By MIKE EDDLEMAN

The Better Together Project is a new movement in Liberty Hill that its founder Sally McFeron hopes will live up to its name on the communitys political stage.

The Political Action Committee (PAC), created and registered with the Texas Ethic Commission on July 10, is intended to bring accountability and transparency to City Hall, but also to make sure everyone is a participant in the community.

This is going to be a way for the entire community to pull together to do good things and do them in the right way, she said. Right now, this community needs to hear from the folks who are not politicians or employees being paid by City Hall. We need to listen to our community and pull back the veil. Lets have some participation and have some transparency in our local government. Lets have some accountability for the decisions being made and demand that.

McFeron, the former Director of Planning for the City, who was terminated in early July, is the PAC treasurer and the first two committee members are former City Administrator Greg Boartight and Christopher Spaeth.

Those are the first two committee members to get this moving and we will go through an opportunity for people to join the committee and have a voice in it, she said. This is just to get things set up and get it moving forward.

Whether it is what McFeron identifies as the changing culture at City Hall, a lack of transparency, the treatment of employees, or the way in which projects are managed, she said someone had to speak up.

Watching all of it happen was painful, she said. I love the city of Liberty Hill. Ive been in involved in one way shape or form with the city since 2006.

While the PAC is a broad-based approach to generating community involvement, McFeron doesnt hesitate to point to Mayor Rick Hall as a prime catalyst.

To see the City go backwards under the leadership of a bully, basically, and a one-man team, I felt I had to do something about this, she said. Theres no transparency at City Hall. This community needs sunlight to shine in the windows to expose and to look at the Mayor and how hes created an environment of back room deals and public safety questions.

Even with that admission, she said the focus will be on issues, not personalities.

The PAC is going to focus on issues, McFeron said. What are the issues in our community and looking at the overall aspect of things. It has been established to talk about the issues and provide a voice. I want to look for ways to improve the city. Thats really why I decided to move forward.

Spilled milk?Hall has referred to McFeron, and other former City employees who have spoken out in recent months, as disgruntled former employees, attributing all of their allegations and concerns to what he ultimately claims is their anger over being terminated. McFeron doesnt hesitate to share her opinion on the terminations, but says this decision is not about her termination.

I cant cry over spilled milk. I was fired, she said. As an individual you move on from being fired and you go on and get a job, she said. Right now, though, I dont want that spilled milk to hit the carpet. I dont want the City to continue to go in a downward spiral.

McFeron believes she was terminated, though, over her opinions and stance on a number of problems she has seen at City Hall.

I was terminated. Im not a disgruntled employee, Im extremely marketable. Im just concerned about the community and the direction the City is going in, she said. I was fired for basically being a whistle blower to (Mayor) Rick Hall. As I have been employed in that position over about the last year since Greg (Boatright) left Ive witnessed a series of unfortunate events that have hurt a tremendous amount of people. Not only staff, but our community as a whole and I just want to turn all of that into something good and positive in the community.

In her view, it has been a systematic effort on Halls part to gain more control.

Since August with the first termination or dismissal of Greg Boatright, then we went through Maverick (Campbell), then we went through Lance (Dean), then Barbara (Zwernemann), then its me and Jonny (Ubelhor) a building inspector, all dismissed within 10 months, theres a pattern. That in combination with the decisions the Mayor has also made along the way, and the move forward in assuming power and total control is creating his power base. Hes done a good job of getting rid of people who are in his way.

Grass roots effortsOne of the first steps McFeron plans for The Better Together Project is a virtual listening tour, designed to get input and hear the concerns of people from every part of the community.

We want to do that so that real people in Liberty Hill, not just the residents, but also the stakeholders of our community like business owners, residents in the ETJ or municipal utility districts, and give them an opportunity to have a voice, she said. What happens at City Hall impact all of us. Everyone needs a voice.

Bringing them together, even virtually, is something she believes will show how the community truly feels about local politics and decisions right now.

I think people right now are angry, she said. I think what theyre seeing happening at City Hall is not transparent and they are not being held accountable. They are seeing a one-man show with the City Council rubber-stamping things and turning their head on certain issues.

Fundraising is not a focus for the new PAC, but it is something McFeron knows will have a place in the future.

This is a grass roots movement, she said. There will be an opportunity for fundraising from individual citizens out there who are interested in helping spread the word and helping create a voice for our community. It will be lower key.

Anyone interested in learning more about The Better Together Project can e-mail McFeron at lhbtproject@gmail.com.

I just really want to turn this series of unfortunate events that have happened over the last two years into something good and positive for the community, she said. It is to bring awareness and understanding and let people have a voice.

Originally posted here:

Movement designed to bring pressure on Liberty Hill City government - Liberty Hill Independent

Everything Jocelyn Willoughby didnt even know she was secretly hoping for came to fruition during Aprils WNBA draft.

The draft board may have read that the Phoenix Mercury took Willoughby 10th overall, but Phoenix was ultimately selecting for the Liberty, who had a trade in place to acquire the pick and had set their sights on the 6-foot 22-year-old since the start of her senior season at Virginia.

Instead of having to move across the country, Willoughby landed with a team that has relocated to the Barclays Center just more than 15 miles away from her hometown of East Orange, N.J. on a full-time basis.

Though her official debut on Saturday will be in Bradenton, Fla., instead of Brooklyn, due to the WNBA relocating to a bubble-type setting amid the coronavirus pandemic, Willoughby is already thinking of ways to immerse herself into the Brooklyn community to see where she can make a difference.

Thats just what Willoughby has always done. She finds a way to lend a helping hand wherever she goes.

I think its super important to become part of the community, learn the community and figure out what specifically are the needs of the community that youre a part of and serving, Willoughby told The Post on a recent phone call.

The Newark Academy graduate already has her eye on Hope House, an organization that helps formerly incarcerated women integrate back into the community at-large. After the Liberty held a panel on June 19 commonly celebrated as Juneteeth or Freedom Day that featured her Liberty teammate Layshia Clarendon and Nets guard Garrett Temple, Willoughby envisioned herself taking part in the future.

Landing with the Liberty was a serious bonus for Willoughby. Not just because of the countless Liberty games she went to when the team played at Prudential Center during renovations to Madison Square Garden from 2011-13, but because of the franchises roots in the area where she grew up.

Having an opportunity to make a difference in the community that gave so much to her just might be the only thing more important to Willoughby than being a basketball player.

I think as a WNBA player and professional player you have such a unique and huge platform to inspire and to create change, she said. I think thats definitely something Im excited about.

Willoughbys drive to create positive change in her surroundings originated long before she was drafted to the WNBA. Its a striking trait that seems to jump out to anybody she meets. Its like a footprint shes left in every stage of her life.

Nobody saw that side of Willoughby better than her high school college counselor, Kerry Winiarski, who has been working with student-athletes as Newark Academys director of college counseling since the late-90s.

I remember thinking, How can this girl be 14? Winiarski recalled of meeting Willoughby as a freshman. Given that coaches were already contacting her at such a young age, she really had the maturity and poise to push back and say, Im not ready, yet. I want to be in high school, I want to do all these other things first and here are some of the things that I want to do.

Winiarski remembers how Willoughby immediately became heavily involved in the schools Equity Inclusion Team, which promotes diversity, equity and justice throughout the school community. She also participated in the UMOJA club, an African-American student awareness group, before eventually becoming the president.

Early on she went right into those hard topics, which is difficult for younger high school students, Winiarski said. When people met Jocelyn, you almost had to say, Oh, by the way, did you know she also plays basketball?

In the spring of her junior year, Willoughby was one of 16 students accepted out of a pool of 60 applicants for Newark Academys Peer Leadership Program, run by Winiarski. The program paired her with 12 to 15 ninth graders to meet with for one class period per day to help transition them to the upper part of the school that runs from sixth grade through 12th.

A few months in, Willoughby and Winiarski attended the People of Color Conference, hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools. It was just four months after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown Jr. in Ferguson, Mo., which sparked national outrage in 2014.

Jocelyn took that unit and she nailed it, she taught the peer leaders and then all the peer leaders were able to teach their classes, Winiarski said. Again, on the issues like that that matter so much to her, she is able to really teach them in a way that makes other people understand.

Weve redone our whole unit based on what Jocelyn taught us that year, teaching about privilege.

Coaches had told Winiarski that Willoughby would be one of the most highly recruited athletes out of Newark Academy. And so the longtime college counselor was prepared for a flood of coaches to come through the school.

What she wasnt prepared for was how particular Willoughby was about how she wanted the process to go. This was a business decision for Willoughby, one that she took so seriously that she made a point to meet with coaches outside of her home in hopes of keeping everything professional.

In every one of those visits, the questions she would ask had very little to do with basketball. Shed say, Tell me about the issues that matter in your community? and As a basketball player, to what extent can I be involved and have a voice in those issues in your community? Winiarski said. Coaches were sometimes, not taken aback, but some of them werent prepared to talk about those issues in the way that Jocelyn was ready to talk about them. It was fascinating for me to watch that.

Willoughby eventually committed to Virginia, where she completed her bachelors degree in global studies in three years before enrolling in UVas Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy for her masters last year.

Maintaining a 3.9 GPA through undergrad and a 3.6 through graduate school so far, Willoughby was showered with student-athlete accolades following the 2019-20 season. She was one of 15 players to be named an academic All-American and was the first player in UVa history to win the Kay Yow Award, which honors the ACC womens basketball scholar-athlete of the year.

Willoughby also became the first female athlete at Virginia to win scholar athlete of the year twice, all while finishing as the ACCs leading scorer for the 2019-20 season by averaging 19.2 points to go with 7.7 rebounds per game.

But long before the start of her senior season, Willoughby set a major goal for herself. One that was bigger than any of the collegiate awards she earned for both her talent and her academics.

Willoughby watched the 2019 WNBA Draft and made a note to herself in her iPhone calendar. She researched the projected date of the 2020 draft and decided that when that day rolled around, shed be expecting to hear her name called.

Just seeing some of the names that were being called, having competed against some of them or just been familiar with their games, thats when I said, I think I can definitely do this, she said.

That was a story that stuck with Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb, who says he vividly remembers when Willoughby told him of that goal she had set for herself.

She plays the way that we want to play the game, he said. When you look at her 3-point percentage, her ability to get to the free-throw line, I believe was in the 99th percentile in the nation, and shes just very efficient with her game. Shes a tough player, and then the most startling thing about her is when you hear her interview.

Kolb recalled how the coaching staff, which added a new head coach in January and new assistants April, was taken with Willoughby following its individual meetings with her as well. Kolb also said Willoughbys agent described her as an exceptional human being, and he couldnt have agreed more.

The 2020 WNBA Draft was Kolbs second as the Liberty general manager, so when he found himself talking about life in general with one of his potential draftees, he took note. And after speaking with her Virginia coaches, Kolb wasnt surprised to learn of her passion for community involvement.

Kolb said he and the rest of the Libertys new coaching staff have been striving to implement a new culture. Willoughby is the epitome of what they were looking for.

Coming to New York, theres more than just basketball here, theres a community and so much diversity, he said. Having our players out there and amongst the fans and touching all those areas, people that have a passion for things outside of the game really translates well here in New York.

Those extracurriculars and her passion, we thought matched off-court as well.

Willoughby will soon get her chance to make an impact on New York, like she has everywhere else shes been.

Using my education and this platform and resources long term to figure out from a policy level, structure level, what can be done, she said. Sometimes were throwing solutions at the issue but not really addressing the root cause and so I think its important to get an understanding from the ground, what are the real issues here?

The player may be working in Florida now, but the spirit is already in Brooklyn. Good for the player. Better for Brooklyn.

Go here to see the original:

Liberty rookie Jocelyn Willoughby looking to make impact on and off court - New York Post

Liberty President Jerry Falwell, Jr. was a guest on a local radio show on Thursday morning, and, in addition to other topics, Falwell discussed Libertys 2020 football schedule.

I dont know but I do know that our AD (Ian McCaw) has been watching whats happening with these other conferences, President Falwell said when asked if he thought Liberty would play Virginia Tech to open the season on Sept. 5 as scheduled.

Liberty has already lost its home opener against North Carolina A&T scheduled for Sept. 12, and there are rumors that the ACC will follow the Big Ten and PAC-12 to go to a conference-only format for the 2020 season. The Flames are scheduled to face three ACC opponents this season Virginia Tech, Syracuse, and NC State.

We think it might be an opportunity for Liberty, Falwell continued. Ive gotten calls from Independent University Presidents and all of us, if the conferences are only going to play each other, then we need to do the same thing.

As weve previously reported, the Flames have had conversations with the other FBS Independent schools about playing each other if other FBS conferences resort to conference only schedules. These conversations have been ongoing throughout much of the spring and summer.

We may end up playing some pretty big name teams otherwise we wouldnt have played because of what the conferences are doing by limiting their games to conference play, Falwell stated. We dont know yet, but we think its going to end up being a positive for Liberty. But who knows, between now and the fallyouve got to have somebody to play. You cant just decide, well, were going to have a football season. Other schools have to decide as well.

Liberty is currently scheduled to face fellow FBS Independents Connecticut on Oct. 31 on the road and a home date against UMass on Nov. 28. Games against the other Independents Notre Dame, Army, BYU, and New Mexico State are also possibilities. BYU has already lost 5 games with the Big Ten and PAC-12s decisions.

Notre Dame is more of a longshot as they are likely to be included as part of the ACCs conference-only schedule plan. Though, if the Irish wish to play a full 12 games, they would need to go outside of the ACC for a couple of matchups.

Were talking to Independent schools, theres a lot of big name Independent schools, Falwell stated. That could all fall apart, if different governors make rules or if the NCAA makes rules that dont exist right now, but the teams were talking to, if it all works out like we think it will, its going to be an exciting season.

When asked if he wanted to drop specific names, President Falwell said, Look up Independent NCAA schools, you will see right there who Im talking about.

While weve only seen one official change to Libertys 2020 football schedule so far, others are likely to follow.

Our schedules going to be totally different than what weve published, said Falwell.

See original here:

Falwell on Liberty's 2020 football season: Our schedule's going to be totally different than what we've published - A Sea of Red

The incident happened between Tibbets-Wick and the Warren Market Street exits on Rt. 11

by: WKBN Staff

LIBERTY TWP., Ohio (WKBN) Around 11:15 a.m. Sunday morning, Liberty Fire responded to a camper that caught fire while driving down Route 11.

The incident happened between Tibbetts Wick and the Warren Market Street exits on Rt. 11.

According to Firefighter Cathy Macchione, they were bringing their camper to storage.

Another vehicle pulled up to alert the driver that their trailer was on fire. The driver of the camper unhooked it when they pulled over because of the fire so they wouldnt get the truck to catch fire.

The driver heard a humming noise before being told it was on fire.

The camper was carrying propane tanks.

According the Macchione, the driver chocked the wheels so they wouldnt roll.

The driver and one of the passengers told First News that they called 911 a total of five times before getting someone to respond to their call. Got transferred, put on hold and sent to voicemail before getting through.

The camper is a total loss.

Read more:

Liberty Fire responds to camper that caught fire on Rt. 11 - WKBN.com

By Christopher Bray

If government makes you wear a face mask to help ward off the spread of the coronavirus, has it trampled on your freedom, your personal liberty?

If government decides, instead, to forgo a legally enforceable mandate on mask wearing, has it trampled on your right or your neighbors' to stay healthy, to keep a job, to benefit from the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"?

This is the paradox of personal liberty, which George Washington clearly understood when he transmitted the newly drafted Constitution to Congress more than two centuries ago.

Liberty, he and the other founders recognized, is the freedom we give to each other by surrendering a little bit of our own. "Individuals entering into society," Washington wrote, "must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest."

This paradox is as true now as it was then. And COVID has made that clear.

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There is no such thing as absolute liberty; it's only obtained by surrendering some personal freedom to society, as society then becomes the guarantor of one's set of limited liberties. The alternative absolute liberty means stepping away from one's community to become entirely self-sufficient. Through community, we gain limited liberty in exchange for mutual benefits.

These mutual benefits provide for thousands of things that no one of us could afford on our own: schools, hospitals, roads and bridges, public transit, police, fire, rescue, parks and wilderness areas, and much more things we can afford by acting in community.

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And to help us function well together as a community, we agree to rules, many of which balance personal freedom with the freedoms of others, including the freedom from harm that our actions might produce for others.

We all know this trade-off well: it's why we agree to drive on the right side of the road, obey speed limits, and invest in our communities by paying taxes.

Unless you intend to isolate yourself entirely, you are not going to keep coronavirus away. Someone with it need only breathe on you to pass it along. But you can help prevent yourself from spreading the disease to others by wearing a mask. And when everyone around you does the same thing, they have protected you. It's like freedom: you yield something to your community and gain something otherwise virtually unattainable.

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Right now, it's time for all of us to please wear a mask. It's time for a mandatory masking law in Vermont. It's time "to give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest."

And when we all step up in this very modest way, yes, we will have given away a little bit of freedom, and we will gain far, far more: the freedom of living as best we can with this disease amongst us.

Wear a mask.

Help save lives in your community maybe, even, your own.

State Sen. Christopher Bray, a Democrat, represents the Addison District. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of the Brattleboro Reformer.

If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.

Continue reading here:

Christopher Bray: Of liberty and masks - a trade-off that will help save lives, maybe your own - Brattleboro Reformer

Lana Bellamy|Times Herald-Record

CITY OF NEWBURGH - Vibrant, loudcolorsin a mural of the Hudson Highlands stretchacrossthe side of Simple Gifts and Goodies, calling out to drivers and walkers nearBenkard Avenue.

Shop owner Nancy Colas walked outside Tuesday morningand thoughtfully placed her hands on the painting.

"We have to grow where we're planted," said Colas, a Haitian immigrantwho worked hard to open her business on her own.

The mural painted byNelson Cekis Rivasat the corner of Benkard Avenue and Liberty Street was completed on Sunday.

It pays homage to the history of Esopus people who inhabited the area,but italso brings to mind the beauty and struggle ofgrowth needed to bloom, like the colorfulbrush featured in the painting, noted Anusha Mehar, founder and director of Panja Culture and Wellness Studio.

"It makes such a difference, especially in this climate where we're outside the space of communion in this moment," said Mehar."We're not able to join inside in the ways we have in the past."

Mehar helped secure a small grant from the Orange County Arts Council and coordinate logistics for the "medicine mural."

In the era of the coronavirus pandemic, Mehar said, "(We've) just started looking at new and old ways to publicly proclaim space that is joyful, as an act of resistance, and colorful and vibrant, representing the beautiful, diverse cultural tapestry that is Newburgh and our neighborhood on Benkard and Liberty...."

Mehar hopes to continue programming in the space near the mural with different wellness initiatives.

She was a co-producerfor the Newburgh Mural Project in 2012 that created four murals at different entry points to the city, including the murals at the underpass on South Street and onColden Street.

"What is beautiful about it is once you create something like a mural, it doesn't belong to you anymore, not you the artist, not you the owner of the building, not you the person who produced the project," Mehar said."It belongs to the people...."

Mehar has started fundraising for the next mural project at panjaculture.com. Shedoesn't want the cost of painting a mural to deter anyone from these projects, noting that Panja is there to help support these initiatives.

lbellamy@th-record.com

View original post here:

New mural brightens Benkard and Liberty in Newburgh - Times Herald-Record

LOS ANGELES, July 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Low-income households in California face larger energy, transportation and water affordability burdens than other populations in terms of the percentage of the household income spent on utilities. Yet the existence of a number of environmental benefit programs provided by state and local agencies does not ensure that these households benefit from them.

A new pilot program designed to enable low-income households across Los Angeles County to realize more fully those benefits is off to a good start, according to a new report by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI). The purpose of the LCI report is to provide an evaluation of the first year of the campaign, including its equity implications, the effectiveness of its outreach and areas for growth.

"The pilot stage's reach to the most environmentally-disadvantaged communities in the region was undeniably a success," said Gregory Pierce, associate director of the center and lead author of the program evaluation titled, "emPOWER: A Scalable Model for Improving Community Access to Environmental Benefit Programs in California." The report was co-authored by Rachel Connolly, a graduate student researcher at the Luskin Center for Innovation.

The emPOWER outreach campaign was launched in 2019, with Liberty Hill Foundation, a Los Angeles-based social justice philanthropic organization, serving as regional hub administrator. Through existing community relationships, Liberty Hill funded eight community-based organizations (CBOs) across the county to connect low-income residents with a suite of environment-related financial assistance programs, including those offering clean and affordable energy and clean transportation. These incentive programs provide benefits including but not limited to utility bill savings, zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) incentives and energy efficiency home upgrades.

The platform was launched to realize opportunities via community relationships and to address longstanding public health issues in environmental justice communities. mark! Lopez, the executive director of one of the CBOs, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, explains the importance of this neighborhood engagement in Southeast Los Angeles County.

"When our folks have limited income, that reduction [in cost] is everything," says Lopez. "That reduction is the ability to breathe; it can mean everything for the trajectory of our families."

"That's the really novel aspect of the program," said Pierce, who is also an adjunct assistant Professor in Urban Planning at UCLA Luskin. "CBOs are already connected with a lot of people who can benefit from these programs. People trust them and they can convey the opportunities in a much more effective way," he added.

Pierce pointed out that emPOWER benefit programs are brought together in one place enabling households to sign up at once, "instead of a number of separate programs that are hard for people to understand or sign up for. It's great that there are so many programs but at this point they can be operated and communicated in a more coherent way."

The emPOWER program will continue to operate in LA County in 2020, with goals to expand the campaign model beyond Los Angeles, first to the Inland Empire, and ultimately statewide. Broadening and deepening this campaign can help ensure a just transition in the process of climate change adaptation over the next several decades, according to the authors.

Report Findings:

The development of emPOWER was facilitated by funding from Electrify America, Edison International, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and GRID Alternatives through the California Air Resources Board's One Stop Shop.

Funding for UCLA's research was provided by Electrify America and Edison International (EIX) via Liberty Hill Foundation, and by the California Strategic Growth Council's Climate Change Research Program (Award #CCRP0056). Funding was provided in order for UCLA to serve as evaluator of the emPOWER campaign pilot stage.

Participating CBOs include Active San Gabriel Valley, Day One, East LA Community Corporation, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Pacoima Beautiful, Social Justice Learning Institute, Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE) and Union de Vecinos.

SOURCE Liberty Hill Foundation

http://www.libertyhill.org

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Liberty Hill Foundation: UCLA Luskin researchers find emPOWER outreach campaign led by community-based organizations successful in reaching areas of...

Pay close attention, very close attention, to Portland, Ore., where Donald Trump's tin-horn-dictator moves against demonstrators threaten us all.

Sending armed federal law enforcement dressed in combat fatigues to grab people off the streets is an intentionally provocative strategy. Some of those arrested, and one shot with a rubber bullet that fractured his skull, appear in videos to have been acting lawfully when they were attacked by what amount to Trump's secret police.

The attacks ordered by the wannabe dictator in the Oval Office and overseen by his consigliere, William P. Barr come with unlimited potential to provoke more violence. Widespread use of these tactics, especially as Election Day nears, could even create a pretext for attempting to overthrow our republic and the peaceful transition of power to a new president should Trump lose the popular vote and the Electoral College.

Such actions could provoke a civil war by emboldening the armed anti-Semites, fascists, nativists, racists and haters of liberty for people they dislike. That risk is remote, at least today, but that could change quickly.

Those are strong words, and the worst may not come to pass. But given the threat of Trump's malevolent nature and mental illness pose, it would be foolish not to warn about the potential in his egregious abuse of power in Portland.

UPDATE: Trump on Mondaythreatened to sendfederal law enforcement into cities "run by liberal Democrats" naming Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Oakland (which he called "a mess") and Philadelphia.

Tepid reactions

Sadly, the actions of local officials in Portland, its two U.S. senators and other elected officials have been milquetoast. Writing letters and making phone calls asking Trump officials to please stop is like holding a hand up to a tsunami.

While it would itself be provocative, Mayor Ted Wheeler could order Portland police to arrest anyone grabbing people off the street who is not in uniform. Wheeler is also the city's police commissioner.

Trump is a friend to enemies of law and order. Not only has he called neo-Nazis, Confederacy romanticizers and anti-Semites "very fine people," he has pardoned and commuted the sentences of criminals whose felonies he thinks were proper conduct, as withRoger Stoneand former Phoenix-area sheriffJoe Arpaio.

In 2018,Trump pardoned two ranchersinvolved in the seizure of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Oregon, part of a 41-day standoff by people who claim, like Trump, that they are above the law.

High-level lawlessness

And it's not just private citizens who think violence is the answer to policies they dislike. Last summer State Sen.Brian Boquist, aRepublican state senator in Oregon, threatened during a television interview toshoot any policethe state's Democratic governor might send to force GOP legislators to meet at the Capitol. The Republicans had fled the Capitol to avoid a vote on a climate change bill.

In these circumstances, who knows if those grabbing people off Portland streets sometimes covering their heads as if they were battlefield prisoners and tossing them into unmarked rented vehicles are indeed federal cops or just opportunistic and politically motivated kidnappers?

Law enforcement, used legitimately, has a duty to protect demonstrators and reduce the risk of violence. We see this all the time during heated protests, where local police often segregate opponents and confer with protest leaders to minimize risks to the safety of people and property.

So why arrest Trump's insignia-lacking agents? Better to act in the name of safety and let it all be sorted out in court than to endanger the Portland citizenry by creating opportunities for private militias to exploit such situations. Better, too, to get a clear court ruling on whether Trump is abusing his powers or we need new federal laws to prevent such dangerous actions.

Contempt for the Constitution

The Portland abuses should be viewed in the context of Trump's utter disregard for our Constitution. He hasfalsely claimedthat Article II lets him do anything he wants. George Consovoy, one of his lawyers, told a federal judge last October that were Trump to actually shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, theNew York police could not investigate,even if the victim was killed.

At every turn, Trump emphasizes his view that he is above the law, even after all nine Supreme Court justices explicitly told him otherwise. (The two dissenters in the Manhattan grand jury case bothagreed with that principle, just not Chief Justice John Roberts' majority opinion in full.)

Trump said Sunday hemay not accept the election results if he loses.

Chris Wallace of Fox asked, "Can you give a direct answeryou will accept the election?" Trump replied, "I have to see. Look, you I have to see. No, I'm not going to just say yes. I'm not going to say no, and I didn't last time, either."

We've reported in the past about what will happen if Trump refuses to leave the White House. For sure he has thought about how to hang on if voters reject him. Of course, he may try to escape the ignominy of being a loser by playing golf on Inauguration Day or hosting a self-congratulatory party for sycophants at Mar-a-Lago. But should he try to hold on to the Oval Office the moment his successor is sworn in, the Secret Service's duty will shift to the new president. They would frog march a recalcitrant Trump out of the building.

But that assumes we are not in the midst of nationwide violence fomented by Trump'sagents provocateursand that he has not fired senior Secret Service agents who refuse to swear allegiance to himas hetried to get James Comey to dowhen he was FBI director and replaced them with loyalists.

Facts don't matter

Trump appeals to his slowly shrinking base by conflating protesters and anarchists, with little evidence of the latter. But those who only get their news from Fox, Breitbart and the like evidently believe Trump is their savior and those who criticize him are take your pick anarchists, corrupt, communists, fools, idiots or, worst of all, liberals. For many Trumpers, empirical facts don't matter.

On Sunday, Trump told Wallace on Fox, "You know, if you look at what's gone on in Portland, those are anarchists and we've taken a very tough stand. If we didn't take a stand in Portland, you know we've arrested many of these leaders. If we didn't take that stand, right now you would have a problem like you, youthey were going to lose Portland. So, let's see"

Lose Portland? The locals are laughing.

More protests, not fewer

Trump is the principal reason protests in Portland have persisted and grown larger, as the smart newspaperWillamette Week reported Monday morning:

"Trump deployed federal police to Portland to quell six weeks of protests. He has achieved the opposite effect. The crowds gathering outside downtown courthouses on July 18 and 19 were as large as any Portland has seen in the past month. The crowd also appeared significantly older than at any previous demonstration.

"That's in no small part because reports of aggressive tactics by federal officers including shooting a protester in the face with a munition,detaining people in rental vans, and tear-gassing a county commissioner have galvanized residents of this city to confront what they see as a military occupation."

Homeland Security Chief in town

The PortlandOregonian, in a Sunday editorial, mocked a Trump minion for turning annoying protests into an attack on our nation and also called out Trump's self-serving trouble making:

"It's a good thing there was photographic evidence establishing that acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf actually visited Portland last week. Because based on his florid statement about our city "under siege," a reasonable person would assume the entire city is in flames and no one can go outside safely at night.

"In Wolf's Portland, a mob that 'escalates violence day after day' has been terrorizing the city. He paints a picture of the Wild West or a future dystopia where lawlessness abounds, and local authorities sanction criminality. And in go-for-broke hyperbole, Wolf equates vandalism of the federal courthouse with an attack on America itself.

"Yes, parts of downtown have been trashed. Many public and private buildings have been shuttered to protect them from further damage. But let's call Wolf's visit what it is: A political play by a Trump appointee using Portland as the backdrop. He is seizing the opportunity to create a false narrative of the federal government saving the day.

"In truth, federal intervention has only made things worse."

Disappearing people

This kind of provocative behavior by the Trump administration is not all that far from disappearing people Argentina-style. That Customs and Border Patrol and other federal law enforcement agents are willing toshoot a man for holding up a portable music playershould remind us that bureaucrats, including those who should be in uniform, do as they are told. That's why we sawbabies and small children ripped from their mothers and fathersandput in cages, some of whom have quiteliterally disappeared.

If ever there was a slippery slope argument to be made, it is over Trump's egregious abuse of power in using specialized federal law enforcement or what we at least hope and assume is federal law enforcement to grab protesters off the streets and spirit them away.

Republican collaborators

These actions come as Trump is losing his bullying grip on Republicans. Since he won the Republican nomination four years ago this month only one Republican in Congress has had the fortitude to reject his antics, Justin Amash of Michigan. He quit the GOP. The rest act as collaborators, instead of officials charged with defending our Constitution against all enemies, including Donald Trump.

Even Mitt Romney and the now-former senator Jeff Flake have acted in inconsistent ways as they fear Trump in varying degrees.

After sometime-Trump-supporter John McCain died in 2018, the once vocally anti-Trump Lindsay Graham of South Carolina went all-in for Trump. Graham is a profile in cowardice.

That elected Republican officials and some Democrats so fear Trump they will enable his attack on our Constitution, or at least look the other way, tells us that we are not safe so long as Trump holds office. If he gets away with his dictatorial moves in Portland now, we may all soon discover that our liberties are but a memory.

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Trump's stormtroopers crush liberty on the streets of Portland - Salon

WEST ALLIS A woman was hurt in a shots fired incident that spanned from West Allis to West Milwaukee Wednesday evening, July 22.

It began around 3:45 p.m. near 62nd Street and Orchard Street, near Liberty Heights Park in West Allis, where police said numerous shell casings were located. Initially, it wasnt clear if anyone was hurt.

According to police, a preliminary investigation revealed two groups confronted each other and shots were exchanged. One group was located by police in the general vicinity while the other fled in vehicle(s).

Police said its believed one of these vehicles was involved in a shots fired incident in West Milwaukee. FOX6s cameras captured police on scene near 50th Street and National Avenue in West Milwaukee.

As the investigation progressed, police learned of a woman unrelated to the groups involved in the confrontation who was struck by gunfire. She was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Police said a firearm was recovered, and several people were taken into custody with detectives working to identify and locate others.

In the past, the West Allis Police Department has worked with citizens, citizen groups and other City of West Allis departments to make Liberty Heights Park and the surrounding area a safe place for people live and play, West Allis police said in a news release. We will continue to do so and will increase police presence in the area. The reckless, criminal behavior of yesterday is not common to West Allis and will not be tolerated.

Anyone with information was asked to contact West Allis police.

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Police: Woman hurt as shots were fired between 2 groups near Liberty Heights Park in West Allis - WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee

There are moments, few and far between, when Sabrina Ionescu can forget just how weird the world has become.

She can forget that her friends and family will not be watching courtside Saturday when she makes her highly anticipated WNBA debut. She can forget that she is living and playing in a bubble in Bradenton, Florida, more than 1,000 miles from Brooklyn and Barclays Center, which was supposed to be her new home. She can forget almost everything but what it feels like to be with her teammates, have the ball in her hand and be doing what she has always dreamed of doing.

After two or three months of being on Zoom, just the fact that we cannot wear masks and practice and talk to each other is just great, the Liberty rookie told Newsday earlier this week. Just to have some sort of interaction makes you feel more alive.

Yes, even inside the bubble there are moments of pure joy. The biggest of those so far will be Saturday, when the WNBA tips off its COVID-19-shortened season with a game between the Liberty and Seattle Storm.

Ionescu, the college player of the year at Oregon and No. 1 overall draft pick, transcended the sports world when she spoke at Kobe and Gigi Bryants memorial service in February. If there was ever any doubt that the league expects her to be a star for years to come, it was dashed when they decided to feature the Liberty in the league-opening game.

Talk about being thrown into the line of fire. With seven rookies, the Liberty have been picked to finish last or near last in every preseason poll. Seattle, by contrast, is favored to win it all by many.

Ionescu, the point guard of the future will be facing one of the most decorated point guards of the present as 39-year-old Sue Bird of Syosset is returning after missing all of last season with a knee injury. Also back is Breanna Stewart, who was the leagues MVP in 2018 but missed all of last season after rupturing her Achilles.

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Im just exited to be able to compete again Ionescu said when asked about the challenge of opening against Seattle. It feels like its been such a long time.

Ionescu hasnt played a basketball game since March 8, when she led Oregon to an 89-56 win over Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game. Four days later, the NCAA Tournament was canceled because of the virus.

The Liberty made her their No. 1 pick in a virtual draft on April 17. Until the team reported to the WNBA bubble at IMG Academy on July 7, all of her contact with her teammates and coaches had been phone, texts and Zoom meetings.

So life in the bubble, limiting as it may be, has felt liberating by comparison.

When she isnt practicing or working out, she can hang by the hotel pool or have dinner with former Oregon teammate Ruthy Hebard, who was Chicagos No. 1 pick. The food has been surprisingly decent Chipotle is her favorite and she has entertained herself by getting into Tiktok.

Ionescu and veteran point guard Layshia Clarendon bicycle from their hotel to practice every day. The Liberty signed Clarendon early in their free agency period to be both Ionescus backup and mentor. Clarendon has no doubts that Ionescu can deal with the pressure that is being thrown at her.

She just makes people better around her, Clarendon said in a recent Zoom news conference, and thats really nice to have as a point guard playmaker. Myself, its great to have another point guard playmaker knowingI could be off the ball sometimes and she could bring it out, but we have multiple people who can play and lead in different positions.

It helps that Liberty coach Walt Hopkins runs an offense that is similar to the one the Ducks ran in Oregon. Hopkins said that you wouldnt know what kind of pressure is on Ionescu by the way she carries herself.

She goes about her business in a way that is pretty special for someone who is so highly touted, he said. She doesnt think about herself that way. She walks the walk . . .Theres enough pressure on her coming from the media and fans and social media that I dont want her to feel like we have extremely high expectations.

Its just, Go out and do what you have done your whole life.

Even if you have to do it in a near empty arena.

2019 record: 10-24 (11th overall, 5th in the East)

Whos new this season: Minnesota Lynx assistant coach Walt Hopkins was hired in January as the Libertys head coach, replacing Katie Smith. The Liberty have seven rookies on the roster. Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu (No. 1 overall pick), Connecticut forward/guard Megan Walker (No. 9 pick) and Louisville guard Jazmine Jones (No. 12 pick) were selected in the first round, and Louisville forward Kylee Shook (No. 13 pick) and Duke forward Leaonna Odom (No. 15 pick) were selected in the second round of Aprils WNBA Draft. The Liberty acquired Virginia guard/forward Jocelyn Willoughby (No. 10 pick) in a draft night deal with the Phoenix Mercury. Texas forward Joyner Holmes was taken with the No. 19 overall pick by the Seattle Storm in the draft, but was waived and signed by the Liberty last month. Veteran point guard Layshia Clarendon was signed during free agency in February. Clarendon has played for the Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream and Connecticut Sun over her seven-year career, averaging 6.9 points and 2.8 assists in 198 career games, including 88 starts.

Whos not playing: Guard Asia Durr, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, announced earlier this month that she would not play this season after testing positive for the coronavirus in June. Sharpshooting Australian guard Rebecca Allen announced last month that she was opting out due to health concerns related to the uncertainty of the coronavirus. French guard Marine Johannes, Chinese center Han Xu and Australian forward Stephanie Talbot, acquired in a draft night deal with the Lynx, announced they would remain overseas and return for the 2021 season.

Offseason departures: Franchise star Tina Charles was traded to the Washington Mystics in a blockbuster three-team deal in April. North Babylons Bria Hartley signed with the Mercury in free agency. Reshanda Gray was waived and later signed with the Los Angeles Sparks. Tanisha Wright retired and is now an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces. Brittany Boyd and Tayler Hill, who was acquired from the Dallas Wings in the Charles deal, were waived.

Mike Rose

Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.

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Ionescu excited to start season for Liberty . . . even in bubble - Newsday

Patrick Henry famously presented Liberty and Death as alternatives. But lately in America weve seen a troubled and troubling notion of Liberty in which Liberty and Death come packaged together.

How many on the right, for example, would reject that famous idea, No one is free to falsely shout Fire! in a crowded theater?

A recent flagrant example of the problem involved armed men who, a little while back, posted themselves around the Michigan State Capitol to denounce the lockdown (which had been instituted to stop the spread of the pandemic) as an act of tyranny and an infringement of their rightful liberty.

The great Supreme Court justice who penned that famous line about shouting Fire! was saying that the right of free speech as essential as it is is not so absolute that it allows one to act with reckless disregard for the public safety. (Because a false cry of Fire! threatens to panic a crowd into a deadly stampede.)

Our Founders gave us rights. But they also wanted the nation they were founding to be able, when necessary, to implement coordinated strategies to protect the peoples collective well-being. (Which is why the draft, for example, has not been declared an unconstitutional infringement on individual liberty.)

Powers to implement quarantines have long been recognized, as a legitimate means to minimize the loss of life during a dangerous epidemic. These have been considered necessary infringements on our liberty.

(Accordingly, in response to this pandemic, virtually every free and enlightened nation on the planet instituted some such systematic limitations on peoples freedom to spread this deadly disease.)

Yet there is a strain of political thinking in America in which individual rights are consistently treated as absolute, even when the nations collective well-being is serious jeopardy.

For example, many in the same political subculture in which the necessary measures to control a deadly pandemic are denounced as tyrannical likewise argue that their right to bear arms is absolute that it cannot be restricted in any way to protect public safety.

They reject the idea that, just as the right of free speech does not extend to causing a deadly stampede, so the fact that our nation has a homicide rate 10 times that of other free nations indicates the need to find a better balance between individuals rights to bear arms and the right of the people as a whole to be protected against wanton gun violence.

From that same political subculture, we also get consistent opposition to instituting any coordinated measures to meet the challenge of the global climate crisis.

None of these challenges pandemic, rampant gun violence, climate disruption can be met by people acting individually. Each, rather, requires a coordinated, collective strategy.

Thats the context in which Ive pondered those heavily-armed men around the state capital in Michigan protesting against the measures required to minimize the damage to the American people inflicted by this pandemic.

I wonder: How do these people who discount so thoroughly the legitimate needs of the society as a whole see their relationship to society? Are they indifferent to ideal outcomes where our society

defeats the viral contagion that has invaded us, through all of us Americans acting as a team under good wartime leadership, to protect the vital interests of everyone;

successfully navigates the climate challenge to avoid harming our children and grandchildren and the future of humankind;

finds an optimal balance between the rights of individuals to have firearms and the need of the society to avoid that American slaughter from gun deaths thats put our nation off the charts among free societies?

Yet many of these same people are vociferous in declaring themselves patriots. Which leads me to wonder: In view of this political subcultures consistent discounting of the needs of the nation as a whole, what does their patriotism (e.g. that of people like those who accuse Michigans Democratic Governor of being a tyrant) consists of?

What Ive seen leads me to believe their patriotism is of the Were # 1 kind. Thats what weve seen about the patriotism of Make America Great Againthat its not about the greatness of an America that as the leader of the free world -- leads the community of nations into a better future for all, but about an aggressive assertion of our nation as a dominant and aggressive power.

Such a patriotic stance toward the wider world looks like a repetition of the same attitude that those liberty-loving people manifest as individuals toward their wider society, i.e. an aggressively defiant attitude that rejects whatever claim the surrounding world makes on them to help advance the greater good.

I wonder what is at the root of such an attitudeone that, in the name of Liberty, rejects the right of society to require anything of them, and that displays angry defiance toward the authority our founders established to enable the nation to take effective, coordinated action for the common good.

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Andy Schmookler: Troubled and troubling notions of 'Liberty' - Northern Virginia Daily

The New York Liberty are the youngest team in WNBA history. The Liberty have seven rookies on their roster compared to only five non-rookies. Within the first 15 picks in the WNBA Draft, the Liberty accounted for six of those.

Led by No. 1 pick and super prospect Sabrina Ionescu, other rookies include No. 9 Megan Walker, No. 10 Jocelyn Willoughby, No. 12 Jazmine Jones, No. 13 Kylee Shook, No. 15 Leaonna Odom, and No. 19 Joyner Holmes.

The average age for the Liberty rounds up to 24-years old. Many players on the Liberty were born the same year as the WNBA in 1997.

In a media availability conference on Wednesday, Joyner Holmes spoke about what its like being one of the many rookies on the team.

Its getting easier, the first couple of days was a struggle for us just trying to learn everything and then continuously like being consistent and talking, stuff like that. Its a little easier because youre able to relate to these people on another level. We are all kinda the same age, were all on the same boat, so its easier to come and talk to them about things. Our vets have been very helpful for us throughout practice and even after practice just talking to us in simple situations. I think it is fairly easy as we are all on the same level and can all kinda communicate with each other. We kinda made history with all the rookies on our team with how young we are and how many we have, so thats good.

27-year old Kiah Stokes explained the impact that the young players have on the team.

Its been tough. There are definitely some days where we can tell were young. People stop talking, or theres some confusion. Its fun. We have young people that want to work hard, they want to play, they have that excitement. Which is exciting, because it kinda makes us feel young again. Were not old, but sometimes our bodies feel old, like oh man practice, but then you have the rookies coming in like YEAH PRACTICE and youre like you know what, PRACTICE! They just have that positive energy, that spirit that keeps you fresh. They have the hunger, they have the want, and they have so much energy so I think we could use that to our advantage for sure. But, its been fun so far, just cant wait for the games to start in a couple more days and then its GAME GAME GAME GAME. So were enjoying it while we can right now and trying to get better and as good as we can and get better every day till the games start.

Even the Libertys head coach is a young rookie, 34-year old Walt Hopkins, who is a decade younger than the rest of the head coaches in the WNBA.

Since the league has never had a team this young, it should be interesting to see how well they are able to compete for a playoff spot. Everyone will be talking about Sabrina Ionescu, but whats more important maybe how well all the rookies are able to establish themselves as pros and gel together.

Considering how much-untapped potential this Liberty roster has, it is hard not to get excited about the future of Liberty basketball. The way New York is rebuilding its roster is unprecedented in the WNBA. No one has dared to field a roster this young.

Unfortunately, the Liberty will not have their full squad of rookies to begin the season. Megan Walker tested positive for COVID-19 and has not joined the team in Florida but plans to play once healthy.

A new era of New York Liberty basketball begins against the Seattle Storm on Saturday, July 25 at 12 PM on ESPN.

For more WNBA content from Sports Are From Venus,click here.

For more thoughts and opinions from Zachary Diamond, check out hisauthor pageorTwitter.

(photo credit: AP Images)

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The New York Liberty Are The Youngest Team In WNBA History - Jul 23, 2020 - Sports Are From Venus

The Major League Baseball season is back with many twists, but Atlanta Braves owner Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA) is committed to safely give "the fans what they want which is baseball," Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei said on CNBC.

What To Know: It's very important for sports fans to see their beloved game "in the best way possible," Maffei said. The players and league got together and struck an agreement to develop a safe way to make a shortened 60 game season to happen.

"Baseball is exciting and I think it's in the national interest and in the interest of America to get it going," he said.

Why It's Important: Atlanta Braves first baseman and four-time All Star Freddie Freeman contracted the COVID-19 virus and experienced a high temperature of 104.5 degrees before recovering. He has since received medical clearance to play and is expected to be in the opening day lineup on Friday, Maffei said.

Other unnamed players also contracted the virus and are "recovering well" and the league deserves credit for implementing a series of protocols that may even make it safer for players to be on the field than at home.

What's Next: Demand for sports is "way up" as evidenced by impressive ratings for golf and Formula 1 events, Maffei said. Encouragingly, the league hasn't given up on the notion that fans will be able to return to stadiums this season.

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See more from Benzinga

2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Liberty Media CEO Says We Will Give Fans What They Want: A Baseball Season - Yahoo Sports

After being shuttered for months because of the coronavirus, Liberty Island will partially reopen to visitors on Monday, July 20, the National Park Service announced Friday afternoon.

However, Ellis Island will remain closed as will the museums on both islands, officials said.

The announcements were made as part of the Phase 4 reopening of New York which includes some art and entertainment venues like zoos and botanical gardens to open for outdoor activities only, according to the New York Times.

When we were notified that museums were excluded from Phase 4 of the states reopening plan we quickly moved to adjust our reopening plan to delay the reopening of the Statue of Liberty Museum and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, said John Piltzecker, Superintendent, Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. We will now open access to the grounds of Liberty Island only where outdoor dining and restrooms will be available. Ellis Island, the interior of the Statue of Liberty, and both our museums will remain closed.

Both Liberty Island and Ellis Island are federally owned.

A phased approach will be used to partially reopen the famous parks as officials continued to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first phase will allow people to access the grounds and limited food and gift shop services on Liberty Island.

The Statue of Liberty Museum and the interior of the Lady Liberty, including its pedestal and crown, will be included as part of a later reopening phase, park officials said.

The park will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. daily.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.

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Liberty Island will partially reopen next week, Ellis Island to remain closed - NJ.com

The Major League Baseball season is back with many twists, but Atlanta Braves owner Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA) is committed to safely give "the fans what they want which is baseball," Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei said on CNBC.

What To Know: It's very important for sports fans to see their beloved game "in the best way possible," Maffei said. The players and league got together and struck an agreement to develop a safe way to make a shortened 60 game season to happen.

"Baseball is exciting and I think it's in the national interest and in the interest of America to get it going," he said.

Why It's Important: Atlanta Braves first baseman and four-time All Star Freddie Freeman contracted the COVID-19 virus and experienced a high temperature of 104.5 degrees before recovering. He has since received medical clearance to play and is expected to be in the opening day lineup on Friday, Maffei said.

Other unnamed players also contracted the virus and are "recovering well" and the league deserves credit for implementing a series of protocols that may even make it safer for players to be on the field than at home.

What's Next: Demand for sports is "way up" as evidenced by impressive ratings for golf and Formula 1 events, Maffei said. Encouragingly, the league hasn't given up on the notion that fans will be able to return to stadiums this season.

Related Links:

Shopify, PayPal, Wix.com Are 'E-Commerce Enablers' In Digital Shift: KeyBanc

Tesla's Inclusion In The S&P 500 Could Support Higher Prices: 'Massive Moment For The Company'

2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Liberty Media CEO Says We Will Give Fans What They Want: A Baseball Season - Benzinga

President Donald Trump seems to be changing his stance on masks, but it remains to be seen if some Republicans in Pennsylvania will follow his lead.

Before former Vice President Joe Biden delivered his most recent speech in Pennsylvania, a message was aired over the speakers.

"Please keep your masks on the entire time, which is now mandated by the state of Pennsylvania and the governor."

The group of roughly 50 people complied and also practiced social distancing at McGregor Industries, a metal working plant near Scranton.

Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was also wearing a mask at the Dunmore factory on July 9.

That same day, President Donald Trump sent his top surrogate, Vice President Mike Pence, to Pennsylvania.

When Air Force Two landed at the Lancaster Airport in Lititz, Pencewas wearing a mask. Hewas greeted by other Republican leaders, such as Congressman Lloyd Smucker, who were also wearing masks.

But most of the people in the crowd of Trump and Pence supporters were not wearing masks or standing at least 6 feet apart.

The president, who was in Washington, D.C., that day, had rarely worn a mask at that point.That changed two days later when he visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and wore a mask while visiting patients.

And it changed even more that Monday night when he posted a photo of himself wearing a mask.

"We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can't socially distance," Trump tweeted on Monday. "There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President!"

The president seems to be changing his stance on masks, but it remains to be seen if Republicans in Pennsylvania will follow his lead.

Some top-ranking Republicans in the state have been wearing masks for months, even if they haven't agreed with safety mandates from Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat from York County. That includes U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican from the Lehigh Valley who has been advocating for masks since March, and the new Pennsylvania House Speaker Bryan Cutler, a Republican from Lancaster County.

But former Speaker Mike Turzai, a Republican from Allegheny County, and dozens of other Republicans in the Legislature have been fighting the mask mandate.

How the Pennsylvania mask fight started

Rep. Russ Diamond, a Republican from Lebanon County, takes credit for starting the mask debate in Pennsylvania.

"I kind of pioneered not wearing a mask," he said.

Diamond said he was the first state Republican lawmaker to publicly show that's he's not wearing a mask.

He has a few problems with wearing masks: They create suspicion that everyone has COVID-19;he thinks they're ineffective;and he thinks they're unfair to people with certain medical conditions.

"We're creating a society where we're all isolated from one another, and we assume everyone is dangerous and carrying a disease," Diamond said. "We're turning it into: Everyone is guilty until they're proven innocent."

Also, despite what numerous scientists and doctors say, he doesn't believemasks work.

He said science seemed to agree with him when the virus was first spreading across the U.S. and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised against masks.

That changed three months ago when the CDC recommended masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

But Diamond hasn't changed his mind.

"Reusable masks are problematic," he said. "They can get damp and collect bacteria if they're not properly cleaned. If you want to properly wear a mask, get a disposable mask. Too many people fiddle with them and end up touching their face more."

He said another reason he doesn't wear a mask is because he's supporting his fiancee, who has a medical condition that prevents her from wearing a mask. He said wearing a mask triggers her seizures; she recently had a severe seizure while wearing a mask to pick up her medical cannabis.

Wolf's mandate includes medical provisions, but most merchants don't allow customers inside their businesses without a mask, Diamond said.

"If we're going to exclude unmasked people with medical conditions from businesses, then let's knock out wheelchair ramps, too," he said.

Diamond believes the solution better than a mask mandate from the governor is forsymptomatic people to quarantine, and asymptomatic people "don't really need to."

Pennsylvania's recent wave of positive COVID-19 cases can be traced to more than just asymptomatic carriers of the disease, according to state health officials.

Diamond, who said he "hates close talkers" and always maintains "5 feet of personal space to begin with," does support social distancing, vigorous hand washing and sanitizing, and washing and changing clothes when coming home from public spaces.

But he does not support masks, and he disagrees with state education guidelines that will require masks in school this fall.

"Teachers have enough to do. Now, they have to be the mask police, too?" Diamond said.

Diamond thinks a happy medium is: "If you want to wear a mask, fine. I won't say anything bad about you. I choose not to wear one. Please don't say anything bad about me. I'm not going to force myself into your personal space."

How the mask fight continued

Republicans launched a political battle with Wolf over business shutdowns, saying it was a threat to livelihoods and personal freedoms.

Now, they're saying similar things about masks.

For some Republicans, the mask fight isn't about medicine. It's about mandates.

State Rep. Ryan Warner, a Republican from Fayette County, talked about liberty and freedom in a July 1 video on his Facebook page.

He said he agrees with wearing masks in many situations, but he doesn't think Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, M.D.,has a right to tell people to wear masks because she's not an elected official. Levine was appointed by Wolf.

"The decisions from the governor are unilateral, authoritarian decisions. It is not how we do things," Warner said.

Like Warner, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, a Republican from Centre County, said he doesn't dispute wearing a mask.

"What we're disputing is by using his emergency powers, this governor is dictating it to people," Corman said to the Associated Press. "We live in a free society. People can make decisions for themselves."

The state House and Senate recently voted to strip the governor's emergencypowers and give Pennsylvanians more of a say in how they want to be governed in times of crisis, including if they want to wear masks.

The Legislature previously tried to end the governor'semergency declaration without his consent, but a state Supreme Court ruling ended that effort.

Recently, the Legislature voted to change the state constitution and end the emergency declaration, and Wolf vetoed that plan.

"We believe the power of our commonwealth truly rests with the people," Cutler, House speaker, said. "Pennsylvania is not a dictatorship, and the voters should ultimately decide."

He said the legislative branch has tried to work with the governor and asked to join a bipartisan task force to manage the crisis.

"The governor turned us down, deciding instead to go it alone for months on end," Cutler said.

The case for masks

Pennsylvania Democrats, Republicans and health officials who advocate for masks point out they are not new in the commonwealth.

They have been used here for more than a centuryin surgeries, dentistry and other medicalsettings, industrial operations, veterinary care and more.

These uses have been met without protest, and masks have been trusted to do what they were designed to do provide a reliable barrier against contamination.

In the simplest terms, they are designed to keep people from getting sick.

Mask supporters say they are a needed tool in the currentpublic health crisis just like they were used to curtail deaths in the 1918 flu pandemic and shouldn't be used as political weapons.

"When we should be fighting this virus, we are fighting about masks," said Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who said he wears a mask every time he goes into public spaces.

He pointed out that it's not just Democratic governors who want state residents to wear masks.

"The governors of Alabama and Texas, and governors in very red states, are pleading for masks," Fetterman said. "They realize it's not a political statement. It's a tool until we get a vaccine."

When Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a mask mandate last week, she said she knew the order would be hard to enforce.

"I always prefer personal responsibility over a government mandate, and yet I also know with all my heart that the numbers and the data over past few weeks are definitely trending in the wrong direction," she said.

At the time, Alabama had more than 58,000 positive cases and hospital intensive care units were overwhelmed.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last week defended his mask mandate in a video message.

"Now, I know that many of all you are frustrated. Soam I," he said. "I know that many of you do not like the mask requirement. I dont either. It is the last thing that I wanted to do. Actually the next to the last. The last thing that any of us want is to lock Texas back down again.Each day the facts get worse. If we don't slow this disease quickly, our hospitals will get overrun, and I fear it will even inflict some of the people that I'm talking to right now."

Republican governors in Arkansas, Maryland, North Carolina and Ohio offered similar messages.

And former Republican governors in Pennsylvania say they support Wolf's mandate.

"All Pennsylvanians should heed the Wolf Administrations directives to wear a mask when out of the home," former Gov. Tom Ridge, an Erie native, said in a statement. "Like all Pennsylvanians, Gov. Wolf and Secretary Levine are hoping to avoid the COVID-19 spikes impacting other states so that we can get our economy back up and running as soon as possible. Wearing a mask is a simple, selfless act all of us should support."

His successor echoed that.

"Wearing your mask amounts to saying lets beat the virus now, not later when it might be too late,"former Gov. Mark Schweiker said in a statement.

About 100,000 Pennsylvanians have tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 7,000 have died. More than 4,800, or 68%,of those deaths have been in nursing homes.

While many Pennsylvanians have been able to go outside and experience some kind of summer, even if it's a masked one, tens of thousands of nursing home patients are still living in isolation because of the continued spread of infection.

Levinesaid the coronavirus typically enters nursing homes through workers who are asymptomatic carriers of the disease. It's imperative that those workers and the people they come into contact with in public are wearing masks, she said.

As the health secretaryalways says, "Your mask protects me, and my mask protects you."

The nation's top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, M.D., and the CDC say masks protect everyone.

That includes the growing number of Pennsylvanians in their 20s who are getting and spreading the disease.

Pollster and political analyst Terry Madonna, who usually refrains from taking a side in political issues, is taking a side in the mask debate.

"I am very, very supportive of wearing a mask in public," Madonna said. "I understand the cons in the issue. I understand the argument. But this is temporary, and it involves life and death. Wearing masks in public seems reasonable to me."

Candy Woodall is a reporter for the USA Today Network. She can be reached at 717-480-1783 or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.

Continue reading here:

Pa. fight against wearing masks involves some key Republicans, and liberty - GoErie.com

Libertys Joshua Mack, Ralfs Rusins, and Elijah James have been rated among the top draft eligible players at their respective positions for the 2021 NFL Draft, according to Phil Steele.

Mack was picked as the 67th best draft eligible running back. Mack finished the 2019 season with 792 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. For comparison, there were 16 running backs selected in the 2020 NFL Draft and 25 taken in 2019. The most taken in a single draft in the past decade was 30 in 2017.

Ralfs Rusins is rated the 59th best defensive tackle while Elijah James is ranked 86th among the defensive tackles. Rusins has become a stalwart for the Flames at nose guard. In 2019, he finished 4th on the team with 60 tackles while also adding 6.5 tackles for a loss and 2 sacks. Hes the top returning tackler on the team. James finished the 2019 season with 19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss and a QB hurry. His role is expected to increase significantly in 2020.

Read more:

Liberty's Joshua Mack, Ralfs Rusins, and Elijah James rated among the top draft eligible players - A Sea of Red

Liberty University announced that it has sued The New York Times for defamation, accusing the newspaper of being factually incorrect in reporting regarding students on campus testing positive for COVID-19 in late Marchduring the early stages of the pandemic.

The March 29 story in question from the Times, Liberty University Brings Back Its Students, and Coronavirus Fears, Too, reported that about 12 students "were sick with symptoms that suggested Covid-19," which the university vehemently calls false.

There was never an on-campus student diagnosed with COVID-19, Liberty, a private evangelical Christian school, said in the $10 million suit while filed Wednesday, accusing the Times of "clickbait."

"Not only are they a bigoted bunch of liars, and also [a] BuzzFeed-type clickbait publication now," Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. joined Fox News host Sean HannitySean Patrick HannityPress: Trump implodes on 'Fox News Sunday' Lawsuit accuses ex-Fox host Ed Henry of rape Liberty University files M defamation suit against NY Times: 'Bigoted bunch of liars' MORE while mocking the paper for photographing and publishing "No Trespassing" signs on campus.

"But they're also stupid, because they came on campus. We had 25, at least, 'No Trespassing' signs everywhere, and they were dumb enough to take pictures of the signs and publish them,"Falwellsaid.

"So we got warrants out for their arrest and they had to cut a deal with a local prosecutor to keep from going to jail," headded. "That's how dumb they are."

The lawsuit also alleges the paper misrepresented a doctor quoted in its reportand did not speakto Liberty University's physician.

"I think they got their information from a doctor who has a practice 10 miles away from Liberty, who had seen a few Liberty kids who had a cold and upper respiratory problem. And none of it was anything like COVID symptoms," Falwell explained. "He told the reporters to go and talk to our on-campus doctor at our clinic on campus, and they wouldn't do it. They didn't talk to us."

"We tried to get them to correct all the false headlines," he added. "They wouldn't do it. They actually doubled down and lied some more. And so we had no choice. They left us with no choice but to defend our reputation because it scared parents."

In its lawsuit, Liberty also says there are still no students who have tested positive for coronavirus.

We are confident that our story accurately portrayed the reopening of Liberty University and the public health concerns that the reopening raised, New York Times spokesman Ari Isaacman Bevacquatold The Hill in a Thursday morning email. We look forward to defending our work in court.

--Updated at 10:23 a.m.

Read the original:

Liberty University files $10M defamation suit against NY Times: 'Bigoted bunch of liars' | TheHill - The Hill

Last weeks Supreme Court decision in Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania was a major victory for freedom of religion and conscience in the United States. It affirms that the Trump administration properly crafted an exemption that allows the Little Sisters, an order of nuns, to carry out its work caring for the elderly poor without being forced to violate the nuns' consciences.

It was just the latest example of aggressive work by President Trumps Department of Health and Human Services to protect First Amendment freedoms and then win on those issues in court.

From day one of the Trump administration, HHS has made it a priority to protect life and protect the rights of faith and conscience and we are delivering. The dispute in the Little Sisters case arose out of the Obama administrations regulation under the Affordable Care Act, which mandated that most employer-provided health insurance include all Food and Drug Administration-approved methods of contraception. The contraceptive mandate exempted a subset of religious groups, such as churches, but required compliance from most other religious organizations.

Nonexempt religious groups, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor, were required to comply with the mandate by a so-called accommodation, requiring them to sign a document authorizing their insurer to provide contraceptive coverage. In other words, they still had to violate their conscience.

When Trump took office the following January, HHS began working on a way to ensure the contraceptive mandate did not unlawfully burden religious exercise. Our solution was straightforward: We broadened the original religious exemption and created a new exemption for employers with moral-based objections still a tiny fraction of Americas employers.

Last week, in a 72 decision, the Supreme Court upheld the Trump administrations actions. The court recognized that HHS followed the right procedures and had the legal authority to do what we did. It is remarkable that activists and activist judges forced this simple issue all the way up to our highest court.

Fighting to ensure nuns can carry out their work without having to cover contraception isnt the only place in which the Trump administrations efforts have stoked needlessly fierce legal battles. We are fighting similar battles over the implementation of Title X, which provides government funding for family planning services.

Last year, HHS implemented a new rule that no longer permitted Title X family planning services, funded with taxpayer dollars, to occur at the same location where abortions are provided as a method of family planning. Thats a commonsense step to enforce Congresss existing requirement that no Title X funds be used in programs in which abortion is a method of family planning.

The Title X rule also attracted a torrent of lawsuits but not particularly successful ones. Our Title X rule has now won victories twice at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, notoriously no friend to the Trump administration, first before a three-judge panel and then before a larger, en banc panel. The 9th Circuit actually had to lift several orders put in place by lower courts that attempted to block the implementation of the Title X rule nationwide.

The opposition to the commonsense implementation of the law Congress enacted is dizzying. A number of grantees dropped out of the Title X program altogether in protest (and their funds swiftly awarded to other providers) even as we have added new and important protections to the program for serving vulnerable women and children, such as strengthened requirements around reporting sexual abuse, molestation, and human trafficking.

One of the most important steps Trump has taken to protect religious freedom and the right to life is appointing hundreds of judges more than 200 at the latest count who faithfully interpret the Constitution as written. But the Little Sisters decision won support even from Justices Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer.

Every day at HHS, we work to protect the life and conscience rights of all people who need or provide healthcare and social services. It is a department-wide mission, and its just as important during health emergencies, such as the one were experiencing now.

During the coronavirus pandemic, HHSs Office for Civil Rights has been taking action to ensure that states and healthcare providers do not discriminate on the basis of disability in the allocation of medical care. Weve already had five states remove such discriminatory policies from their triage guidelines as a result of our work.

Efforts to protect life at all stages for all people dont always grab headlines in the way Supreme Court decisions do. But behind every court victory and every successful administrative reform are dedicated people working to protect our lives and freedoms as promised by the Constitution and protected by our laws.

That dedicated work is why we can say Trump is the most pro-life, pro-religious liberty president in American history.

Alex M. Azar II is the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Originally posted here:

How the Trump administration wins on life and religious liberty - Washington Examiner

Here are the events you need to know about this weekend in Pittsburgh: July 24-26. Know of a good event taking place soon? Email us here.

Friday, July 24: Virtual Pittsburgh Urban Farm Tour12 p.m.Take a virtual visit to the Mwanakuche Community Garden to see how Pittsburghs Somali Bantu community transformed a vacant one-acre site in Perry Hilltop into a thriving food growing space. Part of a citywide urban farm open house series, the online tour includes a live moderated Q&A.

Friday, July 24: Shakespeare in Performance Webinar with PICT Classic Theatre2 p.m.Something wicked this way comes: Become an armchair Bard scholar during this free webinar led by PICTs Artistic & Executive Director, Alan Stanford. Shakespeares intriguing and iconic villains will come to life during exclusive performances and discussions.

Friday, July 24: 30 Years of ADA: Pearls of Great Value2-3 p.m.Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act during this Virtual Town Hall hosted by Oakland For All: Beyond Accessible. Join community leaders, policymakers and stakeholders to discuss the landmark legislation, current accessibility issues and the impact of COVID-19 and find out how you can help increase opportunities for people with disabilities in our region.

Trio of Blues. Photo courtesy of The Frick Pittsburgh.

Friday, July 24: Trio of Blues with The Frick Pittsburgh7 p.m.Friday night will rock when The Fricks Summer Fridays series welcomes these veterans of the Chicago blues scene. Youll get up on your feet during the energetic online concert by Max Schang (guitar and vocals), Jim Spears (bass and vocals) and Steve McMurray (drums).

Friday, July 24: Beavers: The Directors Cut with Rangos Giant CinemaVarious timesCatch these remarkable rodents before they swim away July 26. Exploring one of natures greatest engineers, the film follows a family of beavers living in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Via the masterful IMAX camera, youll experience spectacular aerial wilderness scenes and rich aquatic habitats plus a remastered soundtrack with 12.1 surround-sound.

Saturday, July 25: Public Art Run on the North Side8-9 a.m.This new route hosted by Pittsburgh Running Tours will take you on a three-mile exploration of the striking murals and sculptures found on the North Side. Runners will stop and snap photos and learn about the history of locally-made public art.

Saturday, July 25: Virtual Fleet Feet Liberty MileVarious timesHow fast can you run one mile? P3Rs Virtual Fleet Feet Liberty Mile challenges participants to run their fastest mile before August 7. Everyone from Olympians to previous Liberty Mile champions to rookie runners will earn a first-ever finishers medal and shirt during the virtual event. While running anywhere trails, city streets or treadmills participants can keep it fun with P3R contests and activities.

Photo courtesy of P3R.

Saturday, July 25: Movement & Making with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Childrens Museum of Pittsburgh10 a.m.Budding performers are invited to create characters and tell stories using movement, household objects and imaginative thinking. Family members, pets and even toys are welcome to join the free workshop as kids dance their way through a mystery piece of music.

Saturday, July 25: Pittsburghs First Pandemic: The White Plague10 a.m.What was social distancing like in 1915 during the tuberculosis pandemic? Join Doors Open Pittsburgh Tour Curator Pam Gianni to learn about the white plague including social changes and unproven treatments that ravaged our region 100-plus years ago.

Saturday, July 25: Introduction to Enameling with Contemporary Craft10 a.m.-5 p.m.Discover the fascinating art of enameling during Contemporary Crafts first in-person workshop at its new Butler St. digs. Artist Joe Pillari will demonstrate techniques for applying powdered glass to metal, sifting and firing, decorative stenciling and more. Just want to watch? Be a fly on the wall as you observe the workshop from home through Zoom.

Saturday, July 25: Summer Sidewalk Sale at Gallery on Penn11 a.m.-3 p.m.Take a stroll along Penn Ave. to enjoy family activities, summer sales and one-of-a-kind merchandise and gifts during this free outdoor event hosted by Circles Greater Pittsburgh.

Saturday, July 25: Virtual Author Event with Frank Santoro2 3:30 p.m.Dont miss this free virtual event featuring artist Frank Santoro, who will talk about his latest graphic novel, Pittsburgh. Equal parts family drama, coming-of-age memoir and hometown homage, Santoros work examines his parents broken relationship.

Saturday, July 25: Pandemic Art Show and Grand Opening at Sanctuary7-10 p.m.Celebrate the grand opening (masks required) of Sanctuary during the gallerys first group exhibition. Works on view were created by local artists to grapple with and express their experiences with the pandemic.

Saturday, July 25: Knights of the Arcade Online Adventures9 p.m.Pour a stein of mead, sign onto your scrying device and gather round for this live online show packed with geeky humor, D&D drama, improv comedy and role-playing games.

Sunday, July 26: Yoga at the Frick Park Clay Tennis Courts7 a.m.Early birds should flock to this donation-based yoga class at the Frick Park Clay Tennis Courts. Hosted by the Frick Park Clay Court Tennis Club and Om Lounge, the outdoor workshop is open to all levels, and participants must wear a mask while not on their mat.

Photo courtesy of Frick Park Clay Court Tennis Club and Om Lounge.

Sunday, July 26: Bike the Burgh Glass & Steel City Tour10 a.m.-1 p.m.Di you know the South Side was once a national center for glass and steel production? Hope on a bike to explore the neighborhoods heritage, discover industrial remnants, traverse scenic river trails and take in magnificent views while riding over historic bridges.

Sunday, July 26: Taste of Lawrenceville To-Go at Bay4112-5:30 p.m.Ordering takeout is a great way to support your favorite local restaurants. During this food and beverage market, attendees can register for a one-hour time slot to grab takeout from various Lawrenceville small businesses and vendors.

Sunday, July 26: Art Meditation with Carnegie Museum of Art1 p.m.Set a slower pace during this guided art meditation led by Lydia Killian. Using CMOAs world-class collection as inspiration, the session will include visualization, breath awareness and noting techinques.

Sunday, July 26: She Kills Monsters: Virtual RealmsVarious timesYou have one more night to catch the first-ever internet play produced by University of Pittsburghs UP Stages company before the virtual curtain is lowered. Developed by 23 Pitt students, She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms is an online adaptation of the popular drama-comedy set in a real and imaginary game world written by Vietnamese American playwright Qui Nguyen.

For more events,go here. Know about an interesting event taking place in July?Email us here.

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Things to do this weekend, from the Virtual Fleet Feet Liberty Mile to a Pandemic Art Show - NEXTpittsburgh