huffpost--2020-05-22--Over 4,300 Coronavirus Patients Sent To New York Nursing Homes: AP

NEW YORK ( AP ) — More than 4,300 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to New York ’ s already vulnerable nursing homes under a controversial state directive that was ultimately scrapped amid criticisms it was accelerating the nation ’ s deadliest outbreaks , according to a count by The Associated Press .
AP compiled its own tally to find out how many COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals to nursing homes under the March 25 directive after New York ’ s Health Department declined to release its internal survey conducted two weeks ago .
It says it is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was the single dumbest decision anyone could make if they wanted to kill people , ” Daniel Arbeeny said of the directive , which prompted him to pull his 88-year-old father out of a Brooklyn nursing home where more than 50 people have died .
His father later died of COVID-19 at home .
Told of the AP ’ s tally , the Health Department said late Thursday it “ can ’ t comment on data we haven ’ t had a chance to review , particularly while we ’ re still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes admission and re-admission data in the middle of responding to this global pandemic.
” Cuomo , a Democrat , on May 10 reversed the directive , which had been intended to help free up hospital beds for the sickest patients as cases surged .
But he continued to defend it this week , saying he didn ’ t believe it contributed to the more than 5,800 nursing and adult care facility deaths in New York — more than in any other state — and that homes should have spoken up if it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home could just say , ‘ I can ’ t handle a COVID person in my facility , ’ ” he said , although the March 25 order didn ’ t specify how homes could refuse , saying that ” no resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the ( nursing home ) solely based ” on confirmed or suspected COVID-19 .
Over a month later , on April 29 , the Health Department clarified that homes should not take any new residents if they were unable to meet their needs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care and prevention .
The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine , known as AMDA , had warned from the beginning that Cuomo ’ s order admitting infected patients posed a “ clear and present danger ” to nursing home residents .
Now , Jeffrey N. Nichols , who serves on the executive committee of the group , said “ the effect of that order was to contribute to 5,000 deaths.
” Cuomo has deflected criticism over the nursing home directive by saying it stemmed from Trump administration guidance .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York and neighboring New Jersey , which has the second-most care home deaths , in discharging hospitalized coronavirus patients to nursing homes .
California followed suit but loosened its requirement following intense criticism .
Some states went in the opposite direction .
Louisiana barred hospitals for 30 days from sending coronavirus patients to nursing homes with some exceptions .
And while Louisiana reported about 1,000 coronavirus-related nursing home deaths , far fewer than New York , that was 40 % of Louisiana ’ s statewide death toll , a higher proportion than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Department told the AP May 8 it was not tracking how many recovering COVID-19 patients were taken into nursing homes under the order .
But it was at that very moment surveying administrators of the state ’ s over 1,150 nursing homes and long-term care facilities on just that question .
Those survey results have yet to be released .
But regardless , the Health Department said , the survey had no bearing on Cuomo ’ s announcement May 10 that “ we ’ re just not going to send a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a hospital visit.
” FILE - In this Friday , April 17 , 2020 file photo , a patient is wheeled out of the Cobble Hill Health Center by emergency medical workers in the Brooklyn borough of New York .
The facility has listed dozens of deaths linked to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic .
In New York state , the nation ’ s leader in nursing home deaths , the Greater New York Hospital Association lobbying group wrote the first draft of an emergency declaration making it the only state with protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arising from the pandemic , with the order signed by Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo .
( AP Photo/John Minchillo ) To be sure , incoming residents weren ’ t the only possible source of infection .
Some homes believe a bigger contribution came from staffers and residents unaware they had the virus .
And some say they would have taken on COVID-19 patients regardless of the state ’ s order .

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NEW YORK (AP) — More than 4,300 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to New York’s already vulnerable nursing homes under a controversial state directive that was ultimately scrapped amid criticisms it was accelerating the nation’s deadliest outbreaks, according to a count by The Associated Press.
AP compiled its own tally to find out how many COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals to nursing homes under the March 25 directive after New York’s Health Department declined to release its internal survey conducted two weeks ago. It says it is still verifying data that was incomplete.
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Whatever the full number, nursing home administrators, residents’ advocates and relatives say it has added up to a big and indefensible problem for facilities that even Gov. Andrew Cuomo — the main proponent of the policy — called “the optimum feeding ground for this virus.”
“It was the single dumbest decision anyone could make if they wanted to kill people,” Daniel Arbeeny said of the directive, which prompted him to pull his 88-year-old father out of a Brooklyn nursing home where more than 50 people have died. His father later died of COVID-19 at home.
“This isn’t rocket science,” Arbeeny said. “We knew the most vulnerable ― the elderly and compromised ― are in nursing homes and rehab centers.”
Told of the AP’s tally, the Health Department said late Thursday it “can’t comment on data we haven’t had a chance to review, particularly while we’re still validating our own comprehensive survey of nursing homes admission and re-admission data in the middle of responding to this global pandemic.”
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Cuomo, a Democrat, on May 10 reversed the directive, which had been intended to help free up hospital beds for the sickest patients as cases surged. But he continued to defend it this week, saying he didn’t believe it contributed to the more than 5,800 nursing and adult care facility deaths in New York — more than in any other state — and that homes should have spoken up if it was a problem.
“Any nursing home could just say, ‘I can’t handle a COVID person in my facility,’” he said, although the March 25 order didn’t specify how homes could refuse, saying that ”no resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the (nursing home) solely based” on confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
Over a month later, on April 29, the Health Department clarified that homes should not take any new residents if they were unable to meet their needs, including a checklist of standards for coronavirus care and prevention.
In the meantime, some nursing homes felt obligated and overwhelmed.
Gurwin Jewish, a 460-bed home on Long Island, seemed well-prepared for the coronavirus in early March, with movable walls to seal off hallways for the infected. But after the state order, a trickle of recovering COVID-19 patients from local hospitals turned into a flood of 58 people.
More walls were put up, but other residents nonetheless began falling sick and dying. In the end, 47 Gurwin residents died of confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
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The state order “put staff and residents at great risk,” CEO Stuart Almer said. “We can’t draw a straight line from bringing in someone positive to someone catching the disease, but we’re talking about elderly, fragile and vulnerable residents.”
The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, known as AMDA, had warned from the beginning that Cuomo’s order admitting infected patients posed a “clear and present danger” to nursing home residents. Now, Jeffrey N. Nichols, who serves on the executive committee of the group, said “the effect of that order was to contribute to 5,000 deaths.”
Nationally, over 35,500 people have died from coronavirus outbreaks at nursing homes and long-term care facilities, about a third of the overall death toll, according to the AP’s running tally.
FILE - In this April 17, 2020, file photo, a patient is loaded into an ambulance by emergency medical workers outside Cobble Hill Health Center during the coronavirus in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo briefs the media during a coronavirus news conference at his office in New York City, Saturday, May 9, 2020. (John Roca/New York Post via AP, Pool) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Cuomo has deflected criticism over the nursing home directive by saying it stemmed from Trump administration guidance. Still, few states went as far as New York and neighboring New Jersey, which has the second-most care home deaths, in discharging hospitalized coronavirus patients to nursing homes. California followed suit but loosened its requirement following intense criticism.
Some states went in the opposite direction. Louisiana barred hospitals for 30 days from sending coronavirus patients to nursing homes with some exceptions. And while Louisiana reported about 1,000 coronavirus-related nursing home deaths, far fewer than New York, that was 40% of Louisiana’s statewide death toll, a higher proportion than in New York.
New York’s Health Department told the AP May 8 it was not tracking how many recovering COVID-19 patients were taken into nursing homes under the order. But it was at that very moment surveying administrators of the state’s over 1,150 nursing homes and long-term care facilities on just that question.
Those survey results have yet to be released. But regardless, the Health Department said, the survey had no bearing on Cuomo’s announcement May 10 that “we’re just not going to send a person who is positive to a nursing home after a hospital visit.”
Cuomo said such patients would be accommodated elsewhere, such as sites originally set up as temporary hospitals.
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To some, the governor’s reversal came too late.
“It infected a great number of people in nursing homes who had no business getting infected, including short-term residents who were there for rehabilitation after surgeries,” said John Dalli, a New York attorney who specializes in nursing home cases.
FILE - In this Friday, April 17, 2020 file photo, a patient is wheeled out of the Cobble Hill Health Center by emergency medical workers in the Brooklyn borough of New York. The facility has listed dozens of deaths linked to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. In New York state, the nation’s leader in nursing home deaths, the Greater New York Hospital Association lobbying group wrote the first draft of an emergency declaration making it the only state with protection from both civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution arising from the pandemic, with the order signed by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) ASSOCIATED PRESS
To be sure, incoming residents weren’t the only possible source of infection. Some homes believe a bigger contribution came from staffers and residents unaware they had the virus. And some say they would have taken on COVID-19 patients regardless of the state’s order.
“There were nursing homes that realized that there was a void,” said Sarah Colomello, a spokeswoman for Thompson House in Rhinebeck. The 100-bed facility set up an isolated unit where affiliated hospitals nearby have sent at least 21 patients. It has reported no deaths.
Cuomo administration officials say the original directive came when the governor feared the hospital system would be overwhelmed and was focused on creating as much hospital space as possible.
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That was welcomed by one of the many hospital systems and nursing homes surveyed for AP’s count. Northwell Health said three of its medical centers were so overtaxed at one point they had to put some ICU patients in hallways. To relieve pressure, the company eventually sent more than 1,700 COVID-19 patients to nursing homes.
“Suffice it say, our hospitals were under stress,” spokesman Terence Lynam said.
___


huffpost--2020-05-22--Hydroxychloroquine, Hawked By Trump, Linked To Higher Risk Of Death, Study Finds

Hydroxychloroquine , the antimalarial drug touted by President Donald Trump as a coronavirus treatment despite no solid evidence as such , is linked to an increased risk of heart problems and death , a new study of nearly 100,000 COVID-19 patients concluded .
UPDATE : June 4 — Three of the study ’ s authors have retracted their report , citing concerns about the data they used .
Read more here .
The patients treated with hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine were at higher risk of developing arrhythmia — an irregular heart rhythm that if severe and/or combined with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden death .
Published Friday in the medical journal The Lancet , the report comes with some caveats : It is based on a review of medical records , not a controlled study with a randomly selected control group .
Researchers analyzed data from 671 hospitals on six continents , involving just over 96,000 patients hospitalized from Dec. 20 to April 14 who tested positive for the coronavirus .
About 15,000 received some form of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine .
“ We did not observe any benefit of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine ( when used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) on in-hospital outcomes , when initiated early after diagnosis of COVID-19 , ” the researchers concluded .
“ Each of the drug regimens of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination with a macrolide was associated with an increased hazard for clinically significant occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and increased risk of in-hospital death with COVID-19.
” Both the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization have warned against using the drug , which is typically prescribed for malaria and autoimmune diseases , to treat COVID-19 .
But Trump has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be taking it himself as a preventive measure — despite no evidence of its effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 .
Right-wing media hosts have also heavily discussed the drug and fueled conspiracy theories about the warnings against using it .

UPDATE: June 4 — Three of the study’s authors have retracted their report, citing concerns about the data they used. Read more here .
The patients treated with hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine were at higher risk of developing arrhythmia — an irregular heart rhythm that if severe and/or combined with existing cardiac problems, can lead to sudden death.
Published Friday in the medical journal The Lancet, the report comes with some caveats: It is based on a review of medical records, not a controlled study with a randomly selected control group.
Researchers analyzed data from 671 hospitals on six continents, involving just over 96,000 patients hospitalized from Dec. 20 to April 14 who tested positive for the coronavirus. About 15,000 received some form of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine.
“We did not observe any benefit of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine (when used alone or in combination with a macrolide) on in-hospital outcomes, when initiated early after diagnosis of COVID-19,” the researchers concluded. “Each of the drug regimens of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination with a macrolide was associated with an increased hazard for clinically significant occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and increased risk of in-hospital death with COVID-19.”
Both the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization have warned against using the drug, which is typically prescribed for malaria and autoimmune diseases, to treat COVID-19.
But Trump has repeatedly promoted the drug and this week claimed to be taking it himself as a preventive measure — despite no evidence of its effectiveness in preventing COVID-19. Right-wing media hosts have also heavily discussed the drug and fueled conspiracy theories about the warnings against using it.


huffpost--2020-05-22--Nurse Who Survived COVID-19 Shares Jaw-Dropping Photo Of What It Did To His Body

A nurse from San Francisco is shining a light on the severity of COVID-19 with a shocking photo of the effects it had on his body .
Last week , Mike Schultz shared side-by-side images of himself with his over 40,000 Instagram followers of the dramatic 50-pound weight loss he experienced during an eight-week hospital stay as he was treated for the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
The 43-year-old told Health that in the photo on the left , he ’ s about 190 pounds .
He added that he exercised every day and had no underlying health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other day and I ’ m down to 140 pounds , and I probably weighed less than that when I first got into rehabilitation , ” he told the magazine .
“ I ’ ve never been this skinny before in my life.
” Schultz explained to Buzzfeed News the reason he decided to post his now-viral photos .
“ I wanted to show it can happen to anyone .
It doesn ’ t matter if you ’ re young or old , have pre-existing conditions or not .
It can affect you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN that he contracted the coronavirus in early March , “ before any of the restrictions were out ” and likely got it while attending Miami ’ s Winter Music Festival .
His DJ boyfriend , Josh Hebblethwaite , was working at the event .
“ We knew it was out there , ” Schultz told Buzzfeed , noting that no “ lockdowns ” had been ordered at this point .
“ We just thought , ‘ Well , we got ta wash our hands more and be wary of touching our face.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he first arrived in Boston , he had a cough but “ it wasn ’ t really a big deal.
” But on March 17 , he found himself with a fever of 103 degrees and was having difficulty breathing .
When Schultz arrived at the hospital , he was given a swab test and chest X-rays .
He tested positive for the coronavirus and was also diagnosed with pneumonia and severe repertory distress syndrome , per CNN .
“ That was the last time I saw my boyfriend , ” Schultz told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ I ’ m scared.
’ Soon after , I was sedated , and I don ’ t remember much after that.
” He was on the ventilator for four-and-a-half weeks , according to CNN .
He told Buzzfeed that during this time it was like he was “ in a coma.
” Schultz said that when he woke up from his ordeal , he believed only a week had passed .
“ I still had a tracheostomy [ tube ] , I couldn ’ t talk , and my hands were so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 100 pounds , ” he told Health .
He also noticed he had lost weight , but nothing could prepare him for what happened when he finally saw himself in the mirror .
“ I didn ’ t even recognize myself , ” he told CNN .
“ I pretty much cried when I looked in the mirror , I was like ‘ Oh my God .
’ ”

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A nurse from San Francisco is shining a light on the severity of COVID-19 with a shocking photo of the effects it had on his body.
Last week, Mike Schultz shared side-by-side images of himself with his over 40,000 Instagram followers of the dramatic 50-pound weight loss he experienced during an eight-week hospital stay as he was treated for the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
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The 43-year-old told Health that in the photo on the left, he’s about 190 pounds. He added that he exercised every day and had no underlying health conditions.
“I weighed myself the other day and I’m down to 140 pounds, and I probably weighed less than that when I first got into rehabilitation,” he told the magazine. “I’ve never been this skinny before in my life.”
Schultz explained to Buzzfeed News the reason he decided to post his now-viral photos. “I wanted to show it can happen to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, have pre-existing conditions or not. It can affect you,” he said.
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Schultz told CNN that he contracted the coronavirus in early March, “before any of the restrictions were out” and likely got it while attending Miami’s Winter Music Festival. His DJ boyfriend, Josh Hebblethwaite,was working at the event.
“We knew it was out there,” Schultz told Buzzfeed, noting that no “lockdowns” had been ordered at this point. “We just thought, ‘Well, we gotta wash our hands more and be wary of touching our face.’”
The Miami Herald reported that 38 people who attended the LGBTQ-friendly music festival later got sick, and three men died,
On March 14, about a week after the festival, Schultz flew to Boston, where Hebblethwaite lives.
He told CNN that when he first arrived in Boston, he had a cough but “it wasn’t really a big deal.” But on March 17, he found himself with a fever of 103 degrees and was having difficulty breathing.
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When Schultz arrived at the hospital, he was given a swab test and chest X-rays. He tested positive for the coronavirus and was also diagnosed with pneumonia and severe respiratory distress syndrome, per CNN.
Soon after, he was intubated and placed on a ventilator to aid his breathing.
“That was the last time I saw my boyfriend,” Schultz told Health. “I texted him, ‘I’m scared.’ Soon after, I was sedated, and I don’t remember much after that.”
He was on the ventilator for four-and-a-half weeks, according to CNN. He told Buzzfeed that during this time it was like he was “in a coma.”
Schultz said that when he woke up from his ordeal, he believed only a week had passed. “I still had a tracheostomy [tube], I couldn’t talk, and my hands were so weak that my phone felt like it was 100 pounds,” he told Health.
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He also noticed he had lost weight, but nothing could prepare him for what happened when he finally saw himself in the mirror. “I didn’t even recognize myself,” he told CNN. “I pretty much cried when I looked in the mirror, I was like ‘Oh my God.’”
Schultz is now slowly recovering.


huffpost--2020-05-22--A Michigan County Was On Coronavirus Lockdown. Then The Dams Broke.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Water floods the Midland Area Farmers Market and the bridge along the Tittabawassee River in Midland , Michigan , on May 19 , 2020 .
Midland County is no stranger to flooding , but this week ’ s event was historic .
The Tittabawassee crested at 35.05 feet , topping the previous record of 33.94 feet set during a major flood in 1986 .
The state ’ s Democratic governor , Gretchen Whitmer , declared a state of emergency Tuesday night , urging residents in the flood zone to seek shelter with family or friends or head to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools that have been closed for weeks .
Miranda Hess , a legal assistant in Midland , described surveying damage to one relative ’ s hard-hit home in Sanford .
The water had reached the top of the steps to the second floor before it receded , leaving a crumbling first-floor ceiling and a 4-inch layer of mud and dirt “ everywhere inside and out , ” she said .
Only the belongings on the upper floor could be salvaged .
The hot tub was missing .
No fatalities or injuries have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhoods east of the river were spared , while others were left dealing with basements that had flooded to varying degrees .
( At least one person found a live fish in their home floodwaters . )
Around 10,000 people in Midland , however , were forced to flee their homes , alongside close to 1,000 people from nearby towns , including Sanford and Edenville .
Armin Mersmann , an artist living in Midland with his wife , was among those spared the worst of the flooding just blocks away ― his home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artist he knows wasn ’ t so lucky ; with studio space in the flood zone , the man lost 50 years ’ worth of work and supplies .
Many people haven ’ t been able to access their homes to assess the damage , he said .
‘ We ’ re Just Trying To Help Each Other Out ’ By this year , standing at nearly 100 years old , both dams were well known to have structural deficiencies .
Due to their private ownership , Such said , there was little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past few years was a plan concocted to transfer ownership of four local dams , including Sanford and Edenville , to a quasi-governmental group called the Four Lakes Task Force to spend up to $ 35 million bringing the structures into the 21st century .

The first emergency alerts sounded in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, when small-town residents near two lakes strung together by Michigan’s Tittabawassee River were told to seek higher ground.
First responders went door to door in the riskiest places, startling some people awake with an unpleasant message: Days of heavy rain had put too much stress on nearby Edenville Dam, which held back the rising waters of Wixom Lake above. The dam was expected to break.
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Shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday, it did just that ― water began gushing from the lake down into the river valley. Local pilot Ryan Kaleto captured the disaster from the sky in footage posted to Facebook that shows a powerful current felling trees and swallowing them whole.
“Wixom Lake will be gone by tomorrow,” Kaleto predicted.
The water kept going, feeding into Sanford Lake, held back on its southern end by the Sanford Dam. By 7 p.m., that failed, too, and Sanford Lake began draining into the Tittabawassee River, flowing downstream to Midland, Michigan, a city of around 42,000 best known as the longtime international headquarters of the Dow Chemical Company.
Video of Sanford Lake posted Tuesday evening shows a pontoon careening across a seemingly calm surface of water that had risen nearly to the underside of a bridge, reflecting a pinkish-purple sunset. In under 10 seconds, the boat meets the bridge and holds still for a breath before an unseen current grabs hold and drowns it.
“Are you kidding me?” a voice says.
Connie Methner, owner of CJ's Hairstyling, wades through the mud covering the inside of her salon in Sanford, Michigan, on May 21, 2020. David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP
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Midland County is no stranger to flooding, but this week’s event was historic. The Tittabawassee crested at 35.05 feet, topping the previous record of 33.94 feet set during a major flood in 1986. The state’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, declared a state of emergency Tuesday night, urging residents in the flood zone to seek shelter with family or friends or head to one of several shelters set up in schools that have been closed for weeks.
It’s an economic and humanitarian disaster. And then, of course, there’s the pandemic.
“This is truly a historic event that’s playing out in the midst of another historic event,” Whitmer said at a press conference on Tuesday.
In the Midland area, the effects of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, have been relatively mild. Cases in the county have flattened over the past several weeks, currently standing at a total of 76, with eight deaths and 49 recoveries, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The same is not true of communities in the southeastern part of the state, including Detroit, with some of the highest COVID-19 mortality rates in the nation. Whitmer enacted precautionary stay-at-home orders statewide to ensure no other region sees such a spike in cases.
A Perfect Storm
The Midland area’s economic situation is direr given the statewide order to keep theaters, restaurants and bars closed through May 28.
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Miranda Hess, a legal assistant in Midland, described surveying damage to one relative’s hard-hit home in Sanford. The water had reached the top of the steps to the second floor before it receded, leaving a crumbling first-floor ceiling and a 4-inch layer of mud and dirt “everywhere inside and out,” she said. Only the belongings on the upper floor could be salvaged. The hot tub was missing.
Other things vanished, too.
“There was a red house, it was an old farmhouse just across the Curtis Road Bridge,” said longtime resident Alice Such, who served as Edenville Township supervisor for several years until the mid-2000s. “You would never know a house was there.”
“It’s just heartbreaking, you know,” she told HuffPost, adding that her household was lucky not to have lost more than a pontoon boat and a shed ― in other words, “just stuff.”
Ruins of the Curtis Road Bridge lie asunder as waters continue to roil on May 20, 2020, in Edenville Township north of Midland. After two days of heavy rain, the Edenville Dam failed and floodwaters rushed south, ravaging the landscape in its path. Jake May/The Flint Journal, MLive.com via AP
No fatalities or injuries have been reported. Many people in the sprawling neighborhoods east of the river were spared, while others were left dealing with basements that had flooded to varying degrees. (At least one person found a live fish in their home floodwaters.) Around 10,000 people in Midland, however, were forced to flee their homes, alongside close to 1,000 people from nearby towns, including Sanford and Edenville.
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In Sanford, Hess said, businesses were already struggling with closures due to the coronavirus. She is “very concerned about their ability to rebound” from the added economic stress.
Armin Mersmann, an artist living in Midland with his wife, was among those spared the worst of the flooding just blocks away ― his home sits on an elevated street. Another artist he knows wasn’t so lucky; with studio space in the flood zone, the man lost 50 years’ worth of work and supplies. Many people haven’t been able to access their homes to assess the damage, he said.
As people come together to deal with the impact of the flooding, Mersmann worries about the harm a spike in coronavirus cases would do to the community.
“All of a sudden, people forgot about this virus,” he said, having seen a lot of maskless people checking out damage around town.
Floodwaters overwhelm a bridge two blocks from the home of Armin Mersmann, a Midland-based artist. Armin Mersmann
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‘We’re Just Trying To Help Each Other Out’
Whether or not a deadly virus is spreading, neighbors want to help neighbors. A Midland realtor, Badger Beall, told HuffPost Wednesday that he’d spent the morning helping a business partner move some of her belongings to safety.
“I guess we’re all just trying to help each other out. Some people are doing astronomical amounts, and some people are just doing their little share all over the place,” Beall said.
Whereas the 1986 flood was a “100-year event,” Midland City Manager Brad Kaye told reporters, a flood like this only comes along every 500 years.
“We have never been through an event such as the one we’re experiencing today,” Kaye said at a press conference.
These photos of Midland County were captured this morning by MSP Aviation. @CityofMidlandMI @midlandcountymi @MichEMHS pic.twitter.com/WcWOgYxWVe — MSP Bay Region (@mspbayregion) May 20, 2020
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Wednesday’s weather became oddly cheery. A main Midland thoroughfare, M-20, stood covered in mud-colored water sparkling against a perfectly clear sky.
Kaleto’s prediction turned out to be correct: Photos showed Wixom Lake looking like a craggy desert, leaving boat docks out to dry. Downstream, more photos showed Sanford Lake nearly completely empty, revealing a golden sandy bottom dotted with sticks and debris.
Warning Signs
Both lakes were popular warm-weather destinations for fishing and boating ― particularly the unmoving variety, where everyone hangs out on the water enjoying the sun. They formed in the 1920s when the dams went up, providing hydroelectric power to the region.
By this year, standing at nearly 100 years old, both dams were well known to have structural deficiencies. Due to their private ownership, Such said, there was little local government officials could do. Only in the past few years was a plan concocted to transfer ownership of four local dams, including Sanford and Edenville, to a quasi-governmental group called the Four Lakes Task Force to spend up to $35 million bringing the structures into the 21st century.
Records with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission show that the dams’ owner, a company called Boyce Hydro, had been neglecting them for years, repeatedly missing deadlines to comply with safety regulations to prevent overflow.
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Sanford resident Clint Clark, 44, walks out into what was once the bottom of Wixom Lake after water washed out due to the failure of the Edenville Dam on May 20, 2020. Jake May/The Flint Journal, MLive.com via AP
Boyce Hydro kept saying it could not make the improvements due to “financial hardship” while refusing to provide documentation of any such problems. In a 2018 order revoking the company’s license to operate the dams, the FERC replied “as sarcastically as a regulatory agency can,” as Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley put it.
“The Commission will not rely on factual representations regarding Boyce Hydro’s financial status when it later claims evidence regarding those representations is not germane to the matter at hand,” said the FERC.
Last spring, both sides reached a tentative agreement to transfer ownership to the task force. At the time of the dams’ failure, however, Boyce Hydro was still the technical owner.
There is also some evidence, Kaye told HuffPost, that the Smallwood Dam ― upstream of both Sanford and Edenville ― may have overflowed and set off the disaster in the first place. The Smallwood structure is also owned by Boyce Hydro.
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Whitmer has promised that the state will “pursue every line of legal recourse” against those responsible for the dam failures.
Crumbling infrastructure is hardly unique to Michigan. Some 1,680 dams across the U.S. are in bad condition, putting an unknown number of homes and businesses in danger of potentially life-threatening flooding, according to an Associated Press investigation released in November. Many are at least a half-century old and no longer prepared to face the challenges of more extreme weather brought on by a warming climate.
The destruction in the Midland area might even represent a best-case scenario, considering how quickly local authorities responded to give residents time to get out. Sometimes, dams fail without warning.
“They just fail, and suddenly you can find yourself in a situation where you have a wall of water and debris racing toward your house with very little time, if any, to get out,” a former Federal Emergency Management Agency official told the AP.
Although the floodwaters were still receding around mid-Michigan on Thursday, some locals have already taken an optimistic view.
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Tony Stamas, president and CEO of the Midland Business Alliance, pointed out that the floodwaters hadn’t damaged downtown Midland’s Main Street, which sits on a hill. His group will now help local businesses navigate “parallel paths” through the coronavirus and flooding crises, he told the Detroit News.
The City of Midland also appears to have been spared potentially worse damage. Although water escaped the Sanford Dam and caused massive flooding, the structure appears at least partially intact. Officials will not know the extent of the damage until floodwaters recede.


huffpost--2020-05-22--Forecasters Predict Busy 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season

FORT LAUDERDALE , Fla. ( AP ) — With forecasters predicting another intense Atlantic hurricane season with as many as 13 to 19 named storms , disaster preparedness experts say it ’ s critically important for people in evacuation zones to plan to stay with friends or family , rather than end up in shelters during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Shelters are meant to keep you safe , not make you comfortable , ” said Carlos Castillo , acting deputy administrator for resilience at FEMA .
“ Social distancing and other CDC guidance to keep you safe from COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had in place , including what is in your go-kit , evacuation routes , shelters , and more , ” Castillo said .
“ With tornado season at its peak , hurricane season around the corner , and flooding , earthquakes and wildfires a risk year-round , it is time to revise and adjust your emergency plan now.
” Six to 10 of these storms could develop into hurricanes , with winds of 74 mph or more , and three to six could even become major hurricanes , capable of inflicting devastating damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predict how many will hit land , ” said Neil Jacobs , acting administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ’ s Climate Prediction Center .
The agency will update the forecast in August as the Atlantic region heads into its most active months .
The region has been a “ high activity era ” since 1995 , with warmer ocean temperatures and stronger West African monsoons causing above-average activity , NOAA forecaster Gerry Bell said .
An average Atlantic season has 12 named storms , but last year was the fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 named storms , including three intense hurricanes — Dorian , Humberto and Lorenzo .
The only other period on record that produced four consecutive above-normal seasons was 1998-2001 .
The season officially extends from June through November , but Tropical Storm Arthur jumped the gun last week off the eastern U.S. coastline .
“ As Americans focus their attention on a safe and healthy reopening of our country , it remains critically important that we also remember to make the necessary preparations for the upcoming hurricane season , ” said Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in years past , NOAA experts will stay ahead of developing hurricanes and tropical storms and provide the forecasts and warnings we depend on to stay safe .
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — With forecasters predicting another intense Atlantic hurricane season with as many as 13 to 19 named storms, disaster preparedness experts say it’s critically important for people in evacuation zones to plan to stay with friends or family, rather than end up in shelters during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Shelters are meant to keep you safe, not make you comfortable,” said Carlos Castillo, acting deputy administrator for resilience at FEMA.
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“Social distancing and other CDC guidance to keep you safe from COVID-19 may impact the disaster preparedness plan you had in place, including what is in your go-kit, evacuation routes, shelters, and more,” Castillo said. “With tornado season at its peak, hurricane season around the corner, and flooding, earthquakes and wildfires a risk year-round, it is time to revise and adjust your emergency plan now.”
Six to 10 of these storms could develop into hurricanes, with winds of 74 mph or more, and three to six could even become major hurricanes, capable of inflicting devastating damage.
“It is not possible to predict how many will hit land,” said Neil Jacobs, acting administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. The agency will update the forecast in August as the Atlantic region heads into its most active months.
The region has been a “high activity era” since 1995, with warmer ocean temperatures and stronger West African monsoons causing above-average activity, NOAA forecaster Gerry Bell said.
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An average Atlantic season has 12 named storms, but last year was the fourth consecutive season to have more, with 18 named storms, including three intense hurricanes — Dorian, Humberto and Lorenzo. The only other period on record that produced four consecutive above-normal seasons was 1998-2001.
The season officially extends from June through November, but Tropical Storm Arthur jumped the gun last week off the eastern U.S. coastline.


huffpost--2020-06-10--World’s Largest Movie Theater Chain Plans To Reopen ‘Almost All’ U.S. Theaters In July

AMC Theatres , the world ’ s largest movie theater owner , said it plans to reopen most of its theaters next month , including a majority of its locations in the United States and Britain .
The company , which shuttered its more than 1,000 theaters worldwide in March amid the coronavirus pandemic , has been hard-hit by the shutdown .
In its first-quarter earnings report Tuesday , AMC reported a net loss of more than $ 2 billion and said revenue had fallen by 22 % to $ 941.5 million .
“ We are generating effectively no revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding it had “ substantial doubt ” that it could survive in the long term if its theaters remain shut down .
State health officials will still need to greenlight the reopening of theaters , but AMC said it intends to open “ almost all ” its U.S. locations in July .
The company did not provide an exact date but hopes to reopen theaters in time to showcase “ Tenet , ” a spy thriller directed by Christopher Nolan , which is scheduled for release on July 17 ; and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remake of the 1998 animated movie , which is slated to open on July 24 .
Movie theaters in some states , including Georgia , Oklahoma , Texas and Tennessee , have been allowed to operate for weeks — while other states , including California , are planning to reopen movie halls in the coming weeks .
Two other major U.S. movie theater chains ― Regal and Cinemark ― have said they also plan to reopen by July .
Cinemark said last week that it plans to reopen in four phases , beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are slated to be reopened by July 10 .
AMC said Tuesday that “ many things can change between now and July , ” but that it was taking steps to ensure the safety of moviegoers in the meantime .
“ We are confident we are taking the necessary steps on a broad array of fronts to ensure AMC ’ s future success as we navigate these turbulent and uncertain times , ” CEO Adam Aron said in a statement .

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AMC Theatres, the world’s largest movie theater owner, said it plans to reopen most of its theaters next month, including a majority of its locations in the United States and Britain.
The company, which shuttered its more than 1,000 theaters worldwide in March amid the coronavirus pandemic, has been hard-hit by the shutdown. In its first-quarter earnings report Tuesday, AMC reported a net loss of more than $2 billion and said revenue had fallen by 22% to $941.5 million.
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“We are generating effectively no revenue,” the company said last week, adding it had “substantial doubt” that it could survive in the long term if its theaters remain shut down.
State health officials will still need to greenlight the reopening of theaters, but AMC said it intends to open “almost all” its U.S. locations in July. The company did not provide an exact date but hopes to reopen theaters in time to showcase “Tenet,” a spy thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, which is scheduled for release on July 17; and “Mulan,” Disney’s live-action remake of the 1998 animated movie, which is slated to open on July 24.
Movie theaters in some states, including Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee, have been allowed to operate for weeks — while other states, including California, are planning to reopen movie halls in the coming weeks.
Two other major U.S. movie theater chains ― Regal and Cinemark ― have said they also plan to reopen by July. Cinemark said last week that it plans to reopen in four phases, beginning in mid-June. All U.S. Cinemark locations are slated to be reopened by July 10.
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AMC said Tuesday that “many things can change between now and July,” but that it was taking steps to ensure the safety of moviegoers in the meantime.
Safety measures include recommending that patrons wear face coverings, limiting theater capacity and enhancing cleaning protocols.


huffpost--2020-06-10--A Racial Trauma Therapist Breaks Down The Black Lives Matter Protests

What do people need to know about these protests ?
How are these protests affecting Black people mentally and physically @ @ @ @ @ mind when you see conservative news outlets focus on the rioting and looting at the @ @ @ @ @ redirect the conversation back to the Black Lives Matter movement ?
What do you want @ @ @ @ @ protests ?
How is that different from racial trauma ?
Does racial trauma play a @ @ @ @ @ emotion that can be seen at the protests ?
Black activists and educators have done @ @ @ @ @ past few weeks to educate people on racism and how it affects Black people .
@ @ @ @ @ like ?
Black people are facing the burden of having to explain racism to others @ @ @ @ @ white people to know ?
What would you say to white people who want to @ @ @ @ @ advice would you give to activists and protesters ?

Ashley McGirt’s work has tripled in the last few weeks.
As a longtime activist and licensed mental health therapist in Washington state, McGirt has spent a lot of her time educating people about racial trauma and how it affects Black people, indigenous communities and other people of color today.
She’s trained employees at Amazon and Lockheed Martin, as well as people at Yale University and the University of Washington. Last year, she gave a TED Talk on why Black people in marginalized communities die too soon.
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So when the nationwide protests over the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd prompted anger and unrest across the country, McGirt launched the Washington Therapy Fund to help Black people in her community get access to free mental health support.
She couldn’t help but wonder: Why are some people only just starting to pay attention to racism and police brutality?
“This isn’t anything new,” McGirt told HuffPost. “It’s sometimes quite offensive [to me] as a Black woman because it’s new to [people on the outside].”
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Black people can sometimes experience more severe forms of mental health conditions due to unmet needs and other barriers. Discrimination and marginalization of Black people can create roadblocks to education, health care and economic opportunities, which can contribute to mental health problems.
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HuffPost talked to McGirt to explain the context behind the pain and frustration that’s bubbling at the surface of these protests.
Here’s what she had to say.
What do people need to know about these protests?
McGirt: To understand the protests, you have to really understand the history of America. You have to understand racism and what this country was founded on.
There has never been any truth and reconciliation from slavery. There was never any reparations, no apology. Our people are hurting.
Now, we currently have 40 million people unemployed. We know how COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting Black people. We know that the No. 1 essential workers are Black and brown people. And we know that they tend to live in multi-generational homes, so they’re at risk.
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So having all of this compiled and compiled and compiled, and then you see a video of a police officer who’s meant to serve and protect having a knee on George Floyd’s neck... then, as Black women, we’re not even really hearing about Breonna and the other Black women who are also a part of this movement.
There’s a number of different things that are going on and taking place that are deeper issues.
The protests are deeper. There’s a lot of built-up inner rage. There’s a lot of truth coming out that has never really been to the forefront. We honor a lot of history in this country, but we’ve never really been able to honor Black history. We’re supposed to just forget about it.
How are these protests affecting Black people mentally and physically?
McGirt: It’s causing a lot of stress, a lot of exhaustion, anxiety.
We’ve already seen this collectively as a people, which is why we’re the No. 1 people impacted by COVID-19. We have a lot of co-morbidities. Our body carries on our stress.
Yet sometimes as a people, we’re very resilient. We have a high level of emotional resilience, but our bodies don’t and our bodies begin to break down.
I’ve been seeing lots of people having nosebleeds because the pressure literally becomes compacted to where their nose starts to bleed. Their necks are hurting because we’re walking around and bracing ourselves, like, “What’s next?”
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So when your body is in a constant state of, like, heightened tightness, it takes a toll on you physically, mentally. And then just hearing from your white colleagues, your white friends, who are checking in and just now really noticing, people who didn’t see what had been happening your entire life.
So yeah, it definitely takes a huge psychological toll.
What goes through your mind when you see conservative news outlets focus on the rioting and looting at the protests?
McGirt: They don’t want to see it as it is. They have one set narrative, and they’re not open [to expanding it].
Sometimes we get stuck in our ways, especially if you weren’t ever really exposed to anything different. And so it shows me that you’re not having a non-biased perspective as a reporter, that you’re having a certain agenda and you want it to be this way.
How can it be that you show up at a protest, and there are so many different aspects of the protest occurring, and that’s the one thing that you innately go to and that you report on to the people?
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There’s something going on internally that needs to be worked through, whether that’s healing some of your ancestral wounds, especially white reporters, because they carry a lot of that guilt and shame around what their ancestors did.
They don’t want to reconcile that. So they make [the protests appear to] be one way.
How can activists redirect the conversation back to the Black Lives Matter movement?
McGirt: Accurate reporting. These journalists [who are covering the protests] need to be held accountable. If they’re not going to report accurately, we’re not going to tune into their stations. We’re not going to read their articles. We’re going to give them thumbs downs, negative reviews, all of those things.
Bring out the street reporting. Here in Seattle, we have Africatown and Omari Salisbury. He’s a reporter that goes to the streets with an iPhone, and he records it.
He’s accurately showing us what’s going on. And it was interesting because he has a non-biased perspective.
He’s not standing for one way, and he says it in his street reporting, too. He says [in his videos], “I’m not for either side. I just want to bring you the truth from the streets, and I’m here with my phone.”
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What do you want critics to know about these protests?
McGirt: I wish they understood the impact of post-traumatic slave syndrome and how it has been passed down generationally. I wish they understood epigenetics and intergenerational trauma. I wish they understood our pain.
I wish they understood how to show up and see us.
There are so many things that I wish.
What is post-traumatic slave syndrome?
McGirt: It was coined by Dr. Joy DeGruy. She’s actually the author of “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome,” [a book that] talks about the inherited stress from African Americans through slavery.
Essentially, she describes how, after slavery ended, no one sat down with free slaves to offer them group therapy, not even individual therapy. We just had to keep moving. And our brothers and sisters, our family members were separated. They were lynched. They were slaughtered.
After the Emancipation Proclamation, there was never any collective healing.
And then Jim Crow, the civil rights movement, no one ever sat down the African American population and said, “Hey, let’s have some collective healing.”
How is that different from racial trauma?
McGirt: Racial trauma relates to the race-based stress that people of color, indigenous people and Black people experience from seeing other people of color, indigenous people being harmed publicly facing constant re-exposure to it.
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It’s like post-traumatic stress disorder, but PTSD tends to sometimes be a singular incident. ... With racial trauma, it’s always ongoing, and it has a huge impact. It causes fear, hypervigilance, shame, guilt, anxiety, depression.
Racial trauma is a Black doctor who was going outside trying to help the homeless ... and being taken by the police. This is actually a real incident that occurred.
Racial trauma is a Black man going into a Walmart with a mask on and having the police called on him so he could take his mask off. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic, and he can’t even have a mask on to protect himself from a deadly virus because people fear how he looks? Yet, everyone else in Walmart has a mask on, and only the police were called on him?
That’s racial trauma.
Does racial trauma play a role in the anger and emotion that can be seen at the protests?
McGirt: It’s definitely contributing. It’s those frequent re-experiences and exposure to stressful experiences that keep popping up.
When you’re watching people going up to a peaceful protest and still being harmed by the police, that’s racial trauma.
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Black activists and educators have done a lot of work these past few weeks to educate people on racism and how it affects Black people. What has that experience been like?
McGirt: When it comes to education, it’s a double-edged sword. There are educators like myself. I get paid to do this. This is something I invested in my education and my time to do. I show up in spaces and make sure that I’m able to educate schools, institutions, organizations, individuals. But I’m not doing it 24/7.
If that’s not your job, it’s not your job to educate others. I feel like too often in the workplace, individuals feel like they have to take that on, especially if they’re a Black person or another person of color.
We feel like, well, it’s my duty to show up in that space. But honestly, your duty is to show up and do your job and be productive in that space.
If you have the time and the energy, and you want to educate others, you could. But it’s not on the corporation or your colleagues to expect you to do that. If you work in IT, work in IT. That’s your role.
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If you see that some education needs to happen, you can go to HR, and they can bring someone in like myself who can do the education.
But I believe in protecting the self at all costs.
Black people are facing the burden of having to explain racism to others. What do you want white people to know?
McGirt: This work takes a lot of energy. It’s exhausting and it takes a toll on your body, mentally and physically.
You can do it [teach yourself about racism]. We’ve been educating ourselves as Black people since the beginning. YouTube is free. ... If we could teach ourselves our own history, you can take a little bit of time to do the work.
What would you say to white people who want to help right now?
McGirt: I would say don’t make it about you. This isn’t about you right now. It’s been about you. From the moment we stepped foot on the soil, this soil that I stand on, which is the Duwamish territory here in Washington, where I live. It’s not even our land. It’s stolen land.
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From the moment I stepped foot on this soil, it’s been about white people. So allow this moment to be about someone other than yourself.
Work through your own guilt. You don’t know what to say? Be honest. Say, “I don’t know what to say.”
It’s OK to say that you don’t know what words [to use] but ask, “How can I show up? How can I show up for you? How can I hold space for you?”
What advice would you give to activists and protesters?
McGirt: To take breaks. To rest.
Rest is a revolutionary act. We have to sleep. That really allows our brains time to process. When our brain isn’t getting sleep, it’s not charging. It’s literally like a charger for our iPhone. And we know how we can’t survive without our iPhone charger.
Even doing things like progressive muscle relaxation.
Our bodies are in a heightened state of stress. We’re constantly bracing ourselves and on guard. But the science behind progressive muscle relaxation is that when you release those muscles, you release that tension.
And do something that brings you joy.
I understand the cause and understand showing up for the protest. Just because the world is up in flames doesn’t mean you have to burn yourself with it. It doesn’t mean you have to light yourself on fire to make somebody else feel warm.
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huffpost--2020-06-10--CrossFit CEO Steps Down After Stunningly Racist Commentary

CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman announced Tuesday that he is stepping down after more insensitive comments he made about George Floyd emerged .
In a Zoom conference with CrossFit affiliates Saturday obtained by BuzzFeed , Glassman was asked why the company hadn ’ t made a statement on the anti-police brutality protests over the police killing of Floyd .
“ Can you tell me why I should mourn for him ?
Other than that it ’ s the white thing to do — other than that , give me another reason , ” Glassman answered , according to the outlet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd — I don ’ t think me or any of my staff are.
” Glassman also questioned systemic racism and the motives of protesters , BuzzFeed wrote .
Greg Glassman , the founder of CrossFit ( pictured in 2015 ) , said he was stepping down as CEO and was retiring .
“ On Saturday I created a rift in the CrossFit community and unintentionally hurt many of its members , ” Glassman said in a statement announcing his retirement .
“ I can not let my behavior stand in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ missions .
They are too important to jeopardize.
” The conference call happened before Glassman joked on Twitter about the coronavirus pandemic and the police killing of Floyd .
In response to an Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation tweet calling racism a public health issue , Glassman tweeted back : “ It ’ s Floyd-19.
” In response , Reebok , which is owned by Adidas , announced it would sever ties with CrossFit .
Several gyms also said they were ditching their affiliation with the workout brand .
Glassman apologized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The company , in a long-winded statement Tuesday , said the founder ’ s comments were “ incredibly insensitive and hurtful.
” Dave Castro is taking over as CEO , the company said .

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CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman announced Tuesday that he is stepping down after more insensitive comments he made about George Floyd emerged.
In a Zoom conference with CrossFit affiliates Saturday obtained by BuzzFeed, Glassman was asked why the company hadn’t made a statement on the anti-police brutality protests over the police killing of Floyd.
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“Can you tell me why I should mourn for him? Other than that it’s the white thing to do — other than that, give me another reason,” Glassman answered, according to the outlet. “We’re not mourning for George Floyd — I don’t think me or any of my staff are.” Glassman also questioned systemic racism and the motives of protesters, BuzzFeed wrote.
Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit (pictured in 2015), said he was stepping down as CEO and was retiring. The Washington Post via Getty Images
“On Saturday I created a rift in the CrossFit community and unintentionally hurt many of its members,” Glassman said in a statement announcing his retirement. “I cannot let my behavior stand in the way of HQ’s or affiliates’ missions. They are too important to jeopardize.”
The conference call happened before Glassman joked on Twitter about the coronavirus pandemic and the police killing of Floyd. In response to an Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation tweet calling racism a public health issue, Glassman tweeted back: “It’s Floyd-19.”
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In response, Reebok, which is owned by Adidas, announced it would sever ties with CrossFit. Several gyms also said they were ditching their affiliation with the workout brand.
Glassman apologized, but it was too late. The company, in a long-winded statement Tuesday, said the founder’s comments were “incredibly insensitive and hurtful.”


huffpost--2020-06-10--Chyler Leigh Opens Up About Discovering Her Sexuality In Pride Month Essay

Leigh candidly unpacked how her onscreen alter ego helped her come to terms with her own sexuality in a Pride Month essay she posted on Create Change , the website she co-founded .
The site aims to help readers “ become the change you want to see in the world.
” “ When I was told that my character was to come out in season two , a flurry of thoughts and emotions flew through and around me because of the responsibility I personally felt to authentically represent Alex ’ s journey , ” Leigh wrote .
“ What I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene where she finally confessed her truth would leap off the pages of the script and genuinely become a variation of my own .
IRL .
My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest each take we filmed , every time presenting another opportunity to get those honest words out of my mouth , ” she added .
“ Though they don ’ t exactly match my personal dialogue , the heart behind it surely did.
” The “ Grey ’ s Anatomy ” alum said that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s coming out scene made sense because “ there ’ s some truth to what she said about me.
” While she didn ’ t specify her sexuality , Leigh explained how she and husband of nearly 20 years — with whom she shares three children — are continuing to grow together while she explores her identity .
“ It ’ s been a long and lonely road for both my husband and myself but I can whole-heartedly say that after all these years , he and I are still discovering the depths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout our journey we ’ ve learned to be proud of who we are , no matter the cost.
” But there were also those who weren ’ t as thrilled with the direction the superhero show was taking , Leigh said , including members of her own community .
“ I was told from dear friends ( and even avid watchers of ‘ Supergirl ’ ) that they would no longer watch the show because of the fact that Alex ’ s journey took a turn from their less than acceptable beliefs.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they began to distance themselves and eventually my family and I were outcast , marking the loss of many folks we loved.
” Still , Leigh insisted that she doesn ’ t “ hold a grudge ” about her detractors .
“ We all have had a hard time in one way or another with acceptance ( whatever the subject may be ) whether towards ourselves or others , ” she added .
“ Today I ’ ve received an outpouring of love and support for acknowledging and loving myself as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
“ Once we face our own true selves , we can better see the world around us , as well as how we can make a positive and lasting change for the sake of equality and love.
” Leigh concluded her message by writing , “ I ’ m grateful to see more clearly , breathe a little easier , and I ’ m proud to contribute to all that I believe in with an honest , open heart .
Sending love to you all .
”

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For actor Chyler Leigh, art imitated life when her character on The CW’s “Supergirl” came out as a lesbian, prompting her own journey of self-discovery.
Leigh candidly unpacked how her onscreen alter ego helped her come to terms with her own sexuality in a Pride Month essay she posted on Create Change, the website she co-founded. The site aims to help readers “become the change you want to see in the world.”
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“When I was told that my character was to come out in season two, a flurry of thoughts and emotions flew through and around me because of the responsibility I personally felt to authentically represent Alex’s journey,” Leigh wrote.
“What I didn’t realize was how the scene where she finally confessed her truth would leap off the pages of the script and genuinely become a variation of my own. IRL. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest each take we filmed, every time presenting another opportunity to get those honest words out of my mouth,” she added. “Though they don’t exactly match my personal dialogue, the heart behind it surely did.”
The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum said that the overwhelmingly positive response to her character’s coming out scene made sense because “there’s some truth to what she said about me.”
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While she didn’t specify her sexuality, Leigh explained how she and husband of nearly 20 years — with whom she shares three children — are continuing to grow together while she explores her identity.
“It’s been a long and lonely road for both my husband and myself but I can whole-heartedly say that after all these years, he and I are still discovering the depths of ourselves and each other, but throughout our journey we’ve learned to be proud of who we are, no matter the cost.”
But there were also those who weren’t as thrilled with the direction the superhero show was taking, Leigh said, including members of her own community.
“I was told from dear friends (and even avid watchers of ‘Supergirl’) that they would no longer watch the show because of the fact that Alex’s journey took a turn from their less than acceptable beliefs.”
She added: “Soon after, they began to distance themselves and eventually my family and I were outcast, marking the loss of many folks we loved.”
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Still, Leigh insisted that she doesn’t “hold a grudge” about her detractors. “We all have had a hard time in one way or another with acceptance (whatever the subject may be) whether towards ourselves or others,” she added.
On Instagram Tuesday, Leigh thanked fans for their response to her essay.
“Today I’ve received an outpouring of love and support for acknowledging and loving myself as the person I truly am,” she wrote. “Once we face our own true selves, we can better see the world around us, as well as how we can make a positive and lasting change for the sake of equality and love.”
Leigh concluded her message by writing, “I’m grateful to see more clearly, breathe a little easier, and I’m proud to contribute to all that I believe in with an honest, open heart. Sending love to you all.”
Production on the most recent season of “Supergirl” was shut down in mid-March because of the coronavirus, and the series aired a makeshift early finale. The next season is slated to return in spring 2021.


huffpost--2020-06-10--Millions Of Taxpayer Dollars Are Going To Schools That Push Conversion Therapy

Damon Dahlen/HuffPost Megan Mishkin was told by her high school that she had to undergo counseling about her sexuality to remain there .
Mishkin looked around the room and knew she was outmatched .
Only a few days earlier , she had been told she was banned from attending an overnight school trip to a statewide theater competition .
Stories of Mishkin ’ s sexuality had spread ― she had a girlfriend from another school ― and administrators said her classmates ’ mothers had complained about their daughters having to share a room with her .
It was a crushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months preparing for the competition only to be told that her peers and their families were afraid of her .
She cried and tried to explain that she would never have done anything inappropriate with another student .
Andrew LaFontaine , who attended Calvary Christian Academy at the same time as Mishkin , said school administrators also pressured him to attend conversion therapy after he reported to them that he had been sexually harassed by another male student .
Instead of focusing on the trauma of the alleged harassment , they pushed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual orientation , which they perceived to be a problem .
LaFontaine ― who was mostly closeted at the time but is now an out gay man ― vehemently denied that he was gay until the school backed off .
Still , school leaders then made him meet with a teacher to go over Scripture and talk about his life .
“ When we met , Megan was very upset and defensive about her sexual preferences , ” read the email , which HuffPost has reviewed .
“ We decided that [ Megan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday to decide if CCA is the best place for her to be .
They would decide either to pull her out of CCA because Megan didn ’ t want to be responsible for her sexual preferences and influencing others , or repent and ask to continue at CCA thus allowing us to set her up with a counselor/mentor and begin discussing these issues of sexuality that she is wrestling with.
” At the end of the school year , Mishkin applied for a spot at a secular private school .
The admissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calvary if she would be allowed to return for her junior year , just in case .
They asked her if she still had a girlfriend .
She told them she had found the way of the Lord and was no longer gay ― a “ ridiculous lie , ” she says now .
Over the summer , she found out she had gotten into the other school .

NEW YORK ― Megan Mishkin was drawing a still-life in art class when she heard her name called over the loudspeaker. She packed up her belongings and headed to the main office, where the school secretary was waiting for her. “Everything is going to be OK, sweetie,” the secretary told the 16-year-old high school sophomore when she walked in.
Mishkin, a student at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the time, tried to remain calm and brace for bad news. The secretary directed her to a room where school leaders waited. The group made about five excruciating minutes of small talk before staff members got down to business.
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They suggested Mishkin was broken and in need of fixing. They hoped anti-gay counseling could be the solution.
Calvary Christian Academy is one of at least nine private schools that participate in voucher or tax credit programs and appear to push LGBTQ students to attend a form of conversion therapy, HuffPost has discovered. A 2017 HuffPost investigation found that at least 14% of religious schools in voucher programs advertised anti-gay policies or barred LGBTQ students and staff from admission and employment. Now HuffPost has found that some of these schools go so far as to push a medically discredited and often harmful treatment on their students in an attempt to change their sexual orientation.
Mishkin looked around the room and knew she was outmatched. Only a few days earlier, she had been told she was banned from attending an overnight school trip to a statewide theater competition. Stories of Mishkin’s sexuality had spread ― she had a girlfriend from another school ― and administrators said her classmates’ mothers had complained about their daughters having to share a room with her. It was a crushing, humiliating blow. She had spent months preparing for the competition only to be told that her peers and their families were afraid of her. She cried and tried to explain that she would never have done anything inappropriate with another student.
This time, as school administrators laid out her options, Mishkin tried not to react. The group reminded her they believe the Bible says homosexuality is wrong. Then they told her she would have to attend counseling to discuss her sexuality if she wanted to remain enrolled at Calvary Christian Academy.
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“I’m 16. I had just moved and had nobody,” Mishkin, who is now 21 and just finished her junior year at New York University, recalled over coffee in February. “I felt defeated.”
Megan Mishkin agreed to school-mandated counseling when she was 16. Damon Dahlen/HuffPost
Jason Rachels, the head of school at Calvary Christian Academy, told HuffPost that “‘anti-gay therapy’ is not a process we use or a part of a policy at our school.” However, he did not dispute any specific part of Mishkin’s account.
“We exist to serve families with similar values that align with our school’s statement of faith. We don’t hide our beliefs or encourage anyone to enroll who does not desire the same for their family,” wrote Rachels, who was a Calvary administrator but not head of school when Mishkin was a student there.
Calvary Christian Academy, though private and religious, received just over $3 million in public funding last year through a variety of state voucher and tax credit programs that help funnel taxpayer dollars to scholarships for private schools. The school has participated in such state programs since at least 2012, according to archived versions of the school’s website. Voucher programs use taxpayer money to fund scholarships for lower- or middle-income students, while tax credit programs give individuals and corporations incentives for donating to organizations that distribute private school scholarships.
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Advocates of these programs, which exist in 29 states and the District of Columbia, say they help level the playing field by giving poorer students the ability to choose the school that works best for them, an option more affluent students have always had.
But HuffPost’s findings raise questions about what it means to have taxpayer dollars supporting institutions that not only openly discriminate against LGBTQ children but also push them toward programs that have long been debunked by mainstream medical and mental health institutions, and often cause severe harm. One study from 2018 found that LGBTQ people who had received interventions from religious leaders, therapists and parents trying to change their sexual orientation were three times more likely to attempt suicide than other LGBTQ people. Twenty states and the District of Columbia ban licensed health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors; Florida is not among those states.
“Schools are places where youth should feel safe and have the opportunity to grow and mature into their best selves. Instead, they find themselves under threat from a practice that has no basis in science and is tied to potentially significant harms,” said Casey Pick, senior fellow for advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth.
Indeed, the number of public dollars going to private schools ― even potentially ones with discriminatory anti-LGBTQ policies ― may increase in the near future. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has always used her position to try to increase private school choice, but she’s had more success during the COVID-19 pandemic: A new program allows states to apply for federal coronavirus relief dollars to help families cover school expenses ranging from technology services to private school tuition. Public school advocates say it’s part of DeVos’s larger agenda to shift funding away from the public school system ― which serves 90% of kids in the country ― to private, often religious, institutions.
Mishkin had only just started attending Calvary earlier that school year, in 2014, after moving from Venezuela. She knew she was gay and that she wouldn’t change. But she was also depressed, tired and afraid of what getting kicked out of school midyear would mean for her college applications and her future. She had endured months of homophobic bullying. She could barely stay awake in class. When she ate, she had trouble keeping food down.
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Mishkin’s family ― with whom she says she has a rocky relationship ― thought she should remain enrolled in the school. At this point, her only goal was survival. She agreed to the counseling.
The Human Rights Campaign, a leading LGBTQ civil rights group, defines conversion therapy, also sometimes known as reparative therapy, as “a range of dangerous and discredited practices that falsely claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.” It comes in many forms, including aversion therapy, in which a patient is taught to associate a thought or behavior with an unpleasant physical stimulus (like an electrical shock or chemically induced nausea) to talk therapy, which resembles typical mainstream therapy but in service of changing one’s sexual identity. There is no evidence ― per consensus in the medical community ― that conversion therapy of any form can change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
For this investigation, HuffPost combed through the handbooks, statements of faith and prospective student application forms of more than 500 schools we had previously identified as having anti-gay policies. (More than 7,500 private schools around the country received public funding through voucher or tax credit programs in 2017, and HuffPost examined their websites, handbooks, statements of faith and applications that year to identify which of those schools were religiously affiliated, as well as which had advertised anti-LGBTQ views.)
We found at least eight schools with handbooks that seemed to openly require or encourage some form of counseling for kids experiencing same-sex attraction, which experts say often acts as a euphemistic term for conversion therapy. HuffPost reached out to each of these schools with questions about what this counseling looks like. Only one responded, noting the pastor or trained professional providing the counseling decides what type of “help” to provide to students.
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We also found four additional schools whose handbooks had vaguer policies, indicating but not explicitly stating that anti-LGBTQ counseling could be a consequence for same-sex attraction or gender nonconformity.
These policies are typically intentionally vague, according to Pick. That way, schools have a great amount of discretion and can also avoid scrutiny from the outside world.
“Conversion therapists, as a whole, are being very proactive about rebranding. They recognize that public opinion is turning against sexual reorientation or gender identity change efforts,” Pick said. “Many will try to say we’re not engaging in conversion therapy ― we’re just trying to get people to live consistent with their religious values. Some of these school policies that adopt this same framework of requiring students to live consistent with religious values may well be concealing what is in practical effect conversion therapy.”
Our numbers likely represent a bare minimum. Calvary Christian Academy’s website, for example, says the school believes “acceptable sexual behavior is exclusively reserved to occur within the confines of a monogamous marriage union of a consenting man and woman,” but it doesn’t publicly promote support for conversion therapy. It’s likely that many other schools quietly promote conversion therapy without stating so in public materials. Additionally, more states have adopted or expanded their school voucher or tax credit program since HuffPost created its database in 2017, and any schools that have benefited from these programs for the first time over the last three years are not reflected in our count.
But some schools make their policies clear. For example, Westwood Christian School in Miami, which received nearly $1.3 million this year via voucher and tax credit programs, outlines its policy in its handbook. It makes parents promise that if their child “believes that he/she is gay, homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual, I/we will encourage such child to disclose the situation to the Senior Pastor or Administrator and seek guidance and counseling through the Church.” It says a child will be asked to withdraw if administrators learn a child has not sought counseling, has refused counseling, or has participated in homosexual activity after church counseling. The school did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
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The schools that maintain these policies are all across the country, including in Wisconsin, Arizona and Virginia. Collectively, all of the schools HuffPost found to push conversion therapy received over $8 million in public funding during the last school year for which public information was available.
Another Student Speaks Out
Andrew LaFontaine, who attended Calvary Christian Academy at the same time as Mishkin, said school administrators also pressured him to attend conversion therapy after he reported to them that he had been sexually harassed by another male student. Instead of focusing on the trauma of the alleged harassment, they pushed him to attend counseling to talk about his sexual orientation, which they perceived to be a problem. LaFontaine ― who was mostly closeted at the time but is now an out gay man ― vehemently denied that he was gay until the school backed off. Still, school leaders then made him meet with a teacher to go over Scripture and talk about his life.
“I honestly think that was the beginning of me spiraling into depression,” said LaFontaine, 20, who is now a veterinarian’s assistant and student in New York City. “It was an easy decision to decide to deny [my sexuality] because I knew the implications.”
Rachels, the head of school, told HuffPost that “we care for [LaFontaine and Mishkin] deeply and pray that they are doing well.”
“Bullying is something we take seriously at CCA. Regardless of where a student is in their personal journey, we do not tolerate bullying, and have strong policies around that,” he wrote in an email.
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After the administrators’ meeting with Mishkin, the man who was Calvary’s assistant principal at the time sent an email to one of her family members outlining her options. The email confirms the account Mishkin provided to HuffPost. Calvary did not respond to a question about whether that assistant principal is still employed by the school.
“When we met, Megan was very upset and defensive about her sexual preferences,” read the email, which HuffPost has reviewed. “We decided that [Megan and her mom] could take until Monday to decide if CCA is the best place for her to be. They would decide either to pull her out of CCA because Megan didn’t want to be responsible for her sexual preferences and influencing others, or repent and ask to continue at CCA thus allowing us to set her up with a counselor/mentor and begin discussing these issues of sexuality that she is wrestling with.”
The whole meeting lasted about 30 minutes, Mishkin said. Afterward, she got to work finding a counselor who she hoped would understand her dilemma. She texted a former student, whom the school had also pushed to go to counseling but for reasons unrelated to sexuality.
The student told Mishkin about a sympathetic therapist who was part of a Christian counseling service and approved by the school. Rachels told HuffPost that Calvary does “not have therapists on staff or a relationship with an organization that offers those services,” referring to “anti-gay therapy,” but he did not refute the specifics of Mishkin’s account. Indeed, Mishkin did not use a therapist employed by the school and found her counselor independently.
A few weeks later, she had her first session.
Megan Mishkin, now 21, is a student at New York University. Damon Dahlen/HuffPost
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An estimated 16,000 youth will receive conversion therapy from a mental health professional before they turn 18, according to a 2019 study from the Williams Institute at UCLA. An estimated 57,000 more will receive it from a religious der.
“It is not therapy. It is not helpful. It is harmful, and it needs to be stopped,” Pick said.
But administrators at evangelical schools with anti-LGBTQ policies maintain they have a right to educate children however they see fit.
“Parents who choose to enroll their children in a private, Christian school using voucher funds have chosen to do so with full knowledge of the school’s positions regarding philosophy of education, admissions, biblical worldview integration into academics, morality, and positions on a variety of cultural topics including marriage and sexuality as defined in Scripture,” Wesley Scott, executive director of the National Alliance of Christian Schools, wrote in an email to HuffPost.
“Private, Christian schools are autonomous [and] have the right to apply these positions within their admissions process, faculty and student handbooks, disciplinary and biblical counseling procedures,” he said.
Mishkin sees it differently. Her school may have thought it was putting her on a path to salvation, but she felt abandoned when she was screaming out for help.
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She was depressed and self-harming. She wished school leaders could see the sadness that was eating her alive. Instead, she says she only heard from them when other students brought up her sexuality or called her an atheist.
“No one was standing up for me. There were no teachers showing interest in me,” she says.
But in some ways, Mishkin got incredibly lucky with her therapist, a selection that made all the difference.
Secretly Getting ‘Normal’ Therapy
Mishkin’s counseling sessions took place in a nearby church’s office. The counselor was a woman in her early 30s with a kind demeanor.
She asked Mishkin about her faith. She asked her about her sexuality. When she realized Mishkin was at peace with it, Mishkin says she backed off.
“She was like, ‘You’re not here to stop being gay, are you?’ And I was like, ‘No, not at all,’” Mishkin recalled. “She really saved my life back then.”
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Mishkin was relieved. The counselor asked her if she had other issues she wanted to unpack, so the teen started attending regular therapy while her school thought she was trying to become straight.
At the end of the school year, Mishkin applied for a spot at a secular private school. The admissions process took months, so she asked Calvary if she would be allowed to return for her junior year, just in case. They asked her if she still had a girlfriend. She told them she had found the way of the Lord and was no longer gay ― a “ridiculous lie,” she says now. Over the summer, she found out she had gotten into the other school.
Mishkin looks back on that year as if she was in a dissociative state, going through the motions without much thought or agency. To survive, she muted her personality until she would fit into the mold her school had created for her.
“I think back on Calvary, and I just remember various offices, and crying, and various doctors, and throwing up,” she says matter-of-factly, sadness in her eyes. “[Calvary] just really made me not take care of myself. I was so hated. So oppressed. ... Even when it was like in third person, it’s not fun to hear people use the Bible to talk about hating you.”
Mishkin is now studying sound production and living in the East Village of New York with a roommate. She likes NYU and the friends she has made there. After muting herself for so long, she’s trying to figure out her actual interests, who she wants to spend her time with, what she truly thinks. She tries to imagine her life is just starting.
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