Colorado Residents could start getting COVID booster shots as early as next week if federal health officials approve the applications. 67% of Coloradans are currently fully vaccinated. The rate rises significantly in the older populations, 83% over 65 have had or are waiting for their final doses. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still need to review the boosters before approval. Governor Jared Polis believes two employees who recently left the FDA have “blood on their hands” for delaying third shots. He also made complaints against federal health officials for their pace in authorizing vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11. “At the very least, the FDA should get out of the way and allow people to make the choice to protect themselves,” Polis said. Many officials feel the same way Polis does. How important are COVID boosters now that cases are trending down?
COVID Cases Decline in Colorado
Dr. Dhruv Khullar, assistant professor of health policy and economics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, said none of the current studies make a good case for booster shots. He said getting everyone their first dose is more important than a booster. “There’s no slam-dunk case that most of the population needs a booster at this time,” he said. Current vaccines do not protect you from getting COVID but are protection against hospitalization and death, though their effectiveness against the delta variant remains to be seen and studied by officials. COVID vaccines are not like traditional vaccines, they are made to lessen symptoms rather than prevent illness. That being said, a majority of Colorado’s population has received vaccinations and COVID cases dropped last week for the first time since June. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recorded only 11,132 new cases across the state last week.
Sedgwick and San Juan counties have less than 50 cases per 100,000 people. Once a county reaches 50 cases per 100,000 people, the CDC recommends that everyone wear masks in public indoor spaces. Even though case numbers have dropped, hospitalizations are rising, with 914 confirmed COVID cases and over 80 possible cases. This is the highest number of hospitalizations since 1,000 patients were confirmed to have COVID in January. If cases continue to decline, hospitalizations will follow soon after, according to Talia Quandelacy, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health. “There does seem to be a decline in cases, at least for now,” she said. “We’ll have to see in a few days.” Every Colorado county has at least one vaccine provider, whether that’s a hospital, retail pharmacy or outpatient clinic. Would vaccinations and booster shots help hospitalizations decline?
Who will be First to Receive Boosters?
The White House is currently promoting boosters with the idea that they will be approved this month, if both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agree. When the FDA and CDC decide boosters are needed, nursing home residents will be the first to receive them. Next, people who have the Pfizer shot will be boostered; a majority of nursing home residents received the Pfizer. “This is a moment where similar leadership is needed by the Biden administration to make sure that the FDA does not succeed in using ivory tower circular reasoning to further delay the life-saving booster,” Polis said. The Colorado National Guard and top medical providers are working to schedule vaccination and booster clinics, according to Lt. Col. Jamie Pieper. Officials say it is possible some people may have difficulty finding a booster in the first days and weeks they’re offered.
The Pfizer booster is closer to being approved than the others. Studies are still attempting to determine if people who received the Johnson & Johnson shot would benefit from a second dose. The FDA has asked Pfizer and Moderna to add a larger number of children to their study in order to detect rare side effects. Pfizer is expected to hand in their study results by the end of September. Officials are “very, very hopeful” that vaccinations for children 5- 11 years old will be reality by December. No matter your age, Colorado officials are making sure all the citizens of the centennial state are able to be safely vaccinated and boostered if they choose. Are boosters actually necessary? The answer seems to be unclear for now… only time will tell. Have you been vaccinated? If so, do you believe you need a booster?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
As the days of fall grow shorter and shorter, a great way to fill some extra time during the day is definitely a great way to give back, and by giving back, it’s ok great way to shine a spotlight on some true Heroes of America’s past.
Write it down
Volunteer online writers are needed to help write about World War II soldiers. It’s a great platform for individuals to join nationwide. From the west coast to the east coast, you can sign up now to write about true heroes in your home town. The website to sign up is www.storiesbehindthestars.org. With more than 4,000 fallen heroes, there is definitely one that you can write about.
In The Beginning
The Stories Behind The Stars Project started in December of 2016, as the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor approached.
Memberships Included
By becoming a writer for Stories Behind The Stars, you will have free Access to Ancestry and Newspaper websites as well as other platforms to use for help in researching these heroes who sacrificed so much to give back to the country that they dearly loved.
Giving Back
If you have never served our country, becoming a writer/researcher with Stories Behind The Stars is a Great way to serve. Not only do you have an opportunity to serve others, but, you will have an opportunity to keep the memories of these heroes alive.
Yes You Can
Anyone can volunteer to write for Stories Behind The Stars, whether you are a doctor, lawyer, sanitation worker, teacher, or a student in school, you can be a writer! It’s easy to do, you will receive free online tutorials, you can even attend an online zoom meeting and training session to help you make these stories come to life.
As you research these true WWII heroes, and write down their stories. In your hearts and in the quietness of the breeze, you might even be able to hear the voices of these WWII heroes saying Thank You for allowing them to live on through the story that you wrote about them.
Written by: Gary Taylor
Eric Cowie, head zookeeper from the Greater Wynnewood Animal Park featured in Netflix series “Tiger King,” was found dead this week. The long haired 53-year-old big cat lover was found in a Brooklyn home, according to police sources. No foul play was suspected, sources indicated he likely died of natural causes but an autopsy will still be required. It’s not clear if Cowie had moved to Brooklyn, or was just visiting a friend. The Oklahoma native was discovered in the bedroom of the home on E. 55th St. near Remsen Ave. in East Flatbush.
Cowie was open about his struggles with alcohol but denied rumors of a drug addiction. Police say no drugs were found in the residence. Cowie made the statement in response to the many questions and comments from fans regarding his missing teeth. “No, I don’t do meth, I never have, I like sleeping too much. I used to have a drinking problem and now I do not,” Cowie told interviewer Joel McHale in a final episode of the Tiger King. The Netflix series that documented Cowie and the rest of Joe Exotic’s crew debuted in March 2020 and had more than 34 million viewers in its first 10 days, according to Nielsen ratings.
Cowie testified at Joe Exotic’s trial for killing tigers at the Greater Wynnewood Animal Park in Oklahoma. Cowie worked at the facility for five years after finding the job listing on Craigslist. Joe Exotic, who is actually Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison. During the trial, Cowie testified that he “knew cats were getting shot” in 2017 when five tigers were killed by Joe Exotic in one day. Joe Exotic was not only convicted of killing tigers but also for attempting to hire someone to kill a rival big cat owner. This adds some mystery to Cowie’s death and makes us wonder what will come back in the autopsy. Did Cowie actually die of natural causes? Time will tell…
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Featuring Joe Jaquint & Jason Walker
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and be established in the PRESENT TRUTH.
2 Peter 1:12
With Rick Rodriguez
Featuring Joe Jaquint & Jason Walker
Labor Day weekend is quickly approaching! Despite COVID, Colorado has a whole bunch of end of summer activities to choose from. From water parks to the kick-off of college football games, the beloved mountainous state will be absolutely booming with activities for all ages. Remember to take precautions when you and your children are subjected to the last rays of summer sun. Heat exhaustion and dehydration can still occur despite Colorado already showing signs of the highly anticipated fall season. We will be dripping with orange pumpkins and nutmeg in what seems like no time at all. Until then, enjoy these Labor Day festivities across the centennial state. There is always your traditional hiking which could be great, when done safely, for a labor day weekend activity. After you see all of our labor day ideas check out our list of top 10 hiking places in Colorado if you want hiking recommendations!
Lakes and Water Parks
Splish splash, here comes the end of summer. After you finish your hike, take a break at one of these Labor Day celebrations which all focus on cooling you down. For one of the places on this list, this end of summer weekend means their doors are closing for the season.
Summer’s End Celebration – Avon
The inaugural Summer’s End celebration will be held this Labor Day weekend. The event will start with Lakeside Cinema Friday evening. Then we will enjoy the Avon Art Festival on Saturday morning and through the rest of the weekend. There will be sand volleyball, paddleboat rentals and beach activities. The Summer’s End Celebration will finish out Monday with a free performance by Los Lobos at 6 p.m. Their website says, “Remember your reusable water bottle – Plastic-Free Event! Fostering a culture of environmentalism, waste mitigation and energy conservation which minimizes the negative impacts to our collective environment and community for the long term is of utmost importance to the Town.” There will still be canned beverage products for sale.
Water World – Federal Heights
This is the final weekend of 2021 to visit Water World. Water World is one of America’s largest water parks. The last three days of operation for 2021 are Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. Water World features many attractions including huge thrill rides. Outside food and drinks can be brought in making it perfect for picnics, plus parking is free. Enjoy the last water-filled weekend of 2021.
Labor Day Fairs and Festivals
If water parks or hiking aren’t your thing, maybe you would enjoy a fair or festival! Imagine the laughter and joyous conversation in the air mixing with the smells of great food. The sound of live music pulls you over to the stage then you and whoever you’re with dance to the musicians song. What better way is there to spend an afternoon?
A Taste of Colorado & Cherry Creek Arts Festival – Denver
Originally dubbed the Festival of Mountain and Plain, the historic A Taste of Colorado festival has brought Coloradans together since 1895. The local-favorite Labor Day weekend festival is back with a new downtown sprawling format. The 38th A Taste of Colorado will be held September 4 through the 6 across downtown Denver. This year’s event will be the biggest it has ever been, featuring three stages where attendees can listen to music from a variety of local and regional musicians. Downtown restaurants will have special menus for the festival, and local vendors will be selling art and goods along the 16th Street Mall. Their website says, “The festival will be an authentic and spirited union of sights, sounds, tastes, and color as we celebrate together. The Downtown Denver Partnership is thrilled to be bringing back Taste of Colorado in 2021 because it’s more than a festival, it’s in our nature.”
CherryArts and the Denver Chalk Art Festival have joined forces this year forming the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. The Cherry Creek Arts Festival will be held at Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center in the northwest parking lot near University Boulevard and 1st Avenue from Saturday through Monday. The festival will have 220 artists, 100 chalk artists,16 performing artists, a creation station for children, delicious food, and lovely interactive experiences. “We’ve been waiting to hit the Denver streets again since June of 2019. Watching the joy this craft brings to attendees, and the camaraderie of the artist community coming together, has been sorely missed,” said Michel Rieger, Denver Chalk Art Festival artist director. “Collaborating with CherryArts is a perfect match. We look forward to bringing Denver’s most colorful event back through the long-standing tradition of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.”
Colorado State Fair – Pueblo
The largest summer event in Colorado, the Colorado State Fair, will be holding its second week this Labor Day weekend. The fair has a carnival, 4-H exhibits, agricultural competitions, tractor pulls, live music performances, rodeos, Major League Eating and entrancing food options. The Colorado State Fair runs through Monday, Sept. 6. Find the event you want to attend most at ColoradoStateFair.com.
Beer Gardens, Hot Air Balloons and Car Shows
Visit a delicious Beer Garden, see breathtaking sights of hot air balloons in the sky, or show off your vintage ride at a car show. One of the events in this category even has horse-drawn carriage rides. What could be more romantic for the one you want to impress? These options are great for couples and families who want something a little more laid back.
Windsor Harvest Festival – Windsor
Windsor Harvest Festival is back for its 99th year with a theme of “Big Ol’ Block Party.” The festival runs from Saturday to Monday with live music, cruise-in car show, horse-drawn carriage rides, beer garden, movie screening in the park and so many more. Balloon launches are planned for Saturday and Sunday at Eastman Park. The best growers will show off their garden in the annual Garden Show and Veggie Art. The Windsor Harvest Festival Parade will be on Monday. This festival is perfect for families who want to attend events every day of the Labor Day weekend. There will be a large number of activities just for kids!
Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off – colorado springs
Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off runs Saturday to Monday. This option is perfect for those planning a Friday night get-together at home and want to get out for the rest of the weekend. The event is free. Every morning will start with a mass hot air balloon lift off of over 70 balloons. It will be a beautiful site to see while you eat breakfast and drinks from local vendors. There will be all kinds of demonstrations during the day such as skydiving, and wakeboarding exhibitions. You will enjoy paddle boarding and live entertainment. The Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off will take place at Memorial Park.
College Football
Does your family prefer tailgates and jerseys over fair food and water parks? Well, you’re in luck because college football is back in Colorado! We can already feel the energetic anticipation in the stands. Who will win? Who will lose? The eruption of cheers has a way of breathing life into almost anyone. Which game will you find yourself enjoying?
BOULDER
The University of Colorado Buffaloes and University of Northern Colorado Bears kick off the 2021 season with a game Friday night. You can get tickets at CUBuffs.com or at the CU ticket office.
FORT COLLINS
The Colorado State Rams begin their season Friday night at Canvas Stadium. The Rams host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in a “Green Out” game that will be broadcast on FS1.
DURANGO
High noon Saturday is when the Fort Lewis Skyhawks will start their football season. Fort Lewis hosts New Mexico Highlands University at 12 p.m. at Durango’s Ray Dennison Memorial Field.
ALAMOSA
The Adams State Grizzlies welcome Western New Mexico University to Rex Stadium this weekend, at 5 p.m. Saturday in Alamosa.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Colorado is famous for many things but recently it is the Moose who have been making headlines. This season has seen many dangerous encounters between humans and moose already. Moose can be very dangerous especially during mating season. Male moose are called bulls and females are called cows. Both cows and bulls can be dangerous and aggressive towards humans for different reasons. Moose are huge, weighing between 800 and 1,200 pounds. They can stand up to 6 feet tall, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Moose have been known to take over haystacks or feedyards and attack any human or livestock who comes near. Even if you aren’t trying to take their food, doing something as simple as going for a walk can lead to disaster when moose are around. Make sure to take proper precautions when encountering a moose.
Moose Attacks
79 year old Janne Schultz from Glenwood Springs told a news outlet about her experience being attacked by a moose saying, “I was hit by a moose, and he did not like me.” While walking her dog on Friday the 13th in a rural area just south of Glenwood Springs, Schultz saw the cow with her calves and waited for them to pass. Once she thought the moose had moved on she continued walking. Suddenly she was attacked out of nowhere. “I thought it was a human being at first. I said oh god there’s bad people up here too. Then I saw it was the moose,” Schultz recalled to the reporter. Eventually the moose ran off and Schultz was flown to a Denver hospital with a few broken ribs and collarbone. Her scapula was shattered and she had fractured vertebrae in her neck. A few days later a New Mexico man was running on a trail in Winter Park, Colorado with his two dogs when they encountered a bull moose. The dogs were off-leash ahead of their owner when they suddenly turned around and ran away, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said. “He stopped and saw the moose at 50 feet,” District Wildlife Manager Serena Rocksund said in a news release. “At that point, the dogs ran past him and left the scene.” The man reported seeing the bull as it charged toward him. The moose left him with only minor injuries. “He’s very lucky that his only injury is a hoof print-shaped laceration on the back of his head,” Rocksund said. Both him and Schultz were lucky to get away with their lives. Moose attacks are becoming more of an issue in Colorado. So, what can you do to reduce your risk of being attacked by a moose?
When Moose Attack
“We’ve had some increased reports of human-moose conflicts near Grand Lake since the East Troublesome Fire,” Area Wildlife Manager Jeromy Huntington said in a news release. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, moose are protective animals and will defend their young and home at all costs. Moose have very few natural enemies and do not fear humans. They often will approach humans or houses. That is why it is a good idea to know what different moose behavior means. Signs of moose aggression include laid back ears, raised hairs on the neck, and licking of the snout. Moose have been known to be more aggressive around dogs. Colorado Parks and Wildlife knows of at least 15 moose conflicts since 2013 where people have been severely injured. Dogs were involved in almost all of those conflicts, wildlife officials said. If a moose displays aggressive behavior or begins to run at you, run as fast as you can and try to put a large object between you such as a boulder, car or tree. If at all possible, climb on something taller than the moose, such as a tree. Remember getting a “closer look” or “better shot with the camera” could lead to a life threatening situation when it comes to dealing with Moose. Colorado Parks and Wildlife say they are liable for damage to crops, forage and fences caused by moose. If moose are causing damage, contact your local officer immediately.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
As our children go back to daycare and school in person we have to be extremely vigilant over their hygiene and health. The Delta variant of COVID is known to affect children more than other variants have in the pandemic. There is another illness that has been around even longer than COVID but this year has spiked along with the Delta variant. RSV has spiked this summer way before the usual rise in cases of late fall/ early spring. Symptoms between RSV and COVID can seem similar but Dr. Parth Bhatt says it’s easy for your doctor to test and tell them apart. “We have the specific testing for them, and we can know for sure whether it is COVID or RSV.” The CDC says, “Due to this increased activity, CDC encourages broader testing for RSV among patients presenting with acute respiratory illness who test negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.”
What is RSV?
RSV or Respiratory Syncytial Virus has seen cases spike in the recent months all over the United states. RSV affects the nose, throat, and lungs. When infected, adults only show cold-like symptoms and are generally better in a week or two. “It looks a lot like a regular cold but it tends to have more severe symptoms,” Dr. Laura Stage said. “Really runny, snotty nose, and it causes kids to have difficulty breathing and difficulty keeping their oxygen levels up.” RSV can be extremely dangerous for infants and young children but can infect them easily. Dr. Bhatt said “babies especially under three months of age are at high risk, children who were born premature, all babies less than six months of age they may be at a higher risk of getting RSV and higher risk for hospitalization.” He also says children who have a history of a chronic lung disease, allergies, and eczema could also be at higher risk of contracting RSV. “If your child is breathing fast, your child’s nostrils are flaring and if your child is wheezing, their lips are turning blue, I would call your doctor immediately and seek care,” warned Dr. Bhatt. According to the CDC, “RSV can be associated with severe disease in young children and older adults. Each year in the United States, RSV leads to on average approximately 58,000 hospitalizations with 100-500 deaths among children younger than 5 years old and 177,000 hospitalizations with 14,000 deaths among adults aged 65 years or older.”
Why is RSV Spiking Early?
“We really didn’t see RSV all of last year. Starting in April, it completely disappeared and really did not appear until fairly recently,” said Dr. Camille Sabella. “Right now, it seems to be peaking in July and August, which is really very unusual for this virus.” In July doctors and nurses at IU Health Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis reported treating up to five cases a day. “In July, we started seeing some cases pop up and we were like, ‘That’s kind of unusual.’ And from there it just kind of exploded,” said Dr. Laura Stage. Spikes in RSV were first seen in mostly southern states like Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico. Now, many cases of RSV are being seen in most of the other states as well. The number of cases went down during quarantine but when regulations were relaxed RSV spiked. The CDC has warned, “Due to reduced circulation of RSV during the winter months of 2020- 2021, older infants and toddlers might now be at increased risk of severe RSV-associated illness since they have likely not had typical levels of exposure to RSV during the past 15 months.” RSV spreads through contact, so teaching your child good washing and hygiene habits is important. RSV can live for a long time on objects in your home such as toys and counters. Due to these conditions, RSV can spread through schools and daycare quickly. This is why you should not send your children to daycare or school sick; workers and faculty shouldnt report to work with children if they are feeling sick. The CDC sent out an advisory saying, “This health advisory also serves as a reminder to healthcare personnel, childcare providers, and staff of long-term care facilities to avoid reporting to work while acutely ill – even if they test negative for SARS-CoV-2.” What will the spike in RSV mean for the health of children across America? Will the number of RSV cases continue to grow into the next pandemic?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Health care workers were among the first people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Still, a large number are refusing to get it. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found “29 percent of health workers are vaccine hesitant.” Many people who are vaccine hesitant worry about the effect politics had on making the vaccine and that it is not yet approved by the FDA. Various people in power continue to tell the public to be vaccinated but their staff aren’t vaccinated. They say things like “everyone has to be protected,” and “unvaccinated people are the reason for the recent surge.” If these are the case, why aren’t your employees required to be vaccinated? During a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing Senator Richard Burr asked a panel of public health leaders how many of their workers had been vaccinated. Dr. Faucci and FDA official Dr. Marks say around half of the people on each of their respective staff are vaccinated. The director of the CDC only said employees are encouraged to get vaccinated.
Workers Required to Have the Vaccine
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced people employed by medical facilities would be required to be vaccinated. This made them the first federal agency to make vaccines mandatory, but not the last.The federal government employs an estimated 10 million people. This includes the main government, federal-civilian workforce, contract workers, and grant workers. These people have been told they must get the vaccine by Biden’s administration. Biden even asked the Department of Defense to make the vaccine part of the mandatory shots required for the military, which they did. The president also has asked school districts to hold clinics to vaccinate the children and young adults before the new school year. More and more people are finding themselves required to get a vaccine but the CDC still says to wear a mask indoors, why? The vaccine doesn’t keep you from getting or spreading COVID. What is the point of the vaccine if it doesn’t actually work? A vaccinated White House official, as well as a vaccinated aide for House Speaker Pelosi, tested positive for COVID after attending the same event. Our leaders want us to be vaccinated but half of them won’t get it themselves because it doesn’t work. There are so many cases of people catching and spreading COVID after being vaccinated.
White House Leaders Don’t Have to be Vaccinated
Many people have worried about the Biden administration not telling the whole truth about COVID cases in and around the Whitehouse. “According to an agreement we made during the transition, we committed we would release information proactively,” Psaki said. She added later they would “continue to abide by that commitment.” The biggest question the people have is why do some jobs and schools make it mandatory for us to be vaccinated to be employed or attend but our leaders aren’t held to the same standard? Press secretary Jen Psaki said every White House official has been offered a COVID vaccine but it was not required. “No, we have not mandated it,” Psaki said. Psaki did not say how many White House officials have been vaccinated. Officials hope FDA approval will make people more comfortable with getting the vaccine. Would FDA approval mean more people find themselve required to have the vaccine? These hypotheticals could be reality sooner than later.
The New York Times says the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine could receive full approval from the FDA. Many employers have feared lawsuits when it comes to requiring the vaccine but FDA approval could mean they become confident in pushing the requirements. Google, Netflix, and many other companies have announced that employees must be vaccinated. What happens when smaller and smaller companies require the vaccination and you have to have it in order to be employed?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Oregon Governor Kate Brown privately signed a bill which ends the need for high school students to prove proficiency in math and reading before graduation. Brown did not have a public signing or press release when passing Senate Bill 744 in July. The bill was not added into the state’s legislative database until more than two weeks after being passed. The staffer who was supposed to update the database was experiencing medical issues and the database had technical issues during the 15 day period, according to the Secretary of the Senate’s office. Though, a handful of bills the governor signed into law in July around the same time were updated in the legislative database the same day she signed them and email notifications were sent out immediately to people who signed up to track the bills. Those bills included creating a training program for childcare and preschool providers aimed at reducing suspensions and expulsions of very young children. Why weren’t the new graduation requirements also made public in a timely fashion? This is not the first time amid the pandemic Oregon has made changes to education requirements. Students no longer had to test on a freshman to sophomore level due to Brown’s Stay Home, Save Lives order. Now students don’t have to really learn anything since the standards have been basically erased for the next few classes. What is the purpose of public education if the schools are not teaching the public?
What do Democrats say?
Democrats were mostly in favor of SB 744’s because they believe the current standards are flawed. “SB 744 gives us an opportunity to review our graduation requirements and make sure our assessments can truly assess all students’ learning,” said Charles Boyle, a spokesman for the governor. “In the meantime, it gives Oregon students and the education community a chance to regroup after a year and a half of disruption caused by the pandemic.” The bill suspends the need for test scores or grades for three years. Supporters believe the current standards present an unfair challenge for students who do not test well. Boyle said the new standards for graduation would “aid Oregon’s students of color.” I honestly do not see how no longer caring if students truly get an education is an effective way to aid any students. There are plenty of ways to improve the way we test and make it individual to learning and testing styles without removing the need for, what will essentially be an entire highschool graduating class start to finish, to actually learn and retain knowledge. “The testing that we’ve been doing in the past doesn’t tell us what we want to know,” according to Senator Lew Frederick. “We have been relying on tests that have been, frankly, very flawed and relying too much on them so that we aren’t really helping the students, teachers or the community.” Supporters of SB 744 said the state needed to remove current standards so lawmakers could evaluate what policies and standards to update. New graduation standards are due to the Legislature and Oregon Board of Education by September 2022. Oregon currently does not use any particular test score as a requirement for a diploma. The Department of Education says “students will need to successfully complete the credit requirements, demonstrate proficiency in the Essential Skills, and meet the personalized learning requirements.” So during this transition period what would be considered “proficiency in the essential skills?” Especially since the requirements to be at a freshman to sophomore level are no longer in play, what is being considered as proficient?
What do Republicans say?
Republicans have worried about SB 744 lowering academic standards. “I worry that by adopting this bill, we’re giving up on our kids,” House Republican Leader Christine Drazan said on June 14. The bill had some bipartisan support with a small number of republicans voting in favor of passage. Many republicans are angry over SB 744. Most of the courses that teach children to master their skill level of math and reading have been discontinued since the skills requirement was paused during the pandemic. Now lawmakers are killing the requirement entirely. Republicans have come out against SB 744 and claim that it lowers “expectations for our kids.” Oregon education officials have made it clear they won’t “impose” new graduation requirements on students already in high school. New requirements would not take effect until the class of 2027. That means as many as five classes of future adults in America could graduate from a public highschool without needing to actually learn math and writing. Many of the democrats who support SB 744 claim to dislike graduation requirements because of standardized tests. This seems odd for Oregon, since students had the option to demonstrate their ability to use English and do math with five different tests. Students could also complete a classroom project judged by their teachers. How will we know if the children in the transition learned anything? Having the perfect teachers will be so important in this new environment for students to actually learn, even then will teachers be able to help every single student? How can Democrats ensure every single student in the transition will get a quality education?
Many teachers have recently left the field and countless others across the country have considered it due to the way the education system is currently structured. No one disagrees that there are changes to be made in order to have successful students and teachers. The question is, why is it okay to possibly leave up to five classes behind in order to fix the issues? No child in America should be subject to a disservice like that. Teachers used to tell me coming through school, knowledge is power, and they were right.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Due to the 70% uptick in COVID cases last month, the CDC has issued new public health guidance concerning masks. Now, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Fauci are “urging” people, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated to wear masks. This comes in sharp contrast to the recent policies of reopening and trying to get back to normal. Two states in particular Biden has an eye on forcing to conform to the new policies are Texas and Florida. In both states, the governors have signed laws prohibiting mask mandates. These laws essentially mean that fully vaccinated people cannot be forced to wear a mask.
Biden is currently trying to get rid of the mask mandate ban that DeSantis (FL) and Abbott (TX) have signed. He is currently unsure of whether he has the power to do so. He is unsure about a lot of things. Considering that federal law supersedes state law, it may be possible, unfortunately.
Personally, I see the ban on mask mandates as a sign of progress. The vaccine has been around. In Texas about 45% of the population is fully vaccinated and 49.7% are fully vaccinated in Florida, though, generally, everyone who wanted to get the vaccine has had ample opportunity to do so by now. It seems ridiculous to require people who have been vaccinated to wear masks. In part, it takes the incentive to get the vaccine away. It also acts as a symbol. When will COVID end? When will all the restrictions go away? Are there new restrictions coming?
There is also a psychological toll that the mask evokes. People, as I have noticed since the ban on mask mandates, are less afraid of others. More and more go out and people are friendlier to each other. It is not the mask itself that can cause so much discomfort as the constant feeling of fear that it brings. Saying you need to wear a mask even if vaccinated is like saying, “Sorry, your vaccine didn’t work.”
“Red Herring”
Forbes calls it a “red herring – a distraction from the far more relevant question of how to end the pandemic.”
The uptick in cases is largely due to the delta variant, which the current vaccine appears to protect against. Yale Medicine claims that “vaccination is the best protection against delta.” The Kaiser Family Foundation also claims that “more than 9 in 10 COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have occurred among people who are unvaccinated or not yet fully vaccinated.”
The real way to win the game of COVID is for a herd immunity to be established or to let the last transmissible remnants of the virus die. The latter may be very difficult to achieve, if not somewhat impossible. There is hope, though. Ebola came and went in this country. No one hears about it anymore.
Obama’s 60th Birthday Bash
Either way, the people at the top do not really believe in the mask mandate. At Obama’s 60th birthday party, no masks were required. There were about 300-350 people, many of whom were celebrities. It took place at Martha’s Vineyard, which is a COVID hotspot. In hotspots, the CDC requires masks (even if vaccinated), people not to have large gatherings, and everyone to socially distance. Fauci never said anything against Obama’s party.
It is quite a display of hypocrisy. Fauci, on the other hand, warned about the “superspreader event” that might take place due to a motorcycle rally in Sturgis, SD. He heavily implied that this was a MAGA crowd, though it was just a motorcycle rally, not inherently partisan.
“A Sophisticated, Vaccinated Crowd”
Then on Monday, a New York Times reporter went on CNN and quoted a Vineyard resident as saying the Obamas were fine because they invited “a sophisticated, vaccinated crowd.”
So basically, an outdoor motorcycle event is worse than an indoor party where no one was wearing a mask. It is fine if one group of people does something but not another. Republicans are portrayed by Democratic elites as ignorant, uneducated people who are all against being vaccinated and wearing masks, while Democrats are all cautious, sophisticated people who vaccinate, wear masks, and socially distance. No one really even knows who was or was not vaccinated in Obama’s party. The elites get to stay at the top and do whatever they want.
But overall, why should Obama and his guests get to party without masks on when now even vaccinated people are forced to wear masks? Why is Obama a hero?
Written by: Miranda Smith
Former Olympic athlete and U.S. Air Force veteran, Eli Bremer, has announced he is launching a Republican Senate campaign in Colorado for the 2022 midterm elections. Bremer, 43, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served 14 years as an officer. Bremer was on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for seven years then transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in September 2007 before transitioning back to Air Force Active Reserve in March 2008. Also in March 2008, Bremer was selected as a regional finalist for the prestigious White House Fellows Program for 2008-2009. He went on to represent the U.S. in modern pentathlon in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also serves on a congressional committee studying reforms to the U.S. Olympic system. Bremer has never run for public office but was the El Paso County GOP chairman from 2011-2013. His father was a county commissioner. His uncle, Paul Bremer, was a presidential envoy to Iraq. A lifelong Republican, Bremer supported and worked on Trump’s successful 2016 campaign for the White House. Bremer, who lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and 6-year-old son, said he “had the chance to travel the globe, and that gave me a profound appreciation for what we have here in America.”
What Does Bremer Say About Running?
“Having twice worn the uniform of our nation, in the military and in the Olympics, I am concerned that the country I have represented is being sold out by self-interested politicians,” Bremer said in a statement. Bremer said “as the next U.S. Senator from Colorado, I will work for pragmatic solutions that positively impact Colorado and America. I’m watching right now as our nation is sort of falling apart and saying, ‘I can’t sit on the sidelines anymore,’” Bremer took aim at current Governor Michael Bennet, saying “in 12 years, he has authored one piece of legislation that has been signed into law. One.” Michael Bennet was Denver public schools superintendent when he was appointed to the Senate in 2009. He narrowly won a full six-year term in 2010 and was reelected in 2016 by nearly six points. Bremer predicted that “people here are living every day seeing the consequence of failed Democratic policies and there will be a backlash, and running a good campaign with a candidate who brings commonsense traditional Colorado values to the table, we have a chance to do something special and win that Senate seat.” While Colorado has been leaning left in recent years, Republicans hope to turn that around with the 2022 midterm elections. They currently see Colorado just behind Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire and Nevada, the GOP’s top four states that can make or break elections.
Eli Bremer kicked off his campaign with an online ad holding a sign of Bennet’s face with the words “MISSING” and “HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN.” Bremer claims Bennet “spends more time at cocktail parties in D.C.” or “talking with voters in New Hampshire” than in Colorado. This is not the first time Bremer has come for part of the Democratic party. “We’re already seeing high inflation, that’s being caused by the single-party (Democratic) control in Washington, D.C.,” Bremer said in an interview. “They’re pumping trillions of dollars of liquidity into the system through deficit spending and that’s very dangerous.” Bremer was asked whether he’d support the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package Democrats are currently pushing. He noted that “we do need to invest in broadband across America, we do need to invest in roads and bridges” but added “I’m deeply concerned about the massive amount of money that we’re pumping into the economy.” He is not the only Republican to raise questions about the bill and the spending, which will come with it. Will these be the types of issues Bremer will tackle if he is voted in as Senator? Will Bremer be able to finally sway Colorado back to the right side of the line?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
As most school students recover from a hot summer by going back to school, another hot topic in the midst of our classrooms this fall is the new delta variant of the Covid-19. With the delta variant in most of the United States, many school districts are reenacting face mask orders, making them mandatory in schools.
Disagreements
With these face mask orders being put back into place, many parents are quite upset about their children having to re-mask. A lot of them claim that it is not good for their children mentally and it is psychologically damaging to their children. Some parents even claim that re-masking hinders the learning process.
The Heat Is On
Currently in Florida, at least four school districts are imposing mandatory mask orders despite Governor Ron Desantis’ executive orders allowing parents to ignore school mask mandates. Immediately after the governor’s executive order was announced, two school districts in the state of Florida reversed their plans requiring students to wear masks. The Florida Board Of Education is expected to meet soon to consider emergency rules for the upcoming school year.
Very Necessary
Most school systems across the United States already have re-masking orders in place, The U.S. department of health recommends that students in schools continue to re-mask, because, many of them due to their ages are not currently eligible for the vaccine. Also, with the delta variant strain of Covid-19, school children are the affected the most.
Higher Learning
With the mask mandate orders for schools put back into place, many of the colleges and universities are reinstating their mask orders as well, for all students and faculty members
Zoom In
With some parents being upset and disgraced over many school districts reinforcing mask mandate orders for schools across the United States, many parents are choosing to place their children in Virtual Online Schools. Many of these virtual schools have seen their enrollment doubled so far this school year, which in some of the United States, the schools have not yet opened back up yet from summer break.
Other Alternatives
Private school enrollment has also doubled due to concerned parents worrying about the re-masking of their students. For Many Parents it’s a mixed bag of mixed reactions. A Mix that all parents are hoping will be sorted out real soon as everyone does their part to once again Stop The Spread
Written by: Gary Taylor
There are three different types of plague. The most common type we learn about in history class is the Bubonic plague or “black death.” The bubonic plague was named the black death because, once affected, the lymph nodes become black and swollen. The three variants “plagued” Europe for over 500 years. That is probably where we get the use of plagued to mean something awful that recurs over a long period of time. Many scientists believed the plague is spread through rodents until we learned their fleas are the real culprits. The fleas bite infected rats and jump to humans, then in the same way a mosquito gives you malaria, an infected flea could give you the plague. “It sucked me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be” poet John Donne wrote in the 17th century. He never got to see that he was indeed on the verge of a medical breakthrough, if only he knew about microbes and bacteria. Mortality rates for the plague when it first ravaged Europe were close to 100 percent, now with modern medicine that number is closer to 11, if treatment is sought promptly. That doesn’t make the sudden outbreak of Bubonic Plague in rodents at Lake Tahoe any less scary. Last year, a resident of the same area in South Lake Tahoe tested positive for plague. Before him, two people believed to have contracted it in Yosemite National Park. Last month, a 10-year-old girl died after contracting the plague in Colorado, but experts don’t know where she picked it up. “Medical and health professionals are trying to track down where she contracted the disease,” A local public health official from La Plata County told Durango Herald. “At this time, that is still unknown.”
How did the Rodents get the Plague?
Chipmunks in the South Lake Tahoe area tested positive for plague. This outbreak caused officials to close Kiva Beach and the Taylor Creek Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe through Friday, August 6. It is unlikely the chipmunks had any direct interactions with people, according to the park. No statement has been made regarding the possibility of infected fleas or people. The bacterium that causes plague, Yersinia pestis, grows naturally in some parts of California, according to the California Department of Health. “Bubonic plague is naturally occurring in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and this region,” said Lisa Herron, a public affairs specialist for the agency’s Lake Tahoe basin management unit, which runs the closed facilities. “It’s something that visitors need to take precautions about, but it’s not something that they need to worry about.” She told the public that keeping pets at home, or at least on leash and away from rodent burrows, is a good way to keep out of the plague’s reach. “It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking or camping in areas where wild rodents are present,” Dr Nancy Williams, the local public health officer, said in a 2020 statement following a man being diagnosed with the bubonic plague. “Human cases of plague are extremely rare but can be very serious.”
Domestic animals can contract plague and transfer it to humans. Dogs rarely become ill, but cats can suffer a severe illness. A cat with plague will become very ill, stop eating and will have a fever. Swollen lymph nodes occur in the neck area. If a cat develops plague pneumonia, it can infect humans by coughing or sneezing. It is important to contact a veterinarian right away if you have been to an area where plague is common and your pet is showing symptoms. Stay away from chipmunks, squirrels or any other wild rodents and report any that are acting strange or lethargic to rangers immediately. El Dorado county vector control will be dusting the burrows with a powder, according to officials. The powder will basically be giving the forest a flea bath then there will be another round of trapping and testing. Officials hope the visitor sites can be opened by this weekend.
What if I believe I have the Plague?
The plague is commonly found in the western United States. Colorado, California, New Mexico, Oregon, and Arizona are where the plague is mostly found and contracted. Plague loves places that are rural with a high traffic volume, low sanitation, and large rodent populations. Take precautions, such as wearing proper clothing and insect repellent to deter fleas, when hiking in affected areas. Wear gloves when handling dead wild animals in areas where the plague could be common. The Plague’s usual incubation period is 2 to 6 days and curable when diagnosed early. Make sure to tell your doctor everywhere you have been so they can figure out if you have any of the three types of plague. Bubonic Plague is the most common plague and is usually where the illness begins.
(CDC) Bubonic plague: Patients develop sudden onset of fever, headache, chills, and weakness and one or more swollen, tender and painful lymph nodes (called buboes). This form usually results from the bite of an infected flea. The bacteria multiply in the lymph node closest to where the bacteria entered the human body. If the patient is not treated with the appropriate antibiotics, the bacteria can spread to other parts of the body.
If it is not treated in time, bubonic plague can progress to septicemic plague or pneumonic plague.
(CDC) Septicemic plague: Patients develop fever, chills, extreme weakness, abdominal pain, shock, and possibly bleeding into the skin and other organs. Skin and other tissues may turn black and die, especially on fingers, toes, and the nose. Septicemic plague can occur as the first symptom of plague, or may develop from untreated bubonic plague. This form results from bites of infected fleas or from handling an infected animal.
Pneumonic plague affects the lungs. It’s the least common variety of plague but the most dangerous. Signs and symptoms can begin within a few hours after initial infection. Catching Pneumonic Plague is rare, generally it develops as a complication of untreated Bubonic Plague, but if transmitted from person to person, it develops quicker than any other plague
(CDC) Pneumonic plague: Patients develop fever, headache, weakness, and a rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and sometimes bloody or watery mucus. Pneumonic plague may develop from inhaling infectious droplets or may develop from untreated bubonic or septicemic plague after the bacteria spread to the lungs. The pneumonia may cause respiratory failure and shock. Pneumonic plague is the most serious form of the disease and is the only form of plague that can be spread from person to person through infectious cough droplets.
Plague is a serious illness. If you are experiencing symptoms like those listed here, seek immediate medical attention. Prompt treatment with the correct medications is critical to prevent complications. According to Mayo Clinic complications of plague may include:
Gangrene. Blood clots in the tiny blood vessels of your fingers and toes can disrupt blood flow and cause that tissue to die. The portions of your fingers and toes that have died may need to be removed (amputated).
Meningitis. plague may cause inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain and spinal cord.
Death. Most people who receive prompt antibiotic treatment survive bubonic plague. Untreated plague has a high fatality rate.
Keep yourself safe while camping and hiking. Make sure to leave your pets at home when traveling to affected areas, or if they must come they should have flea medications already working. Experts say flea collars don’t work quick enough to deter plague ridden fleas from your pets. During the time plague ran rampant we did not know much about hygiene and the way disease spread, now we have the knowledge to keep ourselves safe if we decide to use it. Keep areas clean as possible while camping and take precautions against rodents, or other wild animals that may carry fleas. If you develop plague symptoms after visiting a possibly affected area please seek prompt medical care.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
On the morning of January 12, 1979 the lives of a Colorado Springs family were changed forever. Yvonne Elaine Sisneros and her two children, Carlos Ray and Benjamin Lawrence, were brutally murdered in their home. Yvonne was three months Pregnant at the time of her death. Carlos was four and Benjamin was two. The children were found in the two bedrooms of the home, Yvonne was found in the bathroom. This happened while their husband and father, Ben Sisneros, worked at Butts Army Airfield as an Army Air Traffic Controller. At first investigators believed Ben was their prime suspect. Was the five minutes between Ben arriving home and calling 911 enough time to kill his family? Famous investigator Joe Kenda was assigned to the case and said the scene “took your breath away emotionally.” How could someone be such a monster to a woman and her innocent children? The father of two says he came home and found his front door unlocked and his family dead but there were no signs of forced entry or struggle. Did Yvonne know her killer and let him in? An anonymous tip led investigators to a 28 year old home improvement worker. Could he have been responsible? Will the culprit ever be convicted? Find out why this case remains unsolved by listening to Momma Kirby’s Murder Mysteries.
Yvonne was everyone’s favorite server at Shakey’s Pizza Parlor and a graduate of Pueblo Central Highschool. The family lived on the floor above their babysitter, who stopped by that morning wondering why the boys had not been dropped off as usual. She said she heard banging in the apartment but n one answered the door. Did she hear the crime occurring, could she also have been in danger during those moments she was knocking? This was essentially a small town family who was targeted for a horrible random act of violence. This crime remains unsolved but did the universe already catch up to the killer? If Ben didn’t do it, this was an act that looked as if it were at least partially planned. Someone who knew the family’s schedule and was close enough to the family it didn’t seem suspicious for them to be there. Evidence says Yvonne was alive before she went in the bathroom, what happened in there? How were they able to get so close to the family?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Gun violence is on the rise in Colorado, authorities have reported six separate shootings from early morning Sunday August 1, to the early hours of Monday August 2, 2021. Four of these shootings occured in Denver. The other two shootings were in the outer metro area. In the first six months of 2021, 43 people’s lives were claimed killed in Denver homicides alone. 39 people were killed in Denver in the same period of 2020. 83 people were wounded in shootings in Denver between January 1 and June 12, 2021. 75 people were shot and injured in the same period of 2020. By the end of 2020, 305 people had been shot, which was a 51% increase from 2019. With shootings and gun violence on the rise, Denver police have established a new two-person team which will be cracking down on violent offenders. Teaming up with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and local and federal prosecutors plan to bring heavy penalties, and in some cases even federal charges, against people convicted of felonies who illegally carry guns. The move comes as the state of Colorado is experiencing an extremely violent summer which is on pace to exceed the bloodshed of 2020.
Gun Violences Erupts Over the Weekend
Denver police said the first shooting happened around 12 a.m. Sunday, August 1, closing down a lane of traffic in the area of South Federal Boulevard and West Iliff Avenue. One person was injured. Then, around 4 a.m. police say a shooting occurred in the 1700 block of West Mississippi Avenue. One woman and two girls were injured in the shooting. In Aurora, police continue to investigate a shooting, which occurred around 5:30 p.m. Sunday at 19th Avenue and Clinton Street. Authorities do not have anyone in custody and they’re asking for anyone with info to reach out; one man underwent surgery for his injuries. You can contact Aurora police with any info you may have here.
Another two other shootings occurred Sunday around 9 p.m.. One of the shootings occured in the Clayton neighborhood of Denver. One man was taken to the hospital after being shot in the 3600 Block of North Elizabeth Street. Then in Jefferson County, one man suffered an injury after being shot in the 3500 block of South Depew Street. Shortly before 3 a.m. on Monday, shots were fired at the downtown intersection of Speer Boulevard and Larimer Street. One person was taken to the hospital with non-fatal injuries while police shut down a few area streets to investigate. These types of crimes will be what the new team, created by Denver police, will investigate.
How Will The New Team Work?
The new inter-agency team will focus on the geographic “hot spots” in the city. The “hotspots” are five parts of the city that make up 2% of Denver’s landmass but that 2% is responsible for 26% of homicides and 49% of shootings. “The reality is we were seeing a rise in violent crime before the pandemic and the pandemic exacerbated what we were seeing and continue to see even today,” Mayor Michael Hancock said during a news conference. “The scholars, the academics, they talk about ‘hotspots’ and ‘hot people,” Denver police Chief Paul Pazen said. “This gives us an opportunity to focus on those ‘hot people.’” Pazen said the new team will respond to shootings to assist officers with building gun violence cases from the beginning of an investigation. The team will also review cases that involve a felon in possession of a gun to see whether they should be prosecuted locally or at the federal level. Pazen said an offender’s criminal history and background will factor heavily into the decision of how to charge. Pazen said Denver police have seized 1,170 guns so far in 2021 and have made 415 arrests of people illegally carrying guns, which is up 48% from the past three years. “It’s no secret that violent crime is on the rise, gun-related crime is on the rise in our city,” he said. “We cannot become numb to this gun violence, we cannot normalize this gun violence. The status quo is not acceptable.”
Matt Kirsch, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Colorado, said the team will use a mix of things to identify the criminals who are the “worst of the worst.” “This strategy uses data from police reports, from gunshot detection technology, from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network… to focus law enforcement’s efforts on criminals who are most likely to be possessing and using guns. What the new effort today adds to that is data about where the most violent crimes are occurring, as well as other on-the-ground intelligence from DPD officers and the additional investigative efforts to develop those federal cases. We are not going to hesitate to vigorously pursue those charges,” Kirsch said at a news conference, Wednesday. As officials at Denver police headquarters spoke to unveil the new anti-gun violence initiative, the federal courthouse downtown was forced to lock down because of a shooting outside. No one was hurt, but police said at least one pedestrian exchanged gunfire with a person in a vehicle. One person was arrested. This almost seems staged to make the point of the conference but just shows us how important the work of the new team is. Dangerous criminals walk the streets everyday and innocent people suffer for it. Shootings are not caused by guns, they are caused by the people carrying them. If people were able to use guns responsibly we would not have so many gun control issues and people ready to take the right to bear arms away. The new team will hopefully take guns out of the wrong and irresponsible people’s hands before they ruin the right to bear arms for the rest of us. If you own a firearm remember it is a weapon of maximum force to use only for self defense, not a way to force your point across in an argument or solve day to day issues.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Colorado’s law regarding the prohibition of possessing a firearm if you are a felon had changes made through Senate Bill 271, which had bipartisan support. The 304 page Bill changed in the wake of a mass shooting at a Boulder King Soopers. The bill has been passed banning people convicted of certain misdemeanor crimes from purchasing a firearm for at least five years. House Bill 1298 was presented as a way to keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous criminals and people who are generally unstable. The believed King Soopers gunman was convicted of third-degree assault a few years before the mass shooting. Assault is one of the misdemeanors that now has the ability to keep a person from purchasing a firearm. The legislature also loosened prohibition of firearms possessed by felons. These measures are being enacted despite Denver and Aurora having seen record breaking levels of violent crime related to firearms. In 2020, Denver had 95 homicides, 50% more than in 2019 and the highest number in three decades. This year is looking even worse. Aurora saw a more than a 45% jump in firearm-related homicides from 2019 to 2020. 2021 is not on a better pace since there were more non-fatal shootings in Aurora during the first half of 2021 than in 2019.
What changes Will the Legislature Make?
Senate Bill 271 was supposed to reform Colorado’s criminal code related to misdemeanors. Only Felons convicted of a crime that falls under the Victims Rights Act, murder, robbery and felony assault, for instance, are still prohibited from possessing a firearm. This means many dangerous criminals will now be allowed to own firearms legally, including those convicted of drug dealing, organized crime, burglary, arson, car theft, treason, sedition, anarchy, and inciting a riot. Senate Bill 271 raised being a felon in possession of a firearm from a Class 6 felony to a Class 5 felony; The maximum penalty for those who violate the law has increased to three years in prison from 18 months. Offenders may no longer receive probation if they produce a weapon while committing a crime. No matter what felony is committed, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm continues to be illegal under federal law, carrying a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Federal prosecutors often reserve charges for people suspected of many other crimes or who have known gang affiliations. No matter the crime, felons in Colorado could still be potentially kept from purchasing a firearm in stores since they wont pass a federal background check. Will they be able to own a firearm but not purchase one? The Colorado Bureau of Investigation handles background checks for firearms in Colorado. They are trying to determine if the change would actually let people convicted of felonies to purchase a firearm or just simply own one.
Tristan Gorman, legislative policy coordinator for the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, worked on Senate Bill 271. “I think that it’s a statute that has long been in need of reform,” Gorman said, arguing that it’s too broad. The changes are needed for the justice system, but allowing some felons to legally possess a firearm creates conflict in the state’s criminal code. Someone convicted of felony animal abuse is now able to possess a gun under Senate Bill 271, but because of House Bill 1298, someone convicted of misdemeanor animal abuse would not be able to purchase a weapon for five years after their conviction. Organized crime offenders will be allowed to own weapons but someone defending their significant other from an unwanted stranger touching them inappropriately in public will be forced to give up gun ownership for up to five years. While many of the misdemeanor charges do warrant removing the right to own a firearm from a person, the field should be level for all offenders seemingly big or small. House Bill 1298 placed the five-year purchasing restriction on people convicted of the following misdemeanors:
Third-degree assault, Sexual assault, Unlawful sexual contact, Child abuse, Violation of a protection order, A crime against an at-risk person, Harassment, A bias-motivated crime, Possession of an illegal weapon, Unlawfully providing a firearm other than a handgun to a juvenile
Colorado Punishes Law-abiding Gun Owners
House Bill 1298 does not prohibit people from continuing to possess firearms they owned before they were convicted of a misdemeanor that temporarily blocks them from purchasing a gun. Does this mean people would not receive consequences if they have a previously purchased firearm in their possession even though they are banned? It is unclear if Moms Demand Action, Everytown, Giffords and other groups, who are generally leading the changes of laws impacting lawful gun owners, consulted on the bills which will help firearms into the hands of those convicted of dangerous crimes. Colorado placed restrictions on legal firearm owners earlier this year despite the sudden leniency we are all now seeing.
In April, Colorado passed two bills criminalizing not storing firearms properly inside your own home. The punishments include the possibility of jail time. Storing firearms properly is important but so is informing members of your household (you and old) all about firearm safety. The other bill criminalizes victims of burglary and theft who fail to report their firearms were stolen. Once again lawmakers say law-abiding firearm owners cannot be trusted to safely exercise Second Amendment rights. Yet a criminal who has been convicted of multiple serious felonies is told by the same politicians they can be trusted despite the obvious disregard for the laws. Why is this country rewarding the rule breakers? We are giving weapons to dangerous criminals… then what? The leaders sit back bewildered when the snake they let loose inevitably bites them? The leaders of Colorado are setting the state up for disaster. Crime in general will skyrocket and violent crime, even more so. How can we trust our country is a safe place to be when our leaders literally are being enablers to very dangerous people.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Britney Spears has been anything but silent on social media regarding her family and the conservatorships she is currently held under. The posts were thought to be reactions to her family attempting to publicly post support for Britney after the years of abuse she claims they were involved in. Britney also told her fans she will not be performing on a stage anytime soon; the only performing the queen of pop will be doing is from her living room on social media. Britney Spears says she’s tired of being told what to wear and how to act, which the personal and financial conservatorships she is fighting currently control. There have been recent advances in the battle to #FreeBritney from the conservatorships.
What did Britney say on social media?
Many people believe Britney’s posts are a reaction to the public support her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, gave after Britney went public at the end of June and told the world about the horrible abuse she faces daily. Britney took to Instagram to say: “There’s nothing worse than when the people closest to you who never showed up for you post things in regard to your situation whatever it may be and speak righteously for support, There’s nothing worse than that !!!! How dare the people you love the most say anything at all … did they even put a hand out to even lift me up at the TIME !!!??? How dare you make it public that NOW you CARE … did you put your hand out when I was drowning ???? Again … NO … so if you’re reading this and you know who you are … and you actually have the nerve to say anything about my situation just to save face for yourself publicly !!! If you’re gonna post something …. Please stop with the righteous approach when you’re so far from righteous it’s not even funny … and have a good day !!!!! PS if you’re reading this today and you can relate …. I’m sorry because I know what it’s like … and I send you my love 💋💋💋 !!!!” Not too long after, Britney seemed to confirm the followers of the #FreeBritney movement’s suspicions. Many believed the posts may be directed at the family in general, but a lot say they were mainly directed at Britney’s sister, Jamie Lynn. Britney Spears also posted saying she was done performing for now and did not want her sister performing her songs before telling the world to read a book.
“For those of you who choose to criticize my dancing videos … look I’m not gonna be performing on any stages anytime soon with my dad handling what I wear, say, do, or think 🚫🙅🏼♀️🚫!!!! I’ve done that for the past 13 years … I’d much rather share videos YES from my living room instead of onstage in Vegas where some people were so far gone they couldn’t even shake my hand and I ended up getting a contact high from weed all the time … which I didn’t mind but it would have been nice to be able to go to the mother f****** spa 💆🏼♀️🤭🧖🏼♀️ !!!! And no I’m not gonna put on heavy makeup and try try try on stage again and not be able to do the real deal with remixes of my songs for years and begging to put my new music in my show for MY fans … so I quit !!!! I don’t like that my sister showed up at an awards show and performed MY SONGS to remixes !!!!! My so-called support system hurt me deeply !!!! This conservatorship killed my dreams … so all I have is hope and hope is the only thing in this world that is very hard to kill … yet people still try !!!! I didn’t like the way the documentaries bring up humiliating moments from the past … I’m way past all that and have been for a long time !!!! And for women who say it’s weird the way I still have hope for fairy tales … go f*** yourself !!!!! As I said … hope is all I have right now … you’re lucky I post anything at all … if you don’t like what you see, unfollow me !!! People try to kill hope because hope is one of the most vulnerable and fragile things there is !!!! I’m gonna go read a mother f****** fairy tale now !!!! Psss if you don’t want to see my precious a** dancing in my living room or it’s not up to your standards … go read a f****** book 📕 !!!!!” After those two posts the estranged sisters resorted to the public display of indirect fighting seen below. The two sisters seem to be engaged in an indirect social media battle. Britney is also in another battle as well, fighting to end her oppressive conservatorship and has recently been given a win.
What happened recently in Britney’s conservatorship battle?
In the recent battles against the conservatorship, Judge Penny permitted Britney Spears to appoint her own lawyer, Mathew S. Rosengart, who was a former federal prosecutor. (which she celebrated by doing cartwheels on social media.) Britney told the Los Angeles court she wanted her father to be charged with conservatorship abuse. “I want to press charges against my father today. I want an investigation into my dad,” she said “I’m angry and I will go there.”
Alexander Ripps, conservatorship attorney at Bohm Wildish & Matsen in California, said Britney Spears appointing her own counsel was a welcome development. “I think Judge Penny allowing Britney to retain her own counsel is a welcome development, and frankly I would have been surprised if the request was rejected. I’ve long believed Britney’s conservatorship stemmed from her susceptibility to undue influence, rather than her lack of ability to function,” Ripps said. “Her obvious ability to function is what has largely driven the public outcry. Of course that doesn’t mean Britney doesn’t have problems, but it’s important to remember that a conservatorship is meant to be a last resort only if there are no less restrictive alternatives.” Britney Spears also told the judge she wants to have her father Jamie Spears charged with conservatorship abuse. “I’m here to get rid of my dad and charge him with conservatorship abuse,” Britney Spears told Judge Penny, adding that she is “extremely scared” of her father and “this conservatorship has allowed my dad to ruin my life. I am not perfect, but their goal was to make me feel crazy, and I’m not and that’s not OK.” Britney’s father’s lawyer, Vivian Thoreen, responded after the singer’s latest testimony, claiming “Many of Britney’s characterizations and memories are just incorrect.” She also said Britney has a “lack of understanding and lack of recollection.”
This is definitely not the case. Britney Spears definitely endured abuse at the hand of her conservators. She has made that clear for years and it is time to stop believing everyone but Britney about Britney. This is made even more apparent by her ex-husband, Jason Alexander, and the statements he made publicly about the way their relationship ended. Jason Alexander was married to Britney Spears for just 55 hours before they got an annulment, he was under the impression they may be able to get back together eventually in the future. “They told me if I would sign the contracts – the annulment – they would let me and Britney continue our relationship, and if we felt the same way in six months they would give us a proper marriage. So I had no reason to believe otherwise. I thought that’s what the truth was. They were allowing Britney and I to still have phone communication. So we were talking every day and I still believed the story I was told, that they were going to let us continue to talk and then we would have this marriage, right, in the future if we felt the same way.” Jason tried to make contact with Britney after 30 days but the line had been disconnected. “Literally the day after the 30 days was up, I remember trying to call the number I had for Britney and it was like, ‘Beep, beep, beep [like it had been disconnected]’. I’m like, ‘F*** they got me! Motherf******!’ So that was it.”There are too many instances like these where witnesses who see the way Britney is dealt with in the conservatorship, believe the arrangement is wrong and abusive. The whole idea of conservatorships is absolutely ridiculous. There is so much legal theft and burglary happening due to conservatorships. There are a lot of people like Britney who deal with their daily lives being controlled down to the tiniest details. Their money is being spent to fund other people who don’t see a person as a person, they see them as a walking piggy bank. Britney Spears is not a walking piggy bank and neither is any other person enduring conservatorship abuse. I would love to see Britney become free and be the first domino to fall in a long, long line of shredding apart the abusive conservatorships. For more about Britney Spears, read her 2001 book, A Mother’s Gift. The fiction novel follows Holly Faye Lovell, a 14-year-old girl from the small town of Biscay, Mississippi, who has dreams of becoming a singer. The story is a mirror of Britney’s life with details exaggerated. Holly becomes the youngest student ever to win a scholarship to the prestigious Haverty School of Music. It is a quick and entertaining read.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Heavy rain has been moving across southwestern Colorado over the last few days leading to flash flood warnings in areas that have seen little precipitation the past few months. Tuesday, Crews had to rescue a hiker from Imogene Pass as well as others from other areas of the state. One person died and two others are missing after a flash flood during a rafting trip in a Colorado canyon, according to an email from Larimer County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jered Kramer. Flash floods and mudslides are very dangerous and can cause widespread damage to both people and property. This is why evacuations are ordered by officials when the conditions are right for dangerous mudslides and flash floods.
Evacuations due to Flash Floods
Emergency evacuations were issued for parts of Larimer county and Poudre Canyon, west of Fort Collins because of flash floods. The National Weather Service in Grand Junction issued flash flood warnings for parts of Dolores, San Juan, Ouray and San Miguel counties Tuesday, the Telluride area was already flooding. The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office said mudslides were also occurring in the Telluride area. A flash flood warning was issued for the area near the Cameron Peak Fire burn scar, including the Chambers Lake Campground area.
There are currently (7-21-21) mandatory evacuations in place following a wave of flooding and debris in the Poudre River. Mandatory evacuation orders are in place in the area of Highway 14 from Rustic to Ted’s Place at Highway 287. An evacuation site is being set up by the Red Cross at Cache La Poudre Middle School at 3515 W County Road 54G. The electric co-op, Poudre Valley REA, tweeted that mudslides took down power lines, and bridges were out, making damage assessment difficult.
Burn Scars Prone to Flooding
Radar estimates up to an inch of rain may have fallen on the Cameron Peak Fire burn scar in Larimer County on Tuesday, according to Bob Kleyla, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The fire last year was the largest in Colorado history and burned more than 208,000 acres. Areas burned by wildfire are prone to mudslides because the soil no longer absorbs precipitation, so it runs downhill due to the lack of vegetation to absorb moisture. The National Weather Service in Boulder issued a small stream flood advisory for central Grand County and the East Troublesome burn scar area. A flash flood watch was issued for the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar. The area has seen several mudslides and closures of Interstate 70 over the past few weeks.
Numerous mudslides from the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar overtook a section of interstate 70, Tuesday. The Grizzly Creek burn scar is located right near the highway, as a result, flash floods and mudslides are common dangerously close to the interstate. The highway was closed in both directions through Glenwood Canyon. The threat of flash flooding prompted the Colorado Department of Transportation to close the troublesome part of the interstate. If detouring, Colorado Department of Transportation asked motorists to use the northern alternate route, which adds an extra 2.5 hours of travel time. Highway 145 Spur east of Telluride was also shut down Tuesday. Both, Black Bear Pass and Bridal Veil Road were closed as well, according to the sheriff’s office. The highways are closed when conditions are not safe and you should not attempt to drive on closed highways even if you THINK you have experience driving in bad weather.
Just after 6 p.m Tuesday, 1 to 2 inches of rain had dropped north of Telluride, and flash flooding was expected to continue for “another couple hours,” the National Weather Service said. The sheriff’s office said search and rescue crews had to rescue a vehicle on Black Bear Pass that needed help. The sheriff said the people in the car, who were not equipped for any weather emergencies, were driving on dangerous passes with little or no experience. The search and rescue mission was successful and everybody was safe as of 7 p.m. The outcome could have gone different for the people in the car or the rescue crews. Our heroes are heroes but are also human and the conditions are dangerous for everyone. Please try to avoid areas where flash flooding is possible and evacuate when you are asked, in order to keep the people on Colorado’s search and rescue teams safe to search another day. Check your local National Weather Service and Department of Transportation for up to date road closures and weather conditions. When the weather is bad, stay home if you can and stay safe.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
An animal control officer in Montrose County, Colorado ended up in a slow-speed chase when he was called to capture a wallaby. The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office said Animal Control Sgt. Chuck Searcy responded Thursday, July 9, 2021 to a call from a member of the public, who initially misidentified the wallaby as a kangaroo, hopping loose on Jay Jay Road.
Searcy, who was joined at the scene by the caller and a Colorado State Patrol trooper, said he ended up chasing the Australian marsupial for about 45 minutes. “I just looked for anything hoppy down the road,” Searcy said Friday morning, although at the time he wasn’t entirely certain what a wallaby looked like. The caller was on hand when Searcy arrived, and pointed out the straying marsupial. Plus, he showed Searcy a picture “to make sure I knew they weren’t crazy.”
The callers said they were convinced the responding officer believed he had, “showed up to a drug call. I don’t blame him. I showed him the pictures we took, still a bit apprehensive he began to look around with us. Then, [the] State Patrol shows up, also anticipating some heavy drug activity. We take a walk around the shop and they finally spot Kangaroo Jack, now they’re both believers.” “It ran down right when it got to the driveway, took a left turn, and headed home,” Searcy told the Montrose Daily Press. The wallaby was released back into the custody of its owner. “It sounds like it sticks around the house quite a bit. It’s a well-taken care of and loved animal,” Searcy said.
That sounds like a hopping good time. How would you react to Wally Wallaby hooping through your yard?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Hunter Biden’s struggled with addiction, published a new memoir, rode the coattails of his famous dad, and his romantic life is a tabloid playhouse, but he has found himself once again in the media… as a painter? We are all getting major Ukraine backdoor business deals flashbacks, as we watch another instance unfold of Hunter Biden making money off his fathers name. The White House defended Hunter Biden’s artwork deal which will be sold to “anonymous buyers.” The White House press secretary said in a briefing, the “system was organized to allow the troubled son of the president to work in his profession within reasonable protection.” The art deal raised numerous red flags by ethics officers, as it should, the art world isn’t known for it’s first class dealings or squeaky clean business.
How Will the Art Sell Anonymously?
Hunter Biden, 51, is suddenly an artist overnight and will be selling his work in upcoming exhibits in Los Angeles and New York. According to Artnet, Hunter Biden has no formal artistic training and only began working as an artist full time recently. The White House made arrangements to keep the names of the buyers “confidential” from Hunter Biden himself. Psaki maintains the sales of Hunter Biden’s artwork will be conducted by professionals with the highest industry standard and the anonymous nature of the transaction is intended to protect against “any improprieties.” Georges Berges, Hunter Biden’s art dealer, will host the private viewings of the “troubled sons” artwork. The price of his work ranges from $75,000 to $500,000. Bergès will set the prices for the art and conceal buyer records. Bergès, not the public, will be the only person able to scrutinize the transactions. Bergès has promised to refuse offers far exceeding the asking price or he deems suspect. Which is pretty suspect if you ask me. Bergès will be compensated for selling the paintings, according to his gallery’s spokesperson. He will retain a percentage from the sales like arrangements his gallery has with other artists; the spokesperson declined to provide the exact percentage. Typically, galleries take around 50% of a sale. This means it is not in Berges’ financial interest to “reject higher offers,” so why would he?
Is the Art Arrangement Ethical?
Walter Shaub, former ethics chief during President Obama, called out the White House in a tweet. He stated the Biden administration is ensuring we will never know who the buyers are. How can we ensure the same people paying outrageous sums of money for Hunter Biden’s paintings aren’t gaining special access to business dealings in or around the whitehouse? Shaub said this move is “very disappointing,” and “the perfect mechanism for funneling bribes” to the president. “They have outsourced government ethics to an art dealer. She mentioned industry standards,” Shaub said in reference to comments by White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “It’s an industry that’s notorious for money laundering. There’s no standards in that industry,” he said during the interview. “The idea that they’re going to flag any overly priced offers? Well, this is art that hasn’t even been juried into a community art sale. How are they going to decide what’s unreasonable when they’ve already priced it in the range of $75,000 to $500,000 for a first outing? This is just preposterous and very disappointing,” the Obama official said.
His point is absolutely correct, that’s way more than an up-and-coming artist without experience or sales under his belt should be selling paintings for.That is one of the reasons Richard Painter, a White House ethics lawyer during the George W. Bush administration, says he’s uneasy about the arrangement. “I’m baldly surprised at the pricing,” he said. “That’s part of the appearance problem.” He went on to explain it didn’t matter who purchased the paintings, such high prices being paid out to a novice means Hunter Biden is profiting off his father’s name. This is an abuse of power, you can’t use your status to gain profit, you have to earn it correctly. Though, this would not be the first time the Biden’s were accused of it. Painter also worried, foreign governments could fund the purchase through a buyer or lobbyists could purchase the painting to win favor. Painter said ideally, Hunter would have waited to sell his paintings until his father left office, to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Since Hunter Biden is turning to this avenue to make a living right now, the buyers and prices for each painting should be disclosed and recused from any work with the administration. “I would not have chosen the secrecy route. I would have gone with the transparency route,” Painter said. On his first day as president, Biden signed an executive order requiring stricter ethics commitments from all administration personnel. Then, we have Hunter Biden’s private dealings leaving some critics expressing concerns that he was profiting from his father’s status.
During the 2020 presidential campaign, Republicans criticized Hunter Biden’s business dealings with a Ukrainian energy company while his father oversaw U.S.-Ukraine policy. Former President Trump believed the Ukraine deal showed impropriety in the Biden family. Hunter Biden continued to defend his previous foreign business actions but told CBS News he would not make the Ukrainian deal again. If there was nothing wrong with the deal and it was not inappropriate, why would you not make it again? Oh… wait. Federal prosecutors also announced they had been investigating Hunter Biden’s taxes, beginning in 2018, in December. “My dad loves everything that I do, and so,” Hunter Biden told Artnet, “I’ll leave it at that.” Is that because everything you do enhances or in some way helps his bank account, as well as yours? Hunter Biden described his new found “artistry” as “getting to the truth.” A line which is slightly amusing given the scandalous affairs the President’s son is believed to have in motion. “I don’t paint from emotion or feeling, which I think are both very ephemeral,” Hunter Biden told Artnet in June. “For me, painting is much more about trying to bring forth what is, I think, the universal truth.”
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and be established in the PRESENT TRUTH.
2 Peter 1:12
With Rick Rodriguez
What is looking like the makings of a record breaking heat wave is hitting the west coast over the next week. Some flights at Las Vegas’ airport were canceled due to high temperatures. Burn bans are running rampant across all of the U.S. even in states as far east as North Carolina and Tennessee. California’s statewide “flex alert,” which is a call for electricity conservation, was extended into the weekend due to the heat wave and a wildfire in southeastern Oregon threatening transmission lines. “It’s always hot, but it’s not always this hot,” said Clay Morgan, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Las Vegas, who called the heat unusual and approaching all-time records.
Flights Grounded for Heat
Due to the heat wave, California officials are urging residents to conserve power and cooling centers around the state are open. Las Vegas could see temperatures as high as 117 degrees. This has only happened four times in the city’s history, most recently in 2017. The temperature climbed to within one degree Friday, when the heat wave reached 116 degrees at McCarran International Airport. The airport in Grand Junction, Colorado, saw an all-time record high of 107 degrees, breaking the previous record of 106 from 2005. There were flight delays and some cancellations at the airports because of the heat. The Federal Aviation Administration implemented a traffic management program due to heat and wind, the agency and airport said. Southwest Airlines told frustrated passengers on Twitter that a number of its flights were canceled, citing the extreme heat wave. The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment about how many were affected. Excessive heat warnings covered a large area of the Western United States on Friday, from California and southeast Oregon into parts of Utah, Colorado and Arizona. The warning is meant to protect people and warn them against going out in the heat wave.
Heat Wave Leaves Many Injured
There’s a dome-like area of high pressure centered over the region causing the heatwave in many parts of the West. Last month was the hottest June on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said. This has led to multiple cases of heat-related injuries and deaths. 63 people have died due to heat in Oregon as of Friday, the Oregon medical examiner’s office said in a statement, and 32 other deaths were under investigation. In Palm Springs, California, simply going on a walk turned deadly in triple-digit heat. A rescue team rescued a hiker, who only wanted to be referred to as James, around 1pm from the side of a cliff where he had no water and was suffering from heat exhaustion and extreme sunburn. Multiple states on the West Coast have asked people not to go out hiking in the heat wave to prevent incidents like this.
On Friday, Death Valley recorded a high temperature of 130 degrees, but the reading is considered preliminary and not yet validated, the weather service said. They also wanted to warn people against going out in the heatwave. “Heed these warnings,” it tweeted in all capital letters. “Do not put yourself, nor first responders in danger this weekend! Death Valley holds the world record for the hottest temperature on earth ever recorded, which was 134 degrees on July 10, 1913. Don’t get stuck in the heat, if you go out please plan accordingly and remember first responders are people like you, don’t put them in danger for no reason. Drink water, jump in the pool, use your sunscreen, and when you can stay away from the heat.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Last month, in Surfside, Florida, Champlain Towers South partially collapsed while hundreds of residents and their guests slept. The collapse left many residents homeless and many others dead and injured. Experts demolished the half of the building which was still standing, in order to safely use heavy machinery in the search. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Cava said recovering victims was “moving forward with great urgency.” in order to bring closure to the victims’ loved ones who have spent weeks by the phone waiting for news. Rescue workers from Florida and several other states have worked amid oppressive heat and in dangerous conditions. Miami-Dade County Fire Chief Alan Cominsky said Friday two crew members suffered injuries while working. One was “cardiac in nature” while the other injury was a laceration that required stitches, he said. Both crew members received medical attention and are in stable condition. “We know that there will be long-term impacts for the teams on the front line,” Levine Cava said. “They have given so much of themselves in these first two weeks.”
Collapse Death Toll Reaches 79
“This is a staggering and heartbreaking number that affects all of us very deeply,” Levine Cava said about the death toll, which has risen to 79. “All those who have passed … are leaving behind loved ones. They’re leaving behind devastated families. The magnitude of this tragedy is growing each and every day,” she said. Levine Cava said 53 people have been identified and 51 sets of loved ones have been notified. There have been 200 people accounted for. Alan Cominsky said taking care of the mental health of first responders is a priority of city officials. Levine Cava said officials have added peer support personnel at the fire stations. The Rev. Juan Sosa of St. Joseph Catholic Church met with other spiritual leaders at the collapse site, where heavy machinery worked in the rubble and mourners left flowers and photos. He said faith leaders hope to bring peace to the grieving families. “I’m hoping that they have some closure as we continue to pray for them,” he said. No one has been found alive since the first hours after a large section of the 12-story Champlain Towers South collapsed on June 24.
What the State is Doing to Help Condo Collapse
“The pile that was originally at four or five stories is now almost at ground level,” Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said, adding that he was impressed by the recent progress of the efforts. Hope of finding survivors was sustained by emergency personnel after workers demolished the other half of the building. Voids where survivors could have been trapped did exist but no one was found alive. Paraguay’s foreign minister said in a radio report, the sister of the country’s first lady was among those found. “We ask people for their solidarity and a prayer,” he said. “In the face of a tragedy, Paraguayan people must show their traditional solidarity.” State and local officials have promised financial assistance to families of the victims and residents who lost all their possessions. Teams have also developed a procedure for collecting and returning personal items. A cat, named Binx ,was found alive near the site and reunited with its family from the ninth floor. That is one of the bright spots, in an otherwise heart-breaking story.
At least six lawsuits have been filed by families. The collapse has sparked greater scrutiny of condo owners associations. The state of Florida collected $13.7 million in fees from condominium owners associations and other various rentals in 2020. The money wasn’t used for its intended purpose; instead, Florida’s legislature swept $5 million of it into the state’s general fund in a practice that some legislators are questioning heavily in the recent week after the tragedy. Authorities have launched a grand jury investigation into the collapse.
Written by: Erin Malloy
Champlain Towers South, a 12-story, 1980s apartment building, partially collapsed around 1:30 AM June 24, 2021, in Surfside, Florida. The collapse left numerous residents of the small Miami beach community dead and injured. Many people are still unaccounted for. Crews are still searching the debris of Champlain Towers South for bodies of residents and survivors. What could have caused the 136-unit building to collapse? Champlain Towers had recently undergone minor construction and roof work that included a crane, but many buildings undergo similar maintenance. There are major risks when building on the shifting sands of a barrier island. Could these conditions have contributed to the horrific accident?
What is the current death toll?
No survivors have been pulled from the rubble since the first day of the collapse. Experts demolished the standing section of Champlain Towers South in order to make searching conditions safer for rescue crews. The current death toll is 32, Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, said Tuesday, July 6, 2021. 26 of those victims had been identified. Levine Cava said 113 people remain unaccounted for, although “only around 70 of those are people we have been able to confirm were in fact in the building” when it collapsed. Over 191 residents have been accounted for and officials have expressed hope of finding survivors in pockets of rubble. Now that the remaining part of the building has come down, rescuers can safely use heavy equipment in the search. Rescue efforts resumed just 20 minutes after the demolition of the remaining section of Champlain Towers South complex. Before the demolition, a huge search for family pets used drones with thermal imaging. First responders used ladders and cranes to place animal traps on balconies and search hiding places in closets and under beds, no pets were found. Residents in nearby buildings were told not to evacuate during the demolition, they were instructed to stay indoors and turn off air conditioning due to dust. Officials made the decision to demolish the remaining section of the building due to tropical storm Elsa’s expected arrival in the state.
Will Tropical Storm Elsa Affect the Search?
Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall on the southern coast of Cub, Monday. The tropical storm brought flooding rains, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was forecast to approach western Florida on Tuesday or Wednesday. “There was the very real potential that this storm could have knocked down the building down the wrong way on top of the pile, which would have effectively ended the search and rescue,” said Surfside Mayor, Charles Burkett, at a news conference Monday. The storm is now expected to hit just north of Miami-Dade. This means the search for survivors can continue, except in the case of lightning. “The news is pretty positive, impact on Surfside will be incredibly, incredibly minimal,” Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis said. Ron DeSantis had issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for fifteen counties in anticipation of Tropical Storm Elsa. Miami-Dade County was removed as forecasts changed. The county is still under a state of emergency due to the collapse of Champlain Towers South. As of Monday, July 5, 2021, the outer bands of the storm had reached surfside. The search for people in the debris of Champlain Towers South had to be suspended due to lightning making conditions unsafe, crews resumed searching Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Charles Burkett vowed rescue efforts would continue 24 hours a day, seven days a week until everyone was out of the rubble. “I’m very hopeful we’re going to be seeing some miracles in the coming days,” he said.
Why did the building collapse?
A 2020 study conducted by Shimon Wdowinski, a professor at Florida International University, found that the building had been sinking for decades. Nearly three years before the Champlain towers South collapsed the complex was made aware of the pool deck was causing “major structural damage,” according to filings. Among the filings released by Surfside authorities, a 2018 field survey report from Morabito Consultants found the concrete structural slab underneath the building’s pool needed repairs. “Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially,” the report said. The report did not warn of any imminent danger, at the time, but is now the focus of inquiries that include a grand jury examination. It is still unknown what exactly caused the building to collapse. Video from a security camera inside the building, shows the ceiling breaking apart and falling in a hail-like fashion before the entire apartment began to rumble, then the camera goes black. Some witnesses say they saw water rushing out from underneath the structure before the collapse occurred. Survivors from the part of the building that did not collapse say their entire apartments shook before and during the collapse of Champlain Towers South.
Witness Reports of the Collapse
Adriana Sarmiento and Roberto Castillero recorded a video of concrete debris and gushing water in the underground parking garage of Champlain Towers South minutes before it collapsed. The couple was standing outside their nearby hotel when they began to record after hearing a loud crash. The video shows water coming down and concrete rubble appears to have fallen. Sarmiento said she and Castillero ran into the street, screaming and waving trying to get residents to evacuate, but they could not understand her. The couple witnessed the Champlain Towers South collapse up close and sustained minor injuries.
Barry Cohen, former vice mayor of surfside, said he was deep asleep when a bang, he thought was a lightning storm, woke him up around 1:30 a.m. “I realized that it didn’t stop. It just kept on going for 30 seconds,” Cohen, 63, told CNN. When Cohen opened the door to his apartment, “there was huge pile of rubble and dust, just havoc is all that I could think of.” Cohen and his wife attempted to open outside doors along the way down to the basement and parking garage of Champlain Towers South. There was dust everywhere and water in the garage was “pouring out of pipes in the ceiling,” and already up to their shins. The couple went back to their apartment and yelled for help from their balcony. “I was yelling to the Surfside Police to identify myself because I was a former vice mayor of Surfside,” Cohen said. “I was yelling and screaming to the fire department to get the hook and ladder truck up to us so we could get out of there.” Neighbors joined them on the balcony. “I thought the building was unstable,” Cohen explained. “I was worried it was going to completely go down.
Nicholas Balboa was walking his dog nearby when the Champlain Towers South collapsed. Balboa quickly made his way to the back of the building, where he heard a voice coming from the debris. “A little boy, couldn’t have been more than in his preteens,” Balboa told CNN. “Then I saw an arm sticking out of the wreckage, and he was screaming, you know, ‘Can you see me?'” Balboa and another proactive witness attempted to free the boy; the two people were unable to remove the debris safely. “He was just screaming, ‘Don’t leave me, don’t leave me, don’t leave me.'” Balboa stayed with the boy and was able to signal to a police officer using the flashlight on his phone. Rescuers arrived and successfully pulled the boy out.
Sharon Schechter, 60, says she believes she was only one of two people who survived from her floor when the Champlain Towers South collapsed. Schechter said she was asleep when she began hearing noises that were followed by shaking and rumbling. “It felt like the whole building was shaking,” Schechter said, she then went to look out the window. “I said, ‘Oh my god, where’s the building? There’s no building.” She quickly grabbed her dog and tried to evacuate, along with other residents, down the only staircase but rubble was in the way. “We were screaming ‘Help! We are here! Come get us!’ It was pitch black. It was like ‘Titanic,'” she said. The group ended up taking their chances crossing the destruction to escape the building. “We are finding our way out until we get to some light.” Schechter said she had to carry her dog over rubble and across the tops of cars in the dark. As soon as she got out, all she could think about were her neighbors still inside. “I feel like I’m mourning every minute for someone in the building,” she said.
“You’re going to have a lot of mental health impacts from people who were able to get out. Obviously, the families who lost somebody, that is going to be the most devastating. But I have spoken with a number of the folks who were able to get out. This is a really harrowing experience,” Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, said at a news conference. “You literally have people that, if their unit had been 20 feet in another direction, they would have been in rubble. And their neighbor had never been heard from again.” DeSantis pledged Monday that support and resources would be available for families navigating the collapse, both in terms of insurance and other needs.
Officials have made it clear other high-rise buildings in the area will undergo more rigorous inspection processes. A group of officials did initial inspections of every building in the area, evacuating at least two. All other buildings are required to have professionals inspect the structure, electrical and plumbing system within a certain amount of time after the initial round of inspections spurred by the collapse of Champlain Towers South. Will this tragedy affect the future of high-rise buildings in similar places? One thing is for certain, this unfortunate accident will continue to affect the Surfside community and the U.S. as whole.
Britney Spears has been a hot topic in the media almost since her birth December 2, 1981. We need to bring attention to the recent development in the 39-year old’s battle against her own family and State of California. There are allegations of Britney being forced to take medication, work long hours up to seven days a week, and go to therapy up to 3 times a week against her will. Here is a timeline of Britney’s career and how her life is controlled by conservatorships of both her finances and person.
Timeline of Britney Spears Career
Britney Spears was 8 years old and went to New York to be on the Mickey Mouse Club. She was rejected at her audition for being too young. She spent the next three years at the professional performing arts school center. At 10 years old Britney won the first round of Star Search then lost the second round.
1993 – 1994
Britney joined the sixth season of Mickey Mouse Club when she was 11 years old. The next year Mickey Mouse Club was canceled so Britney Spears went home to Kentwood, Louisiana and attended Parklane Academy. Britney said in many interviews, this time of her life was “boring.” (After being on Mickey Mouse Club and living life as a “child star” for a moment, it makes sense why Britney would consider regular life a little boring.)
1998 – 1999
Britney Spears joined Jive records at 16. She flew to Sweden to record her first album “Baby One More Time.” When Britney returned home, she embarked on a mall tour around the USA. According to the people around her the shows went from a small crowd of people who gathered as she sang to huge crowds gathering to see her. This small tour is followed by her first real tour opening for ‘N sync. In 1999, “Baby One More Time” is released when Britney Spears is 17, it is number one on Billboard 200.
2000 – 2001
At 18 Britney Spears released “Oops… I Did It Again,” which sold over 20 million copies worldwide, and went on her next tour. She also performed at the VMAs and announced she was dating Justin Timberlake who she had known since Mickey Mouse Club. The next year Britney Spears performed “Slave for You” during the VMAs with a live snake and tiger which angered PETA. She also released the “Britney” album.
2002 – 2003
At 20 years old, Britney Spears topped the Forbes Celebrity 100. She also played in “Crossroads.” She Broke up with Justin Timberlake and gives Michael Jackson a birthday cake which he mistook for some type of award. In 2003 Madonna and Britney Spears kissed live at the VMAs; it was seen by many fans as “the queen of pop crowning the princess of pop.” Britney released “in the Zone” and became the first female artist to have four albums debut at number one. Britney received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
2004 – 2005
Britney married Jason Alexander in Vegas, and the marriage was annulled 55 hours later. Britney suffered a knee injury during shooting for “outrageous.” She then became engaged to Kevin Federline and their relationship was public domain on the show, “Britney and Kevin: Chaotic.” The two got married that fall and Britney took a step back from her career to start a family. Britney Spears was 22 when she gave birth to Sean Preston September 14, 2005.
2006 -2007
Britney spears was seen driving with her son on her lap and says it was because her and her child feared the paparazzi banging on the sides of the car. Britney guest starred on “Will and Grace” and did a cover for Harpers Bazaar. Jayden James is born later in the year then Britney and Kevin filed for divorce on November 7, 2006. The next year Britney Spears went to a rehab facility in Antigua for less than a day. The next day she was in California, and she shaved her head. She was sent to many treatment facilities and lost custody of her kids in October. She released “Blackout” and performed at the VMAs.
2008 – 2009
After locking herself in a bathroom with her children, Britney Spears had her visitation rights suspended due to police involvement with the incident. She was put on involuntary psychiatric hold and released February 6, 2008. Britney guest starred on “How I Met Your Mother” and performed at the VMAs. She won best female video, best pop video, and video of the year for “Piece of Me” and released “Circus” in December. Temporary Conservatorship over Britney’s finances and person is granted to Jamie Spears, Britney’s father, then it was made permanent in October 2008 by L.A. superior commissioner Reva Goetz.Britney went on MTV, “Britney for the Record,” during this special Britney tells the world “It’s bad. I’m sad.” Guinness Book of World Records recognized Britney Spears the following year for five albums released at number one. Womanizer hit number one on hot 100 list and Britney went on the Circus tour.
2010 -2013
Britney Spears started dating manager Jason Trawick. Britney released “Femme Fatale,” but was dealing with multiple lawsuits, including a sexual harassment suit from her former bodyguard. Britney Spears became a judge on X-Factor in 2012. The following year she announced her and Trawick’s split as well as she would not return to X-Factor. Britney then announced she would do a two-year residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas called “Britney: Piece of Me” starting December 27.
2014
Britney Spearsreleased her lingerie line called “Intimate: Britney Spears.” Clark County, Nevada, proclaimed November 5th as “Britney Day” on the Las Vegas Strip. A court appointed attorney expressed concerns over Jamie Spears drinking, as it related to the Conservatorship. The judge did not remove Jamie in any fashion at that time.
2015 – 2018
Britney Spears announced that her residency at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas would last for two more years. Britney released “Glory,” in 2016. That same year she told a private investigator she was “tired of being taken advantage of.” She was speaking about the abusive conservatorship she was and is currently being held under. In 2018, Britney was honored at the GLAAD Media Awards with the Vanguard Award, an award that goes to a performer for making a difference in promoting and supporting equality.
2019
Britney Spears announced that she was going on work hiatus in order to focus on her family due to her father’s health issues. This comes around the same time she cancels her next Vegas residency, “Britney: Domination.” Britney announced that she would be taking “me time” after it was reported that she checked into a mental health facility to cope with her father’s health issues. Followers of the #FreeBritney movement had speculation she was sent to the facility against her will. In April 2019 Britney checked out of the mental health treatment facility after undertaking an “all-encompassing wellness treatment.” During a court session that May, Britney said she felt she was sent there for wanting to change dance moves in routines during practice. In August, Jamie Spears was served with a restraining order after a physical altercation with Britney’s 13-year-old son. In September, Jamie was replaced by Jodi Montgomery as conservator of Britney’s person, but Jamie would continue to reside over Britney’s finances.
2020
Britney Spears announced that she accidentally burned down her home gym; some of the #FreeBritney movement say it was on purpose because she was tired of being forced to maintain a perfect body image. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny declined Britney’s application to remove her father as her conservator of finances but said she would consider petitions “down the road” to remove her father as the head of her estate. This decision was made, despite Britney telling the judge she feared her father. The judge did order the Bessemer Firm of California be added to the financial conservatorship.
2021
Britney Spears appeared remotely in court to request her conservatorship be lifted, calling it “abusive.” During the hearing, which was leaked by an anonymous source, Britney spoke for more than 20 minutes. Britney says she felt she had been forced to perform, was given no privacy and was made to use birth control, take medication and attend therapy sessions against her will. Britney also requested her father be removed from the conservatorship. Judge Brenda Penny denied the request, which was first filed by Britney’s attorney Samuel D. Ingham last November. Ingham is expected to file a new petition, requesting that the conservatorship be ended. It is unclear why he is yet to do so.
Why Should the Conservatorship End?
California law says a conservatorship is justified for a “person who is unable to provide properly for his or her personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter,” or for someone who is “substantially unable to manage his or her own financial resources or resist fraud or undue influence.” This is generally used for elderly people at the end of their lives to manage their medical needs and estates. A fortune of more than $60 million comes with a lot of people who want to “help” for the wrong reasons. If Britney can work seven days a week, in what way is she unfit to control her own life? The court closely guards the inner workings of Britney’s conservatorship but Some aspects have been revealed in documents.
What does the Conservatorship Do?
The conservatorship has the power to restrict Britney’s visitors. During the leaked court audio Britney says she is unable to see friends who only live 8 minutes away, most of which she met in AA. It arranges visits with her sons since Kevin Federline has full custody. It has the power to take out restraining orders in her name, which it has used more than once to keep away people deemed shady. Some of the #FreeBritney movement believe this power is abused in order to keep outsiders from helping Britney. It has the power to make her medical decisions and her business deals. She said at the recent hearing that she has been compelled to take drugs against her will, such as Lithium. She admitted to being “unable to make decisions or have conversations” while on the drug. Could this have been a way to manufacture the image of Britney being unable to make decisions for herself?
Britney has been kept from having an intrauterine device for birth control removed and has been required to do performances when she did not want to, which she compared to sex trafficking. “My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship and my management who played a key role in punishing me… they should be in jail,” Britney said. Britney can get married, but the conservatorship must approve it, as with other major life decisions. Britney said that she wants to get married and have another child but has been denied that chance. The mandatory secrecy of medical records has kept the reasons why Britney Spears must remain in the conservatorship hidden, but it apparently involves psychiatric issues. A recent filing said that she was not capable of giving consent for medical treatment. Britney’s father and his attorneys have emphasized that she is especially susceptible to people who seek to take advantage of her money and fame. Britney made claims during the most recent hearing that leads us to believe that is exactly what the people around her are doing, under this mask of “we are helping Britney.”
The Most Recent Hearing
Britney Spears has stated through her lawyer, Samuel D. Ingram III, that she will not perform as long as her father remains a conservator of her $60 million estate. During the Hearing in June of 2021, Britney Spears said she was unaware she could petition the court to end the conservatorship, until now. “I deserve to have a life. I worked my whole life. I deserve to have a two- to three-year break and do what I need to do,” she said during the statement. “I feel ganged up, I felt left out and I feel alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anyone does by having a child and a family. Any of those things.” “I’m not here to be anyone’s slave,” Britney Spears said while appearing in Los Angeles court remotely via telephone. “I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK and I’m happy. It is a lie. I thought that maybe if I said it enough, I would maybe become happy because I have been in denial. I have been in shock. I am traumatized … I am so angry it is insane. And I’m depressed.” Britney went on to say, “the people who did this to me should not be able to get away and walk away easily,” she told the courtroom. “I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive.”
What does Britney’s Father say?
Britney Spears’ father maintains he has not had conservatorship over his daughter’s person since 2019. He has released statements saying the claims Britney made must be investigated. However, there are claims of abuse from even before Jodi Montgomery took over as conservator. While Britney Spears was critical of both Montgomery and her father, she singled out her father for some major criticism. She accused him of loving his power over her. “I cried on the phone for an hour, and he loved every minute of it,” Britney said. “The control he had over someone as powerful as me, as he loved the control to hurt his own daughter 100,000%.” The next hearing in the case is scheduled for July 14th. Many #FreeBritney fans are hoping Britney’s lawyer will file the petition to end her conservatorship for good. There is a list of Celebrities and influencers a mile long who support Britney in her fight to end the abuse she endures day to day. That list includes people like Iggy Azalea, who recently spoke out despite being forced to sign and NDA in 2015. “During the time we worked together in 2015, I personally witnessed the same behavior Britney detailed in regard to her father last week and I just want to back her up & tell the world that: She is not exaggerating or lying.” Iggy says, Britney’s father controlled things like how many sodas Britney could drink and brought Iggy the NDA moments before the performance. James spears said if Iggy did not sign it, she would not be allowed perform on stage with Britney. During the hearing Britney Stood up for herself in the court and said, “It’s not OK to force me to do anything I don’t want to,” she said. “The conservatorship should end. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive.”
It seems Britney’s handlers have been misleading people about her mental health for years. There are many people in Hollywood who do crazier things then Britney ever did, you do not see the state of California giving their rights away. It is unclear why Britney should stay under conservatorship when she can articulate the reasons why she should not be under it. This conservatorship seems like a stripping of rights, and from the outside it looks like the state of California has failed Britney Spears, so far. We can only hope Britney’s lawyer will file the petition to end the conservatorship and the judge will finally see fit to #FreeBitney.
El Salvador has a reputation for being the deadliest place on the planet. However, news from the cryptocurrency world has made El Salvador the talk of the sector. El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly approved legislation which makes Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, legal tender in the country. El Salvador is the first nation to make a change like this after President Nayib Bukele made the proposal at a Bitcoin conference. 62 out of 84 possible votes created the law to adopt Bitcoin, despite potential impact on El Salvador’s International Monetary Fund program. Bukele said he will meet with the International Monetary Fund on Thursday to discuss the bitcoin law and other issues. Bukele said during the meeting he wanted to try to explain the shift was “not going to change our macroeconomics.” He also announced an idea to build a Bitcoin mining hub with the country’s geothermal potential. El Salvador has also announced it would offer citizenship to people who have invested in at least three Bitcoins, and have proof.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin was intended as an alternative to government-backed money. The cryptocurrency is based largely on complex math and data-scrambling cryptography. Producing, or “mining,” Bitcoin requires lots of processing power which is why El Salvador wants to center their mining plans around geothermal energy. Bukele said he instructed state-owned geothermal electric firm LaGeo to develop a plan to offer bitcoin mining facilities using renewable energy from the country’s volcanoes. All Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a distributed global ledger called the blockchain. No central bank or other institution has any say in value, which is set entirely by people trading Bitcoins. Bitcoin and other popular digital currencies, including Ethereum and Dogecoin, all rose recently. How will this affect the current currency of El Salvador?
Will Bitcoin Affect the Current Currency in El Salvador?
Many people in El Salvador rely on money sent back from workers in other countries such as the U.S.. World Bank data showed remittances to the country made up nearly $6 billion in 2019, one of the highest in the world. The cryptocurrency offers, in theory, a quick and cheap way to send money across borders. The proportion of remittances sent to El Salvador in bitcoin is not clear. The use of Bitcoin as legal tender will begin in 90 days. The bitcoin-dollar exchange rate will be set by the market. According to Bukele, the El Salvadoran government and Central Bank did not hold any bitcoin at the time of voting. El Salvador hasn’t had its own currency since 2000, when it switched to the U.S. dollar. It therefore loses no seigniorage by adding a second external currency as legal tender. Most of the people in El Salvador are on board with the change but there are some who have worries. “How am I going to agree with this? I haven’t seen it even in photos. I know nothing about it, you need to understand your currency,” said Estela Gavidia, clutching shopping bags and recalling the loss of purchasing power many poor people suffered when the dollar was adopted in 2001. Carlos Carcach, a professor at El Salvador’s Superior School of Economics and Business, argued that adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender “is not necessary, nor convenient,” though he added, “as long as there is someone who accepts payment with Bitcoin, the same as they accept dollars, there wouldn’t be problems.” He noted that Bitcoin is extremely volatile, so investors “run the risk of becoming rich and the next day being poor.” The U.S. dollar will continue to be El Salvador’s main currency and no one will be forced to pay in Bitcoin.
How Will Bitcoin be Used?
Over 500 fishing and farming families in El Zonte use the cryptocurrency to buy groceries and pay utilities. El Zonte is a small town in El Salvador that has run on Bitcoin for the last year. Before a donor came in and changed the economy to predominantly Bitcoin there was no bank in the town. The people were scraping by on what little cash they could get a hold of, with the change to Bitcoin many people and Business owners have been able to thrive with the digital cryptocurrency. “This is not something for rich people only. It’s for everybody,” said Bukele, who spoke about the power of cryptocurrency to loosen the control of central banks and empower young entrepreneurs. Bitcoin can be used in any transaction and any business will have to accept payment in Bitcoin, with the exception of those lacking the technology to do so. “Every restaurant, every barber shop, every bank….everything can be paid in U.S. dollars or Bitcoin and nobody can refuse payment,” Bukele said as the bill was being debated in El Salvador’s congress. The law makes any capital gains from investing in bitcoin tax-free; Bukele hopes this will attract some of the crypto industry to his country. The El Salvadoran government intends to set up a trust at the Development Bank of El Salvador “to instantly convert bitcoin to U.S. dollars.” Some people are unsure of how well the trust will work.
“I don’t know how they’re going to sustain this trust, because if they have all these bitcoins coming in and all these dollars coming out for the Bitcoins, because they’ll be freely interchangeable between the two, that’s going to be a way to clean dirty bitcoins,” said David Gerard, author of ‘Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain.’ “Without very rigid controls on Bitcoin movements and full know-your-customer rules, they’re going to be a laundromat for money.” The risk is that El Salvador, either by accident or design, will become a commission-free laundromat for criminals wanting to turn dirty Bitcoin into clean dollars. Bukele has frequently been accused of working with the MS13 gang. Bukele brushed off the fears, saying criminals already use U.S. dollars and other assets to launder money. “The problem is not the dollar, it is the criminals,” he said. What do you think of El Salvador adopting Bitcoin as currency? Does forcing the acceptance of Bitcoin open El Salvador to even more crime? Could Bitcoin help the impoverished nation begin to produce their own wealth?
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he will soon announce plans for the construction of a wall along the state’s shared border with Mexico as part of a long list of actions meant to address the ongoing immigration crisis. Governor Abbott said Texas was doing the “job of the federal government,” securing the U.S. border. “I will announce next week the plan for the state of Texas to begin building the border wall in the state of Texas,” Governor Abbott said at a border summit Thursday in Del Rio, Texas. Abbott announced a number of initiatives, including using state troopers to arrest migrants coming over the southern border. Will this help border towns in Texas that are facing property destruction, among other dangers?
“Open-Border Biden”
Earlier this month, Governor Abbott issued a disaster declaration to secure additional resources for communities on the border. At the time, Governor Abbott said Biden’s policies “have paved the way for dangerous gangs and cartels, human traffickers, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to pour into our communities.” Fox News said “open border Biden” was the cause of the surge in fentanyl use and distribution across Texas. This is one of the many reasons Texas is cracking down on border security. “Long term, only Congress and the president can fix our broken border. But in the meantime, Texas is going to do everything possible, including beginning to make arrests, to keep our communities safe,” Governor Abbott said at a border security summit in Del Rio. “We are going to do everything we can to secure the border and it begins immediately.” After the summit, Governor Abbott tweeted the highlights of his plans:
Enhanced Border Security Plan:
- Disaster declaration — individuals entering TX illegally subject to arrest
- Task Force
- Approving over $1B in funding for border security
- Building border barriers
- Interstate compact powers
Border Summit
Governor Abbott is one of several Republicans who believe that President Biden’s immigration policies caused the immigration crisis. “While securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, Texas will not sit idly by as this crisis grows. The state is working collaboratively with communities impacted by the crisis to arrest and detain individuals coming into Texas illegally,” Governor Abbott said. “Our efforts will only be effective if we work together to secure the border, make criminal arrests, protect landowners, rid our communities of dangerous drugs, and provide Texans with the support they need and deserve. This is an unprecedented crisis, and Texas is responding with the most robust and comprehensive border plan the nation has ever seen.” White House officials claimed Biden inherited a broken immigration system and moved to reverse measures that were “inhumane.” The administration attempted to fix issues in other countries rather than helping their people in crisis. During the summit, Governor Abbott announced they will be creating the Governor’s Task Force on Border and Homeland Security.
Governor’s Task Force on Border and Homeland Security
Governor Abbott’s task force will work with local and county officials to expand jail capacities in border counties, as well as many other things to help the community. The task force will include members from the Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Military Department. Governor Abbott said the task force will help farmers and ranchers in border towns, who have had properties damaged, to “seek recovery” from the federal government. Abbott said he signed an interstate commerce agreement with Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. The two states are asking other states for help from their law enforcement agencies to assist in making arrests and jailing. “We don’t want just to arrest somebody to have them released,” Abbott said. “We want to arrest somebody and have them prosecuted, to be put in jail, to stay in jail — to create an environment where people will choose they don’t want to come across the border into the state of Texas anymore, because it’s not what they were expecting, it’s not the red carpet that the federal administration rolled out for them — they are going to jail in the state of Texas.” People who enter the state illegally will be subject to arrest for trespassing according to Governor Abbott. Abbott blamed the Biden administration’s policies for the surge in migrants coming into Texas.
“The border crisis is no laughing matter,” Abbott said in reference to Kamala Harris laughing off not going to the border earlier. “This is something that also is not a tourism site for members of Congress to make an annual pilgrimage to and see the border, and then go back and do absolutely nothing at the federal government level to solve the crisis.” Customs and Border Protection reported more than 180,000 migrants at the border in May, up from roughly 23,000 in the same month one year ago. Numbers will continue to rise and Republicans will continue to ask President Biden’s administration to take action. Until this happens, states such as Texas and Arizona will attempt to fight the crisis on their own.
With the main focus and concern of the Biden Administration on renewable energy, now days electric vehicles are becoming more popular each day.
Start Your Engines
The very first electric vehicles were very slow and did not perform well at all, they also lacked the battery power needed for long road trips, which resulted in a loss of interest for electric vehicles and created more of a want for gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. Since their release, manufacturers of these remarkable vehicles have added better technology and innovation to these vehicles only to make them better by boosting their performance. Now most electric vehicles are able to make very long road trips with one battery charge.
Changes
Electric vehicles are becoming a trend today because they are cheaper than fuel operated vehicles. The electric vehicles are also more widely produced making them more affectionate to everyone, also since the electric vehicles have been around for a while, buying them used results in even more savings.
Federal Assistance
Back in 2017, when news about electric vehicles first began to spread nationally, more countries became interested in slowly phasing out gasoline powered vehicles and replacing them with electric vehicles. Both the Ukraine and France plan to have only electric vehicles by the year of 2040, China has plans to do away with gasoline powered vehicles too, however, no timeline for that change has been put into place yet.
At Home
California will become the first state here in the U.S. to fully ban the sale of gasoline powered vehicles in order to transition to fully electric vehicles by the year of 2035.
Charge
With more and more electric vehicles being driven on the road daily, there are currently over 440,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S. Each of these charging stations offer 3 standard charging levels to charge electric cars. All electric cars are able to be charged with level 1 and level 2 stations, these types of chargers offer the same charging power as the ones that you can install at home. Some vehicles can not be charged at level 3 stations. The prices of these charging stations vary by location. At home, the cost of charging electric vehicles should not increase utility bills much at all.
Plugging In
When electric vehicles are parked and sitting idle, they still lose some charging power. If the vehicle is plugged in each day and maintaining a charge level between 20 and 80 percent, the vehicle will lose minimal power. If the vehicle runs out of charge while on the highway, a roadside service truck will tow the vehicle to the nearest charging station.
The Road Ahead
As electric vehicles are slowly becoming a reality, what we know of now as gas stations will still be here, however, many of them will be turned into public parks or charging stations for the electric vehicles keeping our roads full and the vehicles rolling on the road, one charge at a time.
Gary Taylor
