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NEW YORK (AP) — Facing a potentially ruinous wave of new sex-abuse lawsuits, the Boy Scouts of America is increasing its annual youth membership fee by more than 80%.The group says the move, which has dismayed many of the Scouts' adult volunteer leaders who warn the increase is prohibitively steep for some, is needed to meet rising operating costs, notably for the liability insurance that covers all official Scouting activities.For years, the BSA has been entangled in costly litigation with plaintiffs who said they were abused by scout leaders in their youth. Hundreds of lawsuits may lie ahead with the recent enactment of laws in New York, New Jersey, Arizona and California making it easier for victims of long-ago abuse to seek damages.The fee increase, disclosed to the Scouts' regional councils last week, seeks to relieve some of the financial pressure. As of Jan. 1, the annual membership fee for 2.2. million youth members will rise from to ; the fee for adults will rise from to , the Scouts said. The increases could generate more than million in additional funds in the coming year.The BSA says it's exploring "all available options" to maintain its programs and has not ruled out the possibility of declaring bankruptcy.As part of that process, the Scouts said they are consolidating their departments and recently eliminated more than 35 positions at its National Service Center.The BSA's current youth participation is down from more than 4 million in peak years of the past. It has tried to offset the decline by admitting girls, but the membership rolls will take a big hit as of Jan. 1, when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — for decades a major sponsor of Boy Scout units — cuts its ties with the BSA and launches its own global youth programs.In its announcement, the BSA made no specific reference to the sex-abuse litigation but made clear the fee increase was driven by insurance costs."Unfortunately, the cost of liability insurance we must carry to cover all Scouting activities has increased dramatically over the past several months, and the organization is no longer able to offset the cost of insurance," the BSA said.In addition to insurance, the BSA said, membership fees cover other "essential services" such as background checks for adult leaders, program development and updated youth protection and safety training.The national fees do not cover costs for uniforms and handbooks, which can easily exceed 0 per year.Scores of the Scouts' volunteer adult leaders weighed in on the fee increase in comments on a blog operated by the BSA's Scouting Magazine. Several of the leaders warned that the increase would be financially burdensome for low-income families and might drive them away from scouting.The BSA insists that the scouting remains a good value, compared with many other organized youth activities."While most extracurricular activities are seasonal, Scouting is a year-round program that remains one of the most valuable investments we can make to support young men and women," the BSA announcement said.The organization says it will strive to assist families who feel they cannot afford the higher fees. It announced creation of a fund, supported through donations, to provide financial assistance.Many of the volunteer leaders commenting on the blog were upset by the timing of the announcement. It came after Scout units had already begun collecting fees for their 2020 registration renewal process and setting their budgets for the coming year."I am extremely disappointed in the handling of this increase," wrote John Guild, a Dallas attorney who has helped lead a Cub Scout pack and slammed the move for lack of transparency as well as its poor timing. Guild also questioned how effective the fee increase would be, contending that the BSA "is facing hundreds of millions of dollars is liabilities and tens of millions of dollars in legal fees."Jason Krut, who is active with a Pittsburgh-area Cub Scout pack, called the increase "unconscionable.""It reeks of incompetence and mismanagement," he wrote on the blog. "It will force children, leaders, and families away from scouting and to seek out BSA alternatives. "Brandon Boos, a leader of a Cub Scout pack in Worthington, Ohio, said the magnitude of the increase was understandable but he faulted the timing."The roll-out did not demonstrate the same high quality of character we are trying to instill in our Scouts," Boos wrote on the blog.In a subsequent email to The Associated Press, Boos said he still loves the Boy Scouts, plans to continue as a volunteer and hopes other parents do likewise.Donald Dement, a volunteer leader with his sons' Boy Scout troop in Frisco, Texas, said most of the parents would have no trouble affording the higher fees, while hard-up families would likely get assistance from their troops.Dement said some conservative families in Frisco continue to resent major changes made by the BSA in the past decade — these included opening its programs to girls, and admitting gays as scouts and adult leaders. One local troop, he said, made hats for summer camp last year emblazoned with "Make Scouting Great Again."But regarding the fee increase, he said most scouting families "will be understanding and accepting."The Boy Scouts filed lawsuits last year against six of its own insurers, saying they have improperly refused to cover some of the sex abuse liabilities incurred by the organization. The insurers say the coverage obligation is voided because the BSA failed to take effective preventive measures such as warning parents that scouts might be abused."We believe insurance companies should uphold their commitments by paying their share of claims," the BSA said in an email to The Associated Press on Thursday. "We remain in disputes with some carriers and look forward to a resolution that benefits victims and helps them on their journey towards healing." 5951

Need a socially distanced costume that comes with a unique 'zombie mode' button that'll keep anyone 6 feet away from you?Well, Skittles is giving away Zombie Skittles socially distance costumes that are 6 feet wide and has a button that will let you release the "aroma of rotten zombie." 295

NEW: President Trump tells @jonathanvswan on #AxiosOnHBO that he didn't raise the issue of alleged bounties on U.S. troops during his call with Vladimir Putin last week: "That was a phone call to discuss other things." pic.twitter.com/daISvMFUE1— Axios (@axios) July 29, 2020 283

NEW YORK (AP) — In a sign of how the pandemic is remaking Hollywood traditions, AMC Theatres and Universal Studios on Tuesday announced an agreement for a shortened theatrical window, with the studio’s films playing for a minimum of just 17 days in cinemas compared to the typical 90 days.Studios have increasingly sought to shorten that window and deliver new movies more quickly into the home.After 17 days, Universal Pictures and Focus Features will have the option to make their films available across premium video on demand platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime and AMC Theatres On Demand.“The theatrical experience continues to be the cornerstone of our business. The partnership we’ve forged with AMC is driven by our collective desire to ensure a thriving future for the film distribution ecosystem and to meet consumer demand with flexibility and optionality,” said Donna Langley, Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group in a press release.This deal applies to U.S. theaters, international distribution between the two companies is still being negotiated.AMC and other theater chains have struggled during the pandemic as businesses closed earlier this year and indoor spaces face state-by-state guidance on social distancing and reopening policies.AMC says this multi-year deal with Universal is a commitment and belief that customers will come back.“We would note that just as restaurants have thrived even though every home has a kitchen, AMC is highly confident that moviegoers will come to our theatres in huge numbers in a post-pandemic world. As people enjoy getting out of their homes, we believe the mystical escape and magical communal experience offered at our theatres will always be a compelling draw," said AMC CEO Adam Aron in a statement.Universal said they are working with AMC and other distribution partners on restarting theatrical releases, including upcoming installments of Fast & Furious, Jurassic World, Despicable Me, and others.Tuesday's agreement repairs a rift between AMC and Universal brought on by the on-demand release of “Trolls World Tour” in April. The new deal covers Universal films in the U.S. over the next three years. 2195

Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts tweeted to the National Rifle Association on Friday to extend an invitation to host the organization's annual convention in his state.Dallas Mayor Pro-tem Dwaine Caraway made headlines earlier this week by asking the NRA to find somewhere else for its yearly convention. .@NRA - We want your convention in Nebraska. Nebraskans love our constitutional rights! #2A https://t.co/EzfghGwvdi— Gov. Pete Ricketts (@GovRicketts) February 23, 2018 489

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