COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE TRUST INC : Change in Directors or Principal Officers, Financial Statements and Exhibits (form 8-K) – marketscreener.com

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Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.(e) On November 2, 2020, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of CommunityHealthcare Trust Incorporated (the "Company"), at the recommendation of thecompensation committee of the Board (the "Committee"), authorized and approvedthe Fifth Amendment (the "Wallace Fifth Amendment") to the Employment Agreementby and between the Company and Timothy G. Wallace (the "Wallace EmploymentAgreement"), the Second Amendment (the "Dupuy Second Amendment") to theEmployment Agreement by and between the Company and David H. Dupuy (the "DupuyEmployment Agreement"), and the Second Amendment (the "Stach Second Amendment")to the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement by and between the Company andLeigh Ann Stach (the "Stach Employment Agreement"). These amendments to eachrespective employment agreements were executed on January 4, 2021 and wereeffective as of January 1, 2021.Wallace Employment AgreementThe principal change in the Wallace Employment Agreement resulting from theWallace Fifth Amendment is to increase the base salary paid by the Company toTimothy G. Wallace for his employment as President and Chief Executive Officer("Wallace Base Salary"). In 2020, the Wallace Base Salary was $645,000.00. TheWallace Fifth Amendment increases the Wallace Base Salary to $750,000.00 for2021, which is an $105,000.00 increase from 2020.The foregoing descriptions of the Wallace Fifth Amendment to the WallaceEmployment Agreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to theoriginal Wallace Employment Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.6 to theRegistration Statement on Form S-11 of the Company filed with the Securities andExchange Commission (the "SEC") on April 2, 2015, the first amendment to theWallace Employment Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.1 to the CurrentReport on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 18, 2017, the second amendmentto the Wallace Employment Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.1 to theCurrent Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 2, 2018, the thirdamendment to the Wallace Employment Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.1to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 3, 2019, thefourth amendment to the Wallace Employment Agreement, which is included asExhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 3,2020, and the Wallace Fifth Amendment, which is included as Exhibit 10.1 to thisCurrent Report on Form 8-K, and are incorporated by reference into this Item.The foregoing description of the Wallace Fifth Amendment does not purport to becomplete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibits.Dupuy Employment AgreementThe principal change in the Dupuy Employment Agreement resulting from the DupuySecond Amendment is to increase the base salary paid by the Company to David H.Dupuy for his employment as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer("Dupuy Base Salary"). In 2020, the Dupuy Base Salary was $392,000.00. The DupuySecond Amendment increases the Dupuy Base Salary to $460,000.00 for 2021, whichis a $68,000.00 increase from 2020.The foregoing descriptions of the Dupuy Second Amendment to the Dupuy EmploymentAgreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Dupuy EmploymentAgreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-Kfiled with the SEC on March 11, 2019, the first amendment to the DupuyEmployment Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.2 to the Current Report onForm 8-K filed with the SEC on January 3, 2020, and the Dupuy Second Amendment,which is included as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and areincorporated by reference into this Item. The foregoing description of the DupuySecond Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in itsentirety by reference to such exhibits.Stach Employment AgreementThe principal change in the Stach Employment Agreement resulting from the StachSecond Amendment is to increase the base salary paid by the Company to Leigh AnnStach for her employment as Executive Vice President and Chief AccountingOfficer ("Stach Base Salary"). In 2020, the Stach Base Salary was $326,800.00.The Stach Second Amendment increases the Stach Base Salary to $387,600.00 for2021, which is a $60,800.00 increase from 2020.The foregoing descriptions of the Stach Second Amendment to the Stach EmploymentAgreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the amended andrestated Stach Employment Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.1 to theCurrent Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 2, 2019, the firstamendment to the Stach Employment Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.4to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 3, 2020, and theStach Second Amendment, which is included as Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Reporton Form 8-K, and are incorporated by reference 2--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

into this Item. The foregoing description of the Stach Second Amendment does notpurport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to suchexhibits.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

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Edgar Online, source Glimpses

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COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE TRUST INC : Change in Directors or Principal Officers, Financial Statements and Exhibits (form 8-K) - marketscreener.com

You Have The Right To Remain Silent- Story Behind Miranda Rights – Live Law – Indian Legal News

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Anyone interested in Hollywood crime thrillers or drama, has at least once come across a scene where an arrest is being made by the police. The officer while carrying out the arrest mandatorily utters the following words,

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?"

I am sure this rings a bell. While these rights are known by every American and even Indian, since they are in place in India as well (in some form), their origin story is not much discussed. These rights arose from the famous case of Miranda v. Arizona and were hence, called the Miranda Rights. The twists and turns of the case, make it suitable for an independent movie or show of itself. In the present post, I shall take you through this important case.

Central to this case are two key amendments of the Constitution i.e., Fifth Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment. They are briefly explained. The Fifth Amendment guarantees the right against self-incrimination by stating that no person shall be compelled in a criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Whereas, the Fourteenth Amendment contains the due process clause guaranteeing to every person that she/he shall not be deprived of her/his life, liberty or property without due process.

Background Facts:

On 3 March 1963, in Phoenix, Arizona an 18-year-old woman named Lois Ann Jameson (name changed) was walking home by herself. Suddenly, a car pulled up near her and the driver Ernesto Miranda, forcefully dragged her in the car. She was tied up using ropes and Miranda told her that he wouldn't hurt her if she remained quiet. Ann did not scream for help. He raped her and later dropped her to the spot she was picked from. Ann reached home and informed her sister, who called the police.

Ann described the rapist as a Mexican man, about 27 or 28 years old, about 5 feet 11 inches tall, about 175 pounds in weight, with short, black, curly hair and dark-rimmed glasses. The detectives identified three-four Hispanic men matching the description, which included Miranda as well. Ann was called to the station to identify the rapist. She did not positively identify Miranda and merely said that he looked similar. The detectives however told Miranda that he had failed the line-up and was identified by the victim. Thereafter, Ann was brought to the room and Miranda was asked, 'whether that was the girl?' to which he responded in the affirmative. Detectives asked Miranda if he would sign a confession, to which he agreed.

Years later, Miranda described his experience in the interrogation room as follows, "Once they get you in a little room and they start badgering you one way or the other, 'you better tell us, or we're going to throw the book at you' . . . that is what was told to me. They would throw the book at me. They would try to give me all the time they could. They thought there was even the possibility that there was something wrong with me. They would try to help me, get me medical care if I needed it. . . . And I haven't had any sleep since the day before. I'm tired. I just got off work, and they have me and they are interrogating me. They mention first one crime, then another one, they are certain I am the person . . . knowing what a penitentiary is like, a person has to be frightened, scared. And not knowing if he'll be able to get back and go home."

Nobody knew that these two hours of police interrogation would spark a legal battle that would result in one of the most important judgments on the rights of the accused.

In trial, his lawyer Alvin Moore argued that during the interrogation, Miranda did not know that he had any rights, much less the right not to witness against himself. His lawyer point blank asked the detectives, whether it was their practice to advise the arrested individuals that they are entitled to the services of an attorney before making any statements. The detectives answered in the negative. The jury's verdict was against Miranda and he was found guilty for the offences of kidnapping and rape.

An appeal was filed first before the Arizona Supreme Court and later before the United States Supreme Court. Miranda's lawyer had two key arguments i.e., (a) Miranda was coerced into confession and (b) an accused has a right to see an attorney before her/his trial. Emphasis was laid on the second argument. The lawyer justified his strategy in the following words, 'The rich and the educated know that they're entitled to counsel, that they don't have to testify against themselves. The poor and the ignorant and the foreign born don't know these things. I think that a legal system that is calibrated to take advantage of the ignorance of the ignorant is dreadful'

Case reaches the Supreme Court:

This case arose during the time of Chief Justice Earl Warren, known to be extremely progressive and liberal. The Court reached its verdict by a vote of 5:4, ultimately holding that prosecution cannot use statements that stem from the interrogation of the accused unless it has complied with certain procedural safeguards. The procedural safeguards were as follows,

'Prior to any questioning, the person must be advised that he has a right to remain silent, that any statement he does make may be used as evidence against him, and that he has a right to the presence of an attorney, either retained or appointed. The defendant may waive these rights, provided the waiver is made voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently.'

Justice Harlan wrote a strong dissenting opinion wherein he argued that protection against self-incrimination does not forbid all pressure to extract a confession from the accused.

It is argued by many that the Court's decision was swayed by the individual Justice's political philosophies and they voted on class lines. For instance, judges born to families in humbler circumstances looked at the interrogation room through the eyes of the defendant, those born to privileged families looked at it from the eyes of the police officer.

Aftermath: Is Miranda Freed?

Miranda was confident that the Court's decision would be in his favour and he would be freed. In fact, his father had even bought a bottle of Scotch for his son, to celebrate his homecoming. However, the Court did not free Miranda and instead, ordered a fresh trial. In other words, the Court held that primary evidence against Miranda i.e., the signed confession was inadmissible.

A second trial was scheduled and Miranda's past came to haunt him. Miranda was in an unmarried relationship with one Twila Hoffman (known as common law wife). While Miranda was in prison, Hoffman met another man and had a child with him. When Miranda heard this news, he wrote to the authorities stating that Hoffman was an unfit mother and hence, he desired the custody of the child, once he was released.

Days before the trial, Hoffman approached the investigating officer and told him that on 16 March 1963, shortly after Miranda's arrest she had visited him in the jail and he had confessed his crime to her. Hoffman agreed to testify in Court as well. It was argued by Miranda's lawyer that Hoffman's story was made up, just to retain the custody of her child. However, the Judge was convinced with the testimony and allowed it. Subsequently, the jury found Miranda guilty of the crimes of kidnapping and rape. He was sentenced for 20 to 30 years. The appeals up to the Supreme Court failed.

Fate catches up:

Interestingly, Miranda was released from the prison early on good behaviour. He would often be found at the steps of the very Court that tried him, selling autographed 'Miranda Rights' cards for two dollars each. Despite trying to stay clean for a few months, Miranda started drinking and playing cards. In a bar called La Amapola, he got into a fight and was stabbed twice. Destiny caught up with him and he was taken to the very hospital (Good Samaritan Hospital) where Ann was taken after her rape. He passed away. When the police arrested the killer's accomplice, they took out a card and read, 'You have the right to remain silent'

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You Have The Right To Remain Silent- Story Behind Miranda Rights - Live Law - Indian Legal News

A just society is key to the soul of the Constitution but that very soul is threatened today, writes Ashutosh – Free Press Journal

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More than 800 years ago, an agreement was made between the king and his subjects in England that nobody would be deprived of their liberty without the due process of law and even the king would be subjected to restraint by written words. This agreement, over a period of time came to be known in history as the Magna Carta. After the loss of land to France in a war, King John of England imposed extraordinary taxes and forcibly confiscated lands of the powerful barons, which resulted in a revolt against the monarch and finally, by the mediation of the church of Canterbury, a truce was declared between the king and the barons and a written document was signed between the two, with an understanding that the king would abide by it.

This document, which was signed on June 15, 1215, was the declaration of the rights of the liberty and equality of the common man; and everybody would be equal before the law. The king was the ruler but not a law unto himself. Lord Denning described it as ...the greatest constitutional document of all times - the foundation of the freedom of the individual against the arbitrary authority of the despot. The Magna Carta replaced the concept of absolutism and paved the way for constitutionalism.

Checks and balances

When American freedom fighters decided to cast off the yoke of the British monarchy and spelt their intent to have their own government, the Magna Carta was a major source of inspiration for their constitution. Learning form the British experience, the founding fathers of the American Constitution ensured that no one man should become so powerful that he could trample on the rights of the individual, so they devised the Montesquieus theory of separation of powers and checks and balances. For the smooth functioning of the state, it is incumbent upon the three arms of the state to exercise their powers in harmony. The fifth amendment of the US constitution clearly states, no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, without the due process of law.

In 1947, when India attained Independence, a consensus was arrived at - that it would be a democratic state which would guarantee the rights of equality and liberty as spelt out in the Magna Carta and the constitutions of evolved democracies. The framers of our Constitution also ensured that except in an emergency, citizens' fundamental rights would not be suspended and if the executive tried to snatch these rights, the remedy was available in courts. Mrs Indira Gandhi did try to play with fire from 1975 to 1977 when she imposed Emergency, but, then she paid a heavy price.

Since then, no Government has dared to repeat the mistakes made by Mrs. Indira Gandhi but in the last few years, the state has become more discriminatory in the execution of laws; it has evolved more sophisticated institutional tools to curtail the fundamental rights of the citizens and legitimise their actions; and signs of an authoritarianism are acquiring a monstrosity of unmatched proportions which, if not checked in time, may lead to the destruction of the very ideals that our Constitution makers had dreamt of. It is in this context that 2020, in retrospect, depicts a grim picture of the state of affairs, with the rule of law finding itself in suspended animation and the Constitution, it seems, disbelievingly, has been hijacked by a powerful few.

State of suspension

A few years ago, it was unthinkable that an entire state would be put in a state of suspension without any remedy available. Jammu and Kashmir, throughout the year, remained under severe lockdown without any rights. Thousands of people were put behind bars for no fault of theirs. Hundreds of petitions of habeas corpus kept lying in the higher courts without any solution. The Press was ruthlessly muzzled and those who dared question authority were subjected to unqualified state repression and trauma. It was worse than the Emergency imposed by the Mrs Gandhi. But the worst was that the forces of nationalism outside the State rejoiced at their trauma. It was sadism at its best.

In a democratic state, the voice of dissent is respected and disagreements are resolved through peaceful means but when anti-CAA protesters hit the streets, they were brutalised and untold miseries were heaped on Muslims and their sympathisers, so much so that even pregnant women were not spared. In UP especially, they were targeted, their properties were confiscated, posters with their names and addresses were plastered on the walls of the city as if they were hardened criminals.

'Love Jihad' law

Now, a new law in the garb of love jihad has been pulled out, to target a particular community. Other BJP-ruled states are also marching on the same route. The Constitution clearly states that governments have no business to interfere in the private matters of the citizens -- whom they want to marry or mingle with or to what religion they want to belong or convert to. Despite repeated orders from the high court, governments, in their majoritarian zeal, continue to turn a blind eye.

The state has become so discriminatory in the execution of laws that Dr Kafeel Khan is put behind the bars for nine months under sedition laws, for a fictional offence of incitement to violence, but BJP leaders like Dilip Ghosh, Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and others, are given free rein to incite people against the minority community. 83-year-old activist Stan Swamy, suffering from Parkinsons disease, is denied his basic need of a sipper and straw for more than three weeks, intellectuals like Sudha Bharadwaj and Anand Teltumbde are in jail without any charge sheet, for two years. Gautam Navlakha might as well live like a blind man but will not be allowed spects by the authorities for days.

Rule of the law?

When three premier investigative agencies of the country - the CBI, the ED and the NCB - are unleashed on a 26-year-old actor, Rhea Chakraborty, for months, to find out whether she or her family members conspired to kill Sushant Singh Rajput, to settle scores with the Maharashtra government with the help of TV channels then, why should it not be assumed that the Government has freed itself from the 'shackles' of the Constitution and the state no longer believes in the rule of the law.

It was believed that when investigative agencies turn rogue, the highest court will discipline them, but the conduct of the latter, to say the least, has been called judicial barbarism by the leading intellectuals of the country. There is outrage against the behaviour of the Supreme Court. It has revived the memories of the days of Emergency, when instead of protecting the rights of the citizens, it sided with the government. Today I am reminded of the law commission's 14th report that wrote about the qualification of the Chief Justice of India - A Chief Justice must be a judge of ability and experience ... a competent administrator... a shrewd judge of men and above all, a person of sturdy independence and towering personality who would ... be watchdog of the independence of the judiciary."

I can understand that enthusiasts of nationalism may find the Magna Carta a foreign concept, but they should certainly ponder over the words of Granville Austin in the context of Indian Constitution - Social revolution could not be sought or gained at the expense of democracy. Nor could India be truly democratic unless the social revolution had established a just society." A just society is key to the soul of the Constitution. Unfortunately, that very soul is threatened today.

The writer is an author and Editor, satyahindi.com

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A just society is key to the soul of the Constitution but that very soul is threatened today, writes Ashutosh - Free Press Journal

Letter to the editor: Civil rights are human rights – The Sun Chronicle

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To the editor:

Where do I begin? In his letter, Gerald F. Chase, (A point of disagreement with Hodgson, Dec. 29) suggests that undocumented immigrants have no rights within this nation. But wait, theres more. Chase goes on to say that undocumented immigrants in the Bristol County jail are criminals and therefore have no rights under the Constitution regardless of the activists, lawyers and judges who claim that they do.

I wont go so far as to call this statement stupid. I will instead refer to it as masterfully ill informed. Actually, this statement would have to walk four steps to get to stupid. Criminals have no rights? Hasnt Chase every heard of the Miranda rights that are, by law, read to everyone arrested in our country? Has he never read about due process? Was he sleeping during history class the day they taught about the protection against self-incrimination? You know, the Fifth Amendment?

Our country has always prided itself as the bastion of civil rights. Although we have occasionally dropped the ball, America was founded on and has always fought for equality, justice and freedom from tyranny. We fought those fights not only on our own land, but in many wars on foreign soil in a valiant attempt to guarantee these freedoms around the world because civil rights are human rights.

Please inform Chase that these undocumented prisoners are human beings. This is obviously something both he and Sheriff Thomas Hodgson fail to understand.

Dave Kane

Johnston, R.I.

The writer, a longtime broadcaster, has a radio talk show at 9 a.m. Saturdays on 1320 WARA.

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Letter to the editor: Civil rights are human rights - The Sun Chronicle

Garcia: S.A. club owner helped deliver $15 billion in relief to live venues – San Antonio Express-News

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On Dec. 14, Margin Walker, the largest independent live-music promoter in Texas, announced that it was permanently shutting down.

A business that booked more than 3,500 shows in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio over the past four years had collapsed.

It collapsed under the weight of a COVID-19 pandemic that has taken one of the great joys of life experiencing live music with a crowd of fellow enthusiasts away from us and driven countless club owners to (or past) the edge of financial ruin.

On Dec. 21, Congress passed a $900 billion COVID-relief bill that included the Save Our Stages Act, a $15 billion life raft for this countrys independent venues. Six days later, President Donald Trump signed it into law.

As Margin Walker painfully demonstrated, when it comes to music clubs and promoters, the condition is critical and the need is urgent. The Save Our Stages Act wont be a miracle cure, but it can buy some much-needed time until this country turns the corner on the coronavirus.

Blayne Tucker, a San Antonio attorney and co-owner of The Mix, played a pivotal role in getting the legislation passed.

Tucker helped lead the Texas lobbying effort for the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), a 3,000-member organization which formed in April to represent the interests of music venues.

From the beginning, it was an arduous process, because a lot of it was educating various Congress people, calling up every one of them, Tucker said.

Tucker found a receptive audience with the staff members of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. He explained to them that the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which had been crafted to provide loans to small businesses hurt by the pandemic, didnt serve the needs of music venues.

Under PPP, loans are fully forgiven only if businesses use at least 60 percent of the funds for payroll.

For a business thats completely shuttered, to base a forgivable loan on payroll, when you have no work to provide people, that program wasnt going to be effective, Tucker said.

Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, a fellow Texas Republican, agreed to lend their names to a letter calling for targeted legislative action to combat the unprecedented crisis afflicting independent venues.

In July, Cornyn and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, filed the Save Our Stages Act, a bill which proposed $10 billion in Small Business Administration grants for independent venues. (That figure subsequently got a $5 billion funding bump when small movie theaters and community museums were added to the bill.)

With NIVAs encouragement, music-loving constituents across the country sent 2.1 million emails to their senators and representatives. More than 1,200 artists including Foo Fighters, Miley Cyrus and The Roots advocated for the legislation through letters, social-media posts or donations of proceeds to the cause.

Tuckers lobbying effort for NIVA was shrewd, because it was rooted in bipartisanship. He and his NIVA colleagues worked on the assumption that the cultural and economic impact of live venues was something that members of both major parties could appreciate. That assumption proved correct.

What I found that resonated, at least on the Republican side, was this idea that these are small businesses that were mandated by government to shut down and ought to be entitled to some form of just compensation, Tucker said. Kind of analogizing it to the Takings Clause under the Fifth Amendment.

I think that constitutional argument was palatable to a lot of folks on the Republican side, where is wasnt as much couching things as handouts or assistance or bailouts.

For Democratic lawmakers, the argument was pretty clear. An overwhelming number of music venues are located in metropolitan areas, which tend to lean Democratic. Those elected officials have had a front-row ticket to the devastation that COVID-19 wreaked on music clubs.

Hundreds have had to close, Tucker said. Its a slow and steady bleed with every week that goes by, right up until funding comes about.

Folks are exhausting their savings, taking out loans, reaching out to family members. Its a matter of holding on, but nobody can hold on like this without some kind of relief. Because its not like the bills go away.

To help with the administration of the Save Our Stages Act, NIVA has created a task force which will provide policy recommendations for federal regulators.

All we can do is make recommendations, Tucker said. Its a new grant program and regulators themselves arent familiar with the business.

Its kind of educating them in order to distinguish between places that are more or less a restaurant and those that are intended to be helped by the bill.

Itll probably be a couple of months before independent venues start receiving funding help. It cant come soon enough.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470

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Garcia: S.A. club owner helped deliver $15 billion in relief to live venues - San Antonio Express-News

Leader of Proud Boys arrested ahead of DC protests: Police – ABC News

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January 5, 2021, 2:17 AM

4 min read

The leader of the Proud Boys, an alt-right group, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department Monday in Washington, D.C., an MPD spokesperson confirms to ABC News.

Enrique Tarrio was arrested ahead of the pro-President Donald Trump rallies this week, which members of the organization were set to attend. Tarrio was arrested on a destruction of property charge stemming from a Dec.12, 2020 incident. He is currently in custody awaiting arraignment.

The protests are part of the so-called Stop the Steal rally, which purports without evidence, that Trump actually won the election and not President-elect Joe Biden.

Washington, D.C., has some of the strictest gun laws in the country and there are signs posted across the city warning that concealed carry in the city is illegal.

At a press conference Monday, new D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee warned that people carrying firearms would be arrested.

We have received some information that there are individuals intent on bringing firearms into our city and thats just just will not be tolerated, Contee said.

Tarrio was carrying Monday when he was arrested, according to authorities.

Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, stands outside Harry's bar during a protest, Dec. 12, 2020, in Washington, D.C.

Upon his arrest, he was found to be in possession of two high capacity firearm magazines and charged accordingly with that offense as well, the MPD spokesman told ABC News.

ABC News was unable to reach Tarrio for comment.

Around the same time of the December incident, Tarrio said he was at the White House.

"I got invited to the White House Christmas decorations tour through 'Latinos For Trump,'" Tarrio, the "International Chairman" of the Proud Boys, told ABC News at the time of his visit. Tarrio added that the "Latinos For Trump" group referenced is a separate grassroots-oriented pro-Trump group formed during the 2016 campaign with no affiliation with the official "Latinos for Trump" campaign group.

Both he and the White House said that he did not meet with Trump.

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Leader of Proud Boys arrested ahead of DC protests: Police - ABC News

Letters: Never-Trumpers, truth in politics, Mike Kelly – GoErie.com

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Erie Times-NewsConservatives needs to get back on track

Now that the end is in sight for this one-of-a-kind presidency, the Republican Party finds itself in a historical quandary. What is now referred to as Trumpism has not only cut an unprecedented swath through our political demographics, but also further severed its own party.

Monumental domestic and foreign failures aside, the most ludicrous political development has to be the legions (indeed, some 74 million voters) who steadfastly stand by in full support of whatever fodder this sycophant throws to them. This is precisely where the never-Trump conservatives, or Republican-in-name-only, as Trump calls them, must pick up the proverbial ball and throw support behind an actual human being. Conservatism is important to the fabric and diversity of our politics, but it cannot be goaded into submission by someone so unwilling to share any responsibility whatsoever.

Let Trumps egotistical and mean-spirited bravado fall on deaf ears. The Edison Survey exit poll shows that 10% of Joe Bidens votes came from disgusted Republicans and doesnt include those that left the party because of Trump. Surely the conservative powers that be should recognize the damage done to the party (not to mention the nation) and support candidates on the right who will champion their policies without the alienation, division, racism and nativism we have been subjected to these four long years. I bet the ad makers at the Lincoln Project would be glad to pitch in.

Dudley Brown,Erie

As my friend and I were enjoying a recent lunch at Cracker Barrel, our server informed us that our bills had been paid by another customer. We were of course thrilled, even more so since neither of us had ever experienced anything like this before. Many thanks to this person for such a kind gesture to a couple of strangers best wishes for happy holidays!

Patty Winslow,Erie

I had to laugh when I read Ed Palattella's story about Congressman Kelly's latest defeat in the Supreme Court. How appropriate that his Pittsburgh lawyer is named Teufel. That translates from the German to English as "devil."

Somebody needs to tell these losers to grow up. But since nobody will, I will. Grow up and act like a man.

Bob Kuhn,Girard

Holy cow! Donald Trump is not only a loser, he's a certified loser. Imagine that!

Jim Mack, Millcreek

Here we are in the throes of some kind of killer disease, and our leaders don't seem to be able to get it together enough to lead us through it. They are fighting with each other like a bunch of children over who gets the biggest ice cream cone. Very sad.

Many of them seem to want to rule with an iron hand but can't seem to accomplish this illegal task. Most of them don't even know the limits of their power and haven't even given a thought to explaining carefully to their people the best ways to handle the situation.

No, instead, they went off the deep end and passed down mandates that they really can't enforce. They have allowed violence to invade our country and rather than fight the violence with law enforcement, many have just taken the side of the rioters and looters and, in some cases, have actually defunded the enforcers, the police! Wow!

Maybe this disease has infected their thinking powers! When will it end? There are those who seriously believe that the swearing-in of a new president will end it. What about the rest of the countries in the world? They are not totally guided by our political goings on!

It is truly a devastating virus and cannot be stopped by the actions of any politicians. If only the country could come together and the politicians could stop lying to us, and the media would stop spewing lies, maybe we could get a true antidote perfected to stop the suffering of so many of our relatives and friends. Maybe! Is it too much to hope for?

Robert Wurst,Erie

Congressman Mike Kellys quest to disenfranchise me and many other constituents who mailed or delivered our ballots to the Erie County Courthouse for the Nov. 3 presidential election can be described by the following words and phrases. For starters, the simple word "denied" is in the opinion that was unanimously adopted by the U.S. Supreme Court in its response to Kellys desperate appeal.

Kellys actions have been called an affront to Constitutional democracy. They are unfounded, meritless, speculative, outrageous, seditious abuse, baseless, a sham, nonsensical, embarrassing, futile, childish and frivolous.

Voters choose the president, not lawyers or members of the General Assembly. In a fair election after all legal votes were counted in Pennsylvania, Joe Biden received 80,500 more votes than Trump. For his aborted efforts to steal the election, Kelly fails again to represent me or the majority of residents in Congressional District 16. I believe he may be vulnerable to sanction.

Theres no evidence supporting claims of fraud in this years presidential election. Perhaps Trumps electoral win four years earlier was more rife with fraud.

Al Richardson,Erie

Columnist Mark Thiessen lives with one foot in the world of rational conservatism and the other in Trumps fantasyland. He recently argued that we should blame China for the spread of COVID-19 in America. It is certainly true that had China acted more quickly and honestly the disease might have been controlled to some extent, but even that is not certain.

What we do know is that once the virus hit America, Trump failed to respond, saying the virus would go away quickly or was a hoax perpetrated by the left. Against advice of his own medical experts, he pushed hard to open the economy, refused to wear a mask, held superspreader events and promoted violence by supporting alt-right militias and groups opposed to wearing masks or shutting down part of the economy for safety.

We absolutely know that had Trump acknowledged the danger of the virus, mobilized testing and production of personal protective equipment and supported scientifically proven safety measures, thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of Americans would still be alive. I dont know if Marc Thiessen believes the rubbish he wrote, but continuing Trumps lying legacy is not merely unethical, it is a continuing danger to the health of Americans. I look forward to the return of honesty, compassion, dignity, science and the rule of law to the White House.

Robert Martin, Millcreek

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Associationand the governor's office made a great decision in the spring of 2020 to cancel interscholastic athletic programs due to COVID-19. This caused disappointment for the high school seniors involved and their parents but was the right thing to do to protect the health of students, family members, coaches, faculty, fans and the community from the deadly pandemic. Then the fall came and the PIAA and the governor's office left their common sense at the door and allowed interscholastic sports.

Guidelines were established and followed, including mask wearing, social distancing (when possible), temperature checks, symptom reviews and strict cleaning. However, the most dangerous piece of COVID-19 cannot be accounted for without daily 100% COVID-19 tests, and then people can still get through the net. That uncountable piece is the many asymptomatic people who are walking time bombs. That also makes COVID-19 so different from any other disease we have ever had to deal with and a reason why interscholastic sports should not be allowed until we have herd immunity due to a large portion of the population being vaccinated.

This disease is causing suffering and killing too many people. We need to sacrifice interscholastic athletics, no matter how painful, to help reduce the spread. We need to think of the public healthfirst. The political pressure should be ignored. Common sense should prevail.

Tod Allen,North East

In the Dec. 6 column Guest view: State leads in recycling plastics, founder of International Recycling Group Mitch Hecht claims that a new plastics sorting plant in Erie would accelerate a recycling paradigm shift with a process called chemical recycling.

The premise of his article is true: Our recycling system is broken. But, contrary to Hechts claims, chemical recycling would only exacerbate our plastic waste crisis.

Chemical recycling is the process of turning plastic a product which, in Pennsylvania, is made from components of fracked gas back into a fossil fuel. For IRGs proposed facility in Erie, this would mean selling your recycled plastic products to a nearby Canadian steel company which would inject them straight into a blast furnace and burn them.

The Erie facility would burden local communities with a steady stream of loud, pollution-ridden trucks. And, thanks to the recent passage of House Bill 1808, the facility would also contribute to a larger movement away from traditional recycling and towards a system that increases demand for single-use plastic, leads to more fracking and plastic production in the state and poisons communities with toxins and heavy metals released during the chemical recycling process.

Its true that plastics are choking our waterways and filling up landfills. But the solution is not chemical recycling. This industry greenwashing provides cover for companies eager to ramp up plastic production while deluding the rest of us into thinking recycling still means reuse. The real solution: Produce less plastic and the first step is demanding the full truth on chemical recycling.

Emily Persico, PennFuture policy analyst

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Letters: Never-Trumpers, truth in politics, Mike Kelly - GoErie.com

La Llorona, immigrant dreams and an aquatic doc: the San Antonio Current’s 10 best films of 2020 – San Antonio Current

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January 4, 2021 marks the 300th straight day I haven't stepped inside a movie theater.

As a professional film critic for nearly 20 years, the cinema has always been a second home to me. Early in my career, I would be at the theater at least three or four times a week, sometimes more. This was before advances in technology allowed film studios to send online screeners to critics, so they could watch a film and review it from home.

This year, after the pandemic hit and studios realized that in-person screenings were not an option, most of them were receptive to making their films available to see online. So, that is how I watched movies in 2020 exclusively on my laptop, desktop, phone and TV. Did I miss the theater? Sure, but a good movie is a good movie no matter if its seen on an old console TV or a towering IMAX screen. I could watch the following movies on VHS and they would still be wonderful films.

With that said, here are the 10 best films of 2020.

10. My Octopus Teacher

Nature documentaries have never been as introspective as when directors Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed went diving with film subject Craig Foster, also a documentarian, to tell the story of the unusual friendship he formed with an octopus off the shores of South Africa during a difficult time in his life. Visiting the mollusk every day for about a year, Foster established trust with the animal and then slowly developed a unique bond with it in its natural habitat. It is an emotional and stunningly shot adventure that is even more compelling because of the enthusiasm Foster expresses for every moment he shares with the exceptional creature. My Octopus Teacher is currently streaming on Netflix.

9. Feels Good Man

No one knows the darkest corners of cyberspace as much as comic book creator Matt Furie. In 2005, Furie created Pepe the Frog as a character for an independent comic he was working on. Before he knew it, Pepe became a popular meme and was eventually hijacked by white nationalists who transformed the frog into a symbol of hate. In the documentary, first-time director Arthur Jones takes audiences to the fringes of the internet where Pepe started his fascinating evolution from carefree cartoon to alt-right amphibian. The true story is bizarre, funny and terrifying, and Jones manages to take all these elements and form something wholly entertaining. Feels Good Man is currently streaming on VOD platforms.

8. Dick Johnson is Dead

Filmmaker Kirsten Johnson turns her camera on her father to record lasting memories during his twilight years and does it with a creative twist. Along with capturing some heartfelt moments, Johnson also eliminates the fear of death by imagining and filming her octogenarian dad, now a retired psychiatrist who is starting to lose his memory, dying in a series of accidents. Using stuntmen and dark humor, she reenacts scenes of her dad tumbling down a flight of stairs and getting struck in the head by a falling AC unit. Her father is game and its wonderful to see them having fun during production. The documentary has a somewhat gimmicky feel to it at times, but when Dick Johnson is front and center, it is hard not to be charmed out of your knee-high socks. We would watch that man eat alphabet soup for hours. Dick Johnson is Dead is currently streaming on Netflix.

7. The Painted Bird

Czech director Vclav Marhouls film is one of the most disturbing WWII-era films to come around in a while. Based on author Jerzy Kosiski's controversial 1965 novel of the same name, the black and white drama follows a 6-year-old Jewish boy, who is sent by his parents to live with his elderly aunt in a war-torn Eastern European village near the end of the war. It is a visceral nightmare that is brutal and beautifully photographed. Czech cinematographer Vladimr Smutn captures the inhumanity through elegant camerawork and uncompromising violence. The film is about the ultimate suffering of one child who fights for his survival by any means necessary. It is a tragic, soul-crushing experience. The Painted Bird is currently streaming on VOD platforms.

6. The Assistant

Jane (Julia Garner) is suffering in a toxic work environment. She is an entry-level office employee who seems to have a handle on all her daily responsibilities as mundane as they may be. What she cannot tolerate anymore, however, is the unchecked power of her misogynistic boss, a top New York-based film executive. Her resentment and the shameful aspects of the company employing her makes the film, at times, uncomfortable and nerve-wracking to watch. Taking a minimalist approach, filmmaker Kitty Green guides her drama like she is making an observational documentary about her lead character. The decision to establish the narrative so subtly and with an underlying eeriness makes the film even more compelling. The Assistant is currently streaming on VOD platforms.

5. La Llorona

The folklore tale of La Llorona has been told countless of times in films and TV shows, but never very convincingly until now. In Jayro Bustamante's version, the Guatemalan writer and director tells the story of the iconic weeping woman through a political drama that follows a retired Guatemalan dictator, General Enrique Monteverde (Julio Diaz), found guilty of the genocide of tens of thousands of native lxil Mayan people during the early 1980s. The unique, slow-burning, political horror/thriller he has created is ominous, atmospheric and never reduces itself to cheap scare tactics. Bustamante has tapped into something that brims with cultural significance and dread. La Llorona is currently streaming on Shudder.

4. Sound of Metal

Director and co-writer Darius Marder follows heavy metal drummer Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed in an Oscar worthy performance) at the moment he realizes that he is rapidly losing his hearing. Afraid that the devastating news will cause him to relapse, his girlfriend and bandmate Lou (Olivia Cooke) helps him find a sober living home for deaf men where Ruben must cope with his loss. There, he embraces the deaf community to a point but finds it difficult to fully accept that his life will never be the same. Using inventive sound design throughout the film, Marder illustrates the varying vibrations and frightening silences that make up Rubens new soundless world. Ahmed is extraordinary in the role as he adjusts to his new reality while holding hope that he is still in control of his fate. Sound of Metal is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

3. The Trial of the Chicago 7

The best script of the year comes from director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkins (The Social Network) version of the trial of seven anti-Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This courtroom drama is the epitome of what an ensemble cast should be, which includes solid performances by Oscar winners Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) and Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) to a scene-stealing Oscar-worthy performance by Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat). Like Sorkins past work as a screenwriter, the dialogue in Chicago 7 is smart and witty and the sprawling issues are packaged together in a way that makes the storytelling engaging and well-defined. As far as the films parallel to Americas current political climate, it could not be more symbolic and timelier. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is currently streaming on Netflix.

2. Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Authenticity is on full display in this poignant drama about a 17-year-old girl named Autumn (first-time actress Sidney Flanigan), living in small-town Pennsylvania, who sets out with her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) to New York City to have an abortion. Although the film centers on a polarizing topic, it never feels preachy or controversial.Wherever you come down on the abortion debate, there's no denying that options for obtaining the procedure have become severely restricted in recent years. Writer and director Eliza Hittman (Beach Rats) steps in to tell this story in such a personal way, viewers may feel like they are on this delicate journey with Autumn, maneuvering all the roadblocks and coming to terms with her difficult decision. While movies like 2014s Obvious Child and 2015s Grandma took on the subject of abortion with a comedic perspective, Hittmans piece gets to the heart of the matter with realism and sensitivity. Never Rarely Sometimes Always is currently streaming on VOD platforms.

1. Minari

Set in rural Arkansas in the 1980s, writer/director Lee Isaac Chungs intimate and tender drama follows a young Korean family as they struggle to realize their American dream when they start a farm to raise vegetables and attempt to assimilate within their new community. The hardships the Yi family must confront are relentless, but they struggle together and put their faith in one another, especially father and husband Jacob (Steven Yeun in an Oscar worthy performance), who wants nothing more than to succeed on his own terms and make a living independently. Chung, who based the script on his own upbringing, creates a beautiful and touching dynamic between each of the family members. This is especially true between young David (Alan S. Kim) and his grandmother Soonja (Youn Yuh-jung in an Oscar worthy performance), who he is mostly annoyed with for moving into his room and not doing grandmotherly things like bake cookies. Grandma smells like Korea! he exclaims at one point. Minari is reminiscent of an incredibly tense scene in the 2003 masterpiece In America, which is also about an immigrant family, where a father risks everything on the outcome of a carnival game. In comparison, Minari feels like a more subtle version of that scene stretched into a feature film. All eyes are on Jacob as he stakes his familys future on his own abilities as a provider. It delivers an extremely effective message about love and devotion that is equal parts charming, heartbreaking and humorous. Minari is scheduled for a theatrical release on February 12, 2021.

Also, here are a few Honorable Mentions: Collective, Emma, The Nest, Nomadland, The Painter and the Thief, Shithouse, Small Axe: Mangrove, Soul, Totally Under Control, Wolfwalkers

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La Llorona, immigrant dreams and an aquatic doc: the San Antonio Current's 10 best films of 2020 - San Antonio Current

Celebrating the best movies from an otherwise lousy year – Columbia Daily Tribune

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By James Owen| Columbia Daily Tribune

The year ends today mercifully.

On most other trips around the sun, I seeover 100 flicks in theaters. This year, I hit about a third of that.

Which means Ive rethought what to includeon my inventory of the best cinematic experiences of 2020. I usually reserve this list for films with some theatrical run but, with theaters closed more often than not, Iexpanded consideration to movies only available on cable or streaming services.

I still cannot pull the trigger on including limited series; they either don't tell one coherent story or don't have the same behind-the-scenes talent guiding every segment. In a single case, I treat one segment as its own experience, meriting high praise.

Enough talking, lets get to the 10best flicks of this miserable, lousy year.

10. "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm"Sacha Baron Cohen pulls off a feat: creating a sequel that not only captures the strength of the first film but makes a second outing feel relevant. Our titular character comes to Trumps America with a nastier, darker sense of humor that matches the nations mood. Imagine Tocqueville with gratuitous jokes about bodily functions. Plus, Maria Bakalova as Borats long-lost daughter turns in a performance that demands Academy attention. Really!

9. "The Invisible Man"H.G. Wells horror classic has been redone so often there should be no life left in the tale of a scientist who develops a God complex with translucence. But this new version offers jaw-dropping twists; relegating the title character to a supporting villain is just the start of its innovation. Elizabeth Moss plays the abused beau of the madman in an update that captures the dynamics of the #metoo movement. Proof horror can capture our real-life fear and loathing.

8. "The Personal History of David Copperfield"Another classic with modern blood flowing through its veins. Armando Iannucci strips away the dark cynicism of his usual style, exploringhow Charles Dickens developed his mythology and partially deconstructingthe concept of autobiographical fiction. Iannucci mines a similar vein aslast years Little Woman adaptation, and pulls off a gorgeous re-telling with a phenomenal cast that includes Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, and Hugh Laurie.

7. "Tenet"I hoped Christopher Nolans brain-bending thriller would usher people back to theaters, but the timing didn't work. A shamesince this sci-fi take on the spy thriller contains vibrant ideas and epic stylings that demanda big presentation. Nolan relies on themes of obsession and regret to continue a streak of deeply personal blockbusters. Perhaps the most nakedly ambitious project of a daring directors catalogue.

6. "Let Him Go"In 1960s Montana, a couple lose their adult son, then see their grandchild fall into the clutches of a dangerous family when their sons widow remarries. The husband-and-wife team (Diane Lane, Kevin Costner) go toe-to-toe with a nasty matriarch (Lesley Manville, chewing up scenery like Barbara Stanwyck) in a battle that will remind you of the melodramatic Westerns of Howard Hawks and Sam Fuller. But the intimacy brought by our leads keeps the audience enthralled. Let Him Go is about the tension of loss and Lane, whose shift from tender to merciless is urgently dignified, is incredible.

5. "Bad Education"To understand the challenges to the education system is to understand the publics expectations of what a school is supposed to accomplish. In short, everything. Thus the subtext of Cory Finleys retelling of an early '00s scandal involving a charismatic superintendent (Hugh Jackman) and his lieutenant (Allison Janney). Theres money and sex, but all means to an end for a school district that keep property values in the community high. Skillfully unspooled, Bad Education isas smart as it is entertaining and entertaining.

4. "Mangrove"Just one segment of Steve McQueens Small Axe series on Amazon, this story centersa restaurant owner who battles the police who target his business. This part of the story is urgently relevant, but the later trial has all the drama of a great courtroom yarn. McQueens style cuts to the heart of a story thattackles plenty of historical and contemporaneous issues. Each episode is worth watching, but Mangrove"is worth celebrating.

3. "City So Real"/"Feels Good Man" (tie)To understand 2020 is to understand the unbelievable politics afoot. Both of these True/False Film Festhighlights tackle modern mechanisms in their own way. City So Real is an epic document of aChicago mayoral race that dealt with race, violence andgentrification. Covering multiple candidates, filmmaker Steve James never loses sight of the city, its issues and its people.

While City looks at the big picture, Feels Good Man focuses on a seemingly harmless cartoon frognamed Pepe and how he became a symbol of white supremacy and, ultimately, a mascot for President Trumps supporters. If you want to figure out how politics became so dark and weird, theres no better shortcut than Arthur Jones deep dive into the online rabbit hole.

2. "Soul"I often lament giving Pixar films short shrift; expectations for their work is so high. But the studio's newest entry transcends even its high standards by tapping into themes of spirituality and philosophy. I am reluctant to even get into the plot involving a jazz musician (Jaime Foxx) and a lost soul (Tiny Fey), except to say the film tackles the very meaning of life. Plus, its gorgeous. Its as though Terrence Malick hijacked a Disney cartoon. Will kids like it? I am unsure if I even care.

1. "The Assistant"The best film of the year should also be a film of the moment, and Kitty Green has crafted a precise piece of horror about sexual harassment in the workplace. Jane (Julia Garner) works for an unseen movie executive and confronts indignity in every corner, while many simply turn away or feed the hostility. What makes The Assistant so horrific is the sheer banality of Janes situation. The dull breakroom, the snickering co-workers, the trash in her boss' office. With every detail lurks complicity and, within Garner'seyes, we see her own calculations of acceptance. Not a pretty sight, but a necessary one.

Many of these films might not have made my Top Ten list during a normal year. I should also note I cut The Way Back, with Ben Afflecks haunting performance as an alcoholic basketball coach, and First Cow, with its gentle portrayal of the unforgiving frontier. 2020 stunk, but it did allow us to explore some interesting work from some very daring artists.

In real life,JamesOwen is a lawyer and executive director of energy policy group Renew Missouri. He created/wrote for Filmsnobs.com from 2001-2007 before an extended stint as an on-air film critic for KY3, the NBC affiliate in Springfield. He was named a Top 20 Artist under the Age of 30 by The Kansas City Star when he was much younger than he is now.

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Celebrating the best movies from an otherwise lousy year - Columbia Daily Tribune

The State of Retail Bankruptcies in 2021 – WWD

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The coronavirus pandemic appeared to be the final straw for a number of retailers that filed for bankruptcy in 2020, a year in which major apparel companies including J.C. Penney Co. Inc., Neiman Marcus Group, J. Crew Group Inc., Brooks Brothers, Tailored Brands Inc. and more filed for Chapter 11.

But the economic downturn sparked by the pandemic is expected to have the slow-burn effect it often does, with more companies headed for financial trouble as the pandemic persists into 2021 and the point of widespread vaccinations still lies months away, experts said.

I think there are a lot of retailers out there who were just on the edge, and trying to make it through, hoping that the holiday season would be successful for them, and successful enough to see a greater future that would allow them to avoid bankruptcy, said Schuyler Carroll, a partner at Loeb & Loeb LLP.

What Im hearing is that there are some of those, and there are some of those that are not going to be able to make it and will be looking to a bankruptcy to try and preserve some future, he added.

I think most of the retailers that have made it this far, theyre hoping to avoid a liquidation, he said. If their holiday season was not good enough, theyll have to resort to liquidation or resort to bankruptcy to bring in new investors, or a sale, or slim down their operations in some way.

Bankruptcy attorneys are also anticipating a ripple effect from retailers financial troubles, expecting that the impact on landlords and suppliers will start to become more apparent in 2021.

More recently, real estate investment trusts including mall operator CBL & Associates Properties Inc. and the Pennsylvanian REIT have filed for bankruptcy protection.

From the landlord perspective, the economics have shifted, said Brad Sandler, who co-chairs the creditors committee practice group at Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones. REITs that are less stablethey tend to be [those] that have the B- and C-quality malls and I think that we very well may see some of them restructure, either in or out of court in 2021.

The U.S. courts system issued findings in July that said business bankruptcy filings at that point were about the same as a year ago, at nearly 22,500 filings.

Bankruptcy filings tend to escalate gradually after an economic downturn starts, according to the report. Following the Great Recession, new filings escalated over a two-year period until they peaked in 2010.

But the pandemic has accelerated trends that were already eroding traditional retail. In August, mall traffic at large real estate companies including Simon Property Group Inc., Brookfield Property, Taubman Centers Inc. and others had declined roughly 15 percent from last year, according to a report by S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis based on information from data collection company AirSage.

E-commerce has continued to soar, with online sales over the 2020 holiday season increasing 49 percent from last year, according to data from Mastercards data arm Mastercard SpendingPulse.

An issue tied to all of that is going to be dealing with the supply chain, and drawing customers in and making sure your supply chain doesnt get tied up with disruptions, said Sandler of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones. Its going to be really important for retailers in 2021 to focus on their supply chain management.

Bankruptcy courts, meanwhile, have stayed busy and functional throughout the pandemic, with judges adapting their processes, hosting virtual hearings, conferences and mediations to shepherd cases along, and granting rent deferrals during the bankruptcy where retailers seek it.

Having remote proceedings has allowed stakeholders who previously might not have been able to travel to physical proceedings to now simply appear electronically and be heard in court, said Melanie Cyganowski of Otterbourg PC, a former bankruptcy judge in New York.

I think the bottom line is that the bankruptcy courts are very sensitive, and are able to respond to the nuances of the time period that theyre facing, said Cyganowski. And so, if the bankruptcy laws permit a flexible approach, more likely than not, they will take it.

Another development that has made the bankruptcy court more accessible is the relatively new Subchapter V process, which was created by the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 to make the process more affordable for small businesses with smaller debt loads. Furla USA, for instance, is currently in the process of reorganizing through Subchapter V of the Chapter 11 process.

The amount of fees that will be spent in these Chapter 11s is enormous, if youre somebody who has one store, or two stores, you typically really couldnt do it, because it was so expensive, said Paul Aloe, partner at Kudman Trachten Aloe Posner LLP.

I think Subchapter V is going to be very important, he said. You really have an expedited, streamlined procedure.

Ultimately, the fashion industrys recovery and fate will hinge on keeping up with the role of clothing in a pandemic world. The restricted opportunities for dressing up, from corporate offices continuing to allow employees to work remotely to the dwindling number of social events, will have implications for how people think about their wardrobes, said Cyganowski, the former bankruptcy judge.

What are we using clothes for, if people are not going out, if theyre not going out to dinner, if theyre not going on dates, if theyre not going to the theater, if theyre not going to work? she reflected.

Its like, 75 percent of a wardrobe is not being used if people dont get excited about, Oh, Ive got to get a holiday dress, Ive got to get a winter coat, she said.

The pandemic is affecting so much of a part of our lives, that I just think that retail is going to have a very difficult time coming back, Cyganowski said.

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The State of Retail Bankruptcies in 2021 - WWD

Bankruptcy Trends To Watch In 2021 – Law360

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Law360 (January 3, 2021, 12:02 PM EST) -- Even as programs guarding against COVID-19 are being unveiled and bringing hope of a return to normalcy, restructuring professionals say the vaccines won't be a shot in the arm for struggling businesses as the financial hardship triggered by the pandemic will continue into 2021.

Commercial Real Estate

The last year saw thousands of retail locations shuttered permanently as the pandemic exposed long-running weaknesses in the industry, and with no end to the challenges created by the coronavirus, landlords will begin feeling the pain of empty storefronts in the new year.

According to Kevin J. Clancy, global director of the restructuring and...

In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know whats happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries. Law360 provides the intelligence you need to remain an expert and beat the competition.

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Bankruptcy Trends To Watch In 2021 - Law360

New Bankruptcy Relief Provisions Brought to You by the 2021 Federal Appropriations Act – JD Supra

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The new Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the Act), which was signed into law on December 27, 2020 (H.R. 133), includes within its 5,593 pages a number of new bankruptcy relief provisions for businesses as part of what the legislation calls the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act. Additional bankruptcy relief provisions are found in a miscellaneous section of the Act. A summary of the relief provisions that will affect businesses, predominately small businesses, follows.

Under regulations adopted by the SBA in response to the CARES Act, businesses in bankruptcy were disqualified from receiving PPP loans. The SBA regulations spawned an avalanche of litigation which challenged them on grounds that they were unlawfully discriminatory under 11 U.S.C. 525(a), see e.g. In re Springfield Hospital, Inc., 618 B.R. 70, 80-93 (Bankr. D. Vt. June 22, 2020), appeal pending Nos. 20-3902, 20-3903 (2d Cir.), or were arbitrary and capricious or exceeded the SBAs rulemaking authority. See e.g. In re Gateway Radiology Consultants, P.C., 2020 WL 7579338 (11th Cir. Dec. 22, 2020) (reversing bankruptcy courts ruling striking down the regulations as exceeding SBA authority and as arbitrary and capricious).

In somewhat of quizzical intermediate approach, the new law provides that only debtors that are proceeding under Subchapter V of Chapter 11, which is the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (SBRA), as well as Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 debtors, may apply to the bankruptcy court for a PPP loan. The provisions of SBRA are summarized here,with the caveat that the debt limitations to qualify for SBRA were expanded by the CARES Act to $7.5 million. This new provision is yet another advantage to seeking relief under Subchapter V, but does nothing to resolve the pending litigation over the SBAs prohibition against extending PPP loans to Chapter 11 debtors that are not proceeding under Subchapter V.

Under the new provision, which amends 364 of the Bankruptcy Code, a qualifying debtor may apply for and obtain authority to receive a PPP loan which, if not forgiven, will be treated as a superpriority administrative expense in the Chapter 11 proceeding, which means it will come ahead of all administrative expenses in the case. If such an application is made, the bankruptcy court is required to hear it within seven days of the filing and service of the application. In addition, the debtors plan of reorganization may provide that the PPP loan, if not forgiven, may be paid back under the terms on which it was originally made, which are favorable.

Section 365(d)(3) of the Bankruptcy Code requires that Chapter 11 debtors continue to pay rent and comply with all other obligations under a lease of commercial real estate from and after the bankruptcy filing date, but vests authority in the bankruptcy court to extend the time of performance under such a lease for up to 60 days. In yet another plum given to Subchapter V debtors, that section has been amended to allow the bankruptcy court to extend the time for performance under these type of leases for a Subchapter V debtor for an additional 60 days, but only if the debtor is experiencing or has experienced a material financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The period of time within which a Chapter 11 debtor has to either assume or reject a lease of commercial real estate has also been changed. With the enactment of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA), a Chapter 11 debtor became limited to a period of 120 days, or 210 days with the court's permission, to decide whether to assume or reject nonresidential real property leases. Prior to BAPCPA, the initial period of time to make that decision was 60 days, but it could be extended by the bankruptcy court for cause without any outside time limitation.

Under the Act, the period of time to decide whether to assume or reject a lease of commercial real estate has been expanded to 210 days, subject to an additional 90 days with the bankruptcy courts permission.

There is a sunset provision for the foregoing amendments that is two years after the date of enactment of the Act.

The Act appears to recognize that many landlords and suppliers have entered into forbearance or deferral agreements with businesses in financial trouble due to the pandemic, and laudably provides preference protection for payments that are made pursuant to these types of agreements. Generally, a payment to a creditor that is made within 90 days of a bankruptcy filing on account of a pre-existing debt can be recovered, or clawed back to the bankruptcy estate, as a preferential transfer (subject to certain defenses).

For landlords of a commercial tenant, any covered payment of rental arrearages will be protected from avoidance as a preference if: (i) the payment is made pursuant to an agreement or arrangement to defer or postpone the payment of rent or other charges under the lease, (ii) the agreement or arrangement was made or entered into on or before March 13, 2020, and (iii) the amount deferred or postponed does not, (A) exceed the rent and other charges that were owed under the lease prior to March 13, 2020, and (B) include fees, penalties, or interest in an amount that is greater than what would be owed under the lease, or include any fees, penalties, or interest that would be greater than what would be charged if the debtor had paid all amounts due under the lease timely and in full before March 13, 2020.

For suppliers of goods and services, the protection given is similar to that provided for landlords. Specifically, any covered payment of supplier arrearages will be protected from avoidance as a preference if: (i) the payment is made pursuant to an agreement or arrangement to defer or postpone the payment of amounts due under a contract for goods or services, (ii) the agreement or arrangement is made on or before March 13, 2020, (iii) the amount deferred or postponed does not, (A) exceed the amount that was due under the contract prior to March 13, 2020, and (B) include fees, penalties, or interest in an amount that is greater than what would be owed under the contract, or include any fees, penalties, or interest that would be greater than what would be charged if the debtor had paid all amounts due under the contract timely and in full before March 13, 2020.

There is a sunset provision for the foregoing amendments that is two years after the date of enactment of the Act.

The ability of a Subchapter V debtor to obtain a PPP loan while in bankruptcy is certainly a welcome addition to the bankruptcy landscape, but left in lurch are larger companies that do not seem less deserving of the same relief. Subchapter V debtors that are materially affected by the pandemic will also benefit from an additional form of rent relief based on the new authority given to bankruptcy courts to extend the debtors time for paying rent and other charges under a lease of commercial real estate for an additional 60 days, on top of the 60-day deferral period that already existed in the law. And all Chapter 11 debtors will now be given at least 210 days to decide whether to assume or reject such leases, subject to an additional 90 days with the courts permission.

The new provisions protecting landlords and suppliers from having to disgorge payments that might otherwise be considered preferences if they are made pursuant to a deferral or forbearance agreement reflect a sensible recognition that such arrangements were designed to provide financial assistance to a struggling business and are deserving of protection.

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New Bankruptcy Relief Provisions Brought to You by the 2021 Federal Appropriations Act - JD Supra

Energy sector leads record wave of bankruptcies in 2020 – Houston Chronicle

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The energy sector rang in 2020 with a wave of bankruptcies, setting the tone for a year that would only get worse. Indeed, the record-setting number of bankruptcies in Texas and by companies with Texas ties was probably only good for bankruptcy lawyers kept busy by wave after wave of filings.

Through the first 11 months of the year, 1,656 companies filed for bankruptcy protection in Texas, a tally from the Texas Lawbook shows. That compares with 610 in the year-ago period. The Lawbook highlighted 76 complex Chapter 11 filings of $250 million or more by companies based in or filing in Texas. Energy companies accounted for the vast majority of those filings.

Retailers, already battered by the increase in e-commerce, were dealt another blow when the pandemic hit and brick-and-mortar shopping for a while came to a complete standstill. Ten major Texas retailers sought protection from the bankruptcy courts, and not all will reorganize.

Among the largest companies to file in 2020 was Arena Energy, an offshore oil and gas business operating in the Gulf of Mexico. It sought bankruptcy protection in August, with more than $1 billion of debt and just $35 million of cash on hand.

Oil field services company McDermott International filed for bankruptcy in January before the pandemic took hold and was able to emerge in June, shedding $4.6 billion of debt and with more than $2.9 billion in fresh credit and loans.

Fewer large Texas retailers sought protection, but there was no doubt the sector was dealt a body blow in 2020. Houston-based womens fashion chain Francescas filed for protection in December and has begun to sell assets to pay off creditors. Tailored Brands, the Houston-based owner of the Mens Wearhouse chain, filed for bankruptcy protection in August and later emerged as a private company. Several big-box retailers such as Texas-based J.C. Penney, Neiman Marcus and Tuesday Morning also sought protection.

rebecca.carballo@chron.com

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Energy sector leads record wave of bankruptcies in 2020 - Houston Chronicle

JC Penney CEO Jill Soltau to leave retailer after it emerged from bankruptcy with new owners – CNBC

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Signage is displayed outside a JC Penney Co. store in Chicago, Illinois.

Christopher Dilts | Bloomberg | Getty Images

J.C. Penney CEO Jill Soltau, who was tapped to turn around the struggling department store, will leave the company Thursday.

The company's new owners, Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management, said Wednesday that they're looking for a new leader "who is focused on modern retail, the consumer experience, and the goal of creating a sustainable and enduring JCPenney."

The Plano, Texas-based retailer filed for bankruptcy in May. It was bought by the two U.S. mall owners in the fall and emerged earlier this month. It joined a growing list of retailers' pushed to the brink by the coronavirus pandemic. Yet the legacy retailer's troubles began before the global health crisis. Its sales have fallen annually since 2016. At the time when it filed for bankruptcy, its roughly 860-store footprint was less than a quarter of its store base in 2001.

About two years ago, the company hired Soltau to spearhead its turnaround effort after its former CEO Marvin Ellison left to lead Lowe's. She previously served as CEO of fabric and craft retailer, Joann Stores. She also worked for Sears, Kohl's and Shopko Stores. At the time, news of her hire sent shares soaring as investors had hope she would bring fresh ideas and drive growth at the department store.

This year, however, the company's efforts were set back as its stores temporarily shuttered during the pandemic and battered its already stretched finances.

Simon and Brookfield have chosen Simon's Chief Investment Officer Stanley Shashoua to serve as interim CEO, according to a news release. They have launched an executive search with strategic partner Authentic Brands Group. The licensing firm owns stakes of other retailers that have emerged from bankruptcy, including Brooks Brothers and Forever 21.

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JC Penney CEO Jill Soltau to leave retailer after it emerged from bankruptcy with new owners - CNBC

New Stimulus Deal: Amendments to the Bankruptcy Code – JD Supra

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President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 yesterday, December 27, 2020. Although not widely reported, the legislation makes several amendments to the Bankruptcy Code based upon the severe financial hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The amendments relate to Section 365(d)(3) (the deferral of rent by small business debtors), Section 365(d)(4) (the period of time to assume, assume and assign, or reject a nonresidential real property lease), and Section 547 (preferential transfers). All of the amendments will sunset on December 27, 2022.

Preferential Transfer Protection

Perhaps most significantly, landlords which entered into lease amendments with tenants on or after March 13, 2020, to defer the payment of rent as a result of the pandemic are protected from claims of preferential transfers. Normally, payments made by a debtor within 90 days of a bankruptcy filing and outside the ordinary course of business are potentially preferential and subject to a clawback by the debtor. The amendments to Section 547 create a temporary exemption from preference liability to facilitate and encourage rent deferral and vendor repayment agreements. Prior to the amendment, the deferred rent payments could be subject to preference liability as payments that would otherwise be past due. By insulating these payments from preference exposure, landlords (and vendors) are encouraged to reach deferred payment arrangements with struggling businesses without fear that in a later bankruptcy case the deferred payments would have to be disgorged back to the debtor. Put another way, the amendment helps avoid invocation of the age-old adage that no good deed goes unpunished.

Rent Deferrals for Small Business Debtors

The amendment to Section 365(d)(3) provides a small business debtor under the Small Business Reorganization Act provisions of the Bankruptcy Code (i.e., commercial debtors having non-contingent, liquidated debts under $7.5 million) the opportunity to defer rent coming due in the first 120 days of the bankruptcy case. However, causation and materiality elements must be satisfiedthe debtor must demonstrate that it is experiencing, or has experienced, material financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More Time to Assume or Reject Leases

The amendment to Section 365(d)(4) allows additional time for a Chapter 11 debtor to assume, assume and assign, or reject its nonresidential real property leases. Prior to the amendment, a debtor had an initial 120-day period, plus one additional 90-day extension to assume or reject, for a maximum of 210 days. Additional extensions beyond the 210th day of the case require the landlords prior written consent. The amendment increases the initial period from 120 days to 210 days, but maintains the single 90-day extension provision and the landlord written consent requirement. As a result, a debtor is given more breathing room to make critical reorganization decisions relating to its real estate, but must nonetheless timely perform all of its obligations under the lease during that time. To the extent the debtor does not perform, landlords retain the ability to either compel the debtors performance in bankruptcy court or seek relief from the automatic stay to exercise state law remedies.

Read our comprehensive alert about the new stimulus legislation here.

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New Stimulus Deal: Amendments to the Bankruptcy Code - JD Supra

Some of Isaac Kassirers Harlem buildings head to bankruptcy – The Real Deal

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Emerald Equity Groups Isaac Kassirer and231 East 117th Street (Google Maps)

Isaac Kassirer, the prolific multifamily investor who went on a tear acquiring thousands of rent-regulated properties throughout Manhattan and the Bronx before the rent law changed, is on the verge of losing a big chunk of his portfolio.

The debtors of more than a dozen buildings owned by Kassirers Emerald Equity Group, located on or around West 107th Street and East 117th Street in Harlem, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, PincusCo reported. The petition asks for the properties to be transferred to the lender, LoanCore, which provided Emerald Equity Group with roughly $185 million in financing for the properties at the beginning of 2019. The firm had defaulted on the loan, which now totals about $203 million with interest.

Emerald Equity also sought financing around the same time from Freddie Mac, which provided a $189 million loan, the largest deal at the time from the lenders Small Balance Loan program.

Emerald Equity bought the 1,181-unit rent-stabilized portfolio for $357.5 million in late 2016, with a plan to renovate rent-stabilized apartments and convert them to market rate. By the end of 2017, some 251 units in the East Harlem portfolio had been moved to market rate, according to tax bills and public data.

But the firms business plan was disrupted when the new 2019 rent law blocked nearly all pathways to deregulation and also severely curtailed rent increases to stabilized units.

Under the law, the recoverable cost of renovations became limited to $15,000 or $83 per month over a period of 15 years. Landlords are no longer allowed to raise the rent 20 percent when a tenant leaves, and a unit can no longer be removed from regulation based on the rent exceeding a certain threshold.

Since then, the company has been trying to figure out how to salvage its investment. In January, Kassirer said the company was exploring all options. The coronavirus pandemic gave the firm a slight reprieve, as some of its loans went into forbearance in the spring. But after the pandemic hit, some renters of apartments in the portfolio went on a rent strike.

Another Emerald Equities lender, Ladder Capital, recently moved to foreclose on a $32 million loan it provided for four Harlem rental properties, which Kassirers firm defaulted on.

[PincusCo] Keith Larsen

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Some of Isaac Kassirers Harlem buildings head to bankruptcy - The Real Deal

Airline Shares Ended 2020 Down, But The Sky Did Not Fall And American Bankruptcy Chatter Turned Out To Be Nonsense – Forbes

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American Airlines jets sit at the gate in Miami on December 24. (Photo by Daniel Slim)

This story has been updated with year end 2020 share prices.

As 2020 ended, airline passenger numbers surpassed lows, a new round of federal relief was in place and vaccine expectations had raised hopes.

But airline shares slumped badly in this coronavirus year, despite a rally that began in early November and brought near-40% sector gains.

The S&P ended 2020 up 16%, while Southwest the best performing airline was down 14%.

For the full year, JetBlue was down 22%. Alaska was down 23%. Delta was down 31%. Spirit was down 39%. American Airlines was down 45%. United was down 51%.

American shares had the most dramatic story line. The stock opened the year at $29.09, rose to $30.47, sank to the $9 range in May, and closed at $15.77.

In May, bankruptcy chatter engulfed American, after Boeings gaffe-prone CEO speculated that a major airline could go out of business this year. The tea leaf readers, scrutinizing an arcane financial instrument called credit default swaps, concluded that he referred to American.

Online headlines proclaimed American Airlines: The First to Go Under, Is American Airlines Really Bound for Bankruptcy? and American Airlines: The Possible Path to Bankruptcy.

Today, American projects it will have more than $14 billion in liquidity at year-end, the bankruptcy chatter came to be recognized as nonsense, and one key analyst thinks that shares are trading too high.

American remains by far the name we receive the most inquiry on, often coming in the form of How can you possibly explain this (high) valuation? JP Morgan analyst Jamie Baker wrote in a Dec. 16 report.

We can identify no fundamental argument for the recent strength in AAL equity, he said. Better equity upside potential exists elsewhere.

Our theory: Investors know they bought into a false bankruptcy narrative and are now overcompensating.

Comparing American with its peers has been difficult, given the years unusual conditions. All airlines face impossible conditions. Revenue has declined sharply, and constantly changing environments make it impossible to forecast where to put airplanes.

American has higher debt because it invested in newer airplanes. Given the current overabundance of airplanes, this may not have been the best course. Or perhaps, if demand returns suddenly, it will appear prescient.

Looking ahead to 2021, consensus suggests the sector is not poised to gain ground in the near term.

Airlines are still far away from recovering and are looking to bridge the gap between now and when herd immunity can be achieved, Cowen & Co. analyst Helane Becker wrote in a Dec. 18 report.

Deutsche Banks Michael Linenberg cut his ratings on all the stocks from buy to hold in December, while Baker issued a series of downgrades on Dec. 16, saying share prices were high enough following the rally.

The recent ascent in airline equities has significantly diminished the implied potential upside to several of our Dec 21 price targets, with some having already passed through said targets, Baker said.

Our earlier overweight ratings for JBLU, SAVE & UAL are now reduced to underweight, joining AAL & LUV, Baker wrote. He left Air Canada, Alaska and Delta at overweight.

According to Barrons, The pandemic cant end soon enough for airlines, but investors have priced the carriers shares as if the end is in sight.

In a story entitled, 5 Airline Stocks That Could Cruise Higher, Barrons says the outlook is best for five carriers: Delta, Southwest, Allegiant, Ryanair and Gol.

Consensus estimates are pricing in a recovery to more than 80% of 2019 revenue in 2022, the magazine said. But there is a big unknown: how much business travel goes permanently online.

Will business travel fully recover? Most airline industry veterans expect it will, because it always has. But tech influencers say it wont, because all they have ever known is technology creep replacing everything.

It says here that Delta CEO Ed Bastian should have the last word.

On Deltas October earnings call, Bastian answered an analysts question about pontification regarding the business travel outlook.

Having been in this business for a long time, every crisis that I've been part of, and it's been a lot of crises over that twenty-plus years, this was the first thing that people always talked about, Bastian said, specifying: the death of business travel and (how) technology was going to replace the need for travel.

Every single time, business travel has come back stronger than anyone anticipated, he said.

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Airline Shares Ended 2020 Down, But The Sky Did Not Fall And American Bankruptcy Chatter Turned Out To Be Nonsense - Forbes

16 Really Good Things That Happened in the Travel World in 2020 – Hospitality Net

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2020 was a bizarre year, to say the least. We rode the waves of a pandemic, a U.S. presidential election, protests, wildfires, social change marches, travel bans, and more. And while it's easy to remember all the hardships that came with 2020 (and the noticeable lack of travel), the past year was also full of truly good news.

The travel industry gave back to first responders, animal shelter pets went on excursions to local zoos, and we had the chance to visit some of the great wonders of the world from our couches. As we prepare to say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021, here is some of the good travel news that kept us smiling throughout the year.

When New York City became the epicenter of the virus, and the once-buzzing city fell quiet, New Yorkers found ways to connect with their neighbors and find unity. People exercised together from their balconies, clapped for frontline workers, and got married in the streets.

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16 Really Good Things That Happened in the Travel World in 2020 - Hospitality Net

Hotel openings around the world, Travel News & Top Stories – The Straits Times

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The best hotels are not only sanctuaries for travellers, but also the starting point of their adventure in a new place.

Hotels have been reinvented over the past decade as premier destinations for travellers who want it all: design, art, culture, food and adventure - all experienced within the four walls of an exquisite property.

A nomad at heart, I find travel addictive and irreplaceable. While travel plans remain on pause for now due to the pandemic, we continue to dream about our first flight out, buoyed by good news of the vaccine's mass roll-out and signs that the hotel industry is resilient.

According to hospitality data firm STR, hotel occupancy rates dropped in Europe by 30 per cent in March but with staycations in demand, hoteliers were soon not only holding the fort during the pandemic, but also opening new hotels.

Big chains like Hilton will add 60 new hotels to its growing list of properties while Marriott has continued to rival competitors with more than 163 new properties slated to open.

No longer just a place to lay down weary heads, hotels now curate art collections on their premises or sculptures in adjoining public gardens, for instance.

Guests may have excellent views of Unesco World Heritage Sites and dine at the tables of noteworthy chefs who add culinary authenticity to a trip.

Here, I share the newly opened hotels on my hit-list while you plan overdue vacations.

More than 20 years ago, high-school friends Carlos Couturier and Moises Micha opened their first hotel in Mexico City. In August 2019, in the same city, the design-minded hoteliers opened their 12th hotel, a minimalist property with rooms almost "naked" in appearance, mirroring the Mexican patio-centric house with "honest" furnishings.

Besides a rooftop pool, the hotel also has a community space that doubles as a marketplace selling local fashion and furniture, which adds to its raw charm.

Info: http://www.circulomexicano.com/en

Nearby: Visit Museo del Templo Mayor or the National Palace, though the hotel, itself the birthplace of the nation's most celebrated photographer Manuel Alvarez Bravo (1902-2002), is peppered with his works and worth a stay for that alone.

Bonus tip: Head to the neighbourhood eatery El Balcon del Zocalo for modernised Mexican dishes.

Unlike many luxury hotels in Paris which remained closed during the summer, JK Place Paris opened its doors in August, much to the delight of French travellers.

Guests can have the ultimate Paris pieds-dans-l'eau experience, which translates to "feet in water", as the hotel has an annexe on water and private boats.

Wonderful artworks and collectibles are placed around the hotel, such as Tom Ford reading lamps and mirrored chests by David Hicks.

Info: http://www.jkplace.paris

Nearby: Free exhibitions which encourage social distancing for art and culture lovers, such as La Villette, a park with museums and concert halls. Or head to the Luxembourg Gardens during the warmer months.

Bonus tip: Explore new green initiatives in Paris by jumping on a bike or heading to Nature Urbaine, the world's largest rooftop urban farm which just opened recently.

Imagine sipping Sauvignon Blanc and polishing off your second wheel of goat cheese after a delightfully long French dinner as you watch the sunset in the valley.

Les Sources de Cheverny, nestled in the heart of the Loire Valley and surrounded by vineyards, is housed in an 18th-century castle.

Explore 45ha of woodlands, which makes social distancing very enjoyable, as well as the bygone design, open gardens and Caudalie spa of the hotel which opened its doors in September last year.

Info: http://www.sources-cheverny.com/en

Nearby: Explore the wineries of Loire Valley and pop by the Chateau Royal de Blois, a one-time royal palace with paintings and sculptures dating back to the 16th century.

Bonus tip: Check out La Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin, the only public museum in Europe to present magic collections, as well as a rotating list of live events.

Americans rekindled their love of road trips during the pandemic, with record numbers visiting national parks like Yosemite on the west coast and the Appalachian Trail in the east.

It is little wonder that boutique hotels are popping up in these outdoorsy places.

The Tuxon in Tucson, Arizona, opened last July at the foot of Sentinel Peak and on the bank of the Santa Cruz River, making it ideal for outdoor adventures despite its close proximity to the bustling downtown.

Info: http://www.thetuxonhotel.com

Nearby: Tucson, the country's first Unesco City of Gastronomy, is best explored by bike. Be sure to stop at Mercado San Agustin restaurant and climb the rocky mountains nearby.

Bonus tip: The hotel hosts live music events and activities such as film festivals, farmers' markets and even gem shows.

Could sipping a negroni by the Italian coast in Puglia be one of your fantasies? When travel resumes, book a stay at the new luxury hotel, Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa, which opened in June last year in Puglia.

With only 11 rooms in this restored palace, its whitewashed buildings blend into the hilly towns surrounding the village of Ostuni and make it a great starting point for exploring.

The restaurant helmed by chef Giovanni Cerroni offers traditional dishes from Puglia, such as baccala alla salentina, a salted cod dish, which you can also recreate during a cooking class in the hotel.

Info: http://www.paragon700.com

Nearby: Jump into a car and visit Bari for fresh seafood or Lecce for its baroque architecture. Or sail on the hotel's private 15m yacht and sunbathe on the Adriatic Sea.

Bonus tip: Many items in the hotel are for sale, including furnishings and paintings by artists Adrian Boswell and Caio Gracco.

Try and pull yourself away from the new Tokyo Edition Toranomon when you are in Japan's capital. It invites guests to be immersed in both traditional and modern Tokyo within the hotel designed by architect Kengo Kuma. It opened in October, despite the Olympics being postponed.

Choose from three restaurants, including one by London chef Tom Aikins. Enjoy cocktails in the Garden Terrace or modern Japanese tea ceremony activities in The Gold Bar.

Info: http://www.editionhotels.com/tokyo

Nearby: Fukushiro Inari Shrine, with its more than 300 years of history, has a new home a stone's throw from the hotel.

Bonus tip: The lobby has more than 500 exotic and local plants, including sword ferns and alocasia.

Based in Europe, Australia-born Michelle Tchea is the author of Chefs Collective and writes on food, wine and travel.

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Hotel openings around the world, Travel News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

A Mass. beach just ranked among the top 25 island beaches in the world – Boston.com

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Travel may have been largely on pause in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that didnt stop Conde Nast Traveler readers from dreaming of epic beach destinations worldwide including one in Massachusetts.

The travel publication released a list of 25 best island beaches in the world on Thursday as part of its 2020 Readers Choice Awards, and Nantuckets Siasconset Beach ranked No. 23. The best island beach, according to the list, is Gouverneur on St. Barts.

For the 33rd Annual Readers Choice Awards readers leaned in heavily into nostalgia, the publication noted, and the lauded beaches are sandy spots readers thought about this year and cant wait to return to.

Heres what Conde Nast Traveler wrote about Sconset, which is an island destination to watch a sunrise:

At the eastern most flank of the island, Siasconset can be reached from town via a six-mile bike ride on the Milestone Road path (or, in the summer, on a NRTA shuttle bus). Food and restrooms can be found nearby in the adjacent historic village of Sconset. Built in 1850, the Sankaty Head Light is well worth a wander to the northern tip of the beach (its rarely open to climb, except on specific days). Best of all, though, is the Sconset Bluff Walkwith the strong Atlantic on one side and a row of multi-million-dollar homes on the other. Waves here are rough, even in summer, so bundle up for a long winter walk if youre on the island during the off season.

View the entire list of 25 best island beaches in the world.

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A Mass. beach just ranked among the top 25 island beaches in the world - Boston.com