything about speech therapy or support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have no idea how to get on Google Classroom , ” Gildersleeve said .
“ That ’ s a big concern of mine — will I be able to step in and help her ?
” Some districts say it will be hard to avoid learning setbacks , especially in skills that are tougher to teach from afar .
Honing social skills amid social distancing mandates , for example , has already proved challenging .
Rose Hayes ’ teacher tried to gather the class for a video conference , but some families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her father said .
Elsewhere , teachers are using interactive video games to keep students connected , said Kelly Grillo , a special education coordinator for Cooperative School Services , an organization that works with nine school districts in Indiana .
But Grillo said some problems remain unsolved .
She ’ s currently grappling with how to help students who use costly Braille machines at school but don ’ t have access to them at home .
“ There are lots of barriers , but we can find lots of ways to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of Lafayette , Indiana .
“ Our field has never felt the urgency that it feels right now.
” Roslyn Holcomb , a social worker in Dunwoody , Georgia , worries that her son Kell , 8 , isn ’ t learning at the same pace he was in the classroom .
His school posts daily video lessons , and his teacher calls every day to go over assignments he found difficult .
But Kell , who has autism , ADHD and a language processing disorder , needs his mother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her schedule to work nights so she can spend her days helping him .
She appreciates what the school has done , but wonders how much longer the arrangement can last .
“ It ’ s labor intensive .
It really is , ” she said .
“ This is not something that we ’ ll be able to do for months.
” Associated Press writer Holly Ramer contributed to this story from Concord , New Hampshire .

BOSTON (AP) — At school, Rose Hayes, 8, works with a team of teachers and therapists trained to help with her genetic condition. They set goals for her reading, give her physical therapy to improve her balance and make sure she stays on track. But for the last two weeks, her only connection to school has been through a computer screen.
Rose, home amid the coronavirus pandemic that has shuttered schools across the country, now watches lessons her teacher posts to YouTube. Her therapists check in via video chat. In between, she works through daily assignments.
Her parents say it’s the best they can expect, but they still struggle. Rose has difficulty working on her own, so they need to stay nearby. And without the therapy equipment Rose uses at school, they have to improvise.
“We’re trying to be teachers. We’re trying to be therapists. We’re a little bit of everything right now, and it’s very stressful,” said Rob Hayes, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He and his wife work for pharmaceutical companies and have continued working during the pandemic, trading turns staying home with Rose and their 2-year-old daughter.
Across the U.S., schools and families face new challenges in maintaining instruction for students with disabilities. Teachers are exploring new ways to deliver customized lessons from afar. And while parents of all children have taken on schooling duties, those whose children have disabilities are adding therapy, hands-on lessons and behavioral management to the list.
Last year, nearly 7 million U.S. students ages 3 to 18 received special education services, according to federal data. Schools are required to craft individual education plans for each one: For some, it’s mostly a matter of providing extra time on assignments; others need an array of complex services, and some have lost access to expensive technology they use at school to help them communicate.
As they adapt to shutdowns, some schools are turning to video conferencing to provide lessons and therapy sessions, while others are bringing small groups of students back for services or training parents to help.
Some, though, have hesitated to move special education online. As virtual instruction began unrolling, the U.S. Education Department issued a reminder that students with disabilities must be granted the same opportunities as other students. It led some districts, including Philadelphia’s public schools, to forgo online instruction entirely, citing concerns about their ability to serve all children.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos blasted that approach, saying schools have a duty to serve their students. She urged schools to use online platforms or, if that isn’t possible, low-tech alternatives like work packets or written assignments.
“It was extremely disappointing to hear that some school districts were using information from the Department of Education as an excuse not to educate kids,” DeVos said in a March 23 statement. “This is a time for creativity and an opportunity to pursue as much flexibility as possible so that learning continues.”
Many districts say it’s inevitable that families would have to help. Some are asking parents to guide students through daily lessons or administer tests measuring their children’s progress, a key component of special education laws.
Officials in South Carolina’s largest district said they know it’s a tough ask, and they’re asking families to set realistic expectations.
“We can’t replicate the general education curriculum in the home, so we’re not trying to replicate the special education program either,” said Traci Hogan, Greenville’s assistant superintendent for special education services. “It’s not perfect on our end, and we don’t expect it to be perfect on their end.”
Advocates say it’s crucial that students with disabilities continue to receive instruction during closures. Research has found that breaks in schooling — even for a day or two — can erode ground on skills students were starting to master. But keeping them engaged from afar will be a challenge, schools say, especially for those with severe disabilities.
A rescue package approved by Congress aims to help by providing $13.5 billion that schools could use to buy computers and technology for students with disabilities. But it also asks DeVos to consider whether the government should temporarily waive requirements around the instruction of students with disabilities, a move disability advocates strongly oppose.
Amid rapid change, some parents say they already feel left out.
Darlene Gildersleeve, of Hopkinton, New Hampshire, has a 14-year-old daughter whose education plan includes counseling, occupational therapy, speech therapy and specialized instruction. Her school is offering to arrange some of that by phone and Google Classroom, but Gildersleeve hasn’t heard anything about speech therapy or support for math, English and reading.
“I have no idea how to get on Google Classroom,” Gildersleeve said. “That’s a big concern of mine — will I be able to step in and help her?”
Some districts say it will be hard to avoid learning setbacks, especially in skills that are tougher to teach from afar. Honing social skills amid social distancing mandates, for example, has already proved challenging.
Rose Hayes’ teacher tried to gather the class for a video conference, but some families didn’t have the required technology, her father said. Elsewhere, teachers are using interactive video games to keep students connected, said Kelly Grillo, a special education coordinator for Cooperative School Services, an organization that works with nine school districts in Indiana.
But Grillo said some problems remain unsolved. She’s currently grappling with how to help students who use costly Braille machines at school but don’t have access to them at home.
“There are lots of barriers, but we can find lots of ways to work around them,” said Grillo, of Lafayette, Indiana. “Our field has never felt the urgency that it feels right now.”
Roslyn Holcomb, a social worker in Dunwoody, Georgia, worries that her son Kell, 8, isn’t learning at the same pace he was in the classroom. His school posts daily video lessons, and his teacher calls every day to go over assignments he found difficult. But Kell, who has autism, ADHD and a language processing disorder, needs his mother’s help to stay focused.
Holcomb shifted her schedule to work nights so she can spend her days helping him. She appreciates what the school has done, but wonders how much longer the arrangement can last.
“It’s labor intensive. It really is,” she said. “This is not something that we’ll be able to do for months.”
___
Associated Press writer Holly Ramer contributed to this story from Concord, New Hampshire.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-31--Navy Captain Begs To Isolate Crew As COVID Spreads: ‘Sailors Do Not Need To Die’

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The captain of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier facing a growing outbreak of the coronavirus is asking for permission to isolate the bulk of his roughly 5,000 crew members on shore , which would take the warship out of duty in an effort to save lives .
In a memo to Navy leaders , the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt said the spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating , and said that removing all but 10 % of the crew is a “ necessary risk ” in order to stop the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ docked in Guam .
U.S. Navy leaders on Tuesday were scrambling to determine how to best respond to the extraordinary request as dozens of crew members tested positive .
“ We are not at war .
Sailors do not need to die .
If we do not act now , we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset our sailors , ” said its Navy Capt .
Brett Crozier , in a memo obtained by The Associated Press .
A U.S. Navy official said Crozier alerted commanders on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
The official , who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations , said Crozier wants more isolated housing for the crew and that Navy leadership is reviewing options to ensure the health and safety of the crew .
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly told CNN that they are doing the best they can to “ adjust on the fly ” and take care of sailors on the carrier .
“ The key is to make sure that we can get a set of crew members that can maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , make sure that they ’ re clean , and then get them back on while we clean the ship and get the other crew members off , ” he said .
In Asia , a carrier presence is central to what the Pentagon has identified as a fundamental shift from fighting insurgent and extremist conflicts in the Middle East to a return to “ great power competition.
” That means , principally , a bigger focus on China , including its militarization of disputed areas of the South China Sea .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Navy ’ s most dramatic , but it tracks an accelerating upward trend across the military .
The Pentagon said the number of cases in the military reached 673 on Tuesday morning , a jump of 104 from the day before and up from 174 a week ago .
Since March 20 , the total has surged tenfold , even as the Pentagon has taken many steps to try to limit the spread , including halting nearly all movement of troops overseas .
The carrier , like other Navy ships , is vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarters .
The massive ship is more than 1,000 feet long ; sailors are spread out across a labyrinth of decks linked by steep ladder-like stairs and narrow corridors .
Enlisted sailors and officers have separate living quarters , but they routinely grab their food from crowded buffet lines and eat at tables joined end-to-end .
Listing many of those problems , Crozier ’ s memo , which was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle , warns that the close quarters means that thousands of sailors now require quarantine .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into shore-based quarters , but much of that is also not adequate .
He said much of the off-ship locations available so far are group quarantine sites , and already two sailors housed in an auditorium have tested positive for the virus .
To stop the spread of the virus and prevent death , Crozier said they must take a methodical approach , move the majority of the sailors off the ship , isolate them and completely clean it .
He said about 10 percent of the crew would have to stay on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical systems and sanitize everything .
While that may seem like an extraordinary measure , he said it is a necessary risk .
“ It will enable the carrier and air wing to get back underway as quickly as possible while ensuring the health and safety of our sailors , ” Crozier said , adding that finding appropriate isolation for the crew “ will require a political solution but it is the right thing to do.
” Modly told CNN that efforts are underway to help the ship , while also ensuring that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect the country .
“ This is a unique circumstance , ” he said .
“ And we ’ re working through it and trying to maintain that proper balance to ensure that our friends and allies , and most importantly our foes and adversaries out there , understand that we are not standing down the watch .
”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The captain of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier facing a growing outbreak of the coronavirus is asking for permission to isolate the bulk of his roughly 5,000 crew members on shore, which would take the warship out of duty in an effort to save lives.
In a memo to Navy leaders, the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt said the spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating, and said that removing all but 10% of the crew is a “necessary risk” in order to stop the spread of the virus. The ship is docked in Guam.
U.S. Navy leaders on Tuesday were scrambling to determine how to best respond to the extraordinary request as dozens of crew members tested positive.
“We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset our sailors,” said its Navy Capt. Brett Crozier, in a memo obtained by The Associated Press.
A U.S. Navy official said Crozier alerted commanders on Sunday evening of the continuing challenges in isolating the virus. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Crozier wants more isolated housing for the crew and that Navy leadership is reviewing options to ensure the health and safety of the crew.
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly told CNN that they are doing the best they can to “adjust on the fly” and take care of sailors on the carrier.
“The key is to make sure that we can get a set of crew members that can maintain all those critical functions on the ship, make sure that they’re clean, and then get them back on while we clean the ship and get the other crew members off,” he said.
In Asia, a carrier presence is central to what the Pentagon has identified as a fundamental shift from fighting insurgent and extremist conflicts in the Middle East to a return to “great power competition.” That means, principally, a bigger focus on China, including its militarization of disputed areas of the South China Sea.
The outbreak on the carrier may be the Navy’s most dramatic, but it tracks an accelerating upward trend across the military. The Pentagon said the number of cases in the military reached 673 on Tuesday morning, a jump of 104 from the day before and up from 174 a week ago.
Since March 20, the total has surged tenfold, even as the Pentagon has taken many steps to try to limit the spread, including halting nearly all movement of troops overseas.
The carrier, like other Navy ships, is vulnerable to infectious disease spread given its close quarters. The massive ship is more than 1,000 feet long; sailors are spread out across a labyrinth of decks linked by steep ladder-like stairs and narrow corridors. Enlisted sailors and officers have separate living quarters, but they routinely grab their food from crowded buffet lines and eat at tables joined end-to-end.
Listing many of those problems, Crozier’s memo, which was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, warns that the close quarters means that thousands of sailors now require quarantine. He said sailors have been moving off the ship into shore-based quarters, but much of that is also not adequate. He said much of the off-ship locations available so far are group quarantine sites, and already two sailors housed in an auditorium have tested positive for the virus.
To stop the spread of the virus and prevent death, Crozier said they must take a methodical approach, move the majority of the sailors off the ship, isolate them and completely clean it. He said about 10 percent of the crew would have to stay on board to secure the vessel, run critical systems and sanitize everything.
While that may seem like an extraordinary measure, he said it is a necessary risk.
“It will enable the carrier and air wing to get back underway as quickly as possible while ensuring the health and safety of our sailors,” Crozier said, adding that finding appropriate isolation for the crew “will require a political solution but it is the right thing to do.”
Modly told CNN that efforts are underway to help the ship, while also ensuring that the Navy and the U.S. military continue to protect the country.
“This is a unique circumstance,” he said. “And we’re working through it and trying to maintain that proper balance to ensure that our friends and allies, and most importantly our foes and adversaries out there, understand that we are not standing down the watch.”
___
AP National Security writer Robert Burns contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-31--FL Sheriff Seeks Tips In ‘Tiger King’ Doc Mystery Binged By Thousands Home Social Distancing

TAMPA , Fla. ( AP ) — It might be the biggest diversion from the pandemic : binge-watching the luridly fascinating Netflix documentary “ Tiger King : Murder , Mayhem and Madness.
” Now a Florida sheriff is asking the public for tips regarding one of the lingering mysteries raised in the recently released show : What happened to Carole Baskin ’ s husband ?
For those who aren ’ t up to speed , here ’ s a primer : Carole Baskin is the owner of Big Cat Rescue in Tampa , Florida .
Tiger King , the documentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as “ Joe Exotic , ” a former Oklahoma zookeeper who loves guns , younger men , and big cats .
Earlier this year , he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot .
He was convicted of trying to hire someone to kill Baskin , who had tried to shut him down , accusing the Oklahoma zoo of abusing animals and selling big cat cubs .
In retaliation , Maldonado-Passage raised questions about Baskin ’ s former husband , Jack “ Don ” Lewis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often violent and expletive-filled rants about Baskin were not only broadcast on his web TV show , but also in the documentary .
Since the show was released , speculation about Baskin and Lewis has run rampant — and Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister wants to take advantage of all the attention .
“ Everyone ’ s home .
They ’ re watching Netflix and they ’ re home , ” Chronister said in a news conference Tuesday , adding that Lewis ’ case remains open and that he ’ s recently assigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The documentary extensively covered Maldonado-Passage ’ s repeated accusations that Baskin killed her husband and possibly fed him to her tigers .
Baskin has never been charged with any crime and released a statement refuting the accusations made in the series .
“ We hope the Sheriff ’ s plea for leads will result in new information about what happened to Don Lewis , ” said Susan Bass , Big Cat Rescue ’ s spokeswoman , in an email .
Chronister said at least six new leads a day about Lewis have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Nothing credible , ” he said .
“ Most tips are more theories.
” The sheriff debunked a few allegations raised by Maldonado-Passage in the documentary , including that Lewis is buried under the Big Cat Rescue septic tank ( that wasn ’ t put in until years after Lewis ’ disappearance ) and that Lewis ’ body was put through the meat grinders used to process food for the tigers ( those were removed several weeks before his disappearance , Chronister said ) .
The documentary filmmakers “ certainly spun it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that he too binge-watched the series .
“ I think that ’ s why all of us were so intrigued and engaged.
” Maldonado-Passage isn ’ t giving up , either : From behind bars , he filed a federal lawsuit seeking nearly $ 94 million in damages , claiming among other things that he was convicted based on false and perjured testimony .
He also says he was singled out for prosecution because he “ is an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and cross breeds @ @

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — It might be the biggest diversion from the pandemic: binge-watching the luridly fascinating Netflix documentary “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”
Now a Florida sheriff is asking the public for tips regarding one of the lingering mysteries raised in the recently released show: What happened to Carole Baskin’s husband?
For those who aren’t up to speed, here’s a primer: Carole Baskin is the owner of Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida. Tiger King, the documentary, is about Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as “Joe Exotic,” a former Oklahoma zookeeper who loves guns, younger men, and big cats.
Earlier this year, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot. He was convicted of trying to hire someone to kill Baskin, who had tried to shut him down, accusing the Oklahoma zoo of abusing animals and selling big cat cubs.
In retaliation, Maldonado-Passage raised questions about Baskin’s former husband, Jack “Don” Lewis, who disappeared in 1997. His often violent and expletive-filled rants about Baskin were not only broadcast on his web TV show, but also in the documentary. Since the show was released, speculation about Baskin and Lewis has run rampant — and Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister wants to take advantage of all the attention.
“Everyone’s home. They’re watching Netflix and they’re home,” Chronister said in a news conference Tuesday, adding that Lewis’ case remains open and that he’s recently assigned a detective supervisor to handle new leads.
The documentary extensively covered Maldonado-Passage’s repeated accusations that Baskin killed her husband and possibly fed him to her tigers. Baskin has never been charged with any crime and released a statement refuting the accusations made in the series.
“We hope the Sheriff’s plea for leads will result in new information about what happened to Don Lewis,” said Susan Bass, Big Cat Rescue’s spokeswoman, in an email.
Chronister said at least six new leads a day about Lewis have come in over the past week.
“Nothing credible,” he said. “Most tips are more theories.”
The sheriff debunked a few allegations raised by Maldonado-Passage in the documentary, including that Lewis is buried under the Big Cat Rescue septic tank (that wasn’t put in until years after Lewis’ disappearance) and that Lewis’ body was put through the meat grinders used to process food for the tigers (those were removed several weeks before his disappearance, Chronister said).
The documentary filmmakers “certainly spun it for entertainment purposes,” Chronister said, adding that he too binge-watched the series. “I think that’s why all of us were so intrigued and engaged.”
Maldonado-Passage isn’t giving up, either: From behind bars, he filed a federal lawsuit seeking nearly $94 million in damages, claiming among other things that he was convicted based on false and perjured testimony. He also says he was singled out for prosecution because he “is an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and cross breeds.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-03-31--GOP Gov Deflates Trump’s Claim There Aren’t Testing Issues: ‘Yeah, That’s Just Not True’

Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan ( R ) got candid on Tuesday when asked about President Donald Trump ’ s claim that there haven ’ t been issues with the chaotic testing system during the COVID-19 outbreak .
“ I haven ’ t heard about testing being a problem , ” Trump told all the nations ’ governors during a conference call on Monday .
“ Yeah , that ’ s just not true , ” Hogan said the next day during an interview with NPR ’ s “ Inside Edition ” host Rachel Martin .
“ I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some steps to create new tests , but they ’ re not actually produced and distributed out to the states.
” “ So it ’ s an aspirational thing and they ’ ve got some new things in the works , but they ’ re not actually out on the streets and no state has enough testing , ” he added .
The governor told NPR that he and his colleagues were following the advice of the medical experts on the White House coronavirus task force , such as doctors Anthony Fauci and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charlie Baker of Massachusetts had a similarly frank reaction last week to Trump ’ s rosy vision of the coronavirus outbreak .
“ Yeah , no , ” Baker said when a reporter asked if his state would be ready to lift social distancing measures by Easter , as Trump had hoped .

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) got candid on Tuesday when asked about President Donald Trump’s claim that there haven’t been issues with the chaotic testing system during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“I haven’t heard about testing being a problem,” Trump told all the nations’ governors during a conference call on Monday.
“Yeah, that’s just not true,” Hogan said the next day during an interview with NPR’s “Inside Edition” host Rachel Martin. “I mean, I know that they’ve taken some steps to create new tests, but they’re not actually produced and distributed out to the states.”
“So it’s an aspirational thing and they’ve got some new things in the works, but they’re not actually out on the streets and no state has enough testing,” he added.
The governor told NPR that he and his colleagues were following the advice of the medical experts on the White House coronavirus task force, such as doctors Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx.
Fellow Republican Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts had a similarly frank reaction last week to Trump’s rosy vision of the coronavirus outbreak.
“Yeah, no,” Baker said when a reporter asked if his state would be ready to lift social distancing measures by Easter, as Trump had hoped.