newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Cruise ship with coronavirus patients docks in Florida

During the coronavirus shutdown , each day we will bring you ...

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A cruise ship that had at least two passengers die of coronavirus while barred from South American ports finally docked Thursday in Florida after two weeks at sea and days of negotiations with initially resistant local officials.
The Zaandam and a sister ship sent to help it, the Rotterdam, were both given permission to unload passengers at Port Everglades after hammering out an agreement with officials who feared it would divert needed resources from a region that has seen a spike in virus cases.
Broward County officials and Holland America, the company that operates the ships, announced that an agreement had been reached shortly before the ships were seen pulling into port.
Holland America initially said 45 people who were mildly ill would stay on board until they recovered, but the docking plan released later Thursday indicated that 26 passengers and 50 crew members were ill. The plan noted that the company had secured access at two local hospitals for 13 passengers and a crew member who needed medical care.
For nearly three weeks, passengers have not been able to step on dry land. Four elderly passengers died on the Zaandam, at least two from COVID-19, said William Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corp., which owns the ships. Nine people had tested positive for the new coronavirus, Burke said earlier this week.
There were 442 guests and 603 crew on the Zaandam, and 808 guests and 583 crew on the Rotterdam. The Rotterdam was sent last week to take in some of the passengers and provide assistance to the Zaandam since it was denied permission to dock at ports in South America.
About 250 people have reported influenza-like symptoms since March 22, including 17 aboard the Rotterdam, according to the docking plan.
Originally firmly opposed to the ships’ arrival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that he had a change of heart after realizing many passengers were U.S. citizens and about 50 of them Floridians.
He went further on Thursday, telling Fox News that allowing the ships to dock and transferring critically ill patients to hospitals was “the humanitarian thing to do.”
“I think the accommodations have been made, and I think that things are going to be done very thoughtfully,” he said later Thursday at a news conference. “It’s going to be a very controlled exit from these ships.”
The docking plan indicated that Florida residents would leave the ship first, with the disembarkation of all passengers not concluding until Friday night.
Passengers who have no symptoms of the virus will be bused to airports and will not be allowed inside the terminals, but will instead be put directly on charter flights, DeSantis said.
Guests have not left the ship since March 14 and have self-isolated in their staterooms since March 22, the company said.
Emily Spindler Brazell, of Tappahannock, Virginia, was still in her cabin waiting for instructions from the Rotterdam’s captain but said she was relieved to be back home.
“People greeted us, came out to their balconies, blew air horns and shouted, ‘Welcome home!’” she said. “It was surprising. We went to many countries that said, ‘We are not going to talk to you.’”
Passenger Laura Gabaroni said she would not be comfortable until she disembarked. She was transferred to the Rotterdam last Saturday, along with husband Juan Huergo and other passengers not showing signs of illness.
“Many broken promises so far, so I’ll believe it when I see it,” she told The Associated Press via a WhatsApp message.
Gabaroni and Huergo, both defense contractors in Orlando, set sail on a dream vacation aboard the Zaandam the day before the U.S. State Department advised people to avoid cruise travel and before any substantial restrictions were in place in Florida.
The Zaandam set sail from Buenos Aires on March 7 and was originally scheduled to end the first leg of the voyage at San Antonio, Chile, on March 21 before departing again for Fort Lauderdale. The cruise was stranded off the coast of Panama after it was not allowed to dock in Chile and other ports along its path.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Reggie Jackson cameo qualifies ‘The Naked Gun’ as sports movie

During the coronavirus shutdown, each day we will bring you a recommendation from The Post’s Peter Botte for a sports movie, TV show or book that perhaps was before your time or somehow slipped between the cracks of your viewing/reading history.
The Naked Gun (1988)
Rated: PG-13
Streaming: Netflix, Amazon Prime
Though we haven’t even gotten to some of the most-beloved comedic films about the national pastime — “Bull Durham,” “Major League,” “A League of Their Own” to name a few — the argument can be made (and is going to be, right now) that the funniest scene ever documented about baseball on the silver screen comes from one that isn’t technically a sports movie.
If people can get away with the silly belief that “Die Hard” is their favorite Christmas movie, the 25-minute climactic scene of the slapstick cop spoof “The Naked Gun” — by the writers of the early-80s parody classic “Airplane!” — qualifies as a legitimate recommendation in the sporting genre.
Following 60 minutes of nonstop puns and sight gags with an inspired cast that also features O.J. Simpson (pre-double-murder trial) and Priscilla Presley (more than a decade after Elvis’ death), bumbling LAPD detective Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) must save the Queen of England by determining which player was hypnotized (by Ricardo Montalban of “Fantasy Island” fame) to become her assassin at a game between the California Angels and the Seattle Mariners.
To remain as close to Her Majesty’s field box as possible while undercover, Drebin pretends to be anthem singer Enrico Palazzo (and completely botches the song) before also hilariously standing in as the home-plate umpire.
With Randy Newman’s infectious “I Love L.A.” providing the backdrop, Drebin dances after emphatic strike calls to massive applause, the scoreboard shows highlights that include one player getting mauled by a tiger while sliding into second base, and the Queen passes hot dogs down her seating row and even participates in the wave.
Meanwhile, the exaggerated and stunned announcing crew consists of Curt Gowdy, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, Dick Vitale, Dick Enberg, Mel Allen — who keeps repeating his Yankee catch phrase, “How About That!” — and famed psychiatrist Dr. Joyce Brothers.
Eventually, Angels right fielder and pinstriped legend Reggie Jackson emerges as the robotic assassin during the seventh-inning stretch, repeatedly saying he “must kill … the Queen.”
As an exaggerated bench-clearing brawl ensues, Drebin foils Mr. October’s attempt and saves the day, as well as his love interest, Presley’s character Jane.
Quote of Note: “Hey, it’s Enrico Palazzo!” a fan recognizing Drebin the unmasked umpire from his previous appearance as the anthem singer.
Botte Blows: 4.5 of 5


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Angelo Piro, longtime New York Post pressman, dead from coronavirus at 87

Angelo Piro , a longtime New York Post pressman and Korean War veteran , has died due to complications from the coronavirus .
He was 87 .
Piro served in the Air Force during the conflict on the Korean peninsula .
He was described as “ generous ” and “ beloved ” by his family and friends in his Dongan Hills neighborhood .
“ He was like the mayor , ” said Concetta Piro , his wife of 61 years .
“ Very charismatic — everybody loved him.
” Piro , always seen sporting his war veteran ’ s cap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His favorite role was Officer Krukpe in “ West Side Story , ” according to his obituary in the Staten Island Advance .
He was also actively involved in the neighborhood ’ s St. Anne ’ s Church , where had served as president of the Father ’ s Club at the church and volunteered as a softball coach .
“ Angelo was beloved in our community because he lived his life for others , ” said Father Joy Mampilly , the pastor of St. Anne ’ s .
“ He had faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and an unshakable faith in himself that he was able to do something good .
And he did it.
” Piro was a pressman for the Journal American newspaper and joined The Post after it shuttered in 1966 .
An active member of the NY Newspaper Pressmen ’ s Union , Piro worked on the first-floor press in the Post ’ s previous headquarters at 210 South Street .
Piro died Monday on Staten Island .
Because of his positive test for coronavirus , Piro ’ s family has not been able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she was not able to visit Angelo at the hospital in his final days .
She has had to quarantine herself along with members of her family because they were in close contact with Angelo before he was hospitalized for care .
One morning from his hospital bed , Angelo left Concetta a voicemail after she missed his call .
“ That ’ s all I have as commemoration , ” she said .
“ I can listen to it any time I want on my answering machine.
” “ He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are ya !
?
” Concetta said .
“ I love it .
I ’ m so glad I didn ’ t answer the phone .
It feels like he ’ s right here .
”

Angelo Piro, a longtime New York Post pressman and Korean War veteran, has died due to complications from the coronavirus. He was 87.
Piro served in the Air Force during the conflict on the Korean peninsula. He was described as “generous” and “beloved” by his family and friends in his Dongan Hills neighborhood.
“He was like the mayor,” said Concetta Piro, his wife of 61 years. “Very charismatic — everybody loved him.”
Piro, always seen sporting his war veteran’s cap, acted in local community theater. His favorite role was Officer Krukpe in “West Side Story,” according to his obituary in the Staten Island Advance.
He was also actively involved in the neighborhood’s St. Anne’s Church, where had served as president of the Father’s Club at the church and volunteered as a softball coach.
“Angelo was beloved in our community because he lived his life for others,” said Father Joy Mampilly, the pastor of St. Anne’s. “He had faith in God, faith in the community, and an unshakable faith in himself that he was able to do something good. And he did it.”
Piro was a pressman for the Journal American newspaper and joined The Post after it shuttered in 1966. An active member of the NY Newspaper Pressmen’s Union, Piro worked on the first-floor press in the Post’s previous headquarters at 210 South Street.
Piro died Monday on Staten Island. Because of his positive test for coronavirus, Piro’s family has not been able to hold a proper funeral.
Concetta said she was not able to visit Angelo at the hospital in his final days. She has had to quarantine herself along with members of her family because they were in close contact with Angelo before he was hospitalized for care.
One morning from his hospital bed, Angelo left Concetta a voicemail after she missed his call.
“That’s all I have as commemoration,” she said. “I can listen to it any time I want on my answering machine.”
“He said, ‘Connie, where the hell are ya!?” Concetta said. “I love it. I’m so glad I didn’t answer the phone. It feels like he’s right here.”


newyorkpost--2020-04-02--LSU coach Ed Orgeron files for divorce

LSU coach Ed Orgeron files for divorce

NEW ORLEANS — The first volley of confetti had already ...

LSU Tigers football coach Ed Orgeron has filed for a divorce from his wife of 23 years, according to documents filed in February.
Orgeron filed the divorce petition on Feb. 26 in East Baton Rouge Family Court, according to the Advocate. The petition stated that Orgeron and his wife, Kelly, separated on Feb. 24. This means the breakup occurred a little more than a month after Orgeron led LSU to a national championship with a 42-25 win over Clemson at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
Orgeron married Kelly in February 1997, and they have raised three children together: 22-year-old twin sons Parker and Cody along with 28-year-old Tyler Spotts-Orgeron, who works on his father’s coaching staff as an offensive analyst.
Court documents said the LSU coach wants the exclusive use of the home in Baton Rouge, La., and has no objection to allowing Kelly to live in their home in Mandeville, La., “until such time as the community property is settled either by conventional agreement or judicial partition.”
The 58-year-old Orgeron has coached LSU since 2016 after replacing Les Miles, who was fired in September of that year. This season, Orgeron guided LSU to a 15-0 championship season, was named the AP College Football Coach of the Year and weeks later signed a new $42 million contract over six years.


newyorkpost--2020-04-02--NFL’s top medical officer: League needs broad testing to reopen

The New Orleans Saints are taking their NFL 2020 draft ...

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The NFL’s chief medical officer said Thursday the league is hoping to start on time, but that widespread testing would have to be available before the reopening of the league can be contemplated.
Dr. Allen Sills said though the NFL wants to start the season as scheduled, it will wait for medical experts to first determine if the coronavirus pandemic has been slowed enough that it’s safe for players and fans alike.
“I would say that’s everyone’s hope, that we are in a position to do that,” Sills told NFL.com. “But the reality is none of us know those facts for certain right now. We hope and pray for the best and prepare for the worst, realizing that is one potential outcome that we will be back fully in business playing games as normal in front of fans on schedule. But it’s certainly not the only outcome.”
“And I think what was implied there was to say we are not at a point where we are saying that is absolutely not going to happen so we should continue our planning and preparations as if we’re going to be able to do that. But obviously we’re going to have to evaluate that along the way.”
The availability of coronavirus tests that can be easily administered in a widespread manner and give results quickly will be vitally important to deciding when teams can return to their facilities. Tests will have to be conducted on all members of the 32 teams.
“As long as we’re still in a place where when a single individual tests positive for the virus that you have to quarantine every single person who was in contact with them in any shape, form or fashion, then I don’t think you can begin to think about reopening a team sport,” Sills said.
The NFL — which on Tuesday said it’s planning to start the season on time — closed all 32 team facilities on March 25 with the advice of medical experts and public health authorities to stop the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
“We will make [all] those decisions in consultation with our experts at the time,” Sills said. “That decision will not be made in isolation. The NFL will not be charting a course different than other professional sports, other parts of society — college sports, universities, businesses.”
Teams may still have to relocate to other buildings or work from home to conduct the NFL Draft which will be held virtually on April 23-25 and follow social-distancing guidelines by not having 10 or more people in a room.


newyorkpost--2020-04-02--AOC blasts Amazon PR strategy to smear fired worker as ‘racist’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lashed out at Amazon , calling the company ’ s reported plans to smear a warehouse worker who was fired after organizing a protest , “ racist and classist.
” “ Amazon ’ s attempt to smear Chris Smalls , one of their own warehouse workers , as ‘ not smart or articulate ’ is a racist & classist PR campaign , ” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Thursday night .
“ If execs are as concerned abt ( sic ) worker health & safety as they claim , then they should provide the full paid sick leave ALL workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a Vice News report that detailed the company ’ s behind-the-scenes PR strategy for dealing with public backlash after axing Smalls , who had led a walkout at the Bloomfield facility on Staten Island this week to demand greater protection amid the coronavirus outbreak .
“ He ’ s not smart , or articulate , ” Amazon general counsel David Zapolsky said of Kelly in notes from an internal meeting of Amazon leadership obtained by the outlet .
Amazon said Smalls was canned for violating social distancing guidelines and a company-imposed 14-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an employee who tested positive for the virus .
Part of the strategy , which was cooked up at a daily meeting attended by CEO Jeff Bezos and other top brass , was to lay into Smalls for allegedly violating company policy .
“ We should spend the first part of our response strongly laying out the case for why the organizer ’ s conduct was immoral , unacceptable , and arguably illegal , in detail , and only then follow with our usual talking points about worker safety , ” Zapolsky wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Zapolsky said his “ comments were personal and emotional.
” “ I was frustrated and upset that an Amazon employee would endanger the health and safety of other Amazonians by repeatedly returning to the premises after having been warned to quarantine himself after exposure to virus Covid-19 , ” he said .

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lashed out at Amazon, calling the company’s reported plans to smear a warehouse worker who was fired after organizing a protest, “racist and classist.”
“Amazon’s attempt to smear Chris Smalls, one of their own warehouse workers, as ‘not smart or articulate’ is a racist & classist PR campaign,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Thursday night.
“If execs are as concerned abt (sic) worker health & safety as they claim, then they should provide the full paid sick leave ALL workers deserve.”
The freshman lawmaker was reacting to a Vice News report that detailed the company’s behind-the-scenes PR strategy for dealing with public backlash after axing Smalls, who had led a walkout at the Bloomfield facility on Staten Island this week to demand greater protection amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“He’s not smart, or articulate,” Amazon general counsel David Zapolsky said of Kelly in notes from an internal meeting of Amazon leadership obtained by the outlet.
Amazon said Smalls was canned for violating social distancing guidelines and a company-imposed 14-day quarantine after he came into contact with an employee who tested positive for the virus.
Part of the strategy, which was cooked up at a daily meeting attended by CEO Jeff Bezos and other top brass, was to lay into Smalls for allegedly violating company policy.
“We should spend the first part of our response strongly laying out the case for why the organizer’s conduct was immoral, unacceptable, and arguably illegal, in detail, and only then follow with our usual talking points about worker safety,” Zapolsky wrote.
In a statement to VICE News, Zapolsky said his “comments were personal and emotional.”
“I was frustrated and upset that an Amazon employee would endanger the health and safety of other Amazonians by repeatedly returning to the premises after having been warned to quarantine himself after exposure to virus Covid-19,” he said.
An Amazon spokesperson denied Zapolsky’s remarks were racist.
“That’s not true,” a spokesperson said of Ocasio-Cortez’s claims. “In fact, Mr. Zapolsky didn’t even know the race of the person at the time he made his comments.”


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--FEMA slow-walking $325M in aid for NYC’s public hospitals, Schumer says

ALBANY — New York is caught in a bidding war ...

Federal authorities are slow-walking $325 million in desperately needed aid for city public hospitals to cover coronavirus expenses, Sen. Chuck Schumer charges in a letter obtained by The Post.
“New York City has followed the steps outlined by FEMA, Congress has more than doubled the size of the Disaster Relief Fund, and yet the City still has not received the funding it so desperately needs,” wrote the Senate’s Democratic leader and veteran Brooklyn lawmaker. “This is must be fixed as soon as possible.”
President Trump first declared New York a major disaster to open up badly needed federal aid on March 20.
Congress then approved $45 billion to help local governments cover coronavirus costs like “emergency medical services, emergency sheltering, and emergency management operations costs,” the letter states.
Trump signed the new money into law on March 27 — and the city’s public hospital system, Health + Hospitals, submitted $650 million pandemic-related costs that same day.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is supposed to pick up half the tab — $325 million — and cut the checks with all due haste. But after days of delays, City Hall reached out to Schumer to try and pry the money loose.
The money is critical as both New York City and New York State face massive budget crunches thanks to huge new pandemic-related costs — and a collapse in tax revenues due to the shutdown meant to contain the virus.
FEMA declined repeated requests to comment.
Additional reporting by Steven Nelson in Washington


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--De Blasio thanks Trump, Kushner and the New England Patriots for N95 masks

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Mayor Bill de Blasio gave a special thanks Friday to President Trump and the commander-in-chief ’ s senior adviser and son-in-law , Jared Kushner , for making good on a promise to get 200,000 N95 masks to city hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic .
De Blasio , speaking during a press briefing on COVID-19 , said that he was on a phone call with Trump and Kushner Thursday and “ they said they would produce ” the load of N95 masks to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The mayor said he received a photo Friday that showed the 200,000 masks were delivered .
Those masks will benefit medical workers in hospitals like Elmhurst Hospital , Lincoln Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital .
“ That ’ s really gon na ’ help us get through a lot of the month of April , ” de Blasio said of the masks .
The mayor also thanked a host of other companies and organizations like the New England Patriots for donating medical supplies to aid the city ’ s fight against coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ NFL team ’ s name on it pulled up to the Javits Center , which has been turned into a makeshift hospital , to drop off a 300,000 supply of N95 respirator masks .
“ I ’ m a fan of the New England Patriots through thick and thin , ” de Blasio said .
“ That ’ s a fantastic donation.
” The Boston Red Sox-loving mayor said , “ If someone wants to show up with hundreds of thousands of masks , of course we ’ re going to accept them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanked Facebook for donating 25,000 face masks , Ford for donating 50,000 face shields , American Express for sending over 36,000 N95 masks , Louis Vuitton for donating 25,000 masks , Qatar for donating 65,000 surgical masks and Shanghai for giving 20,000 masks .
“ This really adds up , ” said de Blasio , who also gave a special shout out to Rihanna and her nonprofit the Clara Lionel Foundation for aiding the city ’ s public schools .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
Mayor Bill de Blasio gave a special thanks Friday to President Trump and the commander-in-chief’s senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for making good on a promise to get 200,000 N95 masks to city hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic.
De Blasio, speaking during a press briefing on COVID-19, said that he was on a phone call with Trump and Kushner Thursday and “they said they would produce” the load of N95 masks to the city’s public healthcare system.
The mayor said he received a photo Friday that showed the 200,000 masks were delivered. Those masks will benefit medical workers in hospitals like Elmhurst Hospital, Lincoln Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital.
“That’s really gonna’ help us get through a lot of the month of April,” de Blasio said of the masks.
The mayor also thanked a host of other companies and organizations like the New England Patriots for donating medical supplies to aid the city’s fight against coronavirus.
On Friday, a tractor-trailer with the NFL team’s name on it pulled up to the Javits Center, which has been turned into a makeshift hospital, to drop off a 300,000 supply of N95 respirator masks.
“I’m a fan of the New England Patriots through thick and thin,” de Blasio said. “That’s a fantastic donation.”
The Boston Red Sox-loving mayor said, “If someone wants to show up with hundreds of thousands of masks, of course we’re going to accept them with great gratitude.”
De Blasio also thanked Facebook for donating 25,000 face masks, Ford for donating 50,000 face shields, American Express for sending over 36,000 N95 masks, Louis Vuitton for donating 25,000 masks, Qatar for donating 65,000 surgical masks and Shanghai for giving 20,000 masks.
“This really adds up,” said de Blasio, who also gave a special shout out to Rihanna and her nonprofit the Clara Lionel Foundation for aiding the city’s public schools.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Struggling city food pantries want de Blasio to match Cuomo’s pledged emergency funds

Big Apple food pantry providers are calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to match the $ 25 million in emergency funds that Gov .
Andrew Cuomo agreed to include for them in the new state budget , saying they ’ re facing unprecedented demands because of the coronavirus pandemic and also need the city ’ s help .
“ There ’ s no time to waste , ” former Brooklyn Councilman David Greenfield , who is CEO of the Met Council , told The Post on Friday .
“ We need this state money immediately to feed people , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the commitment of [ City Council Speaker Corey ] Johnson and the Council and match these funds.
” Last week , Johnson and other city lawmakers called on the state and city to both provide $ 25 million for the struggling pantries .
Nearly one-third of food pantries in the five boroughs have already shut down as they struggle to feed the growing number of New Yorkers left jobless by the COVID-19 bug that has shuttered thousands of businesses .
According to the Met Council , $ 50 million split by the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 million meals .
While Albany pols came up with their half , de Blasio has remained mum on whether there will be extra money for the pantries in his new budget .
De Blasio spokeswoman Laura Feyer said the city is “ directing resources to feed even more New Yorkers during this crisis , whether through expanded home delivery , grab-and-go meals at school sites , helping New Yorkers sign up for SNAP benefits and more .
“ In addition to these efforts , we will continue to support food pantries throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are in constant contact with providers and will make sure they have resources to care for vulnerable New Yorkers in this difficult time .
”

Big Apple food pantry providers are calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to match the $25 million in emergency funds that Gov. Andrew Cuomo agreed to include for them in the new state budget, saying they’re facing unprecedented demands because of the coronavirus pandemic and also need the city’s help.
“There’s no time to waste,” former Brooklyn Councilman David Greenfield, who is CEO of the Met Council, told The Post on Friday.
“We need this state money immediately to feed people, and we need Mayor de Blasio to support the commitment of [City Council Speaker Corey] Johnson and the Council and match these funds.”
Last week, Johnson and other city lawmakers called on the state and city to both provide $25 million for the struggling pantries.
Nearly one-third of food pantries in the five boroughs have already shut down as they struggle to feed the growing number of New Yorkers left jobless by the COVID-19 bug that has shuttered thousands of businesses.
According to the Met Council, $50 million split by the state and city could pay for more than 19 million meals.
While Albany pols came up with their half, de Blasio has remained mum on whether there will be extra money for the pantries in his new budget.
De Blasio spokeswoman Laura Feyer said the city is “directing resources to feed even more New Yorkers during this crisis, whether through expanded home delivery, grab-and-go meals at school sites, helping New Yorkers sign up for SNAP benefits and more.
“In addition to these efforts, we will continue to support food pantries throughout this crisis with food and staffing needs. We are in constant contact with providers and will make sure they have resources to care for vulnerable New Yorkers in this difficult time.”


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Child rapist ordered released to keep him safe from coronavirus

The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision confirmed that ...

A Massachusetts man convicted of repeatedly raping a 12-year-old boy was ordered released from jail Friday — because he suffers from health conditions that can make him vulnerable to coronavirus, according to new reports.
Glenn Christie, 54, who uses a wheelchair, was ordered released from the Massachusetts Treatment Center by Superior Court Judge Heidi Brieger, WBUR reported. One of the conditions is that Christie tests negative for COVID-19, the station reported.
Christie was convicted of child rape and indecent assault on a child under 14 and was being held for violating his probation conditions, according to the report.
Two inmates at the facility, including one of Christie’s former roommates, have died of the virus, according to Christie’s attorney, David Rangaviz.
Rangaviz began filing motions in Christie’s case weeks ago arguing that it’s impossible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons, according to the local report.
“I wish I wasn’t right,” Rangaviz told the station. “This was a foreseeable disaster if anyone cared enough to start acting quickly.”
Christie was on a 10-year probation period after completing a prison term for the rapes, which occurred in the city of Lynn, The Salem News reported.
He was sentenced to return to state prison for one to two years — which his lawyer challenged. That request was denied, but the Supreme Judicial Court ordered the judge to revisit it Wednesday in light of the pandemic and more than a dozen reported cases at the Massachusetts Treatment Center, according to the report.
“The health risks to a person in custody caused by the pandemic constitute changed circumstances,” which entitle Christie to a new hearing, Chief Justice Ralph Gants wrote, according to the outlet. “We also conclude that, in conducting that (new) review, a judge must give careful consideration not only to the risks posed by releasing the defendant –- flight, danger to others or to the community, and likelihood of further criminal acts — but also, during this pandemic, to the risk that the defendant might die or become seriously ill if kept in custody.”
Rangaviz has told the court that Christie suffers from hypothyroidism and possible thyroid cancer, kidney disease and spinal stenosis, the paper reported.
“Mr. Christie was ordered released this morning by the Superior Court!” Rangaviz tweeted Friday. “There are so many move lives to save, but it is an unbelievable relief to get him released while it appears he may have dodged this ongoing outbreak in his facility.”


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Meet 4 budding designers making face masks for NYC first responders

On Thursday , New York City announced that residents should wear some kind of face covering when out in public .
These crafty locals , however , have been far ahead of the curve — and are determined to flatten it .
They ’ ve not only sewn masks for themselves and their loved ones , but have donated hundreds of masks to hospitals , clinics and other essential services .
Some are even taking commissions — with contactless delivery , to boot — for those New Yorkers daunted by the prospect of DIY-ing a face mask .
When he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started making bow ties for shelter dogs looking for homes .
Now , the 13-year-old is using his sewing skills — and his surplus of donated cotton and silk for his pet project , Beaux and Paws — to make masks for medical workers .
“ I was getting so many comments on Instagram saying , ‘ Darius , you should start making masks for people , ’ ” the seventh-grader tells The Post .
So he and his mom , Joy , investigated how they could send masks to New York hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pattern through YouTube , and in between his online schooling , he ’ s been churning out masks .
He aims to have 100 done this weekend , which his mom has arranged to send to New York state as well as to local hospitals near their home in Newark , New Jersey .
“ I just really want to help in any way I can , ” says Brown .
Clarissa Hurst is an art student at Pratt who shares her various art and sewing projects on her Instagram , @ castleism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fabric scraps for herself and her partner , as well as her two brothers .
So when sustainable-fashion company AlteNew contacted her about lending her talents to its NYC Face Mask Initiative , she responded enthusiastically .
“ I signed up last week and have been making masks ever since , ” says the 21-year-old Bed-Stuy resident .
She ’ s whipped up almost 100 out of a tight woven cotton and elastic sent by the brand — all in a sterilized area .
When she ’ s done , a car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ships them to hospitals for high-risk patients and caregivers .
But she ’ s also taking commissions through Instagram for some of her more creative coverings , which she will ship herself .
“ I don ’ t want to charge money unless it was just for shipping , so I can afford getting it to them , ” says Hurst of her prices .
And the masks are beautiful : “ They ’ re almost like art pieces.
” Danica Pantic is a scenic and costume designer who had serendipitously landed an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , heat-bonded fabric that ’ s effective for surgical masks .
So she thought , what better way to use her talents and resources than making face coverings for essential workers at her local supermarkets in Bushwick ?
Ever since , the 32-year-old has been inundated with requests on Instagram for her creations — particularly since she covers the polypropylene with a cotton layer that ’ s often flashy .
Pantic herself sports a covering embroidered with the words “ Stay Away.
” “ Almost immediately after I posted [ the masks on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is a pediatric nurse , hit me up for some , because her clinic didn ’ t have any protective gear to give to people , ” says Pantic .
She biked over , wearing gloves , and left the package in the foyer for contactless delivery .
She ’ s done handoffs like that a few times and mailed packages when dropping them off wasn ’ t possible .
She tries to donate what she can to medical professionals and essential workers , so she charges individuals who commission her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It seems kind of a fair price for the amount of time that I have to put into it , and I haven ’ t recouped all of the expenses yet , ” she says .
“ But it ’ s not something I want to profit from.
” Fashion designers Caroline Berti , 35 , and Karen Sabag , 36 , first met while studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology .
Their first class assignment together : “ making papier mâché masks , ” says Berti .
Now the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lauren Holovka , 26 , of Lé Lauriér Bridal — are spending nearly every waking moment sewing masks for medical workers as part of the nonprofit Sew4Lives .
The group , which Berti , an adjunct professor at FIT who lives in Gramercy , and Sabag , a wedding-dress designer based in Roslyn , Long Island , now has hundreds of volunteers across the country , though it ’ s particularly focused on New York .
Just last week , Sew4Lives donated 2,565 home-sewn masks to hospitals and to essential workers ( such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boroughs and Long Island .
“ It ’ s the easiest way for us to help , ” says Berti .
“ We ’ re anonymous non-famous people who can ’ t work right now , so we can spend all our time doing this.
” Berti says that they arrange contactless car deliveries with the organizations that receive their donations .
Each hospital has its own method of sterilization , so the sewers don ’ t sterilize the masks themselves , but keep their work areas disinfected and wash their hands after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made of polypropylene , which is nonwoven and effective at blocking microbes , and have a pocket in which a filter can be inserted .
“ When would we have ever thought that we would be able to make something so small that could have so much meaning to others ?
” says Berti .
“ It really shows the power of fashion and what we do .
”

On Thursday, New York City announced that residents should wear some kind of face covering when out in public. These crafty locals, however, have been far ahead of the curve — and are determined to flatten it.
They’ve not only sewn masks for themselves and their loved ones, but have donated hundreds of masks to hospitals, clinics and other essential services. Some are even taking commissions — with contactless delivery, to boot — for those New Yorkers daunted by the prospect of DIY-ing a face mask.
Darius Brown
When he was 10 years old, Darius Brown started making bow ties for shelter dogs looking for homes. Now, the 13-year-old is using his sewing skills — and his surplus of donated cotton and silk for his pet project, Beaux and Paws — to make masks for medical workers.
“I was getting so many comments on Instagram saying, ‘Darius, you should start making masks for people,’ ” the seventh-grader tells The Post. So he and his mom, Joy, investigated how they could send masks to New York hospitals in need.
Brown learned a simple pattern through YouTube, and in between his online schooling, he’s been churning out masks. He aims to have 100 done this weekend, which his mom has arranged to send to New York state as well as to local hospitals near their home in Newark, New Jersey.
“I just really want to help in any way I can,” says Brown.
Clarissa Hurst
Clarissa Hurst is an art student at Pratt who shares her various art and sewing projects on her Instagram, @castleism.
She’s crafted masks out of fabric scraps for herself and her partner, as well as her two brothers. So when sustainable-fashion company Alternew contacted her about lending her talents to its NYC Face Mask Initiative, she responded enthusiastically.
“I signed up last week and have been making masks ever since,” says the 21-year-old Bed-Stuy resident. She’s whipped up almost 100 out of a tight woven cotton and elastic sent by the brand — all in a sterilized area. When she’s done, a car comes and collects them and sterilizes and ships them to hospitals for high-risk patients and caregivers.
But she’s also taking commissions through Instagram for some of her more creative coverings, which she will ship herself. “I don’t want to charge money unless it was just for shipping, so I can afford getting it to them,” says Hurst of her prices. And the masks are beautiful: “They’re almost like art pieces.”
Danica Pantic
Danica Pantic is a scenic and costume designer who had serendipitously landed an entire bolt of polypropylene — a nonporous, heat-bonded fabric that’s effective for surgical masks. So she thought, what better way to use her talents and resources than making face coverings for essential workers at her local supermarkets in Bushwick?
Ever since, the 32-year-old has been inundated with requests on Instagram for her creations — particularly since she covers the polypropylene with a cotton layer that’s often flashy. Pantic herself sports a covering embroidered with the words “Stay Away.”
“Almost immediately after I posted [the masks on Instagram], a friend of mine, who is a pediatric nurse, hit me up for some, because her clinic didn’t have any protective gear to give to people,” says Pantic. She biked over, wearing gloves, and left the package in the foyer for contactless delivery. She’s done handoffs like that a few times and mailed packages when dropping them off wasn’t possible.
She tries to donate what she can to medical professionals and essential workers, so she charges individuals who commission her through Instagram DM $7 per mask.
“It seems kind of a fair price for the amount of time that I have to put into it, and I haven’t recouped all of the expenses yet,” she says. “But it’s not something I want to profit from.”
Sew4Lives
Fashion designers Caroline Berti, 35, and Karen Sabag, 36, first met while studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Their first class assignment together: “making papier mâché masks,” says Berti.
Now the duo — along with fellow FIT alum Lauren Holovka, 26, of Lé Lauriér Bridal — are spending nearly every waking moment sewing masks for medical workers as part of the nonprofit Sew4Lives.
The group, which Berti, an adjunct professor at FIT who lives in Gramercy, and Sabag, a wedding-dress designer based in Roslyn, Long Island, now has hundreds of volunteers across the country, though it’s particularly focused on New York. Just last week, Sew4Lives donated 2,565 home-sewn masks to hospitals and to essential workers (such as the NYPD) throughout the five boroughs and Long Island.
“It’s the easiest way for us to help,” says Berti. “We’re anonymous non-famous people who can’t work right now, so we can spend all our time doing this.”
Berti says that they arrange contactless car deliveries with the organizations that receive their donations. Each hospital has its own method of sterilization, so the sewers don’t sterilize the masks themselves, but keep their work areas disinfected and wash their hands after completing each item. The masks are made of polypropylene, which is nonwoven and effective at blocking microbes.
“When would we have ever thought that we would be able to make something so small that could have so much meaning to others?” says Berti. “It really shows the power of fashion and what we do.”


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--NYC sees largest 24-hour jump yet in coronavirus cases, deaths

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By Friday night , the bruised Big Apple had its biggest spike in coronavirus cases and deaths in a single , 24-hour period since the outbreak hit New York last month .
A staggering 6,582 additional people tested positive for the deadly bug since Thursday evening , bringing the city ’ s total confirmed cases to 56,289 .
Another 305 New Yorkers died from the virus , pushing the death toll up to 1,867 .
More than 1,100 more coronavirus patients were hospitalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are in local hospitals .
The city ’ s ICU capacity is at 88 percent with just 370 beds left unfilled .
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday , just before the new statistics were released , that the coming days will be even darker .
“ This Friday afternoon we are beginning a race against time as we prepare for next week , ” the mayor said during a press briefing .
“ If we ’ re gon na save every life we can save , we need the supplies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ We need more than ever the personnel , the people , the doctors , the nurses that will help us through this fight .
We need the beds.
” Thursday morning Gov .
Andrew Cuomo reported an even higher figure for the city cases — 57,159 compared to 56,289 .
His spokesman , Rich Azzopardi , explained the discrepancy .
“ All these numbers are moments in time , and our system is : the labs put in the results and occasionally a minor mistake is made and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The one thing that is not in doubt is the scope of the problem and the fact that we are heading towards an apex in New York , ” Azzopardi said .

Julia Marsh, Bernadette Hogan, Nolan Hicks

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By Friday night, the bruised Big Apple had its biggest spike in coronavirus cases and deaths in a single, 24-hour period since the outbreak hit New York last month.
A staggering 6,582 additional people tested positive for the deadly bug since Thursday evening, bringing the city’s total confirmed cases to 56,289. Another 305 New Yorkers died from the virus, pushing the death toll up to 1,867.
More than 1,100 more coronavirus patients were hospitalized in the past day. Since the outbreak 11,739 people have been hospitalized. The city’s ICU capacity is at 88 percent with just 370 beds left unfilled.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday, just before the new statistics were released, that the coming days will be even darker.
“This Friday afternoon we are beginning a race against time as we prepare for next week,” the mayor said during a press briefing.
“If we’re gonna save every life we can save, we need the supplies, the equipment, the PPE,” he said. “We need more than ever the personnel, the people, the doctors, the nurses that will help us through this fight. We need the beds.”
Thursday morning Gov. Andrew Cuomo reported an even higher figure for the city cases — 57,159 compared to 56,289. His spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, explained the discrepancy.
Related Video On Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said New York’s coronavirus death toll nears 3,000 in the state
“All these numbers are moments in time, and our system is: the labs put in the results and occasionally a minor mistake is made and they go back and correct it.
“The one thing that is not in doubt is the scope of the problem and the fact that we are heading towards an apex in New York,” Azzopardi said.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Government will pay for uninsured Americans’ coronavirus treatment: Trump

The Senate ’ s massive economic stimulus deal to counteract the coronavirus ...

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WASHINGTON — Uninsured Americans will be able to seek coronavirus treatment for free, with the federal government agreeing to cover hospitals’ expenses, President Trump announced Friday.
The provision will be covered by a $100 billion fund for healthcare providers that was part of a historic enormous $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package passed by Congress last month.
“Today I can so proudly announce that hospitals and health care providers treating uninsured coronavirus patients will be reimbursed by the federal government using the economic relief package Congress passed last month,” Trump said at the White House coronavirus briefing.
“That should alleviate any concern that uninsured Americans may have about seeking the coronavirus treatment,” he added, saying the order was “very much in favor of our great people.”
Some of the nation’s largest insurers, including Signa and Blue Cross-Blue Shield, have also announced they will waive all co-pays for coronavirus treatment for the next 60 days.
“That is a big statement and we appreciate that,” the president said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said providers would forbidden from charging uninsured patients for treatment for COVID-19, with the federal government reimbursing them.
“As a condition of receiving funds under this program, providers will be forbidden from balance billing the uninsured for the cost of their care. Providers will be reimbursed at Medicare rates,” he said.
The policy comes after reports that at least one uninsured teen died from COVID-19 after being turned away by a Los Angeles hospital and concerns vulnerable Americans would not be able to seek treatment.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Sheldon Silver may be finally sent to prison in June

Former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver will be sentenced in June for his most recent conviction in a corrupt kick-back scheme — despite the disgraced pol ’ s attempts to delay the hearing .
Manhattan federal court Judge Valerie Caproni set a June 25 sentencing date for Silver , who is facing time for wire fraud , extortion and monetary transactions involving crime proceeds .
The charges stem from Silver supporting a real estate developer ’ s position on rent regulations in exchange for bribes .
In January , an appeals court vacated Silver ’ s conviction on separate charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds to a cancer researcher in return for patient referrals to Silver ’ s law firm .
Judge Caproni ’ s sentencing order comes days after the same appeals court denied Silver ’ s bid to delay his sentencing as he prepares to take his appeal to the Supreme Court .
Silver was convicted in the schemes in 2015 , but had the case overturned on appeal .
He was retried and convicted yet again in 2018 .
As of January , he was still living on the Lower East Side on public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state pension .

Former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver will be sentenced in June for his most recent conviction in a corrupt kick-back scheme — despite the disgraced pol’s attempts to delay the hearing.
Manhattan federal court Judge Valerie Caproni set a June 25 sentencing date for Silver, who is facing time for wire fraud, extortion and monetary transactions involving crime proceeds.
The charges stem from Silver supporting a real estate developer’s position on rent regulations in exchange for bribes.
In January, an appeals court vacated Silver’s conviction on separate charges related to allegations he allegedly funneled state funds to a cancer researcher in return for patient referrals to Silver’s law firm.
Judge Caproni’s sentencing order comes days after the same appeals court denied Silver’s bid to delay his sentencing as he prepares to take his appeal to the Supreme Court.
Silver was convicted in the schemes in 2015, but had the case overturned on appeal. He was retried and convicted yet again in 2018.
As of January, he was still living on the Lower East Side on public funds, collecting a $7,000 monthly state pension.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--FDNY Deputy Chief Inspector dies of coronavirus

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A Deputy Chief Inspector with the FDNY has died from the coronavirus , fire officials confirmed Friday .
Syed Rahman , a 22-year veteran of the fire department , was part of the clean-up at ground zero after the Sept. 11 , 2001 terror attacks , according to a GoFundMe for his family .
Rahman died Sunday at the age of 59 .
He was a husband and a father of four young middle school boys .
“ Deputy Chief Inspector Rahman dedicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service to the Department , and New Yorkers were safer because of his outstanding work , ” said FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro .
“ Every day , he helped accomplish FDNY ’ s lifesaving mission and ensured construction , demolition , and abatement took place safely in our city .
Our entire Department mourns his loss.
”  The Deputy Chief Inspector ran the day-to-day operations for the department ’ s Bureau of Management Analysis and Planning , Office of Internal Audit and Control .
The GoFundMe account has raised nearly $ 20,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fund for his boys .
Rahman was the second member of the FDNY to pass away from the pandemic COVID-19 .
A spokesman said Friday 376 members of the FDNY , including firefighters , EMS and civilians , have tested positive for the virus .
Most of the members are home in “ various conditions , ” Nigro said on CNN Friday .
“ Most of our members are not hospitalized right now but they ’ re all fighting this fight against the virus , ” Nigro added .
“ At least , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” About 3,000 members of the FDNY were out on medical leave during the outbreak , the spokesman said .

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A Deputy Chief Inspector with the FDNY has died from the coronavirus, fire officials confirmed Friday.
Syed Rahman, a 22-year veteran of the fire department, was part of the clean-up at ground zero after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, according to a GoFundMe for his family.
Rahman died Sunday at the age of 59. He was a husband and a father of four young middle school boys.
“Deputy Chief Inspector Rahman dedicated his life to helping others through his service to the Department, and New Yorkers were safer because of his outstanding work,” said FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro.
“Every day, he helped accomplish FDNY’s lifesaving mission and ensured construction, demolition, and abatement took place safely in our city. Our entire Department mourns his loss.”
The Deputy Chief Inspector ran the day-to-day operations for the department’s Bureau of Management Analysis and Planning, Office of Internal Audit and Control.
The GoFundMe account has raised nearly $20,000 as of Friday evening for an education fund for his boys.
Rahman was the second member of the FDNY to pass away from the pandemic COVID-19.
A spokesman said Friday 376 members of the FDNY, including firefighters, EMS and civilians, have tested positive for the virus.
Most of the members are home in “various conditions,” Nigro said on CNN Friday.
“Most of our members are not hospitalized right now but they’re all fighting this fight against the virus,” Nigro added.
“At least, one patient was intubated for many days.”
About 3,000 members of the FDNY were out on medical leave during the outbreak, the spokesman said.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Trump: Americans can wear face coverings amid coronavirus outbreak — if they want to

ALBANY — The horrific toll the coronavirus pandemic is taking ...

President Trump on Friday announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had issued new guidelines urging Americans on a voluntary basis to wear face coverings — but stopped short of recommending that they use the masks to protect themselves from the worsening coronavirus pandemic.
“The CDC is advising the use of non-medical cloth face covering as an additional voluntary public health measure. So it’s voluntary, you don’t have to do it. I don’t think I’m going to be doing it,” Trump said at the White House during the daily briefing by the Coronavirus Task Force.
“The CDC is recommending that Americans wear a basic cloth or fabric mask that can be either purchased online or simply made at home, probably material that you would have at home,” the president continued.
“These face coverings can be easily washed or reused. I want to emphasize that the CDC is not recommending the use of medical grade or surgical grade masks, and we want that to be used for our great medical people that are working so hard and doing some job.”
The move was somewhat unexpected, as Dr. Deborah Birx, a task force member, said Thursday that the CDC would add a recommendation on masks to its existing guidelines on protective measures, such as social distancing and hand-washing.
But Birx said Americans, almost all of whom have been told to stay at home except for essential outings, should not develop a “false sense of security” that they are fully protected from the respiratory illness by covering their faces.
White House medical experts have forecast that between 100,000 to 240,000 Americans could be killed, even if the sweeping lock-down orders are followed.
The Trump administration, CDC and public health officials have all wavered on the issue of face masks since the pandemic broke out, initially telling healthy people such measures were unnecessary or even counter-productive.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Why is the press parroting Beijing and other commentary

Media critic : Why Is the Press Parroting Beijing ?
“ US-based media companies and journalists ” are “ pushing Communist China ’ s propaganda and disinformation about COVID-19 , ” former GOP lawmaker Thaddeus G. McCotter charges at American Greatness .
Could it be that , in addition to the usual ideological groupthink of the press , there is at work the same fear of losing access and profits that drives many other elite US institutions to kowtow to Beijing ?
For example , “ The Washington Post and The New York Times , among others , have had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an offshoot of China Daily , a Chinese-government newspaper ” for years .
Such facts cast a cold light on these outlets ’ motives in “ attacking those citing [ the virus ’ ] origins in Communist China ” and even “ claiming “ anti-Asian bias with little or no evidence ” — just at Beijing wanted .
“ Democracy dies in darkness , ” indeed .
From the right : The FBI Was Just Corrupt In a new report , Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz examined 42 FBI applications to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on wiretaps of US citizens — and , National Review ’ s David Harsanyi fumes , “ found a total of 390 problems in 39 of the 42 applications , ” including “ unverified , inaccurate or inadequately supported facts.
” You would think the story would “ pique the interest of mainstream journalists , ” yet The New York Times dismissed the scandal as part of “ a broader pattern of sloppiness.
” That ’ s probably because Horowitz ’ s December IG report criticized the FBI ’ s FISA applications for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the investigation hadn ’ t been directed against an ex-Trump adviser , the liberal media would probably frame it not as “ sloppiness , ” but what it really is : an “ abuse of power.
” The media are portraying the Trump administration as “ out of touch with early warnings from medical experts ” about the direness of the coronavirus — even though , Kalev Leetaru observes at RealClearPolitics , “ the administration ’ s initial reassurances ” aligned with the medical community ’ s assessments at the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention expert ( and media darling ) Dr. Anthony Fauci ’ s “ public statements essentially mirrored those of the administration ” : Both “ repeatedly downplayed the virus ’ potential impact on the US.
” Fauci “ was still downplaying the risks ” as late as Feb. 18 .
Of course , he “ finally changed his views ” — but those views have always dovetailed with the administration ’ s .
The coronavirus wreaks havoc everywhere it spreads .
But in Europe , Matthew Lynn observes at Spectator USA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currency crisis.
” Witness the Continent ’ s ferocious debate over whether to issue “ ‘ coronabonds ’ — a joint eurozone financial instrument that could raise money to help deal with the crisis.
” Whatever the upsides ( immediate help to ailing nations ) and downsides ( more debt ) , the “ bigger problem ” is that “ the eurozone has now gotten itself into a position where every crisis quickly turns into a currency crisis.
” While the United States , Britain and Japan can choose to print money , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that flexibility.
” Frugal , economically mighty Germany can borrow for itself , but weak economies in Southern Europe can ’ t .
“ As soon as there is a huge external event — such as this one — they all start arguing about how to pay for it.
” The result : “ Across the eurozone , ” the response to crises “ is always far slower than it should be.
” Christians stuck in lockdown might wonder if they can dial up a priest to confess .
Sorry , “ it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Father Dominic Langevin at First Things .
As a sacrament , confession is supposed to be a “ salvific conversion , ” and it “ can not occur through electronic means , ” because it “ requires both joint physical presence and live , interpersonal action between the penitent and priest-confessor.
” Plus , given widespread hacking and surveillance , phoned confessions “ would also threaten penitents ’ right to confess privately.
” Coronavirus notwithstanding , “ it is rash to contemplate inventing an electronic form of confession when we know that others @ @ @ @ @

Media critic: Why Is the Press Parroting Beijing?
“US-based media companies and journalists” are “pushing Communist China’s propaganda and disinformation about COVID-19,” former GOP lawmaker Thaddeus G. McCotter charges at American Greatness. Could it be that, in addition to the usual ideological groupthink of the press, there is at work the same fear of losing access and profits that drives many other elite US institutions to kowtow to Beijing? For example, “The Washington Post and The New York Times, among others, have had a business relationship with China Watch, an offshoot of China Daily, a Chinese-government newspaper” for years. Such facts cast a cold light on these outlets’ motives in “attacking those citing [the virus’] origins in Communist China” and even “claiming “anti-Asian bias with little or no evidence” — just at Beijing wanted. “Democracy dies in darkness,” indeed.
From the right: The FBI Was Just Corrupt
In a new report, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz examined 42 FBI applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which decides on wiretaps of US citizens — and, National Review’s David Harsanyi fumes, “found a total of 390 problems in 39 of the 42 applications,” including “unverified, inaccurate or inadequately supported facts.” You would think the story would “pique the interest of mainstream journalists,” yet The New York Times dismissed the scandal as part of “a broader pattern of sloppiness.” That’s probably because Horowitz’s December IG report criticized the FBI’s FISA applications for wiretapping Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. If the investigation hadn’t been directed against an ex-Trump adviser, the liberal media would probably frame it not as “sloppiness,” but what it really is: an “abuse of power.”
Pandemic watch: No, Docs Weren’t Prophets
The media are portraying the Trump administration as “out of touch with early warnings from medical experts” about the direness of the coronavirus — even though, Kalev Leetaru observes at RealClearPolitics, “the administration’s initial reassurances” aligned with the medical community’s assessments at the time. For example, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expert (and media darling) Dr. Anthony Fauci’s “public statements essentially mirrored those of the administration”: Both “repeatedly downplayed the virus’ potential impact on the US.” Fauci “was still downplaying the risks” as late as Feb. 18. Of course, he “finally changed his views” — but those views have always dovetailed with the administration’s.
Foreign desk: The Eurozone’s Coronavirus Follies
The coronavirus wreaks havoc everywhere it spreads. But in Europe, Matthew Lynn observes at Spectator USA, it’s also threatening “a currency crisis.” Witness the Continent’s ferocious debate over whether to issue “ ‘coronabonds’ — a joint eurozone financial instrument that could raise money to help deal with the crisis.” Whatever the upsides (immediate help to ailing nations) and downsides (more debt), the “bigger problem” is that “the eurozone has now gotten itself into a position where every crisis quickly turns into a currency crisis.” While the United States, Britain and Japan can choose to print money, “none of the eurozone countries have that flexibility.” Frugal, economically mighty Germany can borrow for itself, but weak economies in Southern Europe can’t. “As soon as there is a huge external event — such as this one — they all start arguing about how to pay for it.” The result: “Across the eurozone,” the response to crises “is always far slower than it should be.”
Monk: Why You Can’t Dial 1-800-CONFESS
Christians stuck in lockdown might wonder if they can dial up a priest to confess. Sorry, “it won’t work,” informs Father Dominic Langevin at First Things. As a sacrament, confession is supposed to be a “salvific conversion,” and it “cannot occur through electronic means,” because it “requires both joint physical presence and live, interpersonal action between the penitent and priest-confessor.” Plus, given widespread hacking and surveillance, phoned confessions “would also threaten penitents’ right to confess privately.” Coronavirus notwithstanding, “it is rash to contemplate inventing an electronic form of confession when we know that others are listening in.”
— Compiled by Karl Salzmann & Sohrab Ahmari


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Trump bans US companies from exporting needed medical supplies

President Trump on Friday said that he had ordered US companies to stop exporting crucial medical supplies and equipment to ensure that hospitals and health care facilities have the life-saving supplies they need to battle the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I ‘ m signing a directive invoking the Defense Production Act to prohibit export of scarce health and medical supplies by unscrupulous actors and profiteers , ” Trump said , referring to the Korean War-era law that gives the president sweeping powers to order American companies to manufacture and deliver needed equipment .
“ The secretary of Homeland Security will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of N95 respirators , surgical masks , gloves , and other personal protective equipment .
We need these items immediately for domestic use .
We have to have them , ” Trump said at the White House during the daily briefing of the Coronavirus Task Force , referring to acting Homeland Security chief Chad Wolf .
The president said the administration had already taken action against unnamed suppliers he accused of hoarding and price gouging .
“ We ’ ve already leveraged the DPA to stop the hoarding and price gouging of crucial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Health and Human services working with the Department of Justice took custody of nearly 200,000 N95 respirators , 130,000 surgical masks , 600,000 gloves , as well as bottles , many , many , many bottles , and disinfectant sprays that were being hoarded , ” he asserted .
“ All of this material is now being given to health care workers , most of it has already been given out .
“ The Trump administration on Thursday had invoked the Defense Production Act , compelling 3M to prioritize orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US government ’ s national stockpile .
The Minnesota-based company , one of the largest manufacturers of the masks , said it was looking forward to implementing the order and had already been going “ above and beyond ” in recent weeks to churn them out as quickly as possible amid the coronavirus pandemic .
But 3M criticized a previously unreported request from the White House that it also stop sending any N95 masks to Latin America and Canada , citing “ significant humanitarian implications ” given the great need for them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the country , including New York ’ s Andrew Cuomo , that they wind up in bidding wars for supplies against each other and other countries .

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President Trump on Friday said that he had ordered US companies to stop exporting crucial medical supplies and equipment to ensure that hospitals and health care facilities have the life-saving supplies they need to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
“I‘m signing a directive invoking the Defense Production Act to prohibit export of scarce health and medical supplies by unscrupulous actors and profiteers,” Trump said, referring to the Korean War-era law that gives the president sweeping powers to order American companies to manufacture and deliver needed equipment.
“The secretary of Homeland Security will work with FEMA to prevent the export of N95 respirators, surgical masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment. We need these items immediately for domestic use. We have to have them,” Trump said at the White House during the daily briefing of the Coronavirus Task Force, referring to acting Homeland Security chief Chad Wolf.
The president said the administration had already taken action against unnamed suppliers he accused of hoarding and price gouging.
“We’ve already leveraged the DPA to stop the hoarding and price gouging of crucial supplies. Under that authority this week the Department of Health and Human services working with the Department of Justice took custody of nearly 200,000 N95 respirators, 130,000 surgical masks, 600,000 gloves, as well as bottles, many, many, many bottles, and disinfectant sprays that were being hoarded,” he asserted.
“All of this material is now being given to health care workers, most of it has already been given out. “
The Trump administration on Thursday had invoked the Defense Production Act, compelling 3M to prioritize orders for desperately needed N95 respiratory masks for the US government’s national stockpile.
The Minnesota-based company, one of the largest manufacturers of the masks, said it was looking forward to implementing the order and had already been going “above and beyond” in recent weeks to churn them out as quickly as possible amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But 3M criticized a previously unreported request from the White House that it also stop sending any N95 masks to Latin America and Canada, citing “significant humanitarian implications” given the great need for them in the US and complaints from governors around the country, including New York’s Andrew Cuomo, that they wind up in bidding wars for supplies against each other and other countries.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Outgoing CBS CEO Joe Ianniello Gets a $125M Parting Gift

CBS finally put a ring on it .
After months of ...

Talk about a golden parachute.
Former CBS Corp. Chief Executive Officer Joe Ianniello nabbed an eye-popping $125 million in total compensation and severance payments from ViacomCBS in 2019.
Ianniello, who announced he was stepping down in January, was the head of CBS, which merged with sister company, Viacom last December, to form ViacomCBS.
News of Ianniello’s princely compensation was part of the company’s annual filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, Friday evening.
The filing shows he netted a salary of $2.8 million and $84.7 million in severance payments provided for via an employment contract drawn up during the reign of disgraced CBS chairman and CEO Les Moonves, who resigned in Sept. 2018 amid sexual harassment allegations. Under that contract, Ianniello, who had been Moonves’ right-hand man, was promised a windfall if he was not promoted to CEO of the entire company after Moonves.
It was previously reported that Ianniello would net about $70 million linked to those promises for a total compensation of $100 million. Friday’s filing shows the haul was even larger than previously anticipated, including stock awards valued at $37.4 million.
The filing also reveals that Bob Bakish, the Viacom chief who was named CEO of ViacomCBS, received $8.4 million in total compensation last year. This included $230,000 in salary, $3.1 million in bonuses and $5 million in stock awards.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Christine Ebersole’s ‘Bob Hearts Abishola’ character hits home

After treading the boards in live theater and the concert stage for 45 years , Christine Ebersole was ready for a change of address .
So , when Chuck Lorre asked to her to co-star in his new CBS comedy “ Bob Hearts Abishola , ” she left the Great White Way behind .
“ I ’ m living on network TV Easy Street , ” the irrepressible two-time Tony winner tells The Post from her home in Maplewood , NJ .
Ebersole plays Dottie Wheeler , mother of three adult children , including Bob ( Billy Gardell ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dot compression sock company and is such a formidable creature , Bob refers to his late father when describing her , saying , “ You know why my father died so young ?
He wanted to.
” “ I always ask on the set , ‘ Who had a mother like this ?
, ” says Ebersole , 67 .
Dottie spent a good chunk of the show ’ s first season incapacitated as the result of a stroke .
Being bedridden did not impair her talent for manipulation , though .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children off one another , promising each one that she would leave the company to them in her will if they met her stringent requirements .
For youngest son Douglas ( Matt Jones ) , he would have to stop getting high all the time .
His twin sister Christina ( Maribeth Monroe ) would have to stop sleeping around .
With Bob , she gave him a gut-punch .
“ She wants me to lose 60 pounds , ” he says .
Dottie ’ s stroke happened early on in the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring the show ’ s two families together when Bob ’ s girlfriend , Abishola ( Folake Olowofoyeku ) , became her nurse .
While many actors would have met with stroke victims and medical professionals to research that infirmity , Ebersole had first-hand experience : her husband , Bill Moloney , suffered an acoustic neuroma 29 years ago , two years after they were married .
“ It ’ s a tumor in the inner ear pressing against the brain , ” she says .
“ He had a seven-hour surgery and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was a drummer and that really ended his career .
He had to learn how to walk all over again .
He couldn ’ t blink his eye .
He couldn ’ t smile .
He still has a lot of facial pain because of nerve damage “ It was all on his left side , ” she says .
“ So I chose the left side [ for Dottie ] .
I could relate to that .
What I imagined was what Bill went through.
” Despite these hardships , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She briefly interrupts the phone interview to take a tray of lemon-ginger muffins out of the oven and rhapsodizes about her new gig — a piece of cake compared to Broadway , where her acclaimed performances include playing both Big Edie and Little Edie in the 2006 musical version of “ Grey Gardens.
” ( Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore played those roles in an HBO movie in 2009 . )
“ If I do a split screen on a Wednesday on ‘ Bob Hearts Abishola , ’ I ’ m at work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. , ” she says .
“ Compare that to a Broadway Wednesday matinee .
If you want to send me a postcard , just mail it to Easy Street and it will find me .
This feels like my reward.
” Dottie may have a reward too , as Lorre has an upcoming episode where the character , who refers to herself as a “ marionette with a broken string , ” goes on a date with a fellow stroke victim , played by John Ratzenberger ( Cliff from “ Cheers ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think anybody would be interested in her because she ’ s in this compromised position , ” Ebersole says .
“ So she meets this guy in rehab and he makes her laugh.
” It was her first time working with Ratzenberger , whom she calls a delightful man .
With all of her accomplishments , Ebersole is generous with her co-stars and sometimes in awe of them .
She admits that when she was co-starring on Broadway as cosmetics mogul Elizabeth Arden in the musical “ War Paint , ” she would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who played her competitor , Helena Rubenstein .
“ She is such a force .
I said , ‘ Who are you ?
’ The only reason we shut down was because she could not walk anymore , ” she says .
“ She had to have her hip replaced .
It still wasn ’ t stopping her .
She was very inspiring to me .
”

After treading the boards in live theater and the concert stage for 45 years, Christine Ebersole was ready for a change of address.
So, when Chuck Lorre asked to her to co-star in his new CBS comedy “Bob Hearts Abishola,” she left the Great White Way behind.
“I’m living on network TV Easy Street,” the irrepressible two-time Tony winner tells The Post from her home in Maplewood, NJ.
Ebersole plays Dottie Wheeler, mother of three adult children, including Bob (Billy Gardell). She’s president of the Max Dot compression sock company and is such a formidable creature, Bob refers to his late father when describing her, saying, “You know why my father died so young? He wanted to.”
“I always ask on the set, ‘Who had a mother like this?,” says Ebersole, 67.
Dottie spent a good chunk of the show’s first season incapacitated as the result of a stroke. Being bedridden did not impair her talent for manipulation, though. In one episode she played her three adult children off one another, promising each one that she would leave the company to them in her will if they met her stringent requirements. For youngest son Douglas (Matt Jones), he would have to stop getting high all the time. His twin sister Christina (Maribeth Monroe) would have to stop sleeping around. With Bob, she gave him a gut-punch. “She wants me to lose 60 pounds,” he says.
Dottie’s stroke happened early on in the season, and served as a way to bring the show’s two families together when Bob’s girlfriend, Abishola (Folake Olowofoyeku), became her nurse. While many actors would have met with stroke survivors and medical professionals to research that infirmity, Ebersole had first-hand experience: her husband, Bill Moloney, suffered an acoustic neuroma 29 years ago, two years after they were married.
“It’s a tumor in the inner ear pressing against the brain,” she says. “He had a seven-hour surgery and his whole left side became kind-of paralyzed. He was a drummer and that really ended his career. He had to learn how to walk all over again. He couldn’t blink his eye. He couldn’t smile. He still has a lot of facial pain because of nerve damage
“It was all on his left side,” she says. “So I chose the left side [for Dottie]. I could relate to that. What I imagined was what Bill went through.”
Despite these hardships, the actress remains effervescent and upbeat. She briefly interrupts the phone interview to take a tray of lemon-ginger muffins out of the oven and rhapsodizes about her new gig — a piece of cake compared to Broadway, where her acclaimed performances include playing both Big Edie and Little Edie in the 2006 musical version of “Grey Gardens.” (Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore played those roles in an HBO movie in 2009.)
“If I do a split screen on a Wednesday on ‘Bob Hearts Abishola,’ I’m at work at 10:30 a.m. and finished at 11 a.m.,” she says. “Compare that to a Broadway Wednesday matinee. If you want to send me a postcard, just mail it to Easy Street and it will find me. This feels like my reward.”
Dottie may have a reward too, as Lorre has an upcoming episode where the character, who refers to herself as a “marionette with a broken string,” goes on a date with a fellow stroke victim, played by John Ratzenberger (Cliff from “Cheers”) . “Dottie doesn’t think anybody would be interested in her because she’s in this compromised position,” Ebersole says. “So she meets this guy in rehab and he makes her laugh.”
It was her first time working with Ratzenberger, whom she calls a delightful man. With all of her accomplishments, Ebersole is generous with her co-stars and sometimes in awe of them. She admits that when she was co-starring on Broadway as cosmetics mogul Elizabeth Arden in the musical “War Paint,” she would stand off-stage and watch Patti LuPone, who played her competitor, Helena Rubenstein.
“She is such a force. I said, ‘Who are you?’ The only reason we shut down was because she could not walk anymore,” she says. “She had to have her hip replaced. It still wasn’t stopping her. She was very inspiring to me.”


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Why we need to lean on Bill Withers and his great music more than ever

It seems like Bill Withers has been in my ear my entire life .
Growing up in a household where ‘ 70s soul was the soundtrack of our lives , he was right up there with Marvin , Stevie , Diana , Chaka , Teddy P. and other R & B legends — the artists who made me fall in love with music while I was scratching up my dad ’ s vinyl .
Songs such as “ Ain ’ t No Sunshine , ” “ Lean on Me ” and the funkalicious “ Use Me ” made him feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one who was a reassuring presence at backyard barbecues and family reunions .
He was the sunshine .
But even before I found out that his sun had set — it was announced on Friday that Mr. Withers had died on Monday from heart complications at 81 — Uncle Bill was heavy on my mind recently .
I was watching “ Girls Trip ” for the first time to try and escape from the madness in our midst , and there is a scene when Tiffany Haddish , Jada Pinkett-Smith , Queen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orleans for the Essence Festival to the sound of NOLA brass band the Soul Rebels playing “ Lovely Day.
” And it is pure joy .
At that moment , I forgot all about the coronavirus , and I was that little kid who just knew it was gon na be a lovely day — pandemic or not .
“ Lovely Day ” stayed with me in the days after , and I had to take it back to Withers ’ 1977 original .
As I was struggling to make sense of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I put that classic — one of the all-time-great songs — on repeat , and it gave me sweet comfort .
But whereas contemporaries such as Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin were almost otherworldly talents , there was something relatable and unassuming about Withers , with his chill , conversational vocals .
He was the genius next door .
Even when he got political , as on his great Vietnam War protest song “ I Can ’ t Write Left-Handed , ’ he was always approachable .
I had the honor of interviewing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same year he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame .
Long before then , he had stopped performing , and when I asked him if he missed it , he responded matter-of-factly : “ If I missed it , I ’ d try to find a way to do it.
” No-nonsense all the way .
Still , he was proud of “ the fact that my songs outlived my activity.
” Now that is an understatement .
His songs will live beyond all of us .
Thank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Uncle Bill .

It seems like Bill Withers has been in my ear my entire life.
Growing up in a household where ‘70s soul was the soundtrack of our lives, he was right up there with Marvin, Stevie, Diana, Chaka, Teddy P. and other R&B legends — the artists who made me fall in love with music while I was scratching up my dad’s vinyl.
Songs such as “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me” and the funkalicious “Use Me” made him feel like that cool uncle growing up — the one who was a reassuring presence at backyard barbecues and family reunions.
He was the sunshine.
But even before I found out that his sun had set — it was announced on Friday that Mr. Withers had died on Monday from heart complications at 81 — Uncle Bill was heavy on my mind recently.
I was watching “Girls Trip” for the first time to try and escape from the madness in our midst, and there is a scene when Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah and Regina Hall arrive in New Orleans for the Essence Festival to the sound of NOLA brass band the Soul Rebels playing “Lovely Day.” And it is pure joy.
At that moment, I forgot all about the coronavirus, and I was that little kid who just knew it was gonna be a lovely day — pandemic or not.
“Lovely Day” stayed with me in the days after, and I had to take it back to Withers’ 1977 original. As I was struggling to make sense of the world we live in right now, I put that classic — one of the all-time-great songs — on repeat, and it gave me sweet comfort.
But whereas contemporaries such as Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin were almost otherworldly talents, there was something relatable and unassuming about Withers, with his chill, conversational vocals. He was the genius next door.
Even when he got political, as on his great Vietnam War protest song “I Can’t Write Left-Handed,’ he was always approachable.
I had the honor of interviewing Mr. Withers for Essence in 2015 — the same year he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Long before then, he had stopped performing, and when I asked him if he missed it, he responded matter-of-factly: “If I missed it, I’d try to find a way to do it.”
No-nonsense all the way.
Still, he was proud of “the fact that my songs outlived my activity.” Now that is an understatement. His songs will live beyond all of us.
Thank you for letting us lean on you, Uncle Bill.


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Sheriff seeking new leads in Carole Baskin case says events were ‘suspicious’

The “ Tiger King ” is the Meme King .
If there was ...

Like millions of others, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister was mesmerized by “Tiger King.”
The stranger-than-fiction Netflix docuseries centers around roadside zookeeper Joseph Maldonado-Passage, a k a “Joe Exotic,” and his homicidal vendetta against the Tampa, Fla., animal activist and sanctuary owner Carole Baskin.
But Chronister told The Post his interest was especially piqued by the episode detailing the mysterious disappearance of Baskin’s second husband, multimillionaire Jack “Don” Lewis.
Back in 1997, when Lewis vanished, Chronister was a narcotics investigator in Hillsborough County and remembered the incident well. Now, as the county sheriff, he feels the time is right to dive back into the case. This week, he announced that he’s looking for new leads in the case.
“I thought we should take advantage of the public’s fascination and glimmer any type of evidence we can get,” he told The Post.
Lewis disappeared in August 1997 and the investigation mostly dried up, he said.
“The last thing we did was ask Carole to take a polygraph in 2011 for reasons that I don’t know,” the sheriff said, emphasizing that Baskin was never a suspect or even a person of interest. “She declined. It would not vindicate her and would not stop us from pursuing criminal charges against her at a later date.”
At the time of his disappearance, Lewis — who would now be 81 — was worth $5 to $7 million, via real estate and used cars, Chronister said.
“He was one person with an extremely complicated life and an extremely complex marriage,” he said.
It was offbeat out of the gate. Don and Carole met late one night in 1980, when, as Baskin has explained, she was walking down Nebraska Avenue in Tampa, crying over a fight with her then-husband. She wound up getting into Lewis’ car, that of a married stranger. She was 19. He was 40. They slept together that night.
Lewis, a father of four, eventually left his wife for Baskin in 1990. She split from her husband. They married one year later, began buying bobcats in 1992 and launched their animal sanctuary, Big Cat Rescue, that same year. But by 1997, things had turned rocky.
“He didn’t want Carole spending so much of his money on the sanctuary,” said Chronister.
There were some parts of the documentary Chronister was skeptical of: “[It] was spun for entertainment purposes,” he says.
For example, the show maintains that Lewis sought a domestic violence injunction against his wife. But “we never found [the application],” said Chronister. “Maybe it was never filed.”
One thing investigators in the case did uncover was that Lewis had two different passports, both issued in Costa Rica — despite him being an American citizen. Having two passports issued in the same country “could make sure your travel goes untraced,” he said.
Chronister maintained that Lewis had unsavory predilections. “I heard he had an extreme fondness for prostitutes,” said the sheriff. “Several sources told detectives that Don would wrap $30,000 in clothing, take it to Costa Rica, and give the cash and clothing to young girls as payment for sex. Some parents of the young girls found out and were extremely upset.”
In fact, Lewis had a home in Costa Rica and business partners there, whom Chronister believes were “the equivalent of the mafia . . . and that Lewis was loaning them money.”
On August 18, 1997, Baskin called police and reported her husband missing. One day later, Lewis’ van was found in the parking lot of nearby Pilot Country Airport (out of which private planes depart). His briefcase and keys were in the vehicle.
Lewis had announced an upcoming trip to Costa Rica, but Chronister does not believe he flew out that day. “There is no passenger manifest showing [him departing],” said Chronister. “Neither of his two passports were flagged.” Investigators at the time found that “no one down in Costa Rica had seen him for six months.”
Nor is there a cash trail: “There were no withdrawals or money moved prior to his departure. He left behind his children, his home, his girlfriends. Follow the money and you can usually solve the crime. That was not the case here.”
For five years, Lewis was considered a missing person — with his fortune held in limbo. At that point, though, a civil judge deemed him deceased. One day later, Baskin produced a will with a clause that granted her his money if he were to go MIA.
“Who in the world anticipates disappearance?” Lewis’ lawyer asks in the documentary.
Chronister shares the sentiment: “You have a will that I think is extremely suspicious,” he told The Post.
But a court upheld the will. “A woman who worked for Carole said she witnessed the signing. Then she recanted. She said that, as an employee, she felt pressured. Did she do it to prove her allegiance? Or did she recant because she got fired and now she doesn’t want Carole to have the money?”
In the documentary, Lewis’ ex-wife and two daughters claim to have received only 10 percent of his fortune.
As for tips that could solve the mystery of Jack “Don” Lewis, Chronister said he is receiving six or so a day — most of which are speculative. When asked to recount the craziest, the sheriff demurred.
“I hate to call any of them crazy,” he said. “These people led such complicated lives that any lead could be valuable.”


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Waka Flocka and Tammy Rivera return for ‘What the Flocka’

Waka Flocka and Tammy Rivera are back to share their love on We TV ’ s “ Waka & Tammy — What The Flocka.
” “ I think it ’ s time .
I think we need to show our own lives in our community and our culture , ” Flocka tells The Post .
“ We don ’ t have younger couples on television .
We see different cultures being married .
So I think it shows young adults really do s–t today.
” The reality series , airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. , follows the famous couple eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battle various ups and downs .
“ I just feel like we ’ ve been doing ensemble cast shows for a while so I mean , why not ?
” Rivera says , alluding to their appearances on “ Love and Hip Hop : Atlanta ” and “ Marriage Boot Camp.
” “ We ’ ve been approached about so many different opportunities , so why not do our own show ?
“ There are not a lot of young black married couples on television that are successfully married , ” she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be who we are .
It ’ s OK to be married and have arguments.
” Rivera says viewers can expect to see the couple honestly navigating the hills and valleys of their relationship as they go about their everyday lives .
“ Sometimes being transparent doesn ’ t always look fun , ” she says .
“ But if you ’ re going to have your own TV show and be out there , you have to show the good and the bad .
For example , Flocka says that he received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Deb Antney , which has impacted his relationship with his wife .
“ It does affect my relationship with Tammy , ” he says .
“ I understand why I ’ m not romantic .
But you know what it is … you forget the simple things when you are raised on tough love .
You forget to tell a person .
‘ Hey , you smell good today .
You look amazing when you change your hair.
’ It ’ s the small things.
” He adds that Rivera is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since she ’ s from Baltimore .
She disagrees — but they both say they ’ re cautious in front of the cameras when it comes to Charlie , Rivera ’ s daughter and Flocka ’ s stepdaughter .
“ When it comes to us we are an open book , ” she says .
“ But usually Waka pulls me to the side when it is something regarding Charlie .
It ’ s personal.
” Flocka admits it ’ s a slippery slope when it comes to his stepdaughter .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I have to be stern as well , so it ’ s hard , ” he says .
“ I feel guilty every time she cries [ and ] I can tell when I hurt her feelings .
When I yell at her it ’ s a little hard , but she sometimes goes too damn far .
It ’ s her mouth — she gets it from her mother .
“ Tammy ’ s attitude can be crazy sometimes , ” he says .
“ But it does turn me on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Hey baby , I ’ ve over it , ’ but then she brings it up a year later .
That part doesn ’ t turn me on — I just deal with it .
“ Love is not something you fall into .
It ’ s just a feeling , ” he says .
“ I can ’ t explain how love works.
” Rivera says she wants viewers and fans of “ What the Flocka ” to see how “ real ” she is .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says .
“ When we had the counseling episode [ on the show ] , I did appear to be this mean person .
But if you watch the show this is real s–t .
When you have a lot of rocks thrown at you , you ’ re going to develop a hard exterior .
You ’ re not gon na be as soft in certain places anymore.
“ “ I just want [ viewers ] to be introduced to us , ” Flocka says .
“ Jump on the train @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with us .
We have a lot of different scenarios in life that people can relate to .
”

Waka Flocka and Tammy Rivera are back to share their love on We TV’s “Waka & Tammy — What The Flocka.”
“I think it’s time. I think we need to show our own lives in our community and our culture,” Flocka tells The Post. “We don’t have younger couples on television. We see different cultures being married. So I think it shows young adults really do s–t today.”
The reality series, airing Thursdays at 10 p.m., follows the famous couple eight months after renewing their vows as they battle various ups and downs. “I just feel like we’ve been doing ensemble cast shows for a while so I mean, why not?” Rivera says, alluding to their appearances on “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta” and “Marriage Boot Camp.” “We’ve been approached about so many different opportunities, so why not do our own show?
“There are not a lot of young black married couples on television that are successfully married,” she says. “We are just trying to be who we are. It’s OK to be married and have arguments.”
Rivera says viewers can expect to see the couple honestly navigating the hills and valleys of their relationship as they go about their everyday lives. “Sometimes being transparent doesn’t always look fun,” she says. “But if you’re going to have your own TV show and be out there, you have to show the good and the bad.
“You can’t fake s–t.”
For example, Flocka says that he received “tough love” from his mom, Deb Antney, which has impacted his relationship with his wife. “It does affect my relationship with Tammy,” he says. “I understand why I’m not romantic. But you know what it is … you forget the simple things when you are raised on tough love. You forget to tell a person. ‘Hey, you smell good today. You look amazing when you change your hair.’ It’s the small things.”
He adds that Rivera is the real “thug” in their relationship, since she’s from Baltimore. She disagrees — but they both say they’re cautious in front of the cameras when it comes to Charlie, Rivera’s daughter and Flocka’s stepdaughter.
“When it comes to us we are an open book,” she says. “But usually Waka pulls me to the side when it is something regarding Charlie. It’s personal.” Flocka admits it’s a slippery slope when it comes to his stepdaughter.
“I do feel guilty disciplining her, but I have to be stern as well, so it’s hard,” he says. “I feel guilty every time she cries [and] I can tell when I hurt her feelings. When I yell at her it’s a little hard, but she sometimes goes too damn far. It’s her mouth — she gets it from her mother.
“Tammy’s attitude can be crazy sometimes,” he says. “But it does turn me on. She can forgive me and say, ‘Hey baby, I’ve over it,’ but then she brings it up a year later. That part doesn’t turn me on — I just deal with it.
“Love is not something you fall into. It’s just a feeling,” he says. “I can’t explain how love works.”
Rivera says she wants viewers and fans of “What the Flocka” to see how “real” she is.
“I’m not gonna sugarcoat anything,” she says. “When we had the counseling episode [on the show], I did appear to be this mean person. But if you watch the show this is real s–t. When you have a lot of rocks thrown at you, you’re going to develop a hard exterior. You’re not gonna be as soft in certain places anymore.“
“I just want [viewers] to be introduced to us,” Flocka says. “Jump on the train … I just want people to roll with us. We have a lot of different scenarios in life that people can relate to.”


newyorkpost--2020-04-03--Today’s coronavirus update: NY has record day, distancing appears lax

Two French doctors have been blasted for racism after one ...

New York State reported its largest single-day increase in coronavirus deaths on Friday as confirmed cases soared past 100,000 and nearly 3,000 New Yorkers have perished.
NYC also saw its biggest spike in a 24-hour period with 6,582 people testing positive since Thursday evening and another 305 deaths.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he’ll sign an executive order allowing the state to take ventilators from hospitals and redistribute them where they’re most needed.
“I’m not going to be in a situation where people are dying and there are several hundred ventilators somewhere else,” Cuomo said during his daily coronavirus press briefing in Albany.
“I’m not going to let people die because we didn’t redistribute ventilators,” Cuomo added.
Get the latest developments on the coronavirus straight to your inbox by signing up for our special edition newsletter.
Here’s what else we learned today:
Face masks
COVIDIOTS
American Airlines on Tuesday reportedly jammed a flight’s total 11 passengers into three rows of seating.
Google data shows New Yorkers doing less social distancing than people in Italy or Spain.
Need a visual? Just watch this video of hundreds on motorbikes outside a Queens funeral home.
Tragic deaths
A 32-year-old California woman died a day after her coronavirus diagnosis.
A British man killed himself after being “pushed over the edge” by coronavirus isolation.
Meanwhile…