The Daily Populous

Friday April 30th, 2021 day edition

image for Three more officers on leave over arrest of 73-year-old woman with dementia

Two more Loveland, Colorado, police officers and a sergeant were placed on administrative leave after the arrest of a 73-year-old woman with dementia — an encounter that is now the focus of a criminal investigation.

She was walking home when she was stopped for allegedly trying to steal $13.88 worth of items from a Walmart.

Garner's attorney, Sarah Schielke, said her client has dementia and sensory aphasia, which impairs her ability to verbally communicate with people or understand others' communications.

Schielke said because of the dementia Garner forgot to pay for the items, which were retrieved by Walmart employees.

A Loveland police officer arrests Karen Garner, a 73-year-old woman with dementia, on June 26, in Loveland, Colo.

On Tuesday, the Loveland City Manager's Office announced that officers Tyler Blackett and Daria Jalali, along with Sgt. Philip Metzler, were also on administrative leave.

The disciplinary actions come days after Schielke released a video of three Loveland officers laughing about Garner's arrest. »

Flu Has Disappeared Worldwide during the COVID Pandemic

Authored by scientificamerican.com

The reason, epidemiologists think, is that the public health measures taken to keep the coronavirus from spreading also stop the flu.

As Scientific American reported last fall, the drop-off in flu numbers was both swift and universal.

“There’s just no flu circulating,” says Greg Poland, who has studied the disease at the Mayo Clinic for decades. »

EXCLUSIVE U.S. Labor Secretary supports classifying gig workers as employees

Authored by reuters.com

Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh speaks during a news conference at the White House in Washington, U.S. April 2, 2021.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, a son of Irish immigrants and a former union member, has been expected to boost the Biden Administration's efforts to expand workers' protections and deliver a win for the country's organized labor movement.

Walsh's views on the issue could usher in new rulings from the department, which sets legal guidelines for how employers treat workers. »

Hawaii Will Become First State to Declare a Climate Emergency

Authored by greenmatters.com
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The Hawaii Legislature is about to declare an official climate emergency, making Hawaii the first American state to do so.

Hawaii to become the first state to declare climate emergency | TheHill https://t.co/dnDQNTVEQH — Cynthia Kelly (@CynthiaY29) April 29, 2021.

For instance, in March 2021, the state was hit by such heavy floods that Gov. David Ige had to declare a state of emergency. »