newyorkpost--2020-05-08--Ex-ABA commish Mike Storen, dad of ESPN’s Hannah Storm, dies at 84

Mike Storen , a former ABA commissioner and multisport marketing whiz and the father of ESPN broadcaster Hannah Storm , died Thursday .
He was 84 .
Storm said her father died at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta of complications from cancer .
Known for his hearty laugh and creative mind , Storen rose to executive spots in basketball , football , baseball and tennis during a four-decade career in sports .
“ I still have a red , white and blue basketball with his name on it , ” Storm said .
“ All those things the ABA did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the slam-dunk contest — those were right up his alley.
” Storen was general manager of the Indiana Pacers and Kentucky Colonels and president of the Atlanta Hawks .
He owned the ABA ’ s Memphis Sounds with musician Isaac Hayes , worked for the Cincinnati Royals of the NBA and the Houston Astros , and was commissioner of the Continental Basketball Association .
With the Memphis Grizzlies of the World Football League , he brought in the likes of Paul Warfield and Larry Csonka on the field and Elvis Presley into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Houston and major indoor tennis tournaments featuring Bjorn Borg in Memphis .
His last sports job was with the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League in 2002 .
“ For me and so many other guys that might not have had a chance to continue playing , his influence on the ABA just gave countless kids and coaches to do something they love , ” Basketball Hall of Fame coach and ABA alum Larry Brown said Thursday night .
“ And at the end of the day , when you consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coaches made in the NBA after the ABA was finished , it ’ s just remarkable .
He just cared about the game and cared about the players in the league.
” “ It is impossible to overstate the impact Storen had on our franchise and the American Basketball Association , ” the team posted on Twitter .
“ He paved the way for the Pacers ’ eventual entry into the NBA by putting together a talented front office and assembling a roster led by eventual Hall of Famers Roger Brown and Mel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding Storen “ was instrumental in choosing the name ‘ Pacers , ’ designed the team ’ s first logo and chose its blue and gold colors .
Storen was the first captain of the ABA ’ s flagship franchise and the foundation for the tradition of success the Pacers maintain to this day.
” It was a want ad in the newspaper that started Storen ’ s pro path .
He answered that call — “ without any appreciable experience but with a lot of charm and gusto , ” Storm has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chicago Zephyrs in the NBA in the early 1960s .
He stayed with the team when it moved and became the Baltimore Bullets as their promotions director .
Storen eventually ascended to become commissioner of the American Basketball Association in the early 1970s .
Boosted by stars such as Julius Erving , Storen helped put in motion the ABA ’ s move toward a merger with the NBA .
Brown said Storen ’ s impact on the game — both then and now — should not be understated .
“ I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoot , I always admired him , ” Brown said .
That ’ s the thing that stands out in my mind .
When you talk to the old guys from the ABA , the pride we all had in being in the league was just the best part of it .
And Mike , to me , championed our league .
He made people aware it was a special brand of ball with quality players playing.
” Tweeted NBA Hall of Famer Alex English , who started his rise to prominence with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to another pioneer in sports , Mike Storen.
” Storen , from Michigan City , Indiana , played freshman football at Notre Dame as a defensive back .
He later was a U.S. Marine and was involved with the popular Marine Toys for Tots program .
Storm followed her father to school at Notre Dame and , instilled with a love of sports , made that her career path .
“ From the time I was a kid , I was always around sports because of my dad , ” Storm said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of very , very tall people in the house for Thanksgiving or Christmas or parties .
Artis Gilmore , Dan Issel , Dr. J , so many athletes.
” Storen is survived by wife Lynn ; sons Mark and Duke and daughter Hannah by his first wife , Hannah ; two stepdaughters , Susan Duncan and Lisa Roberts ; and 14 grandchildren .

Mike Storen, a former ABA commissioner and multisport marketing whiz and the father of ESPN broadcaster Hannah Storm, died Thursday. He was 84.
Storm said her father died at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta of complications from cancer.
Known for his hearty laugh and creative mind, Storen rose to executive spots in basketball, football, baseball and tennis during a four-decade career in sports.
“I still have a red, white and blue basketball with his name on it,” Storm said. “All those things the ABA did — the 3-point shot, cheerleaders, the slam-dunk contest — those were right up his alley.”
Storen was general manager of the Indiana Pacers and Kentucky Colonels and president of the Atlanta Hawks. He owned the ABA’s Memphis Sounds with musician Isaac Hayes, worked for the Cincinnati Royals of the NBA and the Houston Astros, and was commissioner of the Continental Basketball Association.
With the Memphis Grizzlies of the World Football League, he brought in the likes of Paul Warfield and Larry Csonka on the field and Elvis Presley into the seats.
Storen promoted the Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston and major indoor tennis tournaments featuring Bjorn Borg in Memphis. His last sports job was with the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League in 2002.
“For me and so many other guys that might not have had a chance to continue playing, his influence on the ABA just gave countless kids and coaches to do something they love,” Basketball Hall of Fame coach and ABA alum Larry Brown said Thursday night. “And at the end of the day, when you consider the contributions some of those kids and coaches made in the NBA after the ABA was finished, it’s just remarkable. He just cared about the game and cared about the players in the league.”
The Pacers also paid tribute.
“It is impossible to overstate the impact Storen had on our franchise and the American Basketball Association,” the team posted on Twitter.
“He paved the way for the Pacers’ eventual entry into the NBA by putting together a talented front office and assembling a roster led by eventual Hall of Famers Roger Brown and Mel Daniels,” the team said, adding Storen “was instrumental in choosing the name ‘Pacers,’ designed the team’s first logo and chose its blue and gold colors. Storen was the first captain of the ABA’s flagship franchise and the foundation for the tradition of success the Pacers maintain to this day.”
It was a want ad in the newspaper that started Storen’s pro path. He answered that call — “without any appreciable experience but with a lot of charm and gusto,” Storm has said — for a ticket seller with the Chicago Zephyrs in the NBA in the early 1960s. He stayed with the team when it moved and became the Baltimore Bullets as their promotions director.
Storen eventually ascended to become commissioner of the American Basketball Association in the early 1970s. Boosted by stars such as Julius Erving, Storen helped put in motion the ABA’s move toward a merger with the NBA.
Brown said Storen’s impact on the game — both then and now — should not be understated.
“I would see him from time to time and shoot, I always admired him,” Brown said. That’s the thing that stands out in my mind. When you talk to the old guys from the ABA, the pride we all had in being in the league was just the best part of it. And Mike, to me, championed our league. He made people aware it was a special brand of ball with quality players playing.”
Tweeted NBA Hall of Famer Alex English, who started his rise to prominence with the Pacers: “Rest In Peace to another pioneer in sports, Mike Storen.”
Storen, from Michigan City, Indiana, played freshman football at Notre Dame as a defensive back. He later was a U.S. Marine and was involved with the popular Marine Toys for Tots program.
Storm followed her father to school at Notre Dame and, instilled with a love of sports, made that her career path.
“From the time I was a kid, I was always around sports because of my dad,” Storm said. “I remember always having a lot of very, very tall people in the house for Thanksgiving or Christmas or parties. Artis Gilmore, Dan Issel, Dr. J, so many athletes.”
Storen is survived by wife Lynn; sons Mark and Duke and daughter Hannah by his first wife, Hannah; two stepdaughters, Susan Duncan and Lisa Roberts; and 14 grandchildren.
Among Storen’s relatives is major league pitcher Drew Storen.


newyorkpost--2020-05-08--NFL makes call on controversial pass interference review rule

The NFL ’ s experimental rule allowing the league office to use replay and review pass interference in 2019 will not even be brought up for a vote this year , according to Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay .
“ We ’ re not going to vote on — because nobody is putting forward — the OPI/DPI review again , ” McKay said on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday .
“ So that dies a natural death.
” The rule earned a trial after an incident between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams in the 2018 NFC Championship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 season , 24 calls were overturned according to the Washington Post .
Numerous calls — and missed ones — showed that PI calls are subjective , something McKay would prefer to avoid using replay for .
“ We were trying to apply something that we ’ ve always been fearful of … putting a totally subjective play into replay , ” McKay said .
“ I think when we did what we did , which was try to catch that really egregious , big-time play and put that standard of ‘ clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think you ’ re adding a subjective standard to a subjective play .
“ And I think we set ourselves up for we were not going to have agreement on the result , and I think that showed itself during the year.
” The NFL , however , is likely to vote on keeping two minor automatic replay provisions from the original proposal including a review of point-after attempts .

Pass interference review has been overturned.
The NFL’s experimental rule allowing the league office to use replay and review pass interference in 2019 will not even be brought up for a vote this year, according to Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay.
“We’re not going to vote on — because nobody is putting forward — the OPI/DPI review again,” McKay said on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday. “So that dies a natural death.”
The rule earned a trial after an incident between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams in the 2018 NFC Championship. Of 101 interference replays from the 2019 season, 24 calls were overturned according to the Washington Post. Numerous calls — and missed ones — showed that PI calls are subjective, something McKay would prefer to avoid using replay for.
“We were trying to apply something that we’ve always been fearful of … putting a totally subjective play into replay,” McKay said. “I think when we did what we did, which was try to catch that really egregious, big-time play and put that standard of ‘clear and obvious’, even then I think you’re adding a subjective standard to a subjective play.
“And I think we set ourselves up for we were not going to have agreement on the result, and I think that showed itself during the year.”
The NFL, however, is likely to vote on keeping two minor automatic replay provisions from the original proposal including a review of point-after attempts.


newyorkpost--2020-05-08--2020 NFL schedule: 10 can’t-miss games

2020 NFL schedule: 10 can’t-miss games

Welcome to the time of year when every optimistic NFL ...

Not since the days of creamsicle uniforms have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers been such a must-see.
Tom Brady changing teams headlined the craziest offseason of player movement in NFL history and completely changed the lens through which the coming season is viewed. All the matchups have been known since the minute the 2019 regular season ended, but each team’s 16-game schedule was announced Thursday.
Here are 10 highly anticipated games, assuming the coronavirus restrictions don’t force any schedule changes:
Saints at Raiders, Week 2: Raiders owner Mark Davis bought the LasVegasRaiders.com domain name in 1998, hinting 22 years early at the move from Oakland. Construction on $2 billion Allegiant Stadium continues through the coronavirus pandemic. Camera shots of the atmosphere in the stands and streets could be better than the game.
Browns at Giants, Week 15: One playoff appearance between the teams in the last eight seasons won’t stop unmatched pregame hype. That’s the star power of Odell Beckham Jr., who, facing his former team for the first time, will be out for the kill because he said Giants GM Dave Gettleman traded him to small-market Cleveland “to die.” If only Eli Manning were still playing.
Chiefs at Buccaneers, Week 12: Unofficial changing of the guard as Patrick Mahomes faces Tom Brady (probably) for the final time, unless they meet in a Super Bowl. Brady holds the 2-1 head-to-head advantage including playoffs, but Mahomes enters this one as the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
Packers at 49ers, Week 9: Rematch of last year’s NFC Championship, one of two blowout home wins for the 49ers in this series last season. This game should figure heavily into NFC playoff seeding again. Aaron Rodgers has limited opportunities to win a second Super Bowl. Jimmy Garoppolo needs to justify his $26.6 million cap figure.
Buccaneers at Saints, Week 1: One of the perks of Brady relocating to the NFC South is it means two games per year against Drew Brees. Brees and Brady rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in career passing yards and touchdowns — and the touchdowns record could change hands every week during the season. It’s that close.
Chiefs at Ravens, Week 3: The two most recent MVPs meet for the second time. Mahomes versus Lamar Jackson could be this decade’s answer to a Peyton Manning versus Brady cross-division rivalry. The Ravens blew home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs and the Chiefs capitalized last season, but their defense could be the toughest Mahomes sees.
Colts at Steelers, Week 16: Contenders or pretenders? Depends on the quarterbacks. This is Year 17 for both Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. The Colts hope Rivers’ unceremonious exit from the Chargers ignites a fire, and the Steelers are counting on Roethlisberger returning from missing nearly a full season.
Bengals at Dolphins, Week 13: Potential look at two different approaches to rookie quarterbacks. The Bengals could start No. 1 pick Joe Burrow from Week 1. The Dolphins will ease in No. 5 pick Tua Tagovailoa as he recovers from lingering injuries. A new rivalry for LSU-Alabama fans to fight over.
Patriots at Bills, Week 8: The Bills have gone to the playoffs twice in three years following a 17-year drought. After acquiring Stefon Diggs and other big moves, they appear ready to take the next step and end the Patriots’ run of 11 consecutive AFC East titles. The Patriots have bullied the Bills on their home field, winning 15 of the last 16.
Eagles at Cowboys, Week 16: The NFC East hasn’t had a repeat champion since 2004. These are the division’s two best teams again. The Eagles’ Doug Pederson is the division’s only returning coach, but the Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy can match his Super Bowl ring.


newyorkpost--2020-05-08--Study claims Vitamin D levels may impact COVID-19 mortality rates

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Researchers have discovered a strong correlation between vitamin D deficiency and mortality rates from the novel coronavirus , a new study reveals .
A research team led by Northwestern University analyzed data from hospitals and clinics across China , France , Germany , Italy , Iran , South Korea , Spain , Switzerland , the United Kingdom and the United States .
Patients from countries with high COVID-19 mortality rates , such as Italy , Spain and the United Kingdom , had lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in countries that were not as severely affected , according to the study .
The researchers also found a strong correlation between vitamin D levels and cytokine storm , which is a hyperinflammatory condition caused by an overactive immune system .
“ Cytokine storm can severely damage lungs and lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome and death in patients , ” Ali Daneshkhah , a postdoctoral research associate at Northwestern ’ s McCormick School of Engineering , said in a statement .
“ This is what seems to kill a majority of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lungs by the virus itself .
It is the complications from the misdirected fire from the immune system.
” However , the scientists also cautioned against hoarding vitamin D supplements .
“ While I think it is important for people to know that vitamin D deficiency might play a role in mortality , we don ’ t need to push vitamin D on everybody , ” said Northwestern ’ s Vadim Backman , who led the research , in a statement .
“ This needs further study , and I hope our work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The data also may illuminate the mechanism of mortality , which , if proven , could lead to new therapeutic targets.
” Scientists said they need to conduct much more research to understand how vitamin D could be used to protect against COVID-19 complications .
As of Thursday afternoon in the United States , the novel coronavirus had killed at least 74,844 and infected at least 1,244,119 .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
Researchers have discovered a strong correlation between vitamin D deficiency and mortality rates from the novel coronavirus, a new study reveals.
A research team led by Northwestern University analyzed data from hospitals and clinics across China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Patients from countries with high COVID-19 mortality rates, such as Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, had lower levels of vitamin D compared to patients in countries that were not as severely affected, according to the study.
The researchers also found a strong correlation between vitamin D levels and cytokine storm, which is a hyperinflammatory condition caused by an overactive immune system.
“Cytokine storm can severely damage lungs and lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome and death in patients,” Ali Daneshkhah, a postdoctoral research associate at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering, said in a statement. “This is what seems to kill a majority of COVID-19 patients, not the destruction of the lungs by the virus itself. It is the complications from the misdirected fire from the immune system.”
However, the scientists also cautioned against hoarding vitamin D supplements.
“While I think it is important for people to know that vitamin D deficiency might play a role in mortality, we don’t need to push vitamin D on everybody,” said Northwestern’s Vadim Backman, who led the research, in a statement. “This needs further study, and I hope our work will stimulate interest in this area. The data also may illuminate the mechanism of mortality, which, if proven, could lead to new therapeutic targets.”
Scientists said they need to conduct much more research to understand how vitamin D could be used to protect against COVID-19 complications.
As of Thursday afternoon in the United States, the novel coronavirus had killed at least 74,844 and infected at least 1,244,119.


newyorkpost--2020-05-08--CFL likely to cancel season with league’s future ‘very much in doubt’

The dynamic changes by the day , if not by the ...

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OTTAWA, Ontario — Canadian Football League Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said the most likely scenario is to cancel the season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ambrosie made the admission Thursday in testimony to a House of Commons standing committee on finance. He appeared via video during a panel on arts, culture, sports and charitable organizations after news broke last week that the CFL requested up to $150 million Canadian in assistance from the federal government.
The commissioner said the league’s future is “very much in jeopardy” and that teams collectively lost about $20 million last year.
“Ours is a big brand but not a wealthy business,” Ambrosie said. “Unlike large U.S.-based leagues, our biggest source of revenue is not TV — it’s ticket sales.
“Governments coping with COVID 19 — for reasons of public health that we totally support — have made it impossible for us to do what we do. Our best-case scenario for this year is a drastically truncated season. And our most likely scenario is no season at all.”
The CFL has already canceled the start of training camps — which were scheduled to open this month — and pushed back the opening of the regular season to early July, at the earliest.
“I don’t mind telling you, this is humbling but the fact is we need your support,” Ambrosie said. “So we can be there for all the community groups that depend on us.”
Following Ambrosie’s presentation, committee members took turns taking the commissioner to task.
“Some of your comments have a lot of holes in them,” said Kevin Waugh, a former sports journalist from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He asked if the CFL was looking for a bailout or loan?
“What we’re looking for is a partnership with government,” Ambrosie said. “Our fundamental position is that we are looking for financial support that we want to pay back to Canadians. If it’s in the form of a loan, perhaps we pay some of that loan back through programs . . . we’re really looking for a business relationship that would be good for Canadians in the long run.”
Waugh also pointed out the CFL’s three community-based franchises — the Edmonton Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers — all turned seven-figure profits in 2018. He added the league’s six remaining franchises are privately owned by people or corporations with deep pockets.
“The fact is that in the face of essentially a zero-revenue model, all of our teams, including our community teams, are going to suffer significant losses that are going to be hard to recover from,” Ambrosie said. “The real issue is this crisis is essentially going to quadruple or more the financial losses that our teams will take in a season that could potentially be lost altogether.”
Peter Julian of New Westminster-Burnaby in British Columbia wondered why Ambrosie’s presentation didn’t include any presence by the CFL Players’ Association.
“Those are the world-class athletes, as you’ve said, that actually are the heart and soul of the CFL,” Julian said. “What would they be saying if they were before the committee? And how much of the financial support you’re requesting would be going directly to the players of the CFL?”
The CFL and its players have resumed meeting about potential contingency plans for the ’20 season after talks broke off for roughly two weeks. Ambrosie said Thursday the two sides are scheduled to gather Friday.
“As for how much will go to players, we have to work that out,” Ambrosie said. “We know, for example, our players and alumni could be a potential solution in the healing of Canada.”
Julian also questioned Ambrosie about some of the corporations and individuals involved in CFL ownership. He added at a time when many Canadians are struggling, why isn’t the league’s wealthier ownership, “stepping up to provide support for the CFL?”
“All of those groups and people you mentioned have been stepping up,” Ambrosie said. “The question really for us is how many losses can these owners take when they’ve been losing approximately in total $20 million a year?
“And there is now, of course, a dramatically accelerated level of losses that will come with a truncated season or a lost season altogether.”
Peter Fragiskatos of London North Centre in Ontario asked Ambrosie why the CFL had approached government and not banks for financial assistance.
“I think the answer lies in the fact that as a league last year we lost approximately $20 million,” Ambrosie said. “First of all some of our teams are community teams that, by virtue of their structure, can’t take on traditional commercial credit.”
Fragiskatos countered, “If banks won’t support the CFL, why should the federal government support the CFL?”
“It’s not a question of whether banks would support us,” Ambrosie said. “The issue is you’re now taking a $20 million loss and you’re almost certainly making that loss bigger in future years.”


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--China cancels more than 1,200 Beijing flights over coronavirus outbreak

More than 100 people in Beijing have been infected with ...

China scrapped more than 1,200 flights in and out of its capital, Beijing, on Wednesday as it grappled with an “extremely grave” fresh outbreak of the coronavirus linked to a food market.
The number of confirmed cases in the capital has shot up to 137 within the last week after two months of no cases, and four other provinces have revealed cases linked to the Beijing cluster.
Officials closed 11 markets and all schools — most of which had already reopened — and banned residents of “medium- or high risk” areas of the city from leaving, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The official threat level from the contagion was also raised, from a level 3 to a 2 — just 10 days after it had been lowered.
“This has truly rung an alarm bell for us,” Cai Qi, the Communist Party secretary of Beijing, told a standing committee meeting of the “extremely grave” concerns at the fresh outbreak.
The website of the Communist Party’s Global Times said 1,255 flights to and from the capital’s two major airports were scrapped by Wednesday morning. That accounts for 67% of outgoing flights and 68% of incoming flights to the city of 20 million people, the newspaper said.
“The risk of the outbreak spreading is huge and controlling it is difficult,” Pang Xinghuo, a senior disease control official, told a news conference.
“[We] can’t rule out the possibility the number of cases will persist for a period of time,” she warned.
Traces of the virus were found on a salmon chopping board at Xinfadi food market, raising fears over the hygiene of the imported fish, AFP said. Many restaurants and supermarkets have stopped selling imported salmon over the unfounded fears, according to AFP.
Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, told state broadcaster CCTV on Monday that the pathogen “resembles the virus strains in Europe the most, which, however, doesn’t mean that it came from Europe,” AFP reported.
The market has had more than 200,000 visitors since May 30 alone, and is far larger than the one in Wuhan where the new coronavirus was first detected.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Boy Scouts of America will require diversity merit badge to become Eagle Scout

The Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ) announced Monday it will implement a specific “ diversity and inclusion merit badge ” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement that will be required to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout going forward .
In a letter to scouting families , the organization said it will also require diversity and inclusion training for all BSA employees starting on July 1 , and a review of property names , events , and insignia , will be conducted “ to build on and enhance the organization ’ s nearly 30-year ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag.
” “ The Boy Scouts of America stands with Black families and the Black community because we believe that Black Lives Matter , ” the letter said .
“ This is not a political issue ; it is a human rights issue and one we all have a duty to address.
” The BSA used the term “ murders ” when discussing George Floyd , Ahmaud Arbery , and Breonna Taylor .
Their deaths ignited recent protests against systemic racism and police brutality in the U.S .
The organization said all those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding it hears “ the anguish , feel [ s ] the heartbreak , and join [ s ] the country ’ s resolve to do better.
” “ As our country reckons with racial injustice , we all must consider our role and our failures and commit to meaningful action , ” the BSA said .
“ There is no place for racism – not in Scouting and not in our communities .
Racism will not be tolerated.
” The organization said the new diversity and inclusion badge will build on components @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to learn about and engage with other groups and cultures .
To ensure diversity and inclusion are “ engrained at every level ” the BSA will also be reviewing “ every element of our programs.
” The changes come nearly four months after the BSA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection early Tuesday , halting the hundreds of lawsuits it faced after decades of sexual abuse claims within the 110-year-old organization over the years .
Sexual abuse settlements had reportedly strained the Boy Scouts ’ finances , with states passing laws last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for damages .
On Monday , the BSA said it wasn ’ t as brave as it should have been in the past , but said , as scouts , “ we must always stand for what is right.
” “ I think this is a big deal to the extent that all these traditional , Christian-oriented organizations are trying to get their houses in order with regard to systematic racism , ” Alvin Tillery Jr. , a political science professor at Northwestern University told NBC News .
“ This is an organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to adopt more progressive stances because nobody wants to have anything to do with them .
”

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) announced Monday it will implement a specific “diversity and inclusion merit badge” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement that will be required to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout going forward.
In a letter to scouting families, the organization said it will also require diversity and inclusion training for all BSA employees starting on July 1, and a review of property names, events and insignia will be conducted “to build on and enhance the organization’s nearly 30-year ban on [the] use of the Confederate flag.”
“The Boy Scouts of America stands with Black families and the Black community because we believe that Black Lives Matter,” the letter said. “This is not a political issue; it is a human rights issue and one we all have a duty to address.”
The BSA used the term “murders” when discussing George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Their deaths ignited recent protests against systemic racism and police brutality in the U.S. The organization said all those not named were equally important, adding it hears “the anguish, feel[s] the heartbreak, and join[s] the country’s resolve to do better.”
“As our country reckons with racial injustice, we all must consider our role and our failures and commit to meaningful action,” the BSA said. “There is no place for racism — not in Scouting and not in our communities. Racism will not be tolerated.”
The organization said the new diversity and inclusion badge will build on components within existing merit badges that require Scouts to learn about and engage with other groups and cultures. To ensure diversity and inclusion are “engrained at every level,” the BSA will also be reviewing “every element of our programs.”
The changes come nearly four months after the BSA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, halting the hundreds of lawsuits it faced after decades of sexual abuse claims against the 110-year-old organization over the years.
Sexual abuse settlements had reportedly strained the Boy Scouts’ finances, with states passing laws last year so victims of long-ago abuse can sue for damages.
On Monday, the BSA said it wasn’t as brave as it should have been in the past, but said, as Scouts, “we must always stand for what is right.”
“I think this is a big deal to the extent that all these traditional, Christian-oriented organizations are trying to get their houses in order with regard to systematic racism,” Alvin Tillery Jr., a political science professor at Northwestern University, told NBC News. “This is an organization that is super-embattled and they’ve had to adopt more progressive stances because nobody wants to have anything to do with them.”


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Baby sister pooping sends toddler into a fit of giggles

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“She’s pooping!” an amazed toddler in Atlanta, Georgia, said while holding her newborn sister. The towheaded tot burst into laughter after hearing — and undoubtedly feeling — the infant’s bowel movement in her lap. Watch the adorable moment here.
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newyorkpost--2020-06-17--North Korea is sending soldiers to southern border amid rising tensions

SEOUL , South Korea — North Korea said Wednesday that it will send soldiers to now-shuttered inter-Korean cooperation sites in its territory and reinstall guard posts and resume military exercises at front-line areas , nullifying tension-reducing deals reached with South Korea just two years ago .
The announcement is the latest in a series provocations North Korea has taken in what experts believe are calculated moves to apply pressure on Seoul and Washington amid stalled nuclear negotiations .
On Tuesday , the North destroyed an empty inter-Korean liaison office in its territory .
Though North Korea ’ s recent actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloodshed , it ’ s still raising animosity on the peninsula to a level unseen since Pyongyang entered nuclear talks in 2018 .
The North ’ s General Staff said military units will be deployed to the Diamond Mountain resort and the Kaesong industrial complex , both just north of the heavily fortified border .
The two sites , built with South Korean financing , have been closed for years due to inter-Korean disputes and U.S.-led sanctions .
The North also said it will resume military exercises , reestablish guard posts and boost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as open front-line sites for flying propaganda balloons toward South Korea .
Those steps would reverse agreements reached between the Koreas in September 2018 aimed at lowering military tensions along the border .
South Korea ’ s military expressed regret over the North Korean announcement and warned that the North will face unspecified consequences if it violates the 2018 deals .
Maj. Gen. Jeon Dong Jin at the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters that South Korea maintains military readiness and will strive to prevent military tensions from rising .
Vice Unification Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assets that remain at the two cooperation sites .
Under the 2018 agreements , both Koreas halted live-firing exercises , removed some land mines and destroyed guard posts along the world ’ s most heavily armed border .
Some experts argued the moves undermined South Korea ’ s security more than the North ’ s as Pyongyang ’ s nuclear arsenal remained intact .
North Korea will likely next dismantle South Korean-built structures , equipment and other assets at the two cooperation sites before performing military drills and firing missiles and shells toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an analyst at the Sejong Institute , a think tank in South Korea .
Cheong said the deterioration of ties was now “ unavoidable ” and South Korea might respond with the resumption of propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and joint military drills with the United States .
Some analysts see North Korea ’ s provocations as an attempt to get concessions from Washington and Seoul at a time when its economy , already battered by sanctions , has likely worsened due to the coronavirus pandemic .
They say North Korea may be frustrated because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Washington to resume joint economic projects with Pyongyang .
The North ’ s official Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday said that recent actions were taken to retaliate for South Korea ’ s failure to prevent activists from floating propaganda leaflets across the border .
It said the destruction of the building Tuesday was a “ reflection of the zeal of our enraged people to punish human scum who challenged the noblest dignity and prestige of our country and those who sheltered the scum , perpetrators of shuddering crime.
” It said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timing for its additional steps while closely monitoring South Korean moves .
Kim Yo Jong , the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un , separately revealed that North Korea had rebuffed a recent offer by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to send special envoys to Pyongyang to defuse tension .
Kim Yo Jong , who has spearheaded the North ’ s recent rhetoric against South Korea , called Moon ’ s offer a “ petty farce ” and a “ trick ” to tide over a crisis .
She also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Korea to return to talks and find a breakthrough with South Korea .
In response , one of Moon ’ s senior presidential advisers , Yoon Do-han , called Kim Yo Jong ’ s statement “ very rude , ” “ irrational ” and “ senseless.
” Yoon warned South Korea won ’ t tolerate similar statements by North Korea any longer while expressing regret over North Korea ’ s publicizing of South Korea ’ s offer to send envoys .
The exchange of verbal salvos between the Koreas is highly unusual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has espoused greater rapprochement with North Korea since taking office in 2017 .
Moon has faced criticism that he was too soft on North Korea even when it publicly conducted weapons tests targeting South Korea .
Moon , who met Kim Jong Un three times in 2018 , was a driving force behind the diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington , including the first summit between Kim and President Donald Trump in Singapore in June 2018 .
Relations between the Koreas have been strained since a second Kim-Trump summit in early 2019 fell apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Wednesday that it will send soldiers to now-shuttered inter-Korean cooperation sites in its territory and reinstall guard posts and resume military exercises at front-line areas, nullifying tension-reducing deals reached with South Korea just two years ago.
The announcement is the latest in a series provocations North Korea has taken in what experts believe are calculated moves to apply pressure on Seoul and Washington amid stalled nuclear negotiations. On Tuesday, the North destroyed an empty inter-Korean liaison office in its territory.
Though North Korea’s recent actions haven’t lead to clashes or bloodshed, it’s still raising animosity on the peninsula to a level unseen since Pyongyang entered nuclear talks in 2018.
The North’s General Staff said military units will be deployed to the Diamond Mountain resort and the Kaesong industrial complex, both just north of the heavily fortified border. The two sites, built with South Korean financing, have been closed for years due to inter-Korean disputes and U.S.-led sanctions.
The North also said it will resume military exercises, reestablish guard posts and boost military readiness in border areas as well as open front-line sites for flying propaganda balloons toward South Korea. Those steps would reverse agreements reached between the Koreas in September 2018 aimed at lowering military tensions along the border.
South Korea’s military expressed regret over the North Korean announcement and warned that the North will face unspecified consequences if it violates the 2018 deals.
Maj. Gen. Jeon Dong Jin at the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters that South Korea maintains military readiness and will strive to prevent military tensions from rising. Vice Unification Minister Suh Ho warned against destroying South Korean assets that remain at the two cooperation sites.
Under the 2018 agreements, both Koreas halted live-firing exercises, removed some land mines and destroyed guard posts along the world’s most heavily armed border.
Some experts argued the moves undermined South Korea’s security more than the North’s as Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal remained intact.
North Korea will likely next dismantle South Korean-built structures, equipment and other assets at the two cooperation sites before performing military drills and firing missiles and shells toward the sea, said Cheong Seong-Chang, an analyst at the Sejong Institute, a think tank in South Korea.
Cheong said the deterioration of ties was now “unavoidable” and South Korea might respond with the resumption of propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and joint military drills with the United States.
Some analysts see North Korea’s provocations as an attempt to get concessions from Washington and Seoul at a time when its economy, already battered by sanctions, has likely worsened due to the coronavirus pandemic. They say North Korea may be frustrated because the sanctions prevent Seoul from breaking away from Washington to resume joint economic projects with Pyongyang.
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday said that recent actions were taken to retaliate for South Korea’s failure to prevent activists from floating propaganda leaflets across the border.
It said the destruction of the building Tuesday was a “reflection of the zeal of our enraged people to punish human scum who challenged the noblest dignity and prestige of our country and those who sheltered the scum, perpetrators of shuddering crime.” It said North Korea will set the intensity and timing for its additional steps while closely monitoring South Korean moves.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, separately revealed that North Korea had rebuffed a recent offer by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to send special envoys to Pyongyang to defuse tension.
Kim Yo Jong, who has spearheaded the North’s recent rhetoric against South Korea, called Moon’s offer a “petty farce” and a “trick” to tide over a crisis. She also slammed Moon’s recent urging of North Korea to return to talks and find a breakthrough with South Korea.
In response, one of Moon’s senior presidential advisers, Yoon Do-han, called Kim Yo Jong’s statement “very rude,” “irrational” and “senseless.” Yoon warned South Korea won’t tolerate similar statements by North Korea any longer while expressing regret over North Korea’s publicizing of South Korea’s offer to send envoys.
The exchange of verbal salvos between the Koreas is highly unusual under Moon’s government, which has espoused greater rapprochement with North Korea since taking office in 2017. Moon has faced criticism that he was too soft on North Korea even when it publicly conducted weapons tests targeting South Korea.
Moon, who met Kim Jong Un three times in 2018, was a driving force behind the diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington, including the first summit between Kim and President Donald Trump in Singapore in June 2018.
Relations between the Koreas have been strained since a second Kim-Trump summit in early 2019 fell apart due to wrangling over the sanctions.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Turkey moves troops across border into Iraq to fight Kurdish rebels

ANKARA , Turkey — Turkey said Wednesday it has airlifted troops for a cross-border ground operation against Turkey ’ s Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq , the first known airborne-and-land offensive by Ankara inside Iraqi territory .
The airborne offensive into Iraq ’ s border region of Haftanin , some 9 miles from the Turkey-Iraq border , was launched following intense artillery fire into the area , said the Defense Ministry in Ankara .
The operation by commando forces is being supported by warplanes , attack helicopters , artillery and armed and unarmed drones , according to the ministry ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not say how many troops are involved .
The ministry said the operation follows “ increasing harassment and attempts to attack ” military outposts or bases inside Turkey , near the border area .
It said the Turkish forces would target other “ terror ” groups in the region , but did not name them .
“ Operation Claw-Tiger is continuing successfully as planned , ” the ministry said .
It shared videos of Defense Minister Hulusi Akar overseeing the mission at a command center in Ankara .
Turkey regularly carries out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kurdistan Workers Party , or PKK , which it says maintains bases in northern Iraq .
Wednesday ’ s was the first known airborne and land offensive .
It came days after Turkey launched an air operation in the region , which the Defense Ministry said hit suspected PKK targets in several locations in Iraq ’ s north , including Sinjar , and targeted 81 rebel hideouts .
“ Turkey continues its fight against terrorists using the rights based on international law , ” said Omer Celik , the deputy chairman of President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It is our most natural right and duty to fight terrorists who attack our borders , citizens , and security forces.
” There was no immediate reaction from the PKK or from Baghdad and northern Iraq ’ s semi-autonomous Kurdish region .
Iraq ’ s government , however , summoned the Turkish ambassador on Tuesday to protest against the aerial offensive .
The PKK has led a decades-long insurgency in Turkey ’ s mainly Kurdish southeast region .
It is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey , the United States and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to the loss of tens of thousands of lives since it started in 1984 .

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey said Wednesday it has airlifted troops for a cross-border ground operation against Turkey’s Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, the first known airborne-and-land offensive by Ankara inside Iraqi territory.
The airborne offensive into Iraq’s border region of Haftanin, some 9 miles from the Turkey-Iraq border, was launched following intense artillery fire into the area, said the Defense Ministry in Ankara.
The operation by commando forces is being supported by warplanes, attack helicopters, artillery and armed and unarmed drones, according to the ministry’s statement posted on Twitter. It did not say how many troops are involved.
The ministry said the operation follows “increasing harassment and attempts to attack” military outposts or bases inside Turkey, near the border area. It said the Turkish forces would target other “terror” groups in the region, but did not name them.
“Operation Claw-Tiger is continuing successfully as planned,” the ministry said. It shared videos of Defense Minister Hulusi Akar overseeing the mission at a command center in Ankara.
Turkey regularly carries out air and ground attacks against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which it says maintains bases in northern Iraq. Wednesday’s was the first known airborne and land offensive.
It came days after Turkey launched an air operation in the region, which the Defense Ministry said hit suspected PKK targets in several locations in Iraq’s north, including Sinjar, and targeted 81 rebel hideouts.
“Turkey continues its fight against terrorists using the rights based on international law,” said Omer Celik, the deputy chairman of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party. “It is our most natural right and duty to fight terrorists who attack our borders, citizens, and security forces.”
There was no immediate reaction from the PKK or from Baghdad and northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
Iraq’s government, however, summoned the Turkish ambassador on Tuesday to protest against the aerial offensive.
The PKK has led a decades-long insurgency in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast region. It is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The conflict has led to the loss of tens of thousands of lives since it started in 1984.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Yankees haven’t cut salaries or furloughed staff — yet

If MLB and Players Association officials can squeeze into a ...

Though the Yankees have a lot in common with the other 29 major league teams — hemorrhaging money because of the coronavirus pandemic that shut big-league baseball down on March 12 — they haven’t slashed salaries or furloughed staff members as some clubs have.
Yankees staffers were informed Monday that their salaries wouldn’t be slashed and their benefits remain in play. How long that goes on hasn’t been determined, but it’s possible that the plan goes until at least the end of the month.
In April, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred informed teams he was suspending the Uniform Employees Contracts, which allowed for clubs to reduce salaries or furlough full-time staff members.
While Manfred suggested the moves, teams weren’t required to cut salaries or furlough employees.
The Yankees paid staffers through June 1, pushed that to June 15 and extended that on Monday and will monitor the situation daily.
How long can clubs continue to avoid slashing salaries or furloughing staffers isn’t known. Alternate ways to save money are shaving excess in other areas, but that can only go so far.
Of course, the biggest factor is the inability of MLB and the players union being unable to agree on terms to start a season. Manfred saying Monday he wasn’t confident of a season being played this year was very different from him stating last week that he was 100 percent sure there would be games played.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Nobody knows where a New Orleans statue went after protesters toppled it

The whereabouts of a statue of a slave owner toppled by protesters and thrown into the Mississippi River in New Orleans remains unknown after a group of men fished the bust out of the river .
A video obtained by the New Orleans Advocate / The Times-Picayune shows the group using ropes and a plank to carry the paint-splattered statue of John McDonogh out of the river Sunday afternoon and loading it up on a pick-up truck .
It was thrown into the river a day earlier by demonstrators after they used a chisel , rope and a skateboard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duncan Plaza .
Mayor LaToya Cantrell ’ s office told the news outlet the bust is “ considered stolen property , ” and are urging those in possession of it to contact the city regarding its return .
Two people who allegedly drove the bust to the river after it was toppled , Caleb Wassell and Michaela Davis , were booked on multiple charges , including theft and inciting a riot , news outlets reported .
They have since been released on bail while police continue to search for another person who hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spray paint on it during Saturday ’ s demonstrations .
When he died , McDonogh left a large portion of his money to New Orleans and Baltimore for schools , and many schools in New Orleans are named after him .
The McDonogh Day celebration in which schoolchildren across the city laid flowers at a different monument to McDonogh became the subject of boycotts in the 1950s .
The ceremony was racially segregated , and African-American children would have to wait for hours for white children to lay their flowers first .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nationwide effort to remove monuments to the Confederacy or with links to slavery as the country grapples with widespread protests against police brutality toward African Americans .

The whereabouts of a statue of a slave owner toppled by protesters and thrown into the Mississippi River in New Orleans remains unknown after a group of men fished the bust out of the river.
A video obtained by the New Orleans Advocate / The Times-Picayune shows the group using ropes and a plank to carry the paint-splattered statue of John McDonogh out of the river Sunday afternoon and loading it up on a pick-up truck. It was thrown into the river a day earlier by demonstrators after they used a chisel, rope and a skateboard to knock it down from its pedestal in Duncan Plaza.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s office told the news outlet the bust is “considered stolen property,” and are urging those in possession of it to contact the city regarding its return.
Two people who allegedly drove the bust to the river after it was toppled, Caleb Wassell and Michaela Davis, were booked on multiple charges, including theft and inciting a riot, news outlets reported.
They have since been released on bail while police continue to search for another person who hit the statue with a hammer and used spray paint on it during Saturday’s demonstrations.
When he died, McDonogh left a large portion of his money to New Orleans and Baltimore for schools, and many schools in New Orleans are named after him.
The McDonogh Day celebration in which schoolchildren across the city laid flowers at a different monument to McDonogh became the subject of boycotts in the 1950s. The ceremony was racially segregated, and African-American children would have to wait for hours for white children to lay their flowers first.
The statue’s toppling is part of a nationwide effort to remove monuments to the Confederacy or with links to slavery as the country grapples with widespread protests against police brutality toward African Americans.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Anthony Fauci: MLB shouldn’t play any games after September

It may be orchestrated .
It could be social media momentum ... .

With Major League Baseball and its players association arguing over when the season should start, one of the nation’s leading coronavirus experts weighed in about when play should end.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, doesn’t want to see baseball played beyond September this year.
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Fauci said Tuesday, “If the question is time, I would try to keep it in the core summer months and end it not with the way we play the World Series, until the end of October when it’s cold. I would avoid that.”
Numerous U.S. states, including many that are home to MLB teams, are seeing rises in COVID-19 cases.
“Even in warm weather, like in Arizona and California, we’re starting to see resurgences as we open up (after shelter-at-home periods),” Fauci told the Times. “But I think the chances of there being less of an issue in the end of July and all of August and September are much, much better than if you go into October.”
Fauci said avoiding October baseball would probably be advantageous, adding, “I’d have to underscore ‘probably.’ This virus is one that keeps fooling us. Under most circumstances — but we don’t know for sure here — viruses do better when the weather starts to get colder and people start spending more time inside, as opposed to outside. The community has a greater chance of getting infected.
“The likelihood is that, if you stick to the core summer months, you are better off, even though there is no guarantee. … If you look at the kinds of things that could happen, there’s no guarantee of anything. You would want to do it at a time when there isn’t the overlap between influenza and the possibility of a fall second wave.”
Regarding whether baseball should consider admitting fans in stadiums for games, Fauci told the Times, “Unless you have a dramatic diminution in cases, I would feel comfortable in spaced seating, where you fill one-half or one-third or whatever it is of the stadium, and everybody is required to wear a mask in the stadium.”
Discussions about when and how the baseball season should proceed are all hypothetical at this point, as team owners and the players union are engaged in feisty battle over the finances of a restart plan.
The MLB Players Association announced over the weekend that it rejected management’s latest offer on the number of games and the pay rate, asking MLB to set the dates for a severely shortened schedule. MLB commissioner Rod Manfred fired back Monday by stating he wouldn’t institute a schedule due to the union’s “decision to end good-faith negotiations.”


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Dramatic video shows moment suicidal father drives off cliff with twin toddlers

Chilling video shows the moment a suicidal father drove his truck off a cliff in San Diego with his 2-year-old twin daughters inside before all three were rescued .
The man plunged off Sunset Cliffs about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday after threatening his wife that he would do so , KNSD reported .
Dramatic surveillance footage posted to Facebook by CBS News 8 reporter Abbie Alford shows the man ’ s pickup truck with its headlights on as it shoots over the edge and falls roughly 30 feet into the water .
The video shows the large splash the vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another vehicle was closely behind , though it ’ s unclear if it was a police car .
But officers responded quickly and were able to save the father and his daughters .
San Diego Police K-9 Officer , Jonathan Wiese , was one of the first cops on the scene and told KNSD that he repelled down the cliffside to reach the family .
Recounting to the outlet what he saw when he made it down to the water , Wiese said , “ He had both girls , ” referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them and trying to tread water , but they were all going under .
One was awake and crying the other one was pretty lifeless.
” Wiese managed to get the group out of the water and onto a nearby rock .
The father and one of his 2-year-old daughters suffered minor injuries .
The other daughter was taken to the hospital in critical condition , but was expected to recover .

Chilling video shows the moment a suicidal father drove his truck off a cliff in San Diego with his 2-year-old twin daughters inside before all three were rescued.
The man plunged off Sunset Cliffs about 4:30 a.m. Saturday after threatening his wife that he would do so, KNSD reported.
Dramatic surveillance footage posted to Facebook by CBS News 8 reporter Abbie Alford shows the man’s pickup truck with its headlights on as it shoots over the edge and falls roughly 30 feet into the water.
The video shows the large splash the vehicle made upon impact with the water.
Another vehicle was close behind, though it’s unclear if it was a police car.
But officers responded quickly and were able to save the father and his daughters.
San Diego Police K-9 Officer Jonathan Wiese was one of the first cops on the scene and told KNSD that he rappelled down the cliffside to reach the family.
Recounting to the outlet what he saw when he made it down to the water, Wiese said, “He had both girls,” referring to the father.
“He was holding them and trying to tread water, but they were all going under. One was awake and crying, the other one was pretty lifeless.”
Wiese managed to get the group out of the water and onto a nearby rock.
The father and one of his daughters suffered minor injuries. The other daughter was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but was expected to recover.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Eagles looking to join ranks of the elite again

All eyes have been on Eagles Carson Wentz since Philadelphia ...

Second in a three-part series examining the Giants’ NFC East foes.
Even though it is understood things change rapidly in the NFL, sometimes it is remarkable how turbulent the roster shuffle can be. The Eagles are only three years removed from claiming the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history and yet fewer than 20 players remain from the Super Bowl LII victory.
It is far too drastic to call what it is happening in Philadelphia a malaise, but it is not unfair to say this is a huge season ahead for the Eagles. They profess to be cutting edge as far as having a forward-thinking front office and an innovative and player-friendly head coach, and yet there is a stagnancy to their most recent results. The Eagles seem better than what they have been the last two seasons. And they do not lack for confidence.
“When I look at our football team, when I look at the depth or our football team, and see where we are right now, it’s exciting,’’ Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. “We have a good football team and we can’t wait to get started.’’
Here is a look at the 2020 Eagles
What they were
The Eagles finished 9-7 for the second straight season. They won a weak NFC East mainly because the Cowboys imploded down the stretch. The Eagles wore down badly because of injuries and that downward trend continued in the wild-card playoff loss to the Seahawks as quarterback Carson Wentz got knocked out early with a concussion.
Key losses
LT Jason Peters (unsigned), S Malcolm Jenkins (signed by Saints), WR Nelson Agholor (signed by Raiders), RB Jordan Howard (signed by Dolphins), LB Nigel Bradham (unsigned), OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai (signed by Lions).
Key additions
Veterans: CB Darius Slay, DT Javon Hargrave, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, WR Marquise Goodwin, S Will Parks.
NFL draft: WR Jalen Reagor (TCU), QB Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma), OLB Davion Taylor (Colorado), S K’Von Wallace (Clemson).
The outlook
Despite the creativity oozing out of Doug Pederson’s fertile offensive mind, the Eagles are built the old-fashioned way, with a deep and powerful defensive line and what was perhaps the best offensive line in the league. The stunning loss this week of right guard Brandon Brooks to a torn Achilles tendon means a three-time Pro Bowler will miss the entire 2020 season.
The departure — unless he returns on a one-year deal — of left tackle Jason Peters should be mitigated by the ascension of 2019 first-round pick Andre Dillard, although replacing a future Hall of Famer is no easy task. The rest of the line — Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Isaac Seumalo — is terrific, but the loss of Brooks stings. The defensive line, anchored by Fletcher Cox, is muscular and athletic.
Problems surfaced when the Eagles relied too heavily on their lines, leaving the back end exposed on defense, and putting too much pressure on Wentz by failing to surround him with enough talent on offense. Steps were taken to alleviate these issues. The Eagles, with the 21st-overall pick, took Reagor, who caught 22 touchdowns at TCU, and expect a breakout year from running back Miles Sanders. Still, the Eagles did not exactly have an overwhelmingly impressive offseason.
Reason for hope
As long as Wentz is healthy, the Eagles have a chance. In his fourth season, Wentz became the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season and, more importantly, he started all 16 games before the unfortunate concussion in the playoffs. Before the surprising selection of Hurts in the second round of the draft, Pederson called Wentz and assured him his job was not in jeopardy. “He’s our starter, he’s the face of the Philadelphia Eagles, he’s the franchise,” Pederson said.
Reason for despair
Well, maybe not despair, but trepidation. The Eagles allowed 6.25 passing yards per play in 2019 and were 22nd in the league in defending the deep ball. This is why the trade with the Lions for Slay must work out. Slay, 29, is a top-tier cornerback and three-time Pro Bowler. If he shows any sign of slowing down, the Eagles, and their secondary, are in trouble. Plus, the lack of interest in resigning Jenkins, a true team leader, cannot be minimized.
Final word
The other three teams in the NFC East all hired new head coaches for this season. The Eagles, in comparison, are a bastion of stability, with Pederson entering his fifth year, with two division titles and three consecutive playoff appearances in the past four years. From the top down, there is quality in this organization.
Too-early prediction
Second place in NFC East.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Virginia police chief resigns following violent clashes with protesters

RICHMOND , Va. — Richmond ’ s mayor said Tuesday that he has asked for and accepted the resignation of the city ’ s police chief , saying Virginia ’ s capital needs “ a new approach ” to public safety after repeated violent clashes between police and protesters .
Mayor Levar Stoney announced Chief William Smith ’ s departure at a news conference and said a police major will serve as the interim chief .
“ Richmond is ready for a new approach to public safety , ” Stoney said .
“ There is work to be done , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” Stoney praised Smith as a “ good man ” who has served the city “ with grace ” but said it was necessary to move in a new direction .
“ This has been a difficult couple of weeks .
The change is because I believe we have to find ways to re-imagine the way we keep the public safe , ” Stoney said .
The announcement came after confrontations between Richmond police and protesters during more than two weeks of protests over the police killing of George Floyd , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes as he pleaded for air .
Tensions exploded Saturday after a police SUV struck several protesters blocking its path near the Robert E. Lee statue , a Confederate monument that has become a symbol for the oppression of black people and a main gathering place for protesters .
No one appeared to be injured in the incident .
Stoney has called for the officer driving the SUV to be placed on administrative leave and asked a state prosecutor to investigate .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confrontations between protesters and police , who used tear gas and pepper spray on demonstrators .
One protester was arrested after an overnight demonstration Monday outside police headquarters turned violent and three officers were injured .
Smith , a 25-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department , took over as chief a year ago .
Stoney said Maj. William Jody Blackwell will serve as interim chief .
The mayor also outlined a series of police reforms he hopes to put in place , including the establishment of an independent civilian review board to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alert system so that behavioral health specialists will be the first to respond — rather than police — when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis .
Stoney said he believes police should only use tear gas , pepper spray and rubber bullets as “ the last resort.
” “ We aspire to be a city where you can come here and peacefully protest … and people , all people involved — law enforcement and those peaceful protesters — go home uninjured , ” he said .
Gov .
Ralph Northam has announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lee statue , a move that was widely praised by protesters .
Several lawsuits have been filed to try to stop the removal .
Stoney has said he plans to ask the City Council to approve the removal of four other Confederate statues on Richmond ’ s famed Monument Avenue .

RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond’s mayor said Tuesday that he has asked for and accepted the resignation of the city’s police chief, saying Virginia’s capital needs “a new approach” to public safety after repeated violent clashes between police and protesters.
Mayor Levar Stoney announced Chief William Smith’s departure at a news conference and said a police major will serve as the interim chief.
“Richmond is ready for a new approach to public safety,” Stoney said. “There is work to be done, and we’re ready to do it.”
Stoney praised Smith as a “good man” who has served the city “with grace” but said it was necessary to move in a new direction.
“This has been a difficult couple of weeks. The change is because I believe we have to find ways to re-imagine the way we keep the public safe,” Stoney said.
The announcement came after confrontations between Richmond police and protesters during more than two weeks of protests over the police killing of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes as he pleaded for air.
Tensions exploded Saturday after a police SUV struck several protesters blocking its path near the Robert E. Lee statue, a Confederate monument that has become a symbol for the oppression of black people and a main gathering place for protesters. No one appeared to be injured in the incident. Stoney has called for the officer driving the SUV to be placed on administrative leave and asked a state prosecutor to investigate.
That incident was followed by two nights of confrontations between protesters and police, who used tear gas and pepper spray on demonstrators. One protester was arrested after an overnight demonstration Monday outside police headquarters turned violent and three officers were injured.
Smith, a 25-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department, took over as chief a year ago. Stoney said Maj. William Jody Blackwell will serve as interim chief.
The mayor also outlined a series of police reforms he hopes to put in place, including the establishment of an independent civilian review board to investigate complaints about police misconduct and an alert system so that behavioral health specialists will be the first to respond — rather than police — when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis.
Stoney said he believes police should only use tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets as “the last resort.”
“We aspire to be a city where you can come here and peacefully protest … and people, all people involved — law enforcement and those peaceful protesters — go home uninjured,” he said.
Gov. Ralph Northam has announced that the state plans to take down the Lee statue, a move that was widely praised by protesters. Several lawsuits have been filed to try to stop the removal.
Stoney has said he plans to ask the City Council to approve the removal of four other Confederate statues on Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Brute accused of shoving elderly NYC woman has been arrested over 100 times

The 92-year-old woman who was shoved into a fire hydrant ...

Reuven Fenton, Larry Celona, Craig McCarthy

A career criminal with more than 100 arrests to his name was busted for cruelly shoving a 92-year-old woman into a Manhattan fire hydrant — leaving his victim too scared to walk alone in her own neighborhood.
The injured elder, a Bronx native named Geraldine, spoke to The Post on Tuesday after cops arrested convicted sex offender Rashid Brimmage, 31, and charged him with attacking her.
“I thought a brick hit me or something hit me on the left side of my head, and I went right down and hit my head against the hydrant,” Geraldine, who asked that her last name be withheld for safety reasons, said of the attack. “Blood was coming out, not spurting blood, but blood was dripping.”
Geraldine, who has lived in Manhattan for more than 50 years, was on her way to Duane Reade when Brimmage allegedly shoved her to the ground near Third Avenue and East 16th Street in Gramercy Park at about 3:30 p.m. Friday.
She slammed against the fire hydrant and lay on the ground until a passerby called 911 and medics rushed her to nearby Beth Israel Hospital.
The former teacher, who never married but is dating an 89-year-old lawyer, said her physical wounds were relatively minor and have since healed — but the mental toll has been much more severe.
“Mostly I’m shaken. My head still hurts where it was bleeding, where I hit the hydrant — or where he hit me, I don’t know,” she said.
“Mainly it’s psychological — just the fear of going out on the street,” she added.
“This damned guy put me in a state where I’m fearful to walk the streets alone. So my super’s trying to find somebody who will walk me to a park nearby or to the supermarket, that kind of thing. So that’s the problem.”
Brimmage was busted by cops Tuesday and charged with assault after investigators recognized him from video footage of the attack, authorities said.
The frequent offender has now been arrested 103 times since 2005 for petty crimes and sex offenses, sources said.
The creep was convicted of sexual misconduct in 2012, then arrested for two sex offenses in 2014, police sources said.
In May of that year, he was busted for exposing and fondling himself on an East Harlem street, the sources said.
Just months later, in July, he was arrested for grabbing a woman’s behind at a Third Avenue deli.
In 2017, he failed to notify authorities that he changed his address and had to register as a sex offender, state records show.
At the time of Friday’s attack, Brimmage had three open criminal cases in the city, according to court records.
He was arrested Feb. 17 for a misdemeanor assault and harassment charge for an incident that happened in The Bronx a week earlier, according to records. He was released without bail in the case.
He was busted in the borough again March 5 and slapped with a trespassing summons, according to court records.
And most recently, he was arrested March 9 in Manhattan and hit with criminal possession of a controlled substance, assault and attempted assault charges.
He was given a desk appearance ticket for the bust and ordered to return to court at the end of July.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Rosenberg


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett has the coronavirus

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett announced Tuesday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and now is in quarantine .
@ @ @ @ @ news during NASCAR ’ s Hall of Fame announcement , explaining that ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ NBCSN ’ s studio with the other hosts .
The three-time Daytona 500 winner and @ @ @ @ @ only symptom he had was a slight cough and that he was doing well .
@ @ @ @ @ one of the very fortunate ones that my symptom has only been a slight cough @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s really getting less and less each day , so I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ , ” Jarrett said .
“ All I can say is follow all the guidelines @ @ @ @ @ possibly can and hopefully we can all get through this in the very near future @ @

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett announced Tuesday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and now is in quarantine.
The 63-year-old Jarrett broke the news during NASCAR’s Hall of Fame announcement, explaining that’s why he did not return to NBCSN’s studio with the other hosts.
The three-time Daytona 500 winner and 1999 Cup champion said the only symptom he had was a slight cough and that he was doing well.
“I’ve been one of the very fortunate ones that my symptom has only been a slight cough throughout all of this and it’s really getting less and less each day, so I’m doing very, very well,” Jarrett said. “All I can say is follow all the guidelines stay as safe as you possibly can and hopefully we can all get through this in the very near future.”


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Seven ways this Belmont Stakes broadcast will be different

This won ’ t be the Belmont Stakes as we know it , ...

The 152nd Belmont Stakes will be like none before it. This includes on television.
NBC Sports will not only broadcast a fan-less and shorter race, but it will do so with about a quarter of its own cameras compared to last year. It will also have a fourth of the usual staff working the event.
But its lead horse racing producer, Rob Hyland, vows the production will look and sound as good as always thanks to teamwork with the New York Racing Association and innovation.
The Belmont is batting leadoff instead of third among the Triple Crown races because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Essentially, this is the biggest event in sports in four months,” NBC host Mike Tirico said.
Tirico and analyst Randy Moss will be at the network’s Stamford, Conn., studio as part of a production that will be different in scope, but one which NBC says will look the same.
Let’s take a peak at what you will see and how NBC will do it.
Fewer cameras, same look
Hyland would normally have 25 of NBC’s own cameras for the event, but instead will have seven. The network will use 24 NYRA on-site cameras to fill in some of the blanks. Plus, it will use a helicopter for an overhead view.
“The actual coverage of the sporting event should look no different,” Hyland said.
Mic’d up
NBC is planning on putting microphones on three jockeys on race day.
The NYRA outrider will wear a microphone and a high-powered radio that will have the broadcast. That will allow the broadcasters to speak with the winning jockey immediately following the race.
Without 90,000 screaming fans, Hyland believes the race sounds will really enhance the broadcast.
Social distance interviews
Reporters Britney Eurton and Kenny Rice will be on hand. They will do interviews using a 6-foot boom mic, which will respect social distancing and still be able to transmit the audio.
There will also be six microphones around the venue, including in the paddock, where NBC will be able to do interviews.
Virtual parties
The pageantry of racing is in the event, and so NBC has partnered with the Breeders Cup and America’s Best Racing to create virtual watch parties around the country. They will be integrated into the show. The network will have access to the primary owners of the horses, too.
The call
Larry Collmus will be on his 10th call. Will he be impacted by the lack of fans?
“I was thinking about that earlier, I don’t think so,” Collmus said. “The main difference is the lead-up to the race when you hear the crowd.”
Collmus will call the race from a closer view. Instead of from the press box level, he will be closer on the third floor in the stands.
“That will be kind of neat,” Collmus said.
Track announcer John Imbriale will still do his call as well, but NBC and NYRA are working to make sure that without a crowd Imbriale doesn’t muffle Collmus.
Handicapping
The race will be 1 ¹/₈ miles as opposed to 1 ½ miles. Handicapper Eddie Olczyk will be located in his basement in Chicago.
Less is more
NBC said it will have 50 people in total working on the Belmont Stakes as compared to 200 last year. This could be one of the lasting impacts of the pandemic on sports TV production as there will likely be fewer people, especially on site, moving forward.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Westchester family asked to remove Black Lives Matter sign with MLK quote

A family in Westchester is outraged after they were asked to remove a banner on their home that was intended to support the Black Lives Matter movement , a report said .
Avisia and Dan Brown told WPIX they were given a notice of violation from the buildings department for the white banner which included a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. “ It was the Martin Luther King quote : ‘ Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere , ' ” Avisia Brown said .
“ No neighbors came to us to complain about it , I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said that they liked it and appreciated it.
” Avisia told the network that the violation said they had to “ take down the banner because it was against some fire code.
” The town ’ s counsel told WPIX that the violation was a result of complaints received by the town .
“ Banners are among the types of signs that are prohibited by the local law , irrespective of their content , ” the counsel , Vincent Toomey , said in a statement .
“ The Town has notified the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not in compliance with the law and several have been removed .
”

A family in Westchester is outraged after they were asked to remove a banner on their home that was intended to support the Black Lives Matter movement, a report said.
Avisia and Dan Brown told WPIX they were given a notice of violation from the buildings department for the white banner which included a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.
“It was the Martin Luther King quote: ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,'” Avisia Brown said.
“No neighbors came to us to complain about it, I had a few neighbors that actually came by and said that they liked it and appreciated it.”
Avisia told the network that the violation said they had to “take down the banner because it was against some fire code.”
The town’s counsel told WPIX that the violation was a result of complaints received by the town.
“Banners are among the types of signs that are prohibited by the local law, irrespective of their content,” the counsel, Vincent Toomey, said in a statement.
“The Town has notified the owners of these properties that the banners are not in compliance with the law and several have been removed.”


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--One wounded, one suspect sought in Dallas shopping mall shooting

One person was shot Tuesday at a busy Dallas shopping mall , and police were seeking a single suspect , authorities said .
The incident happened shortly before 7 p.m. at the Galleria in North Dallas .
Police Senior Cpl .
Melinda Gutierrez said the wounded person was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital .
Their condition was not immediately known .
The mall was evacuated as officers reviewed security video and made a store-by-store search of the mall for the suspect .
No other shootings or injuries were reported .
Dallas Police said on Twitter that there was “ not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers were positioned outside the large mall that also was ringed with emergency responder vehicles .
Sabrena Moore , 23 , said she was shopping at the H & M on the second floor of the mall when she heard several gunshots .
“ I started running toward the fire escape , because that ’ s the nearest exit that I saw , ” she told The Dallas Morning News .
She and several other people ended up taking a freight elevator that led to a parking garage , where she saw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are limited to admitting shoppers to half of their capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic .
About three-quarters of the mall ’ s stores had opened as of June 1 .
The reopening of retailers and other public accommodations has coincided with a sharp increase in the number of cases reported of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus .

One person was shot Tuesday at a busy Dallas shopping mall, and police were seeking a single suspect, authorities said.
The incident happened shortly before 7 p.m. at the Galleria in North Dallas. Police Senior Cpl. Melinda Gutierrez said the wounded person was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital. Their condition was not immediately known.
The mall was evacuated as officers reviewed security video and made a store-by-store search of the mall for the suspect. No other shootings or injuries were reported.
Dallas Police said on Twitter that there was “not an active shooter.” Meanwhile, police officers were positioned outside the large mall that also was ringed with emergency responder vehicles.
Sabrena Moore, 23, said she was shopping at the H&M on the second floor of the mall when she heard several gunshots.
“I started running toward the fire escape, because that’s the nearest exit that I saw,” she told The Dallas Morning News.
She and several other people ended up taking a freight elevator that led to a parking garage, where she saw a wounded man.
Stores at the mall are limited to admitting shoppers to half of their capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic. About three-quarters of the mall’s stores had opened as of June 1. The reopening of retailers and other public accommodations has coincided with a sharp increase in the number of cases reported of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--NBA players’ union lays out key 10 protocols for Disney restart

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said players opposed to going to ...

The NBA Players Association issued a memo to its players on the 22 teams whose seasons will continue with pre-Orlando and Disney World protocols in step-by-step phases.
Here are 10 highlights from the memo, which was obtained by The Post:
1. Players who are currently outside of the United States should have returned to their team’s home market by June 15 and all other players must return to their team’s home market by June 22 for mandatory testing beginning June 23. The only exception is the Toronto Raptors, who will travel directly to Naples, Fla. to practice at Florida Gulf Coast University. All test results are expected to have results within approximately 24 hours.
2. Once in market, players are expected to remain at home (with members of their household) and only leave for training or treatment at the team facility. It is also important that players speak to their team physicians about the medical conditions of residents of their household or potential guests to identify any household members who have risk factors.
The team will provide a hotel room for a player who has a household member that has risk factors.
3. Players may volunteer to participate in a Yale University study that has the goal of developing a saliva-based test for the coronavirus.
4. Non-participating players who are either “excused” or “protected” will not have their salary reduced as a result of their non-participation. The salary of any other player who chooses not to participate will be reduced by 1/92.6 for each game the player misses. Teams are prohibited from disciplining those who choose not to participate.
5. On July 1, individual workouts are mandatory for all players. Group workouts are still prohibited for medical reasons and no more than eight players will be permitted in the team’s facility at any one time. Head coaches may participate in and observe individual workouts. Head coaches had been banned thus far.
6. Teams will travel to Orlando on a staggered basis over July 7-9 to begin team activities. Upon arrival, players and team staff must stay isolated in their rooms until they return two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart (likely total of approximately 36-48 hours in-room). If both tests return a negative result, the player will no longer be quarantined. All 22 teams will stay at one of three Disney resorts, based on standings. The chosen three are the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, Grand Floridian and Yacht Club.
7. Players will have the option to wear a proximity alarm that will notify a player if he spends more than five seconds within 6 feet of another person on campus who is also wearing an alarm. It is optional for players. Players will also have the option of wearing an Oura smart ring that may help with the early detection of the coronavirus and will track temperature, respiratory and heart rate, and other measures.
8. Everyone on the NBA campus will be required to wear a face mask at all times, except when eating, in their individual rooms, during a workout or while engaged in a physical activity outdoors that is not within 6 feet of another person.
9. After the initial self-isolation through July 21, players may eat meals and participate in social activities (pingpong, golf, video games, card games, etc.) only with individuals residing within their hotel, provided that they maintain physical distancing. Also, until July 21, players are requested to have only brief interactions with players residing in other hotels that are encountered in common areas of the NBA campus.
10. No one will be prevented from leaving the NBA campus, but the expectation is that all players will remain on the campus. The NBA campus includes the several hotels housing players and staff, the Wide World of Sports complex, separate practice courts and various other auxiliary sites established like a golf course or medical facility. If a player leaves without prior approval, upon re-entry, he will be subject to enhanced testing.


newyorkpost--2020-06-17--Carol Barr, wife of Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr, dies ‘suddenly’ at home

The wife of Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr died “ suddenly ” on Tuesday night , reports said .
Eleanor Carol Leavell Barr , who went by Carol , died at the family ’ s home in Lexington for unspecified reasons , according to the Lexington Herald-Leader .
She was 39 years old .
“ Congressman Andy Barr ’ s wife Carol passed away suddenly tonight at the family home in Lexington , ” read a statement from Barr ’ s Chief of Staff Mary Rosado .
“ During this tragic time , we respectfully ask for privacy for Congressman Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being called home to heaven.
” She added : “ Congressman Barr may release a more detailed statement at a later date , but right now is solely focused on being a father to his two beautiful daughters.
” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said he and his wife were “ heartbroken for U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and his family tonight at the sad news of the unexpected passing of the congressman ’ s wife , Carol.
” Eleanor Barr was the director of the Henry Clay Institute for Statesmanship in Lexington .
Andy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kentucky ’ s 6th Congressional District since 2013 .
The couple had been married for 10 years .

The wife of Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr died “suddenly” on Tuesday night, reports said.
Eleanor Carol Leavell Barr, who went by Carol, died at the family’s home in Lexington for unspecified reasons, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. She was 39 years old.
“Congressman Andy Barr’s wife Carol passed away suddenly tonight at the family home in Lexington,” read a statement from Barr’s chief of staff Mary Rosado.
“During this tragic time, we respectfully ask for privacy for Congressman Barr and his family to grieve Mrs. Barr being called home to heaven.”
She added: “Congressman Barr may release a more detailed statement at a later date, but right now is solely focused on being a father to his two beautiful daughters.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he and his wife were “heartbroken for U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and his family tonight at the sad news of the unexpected passing of the congressman’s wife, Carol.”
Eleanor Barr had worked for Pfizer and previously served as the Director of the Henry Clay Institute for Statesmanship.
Andy Barr, a Republican, has represented Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District since 2013. The couple had been married for 12 years.


newyorkpost--2020-06-16--18 members of nature-loving ‘cult’ remain jailed in Hawaii for breaking quarantine

HONOLULU — Most of the 21 people part of a group who call themselves a misunderstood , nature-loving family remained jailed Tuesday over allegedly violating Hawaii ’ s traveler quarantine , even after they agreed to return to Los Angeles .
Eligio Bishop , leader of the group known as Carbon Nation , was released with two others Monday after he pleaded no contest to violating Hawaii ’ s quarantine , which is meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the islands .
After their release , they caught a flight to Los Angeles , but Bishop told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting for his remaining “ family ” to join him .
“ I ’ m outside , but my people are not .
My family is not .
My family is still stuck in those cells , ” he said .
The 18 others will be released soon , after all their paperwork and discussions with their attorneys are finalized , Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth said .
“ We are working on everyone else , ” he said .
“ They should be out by the end of the week.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over June 7 and 8 .
On the 8th , Bishop and others were seen at a beach , where Bishop petted a sea turtle , police said .
“ I definitely didn ’ t know that wasn ’ t allowed .
Never seen a turtle before that big , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve never seen a turtle just free in the ocean.
” All travelers — tourists and residents — arriving in Hawaii must obey a mandatory 14-day quarantine , which doesn ’ t allow people to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other than medical emergencies .
As of Tuesday , 740 people have tested positive for coronavirus and 17 people have died , according to Hawaii ’ s Department of Health .
Bishop said they weren ’ t aware Hawaii officials were serious about the quarantine , even though he and others signed documents at the airport acknowledging the quarantine order .
“ So , honest mistake because we were all under the impression that it was just like everywhere else in the states where it ’ s not that serious.
” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going around.
” Bishop says he is often described as a cult leader , but he said the distinction surprises him .
“ The first time I heard that , I thought it was kind of cool , ” he said .
“ Me ?
A black man , a cult leader ?
I ’ m from the hood.
” They have been misunderstood everywhere they have lived , including Costa Rica , he said .
“ We ’ re a group of African Americans that are protesting our conditions by leaving them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just make us look crazy on the internet.
” Carbon Nation members follow a vegan diet and believe — among other things — that all people are different shades of brown , member Kendra Carter said Monday .
Police decided not to arrest Carter and another woman so they could remain with their children without involving child protective services .
The group traveled to Hawaii seeking nature , Carter said .
They planned to make Hawaii their home , until they started getting death threats , she said .
“ My daughter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bishop said , referring to an Airbnb rental property where some group members were staying and where people were making threats .
“ And I was like , I was so afraid for their lives because you just don ’ t know what people are going to do.
” So they left Hawaii before Bishop ’ s release .
Jessica Lani Rich , president of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii , which helps tourists , said she ’ s hoping to get the remaining 18 on the same flight out .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people who break quarantine , she said .
Her organization was busy handling logistical details including luggage and making sure they get their IDs from authorities .
“ It ’ s aloha oe to the Carbon Nation , ” she said , using a common Hawaiian farewell .

HONOLULU — Most of the 21 people part of a group who call themselves a misunderstood, nature-loving family remained jailed Tuesday over allegedly violating Hawaii’s traveler quarantine, even after they agreed to return to Los Angeles.
Eligio Bishop, leader of the group known as Carbon Nation, was released with two others Monday after he pleaded no contest to violating Hawaii’s quarantine, which is meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the islands.
After their release, they caught a flight to Los Angeles, but Bishop told The Associated Press Tuesday he’s waiting for his remaining “family” to join him.
“I’m outside, but my people are not. My family is not. My family is still stuck in those cells,” he said.
The 18 others will be released soon, after all their paperwork and discussions with their attorneys are finalized, Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth said.
“We are working on everyone else,” he said. “They should be out by the end of the week.”
Bishop and his group arrived in Hawaii over June 7 and 8. On the 8th, Bishop and others were seen at a beach, where Bishop petted a sea turtle, police said.
“I definitely didn’t know that wasn’t allowed. Never seen a turtle before that big,” he said. “I’ve never seen a turtle just free in the ocean.”
All travelers — tourists and residents — arriving in Hawaii must obey a mandatory 14-day quarantine, which doesn’t allow people to leave a hotel room or residence for anything other than medical emergencies.
As of Tuesday, 740 people have tested positive for coronavirus and 17 people have died, according to Hawaii’s Department of Health.
Bishop said they weren’t aware Hawaii officials were serious about the quarantine, even though he and others signed documents at the airport acknowledging the quarantine order.
“So, honest mistake because we were all under the impression that it was just like everywhere else in the states where it’s not that serious.” he said. “People were still out, going around.”
Bishop says he is often described as a cult leader, but he said the distinction surprises him.
“The first time I heard that, I thought it was kind of cool,” he said. “Me? A black man, a cult leader? I’m from the hood.”
They have been misunderstood everywhere they have lived, including Costa Rica, he said.
“We’re a group of African Americans that are protesting our conditions by leaving them,” he said. “They just make us look crazy on the internet.”
Carbon Nation members follow a vegan diet and believe — among other things — that all people are different shades of brown, member Kendra Carter said Monday.
Police decided not to arrest Carter and another woman so they could remain with their children without involving child protective services.
The group traveled to Hawaii seeking nature, Carter said. They planned to make Hawaii their home, until they started getting death threats, she said.
“My daughter and my wife is in there,” Bishop said, referring to an Airbnb rental property where some group members were staying and where people were making threats. “And I was like, I was so afraid for their lives because you just don’t know what people are going to do.” So they left Hawaii before Bishop’s release.
Jessica Lani Rich, president of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, which helps tourists, said she’s hoping to get the remaining 18 on the same flight out. A grant is funding a flight assistance program for people who break quarantine, she said.
Her organization was busy handling logistical details including luggage and making sure they get their IDs from authorities.
“It’s aloha oe to the Carbon Nation,” she said, using a common Hawaiian farewell.