Halted haunt, lifeguard outbreak, boating boom: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Strawberry: More than 40 people were infected with the coronavirus after attending a multiday revival event at a north Alabama Baptist church, according to the congregation’s pastor. “The whole church has got it, just about,” Al.com quoted pastor Daryl Ross of Warrior Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Marshall County as saying. The pastor said the churchgoers, including himself, tested positive after the congregation held a series of religious services featuring a guest pastor over the course of several days last week. Ross said the services were shut down by Friday after officials learned that one of the members who attended had tested positive for the virus. The member presented no symptoms but got tested when several of his co-workers received positive tests, according to the pastor. Over the weekend, dozens more fell ill, Ross said, adding: “I’ve got church members sick everywhere.”

Alaska

Anchorage: Health officials have said the state experienced a record number of newly confirmed coronavirus cases Sunday, with 231. It is the first day the state has experienced more than 200 new confirmed cases in a day. The state Department of Health and Social Services said 186 of the new cases involved Alaska residents, and 45 involved nonresidents, the Anchorage Daily News reports. There are 35 people hospitalized with COVID-19, and another eight people who are hospitalized are suspected of having the virus. Alaska has reported 3,102 cases of COVID-19 statewide. The newly confirmed cases included 154 in Anchorage, the highest daily number for the city so far. The city’s bars, restaurants and entertainment venues had their capacities restricted July 22, and limitations were imposed on the number of people allowed to gather in groups. Anchorage has required people to wear masks in certain indoor public settings since June.

Arizona

Phoenix: State health officials reported 1,813 new confirmed coronavirus cases and no additional deaths Monday, increasing Arizona’s totals to 163,827 positive COVID-19 cases and 3,304 known deaths. The figures may be lower because of a lag in reporting on the weekends. Still, it’s the second consecutive day that new daily virus cases have been under 2,000. The Arizona Department of Health Services had reported 3,748 new cases and 144 coronavirus-related deaths Saturday. The 144 deaths were among the most reported in a single day in the state without death certificate matching. Meanwhile, the numbers of inpatient COVID-19 hospitalizations as well as patients on ventilators and in intensive care unit beds showed very slight declines. But experts say it’s too soon to say whether Arizona is on a definite downward trend since Gov. Doug Ducey extended the closing of businesses like bars and gyms.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state reported 642 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus Sunday and two more deaths from the illness caused by the virus. The Department of Health said at least 38,623 people in the state have tested positive for the virus, up from the 37,981 confirmed cases reported Saturday. The department said 6,600 of the cases are active, meaning they don’t include people who have died or recovered. The true number of cases in Arkansas is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick. Two more people have died from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, bringing the state’s total fatalities to 401. The number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19 increased by one to 480.

California

Los Angeles: Even as coronavirus cases have risen across the state, hundreds of people gathered at the beach in Orange County for a religious event despite warnings from local officials. The Los Angeles Times reports several hundred people met in Huntington Beach on Friday for Saturate OC, a weekly worship event held at the beach since early July after the pandemic thwarted organizers’ plans to hold it indoors. Organizers provided hand sanitizer and masks, but many participants didn’t wear them. Police cited Parker Green, 34, for allegedly promoting the event without a permit, police spokeswoman Angela Bennett said. The city said in a statement that it supports religious organizations’ right to worship, but permitting and safety protocols must be followed. Green said he’s concerned about the virus but questioned why they were targeted when he sees crowds of people downtown not wearing face coverings.

Colorado

Fort Collins: With a national backlog of COVID-19 tests causing delayed results, Gov. Jared Polis has announced plans to expand lab capacity within the state to get Coloradans results quicker. Due to the national testing backlog, Polis said late last week that some Coloradans have waited 10 to 12 days for test results. Two weeks ago, the average turnaround time was about a day or two. Getting results that late is “almost worthless” because “you’re either in the hospital, or you’re better,” Polis said. “We can no longer rely on that national testing,” Polis said. “We need to take charge here.” The national labs have been receiving “tens of thousands” of tests to process per day from states currently seeing COVID-19 case spikes, Polis said. With no national testing strategy, Polis said the state is moving forward with purchasing additional testing supplies, expanding state lab capacity and securing more private partners to meet the state’s testing needs.

Connecticut

Hartford: Coronavirus cases among teens and young adults are rising in the state. The Hartford Courant reports nearly 40% of people diagnosed with coronavirus from July 5 to 18 were under the age of 30. The newspaper reports people ages 20 to 29 accounted for nearly 25% of coronavirus cases reported July 5-18, despite representing less than 13% of the more than 48,000 cases reported in the state since the pandemic started. Youths in the 10-to-19-year-old age range accounted for more than 12% of the cases reported from July 5 to 18, despite only representing 3% of cases overall during the pandemic. “Kids are socializing because that’s what kids do, but they need to realize that they’re not immune to COVID either,” Lynn Sosa, a deputy state epidemiologist, told the newspaper.

Delaware

Wilmington: The state’s largest high school is starting the next school year with remote learning only, with district leaders deciding before Gov. John Carney announces next month whether schools can start the year in person. The Colonial School District announced William Penn High School in New Castle will resume classes the way it completed the previous year under the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s the decision of the district’s return-to-school work groups. “This decision was made based on the number of William Penn students, the guidance from the Delaware Department of Education, and the complexity of student schedules,” the district said Friday. The Colonial district said it will offer students in prekindergarten through the eighth grade either remote learning or in-person instruction. The Brandywine School District board voted last week to delay its student start date until Sept. 16.

District of Columbia

Washington: Mayor Muriel Bowser is ordering nonessential visitors from “high-risk” states to self-quarantine for two weeks, WUSA-TV reports. The list of the affected locations contained 27 states Monday and will be updated every two weeks. The quarantine order includes visitors who previously arrived in the district and intend on staying. “Reducing travel and abiding by this self-quarantine requirement will help to prevent a projected surge on our hospital capacity in the coming weeks,” the mayor’s order says. During the time people are self-quarantining, the mayor’s order requires travelers to stay in their home or hotel room and only leave for essential medical appointments or essential goods when delivery of food or other essential goods isn’t feasible.

Florida

Orlando: It’s hard to scare the bejesus out of someone in a haunted house while socially distancing, which may explain the decision by Universal to cancel its Halloween Horror Nights this year at its U.S. theme parks. The company said Friday that it wouldn’t be hosting the celebration of all things scary at its Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood so that it could focus on operating its theme parks for daytime guests under pandemic restrictions. Halloween Horror Nights typically lasts more than a month starting in September, but it’s planned for more than a year. Each haunted house is a small, temporary attraction, elaborately designed and themed, built with studious attention to details and populated with “scare-actors” who chase but never touch patrons. Last month, Walt Disney World canceled its annual after-hours Halloween party at Magic Kingdom that typically begins in mid-August.

Georgia

Atlanta: Deaths remain at elevated levels, and newly detected cases keep rising, but the number of Georgians in the hospital with COVID-19 is dropping a little – one hopeful sign in a state where infections have been flaring since early June. Those mixed signals are what pass for progress right now in the state’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The number of people in Georgia hospitals fell for the fifth straight day Sunday, to 3,079, but remains above where the number was July 19. That tentative trend could be good news for Georgia hospitals, many of which have been hard-pressed to find critical care beds for the sickest patients with the respiratory illness. The share of the state’s critical care beds in use also eased slightly Sunday, as did the number of people on ventilators. Both those numbers include some patients with other illnesses.

Hawaii

Hilo: Bar exam applicants can receive a temporary license to practice law in the state as an alternative to the written test during the coronavirus pandemic, the Hawaii Supreme Court announced last week. The court said it will give applicants who are approved for the exam the option of forgoing the test for a provisional license, recognizing the health concerns associated with gathering during the pandemic, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports. Law school graduates must be admitted into their state’s bar via the bar exam before being allowed to practice law, but the provisional license would allow them to work under the direct supervision of an attorney actively licensed and practicing in the state. The bar exam will still be administered Sept. 9-10 with public health guidelines in place. All applicants can also defer taking the exam to a later date without penalty or loss of fees already paid.

Idaho

Boise: A federal judge has held a pair of outdoor court proceedings to safely swear in new U.S. citizens from more than a dozen countries who otherwise would have had to wait months to become citizens because of the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale administered the oath of citizenship to 37 people wearing masks Thursday on a patio outside the James D. McClure U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in Boise, the Idaho Press reports. Twenty more new citizens took the oath outdoors in Boise the week before. The idea for the outdoor citizenship ceremony came from Steven Kenyon, clerk of Idaho’s U.S. District and Bankruptcy courts, after he saw a photo of an outside municipal court proceeding in San Francisco during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918. Dale called this month’s outdoor ceremonies “a beautiful alternative.” “It’s right up there at the top of the list of the things you can do as a federal judge,” she said.

Illinois

Springfield: State officials are warning of child drowning risks associated with home pools as beaches and public pools remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic. Many families are using above-ground or inflatable pools because of the closures. The state fire marshal and Department of Children and Family Services have offered up several safety tips, including emptying inflatable pools right after use and storing them upside down. They also recommend installing fences around pools with self-closing and self-latching gates. “As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic many people have chosen to install pools or purchase a pop-up pool for their yards this summer. Installing a pool requires a need for parents to keep a closer eye on their children,” State Fire Marshal Matt Perez said in a statement. In 2019, 22 children died because of an accidental drowning, of which 10 involved pools, according to state officials.

Indiana

Mishawaka: Many of the state’s residents have taken up boating as a way to safely enjoy the summer amid a pandemic. Northern Indiana manufacturers of RVs and recreational boats are struggling to keep up with demand after being closed earlier this year, the South Bend Tribune reports. “I’ve been in this industry for about 15 years, and I don’t ever remember it being this busy,” said Jeff Roth, vice president of marketing at Barletta Boat Co. in Bristol. “The demand for boating and the boating lifestyle is out of control.” Barletta recently announced it would begin operations in January in a new $7 million production facility, creating 250 new jobs. Figures from the National Marine Manufacturers Association show that new boat sales jumped significantly as states began easing coronavirus travel and business restrictions in May. “Total sales in May were the highest they’ve been in a decade,” said Sarah Salvatori, a spokeswoman for the association.

Iowa

Dubuque: A limit on the number of COVID-19 tests performed at a busy clinic was lifted Monday. Last week, Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office imposed a limit of 100 tests per day on the Epic Health and Wellness clinic in Dubuque, saying the clinic could not handle the volume of testing it was facing, causing long waits and unusable samples. Before the limit was imposed, the clinic had been conducting between 400 to 550 a day, The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports. On Friday, the governor’s office announced it was ending the cap but said the clinic would now require appointments for tests. “We appreciate the full cooperation of Epic Health and Wellness Clinic to adjust the hours of operation and make the recommended scheduling changes in a timely manner to continue to provide access to quality COVID-19 testing in the community,” Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett said.

Kansas

Wichita: The state is seeing the median age of people who’ve contracted the novel coronavirus drop as the number of reported cases grows. The state Department of Health and Environment says the median age for people infected in Kansas is now 37, down from 52 on March 24, which was less than three weeks after the state’s first reported case, The Wichita Eagle reports. Kansas has seen a resurgence of cases since the first part of June that has pushed the number of reported cases past 25,000 and the number of COVID-19-related deaths past 320. State and local officials have blamed much of the resurgence on lax social distancing and mask-wearing at public gatherings, particularly at bars. In Wichita, the Ascension Via Christi health system reported an all-time high of COVID-19 patients in their upper 30s last week and said the median age of discharged patients is dropping.

Kentucky

Louisville: After a series of COVID-19 case spikes, Gov. Andy Beshear on Monday ordered all bars to close for the second time since the pandemic hit Kentucky and all restaurants to reduce seating capacity to 25% to stem the spread of the virus. The measures will begin at midnight Tuesday and will be in effect for two weeks, until Aug. 11. In addition, Beshear said his administration is recommending schools wait until the third week of August, at least, before starting in-person classes. Stacy Roof, president and CEO of the Kentucky Restaurant Association, said of the capacity reduction that she is “disappointed because I don’t think restaurants are the issue.” “They’re not happy,” Roof said of the restaurant owners with whom she has spoken. “The schedules are made, the supplies are ordered, so they have to again change their plans. What are we now, on plan Q? We’re pretty far down the alphabet now.”

Louisiana

New Orleans: The state reported 3,800 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 48 new deaths related to the disease Sunday. The state health department figures showed a total of 107,574 confirmed cases and 3,651 deaths. Hospitalizations dropped since Friday – the last day figures were released – from 1,600 to 1,557. That would be good news, if it continues. Hospitalizations have been trending upward since sinking to 542 on June 13. Increased hospitalizations have been one of the factors that prompted state officials and the city of New Orleans to recently tighten some restrictions aimed at fighting the spread of the virus. Another factor has been the percentage of tests with positive results, which has consistently been above 10%. Bars have been the main focus of recent restrictions.

Maine

Portland: Republicans and hospitality and business groups said Monday that the state should ease restrictions on entry into the state to try to save what’s left of the summer tourism season. The push for reopening earned a swift rebuke from Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who said the Republicans “care more about Massachusetts money than the life of a Maine person.” Many Maine communities are heavily dependent on tourism, and Massachusetts has long been a big driver of tourism dollars to the state. Travelers from Massachusetts must currently quarantine for two weeks or provide documentation of a negative coronavirus test if they visit Maine. Maine legislative Republicans said Monday that the state should add Massachusetts and Rhode Island to its list of states exempted from the restrictions. That list includes the rest of New England as well as New York and New Jersey.

Maryland

Ocean City: Seacrets, a well-known hangout on the bay that draws thousands of people every year, announced Friday that some of its staff members had tested positive for COVID-19. The waterfront restaurant opened Saturday evening, the day after that announcement was made, for carryout only, according to a Facebook post. A later post said the restaurant would be open Saturday with “reduced hours” for dining, bar and bay seating and would close at 9 p.m. “We have tested and received results for all our staff, and only those with negative results will return to work,” the Friday post said, adding that the restaurant had been sanitized and disinfected. Seacrets isn’t the only restaurant at the beach impacted by the pandemic: Since the start of July, more than 15 Ocean City restaurants have temporarily closed due to COVID-19.

Massachusetts

Boston: A photo of what appeared to be a crowded Boston Harbor cruise ship over the weekend drew some outrage on social media, but the company that operates the vessel said all proper guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus were followed. The image showed the Provincetown II, a three-deck vessel run by the Bay State Cruise Co., preparing to depart for a 2 ¹/₂-hour cruise Saturday night. Most guests were on the open-air top deck. The vessel sailed at 33% capacity, within the company’s COVID-19 operating limits of 44% capacity, Michael Glasfield, a manager with the company, said in an email to WBTS-TV. That allowed for 28 square feet per passenger, which he said was enough room for 6 feet of social distancing.

Michigan

Detroit: The city has set a Friday deadline for people to submit photos of Detroit residents who died from COVID-19 as part of a unique public memorial planned at Belle Isle State Park. City officials plan to enlarge the photos and display them at Belle Isle, where people will be able to see them during an all-day memorial drive Aug. 31. “Families and friends will be able to say goodbye, and the photos will be given to families when the memorial is over,” the city said in a statement. More than 1,400 people in Detroit have died from COVID-19 complications, or roughly 24% of all deaths in Michigan. Photos can be sent by email to detroitmemorial2020@gmail.com, by regular mail or online. The mailing address is Detroit Memorial 2020, P.O. Box 21761, Detroit, MI 48221.

Minnesota

Effie: Thousands showed up for what is known as the state’s largest outdoor rodeo, packing the stands for the three-day event despite orders to limit crowds because of the coronavirus pandemic. The state Department of Health and the state Attorney General’s Office imposed a spectator limit at the event. The latest order from Gov. Tim Walz limits outdoor events and entertainment to 250 people who are socially distanced. The stands remained full or nearly full for the three days of the 65th annual North Star Stampede Rodeo in Effie in northern Minnesota, the Star Tribune reports. The event’s organizer, Cimarron Pitzen, wrote on a Facebook post before the event that he would not stand in the way of people coming to protest what he describes as “ridiculous Government Over Reach” and their right to assemble.

Mississippi

Jackson: After a surge in coronavirus deaths in the Jackson area, officials are bringing in a refrigerated cooler to help store bodies awaiting autopsies. Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said the area is facing an influx not only of coronavirus patients but of victims of homicides, car crashes and other fatalities. Both hospital morgues and private facilities are at capacity, the coroner said. Hinds County has seen the highest number of coronavirus cases in the state at more than 4,000. About 80 people have died in the Jackson area of the virus. As of July 21, there have been 57 homicides in Jackson since the beginning of the year. Mississippi’s health department reported 1,207 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and 15 more deaths related to the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Missouri

Kansas City: Health department officials in the city and its surrounding three counties are pleading with residents to follow safety precautions amid an increase of coronavirus cases that they say could lead to further shutdowns and overwhelmed hospitals. The officials from Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, and from Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas issued a letter Friday saying it is important to wear masks, practice social distancing and limit group gatherings to slow the virus’s spread. “We are extremely concerned that hospitalizations will continue to escalate in the coming weeks and months,” officials said, “and that the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 will lead to increasing ventilator use and deaths. Despite hoping this would not occur, we predicted that this was a possibility at some point after the relaxation of the stay-at-home orders.”

Montana

Helena: Testing confirmed more than 350 cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, while the state reported its 47th death due to the respiratory virus. A woman in her 90s died at a Billings hospital Saturday, the Yellowstone County health department said Monday. The woman’s death was the 18th in 20 days in the county. Fifteen of those deaths are tied to an outbreak at Canyon Creek Memory Care in Billings, officials have said. The state reported a record 224 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, 89 on Sunday and 41 on Monday, bringing the state’s total known number of cases to 3,381. The number of infections is thought to be much higher because many people have not been tested. Sixty-one people are hospitalized. The state’s mask mandate applied in 25 of the state’s 56 counties as of Monday.

Nebraska

Omaha: The latest health statistics show the state approaching 25,000 confirmed coronavirus cases. The state’s online virus tracker on Monday showed 800 cases were confirmed Friday through Sunday, bringing the state’s total to 24,618 since the outbreak began. That included 356 cases confirmed Friday, 221 on Saturday and 223 on Sunday. The site showed no new deaths from the virus recorded over the weekend, leaving the state’s total deaths at 316. Room for new patients within the state’s hospitals remained fairly steady. The tracker showed 38% of the state’s hospital beds available Monday, 42% of intensive care unit beds available and 81% of the state’s ventilators available. The latest numbers came as state prison officials announced Sunday that a staffer at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln had tested positive for the virus, bringing to 38 the number of prison staffers across the state to become infected.

Nevada

Las Vegas: State health officials reported 997 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 but, for the first time in a month, no additional deaths around the state as of Monday. The numbers released by the state Department of Health and Human Services maintained the total number of known deaths to 734 but pushed the total coronavirus cases to 43,831. The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 across Nevada decreased from a day earlier, with 879 confirmed cases and 233 suspected cases in Nevada hospitals.

New Hampshire

Concord: Cities and towns are now ready to send absentee ballots to voters who want to avoid polling places this fall because of the coronavirus. The state has temporarily changed eligibility requirements for absentee voting and created a separate box to check on the absentee ballot noting the virus as the reason for voting absentee. The secretary of state’s office said Monday that ballots for the Sept. 8 primary and Nov. 3 general election have been sent to communities and can be requested through city and town clerk offices. Officials urged voters to make requests as soon as possible.

New Jersey

Harvey Cedars: More than two dozen lifeguards from two beach towns have tested positive for the coronavirus after having been together socially, authorities said. Officials said the lifeguards are from Harvey Cedars and Surf City, neighboring boroughs on Long Beach Island. Mayor Jonathan Oldham of Harvey Cedars said island health officials alerted the borough to the cluster Thursday, and the lifeguards were being quarantined until they are cleared by doctors. Long Beach Island’s health director told WHYY that the guards were apparently together at two “social gatherings” earlier this month. Harvey Cedars said Saturday that 17 lifeguards, all of whom had “attended a party in Surf City,” had tested positive for COVID-19. The island’s health director earlier said a dozen Surf City lifeguards had tested positive.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: A Roswell physician says he will not force anyone to wear a mask at his clinic. KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reports Dr. Krafimir Hirstov is likening the state mandate to wear face coverings because of the coronavirus outbreak to “a dictatorship.” Hirstov owns Reinecke Medical and Chiropractic medical center. Anyone entering the facility will see a sign that says those who do not want to don a mask “are still welcome.” Hirstov said he also believes masks are ultimately useless against airborne viruses. Roswell city officials voted last week not to enforce the state mask requirement. Dr. David Scrase, New Mexico’s top doctor, said masks do offer protection and prevent the spread of COVID-19. In a statement, the New Mexico Human Services Department called Hirstov’s attitude “shocking” for a medical provider. The agency said it will refer the clinic to the New Mexico Chiropractic Board for possible sanctions.

New York

Albany: The state’s quest to keep voters safe from COVID-19 by letting them vote by mail in the June primary has led to big delays in tabulating results, concerns about disenfranchisement and questions about whether there will be an even bigger mess in the fall. Election officials say it will take them until early August to finish counting a tidal wave of absentee ballots that overwhelmed a system that typically handles only about 5% of the vote. About 1.8 million New Yorkers requested mail-in ballots for New York’s primary. Voting ended June 23, but the results of many races, including two closely watched congressional primaries, are still unknown. A bigger problem than the delays, though, is that thousands of votes cast in good faith are getting invalidated during the counting process over signature and postmark issues, candidates and good-government activists say.

North Carolina

Durham: Only first- and second-year students at Duke University will be allowed to live in campus housing this fall, a school administrator said in releasing a plan designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In an email to Duke faculty, Provost Sally Kornbluth said upperclassmen and graduate students will take online classes in the fall semester, which begins Aug. 17. Juniors and seniors living off campus will have access to libraries and laboratories but can’t enter residence halls, dining halls and social spaces, The News & Observer of Raleigh reports. The restrictions also will apply to student-athletes. Duke previously had upperclassmen slated to arrive Aug. 15, but President Vincent Price had said plans could change. The first- and second-year students will arrive in waves starting Aug. 10. Kornbluth wrote tht the limitations aim to reduce campus population density.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Health officials report the state has exceeded 1,000 active cases of COVID-19 for the first time. According to state data reported Sunday, North Dakota has 1,025 active cases of the disease caused by the coronavirus after another 141 people tested positive. The Bismarck Tribune reports the bulk of the new cases are in the Bismarck area. Burleigh County had 34 cases reported Sunday, while Morton County had eight new cases. Burleigh County continues to have more active cases than any other county in North Dakota, at 249. Morton County has 81. North Dakota has recorded 5,876 positive cases since the pandemic began. North Dakota’s death toll remained at 99 on Sunday.

Ohio

Cincinnati: The Ohio Department of Health reported 1,104 new cases of coronavirus in the state Monday, bringing total cases to 85,177. There were 37 new deaths from the virus reported Monday, increasing the state’s virus death toll to 3,344. Hospitalizations increased by 86, bringing the total number of hospitalizations to 10,285. Twenty-two more people were admitted to the intensive care units, making the total number 2,466.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The state reported 1,401 newly confirmed positive cases of coronavirus Monday, a record high for a single day. The latest numbers from the Oklahoma State Department of Health bring the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 32,686. The agency reported 1,204 new confirmed cases on Sunday. The actual number of positive cases is likely much higher because many people haven’t been tested, and some who get the disease don’t show symptoms. The statewide death toll is now 496, although no new deaths were reported on Monday. Oklahoma currently has 625 people who are reported hospitalized for COVID-19, an increase of 78 over the past week.

Oregon

Salem: In the quest to escape COVID-19, Oregonians are flooding the state’s beaches, forests and mountains in unprecedented numbers, say state and federal officials. And that’s brought a spike in accidents, made campsites scarce, and brought garbage, damage and even bears to recreation areas. “Especially on the Oregon Coast and west of the Cascades, we’re seeing a level of use well beyond a normal year,” Oregon Parks and Recreation Department spokesman Chris Havel said. More people outdoors is a good thing, rangers stress. The virus doesn’t spread as effectively outdoors, especially if people wear masks where social distancing isn’t possible. The problem is finding a place for all those people. Campgrounds have been full almost every day in July, including remote sites normally overlooked. Some sites in the Columbia Gorge remain closed. Eight state parks are still closed. The City of Bend has outright asked people to stay away.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The governor says legislation to require that state government agencies continue processing public records requests during disasters is “ill-conceived and poorly drafted,” but he’s letting it become law without his signature. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf announced late Sunday he will neither sign nor veto the legislation, which passed both legislative chambers unanimously. The bill says state agencies may only deny records requests during fires, floods or other disasters, under the provisions that are laid out in the state Right-to-Know Law. The bill also says governors can’t simply tell agencies to ignore requests during disaster emergencies. Wolf says he’s concerned about forcing state workers to go to their offices to dig up requests under dangerous conditions. The Office of Open Records will develop guidelines so records can be retrieved as safely as possible.

Rhode Island

Providence: Gov. Gina Raimondo on Monday announced increases to her proposed housing and infrastructure and recreational bond recommendations for the upcoming state budget as part of her plan to boost Rhode Island’s post-pandemic economy. The Housing and Infrastructure Bond, which the new proposal increases from $87.5 million to $310.5 million, includes a $40 million increase in the Housing and Community Revitalization Fund to help design, develop, or repair about 2,000 housing units statewide, the Democratic governor said. Another $183 million will go toward boosting the offshore wind industry, repairing the state’s roads and bridges, and building a new health laboratory for disease prevention and management to improve health care infrastructure and ensure the state is prepared for future pandemics. A $5 million increase in the Beach, Clean Water and Green Bond will help fund improvements to the state’s recreational facilities, protect the environment and invest in tourism.

South Carolina

Florence: Organizers for the annual South Carolina Pecan Festival said this year’s gathering will be canceled to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Organizers held off on canceling the festival for as long as possible to see if daily reported COVID-19 cases would decrease in the state, The Florence Morning News reports. But cases have continued to rise in the state since Memorial Day. The event, originally scheduled for Nov. 6 this year, usually draws 50,000 people to downtown Florence. “Like an old pecan tree, the drastic cutting back can result in tremendous new growth and restoration of balance,” festival chairman George D. Jebaily said. “Our S.C. Pecan Festival committee plans to use this time to continue to work on preparations for our return in 2021, bolder and more vibrant than before.”

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: A state health official on Monday encouraged residents to redouble their “individual” efforts to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, in line with the governor’s insistence that personal responsibility, rather than government mandates, is the best way to address the pandemic. After the Department of Health on Saturday reported the state’s highest daily total of cases since May, state epidemiologist Josh Clayton issued a reminder that populated counties have a high risk of infections spreading in the community. Republican Gov. Kristi Noem’s “personal responsibility” approach has emboldened organizers of events including rodeos and motorcycle rallies to proceed with their plans. But Camp Judson, a Christian summer camp near Keystone, saw an outbreak of the coronavirus among campers and canceled its plans to host junior high school students this week.

Tennessee

Nashville: The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 among lawmakers and staff at the Legislature has increased to 10. The latest totals, confirmed Monday by legislative administration director Connie Ridley, come more than two weeks after the first cases were confirmed. Ridley has repeatedly declined to provide a breakdown of how many lawmakers and legislative staff members were included in the totals. Rep. Kent Calfee, R-Kingston, confirmed July 10 that he and his wife tested positive. Unlike the Legislature, Gov. Bill Lee’s administration is refusing to provide positive case totals to the public. A spokesman for the governor declined to answer how many employees in the executive branch, including the governor’s office, and people working at the Capitol have tested positive for COVID-19. “We do not disclose the personal health information of employees,” Lee spokesperson Gillum Ferguson said.

Texas

Austin: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state surpassed 381,000 people Sunday as Texas reported 153 new deaths. State health officials said at least 381,656 people have tested positive for the virus, an increase of 5,810 confirmed cases since Saturday. The state said 147,511 cases are active, meaning they don’t include people who have died or recovered. The true number of cases in Texas is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick. The number of fatalities in the state from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, rose to 5,038.

Utah

St. George: The state reported its lowest single-day increase of positive cases of COVID-19 in more than a month Sunday, although Friday’s Pioneer Day holiday and a recent dip in the number of test results reported appeared to be part of the sudden dip. Utah added 350 new confirmed cases to the statewide count, the lowest figure since mid-June and about half as much as the average number of cases that were reported each day last week. There were also zero new deaths reported, although Sunday reports have typically shown fewer deaths than other days of the week. The state has counted 274 deaths total since officials started keeping track. After a steady increase in new cases reported that started at the end of May, Utah’s average number of new cases has slowed over the past week-plus. The rolling seven-day average for positive tests was 541 over the past seven days, compared to 637 a week earlier.

Vermont

Montpelier: The state’s court system is studying ways to resume jury trials safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, the courts announced Monday. In late May, the Vermont Supreme Court established a Jury Restart Committee and named associate justices Karen Carroll and Harold Eaton as co-chairs. The report, submitted to the Supreme Court on July 21, includes 28 recommendations regarding the resumption of criminal jury trials. These recommendations address community safety, public health and other issues relating to restarting criminal trials. “The committee report provides us with a thoughtful and detailed roadmap to consider in connection with our efforts to reestablish jury trials – an essential feature of our justice system,” Chief Justice Paul Reiber said in a statement.

Virginia

Richmond: Fewer new voters are registering to vote in the state because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports new voter registrations are significantly lower compared with the two most recent presidential elections. For instance, June experienced a 40% drop in the number of new voters who’ve registered in comparison to June 2016, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. June’s numbers were actually a slight rebound from the low numbers reported in May and April. Numbers have been ticking up as Department of Motor Vehicles centers have reopened. They are a primary location for voter registration. The virus has also stopped voter registration efforts like door-to-door canvassing and booths at public events. Many college campuses have also been closed.

Washington

Seattle: Gov. Jay Inslee said he is tightening restrictions throughout the state in restaurants and bars, for weddings and funerals, and at gyms in a further effort to stem a surge in COVID-19 cases. “I care about businesses opening and people getting back to work, but public health and economic activity go hand in hand,” Inslee said Thursday. “Our suppression of this virus is not at the level it needs to be to continue allowing for more activity. If we let this virus get even more out of control, it will have devastating effects on our health and on our economy.” The rate of disease transmission has been increasing around the state with a spike in transmission among people in their 20s spreading into all age groups in Washington, he said. The changes mostly affect indoor activities where the risk of virus exposure could be highest, officials said.

West Virginia

Charleston: Gov. Jim Justice last week extended an order that closed all bars in Monongalia County for an additional 10 days due to the coronavirus pandemic. The latest order, issued Thursday, is effective until Aug. 3. The county includes West Virginia University’s Morgantown campus. Students will start moving back into campus residence halls starting Aug. 8 for the fall semester. Monongalia County has reported at least 791 confirmed virus cases, by far the most in the state, according to state health officials. The number of active positive cases totals 289. “Monongalia County remains a hot spot, and going to a bar is among the riskiest things that we can do at a time where we’re trying to contain this terrible virus,” Justice said. The order does allow customers to purchase takeout food and drinks from Monongalia County bars. It also allows dining in bar areas of restaurants, hotels and other similar facilities.

Wisconsin

Milwaukee: State health officials reported fewer new COVID-19 cases Monday than on any day in the past two weeks. Of nearly 7,000 test results revealed by the Department of Health Services, 590 were positive for the virus, or 8.5%. The last time new cases were so few was July 13, when there were 494. Since then, the low had been 703 on July 20. All those lows came on Mondays. However, new cases have tended to dip early in the week – possibly because of delays in reporting test results over the weekend. And it’s a reflection of the virus’s recent spread that 590 now seems a low number. That would have been the state’s fourth-highest increase before the Fourth of July. Monday also saw the fewest new tests reported since July 13. The percent of tests that were positive was the second-highest in a week – higher, even, than it was last Tuesday, when a record 1,117 new cases were reported (7.7%)

Wyoming

Cheyenne: Officials plan to distribute 500,000 face masks to school districts around the state to help schools reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. The cloth face coverings will be washable and help school districts to meet safety standards for reopening schools this fall, state officials said Monday. The Wyoming Department of Health and Wyoming Office of Homeland Security obtained the face masks through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Schools will get the face masks in early August. State health officials urge people to use face masks in public where it’s not possible or reasonable for people to stay at least 6 feet apart.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports