courthousenews--2020-07-06--No Freedom From Covid Regulation

No Freedom From Covid Regulation

Sometimes an appellate ruling is both reasonable and very silly at the same time .
We have a fine example of this from a New York federal judge ’ s ruling in one of the many unsuccessful lawsuits challenging Covid-19 business regulation orders .
The orders , wrote the judge , don ’ t deny the business owner plaintiff “ all economically beneficial use of his property.
” He could offer food and drinks for takeout or delivery .
If he lost all his income , it was because of a “ voluntary choice not to pursue alternative business models.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ business is a strip club .
Imagine the alternative business models .
Imagine ordering food and drinks from the local strip club .
Some of you might consider ordering a business model ( aka a stripper ) to go , but the food and drink orders are unlikely ( unless delivered by certain club employees ) .
Now imagine going to court claiming a right to continue stripping during a pandemic .
Normal diseases aren ’ t enough for some people .
After all , at least according to some people , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , preventing them .
This is the rather startling — even somewhat frightening — statement from the introduction to a lawsuit filed last week in Circuit Court in Palm Beach County , Florida : “ This action stems from the Defendant Palm Beach County ’ s infringement upon well-settled constitutionally protected freedoms of over a million Palm Beach County residents and visitors .
… Defendant has recklessly required countless American citizens and Florida residents , including the Plaintiffs , to submit to dangerous medical treatments with well-known risks and potential for serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear harmful medical devices like masks.
” It ’ s amazing how many terrible things governments do to us .
A few of you may be thinking that some self-represented crackpot filed this 37-page complaint .
If you thought that , slap yourself on the wrist for being an elitist snob .
There are four lawyers listed on this document plus something called the Florida Civil Rights Coalition .
I don ’ t know anything about this organization but I ’ m guessing from its name that it campaigns to defund the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shields and body armor .
Before we consider this suit further , I want those of you who are lawyers to consider what you would do if a client walked into your office wanting to sue the government for protecting people .
You can make your own decision on this .
My instinct would be hysterical laughter ( and maybe a pepper spray demonstration to demonstrate the need for masks ) .
The Palm Beach lawsuit goes on at some length quoting studies that it says show that N-95 masks are not more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be dangerous if you wear them too long and don ’ t get enough oxygen .
( Note to plaintiffs : If you ’ re having trouble breathing , try getting away from people and then taking off the mask .
If you ’ re feeling faint , don ’ t keep operating on patients . )
There ’ s also a lot of stuff about freedom of speech , due process , and the right to refuse medical treatment .
No mention of the right to infect other people but that must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Florida one — somewhere .
The masks , according to the suit , even harm children trying to “ learn to communicate properly as living , breathing human beings have been for countless generations ” because they can ’ t see mouths moving and facial expressions .
Apparently , there are a lot of families in Palm Beach who don ’ t realize they can take the masks off at home .
There ’ s also an equal protection argument : Grocery stores and drugstores are burdened with mask and social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Walmart remains open , yet defendant Palm Beach County is announcing plans to close the beach to Americans celebrating Independence Day.
” What better time and place for a revolution than the Fourth of July on the beach ?
You can get a tan and fight for your rights .
And the worst part of all this ?
“ Defendant ’ s unconstitutional Mask Mandate discriminates against thousands of facial expressions … ” Now you know why we need emojis .
The scrawny cows and the amorous next-door pilot have disappeared after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plot .
Instead , we get random flashbacks to Perry shooting people during a war .
It seems to have nothing to do with the plot .
Paul Drake , Perry ’ s detective in the original series , appears as a uniformed policeman with a pregnant wife .
Not surprisingly , Paul is much smarter than his bosses .
Perry , miraculously , while looking around a room , decides to check out the underbelly of a toy ( or maybe taxidermied ) alligator-sort of thing to find a stash of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you store your love letters ?
Perry ’ s lawyer boss hangs out in some sort of club with the District Attorney .
The D.A .
seems to be immensely enjoying his job .
There is much drinking .
An arrest is made in the middle of a crowd at a funeral for no readily apparent reason .
The only good part is that Tatiana Maslani finally appears .
Unfortunately , she plays only one role when she could easily have taken on six parts .
This is a waste of talent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of money .
And , once again , no one confesses at the end of the episode .

Sometimes an appellate ruling is both reasonable and very silly at the same time. We have a fine example of this from a New York federal judge’s ruling in one of the many unsuccessful lawsuits challenging Covid-19 business regulation orders.
Courthouse News columnist; racehorse owner and breeder; one of those guys who always got picked last.
Sometimes an appellate ruling is both reasonable and very silly at the same time. We have a fine example of this from a New York federal judge’s ruling in one of the many unsuccessful lawsuits challenging Covid-19 business regulation orders.
The orders, wrote the judge, don’t deny the business owner plaintiff “all economically beneficial use of his property.” He could offer food and drinks for takeout or delivery. If he lost all his income, it was because of a “voluntary choice not to pursue alternative business models.”
Perfectly reasonable.
Until you realize that the plaintiff business is a strip club.
Imagine the alternative business models. Imagine ordering food and drinks from the local strip club.
Some of you might consider ordering a business model (aka a stripper) to go, but the food and drink orders are unlikely (unless delivered by certain club employees).
Now imagine going to court claiming a right to continue stripping during a pandemic. Normal diseases aren’t enough for some people.
After all, at least according to some people, there are worse things than diseases — for example, preventing them.
This is the rather startling — even somewhat frightening — statement from the introduction to a lawsuit filed last week in Circuit Court in Palm Beach County, Florida:
“This action stems from the Defendant Palm Beach County’s infringement upon well-settled constitutionally protected freedoms of over a million Palm Beach County residents and visitors. … Defendant has recklessly required countless American citizens and Florida residents, including the Plaintiffs, to submit to dangerous medical treatments with well-known risks and potential for serious injuries and death, including being forced to wear harmful medical devices like masks.”
It’s amazing how many terrible things governments do to us.
A few of you may be thinking that some self-represented crackpot filed this 37-page complaint. If you thought that, slap yourself on the wrist for being an elitist snob. There are four lawyers listed on this document plus something called the Florida Civil Rights Coalition. I don’t know anything about this organization but I’m guessing from its name that it campaigns to defund the police and free them from their face shields and body armor.
Before we consider this suit further, I want those of you who are lawyers to consider what you would do if a client walked into your office wanting to sue the government for protecting people. You can make your own decision on this. My instinct would be hysterical laughter (and maybe a pepper spray demonstration to demonstrate the need for masks).
The Palm Beach lawsuit goes on at some length quoting studies that it says show that N-95 masks are not more effective than surgical masks and may even be dangerous if you wear them too long and don’t get enough oxygen. (Note to plaintiffs: If you’re having trouble breathing, try getting away from people and then taking off the mask. If you’re feeling faint, don’t keep operating on patients.)
There’s also a lot of stuff about freedom of speech, due process, and the right to refuse medical treatment. No mention of the right to infect other people but that must be in the Constitution — at least the Florida one — somewhere.
The masks, according to the suit, even harm children trying to “learn to communicate properly as living, breathing human beings have been for countless generations” because they can’t see mouths moving and facial expressions. Apparently, there are a lot of families in Palm Beach who don’t realize they can take the masks off at home.
There’s also an equal protection argument: Grocery stores and drugstores are burdened with mask and social distancing rules but other places are not. “Walmart remains open, yet defendant Palm Beach County is announcing plans to close the beach to Americans celebrating Independence Day.”
What better time and place for a revolution than the Fourth of July on the beach? You can get a tan and fight for your rights.
And the worst part of all this? “Defendant’s unconstitutional Mask Mandate discriminates against thousands of facial expressions …”
Now you know why we need emojis.
Perry Mason, episode 2. Still terrible.
The scrawny cows and the amorous next-door pilot have disappeared after seeming to have nothing to do with the plot. Instead, we get random flashbacks to Perry shooting people during a war. It seems to have nothing to do with the plot.
Paul Drake, Perry’s detective in the original series, appears as a uniformed policeman with a pregnant wife. Not surprisingly, Paul is much smarter than his bosses.
Perry, miraculously, while looking around a room, decides to check out the underbelly of a toy (or maybe taxidermied) alligator-sort of thing to find a stash of incriminating love letters. Where else would you store your love letters?
Perry’s lawyer boss hangs out in some sort of club with the District Attorney. The D.A. seems to be immensely enjoying his job. There is much drinking.
An arrest is made in the middle of a crowd at a funeral for no readily apparent reason.
The only good part is that Tatiana Maslani finally appears. Unfortunately, she plays only one role when she could easily have taken on six parts. This is a waste of talent. The series producers could have saved a lot of money.
And, once again, no one confesses at the end of the episode.


courthousenews--2020-07-07--High Court Keeps Block on Keystone Pipeline Work

WASHINGTON ( CN ) — In a blow to the Trump administration , the Supreme Court on Monday temporarily kept in place a lower-court ruling blocking construction on the Keystone XL pipeline .
The order from the high court leaves undisturbed the portions of a Montana judge ’ s order that blocked the federal government from using a national permit to authorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline .
At the same time , Monday ’ s order puts a hold on other parts of the lower court order that blocked the construction of pipelines unrelated to Keystone .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not explain its reasons for issuing the order .
“ Today ’ s ruling makes clear that the builders of Keystone XL can ’ t rely on a flawed rubber-stamped permit to force the project ’ s construction through our wetlands , streams and rivers , ” Cecilia Segal , a Natural Resources Defense Council attorney who represented the environmental groups challenging the permit , said in a statement .
“ It ’ s a resounding victory for the communities and imperiled species living along this pipeline ’ s proposed route .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest and should never be built.
” The pipeline , which would stretch from Alberta , Canada , into Nebraska , has long been controversial and the subject of frequent litigation from environmental and conservation groups who say it is a threat to the environment and endangered wildlife .
At issue in the case the court ruled in Monday is nationwide permit 12 , a general authorization issued by the Army Corps of Engineers that smooths the permitting process for work on a range of projects , including oil and gas pipelines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ current version of the permit allowing for water-crossing work associated with pipeline construction in January 2017 , but it has been in effect in some form since 1977 .
Last year , a group of environmental advocates led by the Northern Plains Resource Council challenged the permit , arguing the Corps did not adequately consider its environmental impacts .
In addition to taking on the permit as a whole , the groups challenged its application to Keystone in particular .
In April , a federal judge put the permit on hold and blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any dredging and filling work .
The judge later revised the order to bar the dredge and fill work for new oil and gas pipelines .
The Ninth Circuit declined to stay the order in May .
Urging the justices to block the lower court ruling , the Trump administration argued the Montana judge ’ s order was “ vastly overbroad , ” as it extended to the construction of any new oil and gas pipelines across the country .
The order , the administration argued , would significantly delay the approval of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who were not part of the case , reaching well beyond the scope of what courts may do under the Constitution .
“ The district court ’ s nationwide injunction is not only improper under Article III and background equitable principles , but also serves no additional environmental purpose and is directly contrary to the comity that should be accorded to the litigation being conducted in other courts , ” the Trump administration said in its application for a stay .
Arguing in support of the injunction , the environmental groups argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is likely to succeed on its claims that the Corps followed environmental laws when it reissued the permit in 2017 .
The groups also argued the Trump administration has not shown it is likely to suffer serious injury due to the ruling , which can not be said for the species pipeline projects could displace .
“ The alleged economic and energy costs of the district court ’ s order — even assuming they are not exaggerated and speculative , pale in comparison to the need to ensure that the use of nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil and gas pipelines across the country will not drive protected species toward extinction or permanently destroy critical habitat , ” the groups said in their brief to the high court .
A spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers did not immediately return a request for comment send after business hours on Monday .

In a blow to the Trump administration, the Supreme Court on Monday temporarily kept in place a lower-court ruling blocking construction on the Keystone XL pipeline.
WASHINGTON (CN) — In a blow to the Trump administration, the Supreme Court on Monday has kept in place a ruling that blocks construction on the Keystone XL pipeline.
The order from the high court leaves undisturbed the portions of a Montana judge’s order that blocked the federal government from using a national permit to authorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
At the same time, Monday’s order puts a hold on other parts of the lower court order that blocked the construction of pipelines unrelated to Keystone. As is its practice, the Supreme Court did not explain its reasons for issuing the order.
“Today’s ruling makes clear that the builders of Keystone XL can’t rely on a flawed rubber-stamped permit to force the project’s construction through our wetlands, streams and rivers,” Cecilia Segal, a Natural Resources Defense Council attorney who represented the environmental groups challenging the permit, said in a statement. “It’s a resounding victory for the communities and imperiled species living along this pipeline’s proposed route. Keystone XL is not in our national interest and should never be built.”
The pipeline, which would stretch from Alberta, Canada, into Nebraska, has long been controversial and the subject of frequent litigation from environmental and conservation groups who say it is a threat to the environment and endangered wildlife.
At issue in the case the court ruled in Monday is nationwide permit 12, a general authorization issued by the Army Corps of Engineers that smooths the permitting process for work on a range of projects, including oil and gas pipelines.
The Army Corps of Engineers issued the current version of the permit allowing for water-crossing work associated with pipeline construction in January 2017, but it has been in effect in some form since 1977.
Last year, a group of environmental advocates led by the Northern Plains Resource Council challenged the permit, arguing the Corps did not adequately consider its environmental impacts. In addition to taking on the permit as a whole, the groups challenged its application to Keystone in particular.
In April, a federal judge put the permit on hold and blocked the Corps from using it to authorize any dredging and filling work. The judge later revised the order to bar the dredge and fill work for new oil and gas pipelines.
The Ninth Circuit declined to stay the order in May.
Urging the justices to block the lower court ruling, the Trump administration argued the Montana judge’s order was “vastly overbroad,” as it extended to the construction of any new oil and gas pipelines across the country.
The order, the administration argued, would significantly delay the approval of new pipeline projects and gave relief to those who were not part of the case, reaching well beyond the scope of what courts may do under the Constitution.
“The district court’s nationwide injunction is not only improper under Article III and background equitable principles, but also serves no additional environmental purpose and is directly contrary to the comity that should be accorded to the litigation being conducted in other courts,” the Trump administration said in its application for a stay.
Arguing in support of the injunction, the environmental groups argued the Trump administration has not shown it is likely to succeed on its claims that the Corps followed environmental laws when it reissued the permit in 2017.
The groups also argued the Trump administration has not shown it is likely to suffer serious injury due to the ruling, which cannot be said for the species pipeline projects could displace.
“The alleged economic and energy costs of the district court’s order — even assuming they are not exaggerated and speculative, pale in comparison to the need to ensure that the use of nationwide permit 12 to construct hundreds of new oil and gas pipelines across the country will not drive protected species toward extinction or permanently destroy critical habitat,” the groups said in their brief to the high court.
A spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers did not immediately return a request for comment send after business hours on Monday.


courthousenews--2020-07-07--Trial of Accused Russian Hacker Resumes After 4-Month Covid Delay

SAN FRANCISCO ( CN ) — After a nearly four-month hiatus , the criminal trial of accused hacker Yevgeniy Nikulin resumed Monday in federal court in San Francisco , marking the first time the Northern District has seen an in-person jury since it halted operations and suspended trials due to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ It ’ s a much different scene than when we broke in March , ” U.S. District William Alsup , who is overseeing the case , said from a courtroom outfitted with glass shields and new measures to keep jurors and witnesses six feet apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoom , though the public can also watch the proceedings at the courthouse .
In light of the unprecedented circumstances , both sides agreed carry on with as few as six out of the original 16 jurors .
Alsup began Monday ’ s proceedings by polling the remaining jurors on their willingness to continue serving .
The trial started March 10 , but was cut short after just two days of testimony .
He added that over the weekend , one juror had notified the court that her husband ’ s co-worker had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease caused by the coronavirus .
She said she had likely been exposed as well , though could not be tested until Tuesday .
Alsup said he had advised the juror to stay home .
“ Our first order of business is to see if we can even get six to serve , ” he said .
“ Raise your hand if you ’ re willing to serve and try to complete this case.
” Eleven hands went up , by Alsup ’ s count .
He questioned the four jurors separately about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relative dying of brain cancer and is his primary caregiver .
She said he took a turn for the worse since March .
Another juror , aged 70 , said he has emphysema .
A third is a type-1 diabetic .
The fourth juror said she has a vacation planned the following week .
Alsup excused the first three , but kept the fourth , as the jury is expected to get the case with time for a verdict by Friday .
Nikulin , a Russian national , has been in prison awaiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cyberattacks on LinkedIn , Dropbox and the now-defunct social networking site Formspring in 2012 .
Nikulin is accused of breaching company databases and stealing more than 100 million user passwords .
He was arrested in the Czech Republic in 2016 and extradited to the U.S. in 2018 to face nine criminal counts of computer intrusion , causing damage to a protected computer , aggravated identity theft , trafficking , and conspiracy .
Alsup has held a series of conferences with attorneys in the intervening months to determine whether the trial could go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to postpone the trial multiple times due to shelter in place orders imposed by the city and county of San Francisco , Alsup told prosecutors and Nikulin ’ s defense attorneys repeatedly that he is troubled by how long Nikulin has been in jail .
In June , Alsup ordered the trial to resume on July 6 , saying Nikulin had waited long enough .
He also wondered whether prosecutors were stalling so that Alsup would declare a mistrial .
“ What if our defendant lost four years of his life over a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
I don ’ t like someone to be in pretrial detention this long , ” he said .
On Monday , he gave both sides 15 minutes to recap their opening statements for the jury .
Afterward , prosecutors called Ganesh Krishnan , a former LinkedIn employee at the time of the breach .
Nikulin is accused of accessing LinkedIn ’ s internal database by hacking into a computer owned by LinkedIn employee Nick Berry and obtaining access to the company ’ s virtual private network , which employees use to connect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system .
Krishnan , who was part of the company ’ s internal investigation team , confirmed Berry ’ s VPN logs contained suspicious logins from IP addresses in Russia , although Berry had been in the San Francisco Bay Area the entire time .
The same kind of intrusion happened to file-sharing company DropBox that same year , and lists of user passwords showed up on internet forums .
Like LinkedIn , DropBox kept logs and were able to trace the origin of the attack to a Russian IP address belonging to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The FBI also found another email account tied to an IP address used in the LinkedIn attack that was registered under r00talka @ mail.ru , which was controlled by the same person as the one who controlled chinabig01 .
They tracked one of the users of the Russian IP address to Kantemirovskaya Street in Moscow .
Nikulin also allegedly infiltrated a DropBox engineer ’ s work account , as well as the work credentials of a former employee of the now-shuttered Q & A site Formspring , to make off with millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internet hacker forums .
The government ’ s indictment says Nikulin conspired with a network of other hackers to sell stolen login credentials , including a Ukrainian national named Oleksandr Ieremenko .
It claims U.S. Secret Service agents gathered from Ieremenko ’ s hard drive a trove of evidence showing he and Nikulin worked together as part of a clique of internet malefactors .
Ieremenko was indicted in New Jersey for a different hack , but remains at large .
The government touched on some of that hard drive evidence during direct examination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States Secret Service , who traveled to Kyiv , Ukraine to help execute a search warrant on Ieremenko ’ s apartment .
LaTulip verified that a bit-for-bit image of a computer hard drive recovered from the apartment was given to the FBI .
The government believes photos and videos on that drive will show that Iremeneko and Nikulin worked together .
The government also called Special Agent Anton Mlaker , who reviewed a video of a March 2012 meeting of young Russian hackers at a hotel conference room in Moscow .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ played for the jury , showing a group of about six young men discussing opening an Internet cafe .
Mlaker could not identify Nikulin , who was shown in the video , but he pointed out Nikita Kislitsin , another Russian indicted for the Formspring hack .
Prosecutors believe Kislitsin brokered the sale of the stolen Formspring passwords to Mehment Sozen , aka “ Rais , ” through another hacker named Alexsey Belan , who they say put Kislitsin in touch with Nikulin .
Mlaker interviewed Kislitsin in Moscow in 2014 , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of the hacking world .
Kislitsin also said in that interview that Belan was working on behalf of the Russian Federal Security Service ( FSB ) — the successor agency to the KGB — to hack into American commercial databases for financial gain , and that Belan was responsible for hacking online clothier Zappos and the note-taking app Evernote .
Nikulin ’ s defense attorney Valery Nechay told Alsup that she wanted to question the FBI on this .
“ What I wish to ask some of these agents is whether they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was working with the FSB , ” she told Alsup outside the presence of the jury .
“ My purpose in asking that is two-fold .
I want to explore what the agent did with that information .
Did they attempt to verify that information ?
What steps did they take ?
” She added that she also wants to explore “ whether the other co-conspirators worked with the Russian government in some way to implicate our client.
” The government urged Alsup to exclude that part of the interview as hearsay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about investigations of other co-conspirators .
“ Right now I ’ m excluding this evidence .
It ’ s hearsay , hearsay , hearsay all day long , ” Alsup said , adding that his ruling is tentative .
“ I may change my mind if the government opens the door , ” he said .

After a nearly four-month hiatus, the criminal trial of accused hacker Yevgeniy Nikulin resumed Monday in federal court in San Francisco, marking the first time the Northern District has seen an in-person jury since it halted operations and suspended trials due to the coronavirus pandemic.
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — After a nearly four-month hiatus, the criminal trial of accused hacker Yevgeniy Nikulin resumed Monday in federal court in San Francisco, marking the first time the Northern District has seen an in-person jury since it halted operations and suspended trials due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It's a much different scene than when we broke in March,” U.S. District William Alsup, who is overseeing the case, said from a courtroom outfitted with glass shields and new measures to keep jurors and witnesses six feet apart. He is hosting the trial over Zoom, though the public can also watch the proceedings at the courthouse.
In light of the unprecedented circumstances, both sides agreed carry on with as few as six out of the original 16 jurors.
Alsup began Monday’s proceedings by polling the remaining jurors on their willingness to continue serving. The trial started March 10, but was cut short after just two days of testimony.
He added that over the weekend, one juror had notified the court that her husband’s co-worker had tested positive for Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus. She said she had likely been exposed as well, though could not be tested until Tuesday. Alsup said he had advised the juror to stay home.
"Our first order of business is to see if we can even get six to serve,” he said. “Raise your hand if you're willing to serve and try to complete this case.”
Eleven hands went up, by Alsup’s count. He questioned the four jurors separately about their concerns. One lives with a relative dying of brain cancer and is his primary caregiver. She said he took a turn for the worse since March. Another juror, aged 70, said he has emphysema. A third is a type-1 diabetic. The fourth juror said she has a vacation planned the following week. Alsup excused the first three, but kept the fourth, as the jury is expected to get the case with time for a verdict by Friday.
Nikulin, a Russian national, has been in prison awaiting trial for four years on charges related to cyberattacks on LinkedIn, Dropbox and the now-defunct social networking site Formspring in 2012. Nikulin is accused of breaching company databases and stealing more than 100 million user passwords. He was arrested in the Czech Republic in 2016 and extradited to the U.S. in 2018 to face nine criminal counts of computer intrusion, causing damage to a protected computer, aggravated identity theft, trafficking, and conspiracy.
Alsup has held a series of conferences with attorneys in the intervening months to determine whether the trial could go forward at all. Though he agreed to postpone the trial multiple times due to shelter in place orders imposed by the city and county of San Francisco, Alsup told prosecutors and Nikulin’s defense attorneys repeatedly that he is troubled by how long Nikulin has been in jail.
In June, Alsup ordered the trial to resume on July 6, saying Nikulin had waited long enough. He also wondered whether prosecutors were stalling so that Alsup would declare a mistrial.
“What if our defendant lost four years of his life over a case the government can't prove? I don't like someone to be in pretrial detention this long,” he said.
On Monday, he gave both sides 15 minutes to recap their opening statements for the jury.
Afterward, prosecutors called Ganesh Krishnan, a former LinkedIn employee at the time of the breach. Nikulin is accused of accessing LinkedIn’s internal database by hacking into a computer owned by LinkedIn employee Nick Berry and obtaining access to the company’s virtual private network, which employees use to connect from home to LinkedIn’s corporate system.


courthousenews--2020-07-06--New Evidence Leads to Digital Reconstruction of Key Medieval Shrine

( CN ) — The most important pilgrimage destination in medieval England has come back to life — albeit in digital form .
Visited for hundreds of years by pilgrims seeking miraculous healing , the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket has been digitally reconstructed based on expert analysis .
The shrine was destroyed in 1538 at Canterbury Cathedral , one of thousands of Catholic monuments razed during the English Reformation .
Becket was one of the most important figures in medieval Europe .
The hugely influential former Archbishop of Canterbury and patron saint of London is believed to have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knights of King Henry II in 1170 following years of bad blood between Becket and the king .
Following his death , a memorial of “ unparalleled splendor ” was erected within the Trinity Chapel at Canterbury , but its appearance has long been debated by historians .
Released on the 800th anniversary of the creation of the shrine , the CGI reconstruction uses fresh evidence to show how it would have likely appeared in the 16th century .
The findings , published in a special volume of the Journal of the British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digitalization establishes the most accurate recreation of the shrine to date .
“ Our CGI reconstruction uses all currently available evidence including eyewitness accounts , theories from past historians for potential usage of the shrine , date of construction , materials used , specific features , accessibility and location with the church , similar examples elsewhere , as well as those who created it , to reconstruct how the shrine could have looked , ” said Dr. John Jenkins , historical researcher on the reconstruction team , in a statement .
The model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have looked in 1408 when the cult at Canterbury was visited by up to 100,000 pilgrims a year .
The reconstruction argues that the shrine was created much earlier , between 1180 and 1220 , and would have likely taken more than 30 years to build and ornament .
“ We propose the shrine was a collaborative effort , with the marble base initiated and largely finished by William the Englishman and the vast expensive golden feretory brought to completion only under Elias of Dereham and Walter of Colchester almost four decades later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture at the University of York .
The team ’ s model includes other features , such as a “ major finding ” of iron grilles ( not featured in previous reconstructions ) that enclosed the shrine , and “ would serve to enhance a sense of mystery ” for visitors to the candlelit shrine .
Offerings in thanks for miraculous cures were attached to the grilles so that the shrine would be seen “ through a curtain of proof of Thomas ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team ’ s design is the first to be based upon surviving fragments of the shrine discovered in and around Canterbury Cathedral since the 19th century .
While historians have debated the source of these fragments , “ the trefoil and stiff-leaf decoration on some of the fragments stylistically indicates a common origin , and they are very close in type and quality to the carved capitals of the Trinity Chapel , ” Jenkins said .
“ Within the cathedral this marble is only found in the Trinity Chapel , which surely indicates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ shrine rather than any others.
” The free reconstruction video , which forms part of a wider three-year AHRC-funded “ Pilgrimage and England ’ s Cathedrals : Past and Present ” project , will be used as a heritage interpretation tool to help visitors to Canterbury share the experience of medieval pilgrims .
The videos reconstruct the four main sites associated with Becket : the main shrine ; his head shrine in the Corona Chapel ; the site of his martyrdom ; and his original tomb .
Located in Trinity Chapel at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Becket ’ s golden casket resting on a marble base .
The casket was said by pilgrims to be one of the most richly decorated and bejeweled shrines in Europe .
Jenkins and his team also hope it functions as a tool for researchers to study the look , feel and nature of the holy site .
“ The murder of Thomas Becket stunned the whole of Christendom , ” Jenkins notes .
“ Within 10 years of his death , over 700 healing miracles had been recorded at his tomb .
”

(CN) — The most important pilgrimage destination in medieval England has come back to life — albeit in digital form.
Visited for hundreds of years by pilgrims seeking miraculous healing, the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket has been digitally reconstructed based on expert analysis. The shrine was destroyed in 1538 at Canterbury Cathedral, one of thousands of Catholic monuments razed during the English Reformation.
Becket was one of the most important figures in medieval Europe. The hugely influential former archbishop of Canterbury and patron saint of London is believed to have died as a martyr, murdered by the knights of King Henry II in 1170 following years of bad blood between Becket and the king. Following his death, a memorial of “unparalleled splendor” was erected within the Trinity Chapel at Canterbury, but its appearance has long been debated by historians.
Released on the 800th anniversary of the creation of the shrine, the CGI reconstruction uses fresh evidence to show how it would have likely appeared in the 16th century. The findings, published in a special volume of the Journal of the British Archaeological Association, describe how the video digitalization establishes the most accurate recreation of the shrine to date.
“Our CGI reconstruction uses all currently available evidence including eyewitness accounts, theories from past historians for potential usage of the shrine, date of construction, materials used, specific features, accessibility and location with the church, similar examples elsewhere, as well as those who created it, to reconstruct how the shrine could have looked," said Dr. John Jenkins, historical researcher on the reconstruction team, in a statement.
The model is based upon how the shrine would have looked in 1408 when the cult at Canterbury was visited by up to 100,000 pilgrims a year. The reconstruction argues that the shrine was created much earlier, between 1180 and 1220, and would have likely taken more than 30 years to build and ornament.
"We propose the shrine was a collaborative effort, with the marble base initiated and largely finished by William the Englishman and the vast expensive golden feretory brought to completion only under Elias of Dereham and Walter of Colchester almost four decades later," said Jenkins, who works for the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture at the University of York.
The team's model includes other features, such as a "major finding" of iron grilles (not featured in previous reconstructions) that enclosed the shrine, and "would serve to enhance a sense of mystery" for visitors to the candlelit shrine. Offerings in thanks for miraculous cures were attached to the grilles so that the shrine would be seen "through a curtain of proof of Thomas's power to respond to prayer."
The team's design is the first to be based upon surviving fragments of the shrine discovered in and around Canterbury Cathedral since the 19th century. While historians have debated the source of these fragments, "the trefoil and stiff-leaf decoration on some of the fragments stylistically indicates a common origin, and they are very close in type and quality to the carved capitals of the Trinity Chapel," Jenkins said.
"Within the cathedral this marble is only found in the Trinity Chapel, which surely indicates that these fragments come from St. Thomas' shrine rather than any others."
The free reconstruction video, which forms part of a wider three-year AHRC-funded “Pilgrimage and England's Cathedrals: Past and Present” project, will be used as a heritage interpretation tool to help visitors to Canterbury share the experience of medieval pilgrims.
The videos reconstruct the four main sites associated with Becket: the main shrine; his head shrine in the Corona Chapel; the site of his martyrdom; and his original tomb. Located in Trinity Chapel at Canterbury Cathedral, the main shrine shows Becket’s golden casket resting on a marble base. The casket was said by pilgrims to be one of the most richly decorated and bejeweled shrines in Europe.
Jenkins and his team also hope it functions as a tool for researchers to study the look, feel and nature of the holy site.
“The murder of Thomas Becket stunned the whole of Christendom,” Jenkins notes. “Within 10 years of his death, over 700 healing miracles had been recorded at his tomb."


courthousenews--2020-07-06--Georgia Declares State of Emergency After Weekend Shootings in Atlanta

The Republican governor had pledged to take action against a “ recent trend of lawlessness ” in Georgia ’ s capital city .
ATLANTA ( CN ) — Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in the Peach State on Monday afternoon , allowing for the activation of up to 1,000 National Guard troops to Atlanta following a violent weekend that left 31 people wounded from multiple shootings and five dead , including an 8-year-old girl .
In an executive order issued Monday , Kemp said the Georgia National Guard will be deployed as needed to protect state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mansion and the Georgia Department of Public Safety , which was vandalized by protesters early Sunday morning .
“ Peaceful protests were hijacked by criminals with a dangerous , destructive agenda .
Now , innocent Georgians are being targeted , shot , and left for dead , ” the governor said .
“ This lawlessness must be stopped and order restored in our capital city.
” The order comes after Kemp , a Republican , threatened Sunday to “ take action ” against the “ recent trend of lawlessness ” in Atlanta if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During a news conference Sunday , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , a Democrat , demanded an end to the violence .
“ There are peaceful demonstrators across this city and across this country , and I applaud them and I thank them for being peaceful and for honoring the lives of so many people who have been killed in America because of injustice .
That ’ s an important movement that ’ s happening , ” Bottoms said .
“ But this random wild , wild West , shoot- ’ em-up because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It has to stop.
” Kemp previously deployed Georgia National Guard troops to Atlanta on May 29 to restore order and impose curfews following an outburst of looting and violence during demonstrations against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minnesota .
The move initially seemed effective , but the brief period of calm ended when protests broke out in response to the June 12 police shooting of Rayshard Brooks , a black man , by a white police officer .
Brooks was shot and killed during an attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot , setting off a chain of events that culminated with the resignation of the city ’ s police chief .
The Wendy ’ s restaurant where the shooting took place was burned down by protesters and turned into a makeshift memorial site .
One of the victims of the violence in Atlanta this weekend , 8-year-old Secoriea Turner , was shot and killed less than a half mile away from the Wendy ’ s while riding in a car with her mother .
A 53-year-old man was also shot and killed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disgusting that after months of inaction on the plagues of coronavirus and police brutality currently killing black Georgians , Brian Kemp is now using his executive power to protect buildings instead of the people he is supposed to serve , ” Georgia Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikema Williams said in a statement .
She added , “ For months , we have begged the governor to take serious steps to stop Covid-19 from decimating our communities , but he refuses .
His choice to deploy National Guard troops for today ’ s selfish purpose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The state of emergency will expire at midnight on July 13 unless renewed by Kemp .

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in the Peach State on Monday afternoon, allowing for the activation of up to 1,000 National Guard troops to Atlanta following a violent weekend that left 31 people wounded from multiple shootings and five dead, including an 8-year-old girl.
ATLANTA (CN) — Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in the Peach State on Monday afternoon, allowing for the activation of up to 1,000 National Guard troops to Atlanta following a violent weekend that left 31 people wounded from multiple shootings and five dead, including an 8-year-old girl.
In an executive order issued Monday, Kemp said the Georgia National Guard will be deployed as needed to protect state property, including the governor’s mansion and the Georgia Department of Public Safety, which was vandalized by protesters early Sunday morning.
"Peaceful protests were hijacked by criminals with a dangerous, destructive agenda. Now, innocent Georgians are being targeted, shot, and left for dead," the governor said. "This lawlessness must be stopped and order restored in our capital city.”
The order comes after Kemp, a Republican, threatened Sunday to “take action” against the “recent trend of lawlessness” in Atlanta if local leaders failed to do so.
During a news conference Sunday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, demanded an end to the violence.
“There are peaceful demonstrators across this city and across this country, and I applaud them and I thank them for being peaceful and for honoring the lives of so many people who have been killed in America because of injustice. That's an important movement that’s happening,” Bottoms said. “But this random wild, wild West, shoot-'em-up because you can, has got to stop. It has to stop.”
Kemp previously deployed Georgia National Guard troops to Atlanta on May 29 to restore order and impose curfews following an outburst of looting and violence during demonstrations against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.
The move initially seemed effective, but the brief period of calm ended when protests broke out in response to the June 12 police shooting of Rayshard Brooks, a black man, by a white police officer.
Brooks was shot and killed during an attempted arrest in a Wendy’s parking lot, setting off a chain of events that culminated with the resignation of the city’s police chief.
The Wendy’s restaurant where the shooting took place was burned down by protesters and turned into a makeshift memorial site.
One of the victims of the violence in Atlanta this weekend, 8-year-old Secoriea Turner, was shot and killed less than a half mile away from the Wendy’s while riding in a car with her mother.
A 53-year-old man was also shot and killed in the area.
Georgia Democrats immediately criticized Kemp’s decision, calling Monday’s executive order “irresponsible.”
“It is absolutely disgusting that after months of inaction on the plagues of coronavirus and police brutality currently killing black Georgians, Brian Kemp is now using his executive power to protect buildings instead of the people he is supposed to serve,” Georgia Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikema Williams said in a statement.
She added, “For months, we have begged the governor to take serious steps to stop Covid-19 from decimating our communities, but he refuses. His choice to deploy National Guard troops for today’s selfish purpose is outrageous and will endanger lives.”
The state of emergency will expire at midnight on July 13 unless renewed by Kemp.


Top Eight

Your Monday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News Top eight CNS stories for today including the Supreme Court ruled against a handful of irregular Electoral College voters who in 2016 voted for a range of candidates of their own choosing ; A federal judge ordered the Dakota Access pipeline to be shut down in one month ; The European Union ’ s highest court heard yet another case involving the Polish judicial system , and more .
Sign up for CNS Top Eight , a roundup of the day ’ s top stories delivered directly to your email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against a handful of irregular Electoral College voters who in 2016 voted for a range of candidates of their own choosing , rather than their party ’ s nominee .
2 . )
The Dakota Access pipeline must shut down by Aug. 5 , a federal judge ruled Monday , handing the oil industry and Trump administration a resonant defeat after a long-fought battle with Native American tribes .
3 . )
The U.S. Army soldier accused of plotting with a satanic neo-Nazi cult to ambush his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty on Monday morning to the six charges of his indictment .
4 . )
Refugees don ’ t have to be denied asylum in Mexico before applying in the United States , the Ninth Circuit ruled Monday , tossing aside a Trump administration rule .
5 . )
After breaking a daily coronavirus testing record over the holiday weekend , California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said hospitalizations remain alarmingly high as Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the state ’ s largest counties .
6 . )
With voting conducted almost entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey primary on Tuesday will help them push back against 2018 ’ s Blue Wave .
7 . )
The European Union ’ s highest court heard yet another case involving the Polish judicial system on Monday , in the latest clash between the EU and the central European country over the rule of law .
8 . )
Further investigation into the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 can be made , but not into alternative scenarios about what caused the plane to be shot down over eastern Ukraine in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Dutch court ruled Friday .

Top eight CNS stories for today including the Supreme Court ruled against a handful of irregular Electoral College voters who in 2016 voted for a range of candidates of their own choosing; A federal judge ordered the Dakota Access pipeline to be shut down in one month; The European Union’s highest court heard yet another case involving the Polish judicial system, and more.
Your Monday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News
Top eight CNS stories for today including the Supreme Court ruled against a handful of irregular Electoral College voters who in 2016 voted for a range of candidates of their own choosing; A federal judge ordered the Dakota Access pipeline to be shut down in one month; The European Union’s highest court heard yet another case involving the Polish judicial system, 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.) The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against a handful of irregular Electoral College voters who in 2016 voted for a range of candidates of their own choosing, rather than their party’s nominee.
In the 2016 election, Donald Trump had 304 votes from the Electoral College to Hillary Clinton's 227 votes. Because of so-called faithless electors, there were three votes cast for Colin Powell. Bernie Sanders, Ron Paul, John Kasich and Faith Spotted Eagle split the remaining four votes.
2.) The Dakota Access pipeline must shut down by Aug. 5, a federal judge ruled Monday, handing the oil industry and Trump administration a resonant defeat after a long-fought battle with Native American tribes.
A Lakota Sioux woman waits for her sisters on Dec. 4 near the rope stretched across State Highway 1806 near the Standing Rock Camp. The rope was a few hundred yards from the barricade erected by law enforcement on the Blackwater Bridge where several demonstrations had taken place. (Laura Lundquist/CNS)
3.) The U.S. Army soldier accused of plotting with a satanic neo-Nazi cult to ambush his unit in a mass-casualty attack pleaded not guilty on Monday morning to the six charges of his indictment.
In this photo taken from the Turkish side of the border between Turkey and Syria, in Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey, smoke billows from a fire inside Syria during bombardment by Turkish forces Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. Turkey launched a military operation Wednesday against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria after U.S. forces pulled back from the area, with a series of airstrikes hitting a town on Syria's northern border.(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
4.) Refugees don’t have to be denied asylum in Mexico before applying in the United States, the Ninth Circuit ruled Monday, tossing aside a Trump administration rule.
Activists for migrant rights surround a group of Honduran asylum seekers camped on U.S. soil at San Diego's Otay Mesa port of entry, seen from Tijuana, Mexico, on Dec. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Regional
5.) After California broke a daily coronavirus testing record over the holiday weekend, its Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said hospitalizations remain alarmingly high as Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the state’s largest counties.
People visit Ocean Beach during the coronavirus outbreak in San Francisco, Sunday, July 5, 2020. Californians mostly heeded warnings to stay away from beaches and other public spaces during the long weekend as state officials urged social distancing amid a spike in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
6.) With voting conducted almost entirely via the mail, Republicans hope the New Jersey primary on Tuesday will help them push back against 2018’s Blue Wave.
A child plays at Liberty State Park, with the Statue of Liberty stands in the background, in Jersey City on Saturday, May 2, after New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy reopened parks, which were closed for over a month because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Courthouse News photo/Nick Rummell)
International
7.) The European Union’s highest court heard yet another case involving the Polish judicial system on Monday, in the latest clash between the EU and the central European country over the rule of law.
On Oct. 8, 2018, government opponents with signs reading "Constitution" protest an overhaul of the justice system and the forced early retirement of Supreme Court judges aged 65 and above, before the court's building in Warsaw, Poland. The European Union's top court ordered Poland on Oct. 19, 2018, to immediately suspend the politically charged legal change. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
8.) Further investigation into the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 can be made, but not into alternative scenarios about what caused the plane to be shot down over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 aboard, a Dutch court ruled Friday.


courthousenews--2020-07-06--Coronavirus Crisis Forced Millions to Move, Survey Finds

( CN ) — The Covid-19 pandemic has created a variety of complications to everyday American life , including medical wellness , financial security and housing .
In a new analysis published Monday , the Pew Research Center said more than one in five respondents had to relocate because of the virus outbreak or knew someone who did .
In a survey of 9,654 Americans between June 4 and 10 , researchers found that 22 % of respondents “ relocated , had someone move into their household or know someone else who moved ” due to Covid-19 , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 14 % said they knew someone who moved , 6 % said someone moved into their household and 3 % said they moved .
However , the 3 % average belied a significant difference when stratified by age , race and ethnicity .
Nine percent of respondents between 18 and 29 years old said they moved , and the percentage decreased with age ( 3 % for those between 30 and 45 , 2 % for those between 45 and 64 and 1 % for those over 65 . )
Similarly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic than their white counterparts .
Only 2 % of white respondents indicated a move , whereas 4 % of black respondents said the same .
Hispanic and Asian respondents were even more likely to have moved at 6 % and 7 % , respectively .
This trend carried over into the other two categories .
Younger respondents were twice as likely to take on a new resident during the pandemic at 10 % , versus 5 % for those between 30 and 64 .
Only 2 % of respondents over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of both black and white respondents claimed to have a new resident due to the pandemic , Hispanic and Asian respondents were nearly twice as likely to indicate a new addition to their household at 9 % and 8 % , respectively .
Twenty-two percent of respondents between 18 and 29 indicated that they knew someone who had to move due to the virus , which also decreased with age ( 15 % for those between 30 and 45 , 10 % for those between 45 and 64 and 9 % for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by race , Hispanic respondents were most likely to know someone who moved at 17 % , followed by white respondents ( 14 % ) and black and Asian respondents ( 12 % ) .
Researchers also asked respondents to explain their reasoning for relocating , which helped illustrate why the pandemic is affecting housing for younger Americans more significantly .
While a plurality of the 3 % who moved ( 28 % ) said that they did so to reduce their risk of contracting the virus , the next highest reason given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closures ( 23 % ) , forcing students out of their dormitories .
Twenty percent of those who relocated said that they moved to be with family , and 18 % said that they had to relocate for financial reasons ( 8 % were due to job losses , and 10 % gave an unspecified financial reason ) .
Some open-ended answers also illustrated the nuances of relocating during the Covid-19 pandemic .
For example , one respondent said they were traveling at the time restrictions were put in place and can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed more space to work from home.
” One respondent was recalled to active duty in the military , while another said , “ I normally split my time between two locations .
Now staying in one with less risk .
”

More than one-fifth of survey respondents said they had to relocate because of the virus outbreak or knew someone who did.
(CN) — The Covid-19 pandemic has created a variety of complications to everyday American life, including medical wellness, financial security and housing.
In a new analysis published Monday, the Pew Research Center said more than one in five respondents had to relocate because of the virus outbreak or knew someone who did.
In a survey of 9,654 Americans between June 4 and 10, researchers found that 22% of respondents “relocated, had someone move into their household or know someone else who moved” due to Covid-19, according to the analysis. In the overall average, 14% said they knew someone who moved, 6% said someone moved into their household and 3% said they moved.
However, the 3% average belied a significant difference when stratified by age, race and ethnicity. Nine percent of respondents between 18 and 29 years old said they moved, and the percentage decreased with age (3% for those between 30 and 45, 2% for those between 45 and 64 and 1% for those over 65.)
Similarly, minorities were more likely to have relocated during the pandemic than their white counterparts. Only 2% of white respondents indicated a move, whereas 4% of black respondents said the same. Hispanic and Asian respondents were even more likely to have moved at 6% and 7%, respectively.
This trend carried over into the other two categories. Younger respondents were twice as likely to take on a new resident during the pandemic at 10%, versus 5% for those between 30 and 64. Only 2% of respondents over 65 said the same. Though 5% of both black and white respondents claimed to have a new resident due to the pandemic, Hispanic and Asian respondents were nearly twice as likely to indicate a new addition to their household at 9% and 8%, respectively.
Twenty-two percent of respondents between 18 and 29 indicated that they knew someone who had to move due to the virus, which also decreased with age (15% for those between 30 and 45, 10% for those between 45 and 64 and 9% for those over 65). Broken down by race, Hispanic respondents were most likely to know someone who moved at 17%, followed by white respondents (14%) and black and Asian respondents (12%).
Researchers also asked respondents to explain their reasoning for relocating, which helped illustrate why the pandemic is affecting housing for younger Americans more significantly. While a plurality of the 3% who moved (28%) said that they did so to reduce their risk of contracting the virus, the next highest reason given for moving was due to college campus closures (23%), forcing students out of their dormitories.
Twenty percent of those who relocated said that they moved to be with family, and 18% said that they had to relocate for financial reasons (8% were due to job losses, and 10% gave an unspecified financial reason).
Some open-ended answers also illustrated the nuances of relocating during the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, one respondent said they were traveling at the time restrictions were put in place and cannot return home. Another said they “needed more space to work from home.”
One respondent was recalled to active duty in the military, while another said, “I normally split my time between two locations. Now staying in one with less risk.”


courthousenews--2020-07-06--Newsom Adds More Counties to Covid Watchlist as Infections Continue to Spike

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( CN ) — After breaking a daily coronavirus testing record over the holiday weekend , California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said hospitalizations remain alarmingly high as Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the state ’ s largest counties .
Continuing a disturbing weekslong trend in the Golden State , Newsom reported a 50 % increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations and a corresponding 39 % spike in intensive care patients over the last two weeks .
Newsom says most of the new infections are coming out of 23 counties officials have placed on a monitoring list and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s pandemic-related orders for both businesses and residents .
“ This pandemic is still in front of us and continues to spread at rates we have not experienced in the state of California since the beginning of this pandemic , ” Newsom said .
Reviving daily press briefings initiated during the early stages of the pandemic , Newsom told reporters that a record 127,000 tests were conducted on Saturday .
Despite the rise in the number of people hospitalized with the virus ( 5,790 ) and a record-breaking single-day increase of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Newsom attempted to calm residents ’ nerves by claiming the number of open hospital beds is “ ample ” and ventilators remain “ plentiful.
” The virus continues to spread in urban counties like LA , Orange and Sacramento , as well as mostly rural areas including Fresno , Imperial and Colusa .
Counties reported nearly 5,700 new cases Monday and the state ’ s 7-day average for new infections is 7,800 .
Across the state , 24 people died over the weekend , bringing the toll to 6,331 since the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Los Angeles County ’ s infection rate exploded as more young adults tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
Hospitalizations in the county are on the rise , with 1,921 people currently being treated for Covid-19 according to public health officials .
This represents the highest number of people hospitalized for the virus , and half are between the ages of 18 and 40 .
“ We are in a new chapter of our response , ” said LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Monday .
“ Cases are surging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is all reflection of a lot more community spread.
” Over 116,000 people in LA County have been infected with the virus and over 3,500 have died since the pandemic began , according to public health officials .
The county saw over 3,000 new infections Friday and roughly 8,000 cases over the holiday weekend , with nearly 1,600 cases reported on Monday .
That figure could be artificially low due to the long weekend but continues to show a trend of rising infections .
Health officials say they don ’ t know whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day weekend .
Results will begin to show up in the next two weeks when residents start to show symptoms from the virus , said Ferrer .
The weeks after Memorial Day saw a spike of positive cases , according to county health data .
“ It ’ s clear that after months of quarantine combined… we ’ ve had a lot of people disregard the very practices that slowed the spread , ” said Ferrer .
In total , over 1.1 million tests have been administered with a 9 % positive rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate is roughly 10 % .
Most positive cases are among people between the ages of 18 and 40 .
One spot of good news in LA County : Covid-19 eaths are on the decline across the county .
Meanwhile , state public health officials have placed a total of 23 counties on the list due to a variety of factors , mainly for elevated recent hospitalizations and hospital capacity .
New additions to the coronavirus watchlist include San Diego , Monterey and Marin .
The state ’ s 7-day positivity rate — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving Covid-19 tests , a key indicator of community spread of the virus — is above 7 % for the first time in months .
The 14-day rate stands at 6.8 % , up from 4.9 % two weeks ago .
As part of efforts to prevent overcrowding and large gatherings , Newsom said inspectors from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control visited nearly 6,000 bars and restaurants over the holiday weekend to ensure they were following recently enacted indoor dining bans .
He cast the inspections as mostly “ educational ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The enforcement is not just about being punitive it ’ s also about educating people , allowing people to make modifications , ” Newsom said .
Along with the hospitality industry , Newsom said workplace safety agencies contacted 440,000 additional businesses to ensure they are following state guidelines .
He added that some local law enforcement agencies have begun enforcing the mandatory mask order on residents and that fines can range from $ 100 to $ 1,000 dollars .
California was widely praised for its early response to the coronavirus , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide lockdown in March .
The mandatory shelter-in-place order helped prevent a run on the state ’ s more than 400 hospitals and bought breathing room , giving Newsom and counties time to stockpile medical supplies and build temporary hospitals .
Hoping to preserve gains made during the spring lockdown , Newsom last month ordered the state ’ s 40 million residents to wear masks and face coverings when shopping , riding public transit and in other public settings .
Two weeks later the Democratic governor directed restaurants , bars and other establishments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suspend indoor operations for at least 21 days .
Pressed by reporters whether he allowed counties to reopen too early , Newsom contended California could continue to reopen safely and “ mitigate community spread ” through the widespread use of masks and face coverings .
Aside from potential fines for residents and businesses , Newsom has threatened to withhold funding for counties if they shun the mask and various other pandemic orders issued in recent months .
Newsom and lawmakers set aside in the new state budget a total of $ 2.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complying with the orders .
Newsom highlighted his ability to steer funding away from offenders when asked about how the state will respond if local law enforcement decides to ignore the mask mandate .
“ If they ’ re simply unwilling to do it , then we will redirect those dollars to communities that are , ” said the former mayor of San Francisco .
The pandemic has also spread to the state capitol , as Los Angeles Assemblywoman Autumn Burke announced Monday she has tested positive after a “ mask-to-mask ” encounter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on June 26 .
Both the Assembly and Senate are on summer recess , but Burke ’ s announcement spurred legislative leaders to close the capitol Monday for further cleaning .
“ Currently , my daughter and I have no symptoms , but will be remaining in quarantine until released by a doctor , ” tweeted Burke , D-Marina Del Ray .
When asked about the budding disaster at San Quentin State Prison — where over 1,300 inmates have tested positive for Covid-19 — Newsom said plans are being made to “ decompress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and probation processes .
He added that the state must ensure those released early have housing options and are not sent “ out to park benches and homeless shelters , ” but would not confirm whether he plans to visit San Quentin or other state prisons in the near future .
Last week a federal judge said he was dismayed by what he saw after touring two separate California prisons and urged the state to quickly release medically vulnerable inmates .
“ There ’ s no break , there ’ s no holidays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our administration , ” Newsom said of the virus ’ indiscriminate spread through the correctional system .
San Quentin , a 168-year-old prison in Marin County north of San Francisco , reported zero confirmed Covid-19 cases in May .
That was before 121 prisoners were transferred there in late May from the California Institution for Men in Chino , a prison with the deadliest Covid-19 outbreak in the state .
According to state data , over 5,300 cases have been confirmed in the prison system in addition to the nearly 1,000 workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Monday , 28 inmates have died after testing positive , including 16 in Chino and six in San Quentin .
The mounting deaths and new cases have resulted in a shakeup within California ’ s prison system .
A federal court-appointed receiver in charge of California prisons announced a series of leadership moves Monday , including a new health care services director .
“ We are in unprecedented times as we deal with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic , ” said Receiver J. Clark Kelso in a statement .
“ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also working toward further delegation of medical care back to state control , it has become evident that a reorganization is necessary for long-term sustainability .
”

After breaking a daily coronavirus testing record over the holiday weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said hospitalizations remain alarmingly high as Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the state’s largest counties.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — After California broke a daily coronavirus testing record over the holiday weekend, its Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said hospitalizations remain alarmingly high as Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the state’s largest counties.
Continuing a disturbing weekslong trend in the Golden State, Newsom reported a 50% increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations and a corresponding 39% spike in intensive care patients over the last two weeks. Newsom says most of the new infections are coming out of 23 counties officials have placed on a monitoring list and that regulators are ramping up enforcement of the state’s pandemic-related orders for both businesses and residents.
“This pandemic is still in front of us and continues to spread at rates we have not experienced in the state of California since the beginning of this pandemic,” Newsom said.
Reviving daily press briefings initiated during the early stages of the pandemic, Newsom told reporters that a record 127,000 tests were conducted on Saturday. Despite the rise in the number of people hospitalized with the virus (5,790) and a record-breaking single-day increase of 3,187 new infections in Los Angeles County, Newsom attempted to calm residents’ nerves by claiming the number of open hospital beds is “ample” and ventilators remain “plentiful.”
The virus continues to spread in urban counties like LA, Orange and Sacramento, as well as mostly rural areas including Fresno, Imperial and Colusa. Counties reported nearly 5,700 new cases Monday and the state’s 7-day average for new infections is 7,800.
Across the state, 24 people died over the weekend, bringing the toll to 6,331 since the pandemic began.
In the last several days, Los Angeles County’s infection rate exploded as more young adults tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Hospitalizations in the county are on the rise, with 1,921 people currently being treated for Covid-19 according to public health officials. This represents the highest number of people hospitalized for the virus, and half are between the ages of 18 and 40.
“We are in a new chapter of our response,” said LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Monday. “Cases are surging, hospitalization are increasing and mostly this is all reflection of a lot more community spread.”
Over 116,000 people in LA County have been infected with the virus and over 3,500 have died since the pandemic began, according to public health officials.
The county saw over 3,000 new infections Friday and roughly 8,000 cases over the holiday weekend, with nearly 1,600 cases reported on Monday. That figure could be artificially low due to the long weekend but continues to show a trend of rising infections.
Health officials say they don’t know whether residents practiced social distancing over the Independence Day weekend. Results will begin to show up in the next two weeks when residents start to show symptoms from the virus, said Ferrer.
The weeks after Memorial Day saw a spike of positive cases, according to county health data.
"It's clear that after months of quarantine combined... we've had a lot of people disregard the very practices that slowed the spread,” said Ferrer.
In total, over 1.1 million tests have been administered with a 9% positive rate, but health officials note the 7-day rate is roughly 10%. Most positive cases are among people between the ages of 18 and 40. One spot of good news in LA County: Covid-19 eaths are on the decline across the county.
Meanwhile, state public health officials have placed a total of 23 counties on the list due to a variety of factors, mainly for elevated recent hospitalizations and hospital capacity. New additions to the coronavirus watchlist include San Diego, Monterey and Marin.
The state’s seven-day positivity rate — the number of positive cases among residents receiving Covid-19 tests, a key indicator of community spread of the virus — is above 7% for the first time in months. The 14-day rate stands at 6.8%, up from 4.9% two weeks ago.


courthousenews--2020-07-06--Conservationists Claim Victory in Fight Against Atlantic Coast Pipeline

( CN ) — Environmentalists on Monday celebrated two energy giants ’ weekend cancellation of the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline , saying it would have threatened Appalachian waterways and communities for hundreds of miles .
Citing “ legal uncertainty , ” Dominion Energy and Duke Energy halted the development of the widely contested pipeline that was to stretch 600 miles between West Virginia and North Carolina to transfer natural gas throughout the region and on to ports for further sale .
“ After six years of pushing a poorly conceived and unjust gas pipeline project on the people of West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dominion and Duke finally threw in the towel .
This victory is a testament to the hard work and determination of communities and organizations across the three states who fought their states ’ most powerful entities from day one , ” Lorne Stockman , senior research analyst at Oil Change International , said in a statement Monday in response to the decision .
The group and other environmental organizations claim several federal permits for the pipeline construction , many of which were overturned in court , were illegally granted .
Due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the natural gas pipeline had been suspended since 2018 .
“ The truth is that fossil fuel companies have worked with federal agencies to permit dozens of projects across the U.S. by ignoring and circumventing laws that protect communities and natural resources and placing corporate profits above all else , ” Stockman added .
Stockman claims the pipeline was conceived to funnel utility customer money to the companies ’ shareholders , though proponents hoped it would create jobs and provide a reliable source of energy .
Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette , meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project that would have provided “ an affordable , abundant , and reliable natural gas supply from the Appalachian region.
” “ The Trump administration wants to bring the benefits of reliable and affordable energy of all kinds to all Americans .
Unfortunately , the same can ’ t be said for the activists who killed this project.
” Brouillette said in a statement Sunday .
He said Dominion and Duke were forced to call off construction of the pipeline “ due to the costly legal battles they would continue to face.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast Pipeline in 2014 , the project has faced numerous legal challenges from conservation groups and delays in the state and federal permitting process .
Despite a 7-2 victory in the Supreme Court last month that affirmed decisions made by permitting agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and essentially gave the pipeline the go-ahead , the series of litigation the energy companies faced along the way made the project increasingly more costly than first anticipated .
“ We regret that we will be unable to complete the Atlantic Coast Pipeline , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement Sunday .
“ This announcement reflects the increasing legal uncertainty that overhangs large-scale energy and industrial infrastructure development in the United States .
Until these issues are resolved , the ability to satisfy the country ’ s energy needs will be significantly challenged.
” The Natural Resources Defense Council and others joined Oil Change International in celebrating the pipeline ’ s cancellation Monday .
Many environmental advocates were concerned that construction would have required significant tree removal and the leveling of some mountain ridgetops .
NRDC attorney Gillian Giannetti said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waterways and communities in its 600-mile path .
Residents in one of these communities , the historically black town of Union Hill , Virginia , fought the proposal to build a nearby gas compressor station as part of the pipeline ’ s infrastructure .
“ Its cancellation marks a victory for Virginians in Union Hill whose concerns about a proposed gas compressor station were repeatedly ignored , ” Giannetti said in a statement , “ and for tribal communities in North Carolina who were similarly rebuffed by state and federal agencies.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in part because the pipeline was expected to slice under a section of the Appalachian Trail and , according to environmentalists , could have disrupted critical spawning and nursery habitats for endangered fish in the Southeast .
“ The Atlantic Coast Pipeline was an anvil that would have stymied investment in renewable energy for decades , harmed vulnerable communities , and crushed mountainsides , ” said Greg Buppert , a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center .
“ But now this risky and unnecessary project is on the scrap heap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are cleared .
”

Environmentalists on Monday celebrated two energy giants’ weekend cancellation of the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline, saying it would have threatened Appalachian waterways and communities for hundreds of miles.
(CN) — Environmentalists on Monday celebrated two energy giants’ weekend cancellation of the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline, saying it would have threatened Appalachian waterways and communities for hundreds of miles.
Citing “legal uncertainty,” Dominion Energy and Duke Energy halted the development of the widely contested pipeline that was to stretch 600 miles between West Virginia and North Carolina to transfer natural gas throughout the region and on to ports for further sale.
“After six years of pushing a poorly conceived and unjust gas pipeline project on the people of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, Dominion and Duke finally threw in the towel. This victory is a testament to the hard work and determination of communities and organizations across the three states who fought their states’ most powerful entities from day one,” Lorne Stockman, senior research analyst at Oil Change International, said in a statement Monday in response to the decision.
The group and other environmental organizations claim several federal permits for the pipeline construction, many of which were overturned in court, were illegally granted. Due to legal challenges over the permits, construction on the natural gas pipeline had been suspended since 2018.
“The truth is that fossil fuel companies have worked with federal agencies to permit dozens of projects across the U.S. by ignoring and circumventing laws that protect communities and natural resources and placing corporate profits above all else,” Stockman added.
Stockman claims the pipeline was conceived to funnel utility customer money to the companies’ shareholders, though proponents hoped it would create jobs and provide a reliable source of energy.
Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, meanwhile, blamed environmental activists for killing a project that would have provided “an affordable, abundant, and reliable natural gas supply from the Appalachian region.”
“The Trump administration wants to bring the benefits of reliable and affordable energy of all kinds to all Americans. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the activists who killed this project.” Brouillette said in a statement Sunday.
He said Dominion and Duke were forced to call off construction of the pipeline “due to the costly legal battles they would continue to face.”
Since the initial announcement of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in 2014, the project has faced numerous legal challenges from conservation groups and delays in the state and federal permitting process.
Despite a 7-2 victory in the Supreme Court last month that affirmed decisions made by permitting agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and essentially gave the pipeline the go-ahead, the series of litigation the energy companies faced along the way made the project increasingly more costly than first anticipated.
“We regret that we will be unable to complete the Atlantic Coast Pipeline,” Dominion Energy Chairman Thomas Farrell said in a statement Sunday. "This announcement reflects the increasing legal uncertainty that overhangs large-scale energy and industrial infrastructure development in the United States. Until these issues are resolved, the ability to satisfy the country's energy needs will be significantly challenged."
The Natural Resources Defense Council and others joined Oil Change International in celebrating the pipeline’s cancellation Monday. Many environmental advocates were concerned that construction would have required significant tree removal and the leveling of some mountain ridgetops.
NRDC attorney Gillian Giannetti said the pipeline would have threatened the health of waterways and communities in its 600-mile path.
Residents in one of these communities, the historically black town of Union Hill, Virginia, fought the proposal to build a nearby gas compressor station as part of the pipeline’s infrastructure.
“Its cancellation marks a victory for Virginians in Union Hill whose concerns about a proposed gas compressor station were repeatedly ignored,” Giannetti said in a statement, “and for tribal communities in North Carolina who were similarly rebuffed by state and federal agencies.”
The project was highly criticized from the start, in part because the pipeline was expected to slice under a section of the Appalachian Trail and, according to environmentalists, could have disrupted critical spawning and nursery habitats for endangered fish in the Southeast.
“The Atlantic Coast Pipeline was an anvil that would have stymied investment in renewable energy for decades, harmed vulnerable communities, and crushed mountainsides,” said Greg Buppert, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. “But now this risky and unnecessary project is on the scrap heap where it belongs, and the decks are cleared.”


courthousenews--2020-07-06--Treasury Reveals Big Firms That Got Millions in Virus Loans

The Trump administration finally put out a partial list of small business borrowers Monday , revealing a wide spectrum of companies tapped stimulus funds .
MANHATTAN ( CN ) — A spreadsheet showing a partial list of small businesses that borrowed millions from the Treasury Department confirms that many larger , publicly traded companies gobbled up millions of dollars .
The Paycheck Protection Program , which offered small businesses forgivable loans of up to $ 10 million to keep employees working , has been credited with boosting employment numbers during the economic downturn .
Among its criticisms , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door without proper guidance , allowing publicly traded companies to jump the line at banks and causing some small businesses to be shut out initially .
Shake Shack and Ruths Chris Steakhouse were among the large companies that returned PPP funds under scrutiny , but a partial list of borrowers released Monday by the Small Business Administration shows many others did not .
The list includes more than 650,000 borrowers that received at least $ 150,000 in PPP loans broken down by loan amount : $ 150,000 ; $ 350,000 to $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 million ; $ 2 million to $ 5 million ; and $ 5 million to $ 10 million .
Among the highest-profile companies that received PPP loans of at least $ 5 million : Bell Laboratories , which claimed its loan saved 449 jobs ; Five Guys Enterprises , which used its loan to keep 499 employees on the payroll ; TGI Friday ’ s , which kept 500 employees ; and Sport Clips .
Some other notable borrowers include Foremost Maritime , a property owned by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as several Democratic and Republican organizations and a number of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts organizations .
Religious groups also have been able to tap the funds .
A number of Catholic high schools , churches and dioceses were listed in the high end of borrowers , receiving loans of $ 1 million and up .
Myriad other Christian churches also received loans of at least $ 1 million .
Jewish and Islamic groups were not left out of the program .
Groups like the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio , received at least $ 2 million , while the Islamic Foundation of Greater Milwaukee borrowed at least $ 1 million in PPP funds .
The Freedom from Religion Foundation received a $ 350,000 loan , as well .
The Los Angeles Lakers gained some bad press earlier this year for having tapped the PPP pie , though the basketball team ultimately returned the funds .
But a number of sports teams received loans from $ 150,000 to $ 350,000 , and the National Football Museum in Canton , Ohio , received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data show how popular the program was among a wide spectrum of borrowers but it excludes a huge swath of borrowers — those that received under $ 150,000 .
The average PPP loan was for just north of $ 107,000 , according to the SBA .
For borrowers that received less than $ 150,000 , the SBA disclosed only some information , including the loan amounts , business structure , lender , and whether the loan resulted in any employee jobs retained .
Further , it is unclear whether borrowers were truly accurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saved ” due to the program .
No company on the list reported that they retained more than 500 employees using PPP funds , which indicates the SBA either did not track or did not disclose numbers above that amount .
In some cases , PPP loans were given to companies that reported zero employees had been retained .
Under the program , the loans become grants if a borrower uses at least 60 % of the funds to keep employees on the payroll .
Those companies that do not have two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % interest .
Much of the information on borrowers ’ race , ethnicity , and gender also is not included in the SBA spreadsheets , since filling out that information on the PPP loan applications was voluntary .
The SBA and Treasury Department did not return emails seeking clarification on the disclosures .
Companies have until August 8 to apply for the remaining funds in the PPP coffers .

MANHATTAN (CN) — A spreadsheet showing a partial list of small businesses that borrowed millions from the Treasury Department confirms that many larger, publicly traded companies gobbled up millions of dollars.
The Paycheck Protection Program, which offered small businesses forgivable loans of up to $10 million to keep employees working, has been credited with boosting employment numbers during the economic downturn.
Among its criticisms, however, is that it was rushed out the door without proper guidance, allowing publicly traded companies to jump the line at banks and causing some small businesses to be shut out initially.
Shake Shack and Ruths Chris Steakhouse were among the large companies that returned PPP funds under scrutiny, but a partial list of borrowers released Monday by the Small Business Administration shows many others did not.
The list includes more than 650,000 borrowers that received at least $150,000 in PPP loans broken down by loan amount: $150,000; $350,000 to $1 million; $1 million to $2 million; $2 million to $5 million; and $5 million to $10 million.
Among the highest-profile companies that received PPP loans of at least $5 million: Bell Laboratories, which claimed its loan saved 449 jobs; Five Guys Enterprises, which used its loan to keep 499 employees on the payroll; TGI Friday’s, which kept 500 employees; and Sport Clips.
Some other notable borrowers include Foremost Maritime, a property owned by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao’s family, which received $350,000, as well as several Democratic and Republican organizations and a number of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts organizations.
Religious groups also have been able to tap the funds. A number of Catholic high schools, churches and dioceses were listed in the high end of borrowers, receiving loans of $1 million and up. Myriad other Christian churches also received loans of at least $1 million.
Jewish and Islamic groups were not left out of the program. Groups like the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, received at least $2 million, while the Islamic Foundation of Greater Milwaukee borrowed at least $1 million in PPP funds. The Freedom from Religion Foundation received a $350,000 loan, as well.
The Los Angeles Lakers gained some bad press earlier this year for having tapped the PPP pie, though the basketball team ultimately returned the funds. But a number of sports teams received loans from $150,000 to $350,000, and the National Football Museum in Canton, Ohio, received at least $1 million.
The data show how popular the program was among a wide spectrum of borrowers but it excludes a huge swath of borrowers — those that received under $150,000. The average PPP loan was for just north of $107,000, according to the SBA.
For borrowers that received less than $150,000, the SBA disclosed only some information, including the loan amounts, business structure, lender, and whether the loan resulted in any employee jobs retained.
Further, it is unclear whether borrowers were truly accurate in reporting how many jobs were “saved” due to the program. No company on the list reported that they retained more than 500 employees using PPP funds, which indicates the SBA either did not track or did not disclose numbers above that amount.
In some cases, PPP loans were given to companies that reported zero employees had been retained. Under the program, the loans become grants if a borrower uses at least 60% of the funds to keep employees on the payroll. Those companies that do not have two years to pay back the loan at 1% interest.
Much of the information on borrowers’ race, ethnicity, and gender also is not included in the SBA spreadsheets, since filling out that information on the PPP loan applications was voluntary.
The SBA and Treasury Department did not return emails seeking clarification on the disclosures.
Companies have until August 8 to apply for the remaining funds in the PPP coffers.


courthousenews--2020-07-06--California Courts Covid Update

California Courts Covid Update

June 29 , 2020 : Order regarding criminal and juvenile cases and public service program July 2 , 2020 : @ @ @ @ @ with Covid-19 symptoms June 29 , 2020 : Implementation order regarding timeframes in civil and @ @

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