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CLOUDY WITH SHOWERS 53 • 46 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 | theworldlink.com

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Three virus deaths reported at CB facility Deaths at Life Care Center raise Coos County total to nine ZACK DEMARS The World

Coos County reported three new COVID-19 related deaths between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Coos Health & Wellness. The three deaths were associated with a virus outbreak at Coos Bay’s Life Care Center. “Despite our best efforts and

following of infection control protocols, COVID-19 made its way into our building,” Executive Director Barbara Hutchison wrote in a statement Wednesday. “We had our first positive test on Dec. 6.” Information about the individuals was limited as state health officials were delayed in reporting some statistics over the holiday weekend, but CHW Assistant Director Eric Gleason said the individuals included a female in her 80s, a male in his 80s and a male in his 70s, all with some kind of underlying health conditions.

Another individual associated with the Life Care Center outbreak died earlier this month, bringing the total number of deaths connected to the facility to four. “We are very sad that we have lost four of our residents to COVID-19,” Hutchison wrote. “Each one was special to us, and we all feel the pain.” In total, the center has seen 33 residents and 28 associates test positive for the virus. Ten residents currently have the virus, and 20 associates are recovering at home, according to Hutchison.

Hutchinson and CHW officials said the center is working to follow guidance from the CDC and Oregon Health Authority. On Wednesday, staff from Bay Area Hospital visited the center and vaccinated residents who hadn’t yet been infected, as well as 30 staff members, according to Hutchison. The center is working with CVS to reschedule a cancelled vaccine clinic in the near future. “The community support through encouraging words, prayers and gifts such as food dropped off for our staff has

helped carry us through this time,” Hutchison wrote. “Our staff have been working so hard to care for and protect our patients, and I am so proud of them.” A total of nine people in Coos County have died with the virus, with five of those occurring in December alone. As of Dec. 23, congregate care settings like Coos Bay’s Life Care Center have accounted for roughly one tenth of the state’s COVID-19 cases, but at least half of the state’s COVID-19 deaths, according to OHA data.

Father and son pandemic biking adventure Census

numbers will be delayed Associated Press

Contributed Photo

James Fritz and his son, Roman, sit on their motorcycles recently in North Bend. The two bonded over a growing love for the bikes during the pandemic-challenged 2020 year. Read about their adventure in Saturday’s edition of The World.

Missouri senator will contest Electoral College results WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he will raise objections next week when Congress meets to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the election, forcing House and Senate votes that are likely to delay — but in no way alter — the final certification of Biden’s win. President Donald Trump has, without evidence, claimed there was widespread fraud in the election. He has pushed Republican senators to pursue his unfounded charges even though the Electoral College this month cemented Biden’s 306-232 victory and multiple legal efforts to challenge the results have failed. A group of Republicans in the Democratic-majority House have already said they will object on

Trump’s behalf during the Jan. 6 count of electoral votes, and they had needed just a single senator to go along with them to force votes in both chambers. Without giving specifics or evidence, Hawley said Wednesday he would object because “some states, including notably Pennsylvania,” did not follow their own election laws. Lawsuits challenging Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania have been unsuccessful. “At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections,” Hawley said in a statement. He also criticized the way Facebook and Twitter handled content related to the

election, characterizing it as an effort to help Biden. Biden transition spokeswoman Jen Psaki dismissed Hawley’s move as “antics” that will have no bearing on Biden being sworn in on Jan. 20. “The American people spoke resoundingly in this election and 81 million people have voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Psaki said in a call with reporters. She added: “Congress will certify the results of the election as they do every four years.” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows praised Hawley on Twitter for “unapologetically standing up for election integrity.” Trump was cutting short his Florida holiday vacation and returning to Washington on

Thursday, one day earlier than expected, for reasons the White House didn’t explain. When Congress convenes to certify the Electoral College results, any lawmaker can object to a state’s votes on any grounds. But the objection is not taken up unless it is in writing and signed by both a member of the House and a member of the Senate. When there is such a request, then the joint session suspends and the House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it. For the objection to be sustained, both chambers must agree to it by a simple majority vote. If they disagree, the original electoral votes are counted. Please see Election, Page 3

The Census Bureau will miss a year-end deadline for handing in numbers used for divvying up congressional seats, a delay that could undermine President Donald Trump’s efforts to exclude people in the country illegally from the count if the figures aren’t submitted before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. The Census Bureau plans to deliver a population count of each state in early 2021, as close to the missed deadline as possible, the statistical agency said in a statement late Wednesday. “As issues that could affect the accuracy of the data are detected, they are corrected,” the statement said. “The schedule for reporting this data is not static. Projected dates are fluid.” It will be the first time that the Dec. 31 target date is missed since the deadline was implemented more than four decades ago by Congress. Internal documents obtained earlier this month by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform show that Census Bureau officials don’t expect the apportionment numbers to be ready until days after Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20. Once in office, Biden could rescind Trump’s presidential memorandum directing the Census Bureau to exclude people in the country illegally from numbers used for divvying up congressional seats among the states. An influential GOP adviser had advocated excluding them from the apportionment process in order to favor Republicans and non-Hispanic whites. “The delay suggests that the census bureau needs more time to ensure the accuracy of census numbers for all states,” said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former congressional staffer who specializes in census issues. By law the Commerce Department must present the president by year’s end with population figures from the 2020 census, data then used to determine how many seats in Congress each state gets. The president then is required to submit the numbers to Congress in early January. The Commerce Department oversees the Census Bureau, which conducts the once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident. However, there are no penalties for missing the deadline. “For the Census Bureau, goals No. 1 , 2 and 3 are completeness, accuracy and usefulness. They like to maintain the schedule, but that can’t be a priority for them,” said Kenneth Prewitt, a former Census Bureau director during President Bill Clinton’s administration. Please see Census, Page 3

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Oregon reports 19 more COVID-19 deaths The World COVID-19 has claimed 19 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,468, the Oregon Health Authority reported Wednesday. In addition, 1,052 new confirmed and presumptive cases were reported, raising the state’s total during the pandemic to 112,260 as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

Weekly Report Despite Wednesday’s high numbers, the weekly report released Wednesday showed declines in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. OHA reported 6,790 new cases during the week of Dec. 21-27, a 22% decrease from the previous week. There were 86 reported deaths, down 100 from the previous week and the lowest

total in four weeks. A total of 134,498 tests were conducted during the week, with a positivity rate of 6.3%, a slight increase. People ages 20 to 49 have accounted for 54% of COVID-19 cases, while people 70 and older have accounted for 77% of the deaths.

Cases and deaths The new confirmed and presumptive cases reported Wednesday are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (14), Clackamas (104), Clatsop (12), Columbia (12), Coos (15), Crook (14), Curry (3), Deschutes (47), Douglas (18), Gilliam (2), Hood River (19), Jackson (59), Jefferson (9), Josephine (27), Klamath (29), Lake (1), Lane (80), Lincoln (2), Linn (20), Malheur (31), Marion (121), Morrow (9),

Multnomah (168), Polk (20), Tillamook (10), Umatilla (57), Union (3), Wasco (21), Washington (103) and Yamhill (18). Oregon’s 1,451st COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Coos County who tested positive on Dec. 18 and died on Dec. 20 at his residence. He had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 1,452nd COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Coos County who tested positive on Dec. 23 and died on Dec. 24 at his residence. He had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 1,453rd COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old woman in Coos County who tested positive on Dec. 24 and died on Dec. 25 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Inspiration for ‘Lean on Me’ dies GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Joe Louis Clark, the baseball bat and bullhorn-wielding principal whose unwavering commitment to his students and uncompromising disciplinary methods inspired the 1989 film “Lean on Me,” died at his Florida home on Tuesday after a long battle with an unspecified illness, his family said. He was 82. At crime- and drug-ridden Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey, Clark expelled 300 students in a single day for fighting, vandalism, abusing teachers and drug possession. That lifted the expectations of those who remained, continually challenging them to perform better. Clark’s unorthodox methods, which included roaming the hallways with a bullhorn and a baseball bat, won him both admir-

ers and critics nationwide. President Ronald Reagan offered Clark a White House policy adviser position after his success at the high school. Morgan Freeman starred as Clark in the 1989 film “Lean on Me” that was loosely based on Clark’s tenure at Eastside. “Joe was a father figure to school kids,” Freeman said in a statement Wednesday. “He was the best of the best in terms of education.” After he retired from Eastside in 1989, Clark worked for six years as the director of Essex County Detention House, a juvenile detention center in Newark. He also wrote “Laying Down the Law: Joe Clark’s Strategy for Saving Our Schools,” detailing his methods for turning around Eastside High. Clark’s teaching career

started at a Paterson grade school in Passaic County, New Jersey, before he became principal of PS 6 Grammar School. Clark was born in Rochelle, Georgia, on May 8, 1938. His family moved north to Newark, New Jersey, when he was 6 years old. After graduating from Newark Central High School, Clark received his bachelor’s degree from William Paterson College (now William Paterson University), a master’s degree from Seton Hall University, and an honorary doctorate from the U.S. Sports Academy. Clark also served as a U.S. Army Reserve sergeant and a drill instructor. Clark is survived by his children, Joetta, Hazel and JJ, and grandchildren, Talitha, Jorell and Hazel. His wife, Gloria, preceded him in death.

Well-preserved Ice Age woolly rhino found MOSCOW (AP) — A well-preserved Ice Age woolly rhino with many of its internal organs still intact has been recovered from permafrost in Russia’s extreme north. Russian media reported Wednesday that the carcass was revealed by melting permafrost in Yakutia in August. Scientists are waiting for ice roads in the Arctic region to become passable to deliver it to a lab for studies next month. It’s among the best-preserved specimens of the Ice Age animal found to date. The carcass has

most of its soft tissues still intact, including part of the intestines, thick hair and a lump of fat. Its horn was found next to it. Recent years have seen major discoveries of mammoths, woolly rhinos, Ice Age foal, and cave lion cubs as the permafrost increasingly melts across vast areas of Siberia because of global warming. Yakutia 24 TV quoted Valery Plotnikov, a paleontologist with the regional branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as saying the woolly rhino was likely 3- or 4-years-

old when it died. Plotnikov said the young rhino likely drowned. Scientists dated the carcass as anywhere from 20,000- to 50,000-yearsold. More precise dating will be possible once it is delivered to a lab for radiocarbon studies. The carcass was found on the bank of the Tirekhtyakh river in the Abyisk district, close to the area where another young woolly rhino was recovered in 2014. Researchers dated that specimen, which they called Sasha, at 34,000 years old.

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‘Gilligans Island’ star Dawn Wells dies from COVID complications LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dawn Wells, who played the wholesome Mary Ann among a misfit band of shipwrecked castaways on the 1960s sitcom “Gilligan’s Island,” died Wednesday of causes related to COVID-19, her publicist said. She was 82. Wells died peacefully at a residential facility in Los Angeles, publicist Harlan Boll said. “There is so much more to Dawn Wells” than the “Gilligan’s Island” character that brought her fame, Boll said in a statement. Besides TV, film and stage acting credits, her other real-life roles included teacher, motivational speaker and conservationist, Boll said. Tina Louise, 86, who played Ginger the movie star, is the last surviving member of a cast that included Bob Denver as the title character; Alan Hale Jr. as the Skipper; Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer as wealthy passengers Thurston and Lovey Howell, and Russell Johnson, known as the Professor. “I will always remember her kindness to me,” Louise said in a statement. “We shared in creating a cultural landmark that has continued to bring comfort and smiles to people during this difficult time. I hope that people will remember her the way that I do — always with a smile on her face.” “Oh, this so sad. Bon

voyage, Mary Ann,” Jane Lynch posted on Twitter. “Two and a Half Men” star Jon Cryer tweeted that it was a “thrill” to meet Wells when she visited the show, adding, “She could not have been more lovely and gracious.” Wells, a native of Reno, Nevada, represented her state in the 1959 Miss America pageant and quickly pivoted to an acting career. Her early TV roles were on shows including “77 Sunset Strip,” “Maverick” and “Bonanza.” Then came “Gilligan’s Island,” a goofy, good-natured comedy that aired from 1964-67 that became an unlikely but indelible part of popular culture. Wells’ comely but innocent Mary Ann complemented Louise’s worldly Ginger, and both became innocuous ‘60s TV versions of sex symbols. Wells’ wardrobe included a gingham dress and shorts that modestly covered her belly button, with both costumes on display in Los Angeles at The Hollywood Museum. TV movies spinoffs from the series followed, including 1978’s “Rescue from Gilligan’s Island,” but Wells also moved on to other TV guest roles and films including the 2002 vacuum cleaner salesman comedy “Super Sucker” with Jeff Daniels. She starred on stage in dozens of plays, including “Chapter Two” and “The Odd Couple.”

In 2013, she was honored by for her work with a Tennessee-based refuge, The Elephant Sanctuary. To mark the 50th anniversary of “Gilligan’s Island.” Dawn wrote “A Guide To Life: What Would Mary Ann Do?” with observations about her character and the cultural changes that took place while she was stranded. Two years ago, a friend launched a GoFundMe drive to help cover medical and other costs for Wells, although she protested she didn’t need the assistance. She did end up acknowledging her need and accepted more than $180,000 in donations. “Wow! I am amazed at the kindness and affection I have received” in response to the fundraising drive, Wells said in a social media post at the time. She said a “dear friend” undertook it after a frank conversation. She recounted musing to him, “’Where did the time go? I don’t know how this happened. I thought I was taking all the proper steps to ensure my golden years. Now, here I am, no family, no husband, no kids and no money.’” Wells added in the post that she was grateful to her supportive fans and that her outlook remained positive. Dawn is survived by her stepsister, Weslee Wells, Boll said.

Most prolific U.S. serial killer dies in prison LOS ANGELES (AP) — The man authorities say was the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history, with nearly 60 confirmed victims, died Wednesday in California. He was 80. Samuel Little, who had diabetes, heart trouble and other ailments, died at a California hospital, according to the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was serving a life sentence for multiple counts of murder. California corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said there was no sign of foul play, and his cause of death will be determined by a coroner. A career criminal who had been in and out jail for decades, Little denied for years he’d ever killed anyone. Then, in 2018, he opened up to Texas Ranger James Holland, who had been asked to question him about a killing it turned out Little didn’t commit. During approximately 700 hours of interviews, however, Little provided details of scores of slayings only

the killer would know. A skilled artist, he even provided Holland with dozens of paintings and drawings of his victims, sometimes scribbling their names when he could remember them, as well as details such as the year and location of the murder and where he’d dumped the body. By the time of his death, Little had confessed to killing 93 people between 1970 and 2005. Most of the slayings took place in Florida and Southern California. Authorities, who continue to investigate his claims, said they have confirmed nearly 60 killings and have no reason to doubt the others. “Nothing he’s ever said has been proven to be wrong or false,” Holland told the CBS news magazine “60 Minutes” in 2019. The numbers dwarf those of Green River killer Gary Ridgway (49), John Wayne Gacy (33) and Ted Bundy (36). Almost all of Little’s victims were women, many of them prostitutes,

drug addicts or poor people living on the edges of society. They were individuals, he said he believed, who would leave few people behind to look for them and not much evidence for police to follow. Indeed, local authorities in states across the country initially classified many of the deaths as accidents, drug overdoses or the result of unknown causes. Little strangled most of his victims, usually soon after meeting them during chance encounters. He drowned one, a woman he met at a nightclub in 1982. He was nearly 80, in failing health and serving a life sentence in a California prison when he began confiding to Holland in May 2018, after years of refusing to talk to other authorities. Once a strong, strapping boxer who used his powerful hands to strangle his victims, he was now using a wheelchair to get around. Holland has described Little as both a genius and a sociopath, adding the killer could never adequately explain to him why he did what he did.

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Senate won’t vote on $2,000 stimulus checks WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell all but shut the door Wednesday on President Donald Trump’s push for $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks, declaring Congress has provided enough pandemic aid as he blocked another attempt by Democrats to force a vote. The GOP leader made clear he is unwilling to budge, despite political pressure from Trump and even some fellow Republican senators demanding action. Trump wants the recent $600 in aid increased threefold. But McConnell dismissed the idea of bigger “survival checks” approved by the House, saying the money would go to plenty of American households that just don’t need it. McConnell’s refusal to act means the additional relief Trump wanted is all but dead. “We just approved almost a trillion dollars in aid a few days ago,” McConnell said, referring to the year-end package Trump signed into law. McConnell added, “if specific, struggling households still need more help,” the Senate will

Census From Page 1

Besides deciding how many House seats each state gets, the census is used for determining how $1.5 trillion in federal funding is distributed each year. Trump’s July order on apportionment was challenged in more than a half dozen lawsuits around the U.S., but the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that any challenge was premature, allowing the plan to move forward. The Census Bureau hasn’t publicly revealed how it plans to determine who is in the country illegally since the Supreme Court last year prohibited a citizenship question from

Election From Page 1

The last time such an objection was considered was 2005, when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, both Democrats, objected to Ohio’s electoral votes by claiming there were voting irregularities. Both chambers debated the objection and rejected it. It was only the second time such a vote had occurred. As president of the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence will preside over the Jan. 6 session and declare the winner. Asked about Hawley’s announcement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, “I have no doubt that on next Wednesday, a week from today, that Joe Biden will be confirmed by the acceptance of the vote of the electoral college as the 46th president of the United States.” Hawley is a first-term senator and potential contender in the 2024 presidential primary, and his decision to join the

consider “smart targeted aid. Not another firehose of borrowed money.” The showdown between the outgoing president and his own Republican Party over the $2,000 checks has thrown Congress into a chaotic year-end session just days before new lawmakers are set to be sworn into office. It’s one last standoff, together with the override of Trump’s veto of a sweeping defense bill, that will punctuate the president’s final days and deepen the GOP’s divide between its new wing of Trump-styled populists and what had been mainstay conservative views against government spending. Trump has been berating the GOP leaders, and tweeted, “$2000 ASAP!” President-elect Joe Biden also supports the payments and wants to build on what he calls a “downpayment” on relief. “In this moment of historic crisis and untold economic pain for countless American families, the President-elect supports $2,000 direct payments as passed by the House,” said Biden transition

spokesman Andrew Bates. The roadblock set by Senate Republicans appears insurmountable. Most GOP senators seemed to accept the inaction even as a growing number of Republicans, including two senators in runoff elections on Jan. 5 in Georgia, agree with Trump’s demand, some wary of bucking him. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the $600 checks would begin to go out Wednesday. Congress had settled on smaller payments in a compromise over the big, year-end COVID relief and government funding bill that Trump reluctantly signed into law. Before signing, though, Trump demanded more. For a second day in a row, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer tried to force a vote on the bill approved by the House meeting Trump’s demand for the $2,000 checks. “What we’re seeing right now is Leader McConnell trying to kill the checks — the $2,000 checks desperately needed by so many American families,” Schumer said. With the Georgia Senate runoff elections days away, leading

stalemate. It included the $2,000 checks more narrowly targeted to lower-income households as well as a complicated repeal of protections for tech companies like Facebook or Twitter under Section 230 of a communications law that the president complained is unfair to conservatives. It also tacked on the establishment of a bipartisan commission to review the 2020 presidential election Trump lost to President-elect Joe Biden. If McConnell sets a vote on his bill, it could revive Trump’s priorities. But because the approach contains the additional tech and elections provisions, Democrats and some Republicans will likely balk and it’s unlikely to have enough support in Congress to pass. No additional votes on COVID aid have been scheduled at this point. For McConnell, the procedural moves allowed him to check the box over the commitments he made when Trump was defiantly refusing to sign off on the big year-end package last weekend. “That was a commitment, and that’s what happened,” he said.

being added to the census questionnaire. After the pandemic caused hiring shortages and prompted the Census Bureau to suspend field operations in the spring, the statistical agency asked Congress for extensions. The requests included one that would push the deadline for handing in the apportionment numbers from the end of the year to next spring. At the time, Trump said, “This is called an act of God. This is called a situation that has to be. They have to give it.” The request passed the Democratic-controlled House but went nowhere in the Republican-controlled Senate after Trump issued his order. A coalition of municipalities and advocacy

groups sued the Trump administration after it changed the schedule once again to shorten census field operations by a month and return to the Dec. 31 deadline for handing in the apportionment numbers. The plaintiffs argued the count was shortened by the Commerce Department so that census data-crunching happened while Trump was still in office, and they said it would cause minorities to be undercounted. They also worried that the shortened field operations and data processing would jeopardize the count’s accuracy and completeness. Bureau statisticians have been given only half the time originally planned to crunch the numbers, and Census Bureau director Steven Dillingham said last month that agency

statisticians had found anomalies in the 2020 data that have popped up in past censuses. The Census Bureau’s watchdog agency on Wednesday said it was concerned about lapses in quality control checks meant to detect falsifications by census takers. The Office of Inspector General said the Census Bureau failed to complete 355,000 re-interviews of households to verify their information was accurate. Even top Census Bureau officials internally questioned being able to meet the Dec. 31 deadline, with associate director Tim Olson telling colleagues in an email that anyone who thought the census numbers could be crunched by year’s end “has either

a mental deficiency or a political motivation.” The email was disclosed in the litigation. Former Census Bureau director John Thompson said the quality of the data is “the overarching issue” facing the Census Bureau. “If these are not addressed, then it is very possible that stakeholders including the Congress may not accept the results for various purposes including apportionment,” said Thompson, who oversaw 2020 census preparation as the agency’s leader during the Obama administration. He said in an email that missing the Dec. 31 target date “means that the Census Bureau is choosing to remove known errors from the 2020 Census instead of meeting the legal deadline.”

House objectors is a rebuff to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had asked his caucus not to participate in a futile quest to overturn the results. Aware that the Democratic-led House would not support such a challenge and that it would put most of his fellow GOP senators in a bind, McConnell told them on a private call Dec. 15 that it would be a “terrible vote” to have to take. That’s according to two people who were not authorized to publicly discuss the private call and spoke on condition of anonymity. While some Republicans have echoed Trump’s unsubstantiated claims, or at least refused to counter them, McConnell and an increasing number of GOP senators have acknowledged that Biden won and will be inaugurated Jan. 20. The Senate’s No. 2 Republican, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, said earlier this month that if the Senate were forced to vote on a challenge “it would go down like a shot dog.” Thune said it didn’t make sense to put senators through a vote when “you

know what the ultimate outcome is gonna be.” A range of nonpartisan election officials and Republicans have confirmed there was no fraud in the November contest that would change the results of the election. That includes former Attorney General William Barr, who said he saw no reason to appoint a special counsel to look into the president’s claims about the 2020 election. He then resigned from his post last week. Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped. He’s also lost twice at the Supreme Court. The group of House Republicans have said they plan to challenge the election results from Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada. All are states that Biden carried. Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks, one of the Republicans who is leading the efforts, has raised questions about the way state elections were conducted. Some of the states made

changes to ballots and procedures during the pandemic. While the new procedures may have led to confusion in some places, state and federal officials have said there was no credible evidence of widespread fraud. In addition to having to go on the record with

a vote, Republicans are worried about negative effects on the two Senate runoff elections in Georgia on Tuesday. GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler face Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in a state that flipped in November for Biden.

New Year’s revelries muted by virus CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — This New Year’s Eve is being celebrated like no other, with pandemic restrictions limiting crowds and many people bidding farewell to a year they’d prefer to forget. Australia was among the first nations to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the International Date Line. It was a grim end to the year for New South Wales and Victoria, the country’s two most populous states, which are battling new COVID-19 outbreaks. In past years 1 million people crowded Sydney’s harbor to watch fireworks

Republicans warned that the GOP’s refusal to provide more aid as the virus worsens could jeopardize the outcome of those races. Georgia’s GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are trying to fend off Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in runoff elections that will determine which party has the Senate majority. The two Republicans announced support for Trump’s call for more generous checks. “The Senate Republicans risk throwing away two seats and control of the Senate,” Newt Gingrich, the former congressional leader, said on Fox News. McConnell has tried to shield his divided Republicans from a difficult vote. On Wednesday he suggested he had kept his word to start a “process” to address Trump’s demands, even if it means no votes will actually be taken. “It’s no secret Republicans have a diversity of views,” he said. Earlier, McConnell had unveiled a new bill loaded up with Trump’s other priorities as a possible off-ramp for the

that center on the Sydney Harbor Bridge, but most watched on television as authorities urged residents to stay home. Locations on the harbor were fenced off, popular parks closed and famous night spots eerily deserted. A heavy police presence populated the otherwise quiet site, which resembled a ghost town. A 9 p.m. fireworks display was scrapped but a seven-minute pyrotechnics show at midnight brought momentary cheer as fireworks spectacularly lit up the iconic Harbor Bridge and its surroundings.

Sydney is Australia’s most populous city and has had its most active local transmission of the coronavirus in recent weeks. Melbourne, Australia’s second most populous city, canceled its fireworks this year. “For the first time in many, many years we made the big decision, difficult decision to cancel the fireworks,” Mayor Sally Capp said. New Zealand, which is two hours ahead of Sydney, and several of its South Pacific island neighbors have no current COVID-19 cases, and New Year celebrations there were the same as ever.

KKK flyers left in town in California TULELAKE, Calif. (AP) — Some 15 to 20 packages filled with rice and Ku Klux Klan flyers were scattered around a small town in northern California near the Oregon border, according to police. Residents of Tulelake, California found the materials on the doorsteps of their homes and businesses, the Herald and News in Klamath Falls, Oregon reported. The fliers claim the “radical left” was trying to steal the 2020 election and institute a Communist agenda. Tulelake Police Chief Tony Ross said this week that KKK recruitment paraphernalia also appeared in town about four years ago. He said police haven’t identified a culprit in either case. Ross said a person found responsible could be charged with offensive littering but advertisements for the hate group are generally considered free speech and are not illegal.

DEAR ABBYBy Abigail Van Buren JEALOUSY CREATES A BARRIER BETWEEN BIOLOGICAL SIBLINGS DEAR ABBY: I’m an American man who was adopted as an infant. Several years ago, I found my birth parents. They are not from America. My mother came here to give birth and left. Sometime later she married my father and had more children. I’m in touch with the entire family, but mainly my birth parents. My biological siblings are jealous of my success in life and make it plain they don’t approve of much that I do. They also make sure I know I’m not REALLY part of the family because we didn’t grow up together (although we are, by blood, 100% siblings). I deal with this the best I can, but now I’m getting flak from them because of my political views. (They saw a photo of me at a political fundraiser.) When my sister turned 40 this year, I sent her a card, a Facebook post and a text message. I turned 50 at the same time and heard not a word from her. Although my siblings are not Americans, they feel the need to trash our country, our government and our way of life. I’m tempted to cut ties with them. There is little respect coming my way, and I think I’ve had enough. I value your opinion, which is why I am writing to you now. BTW: I had an amazing set of (now deceased) parents and wonderful siblings growing up. I just wish I had a better relationship with my biological family. -DISAPPOINTED AND EXCLUDED DEAR DISAPPOINTED: Your family is the family that raised and nurtured you. I, too, am sorry you don’t have a better relationship with these jealous, judgmental people. You are related by blood -- nothing more.

They do not have the right to criticize your political views or your lifestyle, any more than you have the right to criticize theirs. (And I doubt you would.) Because you are neither respected nor included, you have every right to back off and head in a different, more positive direction. Frankly, I suspect you will feel better as soon as you do. DEAR ABBY: I’m a 26-year-old male in a long-distance relationship with my girlfriend, who is 18. I love her to the moon and back, but I feel like she only stays with me because I can buy her things. She gets upset with me when I don’t get them for her. She says I value my mother and others before her. I love her so much, and I want to marry her. I’m a minister at a church. She thinks she should take priority before my bills and taking care of my mother, who can barely walk. What do I do? -- UNEASY IN NEW JERSEY DEAR UNEASY: From what you have written, it appears you are involved with an 18-year-old self-involved gold digger who does seem to be with you only because of what you give her. She hasn’t yet learned (1) That a gift should be voluntary and appreciated, rather than extorted, and (2) the way a man treats his mother is the way he will treat his wife. Since you asked my advice, here it is: Close your wallet and ditch this “girl.” ------------------------------Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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Oklahoma thumps Texas in Cotton Bowl Classic ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lincoln Riley will remember this Oklahoma season for a long time. It took a lot to get to the end of it — with two significant trophies. The No. 8 Sooners navigated through the season played under the cloud of a pandemic, and their first 0-2 start in Big 12 play since 1998, to win their sixth conference title in a row, then wrapped it up with an overwhelming 55-20 win over 10thranked SEC runner-up Florida on Wednesday night in the Cotton Bowl — the first New Year’s Six game played. “It’s very meaningful to us with the way the year has gone for everybody to be able to look at the tough things and not see obstacles, but see opportunities,” Riley said. “It’s been our mindset. We felt that way the entire year and really closed so strong.” Spencer Rattler threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score, and Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 186 yards for the Sooners (9-2, No. 6 CFP), who won the Cotton Bowl in the same

NFL stadium where 11 days earlier they claimed their latest Big 12 title. They led 17-0 in the first seven minutes on way to the most points and yards (684) they have ever had in a bowl game. The Sooners had 435 yards rushing, including 110 from freshman Marcus Major. They averaged 10.52 yards per play overall, the most ever against a Power 5 opponent in a bowl game, according to STATS. Rattler threw a 27-yard TD pass to fellow freshman Marvin Mims on the game’s opening drive, and Florida’s first possession ended with Tre Norwood’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. That was the first of three picks thrown by Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Kyle Trask in the first quarter, after only five all season. “A couple of times, we confused their quarterback with coverage, and he let go of a couple of throws that weren’t as decisive as we usually see him make” Riley said. Oklahoma played in its sixth consecutive New Year’s Six

bowl game, but the last three seasons had lost College Football Playoffs semifinal games while giving up an average of 54 points to different SEC teams. The Sooners finished this season with an eight-game winning streak. Their 0-2 start in Big 12 play effectively knocked them out of playoff contention by mid-October. “I feel like this win specifically is going to get us going, going into next year,” Rattler said. “This is a game we wanted to come out here and coach Riley said, we want to make a statement. As a group, we do that well.” These Gators (8-4, No. 7 CFP) were much different than the team that just 11 days earlier fell 52-46 to No. 1 Alabama in the SEC title game, and had averaged nearly 42 points a game. Trask played presumably his final college game, but didn’t have his top four pass-catchers, and didn’t play after the opening drive of the second half. Dual-threat sophomore QB Emory Jones had a 1-yard keeper for Florida’s first touchdown

midway through the second quarter, capping a 16-play, 88-yard drive when both he and Trask took snaps. Trask finished 16 of 28 for 158 yards, while Jones was 8 of 16 for 86 yards — with 12 players catching passes. “A lot of guys got some really good experience out there for us tonight,” coach Dan Mullen said. “I think the future is really bright.” WISCONSIN 42, WAKE FOREST 28: Graham Mertz accounted for three touchdowns and Wisconsin turned four second-half interceptions into 21 points to beat Wake Forest 42-28 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Wednesday. Mertz, a redshirt freshman, threw for 130 yards and ran for two short touchdowns as Wisconsin (4-3) finished a rocky season on a high note. With the game tied at 21 late in the third quarter, Noah Burks intercepted Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman on a pass in the flat when the intended receiver failed to turn his head around. Burks

returned the ball 41 yards to set up a 14-yard scoring strike from Mertz to Mason Stokke on a wheel route, giving the Badgers their first lead. Hartman, who had thrown only one interception all season, was picked off on the next three possessions as well. Scott Nelson had a 60-yard interception return and Collin Wilder returned a pick 72 yards to set up short TD runs that gave the Badgers a 42-21 lead, resulting in Hartman getting benched. Jack Sanborn had 11 tackles and an interception and was named MVP of the game. Hartman finished 20 of 37 passing for 318 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. Wake Forest (4-5) outgained Wisconsin 518-266 on offense, but the Badgers had 176 return yards off interceptions. Hartman threw three touchdown passes to Jacquarii Roberson to give the Demon Deacons a 21-14 lead early in the third quarter against the nation’s No. 1-ranked defense.

Hammon becomes first female NBA coach SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Becky Hammon would have preferred a victory over history after becoming the first woman to coach an NBA team. The assistant coach took over the San Antonio Spurs in the second quarter after coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in a 121-107 loss to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. “I try not to think of the huge picture and huge aspect of it because it can be overwhelming,” Hammon said. “I really have had no time to reflect. I have not had time to look at my phone. So, I don’t know what’s going on outside the AT&T Center.” Hammon and the Spurs already had a lot to contend with against the defending league champion Lakers. James celebrated his 36th birthday with 26 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the Lakers’ third double-digit victory. The teams will complete the two-game set Friday night. “(I was) trying to get the guys in the right spots,” Hammon said. “Trying to get them motivated. Obviously, it’s a learning situation for all of us, but I would have loved to have walked out there with a win with the guys.” Popovich was ejected by official Tony Brown with 3:56 remaining in the second quarter. Popovich screamed at Brown and entered the court following a non-call on DeMar DeRozan’s attempted layup and a subsequent attempted rebound by Drew Eubanks. As he exited the court to applause from several of the team’s family members in attendance, Popovich pointed a finger at Hammon and had a succinct message.

Clippers rout Blazers in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points in his return from a two-game absence, Paul George added 23 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers breezed past the Portland Trail Blazers 128-105 on Wednesday night. It was the Clippers’ second straight blowout win to close out the year. They beat Minnesota by 23 points a night earlier after bouncing back from an ugly 51-point defeat against Dallas last weekend. Leonard wore a clear plastic mask held in place by two white straps around his head to protect his mouth, where he had eight stitches after getting elbowed by teammate Serge Ibaka a week ago. He started slowly, scoring 12 points in the first half, when the Clippers shot 58% from the floor. Leonard and George came out firing to start the second half. They combined to score the Clippers’ first nine points, extending their lead to 85-57. George had 10 rebounds, while he and Leonard had seven assists each. Six Clippers scored in double figures. Lou Williams added 15 points off the bench. “You got ‘em,” Hammon said. “See? He doesn’t treat us any differently than he does you guys.” Said LeBron James: “Obviously she’s been paying her dues over the last few years and Coach Pop has given her the opportunity. ... It’s a beautiful thing just to hear her barking out calls, barking out sets.

“Guys are playing hard, we’re locked in,” Williams said. “We know we have a lot of guys who are capable, we’re playing with trust.” CJ McCollum scored 25 points, making seven 3-pointers, to lead the Blazers, whose two-game winning streak ended. Damian Lillard made 14 of 15 free throws to finish with 20 points after missing 11 of 14 shots from the field. He was 0 of 8 from 3-point range. “They just had a 50-point loss, so they’ve been locked in,” Lillard said of the Clippers. “We missed open shots, we allowed them to get clean looks because we were late and not as active on the defensive end.” The Blazers led just three times and never by more than three points. They lived at the line, making 29 of 34 free throws. Carmelo Anthony made 9 of 10 foul shots and scored 15 points. Portland never got a big run going in the second half, when it trailed by 30. “When you get down in the league, it’s hard to come back, especially against talented teams,” McCollum said. She’s very passionate about the game. Congrats to her and congrats for our league.” Hammon took over the team’s huddles during timeouts and walked the sideline following Popovich’s ejection. Hammon was the first full-time female assistant coach in league history. “Well deserved,” Lakers coach Frank

Coastal Carolina coach honored by Associated Press RALPH D. RUSSO Associated Press

Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell is The Associated Press college football coach of the year after leading the Chanticleers to a surprising, near-perfect season. Chadwell received 16 firstplace votes and 88 points from the AP Top 25 panel to finish ahead of Indiana’s Tom Allen, who was second with 14 first-place votes and 66 points. Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell was third (5, 44) and Alabama’s Nick Saban was fourth (8, 42). Chadwell is the first Sun Belt Conference coach to win the AP award, which was established in 1988, and the third coach to earn it with a team from outside the Power Five leagues. UCF’s Scott Frost was AP coach of the year in 2017 and Gary Patterson won the first of his two AP awards with TCU in 2009 when the Horned Frogs were competing in the Mountain West. San Jose State’s Brent Brennan finished fifth, meaning Group of Five teams had three of the top five coaches in this

year’s voting. The 43-year-old Chadwell directed a breakout season for No. 9 Coastal Carolina (11-1) in his third year leading the program. The Chanticleers were picked last in the Sun Belt’s East Division after finishing 5-7 (2-6) last year. “I knew we weren’t as bad as people were going to pick us to be,” Chadwell said. “I thought we were going to be pretty good. I knew we were going to be better.” Instead, behind freshman quarterback Grayson McCall running a creative option offense, Coastal Carolina had its best season since transitioning to the Bowl Subdivision in 2017. The Chanticleers made the Sun Belt championship game, though they did not get to play in it because of COVID-19 issues within the program. But they finished with a perfect regular season that included victories over Sun Belt West winner Louisiana-Lafayette and three-time conference champion Appalachian State. McCall was injured during the victory against Louisi-

ana-Lafayette and didn’t play the following week. When the Chanticleers still beat Georgia Southern the next week without McCall, Chadwell knew he had something special. “Nobody panicked,” Chadwell said. “We started getting all kinds of national attention after that Louisiana game and I started worrying that’s going to go to our head, and it didn’t. And after that game when we found a way to win it, I thought we’re going to be tough to beat from here on out.” Coastal Carolina also beat BYU in one of best games of this strange season. After a virus outbreak forced Liberty to pull out of a nonconference game scheduled for Dec. 5 in Conway, South Carolina, the Cougars and Chants agreed to play on short notice. Coastal won a 22-17 thriller, stopping BYU on the final play a yard short of the goal line and a winning touchdown. Earlier this week, senior defensive end Tarron Jackson was named an AP All-American and senior defensive tackle C.J. Brewer was selected to the third team.

“This has been the best senior leadership class I have ever been around,” Chadwell said. The Chants’ perfect season came to an end last week when they lost in overtime to Liberty in the Cure Bowl. Chadwell came to Coastal Carolina in 2017 as offensive coordinator for former coach Joe Moglia after four successful season at FCS Charleston Southern. Instead of being offensive coordinator, Chadwell served as interim head coach at Coastal in his first season when Moglia needed to sit out for health reasons. “That was the worst professional year of my life. It was so challenging,” Chadwell said. “It was basically being a substitute teacher when everybody knew the teacher was coming back.” Moglia returned for one season in 2018 and then retired, handing it off to Chadwell, who quickly brought the program to new heights. “I never doubted that it would work. I felt strongly about what we were doing,” Chadwell said.

Vogel said. “I’ve talked to her before and she really knows her stuff and obviously she’s here for a reason. She’s equipped, intelligent (and the) guys have great respect for her. She’s going to be a great coach one day.” A three-time All-American at Colorado State, Hammon played for the New York Liberty and San Antonio Stars in the WNBA as well as overseas before retiring to join Popovich’s staff in 2014. “Even in timeouts with Pop as head coach, she is quick on her feet,” DeRozan said. “She tells us about defensive assignments, offensive sets we should run. Seeing her in the forefront, it would have definitely been cool to have won for her.” The Lakers contributed to Popovich’s frustration and the Spurs’ fortunes didn’t get much better after the veteran coach exited. Dennis Schroder had 21 points, Anthony Davis had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers. Wesley Matthews was 6 for 6 on 3-pointers in scoring 18 points off the bench. The Spurs opened with a 9-2 run, including an uncontested drive through the lane by Keldon Johnson for a two-handed slam. The Lakers responded with an 11-0 run that promoted a timeout by Popovich. The Lakers took their first double-digit lead at 35-25 on Kyle Kuzma’s 3-pointer with 1:14 remaining in the first quarter. Dejounte Murray had a career-high 29 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. “At the end of the day, it don’t mean nothing, we lost,” Murray said. DeRozan added 23 for the Spurs, who lost their second straight after opening the season with two consecutive wins.

Semifinal can use Rose Bowl name PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — The College Football Playoff semifinal in Texas will be allowed to call itself the Rose Bowl Game, but Pasadena officials don’t want the New Year’s event relocated in the future. The Pasadena city council agreed Wednesday to allow the Tournament of Roses to move the game to Arlington, Texas, on New Year’s Day. No. 1 Alabama will play fourth-ranked Notre Dame in the first CFP semifinal at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas. The Tournament of Roses will pay the city $2 million to help Pasadena with its expenses and lost revenue as a result of the game being relocated. But Pasadena officials said the game “will not relocate again from Pasadena, unless it is forced to due to a national emergency.” It’s the first time the game won’t be played in Pasadena since World War II. The Rose Parade was canceled. The state of California twice rejected requests by the Tournament of Roses to allow limited fans in attendance at the 95,000-seat venue. Officials in Texas will allow about 16,000 fans to watch the game.