Friday, July 17, 2020
Second Stimulus Check Income Limit Will Likely Be Higher Than $40,000
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If you’ve been reading up on the next stimulus bill, which we should expect to appear sometime next week, you’ve probably seen many articles about how Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) mentioned that it might only go to Americans making less than $40,000 a year.
While it’s unclear where the income limit will be, a “person familiar with the talks” told Bloomberg that “a cap at that level is not seen as likely.”
Let’s look for hints as to why this is the case:
Why $40,000?
$40,000 seems like such an arbitrary number - why does it keep coming up?
According to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, 40% of U.S. households earning less than $40,000 lost their jobs in March. It’s a staggering figure that looms even larger when you look at our unemployment charts.
Mount Pleasant officer under investigation for appearing to cover up body camera in Facebook photo
From The Journal Times.com:
Adam Rogan
Adam Rogan
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n this undated photo uploaded to Facebook, a Mount Pleasant Police Department officer appears to encourage other officers to cover up their body-worn cameras. The photo shows a seat belt covering the officer's camera with the caption “To all my friends in blue, wear your seat belt like this. You’re welcome.”
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MOUNT PLEASANT — The Mount Pleasant Police Department has launched an internal investigation after it appears that a patrol officer posted a photo on Facebook that encourages other officers to cover up their body cameras.
The officer posted a photo on Facebook showing a seat belt covering a body camera. The caption on the photo reads, “To all my friends in blue, wear your seat belt like this. You’re welcome.”
The Journal Times reached out to the Mount Pleasant Police Department on Wednesday about the photo, which was undated and shared with The Journal Times by a reader. The following day, MPPD Capt. Brian Smith replied saying that The Journal Times’ email was “the first time” that Mount Pleasant Command Staff “was made aware of the posting.”
“We will be initiating an internal investigation to determine potential violations of department policy and ownership of the posting,” Smith said.
The Journal Times is not naming the officer who reportedly posted the photo since the investigation is still active and the Police Department has not confirmed the identity of the officer — who does not use his full name on Facebook. Similarly, The Journal Times doesn’t name people accused of crimes who have not yet been charged or named by officials.
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Former School Board member Lisa Parham pardoned
From The Journal Times.com:
Stephanie Jones:
Stephanie Jones:
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| Parham |
RACINE — Former Racine Unified School Board member Lisa Parham has received a pardon from Gov. Tony Evers. It will allow Parham to run for school board again in the future, which she plans to do.
Her pardon was one of 18 that the governor granted this week, following a June 23 virtual Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board meeting, the governor’s office announced Thursday morning.
“A pardon won’t fix the challenges facing our criminal justice system, but it can have a tremendous impact on a person’s life,” Evers said in a statement. “Each of these people earned a pardon by serving their sentence and making positive contributions to society.”
According to the press release announcing her pardon, Parham, whose full name is Shelesia Parham and is now 51, “was 23 when she forged her mother’s name on multiple withdrawal slips for her mother’s account. Her relationship with her mother is mended and she fully supports a pardon.”
The conviction happened under her married name, Shelesia Mann. After her divorce, she has since gone back to her maiden name Parham.
Parham is the owner and CEO of the Racine Mirror, Insider News Racine and the Kenosha Labor Paper. She is also planning to launch a Hispanic newspaper starting Sept. 15.
Parham was elected to the Racine Unified School Board April 7, 2015 and started serving on the board April 27.
South Carolina man recovers after having 3 strains of Coronavirus
Do you think you had the coronavirus already? What would you do if you went to take an antibody test and it not only confirmed that you previously had the coronavirus but that you had three different strains of it?
Well for South Carolina resident Bob Natale, that's exactly what he says happened.
Natale spoke with ABC 15 back in April. Natale said he had more than 20 days of high fever and heavy coughing but was unable to get a coronavirus test done because his doctor didn't have any at the time.
Natale said on May 11 he went to his doctor to have a blood test done and the results confirmed what he believed to be true.
“Yeah, so I had a follow-up appointment with my doctor and he had done a blood test and at that time there was some significant ability to have tests done and this was back on May 11. So yeah, then DHEC got back to me right away and said yes I was confirmed and so my doctor said yeah so now you have the antibodies," Natale said.
Natale said he had a feeling it was the coronavirus at the time but having that confirmation was a relief.
“It was comforting to know that I had it and I have survived and came through it so I had the experiences in the background of knowing that this is what it was, it wasn't just a cold or whatever," Natale said.
Natale said battling COVID-19 was one of the toughest periods of his life and he lost several pounds.
“I lost 30 pounds in this process now I've gained back some of that now because I had lost my appetite completely it was even difficult to even put down a half a piece of toast," Natale said.
The road to recovery was a long one according to Natale, he said it took about four weeks for him to make a full recovery.
“It was truly a four-week process the first two weeks I was very sick, you know, high fever and coughing and just overwhelming coughing. It took until the third to the fourth week for the cough to stop and to feel like I was getting back to normal," Natale said.
Now that Natale feels like himself again he said it's important that people across the state follow the directions of health professionals so South Carolina can avoid another shutdown.
“I want to get back to normal. And I think we all do and I think we all have to pitch in together and I said if only half of us are doing it. It's not gonna work. Believe me, the last thing that South Carolina and Horry County need to do is shut down again. That could kill our economy. I mean just literally kill us all and that’s just horrible I mean that’s the last thing anybody would think we would want to do," Natale said.
He said wearing a mask and social distancing is crucial right now and although he doesn't think he will catch the virus again, he's still being safe when it comes to wearing one.
“I'm going with the thought that I'm not going to get it again but I'm not going to take any chances so yeah I am wearing a mask and understanding that wearing a mask on my side is more so protecting you than it is protecting me," Natale said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified seven coronavirus types. There are four common human coronaviruses and three additional viruses that infect animals and could become a new human coronavirus.
‘Better than it was:’ Racine health officials discuss next steps of COVID-19 reopening plan
From Fox6Now:
RACINE -- As Racine surpasses 1,500 COVID-19 cases, the city's board of health met virtually on Tuesday, July 14 to review the next steps of its reopening plan. Racine entered the second phase of its reopening plan last week.
"Our numbers have gone up slightly from the confirmed totals," said Dottie-Kay Bowersox, Racine public health administrator.
COVID-19 testing in Racine
"I'm just glad everyone in the city is making data-driven decisions and I appreciate the leadership of everyone in the health department," Racine Alderwoman Melissa Lemke said.
As of Friday, July 10 -- after a series of revisions -- Racine has entered new territory in its reopening, moving into Phase 2.
"Mass gathering increase from 25 to 100 people," Bowersox said.
"Safer Racine" reopening plan
In addition to allowing larger mass gatherings, recreational facilities -- like fitness centers -- can now operate at 50% capacity, up from 25%. Places of worship, museums and movie theaters also now have a 50% capacity limit as long as social distancing measures are followed.
Long-term care facilities are allowed to follow Wisconsin Department of Health Services and CDC guidelines as part of Phase 2; outside visitors and group activities are no longer banned as an original public health plan had called for.
In the meantime, testing remains steady. On Monday, July 13, 486 people were tested at Festival Hall; a Wisconsin National Guard testing team will be in place there through Thursday, July 16.
While cases aren't slowing, local health experts say they are optimistic.
"The number of hospitalized COVID patients are quite a bit down from a month or so ago," Dr. John Brennan with Ascension Medical Group said. "It's a lot better than it was."
The next evaluation and potential revisions to the "Safer Racine" ordinance can be expected on July 31.
Racine native named Shriners International president
From The Journal Times.com:
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson
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On July 11, Racine native and Master Mason James R. "Jim" Smith, of Georgetown, Texas, was elected to a one-year term as Imperial Potentate of Tampa, Fla.-based Shriners International.
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A Racine native has been elected to the top position for Shriners International, which runs Shriners Hospitals for Children throughout North America.
Jim Smith, 72, (not to be confused with the former Racine Mayor Jim Smith) looks back fondly and appreciatively on his childhood in Racine County — experiences of family, personal discipline, hard work and faith he said have served him well throughout his life, and will continue to serve him in his new role as Imperial Potentate of Shriners.
“It was a great way to be raised that has followed me all through my life,” Smith told The Journal Times in a Wednesday interview. “You do things the right way. You add to the community. You participate and you try to make it a better world. You try to leave the world a better place than you found it. That’s the way I feel about The Shrine. That’s one of the things we do — we try to leave the world a better place. That’s the way I feel about my job this year. I’m committed to leaving The Shrine better than it even is — and it’s good now. It’s an exciting time … I hope a year from now when I leave this job that I can say I did a good job and the world is better for it.”
On Saturday, July 11, Smith, who lives in Georgetown, Texas, was elected to a one-year post as Imperial Potentate of Shriners International, part of the 12-member body that helps govern the Shriners fraternity, during the Shriners’ virtual 2020 Imperial Session.
Aren't the Shriners those guys who drive around in the little cars in the 4th of July parade? They're cool.
First MS-13 member indicted on terrorism-related charges by Justice Department
For the first time, the Justice Department is bringing terrorism-related charges against an MS-13 gang leader, and in a separate case the government said it would seek the death penalty against another MS-13 member. In total, the department unveiled new charges against 22 members of the notorious criminal gang that Attorney General Bill Barr has called "a death cult."
Nearly a year after the creation of Joint Task Force Vulcan, an initiative aimed specifically at taking down MS-13, Barr announced Wednesday that law enforcement has helped dismantle the leadership of the transnational gang in the U.S. and "significantly degraded" MS-13's capabilities.
"MS-13 is somewhat unique in this sense: they have the street savagery that you would see in a gang is not driven by commercial interests the way, for example, the mafia traditionally was," Barr explained in the Oval Office on Wednesday. "It's about honor of being the most savage, bloodthirsty person you can be and building up a reputation as a killer."
MS-13, or "Mara Salvatrucha," is one of the largest gangs in the world, a menace in several countries that is often invoked by President Trump to justify his hardline immigration policies. Its violent grip in Central America is one of the forces driving thousands of migrants to flee for the U.S.
President Trump called MS-13, "probably the meanest, worst gang in the world" and "an evil group of people. They're sick, and deranged."
Among those charged is Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz, also known as "Blue," who is the first MS-13 member to be indicted on terrorism charges. Prosecutors allege that Melgar Diaz was the leader of MS-13 East Coast operations and as such oversaw the activities of approximately 20 MS-13 factions in the U.S., including in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
Why Some See Mike Pompeo's Pic Of His Dog As An Attempt To Troll China
"Mercer and all of her favorite toys!" Mike Pompeo captioned the picture.
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| A picture shared by Mike Pompeo on Twitter. |
America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo assails China nearly daily, but he says his dog isn't part of his campaign.
Pompeo raised eyebrows among students of social media tea leaves when he posted a picture of his dog looking ready to tear into a toy Winnie the Pooh.
"Mercer and all of her favorite toys!" the canine-loving secretary of state tweeted from his personal account.
Chinese social media users have frequently used the jolly bear as a meme for President Xi Jinping, although the country's thorough censors have little sense of humor about it.
Asked in an interview Wednesday whether this was "Winnie the Pooh-gate," Pompeo appeared oblivious.
"No, I imagine there were a series of stuffed animals, and they were equally distributed for Mercer's benefit," Pompeo told Iowa conservative radio host Simon Conway.
When told that the BBC had run a story musing about a deeper meaning, Pompeo laughed and said, "I hadn't seen that."
AA Milne's loveable but slow-witted bear with a weakness for honey picked up as a meme after pictures of Xi alongside slender former US president Barack Obama, who drew comparisons to Winnie's friend Tigger, were published.
China has since sought to scrub the meme from the internet accessible inside the country, and Beijing in 2018 rejected the release of the Disney film "Christopher Robin," which stars Winnie.
Pompeo has championed a hard line against China, criticizing the communist leadership for denying free expression, clamping down in Hong Kong and failing to stop the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus: Russian spies target Covid-19 vaccine research
Russian hackers are targeting organisations trying to develop a coronavirus vaccine in the UK, US and Canada, security services have warned.
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said the hackers "almost certainly" operated as "part of Russian intelligence services".
It did not specify which organisations had been targeted, or whether any information had been stolen.
But it said vaccine research had not been hindered by the hackers.
The hackers are part of a group called APT29, also known as "the Dukes" or "Cozy Bear".
The NCSC said it was more than 95% certain that APT29 was part of the Russian intelligence services.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: "It is completely unacceptable that the Russian intelligence services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
"While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health."
The warning was published by a international group of security services:
- the UK's NCSC
- the Canadian Communication Security Establishment (CSE)
- the United States Department for Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber-security Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- and the US National Security Agency (NSA)
It said the hackers exploited software flaws to get access to vulnerable computer systems, and used malware called WellMess and WellMail to upload and download files from infected machines.
They also tricked individuals into handing over login credentials with spear-phishing attacks.
- Phishing emails are designed to trick the recipient into handing over their personal information
- Spear phishing is a targeted and personalised form of the attack, designed to trick a specific individual. Often the email appears to come from a trusted contact, and may include some personal information to make the message seem more convincing
"Throughout 2020, APT29 has targeted various organisations involved in Covid-19 vaccine development in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, highly likely with the intention of stealing information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of Covid-19 vaccines," the report said.
On Thursday, the UK government also said Russians "almost certainly" sought to interfere in the 2019 UK general election through illicitly acquired documents.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp forbids cities, counties from requiring masks as coronavirus surges in the state
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| Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) welcomes President Trump upon his arrival at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday. (Erik S Lesser/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) |
July 16, 2020 at 5:02 a.m. CDT
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed an executive order Wednesday night explicitly banning cities from enacting their own mask mandates, even as the state experiences a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and other Republican governors are turning to mask orders to try to quell the surge.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed an executive order Wednesday night explicitly banning cities from enacting their own mask mandates, even as the state experiences a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and other Republican governors are turning to mask orders to try to quell the surge.
Local officials who had issued mask mandates as hospitals filled up were outraged Wednesday night as Kemp overrode their judgment. The order came on the same day Georgia recorded its second-highest number of coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, logging 3,871 cases and 37 deaths.
“It is officially official. Governor Kemp does not give a damn about us,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson (D), who was the first local official to issue a mask mandate, wrote on Twitter. “Every man and woman for himself/herself. Ignore the science and survive the best you can. In #Savannah, we will continue to keep the faith and follow the science. Masks will continue to be available!”
Kemp’s order comes as other Republican governors have recently abandoned their previous opposition to mask mandates in the interest of public health.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) was among them on Wednesday, saying that while she wished people didn’t “have to be ordered to do what is in your own best interest,” she felt a mask order could not wait any longer.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/16/kemp-georgia-mask-mandates/
Mother fought off home intruder who attempted abduction of 4-year-old girl
From JSOnline:
A Milwaukee man is facing several felonies after the mother of a four-year-old girl fought off a home intruder who attempted to abduct the girl in Milwaukee's St. Joseph’s neighborhood in early July.
David E. Matavka, 61, has been charged with attempted abduction of a child, burglary and felony bail jumping and has been ordered to undergo a competency examination, according to online court records.
At the time of the incident he was on pre-trial release after being charged in April with making terrorist threats in Racine County.
According to the criminal complaint:
The four-year-old girl later told police that she was watching television in a home along the 2800 block of North 50th Street in the St. Joseph’s neighborhood on July 3 when a man entered the home, grabbed her by the neck and choked her.
Upon hearing the girl scream, the mother ran downstairs and saw the man in her kitchen, near the home’s rear entrance, holding the girl’s wrist.
The mother grabbed her daughter and scratched at the man’s hands and arms until he let go. The man repeatedly yelled “gimmie the girl” before releasing her and fleeing out the door.
The mother and daughter provided a detailed description to police, who later learned that a similarly described person had been escorted off the property of the Ascension St. Joseph’s hospital by security earlier that day
Police later identified the suspect as Matavka. The mother and daughter also identified him as the man who entered the home when presented with a photo array of suspects.
In April, Matavka allegedly threatened a nurse at a Racine hospital with a gun he did not have, according to the Racine County Eye.
Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12.
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