newyorkpost--2020-07-10--New York’s latest inhumanity to disabled group-home residents amid COVID-19

When the coronavirus struck the five boroughs , Mark and Heriberto , ...

Thousands of healthy, developmentally disabled New Yorkers are captive behind locked doors because of a bureaucratic regression, backed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and hidden from public view by the COVID-19 crisis. The situation is sadly reminiscent of the horrors of Willowbrook State Hospital.
New York state is zooming to the new normal: tattoo parlors inking, beauty parlors snipping, nail salons clipping, bars slinging hooch. Meanwhile, developmentally disabled New Yorkers are being held prisoner in group homes because a state-licensing agency has adopted a “one size fits all” program. My son Dan, 32, is one of them.
The agency — the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities — ordered all group-home residents to be confined to quarters in late March as the COVID crisis began to unfold. They remain so today because the disabled are not a priority of the Cuomo administration.
Dan was an active guy: He played ice hockey with a special team, tilled the soil at an organic farm and toted hay bales — usually two at a time — at a horse stable.
Now his sole outdoor activity is a daily walk around the block in a leafy section of Long Island.
Dan and three of his roommates contracted the virus in late March. It was a tough two weeks — our only observation via FaceTime coordinated by dedicated and loving house staff. The guys recovered.
We asked that Dan be allowed some freedom with safety precautions (he wears a mask outside). OPWDD said no: Many group-home residents are at high risk due to medical conditions (Dan is physically quite healthy) or because they are aged (Dan is 32). One size fits all.
In the 1960s, institutionalization was the government’s response to developmental disability. Most thought nothing of it until Geraldo Rivera sneaked cameras into the Dickensian chamber.
The late Sen. Robert Kennedy said Willowbrook was caused by a state agency’s “lack of attention, lack of imagination.” Later Gov. Mario Cuomo said Willowbrook happened because “government was aloof, remote, not responsive.” Déjà vu all over again?
Why don’t we just take Dan home? Because if we do, the state threatens to prevent him from going back, even if his 65-year-old parents got sick.
Dan doesn’t want a tattoo or a perm; he only wants to go to the beach to surf. In 2002 we started a program to introduce people with autism to the healing powers of the ocean. From that was born Surf For All, a Long Beach, LI, charity that has provided thousands of in-ocean lessons to challenged athletes.
Dan wants to step outside, away from the television, away from air conditioning, to taste the salt air seven miles away. The folks at Surf For All have adopted strict post-COVID safety measures, including temperature checks and masks for surfers and students. His new wetsuit goes unused.
OPWDD won’t let Dan in our car and refuses to let residents ride in agency vans for anything other than doctor visits. Why? Won’t say. (Aloof? Lack of imagination?)
If he could speak, Dan would tell you he needs the ocean more than another medical checkup.
OPWDD’s sole concession: half-hour family visits to the group home, fully masked. We had ours Father’s Day. Dan gave me a gift — a framed photo of the two of us at a social event — and a card with a cartoon of a bear and the words: “Happy Father’s Day to a dad who can fix anything!”
I have fought many battles for my son over the years, rebuffing demands that he enter an institution at age 5 (the same thing told to Willowbrook parents years earlier). We blocked school officials trying to force him into a residential facility (later unmasked as a bastion of sexual predation). Dan doesn’t understand why he can’t go to the beach. His eyes plead: Dad, take me to the beach.
Willowbrook happened because the residents were locked away; if you didn’t have a relative there, you didn’t know. Today, group-home residents across New York are in the same position and remain on the bottom of the priority list for the Cuomo administration. I wish I could be the dad to fix this.
Jim Mulvaney is a former newspaper reporter. He lives in Long Beach.


newyorkpost--2020-07-10--Gov. Cuomo predicts COVID-19 bump for NY amid surge in other states

Gov .
Andrew Cuomo has ordered residents from three more hot-spot ...

Gov. Andrew Cuomo predicted New York will see another bump in coronavirus cases because of the pandemic’s surge in many southern and western states — and admitted the quarantine he imposed on visitors from hotspot areas will be unable to stop it.
“Look, we’re doing everything we can. The quarantine, we have an enforcement mechanism. But, you know, how do you catch somebody driving in, right? I mean, it’s very very difficult, it’s trying to catch water in a screen,” Cuomo said Friday on WAMC radio.
Cuomo imposed a travel advisory on 19 states with rising COVID-19 infections — including California, Florida and Texas — that requires visitors from these areas to quarantine for 14 days upon entering New York.
“You’re going to see our numbers and the Northeast numbers probably start to increase because the virus that you see now in the south and the west, California has real trouble, it’s going to come back here,” he said.
The governor said it’s a shame after “we defeat [COVID-19] in New York” — following a grueling three month period of severe lockdowns and social distancing rules that helped contain and reduce infections — to see the killer bug re-emerge.
“The other states don’t take the same precautions. It rises up in the other states and then is going to come back here from the other states. That’s what’s going to happen.
“The only question is how far up our rate goes. But you can’t have it all across the country and not come back. You think nobody’s coming here from California and these states?”


newyorkpost--2020-07-10--French bus driver dies after ‘barbaric’ attack over face masks

A French bus driver has died five days after being viciously beaten during a dispute over wearing face masks , his family announced Friday .
Philippe Monguillot , 58 , was initially left brain dead after he confronted a group of passengers who were not complying with a rule that requires face masks on public transportation when they boarded without tickets around 7 p.m. Sunday in Bayonne in south-west France .
The passengers dragged him off the bus and onto the platform , where he was kicked and beaten by the group before they fled .
Monguillot ’ s family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take him off life support .
“ We decided to let him go , ” Monguillot ’ s daughter Marie told AFP news agency Friday , adding doctors had agreed with the decision .
Five male suspects face charges in the attack , though their names have not been released .
Two men , ages 22 and 23 , have been charged with attempted murder , two others with non-assistance to a person in danger and another with attempting to hide a suspect , the BBC reported .
The group attacked Monguillot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put on face masks .
France has instituted a nationwide face-covering mandated for public transit .
The mayor of Bayonne condemned the “ barbaric act , ” which sparked a massive protest in the city where thousands marched for the driver , according to the BBC .
Regional bus service was severely disrupted after the beating when drivers refused to work .
As Monguillot clung to life , his wife , Veronique , said the couple ’ s lives have been “ destroyed ” by the tragedy .
“ He can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was going to be 59 years old soon , ” she told Le Parisien .
“ No , you don ’ t do this over a bus ticket .
You don ’ t kill for free like this .
”

A French bus driver has died five days after being viciously beaten during a dispute over wearing face masks, his family announced Friday.
Philippe Monguillot, 58, was initially left brain dead after he confronted a group of passengers who were not complying with a rule that requires face masks on public transportation when they boarded without tickets around 7 p.m. Sunday in Bayonne in south-west France.
The passengers dragged him off the bus and onto the platform, where he was kicked and beaten by the group before they fled.
Monguillot’s family and care providers decided it was best to take him off life support.
“We decided to let him go,” Monguillot’s daughter Marie told AFP news agency Friday, adding doctors had agreed with the decision.
Five male suspects face charges in the attack, though their names have not been released.
Two men, ages 22 and 23, have been charged with attempted murder, two others with non-assistance to a person in danger and another with attempting to hide a suspect, the BBC reported.
The group attacked Monguillot after he asked three of the men to put on face masks. France has instituted a nationwide face-covering mandated for public transit.
The mayor of Bayonne condemned the “barbaric act,” which sparked a massive protest in the city where thousands marched for the driver, according to the BBC.
Regional bus service was severely disrupted after the beating when drivers refused to work.
As Monguillot clung to life, his wife, Veronique, said the couple’s lives have been “destroyed” by the tragedy.
“He can’t leave us like this, he was going to be 59 years old soon,” she told Le Parisien. “No, you don’t do this over a bus ticket. You don’t kill for free like this.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-10--Bill Hader and Rachel Bilson have reportedly split

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) At least she knows a guy with a good breakup playlist .
Bill Hader and Rachel Bilson have split up , People magazine is reporting .
Hader , 42 , and Bilson , 38 , made their red carpet debut as a couple just seven months ago — or roughly one quarter-century in quarantine time — at the 2020 Golden Globes , where they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by makeup artist Amy Nadine .
“ Multiple ” sources told People that the split was “ amicable , ” though reps are remaining mum on the issue .
That ’ s hardly surprising , though , given the strenuously low-key nature of the pair ’ s relationship : They sparked relationship rumors after being clocked at a Tulsa , Okla. Starbucks in December 2019 , then again , later in the month , at a Los Angeles Ralph ’ s .
In February , a source told People that Hader and Bilson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship seemed “ fun.
” Page Six has reached out to Bilson and Hader ’ s reps for comment .

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
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At least she knows a guy with a good breakup playlist.
Bill Hader and Rachel Bilson have split up, People magazine is reporting.
Hader, 42, and Bilson, 38, made their red carpet debut as a couple just seven months ago — or roughly one quarter-century in quarantine time — at the 2020 Golden Globes, where they were dubbed the “cutest couple ever” by makeup artist Amy Nadine.
“Multiple” sources told People that the split was “amicable,” though reps are remaining mum on the issue.
That’s hardly surprising, though, given the strenuously low-key nature of the pair’s relationship: They sparked relationship rumors after being clocked at a Tulsa, Okla. Starbucks in December 2019, then again, later in the month, at a Los Angeles Ralph’s.
In February, a source told People that Hader and Bilson seemed “serious” and that their relationship seemed “fun.”
Page Six has reached out to Bilson and Hader’s reps for comment.


newyorkpost--2020-07-10--COVID-19 patient was black and paralyzed, so doctors decided his life wasn’t worth saving

A Texas quadriplegic died of the coronavirus after a hospital ...

Last month, a disabled, 46-year-old African American man was euthanized without his consent or that of his wife. But rather than exploding amid our racial-justice moment, the story hardly yielded a peep from those who control our national discourse.
In 2017, Michael Hickson suffered a brain injury that left him paralyzed. Still, he was able to enjoy many activities: having books read to him, listening to music, answering trivia questions. He had memory problems, but he recalled his birthday and Social Security number with ease. Michael was leading the kind of life many people with disabilities do: not without difficulties but intrinsically valuable and dignified.
Then Michael contracted COVID-19 and was admitted to St. David’s Medical Center of South Austin, Texas. A disagreement over his care led to medical decision-making being taken away from his wife and given to the state and his medical team.
Michael didn’t do well and needed intensive care. His wife, Melissa, apparently did not trust his medical team and decided to (legally) record the exchange she had with her husband’s doctor.
As the recording shows, they agreed that Michael should not be intubated, but Melissa still wanted Michael to be treated aggressively. The doctor insisted aggressive treatment wouldn’t “help him improve” and “right now, his quality of life . . . he doesn’t have much of one.”
Melissa was taken aback: “What do you mean?” she asked. “Because he’s paralyzed with a brain injury, he doesn’t have quality of life?”
“Correct,” the doctor flatly replied.
Pressed further by Melissa, who admirably kept her cool, the doctor admitted he’d had three patients survive who were in Michael’s situation but claimed her husband’s case “doesn’t fit those three.”
Michael’s “quality of life is different from theirs,” she was told. The others “were walking and talking people.”
Melissa tried to respond, but the doctor had had enough. “I don’t mean to be frank or abrasive, but at this point, we are going to do what we feel is best for him along with the state, and this is what we decided.”
Melissa did get in one last shot by telling him that this was a decision to kill her husband. And she had good reason to think so: Giving her husband food, water, oxygen and medicine would have not been burdensome treatment. And Michael may have beaten the odds.
The hospital had plenty of space for him. The issue, the doctor made clear, was Michael’s disability. The state and the hospital decided that they shouldn’t try to save someone with his disabilities.
After pro-life journalists broke the story on June 26, the National Council on Disability publicly called on the federal Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the hospital for violating Michael’s civil rights.
“When a medical facility makes a decision to deny medical care to a person with a disability that is based on, or influenced by, biased views about life with a disability, it runs afoul of federal civil rights laws,” the group said.
Yet when the Washington Post, a paper otherwise all in on outing structural racism, picked up the story, it framed Melissa’s claims skeptically and credulously accepted the hospital’s word that “it wasn’t possible to save” Michael and that none of its decisions was made on the basis of his disability.
Sorry, but the recording was clear: An institution with power over Michael’s very life had deemed it a life unworthy of life.
Owing to structural health disparities, many African Americans have a justified fear of being treated like “throwaway people” in a clinical setting, particularly when it comes to so-called “end-of-life” decisions.
And because doctors are often ableist in their assumptions, the vulnerability of African American patients are magnified when they are disabled. Health providers consistently rate the quality of life of their disabled patients worse than the patients themselves.
When confronted with the fact that patients generally prefer length of life to quality of life, many physicians find themselves “surprised” and admit: “We think we know what is best for a patient, but this is often wrong.” It’s appalling.
If you care about racial justice, remember Michael Hickson. Say his name. Tell his story.
Charles Camosy is associate professor of theological and social ethics at Fordham University and author of the new book “Resisting Throwaway Culture.”
Twitter: @CCamosy


newyorkpost--2020-07-10--President Trump commutes Roger Stone’s sentence

President Trump has commuted the sentence of his longtime adviser Roger Stone , calling him a victim of the “ Russian hoax ” and saying he would have been put at serious medical risk in prison .
Trump on Friday signed an executive grant of clemency just days before Stone was due to report to prison Tuesday to serve a 40-month sentence after he was found guilty on seven counts of obstruction , witness tampering and lying to Congress .
Stone had appealed the ruling and maintains his innocence .
“ Roger Stone has already suffered greatly , ” White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a White House statement announcing the reprieve Friday night .
Though issued in the name of his top press person , the statement — filled with the president ’ s characteristic attacks on the Mueller investigation and superlatives for Stone — was pure Trump .
“ Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency , ” the statement said .
“ He was treated very unfairly , as were many others in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a free man !
” Trump had hinted earlier Friday that he was considering a presidential pardon for Stone .
“ I think Roger Stone was very unfairly treated , as were many people , and in the meantime , Comey and all these guys are walking around , including Biden and Obama , because we caught them spying on my campaign , ” Trump said .
“ Who would have believed that one ?
”

President Trump has commuted the sentence of his longtime adviser Roger Stone, calling him a victim of the “Russian hoax” and saying he would have been put at serious medical risk in prison.
Trump on Friday signed an executive grant of clemency just days before Stone was due to report to prison Tuesday to serve a 40-month sentence after he was found guilty on seven counts of obstruction, witness tampering and lying to Congress.
Stone had appealed the ruling and maintains his innocence.
“Roger Stone has already suffered greatly,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement announcing the reprieve Friday night.
Though issued in the name of his top press aide, the statement — filled with the president’s characteristic attacks on the Mueller investigation and superlatives for Stone — was pure Trump.
“Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency,” the statement said.
“He was treated very unfairly, as were many others in this case. Roger Stone is now a free man!”
Trump had hinted earlier Friday that he was considering a presidential pardon for Stone.
“I think Roger Stone was very unfairly treated, as were many people, and in the meantime, Comey and all these guys are walking around, including Biden and Obama, because we caught them spying on my campaign,” Trump said.
“Who would have believed that one?”
Stone and his wife, Nydia, “appreciate all the consideration the President gave to this matter,” his attorney Grant Smith said in a statement, the Washington Post reported.
“Mr. Stone is incredibly honored that President Trump used his awesome and unique power under the Constitution of the United States for this act of mercy,” Smith said.
Stone’s pardon immediately drew strong condemnation from his rival Joe Biden and fellow Democrats who argued the decision smacked of cronyism and corruption.
“President Trump has once again abused his power, releasing this commutation on a Friday night, hoping to yet again avoid scrutiny as he lays waste to the norms and the values that make our country a shining beacon to the rest of the world,” said Biden’s campaign spokesman, Bill Russo, in a statement.
New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, pledged to investigate the pardon.
“A jury found Roger Stone guilty,” Nadler tweeted.
“By commuting his sentence, President Trump has infected our judicial system with partisanship and cronyism and attacked the rule of law. @HouseJudiciary will conduct an aggressive investigation into this brazen corruption.”
Stone’s buddies hailed his new freedom Friday night.
Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign advisor who serves as an assistant secretary at Department of Health and Human Services, tweeted a photo of a celebratory, white-tableclothed lobster dinner he ordered in Stone’s honor.
“Hey #RogerStone. We still can’t talk but I know you’re reading this,” he wrote with the photo. “This lobster is for you old friend: congratulations!”


newyorkpost--2020-07-10--The most dishonest, biased news coverage of our lifetimes — and it’s about to get worse

‘ I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever seen such dishonest and biased coverage of any event.
” That was Brit Hume , who has been covering events for more than 50 years for Fox News , ABC News and investigative reporter Jack Anderson .
The event was President Trump ’ s Independence Day speech at Mount Rushmore .
The speech was , according to The New York Times , “ dark and divisive , ” designed to deliver a “ divisive culture war message.
” The Washington Post called it a “ dystopian speech ” and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their stories were quotations supporting racism .
Nor did Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth supply any quotations to support her claim that Trump “ spent all his time talking about dead traitors.
” Trump mentioned no Confederates but did quote the “ Battle Hymn of the Republic.
” The great bulk of Trump ’ s speech was a celebration of American history , American principles , American leaders .
He spoke extensively of the four presidents whose visages were sculpted on the mountain above him and paid tribute more succinctly to others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country of Andrew Jackson , Ulysses S. Grant and Frederick Douglass .
We are the land of Wild Bill Hickock and Buffalo Bill Cody .
We are the nation that gave rise to the Wright brothers , the Tuskegee Airmen , Harriet Tubman , Clara Barton , Jesse Owens , George Patton — Gen. George Patton — the great Louie Armstrong , Alan Shepard , Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali.
” What really seems to have raised the press ’ hackles was Trump ’ s dissent from their reverent attitudes toward Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tearing down statues of Lincoln , Douglass , Grant , abolitionists and women ’ s-rights advocates .
“ Angry mobs are trying to tear down statues of our Founders , deface our most sacred memorials and unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities , ” Trump said , accurately .
That ’ s not the message most in the media want voters receiving in the months running up to November .
TV viewers have been assured Black Lives Matter protests are “ mostly peaceful , ” even while fires are blazing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been assured that those seizing streets and ousting police are promoting , in the Seattle mayor ’ s words , a “ summer of love , ” even as their camp becomes the scene of multiple homicides .
Opinion writers are avoiding mention of the fact that homicides and murders in New York , Chicago and numerous other cities have suddenly risen far above the numbers for 2019 and previous years .
Most of the dead are black , but apparently , those black lives don ’ t really matter .
Media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump spoke of a “ far-left fascism , ” one of whose “ political weapons is ‘ cancel culture ’ — driving people from their jobs , shaming dissenters and demanding total submission from anyone who disagrees.
” This may cut uncomfortably close to home , coming just a few weeks after the defenestration of The New York Times editorial-page editor for running an article urging the deployment of federal troops , the same tactic that ended rioting and bloodshed in Los Angeles in 1992 and Detroit in 1967 .
For these media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while violent rioting is “ mostly peaceful ” verbal disagreement .
They say , or feel compelled by newsroom pressure to say , that Trump is divisive because he ’ s accusing them , accurately , of being divisive .
During the Charlottesville controversy around the statue of Robert E. Lee , Trump was ridiculed for predicting that statue protesters would target Washington and Jefferson .
Well , The New York Times has run opinion articles coming after Washington and Jefferson .
National Review editor Rich Lowry writes , “ I suspect that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s description of the culture war all know that if they or their colleagues say something disparaging or even skeptical about Black Lives Matter , their jobs would instantly be at risk.
” Hence the dishonest and biased press coverage of Trump ’ s Mount Rushmore speech .
Expect more in the months to come .

‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen such dishonest and biased coverage of any event.” That was Brit Hume, who has been covering events for more than 50 years for Fox News, ABC News and investigative reporter Jack Anderson.
The event was President Trump’s Independence Day speech at Mount Rushmore.
The speech was, according to The New York Times, “dark and divisive,” designed to deliver a “divisive culture war message.” The Washington Post called it a “dystopian speech” and a “push to amplify racism.”
Absent from their stories were quotations supporting racism. Nor did Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth supply any quotations to support her claim that Trump “spent all his time talking about dead traitors.” Trump mentioned no Confederates but did quote the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
The great bulk of Trump’s speech was a celebration of American history, American principles, American leaders. He spoke extensively of the four presidents whose visages were sculpted on the mountain above him and paid tribute more succinctly to others.
He said: “We are the country of Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant and Frederick Douglass. We are the land of Wild Bill Hickock and Buffalo Bill Cody. We are the nation that gave rise to the Wright brothers, the Tuskegee Airmen, Harriet Tubman, Clara Barton, Jesse Owens, George Patton — Gen. George Patton — the great Louie Armstrong, Alan Shepard, Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali.”
Dark and divisive? Dystopian? Amplifying racism?
What really seems to have raised the press’ hackles was Trump’s dissent from their reverent attitudes toward Black Lives Matter and apparent indifference to those tearing down statues of Lincoln, Douglass, Grant, abolitionists and women’s-rights advocates.
“Angry mobs are trying to tear down statues of our Founders, deface our most sacred memorials and unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities,” Trump said, accurately.
That’s not the message most in the media want voters receiving in the months running up to November. TV viewers have been assured Black Lives Matter protests are “mostly peaceful,” even while fires are blazing fiercely within camera view.
Newspaper readers have been assured that those seizing streets and ousting police are promoting, in the Seattle mayor’s words, a “summer of love,” even as their camp becomes the scene of multiple homicides.
Opinion writers are avoiding mention of the fact that homicides and murders in New York, Chicago and numerous other cities have suddenly risen far above the numbers for 2019 and previous years. Most of the dead are black, but apparently, those black lives don’t really matter.
Media sensibilities may have also been injured when Trump spoke of a “far-left fascism,” one of whose “political weapons is ‘cancel culture’ — driving people from their jobs, shaming dissenters and demanding total submission from anyone who disagrees.”
This may cut uncomfortably close to home, coming just a few weeks after the defenestration of The New York Times editorial-page editor for running an article urging the deployment of federal troops, the same tactic that ended rioting and bloodshed in Los Angeles in 1992 and Detroit in 1967.
For these media denizens, verbal disagreement is violence, while violent rioting is “mostly peaceful” verbal disagreement. They say, or feel compelled by newsroom pressure to say, that Trump is divisive because he’s accusing them, accurately, of being divisive.
During the Charlottesville controversy around the statue of Robert E. Lee, Trump was ridiculed for predicting that statue protesters would target Washington and Jefferson. Well, The New York Times has run opinion articles coming after Washington and Jefferson.
National Review editor Rich Lowry writes, “I suspect that the very journalists who scoff at Trump’s description of the culture war all know that if they or their colleagues say something disparaging or even skeptical about Black Lives Matter, their jobs would instantly be at risk.”
Hence the dishonest and biased press coverage of Trump’s Mount Rushmore speech.
Expect more in the months to come.


newyorkpost--2020-07-10--Six U.S. states see record surges in COVID-19 cases, Florida becomes epicenter

Six U.S. states suffered record spikes in new COVID-19 cases on Friday and Florida , an epicenter of the pandemic , saw infections rise sharply for the second day in a row as the Walt Disney Co. stuck to its plans to reopen its flagship theme park in Orlando .
The surges in Georgia , Louisiana , Montana , Ohio , Utah and Wisconsin put the United States on a pace to once again set a single-day record for new coronavirus cases as Walt Disney World became the latest flash point in a national debate over access to public spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theme parks in Orlando would open on Saturday to a limited number of guests , requiring all visitors and employees to undergo temperature checks and wear face masks and cancelling parades , firework displays and other crow-drawing events .
Disney ’ s chief medical officer said this week that she believed the broad set of safeguards the company developed with health experts would allow guests to visit the park safely .
Roughly 19,000 people , including some theme park workers , have signed a petition asking Disney to delay the reopening .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has filed a grievance against the company , alleging retaliation against members over a union demand that they be tested for COVID-19 .
A Disney spokeswoman said Disney World would reopen without the performers after Actors Equity union representatives had not been available for further talks .
Seven other unions reached agreements with Disney on returning to work .
Other theme parks opened in Orlando in June , including Comcast Corp ’ s Universal Studios Orlando and SeaWorld Entertainment Inc ’ s SeaWorld .
Florida recorded 11,433 new coronavirus cases on Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short of the state ’ s record high and more evidence that it was at the center of the U.S. pandemic .
Florida does not disclose the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients but earlier this week more than four dozen Florida hospitals reported their intensive care units were full .
This month , Florida has repeatedly reported more new daily coronavirus cases than any European country had at the height of their outbreaks .
Its positive test rate , at 19 % earlier this week , is one of the highest in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Republican , angered some residents and medical experts by calling the spike a “ blip.
” On Friday , DeSantis said that the state would receive more than 17,000 vials of the antiviral drug remdesivir from the U.S. government , adding : “ That ’ ll be something that will hopefully help to improve patient outcomes.
” Scott Burkee , a 43-year-old former Disney employee from Davenport , Florida , said DeSantis “ has shown zero effort to control the spread , he only becomes concerned when Trump does .
The virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Republican , traveled to Florida on Friday for an event at the U.S. military ’ s Southern Command and a campaign fundraiser .
The president has sparred with state and local officials and teachers unions over the reopening of schools and said on Friday the Treasury Department would re-examine the tax-exempt status and funding of those that remain closed .
Trump previously vowed to cut federal funding to the schools and eject foreign students attending universities in the United States unless their schools offer in-person classes , although most education funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The United States has the world ’ s highest known numbers of both COVID-19 cases and deaths .
The number of confirmed U.S. infections is over 3 million , according to a Reuters tally , stoking fears that hospitals will be overwhelmed .
More than 133,000 Americans have died , a toll that experts warn will likely surge along with the rise in cases .
Overall , coronavirus cases are rising in 44 American states , based on a Reuters analysis of cases for the past two weeks compared with the prior two @ @

Six U.S. states suffered record spikes in new COVID-19 cases on Friday and Florida, an epicenter of the pandemic, saw infections rise sharply for the second day in a row as the Walt Disney Co. stuck to its plans to reopen its flagship theme park in Orlando.
The surges in Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Ohio, Utah and Wisconsin put the United States on a pace to once again set a single-day record for new coronavirus cases as Walt Disney World became the latest flash point in a national debate over access to public spaces.
The Walt Disney Co. said the theme parks in Orlando would open on Saturday to a limited number of guests, requiring all visitors and employees to undergo temperature checks and wear face masks and cancelling parades, firework displays and other crow-drawing events.
Disney’s chief medical officer said this week that she believed the broad set of safeguards the company developed with health experts would allow guests to visit the park safely.
Roughly 19,000 people, including some theme park workers, have signed a petition asking Disney to delay the reopening. The union representing 750 Walt Disney World performers has filed a grievance against the company, alleging retaliation against members over a union demand that they be tested for COVID-19.
A Disney spokeswoman said Disney World would reopen without the performers after Actors Equity union representatives had not been available for further talks. Seven other unions reached agreements with Disney on returning to work.
Other theme parks opened in Orlando in June, including Comcast Corp’s Universal Studios Orlando and SeaWorld Entertainment Inc’s SeaWorld.
Florida recorded 11,433 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the state health department said, just short of the state’s record high and more evidence that it was at the center of the U.S. pandemic.
Florida does not disclose the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients but earlier this week more than four dozen Florida hospitals reported their intensive care units were full.
This month, Florida has repeatedly reported more new daily coronavirus cases than any European country had at the height of their outbreaks. Its positive test rate, at 19% earlier this week, is one of the highest in the country.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, angered some residents and medical experts by calling the spike a “blip.”
On Friday, DeSantis said that the state would receive more than 17,000 vials of the antiviral drug remdesivir from the U.S. government, adding: “That’ll be something that will hopefully help to improve patient outcomes.”
Scott Burkee, a 43-year-old former Disney employee from Davenport, Florida, said DeSantis “has shown zero effort to control the spread, he only becomes concerned when Trump does. The virus is clearly out of control.”
Trump, a Republican, traveled to Florida on Friday for an event at the U.S. military’s Southern Command and a campaign fundraiser.
The president has sparred with state and local officials and teachers unions over the reopening of schools and said on Friday the Treasury Department would re-examine the tax-exempt status and funding of those that remain closed.
Trump previously vowed to cut federal funding to the schools and eject foreign students attending universities in the United States unless their schools offer in-person classes, although most education funds come from state and local coffers.
The United States has the world’s highest known numbers of both COVID-19 cases and deaths. The number of confirmed U.S. infections is over 3 million, according to a Reuters tally, stoking fears that hospitals will be overwhelmed.
More than 133,000 Americans have died, a toll that experts warn will likely surge along with the rise in cases.
Overall, coronavirus cases are rising in 44 American states, based on a Reuters analysis of cases for the past two weeks compared with the prior two weeks.


newyorkpost--2020-07-10--FBI offers $10K reward in search for missing Amish girl from Pennsylvania

The FBI is offering a $ 10,000 reward for information on an Amish teen from Pennsylvania who has been missing for nearly three weeks .
Linda Stoltzfoos , 18 , of East Lampeter Township , was last seen on Sunday , June 21 .
Officials said she didn ’ t return home after attending a church service that Father ’ s Day , sparking an expansive search involving tracking dogs , horses , ATV equipment and drones .
The FBI and the local Lampeter Township Police Department are now asking for the public ’ s help in the search .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ any information that leads to her recovery and the identification , arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for her disappearance .
Stoltzfoos was last seen Sunday at a farm on Stumptown Road in Bird-In-Hand while wearing a tan dress , white apron and a white cape , East Lampeter Township police said .
Her parents called the police that Sunday after she never returned from the church service , saying she gave no indication that she wanted to leave or was about to take a trip .
Stoltzfoos is described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tall and weighing 125 pounds .

The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information on an Amish teen from Pennsylvania who has been missing for nearly three weeks.
Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, of East Lampeter Township, was last seen on Sunday, June 21. Officials said she didn’t return home after attending a church service that Father’s Day, sparking an expansive search involving tracking dogs, horses, ATV equipment and drones.
The FBI and the local Lampeter Township Police Department are now asking for the public’s help in the search. The reward money is being offered for any information that leads to her recovery and the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for her disappearance.
Stoltzfoos was last seen Sunday at a farm on Stumptown Road in Bird-In-Hand while wearing a tan dress, white apron and a white cape, East Lampeter Township police said.
Her parents called the police that Sunday after she never returned from the church service, saying she gave no indication that she wanted to leave or was about to take a trip.
Stoltzfoos is described as being approximately 5’10” tall and weighing 125 pounds.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--These are the colleges where black students really matter

When New York ’ s black high school seniors return to school in the fall and start looking ahead to college admissions , historically black colleges and universities ( HBCUs ) should be at the top of their lists .
As protests over racism continue to ripple across the country , HBCUs offer a safe haven where young minds can feel truly embraced by a racially diverse faculty who will empower them for the future .
According to US Department of Education statistics , 75 percent of all black people with a doctorate degree ( and four fifths of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training at HBCUs .
With typically lower tuition fees and a more integrated staff than traditionally white institutions , HBCUs are a more affordable and supportive way for black kids to level the playing field .
Today , there are 107 HBCUs , and the majority of them are in the South , so NYC high school students have no choice but to look farther away from home to places like Claflin University , Morehouse College , Tuskegee University and Howard University .
They might feel nervous , but the journey will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — I went from Yonkers , NY , to Claflin University , a private HBCU in Orangeburg , SC , where I received an incredible education from some of the brightest minds teaching the art of public speaking , philosophy and Black History .
I learned some surprising fun facts , too , including one about Martin Luther King Jr. not being born “ Martin.
” He didn ’ t get that name until his father came back from a church-related trip and began to call himself Martin Luther King instead of Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On July 23 , 1957 — 28 years after his birth — King Jr. ’ s birth certificate was revised .
Dr. King , Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall all attended HBCUs .
In addition to having the most iconic and prestigious black alumni base in the world , here are three more reasons why HBCUs shine : A compelling historical background : The majority of HBCUs came about after the end of the Civil War .
Former slaves knew that education was their ticket to the future , and they applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slaves to their schools ’ curriculums — including painting , architecture , farming , stonemasonry , cooking , carpentry , nursing and more .
During the 1930s and 1940s , when many Jewish intellectuals left Europe after the rise of Nazism and could not find work in the US due to anti-Semitism , HBCUs embraced them with open arms .
While much of America was still practicing anti-Semitism , racism and prejudice in the 1940s , Albert Einstein lectured at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania , an HBCU .
They have always been open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t created as a way to go against the dominant society ; they were created because the dominant society wouldn ’ t allow blacks to enroll in other schools .
And contrary to popular belief , HBCUs are not just schools with black students .
Some HBCUs even have more white students than they do black students .
Bluefield State College in West Virginia was founded in 1895 to educate the children of black coal miners .
Today , this HBCU is over 80 percent white .
Many HBCUs also have students who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LGBTQIA+ community .
In 2019 , the country ’ s only all-male HBCU , Morehouse College , opened its enrollment to transgender men , stating that , “ Morehouse accepts applications from those who live and self-identify as men.
” The culture is unparalleled to any other type of institution in the country : A culture of black excellence thrives at HBCUs , producing some of our most prominent leaders including Kamala Harris , Stacey Abrams , Toni Morrison and Chadwick Boseman , to name just a few .
But HBCUs are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southern cooking , which tastes just as good as the knowledge you ’ re receiving .
What other collegiate dining halls serve peach cobbler , macaroni and cheese and cornbread ?
Come on now .
( It ’ s no wonder that I put on weight during my undergraduate years . )
All of this : delicious food , a family-like atmosphere , manicured lawns , pristine buildings , top-notch tuition and abundant love from professors is everything that black students — no , all students — need now more than ever .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the author of “ He Spoke at My School : An Educational Journey.
” He is the founder and director of The New York-New Jersey Historically Black College and University Initiative , which prepares students by exposing them to opportunities only found at HBCUs .
Follow him on social media @ NewYorkStakz .

When New York’s black high school seniors return to school in the fall and start looking ahead to college admissions, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) should be at the top of their lists.
As protests over racism continue to ripple across the country, HBCUs offer a safe haven where young minds can feel truly embraced by a racially diverse faculty who will empower them for the future. According to US Department of Education statistics, 75 percent of all black people with a doctorate degree (and four fifths of all black federal judges) received their undergraduate training at HBCUs. With typically lower tuition fees and a more integrated staff than traditionally white institutions, HBCUs are a more affordable and supportive way for black kids to level the playing field.
Today, there are 107 HBCUs, and the majority of them are in the South, so NYC high school students have no choice but to look farther away from home to places like Claflin University, Morehouse College, Tuskegee University and Howard University. They might feel nervous, but the journey will be worth it. Take it from me — I went from Yonkers, NY, to Claflin University, a private HBCU in Orangeburg, SC, where I received an incredible education from some of the brightest minds teaching the art of public speaking, philosophy and Black History.
I learned some surprising fun facts, too, including one about Martin Luther King Jr. not being born “Martin.” He didn’t get that name until his father came back from a church-related trip and began to call himself Martin Luther King instead of Michael King in honor of the Protestant leader. On July 23, 1957 — 28 years after his birth — King Jr.’s birth certificate was revised. Dr. King, Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall all attended HBCUs. In addition to having the most iconic and prestigious black alumni base in the world, here are three more reasons why HBCUs shine:
A compelling historical background: The majority of HBCUs came about after the end of the Civil War. Former slaves knew that education was their ticket to the future, and they applied the same skills they had learned as slaves to their schools’ curriculums — including painting, architecture, farming, stonemasonry, cooking, carpentry, nursing and more. During the 1930s and 1940s, when many Jewish intellectuals left Europe after the rise of Nazism and could not find work in the US due to anti-Semitism, HBCUs embraced them with open arms. While much of America was still practicing anti-Semitism, racism and prejudice in the 1940s, Albert Einstein lectured at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, an HBCU.
They have always been open and loving institutions: HBCUs weren’t created as a way to go against the dominant society; they were created because the dominant society wouldn’t allow blacks to enroll in other schools. And contrary to popular belief, HBCUs are not just schools with black students. Some HBCUs even have more white students than they do black students. Bluefield State College in West Virginia was founded in 1895 to educate the children of black coal miners. Today, this HBCU is over 80 percent white. Many HBCUs also have students who are open and proud members of the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2019, the country’s only all-male HBCU, Morehouse College, opened its enrollment to transgender men, stating that, “Morehouse accepts applications from those who live and self-identify as men.”
The culture is unparalleled to any other type of institution in the country: A culture of black excellence thrives at HBCUs, producing some of our most prominent leaders including Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, Toni Morrison and Chadwick Boseman, to name just a few. But HBCUs are also renowned for their warm hospitality and homestyle Southern cooking, which tastes just as good as the knowledge you’re receiving. What other collegiate dining halls serve peach cobbler, macaroni and cheese and cornbread? Come on now. (It’s no wonder that I put on weight during my undergraduate years.) All of this: delicious food, a family-like atmosphere, manicured lawns, pristine buildings, top-notch tuition and abundant love from professors is everything that black students — no, all students — need now more than ever.
Dennis Richmond Jr. is a freelance journalist and the author of “He Spoke at My School: An Educational Journey.” He is the founder and director of The New York-New Jersey Historically Black College and University Initiative, which prepares students by exposing them to opportunities only found at HBCUs. Follow him on social media @NewYorkStakz.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--How climate change alarmists are actually damaging the planet

“ You ’ ll die of old age , I ’ ll die of climate change , ” reads a typical poster held by teenagers in climate rallies across the world .
The media , activists and even politicians are unabashedly indulging in climate alarmism , stoking the fears of millions .
Books on the impending implosion of civilization due to climate change line shelves in bookstores across the world .
Media outlets have changed the name of climate change , calling it the “ climate emergency ” or even “ climate breakdown.
” The cover of Time magazine tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very worried.
” Unsurprisingly , this causes most of us to brood about a future that we ’ re being told will be calamitous .
Children are growing up terrified , with six in ten American teenagers now afraid of climate change .
The scaremongering has reached such a crescendo that now half the world ’ s population really believes climate change will likely end the human race .
This alarmism is not only false but morally unjust .
It leads us to make poor decisions based on fear , when the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be even better over the century .
Remember that the world today is much better in almost every measurable way .
In 1900 , the average life expectancy was 32 .
Today , it has more than doubled to 72 .
The disparity in health between the rich and poor has reduced , the world is much more literate , child labor has been dropping and we are living in one of the most peaceful times in history .
Indoor air pollution , previously the biggest environmental killer , has halved since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were extremely poor in 1900 and today — despite the intense impact of the coronavirus — less than one in five is .
The UN Climate Panel ’ s middle-of-the-road estimate for the end of the century is that we will be even better off .
There will be virtually no one left in extreme poverty , everyone will be much better educated , and the average income per person in the world will be 450 percent of what it is today .
Yet , because climate is a real challenge , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Based on three decades of studies , the UN and the world ’ s only Nobel climate economist estimate global warming will reduce the 21st century welfare increase from 450 percent to “ only ” 434 percent of today ’ s income .
Clearly , this is a problem .
But a 3.6 percent reduction by the end of the century is not an existential threat .
Resorting to panic and hysteria is unlikely to help .
Indeed , one of the UN Climate Panel authors warned against this : “ We risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is not carefully supported by the science.
” How is it possible that the media ’ s portrayal of the impacts of climate change are so vastly removed from reality ?
Because simple , moderating factors are left out .
Last year , a paper generated lots of headlines and clicks claiming that future sea-level rise would flood 187 million people .
But it was spectacularly misleading .
It had to assume no one would adapt over the next 80 years .
Actually , the research showed that as people obviously adapt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move .
The scary number is 600 times too large .
This trumped-up rhetoric leads us to make unrealistic promises .
We have mostly failed our climate promises for the last thirty years , and we are poised to fail our Paris climate promises by 2030 as well .
It also leads nations to make exorbitantly expensive promises of carbon neutrality by 2050 , something that will be more costly than permanent coronavirus shutdowns .
Only New Zealand has asked for an independent assessment of the cost of its climate policy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ GDP each and every year by 2050 , making it more costly than the entire New Zealand public expenditures for education , health , environment , police , defense , social protection , etc .
Spending 16 percent of a nation ’ s income to solve a smaller part of a 3.6 percent problem is bad policy .
Moreover , it is unlikely to happen .
We need smarter solutions .
Climate economic studies convincingly show that one of the best investments to fix climate in the medium run is to invest heavily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research is cheap , we can explore many avenues , from better renewables and battery storage , to carbon capture and fusion , fission , carbon-neutral oil-producing algae , and more .
If we can innovate on the price of green energy down below that of fossil fuels , everyone will switch — not just well-meaning rich people , but also most Chinese , Indians and Africans .
The models show that each dollar invested in green energy R & D will avoid eleven dollars of climate damage .
It ’ s imperative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smart efforts — efforts that have been shown throughout history to work .
We should tackle climate smartly , and also make sure that a monomaniacal focus on climate change doesn ’ t crowd out urgent investments in the many other , crucially important issues of health , education , jobs and nutrition .
Adapted from Bjorn Lomborg ’ s book , “ False Alarm : How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions , Hurts the Poor , and Fails to Fix the Planet ” ( Basic Books ) , out Tuesday .

“You’ll die of old age, I’ll die of climate change,” reads a typical poster held by teenagers in climate rallies across the world. The media, activists and even politicians are unabashedly indulging in climate alarmism, stoking the fears of millions.
Books on the impending implosion of civilization due to climate change line shelves in bookstores across the world. Media outlets have changed the name of climate change, calling it the “climate emergency” or even “climate breakdown.” The cover of Time magazine tells us: “Be worried. Be very worried.”
Unsurprisingly, this causes most of us to brood about a future that we’re being told will be calamitous. Children are growing up terrified, with six in ten American teenagers now afraid of climate change. The scaremongering has reached such a crescendo that now half the world’s population really believes climate change will likely end the human race.
This alarmism is not only false but morally unjust. It leads us to make poor decisions based on fear, when the world not only has gotten better, but will be even better over the century.
Remember that the world today is much better in almost every measurable way. In 1900, the average life expectancy was 32. Today, it has more than doubled to 72. The disparity in health between the rich and poor has reduced, the world is much more literate, child labor has been dropping and we are living in one of the most peaceful times in history. Indoor air pollution, previously the biggest environmental killer, has halved since 1990. Four out of five people were extremely poor in 1900 and today — despite the intense impact of the coronavirus — less than one in five is.
The UN Climate Panel’s middle-of-the-road estimate for the end of the century is that we will be even better off. There will be virtually no one left in extreme poverty, everyone will be much better educated, and the average income per person in the world will be 450 percent of what it is today. Yet, because climate is a real challenge, it will leave us less well off. Based on three decades of studies, the UN and the world’s only Nobel climate economist estimate global warming will reduce the 21st century welfare increase from 450 percent to “only” 434 percent of today’s income.
Clearly, this is a problem. But a 3.6 percent reduction by the end of the century is not an existential threat. Resorting to panic and hysteria is unlikely to help. Indeed, one of the UN Climate Panel authors warned against this: “We risk turning off the public with extremist talk that is not carefully supported by the science.”
How is it possible that the media’s portrayal of the impacts of climate change are so vastly removed from reality? Because simple, moderating factors are left out. Last year, a paper generated lots of headlines and clicks claiming that future sea-level rise would flood 187 million people.
But it was spectacularly misleading. It had to assume no one would adapt over the next 80 years. Actually, the research showed that as people obviously adapt, just 0.3 million people will have to move. The scary number is 600 times too large.
This trumped-up rhetoric leads us to make unrealistic promises. We have mostly failed our climate promises for the last thirty years, and we are poised to fail our Paris climate promises by 2030 as well. It also leads nations to make exorbitantly expensive promises of carbon neutrality by 2050, something that will be more costly than permanent coronavirus shutdowns. Only New Zealand has asked for an independent assessment of the cost of its climate policy. It will cost 16 percent of its GDP each and every year by 2050, making it more costly than the entire New Zealand public expenditures for education, health, environment, police, defense, social protection, etc.
Spending 16 percent of a nation’s income to solve a smaller part of a 3.6 percent problem is bad policy. Moreover, it is unlikely to happen. We need smarter solutions.
Climate economic studies convincingly show that one of the best investments to fix climate in the medium run is to invest heavily in green R&D. Because research is cheap, we can explore many avenues, from better renewables and battery storage, to carbon capture and fusion, fission, carbon-neutral oil-producing algae, and more. If we can innovate on the price of green energy down below that of fossil fuels, everyone will switch — not just well-meaning rich people, but also most Chinese, Indians and Africans. The models show that each dollar invested in green energy R&D will avoid eleven dollars of climate damage.
It’s imperative that we shift our focus to such smart efforts — efforts that have been shown throughout history to work. We should tackle climate smartly, and also make sure that a monomaniacal focus on climate change doesn’t crowd out urgent investments in the many other, crucially important issues of health, education, jobs and nutrition.
Adapted from Bjorn Lomborg’s book, “False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet” (Basic Books), out Tuesday.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--Tesla boss Elon Musk now richer than Warren Buffett

The CEO of Tesla zoomed past Warren Buffett on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index after the electric automaker ’ s stock @ @ @ @ @ .
Musk , 49 , controls about 20 % of Tesla ’ s stock , @ @ @ @ @ billion fortune makes him the seventh richest person on Earth .
Despite the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ boom year for Tesla with share prices rising 269 % .
Musk earned about $ @ @ @ @ @ .
Buffett , 89 , saw his fortune decline after donating $ 2.7 billion of @ @ @ @ @ charity .
The Oracle of Omaha has given away $ 37 billion in shares since @ @ @ @ @ to give at least half his fortune to charity during his lifetime or upon his @ @

Elon Mu$k is seeing green.
The CEO of Tesla zoomed past Warren Buffett on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index after the electric automaker’s stock rose 11% on Friday.
Musk, 49, controls about 20% of Tesla’s stock, and his now $70.5 billion fortune makes him the seventh richest person on Earth.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 has been a boom year for Tesla with share prices rising 269%. Musk earned about $6.07 billion on Friday alone.
Buffett, 89, saw his fortune decline after donating $2.7 billion of his Berkshire Hathaway stock to charity.
The Oracle of Omaha has given away $37 billion in shares since 2006. He has promised to give at least half his fortune to charity during his lifetime or upon his death.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--How cops are searching for Naya Rivera in the murky depths of Lake Piru

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) California cops showed how tough the search for missing “ Glee ” actress Naya Rivera , who vanished after a boating mishap on a California lake with her young son , has been — posting footage of the murky , impenetrable waters where the star is believed to have disappeared .
“ Here ’ s an example of the underwater visibility at a 30-foot depth in Lake Piru , ” the Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Office wrote alongside a brief clip of the muddy depths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ California after renting a pontoon boat with her 4-year-old son , Josey .
The man who rented the vessel to Rivera found the boy alone on the boat after the pair failed to return to shore .
Authorities are using a variety of tools in their search for Rivera , including sonar , dogs and divers , they said .
The Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Office said it believes the actress accidentally drowned in the lake , about 56 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles .
Investigators found Rivera ’ s ID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s son with ex-husband Ryan Dorsey , was wearing a life jacket .
Another life jacket was spotted on the boat , authorities said .
“ We don ’ t know if she ’ s going to be found five minutes from now or five days from now , so we ’ re still going to be continuing this effort , ” said Capt .
Eric Buschow , Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Office spokesman , CNN reported .
The Sheriff ’ s Office is working with the Coast Guard and Tulare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said probers are using side-scanning sonar in water with visibility of only about a foot .
A specially-trained dog is also being used to alert handlers if they sense a body beneath the water , the report said .

California cops showed how tough the search for missing “Glee” actress Naya Rivera, who vanished after a boating mishap on a California lake with her young son, has been — posting footage of the murky, impenetrable waters where the star is believed to have disappeared.
“Here’s an example of the underwater visibility at a 30-foot depth in Lake Piru,” the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office wrote alongside a brief clip of the muddy depths.
The 33-year-old Rivera disappeared Wednesday in Southern California after renting a pontoon boat with her 4-year-old son, Josey. The man who rented the vessel to Rivera found the boy alone on the boat after the pair failed to return to shore.
Authorities are using a variety of tools in their search for Rivera, including sonar, dogs and divers, they said.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said it believes the actress accidentally drowned in the lake, about 56 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Investigators found Rivera’s ID and a purse. Josey, Rivera’s son with ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, was wearing a life jacket. Another life jacket was spotted on the boat, authorities said.
“We don’t know if she’s going to be found five minutes from now or five days from now, so we’re still going to be continuing this effort,” said Capt. Eric Buschow, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, CNN reported.
The Sheriff’s Office is working with the Coast Guard and Tulare County searchers in the recovery. Buschow said probers are using side-scanning sonar in water with visibility of only about a foot. A specially-trained dog is also being used to alert handlers if they sense a body beneath the water, the report said.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--Inside the minds of the Yankees’ now and future AL East rival

This 2020 Major League Baseball season , should it actually launch , will feature fewer games , less travel and quite possibly zero fans .
More Yankees-Rays games , tho ( as the kids spell it ) .
Or at least a higher percentage of them .
That would be good for baseball and , at best from a Bronx perspective , challenging for the Yankees .
Probably , it would represent the Yankees ’ most significant challenge to a repeat of their AL East title .
The small-market , stadium-challenged , little engines that could from Tampa/St .
Pete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make life miserable once more for their wine-caving AL East neighbors in New York and Boston .
Much like their previous run , they appear equipped to stick around for a while .
“ It ’ s in our DNA to be the David to take on the Goliaths , ” Rays president Matt Silverman said in a telephone interview , “ I ’ m not sure how well David would have fared taking on two Goliaths , but that ’ s our lot in life , and we have embraced that challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we ’ ve reached the playoffs.
” They reached the playoffs last year , leveraging a $ 64 million payroll to finish 96-66 ( 12 games ahead of the Red Sox ) and grab the second AL wild-card spot .
They wound up advancing to the AL Division Series and taking the eventual league-champion Astros to the maximum five games .
As the Red Sox parted ways with their scandal-plagued manager Alex Cora and traded their best player Mookie Betts to the Dodgers last offseason , it further cleared the path for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a farm system ranked as the industry ’ s best by MLB.com — to crash the highbrow party .
“ We admire and respect the work of the teams that we compete against , ” Rays general manager Erik Neander said .
“ But any meaningful time that you spend thinking about that doesn ’ t help you get better.
” Last year ’ s visit to the postseason marked the Rays ’ first such success since 2013 and turned an important page of sorts in the team ’ s annals .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of four October voyages in six years — kicked off by the worst-to-first , pennant-winning campaign of 2008 .
As much as star players such as Carl Crawford , Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist led that charge , arguably just as prominent were the team ’ s architect , Andrew Friedman , and the manager he hired , Joe Maddon .
Friedman left the Rays for the Dodgers in October 2014 , following a 77-85 showing , and less than a month later , Maddon — armed with contract language that liberated him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — joined the Cubs , both men aligning with the dark side of the large markets .
It marked the end of an era for the Rays , and how they responded under principal owner Stuart Sternberg reflects the organizational confidence that enabled them to trade valuable players midseason while in contention in 2018 , or introduce the opener to baseball that same season , or propose a two-country , two-ballpark solution to their longlasting attendance headaches by which they ’ d toggle between Tampa and Montreal ( the viability of which remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disadvantages — their 2020 payroll stood at about $ 67 million , as per Spotrac , had this been a normal-length season — the Rays essentially require front-office leaders and managers to perform at just as elite a level as their best players .
So they set about finding more .
Silverman — who had been the team ’ s president since 2006 , overseeing all aspects of the organization — shifted to president of baseball operations and hired Kevin Cash , a Tampa native who previously worked as the Indians ’ bullpen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred with sights on the long term .
“ When Andrew and Joe left , it was jarring , ” Silverman said .
“ It was a shock to the franchise , a shock to the organization .
… We knew we had some challenges ahead of us .
Our farm system was pretty barren at the time , so it would be no quick fix .
We didn ’ t have the stomach for a Cubs- or Astros-style rebuild , so we kept our focus on the major league club .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership in place , especially Erik .
We wanted to give him and the rest of the group time to grow into the role , a little bit of separation of timelines from Andrew and Joe .
And looking back we were very fortunate that the timing lined up for us to hire Kevin Cash .
When we hired Joe , he was with us for nine years .
We wanted someone like Kevin whom we could give a long runway.
” During Silverman ’ s three years atop baseball ops , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 80-82 , extending their streak of sub-.500 seasons to four .
Yet Cash gained reps in the manager ’ s seat , Neander and his deputy Chaim Bloom ( who left for the Red Sox last winter ) clocked enough experience to propel Silverman back to his president title and the Rays collected talent like they were hoarding Purell for a pandemic .
Submit your Yankees questions to be answered in an upcoming mailbag When they turned the corner in 2018 , going 90-72 , eight of the Rays ’ best 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived via trade , waiver claim or free agency .
Last year , in getting back to the playoffs , that number jumped to nine , including the top four of stud starting pitcher Charlie Morton ( a free agent ) , shortstop Willy Adames ( acquired from the Tigers for David Price in 2014 ) and outfielders Austin Meadows ( acquired from the Pirates for Chris Archer in 2018 ) and Tommy Pham ( acquired from the Cardinals in 2018 and traded to the Padres last December ) .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Neander said .
“ We ’ re active .
When you make as many transactions as we do , you ’ re bound to have some that go your way and , on the flip side , some that you ’ d rather not have made.
” Recently , the Rays have recorded far more of the former than the latter .
Recently acquired gems like right-hander Tyler Glasnow , who came with Meadows in the Archer trade , and infielder Yandy Diaz , who arrived from Cleveland in a 2018 trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Snell , the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner , and outfielder Kevin Kiermaier on the first unit .
Shortstop Wander Franco , 19 and the top-ranked prospect in all of baseball , heads the list of exciting youngsters on the way .
“ We feel like we ’ ve put ourselves in a pretty good position to compete , ” Neander said .
“ Now it ’ s a matter of doing it.
” For the pinstriped Goliath , there will be no ignoring this David .

This 2020 Major League Baseball season, should it actually launch, will feature fewer games, less travel and quite possibly zero fans.
More Yankees-Rays games, tho (as the kids spell it). Or at least a higher percentage of them.
That would be good for baseball and, at best from a Bronx perspective, challenging for the Yankees. Probably, it would represent the Yankees’ most significant challenge to a repeat of their AL East title.
The small-market, stadium-challenged, little engines that could from Tampa/St. Pete have returned from their mid-2010s slumber to make life miserable once more for their wine-caving AL East neighbors in New York and Boston. Much like their previous run, they appear equipped to stick around for a while.
“It’s in our DNA to be the David to take on the Goliaths,” Rays president Matt Silverman said in a telephone interview, “I’m not sure how well David would have fared taking on two Goliaths, but that’s our lot in life, and we have embraced that challenge. It makes it even more rewarding when we’ve reached the playoffs.”
They reached the playoffs last year, leveraging a $64 million payroll to finish 96-66 (12 games ahead of the Red Sox) and grab the second AL wild-card spot. They wound up advancing to the AL Division Series and taking the eventual league-champion Astros to the maximum five games. As the Red Sox parted ways with their scandal-plagued manager Alex Cora and traded their best player Mookie Betts to the Dodgers last offseason, it further cleared the path for the Rays — who can boast of a farm system ranked as the industry’s best by MLB.com — to crash the highbrow party.
“We admire and respect the work of the teams that we compete against,” Rays general manager Erik Neander said. “But any meaningful time that you spend thinking about that doesn’t help you get better.”
Last year’s visit to the postseason marked the Rays’ first such success since 2013 and turned an important page of sorts in the team’s annals. The ’13 wild-card berth ended a stretch of four October voyages in six years — kicked off by the worst-to-first, pennant-winning campaign of 2008. As much as star players such as Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist led that charge, arguably just as prominent were the team’s architect, Andrew Friedman, and the manager he hired, Joe Maddon.
Friedman left the Rays for the Dodgers in October 2014, following a 77-85 showing, and less than a month later, Maddon — armed with contract language that liberated him in the event of a Friedman departure — joined the Cubs, both men aligning with the dark side of the large markets.
It marked the end of an era for the Rays, and how they responded under principal owner Stuart Sternberg reflects the organizational confidence that enabled them to trade valuable players midseason while in contention in 2018, or introduce the opener to baseball that same season, or propose a two-country, two-ballpark solution to their longlasting attendance headaches by which they’d toggle between Tampa and Montreal (the viability of which remains undetermined). Because of their financial disadvantages — their 2020 payroll stood at about $67 million, as per Spotrac, had this been a normal-length season — the Rays essentially require front-office leaders and managers to perform at just as elite a level as their best players. So they set about finding more.
Silverman — who had been the team’s president since 2006, overseeing all aspects of the organization — shifted to president of baseball operations and hired Kevin Cash, a Tampa native who previously worked as the Indians’ bullpen coach, to manage. Both moves occurred with sights on the long term.
“When Andrew and Joe left, it was jarring,” Silverman said. “It was a shock to the franchise, a shock to the organization. … We knew we had some challenges ahead of us. Our farm system was pretty barren at the time, so it would be no quick fix. We didn’t have the stomach for a Cubs- or Astros-style rebuild, so we kept our focus on the major league club.
“Stu believed that we had the future leadership in place, especially Erik. We wanted to give him and the rest of the group time to grow into the role, a little bit of separation of timelines from Andrew and Joe. And looking back we were very fortunate that the timing lined up for us to hire Kevin Cash. When we hired Joe, he was with us for nine years. We wanted someone like Kevin whom we could give a long runway.”
During Silverman’s three years atop baseball ops, the Rays posted records of 80-82, 68-94 and 80-82, extending their streak of sub-.500 seasons to four. Yet Cash gained reps in the manager’s seat, Neander and his deputy Chaim Bloom (who left for the Red Sox last winter) clocked enough experience to propel Silverman back to his president title and the Rays collected talent like they were hoarding Purell for a pandemic.
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When they turned the corner in 2018, going 90-72, eight of the Rays’ best 12 players (as per Baseball-Reference WAR) arrived via trade, waiver claim or free agency. Last year, in getting back to the playoffs, that number jumped to nine, including the top four of stud starting pitcher Charlie Morton (a free agent), shortstop Willy Adames (acquired from the Tigers for David Price in 2014) and outfielders Austin Meadows (acquired from the Pirates for Chris Archer in 2018) and Tommy Pham (acquired from the Cardinals in 2018 and traded to the Padres last December).
“We’re not shy about making transactions,” Neander said. “We’re active. When you make as many transactions as we do, you’re bound to have some that go your way and, on the flip side, some that you’d rather not have made.”
Recently, the Rays have recorded far more of the former than the latter. Recently acquired gems like right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who came with Meadows in the Archer trade, and infielder Yandy Diaz, who arrived from Cleveland in a 2018 trade, join homegrown building blocks like Blake Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner, and outfielder Kevin Kiermaier on the first unit. Shortstop Wander Franco, 19 and the top-ranked prospect in all of baseball, heads the list of exciting youngsters on the way.
“We feel like we’ve put ourselves in a pretty good position to compete,” Neander said. “Now it’s a matter of doing it.”
For the pinstriped Goliath, there will be no ignoring this David.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--Knicks’ new leadership team gets crash course in ‘Spurs Way’

Tom Thibodeau , lead candidate to coach the Knicks , had his ...

If this extended coaching search Knicks president Leon Rose and William Wesley have embarked on still leads to Tom Thibodeau being hired, the rest of the interviews won’t have been a waste of Zoom time.
At least Rose and Wesley, who have never worked for an NBA team, got a crash course in “The Spurs Way.”
Rose called the ongoing search that could end next week “an education.”
Part of Rose’s strategy of interviewing 11 candidates — including five without head-coaching experience — is to hear philosophies of other organizations, according to an NBA source.
Two of those without head coaching experience are assistants Ime Udoka and Will Hardy — both of whom have San Antonio’s impeccable culture ingrained in them.
To a lesser extent, so does Mike Miller, the Knicks interim coach who spent two seasons as an Austin Spurs assistant in the G-League and was Rose’s first interview.
Udoka played three seasons with the Spurs as a teammate of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Udoka went on to coach them as Gregg Popovich’s assistant for seven seasons and also helped cultivate Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Udoka, 42, joined the Sixers before this season.
“He assimilated with the Pop philosophy,’’ one NBA executive who is close to Udoka told The Post. “Udoka is a person very driven, meticulous, hard on himself. He’s a perfectionist.”
Udoka, who oversees the Sixers’ defense, joined another Spurs alum in Brett Brown in Philly.
Torrel Harris, the agent for and father of Sixers forward Tobias Harris, has been most impressed with Udoka, a former Knick. If the Bulls’ job officially opens, Udoka is expected to be a frontrunner, especially now that former Sixers executive Marc Eversley just joined Chicago.
“He’s great guy, good coach,’’ Harris told The Post. “He would be a great coach for the Knicks. All players love him. He gets the players respect. The Knicks should definitely hire him.’’
So why did Udoka leave Popovich’s side? Some insiders deduce Udoka realized he was not Popovich’s successor — that Becky Hammon, Tim Duncan or even Hardy held the inside track. Popovich is 71 years old.
“A different challenge is always exciting to me,’’ Udoka said before the season. “When you’ve done something — you know I spent seven years as a coach [in San Antonio]. Seeing new things, being with new players and bouncing ideas off of different coaches and new philosophies is a way to grow and see things from a different perspective.”
Hardy, 31, still is in place in San Antonio after being with the organization for 10 years, starting as a 21-year-old intern. He was promoted to the front of the bench only this season but has been an assistant for four years after serving as video coordinator.
“It’s not just Pop and [GM] R.C. [Buford], who have been wonderful, but I’ve had coaches I’ve worked for and worked with [and] the list is crazy,’’ Hardy said in an interview with The Athletic before the season. “It’s Mike Budenholzer. It’s Brett Brown, Jacque Vaughn, Don Newman, Chip [Engelland] and Chad [Forcier]. Ime [Udoka] and Ettore Messina, James Borrego, Becky [Hammon], Jim Boylen. I mean, there are like six head coaches in there.”
So what is Rose and Wesley learning about the Spurs through these interviews?
Submit your Knicks questions to be answered in an upcoming mailbag
One NBA coach said some of it is simple but hard to duplicate.
“The Spurs Way is the sum being bigger than the individual parts,’’ the coach said. “It was never about Tim Duncan or Tony or Manu. Pop was allowed to coach them without individual agenda because the players bought into a system.’’
One agent said “The Spurs Way’’ is not fake, though their astounding 22-year playoff streak is expected to crash amid the Orlando restart as they enter with a 27-36 record.
“It exists,’’ the agent said. “When it comes to player development, they’ve done amazing. The culture is just great there. When it comes to placing a young player in the NBA, as an agent, you’re targeting two franchises — San Antonio and Miami.”
One coaching source added, “The system is real. If a Hall of Famer buys in, great things happen.Tim was all about winning, a la Bill Russell. The best systems and best coaches can get more wins out of the same group of players than a strategically suspect system or inferior coach.”
Spurs class is adjourned.
Mike Woodson, who is being looked at more so to add as top assistant, had his second interview Friday. The Post reported David Fizdale wanted Woodson on his staff in 2018 but management thought it to be a bad idea.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--Giants’ Leonard Williams, Saquon Barkley and Sam Beal facing big expectations

The heat of the summer is not the only heat applied to players scheduled to assemble for the start of Giants training camp later this month .
For some , there is heat to show they are worth the money .
For others , the heat is on to live up to the marquee status assigned to them , based on their place on the depth chart .
The stakes are high across the board .
However , not all players , roster spots , expectations and level of importance are created equal .
Here are the three Giants with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big guy needs no introduction .
He was supposed to be a star with the Jets ( No .
6-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft ) and instead evolved into a good , solid player .
Giants GM Dave Gettleman saw a young , healthy interior defensive lineman and sent over a third- and fifth-round pick to get him .
After eight games of Williams doing what he usually does — good against the run , pretty good in pressuring the pocket , usually unable to seal the deal with a sack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was worth the risk .
Is Williams worth $ 16.1 million — his tender for the 2020 season — if he continues his career production ?
No chance .
Is it foolhardy to expect him , entering his sixth NFL season , to suddenly become an impact player ?
Probably .
The best aspects to Williams are his age ( 26 ) and his durability — he ’ s started 79 of a possible 80 games .
His total pressures , according to Pro Football Focus , are between 48 and 55 every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is .
Unless the Giants can slice into that big salary cap hit with a multiyear extension , this certainly is exorbitant for Williams .
If he plays out the season on the one-year tender , he is auditioning for the entire league and his future earnings are on the line .
Submit your Giants questions here to be answered in an upcoming Post mailbag Really ?
What pressure is there on a brilliant 23-year-old who in two seasons has exhibited all class and highlights and physical gifts to put him in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league at his position ?
Well , with great power comes great responsibility .
Just ask Peter Parker .
Barkley was a phenom as a rookie and less phenomenal in year No .
2 , largely because of a nagging high ankle sprain .
That is always the potential bugaboo with taking running backs so high in a draft — can they stay on the field enough to justify the selection ?
It is difficult not to get ahead of ourselves here .
Barkley saw Christian McCaffrey set the bar at the position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per year — the richest for a running back in NFL history .
That came after three seasons .
If Barkley tears it up in 2020 he will be in line for the same , or more , even though most first-round picks have to wait until after their fourth season to cash in .
Plus , Barkley puts a ton on himself .
Too much losing at times made him ornery — there was too much of a burden to turn the franchise around on someone so young and so new .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he almost tries too hard to be part of the solution .
Until he gets more help around him , there is heat on Saquon , real or imagined .
There is a good chance this 23-year-old goes from being a youngster moving in the mix to a player needed to start alongside free-agent addition James Bradberry .
That would be quite a leap of faith .
The uncertain status of 2019 first-round pick DeAndre Baker , based on his legal entanglements , looms as a major impediment for a defense lacking in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but , given his draft status , nevertheless was part of the plan .
Beal looks the part , tall and rangy , blessed with speed .
It is time for him to show what he ’ s got .
He missed the entire 2018 season on injured reserve with a shoulder issue and a strained hamstring landed him on IR last season before he finally made his NFL debut and got into six games , with predictably uneven results .
The Giants had a second-round grade on Beal when they took him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supplemental Draft .
He might be needed to rise from a crowd that includes youngsters Corey Ballentine and Grant Haley and rookie Darnay Holmes .

Part 5 in a five-part series — a Giants trio of note.
The heat of the summer is not the only heat applied to players scheduled to assemble for the start of Giants training camp later this month. For some, there is heat to show they are worth the money. For others, the heat is on to live up to the marquee status assigned to them, based on their place on the depth chart.
The stakes are high across the board. However, not all players, roster spots, expectations and level of importance are created equal.
Here are the three Giants with the most pressure on them:
Leonard Williams, defensive tackle
This big guy needs no introduction. He was supposed to be a star with the Jets (No. 6-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft) and instead evolved into a good, solid player. Giants GM Dave Gettleman saw a young, healthy interior defensive lineman and sent over a third- and fifth-round pick to get him. After eight games of Williams doing what he usually does — good against the run, pretty good in pressuring the pocket, usually unable to seal the deal with a sack — Gettleman decided applying the franchise tag was worth the risk.
Is Williams worth $16.1 million — his tender for the 2020 season — if he continues his career production? No chance. Is it foolhardy to expect him, entering his sixth NFL season, to suddenly become an impact player? Probably. The best aspects to Williams are his age (26) and his durability — he’s started 79 of a possible 80 games. His total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, are between 48 and 55 every year. He seems to be what he is. Unless the Giants can slice into that big salary cap hit with a multiyear extension, this certainly is exorbitant for Williams. If he plays out the season on the one-year tender, he is auditioning for the entire league and his future earnings are on the line.
Submit your Giants questions here to be answered in an upcoming Post mailbag
Saquon Barkley, running back
Really? What pressure is there on a brilliant 23-year-old who in two seasons has exhibited all class and highlights and physical gifts to put him in the conversation for the best in the league at his position? Well, with great power comes great responsibility. Just ask Peter Parker. Barkley was a phenom as a rookie and less phenomenal in year No. 2, largely because of a nagging high ankle sprain. That is always the potential bugaboo with taking running backs so high in a draft — can they stay on the field enough to justify the selection?
It is difficult not to get ahead of ourselves here. Barkley saw Christian McCaffrey set the bar at the position with a contract averaging $16 million per year — the richest for a running back in NFL history. That came after three seasons. If Barkley tears it up in 2020 he will be in line for the same, or more, even though most first-round picks have to wait until after their fourth season to cash in.
Plus, Barkley puts a ton on himself. Too much losing at times made him ornery — there was too much of a burden to turn the franchise around on someone so young and so new. His ability is unquestioned and at times he almost tries too hard to be part of the solution. Until he gets more help around him, there is heat on Saquon, real or imagined.
Sam Beal, cornerback
There is a good chance this 23-year-old goes from being a youngster moving in the mix to a player needed to start alongside free-agent addition James Bradberry. That would be quite a leap of faith. The uncertain status of 2019 first-round pick DeAndre Baker, based on his legal entanglements, looms as a major impediment for a defense lacking in talent. Baker struggled as a rookie but, given his draft status, nevertheless was part of the plan.
Beal looks the part, tall and rangy, blessed with speed. It is time for him to show what he’s got. He missed the entire 2018 season on injured reserve with a shoulder issue and a strained hamstring landed him on IR last season before he finally made his NFL debut and got into six games, with predictably uneven results. The Giants had a second-round grade on Beal when they took him in the third round of the 2018 Supplemental Draft. He might be needed to rise from a crowd that includes youngsters Corey Ballentine and Grant Haley and rookie Darnay Holmes.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--Mets hopeful Yoenis Cespedes, Jed Lowrie can play key roles

Yoenis Cespedes owns a first baseman ’ s mitt , and put it ...

Forget playing during a pandemic being the most unlikely part of 2020.
Instead, it could be Yoenis Cespedes and Jed Lowrie both suiting up for the Mets this season.
After seeing Cespedes take Seth Lugo deep during Thursday’s intrasquad game at Citi Field, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen admitted it got him thinking about what the slugger might be able to do this season.
“Last week, we talked about Cespedes and my optimism and I made the definitive statement that [he] can hit,’’ Van Wagenen said during a Zoom call Friday. “What he’s shown here — and everyone saw him hit the home run in the intrasquad game — we’re very excited about what the impact of his bat can be.”
The GM and manager Luis Rojas noted Cespedes needs to prove he can run the bases and play the outfield, but his bat is still there, which Van Wagenen said means the Mets “can start to dream a little bit” about the slugger as he attempts to come back from multiple foot surgeries.
Cespedes isn’t the only fragile Met Van Wagenen believes might be able to contribute if a 2020 season is played during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In that same intrasquad game Thursday, Lowrie doubled to deep center off Jacob deGrom in his first game action since last year.
“We’re starting to get more answers to questions we had when we entered camp,’’ Van Wagenen said. “And Jed is a little like Yoenis, demonstrating the quality of his at-bats has not declined with his layoff.”
But also like Cespedes, Lowrie has several hurdles to clear before he’s actually game-ready after missing most of last season with a mysterious leg injury.
“As he progresses, we’ll learn more about his explosiveness and if he can run and play defense effectively,’’ Van Wagenen said. “But it’s encouraging.”
Rojas didn’t even rule out the possibility of Lowrie playing third base at some point during the 60-game schedule.
But for a player who was limited to seven at-bats in his first season in Queens after signing a two-year, $20 million deal, the Mets will no doubt take some games at DH from the 36-year-old. Jeff McNeil figures to be at third base, unless Robinson Cano, who has not been at spring training 2.0 in at least three days due to unspecified reasons, is unable to go.
“He’s always been able to control the strike zone and work into situations where he gets deep into counts and has quality at-bats,’’ said Van Wagenen, Lowrie’s former agent. “We saw [Thursday], the double off deGrom off a 3-2 count and he worked a walk in his second at bat. You’re gonna have to get Jed out. He’s not gonna get himself out.”
You just have to get him on the field.
The same could be said of Cespedes the last two years. He had surgery on both heels in 2018 and then sustained ankle fractures last year following an accident on his ranch involving a wild boar.
“From a hitting standpoint, we can all agree he’s looking pretty good,’’ Rojas said. “His timing is there [and] the pitch recognition.”
But Cespedes has yet to start running the bases in games and is said to be even further away from playing the outfield.
“He’s been able to participate not only in what other people are doing, but he’s also doing extra work as he tries to rebuild strength,’’ Van Wagenen said. “We’re excited with where he is at this point.”
Rojas is hoping there’s more to come.
“He’s positive and very secure about what he can do out there,’’ the manager said. “Guys’ reaction [to the homer was] just that they know that’s what he can do. … He hit the homer and they said, ‘That’s Yo.’ I’m excited about his attitude. He brings so much to the clubhouse. He’s a great presence. Cespedes is a force. It’s great that he’s in our corner and advancing day-to-day.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--Yankees nearing the time for big pitching decisions

Three outs an inning .
Mike Trout being the best player ...

With four additional roster spots for the first two weeks of a mini season that is scheduled to open July 23, the Yankees need to decide how many pitchers they take.
In a normal season, teams depart spring training with 12 or 13 pitchers. Of course, nothing about this season that so far has been lowlighted by the coronavirus shutting the game down in mid-March and a contentious labor situation has been ordinary. Even now with a dozen days until the Yankees face the defending World Series champion Nationals in Washington, there is nobody guaranteeing the season will get off the ground or not halted at some point due to the virus.
Still, for Aaron Boone, pitching coach Matt Blake and the analytical arm of the front office, the time is quickly approaching for a pitching staff to be finalized.
Clouding the final decision will be how Masahiro Tanaka is dealing with a concussion suffered during a simulated game last week when he was struck in the head by a ball off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton that was clocked at 112 mph. So, too, will be the availability of second baseman DJ LeMahieu and pitcher Luis Cessa, who are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19.
“At this point we really haven’t had serious conversations about that. I would say over the next several days those conversations would gradually start to pick up,’’ Boone said Thursday night on a Zoom call ahead of Friday’s rain washing out that days’ workout at Yankee Stadium. “And obviously that final week we will really start honing in on it.’’
Do the Yankees split the roster 15/15 for the first two weeks of the season? Or, because starters won’t be expected to go more than four or five innings and maybe closer to three to four frames, will Boone and Blake opt for a 16/14 split? Or even 17/13?
While Boone pointed to pitchers getting their first taste of intrasquad games and building pitch counts, he knows the numbers game will be looking for answers soon.
“I would say we are not quite there yet, but then again we are two weeks from playing a game, so in a week those conversations are really going to have to pick up,’’ Boone said.
Considering Saturday will mark a week since Tanaka last pitched and the conservative track MLB takes with concussions, expecting Tanaka to start one of the first four games of the regular season might be a reach.
Do the Yankees plug in another starter such as Jonathan Loaisiga or Mike King? Cessa, if he joins spring training 2.0 shortly? Or use Chad Green as an opener? Piggy-back relievers?
Though it would be a surprise if highly regarded prospects Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia land a big league gig no matter how many pitchers are carried, Ben Heller, Tyler Lyons and David Hale have chances of sticking at least for the first two weeks.
Heller, who was part of the 2016 Andrew Miller trade to the Indians that brought Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield to the Yankees, is the only 40-man roster arm out of that trio. The right-handed Heller, 29 early next month, missed all of 2018 because of Tommy John surgery and was limited to 11 minor league games and six in the big leagues last year. The Yankees thought enough of him to add him to the ALCS roster last year as CC Sabathia’s replacement, but he didn’t appear in any of the six games.


newyorkpost--2020-07-11--The intangible the Nets are looking for from Jamal Crawford

For the first time since March , the Nets finally had ...

At just five years younger than his interim coach, Jamal Crawford is going to give the Nets more than just buckets in the NBA restart. He’ll add wisdom and a grown-up-in-the-room presence they’ll need.
“Looking forward to it, his leadership,” Jacque Vaughn said Friday via Zoom. “He has a tremendous amount of respect across the league. He’ll be able to talk to our guys, help them out in this different situation. He’s a grown man, he’s got kids, so he’s able to be extremely diligent in talking to our guys.”
At 40, Crawford is the NBA’s oldest active player — but one who faced his coach 21 times, and left an impression.
“What I do remember, his game being shifty, having an array of moves to get his shot off, a guy you enjoy watching, very creative,” Vaughn said. “Towards the latter part of his years, he’s become more of a ball-handler who can distribute. Always had the ability to make a shot. He’s a guy you could take to a playground across the world and he’ll feel comfortable playing on any floor. That’s a special talent.”
One the Nets gladly snapped up. Sans seven players — including Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie — they needed firepower and experience.
“You wanna make God laugh, tell him your plan. He’ll tell you, sit back and watch this.. So thankful for alllllllllll the positive energy. Beyond humbled and blessed,” Crawford tweeted, with hands clapping and offering thanks.
Crawford will have to quarantine, then knock off the rust from not playing this season. But he scored 51 points in the 2018-19 finale against Dallas for the Suns. Fluke? He had 28 and 27 in the two games before that.
“Great vet. I talked to him Tuesday, then again [Wednesday]. One of the best vets to ever play the game,” Garrett Temple said. “Obviously he’s going to provide a scoring punch, a voice in the locker room that’s been around for a long time, understands how to win.
“Just a great guy, as well — keeps things light, someone we can bounce questions off of. Just a great guy to have around.”
With nine years of NBA experience, Temple is the only healthy Net with over five years in. Newcomer Michael Beasley has 11, but is suspended for the first five games. A 19-year vet, Crawford’s leadership will be vital.
“It’s going to be pretty big,” Temple said. “Having veteran leadership, trying to be adaptable, withstand and be resilient in times of adversity, that’s going to help. A guy like Jamal who’s very even-keeled, keeps things light, as well as ‘Beas’ and myself, that’s going to help.”
After Kevin Durant made waves by liking DeSean Jackson’s Instagram post widely deemed anti-Semitic, he promptly liked Jackson’s subsequent apology.
None of the barbers in the NBA Bubble are going to get their clippers on Jarrett Allen’s fro.
“I’m going to keep it as it is,” Allen said. “I’m not going to let anybody touch it; just going to keep growing it out.”