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Even as COVID-19 cases surge, the traditional start to the fall campaign season in Kentucky will go on as planned this weekend.The 141st Fancy Farm picnic will be held Saturday in Graves County. The church fundraiser always attracts politicians from across the commonwealth for "unique" political speeches, but sometimes less so on years when there are no statewide races on the ballot -- like this year. Who's opting outSome of the most powerful politicians in the state who have declined to go are Gov. Andy Beshear (D), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R).Beshear said along with it not being an important election year for the state, he's worried it'll be a super-spreader event for COVID-19. "I don't want anybody harmed at Fancy Farm and there's the opportunity for that to happen especially these sit-down dinners that get packed or packed in. That, in an area of the state that doesn't have a high vaccine rate and maybe has a larger group of unvaccinated individuals than you'd otherwise see. It's dangerous and I don't want anybody to get hurt," he said at a news conference this week.Lt. Gov. Jaqueline Coleman won't be there either.And they're hardly the only democrats opting out. Many are taking part in a counter-event in Louisville aimed at promoting vaccines. (Scroll down to learn more about it.)McConnell and Paul said they backed out because they will be in Washington, D.C., over the weekend working on the infrastructure bill.Charles Booker (D), who will run against Paul next year, also couldn't go as his baby is due "at any moment."Who's still inCongressman James Comer (R) has already been spotted in Graves County and Kentucky's Secretary of State Michael Adams (R) is likely to be in attendance as well.Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) told radio station WHVO he's looking forward to the event and will be bringing his pregnant wife.We've also heard Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles (R) and State Auditor Mike Harmon (R) will speak.Additional event detailsThe picnic is a fundraiser for St. Jeromes church and school.It starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 10 p.m. The political speaking starts at 2 p.m.Picnic goers can expect to eat "world famous" pork and mutton. The counter-eventMany Democrats who declined to go will attend a new counter-event called "FancyVaxx" in Louisville.The event was created with the intent to have something safer in the midst of the delta variant's rapid spread. It'll take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the IUE-CWA, 5153 Poplar Level Road.Free COVID-19 vaccines will be available, walk-ups welcome.Among speakers will be Congressman John Yarmuth (if in town), state Sen. Morgan McGarvey and Kentucky House Minority Leader Joni Jenkins, along with the majority of the Jefferson County Delegation and "most federal, state and local candidates for 2022 elections."The public can call 502-582-1999 or go to the LDP website and their Facebook page for more information.

Even as COVID-19 cases surge, the traditional start to the fall campaign season in Kentucky will go on as planned this weekend.

The 141st Fancy Farm picnic will be held Saturday in Graves County.

The church fundraiser always attracts politicians from across the commonwealth for "unique" political speeches, but sometimes less so on years when there are no statewide races on the ballot -- like this year.

Some of the most powerful politicians in the state who have declined to go are Gov. Andy Beshear (D), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R).

Beshear said along with it not being an important election year for the state, he's worried it'll be a super-spreader event for COVID-19.

"I don't want anybody harmed at Fancy Farm and there's the opportunity for that to happen especially these sit-down dinners that get packed or packed in. That, in an area of the state that doesn't have a high vaccine rate and maybe has a larger group of unvaccinated individuals than you'd otherwise see. It's dangerous and I don't want anybody to get hurt," he said at a news conference this week.

Lt. Gov. Jaqueline Coleman won't be there either.

And they're hardly the only democrats opting out. Many are taking part in a counter-event in Louisville aimed at promoting vaccines. (Scroll down to learn more about it.)

McConnell and Paul said they backed out because they will be in Washington, D.C., over the weekend working on the infrastructure bill.

Charles Booker (D), who will run against Paul next year, also couldn't go as his baby is due "at any moment."

Congressman James Comer (R) has already been spotted in Graves County and Kentucky's Secretary of State Michael Adams (R) is likely to be in attendance as well.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) told radio station WHVO he's looking forward to the event and will be bringing his pregnant wife.

We've also heard Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles (R) and State Auditor Mike Harmon (R) will speak.

The picnic is a fundraiser for St. Jeromes church and school.

It starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 10 p.m. The political speaking starts at 2 p.m.

Picnic goers can expect to eat "world famous" pork and mutton.

Many Democrats who declined to go will attend a new counter-event called "FancyVaxx" in Louisville.

The event was created with the intent to have something safer in the midst of the delta variant's rapid spread. It'll take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the IUE-CWA, 5153 Poplar Level Road.

Free COVID-19 vaccines will be available, walk-ups welcome.

Among speakers will be Congressman John Yarmuth (if in town), state Sen. Morgan McGarvey and Kentucky House Minority Leader Joni Jenkins, along with the majority of the Jefferson County Delegation and "most federal, state and local candidates for 2022 elections."

The public can call 502-582-1999 or go to the LDP website and their Facebook page for more information.

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Fancy Farm 2021: Who's going, who's not and the counter event - WLKY Louisville

Unvaccinated people who have had Covid-19 may be more than twice as likely to get infected again than those who tested positive and bolstered their natural immunity with a vaccine, according to a small study that assessed the likelihood of reinfection.

The study, published on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examined the risk of reinfection during May and June among hundreds of Kentucky residents who tested positive for the virus in 2020.

Those who did not get vaccinated this year faced a risk of reinfection that was 2.34 higher than those who did get their shots. Released on Friday, the study suggests that for those who had overcome an infection, the addition of a vaccine offered better protection than the natural immunity generated by their original bout with the virus alone.

Even though the study examined only a small number of people in Kentucky, it would seem to counter the argument by one of its home-state U.S. senators, Rand Paul, who has repeatedly asserted that vaccination is unnecessary for people like him who had the virus and developed immunity.

Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the C.D.C., said the data reinforced the importance of vaccination, even for those who had already had the virus.

If you have had Covid-19 before, please still get vaccinated, Dr. Walensky said on Friday. Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others around you, especially as the more contagious Delta variant spreads around the country.

The studys authors cautioned that much is still not known on how long natural immunity to the virus lasts and that genomic sequencing was not conducted to confirm that the reinfections were not simply flare-ups of the remains of the subjects initial infection.

The C.D.C. and the Biden administration have been aggressively campaigning to increase vaccinations in recent weeks as cases and hospitalizations have soared in the last month, largely because of the Delta variant, and especially in regions of the country where immunization rates are low.

In the last week, the number of new virus cases reported each day has averaged 100,200, as of Thursday, the first time the daily average surpassed 100,000 since mid-February, according to a New York Times database. On Friday, the country logged 106,723 new daily cases.

Another study published on Friday reported that vaccinations dramatically reduced Covid hospitalizations among the elderly in February, March and April. The study examined data on 7,280 patients from a Covid hospitalization surveillance network, using state records to look at their vaccination status. The vast majority of the hospital patients had not been vaccinated or were only partially vaccinated; only 5 percent were fully vaccinated.

Although vaccination did not entirely eliminate infections, the risk of being hospitalized was significantly lower for those who were fully vaccinated. Among those 65 to 74, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines reduced the risk of Covid-related hospitalization by 96 percent and the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine reduced hospitalizations by 84 percent. In the age group of 75 and older, the Pfizer vaccination reduced hospitalizations by 91 percent; the Moderna vaccine by 96 percent; and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by 85 percent.

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Unvaccinated Adults Who Had Virus Face Risk of Reinfection, C.D.C. Says - The New York Times

A university has defended its research that has been criticized by a group opposing taxpayer-funded animal testing.

The White Coat Waste Project said documents it obtained showed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) had directed $424,455 to the University of Georgia in September 2020 to infect 28 beagles with disease-causing parasites.

The group's criticism centred on NIAID and its director Dr. Anthony Fauci. The group told Newsweek it didn't know if Fauci had personally ordered the experiment, but said that "it was ordered by his NIH (National Institutes of Health) division."

Documents that White Coat Waste obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), also reviewed by the right-wing news outlet The Daily Caller, found that the animals were to be allowed to develop infections for three months and that then they would be euthanized for blood collection.

The documents said the animals "vocalized in pain" during the experiments. The story, which was also reported by Fox News, was based on redacted documents that outlined a study starting on November 12, 2020 in which the beagles were to be euthanized after 196 days.

In a statement to Newsweek, the White Coat Waste Project said that the experiments were related to treatment for a tropical disease called lymphatic filariasis, and that tests had already been conducted on other animals.

White Coat Waste Project research manager Daniel Lopez said that the documents showed Fauci, "needs to be held accountable for his wasteful and cruel spending." Newsweek has contacted NIAID for comment.

Greg Trevor, associate vice president for marketing and communications at the University of Georgia said the research was for a potential vaccine, developed at another institution, that would protect against a disease affecting 120 million people.

He said in an emailed statement that under federal rules, a vaccine must be tested in two animal species before it can be cleared for human clinical trials. When NIAID decided to fund this research, the agency determined that the research needed to be conducted on a dog model.

"According to researchers at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, beagles are the standard dog model used in this type of research," the statement said.

"Because this disease currently has no cure, unfortunately the animals that are part of this trial must be euthanized. We do not take lightly the decision to use such animals in some of our research."

The university followed the humane standards of the Animal Welfare Act, the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animal and the National Research Council Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and other guidelines, Trevor said.

"Nearly every advancement in medicine, medical devices and surgical procedures has depended on research involving animal subjects," the statement added.

The international advocacy group Speaking of Research (SR) has been critical of White Coat Waste Project and its broader claims that animal experimentation takes place in the U.S. without accountability at great expense to taxpayers.

Speaking of Research said that despite what the group says, "animal studies are highly regulated and vast amounts of information are available to the public."

White Coat Waste Project has also joined those criticizing Fauci over questions of "gain of function" experimentation at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the lab in China that some have linked to the COVID pandemic.

The group, along with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, is exploring claims that the NIH funded "gain of function" research in Wuhan, in which a virus is enhanced in a lab to study its impact in the real world.

The NIH and NIAID said they supported funding for research into viruses in bats and mammals, but had never approved grants for gain-of-function research on coronaviruses.

Fauci himself dismissed Paul's claims, telling lawmakers last month that the research Paul referred to "was judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain-of-function."

Continued here:
University Defends Vaccine Tests on Dogs After Dr. Fauci and NIH Blasted With Criticism - Newsweek

Deputy Brandon Shirley, 26, was working an off-duty security job at Rockford Lane Auto Sales when he was ambushed, LMPD says.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. Louisville Metro leaders from around Jefferson County are sharing condolences after a deputy was murdered.

Deputy Brandon Shirley, 26, was working an off-duty security job at Rockford Lane Auto Sales at around 2:30 a.m. Thursday when someone shot him. Shirley died while at the hospital.

Louisville Metro Council President David James issued this statement about Deputy Shirley's death:

On behalf of the Metro Council, I offer our thoughts and prayers to those who are now in mourning following the death of Deputy Brandon Shirley. The Jefferson County Sheriffs Office is one of the many law enforcement partners we have in Metro Louisville who serve and protect our community. Deputy Shirley answered the call to keep all of us safe and uphold the law. He leaves us at an age too young. This is a reminder of all the dangers faced by those who decide to wear a badge. We grieve with those who all knew him and pray for his family in their time of mourning. If anyone in our city knows who is responsible for this senseless act, please help LMPD and the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office bring this person to justice.

Shirley received a medal of valor for his work during protests in 2020, specifically his work responding to the shooting of photographer Tyler Gerth and helping arrest the person who shot him, Sheriff Aubrey said.

Tyler Gerth's family released this statement on the death of Deputy Brandon Shirley:

"Our hearts break for Deputy Shirley and his family and for a life taken far too soon due to senseless gun violence. On the night Tyler died, Deputy Shirley rushed from his post inside the Hall of Justice and toward the crowd where shots were being fired and tried to provide first aid for Tyler. We will forever be grateful for his heroic actions that night. We pray that his loved ones can find peace in the face of such devastating loss."

"Our entire city grieves with the family of Sheriffs Deputy Brandon Shirley, as well as with his Sheriffs Office family & our public safety community. This is another senseless, tragic act of violence, & LMPD will work tirelessly to bring accountability."

Governor Andy Beshear tweeted this about Shirley's death:

"Britainy and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the family of Deputy Brandon Shirley, and to the brave members of the Jefferson Co. Sherriffs [sic] Department. We are forever grateful for Deputy Shirleys bravery, selflessness and dedication to the people of the commonwealth. ^AB"

In a tweet, Louisville Metro Police asked the community to keep the sheriff's department in their thoughts and prayers:

Councilwoman Jessica Green issued this statement:

I am so saddened to learn of this tragic loss to our community. Brandon Shirley was a wonderful person who was dedicated to his family and his community. I would see him around the courthouse routinely and he was a light to all who knew him. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family as they grieve during this very sad time.

Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Louisville Division:

"Our thoughts are with the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office and the family and friends of Deputy Brandon Shirley who was ambushed and murdered early this morning. Deputy Shirley was killed while protecting our community. His service and ultimate sacrifice will long be remembered. The ATF community mourns the loss of a fellow law enforcement officer and will continue to assist JCSO and LMPD until justice is served for Deputy Shirley and his family."

Councilwoman Keisha Dorsey issued this statement:

"There is an overwhelming sadness in our hearts today as we collectively grieve the tragic and painful loss of one of our sons. Deputy Brandon Shirley deserved better. We must do better to ensure all of our children and neighbors have the opportunity to live in healthy and safe environments. My staff and I will continue to work toward this effort in any and all ways. But today, my immediate thoughts and prayers are with Deputy Shirley's family."

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul:

"Kelley and I mourn the tragic death of Jefferson Co. Deputy Sheriff Brandon Shirley. His family will be in our thoughts and prayers. Deputy Shirley was a decorated hero of an officer. I call on those who direct hatred and anger toward our police to realize there will be consequences to words and actions when directed against law enforcement."

US Representative John Yarmuth

"Shocked and saddened by the killing of Jefferson County Sheriffs Deputy Brandon Shirley this morning. My thoughts are with Deputy Shirleys family, loved ones, and colleagues as they cope with this tragic loss."

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Louisville Metro leaders, Tyler Gerth family, Beshear react to the murder of Jefferson County Deputy Brandon Shirley - WHAS11.com

Dr. Anthony Fauci and U.S. Senator Rand Paul during the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on July 20, 2021. Image: J. Scott Applewhite/Stefani Reynolds (Getty Images)

U.S. Senator Rand Paul will make a criminal referral to the U.S. Department of Justice against Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the infectious diseases department at NIH. Pauls threat was first announced on Sean Hannitys Fox News show on Tuesday night and came after Fauci pushed back against the senators aggressive questioning during a senate committee hearing in Washington D.C.

I will be sending a letter to the Department of Justice asking for a criminal referral because he has lied to Congress, Senator Paul told Sean Hannity.

Paul, a senator from Kentucky, alleges that U.S. funding of research on infectious diseases in Wuhan, China at the Wuhan Institute of Virology may have played a role in the covid-19 pandemic thats ravaged the world over the past year and a half, sickening at least 191 million people and killing over 4.11 million.

Senator Paul says hes worried that so-called gain-of-function research was conducted in Wuhan that may have led to the novel coronavirus being developed artificially and released into the world, intentionally or not. Gain-of-function research is when an organism is genetically modified to have a new ability, such as agricultural crops being more resistant to pests.

In this case, the allegation from Senator Paul is that something like covid-19 may have been developed as a deadly virus in that Wuhan lab, something thats incredibly hard to prove and a question for which we may never get a proper answer.

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We have scientists that will line up by the dozens to say that the research he was funding was gain-of-function. [Faucis] doing this because he has a self-interest to cover his tracks and to cover his connection to on lab, Paul told Hannity on Tuesday night.

Now, does he deserve all of the blame? No. Theres still some conjecture as to whether or not it came from the lab. But hes lying about whether or not he funded function research and yes, he should be punished, Paul continued.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Fauci and Senator Paul got into a heated argument during a Senate Committee hearing on Tuesday. Paul accused Fauci on lying and Fauci shot back that he didnt understand what he was talking about.

Where does this leave the debate between Senator Paul and Dr. Fauci? The argument comes down to how you define gain-of-function research. If your definition of gain-of-function research only includes the creation of scary super-viruses, then the NIH flatly denies it did any such thing.

NIH has never approved any grant to support gain-of-function research on coronaviruses that would have increased their transmissibility or lethality for humans, the government agency told the Washington Post earlier this year.

But if your definition of gain of function includes a much more broad idea, such as developing drought-resistant crops, then the U.S. government has certainly funded this type of research.

While its entirely possible that Fauci may face consequences for allegedly lying to Congress, it would be highly unusual, given the way that government officials were treated under the Trump regime.

As just one example, the head of DHS Kirstjen Nielsen, lied repeatedly to Congress about the existence of a family separation policy at the U.S.-Mexico border. Nielsen insisted on more than one occasion that the Trump regime didnt have such a policy, which turned out to be a tremendous lie. Nielsen was never charged for lying to Congress.

While its important to determine the cause of the covid-19 pandemic around the world, there are still plenty of concerns closer to home. The U.S. has seen a dramatic surge in cases during recent weeks and the virus is expected to continue devastating communities of Americans that have not been vaccinated.

The U.S. recorded over 61,900 new cases of covid-19 on Tuesday, with 298 deaths. And while its great that many Americans have gotten vaccinated, there are still millions who are susceptible to this terrible disease, including children who are not eligible for the vaccines.

Link:
Rand Paul Says He'll Make Criminal Referral Against Dr. Fauci