eEdition
CHANCE OF RAIN 54 • 44 | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020 | theworldlink.com
Follow us online:
facebook.com/theworldnewspaper
twitter.com/TheWorldLink
instagram.com/theworldlink
Biden transition gets OK to start WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government recognized President-elect Joe Biden as the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election, formally starting the transition of power after President Donald Trump spent weeks testing the boundaries of American democracy. Trump relented after suffering yet more legal and procedural defeats in his seemingly futile effort to overturn the election with baseless claims of fraud. Trump still refused to concede and vowed to continue to fight in court after General Services Administrator Emily Murphy gave the green light Monday for Biden to coordinate with federal agencies ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration. But Trump did tweet that he was directing his team to cooperate on the transition.
Pandemic takes bite out of seafood industry PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic has hurt the U.S. seafood industry due to a precipitous fall in imports and exports and a drop in catch of some species. Those are the findings of a group of scientists who sought to quantify the damage of the pandemic on America’s seafood business, which has also suffered in part because of its reliance on restaurant sales. Consumer demand for seafood at restaurants dropped by more than 70% during the early months of the pandemic, according to the scientists, who published their findings recently in the scientific journal Fish and Fisheries. Imports fell about 37% and exports about 43% over the first nine months of the year compared to 2019, the study said. The economic impact has been felt most severely in states that rely heavily on the seafood sector, such as Maine, Alaska and Louisiana, said Easton White, a University of Vermont biologist and the study’s lead author. It hasn’t all been doom and gloom for the industry, as seafood delivery and home cooking have helped businesses weather the pandemic, White said. The industry will be in a better position to rebound after the pandemic if domestic consumers take more of an interest in fresh seafood, he said. “Shifting to these local markets is something that could be really helpful for recovery purposes,” White said. “The way forward is to focus on shortening the supply chain a little bit.” The study found that Alaska’s catch of halibut, a high-value fish, declined by 40% compared to the previous year through June. Statistics for many U.S. fisheries won’t be available until next year, but those findings dovetail with what many fishermen are seeing on the water. Maine’s catch of monkfish has dried up because of the lack of access to foreign markets such as Korea, said Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association. “The prices just went so low, they couldn’t build a business doing that this year,” Martens said. The study confirms what members of the seafood industry have been hearing for months, Please see Seafood, Page 2
The fast-moving series of events seemed to let much of the air out of Trump’s frantic efforts to undermine the will of the people in what has amounted to a weekslong stress test for the nation’s confidence in the political system and the fairness of U.S. elections. Those efforts haven’t ended and are likely to persist well beyond his lameduck presidency. Murphy, explaining her decision, cited “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.” She acted after Michigan on Monday certified Biden’s victory in the battleground state and a federal judge in Pennsylvania tossed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Saturday seeking to prevent certification in that state. It also came as an increasing
number of Republicans were publicly acknowledging Biden’s victory, after weeks of tolerating Trump’s baseless claims of fraud. The Republican president had grown increasingly frustrated with the flailing tactics of his legal team. In recent days, senior Trump aides including chief of staff Mark Meadows and White House counsel Pat Cipollone had also encouraged him to allow the transition to begin, telling the president he didn’t need to concede but could no longer justify withholding support to the Biden transition. Meadows, late Monday, sent a memo to White House staffers saying that their work was not yet finished and that the administration would “comply with all actions needed to ensure the smooth
transfer of power,” according to a person who received it. Yohannes Abraham, executive director of the Biden transition, said the decision “is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.” Murphy, a Trump appointee, had faced bipartisan criticism for failing to begin the transition process sooner, preventing Biden’s team from working with career agency officials on plans for his administration. The delay denied the Democratic president-elect access to highly classified national security briefings and hindered his team’s ability to begin drawing up its own plans to respond to the raging coronavirus pandemic.
Murphy insisted she acted on her own. “Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts. I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official — including those who work at the White House or GSA — with regard to the substance or timing of my decision,” she wrote in a letter to Biden. Trump tweeted moments after Murphy’s decision: “We will keep up the good fight and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.” Please see Transition, Page 3
New North Bend Mayor Jessica Engelke takes the oath of office from KayLee Kocher Marone in a special meeting Monday night.
New North Bend leadership sworn in Jessica Engelke made history Monday night when she was sworn in as the new mayor of North Bend. Engelke, who had a seat on the council, became the first woman elected as mayor during the Nov. 3 general election. On Monday, Engelke and new council members Eric Gleason, Susanna Noordhoff and Pat Goll all officially took their seats on the North Bend City Council. City Recorder KayLee Kocher Marone swore in the four winners in a small meeting at the North Bend Community Center. After taking the oath of office to officially become mayor, Engelke said she is ready to get to work. “We have a lot of work ahead of us,” she said. “I’m confident we have great things ahead of us.”
Pat Goll, above, and Eric Gleason, far left, take their oath of office at new members of the North Bend City Council on Monday night and Susanna Noordhoff, near left, signs the oath during a special meeting at the North Bend Community Center on Monday night.
World photos by David Rupkalvis
Yellen faces another daunting economic crisis WASHINGTON (AP) — Janet Yellen is in line for another top economic policy job — just in time to confront yet another crisis. Yellen, President-elect Joe Biden’s apparent choice for treasury secretary, served on the Federal Reserve’s policymaking committee during the 2008-2009 financial crisis that nearly toppled the banking system. She became Fed chair in 2014 when the economy was still recovering from the devastat-
ing Great Recession. In the late 1990s, she was President Bill Clinton’s top economic adviser during the Asian financial crisis. And now, according to a person familiar with Biden’s transition plans, she has been chosen to lead Treasury with the economy in the grip of a surging viral epidemic. The spike in virus cases is intensifying pressure on companies and individuals, with fear growing that the economy could suffer a “double-dip” recession as states and cities reim-
pose restrictions on businesses. Yet many longtime observers of the U.S. economy see Yellen as ideally suited for the role. “She is extraordinarily talented,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at auditing firm Grant Thornton. “She is the right person at this challenging time. She has worked every crisis.” If confirmed, Yellen would become the first woman to lead the Treasury Department in its nearly 232 years. She would inherit an economy with still-high
unemployment, escalating threats to small businesses and signs that consumers are retrenching as the worsening pandemic restricts or discourages spending. Most economists say that the distribution of an effective vaccine will likely reinvigorate growth next year. Yet they warn that any sustained recovery will also hinge on whether Congress can agree soon on a sizable aid package to carry the economy Please see Yellen, Page 3
eEdition
State reports six new deaths from COVID-19 The World PORTLAND — Oregon reported six more deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an additional 1,174 new confirmed and presumptive cases as of 12:01 a.m. Monday. The state’s death toll now stands at 826 since the start of the pandemic and there have been 66,333 confirmed and presumptive cases, the Oregon Health Authority reported. The new case number was a reduction after the state reported more than 1,500 both Saturday and Sunday, the latter the fourth straight day with a new record. The new and confirmed cases are in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (10), Clackamas (116), Clatsop (2), Columbia (18), Coos (7), Crook (8), Curry (1), Deschutes (44), Douglas (18), Grant (1), Harney (1), Hood River (6), Jackson (80), Jefferson (8), Josephine (11), Lake (3), Lane (71), Lincoln (3),
Linn (15), Malheur (10), Marion (120), Morrow (7), Multnomah (254), Polk (25), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (56), Union (26), Wasco (7), Washington (225), Wheeler (1), and Yamhill (17). Oregon’s 821st COVID-19 death is a 57-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on Nov. 13 and died Nov. 21 at Portland VA Medical Center. He had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 822nd COVID-19 death is a 40-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Oct. 11 and died Nov. 20 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 823rd COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 16 and died Nov. 19 at Adventist Medical Center. She had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 824th COVID-19 death is
a 92-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 17 and died Nov. 19. Place of death and underlying conditions are being confirmed. Oregon’s 825th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Nov. 17 and died Nov. 22 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 826th COVID-19 death is a 60-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 16 and died Nov. 16 in his residence. He had underlying conditions. COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients across Oregon increased to 456, which is 44 more than Friday. There are 109 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 18 more than Friday.
Portland jail inmates sue over tear gas exposure from protests PORTLAND (AP) — Several people who were in a Portland jail during summer protests against police brutality have filed a civil rights lawsuit over tear gas seeping into jail cells. Theresa Davis, Rashawd Duhart and Robin Lundy filed the class-action suit Monday in federal court on behalf of dozens of inmates exposed to the gas during the mass racial justice protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The suit says Multnomah County sheriff’s deputies ignored their “cries for help,” stopped responding to emergency calls and “left the women and men trapped in their cells to suffer,” The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. It says Multnomah County, Sheriff Mike Reese and deputies failed to protect the inmates, delayed medical care for
people exposed and were negligent in not taking adequate precautions to safeguard the inmates. Portland police or federal officers repeatedly fired tear gas during months of demonstrations downtown sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck despite his pleas that he couldn’t breathe. The exposure began on May 29 when about 250 people were housed in the Justice Center and a protest devolved into a riot declaration by police, who used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Tear gas and smoke seeped into jail cells that night, causing inmates to cough and gag, the suit says. About 12:30 a.m. on July 21, women in one jail dorm were jolted awake by tear gas, with some of them screaming and pounding on cell doors for
help, according to the suit. At 1:17 a.m., a sergeant radioed a lieutenant, who authorized him to open the small food ports for ventilation, the suit says. Lundy, one of the plaintiffs, described the conditions as “total chaos and confusion.” Chris Liedle, a spokesman from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, told the newspaper in July that adults in custody and staff started experiencing a “decrease in air quality” because of smoke from fires set by demonstrators outside the Justice Center and “later some effects from tear gas deployed by federal officers.” As a result, the sheriff’s office decided on July 21 to close air dampers each night to reduce the impact of the poor air quality, he said. He added that air dampers had been closed when necessary before then.
Jennings is first interim ‘Jeopardy’ host NEW YORK (AP) — “Jeopardy!” record-holder Ken Jennings will be the first in a series of interim hosts replacing Alex Trebek when the show resumes production next Monday. Producers announced Monday that Jennings, who won 74 games in a row and claimed the show’s “Greatest of All Time” title in a competition last year, will
host episodes that air in January. A long-term host to replace Trebek, who died of cancer on Nov. 8, will be named later. “By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers,” the show’s executive producer, Mike Richards, said. The show is in its 37th
year of syndication, and Trebek was its only host. It is still airing shows that Trebek filmed before his death. Richards said “Jeopardy!” will air repeat episodes for the holiday weeks beginning Dec. 21 and 28, meaning Trebek’s final week of shows will air starting Monday, Jan. 4. Jennings’ episodes begin on Jan. 11.
NORTHWEST NORTHWESTSTOCKS STOCKS Closing and 8:30 a.m. quotes Stock Close 8:30 Intel 46.00 46.75 Kroger 33.08 32.95 Microsoft 210.15 212.05 Nike 134.09 135.36
Licensed & Bonded
CCB# 210749
Branching Out TREE SERVICE & Landscape Maintenance
HAZARDOUS TREE REMOVAL
• Trimming • Falling • Limbing • Hedge Care • Brush Clearing • Land Clearing • Excavator
Free Estimates! Call Today!
541-260-8837
NW Natural 49.15 49.72 Skywest 39.59 42.45 Starbucks 96.88 98.06 Umpqua Hldgs 14.38 15.00 Weyerhaeuser 29.07 29.41 Xerox 22.63 23.36
TUE
Patchy fog, rain likely
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
Rain, Mostly cloudy, Mostly sunny, Partly sunny, thunderstorm chance of rain chance of rain chance of rain
59°
55°
57°
55°
38°
44°
42°
36°
38°
57°
Razor clam harvest closed statewide in Oregon Harvesting for mussel, bay clam and crab remain open on coast The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recently announced the closure of the remainder of the coast for razor clamming. Recent razor clam samples indicate the marine biotoxin domoic acid has exceeded the closure limit. Razor clam harvesting is now closed from the Columbia River to the California border. While most of the razor clams in Oregon are found on the Clatsop beaches, Bastendorff Beach and North Spit in Coos Bay are also popular spots for the clam. ODA recommends you discard and do not eat any
Contributed Photo
A razor clam is shown in this photo. The entire Oregon coast is closed for harvest of the clams. razor clams dug from the Oregon coast on or since Monday, Nov. 16, as this is when samples were dug. Mussel, bay clam and crab harvesting is open along the entire Oregon coast. ODA will continue to test for shellfish toxins twice per month, as tides and weather permit. Reopening areas closed
for biotoxins requires two consecutive tests with results below the closure limit. Contact ODFW for recreational license requirements, permits, rules and limits. For information, call ODA’s shellfish biotoxin safety hotline at (800) 448-2474 or the Food Safety Division at (503) 986-4720.
Oregon prison worker pleads guilty to drug smuggling, sexual misconduct WILSONVILLE (AP) — A former officer at the Coffee Creek Corrections Facility will spend time in prison after pleading guilty to drug and sex charges while on duty in 2019, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon. Richard Alberts II, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and custodial sexual misconduct, U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said in a news release. In December 2019,
unsealed court documents showed Alberts and his co-conspirator Joseph Jimenez, were accused of conspiring to distribute heroin and methamphetamine at the women’s prison in Wilsonville where Alberts worked. Alberts agreed to smuggle opioids, meth and heroin into the prison and provide them to an inmate with whom he was having “an inappropriate and illegal sexual relationship.” Alberts faces up to 20
years in prison when he is sentenced in February by Judge Michael Simon. It’s expected he will serve about a year under a joint recommendation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. He is expected to be sentenced to probation for the sexual misconduct charge. He also has resigned from the Oregon Department of Corrections and is permanently decertified as a law enforcement officer in Oregon, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Seafood
allocated $300 million in CARES Act dollars to the seafood industry in May. The government announced $16 billion for farmers and ranchers that same month. “It helps to make the case for why there’s a need for more relief, which I think is our industry’s biggest concern across the supply chain in seafood,” Foley said. The study concludes that “only time will tell the
full extent of COVID-19 on US fishing and seafood industries.” Gavin Gibbons, a spokesman for the National Fisheries Institute in McLean, Virginia, said the short-term findings reflect the difficulties the industry has experienced this year. “The closure of restaurant dinning has had a disproportionate effect on seafood and a pivot to retail has not made up for all of the lost sales,” Gibbons said.
From Page 1
said Kyle Foley, senior program manager for the seafood program at Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Foley, who was not involved in the study, said the findings make clear that the seafood industry needs more help from the federal government. The federal government
NORTHWEST STOCKS LOTTERY Levi Straus 19.01 19.44 Dow Jones closed at 29,591.27 NASDAQ closed at 11,895.70 S&P 500 closed at 3,627.51 Provided by Coos Bay Edward
MegaMillions Nov. 20 26-33-45-61-68 Megaball: 17 Multiplier: x3 Jackpot: $200 million
Powerball Nov. 21 51-54-57-60-69 Powerball: 11 Multiplier: x2 Jackpot: $202 million
Megabucks Nov. 23 3-4-7-33-40-48 Jackpot: $4.9 Million
Win For Life Nov. 21 35-42-50-68
Coastal Window Coverings Quality Products at Competitive Prices FREE ESTIMATES FREE INSTALATION Blind Repair Availilble
Knox and Ginny Story 541-271-5058
Coos County Family Owned
Crushed Rock Topsoil Sand Serving Coos Bay, North Bend, Reedsport, Coquille, Myrtle Point & Bandon Kentuck
541-756-2623 Coquille
541-396-1700 CCB# 129529
541-266-6060 Advertise Your Business for $20 per week. 2 Days in The World, and 5 Days in The World Online! Call today to get your custom ad started!
541-266-6060 www.theworldlink.com
eEdition
Biden signals sharp shift from Trump in cabinet picks WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden on Monday tapped Obama-era officials for top national security and economic roles, signaling a stark shift from the Trump administration’s “America First” policies that disparaged international alliances and favored deregulation and tax cuts. The picks include former Secretary of State John Kerry to take the lead on combating climate change. Biden is also expected to choose Janet Yellen, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama to lead the Federal Reserve, as the first woman to become treasury secretary. Biden’s emerging Cabinet marks a return to a more traditional approach to governing, relying on veteran policymakers with deep expertise and strong relationships in Washington and global capitals. And with a roster that includes multiple women and people of color — some of whom are breaking historic barriers in their posts — Biden is fulfilling his campaign promise to lead a team that reflects the diversity of America. The incoming president will nominate longtime adviser Antony Blinken to be secretary of state, lawyer Alejandro Mayorkas to be homeland security secretary and Linda Thomas-Greenfield to be ambassador to the United Nations. Avril Haines, a former deputy director of the CIA, will be nominated as director of national intelligence, the first woman to hold that post. Thomas-Greenfield is Black, and Mayorkas is Cuban American. They “are experienced, crisis-tested leaders who are ready to hit the ground running on day one,” the transition said in a statement. “These officials will start working immediately to rebuild our institutions, renew and reimagine American leadership to keep Americans safe at home and abroad, and address the defining challenges of our time — from infectious disease, to terrorism, nuclear proliferation, cyber threats, and climate change.” In the weeks ahead, Biden could
Yellen From Page 1
through what Biden has said will be a “dark winter” with the pandemic still out of control. Negotiations on additional government spending, though, have been stuck in Congress for months. Yellen has favored further stimulus, including more money for state and local governments, which she has said need “substantial support” to avoid further job cuts. Rescue aid for states has been a major sticking point in congressional negotiations. Nathan Sheets, chief economist at PGIM Fixed Income and a former senior Fed and Treasury official, said that Yellen could effectively use the “bully pulpit” during what are likely to be difficult negotiations with Senate Republicans. “Yellen,” Sheets said, “has a unique ability ... to communicate about economics and economic policies in terms that resonate with individuals.” She will also have the opportunity to work with Fed Chair Jerome Powell, with whom Yellen enjoys a close relationship after having worked together at the Fed, to restart several emergency lending programs. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said last week that the programs will expire, as scheduled, at the end of this year — a decision that critics warn
also name Michèle Flournoy as the first woman to lead the Defense Department. Pete Buttigieg, the former Indiana mayor and onetime presidential candidate, has also been mentioned as a contender for several Cabinet agencies. In making the announcements on Monday, Biden moved forward with plans to fill out his administration even as President Donald Trump refuses to concede defeat in the Nov. 3 election, has pursued baseless legal challenges in several key states and has worked to stymie the transition process. Trump said Monday that he was directing his team to cooperate on the transition but vowed to keep up the fight. His comment came after the General Services Administration ascertained that Biden was the apparent winner of the election, clearing the way for the start of the transition from Trump’s administration and allowing Biden to coordinate with federal agencies on plans for taking over on Jan. 20. The nominations were generally met with silence on Capitol Hill, where the Senate’s balance of power hinges on two runoff races that will be decided in January. The best known of the bunch is Kerry, who made climate change one of his top priorities while serving as Obama’s secretary of state, during which he also negotiated the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate accord. Trump withdrew from both agreements, which he said represented a failure of American diplomacy in a direct shot at Kerry, whom he called the worst secretary of state in U.S. history. “America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is,” Kerry said. “I’m proud to partner with the president-elect, our allies, and the young leaders of the climate movement to take on this crisis as the president’s climate envoy.” Biden will appoint Jake Sullivan as national security adviser. At 43, he will be one of the youngest national security advisers in history.
will unnecessarily hamstring the Fed. Powell objected to the Treasury’s move, though he agreed to return money that Congress had authorized to backstop the lending. The most likely credit programs to be renewed, economists say, would be one that supported states and cities and a second, the Main Street Lending program, that targeted small and mid-sized businesses. Neither program has made very many loans. But just the understanding that those backstops existed lent confidence to the financial markets. Economists say Yellen could allow Powell to offer more generous terms to increase the programs’ use. The 74-year-old Yellen, long a path-breaking figure in the male-dominated economics field, was the first woman to serve as Fed chair, from 2014 to 2018. “She is an icon,” said Stephanie Aaronson, a vice president at the Brookings Institution and a former top economist at the Fed. “Having a female chair meant a lot to a lot of people.” Yellen was known as a highly prepared, sometimes demanding but down-to-earth manager who was popular with the Fed’s staff. “I have never met anyone who has worked for or with Janet who has an unkind word to say about her,” said Claudia Sahm, a former Fed economist. “She is the kind of person
Blinken, 58, served as deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration and has close ties with Biden. If confirmed as secretary of state, he would be a leading force in the incoming administration’s bid to reframe the U.S. relationship with the rest of the world after four years in which Trump questioned longtime alliances. Blinken recently participated in a national security briefing with Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and weighed in publicly just last week on notable foreign policy issues in Egypt and Ethiopia. He will inherit a deeply demoralized and depleted career workforce at the State Department. Trump’s two secretaries of state, Rex Tillerson and Mike Pompeo, offered weak resistance to the administration’s attempts to gut the agency, which were thwarted only by congressional intervention. Although the department escaped massive proposed cuts of more than 30% in its budget for three consecutive years, it has seen a significant number of departures from its senior and rising mid-level ranks, from which many diplomats have opted to retire or leave the foreign service given limited prospects for advancements under an administration they believed did not value their expertise. Blinken served on the National Security Council during President Bill Clinton’s administration before becoming staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when Biden was chair of the panel. In the early years of the Obama administration, Blinken returned to the NSC and was then-Vice President Biden’s national security adviser before he moved to the State Department to serve as deputy to Kerry. A graduate of Harvard University and Columbia Law School, Blinken has aligned himself with numerous former senior national security officials who have called for a major reinvestment in American diplomacy and renewed emphasis on global engagement.
who uplifts her staff.” Under Yellen’s tenure, the central bank began a seminal shift of its policy focus away from fighting inflation, which has been quiescent for decades, to trying to maximize employment, the second of its two mandates. That process culminated this summer when Powell announced that the Fed planned to keep rates ultra-low for a time even after inflation has topped the central bank’s 2% annual target level, rather than raising rates pre-emptively. As Fed chair, Yellen won praise for her attention to disadvantaged groups, including the longterm unemployed, at a time when financial inequalities were widening across the economy. She made numerous visits to employment training centers to spotlight the need for training programs to equip people for good jobs. During the 2008-2009 financial crisis, transcripts of the Fed’s meetings show that Yellen was more prescient than most other Fed officials about the potential for a deep recession and weak recovery afterward. Yellen is well-known on Capitol Hill after years of testifying as Fed chair to Senate committees about the economy and interest rate policy. During those years, she frequently clashed with Republican lawmakers who accused her of keeping rates too low for too long after the 2008 financial crisis.
Transition From Page 1
Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, criticized the delay but said Biden’s team would be able to overcome it. “Unfortunately, every day lost to the delayed ascertainment was a missed opportunity for the outgoing administration to help President-elect Joe Biden prepare to meet our country’s greatest challenges,” he said. “The good news is that the president-elect and his team are the most prepared and best equipped of any incoming administration in recent memory.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the GSA action “is probably the closest thing to a concession that President Trump could issue.″ Noting that the nation “faces multiple crises that demand an orderly transition,″ Schumer urged Democrats and Republicans to “unite together for a smooth and peaceful transition that will benefit America.″ Murphy’s action came just 90 minutes after Michigan election officials certified Biden’s 154,000-vote victory in the state. The Board of State Canvassers, which has two Republicans and two Democrats, confirmed the results on a 3-0 vote with one GOP abstention. Trump and his allies had hoped to block the vote to allow time for an audit of ballots in Wayne County,
White House still planning to host holiday parties WASHINGTON (AP) — All those warnings from public health officials begging Americans to limit gatherings this holiday season amid a surge in coronavirus cases aren’t stopping the White House from planning a host of festivities and holiday parties in the midst of a pandemic. Monday’s delivery of an 18-and-a-half-foot tall Fraser fir by horse-drawn carriage signaled the kickoff of the usual array of White House holiday events that will include the annual turkey pardon and Christmas and Hanukkah events. “Attending the parties will be a very personal choice,” said Stephanie Grisham, first lady Melania Trump’s spokeswoman and chief of staff, referring to the plans. “It is a longstanding tradition for people to visit and enjoy the cheer and iconic décor of the annual White House Christmas celebrations.” The decision to move forward with indoor gatherings and project a sense of normalcy comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, top White House advisers and public health professionals across the nation have been pleading with Americans not to travel for Thanksgiving or spend the holiday with people from outside of their households. As the weather has cooled, the virus has been spreading out of control, with cases and hospitalizations surging across the nation and more than 250,000 people dead. The White House has already been the site of several suspected “super-spreader” events and dozens of staff — along with the president, his wife and two of his sons — have been infected, along with a long list of campaign aides, other advisers and allies in Congress. Grisham said the White House would be taking precautions to provide “the safest environment possible” for those who choose to attend events. That includes smaller guest lists, requiring masks, encouraging social distancing on the White House grounds and hand sanitizer stations placed throughout the State Floor. “Guests will enjoy food individually plated by chefs at plexiglass-protected food stations. All passed beverages will be covered. All service staff will wear masks and gloves to comply with food safety guidelines,” she said. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned once again on Monday of the potentially dire consequences of gathering this holiday season. “We’re in a very difficult situation where the rate of infection, the slope of infections, are really very, very steep. So you might want to reconsider travel plans,” Fauci said in an interview with Washington Post Live.
where Trump has claimed without evidence that he was the victim of fraud. Biden crushed the president by more than 330,000 votes there. Some Trump allies had expressed hope that state lawmakers could intervene in selecting Republican electors in states that do not certify. That long-shot bid is no longer possible in Michigan. “The people of Michigan have spoken. President-elect Biden won the State of Michigan by more than 154,000 votes, and he will be our next president on January 20th,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said, adding it’s “time to put this election behind us.” Trump was increasingly frustrated by his legal team, led by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, whose erratic public performances drew bipartisan mockery in recent weeks. Still, the legal challenges were expected to continue, as Trump seeks to keep his supporters on his side and keep his options open for opportunities post-presidency. In Pennsylvania on Saturday, a conservative Republican judge shot down the Trump campaign’s biggest legal effort in the state with a scathing ruling that questioned why he was supposed to disenfranchise 7 million voters with no evidence to back their claims and an inept legal argument at best. But the lawyers still hope to block the state’s
certification, quickly appealing to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, which ordered lawyers to file a brief Monday but did not agree to hear oral arguments. The campaign, in its filings, asked for urgent consideration so it could challenge the state election results before they are certified next month. If not, they will seek to decertify them, the filings said. Biden won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes. Pennsylvania county election boards voted Monday, the state deadline, on whether to certify election results to the Department of State. The boards in two populous counties split along party lines, with majority Democrats in both places voting to certify. After all counties have sent certified results to Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, she must then tabulate, compute and canvass votes for all races. The law requires her to perform that task quickly but does not set a specific deadline. In Wisconsin, a recount in the state’s two largest liberal counties moved into its fourth day, with election officials in Milwaukee County complaining that Trump observers were slowing down the process with frequent challenges. Trump’s hope of reversing Biden’s victory there depends on disqualifying thousands of absentee ballots —- including the in-person absentee ballot cast by one of Trump’s own campaign attorneys in Dane County.
Western Oregon University will cut some positions and programs MONMOUTH (AP) — Several positions and programs at Western Oregon University will be reduced and eliminated next year in an attempt to curb a growing concern for the institution’s financial stability. The Statesman Journal reports the university’s board of trustees on Nov. 18 approved an adjusted 2021 budget, which required an update on fall 2020 enrollment numbers.
The previous budget, initially adopted at the board’s June meeting, was based on a projected enrollment decrease of 2.5%, officials said. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and “many other factors,” officials reported enrollment was actually down about 7.9%. Officials said the new budget reflects the resulting decrease in revenue, as well as financial
shortfalls caused by a shift to mostly remote instruction. Cuts in spending, salaries and other expenses will be used to cover the deficit. This includes the university reducing or eliminating nearly three dozen full-time equivalent positions and programs, including the elimination of a major or minor in anthropology, a major in philosophy and the entire mas-
ter’s in music and master’s in information technology programs. “These are extremely challenging times in higher education, and Western is not alone in having to make difficult decisions for the current and future success of the university,” said outgoing President Rex Fuller, who announced in October his plans for retirement next September.
Many university employees are not sympathetic to the cuts. On Oct. 28, Western faculty and staff unions initiated a vote of “no confidence” in Fuller in response to concerns raised by employees across the campus. Western, located in Monmouth, is the state’s oldest public university and serves nearly 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
e
CHANCE OF RAIN 54 • 44 | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020 | theworldlink.com
Follow us online:
facebook.com/theworldnewspaper
twitter.com/TheWorldLink
instagram.com/theworldlink
NFL expands its sidelines mask mandate Associated Press The NFL has expanded its mandate for mask usage on the sideline and is threatening discipline for those who violate the league’s updated COVID-19 protocols. The league told teams in a memo on Monday that players who are not substituting or preparing to enter the field of play
and are not wearing their helmets will be required to wear a mask or a double-layered gaiter on the sideline, starting this week. Play-callers now must wear a mask even if they have a face shield. Postgame interactions between players and staff will be limited. Also, players and team personnel must wear masks and may briefly greet opponents after games.
“Players who fail to wear masks on the sidelines will be subject to discipline,” the league said in its memo. “Clubs are required to enforce these rules. Violations by players and/or staff will result in accountability measures being imposed upon the club. It is strongly recommended that each club designate one or two individuals in the bench area to ensure compliance with these rules.”
The league is also reducing the maximum number of players that may travel to 62. Any player who travels to a game, including injured who are not eligible to play, will count against the 62-player maximum. Starting in Week 13, all members of a team’s traveling party are required to wear N95 or KN95 masks on team planes and buses.
Starting Nov. 30, access to a team’s training facility will be limited to essential football and support personnel during the times players and coaches are present. The league is also limiting the number of specialists such as chiropractors, massage therapists and barbers that may enter a club’s facility each week to five.
Goff leads Rams to victory in Tampa Bay TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jared Goff likes how the Los Angeles Rams are shaping up. “We can be as good as we want to be, honestly,” the fifth-year quarterback said after Monday night’s 27-24 victory over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “We’ve got it all in front of us. Everything is there for us to take.” Goff threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns, and Matt Gay kicked a 40yard field goal with 2:36 remaining to lift the Rams back into first place in the NFC West. Goff completed 39 of 51 passes, including short scoring throws to Robert Woods, Van Jefferson and Cam Akers. The Rams’ defense pressured Brady all night and sealed the win with rookie safety Jordan Fuller’s second interception of the sixtime Super Bowl champion. Goff threw a pair of interceptions, too, helping the Bucs remain close in the second half. But when the Rams (7-3) needed him to stand tall, he rebounded to lead them right down the field to retake the lead after Brady tied it with his second TD pass. “I’ve always believed in myself in any situation, but when you actually do it in a tough environment, it makes you feel good,” Goff said. “Jared just continued to demonstrate resilience,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “I love the fact he was outstanding from the jump. We had that one little mistake, and he just kept competing. What he did in terms of leading us down the field at the most important moment was critical.” Cooper Kupp had 11 receptions for 145 yards and Woods finished with 10 catches for 130 yards. Both caught passes on
NFL has first all-Black officiating crew TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — An all-Black officiating crew worked an NFL game for the first time in league history when the Los Angeles Rams faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night. Referee Jerome Boger led the crew, which also included umpire Barry Anderson, down judge Julian Mapp, line judge Carl Johnson, side judge Dale Shaw, field judge Anthony Jeffries and back judge Greg Steed. When the NFL announced the crew was being assembled last week, league executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent hailed the move a “a testament to the countless and immeasurable contributions of Black officials to the game, their exemplary performance, and to the power of inclusion that is the hallmark the eight-play, 53-yard drive Goff led to move Los Angeles into position for Gay’s winning kick. Brady was 26 of 48 for 216 yards and two touchdowns. The Rams sacked him once after getting to Russell Wilson six times in the previous week’s 23-16 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. “Disappointed. I have to do a better job,” Brady said. Tampa Bay was limited to a touchdown and field goal in the second half, both set up by interceptions thrown by Goff. “They did a good job preventing (the big play),” Brady said. “They play a defense that makes them tough to hit. Not
of this great game.” Five members of the crew work together regularly. Johnson and Steed joined the group for Monday night’s matchup between NFC playoff contenders. The members of the crew have a combined 89 seasons of NFL experience and have worked six Super Bowls. Bucs coach Bruce Arians, who’s been supportive of diversity in hiring throughout the league, applauded the decision. “Way too long coming,” Arians said. “I know a lot of those guys. They’re great officials. ... It’s a historic night, and I think it’s fantastic. The first Black official in any major sport was Burl Toler, hired by the NFL in 1965. impossible, but we didn’t hit any.” Gay, a 2019 Bucs draft pick who was released after a rookie season marked by inconsistency, is the Rams’ third kicker in four weeks. “I found out on Monday that the Rams were bringing me in,’’ Gay said. ”It was a quick flight so I could begin testing so I could be eligible for the game. Saturday was the first day I could be in the building. Luckily we played Monday night.” The Bucs (7-4) fell to 1-3 in four primetime games despite avoiding the type of slow start that hurt them in losses to the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints and nearly cost them in a narrow victory
over the New York Giants. Coach Bruce Arians adjusted the team’s preparation schedule last week, holding two practices at night — one at Raymond James Stadium. “Everybody is disappointed. Everybody was ready to play,” Arians said. “We played a good football team. Nobody’s head is down.” Brady answered a 10-play, 80-yard, 7-minute, 55-second drive Goff led to give the Rams a 7-0 lead with a couple of long scoring drives of his own to put the Bucs up 14-7 with a 9-yard TD pass to Mike Evans. Goff threw first-half TD passes to Woods and Jefferson, then used Woods’ 20-yard catch and run to the Tampa Bay 20 to set up Gay’s 38-yard field goal as time expired to give Los Angeles a 17-14 lead at halftime. With the Bucs trailing 24-17, Brady took advantage of Goff throwing his second interception of the night. Chris Godwin’s 13-yard TD catch made it 24all, setting the stage for Goff to move the Rams downfield for the go-ahead field goal. Fuller, a sixth-round draft pick who came off injured reserve last week, ensured Los Angeles improved to 32-0 when leading at halftime under McVay. “I was just in my zone, and the quarterback ended up throwing it in my direction,” said Fuller, who interestingly — like Brady — was selected 199th overall in the draft. “I was just telling myself, ‘Don’t drop it, don’t drop it, don’t drop it.’ The second one was kind of the same,” Fuller added. “I was just reading the quarterback’s eyes and was able to go out there and get it.”
First CFP rankings due tonight Diamond League plans 14 track meets in 2021 RALPH D. RUSSO Associated Press
The College Football Playoff put out a news release to get fans ready for the season’s first selection committee rankings Tuesday night. The takeaway: It’s business as usual for the CFP, even if this college football season has been anything but. The first rankings often get a lot of attention but there is a lot of football left. In six seasons of the playoff, the first top four has never included all the eventual playoff teams. In fact, only twice (2017 and ‘18) has it included three of the four eventual semifinalists. There is one odd pattern: The team ranked third in the committee’s first rankings of the season has never made the playoff, including Alabama last year. It was the first time the Crimson Tide missed the playoff. The first rankings are not, however, irrelevant. What to watch for when they are unveiled: Q: Where will the committee rank Cincinnati and BYU? A: AP voters have the Bearcats seventh and the Cougars eighth. A non-Power Five team has never been ranked better than 12th (UCF in 2018) in the first CFP rankings. If either of these unbeatens want to entertain realistic hopes of breaking into the final four and getting a chance to play for the national championship, a top-10 ranking to start seems essential. BYU’s ranking is especially important because the Cougars only have one game left on the schedule, against San Diego State (3-2). There has been a lot of
chatter about BYU and Cincinnati putting together a game on Dec. 5, when both are currently off. If that is going to happen, both schools will have to make the determination that their rankings make the risk worth the reward. That reward is not just glory and a bid to a marquee bowl game. Just getting into a New Year’s Six bowl is worth $4 million that Cincinnati would share with the rest of the American Athletic Conference and BYU would get to keep all to itself. Neither school is rushing to risk that payday for a long-shot chance to get into the semifinals. Q: How much emphasis is put on data points? A: Teams in the current AP Top 25 have played as many as nine games (BYU) and a few as three (Oregon). Will the committee dock the Ducks or maybe even Ohio State (4-0) a few places because they don’t have the body of work like Alabama (7-0), Notre Dame (8-0) and Clemson (7-1)? And if it does, how much of a disadvantage is that for the Pac-12, which is set to play the shortest schedule among in the Power Five conferences? “To me the only way that you can do it is you maybe have to put more stock in the eye test,” said Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, whose team is 6-2. “That’s the only answer I have. I don’t know how else you compare, say, a team that’s ... 5-0 or 6-0 versus a team that’s 10-1 or 9-2, or whatever you want to call it.” Q: Where is Clemson? A: The assumption has been that not having quarterback Trevor Lawrence (who was out
with COVID-19) and three injured defensive starters in a loss at Notre Dame would make the selection committee go easy on the Tigers. Where Clemson sits in the first rankings could give a hint about the Atlantic Coast Conference’s chances of getting two teams into the playoff. Q: How much does head-tohead matter? A: Texas A&M beat Florida on a last-second field goal in College Station in October, but since then the Gators have been rolling. Not that the Aggies haven’t, but a two-week COVID-19 pause has kept them off the field. Will the committee place the Aggies ahead of the Gators based on one close result or give the nod to hot team? This is also applicable in the Big 12, where Iowa State beat Oklahoma, but the Sooners have gotten key players back from suspension and seem to be playing better every week. Q: Yes, what about the Big 12? A: A two-loss team has never made the playoff and this is probably not a season where that will change. But where the highest-ranked Big 12 team lands is worth keeping an eye on to determine just how much chaos would be needed to make that a possibility. “I don’t know that, especially in 2020, that really the first couple of weeks should play in nearly as much as, you know, the last month of the season,” said Texas coach Tom Herman, whose Longhorns are 5-2. “And I do know that, we kind of beat each other up in this conference and that’s the beauty of having parity.” The lobbying and posturing has already begun.
MONACO (AP) — The Diamond League track and field series will visit 14 cities in 2021 to rebound after the coronavirus pandemic limited the traditional meets this year. Organizers said Tuesday the series is scheduled to start on May 23 in Rabat, Morocco, take a one-month break for the postponed Tokyo Olympics, and end with a Sept. 8-9 meet in Zurich. “The calendar is strictly provisional at this stage and remains subject to changes depending on the global health situation
in 2021,” organizers said in a statement. A meet on July 13 in London would be the last Diamond League stop before Olympic track events in Tokyo. The first post-Olympics meet is scheduled for Aug. 14 in Shanghai. A second meet in China is scheduled for Aug. 22 at a venue to be confirmed. The only meet in North America is set for Aug. 21 in Eugene, Oregon, at the revamped Hayward Field — the host of next world championships in 2022.
Iditarod champ won’t defend title ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Norwegian musher Thomas Waerner said Monday that he won’t defend his title at next year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race because of restrictions and uncertainty over travel during the coronavirus pandemic. “I cannot find a way to get the dogs to Alaska,” Waerner said in an email to The Associated Press. As he learned earlier this year, getting to Alaska is only half the battle: Waerner wasn’t able to return to his wife and five children in Torpa, Norway, for months after winning the world’s most famous sled dog race because travel was restricted as the pandemic took hold. The Iditarod was one of the few professional sports that wasn’t canceled last March. While the defending champion says he won’t participate in the 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) race across the rugged Alaska terrain, the Iditarod is still scheduled to start March 7. That includes a fan-friendly
ceremonial start a day earlier that usually attracts thousands of people in Anchorage. Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach said organizers are planning normal events for the ceremonial and official starts but have considered plans where small numbers of people are allowed to attend because of possible pandemic restrictions. He said organizers not making a decision yet, with college basketball games, college football playoffs and the Super Bowl in the months ahead to guide them on how to incorporate fans. “It’s creating a lot of complexities,” Urbach said of preparations. “It’s created a lot more work for all of us, but we’re extremely confident that we can have an event so that probably the safest place you can be from COVID would be on the Iditarod trail.” Organizers have developed a robust testing program, which may not be needed if a vaccine is widely available by March.