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50 STATES
Coronavirus COVID-19

‘Breathe free or die,’ hunting trouble, Publix suit: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Birmingham: An app that’s been used in Alabama to warn people that they might have been exposed to the coronavirus is joining a growing network in other states, giving an extra layer of protection especially ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday season, officials announced. The GuideSafe Exposure Notification app was developed by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Alabama Department of Health and the Birmingham-based tech company MotionMobs, Al.com reports. So far Alabama’s version of the app has only worked with other people who’d downloaded the state’s version. But on Thursday the app was connected to a wider network called the Association of Public Health Laboratories National Key Server. That connects apps created by 13 states and the District of Columbia. More states are to be added in the future. So far 150,000 users have downloaded Alabama’s notification app.

Alaska

Anchorage: New analysis suggests 2 out of 3 Alaska adults have at least one risk factor that health officials link with a higher chance of severe COVID-19 infection. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services findings indicate most adult Alaska residents are at an increased risk for hospitalization or worse after contracting COVID-19, The Anchorage Daily News reports. The risk factors include past or current smoking, obesity, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease or previous heart attacks. Other factors such as advanced age also make serious coronavirus infections more likely. The combination of advanced age and chronic disease raises the number of Alaska adults living with vulnerability to severe coronavirus experiences to 71%, said Ann Potempa, public health specialist with the state health department’s Chronic Disease Prevention section.

Arizona

Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University cracked down on students who hadn’t received mandatory coronavirus testing by locking them out of their online classes, a move that prompted most to get into compliance. University spokeswoman Kimberly Ott said about 25 students were notified early in the past week that they wouldn’t have continued access to the online instruction system because they didn’t get tests or seek an exemption even after three email notifications and a phone call, the Arizona Daily Sun reports. The system is used for all online materials, including the submission of assignments and exams. Faculty members heard about the crackdown from distressed students who were unable to access their accounts, Faculty Senate President Gioia Woods said. “We all agree that a culture of compliance is CRUCIAL to containing COVID-19,” Woods said in an email. “But to block students in the final week of the semester is harmful, especially for students most at risk. And to do so without letting faculty or department chairs know resulted in panic and confusion.”

Arkansas

Little Rock: The pandemic is forcing some school districts in the state to adjust their operations and consider possibly switching to virtual instruction. Bryant Public Schools is seeing an increase in the number of positive cases and close contacts at its junior high and high school, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. Devin Sherrill, Bryant’s director of communications, said the district might consider moving to remote learning for the rest of the semester after the Thanksgiving holiday if the situation does not improve. There are 60 active positive cases in the district, which has about 9,400 students and 1,000 staff members. C.B. Partee Elementary School, part of the Brinkley School District, switched to virtual learning Friday because of teacher absenteeism linked to sickness and a shortage of substitutes, the district said in a Facebook post. Students will return to on-site learning Nov. 30. The Little Rock School District, which experienced an increase in cases last week, announced that basketball practice at Central High School is canceled through Dec. 1.

California

People dine outside Monday in Santa Monica, Calif.

Los Angeles: Los Angeles County announced new coronavirus-related restrictions Sunday that will prohibit in-person dining for at least three weeks as cases rise at the start of the holiday season, and officials statewide begged Californians to avoid traveling or gathering in groups for Thanksgiving. The new restrictions in Los Angeles County came as the California Department of Health and Human Services reported more than 15,000 coronavirus cases statewide Saturday – by far the highest level since the pandemic began in March. Another 14,000 cases were recorded Sunday. California’s average daily number of coronavirus cases has tripled in the past month, the Los Angeles Times found in an analysis, while COVID-19 hospitalizations have doubled in the same time period. LA County’s new rules take effect Wednesday at 10 p.m. Restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars will only be able to offer takeout, drive-thru and delivery services.

Colorado

Denver: Denver Public Schools has gone to fully remote learning for all grades for the rest of the semester as the coronavirus surges, the district announced Wednesday. Remote learning began for more than 90,000 students in the state’s largest school district Monday and runs through the end of winter break. The district’s decision also applies to special education students. In September, the district reported about 13 new coronavirus cases weekly, mostly involving teachers and staff, when it first opened early childhood education classes. It said newly reported cases now have surpassed 300 per week, causing teacher and staff shortages and forcing individual schools to close. “This deeply challenges our ability to operate our schools. And we’ve already had to close many schools because we lack the staff to run them, due to required quarantines and the shortage of available substitutes,” Superintendent Susana Cordova said in a statement. Democratic Gov. Jared Polis had urged schools to remain open. He said data shows that transmission in elementary schools is lower than in many other activities, making it a safer option.

Connecticut

Vernon: U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney has tested positive for the coronavirus and is isolating at home, he announced. Courtney said Sunday that he learned last week that he had been exposed to someone who later tested positive for the virus. “Upon learning of that initial exposure, I immediately began following the strict isolation guidelines laid out by the CDC and by my doctor while I waited to get a coronavirus test,” the Democrat said in a statement. The first test was negative, but the 67-year-old Courtney began to experience mild symptoms and got a second test, which came back positive, he said. Courtney, who represents Connecticut’s 2nd District, said he would continue to carry out his duties while in isolation at home. Courtney is the second member of the state’s five-member House delegation to contract COVID-19. Democrat Jahana Hayes tested positive for the virus in September.

Delaware

Wilmington: The seven-day average daily coronavirus case count set an all-time high as the state tested a record number of people in the days before Thanksgiving. The state reported 486 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, raising the seven-day average of new cases to a record 428.4. On Wednesday, the state recorded nearly 11,000 tests, the most ever in one day. The numbers show more people in Delaware are seeking out a test, and a significant portion of them are returning positive results. The daily average percentage of tests that are positive is 5.9%, the highest it’s been since early June. The average daily case count has grown by 90% over the past two weeks. New restrictions that became effective Monday limit private indoor gatherings to 10 people. Gov. John Carney said last week that the state will rely on voluntary compliance and won’t be “knocking on doors” to enforce the restriction on Thanksgiving.

District of Columbia

Washington: D.C.’s homeless population is feeling the effects of rising coronavirus risk, WUSA-TV reports. Nearly 10,000 Washingtonians are considered homeless per the city’s point-in-time annual count, and nurse practitioner Carolyn Summer, who works with Unity Health Care to treat vulnerable individuals, said anyone without a home to isolate is particularly at risk during the pandemic. She said D.C. has two types of emergency response sites in hotels. One type is an isolation and quarantine center to house those who were exposed to the coronavirus or tested positive. The other center, a Pandemic Emergency Program for Vulnerable Individuals, provides a home to those at the highest risk of developing severe symptoms if they contract the virus. For the homeless population now living in the PEPVI hotels, she said the pandemic has offered a silver lining. “Blood pressures are getting more under control; diabetes is getting under control,” she said. “So in addition to keeping people safe from COVID, we’re hopefully improving their health overall.”

Florida

Gerardo Gutierrez, of Miami, died April 28 from COVID-19. His family is suing his employer, Publix, for allegedly prohibiting employees from wearing masks before April 20.

Miami: Calling the actions of the Publix supermarket chain before April 20 “shameful,” a Miami law firm filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the supermarket giant Monday morning for allegedly prohibiting employees from wearing protective masks and gloves during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit, filed by Michael Levine and Dax Bello of Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain, claims 70-year-old deli worker Gerardo Gutierrez died April 28 after contracting the virus from a co-worker at a Publix in Miami Beach. As the coronavirus began to spread throughout Florida, Publix made the decision to prohibit employees from wearing masks because of its belief that the masks would scare off customers, the lawsuit claims. “To find that Publix made this callous decision to say you can’t wear a mask is just shameful,” Levine said.

Georgia

Filmmaker/actor Tyler Perry, known for the “Madea” films, appears during a ceremony honoring him with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Oct. 1, 2019, in Los Angeles.

Atlanta: Thousands of people jammed roads for miles Sunday to try to get boxes of food and gift cards donated by entertainer Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry Studios said it had enough boxes of canned vegetables and $25 gift cards for 5,000 families to drive through and pick up. The studio said it was out of food by 10 a.m. Sunday. The line started forming Saturday and at one point stretched for 5 miles south of downtown Atlanta, media outlets report. Volunteers in protective equipment were handing out the food and gift cards.

Hawaii

Honolulu: A group of organizations on the Big Island has distributed $7.5 million in federal funds to help pay rent and mortgages for 1,322 households during the COVID-19 economic and health crisis, officials said. The organizations used their backgrounds in homeless assistance and disaster response to establish uniform applications and coordinate to prevent duplication and delays in distribution of federal coronavirus recovery funds, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. The organizations include Hawaiian Community Assets, Hawaii Community Lending, Hawaii First Federal Credit Union, Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island, HOPE Services Hawaii, Hawaii Island Home for Recovery and Neighborhood Place of Puna. To help respond to the volume of Hawaii island renters and homeowners still seeking assistance, county officials issued an additional $1 million in federal funds Friday and plan to provide $1.4 million more this week, said Sharon Hirota, an executive assistant to Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim.

Idaho

A moose cools off in the Chain Lakes area along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes in Idaho.

Boise: Hunting license sales in the state are up as more residents seek a way to safely get out of the house without contracting COVID-19, but that has led to inexperienced hunters misidentifying and killing moose and a grizzly bear, wildlife officials say. In addition, blatant poaching has increased in northern Idaho. “Hunting is that outdoor activity that follows all the COVID recommendations and gets people outside,” Idaho Department of Fish and Game Enforcement Chief Greg Wooten said Friday. “They’re doing what they’re being asked to do. They just need to comply with the (wildlife hunting) laws.” He said poaching appears to be at normal levels throughout most of the state, and the agency has been trying to publicize incidents using social media in an attempt to catch poachers. Wooten said the most shocking incident for him has been the illegal killing of three moose in Valley County over a two-week period this fall. Two appear to be hunters who thought the moose was some other animal. Wooten said the third appeared to be a case of someone shooting a large bull and just leaving it to rot.

Illinois

Springfield: Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration is reminding local government officials of a Dec. 1 deadline to submit applications for federal relief from the coronavirus pandemic. Congress approved so-called Local CURE funds as part of a COVID-19 relief package last spring. The money must be spent by Dec. 30. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity reported it has initiated the process with the 1,400 eligible governments, but many have yet to complete required steps. DCEO said 503 local governments have received or will receive a total of $112 million thus far. But more than 400 government bodies are still eligible and have not completed applications. Eligible costs incurred between March 1 and Dec. 30 include payrolls for public health and public safety, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, emergency medical expenses, and public health spending necessary to comply with government orders.

Indiana

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb gets a high five from Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch after winning his second term as governor Nov. 3 in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis: The start of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s second term in January won’t include any large public celebrations because of coronavirus concerns, the head of the state Republican Party said Friday. Holcomb won a landslide reelection this month for another four years in office. The Republican entered office in 2017 with an inaugural ball at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in downtown Indianapolis and an inauguration ceremony attended by about 2,000 people at the state fairgrounds coliseum. “While we’d love to celebrate our historic victories together to usher in the second term of Governor Holcomb, the time just isn’t right to do so,” state Republican Chairman Kyle Hupfer said in a statement. “It remains our full intent to appropriately celebrate the governor’s reelection with the entire team that made it possible when circumstances allow.” Holcomb and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch will legally take their oaths of office at some point before their new terms begin Jan. 11.

Iowa

Des Moines: The state surpassed 211,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 2,200 deaths Monday and remains ranked third-highest in the nation for virus positivity rate. There were 1,661 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours and 13 additional deaths, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. That raised the total number of cases identified in the state to 211,722, and the number of deaths rose to 2,205. The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks from nearly 18 deaths per day Nov. 8 to 29 deaths per day Nov. 22, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. The daily number of cases has been ranging between 3,000 to 5,000 on most days this month, and the low daily count Monday is likely due to a significant decrease in test results posted in the past few days. Iowa’s seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate was 44.7% on Nov. 22, ranking third-highest third in the nation behind Wyoming and South Dakota, according to Johns Hopkins data. Those hospitalized with COVID-19 fell slightly to 1,333, but the 273 patients in intensive care was up 18 from Sunday.

Kansas

Topeka: The Legislature plans to spend about $3million on technology upgrades in hopes that people will be able to watch committee hearings and other functions even if they can’t leave their homes because of the coronavirus pandemic. The upgrades are designed to ensure that legislative committee rooms and even conference spaces are outfitted with audiovisual equipment to broadcast events to the public. The upgrades, which the Legislature’s top seven leaders approved Thursday, are planned as lawmakers are starting to consider exactly how the Legislature will conduct business after it convenes its next annual session in January. Most decisions are pending. Legislative leaders also could require plexiglass partitions in committee rooms, close the House and Senate galleries, and limit on who can enter the building. They also could require lawmakers to wear masks.

Kentucky

Gov. Beshear has announced new rules to better screen nursing home workers.

Louisville: As the state posts record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 cases and rising deaths, the state’s nursing homes and senior living sites are bracing for grim weeks ahead in facilities where residents and staff already have been hit hard by the coronavirus. Last week, the state enlisted the Kentucky National Guard to help at nursing homes suffering acute staff shortages because of workers who have been infected with the virus or forced to quarantine because they have been exposed on the job or in the community to COVID-19. “It’s taking a devastating toll on our staff and our residents,” said Tim Veno, president of LeadingAge Kentucky, which represents nursing homes and other providers. “It’s as if this infection never lets up.” Eric Friedlander, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said state officials are preparing for a new round of nursing home infections as the virus spreads across the state. Already, nearly 15,000 nursing home residents and staff members statewide have tested positive for the virus since it first struck Kentucky on March 6. Of those, 1,119 residents and six workers have died.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: The state’s agriculture commissioner is urging farmers and ranchers to turn in their applications for federal coronavirus assistance ahead of next month’s deadline, and he’s worried some who are eligible may be missing out on available aid. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in May that it was giving out up to $16 billion in direct payments to farmers who suffered losses during the coronavirus pandemic, such as market disruptions, price declines and increased marketing costs. Another $14 billion was added to the assistance program in September. Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said the deadline to apply through local Farm Service Agency offices is Dec. 11. “Eligibility is different for each program, and we think nurseries and specialty crop producers just aren’t aware that they could be eligible for assistance,” said Craig McCain, state executive director of the Farm Service Agency.

Maine

Portland: The University of Maine System is in the midst of an effort it called “safe departure testing” to avoid sending students home for Thanksgiving with the coronavirus. The goal of the effort is to avoid having students who might be infected but are not showing symptoms spread the virus to others, system Chancellor Dannel Malloy said. The system has 5,000 test results in hand and is working to isolate 31 cases of the coronavirus that would have gone undetected without the effort, he said. “We want all of our students home with their families as soon as they are cleared to travel, but we have made plans to support isolating students with extra care and comfort through the Thanksgiving holiday,” Molloy said. The UMaine System, which has more than 30,000 students, faculty and staff, has a total of 80 known cases of the coronavirus at the moment, the system said in a statement. The people who tested positive are in isolation, the system said.

Maryland

Baltimore: The mayor has vetoed two bills that would have required hospitality businesses to rehire laid-off workers in the city once they reopen and required hotels to retain staff if their owners change. The Baltimore City Council approved both bills by wide margins amid pushback from the hotel industry, but Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young called the bills government overreach when they got to his desk last week, The Baltimore Sun reports. “While I appreciate the intent of this bill and agree that the city needs to continue doing everything it can to help our service workers weather the COVID-19 pandemic, I cannot in good conscience sign this particular piece of legislation which overreaches the authority of the Council and of City Government,” Young wrote in his veto letter. The legislations were supported by Unite Here, a union that represents workers in the hospitality industry. Roxie Herbekian, Unite Here’s Local 7 president, said in a statement that Young’s claims “that the legislation oversteps the law is bogus.”

Massachusetts

Boston: The state agency that owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport must cut about 25% of its workforce amid a $400 million budget deficit brought on by a steep drop in travel during the coronavirus pandemic, agency executives say. The savings will come from a combination of layoffs, voluntary buyouts of union and administrative workers, and furloughs of administrative staff, CEO Lisa Wieland told the Massachusetts Port Authority’s board Thursday, according to the Boston Herald. The voluntary program will begin immediately, and the layoffs are expected in January. Logan had 42 million passengers last year. This year, the “optimistic” forecast was 22 million, and the “worst case” was 13 million, according to Massport. Logan’s passenger numbers are down to what they were in the mid-1970s, Wieland said. Traffic last month was nearly 80% below October 2019.

Michigan

Grand Rapids: A girl who was the center of a police controversy after being placed in handcuffs by officers when she was 11 years old has died of COVID-19 complications, her family said online Sunday. Honestie Hodges, 14, tested positive for the coronavirus Nov. 9 and was rushed to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital later that day, according to an online fundraising page set up by her grandmother, Alisa Niemeyer. Niemeyer posted an update Sunday to the fundraiser, writing, “It is with an extremely heavy heart that I have to tell all of you that my beautiful, sassy, smart loving Granddaughter has gone home to be with Jesus.” A spokesperson for Spectrum Health System, which includes Helen Devos Children’s Hospital, said Honestie’s condition was listed as critical Sunday morning but could not confirm her death, citing privacy concerns. A Grand Rapids police officer placed Honestie in handcuffs in December 2017 as police searched for one of her aunts suspected in a stabbing. Body camera footage shows Honestie crying and pleading with the officer not to cuff her. The incident sparked demands for justice.

Minnesota

The COVIDaware MN app is a voluntary tracking tool allowing COVID-19 patients to alert contacts they may have been exposed to the infectious disease.

Minneapolis: State officials urged residents Monday to download a free app for their smartphones that will notify them if someone who’s been near them later tests positive for the coronavirus and will allow them to warn others anonymously if they test positive themselves. Tarek Tomes, the state’s information technology commissioner, stressed at a briefing for reporters that participation in COVIDaware MN is voluntary and that the system contains ample privacy safeguards for those who opt in. It uses exposure notification technology developed by Google and Apple that is already being used under different names in about 20 other states and 35 countries around the world to try to slow the spread of COVID-19. “If communities are willing to adopt the app, use it to report positive test results and follow health recommendations when notified of an exposure, this app can help us return to many of the activities we miss so much and save lives,” Tomes said.

Mississippi

Gulfport: A Gulf Coast casino has become one of many businesses nationwide to sue its insurer for refusing to cover business losses because of the coronavirus pandemic. Island View Casino Resort in Gulfport contends in the federal lawsuit that its insurer owes it $10 million for business losses caused by a 65-day COVID-19 shutdown in the spring. Gulfside Casino Partnership, Island View’s owner, is also demanding $90 million in punitive damages, attorney’s fees and interest. The Sun Herald reports Island View says it lost $46.2 million in revenue when it was closed from March 16 until May 21 under orders from the Mississippi Gaming Commission. However, its policy only covers up to $10 million. Gulfport attorney Joe Sam Owen, who represents the partnership, said legal disputes over COVID-19 insurance claims generally have boiled down to the definition of “physical damage.”

Missouri

O’Fallon: Hospital beds across the state are nearly four-fifths full, and capacity is even more limited in intensive care units as the coronavirus pandemic continues its autumn surge. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on Monday cited 2,805 hospitalizations statewide – double the number from a month ago. The state’s COVID-19 dashboard notes that just 21% of capacity remains at hospitals, and ICU capacity is down to 17%. Bed capacity is at 13% in northwest Missouri, 17% in the St. Louis region and 19% in Kansas City. ICU capacity is at 13% in the southwestern part of the state and in St. Louis. More than 100 patients are hospitalized at CoxHealth facilities in Springfield and elsewhere in the Ozarks region. Missouri Hospital Association spokesman David Dillon said staffing shortages at hospitals are also a major concern. And the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force said Friday that projections show the region’s hospitals maxing out intensive care units in a matter of days, so a field hospital is under consideration, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Montana

Billings: The growth of the state’s economy slowed in October after signs of recovery in months prior. Federal job figures released Friday showed that the growth in nonfarm payroll employment was 1,200 jobs, the lowest month of recovery since May, the Billings Gazette reports. There were 470,200 nonfarm payroll jobs in the state in October. About 64,300 nonfarm payroll jobs were lost in the state during the first two months of the pandemic, according to the labor bureau. Many of those jobs returned when businesses reopened with some restrictions and widespread stay-at-home orders were lifted in May. That month, 18,500 nonfarm jobs returned to the state. In June, another 14,500 jobs returned to the state. But increases in payroll jobs after June have been more modest. In July, the state added 2,900 jobs, and in August it added another 3,600 jobs. In September, the state gained 4,400 nonfarm payroll jobs.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts warned at a press conference Monday that the state could impose tighter social distancing restrictions within the next few days if hospitalizations continue to rise. Nebraska reported one of its lowest numbers of new coronavirus cases this month Sunday, but the number of people hospitalized with the virus remains high and continues to strain hospital capacity in the state. The potential restrictions would limit indoor gatherings to 10 people, outdoor gatherings to 25, and bars to carry-out and delivery services. “It could be as early as this week,” Ricketts said. “It could be before Thanksgiving that we could see that threshold go into place.” State health department data shows 976 people were being treated for COVID-19 in hospitals, slightly below the record of 987 set Friday. Patients with COVID-19 are occupying 23% of the state’s hospital beds, approaching the threshold of 25% that will trigger new restrictions.

Nevada

Carson City: Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak announced plans Sunday to tighten restrictions on casinos, restaurants and private gatherings such as Thanksgiving dinner in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The new restrictions, scheduled to go into effect Tuesday, come amid an unprecedented surge that has broken records in the state in terms of cases, deaths and infection rates throughout November. Sisolak, who has avoided tightening mandates throughout the fall due to the havoc they could wreak on Nevada’s tourism-based economy, said the trends led to an “inescapable conclusion.” “We are on a rapid trajectory that threatens to overwhelm our health care system, our front-line health workers and your access to care. So it’s time to act,” said Sisolak, who recently contracted COVID-19. The new restrictions reduce the capacity limits for high-risk areas including restaurants, bars, gyms, places of worship and casinos. They will also be applied to public and private gatherings, limiting them to no more than 10 people, from no more than two households.

New Hampshire

Frank Staples of Absolute Defiance leads a protest outside the home of New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu on Sunday in Newfields.

Concord: At least 100 people protested Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s mask mandate, chanting, “Breathe free or die,” and “We will not comply,” outside his home in Newfields on Sunday. Sununu issued an executive order that took effect Friday requiring masks to be worn in public spaces, indoors or outside, when social distancing isn’t possible. Protest organizer Frank Staples, working with a group called Absolute Defiance, was asked Sunday why the protest was held outside Sununu’s home rather than at the Statehouse. “The Statehouse is closed,” Staples said. “He has shut everything down and is running the government from his house, so right now this is the Statehouse. We will be here every weekend till he ends his executive orders and the state of emergency.” Sununu had previously resisted calls for a statewide mandate but said last week that one was appropriate given the rising percentage of positive test results, the doubling of the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past two weeks, new outbreaks at five nursing homes and an “incredibly alarming rate” of asymptomatic community transmission. The order expires Jan. 15.

New Jersey

Asbury Park: Gov. Phil Murphy’s family had their meal interrupted after two people began cursing at the governor over his COVID-19 policies. A 36-second video clip of the incident spread over social media after it was posted on Facebook on Sunday afternoon. At least two women appear to be yelling at Murphy off camera, saying, “Oh my God, Murphy. You are such a (expletive).” Seconds later, after Murphy’s son Josh asks one of the women to put on her mask, she tells him, “You can go (expletive) yourself.” “You know why I don’t need to wear a mask. Because there ain’t nothing (expletive) wrong with me,” one woman says. Josh Murphy then points to the woman’s cellphone case, saying, “I like your Trump phone case. Guess who Trump likes. He likes my dad.” The woman responds with more cursing. The governor does not speak to the women and continues to eat his meal.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: State lawmakers are drafting legislation aimed at providing about $300 million in direct economic aid for the unemployed, small businesses and emergency housing subsidies. The proposal is aimed at providing a jolt of relief to a state economy reeling from a surge in pandemic infections and deaths. A renewed stay-at-home order has halted in-person activity at nonessential businesses through at least Nov. 30 and limits capacity at grocery stores, drugstores and hardware stores. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham scheduled a one-day special session for Tuesday in hopes of delivering weekly supplemental unemployment checks of $300 shortly after Thanksgiving. The statewide unemployment rate was 8.1% in October, well above the 6.9% national rate. New Mexico depleted its unemployment insurance fund in September and has begun borrowing money from the federal government to fulfill claims.

New York

New York: A Brooklyn synagogue should be investigated over reports that it hosted a secret wedding with thousands of unmasked guests earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday. “If that happened, it was a blatant disregard of the law,” Cuomo said during a briefing in New York City. “It’s illegal. It was also disrespectful of the people of New York.” The New York Post reports guests, mostly unmasked, crammed inside the Yetev Lev temple in Williamsburg for the Nov. 8 wedding of Yoel Teitelbaum, a grandson of Satmar Grand Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, in blatant violation of coronavirus restrictions that ban large indoor gatherings. The synagogue has a capacity of 7,000 people. Organizers kept the wedding secret after state officials canceled an earlier Satmar wedding, the Post reports, citing a Yiddish newspaper, Der Blatt. A spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city is investigating.

North Carolina

Melinda Edwards, left, and Anna Kelly shop at Pretty as a Peach Boutique at the Asheville Outlets on Friday in Asheville, N.C.

Asheville: Despite a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, shopping malls and other local stores saw a lot of traffic as hundreds of people elected to get a head start on their holiday shopping Saturday. “I know some people will say that holiday shopping is a nonessential reason to get out during a pandemic, but I disagree,” Asheville resident Jacob Pima said. While most people who browsed through the Asheville Mall, Asheville Outlets and stores along Biltmore Avenue wore face coverings, several patrons elected not to as they shopped for holiday items. Shoppers admitted to shopping primarily online but cited a desire to visit stores in person to support local businesses as a reason to risk being out during a pandemic. The health crisis has forced many lifestyle adjustments. The financial effects of COVID-19 have made this holiday shopping season more difficult for Pima, and splurging on gifts for family and friends won’t be an option this year, he said.

North Dakota

Bismarck: State health officials are rolling out free rapid coronavirus testing for teachers, staff and school administrators this week as part of a pilot project designed to slow the virus’s spread by identifying and quickly isolating people who may be asymptomatic. Testing of K-12 teachers will start in the Fargo and West Fargo school districts and will be expanded to other districts in coming days and weeks. Teachers, staff and administrators who work closely with students are being encouraged to get tested weekly through Dec. 31. Students will not be tested as part of the effort. State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said the rapid testing will add an additional layer to strong mitigation strategies schools are already using to keep in-person learning safe. North Dakota ranks first in the country in new COVID-19 cases per capita, with 2,418 per 100,000 people over the past two weeks. One in every 86 people in North Dakota tested positive in the past week.

Ohio

Cleveland: A customer left a $3,000 tip for a single beer as a restaurant voluntarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The man walked into Nighttown on Sunday in Cleveland, ordered the beer and asked for the check, which came to $7.02, owner Brendan Ring wrote on Facebook. Ring said the man wished him well and told him to share the tip with the four employees who were working brunch service. As the man walked out, Ring wrote, he looked down at the tip and “realized he left a whopping $3,000.” “I ran after him and he said no mistake we will see you when you reopen!” Ring said he would not post the customer’s name because he thinks the man wouldn’t want that. The owner said he and his serving staff were “humbly grateful for this incredibly kind and grand gesture.”

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The City Council on Tuesday is to vote on whether to extend a citywide mask mandate in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The council will consider extending the mandate, which was first approved in July and has been extended twice already, from Dec. 7 to Jan. 22. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Oklahoma has risen from 1,735 new cases per day Nov. 8 to 2,886 on Sunday, based on data from Johns Hopkins University. The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths increased from 13 to 15 per day during the same time period. The state health department on Monday reported 3,544 new cases and 15 additional deaths due to the illness caused by the virus for totals of 177,874 cases and 1,649 deaths since the start of the pandemic. The department reported 1,495 people hospitalized either with the virus or under investigation for infection.

Oregon

Portland: Nearly three dozen current and incoming state lawmakers have sent a letter to Gov. Kate Brown demanding an immediate increase in coronavirus testing statewide as case numbers spike, The Oregonian/OregonLive reports. The letter sent last week by 32 Republican and Democratic lawmakers from the Willamette Valley emphasized that California and Washington surpass Oregon in the number of people tested but that Oregon’s test positivity rate is much higher than in those states. Oregon’s rate recently topped 12%, while California’s is 5.6%, and Washington’s is 4.8%. The Oregonian/OregonLive found that the number of people tested now barely exceeds the number tested in July. Oregon is now identifying an average of nearly 990 new cases a day, a record. Brown has not responded to the bipartisan letter. “We cannot afford to continue with the current testing systems in place today,” the lawmakers wrote to Brown, a Democrat. “Oregonians need certainty and they need access to testing.”

Pennsylvania

Groundhog Club co-handler Al Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil during the 134th celebration of Groundhog Day on Feb. 2, 2020, on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa.

Punxsutawney: The coronavirus pandemic means Groundhog Day won’t be the same in this town long associated with a prognosticating rodent. Organizers said Punxsutawney Phil will predict whether spring will come early or winter will last longer in 2021 without the usual crowds who gather at Gobbler’s Knob, a tiny hill just outside the town about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Phil and his inner circle will deliver the Feb. 2 prediction virtually by means of a live internet stream and website, organizers said. “But it has been determined that there will not be any in-person attendance or guests on the grounds as the potential COVID risks to overcome are too great.” Organizers will continue to monitor the pandemic in case the situation changes. The annual event has its origin in a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on Feb. 2, winter continues. If not, spring comes early.

Rhode Island

Providence: About 1 out of every 4 households in the state struggled over the summer to put food on the table amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report released Monday. Despite federal assistance, 25% of households were worried about having adequate food, up from 9.1% last year and the highest level of food insecurity in Rhode Island in 20 years, according to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s annual Status Report on Hunger. “That’s shocking,” CEO Andrew Schiff said. The food insecurity caused by the pandemic has hit families of color particularly hard. “Where 21% of white households lack adequate food, 36% of Black households and 40% of Latinx households are food insecure,” the report said. The United Way of Rhode Island received nearly 60,000 calls for food assistance between March and August, a 77% increase from the same period in 2019. The figures are based on a random sample of 2,100 households surveyed in July and August as part of the RI Life Index, an initiative of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and the Brown University School of Public Health.

South Carolina

Charleston: Hunters bagged about 100 fewer alligators in the state this hunting season than last year. The Post and Courier reports that just 243 gators were bagged from September to October. The state Department of Natural Resources said cooler temperatures, rain and COVID-19 could all be factors for the decrease. “I don’t know if that was a combination of weather or a combination of weather and COVID,” Jay Butfiloski, the department’s alligator program coordinator, told the Post and Courier. “It was definitely a strange year all around, as everybody can attest.” More than 7,000 people from 47 states applied to hunt alligators in South Carolina this year. The department drew 1,000 applicants from a lottery. Three 13-foot-long gators were reported to the agency, and one processing company said it received a gator from Lake Moultrie weighing 758 pounds.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The spread of the coronavirus in the state continued to ease Monday, with the South Dakota Department of Health reporting 783 new cases, though hospitalizations rose further. That brought the seven-day average of new cases to 1,081, down from the high of 1,458 on Nov. 14. The state also reported 4,344 new tests, which brought the seven-day average for tests to a new high: 6,608. The state’s active infections increased to 17,350, with 330 recoveries. The number of people hospitalized increased by five to 582. South Dakota has reported 175 deaths in the past week. The number of deaths that the state reports is typically lower immediately after the weekend.

Tennessee

Wearing masks and social distancing because of COVID-19, prospective MTSU students and their parents listen to guide Tito Hernandez as they take a guide campus tours earlier this fall at the Blue Horseshoe near Peck Hall.

Murfreesboro: Middle Tennessee State University communications students got a chance to produce a real-world advertising campaign this fall encouraging their fellow students to wear masks to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Their campaign focused on everyday challenges like parking, finding a spot to study, or remembering a student ID, and it pointed out that wearing a mask was easier than all of these, according to the school. The students even encouraged teachers to add their own “it’s easier than …” comparisons on syllabi and in the classroom. “We realized that the fact-based messaging just isn’t working,” said Bella Utley, a senior advertising major. “This had to be concise, easy to digest and hit on an emotional level for students.” The promotions all end with the tag line “Wear Your Mask. Defend True Blue.”

Texas

Arlington: The city is using one family’s brush with the coronavirus as a warning to others who might be considering big get-togethers this Thanksgiving. Alexa Aragonez told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that her family weighed the risks of catching the virus but decided to get together for a birthday party Nov. 1. A couple of days later, her 57-year-old mother, Enriqueta Aragonez, and others who were at the party began to feel sick. They got tested, and all 12 who attended were positive for the virus. Three other people with whom they had come in contact also tested positive, said Alexa Aragonez, 26, who didn’t attend. In a video as part of the city’s public awareness campaign, Enriqueta Aragonez says from the hospital, “I went to my nephew’s house and love seeing my family. But now I’m fighting against COVID-19.” She is now recovering at home, and although she doesn’t need supplemental oxygen, she still has pain in her lungs, Alexa Aragonez said. “We were scared that my mother, the matriarch of the family, was going to pass,” she said. “So I think that fear in our hearts made us want to put an awareness in the hearts of others.”

Utah

Levi: Prosecutors have filed charges against a person who hosted a Halloween party in this Provo-Orem suburb. The city of Levi said Thursday that police shut down a party at a commercial building after receiving a nuisance complaint on Halloween day. The city prosecutor charged the event host with a health order violation, nuisance violation and disorderly conduct. The property owner was charged with a nuisance violation, fire code violation and health order violation, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Coronavirus cases have substantially increased in the state in recent weeks. A week before Halloween, Gov. Gary Herbert had warned residents that the state’s health system was near capacity as a result of the pandemic. Public health officials have asked residents to avoid large gatherings during the holidays.

Vermont

Winter view on a snowmobile trail in Vermont.

Montpelier: Snowmobilers can still enjoy the sport this winter amid the COVID-19 pandemic as long as they abide by the governor’s emergency orders, officials say. Out-of-staters can come to Vermont and snowmobile if they quarantine for 14 days in their second home or rented home, the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers announced last week. They can also quarantine for seven days and then get a negative coronavirus test report to carry with them on the VAST trails, the Caledonian Record reports. This winter, riders must stay in their family groups, follow social distancing and wear masks whenever they take off their helmets, said Roger Gosselin, who represents Orleans County on the VAST board of directors. Vermont’s seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont has risen over the past two weeks from 24 new cases per day Nov. 7 to 100 on Nov. 21.

Virginia

Richmond: The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles announced Monday that commercial drivers will now be allowed to renew their licenses online, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Commercial driver’s license holders previously were required to visit DMV offices in person to renew their credentials. The change in policy comes as the DMV struggles to clear a large backlog of in-person appointments caused by office closures during the first few months of the pandemic. DMV centers are now open by appointment-only, but many are booked three months out. “We are continually looking for ways to assist our customers during these challenging times,” DMV Commissioner Richard Holcomb said in a news release. “The opportunity to renew online gives our commercial driving community a convenient service option and focus office appointment opportunities on transactions for customers who need in-person assistance.”

Washington

Seattle: The number of people hospitalized to receive treatment for the coronavirus has reached a record high in the state, forcing hospitals to make changes to meet the influx of patients, health officials said. There were 762 people receiving hospital care for the virus in Washington as of Saturday, KOMO-TV reports. “I am very, very worried about it,” Washington State Hospital Association CEO Cassie Sauer said. Leaders from hospitals statewide met last week to consider strategies to ensure they have room to care for COVID-19 patients as the hospitalization rate climbs. “Every hospital is now making a plan for how they’re going to cancel elective surgeries, so they’re looking at their cases, especially those that would require long hospital stays after surgery, and making plans that they may need to cancel those,” Sauer said. The cancellations under consideration to make room for coronavirus patients include joint and heart valve replacements and some cancer surgeries, Sauer said. At the Swedish First Hill campus of Seattle’s Swedish Medical Center, 10 coronavirus patients were admitted within a span of five hours Wednesday.

West Virginia

Charleston: The state has again smashed a weekly record for confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Health officials said there were 5,153 confirmed cases of the virus statewide last week, up 11.4% from the old record of 4,623 positive cases set the previous week. In the past month, the number of active cases has more than doubled to at least 13,678. Infection rates in 19 counties have forced school systems to suspend in-person instruction. Gov. Jim Justice and leaders remain reluctant to impose new restrictions on businesses and public life. The state has instead focused on mask-wearing and increased testing. “In some areas, COVID is spreading fast enough that perhaps some focused and precise strategies will need to be done,” said Clay Marsh, a West Virginia University official leading the state’s coronavirus response, speaking at a news conference with Justice. “This is certainly the governor’s and his leadership’s decision.” Winter youth sports may be further delayed, Justice said, after he pushed their start to Jan. 11, which he said is “looking really tough” now.

Wisconsin

Madison: A conservative law firm asked the state Supreme Court on Monday to immediately block Dane County’s ban on indoor gatherings and indoor sports, arguing the order will ruin Thanksgiving and subject young athletes to mental trauma. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed a petition with the high court on behalf of two parents of young athletes and an indoor gymnasium. The petition asks the justices to take the case directly without waiting for it to wind through lower courts and issue an immediate injunction blocking the ban. The firm argues the high court should take the case because many counties have been expanding their coronavirus ordinances, and the state needs clarification on how much power local elected officials can delegate to health departments. Janel Heinrich, the director of Dane County and the city of Madison’s joint health department, has “egregiously” seized power and is ruling the county and city “by decree,” the firm contends. The health department’s spokeswoman, Sarah Mattes, said the agency is trying to protect people’s health using science and data.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: State health officials have reported an increase of 742 confirmed coronavirus cases from Saturday to Sunday. There were 24,309 confirmed cases as of Sunday compared to the 23,567 cases reported Saturday, The Wyoming Eagle Tribune reports. Natrona County, which includes Casper, reported the highest number of new cases at 115, officials said. Laramie County, which includes Cheyenne, reported 105 new cases, while Fremont County reported the next highest number at 95. Statewide, the number of active COVID-19 cases increased from 10,704 on Saturday to 11,186 on Sunday, or by 482 cases, health officials said. The number of active cases in Laramie County was 1,588, an increase of 60 from Saturday to Sunday. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

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