Newly Formed Independent Broadcasters Association Opens Shop

A new radio trade group, The Independent Broadcasters Association has filed articles of incorporation in the State of Minnesota and is officially in business with a freshly formed board of directors.

“We filed the articles last Friday, on a day where we were at 96% of our 3,000-station goal,” says Ron Stone, the President/CEO of Adams Radio Group and the linchpin behind the IBA’s foundation.

According to Stone, some 2,877 stations had signed up, represented by just under 600 owners and operators. “We continue to have additional owners signing up every day,” Stone said.

One third of the IBA’s Board Members will turn over every December 31, starting in 2021.

They are:

• Deborah Barrera, R Communications
• Kristin Cantrell, Seven Mountains Media and Cap City Communications
• Darrell Calton, Iliad Media Group
• Allen Dick, Dick Broadcasting
• Mike Flood, Flood Communications
• Kenneth Forte, R&F Communications
• Charles Johnson, Northstar Broadcast
• Kimberly Martinez, All Pro Broadcasting
• Gregory Pretko, Southern Stone Communications
• Kelly Radandt, Woodward Radio Group
• Tony Renda, Renda Broadcasting
• David Stephens, Stephens Media Group
• Tony Richards, Kensington Digital
• Cindy Taylor, Ohio Midland Newsgroup
• Rebecca White, Salem Media (of Indiana)
• Sandra Woodruff, Northwest Indy Radio

The IBA’s inaugural board meeting is scheduled for next week. At the meeting, the board will decide mostly organizational matters and to approve the business plan.

iHM, Will Ferrell Partner For Comedy Podcast Network

iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell Thursday announced the first six co-produced shows set to join the Big Money Players Network of comedy podcasts.

“Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang”; “Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Podcast” in collaboration with The Lonely Island and Comedy Bang Bang; “My Momma Told Me with Langston Kerman”; “POOG with Kate Berlant and Jacqueline Novak”; “Bald Talk” hosted by Brian Huskey and Charlie Sanders; and “True Romance with Carolina Barlow and Devin Leary” will be available on iHeartRadio and everywhere else podcasts are heard later this year.

“The iHeartPodcast Network really knows how to make a podcast.” said Will Ferrell. “In addition to the creative minds working behind the scenes, the network has an unprecedented ability to reach millions of new podcast listeners. These first few shows for Big Money Players Network will set the standard for the type of high-quality comedy podcasts we’re striving to produce with this collaboration. Matt and Bowen; Carolina and Devin; Langston; Brian and Charlie; Kate and Jacqueline; and Michael Bolton!? Now that’s a can’t miss comedy lineup.”

“Since we started working with Will Ferrell, we’ve been extremely inspired by the comedic audio content we’ve been able to produce together,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “Will is deeply dedicated to exploring the podcast medium. These initial shows demonstrate that the Big Money Players Network will create extremely fresh and captivating content.”

All podcasts on the Big Money Players Network are executive produced by Will Ferrell and iHeartMedia and will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network.

FOX Sports To Fill Stadiums With Virtual Fans

Fox will utilize virtual fans for its MLB game broadcasts beginning Saturday.

The NY Post reports the use of augmented reality is designed to make viewers feel as if telecasts are as normal as possible, despite the ongoing pandemic that has left ballparks empty.

“The original concept sounds like something that would never even happen — pie in the sky,” Fox Sports executive vice president Brad Zager told The Post. “Pretty quick after this pandemic hit we thought we could be in a position to produce games without crowds.

“We were dead set on trying to make the broadcast with no crowd feel as authentic and organic as possible. We want to give people an escape.”

Zager provided The Post a sneak peek of what augmented reality is and, while not perfect, it does look realistic.



Fox also is working with the NFL, which could implement it on games if, as it appears now, most, if not all, could be crowd-less.

“We will learn a lot,” Zager said. “The NFL has been partnering with us and knows where we are in this process, and we will continue to work with them as we get closer to NFL season in rolling it out there, if we do.”

Three weeks ago, Fox, led by senior vice president of graphic technology & integration Zac Fields and their partners on the project, Silver Spoon Animation and SMT, along with MLB, sent officials to Chase Field in Phoenix to see what a virtual crowd would look like during a game. The technology gives the network ways to make the look more appealing.

Saturday’s Yankees-Nationals telecast will feature virtual fans and Fox can gear it the way it pleases.

Fox has the ability to decide the attendance. At Nationals Park on Saturday, it can program whether it wants 30 percent or whatever of the crowd to be Yankees fans.

The fans will even dress according to the weather and will show emotion depending on what happens in the game. They could do the wave.

AOC Wants Ban On Military Ads On eSports Platforms

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., proposed a measure Wednesday to ban armed forces from using funds to maintain "a presence on Twitch.tv or any video game, esports or live-streaming platform."

Twitch is a massive livestreaming platform used by millions of people every day, but Ocasio-Cortez said she didn't think the military should be recruiting through video games streamed on the website.

“It’s incredibly irresponsible for the Army and the Navy to be recruiting impressionable young people and children via live streaming platforms," Ocasio-Cortez told Vice. "War is not a game, and the Marine Corps’ decision not to engage in this recruiting tool should be a clear signal to the other branches of the military to cease this practice entirely.”

The Twitch channels run by the Army and Navy found themselves in a First Amendment controversy this week after banning an activist, Jordan Uhl, from their stream for posting about military misconduct.

"If the military is going to use one of the world’s most popular platforms to recruit kids, then it shouldn’t be able to do so without some pushback," Uhl wrote in The Nation after the ban.

The Knight First Amendment Institute wrote a letter to the Army and Navy Wednesday slamming the ban as a violation of Uhl's free speech rights.

"It is clear that the @USArmyEsports and @AmericasNavy Twitch channels are government-operated public forums for First Amendment purposes," the lawyers at the Knight Institue wrote. "We ask that you immediately unban Mr. Uhl from the @USArmyEsports and @AmericasNavy channels and that you also unban all others who have been banned from the channels based on similar speech."

The Navy, Army and Air Force all still had Twitch channels as of Thursday night, but esports consultant Rob Breslau reported Wednesday that the Army's Twitch account temporarily halted activity due to "potentially unconstitutional bans."

Rotating Artists To Host Daily 'Backstage Country' Show

United Stations has announced it will produce and distribute a daily 5-hour program where stars of Country Music host the program on a rotating basis for one week at a time.

The weekday program, "Backstage Country," is intended to fill a daypart on Mainstream Country stations and will be made available beginning the week of September 14. Beasley Media Group has signed on as the flagship group of affiliates for with WXTU/Philadelphia, WKLB/Boston, WQYK/Tampa, WSOC/Charlotte, KCYE/Las Vegas, WKML/Fayetteville and WKXC/Augusta.

"Backstage Country" will give listeners and affiliates an insider's look and each Country artist hosting will do so for an entire Monday through Friday week. Each host will have an opportunity to share their perspective on music, touring, events, the media and any other topic that inspires or matters to them as influencers and creators. Big Machine recording artist Tim McGraw will anchor the first week of broadcasts while Black River artist Kelsea Ballerini, Warner Music Nashville's Brett Eldredge and Broken Bow stars Jason Aldean and Dustin Lynch have all committed to sit behind the microphone during the first month of broadcasts.

United Stations EVP/Programming Andy Denemark commented, "We have always tried to deliver high-profile hosts for our programming so that our affiliates have something they can promote and their listeners have something special and engaging. Since Country artists have a tremendous history of accessibility and outreach to their fan, we felt that a radio show where the stars are the DJ's would be a fantastic vehicle for everybody."

Beasley's Chief Content Officer Justin Chase added, "To deliver an audio experience that comes as close as possible to the intimacy of a backstage meet and greet seems perfect for the times in which we live. Country is such a star-driven format, and we're thrilled to bring the biggest names directly to our audience."

Pandora Announces New Live Concert Series

Pandora has unveiled its new concert series for the virtual era.

The series will kick off with groundbreaking country artist Kane Brown on July 28 and bring performances from top trending artists across country, Latin, R&B, pop, and rock directly into the homes of millions of fans through the end of the year. In expanding the live concert experience, Pandora has created a powerful new offering that benefits music fans, artists, and brands.

The events will feature the premier production quality that Pandora's shows are known for, many with additional interactive perks to connect fans with their favorite artists. Select attendees will receive access to virtual meet and greets, Q&As with the artist, exclusive merchandise, live chat functionality, and more.

"I love unexpected collaborations and finding new ways to bring my fans music, especially while we aren't able to tour on the road," said Kane Brown. "You all mean so much to me and I'm happy to team up with Pandora to create an amazing virtual performance with some surprises for you."

Kane Brown's performance will contain new hits and old favorites with the evening hosted by Storme Warren of The Highway channel on SiriusXM. Restless Road, the Nashville-based trio that Kane recently signed to his record label, will make an appearance for a special performance of "Take Me Home."

Kane Brown

Following their performance, each artist is expected to record a Pandora Story featuring personal commentary woven between hand-selected songs. Fans will also be able to tune in to the recordings of the virtual performances on Pandora. Select concerts will also be re-broadcast on SiriusXM. To further support artists, Pandora acquired merchandise that would have been sold on tour and customized it to create limited-edition fan giveaways — available the night of the shows on a first-come, first-served basis.

"People are still as passionate about live entertainment as ever, and they're craving the moments of joy and connection that those experiences bring," said Denise Karkos, CMO at SiriusXM and Pandora. "The music ecosystem has been massively disrupted this year, and artists need to find new ways to connect with fans, share their art, and continue creating. Our role is to give entertainers a platform to reach their fans in new and meaningful ways while filling the void for listeners who want to connect with each other and the artists they love. We're placing advertisers at key consumer touchpoints before, during, and after the events to enable these special connections."

RSVP directly for Pandora LIVE: Kane Brown, taking place July 28 at 8 p.m. ET HERE.

TV Viewer Spots Lump On WFLA Reporter

Victoria Price

A Tampa Florida news reporter has an eagle-eyed viewer to thank for her cancer diagnosis.

USAToday reports WFLA-TV8 reporter Victoria Price revealed on Twitter that she will undergo surgery Monday to remove a cancerous tumor from her neck, in addition to her thyroid and some lymph nodes, after a concerned viewer brought it to her attention following an on-air broadcast.

"A viewer emailed me last month," Price wrote Thursday. "She saw a lump on my neck. Said it reminded her of her own. Hers was cancer. Turns out, mine is too."

The investigative reporter said she's been so consumed with covering the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, that she didn't even consider her own health was amiss.

But, thanks to the email, Price learned from doctors that a "tumor is in the middle of my thyroid, pushing the glands up and out," creating a "subtle protrusion" that caught the viewer's attention. And Price said she found it at a crucial time: "Doctors say it's spreading."

"Had I never received that email, I never would have called my doctor. The cancer would have continued to spread. It's a scary and humbling thought," Price said. "I will forever be grateful to the woman who went out of her way to email me, a total stranger. She had zero obligation to, but she did anyway."

July 24 Radio History

Raymond Edward Johnson

➦In 1911...Raymond Edward Johnson born in Kenosha, WI (Died at age 90 – August 15, 2001). He was a radio and stage actor best remembered for his work on Inner Sanctum Mysteries.

Johnson began his career in Chicago, some of his earliest work including a regular role on Edgar A. Guest's dramatic serial Welcome Valley (1932–1937) as Bill Sutter, and was featured on The National Farm and Home Hour in dramatic sketches as the Forest Ranger (a role also played by Don Ameche).

While in Chicago, Johnson began working with writer/director Arch Oboler, with roles on his Lights Out series. When both Oboler and Johnson relocated to New York City, the actor was featured in many episodes of Arch Oboler's Plays, notably as the title role in "The Ugliest Man in the World" (repeated five times) and as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in "This Lonely Heart" both from 1939.

While in New York, Johnson landed his most famous role when Himan Brown hired him for Inner Sanctum. From the first broadcast in 1941, Johnson was heard as the series host/narrator, introducing himself as "Your host, Raymond." The "Raymond" character became known for his chilling introductions and morbid puns, and his typical closing, an elongated and ironic "Pleasant dreaaaams, hmmmmmmm?" Johnson departed the series in 1945, when he joined the Army; although replaced for the remainder of the run by Paul McGrath as host, Johnson took the "Raymond" name with him. Johnson later hosted the radio version of the science fiction series Tales of Tomorrow.



He also became a staple on many soap operas, playing romantic leads on Big Sister,  The Guiding Light, Brave Tomorrow and Valiant Lady.

➦In 1933...the first broadcast of “The Romance of Helen Trent” was heard on midwest regional radio before becoming a CBS network staple three months later. The radio soap opera aired on CBS from October 30, 1933 to June 24, 1960 for a total of 7,222 episodes. The show was created by Frank and Anne Hummert, who were among the most prolific producers during the radio soap era.  Helen Trent was played by just two actresses over the years …Virginia Clark (for 11 years) and Julie Stevens (for 16 years).

➦In 1933...during his fourth Fireside Chat, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt showed why the homey, warm, comfortable discussion was, indeed, a fireside chat. The President stopped the discussion on the air (remember, this was radio) and asked for a glass of water, which he then sipped. The fireside chats were a series of evening radio addresses given by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt between 1933 and 1944. Roosevelt spoke with familiarity to millions of Americans about the promulgation of the Emergency Banking Act in response to the banking crisis, the recession, New Deal initiatives, and the course of World War II.



On radio, he was able to quell rumors and explain his policies. His tone and demeanor communicated self-assurance during times of despair and uncertainty. Roosevelt was regarded as an effective communicator on radio, and the fireside chats kept him in high public regard throughout his presidency.

➦In 1943...the radio program "Foreign Assignment", was first heard.  It was broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System from July 24, 1943, to January 8, 1944.

With World War II as background, Foreign Assignment related the activities of journalist Barry Brian and his assistant, Carol Manning, who were stationed in France, working for the American Press (a fictitious entity). The program's introduction came with the sound of a teletype printer in the background as the announcer intoned, "... that machine is beating out a story written especially for you; a story unfolded against the screen of actual events that are making the news."   Journalism, however, was a cover, for Brian and Manning were really spies who worked against the Gestapo, leading the way for other radio series in which spies posed as reporters.

➦In 1978...WKTU 92.3 FM NYC changed to disco.

92.3 FM was originally the home of WMCA-FM. But since FM radio was a money-loser in the early days, WMCA sold the station and by 1951 it had become WHOM-FM, owned by Progress Broadcasting Corporation. By the summer of 1975, it experimented with a mellow-rock format and featured Murray the K, Stan Martin, Scott McClennan, Larry Miller and Steve White during the week and with Randy Place, Joe Guarisco, Johnny Michaels and Bruce Fox on weekends. Burkhart-Abrams were later hired as consultants and brought in a tightly formatted AOR that was very short-lived.

But 92.3 hit the big time  when it became a Disco station and was probably one of the major reasons for the demise of "music radio" WABC. The format originally featured such jocks as Paul Robinson, David Mallow, Kenn Hayes, Joe Guarisco and Paco Navarro and eventually included Rosko in the night slot, Maria Milito evenings and Dan Ingram even did an afternoon shift there during 1985, just before another format change.



In July of 1985, WKTU changed call letters to WXRK and became an AOR station with Jay Thomas in mornings, but Howard Stern took over in February of 1986 and Meg Griffin joined around that time as well. By the Fall of 1989, Pete Fornatale followed Stern and the station also featured Flo & Eddie (of Turtles fame) and Alison Steele in overnights. Vin Scelsa also had a weekend show. By late 1991, Dave Herman replaced Flo & Eddie and John Zacherley joined in late '92. But in January of 1996, the station switched to an alternative rock format and hired all new jocks. In 2006, it became "Free FM-WFNY" before returning to the WXRK call letters in 2007 with a CHR format. In late 2012, it became NOW-FM and by 2015 it had become WBMP-FM "Amp Radio".  Today, 92.3 is owned and operated by Entercom Communications, using the call letters wNYL-FM.  It airs an Alternative music format. (H/T to NY Radio Archive)

➦In 1982... KHJ (LA) & KFRC (San Francisco) become 2nd & 3rd stereo AM stations




➦In 2005... Personality Joe O'Brien, who was one of the WMCA Good Guys on WMCA Radio in New York City, was killed at age 90 in a car crash in the Berkshire Hills, NY.

O'Brien began his career in 1935 when he got his first radio job with WMCA-AM. The Good Guys had the same clean-cut hairstyles, wore matching suits and worked together at record hops and personal appearances. They also sang as a group and released an album. During that time, Mr. O'Brien was the No. 1 morning man in New York City.

In 1970 he left for WNBC-AM, where he handled morning duties until he was replaced by Don Imus in 1972.

O'Brien then went to WHUD in Peekskill, N.Y. He retired in 1986, but continued to do weekend specials for WHUD until 2000.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

Kristen Chenoweth is 52

• Actor John Aniston (“Days of Our Lives”) is 87. 
• Comedian Ruth Buzzi is 84. 
• Actor Mark Goddard (“Lost In Space”) is 84. 
• Actor Chris Sarandon is 78. 
• Comedian Gallagher is 74. 
• Actor Robert Hays (“Airplane!”) is 73. 
• Actor Michael Richards (“Seinfeld”) is 71. 
• Actress Lynda Carter is 69. 
• Director Gus Van Sant is 68. 
• Country singer Pam Tillis is 63. 
• Actor Kadeem Hardison (“A Different World”) is 55. 
• Actress-singer Kristin Chenoweth is 52. 
• Actress Laura Leighton (“Melrose Place”) is 52. 
• Actor John P. Navin Junior is 52. 
• NBA player-turned-actor Rick Fox (“Greenleaf,” “Oz”) is 51. 
• Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez is 51. 
• Director Patty Jenkins (“Wonder Woman”) is 49. 
• Actress Jamie Denbo (“Orange Is The New Black”) is 47. 
• Actor Eric Szmanda (“CSI”) is 45. 
• Actress Rose Byrne is 41. 
• Country singer Jerrod Neimann is 41. 
• Actress Summer Glau (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) is 39. 
• Actor Sheaun McKinney (“The Neighborhood”) is 39. 
• Actress Elisabeth Moss is 38. 
• Actress Anna Paquin is 38. 
• Actress Megan Park (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager”) is 34. 
• Actress Mara Wilson (“Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Matilda”) is 33. 
• Actress Sarah Steele (“The Good Fight,” “The Good Wife”) is 32. 
• Singer Jay McGuiness of The Wanted is 30. 
• Actress Emily Bett Rickards (TV’s “Arrow”) is 29. 
• TV personality Bindi Irwin (“Bindi: The Jungle Girl”) is 22.

Twitter Reports Revenue and Profit Fall

Twitter Inc. reported strong user growth but experienced lingering impacts from the coronavirus pandemic in its latest quarter, as the company navigates a rocky advertising climate and the fallout from a major security breach.

The Wall Street Journal reports the San Francisco social media company said its daily user base rose 12% to 186 million in the three months ended June 30 from the quarter before, a stronger increase than analysts polled by FactSet had expected.

Twitter’s revenue fell 19% in the second quarter from a year earlier to $683 million, missing the consensus estimate from analysts of $702 million, according to FactSet. In the previous quarter, Twitter declined to provide forecasts for revenue or operating income, citing virus-related economic uncertainty and rapidly shifting market conditions. For the same reasons, the company didn’t provide guidance for those metrics in its latest earnings report.

The company swung to a loss of $1.23 billion, noting that its results were impacted by a reversal of a more than $1 billion tax benefit recorded in 2019. Excluding the tax item, Twitter’s loss was steeper than analysts had forecast.

“Our number one priority is making sure our road map is strong and moving fast,” Chief Executive Jack Dorsey told analysts on an earnings call. “This quarter is a great example where you saw a lot of under-the-hood work.”

Global spending on advertising plummeted as coronavirus case counts rose earlier this year, hurting companies including Twitter. Some businesses also paused spending for a few weeks following protests sparked by the police killing of Minneapolis man George Floyd, Twitter said.

But Twitter said it has seen signs of recovery in the ad market. In the last three weeks of June, “advertisers began to adapt and we saw things open up a little bit,” said Twitter’s finance chief, Ned D. Segal.

Boston Radio: WBZ-FM's Fred Toucher Taking Time-Off

WBZ 98.5 FM The Sports Hub radio host Fred Toucher will be off the air for an undisclosed amount of time after an unsettling show Tuesday during which he revealed details of his personal life and the effects they were having on him.

The Boston Globe reports Toucher, who cohosts the highly rated “Toucher and Rich” program with Rich Shertenlieb, revealed that he is going through a divorce. He had been late for the show, and during the 7 a.m. hour sounded agitated enough that Shertenlieb suggested he take some time off and offered to go off the air with him.

Toucher was not part of Wednesday’s program. A few minutes before noon, he posted an update to his status on Instagram, saying he was seeking help.

Fred Toucher

“First of all thank you to the listeners that have my back,” he wrote. “For some reason I want you guys to know I have never been drunk on the air [management has never accused me of such] I am going to a mental institution next week. I am sometimes too forthcoming on the air. I’m used to just being honest about my life but when you are a [expletive] that isn’t such a good idea.”

Coming out of the first commercial break in the 6 a.m. hour on Wednesday’s show, Shertenlieb explained why Toucher wasn’t part of the show.

“Listen, with everything that’s going on, Fred’s going to take a couple of days off,” said Shertenlieb. “And we love the guy, can’t wait until he gets back.

Management at the Sports Hub did not provide specifics on Toucher’s status, but passed along a statement from its corporate parent, Beasley Media Group.

“As a responsible company committed to the Boston Community," the statement read, “we take this matter very seriously. Fred will be off the air while we continue to review the situation.”

“Toucher and Rich” has long been one of the most popular radio shows in the Boston market, starting out on now-defunct rock station WBCN before becoming a sports show when 98.5 The Sports Hub launched in August 2009.

In the most recent ratings period, “Toucher & Rich” finished first in the men 25-54 demographic (sports radio’s most targeted audience) in morning drive with a 12.7 share.

FCC, Major Radio Groups Settle Political Compliance Issue

The Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau Wednesday announced settlements with six major radio group owners that will ensure timely compliance with rules requiring that radio stations upload to their online public inspection files records of requests for the purchase of political broadcast time.

The six group owners are: Alpha Media USA LLC; Beasley Media Group Licenses, LLC; Cumulus Media New Holdings Inc.; Entercom License, LLC; iHeartMedia, Inc.; and Salem Media Group, Inc. Collectively, these companies own and operate 1,884 commercial radio stations across the country.

“It is critical that information about political advertising is transparent to the public and candidates for office,” said Michelle Carey, Chief of the Media Bureau. “Adherence to the requirements in the consent decrees will ensure compliance with the online political file rules during this election year.”

Section 315(e)(3) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, requires stations to place information about each request for the purchase of broadcast time for all candidate-sponsored advertisements and certain issue advertisements in their political files for public inspection “as soon as possible.” Similarly, Section 73.1943(c) of the Commission’s rules requires information to be made available for public inspection “as soon as possible,” barring any unusual circumstances. These provisions are intended to ensure that the public has timely access to important information about political advertisements, such as the identity of the sponsoring organization. Additionally, it is crucial that stations maintain political files that are complete and up to date because the information in them directly affects, among other things, the statutory rights of opposing candidates to request equal opportunities.

The Media Bureau determined that the six group owners repeatedly failed to comply with their political file obligations in the past. The six group owners committed to adopting internal reforms and were able to demonstrate they had come into substantial compliance during the first quarter of 2020. Pursuant to the Consent Decrees, each of the companies will, among other things, implement strict compliance plans at each of their stations and submit detailed compliance reports to the Media Bureau through at least December 2021, confirming all information was timely uploaded to their online political files.

The Rundown: California Surpasses NYS With Most Cases

LA Times 7/23/20 

California reported 12,807 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing its total to more than 415,000 since the pandemic began, moving it past New York into having the highest number in the country. However, on a per capita basis, New York is still the highest, with California having roughly twice its population. Additionally, when the virus hit New York early on, there wasn't the amount of testing that's now being done. There have been more than 143,100 deaths in the U.S. as of early this morning, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, and more than 3,970,000 confirmed cases.

Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon all announced mandatory mask orders yesterday, with more than half of U.S. states now requiring people to wear face masks. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser also issued an order making face masks mandatory when people are outside their homes. The order doesn't apply to employees of the federal government while they are on duty or on federal property. D.C. health officials said the number of cases has been slowly rising after they'd successfully reduced the curve in the city earlier this summer.

Agreement Reached with White House on More Testing Money in Relief Package: Senate Republicans and the White House reached agreement yesterday on having more coronavirus testing money in the next relief package, which the White House had previously opposed. However, there are still significant disagreements on the scope of the proposed $1 trillion package, including among Republican senators. One key issue is President Trump wanting a payroll tax cut, which most GOP senators don't agree with. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell instead wants another $1,200 stimulus for Americans. Democrats, who two months ago approved a $3 trillion aid package in the House that the Senate didn't take up, said that Republican infighting is delaying needed relief to Americans during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Poll: Just 10 Percent of Americans Think Should Have Full School Reopenings: How to handle school this fall amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is a huge issue that federal, state and local officials are trying to tackle and that parents are worried about. But while some, including President Trump, are calling for full return to five-day-a-week in-person classes, most people don't feel that way. A new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll found that only some 10 percent of Americans that schools, as well as daycare centers and preschools, should reopen this fall as usual without restrictions. Most think there need to be face masks required and other safety measures, and about 30 percent thing there shouldn't be children in classrooms at all. The majority, 46 percent, think schools can reopen with major adjustments necessary, which 14 percent think schools just need to make minor adjustments. Many of the country's largest school districts have already said they'll be do teaching entirely virtually or use a hybrid model that has kids in classrooms just a couple of days a week. Sixty percent in the poll say they believe the hybrid model is necessary, and majorities say it's essential that buildings be disinfected daily, temperature checks and face masks be mandatory, and desks be spread apart if schools reopen.

➤TRUMP SAYS SENDING FEDERAL AGENTS TO CHICAGO, ALBUQUERQUE: President Trump said yesterday that he is sending federal agents to Chicago and to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to help combat rising crime. Trump used partisan language in announcing the deployments, portraying cities led by Democrats as out of control and blaming the, quote, "radical left" for increased violence, saying, "This bloodshed must end. This bloodshed will end." Crime began surging in some cities as coronavirus stay-at-home orders lifted. AP cited criminal justice experts as pointing to the current unprecedented situation of a pandemic, historic unemployment, and a mass movement over race and police brutality as being among the factors likely behind it. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who initially blasted the plan, said yesterday the U.S. attorney’s office will supervise the additional agents and said, "If those agents are here to actually work in partnership on support of gun violence and violent cases, plugging into existing infrastructure of federal agents, not trying to play police in our streets, then that’s something different." However, she also accused Trump of trying to distract from criticism of the federal response to the pandemic. Elected Democratic officials in New Mexico had warned Trump against sending in federal agents, and Senator Martin Henrich called them "the President’s stormtroopers."

LA Times 7/23/20

➤OREGON ASKS JUDGE FOR RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST FEDERAL AGENTS: As President Trump was announcing a new deployment of federal law enforcement agents to Chicago and Albuquerque to fight crime yesterday, attorneys for the state of Oregon were in federal court asking a judge for a restraining order against the federal agents Trump send to Portland against the wishes of the mayor and the governor to protect a federal courthouse amid ongoing at-times violent protests in the wake of George Floyd's death. The lawsuit filed by state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum accused the federal agents of arresting protesters without probable cause, taking them away in unmarked cars and using excessive force. The request for a restraining order asks that the agents stop detaining protesters without probable cause, identify themselves and their agency before arresting anyone, and explain why an arrest is taking place. An attorney for the federal government, David Morrell, argued that the state's motion was based only on, quote, "a few threadbare declarations" from witnesses and a Twitter video.

➤U.S. ORDERS CHINESE CONSULATE CLOSED IN HOUSTON: The U.S. has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, one of the country's six missions in the U.S., within 72 hours, alleging that Chinese agents have tried to steal data from facilities in Texas, including the Texas A&M medical system and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. China called the order "outrageous" and warned of a strong response, and the Chinese consul general told local TV station KTRK in Houston that it was, quote, "very damaging" to U.S.-China relations.

Derek Chauvin

➤EX-OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER IN GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH FACES NEW TAX EVASION CHARGES: Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who's been charged with murder in George Floyd's death after he kneeled on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, was charged Wednesday with nine counts of tax evasion. Chauvin and his wife, Kellie May Chauvin, who was also charged, are accused of not reporting income from various jobs, including more than $95,000 for his off-duty security work. It's alleged that they underreported their income from 2014 to 2019 by more than $464,000. Kellie Chauvin, a real estate agent who also operates a photography business, filed for divorce after Floyd's death.

➤HOUSE APPROVES BILL TO REMOVE CONFEDERATE STATUES FROM THE CAPITOL: The House on Wednesday approved a bill to remove statues of Confederate leaders from the U.S. Capitol, as well as the bust of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, who wrote that 1857 Dred Scott decision that said Black people couldn’t be citizens. Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said, "Defenders and purveyors of sedition, slavery, segregation and white supremacy have no place in this temple of liberty." The bill was passed 305-113, with 72 Republicans, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, joining 232 Democrats in support of it. The legislation's prospects are uncertain in the Senate, and it's not known if President Trump would sign it. Trump has opposed the removal of Confederate statues elsewhere, and is also against the renaming of military bases named for Confederate figures.

➤MLB SEASON BEGINS TODAY: Baseball is finally back tonight, four months after it was supposed to start, with MLB's coronavirus-delayed, 60-game season getting underway with a game between the reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees, followed by a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. But it's going to be a different experience this year, with no fans in the stands -- replaced by cardboard cutouts of people in some stadiums -- and piped-in sound effects, along with many other rules to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In acknowledgment of the current Black Lives Matter movement, layers will be able to put a patch with "Black Lives Matter" or "United For Change" on a sleeve during their opening day games, and teams can stencil an inverted MLB logo with "BLM" or "United for Change" on the back of the pitcher’s mound.

➤ANGELS' TROUT SAYS WILL PLAY THIS SEASON: Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, MLB's best player, confirmed yesterday that he will be playing this season. Trout had initially considered sitting the season out, but the centerfielder told the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that he'd said, "I'm playing." The Athletic said that Trout, who is expecting a baby with his wife next month, had been concerned about coronavirus outbreaks within the league, but had been encouraged by the health protocols that have been put in place.

➤PENNSYLVANIA WON'T LET BLUE JAYS PLAY AT PITTSBURGH'S BALLPARK: Pennsylvania health officials said yesterday that they won't allow the Toronto Blue Jays to play their home games at the Pittsburgh Pirates' PNC Park. Canada had refused to allow the Blue Jays to play in their home stadium, the Rogers Centre, because they'd be frequently traveling across the border from the U.S., where coronavirus cases are surging. The Pirates had appeared willing to share their stadium with the Blue Jays, but the health officials also cited the coronavirus for not allowing it, because it would bring more travelers to the region. AP reported that the Blue Jays are now talking with the Baltimore Orioles about possibly playing their home games at Oriole Park. The Blue Jays' first home game is next Wednesday, after the MLB season begins tonight.

"Super happy to be a part of this organization for the rest of my career." @mookiebetts shares his thoughts on a monumental day for both his family and the #Dodgers organization. pic.twitter.com/XPgUSneQP5

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) July 22, 2020

➤BETTS AGREES TO 12-YEAR, $365 MILLION EXTENSION WITH DODGERS: Los Angeles Dodgers star outfielder Mookie Betts agreed to a 12-year, $365 million extension on Wednesday. The 27-year-old said in a video conference call, "I love everything about here. I'm here to win some rings and bring championships back to L.A." The Dodgers acquired Betts from the Boston Red Sox in a trade over the winter, and he's currently playing out a one-year, $27 million contract. The extension will now keep the former American League MVP with the Dodgers for 13 years.

➤FANS -- IF ALLOWED -- AT NFL GAMES WILL HAVE TO WEAR MASKS: If any fans are allowed at NFL games in the upcoming season, they will have to wear face masks. That's according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, who tweeted yesterday, "Yes, it is league-wide." McCarthy said that while the NFL will require face masks, other stadium decisions, such as if fans will be allowed and the number allowed in, will be up to local authorities.

➤TOKYO OLYMPICS OFFICIALS SAYS GAMES CAN'T BE PLAYED UNDER CURRENT CORONAVIRUS CONDITIONS: The president of the Tokyo Summer Olympics organizing committee said Wednesday that the Games, which have already been delayed to next summer from this year, won't be able to be played if coronavirus pandemic conditions are the same as they are now. Yoshiro Mori said to Japanese broadcaster NHK, "If current situation continues, we couldn’t." Mori said he's hopeful the situation will improve and suggested a vaccine is key. The Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to open on July 23rd, 2021, one year from today.