Restaurant win, skiing changes, seafood boost: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Montgomery: Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday extended a mask order until Jan. 22 as the state experiences a record-setting surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Ivey and State Health Officer Scott Harris announced the extension during a news conference at the Alabama Capitol. The order, which requires face coverings to be worn in public when interacting within 6 feet of people outside one’s household, had been scheduled to expire Friday. The Republican governor cited the rising case numbers as she announced the extension. Ivey said she has not seriously considered another lockdown. Alabama this week hit a record for the number of patients in hospitals with COVID-19 with more than 2,000 people hospitalized. The state also saw a record number of daily cases with more than 3,000 new infections being reported daily. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Alabama has risen over the past two weeks from 2,288 new cases a day Nov. 24 to 3,395 new cases a day Tuesday.

Alaska

Juneau: The traditional holiday open house at the governor’s mansion won’t be held this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, a spokesperson for Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Tuesday. Jeff Turner, by email, said the pandemic “has fundamentally changed how Alaskans will observe the holidays. To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the community of Juneau, the decision has been made to cancel this year’s holiday open house.” The mansion in years past has opened to the public for the event, with the governor and often the lieutenant governor and their spouses greeting people as they file through the decorated house en route to a room filled with cookies and other treats. The holiday-season tradition began in 1913 and was held every year except for two years during World War II, the governor’s office has said. Dunleavy last month asked Alaskans to “consider celebrating differently” during the holidays. The state has reported more than 36,700 resident cases of COVID-19 and 145 related deaths.

Arizona

Phoenix: The state’s death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surpassed 7,000 on Wednesday as it reported more than 100 additional fatalities from the virus. Arizona reported 4,444 additional COVID-19 cases and 108 deaths, increasing the state’s known totals to 382,601 cases and 7,081 deaths. Department of Health Services spokeswoman Holly Poynter said 80 of the 108 deaths were newly attributed to COVID-19 based on reviews of past death certificates. The results of such periodic reviews of death certificates produce larger-than-normal daily reports of deaths. According to the state’s coronavirus dashboard, COVID-19-related hospitalizations as of Tuesday reached 3,287, up 130 from Monday and including 766 patients in intensive care unit beds. The dashboard indicated that 10% of both hospital beds and ICU beds in hospitals statewide were vacant, with COVID-19 patients occupying 44% of the ICU beds. Hospital officials and public health experts have warned that the current surge could exceed the health system’s capacity.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state’s positivity rate for coronavirus tests and its number of new cases put Arkansas in the “red zone,” and more limitations should be placed on bars and indoor dining until those rates drop, a new White House report said. The White House Coronavirus Task Force, in a report released Tuesday, said more than half of all Arkansas counties are experiencing high levels of community transmission of the virus, which has killed 2,752 people in the state since the start of the pandemic. “Pandemic spread is unyielding in Arkansas,” the report said. “Virus levels continue to increase and are extremely high; activities that were safe in the summer are not safe now.” Gov. Asa Hutchinson has resisted calls for more restrictions and said Tuesday that he’s still considering whether to impose stricter rules on large indoor gatherings. Under the state’s current coronavirus restrictions, indoor events with more than 100 people expected must have a plan approved beforehand by the state.

California

Los Angeles: Los Angeles County’s health director acted “arbitrarily” and didn’t prove the danger to the public when she banned outdoor dining at restaurants as coronavirus cases surged last month, a judge ruled Tuesday in a case other businesses may use to try to overturn closures and restrictions. The county failed to show that health benefits outweighed negative economic effects before issuing the ban, Superior Court Judge James Chalfant wrote. He also said the county did not offer evidence that outdoor dining presented a greater risk of spreading the virus. “By failing to weigh the benefits of an outdoor dining restriction against its costs, the county acted arbitrarily and its decision lacks a rational relationship to a legitimate end,″ the judge wrote. Chalfant limited the outdoor dining ban to three weeks and said once it expires Dec. 16, the Department of Public Health must conduct a risk-benefit analysis before trying to extend it. It was the first victory for California restaurants challenging health orders that have crippled their industry. But there was no immediate relief for LA county restaurant owners because a more sweeping shutdown ordered by Gov. Gavin Newsom now is in effect.

Colorado

Denver: The state has lifted its coronavirus-related capacity restrictions on religious gatherings after the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily barred New York from imposing limits on such events. The amended state order went into effect Monday. State public health officials still recommend people limit religious gatherings as much as possible. “Worship and ceremonies such as weddings and funerals are classified as essential,” the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said in a statement. “This means that they must do their best to follow public health recommendations but may exceed recommended capacity caps if they cannot conduct their essential activity within those restrictions. They still must require masks indoors and other prevention measures like 6-foot spacing between members of different households and appropriate sanitation. Outdoor activities are still strongly preferred.” The state had allowed religious gatherings to occur at 50% of their capacity or up to 500 people in counties with the least amount of virus spread. No counties currently fit that criteria, the Colorado Sun reports.

Connecticut

Hartford: The distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to front-line health care workers could begin as early as this weekend, state health officials said Wednesday. Eric Arlia, the director of pharmacy systems for Hartford HealthCare, said officials there expect to receive the vaccine within 24 hours of its emergency approval by the Food and Drug Administration and are prepared to quickly begin administering it to workers “that treat COVID patients or work on units that treat COVID patients.” “We’ll be prepared and ready to receive the vaccine as early as Friday,” he said. Arlia said he expects it will take two to three weeks to get the vaccine to all the front-line workers who wish to receive it. Yale New Haven Health has said assuming the FDA grants emergency approval, it plans to begin vaccinating its staff next week. Dr. Thomas Balcezak, chief clinical officer for the system, said officials hope to have 29,000 workers there vaccinated within three weeks. “That 29,000 is our estimate of how many individuals we have that come in contact with patients,” Balcezak said. “It’s a massive undertaking.”

Delaware

Dover: The Delaware Restaurant Association says new coronavirus restrictions in the state could force up to 40% of restaurants to shutter within a year without a financial lifeline. The Delaware State News reports the most recent COVID-19 rules restrict capacity in restaurants to 30%. The regulations were issued as Delaware experiences its highest rate of new daily cases and hospitalizations. The Delaware Restaurant Association said restaurants are being unfairly scapegoated for the surge. “Although we continue to support action to protect the health of all Delawareans, we believe there is an unfounded impression that restaurants are part of the problem,” DRA President and CEO Carrie Leishman said. “As a result, restaurants will severely suffer from these inconsistent and restrictive mandates not applied to other industries.” But Gov. John Carney has said that contact tracing data points to restaurants as places where people who have tested positive have been. “Places where you gather and you’re drinking alcohol and you might let your guard down,” Carney said. “That’s problematic only when we have a pandemic.”

District of Columbia

Washington: For the first time, D.C. is releasing data on the activities that may be leading to new cases of the coronavirus in the city, WUSA-TV reports. Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, director of the District of Columbia Department of Health, said Monday that her agency would begin publishing weekly data about exposure activities on the city’s coronavirus portal. The data reflects the percentage of people who’ve contracted COVID-19 who said they participated in certain activities deemed “high-risk” in the two weeks prior to developing symptoms. The first batch of data, posted Monday, shows that a shockingly high number of people are still participating in social events – nearly a quarter of all contact tracing respondents said they’d attended one in the two weeks before they got sick. Work, dining out and travel also ranked high among likely exposure activities.

Florida

Tallahassee: Giving to the Salvation Army’s famous Red Kettle campaign is down sharply in the city, with some shoppers keeping their distance from bell-ringers because of the coronavirus. With only two weeks left to give, the Salvation Army of Tallahassee has raised only $49,764, less than a quarter of the nonprofit’s $215,000 goal. Donations are off 20% from this time last year, when the campaign had $62,215 on hand. “From the reports we’re hearing, it’s the worst season in close memory,” said Margo Armistead, director of Community Relations. Armistead said fewer stores are participating this year because of COVID-19 concerns, and fewer civic clubs and individuals are volunteering. Fewer people are shopping in person, too. “Many people are calling in and having their groceries delivered and aren’t even going into the stores,” she said. “So we’ve lost an awful lot of foot traffic.” Armistead said the Salvation Army has taken steps to make giving as safe as possible, with personal protective equipment and frequent sanitization of surfaces.

Georgia

Savannah: The state should start distributing thousands of doses of coronavirus vaccine by the end of next week, though most people will have to wait several months before they can get a shot, Gov. Brian Kemp said Tuesday. The Republican governor praised the vaccines as “a miracle of modern science that will save countless lives” in a state where COVID-19 has killed more than 9,000 people. Kemp also warned that infections and hospitalizations are soaring in Georgia and that the virus will remain a serious threat well into 2021. The first doses, expected within the next 10 days, will be used to vaccinate Georgia health care workers and nursing home residents and employees. “The general public will be not able to be vaccinated for months,” Kemp said in a news conference streamed online from the state Capitol in Atlanta. “We must all continue to still wear our masks. We must still wash our hands. We must continue more than ever to watch our distance.”

Hawaii

Honolulu: The Hawaii National Guard has received approval for an extension of federal funds to continue assisting the state’s coronavirus response through March. The funding for National Guard units in Hawaii and 47 other states was scheduled to expire at the end of the month but was extended Thursday, Hawaii Public Radio reports. “The Hawaii situation is not unique,” Democratic U.S. Rep. Ed Case said. “But it’s especially acute here in Hawaii because of all of the roles that we’re asking the Guard to play.” About 800 Hawaii National Guard members work daily throughout the state on tasks related to virus mitigation, including contact tracing, testing and the state’s incoming traveler program. The Guard’s activities cost about $8.5 million monthly, with the federal government providing 75% of the funds. Hawaii pays about $2 million per month. The Guard soon may take on the additional role of assisting with vaccine distribution, Case said. “The Guard is critical to the district distribution here in Hawaii, not just the receipt of it but the distribution across Hawaii itself,” Case said.

Idaho

Boise: Transportation officials have reported that highway and interstate traffic volumes on Thanksgiving Day were down in most of the state except eastern Idaho. Data from the state Department of Transportation shows about 20% fewer cars in northern Idaho and about 8% fewer cars near the Oregon state line compared to 2019, Boise State Public Radio reports. However, traffic headed south to Utah increased by 23% on Interstate 84 near the border and about 5% on Interstate 15, officials said. Vehicle counts on state highways were also up in eastern Idaho compared to last year. Department spokesman Jake Melder said that overall Thanksgiving traffic volumes – lower overall in southwest, south-central and northern Idaho, and higher in eastern Idaho – mirror current non-holiday traffic trends. Many hospitals across the state were overwhelmed before the holiday because of COVID-19, health officials said.

Illinois

Rockford: A coroner’s office has purchased a refrigerated trailer in the event deaths related to COVID-19 overwhelm his office’s capacity to store bodies. The purchase of the $30,000 trailer was made as space in the county’s morgue neared capacity, Winnebago County Coroner Bill Hintz said. “The way our numbers were rising at an alarming level, and I do say alarming, I did not want to be caught without any spaces left,” he said. Hintz told the Rockford Register-Star that there was ample room through early fall to accept bodies from each of the city’s hospitals as their smaller individual morgues began to fill up. The county morgue began to fill in November. Hintz said its 64-body capacity doesn’t accurately reflect the number of bodies that can be stored, and it is not unusual for a body to be kept at the morgue for 30 days or longer, adding that moving bodies to a funeral home in a timely fashion is not easy. “When we reach out to the next of kin and ask them what funeral home they would like to use, some of the answers we get are, ‘I don’t have a job. I lost my job due to COVID. It’s going to take me a little bit to find money so I can take care of my loved one,’ ” Hintz said.

Indiana

Indianapolis: The spread of the coronavirus continues to worsen, a weekly update of the state health department’s map shows. For the first time, zero counties are placed in the categories that show minimal or moderate community spread. The past few weeks, one county had been in the yellow category for moderate community spread. That means all 92 Indiana counties are now seeing moderate to high community spread, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. The number of counties the health department has categorized as red, for high community spread, more than doubled over the past week, from 16 to 36. All of the state’s other 56 counties are categorized as orange, for moderate to high spread. This means every county will face restrictions put in place by Gov. Eric Holcomb last month to combat spread. Indiana reported 5,853 new cases of coronavirus Wednesday and an additional 98 deaths. The state’s positivity rate continues to climb as fewer tests are performed in the wake of the Thanksgiving holiday, although it is not clear why testing has dropped off. All but nine counties in the state are at a 10% or higher positivity rate.

Iowa

Johnston: The state added another 123 coronavirus-related deaths Wednesday, boosting Iowa’s pandemic death toll to 3,021, according to state public health records. The count continues to grow as hospitalization rates, although significantly lower than a week ago, remain high with 900 people hospitalized and 111 COVID-19 patients admitted in the previous 24 hours. The Iowa Department of Public Health is transitioning to a new method of counting deaths that has the potential to add several hundred more cases to the state’s total in the coming weeks. Public health data indicates the virus’s spread may be slowing from its highest point in mid-November as the daily number of positive cases has decreased since Nov. 17. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday that she will extend the state’s mask requirements and limitations on some indoor and outdoor gatherings for another week. She said Iowa needs to see its downward trend continue. “We’ve made good progress over the last few weeks, but our ultimate goal is to get virus activity to a level that we can manage over the next few months,” she said at a news conference.

Kansas

Topeka: The state school board is recommending that elementary schools continue in-person classes even if the spread of the coronavirus in their communities is so great that schools otherwise would close. The State Board of Education on Tuesday updated its pandemic guidance, which many districts are following closely. The change comes after a surge in coronavirus cases across the state over the past month prompted some districts to return to online classes for many or all of their students. Education Commissioner Randy Watson cited research showing younger students do not get as ill when infected. The state Department of Health and Environment reported that as of Monday, only 3.3% of the state’s 174,000 confirmed or probable cases and none of its more than 1,800 deaths for the pandemic were in children 9 years old or younger. “The chance for the virus impacting elementary schools, both from a teacher and student standpoint, is so low that the risk of not being in school is higher than being in school,” Watson said.

Kentucky

Louisville: As the state continues to wrestle with a pandemic that has killed more than 2,000 residents, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Tuesday that hospitals in many parts of state are nearing full capacity and warned that it could make it more difficult for people to receive proper treatment. “Hospital capacity in many ways doesn’t care about ‘why’ you’re there,” he said. “We need an ICU bed open for any individual that might need one.” The Democratic governor announced that hospital capacity for inpatient beds, intensive care unit beds or ventilators is at or above 80% in four parts of the state. ICU capacity in two zones, one along the Tennessee border and one in eastern Kentucky, is over 90%. Hospitalizations are up roughly 17% since the beginning of November, and Kentucky has averaged about 3,300 new cases per day in the past week alone, according to data released by the governor’s office. A University of Kentucky hospital has closed five of its operating rooms to increase capacity for COVID-19 patients, while another in northeastern Kentucky has resorted to using its lobby as an overflow area for the emergency room.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: The state will wait until mid-January to update its income projections to account for the latest effects of the coronavirus outbreak, delaying a traditional pre-holiday forecasting meeting amid continued economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Whatever numbers are set by the Revenue Estimating Conference, a four-member panel that draws up Louisiana’s state government income projections, will form the basis for the 2021-22 budget proposal that Gov. John Bel Edwards must submit to lawmakers by Feb. 26. Setting those projections has gotten even trickier than usual, with a national economic recession caused by the coronavirus, business restrictions enacted in response to the outbreak, increased jobless rates, and an oil and gas industry slowdown. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, Edwards’ chief financial adviser, said he’s hopeful Louisiana will avoid a midyear deficit in the current budget that ends June 30. But he’s warning the numbers could be grim for the 2021-22 financial year that begins July 1.

Maine

Portland: Seafood is a big part of Maine’s culture and history, and the state wants home cooks to use more of it during the pandemic. That’s the focus of a branding and promotion initiative the Maine Department of Marine Resources is launching. The effort will use $1 million in federal coronavirus aid to help consumers discover and use more Maine seafood, said Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher. Retail seafood sales are up 35% compared to this time last year, the marine resources department said. However, the seafood industry is also heavily reliant on restaurant sales, which have cratered since the pandemic started. Meanwhile, more than 2,000 Maine fishermen are expected to receive federal coronavirus aid before the end of the year, Keliher said Tuesday. The $19 million in aid was made available for commercial fishermen, aquaculturists, fishing charter operators, and seafood dealers and processors who suffered losses due to the pandemic, he said. The pandemic has disrupted the seafood industry, one of the most important sectors of the economy in the state that’s America’s largest producer of lobsters.

Maryland

Baltimore: The city will shut down indoor and outdoor dining this week to fight the spread of COVID-19, as part of new restrictions announced Wednesday by the freshly inaugurated mayor. The restrictions in Maryland’s largest city will go into effect at 5 p.m. Friday. Mayor Brandon Scott also announced that capacity at religious facilities, retail establishments and malls will be limited to 25% maximum capacity. Fitness centers, casinos and museums also will be limited to 25% maximum capacity. “Baltimore, we face some difficult days ahead, and we must all do more to reduce the spread and transmission of COVID-19 in our city,” said Scott, a Democrat who was sworn into office a day earlier. “These restrictions today, while they may seem harsh, are being implemented to save lives and to reduce the stress on our medical system.” The revised guidelines limit restaurants to carry-out, delivery and drive-thri service. Indoor gatherings at public and private facilities will be limited to no more than 10 people. Outdoor gatherings at public and private facilities will be limited to no more than 25 people.

Massachusetts

Boston: The area’s public transportation system won’t see major service cuts, at least for the moment. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s board deferred a vote this week on service cuts proposed in the wake of plummeting ridership amid the pandemic. MBTA General Manager Steven Poftak requested the board revisit the proposed cuts next week in light of recent developments, including development of COVID-19 vaccines and another possible round of federal stimulus to help shore up the agency’s budget. He said the agency should continue to work with labor unions and other groups to find ways to reduce costs while preserving essential services. The proposed cuts would eliminate weekend commuter rail services, 25 bus routes, all ferry service and subway service after midnight over the course of 2021 because of the drop in ridership and revenue. Mayor Marty Walsh had joined city councilors and public transportation advocates in calling on the MBTA not to move forward with the proposal. But spending money for buses and trains with few riders makes no sense, Gov. Charlie Baker said.

Michigan

Detroit: City officials on Tuesday announced an extension of water shutoff protections through 2022 and said they want to develop a plan to permanently stop shutoffs in the future. Detroit’s COVID-19 Water Restart Plan, launched in March for people who are unable to make payments during the pandemic, was set to expire at the end of this month. Through state, federal, private and local funds, that moratorium will now run through at least 2022. “The shutoff moratorium issued by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ends in 23 days, but not here in Detroit,” Gary Brown, director of the city’s water and sewerage department, said during a news conference Tuesday. “We are continuing the moratorium through 2022, while we work on a permanent water affordability solution at the state and federal level.” Detroit water activists have long advocated for a comprehensive water affordability plan that would stop water shutoffs. “The devil will be in the details, in terms of a real commitment to a timeline and a budget line,” said Monica Lewis-Patrick, of We the People Detroit.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: The first of 183,000 Minnesotans who will get the new coronavirus vaccine in the initial wave could get their shots as early as Christmas week, Gov. Tim Walz and state health officials announced Tuesday. “So perhaps an early Christmas present,” said the state’s infectious disease director, Kris Ehresmann. Minnesota is poised to receive 46,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine next week, followed by 136,000 of the Moderna vaccine in the two weeks after that, for a total of 183,400 doses within the first month. But state officials cautioned that the information they’re getting from the federal government keeps changing, and schedules for future deliveries are uncertain. Ehresmann said the top priorities are health care personnel who have the most direct contact with COVID-19 patients, as well as residents of skilled nursing facilities. State health officials reported 4,539 new coronavirus cases Wednesday and 82 new deaths, the state’s third-highest one-day total of the pandemic. But hospitalizations are continuing a slow decline. Minnesota had 1,545 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, with 358 in intensive care.

Mississippi

Jackson: The number of people who have died of coronavirus complications in the state surpassed 4,000 on Tuesday, and health officials warned that there will be more fatalities and hospitalizations if residents continue gathering. “We are seeing ongoing heavy case burdens – many, many cases, rising deaths and increasing strain on our health care system,” said the state health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs. He said rising cases are attributable to social gatherings – funerals, parties, sporting events – where people are not following safety guidelines. “It’s not a joke – if we would just wear a mask in public and avoid nonessential social gatherings, the universe would be an entirely different place,” he said. The number of coronavirus hospitalizations has peaked in recent days as numbers of new cases have surged. However, the number of intensive care unit patients has not yet reached the record highs of the summer, although most units are full, Dobb said. That’s something he expects will change soon. As it is, Dobbs said hospitals are unable to find health care facilities where they can transfer patients because everywhere is full.

Missouri

Jefferson City: The coronavirus has claimed almost 200 more lives in the state, based on numbers from the past two days. The state health department cited 28 additional deaths Wednesday, a day after the toll rose sharply by 161, based in part on death certificate analyses. Hospital capacity continues to be a concern. The state said intensive care unit bed space is at 19% statewide. ICU space is at 6% in southwestern Missouri, 14% in northeast Missouri and 18% in St. Louis. The statewide positivity rate of 19.1% is down slightly from last week but still nearly four times higher than the 5% benchmark set by the World Health Organization. “The stark and sobering reality is that we are losing people in our community daily to this virus. We must all act with responsible empathy and be willing to make small sacrifices now so that our community can finish strong. We need to do everything we can to prevent the spread of this illness, especially for those most vulnerable,” Greene County’s health director, Clay Goddard, said in a news release.

Montana

Great Falls: The state reported 747 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday and eight additional deaths related to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Showdown Montana announced it spent $100,000 “revamping” the ski area to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The ski hill has installed takeout windows and kiosks to minimize contact when ordering food. Outdoor bathrooms and outdoor seating have been installed, among other changes. Great Falls Public Schools reported 59 active cases across the district, with Great Falls High School reporting the highest number of 11 active cases, as of Tuesday. C.M. Russell High School had nine active cases, according to the same report. Gov. Steve Bullock earlier this week issued a COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan that would prioritize major hospitals in Montana, including Benefis Health System and Great Falls Clinic. There are 490 active hospitalizations statewide due to COVID-19 and 2,963 total hospitalizations.

Nebraska

Omaha: Officials released further details on how the state’s coronavirus vaccination plan will work, including that meatpacking plant workers, prison staffers and teachers will be among the first to receive doses after health care workers and people who work in long-term care facilities. Nebraska is expected to receive its first shipment of 15,600 doses next week from the drugmaker Pfizer, assuming that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the vaccine as expected Thursday. Once the needs of hospitals and care facilities are met, the state will expand who is eligible, said Angie Ling, incident commander for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Under the distribution plan that was updated Monday, first responders and people who work in education, the food and agricultural industries, correctional facilities, and utilities and transportation will be next in line to be eligible to get vaccinated. After them, the virus will go to people who are 65 years and older or who are otherwise considered vulnerable, as well as to those living in shared living facilities.

Nevada

Reno: A three-member U.S. appeals court panel appeared sympathetic Tuesday to arguments by lawyers for two churches that say state COVID-19 restrictions treating churches differently from casinos and other secular businesses violate their First Amendment rights. The 9th Circuit panel in San Francisco heard arguments via video from lawyers for Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley east of Reno and Cavalry Chapel Lone Mountain in Las Vegas who want the appellate court to reverse earlier district court rulings upholding hard attendance caps Gov. Steve Sisolak has set on the size of indoor worship services. They say churches should be held to the same standards that allow casinos, bars, restaurants and others to operate based on a percentage of their capacity – currently 25% – not a hard cap. All three justices cited recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that handed victories to churches waging similar battles over religious freedom in New York and California. Each expressed skepticism about various arguments lawyers for Nevada made to justify disparate treatment of churches and secular businesses.

New Hampshire

Concord: Ski and snowmobile businesses are optimistic about the season as they see increased interest in getting outdoors, but they note there will be changes because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Your car is sort of your base lodge this year,” Ben Wilcox, general manager of the Cranmore Mountain Resort, said during an online meeting Wednesday hosted by U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas. People should try to store their equipment in their car, as no bags are being allowed in buildings, he said. There will be social distancing in lift lines. Face coverings will be required at all times except when skiing and eating in a restaurant, Wilcox said. Peter Gagne of Northern Extremes Snowmobiling, a rental service in Bartlett, said a lot of new customers are interested in snowmobiling this winter. He said there have even been record sales for used equipment. Gagne said he’s advising people to book four to six weeks out for weekends because there’s been record demand. He said he’s also seen a big increase in midweek reservations. Ellen Chandler of Jackson Cross Country Ski Center said she’s also seen increased interest in season passes and in programs for children during the week.

New Jersey

Englewood: Englewood Health has been named the “Pandemic Hero of the Year” by an independent national watchdog organization for its actions during the initial surge of the pandemic. The Leapfrog Group named two recipients for the pandemic hero of the year Tuesday, and the Englewood hospital was recognized in the “teams” category for the award – the only hospital in the nation to receive the title from the organization. Leah Binder, CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said the organization was most impressed by the hospital’s staff, who “came together in so many ways” and showed courage and compassion during the COVID-19 crisis. The Leapfrog Group cited the hospital’s many initiatives launched earlier this year as the basis for its decision, including a physician liaison team that connected with patients’ families, the introduction of telemedicine, and a team that helped patients stay connected to loved ones through daily phone calls and other technology. The hospital’s employee assistance program, which helped provide mental health support to 5,000 employees and other affiliates, was also highlighted.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: Top health officials say the state has a solid plan in place to stretch hospital and health care resources as far as possible before having to ration care, but they also warned Tuesday that the state could face that prospect if the pandemic worsens. Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase said hospitals around New Mexico are facing extremely high demands, and state health officials are expected to formally declare soon that providers are at a stage where rationing care becomes necessary, despite a slowdown in the rate of spread and a decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases being reported daily in the state. Under a crisis standards of care declaration, an established framework and guidelines would be used for making ethical decisions about triaging care. Local triage boards are up and running at hospitals around the state, and a centralized call center has been helping to identify which hospitals have room and which ones need help. Unlike other states, the idea early on was for separate providers in New Mexico to work together to pool their resources since the state already ranked near the bottom nationally for hospital beds per capita.

New York

Albany: The governor said the state could receive its first deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming days as the pandemic is landing more patients into hospitals across the state, including on Staten Island. “This is a hospital capacity crisis, and more and more, it’s becoming a greater crisis for hospitals because their capacity is further diminished,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. Hospitals across New York reported nearly 5,000 COVID-19 patients as of Tuesday. That amount has doubled since Nov. 20 and is the highest since May 20. And there’s no sign the pandemic is slowing. The state has averaged 50 daily new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days. That figure has also doubled since Nov. 20. Hospitals and nursing homes reported 495 deaths of COVID-19 patients in the past seven days – double from two weeks ago. Cuomo described the vaccine as “the weapon that will win the war.” He said the state hopes to use the initial delivery of 170,000 doses to cover nursing home residents and then staffers. The state has opted into a federal program that will involve CVS and Walgreen’s administering vaccines by Dec. 21.

North Carolina

Raleigh: Gov. Roy Cooper unveiled a modified stay-at-home order Tuesday that requires residents to remain off the streets between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The executive order set to take effect Friday orders bars, restaurants, entertainment venues and personal care businesses closed by 10 p.m., though grocery chains and some retailers that sell groceries will be allowed to operate within the seven-hour window. On-site alcohol sales at bars must end by 9 p.m. Travel to and from work during curfew hours is still permitted, as is travel to get food, gas, medical care or social services. Cooper hinted at further restrictions if spread does not slow. The state’s hospitals face increased risk of being overrun. For the sixth day in a row and 11 of the past 12 days, North Carolina hit new highs in current COVID-19-related hospitalizations. Data posted Tuesday from the state Department of Health and Human Services shows nearly 2,400 people are hospitalized due to coronavirus. This represents a doubling of hospitalizations over the past month. Cases, the percentage of tests coming coming back positive and deaths are also sharply rising.

North Dakota

Fargo: State health officials on Tuesday confirmed 30 new deaths and 24 new hospitalizations due to the coronavirus, a reality check from the past two weeks when the positivity rate of tests had steadily fallen. The state Department of Health also announced that its daily update of virus cases will include people who take rapid antigen tests, not just the nasal swab tests that have been employed since early in the pandemic. A dozen people who took the rapid tests eventually died, but the health department does not consider them part of the daily report because they were spread out among the past two months. The change in reporting comes on advice from the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. Hospitalizations increased to 328 in a state that is already running low on health care space and workers. And the daily positivity rate jumped above 11% after several days in single digits. Antigen tests are not included in positivity figures because not every facility is reporting them, health officials said.

Ohio

Columbus: By any measure, the rise of COVID-19 in the state remains unchecked and out of control, and federal officials warn the arrival of vaccines will not begin to reverse the course of the pandemic until at least late spring. State health officials reported an above-average 10,094 confirmed and probable daily virus infections and 84 additional deaths Wednesday. The 304,415 infections recorded in roughly six weeks since Nov. 1 account for 59% of the more than 520,000 cases recorded during the pandemic, which hit the nine-month mark in Ohio on Wednesday. After November began with 3,303 cases, Ohio since has recorded an average of 7,806 new daily infections, with case counts topping 10,000 on six days. A one-day record of 11,728 confirmed cases was recorded Tuesday. COVID-19 deaths also are spiking to a potential record, with December fatalities totaling 758 – an average of 84 each day. If that deadly pace continues, Ohio will mark slightly more than 2,600 deaths in December, more than double the 1,180 reported in May, the state’s deadliest month. Ohio now has recorded a total of 7,187 virus deaths.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Gov. Kevin Stitt has rescinded his appointment to the State Board of Education of an Enid woman who led an anti-mask crusade in the northwest Oklahoma city. Stitt said in a statement Monday that he rescinded the appointment of Melissa Crabtree at her request. “I was extremely disappointed to see how many were so quick to judge her without taking the time to personally speak to her,” Stitt said. “Ms. Crabtree is a loving mother and wife, and her public school teaching experience and work with special needs children would have been valuable assets to our state. However, it’s become clear that Democrats and unions only value the voices of teachers when they are willing to fall in line with their political agendas.” Crabtree had faced fierce criticism from Democrats in the Legislature and some public education groups for social media posts in which she shared misinformation about the coronavirus and vaccines. The posts were first reported by the nonprofit journalism website Oklahoma Watch and were later hidden from public view on her Facebook page.

Oregon

Salem: The state reported 1,341 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday and a record 36 deaths. Meanwhile, Salem Hospital has begun postponing some elective surgeries, as the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 there is rising. “Our goal is to find the right balance between potential capacity needs and providing patients access to other types of care,” Salem Health spokesman Michael Gay said in a statement Tuesday. Salem Hospital had 73 COVID-19 patients Tuesday. Statewide, 553 patients were hospitalized Tuesday, with 127 in intensive care. Salem Hospital has consistently had more COVID-19 patients than other hospitals statewide. Some Portland-area hospitals began postponing some elective surgeries about a month ago. Last week, St. Charles Health System in Bend announced it also would postpone some elective surgeries.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus and is isolating at home while working remotely. “I have no symptoms and am feeling well,” the second-term Democrat said in a statement. “I am following CDC and Department of Health guidelines.” Wolf’s public schedule for the past week had just one event, a virtual news conference about the pandemic Monday at which he appeared along with his health secretary, Dr. Rachel Levine, and one of her deputies. All wore masks as they took turns at the podium. Nearly a month ago, the Wolf administration strengthened its mask mandate and required out-of-state travelers to test negative for the virus before arrival. But infections, hospitalizations and deaths have continued to increase sharply in the state, prompting Wolf to reveal Monday that he is considering new mitigation measures. Pennsylvania is averaging about 10,000 new confirmed cases per day, up more than 50% in two weeks, according to an AP analysis of data from the COVID Tracking Project. Hospitalizations have risen tenfold this fall. The state is averaging 140 deaths per day, up 64% since Nov. 24.

Rhode Island

Providence: COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to reach new heights, according to state Department of Health numbers released Wednesday. There were 461 patients in the state’s hospitals with the disease as of Monday, the latest day for which the information was available, a single-day record. The previous record was 455 on Sunday. The department also reported more than 1,200 new confirmed cases out of nearly 16,200 tests, a daily positivity rate of about 7.6%. The latest seven-day average positivity rate in Rhode Island is 9.04%, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Meanwhile, the state Department of Health is warning of an email scam in which someone purporting to be a department doctor asks recipients to click on a link to preregister for a COVID-19 vaccine. The department warned in a social media post Tuesday that it is a phishing scam and that anyone who receives the email from a Dr. Kimberly Turner should not open or share it but instead should delete it. The department does not employ a Dr. Kimberly Turner, and there are no licensed physicians with that name in Rhode Island.

South Carolina

Columbia: The state’s highest court again rejected Gov. Henry McMaster’s plan to use $32 million in federal coronavirus relief to provide tuition grants for private schools, ruling Wednesday that spending public money that way is unconstitutional. The unanimous decision by the state Supreme Court says the governor’s decision to use federal aid in such a way “constitutes the use of public funds for the direct benefit of private educational institutions within the meaning of, and prohibited by” the South Carolina Constitution. McMaster unveiled his plan for Safe Access to Flexible Education in July, effectively creating a one-time voucher program for parents who couldn’t otherwise afford the expense of private school. The plan was immediately challenged in court. Saying he wanted to give more families the option to send their children to private schools – especially if their own schools would not reopen for in-person instruction because of the pandemic – McMaster said the program would cover about 5,000 SAFE grants of up to $6,500 each. The governor had called on all the state’s schools to reopen classrooms five days a week, but many instead opted for virtual instruction or a combination of face-to-face and remote learning.

South Dakota

Pierre: Gov. Kristi Noem defended her coronavirus response Tuesday in a budget address to lawmakers, laying out proposals to spend millions in excess funds after federal aid bolstered the state’s budget. The Republican compared both the state’s virus situation and its financial outlook to states such as Illinois, New Jersey and New York. While South Dakota is currently suffering through one of the worst virus outbreaks in the nation, its economy and budget forecast are rosier. Noem opened her speech with a moment of silence for the 1,111 people who have died from COVID-19, which she described as a “horrible virus.” But Noem, who has eschewed government-enforced lockdowns and mask mandates, claimed that the virus does not seem to be any worse in states that have taken aggressive measures to prevent infections from spreading, pointing to places like California and New Jersey that have recent spikes in COVID-19 hospitalizations. However, some of the statistics the governor used for her comparison have been called into question.

Tennessee

Nashville: Camping at state parks is reaching historic highs amid the pandemic. State parks saw more than 62,000 camping nights sold in October, a one-month record for camping stays in the parks system, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation said in a news release. That number eclipses the mark of more than 57,000 camping nights set in June of this year, the department said. November had more than 36,000 camping nights sold, the highest total ever for the month, the department said. Four of the top 10 camping months ever have occurred this year, “driven by visitors seeking the outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic,” the news release said. “The appeal of louder, busier and crowded entertainment venues has given way to the space, freedom and connection the outdoors provide,” said Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of the department. Tennessee State Parks operate more than 3,000 campsites.

Texas

Dallas: The state on Tuesday reported more than 15,000 newly confirmed daily cases of the coronavirus amid spikes in cases and hospitalization as winter approaches. The Texas Department of State Health Services also said 9,028 people were hospitalized across the state. Last week marked the first time Texas surpassed a daily count of 9,000 hospitalizations since a deadly summer outbreak. During the summer outbreak, the state saw the numbers of new daily cases go just past 10,000 for the first time. Since late November, the new daily cases have soared past 10,000 on several days, with 15,103 new cases reported Tuesday, according to state health officials. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University say Texas has had more than 23,000 COVID-19 related deaths so far, the second most in the U.S. Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by 17%, according to Johns Hopkins. The university says 1 in every 309 people in Texas tested positive in the past week.

Utah

Ivins: The historic decision to move Gov.-elect Spencer Cox’s January inauguration from its historical location at the Capitol to the Tuacahn Center for the Arts was made because Cox wanted to show his commitment to all of Utah, not just Salt Lake City, his office said Monday. The amphitheater’s outdoor location also offers a safer environment in light of the pandemic. “Gov.-elect Cox campaigned on a promise to represent all of Utah, so he felt it was important to demonstrate that commitment by launching his administration off the Wasatch Front,” Jennifer Napier-Pierce, Cox’s communications director, wrote in an email. The Jan. 4 event will mark the first time a new Utah governor will be inaugurated away from the Capitol. Stephen Wade, co-chair of the Utah Inaugural Commission, said concerns about COVID-19 quickly ruled out the usual inaugural venue inside the State Capitol Building. “We felt this needed to be held outside,” Wade said. The Tuacahn Center for the Arts is a 2,000-seat outdoor amphitheater nestled at the mouth of Snow Canyon State Park just north of Ivins. Attendance on inauguration day will be limited to 25% or less of the amphitheater’s capacity, and guests will be physically distanced.

Vermont

Montpelier: The Vermont Health Department will begin sending text messages to people who may have come into contact with someone who has COVID-19, an official said. Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said Tuesday that the system is intended to ensure the word gets to people who may have been exposed to the virus as quickly as possible. The person infected with the virus will provide the cellphone numbers of the people who may have been exposed. After receiving the texts, people will also receive calls from Health Department contact tracers. “Our contact tracing team will help determine who gets these texts based on the exact situation,” Levine said during the state’s virus briefing. The person will receive two short texts from the number 86911. The texts will be sent between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. “If you do get a text, please know it is a legitimate and important message from the department of health,” Levine said.

Virginia

Richmond: A GOP state senator is suing over plans by Democratic leaders to limit public access to lawmakers’ offices during next year’s legislative session. Virginia Beach Sen. Bill DeSteph announced his lawsuit Tuesday, saying plans to keep a state office building open only to credentialed staff and lawmakers during the legislative session constitute a violation of the First Amendment. DeSteph said the Pocahontas Building, which sits just next to the state Capitol, should be open for in-person meetings. House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn announced last month that the House would conduct its work remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic when it convenes in January. House and Senate Republican leaders responded by saying they would use a procedural move to limit the 2021 session to 30 days, rather than the typical 45 days.

Washington

Yakima: An appellate judge has ruled that the state Department of Labor and Industries did not show sufficient evidence to fine a gym owner for alleged violations of coronavirus regulations. One of Anytime Fitness’ owners, Bradshaw Development Inc., was fined more than $9,000 in July and $29,000 in August after the department said the gym exposed its employees to COVID-19, The Yakima Herald-Republic reports. Department officials claimed gym locations in Yakima, Selah and Union Gap operated in violation of the state’s reopening plan when the county was in Phase 1 of the plan and gyms were not allowed to reopen. Judge William R. Strange ruled in favor of the gym after it appealed the fines. Anytime Fitness attorney Scott Brumback said the ruling was a victory for owner Wes Bradshaw. “They fined him nearly $40,000,” Brumback said. “They were trying to make an example of him, and he stood up to them.” Department of Labor spokesperson Tim Church said the agency disagrees with the decision. The department has less than 20 days to request a written review from the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals.

West Virginia

Charleston: The state has reported 63 deaths linked to COVID-19 since the beginning of this week, already more than half as many deaths as were reported in the previous week’s record high virus numbers. The state reported 890 confirmed cases Wednesday. West Virginia has set records for confirmed virus cases in seven of the past nine weeks. Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday that the state expects to receive its first doses of the Pfizer vaccine within 24 hours after it gains emergency use authorization from the federal government. Justice has refused to further close public life and shut down businesses. He said short of closing the entire state down, partial restrictions, such as on restaurants and other establishments, ”probably won’t make any significant effect.” He asked: “Why in the world am I going to blow my foot off if I have no idea if it’s going to help at all?”

Wisconsin

Madison: Flu vaccinations are up so far this year, and state health officials hope a new education and awareness campaign launched Wednesday will boost participation among minorities who historically have been more reticent to get vaccinated. Getting the flu shot is recommended every year, but never more so than now, as hospitals and health care systems are already under stress from the coronavirus pandemic. Adding an influx of flu patients would completely overwhelm a health care system already stretched to the limit, said Dr. Tom Haupt, influenza surveillance coordinator for the state Department of Health Services. The good news for now, Haupt said, is there have been very few confirmed cases of the flu so far this season, and more people are getting vaccinated compared to last year. The number of people who got the flu this year started dropping in March and “fell off the table” in the summer with very little activity, Haupt said. The precautions people have taken to avoid getting COVID-19 – frequently washing hands, avoiding crowds, staying home – certainly also help to avoid the flu, but that must be complemented with the vaccine, he said. On Wednesday, the state added 3,619 new COVID-19 cases and 81 deaths.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: A Wyoming Department of Health official who falsely described the coronavirus and development of vaccines against it as a communist plot has resigned, a department spokeswoman said Wednesday. Igor Shepherd, who was the agency’s readiness and countermeasures manager, submitted his resignation Tuesday, and it was accepted the same day, department spokeswoman Kim Deti said, declining further comment. The baseless claims he made about the “so-called pandemic” at a Colorado event last month went against the department’s aggressive public education efforts to promote social distancing, mask-wearing and other measures to counter COVID-19. Shepherd was involved in Wyoming’s response to the coronavirus but not in a leadership role and had worked for the health department since 2013, according to state health officials. Toward the end of his talk in Loveland, Shepherd expressed doubt he would continue working for his state’s health department. “If you ask me how deeply I’m enjoying the job, well, I don’t anymore,” he said. “Who knows how long I’ll be around.”

From Paste BN Network and wire reports