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TODAYS TOP HEADLINES
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Thursday, June 27, 2019 3A
Dems clash in 2020’s opening debate
Warren and nine others faced off last night, 10 more take the stage tonight in second round
BRYNN ANDERSON I Associated Press
From left, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, former Housing and Urban Development
Secretary Julian Castro, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., former Texas Rep. Beto
O’Rourke, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, and
former Maryland Rep. John Delaney pose for a photo on stage before the start of a Democratic primary debate
hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Wednesday, June 26, in Miami.
BY JUANA SUMMERS
AND STEVE PEOPLES
Associated Press
MIAMI — Ten Democrats railed
against a national economy and
Republican administration they
said exists only for the rich as presi
dential candidates debated onstage
for the first time in the young 2020
season, embracing class warfare
as a defining theme in their fight
to deny President Donald Trump a
second term in office.
Health care, more than any
other issue, led the debate. And
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth War
ren, more than anyone else, stood
out — on her own at times — in
calling for “fundamental change”
across the nation’s economy and
government to address persistent
issues of inequality.
“I think of it this way. Who is
this economy really working for?
It’s doing great for a thinner and
thinner slice at the top,” Warren
declared shortly before raising her
hand as one of the only Democrats
on stage willing to abolish her own
private health insurance in favor
of a government-run plan. “Health
care is a basic human right and I
will fight for basic human rights.”
The debate marked a major step
forward in the young 2020 presi
dential campaign as Democrats
seek to break out from the crowded
field that has so far been domi
nated by former Vice President
Joe Biden, who will appear in a
second debate featuring another 10
candidates Thursday night. Biden
was not mentioned during Wednes
day’s faceoff, a civil debate with
moments of modest policy clashes
and few instances of Democrat-on-
Democrat confrontation.
Immigration was also on their
minds as the candidates’ minds as
they pointed to the searing photos
of a drowned Salvadoran father
and his toddler daughter at the Rio
Grande and blamed Trump and his
policies on migrants crossing into
America illegally.
Former Obama administration
housing chief Julian Castro said,
“Watching that image of Oscar and
his daughter Valeria was heart
breaking. It should also piss us all
off.”
Warren spent the evening at
center stage, a top-tier candi
date whose campaign has gained
ground in recent weeks as she has
released a near-constant stream of
policy proposals. She was flanked
by lower-tier candidates including
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey,
former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke
and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Min
nesota, who needed big moments
to help spark momentum in the
crowded field.
Several candidates, including
Castro, New York Mayor Bill de
Blasio, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio
and former Rep. John Delaney of
Maryland were eager to jab their
rivals on issues including health
care and immigration.
None of the candidates openly
stumbled. Absent the ugly attacks
or missteps that marred debates
of past elections, the two-hour dis
cussion allowed the Democratic
Party to show off its extraordinary
diversity. Wednesday’s lineup fea
tured three women, one black man
and another man of Mexican heri
tage. At least two candidates spoke
Spanish at times, while Booker, an
African American, talked about
the violence that left seven people
in his own urban neighborhood shot
last week alone.
Yet modest differences on health
care underscored a much louder
internal fight over how aggres
sive Democrats should be on the
nation’s most pressing issues.
On one side: candidates like War
ren who are demanding dramatic
change that includes embracing
liberal policy priorities like free
universal health care, debt-free
college, a forgiving immigration
policy and higher taxes on the rich.
On the other: pragmatic-minded
Democrats like Biden — and little-
known former Maryland Rep. Del
aney — who are calling for modest
policy solutions that could ulti
mately attract bipartisan support.
Most of Warren’s rivals Wednes
day night, including O’Rourke and
Amy Klobuchar, called for univer
sal health care but also favored
preserving the private insurance
market. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sand
ers, who will be in a second debate
group Thursday night, has pro
posed a “Medicare for All” system
without private insurance.
“We should be the party that
keeps what’s working and fixes
what’s broken,” said Delaney, one
of the few Democrats on stage who
represented his party’s moderate
wing. “Why do we have to stand
for taking away something from
people?”
De Blasio, who joined Warren
in raising his hand on health insur
ance, cast the debate as part of “the
battle for the heart and soul of our
party.”
Trump, the elephant not in the
room, was in the air traveling to
Japan for a round of trade talks as
Democrats faced the nation for the
first time in the 2020 campaign.
Earlier in the day, he confirmed
that he would watch the debate
from Air Force One. His first tweet
of the night: “BORING!”
The Republican president
helped unite the Democrats, who
joined together in blaming him for
the deaths of a migrant father and
his toddler daughter who drowned
in the Rio Grande.
But the candidates didn’t agree
on everything.
Castro assailed fellow Texan
O’Rourke for not calling for fully
decriminalizing crossing the U.S.-
Mexico border illegally.
“I just think it’s a mistake, Beto,”
he said, adding that O’Rourke
would agree with him “if you did
your homework on this issue. ”
O’Rourke says he doesn’t sup
port fully decriminalizing such
border crossings because of fears
about smugglers of drugs and peo
ple. New Jersey Sen. Booker also
sided with Castro, arguing for full
decriminalization.
While the candidates have been
courting voters in key states for
several months already, the vast
majority of the nation has yet to
pay close attention to the diverse
field.
Only 35% of registered Demo
crats say they’re paying close
attention to the campaign, accord
ing to a new poll from The Associ
ated Press-NORC Center for Public
Affairs Research. Two-thirds say
they’re paying some or no attention.
‘They died in each
other’s arms’
BY MARCOS ALEMAN
AND PETER 0RSI
Associated Press
SAN MARTIN, El Salva
dor — The mother of a man
who drowned alongside
his 23-month-old daughter
while trying to cross the Rio
Grande into Texas says she
finds a heartbreaking pho
tograph of their bodies hard
to look at but takes some
comfort in knowing “they
died in each other’s arms.”
Oscar Alberto Martinez
Ramirez and his daughter
Valeria were swept away
by the current near Matam-
oros, Mexico, and Browns
ville, Texas, this week.
The grim photo shows
the girl tucked inside her
father’s shirt for protection
with her arm draped over
his neck — an image that
underscores the dangers
migrants and asylum-seek
ers face trying to make it
to the United States and the
desperate measures they
resort to in the face of poli
cies designed to deter them.
“It’s tough, it’s kind of
shocking, that image,” the
25-year-old man’s mother,
Rosa Ramirez, told The
Associated Press. “But at
the same time, it fills me
with tenderness. I feel so
many things, because at no
time did he let go of her.”
“You can see how he pro
tected her,” she said. “They
died in each other’s arms.”
Ramirez had shared a
sea-green brick home with
barred windows in San
Martin on the outskirts of
the capital, San Salvador,
with her son, his 21-year-old
wife Tania Vanessa Avalos
and their daughter until the
young family decided to
make the journey north.
In their working-class
neighborhood of about
40,000, Martinez worked
in a pizzeria and Avalos as
a cashier in a fast-food res
taurant, Ramirez said.
The area has had prob
lems with gang violence
but these days it’s calm, she
said, adding that he never
had any problems with
gangs — they left for eco
nomic reasons.
Ramirez said that she had
given them the big room in
the two-bedroom house,
but they dreamed of saving
money for a place of their
own and that drove the fam
ily to head for the United
States in early April.
JULIA LE DUC I Associated Press
Authorities stand behind yellow warning tape along the Rio
Grande bank where the bodies of Salvadoran migrant Oscar
Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his nearly 2-year-old daughter
Valeria were found.
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Northeast Georgia Medical Center
Calendar of Events
July 2019
Caregiver Support Class
Caring for a loved one with an illness
can be challenging. Join us and get
the support and education you need.
Meet with others as you share your
experiences, learn beneficial coping
techniques and find comfort with
others who are also walking your path,
BRASELTON:
NGMC Braselton, Education Center
1400 River Place
Monday, July 15; 1 - 2:30 p.m.
Wellness in the Kitchen: Farm
Fresh
Join us for this fun cooking class on
how to shop locally and cook with
farm fresh ingredients.
GAINESVILLE:
NGMC Gainesville
743 Spring Street
Thursday, July 18; 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Wellness in the Kitchen: Sunset in
France
Watch Chef Turner in action with this
cooking demo.
WINDER:
NGMC Barrow
316 West Broad Street, Cafeteria
Tuesday, July 9; 6 - 7 p.m.
Yoga for Grief
A gentle program to support healing.
Series of gentle yoga classes
designed to facilitate healing and
heavy emotions. Class will be a
6-week series provided free of charge
to anyone who is experiencing grief.
GAINESVILLE:
675 White Sulphur Road, #115
Thursday, July 11; 1 - 2 p.m.
Alumni Support Group
This support group is designed for
those who have had weight loss
surgery.
GAINESVILLE
675 White Sulphur Road, # 260
Tuesday, July 9; 5 - 6 p.m.
Bariatric Support Group
This group is open to pre-operative
and post-operative bariatric surgery
patients, as well as their support
partners.
GAINESVILLE:
675 White Sulphur Road, #260
Tuesday, July 9; 5 - 6 p.m.
Friday, July 12; 10: - 11 a.m.
Monday, July 15; 6 - 7 p.m.
Bariatrics 101
Interested in bariatric surgery?
Attend this class to learn all you to
need to know about bariatric surgery
at NGMC. We’ll cover the surgical
procedures available, risks and
benefits of the procedures, and life
after bariatric surgery. You’ll hear from
our dietitian and a physical therapist
and will be introduced to the four
bariatric surgeons operating at NGMC
so you can decide which doctor is
best for you. We’ll discuss insurance
and payment options and, if you want
to take the next step, we'll begin
the insurance verification process.
Receive a free body composition
analysis, too!
GAINESVILLE:
675 White Sulphur Rd, Suite 260
Wednesday, July 17; 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Wednesday, July 24; 5 - 6:30 p.m.
Easy Breather Support Group
Easy Breather’s Support Group is
intended for chronic lung disease
patients and their caregivers. This
could include COPD, pulmonary
fibrosis, lung cancer, and others.
The goal is to provide education and
fellowship that will enhance quality
of life and functional status of our
attendees. This group is composed of
existing Pulmonary Rehab patients,
past patients, or those patients
interested in learning more about
our program. Different topic and
activity presented each month. Lunch
typically provided; RSVP appreciated.
BRASELTON:
NGMC Braselton
1400 River Place, Education Center
Wednesday, July 17; 12 - 1:30 p.m.
GAINESVILLE:
675 White Sulphur Road
Friday, July 26; 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Bariatric Yoga Class
Please join us for a relaxing Yoga class
prior to Bariatric Support Group. This
class is for new and existing patients
who are going through their weight
loss surgery journey and looking for
a way to begin incorporating light
exercise while accepting your body
in its current state. You may bring
your own Yoga mat, but please know
that we do have mats available for
attendees to use
GAINESVILLE:
675 White Sulphur Rd, Suite 125
Monday, July 15; 5 - 5:45 p.m.
Bariatric Cooking Class
Please join us for an engaging and
tasteful Bariatric Cooking Class that
will prove that eating after weight
loss surgery can still taste good and
be enjoyable. You will be exposed to
bariatric-friendly recipes that are easy
to prepare and support your weight
loss journey.
GAINESVILLE:
NGMC Gainesville, Nathan Schrage
Cooking Kitchen, 2nd floor South
Patient Tower
743 Spring Street
Tuesday, July 2; 5 - 6:00 p.m.
Life After Stroke
A free monthly event intended to
empower stroke survivors and
caregivers to thrive after stroke. This
will be held on the 2nd Thursday
of each month. Dinner included.
Registration is not required to attend.
GAINESVILLE:
NGMC Gainesville, Auxiliary
Conference Room
743 Spring Street
Thursday, July 11; 6 - 7 p.m.
Lung Cancer Support Group
For patients and their loved ones.
You are not alone. We can help. Join
the newly diagnosed, survivors and
loved ones for a lung cancer support
group. Dinner provided. For more
information, call Sandy Clark, BSN,
RN Oncology Nurse Navigator at
770-848-6235 or email Sandi.Clark@
nghs.com.
WINDER:
NGMC Barrow
316 N. Broad Street, Suite 380
Tuesday, July 16; 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Camp Braveheart - July
A camp for children and youth who
have experienced the death of a
loved one. July camp is for children
and youths in 5th - 8th grade. Camp
Braveheart is carefully designed to
help children and youth cope with
the complicated emotions that arise
from the death of a loved one. The
most important thing that campers
learn during the week is that they
are not alone - other youth have
experienced similar losses. Camp
Braveheart is a day camp held at
Walter's Barn in Lula, GA, is provided
at no cost and open to any child in the
community who have experienced a
significant death. Camp Braveheart
is facilitated by a team of licensed
social workers, therapists and trained
volunteers. At camp, we talk about
sad things but it's not a sad place.
The days are filled with fun activities
and opportunities for campers to just
be kids. Activities may include journal
making, memory box art project,
exotic animals, laser tag, water wars,
group discussion/grief education,
kickball/softball/football, inflatable
water slide or tubing! Complete the
online registration and a counselor
will follow up with you to complete the
full application over the phone. Bring
your child for a face-to-face interview
with a counselor. Early registration is
encouraged as Camp Braveheart is
limited to 25 campers per session.
Questions? Call Jennifer Sorrells,
LCSW at 770-219-0271.
LULA:
Walter’s Barn
7743 Persimmon Tree Road
Monday, July 15, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
North Georgia Dementia Support
Group
A monthly support group for
caregivers and loved ones dealing
with the daily struggles associated
with dementia. This group is designed
to be a safe, stress-free environment
where you can learn, share stories
and meet others from your community
who really understand - because they
have been there too.
GAINESVILLE:
Lanier Park Campus - Blue Ridge
Room
675 White Sulphur Road
Thursday, July 11; 6 - 7 p.m.
Childbirth Classes
• Prepared Childbirth
• Breastfeeding
• Newborn Parenting
• Labor and Delivery Tour
For more information about Childbirth
Education classes, visit nghs.com/
ob-classes
Register today!
800-347-1416
nghs.com/events