By Kate Brumback, Associated Press 

ATLANTA (AP) — A grand jury in Georgia that has been investigating former President Donald Trump over his efforts to undo the 2020 election results in that state returned at least one indictment Monday, though it was not immediately clear against whom.

Documents were presented around 9 p.m. by the county courts clerk to the Fulton County judge who for months has been presiding over the investigation.

The grand jury heard from witnesses into the evening Monday in the election subversion investigation into Donald Trump, a long day of testimony punctuated by the mysterious and brief appearance on a county website of a list of criminal charges against the former president that prosecutors later disavowed.

Prosecutors in Fulton County presented evidence to the grand jury as they pushed toward a likely indictment, summoning multiple former state officials including the ex-lieutenant governor as witnesses.

But the process hit an unexpected snag in the middle of the day, when Reuters reported on a document listing criminal charges to be brought against Trump, including state racketeering counts, conspiracy to commit false statements and solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer.

Reuters, which later published a copy of the document, said the filing was taken down quickly. A spokesperson for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said the report of charges being filed was “inaccurate,” but declined to comment further on a kerfuffle that the Trump legal team rapidly jumped on to attack the integrity of the investigation.

The office of the Fulton County courts clerk later released a statement that seemed to only raise more questions, calling the posted document “fictitious,” but failing to explain how it got on the court’s website. The clerk’s office said documents without official case numbers “are not considered official filings and should not be treated as such.” But the document that appeared online did have a case number on it.

Asked about the “fictitious” document Monday evening, the courts clerk, Che Alexander, said: “I mean, I don’t know what else to say, like, grace … I don’t know, I haven’t seen an indictment, right, so I don’t have anything.” On the question of whether the website had been hacked, she said, “I can’t speak to that.”

Trump and his allies, who have characterized the investigation as politically motivated, immediately seized on the apparent error to claim that the process was rigged. Trump’s campaign aimed to fundraise off it, sending out an email with the since-deleted document embedded.

“The Grand Jury testimony has not even FINISHED – but it’s clear the District Attorney has already decided how this case will end,” Trump wrote in the email, which included links to give money to his campaign. “This is an absolute DISGRACE.”

Trump’s legal team said it was not a “simple administrative mistake.” Rather it was “emblematic of the pervasive and glaring constitutional violations which have plagued this case from its very inception,” said lawyers Drew Findling, Jennifer Little and Marissa Goldberg.

It was unclear why the list was posted while grand jurors were still hearing from witnesses in the sprawling investigation into actions taken by Trump and others in their efforts to overturn his narrow loss in Georgia to Democrat Joe Biden. It was also unclear whether grand jurors were aware that the filing was posted online. They still would need to vote on charges, so the counts listed in the posting may or may not ultimately be brought against Trump.

Legal experts said it was likely a clerical error listing charges prosecutors were planning to ask the grand jury to vote on. Prosecutors draft indictments and present them to the grand jury, which ultimately decides whether to hand charges down.

“I think this tells us what they are planning to present to the grand jury, and the grand jury could say no,” said Clark Cunningham, a Georgia State University law professor. He said while the error will give Trump’s legal team fodder to complain, “it will not scuttle the case.”

“Will his lawyers make a lot of noise about it? Yes, they will. Will Mr. Trump make a lot of noise about it? Yes, he will. I’m sure there will have to be an explanation for it,” Cunningham said.

One person who said he’d been called to testify to the grand jury suggested on Monday that the process may be moving more quickly than anticipated. George Chidi, an independent journalist, had tweeted previously that he was asked to testify on Tuesday, but later posted he was going to court on Monday, adding: “They’re moving faster than they thought.”

Chidi wrote in The Intercept last month that he barged “into a semi-clandestine meeting of Republicans pretending to be Georgia’s official electors in December 2020.” He described being thrown out of the room just after entering, told that it was an “education meeting.”

Former lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan, who over the weekend said he’d also been asked to testify Tuesday, instead appeared before the grand jury Monday. He told reporters outside the courthouse that the 2020 election had been “fair and legal” and said now was the “opportunity to get the real story out.”

The document listing criminal charges filed midday Monday listed more than a dozen felony counts, including Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO. Willis has long been expected to levy that charge against Trump and his associates, accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging conspiracy to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.

Two counts — including solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer — listed the date of offense as Jan. 2, 2021, which was when Trump during a phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said he wanted to “find” enough votes to overturn his loss in the state. Other counts list the date of offense as Sept. 17, 2021, which is the same day Trump sent Raffensperger a message urging him to investigate “large scale voter fraud,” decertify the election and “announce the true winner” if the investigation found the fraud.

Former Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan, who had been subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury, said as she left the Fulton County courthouse late Monday morning that she had been questioned for about 40 minutes. Former Democratic state Rep. Bee Nguyen also confirmed that she testified. News outlets reported that Gabriel Sterling, a top official in the secretary of state’s office, was seen arriving at the courthouse earlier Monday.

“No individual is above the law, and I will continue to fully cooperate with any legal proceedings seeking the truth and protecting our democracy,” Nguyen said in a statement.

Nguyen and Jordan both attended legislative hearings in December 2020 during which former New York mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and others made false claims of widespread election fraud in Georgia. Trump lawyer John Eastman also appeared during at least one of those hearings and said the election had not been held in compliance with Georgia law and that lawmakers should appoint a new slate of electors.

Sterling and his boss, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — both Republicans — forcefully pushed back against allegations of widespread problems with Georgia’s election.

Trump famously called Raffensperger on Jan. 2, 2021, and suggested the state’s top elections official could help “find” the votes Trump needed to beat Biden. It was the release of a recording of that phone call that prompted Willis to open her investigation about a month later.

___

Associated Press reporter Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

By CLAIRE RUSH, JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER and CHRISTOPHER WEBER (Associated Press)

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii’s governor warned that scores more people could be found dead following the Maui wildfires as search crews go through neighborhoods where the flames galloped as fast as a mile a minute and firefighters struggled to contain the inferno with what some officials complained was a limited water supply.

The blazes that consumed most of the historic town of Lahaina are already the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century, with a death toll of at least 96. The cause was under investigation.

“We are prepared for many tragic stories,” Gov. Josh Green told “CBS Mornings” in a recorded interview that aired Monday. “They will find 10 to 20 people per day, probably, until they finish. And it’s probably going to take 10 days. It’s impossible to guess, really.”

As cellphone service has slowly been restored, the number of people missing dropped to about 1,300 from over 2,000, Green said.

Twenty cadaver dogs and dozens of searchers are making their way through blocks reduced to ash.

“Right now, they’re going street by street, block by block, between cars, and soon they’ll start to enter buildings,” Jeff Hickman, director of public affairs for the Hawaii Department of Defense, said Monday on NBC’s “Today.”

Meanwhile, some state officials say there is a shortage of water available for firefighters, and they blame a recent ruling by an environmental court judge. It’s part of a long-running battle between environmentalists and private companies over the decadeslong practice of diverting water from East Maui streams that started during Hawaii’s sugar plantation past.

Elsewhere, evacuees were expected to begin moving into hotels Monday evening. Green said Sunday that 500 hotel rooms were being made available for displaced locals and an additional 500 rooms will be set aside for workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency who are aiding in the recovery.

In addition, FEMA has started to provide $700 to displaced residents to cover the cost of food, water, first aid and medical supplies, agency administrator Deanne Criswell said Monday. The money is in addition to whatever amount residents qualify for to cover the loss of homes and personal property.

“We’re not taking anything off the table, and we’re going to be very creative in how we use our authorities to help build communities and help people find a place to stay for the longer term,” Criswell said. More than 3,000 people have registered for federal assistance, according to FEMA, and that number was expected to grow.

On the water-supply issue, the deputy head of the U.S. Fire Administration, Tonya Hoover, said she did not have details on the island’s current water supply. She said the head of her agency has been meeting with firefighters, including one who was badly hurt and hospitalized.

The Biden administration is seeking $12 billion more for the government’s disaster relief fund as part of its supplemental funding request to Congress.

Authorities had required anyone traveling into the disaster areas to get a police-issued placard, but that was suspended Monday due to overwhelming demand. Lahaina resident Kevin Eliason said when he was turned away, the line of cars with people waiting to get a placard had grown to at least 3 miles (4.8 km) long.

“It’s a joke,” Eliason said. “It’s just crazy. They didn’t expect, probably, tens of thousands of people to show up there.”

The blaze that swept into centuries-old Lahaina last week destroyed nearly every building in the town of 13,000. That fire has been 85% contained, according to the county. Another blaze known as the Upcountry fire has been 60% contained, officials said.

“There’s very little left there,” Green said of Lahaina in a video update Sunday, adding that “an estimated value of $5.6 billion has gone away.”

Even where the fire has retreated, authorities have warned that toxic byproducts may remain, including in drinking water, after the flames spewed poisonous fumes. And many people simply have no home to return to.

The Red Cross said 575 evacuees were spread across five shelters on Monday, including the War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku. Among the visitors was Oprah Winfrey, who told Hawaii News Now that she delivered personal hygiene products, towels and water in recent days.

Winfrey, a part-time Maui resident, warned that news crews will eventually depart from the destruction and the world will move on. But she said that “we’re all still going to be here trying to figure out what is the best way to rebuild. … I will be here for the long haul, doing what I can.”

As firefighters battled the flames, a flurry of court actions were lodged last week over access to water. On Wednesday morning, Judge Jeffrey Crabtree issued an order temporarily suspending water caps he imposed for 48 hours. He also authorized water distribution as requested by Maui fire officials, the county or the state until further notice if the judge could not be reached.

But that wasn’t enough for the state attorney general’s office, which later filed a petition with the state Supreme Court blaming Crabtree for a lack of water for firefighting. The state asked the court not to let Crabtree alter the amount of water to be diverted or to put a hold on his restrictions until the petition is resolved.

The judge “substituted his judgment for that of the agency,” the petition said, referring to the Board of Land and Natural Resources. “As a result, there was not enough permitted water to … battle the wildfires.”

Wayne Tanaka, executive director of the Sierra Club, said Monday that the attorney general’s office exaggerated the effect of water diversion caps on firefighting.

“It’s a shameless exploitation of this horrible tragedy,” he said. “The central Maui reservoirs are of no use to west Maui, where most of the devastation is ongoing.”

He said he’s concerned the state is out to help a private company monopolize water.

Representatives for former sugar plantation land owner Alexander & Baldwin and the East Maui Irrigation Company did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. A spokesperson for the Board of Land and Natural Resources said it does not comment on pending litigation.

The attorney general’s office said in a statement Monday that Alexander & Baldwin uses water for wetting the ground for preventative fire suppression, and that Crabtree’s previous orders affect only the central Maui area water supply and “does not directly affect the water situation for Lahaina.”

The main focus of the petition “is that administrative review is more appropriate than having the court monitor this type of activity,” the statement said.

Fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane, the flames on Maui raced through parched brush. One fire moved as fast as a mile (1.6 kilometers) every minute, according to Green.

“With those kinds of winds and 1,000-degree temperatures, ultimately all the pictures that you will see will be easy to understand,” the governor said.

___

Kelleher reported from Honolulu, and Weber from Los Angeles. Associated Press journalists Haven Daley in Kalapua, Hawaii; Beatrice Dupuy in New York; and Josh Boak in Washington contributed.

___

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Three years ago, Virginia’s Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine worked to include sorely needed reforms for military base housing in the 2020 Defense authorization bill.

The provisions — among them a tenant “bill of rights,” dispute resolution and increased oversight of private housing units on bases — made it into the final bill, a major step toward correcting intolerable conditions for many military families.

But reforms and policies are only as good as their implementation. A recent report by the General Accounting Office says the Defense Department has often fallen short, concluding the mechanisms to carry out the new policies are inconsistent across the services and from base to base.

In some cases, policies lack adequate information and education for tenants. Sometimes, changes are announced, but those expected to carry them out lack training and don’t know what to do. Sometimes, there aren’t enough people working to conduct inspections and other tasks.

In other words, the Defense Department and the branches of the military have technically complied with the directives in the 2020 law, but too often they haven’t done so in a way that effectively corrects the housing problems.

Now Warner and Kaine are, quite rightly, asking military leaders to explain why implementation of the reforms has been inadequate. They want answers, and they want the shortcomings corrected so that the reforms will become reality: strong policies and mechanisms that consistently provide those in military service with safe, quality housing.

The need for reform was obvious three years ago, and, unfortunately, it’s still obvious today.

Back then, mounting evidence of unacceptable housing conditions on military bases — news stories, congressional hearings, studies — brought the problems to the forefront. One survey, arranged by the Navy, found that conditions here in Hampton Roads were among the worst anywhere.

The problems go back to the mid-1990s, when Congress authorized the Defense Department to enter long-term contracts with private companies to manage, maintain and renovate base housing. The idea was that professional real-estate managers would do a better job. Unfortunately, that hasn’t always proved true.

Housing was — and often still is — dilapidated. Leaks and water damage were common. Worse, mold, rats, lead and other threats made housing unsafe. Complaints and calls for repairs often went unanswered.

In Hampton Roads, some of the biggest problems were with private contractor Lincoln Military Housing. That company was sold in 2021 and now operates under the name Liberty Military Housing.

Sadly, those living in such squalor were usually the youngest, lowest-ranking enlisted men and women — often with young children — whose low pay meant they had to rely on base housing.

The conditions that prompted reforms would be unacceptable for anyone, but especially in housing provided for those who have volunteered to serve our nation. Decency, compassion and fairness demand that we do better for our troops and their families.

Common sense, practicality and the national defense also demand that we do better. The military branches are struggling to attract volunteers and to make it worthwhile for those who join to remain in the service after their initial obligation is fulfilled.

Dilapidated and unhealthy base housing certainly doesn’t help with recruitment or retention.

The GAO report, and Virginia’s senators’ actions, come as reminders that these reforms are vitally important and must become fully effective as soon as possible. Changes that seem to satisfy the directives on paper but don’t get the job done are not acceptable.

The GAO is calling, among other things, for guidelines to help the services educate residents about their rights, how to get needed repairs and how to resolve disputes with housing agencies. It’s calling for better ways to get feedback from residents and to provide advocates for tenants. It recommends better home-inspection procedures and adequate staffing and training.

The sooner, the better. Those who volunteer to put their lives on the line to protect our nation should at the very least expect comfortable, reliable and safe housing.

Speak up

Re “Investigators confiscate device used to force breeding in animal cruelty case involving Hampton sheriff’s lieutenant” (Aug. 1): I appreciate the recent articles concerning Lt. Carolyn Johnson, of the Hampton Sheriff’s Office, and her husband, Michael Johnson Sr., being charged with numerous counts of animal cruelty involving eight pit bulls being kept on their property. Johnson was also charged with “three felony counts of promoting or being engaged in ‘the fighting of animals for amusement, sport or gain.’”

Kudos to the neighbor who took the initiative to report “hearing dogs screaming and whining” behind the Johnsons’ house. Too often citizens look the other way when suspecting or even witnessing animal cruelty, neglect and/or abuse. The eight pit bulls kept at the Johnsons’ house had no voice to report their surroundings. Thankfully, the neighbor was the dogs’ voice in this instance. Let’s hope justice prevails for these dogs. Kudos also to animal control officers Samantha Denney and Michael Falls. Despite Johnson allegedly refusing to allow officers into the backyard to view any dogs, these officers got warrants from the Hampton magistrate’s office.

Hampton citizens, please call 757-727-6111, option 1, to report cases of suspected animal cruelty, abuse and/or neglect. You do not have to leave your name if you prefer not to do so. I urge you to please always be the animals’ voice; they depend on us and deserve it.

Pamela Withrow, Hampton

Dog fighting

Re “Investigators confiscate device used to force breeding in animal cruelty case involving Hampton sheriff’s lieutenant” (Aug. 1): We commend the Virginia Attorney General’s Animal Law Unit and the Hampton city attorney’s office for investigating and prosecuting an alleged dogfighting case involving a Hampton sheriff’s lieutenant and her husband. Dogs forced to fight suffer terribly not just in the fighting pit. Law enforcement officials seized from the scene in this case a “rape stand,” a treadmill, and other paraphernalia that gives us an inkling about what these animals were allegedly subjected to.

Dogfighters typically keep victims chained outdoors 24/7 and starve, beat and purposely train them to “fight to the death.” And if they “lose a fight,” some dogs are “punished” by hanging, electrocution, drowning, beating or just left to die slowly of infection, starvation and or dehydration.

If convicted, the accused — one of whom was tasked with upholding our laws and expected to be a model citizen — should receive the maximum sentence, including jail time and a lifetime ban on contact with animals. Animal abusers have a high recidivism rate. Too many animals have suffered already.

Our thanks to the neighbor who alerted authorities to dogs “screaming and whining.” Animals need us to remain vigilant and notify animal control and or police immediately if we suspect that abuse is occurring. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Daphna Nachminovitch; senior vice president, Cruelty Investigations Department, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; Norfolk

President Biden

President Joe Biden is the weakest and most incompetent U.S. commander in chief in my lifetime and 45 years of U.S. military and government service. The Aug. 7 Gold Star families congressional hearing spoke very loud and clearly to Biden’s dismissal of his administration’s best advice and the subsequent disaster, chaos and abandonment that took place in our flight from Afghanistan.

His narcissistic, cavalier and impatient treatment of the 13 Gold Star families at Dover Air Force Base during the deceased heroes’ return was appalling and only highlighted Biden’s detachment from his commander-in-chief responsibilities.

The intentional no-show at the congressional hearing is his “middle finger” to every currently serving military member and all veterans. Forget politics — we are all Americans. As an American, if you support and defend our Constitution, and you treasure America’s most treasured resource — its people — then you need to get rid of Biden and his inept administration and Cabinet that are destroying the very fiber of American strength.

John R. Baer, Yorktown

Trump’s chances

It was announced that former President Donald Trump is being indicted for the third time in roughly four months. A fourth indictment is expected to be forthcoming against Trump in Fulton County, Georgia. As of Aug. 5, Trump is facing 78 different legal charges across various legal jurisdictions.

Overwhelmingly, courts have dismissed more than 60 lawsuits of alleged electoral fraud and irregularities presented by Trump and his allies. Overall, U.S. election security officials have said the 2020 election was “the most secure in American history.” It is interesting that just recently, The New York Times reported a “secret memo” that shows Trump and allies planning a fake-electors plot.

Many believe that Trump is basically uncontrollable and impulsively challenged when it comes to the office of president, that Trump is not a devotee of party, principle, participation and or patriotism. After all, Trump claims to be the “retribution” for his supporters and voters (always, an “us-against-them” mindset).

However, I firmly believe that truth, justice, democracy, the Constitution, and rule of law will hold steadfast and perpetuate and sustain our nation until its eventual victory for our future and existence. In these circumstances: “Failure is not an option” — associated with former NASA Chief Flight Director Gene Kranz.

John L. Horton, Norfolk

Mia Taylor | TravelPulse (TNS)

The Mattel Adventure Park slated to open in Arizona next year will feature two Hot Wheels-themed roller coasters and — just in time to ride the Barbie-craze sweeping the country — a life-size Barbie beach house.

There will also be attractions based on longtime kid-favorite Thomas & Friends, Masters of the Universe, Magic 8 Ball, Pictionary, and UNO at the nine-acre park, which will be located in Glendale, south of State Farm Stadium.

The park is planning to operate year-round and its attractions will be located both outdoors and indoors in air-conditioned facilities (which is good news in a hot climate state like Arizona).

“Mattel Adventure Park features a unique and strategic year-round indoor and outdoor design providing acres of air-conditioned space to ensure a cool guest experience all summer long here in the heat of Arizona,” Mark Cornell, president at Epic Resort Destinations, said in a statement. “Our attractions development team are simply redefining the entertainment channel by bringing Mattel’s powerhouse, evergreen brands to life like never before.”

The park is being built in collaboration with Epic Resort Destinations, a developer specializing in Intellectual Property driven resorts and location-based entertainment. Attractions are being designed to have multi-generational appeal, aiming for both adults who want to relive their childhoods and kids who want to have a fun-filled day based on their favorite toys.

The two Hot Wheels-themed roller coasters will be the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker: The Ultimate Ride and the Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer.

The Hot Wheels Bone Shaker is described as a family-friendly coaster that will reach a maximum height of 84 feet. It will be the first coaster to feature the classic Hot Wheels hot rod skull design. The Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer, meanwhile, promises to take guests through a double loop and two corkscrews.

“Mattel Adventure Park is an amazing opportunity to bring our beloved brands to life,” Julie Freeland, senior director of global location-based entertainment at Mattel, said in a statement. “Construction is underway, and substantial progress has been made on what will give fans of all ages a day of thrills and nostalgia. We’re especially excited for families to experience the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker rollercoaster — a dream come true for any Hot Wheels fan.”

The Barbie Beach House meanwhile, will come complete with a Barbie Dream Closet Experience and hologram technology that will be used to bring Barbie to life for visitors, according to Yahoo. There will also be a Barbie rooftop bar and restaurant that offers views of the park. And naturally, the bar will serve pink drinks.

Additional attractions at the forthcoming theme park include:

Thomas & Friends: World of Sodor. This space will include seven family-friendly experiences and attractions, as well as an indoor play space for younger children.

Masters of the Universe: A themed laser tag arena, this attraction will be 4,500 square feet

A mini-golf course and an Uno climbing structure.

The upcoming theme park will be located at the 60-acre Vai Resort, a sprawling new resort that is also slated to open next year. A live webcam of the park’s progress can be viewed on the park’s website here.

©2023 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Barbara Intermill | Tribune News Service (TNS)

Bill W. asks, “Is drinking many of our fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds in a smoothie as healthy and nutritious as eating them?”

Surprisingly, even though the whole food we pop into the blender may have the same nutrients as the liquid smoothie, how those nutrients are absorbed can be affected by their form and structure.

A 2019 paper published in the journal Food & Function describes how researchers tested the digestibility of three different forms of foods (solid, semisolid and liquid) that were identical in nutrient content. Then they measured how the varied forms of food affected appetite and specific blood tests in human subjects.

Interestingly, scientists found that the liquid food caused a higher rise in triglycerides (a form of fat in the blood) than the solid food. The liquid food also caused less fullness and satisfaction (satiety) than the solid food.

Other studies (cited in this same article) have found similar results. Ground nuts (peanut butter) have been shown to cause a higher rise in blood fat (triglycerides) than whole nuts, for example.

Why is this important?

When excess triglycerides enter the circulation after a meal, it can trigger inflammation. In fact, these rises in blood fat after meals have been found to increase our risk for heart disease as well as Type 2 diabetes, say experts.

These types of studies are intriguing, but they are also inconsistent because they are so difficult to study. Liquid meals can also be convenient and life-saving, especially in people who rely on liquid nourishment for medical reasons.

Still, it’s fascinating to learn that the form of the food we eat may have more impact than we think. Thanks for the question.

Karen W. asks, “Is there any evidence that drinking seltzer water is bad for people with osteoporosis?”

No good evidence, Karen. Seltzer water is plain water that has been infused, or “carbonated,” with carbon dioxide. It was discovered by accident in 1767, when a man in England suspended a bowl of water above a beer vat at a brewery. He called the procedure “Impregnating Water with Fixed Air.”

According to Harvard Medical School, although carbonated drinks have long been associated with low bone density and fractures (especially in teenage girls), research points primarily to the caffeine in these beverages being a contributor rather than the carbonation. Of course, if carbonated beverages replace calcium-rich foods, this can have a negative effect on bones as well.

“So feel free to enjoy seltzer water without worrying,” say these experts, “but don’t overdo the caffeinated beverages, whether carbonated or not.” And don’t let your seltzer water replace your intake of high-calcium foods and beverages in the process.

Thanks for writing.

(Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist and syndicated columnist. She is the author of “Quinn-Essential Nutrition: The Uncomplicated Science of Eating.” Email her at [email protected].)

©2023 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

What’s in a name? Free sandwiches for life if Subway has its way.

But the popular sandwich chain got more than it bargained for when nearly 10,000 people responded to the recently-launched Name Change Challenge.

The Milford, Connecticut-headquartered company announced Aug. 8 that, within 96 hours, thousands of sandwich lovers answered the call to legally change their name to “Subway” — for a chance to win free sandwiches for life. The winner would also receive money to reimburse them for legal and processing costs to complete the name change.

Launched July 26, the promotional stunt ran from Aug. 1 to Aug. 4. The winner will be announced later this month.

The Name Change Challenge comes in the wake of Subway offering freshly sliced meats at its U.S. locations for the very first time, as well as a “refresh” of existing menu options.

The family-owned brand, founded in 1965, operates nearly 37,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.

Subway is up for sale and could fetch as much as $9 billion from a private equity buyer or buyers by the end of August, Reuters reported.

KING WILLIAM — The Regional Animal Shelter in King William County plans to cut its hours due to a shortage of workers.

The shelter is run via a partnership between King William and King and Queen counties. King William’s supervisors, however, have questioned their neighbor’s commitment to the facility and County Administrator Percy Ashcraft has spoken of revisiting the agreement.

Beginning today, the shelter cut its hours to 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ashcraft said in a news release that the cut is a temporary measure.

“We are facing a reorganization in personnel at the shelter and hope to have all the vacant positions filled as soon as possible,” Ashcraft said. “The maximum level of service will
continue, just within shorter hours and not on Saturdays for now.”

Hanover County is going to send an employee to the shelter half a day for an indefinite period of time to help, Ashcraft said.

Before the change, the shelter opened from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on most weekdays but was open until 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Kennel visiting hours will run from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.

The Regional Animal Shelter, in line with many shelters across the country, is seeing an upsurge in the number of stray animals. About half of the positions at the shelter remain vacant.

“Our staffing level is supposed to be four full-time positions, two part-time animal care technicians (104 hours a month), and two part-time cat tech positions (72 hours a month),” said Regional Animal Shelter Director Lauri Betts in an email.

“Currently, there are two full-time positions vacant; one part-time animal care technician vacant and likely one part-time tech position.”

King William’s Board of Supervisors has questioned King and Queen County’s level of commitment to the shelter in the past. In March, Ashcraft said King and Queen County had no money in its capital program for a new sick room at the animal shelter which is required for the shelter to comply with state regulations.

In March, supervisor Travis Moskalski said King and Queen has ignored the shelter for “a long time.” He said the shelter has suffered from a lack of investment.

Last year, Betts described a shelter in “crisis mode” due to a spike in unwanted animals and an inability to recruit workers.

The Humane Society of the United States warned of an increase in stray animals across the nation in 2022. The non-profit estimates the number of strays has risen to about seven million. Shelter managers cite factors such as an increase in at-home breeding, high costs for veterinary treatment, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

David Macaulay, [email protected]

Authorities on the Outer Banks have released the identities of three Marylanders, including a 13-year-old girl, killed early Friday when fire raged through a historic oceanfront cottage in Kill Devil Hills.

The victims include 13-year-old Sienna Farr of Silver Spring and married couple Colleen Cohan, 64, and William Deeg, 68; both of Ashton, Maryland, said Town of Kill Devil Hills spokesperson Rachel Tackett. The three injured were Sienna’s 48-year-old mother, 16-year-old sister and the mother’s 55-year-old boyfriend. All live in Silver Spring. The boyfriend was a friend of the older couple who died.

The girls’ mother and her boyfriend remained hospitalized in the burn unit at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital on Monday in stable condition, Tackett said. The older teenager was treated and released Friday from The Outer Banks Hospital.

In a public Facebook post, the girls’ grandmother said her daughter and boyfriend were in the ICU at Norfolk and will remain there for a few weeks before transfer to a burn rehabilitation closer to the D.C. area, where all of the victims are from. They are expected to remain in rehabilitative care for four to eight months, Cheryl Ray Volk wrote.

Only the 16-year-old walked away from the blaze.

“… My dear sweet granddaughter was treated and release(d) from the hospital and stayed in child protective custody until her dad could pick her up, not knowing what happened to her family,” Volk wrote.

She asked for prayers for her surviving family.

“This is especially hard, but I believe we all have a purpose in this life,” Volk wrote. “Maybe Sienna’s purpose was complete and that is why she was taken ‘home,’ but we will miss her terribly.”

Local and state investigators on Monday were still trying to determine what caused the blaze at 1825 N. Virginia Dare Trail. Firefighters were dispatched at 2:20 a.m. and arrived two minutes later to find the four-bedroom, four-bath house “fully engulfed in flames,” Tackett said.

She said it was unclear if the house, built in 1948 and registered as a town historic landmark, had working smoke detectors.

Carried by 15 to 17 mph winds, the fire spread to the home next door to the south and left minor damage to the adjacent house to the north. Everyone in those homes escaped without injury.

“Many hearts across the Outer Banks and Maryland communities are left to heal following this tragic incident. Please continue to keep everyone affected in your thoughts during this difficult time,” Tackett said.

Staff writer Corinne Saunders contributed to this story.

What’s coming to the former Farm Fresh location on Holland Road?

Crunch Fitness is opening in that spot, at 799 Chimney Hill Parkway.

The chain of gyms applied for a conditional use permit to operate a 52,398-square-feet facility, according to city planning documents. The hours of operation will be 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

The $5 million facility is installing $1 million of state-of-the-art equipment, according to a press release.

Crunch Fitness operates seven locations in Virginia, the closest in Richmond. Headquartered in New York City, Crunch Fitness serves two million members with 400 gyms worldwide. There are seven locations in Virginia, the closest in Richmond.

Eric Hodies, [email protected]