President Donald Trump participates in a round of golf at the Trump National Golf Course on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Sterling, Virginia.
President Donald Trump on Saturday was seen golfing at his golf club in Virginia, as major news outlets including CNN, MSNBC, and the Associated Press called the election for his opponent, the former Vice President Joe Biden.
News outlets declared Biden victorious after his lead in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania surpassed 30,000 votes.
Not long before major networks announced that Biden was projected to win the race, Trump again falsely claimed victory in the election, tweeting he “WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT.”
A victory in Pennsylvania put Biden over the 270 Electoral College vote threshold needed to win the presidency.
Watch Live: NBC News special election coverage Ryan Collerd / Bloomberg via Getty Images fileNov. 7, 2020, 8:24 AM PSTBy Adam Edelman
WILMINGTON, Del. — Joe Biden became president-elect Saturday after winning the pivotal state of Pennsylvania, NBC News projected.
The former vice president amassed 273 Electoral College votes after winning Pennsylvania’s 20 electors, according to NBC News, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House and defeat President Donald Trump.
Biden’s victory capped one of the longest and most tumultuous campaigns in modern history, in which he maintained an aggressive focus on Trump’s widely criticized handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. A majority of voters said rising coronavirus cases were a significant factor in their vote, according to early results from the NBC News Exit Poll of early and Election Day voters.
Biden regularly criticized Trump as unfit for office and positioned his campaign as a “battle for the soul of America.” He promised from the outset of his run to heal and unite the country if he won, and made central to his closing message a pledge to represent both those who voted for him as well as those who didn’t when he got to the White House.
In a statement issued shortly after NBC News called the race, Biden said he was “honored” by the news and reiterated the calls for unity that had been hallmark of his campaign speeches in recent weeks.
“I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris,” Biden said.
“With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation. It’s time for America to unite. And to heal,” he said. “We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together.”
Biden will be sworn in as the 46th U.S. president on Jan. 20. Harris will become the first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president.
As president, Biden will immediately be confronted with a bitterly divided nation in the throes of a pandemic that has already killed 236,000 Americans. Trump has exacerbated the split by minimizing the effects of the pandemic, and has not even said whether he would recognize the outcome of the election.
He will also have to corral a fractious Democratic Party with unresolved tensions between its progressive and centrist wings.
Biden, who turns 78 on Nov. 20 and will be the oldest incoming president in U.S. history, first ran for the nation’s highest office more than 30 years ago. A longtime moderate, he has stressed bipartisanship for decades, and his long Senate career was typified by his willingness to work across the aisle with Republican colleagues.
In addition to the projected Electoral College vote, Biden also won the popular vote, and he set a record for winning the most votes of any candidate in U.S. history.
Trump has repeatedly and falsely declared victory, including in multiple states where Biden is the projected winner. The president has also repeated unfounded conspiracy theories and tried to cast doubt on the integrity of the tabulation process.
In a lengthy statement released after NBC News called the race, a defiant Trump said, “We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don’t want the truth to be exposed.”
“The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor,” he added.
Trump added that, “Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.”
Trump’s motorcade was seen earlier Saturday morning pulling into the Trump National Golf Club, in Washington, D.C.
Biden was also projected to become president-elect by several other major news organizations, including CNN, ABC News, Fox News and The Associated Press.
Biden had expressed clear confidence in a victory once all the votes were counted, speaking regularly since polls closed Tuesday as an anxious nation waited for states to complete their tallies.
“We don’t have a final declaration, a victory yet. But the numbers tell us a clear and convincing story,” Biden said in a brief speech Friday night. “We’re going to win this race.”
With 92 percent of the expected vote across the country counted, Biden led Trump 50.5 percent to 47.7 percent in the popular vote, a contrast to Trump, who lost the popular vote in 2016 while winning the Electoral College. The 74,478,345 votes that have so far been counted for him is the largest number of votes won in the U.S. by any presidential candidate.
The projection by NBC News isn’t likely to dampen efforts by the Trump campaign to fight for the president’s re-election in court. His campaign has filed multiple lawsuits, several of which have already been thrown out, and more are expected. His campaign has also said it would ask for a recount in Wisconsin, where Biden is the apparent winner, according to NBC News.
Trump has continually generated unfounded fears about the vote tabulation process, firing off tweets demanding that officials halt counting and leave ballots uncounted in places where analysts think the remaining votes favor Democrats. In the early hours Wednesday morning, with millions of votes still uncounted, Trump falsely claimed he had won. On Thursday, he held a press conference where he made a series of false election fraud claims.
Oh, dear. It’s worse than I thought. Everyone knows that Lindsey Graham is simply a loose skin pouch filled with grape Jell-O. Seems like a real breach from reality there.
And what about Donald Jr., the president’s most long-suffering son? What’s he up to? As my colleague Bess Levin elegantly put it, Don took to publicly “shitting a brick.” In a series of tweets, he hollered voter fraud into the abyss. He’s saying things like “statistical impossibilities” as if he knows what statistics are, and repeatedly self-owning by asking if anyone believes that Joe Biden got this many votes. It’s not looking good.
And what of Trump’s favorite and best children, that is, the boats? Yes, boats and boat people? The ones he invested his hopes and dreams into? Well, the boat people did not come through, not in the way he wanted. Of the five states with the highest boat ownership, Florida, California, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, he lost four of them. That one must hurt. From the Archive:Inside the Trump Family Dynamic
The Trump offspring, save maybe the boats, cling to this hope that what’s happening right now is a major fraud, like papa told them it would be for some time, instead of accepting that their family is unwanted here. Even members of the Republican guard—those that greased this guy’s wheels and offered themselves up to be unceremoniously fired, from Fox News pundits to shaky Republican allies to constituents in states he thought were his—are seemingly trying not to make eye contact with Trump. Is it so shocking that people are turning their backs on the man whose only real skill is turning his back on people? To Trump’s children, I suppose yes. The kids are not alright.
One of the only ones who has remained quiet and not perpetuated dad’s panic messaging is only child by his second marriage and recent pro-Trump speech-giver: Tiffany Ariana Trump. What is she thinking?
TRUMP’S CHILDREN CAN’T BELIEVE THEIR DAD IS THIS DESPISED
Oh, dear. It’s worse than I thought. Everyone knows that Lindsey Graham is simply a loose skin pouch filled with grape Jell-O. Seems like a real breach from reality there.
And what about Donald Jr., the president’s most long-suffering son? What’s he up to? As my colleague Bess Levin elegantly put it, Don took to publicly “shitting a brick.” In a series of tweets, he hollered voter fraud into the abyss. He’s saying things like “statistical impossibilities” as if he knows what statistics are, and repeatedly self-owning by asking if anyone believes that Joe Biden got this many votes. It’s not looking good.
And what of Trump’s favorite and best children, that is, the boats? Yes, boats and boat people? The ones he invested his hopes and dreams into? Well, the boat people did not come through, not in the way he wanted. Of the five states with the highest boat ownership, Florida, California, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, he lost four of them. That one must hurt. From the Archive:Inside the Trump Family Dynamic
The Trump offspring, save maybe the boats, cling to this hope that what’s happening right now is a major fraud, like papa told them it would be for some time, instead of accepting that their family is unwanted here. Even members of the Republican guard—those that greased this guy’s wheels and offered themselves up to be unceremoniously fired, from Fox News pundits to shaky Republican allies to constituents in states he thought were his—are seemingly trying not to make eye contact with Trump. Is it so shocking that people are turning their backs on the man whose only real skill is turning his back on people? To Trump’s children, I suppose yes. The kids are not alright.
One of the only ones who has remained quiet and not perpetuated dad’s panic messaging is only child by his second marriage and recent pro-Trump speech-giver: Tiffany Ariana Trump. What is she thinking?
By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS (Associated Press)SPOKANE, Wash. Nov. 2, 2020 1:29 p.m.
The state of Washington will take over management of most wolves within its borders early next year after the U.S. government announced Thursday that gray wolves in the Lower 48 states would be delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife and Indian tribes have for years been managing a growing population of wolves in the eastern third of the state. The DFW often finds itself in the middle of conflicts between ranchers and environmental groups when wolves eat livestock.
That is likely to continue after the state and tribes take oversight of all gray wolves in Washington on Jan. 4, 2021.
“The department’s management of wolves in Washington makes it seem as though its mission is to preserve the livestock industry rather than conserving native wildlife,″ said Amaroq Weiss of the Center for Biological Diversity.
“The state’s relentless killing of wolves in Eastern Washington for conflicts with livestock is a totally ineffective method of conflict prevention, and runs counter to sound science,″ Weiss said. “Now, with the removal of federal protections from the remainder of the state, we fear the department’s misguided approach will simply expand.”
Agriculture interests are pleased.
“This is great news for Washington state where our wolf population has reached recoverable levels,” Mike LaPlant, president of the Washington Farm Bureau, said of the Trump administration decision.
Numerous environmental groups say they plan to sue the government over the delisting.
“We absolutely plan to challenge it,” said Jamie Rappaport Clark, chief executive of Defenders of Wildlife. “We believe they’ve declared victory too soon.”THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:Become a Sponsor
Of the 26 known wolf packs in Washington, 21 reside in the eastern third of the state where wolves have not been federally protected since 2013. Thursday’s decision to delist gray wolves applies to the western two-thirds of the state, where far fewer of the animals live.
“The state of Washington has facilitated wolf recovery for more than a decade and is well-prepared to be the management authority for wolves statewide,” the DFW said, adding it would continue to work on “reducing conflict between wolves and livestock.″
In addition, the federal government will monitor the state’s wolves for five years to ensure the continued success of the species and that it continues to meet the federal recovery objectives.
The DFW noted that gray wolves will remain listed as endangered under state law throughout the state. But that hasn’t stopped the agency from wiping out several wolf packs in the past decade for preying on livestock, drawing heavy criticism from environmental groups.
After some wolves were killed by the state earlier this year, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee in September directed the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission to draft new rules governing when the DFW can kill wolves involved in conflicts with livestock.
Since 2008, the state’s wolf population has grown by an average of 28% per year. The state counted 108 wolves in 21 packs last year and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation reported an additional 37 wolves in five packs during the same period.
Wolves were wiped out in Washington by the 1930s at the behest of the livestock industry. The animals began migrating back into the state from Idaho and British Columbia early in this century. Wolf recovery is popular with many urban residents of the state, but not as much in rural areas where the wolves live.
The Trump administration’s Thursday decision was hailed by Republican U.S. Rep Dan Newhouse, who represents central Washington in Congress.
“The gray wolf is an Endangered Species Act success story,” Newhouse said in a press release. “The federal government is recognizing the effectiveness of locally-led conservation efforts, basing management decisions on sound science – instead of politics.”
Environmental groups are not so sure.
“This is yet another example of the Trump administration ignoring science,” said Lindsay Larris, of WildEarth Guardians. “From climate change denial, to their gross mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, to rollbacks of environmental safeguards protecting clean air and water, this administration has proven time and time again that they’re only in it for themselves, even if it means ignoring and denying the facts.”
Prior attempts to weaken protections for gray wolves have been overturned by federal judges.
I’m about to give you some information you never knew you needed. This information was hard to find, took substantial screen squinting, rigorous reading of gruesome details and required me to deal with statistics. I hate statistics! So, you’re welcome!
I’m kidding. It was my curiosity that drove me to research and write this article. There seems to be a perception that our local wildlife is causing much human harm. If an alert goes out that a coyote, bear, or cougar was seen, the familiar refrain is, “Watch your kids and pets!” It is repeated so often that new residents become fearful, and even long-time residents think these animals are frequently killing and eating people.
Ask anyone what they think the number one killer animals of people in the state is, and you usually get a familiar answer: “Well, bears/cougars/wolves, of course!”
But is this the truth?
There are places on earth where people are in real danger of dying by some non-human related cause. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the top worldwide animal killer is the mosquito. “The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 405,000 in 2018,” with 93% of those deaths in Africa. Southeast Asia is home to the Indian Cobra and responsible for an estimated 1.2 million deaths in India in the last 20 years. The sweetly named Kissing bug kills an estimated 20,000 people each year in Mexico, Central and South America by infecting them with Chagas disease.
According to the CDC, Washington State isn’t the state in which you are MOST likely to be killed by an animal. That honor goes to Montana. But it isn’t the LEAST likely either; that prize goes to Massachusetts. We fall somewhere in the middle. Surely with all our wild spaces and animals, our deadliest animal has got to be a bear or wolf, right?
Wrong.
Let’s start with our furry wild land mammals: These critters are the most talked about, after all, and should be near the top of the list.
Wolves: A recent hot topic in the area. Folks warn there was a reason our ancestors wholly extirpated this vile creature. The Gray Wolf Conservation and Management 2019 Annual Report showed 108 wolves in 21 packs, of which 10 were successful breeding pairs in 2019. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation had 37 wolves reported. The 100-year count for fatal wolf attacks? Zero.
Coyotes: The coyote has historically resisted all efforts to exterminate its kind and flourishes in Washington with approximately 50,000 adults. Despite that high number, there have been no fatal coyote attacks in Washington, and only one confirmed in the United States ever.
Bears: Arguably, the most locally discussed animal. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) estimates their population to be about 25,000 statewide. In the past 100 years, there has been one fatal black bear attack in Washington.
Cougars: One of the most feared wild animals in the entire state. Local tales sometimes tell of school children being picked off at the bus stop. The latest WDFW census numbers estimate 2300 independent cougars (18+ months old. Adults are 24+ months) in the state. The last 100 years have seen two fatal attacks in Washington.
Well, that eliminates the big four worries. So, what are the animals most likely to cause your death in Washington State? I can’t give you a numbered list without going blind staring at the CDC wonder website, but I can tell you the most likely suspects.
Dogs: I started to count all of the fatal attacks over the last 100 years but didn’t want to read anymore. We have about 1,849,218 dogs in Washington State. There were 36 deadly dog attacks nationally in 2018
Hooved animals such as deer, elk, horses and cows: This number is likely higher nationally in places with more ranching, but our deer/elk caused traffic fatality average is about 1.5 a year. Nationally the number is about 122.
Bees and other stinging insects: Considered to be the country’s most lethal animal, bees and wasps account for 100 deaths annually nationwide. According to the CDC, the leading cause of animal caused death in Washington State.
There is one animal left, one that causes more deaths in Washington than any other. As of April 1, 2020, we have an estimated 7,656,200 people in the state. Our homicide mortality was 275 people. With an estimated 400,000 people dying every year from homicide, we had better take care we don’t catch up to mosquitoes and become the deadliest animal on the planet.
Concerned Blair County, Pennsylvania, residents have contacted PETA regarding the fates of fish and other aquatic animals whose lives hang in the balance as the lake at Lakemont Park, reportedly owned by Blair County, is drained so that sediment can be removed. According to news reports and eyewitnesses, the water level has already been dramatically lowered and the fish who remain are struggling to survive in the shallow water. Many other aquatic animals also call the pond home, including large turtles. All these animals face a horrifying death by suffocation or desiccation if they are not rescued. A group of local residents have banded together and appear willing to undertake all the work and expense necessary to relocate the animals to private ponds (state law prohibits relocation to state-owned waterways), but the agencies in charge have apparently refused to grant permission for the rescue to take place.
PETA contacted the Blair County Conservation District, whose representative claims that a plan is in place to remove the fish, but the representative refused to elaborate further regarding this plan or to explain whether a plan existed to help the turtles and other species. This is especially concerning since Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission officials apparently feel that allowing the fish to die and rot on site—or throwing the animals into a “dead hole”—is an acceptable plan!
These animals desperately need your voice now! Please contact decisionmakers and urge them to take immediate steps to ensure that the fish and other aquatic animals in the lake at Lakemont Park are treated humanely. Let them know that under no circumstance is it acceptable to allow these sentient animals to suffocate or desiccate, particularly when humane alternatives exist.
Take Action Now!
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Nearly 60 years after gray wolves were considered extinct in Wisconsin, the population has rebounded dramatically, to more than 900 in the state. But the conservation success story has turned into a nuisance for hunters, farmers and others whose animals are increasingly encountering wolves — with deadly consequences.Gary Kramer
In January 2021 the gray wolf will no longer be protected by the federal Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently made the announcement about the wolves how had been on the list for over 45 years.
“The gray wolf has exceeded all conservation goals for recovery,” said David Bernhardt, Secretary of the Interior. “Today’s announcement simply reflects the determination that this species is neither a threatened nor endangered species based on the specific factors Congress has laid out in the law.”
MANITOWOC – Law enforcement is teaming up with two private search and rescue organizations to find a hunter who went missing Thursday afternoon in the Manitowoc River.
Joshua Lueptow, 29, of Manitowoc, was duck hunting last week in the Collins State Wildlife Area in the town of Rocklandwhen he disappeared, according to the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office. He might have been in distress.
Authorities called off the search on Sunday, but resumed Tuesday once weather and river conditions improved, SheriffDan Hartwig said in aFacebook postWednesday.
Hartwig also announced that the sheriff’s office is coordinating withWings for Hope Wisconsin and Northstar Search and Rescue. Both organizations will provide additional technology and personnel to help find Lueptow.
Harvesting the wrong big game animal in Colorado could cost you. With the fall hunting seasons upon us, hunters are being reminded to know the difference between a moose and an elk before they pull the trigger.
While it may be hard to believe, mistaken kills happen almost every year. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), hunters accidentally and illegally kill moose by mistakenly shooting them for an elk. The video below from Fox31 Denver News dives into some of the details. https://w3.cdn.anvato.net/player/prod/v3/anvload.html?
“Mistaken kills” are classified into three categories including accidental harvest, careless, and negligent. Depending on the mix-up, hunters could face fines up to $1,000 and the potential…
