pushed it off; the weight felt unbearable. Carr, then 65 and with short brown hair, sat on the bed and told DiVincenzo that sophie was dead. <I just don9t even know how this happened,= Carr said a few times, according to DiVincenzo9s account. About 16 minutes before the birth, the midwife had reported listening to the baby9s heartbeat. Later, investigators would probe whether Carr had failed to properly monitor DiVincenzo and her baby. And DiVincenzo would learn that it A midwife faces scrutiny after a baby dies SaRaH l. VoISIN/tHE WaSHINGtoN PoSt It9s not the ûrst time BY AMY BRITTAIN Editor9s note: This story includes photos of a deceased baby with the parents9 permission. These images may disturb some people. Tori DiVincenzo lay in bed at home, dazed and bleeding. she had pushed for hours under the watch of a veteran midwife, only to deliver her daughter silent and still. on this november afternoon in 2021, sophie Rose DiVincenzo was being rushed to a hospital in an ambulance. First responders milled about the house in Calvert County, Md. DiVincenzo9s midwife, Karen Carr, and her assistant drained the birthing pool, stripped the stained bedsheets and ran a load of laundry. The first-time mother was nude and too weak to stand. Paramedics tried to cover her with a blanket, but she was not the first time that Carr had come under scrutiny for her work as a midwife. officials in three states and the District of Columbia, including the U.s. attorney9s office for the District, had investigated Carr after home births she attended went wrong. In Virginia, Carr pleaded guilty to two felonies after a baby died in 2010. she served five days in jail and agreed never again to practice in the state. In Maryland, after another infant death that same year, a judge determined that Carr9s decisions during the delivery had <dire consequences.= officials imposed a hefty fine. However, four other investigations were resolved in her favor, either with no criminal charges or, in two administrative cases, with legal victories. Through it all, The Washington Post sEE MiDwife on a12 tori DiVincenzo, 31, and her husband, anthony DiVincenzo, 33, lost their baby, sophie rose, during a home birth in Maryland in 2021 with Karen Carr, a midwife, in attendance. book world ø the best reads of the year in fiction, romance, mystery and more. trAvel Dolly Parton has opened the HeartSong resort, a ballad to her childhood. Food ø Roast. Grill. Fry. Brine. Every thanksgiving brings a new best way. ArtS & Style No one knows Joan Baez9s story like the friend who put it on film. metro D.c. has delayed a plan for a homeless shelter at a former GWU dormitory. buSINeSS the real estate industry trembles in the wake of a commissions scheme. CONTENT © 2023 7The Washington Post / Year 146, No. 53674 BY MATT VISER Hunter Biden worked for years to cultivate high-level relationships in China, flying to the country with his father on Air Force Two and serving as a board member of a Chinese investment firm. As he did, he understood the new relationships he was building did not come from his charm alone. <It has nothing to do with me,= he wrote in 2011 about some of his developing connections with Chinese investors, <and everything to do with my last name.= The blunt acknowledgment, in an email to his close friend and business associate Devon Archer, was a recognition of the built-in advantages the younger Biden had as he grew his Washingtonbased business. When he was building a new consulting firm during his father9s vice presidency, he 4 and particularly his partners 4 showed little hesitancy in using a coveted last name to open doors that could provide financial opportunity. At times they would hand out books autographed by Joe Biden, emails and interviews show. They would provide vice-presidential cuff links or challenge coins to friends, associates or prospective clients. They secured tickets to White House events, including dinners, holiday parties and the annual Easter Egg Roll, at times strategizing over which business associates should receive them. House Republicans have launched an impeachment inquiry attempting to show that Joe Biden improperly benefited from sEE HuNter biDeN on a20 Prices may vary in areas outside metABCDE ropolitan Washington. SU V1 V2 V3 V4 Democracy Dies in Darkness sunday, november 19, 2023 . Plenty of sun 61/38 " Tomorrow: Partial sunshine 52/40 C8 $5 A career of beneûting from famed last name Hunter Biden has had a complex relationship with the 8Biden brand9 BY JENNA PORTNOY AND JUSTIN JOUVENAL state sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottesville) tugged on his earlobe, pointing to scar tissue doctors wanted to remove to mend the damage from an attack that left him physically wounded but gave his life new purpose. His son, Austin <Gus= Deeds, stabbed him with a knife while in the throes of a mental health crisis 10 years ago sunday, shortly before the 24-year-old took his own life. A day earlier, a Virginia mental health worker had failed to find an emergency treatment bed for Gus. It was the worst moment of the Virginia lawmaker9s life, but he decided against surgery to remove the scars that snaked across his face. He didn9t want to smooth them over. He wanted the world to see them. <The scars to the extent that they remind people I9ve been through something, they will have an idea of the things that sEE DeeDs on a6 After the worst moment of his life, a new calling Va. legislator reflects on his quest to ûx the mental health system that failed him a decade ago mIcHaEl S. WIllIamSoN/tHE WaSHINGtoN PoSt Virginia state sen. r. Creigh Deeds (D) in Charlottesville. Deeds9s son, austin <gus= Deeds, attacked him while in the throes of a mental health crisis and took his own life on Nov. 19, 2013. BY REIS THEBAULT lOs aNGeles 4 When, many geologic eras from now, future Earth beings excavate the remains of this great city, they will be left with an obvious conclusion: now, here is a civilization that loved freeways. Present-day Angelenos, however, know all too well that the forthcoming fossil record will tell only a partial truth. sure, those endless miles of concrete and thick tangles of overpass interchanges were beloved by early planners, politicians and bureaucrats, who pushed their proliferation in the name of progress and profit. But everyone else, the many millions whose cars inched along atop them and the countless neighborhoods crushed to make way for them? not so much. This love-hate dynamic is so ingrained in daily life in Los Angeles that it9s usually barely worth noting. But eight days ago, the devil9s bargain that underwrote the transportation culture here broke down. A fast-moving industrial fire 4 reportedly sparked by an arsonist 4 charred Interstate 10 in downtown L.A., forcing a mile-long closure of one of the busiest freeways in the car capital of the world. In a city already famous sEE freeway on a10 Car capital grapples with the future of its freeways BY KAREN DEYOUNG Israel, the United states and Hamas are close to an agreement to free dozens of women and children held hostage in Gaza, in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting. The release, which could begin within the next several days 4 barring last-minute hitches 4 could lead to the first sustained pause in conflict in Gaza, according to people familiar with its provisions. Under the terms of the detailed, six-page agreement, all parties to the conflict would freeze combat operations for at least five days while an initial 50 or more hostages are released in smaller batches every 24 hours. It was not immediately clear how many of the 239 people believed to be in captivity in Gaza would be released under the deal. overhead surveillance would monitor movement on the ground to police the pause. The stop in fighting is also intended to allow a significant increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance, including fuel, to enter the besieged enclave from Egypt. The outline of a deal was put together during weeks of talks in Doha, Qatar, among Israel, the United states and Hamas, indirectly represented by Qatari mediators, according to Arab and other diplomats. But it remained unsEE Hostages on a9 Possible freeze to ûghting in Gaza deal would free some hostages More humanitarian aid will flow, barring hitches comIcS......................................................INSert opINIoN pAGeS...............................................A26 obItuArIeS.......................................................c5 world NewS..................................................A22 BY WILLIAM BOOTH eIN BOKeK, Israel 4 The resort on the Dead sea looks like what it is: A nice, bright white, banal holiday hotel, with a swimming pool and palm trees, bars and balconies. This is a disguise. For its current guests, the hotel is a trauma center. Today the David Dead sea Resort and spa serves as way station, as an evacuation camp for members of one of the communities hit hardest by the Hamas surprise attack six weeks ago 4 one that lost 10 percent of its residents in a single day. In the hallways, parents in flip-flops and donated T-shirts push strollers. There are many children. They are everywhere. They kick soccer balls in the soaring atrium lobby. They leave their ice cream melting on the couches. no one stops them. Why? Because the children must be distracted, because the moms and dads 4 the ones who are not dead or missing 4 sometimes must go to their rooms and close the drapes. To make more sEE israel on a18 Attack leaves community stuck between horror, future 8New war zone9: Israeli peace activists tour U.S. campuses. A16 Northern Gaza: Israel intensifies campaign; hospital evacuated. A11
A2 eZ M2 the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 cORREcTION l An <In the Galleries= listing in today9s Arts & Style section, which was printed in advance, incorrectly refers to the title of a multimedia show at IA&A at Hillyer as <Sensorial9s Africana Superrealities: Five Contemporary Diaspora Artists.= The correct title is <Sensorial Africana Superrealities: Five Contemporary Diaspora Artists.= the Washington Post is committed to correcting errors that appear in the newspaper. those interested in contacting the paper for that purpose can: Email: [email protected]. call: 202-334-6000, and ask to be connected to the desk involved 4 national, foreign, Metro, style, sports, business or any of the weekly sections. Comments can be directed to the Post9s reader advocate, who can be reached at 202-334-7582 or [email protected]. KLMNO NEWSPAPER DELIVERY for home delivery comments or concerns contact us at washingtonpost.com/subscriberservices or send us an email at [email protected] or call 202-334-6100 or 800-477-4679 TO SUBScRIBE 800-753-Post (7678) TO ADVERTISE washingtonpost.com/mediakit Classified: 202-334-6200 Display: 202-334-7642 MAIN PHONE NUMBER 202-334-6000 TO REAcH THE NEWSROOM Metro: 202-334-7300; [email protected] national: 202-334-7410; [email protected] business: 202-334-7320; [email protected] sports: 202-334-7350; [email protected] investigative: 202-334-6179; [email protected] style: 202-334-7535; [email protected] TO REAcH THE OPINION PAGES Letters to the editor: [email protected] or call 202-334-6215 opinion: [email protected] The headline in the latest issue of the Economist magazine does not mince words: <Donald Trump poses the biggest danger to the world in 2024.= The alarm is twofold. First, that the former president could win the election next November; and second, what he might do if that happens. Presidential elections are often about many things. In 2024, the economy will be a factor for most voters. For many, immigration will be another. Abortion, too, will continue to be a motivator. President Biden9s record certainly will be a consideration, as will the incumbent9s age and perceptions of his capacity to lead the nation for another four years, until he is 86. But the Economist puts the focus where it needs to be, which is on the former president 4 what he did during his first term, including what he did to help provoke the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, and, most important, how much farther out he has gone rhetorically and substantively since then to preview whatasecond term might portend. The Economist summed up why a Trump victory in 2024 could be materially different from his first in 2016. <A second Trump term would be a watershed in a way the first was not,= the editors wrote. <Victory would confirm his most destructive instincts about power. His plans would encounter less resistance. And because America will have voted him in while knowing the worst, its moral authority would decline.= Trump has spoken openly about a second term as a time of retribution, when he would weaponize the Justice Department to go after his opponents. The Washington Post recently reported that he has identified individuals he would target for investigation, includinganumber who served in his administration. Among those cited in the article were former White House chief of staff John Kelly, former attorney general William P. Barr and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark A. Milley. He has also talked about going after Biden and his family. Seven years ago, the journalist Salena Zito, after listening to many voters in what became Trump country, coined an expression that later seemed to sum up why there was shock and surprise in many establishment quarters when he defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016: <The press takes him literally, but not seriously,= she wrote. <His supporters take him seriously, but not literally.= How literally to take everything Trump says is a good question. He is a performance artist who lives in the moment. He knows how to shock and provoke his adversaries 4 and he includes the press among those adversaries. Does he mean what he says? Another question is how much attention should be paid to him. Should every wild statement be splashed on the homepages of traditional media websites and commented upon endlessly on cable roundtables? Or should they be mostly ignored as just another effort to attract attention? Neither of those questions has a simple answer. But to the other half of the Zito formulation, there is no comparison, or at least should not be, between 2016 and 2024. Taking Trump seriously, as the Economist does in its new issue, is a requirement 4 for the press, certainly, but also for all Americans who care about the future. Trump has a devoted following, and a good portion of it is intensely loyal. These supporters hang on his words, even if they don9t take them literally, and they follow him wherever he goes politically. A new poll by The Post and Monmouth University of Republican primary voters in New Hampshire underscores not only the lead Trump has over his rivals for the party9s nomination but also the degree to which his supporters are fixed on his side. Trump leads the GOP field in New Hampshire with 46 percent support and his challengers far behind. Among his supporters, 80 percent say they will definitely vote for him in the Jan. 23 primary. Among all potential primary voters, 41 percent say they would be enthusiastic if he becomes the nominee, double or more the enthusiasm for any of his rivals. When Monmouth asked that question in 2016, 26 percent said they would be enthusiastic about him leading their ticket that fall. A majority of these potential primary voters (55 percent) say Biden won the 2020 election <due to voter fraud,= and among that group, 72 percent are backing Trump. Among those election deniers, none of Trump9s rivals is in double digits. That9s one more marker of how Trump9s lies have infected the party andaworrisome indication that those voters would likely approve of whatever direction he might move in the future. At this point, there is little drama about the outcome of the Republican nomination contest. While that could change, a focus on Trump as the likely nominee is well justified. Attention can be paid to rivals like former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and, because he could be a force in New Hampshire, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie. But that is not the only or even principal focus of attention in a campaign year that is unlike either of Trump9s previous campaigns. Treating Trump as the likely nominee means ever more attention can be focused on who he is, who he has become, and who he might be if elected again. The Post reported in May about <the deepening radicalization= of Trump. The article noted that his positions <have become even more extreme; his tone more confrontational.= In recent days, both The Post and the New York Times have published stories about what policies and actions Trump might pursue in a second term, from using the Justice Department to go after enemies to a broad immigration crackdown to purges in the executive branch. The two leaders of Trump9s reelection campaign 4 Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita 4 sent out a statement this past Monday attempting to distance the former president from the substance of such stories. The statement noted that some of the reporting is based on work being done by think tanks, which are friendly to Trump, and others not directly associated with the campaign, though the stories also are based on things Trump has already said. <These reports about personnel and policies that are specific to a second Trump Administration are purely speculative and theoretical,= they wrote. <Any personnel lists, policy agendas, or government plans published elsewhere are merely suggestions.= That they felt it necessary to issue such a statement might simply be that Trump doesn9t like others to speak for him. But it also highlights the degree to which they must recognize that greater focus on possible radical policies being discussed means greater possible damage to Trump9s chances of winning a second term. Whatever his campaign advisers say in a statement, Trump himself is not running away from some of what was written about a possible second term. In an interview on Univision a few days after The Post story said Trump might use the Justice Department to go after opponents, the former president confirmed that yes, he might well do that if he gets back into office. The former president and the current president are headed toward what could be a very close election. Polling in the states that will decide who wins an electoral college majority now gives Trumpaslight edge. These polls should be read with caution, given that they are a year out, that most voters have not fully keyed into the general election and that events over the next nine to 12 months are impossible to predict. With Trump facing four criminal indictments involving 91 felony counts, the campaign could be as much courtroom drama as rallies and ads. How will voters process a conviction if that were to occur? Trump9s rhetoric has become more extreme; it is language associated with authoritarian leaders of the past. The latest and most provocative came during a Veterans Day speech in New Hampshire, when he said this: <We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical-left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country that lie and steal and cheat on elections.= Those words quickly echoed across the country and beyond, reported by news organizations and replayed again and again on cable television. Should what he said be taken neither literally nor seriously, or has a Rubicon been crossed that, with an upcoming election, requires that he be taken both literally and seriously? Voters, take Trump seriously and literally. The stakes are that high. JAbin botsforD/the WAshington Post Supporters of Donald Trump at a September campaign rally in Dubuque, Iowa. The Economist magazine says the former president <poses the biggest danger to the world in 2024= if he wins the election: <Victory would confirm his most destructive instincts about power.= Dan Balz The Sunday Take Treating Trump as the likely nominee means ever more attention can be focused on who he is, who he has become, and who he might be if elected again. Download The Washington Post app stay informed with award-winning national and international news, PLUs complete local news coverage of the D.C. metro area. Create customized news alerts, save articles for offline reading in My Post, browse the daily print edition and scroll through our the Discover tab to find stories that interest you. free to download on the App store and Play store, subscribers enjoy unlimited access. 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sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ re A3 Politics & the Nation happened in science that the majority was dead wrong. I have no idea if that is the case here, but science has to be open to debate.= 8A skeptical streak9 Some physicists have made crucial contributions to the world9s understanding of climate change. In 2021, the Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to scientists Syukuro Manabe of the United States and Klaus Hasselmann of Germany for work that laid the foundation for current climate models. Others have made a name for themselves as climate contrarians. William Happer, a professor emeritus of physics at Princeton University, has argued that global warming is good for humanity. Under President Donald Trump, Happer served as a senior director on the National Security Council, where he oversaw a controversial initiative to reassess the federal government9s analysis of climate science. Richard Lindzen, a retired MIT physicist, has similarly criticized what he has called <climate alarmism.= And Steven E. Koonin, a physicist who served as the Energy Department9s undersecretary for science under President Barack Obama, wrote the best-selling book <Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn9t, and Why It Matters.= <There is a skeptical streak in the physics community regarding climate science,= Nadir Jeevanjee, a research physical scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, wrote in a recent critique of Koonin9s book. In an interview, Jeevanjee said that while climate science is based in physics, not all physicists are experts in climate science. But that hasn9t stopped some distinguished physicists from portraying themselves as experts and sowing doubt, he said. <When they talk, people listen,= said Jeevanjee, who emphasized that he was speaking on behalf of himself and not NOAA. <It stokes the flames of denial.= Some physicists who reject the scientific consensus on climate change have received funding from fossil fuel companies. WeiHock <Willie= Soon, an astrophysicist who claims that variations in the sun9s energy have caused most global warming, accepted more than $1.2 million from the fossil fuel industry from 2005 to 2015 while failing to disclose that conflict of interest in most scientific papers. Clauser said he does not receive any money from oil, gas and coal interests. <If I go to Asia, I get a huge honorarium for giving talks,= he said in the interview after Tuesday9s event. <But this conference hasn9t given me an honorarium for coming here. The best I get is airfare and hotel. I9m just living off savings.= In June, Clauser gave the keynote address at a conference on quantum information science in Seoul, telling the audience that <I don9t believe there is a climate crisis.= The speech came a month after he joined the board of directors of the CO2 Coalition, a group that contends carbon dioxide is beneficial for the planet. In search of an audience Clauser has not been welcomed everywhere. In July, he was scheduled to deliver a seminar on climate models to the International Monetary Fund9s Independent Evaluation Office, but then the event was <summarily canceled= with no explanation, the CO2 Coalition said in a statement at the time. On Tuesday, Clauser said he was initially told the event would be reformatted as a debate with an author of a report by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. But that idea <never went anywhere,= he said. Asked for comment, a spokesperson for the office declined to comment on the record and did not respond to follow-up questions about whether the event might be rescheduled. Clauser9s message also may be reaching a limited audience. Of the roughly dozen people at the news conference in Baltimore, two were journalists and several others were members of the Deposit of Faith Coalition. Asked about the smaller crowd, Clauser, who has emphysema caused by smoking cigarettes in his younger years, took a puff of his inhaler and shrugged. <I get a reasonable amount of fan mail, some of which comes from people who claim to be climate scientists,= he said. <Most of it is very positive.= JuSTIn SullIvan/geTTy ImageS John F. Clauser, who shared last year9s Nobel Prize in physics for his groundbreaking work five decades ago on quantum entanglement, has alarmed top climate scientists who say he is using his stature to mislead the public about a global crisis. He dismisses their concerns. 2017 PhoTo By JaBIn BoTSford/The WaShIngTon PoST William Happer, a professor emeritus of physics at Princeton University, has argued that global warming is good for humanity. He served on President Donald Trump9s National Security Council. BY MAXINE JOSELOW BALTIMORE 4 At a fiery news conference at the Four Seasons hotel here last week, speakers denounced climate change as a hoax perpetrated by a <global cabal= including the United Nations, the World Economic Forum and many leaders of the Catholic Church. It might have seemed like a fringe event, except for one speaker9s credentials. John F. Clauser shared the Nobel Prize in physics last year before declaring Tuesday that <there is no climate crisis= 4 a claim that contradicts the overwhelming scientific consensus. The event showcased Clauser9s remarkable shift since winning one of the world9s most prestigious awards for his groundbreaking experiments with light particles in the 1970s. His recent denial of global warming has alarmed top climate scientists, who warn that he is using his stature to mislead the public about a planetary emergency. Clauser, 80, who has a booming voice and white hair he often leaves uncombed, has brushed off these concerns. He says skepticism is a key part of the scientific process. <There was overwhelming consensus that what I was doing was pointless= in the 1970s, he said in an interview after Tuesday9s news conference. <It took 50 years for my work to win the prize. That9s how long it takes for opinions to change.= Tuesday9s event was organized by the Deposit of Faith Coalition, a group of more than a dozen Catholic organizations that argues that <those pushing the antiGod and anti-family climate agenda need to be called out and exposed.= Clauser, who is an atheist, needed some convincing to be the keynote speaker, a coalition spokesman acknowledged. The other speakers included Marc Morano, a former Republican congressional staffer who runs a website that rejects mainstream climate science, and Alex Newman, a journalist for rightwing media outlets who has called for exposing the <climate scam.= Both men took multiple jabs at former vice president Al Gore and his 2006 documentary about the dangers of climate change. Clauser, who wore a gray blazer with black jeans and Teva sandals, appeared buoyant as he took the stage. He cycled through a PowerPoint presentation that began with the exclamation: <Great news! There is no climate crisis!= <Much as it may upset many people, my message is the planet is not in peril,= Clauser told an audience of roughly a dozen people in the hotel conference room and others watching online. <I call myself a climate denier,= he added. <I9ve been told that9s not politically correct. So I guess I9m a climate crisis d-word person.= Clauser bragged that he met privately with President Biden in the Oval Office last year, when the 2022 Nobel Prize winners were invited to the White House. He said he criticized Biden9s climate and energy policies, to which he said the president replied: <Sounds like right-wing science.= The Washington Post could not confirm this account; a White House spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. 8Pure garbage9 The vast majority of climate scientists agree that global warming will have catastrophic consequences for current and future generations. They warn that heat waves, famines and infectious diseases could claim millions of additional lives by century9s end if humanity does not rapidly reduce emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. The influence of climate deniers has waned over the past several decades, as the science has become clearer and the impacts of global warming have become starker. But a small group of vocal skeptics 4 including several prominent physicists 4 has persisted. Clauser, who has never published a peer-reviewed paper on climate change, has homed in on one message in particular: Earth9s temperature is primarily determined by cloud cover, not carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels. He has concluded that clouds have a net cooling effect on the planet, so there is no climate crisis. Michael Mann, a climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, said that argument is <pure garbage= and <pseudoscience.= The <best available evidence= shows that clouds actually have a net warming effect, Mann said in an email. <In physics, we call that a 8sign error9 4 it9s the sort of error a freshman is embarrassed to be caught having made,= he said. Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University, agreed. <Clouds amplify warming,= Dessler said in an email, adding, <The scientific community has spent the last century studying [climate change] and, at this point, virtually everything that9s happening has been predicted. John Clauser and his ilk ignore this because they are not advancing serious scientific critiques.= But Anton Zeilinger, an Austrian physicist who shared the Nobel Prize with Clauser last year, said in an interview that he has <very high respect= for Clauser9s scientific rigor, although he cautioned that he is not an expert on climate science. In 1972, Clauser conducted groundbreaking experiments on quantum entanglement, a process in which two or more particles are coupled so that any change in one particle triggers a simultaneous change in the other, even if they are separated by vast distances. The experiments confirmed a phenomenon that Albert Einstein had famously referred to as <spooky action at a distance.= They also paved the way for technologies such as quantum computers, which can solve problems too complex for classical computers. <Einstein, when he proposed his ideas, was considered crazy and an outsider,= said Zeilinger, a professor of physics emeritus at the University of Vienna. <It has 8No climate crisis,9 a Nobel-winning physicist declares 2022 laureate among prominent contrarians on scientific consensus 55 1.833.221.8111 Call or Schedule A FREE In-Home Estimate Online * 10 am to 7 pm VETERANS DAY SALE GAS FIREPLACES UP TO 60% OFF JUST ONE OF OUR AMAZING DEALS AS LOW AS $39 PER MONTH Sale Price includes Gas Log System, Gas Line Hook-up, Product Installation, *Permits, County/City Inspections, and any Site Visit or *Riser Diagrams. Gas line required in Fireplace. We have Home Improvement Loans that are between 12 Months up to 240 Months. 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A4 EZ rE k the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 but eventually it emerged that a U.S. contractor suffered a serious eye injury and 110 troops had traumatic brain injuries while sheltering in place, with 35 being sent to Germany and the United States for treatment. Trump dismissed the injuries as headaches: <But I would say, and I can report, it is not very serious. Not very serious.= Asked to comment, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung responded, <I think you9re conflating a few different things here. President Trump9s recounting of what took place is true.= He did not respond to a request for documentation of Trump9s claims. The Pinocchio Test How many ways does Trump get this wrong? He claims that he hit Iran after a U.S. drone was downed, but in fact he canceled the strike, to the shock of his aides. He also asserts that Iran personally warned him they would attack a U.S. base and deliberately miss it. That9s ludicrous. In reality, a vague warning without a target was given to the Iraqi president 4 and most of the missiles hit the base. No one was killed, but that was more the result of a wellplanned evacuation than Iranian targeting. Somehow Trump embraces Iran9s selfserving after-the-fact explanation to the United Nations. And while no one was killed, many soldiers suffered serious brain injuries. Such a jumbled-up recollection of events is par for the course for Trump. So is the fact that he yet again earns Four Pinocchios. after Trump ordered the drone killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 3, 2020. Soleimani was the commander of the Quds Force, which is part of Iran9s Revolutionary Guard and conducts operations outside the country. U.S. officials claimed that he was actively developing plans for attacks on Americans. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said he received a post-midnight warning from Iran that its response to Soleimani was about to start. He was told Iran would target only locations where U.S. forces were present, but the message did not specify the locations, his spokesman said at the time. Meanwhile, U.S. military intelligence had been watching Iran fill its missiles with liquid fuel and assumed the base would be a target. Gen. Kenneth <Frank= McKenzie Jr., commander of Central Command, waited until he believed Iran had downloaded the last of the commercial satellite photos, locking in the target, before he ordered about half of the 2,000 U.S. troops to evacuate the base, according to a detailed account by CBS News. The troops were divided by age 4 with the oldest ordered to remain to defend it. The first missile hit at 1:34 a.m. on Jan. 8, less than 90 minutes after the message to Mahdi was received. The barrage lasted 80 minutes, with 11 of 16 missiles striking the base. Miraculously, no one was killed 4 and Iran later asserted to the United Nations that it was deliberate4but McKenzie estimated to CBS that had he not ordered the evacuation, 100 to 150 Americans would have been killed or wounded and 20 to 30 aircraft destroyed. Trump initially bragged about the fact that no one was killed, generated goodwill with Iran. <We have a lot of goodwill built up,= he said. <They took down a drone, there was nobody in it. They took down a second drone, there was nobody in it. There9s a lot of goodwill.= But just before that first drone strike, Iran9s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had made his views about Trump known. Trump had encouraged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to meet with Khamenei to try to discover whether Iran was willing to enter new negotiations on the nuclear agreement that President Barack Obama had negotiated and that Trump had terminated. <I don9t consider Trump as a person deserving to exchange messages with; I have no response for him & will not answer him,= Khamenei tweeted. 8They called us to tell us that we9re going to hit back. Here9s the target, but we9re not going to hit the target. We9re going to just miss it.9 Given that Khamenei had said he wouldn9t even consider exchanging messages with Trump, it defies the belief that an Iranian official would call up Trump and inform him in advance that Iran was going to attack a U.S. military base and deliberately miss it. Any Iranian attack that nearly struck a U.S. base would have made news. The only event that comes close to Trump9s description is a 2020 Iranian ballistic missile attack on alAsad air base in northern Iraq, which came about six months after Trump scrubbed his planned attack. The Islamic Republic fired ballistic missiles, with warheads weighing more than 1,000 pounds, at the base just days briefed congressional leaders about what was coming. He also tweeted: <Iran made a big mistake!= Then, suddenly, Trump called off the attack with just minutes to go. In the undisciplined Trump White House, a legal adviser had wandered into the Oval Office and told the president that 150 people would be killed. It was not an official estimate but based on a guesstimate that 50 people worked at each base. (According to Bolton, the aide didn9t know the target list had shrunk to two bases.) <Too many body bags,= Trump told Bolton in a phone call, telling him he had changed his mind, according to Bolton. <Not proportional.= After that, no one could convince Trump to stick to the original plan he had approved, even though he had worried that the attack was not robust enough. He repeatedly said he didn9t want to see a lot of body bags on television. <In my government experience, this was the most irrational thingIever witnessed any president do,= wrote Bolton, who also had worked for Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. Then to compound the internal angst about the turn of events, Trump tweeted about what he had done. <On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters,= he wrote. <We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer fromaGeneral. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not & & proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone.= In an interview a few months later with Sean Hannity, Trump suggested that his restraint had Little else that Trump said is correct either. As Bolton put it in an interview, <It9s about five or six things mixed together and reported inaccurately.= The Facts As we learned during his presidency, Trump is not detailed-oriented and struggles to recount events with precision. He places himself at the center of action, a superhero president whom opponents respect or cower before, and the outcomes are always perfect. Whether he convinces himself the fake stories are true 4 or whether he deliberately tells falsehoods 4 is always open to question. In this case, there was an Iranian attack on a U.S. drone in 2019 4 but Trump did not hit back. He lost his nerve at the last minute, according to various news accounts. Then there was an Iranian attack on a U.S. military base in 2020. It involved missiles, not drones. No one was killed, though more than 100 service members suffered from traumatic brain injuries. Let9s explore each incident in turn. 8They hit one of our drones and I hit them9 On June 19, 2019, Iran shot down its second U.S. drone, a $150 million RQ-4A Global Hawk, in two weeks. The U.S. military said the drone had been operating in international airspace. Trump9s top national security advisers unanimously recommended that the United States answer back with attacks on three military facilities. According to Bolton9s book, Trump and his aides discussed possible casualties 4 he was told they would be small given the hour of the planned attack, though it might include Russians 4 and then Trump <You remember they [Iran] fired. They hit one of our drones and I hit them. &. They called us to tell us that we9re going to hit back. Here9s the target, but we9re not going to hit the target. We9re going to just miss it. It9s a military base.= 4 Former president Donald Trump, in an interview with Univision, streamed Nov. 10 In his hour-long interview with Univision, the former president offered a tale of relations with Iran so startling that it begged to be explored. In his telling, the United States retaliated after Iran destroyed an American drone, and then when Iran decided to hit back, it purposely missed a U.S. military base. Not only that, Iranian officials called Trump and let their plans be known, apparently out of respect for him. <It was quite an evening,= Trump recounted. <And they sent in 18 drones. Five of them self-destructed. The rest of them essentially missed the base. They were outside the base in areas where there weren9t [people]. Nobody was killed 4 with all of that, you know, being out there. But they called us. They call me and & this is Iran. This is, you know, this is Iran who9s supposed to be so hostile. They respected us. And I respect them.= Were Trump and Iran9s supreme leader on speed dial with each other? Trump9s account <is complete nonsense,= said former Trump national security adviser John R. Bolton, who vividly recounted the first drone incident in his critical memoir, <The Room Where It Happened.= Trump tells jumbled tale of relations with Iran andamissed attack on U.S. base The Fact Checker Glenn Kessler Kay Granger (Tex.), 80, whose GOP career started as Fort Worth mayor in 1991. And one 4 Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) 4 is running from scandal and indictments. So those retirement numbers, for now, are in line with previous sessions of Congress. But all retirements are not created equally. <It9s not the quantity of retirements. It9s the quality,= said former congressman Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who retired in 2017. <These are people who really understand how to get things done.= Israel remains close to many lawmakers, particularly those elected during his four-year run 4 2011 through 2014 4 as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Two members of Israel9s class of 2012, Reps. Daniel Kildee (DMich.) and Derek Kilmer (DWash.), jolted their colleagues with their retirement announcements. Not quite 11 full years into their tenure on Capitol Hill, they should be heading into their prime legislative years. Kildee is climbing the ranks of the Ways and Means Committee, with its tax and health policy jurisdiction, and Kilmer is now midway up the dais of the Appropriations Committee, with its control of more than $1.7 trillion in federal funds. Kilmer succeeded Norm Dicks (D-Wash.), who spent 36 years in the House as a prominent appropriator, just as Kildee9s predecessor, Dale Kildee (DMich.), his uncle, had spent 36 years in Congress. Kilmer is so devoted to the institution that for four years he chaired a select committee that worked on modernizing the House, trying to make it a more civil place. Moreover, both Kilmer and Kildee are close to the new crop of Democratic leaders 4 Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), elected in 2012; Minority Whip Katherine M. Clark (Mass.), elected in 2013; and Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), elected in 2014. These two would be poised to wield a lot of unseen influence if they stuck around and Democrats won the House majority next November. Instead, Kildee, 65, had a bout with cancer earlier this year and, despite getting a <cancer-free= diagnosis, decided it was time to move on. <After spending time with my wife, children and grandchildren and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (DOre.) just had, arguably, the most productive two years of his 14 terms in the House. Rep. Michael C. Burgess (Tex.) is now the second-mostsenior Republican on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.) just got appointed vice chair of an investigative subcommittee. Yet all three lawmakers decided in the last couple of weeks that they would rather retire than keep advancing up the ladders of power. Voting with their feet, they are declaring that the glamour of serving under the Capitol dome is much more hype than actual reality. Political performance art 4 illustrated by the recent senatorial threat to fight a committee witness and two colleagues clashing over accusations one elbowed the other 4 has left more studious legislators politically depressed. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), asked about those silly incidents of near fights, got much more serious. <Silliness? Hmm, unconstitutional impeachments and censures that don9t make any sense,= Buck told reporters, citing actions that he opposed from his far-right colleagues. Incapable of disguising his disgust at the state of the GOP in recent weeks, Buck surprised almost no one when he announced on Nov. 1 that he will not seek reelection next year. <The big driver was we can9t admit that Republicans lost an election in 2020, which is crazy,= he told reporters. Even Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Tex.) briefly called it quits, just three years after winning his first congressional race. On Monday, he filed papers to run for his old seat in the state Senate, where he had <the best two years= of his political life. He changed his mind on Tuesday, after some agonizing with his family, and decided to run again for the House. It9s important to note, however, at this moment there is no evidence that the number of retiring lawmakers is out of the ordinary. So far 29 members of the House, 19 Democrats and 10 Republicans, have announced their plans to leave. Of those 29, 13 Democrats and three Republicans are running for other offices, still believing in public service. Some are at the natural end of a very long career, such as Rep. Lawmakers expect many retirements, even from younger House members @PKCapitol Paul Kane career.= Plenty of Republicans have similar frustrations. Lesko, who chaired multiple committees in the Arizona legislature, got appointed two years ago to the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, and she was promoted to vice chair of the oversight subcommittee this year. In October, barely five years after winning a special election to the House, Lesko, 65, announced she will leave at the end of next year. <In good times, this place is frustrating and hard to get things done, but now it9s especially hard,= she told Punchbowl News9s Mica Soellner. Kilmer, like quite a few retiring lawmakers, pointed to the 15 rounds of voting that it took in early January to elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as a key moment of dysfunction. McCarthy only won the speaker9s gavel after giving in to demands from a small group of far-right lawmakers, several of whom 4 including Buck 4 eventually used his concessions to oust him from the job last month. At one point in early January, Kilmer joked with the House chaplain, Margaret G. Kibben, that only divine intervention could save the House: <Pray harder!= <Just imagine how messed up things would be if I wasn9t praying this hard,= Kibben replied. Republicans heckled President Biden during the State of the Union address and how they have forced instant votes on censuring Democrats or trying to impeach the president or Cabinet members without substantive investigations. <I9m just afraid that the performative nature of the House today, the people that 4 you know their names, they9re household names now 4 and the people that are making names for themselves are making spectacles of themselves,= Higgins said. Despite a two-year run that saw many of his lifelong legislative issues such as infrastructure and manufacturing get big wins, Blumenauer was just as bleak. <I don9t think being in Congress is the best way for me to make progress. I don9t secondguess anybody who9s there. But for me, I couldn9t justify two more years of my life,= he told Bogage. <Life is short. I don9t want to be a part of this charade. And I won9t be.= Israel, who has talked to dozens of Democrats the last few years about their future, said there9s a common worry that the GOP caucus has become such a quagmire that there are not enough legislative partners to work with. Their questions about retiring come down to the same thing, he said. <Tell me what happiness looks like inapost-congressional speaker and an ensuing threeweek paralysis in selecting a new one, to the partisan vitriol still lingering from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol 4 have left some lawmakers incensed at the climate here. Jacob Bogage, The Washington Post9s economic policy reporter in the Capitol, spoke to several lawmakers about the constant brinkmanship of possible government shutdowns, but also asked some about their decisions to retire. <You9re rewarding the wrong kind of behavior here,= said Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), who announced his retirement a few days ago. <My concern is the trend has just begun, it9s not ending. And my sense is, I can just do more constructive things with my life.= He noted how some contemplating our future, the time has come for me to step back from public office. Running for office, ultimately, is a personal decision first,= he said in his statement. In a Seattle Times op-ed, Kilmer, 49, wrote that he remains <hopeful= for a lot of progress in Congress after he departs, citing his modernizing panel9s bipartisan work and a productive 2021-2022 session on issues that got little attention such as flooding and forest management. <I find hope in the fact that 4 little by little 4 we9re providing more opportunity so people have a shot, no matter what Zip code they live in,= he wrote. The brain drain in the House can be seen in data provided by the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a joint project by public policy experts at Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia. In 2003, 34 percent of House members were in their third term or less, meaning they had been in office less than five years. By 2021, according to the center9s data, almost 46 percent of House members had served less than five years. There9s a real fear that, as lawmakers spend more time with family over the year-end holidays, a flood of retirement announcements could come early in the new year. Recent events 4 ranging from the expulsion of the House MichAEl rEyNoldS/EPA-EFE/ShuttErStock Rep. Michael C. Burgess (R-Tex.) attends a committee meeting Monday, just moments after announcing that he will not seek reelection. There9s concern that more retirements will be announced early next year, after lawmakers spend time with family over the holidays. <The big driver was we can9t admit that Republicans lost an election in 2020, which is crazy.= Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), who announced Nov. 1 that he will not seek reelection in 2024
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ re A5 BY MICHAEL SCHERER The nation9s largest Spanishlanguage media company, Univision, faced growing backlash Friday for its handling of a recent interview with former president Donald Trump, as major Latino advocacy groups delivered a letter of protest to the network9s executives and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus prepared to request a meeting with the network. Actor and comedian John Leguizamo, who recently took a turn as host of Comedy Central9s <The Daily Show,= also posted a video on Instagram on Thursday night calling for a boycott of the network until it stopped its rejection of ads for President Biden, some of which were canceled just before the Trump interview aired. <I am asking all my brothers and sisters who are actors, artists, politicians, activists to not go on Univision,= he said in a message in English and Spanish. The pushback comes after a Nov. 7 interview with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida that was arranged with the help of Trump9s son-in-law Jared Kushner and attended by three senior executives at Univision9s parent company. The interview was notable for its gracious tone, lack of follow-up questions and Trump9s assertion in the first minutes about owners of the network. <They like me,= Trump said. It marks a sharp contrast to the long history of tension between Trump and Univision, a fact that alarmed both Democrats and journalists inside Univision. The network, which has said it has also requested an interview with Biden, announced a new policy of preventing opposition advertising during single-candidate interviews shortly before the Trump interview aired. The network also canceled a booking with a Biden spokeswoman to respond to the interview on a subsequent news broadcast. A top anchor at Univision in Miami, León Krauze, who helmed the late-night newscast, announced he had abruptly separated from the network Wednesday, less than a week after the interview aired. Neither Krauze nor the network offered a reason for the separation in their statements about the split. Joaquin Blaya, a former president of Univision who created its signature news show in the late 1980s, told The Washington Post in an interview last week that he worried the network had moved away from its founding mission. <I am not surprised that someone who is a serious journalist like León Krauze would not be the kind of journalist that they want there,= Blaya said. <They are different times. It is not good what is happening there.= Blaya, who hired the network9s most famous anchor, Jorge Ramos, later ran Telemundo, the other major Spanish-language network in the United States. He said the Trump interview this month was a step back for Univision. The Mexican media company Grupo Televisa, which has long had a close relationship with political power brokers in that country, recently merged with the owners of Univision to take joint control of the company. <This was Mexican-style news coverage, a repudiation of the concept of separation of business and news,= Blaya said of the Trump interview. <What I saw there was batting practice, someone dropping balls for him to hit out of the park. I think it was an embarrassment.= Wade Davis, one of the TelevisaUnivision executives who attended the Mar-a-Lago meeting, sent a note to U.S. staff last week addressing the controversy caused by the Trump interview. <Our goal is to cover candidates from all political parties 4 Democrats, Republicans and Independents 4 and to assure Hispanics of the most comprehensive access to information that will help them make educated decisions at the ballot box,= Davis wrote. <Our mission is to make Latinos a vital part of our electoral process by encouraging them to register and exercising their constitutional right to vote.= More than 70 groups, including major Latino rights organizations UnidosUS Action, America9s Voice and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, sent a letter Friday night to Davis and two other TelevisaUnivision executives who attended the meeting with Trump that described the interview as <a betrayal of trust.= <We demand Univision conduct a thorough internal review, take corrective measures, and reaffirm its commitment to unbiased reporting and to keeping the Latino community informed and up-to-date with facts and truth,= the letter reads. <Unfiltered, unaddressed and unrestricted disinformation does a disservice to all communities in the U.S. and will destroy Univision9s reputation as a credible network that informs an important electorate.= The Hispanic Federation, a network of Latino groups, has also separately requested a meeting with Univision executives to discuss their concerns about the Trump interview, according to a spokesperson for the group. The all-Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus has also drafted a letter, which is likely to be sent to Univision in the coming days, asking Davis to meet with members of Congress about the journalistic standards of the network, according to a congressional staffer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the effort. The draft letter, which was shared with The Post, describes a congressional interest in addressing misinformation and disinformation in the Latino community. Isaac Lee, the chief news officer at Univision during the 2016 campaign when the network clashed with Trump, said he had confidence that the journalists at Univision in Miami would cover the coming presidential race properly. The Trump interview had been conducted by a Mexico Citybased anchor for Televisa, Enrique Acevedo, who previously worked in the United States for Univision. <I don9t think that one interview with Enrique can determine how the campaign is going to be covered and how Latinos are going to get their information,= Lee said. <And from the people I know at Univision News, and I know all of them, I trust that their heart and their mind is in the right place.= Latino backlash grows over Univision9s soft interview with Trump vIAnney Le CAer/InvIsIon/AP Actor and comedian John Leguizamo called for a boycott of Univision until it ends its rejection of ads for President Biden, some of which were canceled just before the Donald Trump interview aired. JABIn BoTsford/The WAshIngTon PosT Univision9s recent interview of Trump was notable for its gracious tone, lack of follow-up questions and Trump9s assertion in the first minutes about owners of the network. <They like me,= he said. 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A6 EZ RE the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 of localities in the state have a shortage of behavioral health workers and 61 percent of the state9s psychiatrists are nearing retirement age, a problem that was exacerbated by the pandemic, according to the Virginia Health Care foundation. That shortfall was brought into sharp focus during the summer of 2021, when the state was forced to shutter five of eight state hospitals to new admissions for weeks because of a massive workforce shortage that caused unsafe conditions for patients and staff. Tragedies that echoed Deeds9s own have underscored what the state has left to do. A mentally ill man wasted away for weeks and died in a jail cell waiting for a psychiatric bed to open in 2015. In 2018, the police shooting of an unarmed richmond high school teacher in a psychiatric crisis stirred outrage. In march, a man died after sheriff9s deputies and staff piled on him at a state mental hospital. They have been charged with his killing. The deaths spurred calls for reform, but Lisa Dailey, executive director of the Treatment Advocacy Center, said the incidents show ongoing issues exposed by Deeds9s tragedy have yet to be fully solved. <I9m still hearing a lot of anecdotal stories from family members who are desperately trying to make the system be responsive and are trying to get their loved ones into treatment,= Dailey said. health care and not emergency care, and the bed of last resort wasn9t designed to make that happen,= mendez said. Deeds and other lawmakers say the state is still catching up from years of underfunding, despite allocating hundreds of millions of new dollars in recent years. one analysis found the state needs to invest a whopping $300 million more a year just to meet its goals for crisis care. A lack of money has delayed and hamstrung STEP-VA, leaving some services unimplemented and others anemic six years after its launch, according to a Behavioral Health Commission report and other programs. meanwhile, almost 70 percent wait hours 4 or even days 4 in emergency rooms for beds to open up. Anna mendez, executive director of the Haven, a day shelter and homelessness services provider in Charlottesville, said the bed of last resort law <changed where the crisis point is in the system= without improving it. Instead of being sent home without care like Gus was, those in psychological crisis are being held in emergency rooms, minded by police officers. The solution, she says, is more robust community-based mental health services. <mental health care has to be accessible in the community in order for it to really be mental BY WASHINGTON POST STAFF Nov. 19, 2013 Austin <Gus= Deeds, 24, attacks his father, state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottesville), and then kills himself after a local community service board worker was unable to get him emergency treatment. March 2014 Deeds leads the new Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century, later the Behavioral Health Commission. April 28, 2014 Then Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) signs into law changes proposed by Deeds. The changes include requiring that state hospitals provide a <bed of last resort= to people court-ordered to treatment and a realtime registry to help identify open psychiatric beds quickly. Aug. 19, 2015 Jamycheal Mitchel, 24, is found dead in his cell in a jail in the state9s Hampton Roads region. While off his schizophrenia medication, Mitchel was arrested for stealing a Mountain Dew, a Snickers bar and a Zebra Cake totaling $5.05 from a Portsmouth, Va., 7-Eleven. A judge ordered him to a state psychiatric hospital to get help. But he sat in jail for months as he waited for a bed to open and died. November 2015 Deeds files a wrongful-death lawsuit seeking $6 million. The suit alleges that the state, the Rockbridge Area Community Services Board and a former mental health evaluator exhibited gross negligence and medical malpractice by mishandling a crucial six-hour window for admitting Deeds9s son on nov. 18, 2013. 2017 Virginia launches the STEP-VA initiative to improve the access, quality and accountability of behavioral health services provided by the community services boards. May 14, 2018 A Richmond police officer fatally shoots teacher Marcus-David Peters, who was unarmed and in the midst of a mental health crisis, ultimately prompting the city to implement reforms. Oct. 17, 2018 Deeds settles the wrongful-death lawsuit for $950,000. 2019 Between the 2013 fiscal year and the 2019 fiscal year, the number of state hospital admissions of people court-ordered to treatment increases 389 percent, due to the 2014 bed of last resort law. July 9, 2021 The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services temporarily restricts new admissions at five facilities due to staffing shortages. Hospitals reopened to limited admissions within about six weeks. July 28, 2021 Then Gov. Ralph northam (D) proposes spending $485 million on Virginia9s behavioral health system, including funding to alleviate unprecedented staffing shortages in the state9s adult mental health hospitals. June 30, 2022 Because of staffing shortages, 232 state hospital beds still remain offline due to a lack of sufficient direct care staff to operate them. Dec. 12, 2022 A state report finds the acute psychiatric bed registry often does not have real-time information and wastes limited staff time and resources. Dec. 14, 2022 Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) unveils the <Right Help, Right now= plan to improve the state9s crisis infrastructure. March 6, 2023 irvo otieno, 28, of Henrico County, Va., dies in Central State Hospital, where he landed while suffering a mental health crisis. Authorities say he was asphyxiated after sheriff9s deputies and hospital workers piled upon him at the hospital in an incident that was caught on video. Six months later, the state agrees to pay $8.5 million to settle a wrongfuldeath lawsuit his family filed. Sept. 14, 2023 Youngkin signs the state budget, which includes $200 million to fund reforms, including crisis receiving centers, mobile crisis units, children9s behavioral health services and a pay increase for community service board staff. Key moments from the past decade in the state9s ebort to reform mental care law. But Deeds said he was told at the time by members of the House of Delegates that they would not support a broader package of mental health reforms. It was a nearsighted dynamic that he said has played out again and again in the state: <we address the crisis and we move on.= Still, Deeds managed to get approval for a panel of lawmakers to study mental health reforms. The Deeds Commission, as it became informally known and later the Behavioral Health Commission, would drive reforms in the state in the years that followed. The commission has helped get additional funding for housing those with mental illness, worked to make it easier to obtain counseling through medicaid and pushed for changes to facilitate telemedicine, among a host of other changes. Deeds said one of the most important overhauls they have pursued was a program to greatly expand services and increase the quality of care at the 40 community service boards that provide public mental health care across the state. It is dubbed STEP-VA. But mental health experts, politicians and the state9s own measures show the transformational change Deeds hoped for has remained elusive, despite real improvements that have bolstered the system. They said the state has chronically underfunded overhauls, failed to create enough community-based care that could address mental health issues before a crisis and improperly implemented fixes, which have sometimes created new problems. A nationwide shortage of workers and a surging need have also battered the system. mental Health America ranked Virginia 34th among states in access to mental health care in 2023. State figures show admissions to Virginia9s psychiatric hospitals spiked 68 percent between 2012 and 2021, driven in part by the bed of last resort law, private hospitals taking a smaller proportion of people court-ordered to treatment and a mental health crisis created by the pandemic. The huge demand has strained Virginia9s hospital system, leaving many facilities at or over capacity in recent years and forcing those in crisis to sometimes <They are experiencing a lot of the same problems, which always makes me think of Creigh Deeds.= In December, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (r) declared Virginia9s mental health-care system in crisis while unveiling a new $230 million plan to address issues. 8The need is huge9 Deeds said those tragedies weigh on him as well as the burden of being the face of mental health reform in the state. The national attention the tragedy brought him has made Deeds9s office a kind of crisis hotline. Soon after Gus9s death, a suicidal man phoned the office. He explained to Deeds9s legislative aide, Tracy Eppard, that if a hospital turned him away he was convinced he would take his own life and <would never see his family again.= Eppard made calls to get help. A police officer eventually found the man on the street and took him to a hospital. Later, Eppard received an email from a state agency that he was all right. <You helped save a life today,= it read. Eppard broke down crying. Deeds9s office was getting dozens of calls for help weekly. Ten years later, the number has dwindled, but they are still coming. <The need is huge,= Deeds said in his Charlottesville office on a recent day. <The need is not going away.= Deeds said he is proud of the work he has done over the last decade, but would not label his quest a success 4 and he might not be able to in his lifetime. By his estimation, Virginia has made progress on mental health reforms, <but we still have a lot to do.= He gives Virginia9s mental health system a middling C+. <We don9t do enough, well enough everywhere,= Deeds said. Deeds said he has no plans to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy 4 he lives it every day. After Gus9s death, Deeds said he pored over his son9s journal to understand his mental illness, but now he mostly thinks about Gus as a little boy. He pulled out his debit card, which features a portrait of his children from happier times in the late 990s. Gus loved music, majored in the trombone and was on the dean9s list at William & mary despite a serious mental illness. Time has not healed his wounds, but he said he is able to come to grips with the tragedy <a little better.= on a recent rainy day, Deeds hit play on a song that Gus composed as a student at William & mary. The quirky bluegrass jaunt about the death of NASCAr legend Dale Earnhardt begins with a swell of angelic voices and a trombone. Deeds fell into a reverie at his desk and the wide grin of a proud father spread across his face. Despite working to reform Virginia9s mental health system for years, Deeds has never been to therapy for his own tragedy. He said his counseling has been throwing himself into overhauling Virginia9s mental health system. He said he thinks the state has done enough to make the type of tragedy that befell Gus <less likely,= but a host of new challenges and thorny problems have crept up since 2013 that have taxed the mental health system in fresh ways. on monday, he brought the Behavioral Health Commission to order. It was the last meeting before the anniversary of the tragedy, but Deeds made no mention of it. He went directly into a presentation about mental health in schools. There was more to be done. <I think you have no choice but to try to be optimistic, even though the odds might be stacked against you sometimes,= Deeds said at his office. <You have to keep working.= drive me,= Deeds said in a wideranging interview earlier this month in his Charlottesville office. <That9s okay, maybe it will get people to vote for the things I want them to vote for.= Deeds harnessed his national profile and a moral authority almost singular in American politics to try to transform Virginia9s mental health system into a model for the nation, after years of underfunding and neglect. Deeds has leaned on his charm, relationships in the legislature and has been unafraid to wield his own tragedy to bring attention to mental health in jail, to make it easier for youths to get treatment and to equalize disparities in care between poorer areas and the wealthy Northern Virginia suburbs. He9s the first to admit too many people still wait too long for inpatient emergency beds and community-based treatment in a system that is vastly inequitable and hobbled by a historic workforce shortage. Experts say lasting reform requires huge sums of money, time and political will, which are tough to come by in a purple state where governors have only four years to achieve their agenda. Deeds believes it9s possible. He has to. for Gus. A decade later, an answer has taken shape to the question at the heart of his mission: Has he 4 and Virginia 4 done enough to stave off the type of tragedy that tore his family apart? A new calling Siobhan Deeds said she had an intuition to call her husband on Nov. 19, 2013. When he picked up, he was running. He said just a few shocking words: Gus had stabbed him. <I love you,= Creigh Deeds said. Then he hung up. moments earlier, Creigh Deeds was feeding the horses on his Bath County, Va., farm when Gus thrust a knife into his father9s back. Gus inflicted 13 wounds in all before Creigh Deeds escaped, bleeding and gravely wounded. A cousin on a hunting trip later found the lawmaker, who was flown by helicopter to the University of Virginia medical Center and rushed into surgery. Police discovered Gus nearby, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Siobhan Deeds said she had seen a change in Gus in the months before the attack, ever since he stopped taking his medication for bipolar disorder at William & mary and moved home. The day before, Creigh Deeds obtained an emergency custody order for Gus, so he could get mental health treatment. But an evaluator couldn9t find a psychiatric bed before the six-hour hold lapsed and Gus was sent home with his father. Creigh Deeds woke up in the hospital days later with a tube down his throat and a question: <Gus?= After he was told his son had died, he lay in bed and resolved to fix a mental health system that had failed his family. <I was hurting. I was sad. I was mad,= Creigh Deeds said. <But I knew that I had an opportunity to do something.= Less than two months later, he was back in richmond. Uneven results Deeds said he was still crying most days, but he set to work. He won passage for bills that patched holes the tragedy revealed. The most important extended the time evaluators had to find a bed for a person in crisis, created an online registry to find open psychiatric beds and required that state hospitals accept individuals in crisis when a private bed was not available. It became known as the <bed of last resort= DeeDS from A1 Va. mental health system improves, but transformation still elusive HYUnSoo lEo KiM/ViRGiniAn-PiloT/AP TOP: R. Creigh Deeds, who was the Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate at the time, with his son, Austin <Gus= Deeds, on the road in between campaign events in September 2009. BOTTOM: Authorities surround Deeds9s home in Millboro, Va., on Nov. 19, 2013. MiCHAEl S. WilliAMSon/THE WASHinGTon PoST Deeds wears wrist bands he9s collected from events about mental health awareness. He doesn9t call the quest he set out on a success. STEVE HElBER/AP
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A8 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 BY CHRISTIAN DAVENPORT SpaceX lost its Starship rocket and spacecraft in a pair of explosions Saturday but still successfully completed a number of milestones that the company said will help it continue the rapid development of the world9s most powerful rocket. The second stage of the spacecraft, which is the portion of the rocket designed to carry people and cargo, reached an altitude of about 90 miles, past the point that marks the border with space, before self-destructing, SpaceX data showed. During the vehicle9s first test flight in April, it rose only to about 24 miles before tumbling out of control and exploding. SpaceX engineers were still trying to determine what precisely happened in Saturday9s test flight, which did not carry any people. <What we do believe right now is that the automated flight termination system on second stage appears to have triggered very late in the burn as we were headed downrange out over the Gulf of Mexico,= SpaceX9s John Insprucker said during SpaceX9s broadcast of the launch. Despite the detonation, which SpaceX calls a rapid unscheduled disassembly, the test flight went further than the first launch in April. Problems that plagued that test seemed to have been remedied. At liftoff shortly after 8 a.m. Eastern time from SpaceX9s launch facility in South Texas, all 33 of the rocket9s Raptor engines ignited and continued to fire as it soared over the Gulf of Mexico; during the first flight, three engines failed to ignite and three more went out during the ascent. The rocket on Saturday passed through the moment when the aerodynamic pressure on the vehicle is at its maximum, which it had also successfully accomplished during the first test, and the second stage separated from the booster, something that failed to happen in April when the rocket started tumbling and the onboard detonation system destroyed it. On the ground, SpaceX also appeared to have resolved issues at the launchpad that on the first test was all but destroyed by the rocket9s liftoff, scattering debris across a wide area. Preliminary reports indicated that this time the launchpad survived intact. That sort of progress is what NASA wanted to see. <Congrats to the teams who made progress on today9s flight test,= NASA Administrator Bill Nelson wrote on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. <Spaceflight is a bold adventure demanding a can-do spirit and daring innovation. Today9s test is an opportunity to learn 4 then fly again.= The space agency is investing about $4 billion in the development of Starship and plans to use it for the first two landings of astronauts on the moon as part of its Artemis program, which seeks to return humans there for the first time since the last of the Apollo missions, in 1972. If everything had gone perfectly, the spacecraft would have nearly circled the globe and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. But SpaceX warned ahead of the flight that it is still learning how the massive vehicle operates in flight and that failures would be part of the testing process. Todd Harrison, a nonresident senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, praised the company9s progress. <While it didn9t go perfectly, this test flight accomplished a lot,= Harrison wrote on X. <All 33 engines performed well on the first stage. It had a successful stage separation. All 6 engines lit on the second stage and burned until near the planned cutoff. Lots of progress. Still more work to do.= In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said it would work with SpaceX to investigate what happened during the test before issuing a permit for a third test. <A return to flight of the Starship Super Heavy vehicle is based on the FAA determining that any system, process, or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety,= the FAA said, adding that no injuries or property damage was reported. The flight came at a tumultuous time for SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk, who was chastised on Friday by the White House for promoting an antisemitic post on X, which he owns. In a statement, White House spokesman Andrew Bates blasted Musk, calling his post an <abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate.= The White House did not issue comment Saturday. Nelson has said that when Musk purchased Twitter, he was concerned it would distract Musk from the task of getting Starship on track. But he said he was assured by SpaceX leaders that the company would remain focused on the spacecraft9s development, as well as its other programs for NASA. It is not clear when SpaceX will try to fly again. Starship was grounded by the FAA for months after the first attempt while it investigated the launch and reviewed the changes SpaceX was making. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also signed off on the flight after reviewing environmental concerns. SpaceX used that time to introduce a water suppression system at the launch site to dampen the vibrations caused by the rocket9s enormous thrust. It also worked to prevent leaks in the engines that caused some of them to fail during the first test. On Saturday, SpaceX performed a tricky separation event called <hot staging,= where the second stage ignited its engines while still attached to the booster. That appeared to go well, though afterward the booster exploded as it fell back toward Earth 4 an event that will probably provide new opportunities for engineering revisions. SpaceX loses Starship in a test mission that still showed progress tImothy a. Clary/aFP/getty Images SpaceX9s Starship rocket launches from Starbase in Boca Chica, Tex., during its second test flight on Saturday. It reached an altitude of 90 miles before self-destructing. 2929 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA | 703-281-3838 Monday to Saturday: 10 am to 7 pm | Sunday 12 to 6 pm. Show this coupon - Save an extra 10%! Going Out of Business Sale On our large selection of fine Persian rugs " Handmade quality " Antique, Semi-Antique, New and Modern LIQUIDATION SALE! EVERYTHING MUST GO! UP TO 75% OFF ' After serving retail and wholesale all over this country, Persico Oriental Rugs are announcing a Going Out of Business Sale. 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sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ su A9 israel-gaza war any assumption that the United States was conditioning aid on the release of hostages had <grossly misinterpreted= mcGurk9s remarks. <Any type of hostage deal would likely result in an increase of humanitarian aid,= the official said. The United States, the official noted, has continuously pushed for an increase of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. response from Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi, who interpreted them as signaling that a pause allowing humanitarian relief would come only after the hostages were released unconditionally by Hamas. <There9s a lot of negotiations,= Safadi said, <but Israel is taking 2.3 million Palestinians hostage & and denying them food and water and by this war.= An administration official said <you will see a significant, significant change.= It was <reasonable,= mcGurk said, <to pause the fighting, release the hostages, the women, the children, the toddlers, the babies, all of them.= The initial deal does not include civilian men or Israeli military personnel, a number of whom are women, among the captives. Those remarks drew an angry would be included in the initial tranche of releases. The hope is that if the release of women and children is successful, other groups of captives will then follow. Brett mcGurk, the White House National Security Council9s top middle East official, is on an extended trip to the region to try to solidify the hostage release plan, including meetings in Israel and Qatar. Speaking at an international security conference Saturday in Bahrain, mcGurk said that negotiations have been <intensive and ongoing.= The freeing several weeks ago of an American mother and daughter 4 among the four captives who have been released since the war began 4 during a brief pause to allow international humanitarian workers to escort them, provided a <track= for <what we hope will be a much larger release.= mcGurk told the conference that Hamas9s release of a <large number= of the hostages, believed to total 239, <would result in a significant pause in fighting and a massive surge of humanitarian relief. Hundreds and hundreds of trucks on a sustained basis entering Gaza from Egypt.= When the hostages are released, he said, senior officials, the administration has pushed hard with Netanyahu to understand that it is losing the narrative high ground as more Palestinians die. The death toll in Gaza is now reportedly more than 11,000. The administration9s highest priority, however, has been freeing the nine Americans and one permanent U.S. resident among the hostages. <I think we need a pause,= Biden said two weeks ago at a campaign event. <A pause means time to get the prisoners out.= A week later, asked about reports he had pushed for a threeday stop in the fighting, Biden said he had asked Netanyahu for <an even longer pause.= In his news conference Thursday after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said that the hostages were <on our mind every single day,= and that he was working on a way to <have a period of time where there9s a pause long enough= to let them be released. U.S. officials have said they believe a pause would allow Hamas to gather the hostages and arrangements could be made to escort them safely through the battlefield. It was not clear that the Americans or other foreigners clear until now that Israel would agree to temporarily pause its offensive in Gaza, provided the conditions were right. A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington said late Saturday that <we are not going to comment= on any aspect of the hostage situation. Concern about the captives 4 two of whom Israel said were found dead 4 along with the rising number of Palestinian civilian casualties have steadily increased pressure on Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu9s government. more than 100 countries 4 but, notably, not the United States 4 have called for a full and immediate cease-fire. The decision to accept the deal is difficult for Israel, said one person familiar with the situation who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations. While there is strong domestic pressure on Netanyahu to bring the hostages home, there are also loud voices in Israel demanding that the government not barter for their release. In public remarks, Israel has remained unyielding, while acknowledging the pressure it is under. on friday, Israeli National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi told reporters that the war cabinet had unanimously agreed that a limited cease-fire could occur only after <a massive release of our hostages & and it will be limited and short, because after that we will continue to work towards achieving our war goals.= In fiery comments Saturday, Netanyahu said the offensive would continue, even as he defended a decision last week to allow the first steady fuel transfers into Gaza since the start of the war. As Israel has pursued its Gaza offensive, it has cut off all but minimal deliveries of the food, water, fuel and medicine that the enclave9s 2.3 million people depend upon for survival. <for international support to continue, humanitarian aid is essential,= he said. <Because of that, we accepted the recommendation to bring fuel into Gaza.= Netanyahu spoke as thousands of hostage family members and their supporters ended a five-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to demand government action, with many saying that the lives of innocent Israelis were worth any short-term deal the government has to make to secure their release. After initial hesitation, the Biden administration, under its own domestic pressure between advocates of unstinting support for Israel9s war aims and concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, has fully backed a temporary pause in the fighting. Beginning with President Biden9s trip to Tel Aviv a week after the war began, and followed by multiple visits from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other HoSTAgeS from A1 Dozens of women and children could be released during ûve-day pause ronen Zvulun/reuters Thousands of family members and supporters of hostages complete a five-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Sunday. We work with the VA on behalf of Veterans. MADE IN THE USA. Offer valid with purchase of bath or shower replacement. Subject to credit approval. Call for more information. Installations in as little as one day. Sold, furnished and installed by an independent bathroom remodeler. Not valid with any other offer. Bathroom remodelers are neither brokers or lenders. Different lending institutions have different programs and rates. Lifetime Warranty applies to manufacturing defects. Discount available during initial consultation. Offer available for a limited time as determined by the dealer. 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A woman from Maine who has been hauling lobster traps for 95 years; a Los Angeles man who <parents= squirrels from his balcony; a former prison cook who became a top pizza chef; a family that adopts abandoned babies and years later ûnds out they are siblings; and more. Local Living Holiday Edition HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS Do you feel the need to start decorating earlier every year? You are not alone. Plus, DIY eco-conscious decorations and Christmas tree alternatives that will bring joy long after the New Year. N0630-3x10.5 On Thanksgiving Day, all Home Delivery customers will receive a special EDITION All home delivery subscribers (both 7-day and Sunday-only) will be charged the Sunday home delivery rate for this special issue. Don9t want this issue? Visit washingtonpost.com/account THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23
A10 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 closure of the 10 give them hope. <To see it come down so brilliantly is a great metaphor for where we need to go as a city,= said John Yi, the executive director of Los Angeles Walks, a pedestrian advocacy group. <In a way, I am grateful for these moments of pain, because it reminds the city how reliant we are on this one system that doesn9t serve any of us.= Yi and more than 20 other advocates sent an open letter to local and state leaders on Thursday, urging them to capitalize on the closure of I-10 by rolling out alternatives to driving and to <not just fix the freeway.= Some ideas include creating more bus lanes, increasing rail service and making public transit fare-free during the shutdown. There are signs these arguments may be resonating with city leaders: Bass on Thursday introduced a measure that aimed to promote metro ridership and expand its service. Bass herself rode light rail to work this past week and has said she wants to make metro <a system of first choice.= The line parallel to the I-10 has reported a 10 percent increase in use since the closure, and Yi said advocacy organizations will push to make permanent some of the temporary changes outlined in Bass9s measure, as they did after the pandemic. <If we want to tell people to get out of their cars, we better have a good alternative,= Yi said. He acknowledges that this one closure will not inspire a sea change in the city. But, he said, every little bit of momentum helps. <Getting around L.A. is universally reviled,= he said. <That9s an opportunity for change.= Until then, the traffic jam continues. pushed out of their homes when the Santa monica freeway was built, many of them Black families who lived in Crenshaw and Sugar Hill, a historic neighborhood where many of the city9s most prominent African Americans resided. one particularly profound example of this pattern played out at the eastern terminus of the Santa monica freeway, in Boyle Heights, where thousands of Latinos were displaced and the neighborhood was remade with the construction of the East L.A. Interchange. The massive spaghetti bowl structure, where a handful of freeways converge, is now a crucial part of the city9s transportation map. But it stands on land that was cleared of homes, churches and bars in thriving communities of mexican and Central American immigrants. The neighborhoods that surround the interchange are exposed to high levels of noise and air pollution. <All evidence clearly points to communities of color bearing an unfair burden of the progress of freeways, and East L.A. is a prototypical example,= said Gilbert Estrada, a history professor at Long Beach City College who has studied freeways and racism for more than two decades. <The freeways just manhandle communities. They are surrounded.= According to Estrada9s research, just over 2 percent of total city land is used for freeways. But in East L.A., freeways cover 9 percent of land, and in Boyle Heights they occupy 12 percent. <We9re all-in on freeways,= he said of the city9s approach to planning. <We bought in on this stuff and we can9t return it.= Still, some are giving it a shot 4 and moments like the recent nion Los Angeles has,= one that requires <total surrender, a concentration so intense as to seem a kind of narcosis, a rapture-of-thefreeway.= for others, driving them can be unnerving, a reason to stay away from the city altogether. Guy Clark, a musician from Texas, spoke for fed-up visitors like him when he sang, <If I can just get off this L.A. freeway, without getting killed or caught.= If nothing else, an Angeleno9s relationship to the freeway is personal, as Steve martin demonstrated in the film <L.A. Story= when he took life advice from a sentient roadside sign. <Each freeway has its own personality,= Haddad said. <It could be a workhorse like the 5, or the Arroyo Seco, which is dainty like a grandmother.= When the Santa monica freeway opened, in 1966, it was a splashy expressway to the beach, connecting the east and west sides of Los Angeles. These days, it has a more utilitarian reputation, especially the downtown portion that is now temporarily closed. It is the westernmost part of transcontinental Interstate 10, which runs to florida. The shuttered strip, which runs from Alameda Street to the East L.A. interchange, is a key economic corridor. This part of the freeway was built atop more than 2,100 concrete stilts, which allowed it to pass over important nodes of industrial activity. But this architecture left the artery vulnerable, as demonstrated in recent days. The fire that shut down the mile-long stretch began on state-owned land leased to a private company and used to store highly flammable materials, state government officials said, a little-known but common practice that is under scrutiny. The blaze, which is still under investigation, burned through wooden pallets, vats of hand sanitizer and abandoned cars, scorching about 100 support columns. News of the fire immediately conjured memories of the catastrophic Northridge earthquake, which destroyed portions of the freeway farther west in 1994, setting off a desperate political scramble. In a nod to the dominance of the car here, the speed of reconstruction 4 the freeway was repaired within less than three months 4 was credited with helping boost the reelection later that year of Gov. Pete Wilson (r). This year, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency the day of the fire and made multiple trips to Los Angeles to hold news conferences with mayor Karen Bass (D). on Thursday, the pair made the triumphant announcement that the freeway would reopen weeks earfor its traffic, the episode has caused cascading challenges, gridlocking side streets and polluting communities that have become casualties of GPS detours for more than 300,000 drivers looking for alternate routes. Still, like past predictions of a <carmageddon,= the shutdown has not paralyzed the entire city. The repairs, once expected to take more than a month, are now scheduled to be completed by Tuesday. Instead of creating a long-running traffic nightmare, the closed freeway9s most lasting impact might be more philosophical. After the 1994 earthquake destroyed a different section of the 10, known in the city as the Santa monica freeway, the chorus was quick and unanimous: rebuild, as fast as possible. But this time, at least in some circles, the disaster has inspired calls to rethink the region9s car-centric approach to transportation, further fueling an aspirational movement to wean Los Angeles off the automobile. <This time around, it seems like the freeway is emblematic of the struggle for L.A.9s identity,= said Paul Haddad, a native Angeleno and author of the book <freewaytopia.= <This is an opportunity for people to reimagine what kind of future we want for Los Angeles transportation.= In this great reimagining, mobility advocates may in theory have public support on their side 4 nobody is having fun on the freeway here 4 but they are up against many years of history and habit. 8The soul of Los angeles9 Los Angeles and its freeways grew up symbiotically. The wide, fast roads helped the city spread; and the more it spread, the more roads it needed. The city9s earliest industrial titans set out to build a cardependent metropolis, one that would court the nascent auto and aerospace industries. By the 1920s, Los Angeles had more automobiles per capita than any other city, and the Arroyo Seco Parkway, the country9s first freeway, opened in 1940, linking downtown and Pasadena. Today, a dozen freeways snake across about 527 miles of L.A., and many more crisscross the county. <freeways are part of the soul of Los Angeles. There9s no way around it,= said Haddad, who estimates he9s driven just about every mile of the city9s freeway network. Joan Didion, who lived in the city for more than two decades, once wrote of navigating freeways as <the only secular commuFreeway from a1 After I-10 closure, advocates seek to boost the region9s public transportation lier than planned. <It9s a good day in L.A.,= Bass said, smiling broadly. 8an opportunity for change9 Even as a long-term crisis seems to have been avoided, some Angelenos are reexamining the city9s embrace of freeways for reasons other than the bumperto-bumper slogs. The feverish construction of the highway system during the 20th century disproportionately displaced low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, just as it did in cities across the country. About 15,000 people were JAe C. Hong/Ap Smoke rises from a small fire last week as motorists exit Interstate 10 in Los angeles, where a section of the Santa Monica Freeway was closed a massive fire last weekend damaged an overpass. Local officials say they expect the busy thoroughfare to reopen by Tuesday. CoUrteSy of UCLA LiBrAry SpeCiAL CoLLeCtionS Construction of the Santa Monica Freeway in Los angeles in 1964. The freeway9s route bisected several traditionally Black and Latino neighborhoods, displacing thousands of residents. <All evidence clearly points to communities of color bearing an unfair burden of the progress of freeways, and East L.A. is a prototypical example.= Gilbert Estrada, Long Beach City College history professor Tub-to-shower conversions and û berglass replacements typically require a two-day installation. !Lifetime warranty valid for as long as you own your home. *Offer ends 1/31/24. All offers apply to a complete Bath Fitter system only, and must be presented and used at time of estimate. Minimum purchase required. Terms of promotional û nancing are 24 months of no interest from the date of installation and minimum deposit. Interest accrues from date of purchase, but is waived if paid in full within 24 months. 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sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ re A11 israel-gaza war BY CLAIRE PARKER, LIZ SLY, HAZEM BALOUSHA AND LOAY AYYOUB JERUSALEM 4 Israel intensified its military campaign in parts of northern Gaza on Saturday, deploying infantry and armored corps units to densely packed areas of Gaza City, as well as to nearby Jabalya, where strikes on two U.N. schools killed and injured scores of people who were sheltering at the facilities. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that it was <expanding activities= in those two regions <in order to target terrorists and strike Hamas infrastructure= and that its troops were backed by warplanes. Israel has made northern Gaza the focus of its initial ground incursion, sending tanks to divide the territory in two, while urging hundreds of thousands of residents to leave for the south. But many people have stayed in their homes or in shelters in the north. In Jabalya, <hundreds= of people were killed or wounded in attacks on two schools Saturday, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which attributed the strikes to Israel. The IDF said it was <checking= on the reports. Footage of the attack9s aftermath at al-Fakhoura school, which is operated by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, showed bloodied, distorted bodies crammed among the desks of a classroom, as well as dead and injured strewn on the playground, many of them children. It was not immediately possible to verify the toll. Across northern Gaza, hospitals have collapsed, leaving doctors and medical staff unable to conduct their own tallies of the dead. The Gaza Health Ministry last updated its death toll for the war Nov. 10, when it said more than 11,000 people had been killed. The head of the U.N. agency, known as UNRWA, said he had seen the videos showing the carnage at the schools, which he described as <horrifying,= and appealed for an immediate cease-fire. <These attacks cannot become commonplace. They must stop,= said Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA9s commissioner general. The expanded attacks came as the crisis at Gaza9s al-Shifa Hospital appeared to be drawing to a close, with the reported evacuation Saturday of the vast majority of patients, staff and civilians who remained trapped there for days with little food, water or electricity as Israeli forces operated inside the complex. Israel has repeatedly claimed that the hospital housed a Hamas command center but so far has not produced compelling evidence, apart from the seizure of a number of guns and some uniforms since troops stormed the facility last week. Israel launched its offensive in Gaza on Oct. 7, after Hamas and allied militants stormed Israeli communities along the border, killing at least 1,200 people in massacres that lasted hours. Medical staff at al-Shifa Hospital said they received an ultimatum from Israeli forces Saturday morning to evacuate within an hour, triggering an exodus from the beleaguered facility that became a symbol of the extent of the suffering in Gaza. Hundreds of Palestinians, including wounded patients, medical staff and civilians, streamed out of the hospital and into the heart of Gaza City on foot. Videos posted on social media showed dozens of people walking away from the facility clutching bundles of possessions. Some were waving white flags; a few of the most elderly and infirm were pushed on rudimentary carts as Israeli troops positioned on tanks looked on. The IDF denied it had issued an order to evacuate al-Shifa Hospital, saying it had merely offered to facilitate the safe exit of doctors and patients. The competing claims could not be verified, but the departure of most of the patients and local residents who had taken refuge in the hospital seemed to herald an end to one of the grimmest chapters in the war so far. Five medical staff members, including the hospital director and the head of the surgery department, remained behind along with 120 patients too sick to be moved, said Munir alBursh, the director of the Gaza Health Ministry, who was among those who left the facility. Adnan al-Bursh, head of the emergency department, told the Al Jazeera news network that premature babies were among those left behind. Hours later, the fate of those who stayed behind was unclear amid a near-total blackout of communications. The evacuees, meanwhile, headed for southern Gaza, which Israel declared <safe= but which is also being subjected to airstrikes. At least 47 people were killed in two airstrikes on residential buildings Saturday in the southern town of Khan Younis, Reuters reported. A Washington Post photographer witnessed a throng of displaced people 4 including sick people, women, children and the elderly 4 making their way down Salah al-Din Road, the main artery leading from north to south. There was shelling and shooting nearby, and the smell of death and gunpowder hung in the air. Many traveled the 15-mile route by foot or on donkey carts. Men carried toddlers on their hips or shoulders, while older children walked on their own, clutching backpacks with just a handful of possessions. Tasaheel Hamad said she left al-Shifa on Saturday with several family members, including two cousins who had to be carried. The conditions they left behind at the hospital were nightmarish, Hamad said. There was little food or hygiene, and no way to change patients9 bandages, allowing wounds to fester. <Tanks surrounded us at alShifa constantly, and the people there couldn9t sleep at night; there was no rest at all. We were constantly worried,= she said. Some people without any family to help them were left behind, she added. <We pray to God to help them,= she said. To ease the crisis in Gaza, Hamas should release the more than 200 hostages it seized on Oct. 7 in exchange for aid, President Biden9s top adviser on the Middle East said Saturday. <Such a release of a large number of hostages would result in a significant pause in fighting,= and a <massive surge of humanitarian relief,= Brett McGurk told a security summit in Bahrain. Earlier Saturday, thousands of Israelis converged on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu9s office in Jerusalem to demand an immediate solution to the hostage crisis. <We are asking for a deal that brings everyone home today,= Yaela David, whose brother Evyatar was abducted Oct. 7, told the crowd. Netanyahu addressed the hostage families at a news conference Saturday night and reiterated his vow to keep fighting <until Hamas is destroyed,= despite international pressure to rein in Israel9s punishing strikes in Gaza. Also Saturday, tensions flared on the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters have traded fire on a regular basis since the war began. The IDF said that 25 rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, causing no casualties, and that its forces were striking the sources of fire and <additional= Hezbollah sites, without giving further details. Overnight, Israeli fighter jets and helicopters struck Hezbollah targets deep inside Lebanon, hitting an aluminum factory on the edge of the city of Nabatiyeh, among other targets, according to a Hezbollah spokesperson and videos posted online. It was the first time Nabatiyeh, which lies 12 miles north of the Israeli border, had been bombed since the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and came amid a creeping escalation in the intensity and range of the clashes. The United States has warned both Israel and Hezbollah not to expand the fighting for fear that the conflict could lead to a wider Middle East war that would devastate Lebanon and perhaps spread to Syria and Iraq. sly reported from beirut, balousha from Amman, Jordan, and Ayyoub from Khan younis in the gaza strip. Carrie Keller-Lynn and Lior soroka in tel Aviv, sarah Dadouch in beirut and susannah george in Manama, bahrain, contributed to this report. Strikes ramp up in northern Strip; hundreds evacuate al-Shifa Hospital LoAy Ayyoub for tHe WAsHington Post Palestinians flee Gaza City on Saturday along the road leading south. Medical staff at al-Shifa Hospital said they received an ultimatum from Israeli forces to evacuate Saturday morning, which Israel denied. <Tanks surrounded us at al-Shifa constantly, and the people there couldn9t sleep at night; there was no rest at all. We were constantly worried.= Tasaheel Hamad, who left gaza9s al-shifa Hospital on saturday with several family members, including two cousins who had to be carried Healthcare for every stage of a woman9s life. We are empowering women to be proactive with their healthcare. Visit VHC Health9s new Charlotte S. Benjamin Center for Women9s Health, designed by women for women. For you. For life. Learn more at vhchealth.org
A12 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 North American registry of midwives (NArm), says it investigates a midwife only with the mother9s full consent. Lawsuits are seldom pursued, because such midwives often are not required to carry malpractice insurance. It is difficult to know whether Carr9s career represents a broader problem of accountability among certified professional midwives. NArm says it has revoked the credentials of 10 of the more than 4,300 midwives it has certified over 30 years; Carr is not among them. Some states make complaints about midwives easily accessible to the public, but others require records requests. Sometimes, because laws have changed over decades, past allegations are not made available by the agencies that now license midwives. Clients seeking to research Carr, for instance, would find no reason for concern within a staterun database that lets the public check licensed midwives. Her entry shows nothing of her disciplinary or criminal history. <The system isn9t broken because of Karen Carr. That9s a symptom,= said Erin ryan, a certified professional midwife in Vermont who works as a consultant. <It9s a much bigger systemic issue. If midwives were integrated into the health-care system, there would be standards of practice that were agreed upon.= DiVincenzo and her husband, Anthony, were high school sweethearts who had tried for eight years to have a baby. once pregnant, DiVincenzo, then 29, was inspired by home birth communities on social media. She envisioned delivering her daughter at home, with her husband and her mother nearby. A local nurse midwife recommended Karen Carr. DiVincenzo Googled her name and stopped scrolling once she found Carr9s website. Carr was licensed as a certified professional midwife in maryland, and her site said she had attended more than 1,700 births. The DiVincenzos paid $4,200 for her services, though insurance covered most of the fee. <I trusted her,= Tori DiVincenzo said. <I trusted her license.= Later, as DiVincenzo dug deeper into Carr9s past and pieced together what happened that day, she became convinced that her daughter9s death could have been avoided. She assembled her evidence in a timeline she titled <Sophie9s Story,= adding a photo of her 9-pound 3-ounce daughter wrapped in a pastel blanket that a volunteer had knitted for bereaved parents. DiVincenzo forwarded the document to the maryland Board of Nursing, which she hoped would investigate her complaint. Her goal, she says, was to ensure that Carr never practiced again. found, Carr continued to deliver babies. The long-running career of Karen Carr highlights a troubling reality: A patchwork of inconsistent laws and limited accountability make it difficult for expectant parents considering a home birth to evaluate a midwife9s record and make an informed decision about one of the most critical events of their lives. Although the full scope of Carr9s history remains out of public view, The Post unearthed new details through public records that show that, over two decades, efforts by officials in multiple states to prevent her from practicing have largely failed. Carr declined several requests for comment for this story. Through her attorney, she also declined to respond to a detailed list of written questions.1 To her supporters, Carr9s legal troubles illustrate how officials often misunderstand and even unfairly target midwives who attend home births. <When you fight back, they don9t like it,= said Karen Webster, a maryland midwife and close friend of Carr9s. < & I mean, they9re going to always be on the lookout for Karen.= Home births represent just 1.4 percent of the more than 3.6 million babies born in the United States, according to 2021 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But they have increased by 35 percent over five years, while hospital births slightly declined over that 2017- 2021 period. White mothers account for 85 percent of planned home births, according to demographic data, but Black and Hispanic people also are increasingly choosing to deliver at home amid a maternal mortality crisis that has disproportionately affected them. many women say they choose home births to feel empowered and have more control over their own bodies; others because they want to avoid such medical interventions as Caesarean sections and inductions. The pandemic also fueled a deeper distrust of doctors and hospitals. most home births in the country are attended by certified professional midwives such as Carr, who provide care through pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the postpartum period. They generally have no hospital privileges and learn mainly through apprenticeships. many believe that giving birth is a natural part of life that needs little, if any, medical intervention. They are distinct from certified nurse midwives, who are registered nurses with graduate degrees, and certified midwives, who have graduate degrees but no nursing license; midwives in both of these categories also provide primary care. overall, full-term infants in the United States are more than twice as likely to die after planned home births attended by midwives as those delivered in hospitals by any providers, according to a Post analysis of CDC data over five years. <That data does suggest at this point that the risks are higher for the baby outside of the hospital,= said melissa Cheyney, a former certified professional midwife and oregon State University professor who studies midwifery data. That is in part, she said, because <you have systems that are not well regulated.= She added that available data is limited by what is captured through birth certificates and that more research is needed, particularly amid the recent increase in home births.2 midwives who attend home births say women need to decide for themselves. <You cannot have a risk-free situation,= said Lisa Thomas Welch, a certified professional midwife in Texas who teaches courses for other midwives. <You have to decide where the greatest risk is to you, and where the greatest risk is to your baby.= Thirty-six states and D.C. have laws allowing certified professional midwives to seek licensure, but the rules governing their practice vary widely. Some states ban midwives from attending riskier breech or twin births, but others, including Texas, have no such restrictions. midwives in Delaware and Louisiana, for example, must check the fetal heart rate at certain times during labor, while in other states, including maryland, there is no such requirement. State laws even differ on what medications midwives can administer. When something goes wrong, parents typically have limited recourse. State laws are often vague about a certified professional midwife9s obligations during a birth, making it difficult for prosecutors to try administrative or criminal cases. The credentialing body for these midwives, the MiDWife From A1 The calling B efore Carr made birthing her business, the petite young mother challenged gender norms by working as a sheet metal mechanic at construction sites around D.C. and Baltimore. Carr9s own birthing experiences 4 one traumatic and the next empowering 4 drove her interest in midwifery. While she was in labor with her first child in 1981, her nurse midwife realized that the baby was in breech position 4 positioned bottom or feet first in the uterus 4 which is associated with a higher risk to the child. A doctor then delivered the baby by C-section, leaving Carr feeling that she had had no say in the matter, she later told the Washington City Paper. When Carr became pregnant again, she gave birth in the bathroom of her Baltimore rowhouse. <It was kind of like part of my day,= she would later say. <I carried on & much the same way as I would have if I was not having a baby that day, until it got challenging.= After that, Carr began studying to help others have babies on their own terms. In the 1980s, there was no national organization to set standards for midwives, and most states had no licensing requirements. midwives learned from one another and practiced out of a sense of duty to expectant mothers, but often they were at the mercy of law enforcement agencies and state regulators. In october 1994, Carr was assisting midwife Judie Pradier at a home birth in Howard County, md., when the baby9s shoulder became stuck in the birth canal. Pradier dislodged the shoulder, breaking the baby9s arm in the process. The baby survived, but neither Pradier nor Carr took the baby to be examined by a doctor. The family sought a cast for the infant days later, drawing the attention of child abuse investigators.3 Pradier, now a real estate agent in Arizona, did not respond to requests for comment. Pradier was criminally charged with three offenses, including practicing midwifery without a license. Carr was not charged with any wrongdoing. When the judge, citing a problem with the prosecutor9s questioning of witnesses, dismissed the charges against Pradier, a courtroom crowd of 150 supporters erupted in cheers, the Baltimore Sun reported. Amid increasing investigations into their colleagues, a group of midwives in the early 1990s had formed the North American registry of midwives to develop a credentialing process. Those who underwent training, which included assisting with 20 births and overseeing 20 more with supervision, and passed an exam could become certified professional midwives. With a dearth of state licensing laws, a NArm certification offered a new level of credibility. Carr earned hers in 1997. In 2003, Carr tried to deliver the baby of a Pennsylvania mother who had previously had a C-section. During the attempted home birth, the mother decided to go to the hospital, and her baby was delivered via C-section, Carr said. The State Board of medicine launched an investigation into whether Carr had practiced nurse midwifery without a license, records show. Carr represented herself in the case. At the hearing, she cited a previous ruling that found the state law did not expressly prohibit <lay midwifery= 4 a term for midwives such as Carr. She noted that the state9s Department of Health even received their birth data. <I would not have done this if I had felt like I was practicing outside of the law in Pennsylvania,= she told the judge. Pennsylvania authorities dropped the case, and, in 2005, the NArm newsletter shared the good news. Karen Webster, the longtime friend and certified professional midwife, affectionately described Carr as a fellow <troublemaker= who has pushed for midwives to be able to practice without restrictions. Webster said Carr is highly skilled. <She9s careful. She9s thorough,= Webster said. <Sometimes I look at her charts and I feel like she9s more thorough than I am.= Carr said her client base grew by word-of-mouth. most parents paid with cash or by check, with fees upward of $3,000. By 2010, she said, she averaged between eight and 10 births per month. She took appointments at a rented office in D.C. and at both of her homes, one in Baltimore and the other in mechanicsville, md., where her most loyal clients lived within the Amish community.4 In nearby Charlotte Hall, md., Carr delivered five of 11 children born to Israel and Susan Hertzler, an Amish couple. of the five midwives they used, Israel Hertzler said, Carr was the best. During one labor, Carr called 911 when Susan experienced serious complications. <She took care of my wife so she wouldn9t bleed to death,= Hertzler said. <Being around Karen in a normal delivery, you would not have realized how much knowledge she has. When we arrived at a life-threatening situation, she knew exactly what to do.= But at a nearby hospital that served the Amish community, her work had drawn concern. <That none of her patients have died after she9s dumped them at our hospital is plain dumb luck,= Harold Lee, then the chief of staff at St. mary9s Hospital in Leonardtown, md., wrote in a may 2010 complaint to the state Board of Physicians. <I hope action can be taken before she kills a mother or baby in our community.=5 8Breathe, breathe, breathe9 A s expectant parents in 2010, Air Force Lt. Col. Tom Timmerman and his wife at the time, both 43, sought out a practice of nurse midwives in Alexandria, Va., to deliver their first child. Together, they attended a natural birthing class taught by Kelly Valceanu, a nurse they hired to provide advice and support during labor. The couple sought to give birth at home because, Timmerman said, his then-wife distrusted the For midwives, limited accountability sarah l. vOisin/the WashingtOn POst Anthony DiVincenzo is in tears as he and his wife, Tori, visit the grave of their infant daughter, Sophie Rose, in St. Leonard, Md., in June. Sophie is buried in a garden at the home of Tori9s mother. After losing Sophie, the DiVincenzos decided to foster a baby boy, clothing him in the floral diapers they had bought for their expected daughter. tOni l. sanDys/the WashingtOn POst The Washington Post photographed the midwife Karen Carr in Baltimore in 2011 for an article about her pleading guilty to charges in Virginia in connection with the death of a baby whose home delivery she had attended. calvert cOunty (MD.) sheriff9s Office This image from body-camera footage shows paramedics and deputies of the Calvert County Sheriff 9s Office at the DiVincenzo family home in Calvert County, Md., on Nov. 20, 2021.
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ re A13 medical system. She felt that doctors had failed to appropriately treat her thyroid problems. the mother, who has since changed her name, declined to comment. this account is based on information provided by timmerman, along with a review of police, court and medical records. Late into the third trimester of pregnancy, the couple learned their unborn son was in a breech position, with his head high and his bottom down. to get the baby to flip, timmerman said, his wife turned to old wives9 tales, even lying on a steep hill to encourage gravity9s pull. nothing worked. the nurse-midwifery practice declined to attend a home birth because the baby was in breech, timmerman said. But his wife feared a c-section because of her health concerns. Valceanu passed along a list of midwives who might attend a breech home birth. carr was on the list. the couple drove to Maryland to meet carr at her home office. carr told them that she had delivered between 40 and 50 breech babies and had no problem trying a home birth. timmerman said they decided on a plan: <if at some point, if it gets too dangerous, then we just go to the hospital.= in 2005, Virginia had passed a law licensing certified professional midwives. carr had no Virginia license. timmerman said they knew this. they paid her $3,200. timmerman would later tell an alexandria detective that he had a bad feeling leading up to the home birth. But he said that the pregnancy had been difficult and that he wasn9t sure he had any right to tell his wife what to do with her body. <Was i concerned? that9s far too weak a word,= he told the post recently. <But again, nobody that we talked to looked her in the eye and said, 8this is too dangerous. You shouldn9t do this.9= the labor began around 3 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2010. By late that evening, the birthing team had arrived: carr, Valceanu and another assistant. By 3 a.m. on Sept. 11, the mother began to push. timmerman said many of his memories of the labor appear as fragments of images or snippets of sounds. But, he said, <there9s several moments in that morning and the night before that i9ll never forget.= the first, he said, was a conversation with Valceanu shortly after the couple learned that carr had felt the baby9s foot. the discovery meant it was likely that the baby had shifted into a riskier position, with a higher chance of complications. By then, timmerman said, he had been awake for roughly 24 hours and trusted the birthing team for guidance. He asked Valceanu whether they should go to the hospital. <go talk to Karen,= she told him. the second moment, timmerman said, is when he went to find carr, who he recalled had been resting because she had attended an earlier birth. <do we need to go to the hospital?= he said he asked her. He said carr responded: <don9t worry. if i have any doubts, i9ll transfer [her] in a heartbeat.= timmerman found her reassuring. <and to my everlasting regret, i went with what she had said,= he said. By 5:15 a.m. the baby9s feet, bottom and torso had emerged, but his head became stuck. timmerman recalled carr9s <screaming= at his wife to <push for your baby9s life.= the baby9s head was stuck inside the birth canal for about 20 minutes, carr later told an investigator. upon birth, he did not cry, and his eyes were closed. His heart was beating, carr would later say, but he was not breathing. carr began trying to resuscitate the infant. thirteen minutes passed before carr told <her helpers to call 911,= according to court records. Valceanu, who is now a certified nurse midwife, did not respond to the post9s requests for comment, and the other assistant has since died. timmerman said he can9t explain why no one, especially not he, had called 911 sooner. He remembers carr telling him to say out loud: <Breathe, breathe, breathe.= the baby, named eric thomas timmerman, was driven by ambulance to inova alexandria Hospital and then transferred to d.c.9s children9s national Hospital, known at the time as children9s national Medical center. Medical records show that eric was <essentially comatose.= Staff in the neonatal intensive care unit told the timmermans that their son, who had blue eyes and sandy-brown hair, had suffered a catastrophic brain injury. together, the couple agreed to remove life support. eric died Sept. 13, two days after his birth. an autopsy report from the d.c. office of the chief Medical examiner listed eric9s cause of death as complications of childbirth due to breech presentation. officials at both hospitals asked the Virginia department of Health professions to investigate sarah L. Voisin/the Washington Post Tom Timmerman, shown here in October, and his then-wife lost their baby, Eric, in a 2010 home delivery attended by Carr, who later pleaded guilty in Virginia to two felonies: child endangerment and performing an invasive procedure without a license. eric9s death. <a tragic ending to a very avoidable situation,= a physician at inova alexandria wrote in her complaint, filed oct. 1. the next month, an investigator from the department asked carr why she had traveled to Virginia to attend the birth even though she was unlicensed. <i don9t want a license,= carr said, according to a transcript obtained by the post through a public records request. <i don9t like the rules of a license, you know. & i suppose i could get a license but they9d probably take it away from me five minutes after i got it.= When discussing eric9s birth, carr told the investigator that it had been <pretty horrifying= but that she wasn9t sure what she could have done differently. <i guess we could have stopped when we felt a foot,= she conceded. 8The baby9s fine9 T en days after that interview, volunteer paramedics in Southern Maryland received a call reporting cpR in progress on a newborn infant. the paramedics, ginger Barnes and Faith Roache, were immediately concerned. the call had come from Mechanicsville, an amish community that sought outside help only in matters of life or death. <You have, like, this handful of calls in your lifetime that you9ll never, ever forget, and that9s definitely one of them,= Barnes told the post. When Barnes and Roache arrived at the home, it was nearly dusk, and the house was lit by kerosene lamps. inside, the sounds were unmistakable. grunting. gurgling. <it9s the last thing you want to hear= from a newborn baby, Barnes said.6 the baby9s family did not respond to requests for comment for this story. the mother was sitting in a chair holding her newborn, Rufus. His skin looked blue, Barnes said. carr was sitting close by, blowing oxygen from a tank into the baby9s face. the paramedics learned that twins had been born. the other baby was healthy, but Rufus was struggling. a student midwife assisting carr, nicole Jolley, had called 911. Barnes said she begged carr to let her examine the child. carr resisted. <the baby9s fine,= carr said, according to Barnes. <We don9t need you.= Reluctantly, carr agreed to let Barnes listen to the baby9s breathing with a stethoscope. What Barnes heard was distressing, she said. His lungs sounded wet. His heart rate was quite low, according to Barnes9s counting, which Roache checked. carr insisted that they were mistaken. <i said, 8i am very hard-pressed to leave this baby here,9= Barnes said she told carr. <i said, 8this baby is in severe distress, and this baby could die.9= Barnes said carr disagreed: <8the baby9s fine. the baby9s fine.9 that9s all she kept saying.= carr insisted that the baby did not need to go to the hospital. a crowd had gathered in the home. Barnes turned to them and repeated her message: the baby needs help. ultimately, the father signed papers declining medical assistance. as she signed off that evening, Barnes said, she told the incoming paramedic crew that she was certain the family would call back, and she offered to respond. Barnes slept with her radio on her nightstand. the call never came. the next morning, nov. 16, 2010, carr and Rufus9s father took the baby to a hospital roughly 25 miles away in prince george9s county, Md., instead of the closer St. Mary9s Hospital, where the chief of staff, Harold Lee, had filed the complaint about carr9s care earlier that year. Rufus was then transferred to children9s national in the district, where he died. carr would later say his family was satisfied with her care. She asserted that the baby died of a <fatal and pre-existing condition,= but an autopsy performed by the d.c. office of the chief Medical examiner reported his cause of death as <consequences of birth (twin gestation) asphyxia= 4 meaning lack of oxygen.7 A permanent record B y the fall of 2010, staffers at children9s national had noticed a pattern of ailing infants linked to carr9s care. From September to november, they had treated three babies born to carr9s clients. two 4 eric and Rufus 4 had died. the third, a girl born in october to a d.c. mother, was transferred from george Washington university Hospital to children9s national, where she survived. the post was unable to learn more details about the circumstances of the birth or reach the child9s parents. the child9s grandmother, reached by phone, said her daughter-in-law had placed <all of her faith= in carr. She asked not to be named to avoid upsetting the parents. the three cases landed carr on the radar of multiple law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Ken Rosenau, a lawyer who represented children9s national, served as the hospital9s point person in the midst of swirling investigations. in a letter to Virginia authorities, he called eric9s death an <unusual and tragic intersection of law and medicine.= Rosenau reported the death of Rufus to the sheriff9s office in St. Mary9s county, Md., and shared information about the baby girl with an investigator from the d.c. department of Health. in late november 2010, the u.S. attorney9s office in d.c. convened a meeting of officials from d.c., Virginia and Maryland to discuss carr. in a recent interview, Rosenau, who attended that meeting, said he remembered talk of possible <interstate crimes= 4 a term for federal charges that involve crossing state lines. after a years-long probe of carr, child homicide prosecutor cynthia Wright of the u.S. attorney9s office in d.c. convened a grand jury, but no charges were filed. a spokeswoman for the office declined to comment. Wright, who has since left the office, declined to comment on carr or on specific cases but said in a statement that it is <extremely difficult= to prosecute midwives. <oftentimes, if a midwife loses a child in one jurisdiction, they will quickly move to another,= she wrote, adding: <not all people are held accountable for their incompetency, or their mistakes, no matter how grave.= Meanwhile, state authorities moved ahead with their investigations of carr. in the spring of 2011, a grand jury in alexandria indicted carr on six felony counts, including involuntary manslaughter and child abuse, related to eric9s death. carr spent several days in jail in Maryland awaiting extradition to Virginia. continued on next page sarah L. Voisin/the Washington Post Karen Carr9s home in Mechanicsville, Md., is in an area with a high concentration of Amish families, and she has attended Amish home births. Childbirth at home is the norm in the highly traditionalist community, which prides itself on its independence and self-sufficiency and is said to seek outside help only in matters of life or death. sarah L. Voisin/the Washington Post Ginger Barnes, 63, of Mechanicsville, is a retired paramedic who responded to a call about a newborn in acute distress at a delivery attended by Karen Carr in an Amish home in 2010.
A14 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 online, some commenters defended Carr and questioned the parents9 decision to have a home birth. a trial would require the Timmermans to testify. Concerned that a jury might fault the parents for choosing a home birth, prosecutor Krista Boucher offered a plea deal. on may 5, 2011, 50 to 75 supporters stood as Carr entered the courtroom in what Jolley 4 the student midwife who assisted Carr in rufus9s birth 4 described at the time as a show of respect. Carr pleaded guilty to two felonies: child endangerment and performing an invasive procedure without a license. The judge sentenced Carr to serve five days in jail, with credit for time already spent in custody in maryland. additionally, the sentence required 50 hours of community service, four years of good behavior and payment of several fines, including returning the $3,200 the Timmermans had paid for her services. she agreed to never again practice midwifery in virginia. <What we thought we were doing was making sure that she wouldn9t have the opportunity or the ability to do this again,= Boucher said. <Who knew that a felony conviction for child endangerment wouldn9t follow her everywhere?= eric9s parents, meanwhile, never had another child and later divorced. Timmerman said he remains haunted by the loss of his son. <i can9t stand being around infants and small children because of how viscerally it reminds me of eric9s loss, and drives me to revisit the sights and sounds of his delivery,= he wrote in an email to The post. <i go out of my way not to be in the same aisle or line in a store, or even the same side of the street, with young kids. & While the impact has faded some over these 13 years, i still shudder when i hear a baby cry. <second, there9s no question in my mind that our marriage failed primarily because eric died. & i knew i9d never be a father. That was, and remains, a very difficult thing.= in D.C. in 2011, Health Department officials accused Carr of practicing nurse midwifery without a license. Her attorney argued that the District9s law did not apply to lay midwives such as Carr. The judge hearing the case agreed, leaving Carr free to practice. in maryland, the criminal investigation into rufus9s death did not lead to charges. instead, state regulators challenged Carr9s right to practice. That may, the state Board of physicians ordered Carr to <cease and desist= from delivering babies, alleging that she was practicing medicine without a license. much was at stake for Carr; most of her business was in maryland. Carr9s supporters protested outside the Board of physicians9 building. some sang songs and carried signs that read: <midwifery is not the practice of medicine.= During her administrative trial in march 2012, Carr made a similar argument. <i don9t deliver babies,= she said. <Babies are born.= The court considered the death of rufus, identified as <Twin B.= Barnes, the paramedic, testified that Carr had declined pleas from medical personnel to allow them to transport the ailing baby to the hospital. Carr testified that Jolley had asked to handle the birth of Twin B and had <felt very strongly that the baby should stay there.= Jolley, who became a certified professional midwife in 2011, disputed those claims in a recent interview. <i was there as a student,= she said. <The teacher is always in charge.= administrative Law Judge mary shock later wrote in her ruling that she did not believe Carr. <she did not strike me as a person who would relinquish control,= shock wrote, describing her as <angry= and <having resented the proceedings.= While <Twin B might have died under any circumstance,= Carr9s <determination that emergency medical care was not needed for the newborn was a serious lapse of judgment and a medical decision that had dire consequences,= the judge stated, recommending a $30,000 fine, the maximum for a first offense. The maryland Board of physicians imposed the fine, saying Carr9s conduct had <created the potential for public harm.= Carr9s attorney in the case, micah salb, said the judge9s ruling was <grossly improper= and did not prohibit his client from practicing. <it is true that she might have worried that she would be charged again with practicing medicine without a license, but that was nothing new,= salb said in an email. Because maryland law was unclear, he said, < & every professional midwife faced the risk of being charged long before Karen was ever charged. The order in Karen9s case changed nothing.= after her legal troubles, Carr From previoUs paGe 8To me, that would have been a red flag9 D ivincenzo went into labor in the early morning of Nov. 20, 2021, when she was 40 weeks and three days pregnant. Carr arrived around 8 a.m.11 The first few hours gave little cause for concern. Divincenzo recalled feeling sophie <kicking and moving around= from 9:18 to 10 a.m., when she was laboring in the birthing pool. <i know for sure she was still alive at some point in the pool,= Divincenzo wrote in her timeline. in hindsight, it was the last time she remembered feeling movement. around 10 a.m., Divincenzo said, she felt overheated and got out of the pool. Carr examined her and found that she was fully dilated. Divincenzo then began actively pushing under Carr9s direction. Carr noted only five checks of sophie9s heartbeat during the roughly three hours and 15 minutes that Divincenzo pushed, according to Carr9s records. experts say that listening to the fetal heart rate is critical in detecting distress that might warrant emergency care. although guidelines vary, the american College of Nurse-midwives, the association of Women9s Health, obstetric and Neonatal Nurses and the american College of obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend checking every five to 15 minutes during active pushing. The mother9s pulse also should be checked to ensure that the two are not confused. Narm has not published guidelines for monitoring fetal heart rates, but several of its recommended midwifery textbooks include similar standards. The Divincenzos say Carr9s birthing assistant, ali Honeycutt, performed most of those checks, using a handheld ultrasound known as a Doppler. Honeycutt, a birth photographer and doula, declined to comment. The Divincenzos say they remember Carr checking the fetal heart rate just once 4 the final time before delivery. Carr recorded 128 beats per minute 4 within the normal range. after that check, Tori Divincenzo said, Carr suddenly ordered her to change positions. in hindsight, it made Divincenzo and her husband wonder whether their midwife knew something was wrong. <it was just different, and it was, like, all my fault, like i should have been pushing harder &= Divincenzo said later. <Like it was worked to rebuild her reputation. she volunteered at rural midwifery clinics in northern Uganda and Haiti, taking her first trip in the summer of 2011. a leader of the program wrote that Carr attended 44 births between the two clinics.8 Back in the United states in october 2012, Narm recertified her credentials. she took online midwifery courses at a Wisconsin technical school. after graduating with honors, Carr hoped to practice within an amish community in western Wisconsin. But to do so, she would need something she had never had: a midwifery license. 8I just wanted all of this to go away9 I n 2017, Carr applied for midwifery licenses in three states: Delaware, Wisconsin and maryland, where she said she had worked for four years to help gather support for new legislation to license certified professional midwives. maryland9s law passed in 2015. Carr said in her applications that she had changed her views on licensing, believing it was important to move the field forward.9 <Women are better served when their practitioner can be out in the open,= she wrote. Carr also wrote that she regretted pleading guilty in the Timmerman case, blaming the decision on what she said was bad legal advice. <i could not focus and was not thinking clearly,= she wrote. <i just wanted all of this to go away.= over the coming months, officials in the three states independently considered Carr9s past. Their decisions would reflect the patchwork landscape of midwifery laws. in Delaware, two physicians on a midwifery advisory council abstained from voting on whether to recommend Carr for licensure after she provided more details about <an adverse birth outcome= for which she had been disciplined. Nevertheless, the Board of medical Licensure and Discipline later unanimously approved Carr without further discussion. meanwhile, Wisconsin officials denied her application, saying Carr posed <an unreasonable risk of harm to the public.= in maryland, Carr9s application languished for over two years. Before the maryland Board of Nursing grants a license, candidates are reviewed by the state9s direct-entry midwifery advisory committee. state law dictates that midwives on this committee must be chosen from a list submitted by the association of independent midwives of maryland (aimm), an advocacy and professional organization for home birth midwives. Carr is one of aimm9s founding officers; by 2018, state business records listed her as the group9s point of contact. Two members told The post that Carr appears on the filings probably because she has served as treasurer and hosts meetings at her Baltimore home. in may 2018, aimm recommended Karen Webster, Carr9s close friend, for the midwifery committee. Later that month, the Board of Nursing unanimously approved Webster for the position. Webster, who has since left the committee, said Carr had no influence on her appointment. Webster had her own legal troubles. in 2013, she had voluntarily surrendered her license in virginia after officials said she failed to seek timely help during a breech home birth when, for 11 minutes, she could not detect the baby9s heart rate. The baby could not be revived and was later pronounced dead. Webster told The post she had strongly urged the parents to go to the hospital earlier when they discovered the baby was in breech. Webster declined to comment on Carr9s application beyond confirming that the committee had recommended her friend. <We did put forth her name for licensure,= Webster said. <We did that early on, but it wasn9t our decision to make. our committee is just, it9s kind of a mickey mouse committee. The Board of Nursing had the responsibility to make all the decisions about everything.= as Carr waited for a decision, she continued to practice without a license. on aug. 14, 2018, she delivered an amish baby in st. mary9s County who struggled to breathe upon birth in the family9s washroom, according to a report from the sheriff9s office. The baby was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital and then flown to Children9s National. The post was unable to confirm the status of the baby; the family did not respond to a letter seeking a comment. The Board of Nursing handled Carr9s application with an unusual amount of secrecy. The licensing process and names of midwifery candidates are typically recorded in public minutes. There is no record of Carr9s application being called for a vote by the 14-member board. The Board of Nursing said it could not comment on specific cases and, in response to written questions, provided a general explanation of its right to discuss disciplinary matters in closed sessions. in 2019, after the state attorney general9s office obtained Carr9s criminal record from virginia, the Board of Nursing held a closed-door hearing about her, according to records obtained by The post. several months later, in early 2020, the board issued an order praising Carr and absolving her of past wrongdoing, clearing the path for her license. <since her conviction, the applicant has demonstrated a strong commitment to the profession of midwifery and the safety of mothers and babies,= the board wrote. < & Further, there is no evidence that there is anything that the applicant did or did not do in connection with the birth that caused the infant9s death.= it did not specify the case. in its order, which was not publicly released, the board found that Carr <does not pose a threat to the safety of the public.=10 Carr received her license in February 2020. she launched a new website advertising her services just as a surge of women began choosing home births amid the coronavirus pandemic. Tori Divincenzo was one of them. my responsibility and my fault the baby wasn9t out yet.= about 16 minutes later, sophie emerged, yellow in color, with severe swelling on her scalp. Honeycutt called 911 as she and Carr worked to try to revive the baby. after sophie was hurried to an ambulance, Kenneth miller, Calvert County9s ems chief, followed a sheriff9s deputy outside. miller9s comments were captured on body-camera footage. <Just real quick, FYi, let your detective know, so when we started questioning that midwife, she admitted that she had no pulsation in that cord, and then she still continued to push for two additional hours,= miller said. < & To me, that would have been a red flag to immediately call 911 because there9s a problem.= as miller was leaving the scene, he called the dispatcher to relay the same information. <she was telling me that they lost a pulse in the cord approximately two hours before she even delivered,= miller said of Carr. <oh, my gosh,= the dispatcher replied. Carr has denied telling miller that she had felt no pulsation in the umbilical cord two hours before delivery. Three oB-GYNs who reviewed the case for The post said sophie9s appearance, which is documented in a birth video taken by Divincenzo9s mother, is that of a baby who had been dead for longer than 16 minutes, the time when Carr said she last heard the heartbeat.12 <my main takeaway is that this midwife missed a dead baby for a long period of time in labor because she wasn9t monitoring the heart rate appropriately,= said Lora princ, a board-certified oB/ GYN in minnesota. <i have never delivered a baby who was expected to be alive who was so clearly dead for a long time. i9ve never seen photos like that, ever.= Kimberly Bowman, a boardcertified oB/GYN in oklahoma, said she believes the fetal heart rates that Carr recorded <near the time of delivery were actually the maternal heart rate, and the fetus had already died sometime after 10 a.m.,= when Divincenzo had last felt movement. an ems report described sophie9s mucous membranes as cold, which Bowman wrote is <a clue that the baby had been dead for a while.= others disagreed. Neel arant, a certified nurse midwife in California, and Holly scholles, a certified professional midwife in oregon, disputed the oB-GYNs9 claims that it was likely that sophie had died earlier. arant said that even though Carr did not document checking Divincenzo9s pulse, she doubted a skilled practitioner such as Carr would mistake the mother9s and baby9s heart rates. The experts all cast doubt on the scenario that miller described. They said a midwife could feel the umbilical cord during labor only if it were <prolapsed,= meaning that it had fallen ahead of the baby in the birth canal. When this happens, the cord is compressed and can cut off oxygen to the baby 4 an emergency that can be fatal. But the experts said they saw no evidence of a prolapsed cord during sophie9s birth. Ultimately, the maryland office of the Chief medical examiner sArAh l. VOisin/the WAshingtOn POst D.C.9s Children9s National Hospital. In 2010, when it was known as Children9s National Medical Center, the baby Eric Thomas Timmerman was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit there after having been in a breech position during his home delivery attended by Karen Carr on Sept. 10 of that year. Eric died in the unit on Sept. 13. tOni l. sAndys/the WAshingtOn POst When The Washington Post photographed Carr in Baltimore in 2011 for an article, she displayed a large quantity of photos and letters sent to her by families whose children she had delivered. AlexAndriA (VA.) sheriffs Office Karen Carr9s 2011 booking photo after a grand jury indicted her in Alexandria in the death of the baby Eric Thomas Timmerman.
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post EZ rE A15 ruled Sophie9s death a stillbirth 4 meaning that she had no signs of life at birth. The report offered no clear reason for the death. Nearly four months after DiVincenzo filed her complaint, the Board of Nursing suspended Carr9s license. The March 28 order alleged that she had been <grossly negligent= and that her practice <poses a serious risk and danger to the public health, safety and welfare.= An administrative law judge would hold a trial to determine Carr9s fate. The state recommended taking away her license, which would effectively end her midwifery career in Maryland. Just over two years after the board stated in secret that Carr posed no threat to the public, it now argued the opposite. 8We all have our own standards9 A lmost a year after Sophie9s death, Carr9s administrative trial began out of public view. The judge barred a Post reporter from the hearing, saying such disciplinary proceedings are confidential, and yellow paper was taped over the courtroom windows for privacy. The state initially produced a heavily redacted transcript of the proceedings in response to a public records request. The Post sued, and officials provided the unredacted transcript within two weeks. The case, overseen by Administrative Law Judge Sun E. Choi, focused not on whether Carr was responsible for Sophie9s death but whether she had violated the state9s regulations for midwives. State Assistant Attorney General Denise McKoy, a former pediatric nurse, leveled 21 charges against Carr, including that she failed to monitor the health of a mother and baby during labor, engaged in <behavior that dishonors the profession= and failed to obtain <appropriate screening,= including lab tests for diseases such as syphilis. The state9s expert witness, a certified nurse midwife, contended that Carr9s actions were out of line with internationally accepted midwifery standards, including appropriately checking DiVincenzo9s and the baby9s heart rates during labor. The defense put forth a Virginia midwife who explained that Carr was not at fault, saying, <We all have our own standards.= Carr9s attorney, Natalie McSherry, said that since receiving her Maryland license, Carr had attended more than 150 births <without any complaints= 4 until this one. <Was Ms. Carr9s care perfect? Probably not,= McSherry said. < & It is obviously a tragic outcome, and, unfortunately, it is one that can happen in a hospital setting as well, and for which the cause is almost never determined.= McSherry sought to introduce testimony from a South Carolina pathologist who believed that Sophie had suffered from umbilical cord thrombosis, a blockage that results in a lack of blood flow, which killed her minutes before delivery. The judge denied the request, because she said the cause of Sophie9s death was not part of the trial. Testifying, Carr said she had had no concerns about the baby until the delivery. <It was a very, very shocking and upsetting experience for me,= she said. McSherry asked her to clarify what she had meant when, hours before delivery, Carr examined DiVincenzo and told her that her baby was <right here.= Carr responded, <If she had already had a baby before, she probably could have pushed it out.= Carr conceded that some of her records were not written contemporaneously. She said that since Sophie9s death, she had taken a class to improve her documentation. McSherry asked whether the last record of Sophie9s fetal heart rate could have been taken earlier than Carr had noted in her records. <It could9ve been,= Carr answered. Had Carr written down the heart rate right after she listened and just added the time later? <No, I just had it in my head,= Carr said of both Sophie9s heart rate and the time. She later added: <I9ve been doing this work for a long time. I can often listen and not even count.= During cross-examination, McKoy, the state assistant attorney general, asked Carr how often she checks a fetal heart rate during a delivery. <I don9t have a particular plan for that, let me just say it that way,= Carr answered. McKoy also questioned Miller, the EMS chief, who stood by his account from that day. <Chief Miller has no reason to lie about Ms. Carr, what she told him about the pulseless cord,= McKoy said in her closing remarks. <It appears something happened for her to have said that. Now, whether it was a prolapsed cord or something else, we will never know, because nothing was documented, and now she said she never steven rich, Bishop sand, Nate Jones, Alice Crites, solène Guarinos and Hayden Godfrey contributed to this report. sArAH L. VOIsIN/tHE WAsHINGtON POst The DiVincenzos, seen at home in Port Republic, Md., in July, had been high school sweethearts and had tried for years to have a baby before Tori became pregnant with the daughter they would name Sophie Rose but would bury, in a garden at Tori9s mother9s home. said it.= Carr9s lack of documentation let her <fill in the gaps with whatever information she wants,= McKoy said. She added that it was troubling to hear the defense claim that there were no midwifery standards for how often to listen to a fetal heart rate. <I mean, that is not a standard of care,= McKoy said. <That9s just, you know, everybody picks what they9re going to do.= During the defense9s closing arguments, McSherry called the DiVincenzos9 allegations <an unfortunate mixture of misunderstanding, misperception, and some element of anger born of grief.= Of Carr, she said: <This is not a reckless or grossly negligent person.= Before leaving the courtroom, McSherry reminded Choi that Carr already had been suspended for seven months. <I would ask you to take that into consideration,= she said. The ruling N early three months after the trial, DiVincenzo, growing impatient, visited the Board of Nursing9s website. She typed Carr9s name in the midwifery licensing database and hit search. The result: <Active.= She took a screenshot and sent it to McKoy. <This can9t be true?!?!?!= she wrote. <Hi Tori,= McKoy responded. <Yes, not the outcome that was expected.= In a rage, DiVincenzo ran outside, grabbed a stake from her garden and swung at a tree. McKoy had made her feel confident in the case. Now, she said, it felt as if <my daughter dying means nothing.= Choi laid out her reasoning in a 61-page ruling that illustrates the legal complexities in determining whether a midwife is at fault. The Maryland law made clear that certified professional midwives could lose their licenses if they acted in a way that was inconsistent with <generally accepted professional standards.= Choi had heard hours of dueling testimony about how those standards should be defined. She found the testimony of the state9s witness, the nurse midwife, <confusing and difficult to follow= when trying to explain how Carr had violated professional standards. She described the defense expert as <easy to understand, credible, and persuasive= in explaining why Carr9s care was sufficient. In the end, Choi faulted Carr on just one issue: She had failed to order a syphilis screening as required by law. Carr9s license would be restored. She was free to practice. The Board of Nursing removed the complaint against Carr from its website. The judge9s order, sent by email to DiVincenzo, was never publicly published. Several weeks after the decision, the DiVincenzos began fostering a baby boy, clothing him in the floral diapers they had bought in anticipation of Sophie9s birth. A month later, McKoy wrote to DiVincenzo: <I felt like I let you down. We all know sometimes life is not fair but I do believe there is man9s justice and God9s justice. Continue to be strong.= sArAH L. VOIsIN/tHE WAsHINGtON POst Tori and Anthony DiVincenzo sort through items they had purchased for their expected daughter, Sophie Rose, and then stored in the basement of Tori9s grandmother9s home, picking out things for the baby boy they decided to foster after Sophie Rose9s death during a home birth in November 2021 attended by the midwife Karen Carr. sArAH L. VOIsIN/tHE WAsHINGtON POst Tori DiVincenzo with the pictorial memorial to Sophie Rose that she and her husband display at home. She had envisioned delivering her daughter at home, with her husband and mother nearby. 1. Details about her life and practice have been drawn from more than 2,500 pages of documents, including news reports, court records, transcripts and licensing files, along with interviews with former clients and fellow midwives. 2. Cheyney co-authored a study for an industry group, the Midwives Alliance of North America, which draws on data voluntarily submitted by midwives from 2004 to 2009. It found that planned home births with skilled midwives are <safe for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies.= It does not include a comparison with hospital births. MANA says the data was <put through an extensive internal review process including accuracy and completeness checks= by its research division. 3. this account comes from reporting in the Washington City Paper at the time, which quoted Carr and the family at length, and a story in the Baltimore sun. Neither Pradier nor the family has responded to requests for comment. Only the docket exists because the case was dropped. 4. Carr spoke about growing her client base by word of mouth to the judge in the Pennsylvania case. she would later tell a Virginia investigator how many births she attended per month. 5. Portions of Lee9s letter were read into evidence at an administrative trial in a subsequent case. Lee did not respond to multiple requests for comment. the Board of Physicians declined the Post9s request to release exhibits, including Lee9s complaint, that were part of its case against Carr. the board said that it found no responsive records, but that even if it had, it would have denied the Post9s request because such investigative records are exempt from public disclosure. 6. this account is based on both paramedics9 accounts and records from the sheriff9s office. 7. Carr defended her care in documents she later submitted to licensing authorities. 8. Carr disclosed her trips in licensing applications, which included a letter of recommendation from a board member of the nonprofit organization that organized the trips. 9. Carr made her comments in licensing application documents obtained through public records requests. 10. the board declined the Post9s request to release the order or details about the meeting, citing a licensing exemption in the state public records law. the board9s order was read by Carr during an administrative hearing. the Post filed a lawsuit against the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings to compel the release of the transcript. 11. the Post based this account of sophie9s birth and death on law enforcement reports, videos of the labor taken by tori DiVincenzo9s mother, bodycamera footage, Carr9s records, witness accounts and the detailed summary of events 4 <sophie9s story= 4 prepared for the Board of Nursing by the DiVincenzos. 12. the Post asked seven birthing experts 4 three OB-GYNs, three certified professional midwives and one certified nurse midwife 4 to review the case. they were given sophie9s autopsy report, EMs records, videos of the labor and birth, radio dispatch traffic, the state9s complaint, Carr9s records for DiVincenzo9s care and the judge9s ruling. About this story to conduct this investigation, the Washington Post analyzed data from the National Center for Health statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on births and infant deaths from 2017 to 2021. In looking at the data, reporters consulted with studies for the best ways to understand home births and their relationship to births in hospitals. the death rate calculated for infants born in hospitals is 4.46 deaths for every 10,000 births. For infants born in planned home births attended by midwives, the death rate is 9.37 deaths for every 10,000 births. to compare death rates for home births and hospital births, reporters used only planned home births attended by midwives and hospital births attended by any provider. the Post excluded unattended births. the Post used both categories of midwives identified by the CDC in its analysis. the category for <certified nurse midwife= includes certified nurse midwives, certified midwives and advanced practice registered nurses. <Other midwife= is all other midwives, including certified professional midwives. In analyzing death rates, the Post limited the data set to include only infants who were 37 weeks into their gestation and weighed at least 2,500 grams, and infants who were born alive but died before 4 weeks of age. the Post analyzed only births involving mothers with no reported pregnancy risk factors or congenital anomalies in the children. Death rates were calculated by dividing the number of deaths within these parameters by the number of births, using the same parameters in the same years. the Post excluded California from its death rate analysis because until 2021, the state did not report whether home births were planned.
A16 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 israel-gaza war BY MICHELLE BOORSTEIN CaMBRIDGE, Mass. 4 Inside Harvard Yard last week, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict of 2023 appeared straightforward. In one spot on the green, people in kaffiyehs looked at a mock installation of bombed-out schools and hospitals and said peace requires Israeli military action in Gaza to be called <genocide.= In a second spot, students silently held posters of Israeli hostages. As at Harvard overall, and in America overall, the two sides kept their distance. But in a fourth-floor classroom down the street, a Palestinian Israeli and her Jewish Israeli colleague 4 on the final day of a U.S. tour that has attracted thousands 4 had a message that might seem outlandish these days: Israeli Jews and Palestinians urgently must be partners. <Radical empathy is the key,= Sally Abed, 32, said just before she and Alon-Lee Green, 35, her lecture circuit partner, talked with Harvard faculty members Wednesday at the Center for Government and International Studies. <We need to stop talking about 8pro-Israel9 and 8pro-Palestine9 4 we need to be pro-people. We need a new story. We deserve a new story.= The pair9s appearances in the past week in D.C., New York City and Massachusetts have drawn three or four times more people than their trips in previous years to promote their group, Standing Together, Israel9s largest grassroots Arab-Jewish effort. Three thousand people attended a virtual talk last Sunday. Five hundred packed a New York synagogue. Hundreds filled a library lecture in Brookline, Mass. They often get standing ovations. Visiting the United States for support, Abed and Green felt as if they had traveled through the looking glass. Some people treated them almost like therapists, saying they feel lost and asking for hope. The pair also have been jarred 4 and put off 4 by what they see as a country <obsessed= with statements and litmus tests and ultimatums and what Green calls a <very theorized discussion about who is more righteous.= And that has seemed especially true on American campuses, including Harvard9s, where Israel9s military action in the Gaza Strip has triggered a cascade of statements and counterstatements, with angry donors and alumni pulling their support and bitter confrontations among protesters. In an email this month to the school community, Harvard President Claudine Gay compared the climate on campus now to the Vietnam War era. Abed and Green, while in D.C. on Sunday, took part in a virtual forum hosted by the New Israel Fund, which supports progressive civil society groups in Israel and is one of Standing Together9s sponsors. <It was crazy for us to get off the plane and understand we left one war zone and entered a completely new war zone that is waged here in such a terribly not constructive way,= Green said during the event. <You guys are operating in such a zero-sum game. The discussion you have here can be very destructive to us.= Their day on the campuses of Harvard and MIT reflected the acutely tense climate. The three talks were not widely advertised and were closed to a Washington Post reporter. Several faculty members who attended and were Palestinian, Jewish activists from Israel ûnd 8new war zone9 Pair visit U.S. campuses promoting partnership between their peoples asked to discuss it declined, citing <sensitive= times. Students interviewed said they were fearful about being quoted, worried they or their families could face violence or retribution at work or school. After one interview with two students who were together, both asked that they not be described as <friends,= so their respective perceptions of the conflict would be crystal clear. Some likened the peace activists9 framework and presence together to water for thirsty people in a desert. Others said their emphasis on solidarity and not blame, and their lack of specificity 4 <our role is not to draw maps= 4 is deeply flawed. Some expressed a bit of both. Among those at the Gaza art installation was Rameen Javadian, a Harvard graduate student. He rejected the concept of mutual solidarity first 4 with no conditions. <Any effort that doesn9t call this a genocide is a failure. Any discussion, no matter ostensibly how quote unquote 8peaceful,9 is a nonstarter without calling this a genocide,= he said. <Atrocities have been going on in Gaza for decades and been unacted upon. This didn9t start six weeks ago.= Meredith Zielonka, a junior focusing on government and Middle Eastern studies, attended the first of the activists9 two talks at Harvard and said the pair were inspiring. She was drawn to their perspective that it is leaders on both sides 4 not the masses 4 fueling the idea that war and division are the only options. <I walked out of that room feeling extremely impressed,= Zielonka said. <The only thing missing was action. It9s easy to say: 8No one is benefiting from the occupation, not Israelis nor Palestinians,9 and that the pragmatic solution is to end the occupation. It9s easy to say, extremely hard to accomplish,= she said. <You need buy-in of the Israeli and Palestinian people and leadership,= she said, <and currently those elements are missing. AlonLee and Sally are the salespeople. I hope they9re able to sell it to as many people as they can.= The tension and fear around the topic led Shira Hoffer, a junior, to create an anonymous text hotline for questions about Israel and the Palestinian territories. A mediator in small claims court, Hoffer has brought on more than 30 volunteers from around the world who answer questions with a variety of perspectives and mainstream, cited sources of information. They9ve answered 150 questions since it launched two weeks ago. <There9s a lot of posturing,= Hoffer said. <People don9t want their friends to think less of them.= Noam Weiss, who recently graduated from Harvard Law School, attended the second of the pair9s talks, at the Kennedy School of Government. She seemed almost emotional talking about Abed and Green9s message that Jews and Palestinians must see each other as partners creating a shared vision. She feels bad, she said, that people coming from an actual war zone are the ones modeling this 4 not students here. <I feel theirs is a voice that is super important these days,= Weiss said. <It feels that we [on campus] are polarized on things way more basic= than specific policies or solutions. <First we have to fight for our shared humanity, our desire for peace, a solution that will include Josh reynolds for the Washington Post Peace activists Alon-Lee Green, left, a Jewish Israeli, and Sally Abed, a Palestinian Israeli, take a selfie Wednesday at Harvard University. <Radical empathy is the key,= Abed said. <We need to stop talking about 8pro-Israel9 and 8pro-Palestine9 4 we need to be pro-people.= 7137 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda, MD Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 12pm-5pm; Closed Thanksgiving www.parvizianûnerugs.com 301-654-8989 FREE Parking in rear. |e name that has earned your TRUST since 1965! |e best prices, quality & value. 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sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post EZ RE A17 8I don9t want my children to inherit this.9= Lyndon said he believes Standing Together can create conditions that other efforts can9t. <This is the most overresearched area in the world. We have solutions. The problem is local politics, having political leaders who are incentivized to take risks,= Lyndon said. <That9s the most urgent priority, and it gets us to the map eventually. But if you just focus on maps, the situation is deteriorating under your feet.= Gideon Rahat, a political scientist and senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem, dismissed the role of Standing Together. <The parties on the left aren9t relevant anymore,= he said, predicting the country will move even further to the right after Oct. 7. He also noted that Israeli history shows key advancements in coexistence have directly followed outbreaks in violence. <In the short run people move to the right,= Rahat said. <After that, they become more pragmatic.= Abed and Green9s tour can seem like a parallel universe. As they met Tuesday with lawmakers in D.C., tens of thousands of people less than a mile away gathered at the March for Israel. On Wednesday as Abed told hundreds of people in a suburban Boston synagogue to <call peace the only solution, use this word, talk about peace 4 it9s not a crazy word,= about 150 anti-occupation protesters were clashing with D.C. police at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Six officers were treated for minor injuries, and one protester was arrested, accused of assaulting an officer. On their final day in the United States, Green was in Cambridge when he came across something he9d heard about but had not seen: the remnants of a torndown Israeli hostage poster on a light pole. <Oh wow, that is so sad,= he said. He knows, he said, that those tearing down the fliers are doing it as a broader commentary on Israel, a country he9s strongly critical of himself. <But it9s a person. Who does it serve?= punished for political activism related to the war. Their overall framework of the conflict is that right-wing extremists in Israel9s government and Hamas 4 linked, in a way, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 4 are feeding a false narrative that most people reject: that the two sides can9t accept each other and live in peace. But in interviews, they are direct about what they see: deep discrimination against Palestinians in Israel, as well as barbarism by Hamas and oppression in its rule over Gaza. They talk about the power differential between them, as a Jew and a Palestinian. They talk about their layered identities. Abed told some audiences how, at the airport in Israel on the way to the United States, she encountered a large group of men engaging in a pro-Israel chant. She called Green, who was on his way, and told him she felt unsafe 4 and particularly uneasy about speaking to her mother on her cellphone in Arabic. When the pair landed in the United States, she told him, <You know, I9m not sure I feel safe speaking Hebrew,= a reference to stories she had read about Israelis and Jews facing harassment and violence in the United States. What the pair represent in Israel, experts on the longtime conflict say, is an effort to scrape together the crumbs of the Israeli left, which once represented coexistence, pro-peace and progressive policies but started falling apart about 20 years ago. John Lyndon, executive director of the Alliance for Middle East Peace, a network of dozens of coexistence groups, said solving the conflict has been disincentivized. The international community has spent an annual average of $1.50 per person on Israeli-Palestinian peace-building, compared with $44 per person in Northern Ireland in the 12 years before the Good Friday peace accords, Lyndon said. He said there9s a huge population in Israel that doesn9t want the extremes but doesn9t see a choice. Activists from previous decades who had drifted away, he said, have been coming back since Oct. 7. <Not with a political analysis but a familial analysis, saying, both sides,= she said. <I understand a lot of people don9t see it this way. Or they don9t think partnership is most important at this stage, it9s not their immediate need. I felt this is my immediate need at this moment.= Some on campus who are focused on the Palestinian cause said that the pair9s coexistence work may be helpful in Israel but that campus movements 4 and those globally 4 calling for particular language and statements and historical context are essential, because the aim is to address what they see as injustices against Palestinians since 1948. Abed and Green are used to fierce criticism, from all sides. Abed says she receives vile and racist feedback. They both are called traitors, they said. <I don9t argue,= Abed said as she walked across Harvard9s campus Wednesday. <I just keep repeating my vision again and again and again. We believe we are the patriotic camp of the Israeli society.= The pair see their shared work as highly strategic. <People are not constructive and thinking, 8How do we move the needle?9 And are not asking important questions: 8Who are we trying to convince and how do we do that?9= Abed said. <Rather they9re just having this war of narrative, of theorized fantasies, whether it9s pro-Israel or Palestinian liberation, it9s very, very fantasized and theorized.= Abed, the first Palestinian woman to lead a political <list= in Haifa, Israel, is running for office in January. Their agenda, broadly, is progressive. Before Hamas9s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, their coexistence work focused on bringing Palestinian and Jewish Israelis together to work on base-level issues such as raising the minimum wage and creating affordable housing. This brings together groups that usually don9t intersect but have shared interests, including ultra-Orthodox Jews and Palestinians and young hightech workers, all struggling in the current economy. Since Oct. 7, they have focused on other coexistence efforts, including pop-up protest rallies, organizing Palestinian families who want to host people from southern Gaza displaced by the attacks, and a hotline for people fired or israel-gaza war 100% FINANCING APPROVAL** 12 MOS** INTEREST FREE FINANCING FINANCING OPTIONS OFFERED THROUGH NOV. 30TH OR TWO FOR $895 Prescription Hearing Aids custom and discreet technology! Valid on MEMINI Solution 1 only. Expires 11/30/2023. FREE Turkey Gift Certiûcate after the completion of a Free* Hearing Evaluation! Must be 55 or older and complete a hearing evaluation. Limit one per customer. Not redeemable for cash. Not eligible with a screening and/or purchase in the last 6 months. While supplies last. 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A18 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 israel-gaza war who is dead.= In all, some 1,200 people in Israel were killed on oct. 7. Two hundred and forty were taken hostage. The Beeri kibbutz was one of the oldest in Israel. It was unusual in retaining its founding socialist, cooperative model. And it was relatively prosperous, with avocado and citrus orchards, and trait of Yasmin Bira. He worked from a color photograph, carefully trying to revive her face. <I keep thinking that I will walk down the street and be able to give her the drawing, but then I remember she is gone.= There are so many, Pauker confessed, that <I cannot remember anymore who is alive and lieved to have been taken to Gaza by Hamas fighters and other militants and held as hostages. many of them smile in photos on display in the hotel lobby under the word <KIDNAPPED.= Candles burn next to their portraits. Tal Simon, a 29-year-old artist from the kibbutz, sat in a corner at an easel. He sketched a porphone calls, appealing for help for family members held hostage in Gaza. To plan funerals. To weep. The resort is a surreal spa for survivors of the worst attack against Jews since the Holocaust. Some guests compare it to a waiting room, where they fear what might come next. They describe a strange and terrible twilight: the horror not over, the future yet to begin. The hotel is a temporary home for 900 members of Kibbutz Beeri, a farming cooperative that sits beside the Gaza border, which was overrun by Hamas fighters on oct. 7, and where the savagery, burning, looting 4 and the last stands by its residents 4 went on for more than 18 hours. Now they9re in Ein Bokek, some 75 miles from home. Alon Pauker, a bespectacled historian, welcomed us to his room. <Sorry,= he said. <It is not a holiday room. It is a refugee room.= The space was piled with suitcases, clothes, paperwork, donations. Pauker serves as an informal spokesman for the survivors. Earlier, giving directions to the resort, Pauker said, <Yes, we are at the Dead Sea. our own dead sea. We understand this.= He agreed to help us speak with his neighbors. He had just one, simple request. <Go slow with them. They are not okay.= They are living at one of the lowest points on Earth. four hundred and thirty meters below sea level. Even getting through the basic math is painful. Pauker began by telling us there were 1,200 people living in Beeri before the Hamas attack. Then he corrected himself. There were 1,100 alive now. He said 87 were murdered. Then: 89. He apologized. Two more had been confirmed dead. The next day, the tally was 90. Twenty-five were still missing. They included men, women, the elderly, children. They9re beISRAEl from A1 Miles from home, attacked community mourns together heidi Levine for the Washington Post Golan Abitbol and his wife, Hagit, together with their 9-year-old twin daughters, Ziv and Keren, outside the David Dead Sea Resort and Spa in Ein Bokek, Israel. <We are never going to be the same as we were the day before.= Golan Abitbol, a member of the Beeri kibbutz 866-839-4412 HOMEROOFEXPERTS.NET Make The SMARTEST CHOICE For Your Roof With Home Genius! Protect Your Biggest Investment AND SAVE! *With approved credit. Terms & Conditions apply, see website for full details. HGE is fully licensed and insured. MD License #128753 DC License #4202150001000, VA License #2705064026 FREE INSPECTION ESTIMATE VALID FOR 1 YEAR INTE 0% REST ZERO DOWN* 50% MATERIALS OFF NO PAYMENTS UNTIL 2025 SCHEDULE YOUR FREE INSPECTION TODAY! ROOFING " SIDING " WINDOWS " DOORS " GUTTERS " INSULATION A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE Competitive, Afordable Pricing Flexible Financing Options Lifetime Labor & Material Warranties
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ re A19 their lives. There are fields to tend, houses to rebuild. Others were not so sure. <I was never afraid,= Shani said. <Now I am afraid.= <I don9t have trust in our country, in our army. I don9t want my children to serve as the wall.= Pauker called himself a <a peace supporter.= But he said he wouldn9t go back until Hamas was destroyed as a military and political force. There was a desire to stay together. There was talk of moving from the spa to an interim space, such as a high-rise in Jerusalem or a rural community somewhere down south. Then maybe go back in a year. Even now, while the war was being waged, some kibbutzniks worried the wider world had already moved on from their losses 4 to the toll in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry said Nov. 10 that more than 11,100 people there had died since the Israeli government announced its operation to root Hamas out of the enclave for good. The ministry has since stopped counting. Yehudit Weiss was a mother of five at Kibbutz Beeri. She was taken by Hamas fighters on Oct. 7. Zemer Weiss, her daughter-inlaw, sat with us in the lobby and spoke of her hopes of seeing her again. <Do you want us to tell you about her?= she asked. She described a dedicated schoolteacher, a loving grandmother, a generous cook, a friend to all, who was undergoing treatment for cancer when she was taken captive. The next day, the Israeli military announced it had found Weiss9s body at a house near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Shachar May, press officer for the Israeli humanitarian relief organization IsraAid, said 150,000 Israelis have been displaced by the war in Gaza in the south and by rocket fire from Hezbollah in the north. They include 60,000 people now living in beach hotels in Eilat and 16,000 in the Dead Sea resorts. Many of their stories are probably the same. Judith sudilovsky in Jerusalem and Heidi Levine in ein bokek contributed to this report. the time.= At first, she said, <I wished they had shot us.= <I couldn9t breathe,= she said. <I couldn9t imagine the next breath. How to survive? The next day? The next minute?= Her friends told her she looked <like a dead woman walking.= For the first time in her life, she said, she felt gravity as a physical force, pressing her down. She mostly stopped eating. The hotel offers massage, manicures, hairstyling. There are yoga classes, bicycle rides, culture nights. All from volunteers. There are many therapists. Shani forced herself to begin recovering. There was a reason she survived, she believed: her children. <Not so my kids could visit their crazy mother in a mental hospital.= She was certain her son Amit was alive and would return. She imagined a ball of light that she would throw to Gaza. Her son would appear in the light. They would talk. <I imagine the hug. I really feel it. I can smell him.= Shani and others confessed to survivor9s guilt. Golan Abitbol, 44, described firing a pistol from inside his kitchen window as Hamas fighters approached, on and off for hours, while his wife and four children sheltered behind him in a safe room. <I could have done more,= he said. What more could he have done? Abitbol said his family was okay. But the fear, the loss, the reality of what they9ve survived, he said, <it is going to marinate & and then it will pop.= <We are never going to be the same as we were the day before.= Within a week of the attack, Abitbol was back serving in his Israeli military reserve unit, which analyzes DNA samples. He helps identify the dead. Some members had gone back to assess what was left of their homes. Many had not. Some were helping with the avocado harvest. They went and returned. What would come next for Kibbutz Beeri? Many members wanted to go back to rebuild a printing facility. Its members traditionally lean to Israel9s political center, but hardened by the challenges of living on the front lines. They employed Palestinian workers from Gaza to help them work their fields; many residents speak some Arabic; they drove Gazan cancer patients to their hospital appointments in Israel; many of them supported two states for two people. They feel differently now. They are angry. They are hollowed out. Many feel betrayed by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But not, they stress, by the Israeli people. The kibbutz is trying hard to stay together. <I know we are stronger that way,= said Simon David King, 59, originally from England, a member of the kibbutz since 1984. <I can9t imagine being alone,= he said. <Some people wouldn9t make it alone. It9s too much.= Tal Shani, 47, remembers hearing rockets and explosions early on the morning of Oct. 7. At first, she didn9t think much of it. These things happen on the Gaza border. <I was calm. We were safe.= It was a Saturday. Her kids slept in. She didn9t wake them. By the end of the day, Shani had briefly been taken captive, seen her 16-year-old son, Amit, taken away by Hamas to Gaza. Her ex-husband Nir, who lives on the kibbutz, texted to say: <I can9t breathe. I9m not going to make it.= His house was under attack, the homes around him on fire. <Tell the kids I love them.= He survived. After her son was taken, Shani fled to another home and hid with her daughters for hours. She lay atop their bodies. At the front door was a bag of grenades, abandoned by Hamas. They tried not to make a sound. We sat on the hotel patio near the salt ponds of the Dead Sea, waving away flies. On the trim lawn, kids waved plastic swords. A couple of men drank beers. You could smell marijuana burning, from somewhere. <I am sitting here with you now and I look normal,= Shani said. <But I can say I am not normal.= The first two weeks at the hotel, she said, <I was crying all israel-gaza war PHoTos by Heidi Levine for THe WasHingTon PosT TOP: Israeli flags hang from balconies at the David Dead Sea Resort and Spa in Ein Bokek. The hotel is now a temporary home to members of Kibbutz Beeri. ABOVE: Zemer Weiss, left, and Tena Weiss Stete hoped to reunite with their mother-in-law, who was kidnapped, but she was found dead in Gaza. Offer ends November 30, 2023. Participating dealers only. Not available in AK; HI; Nassau Cty, Suffolk Cty, Westchester Cty, or City of Buffalo, NY. $1,500 off average price of KOHLER walk-in bath. Dealer sets all prices and is responsible for full amount of discount. Cannot be combined with any other advertised offer. 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A20 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 nG HAn GuAn/Pool/AP his son9s work or used his office to assist the younger Biden, and have subpoenaed Hunter and his uncle James Biden to testify next month. But they have not produced any direct evidence, and their own witnesses at one hearing said the impeachment threshold had not been met. A Washington Post review of Hunter Biden9s career found no sign the family patriarch was an active participant in his son9s business efforts. But interviews with former Hunter Biden associates, along with information drawn from congressional testimony and a review of emails found on a copy of Hunter9s purported laptop that have been authenticated by The Post, illustrate how the president9s son and his partners benefited from his last name. There is also limited evidence that the now-president asked his son to be careful or expressed qualms about how Hunter was wielding the name he made famous. Hunter Biden9s legal team referred to past statements that he and his lawyers have made, including from his current lawyer Abbe Lowell, who has said that <Hunter Biden did not involve his father in, nor did his father assist him in, his business= and that <it9s been five years of investigations into Hunter Biden and his legitimate business activities, and still republicans have nothing to show for it.= The White House declined to comment. over the years, Hunter9s relationship with his own last name has been complex and even tortured. He has been proud of it, relied on it, benefited from it. But it has also invited burdens and scrutiny. And while his business life has been closely bound up with his father9s world, he has at times been protective of the Biden name and shied away from taking advantage too directly. <We would come to him with ideas, and he would say all the time, 8No, we9re not doing that. That9s too close to the edge,9= said one former business partner, speaking on the condition of anonymity to talk about private conversations. <He would say constantly, 8The Biden brand is not mine to f--- up.9= for the second presidential election in a row, Hunter is expected to be a focus of the campaign. The president9s son has faced a multiyear criminal investigation, resulting in charges related to a gun purchase and more charges potentially to come on tax issues. These developments put Hunter9s business deals under renewed scrutiny and shine a spotlight on a business strategy that, as Archer recently testified, HuNTER BIdEN froM A1 revolved around a central pillar: leveraging the Biden brand. 8An abuse of soft power9 At first Hunter, after graduating from Yale Law School in 1996, pursued a relatively traditional career for an up-and-coming Washington lawyer. He worked as a senior vice president at MBNA America. He joined the U.S. Commerce Department to focus on e-commerce policy. He was appointed to the board of Amtrak. He was a registered lobbyist and a founding partner of oldaker, Biden and Belair. By 2008, Hunter9s firm was thriving. He was sober, he had a $1.6 million home in Washington and his three daughters were enrolled at Sidwell friends School. In his telling, all of that was abruptly derailed when Barack obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate and imposed strict lobbying restrictions on family members. <Then,= Hunter wrote in his memoir, <Dad joined the obama ticket, and I had to find new work. Some obama advisors vehemently opposed my lobbying and made it clear it would have to end.= He scrambled to start a consulting firm to advise small and midsize companies on domestic and international expansions. He named it Seneca Global Advisors, after one of the finger Lakes near his late mother9s hometown. He soon partnered with Archer and Chris Heinz, former senator John f. Kerry9s stepson, to form a new firm called rosemont Seneca (Heinz did not respond to a request for comment). Hunter would steer clients toward lobbyists if needed, according to business partners and emails, but he himself sought to avoid directly lobbying federal agencies or officials. Instead, he used relationships forged over a politically active life the way other people with famous names have done 4 to bring in business, give advice, make connections. <The stuff he was doing was completely normal,= said one former business associate, speaking on the condition of anonymity to avoid controversy. <A lot of it was him trying to find a new line of work but leveraging what he knew well, which was people and his network.= But attracting clients to his new venture proved daunting. Hunter, by then in his mid-40s, at times seemed out of his depth, according to those close to him. He described it as <riding the escalator without an exit.= <What people get wrong about him is assuming he had a plan,= said another person familiar with his business, speaking on the condition of anonymity to provide a candid assessment. <He was a fish out of water trying to figure out how to do anything outside of D.C. He grew up around politics and was very, very familiar inside D.C. 4 but doing anything outside is foreign to him.= Archer, a friend of Heinz9s from Yale, saw potential in the Biden brand. <Devon immediately was like, 8oh man, that last name could help9 4 and off they went,= the person said. Archer declined to comment, and his attorney pointed to congressional testimony his client provided earlier this year. <Devon Archer shared the truth with Congress when he met with them in July, and if called upon to do so again, he will answer all of the questions put to him truthfully,= Matthew L. Schwartz, Archer9s attorney, said in a statement. <Mr. Archer has always cooperated with all investigations of the Biden family, and he leaves it to the investigators as to what, if anything, they should do.= As Hunter grew his business, he often sought to give potential clients the impression that he could get things done because of his connections, but he avoided promising any particular actions by his father, one of the former associates said. <If there is anything here, it9s an abuse of soft power,= the person said. Operating 8on the down low9 With his father ensconced as vice president, Hunter and his business partners scoured the globe for business opportunities. They looked at oil in Kazakhstan in 2014, signed an engagement with a romanian firm in 2015 and sought deals with wealthy Mexican business executives in 2016, according to business partners and emails. Hunter also entered into business deals in China, and took a seat on the board of Burisma, an energy company in Ukraine. That position came at a time when Joe Biden was the face of the obama administration9s efforts to crack down on corruption in Ukraine 4 a push that republicans later argued without evidence may have benefited his son. It did showcase, however, the ways in which Hunter pursued business abroad at a time when his father was serving as a globetrotting statesman, overlapping in ways that worried Biden advisers about a perceived conflict of interest. As Hunter prospected for clients, there were times when he looked for ways that his father9s travel could intersect with his own, The Post review of emails shows. When one of his associates, Eric Schwerin, emailed a news story on Nov, 12, 2015, about the vice president planning a visit to Croatia for a summit with southern European leaders, Hunter responded, <Let9s see if it makes any sense for me to do some of my own stuff on the down low.= Schwerin wrote back, <I am quietly checking to find out which other leaders are attending.= Schwerin did not respond to several messages seeking comment. Hunter was often seen by people close to his father 4 and those who wanted to be 4 as an important conduit to his tightknit family. <Here9s my direct email,= future California governor Gavin Newsom wrote to him in June 2014 from a private Gmail address. (Newsom declined to comment.) When Joe Biden had breakfast with then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg in New York in 2010 and golfed with him in Washington in 2012, Hunter was invited. (A spokesman for Bloomberg declined to comment.) When Jack Markell, then governor of Delaware, attempted to secure a meeting between Joe Biden and a group of Chinese business executives considering an investment in Delaware, Markell tried to enlist Hunter9s help in reaching his vice-presidential father. But Hunter, appearing a bit baffled, was not sure he could assist. <I don9t know how to handle 4 JrB is not going to meet with 4 Chinese Nationals 4 at least I don9t think he will,= Hunter wrote, using his father9s initials in an email to Dennis Toner, a longtime former aide to Joe Biden. <And clearly they can9t be at a [fundraiser] with him. What do you suggest?= Markell the next day asked Hunter if his father could at least write a letter apologizing for being unable to meet with the business executives. <If that doesn9t work, perhaps a letter from Hunter referring to his dad or something & i think you get the point,= he added. Toner said he did not recall any conversations about the email. Markell, who is the U.S. ambassador to Italy and San Marino, said he did not remember the exchange or any letter materializing. of an engagement with the vice president, he said, <I9m confident no such meeting took place.= 8I want to make sure there is no conflict here9 It was not unusual for Hunter to travel abroad with his father, giving him access to high-level officials, although former associates say he reimbursed the government for the flights. Early in his father9s vice presidency, Hunter made a point of emphasizing certain ethical lines. He admonished some of his White House guests that they were not to discuss business onsite. He rejected some business deals, saying they overlapped too closely with his father9s activities. <My concern is that my Dad is point person for administration on russia 4 I want to make sure there is no conflict here,= he wrote to one of his business partners in 2011. Several times, Hunter was asked to help set up meetings or contact a senator on someone9s behalf, but he demurred because he feared it would constitute lobbying, which he was prohibited from doing. <Do people with influential fathers get things done? All day long. That9s how it works,= one of his former business associates said. <Hunter knew that there were lines that could be crossed, and he wasn9t willing to cross them.= Hunter even expressed frustration in 2014 when Jim Messina, obama9s former campaign manager, began doing private work that Hunter viewed as benefiting from his connection with obama9s political operation. Messina had formed a consulting firm, which Hunter argued was bolstered by his political connections, and Hunter railed against the effort in an email to some of his father9s advisers as well as his brother. <Can anyone explain?= he asked. The efforts by Messina, who declined to comment, seemed particularly to grate on Hunter because obama9s ethics rules had forced him to alter his own work. <Isn9t this a huge slap in the face of every obama donor and volunteer who built ofA for the exact purpose of ending this 8revolving door9 bullsh--,= Hunter wrote, referring to organizing for America, obama9s grass-roots operation. <How is this story not titled obama campaign manager and former WH assistant to the President sells out on everything this Administration supposedly stood for?= But over time, it appears that Hunter shed some of his caution. That was evident in 2014 and 2015, when his brother Beau, suffering from a brain tumor, got sicker and eventually died. Hunter had long wrestled with addiction, and his brother9s cancer sent him into his biggest spiral yet, according to former associates as well as Hunter9s memoir. Some of Hunter9s associates believe his addiction drove him to drop some of the ethical restraint he had exercised when his father first became vice president. <When Hunter fell off the wagon, all the wheels came off,= one former business associate said. others suggested his addiction prompted a need for more money. Hunter Biden9s complex relationship with the family brand GIorGIo VIerA/AFP/Getty ImAGes TOP: Vice President Joe Biden, left, arrives on Air Force Two in Beijing with his son Hunter, right, and his granddaughter Finnegan Biden in 2014. ABOVE: Signs supporting President Biden are displayed outside the Republican presidential debate site in Miami on Nov. 8. <Do people with influential fathers get things done? All day long. That9s how it works. Hunter knew that there were lines that could be crossed, and he wasn9t willing to cross them.= A former Hunter Biden business associate
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post Ez rE A21 Hunter said, 8Um, I may be trying to start a company, ah, or tried to do something with these guys and could you &,9 and I think he was like, 8If I9m around,9 and he9d show up.= The FBI agent asked: <So you definitely got the feeling that that was orchestrated by Hunter to have, like, an appearance by his dad at that meeting just to kind of bolster your chances at making a deal work out?= <Sure,= Walker replied. Walker did not return messages seeking comment. Walker was among the recipients of a May 2017 email that has been repeatedly cited by Republicans suggesting that a prospective deal with Chinese executives would include 10 percent set aside for Joe Biden, referred to in the email as <the big guy.= Walker testified that the author of the email, James Gilliar, included that notion as a bit of <wishful thinking.= He added, <It looks terrible, but it9s not. I certainly never was thinking at any time that the VP was a part of anything we were doing.= Gilliar did not respond to a request for comment, but in 2020 told the Wall Street Journal that <I am unaware of any involvement at any time of the former vice president.= Hunter and his uncle James Biden separately signed an agreement with the business executives, who represented a Chinese energy conglomerate called CEFC, and over the course of 14 months CEFC and its executives paid $4.8 million to entities James and Hunter controlled. In a review of that arrangement, The Post did not find evidence that Joe Biden personally benefited from or knew details about the transactions with CEFC, which took place after he had left the vice presidency and before he announced his intention to seek the White House in 2020. More broadly, Hunter9s legal team has denied Republican charges that Joe Biden was involved in his son9s business deals, or that Hunter did anything improper in them. <There is not a single financial transaction between President Biden and his son related to or involving any of Hunter Biden9s business ventures or prior private commercial dealings,= they wrote in a recent memo. <Hunter Biden9s business transactions were legitimate and well-documented in written agreements, and transactions legally tracked in his businesses9 bank statements.= 8Blood of my blood9 House Republicans have searched for ways to show that Joe Biden benefited from his son9s business dealings, but have so far largely come up empty. They recently targeted one of Joe Biden9s private email addresses, asking the National Archives to provide messages from an account in which Biden used the alias <Robin Ware.= In response to a separate lawsuit seeking similar emails from the account, the Archives recently said it had identified approximately 82,000 pages of potentially responsive documents. A small slice of those emails between Joe and Hunter Biden were authenticated by The Post, and they deal far more with personal matters than business deals. Joe Biden would forward news articles, send photos or remark about how tall a granddaughter had grown. He passed along messages to his children about their ancestors, or about how many miles he9d flown as vice president. <Just leaving Ankara going to Istanbul. 4:45 pm here,= he wrote in a brief message from Turkey in 2011. <Miss you guys. Love Dad= Mostly the emails convey the elder Biden9s concern for Hunter, shining a light on the delicate line he has tried walking in pursuing a highflying political career while dealing with a troubled son. In July 2011, he wrote an email whose message was contained entirely in the subject line: <We are lucky fathers Love Dad= <I9ve loved and admired your loyalty and fearlessness, even when I tried to chastise you,= Biden wrote to his son on Nov. 24, 2012. He wrote that <from the time you were a child you9ve had extraordinary courage.= He quoted Hunter9s grandmother, who in his telling often said, <Courage is the foundation block for character and character is destiny.= The then-vice president recalled a moment when Hunter jumped into a crowd to defend his father when a <frat boy= yelled at him after Joe Biden dropped out of the 1988 presidential campaign. <I hoped I would have done the same for my dads honor,= Biden wrote. <You are my son blood of my blood bone of my bone.= In a similar message, with the subject line <My beautiful son,= he wrote, <You9ve been a man since you were a child.= 8That9s the way Bidens are different9 By early 2019, Joe Biden was beginning to plan his presidential campaign. Hunter9s foreign business deals had largely faded. His lucrative partnership with Chinese energy executives had dissolved, and he would soon resign his Burisma position. He was in the depths of addiction, by his own later account, and many of his business relationships had collapsed. Archer had been facing criminal charges in a case that did not involve Hunter, and, by March 2019, Archer was depressed and a little bitter. <Why did your dad9s administration appointees arrest me and try to put me in jail? Just curious,= Archer asked in a text message, in an exchange found on a copy of Hunter9s hard drive and verified by a person familiar with it. <Why would they try and ruin my family and destroy my kids and no one from your family9s side step in and at least try to help me. I don9t get it.= Archer declined to comment on the exchange. <Buddy are you serious,= Hunter responded, going on to explain the role of an independent Justice Department and the need for checks and balances. <It9s democracy. Three co equal branches of government,= he wrote. <You are always more vulnerable to the overreach of one of those Co equal branches when you are in power.= In a message that predated his own legal problems, he wrote about the obligations of those in power. <Every presidents family is held to a higher standard [and] is a target. It9s the price of being the most powerful group of people in the world,= Hunter wrote. <It9s why our democracy remains viable. It9s unfair at times but in the end the system of justice usually works and like you we are redeemed and the truth prevails. The unfairness to us allows for the greater good.= His family always sticks together in dark moments, he said 4 <That9s the way Bidens are different and you are a Biden= 4 but Hunter, himself in a low place, also urged Archer not to blame him the way that others in his life had done. <I9m somehow the source of all their disappointments. I9m beginning to believe all of them,= Hunter wrote. <And we aren9t a banana republic buddy. The powerful are targets in this country the more powerful they become. But the truth prevails if you have the stamina and guts and enough love to stay the course.= and his father speak daily,= he said in response to Archer9s testimony in late July. <And what Mr. Archer confirmed today was that when those calls occurred during Hunter9s business meetings, if there was any interaction between his father and his business associates, it was simply to exchange small talk.= Another Hunter Biden business partner, Rob Walker, provided a description similar to Archer9s. In an interview with FBI and IRS agents, Walker said the younger Biden was <real careful about not crossing any sort of lines.= But he also recounted a business lunch between Hunter and a group of Chinese business executives at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington in 2017. Joe Biden, who was then out of office, stopped by. <He literally [just] sat down 4 I don9t even think he drank water,= Walker said, according to a transcript of the interview released by House Republicans. <I think any business in Mexico. 8The brand carried9 Archer testified recently before Congress that Hunter9s approach was to sell the illusion, rather than the reality, of access to his father. The two Bidens would speak on a daily basis, and at times Hunter would put his father on speakerphone in the middle of business meetings. They were in a restaurant in Paris with executives from a French energy company, Archer testified, when Hunter put his father on speakerphone. Archer recalled another instance in China, meeting with a business executive, when something similar happened. Altogether, he estimated, he heard Hunter speak with his father on about 20 occasions while in business meetings. <It was, you know, just general niceties and, you know, conversation in general,= Archer said. <You know, about the geography, about the weather, whatever it may be.= Archer said he knew of no instance when Joe Biden took official action on Hunter9s behalf. <At the end of the day, part of what was delivered is the brand,= Archer said. <That9s what we9re talking about, is that there was brand being delivered, along with other capabilities and reach.= <Obviously,= he added later, <the brand carried.= Lowell, Hunter9s lawyer, has emphasized that the phone calls were routine and did not reflect any engagement in Hunter9s business. <It9s well known that Hunter <You see a guy who is desperate for money because of those issues, and a dad very much trying to keep him on track, but who from every single interaction I had with them was never going to mix any of that stuff or help Hunter with business partners,= another former business associate said. Still, the person acknowledged that, from Hunter9s end, <There was certainly a bunch of stupid emails and texts= as he grew more desperate. He joined the board of Burisma, the Ukrainian gas company, in the spring of 2014, despite warnings from some Biden advisers about a potential conflict since his father was Obama9s point man on Ukraine. <I hope you know what you9re doing,= Joe Biden told his son at the time, according to interviews he, as well as his son, later gave in one of the only known instances in which his father questioned his business pursuits. Hunter responded by telling his father that he did. Hunting for business in Mexico Hunter also attempted to gain the favor of some of the wealthiest and most influential business executives in Mexico, a country where he saw tantalizing business opportunities, including as a potential site for Burisma to expand its oil and gas exploration. A Biden family friend, Jeff Cooper, was meanwhile pursuing online gambling operations throughout South America. He and Hunter joined forces to connect with several Mexican business executives and, at least twice, Hunter secured meetings between some of those business executives and his father. In early 2014, at Hunter9s request, a vice-presidential photographer sent images of a meeting in Biden9s office that included Joe, Hunter, Cooper and two Mexican business executives, Miguel Alemán Velasco 4 whose father was president of Mexico from 1946 to 1952 4 and his son, Miguel Alemán Magnani, who ran the Mexican budget airline Interjet. Nearly two years later, in November 2015, Hunter set up a breakfast at the Naval Observatory with the same group, along with Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. Slim, as well as Alemán Velasco and Alemán Magnani, did not respond to requests for comment, and Cooper declined to comment. One person familiar with the encounters, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said the meetings were not substantive. <It was way more, 8My friends are in town. Is it all right if we come up for breakfast?9 = the person said. <It was, 8Yeah, of course.9 = The vice president seemed to welcome the chance to speak with Slim, who had built one of the largest telecom companies in the world and was a major shareholder of the New York Times Co. Hunter, for his part, was able to show off his proximity to his father to his prospective business partners. In early 2016, Hunter and Cooper joined the vice president on Air Force Two for a trip to an economic summit in Mexico City. It was the setting for one of Hunter9s most volatile eruptions, and one of his clearest demands for a favor from someone he9d cultivated. Hunter emailed Alemán Magnani, asking him to bring his dad, the son of the former Mexican president, to greet them when Air Force Two landed, and he was angry that Alemán Magnani was ignoring him. They had been talking about business deals and partnerships for seven years, Hunter wrote, and yet <I haven9t heard from you since I got you a mtg for Carlos and your Dad.= <I have brought every single person you have ever asked me to bring to the F9ing White House and the Vice President9s house and the inauguration and then you go completely silent 4 I don9t hear from you for months,= Hunter wrote in an email sent on the afternoon of Feb. 24, 2016, hours before they were to arrive in Mexico. <I don9t know what it is that I did but I9d like to know why I9ve delivered on every single thing you9ve ever asked 4 and you make me feel like I9ve done something to offend you.= Alemán Magnani did not show up at the airport, but he and Hunter met for dinner in Mexico. The vice president9s son spent much of that dinner berating the Mexican business executive to the point where Alemán Magnani excused himself to go to the bathroom and never returned, according to a person familiar with the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private event. In the end, any dealings with Alemán Magnani seemed to fall apart, in part due to Hunter9s erratic behavior, the person said, and the younger Biden never did pABlo mArtiNEz moNSivAiS/Ap Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) J. Scott ApplEWhitE/Ap EvgENy mAlolEtkA/BloomBErg NEWS SuSAN WAlSh/Ap CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Vice President Joe Biden, left, gives a tour of the White House media briefing room to Mexican business executive Miguel Alemán Velasco, second from left, and his son Miguel Alemán Magnani with Hunter Biden in 2014. The Kyiv headquarters of energy company Burisma, for which Hunter Biden served as a board member. Devon Archer, Hunter9s former business partner, testified to the House Oversight Committee in July. President Biden and first lady Jill Biden, left, watch a fireworks show with, from left, Finnegan, Beau and Hunter Biden and Hunter9s wife, Melissa Cohen, during this year9s Fourth of July celebration at the White House.
A22 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 The World BY RICK NOACK AND HAQ NAWAZ KHAN tORKhaM CROssing, afghanistan 4 At Pakistan9s main border crossing with northern Afghanistan, the narrow path into an uncertain future runs between two rusty iron fences and ends beneath a black-and-white flag of the Taliban-run government. Many of the returning Afghan refugees who arrived here earlier this month expected the worst as they stepped onto muddy Afghan soil amid torrential rain. Caught up in a major deportation drive and forced to leave their homes in Pakistan, some had never been to the war-ravaged country their parents were born in. Others assumed they would barely recognize the cities they fled after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, where schools are now closed for many girls and music is prohibited. But as they entered their transformed country, many refugees appeared puzzled. There was a poster wishing them a <good and comfortable life.= Rifle-wielding soldiers handed out food and wore bright garlands to celebrate the refugees9 return. Trucks stood ready to transport the returnees and their belongings to sprawling tent cities where 30,000 have found shelter and most families receive a $140 cash payment from the government. <We wish we had returned sooner,= said Sardar Ali, 35, a laborer who was born in Pakistan to Afghan parents and who most recently worked in Rawalpindi. Over 300,000 people have returned to Afghanistan in recent weeks, according to Afghan authorities. Pakistani officials say they want to make more than 1 million additional Afghans move back in the coming months. Pakistan portrays the deportation drive as long overdue. For decades, the country has hosted millions of Afghans who arrived over several waves of migration beginning in the 1970s. Over 600,000 additional refugees fled to Pakistan in the wake of the Taliban takeover in 2021. The deportations come amid mounting frustration in Islamabad with a surge in attacks in Pakistan that officials largely blame on religious militants suspected of hiding in Afghanistan9s rugged border mountains. By implicitly threatening to overwhelm Afghanistan with returnees, the Pakistani campaign appears designed to pressure the Afghan leadership to cracking down on the militants, analysts and humanitarian workers say. Afghan officials deny they are harboring the militants. Pakistan9s deportation efforts may actually play into the hands of the Taliban-run government. It now has a rare opportunity to present itself as a government capable of managing a major humanitarian crisis and willing to welcome returnees, including those who fled the group9s 20-year armed campaign to seize control of Afghanistan. While United Nations agencies, including the World Food Program and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), also provide assistance at the border, the Taliban is portraying itself as in control. The makeshift paths in the main refugee camp are lined with the Taliban9s Islamic Emirate flags. Soldiers on pickup trucks patrol the tent cities, where temporary mobile phone towers have been set up and Afghan carriers hand out free SIM cards. <We pursued jihad so that we would one day be able to serve our people,= said Mohammad Adnan Junudi, 38, the military official in charge of reception operations on the Afghan side of Torkham, who joined the Taliban over a decade ago and says he was at one point jailed by U.S. forces. He called on all Afghans in Pakistan to return to their country. <The last few days have allowed us to prove who we really are.= But the coming days could prove challenging. Forced to swap the tropical and subtropical climate of southern Pakistan for the frigid winters in the Hindu Kush, some of those who grew up in Pakistan are facing the first real winter in their lives. <We were born in Pakistan; we got married there,= said Mohammad Wali, 28, who used to live in Punjab province in Pakistan. <Why didn9t they at least let us stay until the end of the winter?= Pakistan has in recent weeks responded to international criticism by making some concessions, saying that it will spare individuals who are waiting for resettlement in countries other than Afghanistan. But if Pakistan moves ahead with the deportation of most other undocumented Afghan refugees, it could still put an enormous strain on Afghanistan9s fragile economy and on a government that seeks to maintain tight control. Many of the refugees who arrive in Torkham are laborers with few possessions. Some ran small food stalls or worked in brick factories. Some are women who were forced to leave Pakistan in a rush without their husbands. Hadisa, clad in a blue burqa, said her husband was rounded up and arrested before they could leave for Afghanistan. The 35- year-old arrived in Torkham accompanied by a group of neighbors. But worried about traveling farther without a male relative, she has decided to wait for her husband near the crossing. Abdul Nasir Kakar, who works for the IOM in Afghanistan, said 98 percent of those who arrive in Torkham are vulnerable and <in dire need of humanitarian assistance.= Very few of the families arriving here include children who have gone to school in Pakistan, where educational facilities often are lacking in Afghan refugees9 neighborhoods. But the promising welcome that refugees say they have received in Afghanistan may raise exaggerated expectations. Sardar Ali, the laborer from Rawalpindi, said he had high hopes that his 3-year-old daughter may eventually receive education. He was surprised to hear that girls are banned from attending school beyond sixth grade. On the Pakistani side of the border, anxiety is running high, especially in Afghan neighborhoods that have so far been largely spared by immigration raids. For years, teachers in Pakistan tried to keep their Afghan students9 spirits up by installing inspirational slogans at the entrances of their mud brick school buildings. <Education is the Kindling of a Flame,= reads a sign at the entrance of one of these schools in Peshawar, a city in northwestern Pakistan. These days, few students feel comforted by it. Sixteen-year-old Gul Zameena Fazal, who grew up in Pakistan and still studies at the school, said it was her father, an uneducated driver, who encouraged her to seek a degree. <Seeing female students in Peshawar inspired him and it was his dream that I get a proper education,= she said. Fazal said she wept when she learned that schools and universities shut for many girls in Afghanistan, and she is horrified by the possibility of having to move to the country. Fazal was too young during her only visit to Afghanistan a decade ago to be able to remember it. Their teachers are uncertain how to help. Salbia Ahmadi, who teaches Pashto language classes at the school, said she is herself afraid of being expelled to Afghanistan. <Without women9s education, Afghanistan is being pushed back into the darkness,= she said. After it seized power, the Taliban issued a general amnesty for former officials in the U.S.-backed government. But human rights officials say Afghan refugees may have reason to be concerned about a forced return to their home country. The United Nations has documented over 200 extrajudicial killings of former Afghan officials and members of the armed forces since the takeover in 2021. The Taliban-run government rejects these concerns. <Our supreme leader told us not to bother anyone for anything and we will follow instructions, even if we pay with our lives for it,= said Adnan Junudi, the military official in charge of reception operations in Torkham. The Afghan authorities say they are working on a plan to reintegrate the returnees into the labor market. And across Afghanistan, the authorities want to establish communities where returnees can settle 4 a plan that has already raised concerns that it may be used by the government to move returnees of the Pashtun ethnic group into areas where they so far are a minority. Bakhtiar Khan, a 24-year-old refugee, said he9s willing to give Afghanistan a chance. <But if we see that life is getting harder and harder, me and my friends will definitely think about ways to move abroad again,= he said. nawaz Khan reported from landi Kotal and Peshawar, Pakistan. lutfullah Qasimyar at the Torkham border crossing, afghanistan, and shaiq hussain in islamabad, Pakistan, contributed to this report. Returning Afghans receive unexpected Taliban welcome New government portrays itself as in control as country takes in thousands deported by Pakistan PhoTos By elise Blanchard for The WashingTon PosT At the Torkham border crossing in Afghanistan on Nov. 9, 20-year-old Zarlakht, who has returned with her family from Pakistan, sits on a bus that is bound for a refugee camp. FROM TOP: Refugees who were deported by Pakistan ask Taliban soldiers for information at the Torkham crossing Nov. 11. A truck with 55 returning Afghans arrives Nov. 10 at the main Taliban-run refugee camp near the border crossing. One woman aboard the truck holds a bag of food provided by the Taliban.
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ re A23 statement from the show9s organizers in Brazil. The cause of death for Ana Clara Benevides Machado has not yet been announced. But concertgoers complained they were not allowed to take water into Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium despite soaring temperatures. Federal authorities said free water would be at future concerts. 4 From wire services <good that the basic principles of peace with Azerbaijan have been agreed upon.= The principles include Armenia and Azerbaijan recognizing each other9s territorial integrity. Fan dies at Taylor Swift concert in Brazil: A 23-year-old Taylor Swift fan died at the singer9s Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro on Friday night, according to a region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The offensive ended three decades of rule there by ethnic Armenians and resulted in the vast majority of the 120,000 residents fleeing the region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Pashinyan said it was Armenia, Azerbaijan agree on 8basic principles9 for peace treaty: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Saturday that his country and Azerbaijan are speaking <different diplomatic languages= even though they were able to agree on the basic principles for a peace treaty. Azerbaijan waged a lightning military campaign in September in the separatist infrastructure to suffer in a seven-month war. The extent of the damage to the dam was unclear, but serious damage threatened major flooding of the White Nile. In recent weeks, a bridge in the capital Khartoum and a crucial oil depot were damaged in strikes, for which the two forces also blamed each other. 4 Reuters sUDAN Army, RSF blame each other for strike The Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces blamed each other on Saturday for a strike that damaged a bridge over the Jebel Awlia dam south of Khartoum, the latest piece of key BY MARY ILYUSHINA Vladislav Kanyus, a young man from Kemerovo in southwestern Siberia, brutally killed his ex- girlfriend Vera Pekhteleva, torturing, suffocating and stabbing her for hours. He was sentenced in July 2022 to 17 years after a high-profile trial that reignited a national conversation in Russia about the lack of protections against domestic violence and law enforcement indifference to such cases. But then Pekhteleva9s bereaved mother, Oksana, received a photo of Kanyus 4 not in prison but in a military uniform surrounded by other Russian soldiers. Her daughter9s murderer was pardoned by President Vladimir Putin in exchange for taking up arms in Ukraine. <I thought I was going crazy, I keep zooming into this photo and staring into his face in disbelief,= Oksana Pekhteleva said, described the shock it brought to her family. <You know what the human psyche is like, the first stage is denial.= To avoid calling another controversial mobilization and risk angering the public ahead of presidential elections next year, Russia9s military has relied increasingly on prison recruitment to bolster its ranks, a tactic pioneered by Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the late Wagner Group mercenary boss. According to rights activists, the Russian Defense Ministry has enlisted as many as 100,000 people this year by scouring prison colonies and offering to chop off years from the sentences of people convicted of some of the country9s most gruesome crimes. Just days after the Kanyus pardon made headlines came news that a former police officer convicted for his role in the 2006 murder of Anna Politkovskaya, a prominent journalist, was also pardoned by Putin after serving six months of military duty in Ukraine. The ex-police officer, Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2014 as one of five men charged with organizing Politkovskaya9s murder. (Who ordered the killing was never determined.) Politkovskaya9s work, uncovering Russian abuses during the Chechen wars, had resulted in numerous threats and attacks before she was shot to death in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building. Khadzhikurbanov9s lawyer told Russian media that his client recently signed another contract and will remain in the army. Kanyus was secretly pardoned in April. Vera Pekhteleva9s family was not informed but suspected that he was out of prison when they received the photo of him holding a weapon. By fall, Kanyus was posting photos of himself barbecuing on social media. About a week ago, Vera9s father got an official notice from the local prosecutor9s office informing them that Kanyus had indeed been pardoned and sent to the front line. The Kremlin has expressed no regret when questioned about Putin9s decision to free murderers to reinforce the Russian ranks in Ukraine. <Convicts, including those convicted of serious crimes, atone for crimes with blood on the battlefield, in assault brigades, under bullets, under shells,= Putin9s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. Alena Popova, a human rights activist who represents Pekhteleva9s family and has long lobbied for the introduction of a domestic abuse law in Russia9s criminal code, said she is concerned that freed convicts will bring a wave of violence back home, emboldened by their early release. Popova and her team said they are being flooded by calls and messages from people who have already come in contact with, or fear seeing, their abusers or the killers of their loved ones. Most cases most don9t generate headlines, she said, because people are afraid to speak out. Affected families fear repercussions because their abusers are fighting in what Putin has described as a <war for Russia9s future.= Any criticism of those taking part in hostilities could be viewed by the authorities as criticism of the war or of the military 4 which is now illegal in wartime Russia. Some of the most prominent rights activists in Russia, such as Popova and organizations such as Nasiliu.net (No To Violence), have been labeled foreign agents, a designation that puts anyone in contact with them at risk and further scares off women who might seek help. <All this is preventing us from shedding light on how massive this problem really is,= Popova said. <These people are coming back from the war with post-traumatic stress disorders 4 their hands had blood on them before and then they went to Ukraine and killed more people there 4 and they see that the entire system is backing them so they feel an absolute sense of impunity.= <Just before you reached out to me, I had a message from a young woman whose friend saw a rapist who long stalked her on the street, and took a handful of pills,= she added. <And this is just one case.= Families of victims have virtually no recourse to overturn the pardons, said Ilya Politkovsky, Anna Politkovskaya9s son. In a statement published by Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper where their mother worked, Politkovsky and his sister, Vera Politkovskaya, said they viewed Khadzhikurbanov9s pardon as <an outrage against the memory of a person killed for her convictions and professional duty.= <If I am being honest, we suspected this may happen,= Politkovsky told The Washington Post. <When this whole prison recruitment just started, I had a feeling that Khadzhikurbanov would really want to go to war.= <I think it9s unfair and illegal,= he said. <But, unfortunately, we are powerless and cannot change anything in this regard.= Pekhteleva9s family has filed a request to launch an investigation into the actions of their local prosecutor9s office, which recommended Kanyus for pardon and did not inform the family about his whereabouts. The family had petitioned to be notified of all of Kanyus9s movements during trial, a measure permitted by Russian law for the safety of crime victims. <We have been so humiliated by all this and no one wants to bear the responsibility,= Oksana Pekhteleva said. <There is such a flagrant violation of our law. & Why does our state treat us in such an outrageous way?= The fast track to freedom via the trenches in Ukraine, made possible by the Russian judicial and penitentiary systems, stands in stark contrast to the severe punishments being meted out against antiwar activists for minor infractions. On Thursday, for example, Alexandra Skochilenko, a pacifist artist from St. Petersburg, was sentenced to seven years for replacing a few supermarket price tags with antiwar messages. Alexei Gorinov, a member of a Moscow municipal council who was the first person sentenced under a law penalizing the spread of <false information= about the Russian military after the invasion of Ukraine, recently had another case brought against him even though he is already incarcerated. In a statement, Gorinov9s supporters said that he was being accused of justifying terrorism, because he had made positive statements about an explosion that damaged the Crimean Bridge 4 Putin9s prized infrastructure project connecting Russia to Crimea, the illegally annexed peninsula. Kanyus, who never admitted his guilt in court, spent less than half a year in prison for the brutal murder. Five police officers received suspended sentences for negligence after neighbors said they tried for three hours to get help as they heard Vera Pekhteleva9s cries, but there was no response. By the time a neighbor broke the door open with a crowbar, she was already dead. <I feel like he will still get what9s coming to him, as there is also the judgment and punishment of our Lord,= Oksana Pekhteleva said. <I am not afraid of him but I am afraid that one day he may seduce some other girl, and if he was once capable of doing what he did and got away with it, he may torture her just like he did to my child.= Short on soldiers, Russia frees killers from prison to go ûght in Ukraine 2008 Photo by Sergey PonomArev/AP Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, who was serving a 20-year sentence in a murder case, received a pardon after fighting in Ukraine. Digest SCHEDULE TODAY! ScheduleFRED.com A DIVISION OF VA #2701039723 | MD MHIC #1176 | DC #2242 VA 703.691.5500 MD 301.388.5959 DC 202.770.3131 MIKE IS FRED MICHAEL IS FRED As one of our top remodeling consultants, Michael Wilkes brings passion and creativity to every job. His design instincts ensure the best possible outcome every time. 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A24 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 ger see it as a revolution but rather the status quo. What would dollarization mean for Argentina? Milei proposes dollarization as a <vaccine= for future economic policy malpractice in Argentina. The country has been struggling with economic stagnation, rampant inflation and a weak peso for more than a decade. With virtually no foreign reserves in the central bank, and with a poverty rate at about 40 percent, it9s unclear how Milei would move forward with a dollarization plan. Emilio Ocampo, an economist working with Milei, said in a radio interview in August that Argentines already have more than $200 billion in savings and deposits overseas and elsewhere. <When that money enters circulation, for example, to pay taxes, the treasury will automatically have currency available to move forward with the process,= Ocampo said. While dollarization could put an end to rampant inflation, it poses long-term risks for the economy, leaving it more vulnerable to external shocks, economists say. And unlike other economic overhauls, dollarization is extremely difficult to reverse. It also would not solve the problem of unsustainable fiscal deficits, and potentially, defaults. <By itself, dollarization does not solve all of Argentina9s problems,= Alejo Costa, economist at Brazilian investment bank BTG Pactual, said. <It cannot be the only ingredient. A solid fiscal policy, a flexible labor market, and structural reforms are required.= <Dollarization is only possible by accumulating international reserves over time,= Costa said. <Today, it is not feasible. But it could be in the future.= Why does Argentina9s election matter beyond Argentina? A victory for Milei, who has allies in both pro-Trump and pro-Bolsonaro circles, would deliver a win for far-right movements around the world. It could create tensions with governments that Milei has attacked, including crucial trading partners Brazil and China. And it might usher in a period of political and economic instability. <An unstable Argentina could generate more instability in the region,= Iparraguirre said. crumbling economy. In the weeks ahead of the vote, Massa expanded welfare benefits for large segments of the population and slashed income taxes. Analysts have warned that those measures could threaten a deal with the International Monetary Fund that calls for cuts to government spending in Argentina. What does Massa say? After a disappointing performance in the primaries, Massa spent weeks warning of the dire impacts of a Milei presidency. To demonstrate the impact of his cuts in a highly subsidized country, Massa and the current government offered Argentines the option of declining subsidies for public transport 4 and paying fares 10 times higher than usual. While he represents the ruling Peronist vote, he has sought to portray himself as the moderate and pragmatic leader the country needs. He pledges to create a unity government and to negotiate across the aisle. What9s at stake in Argentina9s election? The outcome of the election could upend the country9s economic and political system. A Milei win could strip away the government subsidies and benefits that many Argentines have become accustomed to. Whoever wins the election will have to find a solution to skyrocketing inflation and the rapid devaluation of the peso. <In the case of Massa, the risks are in plain sight,= said political scientist Andrés Malamud. <One hundred and fifty percent inflation. Fifty percent informality. Forty percent poverty & Today in Argentina it9s the first time in history that there are formal workers who are poor.= A Milei presidency could bring the uncertainty of a leader with no experience governing and with few political allies in the legislature. Even compared to Trump and Bolsonaro, <Argentina will have the most outsider of outsiders that has existed in recent years,= said political scientist Pablo Touzón. Milei9s proposals for dollarization have already sent shock waves through the economy and could continue to do so if he wins. In the widely traded unofficial market in Argentina, which drives consumer prices, the cost of $1 surpassed 1,000 Argentine pesos last month for the first time. Before the primaries, $1 cost about 600 pesos. Before the pandemic, it cost 80 pesos. The elections have already led to dramatic fractures in the country9s main two political parties, especially in the coalition of former president Mauricio Macri. <How to govern a difficult Argentina in the context of greater fragmentation will be a challenge,= said political analyst Ana Iparraguirre. What is Peronism and how is it at play in Argentina9s election? Peronism, the populist political machine launched in the 1940s by Juan and Eva <Evita= Perón, spans the ideological spectrum 4 characterized not by the right or left but rather an affinity to the political heroes of decades past. What is Peronism? <Peronism is to win,= Malamud said. <To win, they are willing to do anything.= The most prominent and polarizing of today9s Peronists is the current vice president, Fernández de Kirchner. Still a powerful and galvanizing figure for her supporters 4 known as Kirchneristas 4 she saw herself on the sidelines of the campaign for Massa, who was not her first pick, said Iparraguirre. The Peronist movement, especially Kirchnerism, has been weakened by the country9s economic crisis and the movement9s struggle to connect with the country9s younger generations, who no lonnAtAchA PisArenko/AP Campaign flyers in favor of Sergio Massa, the ruling party9s presidential candidate, deface an image of right-wing candidate Javier Milei near Buenos Aires. The country will select a president on Sunday. BY SAMANTHA SCHMIDT AND DAVID FELIBA BUENOS AIRES 4 On Sunday, Argentines will vote in a pivotal presidential election that could deliver a win for the global far-right movement and a blow to the country9s political establishment. Or it could lead to a continuation of the Peronist movement that has long dominated politics in the third-largest economy in Latin America. As the country faces its worst economic crisis in two decades, Argentina will choose between Javier Milei 4 a libertarian economist who has embraced comparisons to Donald Trump and Brazil9s Jair Bolsonaro 4 and Sergio Massa, the center-left economic minister overseeing the floundering economy. The candidates are extremely close in the polls, with Milei claiming a razor-thin lead. Here9s what to know about one of Latin America9s most watched elections this year. Who is Javier Milei? Milei, 53, is a wild-haired, brash former corporate economist who emerged in the national spotlight as a television pundit. His outlandish and aggressive rants, peppered with personal insults, made him a TV hit. He was elected to Congress in 2021 on pledges to take down the political elite, and he made headlines by raffling off his congressional salary each month. His presidential campaign rallies have filled concert arenas with legions of supporters 4 many of them young men 4 wearing Make Argentina Great Again hats and carrying chainsaw toys. (Milei himself has appeared in campaign caravans with a chain saw, vowing to slash government funding.) His viral TikTok videos, unusual style and unfiltered comments have gained him popularity with Generation Z. What does Milei say? An admirer of Trump, he9s campaigning on an Argentine version of <Drain the Swamp,= raging against the <political caste.= He vows to shut down the central bank, get rid of the peso and adopt the U.S. dollar as the official currency. Describing himself as a <miniarchist,= he supports limiting government to only a few functions 4 a sort of night-watchman state. He promises to slash the number of federal ministries from 18 to eight. And he applies his free-market ideas to just about everything 4 including loosening gun restrictions. He has branded the Argentine Pope Francis an <evil= leftist. Climate change, he says, is a <socialist lie.= He would hold a referendum to undo the threeyear-old law that legalized abortion. He has fought with the press and raised unsubstantiated claims about electoral fraud, raising fears he might dispute a loss if the race is close. Who is Sergio Massa? A lawyer and former president of Argentina9s Chamber of Deputies, Sergio Massa is a career politician now serving as economy minister. He was chief of staff for former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. But he later parted ways with her to start his own political party. Massa, who finished third in the 2015 presidential election, has tried to distance himself from the unpopular leftist government of President Alberto Fernández and Fernández de Kirchner, now the vice president. He clinched a surprise victory over Milei in the first round of voting last month, despite his role overseeing the country9s Trump-like candidate has a shot at victory in Argentina election South American nation might end its Peronist presidential tradition Build With A Name You Trust LONG® FENCE ©2008 MHIC#9615 / WV#013002 / CICHIC#013490A / DC#2116 *Excludes repairs. Not valid on previous orders or in combination with other offers, orders or discounts. Some exclusions apply. 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sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post EZ RE A25 A public service initiative from |e Washington Post to promote press freedom worldwide. washingtonpost.com/pressfreedom #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME #BRINGAUSTINHOME <|ere is no higher priority in my administration than the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.= 3 PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, AUGUST 10, 2022 Freelance journalist Austin Tice was abducted in 2012 while covering the ongoing conûict in Syria. He has not been heard from since. |e U.S. government has pledged to make Austin's safe return a priority, and must pursue the sustained diplomatic engagement needed to bring Austin home. Learn more about Austin's case at wapo.st/bringaustinhome. P0745 6x21
a26 eZ Re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 SUNDAY Opinion on the latest spending bill. <We9re not going to be part of the failure theater anymore.= After the House called off votes for the rest of the week, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.), a Freedom Caucus member, held the floor for 55 minutes, railing against his own newly elected leadership. <What in the hell are we doing in this chamber?= he demanded. <I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing 4 one 4 that I can go campaign on and say we did. One!= he shouted. There were no takers. A Cabinet-level officer has not been impeached since 1876. House Republicans would very much like to change that, but they don9t yet have the votes. That might be because they haven9t produced evidence of high crimes or misdemeanors by Mayorkas 4 only evidence that he is implementing President Biden9s policies, which they do not like. Greene used a <privileged resolution= (a maneuver seldom used in the past but also commonplace in this Congress) to force a snap vote on Monday night on impeaching the secretary without completing an impeachment inquiry. As lawmakers carried on conversations, the House clerk read Greene9s venomous resolution about <willful admittance of . . . terrorists=; <the invasion of approximately 10,000,000 illegals=; <border crosser[s] who have invaded=; <gotaways=; and even <illegal people.= After such white-nationalist bromides, 200 other Republicans sided with Greene. Among them was Rep. Tony Gonzales (Tex.), who had earlier called his fellow Republicans9 border policies <unChristian.= But now that Gonzales is facing primary challengers backed by members of the House Freedom Caucus, he held a news conference at which he said was <honored= to stand with his <good friend= Greene and thank her <for her leadership.= I asked Gonzales about all of Greene9s <invasion= talk, which she repeated at the news conference. <I, I, uh 4 435 members, we all have different styles,= he replied. After her impeachment resolution went down, Greene railed, in a video posted on social media, against Republicans on the Judiciary Committee who thwarted her. <If we have people serving on Judiciary Committee that don9t believe in impeachment, then why are they on this committee?= she demanded. One of those lawmakers, Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.), told a few of us on Tuesday morning that Greene <lacks the maturity and the experience to understand what she was asking.= This prompted Greene9s allegation that Issa <lacks= part of the male anatomy. Greene confronted Mayorkas on Wednesday as he testified before the Homeland Security committee and told him, <You can honorably resign, or we are going to impeach you 4 and it9s happening very, very soon.= But before Greene could force another vote on impeaching Mayorkas, she had more crazy to attend to. At the same hearing on Wednesday, she demanded that the FBI, which she erroneously asserted was part of the Department of Homeland Security, <stop targeting innocent grandmothers and veterans who walked through the Capitol on January 6th= as part of an <event.= Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana, another Republican on the panel, joined in the insurrection insanity. He alleged (with an accompanying poster) that he had identified two <ghost buses,= painted white, that were <nefarious in nature and were filled with FBI informants dressed as Trump supporters deployed onto our Capitol on January 6th.= Your party is drowning in disinformation and conspiracy theories. Who you gonna call? Ghost buses. M aybe Rep. Tim Burchett had it coming. Speaking with a few of us outside the GOP caucus meeting on Tuesday morning in the Capitol basement, the Tennessee Republican, one of the eight who helped oust McCarthy, renewed his accusation that McCarthy <lied to me.= As the caucus meeting broke up, Burchett was talking with NPR9s Claudia Grisales in the hallway when <McCarthy shoved Burchett,= Grisales recounted, and Burchett <lunged towards me.= Burchett chased after McCarthy, yellR easonable people can disagree about which member of Congress was most unreasonable this past week. Was it Kevin McCarthy? After one of the eight Republican backbenchers who ousted the former speaker claimed McCarthy sucker-punched him in the kidneys, causing <a lot of pain,= the California Republican responded by saying that <if I kidney-punched someone, they would be on the ground.= Was it Sen. Markwayne Mullin? At a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the Oklahoma Republican challenged one of the witnesses to <stand your butt up= and fight him then and there in the committee room. <In a fight, I9m gonna bite,= the senator said in a podcast after the incident. <And I don9t care where I bite, by the way.= Was it James Comer? The Kentucky Republican, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, exploded at an otherwise sleepy hearing on the General Services Administration, repeatedly shouting <bulls---= at a junior Democratic member of the committee and telling him: <No, I9m not going to give you your time back! . . . You look like a Smurf!= Was it perennial winner Marjorie Taylor Greene? After eight fellow Republicans thwarted her attempt to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, one of them said Greene lacks <maturity.= Greene responded by telling her 2.8 million followers on X that the man who called her immature was a <p---y= who does not have testicles. Or was it late-entrant George Santos? On Thursday, the House Ethics Committee said the New York Republican had <brought severe discredit upon the House= and that it had uncovered <additional uncharged and unlawful conduct= beyond the 23 charges he already faces. Santos responded by claiming he was being <stoned by those who have flaws themselves= 4 and by calling for a constitutional convention. He dropped his reelection bid, as he prepares a possible move from the House to the big house. There is one thing about which there can be no debate: This is what Republican governance looks like in the year 2023. It has been one kidney punch after another to competent leadership. Last week began with Greene9s failed attempt on the House floor to impeach Mayorkas. It continued with a failed initial attempt to bring a temporary spending patch to the floor to keep the federal government open for another 60 days. And it ended in yet another failed vote on the floor, in which 19 Republicans blocked GOP leaders from beginning debate on the annual Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill. In the past, it was unheard of for lawmakers to defy their own party leaders on such routine procedural votes. This year, it is commonplace. After this last failure, which followed similar failures on the floor in recent weeks to pass four other appropriations bills because of intra-GOP squabbles, House leaders called off further votes for the week and sent lawmakers home early for Thanksgiving to <cool off,= as the new speaker, Mike Johnson, put it. Six weeks ago, House Republicans ousted McCarthy because he relied on Democratic votes to pass a <clean= temporary spending bill to keep the government open without demanding spending cuts. They shut the House down for 22 days while they found a new speaker. Now, Johnson (R-La.) has passed exactly the same sort of <clean= temporary bill that cost McCarthy his job. And once again, GOP leadership came crawling to Democrats to supply most of the votes. After all the trauma, House Republicans are right back where they started. As Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) put it to Politico: <It9s the same clown car with a different driver.= <We9ve had enough!= Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), head of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Wednesday after he and his colleagues shut the House down yet again by blocking debate ing <You got no guts= and <you9re pathetic, man.= He then gave a series of interviews on the Capitol steps, telling CNN9s Manu Raju that it was <a clean shot to the kidneys.= As Burchett finished the interview, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) walked over and pretended to shove the startled Burchett. McCarthy denied he intentionally hit Burchett, but McCarthy antagonist Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) immediately filed a complaint with the House Ethics Committee saying the former speaker <assaulted Representative Tim Burchett.= Gaetz, the target of an Ethics Committee inquiry into alleged sexual misconduct, said the panel should be <interviewing, under oath, the alleged assailant.= Informed by reporters that Gaetz had filed the complaint, McCarthy responded with a smile: <I think Ethics is a good place for Gaetz to be.= T he Senate has been a relative bastion of tranquility and sanity this year. But there are exceptions. One is Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). Since February, the former college football coach has blocked more than 400 military nominations in protest against the Pentagon9s abortion policies. A few Republicans have gone to the floor repeatedly to force him to object to the nominations, one by one, for hours at a time. This past week, they kept him there until 3:44 a.m. on Thursday. Tuberville refuses to budge, no matter how much damage he does to military readiness and officer retention. <The only thing in this world I honor more than our military is the Constitution,= said the man who in 2020 claimed that the three branches of government were <the House, the Senate, and the executive.= Now, however, Mullin is trying to dethrone Tuberville as the most pugilistic Republican in the Senate. As McCarthy was allegedly elbowing Burchett9s kidneys, Mullin, on the other side of the Rotunda, was threatening to do even worse to Teamsters President Sean O9Brien over the witness9s past trash talk on social media. <If you want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here,= said Mullin, a McCarthy friend who graduated from the House to the Senate in January. <Okay, that9s fine. Perfect,= O9Brien answered. <You want to do it right now?= <I9d love to do it right now.= <Well stand your butt up right now then.= <You stand your butt up, big guy.= Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) intervened. <Sit down!= he admonished Mullin. <You9re a United States senator.= Mullin, a former wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter, told reporters he had no regrets about his behavior. <How do you not handle it that way?= he asked. Shortly thereafter, at an otherwise sleepy House Oversight Committee hearing, Moskowitz needled Comer over a recent Daily Beast article accusing the chairman of having the same sort of family business dealings and conflicts of interest that he wants to impeach Biden for. Comer nearly went all Markwayne Mullin on the <Smurf.= (Moskowitz was wearing a light blue suit and tie.) The article asserts that Comer and his brother operated a <shell company=; that <Comer channeled extra money to his brother, seemingly from nothing=; and that Comer had family agriculture interests at the same time he <held important positions in agriculture oversight.= Comer went on a rambling, sputtering diatribe. <My father, who was a dentist, had some farmland. . . . All this bull---- . . . dumb, financially illiterate people. . . . I9m one of the largest landowners. . . . You9ve already been proven a liar. . . . I will sit with Hunter Biden and Jim Biden, and we can go over our LLCs.= <Mr. Chairman,= Moskowitz observed, <this seems to have gotten under your skin.= Comer went on Fox News that night to explain his defensive outburst to Sean Hannity. <I wasn9t going to sit there and let Moskowitz lie about me and my family,= said the man who has spent the year peddling similar innuendo and outright lies about the <Biden crime family.= W hen Moody9s Investors Service lowered its outlook this month on the U.S. government9s creditworthiness, it specifically cited Washington dysfunction: <renewed debt limit brinkmanship, the first ouster of a House Speaker in U.S. history, prolonged inability of Congress to select a new House Speaker, and increased threats of another partial government shutdown due to Congress9 inability to agree on budgetary appropriations.= Johnson ignored all that, instead putting out a statement blaming the Moody9s action on <President Biden and Democrats.= He then led the House through another week of dysfunction. The speaker introduced a temporary extension of government funding, adopting a tiered approach with multiple expiration dates that had been proposed by the House Freedom Caucus. Members of the Freedom Caucus immediately trashed the plan. Johnson met with the caucus on Monday night to try to sway them. The group issued a statement on Tuesday morning saying Johnson9s plan <contains . . . not a single meaningful win for the American people.= <Not much of a honeymoon in this job,= Johnson said on CNBC. The House Rules Committee also took up the proposal on Monday afternoon; five hours later, it adjourned without voting on it. Republicans didn9t even have the votes to bring the proposal to the House floor for a debate. At Tuesday morning9s caucus meeting, Republicans found themselves in a familiar state of paralysis. <The Republican conference is a colorful group,= Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) told us, <and we9ve got between 20 and 40 who find it almost impossible to get to yes.= Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) blamed the trouble on the <immature man child,= Gaetz, for ousting McCarthy. Van Orden, known for his screaming outbursts directed at teenage legislative pages and others, complained that his colleagues <act out of emotion rather than logic.= At a news conference, Fox News9s Chad Pergram pointed out that Johnson hadn9t satisfied the <archconservatives= in his party who were accusing him of surrendering to Democrats. <I9m one of the archconservatives,= Johnson pleaded. But he argued that <you9ve got to fight fights that you can win.= At the same news conference, Majority Whip Tom Emmer (Minn.) urged, <Now is the time for House Republicans to stay united as a team.= Members of the Freedom Caucus then went to the House floor and threatened to block GOP leaders from taking up that day9s spending bill, for the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services. A group of 10 hard-liners withheld their votes 4 forcing Johnson to hold the vote open while he cajoled them in the center aisle; eventually, they relented. Because Johnson couldn9t get Republican votes to take up the governmentfunding resolution under normal procedures, he instead had to suspend the rules and pass it with a two-thirds majority. This meant that Democrats would have to bail him out 4 just as they had McCarthy. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) taunted during the floor debate: <It is the Democrats who have come to save America and to stop this dastardly shutdown.= It was true. Two hundred nine of 211 Democrats voted for Johnson9s 60-day stopgap. But 93 Republicans voted against it 4 three more than the number who opposed McCarthy9s 45-day stopgap in September before they booted him from the speakership. Will Johnson, after three weeks on the job, now face the same fate? Unlikely, for a simple reason: House Republicans have now proved beyond all doubt that absolutely no one can govern them. Dana Milbank I will ûght anyone who says Republicans are competent SARAh SilBigeR/ReuTeRS Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) at the Capitol on Feb. 15. BY ALDA SIGMUNDSDÓTTIR I t is a surreal state, padding to the kitchen to blend a smoothie, while less than 25 miles away the ground is poised to split open and swallow a village. The wild prospect 4 too huge to grasp, really 4 is that we residents of Reykjavík, Iceland9s capital, now live next to a reawakened volcanic system that might erupt any day, and every few months for the next few years, or even decades. It had lain dormant for 800 years until it rumbled back to life 21/2 years ago. More than 3,000 people have fled their homes as earthquakes portend an eruption. Magma is throbbing in the veins of the volcanic system underground, and the earthquakes keep coming, hundreds or thousands each day, of varying magnitudes. In Reykjavík, the ones that are above magnitude 3 shake my house; occasionally, objects tumble from shelves. We Icelanders are no strangers to volcanoes. But ours is a sparsely populated country, so they used to feel far away. That changed when eruptions returned to the Reykjanes Peninsula. This arm juts out on the bottom left of a map of Iceland. At the western end is the Keflavík International Airport, where well over 90 percent of travelers come and go. At the eastern end 4 about a 45-minute drive away 4 sits the capital region, where two-thirds of Icelanders live. We9d long known that an eruption might come closer to home, yet it always felt the stuff of some far-off future 4 say, 1,000 years away. It was something we envisioned as catastrophic, like the eruption in Laki in 1783 that killed about a quarter of Icelanders and more than half of the livestock. As it turned out, we did not have to wait millennia. The first eruption on the peninsula happened in March 2021, still in a spot far enough from towns and infrastructure to be just a <tourist eruption.= That9s what we call the ones that are not dangerous. These can be enjoyed at a safe distance, provided all precautions are taken: Keep away from toxic gas and do not walk on the new lava, no matter how solid it looks. That March, due to the pandemic, there were few tourists, but I was one of the many Icelanders who flocked to the site with packed lunches and dinners to picnic on a nearby hill, as though around a gigantic bonfire. It was not cataclysmic, but awesome and spectacular. The black crater tossed red-hot magma into the air. Incredible rivers and waterfalls of molten rock coursed along the plateaus they had created. Down at the lava9s edge, amazing formations took shape, hissing and cracking as though alive. I had expected the eruption up close to seem threatening. Rather, it was graceful and natural, giving birth to a new landscape as we looked on in wonder. That eruption ended six months later. Since then, there have been two more, both similarly harmless and remote. The one we expect now is different. Scientists predict a <major event,= much larger than the previous three eruptions in the area. The signs of imminent eruption are constant. It is not pleasant to experience so many earthquakes. Each evokes a deep primal fear. My dog is terrified. Even though Iceland has very strict building codes, the nagging question never quite leaves: What if, this time, it is so big that the building collapses? We go about our lives 4 heading to the gym, shopping for groceries, bumping into friends 4 and no one is talking about the volcano much, yet I am convinced we are all thinking about it and refreshing the news many times a day to see if it has begun. Yet our experience in the capital is nothing compared with the ordeal of the residents of Grindavík, a fishing village on Iceland9s south coast. On Nov. 10, seismic activity suddenly shifted to directly beneath the community. Researchers warned that magma is collecting in a tunnel or chamber, and it could blow at any time. Large cracks formed in the main road and authorities ordered all the inhabitants to evacuate. And so we wait. It is, at times, excruciating. It is possible, though unlikely, that there will be no eruption, if the magma pooling under the ground congeals. In my tiny nation of about 375,000 people, the mood is of both wanting the eruption to happen, and not. If the volcano blows, it will end the uncertainty; if it does not, we will still have the looming threat that it might go off. If nothing else, the past few days have brought home a stark reality: The sleeping giant is very much awake. A network of volcanic fissures extends right into the suburbs of Reykjavík. What this bodes, no one knows. One thing is certain: The forces shaking my kitchen, shaking the foundations of so many small and brittle lives, are far beyond our control. Alda Sigmundsdóttir is a publisher, author and journalist living in Reykjavík. My neighbor, the volcano JABin BoTSfoRd/The WAShingTon PoST Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) at the Capitol on Oct. 3.
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post ez re a27 cations intercepts of Palestinian civilians angry at Hamas, photos of what they say are schools across the street from rocket launchers, and displays of weapons caches allegedly hidden inside hospitals and other sensitive information. Assuming that the IDF9s evidence is accurate, does Hamas9s presence near schools and hospitals justify bombings that killed so many civilians nearby? The Israeli military has targeting rules that are meant to limit civilian deaths. But commanders also weigh factors such as the presence of a high-value target, a strategic weapon or a large Hamas compound 4 and the protection of Israeli troops. As the United States discovered in fighting al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, rules of engagement get adjusted. The bottom line, as Israeli commanders see it, is that there is collateral damage in war. But when you watch the destruction of a city over weeks live on television, it feels different. I sraeli commanders view this war as a series of clocks, all running at different speeds. The Israeli military has its clock to destroy Hamas, which has several months to run but might need to be adjusted; Hamas has a survival clock, which it would like to extend as long as possible; and the United States and Western allies haveaclock of patience that appeared this past week to have nearly run out. The Israeli military knows the only way it can put more time on its clock is by adopting tactics that reduce the harm to civilians and by providing more humanitarian aid. That9s a moral imperative but also an operational one. <Every day, we try to wind the spring of each clock,= said a senior IDF officer. Because of the competing timelines, the IDF has adopted what its commanders describe as a <decision tree= of <flexible, adaptive plans.= One general quotes the recent memoir of retired Gen. Jim Mattis, former Central Command leader and U.S. defense secretary, who wrote that certitude about the shape of a campaign can beafatal mistake 4 and that a wise commander needs <a rucksack full of plans.= That9s what the IDF has developed. There9s an intense debate at the Kirya now about how soon Israel can send some of its reservists home and restart an economy that is nearly at a standstill. Most senior leaders agree that, in a month or two, Israel can begin these force reductions and pull troops back from city centers 4 forming smaller assault brigades at the perimeter of Gaza City, say, to attack Hamas fighters when they surface from the tunnels. F inally, there is the vexing problem of those tunnels4so many of them that Hamas speaks of a <metro= system below ground. When Hamas fighters descended into these tunnels, IDF commanders decided against sending troops down after them. Even for the special Israeli team created for tunnel warfare, it was too dangerous. The system has booby traps, heavy steel doors to prevent easy entry by robots or drones and an elaborate array of other defenses. Israel bombed tunnels in northern Gaza from the air, in one case collapsing a whole city block and ravaging the civilians who lived there. But in addition to harming civilians, that9s not a solution for hundreds of miles of barricaded and fortified passageways. The challenge is to reach out and touch the tunnels. Surprise assaults from unexpected directions would likely have a psychological effect on Hamas, in addition to the physical damage. Rather than seeking a silver bullet on the tunnel problem, Israel might opt for a series of small victories. Common sense tells you how Israel might get at the tunnel system. Digging underground is a welldeveloped engineering field, after all. Oil drillers have developed techniques for horizontal drilling as part of the fracking boom. Construction engineers have a technique known as horizontal directional drilling, or HDD, to help reach difficult targets. When cities construct subway lines, they use powerful drilling machines; similar techniques are used to lay pipelines. Israeli military officials won9t discuss their tunnel strategy. But when pressed, Gallant, the defense minister, offers this cryptic comment: <You need an industrial solution.= And then there9s that interesting geographic factor of the Mediterranean Sea. Water is a powerful force of nature4even more so when it is amplified by pumps. One thing about tunnels is that they9re vulnerable to flooding, even if they have elaborate drainage. The IDF surely thinks about the fact that Gaza lies on the shores of the Mediterranean. A final weapon for Israel is the visual record of what happened on Oct. 7, as captured by the body cameras carried by Hamas terrorists, closed-circuit video cameras in the kibbutzim that were attacked, dashboard cameras and other sources. The IDF spokesman9s office has produced a 45-minute compilation of the worst horrors. They want it seen by Arab leaders, members of Congress and journalists. Many people have described the unspeakable scenes in this video, and I9ll let you read their accounts. What stayed in my mind wasn9t gruesome scenes of charred bodies, but one of a young girl cowering on the floor, repeating likeadeath chant: <Why, why, why, why?= <The images are so deep. People do not sleep,= one of Israel9s most senior officials told me. Israeli leaders would like others to lose some sleep, too. On my last day in Israel, I visited a high-tech entrepreneur named Eyal Waldman. He lives more than 30 stories up ina newhigh-rise inTel Aviv. From his balcony, you can see almost all the way south to Gaza and almost to Lebanon in the north. Waldman lost his daughter Danielle on Oct. 7. She was attending the music festival that was held near the Gazaborder withher boyfriend,whomshe hoped to marry. He9s dead, too. The computer company Waldman founded is known in Israel for hiring Palestinians 4 more than 100 in the West Bank and over 20 in Gaza 4 and you might think he would balk atthat now, with so much grief to carry. But it9s the opposite. Waldman said the Palestinians are still working for the company9s new American parent. And he9s conducting weekly talks with Arab friends about common concerns. <We need to stopkilling eachother,=Waldman tells me. <It9s going to take time.=Iask him what countries his Arab contacts are from, but he won9t answer. This isn9t the time to talk openly about peace with the Palestinians, he says. But he still believes it9s coming. Opinion TEL AVIV A fter six weeks of hard combat and a horrific civilian death toll, Israeli commanders see the Gaza war moving into a new phase that will require fewer troops and much less bombing, should result in fewer Palestinian casualties 4 and that eventually, they hope, will entrap Hamas in its underground maze of tunnels. Look at a map and you can see a natural ally for Israel 4 the Mediterranean Sea. Sending Israeli soldiers into the tunnels would be a long and costly fight; bombing the tunnels would be haphazard and might result in even more civilian deaths. But the geographical fact that Gaza borders the Mediterranean might give Israel an advantage in the endgame of this conflict. The Gaza war has been a tragedy, from the vicious Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7 that triggered it, to the humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinians that continues to this day. Militarily,the Israeli campaign against Hamas has been relentless and successful. But many Israelis recognize that they have been losing the information war as the world watches images of terrible Palestinian suffering. Last weekend inGaza City, I saw the slow march of Palestinian refugees fleeing the carnage. Those images of traumatized, dispossessed Gazans left an indelible impression. But they also made me want to better understand how Israel is shaping its plan for the war. Does the country9s leadership know where the Gaza campaign is going? To get some answers, I met with nearlyadozen top commanders of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Most of the interviews took place at the military compound known as <the Kirya,= in central Tel Aviv, where young soldiers and reservists stream through the gate day and night. The people I met were thoughtful, professional soldiers. I came away impressed by their skill and dedication. But here9s the truth: Israel doesn9t yet have a clear conception of <the day after.= Political and military leaders agree on the need to destroy Hamas and to cut any Israeli connections to Gaza. There is no consensus about next steps. Commanders and political leaders have ideas, hopes and ambitions. They realize, increasingly, that if Israel doesn9t do a dramatically better job on the humanitarian issues in this war, it will damage its relationships with the United States, Europe and Arab neighbors such as Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and perhaps Saudi Arabia. Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defense minister, said during an interview that he is open to any solution that allows Israel to cut the cord to Gaza 4 so long as it adheres to a simple formula:<At the end of the war, Hamas will be destroyed, there will no longer be a military threat to Israel from Gaza, andIsrael will not be in Gaza.= The goal in Gaza is <not Hamas, not chaos,= said Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, head of the IDF spokesman9s office. Okay, but that doesn9t get you very far down the road ahead. My biggest takeaway from my conversations here is that Israel and the Palestinians both need help in figuring out the future 4 especially from the United States. The combatants are too immersed in this conflict and traumatized by it to think about what comes next. That9s where friends can help. A caution to readers: This story is an attempt to explore how Israel is conducting what might be the most difficult and controversial urban war in modern history. It sees this terrible conflict largely through Israeli eyes. But I owe readers my own judgment: This war has convinced me more than ever that the Palestinians need a well-managed state of their own, without Hamas, where they can live in dignity and peace with Israel, as most of their Arab neighbors do now. If the United States could help Israelis and Palestinians achieve that outcome, this war, with all its horrors, might produce some good. N early every Israeli officer I met began his or her story the same way: What they were doing at 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 7 when they heard the first reports of Hamas9s vicious attack. It was a holiday weekend; most soldiers werewith their families. When the news broke, many moved immediately to join their units; several described quickly teaching wives and older children to fire automatic weapons. In those first days, the IDF was shaky, unprepared. Commanders had never imagined an attack like this. IDF leaders at the Kirya had to make plans on the fly in those first days, rather than follow the detailed scripts that had guided every war since 1982. Israeli leaders were so worried that Iran and its proxies would exploit their disorientation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came close to launching a preemptive strike against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. In the first days, a rough battle plan took shape. The first phase of the war would be a relentless three weeks of bombing as the Israeli air force attacked Hamas9s infrastructure 4 giving troops time to assemble and train for a ground invasion and allowing planners to consider and prepare options. The second phase was the ground assault that began on Oct. 27. Commanders reckoned it would probably last three months. Any longer, and the Israeli economy, which depends on the more than 300,000 reservists who were called up, would begin to unravel. An agonizing challenge for the IDF has been to crush Hamas without killing the roughly 240 Israeli and foreign hostages held captive underground. Already, it appears that several hostages died as the campaign progressed, though we don9t know any details. The concept of the ground campaign was simple: Cut Gaza in two and push civilians south while Israel assaulted Hamas strongholds in the north. The aim was to separate Hamas from the civilian population, a classic precept of counterinsurgency warfare. The Israelis say they dropped leaflets, issued warnings, made phone calls. But, frankly, the strategy was unrealistic: Hamas was everywhere, and civilians for weeks couldn9t or wouldn9t move to safety. They were caught in a savage crossfire. Northern Gaza is now largely under Israeli control.In the process, it has been reduced to a skeleton. Standing on Salah al-Din Street in Gaza Cityaweek ago,I saw shattered buildings in every direction. <Hamas has lost control in the north of the Gaza Strip. They have no safe place to hide,= Netanyahu said last weekend. A senior IDF officer explained what had happened in the north this way: <To beat a system, you have to break its gravity points, and then it collapses.= davId IgnatIus In Gaza, the hard search for tomorrow FAdel sennA/AFP/getty imAges Smoke rises during an Israeli military bombardment in northern Gaza on Wednesday. This battlefield success was costly in the information war. Israel argued that Hamas was hiding behind civilians and even in hospitals, and the Biden administration supported this claim. But as the Palestinian death toll mounted, much of the world seemed unconvinced. The next phasewill focus on southernGaza, where more than 1 million desperate civilians have fled, probably along with one of Hamas9s top political leaders, Yahya Sinwar, whom IDF officials believe is hiding in tunnels under his hometown of Khan Younis. As in the north, the IDF will attempt to separate the battlespace4dividing it into military targets around Khan Younis and civilian safe zones to the west. But this separation might be as difficult as it was in the north 4 with civilians again caught in the crossfire. To care for Palestinians who have fled the battle zones, Israel plans to create a vast tent city for refugees at Al-Mawasi, on the coast just north of the Gazan border with Egypt. The location should allow humanitarian supplies to be delivered easily by land and sea. After the intense international criticism for the hospital battles in northern Gaza, Israeli commanders want to quickly create temporary medical facilities for thousands of wounded civilians threatened now with starvation and infectious disease. Israelis need to understand that this humanitarian relief isn9t a peripheral matter. It is absolutely essential to achieving their war aims. Some senior generals recognize this reality. <The humanitarian effort should be a snowball, bringing friends from the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt,= said one veteran commander. But I9m not sure that Israeli politicians or the enraged, traumatized public are convinced. In an effortto fight the information war better, the IDF is embracing a tactic the CIA has used effectively during the war in Ukraine 4 declassifying intelligence and pushing it into the public domain. IDF spokesmen have shared what they say are communiMediterranean Sea isrAel e gyPt G A Z A S T RIP Khan Younis al-Mawasi Planned refugee camp shifa hospital gaza City 5 miles source: Openstreetmap contributors the WAshingtOn POst FAtimA shbAir/AP Palestinians flee northern Gaza on Nov. 11. JAck guez/AFP/getty imAges A clock in Tel Aviv counts the days and hours since Israeli hostages were taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack.
a28 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 proceedings to the House for whatever action is deemed necessary. For ethical violations by Supreme Court justices, however, the public must rely on public pressure causing a resignation or impeachment articles by the House. Putting enforcement of ethics in the hands of politicians in the House and Senate might fit with balancing constitutional powers, but it is troubling to an American public that expects constant compliance and prompt enforcement. Without transparent compliance and enforcement of ethical standards, trust and respect for the Supreme Court and for its decisions will erode, as we are seeing now. Only the highest ethical standards, transparency and justice-to-justice counseling can protect the court from itself. Francis J. Gorman, Baltimore In the wake of Justice Clarence Thomas9s reported indifference to ethical norms, the Supreme Court delivered a toothless and unenforceable Code of Conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. Tellingly, the phrase <Justice should= repeats dozens of times in the eight-page document, whereas the words <shall= and <must= appear nowhere in the code. As explained at PlainLanguage.gov, the words <must= and <shall= convey an obligation; in contrast, use of the word <should= communicates nothing more than a recommendation, i.e., a suggestion. Replace every <should= with the word <shall,= and you have a code of ethics; otherwise, no behavior, no matter how egregious, is prohibited. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. could have saved a lot of time and embarrassment had he simply copied elements of the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, applicable to employees of the Justice Department, and of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. Therein one finds repeated use of the word <shall.= Jack Connerney, Annapolis Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the Supreme Court should be commended for implementing an ethics code. However, more needs to be done. First, the code uses the word <should= 53 times. A proper code of conduct for any organization sets out standards for behavior that <will= be observed by individuals. This is especially puzzling, because the majority of justices are textualists for whom the written word reigns supreme and historical factors for why a law was passed are ignored. Further, there is no mention of how behavioral infractions will be addressed. This is standard for a code of conduct. For those of us who have worked in large organizations, the words <up to and including termination= are familiar warnings that there is a price to pay for misbehavior. By issuing an ethics code that is weak in its conviction and lacking consequence, the justices have further distanced themselves from what the rest of us routinely have to comply with 4 or else. As John Adams said, we are a government <of laws and not of men.= David Weden, Dover, Mass. ABCDE PaTriCia Q. SToneSiFer Chief executive officer nEWs SaLLY BUZBee....................................executive editor JUSTin BanK ...................................... Managing editor MaTea goLD.......................................Managing editor KriSSah ThoMPSon.........................Managing editor SCoTT VanCe......................................Managing editor ann gerharT.......................Deputy Managing editor MoniCa norTon .................. Deputy Managing editor LiZ SeYMoUr.........................Deputy Managing editor MarK W. SMiTh.....................Deputy Managing editor Craig TiMBerg.....................Deputy Managing editor EdiTOriaL and OPiniOn DaViD ShiPLeY.......................................opinion editor MarY DUenWaLD.....................Deputy opinion editor CharLeS Lane..........................Deputy opinion editor STePhen STroMBerg.............Deputy opinion editor DaViD Von DrehLe..................Deputy opinion editor OfficErs KaThY BairD.........................Communications & events L. WaYne ConneLL............................human resources KaTe M. DaVeY.....................................revenue Strategy gregg J. FernanDeS.........Customer Care & Logistics STePhen P. giBSon.....................Finance & operations John B. KenneDY...................general Counsel & Labor VineeT KhoSLa..................Technology, Product & Data MiKi ToLiVer King..................................................arc XP aLeXanDra MaCCaLLUM...................................revenue Johanna MaYer-JoneS................................advertising VenKaTeSh VaraLU..............................Data & analytics The Washington Post 1301 K St. nW, Washington, D.C. 20071 (202) 334-6000 ABCDE AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER S HOPPERS VISITING the CVS Pharmacy at 14th and Irving streets NW in Washington recently must think they traveled back in time to the Soviet Union. The store9s shelves are bare. The refrigerator cases are devoid of food or beverages. When we visited, only sunscreen and greeting cards were on display. But the bizarre scene is not a result of a failed planned economy; rampant theft is the cause. Shoplifters ransacked this CVS over two days early last month and it hasn9t been restocked since. Weeks later, there9s still hardly anything to buy 4 or steal. The CVS at 14th and Irving symbolizes extreme retail theft and the harms it can engender. Distressing and inconvenient to ordinary people, threatening to businesses and livelihoods, and repellent to tourists, unchecked shoplifting can corrode a community9s spirit. It9s happening in the nation9s capital. The D.C. police department does not track shoplifting specifically but reports that theft in general is up 22 percent over last year. It is harder and harder to find a grocery or pharmacy in the District that doesn9t lock up laundry detergent, toilet paper and deodorant. A Giant in Southeast no longer even stocks certain name-brand health and beauty products that thieves target. A liquor store downtown is closing because of constant shoplifting. The H Street Walmart shuttered earlier this year. (The company said the store <hasn9t performed as well as we hoped.=) The District ranks behind all but one state for retail theft, according to a new Forbes Advisor survey of small businesses. The situation in D.C. is emblematic of a national experience. The National Retail Federation recently reported a <dramatic jump= in stores9 financial losses between 2021 and 2022 4 from $93.9 billion to $112.1 billion. The best new impartial look at shoplifting trends is a recent report by the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice. The CCJ9s innovative methodology analyzed police records in 24 cities that track retail theft closely and found a mixed but troubling picture. As of mid-June, New York and Los Angeles saw surges of more than 60 percent compared with 2019, while the phenomenon has ebbed elsewhere. To be sure, some theft has always been a cost of doing business for retailers. Kids grab the occasional candy bar; desperate parents sneak out with some extra diapers; workers swipe items during delivery and stocking. This is why many places in the United States, including D.C., make stealing less than $1,000 worth of goods a misdemeanor, not a felony. What appears different now is the prevalence of organized, flagrant shoplifting 4 thieves sweep goods off shelves and resell them online or on the street. A new federal law, the Inform Consumers Act, requires online marketplaces to better track where third-party sellers get their merchandise. (One such marketplace, Amazon, was founded by Post owner Jeff Bezos; interim Post CEO Patty Stonesifer is on Amazon9s board.) But the law took effect only in June so it9s too soon to gauge its impact. D.C. lacked sufficient data to be included in the CCJ report. That need for more granular data is the first thing the city and others like it should address. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) has proposed a new felony of <directing organized retail theft= with a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. It9s smart to target ringleaders. Ms. Bowser has also proposed that prosecutors be allowed to charge thieves with a felony if they steal 10 or more times in a 30-day period. It9s another wise deterrent. A better legal framework won9t help much if it9s not aggressively enforced, though. We heard from a Columbia Heights shopper who witnessed a mass shoplifting and emailed CVS corporate headquarters about it. A regional manager responded that the problem was that police do not pursue cases when CVS reports them. (A CVS spokesperson declined to comment.) Meanwhile, D.C. Police Chief Pamela A. Smith keeps telling stores they have to report the theft. Police data shows only five reports of theft in the past two months on the Columbia Heights block where CVS stands. Even if police do make an arrest, it often does not lead to prosecution. The District9s U.S. attorney, Matthew M. Graves, declined to prosecute 56 percent of cases in the past fiscal year, an unusually high number relative to other cities9. Seattle, one of the cities where CCJ found that shoplifting is lower now than it was five years ago, offers a good model. The city identified more than 160 <high utilizers= responsible for the vast majority of recent misdemeanors such as shoplifting. Police were able to put these individuals in jail when they were caught. To deter others, Seattle police conduct surprise one-day crackdowns that lead to about 50 arrests each. <The strongest predictor to reduced criminal behavior is the belief they will get caught,= said Ernesto Lopez, lead author of the Council on Criminal Justice9s shoplifting report. Occasional, but unpredictable, bursts of strict enforcement can deter shoplifters at minimal cost to police. The District and other cities need to get smarter about how they attack this crime. Otherwise, even more retail stores might find themselves going back to the U.S.S.R. Stop the march of the shoplifters heaTher Long/The WaShingTon PoST The CVS on 14th Street NW in D.C. on Nov. 8. EdiTOriaL Given the current climate, it is all the more important to be informed and sensible about politics and rhetoric. Both are charges that educational leaders at all levels need to take seriously. When they don9t, we see behaviors such as the Langley High School student who, along with a friend, drew Nazi swastikas and posed with them during a club meeting in what (I assume) they thought was an acceptable show of support for Palestinians. Sadly, this is not the lone incident of student antisemitism at Fairfax County Public Schools. I9ve gone over this and cannot find an excuse for such behavior. Did the student not know what a swastika represents? That is a failure of education. Did the student know what a swastika represents and used it anyway? That is a failure of education. Academic leaders across college and high school campuses have come up very short in condemning antisemitic behavior when conflated with political protest. Such leaders have a professional and moral responsibility to teach in difficult times, not shy from complex situations. All of a sudden, the <all lives matter= card is handy. All of a sudden, there might be <good people on both sides.= This is cowardly and derelict of their responsibilities as educators. I have called on leaders at the local and state level to implement specific antisemitism and Holocaust education in student curriculums. Antisemitism is a unique form of hatred thousands of years old that seems to find its way into discussions about Israel. Knowingly or unknowingly, this is unacceptable. But it is solvable with attention and seriousness from educational leadership. James Rose, Great Falls A failure to educate in Fairfax LETTErs TO ThE EdiTOr The Nov. 14 front-page article <Justices sign on to ethics rules= reported that justices of the Supreme Court adopted ethics rules. The court9s statement asserted that it was necessary to correct a public <misunderstanding= of the justices9 ethical obligations. Justices Clarence Thomas9s and Samuel A. Alito Jr.9s embarrassing serial disclosures of previously secret lavish gifts, benefits and perks belie the assertion that public confusion prompted the ethics rules. The purported misunderstanding was the justices9 alone. It appears that the justices will permit themselves to continue to accept gifts. One would think that the handsome salary of $298,500 for the chief justice and $285,400 for associate justices would be adequate without the necessity to supplement their compensation. Conservatives complained that the policies would be <weaponized= against the right [<The Supreme Court9s ethics code: Crafted for consensus,= news, Nov. 16]. It is simple: Do not provide ammunition, and the weapons would be of no utility. The pervasive, serious ethical lapses by conservatives on the court and the rightful outcry they have engendered necessitated the rules. It is not about weaponizing ethics; it9s only about being ethical. Ronald S. Battocchi, Arlington The Nov. 14 article <Justices sign on to ethics rules= noted in the first paragraph that the code is without a way to enforce its standards against those who fall short. The enforcement mechanism is in Constitution. The House has the power to impeach, and the Senate has the sole power to try an impeachment. Ethical rules for federal circuit and district courts judges have been legislated by Congress because it created these courts. Circuit and district court judges are held accountable under the Code of Conduct for United States Judges. Reports of violation of this code are investigated by district court chief judges, by circuit court judicial councils and, ultimately, by the Judicial Conference of the United States, which can transmit the determination and the record of investigative The Supreme Court9s ethics rules Guest opinion submissions The Washington Post accepts opinion articles on any topic. We welcome submissions on local, national and international issues. We publish work that varies in length and format, including multimedia. Submit a guest opinion at [email protected] or read our guide to writing an opinion article at wapo.st/guestopinion. Letter submissions Letters can be sent to [email protected]. Submissions must be exclusive to The Post and should include the writer9s address and day and evening telephone numbers. Letters are subject to editing and abridgment. Please do not send letters as attachments. Because of the volume of material we receive, we are unable to acknowledge submissions; writers whose letters are under consideration for publication will be contacted. ann TELnaEs The American gun myth In his Nov. 14 Tuesday Opinion column, <Democrats should get serious about 2024 candidates not named Biden,= Perry Bacon Jr. notes that President Biden9s <best and perhaps only winning message will be 8I am not Trump.9= That9s sad given Mr. Biden9s accomplishments. Even sadder, however, is the possibility that Mr. Biden could be remembered primarily as the guy who let Donald Trump back into the White House. Neither the Democratic Party nor the country can afford to take that risk. Glenn R. Kreger, Rockville Perry Bacon Jr. laid out his five-point case for why the Democratic Party should take a sober look at the risk of sticking with an unpopular president in the 2024 campaign, despite President Biden9s strong domestic policy record and visible foreign policy experience. However, great leadership 4 and especially the modern presidency 4 also requires a keen ability to surround yourself with a high-caliber, experienced team. One person can9t do it all. The Biden Cabinet 4 at State, Defense, National Intelligence, Commerce, Treasury, Justice, etc. 4 demonstrates that leadership ability. And the presidency also needs to work cooperatively with leaders on the Hill, and in state houses. Here, too, Mr. Biden9s skills would be sorely missed in an alternate candidate. Thus, two more points to add to the decision calculus. Tracy Wilson, Alexandria In his Nov. 16 op-ed, <Dwayne 8The President9 Johnson,= David Von Drehle created a preposterous false equivalency between President Biden and former president Donald Trump, asserting that we need a <pathway out of the doom loop of Biden vs. Trump.= He wrote that Republicans <detest= Mr. Trump and Democrats <disdain= Mr. Biden. To that, I say, pull it over to the curb, turbo! Think about it: One man has saved NATO and created a powerful alliance in the South China Sea. The other tried to overthrow U.S. democracy. One has saved our crumbling infrastructure and pulled us out of the pandemic. The other spouts Nazistyle hate speech and suggested the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff committed a <treasonous act.= One has passed significant gun legislation and saved the computer chip industry while the other faces 91 felony counts that should land him in prison for the rest of his life. So give it a break with the Rock. But if you9re going to support a celebrity for president, pick someone who has done a good movie or show: Jon Stewart or George Clooney. I9m waiting for Mr. Biden to graciously bow out once Mr. Trump is convicted in April, leading the way to President Gretchen Whitmer. Haldon Richardson, Silver Spring Mr. Biden9s 2024 chances Dwayne <The Rock" Johnson
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ re A29 P unishment that causes durable impairments of the punished person9s brain surely violates the Constitution9s Eighth Amendment proscription of <cruel and unusual punishments.= So, last week the Supreme Court9s three <liberal= justices rightly dissented against the six <conservative= justices9 decision not to hear a case concerning the all-too- common prison practice of protracted solitary confinement. Michael Johnson, imprisoned in Illinois9 Pontiac Correctional Center (we will revisit <correctional= below) for home invasion and assault, was a mental wreck before prison policy made him more so. The state9s Department of Corrections classifies him <seriously mentally ill=; his conditions include severe depression and bipolar disorder. Johnson sued. A district court granted summary judgment in 2018 in favor of the prison officials, even though the Supreme Court has hitherto found officials liable for <deliberate indifference= to a substantial risk to an inmate9s health or safety. A three-judge panel of a federal appellate court in 2022 affirmed the district court9s legal error, 2-1. This judgment survived when the full court tied 5-5 in considering it. Last week, the Supreme Court denied Johnson9s appeal. The court was not even accepting the prison officials9 argument that Johnson9s ongoing punishment was an administrative necessity. They made no such argument. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from this denial, joined by Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Jackson, the first justice to have seen the criminal justice system from the perspective of a practicing public defender, notes that for nearly three years Johnson: <. . . spent nearly every hour of his existence in a windowless, perpetually lit cell about the size of a parking space. His cell was poorly ventilated, resulting in unbearable heat and noxious odors. The space was . . . often caked with human waste. And because Pontiac officials would not provide cleaning supplies to Johnson unless he purchased them from the commissary, he was frequently forced to clean that filth with his bare hands. Johnson was allowed out of his cell to shower only once per week, for 10 brief minutes.= Ordinarily, even Pontiac inmates in solitary confinement are permitted at least eight hours a week of recreation outside their cells. The denials of Johnson9s permission were <stacked,= so he endured more than three years of restrictions. Jackson details the consequences of such exercise deprivation: <He suffered from hallucinations, excoriated his own flesh, urinated and defecated on himself . . . became suicidal and sometimes engaged in misconduct with the hope that prison guards would beat him to death.= Because of solitary confinement (<restorative housing,= in the mincing language of Virginia9s Department of Corrections today), <A considerable number of prisoners fell, after even a short confinement, into a semi-fatuous condition, from which it was next to impossible to arouse them, and others became violently insane.= These are the Supreme Court9s words from a ruling in 1890. Whether prisons should try to be <correctional= institutions 4 straighteners of humanity9s most crooked timber 4 is debatable. But certainly prisons should not make prisoners worse. When Johnson9s mental illness made him difficult to manage, Pontiac9s punishments drove him deeper into insanity, and Pontiac continued punishing him for his resulting behaviors. If, however, Johnson were mentally competent 4 had he been incarcerated as, say, a coolly calculating offender 4 Pontiac9s treatment of him would still have violated the Bill of Rights. The authors of the Eighth Amendment did not include a clause saying cruelty is unacceptable <unless the prisoner is unusually difficult or especially evil.= Just as the First Amendment protects even vile speech for the protection and betterment of society, the Eighth Amendment proscribes barbaric punishments for society9s sake 4 to insulate it from its inhumane impulses, to which humanity is prey. Conservatives, ever apprehensive about the abuses of power to which empowered people always and everywhere are susceptible, should be acutely alert about potential abuses of prisoners, who exist at the state9s mercy, behind high walls and nontransparent procedures. The Eighth Amendment makes originalists fainthearted. Spare us sermons about the public meaning of <cruelty= in 1790: No court today would sanction some punishments (e.g., flogging, branding, mutilation, the pillory) practiced when the amendment was ratified. Prolonged solitary confinement was not imposed then. Today, however, protracted isolation is far from <unusual=; it is now traditional and common. But the amendment9s original meaning that matters is: We shall not countenance government-inflicted cruelty. The court majority9s dereliction of duty regarding Johnson illustrates how the labels <liberal= and <conservative= can be inapposite in judicial contexts. The conservatives showed undue deference to government; the liberals correctly construed precedent and the Constitution9s original public meaning. george F. Will In a case on prison cruelty, 8liberals9 were 8conservatives9 Brian STaUFFer For The WaShingTon PoST BY JOE BIDEN T oday, the world faces an inflection point, where the choices we make 4 including in the crises in Europe and the Middle East 4 will determine the direction of our future for generations to come. What will our world look like on the other side of these conflicts? Will we deny Hamas the ability to carry out pure, unadulterated evil? Will Israelis and Palestinians one day live side by side in peace, with two states for two peoples? Will we hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his aggression, so the people of Ukraine can live free and Europe remains an anchor for global peace and security? And the overarching question: Will we relentlessly pursue our positive vision for the future, or will we allow those who do not share our values to drag the world to a more dangerous and divided place? Both Putin and Hamas are fighting to wipe a neighboring democracy off the map. And both Putin and Hamas hope to collapse broader regional stability and integration and take advantage of the ensuing disorder. America cannot, and will not, let that happen. For our own national security interests 4 and for the good of the entire world. The United States is the essential nation. We rally allies and partners to stand up to aggressors and make progress toward a brighter, more peaceful future. The world looks to us to solve the problems of our time. That is the duty of leadership, and America will lead. For if we walk away from the challenges of today, the risk of conflict could spread, and the costs to address them will only rise. We will not let that happen. That conviction is at the root of my approach to supporting the people of Ukraine as they continue to defend their freedom against Putin9s brutal war. We know from two world wars in the past century that when aggression in Europe goes unanswered, the crisis does not burn itself out. It draws America in directly. That9s why our commitment to Ukraine today is an investment in our own security. It prevents a broader conflict tomorrow. We are keeping American troops out of this war by supporting the brave Ukrainians defending their freedom and homeland. We are providing them with weapons and economic assistance to stop Putin9s drive for conquest, before the conflict spreads farther. The United States is not doing this alone. More than 50 nations have joined us to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself. Our partners are shouldering much of the economic responsibility for supporting Ukraine. We have also built a stronger and more united NATO, which enhances our security through the strength of our allies, while making clear that we will defend every inch of NATO territory to deter further Russian aggression. Our allies in Asia are standing with us as well to support Ukraine and hold Putin accountable, because they understand that stability in Europe and in the Indo-Pacific are inherently connected. W e have also seen throughout history how conflicts in the Middle East can unleash consequences around the globe. We stand firmly with the Israeli people as they defend themselves against the murderous nihilism of Hamas. On Oct. 7, Hamas slaughtered 1,200 people, including 35 American citizens, in the worst atrocity committed against the Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust. Infants and toddlers, mothers and fathers, grandparents, people with disabilities, even Holocaust survivors were maimed and murdered. Entire families were massacred in their homes. Young people were gunned down at a music festival. Bodies riddled with bullets and burned beyond recognition. And for over a month, the families of more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas, including babies and Americans, have been living in hell, anxiously waiting to discover whether their loved ones are alive or dead. At the time of this writing, my team and I are working hour by hour, doing everything we can to get the hostages released. And while Israelis are still in shock and suffering the trauma of this attack, Hamas has promised that it will relentlessly try to repeat Oct. 7. It has said very clearly that it will not stop. The Palestinian people deserve a state of their own and a future free from Hamas. I, too, am heartbroken by the images out of Gaza and the deaths of many thousands of civilians, including children. Palestinian children are crying for lost parents. Parents are writing their child9s name on their hand or leg so they can be identified if the worst happens. Palestinian nurses and doctors are trying desperately to save every precious life they possibly can, with little to no resources. Every innocent Palestinian life lost is a tragedy that rips apart families and communities. Our goal should not be simply to stop the war for today 4 it should be to end the war forever, break the cycle of unceasing violence, and build something stronger in Gaza and across the Middle East so that history does not keep repeating itself. Just weeks before Oct. 7, I met in New York with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The main subject of that conversation was a set of substantial commitments that would help both Israel and the Palestinian territories better integrate into the broader Middle East. That is also the idea behind the innovative economic corridor that will connect India to Europe through the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, which I announced together with partners at the Group of 20 summit in India in early September. Stronger integration between countries creates predictable markets and draws greater investment. Better regional connection 4 including physical and economic infrastructure 4 supports higher employment and more opportunities for young people. That9s what we have been working to realize in the Middle East. It is a future that has no place for Hamas9s violence and hate, and I believe that attempting to destroy the hope for that future is one reason that Hamas instigated this crisis. This much is clear: A two-state solution is the only way to ensure the long-term security of both the Israeli and Palestinian people. Though right now it may seem like that future has never been further away, this crisis has made it more imperative than ever. A two-state solution 4 two peoples living side by side with equal measures of freedom, opportunity and dignity 4 is where the road to peace must lead. Reaching it will take commitments from Israelis and Palestinians, as well as from the United States and our allies and partners. That work must start now. To that end, the United States has proposed basic principles for how to move forward from this crisis, to give the world a foundation on which to build. To start, Gaza must never again be used as a platform for terrorism. There must be no forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, no reoccupation, no siege or blockade, and no reduction in territory. And after this war is over, the voices of Palestinian people and their aspirations must be at the center of post-crisis governance in Gaza. As we strive for peace, Gaza and the West Bank should be reunited under a single governance structure, ultimately under a revitalized Palestinian Authority, as we all work toward a two-state solution. I have been emphatic with Israel9s leaders that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop and that those committing the violence must be held accountable. The United States is prepared to take our own steps, including issuing visa bans against extremists attacking civilians in the West Bank. The international community must commit resources to support the people of Gaza in the immediate aftermath of this crisis, including interim security measures, and establish a reconstruction mechanism to sustainably meet Gaza9s long-term needs. And it is imperative that no terrorist threats ever again emanate from Gaza or the West Bank. If we can agree on these first steps, and take them together, we can begin to imagine a different future. In the months ahead, the United States will redouble our efforts to establish a more peaceful, integrated and prosperous Middle East 4 a region where a day like Oct. 7 is unthinkable. In the meantime, we will continue working to prevent this conflict from spreading and escalating further. I ordered two U.S. carrier groups to the region to enhance deterrence. We are going after Hamas and those who finance and facilitate its terrorism, levying multiple rounds of sanctions to degrade Hamas9s financial structure, cutting it off from outside funding and blocking access to new funding channels, including via social media. I have also been clear that the United States will do what is necessary to defend U.S. troops and personnel stationed across the Middle East 4 and we have responded multiple times to the strikes against us. I also immediately traveled to Israel 4 the first American president to do so during wartime 4 to show solidarity with the Israeli people and reaffirm to the world that the United States has Israel9s back. Israel must defend itself. That is its right. And while in Tel Aviv, I also counseled Israelis against letting their hurt and rage mislead them into making mistakes we ourselves have made in the past. From the very beginning, my administration has called for respecting international humanitarian law, minimizing the loss of innocent lives and prioritizing the protection of civilians. Following Hamas9s attack on Israel, aid to Gaza was cut off, and food, water and medicine reserves dwindled rapidly. As part of my travel to Israel, I worked closely with the leaders of Israel and Egypt to reach an agreement to restart the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance to Gazans. Within days, trucks with supplies again began to cross the border. Today, nearly 100 aid trucks enter Gaza from Egypt each day, and we continue working to increase the flow of assistance manyfold. I9ve also advocated for humanitarian pauses in the conflict to permit civilians to depart areas of active fighting and to help ensure that aid reaches those in need. Israel took the additional step to create two humanitarian corridors and implement daily four-hour pauses in the fighting in northern Gaza to allow Palestinian civilians to flee to safer areas in the south. This stands in stark opposition to Hamas9s terrorist strategy: hide among Palestinian civilians. Use children and innocents as human shields. Position terrorist tunnels beneath hospitals, schools, mosques and residential buildings. Maximize the death and suffering of innocent people 4 Israeli and Palestinian. If Hamas cared at all for Palestinian lives, it would release all the hostages, give up arms, and surrender the leaders and those responsible for Oct. 7. As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a cease-fire is not peace. To Hamas9s members, every cease-fire is time they exploit to rebuild their stockpile of rockets, reposition fighters and restart the killing by attacking innocents again. An outcome that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza would once more perpetuate its hate and deny Palestinian civilians the chance to build something better for themselves. A nd here at home, in moments when fear and suspicion, anger and rage run hard, we have to work even harder to hold on to the values that make us who we are. We9re a nation of religious freedom and freedom of expression. We all have a right to debate and disagree and peacefully protest, but without fear of being targeted at schools or workplaces or elsewhere in our communities. In recent years, too much hate has been given too much oxygen, fueling racism and an alarming rise in antisemitism in America. That has intensified in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks. Jewish families worry about being targeted in school, while wearing symbols of their faith on the street or otherwise going about their daily lives. At the same time, too many Muslim Americans, Arab Americans and Palestinian Americans, and so many other communities, are outraged and hurting, fearing the resurgence of the Islamophobia and distrust we saw after 9/11. We can9t stand by when hate rears its head. We must, without equivocation, denounce antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate and bias. We must renounce violence and vitriol and see each other not as enemies but as fellow Americans. In a moment of so much violence and suffering 4 in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and so many other places 4 it can be difficult to imagine that something different is possible. But we must never forget the lesson learned time and again throughout our history: Out of great tragedy and upheaval, enormous progress can come. More hope. More freedom. Less rage. Less grievance. Less war. We must not lose our resolve to pursue those goals, because now is when clear vision, big ideas and political courage are needed most. That is the strategy that my administration will continue to lead 4 in the Middle East, Europe and around the globe. Every step we take toward that future is progress that makes the world safer and the United States of America more secure. The writer is president of the United States. The U.S. won9t back down from the challenge of Putin and Hamas Our goal should not be simply to stop the war for today 4 it should be to end the war forever, break the cycle of unceasing violence, and build something stronger in Gaza and across the Middle East so that history does not keep repeating itself.
A30 EZ RE the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 To watch exclusive video highlights from this event, visit: wapo.st/gws2023 or scan code using a smartphone camera: PRESENTING SPONSORS @POSTLIVE #POSTLIVE LISTEN WHEREVER PODCASTS ARE AVAILABLE. FANI WILLIS: THE FIREBRAND OF FULTON COUNTY Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis made major news about the protective order she ûled just hours before taking the stage with |e Post9s national reporter Amy Gardner and with her comment that Georgia9s election interference case against former president Donald Trump might not conclude until early 2025. THE THIRD ACT POWER SURGE Maria Shriver, Women9s Alzheimer9s Movement at Cleveland Clinic founder, Sharon Malone, Alloy Women9s Health medical adviser and Lisa Mosconi, director of the Alzheimer9s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine, discussed menopause, women9s brain health and the need for more conclusive clinical research. THE REAL MAVERICK Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) spoke about her independent streak in the Senate, the current state of the GOP, why she thinks <Joe Manchin would be a great president= and ketchup as a condiment on Alaskan salmon. WOMEN MAKING NEWS CBS News president Ingrid CiprianMatthews, MSNBC president Rashida Jones and Reuters editor in chief Alessandra Galloni spoke with |e Post9s executive editor Sally Buzbee about how they9re shaping coverage of two evolving wars and their leadership roles at major news organizations. BATTLING HATE Sherrilyn Iûll, visiting professor at Harvard Law School, Rebecca Ulam Weiner, NYPD deputy commissioner of the intelligence & counterterrorism bureau and Yasmin Green, CEO of Jigsaw, addressed the rise in domestic extremism and how Hamas9s Oct. 7 attack on Israel has changed the global threat landscape. TAKING ON THE DRUG CARTELS Mexican investigative journalist Anabel Hernández joined Tina Brown to explain the stakes of her work as a journalist exposing the crimes and corruption of the world9s most violent narco-traïckers. GRASSROOTS GROUNDBREAKER Tara Raghuveer, director of KC Tenants, discussed how her organization has worked to build a political identity among tenants in Kansas City, Mo. and why she thinks federal rent regulation is important to increase equity in local communities. DEFENDING DEMOCRACY U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley and British Ambassador to the United States Dame Karen Pierce laid out the importance of the relationship between the two countries and how they practice diplomacy in an increasingly fractious world. BANNED IN THE U.S.A. Writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie discussed why she thinks political polarization is at the heart of book bans across the country and how she envisions a diferent way of teaching American history. |e second annual Global Women9s Summit brought together innovative leaders, fearless trailblazers and other extraordinary women speaking truth to power and transforming our world.
The top 10 B6 | Mysteries B8 | Graphic novels B10 | Science fiction B10 | Audiobooks B11 | Romance B12 illusTraTion by KarloTTa frEiEr for ThE WashingTon PosT KLMNO book world Sunday, novemBer 19, 2023 . Section B EZ EE
B2 eZ ee the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 lies in its understanding of how trauma spreads through a life and a family, and its depiction of the challenges facing Indigenous people. Two of Joe9s older siblings have recently been wrested out of the clutches of Indian boarding school, which the federal government forced them to attend to wipe out their languages and culture and assimilate them into White society. Then, in the years after Ruthie is kidnapped, the family loses a child to racist violence, and Joe disappears for decades. Though the plotisoverdeterminedand overly drawn out, nuanced characterizations benefit from all the space they have to develop. Peters, a writer of Mi9kmaq and settler ancestry, has found an arrestingly clear voice for Joe. Recalling a scene from the final year the family traveled to Maine, he says, <I was at the end of my row, waiting for Dad9s truck to come and signal itwas quittingtime, and ifI9m goingtobe honest 4 and when you9re almost dead, honesty is so much easier 4Iwasn9t picking many berries.= This honesty shines as he gradually reveals the way his guilt and rage over the loss BY MARION WINIK 8T he Berry Pickers= opens with a brief scene indicating that a deathbed reunion is about to occur. <Joe, there9s someone here to see us.=In the next chapter we getastrong hint of who that visitormight be, as it is set on <the day Ruthie went missing= 50 years earlier. Joe, who was 6 at the time, narrates the unfolding of terrible events. His family was traveling down to Maine from their home in Canada, as they did every summer, to pick berries in the fields of Mr. Ellis.<When we9d left home that summer and headed south, seven of us had piled on that old truck. Mom, Dad, Ben, Mae, Charlie, Ruthie and me.= But when they returned, there were only six. Even young readers, for whom this book seems particularly well suited, will quickly see that the missing character must be Ruthie, though we are some 300 pagesawayfromreturning tothe reunionscene. <The Berry Pickers= is not meant to be a mystery.The strength of Amanda Peters9s novel Fiction Traumas test an Indigenous family of his siblings festered and erupted in alcoholism, domestic violence and flight. As Joe9s tale unfolds, we hear from a second narrator named Norma, also remembering her past in anger. Her real identity is immediately obvious from the fact that she has intrusive memories and dreams of another family, a different car, and a little girl named Ruthie. If Norma asks to see her baby photos or wonders why her skincolor differs fromher parents9, her mother retreats immediately to her bedroom witha tensionheadache.The lie atthe center of Norma9s existence infects her all relationships, her marriage, her dreams of motherhood 4 and even inhibits her ability to reach her potential as an artist. <When I was young, I decidedthatIcould be the next great American writer. But over the years,no matter how hard I tried,I wasdeniedaccess to that mythical space where stories dwell, waiting for the right person to find them and give them form.= As Norma learns her first Mi9kmaq words from her long-lost older sister, Mae, those stories begin to come back to her, along with a tiny pair of boots and a doll she left behind that day back in 1962. Somehow, they still evoke the smell of the campfire. And so the novel comes full circle, withapowerful message about truth, forgiveness and healing. Marion Winik, host of the npR podcast <The Weekly Reader,= is the author of numerous books, including <First Comes Love= and <The Big Book of the dead.= iLLuSTRATion By eLenA LACey/THe WASHingTon poST; iSToCk The only problem with Michael Cunningham9s prose is that it ruins you for mere mortals9 work. He is the most elegant writer in America. Admittedly, elegance doesn9t carry much cachet these days when Important Novels are supposed to make strident social arguments that we already agree with. But in the presence of truly beautiful writing, a kind of magic vibrates off the page. That9s the aura of Cunningham9s pensive new novel, <Day.= He has developed a style calibrated to capture moments of ineffable longing. The opening scene, sunrise in New York, dawns likeapoem about the city on the threshold of life. This is storytelling for TV only if you mean Tableau Vivant. A confirmed trinitarian, at least in the literary sense, Cunningham has returned again to the triptych structure he explored in <Specimen Days= and <The Hours,= which won a Pulitzer Prize. The three sections of <Day= take place during three consecutive years 4 2019, 2020 and 2021 4 always on April 5. From that time period, you may already have surmised that <Day= is another variant on the covid narrative, which at this point feels as fresh as a tattered N95 mask in the glove compartment. But the virus, which Cunningham never explicitly mentions, is not the subject of <Day=; it9s the setting, an implacable condition that enforces containment and stasis on people desperate to move. In a novel as thinly plotted as <Day,= everything depends upon the exquisite flow of Cunningham9s language, but quotations don9t do his work justice. You have to read these sentences yourself in context. As Henry David Thoreau said of harvested huckleberries, <The ambrosial and A shimmering novel of lost youth and stubborn desire Ron Charles essential part of the fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart.= I can only provide a sense of what Cunningham is up to in this novel, his first in almost a decade. Isabel and her husband, Dan, are crammed into a rowhouse in Brooklyn with their two children, who have grown too old to share a room. Isabel9s gay brother, Robbie, lives in the attic, though not for much longer. He9s been asked kindly but firmly to please find a place of his own, despite the exorbitant New York rents, despite, too, the fact that everybody will miss him. Isabel is a ferociously competent photo editor at a magazine that won9t become profitable no matter how hard she works. A decade ago, she never imagined she <would find herself still here, qualified only for a job that will soon no longer be a job at all, too well paid to do anything but continue showing up until the day she and the remaining staff arrive one morning to find the lobby doors locked.= (It9s not an entirely comfortable experience to see oneself quite so clearly in a novel!) Meanwhile, Dan is a stay-at-home dad who has emerged from rehab, broken up his band and evolved into <an affable, harmless man= who no longer excites his wife. He imagines with <unembarrassed optimism= that his latest tracks of <sorrow porn= might revive a once-glorious music career. What he won9t acknowledge, though, is that his marriage is wilting likeamonth-old bouquet. For added complication, both Dan and Isabel are in love with Robbie. Strangely, that9s not as cringe-inducing as it might sound. The plotline 4 desirable gay brother-in-law holed up in guest room 4 is borrowed from Cunningham9s sixth novel, <By Nightfall.= But here in <Day,= that arrangement inspires no awkward laughs. Isabel and Dan9s attraction to Robbie is not so much sexual as aspirational. To both his sister and his brother-in-law, the younger man represents a kind of lost joie de vivre. Indeed, these chapters are damp with the mildew of wistfulness. <Day= alludes again and again to courageously accepting the evaporation of erotic magnetism. Aging, along with its attendant separations and swelling sense of irrelevance, is the novel9s abiding preoccupation. I would accuse Cunningham of projecting his 71-yearold anxieties, but these characters, barely middle-aged, are wholly convincing exemplars of America9s new lost generation. At their backs they always hear time9s winged chariot hurrying near. No one feels that sense of spent opportunity more acutely than Robbie. <He should not be single, looking for a semiaffordable apartment, at the age of thirtyseven,= he thinks. <It9s time to abandon a life of reasonable expectations.= Struggling to get by on his teacher9s salary, Robbie is still mulling his decision not to go to med school. He9s still pining after his last boyfriend 4 and the one before that. Worse, he9s started an Instagram account for a make-believe persona named Wolfe, a Frankenstein collage copy-pasted from photos across the web. He9s not some <hyperbolic, studly fantasy,= Cunningham notes. With 3,407 followers, Wolfe is a pediatrician who works in a community clinic. <He9s the handsome-ish man who9ll follow through, who9ll stick around, who sees it in you, that&youness that seems to escape the notice of others, or fails to hold their interest.= Robbie starts each heartbreaking day by postingagilded photo of Wolfe on vacation with his beagle mix. Such piercing exposure of these characters9 inner lives would feel cruel if Cunningham weren9t intensely sympathetic to how they struggle to resist despair by sheer force of will. And remarkably, it9s not just the adults whose spirit he captures so tenderly. They say to judge the quality of a painter, look at the subjects9 hands. I would add: To judge the quality of a fiction writer, look at the novel9s children. It9s there, if anywhere, that you9ll detect spores of sentimentality and treacly stains of mawkishness. But not in <Day.= Isabel and Dan9s 5-yearold daughter, Violet, is one of the most finely drawn children I9ve ever met inanovel. She9s coyly funny and a bit imperial, an imp just coming into her impishness. Wearing a slightly ridiculous princess dress 4agift from Robbie 4 she dances in that liminal realm between innocence and insight where some kids hover. She hopes that <a little girl9s rampant enthusiasms, voiced often enough, will drown out whatever low murmuring, ominous if unintelligible, she9s begun hearing, sometimes from under the bed, sometimes from inside a wall.= In her own inchoate way, she has begun to sense the inevitability ofafuture that will not contain the pleasures and comforts of her brief past. Near the end, as the novel reaches a gorgeous, plaintive conclusion about the loss of youth and the persistence of desire, I could smell F. Scott Fitzgerald9s cologne even before he entered the room. <We all wish he9d had more time,= Dan says of a recently deceased friend. <We all wish that, yes,= his wife answers. <We9re boats borne into the past. Fitzgerald.= <I know it9s Fitzgerald,= she says. <The line is 8borne back ceaselessly into the past.9 Something like that.= <Something like that,= Dan says. Isabel and Dan may struggle for the words, but Cunningham always gets them right. ron charles reviews books and writes the Book Club newsletter for The Washington post. AudRey MiCHAud peTeRS/CATApuLT Amanda Peters9s novel tells the story of a young girl9s kidnapping and how her family eventually heals. The Berry Pickers By amanda Peters Catapult 320 pp. $27 Day By Michael Cunningham Random House. 288 pp. $28
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ ee B3 fICTION 1 BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST (tor, $17.99). By travis Baldree. this installment of the legends & lattes series follows a convalescent soldier of fortune who finds refuge in a smalltown bookstore. 2 ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE (scribner, $18.99). By anthony Doerr. the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows the parallel lives of a blind french girl and an orphaned German boy during World War ii. 3 A COURT Of THORNS AND ROSES (Bloomsbury, $19). By sarah J. maas. a threat is growing over a magical land whereahuntress is being held captive. 4 TRUST (riverhead, $17). By hernan Diaz. in this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, an excessively wealthy family with a secret is the catalyst for examining how stories can shape the truth. 5 THE SEVEN HUSBANDS Of EVELYN HUGO (Washington square, $17). By taylor Jenkins reid. a hollywood icon recounts the story of her glamorous life to a young reporter, and both discover the cost of fame. 6 NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT (Vintage, $17). edited by shane hawk and theodore c. Van alst Jr. an anthology of dark fiction by indigenous authors includes stories by tommy orange, rebecca roanhorse and David heska Wanbli Weiden. 7 THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY (Penguin, $18). By matt haig. a regretful woman lands in a library where she gets to play out her life had she made different choices. 8 THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB (Penguin, $18). By richard osman. four septuagenarians join forces to catchakiller. 9 BABEL (harper Voyager, $20). By r.f. kuang. a chinese orphan, who is in regency-era london for his magical education, feels torn between two cultures. 10 MAD HONEY (Ballantine, $18). By Jodi Picoult and Jennifer finney Boylan. a woman confronts the possibility that her teenage son is a murderer when his girlfriend dies from a fall. NONfICTION 1 KILLERS Of THE fLOWER MOON (Vintage, $18). David Grann. a look at the fBi9s investigation of native american deaths in 1920s oklahoma. 2 BRAIDING SWEETGRASS (milkweed, $20). By robin Wall kimmerer. essays by an indigenous scientist offer lessons in reciprocal awareness between people and plants. 3 ALL ABOUT LOVE (morrow, $16.99). By bell hooks. the first volume in the iconic feminist9s love song to the nation trilogy considers compassion as a form of love. 4 THE HUNDRED YEARS9 WAR ON PALESTINE (Picador, $19.99). By rashid khalidi. a historian of the middle east traces events from 1917 to 2017 to argue that the conflict between israel and Gaza is a war of colonial conquest. 5 THE STORYTELLER (Dey street Books, $29.99). By Dave Grohl. the musician reflects on his life and career. 6 THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE (Penguin, $19). By Bessel van der kolk. a scientific look at how trauma can reshape a person9s body and brain. 7 AN IMMENSE WORLD (random house, $20). By ed yong. a science writer describes different ways sensory perception can be experienced in animals, including humans. 8 CRYING INHMART (Vintage, $17). By michelle Zauner. a korean american indie rock-star chronicles her relationship with her mother and their shared culture. 9 THE SONG Of THE CELL (scribner, $21). By siddhartha mukherjee. the Pulitzer Prize-winning doctor and researcher explains what the understanding of cells means to the past, present and possibly the future. 10 NOVELIST AS A VOCATION (Vintage, $17). By haruki murakami. the author of <norwegian Wood= and <1Q84= looks back at his life as a writer. rankings reflect sales for the week ended nov. 12. the charts may not be reproduced without permission from the american Booksellers association, the trade association for independent bookstores in the united states, and indiebound.org. copyright 2023 american Booksellers association. (the bestseller lists alternate between hardcover and paperback each week.) Washington Post Paperback Bestsellers courtesy of the american Booksellers association Book World Who needs new books? Here9s my rereading list. Most books we read just once. Excepting students of popular culture, who cares about yesterday9s bestsellers? Our thrift stores are awash in unwanted copies of <The Da Vinci Code.=Afew books, however, become lifelong companions, works we regularly turn to for comfort, solace, inspiration. Novelist Ruth Rendell once said that she reread Samuel Butler9s <The Way of All Flesh= every year 4 until finally switching her annual attentions to Ford Madox Ford9s <The Good Soldier.= Every December more than a few people pick up Charles Dickens9s <A Christmas Carol.= There are devotees who have practically memorized Jane Austen9s <Pride and Prejudice,= Rudyard Kipling9s <Kim= or Henry David Thoreau9s <Walden.= Yet between the books we read and those we reread periodically, there exists another category: the books we find ourselves crazy about and hope to revisit someday. While these can be recognized classics such as Plato9s <Symposium= or George Eliot9s <Middlemarch,= many are lesser-known, even slightly eccentric works that nonetheless spark in us an almost inexplicable delight. What follows is a list, annotated more or less from memory, of 22 books that enchanted me when I first encountered them and that I look forward to rereading. So take a look 4 perhaps it includes a favorite title or two of your own. 8Hermit of Peking: The Hidden Life of Sir Edmund Backhouse,9 by Hugh Trevor-Roper Known (and feared) for his intellectual rigor and scathing wit, historian TrevorRoper gradually unravels the truth about a distinguished British scholar and old China hand, who turns out to have been an inveterate rogue, cheat and forger. 8Nights at the Circus,9 by Angela Carter The misadventures and loves of Sophie Fevvers, an aerialist with real wings, deliciously related by England9s greatest magic realist. 8The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst,9 by Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall An amateur enters a solo round-the-world sailboat race in his trimaran the Teignmouth Electron, begins to cheat and then, somewhere off the coast of South America, goes mad. A gripping and harrowing journey into darkness, reconstructed from Crowhurst9s log by two ace journalists. 8Death of a Citizen,9 by Donald Hamilton As a teenager, I devoured the Matt Helm spy thrillers.In this first of a long series, Helm 4 a former OSS agent now married and working as a professional photographer 4 must abandon his safe, civilian life when figures from his past call him back into action. 8On the Shoulders of Giants: A Shandean Postscript,9 by Robert K. Merton An otherwise serious professor of sociology at Columbia, Merton here goes on a learnedly humorous spree as he traces, with footnotes, the origin and afterlife of Isaac Newton9s famous remark, <If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.= 8Eros the Bittersweet,9 by Anne Carson Learned, poetic and freewheeling, this philosophical meditation on love and desire established Carson as the most innovative and original classicist of her generation. <On the surface of it, the lover wants the beloved. This, of course, is not really the case.= Michael Dirda 8Anti-Intellectualism in American Life,9 by Richard Hofstadter When, back in the 1990s, I first read this enthralling, crisply written history of our country9s dismal attitudes toward learning, it seemed to illuminate every aspect of our politics and national character. My guess is that it still does. 8Wondrous Strange: The Life and Art of Glenn Gould,9 by Kevin Bazzana Besides being a great pianist, Gould was deeply neurotic about almost everything, preferred to eat just one meal a day 4 steak and potatoes 4 and enjoyed reading serious philosophy. Bazzana9s biography is utterly mesmerizing. As Gould used to say, <One does not play the piano with one9s fingers, one plays the piano with one9s mind.= 8The Pyrates,9 by George MacDonald Fraser An over-the-top comic romp sending up every nautical swashbuckler ever published or filmed. Its dramatis personae includes that paragon of English manhood, Ben Avery, the likable scoundrel Colonel Blood and, not least, Sheba, the ultrasexy pirate queen who, anachronistically, favors Gucci thigh-high boots. Written by the author of the racy adventures of Flashman, the Victorian soldier, cad, ladies man and survivalist. 8Life of Rossini,9 by Stendhal In another life, I wrote a dissertation on Henri Beyle, a.k.a. Stendhal. Of that endearing author9s lesser-known works, I remember being especially charmed by this hodgepodge of biography, reminiscence and travel guide, a factually unreliable but utterly delightful love letter to Italy and music. 8The New Apocrypha: A Guide to Strange Sciences and Occult Beliefs,9 by John Sladek Revered as science fiction9s most adept satirist and parodist (see his sendup of Philip K. Dick, <Solar Shoe-Salesman=), Sladek here surveys various crackpot cults and pseudosciences, outlining their nonsense in a tone alternating between wryly amused and deeply appalled. 8The Tale of Genji,9 by Murasaki Shikibu Is this the greatest novel in the world? I pretty much thought so as I read 4 30 years ago4the six volumes of Arthur Waley9s pioneering translation, first published in the 1920s and admired ever since for the beauty of its prose. When I eventually return to <The Tale of Genji,= though, I9ll probably switch to Royall Tyler9s more scholarly and accurate version in two fat volumes. 8Feasting With Panthers,9 by Rupert Croft-Cooke A sassily irreverent, but informed and informative, survey of the Uranian (homosexual) milieu around Oscar Wilde in late Victorian England. Like the archetypal wit and aesthete, Croft-Cooke also spenttime in prison for what was once called <gross indecency.= 8Invisible Cities,9 by Italo Calvino In one- or two-page vignettes, Marco Polo describes some of the more fantastic cities of Kublai Khan9s empire. A marvelous prosepoem of a book, William Weaver9s translation is now available in an elegant Folio Society edition that enhances Calvino9s imaginative chinoiserie with illustrations by Dave McKean and an admiring introduction by Jeannette Winterson. 8Another Part of the Wood: A Self Portrait,9 by Kenneth Clark Ever wonder about the ultracivilized host of that classic 1969 television series <Civilisation=? Scholar, connoisseur, museum director, television personality, aristocratic socialite, Clark here recalls his early life and those who shaped his mind, including Bernard Berenson. An irresistible memoir. 8Four Studies in Loyalty,9 by Christopher Sykes In the best of this book9s four portraits, Sykes affectionately memorializes Robert Byron, author of that seriocomic travel masterpiece <The Road to Oxiana,= which records the journey undertaken by these two friends through 1930s Persia and Afghanistan to research ancient churches and monuments. 8A Preface to Chaucer: Studies in Medieval Perspectives,9 by D.W. RobertsonJr. The past is often stranger than we imagine, which is why we need guides like <A Preface to Chaucer= to understand allegory, biblical symbolism and the nature of love in the poetry and art of Europe9s Middle Ages. Similar books include C.S. Lewis9s <The Discarded Image,= Erich Auerbach9s <Figura,= E.M.W. Tillyard9s <The Elizabethan World Picture= and Ernst Robert Curtius9s <European Literature and the Latin Middle Ages.=Icould happily reread them all. 8The Poisoned Chocolates Case,9 by Anthony Berkeley Who was the intended victim of the deadly box of candy? The stymied police consult the six members of the Crimes Circle, each of whom proffersadifferent, increasingly more sophisticated solution to the murder. A dazzling tour de force. 8Paris Journal: 1945-1965,9 by Janet Flanner Here, in effect, is the you-are-there cultural and political history of post-World War II France, as chronicled by the New Yorker9s legendary correspondent. My copy of the book once belonged to one of Flanner9s friends, the novelist Glenway Wescott, who in an inscription calls it <required reading= for any Francophile. Over the years I9ve occasionally dipped into this National Book Award winner but really should reread it 4 and its companion, <Paris Journal: 1965- 1970= 4 from start to finish. 8The Reckoning: The Murder of Christopher Marlowe,9 by Charles Nicholl The playwright who gave us <Dr. Faustus= 4 <Was this the face that launched a thousand ships?= 4 underwrote his poetry and plays with a shadowy second career as a spy. Did an argument over a bar bill, the socalled <reckoning,= lead to his death? Or was it a contract killing? The whole world of Elizabethan espionage is brought to blazing life in this true-crime masterpiece. 8Collector9s Progress,9 by W.S. Lewis The editor of Horace Walpole9s voluminous correspondence looks back on the fascinating and eccentric people he met 4 and the books he acquired 4 as he pursued material by the great 18th-century letter-writer and author of the first Gothic novel, <The Castle of Otranto.= 8Confessions of Felix Krull, Confidence Man,9 by Thomas Mann Mann9s last, incomplete novel recounts the adventures of a handsome young charlatan, a non-murderous Tom Ripley, who works as an elevator operator in a grand hotel and seduces and charms his way to success. It9s as effervescent as a bottle of Krug champagne. Michael Dirda is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and the author of the memoir <an open Book= and of four collections of essays: <readings,= <Bound to Please,= <Book by Book= and <classics for Pleasure.= BY RON CHARLES 8I f I9d a knowed what a trouble it was to makeabook I wouldn9t a tackled it.= 4 Huckleberry Finn I reckon Mark Meadows a knows just how Huck felt. Two years ago, President Donald Trump9s fourth and final White House chief of staff published a memoir called <The Chief9s Chief.= Now, Meadows is being sued by his own publisher. Even by the bizarro rules of Trumpworld, this is a weird upside down case. Our story begins in early 2021. According to thesuitfiledbyAllSeasonsPress,onJan.9,while the rest of the country was combing through the wreckage of the Capitol riot, Meadows was selling a book proposal. Multitasking! In its complaint, All Seasons states, <One of the Book9s primary theses is that President Trump was the true winner of the 2020 Presidential Election and thatthe election was stolen by President Biden through widespread election fraud.= As part of his contract, Meadows signed an agreement that <all statements contained in the Work are true and based on reasonable research for accuracy.= But before his book was published, All Seasons had reason to question Meadows9s fidelity to the election fraud story.In late 2021, Meadows gets real, gets sued hearing reports that Meadows <had turned on PresidentTrump,= All Seasons decided to withhold the final third of his advance <until the matter was satisfactorily resolved.= After some testy exchanges with Meadows about money, pre-publicity and his manuscript9s accuracy, All Seasons accepted the author9s <repeated assurances= and released <The Chief9s Chief.= Chapter 15 4 <The Long Con=4delivered the goods.It9s a flaccid lumpof sycophantic whining that asserts all the usual MAGA claims about <actual evidence of fraud= during the election. <President Trump knew that the numbers we were seeing weren9t accurate. They couldn9t be,= Meadows writes. <We were finding hundreds and often thousands of allegations of widespread fraud. They just kept on coming.= But then, again, as the various investigations into Trump progressed further, the publisher began to suspect that Meadows had changed his tune. The lawsuit alleges that Meadows told special prosecutor Jack Smith that <neither he nor former President Trump actually believed such claims= about widespread election fraud. <If such media reports are accurate,= the publisher states, <Meadows testified under oath that his Book contains known falsehoods.= Inasense, Meadows is accused of breaching his contract with All Seasons because he finally decided to tell the truth. In the lawsuit, All Seasons casts itself as shocked that Meadows9s ludicrous story about widespread election fraud was not, in fact, accurate.<With the media supplying ever increasingly credible evidence that Meadows lied in the Book,= the publisher <was ethically obliged and pulled the Book off the market on November 2, 2023.= That9s almost three years after the election, when Trump and his carnival of lawyers were raving about Democratic officials producingsuitcasesoffakeballotsandcountingvotesin foreign countries. If that9s how long it takes you to figure out that the Trump gang is lying, you shouldn9t be allowed outside withoutaminder. Now that the Kool-Aid is starting to lose its sweet taste, All Seasons argues that it should be reimbursed for the $350,000 advance paid to Meadows, along with $51,500 paid to a writer and researcher to assist him (!), and printing costs and other various expenses, including lost profits and damage to its reputation 4 all told about $3 million. What, honestly, did the publisher expect? Even people within the Kraken Zone of Kraziness know there9sno evidence thatthe election was <stolen= with help from <allies in the liberal media.= But now, having overpaid for a dull, unconvincing memoir, and with 140,000 copies rotting away unsold, All Seasons Press seems to have found a clever way to monetize its own willful gullibility. Perhaps a better title would be <The Chump9s Chump.= this article was excerpted from our free Book club newsletter. to subscribe, visitwapo.st/booknewsletter.
B4 EZ EE the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 best books BY WASHINGTON POST EDITORS AND REVIEWERS 8Saying It Loud: 1966 4 the Year Black Power Challenged the Civil Rights Movement9 By Mark Whitaker Whitaker charts an especially tumultuous period in the history of the civil rights movement. Focusing on the high-profile events and activists who seized national attention, he has written a fresh take on a transformative era. 8The Secret Gate: A True Story of Courage and Sacrifice During the Collapse of Afghanistan9 By Mitchell Zuckoff <The Secret Gate= describes, in compelling detail, the excruciating decisions faced by members of the U.S. diplomatic corps and military as they decided whom to evacuate and whom to leave behind during the fall of Kabul in the summer of 2021. 8Spare9 By Prince Harry Perhaps the most talked-about book of 2023 as well as one of the best-selling, the Duke of Sussex9s memoir delivered all the gossip readers wanted 4 and more. All the while, the prince comes off as good-natured, rancorous, humorous, self-righteous and selfdeprecating, if long-winded. 8Starkweather: The Untold Story of the Killing Spree That Changed America9 By Harry N. MacLean In this methodical investigation of a string of murders committed by Charles Starkweather in Nebraska in 1958, MacLean calls attention to the relative innocence of Starkweather9s teenage girlfriend and explores the changing national climate that made the killings such objects of fascination. 8The Story of a Life: Books 1-39 By Konstantin Paustovsky, translated from the Russian by Douglas Smith By the time of his death in 1968, Paustovsky was one of the Soviet Union9s most beloved writers. His autobiographical magnum opus (or part of it), throughout which he is often in the immediate vicinity of history being made, has now been reissued in this fine new translation. 8To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul9 By Tracy K. Smith This book is mostly about Smith9s genealogical investigations and the archival dead ends created by racist institutions. Smith is a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, and on nearly every page is a phrase or sentence to marvel over. 8UFO: The Inside Story of the U.S. Government9s Search for Alien Life Here 4 and Out There9 By Garrett M. Graff Are we alone? This is, in essence, the question at the heart of Graff9s new book, which explores the past 80 or so years of UFO history, looking at decades of federal, private and scientific research. 8Under the Eye of Power: How Fear of Secret Societies Shapes American Democracy9 By Colin Dickey Dickey vividly retells the histories of many of the conspiratorial fables that Americans have used to frighten and mobilize themselves, offering complex, well-informed analyses. 8The Upside-Down World: Meetings With the Dutch Masters9 By Benjamin Moser If you like visiting the Dutch and Flemish galleries at your favorite museum to commune with Rembrandt and Vermeer, Moser9s book is an excellent companion: conversational and congenial, essayistic and elevating. 8The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder9 by David Grann A tightly written, relentless account that is hard to put down, the latest by Grann (<Killers of the Flower Moon=) is an 18th-century tale in which everything goes wrong over and over 4 and over 4 again. 8Waiting to be Arrested at Night: A Uyghur Poet9s Memoir of China9s Genocide9 By Tahir Hamut Izgil When mass detentions swept China9s Xinjiang province in 2017, the author of this quietly terrifying memoir was a rising Uyghur writer. Now safely settled with his family in Washington, he9s one of the few who escaped. 8We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America9 By Roxanna Asgarian Jennifer and Sarah Hart, a White married couple, adopted a set of three biracial siblings in 2006 and three Black siblings two years later. Asgarian9s riveting gut punch of a book recounts the family9s horrific headline-making tragedy and the broader story of child welfare in America. 8When Crack Was King: A People9s History of a Misunderstood Era9 By Donovan X. Ramsey Ramsey9s book is a master class in disrupting a stubborn narrative. It9s a deeply personal, panoramic political history of Black America, crack cocaine, and the disastrous drug laws and policies that are still on the books. 8Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage9 By Jonny Steinberg Steinberg9s epic book is about the Mandelas, South Africa9s most famous, beloved and beleaguered couple, charismatic public figures whose love affair became a national legend and a personal nightmare. 8Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother9 By Peggy O9Donnell Heffington Why aren9t Americans having more babies? Heffington rebuts several unsubstantiated yet persistent answers, and shows that systemic and institutional explanations are the most useful. 8The Wounded World: W.E.B. Du Bois and the First World War9 By Chad L. Williams This compulsively readable narrative revisits Du Bois9s unsuccessful efforts to complete a definitive history of Black participation in World War I, following his controversial editorial urging Black Americans to join the war effort. 8The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church9 By Rachel L. Swarns With great detail, Swarns tells the story of the enslaved people sold by the Jesuits in 1838 to save Georgetown College, today9s Georgetown University. <The 272= makes the case for reckoning with this painful past that made the wealth of the Catholic Church and our nation. 8Affinities: On Art and Fascination9 By Brian Dillon <Affinities= is a compendium of pictures, mostly photographs or stills from films, printed on otherwise blank pages and followed by bouts of commentary, forays into <the mundane miracle of looking.= 8Althea: The Life of Tennis Champion Althea Gibson9 By Sally H. Jacobs In 1957, Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to win the Wimbledon singles title. She also accomplished a remarkable number of other firsts. Jacobs9s lively book is one of two Gibson biographies published this year: Ashley Brown9s <Serving Herself,= a bit more academic in approach, is equally worthy. 8American Gun: The True Story of the AR-159 By Cameron McWhirter and Zusha Elinson <American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15= is a deeply reported, engrossing account of the rifle, tracing its evolution from battlefield combat to today9s domestic carnage and culture war. 8The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession9 By Michael Finkel Finkel revisits the exploits of Stéphane Breitwieser, the most prolific art robber in history. The book delves into his methods and reveals how his missteps ultimately led to his capture. 8The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions9 By Jonathan Rosen Rosen9s haunting book recounts the author9s friendship, starting at 10 years old, with Michael Laudor, who as an adult would be diagnosed with schizophrenia and make national headlines when he murdered his fiancé. Rosen deftly moves from historical analysis to the deeply personal. 8The Big Break: The Gamblers, Party Animals and True Believers Trying to Win in Washington While America Loses Its Mind9 by Ben Terris Washington Post reporter Terris follows Beltway newcomers and bit players who have come to D.C. seeking to rise and prosper 4 or, in some cases, merely survive 4 amid the chaotic aftermath of the Trump era. 8Built From the Fire: The Epic Story of Tulsa9s Greenwood District, America9s Black Wall Street9 By Victor Luckerson Tulsa9s Greenwood District was a beacon of success and an unapologetic example of Black self-determination. Over the course of two days in 1921, thousands of White people destroyed it and killed more than 300 people. Luckerson9s exceptional account is complex and empathetic. 8Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and The Washington Post9 By Martin Baron Baron became executive editor of The Post in 2013 after a storied tenure at the Boston Globe. This memoir provides an inside look at his steering The Post through a change in ownership and the Trump presidency. 8Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change9 By Ben Austen Austen constructs this illuminating investigation of the inequities and injustices of the parole system around intimate portraits of Johnnie Veal and Michael Henderson, two Black men convicted of murder as teenagers in 1970s Illinois. 8The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight9 By Andrew Leland Leland9s memoir is less a ledger of loss than an accounting of how blindness transforms his life, from performing routine tasks to seeking out new experiences. 8The Critic9s Daughter: A Memoir9 By Priscilla Gilman Gilman reflects on her relationship with her father, the famed literary critic Richard Gilman, offering an account of a child9s confounding adoration for her parent. 8Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America9 By Heather Cox Richardson The history professor behind Substack9s wildly popular newsletter <Letters From an American= looks at our current anxious age as if it9s a crime in a detective novel. 8The Dictionary People: The Unsung Heroes Who Created the Oxford English Dictionary9 By Sarah Ogilvie Behind the estimable Oxford English Dictionary was an army of some 3,000 volunteers who supplied the quotations that are the particular glory of the OED. Ogilvie tells the fascinating story of these unsung contributors. 8Don9t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You: A Memoir9 By Lucinda Williams The singer-songwriter shares the details of her hardscrabble Southern youth, material that fed some of her more melancholic songs. Williams9s flinty voice comes through without any self-pity. 8Fatherland: A Memoir of War, Conscience, and Family Secrets9 By Burkhard Bilger Bilger9s grandfather was a member of the Nazi party who was accused of murder. In trying to find the truth, Bilger has written an elegant and ambivalent book animated by an insoluble mystery. 8A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan9s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them9 By Timothy Egan Egan9s latest is a highly readable chronicle of the Ku Klux Klan9s resurrection during the early 20th century and a terrifying study of one particular Klan leader. 8Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World9 By John Vaillant Vaillant tells the story of a devastating wildfire that swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta, in 2016, mounting a systematic investigation into all the factors that conspired to wreak such havoc. 8George: A Magpie Memoir9 By Frieda Hughes Hughes, a poet and artist (and daughter of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes), chronicles the months she cared for an injured magpie. This poignant, funny book includes Hughes9s sweet drawings of George. 8Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture and Control in Cold War America9 By Andrew C. McKevitt In this crisply written and incisive work, McKevitt chronicles the transformation of guns from tangible weapons to ideological ammunition, starting with guns arriving in America in unprecedented quantities after World War II. 8An Inconvenient Cop: My Fight to Change Policing in America9 By Edwin Raymond, with Jon Sternfeld Raymond, a former New York City police officer, took a stand against the system, filing a class-action lawsuit over arrest quotas. Here he spells out what9s wrong with law enforcement in America, and he calls for meaningful police reform. 8Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew From It9 By Greg Marshall Marshall9s memoir is about being born with cerebral palsy and not being told about it until he was 30. The book is also a gay coming-of-age story and surprisingly funny, never slowing in its energy, hope and warmth. 8Liliana9s Invincible Summer: A Sister9s Search for Justice9 By Cristina Rivera Garza In 1990, Liliana Rivera Garza was killed in Mexico. Nearly 30 years later, her older sister, Cristina, set out to find out what happened to her. Part memoir, part true-crime story, Garza9s chronicle is both personal and political. 8Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages9 By Carmela Ciuraru Ciuraru studies five literary couples, including Roald Dahl and Patricia Neal, as a way to show how not to be married. The book highlights the negotiations and compromises in these pairings, demonstrating how subservience and disparity undermine relationships. 8Lou Reed: The King of New York9 By Will Hermes Hermes brings a blend of rhapsody and scholarly dispassion, love and skepticism to his beautifully researched and written biography of the legendary Velvet Underground frontman. 8Monsters: A Fan9s Dilemma9 By Claire Dederer In her vital, exhilarating book, Dederer considers how to view the work of creative <geniuses= who are known to be <muscular, unfettered, womanizing, virile, cruel.= How badly must an artist behave before he is canceled? In this breezy and confessional accounting, the answer isn9t definitive, but the work of pondering is a thrill. 8Number Go Up: Inside Crypto9s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall9 By Zeke Faux This boisterous book by Bloomberg reporter Faux focuses largely on the meteoric rise of the <stablecoin= tether. Sam Bankman-Fried makes appearances, but Faux9s entertaining and disturbing account is about much more than the convicted FTX founder. 8Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell9 By Sy Montgomery The naturalist Montgomery captures the wonder of animals without taming them. Here she revels in the charm and wonder of turtles, while also calling attention to the dangers they face in the modern world. 8Pageboy: A Memoir9 By Elliot Page Page, who publicly came out as transgender in 2020, charts the tremendous emotional and psychological effort it took for him to confront suffocating social messaging about gender and sexuality. 8The People9s Hospital: Hope and Peril in American Medicine9 By Ricardo Nuila Physician Nuila has spent his career at Ben Taub, a <safety net= hospital in Houston, created to help those without health insurance gain access to care. In writing about that facility, he attempts to untangle the labyrinthine system of American hospitals and, more crucially, American medical insurance. 8The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos9 By Jaime Green Science journalist Green examines the many ways humans have turned their eyes to the skies in search of other forms of existence in the cosmos in this wideranging survey. 8President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier9 By C.W. Goodyear James Garfield served just 200 days as president, 80 of which he spent dying after being shot by an assassin. In the hands of Goodyear, his life becomes a fascinating national portrait of an imperfect union struggling across its first century to live up to the promise of its founding. 8The Red Hotel: Moscow 1941, the Metropol Hotel, and the Untold Story of Stalin9s Propaganda War9 By Alan Philps Most Western journalists in the Soviet Union during World War II ended up confined to Moscow9s Metropol Hotel, filing censored stories. In telling about the past, Philps9s book raises questions about our present and how audiences should interpret news about contemporary conflicts. 8The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History9 By Ned Blackhawk Even as the telling of American history has become more complex and nuanced, Native Americans tend to be absent. Blackhawk, a professor at Yale, confronts that absence in this sweeping account of how Native Americans shaped the country legally, politically and culturally. 50 notable works of nonûction
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post EZ EE B5 best books BY WASHINGTON POST EDITORS AND REVIEWERS 8Old God9s Time9 By Sebastian Barry Barry9s protagonist, Tom Kettle, is a retired police detective who finds himself caught up in an unsolved case from decades before. The story plays out in ways that repeatedly surprise, but its twists and turns are less important than its steady emotional beats. 8Open Throat9 By Henry Hoke <Open Throat= is about a queer mountain lion, but only in the way <The Metamorphosis= is about a large bug. It was inspired by the true story of a cougar that prowled around Los Angeles for a decade. Hoke9s narrator is thirsty and hungry 4 and transfixed by what he sees around him. 8Our Share of Night9 By Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowell A masterpiece of genre mash-up, the Argentine writer9s first novel published in English slathers on supernatural conceits. How better to respond to her country9s violent history than with a shadowy sect teeming with wraiths and demons and a dynastic family that would sacrifice its own to maintain power? 8The Reformatory9 By Tananarive Due Set in the Jim Crow South in 1950, <The Reformatory= unsparingly depicts the violence and trauma inflicted on the children and teenagers at a juvenile-detention home inspired by a real-life story. From this grim past, Due has fashioned an enthralling tale of resilience and hope. 8Same Bed Different Dreams9 By Ed Park <Same Bed Different Dreams= is a supremely cool novel, commanding an eye-popping array of cultural references in the service of a conspiratorial narrative about the secret history of Korea. Its prevailing tone is elegant and a little arch, with titrated moments of loveliness. 8Small Mercies9 By Dennis Lehane Lehane is in <Mystic River= territory here: 1970s Boston, where a teen is missing from her Southie home and a parent is hellbent on finding her. Mary Pat Fennessy9s quest to track down her daughter 4 and her killer 4 is set against the backdrop of a city alight with racial tensions. 8Straw Dogs of the Universe9 By Ye Chun Set in the expanding American West, Chun9s haunting saga honors the resilience of 19th-century Chinese immigrants despite the horrors they faced. Sold to a human trafficker by her desperate mother, 10-year-old Sixiang arrives in America hoping to find her father and reunite their family. 8The Sunset Crowd9 By Karin Tanabe Set in late-1970s Hollywood, Tanabe9s latest gets its shape and heft from another decadent decade: the 1920s, and more specifically <The Great Gatsby.= Tanabe casts women in the main roles in a novel that offers a surprising twist on a classic. 8Tom Lake9 By Ann Patchett Patchett9s bestseller is about all kinds of love: romantic love, marital love and maternal love, but also the love of animals, the love of stories, love of the land and trees. A heart is broken at some point, but it breaks without affecting the remarkable warmth of the book, set in summer9s fullest bloom. (Book World review.) 8Tremor9 By Teju Cole Cole, the author of <Open City,= continues to demonstrate just how elastic a novel can be. His new book, revolving around a Nigerian-born professor, lacks a traditional plot but is animated by its protagonist9s persistent introspection and his constant negotiation with America and its mythologizing impulse. 8The Unsettled9 By Ayana Mathis Mathis9s second novel (after the best-selling <The Twelve Tribes of Hattie= in 2012) is about the struggles of a woman named Ava and her son, Toussaint, in 1980s Philadelphia, as well as Ava9s estranged mother in Alabama. The novel is an antidote to the casual depersonalization its characters endure. 8Up With the Sun9 By Thomas Mallon Small-time actor Dick Kallman became tabloid news in 1980 when he and his partner were brutally murdered. Part murder mystery, part showbiz history, Mallon9s fictionalized account of Kallman9s life and death is an engaging portrayal of a closeted celebrity hungry for success and a portrait of 980s New York. 8Vengeance Is Mine9 By Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump This novel about a lonely French lawyer revisited by a figure from her past is set against the backdrop of a sensational murder trial. NDiaye9s ability to simultaneously embody all the fractured parts of a character9s mind makes her protagonist9s spiral engrossingly, utterly human. 8Victory City9 By Salman Rushdie Though this novel was completed before Rushdie was brutally attacked at the Chautauqua Institution in 2022, it9s impossible not to read parts of the grand fantasy as an allegory of the author9s struggles against sectarian hatred and ignorance. 8Vintage Contemporaries9 By Dan Kois <Vintage Contemporaries= centers on two young women new to New York and eager to make their mark. Kois channels the more subtle appeal of Laurie Colwin9s novels, which celebrate the small joys of life 4 friendship, martini olives, a handwritten note. 8The Wren, the Wren9 By Anne Enright In this wondrous novel, Enright explores the lasting impact of a father abandoning his critically ill wife and two young daughters. His departure reverberates through three generations of women, leaving them with a knotted legacy of pain, mystery, confusion 4 and love. 8The World and All That It Holds9 By Aleksandar Hemon This would be an audacious title for a book by anybody except God 4 or Hemon. His charismatic novel wends its way across Europe and Asia during the first half of the 20th century as two soldiers fall in love while trying to survive the trenches of World War I. 8After the Funeral9 By Tessa Hadley The new collection by the English short-story virtuoso Hadley concerns her familiar themes: the oft-doomed quest for an authentic self; families that are distant and duplicitous; and exhausted marriages. 8After Sappho9 By Selby Wynn Schwartz Schwartz9s first novel follows a meandering course through the late 19th century into the early 20th, focusing on the lives and overlapping connections of an array of real women, most of them artists. The result is not quite narrative fiction and not quite history either, but it is both fascinating and brilliant. 8Age of Vice9 By Deepti Kapoor On the first page of this sprawling saga of a thriller, a Mercedes speeding through Delhi careens off the street and kills five people, including a pregnant woman. That deadly accident ricochets through one of India9s most powerful crime families 4 and from there the intrigue never pauses to take a breath. 8Barbara Isn9t Dying9 by Alina Bronsky, translated by Tim Mohr In this dark comedy, the hidden story of a difficult marriage is slowly revealed as a husband cares for his terminally ill wife. Bronsky has carefully constructed a novel about fragile identities and the intimacies of smalltown German life. 8Birnam Wood9 By Eleanor Catton In New Zealand, a collective of guerrilla gardeners ends up at odds with a brash billionaire who wants land to build a bunker. Ten years after Catton won the Booker Prize for <The Luminaries,= this sleek thriller proves she9s a master at adapting literary forms to her own sly purposes. 8Blackouts9 By Justin Torres Torres9s shimmering, fable-like novel revolves around a heavily modified edition of <Sex Variants: A Study of Homosexual Patterns,= a landmark report from 1941. The novel9s text is intercut with photographs, illustrations and heavily redacted passages from <Sex Variants.= 8Chain-Gang All-Stars9 By Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah This satire about prison inmates used for gladiator-style entertainment is a devastating indictment of our penal system and our attendant enthusiasm for violence. Like <1984= and <The Handmaid9s Tale,= it should permanently shift our understanding of who we are and what we9re capable of doing. 8Confidence9 By Rafael Frumkin Two best friends found a company that promises consumers a lifetime of bliss. Watching their con come undone is part of the pleasure of this page-turning satire, which skewers bloviating billionaires, scam start-ups and the wellness industrial complex. 8Crook Manifesto9 By Colson Whitehead The latest novel by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Whitehead is a sequel to his best-selling <Harlem Shuffle.= With these books, Whitehead has identified deficiencies in the noir genre, and injected beauty and grace into its often too-predictable and clichéd conventions. 8Dayswork9 By Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel <Dayswork= is a brief, illuminating book about Herman Melville and marriage. Co-authored by a married couple, its fragments of words seem to bob on a sea of blank white pages, the ideas coming together elegantly and with deadpan timing. 8Devil Makes Three9 By Ben Fountain This deeply humane political thriller by the author of <Billy Lynn9s Long Halftime Walk= takes place in Haiti following the 1991 coup. Fountain deftly re-creates this geopolitical crisis without a hint of the lecturing tone that can make some works of historical fiction feel as lively as a textbook. 8Enter Ghost9 By Isabella Hammad When a London-based Palestinian actress visits family in Haifa, she winds up agreeing to appear in a West Bank production of <Hamlet.= As she begins to confront her complex guilt about the politically unencumbered life she leads in England, the production reels her to the heart of the political tensions in the region. 8Family Meal9 By Bryan Washington A man in free fall after the death of his partner returns home to Houston, where he numbs himself with drugs and anonymous sex. But all is not lost. Washington is a generous writer, with a profound capacity to face the cruelty and pain of contemporary American life while still allowing for hope. 8Family Lore9 By Elizabeth Acevedo Acevedo9s first novel for adults explores the bonds of a Dominican family in New York, tracing the lives of each of the family9s women to highlight the sometimes riotous, sometimes hard-won love of immigrant families and their sacrifices. 8The Faraway World9 By Patricia Engel In 10 compelling stories, Engel explores the indignities faced by new Americans. What makes the collection so rich and compelling is that the Colombian American author places her tales in the context of universal themes. 8The Fraud9 By Zadie Smith In the 1860s, a butcher with a shadowy past claimed that he was Sir Roger Tichborne, the heir to a vast fortune who had been presumed dead. This case is just part of what powers the latest by Smith, who shows herself as adept with historical fiction as she is with courtroom drama. 8The Guest9 By Emma Cline This quintessentially American tale is a smoldering exploration of desire and deception from the point of view of an escort. When she begins receiving threatening text messages from an old acquaintance demanding the money she stole, she escapes to the Hamptons. Needing food and a place to stay 4 and painkillers if she can find them 4 she looks upon these summer folks as a field ready to harvest. 8A Haunting on the Hill9 By Elizabeth Hand This remake of Shirley Jackson9s gothic classic <The Haunting of Hill House= is a perfect hybrid of old and new. The story stays true to Jackson9s vision while becoming a thrill of its own. 8Hello Beautiful9 by Ann Napolitano Loosely based on <Little Women,= Napolitano9s latest centers on William, who marries into a March-like family. Napolitano catalogues the multitudes of love and hurt that families contain, and lays bare their powers to both damage and heal. 8The House of Doors9 By Tan Twan Eng Eng9s historical novel reimagines W. Somerset Maugham9s visit to Malaysia, an experience that inspired his short story <The Letter.= Tan folds Maugham into a multilayered tale about high-society Penang, British colonialism and Chinese rebellions. 8The House on Via Gemito9 By Domenico Starnone, translated by Oonagh Stransky <The House on Via Gemito= is a vivid, richly detailed drama, narrated by a boy at pains to understand his father, a struggling artist. An additional note of interest: Many Italians believe that Starnone is the writer behind the pseudonym Elena Ferrante. 8The Iliad9 By Homer, translated by Emily Wilson Wilson has forged a poetic style in English that captures the essence of Homeric Greek. Avoiding both glorification of violence and mere tedium allows her to bring out the real themes of the poem: the human relationships that bind us into communities, made bittersweet by mortality and loss. 8I Have Some Questions for You9 By Rebecca Makkai In this meta murder mystery, Makkai explores the way the mistreatment of women and girls is repressed, mythologized, and transmuted into lurid gossip and entertainment. Bodie Kane, a professor and podcaster, returns to her prestigious New Hampshire school 25 years after a murder there. 8I Will Greet the Sun Again9 By Khashayar J. Khabushani This is a novel of survival and longing and love, and in many ways a modern portrait of an artist as a young man. Its protagonist, known to us as K, is the youngest of three Muslim Iranian American brothers. In telling K9s story, Khabushani perfectly captures the Iranian American experience. 8In Memoriam9 By Alice Winn <In Memoriam= is a World War I novel with an aching love story at its core. With echoes of <Brokeback Mountain,= Winn elegantly portrays a time and place where homosexual love was repressed, leaving two boarding school classmates unsure whether their affection for the other is reciprocated. 8Let Us Descend9 By Jesmyn Ward Two-time National Book Award winner Ward travels back in time to tell the story of an enslaved girl named Annis who9s a descendant of an African warrior. As she9s forced to march hundreds of miles to New Orleans, her horrifying journey is punctuated by visions of ghosts, including that of her indomitable grandmother. (Book World review.) 8Lone Women9 By Victor LaValle LaValle9s horror-tinged latest takes place on the starkest Great Plains frontier. In 1915, Adelaide Henry flees her Black farming community in Southern California to homestead on a bare-bones Montana acreage, toting a loosely shackled steamer trunk that barely restrains a fitful demon. 8The Madstone9 By Elizabeth Crook In 19th-century Texas, Benjamin, a young carpenter, winds up on a dangerous journey after he meets a pregnant woman and her 4-year-old son, who are on the run from her murderous husband. Benjamin agrees to shepherd the pair toward a faraway haven, but their journey is littered with obstacles. 8The Most Secret Memory of Men9 By Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, translated by Lara Vergnaud In 2021, Sarr9s novel was awarded France9s premier literary prize, the Goncourt. The story is told by a Parisbased Senegalese writer who, while struggling to produce a second novel of great literary merit, becomes obsessed with the story of a once-promising and nowforgotten writer. 8My Father9s House9 By Joseph O9Connor Based on the true story of a group in Vatican City whose daring exploits during World War II saved lives, O9Connor9s narrative charts the buildup and countdown to their mission. The result is a gripping drama featuring the unlikeliest of heroes, whom the reader will root for every step of the way. 8My Name Is Iris9 By Brando Skyhorse Skyhorse takes the classic immigrant success story and ferments it in MAGA hysteria. His heroine 4 whose real name is Inés 4 was raised in the United States by Mexican-born parents determined to give her every advantage of their adopted land. Heeding her parents9 advice, she becomes an ideal upper-middle-class citizen. At least, until a wall suddenly appears in her yard, rising higher all the time. 8The New Naturals9 By Gabriel Bump Bump9s second novel is the story of a grieving young couple, two academics, who decide to found a utopian community in western Massachusetts. The tale also follows several pilgrims making their way to the experiment and explores the many ways in which a utopia is hard to realize. 8No One Prayed Over Their Graves9 By Khaled Khalifa, translated by Leri Price Khalifa, who died in September, was one of Syria9s most celebrated contemporary novelists, though his work is banned there. Here he plunges into Aleppo9s past in a lush, elegiac story of two friends whose lives are altered by a flood that devastates their village. 50 notable works of ûction
B6 EZ EE the washington post . best bThebebooof 2 8The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store9 By James McBride The National Book Awardwinning author of <The Good Lord Bird= sets this exuberant novel in a ramshackle Pennsylvania neighborhood before and during the Great Depression. There, Black and Jewish residents come together to hide an orphan from state officials who want to send the boy to a harrowing institution ruled by a violent fiend. Such circumstances might seem to promise a grim tale, but this is a book by James McBride. Vitality and humor thrum through his stories even in the shadows of despair. This vibrant, loveaffirming novel bounds over any difference that claims to separate us. 8Loot9 By Tania James A real-life object of fascination 4 an 18th-century automaton depicting a tiger biting into an Englishman9s neck 4 is the basis for this novel. The story begins in Mysore with a 17- year-old peasant who has a talent for carving mechanical toys, and spans decades as the curiosity he creates changes hands and crosses continents. James moves within the historical record while freely exploiting its considerable gaps and silences. Her prose is lush with the sights, sounds and smells of India, France and England, and always laced with Dickensian wit. 8The MANIAC9 By Benjamín Labatut Like Labatut9s last book, <When We Cease to Understand the World= (2021), <The MANIAC= is captivating and unclassifiable, at once a historical novel and a philosophical foray. Its resident genius is the polymath and pioneering computer scientist John von Neumann, who displays <a sinister, machinelike intelligence.= The book9s many narrators offer a polyphonic portrait of the brilliant, frustrating von Neumann, and its extraordinary final segment brings us to the wonder and potential danger of artificial intelligence. Labatut is a writer of thrilling originality. <The MANIAC= is a work of dark, eerie and singular beauty. 8North Woods9 By Daniel Mason Mason plants his novel on an expanse of land in western Massachusetts where, over centuries, various absorbing tales unfold and interweave. There9s an illicit marriage between two Puritan runaways, a shocking, brutal murder and an enslaved woman fleeing north. The silent spaces between these stories articulate what the residents can9t, as their errant lives begin locking together in a winding chain of unlikely history. Elegantly designed with photos and illustrations, this is a timespanning, genre-blurring work of storytelling magic. Mason has a light, mischievous touch, and it9s hard to imagine there is anything he can9t do. 8The Bee Sting9 By Paul Murray Murray9s novel, shortlisted for the Booker Prize, reads like an instant classic. In it, the gleaming facade of one Irish family 4 a successful car dealer, his legendarily beautiful wife and their two children 4 begins to fracture under the weight of long-held secrets. Murray is a fantastically witty and empathetic writer, and he dazzles by somehow bringing the great sprawling randomness of life to glamorously choreographed climaxes. He is essentially interested in the moral conflicts of our lives, and he handles his characters and their failings with heartbreaking tenderness. FICTION BY BOOK WILLUSTRATION BY KFOR THE WASH
sunday, november 19, 2023 EZ EE B7 books e 10 est oks 2023 8How to Say Babylon9 By Safiya Sinclair Born in a seaside Jamaican village near Montego Bay, Sinclair grew up in a strict Rastafarian family on the fringe of a hedonistic tourist mecca. She wanted more than the Rasta wifedom that was mapped out for her, and in this lushly observed memoir, she chronicles how she threw off that yoke. Doing so risked the wrath of her father, a reggae musician who feared that corrupting Western influences would ruin his daughter. The book grabs the reader with the beauty of its words (Sinclair is also a published poet), but it sticks because of the thorniness and complexity of its ideas. 8Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia9 By Gary J. Bass The post-World War II war crimes trial in Tokyo of leading Japanese military and civilian perpetrators lasted from May 1946 to November 1948 and resulted in 16 life sentences and seven hangings, including that of the wartime prime minister and minister of war, Hideki Tojo. This trial 4 far more complex, drawn-out and contentious than the Nuremberg proceedings 4 is the subject of Bass9s comprehensive, landmark and riveting book. Bass employs the complexities of the trial as a fulcrum to sketch a wide canvas, documenting not just atrocities and attempts at justice but the history of World War II in Asia. 8King: A Life9 By Jonathan Eig Eig9s book is the most compelling account of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.9s life in a generation. To write it, he conducted more than 200 interviews, including with scores of people old enough to have known or observed King, and pieced together numerous accounts gathered by other journalists and scholars, some of them never published before. The result might be described as a deeply reported psychobiography 4 one infused with the narrative energy of a thriller, as Eig vividly reconstructs some of the story9s most dramatic turning points. 8The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts: The True Story of The Bondwoman9s Narrative9 By Gregg Hecimovich In 2001, the professor and literary scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. purchased an unheralded novel of unknown authorship at an auction. He verified that it was authentic and had probably been written by a Black person before 1860. It was published to wide acclaim and robust sales as <The Bondwoman9s Narrative.= Hecimovich9s book tells the incredible story of Hannah Crafts, the woman who wrote it, and of Hecimovich9s tireless efforts to discover her identity and reconstruct her trajectory. The result is an inspired amalgam of genres 4 part thriller, part mystery and part biography. 8The Bathysphere Book: Effects of the Luminous Ocean Depths9 By Brad Fox In 1930, the naturalist William Beebe descended deep into the ocean in a 41/2-foot steel sphere, describing what he saw outside the porthole through a telephone wire that rose to the surface. By turns philosophical and elegiac, Fox9s history of Beebe9s explorations is a hypnotic ode to the world beneath the waves. This is no straightforward narrative but a book built from scraps that belie its intricate engineering. It is also an exceptionally beautiful object, bursting with full-color illustrations and paintings of the creatures Beebe encountered. WORLD STAFF KARLOTTA FREIER HINGTON POST N O N F ICTI O N
B8 eZ ee the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 best books BY KAREN MACPHERSON The case of the delighted reader iLLusTraTion by KarLoTTa freier for The WashingTon PosT Sister Amity Gay, after police call it a suicide. Glory, however, is certain it was murder, and she sets off, with the help of her lawyer daughter, to find the perpetrator, ignoring violent efforts by the top drug boss in Lafayette, La., to get her to drop the case. 8Hollow Beasts9 By Alisa Lynn Valdés When her husband suddenly dies, Boston academic Jodi Luna moves back to the rugged New Mexico wilderness where she was raised, and she trains to become a game warden. Jodi9s first case involves an extremist group, operating out of the nearby mountains, that kidnaps young minority women to torture and kill them as a political statement. Valdés, a native New Mexican, delivers a suspenseful tale highlighting issues of racism and white supremacy. 8The Last Devil to Die9 By Richard Osman This fourth volume in Osman9s beloved Thursday Murder Club series, starring a quartet of septuagenarian sleuths, may be his best yet. Once again, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron must use their wits to track down a killer, but this time the danger they face also serves as a valuable distraction from a tragic situation close to home. Keep a hankie handy for this one. 8The Last Remains9 By Elly Griffiths Griffiths offers readers a splendid parting gift as she concludes her popular series featuring English archaeologist/detective Ruth Galloway. In her final outing, Galloway must not only figure out the story behind a human skeleton discovered during the renovation of a cafe but also resolve her long-term, roller-coaster relationship with Chief Inspector Harry Nelson. 8The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp9 By Leonie Swann With its wildly veering plot, witty writing and unconventional characters that include a tortoise and a dog named Brexit, <The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp= reads more like a screwball comedy than a murder mystery. Don9t be fooled, however: There9s a murder 4 actually three of them 4 to be solved, and the elderly residents of an informal English retirement home called Sunset Hall are on the case. First published in German in 2020 and translated by Amy Bojang, Swann9s mystery is different, delightful and deep. 8Symphony of Secrets9 By Brendan Slocumb <The Violin Conspiracy= author presents another page-turner exploring race, greed and obsession in the music world through two intertwined stories. The first, set in the 1920s, tells how a mediocre White composer named Frederick Delaney becomes famous when he passes off the extraordinary music of Josephine Reed, a neurodivergent Black woman, as his own. The second story takes place in the present, as two young Black researchers stumble on Delaney9s secret and vow to ensure that Reed gets the credit she deserves, thus becoming targets of the rich, powerful foundation Delaney created before his death. 8Vera Wong9s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers9 By Jesse Q. Sutanto When 60-year-old widow Vera Wong finds a man9s body on the floor of her San Francisco teahouse, the police say it9s an accidental death. But the plain-spoken Vera firmly believes that the man was murdered, and she fearlessly sets out to find the killer, using her specially chosen teas and home-cooked meals as bait. As she did in her best-selling <Dial A for Aunties,= Sutanto uses her Indochinese heritage to add further interest to a fast-paced and often hilarious mystery. Karen MacPherson is the former children9s and teen coordinator at the Takoma Park Maryland Library and a lifelong mystery fan. I t was a great year for mystery readers, with notable books by longtime-favorite authors and a crop of new voices whose stories added depth and breadth to the genre. Here are 10 titles that stood out. 8The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies9 By Alison Goodman Lady Augusta and Lady Julia Colebrook, 40-something twin sisters in 19th-century England, may be dismissed as inconsequential old maids, but using their smarts, wealth and grit, they create a secret <benevolent society= focused on alleviating, one case at a time, the society-sanctioned maltreatment of women. Goodman skillfully blends mystery, adventure and a dash of romance in this first-of-a-series book. 8Blood Sisters9 By Vanessa Lillie Syd Walker, a Cherokee archaeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Rhode Island, reluctantly leaves her wife, Mal, to return to her native Oklahoma after her sister vanishes. Despite increasingly murderous attempts to stop her, Syd refuses to give up her quest to find her sister. Lillie, a member of the Cherokee Nation, presents a vividly written mystery centered on the real-life issue of the many missing and murdered Native American women. 8The Body by the Sea9 By Jean-Luc Bannalec Commissaire Georges Dupin9s holiday plans are rudely interrupted when someone pushes a noted doctor out of a top-floor window in the French harbor city of Concarneau. As the cantankerous but brilliant Dupin searches for the killer, he uncovers hidden, cutthroat political and social rivalries that roil beneath the surface. In the end, it is Georges Simenon9s <The Yellow Dog,= a classic Maigret mystery set in Concarneau, that helps Dupin solve the case. 8Glory Be9 By Danielle Arceneaux This debut mystery introduces the unforgettable Glory Broussard, who decides to investigate the death of her best friend, A six-part podcast | no-knock warrants can destroy Listen wherever you get your podcasts Broken Doors lives. Why are they so easy to obtain and carry out? N0229 6x1
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post EZ EE B9 best books BY ALLISON CHO L iterature has a way of mirroring our agonies and angst. But what about those silly, mundane moments that can be so easy to take for granted? Here are 10 books that remind us to appreciate the simple things in life 4 whether that9s a dog-eared book or a newfound friend. Buoyed by hope, these works reach for joy even in times of turmoil. 8Amazing Grace Adams9 By Fran Littlewood Grace Adams was once an award-winning polyglot who spoke five languages and had a future brimming with possibility. Now she9s jobless in her 40s, facing a divorce and failing miserably to deliver a birthday cake to her estranged teenage daughter. Using three timelines, the novel uncovers the choices that led to the dissolution of her marriage and the downfall of her career. While she9s certainly not perfect, Grace is determined to show everyone 4 especially her daughter 4 that she is still amazing. 8Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World9 By Christian Cooper Avid birdwatcher Christian Cooper, a Black man, went viral after a White dog walker called the police on him in Central Park. More than three years later, the host of National Geographic9s <Extraordinary Birder= wrote a touching memoir that reflects on that incident, as well as his lifelong adoration for birds and superheroes. That latter interest led the self-proclaimed <queer nerd= to do pioneering work creating gay superheroes at Marvel. Cooper also narrates the audiobook, each chapter of which delightfully starts with a different bird call. 8Birdie & Harlow: Life, Loss, and Loving My Dog So Much I Didn9t Want Kids (&Until I Did)9 By Taylor Wolfe A 20-year-old blogger goes to a Kansas farm and adopts a puppy, what she would later call <the best impromptu decision of my life.= In this hilarious, uplifting memoir, Wolfe, known on social media as @thedailytay, describes her intense bond with Harlow and her journey as a dog mom. BY JILL PELLETTIERI Thrillers with tantalizing twists and turns Birds, puppies and other positively charming tales progressively more alarming as the details unfold. 8The Eden Test9 By Adam Sternbergh Fans of Laura Dave (<The Last Thing He Told Me=) will enjoy this domestic thriller, in which a wife, Daisy, surprises her husband, Craig, with <The Eden Test,= a pricey and mysterious week-long retreat that promises to revitalize relationships, leaving participants <forever changed.= Both Daisy and Craig come to the getaway armed with their secrets; neither is prepared for what the week will bring in this engrossing drama. 8Exiles9 By Jane Harper The last book in Harper9s Falk trilogy begins ominously: An infant is found tucked inside her stroller, abandoned at a festival in South Australian wine country. Her mother, Kim Gillespie, is nowhere to be found. One year later, Gillespie is still missing, and federal agent Aaron Falk is called upon to look into her disappearance. Harper9s rich use of Australia9s landscape and her thoughtful portrayal of social issues enhance the story. 8Happiness Falls9 By Angie Kim Twenty-year-old narrator Mia Parkson is so deeply entrenched in the details of her own life, it is hours before she realizes that her 14-year-old nonspeaking brother, who lives with a rare genetic disorder called Angelman syndrome, has returned home from his daily hike without their father. What Mia calls <The Day Dad Disappeared= fuels this thrilling yet endearing mystery, as the family attempts to unravel what happened in the woods that day. 8The Helsinki Affair9 By Anna Pitoniak Even those who don9t traditionally reach for spy novels will find something to love about <The Helsinki Affair,= a thriller featuring a young CIA officer, Amanda Cole, who has followed her father9s path into the agency and is eager to prove her worth. When she is assigned to investigate the assassination of a U.S. senator, her father9s past and her present converge, and she finds herself descending deeper and deeper into a web of blackmail and corruption. 8Hot Springs Drive9 By Lindsay Hunter Hunter dishes about the realities of motherhood with a side of <Gone Girl= and <Desperate Housewives= in this gripping psychological thriller. The novel opens with the murder of suburban mom Theresa Linden. Hunter then leads us back in time through the plot turns and betrayals that result in Theresa9s death, with a focus on her best friend, Jackie, who covets Theresa9s life 4 and husband. 8Pet9 By Catherine Chidgey Chidgey, a mystery powerhouse in her native New Zealand, tackles manipulative relationships among girls and women in this quirky, offbeat thriller. Preying on young girls when they are at their most vulnerable 4 in the throes of puberty 4 Mrs. Price, a teacher at a small Catholic school, forms bonds with her students only to exploit and control them. Her mind games put a new spin on preteen horror stories. 8The Puzzle Master9 By Danielle Trussoni Cruciverbalists, Dan Brown lovers and code aficionados alike will be taken with protagonist Mike Brink, a handsome exfootball player who, after a traumatic brain injury in high school, develops a preternatural gift for creating and solving puzzles. When a prison psychologist calls on Brink to help her understand an inmate who will engage with the world only through Brink and his professional puzzle work, we are propelled into the world of an ancient mystery. 8The Traitor9 By Ava Glass Glass delivers more of secret agent Emma Makepeace in her latest installment of the Alias Emma series. When an MI6 operative is found dead, naked and stuffed into a large suitcase, Makepeace and colleagues suspect he is the victim of a nerve agent, possibly administered by a group of Russian oligarchs. As Makepeace goes undercover to understand the root of the assassination, Glass delivers everything fans of spy fiction could want 4 an absorbing plot, complex characters and propulsive action. Jill Pellettieri is a contributing editor at the Yale Review and a former editor at Slate. Harlow remains an unshakable presence as Wolfe grapples with the chaos of her 20s, marriage and eventually new motherhood. 8The Book of Charlie: Wisdom From the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man9 By David Von Drehle When a journalist moves to Kansas, he discovers that his neighbor has lived for more than a century 4 and decides to tell the man9s story. Charlie White would live to be 109, watching the world change over and over through the Jazz Age, the Great Depression, the era of radios and then smartphones (he practiced medicine while open-heart surgery was still developing). Von Drehle, who9s now a Washington Post editor and columnist, paints a tender portrait of the optimistic centenarian who never relented in his pursuit of happiness. 8The Book of (More) Delights9 By Ross Gay In a follow-up to <The Book of Delights,= Gay once again rejoices in the fleeting pleasures of everyday life. This essay collection unearths those moments that are often overlooked in all of the bustle 4 putting on socks before a walk, meeting a puppy, making a cup of coffee just the way you like. There are also reflections on grief and racism in America that are sometimes angry yet always heartfelt in their own ways. Even when it9s tough, Gay calls on us to marvel at nature9s small wonders and remember that we9re all connected. 8The Chinese Groove9 By Kathryn Ma Eighteen-year-old Shelley arrives in San Francisco with big dreams, leaving behind the grief of his family in China9s Yunnan province. But the luxurious guest room he imagines turns out to be a couch with a two-week limit, and he struggles to find his footing in a new country that consistently falls short of expectations. Still, Shelley refuses to let go of his naiveté and positive attitude. Instead, he continues to have faith in what he calls the <Chinese groove= 4 the connection between fellow countrymen 4 in this poignant tale of the immigrant experience. (The audiobook is also <stunningly good.=) 8Happy Place9 By Emily Henry Harriet and her fiancé, Wyn, broke up six months ago. But their friends from college don9t know, even as they all embark on their annual getaway to a cottage in Maine. Now Harriet and Wyn must pretend to be a couple while secretly pining for each other in a classic will-they-or-won9t-they. The story is interspersed with flashbacks that chronicle the pair9s romance (and eventual breakup) as Harriet9s wholesome friendship with Sabrina and Cleo shimmers in the distance. <Happy Place,= perhaps Henry9s most heart-wrenching love story to date, is an ode to second chances and how we find comfort in one another. 8Romantic Comedy9 By Curtis Sittenfeld Sally Milz has given up on love. After a failed marriage in her 20s, the Emmy-winning writer is content to focus all her energy on a late-night comedy show not unlike <Saturday Night Live.= That is, until the handsome rock star Noah Brewster is the week9s host and they immediately hit it off. Yet Sally can9t fathom why he would be interested in her, <an ordinary, dorky, unkempt woman,= and repeatedly sabotages their relationship. As their romance intensifies and they become pandemic pen pals, she realizes that the greatest obstacle to her happy ending might be herself. 8What You Are Looking for Is in the Library9 By Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts Tokyo9s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi, has a gift: She can sense what someone is missing and the book they need to find it. The novel follows five people at various stages of life who are each dealing with an existential crisis. A simple conversation with Komachi, paired with a timely book recommendation, is nothing short of transformative. Translated from the Japanese, <What You Are Looking for Is in the Library= is a charming novel about the magic of reading. 8The Wishing Game9 By Meg Shaffer Kindergarten teacher9s aide Lucy Hart longs to adopt her orphaned student, Christopher. She just doesn9t have the resources. Then her favorite children9s author announces a new book after a six-year hiatus, and Lucy is chosen to compete on the mysterious Clock Island to win the only copy. In a whimsical nod to <Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,= she must outwit the other three contestants to secure the manuscript for her and Christopher. Between the author9s riddles, his handsome assistant, Hugo, and a shady cast of publishers and lawyers, victory will be far from easy. Allison Cho is a multiplatform editor at The Washington Post. S py novels and serial killers, suburban drama and domestic upheaval, puzzles and plot twists 4 there9s something for everyone in this year9s top 12 thrillers. 8All the Sinners Bleed9 By S.A. Cosby Simmering racial tension in a Southern town erupts after a school shooting that leaves one White teacher dead and a young Black man shot by two White police officers. Titus Crown, the county9s first Black sheriff, is tested throughout this riveting murder mystery, which also delivers a nuanced portrayal of racism, politics and small-town life. As Crown tries to make sense of the shooting, he uncovers horrors of torture, sexual abuse and murder, and realizes that a serial killer is living in their midst. 8Bright Young Women9 By Jessica Knoll After her success with books such as <Luckiest Girl Alive= (now a movie starring Mila Kunis) and <The Favorite Sister,= Knoll turns to history in her latest novel, specifically Ted Bundy. <Bright Young Women= opens with a powerful 4 and gory 4 scene evoking Bundy9s rampage at a sorority house in the late 1970s, which left two young women dead and another two maimed. Rather than sensationalize violence against women, however, Knoll9s provocative novel focuses on the stories of those affected by the killer9s rampages. 8City Under One Roof9 By Iris Yamashita Alaska9s natural beauty plays a central role in this taut suspense novel set in the state9s remote corners. When a teen out kayaking with friends discovers a severed <green and almost translucent= human hand and a disembodied foot still stuck in a boot, the search begins for answers to the mysterious body parts. Replete with plot twists, <City Under One Roof= lures readers into this wild and alarmingly isolated small-town environs. 8The Detective Up Late9 By Adrian McKinty Tough but charming detective Sean Duffy is back in the seventh novel in McKinty9s series, set amid the Irish Troubles. Those familiar with the series will relish Duffy9s (supposedly) final act before retiring from full-time work so that he, his wife and his toddler can move to Scotland to escape bombs, riots and soldiers on the streets. Those new to the series (the books need not be read in order) will appreciate Duffy9s dogged persistence as he investigates a missing-persons case that gets
B10 eZ ee the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 best books BY MICHAEL CAVNA AND JACOB BROGAN C omics publishers released a dizzying array of work in 2023, from heartfelt memoirs and inventive biographies to fictional reflections on identity and family. These 10 exceptional titles represent a small slice of the best graphic novels available today, but they collectively speak to the range and richness of the medium. 8Monica9 By Daniel Clowes Clowes counts among the greatest living cartoonists, and in <Monica,= his first book in more than seven years, he continues to prove why. The story follows a woman9s lifelong struggles to reconnect with her lost family members, a narrative that slips in and out of reality as it goes. Playfully reworking the visual history of the comics medium itself, <Monica= offers a trenchant and unnerving reflection on what we owe the past. 8Roaming9 By Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki Taking place over five days, <Roaming= follows three young women on a visit to New York in 2009. Over the course of their stay, their connections with one another break down, even as their understandings of themselves grow. Cousins Jillian and Mariko Tamaki revel in the time-distorting magic of true young adulthood, when a week can feel like a year, and a day can change your life. 8The Talk9 By Darrin Bell Bell9s trailblazing, Pulitzer Prize-winning portfolio includes editorial cartoons about U.S. race relations. Here, he delivers a depthcharge of a memoir, insightfully tracing his Words and pictures, moving and inventive BY CHARLIE JANE ANDERS These journeys to new realms will enchant 4 or unsettle 8Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon9 By Wole Talabi I9ve been describing <Obalufon= as a thrilling heist novel with a deep, crunchy backstory. Shigidi is a minor god of nightmares who used to work for the hyper-capitalist Orisha Spirit Company but now freelances with his succubus lover, Nneoma. Shigidi and Nneoma have history, in both senses of the word, and their romance is intertwined with the political intrigues of gods and mystics. An action-packed romp coupled with a thorny love story: Who could ask for more? 8Godkiller9 By Hannah Kaner In <Godkiller,= gods have been outlawed, and Kissen exterminates them for a living 4 until she finds one she can9t kill. It9s a setup for a classic fantasy road trip, with a motley group and plenty of wild action. But it9s also a vehicle for exploring the different meanings of divinity and why people need something to believe in. 8He Who Drowned the World9 By Shelley Parker-Chan This sequel resolves every storyline from Parker-Chan9s <She Who Became the Sun= (2021) satisfyingly (if sometimes upsettingly), while also answering all the thematic questions about destiny, greatness and mercy the first volume posed. A chronicle of the founding of the Ming Dynasty in which Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Ming emperor, was secretly born a woman, Parker-Chan9s duology foregrounds characters whose masculinity is called into question. It all builds to an ending that is startling but also utterly perfect. 8To Shape a Dragon9s Breath9 By Moniquill Blackgoose This remains my favorite book of the year. An Indigenous girl, Anequs, becomes the first person on Masquapaug island to hatch a dragon9s egg in generations, which means she9s forced to attend the dragon-rider academy run by the Anglish colonizers. If Anequs can9t learn to behave like a proper Anglish girl, her adorable baby dragon will be put to death. A fascinating alternate history of North American colonization and a nuanced investigation of who gets left out of <civilization= form a worthy backdrop to a coming-ofage story that is cozy and hair-raising in equal measure. Charlie Jane Anders is the author of <Promises stronger Than Darkness,= the final book in a youngadult trilogy that began with <Victories greater Than Death.= she9s won the hugo, nebula, sturgeon, lambda literary, Crawford and locus awards. experiences with California police, from his innocence-shattering encounter with a Los Angeles officer while holding a toy water gun as a child to his view from fatherhood. He powerfully portrays having <the talk= with his own son about staying safe as a young Black male in America, particularly in relation to those entrusted <to protect and serve.= 8I Must Be Dreaming9 By Roz Chast <The fact that [dreams] exist at all is kind of miraculous,= the legendary New Yorker cartoonist Chast writes in this beguilingly quirky memoir. We give ourselves blissfully over to Chast as our tour guide through the <Dream District of our brains.= Drawing in her familiar vibratory style, she details a bizarre series of oneiric adventures, including one in which Glenn Close9s <chest and face were covered with thousands of baby spiders,= and another in which she has to care for a murderous <baby from the future.= 8Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy9 By Bill Griffith This beautifully crosshatched biography is a love letter to the talents of the legendary creator of the comic strip <Nancy= and the comedically precise world he created in his art. Griffith (creator of <Zippy the Pinhead=) explores how one man could so thoroughly devote himself to coming up with minimalist, mind-bending gags (or <snappers,= as Bushmiller called the final panels in each of his cartoons, when the real joke was revealed). This story 4 like Bushmiller9s character Sluggo 4 is <lit.= 8The Super Hero9s Journey9 By Patrick McDonnell If you9re a fan of McDonnell9s beloved comic strip <Mutts,= you partly have Stan Lee and Jack Kirby to thank. McDonnell wonderfully reveals his childhood path toward becoming a Marvel Comics <True Believer= in this keepsake memoir celebrating a life entranced and inspired by the storytelling and art of the comics company once known as the <House of Ideas.= 8Shubeik Lubeik9 By Deena Mohamed <Shubeik Lubeik,= which translates to <Your wish is my command,= plays out in an alternate Egypt where bottles and cans containing wishes are literally bought and sold, the genies of old transformed into consumer goods available to those wealthy enough to afford them. Mohamed builds out that fantastical conceit in surprisingly human directions through interlocking stories rendered in precise and emotionally resonant inks. 8Family Style: Memories of an American From Vietnam9 By Thien Pham In this young-adult immigration memoir, Pham recounts his journey from a refugee camp in Thailand to life in the United States through the foods that he and his family ate along the way. Pham deftly draws us into stirring sense memories 4 not only of place but also taste 4 using an immersive, autumnal palette. 8The Naked Tree9 By Keum Suk Gendry-Kim This graphic adaptation of Park Wan-suh9s novel of the same name is an expertly controlled unfurling of fresh emotions. Unfolding in Korea in the early 1950s, it traces the growing connection between a young woman and a painter who has escaped from the north, and their relationship is set against the roiling conflict sweeping the country. Gendry-Kim9s version, translated by Janet Hong, is told through gorgeously balanced brushstrokes. 8Boys Weekend9 By Mattie Lubchansky <Boys Weekend= kicks off as the transfeminine Sammie heads off to a bachelor party on the artificial island El Campo, a libertarian dystopia peppered with science fictional pleasure palaces. The exaggerated, cartoonish aesthetics and bright colors are an apt fit for the resulting chaos of the story, which quickly spins off into quasi-Lovecraftian horror. Honorable mentions: <The Gull Yettin,= by Joe Kessler; <The Second Fake Death of Eddie Campbell,= by Eddie Campbell; <The He-Man Effect: How American Toymakers Sold You Your Childhood,= by Brian <Box= Brown. Michael Cavna is an arts journalist at The Washington Post. Jacob Brogan is an editor in book World. illusTraTion by KarloTTa freier for The WashingTon PosT P eople sometimes say science fiction basks in optimism for a better future, while fantasy is about nostalgia for an imaginary past. But this year9s most notable fantasy books worked to uncover historical crimes, while science fiction warned of coming evils. The good news? The best sci-fi and fantasy books of 2023 will give you hope and strength in the toughest times. 8The Deep Sky9 By Yume Kitasei This was a year of strong debuts, but Kitasei9s murder mystery in space is a mind-blowing performance even by those standards. <The Deep Sky= makes even familiar space adventure tropes brand new, including desperate maneuvers, an unreliable A.I., a malfunctioning virtual-reality system and a multinational crew whose members have secret agendas of their own. But what sticks with me is Kitasei9s thoughtful exploration of friendship, identity and a fractured mother-daughter relationship. 8Silver Nitrate9 By Silvia Moreno-Garcia Movies enchant in more ways than one in this chilling tale of film nerds colliding with occultists who seek a special film with arcane powers. Moreno-Garcia reinvents herself from book to book, which makes each a unique treat, but this time around her protagonists are among her most compelling. <Silver Nitrate= hits especially hard when it explores colorism in both mysticism and Mexican society, and the need to survive by creating your own private language. 8Rouge9 By Mona Awad Belle9s snow-white mother dies, leaving her halfEgyptian daughter with a house full of weird beauty products and a connection to an even weirder beauty cult. <Rouge= could have been a polemic against the beauty-industrial complex, but instead it delves fearlessly into trauma, internalized self-loathing and the dangers of falling for a movie star 4 in this case, one who visits through a magic mirror. At the core of it all, Awad finds an astonishing tenderness. 8White Cat, Black Dog9 By Kelly Link When present-day writers retell old fairy tales, it can come across as mere annotation, but Link9s revamped classics feel brand new. Her characters navigate bizarre situations with arbitrary rules, but also find love and kindness in the oddest places. There9s a literal trip to hell and 4 much worse 4 a never-ending layover caused by a series of canceled flights. Plus a post-apocalyptic traveling band. By turns unsettling and delightful, <White Cat, Black Dog= captures the essential poetry at the heart of fables. 8The Water Outlaws9 By S.L. Huang Speaking of retellings of classics, Huang9s epic saga of martial arts and insurrection is inspired by the seminal Chinese novel <Water Margin.= Huang writes action that feels both kinetic and spiritual. And her community of rebel bandits strikes up a fascinating debate about how to save a country from itself. Tearing myself away from this addictive book was one of the hardest things I9ve done lately. 8The Great Transition9 By Nick Fuller Googins In a year full of climate stories, Googins9s quasithriller was among the most emotionally compelling and humane. In the near future, teenage Emi attends the commemoration of the anniversary of our victory over climate change, but there9s a terrorist attack and her mother goes missing. Emi soon discovers that the fight to save the planet hasn9t really ended. Through Emi9s parents, Googins shows the different ways people process trauma and just how much the fragile salvation of our world cost them.
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ ee B11 best books Story meets sound, brilliantly BY KATHERINE A. POWERS 8The Chinese Groove9 By Kathryn Ma Ma9s novel presents Shelley, a young Chinese man entertaining a fantasy version of America. Traveling to San Francisco, he seeks assistance from a distant cousin, mistakenly believing he is rich and powerful. James Chen9s narration is stunningly good, tailoring his voice to the characters, among them Shelley, two vexatious old men and two fraudsters 4 all as real here as they would be in life. (101/4 hours) 8Devil Makes Three9 By Ben Fountain Fountain9s second novel begins in Haiti after the military coup of 1991 and involves an American business owner, numerous Haitians and a CIA agent who is losing the upbeat callousness necessary for her mission. This searing novel is made more powerful by narrator Ron Butler. He passes from speaker to speaker seamlessly, their personalities distinct, their emotions palpable. This is a perfect union of voice and literature. (20 hours) 8The House of Doors9 By Tan Twan Eng Tan9s brilliant novel begins with Lesley Hamlyn, looking back at her life in Penang and her friendship with Somerset Maugham and the Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen, and, further, to the trial of her friend accused of murder. Louise Mai Newberry delivers Lesley9s chapters, her slightly husky voice resolutely genteel, and David Oakes takes on Maugham9s sections with empathy and choreographic pacing. (111/4 hours) 8A Line in the Sand9 By Kevin Powers This powerful novel centers on an Iraqi Kurd, a former interpreter whose family was murdered by American mercenaries. Now in Virginia, he becomes the target of the military contractor responsible, whereupon a police detective, a young reporter and some ruthless actors show up. The book9s grip on the listener is tightened by Christine Lakin9s superb narration, which nicely distinguishes between speakers and provides subtle hints of disposition and motive. (11 hours) 8My Father9s House9 By Joseph O9Connor O9Connor9s beautifully written novel centers on an Irish priest, Monsignor Hugh O9Flaherty, who organized escapes for Jews, resistance fighters and Allied prisoners during the Nazi occupation of Rome. Assisting him were men and women whose much-fictionalized selves are presented here in the compelling voices of actors Barry Barnes, Aoife Duffin, Stephen Hogan and several others. (111/4 hours) 8The Secret Hours9 By Mick Herron Herron brings us to present-day London, where a committee investigating the security services9 misdeeds acquires a file concerning Berlin in 1994. Bouncing between the two eras and touching on Herron9s Slow Horses prehistory, the plot is complex and mordantly funny. Gerard Doyle9s gentle voice gives an appreciative caress to the book9s many ironies, conveying the self-satisfaction and hubris of pompous nitwits, disillusioned functionaries and cynical fixers. (123/4 hours) 8The Sun Walks Down9 By Fiona McFarlane Set in 1883 in the South Australian outback, McFarlane9s impressive novel centers on the disappearance of a young boy. The story, beautifully narrated by Emma Jones, unfolds against South Australia9s elemental landscape, accentuating the fragility of the settlers9 pursuits and the Aborigines9 deep connection to the land. McFarlane9s skill in evoking individual inner lives and Jones9s deftness in capturing their spirit make every character distinct. (13 hours) Katherine A. Powers reviews audiobooks every illusTraTion By KarloTTa Freier For The WashingTon PosT month for The Washington Post. For the person who doubts a woman9s power: Minka Kelly9s 8Tell Me Everything9 None of our memoirists were faced with more <what could they write a memoir about?= doubts than Minka Kelly. To them we say, <Read it and weep.= Kelly is best known for starring on <Friday Night Lights,= but that only scratches the surface of what9s interesting about her. She took a complicated childhood and turned it into an absolute drive to add something good to the world. Her profound commitment to growth and accountability will leave you wondering why she didn9t write a memoir sooner. For the emotionally repressed family up the street: Kerry Washington9s 8Thicker Than Water9 Kerry Washington is famously private about her life, so when she is ready to share anything, pull up a chair. She keeps the Hollywood talk to a minimum while still honoring the craft of acting, offering brief odes to her Oscar-adjacent roles and admiring Olivia Pope9s crisp tailoring. The real narrative throughline involves a family secret only recently uncovered. Despite selective sharing, Washington proves that you don9t have to spill your guts to be vulnerable. Very few people9s lives have an honest-toGod plot twist, and we9re lucky that Washington shared hers. For the eternal optimist: Britney Spears9s 8The Woman in Me9 If you haven9t heard Spears9s story from someone yet, I9m not sure where you9ve been, but it9s absolutely worth hearing in her own words. Although she was one of the most visible pop stars in the world, Spears went BY CLAIRE PARKER AND ASHLEY HAMILTON N ow more than ever, celebrities are taking to the memoir to set their story straight. I9m sure you9ve walked by a display of them at an airport bookstore and wondered, <Who on earth is reading that book?= Well, it9s us, the hosts of the <Celebrity Memoir Book Club= podcast. Even though we read the books so you don9t have to, there were a few rare gems this year we9d recommend for a certain someone. For the person who hasn9t read in a while: Pamela Anderson9s 8Love, Pamela9 Pamela Anderson can be added to the long, long list of stunning women who were treated diabolically by the tabloid media. Although her first draft was just a 50-page poem, her publisher persuaded her to extend it. The resulting memoir has the pacing of a beach read but the depth of a life well-lived. Anderson finds the beauty in everything, which is probably why there9s so much beauty in her perfect Canadian face. For the bad parent: Paris Hilton9s 8Paris: The Memoir9 You may think you know Paris Hilton, but until you9ve spent 300-plus pages with her, you have no idea what9s behind this glittery icon9s facade. Her book goes beyond tabloid flashbulbs and big parties to show you how a misunderstood kid needed the protection of her family but instead found safety on a stage in Ibiza. Although the memoir sidesteps valid criticism of Hilton in the service of revamping her image for a younger generation, it nevertheless does the important work of shedding light on the abusive Troubled Teen Industry. You will walk away from this memoir realizing you can never really know a person, even if they have had nine reality shows. These memoirs deserve the spotlight. Which one should you read? through a horrific decade and a half of conservatorship, suffering behind closed doors. With compassion and grace, she explains everything from her romantic relationships to the court battles that freed her 4 and even touches on her recent Instagram posts. Despite it all, she proves she still has so much love for music, dancing and her kids. For the person who loves perspective: Jada Pinkett Smith9s 8Worthy9 From dealing drugs in Baltimore to becoming a theater school dropout to starring in <A Different World,= Jada Pinkett Smith lived five lives by the time she was 20. Ninety percent memoir and 10 percent enlightenment workbook, <Worthy= demonstrates that Pinkett Smith has put in the effort, but you9ll occasionally wonder what that effort cost. She may not approach marriage and other milestones the way the average person does, but she has a way with words that will put everyone9s lifestyle choices into perspective. For the person who thinks they9ve seen it all: Julia Fox9s 8Down the Drain9 You think you9ve read it all, and then there9s Julia Fox, whose debut memoir proved that reading can be a physical activity 4 one of us lost our breath about 100 pages in. Fox was born in Italy, moved to New York with her father before she was in elementary school and was living on her own with a drug-dealing boyfriend by the time she was 16. And that9s just the start of the chaos. It takes an incredible life to make a whirlwind relationship to Ye, formerly Kanye West, the least interesting thing about you, but Fox is an incredible person. Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton host the podcast <Celebrity Memoir Book Club.= T hough tens of thousands of audiobooks are published every year, here are 10 of the very best 4 great books narrated by gifted voices, spanning the map from D.C. and Virginia to Haiti, London, Berlin, Penang, Australia in 1883 and the Vatican in 1943. 8After the Funeral and Other Stories9 By Tessa Hadley In Hadley9s stories, details flow together into unwelcome revelations, epiphanies as clear and cold as an icicle. Abigail Thaw delivers these tales beautifully, her manner and intonation picking up each character9s personality 4 snobbish, arrogant, tormented or naive. Most impressive, she conveys the stories9 many ironies with an evenness of tone, which makes them all the more devastating. (61/2 hours) 8Anansi9s Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World9 By Yepoka Yeebo Yeebo presents an engrossing account of the Oman Ghana Trust Fund, a scam conceived by John Ackah Blay-Miezah. Supposedly created by Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana9s first prime minister, to invest in infrastructure, the fund promised preposterous returns. Jude Owusu narrates this extraordinary tale in a resonant voice, bringing a flawless Ghanaian accent to the major players, changing unobtrusively to pick up Americans and British. (121/2 hours) 8Chenneville: A Novel of Murder, Loss, and Vengeance9 By Paulette Jiles Set amid the ruin and lawlessness of the post-bellum West, <Chenneville= follows the trail of a Union Army veteran intent on tracking down the murderer of his sister and her family. Jiles9s descriptions of the West in this time period are simply spectacular, and she and veteran narrator Grover Gardner pull listeners completely into the era, its outlook and its way of life. (113/4 hours)
B12 eZ ee the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 best books BY SRIKANTH REDDY F rom a new translation of Homer9s <Iliad= to the strange new world of AI verse, it9s been an epic year for the art of poetry. Only a god or an algorithm would presume to list the best poetry collections published in 2023, but here are some of the most exciting books one mortal among many had the good fortune to read this year. 8April9 By Sara Nicholson Over the centuries, poets from Geoffrey Chaucer to T.S. Eliot have made April their muse. Nicholson9s crafty collection reclaims National Poetry Month for a timely 4 and timeless 4 feminist art. <When I learned the big words/ Like primogeniture, eschatology, and love,= Nicholson writes, <I became a person/ Aghast at midnight.= Her beautifully broken lines mark the life and times of <a person who grew to hate/ The sweet flower of April.= 8The Complete Works of Álvaro de Campos9 By Fernando Pessoa, translated by Margaret Jull Costa and Patricio Ferrari Chatbots are only the most recent arrivals to the unfinished history of imaginary people. The unassuming Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa (whose surname means <person=) dreamed up a company of multiple personalities and pen names for himself over a lifetime of writing. In Costa and Ferrari9s definitive translations, Pessoa9s literary alias Álvaro de Campos comes to life, through a glass darkly, to confess: <When I look at myself I see a stranger.= 8Hydra Medusa9 By Brandon Shimoda The ancient myth of Medusa is petrifying in Verses bursting with beauty and wit itself 4 but a Hydra Medusa that sprouts snaky new heads when decapitated sounds like a metaphor for global capitalism writ large. <I had a dream last night that a rainbow was burning,= Shimoda writes. <I had a dream last night that the war fit on the tip of a finger.= The essays, poems and talks in <Hydra Medusa= testify to the heroic dream-work of literary resistance in its many forms. 8Information Desk: An Epic9 By Robyn Schiff <I used to man the Information Desk in the center of the Great Hall/ of the Metropolitan Museum of Art,= Schiff writes in this groundbreaking, epic memoir. The wry infinitive <to man= propels Schiff9s searching inquiry into art history, natural history and personal history through the intricacies of poetic form. Like visitors exiting the Met9s galleries, readers will emerge from <Information Desk= bedazzled by the transformative horizons of art. 8The Lights9 By Ben Lerner <I9m here awaiting/ test results, but know I don9t get service in/ medieval wings.= Fans of Lerner9s celebrated novels will recognize the intimate, skeptical and visionary speaker of <The Lights.= Lerner9s poems rearrange motifs from his fiction 4 the film <Back to the Future,= a worrisome dilation of the aortic root and Donald Judd9s minimalist sculpture 4 into prismatic lyric constructions that refract story into poem, self into persona and art into utopia. 8mahogany9 By erica lewis As she cared for her dying mother, lewis revisited the music of Diana Ross, which had illuminated their family life together: <maybe i9m not here/ to be a superstar,= this poetic caregiver comes to realize, <but for some/ soft nameless joy/ am resurrected.= Her book is a songbook of loss and transcendence: <Mahogany showed me how absolutely beautiful we were and could be,= lewis writes of the 1975 film starring Ross. The same could be said about lewis9s exuberant and elegiac collection. 8Phantom Pain Wings9 By Kim Hyesoon, translated by Don Mee Choi Death speaks across, and beyond, many languages. <I came to write 8Phantom Pain Wings9 after Daddy passed away,= the Korean poet and shamanistic mystic Hyesoon writes. <I called out for birds endlessly. I wanted to become a translator of bird language.= In Choi9s empathic translations, Hyesoon9s poetry takes flight into a resonant and deathless English: <My bones are hollow like a flute/ so every one of them can sing and whistle.= 8School of Instructions9 By Ishion Hutchinson Hutchinson decolonizes the epic in this chronicle of West Indian soldiers who fought for the British army in the Middle East during World War I: <They shovelled the long trenches day and night./ Frostbitten mud. Shellshock mud. Dungheap mud. Imperial mud.= Interwoven with episodes from the life of a Jamaican schoolboy in the 1990s named Godspeed, these soldiers9 histories contribute a new chapter to the story of modern poetry. 8The Thomas Salto9 By Timmy Straw Recently banned from competitive gymnastics, the <Thomas salto= is a perilous floor exercise that ends <not, as is customary, on the feet, but in a forward roll,= Straw writes in their extraordinary debut. <It9s this landing that makes the move so risky.= Straw9s acrobatic verses tumble through histories of damage and repair to end in a forward roll through our haunted ever after: <and could never after/ leave/ what we had named.= 8What You Want9 By Maureen N. McLane <My given/ name autocorrects/ to moron,= writes one of our most erudite, witty and sagacious contemporary American poets. Maureen N. McLane9s mercurial meditations on extinction, desire, history and art make the first-person feel both <given= and made. With brio and rue, <What You Want= celebrates our slapstick fantasies of addressing one another: <and I sneeze/ into my phone, which transcribes/ the explosion as 8you.9= 8Whatever9s Forbidden the Wise9 By Anthony Madrid Ghazals, limericks and nursery rhymes are only a few forms from the history of world poetry that animate Madrid9s voracious literary imagination. <To eat the fudgsicle without tasting the stick?= the poet asks his readers. <You have to throw some away.= When you get down to it, this is a book about the all-consuming art of love: <With regard to the belovèd9s body, it9s the same. If you have it all 4 you taste the stick.= Srikanth Reddy is the poetry editor of the Paris review. his book of lectures on poetry and painting, <The unsignificant,= will be published in 2024. other out of trouble. Imogen and Tommy9s romance is, in a word, explosive. Brimming with incredible banter and tension, <Knockout= is a triumph of a novel. 8Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up9 By Charish Reid This delightful contemporary romance places Mickey, a sunshiny adjunct professor with hyperthyroidism, and Diego, a grumpy barowning widower, in an impossible situation: He9s her boss, she9s his teacher, and they can9t keep their hands off each other. Reid rounds out the story with deft specificity about both professions and a richly developed cast of side characters, making for a sparkling and enjoyable story. 8Single Dads Club9 By Therese Beharrie Shy single dad Rowan struggles to take care of his newborn son and fit into his new town, but the super-friendly Delilah, a disgraced former heiress, is more than happy to help him. The delightful community of Sugarbush Bay, South Africa, provides the backdrop for this cozy and cathartic romance. 8Sorry, Bro9 By Taleen Voskuni In this sweet and funny debut, Bay Area reporter Nar is relegated to local fluff pieces, but she develops a deeper connection to her Armenian heritage while covering a cultural events series, which finds her falling in love with the confident and cool Erebuni, one of the event coordinators. An achingly tender romance blossoms between the two women, even as Nar struggles to balance her bisexual identity, familial expectations and professional ambitions. 8Witch of Wild Things9 By Raquel Vasquez Gilliland When Sage Flores returns home to Cranberry, Va., she doesn9t expect to encounter the ghost of her dead sister 4 or her unrequited high school crush, Tennessee Reyes. Filled with beautiful prose and vivid imagery, along with plant magic and early-2000s instantmessenger nostalgia, this story of heartbreak and healing is one to savor. 8Woke Up Like This9 By Amy Lea Days before senior prom, Type A overachiever Char and her student council archnemesis, J.T. Renner, wake up at age 30 and discover they9re a week away from getting married 4 to each other! This charming coming-of-age rom-com (in the vein of classics such as <Big= and <13 Going on 30=) delivers on the catchy premise with humor and a plethora of insights about growing up and learning to live in the moment. Alexis Daria9s romance novels include <you had Me at hola= and <Take the lead.= BY ALEXIS DARIA 2 023 was a great year for romance novels. And although there were many viral sensations, the books that stood out to me embodied not just romantic love but also familial love, delivering big emotional payouts that made the romantic arcs all the more satisfying. Many of these titles also celebrate cultural heritage, adding extra depth to the hard-won happily-ever-afters. At times when life and the world feel overwhelming, romance novels can ground us, serving as reminders that there9s strength and healing in vulnerability, in opening our hearts and in viewing others with compassion. These 10 books are sterling examples of the power of love. 8A Dish Best Served Hot9 By Natalie Caña This fantastic rom-com centers on former high school sweethearts Saint (a single dad and your new book boyfriend) and Lola (a bisexual heroine who literally kicks butt). Caña masterfully balances myriad issues, including gentrification and social justice, with Puerto Rican history and a pair of hilarious prankster abuelos. 8Divine Rivals9 By Rebecca Ross Connected by a pair of enchanted typewriters, rival journalists Iris and Roman fall in love through letters before finding themselves on the front line of a war between reawakened gods. Rich world-building and the poignancy of young love make the first in this fantasy romance duology a wistful and riveting read. (While <Divine Rivals= ends on a cliffhanger, readers won9t have to wait long: <Ruthless Vows= comes out Dec. 26.) 8Full Moon Over Freedom9 By Angelina M. Lopez The second in Lopez9s excellent Milagro Street series lands newly divorced Gillian back in her hometown of Freedom, Kan., to face demons both figurative and literal 4 and the first person she runs into is Nicky, the bad-boy artist who taught her pleasure many years before. This incredible secondchance romance seamlessly blends Mexican American history and magical realism along with heat, angst and humor. 8An Island Princess Starts a Scandal9 By Adriana Herrera The second installment in Herrera9s Las Leonas series follows two Latina heroines: Manuela, an engaged heiress and painter who arrives in Paris during the 1889 Exposition Universelle for one last taste of Sapphic freedom before she9s married off, and Cora, a powerful and guarded duchess who falls instantly for the vivacious artist. Meticulously researched and enormously fun, this passionate and fiercely feminist tale is a brilliant and necessary addition to the historical-romance genre. 8Knockout9 By Sarah MacLean MacLean is back with another perfect installment featuring her feminist Victorian vigilantes, the Hell9s Belles. This time, she focuses on a deceptively chaotic chemist and a gruffly protective detective inspector as they solve a mystery and try to keep each Open-hearted romances reveal the power of love illusTraTion by KarloTTa freier for The WashingTon PosT
KLMNO ME sunday, no TRO vember 19, 2023 eZ re C JOhn Kelly9s WashingtOn 8flying saucers9 found in a Maryland barn in 1949 were one man9s efforts to revolutionize aviation. C3 retrOpOlis 50 years before trump9s <witch hunt= dismissals, a defensive nixon declared <i9m not a crook.= C3 Obituaries author a.s. byatt, 87, who won the booker Prize, was a writer of sweeping range 43 and ambition. C4 ° 56° 59° 51° 8 a.m. noon 4 p.m. 8 p.m. high today at approx. 3 p.m. 61° Precip: 0% Wind: W 7-14 mph BY ELLIE SILVERMAN The blue tarp covering the new street sign finally fell and the crowd erupted. They had waited years to see Marion Barry Avenue rise 4 a name that reflected their pride in being Black Washingtonians, hope for the future of their neighborhood and resolve in cementing a shared history for future generations. For those gathered in Anacostia on saturday, Marion Barry Jr., the four-term D.C. mayor who died in 2014, is their <mayor for life.= People celebrating the new street name said Barry still looms large in their lives. They called him a mentor who taught them how to use local government to advocate for their communities. sEE aveNue ON C2 Anacostia street pays tribute to D.C.9s 8mayorfor life9 Community celebrates after long wait to rename road after Marion Barry robb hill for the Washington Post the new sign for marion Berry avenue, previously called good hope road and renamed for the four-term mayor who died in 2014, in the District9s anacostia neighborhood on saturday. Va. should admit defeat in battle over FBI HQ Deni Taveras doesn9t fault Virginia lawmakers for pushing back against the decision to build the new FBI headquarters in Maryland. she gets it. she gets that they need to represent their constituents and that many of their constituents wanted Virginia to get that building and the economic benefits that come with it. <The politicians have the right to do their job, and kick and scream,= Taveras told me on a recent evening. <But does that mean they should have everything?= Her point: Let Virginia lawmakers shout, but don9t let those shouts change the decision the General services Administration made earlier this month to build the headquarters on a plot outside the Greenbelt Metro station in Prince George9s County. Taveras served on the Prince George9s County Council in 2016 when potential sites for the FBI building were first identified and she now represents the area as a state delegate. Because she has held those positions, she has watched more closely than most people the long battle to bring the headquarters to the majority-Black county and she understands why that victory was needed. <It9s going to be incredibly transformative for our community,= she said. she noted how the headquarters will bring more than 7,000 jobs and attract new businesses and residents, increasing resources into the community. <This is going to affect educational outcomes. This is going to affect property values. This is going to affect opportunities of small businesses and large businesses.= sEE vargas ON C3 theresa Vargas BY KATIE METTLER A federal appeals court has ordered a judge to reconsider his ruling denying a preliminary injunction that could have resulted in the release of some people awaiting trial at the Prince George9s County jail. The preliminary injunction was requested by nine people who had been detained at the jail and sued Prince George9s government and judges, asserting their constitutional rights were violated because the county9s pretrial system allowed them to be unlawfully incarcerated for weeks or months before their trials even though judges had authorized their release. The original lawsuit, filed in U.s. District Court in Maryland in July 2022, asserted that district and circuit court judges in Prince George9s unlawfully defer to the county9s pretrial services officials to determine what level of supervision people should receive 4 or whether they should be released at all. As a result, the lawsuit asserts, those ordered to be released by judges wind up waiting too long in jail for pretrial services 4 run by non-court employees 4 to determine when, if at all, they can go home. Butthe power to release people pretrial, the lawsuit alleges, should rest solely with the judges, not county employees. The county, the leaders of its corrections department, and 11 Prince George9s County judges who oversaw the plaintiff9s bond hearings are named as defendants. As part of their original lawsuit, the nine plaintiffs and their attorneys said the problems they outlined in the case may have affected hundreds of other people and needed to be immediately addressed by the court. But it took U.s. District Court Judge Peter Messitte eight months to schedule a telephone hearing and rule on the preliminary injunction request, an uncommonly long time to address an emergency request for court intervention, according to the plaintiffs attorneys. Messitte sEE Pretrial sYstem ON C4 Pretrial system back in spotlight Judge ordered to rethink ruling Prince George9s sued by people held at county jail BY MICHAEL BRICE-SADDLER A new homeless shelter in Washington9s West End will now open in the spring or summer instead of this year as city officials had originally hoped, representatives from the city9s Department of Human services said Wednesday, pushing the timeline back at least six months on a project that has been divisive in the surrounding community. The District in August closed ona$27.5 million purchase of the Aston, a former George Washington University dormitory, with the intent of converting it into the city9s first homeless shelter that would allow adult couples and mixed-gendered adult families to stay together, offering privacy as well as services for the medically vulnerable. DHs officials said the delayed timeline largely reflects prolonged contract negotiations with a provider that would coordinate services for shelter residents. At the same time, the shelter has faced external challenges and been the subject of several meetings, strongly worded letters andarally organized by advocates for the homeless in August who spoke out against nearby property owners who9ve said the shelter should be built somewhere else. In July, a group called the West End DC Community Association filed a lawsuit against the city seeking to delay the building9s sale on procedural grounds, though it was withdrawn after the sale went through. But the same group filed another lawsuit in late October to prevent the city from converting the Aston into a homeless shelter, alleging among other concerns that D.C.9s desire to offer on-site medical services at the facility is a violation of zoning restrictions. The challenges facing the Aston in some ways mirror those that slowed the construction of shelters in other city locations, which were borne out of a plan from D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) to build short-term shelters in each ward to replace the decaying D.C. General shelter. At a meeting hosted by the neighborhood9s Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) Wednesday night, DHs chief of sEE shelter ON C4 Delay for homeless shelter at old GWU dorm As opposition mounts, D.C. officials are now looking to open in 2024 BY KELYN SOONG After finishing the New York City Marathon earlier this month, Chris Farley, the owner of the Pacers Running stores in the D.C. area, opened his phone to what seemed like endless messages. Hundreds were propping him up after his major disappointment. But then he saw something he didn9t expect: People 4 a lot of them4were encouraging him to run another marathon before the end of the year. <There is still time,= one person wrote. <I9ve already started researching downhill races,= another said. A text message from Farley9s University of Virginia classmate, Yuri sagatov, was more pointed. <stop being selfish,= sagatov said with a mixture of sarcasm and motivational honesty. <This isn9t about you. It9s about an ideal. It9s about a dream. Your fans demand more.= The dream, in this case, was to run a sub-three-hour marathon for the 25th year in a row. Every year since 1999, Farley, a 47-year-old from Arlington, had completed a marathon race or run 26.2 miles in under three hours, a minimum pace of roughly 6 minutes and 50 seconds per mile. But in New York City, he staggered across the finish line in 3 hours4minutes and 3 seconds. A defeat. <It9s over,= Farley said. <It9s done.= Or at least that9s what he thought. His streak, Farley now realizes, has evolved into a life of its own. streaks are a common challenge in the running community. Most people who run a lot will know someone who has a streak. Perhaps that is someone who ran at least a mile a day during the pandemic and never skipped a day, even if they were sick or traveling or running in a snowstorm. Or maybe it9s someone who runsamarathon sEE marathoN ON C2 One man9s marathon streak isn9t about him He9s run 26.2 miles in under 3 hours for 24 years. Will he hit 25? courtesy of Johnny Pace <I truly believe you have to put yourself out there and try things that you might fail at.= Chris Farley, owner of Pacers running stores Chris Farley, right, and Johnny Pace after running the New York City marathon this month. Farley finished in just over three hours, missing his goal by four minutes.
C2 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 to think about whether he was ready to give up on his streak. Having his wife on board was critical. <Caring so much about something this much and is a constant in his life is a beautiful thing,= Culley said. <I don9t always feel that way as his wife, but I love that he cares so much about it. I love that people care about it for him.= The earliest marathon farley would run is on Dec. 10 in Tucson, he said, and if that doesn9t work, he has friends who are willing to host a race similar to Breaking 3. farley is ready to give the fans what they want. <I feel like there are going to be two outcomes if I do this. Either I9m not going to make it or I9m going to make it,= he said. <But there9s only one outcome if I don9t try it.= doesn9t matter,= he said. <If you9re looking for purpose and meaning, I truly believe you have to put yourself out there and try things that you might fail at and put it on the line.= another chance farley thought his streak was over in 2017. Similar to this year, he had failed to run under three hours at a November marathon. But just for farley, the Pacers team decided to host a race of their own on a U.S. Track & field-certified marathon course at East Potomac Park in D.C. farley finished that race in 2:52:53 in front of dozens of family members and friends in an event dubbed <Breaking 3.= After the New York City marathon this year, farley took more than a week before deciding to run another one this year. He had School of Business who studies motivation and flow, said that goals that have an uncertain outcome are more motivating than goals with a predictable outcome. The certainty of success for being able to run a sub-three hour marathon year after year for farley is a lot lower than the certainty of doing just one, especially during the early years of his streak. <Simply by reframing what he9s doing, in terms of streaks instead of individual outcomes, what he was able to do was inject much more uncertainty in his goal pursuit,= melnikoff said of farley. <That9s what streaks do in general.= for farley, he believes that doing hard things is the key to happiness. <Whether you succeed or fail in those pursuits, it almost wise.= Now, farley is a married father of three boys ages 7 and under, and is a familiar figure in the D.C. running community, working in an industry he loves. <This was something I was destined to do,= he said. Doing hard things farley knew from the first step at the New York City marathon this year that he didn9t feel great. He had been sick for a couple weeks leading up to the race and arrived at the starting line with a cough. for the first 20 miles, farley and his friend, Johnny Pace, were on schedule to finish in less than three hours. It wasn9t until miles 21 and 22 that farley fell off pace. <He no longer was tight on my shoulder and was a meter or two back,= said Pace, a 26-year-old freelance photographer who was documenting farley9s race for Pacers. <I wondered if something was going wrong. The following mile, the gap widened a bit more.= Pace, who met farley at a high school cross-country race 10 years ago, calls him a friend and mentor. <He9s the model of a lifelong enjoyment of running,= Pace said. He9s a model of the running streak, as well. farley admits he can be obsessive, and running streaks hold a certain addictive appeal. He runs about six to seven days a week and up to 60 miles a week while training for a marathon. In 2012, farley challenged himself to run 10 miles every day that year because a friend of his had done it. farley, of course, completed the challenge. <I don9t have that trait in me to do something like that,= said Culley, a runner who competed in the 5,000 meters event at the 2012 London olympics. <Some people really crave consistency.= David melnikoff, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the Stanford Graduate <He probably let me beat him,= farley said. <That really motivated me.= And while it was success and competition that initially drew farley to the sport 4 he competed for Yorktown High School in Arlington and joined the University of Virginia cross-country and track and field teams as a walkon 4 farley realized after graduating college in 1998 that running provided much-needed structure to his life. In 1999, farley started working part-time at Pacers running in old Town Alexandria as a sales associate and was convinced by his college teammate, Chris mcGarrigal, to run the New York City marathon that same year. It was his first marathon, and he ran it in 2:43:14. After a brief, unsatisfying stint as a junior computer programmer for the Justice Department, farley and his family eventually bought the Pacers running stores in 2003. Eight years later, farley became the sole owner of the company. His life now could not look more different than it did when the marathon streak started. <I was a single guy who was trying to find his way in the world,= he said. <I didn9t have a real passion for anything I was doing workevery year. Streaks are a point of pride and motivation for the people involved, and a point of curiosity for people who are not. farley9s wife, Julie Culley, is quite familiar with streaks. The first thing she asked after giving farley a hug near Central Park was <What9s next?= farley9s family and friends understand how much it means to him, and have encouraged him to keep going. By proxy, it means a lot to them, too. There is, they reason, still a month and a half left in the year, and his supporters are invested in the journey. It helped farley get out of his funk. <I would feel like I9m cheating myself if I didn9t give it another shot,= he said. an early passion Some of farley9s earliest and fondest memories involve watching his father run marathons and ultramarathons. It normalized the pursuit of long-distance running for him. As a 12-year-old, farley started running a 2.6-mile route with his father, who died in 2015 at age 72. He remembers finishing ahead of his dad for the first time in eighth grade. MaraTHoN from C1 His 24-year marathon streak could be ending, but fans won9t let him give up PHoTos by JoHnny Pace Chris Farley with his family after this year9s New York City Marathon. When Farley started his streak in 1999, <I was a single guy who was trying to find his way in the world.= Now he9s a father of three. She said she got her first job from Barry, working in customer service at an office. Now she works for marty9s food and Catering, a community catering business that provides food for people in need. Armstrong, of Southeast Washington, is a fourth-generation Washingtonian who credits Barry with paving the way for other Black people in this city to find professional success and ascend to the highest levels of local government. Armstrong9s children, she said, <know who marion Barry is, they know President obama, they know the mayor.= <He was the blueprint. Everything from the street that you walk to the restaurants you eat at, the jobs, the buildings, he's the steppingstone for everything,= she said. <It makes me feel so good to see recognition for someone I knew was bright and brilliant and gave us opportunities= As Tatum Primus, 16, a former D.C. youth deputy mayor, walked up to the stage Saturday to honor a man she never met, she thought about how Barry would be distraught by the current gun violence. Primus, who wants to be a defense attorney one day, shared a poem she wrote that she hoped would speak out against this crisis in a way that honored the late mayor. <oh, D.C., violence only leads to more pain and despair, leaving wounds that are deep and hearts that can9t be repaired,= she said from the stage. <We must put the guns down and rise above this ugly strife. And reclaim the city9s spirit, its true vibrant and chocolate life.= statue stands on Pennsylvania Avenue NW outside the Wilson Building. The office building at one Judiciary Square was named the marion S. Barry Jr. Building. The summer youth employment program he championed has his name, too. Yolanda Armstrong, 42, arrived early to snag one of the few seats in front of the stage. She stood in front of her chair, dancing to go-go music and cheering in anticipation for what the day would bring. difference he made in their lives. <He would be the first to tell you that he was the champion for the last, the lost and the least. But he would also tell you that he transformed every ward of Washington, D.C.,= Bowser said from the stage. <marion Barry challenges us to do more, to be bigger, to get up when we9ve been knocked down and to show the world who we are as Washingtonians and who we are as people.= The city has continued to honor his legacy over the years. His defined by challenges such as poverty, underinvestment and gun violence. The area recorded at least 89 homicides by mid - November, by far the most of any ward. The hundreds of people gathered Saturday heard from speakers including masters Barry, White, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) and mayor muriel E. Bowser (D). They watched videos of Barry9s career, hugged longtime friends and shared memories of the former mayor and the White people. Barry proudly represented <Chocolate City,= a moniker bestowed when D.C. was majority Black. The years-long grass-roots effort to rename this major thoroughfare in Southeast Washington included petition drives, letters to the D.C. Council and a push from council member Trayon White Sr. (D), who represents Barry9s home of Ward 8. And it came during a time of communities across the country reexamining the past and pushing to change the names of public spaces to more fully represent the diversity of America. The roots of the road9s previous name, Good Hope road, dated back to the 19th century when renowned abolitionist and statesman frederick Douglass lived in Anacostia. Some in the neighborhood questioned changing the name of a street that had represented their community through so many generations and complained to the D.C. Council of potential logistical complications. Still, the council this year unanimously approved the legislation, which was backed by Barry9s widow, Cora masters Barry. many on Saturday said they thought calling this road, the entrance to Anacostia, after a man who fought hard for this often-overlooked part of D.C. was a perfect fit. <To me, this is it,= masters Barry said. <He9s alive. You9ll call his name all day. A thousand times a day people will be saying, 8marion Barry. marion Barry.9= At a block party celebration, people waved signs that said: <It9s A Great Day To Live in Ward 8,= uplifting a community too often He gave them their first summer jobs through a program he launched in 1979 and one that continues today. Some said they tell their children about him, teaching about his accomplishments alongside figures like the rev. martin Luther King Jr. Now the street bearing his name will intersect with martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, in a section of the city that includes what was the heart of his political base as mayor and on the D.C. Council. <It9s reclaiming a piece of D.C.,= J.r. Clark, 57, who grew up in the District and lives in Ward 7, said during the celebration Saturday. <It9s reclaiming our history and not letting others define who our leadership is and who our heroes are in our community.= Barry was the most powerful local politician of his generation. He created new opportunities for Black people, elevating them to city government positions, and created programs that helped people who needed it the most: food for seniors, home-buying assistance for the working class and summer jobs for youth. He found supporters in racial justice advocates in the NAACP and everyday folks who benefited from the social services he championed. Even after he served a jail sentence when the fBI caught him smoking crack on camera in a 1990 sting at the Vista Hotel, he came back to win a fourth term as mayor. In the months before his death, he was viewed favorably by 81 percent of Black Washingtonians, and just 7 percent of aveNue from C1 D.C. honors Marion Barry9s legacy with street renaming after years-long wait robb Hill for THe WasHingTon PosT Marion Barry9s widow, Cora Masters Barry, speaks during the ceremony to rename a D.C. street in honor of the late mayor on Saturday. <To me, this is it,= Masters Barry said. <He9s alive. You9ll call his name all day. a thousand times a day people will be saying, 8Marion Barry. Marion Barry.9= Farley9s marathon time clocked in at just over three hours this month. Fans are urging him to run another before the year ends. BY JASMINE HILTON Three people leaving a funeral in a van were wounded by gunfire friday near a maryland cemetery, Prince George9s County police said. They did not provide the ages of the victims but said they are adults. The two women and one man were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, police said. The shooting occurred in the Landover area near the 7100 block of Sheriff road, police said. The area is near National Harmony memorial Park Cemetery. officers responded to a reported shooting about 2 p.m., maj. Chad Schmick said. He said it appeared that a van leaving the cemetery in a funeral procession was shot at. <This is a time when people are already grieving, already sad about losing a loved one,= said Schmick, who called the shooting <brazen.= Police are gathering evidence to determine whether the rounds were fired from a handgun or rifle, Schmick said. Police are not certain whether a shooter was on foot in a wooded area near the cemetery or inside a vehicle, Schmick said. When police arrived to help the wounded, the van carrying the people who were shot was <difficult to get inside= while occupants were scrambling to get out, Schmick said. While trying to climb into the van to aid the victims, an officer injured themself. The officer was taken to a hospital for treatment, Schmick said. He said he could not confirm how many people were inside the van. <They9re sad, they9re grieving about burying a loved one, and now this happens,= he said. He said police are looking for any home security camera footage or information from the community that will help find the shooter. Maryland 8Brazen9 shooting injures three people leaving a funeral in Prince George9s County Subscriber Exclusives Monday, Dec. 4 on Washington Post Live: Conserving land, water and wildlife amidst growing climate threats The United states has faced record-breaking temperatures, forest fires and droughts, putting a strain on river systems, public lands and water supplies. on Monday, Dec. 4 at 11:00 a.m. eT, join Washington Post Live for conversations with bureau of land Management Director Tracy stone-Manning and connected conservation foundation executive director sophie Maxwell about efforts to protect land and water systems amidst growing climate threats. Washington Post Live is the newsroom9s live journalism platform. Tune in at washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/.
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post eZ Su c3 I also care what happens in D.C. and maryland. When I first moved to the region, one of the first things I noticed was the hesitation of marylanders to go to Virginia and Virginians to go to maryland, even though those boundaries disappear with a short drive. But as a journalist, I have to cross those lines all the time, and it takes only looking broadly at this region to see that Prince George9s deserves the economic boost that the headquarters will bring. When opportunities and wealth are spread wide, instead of concentrated in one place, we thrive as a region. I was reminded of that when I spoke to Taveras. I had called her to get a sense of how people in the county had responded to the site selection. <It was just so endearing to see the happiness in people,= she said. When we talked about what the decision means for equity, she noted a saying in Spanish that translates roughly to: <There are people who eat alone.= <They eat only for themselves, and they never share the bounty,= she said. <In order for us to lift up all boats, all people, everybody9s got to eat. Everybody needs a little bit.= In an article my colleagues wrote about Virginia9s objections to the site selection, a GSA spokesman said the agency welcomed a review: <We carefully followed the requirements and process, and stand behind GSA9s final site selection decision.= An investigation will cost taxpayers more money and draw out an already long-drawn-out selection process. Absent of any hard evidence of wrongdoing, it9s time for Virginia officials to do what maryland officials did when Amazon chose Arlington as the site for its new headquarters: graciously admit defeat. That9s right, Virginia is also home to Amazon, in addition to those other major federal facilities. Losing is hard, and losing when you9re used to winning is harder. But this time, Virginia did not win, and the only respectable move now is to let maryland celebrate the victory without forcing people there to keep defending that decision or to wait longer than necessary to see the benefits from it. I say that as a Virginia resident. I have lived most of my adult life in the state and I am raising my children here. I care about what happens in Virginia. not gently. <There is overwhelming evidence suggesting that the General Services Administration (GSA) administered a site selection process fouled by political considerations and alleged impropriety 4 one that was repeatedly curated to arrive at a predetermined outcome,= the letter reads. The letter, which was signed by nine of Virginia9s Democratic and republican House members and two Democratic senators, criticizes the process that led the GSA to overrule a threemember panel that had previously chosen the Virginia location. In the letter, officials allege that the site selection criteria was changed in a way that favored the Greenbelt site, over the objections of the fBI, and that a career official who was tasked with finalizing the site selection was replaced by a political appointee with a potential conflict of interest. <In defending the indefensible, GSA has decided to proceed with the selection of Greenbelt over the objections of its client agency, the fBI,= the letter reads. <These facts, when taken together, paint an ugly picture of a fatally flawed procurement that demands further investigation.= disappeared from the farm in the Winter of 1940, leaving behind furniture, personal effects and bundles of soiled laundry,= the Baltimore Sun wrote. With Ufos still in the news in 1949, an investor inGrayGoose recalled the earlier demonstration flight. Perhaps Caldwell was responsible for the mystery sightings. And that9s why the military wentto investigate. But just a day after that unnamed officer had said the busted remains in the tobacco shed were probably flying saucer prototypes, the Air force backpedaled, releasing an official statement:<The Air force states thatthe two experimental aircraft found near Baltimore have absolutely no connection with the reported phenomena of the flying saucers.= The AP tracked down a bemused Caldwell in Las Vegas, where he was working on an aircraft with wings that resembled water wheels. He said of his flying saucer experiments: <If the Air force wants to know anything aboutitthey9re welcome to whatever I know.= Caldwell died in 1956. Ufologist Joel Carpenter explored Caldwell9s life on his ufxufo.org website. Carpenter, who died in 2014, seemed undecided on whether Caldwell thought of himself as an aviation pioneer or a canny swindler. Whichever it was, wrote Carpenter: <for two days, atleast, he was the man who invented flying saucers.= Helping Hand Attention, Earthlings: To read about the charities we9re supporting during our annual Helping Hand fund drive, visit posthelpinghand.com. neither alien, nor russian. They were the creation of an inventor named Jonathan E. Caldwell. Well,<inventor= may be too kind. Caldwell was born in ontario in 1883. His exploits first appear in American newspapers in 1929, when his company, Gray Goose Airways, starts looking for investors. Based then in Colorado,GrayGoose promised to revolutionize aviation with an airplane designed to <fly like a bird.= It would take off and land vertically. Two years later, Gray Goose was advertising shares for 50 cents. An illustration depicted whatlooked like a galleon topped by horizontal sheets. far from airworthy, it looks airworthless. Caldwell left Colorado after being sued by investors. He landed in New Jersey. In 1932, regulators there lodged a complaint againstGrayGoose, which was then promoting airplanes with flapping wings. According to the New York Times, <The complaint declares that thousands of dollars of corporate funds were wasted on the construction of planes which could not work and that construction has begun on a 8rotor wing type9 plane.= <rotor wing= describes the things Caldwell built at a rented farm in maryland. Supporters claimed one of his inventions actually flew to a height of 40 feet during a demonstration at Benning racetrack, crashing only because of pilot error. Caldwell, his wife, Olive, and their son, Carl, lived in the Baltimore-Washington area for about 10 years. maryland regulators also became skeptical ofGrayGoose Aviation and the family suddenly decamped again. <Caldwell, his wife and son out of Europe to jump-start our space program. The fear was the Soviets had done the same and these Ufos were the result. SaidGraff:<The Air force is genuinely concerned about what these things are, not at that point because anyone thinks aliens are visiting Earth, but because they9re concerned this is some transformative [Soviet] technology that could upend the balance of power in the Cold War.= The tobacco shed saucers were Life Here 4 and out There.= In 1947, sightings were reported in more than 34 states and Canada. <one is the roswell crash in July, which is now infamous but atthattime was just another incident in the near daily headlines, grainy photographs and weird reports of flying saucers all across the country,= Graff said. After World War II, the United States had hustled Nazi scientists bedeviling pilots across the country. The flying saucer era began on June 24, 1947, when a civilian pilot named Kenneth arnold reported seeing nine unidentified objects flying in a diamond formation over mount rainier. <That kicks off this really intense summer of flying saucer sightings,= said garrettM. graff, author of the newly published <Ufo: The Inside Story of the U.S. Government9s Search for Alien a Washington Post article last month about the 50th anniversary of the <Exorcist= movie included a Postfront page from 1949 recounting the story the novel is based on. as soon as I saw the paper,Irecognized another a1 story,from my ancestral homeland, glen Burnie. It was about the great glen Burnie flying saucer caper of 1949. That was many years ago, butit seems like you should do an update. 4 Neil Litzau, Crownsville, Md. The Aug. 20, 1949, front page featured the aforementioned satanic scoop 4 headlined <Priest frees mt. rainier Boy reported Held in Devil9sGrip= 4 along with more mundane articles about the Pentagon budget, the fCC and the prospects of home rule for the District. And then there was this eyecatching headline below a threecolumn photo of whatlooked like the destroyed remains of an alien spaceship: <first 8Saucer9 Is Located By Air force.= The story was about wreckage discovered in an Anne Arundel County, md., tobacco shed. one broken machine looked like a primitive helicopter. The other craft was topped by two clothcovered, saucerlike discs,16 feet in diameter. maryland state troopers had made the discovery, dispatched to Glen Burnie, md., atthe behest of investigators from Bolling Air force Base. An Air force officer told the Associated Press there was <a good chance= the craft were prototypes of the mysterious flying saucers that were In 1949, mysterious 8ûying saucers9 were found in a barn in Glen Burnie John Kelly's Washington evening StAr coLLection/D.c. PubLic LibrAry The wreckage was found in 1949, during an era when pilots were reporting flying saucer sightings. BY FREDERIC J. FROMMER A half-century before Donald Trump dismissed the four criminal cases against him as a <witch hunt,= a defensive President richard m. Nixon famously declared, <I9m not a crook.= Nixon made the comment 50 years ago friday, on Nov. 17, 1973, at Disney World in florida as the Watergate scandal was swirling around him.It came a month after the Saturday Night massacre, when Attorney General Elliot richardson and Deputy Attorney General William ruckelshaus resigned rather than carry out Nixon9s order to fireWatergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox. SolicitorGeneral robertBork later fired Cox. Now Nixon was addressing 400 people at the Associated Press managing Editors annual convention in an hour-long televised question-and-answer session, where he said he never obstructed justice. <People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook,= he said. <Well, I9m not a crook.= While declarative, his protestation of innocence didn9t have the same animus as Trump9s response to the criminal charges he9s faced in four different cases this year. following his latest criminal charges, related to his efforts to overturn his loss in Georgia in the 2020 election, he told fox Business that the prosecution was a witch hunt. <I have four of them now, if you look.Imean, this is not even possible,= he complained. <four, over the next, last couple of months. And frankly, it discredits everything. And they9re all very similar in the sense that they9re, there9s no basis for them.= Earlier, he called special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing criminal charges against Trump in two federal cases, a <deranged lunatic.= Nixon, too, would often attack his critics, especially his perceived enemies in the press. for example, a few days after the Saturday Night massacre, Nixon complained of <frantic, hysterical reporting= on the episode and said, <I have never heard or seen such outrageous, vicious, distorted reporting in 27 years of public life.= Later, when a reporter asked why he was so angry, the president repliedwitha smile,<Don9t get the impression that you arouse my anger. You see, one can only be angry with those he respects.= But he was much more cordial in his meeting with the editors, who hailed from 43 states. <In contrast with some of his recent appearances, he did not berate his critics or his political enemies,= the New York Times observed at the time. Earlier that year, The WashingtonPost9sBobWoodward andCarl Bernstein had reported that Nixon and his top political aides viewed the Senate Watergate hearings asa<political witch hunt.= Trump has used <witch hunt= as a go-to line to attack his enemies. <I learned a lot from richard Nixon,= Trump said in an interview with fox News in may 2020, when he was still president. <Don9t fire people.Ilearned a lot. I study history.= He added that there were differences between him and his fellow republican president. <No. 1, he may have been guilty,= Trump said. <And No. 2, he had tapes all over the place. I wasn9t guilty. I did nothing wrong. And there were no tapes.= About 30 years before Trump won the presidency, Nixon sent him fan mail about Trump9s appearance on the daytime talk show <Donahue.=<I did not see the program, but mrs. Nixon told me you were great on the Donahue Show,=the former president wrote to the future one in 1987. <As you can imagine, she is an expert on politics and she predicts that whenever you decide to run for office you will be a winner!= He signed the letter <rmN.= 8It depends on whenI leave9 The Post described Nixon as tense and nervous but not flustered by any ofthe questions at his 1973 meeting with the editors at Disney World, about 170 miles northwest of where Trump later set up residence at his mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, fla. Nixon made a couple of macabre jokes at his own expense. When asked about energy conservation 4 a big issue at the time 4 he told the editors he flew to the event withoutabackup plane. <The Secret Service didn9t like it, communications didn9t like it, but I don9t need a backup plane.If thisonegoesdown, it goesdown 4 and then they don9t have to impeach,= he said, to laughter. When an editor askedhim what he planned to do after he left the White House, Nixon didn9t miss a beat. <I think it depends on when I leave!= he said, drawing more laughs. In fact, the president would last less than nine more months in office, before resigning in the face of certain impeachment and removal from office. Hemighthave madeafreudian slip when an editor asked about former top aides John D. Ehrlichman and H.r. Haldeman. <I hold that both men and others who have been charged are guilty until we have evidence thatthey are not guilty,= Nixonsaid. His press secretary later gotaquestioner to suggest that he misspoke4and Nixon thanked the person for correctinghim. But Nixon hadit right the first time. Both men went to prison for their roles in the Watergate scandal. Harry rosenfeld, the assistant managing editor for metropolitan news at The Post, asked about reports that the Secret Service had tapped the telephone of his brother, Donald Nixon, at the president9s direction. Nixon replied thatthe agency <did so for security reasons, and I will not go beyond that. They were very goodreasons, and my brother was aware of it.= Then the president, who had long been livid at The Post9s aggressive and groundbreaking coverage of the Watergate scandal, which rosenfeld helped oversee as Woodward and Bernstein9s direct supervisor, had yet another quip: <And may I say, too, to my friend from The Washington Post, I like your sport page. Be sure [sports columnist Shirley] Povich isn't paid too much for what I just said then.= (Nixon wasahuge sports fan;in 1972,for example,he wrote a story for the Associated Press listinghis picks for thegreatest baseball players of alltime.) Before Nixon9s appearance, the Associated Press managing Editors Association presented The Postwith the freedom ofInformation Award <for its tenacious coverage of the Watergate story.= When Nixon was asked again about the tapping of his brother9s phone, he elaborated, <The surveillance involvednotwhat he was doing. The surveillance involved whatothers who were tryingtoget him, perhaps to use improper influence and so forth might be doing. And particularly anybody who might be in a foreign country.= Two months earlier, The Post had reported that Nixon had ordered the tapping out of concern that his brother9s financial activities could embarrass the administration. Today, President Biden is dealing with headaches from his own family members. Last week, the GoP-led House oversight and Accountability Committee issued subpoenas to his son and brother in its probe of the Biden family9s finances. The Times reported that some of Nixon9s answers were as long as 12 minutes, while others were as short as one minute. <Thepoliticalimportance of the occasion and the sober comportment of the editors was in sharp contrast to the setting,= the paper wrote. <mr. Nixon spoke in a gaudilymodernroom4 blue draperies, orange chairs, mirrors on the ceiling4near the monorail line that passes throughthe hotel and leads to the magic Kingdom.= reTropolis A president under investigation 50 years ago declared, 8I9m not a crook9 AP President richard M. Nixon famously said <I9m not a crook.= decided to keep fighting rather than admit defeat. <The choice of Greenbelt over Springfield, VA, for the fBI HQ, is not justawin for mD but for taxpayers, too. It9s estimated to save over $1B in land acquisition and prep costs,= wrote Del. Jazz Lewis (D-Prince George9s) in a series of tweets. He noted that the headquarters9 proximity to public transportation isaplus for accessibility and sustainability and that the site, unlike the one in Virginia, is ready for construction now. <The GSA9s decision was based on merit, not politics. This was a collaborative effort across federal, state, and county levels. onwards.= on Wednesday, Virginia9s congressional delegation sent a letter to the General Service Administration9s inspector general, requesting an investigation into the site selection process. The letter delivers several punches, and She described the win as <a well-deserved opportunity= and said, <it9s about time.= <Prince George9s has always been shorted on what it deserves, an equal share of federal opportunities ... Virginia has the Pentagon, ... Quantico and Langley,= Taveras said, referring to the CIA9s headquarters in mcLean. She said it does not make sense from a fairness or from a national security perspective to also house the fBI9s headquarters there: <Why would you want to concentrate all cybersecurity resources in one location where you can drop one bomb and destroy it all? That makes our country vulnerable.= In recent days, many maryland officials have applauded the decision to house the headquarters in Prince George9s. They9ve also been forced to defend that decision because Virginia officials have vargas from C1 Theresa Vargas Don9t let Virginia9s gripes change site for FBI HQ BY MARTIN WEIL fromhorizontohorizon on Saturday afternoon, no cloud, not a single wisp of the smallest size, seemed to blemish the totally blue expanse of sky above Washington, as the weather approachedapeak of autumn perfection. The high temperature of 60 degrees,3degrees above average, hovered perhaps near the lower boundary of November bliss. But an unobstructed sun bestowed its benevolence upon walls, walks and walkers, giving the day a thermal boost. A strong northwest breeze blew as strong as 29 mph. measurements showed a gust of 37. Such figures were notto be ignored, nor were a fewmorning raindrops and a little fog. But even these may have helped infuse the air with its invigorating sense of autumn. In all, Saturday probably offered a glittering glimpse of a fall day out of legend and memory, of long-ago football games andsunlit excursions on roads and trails embellished by the fiercely polychromatic hues of tree after tree. The disTricT On sunlit streets, a day of fall bliss
C4 eZ re the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 ess intended for detainees or members of the public who want information about pretrial release considerations, according to court documents. But in a response to the court, attorneys for the plaintiffs said the <new= procedure <leaves the status quo largely untouched.= the plaintiffs9 attorneys told the judge that these changes only address a few of their concerns and should not affect the overall lawsuit. the lawsuit survived the defendants9 dismissal request and has entered the discovery phase. aside from messitte9s next move on the preliminary injunction, the parties are expected back in court in June 2024 for hearings on class certification and summary judgment. form of the pretrial release system for years. during a hearing in october 2022 over whether the entire lawsuit should be dismissed, messitte posed a host of challenging questions to attorneys for the judges, the county and the plaintiffs, offering skepticism at times about the merits of the case. But he also chastised prince george9s county officials, saying that their pretrial system should be more efficient and transparent. He said that <simple= changes could improve the process. messitte ordered the county to submit to the court a revised standard operating procedure for pretrial release. in april 2023, the county submitted those changes as well as a handout summarizing the procattorney9s office. Yet they sat in the jail for months awaiting a trial that never happened, even after a judge had ordered or authorized their release, israni said. one plaintiff was jailed for 174 days after a judge said he could be released, only for his charges to be dropped. another plaintiff was jailed for 75 days after a judge9s order authorizing pretrial release, israni said. many of the allegations in the original lawsuit were drawn from observations and research by community organizers and volunteer court observers who watch daily bond hearings in prince george9s and keep databases on what they see, an effort led by court Watch pg and Life after release. those organizations have been pushing for rebefore they could weigh in. israni said that made legal sense, but was nonetheless disappointed that there won9t be quick relief for those currently jailed pretrial in prince george9s under the system being questioned. <at any given moment in time, there are hundreds of people sitting in that jail even though a judge has authorized their release,= israni said. <that has been true since we filed the is and long before that.= When reached for comment on the fourth circuit9s decision, a prince george9s county spokesperson said that <the county does not comment on active litigation.= in the year and a half since the lawsuit was filed, all but one of the nine plaintiffs had their charges dropped by the State9s that support his decision, as required by the law. <the case goes on,= said ellora israni, an attorney with civil rights corps who is litigating the case. While the instructions to messitte from the appeals court could help their case, israni said it is unclear what the judge might do next. He could issue a written or oral order explaining his decision, which could take the case back before the fourth circuit again if either party wished to appeal, or hold another hearing on the merits of the injunction. the fourth circuit declined to rule on the merits of the injunction, which attorneys for the plaintiffs had asked them to do, saying they needed more information from the district court issued a one paragraph order denying the injunction and did not offer a legal explanation for his decision. the plaintiff9s attorneys, from civil rights corps, the WilmerHale law firm and georgetown university Law center9s institute for constitutional advocacy and protection, filed an appeal with the u.S. court of appeals for the 4th circuit. a panel of judges heard arguments from both sides in September, and issued a ruling Wednesday revoking messitte9s denial of the injunction and ordering him to reconsider. the 4th circuit said that in messitte9s next ruling, he must <state the findings [of fact] and conclusions [of law]= PreTriAl sysTeM from C1 Judge to rethink ruling on Prince George9s pretrial system city failed to properly engage the commission on its plans for the aston. Jim malec, chair of the anc, noted in august and again in a tweet last week that the body has held at least 10 hours of meetings about the shelter since June. But on Wednesday, members of the anc urged district officials to move more quickly to establish a community advisory team that is supposed to help facilitate discussions about the project moving forward. When one commissioner apologized to ross and newman for ire that was occasionally directed at dHS from some community members in previous meetings, newman said he understood, adding repeatedly that dHS wants to be <good neighbors= throughout the process. <We know that people take pride in where they live, it9s important that their voices are respected and this is a very passionate issue,= newman said. <We9re just pushing, we are supporting and advocating or city9s values, our mayor9s values, in a way that respects the voice of the community.= their requests to discuss potential alternative locations for it. <no one in our group is against homeless shelters. the problem is where this particular one is located, in one of the most economically viable areas of the entire city,= morrison said. <the district made a terrible choice in location, we offered to work with them to find another location in that ward 4 putting it someplace else that doesn9t have pernicious economic effects of locating it at the aston.= dHS officials in June highlighted the shelter9s location in Ward 2, which is one of the city9s most affluent wards, including multiple nearby grocery stores and nonprofits that support the homeless. and unlike the city9s seven other wards containing shelters from Bowser9s plan, Ward 29s shelter only serves adult women experiencing homelessness; advocates for the homeless have said that only adds to the new project9s significance in the area. the anc has pushed back on one facet of the lawsuit that was also raised in the previous legal complaint: a suggestion that the alleges the city <ignored and/or intentionally circumvented= d.c. zoning laws in its efforts to build a medical clinic in a residential zone, and generally failed to get proper zoning approval for the shelter based on the specifics on its design that were communicated over the summer. the suit also argues that an august 2022 determination letter from zoning officials was based on incomplete and outdated information from the district. Spokespeople for dHS and the d.c. attorney general9s office declined to comment on the lawsuit. When asked about zoning in a June anc meeting, then-dHS interim director rachel pierre said the aston building was <zoned for what we needed, basically almost turnkey.= morrison in an interview tuesday said that beyond the zoning complaints, the West end group behind the suit 4 which he said includes <hundreds= of residents in the area 4 feels as though the district government hasn9t been responsive to their concerns on how the shelter might negatively impact the neighborhood, nor shelters, including mixed-gendered families and couples. unlike those facilities, the aston would have stricter admission criteria, like mandatory case management, which they anticipate will expedite the average stay, which is an estimated three to five months. But concerns related to medical services at the aston are at the core of the new lawsuit filed by the West end dc community association, which is now represented by Scott morrison of the law firm Katten muchin rosenman LLp. in July, morrison wrote a letter to Ward 2 d.c. council member Brooke pinto (d) and the anc on behalf of residents in nearby condominiums raising questions about zoning as well as concerns about how the shelter might negatively impact public safety and the neighborhood9s local economy. at the time, he told the post the lawsuit was a <prelude to litigation= if the group9s concerns were not addressed. the october lawsuit, first reported by the gW Hatchet and Washington city paper, raises complaints similar to those seen in the letter. it ross also sought to clarify the medical services that will be offered at the aston, noting a provider will offer services for people with chronic conditions, like liver disease, who may require visits to a doctor; he said this was similar to offerings at the city9s other shelters, <except that it9s located on-site.= dHS has said medically vulnerable people cannot be as easily accommodated in the city9s other <low-barrier= shelters, which are mostly single-sex and contain congregate sleeping areas with multiple beds. the aston <is absolutely not a medical facility,= ross said. <no needles, no drawn blood, no procedures, no anesthesia, so forgive us for being a little loose of the lip by saying medical because that9s what is conjured up,= said anthony newman, deputy administrator for dHS9s family services administration. <But health assessments, screenings . . . medical attention 4 not medical care.= dHS wants the aston to attract people who are facing homelessness and may otherwise avoid the city9s low-barrier staff david ross said that since the building9s purchase, <there has been a lawsuit, a federal complaint. So that has added to our plan, having to respond to things that maybe we did not anticipate having to respond to. But nevertheless, we have experienced some delays.= a dHS spokesperson told the Washington post the federal complaint was filed Sept. 24 with the department of Housing and urban development, but declined to comment on details within the complaint. a Hud spokesperson did not immediately return an email thursday requesting comment. dHS officials also said there have been some changes to the plan for the aston, compared to what they had laid out to the anc this summer. instead of a peak capacity of 190 residents, ross said, dHS now plans to onboard no more than 50 residents at a time until they reach 100, at which point officials will reevaluate whether the building could support more people. shelTer from C1 Divisive West End homeless shelter9s opening delayed by at least six months obituaries BY HARRISON SMITH a.S. Byatt, the Booker prizewinning author of <possession,= who grappled with history, tradition, science and myth in a six- -decade career that established her as one of Britain9s most renowned novelists, died nov. 16. She was 87. Her death was announced in a statement by her publisher, chatto & Windus, which said she died at home but did not give a cause or say where she was living. for years, she had homes in the putney section of South London and the cévennes region of southern france. ms. Byatt was a writer of sweeping range and ambition, exploring art, politics, memory, academic theory and romantic passion across two-dozen novels, story collections and works of criticism. She could be warm and witty in conversation, discussing her love of snooker and her collection of Venetian glass balls, although she admitted to finding <books more interesting than people= and said she preferred novels about ideas, not feelings. consequently, her own work was packed full of arguments and allusions. a single sentence from her novel <the Virgin in the garden= (1978), the first installment of her Quartet series, referenced the work of melville, tennyson, matthew arnold and Wallace Stevens. Her early novels, along with scholarly studies she wrote on Wordsworth, coleridge and her mentor iris murdoch, gave her a reputation as a cerebral and even humorless author. But public perception shifted with <possession= (1990), a playful genre mash-up that brought her literary stardom at age 53. the novel 4 simultaneously bookish and sexy, part campus satire, fairy tale, mystery and romance 4 followed two mismatched scholars investigating the love affair between a pair of Victorian poets. ms. Byatt drew on her own scholarly background to incorporate faux 19th-century poems, letters and diary entries into the work, conjuring the musty romance of archival research as well as the bygone world of her made-up poets, randolph Henry ash and christabel Lamotte. continued on next page a.S. Byatt, 87 8Possession9 novelist packed her work full of arguments and allusions eaMonn MCCabe/popperfoto/getty IMages Author A.s. Byatt9s 2009 novel <The Children9s Book= was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, one of Britain9s oldest literary awards. 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sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post EZ RE C5 father was a lawyer and county court judge. Her mother, a scholar of poet and playwright robert Browning, put aside her studies to become a homemaker and seemed to feel trapped in domestic life. <she shouted and shouted and shouted,= ms. Byatt told the guardian. ms. Byatt described herself as <a deeply unhappy child,= claiming that she didn9t voluntarily speak to anyone until she was about 16. she was educated at a Quaker boarding school and studied english at Newnham College at the university of Cambridge, receiving a bachelor9s degree in 1957. she went on to do postgraduate work at Bryn mawr College in pennsylvania and somerville College at the university of oxford. By then, she was well underway on her first novel, <The shadow of the sun= (1964), about a college student trying to step out of the shadow of her father, a famous novelist. ms. Byatt said she began working on the novel while drifting off in classes as a college student, writing <very obsessively and extremely slowly.= The book was published a year after margaret Drabble, ms. Byatt9s younger sister, released her own debut novel. Both siblings found fame as writers and literary scholars, and both were awarded damehoods by Queen elizabeth ii 4 ms. Byatt in 1999, Drabble almost a decade later 4 although Drabble was far better known at the start of their careers. News stories frequently noted a rivalry between the sisters. <We were close, and still are, in a basic way, but i always felt very threatened by her,= ms. Byatt told the Times in 1991. Two decades later, Drabble told Britain9s Telegraph newspaper that their relationship was <beyond repair.= ms. Byatt wrote her first novels while raising two children, antonia and Charles, rocking a baby with one hand, in her telling, while writing with the other. Her first marriage, to economist ian Byatt in 1959, ended in divorce in 1969. Later that year, she married peter Duffy, an investment analyst, with whom she had two daughters, miranda and isabel. When she needed extra money to pay for the schooling of her 11-year-old son, she begrudgingly took a teaching job in 1972 at university College London. That same week, her son was killed by a drunk driver while walking home from the park. <The whole thing became the most dreadful knot,= she told the paris review, recalling how it helped to be distracted by students and literature, even as she sought to be a full-time writer instead of an academic. <i went on teaching for as long as my son had lived, and the moment i9d taught for that length of time i stopped.= ms. Byatt remained active as a critic, editing <The oxford Book of english short stories= (1998) and championing the work of younger writers such as Lawrence Norfolk and ali smith. at times she made headlines for her reviews, including for a Times essay in which she deemed <Harry potter and the order of the phoenix= unserious and clichéd, <made up of intelligently patchworked derivative motifs.= Her other books included <still Life= (1985), <Babel Tower= (1996) and <a Whistling Woman= (2002), all part of her Quartet series about a family in mid-century Yorkshire, and <The Children9s Book= (2009), a family saga set during the run-up to World War i. The novel, which revolved around a children9s writer named olive Wellwood (loosely based on e. Nesbit), was shortlisted for the Booker prize and received the James Tait Black memorial prize, one of Britain9s oldest literary awards. ms. Byatt was later awarded the 2016 erasmus prize, a european cultural honor presented by King Willem-alexander of the Netherlands, and the 2018 Hans Christian andersen Literature award in Denmark. she is survived by her husband and three daughters, according to her publisher. additional details on survivors were not immediately available. according to a 2013 profile in the Times of London, ms. Byatt left instructions in her will saying that no biography should be written about her, and that any unauthorized chronicle of her life should be prevented as much as possible. <if you write things about people you are controlling them, which is why i don9t want a biography,= she said. <i don9t want somebody else9s consciousness infiltrating mine, however good they are, however brilliant, however sympathetic, however clever.= she added, <You can find me in my work but not in odd places and not the most obvious places.= obituaries <You turn its last page feeling stunned and elated, happy to have had the chance to read it,= wrote Washington post book critic michael Dirda. <at once highly traditional and eminently postmodern, this is a novel for every taste: a heartbreaking victorian love story, a take-no-prisoners comedy of contemporary academic life, and an unputdownable supernatural mystery that starts with an old book in a London library and ends on a storm-wracked night in a churchyard before an open grave.= <possession,= he added, <is in every way an altogether magical performance, a prodigious act of literary ventriloquism.= ms. Byatt credited the novel9s success to a new, looser approach she took in its creation. <it9s the only one i9ve written to be liked, and i did it partly to show off,= she told the New York Times. <i thought, 8Why not pull out the stops, why do this painstaking observation . . . why not write about the 19th century!9 i actually paced it for the first time with the reader9s attention span in mind.= When the film rights were sold to Warner Bros., she <celebrated modestly,= the Times reported, <buying a telephone answering machine, some books and, more daringly, an account with a taxi service, since she doesn9t drive.= (The film languished in preproduction before being released in 2002, starring gwyneth paltrow and aaron eckhart.) ms. Byatt returned to the victorian era in works such as <morpho eugenia= (1992), a novella about a class-conscious naturalist studying ants, which was adapted into the film <angels & insects= (1995). another novellalength tale, <The Djinn in the Nightingale9s eye= (1994), became the basis for director george miller9s movie <Three Thousand Years of Longing= (2022), featuring Tilda swinton as a literary scholar who uncorks a genie, played by idris elba, from an antique bottle. invoking shakespeare, Chaucer and <one Thousand and one Nights,= <The Djinn= was one of many works by ms. Byatt that rejected literary realism in favor of a more imaginative approach that distinguished her from many of her British peers. <There was a wonderful moment of liberation,= she told the paris review in 1998, <when i realized i could write tales that came out of my childhood love of myth and fairy stories, rather than out of a dutiful sense of 8i ought to describe the provincial young man coming up from sheffield and how he can9t cope with the aristocracy in London.9 anybody would rather write about a princess who had to live in the snow.= still, scholars seemed to exert as much a hold on her imagination as princesses, genies and Norse mythology did. Her novel <The Biographer9s Tale= (2001) centered on a young academic, phineas g. Nanson, who devotes himself to writing a biography about a biographer, only to spend most of his time delving into the lives of historical figures: Carl Linnaeus, francis galton, Henrik ibsen. Jenny uglow, ms. Byatt9s longtime editor, deemed it her most original book. <she could hold the germ of a story in her head for a long time, sometimes for years,= uglow said in a statement, <but when it emerged she would work on it assiduously in her notebooks and in conversations, reading widely to clarify the background of intellectual movements and artistic ideas, and mapping every scene in detail in her head, from the colors of clothes and the names of minor characters 4 which were often bizarre 4 to the complexity of train timetables. finally, the shape was fully formed in her mind. Then it would flow onto the page, with not a change to be made.= The oldest of four children, antonia susan Drabble was born in sheffield on aug. 24, 1936. Her from previous page <You turn its last page feeling stunned and elated . . . 8Possession9 is in every way an altogether magical performance, a prodigious act of literary ventriloquism.= Michael Dirda, Washington Post book critic, on A.S. Byatt9s famous 1990 novel ANNOUNCEMENT PAID DEATH NOTICES HOLIDAY HOURS Thursday, November 23, 2023 & Friday, November 24, 2023 11 a.m. ~3p.m. Photo Deadline: 1 p.m. NO EXCEPTIONS To place a notice, call: 202-334-4122 800-627-1150 Ext. 4-4122 IN MEMORIAM HAWKINS LUCY B. HAWKINS January 15, 1909 - November 19, 1993 Loving memories still live on. You are sorely missed. Family and Friends MEISENGER CAROLYN MEISENGER 6/2/1941 ~ 11/20/2015 Dearest Carla, Even though you are gone, you are still in our thoughts and in our hearts. You left us much too soon. Your family and those who love you. ROCCELLA EDWARD JAMES ROCCELLA July 31, 1944 ~ November 18, 2021 Missing you. You are forever in my heart. Love Always, Eileen DEATH NOTICE CAGER BARBARA E. CAGER On Saturday, November 4, 2023, beloved wife of the late Francis Cager, loving mother to Eleanor Cooper, Monica and Mark Cager, dear grandmother to nine grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild and devoted sister to Delores Adams; Garrett Jones; Gwendolyn Smith; Vanessa Cheeves; Deborah Wallace; Donna Crummer and the late Oliver Jones, Jr. On Tuesday, November 21, visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 2020 St. Josephs Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD. Interment Resurrection Cemetery Condolences to www.pridgenfuneralservice.com DACY EDWARD ANTHONY DACY <Ed= Edward Anthony <Ed= Dacy of Melbourne, Florida passed away November 1, 2023, after complications from a stroke. Ed was the son of Lebanese immigrants, Alexander, and Amelia, and was born and raised in Washington, DC. His family in America settled in Richmond, VA; Cleveland, OH, and Austin, TX. As a youth growing up in DC, he would make and hold dear lifelong friends from grade school through his Roosevelt High School years. He would play Monday night pick-up basketball with some of those friends and many new ones for over 30 years. At 13 years old, he became a Washington Redskins season ticket holder and wasalifelong fan of that team and the Georgetown Hoyas basketball team. Ed attended George Washington University where he majored in English Literature. He would go on to graduate from Georgetown University Law Center. Ed practiced law in Silver Spring, MD for many years and would become an inûuential legal mind on real estate matters in the region and beyond. An avid follower of fashion, he was named Best Dressed by Washingtonian Magazine in 1980. A true son of mid-century America, Ed loved listening to artists ranging from Little Richard & Fats Domino to Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and instilledalove of music, history, and reading into his three children. Ed is survived by his third wife, Cheryl Morrison of Melbourne, FL; his daughter Lisa and John Bonato of Rockville, MD; his two sons, Brian and Marni Dacy of Gaithersburg, MD, and Jeff Dacy of Charleston, SC. He was the proud grandfather of Grace Bonato, Matthew Bonato, Danny Bonato, Jack Dacy, Sam Dacy, and Joey Dacy. He is predeceased by his devoted sister Gloria Isabell Dacy (2012). No services planned. A contribution can be made in Ed9s name to St Jude9s Research Hospital: https://www.stjude.org/give.html DEATH NOTICE CALLAHAN ADELINA PENA CALLAHAN (Age 88) On Saturday, November 11, 2023, of Washington, DC. Beloved wife of the late Robert Francis Callahan. Loving mother of Mari Callahan Leapley, Jon Callahan, Daniel (Chris) Callahan and Brian (Janine) Callahan. Grandmother of Bridget, Daniel, Matthew, Soûa, Keilah and Liliana Callahan and our beloved Claudia Viana. Also survived by her sister, Star Granados. Visitation and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Andrew Apostle Catholic Church, 11600 Kemp Mill Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20902 on Monday, November 20, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., where Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12 p.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of ûowers, memorial contributions may be made to National Down Syndrome Society, 1155 15th Street NW, Suite 540, Washington, DC 20005; https://ndss.org/ or Capital Caring Hospice, 3180 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 500, Falls Church, VA 22042; https://capitalcaring.funraise.org/ www.collinsfuneralhome.com CAPRIO SAMUEL J. CAPRIO Samuel J. Caprio of Laurel, MD passed away on November 10, 2023. He is survived by his wife Daphne Caprio, daughter Julie Caprio and her wife Susan Lauer; sons David Caprio and Cary Caprio and a granddaughter Keyonna Stoute. Sam was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He received a bachelor9s and Master of Science degrees in electrical engineering. He worked as an electronics engineer for 55 years. He started his career at the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, MD and was last employed by Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton Amecon) and CACI. He held 3 patents. He was 92. A celebration of life will be held on December 2, 2023 at his home. In lieu of ûowers, donations may be made to Wounded Warrior Project at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org, Alzheimer9s Association at https://act.alz.org, or Laurel Cats at laurelcats.org. DAVIS BARBARA A. DAVIS Barbara A. Davis affectionately known as <Bucky= was born on December 17, 1946, in Washington, DC and transitioned on November 7, 2023. She is survived by her Brother; Larry Thomas(Dorothy) and a host of nieces, nephews other relatives and friends. On Monday, November 27, 2023 from 10 a.m. until time of service at 11 a.m., friends may visit with the family at Marshall-March Funeral Home of MD, 4308 Suitland Road, Suitland, MD. Interment: Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Suitland, MD. www.marshallmarchfh.com DEATH NOTICE DEWESE MARY GEORGIA ANNE DEWESE (Age 84) It is with deep sadness that we share the loss of Mary Georgia Anne Dewese of Gaithersburg, MD. Mary Anne passed away on Sunday, November 5, 2023, with her family around her. She was the beloved wife of nearly 58 years to the late Robert Emory Dewese; the loving mother of Sharon Townsend (Paul), the late Andrew Dewese (former spouse Lynn), and Robert Dewese (Erica). She was the cherished grandmother of Kristen Townsend, Katherine Townsend, Andrew Dewese, Dustin Dewese, Jordan Edwards, and Austin Dewese; and eight great-grandchildren. She is survived by sisters Andrea Posner (late Michael) and Cynthia Mattson (Ken Jones) and many other loving relatives and friends. A memorial service will be offered at Robert A. Pumphrey Funeral Home, Rockville, Inc., 300 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville MD on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 1 p.m. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to The Children9s Inn at NIH. Please view and sign online family guestbook at www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com DEATH NOTICE DOOLAN DENISE DOOLAN Denise Doolan passed away peacefully on November 14, 2023, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. She was born on January 7, 1944, in Washington, DC, and grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland and Paris, France. She attended Blessed Sacrament School, the American School of Paris, Georgetown Visitation School, and University of the District of Columbia. She lived most of her adult life in Washington, DC. Denise was a very talented and creative artist, musician, and poet and had a wicked sense of humor and fun. Denise is survived by her siblings, Devin J. Doolan (Carol Doolan), Diane Doolan Everts, and Kelley C. Doolan (Karen Baldi) and many nieces, nephews, other extended family members, and friends. Denise was preceded in death by her parents,John A. Doolan and Alice Kelley Doolan, and her sisters, Christina Doolan Hennessey (and Joseph F. Hennessey) and Deirdre Doolan Dunworth (and R. Lawrence Dunworth). See https://www.interfaithfunerals.com/ obituaries/Denise-Doolan for the obituary and additional information. Interment is private. A gathering to honor Denise9s life will be held atalater date. DUGAN JAMES THOMAS DUGAN <Jim= (1936 3 2023) James Thomas Dugan, 87, of Glenn Dale, MD, passed away peacefully at his home afteralong battle with cancer on November 11, 2023. James was preceded in death by his wife Sandra and sisters, Joan and Eileen. He is survived by his brother John; his children Kathryn (Brian Nejedlo), Margery (Scott Blancke), Timothy and Colleen (Trampas Ferree) and grandchildren Victoria, Caroline, Matthew, Presley and Lee. He was born in Washington, DC in 1936 to James and Margaret Dugan. James was a dedicated civil servant with 30 years of service in the CIA and a veteran of the US Army. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother and will be missed by his family and friends. Donations in his name can be made to the American Cancer Society. An inurnment ceremony and celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.robertevansfuneralhome.com for the Dugan family. www.robertevansfuneralhome.com FINNERAN PATRICIA MCGRADY - FINNERAN On Thursday, November 9, 2023, of Germantown, MD. Beloved wife of the late Joseph Finneran; daughter of the late John and Daisy McGrady; sister of Barbara (Terence) Foley, and the late Mac McGrady; aunt of John (Stacey), Robert (Lauren), and Patrick Foley; great-aunt of Luke and Emily Foley, Murphy and June Foley. Also survived by her beloved cat, Gemma. Her career took her to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where she championed the NRC9s outreach to Native American Tribal Nations, reinforcing to agency personnel the importance of recognizing, understanding, and respecting Native American Tribal sovereignty. Patricia authored the NRC9s ûrst <Tribal Protocol Manual,= a document that highlights the agency9s commitment to uphold its Trust Responsibility to Native American Tribes. Patricia was known for her keen sense of humor, love of family, and her wide circle of friends. She had a passion for a variety of activities, including games, music, movies, gambling, baseball, the ocean, and Cape Hatteras in particular. She will be missed forever. Service and Interment Private. Memorial contributions in her name can be made to any worthy charity. www.COLLINSFUNERALHOME.com FISHER JAMES RONALD FISHER <Ron= CAPT. U.S. Navy (Ret.) August 25, 1935 to October 31, 2023 Son of William Benton Fisher, Sr. and Acenah Mills Fisher; beloved Brother to a dozen wonderful siblings (survived by Alice, Bobby, Paul, David, and Kenny); husband to Lenyr Vallejo Fisher; proud Father of Benton (Joan), Wes (Funn), Fred (Carol), and Martin (Lauren); supportive Stepfather to Marsha and Marco and Step-grandfather and great-grandfather to their offspring; and joyful grandfather to Hannah, Jack, Julia, Ellis, Mallory, Ryan, Lily, Katie, and Anna. He is also survived by his ûrst wife Margaret Corletti. He was born in a modest three-bedroom house on Young Street in Bemis, TN on August 25, 1935. From a young age, Ronald displayed a natural sense of happiness and intelligence and participated actively in academics and athletics at the local schools, including playing on JB Young High School9s ûrst football team in 1949.Accomplishments include earning All-District in basketball his senior year (1952-1953), ûnishing both 2nd and 3rd in the Bemis Brothers Bag Company essay contest (he wrote 2 essays!), representing Bemis at Volunteer Boys State in 1952, and running the local swimming pool and projector at the Bemis theater. After graduating from JB Young High School in 1953, he attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville for one year, preparing to pursue his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA). He graduated near the top of his class with honors from the Academy in 1958, and enjoyed a distinguished Navy career, with most of his service in the Submarine force. He served at the outset of the Nuclear Navy; graduated ûrst in each of his Submarine, Nuclear Propulsion, and Engineering Duty Ofûcer schools; served as Executive Ofûcer (XO) on four nuclear submarines; received the Legion of Merit; and retired with the rank of Captain in 1984. During his career he continued to pursue his academic studies, graduating from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (where he served as a research fellow) and obtaining a Master9s Degree in Business Management. His contributions to the security of the nation and the ûeld of naval engineering were commendable. After <retiring= (a word that he asserted did not apply to him), Ronald continued to develop his extensive experience in engineering, management, logistics, education and training, and the judicial system. He launched the Defense Fire Protection Association (DFPA), a scientiûc research and educational foundation dedicated to improving the safety and survivability of our military forces and vessels. He served as a volunteer in a variety of capacities for communities, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (VA), and youth sports organizations, and he ran for political ofûce at both the state and Federal levels. He spent the last chapter of his life as an advocate for the people, committed to fairness, justice, peace, and the rapid implementation of the U.N. Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). This also included a paramount shift in thinking to seek to permanently end all wars, occupations, threats of force, and violence, and resolve disputes by paciûc means. He was <ahead of the times= as an early enthusiast of fax machines in the 1970s and personal computers in the 1980s. His <portable= video-cassette recorder weighed 30 pounds 3 and wasaBetamax. He possessed multiple 8-track players 3 including in the car. He regularly quizzed his children, and then grandchildren, on matters of science and math 3 frequently showing how the answer could be determined with a slide rule. He also perpetuated traditions common to both the Fisher family and the Navy: drinking coffee and iced tea in large quantities, and eating what and when he wanted, for many decades frequenting Edy9s rotisserie chicken, the Lost Dog Café, and Peking Gourmet. He frequently proclaimed that he enjoyed a <charmed life= and was grateful for his upbringing in a small town, for the camaraderie of his Navy experiences, and for his family and friends throughout his life. Consistent with his unûinching desire to make the worldabetter place, his wish is for all to <join the movement= and work relentlessly with other passionate people and organizations such as Global Citizen (https://www. globalcitizen.org/en/). Throughout his lifetime, he consistently responded to the challenges and demands he encountered by remaining composed and <stoic= (a practice he espoused), qualities that endeared him to all who met him. These qualities also served him well in the face of more recent health challenges, as his calmness eased the difûculties associated with strokes, Aûb, and COPD. Despite facing signiûcant health challenges over the past decade, including multiple strokes, cancer, extensive blockage of his coronary arteries, signiûcant infections and sepsis, and COVID, Ronald9s resilience and will to live were astonishing. He was a testament to the strength of the human spirit. After several days of receiving Hospice care, Ronald passed away peacefully at the age of 88. His memory will forever live on in the hearts of those who were fortunate to know him. He leaves behind a legacy of unwavering optimism, dedication to service, and a profound impact on the lives of many. Ronald Fisher will be remembered not only as a dedicated Naval ofûcer and loving family man, but as a beacon of hope and positivity in a world he worked tirelessly to make better. The family is planning a private service at a later date. In lieu of ûowers, all are encouraged to work expeditiously to end poverty, eliminate wars, and hold government ofûcials accountable. Donations may be made to support the Unitarian Church9s Social Justice programs (https://www.uucava.org/social-justice/) and Justice High School Rowing (https://justicerowing.org/ product/donation/), which he served as an ofûcer and active volunteer for the many years that his sons rowed on the team. DEATH NOTICE GIAMPIETRO DOMINICK M. GIAMPIETRO Of Rockville, MD died peacefully on Thursday, November 16, 2023. Beloved husband of the late Flavia E. (Lombardi) Giampietro; father of Camille G. Dyer, Adam Giampietro, Vincent Giampietro, D. Michael Giampietro and the late Niki M. Queen and Barbara Lynn Case; brother of the late Adam Giampietro, and proud WWII U.S. Navy veteran. He is also survived by his beloved 16 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Friends will be received from 4 to 7 p.m. at Pumphrey Funeral Home, 300 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD. Interment will be private at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of ûowers, contributions may be made to a charity of choice in memory of Dominick. Please view and sign guestbook at: www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com DEATH NOTICES MONDAY- FRIDAY 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. SATURDAY-SUNDAY 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. To place a notice, call: 202-334-4122 800-627-1150 ext 4-4122 EMAIL: [email protected] Email and faxes MUST include name, home address & home phone # of the responsible billing party. 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C6 EZ RE the washington post . sunday, november 19, 2023 DEATH NOTICE GRIMM JOAN ELIZABETH MACLEOD HUNEIDI GRIMM Joan Elizabeth MacLeod Huneidi Grimm passed away peacefully at her beloved home on October 17, 2023. Born on July 1, 1934 to Carolyn and Angus MacLeod, Joan was raised in Astoria in New York City. She was an only child until she was 19, when her sister, Bunny Mcleod, came along in Texas, whom she adored. Joan moved to Maryland and later Washington, DC with her Mother and Step Father, Danny DiNapoli. Once married to Fuad <Eddie= Huneidi, they settled in Falls Church, VA to raise their two girls (Samira and Soraya). Upon their divorce, Joan bought her ûrst home and raised her daughters as an independent, single Mom. There were countless adventures and outings to the beach, ski trips, museums, concerts, the theater, international travel and always ûne dining excursions. Known among family, friends and neighbors for her zest for life and elegant fashion, Joan loved to travel, prepare and dine on great food, loved reading, crossword puzzles, dancing, gardening and nurturing her orchids. Joan had an unparalleled ability to light up a room and make everyone around her feel loved. With her infectious laughter and genuine personality, she never met a stranger. Her compassion and empathy endeared her to countless individuals, leaving an indelible mark on their lives. Joan worked as an account manager for a medical laboratory for 30 years before retiring in 1999. Then her international adventures kicked into high gear with Semester at Sea. She circumnavigated the globe twice, for months at a time, and enjoyed a great sense of adventure ziplining in Costa Rica or taking in a Jeep safari in Kenya or taking pictures at Victoria Falls. Joan delighted in her role as <Amma= when she became a grandmother to Kyra and Zoe and she made it a point to be as engaged as much as possible with them&from babysitting, to attending birthday parties, school performances and soccer games. She streamed (online) both of their college graduations this Spring from her hospital bed. She truly embodied a life well lived and completely lived up to her personalized license plate, <LIVN LG=. Joan is survived by her two daughters, Samira Huneidi West (Todd) and Soraya Huneidi Sardo (Chuck), her sister Barbara <Bunny= McLeod (Ivan Edelman), several cousins, her granddaughters, Kyra and Zoe West and her lifelong friends and neighbors. There will be a private family ceremony/ Celebration of Life. Memories can be shared with the family at [email protected] HOLLIS TERENCE M. HOLLIS (Age 64) Terence M. Hollis (Terry), passed away at MedStar Montgomery Hospital, Friday, November 10, 2023. Terence was born on August 24, 1959 in Washington, DC to Dr. Vincent W. Hollis, Jr. (deceased) and Shirley Hollis. Terry graduated from St. Peter9s Catholic School in Olney, MD and Archbishop Carroll High School in D.C. He attended Atlantic Christian College (renamed Bennett College) in Wilson, NC, where he majored in teaching the hearing impaired and disabled children. Terence subsequently entered the Computer and Tech ûeld. Terence worked as a government contractor for Ford Aerospace, OPM, State Department, FBI, NASA, and Department of Treasury among others. He is survived by his mother, Shirley Hollis; two children, son, Shamaurie Shine-Hollis, daughter, Satinka Shine-Oliver (Jafari); three brothers Vincent W. Hollis III (Vaimanaia); Leslie W. Hollis (Regina), Michael D. Hollis; Ex- Wife, Auvrelaine M. Barnes; devoted friend, Lolita Harris and a host of nieces, nephews, family, and friends. Mass will be held on Saturday, November 25, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 4101 Norbeck Rd., Rockville, MD, with viewing at 10:30 a.m., followed by Mass at 11:30 a.m. www.COLLINSFUNERALHOME.com KELLY ANNE LOUISE KELLY Anne Louise Kelly passed away peacefully on November 13, 2023 at her home in Chevy Chase, MD. She was the loving mother of, John (Siobhan), Ryan (Zoila), James and Patrick, who cared for her during her long ûght with Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS). She is also survived by her grandchildren, Ryan, Jr., Bridget, Andrea, Maeve and Brendan. Anne was born on December 21, 1950 in Dubuque, IA to Captain Robert and Dolores (Clemens) Downes. During her formative years she lived on military installations all over the world. Her parents and her sister Ellen (Tom) Amen predeceased her in death. She was the loving sister to: Susan (Herb), Gindy and James, Robert, Jr., and Peter (Rose) Downes. Aunt Anne also remained close to her many nieces and nephews. She worked at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church and as a bookkeeper for the Washington National Eye Center and Hartman Cox Architects. Though she was committed to her work, Anne9s life was marked most by her total devotion to all of those she touched. Her home was always a gathering place for family, friends and neighbors to meet and enjoy life. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on November 21 at 11 a.m. at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 5949 Western Ave NW, Washington, DC. A reception will be held following the service at her residence. In lieu of ûowers please make donations to the United Brain Association Expressions of sympathy may be offered to the family at www.josephgawlers.com MCCARTHY DONALD LEO MCCARTHY CAPTAIN (SC), US NAVY (RET.) September 26, 1934 3 November 10, 2023 (Age 89) Captain Donald <Don= McCarthy entered into eternal rest on November 10, 2023. He was born in Cambridge, MA on September 26, 1934 to William and Irene McCarthy. After ûnishing High School (1952), Don earned a B.S.BA in Economics from Boston College (1956) and an MBA from The Babson Institute (1957). Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Navy to attend the Navy9s Ofûcer Candidate School in Newport, RI. He was commissioned as an Ensign, Supply Corps and matriculated at the U.S. Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, GA. Don9s naval career would center on logistics and ûscal management. Upon graduation from NSCS, Don was assigned to USS Whitûeld County (LST 1169) as Supply Ofûcer, followed byatour of duty at the Naval Station Newport, RI, where he met his future wife, Valerie (Hammel) then a Navy Nurse. After a second sea tour on USS SELLERS (DDG 11), Don9s next assignment took him to The U.S. Naval Academy, where he was an Instructor. After Annapolis, he served at the Naval Shipyard, Pearl Harbor, followed by duty on the staff of the Chief of Navy Materiel in Washington. Don returned to Academia in 1971 to earn a second MA in Defense Systems Analysis at the University of Rochester, NY. That provided a basis for future assignments to senior staff positions in Washington and Pennsylvania. He was called to serve at the Ofûce of the CNO, followed by selection as Comptroller of the Navy Ship9s Parts Control Center, Mechanicsburg, PA. Don returned to Washington to serve on the Financial Staff of The Navy Supply Systems Command, and was subsequently promoted as the Comptroller, Naval Air Systems Command, normally a Flag Billet. Don completed his 26 years of distinguished Naval service, retiring as a decorated Captain in 1983 as the Executive Ofûcer of the Fleet Materiel Support Ofûce, a think tank for Navy Logistics. Upon retirement, Don joined the Arthur Young accounting ûrm, followed by sharing his business and ûnancial expertise with several small businesses. After his second retirement in 2007 Don and Valerie moved to Kilmarnock, in the Northern Neck of Virginia. They enjoyed life on the peninsula until joining the Falcons Landing retirement community in 2009 to be closer to their family. In 1962, Don married Valerie, his life9s companion of 61 years, who survives him. They settled in Fairfax County, VA. where they raised their six children. The entire McCarthy clan greatly enjoyed sports (primarily in Soccer) and friendly family competition. Don is also survived by his children Deirdre White (Mark), Donald J. McCarthy (Jaki), Megan McCarthy, Brian McCarthy (Meredith), Erin McCarthy, ten grandchildren (who lovingly referred to him as Papa), Keiley, Brennen, Riley, Colin, Kira, Rohan, Hannah, Aidan, Grace and Clare. His son-in-law Harry Sober, sister-inlaw Kathleen Hammel, and niece Shannon McCarthy survive him as well. Don was recently preceded in death by his daughter Kathleen Sober. His love for his family and his country was unwavering. <Fair Winds and Following Seas=, until we meet again& A mass will be held at St. Mary9s of Sorrow Catholic Church, Fairfax, VA on Friday, December 1, 2023 at 11 a.m. followed by a small gathering of friends and family at a location to be determined. Don9s inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery and a celebration of his life will be held at a later date. MILLER BENNETT MILLER Bennett Miller of Rockville, Maryland died on October 20, 2023. He is survived by his wife Patricia; his children Beth (Gregory) and Jeffrey (Shawn); his grandchildren Kayla, Bennett, Annie, and Gem, and by the many who called him a friend over 85 years of life. Ben was born on January 18, 1938 to Meyer and Henrietta Miller and grew up in Roselle, New Jersey with his brother Robert. Ben attended Columbia University, where he graduated in 1959 as president of his class. He received a doctorate in physics from Columbia in 1965. Ben went on to hold leadership positions at the Atomic Energy Commission and the Department of Energy. He also pursued alternative energy ventures in nuclear waste reduction and pollution control. Ben married Patricia Schoenhut in 1961. Together they traveled the world and made themselves a constant presence in the lives of their grandchildren. Ben9s days buzzed with physical and intellectual activity. He wrestled for Columbia, taught tennis, and indulged passions for scuba diving and mountaineering. His academic interests were equally broad. Ben loved to gaze up at the stars and down at the poetry of Frost, Auden, and Shelley. Funeral services were held at Hermon Presbyterian Church. In lieu of ûowers, please donate to the church or buy someone you love three scoops of ice cream. Please sign the family online guestbook at www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com POST YOUR CONDOLENCES Now death notices on washingtonpost.com/obituaries allow you to express your sympathy with greater ease. Visit today. GHI DEATH NOTICE DEATH NOTICE HAWKINS GLADYS ROYALL DANIELS HAWKINS <Puddin (Age 83) Retired Postal Employee (30 years) On Monday, Morning November 8, 2023, peacefully surrounded by her loving family our treasured wife, mother, and grandmother slipped unto her eternal slumber. She is survivved by her devoted husband of 63 years, Charles <Chink=; two sons, Gregory, Sr. and Garnell; one daughter, Hazel; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren andahost of other loving relatives. Funeral rites will be conducted Monday, November 20, 2023 from the First Baptist Church of Glenn Arden Ministry Center, 3600 Brightseat Rd., Glenn Arden, MD. Family Visitation 10 a.m. Funeral 11 a.m. MILLS BETTY GRAHAM MILLS (Age 90) A long time DC Public School teacher at Kenilworth Elementary, she peacefully entered into eternal rest on Thursday, November 9, 2023 with her family by her side. She wasawife for 34 years to the late William L. Mills, Jr. Betty is survived by her devoted son Kevin Mills, and loving daughters Wilma Burgess, Gretchen Etheridge, and Laurie Mills. She was blessed with seven grandchildren; Tiara Etheridge, Tamiko Mills, Bettya Burgess, Kevon Thomas, Brandon Strother, Malik Mills, Jessica Burgess and four great-grandchildren. She also has a host of loving relatives in Georgia; Billye Gowdy and family, Victor Mills and family and Donna Mills. In Michigan, there9s Angela Montgomery and family and Michael White and family in New York. Friends are invited to celebrate her life on Monday, November 20, 11 a.m. at Hughes Memorial United Methodist Church, 25 53rd St, NE, Washington, DC. The Interment will be immediately afterward at Fort Lincoln Cemetery. NYLEN SANDRA ANN NYLEN Sandra Ann Nylen <Sandy=, born October 5, 1943, in Arlington, VA passed away peacefully on November 15, 2023. Sandy spent much of her childhood in post-war Japan and Germany, attended Annandale High School, became an airline stewardess; living in Olney she raised her family, and worked 30 years for the Montgomery County School system. Sandy was the wife of the late Allen J. Nylen (Sandy9s other full-time occupation). Beloved mother of Edward and Christine; mother in-law to Joanne; and grandmother to Henry. Friendly to all who came through her door, human and canine. Sandy enjoyed reading, cooking, and caring for her dogs. She will also be missed by her sister9s Lois and Linda. her nieces and nephews; dearest friend Jackie; and all her great neighbors from Olney, Urbana and beyond. Sandy was predeceased by her sister Janie and brother Steve. There will be a celebration of life to follow on a later date. In lieu of ûowers please make any donations to www.guidingeyes.org PAYTON ROSEMARY BROWN PAYTON On Tuesday morning, November 14, 2023, Rosemary Brown (Payton) died of heart failure at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Hours earlier, she9d been surrounded by family and friends (including former co-workers and family from CAPNA Health Clinic). All came together to support her on The Journey. Rosemary was a ûxture in Congress Heights for 40 years as a medical caregiver for a children9s clinic that operated at 747 Alabama Avenue SE from 1968 to 2018. She was an employee and friend to all of the clinic9s CEOs, Dr. Graves, Dr. Absalon, and Dr. Dawood. Through the clinic, <Miss Rosemary= would care for, advise, and inûuence thousands of children! She will be missed. Special thanks to Charity Brown, FNP, Rosemary9s niece, for her tireless efforts to ensure Rosemary9s care at Inova, and niece Thalia Jarrett.Appreciations to James <Punch= Brown and Thelma <Lou= Jarrett. Rosemary is survived by her daughters Bufonda & Alfreda Payton, her sister Thelma <Sista= Brown, her brother Ralph <Puncho= Brown, and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins, as well as her childhood friend, Charlene. A memorial service is planned for late November. WRIGHT FUNERAL CHAPEL CLYDE CLAYTON WRIGHT (Age 91) Of Alexandria, VA, passed away Wednesday, November 15, 2023. He was the loving husband of Nina Crabtree Wright; cherished father of Jeff Wright (Nancy Mendez), Todd Wright (Phyllis Smith), Kimberly Wright Jordan (Paul Jordan), Kipp Wright (Elizabeth O9Connor) and Stephany Wright. In addition he is survived by two brothers, six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. He will truly be missed by many. Clyde was born on September 1, 1932, to William and Alma Wright in Bennett, Iowa. He came to the area to work at the Pentagon while in the Air Force. He met his wife of 68 years, Nina, at the Pentagon and they were married on January 22, 1955. Clyde graduated with a Masters in Accounting from George Washington University and went on to make a career in the ûeld of accounting that spanned until his retirement at age 85. Entombment will be held on Monday, November 20, 2023, at Mt. Comfort Cemetery, Alexandria, VA beginning at 1 p.m. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice. Please view and sign the family guestbook at www.jeffersonfuneralchapel.com DEATH NOTICE ROBINSON KATHRYN ELAINE ROBINSON <Kay9 Of Washington, DC, peacefully passed away November 11, 2023. Affectionately known as Kay Kathryn was preceded in death by her husband Theodore Robinson. She leaves to cherish her memory daughter Nicole (Keith) Stewart, sons Duane (Temple) Robinson, Eric (Pam) Robinson, sisters; Patricia Johnson, Jan (Eugene) Johnson and Jeanne (Wilbur) Ricks, brothers Clarence (Lois) Johnson and Jon (Camille) Robinson, an adopted sister Barbara Jean Anderson, ûve grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, one great-greatgrandchild, and a host of nieces and nephews. Family will welcome friends Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 3800 Ely place, SE, Washington, DC. Visitation 10 a.m. Mass 11 a.m. Interment National Harmony Memorial Park. In Lieu of ûowers please make a donation to the American Lung Association of Maryland. Arrangement by Johnson and Jenkins Funeral Home SANTOS IDALINA MORAIS SANTOS Passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 12, 2023. She now joins Antonio, her beloved husband, in heaven. Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Maria Morrison and her sons, Antonio Santos, Jr. and Luiz Santos. She was the proud and devoted grandmother of Olivia, Emma, Ethan, Andrew, Duncan and Devon. Visitation will be on Monday, November 27, 2023 from 2 to4p.m. at DeVol Funeral Home, 10 E. Deer Park Dr., Gaithersburg, MD. Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Tuesday, November, 28 at 10 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, 917 Montrose Rd., Rockville, MD followed by burial at Gate of Heaven. www.devolfuneralhome.com SELMAN DAVID HARRIS SELMAN (Age 90) Passed away on October 26, 2023, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was born on August 12, 1933, to Lilian and Milton Selman in Brooklyn, New York. David grew up in Brooklyn and earned his Mechanical Engineering degree at the University of Connecticut. His career as an Engineer, Program Manager, and Entrepreneur spanned more than 60 years. He loved what he did and was especially proud of his work on the US Space Program. David had many interests and was a very well-rounded man. Everything was interesting to him from natural science, to technology, to history and politics, to a variety of sports. He was active his whole life and especially enjoyed swimming and sailing. David adored his wife, Rita. They were married for 66 happy years, most of them spent in the Washington, DC area. He loved being husband, father, and grandfather to his family. He always made sure everyone knew the goings on of each family member and was involved in as many of their activities and events as possible. He will be deeply missed. Sadly, David lost Rita unexpectedly in September of this year. He is survived by his daughters, Susan (Bob) Rogers, and Mary Ellen (Fred) Smyser; and grandchildren Fred (Katie) Smyser, Mike (Alyssa) Smyser, Carolyn Rogers, and Jay Rogers. In lieu of ûowers, memorial donations may be made to the Smithsonian Institution at si.edu. Service private. SYPHAX MICHAEL BURKE SYPHAX Michael Burke Syphax of Washington, DC, passed on Saturday, November 4, 2023, husband to Sandra, father of Brent Syphax and Dana Syphax, grandfather to Ahnyah (Dana), and stepfather to Nigel Sanders. He is survived by his brothers Gregory Syphax (Victoria) and Stephen Syphax (Marilynn), nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends. Michael graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1965 and received his BA Degree in Anthropology/ Archaeology from the University of New Mexico in 1969. After graduating, he joined VISTA in Buffalo, NY before returning home to teach at the DC Street Academy. He later worked as a Development Ofûcer fundraising for UDC, the Smithsonian, Arena Stage, and the Washington Performing Arts (WPA) where he retired as Director of Foundation and Government Relations. Michael was an unusual abstract artist who produced <paintings= using colored pencils. His works have been exhibited throughout the country. In 2021, he received an honorable mention prize at the Luxembourg Art Show in France. A celebration of his life will be scheduled at a later date. DEATH NOTICE ROACH DOROTHY HELEN ROACH <Dottie= Dorothy <Dottie= Helen Roach of Howard County, MD, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, November 17, 2023. She was born on March 20, 1942, in Brooklyn, NY, the daughter of Michael Senko and Mary Skiba Senko. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, John David Roach, her son J. Michael Roche and his wife Tanya Spann Roche, her daughter Valerie Roche, and her beloved grandchildren Alec Roche and Sabrina Roche. She is also survived by her sister Mary Margaret Fineran and her brother Thomas Senko and their spouses, as well as several nieces and nephews. As a Navy family, Dottie and John lived in many places including Sunnyvale, CA, Panama City Beach, FL, Jacksonville, FL and Virginia Beach, VA. They then settled in Beltsville, MD, for over 40 years, and Dottie worked as a secretary for the USDA Agricultural Research Service until she retired. Dottie9s passions were music, art, swimming and dancing. She and John enlivened any wedding with their wonderful dance moves, and she enjoyed painting and listening to music as much as possible. She also loved spending time with her extended family, celebrating many birthdays, anniversaries and holidays together. One of her great joys was welcoming her grandchildren to <Nana camp= and being such an important part of their childhoods. Dottie was loved deeply and will be missed dearly. Friend and family visitation will take place on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m., both at Borgwardt Funeral Home, 4400 Powder Mill Rd, Beltsville, MD 20705. Interment will follow the funeral service at MD Veteran9s Cemetery Crownsville, 1122 Sunrise Beach Road, Crownsville, MD 21032. https://www.borgwardtfuneralhome.com/ obituary/DorothyDottie-Roach ROBINS DR. CATHERINE ELLEN ROBINS Dr. Catherine Ellen Robins passed away peacefully in Washington, DC on Monday, October 30, 2023. She is fondly remembered by her brother Jim and sisters Sally and Lola; as well as her son Benjamin, his wife Sharmaine, their two daughters and her friends across the world. Catherine was born and raised in New York City to Arthur (a physician) and Patricia (a high school science teacher) but spent much of her adult life overseas. She attended Radcliffe College where, in 1963, had the opportunity to spend a year teaching in what is now Tanzania. This experience sparked a life-long interest in both Africa and in rural development work. In 1964, she returned to the US to resume her studies, ultimately earning a PhD in Sociology from Columbia University in 1975. She spent the ûrst part of her career as a university professor, teaching in California, Zambia and, ultimately, Kenya. In the early 1980s, she moved to development work, initially with the United Nations and then with several NGOs. Her work took her throughout Africa, but she also had the opportunity to work in Asia and Latin America. In 1991, as her son was entering high school, she moved back to America and completed a Master of Public Health at Columbia University. Throughout the later part of her career, she lived in Washington, DC but continued to work overseas, teaching at the University of Florida, consulting internationally and advocating for fellow cancer survivors. She is remembered by friends and colleagues for her deep desire to understand people and places thoroughly, see them with respect and compassion and ûnd lasting solutions to social problems. Outside of work, her greatest passions were travel and reading. Kate rarely passed up an opportunity to seeanew place or to visit with far ûung friends, and she remained immersed in learning through her very last days. A private memorial service will be held for friends and family. SKIBINSKI BERNARD FRANCIS SKIBINSKI III Bernard F. Skibinski, III, <Skib= passed away peacefully on November 14, 2023, after a brief but courageous battle with Glioblastoma. Skib was a kind person to all until his passing. Skib is survived by his wife of 31 years, Denise Zavagno, his children, Matthew and Mia, his siblings, Jeanne (Ted) Ratcliff, New York, NY; Patricia (Richard) Adams, Kintbury, England; Maria Skibinski, St. Inigoes, Maryland; Joseph (Kim) Skibinski, Bristow, VA.; Sherry Chas, Reston, VA. and 23 nieces and nephews. Skib was born in Leonardtown, MD on August 16, 1957, to Bernard F. and Ann Tuly Skibinski. He attended Mary Washington College and Old Dominion University. Skib was a physical therapist for over 30 years. His true calling was providing a healing hand to his numerous patients who loved him dearly. Skib was devoted to all things related to the Washington Commanders and Villanova basketball. The most important part of Skib9s life was his family. He coached and attended Matt9s and Mia9s numerous sporting events, cheering them on and recording it all. Visitation will be on Monday, November 20, 2023, from 4 p.m. to8p.m. at Murphy Funeral Homes, 4510 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22203. A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, November 21, 10:30 a.m. at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 1910 Randolph Road, Arlington, VA 22207 SMITH PHILIP ANGELL SMITH (Age 79) Philip Angell Smith, a longtime Washington Post reporter and editor and former press secretary for Virginia Senator John Warner (R-Va.), who later served in roles at Powell Tate, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the U.S. Treasury Department, died on November 11, 2023, in Richmond, VA, from complications of a hemorrhagic stroke. He was 79. Smith, born in Syracuse, NY, on August 5, 1944, to Minot Robert Smith and Louise (Mathewson) Smith, was raised in Pulaski, NY, on Douglaston Manor Farm. His father was herdsman of 150 head of purebred Guernsey dairy cows, and his mother was a high school Latin teacher. At eight years old, his farm chores included <shutting up= the chickens into their coops each night, to ensure they were safe from foxes. The task, undertaken at dusk with his older brother George, came with a real paycheck: $3.50 per week, some of which was paid into Social Security. Showing an early aptitude for writing, along with a keen interest in current events, he decided by the third grade to be a journalist. He began publishing his own biweekly in-house newspaper, the <Smith Gazette,= which he typed onto carbon paper on a Smith Corona portable typewriter. Some articles were copied from the Pulaski Democrat. Others were original stories detailing activities in any of the farm9s seven barns, weather reports, weekly updates on calf births, plowing, harrowing or planting in the nearby ûelds, and the breakfast or dinner menus. Later, copies were run off on a mimeograph machine. Each member of the family received one. Sometimes Smith, concerned that others9 news-reading habits were not quite as avid as his own, read the paper out loud at the dinner table to ensure each family member was informed. A talented scholar and the top scorer on his high school basketball team, Smith ûnished as valedictorian of his class of 1962 at Pulaski Academy and Central School and went on to Yale University on a full scholarship. He earned a bachelor9s degree in history in 1966. At Yale, he was a stringer for The New York Times and was a summer intern at The Washington Post in 1965. He then moved to New York City to attend Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for a master9s degree. <Phil excelled at Columbia as a street reporter. His desk was next to that of classmate and friend Molly Ivins, who would become the syndicated uninhibited voice of Texas populism,= said Tom Bettag, his Columbia roommate and former executive producer for ABC News Nightline with Ted Koppel. <Molly was as outspoken as Phil was discreet.= The Vietnam War intervened, and in 1967 after ûnishing Columbia, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After completing Naval Ofûcers9 Candidate School in Newport, R.I., he was originally assigned toaradio station off the coast of Australia. Fellow J-School graduate Paul Wilkes, who had served as a Navy ofûcer, interceded with a call to BUPERS (Bureau of Naval Personnel) and fortunately got to the right guy who was in charge of Smith9s destiny for the next three years. <You know, this Smith was a reporter for The Washington Post,= Wilkes said. <Ummm,= the BUPERS representative replied. A few days later, Smith received amended orders to be a communications ofûcer aboard the newest and ûashiest aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy. Commissioned as a ensign, he was a <plank owner= of the supercarrier, christened on May 27, 1967, by Caroline Kennedy in the presence of President Lyndon B. Johnson, Jacqueline Kennedy, and other dignitaries. He served a tour in the Mediterranean in the carrier9s public information ofûce along with Joe Krebs, later a longtime NBC4 news anchor in Washington, DC, who became a lifelong friend. When his tour of duty was completed, he resumedacareer in journalism, taking a job as a copy editor at the Ledger-Star in Norfolk, VA. In 1971, he joined the Post, where he had a front-row seat to the Watergate scandal along with colleagues including Bob Woodward, a fellow Yale graduate and former Navy communications ofûcer, executive editor Ben Bradlee and publisher Katharine Graham. His 17 years at the Post included a long stint in Style and later as an editor on the foreign desk. They also included another important life milestone: the birth of his beloved son, Andrew, in 1985. In 1988, Smith embarked on the next chapter: Four years on Capitol Hill as the press secretary for Virginia Senator John Warner. His life in Washington, DC, continued with positions at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the public affairs ûrm Powell Tate, and the U.S. Treasury Department. Smith was a member of the Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington and the Yale Club of New York City. In 2008, he married the love of his life, Julia Sutherland, whom he had met years previously on Capitol Hill while she was the press secretary for Senator Chuck Robb (D-Va.). They lived in Alexandria with their adored Scottish Terriers, Winston, Mackie and Maggie. In May 2020, during the COVID pandemic, they moved to Richmond, VA, to be near friends. Smith retired from federal service in 2022. They loved to travel, most recently to France in October 2023. He is survived by his wife Julia Sutherland of Richmond, his son Andrew Smith of Alexandria, VA, and brother George Procter-Smith of Dallas, TX, and a host of loving relatives and friends. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of ûowers, tribute gifts may be made to the Louise M. Smith and M. Robert Smith Scholarship through the Pulaski Academy and Central School, 2 Hinman Rd. Pulaski, NY 13142, 315-298-5188. www.pulaskicsd. org. When the need arises, let families ond you in the Funeral Services Directory. To be seen in the Funeral Services Directory, please call paid Death Notices at 202-334-4122. DEATH NOTICE
sunday, november 19, 2023 . the washington post EZ RE C7 DEATH NOTICE THURLOW MARGARET RAE THURLOW Passed away Sunday, September 17, 2023 after a valiant battle with cancer. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul9s United Methodist Church in Kensington, MD. In lieu of ûowers, contributions may be made in her memory to: Montgomery County Humane Society, 601 S Stonestreet Ave, Rockville, MD 20850. DEATH NOTICE DOWNER VALERIE DOWNER On November 8, 2023 Valerie (Andrews) Downer of Alexandria, VA passed away. She was born in Alexandria on August 3, 1950 and was a lifelong resident, attending Hollin Hills Elementary, Bryant Intermediate and Groveton High School. After graduation in 1968 Val worked brieûy for the US Postal Service before putting herself through Benjamin Franklin University and obtaining her CPA license. She then embarked onalong career in accounting and ûnancial analysis. She is survived by her husband of 43 years John (Jack) Downer of Alexandria and their son Ross Downer of Bozeman, MT. Other survivors include a sister, Sheryl (Sherry) Conner of Raeford, NC; a brother, Harry Andrews and sister-in-law Cora Ingrim of Chevy Chase, MD, and a host of other relatives. Val will be remembered as a loving mother and wife who marched to the beat of a different drummer. She was always hardworking, conscientious and thoughtful. She was an avid reader and an opinionated critic of books and ûlms. Her Potato Salad recipe is in many homes and her generosity will be missed by those to whom she offered help. Services will be private. BARTH SHIRLEY ANN BARTH (Age 89) Passed away peacefully in her home in Georgetown on Sunday, October 22, 2023. She was born on July 12, 1934 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the only child of Lee O. Barth and Margaret Barth. She was a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School and Ohio University where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. A long time Washington, DC resident, she moved to the area to join the Kennedy Administration. She had an exemplary career in public affairs in the Federal government, including serving as the Press Secretary to then Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. Shirley was a world traveler, with special fondness for England, cultural aûcionado (founding member of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts), lifelong tennis player, ballet student, lover of all things Norwegian (her cultural heritage) and passionate advocate for voting rights for residents of the District of Columbia. She wasagenerous and thoughtful friend to many who will greatly miss her charm and wit. Shirley is survived by her cousin Bjorg Tveitan as well as a host of other relatives and friends. Arrangements are in the care of Joseph Gawler9s Sons. Interment is private, and a celebration of life will be held at a later date. Donations may be made in Shirley9s honor to the charity of your choice. BUHL JOHN DAVID BUHL John David Buhl, formerly of Vienna, VA, passed away on Sunday, November 12, 2023 at his residence in Ashburn, VA. He was born on October 4, 1933 to Mary (Garber) and Walter Buhl in New Market, Virginia. The family included his four siblings, Betty, Bill, Barb and Juanita (Pug) moved to Vienna in 1942. John attended Vienna Elementary and Fairfax High School graduating in 1951. He served in the US Army for two years during the Korean War. John and his brother Bill, founded Buhl Electric in 1959. His greatest joy in life was the 50 years he spent with family and friends at Stump Farm in Mooreûeld, West Virginia. John loved giving tours and sharing the history of the farm that he so lovingly restored. John is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Beverly Buhl; his daughter, Debbie (Tom) Bacigalupo, his son, John (Autumn) Buhl, Jr., his stepsons, Todd Meneely (Suzie Maguire) and Keith Meneely. Also survived by 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. John was a great businessman, master electrician, farmer, gardener, entrepreneur, historian, hunter, athlete, blacksmith, carpenter and had too many other hobbies to list. He would want everyone to know that he was the Greatest Setback Player of all time. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. The family will receive friends at the Money & King Funeral Home, 171 W. Maple Ave., Vienna, VA, on Monday, November 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, November 21 at 11 a.m. at The Church of the Holy Comforter, 543 Beulah Road NE, Vienna, VA. A reception will follow at the Westwood Country Club, 800 Maple Ave. E., Vienna, beginning at 12:30 p.m. where a buffet lunch will be served. In lieu of ûowers, donations may be made to CMTA, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association, Cmtausa.org, PO Box 105, Glenolden, PA. 19036. The online guestbook is available at www.moneyandking.com CLARK CHARLES STUART CLARK Journalist, Author and Local Historian Charles Stuart Clark died at his home in Arlington, VA on November 15, 2023, from a rare neurological disorder, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. He was 70. A proud native of Arlington County, Charlie was born on July 6, 1953 to Keith Conrad Clark, an ofûcer in the Central Intelligence Agency, and Cynthia Landry Clark, an accomplished editor and translator. Charlie set deep roots in Arlington, forging lifelong friendships in the Rivercrest and Cherrydale neighborhoods. After a gap year spent abroad in Europe, Charlie attended the University of Oregon and later graduated from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Known to many by the name of his weekly column in the Falls Church News-Press, <Our Man in Arlington,= Charlie was as well-versed in the goings on in his backyard as he was in the intricacies of the federal government across the Potomac. He began his 50-year journalism career on The Sentry, the student newspaper of Yorktown High School. From the launch pad of Time-Life Books in Alexandria, VA, he went on to work as a reporter or editor for The Washington Post, Congressional Quarterly, National Journal, and elsewhere, retiring as a senior correspondent at Atlantic Media9s Government Executive Media Group in 2019. Charlie kept his pen in hand throughout retirement, publishing several books of Arlington history as well as the ûrst full biography of George Washington Parke Custis. His last book, Life and Times of the Falls Church News-Press, a history of the City of Falls Chuch9s local newspaper, was published by The History Press on October 22, 2023. Castingalegacy of warmth and wit, Charlie is survived by his wife, Ellen McCallister Clark, daughters Elizabeth Clark McKenzie (James Evan McKenzie) and Susannah Clark Matt (Francis Xavier Matt IV), and beloved grandchildren Caroline Land McKenzie and James Patrick McKenzie, along with his siblings Thomas Conrad Clark and Martha Clark Franks. A memorial will be announced at a later date. As Charlie was a board member of the Arlington Historical Society and an active civic volunteer, please consider honoring him by donating to a local charity of your choice. In lieu of ûowers, his family would like to celebrate his gift of community building. LUTKENHOUSE IRENE FLORENCE LUTKENHOUSE Irene Florence (Baskiewicz) Lutkenhouse, 89, of Burke, VA, passed away November 13, 2023. Irene (Baskiewicz) Lutkenhouse was born in Somerville, MA, November 8, 1934. Irene graduated from Fisher Junior College in 1953 and retired from Government Service in 1984 after working 16 years as an Administrative Assistant for the Central Intelligence Agency. Irene is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Theresa (Dulka) Baskiewicz, her brothers, Edward and Michael, sister Wanda (Baskiewicz) Harvey, son, Gary Shumway, and daughter, Elaine (Shumway) Penta. Irene is survived by her husband of 40 years, Joel Lutkenhouse of Burke, VA; her daughters, Beth (Shumway) Herndon of Woodbridge, VA, Sandy (Lutkenhouse) Latta of Burke, VA, and Patricia (Lutkenhouse) Talbert of San Antonio, TX; 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. In lieu of ûowers, donations may be made to: The Lamb Center, PO Box 1385, Fairfax, VA 22038-1385. www.thelambcenter.org. Viewing and funeral services will be held on Friday, December 1, 2023 at the Church of the Nativity, Burke, VA beginning at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at the National Memorial Cemetery, Quantico, VA. DEATH NOTICE ROUSELLE YVONNE EDWARDS ROUSELLE Passed away on November 6, 2023. Beloved mother of Vida DeVaughn and Avis Eichelberger (Lamont). She is also survived by her sister, Shirley Gross; grandchildren, Ayanna and Amari DeVaughn; nieces, a nephew, her lifelong best friend, Minerva Giles and a host of others. A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, November 21, at Ft. Lincoln Funeral Home, 3401 Bladensburg Rd., Brentwood, MD 20772. A DST OO Ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. with a Memorial Service at 1:30 p.m. DEATH NOTICE DEATH NOTICE ALEXIOU GREGORY A. ALEXIOU Gregory A. Alexiou of Arlington, Virginia passed away July 27, 2023. The affable and likeable resident of River Place West in Rosslyn was 63. A native Washingtonian, Greg was born October 8, 1959. His ûrst 10 years were spent living in Oxon Hill, Maryland. And then moved to Alexandria with his Mom and Brother. There, Greg went to Bryant Junior High and then graduating from Groveton in 1977. He played football with the Groveton Tigers and for the most part spent his teens like any other. Soon after graduation, he moved to California with the family to live in San Diego. He joined the Air Force in 1984 and attended the Community College of the Air Force to get his Associate in Applied Science in Air Trafûc Control. Departing the Air Force in 1988 he continued his ATC profession and in 1990 received his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Eventually, Greg ended up in the Alameda/ Oakland area doing his ATC and while there found the love of his life, Valerie or should it be they each found the love of their lives. But life happens. Over time, Greg returned to the East Coast, where he changed careers and entered into the healthcare industry working at several of the local hospitals. Greg lived at River Place in Rosslyn, Virginia for some 20 years and during that time created a life within the four building community making friends and endearing himself to many. He worked at the on-site grocery store for a while interacting with customers where so many got the chance to know him. The River Place community became a blessing and another family for him. Greg wasagood moral man like his father. And there were many Great memories growing up including playing football with Dad and siblings and friends while showcasing his blazing speed. A big time Redskin fan, the whole family was. He and his brother Philip were at the last Redskins game ever played at RFK Stadium when they beat Dallas 37-10. What a day. And Oh, the Redskin Championship parades with Philip and Rusty. His long talks with Mom were special moments between son and mother. He enjoyed his trips to Paris visiting Dad and wife Jacqueline who always made it a point to remain close with phone calls and correspondence. The unforgettable trip to Greece in 1973 with Dad, Pat, Aunt Kay, brother Philip, cousins Sandy and Stephanie, step siblings Paul, Carla and Donna. In High School he ûipped pizzas with buddy Fred Plumb and his Groveton buddies at Godfather9s Pizza in Mount Vernon. Sometime in his 20s, Greg beat UCSD track athletes duringaScripps Institute Triathlon Day in San Diego. Greg9s speed shocked the world and you should have seen those long legged superfast guys get their doors blown off. The whole beach was stunned. Who is that guy?! Well growing up, that guy was Greg who had speed like the light. Like any kid growing up he had his idle and it was Mohammed Ali. Back then he loved the sport of boxing. He loved gold, pure maple syrup and fried clams. Other memories: Skiing the French Alps with Dad. Traveling cross country, Master of Nikki the pug, Schnookles the cat and Junior the guinea pig. He taught his brother how to tie his shoes and how to rideabike. So many friends at River Place including Tiffany, Mel, Carlos, Roy and Moses, just to name a few. He leaves behind his brother Philip, sisterin-law Lori, his loving step Mom Jacqueline, step siblings Paul and Donna, former step mom Pat and the rest of his cousins in his big Greek Family. Greg was truly good. He is already greatly missed. He is in God9s hands now. A good place to be foragood person. A celebration of life service will be held December 9, 2023 at 12 Noon at 1111 Arlington Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209. Known as the West Building. Best to park on the street. MURPHY JEANNETTE MURPHY Our beloved aunt, great aunt, sister, friend, colleague and fellow artist, Jeannette Murphy, passed away peacefully on October 29, 2023, with all of us by her side 3 in person or by phone or in spirit. Jeanie, as we all knew her, enriched our lives in ways we will remark on and experience for all our years. Jeanie was born February 9, 1941, in Omaha, NE, with her twin sister, Jaconette/Jackie, to Louise and Edward Murphy, following sister, Pat. They were later followed by brother, Dennis. Jeanie grew up in several places as her family followed her veterinarian father through his promotions with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ûnally landing in Washington, DC. After graduating from Washington-Lee High School (now Washington-Liberty) in Arlington, VA, she pursued her passion at the Corcoran School of Art at George Washington University, where she studied art and earned a B.A. in Painting. Following graduation, she journeyed to Paris to study at the Sorbonne. When she returned to the United States, Jeanie9s practical father urged his gifted daughter to get a <real= job. She started her career as a country loan ofûcer and later becameapublic health specialist at the World Bank, where she excelled at evaluating proposals and projects for grants that would, over a lifetime, beneût millions of individuals in Africa and Asia. While at the World Bank, Jeanie enhanced her credentials by continuing her education at Johns Hopkins University, earning an M.A. in Economics and in Public Health. Jeanie9s World Bank ûnancial career seemed contradictory to her artistic persona, but these two sides complemented and elevated one another. She regaled her rapt family with stories of countries such as Mali and Thailand, as well as amazing us with what we thought of as her exotic artistic lifestyle and aesthetic. Jeanie was a much-anticipated presence at our holidays, loving and laughing at everything her nieces and nephew did, adding to the joy of our birthdays, Thanksgivings, Christmases, and family gatherings. She took us to galleries and dinners, theater, and events, and even took some of us to Bangkok, where we were able to witness with pride her savvy interactions with the highest government ofûcials and then follow her to unique experiences, like extracting venom from cobras and black mambas at an anti-venom producing hospital. As her nieces and nephews and our kids grew older, Jeanie helped with the biggest life changes and challenges, supporting renovations, business school, culinary school, and other dreams. She hosted comfortable and entertaining dinner parties where we feasted on international dishes and made immediate friends. Decades ago, Jeanie became a member of a running club that stayed close through years of life events, moves, and interchanging members until in their later years the group operated mainly as a dinner club, running tabs and mouths more than miles. Jeanie9s smitten companions through all these adventures were her cherished Wheaton terriers. With her well-known canine sidekicks, Jeanie was a welcome regular at the dog parks. Jeanie loved to read a range of books and looked forward to the conversations and friends of her book group. Together, Jeanie and her twin sister, Jackie, were ushers for more than 20 years at Arena Stage, Ford9s Theatre and The Shakespeare Theatre Company - wonderful venues and experiences that undoubtedly contributed to her always evolving artistic skills. Arena Stage recently celebrated her longtime contribution. Throughout her life, Jeanie painted, produced pottery, and created exquisite lifelike sculptures. She retired early from the World Bank in 1995 to focus on her art. She took pottery from Jill Hinckley, studied painting with Edmund Archer and William Woodward, and studied sculpture with Turker Ozdogan. Her pieces bring color and stories to several DC locations and many of our homes, and they have been prominently displayed at shows in the Jackson Art Center for years. Jeanie recently donated pieces of her remaining collection to Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Her talents have received many accolades, and Jeanie was honored to have a portrait in the <Faces of the Fallen= exhibit at Arlington Cemetery in 2005. All who loved Jeanie are so grateful to have these representations of her vibrant, loving, generous personality, and we will treasure every piece and every memory associated with Jeanie. Jeanie is predeceased by her parents, Louise and Edward Murphy, and brother, Dennis Murphy. She is survived by her sisters: Pat Murphy Sheehy and Jackie Murphy; and nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews: Jennifer Sheehy, Alison Sheehy, Michael Sheehy, Emily Murphy Eanes, Erin Sheehy, Jannie Trelogan, Sean Murphy, Sarah Markley, Hayden Markley, Leo Davidson, Sander Markley, Mia Davidson, Alice Sheehy, Aiden Eanes, Serena Davidson, and Truett Sheehy. Jeanie lives on through her countless extended family members, friends, business colleagues, artistic compatriots, booklovers, running/dinner club comrades, and many many more around the world. Details of a memorial service are forthcoming. In lieu of ûowers, contributions can be made to Doctors Without Borders, https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate. NIMETZ STANLEY NIMETZ On Saturday, November 18, 2023, Stanley Nimetz, of Silver Spring, MD, passed at the Casey House. After serving our country in the US Air Force, Stan spent 49 ½ years servingacherished clientele at Giant Food as a store manager. While Stan was well known for his love and passion of all his local DC sports teams, none of them ever matched his affection for his family. Beloved husband of the late Beverly Nimetz; loving brother of the late Jack Nimitz and late Irene Margolin; devoted father of Marnie (Jeff) Grinspoon and David Nimetz; cherished grandfather of Lindsey Grinspoon, Jessie Grinspoon, Lainee Nimetz and Leah Nimetz. Funeral service will be held at Judean Chapel, 16225 Batchellors Forest Road, Olney, MD on Monday, November 20, 2023, 1 p.m. with interment to follow at Judean Memorial Gardens. Family will be receiving guests after the interment with Minyan at 7:30 p.m. at the Grinspoon residence. Shiva will resume on Tuesday 4 p.m. with Minyan at 7:30 p.m. In lieu of ûowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Casey House (montgomeryhospice.org). Services entrusted to Sagel Bloomûeld Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care. www.sagelbloomûeld.com ROSE HENRY ROSE (Age 96) Surrounded by his family, on Thursday, November 2, 2023, HENRY ROSE of Chevy Chase, MD died peacefully after a short illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sarah and Irving Rose, and his beloved sister and brother-in-law, Lorraine and Norman Bercoon. He is survived by his children, Ben (Ronit), Andra, and Jonathan, grandchildren Adam and Jesse Rose, Solomon and Fred Goldstein-Rose, and Amy and Emery Rose, many nieces and nephews, and a great-granddaughter. Henry was born on March 28,1927, in Olean, NY, and his family moved to Buffalo in 1934. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1945 through 1946, and after his discharge, attended the University of Buffalo and the University of Buffalo School of Law, graduating in 1951. In law school, he wasafounder and editor of the Buffalo Law Review. After law school, Henry taught law at Northwestern University, the University of Toledo and the University of Buffalo. He wasaSterling Fellow at Yale and received an LLM. His interest in labor law led him to the National Labor Relations Board and later, the U.S. Department of Labor. In 1969, he became the Associate Solicitor of Labor for Legislation where he was the principal draft of, among other laws, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which regulates pension and health beneûts and created the Pension Beneût Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). He was appointed as the PBGC9s ûrst General Counsel, serving from 1974-1984. As PBGC9s General Counsel, Henry argued and won the ûrst case under ERISA before the U.S. Supreme Court, Nachman Corp. v. PBGC (1980). After leaving the PBGC, Henry had a successful career in private practice, where he had the opportunity to argue and winasecond important ERISA case before the Supreme Court, Demisay v. Local 144 Nursing Home Pension Fund (1993). Henry was always extremely grateful to his mentors in law, and he paid it forward by mentoring many young lawyers during his time in government. He was a devoted teacher, parent, grandparent, and friend to so many. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions in Henry9s memory can be made to the fund he created at his alma mater: UB School of Law-Henry Rose Book Scholarship Fund, UB School of Law, 608 O9Brian Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260. Arrangements entrusted to TORCHINSKY HEBREW FUNERAL HOME, 202-541-1001. DEATH NOTICE DEATH NOTICE CSONTOS JUANITA ESHELMAN-LAUNDER CSONTOS Juanita Eshelman-Launder Csontos passed away in Alexandria, Virginia, on November 8, 2023, from pancreatic cancer, surrounded by family. She was born on December 24, 1936, in Creston, Iowa, the daughter of Edith Mae Eshelman and Charles Reid Launder, both of Fontanelle, Iowa. Her father died when she was two. She lived on the Eshelman family farm in Fontanelle until age nine, where she received a great deal of attention from her grandmother, grandfather and uncles who had her horse-riding by age four. Juanita was initially educated in a oneroom school-house that was about a half mile from the farm. After her mother Edith married Samuel Olin Channell, a GI friend of Juanita9s uncle, Juanita relocated to Olin9s hometown of Senecaville, Ohio (pop. 600) in 1945, and took his surname. There, Juanita was a loving big sister to her four siblings. Educating herself and others was a priority in Juanita9s life. After high school, she left Senecaville with the objective of gaining a college education. She borrowed money to enroll in a program to become a medical secretary. After accumulating some savings, she applied to and was accepted by The Ohio State University where she spent two years and earned numerous academic scholarships, including a trip to study Spanish by immersion in Mexico City. She moved to Washington, DC where she worked at the FTC, in the Ofûce of Congressman James Delaney, and at the Arent Fox law ûrm, where she ûrst met her future husband, Stephen Csontos. She continued her education at George Washington University and American University, where she graduated with a BS in Social Studies in 1966 at age 29. When a job opened at Wakeûeld High School, she took a pay cut to begin her teaching career. Following Wakeûeld, she taught at Yorktown High School, in Okinawa at a Department of Defense Dependents High School, and at Flint Hill School in Virginia. Juanita was deeply devoted to her faith. She notably obtained a Master9s Degree from Virginia Theological Seminary cum laude and was actively involved in the Virginia Methodist Conference. She served on the Board of Church and Society and on Partnerships of Hope (formerly Initiatives of Hope) as the Cambodia Missions Coordinator and as the Missions Coordinator at Aldersgate UMC. She ventured to Cambodia six times to discuss the needs of the Methodist Community and to share best practices on how to teach religion. She also organized and coordinated an International Cambodian Missions Conference sponsored by Aldersgate. In 2003, she developed an Alternative Giving Program at Aldersgate during the Christmas season for the beneût of the Cambodian Missions that over the years has raised more than two hundred thousand dollars for the missions. She also has promoted the program to churches throughout the United States. Juanita has impacted countless people as a teacher, missionary and friend. She was a staunch supporter of women9s rights. A friend and neighbor and former colleague of Juanita said the following about her: <Juanita was one of the smartest and most interesting people I ever met, a deep thinker, capable, insightful, always with an alert and inquiring mind and a wry sense of humor.= She is survived by Stephen Csontos, her husband of 53 years, sons Andrew Csontos (Jennifer) of Alexandria, Virginia and Timothy Csontos (Emily) of Davis, California, four grandchildren Drew, Ashley, Annabel and Elizabeth, and her siblings Marilyn Channell Hollar, Dale Channell, Wayne Channell, and Dwayne Channell. A Celebration of Life service will be held on December 2, 2023, at 11 a.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1301 Collingwood Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22308. Foralink to the livestream of the service please contact a family member. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. prior to the service. A reception will be held in Wesley Hall at the church after the service. Interment will be private. In lieu of ûowers, donations in Juanita9s memory may be made to the Cambodia Alternative Giving Program at Aldersgate UMC (https:// onrealm.org/Aldersgate/-/form/give/now) (use the <Fund= dropdown menu and change the option from <Operating Budget= to <Alternative Giving=). FINE SHIRLEY MAE GREEN FINE Shirley Mae (Green) Fine passed away at her home in McLean, Virginia, on November 11, 2023 at the age of 96. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri 3 where she always said she was proud to be from and glad to have left. At 15, her parents Mary and Cecil Green moved Shirley and her three siblings (brothers Robert and Jack and sister Carol Ann) to Arlington, Virginia, and later Washington, DC. Youngest brother Richard was born after their move. Cecil was deeply engaged with Democratic Party politics in Kansas City, a member of the Pendergast machine, and it was through those connections that Shirley started doing secretarial work for then-Senator Harry Truman at the age of 17. Within a year, Truman became vice president and then president and Shirley found herself working at the White House, just two doors down from the Oval Ofûce, at age 18. Her tenure coincided with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the end of World War II, the beginning of the Cold War, and Truman9s celebrated whistle stop tour. After ûve years at the White House, Shirley joined the State Department9s Foreign Service, where she worked for 30 years4in Ottawa, Manila, Ankara, Paris (where she met her husband of 34 years, Sherwood Monroe Fine), Washington, DC, Geneva, and Bangkok. After retiring from the State Department, she spent the next 28 years volunteering foranonsectarian organization offering psychological-spiritual support to individuals and organizations. If the word jovial was deûned as a picture, you would see Shirley9s face: she laughed easily and often4and often for no obvious reason. While deeply curious, pragmatic and empathetic, she always wanted to have fun and poke fun. She was a bon vivant who celebrated every moment of life, no matter how mundane. She was ûlled with gratitude4for her family, friends, nature, big costume jewelry and a good red lipstick. She was strong and adorable, respected and adored4delighted and delightful. A celebration of life will be held at her home in the coming weeks. Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Sherwood, who passed away in 2000. She is survived by her daughter, Lesley Fine; son-in-law, Jack Frierson; son, Eric Fine; daughter-in-law, Irina Fine; grandsons, Ian and Evan Fine; sister, Carol Ann Albertini; brother-in-law, Dr. Tullio F. Albertini; sisters-in-law Marija Fine, Nora Green and Donna Green, and a plethora of beloved nieces and nephews. In lieu of ûowers and in light of her love of nature, well-wishers are invited to make a donation in her memory to The Nature Conservancy. Online condolences and fond memories may be offered to the family at www.moneyandking.com GWIN GAILYN AMES GWIN Gailyn Ames Gwin, 84, of Seabrook, Maryland, a loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister who conducted and sang choral music in the Washington, DC, area for more than 50 years and was active in the broader performing arts both personally and professionally, died on October 26, 2023, in Searcy, Arkansas, while traveling and visiting family. A musical memorial celebration of her life will be held on Sunday, December 3, 2023, at 2 p.m. at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center on the campus of the University of Maryland, 7801 Alumni Drive, College Park, Maryland, 20742. Gailyn was born on April 17, 1939, in Washington, DC, the ûrst child of James Martin Gwin and Helen Woodworth Gwin, who preceded her in death. She was raised in University Park, Maryland, and attended Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, proudly serving as head majorette and beginning friendships she would maintain her entire life, before graduating from the University of Maryland at College Park with a degree in communications. While in college, she sang in the university9s choir. After working as a ûight attendant for United Airlines, she worked in the newsroom at CBS News in Washington. In 1966, she helped to found Oaklands United Presbyterian Church (now Oaklands Presbyterian Church U.S.A.). She served as Oaklands9 choir director for more than 50 years, and also directed a children9s choir (Joyful Noise) at the church. She was also active in area choral associations and participated in various choral concerts and events. Gailyn sang in the Oratorio Society of Washington (now The Washington Chorus) for many years, performing at the Kennedy Center and other venues. In addition to many performances in Europe, she participated in the group9s Grammy Award-winning performance of Benjamin Britten9s <War Requiem,= conducted by Robert Shafer, in 2000. At the time of her death, she was singing with the Chesapeake Chorale. Gailyn worked asatalent agent for classical artists, and also ran Prince George9s County9s Film Ofûce for many years. She also worked for the National Symphony Orchestra, the Prince George9s Philharmonic Orchestra and the American Symphony Orchestra League (now the League of American Orchestras). Gailyn also covered the arts for Prince George9s Community Television with reports during its nightly newscast and her interview show <Arts About The County.= She ûlmed an episode in the last month of her life. Her marriages to John Theis Jr. and Donald E. Bowers ended in divorce. Gailyn is survived by her husband, Joseph R. Irwin; her sons Brendon (Stephanie) and Brooks (Johanna) Bowers; her stepson Kristof (Diane) Irwin; her grandchildren Cecilia, Brady and Kieran Bowers, and Ming Irwin; her sister Geniel (Marcus) Strock; her brother Graydon (Terrie) Gwin; her sisters-in-law Sarah (Darry) Lofgren, Sue Gillett and Rhonda Irwin, and a large extended family. She leaves a legacy of classical music, which she loved to perform (with her voice and her baton), share with others and enjoy. HOLLOWAY ANN CLEGG HOLLOWAY 1927-2023 Ann Clegg Holloway, a longtime resident of Washington, DC, passed away on November 9, 2023 at the age of 96. She spent her last few years in an assisted living facility in Olney, MD. She was born in Youngstown, Ohio to Charles Myron Clegg and Ruth Swift Standish of New England. Early in life she was given the nickname <Squeeky.= She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years John (Jack) Holloway and brothers Myles Clegg and Charles M. Clegg, Jr. She is survived by her four children, Jay Holloway (Denise), Cumming GA; Charlie Holloway (Barbara), Galisteo, NM; Peter Holloway (Marie), Albuquerque, NM; and Sally Marshall (late Jack), St. Petersburg, FL. She is also survived by grandchildren Cody, Christopher, Jason (Katie), Daniel, Peyton, Matthew, Travis, Andrew, Patrick, and Rose. Also surviving are two great grandchildren, Cadence and Jade. Squeeky spent most of her early years in Providence, Rhode Island with her Standish family relatives and was a member of The Mayûower Society. She attended St. Mary9s boarding school in Peekskill, NY, and moved to Washington in the 1940s. She met her future husband, Jack at George Washington University and they made Washington their permanent home in 1958. Squeeky loved museums, beaches, Christmas, champagne, art, theatre, dancing, Big Bands, politics and the Washington Redskins. She and Jack traveled extensively and were especially fond of the American Southwest, where they had a home in Virginia City, Nevada and made frequent visits to family in New Mexico. Winters were spent at Siesta Key, Florida. Squeeky was a fabulous cook, enjoyed entertaining friends, and held family as the most important part of her life. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, 5949 Western Ave, NW on Monday, November 20, at 11 a.m. with viewing at 10 a.m. Interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of ûowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer9s Foundation of America. DEATH NOTICE
C8 EZ RE The washingTon posT . sunday, november 19, 2023 AVERAGE RECORD ACTUAL FORECAST PREVIOUS YEAR NORMAL LATEST <310 30s 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110+ T-storms Showers Snow Flurries IceRain Cold Front Warm Front Stationary Front NATIONAL Today Tomorrow High Low Normal Record high Record low National Dulles BWI National Dulles BWI Today9s tides (High tides in Bold) WORLD Today Tomorrow Sources: AccuWeather.com; US Army Centralized Allergen Extract Lab (pollen data); airnow.gov (air quality data); National Weather Service * AccuWeather's RealFeel Temperature® combines over a dozen factors for an accurate measure of how the conditions really <feel.= Key: s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, r-rain, sh- showers, t-thunderstorms, sf-snow ûurries, sn-snow, i-ice Solar systemMoon Phases NATION OFFICIAL RECORD Rise Set REGION Past 24 hours Total this month Normal Total this year Normal Richmond Norfolk Ocean City Annapolis Dover Cape May Baltimore Charlottesville Lexington Washington Virginia Beach Kitty Hawk Harrisburg Philadelphia Hagerstown Davis OCEAN: OCEAN: OCEAN: OCEAN: Temperatures Precipitation for the 48 contiguous states excludes Antarctica Yesterday's National 60° 10:40 a.m. 53° 5:00 p.m. 57°/41° 80° 1921 21° 1959 59° 1:00 a.m. 51° 4:28 a.m. 56°/35° 76° 1963 18° 2014 60° 1:51 a.m. 51° 5:00 p.m. 56°/36° 78° 1938 20° 1959 Washington 7:13 a.m. 12:20 p.m. 7:18 p.m. none Annapolis 4:06 a.m. 9:09 a.m. 3:25 p.m. 10:21 p.m. Ocean City 5:29 a.m. 11:56 a.m. 6:36 p.m. none Norfolk 1:22 a.m. 7:26 a.m. 1:50 p.m. 8:29 p.m. Point Lookout 12:36 a.m. 5:26 a.m. 11:16 a.m. 6:14 p.m. 61° 38° 52° 40° 52° 50° 58° 38° 55° 38° 54° 40° Sun 6:55 a.m. 4:52 p.m. Moon 12:50 p.m. 11:02 p.m. Venus 3:11 a.m. 2:56 p.m. Mars 6:55 a.m. 4:48 p.m. Jupiter 3:56 p.m. 5:28 a.m. Saturn 1:06 p.m. 11:47 p.m. Nov 20 First Quarter Nov 27 Full Dec 5 Last Quarter Dec 12 New 0.02" 0.19" 1.75" 26.93" 37.25" 0.08" 0.34" 1.89" 26.88" 38.70" 0.02" 0.24" 1.88" 32.54" 40.04" Blue Ridge: Today, sunny. High 47 to 53. Winds west3 northwest 6312 mph. Tonight, mainly clear. Low 34 to 38. Winds northeast 438 mph. Monday, partly sunny in the morning, then mostly cloudy in the avernoon. High 39 to 49. Winds southeast 7314 mph. Atlantic beaches: Today, sunny. High 56 to 60. Winds west3northwest 7314 mph. Tonight, clear. Low 36 to 42. Winds north3northwest 7314 mph. Monday, partly sunny; sun, areas of high clouds in the morning, then mostly cloudy during the avernoon in the south. Pollen: Moderate Grass Low Trees Low Weeds Low Mold Moderate UV: Moderate 3 out of 11+ Air Quality: Moderate Dominant cause: Ozone 64/36 59/41 59/42 60/38 58/34 57/38 62/34 66/37 64/31 59/42 56/48 57/31 55/35 57/32 47/28 61/38 53° 55° 57° 63° Waterways: Upper Potomac River: Today, sunny. Wind west3 southwest 438 knots. Waves 2 feet or less. Visibility clear to the horizon. " Lower Potomac and Chesapeake Bay: Today, sunny. Wind west 6312 knots. Waves 132 feet on the Lower Potomac; 234 feet on the Chesapeake Bay." River Stages: |e stage at Little Falls will be around 2.60 feet today, with no change of 2.60 Monday. Flood stage at Little Falls is 10 feet. Albany, NY 46/25/pc 40/24/s Albuquerque 55/38/pc 54/34/pc Anchorage 9/3/s 17/14/s Atlanta 70/55/s 67/57/pc Austin 71/62/t 79/53/t Baltimore 62/34/s 50/35/pc Billings, MT 57/36/c 49/32/c Birmingham 68/51/pc 71/61/c Bismarck, ND 49/33/pc 48/24/c Boise 49/28/sh 47/29/pc Boston 51/33/s 41/30/s Buffalo 44/27/sn 42/29/pc Burlington, VT 42/27/c 35/23/s Charleston, SC 70/51/s 73/60/c Charleston, WV 57/32/s 59/42/c Charlotte 68/43/s 60/48/c Cheyenne, WY 54/31/c 38/25/c Chicago 54/40/s 50/40/r Cincinnati 57/39/s 53/45/r Cleveland 51/33/pc 48/42/c Dallas 68/63/t 71/48/pc Denver 60/36/c 46/27/c Des Moines 61/40/pc 47/36/r Detroit 51/32/s 47/38/c El Paso 73/49/s 62/45/s Fairbanks, AK 13/3/sn 7/0/s Fargo, ND 54/38/pc 51/27/c Hartford, CT 52/28/pc 45/22/s Honolulu 85/70/sh 83/70/c Houston 73/65/sh 83/51/t Indianapolis 58/40/s 51/45/r Jackson, MS 69/47/pc 77/54/t Jacksonville, FL 77/57/s 77/64/sh Kansas City, MO 57/43/r 46/37/r Las Vegas 65/48/s 64/45/s Little Rock 66/52/pc 69/49/r Los Angeles 71/50/s 75/50/s Louisville 60/45/pc 58/51/r Memphis 64/50/pc 64/50/r Miami 83/70/s 83/74/sh Milwaukee 52/42/s 49/41/c Minneapolis 53/37/pc 46/36/c Nashville 64/49/pc 69/55/sh New Orleans 71/59/pc 77/64/sh New York City 54/36/s 46/34/s Norfolk 59/41/s 55/46/c Oklahoma City 61/50/t 54/42/sh Omaha 57/41/r 45/33/r Orlando 81/63/s 80/66/s Philadelphia 55/35/s 49/35/s Phoenix 75/52/s 74/53/s Pittsburgh 53/29/s 46/37/c Portland, ME 48/26/pc 37/21/s Portland, OR 55/39/sh 51/42/pc Providence, RI 53/31/s 42/25/s Raleigh, NC 65/37/s 61/45/c Reno, NV 49/25/pc 51/26/s Richmond 64/36/s 54/38/c Sacramento 63/43/pc 65/38/s St. Louis 61/44/pc 56/44/r St. Thomas, VI 88/79/pc 86/77/pc Salt Lake City 45/31/r 46/29/pc San Diego 69/50/s 75/49/s San Francisco 64/49/pc 66/48/s San Juan, PR 92/78/pc 90/77/sh Seattle 50/37/sh 50/40/c Spokane, WA 44/28/pc 38/28/pc Syracuse 45/28/sn 40/24/s Tampa 81/63/s 84/67/s Wichita 57/43/r 46/40/r Addis Ababa 72/52/pc 76/51/pc Amsterdam 57/50/sh 54/44/r Athens 61/44/s 68/49/s Auckland 70/60/r 72/59/sh Baghdad 78/61/pc 68/52/r Bangkok 85/69/s 87/72/s Beijing 62/30/pc 56/32/pc Berlin 54/47/sh 51/40/r Bogota 67/52/r 67/50/r Brussels 56/48/pc 52/43/r Buenos Aires 82/66/s 85/70/c Cairo 74/62/c 74/61/pc Caracas 81/63/t 81/64/s Copenhagen 43/41/r 45/35/r Dakar 88/76/pc 88/78/c Dublin 56/46/r 53/41/pc Edinburgh 56/46/r 54/38/pc Frankfurt 59/50/pc 54/42/sh Geneva 57/43/sh 54/42/c Ham., Bermuda 76/67/t 73/64/pc Helsinki 33/26/c 32/24/sf Ho Chi Minh City 91/73/s 91/75/c Hong Kong 77/66/pc 79/67/s Islamabad 75/51/c 76/50/pc Istanbul 47/44/r 56/52/c Jerusalem 63/49/sh 59/52/r Johannesburg 86/61/t 88/65/t Kabul 64/41/s 63/39/s Kingston, Jam. 87/76/c 90/79/pc Kolkata 86/69/r 87/69/r Kyiv 32/24/c 32/26/pc Lagos 89/77/t 90/76/sh Lima 71/63/c 72/63/c Lisbon 69/54/pc 69/53/pc London 58/47/sh 54/48/sh Madrid 67/47/s 65/45/pc Manila 89/77/pc 88/78/pc Mexico City 82/51/s 82/51/s Montreal 40/23/sf 34/23/s Moscow 24/16/pc 25/16/sn Mumbai 95/80/pc 97/82/pc Nairobi 75/61/t 75/60/t New Delhi 79/57/pc 79/57/pc Oslo 28/27/c 31/25/c Ottawa 37/20/sf 32/19/s Paris 60/48/pc 55/46/pc Prague 53/46/pc 52/41/sh Rio de Janeiro 86/73/r 79/73/r Riyadh 83/68/pc 81/59/pc Rome 66/55/s 68/60/c San Salvador 85/65/pc 83/66/pc Santiago 85/48/s 79/52/c Sarajevo 45/30/pc 51/40/pc Seoul 61/29/s 54/30/s Shanghai 70/37/pc 70/45/pc Singapore 87/77/t 89/77/r Stockholm 29/26/c 34/23/pc Sydney 78/67/s 77/67/c Taipei City 76/60/pc 78/63/pc Tehran 70/54/s 66/47/sh Tokyo 65/51/s 64/47/s Toronto 42/25/pc 38/30/c Vienna 49/45/r 58/43/pc Warsaw 36/33/sn 45/35/r Today Plenty of sun Monday Partial sunshine Tuesday Cloudy, avernoon rain Wednesday Breezy in the morning |ursday Sunny intervals Friday Partly sunny Tu W | F Sa Su M Tu W | F Sa Su M Tu Statistics through 5 p.m. Saturday Diference from 303yr. avg. (National): this month: +1.5° yr. to date: +1.8° High: El Paso, TX 83° Low: Daniel, WY 7° World High: Fitzroy Crossing, Australia 112° Low: Sklad, Russia 339° Weather map features for noon today. WIND: W 7314 mph HUMIDITY: Low CHNCE PRECIP: 0% FEELS*: 60° W: H: P: FEELS: 51° NE 6312 mph Low 0% W: H: P: FEELS: 44° E 6312 mph High 85% W: H: P: FEELS: 54° WNW 7314 mph Moderate 25% W: H: P: FEELS: 49° WSW 12325 mph Moderate 25% W: H: P: FEELS: 59° SE 336 mph Moderate 5% Cloud-free skies reign Skies should be much sunnier than not. In fact, clouds should be few. Winds probably blow from the west and northwest around 10 mph, with higher gusts. At night it9s near 30 to mid-30s in most spots again as skies remain largely clear through the pre-dawn. An increase in clouds could happen toward sunrise. The Weather washingTonposT.c om/weaTher . 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