Hegwood Law - September 2020

Hegwood Law - September 2020

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SEPTEMBER 2020

IS IT SAFE FOR OUR KIDS TO BE IN SCHOOL YET? The Question That Worries Parents of Disabled Children Most

The biggest concern for back-to-school season used to be where you would go shopping for school supplies or new clothes. Now, it feels like parents have to make a much more dire decision: Do we send our kids back to school if the pandemic is not over? How will this affect children with learning disabilities? My 6-year-old and 7-year-old grandchildren have been doing alright since the pandemic began. They could probably do okay in an online classroom. But for my 9-year-old grandson, who has learning disabilities, the pandemic has been a real challenge for him. I know a few of my clients’ kids who have been affected in similar ways; virtual just does not work for everyone. Especially when parents have to both work from home and educate their children at the same time.

fluke or could stem from the children’s behaviors. Others would say the results are somewhat inconclusive; transmissions at schools, especially for older kids, are still very much a possibility. Still, even those who have pointed out shortcomings in the study — like Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health — believe that schools should reopen wherever possible for disabled children and for

So, it makes you really want schools to open up again — but then, while you are hearing stories about how children are not likely to be infected, you also hear about how (as of this writing) 85 infants in Nueces County have COVID-19. It only takes one to worry a parent. Although whether schools can open again will depend on the local area and the trend of new cases, experts have been saying some encouraging things. Children under 10 are about half as likely as adults to spread the virus, according to a recent Korean study, which experts in the U.S. have praised for its “scale and rigor of its analysis.” This is encouraging for younger kids. The current adaptations discussed for elementary schools — like spaced desks, masked teachers, and outdoor learning — could be appropriately safe. The study did not have great news for older students, though. For middle and high schoolers, they are even more likely to infect others than adults. Some experts believe this finding could be a

those in elementary school. Dr. Rivers says it is still not clear how well asymptomatic children spread the virus, but the new study does not alter the recommendation made by Rivers and a panel of other experts. With the right precautions, I hope schools across the nation will make accommodations for students with every learning style. I do not wish for every school to open up immediately; for example, my 7-year-old grandson has had lung issues, so a virtual education could be better for him since we worry about how the virus could affect him. It is understandable that everyone is still learning what to do and how to react to the upcoming school year, but, ultimately, school is more than just a place to read and learn. It is a place to make lifelong friends and develop emotional and social skills that last an entire lifetime. I hope we all get a chance to return to the old normal soon; for now, I suppose a safe normal will do.

-Kim Hegwood

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ENJOY YOUR FAVORITE FILMS EARLIER Streaming Services Change the Face of Entertainment

The way we watch our favorite shows and movies has changed drastically in recent years and even more so this year. With the pandemic impacting the world, people found themselves stuck inside their homes looking for new sources of entertainment, and many found exactly what they were looking for through the numerous streaming services available to us. The pandemic made time for people to watch their favorite shows again and again, and it also changed the way businesses, such as Disney and Universal Studios, release their movies. Throughout the spring, many movies were released early and some skipped theater showings all together. “Trolls: World Tour” was released through video-on-demand and earned nearly $100 million in rental fees on its April 10 debut, grossing far more than the first “Trolls” movie debut in 2016. Other movies, such as “Onward” and “Frozen II,” were released early on different digital platforms for purchase or rent. One of the most anticipated early releases under this new system is “Hamilton.” This hit Broadway show has drawn thousands of people to the theater since its debut in 2015. A stage performance of “Hamilton” was filmed in 2016 in just over three days. The resulting movie creates an opportunity for everyone to see the show, whether

or not they were able to catch it live on stage. Disney bought the rights to the film last year and announced this February that it would be released on Oct. 15, 2021 in theaters. However, due to the pandemic, Disney decided that what people needed most was something they could enjoy, even if they could not leave their

homes. On May 12, the studio announced the film would be available to stream on Disney+ starting on the July Fourth holiday. “Hamilton” fans and those who’ve never seen the play are thrilled to watch the film 16 months in advance of the originally scheduled release. Streaming services have changed how people consume their entertainment, and the pandemic has changed how streaming services offer it. Both changes are helping people get through these difficult times.

CELEBRATING COFFEE WITH A FEWWORLD-FAMOUS BRANDS

illy Another highly trusted Italian coffee brand, illy is known for its high-end espresso and uses a 100% Arabica blend. Known as a premium coffee brand, illy coffee offers espressos with high and low caffeine levels. For example, seasonally, they have an acclaimed

If you have never noticed the holiday before, it might surprise you just how many people celebrate National Coffee Day on Sept. 29 within the U.S. and Canada. For example, to celebrate the holiday, Krispy Kreme (historically) gives out a free glazed doughnut and one brewed coffee, and even Barnes and Nobles gives out a free Starbucks coffee. But, if you are a huge fan of coffee like we are at Hegwood Law Group, you might want coffee that tastes a little bit more extraordinary than what you can get around town. Here are our recommendations. LavAzza This is one of Kim Hegwood’s all-time favorite coffees — and it is for so many others. LavAzza is a household brand in Italy. Using a blend of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, you will find a high amount of caffeine and more antioxidants in a cup of LavAzza than a few other popular brands out there. One of their best sellers, LavAzza Gran Crema, is a best-seller in both Europe and the U.S. Try it with a bit of milk and you will see why!

low-caffeine Arabica, Idillyum blend, grown from the rich, volcanic soil in El Salvador. Try illy’s Classico Ground Espresso at medium roast for a classic illy experience! UCC One of the most famous coffee brands in Asia, Japanese coffee brand UCC (Ueshima Coffee Co.) made quite a few industry-changing moves, like developing the world’s first canned coffee in 1969 (and, trust us, it is delicious). As an official sponsor of Tokyo Disneyland, with its own coffee museum on Port Island in Kobe and a UCC coffee estate in Kona, Hawaii, it did not take long for the brand to make a worldwide takeover. It is a challenge to get their ground coffee in the U.S., but their famous instant coffees will pleasantly surprise you.

Try one of these unique brands when you get a chance, available at most grocery stores (although you might have to check the Asian aisles for UCC!).

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WHAT HAPPENED ON THE 21ST NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER? 4 Decades of Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’

“Do you remember the 21st night of September?” In 1978, Maurice White of the band Earth, Wind & Fire first asked this question in the song “September,” a funky disco song that quickly topped the charts. While disco may be dead today, “September” certainly is not. The song is still featured in movies, TV shows, and wedding playlists. On Sept. 21, 2019, the funk hit was streamed over 2.5 million times. It is no wonder that the Los Angeles City Council declared Sept. 21 Earth, Wind & Fire Day. The story behind “September” is almost as enduring as the song itself. It was co-written by White and Allee Willis, who eventually became a Grammy-winning songwriter and Tony nominee. But before any of that, Willis was a struggling songwriter in Los Angeles living off food stamps. When White reached out and asked Willis to help write the next Earth, Wind & Fire hit, it was truly her big break. White and Willis proved to be excellent songwriting partners, but they clashed over one key element of the song: the nonsensical

phrase “ba-dee-ya,” which White included in the chorus. Throughout the songwriting process, Willis begged to change the phrase to real words. At the final vocal session, Willis finally demanded to know what ba-dee-ya meant. White replied, “Who cares?” “I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him,” Willis recalled in a 2014 interview with NPR, “which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.” The groove is why “September” has stood the test of time, right from that very first lyric. For decades, people have asked Willis and members of the band about the significance of Sept. 21. As it turns out, there is not much beyond the sound. “We went through all the dates: ‘Do you remember the first, the second, the third, the fourth …’ and the one that just felt the best was the 21st,” Willis explained. The truth is that nothing happened on the 21st night of September — except a whole lot of dancing.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

WORD SEARCH

Ingredients

• 7 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped • 7/8 cup margarine • 7/8 cup white sugar, divided • 6 eggs, separated

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C). 2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and margarine together. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 3. In a large bowl, beat half of the sugar and egg yolks together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in chocolate mixture until just combined. 4. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. 5. Spoon 1/3 of the chocolate mixture onto beaten egg whites using a rubber spatula. Gently run spatula around the edges of the mixture lifting the bottom up and over the center, repeating until well incorporated. Add remaining chocolate mixture, folding just until batter is smooth. Pour 3/4 of the batter into a 9-inch square pan. 6. Bake until edges are puffed and surface is firm, about 25 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack and allow cake to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Spread remaining batter over cake. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 30 minutes more.

ASTER AUTUMN CHILLY

HARVEST LABOR LIBRA SAPPHIRE SEPTEMBER SQUASH

COLORFUL EDUCATION FOOTBALL

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Source: Allrecipes.com/recipe/246468/flourless-chocolate-mousse-cake/

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 Is It Safe for Our Kids to Be in School Yet?

2 Streaming Services Change Entertainment

Celebrating Coffee With a Few World-Famous Brands

3 The Truth Behind the 21st Night of September

Flourless Chocolate Mousse Cake

4 An Unforeseen ProblemWith the American Press

THE AMERICAN PRESS HAS A PROBLEM

U.S. president Thomas Jefferson once described American democracy and the Constitution as an “experiment” in an 1804 letter to John Tyler Washington: “No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust ... that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual ... is the freedom of the press. It is ... the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions." Today, if you say the press provides “reason and truth,” you might be met with scoffs on all sides. Issues with the modern-day press, in many ways, have become a surprisingly bipartisan issue. Whether you get your news from print, the radio, Facebook, or even Snapchat — and no matter what your political leaning may be — you likely have so much access to news everywhere that your need for local news has diminished over the years.

Now, over 1,200–1,400 communities that had their own newspaper in 2004 do not have a newspaper at all. The Hussman School of

Journalism and Media explains that half of the 3,143 counties in the country only have one newspaper, which is typically a small weekly that barely covers its various communities. Almost 200 counties in the country do not have a newspaper at all, and those are often the poorest, least educated, and most isolated communities of them all. The biggest challenge of these “news deserts” is creating a journalistic model that can sustain and scale upward in the 21st century. In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black once said, “The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.” And this is truer now than ever. The importance of the press still stands. There are no easy answers, but it is certainly one aspect of the First Amendment to think about on Constitution Day. We hope you enjoyed this little dive into the potential future of small newspapers, and we hope you read one to celebrate your democracy!

This is a problem the forefathers could not have predicted.

HEGWOOD LAW GROUP

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