newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Yankees still have plenty of depth left to help soothe injury woes

It is always risky to look at a break in ...

A weekend series postponed due to the coronavirus and three more guys on the injured list. Nice job perfectly capturing both 2020 and the Yankees, Friday.
Yes, hours after Major League Baseball announced the sidelining of the scheduled Subway Series at Citi Field thanks to a pair of positive COVID tests for the Mets, the Yankees placed key pieces James Paxton (left forearm flexor strain) and Gleyber Torres (strained left quad and left hamstring) as well as reliever Luis Avilan (left shoulder inflammation) on the injured list.
Good grief. If Eric Cressey’s first season as strength/conditioning guru was going any worse, the celebrity trainer would be Marty Miller (Google him if you don’t remember).
The best news for the Yankees is that the Rays, who worked circles around them this past week at Yankee Stadium, appear only three more times on their schedule, Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. The next-best news? The next time they play, be it Monday (in a possible makeup or two against the Mets) or Tuesday (at the Braves), they hope to have Aaron Judge, no small addition, off the injured list.
The bronze medal for positive pinstriped spin on this dour day arrives in the form of roster depth: The Yankees aren’t quite tapped out yet. They possess intriguing internal options to fill these latest voids.
Whether anyone from the ranks of Tyler Wade, Thairo Estrada, Jonathan Loaisiga or Clarke Schmidt convert that intrigue into usefulness will help determine the success of this ambitious group amidst this atypical campaign and direct whether the Yankees must go outside the organization, with the Aug. 31 trade deadline looming, for help.
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Let’s start with Schmidt, since he’s the guy of whom we’ve seen the least, as in never in the big leagues. The Yankees’ first-round pick of the 2017 amateur draft has surged since showing up at spring training 1.0, elevating his stock considerably, and it wouldn’t surprise to see him take Paxton’s spot in the Yankees’ starting rotation. The right-hander has been working at the Yankees’ alternate site in Scranton.
After all, beyond trying to defend their AL East crown and grab the No. 1 postseason seed, the Yankees want to put together as formidable a playoff rotation as possible. If Paxton can’t make it back in time, with barely five weeks left in the regular season, then the Yankees would have Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka and more question marks than an episode of the old “Batman” TV show featuring The Riddler. Maybe Jordan Montgomery can continue to work his way back from 2018 Tommy John surgery, or perhaps even J.A. Happ can rediscover sufficient magic. Definitely, Schmidt possesses the upside to start and win in October.
The third-year veteran Loaisiga, meanwhile, has started two games this season — he served as sort of an opener-plus, totaling 5 ¹/₃ innings — and tallied a 2.77 ERA. He remains a guy whose swing-and-miss stuff excites people despite mixed results and a lengthy injury history. You might recall that in his big-league debut two years ago, Rays manager Kevin Cash, who caught briefly for the Yankees, said Loaisiga looked like “a young Mariano Rivera.”
Shifting to the infield, the hope is that Torres — who had been registering a rather miserable 2020 season — can return after the minimum 10 days, which would bring him back before his double-play partner DJ LeMahieu (sprained left thumb). For now, the Yankees will likely turn to Wade (who slid from second to shortstop upon Torres’ misfortune) and Estrada, both of whom inspired hope as minor leaguers that they could contribute at this level.
The 25-year-old Wade (.274/.351/.370 in the minors), up and down since Joe Girardi’s final year in 2017, will have the chance he has long wanted to earn his bona fides; if he delivers at shortstop, he can pivot to second if Torres returns quickly. We know he can run; everything else is to be determined.
Or, if Wade falters, the Yankees can stick with the 24-year-old Estrada (.280.337/.389 in the minors) upon Torres’ activation. Veteran Jordy Mercer, meanwhile, stands by as a replacement-level option if the kids can’t come through.
These are (sorry) your next men up, and they could be worse. The Yankees sure hope they make things better.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Aaron Judge’s return to Yankees appears imminent

The dark days in the Yankees ’ organization didn ’ t end after ...

With all three Subway Series games postponed this weekend at Citi Field, the belief is that Aaron Judge will be ready to come off the injured list whenever the Yankees’ season resumes.
That could be Monday if the Yankees and Mets play one or two makeup games, which has been discussed.
“That is the thought, he should be ready. For our next game he should be ready to go,’’ Aaron Boone said of the right fielder who has been shelved with a right calf injury.
As for second baseman DJ LeMahieu’s left thumb injury, Boone was upbeat.
“I’d say he is doing significantly better than I anticipated at this point. I think it will be sooner rather than later. He took some dry swings for the first time [Friday] and played catch for the first time,’’ Boone said. “I think the initial prognosis was two to three weeks. I think that is going to be a fair estimate.’’
The Yankees will work out Saturday and Sunday in The Bronx after about half their roster was at Yankee Stadium on Friday.
“Judge and [Giancarlo] Stanton were in hitting and DJ played catch today and [Zack] Britton and some of our guys needed treatment and pitchers who needed to play catch, so we had a dozen to 15 guys,’’ Boone said.
Boone said Aroldis Chapman will likely face hitters Saturday or Sunday.
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Based on his history of leaving the Yankees and returning, keep a light on at Yankee Stadium for right-hander David Hale.
Friday, the Yankees dealt the 32-year-old right-hander to the Phillies for 25-year-old righty reliever Addison Russ. The Yankees designated Hale for assignment on Monday. It is the fourth time in the last three seasons the Princeton University product has been designated for assignment by the Yankees.
Russ is 15-10 with 50 saves, a 2.48 ERA in 152 ²/₃ innings and 200 strikeouts in 126 relief appearances in three minor league seasons with the Phillies. Last year he pitched for Double-A Reading and went 5-6 with 22 saves and a 2.54 ERA in 55 games. He was with the Phillies in spring training as a non-roster invitee. The Yankees added Russ to their 60-man roster and assigned him to their alternate site in Scranton.
Hale made five relief appearances with the Yankees this season, posting a 3.00 ERA in six innings with one save. In 28 games with the Yankees from 2018-20, Hale had a 3-0 record with a 2.98 ERA.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Arizona Senator asks her supporters to ‘fast a meal’ to contribute to campaign

A down-in-the polls senator from Arizona is asking her supporters to “ fast ” for one meal — and give her campaign the cash .
Sen. Martha McSally ( R-AZ ) told an audience at a recent northern Arizona event that she needed more cash to fight off a tough challenge from her Democratic opponent , Mark Kelly , according to a clip published Friday by AZFamily.com .
“ We ’ re doing our part to catch up , you know , to get our message out , ” she says in the clip .
“ But it takes resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m not ashamed to ask , to invest .
If you can give a dollar , five dollars , if you can fast a meal and give what that would be , ” McSally told the crowd .
AZ Family ’ s video of McSally ’ s bizarre plea for cash had 1.3 million views by Saturday morning .
Her campaign insists McSally was just joking and issued a statement saying , “ This is a dumb non-story about a candidate making a joke on the stump.
” But the odd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong way as restaurants and residents struggle during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ This is the most tone-deaf fundraising pitch I ’ ve ever heard , ” wrote Matt Rogers , who is running for state office in Virginia .
Caroline Anderegg , McSally ’ s spokeswoman , accused Kelly ’ s campaign of exaggerating the story .
“ Anyone who is taking this selectively edited clip seriously is being intellectually dishonest , ” Anderegg wrote on Twitter .
“ Mark Kelly can ’ t run on the issues so his team is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Congrats guys.
” Kelly , a former NASA astronaut and husband to former Rep. Gabby Giffords , is currently out-fundraising and outpolling McSally , according to the news site .
The Democrat had more than double the campaign cash on hand by the last filing period at the end of June .

A down-in-the polls senator from Arizona is asking her supporters to “fast” for one meal — and give her campaign the cash.
Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) told an audience at a recent northern Arizona event that she needed more cash to fight off a tough challenge from her Democratic opponent, Mark Kelly, according to a clip published Friday by AZFamily.com.
“We’re doing our part to catch up, you know, to get our message out,” she says in the clip.
“But it takes resources. So, anybody can give, I’m not ashamed to ask, to invest. If you can give a dollar, five dollars, if you can fast a meal and give what that would be,” McSally told the crowd.
AZ Family’s video of McSally’s bizarre plea for cash had 1.3 million views by Saturday morning.
Her campaign insists McSally was just joking and issued a statement saying, “This is a dumb non-story about a candidate making a joke on the stump.”
But the odd attempt at humor has rubbed some the wrong way as restaurants and residents struggle during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is the most tone-deaf fundraising pitch I’ve ever heard,” wrote Matt Rogers, who is running for state office in Virginia.
Caroline Anderegg, McSally’s spokeswoman, accused Kelly’s campaign of exaggerating the story.
“Anyone who is taking this selectively edited clip seriously is being intellectually dishonest,” Anderegg wrote on Twitter.
“Mark Kelly can’t run on the issues so his team is pushing some BS non-story to get RTs. Congrats guys.”
Kelly, a former NASA astronaut and husband to former Rep. Gabby Giffords, is currently out-fundraising and outpolling McSally, according to the news site.
The Democrat had more than double the campaign cash on hand by the last filing period at the end of June.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--E-hail driver shot in Coney Island by gunman on bicycle

An e-hail driver was shot in Brooklyn Friday night during an altercation with a gunman on a bicycle , police @ @ @ @ @ 30 , was stopped and sitting in his car along Mermaid Avenue , between 23rd @ @ @ @ @ shooter on a bicycle rolled up to the vehicle , police said .
The two @ @ @ @ @ cyclist then pulled a gun and opened fire on the driver , striking him in @ @ @ @ @ police .
The victim , who was driving a grey Honda Accord with Taxi & @ @ @ @ @ drove off to flag down police officers nearby .
He was transported to Lutheran Hospital @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not clear what prompted the altercation .
No arrests have been made and @ @ @ @ @

An e-hail driver was shot in Brooklyn Friday night during an altercation with a gunman on a bicycle, police said.
The driver, 30, was stopped and sitting in his car along Mermaid Avenue, between 23rd and 24th streets when the shooter on a bicycle rolled up to the vehicle, police said.
The two exchanged words, and the cyclist then pulled a gun and opened fire on the driver, striking him in the torso, according to police.
The victim, who was driving a grey Honda Accord with Taxi & Limousine Commission plates, then drove off to flag down police officers nearby.
He was transported to Lutheran Hospital in stable condition.
It’s not clear what prompted the altercation.
No arrests have been made and an investigation is ongoing.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Luka Doncic exits with ankle injury in Mavericks’ loss to Clippers

LAKE BUENA VISTA , Fla. — Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers looked to rough up Dallas right from the start .
The real pain was felt by Luka Doncic , who limped off with a sprained left ankle that could put the All-Star ’ s status in jeopardy for the next game .
Leonard had 36 points , nine rebounds and eight assists , leading Los Angeles to a 130-122 victory over the Mavericks on Friday night for a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round series .
Landry Shamet had 18 points for the Clippers , who bounced back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though Paul George shot poorly again .
Ivica Zubac added 15 .
“ We came out with more energy in the first quarter , ” Leonard said .
“ They won that game in the first quarter.
” Doncic had a triple-double but also limped off the court after spraining his left ankle in the third quarter .
He returned to play a little of the fourth before checking out for good and going back to the locker room area .
Coach Rick Carlisle said Doncic would get treatment Saturday in hopes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think we ’ ll know more tomorrow , ” said Doncic , adding he would get an MRI exam on Saturday .
The Clippers had been in control for a while by the time he was hurt , using a team-record , 45-point second quarter to build a big lead .
And when Dallas cut it to eight midway through the fourth quarter , Leonard responded with a 3-pointer and left-handed dunk on consecutive Clippers possessions to restore a comfortable lead .
“ That was a fast-paced game but for Kawhi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though it ’ s fast and he ’ s never in a rush and knows where to go , ” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said .
Kristaps Porzingis had 34 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks .
Seth Curry and Tim Hardaway Jr. each added 22 points .
Doncic finished with 13 points , 10 rebounds and 10 assists but had a rough night , shooting just 4 for 14 from the field and 4 for 10 from the foul line .
George shot 3 for 16 .
He was just 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shamet picked up the slack while starting for the injured Patrick Beverley , who missed his second straight game .
Shamet totaled just two points in the first two games .
Doncic was defending Leonard on a drive with about 4 minutes remaining in the third when his left ankle rolled and he fell to the court .
He got up and tried to go toward the nearby Dallas bench but quickly went back down to the court again .
He was then able to get back up and limp directly toward the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the bench area a few minutes later and started the fourth quarter but he wasn ’ t moving well and soon departed again , sitting on the bench with his head in his hand .
Carlisle said the good news was the injury was to the left ankle , not the one that has troubled the second-year guard .
Rivers said the seventh-seeded Mavs had outplayed the No .
2 Clippers through two games .
But after an even first quarter in which Doncic and Montrezl Harrell got technical fouls after getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles asserted itself in the second .
“ That was a big emphasis to get more physical to get them out of their game , ” Zubac said .
It was tied at 35 before the Clippers held the Mavs to three baskets over nearly five minutes , outscoring them 17-6 to open a 52-41 lead .
Los Angeles scored 45 points in the period and led 68-54 at halftime .
“ Our undoing was the second quarter , ” Carlisle said .

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers looked to rough up Dallas right from the start.
The real pain was felt by Luka Doncic, who limped off with a sprained left ankle that could put the All-Star’s status in jeopardy for the next game.
Leonard had 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, leading Los Angeles to a 130-122 victory over the Mavericks on Friday night for a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round series.
Landry Shamet had 18 points for the Clippers, who bounced back from their loss in Game 2 even though Paul George shot poorly again. Ivica Zubac added 15.
“We came out with more energy in the first quarter,” Leonard said. “They won that game in the first quarter.”
Doncic had a triple-double but also limped off the court after spraining his left ankle in the third quarter. He returned to play a little of the fourth before checking out for good and going back to the locker room area.
Coach Rick Carlisle said Doncic would get treatment Saturday in hopes of playing in Game 4 on Sunday.
“I think we’ll know more tomorrow,” said Doncic, adding he would get an MRI exam on Saturday.
The Clippers had been in control for a while by the time he was hurt, using a team-record, 45-point second quarter to build a big lead. And when Dallas cut it to eight midway through the fourth quarter, Leonard responded with a 3-pointer and left-handed dunk on consecutive Clippers possessions to restore a comfortable lead.
“That was a fast-paced game but for Kawhi, he can see the game even though it’s fast and he’s never in a rush and knows where to go,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said.
Kristaps Porzingis had 34 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks. Seth Curry and Tim Hardaway Jr. each added 22 points.
Doncic finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists but had a rough night, shooting just 4 for 14 from the field and 4 for 10 from the foul line.
George shot 3 for 16. He was just 4 for 17 in Game 2.
But Shamet picked up the slack while starting for the injured Patrick Beverley, who missed his second straight game. Shamet totaled just two points in the first two games.
Doncic was defending Leonard on a drive with about 4 minutes remaining in the third when his left ankle rolled and he fell to the court. He got up and tried to go toward the nearby Dallas bench but quickly went back down to the court again. He was then able to get back up and limp directly toward the locker room area.
He came back to the bench area a few minutes later and started the fourth quarter but he wasn’t moving well and soon departed again, sitting on the bench with his head in his hand.
Carlisle said the good news was the injury was to the left ankle, not the one that has troubled the second-year guard.
Rivers said the seventh-seeded Mavs had outplayed the No. 2 Clippers through two games. But after an even first quarter in which Doncic and Montrezl Harrell got technical fouls after getting tangled up and exchanging words, Los Angeles asserted itself in the second.
“That was a big emphasis to get more physical to get them out of their game,” Zubac said.
It was tied at 35 before the Clippers held the Mavs to three baskets over nearly five minutes, outscoring them 17-6 to open a 52-41 lead. Los Angeles scored 45 points in the period and led 68-54 at halftime.
“Our undoing was the second quarter,” Carlisle said.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Grand Canyon cliff collapse reveals 313 million year old fossilized tracks

Some 313 million years ago , two animals crossed a sand dune in what would become the Grand Canyon — and now , paleontologists say that chance crossing has been preserved as the national park ’ s oldest fossilized vertebrate tracks .
The tracks had surfaced after a cliff collapse , and were first discovered in 2016 by Norwegian geologist Allan Krill — a visiting professor at the University of Nevada who was hiking with his students at the time , reports CNN .
Krill sent a photo to his colleague , Stephen Rowland , who revealed just how old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One .
“ These are by far the oldest vertebrate tracks in Grand Canyon , which is known for its abundant fossil tracks , ” Rowland said in a statement .
“ They are among the oldest tracks on Earth of shelled-egg-laying animals , such as reptiles , and the earliest evidence of vertebrate animals walking in sand dunes.
” The two animals crossed the same dune hours or even days apart , the journal noted .
Scientists noticed that both used a distinctive “ lateral-sequence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rear legs on one side moved before the front and rear legs on their other side moved .
“ Living species of tetrapods , dogs and cats , for example , routinely use a lateral-sequence gait when they walk slowly , ” Rowland explained .
“ The Bright Angel Trail tracks document the use of this gait very early in the history of vertebrate animals .
We previously had no information about that .
”

Some 313 million years ago, two animals crossed a sand dune in what would become the Grand Canyon — and now, paleontologists say that chance crossing has been preserved as the national park’s oldest fossilized vertebrate tracks.
The tracks had surfaced after a cliff collapse, and were first discovered in 2016 by Norwegian geologist Allan Krill, a visiting professor at the University of Nevada who was hiking with his students at the time, reports CNN.
Krill sent a photo to his colleague Stephen Rowland, who revealed just how old and significant the imprints were in a paper published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.
“These are by far the oldest vertebrate tracks in Grand Canyon, which is known for its abundant fossil tracks,” Rowland said in a statement.
“They are among the oldest tracks on Earth of shelled-egg-laying animals, such as reptiles, and the earliest evidence of vertebrate animals walking in sand dunes.”
The two animals crossed the same dune hours or even days apart, the journal noted.
Scientists noticed that both used a distinctive “lateral-sequence” walk, meaning their front and rear legs on one side moved before the front and rear legs on their other side moved.
“Living species of tetrapods, dogs and cats, for example, routinely use a lateral-sequence gait when they walk slowly,” Rowland explained.
“The Bright Angel Trail tracks document the use of this gait very early in the history of vertebrate animals. We previously had no information about that.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Julian Love taking on challenge of Giants super-sub role

By the time T.J. Brunson lowered the boom , the Giants ...

Julian Love is the embodiment of the newest buzzword inside the Giants.
“Cross-training” refers to offensive tackles playing on both ends of the line of scrimmage, defensive linemen sliding from the interior to the edge, and receivers rotating from the outside to the slot.
Or, in Love’s case, lining up in a different spot in the secondary from one play to the next — by design or necessity.
“I think it’s a special thing,” Love said. “We have very intelligent players who are capable of doing whatever is asked of them. That’s what we’re pushing, to really be there for each other. When adversity strikes we just want to make sure everyone is ready. It’s been exciting for all of us to take on this challenge.”
Strong safety Jabrill Peppers missed the final five games of last season due to injury. Love stepped in.
Rookie free safety Xavier McKinney sat out Friday’s scrimmage to manage his workload. Love stepped in.
Cornerbacks DeAndre Baker (exempt list) and Sam Beal (COVID-19 opt-out clause) likely won’t play this season. Maybe Love will step in.
“There’s just a learning curve, so you’ve seen him improve every day,” coach Joe Judge said. “He’s been more vocal. That’s important in his role, being the signal-caller in the deep part of the field.
“He has the athletic ability that we’re going to play him in a different variety of spots based on the matchups. You see him play up in some man-coverage sometimes. We’re going to move him around as needed.”
Love was in line to start before the Giants used a second-round pick on McKinney. Now, he’s like a super-sub with no hard feelings.
“When Xavier was drafted, I just thought, ‘Wow, that’s great firepower for us,’ ” Love said. “I had heard about him, I know how he is as a person, as a player, how he prepares. I think that’s what we needed around here.”
Love’s ability was on display in the scrimmage when he pulled a touchdown catch out of Golden Tate’s hands in a battle of two Notre Dame alums.
“He initially had the ball,” Love said. “He went up to get it and I just tried to finish it to the ground. That’s all it was, playing through the hands and really being aggressive trying to rip that thing out. I wanted to be in a better position to start, but it was a good finish.”
If there was a team silver lining to losing Peppers — the emotional leader of the defense — last season, it was Love’s sped-up development. He played three total defensive snaps in the first nine games compared to 406 the rest of the way — a “crucial” confidence-builder headed into his second season.
The Patriots employed a three-safety system of Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon during nearly all of Judge’s tenure as an assistant coach.
“I’ve bounced around positions my whole life in the defensive backfield,” Love said. “It’s no different now. No matter where I’m at or how old I am, I’m always ready to play whatever. I’m excited to do that. I just want to be a ballplayer, that’s what it comes down to.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Survivor in deadly NYC shooting may never walk again, family says

An innocent bystander has survived a deadly , broad-daylight drive-by shooting in Brooklyn — but may never walk again .
Sam Metcalfe , 33 , is feared permanently paralyzed after a bullet struck his spine Wednesday as he walked with his new wife near their apartment , just south of Prospect Park , according to a GoFundMe set up for his medical expenses .
Metcalfe ’ s wife had wanted to go the store for toothpaste — and he ’ d insisted on joining her because it was raining , and he wanted to hold their one broken umbrella to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Krysta Zagorski , explained in the fundraiser .
“ She told him he didn ’ t need to come , ” Zagorski wrote .
“ But he wanted to hold the umbrella for her because it was raining and the umbrella was broken .
“ While crossing an intersection [ at Ocean and Woodruff avenues ] less than five minutes from their building , shots rang out and Sam was hit , ” Zagorski wrote .
“ The intended victim ( not Sam ) was also shot multiple times and died as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victim Malcolm Amende , 18 .
“ Almost immediately , Sam couldn ’ t feel his legs .
We now know that the bullet hit his kidney and stopped when it hit his spine , ” Zagorski ’ s post read .
“ They removed his kidney but his condition is too fragile to attempt to remove the bullet just yet .
Doctors are still trying to stop the bleeding and Sam will likely never walk again.
” Within one day , Zagorski had exceeded the fundraising target of $ 40,000 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I can not tell you how much your support means .
It ’ s a testament to how loved Sam and Sabrina are and how truly incredible people can be.
” Amede , who lives less than a mile away from the shooting , was shot in the chest and the arms and died at the hospital .
Amede is believed to be affiliated with the Crips gang and the shooting was being investigated as gang-motivated , law enforcement sources said .
Police released shocking surveillance footage Friday showing the unidentified gunman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver ’ s seat of a gray BMW SUV just before 3:30 p.m. Footage obtained by The Post filmed in the moments after the shooting shows bystanders rushing to console Amede and Metcalfe .
One man could be seen holding on to Metcalfe ’ s hand , urging him to fight to stay conscious .
“ Keep your eyes open .
Keep your eyes open , ” he said .
The shooting was the second in less than a week in the area .
On Sunday , 46-year-old Paul Pinkney was fatally shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence memorial on Ocean Avenue — less than a block away , police said .

An innocent bystander has survived a deadly, broad-daylight drive-by shooting in Brooklyn — but may never walk again.
Sam Metcalfe, 33, is feared permanently paralyzed after a bullet struck his spine Wednesday as he walked with his new wife near their apartment, just south of Prospect Park, according to a GoFundMe set up for his medical expenses.
Metcalfe’s wife had wanted to go the store for toothpaste — and he’d insisted on joining her because it was raining, and he wanted to hold their one broken umbrella to help keep her dry, his sister-in-law, Krysta Zagorski, explained in the fundraiser.
“She told him he didn’t need to come,” Zagorski wrote.
“But he wanted to hold the umbrella for her because it was raining and the umbrella was broken.
“While crossing an intersection [at Ocean and Woodruff avenues] less than five minutes from their building, shots rang out and Sam was hit,” Zagorski wrote.
“The intended victim (not Sam) was also shot multiple times and died as a result,” she wrote of victim Malcolm Amende, 18.
Metcalfe remains hospitalized at Kings County Hospital, Zagorski wrote.
“Almost immediately, Sam couldn’t feel his legs. We now know that the bullet hit his kidney and stopped when it hit his spine,” Zagorski’s post read.
“They removed his kidney but his condition is too fragile to attempt to remove the bullet just yet. Doctors are still trying to stop the bleeding and Sam will likely never walk again.”
Within one day, Zagorski had exceeded the fundraising target of $40,000.
“THANK YOU,” she wrote. “I cannot tell you how much your support means. It’s a testament to how loved Sam and Sabrina are and how truly incredible people can be.”
Amede, who lives less than a mile away from the shooting, was shot in the chest and the arms and died at the hospital.
Amede is believed to be affiliated with the Crips gang and the shooting was being investigated as gang-motivated, law enforcement sources said.
Police released shocking surveillance footage Friday showing the unidentified gunman firing off roughly six rounds from the driver’s seat of a gray BMW SUV just before 3:30 p.m.
Footage obtained by The Post filmed in the moments after the shooting shows bystanders rushing to console Amede and Metcalfe.
One man could be seen holding on to Metcalfe’s hand, urging him to fight to stay conscious.
“Keep your eyes open. Keep your eyes open,” he said.
The shooting was the second in less than a week in the area. On Sunday, 46-year-old Paul Pinkney was fatally shot while lighting a candle at a gun violence memorial on Ocean Avenue — less than a block away, police said.


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--Yankees get chance for needed reset from missed Subway Series games

The Yankees ’ series against the Mets was postponed this weekend , ...

It is always risky to look at a break in the schedule and predict what it means to a team.
If a club is riding a win streak, the time off isn’t good. Of course, the break often helps a struggling team regroup.
So, based on the recent stretch of wretched play by the Yankees, the postponement of three Subway Series games at Citi Field this weekend due to a Mets player and coach testing positive for COVID-19 likely helps them.
“There is no question, coming off a tough series, having a day or two to regroup a little isn’t necessarily the worst thing, but any time we are missing games that comes home to roost later on,’’ Aaron Boone said on WFAN Friday afternoon, a day after his club dropped the last of three straight to the Rays.
After the way the Rays handled them this week, the Yankees need to push the refresh key. Helping them do that is the three-day break that could stretch to four if they don’t play Monday, which is a dark day on the schedule for both the Yankees and Mets and could be filled with a doubleheader.
There have been much darker days in Yankees history, but this one has been bleak. The three losses dropped them out of first place in the AL East and that doesn’t top the list of downers.
Aroldis Chapman returned from the COVID-19 injured list two days before Zack Britton went on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring problem. James Paxton underwent an MRI exam Thursday on his left elbow/forearm area that fortunately didn’t unearth a UCL injury but landed him on the IL with a Grade 1 strain of the left forearm flexor. How long he will be out remains to be seen. Gleyber Torres left Thursday’s 10-5 loss with a left leg issue. An MRI exam on Friday found Grade 1 strains of his quad and hamstring and he was placed on the IL.
All of that happened with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu already on the IL, which had to account for some of the ineptitude at the plate against the Rays. Need more reasons for a break?
Gerrit Cole gave up two runs and struck out 10 in 6 ²/₃ innings on Wednesday and was furious about being taken out with two outs in the seventh with the score tied, 2-2. Eventually the Yankees lost, 4-2, thanks to a killer fielding error by Britton who also gave up two hits and issued a walk.
If the Yankees and Mets play one or two games on Monday, Cole will be able to start, which he wouldn’t have if the games were played Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Submit your Yankees questions here to be answered in an upcoming Post mailbag
The time off could revitalize bats belonging to Aaron Hicks and Brett Gardner. Hicks is hitting .209 (14-for-67) for the season and Gardner is at .164 (9-for-55).
Finally, the Yankees had one hit in 21 at-bats with runners in scoring position against the Rays.
“It is something we have to hound on,’’ Luke Voit said of the Yankees’ putrid stick work in the clutch before they went 0-for-6 in Thursday’s 10-5 loss. “We talked about it before [Thursday’s game] and it’s still not enough. It’s very obvious we’re not producing in big spots.’’
That honesty comes from the Yankees’ hottest hitter who is hitting .311 (23-for-74) with a team-leading 10 homers, 20 RBIs and an OPS of 1.115. In Voit’s last 10 games he is hitting .405 (15-for-37) with six homers, 13 RBIs and a 1.407 OPS. He wasn’t part of the RISP troubles since he went 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs in the clutch against the Rays.
Of course the three-day break might cool Voit off, but it also gives Judge’s right calf more time to heal. He is eligible to come off the IL on Saturday.
The Yankees started the season winning nine of the first 10 games and announced themselves as the favorites in the AL East. Even after dropping three of four to the Rays in St. Petersburg (Aug. 7-9) and losing Stanton to a hamstring injury the Yankees bounced back to sweep the Braves in two games and take four straight from the rancid Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
Then the Rays and injuries to Britton, Torres and Paxton surfaced in The Bronx and left the Yankees in second place with a 16-9 record.


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--Islanders taking all-hands-on-deck approach into battle vs. Flyers

The Islanders are making a habit of bouncing back from ...

Barry Trotz won the Stanley Cup two years ago with a star-studded Capitals roster. Now he has sent them home early with a largely unheralded roster that embodies the team.
The Islanders, who learned they will be playing the Flyers in the next round after Philadelphia eliminated the Canadiens on Friday, have certainly gotten some star-worthy efforts along the way from young forwards Anthony Beauvillier and Mathew Barzal, but they are onto the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs because of how they have played as a group up and down the lineup.
“I think we did a great job as a team,” defenseman Adam Pelech said after the Islanders finished off the series Thursday night with a 4-0 win over the Capitals in Game 5. “It takes everyone. It takes the forwards, it takes the defensemen and great goaltending to limit a team like that’s offense.”
It is the second straight year Trotz has guided the Islanders to the second round of the playoffs after taking over a group that had missed the playoffs in back-to-back years and just lost its biggest star in John Tavares. The last time the Islanders won a playoff series in back-to-back years came in 1984 and 1985 — the tail end of the franchise’s dynasty.
Last year’s playoff run ended when the Islanders got swept by the Hurricanes in the second round. This time around — after handling the Panthers in the Stanley Cup qualifier and then dismantling the Capitals in the first round — they appear primed to have a better shot in the second round as they spent Friday off.
“People don’t recognize how tough it is to make the playoffs,” Trotz said. “That first round, to get through it is extremely tough. We’ve sort of done two of them already in this new format. It speaks a lot about our group. They have good focus, they understand how you have to play and how intense and how disciplined and how focused and how committed you have to be to have any success. They’ve been able to do that.
“That’s good on the leadership group. It starts at the top with [general manager Lou Lamoriello], right down to our players and our leadership of Anders Lee and [Josh] Bailey and [Johnny] Boychuk and people like that. Then you see the growth of some of our younger players, like a Beauvillier and a Barzal and a guy like Brock Nelson, who doesn’t get enough credit around the league.. … It’s a team effort. Then you add in some pieces like an Andy Greene, [who] has fit in really well, and a [Jean-Gabriel] Pageau. It just sort of balances everything out.”
Trotz went to the postseason all four years he was with the Capitals before they finally capped off his tenure in Washington with a Stanley Cup in 2018. They did so with big names like Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie racking up the points, John Carlson leading the blue line and Braden Holtby locking it down in net.
At least outside of Long Island, the Islanders may not appear to pack the same punch with Beauvillier, Barzal, Nelson and Bailey providing the points, Pelech and Ryan Pulock handling top defensive-pair duties and Semyon Varlamov coming through in net. But all the way through the lineup, they have bought into Trotz’s system and are reaping the rewards once again.
“When we step on the ice, everybody knows what they’re doing,” Varlamov said. “We believe in that structure and we believe in our coaching staff.”
With his old team now in the rearview mirror, Trotz is back to chasing the same goal.
“I had so much invested with that group of core players. I can’t tell you how much they mean to me,” he said. “I’m trying to have those same relationships with my group and hopefully we can share something special.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--Former Florida county tax collector faces child sex-trafficking charge

A Florida county ’ s former tax collector allegedly paid for sex with an underage girl and tapped the state ’ s motor vehicle database for records on people with whom he was engaged in “ sugar daddy ” relationships , federal prosecutors said Friday .
Joel Greenberg , a Republican , was the elected Seminole County tax collector until his resignation in June .
Prosecutors leveled the charges in a new indictment unsealed in Orlando Federal Court that accuses Greenberg of sex trafficking a child .
The charge involves a girl , age 14 to 17 , WESH-TV reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is punishable by a 10-year prison sentence .
The indictment says the crime took place during a six-month period in 2017 .
“ We vigorously deny the allegations in the second superseding indictment , ” Greenberg ’ s attorney Vincent Citro said .
“ The government will not be able to prove this case , and we look forward to prevailing at trial.
” Greenberg resigned two months ago after the feds indicted him for the first time on charges of stalking a political opponent and producing false IDs .
In 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on American-Islamic Relations condemned Greenberg for what they said were “ multiple Islamophobic , racist , and xenophobic Facebook posts .
”

Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
A Florida county’s former tax collector allegedly paid for sex with an underage girl and tapped the state’s motor vehicle database for records on people with whom he was engaged in “sugar daddy” relationships, federal prosecutors said Friday.
Joel Greenberg, a Republican, was the elected Seminole County tax collector until his resignation in June.
Prosecutors leveled the charges in a new indictment unsealed in Orlando Federal Court that accuses Greenberg of sex trafficking a child.
The charge involves a girl, age 14 to 17, WESH-TV reported, citing an attorney representing Greenberg. It is punishable by a 10-year prison sentence.
The indictment says the crime took place during a six-month period in 2017.
“We vigorously deny the allegations in the second superseding indictment,” Greenberg’s attorney Vincent Citro said. “The government will not be able to prove this case, and we look forward to prevailing at trial.”
Greenberg resigned two months ago after the feds indicted him for the first time on charges of stalking a political opponent and producing false IDs.
In 2018, the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned Greenberg for what they said were “multiple Islamophobic, racist, and xenophobic Facebook posts.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--Nets had no answers for Raptors’ Jarrett Allen adjustment

The Nets ’ odds to advance into the next round of ...

If playoff basketball is a chess match, the loss of Joe Harris has put Brooklyn in checkmate.
The Nets were already decimated, but losing the only proven shooter they had left allowed Toronto to adjust and take away center Jarrett Allen as well. Between the Raptors crowding him and his teammates not finding him on the half-roll, Allen was all-too-invisible in a 117-92 Game 3 loss.
“It was a little bit of both. I feel like whenever I was rolling they’d always bring another man to come tag me, and I just never got a chance to look at the rim,” Allen said. “That’s just how they played and they did that excellently. As you can see I wasn’t able to get a shot up, and we were able to just kick it out to 3.”
Allen had a game-high 17 rebounds, but was held scoreless until 6:23 left in the third quarter and didn’t manage a single shot, eliminated by high-IQ defender Marc Gasol.
“They switched every pick-and-roll,” Caris LeVert said. “Made it tough for Jarrett’s usual shot attempts, which are lobs on the pick-and-roll or drop-offs on the pick-and-roll, things like that. But we’ve still got to find a way to get him the ball, get him in the game offensively. That’s on myself, on [Chris Chiozza], the guards especially. But they did a good job of taking him out of the game.”
The Nets’ game plan was also more perimeter-oriented, with interim coach Jacque Vaughn saying he wanted the Nets to put up at least 50 3-pointers. They took 51, but missed 34, not the ratio he would want.
While Tyler Johnson praised Allen’s selflessness in making the right reads on kick-outs, the Nets won’t have Harris for Sunday’s Game 4 so will have to adjust to Toronto’s adjustments.
“Just kept continuing to make adjustments, changing coverages, giving Caris different looks, giving Allen different looks,” Toronto’s Fred VanVleet said. “We tweaked some things. Caris got a little more loose this game than in the previous two due to our scheme change that we did.
“So keep trying to give them different looks, and not give the same look every game, try to keep them on their toes, keep them off-balance, and keep them guessing. So we gave Caris a little more, we gave Allen a little less. I know they missed Joe, so we were able to stay home on their other guys. It’s a chess match. You’ve got to keep continuing to make adjustments throughout each series.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--Birth of panda cub brings ‘much-needed moment of pure joy’ to chaotic year

WASHINGTON — Delivering a “ much-needed moment of pure joy , ” the National Zoo ’ s giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a wiggling cub Friday at a time of global pandemic and social unrest .
An experienced mom , “ Mei Xiang picked the cub up immediately and began cradling and caring for it , ” the zoo said in a statement .
“ The panda team heard the cub vocalize.
” Panda lovers around the world were able to see the birth on the zoo ’ s Panda Cam .
Zookeepers also were using the camera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baby .
“ Giant pandas are an international symbol of endangered wildlife and hope , and with the birth of this precious cub we are thrilled to offer the world a much-needed moment of pure joy , ” said Steve Monfort , John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian ’ s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute .
Monfort said Mei Xiang ’ s age — 22 — made her chances of giving birth to a cub slim .
“ However , we wanted to give her one more opportunity to contribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
She is the oldest giant panda to successfully give birth in the United States .
The oldest in the world gave birth in China at age 23 .
Mei Xiang has three surviving offspring , Tai Shan , Bao Bao and Bei Bei , that were transported to China at age 4 under an agreement with the Chinese government .
The zoo has reopened to visitors on a limited basis , but the Panda House is closed .
Mei Xiang gave birth in a small den , where she created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the place looks tiny for a big panda , the zoo said giant pandas in wild give birth in small dens .
“ They stay in these dens for about the cub ’ s first 100 days , ” the zoo said on Instagram .
The zoo had given notice earlier in the day that Mei Xiang appeared to be in labor , noting her restlessness and body-licking .
Earlier this week , the zoo , part of the Smithsonian Institution , posted an image from Mei Xiang ’ s ultrasound that confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossed !
” the zoo posted , reporting that the fetus was “ kicking and swimming in the amniotic fluid.
” “ We need this !
We totally need this joy , ” zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Masson said when the pregnancy was confirmed .
“ We are all in desperate need of these feel-goods.
” Giant pandas at birth are about the size of a stick of butter .
They ’ re pink and hairless ; the distinctive black and white fur markings of giant pandas come later .
The zoo said Mei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process which was heavily affected by precautions over the COVID-19 pandemic .
The procedure was conducted shortly after the entire zoo shut down on March 14 .
Rather than using a combination of stored frozen sperm and fresh semen , the zoo inseminated Mei Xiang only with thawed-out semen to minimize the number of close-quarters medical procedures .
It was the first successful procedure of its kind in the U.S. using only frozen sperm .

WASHINGTON — Delivering a “much-needed moment of pure joy,” the National Zoo’s giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a wiggling cub Friday at a time of global pandemic and social unrest.
An experienced mom, “Mei Xiang picked the cub up immediately and began cradling and caring for it,” the zoo said in a statement. “The panda team heard the cub vocalize.”
Panda lovers around the world were able to see the birth on the zoo’s Panda Cam. Zookeepers also were using the camera to keep an eye on mom and baby.
“Giant pandas are an international symbol of endangered wildlife and hope, and with the birth of this precious cub we are thrilled to offer the world a much-needed moment of pure joy,” said Steve Monfort, John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Monfort said Mei Xiang’s age — 22 — made her chances of giving birth to a cub slim. “However, we wanted to give her one more opportunity to contribute to her species’ survival,” he said.
She is the oldest giant panda to successfully give birth in the United States. The oldest in the world gave birth in China at age 23.
Mei Xiang has three surviving offspring, Tai Shan, Bao Bao and Bei Bei, that were transported to China at age 4 under an agreement with the Chinese government.
The zoo has reopened to visitors on a limited basis, but the Panda House is closed.
Mei Xiang gave birth in a small den, where she created a nest out of branches. Although the place looks tiny for a big panda, the zoo said giant pandas in wild give birth in small dens. “They stay in these dens for about the cub’s first 100 days,” the zoo said on Instagram.
The zoo had given notice earlier in the day that Mei Xiang appeared to be in labor, noting her restlessness and body-licking.
Earlier this week, the zoo, part of the Smithsonian Institution, posted an image from Mei Xiang’s ultrasound that confirmed the pregnancy. “Keep your paws crossed!” the zoo posted, reporting that the fetus was “kicking and swimming in the amniotic fluid.”
“We need this! We totally need this joy,” zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Masson said when the pregnancy was confirmed. “We are all in desperate need of these feel-goods.”
Giant pandas at birth are about the size of a stick of butter. They’re pink and hairless; the distinctive black and white fur markings of giant pandas come later.
The zoo said Mei was impregnated via artificial insemination, a process which was heavily affected by precautions over the COVID-19 pandemic. The procedure was conducted shortly after the entire zoo shut down on March 14.
The father is giant panda Tian Tian.
Rather than using a combination of stored frozen sperm and fresh semen, the zoo inseminated Mei Xiang only with thawed-out semen to minimize the number of close-quarters medical procedures. It was the first successful procedure of its kind in the U.S. using only frozen sperm.


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--Subway Series postponement could bring big Mets rotation boost

As the Mets await the results of their most recent ...

The Nos. 4 and 7 trains will take the entire weekend off from converging, at least in a baseball sense.
A day after a Mets position player and coach tested positive for COVID-19 — postponing Thursday’s game in Miami and the Subway Series opener on Friday — MLB announced the Yankees and Mets won’t play at all this weekend, for precautionary reasons and to allow for additional testing and contact tracing.
The first installment of the Subway Series was supposed to run through Sunday at Citi Field. The teams are scheduled to meet in The Bronx next weekend, at which time doubleheaders could be played, but the Yankees and Mets also have a mutual off day on Monday that could potentially accommodate one or two games. But with Mets players not allowed into Citi Field through the weekend, it’s unclear whether team brass would want to resume play without first holding a workout. The Mets and Yankees also have mutual off days on Sept. 3 and 14.
According to a statement released by the team, the Mets returned to New York on Thursday night and underwent testing. Further testing was conducted Friday. The player and coach who tested positive remained in Miami, in isolation or quarantine as did any individuals who were identified as a close contact to the infected.
An industry source indicated the Mets returned to New York rather than remain in Miami because of concern about checking into another hotel in a city that has been a coronavirus epicenter. The team used a larger jet than normal for the flight home, with players separated from each other by at least 6 feet and instructed to wear masks throughout, without even an exception for food or drink. The decision to return home came after consultation with MLB and the team’s medical staff.
The Reds, Cardinals and Marlins are among the other teams in recent weeks that have dealt with players testing positive. The Cardinals, because of the outbreak’s severity, went two weeks without a game before resuming last weekend. The Reds, who dealt with one positive, had three postponed games over a four-day span.
With the Marlins scheduled to begin a three-game series at Citi Field on Tuesday, it’s conceivable Thursday’s postponement could be made up as part of a doubleheader in the coming days.
For the Mets, the postponements occurred at a less than ideal time. Not only had the Mets begun to break out of their offensive slump, they had won three straight games in Miami and were headed home to face a banged-up Yankees team. But the postponements will allow manager Luis Rojas to realign and perhaps bolster a pitching rotation besieged by uncertainty.
Among the possibilities, depending on when the games are rescheduled, is Jacob deGrom could potentially face the Yankees twice. The Mets ace, after missing a start last week with neck stiffness, had pitched Wednesday in Miami, leaving him removed from the weekend’s Subway Series rotation.
If the Mets and Yankees were rescheduled for Monday, deGrom could potentially get the ball on his normal rest and then return to the mound five days later at Yankee Stadium.
The down time could also benefit Michael Wacha and David Peterson, both of whom are on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. Wacha likely would have thrown a bullpen session on Friday if the Mets were active, perhaps his final step before rejoining the rotation.


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--NYC assault suspect misses court date because she was allegedly stabbing woman

A woman who was sent for mental health treatment instead of to prison for a pair of assaults failed to appear in court for a status update this week — because she was allegedly stabbing someone to death , The Post has learned .
The deadly turn of events came as Kaylha Armand , 20 , was also facing prosecution in a violent robbery earlier this year , records show .
“ How many chances can you give a person before you realize jail is the only solution ?
” an outraged cop told The Post .
“ Maybe if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , the victim in this case would still be alive.
” Armand was busted Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder of Fateema Boston , 20 , inside Armand ’ s Washington Heights apartment .
Cops said the motive allegedly involved a dispute but didn ’ t elaborate .
Armand and Boston — the mother of two boys , ages 1 and 3 — previously lived together in a group home , the victim ’ s family said , though they didn ’ t know what she was doing at Armand ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dates back to a 2016 attack by residents of a youth mental-health facility on a staffer there , according to law-enforcement sources .
During that incident , Armand and at least two other teens bashed the worker with an ottoman , according to an eight-count indictment that charged Armand with first-degree gang assault and related charges .
Armand was then sent to Rikers Island , where she was later charged with attacking a correction officer in 2018 , records show .
Armand pleaded guilty in both cases in December and prosecutors sought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in prison , according to the Bronx District Attorney ’ s Office .
But state Supreme Court Justice April Newbauer held off imposing the sentence and instead ordered Armand to undergo mental-health treatment and check in periodically in court , the DA ’ s Office said .
“ Miss Armand has since failed at several programs , and at each instance , an ADA recommended the jail alternative be imposed , but it was not , ” the office said in a statement .
“ She was due back in court on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not show and a bench warrant was ordered.
” Meanwhile , Armand was busted in Queens on May 30 when she was charged with a robbery that left the victim injured , court records show .
Takayla Boston , a cousin of the stabbing victim , was outraged at Armand ’ s lenient treatment by the criminal-justice system .
“ If she wasn ’ t allowed to walk free , my cousin would still be here with us , ” said Takayla , 16 .
“ If you all are going to claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the nuthouse.
” An aunt , Teshona Boston , said her niece was a victim of domestic violence who had temporarily lost custody of her kids and was living in a shelter for battered women .
But Fateema had recently got a job , arranged to move into an apartment and was about to get her children back from foster care .
“ She was getting her life together , ” Teshona said .
A spokesman for the state court system defended Newbauer ’ s handling of Armand ’ s case .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ facts and circumstances of the charges , felt that a supervised release program would both be beneficial to the defendant and ensure her return to court , ” spokesman Lucian Chalfen said .

Larry Celona, Reuven Fenton, Bruce Golding

A woman who was sent for mental health treatment instead of to prison for a pair of assaults failed to appear in court for a status update this week — because she was allegedly stabbing someone to death, The Post has learned.
The deadly turn of events came as Kaylha Armand, 20, was also facing prosecution in a violent robbery earlier this year, records show.
“How many chances can you give a person before you realize jail is the only solution?” an outraged cop told The Post. “Maybe if the judge would’ve figured this out, the victim in this case would still be alive.”
Armand was busted Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder of Fateema Boston, 20, inside Armand’s Washington Heights apartment. Cops said the motive allegedly involved a dispute but didn’t elaborate.
Armand and Boston — the mother of two boys, ages 1 and 3 — previously lived together in a group home, the victim’s family said, though they didn’t know what she was doing at Armand’s home.
Armand’s criminal record dates back to a 2016 attack by residents of a youth mental-health facility on a staffer there, according to law-enforcement sources.
During that incident, Armand and at least two other teens bashed the worker with an ottoman, according to an eight-count indictment that charged Armand with first-degree gang assault and related charges.
Armand was then sent to Rikers Island, where she was later charged with attacking a correction officer in 2018, records show.
Armand pleaded guilty in both cases in December and prosecutors sought to have her sentenced to one to three years in prison, according to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.
But state Supreme Court Justice April Newbauer held off imposing the sentence and instead ordered Armand to undergo mental-health treatment and check in periodically in court, the DA’s Office said.
“Miss Armand has since failed at several programs, and at each instance, an ADA recommended the jail alternative be imposed, but it was not,” the office said in a statement. “She was due back in court on Aug. 18 for an update but did not show and a bench warrant was ordered.”
Meanwhile, Armand was busted in Queens on May 30 when she was charged with a robbery that left the victim injured, court records show.
Takayla Boston, a cousin of the stabbing victim, was outraged at Armand’s lenient treatment by the criminal-justice system.
“If she wasn’t allowed to walk free, my cousin would still be here with us,” said Takayla, 16. “If you all are going to claim she’s crazy, put her in the nuthouse.”
An aunt, Teshona Boston, said her niece was a victim of domestic violence who had temporarily lost custody of her kids and was living in a shelter for battered women.
But Fateema had recently got a job, arranged to move into an apartment and was about to get her children back from foster care.
“She was getting her life together,” Teshona said.
A spokesman for the state court system defended Newbauer’s handling of Armand’s case.
“Judge Newbauer, based on the facts and circumstances of the charges, felt that a supervised release program would both be beneficial to the defendant and ensure her return to court,” spokesman Lucian Chalfen said.
Additional reporting by Jorge Fitz-Gibbon


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--Biden would ‘shut down’ US to stop coronavirus spread if recommended

HE did it , he really did it .
Joe Biden got ...

Joe Biden says he will close the country down to stop the spread of the coronavirus if scientists recommend he do so.
The democratic presidential nominee made the startling promise — and affirmed his resistance to defunding police — in joint interviews with his running mate Kamala Harris set to air on ABC News this Sunday night.
“I would shut it down; I would listen to the scientists,” Biden told ABC’s David Muir, in an interview taped Friday.
Biden reasoned that the key to reopening a country’s economy is first gaining control over the virus and its spread. He knocked President Trump for failing to realize that — what he called a “fundamental flaw” of the administration.
“I will be prepared to do whatever it takes to save lives, because we cannot get the country moving until we control the virus,” Biden went on.
“That is the fundamental flaw of this administration’s thinking to begin with,” he said.
“In order to keep the country running and moving and the economy growing, and people employed, you have to fix the virus, you have to deal with the virus.”
ABC’s Robin Roberts in a separate interview asked Biden if he wants to defund police departments, as Donald Trump claims he does.
“No I don’t,” Biden responded.
“By the way [Trump] proposes cutting half a billion dollars out of local police forces.
“Look what the police need — first of all, there has to be national standards that in fact applies to every police department in the country. And that’s what we’re going to do,” Biden went on.
If anything, police departments need “more assistance,” Biden said.
“I don’t want to defund police departments,” Biden said.
“I think they need more help. They need more assistance. We have to make it clear that this is about protecting neighborhoods, protecting people — everybody across the board.”
In another clip from the Muir interview teased by ABC News, Harris said the president’s personal attacks are meant to be a distraction.
“I think that there is so much about what comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth that is designed to distract the American people from what he is doing every day,” the California senator said.
“That is about neglect, negligence and harm to the American people.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-21--NYPD captain to sue department for $5M over alleged sexual harassment

The seduction has been easy , for those who ’ ve invited it ...

An NYPD narcotics captain plans to sue the department, claiming that another captain repeatedly harassed her with questions about her sex life — and that she was targeted with an Internal Affairs probe after complaining about him.
Sharon Carolyn Balli, the first female Indian-Guyanese ever made captain and a retired Army major, filed her notice of claim with the NYC’s Comptroller’s Office on Thursday seeking $5 million, the notice reads.
“I’m not an average female,” Balli told The Post.
“And yet this is extremely disrespectful on so many different levels and it’s quite scary.”
Her workplace was a “boy’s club,” she alleged. “I’ve been living six months of hell.”
Balli, who is assigned to Manhattan South Narcotics, had complained about Capt. Hariton Marachilian after he allegedly repeatedly asked about her sex life, the notice reads.
“While reviewing narcotics operation protocols, he has blatantly asked about Claimant’s and her husband’s sex life,” according to the notice.
“Do you have great sex?” and “You need to have more sex,” she recalled him saying, according to the notice.
She also claims in the notice that Marachilian tried to get into their shared executive bathroom on “several occasion[sic] from December 2019 to June 2020 while [she was] taking a shower.”
In addition, he allegedly tried multiple times to catch Balli undressing by using a spare key to get into her locked office, according to the paperwork.
Another colleague, Capt. Edwin Nuez — a friend of Marachilian’s — also made lewd comments, she alleged.
But when she reported the allegations, Deputy Inspector Andrew Arias told her that she had to “deal with it” and “I am telling you to stand down and shut the f–k down.”
Balli then filed a complaint with the Employment Opportunity Commission, which she says only further created a “toxic hostile work environment.”
She is now the target of an Internal Affairs probe, according to the claim, after she set up a camera in her office to see if her two colleagues went in there while she was away.
According to the notice, she believed someone had popped the tires on her bike and had been adding something to her coffee to make her sick.
“[Balli] was unable to recover the camera footage of her office while she was on vacation but Captain Marachillian, who was not supposed to be in Claimant’s office, was the one who allegedly found the camera,” the claim reads.
“We will review the lawsuit when we are served,” a spokeswoman for the NYPD said.
“This is a case of inept and insecure men, clearly threatened by a woman who is smarter and better at their job then they could ever hope to be,” her attorney John Scola said.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Family of paralyzed NYC shooting victim decries neighborhood lawlessness

Outlaws with guns are running rampant in New York City , an in-law to an innocent Brooklyn shooting victim told The Post on Saturday , blaming a lack of cops for his facing a possible lifetime of paralysis .
Sam Metcalfe , 33 , was shot in his spine by a stray bullet in Flatbush on Wednesday afternoon while walking with his wife to get toothpaste from a store .
Malcolm Amede , 18 , died in the same shooting , which police are investigating as a gang-related , law enforcement sources have told The Post .
The broad-daylight shooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avenues was the third in six days in the area .
Susan Parziale , Metcalfe ’ s mother-in-law , told The Post that police are no longer making their presence known in the area and “ aren ’ t doing anything ” about the violence .
“ The reason it happened is because the cops aren ’ t around .
That neighborhood used to be safe , ” said Parziale , who doesn ’ t live in the city .
“ It ’ s not safe now , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that neighborhood but now they aren ’ t doing anything.
” Parziale said Metcalfe ’ s wife , her daughter Sabrina , is “ not well ” as the family grapples with his injury .
Doctors fear the young husband may never be able to walk again .
“ Right now , they don ’ t know how he is or how his recovery will be , ” she added .
Police released surveillance footage from the shooting showing a gunman opening fire from the driver ’ s seat of a grey BMW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circulated in the aftermath of the shooting shows bystanders rushing to console Metcalfe and Amede as some tried to treat their wounds .
Sabrina ’ s brother , Joe Parziale , 30 , said he didn ’ t understand why there weren ’ t any police pictured on the scene in the clip .
“ After he was shot , there were all these videos and even minutes later , there were no cops , ” Parziale said .
“ There should have been a cop there in 90 seconds.
” Parziale said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police is the answer .
But “ something has to be different , ” he said .
“ Prospect Park is a heavily patrolled area , ” Parziale said , referencing the park just a block away from the shooting .
“ It ’ s not a matter of putting more cops on the street , but something has to be different.
” NYPD data from earlier this August shows cops have made nearly 10,000 fewer arrests over the last month — a 56 percent drop compared to last year .
Arrests are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But gun arrests are only down slightly — by 8.1 percent overall for this year , with 1,899 busts versus 2,066 during the same period last year .
While there have been reports of a police work slowdowns in the wake of local protests around the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd , Mayor Bill de Blasio has denied any such actions .
On Friday he attacked the Patrolmen ’ s Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch for saying the police were helpless against the violence .
“ Pat Lynch may want [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and women in the NYPD aren ’ t doing it , ” de Blasio told WNYC ’ s Brian Lehrer Friday .

Outlaws with guns are running rampant in New York City, an in-law to an innocent Brooklyn shooting victim told The Post on Saturday, blaming a lack of cops for his facing a possible lifetime of paralysis.
Sam Metcalfe, 33, was shot in his spine by a stray bullet in Flatbush on Wednesday afternoon while walking with his wife to get toothpaste from a store.
Malcolm Amede, 18, died in the same shooting, which police are investigating as a gang-related, law enforcement sources have told The Post.
The broad-daylight shooting on the corner of Ocean and Woodruff avenues was the third in six days in the area.
Susan Parziale, Metcalfe’s mother-in-law, told The Post that police are no longer making their presence known in the area and “aren’t doing anything” about the violence.
“The reason it happened is because the cops aren’t around. That neighborhood used to be safe,” said Parziale, who doesn’t live in the city.
“It’s not safe now,” she said. “There used to be police all over that neighborhood but now they aren’t doing anything.”
Parziale said Metcalfe’s wife, her daughter Sabrina, is “not well” as the family grapples with his injury. Doctors fear the young husband may never be able to walk again.
“Right now, they don’t know how he is or how his recovery will be,” she added.
Police released surveillance footage from the shooting showing a gunman opening fire from the driver’s seat of a grey BMW.
Graphic phone footage from bystanders that circulated in the aftermath of the shooting shows bystanders rushing to console Metcalfe and Amede as some tried to treat their wounds.
Sabrina’s brother, Joe Parziale, 30, said he didn’t understand why there weren’t any police pictured on the scene in the clip.
“After he was shot, there were all these videos and even minutes later, there were no cops,” Joe Parziale said. “There should have been a cop there in 90 seconds.”
“Prospect Park is a heavily patrolled area,” Joe Parziale said, referencing the park just a block north of the shooting.
“It’s not even a matter of putting more cops on the street,” he said.
“I don’t know if it’s a slow-down in response to the protests, or what it is,” he said.
“If that were a cop that were shot, they would be scrambling choppers.”
NYPD data from earlier this August shows cops have made nearly 10,000 fewer arrests over the last month — a 56 percent drop compared to last year. Arrests are down almost 40 percent for the year.
But gun arrests are only down slightly — by 8.1 percent overall for this year, with 1,899 busts versus 2,066 during the same period last year.
While there have been reports of a police work slowdowns in the wake of local protests around the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, Mayor Bill de Blasio has denied any such actions.
On Friday he attacked the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch for saying the police were helpless against the violence.
“Pat Lynch may want [a slowdown]. But the men and women in the NYPD aren’t doing it,” de Blasio told WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Friday.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Jets’ Bless Austin makes great play to intercept Sam Darnold

CB Bless Austin made a magnificent play to intercept QB Sam Darnold in the end zone .
Austin was guarding WR Breshad Perriman on a fade route during a red-zone period .
The ball was slightly under-thrown and Austin was able to pull it in .
The second-year cornerback has been making plays .
The offense struggled for the second straight practice .
The group looks like it is still in the learning phase .
Some plays look slow to develop , and there are chemistry issues with the unit that has seven new starters from the end of last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to miss .
The undrafted rookie stands 6-foot-5 and is 220 pounds .
On Saturday , he made two touchdown catches on jump balls .
Cager has an uphill battle to make the roster , but he made an impression in this practice .
The Jets got some good news with LB Avery Williamson , TE Ryan Griffin and TE Daniel Brown all getting activated .
DE John Franklin-Myers ( groin ) was a new addition to the injured list .
RB Josh Adams ( hamstring ) and LB Patrick Onuwasor ( knee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( hamstring ) , CB Pierre Desir ( hamstring ) , CB Brian Poole ( deydration ) , LB James Burgess ( back ) and DE Jabari Zuniga ( quad ) all remained out .

Highlights from Saturday’s Jets practice:
Truly Blessed
CB Bless Austin made a magnificent play to intercept QB Sam Darnold in the end zone. Austin was guarding WR Breshad Perriman on a fade route during a red-zone period. The ball was slightly under-thrown and Austin was able to pull it in. The second-year cornerback has been making plays.
Growing pains
The offense struggled for the second straight practice. The group looks like it is still in the learning phase. Some plays look slow to develop, and there are chemistry issues with the unit that has seven new starters from the end of last year.
Caught my eye
WR Lawrence Cager is hard to miss. The undrafted rookie stands 6-foot-5 and is 220 pounds. On Saturday, he made two touchdown catches on jump balls. Cager has an uphill battle to make the roster, but he made an impression in this practice.
Medical report
The Jets got some good news with LB Avery Williamson, TE Ryan Griffin and TE Daniel Brown all getting activated. DE John Franklin-Myers (groin) was a new addition to the injured list. RB Josh Adams (hamstring) and LB Patrick Onuwasor (knee) left practice. WR Denzel Mims (hamstring), CB Pierre Desir (hamstring), CB Brian Poole (deydration), LB James Burgess (back) and DE Jabari Zuniga (quad) all remained out.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Seahawks’ Branden Jackson ‘knocked out’ with injury during scrimmage

SEATTLE — Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Branden Jackson was “ knocked out ” and taken off the field on a backboard as a precaution after being injured during the team ’ s scrimmage on Saturday .
Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Jackson had movement in all his extremities .
The injury happened just before halftime of the scrimmage at CenturyLink Field .
Carroll ended the scrimmage after a lengthy break while Jackson was being treated .
Jackson was eventually loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital as a precaution .
“ It was at a time just before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the day just to honor our love for him , ” Carroll said .
“ He ’ s one of our all-time guys , favorite guys and everybody wanted to make sure we could send him as much as we possibly could to help make sure he ’ s OK. ” Jackson , a fifth-year defensive end , appeared to collide helmets with offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi and seemed to be unconscious before he landed on the turf .
Athletic trainers came out to assess Jackson and called for the backboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I didn ’ t see the replay , but he hit heads ( with ) I think Cedric and it might have caught him in the chin and it was like a knockout punch , ” Carroll said .
“ So we took all the precautions , took care of him .
He had movement and all that kind of stuff.
” While he was being treated , Carroll told his players to go to the locker room , but 30 or so remained on the field , including captains Russell Wilson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulled away .
“ The camaraderie that we have as a team is really special .
So if anybody goes through something on a play , in a moment , in life , we all kind of feel it , ” Wilson said .
“ So I believe that he ’ ll be OK it sounds like , hopefully , so we ’ re praying for healing and all that.
” Jackson has spent the past three seasons with Seattle .
Last year he appeared in 15 games with three starts and had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Carroll said he felt the team had already done enough to mimic the gameday process that he felt it was the right move to end the scrimmage early .
“ I didn ’ t think it was right to try and get everybody cranked back up again and go back out , ” Carroll said .
“ We didn ’ t need to do that .
We got enough done .
We ’ ll take the plays that we got and what we learned from it .
We accomplished the things that @ @ @ @ @ @

SEATTLE — Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Branden Jackson was “knocked out” and taken off the field on a backboard as a precaution after being injured during the team’s scrimmage on Saturday.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Jackson had movement in all his extremities. The injury happened just before halftime of the scrimmage at CenturyLink Field. Carroll ended the scrimmage after a lengthy break while Jackson was being treated.
Jackson was eventually loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital as a precaution.
“It was at a time just before halftime, so we called off the rest of the day just to honor our love for him,” Carroll said. “He’s one of our all-time guys, favorite guys and everybody wanted to make sure we could send him as much as we possibly could to help make sure he’s OK.”
Jackson, a fifth-year defensive end, appeared to collide helmets with offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi and seemed to be unconscious before he landed on the turf. Athletic trainers came out to assess Jackson and called for the backboard.
“The way I understand it, I didn’t see the replay, but he hit heads (with) I think Cedric and it might have caught him in the chin and it was like a knockout punch,” Carroll said. “So we took all the precautions, took care of him. He had movement and all that kind of stuff.”
While he was being treated, Carroll told his players to go to the locker room, but 30 or so remained on the field, including captains Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, until the ambulance pulled away.
“The camaraderie that we have as a team is really special. So if anybody goes through something on a play, in a moment, in life, we all kind of feel it,” Wilson said. “So I believe that he’ll be OK it sounds like, hopefully, so we’re praying for healing and all that.”
Jackson has spent the past three seasons with Seattle. Last year he appeared in 15 games with three starts and had a career-high 20 tackles and two sacks.
Carroll said he felt the team had already done enough to mimic the gameday process that he felt it was the right move to end the scrimmage early.
“I didn’t think it was right to try and get everybody cranked back up again and go back out,” Carroll said. “We didn’t need to do that. We got enough done. We’ll take the plays that we got and what we learned from it. We accomplished the things that we needed to accomplish.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--House passes bill to fund USPS, prevent mail delays ahead of 2020 election

With less than three months to go until Nov. 3 , ...

WASHINGTON — With heated debate over mail delays, the House approved legislation in a rare Saturday session that would reverse recent changes in U.S. Postal Service operations and send $25 billion to shore up the agency ahead of the November election.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled lawmakers to Washington over objections from Republicans dismissing the action as a stunt. President Donald Trump urged a no vote, including in a Saturday tweet, railing against mail-in ballots expected to surge in the COVID-19 crisis. He has said he wants to block extra funds to the Postal Service.
“Don’t pay any attention to what the president is saying, because it is all designed to suppress the vote,” Pelosi said at the Capitol.
Pelosi called the Postal Service the nation’s “beautiful thread” connecting Americans and said voters should “ignore” the president’s threats.
The daylong session came as an uproar over mail disruptions puts the Postal Service at the center of the nation’s tumultuous election year, with Americans rallying around one of the nation’s oldest and more popular institutions. Millions of people are expected to opt for mail-in ballots to avoid polling places during the coronavirus pandemic.
Ahead of voting the president tweeted, “This is all another HOAX.”
More than two dozen Republicans broke with the president and backed the bill, which passed 257-150. Democrats led approval, but the legislation is certain to stall in the GOP-held Senate. The White House said the president would veto it.
Facing a backlash over operational changes, new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified Friday in the Senate that his “No. 1 priority” is to ensure election mail arrives on time.
But the new postal leader, a Trump ally, said he would not restore the cuts to mailboxes and sorting equipment that have already been made. He could not provide senators with a plan for handling the ballot crush for the election. DeJoy is set to return Monday to testify before the House Oversight Committee.
“The American people don’t want anyone messing with the post office,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the chair of the Oversight Committee and author of the bill. “They just want their mail.”
But Republicans countered that complaints about mail delivery disruptions are overblown, and no emergency funding is needed right now.
“It’s a silly, silly bill,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.
Despite the postmaster general’s vow election mail will arrive on time, Democrats remain skeptical. Maloney’s committee on Saturday released internal Postal Service documents warning about steep declines and delays in a range of mail services since early July, shortly after DeJoy took the helm. He acknowledged at the Senate hearing there has been a “dip” in service, but disputed reports of widespread problems. The Board of Governors of the Postal Service announced a bipartisan committee to oversee mail voting.
The bill would reverse the cuts by prohibiting any changes made after January, and provide funds to the agency.
In a memo to House Republicans, leaders derided the legislation as a postal “conspiracy theory” act. Many GOP lawmakers echoed such sentiments during a lively floor debate.
“I like the post office, I really do,” said Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis. But he said, “We have no crisis here.”
Nevertheless, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is eyeing a $10 billion postal rescue as part of the next COVID-19 relief package. While Trump has said he wants to block emergency funding for the agency, the White House has said it would be open to more postal funding as part of a broader bill.
Hundreds of lawmakers returned to Washington for the weekend session, but dozens cast votes by proxy under House rules that allow them to stay away during the COVID-19 crisis. Another lawmaker, Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., announced Saturday he had tested positive for the virus.
Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, was on Capitol Hill meeting Saturday with GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy and other lawmakers, according to a Republican aide granted anonymity to discuss the private sessions.
The Postal Service has been struggling financially under a decline in mail volume, COVID-19-related costs and a rare and cumbersome congressional requirement to fund in advance its retiree health care benefits.
For many, the Postal Service provides a lifeline, delivering not just cards and letters but also prescription drugs, financial statements and other items that are especially needed by mail during the pandemic.
The postal board of governors, appointed by Trump, selected DeJoy to take the job as postmaster general. A GOP donor, he previously owned a logistics business that was a longtime Postal Service contractor. He maintains significant financial stakes in companies that do business or compete with the agency, raising conflict of interest questions.
In a statement, the Postal Service said DeJoy has made all required financial disclosures, but he might have to divest some holdings if conflicts arise.
Republicans have long sought changes to have the agency run more like a private company, and Trump often complains the Postal Service should be charging Amazon and other companies higher rates for package deliveries. The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, also owns The Washington Post, a publication that Trump frequently derides as “fake news” over critical stories of him.
Others say the Postal Service is not expected to be solely a money-making enterprise, often delivering to far-flung places where it is not efficient to operate.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Islanders: Our past dominance over Flyers means nothing now

This was , somehow , more than 20 years ago , and Lou ...

The Islanders did, in fact, play three regular-season games against the Flyers this season and happened to win all three of them.
But in a year like 2020, they might as well be ancient history, and the Islanders plan to treat them as such as they prepare to face the Flyers on Monday in the second round of the playoffs, with a trip to the Eastern Conference finals at stake.
“It has no bearing on where we are right now,” coach Barry Trotz said Saturday after the Islanders practiced in Toronto. “It seems like it’s years ago since we played them. We played them pretty early in the season last year. It just feels like forever. So I don’t think it has any bearing at all. There’s two pretty good teams that are going to square off. What you’re doing now really matters. What you did before has zero bearing on the effect of these games.”
The Flyers, who earned the No. 1 seed in the East with a strong seeding-round performance, locked into the Islanders matchup Friday night when they took care of the Canadiens in Game 6 to finish off their first-round series.
The Islanders were able to enjoy an extra day of rest by knocking off the Capitals in five games, and it may come in handy as they enter a series that is scheduled for two back-to-backs if it goes the distance.
After coming through a physical series against the Caps relatively healthy, the Islanders will now face a different kind of challenge against a Flyers team that has a hot goalie in Carter Hart, an experienced coach in Alain Vigneault and a deep forward group that includes plenty of skill.
“Obviously [they’re] a team that’s playing really good hockey right now, earned that No. 1 spot in the play-in round and then had a pretty good series, so another tough matchup for us, another tough task at hand,” captain Anders Lee said. “Looking back at those [regular-season] games, we’ll be able to look at them a little bit but it’s a long time ago. It’s in the past. Both teams are in different places in their play and obviously this situation’s completely different. So we can look at it for tendencies, but I don’t think [we’ll be] looking at too much of how the turnout was and taking it from there.”
Two of the three meetings this season came before the calendar flipped to 2020 — with the Islanders winning 5-3 in October, 4-3 in a November shootout then 5-3 in February. Goals figure to be at more of a premium for this playoff series, though, with Hart playing well and the Islanders playing lockdown defense at five-on-five.
“I think both sides are going to be looking to improve upon where they stand currently and demand more from one another and expect to raise our game,” Lee said. “I think every round gets that much tougher and the intensity, the desperation, all those things we talk about all the time, they all increase as you move on.”
Though the circumstances were much different, the Islanders were coming off a big first-round series win last year when they quickly got swept away in the second round by the Hurricanes. Trotz is hoping the lack of a long layoff between series this year — compared to the nine days off in between in 2019 — can help his team keep rolling after thriving in their system against the Capitals.
“Nine days [off] is not good for any team,” Trotz said. “We just lost the rhythm, a little bit of our mojo if you will. This has been good. You get a day or two to rest up, get guys closer to 100 percent … and you get ready for an opponent.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Jared Kushner, Mike Pompeo head to Middle East for more Israel peace talks

President Trump will send two top deputies to the Middle East in the coming days in hopes of building on @ @ @ @ @ Israel and the United Arab Emirates .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo leaves Sunday for @ @ @ @ @ take him to Israel , Bahrain , Oman , the United Arab Emirates , Qatar @ @ @ @ @ the Associated Press Saturday .
Jared Kushner , the president ’ s son-in-law and senior @ @ @ @ @ , Bahrain , Oman , Saudi Arabia and Morocco a few days later .
Both @ @ @ @ @ or more normalization deals patterned after the Israel-UAE agreement , a US-brokered accord that established @ @ @ @ @ travel between the two nations .
Trump announced the surprise pact in an Aug. 13 @ @ @ @ @ “ HUGE breakthrough.
” The long-sought covenant was seen as a major foreign policy victory @ @ @ @ @ ’ s presidential election .

President Trump will send two top deputies to the Middle East in the coming days in hopes of building on the recent peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo leaves Sunday for a six-nation tour that will take him to Israel, Bahrain, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Sudan, sources told the Associated Press Saturday.
Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, heads to Israel, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Morocco a few days later.
Both trips aim to finalize one or more normalization deals patterned after the Israel-UAE agreement, a US-brokered accord that established full diplomatic relations and direct travel between the two nations.
Trump announced the surprise pact in an Aug. 13 tweet, calling it a “HUGE breakthrough.”
The long-sought covenant was seen as a major foreign policy victory for Trump ahead of November’s presidential election.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--An economic crisis is the wrong time for NYC to play race games with its assistance

As part of just-concluded Harlem Week , Mayor de Blasio announced a new “ push for black entrepreneurs.
” But with the city ’ s entire small-business community bleeding out , this is driving for social justice on the Titanic .
In normal times , the city Department of Small Business Services ’ launch of four new programs for black business owners would be nice enough .
But in a crisis , race-based favoritism for just one of Gotham ’ s many tribes is no way to unify the city .
As for de Blasio ’ s claim that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — well , a whole mosaic of peoples can claim equal or greater credit .
( Nor does it help that the week before he was backpedaling from his harsh dismissal of a Chinatown businessman plaintively requesting city assistance . )
Reality check : The project comes from de Blasio ’ s “ racial inclusion and equity task force , ” co-chaired by first lady Chirlane McCray ( as part of the mayor ’ s effort to set her up to win the coming Brooklyn borough president race ) .
This is mainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one seriously believes that such marginal help will do much to change the fact that black-owned businesses are dying at a greater rate in the pandemic , or that African Americans own only 2 percent of businesses though they make up 22 percent of the city ’ s population .
Fact is , every struggling small-business owner could use what this offers : better access to capital , help preparing for the economy of tomorrow and networking with others in their business .
Times are too tough for little folks of all races @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be trying to pick winners and losers on any basis .
A more equitable city is one where all boats rise in prosperity .
In support of the initiative , one task force member said , “ When every entrepreneur succeeds , we all succeed.
” That ’ s an argument for a broad , color-blind effort to boost all small businesses .
Black , Hispanic , white , Asian , gay , straight , male , female — whatever : To get past this economic free-fall , all New Yorkers need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

As part of just-concluded Harlem Week, Mayor de Blasio announced a new “push for black entrepreneurs.” But with the city’s entire small-business community bleeding out, this is driving for social justice on the Titanic.
In normal times, the city Department of Small Business Services’ launch of four new programs for black business owners would be nice enough. But in a crisis, race-based favoritism for just one of Gotham’s many tribes is no way to unify the city.
As for de Blasio’s claim that “black entrepreneurs built New York City” — well, a whole mosaic of peoples can claim equal or greater credit. (Nor does it help that the week before he was backpedaling from his harsh dismissal of a Chinatown businessman plaintively requesting city assistance.)
Reality check: The project comes from de Blasio’s “racial inclusion and equity task force,” co-chaired by first lady Chirlane McCray (as part of the mayor’s effort to set her up to win the coming Brooklyn borough president race). This is mainly politics, not policy.
And no one seriously believes that such marginal help will do much to change the fact that black-owned businesses are dying at a greater rate in the pandemic, or that African Americans own only 2 percent of businesses though they make up 22 percent of the city’s population.
Fact is, every struggling small-business owner could use what this offers: better access to capital, help preparing for the economy of tomorrow and networking with others in their business.
Times are too tough for little folks of all races, creeds and genders for the city to be trying to pick winners and losers on any basis. A more equitable city is one where all boats rise in prosperity.
In support of the initiative, one task force member said, “When every entrepreneur succeeds, we all succeed.” That’s an argument for a broad, color-blind effort to boost all small businesses.
Black, Hispanic, white, Asian, gay, straight, male, female — whatever: To get past this economic free-fall, all New Yorkers need to support each other and work together.


newyorkpost--2020-08-22--Pandemic homeless horrors expose utter failure of de Blasio’s enabling approach

The city dumped at least six homeless pedophiles , all still ...

The pandemic continues to expose the rolling civic disaster that is Mayor Bill de Blasio’s approach to homelessness.
Last week, just days after he bowed to the fury of Upper West Side residents and vowed to start moving homeless out of hotels, downtown Brooklyn woke to find homeless being dumped in hotels there.
The city ramped up its use of luxury and boutique hotels as shelters months ago, aiming to protect the homeless from the virus. Meanwhile, the NYPD — overstretched by the crime spike and likely under orders to lay off the homeless — has been turning a blind eye to encampments and other problems.
The result: “anti-gentrification” in such neighborhoods as the Upper West Side and Chelsea.
Just two weeks ago, de Blasio was saying the Manhattan-hotel homeless would be staying put for months, until there is a vaccine or more effective treatment. But on Monday he seemed to bend, saying: “It’s important to note that as the situation, the health situation, has continued to improve, we’re going to start the process of figuring out where we can get homeless individuals back into safe shelter facilities and reduce the reliance on hotels.”
But Friday revealed that the “solution” involves things like turning the Hotel Indigo on Duffield Street in Brooklyn into permanent shelters.
Nor does he yet offer a timeline for ending the Upper West Side’s nightmare. Three hotels there — the luxury Belleclaire on Broadway, the Lucerne on West 79th Street and the more down-market Belnord on West 87th Street — are housing the mentally ill, registered sex offenders and “recovering” drug addicts. And locals have seen big upticks in public urination, open drug use and catcalling.
Michele McDowall, a 39-year-old nanny, told The Post, “It doesn’t feel safe anymore,” adding that she was recently offered crack by two homeless men as she pushed a 2-year-old down Riverside Park at 79th Street.
The situation is so bad, a Facebook group has formed in which residents post photos of men peeing, masturbating and lying sprawled and passed out near the hotels, The Post reported.
One longtime UWS resident, Eve Epstein, had a suggestion for de Blasio in a post on the West Side Rag blog: “Rather than preaching faux compassion, citizens should insist that our limousine liberal Mayor move his family into Hotel Lucerne — without his security detail.”
Meanwhile, Midtown residents have reported visibly intoxicated, unmasked men getting into disputes with one another.
In Chelsea, the homeless encampment at West 24th Street and Sixth Avenue has grown from two “residents” pre-pandemic to 15 to 20 vagrants, who’ve built makeshift shelters out of flower pots, plastic kiddie gates or shopping carts.
The drug use and violence are rife there, too. “They take drugs and they pass out. They overdose,” a woman who gave her name as Sharon and described herself as the “mother” of the group told a Post reporter. “I call the ambulance and they go to the hospital, but they come right back.”
Whatever he promises, de Blasio’s plainly unwilling to address the root of all these problems: his administration’s utter refusal to make tough love a real part of homeless policy.
As the race to replace him heats up, all candidates need to explain how they’ll move beyond this failed philosophy of appeasing the homeless’ worst instincts.