Mask up again: CDC alert

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/cdc-recommends-6-washington-counties-should-wear-masks-again/BFBZY74KIJC65MUH47BNZQHDCI/

By The Associated Press
July 02, 2022 at 12:17 pm PDT

PORTLAND, Ore. — People in six Washington counties should begin wearing masks indoors in public and on public transportation again, according to recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest information from the CDC shows that Lewis County, Pacific County, Thurston County, Grays Harbor County, Garfield County and Spokane County all have COVID-19 community levels rated “high,” meaning they have had 200 or more new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days, or they’ve had more than 20 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people within a seven-day period.

…more…

(No covid forum?)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/cdc-recommends-6-washington-counties-should-wear-masks-again/BFBZY74KIJC65MUH47BNZQHDCI/

By The Associated Press
July 02, 2022 at 12:17 pm PDT

PORTLAND, Ore. — People in six Washington counties should begin wearing masks indoors in public and on public transportation again, according to recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest information from the CDC shows that Lewis County, Pacific County, Thurston County, Grays Harbor County, Garfield County and Spokane County all have COVID-19 community levels rated “high,” meaning they have had 200 or more new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days, or they’ve had more than 20 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people within a seven-day period.

…more…

4 ex-Navy officers convicted in 'Fat Leonard' bribery trial

https://apnews.com/article/conspiracy-leonard-francis-55ae609b30c05d56b4f6d10ea15b9c15

4 ex-Navy officers convicted in ‘Fat Leonard’ bribery trial

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Four of five former U.S. naval officers were convicted Wednesday of conspiracy, bribery and fraud as part of the “Fat Leonard” corruption scandal.

The five were the last of 34 defendants to stand trial on charges they were bought off by the Malaysian defense contractor Leonard Francis, who prosecutors said plied them with prostitutes, Cuban cigars and free hotel stays, among other things.

A federal jury convicted former Capts. David Newland, James Dolan and David Lausman and former Cmdr. Mario Herrera of conspiracy to commit bribery, receiving bribes, and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, the U.S. attorney’s office announced.

The jury deadlocked and reached no verdict on charges against a fifth defendant, former Rear Adm. Bruce Loveless.

The case has centered around Francis, who admitted in 2015 to offering $500,000 in bribes to Navy officers. In exchange, the officers passed him classified information and even went so far as redirecting military vessels to ports that were lucrative for his Singapore-based ship servicing company.

Prosecutors say Francis and his company overcharged the U.S. military by more than $35 million for its services.

Francis, who is scheduled to be sentenced in July, has been cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice since his arrest in 2013.

https://apnews.com/article/conspiracy-leonard-francis-55ae609b30c05d56b4f6d10ea15b9c15

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Four of five former U.S. naval officers were convicted Wednesday of conspiracy, bribery and fraud as part of the “Fat Leonard” corruption scandal.

The five were the last of 34 defendants to stand trial on charges they were bought off by the Malaysian defense contractor Leonard Francis, who prosecutors said plied them with prostitutes, Cuban cigars and free hotel stays, among other things.

A federal jury convicted former Capts. David Newland, James Dolan and David Lausman and former Cmdr. Mario Herrera of conspiracy to commit bribery, receiving bribes, and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, the U.S. attorney’s office announced.

The jury deadlocked and reached no verdict on charges against a fifth defendant, former Rear Adm. Bruce Loveless.

The case has centered around Francis, who admitted in 2015 to offering $500,000 in bribes to Navy officers. In exchange, the officers passed him classified information and even went so far as redirecting military vessels to ports that were lucrative for his Singapore-based ship servicing company.

Prosecutors say Francis and his company overcharged the U.S. military by more than $35 million for its services.

Francis, who is scheduled to be sentenced in July, has been cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice since his arrest in 2013.

https://apnews.com/article/conspiracy-leonard-francis-55ae609b30c05d56b4f6d10ea15b9c15

4 ex-Navy officers convicted in ‘Fat Leonard’ bribery trial

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Four of five former U.S. naval officers were convicted Wednesday of conspiracy, bribery and fraud as part of the “Fat Leonard” corruption scandal.

The five were the last of 34 defendants to stand trial on charges they were bought off by the Malaysian defense contractor Leonard Francis, who prosecutors said plied them with prostitutes, Cuban cigars and free hotel stays, among other things.

A federal jury convicted former Capts. David Newland, James Dolan and David Lausman and former Cmdr. Mario Herrera of conspiracy to commit bribery, receiving bribes, and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, the U.S. attorney’s office announced.

The jury deadlocked and reached no verdict on charges against a fifth defendant, former Rear Adm. Bruce Loveless.

The case has centered around Francis, who admitted in 2015 to offering $500,000 in bribes to Navy officers. In exchange, the officers passed him classified information and even went so far as redirecting military vessels to ports that were lucrative for his Singapore-based ship servicing company.

Prosecutors say Francis and his company overcharged the U.S. military by more than $35 million for its services.

Francis, who is scheduled to be sentenced in July, has been cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice since his arrest in 2013.

https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/06/farms-central-washington-boost-their-yield-solar-energy

Farms in Central Washington boost their yield with solar energy

Two greenhouse domes on the Colville Reservation will house the state’s first 'agrivoltaics' project, where food and electricity can grow in tandem on small acreage.

by John Stang / June 22, 2022

Two geodesic domes are being built in Nespelem, 16 miles north of the Grand Coulee Dam and the headquarters of the Colville Indian Reservation. Ricky Gabriel jokes that they look like Thunderdome from the dystopian 1985 movie Mad Max.
Gabriel, an Okanogan County contractor, sees the Nespelem domes as a challenging math puzzle, requiring precisely cut and fit wood braces to create the ball-like structures that will be covered by transparent crystal plastic to become greenhouses.

The domes consist of 20 straight sides that create half-balls that are almost 20 feet tall and 35 feet in diameter. They each make room for roughly 1,000 square feet of crop space to grow a variety of vegetables and flowers, spread out horizontally and stacked on shelves vertically.

These compact growing spaces also leave room for solar energy to grow outside. An adjacent two rows of solar panels will be capable of producing 20 kilowatt-hours a year.

The solar cells will provide electricity to heat and run the watering equipment for the domes. The food and surplus electricity will go directly to nearby homes. And the planning and execution of this so-called agrivoltaic project will be an example to be spread across the grid to planners, farmers and engineers interested in learning more about this new way of using farmland to grow both food and electricity at the same time.

“The community is very excited about it,” said Tauni Bearcub, the project’s manager for Konbit (pronounced “kone-beet”), a Boulder, Colorado, company specializing in food-growing programs with an emphasis on Native American lands. She is also a member of the Colville nation.

…more…

https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/06/farms-central-washington-boost-their-yield-solar-energy

Farms in Central Washington boost their yield with solar energy

Two greenhouse domes on the Colville Reservation will house the state’s first 'agrivoltaics' project, where food and electricity can grow in tandem on small acreage.

by John Stang / June 22, 2022

Two geodesic domes are being built in Nespelem, 16 miles north of the Grand Coulee Dam and the headquarters of the Colville Indian Reservation. Ricky Gabriel jokes that they look like Thunderdome from the dystopian 1985 movie Mad Max.
Gabriel, an Okanogan County contractor, sees the Nespelem domes as a challenging math puzzle, requiring precisely cut and fit wood braces to create the ball-like structures that will be covered by transparent crystal plastic to become greenhouses.

The domes consist of 20 straight sides that create half-balls that are almost 20 feet tall and 35 feet in diameter. They each make room for roughly 1,000 square feet of crop space to grow a variety of vegetables and flowers, spread out horizontally and stacked on shelves vertically.

These compact growing spaces also leave room for solar energy to grow outside. An adjacent two rows of solar panels will be capable of producing 20 kilowatt-hours a year.

The solar cells will provide electricity to heat and run the watering equipment for the domes. The food and surplus electricity will go directly to nearby homes. And the planning and execution of this so-called agrivoltaic project will be an example to be spread across the grid to planners, farmers and engineers interested in learning more about this new way of using farmland to grow both food and electricity at the same time.

“The community is very excited about it,” said Tauni Bearcub, the project’s manager for Konbit (pronounced “kone-beet”), a Boulder, Colorado, company specializing in food-growing programs with an emphasis on Native American lands. She is also a member of the Colville nation.

…more…

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/21/young-people-go-to-european-court-to-stop-treaty-that-aids-fossil-fuel-investors

Young people go to European court to stop treaty that aids fossil fuel investors

Young victims of the climate crisis will on Tuesday launch legal action at Europe’s top human rights court against an energy treaty that protects fossil fuel investors.

Five people, aged between 17 and 31, who have experienced devastating floods, forest fires and hurricanes are bringing a case to the European court of human rights, where they will argue that their governments’ membership of the little-known energy charter treaty (ECT) is a dangerous obstacle to action on the climate crisis. It is the first time that the Strasbourg court will be asked to consider the treaty, a secretive investor court system that enables fossil fuel companies to sue governments for lost profits.

…more…

…

When is the us going to stop subsidizing oil/gas corporations?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/21/young-people-go-to-european-court-to-stop-treaty-that-aids-fossil-fuel-investors

Young people go to European court to stop treaty that aids fossil fuel investors

Young victims of the climate crisis will on Tuesday launch legal action at Europe’s top human rights court against an energy treaty that protects fossil fuel investors.

Five people, aged between 17 and 31, who have experienced devastating floods, forest fires and hurricanes are bringing a case to the European court of human rights, where they will argue that their governments’ membership of the little-known energy charter treaty (ECT) is a dangerous obstacle to action on the climate crisis. It is the first time that the Strasbourg court will be asked to consider the treaty, a secretive investor court system that enables fossil fuel companies to sue governments for lost profits.

…more…

…

When is the us going to stop subsidizing oil/gas corporations?

Texas GOP Lashes Out at Gays with Support from Verizon

https://www.thestranger.com/slog-am/2022/06/20/75342316/slog-am-texas-gop-lashes-out-at-gays-with-support-from-verizon-long-lost-wicked-witch-located-and-why-are-seattle-streets-so-deadly

The Texas GOP has officially declared homosexuality an “abnormal lifestyle choice.” Delegates voted to approve particularly homophobic elements in the party platform this weekend, including an endorsement of abusive ex-gay therapy. None of it would have been possible without help from the Texas GOP’s major donors: Verizon, Anheuser Busch, AT&T, and more.