Month: September 2020

Seven Police Officers in Rochester, New York were suspended on Thursday over the asphyxiation death of a black man who they arrested in March. The brutal incident was revealed in videotape footage made public this week, which was recorded by an officer’s body camera. The video captures a group of officers putting a mesh hood over Daniel Prude’s head as he kneels naked and restrained on a Rochester street and snow falls around him.

The recording was released on Wednesday by members of Prude’s family, who called for the arrest of the officers. Prude, 41, died seven days after the March 23 arrest in Rochester, NY. Protests broke out on Wednesday in downtown Rochester and on Thursday, some 300 miles to the south, several dozen people demonstrated in Times Square in New York City, demanding justice for Prude and police reform.

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, who is black, told reporters on Thursday, “Mr. Daniel Prude was failed by our police department, our mental health care system, our society, and he was failed by me. I’m filled with grief, and anger at myself for all the failures that lead to his death.” Rochester police chief La’Ron Singletary, who is also black, has said that internal and criminal investigations were underway.

         

7 officers in Rochester, New York, suspended in case of death of Daniel Prude

Via www.nbcnews.com

“I understand the union may sue me for taking these officers off our streets,” Mayor Lovely…

09/03/2020 7:37 PM

 

Editorial credit: Al Mueller / Shutterstock.com

The Trump reelection campaign and the Republican Party sued Montana on Wednesday, after Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock gave counties the choice to conduct the November election entirely by mail-in votes amid the coronavirus pandemic. The lawsuit alleges Bullock’s directive would negatively affect Montana’s election system. The lawsuit in Montana names Bullock and Republican Secretary of State Corey Stapleton as defendants.

The move is the latest attempt by the Trump campaign to block mail-in voting, which he has claimed without proof would lead to widespread fraud. The campaign and Republican Party also sued last month over a new law in Nevada that will automatically send voters mail-in ballots for November, contending the plan would undermine the election’s integrity.

Montana allows for voting by mail but only at the request of the voter. Under Bullock’s directive, counties have the option to have voting done entirely by mail for the November election. Counties have until Friday to statehow they will conduct the election. According to the secretary of state’s elections office, 42 out of 56 counties have already confirmed they plan to hold the November elections entirely by mail.

Trump campaign sues Democratic Montana governor to limit mail-in voting

Via www.reuters.com

Republican President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign sued the Democratic governor of Montana…

09/02/2020 9:43 PM

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has notified public health officials in all 50 states and five large cities to prepare to distribute a coronavirus vaccine to health care workers and other high-risk groups as soon as late October or early November. President Donald Trump told the nation in his speech to the Republican National Convention that a vaccine might arrive before the end of the year.

Over the past week, both Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, and Dr. Stephen Hahn, who heads the Food and Drug Administration, have said in interviews with news organizations that a vaccine may be available for certain groups before clinical trials have been completed, if the data is overwhelmingly positive.

Public health experts agree that agencies at all levels of government should urgently prepare for what will eventually be a vast, complex effort to vaccinate hundreds of millions of Americans. 

U.S. CDC tells states to prep for COVID-19 vaccine distribution by November

Via www.reuters.com

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has asked state public health…

09/02/2020 7:28 PM

 

New York City public schools, the largest school system in the United States, has postponed the start of school for more than 1 million students amid pressure from a teachers union, which said there was not enough time to ready educators and school buildings to teach students safely during the pandemic.

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced he had reached a deal with the unions representing teachers, principals and food workers to delay reopening for nearly a week, beginning virtual classes for all students on Sept. 16 and in-person classes for some students five days later. School was originally slated to start Sep. 10. Students were given the option of full-time remote classes or a hybrid model – returning to school part-time but taking classes virtually the rest of the time. About 37 percent of students have opted for the all-virtual classes.  de Blasio’s decision came after increasing pressure from the United Federation of Teachers, whose members threatened to strike or take the city to court if the mayor fell short of meeting their health and safety demands.

The city’s school system faces a number of challenges, including ensuring that classrooms have adequate ventilation and staggering attendance to allow for social distancing. The city was also still working through how teachers would provide both in-person and virtual instruction.

NYC was once the nation’s epicenter of the pandemic, and has lost more than 19,000 people to Covid-19.

New York City delays school start in deal with unions over coronavirus concerns

Via news.yahoo.com

New York City’s public school system, the country’s largest, reached an agreement on Tuesday…

09/01/2020 8:15 PM

Editorial credit: Life In Pixels / Shutterstock.com

On Tuesday, a federal appeals court blocked a New York prosecutor from obtaining Donald Trump’s tax returns while his lawyers continue to fight a subpoena seeking the records. The three-judge panel ruled after hearing brief arguments from both sides.

Trump’s lawyers had asked for a temporary stay while they appeal a lower-court ruling that granted Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.’s office access to Trump’s tax returns. A lawyer for Vance’s office had argued that further delays would only impede their investigation.

Trump’s lawyers appealed to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month. Judge John M. Walker Jr. said at Tuesday’s hearing that the subpoenas cover 11 entities engaged in business dealings as far away as Europe and Dubai.

 A hearing on the merits of Trump’s latest appeal will be held on Sept. 25 after both sides agreed to an expedited schedule.

        

Court blocks release of Trump tax returns amid latest appeal

Via abcnews.go.com

Trump has blasted the long-running quest for his records as a witch hunt.

09/01/2020 8:12 PM

 

Editorial credit: Jeffery Edwards / Shutterstock.com