Cincinnati Zoo, Lollapalooza, Glacier National Park: News from around our 50 states
Alabama
Montgomery: Hospital officials in the state capital raised concern about a rapid rise in virus cases in Montgomery County. The county, with 2,100 cases, now has the second-highest number of virus cases in the state, second only to Mobile. Dr. Don Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, said the trends in central Alabama are alarming. “It’s community transmission,” Williamson said. He said there is not a single location, like a nursing home, behind the rise in Montgomery cases. The Hospital Association said in a news release that the rate of new cases in Montgomery is outpacing other urban areas, with the county reporting more than 800 new cases in the last two weeks, about twice what was seen in Jefferson and Mobile counties. Williamson said the influx of virus cases has helped fill intensive care units similar to what happens in flu season, although hospitals have rooms and ventilators for critically ill patients. But he said they need the community’s help to avoid being overwhelmed. “You don’t need to go out and do things just because you can. Minimizing exposure, wearing a mask, washing hands and social distancing are critically important,” Williamson said.
Alaska
Bethel: Donlin Gold announced plans to restart its drilling program as the state loosens coronavirus restrictions. The mining company said the drilling program is its largerst in 12 years, but operations were suspended in March as the state issued health restrictions on travel and mandated quarantines of out-of-state workers, Alaska’s Energy Desk reported Monday. Donlin announced summer plans to rotate 60 people in two crews, working three weeks on and then three weeks off. The company said it will require employees to take coronavirus screening tests before arriving at the mine and again when they leave. In addition to screening, the company expects to use charter flights to transport workers to and from the mine and require workers to maintain 6 feet of distance in eating areas and living quarters. The company hopes to build one of the largest gold mines in the world, and recently began drilling for samples to expand the mine’s operating life. After the completing construction of the mine, company officials believe the production could last 27 years or longer depending on the size of the deposit. Donlin Gold spokesperson Kristina Woolston said the company continues to hire employees. As part of its lease agreement with two Alaska Native Regional Corporations that own the land and mineral rights, Donlin must prioritize shareholder hires. Donlin has not provided precise figures of the number of people arriving from outside the region to work at its mining camps.
Arizona
Phoenix: The number of Maricopa County jail inmates who have tested positive for the new coronavirus has increased sharply over the last five days, leading officials to consider mass testing at county correctional facilities. Officials on Monday night reported that 203 of the county’s approximately 4,500 inmates have tested positive, compared to 30 cases as of Thursday. Nineteen Maricopa County detention officers also have tested positive. The number of cases in Maricopa County’s jails is approaching the total in state prisons, where 237 of Arizona’s 40,000 prisoners have tested positive. The increase in Maricopa County jails came as more inmates were tested and the county conducts contact tracing inside detention facilities. Some inmates who previously tested negative have since been confirmed to have contracted the virus. Inmates who tested positive are isolated and being treated. Fields Moseley, a spokesman for the county agency that specializes in providing health care to inmates, said mass testing is one of several options being considered by officials as they manage the risks of COVID-19 behind bars. Moseley said mass testing would be undertaken only if health officials conclude it’s needed. Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union called for all inmates in Maricopa County jails to be tested, saying the virus can spread quickly once an outbreak occurs in a detention facility. Moseley said the county’s consideration of large-scale testing isn’t a response to the ACLU.
Arkansas
Little Rock: Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday he will announce this week whether the state can further ease coronavirus restrictions even as the number of cases in the state passed 10,000. Hutchinson said he planned to announce Wednesday whether and when the state can enter “Phase 2” of reopening. Arkansas has allowed businesses that closed because of the pandemic to reopen in recent weeks but with limits on capacity and other safety rules. The Republican governor previewed the announcement as he faced pushback from a GOP lawmaker in northeast Arkansas who said businesses in his district are preparing to defy the state and ease restrictions on their own starting Friday. Rep. Dan Sullivan, who called the state’s current restriction’s “excessive” in a letter to Hutchinson dated Monday, declined to name the businesses. Sullivan said he has met with about 12 to 15 restaurants in his district about the issue. “The restaurants I met with and many constituents would like for us to move forward and more freedom,” Sullivan said. Hutchinson said he hadn’t spoken with Sullivan, but said businesses that defy the state’s restrictions could jeopardize their licenses. “I get letters from both sides,” Hutchinson said. “I get letters saying you’re going too fast, slow down, don’t open things up. I get letters that say you’re going too slow, you’ve got to open it up quicker.”
California
Yosemite National Park: The park will reopen with restrictions on Thursday after being closed for more than 21/2 months because of the coronavirus outbreak, officials announced Monday. The number of visitors admitted starting Thursday will be restricted to about half of those that typically visit this time of year, the National Park Service said. In addition, some park facilities including campgrounds and visitor centers, will remain closed or have limited access to help prevent the spread of the virus. “It’s going to be a different kind of summer, and we will continue to work hand in hand with our gateway communities to protect community health and restore access to Yosemite National Park,” Acting Superintendent Cicely Muldoon said in a statement. Yosemite had about 4.6 million visitors in 2019. The park known for gushing waterfalls, granite peaks and giant sequoias was shut down March 20.
Colorado
Fort Collins: The Poudre School District said it hopes to have students in classrooms when the 2020-21 school year starts in August. The district’s governing board on Tuesday was presented with a plan for learning in the fall, with four possible scenarios outlined for how to continue education under potential public health restrictions meant to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. The four scenarios are: Schools are closed. Instruction is carried out remotely. This is how the dsitrict ended the 2019-20 year after closing in March because of the spread of COVID-19; limited in-person learning, with gatherings of 10 people or less. Most learning would be remote, but there could be limited in-person interaction in small groups; students are broken into “A” and “B” groups with A in classrooms Monday and Wednesday and B in classrooms Tuesday and Thursday. Friday would be a day for at-home learning and teacher collaboration; all students in school all day. The district might limit classrooms to 20 to 25 people and would likely require health safety measures such as temperature checks, contact tracing and the use of personal protective equipment. “It’s our desire to have our students in school every single day, all day, all of our students,” Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Schools Todd Lambert said. “I expect us to likely open the year in a likely hybrid model.” The district is expected to be decided at the start of August on which scenario to use based on existing public health guidelines from county and state health departments.
Connecticut
Hartford: The University of Connecticut tentatively set Aug. 31 as the first day of classes, but President Thomas Katsouleas cautioned students and staff that it won’t be business as usual because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Our draft plans call for an academic semester and campus experience that will be unlike any we have seen previously,” Katsouleas wrote in a letter Wednesday to members of the UConn community. “Successfully coming back and maintaining safety will require the cooperation and flexibility of our entire community during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” Under the plan, which will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for consideration and then to state officials in the coming weeks, there will be a mix of online and face-to-face learning. Also, students will not return to campus following the Thanksgiving break and the remainder of the fall semester. Those classes and final exams will be conducted online. A similar concept was recently unveiled by the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. UConn plans to take various steps to promote social distancing, including reducing the capacity of classrooms to allow 6 feet of separation, requiring the wearing of face masks, and reducing density in the residence halls located on the Storrs and Stamford campuses. The plans mirror recommendations set by Gov. Ned Lamont’s reopening committee. Katsouleas said UConn is still evaluating plans to test students for COVID-19. The state’s reopening committee has recommended Connecticut ramp up testing capacity to 200,000 tests per week by Sept. 1, in time for the expected reopening of state colleges and universities.
Delaware
Rehoboth Beach: A man from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who refused to wear a mask on the boardwalk was detained and cited Monday for violating Delaware’s face-covering requirement and refusing to comply with officers, according to the police department. The department said its officers faced a “defiant lack of compliance” from the 56-year-old man over wearing a face mask, which is required while on the boardwalk and recommended on all Delaware beaches. The man told a seasonal cadet he would have to “make him” wear the mask and walked away from the officer and back onto the beach. The officer followed the man after addressing people on the boardwalk who were “now upset and yelling” at him for not wearing a mask, according to a police statement. A full-time officer joined the cadet on the beach, where they found the man and asked for his identification. The man said he didn’t have it on him, then gave them a false name and state of residence, according to the statement. The man was taken into custody and detained after “numerous warnings” for refusing to give officers further information. Face coverings have been required while on the boardwalk since May 22, under Gov. John Carney’s state of emergency and the first day Rehoboth Beach opened its beach to swimming and sunbathing.
District of Columbia
Washington: Members of the D.C. National Guard have tested positive for COVID-19 in the wake of the mass protests across the nation’s capital last week, according to Lt. Col. Brooke Davis, a Guard spokeswoman. She said the Guard will not release the exact total, but U.S. officials said they believe it is not a large number, at least so far. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information publicly. The positive tests were first reported by McClatchy. Although some Guard troops responding to the protests wore protective equipment, most were not wearing masks and it was largely impossible to maintain any social distancing. In a statement, Davis said unit commanders were responsible for ensuring their troops adhered to guidelines calling for Guard members to wear protective equipment and maintain social distancing where practical. She said personnel were medically screened for the virus before their arrival, and will be screened before they leave. According to officials, about 5,000 Guard members were in D.C. for the civil unrest, including as many as 1,200 from the D.C. Guard. The remainder came from 11 states: Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah. According to officials, Guard members returning to their home states can remain on duty status and continue to be paid for two additional weeks so that they can be in quarantine if they were at risk for coronavirus infections.
Florida
Orlando: A nonprofit resort that fulfills the wishes of critically ill children is shutting its doors for the time being because of coronavirus concerns. Give Kids the World Village announced Tuesday that it was temporarily laying off most of its staff at the end of the month. A small team of workers will remain to maintain the facilities and prepare for an eventual reopening, officials said. “I can promise you that I will work tirelessly to find a way to reopen our beloved Village as soon as possible,” said Pamela Landwirth, Give Kids The World Village’s CEO. The 84-acres resort located not far from Walt Disney World provides a weeklong, cost-free vacation to children with critical illnesses and their families. With whimsical structures resembling the shape of a mushroom and storybook villages, the resort has hosted 175,000 families over three decades.
Georgia
Athens: ,A 225-page plan for reopening the University of Georgia campus to students this fall outlines three scenarios but tells faculty and students to be prepared even for alternatives defined by university task forces, such as changing the start and end dates for semester and altering class periods. The plan aims, in three phases, for a return to in-person instruction, for the most part, when fall semester begins in August. The report lists rules and guidelines for three possibilities – starting classes this fall with social distancing; starting completely online; and moving temporarily online after classes begin in-person again. The report details plans developed by nine “working groups” of administrators in nine areas: workplace and health safety; instruction (which included one faculty member); research; public service and outreach; student life; enrollment management; athletics; communications; and fiscal impact. The university and other Georgia colleges shut down campuses in mid-March and switched to online instruction as state leaders began to understand the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, and campuses remain closed with remote instruction during the summer term.
Hawaii
Honolulu: A Hawaii woman has been arrested and accused of violating the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving to the islands. Patricia L. Pian, 48, is the first returning Hawaii resident to be arrested over the quarantine by state attorney general investigators, the Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center announced Tuesday. Witnesses reported seeing her swimming in the ocean a few hours after she returned to Honolulu from San Diego on May 31, the state said. “She was also seen sunbathing with her husband and walking their dog,” the state’s news release said. Pian was arrested Tuesday in the hallway of her Waikiki condominium building and charged with violating quarantine. Her bail was set at $2,000. She couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Gov. David Ige ordered the quarantine starting March 26 to curb the spread of the virus in Hawaii. Ige has said he plans to extend the quarantine beyond June 30. Travelers arriving to the state aren’t allowed to leave their quarantine location, such as residences or hotels, for anything except medical emergencies. A quarantine for those traveling between the Hawaiian Islands will be lifted next week. Some tourists have been arrested for violating the quarantine. On Monday, 1,732 people arrived in Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. During this same time last year, nearly 30,000 passengers arrived in Hawaii daily.
Idaho
Boise: Multiple student-athletes at Boise State University have tested positive for COVID-19 after some teams started returning to campus for workouts, the university said Monday. The university declined to say how many or what sport those athletes played, citing federal privacy laws, the Idaho Statesman reported. The Statesman previously reported that the football and women’s soccer teams started to return to campus last week for volunteer workouts. “There were multiple positives and those individuals will follow the advice of health care providers before returning to campus and joining their teams for voluntary workouts,” the university said in a statement. About 40 student-athletes underwent COVID-19 testing before voluntary workouts could begin, university spokesperson Joe Nickell said. Workouts were held Monday for those who did not test positive and passed a medical screening. “Any student-athlete that was potentially exposed will not return to campus for physicals and clearance until follow-up testing determines it is safe for them to return,” Nickell said.
Illinois
Chicago: City officials on Tuesday canceled Lollapalooza and other summer festivals through Labor Day, citing concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus as the pandemic’s financial toll worsened. Lollapalooza draws hundreds of thousands of people over four days to a lakefront park, generating more than $5 million for Chicago, but city officials said it was too risky with crowds packed close together. “Bringing that many people from all over the country downtown in Grant Park every single day, we might as well just light ourselves on fire,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “It makes no sense given what we know about how this disease spreads.” The financial cost of the pandemic continued to climb with Lightfoot estimating a $700 million budget shortfall. The first-term mayor said Chicago will try to delay some projects, but all options to address the budget hole remain on the table, including a property tax increase. Lollapalooza officials said they understood the decision and were focused on a 30th anniversary event scheduled for 2021.
Indiana
Indianapolis: Students in Indiana will return to school in the coming months, but what that looks like will vary widely across the state. Following the Indiana Department of Education’s release of school reentry guidelines last week, State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick addressed teachers and administrators during a webinar Tuesday, emphasizing the freedom local leaders have to determine how their schools will operate during the coronavirus pandemic. With many schools starting the academic year by early August, some are expecting to hold all or most classes online, McCormick said. Others – especially in rural areas – plan to return to the “brick and mortar” setting as soon as possible. Numerous “hybrid schedules” are also taking shape, allowing students to alternate days spent learning in the classroom and remotely. “We’re all trying to get schools back in,” McCormick said. “We just have to remember that that’s going to look different across counties and across our state.” The reentry plan provided by the state is broad and nonmandatory, meaning it will be up to school districts to decide whether students and faculty would have to undergo health screenings, wear masks and adhere to social distancing best practices. Some schools could choose to require masks at all times, while others might elect to only require them for certain activities or not at all, McCormick said. To assist, the governor’s office is planning on purchasing 2 million masks for distribution by the state’s education department. It’s not a long-term fix, but rather a way to help out schools that will require them to be worn, she said.
Iowa
Des Moines: Republican legislators are fast-tracking a bill that would give meatpacking plants, nursing homes and other businesses broad immunity from coronavirus lawsuits despite criticism that it would also enable them to ignore workplace safety requirements. The bill, which the state House passed Friday with only Republican support, is supported by groups that represent hospitals and doctors, restaurants, casinos, grocery stores, bankers, meat processors, truckers and insurance companies. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, labor unions and the Iowa State Bar Association are among those who oppose the measure. Republican Rep. Gary Carlson of Muscatine, who managed the bill in the House, said the owners of small businesses want to reopen but need certainty they can’t be sued by their employees. “They’re trying to follow guidelines but are scared to death they’re going to be sued by someone when they tried to do their best,” he said. Rep. Chris Hall, a Sioux City Democrat, said most businesses will work to protect customers and workers and deserve protection from frivolous lawsuits, but the broad protections in the bill also will help some hide the truth. Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming enacted similar laws in May that were signed by Republican governors. Several other states have bills pending or have attempted similar action. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell proposed including nationwide liability protection in a coronavirus relief bill, but his efforts so far have not succeeded.
Kansas
Lawrence: The University of Kansas will offer voluntary buyout packages to some faculty members as it grapples with financial losses from the coronavirus pandemic. Chancellor Douglas Girod has said the university faces a budget shortfall of at least $120 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1 because of virus-related shutdowns, the Lawrence Journal-World reported. Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said in a Monday message to faculty and staff members that eligible employees must be age 62 or older and meet other requirements. “This was not an easy decision, however, it is one that will help enable the university to plan and forecast its continued capacity to provide high-quality educational experiences and exceptional research on our Lawrence and Edwards campuses long into the future,” Bichelmeyer said. Applicants accepted into the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program will receive a lump-sum cash payment of $100,000 or their fiscal year 2021 budgeted base salary, whichever is lower. They must retire by Dec. 31 and would not be eligible for rehire at the university for 12 months. Between 500 and 600 faculty and staff are likely eligible for the program, said university spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson.
Kentucky
Cave City: Mammoth Cave National Park has reopened one self-guided cave tour, officials said. The tour in the cave’s historic section is the only one accessible because of social distancing guidelines put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic, park spokeswoman Molly Schroer told the Daily News. Beginning last week, visitors have been able to walk through more than a mile of passages in the cave’s larger chambers, she said. “We are only doing this one self-guided tour because it’s bigger passageways” Schroer said, which allows for social distancing. Traditional tours had a guide that would take groups through caves telling the history and answering questions but now rangers are stationed along different points in the cave to answer questions from visitors, she said. The park has also reopened its visitor center at a reduced capacity, along with its gift shops, campgrounds and cabins. Surface trails at the park remained open through the pandemic.
Louisiana
New Orleans: The city will let the good times roll in casinos and bars again beginning Saturday, with restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. The city was once a major hot spot for the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and that led to the closure of entertainment venues. But the city began easing restrictions on restaurants and other businesses in May. On a Tuesday radio broadcast, Cantrel outlined plans to lift more restrictions this weekend. That means bars and casinos in the city can open – although only at 25% capacity, Cantrell said during a “Town Hall” broadcast on WBOK. Food-serving establishments, churches and movie theaters, which are already allowed to open at 25% capacity, can move to 50% capacity in the city beginning Saturday, although churches and movie theaters will have a cap of 250 people. Gatherings of 100 will be allowed for weddings and funerals, Cantrell said. And tattoo parlors will be allowed to open. However, another New Orleans cultural touchstone – live music in bars and music halls – will remain off limits. And churches will have to meet without choirs. City health director Jennifer Avegno said that exhaling one’s breath during singing could help spread the virus. Also remaining off limits for now: Festivals, fairs, amusement parks and arcades.
Maine
Augusta: A medical products company confirmed the destruction of a limited number of specialized swabs for coronavirus testing because of President Donald Trump’s visit. But that was the plan all along, the company said. Puritan Medical Products had a limited production run on Friday to provide a demonstration for the president and his entourage. The company discarded those swabs after the visit, officials said. Normal production that day was shifted to the weekend so weekly output was unaffected, the company said. The facility was thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after the president’s visit, it said. The company also noted that all of its swabs are sterilized after production as part of the normal process.“We were glad to have the opportunity for our role in addressing the global health pandemic be recognized by the president and other senior government officials,” the company said. Puritan is in the process of doubling production with federal assistance to ensure an adequate supply of the swabs as the nation ramps up testing for the new cornonavirus.
Maryland
Salisbury: Maryland Canvas, a Somerset County company that has been producing face masks during the coronavirus pandemic, is among 25 Maryland businesses that have received a slice of $1.6 million grants for pivoting to or expanding personal protective equipment production. Through the Maryland COVID-19 Emergency Relief Manufacturing Fund administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce, companies are receiving grants of up to $100,000 to manufacture critically needed items, including face shields, gowns and N95 mask parts. The first round of grants, awarded in May, went to 20 Maryland companies, including Hardwire LLC of Pocomoke City.
Massachusetts
Boston: The city is offering those who were involved in protests following the death of George Floyd access to coronavirus testing. Mayor Marty Walsh said in a news conference Wednesday that his administration is reaching out to organizers of the demonstrations and is working to create a mobile pop-up testing site in the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury that will be open to everyone, whether or not they are showing signs of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. “There is no special screening or requirements,” Walsh said. “As people lift their voices to fight racism and injustice, we want to make sure that we keep them safe as well.” Many, but not all, of the protesters were wearing masks, which can help stem the spread of the virus. Walsh said he was concerned for the health of the protesters and also the possibility that they could bring the virus home and cause others to become sick.
Michigan
Lansing: Restaurants and bars could sell cocktails and other liquor for pickup or delivery and would see a temporary cut in state liquor prices under legislation overwhelmingly approved by state Senate on Wednesday. Supporters said the bill would help bars and restaurants amid the coronavirus pandemic, noting that some already can sell unopened beer and wine to go if they have a certain license. Under the legislation, on-premises licensees could fill and sell containers with beer, wine, mixed drinks or liquor for off-site consumption. Through 2021, they would see a 30% discount on liquor bought from the state instead of a 17% discount. Local governments could designate a “social district” where people could drink alcohol outside. “It provides more options for our bar and restaurant friends that have struggled so hard the last few months. It provides them a little bit more of a chance to survive,” said the bill sponsor, Republican Sen. Aric Nesbitt of Lawton.
Minnesota
Sauk Rapids: Businesses in the city can apply for up to $5,000 in grant funds to help them adapt to evolving state rules as they reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant program through the city’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority was approved June 4 and is available for restaurants with 75 or fewer employees or other businesses with 25 or fewer employees, said Community Development Director Todd Schultz. Businesses can use the grant dollars to purchase patio furniture and tents for restaurants to serve customers outdoors, plastic shields to protect employees at points of sale and anything else needed to comply with coronavirus rules. “Basically, we’re paying for ... extraordinary expenses that people have had to endure because of the pandemic,” Schultz said. Sauk Rapids’ downtown area has been a major investment for 15 years, he said. “It’s very important that we do what we can to help businesses weather the storm as much as possible.” The grants will be awarded out of the Housing and Redevelopment authority general fund for eligible expenses made after March 15. That fund draws on many different sources of revenue, including old tax increment financing and various loan funds, he said.
Mississippi
Jackson: A national restaurant chain has permanently closed one of its restaurants in the Jackson metro are amid the COVID-19 pandemic. CraftWorks Holdings LLC, which operates Logan’s Roadhouse, closed 261 of the restaurant’s locations in April, according to a report by The Tennessean. The Logan’s Roadhouse on 600 E. County Line Road in Ridgeland had locks and chains on all of its doors on Monday. It is among the restaurants that closed permanently, according to a phone recording. However, CraftWorks Holdings’ still has some Logan’s Roadhouse, franchise-owned locations open. The message encouraged callers to visit other locations in Pearl and Flowood. CraftWorks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early March and laid off 18,000 employees.
Missouri
St. Louis: Three major hotels in the St. Louis metropolitan area have told the state they are laying off or furloughing more than 900 employees after the COVID-19 pandemic crippled travel. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Clayton laid off or furloughed 307 of the location’s 325 employees. Hyatt Regency St. Louis permanently laid off 51 employees, furloughed 149 employees without benefits, and extended 45 furloughs with employee benefits. The Marriott St. Louis Grand laid off, furloughed or reduced working hours for all 384 employees. All three said the cuts were necessitated by the sudden and unprecedented economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis. The Ritz and the Marriott told the state in letters this week they couldn’t estimate the lengths of the furloughs. On Friday, local hotelier Lodging Hospitality Management said it would lay off more than 1,000 hotel workers. Those included five hotels in St. Louis, three in Maryland Heights, two in Chesterfield and one each in Edmondson and O’Fallon.
Montana
Kalispell: The western side of Glacier National Park has reopened to visitors after being closed since late March to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Park officials lifted the barriers into the park Monday and reopened Going-to-the-Sun Road to Lake McDonald Lodge by 8 a.m., the Hungry Horse News reported. The park is expected to close early each day at 4:30 p.m. until more employees return from quarantine status, park spokeswoman Gina Kerzman said. The park will not sweep trails and force people to leave, but it will stop letting more people in when the gates close, she said. Entrance fees were originally waived, but are required for future visits and can be purchased online, Kerzman said. Trails accessible from U.S. Highway 2 will also be open and will close at 4:30 p.m., including Walton and the Autumn Creek Trail at Marias Pass. The Polebridge entrance to the park will remain close and the Camas Road will not be open next week to begin pavement sealing and other work as part of an effort to seal all the paved roads in the park, officials said. Back-country camping will also not initially be available, but could begin around June 20, the park’s website said. Campground reservations across the park are also closed, many because of staffing concerns. The east side of the park will remain closed until the Blackfeet Tribe lifts its travel ban, which is set to expire June 30. The park has deferred to the tribe and its health concerns by closing east-side roads, trails and campgrounds. Visitors should expect plenty of mud and some flooded low-level trails due to recent heavy rains, officials said. A thunderstorm on May 31 caused a three-day power outage and knocked down numerous trees that officials are still working to clean up.
Nebraska
Omaha: At least five soldiers and one police officer who helped with crowd control at recent protests in Omaha and Lincoln have tested positive for the new coronavirus, officials said. Nearly 600 members of the Nebraska National Guard were assigned to assist law enforcement agencies beginning May 31 following several nights of protests in Nebraska after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The National Guard announced earlier this week that it would test all of its personnel who had been on duty in Omaha and Lincoln after two members tested positive. The Nebraska National Guard said Tuesday that a total of five of its members who worked the protests have now tested positive. The Lincoln Police Department said one officer also tested positive. Nebraska prisons officials meanwhile announced that another prison staffer tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of staffers infected across the state prison system to 19. The state Department of Correctional Services also announced late Tuesday that it would offer coronavirus testing to all state inmates, even those who don’t have symptoms.
Nevada
Reno: A federal judge ruled Tuesday against the leaders of two Nevada churches who argued that the state’s coronavirus-related restrictions on religious gatherings are an unconstitutional violation of their First Amendment rights. U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware II denied requests from a church in rural Lyon County and another in Las Vegas that sought temporary injunctions to void the state’s 50-person cap on attendance at church services. Attorneys for Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley in Dayton, near Reno, and Calvary Chapel Lone Mountain in Las Vegas argued that they are being treated unfairly compared to casinos and other businesses. They wanted the judge to lift the 50-person cap and instead subject the churches to the less-stringent limits placed on casinos and other businesses that are allowed to reopen at 50% of building capacity under social distancing protocols. Boulware said the churches could perhaps in the future prove there has been a pattern of intentionally enforcing COVID-19 restrictions in a way that singles out religious gatherings. But he said there’s not enough evidence yet to warrant the court’s involvement. Both churches claimed they’re being treated unfairly, partly because they said the state is failing to enforce social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at casinos and during recent protests over policing and race.
New Hampshire
Concord: The state is forming a work group to start developing guidance for outdoor visits by appointment at long-term care centers, Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette said Tuesday. Shibinette said the group would be meeting this week into early next week. The facilities have been closed to visitors. More than a dozen of them have experienced coronavirus outbreaks, and their residents make up the majority of those who have died of the virus in the state. Some homes have since been removed from the list. Outdoor visits would be considered at facilities that are not experiencing an outbreak. Shibinette said there has to be a balance between the physical health of seniors and their quality of life. Many seniors are dealing with social isolation. “We want them to engage with their families, their grandchildren, their children,” and talk with their peers over lunch and dinner, she said.
New Jersey
Trenton: Gov. Phil Murphy hopes to deploy an additional 1,600 people by the end of June to help local agencies with the grueling work of contract tracing – calling up individuals who spent more than 10 minutes within 6 feet of an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 and might be at risk. New Jersey will add 1,500 more tracers by the end of July if needed, Murphy said. “Contact tracing takes on a new urgency especially against a virus we are still learning about and have no defense against,” Murphy said Wednesday, outlining publicly for the first time the state’s contact tracing plan and timeline. More than six weeks have passed since Murphy said contact tracing – along with robust testing and ability to isolate cases – was needed before New Jersey establishments could reopen. A patchwork of close to 100 underfunded and understaffed local health departments were left to assemble volunteers on their own to handle a surge in thousands of cases in mid-April, and brace for another possible increase in cases as Murphy lifts restrictions on businesses, parks, restaurants and more before providing meaningful assistance to these localities. These agencies expressed concern the state would replace the infrastructure they built on their own, but Murphy said Wednesday that “we have no desire to uproot them or overstep them,” referring to local health departments.
New Mexico
Santa Fe: State officials are setting aside time slots for food industry workers for COVID-19 testing at numerous New Mexico Department of Health field offices statewide. The Department of Health said the testing time slots from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. each Monday will be for people who work at establishments such as restaurants, grocery stories, farmers markets, distribution centers and food manufacturing facilities. The department said the effort should help identify, isolate and trace new cases. The department’s announcement noted that many people infected with the coronavirus might not experience symptoms but still have potential to pass the virus. Cities where participating offices are located include Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Gallup, Farmington, Belen, Santa Fe, Espanola, Los Alamos, Santa Rosa and Raton. Others include Artesia, Carlsbad, Clovis, Ft. Sumner, Hobbs’, Lovington, Portales, Roswell, Ruidoso, Tucumcari, Las Cruces, Anthony, Sunland Park, Silver City, Alamogordo and Socorro.
New York
Albany: New York is now allowing nursing homes in some parts of the state to test staff for COVID-19 only once a week, down from a sweeping twice-a-week mandate that began last month. State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said Wednesday that infection rates had fallen to the point where less rigorous testing was acceptable. Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered the testing regime May 10 to belatedly stop the uncontrolled spread of the new coronavirus through nursing homes. To date, at least 6,100 nursing home residents have died in the state. Homes will be able to reduce testing to once a week in parts of the state that have begun the second phase of the state’s reopening plan. Twice-a-week testing would continue in New York City, which entered the first phase of reopening Monday. Leaders of nursing homes and their industry groups argued for weeks that mandatory testing was costly and logistically difficult, requiring roughly 185,000 workers to get tested twice a week. Zucker said said the program has been a success. More than 6,500 tests on nursing home staff have come up positive for COVID-19, he said.
North Carolina
Raleigh: State prison inmates are likely facing unlawful “cruel or unusual punishments” in part because correction officials have failed to offer widespread COVID-19 testing within all correctional facilities, a judge said. Superior Court Judge Vince Rozier, hearing a lawsuit filed by prisoners and civil rights advocates, wrote this week he would issue an order telling the plaintiffs and the state prison system to come up with a plan by June 22 to test all prisoners. He did not provide a deadline to complete testing. Prison leaders have kept to a policy whereby mass testing has occurred when an outbreak in an individual prison warranted it. So far, facility-wide testing has occurred in two of the state’s 50-plus prisons, both of which house prisoners in open dormitories. Overall, nearly 2,000 tests have been completed in a prison system with more than 30,000 inmates, with almost 700 testing positive and five virus-related inmate deaths. Most of those testing positive are now presumed recovered. In a memo, Rozier said he’s worried about disparate COVID-19 actions taking place at each prison and also wants a plan to address those differences. In a statement released Tuesday, the Department of Public Safety said it was consulting with state attorneys to determine next steps in the case.
North Dakota
Bismarck: More than a third of North Dakota’s long-term care facilities have received state approval to begin reopening. Eighty-two of the 218 facilities have completed testing to qualify for the first phase of reopening. Visitation at nursing homes and assisted living facilities has been restricted since April 6 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Doug Burgum on June 5 announced visits could resume, but in phases. The Bismarck Tribune said the first phase of the state’s three-phase plan allows outdoor visitation with proper safeguards such as masks and physical distancing. It allows for communal dining to resume and limited group activities for residents Phase 2 involves resuming indoor visitation with restrictions and Phase 3 is fully opened visitation with screening of visitors. Moving into those phases will depend on several factors, including a county’s case status and whether there are active cases in a facility. Health officials said long-term care facilities in North Dakota have had 53 coronavirus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Ohio
Cincinnati: The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden reopened Wednesday after being shut down for nearly three months because of the coronavirus pandemic. For visitors and animals to co-mingle again, precautions the zoo took, triggered by the pandemic, went beyond visitors, said Dean Violetta, the zoo’s planning and exhibit design director. With the help of Krista Powers, the pair spent the past 21/2 months working out the kinks of the zoo’s reopening. Social distancing isn’t just key for people, Violetta said, some animals require it as well. In collaboration with other zoos nationwide, the Cincinnati Zoo looked at which animals – such as the big cats – were more susceptible to the virus. Additional barriers were constructed to make sure the guests and animals were safe. “We looked at everything from a 60,000-foot level,” Violetta said. Other staff tackled ticketing, technology and cleaning protocol, among other aspects. “It’s a different zoo today,” he said, “But we’ll get there.”
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City: There are 117 new coronavirus cases in Oklahoma and two additional deaths, the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported Wednesday. There have been at least 7,480 confirmed cases and 355 deaths in the state, up from 7,363 cases and 353 deaths reported Tuesday. The actual number of people who have contracted a virus is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick. A total of 6,166 people have recovered from the illness and 150 are hospitalized, according to the department.
Oregon
Salem: Gov. Kate Brown said the state is working to implement a plan to test all staff and residents at long-term care facilities for the new coronavirus. Testing will start at care centers at the highest risk of having an outbreak. Most of those facilities are in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Yamhill, Marion and Polk counties, according to the governor’s office. “From the beginning of this pandemic, it has been one of my top priorities to protect the residents and staff of long-term care facilities,” Brown said in a statement. Care centers in Oregon have been hit with outbreaks throughout the pandemic. As of Tuesday, out of the state’s 688 large long term-care facilities, 16 have confirmed coronavirus cases, the governor’s office said. Previously, it had been 27 facilities. The disease especially impacts older adults and people with existing health problems as it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. At least 169 people across Oregon have died from the virus and more than 4,980 in the state have tested positive for the disease. Currently long-term care facilities are restricting visitation of nonessential visitors and screening essential individuals before entering the building.
Pennsylvania
Harrisburg: Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the GOP-led Legislature headed toward a legal clash Wednesday over the emergency declaration he issued at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, with lawmakers voting to end it and Wolf insisting he holds veto power. In largely party-line votes, the Legislature approved late Tuesday to end Wolf’s 3-month-old emergency proclamation and restarting businesses and other activities shut down as COVID-19 began tightening its grip on Pennsylvania. Retailers and many other kinds of businesses have since been permitted to reopen, but with restrictions. Supporters of the resolution – which they asserted would do away with many, if not all, pandemic restrictions – maintained that state law authorizes the Legislature to end the emergency declaration unilaterally. Wolf believes that still requires his support and vowed Wednesday to fight the resolution in court. House leadership also threatened legal action. “If the governor chooses to openly violate the plain reading of the law, we will examine all legal actions available to us to act in the best interest of the residents of the commonwealth,” House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, said in a news release Wednesday. In an earlier letter to House members, Wolf said the resolution that cleared the Legislature would put federal funding at risk and “cripple the commonwealth’s ability to procure resources quickly and decisively.” Wolf’s office said he will “disapprove” the resolution if it makes it to his desk, but argued that much of the shutdown would not be affected.
Rhode Island
Providence: The state plans to have schoolchildren and teachers back in the classroom for face-to-face instruction starting Aug. 31, Gov. Gina Raimondo said Wednesday. Although the state’s remote learning plan during the coronavirus pandemic has been one of the most successful in the nation, “There is no substitute for in-person learning,” the Democrat said at a news conference. The date was set based on data trends regarding the virus that indicate reopening schools will be safe then, but there will be some flexibility. Schools will look different, she said, with desks spaced farther apart, more frequent cleaning, fewer children on buses, and children and teachers likely wearing masks. Children who are sick, even with a minor sniffle, will be required to stay home. The Rhode Island Department of Education will on June 19 post its minimum safety requirements that all public and private schools must meet. Each district must then submit a reopening plan to the state based on those minimum standards by July 17, Raimondo said. To help schools offset anticipated increased costs, the state will provide at least $42 million in federal coronavirus aid, she said.
South Carolina
Greenville: Health officials reported an additional 116 cases of COVID-19 in Greenville County on Monday to mark the 11th consecutive day that the Upstate “hot spot” has led South Carolina in new cases. The state Department of Health and Environmental Control tallied a total of 542 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths across South Carolina. It was the highest single-day total for new cases since the pandemic began in March. The previous one-day high came Saturday, 512 new cases. Also Monday, DHEC reported the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations yet, 507. That total tops the 502 hospitalizations on May 8. And as testing has increased throughout the state, so has the percentage of positive results, more than doubling from 3% to about 8% over the past 28 days. Dr. Brannon Traxler said during a news briefing Monday that the ongoing spike in cases, increasing hospitalizations and rising percentage of positive tests all point to the same conclusion. “There is disease continuing to be spread and increasing in its spread, especially compared to several weeks ago,” said Traxler, who lives in Greenville. “However, I don’t think we are at a point where we need to be panicking.” Traxler urged South Carolina residents to modify their behavior. “It doesn’t take any hard data to notice that a lot of people across South Carolina are not doing the social distancing and are not avoiding group gatherings and wearing masks,” she said.
South Dakota
Sioux Falls: One more person has died from COVID-19 in South Dakota, and 81 more people have confirmed cases, state health officials reported Wednesday. The state has seen a total of 69 people die from COVID-19. The most recent death reported is a man over the age of 80 from Beadle County. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 5,604. There are 101 people who are hospitalized. More than 81% of people with confirmed cases have recovered, but health officials reported that 962 people statewide still have active infections.
Tennessee
Nashville: Attorneys for voting rights groups want Tennessee officials held in contempt of court over claims they have not immediately let all Tennessee voters get ballots to vote by mail during the coronavirus pandemic as ordered. The state, in turn, has contended it is complying and the groups are citing outdated instructions for local election officials. That fight over whether Tennessee officials are meeting their obligations on the court-ordered absentee voting option for all 4.1 million of Tennessee’s registered voters is headed for a hearing Thursday in Nashville. At the same time, the state is also fighting to have the expansion blocked on appeal. In a Davidson County Chancery Court filing Monday night, plaintiffs attorneys wrote that the judge didn’t order the state to create a new form with a COVID-19 option, though it still did. The judge’s ruling directed voters to select an existing illness and disability box. The new option stated, “I have determined it is impossible or unreasonable to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 situation, and therefore qualify as hospitalized, ill, or disabled and unable to appear at my polling place.” The filing points out there’s no explanation of what constitutes “impossible or unreasonable.” The court’s ruling came down Jan. 4, and Tennessee Elections Coordinator Mark Goins told local elections officials in an email Jan. 5 that the state had been “working all day to ensure compliance.”
Texas
Austin: The state on Wednesday reported a third consecutive day with a record number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, as a new rise in coronavirus cases ripples across states nationwide. The upward trend comes six weeks into Texas’ reopening that began in May, which kicked off one of the fastest reboots of daily life in the U.S, and as restaurants get permission to expand their dining rooms to nearly full capacity starting Friday. Although thousands of hospital beds remain available, officials are voicing concern. Throughout the record-setting week in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott and state health officials have pointed out hots pots in rural counties with meatpacking plants and prisons but have not offered an explanation for rising caseloads elsewhere. But on Wednesday, some city officials and health experts readily linked the worsening numbers to businesses reopening and people growing more complacent with social distancing. “This is a concerning trend,” said Dr. Mark Escott, the interim health authority for Austin Public Health in the Texas capital. Surrounding Travis County set a record Tuesday with 161 new cases, nearly double its previous single-day high. Abbott reiterated that he was “concerned but not alarmed” in Texas. He has not signaled any intention of putting social or business restrictions back in place and urged residents to continue wearing masks, sanitizing their hands and maintaining social distancing.
Utah
Logan: Workers at a meatpacking plant and their supporters protested the company’s handling of a coronavirus outbreak that has resulted in nearly 300 confirmed cases. JBS USA employees held a demonstration in Logan on Tuesday against conditions at the plant in Hyrum. The Bear River Health Department said 287 JBS workers tested positive for the virus at a May 30 screening. About 100 employees walked out of the JBS parking lot Monday morning. A group of about 30 gathered in downtown Logan on Tuesday with signs decrying the company’s treatment of workers. “They are making it seem like money is more important than our lives,” Monique Ramos said. “We produce meat for everyone across the country. We deserve to be valued.” JBS spokesperson Nikki Richardson said the company is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regarding social distancing. Workers who tested positive May 30 could return to work Wednesday if they did not have coronavirus symptoms, Richardson said. “No one is forced to come to work, and no one is punished for being absent for health reasons,” Richardson said. “If any team member is fearful of coming to work they can call the company and inform us, and they will receive unpaid leave.”
Vermont
Montpelier: The state is able to safely open its schools to in-person instruction in the fall, with safety measures and guidelines that will be published next week, Education Secretary Dan French said Wednesday. “We recognize that as much as COVID-19 has been an unprecedented public health emergency, in many cases it has been an education emergency,” he said. Among the safety measures, all students and staff will have a daily health check, including a temperature screening, when they get to school, he said. Staff will be required to wear facial coverings and students will be encouraged to do so when appropriate, French said. Disinfection and hygiene protocols will also be included in the guidance, he said. If a school or schools need to close because of an outbreak, the state is planning to improve its remote learning.
Virginia
Staunton: A part-time staff member of the Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a release. The part-time employee was working for the YMCA's June 12 reopening, the release said. The employee has been quarantined and the YMCA hired a professional cleaning crew to disinfect facilities, the release said. YMCA executive director Josh Cole said he is working closely with with local health department officials on how to move forward. “Our main concern is for the safety of the individual, our staff, our members and our community," Cole said in a release. "We'll follow the lead of the health department officials to make sure we are ensuring safety for everyone involved.” The Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA has pushed back its expected opening date to June 19.
Washington
Yakima: The coronavirus pandemic continues to rage in Yakima County, with the total number of cases closing in on 5,000. The Yakima Health District reported 215 more infections Monday, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 4,929. The Yakima Herald-Republic reported deaths from COVID-19 remained at 96. “We are a hot spot for COVID-19,” health district spokeswoman Lilian Bravo said. She said it’s too early to tell what kind of impact recent public gatherings in support of Black Lives Matter might have on the spread of the virus because it can take up to 14 days before symptoms become apparent. “We need to start taking it more seriously,” Bravo said. “We have to commit as a community and take responsibility for our own actions to protect the community as a whole.” The county’s infection rate is more than 537 per 100,000 people over 14 days.
West Virginia
Huntington: Marshall University employees are continuing to return to their workplaces on the university’s campuses and at its centers in southern West Virginia, the university said. The second phase of the return began this week, and the school welcomed up to 50% of workers back. The plan was developed to address protocols stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. The four-phase plan began May 26. The last phase is set for July 6, when up to 100% of the school’s department personnel will be back on site. Contingency plans are included to address any localized outbreaks of the virus and options for high-risk employees, the school said in a news release.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Rapids: A paper-making company announced Tuesday that it plans to close mills in Minnesota and Wisconsin because the coronavirus pandemic has depressed demand. The Wisconsin Rapids Tribune reported the Verso Corporation plans to close its mill in Duluth by the end of June and its mill in Wisconsin Rapids by the end of the July. The company expects to lay off 1,000 employees between the two mills, although some will continue working after July 31 to continue limited operations or maintenance. About 900 of the layoffs will come at the Wisconsin Rapids facility. The company said a decline in demand for graphic paper because of the pandemic forced the move. Retail, sports, entertainment and tourism industries have reduced their use of print advertising during stay-at-home orders, according to a statement from Verso. Demand fell by 38% in April, the company said. The mills could restart if market conditions improve, the company said. Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Shane Blaser called the announcement “devastating.” The Wisconsin Paper Council released a statement calling the decision disappointing fro the entire paper industry. Wisconsin state Rep. Scott Krug, a Nekoosa Republican, called the layoffs a “horrendous side effect from the outbreak.”
Wyoming
Cody: A surge in one county has boosted the number of coronavirus cases in Wyoming. Uinta County in southwestern Wyoming has confirmed 11 new cases of the virus in just one day, bringing the county’s total number of confirmed cases to 32, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. The local surge raised Wyoming’s total count of laboratory-confirmed cases to 760. Of those, 600 people have recovered. Meanwhile, the number of people killed by COVID-19 in Wyoming rose Tuesday to 18 with the death of an adult woman from Fremont County. A fourth resident of a Washakie County nursing home died in Montana and will be added to that state’s total. Outside Uinta County, new infections in Wyoming were low, with no more than two new cases in any county on Tuesday. In Park County, where testing has confirmed just two cases, analysis of sewage collected from the city’s wastewater system April 28 and May 31 have showed no signs of the virus, the Cody Enterprise reported.