courthousenews--2020-06-11--Arizona Wildfire Forces Residents From Their Homes

TUCSON , Ariz. ( CN ) – A wildfire forced residents in several neighborhoods to flee on the northern edge of Tucson Thursday after firefighters announced they would start a “ back burn ” to block the lightning-spawned Bighorn Fire from reaching the upscale homes .
“ If you are in this area , EVACUATE NOW , ” the Pima County Sheriff ’ s Department said in a statement shortly after 10 a.m. “ Move south away from the Catalina Mountains .
Do not delay leaving the area.
” Sheriff ’ s deputies went door-to-door telling residents to leave and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a high school .
The evacuation follows a warning Wednesday night that residents in a wider swath of the city – hundreds of homes – should be ready to leave on short notice .
Though the fire was actively burning Thursday , fueled by high winds and low humidity , firefighters do not expect the flames to reach homes , said fire information officer Cindy Wolfe .
“ We ’ ve been very lucky with this one , ” Wolfe said .
“ Hopefully they ’ re going to be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this one , the proper engines .
I don ’ t think you ’ re going to see too much of an issue.
” The fire is burning in tall grass and pinon juniper and oak between 4,500-6,000 feet elevation , Wolfe said .
Just over 50 homes are in the evacuation zone , which spans five upscale neighborhoods flanking the Coronado National Forest , where the fire has been burning since Friday .
By Thursday afternoon , the fire was 10 % contained and had burned through 4,769 acres with just under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the Arizona Emergency Information Network website .
The area deemed in “ significant danger ” by the Sheriff ’ s Department was expanded Thursday to include hundreds more homes , also along the urban-wildland interface on the city ’ s northern edge .
The Sheriff ’ s Department urged residents in that zone to consider leaving .
Smoke from the fire blanketed the city Wednesday , and flames were visible from most of the city Wednesday night .
A tower of thick grey smoke rose above Coronado National Forest , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Park , about 15 miles north of downtown Tucson , was also closed .
County officials issued a series of air quality advisories starting Monday in response to the smoke , urging older residents , children , and those with heart or lung disease to limit activity and stay indoors with windows closed .
With a high temperature of 104 degrees and single-digit humidity expected Friday and Saturday , the biggest concern for firefighters is weather , Wolfe said .
“ The weather is critical , because of the wind and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fire right now , ” she said .

A wildfire forced residents in several neighborhoods to flee on the northern edge of Tucson Thursday after firefighters announced they would start a “back burn” to block the lightning-spawned Bighorn Fire from reaching the upscale homes.
TUCSON, Ariz. (CN) — A wildfire forced residents in several neighborhoods to flee on the northern edge of Tucson Thursday after firefighters announced they would start a “back burn” to block the lightning-spawned Bighorn Fire from reaching the upscale homes.
“If you are in this area, EVACUATE NOW,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement shortly after 10 a.m. “Move south away from the Catalina Mountains. Do not delay leaving the area.”
Sheriff’s deputies went door-to-door telling residents to leave and set up a cooling center for evacuees at a high school. The evacuation follows a warning Wednesday night that residents in a wider swath of the city – hundreds of homes - should be ready to leave on short notice.
Though the fire was actively burning Thursday, fueled by high winds and low humidity, firefighters do not expect the flames to reach homes, said fire information officer Cindy Wolfe.
“We’ve been very lucky with this one,” Wolfe said. “Hopefully they’re going to be able to get the structure protection in there on this one, the proper engines. I don’t think you’re going to see too much of an issue.”
The fire is burning in tall grass and pinon juniper and oak between 4,500-6,000 feet elevation, Wolfe said.
Just over 50 homes are in the evacuation zone, which spans five upscale neighborhoods flanking the Coronado National Forest, where the fire has been burning since Friday.
By Thursday afternoon, the fire was 10% contained and had burned through 4,769 acres with just under 400 firefighters working to contain it, according to the Arizona Emergency Information Network website.
The area deemed in “significant danger” by the Sheriff’s Department was expanded Thursday to include hundreds more homes, also along the urban-wildland interface on the city’s northern edge. The Sheriff’s Department urged residents in that zone to consider leaving.
Smoke from the fire blanketed the city Wednesday, and flames were visible from most of the city Wednesday night. A tower of thick grey smoke rose above Coronado National Forest, where numerous hiking trails were closed. Catalina State Park, about 15 miles north of downtown Tucson, was also closed.
County officials issued a series of air quality advisories starting Monday in response to the smoke, urging older residents, children, and those with heart or lung disease to limit activity and stay indoors with windows closed.
With a high temperature of 104 degrees and single-digit humidity expected Friday and Saturday, the biggest concern for firefighters is weather, Wolfe said.
“The weather is critical, because of the wind and the temperatures. That’re really driving this fire right now,” she said.


courthousenews--2020-06-11--Judge Rebukes Tennessee for Ignoring Order on Absentee Voting

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( CN ) — Election officials in Tennessee caused delay and sowed confusion among voters when they did not comply with a judge ’ s order opening up access to absentee voting during the Covid-19 outbreak , the judge said in a hearing Thursday .
Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle said attorneys for the election officials did not ask the court to alter her order before they changed the form potential voters use to request to vote by mail .
During the hearing , Lyle said she would direct the state to change the form and issue new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shame on you for not following that procedure and just taking matters into your own hands , ” Lyle told attorneys from the Tennessee Attorney ’ s General Office .
“ So I ’ m calling the state out on that for not adhering to the standards of a legal process and not adhering to the order.
” Last week , Lyle issued a temporary injunction that allowed voters who were concerned about casting ballots in person during the Covid-19 outbreak to vote by mail .
Because Tennessee requires voters to give a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those voters should select a reason already on the absentee request form : that the voter is disabled , ill or hospitalized and can not make it to the polls .
But the state played “ fast and loose with the interpretation of this order , ” said Steven Mulroy during the hearing over a motion to enforce the order .
Mulroy is a law professor who is one of the attorneys representing a group of voters that sued for the ability to vote by mail during the epidemic .
Instead , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ add another check-off box that specified the voter was seeking to vote by mail because of Covid-19 .
During the hearing , Lyle said she had considered adding another box to the form but ultimately determined the move was “ not correct.
” In the days following the order , Mulroy said election officials asked some voters seeking to vote absentee because of Covid-19 to give their contact information and the process to get them an absentee ballot was not promptly started .
This violates the state ’ s own election contingency plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which says to promptly process absentee ballots and requests to vote absentee , Mulroy said .
Other voters were warned they might be prosecuted for voter fraud , he said .
Deputy Attorney General Janet Kleinfelter told Lyle the state intended to help voters , not violate the order .
“ We know from experience that had we not had something on that application that referenced Covid-19 , that voters would not know what to do , ” Kleinfelter said Thursday .
“ [ They ] would either have submitted an incomplete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time trying to find out which box to check.
” Attorneys for the voters bringing the suit asked Lyle to sanction the state by fining it $ 1,000 a day until it complied with her order .
But the judge denied that request and another that would have required the state to pay the plaintiffs ’ attorneys fees for investigating the state ’ s compliance with the order .
The state is in the midst of a budget crisis and a pandemic and the cost would ultimately fall on Tennessee residents , Lyle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specter of criminal contempt if after today ’ s orders there ’ s still noncompliance and there ’ s disobedience , then that ’ s a route that the court can go , ” she said .
The Attorney ’ s General Office did not reply to a request for comment .
A spokesperson for the Office of Secretary of State declined to comment , saying the office was working on complying with the decision Lyle issued at the hearing .
Angela Liu , an attorney with the firm Dechert LLP , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , like any other party before the court , is not above the law .
Liu is representing a second group of voters along with attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union .
“ We hope and expect that the state will comply with the order and that all Tennesseans will be able to vote by absentee ballot if they so choose , rather than risking contracting Covid-19 to exercise their fundamental right to vote , ” she said .
On Wednesday , Lyle granted the state ’ s request to appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay because she expects it to be upheld by the higher court .
The judge said from the bench the state has until 5 p.m. Friday to fix the form .

Election officials in Tennessee caused delay and sowed confusion among voters when they did not comply with a judge’s order opening up access to absentee voting during the Covid-19 outbreak, the judge said in a hearing Thursday.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CN) — Election officials in Tennessee caused delay and sowed confusion among voters when they did not comply with a judge’s order opening up access to absentee voting during the Covid-19 outbreak, the judge said in a hearing Thursday.
Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle said attorneys for the election officials did not ask the court to alter her order before they changed the form potential voters use to request to vote by mail. During the hearing, Lyle said she would direct the state to change the form and issue new instructions to county election officials.
“Shame on you for not following that procedure and just taking matters into your own hands,” Lyle told attorneys from the Tennessee Attorney’s General Office. “So I'm calling the state out on that for not adhering to the standards of a legal process and not adhering to the order.”
Last week, Lyle issued a temporary injunction that allowed voters who were concerned about casting ballots in person during the Covid-19 outbreak to vote by mail. Because Tennessee requires voters to give a reason to vote absentee, Lyle said those voters should select a reason already on the absentee request form: that the voter is disabled, ill or hospitalized and cannot make it to the polls.
But the state played “fast and loose with the interpretation of this order,” said Steven Mulroy during the hearing over a motion to enforce the order. Mulroy is a law professor who is one of the attorneys representing a group of voters that sued for the ability to vote by mail during the epidemic.
Instead, the state modified the absentee ballot application to add another check-off box that specified the voter was seeking to vote by mail because of Covid-19.
During the hearing, Lyle said she had considered adding another box to the form but ultimately determined the move was “not correct.”
In the days following the order, Mulroy said election officials asked some voters seeking to vote absentee because of Covid-19 to give their contact information and the process to get them an absentee ballot was not promptly started. This violates the state’s own election contingency plan created to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak, which says to promptly process absentee ballots and requests to vote absentee, Mulroy said.
Other voters were warned they might be prosecuted for voter fraud, he said.
Deputy Attorney General Janet Kleinfelter told Lyle the state intended to help voters, not violate the order.
“We know from experience that had we not had something on that application that referenced Covid-19, that voters would not know what to do,” Kleinfelter said Thursday. “[They] would either have submitted an incomplete application or would have had to spend time trying to find out which box to check.”
Attorneys for the voters bringing the suit asked Lyle to sanction the state by fining it $1,000 a day until it complied with her order. But the judge denied that request and another that would have required the state to pay the plaintiffs’ attorneys fees for investigating the state’s compliance with the order.
The state is in the midst of a budget crisis and a pandemic and the cost would ultimately fall on Tennessee residents, Lyle said.
“There always is the specter of criminal contempt if after today's orders there's still noncompliance and there's disobedience, then that's a route that the court can go,” she said.
The Attorney’s General Office did not reply to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the Office of Secretary of State declined to comment, saying the office was working on complying with the decision Lyle issued at the hearing.
Angela Liu, an attorney with the firm Dechert LLP, said in a statement the hearing showed the state, like any other party before the court, is not above the law. Liu is representing a second group of voters along with attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union.
“We hope and expect that the state will comply with the order and that all Tennesseans will be able to vote by absentee ballot if they so choose, rather than risking contracting Covid-19 to exercise their fundamental right to vote,” she said.
On Wednesday, Lyle granted the state’s request to appeal her order but declined to issue a stay because she expects it to be upheld by the higher court.
The judge said from the bench the state has until 5 p.m. Friday to fix the form.


courthousenews--2020-06-11--California Regulators Approve PG&E Blackout Plan

( CN ) — Pacific Gas & Electric will spend up to $ 170 million on gas-powered generators to hopefully keep the lights on during pre-emptive blackouts this wildfire season , under a plan approved Thursday by California regulators .
With the peak months of the state ’ s fire season approaching , regulators agreed arming PG & E with an expensive fleet of mobile generators was an acceptable stopgap measure , despite air pollution concerns raised by environmentalists and residents .
The California Public Utilities Commission defended the decision by saying the state couldn ’ t afford a repeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last two years , noting that the upcoming fire season could be more intense following a dry winter .
“ People want whatever it takes to keep the power on and unfortunately in this fall , it will be diesel , ” said Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves .
This past fall , the state ’ s largest utilities shut down power on several occasions to reduce the chance of high winds sparking and spreading wildfires .
The unpopular decision touched millions of Californians across the majority of the state ’ s counties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two days up to 11 days .
Critics accused PG & E , the state ’ s largest utility , of botching the blackouts , which sparked lawsuits , legislation and a formal investigation by the commission .
After utilizing the intentional blackouts the last two years and leaving entire communities in the dark , PG & E is promising to reduce the length and scope of future shutoffs by bringing hordes of diesel generators into the foothills of Northern California .
The San-Francisco based utility plans to install mobile generators at 63 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to turn off transformers during dangerous wildfire weather .
The generators will be installed in various fire-prone counties , including California ’ s renowned wine country and will supply mostly residential customers .
To supplement the substations , PG & E will build temporary microgrids specifically intended to provide electricity to “ main street corridors ” and ensure hospitals , police stations and stores have power during planned blackouts .
The utility is currently building microgrids in Shasta , El Dorado , Nevada and Napa counties .
Microgrids are able to operate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grid is down for reasons like wind storms and repairs .
The microgrids function as an island and are traditionally powered by diesel generators and in some cases by batteries .
Even with the generators , customers within the microgrids ’ service areas still might go dark during pre-emptive events , as PG & E admits weather conditions and “ operational considerations ” prevent it from guaranteeing electricity .
The largest 2019 event cut power to 967,000 customers and according to PG & E , the substation microgrids would have reduced that number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the development of temporary microgrids is to provide electricity to resources such as medical facilities and pharmacies , police and fire stations , gas stations , banks , markets and other shared community services when weather conditions make it unsafe to operate the grid , ” said Debbie Powell , vice president of PG & E ’ s Asset & Risk Management , Community Wildfire Safety Program .
PG & E ’ s plan dedicates $ 94 million for the utility to reserve and lease hundreds of generators and the utility says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 450 megawatts during planned shutoffs .
The remaining funds will go toward setting up temporary cabling , transformers and other necessary infrastructure , as well as fuel and mobilization costs .
The utility used a similar tactic last year but on a much smaller scale and specifically for critical facilities like hospitals and water treatment plants .
PG & E will be required by February 2021 to report how many diesel generators were used and list the associated greenhouse gas emissions .
Once fire season has concluded , the commission will first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PG & E will be allowed to recover program costs from ratepayers .
Dozens of residents called into the virtual hearing in opposition of PG & E ’ s proposal , noting the generators would bring unwanted noise and emissions to their communities .
They urged the commission to shun the low-tech generator route and force PG & E back to consider cleaner alternatives .
“ We should not be using the same technologies which got us into this mess and causing these wildfires , ” said Harlow Pittinger with Sunrise Movement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ interim solution to give PG & E and the state ’ s other private utilities time to develop more environmentally sound microgrid technology , and cleared the plan in a unanimous vote .
“ I ’ m very concerned about this fall and how much frankly dirty backup generation will be used , but I ’ m pleased with the temporary nature of this and I think we ’ ll get through the 2020 wildfire season and look forward to a much cleaner approach in the very near future , ” said President @ @

Pacific Gas & Electric will spend up to $170 million on gas-powered generators to hopefully keep the lights on during pre-emptive blackouts this wildfire season, under a plan approved Thursday by California regulators.
(CN) — Pacific Gas & Electric will spend up to $170 million on gas-powered generators to hopefully keep the lights on during pre-emptive blackouts this wildfire season, under a plan approved Thursday by California regulators.
With the peak months of the state's fire season approaching, regulators agreed arming PG&E with an expensive fleet of mobile generators was an acceptable stopgap measure, despite air pollution concerns raised by environmentalists and residents.
The California Public Utilities Commission defended the decision by saying the state couldn’t afford a repeat of the widescale intentional blackouts utilized the last two years, noting that the upcoming fire season could be more intense following a dry winter.
“People want whatever it takes to keep the power on and unfortunately in this fall, it will be diesel,” said Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves.
This past fall, the state’s largest utilities shut down power on several occasions to reduce the chance of high winds sparking and spreading wildfires. The unpopular decision touched millions of Californians across the majority of the state’s counties, with local officials reporting outages lasting from two days up to 11 days.
Critics accused PG&E, the state’s largest utility, of botching the blackouts, which sparked lawsuits, legislation and a formal investigation by the commission.
After utilizing the intentional blackouts the last two years and leaving entire communities in the dark, PG&E is promising to reduce the length and scope of future shutoffs by bringing hordes of diesel generators into the foothills of Northern California.
The San-Francisco based utility plans to install mobile generators at 63 substations to be activated when it is forced to turn off transformers during dangerous wildfire weather. The generators will be installed in various fire-prone counties, including California’s renowned wine country and will supply mostly residential customers.
To supplement the substations, PG&E will build temporary microgrids specifically intended to provide electricity to “main street corridors” and ensure hospitals, police stations and stores have power during planned blackouts. The utility is currently building microgrids in Shasta, El Dorado, Nevada and Napa counties.
Microgrids are able to operate autonomously and provide electricity when the main grid is down for reasons like wind storms and repairs. The microgrids function as an island and are traditionally powered by diesel generators and in some cases by batteries.
Even with the generators, customers within the microgrids’ service areas still might go dark during pre-emptive events, as PG&E admits weather conditions and “operational considerations” prevent it from guaranteeing electricity. The largest 2019 event cut power to 967,000 customers and according to PG&E, the substation microgrids would have reduced that number by 90,000.
“Our specific objective with the development of temporary microgrids is to provide electricity to resources such as medical facilities and pharmacies, police and fire stations, gas stations, banks, markets and other shared community services when weather conditions make it unsafe to operate the grid,” said Debbie Powell, vice president of PG&E’s Asset & Risk Management, Community Wildfire Safety Program.
PG&E’s plan dedicates $94 million for the utility to reserve and lease hundreds of generators and the utility says it will be able to provide up to 450 megawatts during planned shutoffs. The remaining funds will go toward setting up temporary cabling, transformers and other necessary infrastructure, as well as fuel and mobilization costs.
The utility used a similar tactic last year but on a much smaller scale and specifically for critical facilities like hospitals and water treatment plants. PG&E will be required by February 2021 to report how many diesel generators were used and list the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Once fire season has concluded, the commission will first conduct a “reasonableness review” before PG&E will be allowed to recover program costs from ratepayers.
Dozens of residents called into the virtual hearing in opposition of PG&E’s proposal, noting the generators would bring unwanted noise and emissions to their communities. They urged the commission to shun the low-tech generator route and force PG&E back to consider cleaner alternatives.
“We should not be using the same technologies which got us into this mess and causing these wildfires,” said Harlow Pittinger with Sunrise Movement.
The commission cast the decision as an interim solution to give PG&E and the state’s other private utilities time to develop more environmentally sound microgrid technology, and cleared the plan in a unanimous vote.
“I’m very concerned about this fall and how much frankly dirty backup generation will be used, but I’m pleased with the temporary nature of this and I think we’ll get through the 2020 wildfire season and look forward to a much cleaner approach in the very near future,” said President Batjer.


courthousenews--2020-06-11--As Election Nears, House Democrats Push Harder for Vote-by-Mail

While Republicans raise unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud , House Democrats argue there is still enough time to ramp up election funding to make absentee voting more accessible .
WASHINGTON ( CN ) — Americans are caught in a conundrum : a pandemic is raging but it is also an election year , and lawmakers are feeling pressure to find the right solutions with just 145 days until the presidential election and a possible surge in coronavirus cases looming .
A House Administration subcommittee on elections met Thursday for a remote hearing to consider these challenges and weigh the merits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ middle of the Covid-19 pandemic , which has infected over 2 million Americans and killed over 113,000 , according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker .
Though mail-in voting has been an American staple since the Civil War , for President Donald Trump and many other Republicans the concept has fast become unwelcome and is often the subject of intense criticism underpinned by unproven allegations of rampant fraud or abuse .
During Thursday ’ s hearing , the sole Republican and ranking member of the subcommittee , Congressman Rodney Davis of Illinois , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting .
He argued the call by Democrats to drastically ramp up federal assistance that would make mail-in voting more accessible is overreach , but also is not feasible .
“ I support states increasing capacity for mail-in voting but to suggest every state can dramatically increase that capacity is ridiculous , ” Davis said .
While Democrats conceded that the abbreviated timeline and pandemic have undoubtedly upped the complexity factor at polls this year , they pointed to the House-passed Heroes Act as a viable but currently ignored tool to meet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day – not detract from them .
The $ 3 trillion package , passed by the House in May but untouched by the Senate , allots $ 3.6 billion for a wide variety of voting security measures like the shoring up of supplies like personal protective equipment for poll workers who are often elderly and may be less inclined to volunteer this season during the pandemic .
The legislation also expands voting rights by amending a 2002 law known as the Help America Vote Act to make a sworn signature sufficient proof to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , has signaled that the legislation is dead on arrival in his chamber .
But for Democrats like subcommittee chairwoman Marcia Fudge of Ohio , there ’ s still time to lobby for the bill ’ s passage while also chipping away at what she called a blatant myth of rampant mail-in voter fraud .
“ I think it is so misleading to talk about fraud .
It ’ s just foolishness , ” she said Thursday .
According to the Heritage Foundation , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 years just 1,285 instances of proven voter fraud have been reported , leading to just 1,110 criminal convictions , out of hundreds of millions of votes cast .
Parsing it further still , just 204 of those cases involved the specific use of a fraudulent ballot and of that same group , only 143 cases ended in a criminal conviction .
These statistics were glossed over during testimony from Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill , a Republican , who cited a 2016 ballot controversy in California where 83 ballots were reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Los Angeles County Registrar ’ s office never confirmed the exact number of ballots sent to the single address , a spokesperson confirmed last month amid renewed social media attention on the 2016 case that there was a “ bug ” in the state ’ s election management system that forced multiple records to update inadvertently when changes were made to a voter ’ s information before a previous session was closed out .
“ You would punish the many to catch one .
That ’ s not the American way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about cheats .
We talk about 83 ballots going to one address ?
If an office didn ’ t catch that , I think the office made the mistake .
I think at some point we have to all do what is right for the people of this country .
She added , “ We can not continue to spread these misleading and false statements about this widespread fraud .
It doesn ’ t exist , you have no proof it is , you talk about it and you have not one iota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clarke , president of the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , urged lawmakers opposed to expanding election safety measures to consider the greater implications of heading into November unprepared .
“ Preserving our democracy hinges on providing sufficient funding to states for the safe and fair administration of elections which requires an additional $ 3.6 billion on top of the $ 400 million allocated in the CARES Act , ” Clarke said .
“ Congress should mandate no-excuse absentee balloting for federal elections this year so any voter with preexisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote by mail.
” Sherrilyn Ifill , president and counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund , appeared floored by opposition to mail-in ballots amid a pandemic that is still unfolding .
“ We have elderly people who are separated from their children , their children don ’ t want to see them because they want to make sure they are not the reason they get sick but they have [ a mail-in voting requirement ] to have two witnesses in Alabama and one witness in Louisiana… The opposition is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Ifill added , “ This is a voting feature that goes back to the 1800s when people in military were allowed to vote by mail .
We send ballots overseas to citizens living temporarily abroad without issue or concerns about fraud .
So we can send ballots down the street to ensure that people in the middle of a global pandemic , that they…disproportionately people of color , can vote.
” According to the Covid Racial Data Tracker , African Americans comprise a quarter of the nation ’ s Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the entire U.S. population .

Americans are caught in a conundrum: a pandemic is raging but it is also an election year, and lawmakers are feeling pressure to find the right solutions with just 145 days until the presidential election and a potential second coronavirus outbreak looming.
WASHINGTON (CN) — Americans are caught in a conundrum: a pandemic is raging but it is also an election year, and lawmakers are feeling pressure to find the right solutions with just 145 days until the presidential election and a possible surge in coronavirus cases looming.
A House Administration subcommittee on elections met Thursday for a remote hearing to consider these challenges and weigh the merits of mail-in and absentee voting in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic ,which has infected over 2 million Americans and killed over 113,000, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.
Though mail-in voting has been an American staple since the Civil War, for President Donald Trump and many other Republicans the concept has fast become unwelcome and is often the subject of intense criticism underpinned by unproven allegations of rampant fraud or abuse.
During Thursday’s hearing, the sole Republican and ranking member of the subcommittee, Congressman Rodney Davis of Illinois, balked at the notion of widespread absentee voting. He argued the call by Democrats to drastically ramp up federal assistance that would make mail-in voting more accessible is overreach, but also is not feasible.
“I support states increasing capacity for mail-in voting but to suggest every state can dramatically increase that capacity is ridiculous,” Davis said.
While Democrats conceded that the abbreviated timeline and pandemic have undoubtedly upped the complexity factor at polls this year, they pointed to the House-passed Heroes Act as a viable but currently ignored tool to meet the election security and safety demands of the day - not detract from them.
The $3 trillion package, passed by the House in May but untouched by the Senate, allots $3.6 billion for a wide variety of voting security measures like the shoring up of supplies like personal protective equipment for poll workers who are often elderly and may be less inclined to volunteer this season during the pandemic.
The legislation also expands voting rights by amending a 2002 law known as the Help America Vote Act to make a sworn signature sufficient proof to vote on election day in all states. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has signaled that the legislation is dead on arrival in his chamber.
But for Democrats like subcommittee chairwoman Marcia Fudge of Ohio, there’s still time to lobby for the bill’s passage while also chipping away at what she called a blatant myth of rampant mail-in voter fraud.
“I think it is so misleading to talk about fraud. It’s just foolishness,” she said Thursday.
According to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative-leaning think tank, over the last 20 years just 1,285 instances of proven voter fraud have been reported, leading to just 1,110 criminal convictions, out of hundreds of millions of votes cast. Parsing it further still, just 204 of those cases involved the specific use of a fraudulent ballot and of that same group, only 143 cases ended in a criminal conviction.
These statistics were glossed over during testimony from Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, a Republican, who cited a 2016 ballot controversy in California where 83 ballots were reportedly sent to a single address.
Though the Los Angeles County Registrar’s office never confirmed the exact number of ballots sent to the single address, a spokesperson confirmed last month amid renewed social media attention on the 2016 case that there was a “bug” in the state’s election management system that forced multiple records to update inadvertently when changes were made to a voter’s information before a previous session was closed out.
“You would punish the many to catch one. That’s not the American way,” Fudge said. “We talk about cheats. We talk about 83 ballots going to one address? If an office didn’t catch that, I think the office made the mistake. I think at some point we have to all do what is right for the people of this country.
She added, “We cannot continue to spread these misleading and false statements about this widespread fraud. It doesn’t exist, you have no proof it is, you talk about it and you have not one iota of proof to support it.”
Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, urged lawmakers opposed to expanding election safety measures to consider the greater implications of heading into November unprepared.
“Preserving our democracy hinges on providing sufficient funding to states for the safe and fair administration of elections which requires an additional $3.6 billion on top of the $400 million allocated in the CARES Act,” Clarke said. “Congress should mandate no-excuse absentee balloting for federal elections this year so any voter with preexisting conditions or concerns about Covid-19 can choose to vote by mail.”
Sherrilyn Ifill, president and counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, appeared floored by opposition to mail-in ballots amid a pandemic that is still unfolding.
“We have elderly people who are separated from their children, their children don’t want to see them because they want to make sure they are not the reason they get sick but they have [a mail-in voting requirement] to have two witnesses in Alabama and one witness in Louisiana… The opposition is illogical and difficult to understand,” she said.
Ifill added, “This is a voting feature that goes back to the 1800s when people in military were allowed to vote by mail. We send ballots overseas to citizens living temporarily abroad without issue or concerns about fraud. So we can send ballots down the street to ensure that people in the middle of a global pandemic, that they…disproportionately people of color, can vote.”
According to the Covid Racial Data Tracker, African Americans comprise a quarter of the nation’s Covid-19 deaths though they only account for 13% of the entire U.S. population.


courthousenews--2020-06-11--Government Claims Native American Lawsuit Over Covid-19 Funds Too Late

WASHINGTON ( CN ) — The Trump administration blamed a Native American tribe for waiting until the eleventh hour to challenge the distribution metrics for Covid-19 relief funds in federal court on Thursday , as the government gears up to send billions of dollars out the door over the next week .
“ This is something that could really open up a can of worms , ” Justice Department attorney Jason Lynch said .
The government urged U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta to reject the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation ’ s request to block the Treasury Department from sending out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second look at the breakdown per tribe .
Prairie Band claims it was short-changed when the Treasury Department allocated money based on population , rather than enrollment numbers .
The government counted up the tribe ’ s population at around 883 , but they argue the tribe ’ s actual membership is more than 4,500 .
“ Those numbers are right there and could have been used if they had problems with the data that the tribes were submitting , ” Prairie Band attorney Carol Heckman said in a teleconference hearing Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the guidelines laid out by Congress for distributing the funds and consulted with tribes , but the tribes submitted incomplete and unverified data .
The tribe argues that Congress specifically required state and local governments to use census data , but did not outline the same requirement for tribal governments , foreclosing the metric as an option .
But the Justice Department pushed back on that claim .
“ That doesn ’ t mean that there was any foreclosure in terms of what data metric the secretary of treasury could have used , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Lippes Mathias attorney , argued that population data is inherently misleading , given many members live outside the Prairie Band reservation in neighboring cities .
“ They are still enrolled members .
They still get the benefits of enrolled membership , but they don ’ t happen to live right there .
They still go back to the health clinics , ” Heckman said .
While making clear that he is sensitive to the challenges faced by tribes during Covid-19 , the judge questioned the plaintiffs ’ timing .
Asking why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds are scheduled to go out , Mehta said : “ You ask me to hold out billions of dollars to recover the additional amount to your client.
” But Hartman , assuring the judge that her client does not wish to slow down the entire process , explained that the government never published its distribution calculations .
Not until Harvard released two reports last month on the CARES Act funding going to tribes did the Prairie Band realize they had to act .
“ Obviously it ’ s never going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Hartman said .
“ But using the proper benchmark , using enrollment , would be good.
” But the Justice Department repeatedly warned the judge that granting the plaintiffs relief would mean undoing months of work to distribute the funds at a time when two other lawsuits filed by tribes challenging the process are already well underway .
Not only would involving tribes in setting a new distribution metric , as the plaintiffs demand , be a laborious process that causes further delay , but the court would likely see future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lynch further warned .
“ This is a zero sum game .
Every additional dollar plaintiffs get is another dollar that another tribe is not getting , ” the attorney said , adding : “ How do you think those tribes are going to feel about that ?
” Nine tribes filed a request Wednesday to weigh in on the case , arguing that the judge should block only the distribution of $ 7.65 million allocated to Prairie Band so as to not slow down billions in emergency relief funds .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would preserve the status quo by requiring the secretary to withhold sufficient funds to make Prairie Band whole should it succeed on the merits , without causing undue harm to Plaintiff Tribes who are in immediate need of the remaining Title V Funds due to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic , ” the amicus brief argues .

The Trump administration blamed Native American tribes for waiting until the eleventh hour to challenge the distribution metrics for Covid-19 relief funds in federal court on Thursday, as the government gears up to send billions of dollars out the door over the next week.
WASHINGTON (CN) — The Trump administration blamed a Native American tribe for waiting until the eleventh hour to challenge the distribution metrics for Covid-19 relief funds in federal court on Thursday, as the government gears up to send billions of dollars out the door over the next week.
“This is something that could really open up a can of worms,” Justice Department attorney Jason Lynch said.
The government urged U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta to reject the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation’s request to block the Treasury Department from sending out the CARES Act relief until it takes a second look at the breakdown per tribe.
Prairie Band claims it was short-changed when the Treasury Department allocated money based on population, rather than enrollment numbers. The government counted up the tribe’s population at around 883, but they argue the tribe’s actual membership is more than 4,500.
“Those numbers are right there and could have been used if they had problems with the data that the tribes were submitting,” Prairie Band attorney Carol Heckman said in a teleconference hearing Thursday.
The Treasury Department claims it followed the guidelines laid out by Congress for distributing the funds and consulted with tribes, but the tribes submitted incomplete and unverified data.
The tribe argues that Congress specifically required state and local governments to use census data, but did not outline the same requirement for tribal governments, foreclosing the metric as an option.
But the Justice Department pushed back on that claim.
“That doesn’t mean that there was any foreclosure in terms of what data metric the secretary of treasury could have used,” Lynch said.
However, Heckman, a Lippes Mathias attorney, argued that population data is inherently misleading, given many members live outside the Prairie Band reservation in neighboring cities.
“They are still enrolled members. They still get the benefits of enrolled membership, but they don’t happen to live right there. They still go back to the health clinics,” Heckman said.
While making clear that he is sensitive to the challenges faced by tribes during Covid-19, the judge questioned the plaintiffs’ timing.
Asking why the tribe waited, when critically needed funds are scheduled to go out, Mehta said: “You ask me to hold out billions of dollars to recover the additional amount to your client.”
But Hartman, assuring the judge that her client does not wish to slow down the entire process, explained that the government never published its distribution calculations. Not until Harvard released two reports last month on the CARES Act funding going to tribes did the Prairie Band realize they had to act.
“Obviously it’s never going to be perfect, it’s not possible,” Hartman said. “But using the proper benchmark, using enrollment, would be good.”
But the Justice Department repeatedly warned the judge that granting the plaintiffs relief would mean undoing months of work to distribute the funds at a time when two other lawsuits filed by tribes challenging the process are already well underway.
Not only would involving tribes in setting a new distribution metric, as the plaintiffs demand, be a laborious process that causes further delay, but the court would likely see future challenges to the Covid-19 relief fund send-out, Lynch further warned.
“This is a zero sum game. Every additional dollar plaintiffs get is another dollar that another tribe is not getting,” the attorney said, adding: “How do you think those tribes are going to feel about that?”
Nine tribes filed a request Wednesday to weigh in on the case, arguing that the judge should block only the distribution of $7.65 million allocated to Prairie Band so as to not slow down billions in emergency relief funds.
“Such a limited, narrow injunction also would preserve the status quo by requiring the secretary to withhold sufficient funds to make Prairie Band whole should it succeed on the merits, without causing undue harm to Plaintiff Tribes who are in immediate need of the remaining Title V Funds due to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the amicus brief argues.


courthousenews--2020-06-11--White House Silent as US Consulate Worker Gets Prison in Turkey

The U.S. government ’ s failure to condemn a consulate worker ’ s sentencing Thursday speaks volumes .
‘ I wouldn ’ t work for us , ’ one Turkey expert said .
( CN ) — When the Turkish government jailed a U.S. pastor two years ago , President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence lobbied , tweeted and threatened economic retribution to free the Reverend Andrew Brunson .
U.S. consulate worker Metin Topuz received no such consideration on Thursday , as a Turkish court sentenced him to eight years imprisonment on terrorism charges .
The U.S. Embassy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver a statement , albeit somewhat of a muted one that voiced disappointment — but no outrage — over Topuz ’ s sentence .
“ We have seen no credible evidence to support this conviction and hope it will swiftly be overturned , ” the embassy tweeted .
For Turkey experts , the Trump administration ’ s lack of strong condemnation sends a dangerous message for those who would work for U.S. diplomats abroad .
“ I wouldn ’ t work for us , ” Steven Cook , a Turkey expert with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , referring to consular staff .
“ I would know that the United States would not do much to protect me .
So , if I was thinking about such a position , I wouldn ’ t take it .
If I had a position , I ’ d be very , very concerned about it.
” Topuz , a translator and assistant to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency , has been jailed since 2017 for alleged ties to Fethullah Gülen , a Pennsylvania-based Muslim leader whose religious movement is considered a terrorist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blamed Gülen , his former ally , for a 2016 coup attempt and has invoked the aborted putsch to purge thousands of people — journalists , diplomats , police officers and judges — on charges of affiliation with the preacher .
Howard Eissenstat , who served as Amnesty USA ’ s Turkey specialist for more than a decade , made clear in a phone interview that Topuz ’ s case was an example of Turkey ’ s purge trials .
“ It ’ s largely based on guilt by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Eissenstat , who is also a professor at St. Lawrence University .
“ It ’ s not a case that presents any sort of legitimate events that a normal court of law would have accepted.
” Formally a NATO ally , Turkey finds itself in far different company by incarcerating a U.S. government employee .
“ I can ’ t think of any precedents , ” Eissenstat added .
“ When we talk about consular staff being detained , we ’ re normally talking about enemies of the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Foreign Relations said Topuz ’ s sentencing sends a chilling message to American diplomats and foreign service nationals .
“ People don ’ t realize it , but the U.S. diplomatic corps is relatively small , ” he noted .
“ And that in all the countries around the world , we rely on people like Metin Topuz for everything from basic services in the embassy , but also for their expertise.
” The diplomatic concern is not only theoretical .
Eissenstat , the St. Lawrence professor , reported the chilling effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been told informally that U.S. consular staff are very nervous , ” Eissenstat said .
“ U.S .
diplomats are of course personally offended by the prosecution of one of their colleagues with whom they have worked for often decades.
” Topuz , who spent more than two decades at the U.S. consulate , helped the Drug Enforcement Agency in joint U.S.-Turkish anti-narcotics efforts .
As with Brunson , Topuz ’ s case is viewed in the United States as an example of Turkey ’ s hostage diplomacy , where jailing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bargaining chip for Erdoğan to carry out a foreign policy objective .
“ He ’ s been caught up in something that he clearly has nothing to do with and is being used once again as a pawn , in the same way that other people , either Americans or people affiliated with Americans , have been used in the Erdoğan and Turkish government ’ s efforts to force United States to move against Fethullah Gülen and his followers , ” said Cook .
Before his verdict , Topuz reportedly described his contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customs officials there as part of routine duties working for the U.S. government .
“ As part of my duty with the DEA , under the instructions and observation of my superiors , I had thousands of contacts with 309 law enforcement officials to prevent crime , ” Turkey ’ s state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Topuz as saying .
“ I committed no crime and had no relations with ( Gülen ’ s network ) , ” he said .
Gülen , a U.S. green card holder , denies any involvement with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump has faced heavy criticism for what critics call a subservient posture toward Turkey ’ s government .
In 2017 , the White House kept silent when Erdoğan ’ s security guards beat peaceful protesters on the streets of Washington during the Turkish leader ’ s first visit to Trump ’ s Oval Office .
Multiple investigations by Senate Democrats are looking into Trump ’ s real estate earnings in Istanbul and his administration ’ s efforts to interfere with the prosecution of a multibillion-dollar money-laundering scheme that has been tied to @ @ @ @

The U.S. government's failure to condemn a consulate worker's sentencing Thursday speaks volumes. 'I wouldn't work for us,' one Turkey expert said.
(CN) — When the Turkish government jailed a U.S. pastor two years ago, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence lobbied, tweeted and threatened economic retribution to free the Reverend Andrew Brunson.
U.S. consulate worker Metin Topuz received no such consideration on Thursday, as a Turkish court sentenced him to eight years imprisonment on terrorism charges.
The U.S. Embassy in Ankara was the only agency to deliver a statement, albeit somewhat of a muted one that voiced disappointment — but no outrage — over Topuz’s sentence.
“We have seen no credible evidence to support this conviction and hope it will swiftly be overturned,” the embassy tweeted.
For Turkey experts, the Trump administration’s lack of strong condemnation sends a dangerous message for those who would work for U.S. diplomats abroad.
“I wouldn’t work for us,” Steven Cook, a Turkey expert with the Council on Foreign Relations, said flatly, referring to consular staff. “I would know that the United States would not do much to protect me. So, if I was thinking about such a position, I wouldn't take it. If I had a position, I'd be very, very concerned about it.”
Topuz, a translator and assistant to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, has been jailed since 2017 for alleged ties to Fethullah Gülen, a Pennsylvania-based Muslim leader whose religious movement is considered a terrorist organization by the Turkish government.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blamed Gülen, his former ally, for a 2016 coup attempt and has invoked the aborted putsch to purge thousands of people — journalists, diplomats, police officers and judges — on charges of affiliation with the preacher.
Howard Eissenstat, who served as Amnesty USA’s Turkey specialist for more than a decade, made clear in a phone interview that Topuz’s case was an example of Turkey’s purge trials.
“It’s largely based on guilt by association and sort of scattered non-sequiturs,” said Eissenstat, who is also a professor at St. Lawrence University. “It’s not a case that presents any sort of legitimate events that a normal court of law would have accepted.”
Formally a NATO ally, Turkey finds itself in far different company by incarcerating a U.S. government employee.
“I can’t think of any precedents,” Eissenstat added. “When we talk about consular staff being detained, we’re normally talking about enemies of the United States, not allies.”
Cook at the Council on Foreign Relations said Topuz’s sentencing sends a chilling message to American diplomats and foreign service nationals.
“People don't realize it, but the U.S. diplomatic corps is relatively small,” he noted. “And that in all the countries around the world, we rely on people like Metin Topuz for everything from basic services in the embassy, but also for their expertise.”
The diplomatic concern is not only theoretical.
Eissenstat, the St. Lawrence professor, reported the chilling effect already has begun.
“I’ve been told informally that U.S. consular staff are very nervous,” Eissenstat said. “U.S. diplomats are of course personally offended by the prosecution of one of their colleagues with whom they have worked for often decades.”
Topuz, who spent more than two decades at the U.S. consulate, helped the Drug Enforcement Agency in joint U.S.-Turkish anti-narcotics efforts.
As with Brunson, Topuz’s case is viewed in the United States as an example of Turkey’s hostage diplomacy, where jailing a U.S. consulate official is seen as a bargaining chip for Erdoğan to carry out a foreign policy objective.
“He's been caught up in something that he clearly has nothing to do with and is being used once again as a pawn, in the same way that other people, either Americans or people affiliated with Americans, have been used in the Erdoğan and Turkish government's efforts to force United States to move against Fethullah Gülen and his followers,” said Cook.
Before his verdict, Topuz reportedly described his contact with Turkish police, paramilitary police and customs officials there as part of routine duties working for the U.S. government.
"As part of my duty with the DEA, under the instructions and observation of my superiors, I had thousands of contacts with 309 law enforcement officials to prevent crime," Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Topuz as saying.
"I committed no crime and had no relations with (Gülen's network)," he said.
Gülen, a U.S. green card holder, denies any involvement with the 2016 coup attempt.
Throughout his presidency, Trump has faced heavy criticism for what critics call a subservient posture toward Turkey’s government. In 2017, the White House kept silent when Erdoğan’s security guards beat peaceful protesters on the streets of Washington during the Turkish leader’s first visit to Trump’s Oval Office. Multiple investigations by Senate Democrats are looking into Trump’s real estate earnings in Istanbul and his administration’s efforts to interfere with the prosecution of a multibillion-dollar money-laundering scheme that has been tied to the Turkish president.


courthousenews--2020-06-12--Try These Helpful Hints From Bob

Try These Helpful Hints From Bob

Like most people these days , my waking hours are largely given over to two trains of thought , converging on uneven tracks over a narrow bridge .
One involves watching videos of cute animals on YouTube .
Anything to keep my mind off politics .
The second train of thought is : How can I make twice as much money but do half as much work ?
One way would be to come up with a fresh way of looking at the world that combines useful information , health tips , personal growth , finance and a bit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerge wiser , wealthier and happier in 16 column inches .
But that sounds like an awful lot of work .
A better idea is to steal things from people who get paid a lot more than I do .
My ideal gig would be a column like Dear Abby , Ann Landers , or Hints From Heloise .
These women lug home paychecks like Colombian money launderers , and their average day ’ s work , what with interns and all , could not possibly take more than two hours .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money keeps rolling in .
Dear Abby still gets letters from women whose husbands are , generally , fat drunkards who never bathe or brush their teeth , and are either a ) crudely demanding sex ; or b ) unaware of the concept of sex .
The great thing about writing a column like Dear Abby , aside from the enormous paycheck and the sex stories , is that anonymous women in Iowa , Kentucky and Montana actually write it .
All Dear Abby has to do is brush up the grammar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a creep .
Kill him.
” Ha !
Little joke there .
Dear Abby has never suborned murder .
So far as I know .
Hints From Heloise should be even easier to write , because it deals with inanimate objects .
Heloise tells you how to clean up after your pets and how to make your husband ’ s shirts smell like something other than your husband .
All of these lucrative columns — Dear Abby , Ann Landers , Hints From Heloise , the horoscope — are written by women .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and write a column for men .
In an ideal column , I would tell a man what to do , in 100 words or less , and send him away .
And no one but him will ever have to see the results .
I hope .
Unfortunately , since I have no hordes of men asking me questions about their girlfriends — yet — I ’ ll have to start by asking myself questions like Dear Abby gets .
The difference is , I will answer the questions in a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can read .
Once I get men writing to me , and am syndicated in hundreds of newspapers , the only limit will be how long the pig valves in my brain hold out .
My column will be called “ Hints From Bob.
” My problem is that I like to fish but my wife doesn ’ t .
Every weekend , just about , I get up at an ungodly hour and drive with my buddies to a secret spot where we fish and drink all day .
We cook trout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to bed early , then fish all Sunday and drive home with more trout in the cooler .
My wife has a hot dinner waiting for me on the table , but she will not speak to me that night or on Monday neither .
I have asked her to come fishing with me on weekends , but she says no , because we have two young children she takes care of .
What do you suggest I do ?
Up to my keister in trout I am an elementary school teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orange juice .
I don ’ t know why I do it .
They taught me to do it in Ed 101 at Okmulgee State , and I ’ ve been doing it ever since .
I ’ ve been saving two cans a week for four years .
What can I do with all these orange juice cans ?
Up to my keister in orange juice cans Here ’ s a handy household tip .
Buy a keg of beer .
Ice that baby down .
Fill up an orange juice can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throw the can away .
Take another orange juice can .
Drink it and throw the can away .
Repeat the procedure .
If your orange juice cans ain ’ t gone by Thursday , give me a call .
I just shot my husband , and the stains won ’ t come out of the carpet .
I put him into the trash compactor after chopping him up and spooning him into several cases of Nehi Orange Soda , so that ’ s no problem , but those pesky stains won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest ?
That is a poser .
Perhaps one of our readers might have a suggestion .
Readers ?

Like most people these days, my waking hours are largely given over to two trains of thought, converging on uneven tracks over a narrow bridge. One involves watching videos of cute animals on YouTube. Anything to keep my mind off politics.
Like most people these days, my waking hours are largely given over to two trains of thought, converging on uneven tracks over a narrow bridge. One involves watching videos of cute animals on YouTube. Anything to keep my mind off politics.
The second train of thought is: How can I make twice as much money but do half as much work?
One way would be to come up with a fresh way of looking at the world that combines useful information, health tips, personal growth, finance and a bit of humor, so that the reader would emerge wiser, wealthier and happier in 16 column inches.
But that sounds like an awful lot of work. A better idea is to steal things from people who get paid a lot more than I do.
My ideal gig would be a column like Dear Abby, Ann Landers, or Hints From Heloise. These women lug home paychecks like Colombian money launderers, and their average day’s work, what with interns and all, could not possibly take more than two hours. All of them are deceased, yet the money keeps rolling in.
Dear Abby still gets letters from women whose husbands are, generally, fat drunkards who never bathe or brush their teeth, and are either a) crudely demanding sex; or b) unaware of the concept of sex.
The great thing about writing a column like Dear Abby, aside from the enormous paycheck and the sex stories, is that anonymous women in Iowa, Kentucky and Montana actually write it. All Dear Abby has to do is brush up the grammar and write: “He’s a creep. Kill him.”
Ha! Little joke there. Dear Abby has never suborned murder. So far as I know.
Hints From Heloise should be even easier to write, because it deals with inanimate objects. Heloise tells you how to clean up after your pets and how to make your husband’s shirts smell like something other than your husband.
All of these lucrative columns — Dear Abby, Ann Landers, Hints From Heloise, the horoscope — are written by women.
I plan to steal from these women and write a column for men.
In an ideal column, I would tell a man what to do, in 100 words or less, and send him away. And no one but him will ever have to see the results. I hope.
Unfortunately, since I have no hordes of men asking me questions about their girlfriends — yet — I’ll have to start by asking myself questions like Dear Abby gets.
The difference is, I will answer the questions in a way that men can understand. If they can read. Once I get men writing to me, and am syndicated in hundreds of newspapers, the only limit will be how long the pig valves in my brain hold out.
My column will be called “Hints From Bob.”
Dear Bob:
My problem is that I like to fish but my wife doesn’t. Every weekend, just about, I get up at an ungodly hour and drive with my buddies to a secret spot where we fish and drink all day. We cook trout over the campfire, drink beer and go to bed early, then fish all Sunday and drive home with more trout in the cooler. My wife has a hot dinner waiting for me on the table, but she will not speak to me that night or on Monday neither.
I have asked her to come fishing with me on weekends, but she says no, because we have two young children she takes care of. What do you suggest I do?
Signed,
Up to my keister in trout
Okmulgee, Oklahoma
Dear Keister:
So what’s your problem?
Your pal, Bob
Dear Bob:
I am an elementary school teacher. I save empty cans of frozen orange juice. I don’t know why I do it. They taught me to do it in Ed 101 at Okmulgee State, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I’ve been saving two cans a week for four years. What can I do with all these orange juice cans?
Signed,
Up to my keister in orange juice cans
Wetumpka, Alabama
Dear Keister II:
Here’s a handy household tip. Buy a keg of beer. Ice that baby down. Fill up an orange juice can with beer. Drink her down and throw the can away. Take another orange juice can. Drink it and throw the can away. Repeat the procedure. If your orange juice cans ain’t gone by Thursday, give me a call.
Your pal, Bob
Dear Bob:
I just shot my husband, and the stains won’t come out of the carpet. I put him into the trash compactor after chopping him up and spooning him into several cases of Nehi Orange Soda, so that’s no problem, but those pesky stains won’t come out. What do you suggest?
Lying Low,
Braintree, Mass.
Dear Lying Low:
That is a poser. Perhaps one of our readers might have a suggestion. Readers?
Your pal, Bob


courthousenews--2020-06-12--Arizona Reopens, and Covid-19 Hospitalizations Surge

Since Gov .
Doug Ducey eased lockdown restrictions on May 15 , the number of Arizonans hospitalized with Covid-19 has jumped from 789 to 1,291 .
TUCSON ( CN ) — With restaurants , bars , gyms and barber shops swinging open their doors across Arizona , at least one epidemiologist is not surprised at the state ’ s dramatic increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations .
The surge is exactly what University of Arizona assistant professor Purnima Madhivanan thought the state would see three weeks after Gov .
Doug Ducey dropped many statewide restrictions .
“ It ’ s basically following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home orders , ” Madhivana said Thursday .
“ People decided to go out and mingle ; we saw increased cases .
Now they are becoming symptomatic , and we are seeing the hospitalizations.
” On May 15 , Ducey , a staunch supporter of President Trump who has largely followed the president ’ s lead on opening the economy , allowed a statewide stay-at-home order to expire .
Since then many businesses have opened , though many have remained closed and many continue to maintain social distance for customers .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people hospitalized for Covid-19 has jumped dramatically .
On May 15 , 789 Covid patients were in hospitals statewide , and by Wednesday that number had jumped to 1,291 , according to the Arizona Department of Health Services .
Also Wednesday , 82 % of adult hospital beds were filled , including 78 % of the state ’ s 1,658 adult intensive care beds , the state reported .
Hospitals are ready for more patients and have “ surge plans ” in place , said the Health Care Alliance of Arizona , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s biggest health care providers , including Banner Health , Dignity Health and Tenet Healthcare .
“ We have available bed capacity and surge plans are in place to continue to serve the people of Arizona , ” the group said .
“ We are well-prepared to manage an increase in patient volume.
” The state reported 1,412 new cases and 32 deaths Thursday , bringing the statewide totals to 31,264 cases and 1,127 deaths .
Nationwide the pandemic has killed more than 116,000 , with 834 deaths reported Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention .
At least eight other states have reported increased hospitalizations for Covid-19 since restrictions were loosened de facto over Memorial Day weekend : Texas , California , Oregon , Utah , North and South Carolina , Arkansas and Mississippi .
The Associated Press reported on Thursday that the rolling 7-day average of new cases is increasing in 21 states .
Yet despite the continuing rise in cases and deaths , concern for the spread of the coronavirus is slipping in Arizona , according to an OH Predictive poll taken June 2-3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 likely voters showed 59 % were extremely or moderately concerned about the spread of the virus , with a sharp difference between Democrats and Republicans .
Among Democrats , 85 % were extremely or moderately concerned , up from 82 % in a similar poll in April .
Just 32 % of Republicans were concerned last week , down from 55 % in April , the poll showed .
Forty-nine percent of Arizonans polled think the economy is opening too quickly , while 34 % think authorities are acting too slowly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ducey ’ s management of the crisis , a number that hasn ’ t changed since OH Predictive ’ s April poll .
Madhivanan is concerned that Arizonans are not taking the threat seriously , not wearing masks and not keeping distance among themselves .
She doesn ’ t think another closure order is the answer , because people are less likely to accept it a second time around .
People need to be reminded that hand washing and other measures work , she said .
“ We know they work , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re not seeing those things being implemented here in our communities , ” Madhivanan said .
“ We have tools .
We ’ re just not using them .
”

With restaurants, bars, gyms and barber shops swinging open their doors across Arizona, at least one epidemiologist is not surprised at the state’s dramatic increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations.
TUCSON (CN) — With restaurants, bars, gyms and barber shops swinging open their doors across Arizona, at least one epidemiologist is not surprised at the state’s dramatic increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations.
The surge is exactly what University of Arizona assistant professor Purnima Madhivanan thought the state would see three weeks after Gov. Doug Ducey dropped many statewide restrictions.
“It’s basically following what we had expected as we loosened stay-at-home orders,” Madhivana said Thursday. “People decided to go out and mingle; we saw increased cases. Now they are becoming symptomatic, and we are seeing the hospitalizations.”
On May 15, Ducey, a staunch supporter of President Trump who has largely followed the president’s lead on opening the economy, allowed a statewide stay-at-home order to expire. Since then many businesses have opened, though many have remained closed and many continue to maintain social distance for customers.
In the three weeks since then, the number of people hospitalized for Covid-19 has jumped dramatically. On May 15, 789 Covid patients were in hospitals statewide, and by Wednesday that number had jumped to 1,291, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Also Wednesday, 82% of adult hospital beds were filled, including 78% of the state’s 1,658 adult intensive care beds, the state reported.
Hospitals are ready for more patients and have “surge plans” in place, said the Health Care Alliance of Arizona, an advocacy group representing some of the state’s biggest health care providers, including Banner Health, Dignity Health and Tenet Healthcare.
“We have available bed capacity and surge plans are in place to continue to serve the people of Arizona,” the group said. “We are well-prepared to manage an increase in patient volume.”
The state reported 1,412 new cases and 32 deaths Thursday, bringing the statewide totals to 31,264 cases and 1,127 deaths. Nationwide the pandemic has killed more than 116,000, with 834 deaths reported Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At least eight other states have reported increased hospitalizations for Covid-19 since restrictions were loosened de facto over Memorial Day weekend: Texas, California, Oregon, Utah, North and South Carolina, Arkansas and Mississippi.
The Associated Press reported on Thursday that the rolling 7-day average of new cases is increasing in 21 states.
Yet despite the continuing rise in cases and deaths, concern for the spread of the coronavirus is slipping in Arizona, according to an OH Predictive poll taken June 2-3 and released Wednesday.
That poll of 600 likely voters showed 59% were extremely or moderately concerned about the spread of the virus, with a sharp difference between Democrats and Republicans. Among Democrats, 85% were extremely or moderately concerned, up from 82% in a similar poll in April. Just 32% of Republicans were concerned last week, down from 55% in April, the poll showed.
Forty-nine percent of Arizonans polled think the economy is opening too quickly, while 34% think authorities are acting too slowly. Fifty-nine percent strongly or somewhat approve of Ducey’s management of the crisis, a number that hasn’t changed since OH Predictive’s April poll.
Madhivanan is concerned that Arizonans are not taking the threat seriously, not wearing masks and not keeping distance among themselves. She doesn’t think another closure order is the answer, because people are less likely to accept it a second time around.
People need to be reminded that hand washing and other measures work, she said.
“We know they work, and we have seen them work, but you’re not seeing those things being implemented here in our communities,” Madhivanan said. “We have tools. We’re just not using them.”


courthousenews--2020-06-12--SoCal Homeowners Fined $1.7 Million for Encroaching on Beach

The city of Newport Beach will pay at least another $ 500,000 to remediate the illegal encroachments that have persisted for years .
( CN ) — Private property owners in Southern California were fined $ 1.7 million on Thursday for violating public access to Newport Beach for decades by creating illegal yard extensions of their beachfront properties onto the sandy public beaches .
The city of Newport Beach agreed to cover at least $ 500,000 in costs to remove illegal landscaping , grassy lawns and walkways encroaching on public beach access installed by beachfront homeowners at the ritzy city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cease-and-desist order was approved unanimously by the California Coastal Commission at its virtual meeting Thursday .
While the city will not pay an administrative penalty , it is on the hook to cover cleanup costs to restore the beach and dune habitat at four city-owned properties , which the city estimates will cost at least $ 500,000 .
The encroachments are on city-owned property , but were installed by private property owners at 60-70 adjacent residences immediately inland from the city-owned beach .
By coordinating remediation , the beach restoration along Peninsula Point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a completion deadline by 2023 — rather than a piecemeal approach had all 33 property-owner violators worked out separate deals to get in compliance with the Coastal Act .
The illegal privatization of Newport Beach ’ s beach lingered for decades , with the city seeking the Coastal Commission ’ s blessing in its 1991 Land Use Plan proposed amendment which would have allowed the private property encroachments on the public sand at Peninsula Point to remain in place .
The Coastal Commission rejected that proposal as well as a recently revived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the same effect as the 1991 proposal .
No coastal development permit has ever been issued by the Coastal Commission to allow for the beach encroachments , yet a slide show during the Thursday meeting by enforcement supervisor Andrew Willis showed properties with elaborate yards , patios , outdoor living rooms and landscaping where sand dunes , which constitute environmentally sensitive habitat area , should be .
The area is also one of a handful of wintering sites for the Western snowy plover , which is listed as threatened under the Endangered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cumulative loss of public beach due to the private yards encroaching on the said is about 1¼ acres .
He said private encroachment on public beaches coupled with sea level rise compounds the loss of public beaches caused by climate change .
Violation letters were sent to property owners in 2012 , but Coastal Commission efforts to resolve the encroachments did not ramp up until commissioners rejected the city ’ s Local Coastal Program amendment last year .
Attorney James McGee , representing 20 of the homeowners , said many homeowners were willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city requested an amendment last July to allow some of the encroachments to remain in place .
McGee said some of the homeowners “ were innocent ” because they did not install the encroachments themselves and were not adequately informed before they purchased their properties .
“ They have been caught in a very unfortunate circumstance but are willing to participate in removing the encroachments , ” McGee said .
Newport Beach Community Development Department director Seimone Jurjis told commissioners the city is “ ready to move forward and restore public beach.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have been working diligently with the enforcement staff and the residents in finding an equitable solution to the violation .
We are very happy with Coastal Commission approval of the consent orders today .
We look forward to restoring the beaches back to the public ’ s use , ” Jurjis said in a statement to Courthouse News .
Jennifer Savage , California policy manager for the Surfrider Foundation , said during the meeting the homeowners encroached on the public beach “ with a sense of entitlement most of us would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the illegal yards extended as much as 80 feet onto the beach .

Private property owners in Southern California were fined $1.7 million on Thursday for violating public access to Newport Beach for decades by creating illegal yard extensions of their beachfront properties onto the sandy public beaches.
(CN) — Private property owners in Southern California were fined $1.7 million on Thursday for violating public access to Newport Beach for decades by creating illegal yard extensions of their beachfront properties onto the sandy public beaches.
The city of Newport Beach agreed to cover at least $500,000 in costs to remove illegal landscaping, grassy lawns and walkways encroaching on public beach access installed by beachfront homeowners at the ritzy city’s Peninsula Point.
The consent cease-and-desist order was approved unanimously by the California Coastal Commission at its virtual meeting Thursday.
While the city will not pay an administrative penalty, it is on the hook to cover cleanup costs to restore the beach and dune habitat at four city-owned properties, which the city estimates will cost at least $500,000.
The encroachments are on city-owned property, but were installed by private property owners at 60-70 adjacent residences immediately inland from the city-owned beach.
By coordinating remediation, the beach restoration along Peninsula Point will be completed in one project — with a completion deadline by 2023 — rather than a piecemeal approach had all 33 property-owner violators worked out separate deals to get in compliance with the Coastal Act.
This screenshot of the Coastal Commission meeting on Thursday, June 11, shows how landowners illegally expanded their yard onto the public beach in Peninsula Point, Newport Beach. (Image by Courthouse News)
The illegal privatization of Newport Beach’s beach lingered for decades, with the city seeking the Coastal Commission’s blessing in its 1991 Land Use Plan proposed amendment which would have allowed the private property encroachments on the public sand at Peninsula Point to remain in place.
The Coastal Commission rejected that proposal as well as a recently revived amendment in July 2019 that would have had the same effect as the 1991 proposal.
No coastal development permit has ever been issued by the Coastal Commission to allow for the beach encroachments, yet a slide show during the Thursday meeting by enforcement supervisor Andrew Willis showed properties with elaborate yards, patios, outdoor living rooms and landscaping where sand dunes, which constitute environmentally sensitive habitat area, should be.
The area is also one of a handful of wintering sites for the Western snowy plover, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Willis said Thursday the cumulative loss of public beach due to the private yards encroaching on the sand is about 1¼ acres.
He said private encroachment on public beaches coupled with sea level rise compounds the loss of public beaches caused by climate change.
Violation letters were sent to property owners in 2012, but Coastal Commission efforts to resolve the encroachments did not ramp up until commissioners rejected the city’s Local Coastal Program amendment last year.
Attorney James McGee, representing 20 of the homeowners, said many homeowners were willing to remedy the situation but waited until the city requested an amendment last July to allow some of the encroachments to remain in place.
McGee said some of the homeowners “were innocent” because they did not install the encroachments themselves and were not adequately informed before they purchased their properties.
“They have been caught in a very unfortunate circumstance but are willing to participate in removing the encroachments,” McGee said.
Newport Beach Community Development Department director Seimone Jurjis told commissioners the city is “ready to move forward and restore public beach.”
“For the past year, we have been working diligently with the enforcement staff and the residents in finding an equitable solution to the violation. We are very happy with Coastal Commission approval of the consent orders today. We look forward to restoring the beaches back to the public’s use,” Jurjis said in a statement to Courthouse News.
Jennifer Savage, California policy manager for the Surfrider Foundation, said during the meeting the homeowners encroached on the public beach “with a sense of entitlement most of us would be hard-pressed to fathom.”
Savage said some of the illegal yards extended as much as 80 feet onto the beach.


Excessive Force

SACRAMENTO , Calif. — A federal court in California denied the City of Tehachapi ’ s motion for summary judgment @ @ @ @ @ brought by a man who was shot twice in the back during a foot pursuit @ @ @ @ @ is a triable issue of fact as to whether the officers had a “ reasonable @ @ @ @ @ armed at the time of the shooting .

The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.


Gym Memberships

SAN FRANCISCO — An appeals court in California allowed part of a class action to proceed against ABC Financial — @ @ @ @ @ gyms and health clubs — which the plaintiff claims did not allow her to cancel @ @ @ @ @ developed health issues consistent with Multiple Sclerosis .


DACA Discrimination

MIAMI — A federal court in Florida denied Procter & Gamble ’ s motion to dismiss a discrimination claim brought @ @ @ @ @ he was denied an internship position based on his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival status @


Lottery Tickets

AUSTIN , Texas — The Texas Supreme Court ruled a private contractor that provided instant ticket manufacturing and services to @ @ @ @ @ not entitled to immunity on fraud claims brought by plaintiffs who say the instructions on @ @ @ @ @ and caused them to believe they had won when they did not .


Pension Plans

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal court in California declined to approve a settlement in a dispute brought by former employees @ @ @ @ @ claim the company failed to properly maintain its pension plan .
The court found a @ @ @ @ @ vesting subgroup and the rest of the class .


courthousenews--2020-06-13--Festive Seattle Protest Continues as Trump Threatens Use of Force

SEATTLE ( CN ) – The festive atmosphere continued in the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone Friday , named by demonstrators who claimed the area surrounding a temporarily abandoned police precinct Friday , despite the rainy Seattle weather .
Police decided to withdraw from the neighborhood station Monday and remove barricades around the building “ to allow demonstrators to march past the East Precinct , ” according to a department announcement .
After marching , the crowd decided to stay , moving the barriers used by police into the street and creating a pedestrian-only space for several blocks .
Demonstrators spray-painted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Precinct , ” and banners hung on the building that read , “ This space is now property of the Seattle people.
” Naudia Miller told a crowd gathered at the Peoples Assembly Stage she has seen “ amazing changes ” in the neighborhood since protesters occupied the streets , but not to forget black lives was the reason people were there .
Miller , who is from Seattle , said she is raising two boys and just started a nonprofit to mobilize black leadership .
“ Our allies are looking for education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were are out here , why anti-black racism is so powerful and how deep it goes , ” she said .
Another speaker , who identified herself as Miss Jessie , from Tacoma said she started a record label called Felony Entertainment because she couldn ’ t get a job after being released from prison .
That experience motivated her to advocate for Washington ’ s law restoring voting rights to felons .
“ That was particularly for my own situation that happened with me being ostracized and feeling that I was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could pay my taxes but I did not have a voice when it came to voting , ” she said .
How long the space remains in possession of the protesters is up for debate , after Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best and Mayor Jenny Durkan tried to downplay their disagreement over abandoning the precinct .
In an address to officers Thursday , Best said it was “ not my decision ” to move police out of the station .
“ You fought for days to protect it .
I asked you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and day out , to be pelted with projectiles , to be screamed at , threatened and in some cases hurt .
Then to have a change of course nearly two weeks in , it seems like an insult to you and our community , ” she said .
“ Ultimately the city had other plans for the building and relented to public pressure .
I ’ m angry about how this all came about.
” Durkan felt removing the barricades around the police building and removing the officers was the safest thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events on Sunday night , it was clear that the ongoing nightly protests at the East Precinct needed to be significantly defused and deescalated , ” her office said in a statement .
“ The East Precinct was a flashpoint , and the cycle of conflict between demonstrators and officers were harmful to residents , demonstrators , businesses , officers , and our city.
” CNN host Chris Cuomo asked Durkan in an interview on Friday how long the streets will be occupied by protesters .
“ I don ’ t know .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” Durkan responded .
The autonomous zone has also captured the attention of President Donald Trump , who appeared to threaten military action in a tweet on Wednesday : “ Radical Left Governor @ JayInslee and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before .
Take back your city NOW .
If you don ’ t do it , I will .
This is not a game .
These ugly Anarchists must be stooped [ sic ] IMMEDIATELY .
MOVE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet , complete with misspelling , prompted Governor Jay Inslee to respond : “ A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington state ’ s business .
‘ Stoop ’ tweeting .
“ Make us all safe .
Go back to your bunker , ” she tweeted .
While government officials were arguing about the fate of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone , its residents were busy holding a speakers ’ rally .
Some of the speakers commented how stark the change was from just a week ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters were happening in the neighborhood .
Despite a 30-day ban on using tear gas , police once again doused demonstrators around the precinct Monday night .
Best justified the use , saying some members of the crowd were throwing objects and pointing lasers in the officers ’ eyes and an armed man was spotted in the street .
“ Based on what we were experiencing , we thought there was a life safety issue ” Best said at a news conference .
Officers abandoned the building the next day .
Seattle protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city Tuesday , saying police used excessive force in firing tear gas and rubber bullets at them in recent demonstrations .
Late Friday , a federal judge ordered the city to temporarily stop the use of tear gas , flash-bang devices and pepper spray .
Demonstrators have planted a community garden in Cal Anderson Park , adjacent to the precinct , and set up tents and speaking platforms .
On Friday , crowds gathered along the closed streets , preparing for a silent march holding umbrellas for the rain that were previously used @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The festive atmosphere continued in the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone Friday, named by demonstrators who claimed the area surrounding a temporarily abandoned police precinct Friday, despite the rainy Seattle weather.
SEATTLE (CN) — The festive atmosphere continued in the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone Friday, named by demonstrators who claimed the area surrounding a temporarily abandoned police precinct Friday, despite the rainy Seattle weather.
Police decided to withdraw from the neighborhood station Monday and remove barricades around the building “to allow demonstrators to march past the East Precinct,” according to a department announcement.
After marching, the crowd decided to stay, moving the barriers used by police into the street and creating a pedestrian-only space for several blocks. Demonstrators spray-painted “Seattle People’s Department East Precinct,” and banners hung on the building that read, “This space is now property of the Seattle people.”
Naudia Miller told a crowd gathered at the Peoples Assembly Stage she has seen “amazing changes” in the neighborhood since protesters occupied the streets, but not to forget black lives was the reason people were there.
Miller, who is from Seattle, said she is raising two boys and just started a nonprofit to mobilize black leadership.
“Our allies are looking for education. They really want to understand why were are out here, why anti-black racism is so powerful and how deep it goes,” she said.
Another speaker, who identified herself as Miss Jessie, from Tacoma said she started a record label called Felony Entertainment because she couldn’t get a job after being released from prison. That experience motivated her to advocate for Washington’s law restoring voting rights to felons.
“That was particularly for my own situation that happened with me being ostracized and feeling that I was not a part of the community. I could pay my taxes but I did not have a voice when it came to voting,” she said.
How long the space remains in possession of the protesters is up for debate, after Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best and Mayor Jenny Durkan tried to downplay their disagreement over abandoning the precinct.
In an address to officers Thursday, Best said it was “not my decision” to move police out of the station.
"You fought for days to protect it. I asked you to stand on that line. Day in and day out, to be pelted with projectiles, to be screamed at, threatened and in some cases hurt. Then to have a change of course nearly two weeks in, it seems like an insult to you and our community," she said. "Ultimately the city had other plans for the building and relented to public pressure. I’m angry about how this all came about."
Durkan felt removing the barricades around the police building and removing the officers was the safest thing for police and protesters.
“After events on Sunday night, it was clear that the ongoing nightly protests at the East Precinct needed to be significantly defused and deescalated," her office said in a statement. "The East Precinct was a flashpoint, and the cycle of conflict between demonstrators and officers were harmful to residents, demonstrators, businesses, officers, and our city.”
CNN host Chris Cuomo asked Durkan in an interview on Friday how long the streets will be occupied by protesters.
"I don't know. We could have a summer of love!" Durkan responded.
The autonomous zone has also captured the attention of President Donald Trump, who appeared to threaten military action in a tweet on Wednesday:
Barricades have been set up in the area where protesters in Seattle have settled in on Friday, June 12, 2020. (Courthouse News photo/June Williams)
“Radical Left Governor @JayInslee and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before. Take back your city NOW. If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stooped [sic] IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!” he wrote.
The tweet, complete with misspelling, prompted Governor Jay Inslee to respond:
“A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington state’s business. ‘Stoop’ tweeting.
Durkan also chided the President.
“Make us all safe. Go back to your bunker,” she tweeted.
While government officials were arguing about the fate of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, its residents were busy holding a speakers’ rally.
Some of the speakers commented how stark the change was from just a week ago, when nightly clashes with police and protesters were happening in the neighborhood.
Despite a 30-day ban on using tear gas, police once again doused demonstrators around the precinct Monday night.
Best justified the use, saying some members of the crowd were throwing objects and pointing lasers in the officers’ eyes and an armed man was spotted in the street.
“Based on what we were experiencing, we thought there was a life safety issue” Best said at a news conference.
Officers abandoned the building the next day.
Seattle protesters also brought a federal complaint against the city Tuesday, saying police used excessive force in firing tear gas and rubber bullets at them in recent demonstrations. Late Friday, a federal judge ordered the city to temporarily stop the use of tear gas, flash-bang devices and pepper spray.
Demonstrators have planted a community garden in Cal Anderson Park, adjacent to the precinct, and set up tents and speaking platforms.
A “No Cop COOP” offering free groceries including fresh produce, water, granola bars, toilet paper and “soliciting pizza donations” is growing daily.
On Friday, crowds gathered along the closed streets, preparing for a silent march holding umbrellas for the rain that were previously used to block officers’ pepper spray.