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Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Fifty Years After the Beatles Broke Up, Trove of Memorabilia Goes on Auction

If you’ve ever dreamed of wearing a pair of John Lennon’s iconic round glasses, now’s your chance—as long as you have $50,000 or so to spare.

A half-century after the Beatles’ breakup, Sotheby’s is auctioning a wide-ranging collection of objects related to the beloved band, including a set of the signature Windsor spectacles.

The 63 lots up for auction span the Beatles’ career, starting before John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr began playing together in Liverpool in the late 1950s and early ’60s and continuing through their rise to superstardom.

Among the items featured are a signed, seven-inch vinyl record of the band’s first single, “Love Me Do”; fan club newsletters; posters; and royalty statements.

The glasses, which are expected to sell for between £30,000 and £40,000 (roughly $38,700 to $51,650 USD), may have been Lennon’s first pair in that style. He gave them to his housekeeper, Dorothy “Dot” Jarlett, in 1965. At the time, the musician was wearing contact lenses during public appearances; he only began wearing glasses publicly the following year.

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Governor Hogan on COVID-19’s Impact on Maryland’s Budget: “The Biggest Fiscal Challenge We Have Ever Faced”

Governor Larry Hogan today issued the following statement after a meeting of the Board of Revenue Estimates:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented fiscal crisis for state and local governments nationwide, which according to Moody’s Analytics will face $500 billion in shortfalls over the next two fiscal years, with more than 4 million jobs at stake.

“Today’s revenue estimates are still nearly $1 billion less than what was budgeted prior to the pandemic. Because of our early and aggressive actions, Maryland’s fiscal situation remains challenging, but is significantly less painful than it could have been.

“Nearly six months ago, after dire projections by the Bureau of Revenue Estimates, I immediately implemented a budget freeze and directed the Department of Budget and Management to make recommendations for budget cuts in all state agencies. In addition, the Board of Public Works unanimously approved a series of targeted reductions. And, unlike many states, we were able to keep more than 70 percent of our economy open throughout the entire crisis.

“With this public health and fiscal crisis far from over, it is no time to declare victory. Though we are in a better position both economically and health-wise than much of the country, this is still the biggest fiscal challenge we have ever faced. We will continue to plan for the worst, press Congress to act on additional relief, and make the tough decisions necessary to balance our budget.”

NYC vote counters can’t even keep track of their tablets: DOI probe

Here’s one more thing the Board of Elections can’t count!

The Big Apple’s scandal-marred elections agency failed to keep track of the thousands of computer tablets it uses for poll books, to train staff and to transmit unofficial results on Election Night, The Post has learned.

The Department of Investigation audit uncovered the startling failures in March 2020 as they inspected the Board of Elections headquarters and borough offices, the documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Law, show.

Only the BOE’s Brooklyn operation kept track of the Apple iPads it was assigned as part of the $24 million effort to digitalize Gotham’s old-school poll books, which voters must sign before casting their ballots.

An official at the Queens office guessed they kept 800 of the ‘poll pads’ on hand — but had no hard count, the DOI reported.

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