theblaze--2020-08-05--'I'll buy you a drink!': Cuomo begs wealthy NYC residents who fled the city to return

' I 'll buy you a drink ! '
: Cuomo begs wealthy NYC residents who fled the city to @

New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he is on the horn every day pleading with rich New York City residents who fled The Big Apple over COVID-19 to return, as the city faces massive revenue shortages and leaders are seeking more in taxes from the rich to fill the void.
What are the details?
New York City was hit heavily by the coronavirus pandemic when the virus first hit the U.S., causing a mass exodus among the city's wealthiest residents. Cuomo fears the elites who remain holed up in the Hamptons and elsewhere might set up permanent residency and never return, considering the hefty taxes they are certain to be hit with if they come back.
"I literally talk to people all day long who are now in their Hamptons house who also lived here, or in their Hudson Valley house, or in their Connecticut weekend house, and I say, 'You got to come back! We'll go to dinner! I'll buy you a drink! Come over, I'll cook!'" Cuomo said during a press conference Monday.
"They're not coming back right now," the Democrat continued. "And you know what else they're thinking? 'If I stay here, I'll pay a lower income tax,' because they don't pay the New York City surcharge."
According to the New York Post, Cuomo noted that "the wealthiest 1 percent of the Empire State's population picks up roughly 50 percent of the state's tax burden."
The Daily Mail reported that Cuomo has been fighting off calls from lawmakers who want to raise taxes on the top one percent of earners, warning that doing so could convince more of the wealthy to stay gone for good. Meanwhile, New York City leaders are scrambling to come up with a way to make up for a gaping $30 billion deficit over the next two years, as revenue continues to tank amid strict ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
The Daily Wire reported that "New York remains the epicenter of the country's battle with COVID-19, having suffered at least 32,422 deaths from the virus, second only to New Jersey."
On Wednesday, de Blasio announced that New York City would set up checkpoints to screen people entering the city to determine whether travelers were coming from one of the 34 states Cuomo has flagged as a COVID-19 risk. Residents of such states must quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival in New York City under the governor's rules, and violators could face fines of up to $10,000.
Anything else?
High taxes are not the only reason absent New Yorkers may not want to return. The city has seen a sharp spike in crime — already surpassing last year's 777 shootings as of Aug. 1 — while the city council and Mayor Bill de Blasio cut the NYPD's budget by $1 billion in reaction to the George Floyd protests.


theblaze--2020-08-05--Police are looking for a couple caught on surveillance video shooting and killing a dog in broad day

Police are looking for a couple caught on surveillance video shooting and killing a dog in broad daylight Witnesses told @ @ @ @ @ act

Police in Lakewood, Colorado, are seeking a couple who were caught on surveillance shooting and killing a dog in broad daylight.
The disquieting incident occurred on Saturday at about 7 a.m. The video was released by the police after a resident in the neighborhood provided it to them.
The video shows a man and woman who appear to be arguing. The man holds down the dog while the woman aims a gun and shoots him.
Police say they were called to the incident after reports of a shooting were phoned in. When they arrived they found the dog apparently deceased from the shooting injury.
Witnesses told the police they saw the couple pull over in their silver Chrysler 300 while arguing. According to Lakewood police spokesman John Romero, the witnesses say they saw the shooting of the dog after the man struggled with it.
"The dog was with the couple the entire time," Romero added. "It appears the dog was a pet of theirs."
Captured on video
The police released the video given to them by the neighbor, but they edited the actual moment that shows the woman shooting the dog. Instead, it shows a video snippet prior to the shooting and afterward.
Romero confirmed that the shooting of the dog was captured on video.
Police are seeking help from the public to identify and find the suspects. They offered a description of the suspects they sought:
A white or Hispanic man with black or dark hair. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans with white shoes.
A white or Hispanic woman with blonde hair. She was last seen wearing a black, long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans.
"We don't see stuff like this," Romero added. "That's why we want to find the people who were involved to find out the circumstances of what happened."
Here's the video released by police:


theblaze--2020-08-05--Arkansas man plants mystery seeds from China, says results are wild — and now other packages are ine

Arkansas man plants mystery seeds from China, says results are wild — and now other packages are inexplicably showing up

Arkansas man plants mystery seeds from China , says results are wild — and now other packages are inexplicably showing @

An Arkansas man who says he received a packet of unknown seeds from China has planted them — and KSFM-TV calls the burgeoning plant "wild."
Packages of unsolicited seeds from China began showing up in mailboxes across the country in July, stumping agriculture and commerce officials in the process.
In early statements, the USDA said it believes that the products are part of what could be a "brushing scam," in which people receive unsolicited items to, in turn, create fake customer reviews for the purpose of boosting sales.
What are the details?
Booneville, Arkansas, resident Doyle Crenshaw said he planted a nondescript — and unsolicited — package of seeds from China.
"We ... planted the seeds just to see what would happen," he told the station, revealing that the large plant — which initially grew from orange-colored flowers — is producing large, white fruits.
"Every two weeks I'd come by and put Miracle-Gro on it, and they just started growing like crazy," he admitted.
The Booneville resident said that he only opted to plant the seeds before the USDA issued a warning against doing so to U.S. residents.
Image source: KSFM-TV video screenshot
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture warned, "Our concern is from an invasive pest aspect: These seeds could introduce an invasive weed or an invasive insect pest or a plant disease."
The station reports that the department of agriculture plans to remove the plant from Crenshaw's property out of an abundance of caution.
The spokesperson adds that the department isn't sure what the plants are at the time of this reporting, but it has plans to study the growth.
Booneville Man Plants Mysterious Seeds from China Being Sent Across the U.S. www.youtube.com
Not just seeds anymore
A Wednesday report from Newsweek reveals that U.S. consumers are receiving more unsolicited packages — this time containing items like sunglasses and used socks.
One woman tells the outlet that she received masks from China — but she never placed such an order.
Another woman said that she received a pair of knock-off Ray-Ban-style sunglasses. She thinks there's something more nefarious afoot than just bolstering online reviews.
"I don't think people are sending this in goodwill in my opinion," she says. "I'm just afraid that there may be something harmful to them."
Another woman says she received used socks, but she didn't think too much about it other than it being "odd."
A brushing scam can be a problem for a person, as it could indicate that their personal information has been leaked.
Ray Walsh, a data privacy expert, told Newsweek, "Anybody who received an unexpected package needs to be aware that their data is being misused by the seller. If you receive a brushing parcel it is vital that you hand it in to the police so that they can forward it to the U.S. postal inspector's office for the purpose of tracking where it came from. Items received could be dangerous, which means that they must be disposed of correctly."


theblaze--2020-08-05--Your money is losing value FAST: How the Federal Reserve is driving the dollar's demise

Your money is losing value FAST : How the Federal Reserve is driving the dollar 's demise While debt grows @ @ @ @ @ credit score drop

The Federal Reserve is now doing two things it has promised never to do: purchasing our national debt, which has never been higher, and printing money, which leads to deflation. As a result, your money in the bank has already lost 10 percent of its value in recent weeks.
On the radio program, Glenn Beck explained how, thanks to the fed's poor decision making, our deficits have another dangerous effect: The United States' credit score has been downgraded, putting our country at risk of becoming an untrustworthy borrower. He also advises Americans to have at least a week's worth of cash at home, because a banking crisis could happen soon.
Watch the video below for more details:
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theblaze--2020-08-05--In response to question about cognitive tests, Biden asks if his interviewer is on cocaine

In response to question about cognitive tests , Biden asks if his interviewer is on cocaine 'Why the hell would @ @ @ @ @ '

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden lost his cool when asked by a CBS News correspondent whether he had taken a test to measure his mental fitness.
Biden's repeated public gaffes, during which he often slurs words, misspeaks, and possibly forgets where he is, have for months led to questions about whether his cognitive ability is declining as he ages.
When CBS News' Errol Barnett asked Biden about this during a virtual convention for the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Biden snapped at the question.
"President Trump has made your mental state a campaign topic, and when asked in June if you'd been tested for cognitive decline, you responded that you're constantly tested, in effect because you're in situations like this on the campaign trail," Barnett began. "But please clarify, specifically, have you taken a cognitive test?"
"No, I haven't taken a test," Biden shot back. "Why the hell would I take a test? Come on man! That's like saying before you got on this program, did you take a test where you're taking cocaine or not, what do you think, huh? Are you a junkie?"
Barnett was unfazed by the bizarre reply, and persisted in the line of questioning.
"What do you say to President Trump, who brags about his test and makes your mental state an issue for voters," Barnett asked.
"Well, if he can't figure out the difference between an elephant and a lion, I don't know what the hell he's talking about," Biden replied.
Biden later accused Barnett of "trying to goad" him, and assured Barnett that he was "so forward-looking" to debating President Trump later in the year.
Later in the exchange, Biden badly stumbled while trying to tell Barnett he was eager to have the American people judge his physical and mental fitness.
VP Joe Biden: "Why the hell would I take a test?" youtu.be
Some mainstream media outlets have suggested that Biden not participate in debates with Trump, and Trump has accused the Biden camp of working toward bailing out of the debates. However, Biden's wife, Jill Biden, told Fox News earlier this week that Biden fully intended to participate in all three scheduled debates.
"Oh yes, he will," Biden told Fox News' Dana Perino. "I think they've already—I think there's three debates they've decided on. So, yes. He will be there."


theblaze--2020-08-05--Horowitz: Philippines had the harshest lockdown and most mask wearing. It didn’t work.

Horowitz : Philippines had the harshest lockdown and most mask wearing .
It didn ’ t work .
Despite all @ @ @ @ @ are surging

Nowhere is the circuitous insanity and national masochism of lockdown policies more evident than in the Philippines. This nation of over 100 million holds the distinction of having undergone the longest and most severe lockdown. They also have the highest rate of mask wearing in the world, according to a recent survey. In other words, they've done everything the propagators of corona panic porn every dreamt of. Yet…
Cases are surging because you can't run or hide from a respiratory virus.
Their answer? A new lockdown – all the while missing the irony that the first series of totalitarian mandates didn't work. Now they have a weakened and destitute population to face the virus, while countries like Sweden achieved de facto herd immunity from a position of strength.
Just how insane was the lockdown in the Philippines? Beginning as early as March 15, under the direction of President Rodrigo Duterte, anyone under 21 or over 60 was not allowed out of his home, only one family member could go out for food and medicine, and there was an across-the-board curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. President Duterte threatened to have violators shot.
Tens of thousands of people in America likely died as a result of the lockdown – could you imagine how many hundreds of thousands died from lack of food and medical care in a poor country from such a severe policy of house arrest? This country has been suffering from a hunger crisis for years. The cruel irony is that only 2,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the country of 100 million. Like most Asian countries, they probably have a high degree of cross-immunity from coronavirus colds.
Aside from the insane lockdown, the Philippines holds the distinction of having the highest degree of mask compliance. After all, people don't want to get shot.
So, after destroying their country, one would think they at least “got rid" of the virus, right?
Wrong! The virus does what it does and was always bound to come to southern latitude countries later, as we are seeing in places like Israel and Hawaii. The national lockdown was in place until June 1 and many local places still had lockdowns until July. Now, the corrupt and evil government has a brilliant idea: a new lockdown.
Hey, how about they just shoot everyone dead and then they don't have to worry about the virus? That seems to sum up the strategy they have pursued. It's like curing a migraine by chopping off someone's head but still finding some way to not get rid of the pain. Manilla and four surrounding provinces are under full house arrest for two weeks.
A quarantine has been imposed in a compound with confirmed cases of COVID-19 to prevent the further spread of the virus in Quezon City, Philippines. (Lisa Marie David | NurPhoto via Getty Images)
In a cruel irony, the country is now in such a weakened state, they will have an attenuated immune system and a medical system flooded with other ailments to now contend with the virus. How prescient was the warning from D.A. Henderson, the former dean of Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, who is widely credited with helping to eradicate smallpox, when he noted how continuing daily lives for most people as normal is the best way to endure through an epidemic.
“Experience has shown that communities faced with epidemics or other adverse events respond best and with the least anxiety when the normal social functioning of the community is least disrupted," wrote Henderson in a paper co-authored by other Hopkins researchers in 2006.
On Tuesday, AP wrote an op-ed dressed up as a news story asserting wrongly that “many Americans have resisted wearing masks and social distancing," which resulted in more viral spread.
“Public health experts say the problem has been compounded by confusing and inconsistent guidance from politicians and a patchwork quilt of approaches to containing the scourge by county, state and federal governments," added AP.
Well, maybe they ought to take a look at the Philippines. There was no confusion or inconsistency there and certainly no lack of obedience. Just pure tyranny. When will we finally learn that when you trade liberty for security, you achieve neither?


theblaze--2020-08-05--Judge suggests federal officers might wear large-numbered jerseys — to make it easier to identify th

Judge suggests federal officers might wear large-numbered jerseys — to make it easier to identify them if they commit abuse @ @ @ @ @ eight inches tall

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon says he is mulling over whether he will require federal officers in the Portland, Oregon, area to wear large identifying numbers on so that people can identify them easier in cases of excessive force.
The jerseys would be similar to that worn by team sports players.
What are the details?
According to Politico, Simon on Friday told attorneys that he believes the move would be "appropriate"
"I do think it might be appropriate to require any federal law enforcement officer who steps out of the federal courthouse building to wear a unique identifying code," he reportedly said during the teleconference. "I'm taking this very, very seriously."
Simon issued the remarks following news of the lawsuit involving accusations against federal law enforcement officials using excessive force during Portland riots. Simon is overseeing the suit, which was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The suit, according to the outlet, "accuses city police and federal law enforcement officers of unjustifiable use of force against journalists and legal observers monitoring the protests."
Simon said he believed the notion could be a good one so that people could pinpoint which officers might be guilty of abuse without being able to dox the federal officer in question.
In response to the suit, Simon issued a temporary restraining order in late July preventing officers from using force against anyone they reasonably believe to be a member of the media or a "legal observer."
Simon said that evidence existed finding that people were "abusing the privileges" he permitted to the press in his order.
"There may be some people wearing 'press' on their clothing and they're engaging in unlawful acts," he said.
Simon also noted that he doesn't want any violence period.
"I don't want anybody on either side of this issue to get killed," he said elsewhere during the conference call. "I don't want any of the protesters to get killed and I don't want any law enforcement officers to get killed."
"If [federal officials are] needed, they will deployed at a moment's notice," Simon added. "If no one has to leave the building, no one has to put on jerseys that have unique identifying codes."
The order runs through Thursday.
'A very deliberate and intentional violation'
Matthew Borden, an attorney working with the ACLU, said, "We haven't had a situation where any officer has been injured by someone marked press or that they've meaningfully interfered with officers doing their jobs. What we've been talking about in our contempt motion is a very deliberate and intentional violation of the injunction."
Borden also said that federal officers need to be put in check because he also worries that someone may end up dead.


theblaze--2020-08-05--President Trump claims getting election results may take years if all voters have the option to vote

President Trump claims getting election results may take years if all voters have the option to vote by mail

President Donald Trump continued his campaign to discourage universal availability of mail-in voting Wednesday, telling "Fox & Friends" that if everyone is given the opportunity to vote by mail this year, it could take years to get the election results.
The president was asked specifically about Nevada, where the Democratic-controlled Legislature passed a measure that would have absentee ballots sent to all active registered voters in the state so they don't have to go vote in person during the pandemic. The Trump campaign has sued Nevada over the plan.
"As you know, the postal service for 40 years has had big problems," Trump said. "They're not equipped to handle a governor where they say 'millions of ballots will be posted in a couple of weeks. Gear up.' You can't do that. It doesn't work that way. It's a very complex process. … If it doesn't work out, you're not going to know the Nov. 3 election result, I'm talking about for the whole country, it could be for months and months — actually it could be for years."
President Trump has at times tried to draw a distinction between the absentee ballot process, through which people with certain circumstances can request to vote by mail, and universal mail-in voting, where everyone is sent a ballot to vote by mail regardless of their situation.
Regarding Florida, however, the president disregarded that difference and encouraged everyone in the state to request a ballot and vote by mail. Trump votes via absentee ballot in Florida.
"Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True," Trump wrote Tuesday on Twitter. "Florida's Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail!"
President Trump believes Nevada's universal vote-by-mail plan will prevent Republicans from winning elections in the state.
"In an illegal late-night coup, Nevada's clubhouse Governor made it impossible for Republicans to win the state," Trump said on Twitter. "Post Office could never handle the traffic of mail-in votes without preparation. Using COVID to steal the state. See you in Court!"
Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, and Washington already had voting by mail before the pandemic. Vermont, California, and Washington, D.C., adopted the voting method due to COVID-19.


theblaze--2020-08-05--Alleged NY gang member reportedly carries out at least 3 drive-by shootings after being freed withou

Alleged NY gang member reportedly carries out at least 3 drive-by shootings after being freed without bail on attempted murder charges

Alleged NY gang member reportedly carries out at least 3 drive-by shootings after being freed without bail on attempted murder @ @ @ @ @ reportedly 'went right back to shooting '

A Brooklyn man is in federal custody for the second time since May after allegedly participating in at least three drive-by shootings across the city.
He was released without bail in May on attempted murder charges, according to the New York Post, and reportedly "went right back to shooting."
What are the details?
Federal prosecutors say 23-year-old Darrius Sutton was arrested in May in connection with an East New York shooting.
The shooting left a victim seriously injured.
Authorities charged Sutton with attempted murder, but he was released without bail the same day of his arrest after the sole witness in the incident recanted their testimony.
Sutton — who reportedly belongs to the Bloods — reportedly joined others in a string of drive-by shootings between his release and July.
“At the time of arraignment, the sole eyewitness had recanted so we did not have sufficient evidence to keep the defendant in custody," a spokesman for the DA said in a statement about the May incident. “The investigation is continuing and we hope other witnesses come forward."
No stranger to gun violence
It would seem that Sutton is no stranger to gun violence. The outlet reported that the suspect reportedly participated in no less than six shootings over the last year, citing federal prosecutors' allegations.
He was reportedly caught on CCTV footage firing a weapon at another person.
“The defendant's violent spree over the last year has left at least seven individuals with gunshot wounds," federal prosecutors said, according to the Post. “That these events did not lead to seven deaths is entirely fortuitous."
Sutton was arrested last week, and is now in federal custody pending a trial.
The Post reported that he faces up to 10 years in prison on federal charges for criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.


theblaze--2020-08-05--WATCH Chad Prather: Here's why 'history' sucks and what to do about it

WATCH Chad Prather : Here 's why 'history ' sucks and what to do about it

Chad Prather asked Americans to stop Wednesday and think about who writes history? Who wrote what we were taught? And who is writing history now?
Chad's rant covered issues created by what he identified as "Wokeism" — a mindset that stems from Americans' fashionable self-loathing for scars from the nation's past — and explained how the mindset is winning the war on history.
Chad asserted that woke culture is on a mission to rewrite history books by changing historical facts like the date our Founding Fathers founded the nation to an earlier period in history that is more consistent with the progressive left's love affair with racism.
He explained how he is open and accepting of the fact that different people have different views, but he draws the line when educators push their woke agenda on his kids.
Chad warned that if parents refuse to teach their children historical truth now, the education system ensures that future generations will accept their progressive version of "history" and embrace fiction.
"We are in trouble as a culture as a society and as a nation, and we will lose where we are going if we do not do something," he said.
Watch the video below to hear Chad's remedy for systemic wokeism that will help parents teach their children the truth about America's greatness.
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theblaze--2020-08-05--Death toll climbs over 100 in Beirut explosion; hundreds more missing as frantic search for survivor

Death toll climbs over 100 in Beirut explosion; hundreds more missing as frantic search for survivors continues

Death toll climbs over 100 in Beirut explosion ; hundreds more missing as frantic search for survivors continues

The official death toll in the massive explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday has risen to 135 as of the time of this article; however, Lebanese authorities warn that the final toll could be much higher as the search continues for hundreds who are still missing after the devastating blast.
The true extent of the devastation in the Lebanese capital is just beginning to come to light 24 hours after videos and pictures of the explosion rocked the world. Buildings have been damaged for miles around and a large, gaping crater at the explosion site can be seen on satellite footage.
Lebanon does not conduct a regular census of its cities' populations, but most estimates place the number of people living in and around Beirut at between 1 million and 2 million people. The damage is so extensive that Beirut's governor estimates that more than 300,000 people are currently homeless, and may remain so for several months as the city attempts to piece itself back together.
Destroyed rooftops and facades are visible from a high-rise building a day after a massive explosion occurred at the port on Aug. 5, 2020 in Beirut, Lebanon. (Photo by Marwah Tatah/Getty Images)
According to The Telegraph, the city's hospitals are already overwhelmed with over 5,000 who were injured in the blast, even as workers continue to search through the rubble searching for more wounded survivors. Many hospitals were also damaged in the blast, forcing them to evacuate existing patients outside for care.
Additionally, Fox News reported that over 85% of Lebanon's food storage is housed in Beirut, and that damage to some structures may lead to widespread famine in the country in the absence of foreign aid, which is already arriving.
Although the investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing, the government claims that the explosion was likely caused when a container that was storing 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate ignited on the dock at the port.
The chemical — which is used in fertilizer and was one of the primary components of the bomb constructed by Timothy McVeigh and his conspirators in the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City — had been seized by Lebanese authorities in 2014 and apparently left on the dock to sit since then.
Buildings lie ruined near the city's port, devastated by an explosion Tuesday in Beirut, Lebanon. (Photo by Marwan Tatah/Getty images)
By way of perspective, the total amount of all chemicals used by McVeigh in his bomb was less than four tons.
The Lebanese government has placed the port officials who were in charge of the dock where the explosion occurred under house arrest and promised a full and transparent investigation into the blast.


theblaze--2020-08-05--NYC Mayor de Blasio sets up COVID-19 quarantine checkpoints at city's bridges and tunnels, threatens

NYC Mayor de Blasio sets up COVID-19 quarantine checkpoints at city's bridges and tunnels, threatens violators with $10,000 fines

NYC Mayor de Blasio sets up COVID-19 quarantine checkpoints at city 's bridges and tunnels , threatens violators with $ @ @ @ @ @ redux might not be the best look

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would be seriously cracking down on anyone coming from the nearly three dozen states that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has placed on a must-quarantine list.
The mayor's crackdown includes randomized checks at bridges and tunnels into the city as well as fines of up to $10,000 for failing to follow quarantine orders.
What's he doing?
The mayor declared during a press briefing Wednesday that New York would be immediately instituting a number of checkpoints at major city entry points, WINS-AM reported. The goal is to make sure that people traveling into the city from Cuomo's travel advisory list understand that they must quarantine themselves for 14 days.
Cuomo's list includes 34 states — Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin — and Puerto Rico.
"Starting today, we're going to do something new in New York City: We will have checkpoints at key entry points to the city," de Blasio announced.
"Travelers coming in from those [travel advisory] states will be given information about the quarantine," he continued. "They will be reminded that it is required, not optional. They will be reminded that failure to quarantine is a violation of state law, and it comes with serious penalties. In fact, under certain circumstances, the fines can be as high as $10,000."
"So this is serious stuff," de Blasio added, "and it's time for everyone to realize it."
Mayor Bill de Blasio Holds Media Availability youtu.be
The checkpoints, which will be "varying daily," according to a slide show running during de Blasio's announcement, will be run by the New York City Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies.
Sheriff Joseph Fucito stated that the goal is not to "target out-of-state residents" but to "educate people who have spent time at COVID-19 hot spots, regardless of their residence when they come to New York," WINS said.
He highlighted the importance of having the checkpoint practices randomized, saying, "The only way to have an effective checkpoint is having a random component to it," and noting that deputies would use license plate readers to count vehicles to stop at random, according to WINS.
This new quarantine enforcement tactic is in addition to the state's Traveler Health Form out-of-state air travelers are required to fill out before leaving a New York airport. Travelers who fail to fill out the form before leaving the airport are subject to a $2,000 fine and can be ordered to complete mandatory quarantine. Travelers coming into the city from designated states via trains, cars, or other forms of transportation are required to fill out the form online.


theblaze--2020-08-05--Horowitz: Moving the goal posts: Global elites hint that corona restrictions will continue forever

Horowitz : Moving the goal posts : Global elites hint that corona restrictions will continue forever Welcome to the `` @ @ @ @ @ if there is a vaccine

“Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty! I say that the loss of that dearest privilege has ever followed, with absolute certainty, every such mad attempt." ~ Patrick Henry
Imagine if the media, politicians, and corporate health care industry would have told people they'd be restricted and forced to wear masks indefinitely because of a virus that is no worse than a pandemic flu for most people? Well, this entire lockdown mentality would have never gotten off the ground. Which is why it started with a sensible idea of 15 days to slow the spread.
But as we soar past 140 days to eradicate a respiratory virus, it's time for the free people of this country to realize that the freedom will not be restored on its own – ever – unless we grab it back. They are not even hiding their motivation anymore.
The only way the governing elites were able to sucker people into surrendering their liberties was by promising an expeditious vaccine. But now that they have already acculturated people to a “new normal," they are revealing the truth – that they plan to control our lives forever, even if there is a vaccine.
When announcing the promising release of impending vaccines, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the media on Monday there is "no silver bullet at the moment — and there might never be." One would expect his next sentence to say, “and therefore these measures really don't work and are unsustainable so we need to go on with our lives and achieve herd immunity through healthier people." Then he added the following: “The message to people and governments is clear: Do it all. And when it's under control, keep going."
In other words, control forever. This was never about waiting until a vaccine, which in itself was an unprecedent illogical strategy. The lockdowns and mask mandates are not viewed even as a means to an end or a necessary evil, but the end itself.
When announcing the immoral, illogical, and dangerous policy of mandating mask wearing on all school children in Ohio on Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine said, “That is what the norm should be."
In an effort to accustom people to this “new normal," as the Miami government puts it, the Washington Post ran an article over the weekend titled, “A coronavirus vaccine won't change the world right away."
“It seems, to me, unlikely that a vaccine is an off-switch or a reset button where we will go back to pre-pandemic times," said Yonatan Grad, an assistant professor of infectious diseases and immunology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The Post references the classic mitigating factors against vaccine efficacy:
Deploying the vaccine to people in the United States and around the world will test and strain distribution networks, the supply chain, public trust and global cooperation. It will take months or, more likely, years to reach enough people to make the world safe. For those who do get a vaccine as soon as shots become available, protection won't be immediate — it takes weeks for the immune system to call up full platoons of disease-fighting antibodies. And many vaccine technologies will require a second shot weeks after the first to raise immune defenses. Immunity could be short-lived or partial, requiring repeated boosters that strain the vaccine supply or require people to keep social distancing and wearing masks even after they've received their shots. And if a vaccine works less well for some groups of people, if swaths of the population are reluctant to get a vaccine or if there isn't enough to go around, some people will still get sick even after scientists declare victory on a vaccine — which could help foster a false impression it doesn't work.
In addition, CNN is warning that the vaccine might not work on obese people, as has been the case with the flu vaccine. Well, obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for getting a dangerous case of COVID-19, so what good is a vaccine that can't protect the most vulnerable?
They don't realize it, but they are refuting the one talking point in favor of these tyrannical measures. The entire premise of deviating from the tried and tested method of achieving herd immunity with those who have very low death rates was that it was worth waiting this out for a vaccine. Now they are admitting the obvious – that vaccines for respiratory flu-like viruses are not nearly full proof, especially when concocted this quickly.
The entire corona panic porn industry is admitting they will not only force you to take that vaccine – actually, an endless series of vaccines – but that will be just the beginning, not the end of the tyranny. The tyranny is the end to itself.
In other words, this will not end until and unless we make this end. The virus will end when we achieve de facto immunity, which increasingly appears to be only 15%-25% in most places. However, the tyranny won't end even after eradication, once they get everyone acclimated to the “new normal."
If you think things can't get worse in America, just look how quickly people are abiding by the most draconian mask mandates on young children, even though our own government has stated for years that they don't work and are harmful to children. Australian police are now breaking into people's homes to monitor quarantines and have deployed the military to repress its people every bit as much as China did. That can happen here as well.
As Frederick Douglass warned, “Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them."


theblaze--2020-08-05--Gun sales shatter records amid mass protests, 'defund the police' movement

'This is probably the strongest level of demand that I 've seen '

As violent crime surges across the United States amid the "defund the police" movement, gun sales have also skyrocketed.
There were an estimated 1,795,602 gun sales in July, the Washington Free Beacon reported, shattering previous records for the same month. The number was an increase of 133% compared to July 2019.
Joe Raedle/Getty Image
FBI statistics confirmed the firearm purchasing boom.
The bureau conducted more than 3.6 million background checks in July, the third-highest month for background checks since the FBI began keeping related statistics more than 20 years ago, according to CNN. The background checks are required for every purchase made from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
By comparison, the FBI conducted about 2 million background checks during the same one-month period last year.
Americans are purchasing firearms at an eye-popping rate during the coronavirus pandemic and racial unrest that has gripped the nation for more than two months.
The only two months that saw more FBI background checks for firearm purchases were in March — when 3.74 million background checks were conducted — and in June when an all-time record of 3.91 million background checks were completed.
According to Fox News, more than 2.5 million firearm purchasers in 2020 were first-time buyers, while the Free Beacon reported that firearm ownership in the black community is setting records.
From the Free Beacon:
Gun dealers reported a 58.2 percent increase in black customers in 2020—the most rapid growth of any ethnic group, according to a survey from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), which represents gun makers and dealers. More than eight million guns have been sold in 2020, according to background-check records, and many purchasers are first-time gun owners.
The record-setting sales and firearm interest has led to record profits for gun manufactures, like Ruger and Smith & Wesson.
And according to Chris Killoy, chief executive officer of Sturm, Ruger & Company, the sales boom shows no sign of slowing down.
"Having been in this industry for 30 years, I saw the surge in 1994 before the assault weapons ban took place," Killoy told investors last Thursday, the Free Beacon reported. "This is probably the strongest level of demand that I've seen. One of the most significant differences is how it has impacted all levels of the channel and the impact on inventory at all levels."
The boom, Killoy explained, is driven by three factors: the COVID-19 pandemic, mass protests, and the call for reduction of law enforcement.


theblaze--2020-08-05--Condoleezza Rice criticizes liberals for believing they know how black people should think

Condoleezza Rice criticizes liberals for believing they know how black people should think Looking at you , Joe Biden

The left has a bad habit of thinking they know how black people should think and assuming that they think a certain way just because of their race, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the New York Times' Peter Baker during the Aspen Security Forum.
A high-profile example of Rice's assertion came from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in May, when Biden told radio host Charlamagne Tha God, who is black, that anyone who isn't sure about voting for Biden over President Donald Trump "ain't black."
"I don't really care if we're colorblind, but I would like to get to the place that when you see somebody who is black, you don't have preconceived notions of what they're capable of, who they are — by the way, what they think, which is a big problem of the left," Rice said. "You look at somebody who's black and you think you know what they think, or you at least think you know what they ought to think."
Rice told Baker that she does believe systemic racism exists and that the country is still dealing with the long-term impact of the "birth defect" of slavery in the United States. But in Rice's view, it isn't helpful to talk about it only in general terms — there needs to be specific solutions targeting specific problems.
"I am not one who believes you can just sort of 'take on systemic racism,' I don't even know how to start," Rice said. "I do think you can take on the impact of the educational system for minority kids that leaves most of them behind. I think you can take that on. But people might not like my answer. My answer is: Let's do school choice in a big way."
School choice, which President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are vocal advocates for, is a system in which the government distributes education tax dollars back to families so they can choose the best educational fit for their kids, whether that's public, private, charter, or home school.
School choice advocates argue that it is a way to correct educational disparities that often leave minorities in poor communities with no ability to pursue a quality education, since their kids have to go to the public school that corresponds with where they live.
In the interview, Rice criticized the extreme stances of people on both sides of the public monument debate. She said she doesn't know why people would defend Confederate monuments, and at the same time she doesn't understand why people want to tear down statues of Abraham Lincoln and slaves.
(H/T: Fox News)


theblaze--2020-08-05--Black critics, lawmakers shred billionaire liberal Oprah Winfrey as a fraud and more after she bizar

Black critics, lawmakers shred billionaire liberal Oprah Winfrey as a fraud and more after she bizarrely encourages white people to admit racism

Black critics , lawmakers shred billionaire liberal Oprah Winfrey as a fraud and more after she bizarrely encourages white people @ @ @ @ @ this spectacularly backfired on the media maven

Black critics and lawmakers alike castigated Oprah Winfrey for a video that went viral Tuesday.
The video, part of Winfrey's series "The Oprah Conversation," featured the namesake host encouraging white guests to admit to their racism and insisting that all white people have a "leg up" because of their skin color.
What are people saying about all this?
The latest episode of the AppleTV+ series, which featured activist and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho, spoke with white guests about topics such as whiteness, white privilege, and racism.
Irene Armendariz-Jackson, a Texas Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, blasted the billionaire progressive on social media, writing, "And now why is Oprah, maybe the richest black woman in the world, trying to shame white people as privileged? Miss Winfrey, you are the personification of WHITE PRIVILEGE!"
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also took to social media and shared The Blaze's Tuesday reporting on the matter, blasting Winfrey's remarks as "utter, racist BS."
He wrote, "Billionaire Oprah lectures the rest of us: 'You still have your whiteness. That's what the term "white privilege" is. It means that whiteness still gives you an advantage, no matter.' What utter, racist, BS."
Conservative commentator Wayne Dupree added, "Billionaire Oprah is now shaming white people for all their 'easy success' in life."
David Harris Jr., popular conservative author and speaker, added, "She makes me sick."
In an essay of his own, Harris Jr. wrote, "Using white 'SJW' activists, some who are members of ANTIFA, as proof that 'white' people when 'Woke' can admit that they ARE racists, just like the rest of the white population, who are yet to self realize it. Sickening, and must be challenged for what it is, Malcolm X re-packaged for 2020's snowflakes and BLM activism."
Kimberly Klacik, U.S. House candidate from Maryland, added, "Oprah Winfrey trying to profit off of a manufactured racial divide while being a billionaire when so many people are facing eviction is the sort of nonsense #CancelCulture should attack. But, the cancel culture mob have proven to be not so bright."
Podcaster Chris Stigall also ripped the 66-year-old Winfrey for her remarks, calling her a "fraud."
Stigall shared TheBlaze's report on Winfrey's show via Twitter, captioning it, "Said the billionaire made a billionaire by her overwhelmingly white audience. What a fraud."
What did Oprah say?
"There are white people who are not as powerful as the system of white people — the caste system that's been put in place — but they still, no matter where they are on the rung, or the ladder of success, they still have their whiteness," Winfrey said in the viral video.
"[Whites have a] leg up," she insisted. "You still have your whiteness. That's what the term 'white privilege' is. It means that whiteness still gives you an advantage, no matter. It is the fundamental issue."


theblaze--2020-08-05--GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler rips WNBA — including players on the team she owns — for showing up to games

GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler rips WNBA — including players on the team she owns — for showing up to games in shirts backing her opponent

GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler rips WNBA — including players on the team she owns — for showing up to games @ @ @ @ @ Players are upset over her BLM stance and want the league to strip her of @ @

Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler is not a fan of the WNBA's decision to have players sport "Black Lives Matter" and "Say Her Name" on their jerseys, and she let the league commissioner know it.
The fact that a U.S. senator is publicly calling out the WNBA is interesting enough. What makes Loeffler's complaint carry more weight is she's a co-owner of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream.
The senator's statements set off WNBA players, including members of her own team, who have now taken to wearing T-shirts supporting Loeffler's Democratic challenger to their games and demanding that the league strip her of her ownership.
And now Loeffler is blasting her players for their latest antics.
What's going on?
Earlier this summer, Loeffler wrote a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert asking that the league reverse its decision to emblazon team jerseys with "Black Lives Matter" and "Say Her Name" and replace the statements with American flags, the New York Post noted.
Following the senator's request that the league change its plans to spread the Black Lives Matter messaging, the WNBA players union tweeted, "E-N-O-U-G-H! O-U-T!" and insisted that the league remove Loeffler as co-owner of the Dream.
Now WNBA players — including members of Loeffler's team — are wearing "Vote Warnock" shirts to promote the candidacy of the GOP senator's Democratic opponent, the Rev. Raphael Warnock.
According to ESPN, the pro-Warnock shirts are more than just a few upset players making a statement. Rather they are part of a plan by the WNBA's executive committee to respond to Loeffler's statements because, as Dream center Elizabeth Williams, who tweeted a photo of herself donning a "Vote Warnock" shirt, told the outlet, "for effective change to happen, there has to be policy changes. And so if we're going to sit here and talk about wanting justice reform, part of that is making sure that we have officials in office that understand that."
Loeffler responded to the T-shirt campaign in a statement on her campaign website Wednesday morning, blasting the WNBA and the country's "out of control cancel culture" that tries to silence and shame anyone who might disagree with them:
This is just more proof that the out of control cancel culture wants to shut out anyone who disagrees with them. It's clear that the league is more concerned with playing politics than basketball, and I stand by what I wrote in June:
We come together around sports, but promoting a political agenda divides us rather than unites us. The lives of every African American matter, and there's no place for racism in our country. But I oppose the BLM political organization due to its radical ideas and Marxist foundations, which include defunding the police and eroding the nuclear family. On the other hand, our flag represents our values of freedom and equality for all. If we can't unite behind our flag, much less the national anthem during this struggle, then what keeps us together? It's sad to see that there's more interest in tearing our country apart than in solutions that bring us together. I'll continue to defend American values and our flag, because this is not a game – it's the future of our country.
Who's idea was it to make shirts?
Williams said Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird was the first to come up with the idea of campaigning for Loeffler's opponent.
Asked by ESPN about the move, Bird said:
This was a situation where given what was said in regards to the owner of Atlanta and how, basically, she came out against a lot of what the women in our league stand for, I think was emotionally tough for a lot of the women in our league to hear that. But very quickly we started to realize that this was only happening for her political gain. This was something that she wanted. And the more noise we made, whether it was a tweet saying to get her out, that was just playing into her hands.
I'm not some political strategist, but what I do know is that voting is important. And I think our league has always encouraged people to use their voices and to get out and vote.
More from Bird via ESPN:


theblaze--2020-08-05--Videos capture Portland rioters bent on burning police precincts coming for neighborhoods, setting d

Videos capture Portland rioters bent on burning police precincts coming for neighborhoods, setting dumpster fires. One US flag-caped woman intervenes.

Videos capture Portland rioters bent on burning police precincts coming for neighborhoods , setting dumpster fires .
One US flag-caped @ @ @ @ @ it would happen

Rioters converged on Portland neighborhoods on Tuesday evening, chanting, "Every city, every town. Burn the precincts to the ground."
In at least one video of the fiery carnage, an unidentified woman in an American flag cape attempts to quell at least one street fire. Other videos show burning dumpsters and reports allege that shots were even fired at one point during the melee.
The new developments come on Day 68 of protests, riots, and demonstrations following the police killing of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis.
What are the details?
As highlighted Wednesday by The Daily Wire, an unruly mob marched through the Oregon city's streets and into neighborhoods insisting that they would burn down police precincts until police-community relations changed.
"Every city, every town, burn the precincts to the ground," the group mindlessly chanted while attempting to set buildings on fire by any means possible.
(Content warning: Rough language):
KOIN-TV reporter Hannah Ray Lambert was at the scene, where she caught some of the vandalism attempts on video, including a dumpster fire in the middle of the street.
Other videos captured several attempts to burn down city structures.
"Dumpster on fire in the middle of the street," Lambert shared.
"Some people put flaming cardboard up against the building," Lambert later revealed in a tweet. "Then the person in [a] flag cape started putting it out. Some people yelled that they were a cop."
A woman can, indeed, be seen marching up to the burning cardboard, which was laid up against a building, and began dismantling the burning heap by stamping it out and separating the pieces.
The crowd immediately began booing and shouting for her to stop extinguishing the fire, but she refused.
The unnamed woman then turned to the crowd and demanded, "Stop hurting us!"
Some of the crowd then insisted that the woman was a cop. She fired back, "I could be a cop! ... I wish I was!"
Other demonstrators who appear to be with the woman — or at least agree with her actions — were also seen dumping water bottles on the smoldering embers.
(Content warning: Rough language):
Reports of gunfire in the area
KOIN also reported that several shots rang out near North Mobile Avenue in the city, and then again a second time approximately 15 minutes later near North Lombard Street, near the Portland Police Association office.
The station reported no injuries as a result of the shots fired, but pointed out that a vehicle was struck.
'May subject you to use of crowd control agents and/or impact weapons'
In a statement, the Portland Police Department said that the rioting would not be tolerated, and that demonstrators would be subject to any and all crowd control tactics if necessary.
"Some people in the crowd on N. Lombard St. and N. Campbell Ave. are involved in criminal activity," the statement read. "It appears these people are trying to break into the Portland Police Association office. To those attempting to break into and/or damage the Portland Police Association building: Stop now or you may be cited, arrested, or subject to use of force. If you are at this location to peacefully protest, know this criminal behavior is occurring and leave the area now."
The department insisted that the situation outside of the Portland Police Association office was a riot at the time, and ordered congregants to immediately leave the area.
"Failure to comply with this order may subject you to citation or arrest, and may subject you to use of crowd control agents and/or impact weapons," the statement added.


theblaze--2020-08-05--CDC warns parents: Rare, polio-like virus that affects young children will see cases peak in 2020

CDC warns parents : Rare , polio-like virus that affects young children will see cases peak in 2020 CDC is @ @ @ @ @ during the COVID-19 outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday that parents need to be on the lookout this fall for a rare "life-threatening" virus that affects young children.
According to the CDC, this year will be a peak year for acute flaccid myelitis, a rare, polio-like virus that causes paralysis in young children.
"As we head into these critical next months, CDC is taking necessary steps to help clinicians better recognize signs and symptoms of AFM in children," CDC Director Robert Redfield said. "Recognition and early diagnosis are critical. CDC and public health partners have strengthened early disease detection systems, a vital step toward rapid treatment and rehabilitation for children with AFM."
AFM symptoms include:
Limb weakness and paralysis
Fever
Difficulty walking, talking, or swallowing
Headache
Back or neck pain
Facial weakness
Recent or current respiratory illness
"Multiple viruses, including West Nile virus, adenovirus, and nonpolio enteroviruses, are known to cause AFM," according to the CDC.
At a media briefing on Tuesday, Thomas Clark, deputy director of CDC's division of viral diseases, said there is concern about the peak of AFM amid coronavirus outbreak.
"We are concerned that, in the midst of a COVID pandemic, that cases might not be recognized as AFM, or we are concerned that parents might be worried about taking their child to the doctor if they develop something as serious as limb weakness," Clark said.
The disease, which on average peaks every other year, affected 238 young children in 2018; the median age for infection was 5 years old and 58% of those infected were male.
Shockingly, 98% of those who contracted AFM in 2018 required hospitalization, 54% were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 1-in-4 required the use of a ventilator.
According to the CDC, "AFM is a medical emergency and patients should seek immediate medical care." Delaying medical care increases the likelihood of permanent neurological damage in patents.
The disease is expected to peak between August and November.


theblaze--2020-08-05--Immigrant student sues college over 'Soviet-style interrogation and punishment,' charging him with h

Immigrant student sues college over 'Soviet-style interrogation and punishment,' charging him with hate crime over his social media posts on Tiananmen Square, BLM

Immigrant student sues college over 'Soviet-style interrogation and punishment , ' charging him with hate crime over his social media @ @ @ @ @ BLM He 's ready to take on the school

Former Fordham University student Austin Tong is suing the school for banning him from the campus and from participating in any extracurricular activities affiliated with the school.
In short ...
The school banned Tong, a Chinese immigrant, from the campus and its associated activities after sharing a photo of himself holding a legally owned gun on Instagram in June to honor the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre.
The school also took issue with a post that was apparently critical of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Now he's filling a lawsuit against the school for a violation of First Amendment rights.
You can read more about Tong's Instagram posts here.
What are the details?
Tong's lawsuit insists that the school discriminated against him and attempted to suppress his First Amendment rights even though a "significant motivation for Tong's social media posts was his desire to recognize a historically significant event for Chinese-Americans."
Dean of Students Keith Eldredge informed Tong that the school would be conducting an investigation into his social media posts because they reportedly made "members of the Fordham community" feel "threatened."
Following the investigation, Eldredge announced that Tong would not be permitted on campus unless he received expressed permission from Eldredge. Tong was also directed to remotely finish his 2020-21 academic year and could not participate in in-person instruction.
The suit insists that the school permit Tong to exercise free expression, a protected right under the school's policies and rules.
"Tong will not and should not have to comply with either of these requirements because he plainly did not violate any Fordham policies or rules and will not and should not have to submit to punishment for exercising his constitutional rights, and will not and should not have to compromise his good faith beliefs, principals, and virtues," a portion of the suit reads according to Campus Reform.
In addition to banning him from campus and forcing him into distance learning, Tong said that the school imposed "Soviet-style interrogation" tactics to question him about the innocuous social media posts.
The suit points out that the school "violated its own policies and rules, which unequivocally commit the University to the protection and encouragement of free speech and expression."
"[Fordham University] breached their end of the bargain with respect to the implied contract by imposing irrational discipline against Tong as set forth herein," the suit points out, which insists that the student is "entitled to damages incidental to the primary relief requested herein."
Tong and his legal team filed the suit at the Supreme Court of the State of New York on July 23.
Campus Reform attempted to receive a statement from a Fordham spokesperson on the matter, but received none at the time of this reporting.
Blaze Media reached out to Fordham University for a comment on the pending litigation, but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Student Banned From Campus For Posting Picture With A Gun www.youtube.com
A 'reflection of the constitutional crisis we are facing today' as Americans
Following his initial removal from the school, Tong told Campus Reform that his status as an immigrant places him in a unique position to appreciate all that America's constitutionally protected rights have to offer.
"As an immigrant, a big beauty of America to me is the right it gives its citizens to bear arms, not only to protect themselves, but also to keep the government in check," he explained at the time.
"I hope to use my punishment as a milestone and reflection of the constitutional crisis we are facing today as a society," Tong added.
In late July, Tong told the the Washington Free Beacon that he refuses to apologize for the social media posts.
Tong's lawyer, Brett Josphe, added, "For a mere $50,000 a year in tuition, Fordham has smeared our client's reputation and permanently damaged his career prospects. This behavior by the school and its officials shocks the conscience, and there should be a heavy price to pay."
Anything else?


theblaze--2020-08-05--POLL: Do you believe Joe Biden is physically and mentally fit for office?

POLL : Do you believe Joe Biden is physically and mentally fit for office ?
Cast your vote and do @ @ @ @ @

POLL: Do you believe Joe Biden is physically and mentally fit for office?
Cast your vote and don't forget to share!


theblaze--2020-08-05--Some Georgia schools struggle to socially distance, manage COVID-19 cases as they reopen

Some Georgia schools struggle to socially distance , manage COVID-19 cases as they reopen It 's going to be an @ @

Some schools in Georgia have opened for in-person classes, but reopening has come with the reality of the difficulty of social distancing and the impact a single positive COVID-19 case can have on the rest of the school, CBS News reported.
Pictures circulated online of students packed in hallways, with few of them wearing masks, and showing students getting together in groups for first day of school pictures. Educators are optimistic or hopeful that students and teachers will be safe, but theories about how the virus may spread in school environments will be put to the test.
Cherokee Independent School District Superintendent Brian Hightower on Friday sent a stern message to school teachers and staff, implying they may need to seek employment elsewhere if they didn't like the plan to reopen — although he pulled back on that some after criticism. From CBS News:
"For those of you who are unhappy with various facets of our reopening plan, I ask you to reflect on the best direction for you in your role with CCSD," Hightower wrote.
On Saturday, Hightower wrote another email saying he heard from "several" employees and he "should have done a much better job of sharing my appreciation for both your efforts and concerns as it relates to our school reopening."
Statistically children have been shown to be at an extremely low risk of serious illness when infected with COVID-19. However, the highly contagious nature of the virus means that even a minor or asymptomatic case can shut down entire classes for weeks.
Sixes Elementary School in Cherokee County had one second-grade student test positive for COVID-19, which required the entire class of 20 students, and the teacher, to quarantine at home for two weeks, during which time the students will engage in online instruction.
For the parents of those students who are forced to be home for two weeks regardless of whether they're sick, the quarantine could be highly disruptive to work schedules, creating an environment where the stakes are high in terms of the effort to keep classes infection-free. But, as one administrator told CBS, even mandating masks can be impractical or impossible.
"Wearing a mask is a personal choice and there is no practical way to enforce a mandate to wear them," Paulding County Superintendent Brian Ottot said.


theblaze--2020-08-05--LA County could redistribute nearly $1B from law enforcement to 'social programs'

LA County could redistribute nearly $ 1B from law enforcement to 'social programs' Officials denied it was a scheme to @ @ @

Los Angeles County residents will vote this November on whether to redistribute nearly $1 billion in funding from county law enforcement to "social programs."
According to KTTV-TV reporter Bill Melugin, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to include the charter amendment on November's ballot.
"It would strip $880 million away from Sheriff's Department, court system, DA's office, and redistribute it to low income areas/social programs," Melugin reported. "Supervisor Kathryn Barger was the lone 'no' vote, saying this proposal was rushed, wasn't transparent, had no feedback from stakeholders, and could result in job cuts to county employees as well as budget issues down the road. Other Supervisors say let the voters decide."
The proposal, which has been dubbed "Reimagining L.A. County," mandates that at least 10% of the county's net cost be earmarked for "social programs," according to Melugin.
Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said the program is not about defunding the police, but rather expanding the so-called social safety net, KTTV reported.
"It's time to bring our budget into alignment with our actions, intentions and vision. The supervisors have said we want to move people from custody to care, and our constituents are pleading with us to expand housing and treatment options and stop relying on punitive, outdated law enforcement tactics," she said.
If approved by voters, the program, whose goal is "to address the disproportionate impact of racial injustice," would be fully implemented by June 2024.
More from KTTV:
If passed by voters, the charter amendment would allocate funds to be spent in a number of broad categories, including youth development programs, job training for low-income communities, access to capital for minority-owned businesses, rent assistance and affordable housing, community-based health services and jail diversion programs.
It would prohibit such funds being used for or redistributed through law enforcement or correctional agencies, including the District Attorney's Office, but would not prohibit its use to cover costs related to trial courts. The ordinance cites only a percentage of "the county's locally generated unrestricted revenues in the general fund," not an absolute number.
Not surprisingly, the program would adversely impact public safety, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva warned last week, explaining he would be forced to close several patrol stations in the county.


theblaze--2020-08-06--Los Angeles to shut off utilities to homes and businesses that host unauthorized large gatherings

Los Angeles to shut off utilities to homes and businesses that host unauthorized large gatherings Mayor Eric Garcetti ( D @ @ @ @ @ shut down 'permanently '

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) announced Wednesday night that by the end of the week, the city will start cutting off water and electric services to homes and businesses caught holding unauthorized large gatherings in violation of COVID-19 restrictions.
The mayor says he wants offenders shut down "permanently."
What are the details?
"Recently we've seen the reports of some large parties and gatherings in flagrant violation of health ordinances," Garcetti said during a news conference. "As our county Department of Public Health said yesterday, and I quote, 'The highest risk settings are large, in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least six feet apart and where face coverings are not worn."
Despite the fact that Garcetti himself was pictured (see photo above) mask-less among crowds of crammed-together George Floyd protesters weeks ago, he says it's time to crack down on others who host gatherings that are not permitted by the government.
The mayor went on to say that with bars and nightclubs shut down already under his commands, "these large house parties have essentially become night clubs in the hills."
So, he has authorized the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to cut services to anyone busted allowing people to assemble in "large" gatherings without permission, starting Friday night.
According to Fox News, Garcetti said his aim is for the utility department to use their new powers against offenders to "shut these places down permanently."
"By turning off that power, shutting off that water, we feel we can close these places down, which usually are not one-time offenders but multiple offenders," he explained.
Los Angeles to cut water and power to homes hosting large gatherings amid pandemic www.youtube.com
A KTTV-TV reporter tweeted that Gardetti's "move comes after a massive mansion party took place in #BeverlyCrest on Monday night" that "ended with a shooting that left one woman dead and two others critically injured."
He added, "Police tell us the party on Mullholland Drive was gang related."
Garcetti used the example of the Mullholland Drive house party during his conference, and assured citizens that only the most "egregious" offenders would face having their utilities shut off. However, repeat offenders will face criminal charges on top of having utilities cut to their property.
Another KTTV reporter asked the mayor about the legality of his new order, and Garcetti replied that city attorneys assure him the order is "rooted in strong law."
The Democrat added, "We know we can do this."


theblaze--2020-08-06--Twitter temporarily banned Trump campaign from tweeting, claiming they shared a false video about CO

Twitter temporarily banned Trump campaign from tweeting, claiming they shared a false video about COVID-19

Twitter temporarily banned Trump campaign from tweeting , claiming they shared a false video about COVID-19

Twitter temporarily banned the Trump 2020 campaign from tweeting on its social media platform until it deleted a video about the coronavirus on Wednesday.
Liz Kelley, a spokesperson for Twitter, told the Washington Post that the video was "in violation of the Twitter Rules on COVID-19 misinformation."
She added that the "account owner will be required to remove the Tweet before they can Tweet again."
The Trump Team tweet contained a video of President Donald Trump from an interview with Fox News where he said that children were "almost immune" from the coronavirus.
Facebook also took down a post from the president about children contracting coronavirus on Wednesday.
"This video includes false claims that a group of people is immune from COVID-19 which is a violation of our policies around harmful COVID misinformation," said Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Facebook.
The account resumed tweeting after the video was deleted.
An earlier version of the report from the Washington Post claimed that Twitter had banned the president's account, but it was revised soon afterward.
Here's CNN criticizing Trump for the comments he made:


theblaze--2020-08-07--Congressman urges DOJ to investigate 'disturbing trend' of attacks on churches across the country

Congressman urges DOJ to investigate 'disturbing trend ' of attacks on churches across the country Some of the attacks were @ @ @ @ @ Floyd riots

A congressman urged the Department of Justice to investigate what he called a "disturbing trend" of attacks and vandalism on churches across the nation.
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) made the request in a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Wednesday after a rash of attacks on Catholic churches in his district.
"Since June, there have been nearly a dozen reported attacks on Catholic churches around the nation. These disturbing attacks range from arson to the beheading of a statue of the Virgin Mary," wrote Fleischmann, who is Catholic.
"I find these attacks to be a disturbing trend, happening in multiple areas across the nation, including within my own congressional district," he added.
"In times of uncertainty we naturally turn to religion for comfort and peace, something many Americans are seeking as we combat COVID-19, but these attacks add another level of distress for many across our nation," Fleischmann continued.
"I commend the Department of Justice's commitment," he concluded, "under your leadership, to combating religious discrimination and I look forward to our continued work together to uphold and protect religious freedom in the United States."
Rising hatred against religion
Churches have been targeted for looting and arson across the United States in recent months. Some of the attacks have been a part of the rioting stemming from the protests over the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody in late May.
Some of the rioting focused on statues meant to honor saints of the Catholic church. In San Francisco, California, a group of around 100 rioters toppled a statue of Catholic missionary St. Junipero Serra, despite historic evidence that he defended the rights of Native Americans.
In another recent case of vandalism against a church, someone wrote racist threats on the air conditioning unit of the Murph-Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in North Highlands, California.
Here's a news video of a recent case of church vandalism:


theblaze--2020-08-07--GOP rep: Jerry Falwell Jr should step down as Liberty University president over 'appalling' behavior

GOP rep : Jerry Falwell Jr should step down as Liberty University president over 'appalling ' behavior

A Republican congressman with links to Liberty University declared Thursday that Jerry Falwell Jr. should resign his post as president of the institution, citing his "ongoing behavior" that the lawmaker called "appalling."
What are the details?
Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), a former pastor, tweeted, "Jerry Falwell Jr's ongoing behavior is appalling. As a Music Faculty Advisory Board Member and former instructor @LibertyU, I'm convinced Falwell should step down. None of us are perfect, but students, faculty, alumni and @LUPraise deserve better."
Walker did not get into specifics regarding what "behavior" he was referring to, but Falwell raised eyebrows earlier this week with a quickly deleted Instagram post showing him with his arm around a woman who is not his wife. Both were posing with their pants' zippers undone and Falwell was holding a dark-colored drink.
In the caption accompanying the photo, Falwell wrote, "More vacation shots. Lots of good friends visited us on the yacht. I promise that's just black water in my glass. It was a prop only."
At the time, Falwell took heat from conservative pundits including "The View's" Meghan McCain, who tweeted, "How is this Jerry Falwell Jr. photo even real? Also if you're running the largest Christian university in America maybe don't put photos of yourself on social media with your pants undone on a yacht - with random women in bad wigs. So gross, so hypocritical."
But Republican politicians have largely remained mum regarding the controversial photo posted by Falwell, who is an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump.
Politico reported that Falwell addressed the controversy on Wednesday during an interview with a radio station in Lynchburg, Virginia, which is his hometown and where the private Evangelical university is located.
"I've apologized to everybody," Falwell told WLNI-FM, "And I've promised my kids I'm going to try to be — I'm going to try to be a good boy from here on out."
Falwell said that the woman he posed with for the photo is his wife's assistant, and that the picture was "just in good fun."
"She's pregnant so she couldn't get her — she couldn't get her pants up," Falwell explained. "And I was like, trying to like — my — I had on a pair of jeans that I hadn't worn in a long time so I couldn't get mine zipped either. And so, I just put my belly out like hers."


theblaze--2020-08-07--'We could care less' — LeBron James laughs off Trump criticism of NBA players kneeling

'We could care less ' — LeBron James laughs off Trump criticism of NBA players kneeling

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James laughed off criticism from President Donald Trump over NBA players choosing to participate in kneeling protests before their games.
James told reporters on Wednesday that the game of basketball would do fine without the president watching.
"I really don't think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership, in viewing the game," responded James.
"I think our game is in a beautiful position, and we have fans all over the world and, uh, our fans not only love the way we play the game," he continued, "we try to give it back to them with our commitment to the game. But also respect what else we try to bring to the game, in acknowledging what's right and what's wrong."
James implied that in order to achieve the change that many were seeking, Trump would need to lose the election in November.
"I hope everyone, no matter the race, no matter the color, no matter their sides, see what leadership that we have at the top of our country and understand that November is right around the corner, and it's a big moment for us as Americans. If we continue to talk about what we want better, we want change, we have an opportunity to do that," James continued.
"But the game will go on without his eyes on it," he laughed.
"I can sit here and speak for all of us that love the game of basketball," James concluded. "We could care less."
'I just turn off the game'
James was responding to a question about comments the president made to Fox News in response to so many NBA players kneeling in protest as a part of the Black Lives Matter movement.
"I think it's disgraceful," Trump said. "We work very hard trying to get them open. I was pushing them to get open. And then I see everyone kneeling during the anthem. It's not acceptable to me. When I see them kneeling, I just turn off the game. I have no interest in the game."
James also laughed at the reporter repeating the president's claim that he had done more for African Americans than any other president except possibly Abraham Lincoln.
"Are you trying to make me laugh right now?" he chuckled.
Here's the full video of James' comments:


theblaze--2020-08-06--Activists block entry to Denver municipal building in effort to stop landlords from filing evictions

Activists block entry to Denver municipal building in effort to stop landlords from filing evictions Some fear eviction notices will @ @ @ @ @ pause for months

Organized activist groups held a demonstration Thursday in front of a municipal building in Denver, linking arms and blocking the entrance in an effort to keep landlords from entering to file eviction notices.
What are the details?
Anti-police group Afro Liberation Front organized the event, dubbed #CancelEvictionsNow, sending a message online telling followers, "join us during business hours to ensure no landlord passes our line." The group also advocates for abolishing the police and providing housing for all.
Protesters began arriving at the targeted Webb Municipal Office Building in the morning, promising to stay all day. Fellow progressive group Wall of Moms Denver also promoted the event online, tweeting, "We have a wall blocking one entrance. The more people that show up, the more entrances @AfroFrontCo can block to #StopEvictions."
Wall of Moms called on people to "come say hi and make some #GoodTrouble."
Denver Post reporter Sam Tabachnik was at the scene, and reported that a group of around 25 "activists linked arms to form a human chain" in front of the building.
Tabachnik wrote:
After police told activists they couldn't block the doors, people sat in a line in front of the building. But police soon told them that was also not allowed. Some 20 officers in SWAT gear and two officers on horses arrived, informing protesters they had three minutes to disperse or they would be subject to arrest.
Evictions resumed July 1 in Colorado after Gov. Jared Polis (D) lifted the moratorium he put in place in March as unemployment spiked due to the coronavirus crisis. However, the governor's executive order requires that landlords "provide tenants with thirty (30) days' notice of any default before initiating or filing action for forcible entry and detainer."
Advocacy groups fear the timing means those eviction notices will start rolling in, reflecting months of backlog. The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project estimates that between 300,000 and 400,000 Coloradans could face eviction and end up out on the streets.
Anything else?
Last week, a spokesman for the Denver Sheriff Department said the department has not yet seen the wave of evictions some expected.
"We anticipate a large influx, but that has not surfaced," Maj. Lanceford Alexander told KNCN-TV.
Alexander explained that serving an eviction notice is always a difficult task, and especially so amid the economic hardships caused by the pandemic.
"The people who are being evicted are going through a crisis," he told the outlet. "Deputies show up on scene, they talk to them, they offer resources. They try to be as professional as they can to be sure they're still being treated with dignity and respect."


theblaze--2020-08-06--Seth Rogen is taking 'anti-racist measures,' like actively hiring fewer white people

Rogan was asked how he was helping make Hollywood more inclusive

Hollywood actor and director Seth Rogen said that he was taking "anti-racist" measures to join the social justice movement, and one of those included singling out white people for fewer roles in his movies.
Rogen made the comments in an interview with Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly that was published on Monday.
"One of the biggest conversations of the last couple years, at least in Hollywood, has been around inclusion riders and the general efforts to bring more diversity to the movies we see, both behind and in front of the camera. As a famous white guy in the industry, what do you feel like your role in that can be?" Greenblatt asked.
"I mean personally, I think I am just actively trying to make less things starring white people," said Rogen.
"And if I'm succeeding or I'm not, I'm very much looking to have a far more diverse group of writers and directors and actors that we generally work with, because that group is not incredibly diverse, you know?" he added.
He went on explain that this was a part of his taking "anti-racist" measures.
"So that's how I've been trying to deal with it, is just to actively take as they would say, anti-racist measures to assure that some work is doing done to acknowledge that Black people are very marginalized in American society," he explained.
"I just come here to work and make comedies!"
Rogen added earlier in the interview that he tried to stay out of American politics since he was born and raised in Canada. He said he changed his mind after coming to a realization that he couldn't stay on the sidelines of the debate.
For a long time I think I was alleviating myself from some of the responsibility that one who is making a living off the American system should be feeling, you know? Like "I'm Canadian! I just come here to work and make comedies!"
Now it's been too long, I'm an adult, I'm fully a part of American culture and a contributor to it. I can't pretend that this is not my culture as well, and that this is not my problem as well. I am an American citizen and this is America and I make money in America. So I no longer feel that way.
Rogen had previously made headlines being outspoken about his liberal beliefs. In May, he donated to an effort to help bail out those arrested during riots arising from protests over George Floyd, who died while in Minneapolis police custody.
He also sent private messages to Donald Trump Jr., who followed Rogen on Twitter at the time, to persuade his father to step down from the presidency.
Here's a video about Seth Rogen being politically active:


theblaze--2020-08-06--'Don't mess with my family' — CNN anchor lashes out at Mercedes Schlapp over accusations in her op-e

'Don't mess with my family' — CNN anchor lashes out at Mercedes Schlapp over accusations in her op-ed

'Do n't mess with my family ' — CNN anchor lashes out at Mercedes Schlapp over accusations in her op-ed @ @ @ @ @ claims about her husband

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar fired off a scathing rebuke to Mercedes Schlapp, a senior adviser on the Trump 2020 campaign, over an op-ed she wrote that included accusations against Keilar's husband.
Keilar posted her response in a statement to her official social media account.
"Your op-ed is riddled with lies, Mercedes, but most despicable is you trying to character assassinate my husband, an active duty military officer, and mistaking him for someone else in the process," wrote Keilar.
"He is a Green Beret who has served this country with honor and distinction, including 7 combat deployments. You state that he tweeted something disparaging about the president. No he didn't. I don't know what tweet you're talking about, but it is not my husband's," she continued.
Keilar went on to note that her husband had been an NSA director in the Obama administration, as Schlapp mentioned, but that he continued on in that role and was promoted under the Trump administration, which Schlapp did not mention.
"He has spent the past two years as part of Ambassador Zalmay Khalidzad's team, including a year plus overseas, much of that time in Afghanistan, away from our two little boys and me," Keilar continued.
"He has served and sacrificed for this country in ways you and I can't begin to fathom," she added.
"Get your facts straight," Keilar concluded. "And don't mess with my family."
The Schlapp op-ed
The op-ed to which Keilar objected was posted at Real Clear Politics after a very heated debate between Schlapp and Keilar on CNN about vote-by-mail. Schlapp addressed some of her main points on the debate but then made accusations against Keilar's husband.
I have dealt with, and socialized with, mainstream journalists in Washington, D.C., for my entire career. Sometimes we agree, often we don't. But I respect the work the best of them do, and the critical role a free press plays in society. But this episode at CNN, and the host's continued online harangue, was beyond the pale. I was further disturbed to learn that Brianna Keilar's husband is a ferocious opponent of the president, a former director of the National Security Council under President Obama, and a man who tweets, among other things, that Donald Trump makes him "throw up."
Schlapp did not include a link to the tweet she attributed to Keilar's husband.
"I don't think Brianna Keilar's husband is who @mercedesschlapp appears to think he is when she slams him in this piece," tweeted Maggie Haberman of the New York Times.
Tapper backs up Keilar
Keilar's fellow CNN anchor Jake Tapper backed up his colleague in a tweet with her statement included.
Tapper tweeted that Schlapp was entitled to opine on any journalist, but "to smear with lies Brianna's husband, an active duty Green Beret, as part of her political vendetta is truly despicable. Truly vile."
Here's the debate that began the feud:


theblaze--2020-08-06--Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for coronavirus just before he was scheduled to meet with Trump

Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine tests positive for coronavirus just before he was scheduled to meet with Trump President Trump @ @ @ @ @ friend of mine just tested positive . ''

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced Thursday that he tested positive for coronavirus. The 73-year-old governor was tested for COVID-19 as a safeguard before meeting with President Donald Trump in Ohio. However, a second test later determined that the diagnosis was a false alarm.
"As part of the standard protocol to greet President Trump on the tarmac in Cleveland, I took a COVID test. I tested positive. I have no symptoms at this time. I'm following protocol and will quarantine at home for the next 14 days," he wrote on Twitter.
DeWine is not exhibiting any symptoms at the present time. He is returning to Columbus with first lady Fran DeWine, where they will both be tested. DeWine will then quarantine at his home in Cedarville for the next two weeks.
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was also tested for the coronavirus ahead of Trump's visit and tested negative, according to DeWine's office.
President Trump was expecting to meet DeWine at the Burke Lakefront Airport tarmac in Cleveland.
"I want to just say that a very good friend of mine just tested positive, do you know that? Our great governor, Governor of Ohio, DeWine, just tested positive, just here," President Trump said at the airport Thursday afternoon. "And we want to wish him the best. He'll be fine. I guess he's going for a secondary test. I just said, 'I look forward to seeing the governor.' They said, 'Sir, he just tested positive.' But he's a great guy. He's done a fantastic job, and your Lt. Gov. Jon Husted is here someplace."
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper reacted to DeWine's positive test in a statement, "We know how hard he's been working to keep Ohioans safe, and this is just one more reminder that this virus can impact everyone. As fellow Ohioans, we stand with and support our governor and his family at this time."
Later, however, a second, more sensitive test apparently determined that Gov. DeWine did not have the virus.
DeWine has taken more aggressive action during the coronavirus pandemic than other Republican governors. DeWine declared a state of emergency on March 9, despite there only being three confirmed coronavirus cases at the time and no deaths from the virus yet. Ohio implemented a stay-at-home order on March 23. All restaurant dining rooms and bars were closed on March 15. On July 8, DeWine announced a mandatory face mask order in any county that is under alert level 3 or higher. Earlier this week, DeWine issued an order requiring all K-12 students to wear face coverings.
Ohio has nearly 78,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and over 3,600 COVID-19 deaths.
DeWine becomes the second U.S. governor to test positive for coronavirus, following Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R), who announced contracting coronavirus last month.


theblaze--2020-08-06--Project Veritas' James O'Keefe sues FBI, claims he was wrongfully denied the right to purchase a fir

Project Veritas' James O'Keefe sues FBI, claims he was wrongfully denied the right to purchase a firearm

Project Veritas ' James O'Keefe sues FBI , claims he was wrongfully denied the right to purchase a firearm

Project Veritas' James O'Keefe posted a video Thursday, in which he was purportedly denied the right to purchase a firearm due to an erroneous entry in the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) system. The interactions led O'Keefe to file a lawsuit against the FBI in order to have his name removed from the registry.
In the video, O'Keefe can be seen attempting to purchase firearms from multiple locations, each of which rejects him because his background check comes back "denied." O'Keefe and the salesmen then have conversations about whether O'Keefe is being retaliated against because of his journalism.
According to O'Keefe, his entry on the NICS system is erroneous because he has never been "convicted" of a felony. There are, however, a number of other reasons that a person might fail an NICS background check. For instance, many states can include their own disqualifiers for NICS checks, and those might be more stringent. Also, anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor that is punishable by more than two years in prison (even if the person did not actually serve two years) can disqualify a person from purchasing a firearm.
Of note, O'Keefe was charged with a felony of entering federal property under false pretenses for his actions related to an attempted sting operation against former Sen. Mary Landrieu. They ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of entering a federal building under false pretenses. He was ordered to pay a fine and serve two years of probation. That charge, however, carried a maximum jail sentence of six months. However, it is within the realm of possibility that some states may bar persons who were charged with felonies but pled down to misdemeanors from owning a firearm. Additionally, it is possible that O'Keefe's name was entered into the NICS database when he was charged, but never removed when the plea was actually entered.
A phone call to the FBI requesting comment was not immediately returned.


theblaze--2020-08-06--Two students say school suspended them for circulating photos of overcrowded school hallways amid CO

Two students say school suspended them for circulating photos of overcrowded school hallways amid COVID-19

Two Georgia high school students say their school suspended them after posting pictures of crowded hallways on social media.
What are the details?
The students, who attend North Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia, reportedly shared photos of students filling the school's hallways on social media.
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the photos went viral, and sparked reactions ranging from concern to outrage.
One student, 15-year-old Hannah Watters, said that her school handed down a punishment of a five-day out-of-school suspension for sharing the photos on her social media pages.
"Day two at North Paulding High School," she captioned one of the photos. "We were stopped because it was jammed. We are close enough to the point where I got pushed multiple go to second block [sic]. This is not ok. Not to mention the 10% mask rate."
After sharing the photos on her social media pages, Hannah said school officials pulled her into the office on Wednesday for questioning.
Officials reportedly told Hannah said that she violated the school's student code of conduct because she reportedly used her phone in the hallway without permission, used her cellphone to update social media, and posted pictures of minors without their consent.
Buzzfeed News reports that the school district has yet to respond to requests for comment on Hannah's alleged suspension.
'Many people are not following CDC guidelines'
Indeed, the school's code of conduct does state that students are not permitted to use cellphones while at the school, and cannot access social networking sites while in the building.
A second student — who wished to remain anonymous — also reportedly told the outlet that they were suspended for the same reason.
On Wednesday, the outlet reported, Principal Gabe Carmona reportedly announced that any student found "criticizing the school on social media" could face disciplinary action.
Hannah complained that her punishment was not just, and added that the school is not being safe in its COVID-19 practices.
"Many people are not following CDC guidelines because the county did not make these precautions mandatory," she told the outlet.
She also pointed out that while she does admit that she apparently violated the school's code of conduct, she doesn't believe the punishment fits the crime, calling it "excessive."
"I do understand that I violated a code of conduct policy," she added. "[But] we have a progressive discipline system. When disciplining me and the other student, [the school] skipped level one and went straight to two."
Hannah's not the only one who feels this way
Hannah's sentiment is apparently one shared by many people in the school, both students and teachers alike.
The outlet reported that students, teachers, and parents all said that they had fears surrounding the reopening of schools amid the pandemic. The school district has also reportedly not chosen to enforce mask-wearing, and instead, allows it up to the individual to make a "personal choice" on the matter.
"Despite positive reports of COVID-19 cases among students and staff," the outlet reports, "classes have resumed and students have been told they could face expulsion if they don't attend."
At least one teacher reportedly resigned over safety concerns.
Using the photo without context
Earlier this week, Paulding Superintendent Brian Otott told parents that "some individuals on social media" are taking such photos and using them "without context to criticize our school reopening efforts."
"Under the COVID-19 protocols we have adopted, class changes that look like this may happen, especially at a high school with more than 2,000 students," his statement to parents continued.
"One area where we have received a good deal of feedback is mask use in our schools. Wearing a mask is a personal choice and there is no practical way to enforce a mandate to wear them. What we will do is continue to strongly encourage all students and staff to wear masks," he concluded.