Hartford Courant -- January 25, 2022

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by  Hartford Courant

College admissions Wild day on Wall Street Hoyas next for Huskies Morning clouds
Supreme Court to hear challenge to Stock market rebounds after big decline Hurley feels good about team’s recent play Chance for snow showers or
consideration of race. NEWS, PAGE 4 earlier in the day. NEWS, PAGE 8 going into tonight’s game. SPORTS, PAGE 1 flurries; high 41. SPORTS, PAGE 6
VOLUME CLXXXVI CCOOUURRAANNTT..CCOOMM TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022
Lamont’s emergency powers expected to expire
Lawmakers anticipate allowing measure to end while also crafting language
to preserve more than $50 million in federal funding for state needs
By Christopher Keating gency powers — but not both. The House Democratic caucus
Hartford Courant “The governor is saying to us that was scheduled to meet Monday
he doesn’t need the same emergency night to discuss the issue, and no
HARTFORD — The state legis- powers he has had in the past — as votes are expected until the 2022
lature is expected to allow Gov. long as you codify these things,” Ritter regular session starts on Feb. 9.
Ned Lamont’s emergency powers said in an interview. “I don’t think it Lamont’s emergency powers are
to expire next month, but is also makes a lot of sense to codify and then currently scheduled to end on
crafting language to preserve more say you get your same powers back.” Feb. 15. All Republican legislators
than $50 million in all-import- The legislature would likely vote and some Democrats have been
ant federal funding that the state to codify the executive orders for strongly opposed to extending
needs, lawmakers said Monday. only 30 to 60 days because the Lamont’s powers for a seventh
House Speaker Matt Ritter said fast-changing virus could change time as the first six extensions have
that he agrees with House Repub- the public health landscape again. covered nearly two years since the
House Speaker Matt Ritter, of Hartford, and Republican leader Vincent lican leader Vincent Candelora that “No one knows what’s going to virus began spreading in Connecti-
Candelora, of North Branford, say they can codify the governor’s executive the legislature could either codify happen” in the future, Ritter said. cut in March 2020.
orders or extend his emergency powers — but not both. Here, they confer in Lamont’s 11 remaining executive “There could be other concerns
June in the Hall of the House in Hartford. MARK MIRKO/HARTFORD COURANT orders into law or extend his emer- that arise.” Turn to Powers, Page 2
Coventry
standoff
concludes
peacefully
Homes evacuated,
school locked down due
to a barricaded suspect
By Christine Dempsey
Hartford Courant
A standoff in Coventry that
caused police to shut down the
area, evacuate homes and put a
school in lockdown ended peace-
fully Monday afternoon.
The incident started early
Monday morning when state
police attempted to serve an
arrest warrant, police said.
According to local police, the
state police let them know they
were serving an arrest warrant
at an address on South Street at
8 a.m. A Coventry officer headed
that way and when he arrived saw
that something had gone wrong,
said Kevin Roberto, executive
assistant to the Coventry chief.
As he pulled up, troopers were
“running for cover and taking up
positions,” Roberto said. The offi-
cer blocked off the road to keep
cars from passing the house,
Iszac Henig was a member of Yale’s Ivy League champion 200 free and 200 individual medley relays as a freshman and finished third in the 100 free in the and the state police called their
Ivy League championships his sophomore year. COURTESY SWAT team.
Police evacuated neighbors
‘I’m just here to go fast from their homes; others who
live farther away were told in a
reverse 911 message to stay put, or
shelter in place. A warm shelter
was provided for those who had
to leave their houses.
and have a good time’
Turn to Lockdown, Page 3
Yale transgender swimmer Henig wants to focus I was working a couple different jobs, but I
was also spending a lot of time doing some
on maintaining positive energy on the team pretty deep introspection and trying to recon-
nect with a part of myself that I didn’t sort of
always feel connected to. That ended up with
By Lori Riley Menlo Park, California. me coming out at the beginning of 2021, first to
Hartford Courant Henig, now 21, had a lot of time to think family, then to close friends, extended family.
about his transition. At the beginning of last My team.
Yale swimmer Iszac Henig knew at 14 that year, he decided to come out as a transgen- “With that process for me it was a lot of
he identified as a boy. He told his mother that der male. He returned to school in 2021 for something about the way I’m living my life
he wanted to be her son instead of her daugh- his junior year with the support of his Yale wasn’t working and identifying what that was. A Coventry town official turns
ter, but he wasn’t ready to make that commit- women’s teammates, coaches and the univer- Making the switch that needed to happen has back a bus trying to drive its route
ment at such a young age. sity. allowed me to live a much more authentic, down South Street because of
Last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, “For me, as for everyone, the pandemic was happy, fulfilling life already, and it’s been less a barricaded man in a standoff
classes were remote at Yale and the swimming sort of something that stopped time and accel- than a year.” with state police on South
season was canceled. Henig decided to take erated it,” he said. “It meant that I had a lot of Street. MARK MIRKO/HARTFORD
a year off from school and work at home in hours at home. I took a year off from school, Turn to Swimmer, Page 3 COURANT
US puts 8,500 troops on heightened alert
Decision speeds troops on heightened alert for tions develop” in connection with deployment to Europe in light of part of what our national security
up potential move potential deployment to Europe tensions over Russia’s military signs that Russian President Vlad- officials have been discussing with
to reassure allies amid rising fears buildup along Ukraine’s borders. imir Putin is not de-escalating their counterparts now for several
of forces to Europe of a possible Russian military move “What this is about is reassur- his military pressure on Ukraine. weeks,” said White House press
on Ukraine. ance to our NATO allies,” Kirby Kirby said he was not prepared secretary Jen Psaki.
By Robert Burns Pentagon press secretary John said, adding that no troops are to identify the U.S.-based units Later Monday, Biden held a
and Lorne Cook Kirby said Monday no final deci- intended for deployment to because they were still being noti- video call with several European
Associated Press sions had been made on deploy- Ukraine itself. fied. leaders on the Russian military
ments, which he said would Kirby said Defense Secretary “We’ve always said we would buildup and potential responses to
WASHINGTON — At President happen only if the NATO alliance Lloyd Austin recommended to reinforce our allies on the eastern an invasion, the White House said.
Joe Biden’s direction, the Pentagon decides to activate a rapid-re- Biden that about 8,500 troops be flank, and those conversations and
is putting about 8,500 U.S.-based sponse force “or if other situa- ordered to prepare for potential discussions have certainly been Turn to Troops, Page 2
Officials warn of price gouging, bogus COVID tests sold Opinion .................... News, 10 Puzzles ...Connecticut, 7, 9
Obits .................. News, 12-14 Comics .. Connecticut, 8-9
Scammers are taking advantage of the heavy demand for COVID-19 test kits, U.S. Sen. Richard Lottery ....................... News, 2
Blumenthal and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said Monday. Connecticut, Page 1 Classified ................. News, 11
2 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022
FROM PAGE ONE
Troops Sea region. Denmark is send-
ing a frigate and deploying F-16
from Page 1 warplanes to Lithuania; Spain
is sending four fighter jets to
Kirby said Austin was antici- Bulgaria and three ships to the
pating the potential for NATO to Black Sea to join NATO naval
activate what it calls the NATO forces; and France stands ready
Response Force, a multinational to send troops to Romania. The
force totaling about 40,000 troops. Netherlands also plans to send two
Most of the 8,500 U.S. troops being F-35 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria.
put on higher alert would be sent NATO will “take all necessary
as part of that response force, if it’s measures to protect and defend
activated, Kirby said. He added all allies,” Secretary-General Jens
that he could not rule out that U.S. Stoltenberg said. “We will always
troops already based in Europe respond to any deterioration of our
could be shifted east as further security environment, including
reinforcements. through strengthening our collec-
As an example of the effect tive defense.”
of Austin’s order to make U.S.- In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman
based units more prepared for Dmitry Peskov said it was NATO
deployment, Kirby said that those and the U.S. who were behind the
currently required to be ready to escalating tensions, not Russia.
move on 10-days notice will be “All this is happening not
required to be ready on five-days because of what we, Russia, are
notice. doing. This is happening because
The Pentagon’s move comes of what NATO, the U.S. are doing,”
as tensions have soared between Peskov told reporters.
Russia and the West over concerns U.S. Secretary of State Antony
that Moscow is planning to invade Blinken held talks with Russian
Ukraine, with NATO outlining Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
potential troop and ship deploy- on Friday and said the U.S. would
ments, Britain saying it would give Russia written responses to
withdraw some diplomats from Moscow’s proposals this week,
Kyiv, and Ireland denouncing Volunteer members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, part of the nation’s military reserve, participate in a offering some hope that any inva-
upcoming Russian war games off training exercise Saturday in a Kyiv park amid escalating concerns over a possible Russian invasion. sion could be delayed for at least a
its coast. EFREM LUKATSKY/AP few more days.
Prior to the U.S. announce- Russia has already invaded
ment, the Western alliance’s state- has accompanied the Ukraine troops in former Soviet bloc coun- accusations are merely a cover Ukraine once, annexing the
ment summed up moves already standoff. tries, be curtailed. Some of these, for NATO’s own planned prov- Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
described by member countries, Russia has massed an esti- like any pledge to permanently bar ocations. Recent days have seen It also supports pro-Russian
but restating them under the mated 100,000 troops near Ukraine, are nonstarters for NATO high-stakes diplomacy that failed Ukrainian separatists fighting
NATO banner appeared aimed at Ukraine’s border, demanding that — creating a deadlock that many to reach any breakthrough and the Kyiv government in the east-
showing resolve. NATO promise it will never allow fear can only end in war. maneuvering on both sides. ern Donbass region. About 14,000
The West is ramping up its rhet- Ukraine to join and that other Russia denies it is planning an NATO said Monday it is bolster- people have been killed in the
oric in the information war that actions, such as stationing alliance invasion, and says the Western ing its “deterrence” in the Baltic conflict.
Powers If the pandemic gets worse, it was to continue his emergency want that. But there is language concerned about this continued
lawmakers could always vote once powers, which I don’t think is that that we can adopt that is acknowl- delegation of authority to the
from Page 1 again in the coming months — such unpopular, by the way — sacrifice edging that we’re in some sort of a governor. The governor is trying
as in May or June — to reinstate $32 million in SNAP benefits for state of emergency.” to eat his cake and save it for later
But Paul Mounds Jr., Lamont’s Lamont’s powers if the state faces some of the poorest residents in the Candelora and other Republi- at the same time. I don’t know how
chief of staff, said that Lamont a sudden emergency with another state of Connecticut,” Ritter said. cans had been pushing that point you do both.”
never asked for his emergency variant or other problem, Ritter “I would take the heat — as much months ago, saying that Connecti- Senate Republican leader Kevin
powers to be extended. Instead, said. as you want to put on me. It would cut could still receive the funding. Kelly of Stratford said Lamont’s
he only asked for the state’s public A critical point for Ritter, who be an absurdity to not try to avail He said that the federal agriculture powers should not be extended
health and civil preparedness represents Hartford, is that yourself of that funding because of department says “you don’t need a for the seventh time. Even though
emergencies to be extended. Connecticut cannot afford to lose political purposes.” governor’s emergency declaration the session starts Feb. 9, he believes
“The governor didn’t ask them $32.6 million in federal funding For eligible households, the to do it. We can legislate it.” there is still time to hold public
to extend his powers,” Mounds for food stamps, along with $20 average additional supplement Candelora also opposes hearings to get feedback from the
said. “We didn’t say the declared million more from the Federal would be nearly $155 per month. Lamont’s original proposal for general public.
emergency has to have orders in Emergency Management Agency, “Because we are continuing the codifying the executive orders and “We’ve got 22 months of experi-
which the governor has attributed known as FEMA. Lamont had orig- emergency rules, if the legisla- extending the emergency orders at ence under our belt,” Kelly said. “I
to it.” inally said that he needed an exten- ture adopts this broad umbrella of the same time. think we could have public hear-
Some lawmakers said they did sion of the emergencies to preserve emergency with executive orders, “The legislature and the public ings. The state of Connecticut
not clearly understand Lamont’s the federal funding, but now Ritter our understanding over the week- are growing weary of more of would be better for it. The legisla-
six-page letter on Friday night, and and Candelora both say that the end is they do believe the fund- the same,” Candelora said. “Why ture can do this in two weeks. It’s
some officials said the issue of the legislature could declare the emer- ing would continue,” Ritter said. would we go through the exercise absolutely doable.”
executive orders and public health gency — rather than Lamont. “What you can’t do is declare an of codifying anything if the gover-
emergency had been miscon- “I would never, ever, ever — no emergency for the sole purpose of nor can just change it, anyway? Christopher Keating can be
strued. matter how politically unpopular getting this funding. The feds don’t ... Republicans have always been reached at [email protected].
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Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022 3
FROM PAGE ONE
In Lebanon, trash is truly treasured
Financial crisis has
people fighting over
refuse they can sell
By Lujain Jo
Associated Press
BEIRUT — In the dark
streets of a Beirut now
often without electricity,
sometimes the only light
that shines is from head-
lamps worn by scavengers
searching through garbage
for scrap to sell.
Even trash has become a
commodity fought over in
Lebanon, mired in one of
the world’s worst financial
crises in modern history.
With the ranks of scav-
engers growing among the
desperately poor, some tag
trash cans with graffiti to
mark their territory and
beat those who encroach on
it. Meanwhile, even better-
off families sell their own
recyclables because it can
get them U.S. dollars rather
than the country’s collaps-
ing currency.
That’s left the poor even
poorer and fearful for their
futures.
“There’s a lot of poor
people like me,” said
Hoda, a 57-year-old Leba-
nese mother who has been
reduced to scavenging. “But
people don’t know it. They
know what they see, but not
what’s hidden.”
The fight for garbage
shows the rapid descent of
life in Beirut, once known
for its entrepreneurial
spirit, freewheeling banking
sector and vibrant nightlife.
Instead of civil war caus- Hoda searches in a dumpster for scrap to sell in order to survive in Beirut, Lebanon. Amid the country’s financial crisis, trash is a commodity. LUJAIN JO/AP
ing the chaos, the disaster
over the past two years was Now, teenagers carry- ages 9 to 22, and two grand- While that doesn’t sound Thugs roaming the “My only dream is to
caused by the corruption ing giant plastic bags roam children. like much, the collapse of streets on motorcycles have a house for my family
and mismanagement of the the streets looking through She used to sell vegetables the Lebanese pound means sometimes target scaven- and me, where I live like a
elite that has ruled Lebanon dumpsters for scraps they on a cart, but police confis- $1 goes much farther. gers at the end of day to mother, where I live like a
since the end of its 1975-90 can sell. cated her wares six times. That access to dollars steal the recyclables they human being.” Hoda said,
conflict. The trade once used to She sold tissue boxes, but makes scavenging even collected. her face wet with tears.
More than half the popu- be the realm of Syrians who the currency collapse left more dangerous now. “They are ready to kill “I always laugh and joke
lation has been plunged fled their own country’s her unable to afford them. Mohammed said he was a person for a plastic bag,” around with people, but the
into poverty. The Lebanese grinding civil war. Then her son Moham- beaten up once for crossing Mohammed said. inside of my heart is black. I
pound has nose-dived. “Nowadays, we go to the med asked her to join him into another’s scavenger’s Recyclables aren’t the don’t let them sense that I
Banks have drastically dump where we sell what in scavenging for garbage. territory and collecting only items Hoda picks up. am upset. I keep it to myself,
limited withdrawals and we collect, only to find Leba- Hoda goes to her spot in from a marked dumpster. In her dark room with no keep it inside my heart.”
transfers. Hyperinflation nese people getting out of Beirut’s relatively upscale “When dollars started to windows and no electric- Her most treasured item
has made daily goods either their cars to sell their recy- Hamra neighborhood daily rise, people couldn’t afford ity, Hoda keeps scavenged is a tent she received from
unaffordable or unavailable, clables,” said one Syrian, and works sometimes until to eat, and they started scav- goods that pile up on the protesters during Leba-
forcing those coming back who spoke on condition of 2 a.m. gathering anything enging, and each started floor. A bucket of white non’s 2019 protests. She
from abroad to fill their suit- anonymity for fear of repri- else she thinks she can sell to have their own bin,” paint to maybe use for her hopes she’ll be able to use
cases with everything from sals. “Restaurant employees or use. Mohammed said. “If one room. A light bulb she hopes it in future protests against
baby food to heart medica- and building janitors also Once a week, Moham- is standing by a bin and to use if she ever gets power. the country’s rulers.
tion. started to sort trash in order med takes everything they another scavenger comes, a On a recent day, Hoda’s “The politicians who rule
Trash had been a prob- to sell it before throwing the collect to sell to dealers who fight will break out.” 16-year-old daughter us deserve to be burned,
lem even before the crisis, rest out.” specialize in the trade. One “One of the reasons I was struggling with her they are the reason why
with major protests in past Hoda, who gave just her kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of asked my mother to join me 2-month-old baby’s diar- we are here,” Hoda said.
years against neglect by first name for fear of trou- plastic bags goes for 20 U.S. doing this work is hoping rhea and asked for diapers, “They eat with spoons of
authorities who sometimes ble with authorities, turned cents, other plastics for 30 that they wouldn’t beat milk and bottle nipples. gold while we search for a
allowed garbage to pile up in to scavenging to support her cents, while each kilogram me up when they find my Hoda’s eyes sunk in sadness, piece of bread to eat from
the streets. six daughters, ranging from of aluminum fetches $1. mother with me,” he said. and she shook her head. the floor.”
Lockdown ons were confiscated.
Less than two months
from Page 1 ago, on Dec. 2, police had
another standoff in town,
George Hersey Robert- this one about two miles
son School, 227 Cross St., away on Main Street. No
locked its doors and had one was injured; It turned
students and staff stay put as out the barricaded person
a precaution, Roberto said. was not armed.
After concluding a 4 p.m.
press conference, police Christine Dempsey may
returned to say the situation be reached at cdempsey@
had been resolved and the courant.com.
barricaded man taken into
custody without incident.
The man, Jared Ander-
son, 38, was wanted on four A Coventry town official
warrants, two of which for shuts down South Street
felony charges. after an attempt to serve
Police did not say how a warrant turned hostile
many people were in the Monday morning. MARK
home or whether any weap- MIRKO/HARTFORD COURANT
Swimmer ger connections. Those are freestyle. With that has come Henig refuted the report sions. Now, they must meet to speak out.
my friends, my girls, see how an outcry from former Olym- and said he only met Thomas testosterone thresholds set “I want to reiterate that
from Page 1 that goes, and I can always pians and many across the in person for the first time at by the national governing I’m just some guy. I’m just
re-evaluate.” nation who feel that Thomas the meet. body of the sport they play. some dude who gets to play
Henig started swimming Last year, he underwent is not competing fairly. “In the fall semester, when A transgender man, such as his sport at a really cool
at age 4 at a rec center in top surgery, a procedure to Thomas and Henig faced some of the media stuff first Henig, could not compete level,” he said. “I’m just here
Menlo Park. He was the remove breast or chest tissue, off in the 100 freestyle, with started to come out, I saw it on a women’s team once he to go fast and have a good
captain of his high school and said everyone he told Henig winning the race in and I reached out over Insta- started taking testosterone. time.”
team and held school was supportive. 49.57 and Thomas finish- gram DMs just to introduce The new thresholds could And when he is faced with
records in the 50-, 100- and “As with anything, ing sixth in 52.84. During a myself and offer a word of be in place as soon as next negative feedback, he relies
500-yard freestyle events. changes are hard to adjust November meet, Thomas support,” he said. “That was month in advance of the on his support system.
In 2016, he qualified for for some people, even for swam the 100 in 49.42. They really the only connection we NCAA championships in “It’s tough,” Henig said.
the Olympic Trials in the myself, but the feedback also competed against each had.” mid-March. “It’s a lot of people who
50-meter free. was overwhelmingly posi- other in the 400 free relay, Thomas and Henig will “I think that we’re here to don’t necessarily know what
He came to Yale and was tive,” he said. “I have a great with Henig’s team winning swim against each other play our sport,” Henig said they’re talking about making
a member of the Ivy League community around me that the event. Henig also set the again at the Ivy League Monday. “We follow the a lot of noise. So remember-
champion 200 free and 200 I’m incredibly grateful for.” pool record that day in the 50 championships at Harvard rules. We’re here to listen ing that and drawing on
individual medley relays as a Henig’s season has not free (22.76). on Feb. 16-19. to the NCAA guidelines. If my support networks, the
freshman and finished third been without controversy. In As a result, one of “It’s cool I have the oppor- they are updated, they’re friends who come and say,
in the 100 free in the Ivy the last few weeks, he found Thomas’ Penn teammates tunity to race her,” Henig updated. I would hope with ‘Hey, man, you doing all
League championships his his name in the headlines told Outkick she believed said. “She’s incredible. I’m all sports, everything is based right? I saw someone said
sophomore year. after competing in a meet Thomas colluded with really glad to have her in the on science and fact, rather something nasty.’ I’m like,
Henig decided he wanted against Penn and Dartmouth Henig. league.” than opinion. ‘Yeah, thank you for check-
to transition slowly. so he on Jan. 8 in Philadelphia. “Looking at [Lia’s] time, I Last week, the NCAA “Because the new guide- ing in.’ Relying on my friends
was able to compete for the Penn’s Lia Thomas, a don’t think she was trying,” Board of Governors voted to lines push the writing and and family, strengthening
women’s team, as he has not transgender female who has the anonymous Penn swim- amend its policy for trans- expectations of those rules those support systems and
taken any male hormones. undergone hormone treat- mer alleged. “I know they’re gender athletes. Transgen- to national governing bodies focusing my energy there as
“I wanted to take one ment for over two years and friends and I know they were der women were required of sport, there is a lot of it that opposed to in the negative
thing at a time,” he said. “I’ll competes on the women’s talking before the meet. to be on testosterone-sup- is simply yet to be seen.” places.”
take this year and swim on swim team, has recorded the I think she let her win to pressing drugs for 12 months Henig is a bit of a reluctant
the women’s team because top times in the nation this prove the point that, ‘Oh see, before becoming eligible to spokesperson for transgen- Lori Riley can be reached
that’s where I have my stron- season in the 200 and 500 a female-to-male beat me.’ ” compete in women’s divi- der rights but felt compelled at [email protected].
4 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Justices take affirmative action case
Challenge is about Justice Sandra Day O’Con-
nor invoked the Harvard
considering race in
plan in her opinion in the
college admissions Michigan law school case.
Now the Harvard
By Mark Sherman program is under fire from
Associated Press opponents of race-based
affirmative action.
The conservative-dom- Students for Fair Admis-
inated Supreme Court on sions claims that Harvard
Monday agreed to hear a imposes a “racial penalty”
challenge to the consid- on Asian American appli-
eration of race in college cants by scoring them lower
admissions, adding affirma- in some categories than
tive action to major cases on other applicants and award-
abortion, guns, religion and ing “massive preferences” to
COVID-19 on the agenda. Black and Hispanic appli-
The court said it will cants.
take up lawsuits claiming Harvard denies that it
that Harvard University, discriminates against Asian
a private institution, and American applicants and
the University of North says its consideration of race
Carolina, a state school, is limited, pointing out that
discriminate against Asian lower courts agreed with the
American applicants. A university.
decision against the schools In 2020, the federal
could mean the end of affir- appeals court in Boston
mative action in college ruled that Harvard looked at
admissions. race in a limited way in line
Lower courts rejected with Supreme Court prec-
the challenges, citing more edents.
than 40 years of high court Harvard’s freshman class
rulings that allow colleges is roughly one-quarter Asian
and universities to consider The Supreme Court said it would hear a challenge to the consideration of race in college admissions. Lawsuits claim Harvard American, 16% Black and
race in admissions deci- University and the University of North Carolina discriminate against Asian American applicants. DREW ANGERER/GETTY 13% Hispanic, Harvard says
sions. But the colleges and on its website.
universities must do so in Justices Clarence Thomas The affirmative action step” of overruling the 2003 their freshman classes in North Carolina’s flagship
a narrowly tailored way to and Samuel Alito, remain. case probably will be decision. order to achieve prescribed public university prevailed
promote diversity. Roberts, a moderating argued in the fall. Both Harvard President racial quotas,” Blum said in a in a federal district court
The court’s most recent influence on some issues, suits were filed by Students Lawrence Bacow said statement. in October. U.S. District
pronouncement was in 2016, has been a steadfast vote to for Fair Admissions, a the institution does not The current dispute harks Judge Loretta Biggs ruled
in a 4-3 decision upholding limit the use of race in public Virginia-based group run discriminate and vowed back to its first big affirma- that the school’s program
the admissions program programs. by Edward Blum. He has to continue defending its tive action case in 1978, was intended to produce a
at the University of Texas The court already has worked for years to rid admissions plan. “Consid- when Justice Lewis Powell diverse student body and
against a challenge brought heard arguments in cases college admissions of racial ering race as one factor set out the rationale for had shown the benefits of
by a white woman. But the that could expand gun rights considerations. The group among many in admissions taking account of race even doing so.
composition of the court has and religious rights and also is calling on the court to decisions produces a more as the court barred the use of The court accepted the
changed since then, with the roll back abortion rights in a overturn its 2003 ruling in diverse student body which racial quotas in admissions. North Carolina case for
addition of three conserva- direct challenge to the Roe v. Grutter v. Bollinger, which strengthens the learning In the Regents of the review even though it has
tive justices. Wade ruling from 1973. This upheld the University of environment for all,” he said University of California v. not been heard by a federal
Two members of that month, the justices weighed Michigan’s law school in a statement. Bakke, Powell approvingly appeals court.
majority are gone from the in on President Joe Biden’s admissions program. Blum voiced hope that cited Harvard as “an illumi- Blum filed a Supreme
court: Justice Ruth Bader vaccine policies, halting a The Biden administra- the high court will order nating example” of a college Court appeal with the hope
Ginsburg died in 2020, and rule requiring a vaccine or tion had urged the justices an end to taking account of that takes “race into account it would be bundled with
Justice Anthony Kennedy testing at large businesses to stay away from the issue, race in college admissions. in achieving the educational the Harvard case so that the
retired in 2018. The three while allowing a vaccine writing in the Harvard case “Harvard and the Univer- diversity valued by the First justices could rule on public
dissenters in the case, Chief mandate for most of the that the challenges “cannot sity of North Carolina have Amendment.” and private colleges at the
Justice John Roberts and nation’s health care workers. justify that extraordinary racially gerrymandered Twenty-five years later, same time.
Omicron’s spread could
end ‘emergency phase’
WHO official sees ing and confounding expec- that have pursued a “zero-
tations. COVID” policy with strin-
path, but adds too
Dr. Tedros Adhanom gent lockdowns, the path
early to drop guard Ghebreyesus, the head of omicron will chart is
the WHO, offered a more unclear.
By Marc Santora cautious assessment of the But it is the speed and
and Benjamin Mueller moment, emphasizing the depth of the spread of
The New York Times risks posed by possible new omicron that also offers
variants. some of the cautious opti-
The pandemic that has “It’s dangerous to assume mism among public health
convulsed the world for that omicron will be the officials.
more than two years is last variant or that we are Scientists have said that
entering a “new phase” glob- in the endgame,” he said the omicron variant will
ally and the rapid spread of on Monday at an executive undoubtedly leave behind
the omicron variant of the board meeting of the orga- much higher levels of immu-
coronavirus could help nization “On the contrary, nity in the population.
set the stage for a return globally, the conditions are But the protection offered
to normalcy in the months ideal for more variants to by a previous infection may
ahead, according to a top emerge.” wane over time, and may
health official in Europe. In places where omicron not apply as well to future
Dr. Hans Kluge, director is just gaining a foothold, versions of the virus.
for the World Health Orga- the known number of new The sharp rise in cases in Two girls read a book at Carter Traditional Elementary School on Monday in Louisville, Kentucky.
nization’s European region, infections is staggering. the places where omicron Students in the district are returning to in-person class after two weeks of non-traditional
warned that it was too early Case numbers are largely has already taken hold has instruction due to staffing issues caused by a surge of the omicron variant. JON CHERRY/GETTY
for nations to drop their thought to be an under- often been followed by a
guard, with so many people count given the issues with remarkable decline, such where it first arrived, while Sunday that while there offered a mix of caution and
unvaccinated around the the access to testing and the as South Africa, Britain and nationally, new cases and would be pain in the weeks optimism.
world. use of at-home tests that Israel. hospital admissions have ahead, especially as omicron “The pandemic is far
But, he said, between may not always be officially As research has emerged leveled off in recent days. moves through lower-vac- from over, but I am hopeful
vaccination and natural reported. that omicron causes less But hospitals in other cinated areas, the hope was we can end the emergency
immunity through infec- Germany’s health minis- severe disease and vaccines areas across the coun- that its continued spread phase in 2022 and address
tion, “omicron offers plau- ter, Karl Lauterbach, said remain protective against try remain overstretched, would not disrupt society other health threats that
sible hope for stabilization he expects numbers to peak the worst outcomes, many straining to handle patients to the same degree as other urgently require our atten-
and normalization.” in mid-February, with as public health experts have after multiple surges and variants. tion,” Kluge said.
The question that many as 600,000 new cases encouraged less focus on staffing shortages, including Still, he, too, cautioned The European Center
remains, however, is what per day. cases and more emphasis in Mississippi, where nearly about the possibility of for Disease Prevention and
normal looks like — and how Omicron is also just now on hospitalizations amid all of the state’s acute-care future variants. Control and the WHO esti-
long it could last. spreading across Eastern record-breaking spikes. hospitals have been pushed “I’m not saying it’s going mate that COVID vaccines
Over the past two years, and Central Europe, includ- In the United States, to capacity. And new deaths to happen, but we have to be saved the lives of 469,186
people around the world ing in many countries with omicron cases appear to remain high. prepared,” he said. people age 60 years and over
have become exhaustingly worryingly low vaccination have crested in the North- Dr. Anthony Fauci, Given how the virus in 33 countries in the region,
familiar with the wicked rates. east, parts of the Upper President Joe Biden’s top has offered new surprises between December 2020
way the virus has of evolv- In countries across Asia Midwest and other areas pandemic adviser, said on and challenges, Kluge also and November 2021.
Webb telescope in position 1 million miles away
By Marcia Dunn its designated location, and views of the universe this alien worlds for possible
Associated Press NASA confirmed the opera- summer!” NASA Adminis- signs of life.
tion went as planned. trator Bill Nelson said in a A sunshield as big as a
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The mirrors on the $10 statement. tennis court opened on the
— The world’s biggest, most billion observatory still must The telescope will enable telescope in early January,
powerful space telescope be meticulously aligned astronomers to peer back 1 1/2 weeks after the Dec. 25
arrived at its observation and the infrared detectors further in time than ever launch from French Guiana.
post 1 million miles from sufficiently chilled before before, back to when the The observatory’s gold-
Earth on Monday, a month science observations can first stars and galaxies coated mirror — 21 feet
after it lifted off on a quest begin in June. But flight were forming 13.7 billion across — unfolded days later.
to behold the dawn of the controllers in Baltimore years ago. That’s a mere 100 Monday’s thruster firing
universe. were euphoric after chalk- million years from the Big put the telescope into
On command, the James ing up another success. Bang, when the universe orbit around the sun at the
Webb Space Telescope “We’re one step closer to was created. so-called second Lagrange
Progress of the James Webb Space Telescope is monitored on fired its rocket thrusters for uncovering the mysteries Besides making stellar point, where the gravita-
Jan. 8 at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. nearly five minutes to go of the universe. And I can’t observations, Webb will tional forces of the sun and
The telescope has arrived at its observation post. NASA into orbit around the sun at wait to see Webb’s first new scan the atmospheres of Earth balance.
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022 5
WORLD & NATION
US bombed a dam on ‘no-strike list’ in Syria
Report warned an Tabqa Dam.
attack could cause It is unclear what spurred
the task force attack in
thousands of deaths
March 2017. Dam work-
ers said they saw no heavy
By Dave Philipps, fighting or casualties that
Azmat Khan day before the bombs hit.
and Eric Schmitt What is clear is that Task
The New York Times Force 9 operators called in
a self-defense strike, which
Near the height of the meant they did not have to
war against the Islamic seek permission from the
State group in Syria, explo- chain of command.
sions rocked the country’s A military report obtained
largest dam, a towering, through a Freedom of Infor-
18-story structure on the mation Act lawsuit shows
Euphrates River that held the operators contacted a
back a 25-mile-long reser- B-52 bomber and requested
voir above a valley where an immediate airstrike on
hundreds of thousands of three targets. But the report
people lived. makes no mention of enemy
The Tabqa Dam was a forces firing or heavy casual-
strategic linchpin controlled ties. Instead, it says the oper-
by the Islamic State group. ators requested the strikes
The explosions on March for “terrain denial.”
26, 2017, knocked dam work- A senior Defense Depart-
ers to the ground. A fire ment official disputed that
spread and crucial equip- the task force overstepped
ment failed. The flow of the its authority by striking
Euphrates suddenly had no without informing top
way through, the reservoir A U.S. unit bombed the Tabqa Dam in 2017 despite it being on a”no-strike list.” IVOR PRICKETT/THE NEW YORK TIMES 2018 leaders. The official said
rose and authorities warned the strikes were conducted
people downstream to flee. reserved for emergencies, its side, scorched but intact involved in the air war at the into the war against the “within approved guid-
The Islamic State group, allowing it to launch the — a dud. If it had exploded, time, and Syrian witnesses Islamic State group in ance” set by Townsend, the
the Syrian government and attack without clearance. experts say, the whole dam interviewed by the Times, 2014 with targeting rules commander of the campaign
Russia blamed the United The two former offi- might have failed. said the situation was far intended to protect civil- against the Islamic State
States, but the dam was on cials, who spoke on the In response to questions more dire than the U.S. mili- ians and spare critical infra- group.
the U.S. military’s “no-strike condition that they not be from The New York Times, tary publicly said. structure. First, the B-52 dropped
list” of protected civilian named because they were U.S. Central Command, The dam stopped func- But the Islamic State bombs set to explode in the
sites, and the commander of not authorized to discuss which oversaw the air war in tioning entirely. The reser- group sought to exploit air above the targets to avoid
the U.S. offensive at the time, the strikes, said some offi- Syria, acknowledged drop- voir quickly rose 50 feet those rules, using civilian damaging the structures, the
then-Lt. Gen. Stephen J. cers overseeing the air war ping three 2,000-pound and nearly spilled over no-strike sites as weapons senior military official said.
Townsend, said allegations viewed the task force’s bombs but denied target- the dam, which engineers depots, command centers But when those failed to
of U.S. involvement were actions as reckless. ing the dam or sidestepping said would have been cata- and fighting positions. That dislodge the enemy fighters,
based on “crazy reporting.” Even with careful plan- procedures. A spokesperson strophic. The situation grew included the Tabqa Dam. the task force called for the
But members of a secret ning, hitting a dam with said that the bombs hit only so desperate that enemies The task force’s solution bomber to drop three 2,000-
U.S. special operations unit such large bombs would the towers attached to the in the yearslong conflict to this problem too often pound bombs, this time set
called Task Force 9 had likely have been seen by dam, not the dam itself, and — the Islamic State group, was to set aside the rules to explode when they hit the
struck the dam using some top leaders as unaccept- while top leaders had not the Syrian government, intended to protect civilians, concrete.
of the largest conventional ably dangerous, said Scott been notified beforehand, Syrian defense forces and current and former military Two workers were at the
bombs in the U.S. arse- Murray, a retired Air Force limited strikes on the towers the United States — called personnel said. dam that day. One of them,
nal, including at least one colonel. had been preapproved by an emergency cease-fire so Soon, the task force was an electrical engineer,
BLU-109 bunker-buster “Using a 2,000-pound the command. civilian engineers could race justifying the majority of its recalled Islamic State fight-
bomb, according to two bomb against a restricted “Analysis had confirmed to avert a disaster. airstrikes using emergency ers positioned in the north-
former senior officials. And target like a dam is extremely that strikes on the towers Engineers who worked at self-defense procedures ern tower as usual that day,
they had done it despite a difficult and should have attached to the dam were the dam, who did not want intended to save troops in but no fighting underway
military report warning not never been done on the fly,” not considered likely to to be identified because they life-threatening situations, when they went into the
to bomb the dam, because he said. “Worst case, those cause structural damage feared reprisal, said it was even when no troops were in dam to work on the cooling
the damage could cause a munitions could have abso- to the Tabqa Dam itself,” only through quick work danger. That allowed it to hit system.
flood that might kill tens of lutely caused the dam to said Capt. Bill Urban, the that the dam and the people targets — including no-strike No disciplinary action was
thousands of civilians. fail.” chief spokesperson for the living downstream of it were sites — that would have taken against the task force,
The decision to strike the After the strikes, dam command. Noting that the saved. otherwise been off-limits. the senior officials said.
dam would normally have workers stumbled on an dam did not collapse, he “The destruction would Perhaps no single inci- The secret unit continued
been made high up the chain ominous piece of good added, “That analysis has have been unimaginable,” a dent shows the brazen use to strike targets using the
of command. But the former fortune: In the dam’s control proved accurate.” former director at the dam of self-defense rules and the same types of self-defense
officials said the task force tower, a U.S. BLU-109 But the two former offi- said. potentially devastating costs justifications it had used on
used a procedural shortcut bunker-b uster bomb lay on cials, who were directly The United States went more than the strike on the the dam.
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6 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022
WORLD & NATION
At 113, NAACP is embracing youth
Evolution needed to nalists that included Henry
Moskowitz, Mary White
continue, civil rights
Ovington and William
group president says English Walling, joined with
like-minded Black activists
By Aaron Morrison — W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary
Associated Press Church Terrell and Ida B.
Wells, the noted journalist
As the NAACP turns who investigated lynching
113, look for its voice to in America.
grow louder on issues like The NAACP Legal
climate change, the student Defense and Educational
debt crisis and the ongoing Fund, founded as a part of
response to the coronavirus the NAACP in 1940, litigated
pandemic — while keeping the landmark Supreme
voting rights and criminal Court case Brown v. Board
justice reform at the fore- of Education mandating
front of its priorities. the desegregation of public
The nation’s oldest civil schools in 1954, as well as
rights organization’s birth- a case permitting affirma-
day next month comes as tive action in college admis-
it undergoes a restructur- sions decades later. In 1957,
ing to reflect a member- the NAACP LDF became a
ship and leadership that separate entity.
is trending younger, to Today, the NAACP has
people in their mid-30s. As more than 2,200 branches,
a result, it is adding endeav- including in colleges and
ors like producing streaming prisons, and 2.2 million
content for CBS. members. Even amid the
The hope is that younger rise in popularity of the
Americans see the NAACP Black Lives Matter move-
has modernized beyond ment, youth membership
being grandma and grand- Lawyers George E.C. Hayes, left, Thurgood Marshall and James M. Nabrit led the fight for abolition of segregation in public jumped significantly from
pa’s go-to civil rights hub, schools before the Supreme Court. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund litigated the landmark case. AP 1954 12,000 in 2019 to more than
good for much more than 17,000 by the end of 2020,
voter-registration drives branches. A revamped “brain trust” “Anything short of Johnson called the right according to Wisdom Cole,
and the star-studded Image But in periods of NAACP within its leadership is help- protecting the right to vote is to vote the lifeblood of our the NAACP’s youth and
Awards. history when it found ing to better meet the needs a death sentence for democ- democracy,” Bush said. college division director.
“We had to reinvigo- itself embroiled in finan- of its membership, said racy. The fight is far from “That was true then, and it “The NAACP contin-
rate the organization,” said cial hardship and internal NAACP chief strategy offi- over,” Johnson said after a remains true today.” ues to be the preeminent
national president Derrick power struggles, the group cer Yumeka Rushing. Wednesday night Senate Paris Dennard, a spokes- civil rights organization in
Johnson. appeared ineffective or During a Decem- vote. man for the Republican the country,” said Randal
“The changes that we even irrelevant. Past critics ber national staff retreat, Johnson said the organi- National Committee, said Maurice Jelks, professor of
have seen are absolutely have said the NAACP was roughly half of those in zation’s strategy on voting the NAACP and the GOP African and African Amer-
necessary for the organiza- insular, too concerned with attendance had come rights isn’t just about have historically been ican studies at the Univer-
tion to exist for the next 112 corporate funding, and not onboard in the prior 12 preserving Black voters’ aligned on several civil sity of Kansas. “It set up a
or 113 years,” Johnson, 53, nearly nimble or progressive months. influence in national elec- rights issues, including bureaucracy to be able to
added. “But more impor- enough for the times. “There is not another tions. Following the release criminal justice reform, handle the ongoing, critical
tantly, we are more targeted “The best of the NAACP organization like us, in terms of 2020 census data, the election integrity and finan- changes that we face.”
in our work and are driven is when it fought for change, of the footprint that we have NAACP has filed lawsuits cial support for historically When other organiza-
by outcomes as opposed to not as payback for Black around the country,” Rush- against state redistricting Black colleges and univer- tions have burned out, the
output.” people voting for a candi- ing said. “The restructuring plans in Texas, Georgia and sities. NAACP is well positioned to
The NAACP’s legacy date, but because the change happened at a time when the Illinois that would limit “The NAACP is supposed endure, Jelks said. “And that
includes the legal desegre- was demanded by the prom- country needed us the most, voters’ choices in elections. to be nonpartisan, so we’re is to the credit of its initial
gation of schools and work- ises of the Constitution, the to stand up and speak to the Until about a decade ago, always seeking areas of organizers.”
places, crusades against demands of human rights issues.” it had been easier to find alignment on a host of Johnson said he has
lynching and racial terror- and the sound morality of Johnson said there is no bipartisan support for voter issues,” Dennard said. grown as a leader by relying
ism, and pursuit of socio- our deepest religious tradi- issue more important to the protection measures. In a Founded Feb. 12, 1909, the on the wisdom of the organi-
economic advancement tions,” said the Rev. William NAACP than the fight to 2006 speech to the NAACP’s National Association for the zation’s elders and the coun-
for Black Americans. It Barber II, who led the North enhance voter protections. national convention in Advancement of Colored sel of its young people.
commands the respect of Carolina NAACP from 2006 With the Senate missing last Washington, former Repub- People was formed as the “I have been able to apply
U.S. presidents and Capitol to 2017 before resigning to week’s Martin Luther King lican President George W. nation struggled to build a lessons learned, good and
Hill powerbrokers, confers become co-chair of the Poor Jr. Day deadline to pass Bush affirmed his support post-abolition multiracial bad,” Johnson said. “As I
with U.N. diplomats on People’s Campaign. Democrat-backed legisla- for Congress’ reauthoriza- democracy amid violence navigate in this moment, I
global issues and trains “Right now, the NAACP tion, the NAACP president tion of the landmark Voting against Black people. see the relationships built
future leaders through should be leaning to its issued a grave warning to Rights Act of 1965. Its white founders, a over time are now coming
thousands of state and local better history,” Barber said. lawmakers of both parties. “President (Lyndon) group of activists and jour- full circle.”
UK ruling allows Assange to
appeal his extradition to US
By Danica Kirka
Associated Press
LONDON — WikiLeaks
founder Julian Assange on
Monday won the first stage
of his effort to overturn a
U.K. ruling that opened the
door for his extradition to
U.S. to stand trial on espio-
nage charges.
The High Court in
London gave Assange
permission to appeal the
case to the U.K. Supreme
Court. But the Supreme
People celebrate Monday in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The military in the West African Court must agree to accept
country said it has ousted the democratically elected president. SOPHIE GARCIA/AP the case before it can move
forward.
Military says it’s in power in “Make no mistake,
we won today in court,”
Assange’s fiancee, Stella
Moris, said outside the
West Africa’s Burkina Faso
courthouse, noting that Stella Moris, the fiancee of Julian Assange, speaks Monday
he remains in custody at outside a London court. Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is
Belmarsh Prison in London. fighting extradition to the United States. LEON NEAL/GETTY
By Declan Walsh ing 2,000 deaths last year soldier said. “We will fight this until
The New York Times alone. And it led to mount- The military’s announce- Julian is free,” she added. the focus of Monday’s tary and diplomatic docu-
ing public frustration with ment came after a turbulent The Supreme Court ruling by the High Court. ments.
OUAGADOUGOU, Kabore, 64, whom younger day in Burkina Faso. normally takes about eight Assange’s lawyers are Assange, 50, has been
Burkina Faso — The mili- people especially faulted for On Sunday, soldiers sitting weeks after an seeking to appeal because held at Belmarsh, a high-se-
tary announced Monday the government’s failure to seized several military application is submitted to the U.S. offered its assur- curity facility, since 2019,
that it had seized power stem the tide of violence. bases, and riot police decide whether to accept an ances after the lower court when he was arrested for
in Burkina Faso, suspend- In the past year, there has clashed with civilian appeal, the court says on its made its ruling. But the skipping bail during a sepa-
ing the constitution and been a flurry of coups in protesters. In the afternoon, website. High Court overturned the rate legal battle. Before
ousting the country’s Africa, the greatest concen- a Twitter post had appeared The decision is the latest lower court ruling, saying that, he spent seven years
democratically elected tration in years, with take- on Kabore’s account that step in Assange’s ongoing that the judge should have inside Ecuador’s Embassy
president hours after muti- overs in Guinea, Sudan, asked people to stand fast battle to avoid a trial in the given the U.S. the opportu- in London. Assange sought
nous soldiers surrounded Chad and Mali. behind their tottering U.S. on a series of charges nity to offer the assurances protection in the embassy in
his home. The coup in Burkina Faso democracy. related to WikiLeaks’ publi- before she made her final 2012 to avoid extradition to
President Roch Marc was announced on state “Our country is going cation of classified docu- ruling. Sweden to face allegations
Christian Kabore had been television Monday after- through a difficult time,” ments more than a decade The High Court gave of rape and sexual assault.
leading Burkina Faso, a noon by a junior army offi- he wrote, urging mutinying ago. Assange permission to Sweden dropped its inves-
poor, landlocked country in cer who said the army had soldiers to lay down their Just over a year ago, appeal so the Supreme tigations in late 2019.
Western Africa, since 2015. seized power in response arms. a district court judge in Court can decide “in what American prosecutors
But he faced growing crit- to the “exasperation of the Public support for the London rejected a U.S. circumstances can an say Assange unlawfully
icism from civilians and people.” Beside him sat Lt. mutiny was driven by a extradition request on the appellate court receive helped U.S. Army intel-
the military alike over his Col. Paul-Henri Damiba, perception that Kabore was grounds that Assange was assurances from a request- ligence analyst Chelsea
government’s inability to a senior military officer incapable of beating back likely to kill himself if held ing state ... in extradition Manning steal classified
beat back the Islamic insur- who was introduced to the the Islamic groups that have under harsh U.S. prison proceedings.” diplomatic cables and mili-
gents creating havoc in this people of Burkina Faso as been spreading mayhem conditions. U.S. authorities Assange’s lawyers tary files that WikiLeaks
nation of 21 million people. their new head of state. for so long, said Rinaldo later provided assurances have argued that the U.S. later published, putting
Burkina Faso had The military said the Depagne, an expert on that the WikiLeaks founder government’s pledge that lives at risk.
remained largely peaceful nation’s land and air borders Burkina Faso at the Inter- wouldn’t face the severe Assange won’t be subjected Lawyers for Assange
until 2015. But that year, would be closed and a national Crisis Group. treatment his lawyers said to extreme conditions is argue he shouldn’t have
militant groups launched nightly curfew imposed “He’s not absolutely would put his physical and meaningless because it’s been charged because he
a violent campaign as part until further notice. awful and corrupt,” mental health at risk. conditional. was acting as a journal-
of a broader upheaval in There was no mention of Depagne said of the The High Court last The U.S. has asked Brit- ist and is protected by the
the Sahel, the vast stretch Kabore’s whereabouts and deposed leader. “But it’s month overturned the ish authorities to extradite First Amendment of the
of land just south of the no indication that he had obvious that people think, lower court’s decision, Assange so he can stand U.S. Constitution that guar-
Sahara. agreed to step down. rightly or wrongly, that a saying that the U.S. prom- trial on 17 charges of espi- antees freedom of the press.
The violence has desta- “The authorities have man in uniform with a big ises were enough to guar- onage and one charge of They say the documents
bilized large swathes of been captured without gun is better able to protect antee Assange would be computer misuse linked to he published exposed U.S.
Burkina Faso, displacing 1.4 bloodshed and are being them than a democratically treated humanely. WikiLeaks’ publication of military wrongdoing in Iraq
million people and caus- kept in a secure place,” the elected president.” Those assurances were thousands of leaked mili- and Afghanistan.
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022 7
WORLD & NATION
NEWS BRIEFING
Palin’s positive test for
COVID-19 delays libel
trial against NY Times
From news services public figure.
Palin is seeking unspec-
NEW YORK — An unvac- ified damages, saying the
cinated former Alaska Gov. Times hurt her budding
Sarah Palin tested positive career as a political
for COVID-19 Monday, forc- commentator.
ing a postponement of a trial
in her libel lawsuit against Persian Gulf tensions: The
The New York Times. United Arab Emirates and
The Republican’s positive the U.S. military intercepted
test was announced in court two ballistic missiles fired by
just as jury selection was to Yemen’s Houthi rebels over
begin at a federal courthouse the skies of Abu Dhabi early
in New York City. Monday, authorities said.
Palin claims the Times Videos on social media
damaged her reputation showed the sky over Abu
with an opinion piece Dhabi light up before dawn
penned by its editorial with what appeared to be
board that falsely asserted interceptor missiles target-
her political rhetoric helped ing the incoming fire. Two
incite the 2011 shooting explosions later thundered
of then-U.S. Rep. Gabby through the city. The videos
Giffords of Arizona. The corresponded to known
newspaper has conceded features of Abu Dhabi. Firefighters search through rubble after a parking garage collapsed following flooding from Tropical Storm Ana on Monday in
the initial wording of the The Emirates is “ready to Antananarivo, Madagascar. Officials raised the death toll from recent heavy rains on the island off the coast of East Africa to 34
editorial was flawed, but not deal with any threats and ... it with more than 55,000 people displaced. Officials also warned Monday that heavy rains will continue . RIJASOLO/GETTY-AFP
in an intentional or reckless takes all necessary measures
way that made it libelous. to protect the state from
U.S. District Judge Jed all attacks,” the state-run ney countered that Chauvin Lane, who is white; and The high school is about dispersing women protest-
Rakoff said the trial can WAM news agency quoted called “all of the shots” and Thao, who is Hmong Amer- 30 miles north of Detroit. ers with pepper spray and
begin Feb. 3 if Palin, 57, has the UAE Defense Ministry criticized the Minneapolis ican, are all charged for fail- firing in the air, intimidating
recovered. as saying. Police Department for doing ing to provide Floyd with Taliban talks: The Taliban and beating journalists, and
Palin, a one-time Republi- Navy Capt. Bill Urban, too little to train officers to medical care. and western diplomats have coming in the night to arrest
can vice presidential nomi- spokesperson for U.S. intervene when a colleague Thao and Kueng face an begun their first official talks anti-government demon-
nee, has had COVID-19 Central Command, in a should be stopped. additional count for fail- in Europe since they took strators.
before. She’s urged people statement acknowledged Another officer’s attorney ing to stop Chauvin, who is over control of Afghanistan
not to get vaccinated, telling the assistance of Ameri- focused on Floyd’s strug- white and was convicted of in August with closed-door University shooting:
an audience in Arizona last can Patriot missile batter- gle with police before they murder and manslaughter meetings held in the Norwe- A gunman opened fire
month that “it will be over ies prevented the Houthi restrained him. last year in state court. gian capital city of Oslo. Monday during a lecture
my dead body that I’ll have missiles from striking And an attorney for the Taliban representatives at Heidelberg University
to get a shot.” targets in Abu Dhabi. Videos third officer said his client Michigan school reopens: will be certain to press their in Germany, killing one
When he first announced on social media suggested raised concerns about the The Michigan high school demand that nearly $10 and wounding three others
that Palin had gotten a posi- outgoing interceptor fire restraint of Floyd, but was where four students were billion frozen by the United before killing himself, police
tive result from an at-home came from the base. rebuffed. fatally shot reopened States and other Western said.
test, Rakoff said: “She is, of The U.S. Embassy in Abu J. Alexander Kueng, Monday for the first time countries be released as The 18-year-old suspected
course, unvaccinated.” Dhabi later issued a security Thomas Lane and Tou Thao since the November attack. Afghanistan faces a precar- gunman was a student at the
Additional tests in the alert to Americans living in are broadly charged with Dozens of therapy dogs, ious humanitarian situation. university, said Siegfried
morning also came out posi- the UAE, warning citizens depriving Floyd of his civil including a fleet of puppies, The three-day talks Kollmar, the regional chief
tive, Palin’s lawyer told the to “maintain a high level of rights while acting under were available to help opened Sunday with direct of police.
court. security awareness.” government authority. Floyd students, who ended the day meetings between the Tali- The suspect, a German
“Since she has tested posi- died on May 25, 2020, after with a gift bag. ban and civil society repre- citizen with no known
tive three times, I’m going to George Floyd officers trial: Chauvin pressed him to the Students had been attend- sentatives. police record, sent a phone
assume she’s positive,” the Prosecutors in the trial of ground with his knee on ing classes at other buildings On Monday the Taliban’s message to his father before
judge said. three former Minneapolis Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes since Jan. 10. acting foreign minister said the shooting saying “people
Palin’s case survived an police officers charged with while the 46-year-old Black Four students were killed meetings with Afghani- will be punished,” Kollmar
initial dismissal that was violating George Floyd’s man was facedown, hand- and six students and a stan’s civil society were not told reporters.
reversed on appeal in 2019, civil rights accused the men cuffed and gasping for air. teacher were injured in the a negotiation, but rather a The motive for the attack
setting the stage for a rare Monday of standing by as Kueng knelt on Floyd’s shooting. A fellow student, constructive exchange. was still being investigated,
instance that a major news fellow Officer Derek Chau- back, Lane held his legs and Ethan Crumbley, 15, is The country’s new rulers but the suspect was known
organization will have to vin “slowly killed George Thao kept bystanders from charged with murder and have been sharply criticized to have suffered from
defend itself before a jury in Floyd right in front of them.” intervening. other crimes. His parents for their heavy-handed psychological illness in the
a libel case involving a major But one defense attor- Kueng, who is Black; also are facing charges. approach to security, past, he added.
[phone]
8 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022
S&P 500 up after entering UK to scrap
virus travel
into correction territory
demands for
Index erases 4% drop during wild day of trading ahead of key Fed meeting vaccinated
By Coral Murphy Marcos federal funds rate, was slashed to near-zero raising the benchmark by a quarter of a
The New York Times in 2020 as the central bank took extraordi- percentage point — could come in March,
nary measures to shore up the economy as it economists expect, with some investors By Jill Lawless
After a day of frenzied trading, Wall was hit by lockdowns. Those low rates also expecting three more to follow this year. Associated Press
Street recovered from its biggest drop in helped fuel a massive rally in stock prices. That is a change in outlook since last year,
nearly a year, ending with a slight gain after Now that the Fed is likely to take away when the Fed first said it would begin to LONDON — The British government
falling nearly 4% and touching correction that support, investors have been rethink- remove some of its support for the econ- announced Monday that it is scrapping coro-
territory. ing their expectations for corporate prof- omy. Analysts have also noted that the navirus travel testing requirements for the
The S&P 500 gained 0.3% to 4,410.13, its and what they are willing to pay for omicron variant of the coronavirus has vaccinated, news hailed by the travel indus-
paring its losses since its Jan. 3 record to stocks. Higher borrowing costs for houses proved less of a threat to growth than inves- try as a big step back to normality.
about 8%. and cars could slow spending and dampen tors might have expected last year — allow- Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that
Earlier Monday, selling seemed to have consumer demand as borrowers direct ing the Fed to focus on controlling inflation, “to show that this country is open for busi-
triggered a new marker of the abrupt shift more of their earnings to paying back debt. rather than boosting growth. ness, open for travelers, you will see changes
in investor thinking this month. The index “You’re starting to see a shift in psychol- But investors may have gotten carried so that people arriving no longer have to take
had fallen more than 10% from that record. ogy,” said John Canavan, an analyst at away with their concerns over what might tests if they have been vaccinated, if they
A drop of that scale, called a correction on Oxford Economics. happen next, said Gennadiy Goldberg, a have been double vaccinated.”
Wall Street, is infrequent. The last time The Fed is scheduled to hold a policy senior U.S. rates strategist at T.D. Securities. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said
the S&P 500, the U.S. benchmark, was in a meeting Tuesday and Wednesday, and Goldberg said the market was “starting the change would take effect Feb. 11, coincid-
correction was March 2020, when a panic while there probably won’t be any signif- to overshoot” and noted some investors ing with a midterm holiday break for many
over the emerging coronavirus pandemic icant changes in the central bank’s policy, Monday were discussing outcomes that the schoolchildren.
gripped global markets. the attention on the meeting “focuses Fed hadn’t indicated, like a large rate hike “Border testing of vaccinated travelers has
This downdraft came as investors antic- markets on the broader fact that the Fed in March or other rapid moves to choke off outlived its usefulness,” Shapps said.
ipated the Fed will have to raise interest is prepared to aggressively remove accom- inflation, including the possibility of a rate Tourism and travel firms that have
rates quickly this year as it tries to tamp modation they hadn’t expected just a few increase at every meeting from now on. been hammered by pandemic restrictions
down inflation, which is at its highest level months ago,” Canavan said. “I wonder how much of that is scaring welcomed the move, which makes the U.K.
in 40 years. Its main policy interest rate, the The first interest rate increase — likely the market,” he said. one of the most open countries in the world
for international travel.
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of airline
industry body Airlines U.K., said it was “a
landmark day.”
“Nearly two years since the initial COVID
restrictions were introduced, today’s
announcement brings international travel
towards near-normality for the fully vacci-
nated, and at last into line with hospitality
and the domestic economy,” he said.
Currently, travelers who have had at least
two vaccine doses must take a rapid coro-
navirus test within two days of arriving in
the U.K.
Testing requirements are being lifted for
vaccinated adults and all children under 18.
Britain is also easing rules for the unvacci-
nated, who will have to take coronavirus
tests before and after entering Britain but
will no longer face quarantine.
BUSINESS BRIEFING
Kosovo tightens
COVID-19 rules
PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo on Monday
tightened COVID-19 measures for people
coming into the country amid a surge in
coronavirus infections.
The Health Ministry said that if people
coming into Kosovo want to avoid quaran-
tining for a week they should have three
The value of his Iowa farmland has made Jeff Frank worth millions of dollars. JOSEPH L. MURPHY/IOWA SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION 2018 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, or two doses
plus a negative PCR test no older than 48
hours.
Big boom in farmland prices
The restrictions will remain in place until
Feb. 4, according to a ministry statement.
The emergence of the omicron variant is
believed to be responsible for the rise in
infections.
Several factors contributing, tude,” said Wendong Zhang, an economist Missouri and Nebraska. Kosovo’s move was criticized by neighbor-
at Iowa State University who oversees an In Iowa, average farmland has risen from ing residents in Albania and North Macedo-
but good times also making it
annual farmland value survey. $7,559 an acre in 2020 to $9,751 an acre in nia who held protests Monday.
harder for those starting out The rising values, especially in the 2021.
Midwest, are due to high prices being Nationally, farmland was up an average
By Scott McFetridge paid for the key commodity crops of corn of 7% but that doesn’t include the last half
Associated Press and soybeans, plentiful harvests in recent of 2021, when prices really took off in many Google sued over
years coupled with low interest rates and areas.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Fourth-genera- optimism the good times will continue. Farmland prices have even climbed
privacy concerns
tion corn and soybean farmer Jeff Frank However, it’s also becoming much harder in California despite concerns about
doesn’t feel rich, but based on the skyrock- for small operators or younger farmers persistent drought. In 2021, the average
eting value of his land in northwest Iowa, starting out to get land unless they happen prices of $10,900 an acre was up 9% from
it’s an apt way to describe him. to inherit it. 2020. WASHINGTON — The District of Colum-
He lives in the same nearly century-old Most purchases are by operations that Dan Sumner, an agricultural economist at bia and three states are suing Google for
house, grows vegetables in the family see the value of larger scale, seizing the the University of California at Davis, cred- allegedly deceiving consumers and invading
garden and shops at the same grocery store chance to buy nearby land. its some of the rising value in switching to their privacy by making it nearly impossible
about 15 miles down the road. “We live the As for consumers, higher land costs typi- higher-value crops, such as replacing alfalfa for them to stop their location from being
same way we have all of our lives,” he said. cally don’t affect grocery prices. with nut trees. tracked. Google disputes the claims.
Still, the several hundred acres he owns Historically, farmland values rise and Holly Rippon-Butler, who runs a dairy In the lawsuit filed Monday in a Wash-
about 80 miles northwest of Des Moines fall, but in the past couple decades they with her parents in upstate New York, ington court, D.C. Attorney General Karl
have suddenly made him worth millions. have mostly risen, and in the past year they called the farmland prices increases “just Racine alleges the internet search giant has
It may come as a surprise to city dwellers have risen a lot — 33% in Frank’s part of the nuts.” “systematically” deceived consumers about
excited by their home values that farmers state and 29% throughout Iowa, one of the “Buying land is almost impossible unless how their locations are tracked and used.
like Frank are actually experiencing a real nation’s top agricultural states. Agricultural you have some preexisting source of gener- “Consumers who use Google products
estate boom that makes residential prices prices also have soared elsewhere in the ational family wealth,” said Rippon-But- cannot prevent Google from collecting, stor-
pale in comparison. While median exist- Midwest and have climbed in most other ler, who works with the National Young ing and profiting from their location,” the
ing-home prices rose by 15.8% in the U.S. parts of the country, too. Farmers Coalition, an organization that lawsuit says.
last year, farmland values went up about Federal Reserve Banks in Chicago advocates for policy changes and public The attorneys general of Texas, Indi-
double that rate in places like Iowa. and Kansas City reported double-digit funding that would enable more people to ana and Washington state are filing similar
“I’m definitely surprised by the magni- increases in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, have access to land. lawsuits in their state courts.
EU told to step up pace in global 5G race Effectivefederalfundsrate
Dailyinterestrateatwhichbankslend
eachotherreservefunds
Associated Press 5G networks and the EU needs to beef up its study by the watchdog. 2.5
strategy to counter accompanying nation- It said a majority of the bloc’s member
BRUSSELS — As the United States grap- al-security risks. states is set to miss a common rollout target
ples with the 5G rollout affecting airlines, In the U.S., the start of 5G telecommu- fixed for 2025, when they are supposed to 2.0
a European Union watchdog warned nication services has prompted airlines to ensure uninterrupted 5G coverage in urban
on Monday the EU faces much bigger complain about possible interference with areas and along main transport routes.
economic and security threats unless planes’ navigation instruments and disrup- By mid-decade, just 35% of all mobile 1.5
member countries step up cooperation. tions to air travel. connections in Europe will be based on 5G
The alarm bells are included in a special The world is rushing to install 5G infra- compared with 51% in North America.
report on the 27-nation bloc’s preparations structure as a result of its higher data capac- As a result, most EU countries may also 1.0
for 5G, the fifth and next generation of ity and transmission speeds, which promise fail to achieve a more ambitious joint goal
wireless communications. 5G is projected to transform everything from car driving for 2030: making 5G services available Jan.21,
to propel the world into a new digital age — and livestock farming to sports broadcast- across the population. 0.5 2022:
0.08%
one with greater technological innovations ing and goods manufacturing. The lost economic benefits for the EU
but also vulnerabilities. In this race with high economic stakes, could be large; 5G is expected to trigger
The study by the European Court of EU nations are moving too slowly because exponential increases in the consumption 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Auditors says Europe is falling behind of a failure to do things such as assign radio of data in a bloc where services account for
SOURCE:FederalReserveBankofNewYork TNS
North America and Asia in the rollout of spectrum for 5G services, according to the about 70% of GDP.
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022 9
BUSINESS
Fed paper on digital currency
suggests banks take on a role
By Christopher Rugaber
Associated Press
WASHINGTON —
The Federal Reserve has
released a report on central
bank digital currencies
that suggested it is leaning
toward having banks and
other financial firms, rather
than the Fed itself, manage
digital accounts for custom-
ers.
A central bank digital
currency would differ in
some key ways from the
Vehicles wait at a light during rush hour in Las Vegas. Two groups will rate vehicles on how well online and digital payments
they track drivers who use partially automated driver-assist systems. JOHN LOCHER/AP 2021 millions of Americans
already conduct. Those
New vehicles to be rated on transactions are funneled Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has said that while the central
through banks, which bank needed to keep pace with financial innovations, it would
wouldn’t be necessary with also do so cautiously. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/POOL VIA AP
how alert they keep drivers a digital dollar.
The Fed’s paper stressed rency transactions. A digital dollar could also
that no final decisions about And most central banks bring benefits. It would
a digital currency have been around the world are study- be a safer form of digital
By Tom Krisher have oversold the systems’ some have radar sensors. reached. But it suggested ing government-backed payment, because the Fed,
Associated Press abilities in advertising, both But drivers are able to that a digital currency that digital currencies. China’s unlike a bank or the compa-
groups said. ignore some of the moni- “would best serve the needs” central bank has already nies issuing stablecoins,
DETROIT — Two organi- The organizations say toring systems, especially of the nation would follow tested a digital version can’t go bankrupt. It could
zations that influence many they are stepping in with with Tesla, which led the an “intermediated model” of the yuan. The Euro- be easier and less expensive
Americans’ automobile ratings and standards industry by rolling out its under which banks or pean Central Bank began to access for people without
buying decisions will begin because there are none “Autopilot” driver-assist payment firms would create exploring a digital euro in bank accounts.
rating vehicles on how well from the National Highway system in 2015. Govern- accounts or digital wallets. October and said its “inves- At the same time, a digital
they track the behavior of Traffic Safety Administra- ment officials say no The Fed characterized the tigation period” would last currency could pose privacy
motorists who use partially tion, the U.S. government’s self-driving cars are avail- potential introduction of a two years. Some Caribbean risks because it would be
automated driver-assist auto safety agency. NHTSA able for sale and that driv- digital currency as a step nations have already issued issued by the government.
systems. said in a statement that it’s ers must be ready to take that could have far-reaching digital currencies. The Fed’s paper suggests,
Consumer Reports and researching the monitoring action at all times. consequences for banks and Last March, Chair Jerome though, that banks and
the Insurance Institute systems to establish bench- Some companies, such other financial firms as well Powell said that while the other third-party firms
for Highway Safety say marks and get driver data as General Motors, Ford, as for the central bank itself. Fed needed to keep pace would shield consumer
the ratings will factor into for possible future actions. Tesla, BMW and Subaru, “The introduction of with financial innovations, data from the Fed while also
scores for new models start- Both Consumer Reports have cameras that watch a (central bank digital it would proceed cautiously. implementing existing rules
ing this year. Automobile and IIHS hope that auto- a driver to make sure their currency) would represent “We have an obligation against money-laundering
buyers often turn to both makers will respond with eyes are on the road. Others a highly significant innova- to be on the cutting edge of and other illicit activity.
groups to judge the safety more robust monitoring only check for hands on the tion in American money,” understanding the techno- Such a government-is-
of vehicles. systems. steering wheel. But since the study said. The Fed said logical challenges,” Powell sued digital dollar could also
The new ratings come as “Keeping drivers focused there are no federal stan- it “could fundamentally said then. “But ... we don’t have major consequences
the auto industry struggles on the road and the vehicle dards, some monitoring change the structure of the need to rush this project. for commercial banks
with how to make sure driv- is critical for the safe use of can be turned off by driv- U.S. financial system, alter- We don’t need to be first to because many Americans
ers stay alert as the systems partially automated driv- ers, while others don’t take ing the roles and responsi- market.” might prefer to hold such
take on more driving func- ing systems,” said David enough action to make driv- bilities of the private sector The Fed is likely years currency in a “wallet” issued
tions. Plus, the systems are Harkey, president of IIHS, ers pay attention, both orga- and the central bank.” away from actually issu- by a payment provider like
being offered in more new an industry group. nizations said. The report comes when ing a digital currency, if it PayPal or Venmo, potentially
vehicles. Partially automated There is no evidence digital money is proliferat- decides to do so. The paper cutting into bank deposits.
Both groups say research systems vary in levels of that the driving systems ing. Millions of people own released Thursday kicks off The Fed could even seek
shows drivers often rely too sophistication. Some are make vehicles safer, and cryptocurrencies, though a 120-day comment period, to influence the economy
much on the computerized a combination of lane- research shows they could they are often used more as during which the Fed will through a digital currency,
systems, even though they centering technology and be less safe if the systems investments than as forms seek input from the public. as it now does by controlling
cannot drive vehicles them- advanced cruise control, don’t make sure drivers are of payment. But so-called The Fed also said it would interest rates. It could pay
selves. At times, the systems which will adjust speed to engaged, Harkey said. stablecoins, which are often proceed only with support interest on a digital dollar,
have made mistakes and keep a vehicle away from He said the systems are pegged to the dollar, have from Congress, “ideally in for example, or even have it
drivers have failed to take those in front of it. Others a “single digit” percentage also soared in use in the past the form of a specific autho- decline in value, as a form of
action — with deadly conse- can change lanes on their of the roughly 280 million year — mostly for cryptocur- rizing law.” a negative interest rate.
quences. Some automakers own. Most use cameras and vehicles on U.S. roadways.
HEATING • COOLING • PLUMBING
MARKET RUNDOWN
p Tunesday,January25,2022 p
DOW 10-YRT-BOND GOLD FURNACEPROBLEMS?
34,364.50+99.13 1.74%... $1,841.00+9.20
36,520 DowJonesindustrials Commodities SAME DAY
34,820 Close:34,364.50 FUELS CLOSE PREV. YTD
Change:99.13(0.3%)
CrudeOil(bbl) 84.02 85.14 +11.71%
33,120 10DAYS NaturalGas(mmbtu) 3.97 4.00 +6.30%
37,600 UnleadedGas(gal) 2.42 2.44 +8.63%
METALS CLOSE PREV. YTD
36,800
Gold(oz) 1,841.00 1,831.80 +.74%
TUNE-UPS • REPAIRS
36,000 Silver(oz) 23.80 24.31 +2.00%
(Previousandchangefiguresreflectcurrentcontract.) NEW INSTALLATIONS
35,200
ForeignExchange MoneyRates
GUARANTEEDORIT’SFREE!
34,400 ForExin U.S.$ PREV.
U.S.$ inForEx CLOSE WK.
33,600
J A S O N D J Britain 1.3483 .7417 Primerate 3.25 3.25
Canada .7907 1.2648 3-mo.T-Bill 0.20 0.13 Termsapply.Callfordetails.
DomesticIndexes China .1580 6.3308 6-mo.T-Bill 0.40 0.30
CLOSE CHG. YTD EJauproan .010.18372828 1.1838.3729 51-0y-yrrT-TN-Nootete 11..5734 11..5757 SAVE$2022
DOWIndus. 34,364.50 +99.13 -5.43% Mexico .048469 20.6317 30-yrT-Bond 2.08 2.12
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DOWUtil. 932.47 -11.28 -4.93% GlobalMarkets
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S&P500 4,410.13 +12.19 -7.47% Frankfurt 15,011.13 -592.75 -3.80% -5.50%
S&P400 2,641.49 +47.00 -7.06% London 7,297.15 -196.98 -2.63% -1.18% WITH A FREE UPGRADE
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WHENYOUBUYANEWHEATING&COOLINGSYSTEM*
StocksofLocalInterest
YTD YTD
STOCK(TICKER) CLOSE CHG. %CHG STOCK(TICKER) CLOSE CHG. %CHG
YOUCHOOSEYOURFREEUPGGRADE:
AMCEntertainmentA(AMC) 16.64 -1.33 -38.8 MGMResortsIntl(MGM) 41.89 +.93 -6.7
AT&TInc(T) 26.34 -.27 +7.1 Macy’sInc(M) 27.07 +4.13 +3.4
AdvMicroDev(AMD) 116.53 -2.28 -19.0 MagellanHealthInc(MGLN) 94.99 ... ... •BrandNewWaterHeater
AmericanAirlinesGp(AAL) 16.41 +.11 -8.6 MetaPlatformsInc(FB) 308.71 +5.54 -8.2
AmphenolCorp(APH) 77.35 +.32 -11.6 MetLifeInc(MET) 65.41 -.20 +4.7 •BrandNewHumidifier
AAnpnpalelyInCca(pAitAaPlLM)gmt(NLY) 1617..6529 -.7..9. --92..09 MicrosoftCorp(MSFT) 296.37 +.34 -11.9 •PurifiedAirSolutions
NovartisAG(NVS) 85.13 -1.90 -2.7
AvangridInc(AGR) 45.55 -.58 -8.7
NvidiaCorporation(NVDA) 233.72 -.02 -20.5 •AndSOMUCHMORE!
BankofAmerica(BAC) 44.55 -.37 +.1
OtisWorldwideCorp(OTIS) 83.23 +.12 -4.4
BarnesGroup(B) 46.55 +1.01 -.1
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BristMyrSqb(BMY) 62.61 -.93 +.4 PelotonInteractive(PTON) 29.71 +2.65 -16.9
CVSHealthCorp(CVS) 103.51 +1.95 +.3 PeoplesUtdFncl(PBCT) 19.22 +.69 +7.9
CarnivalCorp(CCL) 19.74 -.25 -1.9 PfizerInc(PFE) 51.54 -1.25 -12.7
CarrierGlobalCorp(CARR) 47.66 -.14 -12.1 PitneyBowes(PBI) 5.98 +.20 -9.8 FREEUPGRADEWORTHUPTO$2,022!OFFERENDS1/31/22
CharterCommunic(CHTR) 577.13 +7.44 -11.5 PlugPowerInc(PLUG) 20.70 -.36 -26.7 SAVE$2022
CignaCorp(CI) 236.42 +.17 +3.0 PrudentialFncl(PRU) 109.44 -.57 +1.1
CiscoSyst(CSCO) 56.90 +.22 -10.2 PubSvcEntGp(PEG) 64.35 -1.09 -3.6
Citigroup(C) 62.70 -.57 +3.8 RaytheonTechnolog(RTX) 88.12 +.91 +2.4 •24/7SERVICE UTOP
Cleveland-CliffsInc(CLF) 17.11 +.13 -21.4 RobinhoodMarketsA(HOOD)13.12 +.14 -26.1 WITHAFREEUPGRADE
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EthanAllen(ETD) 25.30 +.93 -3.8 SoFiTechnologies(SOFI) 13.30 -.59 -15.9 LIMITEDTIMEONLY!OfferExpires1/31/22
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FordMotor(F) 20.39 -.26 -1.8 TeslaInc(TSLA) 930.00 -13.90 -12.0
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10 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Tuesday, January 25, 2022
OPINION
Helen Bennett
Executive Editor
[email protected]
COURANT.COM/OPINION
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Op-ed by assistant
treasurer was misleading
The CT Mirror story “How state keeps
unclaimed money away from public”
[Connecticut, Page 1, Jan. 5] was an accurate
portrayal of the state’s mismanagement of
unclaimed property. It was Assistant Trea-
surer Maria Greenslade’s op-ed defending
the program that was misleading [courant.
com, Jan. 16, “Story on state’s unclaimed
money misled public”]. Greenslade cher-
ry-picked the 55% return rate of 2020 — it’s
37% (according to summaries on the state
website) over the past five years — to claim
that Connecticut’s performance “ranked
second nationally.” Sadly, states generally are
poor at returning unclaimed money. Both
figures represent failure.
You needn’t trust the CT Mirror nor the
treasurer’s self-assessment, however. Trust
your eyes. Go to CTBigList.com and search
for “City of,” “Town of,” “School,” etc. You’ll
see money that the state could and should
return. Greenslade touted the long-overdue
upgrade to CTBigList.com, but the state’s
use of the website remains fundamentally
wrong. CTBigList.com should be only for
properties whose owners can’t be found President Joe Biden meets with members of the Infrastructure Implementation Task Force to discuss the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on
easily. Thursday in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington. ANDREW HARNIK/AP
If the state knows a property’s owner
and address, the state should send a check, OP-ED
as Rhode Island does. If you find a wallet,
you’re legally obligated to return it. If you The woes of Biden, caused by Biden
don’t, that’s theft. But the state unethically
shifts the burden to owners to find and claim
their money. That enables the state to pocket
millions without making a good-faith effort By Gary Franks a result, she is suffering the pains of “on the buck stops with Mr. Biden. Here’s
to return money to owners the state recog- the job training. what went wrong: — 13 dead Americans
nizes. As the CT Mirror reported, CTBigList. President Joe Biden has taken the “The normal scrutiny, or the scru- — the appearance of being chased out of
com hides properties valued below $50, Democrat Party to new lows. tiny that would usually accompany GOP Afghanistan, weakening American lead-
which total over $40 million. That practice The Dems have lost fourteen points selections for vice president - some of us ership. In other words: reputation erosion
must stop. The state treats unclaimed money in 12 months in a recent Gallop poll on remember the criticism of Dan Quayle, — an errant drone attack that killed Amer-
as revenue and spends it. Through the who the American people want to run former President George H.W. Bush’s ican supporters — more than $50 billion
Citizens’ Election Fund, that money funds the country. Biden’s and Vice President choice in 1988 - was dismissed. Quayle worth of American military equipment
campaigns, an obvious conflict of interest. Kamala Harris’ polling numbers are at was constantly hounded by the main- left behind, which could now be used
Greenslade describes this use of unclaimed historic lows for this time in their term. stream media as being a light weight, yet against us.
money as being “for the public good.” But How did we get here? he had 12 years of legislative experience as Add two big statements that did not
any use of the money creates a disincen- In 2020 the Democrats were riding a a congressman and senator. match the facts: We would not leave any
tive for the state to return it, which likely wave. Their disdain for former President With the selection of Harris and Biden Americans behind — yet we did. All the
explains the state’s failure. The legislature Donald Trump was their trump card. the Democrats and the mainstream media generals did not express a different view
must reform this program. Nearly the entire media and social media were giddy. All was good. Yet, we got a from the president on the departure strat-
Ron Lizzi, Bethany platforms allied with them. It was going near 80-year-old in the White House, top egy — yet they did. Their ideas were not
to be easy. House Democrat leadership in their 80s, heeded.
US health care They just had to put someone on the and an 80-year-old (Majority Whip Jim Trump and Obama would have been
stage that people were “comfortable” Clyburn) anointing Biden in the prima- impeached. However, Biden got a mulli-
should be nonprofit with. And everybody knew the former ries and an unseasoned vice presidential gan.
vice president under former President candidate. For me these were ominous The question is trust. Can we trust
On Jan. 13 The Courant splashed this Barack Obama. signs for concern. Biden’s judgment, competence, and will-
headline across the front page: “Health care Despite all the hoopla, the Democrats But they had ousted Trump. So, all was ingness to make his statements match the
monopoly alleged.” The headline might needed an extraordinarily strong black going to be good. After all, COVID-19 was facts? Biden must give us reasons to do so.
be absolutely correct, but there is a funda- turnout as Trump had actually done killing people. He should take on the tough challenges
mental problem with the premise. One something his predecessors failed to do: Well, at this point Biden has had Americans face - inflation, national debt,
local hospital suing a rival health care entity make headway with the black community far more COVID-related deaths than the border crisis, crime in our cities, the
because of its plans to crush or buy them to the chagrin of the Democrats. his predecessor, and that is with three rising cost of energy, supply chain difficul-
out might fit the definition of a monopoly Enter Biden’s announcement to pick a vaccines. Now, he is fumbling the delivery ties, Russia, North Korea, China, solvency
but also fits the definition of what is wrong black woman for the vice president early. of test kits and just recently advocated for of Social Security and Medicare, instead
with our health care system in general. We With many choices, Rep. Karen Bass more protective masks. of trying to give Americans “free stuff”
now have two badly needed health care (Calif.) would have been a better one. The media allows Biden to remain all the time. Yes, Americans getting “free
providers in Hartford putting a knife to each She had extensive legislative experience, unaccountable for his campaign stuff” will poll well (duh!), but haven’t
other’s throats. This is not about health care, including being Speaker of the House of comments - “There are 220,000 Amer- Americans done just fine without more
it’s about who makes the most money off the nation’s largest state legislature and icans dead. Anyone responsible for that proposed “free stuff”? Yes, they have.
the very people who can least afford it. A chairwoman of the Congressional Black many deaths should not remain president There’s plenty to do. Mr. Biden, as you
profit motive in supplying medical care and Caucus. She was also elected to Congress of the United States of America.” Today hit the re-set button remember that your
prescriptions is inherently not about servic- in 2010. But no. Biden went with a person, deaths are over 800,000. greatest success (the Infrastructure Bill)
ing the needs of our neighbors, it’s about who, upon arriving in Congress, seemed In that vein, is there anyone in America came when you worked with Republicans.
how much of the profit goes to the top. to have a singular mission of getting to the other than the aforementioned leaders More of that kind of effort and you will
U.S. health care, prisons and higher educa- White House. Yet Harris could not gain a and their supporters who would not agree have the opportunity to bring America
tion organizations, to name a few, should be single delegate for president, and bowed that Obama and Trump would have been together.
barred from the for-profit business model. out before the race even began. impeached and possibly removed from
Making blood money off people with no It is highly likely that Harris has less office had they bungled Afghanistan like Gary Franks served three terms as U.S. rep-
place to turn happens more than you think political/governing/legislative experi- Biden managed to do? resentative for Connecticut’s 5th District.
and, in more places than you can imagine. ence than any of our past vice presidents. Unfortunately, we may not have seen He was the first Black Republican elected
Michael Cashman, Newington Attorney General and prosecutor are the full ramifications of that debacle. No to the House in nearly 60 years. He is the
atypical qualifications for the position. As one has been held accountable for it. So host of the podcast “We Speak Frankly.”
Larson has more than
earned another term
OP-ED
I read The Courant’s article [Connecti-
cut, Page 1, Jan. 15, “Rep. Larson seeking his Amid health care in Connecticut that
13th term”]. Here we have a man who taught
history and coached high school football in
East Hartford. He served on the board of ed is too expensive, public option is needed
and the town council. He currently sits on
the House Ways and Means Committee and
is the Social Security subcommittee chair-
man. He has been a champion for Connecti- By Ryan Koski-Vacirca But this is not just expert opinion; it’s of the US health care system with one fix.
cut manufacturing and defense industry. the public’s opinion, too. According to The foremost experts and advocates agree
He has worked to enhance Social Security Health care in Connecticut is too expen- the nonpartisan nonprofit United States that we need many smaller changes — at
benefits and to negotiate lower drug prices sive. One prescription: the public option of Care, 71% of Connecticut residents all sizes of government and practice — to
for Medicare beneficiaries. Opponents can This past legislative session, the support the public option, including 72% keep Americans safe from rising prices.
throw around that old “corporate” nonsense Connecticut General Assembly shelved of small business owners, 82% of Black, By chipping away one percent at a time,
all they want, but do they imagine them- consideration of a public option insurance Indigenous, and people of color, and 79% or even 1/10th of one percent, we build
selves walking into that House chamber and plan after Gov. Ned Lamont threatened to of people with a high school education or momentum and leave a better future for
being greeted with the same respect and veto the bill. In fact, 2021 marked the third less. People instinctively know that health those behind us.
clout that John has earned? consecutive legislative session where the care in the United States provided with- As a physician in the emergency depart-
Pam Bergren, East Hartford proposed insurance plan did not receive out oversight does not work. Health care ment, I see the consequences of unafford-
a vote. But as a physician caring for needs a push from local government to able health care every day. It’s always the
Connecticut’s most vulnerable residents better serve the public. most psychologically challenging to care
Tell Us in the emergency department, we know Some lobbying groups — including for patients who do not have the money or
that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed insurance companies with offices here time to take care of their chronic medi-
Your Story
the shameful unmet public need for more in Connecticut — have argued that the cal conditions. One of the most common
Please send us your true stories, support — and the evidence in support of public option will increase costs and refrains in the electronic medical record?
written in your voice. the public option is clear. Now, more than cause hospitals or doctors’ practices to “Patient lost to follow-up.” We know
ever, the Connecticut General Assembly close up shop. Others have stated that that 41% of Americans have foregone
Love Etc. Stories from should pass a public option for Connecti- temporary pandemic funding already health insurance because they cannot
the heart — your essays about cut. closed the uninsured gap in Connecticut. afford it. We don’t want to lose patients to
emotional life in the 21st The public option (Senate Bill 842) In a consulting report funded by polit- follow-up anymore.
century. proposed to allow small businesses and ical dark money, insurance companies Connecticut’s public option is a proud
nonprofits to buy the same health plan argue that vulnerable populations like state contribution to the public’s health. If
Why I… In which you explain coverage offered to state employees. Most rural Connecticut towns will lose: “When the General Assembly has the will to act,
why you feel so strongly about importantly, the bill utilizes federally providers struggle, so do patients.” But I peers and future legislators will view their
something in Connecticut. available money to permanently elimi- am from rural Delaware and worked in actions as a defining legacy — a new chap-
nate premiums for families making less search and rescue in rural New Hamp- ter in American health care. What is more,
First Person: In which you than 200% of the federal poverty limit. shire. I am used to special interests appro- momentum might build for other states to
explain a deeply private issue This public option won’t fix the health priating our story to make a point — or to develop contributing alternative payment
against the backdrop of social care system in Connecticut. But it would make some money. models to support the public’s health. This
and economic forces. make Connecticut residents healthier In reality, the most recent evidence has already happened in Colorado, Wash-
and will make health care more afford- from other states suggests that the public ington and Arizona.
Living Here: What is it really able for every person — not just people option can reduce costs and provide a The COVID pandemic laid bare all that
like to live in Connecticut? who don’t have health insurance now. durable framework for future innovation. we have ignored in the U.S. health care
Many nonpartisan experts have detailed This current thinking also suggests that system for a century — including care that
We welcome all submissions how this is possible. New gold standard the Connecticut legislature’s public option many cannot afford. The only thing left is
and will publish the best. We espe- research evidence shows that increasing design might avoid doctor and insur- for us to decide what we will do with the
cially look for younger writers and the number of insured people reduces ance participation issues with other state time left to fix it. The Connecticut public
those whose voices aren’t heard often mortality — that is, fewer people die when public options. And unlike temporary option is a perfect place to start.
enough. Essays should be 600-700 they have health insurance coverage. If pandemic funding, the public option is
words, written in the first person and the public option increases the number of built to reduce costs in the long term with Ryan Koski-Vacirca is a resident physician
emailed to [email protected]. insured Nutmeggers, it might also drive a permanent solution. in the department of emergency medicine
down insurance prices across the board. It’s not possible to address the prices at Yale University.