courthousenews--2020-07-07--Nationwide Wave of Senseless Shootings on Holiday Weekend

In Chicago alone , 17 people were shot to death and 70 were wounded by gunfire .
Children were shot to death across the nation .
( AP ) — A 6-year-old computer whiz .
A young mother working for a better home for her kids .
An 8-year-old who loved to make dance videos .
From San Francisco to South Carolina , a spate of shootings claimed the lives of people celebrating or just taking a drive over the Fourth of July weekend .
Chicago saw one of its bloodiest holiday weekends in memory , with 17 killed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come amid fears that the coronavirus pandemic , protests against racism , rising gun sales and an election year could make for a particularly deadly summer .
Here is a look at some of the victims from the Fourth of July weekend .
Secoriea Turner should have been making TikTok videos on her phone Sunday evening , her mother said .
Instead , Charmaine Turner appeared before reporters with Atlanta ’ s mayor and interim police chief to plead for anyone with information about her 8-year-old daughter ’ s death to come forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with her mother and another adult just before 10 p.m. Saturday .
They exited the interstate and tried to enter a parking lot when they were confronted by “ a group of armed individuals ” blocking the entrance , police said .
Before the driver could make a U-turn , shots were fired and Secoriea was hit , Turner said .
“ She died in my arms , ” Turner said .
The shooting happened near the Wendy ’ s where Rayshard Brooks , a black man , was fatally shot by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast-food restaurant was burned during protests the next night and became a gathering place for demonstrations against police brutality .
Charmaine Turner noted the time as she spoke at a news conference Sunday , saying her daughter would have just finished eating dinner : “ She would have been on TikTok dancing in her phone.
” The girl ’ s father , Secoriya Williamson , reflected on the simple pleasures of an 8-year-old girl : “ She just wanted to get home to see her cousins .
That ’ s all she wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Natalia Wallace was preparing to start second grade in a few weeks at a Chicago elementary school .
The 7-year-old was killed Saturday night by a gunshot to the head .
She was standing on the sidewalk in a West Side neighborhood where she ’ d visited her grandmother .
Authorities said gunmen got out of a car and fired their guns .
Her father , Nathan Wallace , said he ’ d hugged his daughter minutes before the shooting .
“ I just wanted her to have a chance at life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to do , I was going to be there , no matter what .
To see my daughter on the table with a gunshot wound to the forehead , that ’ ll change somebody ’ s life.
” Teachers remembered Natalia as shy yet diligent as she completed remote lessons at the end of first grade .
“ Sometimes , her quiet spirit gave her the strength to lead the reading lessons within her group , and she soared when it came to doing math , ” said a statement from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was always present and participating .
At the end of each class session , she would type in the chat box , ‘ I Love You . '
” ‘ He was going to be something ’ Jace Young was a “ bright star ” with an unlimited future , his uncle said .
Six-year-old Jace was shot and killed while attending a birthday party Saturday in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco .
Nate Ford said his nephew was intelligent and empathetic beyond his years .
“ We knew he was going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s uncle told the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday .
Jace was a whiz with computers , always chose milk over soda , and refused to eat meat , his uncle said .
“ ‘ Because it will kill animals ’ , ” Ford recalled Jace saying .
No arrests have been made .
“ Senseless violence like this that could so tragically claim the life of a small child is unacceptable in our city , ” San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said in a statement .
Mykala Bell and Clarence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina nightclub shooting .
Johnson worked as a security guard at the Lavish Lounge , where gunfire erupted early Sunday during a performance by rapper Foogiano .
Bell ’ s family described the 23-year-old single mother of two small children as a caring person who looked after her younger family members .
“ That ’ s going to be the hardest part — looking at my niece in a casket , ” Ramon Arnold , Bell ’ s uncle , told WHNS-TV in Greenville .
“ Can ’ t see her face no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arnold , Bell ’ s aunt , said her niece had just got a new job at a call center and planned to move her children into a new home .
“ They love their mommy , ” Ashley Arnold said , according to the Anderson Independent Mail newspaper .
“ And it ’ s up to us to keep her legacy alive for them.
” Friends affectionately referred to Johnson as CJ and Big Sterling , an affable man always happy to help out when he could .
“ He was one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serving , ” pastor Henry Johnson of Queen Street Baptist Church , where Sterling Johnson served on the usher board , told the Herald-Journal of Spartanburg .
“ Sterling was what I called a servant who served in so many areas in our community wholeheartedly , making sure everyone felt safe.
” A GoFundMe page was set up to help the 51-year-old security guard ’ s family , which includes two daughters , two sons , two grandchildren , two sisters and three brothers .
Davon McNeal wasn ’ t even supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , cookout where he was shot and killed .
The 11-year-old had stopped by to pick up a phone charger and some earbuds , his family said .
Tony Lawson , the boy ’ s maternal grandfather , wept as he recalled the boy ’ s love for family and football .
“ He was a good kid … 11 years old .
He hadn ’ t lived his life yet , ” Lawson told WTTG-TV .
John Ayala , Davon ’ s paternal grandfather , told the news station that shortly after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone dropped to the ground .
“ Everybody ’ s just saying they ’ re just tired — tired of the shootings in the community , ” Ayala said .
“ We ’ re protesting for months , for weeks , saying , ‘ Black Lives Matter , Black Lives Matter.
’ Black lives matter it seems like , only when a police officer shoots a black person .
What about all the black-on-black crime that ’ s happening in the community ?
” Royta Giles Jr. would have started third grade this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line Friday at an Alabama mall with his family to buy new outfits for the Fourth when gunshots rang out , AL.com reported .
Police said a group of men got into an argument near the food court and fired at one another .
Family members , friends and his school described Royta as an energetic , smiling boy who dreamed of a future in the music industry and wanted to be a rapper .
Former assistant principal Mr. Van James said : “ He was bright , articulate , and very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to become a lawyer.
” The boy ’ s grandmother said the family was devastated .
“ This is a baby we ’ ll never see again , ” Kesha Layfield said .
“ I have to comfort his mother , and I don ’ t even know how to begin .
I can only imagine what she ’ s feeling .
Not only am I grieving for my daughter , but I ’ m grieving the loss of my grandson .
”

A 6-year-old computer whiz. A young mother working for a better home for her kids. An 8-year-old who loved to make dance videos.
(AP) — A 6-year-old computer whiz. A young mother working for a better home for her kids. An 8-year-old who loved to make dance videos.
From San Francisco to South Carolina, a spate of shootings claimed the lives of people celebrating or just taking a drive over the Fourth of July weekend. Chicago saw one of its bloodiest holiday weekends in memory, with 17 killed and 70 wounded by gunfire. The incidents come amid fears that the coronavirus pandemic, protests against racism, rising gun sales and an election year could make for a particularly deadly summer.
Here is a look at some of the victims from the Fourth of July weekend.
‘She died in my arms’
Secoriea Turner should have been making TikTok videos on her phone Sunday evening, her mother said.
Instead, Charmaine Turner appeared before reporters with Atlanta's mayor and interim police chief to plead for anyone with information about her 8-year-old daughter's death to come forward.
Secoriea was riding in a car with her mother and another adult just before 10 p.m. Saturday. They exited the interstate and tried to enter a parking lot when they were confronted by "a group of armed individuals" blocking the entrance, police said. Before the driver could make a U-turn, shots were fired and Secoriea was hit, Turner said.
"She died in my arms," Turner said.
The shooting happened near the Wendy's where Rayshard Brooks, a black man, was fatally shot by a white police officer June 12. The fast-food restaurant was burned during protests the next night and became a gathering place for demonstrations against police brutality.
Charmaine Turner noted the time as she spoke at a news conference Sunday, saying her daughter would have just finished eating dinner: "She would have been on TikTok dancing in her phone."
The girl's father, Secoriya Williamson, reflected on the simple pleasures of an 8-year-old girl: "She just wanted to get home to see her cousins. That's all she wanted to do."
‘A chance at life’
Studious and sweet, Natalia Wallace was preparing to start second grade in a few weeks at a Chicago elementary school.
The 7-year-old was killed Saturday night by a gunshot to the head. She was standing on the sidewalk in a West Side neighborhood where she'd visited her grandmother. Authorities said gunmen got out of a car and fired their guns.
Her father, Nathan Wallace, said he'd hugged his daughter minutes before the shooting.
"I just wanted her to have a chance at life," he said. "Whatever she wanted to do, I was going to be there, no matter what. To see my daughter on the table with a gunshot wound to the forehead, that'll change somebody's life."
A 33-year-old man was charged with murder Monday.
Teachers remembered Natalia as shy yet diligent as she completed remote lessons at the end of first grade.
"Sometimes, her quiet spirit gave her the strength to lead the reading lessons within her group, and she soared when it came to doing math," said a statement from the school. "During e-learning, Natalia was always present and participating. At the end of each class session, she would type in the chat box, 'I Love You.'"
‘He was going to be something’
Jace Young was a "bright star" with an unlimited future, his uncle said.
Six-year-old Jace was shot and killed while attending a birthday party Saturday in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco.
Nate Ford said his nephew was intelligent and empathetic beyond his years.
"We knew he was going to be something," the boy's uncle told the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday.
Jace was a whiz with computers, always chose milk over soda, and refused to eat meat, his uncle said.


courthousenews--2020-07-07--Dining Out During a Pandemic — Is It Worth It?

( AP ) — How risky is dining out during the Covid-19 pandemic ?
There is some risk , but health officials say there are precautions you can take to minimize the chances you ’ ll be exposed to the virus .
Ordering takeout or delivery is the safest option for getting restaurant food , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
If you decide to eat at a restaurant , it ’ s best to opt for outdoor seating where tables are at least 6 feet apart , the agency says .
Dining inside a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity or safely distanced tables poses the most risk , it says .
The coronavirus spreads through droplets that are emitted when people talk , laugh , sing , cough or sneeze .
Indoor spaces are more risky than outdoor spaces because it might be harder to keep people apart and there ’ s less ventilation , the CDC says .
Diners should assess what other safety steps the restaurant is taking .
For example , servers should be wearing masks and the restaurant should have a process to ensure people are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ table , says Dr. Susan Casey Bleasdale , an infectious disease expert at the University of Illinois at Chicago .
Digital or disposable menus and throwaway utensils are also preferable , according to the CDC .
The agency says touchless payment options , like those available on a mobile device , are optimal .
Otherwise , restaurants should have procedures for avoiding hand-to-hand contact with cash and credit cards .
If you are gathering at a restaurant with a group , Bleasdale suggests dining only with people you know , and checking if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any symptoms .
People more vulnerable to severe illness from the virus , such as the elderly , might want to avoid eating out at restaurants altogether .

How risky is dining out during the Covid-19 pandemic?
(AP) — How risky is dining out during the Covid-19 pandemic?
There is some risk, but health officials say there are precautions you can take to minimize the chances you'll be exposed to the virus.
Ordering takeout or delivery is the safest option for getting restaurant food, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you decide to eat at a restaurant, it's best to opt for outdoor seating where tables are at least 6 feet apart, the agency says. Dining inside a restaurant that hasn't reduced its capacity or safely distanced tables poses the most risk, it says.
The coronavirus spreads through droplets that are emitted when people talk, laugh, sing, cough or sneeze. Indoor spaces are more risky than outdoor spaces because it might be harder to keep people apart and there's less ventilation, the CDC says.
Diners should assess what other safety steps the restaurant is taking.
For example, servers should be wearing masks and the restaurant should have a process to ensure people are not congregating too closely while waiting for a table, says Dr. Susan Casey Bleasdale, an infectious disease expert at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Digital or disposable menus and throwaway utensils are also preferable, according to the CDC. The agency says touchless payment options, like those available on a mobile device, are optimal. Otherwise, restaurants should have procedures for avoiding hand-to-hand contact with cash and credit cards.
If you are gathering at a restaurant with a group, Bleasdale suggests dining only with people you know, and checking if they have been feeling sick or experiencing any symptoms.
People more vulnerable to severe illness from the virus, such as the elderly, might want to avoid eating out at restaurants altogether.


courthousenews--2020-07-07--Hospitals Near Capacity as Miami Recloses Restaurants

MIAMI ( AP ) — Hospitals rapidly approached capacity across the Sunbelt , and the Miami area closed indoor dining at restaurants and gyms again because of the surging coronavirus Monday .
The United States emerged from a Fourth of July weekend of picnics , pool parties and beach outings that health officials fear could fuel the rapidly worsening outbreak .
The seesaw effect — restrictions lifted , then reimposed — has been seen around the country in recent weeks and is expected again after a holiday that saw crowds of people celebrating , many without masks .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned post-holiday , as anecdotal stories and observed behavior indicate that many continue to disregard important protective guidance , ” said Heather Woolwine , a spokeswoman for the Medical University of South Carolina .
Confirmed cases are on the rise in 41 of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia , and the percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus is increasing in 39 states .
Florida , which recorded an all-time high of 11,400 new cases Saturday and has seen its positive test rate lately reach more than 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with other Sunbelt states such as Arizona , California and Texas .
A virus outbreak in the California Legislature indefinitely delayed the Assembly ’ s return to work from a summer recess .
Five people including Assemblywoman Autumn Burke tested positive .
Coronavirus hospitalizations in California have increased by 56 % in the past two weeks while the number of confirmed cases has jumped by 53 % .
In Miami-Dade County , population 2.7 million , Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered the closing of restaurants to indoor dining and certain other indoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks after they were allowed to reopen .
Gimenez initially said that restaurants would be closed to all dining but in a statement Monday evening the mayor said that after meeting with medical experts and a restaurant industry group that his emergency order “ will allow for outdoor dining , where possible , to continue with restrictions.
” Beaches will reopen on Tuesday after being closed over the weekend .
“ But if we see crowding and people not following the public health rules , I will be forced to close the beaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hospitalizations across the state have been increasing , with nearly 1,700 patients admitted in the past seven days compared with 1,200 the previous week .
Five hospitals in the St. Petersburg area were out of intensive care unit beds , officials said .
Miami ’ s Baptist Hospital had only four of its 88 ICU beds available .
“ If we continue to increase at the pace we have been , we won ’ t have enough ventilators , enough rooms , ” said Dr. David De La Zerda , ICU medical director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Memorial Hospital .
Officials in Texas also reported hospitals are in danger of being overwhelmed .
Hospitalizations statewide surged past 8,000 for the first time over the weekend , a more than fourfold increase in the past month .
Houston officials said intensive care units there have exceeded capacity .
Along the border with Mexico , two severely ill patients were flown hundreds of miles north to Dallas and San Antonio because hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley were full .
In Arizona , the number of people hospitalized with Covid-19 topped 3,200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide were at 89 % capacity .
Confirmed cases surpassed 100,000 , and more than half of those infected — more than 62,000 — are under 44 years old , state health officials said .
As cases surge across the state , Katie Cameron said it appears some of her neighbors in Phoenix are in denial .
The mother of two said she ’ s seen people tearing down caution tape meant to keep them off playground equipment in parks , large groups gathering to socialize and very few masks .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or don ’ t think it ’ s real , ” Cameron said .
“ It ’ s kind of like ‘ out of sight , out of mind ’ or they are just lying to themselves because they don ’ t want to believe it.
” Health officials in South Carolina reported more than 1,500 new cases Monday .
If the numbers keep rising at current rates , hospitals will probably have to adopt an emergency plan to add 3,000 more beds in places such as hotels and gyms , authorities said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases a day , two or three times what it was seeing in late April , when its stay-at-home order was lifted .
“ We set a record for highs over the holiday weekend , and of course , given the number of people who were out and about over the weekend celebrating , we are certainly concerned about what the next couple of weeks are going to look like as well , ” said Scott Harris , Alabama ’ s health officer .
In West Virginia , Republican Gov .
Jim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of face masks indoors , joining other state leaders around the country .
“ I ’ m telling you , West Virginia , if we don ’ t do that and do this now , we ’ re going to be in a world of hurt , ” he said , adding : “ It ’ s not much of an inconvenience.
” The coronavirus is blamed for more than 540,000 deaths worldwide , and 11.7 million infections .
More than 133,000 people have died in the U.S. , according to Johns Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide stood at 3 million , though the real number is believed to be far higher .
New cases per day nationwide have hit record levels of well over 50,000 .
Average deaths per day have fallen over the past two weeks from around 600 to about 510 , in what experts say reflects advances in treatment and prevention and the large share of cases among young adults , who are more likely than older ones to survive Covid-19 .
But deaths are considered a lagging indicator — it takes time for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts are worried that the downward trend in deaths could reverse itself .
Three of the top U.S. medical organizations issued an open letter urging Americans to wear masks , social distance and wash hands often to help stop “ the worst public health crisis in generations.
” The American Medical Association , American Nurses Association and American Hospital Association issued the plea in the absence of a mask-wearing order from Washington , D.C. and said steps taken early on that helped slow the spread of Covid-19 “ were too quickly abandoned.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nationwide order to wear face coverings , with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows saying on Fox News that it is a matter for governors and mayors to decide .
In New York , once the most lethal hot spot in the country , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said he was concerned about reports of large gatherings over the holiday weekend in New York City , on Fire Island and other places .
“ I understand people are fatigued , ” he said .
“ We ’ ve been doing this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it doesn ’ t change the facts , and we have to stay smart .
”

Hospitals rapidly approached capacity across the Sunbelt, and the Miami area closed indoor dining at restaurants and gyms again because of the surging coronavirus Monday.
MIAMI (AP) — Hospitals rapidly approached capacity across the Sunbelt, and the Miami area closed indoor dining at restaurants and gyms again because of the surging coronavirus Monday.
The United States emerged from a Fourth of July weekend of picnics, pool parties and beach outings that health officials fear could fuel the rapidly worsening outbreak.
The seesaw effect — restrictions lifted, then reimposed — has been seen around the country in recent weeks and is expected again after a holiday that saw crowds of people celebrating, many without masks.
"We were concerned before the weekend and remain concerned post-holiday, as anecdotal stories and observed behavior indicate that many continue to disregard important protective guidance," said Heather Woolwine, a spokeswoman for the Medical University of South Carolina.
Confirmed cases are on the rise in 41 of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, and the percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus is increasing in 39 states.
Florida, which recorded an all-time high of 11,400 new cases Saturday and has seen its positive test rate lately reach more than 18%, has been hit especially hard, along with other Sunbelt states such as Arizona, California and Texas.
A virus outbreak in the California Legislature indefinitely delayed the Assembly's return to work from a summer recess. Five people including Assemblywoman Autumn Burke tested positive. Coronavirus hospitalizations in California have increased by 56% in the past two weeks while the number of confirmed cases has jumped by 53%.
In Miami-Dade County, population 2.7 million, Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered the closing of restaurants to indoor dining and certain other indoor places, including vacation rentals, seven weeks after they were allowed to reopen. Gimenez initially said that restaurants would be closed to all dining but in a statement Monday evening the mayor said that after meeting with medical experts and a restaurant industry group that his emergency order "will allow for outdoor dining, where possible, to continue with restrictions." Beaches will reopen on Tuesday after being closed over the weekend.
"But if we see crowding and people not following the public health rules, I will be forced to close the beaches again," the mayor said.
Hospitalizations across the state have been increasing, with nearly 1,700 patients admitted in the past seven days compared with 1,200 the previous week. Five hospitals in the St. Petersburg area were out of intensive care unit beds, officials said. Miami's Baptist Hospital had only four of its 88 ICU beds available.
"If we continue to increase at the pace we have been, we won't have enough ventilators, enough rooms," said Dr. David De La Zerda, ICU medical director and pulmonologist at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Officials in Texas also reported hospitals are in danger of being overwhelmed. Hospitalizations statewide surged past 8,000 for the first time over the weekend, a more than fourfold increase in the past month. Houston officials said intensive care units there have exceeded capacity.
Along the border with Mexico, two severely ill patients were flown hundreds of miles north to Dallas and San Antonio because hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley were full.
In Arizona, the number of people hospitalized with Covid-19 topped 3,200, a new high, and hospitals statewide were at 89% capacity. Confirmed cases surpassed 100,000, and more than half of those infected — more than 62,000 — are under 44 years old, state health officials said.
As cases surge across the state, Katie Cameron said it appears some of her neighbors in Phoenix are in denial. The mother of two said she's seen people tearing down caution tape meant to keep them off playground equipment in parks, large groups gathering to socialize and very few masks.
"I feel like people don't care or don't think it’s real," Cameron said. "It's kind of like 'out of sight, out of mind' or they are just lying to themselves because they don't want to believe it."
Health officials in South Carolina reported more than 1,500 new cases Monday. If the numbers keep rising at current rates, hospitals will probably have to adopt an emergency plan to add 3,000 more beds in places such as hotels and gyms, authorities said.
Alabama has been averaging about 1,000 new cases a day, two or three times what it was seeing in late April, when its stay-at-home order was lifted.
"We set a record for highs over the holiday weekend, and of course, given the number of people who were out and about over the weekend celebrating, we are certainly concerned about what the next couple of weeks are going to look like as well," said Scott Harris, Alabama's health officer.
In West Virginia, Republican Gov. Jim Justice reversed course and ordered the wearing of face masks indoors, joining other state leaders around the country.
"I'm telling you, West Virginia, if we don't do that and do this now, we're going to be in a world of hurt," he said, adding: "It's not much of an inconvenience."
The coronavirus is blamed for more than 540,000 deaths worldwide, and 11.7 million infections. More than 133,000 people have died in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed infections nationwide stood at 3 million, though the real number is believed to be far higher.
New cases per day nationwide have hit record levels of well over 50,000.
Average deaths per day have fallen over the past two weeks from around 600 to about 510, in what experts say reflects advances in treatment and prevention and the large share of cases among young adults, who are more likely than older ones to survive Covid-19.
But deaths are considered a lagging indicator — it takes time for people to get sick and die. And experts are worried that the downward trend in deaths could reverse itself.
Three of the top U.S. medical organizations issued an open letter urging Americans to wear masks, social distance and wash hands often to help stop "the worst public health crisis in generations."
The American Medical Association, American Nurses Association and American Hospital Association issued the plea in the absence of a mask-wearing order from Washington, D.C. and said steps taken early on that helped slow the spread of Covid-19 "were too quickly abandoned."
The White House again rejected calls for a nationwide order to wear face coverings, with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows saying on Fox News that it is a matter for governors and mayors to decide.
In New York, once the most lethal hot spot in the country, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he was concerned about reports of large gatherings over the holiday weekend in New York City, on Fire Island and other places.
"I understand people are fatigued," he said. "We've been doing this for 128 days. I get it. But it doesn't change the facts, and we have to stay smart."
By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON and LISA MARIE PANE


courthousenews--2020-07-07--Death Toll From Japanese Floods Rises to 50

At least a dozen people are missing after massive rainstorms swept across Japan ’ s third-largest island , where 3 million people were told to evacuate .
TOKYO ( AP ) — Soldiers rescued residents on boats as floodwaters flowed down streets in southern Japanese towns hit by deadly rains across the region Tuesday .
At least 50 people have died and a dozen are missing .
Pounding rain since late Friday in Japan ’ s southern Kyushu region triggered widespread flooding .
More rain was predicted in Kyushu and the western half of Japan ’ s main island as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on the northern part of the island , three soldiers waded through knee-high water pulling a boat carrying a mother , her 2-month-old baby and two other residents .
“ Good job !
” one of the soldiers said as he held up the baby to his chest while the mother got off the boat , Asahi video showed .
Several children wearing orange life vests over their wet T-shirts arrived on another boat .
An older woman told NHK television she started walking down the road to evacuate , but floodwater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another woman said , “ I was almost washed away and had to grab an electrical pole.
” The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 49 victims were from riverside towns in the Kumamoto prefecture .
Another of the dead confirmed Tuesday morning was a woman in her 80s found inside her flooded home in another prefecture .
About 3 million residents were advised to evacuate across Kyushu , Japan ’ s third-largest island .
Tens of thousands of army troops , police and other rescue workers mobilized from around the country worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hardest-hit riverside towns along the Kuma River .
Rescue operations have been hampered by the floodwater and continuing harsh weather .
In Kuma village in the hardest-hit Kumamoto prefecture , dozens of residents took shelter at a park .
The roofed structure had no walls or floor and they sat on blue tarps spread on the dirt , with no partitions .
The village office ’ s electricity and communications had been cut .
Among the victims were 14 residents of a nursing home next to the Kuma River , known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is joined by another river just upstream and is prone to flooding .
Its embankment fell , letting water gush into the nursing home .

Soldiers rescued residents on boats as floodwaters flowed down streets in southern Japanese towns hit by deadly rains across the region Tuesday. At least 50 people have died and a dozen are missing.
TOKYO (AP) — Soldiers rescued residents on boats as floodwaters flowed down streets in southern Japanese towns hit by deadly rains across the region Tuesday. At least 50 people have died and a dozen are missing.
Pounding rain since late Friday in Japan’s southern Kyushu region triggered widespread flooding. More rain was predicted in Kyushu and the western half of Japan's main island as the front moved east.
In Fukuoka, on the northern part of the island, three soldiers waded through knee-high water pulling a boat carrying a mother, her 2-month-old baby and two other residents.
"Good job!" one of the soldiers said as he held up the baby to his chest while the mother got off the boat, Asahi video showed. Several children wearing orange life vests over their wet T-shirts arrived on another boat.
An older woman told NHK television she started walking down the road to evacuate, but floodwater rose quickly up to her neck. Another woman said, "I was almost washed away and had to grab an electrical pole."
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 49 victims were from riverside towns in the Kumamoto prefecture. Another of the dead confirmed Tuesday morning was a woman in her 80s found inside her flooded home in another prefecture.
About 3 million residents were advised to evacuate across Kyushu, Japan's third-largest island.
Tens of thousands of army troops, police and other rescue workers mobilized from around the country worked their way through mud and debris in the hardest-hit riverside towns along the Kuma River. Rescue operations have been hampered by the floodwater and continuing harsh weather.
In Kuma village in the hardest-hit Kumamoto prefecture, dozens of residents took shelter at a park. The roofed structure had no walls or floor and they sat on blue tarps spread on the dirt, with no partitions. The village office's electricity and communications had been cut.
Among the victims were 14 residents of a nursing home next to the Kuma River, known as the "raging river" because it is joined by another river just upstream and is prone to flooding. Its embankment fell, letting water gush into the nursing home.
A man walks on heavily damaged road following a heavy rain in Kumamura, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan Monday, July 6, 2020. Rescue operations continued and rain threatened wider areas of the main island of Kyushu. (Koji Harada/Kyodo News via AP)
By MARI YAMAGUCHI


courthousenews--2020-07-07--Empty Cafés, Idle Waiters and Uncertainty: an Unusual Summer in Europe

Tourist-dependent Italy has cautiously reopened , but visitors have been reduced to a trickle due to fears of the coronavirus pandemic .
OSTUNI , Italy ( CN ) — It ’ s a gorgeously hot July day but strangely quiet in this whitewashed ancient hilltop town that ’ s a favorite destination for tourists eager to savor its sweeping views of olive trees and the dazzling Adriatic Sea .
Idle restaurant waiters stand on sidewalks hoping to entice the occasional passersby indoors for a meal .
Tourist guides who drive visitors through the narrow streets in three-wheeled vehicles have cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the main square are empty .
“ Summer hasn ’ t even started yet for Ostuni , ” said Rinaldo Sorata , a 47-year-old tourist guide smoking a cigarette next to his three-wheeled Piaggio Ape and watching for potential clients .
“ By this time of the morning in previous years I ’ d have already done a full day ’ s work by now.
” Like so many places in Europe , Ostuni ’ s local economy depends on tourism and its citizens are desperate for a wave of sun-seekers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants , stores , hotels and cafés .
In past summers , Ostuni ’ s population of 30,000 swelled to 100,000 as people flocked in .
“ Ostuni lives from tourism , ” Sorata said .
“ We survive the winter months from what we make now.
” But this year is different .
Tourists are only beginning to trickle in and many of the visitors are Italians .
Slowly , faces from other parts of Europe are showing up but not nearly in the numbers people are used to here .
Tourists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ species because Europe opened its airports to global travel on July 1. International travelers are largely limited to those coming from 14 countries where the coronavirus outbreak has been brought under control , and Americans are not among those being welcomed to Europe because the pandemic is accelerating in the United States .
“ We ’ re in a crisis here , ” said Sante Milone , a 74-year-old retiree , sitting at a café table in the shade of a building with a few friends .
He scanned the nearly empty Piazza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ At least 300 people would have been here in the square last year , ” he said .
“ People are hoping it gets better .
That ’ s the mood here.
” Residents said they struggled to make it through Italy ’ s long lockdown that began March 10 and was lifted May 4 .
It was a period when fear reigned : A few businesses , including a historic restaurant and a beloved pastry outlet , closed for good and many others worried they wouldn ’ t survive .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leaving many residents relying on charity , food handouts , community goodwill , family support and savings .
With the worst of the pandemic over in Italy , optimism is growing .
“ In March , we thought we might not work at all this summer , ” said Davide Francioso , the owner of a diving and summer sport shop .
“ We thought we ’ d have to close down for good.
” Day by day , the sound of tourists wheeling suitcases down Ostuni ’ s stone streets is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Business isn ’ t brisk , but it ’ s picking up .
Still , this return of visitors may be too feeble for others , like Miriam Duque , a 50-year-old painter with a small gallery in a picturesque passageway where she displays her vibrant depictions of Ostuni and its brilliant blue skies .
She has no taste for online sales and relies on attracting walk-by customers with her bursts of color .
At the moment , there simply isn ’ t enough foot traffic to pay the rent and bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have any illusions , ” she said .
“ It ’ s going to be hard to stay open .
I ’ d like to have the gallery forever.
” Ostuni and the surrounding region of Puglia have one big thing going for it : The dangerous coronavirus has mostly disappeared .
“ In Puglia , we haven ’ t had any [ new ] cases in a long time , ” said Gugliemo Cavallo , Ostuni ’ s mayor .
Southern Italy was spared the worst and Ostuni recorded two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease caused by the coronavirus , and about 90 people in the town tested positive , the mayor said .
He said most infections occurred among medical workers and their families .
“ There is only one case now , ” he said .
“ But people are still afraid .
People coming from the outside want to know that everything here is taking place according to the rules.
” To that end , he said Ostuni is inspecting hotels and bed and breakfasts to ensure they are taking containment measures .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be deployed to enforce social distancing rules at nearby beaches and a smartphone app is coming online so people can check to see if a beach is crowded .
With its spectacular whitewashed facades and narrow streets , Ostuni is also a favorite location for weddings .
But this year , he said the town is not allowing the typical mass dancing at wedding parties and is requiring social distancing at banquets .
In addition , he said the town is scaling back its summer events .
For example , the Feast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the town square , was relocated to an outdoor park and attendance was limited to 150 people .
Cultural events , such as book authors ’ talks , are being kept to 90 people .
A big topic of discussion now is whether towns like Ostuni should be allowed to hold annual religious processions where thousands of people convene on the streets to pay homage to patron saints .
These events are accompanied by concerts , markets and fairgrounds .
On Aug. 26 , Ostuni celebrates Saint Orontius , who , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disciple of Saint Paul whose powers saved Puglia from a plague outbreak in the 17th century .
“ We want to be able to do it .
It ’ s the saint , tradition , centuries and centuries of doing this , ” the mayor said .
“ But I don ’ t want it to also be an occasion where contagion is kicked off , which frankly , we want to avoid .
Crowds are inevitable during the festival.
” He said locals want to be protected from the potential that visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s been a long time since we had any infections , psychologically , people want to feel comfortable , safe , ” he said .
“ We want to make sure everyone feels comfortable and that nothing happens.
” A few miles from Ostuni , people are returning to the beaches again , though the majority of beachgoers are locals .
On beaches , people are being asked to keep a distance from one another but masks are not seen .
At a private beach club called Paragrafo 25 , Rino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was off by 40 % .
Most of the tables at his outdoor club were empty .
Under new safety guidelines , he ’ s also had to cut the number of spots he can rent on the nearby beach .
“ It ’ s not going to be easy , but we ’ ll make it , ” he said .
Down on the beach , Pietro Leo , a 68-year-old retired medical technician , was enjoying a late afternoon with his wife .
He was heartened by how Italians behaved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obeyed the government ’ s rules .
“ I ’ ve noticed a lot of good manners , a lot of participation , a great stance by everyone in Italy , ” he says .
“ If we look at what is happening in South America , in North America , the way Italians behave takes on even more value.
” By comparison , he said President Donald Trump has misled Americans and caused the U.S. to have a huge number of infections .
He said he wasn ’ t worried about foreigners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ At every airport entry point there is containment : they ’ re taking temperatures and other measures , ” he said .
For now , he , like the rest of Italy , is grateful he can enjoy this summer .

It's a gorgeously hot July day but strangely quiet in this whitewashed ancient hilltop town that’s a favorite destination for tourists eager to savor its sweeping views of olive trees and the dazzling Adriatic Sea.
OSTUNI, Italy (CN) — It's a gorgeously hot July day but strangely quiet in this whitewashed ancient hilltop town that’s a favorite destination for tourists eager to savor its sweeping views of olive trees and the dazzling Adriatic Sea.
Idle restaurant waiters stand on sidewalks hoping to entice the occasional passersby indoors for a meal. Tourist guides who drive visitors through the narrow streets in three-wheeled vehicles have cut their prices. Rows of café tables in the main square are empty.
“Summer hasn't even started yet for Ostuni,” said Rinaldo Sorata, a 47-year-old tourist guide smoking a cigarette next to his three-wheeled Piaggio Ape and watching for potential clients. “By this time of the morning in previous years I'd have already done a full day's work by now.”
Like so many places in Europe, Ostuni's local economy depends on tourism and its citizens are desperate for a wave of sun-seekers to return this summer to spend money in restaurants, stores, hotels and cafés. In past summers, Ostuni's population of 30,000 swelled to 100,000 as people flocked in.
“Ostuni lives from tourism,” Sorata said. “We survive the winter months from what we make now.”
Rinaldo Sorata, a tour guide in the southern Italian town of Ostuni, talks about how the coronavirus pandemic has hurt tourism this year while he waits by his three-wheeled Piaggio Ape for customers. Ostuni, like so many other places in Europe, depends on tourism revenues. (Courthouse News photo/Cain Burdeau)
But this year is different. Tourists are only beginning to trickle in and many of the visitors are Italians. Slowly, faces from other parts of Europe are showing up but not nearly in the numbers people are used to here. Tourists from even farther away are an exotic species because Europe opened its airports to global travel on July 1. International travelers are largely limited to those coming from 14 countries where the coronavirus outbreak has been brought under control, and Americans are not among those being welcomed to Europe because the pandemic is accelerating in the United States.
“We're in a crisis here,” said Sante Milone, a 74-year-old retiree, sitting at a café table in the shade of a building with a few friends. He scanned the nearly empty Piazza della Libertà, the main square. “At least 300 people would have been here in the square last year,” he said. “People are hoping it gets better. That's the mood here.”
Residents said they struggled to make it through Italy’s long lockdown that began March 10 and was lifted May 4. It was a period when fear reigned: A few businesses, including a historic restaurant and a beloved pastry outlet, closed for good and many others worried they wouldn't survive. The unemployed multiplied and government help was insufficient, leaving many residents relying on charity, food handouts, community goodwill, family support and savings.
With the worst of the pandemic over in Italy, optimism is growing.
“In March, we thought we might not work at all this summer,” said Davide Francioso, the owner of a diving and summer sport shop. “We thought we'd have to close down for good.”
Day by day, the sound of tourists wheeling suitcases down Ostuni’s stone streets is becoming more common again, he said. Business isn't brisk, but it's picking up.
Still, this return of visitors may be too feeble for others, like Miriam Duque, a 50-year-old painter with a small gallery in a picturesque passageway where she displays her vibrant depictions of Ostuni and its brilliant blue skies. She has no taste for online sales and relies on attracting walk-by customers with her bursts of color. At the moment, there simply isn't enough foot traffic to pay the rent and bills, she said.
Miriam Duque stands outside her art gallery in a passageway in Ostuni, Italy. She relies on tourists who pass by and buy her art works. The lack of tourists this year due to the coronavirus pandemic may force her to close the gallery. (Courthouse News photo/Cain Burdeau)
“We can't have any illusions,” she said. “It's going to be hard to stay open. I'd like to have the gallery forever.”
Ostuni and the surrounding region of Puglia have one big thing going for it: The dangerous coronavirus has mostly disappeared.


Gatherings in Illinois

CHICAGO — A federal court in Illinois dismissed the state Republican Party ’ s request for a restraining order against @ @ @ @ @ ban on gatherings of more than 50 people .
The party and other Republican groups @ @ @ @ @ events bigger than the ban allows .

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.


Hawaii Quarantine

HONOLULU — A federal court in Hawaii denied several individuals ’ application for a temporary restraining order to enjoin the @ @ @ @ @ quarantine on people arriving from out-of-state , finding “ the desires of a few can @ @ @ @ @ s interest in preserving its health and well-being .
”


Workplace Injury Data

SAN FRANCISCO — The Department of Labor must provide unredacted copies of Amazon ’ s injury and illness data to @ @ @ @ @ , a federal court in California ruled .
Amazon submitted its Form 300As to the @ @ @ @ @ at a time when the agency stated it would publicly post the data .


Protest Permits

GREENSBORO , N.C. — Graham , North Carolina , can not enforce its ordinance requiring two or more people who @ @ @ @ @ a permit , a federal court in the state ruled .
The consent temporary restraining @ @ @ @ @ the next 14 days .


Redistricting Commission

GRAND RAPIDS , Mich. — A federal court in Michigan dismissed claims brought by the state ’ s Republican Party @ @ @ @ @ constitutionality of eligibility restrictions for members of Michigan ’ s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission .
@ @ @ @ @ public office in the past six years can not serve on the commission .


courthousenews--2020-07-08--Arizona Judge Upholds Covid Closure Orders for Gyms, Bars

( CN ) — An Arizona judge refused to block Gov .
Doug Ducey ’ s temporary closure of bars , gyms , water parks , and movie theaters in a ruling released Tuesday .
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy J. Thomason rejected arguments by Mountainside Fitness for an injunction against the closure order , acknowledging the company ’ s losses during a two-month closure that will now extend to at least July 27 .
“ The only damage , however , is lost money , ” Thomason wrote .
“ This is not irreparable.
” Mountainside , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area , sued Ducey on June 30 , the day after he ordered gyms closed .
The fitness chain claimed the closure violates the Arizona Constitution because there was no opportunity for a public hearing and that it arbitrarily lumped gyms together with water parks , bars and movie theaters .
Attorney Joel Sannes of Udall Shumway is representing Mountainside in the lawsuit .
He said the government has a lot of leeway in cases like this , which made winning the injunction an uphill climb .
“ It was a very difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sannes said .
Patrick Ptak , a spokesman for Ducey , said in a statement that the court ’ s ruling was expected .
“ This issue is about protecting public health and containing the spread of COVID-19 .
While none of these decisions are easy , we appreciate the sacrifices that are being made in the interest of public health .
Businesses need to comply with the public health orders and we ask all individuals continue to make smart decisions , wear a mask , and stay home as much as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 105,000 confirmed cases Tuesday with 1,917 total deaths , according to the state Department of Health Services .
Hospital capacity is strained , with Covid-19 patients occupying 3,356 of the state ’ s 7,909 beds , and 90 % of intensive care beds filled , the state reported .
The number of Covid-19 cases jumped across the state since Ducey lifted his stay-at-home order in mid-May when fewer than 800 Covid-19 patients were in Arizona hospitals , and the number of deaths hovered around 20 daily .
On Tuesday , the state reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ducey ’ s latest order promised an appeal process that the state Department of Health Services never put in place .
Thomason acknowledged that such a “ post-deprivation ” process should be there .
Ducey started lifting the state ’ s mid-March closure order on April 29 , when he allowed non-essential businesses to reopen if they implemented Covid-19 prevention measures , such as social distancing and masks for staff .
On May 20 , the governor permitted gyms to open .
Then on June 29 , with Covid-19 spreading rapidly through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gyms , bars , water parks and indoor movie theaters until July 27 .
While planning to open , Mountainside bought sanitizing equipment , changed the layouts of its gyms , trained employees , and altered schedules to keep down the number of people inside at any given time .
In his ruling , Thomason called the fitness center operator a “ good citizen ” that went above and beyond expected measures to protect the public and its employees .
Thomason sympathized with the company , its employees , and more than 90,00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been disproportionately hurt .
“ Sympathy , however , is not a relevant consideration of the court , ” Thomason wrote in a statement attached to the ruling .
Mountainside will now work with the state to find a fair resolution for the company , which is not eligible for Covid-19 relief funds because it has too many employees , Sannes said .
“ We ’ re absolutely going to continue discussions , ” he said .

An Arizona judge refused to block Gov. Doug Ducey’s temporary closure of bars, gyms, water parks, and movie theaters in a ruling released Tuesday.
(CN) — An Arizona judge refused to block Governor Doug Ducey’s temporary closure of bars, gyms, water parks, and movie theaters in a ruling released Tuesday.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy J. Thomason rejected arguments by Mountainside Fitness for an injunction against the closure order, acknowledging the company’s losses during a two-month closure that will now extend to at least July 27.
“The only damage, however, is lost money,” Thomason wrote. “This is not irreparable.”
Mountainside, which operates 18 gyms in the metropolitan Phoenix area, sued Ducey on June 30, the day after he ordered gyms closed. The fitness chain claimed the closure violates the Arizona Constitution because there was no opportunity for a public hearing and that it arbitrarily lumped gyms together with water parks, bars and movie theaters.
Attorney Joel Sannes of Udall Shumway is representing Mountainside in the lawsuit. He said the government has a lot of leeway in cases like this, which made winning the injunction an uphill climb.
“It was a very difficult burden for us to overcome,” Sannes said.
Patrick Ptak, a spokesman for Ducey, said in a statement that the court’s ruling was expected.
“This issue is about protecting public health and containing the spread of Covid-19. While none of these decisions are easy, we appreciate the sacrifices that are being made in the interest of public health. Businesses need to comply with the public health orders and we ask all individuals continue to make smart decisions, wear a mask, and stay home as much as possible," Ptak said.
Arizona topped 105,000 confirmed cases Tuesday with 1,917 total deaths, according to the state Department of Health Services. Hospital capacity is strained, with Covid-19 patients occupying 3,356 of the state’s 7,909 beds, and 90% of intensive care beds filled, the state reported.
The number of Covid-19 cases jumped across the state since Ducey lifted his stay-at-home order in mid-May when fewer than 800 Covid-19 patients were in Arizona hospitals, and the number of deaths hovered around 20 daily. On Tuesday, the state reported 117 new deaths.
Mountainside argued that Ducey’s latest order promised an appeal process that the state Department of Health Services never put in place. Thomason acknowledged that such a “post-deprivation” process should be there.
Ducey started lifting the state’s mid-March closure order on April 29, when he allowed non-essential businesses to reopen if they implemented Covid-19 prevention measures, such as social distancing and masks for staff. On May 20, the governor permitted gyms to open.
Then on June 29, with Covid-19 spreading rapidly through the state, Ducey reversed course, shuttering gyms, bars, water parks and indoor movie theaters until July 27.
While planning to open, Mountainside bought sanitizing equipment, changed the layouts of its gyms, trained employees, and altered schedules to keep down the number of people inside at any given time.
In his ruling, Thomason called the fitness center operator a “good citizen” that went above and beyond expected measures to protect the public and its employees.
Thomason sympathized with the company, its employees, and more than 90,000 customers and recognized that the company may have been disproportionately hurt.
“Sympathy, however, is not a relevant consideration of the court,” Thomason wrote in a statement attached to the ruling.
Mountainside will now work with the state to find a fair resolution for the company, which is not eligible for Covid-19 relief funds because it has too many employees, Sannes said.
“We’re absolutely going to continue discussions,” he said.


courthousenews--2020-07-08--International Tug of War Over Nazi-Looted Painting Lands at Ninth Circuit

( CN ) — A Jewish family asked the Ninth Circuit on Tuesday to revive their legal fight to retrieve an impressionist work by Camille Pissarro stolen by Nazis during the Holocaust .
The family filed its claim in a California federal court in 2005 and thus ensued a long legal battle over the painting .
The Pissarro masterpiece “ Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon , Effect of Rain ” was on the minds of a three-judge Ninth Circuit panel during oral arguments by video Tuesday , decades after the painting hung in a family parlor in Germany .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owned the painting , a work that was “ sold ” by Lilly and Fritz Cassirer to the German government for a paltry sum as they fled the country in 1939 .
The painting that depicts Parisians caught in a spring rain circa 1897 was sought by the Nazis and a condition of the family ’ s survival according to their court filings .
In 1954 , an Allied forces tribunal declared the family the rightful owners of the work , but believing the painting was lost during the war the family accepted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
Decades later , Lily ’ s grandson found the painting hanging in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid , Spain .
The family was unaware the painting was purchased in 1976 from the Hahn Gallery in New York by Baron Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza .
In May 2019 , U.S. District Judge John F. Walter ruled the museum foundation was the rightful owner of the Pissarro because court filings did not demonstrate a “ willful blindness ” by museum experts when the work was purchased by the baron and added to the museum ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return stolen Nazi art , Walter said the court had to apply Spanish law and could not force the Kingdom of Spain or the museum to comply with its “ moral commitments.
” On Tuesday , U.S .
Circuit Judge Sandra Segal Ikuta , a George W. Bush appointee , asked the Cassirer family attorney how Walter erred by not finding “ willful blindness ” when museum experts overlooked tags on the back of the painting that could be traced back to the Cassirer ’ s gallery in Berlin .
The family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schiller Flexner said Walter erred by failing to apply Spanish law .
When the baron and subsequent museum foundation loaned a portion of its collection that included the Pissarro to the Spanish government , there was an agreement to verify the ownership of the paintings .
Spain and its counsel decided to assume the foundation had ownership and executed a deed of pledge or “ prenda.
” “ The facts are undisputed , and the law is uncertain , ” said Boies .
He likened the situation to a gun shop owner receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed off .
“ The seller refused to give any representation or warranty on the providence or title of it , ” said Boies .
“ There ’ s no doubt that would constitute under Spanish law receiving stolen property.
” U.S .
Circuit Judge Consuelo Callahan , also a George W. Bush appointee , said the museum foundation and the baron appeared to be sophisticated buyers of fine art but even Judge Walter said there were red flags with the torn labels on the back of the painting .
Callahan noted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there was an investigation conducted by the museum to verify paintings acquired by the foundation but not for works acquired before 1980 .
“ It seems to me a little bit of your argument is if we keep doing things , like for example we have them sign prenda , we don ’ t look at anything that was before 1980 , ” said Callahan .
“ You can do all these things and ‘ we paid a lot for it , the baron paid a good amount of money and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not like you can get a Pissarro for $ 99.95.
’ But do all of those things really kind of remove the blood of the Nazi looting ?
That seems problematic to me.
” Stauber said , “ Your honor , nothing can remove the blood of the Nazis , the looting , the war that they put upon the Jewish people or the world .
We are not suggesting that , your honor.
” That prompted Callahan to ask : “ Well , why won ’ t Spain give the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ painting is owned by the museum , not Spain , though he acknowledged , “ Admittedly , it was the Spanish government that put forth the money.
” He said the question before the panel is whether the foundation had knowledge at the time it acquired the collection in 1993 that the painting was stolen Rounding out the panel , a third George W. Bush appointee U.S .
Circuit Judge Carlos Bea brought the question back to the matter of a pledge being made before the collection was loaned to the Spanish government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t that evidence that TBC sought the pledge , indeed an insurance policy , irrefutable evidence that TBC knew there was a risk of title defect and sought an indemnity against it and did nothing about it ?
” asked Bea , referring to the museum foundation by acronym .
Stauber said it was not irrefutable because even Judge Walter found the foundation ’ s experts researched the painting and the baron had no knowledge of that .
Callahan asked Stauber if whether the Spanish government will seek to return the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foundation prevails in the appeal .
Stauber noted the foundation owns the painting but is bound by contracts it entered to acquire the collection — and a Spanish court would need to order the painting transferred to a third party .
The panel did not indicate when it would issue its opinion .

A Jewish family asked the Ninth Circuit on Tuesday to revive their legal fight to retrieve an impressionist work by Camille Pissarro stolen by Nazis during the Holocaust.
(CN) — A Jewish family asked the Ninth Circuit on Tuesday to revive their legal fight to retrieve an impressionist work by Camille Pissarro stolen by Nazis during the Holocaust.
The family filed its claim in a California federal court in 2005 and thus ensued a long legal battle over the painting.
The Pissarro masterpiece “Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain” was on the minds of a three-judge Ninth Circuit panel during oral arguments by video Tuesday, decades after the painting hung in a family parlor in Germany.
According to the Cassirer heirs, their relatives owned the painting, a work that was “sold” by Lilly and Fritz Cassirer to the German government for a paltry sum as they fled the country in 1939. The painting that depicts Parisians caught in a spring rain circa 1897 was sought by the Nazis and a condition of the family’s survival according to their court filings.
In 1954, an Allied forces tribunal declared the family the rightful owners of the work, but believing the painting was lost during the war the family accepted a $13,000 payment from the German government.
Decades later, Lily’s grandson found the painting hanging in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, Spain. The family was unaware the painting was purchased in 1976 from the Hahn Gallery in New York by Baron Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza.
In May 2019, U.S. District Judge John F. Walter ruled the museum foundation was the rightful owner of the Pissarro because court filings did not demonstrate a “willful blindness” by museum experts when the work was purchased by the baron and added to the museum’s collection.
Despite an international agreement to return stolen Nazi art, Walter said the court had to apply Spanish law and could not force the Kingdom of Spain or the museum to comply with its “moral commitments.”
On Tuesday, U.S. Circuit Judge Sandra Segal Ikuta, a George W. Bush appointee, asked the Cassirer family attorney how Walter erred by not finding “willful blindness” when museum experts overlooked tags on the back of the painting that could be traced back to the Cassirer’s gallery in Berlin.
The family’s attorney David Boies with Boies Schiller Flexner said Walter erred by failing to apply Spanish law.
When the baron and subsequent museum foundation loaned a portion of its collection that included the Pissarro to the Spanish government, there was an agreement to verify the ownership of the paintings. Spain and its counsel decided to assume the foundation had ownership and executed a deed of pledge or “prenda.”
“The facts are undisputed, and the law is uncertain,” said Boies.
He likened the situation to a gun shop owner receiving an antique gun with its serial number filed off.
“The seller refused to give any representation or warranty on the providence or title of it,” said Boies. “There’s no doubt that would constitute under Spanish law receiving stolen property.”
U.S. Circuit Judge Consuelo Callahan, also a George W. Bush appointee, said the museum foundation and the baron appeared to be sophisticated buyers of fine art but even Judge Walter said there were red flags with the torn labels on the back of the painting.
Callahan noted to the foundation’s attorney Thaddeus Stauber that there was an investigation conducted by the museum to verify paintings acquired by the foundation but not for works acquired before 1980.
“It seems to me a little bit of your argument is if we keep doing things, like for example we have them sign prenda, we don’t look at anything that was before 1980,” said Callahan. “You can do all these things and ‘we paid a lot for it, the baron paid a good amount of money and we sold it for a lot. It’s not like you can get a Pissarro for $99.95.’ But do all of those things really kind of remove the blood of the Nazi looting? That seems problematic to me.”
Stauber said, “Your honor, nothing can remove the blood of the Nazis, the looting, the war that they put upon the Jewish people or the world. We are not suggesting that, your honor.”
That prompted Callahan to ask: “Well, why won’t Spain give the painting back?”
Stauber noted the painting is owned by the museum, not Spain, though he acknowledged, “Admittedly, it was the Spanish government that put forth the money.”
He said the question before the panel is whether the foundation had knowledge at the time it acquired the collection in 1993 that the painting was stolen
Rounding out the panel, a third George W. Bush appointee U.S. Circuit Judge Carlos Bea brought the question back to the matter of a pledge being made before the collection was loaned to the Spanish government.
“If that were so, isn’t that evidence that TBC sought the pledge, indeed an insurance policy, irrefutable evidence that TBC knew there was a risk of title defect and sought an indemnity against it and did nothing about it?” asked Bea, referring to the museum foundation by acronym.
Stauber said it was not irrefutable because even Judge Walter found the foundation’s experts researched the painting and the baron had no knowledge of that.
Callahan asked Stauber if whether the Spanish government will seek to return the painting to the Cassirer family if the foundation prevails in the appeal. Stauber noted the foundation owns the painting but is bound by contracts it entered to acquire the collection — and a Spanish court would need to order the painting transferred to a third party.
The panel did not indicate when it would issue its opinion.


courthousenews--2020-07-07--Judge Rules Amazon Warehouse Injury Data Is Not Confidential

SAN FRANCISCO ( CN ) — The U.S. Department of Labor can not withhold workplace injury data for online retailer Amazon ’ s warehouses because the law requires those records be released to employees upon request with no restrictions on subsequent disclosures , a federal judge ruled Monday .
Rejecting arguments that limited disclosure mandates were intended to prevent releases to the media , U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim found the workplace safety records are not exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act ’ s Exemption 4 , which covers trade secrets and other sensitive business information .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 300As do not contain confidential information under Exemption 4 and can not be withheld on that basis , ” Kim wrote in a 28-page ruling .
The dispute stems from a lawsuit filed in September 2019 over the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ) ’ s refusal to turn over workplace safety records for Amazon warehouses in Massachusetts , Ohio and Illinois .
The suit was brought by the Emeryville , California-based Center for Investigative Reporting .
After the suit was filed , the department released employee statements provided to OSHA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massachusetts , warehouse and a few pages of heavily redacted Form 300As , logs of workplace injuries and illnesses , for warehouses in Ohio and Illinois .
The center challenged those redactions and the withholding of workplace injury logs , which the government argued were necessary to protect confidential business information .
In 2016 , OSHA finalized a rule requiring certain large employers to submit workplace illness and injury logs each year .
It further mandated that employers share the information with workers upon request and physically post the logs in workplaces where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per year .
Amazon followed those rules but marked the records “ confidential ” and included warnings asking employees not to share the information with third parties .
During a hearing in June , Judge Kim said she found Amazon ’ s decision to mark the records confidential “ disturbing if it ’ s not confidential under the law.
” In her ruling Monday , Kim noted that Amazon conflated the workplace injury logs with other records that include employees ’ personally identifiable and medical information .
That sensitive information is included in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Form 300A logs sought in this case .
Because the law requires companies release Form 300A logs to employees upon request without limiting how that information can be shared , Kim found the data does not qualify as confidential business information exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act .
“ In light of the requirement to construe FOIA exemptions narrowly , finding documents confidential even if they are available to and broadly disclosed to all current and former employees of a large company without any confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements is untenable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also argued in a written statement that the illness and injury logs are commercially sensitive because they affect the company ’ s insurance rates , and that the data guides decisions on where it allocates resources to reduce injuries and illnesses .
The judge did not directly address that argument , but noted that OSHA warned employers in 2016 that it would post the data on a publicly accessible website .
OSHA said it changed its disclosure policy after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its June 2019 decision in Food Marketing Institute v. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision , the court held that companies need not show “ substantial competitive harm ” would result from the disclosure of confidential information .
The term “ confidential ” simply means data that is “ customarily kept private ” or “ closely held , ” the high court ruled .
Despite that new legal precedent , Kim pointed out that OSHA failed to officially change its position on releasing workplace safety data until Aug. 23 , 2019 , after Amazon had submitted the data .
“ OSHA ’ s statements made after Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Kim wrote .
Kim ’ s ruling comes just one month after another federal judge in Oakland , California , ruled against the Department of Labor in a similar lawsuit brought by the Center for Investigative Reporting .
In that case , U.S. District Judge Donna Ryu ordered the department to release 237,000 workplace injury logs submitted by various employers from Aug. 1 , 2017 , through Feb. 6 , 2018 .
Like Kim , Ryu also found the companies were already warned the information could be posted on a public website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Department of Labor and the Center for Investigative Reporting did not immediately return emails requesting comment Tuesday .
U.S. Justice Department lawyer Pamela Johann argued on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor .

The U.S. Department of Labor cannot withhold workplace injury data for online retailer Amazon’s warehouses because the law requires those records be released to employees upon request with no restrictions on subsequent disclosures, a federal judge ruled Monday.
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — The U.S. Department of Labor cannot withhold workplace injury data for online retailer Amazon’s warehouses because the law requires those records be released to employees upon request with no restrictions on subsequent disclosures, a federal judge ruled Monday.
Rejecting arguments that limited disclosure mandates were intended to prevent releases to the media, U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim found the workplace safety records are not exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act’s Exemption 4, which covers trade secrets and other sensitive business information.
“The court finds that the Form 300As do not contain confidential information under Exemption 4 and cannot be withheld on that basis,” Kim wrote in a 28-page ruling.
The dispute stems from a lawsuit filed in September 2019 over the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s refusal to turn over workplace safety records for Amazon warehouses in Massachusetts, Ohio and Illinois. The suit was brought by the Emeryville, California-based Center for Investigative Reporting.
After the suit was filed, the department released employee statements provided to OSHA investigators for Amazon’s Stoughton, Massachusetts, warehouse and a few pages of heavily redacted Form 300As, logs of workplace injuries and illnesses, for warehouses in Ohio and Illinois. The center challenged those redactions and the withholding of workplace injury logs, which the government argued were necessary to protect confidential business information.
In 2016, OSHA finalized a rule requiring certain large employers to submit workplace illness and injury logs each year. It further mandated that employers share the information with workers upon request and physically post the logs in workplaces where employees can see them for three months per year.
Amazon followed those rules but marked the records “confidential” and included warnings asking employees not to share the information with third parties. During a hearing in June, Judge Kim said she found Amazon’s decision to mark the records confidential “disturbing if it’s not confidential under the law.”
In her ruling Monday, Kim noted that Amazon conflated the workplace injury logs with other records that include employees’ personally identifiable and medical information. That sensitive information is included in Form 300 logs, but not the Form 300A logs sought in this case.
Because the law requires companies release Form 300A logs to employees upon request without limiting how that information can be shared, Kim found the data does not qualify as confidential business information exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
“In light of the requirement to construe FOIA exemptions narrowly, finding documents confidential even if they are available to and broadly disclosed to all current and former employees of a large company without any confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements is untenable,” Kim wrote.
Amazon had also argued in a written statement that the illness and injury logs are commercially sensitive because they affect the company’s insurance rates, and that the data guides decisions on where it allocates resources to reduce injuries and illnesses.
The judge did not directly address that argument, but noted that OSHA warned employers in 2016 that it would post the data on a publicly accessible website.
OSHA said it changed its disclosure policy after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its June 2019 decision in Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media. In that 6-3 decision, the court held that companies need not show “substantial competitive harm” would result from the disclosure of confidential information. The term “confidential” simply means data that is “customarily kept private” or “closely held,” the high court ruled.
Despite that new legal precedent, Kim pointed out that OSHA failed to officially change its position on releasing workplace safety data until Aug. 23, 2019, after Amazon had submitted the data.
“OSHA’s statements made after Amazon submitted its documents are not relevant,” Kim wrote.
Kim’s ruling comes just one month after another federal judge in Oakland, California, ruled against the Department of Labor in a similar lawsuit brought by the Center for Investigative Reporting. In that case, U.S. District Judge Donna Ryu ordered the department to release 237,000 workplace injury logs submitted by various employers from Aug. 1, 2017, through Feb. 6, 2018. Like Kim, Ryu also found the companies were already warned the information could be posted on a public website in 2016.
Representatives of Amazon, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Center for Investigative Reporting did not immediately return emails requesting comment Tuesday.
Attorney Diana Baranetsky represented the Center for Investigative Reporting.
U.S. Justice Department lawyer Pamela Johann argued on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor.


Top Eight

Your Tuesday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News Top eight CNS stories for today including the national press corps filed an appellate brief supporting the First Amendment right of press and public to see new court complaints on the day they are filed ; A smattering of mask-clad voters hit the polls for New Jersey ’ s primary ; The World Health Organization acknowledged there is emerging evidence the new coronavirus may be dangerously transmitted through the air in poorly ventilated indoor environments , and more .
Sign up for CNS Top Eight , a roundup of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to your email Monday through Friday .
1 . )
Over entrenched resistance from state court clerks , the national press corps filed an appellate brief supporting the First Amendment right of press and public to see new court complaints on the day they are filed .
2 . )
With the coronavirus pandemic pushing the whirlwind conclusion of the Supreme Court ’ s term into July for the first time since 1996 , the justices still must decide a handful of highly anticipated cases , including over Obamacare , religious exceptions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s tax returns .
3 . )
American employers hired a record 6.5 million workers in May and layoffs dropped to a pre-pandemic level as state economies began reopening .
4 . )
Accused of turning a blind eye to suspicious cash withdrawals and legal settlements conducted on behalf of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein , Deutsche Bank reached a $ 150 million settlement with New York regulators on Tuesday .
5 . )
A smattering of mask-clad voters hit the polls in New Jersey for Tuesday ’ s primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfort of casting their ballots in person .
6 . )
A former Los Angeles city councilman pleaded guilty Tuesday to accepting bribes from a real estate developer while he was in office as part of an ongoing federal corruption probe at LA City Hall .
7 . )
The World Health Organization on Tuesday acknowledged there is emerging evidence the new coronavirus may be dangerously transmitted through the air in poorly ventilated indoor environments such as bars , churches , schools and meat factories .
8 . )
Tourist-dependent Italy has cautiously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a trickle due to fears of the coronavirus pandemic .

Top eight CNS stories for today including the national press corps filed an appellate brief supporting the First Amendment right of press and public to see new court complaints on the day they are filed; A smattering of mask-clad voters hit the polls for New Jersey’s primary; The World Health Organization acknowledged there is emerging evidence the new coronavirus may be dangerously transmitted through the air in poorly ventilated indoor environments, and more.
Your Tuesday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News
Top eight CNS stories for today including the national press corps filed an appellate brief supporting the First Amendment right of press and public to see new court complaints on the day they are filed; A smattering of mask-clad voters hit the polls for New Jersey’s primary; The World Health Organization acknowledged there is emerging evidence the new coronavirus may be dangerously transmitted through the air in poorly ventilated indoor environments, and more.
Sign up for CNS Top Eight, a roundup of the day’s top stories delivered directly to your email Monday through Friday.
National
1.) Over entrenched resistance from state court clerks, the national press corps filed an appellate brief supporting the First Amendment right of press and public to see new court complaints on the day they are filed.
The Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Courthouse, home of the Fourth Circuit, in Richmond, Virginia. (Acroterion/ Wikipedia Commons via Courthouse News)
2.) With the coronavirus pandemic pushing the whirlwind conclusion of the Supreme Court’s term into July for the first time since 1996, the justices still must decide a handful of highly anticipated cases, including over Obamacare, religious exceptions to employment laws and access to President Donald Trump’s tax returns.
The U.S. Supreme Court. (Jack Rodgers/Courthouse News)
3.) American employers hired a record 6.5 million workers in May and layoffs dropped to a pre-pandemic level as state economies began reopening.
In this photo taken Thursday, June 4, 2020, a customer walks out of a U.S. Post Office branch and under a banner advertising a job opening, in Seattle. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 13.3% in May, and 2.5 million jobs were added — a surprisingly positive reading in the midst of a recession that has paralyzed the economy and depressed the job market in the wake of the viral pandemic (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
4.) Accused of turning a blind eye to suspicious cash withdrawals and legal settlements conducted on behalf of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Deutsche Bank reached a $150 million settlement with New York regulators on Tuesday.
FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2016, file photo a flag for Deutsche Bank flies outside the German bank's New York offices on Wall Street. Deutsche Bank revealed in court papers on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, that it has tax records Congress is seeking in its investigation into President Trump's finances. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
Regional
5.) A smattering of mask-clad voters hit the polls in New Jersey for Tuesday’s primary, with primarily older citizens wanting the comfort of casting their ballots in person.
The West End Hose Company fire station in Somerville, New Jersey, was one of several locations open Tuesday, July 7, for voters to cast their ballots in the state's primary election. (Courthouse News photo/Nick Rummell)
6.) A former Los Angeles city councilman pleaded guilty Tuesday to accepting bribes from a real estate developer while he was in office as part of an ongoing federal corruption probe at LA City Hall.
Los Angeles City Hall. (Courthouse News photo / Chris Marshall)
International
7.) The World Health Organization on Tuesday acknowledged there is emerging evidence the new coronavirus may be dangerously transmitted through the air in poorly ventilated indoor environments such as bars, churches, schools and meat factories.
People wearing protective mask ride the "Transports publics lausannois", TL, Metro M2 (underground) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Monday, July 6, 2020. In Switzerland, from Monday 6 July, people aged 12 and over must wear a mask in all public transport, trains, trams and buses, as well as in cable cars and boats. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)
8.) Tourist-dependent Italy has cautiously reopened, but visitors have been reduced to a trickle due to fears of the coronavirus pandemic.


courthousenews--2020-07-07--Feds Pull Plan to Reintroduce Grizzlies to Northern Washington State

Locals had mixed views on the reintroduction plan , while environmentalists say it is crucial for stabilizing grizzly populations in the United States .
WASHINGTON ( CN ) — The Trump administration is walking back a plan to introduce grizzly bears back into Washington state ’ s North Cascades , striking a blow to environmental groups who say the plan was critical for the recovery of the species .
The plan to reintroduce the bears into the North Cascades region had been underway since 2015 , but Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said Tuesday the plan did not consider the views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing the bear into the area .
“ The Trump administration is committed to being a good neighbor and the people who live and work in north central Washington have made their voices clear that they do not want grizzly bears reintroduced into the North Cascades , ” Bernhardt said at a roundtable in Omak , Wash. , according to a department press release .
“ Grizzly bears are not in danger of extinction and Interior will continue to build on its conservation successes managing healthy grizzly bear populations across their existing range.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian border with the northern part of Washington state , a vast stretch of wild land boasting rocky peaks that rise as high as 10,000 feet .
Estimates put the population of grizzly bears in the North Cascades at just 10 and the region represents prime habitat for the bear , according to the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife .
The department said it began reviewing the decision in 2017 with a series of public meetings and briefings “ during which overwhelming opposition was received for the plan.
” Separately , it said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other reintroduction efforts in the United States , specifically in Idaho , Montana , Washington and Wyoming .
Views on the reintroduction plan were indeed mixed , with opponents including the Sauk-Suittle Indian Tribe , whose leadership expressed concerns about safety and potential damage to local salmon runs .
But environmental groups on Tuesday called the decision to scrap the plans misguided and harmful to efforts to revitalize the species .
Andrea Zaccardi , a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity , said the reintroduction plan in the North Cascades was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the United States .
“ Grizzly bears only occupy less than 5 % of their historic range , and the North Cascades presents prime habitat for grizzly bears , ” Zaccardi said in a statement .
“ Their recovery there is critical to the overall recovery of grizzly bears in the U.S. ” The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit last June claiming the government violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to update a federal plan to aid in the recovery of grizzly populations .

The Trump administration is walking back a plan to introduce grizzly bears back into Washington state’s North Cascades, striking a blow to environmental groups who say the plan was critical for the recovery of the species.
WASHINGTON (CN) — The Trump administration is walking back a plan to introduce grizzly bears back into Washington state’s North Cascades, striking a blow to environmental groups who say the plan was critical for the recovery of the species.
The plan to reintroduce the bears into the North Cascades region had been underway since 2015, but Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said Tuesday the plan did not consider the views of locals who have expressed opposition to bringing the bear into the area.
“The Trump administration is committed to being a good neighbor and the people who live and work in north central Washington have made their voices clear that they do not want grizzly bears reintroduced into the North Cascades,” Bernhardt said at a roundtable in Omak, Wash., according to a department press release. “Grizzly bears are not in danger of extinction and Interior will continue to build on its conservation successes managing healthy grizzly bear populations across their existing range.”
The North Cascades run along the Canadian border with the northern part of Washington state, a vast stretch of wild land boasting rocky peaks that rise as high as 10,000 feet. Estimates put the population of grizzly bears in the North Cascades at just 10 and the region represents prime habitat for the bear, according to the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife.
The department said it began reviewing the decision in 2017 with a series of public meetings and briefings “during which overwhelming opposition was received for the plan.” Separately, it said grizzly bear populations have recovered thanks to other reintroduction efforts in the United States, specifically in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming.
Views on the reintroduction plan were indeed mixed, with opponents including the Sauk-Suittle Indian Tribe, whose leadership expressed concerns about safety and potential damage to local salmon runs.
But environmental groups on Tuesday called the decision to scrap the plans misguided and harmful to efforts to revitalize the species.
Andrea Zaccardi, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said the reintroduction plan in the North Cascades was an important step towards stabilizing grizzly populations across the United States.
“Grizzly bears only occupy less than 5% of their historic range, and the North Cascades presents prime habitat for grizzly bears,” Zaccardi said in a statement. “Their recovery there is critical to the overall recovery of grizzly bears in the U.S.”
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit last June claiming the government violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to update a federal plan to aid in the recovery of grizzly populations.


courthousenews--2020-07-07--NYC Officials Vote to Reopen Thousands of Child Care Centers

( CN ) — The New York City Board of Health voted in a virtual meeting Tuesday to reopen 3,000 child care centers that have been closed since early April , in the latest sign that the Big Apple is getting back to work after months of coronavirus-driven shutdowns .
Those 3,000 facilities could care for 150,000 children , but New York Mayor Bill de Blasio isn ’ t sure how many parents will take them back up on the offer .
“ We need to bring back child care quickly and safely and that ’ s what we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
De Blasio said a lot of people are looking to head back to work and “ the only way they can do it is with child care.
” The support from the federal government is fading so they ’ re going to be forced to get back to work , the mayor said .
Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot said safety precautions at day care centers will include appropriate social distancing , daily health screenings and cleaning .
Classes will be capped at 15 children .
Deputy Commissioner Corinne Schiff said transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most populous city has slowed and there has been enough of a decline in case counts to open the centers .
She said there ’ s a concern that as the economy reopens , parents may be turning to informal care instead of regulated programs .
If a confirmed case is detected in a classroom , guardians will be asked to keep their child at home for 14 days and contact tracing will begin , according to Schiff .
The rest of the class will also be notified .
“ This is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , but child care providers can “ open if they are ready.
” There were 125 centers that stayed open to care for the children of health care workers and first responders , but next week is the first time child care centers can reopen for the children of nonessential workers .
Officials said they are not aware of any positive cases at the centers that stayed open during the first months of the outbreak .
Karen Redlener , a member of the city ’ s health board , said there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reopening of schools in the fall .
De Blasio plans to reopen New York City ’ s public schools in September , but he hasn ’ t laid out the details .
“ Are there guidelines you all have already developed for that ?
” Redlener asked during Tuesday ’ s meeting on day care centers .
Schiff said officials have a protocol for child care programs to report infections and they want everyone to understand the expectations .
“ Child care programs are quite familiar with the reporting process , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey started welcoming back children in mid-June and in Connecticut they were never asked to close .
Connecticut has had 1,552 child care centers reopen since the end of March .
“ Children have been in these congregate settings for a few months and there have been few outbreaks , ” Redlener said .
“ I ’ ve just heard so much about outbreaks in schools , and how will it be handled and what the risks are to children .
I think it ’ s good if we have this six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clarified that there haven ’ t been any outbreaks , just sporadic cases here and there .
“ Your point is really well taken that you know the fact that there haven ’ t been any clusters traced to these existing centers that have been open speaks to the importance of continuing with the preventative measures that have been put in place , ” the city ’ s health commissioner said .
Yale University researcher Walter Gilliam is conducting a national study of more than 90,000 child care centers that have remained open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merge the infection data with the social distancing protocols and demographics for specific regions of the country to figure out if child care puts people at a higher risk of contracting the virus .
The study is expected to be completed in about three weeks .
Redlener said the fact that there have been so few cases in child care settings could be a motivator for the reopening of the schools .
De Blasio is expected to announce more details in the coming days about New York City schools reopening in the fall @

The New York City Board of Health voted in a virtual meeting Tuesday to reopen 3,000 child care centers that have been closed since early April, in the latest sign that the Big Apple is getting back to work after months of coronavirus-driven shutdowns.
(CN) — The New York City Board of Health voted in a virtual meeting Tuesday to reopen 3,000 child care centers that have been closed since early April, in the latest sign that the Big Apple is getting back to work after months of coronavirus-driven shutdowns.
Those 3,000 facilities could care for 150,000 children, but New York Mayor Bill de Blasio isn’t sure how many parents will take them back up on the offer.
“We need to bring back child care quickly and safely and that’s what we’re working on,” de Blasio said.
De Blasio said a lot of people are looking to head back to work and “the only way they can do it is with child care.” The support from the federal government is fading so they’re going to be forced to get back to work, the mayor said.
Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot said safety precautions at day care centers will include appropriate social distancing, daily health screenings and cleaning. Classes will be capped at 15 children.
Deputy Commissioner Corinne Schiff said transmission of Covid-19 in the nation’s most populous city has slowed and there has been enough of a decline in case counts to open the centers. She said there’s a concern that as the economy reopens, parents may be turning to informal care instead of regulated programs.
If a confirmed case is detected in a classroom, guardians will be asked to keep their child at home for 14 days and contact tracing will begin, according to Schiff. The rest of the class will also be notified.
“This is not a mandate to open,” she said, but child care providers can “open if they are ready.”
There were 125 centers that stayed open to care for the children of health care workers and first responders, but next week is the first time child care centers can reopen for the children of nonessential workers. Officials said they are not aware of any positive cases at the centers that stayed open during the first months of the outbreak.
Karen Redlener, a member of the city’s health board, said there are a lot of questions and concerns about the reopening of schools in the fall.
De Blasio plans to reopen New York City’s public schools in September, but he hasn’t laid out the details.
"Are there guidelines you all have already developed for that?" Redlener asked during Tuesday’s meeting on day care centers.
Schiff said officials have a protocol for child care programs to report infections and they want everyone to understand the expectations.
"Child care programs are quite familiar with the reporting process," Schiff said.
Child care centers in New Jersey started welcoming back children in mid-June and in Connecticut they were never asked to close. Connecticut has had 1,552 child care centers reopen since the end of March.
“Children have been in these congregate settings for a few months and there have been few outbreaks,” Redlener said. “I’ve just heard so much about outbreaks in schools, and how will it be handled and what the risks are to children. I think it’s good if we have this six months’ worth of experience.”
Barbot clarified that there haven’t been any outbreaks, just sporadic cases here and there.
“Your point is really well taken that you know the fact that there haven’t been any clusters traced to these existing centers that have been open speaks to the importance of continuing with the preventative measures that have been put in place,” the city’s health commissioner said.
Yale University researcher Walter Gilliam is conducting a national study of more than 90,000 child care centers that have remained open through the pandemic. He plans to merge the infection data with the social distancing protocols and demographics for specific regions of the country to figure out if child care puts people at a higher risk of contracting the virus. The study is expected to be completed in about three weeks.
Redlener said the fact that there have been so few cases in child care settings could be a motivator for the reopening of the schools.
De Blasio is expected to announce more details in the coming days about New York City schools reopening in the fall.