newyorkpost--2020-05-05--Rulon Gardner’s terrifying trek: From Olympic hero to near-death and another chance

Someone ’ s on the other line .
Rulon Gardner will call right back .
It has been nearly 20 years since you first met the legend , who outmuscled logic and outlasted an immortal .
It was in Sydney where the first line of a 29-year-old ’ s obituary was written , where Gardner pulled “ The Miracle on the Mat ” by handing Aleksandr Karelin his first loss in 13 years and winning Olympic gold in super heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestling .
Gardner made the rounds with Oprah , Leno and Letterman .
He rubbed elbows with Tiger Woods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on “ Who Wants to be a Millionaire ?
” He asked if you “ Got Milk ?
” “ I ’ m sorry about that , ” Gardner says .
“ Where were we ?
” He lost his privacy .
He lost more money than he ever imagined having .
He lost marriage after marriage .
He lost his gold medal .
He lost his self-esteem .
He lost a toe .
He nearly lost his life again and again and again .
Largely , because he didn ’ t lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m really sorry , ” Gardner says .
“ I got people who keep calling me , ‘ I need this .
I need that.
’ This is what happens when you ’ re an insurance agent.
” Afton , Wyo.
, is best known for the world ’ s largest arch made of elk antlers .
There , Gardner was the youngest of nine Mormon children raised on a 250-acre dairy farm .
He would rise before the sun .
He moved bales of hay .
He chopped grain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s–t .
He carried their calves .
A learning disability earned Gardner the nickname “ Dumbo.
” The 125-pound fourth-grader was also called “ Fatso.
” As a senior at Star Valley High School , he won a state wrestling title and placed second in the shot put .
He attended Ricks Junior College in Rexburg , Idaho , and became the national junior college heavyweight champion .
Then , he walked on to Nebraska ’ s football team , before focusing on wrestling .
When Gardner qualified for the 2000 Olympics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fifth in international competition .
“ In ’ 99 , I was No .
3 in the country .
So , what does that put me in the world ?
Top 50 ?
” Gardner said .
“ There was never a lot of fanfare around me .
It was like , ‘ Ehhh , he ’ s just an average heavyweight who works hard.
’ When I made the team , it was like , ‘ There goes any shot of us winning a medal.
’ “ But those were fighting words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let me show you something.
” Karelin was 887-1 .
He took gold at the three previous Games .
He hadn ’ t lost since 1987 .
He hadn ’ t surrendered a point in six years .
“ You consider this ancient sport and this monumental man who ’ s had a perfect career , ” analyst and former gold medalist Jeff Blatnick said before the match , “ and the only thing you come up with is that he ’ s what Hercules was to the ancient Greeks.
” Gardner previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Championships , losing 5-0 .
“ Even though this guy is probably gon na destroy you , put yourself in there .
You never know what ’ s gon na happen , ” Gardner said .
“ Most people were intimidated .
I was gon na go out there with a stiff neck and give my all.
” At 3:23 of the final , the greatest wrestler of all time broke his clinch , resulting in a point for Gardner .
The scoreboard never spoke again .
Gardner has watched the match @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains stunning .
With seconds still on the clock , Karelin places his hands at his hips , acknowledging inconceivable defeat .
Gardner is mobbed by Team USA .
He does a cartwheel .
Then a somersault .
He runs around with an American flag .
He joins his family , including his father , Reed , who raised travel funds by selling homemade sausage stew at the Lincoln County Fair .
“ After I won and they raised my hand , I still thought there ’ s no way in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold medal .
This isn ’ t real .
It ’ s not possible , ” Gardner said .
“ It was truly magical .
It took years before I could comprehend it .
People would say , ‘ Did you pinch yourself when you woke up the day after ?
’ I said , ‘ No .
I don ’ t ever want to wake up.
’ ” Gardner was lost , separated from friends while snowmobiling in Wyoming ’ s 3.4 million-acre Bridger-Teton National Forest in February 2002 .
The sun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 50-foot cliff .
Then , he fell into the freezing Salt River .
Hours passed .
He suffered frostbite and hypothermia in sub-zero temperatures .
“ You ever see ‘ The Shining ?
’ That image of him frozen profoundly affected me , ” Gardner said .
“ I thought , ‘ What if my mom found me frozen to death , knowing that I quit on myself ?
’ That was the reason I didn ’ t give up .
Did I think I was gon na die ?
Probably , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Rulon , you need to toughen up .
If you say you ’ re gon na die , you ’ re gon na die.
’ ” The 18-hour ordeal ended after a 29-person rescue team located Gardner with a search plane .
His boots were removed with a saw .
He was told both feet would be amputated .
He lost just one middle toe , though he sustained permanent nerve damage and required four surgeries .
He saved the severed digit in a formaldehyde jar and stored it in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mortality .
It was superfluous .
In third grade , Gardner dropped an arrow he brought to show-and-tell and impaled himself in the stomach .
The emergency room doctor said he missed a vital organ by inches .
In 2004 , Gardner ’ s motorcycle collided with a car , throwing him over the handlebars .
He walked away with no major injuries .
Three years later , he survived a single-engine plane crash into the 44-degree water of Utah ’ s Lake Powell , where Gardner and two friends swam for more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then huddled together for warmth throughout that entire February night .
“ I honestly , I felt like I couldn ’ t die , ” Gardner said .
“ But I don ’ t want to die , so I changed my behavior .
I ’ m not as crazy as I used to be .
I ’ m not gon na climb the mountain .
I question taking those extra risks .
I don ’ t think I ’ m invincible .
I ’ m in insurance .
You manage risk.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the mat .
It was time to move on .
He had a teaching degree .
He planned on using it if he lost to Karelin , when he was only making $ 9,000 a year from a wrestling stipend .
But Gardner earned a reported $ 250,000 the year after winning gold and had a steady supply of lucrative motivational speaking gigs .
When Gardner — who also won gold at the 2001 World Championships — retired from wrestling after winning bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Greece , the opportunities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kurt Angle , the 1996 gold medalist turned WWE champion .
“ I was offered millions by the WWE to compete for them and I turned it down , ” Gardner said .
“ My mom said , ‘ Is this the kid that I raised ?
Is this who you want to be to the youth of America ?
’ ” Gardner collected $ 200,000 when he won his debut MMA bout on New Year ’ s Eve 2004 , but says he refused a $ 1 million offer for his next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ My mom said , ‘ Rulon , did I train my son to be a killer ?
Is that your goal in life ?
To hurt people ?
’ ” he said .
“ Wrestling is different .
You don ’ t physically assault someone.
” He walked away from millions .
Then , he gave away millions .
Gardner — who wrote an autobiography and was an Olympic TV analyst — had already invested roughly $ 1 million into opening a gym when he co-signed a loan to develop a hot-spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ d learn he was defrauded in the deal and was forced to sell Olympic memorabilia , vehicles and other valuables to pay off the $ 3.9 million debt in his 2012 bankruptcy case .
“ I thought it was a good opportunity , but it was a Ponzi scheme , ” Gardner said .
“ The FBI took 2 ¹/₂ years investigating her and she pled guilty and served two years in federal prison .
I got taken .
And it cost me everything.
” When authorities seized items from Gardner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t be found .
Gardner had already handed it over as collateral for a separate loan .
He wouldn ’ t get it back for four years .
“ It was humiliating .
You go and do all these truly amazing things and then you fall on your face , ” Gardner said .
“ It was devastating .
If I ’ d have been smart and taken care of myself , life would ’ ve been good .
I went from having a lot of money to starting over again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottom it ’ s taken to start climbing out of the hole .
“ It ’ s been interesting to see how life works .
When you do something , there are people you think are your friends .
When you ’ re down , they act like they don ’ t even know you .
That ’ s the hardest part .
As human beings , we ’ re trusting creatures .
We want to believe that people will take care of you.
” Gardner couldn ’ t even be trusted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop working out .
He ’ d done it long enough .
He began inhaling up to 14,000 calories per day .
Gardner retired at 264 pounds .
Less than seven years later , he was up to 474 .
“ I just stopped caring , ” Gardner said .
“ I was looking down the barrel of losing everything.
” In 2011 , Gardner landed on NBC ’ s “ The Biggest Loser.
” After 16 weeks , he lost 173 pounds .
Inspired , he attempted a comeback at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compete at the trials after weighing 4.5 pounds over the 264.5 pound limit .
“ I ’ m still bigger than I really need to be , ” Gardner said .
“ My boss , we ’ re competing with each other to lose weight and get healthy again .
It ’ s good .
I need competition .
That ’ s what drives me .
Once I stopped wrestling , what do I do with that competitive fire ?
You can ’ t put it to sleep.
” What coverage do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurance , as well as home , auto and commercial .
“ I only have four clients in life [ insurance ] , ” said Gardner .
“ I hate selling death.
” Gardner embarked on his latest career two years ago in suburban Utah .
Previously , he spent three years as a medical-device sales rep , working a territory stretching from Montana to Nebraska .
“ I ’ d be in the OR and I ’ d have 12 sets of different instruments .
I knew every piece and how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure the doctor had all the correct instruments and told the scrub tech what to do , ” Gardner said .
“ It was competitive .
I went in and blew the numbers out of the park .
I loved it , but I was gone so much .
I ’ d leave at 4 a.m. and get back at midnight .
Your quality of life isn ’ t good .
I decided to come back closer to home.
” It was around then that he split with his fourth wife , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial adviser in Connecticut when his company was sold and all new hires were let go .
So , Gardner , 48 , remained near Salt Lake City , where he became the wrestling coach at Herriman High School .
“ I tell our kids , if I did it , anyone can .
If you apply yourself , you can be that person , ” the second-year coach said .
“ I love the challenge .
I just wish the kids would commit more .
They ’ re really good at making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I challenge them .
I put their backs against the wall .
That ’ s the only way you get great results , when you realize that failure is not an option.
” Failure is never an option .
“ My business is my new passion .
I talk to all the coaches about getting their insurance , and they ’ re like , ‘ Are you crazy ?
’ ” Gardner said .
“ It ’ s a perfect fit for me .
It ’ s hard-working , fast-paced .
My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see why you won a gold medal , that work ethic that you have.
’ “ Life is good .
I have another chance .
I could have kept wrestling and just tried to hold onto the glory , but I wanted to live life and not train eight hours a day .
I wanted to see what it was like to live a normal 9-to-5 .
”

Someone’s on the other line. Rulon Gardner will call right back.
It has been nearly 20 years since you first met the legend, who outmuscled logic and outlasted an immortal. It was in Sydney where the first line of a 29-year-old’s obituary was written, where Gardner pulled “The Miracle on the Mat” by handing Aleksandr Karelin his first loss in 13 years and winning Olympic gold in super heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestling.
Gardner made the rounds with Oprah, Leno and Letterman. He rubbed elbows with Tiger Woods and Garth Brooks. He was featured on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” He asked if you “Got Milk?”
Hold on. The phone’s ringing.
“I’m sorry about that,” Gardner says. “Where were we?”
The morning after.
He lost his privacy. He lost more money than he ever imagined having. He lost marriage after marriage. He lost his gold medal. He lost his self-esteem. He lost a toe. He nearly lost his life again and again and again.
Largely, because he didn’t lose when he was supposed to.
Gardner unexpectedly interrupts himself again. He’ll call back.
“I’m really sorry,” Gardner says. “I got people who keep calling me, ‘I need this. I need that.’ This is what happens when you’re an insurance agent.”
Afton, Wyo., is best known for the world’s largest arch made of elk antlers.
There, Gardner was the youngest of nine Mormon children raised on a 250-acre dairy farm. He would rise before the sun. He moved bales of hay. He chopped grain. He milked cows. He shoveled their s–t. He carried their calves.
A learning disability earned Gardner the nickname “Dumbo.” The 125-pound fourth-grader was also called “Fatso.” As a senior at Star Valley High School, he won a state wrestling title and placed second in the shot put. He attended Ricks Junior College in Rexburg, Idaho, and became the national junior college heavyweight champion. Then, he walked on to Nebraska’s football team, before focusing on wrestling.
When Gardner qualified for the 2000 Olympics, he’d never finished better than fifth in international competition.
“In ’99, I was No. 3 in the country. So, what does that put me in the world? Top 50?” Gardner said. “There was never a lot of fanfare around me. It was like, ‘Ehhh, he’s just an average heavyweight who works hard.’ When I made the team, it was like, ‘There goes any shot of us winning a medal.’
“But those were fighting words. Really? You think so? Let me show you something.”
Karelin was 887-1. He took gold at the three previous Games. He hadn’t lost since 1987. He hadn’t surrendered a point in six years.
“You consider this ancient sport and this monumental man who’s had a perfect career,” analyst and former gold medalist Jeff Blatnick said before the match, “and the only thing you come up with is that he’s what Hercules was to the ancient Greeks.”
Gardner previously faced the Russian at the ’97 World Championships, losing 5-0.
“Even though this guy is probably gonna destroy you, put yourself in there. You never know what’s gonna happen,” Gardner said. “Most people were intimidated. I was gonna go out there with a stiff neck and give my all.”
At 3:23 of the final, the greatest wrestler of all time broke his clinch, resulting in a point for Gardner. The scoreboard never spoke again.
Gardner has watched the match at least 400 times. The ending remains stunning. With seconds still on the clock, Karelin places his hands at his hips, acknowledging inconceivable defeat.
Gardner is mobbed by Team USA. He does a cartwheel. Then a somersault. He runs around with an American flag. He joins his family, including his father, Reed, who raised travel funds by selling homemade sausage stew at the Lincoln County Fair.
“After I won and they raised my hand, I still thought there’s no way in the world I’m gonna get the gold medal. This isn’t real. It’s not possible,” Gardner said. “It was truly magical. It took years before I could comprehend it. People would say, ‘Did you pinch yourself when you woke up the day after?’ I said, ‘No. I don’t ever want to wake up.’ ”
Jack Nicholson saved his life.
Gardner was lost, separated from friends while snowmobiling in Wyoming’s 3.4 million-acre Bridger-Teton National Forest in February 2002. The sun was setting when his snowmobile fell from a 50-foot cliff. Then, he fell into the freezing Salt River. Hours passed. He suffered frostbite and hypothermia in sub-zero temperatures.
He thought about Jack.
“You ever see ‘The Shining?’ That image of him frozen profoundly affected me,” Gardner said. “I thought, ‘What if my mom found me frozen to death, knowing that I quit on myself?’ That was the reason I didn’t give up. Did I think I was gonna die? Probably, but that’s when I said, ‘Rulon, you need to toughen up. If you say you’re gonna die, you’re gonna die.’ ”
The 18-hour ordeal ended after a 29-person rescue team located Gardner with a search plane. His boots were removed with a saw. He was told both feet would be amputated. He lost just one middle toe, though he sustained permanent nerve damage and required four surgeries.
“I can’t feel my feet 18 years later,” Gardner said.
He saved the severed digit in a formaldehyde jar and stored it in his refrigerator, as a reminder of his mortality. It was superfluous.
In third grade, Gardner dropped an arrow he brought to show-and-tell and impaled himself in the stomach. The emergency room doctor said he missed a vital organ by inches. In 2004, Gardner’s motorcycle collided with a car, throwing him over the handlebars. He walked away with no major injuries.
Three years later, he survived a single-engine plane crash into the 44-degree water of Utah’s Lake Powell, where Gardner and two friends swam for more than an hour to reach land, then huddled together for warmth throughout that entire February night.
“I honestly, I felt like I couldn’t die,” Gardner said. “But I don’t want to die, so I changed my behavior. I’m not as crazy as I used to be. I’m not gonna climb the mountain. I question taking those extra risks. I don’t think I’m invincible. I’m in insurance. You manage risk.”
Gardner placed his shoes at the center of the mat. It was time to move on.
He had a teaching degree. He planned on using it if he lost to Karelin, when he was only making $9,000 a year from a wrestling stipend. But Gardner earned a reported $250,000 the year after winning gold and had a steady supply of lucrative motivational speaking gigs.
When Gardner — who also won gold at the 2001 World Championships — retired from wrestling after winning bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Greece, the opportunities seemed endless.
He could have been Kurt Angle, the 1996 gold medalist turned WWE champion.
“I honestly, I felt like I couldn’t die” — Rulon Gardner
“I was offered millions by the WWE to compete for them and I turned it down,” Gardner said. “My mom said, ‘Is this the kid that I raised? Is this who you want to be to the youth of America?’ ”
Gardner collected $200,000 when he won his debut MMA bout on New Year’s Eve 2004, but says he refused a $1 million offer for his next match. He never fought again.
“My mom said, ‘Rulon, did I train my son to be a killer? Is that your goal in life? To hurt people?’ ” he said. “Wrestling is different. You don’t physically assault someone.”
He walked away from millions. Then, he gave away millions.
Gardner — who wrote an autobiography and was an Olympic TV analyst — had already invested roughly $1 million into opening a gym when he co-signed a loan to develop a hot-spring resort near his hometown.
Eventually, he’d learn he was defrauded in the deal and was forced to sell Olympic memorabilia, vehicles and other valuables to pay off the $3.9 million debt in his 2012 bankruptcy case.
“I thought it was a good opportunity, but it was a Ponzi scheme,” Gardner said. “The FBI took 2 ¹/₂ years investigating her and she pled guilty and served two years in federal prison. I got taken. And it cost me everything.”
When authorities seized items from Gardner’s home, his gold medal couldn’t be found. Gardner had already handed it over as collateral for a separate loan. He wouldn’t get it back for four years.
“It was humiliating. You go and do all these truly amazing things and then you fall on your face,” Gardner said. “It was devastating. If I’d have been smart and taken care of myself, life would’ve been good. I went from having a lot of money to starting over again. Almost 10 years after hitting rock bottom it’s taken to start climbing out of the hole.
“It’s been interesting to see how life works. When you do something, there are people you think are your friends. When you’re down, they act like they don’t even know you. That’s the hardest part. As human beings, we’re trusting creatures. We want to believe that people will take care of you.”
Gardner couldn’t even be trusted to take care of himself.
He decided to stop working out. He’d done it long enough. He began inhaling up to 14,000 calories per day.
Gardner retired at 264 pounds. Less than seven years later, he was up to 474.
“I just stopped caring,” Gardner said. “I was looking down the barrel of losing everything.”
In 2011, Gardner landed on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” After 16 weeks, he lost 173 pounds. Inspired, he attempted a comeback at the 2012 Olympics, but was ineligible to compete at the trials after weighing 4.5 pounds over the 264.5 pound limit.
His toughest opponent remains relentless.
“I’m still bigger than I really need to be,” Gardner said. “My boss, we’re competing with each other to lose weight and get healthy again. It’s good. I need competition. That’s what drives me. Once I stopped wrestling, what do I do with that competitive fire? You can’t put it to sleep.”
What coverage do you need?
Gardner offers property and casualty insurance, as well as home, auto and commercial.
“I only have four clients in life [insurance],” said Gardner. “I hate selling death.”
Gardner embarked on his latest career two years ago in suburban Utah. Previously, he spent three years as a medical-device sales rep, working a territory stretching from Montana to Nebraska.
“I’d be in the OR and I’d have 12 sets of different instruments. I knew every piece and how to use it. I’d make sure the doctor had all the correct instruments and told the scrub tech what to do,” Gardner said. “It was competitive. I went in and blew the numbers out of the park. I loved it, but I was gone so much. I’d leave at 4 a.m. and get back at midnight. Your quality of life isn’t good. I decided to come back closer to home.”
It was around then that he split with his fourth wife, and was halfway to becoming licensed as a financial adviser in Connecticut when his company was sold and all new hires were let go.
So, Gardner, 48, remained near Salt Lake City, where he became the wrestling coach at Herriman High School.
“I tell our kids, if I did it, anyone can. If you apply yourself, you can be that person,” the second-year coach said. “I love the challenge. I just wish the kids would commit more. They’re really good at making excuses. I’m old school. I challenge them. I put their backs against the wall. That’s the only way you get great results, when you realize that failure is not an option.”
Failure is never an option.
“My business is my new passion. I talk to all the coaches about getting their insurance, and they’re like, ‘Are you crazy?’ ” Gardner said. “It’s a perfect fit for me. It’s hard-working, fast-paced. My boss is like, ‘I can see why you won a gold medal, that work ethic that you have.’
“Life is good. I have another chance. I could have kept wrestling and just tried to hold onto the glory, but I wanted to live life and not train eight hours a day. I wanted to see what it was like to live a normal 9-to-5.”


newyorkpost--2020-05-05--Staten Island Amazon warehouse worker dies of coronavirus

`` I quit in dismay at Amazon firing whistleblowers who were ...

A worker at Amazon’s Staten Island warehouse has died of the coronavirus, the company confirmed on Tuesday.
The staffer was last at the Bloomfield distribution center on April 5 and was diagnosed with the disease caused by the coronavirus on April 11, a spokeswoman said.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of an associate at our site in Staten Island, NY,” Kristen Kish said in a statement.
“His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues.”
Employees at the facility, called JFK8, have been calling for greater protections amid the pandemic since March.
At least 29 workers there have been infected by the coronavirus, according to The Verge, which first reported the staffer’s death.
The e-commerce giant has fired multiple employees who raised safety concerns in recent months, including Staten Island warehouse worker Chris Smalls, who organized a small walkout in late March.
Amazon said Smalls was canned because he didn’t quarantine himself after coming in contact with an employee who had the coronavirus.
About 50 workers participated in another protest last month. The company said it provides up to two weeks paid time-off for employees who test positive for COVID-19 or who show symptoms.
Earlier this week, Amazon senior engineer and vice president Tim Bray resigned, saying he could no longer stand to work at a “chickens–t” company that fires dissenters in an effort “designed to create a climate of fear.”
At least two other Amazon workers, both in California, have died of the coronavirus.


newyorkpost--2020-05-05--Chris Mara: ‘Weird’ watching Charlatan’s Arkansas Derby win virtually

HOT SPRINGS , Ark .
— Charlatan romped in the first division ...

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There were several places Chris Mara would rather have been this past Saturday other than at his home in Florida riding out the COVID-19 crisis. Two places in particular.
In order: Churchill Downs or Oaklawn Racing and Casino Resort in Arkansas.
Outside of his family, Mara, the Giants senior vice president of player personnel, has three loves in life.
In order: The Giants, horse racing and golf.
In a perfect world, Mara — who has ownership interests in race horses — would have been cheering on at least one of the horses he owns at the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs.
But the world, as we all know well, is far from perfect at the moment.
Like with most other major sports in the country, the Kentucky Derby, which was scheduled to run on Saturday, was postponed and rescheduled for Sept. 5.
With the Kentucky Derby having vacated its original date, the Arkansas Derby, which had been scheduled for April 11 and had to be postponed because of COVID-19, took the date and ran without spectators Saturday at Oaklawn.
The Arkansas Derby, a prestigious Grade 1 race, was split into divisions because of the large number of horses that were entered.
So, here was the strange scene that unfolded there on Saturday: Bob Baffert, one of the most decorated trainers in the sport, had the winning horse in each division and — in the moment of glory that every trainer lives for, the photo op in the winner’s circle with his horse and jockey — Baffert was nowhere to be found.
He wasn’t even in Arkansas to pose with Charlatan and Nadal, his two winning horses.
Baffert was in California watching the races on TV.
Mara, who’s a part of Starlight Racing, the group of horse owners that owns Charlatan, also wasn’t in Arkansas. He, too, was home watching it on TV.
“The bizarre thing is, as an owner, you’re never going to pass up going to a Grade 1 race when you have a horse in it — especially if your horse has a chance,’’ Mara told The Post. “That’s why it was weird for me on Saturday knowing that Charlatan is going to go off as a 2-5 favorite and I was not going to be there.
“Then, you had Bob winning two Grade 1 races within an hour of each other and he wasn’t there. It must have been very strange for him.’’
It was.
“I would have loved to have been there, but if I went then I couldn’t get back into Santa Anita [his home track and training grounds] for two weeks because I’d have to be in quarantine,’’ Baffert told The Post. “Then there’d be nobody here to train the horses. It’s pretty strict. We want to open up [at Santa Anita, which has suspended racing because of COVID-19], so we have to show the county health department that we’re taking this seriously.’’
Both Charlatan and Nadal, which is named after Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, have already qualified for the Kentucky Derby field based on points accumulated.
Mara and his group have another horse, Authentic, that has a chance to qualify. Authentic, which like Charlatan trains in California with Baffert, is scheduled to run the Santa Anita Derby, which would serve as a Kentucky Derby qualifying race and is scheduled for June 6.
Based on the huge betting handle on Saturday, the bettors’ interest in live, quality horse racing was evident in the reported $41 million bet at the Arkansas Derby, an event that Baffert estimated usually generates about an $8 or $9 million handle.
“It was the only game in town, and they had all the good horses there,’’ Baffert said. “They did a great job at Oaklawn. They really sort of saved the industry. They stepped up big time.’’
Now the industry, which includes Belmont Park, waits for more tracks to open — even if races are run with no spectators. As for the Triple Crown races, Baffert said while the Kentucky Derby has announced its rescheduled date, no announcements have been made about the Belmont and Preakness.
“We go by rumors,’’ Baffert said. “We’re hearing possibly the Belmont is going to run at the end of June and then Preakness in July maybe, but we haven’t heard anything. Nobody knows anything.’’
Here’s something both Baffert and Mara do know: They both wish they were at Churchill Downs on Saturday and already preparing for the Preakness this month.
“It was strange not running the Kentucky Derby Saturday,’’ Baffert said. “The Arkansas Derby and Oaklawn Park kept our sanity a little bit, but … ’’


newyorkpost--2020-05-05--Boxer Claressa Shields loses shot at world title over coronavirus

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 ) Sports : Claressa Shields , first American to win twin boxing Olympic golds in a row .
Subject of next year ’ s movie “ Flint Strong ” starring Ice Cube .
Quickest male or female fighter to win three world titles , twice Individual Sportswoman of the Year , first woman to headline boxing on Showtime , Women ’ s Boxing Athlete of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She was set for her junior middleweight world title bout Saturday until clocked by CV ’ s TKO .
Promoter Dmitry Salita : “ Forcing this champ to postpone that match , the progress she brought to the sport could erode .
What ’ s the future of women ’ s sports if champions are kept from the spotlight ?
” So , listen , if you only watch the Flintstones and don ’ t know who she is , not my problem .
Pronouncements : Jeffrey Katzenberg .
Ran studios .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners .
But the world shrunk .
Him , too .
Now he runs small-screen Quibi for “ quick bites.
” Like Bill Murray , Chrissy Teigen , Christoph Waltz — on your phone .
The smart man says : “ Movie theaters return .
Businesses too .
Offices will depend on what your job is , how closely packed in you are .
Things must be rethought .
We ’ ll find our way back to some version of that .
Seeing people on Zoom ’ s not the same in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pitching ideas , the pheromones , that ‘ in the room ’ chemistry just isn ’ t. ” So how does he look on Zoom ?
A laugh , then , “ Like I really truly am 69 years old.
” Literature : Enough reading bad news and binge-watching TV .
Online book sales , e-books , actual books and audiobooks are up 25 percent since the lockdown .
Best-selling Nelson DeMille : “ Even my backlist increased .
In troubled times , people gravitate toward superheroes like in my John Corey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so quarantining hasn ’ t changed my daytime routine .
“ Far as I know , no one ’ s writing a novel about a pandemic .
But next year , there will be lots of good stuff written during this isolation.
” Politics : Andrew Yang .
Itchy for fame or a job , the guy now wants to take Manhattan , The Bronx and Staten Island .
Not making president , he ’ s scratching to be mayor .
Failing that , he ’ ll maybe settle for alderman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ company that , he said , “ didn ’ t work out.
” Then worked for a startup something .
Then founded Venture for America , which created jobs in Baltimore ( which has problems ) and Detroit ( which has problems ) and now wants NYC , which also has problems .
Trust Mother .
He ’ s gearing to grab City Hall — if Chirlane lets him .
People : Scandals ago , Tama Janowitz circled every party .
Her mouth was headlines .
“ Bratty frat pack author , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wrote “ Slaves of New York ” and “ Scream : A Memoir of Glamour and Dysfunction.
” Today Tama says : “ My life has not been easy for many years now .
I left the city in 2012 , have scarcely ever been back since.
” Her handprinted letter is from a small village upstate .
New York is my religion .
A devout New Yorker , I live , breathe and eat New York .
And I feel for our yellow cabbies .
Yes , the front seat often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s from a far-off galaxy .
They ’ re available except when it rains .
Or will answer a hail with a middle finger out the window — and up .
But they ’ re ours .
Us .
New Yorkers .
When that industry had front-page problems , I chose to do positive stories .
A fleet ’ s Mr. Rattner didn ’ t take my call .
Didn ’ t return my call .
I phoned again .
Left my name .
And message .
And phone number .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s only in New York , kids , only in New York .

Sports: Claressa Shields, first American to win twin boxing Olympic golds in a row. Subject of next year’s movie “Flint Strong” starring Ice Cube.
Quickest male or female fighter to win three world titles, twice Individual Sportswoman of the Year, first woman to headline boxing on Showtime, Women’s Boxing Athlete of the Decade. Billie Jean King tweeted congratulations. She was set for her junior middleweight world title bout Saturday until clocked by CV’s TKO.
Promoter Dmitry Salita: “Forcing this champ to postpone that match, the progress she brought to the sport could erode. What’s the future of women’s sports if champions are kept from the spotlight?”
So, listen, if you only watch the Flintstones and don’t know who she is, not my problem.
Small-scale studio
Pronouncements: Jeffrey Katzenberg. Ran studios. Spielberg and Geffen were his DreamWorks SKG partners. But the world shrunk. Him, too. Now he runs small-screen Quibi for “quick bites.” Like Bill Murray, Chrissy Teigen, Christoph Waltz — on your phone.
The smart man says: “Movie theaters return. Businesses too. Offices will depend on what your job is, how closely packed in you are. Things must be rethought. We’ll find our way back to some version of that. Seeing people on Zoom’s not the same in a creative environment when you’re collaborating, pitching ideas, the pheromones, that ‘in the room’ chemistry just isn’t.”
So how does he look on Zoom?
A laugh, then, “Like I really truly am 69 years old.”
Reading’s rising
Literature: Enough reading bad news and binge-watching TV. Online book sales, e-books, actual books and audiobooks are up 25 percent since the lockdown.
Best-selling Nelson DeMille: “Even my backlist increased. In troubled times, people gravitate toward superheroes like in my John Corey novels. Authors work in lockdown anyway, so quarantining hasn’t changed my daytime routine.
“Far as I know, no one’s writing a novel about a pandemic. But next year, there will be lots of good stuff written during this isolation.”
Pol position
Politics: Andrew Yang. Itchy for fame or a job, the guy now wants to take Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island. Not making president, he’s scratching to be mayor. Failing that, he’ll maybe settle for alderman.
He studied at Columbia. Launched a company that, he said, “didn’t work out.” Then worked for a startup something. Then founded Venture for America, which created jobs in Baltimore (which has problems) and Detroit (which has problems) and now wants NYC, which also has problems.
Trust Mother. He’s gearing to grab City Hall — if Chirlane lets him.
Pen pal checks in
People: Scandals ago, Tama Janowitz circled every party. Her mouth was headlines. “Bratty frat pack author,” she poked us. Peed on us. Wrote “Slaves of New York” and “Scream: A Memoir of Glamour and Dysfunction.”
Today Tama says: “My life has not been easy for many years now. I left the city in 2012, have scarcely ever been back since.” Her handprinted letter is from a small village upstate.
New York is my religion. A devout New Yorker, I live, breathe and eat New York. And I feel for our yellow cabbies. Yes, the front seat often has a deli aroma. Their music’s from a far-off galaxy. They’re available except when it rains. Or will answer a hail with a middle finger out the window — and up. But they’re ours. Us. New Yorkers. When that industry had front-page problems, I chose to do positive stories. A fleet’s Mr. Rattner didn’t take my call. Didn’t return my call. I phoned again. Left my name. And message. And phone number. No call back.
Just saying that’s only in New York, kids, only in New York.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Millie Small, ‘My Boy Lollipop’ singer, dies at 73

“ My Boy Lollipop ” singer Millie Small has died from a stroke at age 73 .
The Jamaican star passed away in England this week , her heartbroken pal confirmed Wednesday .
Chris Blackwell , who co-produced the hit song , said : “ I would say she ’ s the person who took ska international because it was her first hit record , ” launching her into the top 20 pop charts at 16 years old .
“ It became a hit pretty much everywhere in the world .
I went with her around the world because each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up and do TV shows and such , and it was just incredible how she handled it , ” Blackwell said .
“ She was such a sweet person , really a sweet person .
Very funny , great sense of humor .
She was really special.
” “ My Boy Lollipop ” became a huge hit in 1965 and even featured in the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony .
It was Jamaica ’ s first million-selling single and helped propel Millie to stardom as a ska and rocksteady artist in England .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Millie said : “ I was born Millicent Small to parents who worked on a sugar plantation and , although we didn ’ t know anyone in the entertainment profession , I loved singing.
” “ I was 12 years old when I entered a posh talent contest called The Vere John ’ s Opportunity Hour at the Palladium in Montego Bay on Jamaica ’ s north coast , where I sang in front of 2,000 people , ” Small added .
“ I don ’ t remember what I sang , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut because I was so shy .
I won the second prize of 30 shillings and it was the beginning of my new life as a singer .
”

“My Boy Lollipop” singer Millie Small has died from a stroke at age 73.
The Jamaican star passed away in England this week, her heartbroken pal confirmed Wednesday.
Chris Blackwell, who co-produced the hit song, said: “I would say she’s the person who took ska international because it was her first hit record,” launching her into the top 20 pop charts at 16 years old.
“It became a hit pretty much everywhere in the world. I went with her around the world because each of the territories wanted her to turn up and do TV shows and such, and it was just incredible how she handled it,” Blackwell said.
“She was such a sweet person, really a sweet person. Very funny, great sense of humor. She was really special.”
“My Boy Lollipop” became a huge hit in 1965 and even featured in the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony.
It was Jamaica’s first million-selling single and helped propel Millie to stardom as a ska and rocksteady artist in England.
Speaking about her success in 2016, Millie said: “I was born Millicent Small to parents who worked on a sugar plantation and, although we didn’t know anyone in the entertainment profession, I loved singing.”
“I was 12 years old when I entered a posh talent contest called The Vere John’s Opportunity Hour at the Palladium in Montego Bay on Jamaica’s north coast, where I sang in front of 2,000 people,” Small added. “I don’t remember what I sang, but most of it was with my eyes shut because I was so shy. I won the second prize of 30 shillings and it was the beginning of my new life as a singer.”


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--California sues Uber, Lyft for classifying drivers as contractors

MTA workers disinfected subway trains shut down for the first ...

California sued Uber and Lyft this week for treating their drivers as contractors rather than full employees, in the latest episode of the state’s feud with big tech companies.
The Tuesday complaint accuses the ride-hailing giants of misclassifying their drivers as independent contractors and denying them protections such as a minimum wage, overtime pay, sick leave and unemployment benefits.
“American taxpayers end up having to help carry the load that Uber and Lyft don’t want to accept,” California attorney general Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “These companies will take the workers’ labor, but they won’t accept the worker protections.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order barring Uber and Lyft from continuing to misclassify drivers as well as up to hundreds of millions of dollars in civil penalties, officials say.
The cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego joined Becerra in bringing the suit under a controversial state law known as AB5, which aims to make companies give gig workers like drivers and couriers the same benefits afforded to more traditional employees. The law took effect Jan. 1.
Tech firms such as Uber have fought the law tooth and nail, arguing it would fundamentally change their business models and reduce flexibility for workers.
California’s complaint comes amid the coronavirus pandemic that has reportedly depressed demand for ride-hailing services and put millions of Americans out of work. The crisis led Lyft to lay off nearly 1,000 employees while Uber has reportedly discussed similarly deep cuts.
Uber said it plans to fight the lawsuit in court. The company is also waging its own legal battle against the AB5 law alongside food-delivery firm Postmates.
“At a time when California’s economy is in crisis with four million people out of work, we need to make it easier, not harder, for people to quickly start earning,” Uber said in a statement.
Lyft said it would work with state and local officials “to bring all the benefits of California’s innovation economy to as many workers as possible, especially during this time when the creation of good jobs with access to affordable healthcare and other benefits is more important than ever.”
Uber shares were up 0.4 percent in premarket trading at $28.20 as of 7:24 a.m. while Lyft’s were recently up 1.2 percent at $27.00. Lyft is due to report its first-quarter earnings Wednesday, followed by Uber on Thursday.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Subway riders struggle to social distance during coronavirus deep clean

MTA workers disinfected subway trains shut down for the first time in 115 years early Wednesday — with heavy backing from cops making sure to clear off the legion of homeless people riding the rails during the coronavirus crisis .
As workers lined the platform to clean trains pulling in for their final rides before the system closed at 1 a.m. , an equal number of police officers ensured the safety of worker and hobo alike .
But the limited service put more people waiting for each train — ironically making some riders feel less able to safely social distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John told The Post .
“ The feeling of being unsafe is definitely there .
People are still being very close to people – even when there is space , ” he said , noting he was also “ definitely seeing more homeless individuals.
” “ It definitely adds another layer of anxiety because not only do we have to try and protect ourselves from becoming infected , we also need to watch our surroundings a bit more as we wait for the train , ” he said .
“ From the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services to essential workers and possibly have them provide a letter to travel from their employers.
” The massive operation meant cleaners could finally deep clean the whole carriage — rather than having to clean around “ shantytowns ” or those sprawled out across seats .
As the operation started — with more than 1,000 cops brought in to assist — The Post noted officers dealing with those on trains in a methodical , patient manner .
The NYPD ’ s homeless outreach unit — which includes cops and nurses — was joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to help those in need .
Most of the homeless — some who tried sneaking back on other carriages — eventually conceded they had to stay away .
The “ massive undertaking ” is expected to impact an estimated 11,000 riders nightly , according to Gov .
Andrew Cuomo and the MTA , who said buses , vans and for-hire vehicles will be provided to pick up the slack .
Those most impacted are likely to be essential workers still needing to get to the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear out stations for deep cleaning , will continue for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo has said .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
MTA workers disinfected subway trains shut down for the first time in 115 years early Wednesday — with heavy backing from cops making sure to clear off the legion of homeless people riding the rails during the coronavirus crisis.
As workers lined the platform to clean trains pulling in for their final rides before the system closed at 1 a.m., an equal number of police officers ensured the safety of worker and hobo alike.
But the limited service put more people waiting for each train — ironically making some riders feel less able to safely social distance, a 35-year-old Queens social worker named John told The Post.
“The feeling of being unsafe is definitely there. People are still being very close to people – even when there is space,” he said, noting he was also “definitely seeing more homeless individuals.”
“It definitely adds another layer of anxiety because not only do we have to try and protect ourselves from becoming infected, we also need to watch our surroundings a bit more as we wait for the train,” he said.
“From the beginning, the MTA should have limited the services to essential workers and possibly have them provide a letter to travel from their employers.”
But MTA spokeswoman Abby Collins said that agency officials “were deployed across the entire system last night to monitor ridership during the first-ever overnight subway closure and received zero reports of crowding.”
The massive operation meant cleaners could finally deep clean the whole carriage — rather than having to clean around “shantytowns” slapped together by those sprawled out across seats.
As the operation started — with more than 1,000 cops brought in to assist — The Post noted officers dealing with those on trains in a methodical, patient manner.
The NYPD’s homeless outreach unit — which includes cops and nurses — was joined by city outreach workers, who calmly tried to help those in need. Most of the homeless — some who tried sneaking back on other carriages — eventually conceded they had to stay away.
Previous 1 of 6 Next Advertisement An MTA worker disinfects a train car after the suspension of service for the night at the Coney Island station. EPA/JUSTIN LANE Workers sanitize a subway station during a nightly cleaning due to the continued spread of the coronavirus. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Advertisement RICHARD HARBUS A homeless man who identified himself as Alfa Martin is told by police officers to leave the Atlantic Ave./Barclays Center subway station. Robert Mecea Advertisement
The “massive undertaking” is expected to impact an estimated 11,000 riders nightly, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the MTA, who said buses, vans and for-hire vehicles will be provided to pick up the slack.
Those most impacted are likely to be essential workers still needing to get to the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis.
The 1 a.m.-to-5 a.m. closures, aimed to clear out stations for deep cleaning, will continue for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--El Chapo’s sons threaten coronavirus lockdown offenders with violence

The brother of one of two former US special forces ...

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The sons of notorious drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman are taking a coronavirus lockdown in Mexico very seriously – by threatening violators in a city under their cartel’s control with violence, according to a report.
Iván Archivaldo Guzmán, 36, and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán, 37 – known as “Los Chapitos, or “Little Chapos” — threatened curfew violators in Culiacan with beatings with boards, arrests and fines, the Yucatan Times reported.
“After 10 o’clock at night, all the people must be inside their homes due to the coronavirus, otherwise they will be punished, these are orders ‘from above (from Los Chapitos),” a member of the Sinaloa Cartel is heard saying in a video shared online.
“This is no game! We’re not playing!” he adds menacingly in the state capital of Sinaloa, where the heavily armed henchmen roam the streets to enforce the measures.
In another video, residents are warned that “anybody caught after 10 o´clock, if not an essential worker, will be ‘lifted’ for two days (for the respective ‘boarding’ treatment), and will have to pay a fine.”
“Los Chapitos” are said to run their infamous dad’s drug cartel, which has an estimated value of $1 billion, along with Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, according to Fox News.
Meanwhile, El Chapo’s daughter, Alejandrina, and several other cartels have been shown in videos handing out coronavirus relief packages to the needy in an apparent PR campaign.
Previous 1 of 5 Next Advertisement Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Mexican Police Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Iván Archivaldo Guzmán DEA Advertisement
“A lot of people don’t believe [the coronavirus], aren’t careful, I think because of what we’ve been through,” said a woman from Tamaulipas, a border state plagued by cartel violence across from Texas.
“They say if 10 years of war haven’t killed us, a virus isn’t going to. We’ve been living 10 years in quarantine,” added the woman, who asked to remain anonymous. “It’s not hard to stay home anymore.”
El Chapo, who was extradited to the US in 2017, is now serving a life sentence at ADX Florence, a prison in Colorado dubbed the “Alcatraz of the Rockies.”
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Brother of ex-Green Beret in failed Venezuela coup pleads for help from US

The brother of one of two former US special forces soldiers captured by Venezuelan troops after what officials called a botched coup attempt to oust President Nicolás Maduro has pleaded with the Trump administration to help save his life , according to a report .
Luke Denman , 34 , and Airan Berry , 41 , who were nabbed Monday in the port city of La Guaira , are believed to be among 300 “ mercenaries ” recruited in Colombia for the attempted coup , which Maduro has blamed on the US .
They are believed to be among eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Maduro regime , according to the Daily Mail .
President Trump on Tuesday denied any involvement in the mission , dubbed Operation Gedeón .
The White House has made no secret that it would like to see the end of Maduro , who was recently indicted in the US as a drug trafficker , with a $ 15 million bounty offered for his arrest .
Mark Denman , the brother of the former Green Beret , said his family was in shock but hoped the US government would use all its resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one of three siblings to have served in the military , received specialist field medical training and has been deploy in Iraq , the UK news outlet reported .
“ Luke ’ s motivation has always been to help others in any way he can , ” Mark told the Daily Mail .
“ He thinks of kids who are being harmed and innocent people who are suffering and I ’ m sure this was his motivation to do this.
” He added that Luke “ is good at what he does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with the most horrific things that happen in the world.
” Mark , a lawyer , urged the White House to help secure his brother ’ s release .
“ My brother spent a significant amount of his adult life putting his life on the line for other people .
He does it out of patriotism and pride for this country — and I really hope they can return that favor and be there for him as well , ” he said .
“ He has done more than anyone could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deserves to be allowed to come home .
Every military family knows what I ’ m talking about .
Everyone knows what our boys sacrifice to get out there , ” Mark continued .
“ He is a strong guy and if anyone can get through this it will be him .
We just want to get him back , ” he added .
Jordan Goudreau , another former Green Beret , said Monday that he was working with the two men in a mission to detain Maduro and “ liberate ” Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operation .
In a video posted on social media after the botched coup , Goudreau was seen alongside rebel captain Javier Nieto Quintero , saying their men were “ continuing to fight.
” But in an interview with the Daily Mail , Goudreau claimed their operation was “ over ” and that his aim was on getting his men back to the US .

The brother of one of two former US special forces soldiers captured by Venezuelan troops after what officials called a botched coup attempt to oust President Nicolás Maduro has pleaded with the Trump administration to help save his life, according to a report.
Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41, who were nabbed Monday in the port city of La Guaira, are believed to be among 300 “mercenaries” recruited in Colombia for the attempted coup, which Maduro has blamed on the US.
They are believed to be among eight men caught by the security forces of the Maduro regime, according to the Daily Mail.
President Trump on Tuesday denied any involvement in the mission, dubbed Operation Gedeón.
The White House has made no secret that it would like to see the end of Maduro, who was recently indicted in the US as a drug trafficker, with a $15 million bounty offered for his arrest.
Mark Denman, the brother of the former Green Beret, said his family was in shock but hoped the US government would use all its resources to help return Luke home.
Luke, one of three siblings to have served in the military, received specialist field medical training and has been deployed in Iraq, the UK news outlet reported.
“Luke’s motivation has always been to help others in any way he can,” Mark told the Daily Mail. “He thinks of kids who are being harmed and innocent people who are suffering and I’m sure this was his motivation to do this.”
He added that Luke “is good at what he does and he always wanted to use this to deal with the most horrific things that happen in the world.”
Mark, a lawyer, urged the White House to help secure his brother’s release.
“My brother spent a significant amount of his adult life putting his life on the line for other people. He does it out of patriotism and pride for this country — and I really hope they can return that favor and be there for him as well,” he said.
“He has done more than anyone could have ever asked him for and he deserves to be allowed to come home. Every military family knows what I’m talking about. Everyone knows what our boys sacrifice to get out there,” Mark continued.
“He is a strong guy and if anyone can get through this, it will be him. We just want to get him back,” he added.
Jordan Goudreau, another former Green Beret, said Monday he was working with the two men in a mission to detain Maduro and “liberate” Venezuela.
Goudreau has claimed responsibility for the operation.
In a video posted on social media after the botched coup, Goudreau was seen alongside rebel captain Javier Nieto Quintero, saying their men were “continuing to fight.”
But in an interview with the Daily Mail, Goudreau claimed their operation was “over” and that his aim was to get his men back to the US.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--How J.A. Happ can make Yankees forget about trade talks

Part 9 in a series analyzing the New York Yankees ...

Part 10 in a series analyzing the New York Yankees
After hearing his name in trade talks during the winter, J.A. Happ arrived in Yankees camp and told reporters on Valentine’s Day he was glad to not have been dealt.
“It’s good to be back,’’ Happ said. “Should I be surprised that I’m back? You guys [in the media] had a different opinion this offseason, didn’t you? It does feel good.”
The Yankees received calls about the 37-year-old’s availability, but were hesitant to deal him because fellow lefty starter James Paxton had back surgery in early February. And Jordan Montgomery, another lefty starter, was limited to four innings (two games) at the end of the 2019 season after coming back from Tommy John surgery done in 2018.
“I understand that’s kind of the nature of the business,’’ Happ said of the trade rumors. “But I’m certainly happy I’m here.’’
Submit your Yankees questions here to be answered in an upcoming Post mailbag
A little over a month later, Happ, and almost every other Yankee, headed out of Tampa when spring training vanished due to the coronavirus pandemic. So far the Yankees have missed 36 games (counting Tuesday night’s scheduled tilt at Yankee Stadium against the Pirates). And with no chance of starting earlier than July, they are going to miss a bunch more.
Arriving in camp, Happ and the Yankees were looking forward to putting some puzzling numbers behind him. He allowed a career-high 34 homers and posted a 4.91 ERA, his highest in almost a decade.
Not even a solid finish in which Happ went 3-1 in eight games (seven starts) with a 3.27 ERA, a .201 batting average against, a .636 OPS and surrendered just five homers could undo what came before it.
In Happ’s first 23 games (all starts), he was 9-7 with a 5.48 ERA, allowed 130 hits in 120 innings, gave up 29 homers and hitters batted .275 with a .832 OPS.
“I don’t like to make excuses, so I think any answer other than ‘I need to be better’ is not the right answer,’’ Happ said of the evidence that alterations to the balls used in 2019 helped lead to the record-setting number of home runs hit in the majors. “And I do need to be better and I plan on being better.’’
Scouts noticed Happ’s spring training velocity was up a couple of ticks to 93-94 mph and his location was sharper in four outings.
“When you are talking about location, it is very fine,’’ an AL scout said. “You miss by a little and it’s a home run. Locate where you want and the same pitch is a 6-4-3 double play.’’
The scout said location played a part in Happ’s troubles, but there were other factors.
“He is a high-ball pitcher, who was down a tick in velocity and coupled with command, in a small ballpark and a juiced baseball is not good,’’ the scout said.
With days off and the usual April rainouts, Happ would have likely made five to six starts by now and possibly fulfilled the AL scout’s prediction.
“He is a solid big-league pitcher. He should bounce back. He is smart and knows how to pitch,’’ the scout said of Happ, who is 120-90 with a 3.99 ERA in 315 big-league games “I would expect for him to figure it out and get back to the pitcher he was.’’
Should that happen, Happ could find his way back to the Yankees as either a free agent or a vesting option for $17 million that would have kicked in if Happ threw 167 innings or made 27 starts, which he won’t do with a shortened season.
How that is adjusted could involve prorated salaries based on games played and the subject of more negotiations.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Pooch people-watches through a hole in the fence

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Who needs a doggy door? A curious canine in London’s Kensington neighborhood was spotted sticking its head through a perfectly sized hole in a wooden fence. The funny moment was filmed by UK actress Naomi Willow while on her daily quarantine stroll.
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newyorkpost--2020-05-06--What’s next for Scott Disick after rehab reveal

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 ) “ Keeping Up With the Kardashians ” star Scott Disick cut his rehab stint short after photos of him at the facility were made public .
The media world is shocked that NBC exec Noah Oppenheim is being passed over for the top job at NBC News .
And Elon Musk and girlfriend Grimes welcomed their first child together — but we need a decoder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A Colorado rehab facility is promising to “ cooperate with law enforcement ” if it discovers that any of its employees had a part in leaking photos of Scott Disick to the press .
The “ Keeping Up With The Kardashians ” star stormed out of the All Points Lodge on Monday , according to his attorney , after finding out a picture that he claimed had been taken when he checked in had found its way onto the internet .
Disick says he plans to sue the facility for violating his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s CEO , Noah Nordheimer , tells Page Six , “ It is [ All Points North ’ s ] strict policy to not publicly disclose patient-specific information , including whether or not a particular client is or was being treated at our facility , or has inquired about our services.
” NBC exec Noah Oppenheim is being passed over for the top job at NBC News , leaving news insiders across town stunned .
Division president Oppenheim had been “ anointed ” by Andy Lack as his successor .
Lack stepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of a massive corporate restructuring .
Now Oppenheim finds himself answering to a new boss .
Lack ’ s position has been eliminated in the shake-up .
But sources say that faith in both Lack and Oppenheim had diminished after a series of debacles at the network .
Move over , Apple .
Elon Musk and Grimes have given their newborn son an unconventional name : X Æ A-12 .
After the Tesla CEO announced the birth of his child with the Canadian singer , a fan tweeted , “ We need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Musk , 48 , replied , “ X Æ A-12 Musk , ” with no explanation .
He also shared two photos of the newborn — one with a filter of tattoos on his face .
One person on Twitter might have guessed the pronunciation correctly because the Musk liked their tweet , which said , “ X Ash Archangel ?
” The tweet also showed a screenshot of a Wikipedia page screenshot that explained Æ is a ligature named ash .
The A-12 is thought to be in reference to the CIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Archangel .
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“Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star Scott Disick cut his rehab stint short after photos of him at the facility were made public. The media world is shocked that NBC exec Noah Oppenheim is being passed over for the top job at NBC News. And Elon Musk and girlfriend Grimes welcomed their first child together — but we need a decoder to figure out how to pronounce it.
Here’s a closer look at today’s stories:
Scott Disick’s quick stint
A Colorado rehab facility is promising to “cooperate with law enforcement” if it discovers that any of its employees had a part in leaking photos of Scott Disick to the press.
The “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” star stormed out of the All Points Lodge on Monday, according to his attorney, after finding out a picture that he claimed had been taken when he checked in had found its way onto the internet.
Disick says he plans to sue the facility for violating his medical privacy rights.
Now the facility’s CEO, Noah Nordheimer, tells Page Six, “It is [All Points North’s] strict policy to not publicly disclose patient-specific information, including whether or not a particular client is or was being treated at our facility, or has inquired about our services.”
NBC News shock
NBC exec Noah Oppenheim is being passed over for the top job at NBC News, leaving news insiders across town stunned.
Division president Oppenheim had been “anointed” by Andy Lack as his successor.
Lack stepped down as its chairman on Monday as part of a massive corporate restructuring. Now Oppenheim finds himself answering to a new boss. Lack’s position has been eliminated in the shake-up. But sources say that faith in both Lack and Oppenheim had diminished after a series of debacles at the network.
Baby code talk
Move over, Apple. Elon Musk and Grimes have given their newborn son an unconventional name: X Æ A-12.
After the Tesla CEO announced the birth of his child with the Canadian singer, a fan tweeted, “We need the name we literally need it.”
Musk, 48, replied, “X Æ A-12 Musk,” with no explanation. He also shared two photos of the newborn — one with a filter of tattoos on his face.
One person on Twitter might have guessed the pronunciation correctly because the Musk liked their tweet, which said, “X Ash Archangel?”
The tweet also showed a screenshot of a Wikipedia page screenshot that explained Æ is a ligature named ash. The A-12 is thought to be in reference to the CIA aircraft Lockheed A-12, which was codenamed Archangel.
Catch up on all episodes of “We Hear” by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes come out every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--South Korean spy agency says no signs Kim Jong Un had heart surgery

There are no signs Kim Jong Un underwent heart surgery when he disappeared from view for three weeks — but the North Korean leader reduced public activity because of coronavirus concerns , according to South Korean lawmakers briefed by their country ’ s spy agency .
The reclusive despot made his first public appearance Saturday after a three-week absence during which intense speculation swirled about his health and the future of his rogue regime .
During that time , a South Korean news outlet reported that Kim was recovering from a heart procedure while CNN said American officials were monitoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” after surgery .
On Wednesday , members of South Korea ’ s parliamentary intelligence committee said after a meeting with the National Intelligence Service that the reports were “ groundless , ” Reuters reported , citing the Yonhap news agency .
“ The NIS assesses that at least he did not get any heart-related procedure or surgery , ” committee member Kim Byung-kee told the media .
“ He was normally performing his duties when he was out of the public eye.
” He added : “ At least there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Byung-kee noted that the leader made just 17 public appearances so far this year , compared with an average of 50 from previous years , which the NIS attributed to a possible coronavirus outbreak in the Hermit Kingdom .
“ Kim Jong Un had focused on consolidating internal affairs such as military forces and party-state meetings , and coronavirus concerns have further limited his public activity , ” he said .
“ Though North Korea maintains it has zero cases , it can not be ruled out that there is an outbreak there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China before closing the border in late January , ” the lawmaker added .

There are no signs Kim Jong Un underwent heart surgery when he disappeared from view for three weeks — but the North Korean leader reduced public activity because of coronavirus concerns, according to South Korean lawmakers briefed by their country’s spy agency.
The reclusive despot made his first public appearance Saturday after a three-week absence during which intense speculation swirled about his health and the future of his rogue regime.
During that time, a South Korean news outlet reported that Kim was recovering from a heart procedure while CNN said American officials were monitoring intelligence he was “in grave danger” after surgery.
On Wednesday, members of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee said after a meeting with the National Intelligence Service that the reports were “groundless,” Reuters reported, citing the Yonhap news agency.
“The NIS assesses that at least he did not get any heart-related procedure or surgery,” committee member Kim Byung-kee told the media. “He was normally performing his duties when he was out of the public eye.”
He added: “At least there’s no heart-related health problem.”
But Kim Byung-kee noted that the leader made just 17 public appearances so far this year, compared with an average of 50 from previous years, which the NIS attributed to a possible coronavirus outbreak in the Hermit Kingdom.
“Kim Jong Un had focused on consolidating internal affairs such as military forces and party-state meetings, and coronavirus concerns have further limited his public activity,” he said.
“Though North Korea maintains it has zero cases, it cannot be ruled out that there is an outbreak there given they had active people-to-people exchanges with China before closing the border in late January,” the lawmaker added.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--How the Navy SEALs are practicing social distancing during training

Even in normal times , there would be question marks surrounding ...

SAN DIEGO — Navy SEAL recruits and their instructors are being tested for the coronavirus as the candidates in one of the military’s most grueling programs return to training with new social distancing guidelines, a top official said Tuesday.
Everyone in the first phase of training will be tested to try to detect if anyone is infected but asymptomatic, Capt. Bart Randall said. The rapid tests to be administered this week to 170 recruits and instructors are part of a defense department pilot project.
“Ideally we’ll get any asymptomatic shedders out of the population to help keep the rest of the guys safe,” said Randall, the Naval Special Warfare Center’s commodore.
The recruits returned to training Monday after classes were paused March 16 as leaders established safety standards amid the pandemic.
There are noticeable differences.
Each recruit is checked daily for symptoms of the virus. Instructors are wearing masks and surgical gloves and shouting into megaphones rather than recruits’ faces. Only a limited number of SEAL trainees are allowed into classrooms at a time or during swims and runs.
No positive cases have been found so far at the training school for the SEAL recruits or candidates for special warfare boat operators, Randall said.
Anyone showing symptoms of the virus will be immediately pulled from training and evaluated by a medical team and placed into quarantine if determined to be a potential case, Randall said.
The basic SEAL training program in Coronado, across the bay from San Diego, tests participants’ physical and psychological strength along with water competency and leadership skills.
The 65-week program is so grueling that 75% of candidates drop out by the end of the first month. That’s when trainees undergo what is known as Hell Week when recruits are pushed to the limit with little sleep.
Medical crews will be watching closely this year to ensure any coughs or other flu-like symptoms that often are produced by the strenuous workouts are not a sign of the coronavirus, Randall said.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Sam Darnold must now prove why he’s Jets’ franchise quarterback

The NFL schedule will be released this week .
While it ...

Even in normal times, there would be question marks surrounding these Adam Gase Jets. There will be a rebuilt offensive line blocking for Sam Darnold, and a pair of new receivers catching passes from Sam Darnold, and maybe more holes and yards from Le’Veon Bell while coordinator Gregg Williams’ defense keeps hope alive.
And it means that as he prepares to enter his third season, it is time for Sam Darnold to be the constant, the least of all Jets concerns, the unshakeable rock …
The franchise quarterback he was drafted to be.
The heaven-sent pilot who lifts the Jets, with his arm, with his legs, with his leadership, with the sheer force of his personality.
It is what franchise quarterbacks — even young ones — are expected to do.
It is what Patrick Mahomes did for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs last season, what Lamar Jackson did for the Ravens.
Mahomes and Jackson had better teams around them, but that isn’t the point.
The Jets will go as Sam Darnold goes is the point.
And it is go-time for Sam Darnold, one month shy of his 23rd birthday.
Don’t let Josh Allen’s Bills beat you to the playoffs a second straight time.
No more mono this season.
No more ghosts.
GM Joe Douglas was adamant about getting you protection and playmakers. And now there is pressure on you to prove him right.
Pressure on you to make what surely won’t be an elite offensive line — as thrilled as you are to have rookie left tackle Mekhi Becton blocking out the sun — better than average. Pressure on you to throw open what on paper still looks like a pedestrian group of receivers, and who knows whether tight end Chris Herndon will stay healthy?
“For me, it’s always been about playing as hard and as good as I can no matter what the circumstances are,” Darnold said. “So from my end, nothing’s gonna change.”
Nothing has to change with Darnold’s approach or mentality. He’s made of the right stuff, same guy every day and all that.
Success won’t spoil him.
But it’s time for success.
“I’ve been working on throwing to the right a little bit more,” Darnold said. “I feel like sometimes when I throw to my right, it’s all arm, so I’ve been looking into trying to step into my throws and use more of my body and my legs going to my right. And then, just continue to work on deep-ball accuracy is huge for me. I feel like I left a couple of opportunities out there on the field last year and I’m looking to hit those throws this year.”
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Darnold — 36 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in his two-year career, including 19-13 last season — has started 26 games. He started from Day 1 as a rookie. This is his team. He is this team’s leader. More now than ever. Virtually or otherwise.
“As I grow and mature and continue to be the quarterback for this organization,” Darnold said, “I’m just gonna continue to mold into the leader that I’m gonna become.”
He endured a 2019 quarantine for mono and the experience toughened him in retrospect.
“Anytime you go through anything like that, any type of adversity, it helps you,” Darnold said.
Now he is on the other coast, isolated from his team and teammates because of COVID-19.
“I’m not taking this time for granted,” Darnold said. “Every single second counts.”
Every single day counts. Because Darnold can no longer throw the kind of careless red-zone interceptions he threw in that rock-bottom defeat in Miami last November, when he threw the ball up for grabs at the Dolphins 2-yard line up to avoid a sack.
“There’s definitely room to grow,” Darnold said. “Throughout the back half of the season, I thought I improved on a lot of things. I felt I got more consistent and was able to get more comfortable with the offense, so I think there’s obviously room to be better for this next year. For myself, I’m just trying to be as consistent as possible and play at a high level.”
He threw 13 touchdowns against four interceptions during the Jets’ 6-2 second half.
“We definitely have the guys to be able to win football games,” Darnold said. “But as we see every year, it’s about putting everything together.”
And as we see every year, it’s about the franchise quarterback, more than anyone else, putting everything together.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Price of fame: B.J. Armstrong on dinner he had with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant

It sounds like “ The Last Dance ” is ready to spice ...

There were obvious perks to being teammates with Michael Jordan. Plenty of his Chicago teammates own multiple championship rings, they appear in some of the most-replayed NBA highlight clips of all time and they’ve got a lifetime of stories to tell about one of the best to ever take the court.
B.J. Armstrong also learned to move quickly — off the court, that is.
Whether it was during his rookie season when his stall in the Bulls locker room was adjacent to Jordan’s locker, or at a dinner with the six-time NBA champion and Kobe Bryant about a quarter-century later, Armstrong often found himself with a front-row seat to witness the true cost of fame for arguably the world’s most recognizable athlete.
“I remember as a young player I had this dream of playing in the NBA,” Armstrong, the longtime NBA guard and three-time NBA champion with the Bulls who is now a California-based sports agent, told the Associated Press. “And I vividly remember when I got to Chicago thinking, ‘You better be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.’ Michael was the first person to show me what it meant to be a star … but you cannot be that star and not accept all the things that came with it.”
The strain of Jordan’s practically unprecedented level of stardom was one of the dominant themes in the latest installments of the ESPN and Netflix documentary “The Last Dance,” a 10-part series that showed episodes five and six on Sunday night.
Every story about Jordan always seemed to become a big story, and Jordan felt some things were overblown, such as his infamous stances on not wanting to endorse political candidates publicly or going with his father to Atlantic City for a quick gambling trip during the 1993 Eastern Conference finals.
“We understood his pressures, he understood what we needed and that was just a special group of people who got together,” said Armstrong, who was a Jordan teammate for the 1991, 1992 and 1993 championships. “I don’t wish stardom on anyone. When I hear people say, ‘This guy’s a star,’ I always say, ‘Good luck.’ What it takes to be a star at that level is beyond. Always having security around, dealing with tickets, he always had to be turned on. There’s no preparation for that.
“I always say, to this day, that the Air Jordan guy was great and God bless him. But I’ll always just remember Michael, the guy.”
Knowing that there would always be an enormous media horde at Jordan’s locker, Armstrong found himself getting dressed and out of the way quickly because otherwise his shoes would get stomped on and his space would be invaded.
If he forgot how that exercise went, he got a reminder in 2014.
Jordan was in Los Angeles and dinner with Armstrong was arranged. Armstrong got to the restaurant and found a third seat at the table, asked Jordan if a guest was coming and was told that Bryant would be joining them for the meal.
Armstrong and Bryant knew each other; they shared an agent, Arn Tellem, at one time. Bryant arrived and before long, he and Jordan were dissecting every nuance of each other’s game. In the end, they decided that Jordan would have a slight edge because his hands were bigger than Bryant’s.
“They were playing a virtual game of 1-on-1 at dinner,” Armstrong said. “I just sat there and listened to them talk about the love they had for the game. They were so sophisticated; they were talking about footwork, how they conditioned themselves, how they would box out. The detail that they had, the respect that they had for the game … I wish I could have seen them play in their prime.”
Word got out over the course of the evening that Jordan and Bryant were in the restaurant. Eventually, one got out through a back door, another through a side door, and Armstrong was left to fight off a crowd.
“It was chaos,” Armstrong said. “And they were in basketball heaven.”
The seventh and eighth episodes of the documentary will air May 10, with the final two episodes on May 17.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Nick Cordero has ‘rocky night’ battling coronavirus, wife says

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 ) Broadway actor Nick Cordero , who has been battling the coronavirus since March , had a “ rocky night ” Monday , his wife Amanda Kloots said .
In an Instagram story on Tuesday , Kloots , 38 , said that her husband ’ s oxygen level dropped and doctors were called to help clear away some of the infection in the actor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quick Nick update : He had a bit of a rocky night .
His oxygen levels went down , but [ the doctors ] got him right back , ” Kloots said .
“ So far , I think he ’ s back to being stable with some good-looking things , ” she continued .
“ Fingers crossed for a good day and the possibility always of waking up.
” On Sunday , the “ Waitress ” actor underwent a tracheostomy , which would help remove him from a ventilator .
Cordero , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles since April and struggled in his battle with coronavirus .
Early last month , Cordero was fighting for his life and had his leg amputated due to a complication with blood thinners that the doctor were giving him .
Cordero has shown signs of improving .
On Monday , Kloots reported that his eyes were open , though he was not responding to any of the commands that the doctors gave him .
Many of his “ Waitress ” friends , such as composer Sara Bareilles , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help pay for Cordero ’ s medical bills .

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Broadway actor Nick Cordero, who has been battling the coronavirus since March, had a “rocky night” Monday, his wife Amanda Kloots said.
In an Instagram story on Tuesday, Kloots, 38, said that her husband’s oxygen level dropped and doctors were called to help clear away some of the infection in the actor’s lungs.
“Hey everybody, a quick Nick update: He had a bit of a rocky night. His oxygen levels went down, but [the doctors] got him right back,” Kloots said.
“So far, I think he’s back to being stable with some good-looking things,” she continued. “Fingers crossed for a good day and the possibility always of waking up.”
On Sunday, the “Waitress” actor underwent a tracheostomy, which would help remove him from a ventilator.
Cordero, 41, has been a patient at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles since April and struggled in his battle with coronavirus. Early last month, Cordero was fighting for his life and had his leg amputated due to a complication with blood thinners that the doctor were giving him.
Cordero has shown signs of improving. On Monday, Kloots reported that his eyes were open, though he was not responding to any of the commands that the doctors gave him.
Many of his “Waitress” friends, such as composer Sara Bareilles, and co-star Jesse Mueller have started a GoFundMe to help pay for Cordero’s medical bills.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Ticket site launches initiative to send frontline workers to Broadway

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When audiences finally return to Broadway , it appears frontline workers will be first in line for tickets .
Popular ticket site TodayTix has unveiled an initiative to provide first responders to the COVID-19 pandemic with free tickets to Broadway shows once theaters reopen , according to Variety .
The initiative , called Save a Seat Fund , launched Tuesday when CEO Brian Fenty announced the rebranding of the ticket site to TomorrowTix to inspire all theatergoers , that Broadway will return and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already paid for 1,000 seats , the report said .
“ We really came up with this idea to rebrand TodayTix to TomorrowTix as a way of looking forward , as a way of knowing that while the world is changing , the one thing we can count on is that there will always be tomorrow , ” says Fenty .
Theatergoers can donate tickets to their local grocery stores , bus drivers and medical personnel .
Financial donations can also be made through the websites .
Money raised for the initiative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and West End Shows are deemed safe to attend .
“ Whether that ’ s at ‘ Hamilton ’ or ‘ West Side Story ’ or a provocative new play , whether it ’ s in London or New York or any of our markets , it ’ s just going to be an amazing experience to let these frontline heroes get to a theater , forget about life for awhile , enjoy , delight , and have a community experience , ” said Fenty .
While the future of Broadway is uncertain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners , have begun raising money for streamed musicals to mirror performers who have already taken to social media to broadcast their content .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
When audiences finally return to Broadway, it appears frontline workers will be first in line for tickets.
Popular ticket site TodayTix has unveiled an initiative to provide first responders to the COVID-19 pandemic with free tickets to Broadway shows once theaters reopen, according to Variety.
The initiative, called Save a Seat Fund, launched Tuesday when CEO Brian Fenty announced the rebranding of the ticket site to TomorrowTix to inspire all theatergoers, that Broadway will return and be better than ever.
The program has already paid for 1,000 seats, the report said.
“We really came up with this idea to rebrand TodayTix to TomorrowTix as a way of looking forward, as a way of knowing that while the world is changing, the one thing we can count on is that there will always be tomorrow,” says Fenty.
Theatergoers can donate tickets to their local grocery stores, bus drivers and medical personnel. Financial donations can also be made through the websites.
Money raised for the initiative will go towards ticket sales once Broadway and West End Shows are deemed safe to attend.
“Whether that’s at ‘Hamilton’ or ‘West Side Story’ or a provocative new play, whether it’s in London or New York or any of our markets, it’s just going to be an amazing experience to let these frontline heroes get to a theater, forget about life for awhile, enjoy, delight, and have a community experience,” said Fenty.
While the future of Broadway is uncertain, TodayTix, along with 1,500 theatrical partners, have begun raising money for streamed musicals to mirror performers who have already taken to social media to broadcast their content.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Prince Harry sells rifles, quits hunting for Meghan Markle

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 ) Prince Harry has reportedly sold his prized handmade rifles worth more than $ 60,000 after he quit hunting out of respect for his actress wife Meghan Markle .
Harry , 35 , has unloaded the two weapons — from a British gunmaker Purdey — by selling them to another hunter in a private deal , according to The Sun .
The former royal , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not joined his colleagues at recent game shooting events and is believed to have quit hunting altogether due to Markle ’ s opposition to the practice .
Harry sold the guns five months ago , a friend of the anonymous buyer told the paper .
“ He bought them because he wanted them , not because they belonged to Harry , ” the friend said .
“ But he was quite chuffed when he found out.
” Harry went on a wild boar hunt with his friends in Germany while engaged to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was reported that Meghan may “ fake a headache ” to avoid a hunt at the Queen ’ s annual holiday to Balmoral .
The conservationist Dr Jane Goodall , a friend of Markle ’ s , recently told the Radio Times that Harry would quit shooting animals for sport .
“ I think Harry will stop because Meghan doesn ’ t like hunting , ” she said .

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Prince Harry has reportedly sold his prized handmade rifles worth more than $60,000 after he quit hunting out of respect for his actress wife Meghan Markle.
Harry, 35, has unloaded the two weapons — from a British gunmaker Purdey — by selling them to another hunter in a private deal, according to The Sun.
The former royal, who learned to hunt as a child, has not joined his colleagues at recent game shooting events and is believed to have quit hunting altogether due to Markle’s opposition to the practice.
Harry sold the guns five months ago, a friend of the anonymous buyer told the paper.
“He bought them because he wanted them, not because they belonged to Harry,” the friend said. “But he was quite chuffed when he found out.”
Harry went on a wild boar hunt with his friends in Germany while engaged to Meghan in 2017.
In August, it was reported that Meghan may “fake a headache” to avoid a hunt at the Queen’s annual holiday to Balmoral.
The conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, a friend of Markle’s, recently told the Radio Times that Harry would quit shooting animals for sport.
“I think Harry will stop because Meghan doesn’t like hunting,” she said.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Trump says ‘some’ deaths possible as states lift coronavirus lockdowns

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President Trump on Tuesday night said “ some ” coronavirus deaths are possible in the country as states begin lifting social distancing restrictions .
The president made the acknowledgment in a sit-down interview on ABC ’ s “ World News Tonight.
” “ Do you believe that ’ s the reality we ’ re facing that — that lives will be lost to reopen the country ?
” anchor Davir Muir asked Trump .
“ It ’ s possible there will be some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into an apartment or a house or whatever it is , ” Trump responded .
“ But at the same time , we ’ re going to practice social distancing , we ’ re going to be washing hands , we ’ re going to be doing a lot of the things that we ’ ve learned to do over the last period of time.
” Trump has been eager for certain states to end lockdowns and revive their economies .
But , he has said , the decision to take action lies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t sit in the house for the next three years , ” Trump told Muir .
The president insisted the coronavirus is “ going to pass , and we ’ re going to be back to normal.
” More than 72,000 people have died from coronavirus in the US .
While the pandemic appears to loosen its grip on places like New York City , it is unclear how the illness will impact the rest of the nation .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
President Trump on Tuesday night said “some” coronavirus deaths are possible in the country as states begin lifting social distancing restrictions.
The president made the acknowledgment in a sit-down interview on ABC’s “World News Tonight.”
“Do you believe that’s the reality we’re facing that — that lives will be lost to reopen the country?” anchor Davir Muir asked Trump.
“It’s possible there will be some because you won’t be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is,” Trump responded.
“But at the same time, we’re going to practice social distancing, we’re going to be washing hands, we’re going to be doing a lot of the things that we’ve learned to do over the last period of time.”
Trump has been eager for certain states to end lockdowns and revive their economies. But, he has said, the decision to take action lies with state governors.
“We can’t sit in the house for the next three years,” Trump told Muir.
The president insisted the coronavirus is “going to pass, and we’re going to be back to normal.”
More than 72,000 people have died from coronavirus in the US. While the pandemic appears to loosen its grip on places like New York City, it is unclear how the illness will impact the rest of the nation.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Met Opera furloughs nearly 20 percent of staff amid coronavirus

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The financially challenged Metropolitan Opera is furloughing 41 administrative employees , nearly 20 % of its full-time staff , in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Met said Tuesday that the furloughs are temporary and will start at the end of this week .
Each impacted employee will receive two weeks pay plus continued health benefits .
In addition , 11 employees will shift to part-time work , the company said .
Before the cost-cutting , the Met had 237 full-time employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Met could run a deficit of up to $ 60 million on its $ 308 million budget .
The Met suspended its season after its March 11 performance and wound up canceling the final 58 performances of a season that originally was scheduled to include 217 .
Pay was stopped for the orchestra , chorus and other union members at the end of March .
Gelb said he is giving up his $ 1.45 million salary until normal operations resume .
Pay was cut for higher-paid members of the administrative staff , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 125,000 and by 25 % -50 % at the top of the pay scale .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
The financially challenged Metropolitan Opera is furloughing 41 administrative employees, nearly 20% of its full-time staff, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Met said Tuesday that the furloughs are temporary and will start at the end of this week. Each impacted employee will receive two weeks pay plus continued health benefits.
In addition, 11 employees will shift to part-time work, the company said.
Before the cost-cutting, the Met had 237 full-time employees.
General manager Peter Gelb says the Met could run a deficit of up to $60 million on its $308 million budget.
The Met suspended its season after its March 11 performance and wound up canceling the final 58 performances of a season that originally was scheduled to include 217.
Pay was stopped for the orchestra, chorus and other union members at the end of March. Gelb said he is giving up his $1.45 million salary until normal operations resume. Pay was cut for higher-paid members of the administrative staff, by 10% for everyone earning more than $125,000 and by 25%-50% at the top of the pay scale.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--Tua Tagovailoa will wear No. 1 for Dolphins since Dan Marino’s number is retired

The world wanted the Dolphins to tank for Tua .
They ...

MIAMI — Rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins’ top draft pick, will wear uniform No. 1.
The Dolphins announced number assignments Tuesday. Tagovailoa wore No. 13 at Alabama, but the Dolphins retired that number after it was worn by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.
Tagovailoa will be the first Dolphins QB to wear No. 1, which was most famously worn by kicker Garo Yepremian.


newyorkpost--2020-05-06--South Carolina woman did home manicure, tried to touch alligator before fatal attack

The woman killed by an alligator in a South Carolina pond had just finished doing the homeowner ’ s nails and tried to touch the reptile before the attack , authorities said .
Cynthia Covert , 58 , died Friday after venturing waist deep in a pond on Kiawah Island — a gated community outside of Charleston — to encounter the gator .
Covert brought a glass of wine to the house the night of the attack and was acting less professional than normal , the homeowners told deputies .
When Covert saw the alligator , she took pictures of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The homeowners pleaded with Covert to keep away from the alligator , telling her it ate a deer days earlier .
“ I don ’ t look like a deer , ” Covert responded , according to a police report , before trying to touch the gator .
Covert fell into the water at some point .
When she resurfaced , the homeowners tossed her a rope , which she grabbed ahold of .
“ I guess I won ’ t do this again , ” Covert said , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struck , dragging her underwater .
Covert died of drowning , the Charleston County Coroner ’ s Office said .
A deputy who responded shot the alligator in the head .
Covert is only the third known person in the state to die from an alligator attack .

The woman killed by an alligator in a South Carolina pond had just finished doing the homeowner’s nails and tried to touch the reptile before the attack, authorities said.
Cynthia Covert, 58, died Friday after venturing waist deep in a pond on Kiawah Island — a gated community outside of Charleston — to encounter the gator.
Covert brought a glass of wine to the house the night of the attack and was acting less professional than normal, the homeowners told deputies.
When Covert saw the alligator, she took pictures of it before going off into the pond.
The homeowners pleaded with Covert to keep away from the alligator, telling her it ate a deer days earlier.
“I don’t look like a deer,” Covert responded, according to a police report, before trying to touch the gator.
Covert fell into the water at some point. When she resurfaced, the homeowners tossed her a rope, which she grabbed ahold of.
“I guess I won’t do this again,” Covert said, according to the report.
But moments later that alligator struck, dragging her underwater. Covert died of drowning, the Charleston County Coroner’s Office said.
A deputy who responded shot the alligator in the head.
Covert is only the third known person in the state to die from an alligator attack.
With Post wires