[SEATTLE, Wash.] – (MTN) The QR Code-based Covid-19 vaccination verification app that King County adopted was suspended on October 22, forcing area businesses and venues to visually review vaccination proof starting tomorrow. STChealth had to shut down its QR Code verification solution after the Common Trust Network refused to recognize the company as a valid issuer of vaccination proof.
STChealth is the maker of MyIRMobile, which has been adopted by Arizona, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Dakota, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Washington state. King County Health has been recommending the technology to residents. Earlier this month Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and King County Executive Dow Constantine demonstrated the technology as a simple solution for businesses and residents.
“As many of you are aware, STChealth developed an accurate, well-formed, VCI standard SMART Health Card within MyIR Mobile on behalf of the states we represent. Despite this, and being listed as an issuer on their website, The CommonTrust Network is still not recognizing MyIR as a valid issuer. We are continuing to work with the CommonTrust Network to resolve this discrepancy as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, until we are re-established, we will have to deactivate QR Code functionality as a feature in MyIR Mobile. Through MyIR Mobile, users can still access a copy of their FULL official vaccination records, including proof of COVID-19 vaccines. In some states, an official COVID-19 certificate and/or school certificate will also be available through MyIR Mobile. In order to utilize these certificates, MyIR Mobile users will need to show them as either digital PDFs or printed documents to prove immunization status. At this time, immunization records through MyIR Mobile cannot be translated into a valid QR code to be read by a SMART health verifier.”
The MyIRMobile website shows that the QR Code proving COVID Vaccination Status app is unavailable leaving King County without a technology solution
At midnight tonight, people age 12 or older will be required to verify their Covid-19 vaccination status or provide a negative COVID test result to enter certain businesses and venues in King County. While the ongoing dispute between STChealth and the Common Trust Network won’t seriously impact smaller venues, attendees at large venues should be prepared to provide an alternative source of verification and pack some patience.
Where is vaccine verification required
Restaurants and bars that include indoor dining will be required to check vaccination status or see a negative Covid-19 test completed within the last 72 hours. The requirement does not apply to outdoor dining areas or take-out. Additionally, businesses that sell ready-to-eat food but aren’t primarily dining establishments, such as grocery stores, are not impacted. Restaurants that have a seating area for 12 or fewer people do not have to start checking vaccination status until December 6.
Indoor recreation, entertainment, events, and physical fitness locations are required to check status regardless of capacity. This includes school, amateur, collegiate, or professional indoor sports venues, performing art centers, live music venues, comedy clubs, movie theaters, gyms, yoga studios, conference centers, and conventions.
Additionally, any outdoor event with 500 or more attendees will be required to check vaccination status.
People who already registered for MyIRMobile can still show a PDF certificate that verifies vaccination status and can download the document to their device. iOS and Android devices allow users to create a home screen shortcut to an image or a PDF, making it easier to access the necessary documentation.
If you’re fully vaccinated you have several options to provide proof of your status.
Your Center for Disease Control vaccine card or a photo of your vaccine card on your mobile device.
Documented proof of vaccination from your medical provider or the facility that vaccinated you or your impacted dependents.
For tourists and foreign travelers, valid proof of vaccination from your home country. This would be the same credentials you would have used upon entry into the United States.
A digital record from STChealth through the MyIRMobile.com website or other iOS and Android apps that provide proof of vaccination verification.
Individuals do not have to show identification with their proof of vaccination or negative unless identification is required for other reasons such as age verification to enter a bar.
What if I am unvaccinated or can’t prove I am fully vaccinated
As an alternative, an individual can show proof of a negative Covid-19 test from a testing provider in the last 72 hours. At-home tests will not be an acceptable form of validation. Outside of Lumen Field, several vendors are offering rapid COVID tests at a premium price. Many pharmacies offer free testing with results provided in one to two hours.
What if I need an accomodation due to disability, medical condition or religious belief
King County businesses are required to provide reasonable accommodation and cannot discriminate based on an individual’s race, national origin, religion, or age. Reasonable accommodation for bars and restaurants would include outdoor dining, take-out, and curbside delivery.
The program does not require a person to be vaccinated. It does require those who choose to remain unvaccinated to provide proof they are not currently infected with Covid-19, which can be accomplished by getting a free rapid or PCR COVID test.
San Francisco County and New York City started so-called vaccine passports in August and September respectively while Los Angeles County announced on October 6 it would be implementing a similar program.
Earlier implementations haven’t been trouble-free. In New York City there were several high-profile incidents and confrontations including some workers being assaulted. Some restaurants opted to close their dining rooms and return to takeout and delivery. San Francisco officials are in dispute with the only In- N-Out Burger located in the City. The popular West Coast burger chain is refusing to verify vaccination status of customers and was issued a cease and desist letter by San Francisco officials.
Currently, 82.4% of all eligible King County residents are fully vaccinated and another 5.5% are just weeks away.
[SAMMAMISH, Wash.] – (MTN) An examination of the Epik Software data released by Anonymous has security experts concluding the claims made by the shadowy organization are true, and it will be a devastating blow. “This is the Panama Papers for hate groups,” a researcher told us after reviewing just part of the 180GB of information retrieved. “In all my years, I have never seen a breach of a domain registrar to this scale. The lack of security to protect this information is breathtaking.”
To understand the significance of the hack and the role Epik has played in platforming hate speech, the history of the company and its founder needs to be examined.
A Brief History of Epik and its CEO, Rob Monster
Epik, located in Sammamish, Washington, was founded in 2009 by Rob Monster, the CEO of the domain registrar and web hosting company. For the first ten years, the company largely remained out of the public eye. Mr. Monster (that is his real name) was known locally for founding a market research company, where the board of directors ousted him and serving as an interim CEO of Digitaltown. In closer circles, Monster’s extreme views on race were an open secret. Everything changed on November 5, 2018.
Gab, a Twitter alternative used by extremists and far-right groups, was thrust into the national spotlight after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting on October 27, 2018, which left 11 dead and 6 wounded. The massacre was carried out by Robert Gregory Bowers, 46 at the time. Bowers had used Gab to threaten Jews and posted his plans on the site shortly before the massacre happened. It received messages of encouragement and support, and site admins did nothing to warn authorities under the banner of protecting free speech. GoDaddy was the domain registrar for Gab and terminated their services, knocking Gab off the Internet. Epik became the registrar in November, and Gab returned.
In 2019 Epik made a series of acquisitions, including BitMitigate, a cybersecurity firm, and Sibyl Systems, a company providing hosting services for the website Gab. Little is known about Sibyl Systems, including the nation the company is located in or its services. In August of 2019, after 8chan lost its domain and hosting providers, Epik became the site’s host provider.
8Chan, a popular site among extremists and adherents of QAnon, was taken offline after the August 3, 2019, El Paso Walmart shooting that left 23 dead and 23 wounded. Patrick Wood Crusius, 21 at the time, posted a manifesto on 8Chan. That decision proved to be a bridge too far for many service providers and ultimately for Epik itself.
In the 12 months that followed, Amazon Web Services limited some services while Linode and PayPal severed ties with the company. PayPal terminated their relationship with Epik over concerns that the company had the potential to use the PayPal platform for money laundering and tax evasion. Epik created a currency for its customers called “Masterbucks,” which used PayPal as the backbone. In the end, Epik dropped 8chan.
Rob Monster became a cause celebre among Republicans, political conservatives, and those with more extreme views. Epik cemented itself as the domain and host provider for the far-right, and in January 2021, rescued the Twitter alternative Parler, another online platform used by political extremists.
Monster has described himself as a Chrisitan and a libertarian, while others describe a man who has become increasingly radicalized in the last five years. A recent article in Bloomberg Business Week about Nick Lim, the founder of VanwaTech, which provides technical and hosting services to some of the most extreme websites on the planet, highlighted the relationship between Lim and Monster.
“At that point, Epik had spent years in the mundane business of nonideological domain registration, and Rob Monster, its awkwardly named chief executive officer, had a reputation for personally handling customer service calls and posting on arcane industry forums. But Monster had also been radicalized during the Trump years, subjecting his staff to florid conspiracy theories in staff meetings and spending more and more of his energy on politically charged work at Epik.”
“Around this time, Lim and Monster began collaborating. It’s not clear how they met, but they quickly grew close, with Monster becoming a kind of mentor to Lim, according to Joseph Peterson, then Epik’s director of operations.”
In the years that followed, Epik’s business relationship with Gab was a honeypot for like thinkers. The Republican Party and its most extreme supporters, churches, hate groups, individuals, and platforms that support extremists rushed to become clients of Epik. Those decisions are going to prove to be very costly.
The Anonymous hack of Epik
On September 11, 2021, a Texas GOP website, texasgop.org, was hacked by Anonymous. The hack was done in response to a recently passed Texas anti-abortion law, the most restrictive in the United States. While the hack was schadenfreude fodder on social media, for Anonymous it was a lot more. It was the first shot over the bow of Epik, the domain registrar for texasgop.org.
On Monday, Anonymous reported that they had hacked Epik and released 180GB of data in a press release. Anonymous claimed they had 10 years of information in the release, including all domain purchases, domain transfers, whois history, DNS changes, mail forwarders, payment history (no credit cards), account credentials including passwords, and GitHub repositories. Our researchers’ conclusion last night? It’s true, all of it.
Reporter Steven Monacelli broke the hacking news on Twitter. A few hours later, Rob Monster replied to the tweet and called the hack “a nothing burger.”
Epik’s own website was hacked late Monday night, with an FAQ entry mocking CEO Rob Monster. The FAQ entry was public for hours before being removed.
Epik website was hacked on Monday night with an FAQ entry about the Anonymous hack
Last night, researchers were pouring through the information. Among the thousands of innocuous sites for yoga studios and home renovations, the information on who is behind some of the most notorious websites on the Internet was in plain view. Nazi sites, anti-Semitic sites, QAnon, misinformation on COVID, elections, and doxing sites. Sites that illegally sell guns, drugs and are involved in human trafficking and prostitution.
Epik customers who used the company’s anonymizing services were left unprotected. Although the information was stored in a different database, it was easily cross-referenced to the list of domain owners. Incredibly, none of the data was “encrypted at rest.”
The reaction has already been swift. Joey Camp, an agent provocateur from Colorado, was one of the first individuals outed from the hack. Within hours he has already issued threats online and is making claims the hack isn’t real. Not only is it real, but the information shows the list of websites Camp owns, including ones that aren’t as openly attached to his personal brand. A cluster of dozens of pro-Trump websites is connected back to a medical doctor in California.
Far-right extremist, Joey Camp, wants to dox me because I made a video about the Epik Hack that he claims is so fake that he feels he need to dox anyone who reports on it.
Not only do I have nothing to do with the hack, I'm not even a journalist. So, why so defensive? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/lJWdqscRN0
A security expert we talked to concluded, “It would be like locking the door of the bank at night but leaving the alarm off and the vault open.” For Republican leadership, religious conservatives, and the people backing misinformation, hate, and extremists websites, this is only the beginning of the problems that will lie ahead. Passwords can be changed and websites hardened to prevent transfers or attacks, but the who’s who behind online hate is available to the world.
[SAMMAMISH, Wash.] – (MTN) The first fallout of the Anonymous hack of Sammamish based Epik Software is coming to light, and it includes a misinformation campaign by Republican Larry Elder in the California governor recall.
As the chances of current Governor Gavin Newsom being recalled all but evaporated in the last few weeks, Larry Elder and his surrogates started a campaign to try and delegitimize the election before it even started.
In a report on NBC News, Elder appealed to his supporters yesterday to use an online form on the website stopcafraud.com to report fraud. He went on to claim the site had “detected fraud” in the “results” of the California recall election “resulting in Governor Gavin Newsom being reinstated as governor.”
“This is really becoming the standard GOP playbook,” said Lee Drutman, a senior fellow at the New America think tank who studies democracy. “This is democracy 101. If you don’t have elections that are accepted and decisive, then you don’t really have a democracy, because the alternative is violence or authoritarianism.”
There is one major problem with the claim of fraud – the election hasn’t even started. So where does Epik come into this?
Epik Software is the domain registrar for stopcafraud.com, created on August 27. Allegedly, information gleaned from the hack shows the website is already prepopulated with fake data before the site went live to the public according to a claim made by Heidi Cuda, an investigative reporter.
When the website was first published, it contained no disclaimer that it was backed and funded by the Elder campaign, a campaign law violation. After NBC News reached out for comment, the required disclaimer was added. Additionally, the website has no privacy policy and does not provide disclaimers on how the data collected may or may not be used by third parties.
It is important to note that Epik Software is not directly involved in the physical creation of the website or the manufacturing of fake data. The company provides DNS and hosting services, and is popular among alt-right, white nationalist, militant, QAnon, and misinformation groups.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect the amount of data hacked is 180GB.
[Sammamish, Wash.] – (MTN) Sammamish, Washington based Epik Sofware, the controversial DNS and host provider for websites and apps such as Parler, Gab, and 8Chan was breached by the hacker group Anonymous. The organization announced they were able to access and download ten years of data, with most of it unencrypted. In a message posted by the group, they provided details to access founder Rob Monster’s e-mails, as proof of their claims.
Epik Software provides hosting and DNS to thousands of websites, most involved in the dark corners of the web that spread hate, discuss and plan domestic terrorism, platform QAnon conspiracies, and spread disinformation. A DNS is similar to the physical address of a home or business. Websites use an IP address, which could be thought of as latitude and longitude for a physical location. Most people won’t navigate to an address using that data and instead will look for “100 Main Street.” A DNS provider enables a URL (or multiple URLs) to point to an IP to a common URL.
The potential information on the people or business behind sites such as Parler, Gab, The Storm Front, prolifewhistleblower, 8Chan, BitChute, and Patriot.win, to list a few. Additionally, Anonymous is claiming they have passwords, internal communications, and other data going back ten years. For some sites and apps such as Parler, most information is already known. The bigger reveal could expose thousands of people involved in websites that peddle suicide advice, medical misinformation, and support QAnon.
One-hundred-and-eighty gigabytes of compressed data were released and currently, several sources are working to verify the data and make it usable for researchers and journalists.
The company based out of Sammamish, Washington, and run by Rob Monster, operates under the banner of protecting First Amendment rights. However, the company has a history of not cooperating with criminal investigations when websites have crossed lines into potential criminal behavior.
The company recently made headlines for providing DNS services to the Texas website prolifewhistleblower, after GoDaddy booted the site. The website was created so people could report anyone helping a Texas resident gain access to an abortion, and earn a $10,000 bounty. Less than a week after Epik became the DNS, their legal team also dropped the website. GoDaddy has offices in Kirkland, Washington.
Knowledge is the best tool to fight against fear. A wise person chooses to be informed so they can make sound decisions. To join the fight against COVID misinformation, you can share this update through your social media platform of choice.
[KING COUNTY, Wash.] – (MTN) On Monday, Washington state’s renewed mask directive went into effect, the FDA gave full approval to the Pfizer COVID vaccine for people 16 and over, and Washington hospitals remain extremely busy. Shortly after the Pfizer vaccine was approved, the Pentagon announced that military personnel will be required to get the jab.
Over the weekend former President Donald Trump was booed after encouraging rally-goers in Alabama to get vaccinated and Mississippi issued an emergency order instituting the harshest laws in the country for people who break quarantine.
If there was any good news in the most recent report, the data is indicating a continued slowdown in the rate of growth for new cases. Through August 15, the 14 day rolling average Washington grew again to 482.1 COVID cases per 100K. This breaks the record high that was set on Friday. Benton, Cowlitz, and Franklin continue to have an extreme number of new cases. Tiny and sparsely populated Garfield County had 9 active COVID cases through the period, the most ever reported. The USA Today COVID Tracker indicated that on Friday, Washington reported 3,780 new COVID cases.
Washington State Newly Diagnosed COVID Cases per 100K During the Prior Two Weeks Through August 15, 2021
The Washington State Department of Health reports a data backlog for test positivity, with the published number 14 days old. According to Johns Hopkins University Medicine, the positivity rate for the last 30 days is 12.28%, and over the previous 7 days, 13.25%. This is a significant jump from last week and could indicate that the flattening of the curve was an aberration. Other states such as Arkansas and Louisiana saw the same trend. These numbers indicate continued widespread community transmission, driven by the unvaccinated.
The 7-day moving average for COVID-related deaths has increased again to 8 per day and the USA Today COVID tracker reported 33 deaths in Washington state Thursday. It is important to note that fatalities are a trailing indicator that usually increases two to four weeks after hospitalizations begin growing. The growing number of fatalities would align with the spike in hospitalizations that started two weeks ago.
“Masks are required for all fans and employees regardless of vaccine status while in indoor areas at T-Mobile Park such as elevators, bathrooms, indoor clubs or restaurants, and the Team Store. Those who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear a mask at all times. Masks must cover both nose and mouth. You are welcome to remove your mask when actively eating or drinking, or when seated in your seat.”
Proof of vaccination is no longer required to enter Mariners’ games at T-Mobile Park. The next home game for the M’s is on August 26, 2021, at 7:10 PM.
COVID outbreak hits Pierce County Jail, and Benton County offers commisary for vaccinations
The Pierce County Jail is dealing with a COVID outbreak that has sickened 30 inmates and put hundreds more in isolation. The outbreak is hampering operations at the jail, preventing the release of some quarantined prisoners, and forcing officials to book only individuals arrested for suspicion of violent crimes. That includes crimes such as murder, manslaughter, first-degree assault (equivalent to attempted murder under RCW), rape, child molestation, kidnapping, child assault, domestic violence, and possessing explosive devices.
The vaccine was given full approval for individuals 16 years of age and older, according to the FDA, and will continue to be distributed under an emergency authorization to individuals 12 to 15 years old. Additionally, the FDA has given full approval of a third dose to people with certain immunocompromised individuals.
“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.”
Phase I testing of the German developed Pfizer vaccine began in May of 2020, jumpstarted by prior research on SARS and MERS vaccines. The vaccine received formal emergency authorization approval on December 11, 2020, and distribution started in the United States on December 14, 2020.
Specifically, in the FDA’s review for approval, the agency analyzed effectiveness data from approximately 20,000 vaccine and 20,000 placebo recipients ages 16 and older who did not have evidence of the COVID-19 virus infection within a week of receiving the second dose. The safety of Comirnaty was evaluated in approximately 22,000 people who received the vaccine and 22,000 people who received a placebo 16 years of age and older.
For some of the Phase III trial members, the final authorization will close the door on the question of whether they received the vaccine or the placebo.
The agency reviewed over 340,000 pages of information and data as part of the authorization process. This included reviewing a small number of adverse events that included myocarditis and pericarditis following administration of the vaccine. People who were biologically assigned male gender at birth and under 40, had the most risk, with 12 to 17-year-olds having the highest observed number of incidents. There were a handful of hospitalizations and no reported deaths.
The Moderna vaccine remains under review for full approval, which is expected to come in October. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has not been submitted for full approval at this time. Full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for children 12 to 15 is expected to come early next year, and emergency approval for children 5 to 11 should happen before the end of 2021.
Almost two million Washingtonians who are vaccine eligible remain unvaccinated. The group Find a COVID Shot WA can assist anyone who needs help making an appointment. The group of 75 volunteers has been operating since the beginning of 2021 and offers support in 20 languages.
King County, Washington is over 80% vaccinated, and Washington state is over 70%. The highest rates of positivity are in areas with low vaccination rates statewide. The FDA is expected to provide full approval to the Pfizer vaccine next month.
COVID vaccines are free for anyone over 12 years old, and no appointment is necessary at most locations. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.
On August 23, 84.7% of available adult staffed acute care beds in Washington state have patients. The data indicated there were 1,368 acute care beds available statewide and 275 in King County. The Northwest and South Central Regions were over 80% utilization and the Central, West, and East Regions are now over 90%. According to the Washington State Department of Health, there are 1,284 COVID patients in acute care, an increase of 63 over the weekend, which is 14.4% of all acute care patients.
Washington State Hospital Acute Care Beds Occupied by Patients – August 22, 2021
Statewide ICUs were 85.7% occupied with 173 staffed beds available, 64 located in King County. The number of COVID patients statewide in the ICU climbed to 332. A combined 1,616 adult patients hospitalized is a new record.
The Washington Hospital Association is indicating a lower number, and we have requested the Washington State Department of Health to review the disparity between the two data sources.
Washington State ICU Patients with COVID – August 19, 2021
Washington state continues to have a critical shortage of blood, with a less than 24 hour supply for five out of eight blood types. The situation has deteriorated since August 3. There will be a blood drive in Kirkland on August 30 and 31. We will publish additional details when they become available.
The West Region, which includes Tacoma, and the East Region, which includes Spokane, remains critically low on ICU capacity. Each region has 11 ICU beds available as of Monday morning, which is little changed from Friday.
The state reported 26 new COVID deaths over the weekend.
Locally, the number of COVID patients at EvergreenHealth facilites in Kirkland and Monroe increased from last week. Kirkland was reporting 36 patients hospitalized, up from 26 last week. Monroe reported 6 patients hospitalized, up from 5 last week. The 36 patients is nearly the peak set in January 2021, but well below March 2020 when the Kirkland hospital became the first facility in the United States to face a major outbreak.
“Now that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved, the department is prepared to issue updated guidance, requiring all service members to be vaccinated. A timeline for vaccination completion will be provided in the coming days, John F. Kirby said at a press briefing.
Of the 1.4 million active-duty service members, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated that slightly more than one million are fully vaccinated, and another 237,000 were partially vaccinated at the start of August. Resistance to the vaccine is particularly strong for the estimated 160,000 servicemembers who have not started vaccination. Depending on their rank, servicemembers could face a variety of disciplinary actions, including court-martial.
The Pentagon also announced that COVID testing was being provided to any evacuee from Afghanistan who exhibits or reports COVID-like symptoms before boarding an evacuation aircraft. All persons are then screened upon their arrival at temporary safe havens in Qatar and Germany.
Former Presidents advocates for vaccination and gets booed in Alabama
“You know what? I believe totally in your freedoms. You got to do what you have to do, but I recommend: Take the vaccines. I did it – it’s good,” the former President said. The audience fell silent as a wave of boos emerged from the crowd.
“That’s alright. You got your freedoms. But I happen to take the vaccine. If it doesn’t work, you’ll be the first to know. I’ll call Alabama say, ‘Hey you know what?’ but it is working.”
The unvaccinated are costing American hospitals a lot
Former President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Cullman, Alabama tomorrow, forcing the city to declare a COVID state of emergency. Alabama added 3,800 new COVID cases on Wednesday and the state ran out of ICU beds the day before. The declaration of the State of Emergency allowed the city to provide the additional personnel and equipment for this weekend’s political rally after it was requested by Cullman Regional Hospital, which is overwhelmed with patients.
Arizona
The election audit being conducted by Cyber Ninjas took another strange turn on Monday, with the Arizona Senate President Karen Fann reporting that two of the five members of the election audit team, including Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan, are “quite sick” with COVID. The final report, which was supposed to be submitted today was not issued. No timeline has been given on when a final report will be submitted to the Arizona GOP.
Now, these doctors are sounding the alarm and pleading for the community to get vaccinated. They said it’s not a political move, but a call for help.
The number of pediatric patients continues to grow in Florida, with children from birth to 19 years old showing the highest rates of positivity for the first time. From August 13 to August 19, children 12 and under that were tested for COVID had a positivity rate of 23%. Those age 12 to 19 were nearly 25% positive. Florida Government Ron DeSantis has defunded school districts that instituted mask mandates. The United States Department of Education has stepped in to fill the funding gap.
As many school systems in the Peachtree State enter their fourth week of school, COVID cases continue to surge. The Metro Atlanta area, with 14 school disticts, has reported 6,300 new cases among students during the previous week. Students five to 12 years old are the most impacted. Two faculty members also died last week. Both were sick before the start of the new school year.
In Marietta, Georgia, former surgical technician Jessica Renzi was fired over the weekend after posting a video on Tik Tok many deemed anti-Semitic. In the video which went viral and was shared across multiple social media platforms, Renzi suggested having her vaccination number tattoed to her arm, in an apparent mockery of Holocaust victims. Renzi, who deleted her social media accounts, also had created numerous videos sharing COVID misinformation while wearing her hospital scrubs.
Amplifying
CW: Racism & Extreme Anti-Semitism@WellstarHealth – this is Jessica Renzi, surgical tech at your Wellstone facility in Marietta, Georgia
Tutu Man Kawaikapu Hewett — a founding member of Hawaii Quarantine Kapu Breakers is calling for stricter measures, including stricter enforcement of Hawaii’s existing COVID restrictions.
“I’m a great-grandfather, a grandfather, a father. I want to make sure that everyone survives this. I’m going to support anything and everything that makes us safer,” Hewett said.
Kentucky
COVID is starting to sweep northward into Appalachia, including the Bluegrass State. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear reported the state has a record number of patients in acute and ICU care, with more than 20 hospitals facing staffing shortages and converting space to build COVID ICUs.
“This is what’s happening right here, and it’s pretty stark,” Liechty said. “We’re still doing better as a state than most other places, but delta has highlighted the geographic disparities in uptake of the vaccine in our state.”
The statewide vaccination rate is about 62 percent, but there are wide differences between counties.
All persons, including fully vaccinated individuals, infected with COVID-19 must remain in the home or other appropriate residential location for 10 days from onset of illness (or 10 days from the date of a positive test for those who are asymptomatic). A negative test for COVID-19 is not required to end isolation at the end of 10 days, but you must be fever-free for at least 24 hours with an improvement of other symptoms. Mississippi K-12 schools are required to exclude all students and faculty diagnosed with COVID-19 from the school setting during the isolation period (as above).
The failure or refusal to obey the lawful order of a health officer is, at a minimum, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $500.00 (41-3-59) or imprisonment for six months or both. If a life-threatening disease is involved, failure or refusal to obey the lawful order of a health officer is a felony, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000.00 or imprisonment for up to five years or both.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Crhis Lombardozzi of the Spartanburg Regional Health Care System, told WYFF Channel 4 that over 90% of their COVID patients are unvaccinated, and “we are struggling.”
“Like a lot of hospitals, particularly in the southeast, we are seeing a mega surge in COVID-19 cases.”
At the beginning of July, the hospital system was treating three COVID patients, they are now treating 210. The hospital is at 96% capacity and the average age for COVID patients is 53 years old.
Texas
A 77-year old Carnival Cruise Line passenger died last week after catching COVID on a ship sailing out of Galveston. According to her family, Marilyn Tackett, 77, started to feel unwell when the ship arrived for a port of call visit to Roatan, Belize. When her family returned from a shore excursion, Tackett was having difficulty breathing. The ship’s doctor notified the family that Tackett would need to be put on a ventilator immediately.
Belize hospital officials initially refused to treat Tackett without a $5,000 cash payment. Tackett was placed on a ventilator but her insurance would not cover her overseas medical treatment or an air ambulance to return her to the United States. A GoFundMe was set up to raise $30,000 and she was flown to Tulsa, Oklahoma, but Ms. Tackett died on August 14. Tackett was vaccinated.
Carnival reported a total of 27 cases on the ship during the sailing among 26 crew members and Ms. Tackett.
On our social media channels, we shared the story of David Cruz Meza, 38, of Corpus Christi, Texas. Meza tested positive for COVID on July 7 and was hospitalized on July 14. The father of three was unvaccinated and turned to social media to encourage others to get vaccinated.
His condition had deteriorated by July 22, and his family was reported he was placed on a ventilator on July 25. His wife made a public appeal for any hospital that would be willing to take him as an ECMO patient, and another appeal on August 11.
His family reported this morning that Meza passed away on August 16. In the final video he made, he appealed for people to get vaccinated.
This isn’t misinformation as much as it is a misunderstanding. There have been nine major studies about how a person’s blood type may limit or increase their risks of catching COVID, and if certain blood types provide additional protection.
There is solid evidence that type O and Rh-negative blood groups might benefit some degree of extra protection from COVID infection and severe symptoms. Additionally, the same data supports that blood type A may increase the susceptibility to infection.
The misunderstanding comes from some people believing that type O blood instills a higher degree of natural immunity than it truly offers. In some darker corners on the Internet, there are some memes that try to convince people on social media that type O is a shield to symptomatic COVID – that isn’t true.
The National Institutes of Health published a study on July 19, 2021, explaining the Relationship between blood types and outcomes following COVID-19 infection. The report stated in the conclusion, “At this point in time, there does not appear to be any relationship between blood type and COVID-19–related severity of illness or mortality. Current literature does not support blood type as part of a predictive model of viral illness or mortality, and ABO/Rh screening should not be used as a triage mechanism. Future investigations can focus on the creation of a global COVID-19 database to account for population-based differences in blood types and testing protocols.”
This isn’t to say that people with type O blood gain no benefit, or that people with type A should take extra precautions. The evidence that exists today does not indicate type O provides a wall of substantial extra protection.
Knowledge is the best tool to fight against fear. A wise person chooses to be informed so they can make sound decisions. To join the fight against COVID misinformation, you can share this update through your social media platform of choice.
[KING COUNTY, Wash.] – (MTN) Multiple sources reported to us today that the state of Washington is considering a plan to place renewed restrictions on gatherings within public indoor spaces, as hospitalizations reached a new record. There is some evidence that the growth of new cases may be slowing down, as more hospitals report they are running out of resources.
There are reports out of Washington D.C. that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine may receive full FDA approval next week. Trials for both the vaccine started more than a year ago, while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was released later, requiring more data.
Bonadventure Senior Living is under fire after a recruiter for the company in Oregon posted a video on Tik Tok called for unvaccinated nurses to work for the eldercare company in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado. That story took a much darker turn today with new allegations of criminal activity.
Governor Inslee is considering setting capacity limits for indoor public venues, according to several people we spoke to today. The plan being considered would not return Washington state to the phases used during the spring of 2021 but would put limits on the number of people who can gather in one place in specific public settings. No specific date was given, but there were indications if the plan is implemented it would happen end of August or early September.
“Extremists may seek to exploit the emergence of COVID-19 variants by viewing the potential re-establishment of public health restrictions across the United States as a rationale to conduct attacks. Pandemic-related stressors have contributed to increased societal strains and tensions, driving several plots by domestic violent extremists, and they may contribute to more violence this year.”
The report did not mention any specific threats and is a broad assessment of the risk of terrorism, foreign or domestic, at a national level. A large anti-vaccination rally is planned to happen on Saturday in Olympia from noon to 3 PM.
Washington state COVID update
COVID continues to spread through Washington at levels not seen since December of 2020. Through August 12, the 14 day rolling average Washington grew again to 455.8 COVID cases per 100K. This breaks the record high that was set yesterday. The USA Today COVID Tracker indicated that on Thursday, Washington reported over 3,900 new COVID cases. New cases continue to grow exponentially, with the epidemiological curve showing signs that things are slowing.
Washington State Newly Diagnosed COVID Cases per 100K During the Prior Two Weeks Through August 12, 2021
The Washington State Department of Health reports a data backlog for test positivity, with the published number 14 days old. According to Johns Hopkins University Medicine, the positivity rate for the last 30 days is 11.69%, and over the previous 7 days, 12.69%. We continue to see widespread transmission in the state, with another small decrease in the 7-day average.
The 7-day moving average for COVID-related deaths has increased again to 8 per day and the USA Today COVID tracker reported 33 deaths in Washington state Thursday. It is important to note that fatalities are a trailing indicator that usually increases two to four weeks after hospitalizations begin growing. The growing number of fatalities would align with the spike in hospitalizations that started two weeks ago.
Are changes coming to the Evergreen State Fair?
In a KOMO News report, Jeremy Husby of Snohomish County Parks & Recreation expressed concern about the upcoming Evergreen Fair. Husby said that capacity limits were already in place, but they were expecting between 18,000 and 24,000 people to attend. According to the Washington State Department of Health, Snohomish County hospitals have reached the same utilization level as early 2021. “When we know we are at a capacity where we can’t not serve the public and we can’t provide a safe space,” Husby said. “We need to make that call to shut down the fair,” Husby told KOMO.
Bonadventure Senior Living
On Monday, TikTok user @thisdaneshguy reposted a recruiting video made by Bonadventure Senior Living employee Shanya Hall, which went viral. Bonadventure, based in Salem, Oregon, manages senior living facilities in Washington, Oregon, and Colorado. In the video, Hall says, “I just wanted to tell you that if you are a nurse, a caregiver, a tech, and you now need a new job because of this, hit me up. I’ll hire you. I need nurses, caregivers, med techs, in Washington, Colorado, and Oregon.”
When asked what she would say to families who are concerned about unvaccinated health workers caring for their family members, she said protecting residents is the number one priority for Bonaventure.
“I get being concerned or being scared but we are taking precautions,” she said. “We wouldn’t want to put anybody in the way of danger.”
In the same story, Jeremiah Gray, divisional director of operations at Bonaventure for Oregon, stated that they could not require vaccines for their staff because of an Oregon law. However, that was only partially true while the recruiting video was still on TikTok. On August 5, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority filed a final temporary rule requiring COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing for individuals who work in healthcare settings.
In a since-deleted Facebook post, Gray responded to the TikTok video on the Bonadventure, defending the company, and again stating that they are prevented by Oregon law to require vaccinations. That point became moot, with the federal nursing home vaccine mandate issued earlier this week. Today, in another video posted on TikTok by @thisdaneshguy, the creator claims that multiple employees of Bonadventure have shared internal e-mails with him about directives made by the company that put residents and patients at risk. Among the claims made, eight current and former employees are accusing Bonadventure of falsifying federal issued COVID vaccination cards, including in Washington state. That information has been turned over to The Statesman Journal, which ran a deeper story about Bonadventure yesterday.
The University of Washington Medicine is allegedly denying organ transplants to patients who refuse to get a COVID vaccine. In an interview with Jason Rantz, Sam Allen of Monroe claims he was removed from the heart transplant waitlist for refusing to get the COVID vaccine. Allen claims he had a “dispute” with his cardiologist over wearing a mask, and then was called.
“The cardiologist called me and we had a discussion, and he informed me that, ‘well, you’re going to have to get a vaccination to get a transplant.’ And I said, ‘well that’s news to me. And nobody’s ever told me that before.’ And he says, ‘yeah, that’s our policy.”
Allen was removed from the waitlist on June 7. Although post-transplant organ rejections are less common, and the medications to prevent the condition have dramatically improved, organ transplant patients face a lifetime of being immunocompromised. University of Washington Medicine would not confirm if this was a policy or part of evaluating how viable an individual patient is for a transplant.
Former University of Washington wide receiver Lamarr Mitchell died of COVID after a 10-day battle. Lamarr was part of the 1991 Rose Bowl team and was described by his family as healthy and fit. He was unvaccinated and went from being on a ventilator to kidney failure in 24 hours. His family was called at 4 AM to come and say their final goodbyes but became stuck in traffic and did not get to the hospital in time. Lamarr’s parents are appealing for people to get vaccinated.
“We got to get the message out there we have to get the message out there; this is real. This is real,” she pleaded.
No promotional consideration has been given, or requested from the n95 project or any manufacturer of masks
Vaccination
There are multiple reports tonight that the Food and Drug Administration will issue full approval of the Pfizer COVID vaccine as early as Monday. Pfizer started Phase I trials of the COVID vaccine in May of 2020. Researchers used development efforts to create a vaccine for SARS and MERS as a foundation for the COVID vaccine. COVID or SARS-Cov-2 is similar to the original SARS strain, which appeared in 2003, and MERS which appeared in 2012.
Phase III trials were completed in November enabling the FDA to issue an emergency authorization for the vaccine. Distribution began on December 14, 2020, to tens of millions of Americans. Pfizer would be the first to receive full approval because it was the first vaccine to complete its trials in the United States.
Almost two million Washingtonians who are vaccine eligible remain unvaccinated. The group Find a COVID Shot WA can assist anyone who needs help making an appointment. The group of 75 volunteers has been operating since the beginning of 2021 and offers support in 20 languages.
King County, Washington is over 80% vaccinated, and Washington state is over 70%. The highest rates of positivity are in areas with low vaccination rates statewide. The FDA is expected to provide full approval to the Pfizer vaccine next month.
COVID vaccines are free for anyone over 12 years old, and no appointment is necessary at most locations. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.
On August 19, 86.4% of available adult staffed acute care beds in Washington state have patients. The data indicated there were 1,211 acute care beds available statewide and 210 in King County. The Northwest, South Central, and East Regions were over 80% utilization and the Central and West Regions are now over 90%. According to the Washington State Department of Health, there are 1,221 COVID patients in acute care, an increase of 16 since yesterday, which is 13.7% of all acute care patients.
Washington State Hospital Acute Care Beds Occupied by Patients – August 19, 2021
Statewide ICUs were 85.9% occupied with 171 staffed beds available, 52 located in King County. Although the number of COVID patients statewide in the ICU dropped to 327.
Washington State ICU Patients with COVID – August 19, 2021
Washington state continues to have a critical shortage of blood, with a less than 24 hour supply for five out of eight blood types. The situation has deteriorated since August 3. There will be a blood drive in Kirkland on August 30 and 31. We will publish additional details when they become available.
The West Region, which includes Tacoma, is down to 9 available ICU beds and the East Region, which includes Spokane, has 10 ICU beds available.
PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in hard-hit Cowlitz County issued a statement on Facebook that the hospital, “is now at maximum capacity.” The facility appealed that, “only people who are experiencing true medical emergencies come to our E.R. for care.”
In another comment, PeaceHealth stated, “We are experiencing an exceptionally high number of caregivers unable to work due to COVID-19, and we have great concern that – as patient demand continues to surge – we will be faced with a corresponding increase in the number of caregivers unavailable to help.”
The hospital is no longer doing COVID testing and advised people to use urgent care facilities. People were suggesting other locations to get a COVID test but frustration was boiling over.
Barbara Anderson wrote, “The only urgent care center in Longview will not see u unless u are a current Peace Heath [sic] patients [sic]. Where should the rest go?”
The CDC issued a warning tonight for older adults, and people in high-risk groups not to take cruises, even if they are vaccinated. The new guidance applies to older adults, people with certain medical conditions and pregnant and recently pregnant people. Prior to Friday’s announcement, the agency recommended that only people who were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 avoid cruise ships.
Alabama
Former President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Cullman, Alabama tomorrow, forcing the city to declare a COVID state of emergency. Alabama added 3,800 new COVID cases on Wednesday and the state ran out of ICU beds the day before. The declaration of the State of Emergency allowed the city to provide the additional personnel and equipment for this weekend’s political rally after it was requested by Cullman Regional Hospital, which is overwhelmed with patients.
Florida
The Sunshine State only releases COVID data once a week on Friday’s and the data indicates that it may be hitting its COVID peak. New cases were flat week over week for the first time in over two months. However many state residents are complaining they can’t get tested. Of the 150,118 new cases reported, 20,331 were children under 12 years old. Florida has 16,973 people hospitalized with COVID, a new record.
Pictures taken by Louie Lopez at a monoclonal antibody treatment center recently set up by Governor Ron DeSantis went viral late this week. The images show people lying on the floor, barely able to move or breathe, and moaning waiting for treatment. The lobby only had two chairs according to Lopez, and one patient laid on the floor for almost 30 minutes before someone came with a wheelchair. A spokesperson for the city confirmed that according to organizers at the site, the woman in the picture was waiting to be treated with Regeneron.
Mayor Buddy Dyer of Orlando appealed for residents to conserve water due to a shortage of oxygen. The Orlando Utility Commission treats the city’s water with liquid oxygen and supplies that ordinarily go toward water treatment have been diverted to hospitals for patients suffering from the virus, Mayor Dyer said.
“We acknowledge that the No. 1 priority for the liquid oxygen should be for hospitals,” Dyer said at a news conference.
The city-owned utility typically goes through 10 trucks of liquid oxygen a week but its supplier recently said that it would be cut back to five to seven trucks a week to accommodate hospitals, said Linda Ferrone, OUC’s chief customer, and marketing officer.
Hawaii
Yesterday we reported that hospitals on the island of Oahu were on the brink of having to implement disaster plans. City officials in Honolulu made a “disaster area” declaration today. At Queen’s West Hospital, a rush of new COVID patients overwhelmed the hospital, on top of many already waiting for beds in the emergency room. The City set up a disaster area and tents.
Hawaii also appealed for traveling nurses, with more than 500 expected to arrive next week. Honolulu having to potentially move to “black tag triage” is coming at the same time that flooding rains are expected this weekend.
Seventy-three Mississippi hospitals have asked for a combined 1,450 healthcare professionals to supplement their staff, as the state’s hospital system teeters on the brink of collapse. Efforts that are described as “last-ditch” to shore up the system included support from the federal government and building two field hospitals in a parking garage.
Mississippi State Department of Health Reported a sharp spike in calls to their Poison Control Center due to Ivermectin poisoning. State officials sent out a health alert warning to health care providers about the use of the horse dewormer. Although Ivermectin is used in humans to treat scabies, it is highly concentrated for livestock. At least 70% of the calls into poison control have been for Ivermectin poisoning.
There is no good news coming out of Oregon today. COVID hospitalizations have set a new record every day since August 10, in the Pacific Northwest State. In the last 30 days, cases have increased 500% putting the hospital system on the brink. Oregon is requesting outside help to come to the state including 35 physicians, 35 advanced practice providers, 300 registered nurses, 10 paramedics, and 100 respiratory therapists.
“A COVID-positive patient was in our Emergency Department, within our four walls, waiting for an open Intensive Care Unit bed to receive life-saving care. It had been several hours because other COVID-positive patients had filled those beds. Even after expanding ICU care onto other floors, there weren’t any beds available for this patient. We didn’t have enough. This patient died in the Emergency Department waiting for an Intensive Care Unit bed.”
Texas
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick blamed “Black Texas” for the surge of COVID in the Lonestar State. During an interview on Fox News Patrick said, “The Democrats like to blame Republicans,” Patrick said. “Well, the biggest groups in most states is African Americans who are not vaccinated. Last time I checked, over 90 percent of them vote for Democrats in their major cities and major counties.”
State officials previously were blaming undocumented immigrants for the spread of COVID in the state, but mostly backed away from the claim after the City of McAllen declared a state of emergency. Of the 586,000 undocumented immigrants processed in the city in the first seven months of 2021, 7,500 were COVID posted after testing – a rate under 2%. The state of Texas is at 19.8% positivity as of this Friday.
“We haven’t reached that critical moment yet where we’re unable to provide that care,” said Dr. James Black, medical director of emergency services at Albany’s Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. “We’re doing everything we can to stay just ahead of that, but it’s a race and a race that most of us are losing.”
An ongoing piece of misinformation is the COVID vaccine has microchips in it. Typically the needle used to vaccinate an adult is 28 gauge and has an outer diameter of 1/3 of an mm. The inner diameter is about 1/6 of an mm (0.184 mm). That’s about thick enough to pass a human hair through with a touch of room to spare. The smallest 5G chip available today is about the size of your fingernail. That’s just the 5G chip, not the microprocessor to run it, not an antenna that can transmit through your body to the nearest 5G tower. It doesn’t include a power source and most critically, it doesn’t include having a heat sink or other way to regulate the temperature.
The RFID chips they inject into pets such as cats and dogs are about the size of a grain of rice. They provide no way to track, only identification with a scanner. The 12 gauge needle used to insert an RFID chip into a dog is almost 3 mm (and anyone who has had a large-bore IV can tell you, needles that big are very unpleasant). Additionally, they are passive RFID chips that don’t require a battery and are incapable of transmitting any data, let alone to a 5G cell tower.
Update: Ray Roseberry, 49, has surrendered to Washington D.C. police
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – (MTN) Washington D.C. police have evacuated the Supreme Court and the U.S. Capitol after a man in a black pickup truck parked near the Library of Congress and claimed he has a bomb big enough to take out “two-and-half blocks.”
In a Facebook Live video, since removed, the individual makes a statement that vacillates from calm to angry. The man, who is white and appears to be in his 40s, claims he is from Alabama and is part of a larger group that has four more bombs in the United States Capitol. At one point, he implies that one bomb could be located close to the White House.
We have had to take down the video due to excessive traffic on the site – we apologize for this and will upload a more compressed version later.
Malcontent News downloaded the video from Facebook before it was deleted. We do not support this message or this blatant act of domestic terrorism. Viewer discretion is advised. In the video the man claims:
He claims the bomb is made from ammonium-nitrate, which is the same material that was used in the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995
He showed in his video his vehicle full of shrapnel including coins, what appears to be ball bearings, and other metal debris
He made several demands to talk to Joe Biden directly
Claims he is a “good American” and a “Patriot”
Says “Democrats are killing America”
He railed about how pennies are made out of zinc, and blamed Joe Biden
He is holding a large metal can in his lap, and appears to be holding a device in his left hand attached to the can
Repeats he, “wants to go home by Sunday,” and how he promised his wife he would be home for dinner
He asks at one point, “where are all my American patriots? Don’t make a lair out of me.”
Claims he is acting to “get the revolution started”
Makes a statement to President Joe Biden, “Look here you little bitch. Some people doing some things now, and that’s the fucking South.”
At one point he claims his wife was aware of the plot, but then at another point claims he lied to his wife and told her he was going on a fishing trip
Makes another state about the bomb, “This was made by ya’ all Qaeda, and you better not forget that Joe.”
The Facebook Live lasted for 31 minutes, and at no time did he address and commenters on the video. He claims that he is part of a larger organization, and he was “picked for this.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
[KIRKLAND, Wash] – (MTN) The city of Kirkland announced that the boil water order impacting Market, Norkirk, and parts of Juanita, Totem Lake, downtown, and Houghton has been lifted.
City officials are advising you to run all cold water faucets for five minutes to flush your pipes before drinking or cooking with water from the tap. They also recommend flushing all appliances connected to the water line that produce potable water such as icemakers, refrigerator ice dispensers, and water softeners.
On Tuesday a water main break along Forbes Creek Drive caused a drop in water pressure for some residents and the boil order to be issued.
KIRKLAND, Wash. – A water main break has caused a loss of pressure in a large portion of Kirkland’s water system. Crews are in the process of repairing the break and restoring water service. The City is issuing a boil water advisory for neighborhoods north of NE 85th St., south of NE 124th St., and west of I-405. Residents are also advised that in the event that there is discolored water or air in the pipes, they should leave the faucet on or continue to flush until the water runs steady and clean.
The boil water advisory is in effect until further notice. Please refer to the boil water protocol listed below.
Residents are advised to use bottled water or boil tap water. A boil water advisory means that recent tests show that your water system is contaminated with organisms that can cause illness. Boiling is the best way to ensure water is free of illness-causing organisms. Bring the water to a rolling boil for one minute. When it cools, refrigerate the water in clean covered containers. More information is available on the Public Health – Seattle & King County website.
[EVERETT, Wash] – (MTN) Snohomish County Prosecutors have charged Benjamin Richey, 20, of Lake Stevens, Washington with a felony hate crime for posting an apparent handgun in a Snapchat post with the caption, “killing minorities soon.” In a report in the Everett Herald, the former Marysville Pilchuck High School student is no stranger to the police. Charging documents indicate he has been investigated previously for hiring racial slurs at People of Color. Richey is the adult child of a Marysville Police Officer at the time of the January 28, 2021 incident.
On December 14, 2020, in an Associated Student Body Junior Leadership virtual meeting, things took an ugly turn for Marysville Pilchuck High School students. Two students during a Zoom meeting stated, “let’s kill all Black people,” and then went on to identify several Black students by name in the call.
A criminal investigation followed, and Marysville police interviewed two impacted Black families. According to police and a press release from the NAACP, one family stated they did not want to pursue charges. The two students that made the statements received suspensions from school and were transferred to a different facility.
On January 28, 2021, a different student came forward and provided images of Snapchat conversations. In one of the screenshots, one of the students involved in the December incident was brandishing a handgun with the caption, “killing minorities soon.” The student who reported this went on to state this wasn’t the first time this type of comment was made.
During the investigation, Richey told the police it was a joke. Students, faculty, and civic leaders didn’t interpret the incident that way, and the phone that was used was the same one involved in the December 14, 2020 incident.
Marysville Pilchuck High School was the site of a 2014 shooting that left five dead, including the perpetrator. Prosecutors argue in charging documents that, given this history, it was reasonable to fear harm from the social media threat.
On March 27, impacted families, the Snohomish County NAACP, and civic leaders called upon the Marysville School District and Snohomish County Prosecutors to take action against the threats.
OUR COVERAGE AND FULL INTERVIEW WITH DR. JANICE GREENE OF THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY NAACP
Richey will be appearing in court on a summons for arraignment on August 5. He is not allowed to possess or has access to firearms, he cannot contact Marysville Pilchuck High School, or violate any other laws as a condition of his release.
Journalists, activists, and researchers defending the First Amendment
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