Yellowstone Park flooding: Parts may reopen to tourists on Monday ...

(CNN) Yellowstone National Park could partially reopen as early as Monday as officials continue to assess the damage caused by historic flooding , which now threatens to hamper the peak of the summer tourist season.

Heavy rains and rapid snowmelt caused rivers to swallow bridges, sweep away entire sections of roadway and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 visitors. The sudden closure has fueled concerns from business owners and employees in surrounding communities who rely on Yellowstone visitors as a key source of revenue.

The park's northern region, which bore the brunt of the flood damage, is expected to be closed for a "substantial length of time," which will likely go through the end of the season, the park said in a release Tuesday.

The less-impacted southern loop could reopen as early as Monday, Park Superintendent Cam Sholly told residents and tourists in Cody, Wyoming, on Wednesday, according to the Casper Star-Tribune

But while the southern loop reopening may provide relief to some tourism industry workers, those bordering the northern entrance are still left to wait.

A North Entrance road in Yellowstone National Park was inundated with water.

In the south Montana city of Gardiner, which acts as a gateway to Yellowstone's northern entrance, hotel owners are already feeling the impact.

"There's nobody here," Kari Huesing, office manager of Yellowstone Gateway Inn, told CNN. "We were booked solid for a year."

Now, she says, all but one of her visitors are gone following the flooding, and one neighboring hotel has shut down and sent its employees home.

"It's a Yellowstone town, and it lives and dies by tourism," Park County Commissioner Bill Berg said of Gardiner.

In Cody, which lies east of the park, tourism industry workers were eager for answers from Sholly on the southern loop reopening, the Casper Star-Tribune reported. Sholly hopes gateway communities and park staff can determine how to sustain local businesses without attracting more visitors than the park can host, the paper reported.

The dangerous flooding fueled by heavy rainfall and snowmelt began to inundate the park and several surrounding communities Monday, overtaking essential roadways and bridges, and making it dangerous or impossible for some people to evacuate.

As some communities became surrounded by water, at times without power or drinking water, search and rescue teams worked to evacuate residents. The Montana National Guard this week carried out 87 rescues by helicopter, it said Wednesday on Facebook.

In Montana's Park County, which includes Gardiner, water has been receding, and access to the communities that had been surrounded by floodwater has been restored for emergency vehicles at a minimum, Greg Coleman, the county's emergency services manager, said Wednesday morning.

President Joe Biden on Thursday approved a disaster declaration for Montana in areas affected by flooding. "Federal funding is available to State, tribal, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storm and flooding in the counties of Carbon, Park, and Stillwater," the declaration states.

Park temporarily closed as locals try to recover

All five entrances to Yellowstone will remain closed through at least the weekend, the park said in a release Tuesday , and the northern roads of the park will likely be closed for an extended period due to "severely damaged, impacted infrastructure."

The battering floodwaters wiped away entire segments of paved road near the northern entrance, downed trees and triggered multiple mudslides.

Communities surrounding Yellowstone are also reeling from the catastrophic damage. Quickly moving waters compromised several roads and bridges, submerged cars and even swept away homes as the underlying foundations became completely worn away.

Micah Hoffman uses a pump to remove water from his basement in Red Lodge, Montana.

In Park County, at least two homes collapsed into the intruding Yellowstone River early this week, and numerous homes and businesses were flooded, said Coleman, the county emergency official.

Video from witnesses showed one building in Gardiner collapsing into the river on Monday. Gardiner was isolated by water Monday and into Tuesday as flooding rendered roads and bridges impassable.

Aerial video captured by CNN shows one Montana home hanging precariously over the edge of a severely eroded embankment. Photos of the aftermath in the city of Red Lodge, Montana, on Tuesday show several streets piled with rocks and debris as water still runs over the sidewalks.

The flooding in Red Lodge, Montana, left the roads covered in rocks and debris.

Region braces for more potential flooding

The record flooding was caused by a combination of heavy rainfall and snowmelt from high elevations over the weekend in the Beartooth and Absaroka mountain ranges, which stretch across the Montana-Wyoming state line.

The level of runoff is comparable to the region receiving two to three times a normal June's precipitation in only three days, according to CNN meteorologists.

flood wave moved east Tuesday and Wednesday along the Yellowstone River, the National Weather Service said, leading to reports of major flooding in Billings, which is about a 175-mile drive east of Gardiner. By Tuesday afternoon, the river at Billings had surged well above its previous record of 15 feet, according to the weather service.

The flooding prompted officials to shut down the city water plant late Tuesday night, the city's public works department said.

The plant resumed operations at a low level Wednesday afternoon, and by Thursday morning it was working at full capacity, city officials said.

Even as water levels began to recede in areas on Tuesday and Wednesday, park officials and residents in the region are bracing for the possibility of more flooding in the coming days.

More snow could soon melt in the mountains of Wyoming and Montana, and that, coupled with more rain this weekend, could cause river levels to rise again, the National Weather Service's office in Billings said.

Warm air is expected to move over the mountains Thursday night, keeping the low temperatures above freezing. This, along with plenty of sunshine during the day, should get snow melting. "Temperatures will be in the 50s and 60s in the high country both Friday and Saturday afternoon," the weather service said.

"Expect a few days of melting of what is still a substantial snowpack in the mountains."

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to hit the area Saturday night and Sunday.

The weather service's latest river forecasts predict substantial rises due to the melt. Still, the levels are predicted to be well under flood stage, because the rainfall amounts look very light. River projections show this new rise in water peaking over the weekend around Yellowstone and in Billings on Monday.

"By the time slightly more substantial precipitation arrives Sunday night into Monday, temperatures drop into the 30s, and snow is probable above 8,500 feet Sunday night," the weather service said.

"That said, those with interests near waterways in the western foothills should pay attention to the forecasts through the weekend in case the forecast changes significantly," the service added.

The intense rainfall and rapid snow melt already experienced by the park and nearby communities are consistent with projections laid out in a climate assessment report released last year from scientists with the US Geological Survey, Montana State University and the University of Wyoming.

The climate crisis is already driving more annual precipitation and runoff from melting snowpack in the Greater Yellowstone Area, and the trend will continue in the coming years, the report said.

Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled Kari Huesing's first name and incorrectly identified her position at the Yellowstone Gateway Inn. Huesing is the office manager.

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CNN —

Yellowstone National Park will remain closed to visitors through at least Wednesday due to dangerous flooding conditions, which have prompted park evacuations and left some in surrounding communities trapped without safe drinking water, officials say.

A Montana helicopter company transported about 40 people on Monday and Tuesday from a community airstrip in the town of Gardiner in Park County, Laura Jones of Rocky Mountain Rotors told CNN.

“We haven’t ‘rescued’ anyone that was in danger, we have mainly been transporting people out of there,” Jones said via email. “We have also taken some passengers in who had pets they needed to get to or live there and needed to get home.”

The park announced Monday afternoon that all park entrances were closed to visitors, citing “record flooding events” and a forecast of more rain to come.

The abundant rainfall and rapid snowmelt combined to produce up to three-quarters of a foot of water runoff, which is similar to the area receiving 2 to 3 months of June precipitation in only three days, according to CNN Weather calculations.

“Our first priority has been to evacuate the northern section of the park where we have multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides and other issues,” Yellowstone Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said in a statement Monday.

“Well over 10,000 visitors” were in the park, according to Sholly, who said at a news conference Monday he didn’t have an exact number, but average visitation in June can be between 15,000 and 20,000 people.

A road in Yellowstone National Park partially collapsed due to flooding Monday. National Park Service/AP

Immediately north of the Yellowstone, several cities in Montana’s Park County were also experiencing extensive flooding, which has washed out bridges and roads, making it unsafe to travel or impossible to evacuate, Park County officials said on Facebook.

Officials have also issued warnings in many areas for residents to avoid drinking local water due to a broken water main and submerged wells.

The Park County town of Gardiner, located at the northern entrance to Yellowstone, is isolated and surrounded by water after heavy flooding washed out bridges and roads, county officials said on Facebook on Tuesday.

Damage from flooding in the town is “significant,” Park County Sheriff Brad Bichler said Tuesday.

“The water’s coming down and it’s kind of showing us exactly what kind of damage we’re dealing with,” Bichler said at a news conference.

Sholly told reporters Tuesday evening that the road between Gardiner and Cooke City will likely remain closed for the remainder of the season. He said no damage estimates are yet available.

“This is not going to be an easy rebuild,” Sholly said, referring the five-mile stretch of road most affected by the flooding. He said officials will have to assess whether it make sense to rebuild the road in that area.

Gardiner is a hub of activity in the region and the only entrance that remained open to wheeled-vehicle use year-round, according to the town website.

CNN tried to contact Park County officials to confirm how many people are affected but has been unable to reach them.

Many roads and bridges are inaccessible, along with some railroad tracks. A few roads and bridges remain open to emergency traffic. The National Guard and local rescue groups were conducting evacuations, water rescues and airlifts.

Officials on Tuesday warned residents that displaced wildlife could traverse their properties, with bears, deer and domestic livestock already spotted.

“The river has never been this high before by my house,” said Elizabeth Aluck, who lives in Gardiner. Aluck told CNN Monday afternoon that she cannot evacuate because the roads and bridges around her home are washed out.

An Indiana family staying at a short-term rental cabin in Gardiner told CNN they were supposed to leave Monday morning, but the flooding left them stranded.

“The water levels were high on Saturday but within the past 10 to 12 hours things have gotten rougher,” Parker Manning said. “Our way out of town would be north on 89, but those roads are currently all underwater.”

Video Ad Feedback 01:15 - Source: CNN See the severe flooding that shut down Yellowstone National Park

The Yellowstone River, which runs through the park and several Park County cities, swelled to a record high Monday due to recent heavy rainfall and significant runoff from melting snow in higher elevations, according to CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.

The Yellowstone River gauge at Corwin Springs, Montana, reached 13.88 feet Monday afternoon, surpassing the historical high crest of 11.5 feet from 1918, NOAA river gauge data shows.

Governor declares statewide disaster

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte declared a “statewide disaster” on Tuesday “to help impacted communities get back on their feet as soon as possible,” according to a Twitter post.

Snow melt and rainfall across the Beartooths and Absarokas – which span the Montana-Wyoming border – have led to “flooding rarely or never seen before across many area rivers and streams,” the National Weather Service in Billings said on its on website.

The Montana National Guard had evacuated 12 people stranded from flooding in Roscoe and Cooke City, the governor said in a separate Twitter post. The National Guard said it also was responding to a search and rescue request in the East Rosebud Lake area.

Several roads and bridges are severely damaged in southern Montana and may be temporarily closed, according to an tweet from Montana’s Disaster and Emergency Services.

Across the nation in recent days, extreme weather events have battered communities, including thunderstorms that left nearly 300,000 customers without power in the Midwest, a tornado threat in Chicago, and a severe heat dome which has left more than a third of the US population under heat alerts.

A large rockslide on North Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Park Monday. National Park Service/AP

Some are evacuated while others remain trapped

As several roads and bridges were rendered impassable by floodwaters, park and county officials in Montana worked to evacuate whoever they can and provide support to those who are unable to leave.

The National Guard and local search and rescue teams were assisting with evacuations and rescues throughout the county, including two air lifts and one swift water rescue, the county said.

Video Ad Feedback 00:25 - Source: CNN Video shows Yellowstone River flooding take out part of waterfront home

Multiple communities in Park County were isolated and surrounded by water, including Gardiner, Cooke City and Silver Gate, an update on the county Facebook page said. Quickly rushing floodwaters have also damaged homes, as images show houses either partially or fully collapsing.

In neighboring Carbon County, Montana, flooding compromised utility service lines, leaving many customers in Red Lodge without power, officials said.

Meanwhile, several roads and bridges in Yellowstone have also been compromised by flooding, park officials say. Videos released by the park show portions of paved road washed out or severely eroded.

A bridge at Rescue Creek in Yellowstone National Park was washed out by rushing waters. National Park Service/AP

Due to predictions of higher flood levels and concerns about water and wastewater systems, the park also began moving visitors out of the southern loop of the park Monday, Sholly said.

“We will not know timing of the park’s reopening until flood waters subside and we’re able to assess the damage throughout the park,” Sholly said. “It is likely that the northern loop will be closed for a substantial amount of time.”

Dramatic increase in rain strengthens floodwaters

In June, precipitation across northwestern Wyoming and southern Montana has been more that 400% of the region’s average, according to Miller.

The dramatic increase in rain has been coupled with near-record temperatures in the region that have caused snowmelt in areas of high elevation, the NWS in Riverton, Wyoming, said. Overnight Sunday, the snowmelt made its way into streams and rivers, further adding to the floodwaters, the NWS said.

In addition to the record set at Corwin Springs, the Yellowstone River reached 10.9 feet in Livingston, Montana, Monday exceeding the area’s 1997 record of 10.7 feet, the NWS in Billings said.

Elizabeth Wolfe Claudia Dominguez Ray Sanchez

National parks reopening: What to know about Yellowstone, Zion ...

Many national park sites are at least partially open to visitors as the country rebounds from coronavirus closures. But not all facilities and services are available.

"In accordance with this guidance and in coordination with governors across the country, the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service are working to reopen the American people’s national parks as rapidly as possible," Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said in a statement.

But before you go, check each park's website for the latest information on what's open and what's not. In each case, it depends on where states are in their reopening plans.

Here are some other considerations, from the National Park Service:

Many states still require out-of-state visitors to quarantine for 14 days, which may make visiting parks in some states more challenging. The National Governors Association offers an up-to-date interactive map that shows what states have a quarantine order.

Postpone challenging hikes. Having to rescue and treat stranded hikers could divert first responders and medical professionals from the pandemic response.

Trash collection and restroom facilities may not be available. Campgrounds are generally closed.

Stay in groups from your own household and maintain social distance from other groups. Prepare to cover your nose and mouth when other people are around.

Here's what's going on at the 10 most-visited national parks:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

The park is the nation's most visited, with 12.5 million visitors annually. Roads, trails, picnic areas and restrooms are open. Visitors centers, campgrounds and concessions remain closed. Some roads are closed to vehicles but open to hiking and biking.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The Grand Canyon is America's second-most visited national park, with 5.97 million annual visitors. The South Rim opened to limited access on May 15. On June 5, the South Rim will be open 24 hours, and the Mather Campground will be open for existing reservations. The North Rim will open for day use on June 5, with the campground closed for construction until July 1. The Colorado River will reopen to recreational use with existing permits beginning June 14. North and South Rim lodging will reopen in phases throughout June.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Starting June 4, the park will implement a timed, reserved entry system that will last through the summer. Visitors will reserve and pay the entrance fee in advance at recreation.gov and enter the park within a two-hour window between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. In this phase, 60% of the park's capacity, or 4,800 vehicles and 13,500 visitors a day.

"This system will more safely manage the pace and flow of visitor use, reduce crowding, and provide an improved visitor experience in alignment with the park’s safe operational capacity," said park superintendent Darla Sidles.

Zion National Park, Utah

The park has been open during daylight hours since May 13. The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is open to private vehicles until parking capacity is reached, and the last entry is at 6 p.m. The 6-mile road has about 400 parking spots. The park's shuttle operation is suspended. Trails are open to day hiking but not to overnight backpacking. The Zion Lodge is open with limited rooms and amenities.

Yosemite National Park, California

The park, which gets 4.4 million visitors annually, is reopening June 11. One big change: For now, visitors must reserve day passes in advance instead of driving up to the park for entry.Visitors can reserve a day-use entry pass at Recreation.gov. Passes will be validated at the park's entrance gate and can be used for seven days of entry. The person who booked the day pass must be in the vehicle and show a government ID matching the name on the reservation.

Each user can make one reservation per day. The park will only accept credit cards for payment of entrance fees. Overnight camping and lodging will also resume June 11 and those visitors will not need a day reservation. Most retail and food and beverage services will also open by June 15. Visitor center services will be moved outdoors. No shuttle buses will be available this season.

Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana

The park's Montana entrances opened Monday, as the state lifted its 14-day quarantine requirement. The Wyoming and Idaho entrances are also open. The park is day-use only, with campgrounds, visitors centers and other facilities closed. Limited overnight accommodations will start later in June. The Grand Loop Road is open, except for a segment from Canyon to Tower that's under construction.

Acadia National Park, Maine

The park partially reopened Monday, though Maine visitors are under a 14-day quarantine order. The Park Loop Road is now open, along with most nearby restrooms. Hiking trails are open, and trash collection has resumed. The Carriage Roads will open June 5 for pedestrians, but they will remain closed to bicycle and equestrian riders. The Hulls Cove Visitors Center is open with limited outdoor information services from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Campgrounds remain closed and will reopen no earlier than July 1.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

The park reopened May 18 for limited recreational use. Primary roads are open, as are hiking trails for day access. Riverbank and lakeshore fishing is permitted, as are limited biking and wildlife tours. Campgrounds, overnight lodging, visitors centers, marinas and food service remain closed. Boating on lakes and rivers is prohibited.

Olympic National Park, Washington

The park is partially open to day use recreation. All coastal areas, however, remain closed. That includes beaches, parking areas, trails and facilities. No areas of the park are open to camping. Visitors' centers and ranger stations remain closed. Limited lodging and take-out dining are open.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Portions of the west side of the park reopened June 8 for day-use only. The rest of the park will remain closed through June 30 in coordination with the Blackfeet Tribe, which continues to restrict nonessential travel. Lodging, food service and gift shop operations will reopen on June 15. Food service will be limited and take-out only. Guided day hikes will resume on June 12, and guided overnight trips on June 20. But tours remain unavailable, and campgrounds remain closed until further notice.

Park changes, social-distancing lifeguards: News from around our ...

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: The city might become the state’s latest to require the wearing of face masks in public amid rising COVID-19 cases. Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said Friday that the proposal may be brought to the City Council as soon as Tuesday. Birmingham currently has an ordinance requiring face masks in public. The Birmingham City Council on Friday voted to extend the ordinance through June 12. “I don’t go from encouragement to enforcement very easily,” Reed said. “However, right now we have not seen the behavior that we need to see, nor have we seen the data showing us that the encouragement approach is working.” Montgomery has become an emerging hot spot for coronavirus. State Health Officer Scott Harris said last week that there is evidence of community spread instead of cases being linked to a singular location, like a nursing home, or an event.

Alaska

Anchorage: The state on Sunday reported 27 new coronavirus cases, the largest one-day increase reported since the start of the pandemic. Cases have spiked since Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, loosened restrictions put into place to guard against the virus’s spread. The state on April 24 began easing restrictions on businesses. Most restrictions on businesses were lifted May 22, though some local governments opened later. Dunleavy said at the time that he expected case numbers would rise and that the state would respond to any spikes or clusters. Sunday’s count was the most single-day cases since 22 were reported April 6. This comes after 13 new cases were reported Thursday, which was the state’s first double-digit increase in cases in six weeks. The state now has a total of 460 cases involving residents. Its death count remains at 10, and a death attributed to COVID-19 hasn’t been recorded since May 5.

Arizona

Eloy: Immigrants detained at the La Palma Correctional Center have become increasingly desperate as the coronavirus outbreak at the facility has grown into one of the biggest in the nation. At least 76 undocumented immigrants detained at the 3,060-bed detention center had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Saturday. That is sixth-largest coronavirus outbreak at an immigration detention facility in the country, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. La Palma Correctional Center, a former prison, is run by the private, for-profit company CoreCivic, under a contract with ICE. The outbreak at La Palma has become increasingly concerning in light of two detainees’ recent deaths of coronavirus complications at other detention centers. In letters written to relatives and immigration advocates, detainees, some with medical conditions, say they are fearful of becoming infected and dying because they don’t have any way to social distance.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arkansas has surpassed 7,000, and one additional death is reported due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, the Arkansas Department of Health said. The department had reported at least 7,253 cases and 133 deaths by Monday morning, up from 6,777 cases and 132 deaths reported Friday. The true number is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick. The state health department reported that 5,275 people have recovered from the virus and that 115 were hospitalized, versus 113 hospitalizations reported Friday.

California

Palm Springs: Two months after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state would be the nation’s first placed under a stay-at-home order lasting “many, many months,” he began rolling back restrictions in favor of reopening businesses. But when counties initially couldn’t meet stringent reopening metrics, Newsom loosened those criteria. Counties soon began receiving the green light to restore portions of their economies even though many regions still struggled to show a significant downward trend in COVID-19 cases and lacked resources to track and respond to potential upticks. Of the 49 counties that received approval to speed along this quicker path to normalcy, 49% failed to meet at least one of the reopening criteria mandated by the state, according to an analysis by the Palm Springs Desert Sun. Nearly a third of the counties that received authorization didn’t have enough contact tracers, and more than 20% failed to conduct enough coronavirus tests on a daily basis.

Colorado

Fort Collins: The more than 4 million visitors who flock to Rocky Mountain National Park each year will see significant changes as the park balances visitors’ safety with their love of nature while reopening after its COVID-19 shutdown. National Park Service sites have taken a financial hit as many closed for two months or more. Rocky Mountain National Park – the third-most-visited national park – partially reopened Wednesday after shutting down March 20. Kyle Patterson, spokesperson for the park, said last year it collected about $2 million in entrance and campground fees from mid-March through May. Without that revenue and with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in place that restricted the park’s ability to house and train seasonal workers, the park will only partially open some of its campgrounds and restrooms, while evaluating the opening of others.

Connecticut

New London: Health care workers rallied Saturday to protest what they called a shortage of personal protective equipment and pay tribute to a nurse’s aide who died last month after contracting the coronavirus. Gov. Ned Lamont, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., joined workers for Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and the Visiting Nurses Association of Southeastern Connecticut for the rally. Union leaders said nurses, aides and other health care workers are risking their lives caring for COVID-19 patients while lacking sufficient protective gear such as masks and gowns to keep them safe. People at the rally also remembered Elva Graveline, a 52-year-old nurse’s aide at Lawrence + Memorial who contracted the coronavirus and died May 19. Hospital officials said in a statement Saturday that workers have not been without protective gear during the pandemic and credited staff for doing a “phenomenal job.”

Delaware

Wilmington: A federal judge and a federal appeals panel have rejected a request from a preacher for an emergency injunction to lift state restrictions on church worship to prevent spread of the coronavirus. Neither the ruling Friday from a judge in Wilmington nor the 2-1 ruling Saturday from the federal appeals court in Philadelphia end the matter. They only leave the restrictions in place while a judge considers the merits of the issue. Christopher Allan Bullock, a well-known Wilmington pastor and community activist, had requested an emergency injunction to lift the restrictions ahead of Sunday, which was Pentecost. Judge Colm Connolly said the pastor could not prove he would be irreparably harmed, a legal standard required for issuing an injunction. But he made clear in his ruling that Bullock’s claims “implicate one of our most treasured rights protected by the Constitution – the right to exercise freely one’s religion.”

District of Columbia

Washington: The district lowered the speed limit on streets to 20 miles per hour effective Monday, WUSA-TV reports. The change was made in an effort to keep D.C. streets safe during the pandemic and social distancing era after officials noted an increase in speeding on city streets. D.C.’s seven-day moving average for new coronavirus cases has dropped to 101 – the lowest number since April 6.

Florida

Key Largo: The Florida Keys reopened for visitors Monday after the tourist-dependent island chain was closed for more than two months to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As the Keys took down barriers, Miami-Dade County decided to keep its beaches closed because of protests in South Florida and across the country over the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Roadblocks were taken down shortly after midnight near Key Largo, the northernmost island in the chain. Almost half of all workers in the Keys are employed by hotels, bars and other hospitality industries, and many of the rest are involved in commercial and sport fishing. Richard Stanczyk, owner of Bud N’ Mary’s marina in Islamorada, said the 40 captains who operate fishing boats out of the 76-year-old business have had virtually no customers for weeks and welcome the reopening of the area to visitors.

Georgia

Atlanta: Emergency officials in some coastal counties are nervously bracing for this year’s hurricane season amid new dangers posed by the coronavirus to people who would require help evacuating. “If we have to evacuate, it’s going to be a nightmare,” said Ty Poppell, director of the Emergency Management Agency in McIntosh County south of Savannah. Poppell said putting evacuees on a bus and maintaining 6 feet of space around each person to help prevent potential exposure to the virus would be a big problem. As of mid-May, the county was still working to update its hurricane response for the virus, Poppell said. In neighboring Liberty County, emergency management director Larry Logan said he didn’t have enough shelters to maintain social distance in case of a mass evacuation. He was concerned that fear of contracting the virus at a shelter would lead more residents to ignore any evacuation orders.

Hawaii

Wailuku: The Maui County Liquor Control Department has issued a written notice of warning to Maui Brewing Co. after an investigation revealed the company violated state law by advertising free hand sanitizer with the sale of liquor. The department released a statement about the notice following its investigation last month into the made-in-house hand sanitizer and giveaway promotions, The Maui News reports. “It is short of subjecting Maui Brewing to an adjudicatory hearing,” the department said. Maui Brewing CEO Garrett Marrero has said the company – which sells food, alcoholic beverages, coffee, soda and merchandise – did not violate rules. It had offered a free 16-ounce hand sanitizer with the purchase of any to-go item, not just alcohol, after its Kihei and Lahaina restaurant locations closed in March amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the giveaway promotion was flagged by the state liquor department and led to an investigation.

Idaho

Boise: New data shows a recent spike in coronavirus cases has hit Latinos in rural Idaho, an already disproportionately affected community that makes up a third of the state’s cases where the race is known. Data collected from all seven Idaho public health districts has shown a majority of the people who have contracted the coronavirus in multiple Magic Valley counties are Latino, the Idaho Statesman reports. The report released Wednesday showed Latinos made up more than half of the positive coronavirus cases in Lincoln, Minidoka, Gooding, Jerome and Cassia counties. Lincoln County had the highest percentage in Magic Valley, with Latinos making up 78% of the county’s 33 COVID-19 cases. The data provided by other Idaho health districts also shows similar effects on Latino communities, the Statesman reports.

Illinois

Springfield: The state will offer free meals to school-age children at hundreds of sites this summer, using options such as home delivery and drive-thru distribution to ensure families that need help can get it during the pandemic. The Illinois State Board of Education said more organizations are needed to participate in the summer food program, as the number of families relying on the assistance for meals when school isn’t in session has increased due to the coronavirus outbreak. “COVID-19 has turned many families’ lives upside down,” said State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala. “Illinois’ summer meals programs help to ensure that one thing families do not have to worry about is where their children will get their next meal.” Ayala said schools have found safe and creative ways to provide food to students, including curbside pickup and providing meals for multiple days at one time. Families may locate their summer food site by calling (800) 359-2163, texting “FoodIL” to 877-877, or visiting summermealsillinois.org.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Central Indiana trash haulers have collected record levels of residential trash since a statewide stay-at-home order that’s now being eased took effect in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials said. In the wake of that trash surge, Indianapolis city workers and private trash-collecting contractors have experienced longer days for drivers, lengthy lines at the dumping site, increased repairs for hard-running trucks and higher expenses. Republic Services, which serves homes in Marion County and many of Indianapolis’ surrounding suburban counties, saw the volume of weekly residential trash increase 28% when colleges and schools closed and families began eating at home and ordering takeout, the Indianapolis Business Journal reports. Residents stuck at home also started spring cleaning that resulted in a surge of castoffs, which Republic said led to a 48% increase of trash in April.

Iowa

Des Moines: Another five people with COVID-19 have died, and there have been an additional 204 positive cases, the state reported Monday morning. The state confirmed 538 COVID-19-related deaths, an increase of five since the state’s tally at 10 a.m. Sunday. According to the state’s coronavirus.Iowa.gov website, two deaths were reported for Sunday. COVID-19 is the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus. The state reported Monday that there were 19,688 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 204 since Sunday. Of the 19,688 people who have tested positive, 11,185 have recovered, according to the state. The total number of people tested is 159,292. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced last week that she will no longer be holding daily coronavirus news conferences. Instead, she plans to hold them on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Kansas

Wichita: Hundreds of people in the state’s largest city flocked to bars and clubs on the first weekend they were open after Gov. Laura Kelly and local officials lifted restrictions meant to check the spread of the coronavirus. By 11 p.m. Friday, bars in the Old Town district of downtown Wichita were packing in customers for a celebration after being closed for two months, The Wichita Eagle reports. Knots of people moved through the streets, hugging friends they met and, in some cases, turning cartwheels. “It feels like a freaking high school reunion,” said Megan Gilbert, who works in Old Town and for a roofing company. “I’m seeing all of these people that it seems like I haven’t seen in years.” Kelly last week converted her directives for a phased reopening of the state’s economy into recommendations for local officials to follow. Her reopening plan would have kept bars and nightclubs closed over the weekend.

Kentucky

Frankfort: More of the state’s parks are set to reopen this month. Four Kentucky State Park lodges – Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Lake Barkley State Resort Park, Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park and Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park – that were previously designated as part of the state’s coronavirus emergency response will reopen June 8, Gov. Andy Beshear announced. A decline in cases of the virus means the lodging is no longer necessary for response efforts, officials said. Officials also plan to reopen Kentucky Horse Park on June 11. “We are making every effort to safely reopen tourism attractions across the commonwealth and offer in-state travel opportunities for Kentuckians to enjoy,” Beshear said. “The revenue generated from in-state travel will foster economic growth in local communities and help Kentucky rebound with a healthy economy.” Health officials still stress the need for masks and social distancing.

Louisiana

New Orleans: The Audubon Zoo plans to reopen Wednesday with special guidelines in place designed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. According to the guidelines announced by the zoo Friday, it will open at 25% capacity, and reservations will be required in order to keep numbers low and assist in keeping visitors spread out. “We look forward to reconnecting the community with the animals in our care,” Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman said in a statement. “While our doors were closed to help stop the spread of COVID-19, Audubon’s dedicated staff continued to provide outstanding care for our animals and parks.” The zoo said in a news release that it had consulted with other zoo and aquarium officials around the country and with experts at other museums and attractions in Louisiana to come up with its reopening plan.

Maine

Portland: A federal judge has denied a motion in a lawsuit by some campground operators who believe a state quarantine order for out-of-state visitors is unconstitutional. The move came Friday, hours after the U.S. Department of Justice said it filed court papers in support of campground operators. The campgrounds sued in federal court saying they believe the rule treats Maine residents more favorably than out-of-state residents, and that is hurting them economically. U.S. District Judge Lance Walker on Friday denied a motion for a preliminary injunction, allowing the rule to stand while the lawsuit proceeds, the Portland Press Herald reports. Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, said that the quarantine is “a proven tool to prevent the spread of this deadly disease” and that the Justice Department is “making a concerted effort to undermine the health of the people of Maine.”

Maryland

College Park: The 12 state schools that constitute the University System of Maryland will use a mix of in-person and remote learning when they reopen in the fall. The system, which includes the flagship University of Maryland at College Park, announced a framework Friday for schools to respond to the coronavirus. Each school will announce its own specific plans in the next two weeks as to how they’ll adjust their calendars and classroom settings. The release said all schools will provide at least some on-campus, in-person instruction in combination with remote learning. Some schools may adjust calendars to start the fall semester as early as July so the semester can conclude by Thanksgiving. All schools will enact plans to reduce crowding in residence and dining halls.

Massachusetts

Boston: City officials are concerned that many Asian American residents may not be getting tested for the new coronavirus. Boston’s Chinatown zip code, where half the residents are of Asian descent, is one of the city’s neighborhoods with the lowest percentage of positive coronavirus cases, Marty Martinez, the city’s chief of Health and Human Services, told the Boston Globe. Only 13% of those tested were positive, compared to the citywide cumulative percentage of 26%. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up just less than 10% of Boston’s population but account for only 4% of confirmed COVID-19 cases and 6% of deaths, according the newspaper. At the same time, black residents, who comprise 25% of the city’s population, account for 38% of COVID-19 infections and 35% of deaths, in cases where the race and ethnicity is known. Latinos make up nearly 20% of the Boston population and account for 25% of cases and 11% of deaths.

Michigan

Detroit: Public health officials worry future outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases could emerge in the state, as vaccination rates have dramatically fallen during the coronavirus pandemic. Vaccination rates for those 18 and younger fell by more than 20%, according to a study published by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measles vaccinations in particular dropped about 76% among 16-month-old children. Other diseases include mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as whooping cough. Many parents worried about the virus have kept their young children home, doctors say. “I’m extremely concerned that anytime we see a drop-off in our vaccine rates that it does leave the door open for a potential outbreak,” Bob Swanson, director of the division of immunization at the Michigan Department of Public Health, told The Detroit News.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Minnesota health officials reported 10 new deaths from COVID-19 on Monday, raising the state’s death toll to 1,050 on the same day Gov. Tim Walz allowed restaurants and bars to start offering outdoor dining. Salons and barbershops were also able to reopen starting Monday. The number of positive tests for the coronavirus grew Monday by 361, raising the state total to 25,208. The number of health care workers who have been infected rose to 2,725. The latest state figures showed 253 patients in Minnesota intensive care units Monday.

Mississippi

Jackson: The Mississippi Department of Corrections says it will soon restart the transfer of inmates from county jails into state prisons and from one prison to another – a practice that has been on hold for about two months because of the coronavirus pandemic. The department said in a news release Friday that transfers will be done in a “limited, controlled and safe manner,” beginning in mid-June. Mississippi has about 18,000 prisoners in custody. As of Friday, 28 inmates and 17 employees had tested positive for COVID-19, the department said. Advocates for inmate safety have questioned whether Mississippi is doing enough testing for the highly contagious virus. Inmates will be quarantined at least 14 days before being moved out of South Mississippi Correctional Institution, Central Mississippi Correctional Facility or the privately run Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility.

Missouri

O’Fallon: Casinos are beginning to reopen in the state after a more than two-month shutdown caused by the coronavirus, and it was clear Monday that many people were eager to gamble. Nearly 100 people lined up awaiting the 9 a.m. reopening of Lumiere Place casino in downtown St. Louis, including many older adults, most wearing masks, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. According to state health department data, 579 of the 772 people in Missouri who have died from COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, were age 70 or older. Darryl Foster, 54, told the newspaper he wasn’t worried about the virus. “I look at it like it is what it is,” he said. “If it’s gonna get you, it’s gonna get you.” In the Kansas City area, gambling was resuming at Ameristar, Argosy, Isle of Capri and Harrah’s. The Kansas City Star reported several casinos would operate at a limited capacity, and some amenities such as live entertainment and buffets would remain closed.

Montana

Bozeman: The Montana entrances to Yellowstone are still closed, but that hasn’t stopped several Big Sky tour companies from teaming up to be ready when those gates do open. Big Sky Adventures & Tours, Discover Yellowstone Tours, Yellowstone Scenic Tours, Yellowstone Tour Guide and Yellowstone Touring Company are normally in competition to get tourists on their vehicles and into the park. But this year is far from normal. “It makes more sense for us to work together and put aside competition and make a common plan so people feel safe,” said Andrea Saari, a co-owner and guide with Big Sky Adventures and Tours. The five companies got together to create a COVID-19 operating plan to submit to the park, a requirement for all commercial business going in and out of Yellowstone. Each company submitted its own copy, and, in a memo dated May 17, the park accepted Big Sky Adventures & Tours’ operating plan.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Bars, zoos, swimming pools and other public venues were allowed to reopen Monday even as the coronavirus pandemic continues to loom as a major public health threat. The new, lighter restrictions approved by Gov. Pete Ricketts went into effect in 89 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. The new rules also allowed non-contact sports such as baseball, softball and volleyball to resume practices Monday, and games can begin June 18. Rodeos can also resume Monday, but contact sports such as football, basketball and wrestling will remain prohibited. Ricketts imposed the rules to try to prevent the coronavirus from spreading and overwhelming the state’s hospitals. State officials confirmed another 196 new cases Sunday, bringing the statewide total to 14,101. Of that number, 170 people have died from the virus. More than 103,800 people have been tested so far.

Nevada

Carson City: Health officials are reporting the state’s total number of COVID-19 cases is now past 8,600. The state Department of Health and Human Services updated its testing data Monday with a new total of 8,688 positive coronavirus cases. The number of known deaths is now up to 421. Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, last week eased closure orders enacted to prevent groups of people from gathering and possibly spreading communicable COVID-19. The governor allowed a second wave of businesses including bars and health facilities to reopen Friday and raised from 10 to 50 the number of people allowed at social gatherings, including religious services. He said gambling can resume Thursday under strict rules and oversight of gambling regulators. Casino companies have begun calling back some of their hundreds of thousands of furloughed employees.

New Hampshire

Concord: The owner of the Mount Washington Cog Railway implored a task force Monday to allow his business to reopen, even if it means stopping short of the summit of the Northeast’s highest peak. Wayne Presby, owner of the 150-year-old tourist train, presented proposed rules to the governor’s Economic Reopening Task Force that include initially limiting passenger car capacity to 50%, requiring passengers to wear face coverings, and running separate trains for New Hampshire residents and out-of-staters. By mid-July, capacity restrictions would be lifted, and individuals from any state would be allowed on all trains. “We also have the ability to offer shorter trips to reduce the time spent by guests in confined spaces,” he said. “If the committee feels it’s inappropriate for us to be taking trips all the way to the summit of Mount Washington, we can limit those to trips only partway up the mountain.”

New Jersey

Trenton: Shoppers will soon be able to enter nonessential retail establishments, and restaurants may allow outdoor dining as of June 15, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. Salons and barbershops can serve customers June 22, if coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to decline, he said. Currently, retail stores and restaurants may only offer customers drive-thru or pickup options, but the governor said retail shops could let in a fraction of their capacity inside the stores. Murphy said the state will next discuss how gyms and health clubs can reopen safely but did not give an anticipated reopening date. Murphy has been taking a piecemeal approach to lifting measures meant to stem the spread of the coronavirus, announcing new measures each day. All day cares can reopen June 15, non-contact youth sports can resume June 22, and children can attend summer camps July 6. Indoor religious services may allow more people than the current 10 inside starting June 12 if coronavirus data continues to trend downward.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: The state’s largest electric provider is asking state regulators to consider a proposal that would allow it to recover fixed service costs independent of how much electricity is actually consumed by customers. Public Service Co. of New Mexico is pursing what is known as decoupling, pointing to uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic. The utility recently filed its request with the Public Regulation Commission after announcing its intentions to shareholders in May. “Decoupling is designed to collect fixed costs – no more, no less,” PNM Director of Pricing Stella Chan told the Albuquerque Journal. “If we over collect, we’ll credit that back to customers, and if we under-collect, we’ll charge customers the difference to recover the costs we incurred.”

New York

New York: Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill Saturday granting death benefits to the families of police officers, public health workers and other front-line workers who have died of the coronavirus. “You gave your lives for us; we will be there for your families going forward,” Cuomo said as he signed the legislation at his daily briefing on the virus. The bill passed by state lawmakers last week provides an accidental death benefit that is more substantial than the regular death benefit that public workers’ families receive. Dozens of police officers, public health workers, transit workers and paramedics have died of COVID-19 in the months since New York became the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States. Cuomo said he will focus this week on providing more testing for the coronavirus and more supplies like masks to neighborhoods in the outer boroughs of New York City where infection rates remain stubbornly high.

North Carolina

Raleigh: As hurricane season began Monday, most of the state’s coastal counties are grappling with shortfalls or concerns about equipment and resources as they balance the dual threat of tropical weather and the COVID-19 pandemic. All 20 counties in the state’s coastal management zone said COVID-19 is factoring into hurricane preparations. Five of those – Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Hyde and Washington – said overall plans hadn’t changed, but they’re ready to adjust to the virus if needed. Fifteen counties acknowledged shortfalls or concerns about supplies, with protective gear being the most common worry during a national shortage. However, three others – Dare, New Hanover and Pender – said they have sufficient resources for hurricane season. The pandemic increases the stakes for a state hit hard in recent years by hurricanes Florence and Matthew. North Carolina Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry said hotels, classrooms and dorms are being considered as shelters to increase social distancing.

North Dakota

Bismarck: State corrections officials are seeking up to $2.5 million in federal COVID-19 aid to give temporary pay increases to employees who are required to be in close contact with prisoners and others during the pandemic. The state’s top budget writer said Friday that other agencies whose workers cannot practice social distancing as part of their job may submit similar requests. The Department of Corrections will request the funds next month from the state’s Emergency Commission, which is headed by Gov. Doug Burgum. The money would come from the $1.25 billion that was given to the state in the federal stimulus package approved in March. Dave Krabbenhoft, the agency’s director of administration, said monthly pay increases of up to $300 would be provided until the end of the year to each of the more than 800 employees who qualify for the “hazard pay.”

Ohio

Cincinnati: Child care providers can begin to reopen this week, but they will look much different from how they did in March. There are new rules for cleaning and washing hands. Classrooms are capped at six for infants and toddlers or nine children for preschoolers and school-age children – half or fewer than they held before the coronavirus pandemic. Day camps were also given the green light to open Sunday with groups of nine children at most. But not all will start this week. Some might not open at all. Learning Grove, a nonprofit child care provider that has centers in Ohio and Kentucky with 60% low-income children, is staggering its openings. Some centers will open Monday and others June 8. Patricia Gleason, chief operating officer, said two state grants will help keep Learning Grove centers afloat for about two months. The agency is losing $10,000 to $25,000 per site per month, she said, because of pandemic-related rules.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: State prisons will reopen for inmate visitation starting next weekend, but with precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to the state Department of Correction. Visitors must remain in their vehicle until called, wear a mask provided by the facility, complete a health screening, show no symptoms of the virus and maintain social distancing, the department said Friday. Visitors will be allowed to carry only an identification card, car key, and baby care items if a young child is present. The DOC suspended inmate visitation in March in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus.

Oregon

Hood River: State officials disclosed Friday that a Hood River County pear-packing company is the site of the latest COVID-19 outbreak connected to the agriculture industry. Six employees of Duckwall Fruit have tested positive for coronavirus, the Oregon Health Authority said. Duckwall Fruit is the first employer identified by state officials after they announced Thursday that they would disclose workplace outbreaks of at least five infections, The Oregonian/OregonLive reports. The decision came after the state received heavy criticism for initially declining to identify Townsend Farms in Multnomah County, which has had two outbreaks since late April, totaling more than 100 coronavirus cases. The investigation into the Duckwall Fruit outbreak started Friday, the state said. Officials say they are working with the business to address the outbreak and protect the health of workers.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: State officials reported comparatively low figures for new COVID-19 infections and deaths Monday, a sign the pandemic’s impact may be on the wane. The Health Department said there were 12 additional deaths, bringing the total number this year to 5,567, of which 3,557 have occurred among nursing homes or personal care facilities. The agency said 356 new cases were reported, a figure that may reflect that reports from weekends have generally brought lower numbers. So far more than 72,000 Pennsylvanians have had confirmed cases of COVID-19. The number of infections is thought to be far higher than the confirmed count because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.

Rhode Island

Providence: Malls welcomed shoppers Monday as the state moves into the second phase of its economic restart. Providence Place and the Warwick Mall were both reopening late in the morning. Both closed in mid-March in response to the coronavirus crisis. The shopping centers are placing hand-sanitizing stations in common areas and will undergo frequent cleanings. At Providence Place, the food court will be open but with adjusted seating to maintain social distancing. Providence Place is also offering curbside pickup. Hair stylists, nail salons, gyms and child care centers are among the businesses that were allowed to open with restrictions Monday. Restaurants will also be allowed to offer indoor dining, but with limited capacity.

South Carolina

Charleston: As the debate heats up over how to secure restaurant spaces during the coronavirus pandemic, a mainstay of downtown Charleston dining has come up with a particularly summery solution, The Post and Courier reports. “It’s a hard-core, full-height, double-wide lifeguard tower,” Edmund’s Oast owner Scott Shor said proudly, referring to the custom-built elevated watchtower that now looms over the restaurant’s popular patio. Shor was quick to point out that this is no mere social-media ploy, though it’s a sure bet it will pay dividends in free marketing via customers’ Instagram feeds. Like many restaurants reopening in the Charleston area, Edmund’s Oast has incorporated into its reopening plan new workplace roles responsible for overseeing dining areas and ensuring guests are complying with its safety guidelines. At the brewpub they’re calling that job the “lifeguard.”

South Dakota

Pierre: The state has surpassed 5,000 confirmed cases of the coronavius, the South Dakota Department of Health said Monday. State health officials reported 41 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the state’s total to 5,034. The number of active cases was 1,069. The number of deaths reported in South Dakota since the start of the pandemic remains at 62. The Department of Health reported 87 people were hospitalized, an increase of one since Sunday. Of South Dakota’s confirmed coronavirus cases, Minnehaha County, the state’s most populous county, leads with 3,355.

Tennessee

Nashville: A sexual and reproductive health advocacy group is launching a billboard and digital ad campaign intended to show how COVID-19 has exposed inequality, according to a news release. A billboard image released to media by Healthy & Free Tennessee reads, “End mass incarceration. Make parenthood and abortion accessible for everyone. Protect transgender youth.” Efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus in Tennessee jails and prisons have included releasing inmates who are in jail solely because they cannot afford bail. Criminal justice reform advocates have said changes like that one need to become permanent. Gov. Bill Lee earlier tried to shut down surgical abortions to preserve personal protective equipment for COVID-19, but his executive order was overturned in federal court.

Texas

Austin: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state rose by nearly 2,000 Sunday, and there were another 24 deaths tied to the disease caused by the new coronavirus, according to health officials. There were at least 64,287 cases and 1,949 deaths, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported Sunday, an increase from 62,338 cases and 1,648 deaths reported Saturday. The true numbers are likely higher, however, because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick. The department also estimated that there were 20,192 active cases and that 42,423 people have recovered.

Utah

Logan: With outdoor recreation being one of the few activities available during the COVID-19 pandemic, campsites are undergoing a large uptick in positive and negative use. Local forest rangers are encouraging folks to treat campgrounds respectfully, extinguish campfires and plan ahead for trips. Cache National Forest Logan District Ranger Jennefer Parker said irresponsible gun shooting, garbage and trespassing are all on the rise this season. However, an increase in unattended fires is prompting the most concern. Parker said multiple citations were recently issued for people who “completely walked away” from their campfires. Parker said each time firefighters are called out increases their risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus. Additionally, Parker said the area is drier than usual for this time of year, which could cause a potentially higher fire risk.

Vermont

Montpelier: The state’s courthouses resumed more routine operations Monday for the first time since mid-March, but people will be required to wear masks and answer questions about their health. Courtroom staff have been instructed to maintain social distancing among the members of the public. “I think it’s going to look different in every courtroom because even if there’s a capacity for, let’s say, 25, not all of our courtrooms will allow for that,” said Vermont chief superior Judge Brian Grearson. The reopenings of the courts comes as a number of additional sectors of the Vermont economy are reopening. Other areas opening include massage therapists, indoor gymnasiums, cleaning services and some other close-contact businesses that will be able to resume limited operations. Vermont on Sunday reported a total of 981 positive cases and 55 deaths from COVID-19 so far.

Virginia

Norfolk: As hurricane season begins and the pandemic continues, the state’s largest city is facing the prospect of having fewer resources to respond to a major storm. Plummeting tax revenues are raising questions in Virginia Beach about how much funding would be available. Money would be needed for everything from running generators at pump stations to approving contracts to remove downed trees. “We know we get reimbursement down the road from FEMA,” said Erin Sutton, the city’s emergency management director. “But that takes time. And everything we do to respond to a hurricane is out of the city’s budget.” When a hurricane hits, Virginia Beach partners with about 35-plus relief groups, such as food banks, the Red Cross and Catholic Charities. Many have already stepped in to help people who’ve been hurt economically by the pandemic. Before that, some were aiding those affected by last year’s mass shooting at a municipal building.

Washington

Seattle: King County planned to apply for approval to enter into a modified Phase 1 on Monday after Gov. Jay Inslee announced he wouldn’t extend the state’s COVID-19 stay-home orders. The Seattle Times reports that County Executive Dow Constantine announced Friday that the county, in consultation with officials at Public Health – Seattle & King County, will apply and begin reopening some business activity with limited or modified openings. The stay-home order, in place since March 23, expired Sunday night. So far, 26 of the state’s 39 counties are approved to enter Phase 2, which allows restaurants and taverns to reopen at half-capacity with limited table sizes; hair and nail salons and barbershops to resume business; and retail stores to reopen for in-store purchases at 30% capacity. It also allows additional outdoor recreation and gatherings with no more than five people outside of a person’s household.

West Virginia

Charleston: Three people have tested positive for the coronavirus at Marshall University as the college is allowing athletes to return to campus for training, officials said Monday. A news release from the school said two student athletes and one staffer tested positive over the weekend. They have been quarantined, and a contact tracing investigation is underway. The college is making all student athletes self-isolate for a week when they return to campus. They must test negative before being allowed to leave. Marshall canceled in-person classes in March but plans to resume them Aug. 24, the college said. The school has reported five total cases since the outbreak began. The new cases come as Gov. Jim Justice moves forward with a plan to lift virus restrictions on sports in the state. The Republican is allowing youth sports teams to begin practicing again June 8, and games can resume with spectators June 22.

Wisconsin

Madison: The percentage of new positive COVID-19 cases in the state continued a downward trend Monday, based on the latest figures reported by the Department of Health Services. Only 4% of all tests reported Monday were positive, the third-smallest total in the past two weeks. In total, just over 18,500 people have tested positive in Wisconsin, and 595 have died. That was up by three from Sunday. However, there was a sharp decline in the number of overall tests processed. Gov. Tony Evers in April set a goal of testing 12,000 people a day for the virus, a target he said was needed before the state could safely reopen. However, on Monday only about 3,600 tests were reported as being completed. That was about half of the 7,300 tests reported Sunday and more than three times less that the 13,500 that were done Friday. Evers and health officials have urged anyone who wants a test to get one.

Wyoming

Casper: Vital social services including child care assistance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are experiencing growing pressures resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. State Department of Family Services Director Korin Schmidt told lawmakers that additional funding will likely be required to meet rising demand, The Casper Star-Tribune reports. Schmidt told the Joint Committee on Labor, Health and Social Services that family enrollment in programs including SNAP, which provides food to needy families, experienced sharp increases between March and April that will likely continue into the summer. Measures implemented by the United States Department of Agriculture have increased the flexibility of the SNAP program, while the office of Wyoming first lady Jennie Gordon has helped organize funding to feed young people. But a federal block grant to cover child care services is likely to run out.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Great Smokies and Blue Ridge Parkway add billions of dollars to ...

Normally, Laurel Rematore would not be excited about pulling in only 60-70% of her usual business in the high tourist season of July.

But as the CEO of Great Smoky Mountains Association, a nonprofit that operates 12 stores that sell educational books, maps, trail guides and toys to support Great Smoky Mountains National Park activities, Rematore is thrilled to see these numbers during the coronavirus pandemic, which she said speaks to the magnetic power of the Smokies.

Are lockdowns being relaxed in my state? Here's how America is ...

As state governments continue to unveil a patchwork of plans to gradually reopen the American economy, the question that looms in the coming weeks is whether increased resident mobility leads to a surge in new coronavirus cases.

And that question will likely be answered soon. The majority of states are moving forward with phased-in approaches that often vary by county and city.

Texas could be a telling case. The state became one of the first to take aggressive measures, allowing restaurants and retailers to reopen to limited customer capacity May 1. Last week, on May 14, Texas reported its highest single-day increase of new cases, with 1,448, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard.

By Saturday, that mark swelled to 1,801. Just in Amarillo, a city in North Texas whose population is a shade under 200,000, there were more than 700 new cases Saturday.

That prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to release a statement that said as Texas "continues ramping up its testing capabilities, there will be an increase in positive cases as the state targets the most high-risk areas."

The administration of President Donald Trump has pivoted to a three-phase plan that leaves the decision to reopen the economy to states, creating an uneven strategy that some health experts warn could undermine the progress that has been made in stemming the spread of coronavirus.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned May 12 in a Senate committee hearing that reopening the country amid the coronavirus may lead to "some suffering and death."

Get daily coronavirus updates in your inbox:Sign up for our newsletter now

U.S. coronavirus map:Track how the outbreak has spread in your state

This week, almost half of the 50 states are lightening restrictions in some form. We will keep this file updated as measures are announced:

Alabama

On May 23, large entertainment venues, athletic activities, and school and child-care facilities will be allowed to reopen with physical distancing guidelines and capacity limits, the Washington Post said. Entertainment venues include bowling alleys, arcades, casino, theaters and concert venues.

Gov. Kay Ivey loosened coronavirus restrictions effective May 11, allowing limited operations of restaurants, hair and nail salons, and gyms.

Restaurants, bars and breweries may open with limited table seating. Restaurants must limit tables to eight people and maintain six-foot distances between dining groups. The establishments are urged to offer curbside service.

Gyms, athletic facilities and hair and nail salon providers also opened "subject to social-distancing and sanitation rules and guidelines." Gyms are forbidden from offering sports that require close contact with others or sharing sporting apparatus and equipment. They must also limit capacity to 50%.

The order also removed a 10-person restriction on nonwork gatherings. That will allow churches to resume regular services.

Previously, Ivey loosened some restrictions on retail operations, and said the state would monitor the situation to decide what further steps could be taken.

Alaska

Life went back to the way it was "prior to the virus" on May 22, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced.

All businesses – including restaurants, bars, retail stores and gyms – will be allowed to open without any capacity restrictions and without needing to provide hand sanitizer or enforcing social distancing guidelines.

Previously, Dunleavy and state officials had issued a number of health orders as a part of the phased Reopen Alaska Responsibly Plan. The final two phases were carried out simultaneously on May 22.

On April 24, Alaska began allowing restaurants to resume dine-in service and for retail shops and other businesses to reopen, all with limitations, under an initial phase of the state's reopening plan.

Personal care services, like barbershops and nail and hair salons, were allowed to reopen April 27.

Gatherings have been limited to 20 people, or 25% maximum capacity, whichever number is smaller and can now include guests from other households. Social distancing, however, must be obeyed.

Religious services must also follow the gathering guidelines.

Arizona

Gyms, spas and community swimming pools were allowed to open May 13, and professional sports leagues were allowed to begin practicing in Arizona after the state's current stay-at-home order expired May 15, Gov. Doug Ducey said.

Movie theaters also opened May 16.

Those activities can resume as long as appropriate health precautions are in place, Ducey said.

Additionally, The Grand Canyon National Park opened its South Rim entrance on May 15, with some restrictions. It opened despite objections from Navajo officials and others that it could hurt efforts to control the coronavirus.

Barbershops and salons were able to resume hair, nail, waxing and other services by appointment May 8, if they limit occupancy, implement social distancing measures, up sanitation protocols and provide cloth masks to employees, the governor said.

On May 11, restaurants and coffee shops started offering dine-in service. To do so, they are required to limit occupancy and physically distance diners, in addition to checking employees for COVID-19 symptoms before their shifts.

Arkansas

Pools and water parks can reopen on May 22 with new capacity limits and other restrictions, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said May 8.

Arkansas restaurants were also able to reopen their dining rooms on May 11 with restrictions.

Dental services resumed May 11. State Health Secretary Dr. Nate Smith said the original plan was to resume dental services on May 18, but the dental lobby persuaded the state that protective gear supplies were sufficient and that protective protocols were planned by most dentists.

The state's three casinos reopened on May 18.

Large outdoor venues may reopen to the public with a limit on the size of crowds, Hutchinson said May 4. On May 18, Arkansas reopened large indoor venues such as movie theaters, museums, and bowling alleys.

Hutchinson also reiterated the state's COVID-19 guidelines for places of worship and gave his blessing on churches resuming in-person services.

Arkansas' barbershops and beauty salons, which have been closed since March 25, reopened May 6.

Gyms, fitness centers and indoor athletic facilities reopened on May 4 with restrictions including guidance on face masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing.

Facilities will not be allowed to admit anyone displaying possible COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath. Those with compromised immune systems or chronic diseases will also be barred from entry. Pools, spas, showers and saunas at gyms and similar facilities will remain closed until further notice.

Hutchinson had announced April 22 that the state would begin lifting restrictions on elective medical procedures; that went into effect April 27.

California

On May 18, Gov. Gavin Newsom said sports would be permitted to return to his state the first week of June, with certain restrictions and without spectators.

The California State University system that comprises 23 campuses such as Fresno State, San Diego State and San Jose State announced May 12 that it would cancel in-person classes for the fall semester. Online instruction will still be offered, with a few exceptions for courses.

Newsom said more businesses could reopen statewide and approved requests from counties to move ahead more quickly if they have been minimally harmed by the pandemic. Los Angeles County, the most populated in the state, has targeted July 4 for a fuller reopening.

On May 20, Ventura County, which has been under stay-at-home orders since mid-March, became the first county in Southern California to be approved for accelerated reopening.

Los Angeles County reopened its beaches May 13 for “active recreation,” and similar moves were announced for several beaches along Ventura County's south coast.

Newsom has repeatedly said counties can impose restrictions that are more stringent than state orders. In mid-May, Tesla's car plant reopened, defying orders from the Alameda County Public Health Department, which has deemed the factory a nonessential business that can’t fully open under virus restrictions.

Colorado

Camping in state parks resume by reservation only on May 12, Gov. Jared Polis said. Counties can decide independently if they do not want to reopen camping in state parks within their boundaries.

Polis said officials expect to have more data about how the coronavirus is being transmitted on May 25, giving them "more data to make the call" on next steps for restaurants, summer camps and spring skiing.

Offices deemed nonessential were allowed to reopen May 4 with reduced staff. Current restrictions allow curbside retail and real estate showings. Getting a haircut and shopping in person at retail stores were allowed again in much of Colorado starting May 1 as the state eased restrictions.

Denver lifted its stay-home restrictions on the weekend of May 9, and Polis said state officials would be paying close attention to potential health impacts.

One week before the state's stay-at-home order lifted April 27, Polis announced the next phase, called "safer at home": The goal is for Coloradans to maintain 60% to 65% social distancing, and vulnerable residents should continue to shelter in place.

Schools will remain closed, and bars and restaurants will not immediately reopen.

Colorado hospitals, dental offices, optometrists and other health care providers could start seeing patients for elective procedures again by early May.

Connecticut

The Constitution State took its first steps toward a return to normalcy on May 20, as offices, retail stores, malls, restaurants (for outdoor dining), outdoor museums and zoos are now open.

But, Gov. Ned Lamont pushed back the reopening of barbershops and nail salons, originally set for the same day, until June 1.

Beth Bye, the commissioner of the state Office of Early Childhood, said May 11 that summer camps could open on June 29 with strict public health guidelines in place. The governor’s office later clarified that would not include overnight camps.

On May 5, Lamont canceled in-person classes at all Connecticut K-12 public schools for the rest of this school year, requiring districts to continue distance learning.

Delaware

Gov. John Carney announced that all retail establishments in Delaware may operate by appointment only beginning May 20.

Gov. Carney earlier had announced that arts facilities, retail stores, malls, barbershops and hair salons, exercise facilities, tanning salons, casinos and racetracks and food/drink establishments can reopen with strict requirements on June 1.

At restaurants, breweries and bars that offer table service, guests must be given single-use, paper disposable menus. All condiments also have to be in single-use disposable containers unless the reusable containers are thoroughly cleaned between each patron's use.

Carney said there would be “interim steps” to reopen the economy between May 8 and June 1.

In mid-May, Rehoboth Beach joined a handful of coastal towns that are slowly loosening their grip on beach access.

Carney announced plans May 5 to allow some businesses to operate again under social distancing rules to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Many businesses could resume "limited operations" starting May 8, according to the announcement from the governor's office.

Retail stores, such as clothing, book or music stores, will be able to do curbside pickup. Barbershops and salons can reopen for some customers but under strict rules.

Farmers markets were allowed to open starting May 15 if they follow safety guidelines issued by the Delaware Department of Agriculture on May 11.

Delaware residents are required to wear face coverings in public settings, according to Carney's state of emergency declaration.

Florida

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced May 22 that summer camps and youth activities can open without restrictions. He said local organizations and governments can set rules and guidelines. The state won’t preempt those rules, he added.

“I hope that this will be good for folks over the summer," he said. "I really trust parents. I trust the physicians who work with the kids, the local leaders, coaches, camps."

Gov. DeSantis said May 15 that people who are healthier are less likely to die from the coronavirus, which is part of his rationale to include gyms as the state expands the first phase of its reopening.

Beginning May 18, the state also increased restrictions on restaurant and retail store capacity from 25% to 50%, as well as allowing the reopening of museums, libraries and gyms at 50% capacity. Bars and movie theaters will remain closed.

On May 20, the state's biggest tourist destination – Walt Disney World – began its reopening by opening its shopping and entertainment complex (but not the park itself.)

On May 14, DeSantis signed an executive order to move Miami-Dade County and Broward County – both of which are the hardest hit in the state – into Phase One of his reopening plan.

Beaches in the two counties will remain closed. Miami, Miami Beach and Hialeah – Miami-Dade’s bigger cities – will allow retailers to reopen May 20 and restaurants to open, likely, the following week.

The counties account for almost half of the state's confirmed virus cases.

Both Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Broward County Mayor Dale Holness said that when beaches do open in their counties, they will be at the same time to avoid people flocking to one location. Beaches will not open until at least May 26, Holness said.

DeSantis allowed hair stylists, barbers and nail technicians to reopen, he announced May 8. In mid-May, DeSantis signaled the state's openness to pro sports returning..

Georgia

Gov. Brian Kemp on May 12 announced plans to relax some restaurant restrictions and allow some summer camps to open but extend bar and nightclub closures through May.

Kemp allowed businesses such as tattoo parlors, bowling alleys and hair and nail salons to reopen with restrictions in late April, a sweeping move that prompted national criticism. Restaurants and movie theaters have since been able to welcome customers back in on a limited basis, and a statewide shelter-at-home order has expired.

Some malls reopened May 4, though things were far from normal with many businesses inside still shuttered and parking lots sparsely filled.

Kemp allowed his statewide shelter-in-place order to expire at midnight April 30 but extended his emergency powers to June 12 and told the elderly and medically fragile to stay at home until then.

In-person religious services resumed over the April 25-26 weekend, and restaurants and theaters reopened on April 27 with "specific social distancing and sanitation mandates."

Hawaii

Gov. David Ige has relaxed some restrictions, including allowing shopping malls to reopen. In Maui, they did so May 11; in Oahu they reopened May 15.

Beaches on Oahu opened on May 16.

Ige in early May issued an updated proclamation allowing certain establishments to reopen, including astronomical observatories. He previously allowed businesses such as golf courses, some real estate services and car dealerships to reopen.

In April, Ige announced that he would be extending the state's stay-at-home directive and mandatory quarantine for travelers entering Hawaii through May 31.

Ige said beaches could be used to access oceans for outdoor water exercise like swimming and surfing and for "running, jogging, or walking on the beach, so long as social distancing requirements are maintained."

Elective surgeries can resume "as each facility determines to be appropriate."

Idaho

Gov. Brad Little allowed his five-week stay-at-home order to expire April 30. Idaho residents have been successful at reducing infections and deaths, Little said.

On May 14, Little gave the go-ahead to begin stage two of reopening Idaho as scheduled on May 16. That meant that dine-in restaurants, nail and hair salons, and gyms began reopening on May 16.

On May 1, the state entered the first of his four-stage plan to recover from the economic damage caused by the virus. Little said the process will take time, and advancing through the stages to return the state to near normalcy by the end of June will be based on declining infections and strong testing. The readiness of the health care system is another factor.

Child-care centers were able to reopen May 1. Churches also reopened with distancing and sanitation rules. Bars, gyms, salons, movie theaters and sporting venues remain closed. Restaurants can offer curbside and delivery service.

Illinois

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a five-phase reopening plan May 5 called "Restore Illinois" and indicated at that time that the state was already in the plan's second phase, with nonessential businesses open for curbside pickup and delivery.

Also part of the second phase, residents are directed to wear face coverings when outside and can resume outdoor recreational activities such as golf, boating and fishing as long as social distancing is practiced.

Pritzker first issued a stay-at-home order in March, which has been extended to the end of May with some restrictions eased, including the reopening of some state parks. The plan says reopening contingent on meeting certain metrics, with the last phase allowed only if there's a vaccine or an effective treatment.

On May 8, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot released the city's five-step path toward re-opening, which includes some stricter standards than the state plan.

The next phase of the state plan will see manufacturing, offices, retail, barbershops and salons reopen with capacity limits and social distancing requirements. Health clubs, gyms and fitness studios will be allowed to provide one-on-one personal training in indoor facilities and outdoor fitness classes. Gatherings of 10 or fewer will be allowed, including groups boating and camping, and face coverings and social distancing will also remain standard.

Pritzker announced Wednesday that the state was on track to enter the next phase on May 29. Restaurants and bars would also be allowed to reopen for outdoor service starting in the third phase, earlier than expected,Pritzker said.

Indiana

On May 24, a major reopening of Indiana will occur, with gyms, fitness centers, playgrounds, pools, campgrounds, and movie theatres scheduled to open, all with restrictions. Also, retail stores and malls may move to 75% of capacity while maintaining social distancing, WHTI-TV reports.

As of May 4, Gov. Eric Holcomb began lifting social distancing restrictions in Indiana. Gatherings of up to 25 people are allowed in all but the three hardest-hit counties; malls and other nonessential retailers can open at 50% capacity and churches can begin holding services with no limits on the number of attendees

The reopening plan calls for the removal of additional restrictions in phases through July 4. Beginning May 11, for example, restaurants opened at half capacity in all counties but Marion, Lake and Cass, which have been hotspots for the virus. Lake County restaurants opened at half capacity on May 18.

Some cities and counties have set their own restrictions. Indianapolis and Marion County residents will remain under Mayor Joe Hogsett's stay-at-home order until at least May 18.

Iowa

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that Iowa movie theaters, museums, zoos and wedding reception venues would reopen May 22 as she expressed confidence the state can respond if there’s an outbreak. Also reopening in time for Memorial Day activities are state campground restrooms, showers and cabins.

Earlier, she said that she's lifting mandated closures of barbershops, salons and massage therapy businesses statewide starting May 15.

Restrictions on establishments such as restaurants' dining areas, libraries, race tracks and fitness centers were previously lifted in 77 of Iowa's counties; on May 15, they were lifted statewide, Reynolds said. Those establishments will continue to be subject to some capacity restrictions and extra health measures.

Reynolds said May 6 she will allow dental services to resume and campgrounds, drive-in theaters, tanning facilities and other businesses to reopen statewide beginning May 8 if they meet certain requirements.

Reynolds is allowing retail stores in malls to reopen, but the shopping centers must keep common spaces such as play areas and food courts closed. She's also allowing fitness centers to reopen by appointment only, limiting to one person inside at a time.

Dentists may resume providing services if they comply with guidelines for safely reopening adopted by the Iowa Dental Board, have adequate personal protective equipment, demonstrate a plan to preserve such equipment and have a supply chain to obtain more equipment if needed.

Kansas

Gov. Laura Kelly’s stay-at-home order expired May 3 as she moved the state into the first part of a multi-phase plan to reopen Kansas between now and at least June 15. Some businesses, including restaurants, opened their doors for the first time in weeks, with the addition of social distancing protocols.

The first stage allows dine-in service in restaurants and the reopening of stores, though social distancing must be observed.

The transition included a passing of the baton to county health officials, who have the option of imposing tighter restrictions based on local infections, hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus.

The state plans to recruit and train 400 new workers for a robust contact tracing program.

On May 14, Gov. Kelly signed an order that establishes a new phase to the state's plan to reopen Kansas. The new “1.5” Phase, effective May 18, continues reopening efforts while preserving some data-driven restrictions.

On the 18th, gyms, barber shops and salons were allowed to reopen.

Kentucky

Gov. Andy Beshear on May 7 announced Phase 2 of his plan for reopening Kentucky's economy, which includes restaurants, would begin in late May.

Under the plan, restaurants were able to reopen their doors to in-person traffic on May 22 at 33% capacity indoors and unlimited seating outdoors, so long as they follow social distancing guidelines.

Also on May 22, the state’s travel ban expired, according to Fox19.

Beshear announced that movie theaters, fitness centers, campgrounds, child care centers and certain youth sports will be able to reopen under public health guidelines in June.

On May 6, Beshear issued a new travel ban in response to a federal judge's ruling that knocked down the previous prohibition.

Beshear laid out his first phase of a plan for re-opening several portions of Kentucky's economy on April 29.

In order to re-open, various businesses must follow public health guidelines set forth by industries and the state in its "Healthy at Work" initiative.

Under phase one of the plan, manufacturing companies re-opened their doors on May 11, and horse racing could occur without fans. On May 20, places of worship can hold in-person services, and retail shops can welcome back customers. And on May 25, 10-person or less social gatherings can occur, and barbershops can re-open doors.

Louisiana

Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the state's stay-at-home order will be lifted as the state moves into phase one of reopening on May 15.

New Orleans took its first steps May 16 to loosen restrictions that have been in place for two months.

The city is restricting buildings to 25% of capacity, like the rest of the state, but also requires restaurants, nail salons and other businesses to take customers by reservation. The city has capped the number of people allowed in houses of worship and movie theaters at fewer than 100.

Restaurants can resume dine-in service at 25% capacity as well. Edwards said additional reopening could occur June 5 under a second phase.

The governor said phase one will likely be in effect for 21 days, into June 5, if the state does not see increases in cases.

Maine

Maine will reopen the economy in rural part of the state sooner than its population centers, with many businesses reopening in May, the state's governor said May 8.

The reopening plan applies to 12 counties in the state. It leaves out Cumberland, York, Penobscot and Androscoggin counties, which are home to the state's biggest cities and more than half its population.

Gov. Janet Mills reopened retail stores in the more rural counties May 11, with increased health and safety precautions in place. Restaurants in rural counties also opened on May 18.

The state is in the midst of a gradual reopening of its economy. Lodging and restaurants will open for Maine residents on June 1 and for out-of-state visitors on July 1. Mills has required visitors from other states to quarantine for two weeks.

Maryland

Gov. Larry Hogan said the state is ready to begin cautiously entering stage one of recovery. A stay-at-home order was lifted May 15 at 5 p.m. and was replaced with a safer-at-home public health advisory.

Formerly closed retailers can begin reopening at no more than 50% capacity, with strong safety precautions in place like masks and social distancing. These businesses are encouraged to use curbside pickup and delivery moving forward.

Manufacturing operations can also resume as long as they protect the health of their employees.

Some personal services like barber shops and hair salons can start reopening at 50% capacity by appointment only. Pet groomers, animal adoption shelters, car washes and art galleries are among the other businesses that will be able to open their doors again.

Religious service will be allowed to resume, but outdoor services are strongly encouraged. The governor said indoor services are permitted at 50% capacity or less.

Previously, Hogan reopened state beaches and announced that outdoor activities like golfing, camping, fishing and boating can start up again.

Hogan has said Maryland schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year.

Massachusetts

Gov. Charlie Baker on May 18 outlined a phased-in approach to gradually restart the Massachusetts economy.

In the first phase on May 18, manufacturing and construction were allowed to reopen provided they follow guidance and standards meant to protect against the spread of the virus. Houses of worship were also allowed to resume services if they can also follow social distancing guidance. Outdoor services are encouraged.

On May 25, lab and office spaces can reopen as well as some personal services such as hair salons, pet grooming and car wash locations. Retail business will be allowed to do remote fulfillment and curbside pick-up. On June 1, some office space can reopen in Boston.

Also as part of the first phase of reopening, hospitals and community health centers will be allowed to provide high-priority preventative care, pediatric care and treatment for high risk patients and conditions.

Some recreation will also be allowed to reopen on May 25 as part of phase one as long as they adhere to social distancing guidance. That includes parks, drive-in theaters, some athletic fields and courts, most fishing, hunting, and boating, outdoor gardens, zoos, and reserves.

Starting May 6, everyone in the state was ordered to wear masks or facial coverings while in public under an executive order signed by Baker.

Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that retail businesses in much of northern Michigan, including restaurants and bars, can reopen starting May 22.

The bars and restaurants had to limit their capacity to 50%. Groups will be required to stay 6 feet apart and servers will have to wear face coverings.

Office work also will be able resume if work cannot be done remotely.

Michigan manufacturing resumed May 11, with the auto plants restarting one week later, on May 18, Gov. Whitmer said. Michigan's stay-at-home order has been extended through May 28.

Whitmer said Michigan is in phase three – flattening – of six phases of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent restart. The phases are uncontrolled growth, persistent spread, flattening, improving, containing and post-pandemic, the governor said.

Though case numbers are improving, "we are still safer at home," Whitmer said. "While we can re-engage in more things, we've got to be smart about it."

Essential reasons to leave home include shopping for groceries or drugs, getting health care, getting exercise, or walking a pet.

Construction, real estate and more outdoor work resumed May 7.

Whitmer on April 30 ordered theaters, restaurants, bars, casinos, gyms and other places of accommodation to remain shuttered until May 28; they remain limited to carry-out and delivery orders only.

Minnesota

Gov. Tim Walz announced May 13 the easing of restrictions that became effective May 18 in the form of a "Stay Safe MN" executive order. It replaces the existing statewide stay-at-home directive that was set to expire.

Under the new order, gatherings with family and friends in groups of 10 or fewer will be allowed, provided social distancing is observed. Masks are encouraged. Retail stores and malls will be allowed to reopen but must do so at 50% capacity and must have plans to keep workers and customers safe. Religious gatherings can resume with a 10-person limit.

Restaurants, bars, gyms, barber shops and theaters will remain closed but, if guidelines are met, could open as early as June 1.

Doctors, dentists and veterinarians started providing elective surgeries again on May 11 but were required to create a plan to keep patients and health care workers safe.

Walz signed an order May 5 to allow hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and clinics to resume many delayed procedures. Leaders of those facilities will have to develop criteria for determining which procedures should proceed and provide a safety plan.

An April 30 executive order from Walz had extended Minnesota's stay-at-home order to May 17.

Many retail businesses had reopened May 4, but only for curbside and delivery services.

Another executive order previously closed schools in Minnesota through the end of the school year.

Mississippi

On May 19, Gov. Tate Reeves allowed churches to resume in-person services, with some restrictions. While he had never ordered Mississippi churches to close, he had encouraged them to, WREG-TV said.

Gov. Reeves allowed salons, barbershops and gyms to resume operations on May 11. He also extended his "Safer At Home" order, which allows for some restrictions to be lifted, for another two weeks.

Reeves ordered heightened restrictions for seven Mississippi counties that have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus, he announced May 12. The rules include health screenings for employees and face covering requirements.

Meanwhile, landlords will be able to evict tenants again starting June 1, Reeves announced May 13.

Reeves previously allowed restaurants and parks to reopen May 7. Among other changes: up to 20 people will be allowed gather for outdoor activities, but gatherings are still limited to 10 people or less for indoor activities.

Reeves on April 24 issued an executive order for Mississippians that he calls "Safer-at-Home," which allowed most retail stores to open with certain guidelines, but kept other businesses closed.

It allowed clothing, gift and other retail locations to open, but owners and managers must take precautions such as sending home sick employees, wearing masks in common areas, using proper sanitation procedures, providing hand sanitizer for customers and limiting the number of customers at any given time.

Reeves said the businesses that won't be allowed to open are ones that generally involve close, interpersonal contact, such as movie theaters, museums, casinos, entertainment venues and gyms.

Missouri

Much of Missouri reopened May 4 under relatively lenient statewide orders, but local governments can impose stricter rules if they want.

The state's stay-at-home order expired May 3.

Restaurants and most nonessential businesses began operating in St. Louis County and the city of St. Louis May 18, but residents were urged to keep following safety guidelines to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Kansas City began phasing in its reopening on May 6, but with very strict rules on social distancing and crowd sizes.

Statewide through May 31, people must stay 6 feet away from non-family members in public unless they’re doing a job that makes that impossible; schools remain closed; retail businesses must limit the number of customers and restaurants can reopen dine-in services if they employ social distancing measures.

On April 27, Gov. Mike Parson announced the first phase of the "Show Me Strong Recovery" plan.

Montana

Gov. Steve Bullock announced that on June 1, Montana will enter into phase two of the states's reopening plan, NBC Montana said. He said that restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries and casinos can run at 75% of capacity. Gyms, indoor fitness classes, pools and hot tubs can operate at 75% of capacity. Bowling alleys can operate at decreased capacity with social distancing guidelines, according to NBC Montana.

Some Montana schools reopened May 7. Gov. Steve Bullock also announced gyms, theaters and some museums could reopen in the middle of May with reduced capacity, social distancing and sanitizing requirements.

The May 15 reopening date for health clubs, theaters and museums gave the businesses and public health officials time to prepare and ensure guidance is being followed.

Some retailers reopened on April 27 and bars and restaurants were permitted to open with decreased capacity on May 3.

Nebraska

Gov. Pete Ricketts loosened restrictions May 4 in most of the state, allowing salons, tattoo parlors and dine-in restaurants to reopen with limited capacity. Restaurant employees must wear masks. Day cares will be allowed up to 15 children per room. The loosened restrictions were expanded to 10 more counties May 11.

Nebraska is one of the handful of states without a formal stay-at-home order, although many of the restrictions Ricketts imposed are similar.

Nevada

Gov. Steve Sisolak said May 7 that restaurants, retail stores, barbershops, hair salons and some brewpubs can resume limited operations on May 9, a full week ahead of the schedule laid out in Nevada’s coronavirus recovery plan.

Restaurants and retail outlets set to reopen this weekend can only use half of their available seating capacity, and will be barred from providing self-serve stations such as salad and beverage bars.

Barber shops and salons without privacy partitions will have to maintain a six-foot separation between customers. Pot shops will be subject to similar social distancing standards, as will open-air malls, car dealerships and drive-in movie theaters.

Employees at each of those operations will be required to wear face masks, which are also “strongly encouraged” for customers.

Casinos, bars, nightclubs, gyms and most high-capacity sports facilities will remain closed during phase one of the state’s reopening plan. Gatherings of more than 10 people are still prohibited.

Sisolak said each of the state’s counties can stick to stricter virus-prevention protocols if they so choose, but will not be allowed to reopen faster than the rest of the state.

Sisolak has said Nevada schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year.

New Hampshire

Restaurants, which had been limited to takeout and delivery, were allowed to offer outdoor dining starting May 18. This is provided they have enough seating for social distancing.

On May 1, Gov. Chris Sununu extended the state's stay-at-home order to May 31 while allowing the restricted reopening of restaurants, hair salons and other businesses throughout the month.

Hair salons, barbershops, retail stores and drive-in movie theaters reopened May 11 with different requirements for the various industries. Retail stores, for example, have been limited to 50 percent capacity, and hair salons will not be allowed to offer services beyond basic haircuts and root touch-ups.

Dentists resumed some routine work starting May 11 as well.

Hospitals, which had largely been restricted to treating COVID-19 patients and emergencies, started performing time-sensitive procedures such as CT scans and knee and hip replacements for chronic pain May 4.

New Jersey

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order May 19 allowing in-person sales at car, motorcycle and boat dealerships, along with bicycle shops, on May 20, WPVI said.

New Jersey allowed retail stores to reopen for curbside pickup service only and nonessential construction to resume on May 18.

Gov. Murphy said mall interiors will remain closed, but stores inside malls can open for items that can be delivered to customers waiting in cars outside.

Murphy's new executive order requires businesses deemed nonessential to remain closed to customers. In-store operations must remain limited to employees responsible for curbside pickup operations, financial transactions should be handled in advance when feasible and customers should remain in their cars.

Murphy reopened all state parks in early May, said golf courses could reopen and gave counties and municipalities the option to open their parks. He has also slowly eased some restrictions on businesses, such as allowing pet groomers to reopen in late April.

Asked why retail stores are not being allowed to open fully, Murphy said New Jersey is "still in stay-at-home mode."

Murphy on May 7 extended New Jersey's public health emergency for another 30 days but did not say when stay-at-home order restrictions may change.

New Mexico

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced April 30 that the state would begin to ease business restrictions, acknowledging that the coronavirus has brought about an "economic crisis."

Many nonessential retailers, pet groomers, state parks and golf courses resumed operations May 1 in a limited way under a new, modified state public health order. The new order is in effect through May 15.

New Mexico's "slight reopening" began May 16, but everyone is required to wear a face mask in public spaces and the stay-at-home order remains in effect, KVIA-TV said.

Grisham announced May 5 that employees of essential businesses operating in New Mexico will be required to wear face coverings.

Here's what's not opening: movie theaters, casinos, barbershops and hair salons, gyms, indoor malls, camping centers and state park visitor centers, and offices or workplaces.

Restaurants and bars can only operate as curbside or delivery. Gatherings of five people or more are still prohibited.

New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on May 18 that "New York State is ready and willing to partner with major sports teams that are interested in playing games safely, without fans."

Parts of New York were allowed to reopen May 15, Cuomo said.

The Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley and North Country met the required seven metrics to enter Phase 1 of the state's plan to reopen. The metrics include a 14-day decline of hospitalizations, a 14-day decline of hospitalized deaths, new hospitalizations to drop to under two per 100,000 residents and a share of total hospital beds available of at least 30%, among others.

Cuomo also announced that New York reopened statewide certain low-risk businesses and recreational activities on May 15, including landscaping and gardening, outdoor low-risk recreational activities like tennis and drive-in movie theaters.

Religious gatherings limited to 10 people were allowed to resume May 21, the New York Times said.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said May 11 that closures of nonessential businesses are likely to extend in the city through May.

“June is when we’re potentially going to be able to make some real changes if we can continue our progress,” de Blasio said.

New York has extended some executive orders but still hasn't decided on how long it would extend its stay-at-home order, Cuomo's office said.

New York’s schools and colleges will remain shut through the end of the academic year, Cuomo said.

The state updated its guidance for golf courses, opening the door for public and private courses to open. Golfers will have to walk the course and carry their own bags without a motorized cart, according to Dani Lever,Cuomo's communications director.

North Carolina

Starting on May 8, North Carolina began lifting certain restrictions as the state transitions to Phase 1 of a three-phase plan.

Gov. Roy Cooper previously said Phase 1 is expected to last two to three weeks, or until at least May 22. On that date, restaurants, personal care businesses and pools reopened, the New York Times said.

If data trends look promising, the state would move into Phase 2, which includes the lifting of the stay-at-home order and a limited reopening of other businesses and churches with reduced capacity.

Under Phase 1, people will be allowed to leave their homes for commercial activity and to go to any business that is open – though the governor hasn’t elaborated about which businesses that includes when pressed by journalists in statewide briefings.

The order removes the distinction between essential and nonessential businesses. Retail businesses are allowed to open at 50% capacity and will be required to see that customers are at least 6 feet apart, the release says. Businesses also will be required to screen workers for COVID-19 symptoms, perform frequent cleanings and provide hand sanitizer when available.

But many businesses will remain closed. Restaurants may not open for seated customers and may operate only in the capacity of takeout, drive-thru and delivery. Bars, gyms and personal care businesses, such as barber shops and hair salons, also will remain closed. Likewise, entertainment venues will stay closed.

North Dakota

Gov. Doug Burgum unveiled guidelines April 28 for reopening certain businesses.

Most businesses reopened May 1. Burgum eased restrictions that included limiting bars and restaurants to half capacity, requiring barbers and cosmetologists to wear masks and prohibiting some high-intensity fitness classes. Burgum said movie theaters could also reopen if they do such things as limit seating and stagger start times.

While most businesses may reopen with precautions, other large-scale venues and K-12 schools are closed until further notice, Burgum said.

Ohio

Gov. Mike DeWine announced that hair salons, barbershops and other personal care businesses will reopen on May 15. Restaurants and bars opened outdoor patios and spaces on May 15 and indoor seating resumed on May 21.

Massage parlors, tattoo parlors and piercing businesses reopened on May 15, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said May 12.

Here's a look at various state restriction changes for May:

May 1: Hospital, medical, dental and veterinary services that don't require an overnight hospital stay.

Hospital, medical, dental and veterinary services that don't require an overnight hospital stay. May 2: Retail businesses that have been closed can open for curbside pickup, delivery and appointment-only shopping limited to 10 customers at a time.

Retail businesses that have been closed can open for curbside pickup, delivery and appointment-only shopping limited to 10 customers at a time. May 4: Construction, distribution, manufacturing, offices

Construction, distribution, manufacturing, offices May 12: Consumer, retail and service businesses

Consumer, retail and service businesses May 15: Hair salons, barbershops, day spas, nail salons, tanning salons, outside restaurants and patios opened.

Hair salons, barbershops, day spas, nail salons, tanning salons, outside restaurants and patios opened. May 21: Restaurant dine-in locations opened, as did campgrounds

Restaurant dine-in locations opened, as did campgrounds May 22: Horse racing (without spectators)

Horse racing (without spectators) May 26: Public and club sports; adult and youth sports leagues; gyms and fitness centers

Oklahoma

Funeral homes, churches, nurseries, bars and nightclubs are among the businesses that are now open under phase two of Oklahoma's Open Up and Recover Safely plan, KOCO News 5 said. Organized sports and weddings also are allowed to resume.

State health officials had given strict directives for social distancing and disinfection, allowing restaurants to open dining rooms May 15. Movie theaters, churches and concert halls, gyms, salons and other businesses have all reopened.

Thunderbird Casinos in Norman and Shawnee did a soft opening May 12 to allow patrons a chance to gamble on select slot machines.

Bars are still closed, as are city playgrounds. Social gatherings of 10 or more people are still forbidden.

Gov. Kevin Stitt's three-phase plancalled "Open Up and Recover Safely" allowed personal care businesses to open April 24 by appointment only.

Oregon

On May 18, a judge said that Gov. Kate Brown's emergency coronavirus restrictions violate state law and are “null and void,” CNN said. The state immediately filed an appeal with the Oregon Supreme Court.

Rural counties with few cases that meet a series of health and safety prerequisites can apply to enter phase one of a three-part plan to reopen Oregon, Brown announced May 7.

In the first phase, under certain restrictions, restaurants can offer sit-down service, personal care businesses — such as gyms and salons — can open and gatherings of up to 25 people can occur.

The governor's office began accepting applications from counties starting May 8 with many opening on May 15. On that day, 31 of the state's 36 counties began to ease stay-home restrictions and enter into Phase 1 of the governor's reopening plan, according to KGW-TV.

Oregon reopened a small number of outdoor destinations on May 6, beginning a gradual effort to relax limits imposed on recreation. Eight state parks and boat ramps reopened at that time, with more places to come the following week, officials said.

Ski resorts will also be able to resume activities under a forthcoming executive order from Brown.

Pennsylvania

Gov. Tom Wolf said May 8 that 13 more counties will move to the yellow phase of reopening the following week. Also on May 8: Two dozen previously announced counties located in rural northern Pennsylvania made that transition.

The 13 new counties are in the western part of the state, including much of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

Stay-at-home orders will be lifted in "yellow" counties and retail shops can start to reopen, though other restrictions will remain in place as counties move from "red" to "yellow" in a three-phase reopening plan.

Wolf also allowed golfers to hit the course and boaters to hit the water starting May 1.

Golf courses, marinas, guided fishing trips and privately owned campgrounds will be able to open, but campgrounds in state parks remained closed through May 14. Social distancing and masking guidelines will be required just as for other essential businesses.

Wolf also announced that he reopened construction in the state beginning on May 1, moved up from May 8.

After state liquor stores were closed in March, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is now allowing select stores to offer curbside delivery.

Previously, Wolf signed a bill to allow online notary services so online auto sales can resume.

Puerto Rico

On May 11, Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced allowed construction and manufacturing to resume, provided that strict measures are followed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Among the sectors included are private construction and maintenance and repair work done to bolster the infrastructure in anticipation of hurricane season.

That follows comments made by Manuel Laboy, the secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, that other businesses like barber shops and hair salons would be able to open May 25 as long as confirmed new cases continue to decline.

A medical task force appointed by Vázquez Garced submitted recommendations on April 25, suggesting that Puerto Rico abide by strict social distancing and hygienic measures for 18 to 24 months, absent of a vaccine or proven treatment for the virus.

The task force recommends a gradual reopening in four stages, broken down by the infection rate per industry. In the first tier are construction, mining, computing, agriculture and manufacturing. Rather than provide specific target dates for the stages, it recommended enacting each by monitoring the rate of transmission on the island.

On May 1, Vázquez Garced extended a lockdown order through May 25. It allows residents to leave their homes only from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. for essential activities. After 7 p.m., a daily curfew goes into effect until the following morning. The latest extension allows residents to walk, jog, run, ride bicycles and exercise, while observing social distancing measures from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Rhode Island

Gov. Gina Raimondo lifted a statewide stay-at-home order effective May 9.

Retail shops deemed nonessential and some parks can reopen. The state's limit of five people or less for social gatherings remains in effect, however.

Raimondo announced May 12 that the state will allow restaurants to offer limited outdoor dining starting May 18 under regulations from the governor’s office.

Raimondo on April 22 announced plans to roll out a staged reopening of parks and beaches in the coming weeks, citing encouraging virus statistics.

“It is my hope that we will be able to enjoy our parks and beaches in some form or fashion in the month of May,” she said.

The next phase of reopening, however, will wait until June, the governor said Friday.

South Carolina

On May 11, Gov. Henry McMaster allowed dining inside South Carolina restaurants to resume.

And close-contact businesses including gyms, barber shops, hair salons and pools reopened on May 18.

Restaurants are limited to 50% capacity. State officials also issued a host of guidelines detailing how tables and equipment must be sanitized.

McMaster also removed all remaining coronavirus-related restrictions on South Carolina boaters, including a prohibition against anchoring in waterways except for fishing.

The announcement came four days after outdoor dining was allowed to resume at restaurants in the state. A mandatory stay-home order also was lifted Monday in South Carolina.

McMaster announced a plan April 21 called "Accelerate South Carolina" to "stomp on the gas" and reopen certain sectors of the economy.

Clothing, department, furniture, jewelry and sporting goods stores, as well as florists and flea markets can reopen but will be forced to operate at reduced capacity. The closure on beaches will be lifted, though it will be up to local officials to decide on the reopening of specific beaches.

The order still encourages social distancing directives to be followed. Barber shops, beauty salons, bingo halls, gyms and nightclubs must remain closed for now.

South Dakota

Gov. Kristi Noem unveiled in late April a "Back to Normal Plan" for businesses and residents for the next phase of the coronavirus response.

The plan lays out actions for residents, employers, schools and health care providers once four criteria categories are met, including a downward trajectory of documented coronavirus cases for 14 days in an area with sustained community spread.

Noem had not issued a stay-at-home order but had placed some statewide restrictions.

Tennessee

Guidance issued by Gov. Bill Lee's office May 1 says house of worship should exercise caution, encouraging their community members to wear face coverings and remain six feet away from others. The guidance urges faith communities to "conduct as many activities as possible remotely."

The state reopened salons and barbershops May 6, the latest in a string of restrictions to be loosened in the state.

Details of business restrictions in the order, which also continued the state of emergency, apply to all but six counties in the state. Those counties, which are home to the state's larger urban areas, are following the guidance of their respective health departments which are operated locally.

Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis will reopen the week of May 18 after closing March 20. Tour capacity will be reduced to 25% and temperature checks will be given to guests.

Nashville city officials transitioned to the first phase of reopening the city on May 11, allowing restaurants and retail stores to open at half capacity, despite a recent increase in new coronavirus cases.

Previously, Lee allowed for restaurants to reopen on April 27, many retailers on April 29 and gyms on May 1, each of which came with rules on limited capacity and suggested guidelines.

Under Tennessee’s plan, businesses in six counties – Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Madison and Sullivan – will not open until local officials sign off on their own reopening proposals.

On April 28, Lee issued an executive order extending the closure of bars and close-contact businesses through the end of May.

Texas

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced his next wave of reopenings designed to restart the Texas economy during the coronavirus pandemic, saying child care facilities can reopen immediately, bars can open May 22 with limited capacity and sporting events can return without fans at the end of the month, the Texas Tribune said. Abbott also said he would permit restaurants to operate at 50% capacity starting May 22, up from 25% that’s allowed now.

Hair and nail salons reopened May 8 with restrictions on capacity and distances and gyms got back to business on May 18, Gov. Abbott said.

Bars, meanwhile, will remain shuttered pending more information on the best ways to keep staff and customers safe amid the fast-spreading pandemic, Abbott said.

Every restaurant and retailer across the state was allowed to open doors to customers May 1, although more widely in some cities than others and still under social distancing requirements.

Outdoor sports such as golf and tennis can resume, as long as four people or fewer are participating in the event and social distancing is followed.

Abbott announced executive orders April 17 that mandated all schools, public and private, to remain closed for the rest of the school year.

Abbott, seeking to end a political firestorm, announced May 7 that officials will be prohibited from jailing Texans for violating any of his coronavirus-related executive orders.

Utah

Gov. Gary Herbert said most of the state moved to "yellow," or low-risk, May 16.

A yellow designation means there can be social gatherings of up to 50 people, team sports are allowed and swimming pools are opened. Additionally, travel is opened up throughout the state — though Washington County has seen significant visitor numbers in recent weeks at the state parks.

Utah moved May 1 from the "red" to "orange" phase of Herbert's proposal to gradually scale back restrictions.

Every household also has a chance to order face masks from the government. The program, which he dubbed "A Mask for every Utahn," was unveiled as Herbert announced an official step back from the state's most stringent stay-at-home orders.

Vermont

Gov. Phil Scott made moves to relax numerous restrictions in early May.

Vermont's retail stores began to reopen on May 18. The stores will have to abide by certain conditions to reopen, including requiring all employees to wear masks and limiting the number of people in the store at a time. Big box stores will also be allowed to begin selling non-essential items again.

Child care programs and summer camps will be allowed to open this summer — as long as they follow strict health guidelines, Scott said May 8. Regulated day care facilities that adopt those guidelines would be able to open June 1.

Gatherings of 10 people or fewer were allowed with precautions and golf courses and some other forms of outdoor recreation reopened May 7, Scott announced May 6.

Some elective health care procedures will be able to resume as the spread of the new coronavirus in the state continues to slow, Scott announced May 4.

Scott on May 1 also announced additional steps to ease restrictions under the state's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order.

Manufacturing, construction and distribution companies reopened May 4, with a maximum of 10 employees. The following week, on May 11, those same sectors re-opened at full operations with as few employees as necessary.

In order to return to work, Vermont employers and employees must undergo mandatory health and safety training developed by the Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Agency.

Virginia

On May 12, Gov. Ralph Northam signed an executive order that allows much of the state to enter Phase One of his "Forward Virginia" plan and reopen on May 15.

The new order also allowed certain Northern Virginia localities to delay Phase One until midnight on May 28 in order to meet health metrics. Northern Virginia, whose counties are close to Washington, D.C., has suffered a higher infection rate than the rest of the state.

Northam detailed measures in Phase one:

Non-essential retail — In phase one, non-essential retail stores will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity. Northam said this is a slight increase from the current 10 person limit.

— In phase one, non-essential retail stores will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity. Northam said this is a slight increase from the current 10 person limit. Restaurants and breweries — Restaurants, breweries and beverage services will still be limited to take out and delivery. If a restaurant or brewery already has a permit for outdoor seating they will be allowed to operate service in the outdoor area at 50% capacity.

— Restaurants, breweries and beverage services will still be limited to take out and delivery. If a restaurant or brewery already has a permit for outdoor seating they will be allowed to operate service in the outdoor area at 50% capacity. Entertainment and amusement — These businesses will remain closed in phase one.

— These businesses will remain closed in phase one. Fitness and exercise — Fitness and exercise establishments will remain closed but will be allowed to hold outdoor classes with some limitations.

— Fitness and exercise establishments will remain closed but will be allowed to hold outdoor classes with some limitations. Beaches — Beaches will still be restricted to fishing and exercise. Northam said the state is setting high bar to ease restrictions at beaches.

Northam expects Phase One to last a minimum of two weeks, but it could last longer.

Northam allowed elective surgeries and dental procedures to resume May 1. Veterinarians will also be allowed to see non-emergency pets, Northam said.

Washington

Non-essential medical procedures and services can resume May 18, CNN reported.

On May 11, Gov. Jay Inslee outlined metrics that counties must reach before they are allowed to enter Phase 2 of his "Safe Start" plan. Counties with fewer than 75,000 residents that have not had a new coronavirus case over a three-week span can apply for a variance to enter Phase 2 before other parts of the state.

Once approved, counties may enter Phase 2 effective immediately. It allows restaurants to resume operations at limited capacity. Restaurants will not be required to get customers’ contact information as initially planned, Inslee's office said in a May 15 release.

The Democratic governor's office in a news release Friday said that instead, businesses are asked to keep a list of those who voluntarily provide contact information.

Inslee said on May 8 curbside retail sales in Washington could begin almost immediately for businesses with reopening plans approved by health officials. Multiple rural counties will also be able to relax some stay-at-home restrictions early as the state move through the reopening process.

Inslee announced May 1 that the state's coronavirus stay-at-home order would be extended through at least May 31 and said there will be a four-stage phase for lifting of restrictions, starting with allowing retail curbside pickup, automobile sales and car washes by mid-May.

There will be a minimum of three weeks between each phase, though he said some counties with lower numbers of cases and deaths may be able to open parts of their economy sooner if approved by the Department of Health.

Fishing, hunting and golfing resumed on May 5, at which time people could also return to state parks and other state lands for day trips.

Washington, D.C.

On May 13, Mayor Muriel Bowser extended the District's stay-at-home order through June 8.

Six stores, including four bookstores, were allowed to reopen May 18.

Bowser announced on April 23 the formation of a task force, the Reopen D.C. Advisory Group, that will issue recommendations in May on the timeline to ease restrictions. To accelerate the process, Bowser said the city would look to hire several hundred contact tracers.

Bowser said the District will be "deliberate and strategic" in its plans.

West Virginia

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice on May 13 widened the most aggressive phase of his coronavirus reopening strategy to allow tanning salons to open just before Memorial Day weekend.

On May 18, fitness centers, gymnasiums and recreation centers were able to resume operations in West Virginia, with limitations.

Justice announced that more businesses would reopen, including restaurants with indoor seating on May 21.

Large specialty retail stores can open back up on that date. That doesn't include indoor malls, but he said mall anchor stores with exterior entrances can resume operations.

Bar areas at restaurants must remain closed and those businesses are limited to 50% seating capacity. Patrons will not be allowed to congregate in waiting areas and there will be no buffet-style service or self-serve salad bars. Drinks are recommended to be served in cans or bottles, according to the guidelines.

On May 11 physical therapy centers and drive-in movie theaters were allowed to reopen.

Justice has so far let hospitals resume elective procedures and allowed the reopening of small businesses, outdoor dining restaurants and barber shops.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Supreme Court on May 13 struck down Gov. Tony Evers' order shutting down daily life, marking the first time a statewide order of its kind has been knocked down by a court of last resort.

The ruling, for now, immediately throws out the administration's tool to control the disease for which there is no vaccine and comes at a time when Evers has already begun lifting some restrictions as the spread of the virus slows down for now.

On May 11, Evers said all stand-alone or strip-mall based retail stores are able to offer in-person shopping, as long as customers are limited to five at a time and social distancing practices are maintained. The new order is "focused on small retailers," Evers said.

Essential retail businesses like grocery and hardware stores were opened with reduced capacity.

And on May 1, 34 state parks and forests could open under special conditions. The openings come with attendance limits and reduced daily hours, while facilities like public restrooms, shelters and playgrounds will remain closed.

Outdoor recreational vehicle rentals like those that deal with boats, golf carts, kayaks and ATVs could also open April 29, as could automatic or self-service car washes.

Wyoming

Wyoming will again allow people to dine in at restaurants, meet in bars and gather in larger numbers, Gov. Mark Gordon said May 13.

Bar and restaurant tables will need to seat no more than 6 people at a time and be spaced at least 6 feet apart. Staff must wear face coverings and be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 under new state public health orders that took effect May 15.

As many as 25 people — up from 10 currently — will be allowed to gather, enabling movie theaters and other performance venues to reopen with limited numbers of customers.

On May 15, a strip club in Cheyenne became one of the first in the country to reopen.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks also reopened on May 18.

Wyoming's famed Devils Tower National Monument partially reopened May 22 after an almost two-month closure.

Previously, Wyoming eased some of its coronavirus restrictions May 1, with barbershops, gyms, nail salons and child care centers among the businesses that were allowed limited re-openings, Gordon said.

Gordon also said residents were allowed to camp at state parks as of May 15.

Contributing: Savannah Behrmann, Grace Hauck, USA TODAY; Natalie Allison, Nashville Tennessean; Stacey Barchenger, Bergen Record; Teresa Boeckel, York Daily Record; Lisa Kaczke, Sioux Falls Argus Leader; Laura Peters, Staunton News Leader; Dustin Racioppi, Bergen Record; Sady Swanson, Fort Collins Coloradoan; The Associated Press

Tattoos, masks, telemedicine, Yellowstone: News from around our ...

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery:People can pick up free masks from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at one of 11 sites across Montgomery, the city announced. Each person can get up to two masks. Mayor Steven Reed issued an executive order that goes into effect Friday requiring people in public to wear facial coverings, except in specific situations like when visiting a restaurant or bar, or when there’s room for social distancing. Those who violate the order are subject to a $25 fine. Pickup locations include: Therapeutic Recreation Center at 604 Augusta St.; Sheridan Heights Community Center at 3501 Faro Drive; Hayneville Road Community Center at 3315 Hayneville Road; Regency Park Community Center at 5995 Christy Lane; Goodwyn Community Center at 205 Perry Hill Road; Chisholm Community Center at 545 E Vandiver Blvd.; Willie Cook Community Center at 6055 Woodley Circle; Hunter Community Center at 20 Judge C. Price St.; Old Selma Road Community Center at 3200 Old Selma Road; McIntyre Community Center at 1240 Hugh St.; and the E.D. Nixon Community Center at 1000 Edgar D Nixon Ave. For more information about the giveaway, contact Fredrick Thomas with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department at at (334) 625-4743 or fthomas@montgomeryal.gov. The city said each member of the Montgomery City Council also has “a limited number” of masks that they can give out. You can find their contact information at montgomeryal.gov.

Alaska

Ketchikan: A person who didn’t follow quarantine procedures after arriving in Alaska has created the possibility of broad community spread of the novel coronavirus after going to social gatherings and public places in Ketchikan while awaiting results of a COVID-19 test that turned out positive, officials said. The person arrived in Ketchikan on June 13 and underwent testing for COVID-19. The state said anyone tested on arrival is to quarantine until they receive a negative test result. Under the state rules, one is not to leave a quarantine location except for medical emergencies or necessary medical care. This person instead attended social gatherings and went to public places June 13-15, events attended by many young people, families and residents, officials said. Officials did not say if the person was a resident or a visitor. The person’s positive test was received Tuesday, and the person is now in isolation ad checked on daily by public health nurses. “I know many of you are angry, hurt, disappointed, and even scared about the impact this may have in our community. I am too, but we are prepared for this,” Ketchikan Emergency Manager Abner Hoage said in video to the community Wednesday night. He said there is testing and personal protection equipment available. The Ketchikan Police Department is investigating the individual’s actions for possible charges, and public health nurses are tracing contacts the individual had. City officials are advising anyone who attended gatherings in Ketchikan where social distancing wasn’t followed or if someone who recently traveled was in attendance to consider self-quarantining for 14 days and to get tested if symptoms like a cough, fever or difficulty breathing develop.

Arizona

Phoenix:Cases of an inflammatory illness that’s associated with COVID-19 and affects children and young adults have been identified in Arizona. Officials with Phoenix-based Banner Health confirmed they have seen a few Arizona cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. MIS-C illness is rare, said Dr. David Moromisato, chief medical officer for Banner Desert and Cardon Children’s medical centers in Mesa. Still, it’s important for parents, children and their loved ones to know the signs, because when it does occur, MIS-C can be extremely serious and is potentially fatal, said Moromisato, a pediatric ICU physician. The illness mostly tends to affect young children and teens, although the age range of patients is from about 2 to young adulthood, early evidence is showing. Different body parts can become inflamed with MIS-C, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal organs. Researchers have said that children who get the MIS-C illness might never have been sick with COVID-19, although the majority appear to have been infected with it at some point, and about 25% have active COVID-19 infection. The MIS-C could be a postinfection inflammatory response. Although children appear to be good at fighting off COVID-19 illness, some of them might be having severe immune responses to the virus that makes them ill. If a child has a fever, red eyes, cracked lips, and they are having vomiting and diarrhea, parents should seek medical attention, Moromisato said. The earlier the intervention for MIS-C, the better, he said. “Even though we feel that children are not affected (by COVID-19), I think that it’s still important for us to be appropriately socially distancing, not just adults and the elderly, but children,” he said.

Arkansas

Pine Bluff:Whole Nêdz Inc. and ACCESS Inc. will give away COVID-19 supplies to caregivers and other essential workers from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Saracen Landing. ACCESS, Inc. will also be giving away 100 bags to youth in the community, according to a news release. This event will be drive-through only entering Saracen Landing from Pullen Street to adhere to guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Whole Nêdz is a nonprofit designed to educate the community on situations that can lead to grief and loss. ACCESS is a teen pregnancy prevention agency which has served youth since 1978, according to the release. This event is funded by contributions of the Pine Bluff Community Foundation and local churches. For more information, call Angela Roby at Whole Nêdz at (870) 267-5822 or Annie Jasper at ACCESS t (870) 535-1302..

California

Palm Springs:Riverside County has been placed on the California Department of Public Health’s “targeted engagement list” – effectively a watch list – because the number of new coronavirus cases over the previous two weeks had spiked, the positive-test rate was up in the past week and the increase in hospitalizations over the past three days exceeded acceptable state guidelines. “We continuously pore over the data and go over potential driving factors with the state,” said Brooke Federico, a Riverside County spokeswoman. “However, everyone must continue to do their part by wearing a face covering, keeping six feet of distance from others and frequently washing their hands to slow the spread of the disease.” Local officials knew this could be coming. The county had been struggling to maintain its numbers since early June, reporting a total of 12,778 cumulative cases on Friday, a 25% increase from 10 days prior. Riverside County has two weeks from the day it was placed on the list – June 17 – to show progress in controlling the transmission of the coronavirus or the state will recommend that the county health department reinstate some stricter stay-at-home rules and business closures. If there is still no progress after that, the state can step in and take its own actions within the county. Riverside County already narrowly avoided being placed on the list in early June because of a concerning increase in hospitalizations two days in a row. However, the county was not placed on the list because that number fell back to an acceptable level on the third day. A county does not get placed on the watch list unless it misses a metric three days in a row. That same week, Riverside County allowed partial Stage 3 reopening, which gave the green light for gyms and fitness centers to restart operations on June 12. Nail salons and tattoo parlors got the go-ahead on June 19 – two days after the county was placed on the watch list.

Colorado

Fort Collins:Bars in Colorado can now reopen after a relaxation of restrictions meant to stave off the novel coronavirus went into effect Thursday. Bar occupancy is now limited to 25% or 50 people, whichever is lower, according to the a public health order from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Outdoor bar service limits can also resume with approval from local officials. Previously, taprooms and wineries could open if they offered food from a licensed retail food establishment on-site and followed the state’s restaurant guidelines for proper table spacing, mask usage and sanitation procedures. The new order also allows restaurants to open at 50% capacity or 50 people, whichever is lower, as long as tables are 6 feet apart. Rules already in effect in Larimer County allowed restaurants to open at 30% capacity or up to 60% capacity if the additional seating is in an outdoor space. Extra-large sites, defined as 7,200 square feet or more, can accommodate more people, up to 100, depending on the results of an occupancy calculator for indoor events. Find the full guidelines for bars and restaurants at https://covid19.colorado.gov/safer-at-home/restaurants-food-services.

Connecticut

Hartford:The Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters program has given free smartphones to 100 children, part of a new virtual mentoring model the organization implemented at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. Using a Virtual Mentoring Toolkit, children and their “Bigs” can undertake joint activities and virtual tours, explore science, math and reading, play games and stay in close touch. “For many of them, a smartphone is their only way of really connecting with their mentors,” said Andy Fleischmann, president and CEO of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters. “In this period of uncertainty and disconnection, keeping the vulnerable kids in our program in contact with their Big Brothers and Sisters – as well as other nurturing people in their lives – is tremendously important.” AT&T donated the new devices, along with two months of free service. Officials hope children will also be able to use them for distance learning during the school year. Between Nutmeg’s three programs (Community-Based, Site-Based and Foster Grandparent Program), it serves about 1,300 children. Brian Kelly, of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, said that officials have about 600 matches statewide.

Delaware

Wilmington:Delaware Park opened its 83rd season of racing on June 17, long delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, and the thoroughbreds galloping around the Stanton oval were a welcome sight. Wagering could be done outside at betting windows or computer terminals, or inside the clubhouse. A total of $2,978,879 was wagered on Delaware Park races that day. When Delaware Park opened two years ago, also on a Wednesday, the handle was $2,087,072. “A lot of people have dealt with change the last three months,” said jockey Trevor McCarthy, “and everybody’s just kind of happy to be back and we’ll do whatever it takes to be back.” The pandemic led to the cancellation of the spring high school sports season. College athletics were halted for good in mid-March. Other First State spring staples, such as Wilmington Blue Rocks minor-league baseball and the NASCAR race at Dover International Speedway, have also been absent.Some youth sports were able to kick off last week, including the Delaware Baseball Group college and high school leagues. But the 10-race card on June 17, which featured the $100,000 Obeah Stakes for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, was a sign of sports normalcy.

District of Columbia

Washington:The District officially moves to Phase 2 of reopening on Monday after seeing 13 days of a sustained decline in coronavirus cases, WUSA-TV reported. Starting Tuesday, residents will be able to enter the DMV to conduct driver’s licenses services, vehicle registrations and knowledge tests by appointment only. All documents that expired on or after March 1 are still valid until mid-September, so there is no need to rush to the DMV, Mayor Muriel Bowser said. To set up an appointment, click here. All playgrounds across the District will also reopen effective Monday. According to the latest data, the District has now been on a long-term downward trend since May 21. The District has also expanded its testing in neighborhoods and has begun offering free walk-up testing at firehouses from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. D.C. Fire and EMS Chief Gregory Dean said the testing outside the firehouses has been going smoothly. The city has 200 contact tracers and wants an additional 100 by June 30, Bowser said.

Florida

St. Petersburg: More than 100,000 people in Florida have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, state health officials reported Monday, as public health officials reissued advisories urging social distancing and mask wearing. Some businesses have begun reevaluating their decisions to reopen amid the spike in cases reported by the state health department on its website. More than 3,100 people in Florida have died from COVID-19. Over the weekend, Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the Health Department to reissue advisories urging Floridians to consider wearing masks to help keep the virus from spreading and to refrain from attending gatherings of more than 50 people. Despite the rise in new infections, the governor has not signaled any intention of retreating from reopening the state. Three months of business closures have left hundreds of thousands of people out of work and disrupted the day-to-day lives of Floridians.

Georgia

Savannah:Houses of worship should remain closed for services at this time, according to recommendations from the Savannah Faith Task Force. The task force was formed earlier this year by Mayor Van Johnson as part of efforts to include faith leaders in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. Representatives from the task force joined with Johnson last week to release their latest recommendations. Johnson said the task force had three virtual meetings with more thnan 100 local faith leaders attending. “It’s been a difficult time for many of us and a trying time for most of us, but the faith community has come together in ways that I’ve never seen before,” Rabbi Robert Haas of Congregation Mickve Israel said. Following those meetings, which included input from Coastal Health Director Dr. Lawton Davis, the task force is recommending houses of worship remain closed for services until a vaccine is found or there is a “drastic plummet” in the number of cases. If congregations wish to open against the recommendations, the Savannah Faith Task Force said it hopes they recommended protocals by the task force, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Mayor Johnson Virtual Clergy Discussions. “We talked a good bit about if you open you have to take everyone’s temperature, make sure everyone has masks, the bathrooms are cleaned after every use, make sure there is plenty of hand sanitizer and ensure there is no singing, because if you sing you have to be 30 feet apart,” Haas said. “You have to ensure people are spaced, and if someone starts coughing in the middle of a service, what are you going to do?”

Hawaii

Honolulu: A coalition of Hawaii nonprofit organizations and social service agencies has urged state lawmakers to enact widespread protections for renters in anticipation of a wave of evictions because of the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The group of more than 50 organizations said it expects evictions to occur after the $600 weekly federal supplement increase to state unemployment payments expires at the end of July, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Sunday. The coalition that includes the Office of Hawaiian Affairs urged the state Legislature to address the predicted rental crisis when lawmakers convene beginning Monday. The organizations called for policies to minimize the threat of mass evictions across the islands – including the extension of a state prohibition on evictions for months after the pandemic ends, a landlord subsidy program, and a tax credit or deduction for landlords based on reductions in rent. The coalition also recommended instituting a mandatory mediation process to settle landlord and tenant disputes and expunging eviction records if the actions were based in part on back rent or late fees accrued during the pandemic. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that close to 20% of Hawaii’s households have been unable to make housing payments or have little or no confidence they can make upcoming rent or mortgage payments.

Idaho

Boise: Idaho is experiencing a sharp increase in confirmed coronavirus cases, with 544 new cases reported in a five-day span. That brings the state’s total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to more than 4,000, according to a Johns Hopkins University total. Gov. Brad Little ordered a statewide stay-at-home order in late March, and those restrictions have been gradually lifted over the last several weeks. The state is in the fourth and final stage of Little’s reopening plan, with gatherings of more than 50 people allowed. However, the numbers of people becoming infected have climbed as more businesses reopened and more people resumed normal activity levels. One outbreak in the Boise area was tied to young people going to downtown bars as they reopened. Health districts in the Twin Falls region and in eastern Idaho have all seen a recent increase in COVID-19 cases in people under the age of 50, Boise State Public Radio reported. Little has repeatedly said that he would consider renewing some restrictions if cases spike in order to prevent Idaho’s health care system from becoming overwhelmed. But last week he suggested any such decisions could be made on a regional, rather than statewide, basis.

Illinois

Waukegan: You can’t use the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse not to get married anymore – at least not in Lake County. The 19th Judicial Circuit Court suspended marriages and civil unions in March to protect the health of the public but it was scheduled to start officiating weddings and civil unions – virtually – on Monday. The only requirement for the general public is that at least one member of the couple getting married be a Lake County resident. All active-duty members of the military are also eligible. To have a judge officiate at a virtual wedding, couples must call the county clerk’s office to set up an appointment to apply for a marriage license and then visit the clerk of the local circuit court to pay $10 in cash on the day the license is issued. Couples can go to the Remote Court Hearings section of the 19th Judicial Circuit website for wedding instructions. Even though the wedding is virtual, both members of the couple are required to be somewhere in Lake County during the ceremony.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Indiana doctors have been providing remote care to patients since clinics have closed and government mandated orders have kept people at home during the coronavirus pandemic. The health system is starting to look much different as facilities shift to telemedicine, which allows doctors to meet with patients through video conferencing software, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported. Some doctors said it can speed up diagnosis and treatment. IU Health, the state’s largest hospital system, said its doctors have conducted about 80,000 telemedicine visits this year, a 10,000% increase since the pandemic hit the state in March. Other health care facilities have also seen increases in telemedicine. Ascension St. Vincent said it had 109,000 appointments in April and May, up from about 1,000 in March. Community Health Network said it has conducted nearly 90% of its patient visits by video or phone during the shutdown. Dr. William Bennett, who has an office at Riley Hospital for Children, said nearly three-quarters of his patient visits are now conducted by telemedicine.

Iowa

Iowa City:Amid uncertainty of whether college football games will be played this fall, and how many fans would be allowed to attend, the University of Iowa said Monday it will pause ticket sales at the end of the month. Only fans who have renewed their season ticket orders and paid per-seat contributions by June 30 will be included in any potential Kinnick Stadium seating plans, the university said. By halting ticket orders, the university can take some time to figure out how seating will look at Kinnick before the scheduled Sept. 5 season opener against Northern Iowa. As a result, new sales of the digital season pass, mini-plans and single-games ticket sales will be put on hold. Football tickets typically generate about $23 million a year for the university, roughly 20% of its athletic department budget. If the 2020 season is disrupted, the university said it will provide future credit or ticket refunds.

Kansas

Topeka: Embattled Kansas Labor Secretary Delia Garcia resigned Monday amid escalating problems with the state’s unemployment insurance caseload and a record number of jobless claims. Gov. Laura Kelly announced she had accepted Garcia’s resignation and appointed the governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff Ryan Wright to serve in an acting role until a permanent candidate is nominated. The governor said she would take action to address the volume of claims for unemployment insurance, including bringing in specialists to determine how to improve response times for unemployment insurance and implementing new ways to manage the caseload and mitigate backlogs and errors. On June 10, duplicate payments totaling $7 million were made to more than 4,500 claimants of pandemic unemployment assistance and compensation programs. Without consulting the governor, the Labor Department on Thursday began reversing those duplicate payments, a process known as clawback, that caused some bank accounts to be overdrawn. The state Labor Department is working to identify and reimburse people whose accounts were overdrawn. Some Republican lawmakers last month called for Garcia’s ouster, saying she had mismanaged the agency so badly that thousands of people were denied prompt payment of unemployment benefits. But the governor steadfastly defended Garcia, noting the state unexpectedly went from record low to record high unemployment rates when the economy shut down to slow spread of the novel coronavirus. The state’s 40-year-old computer system was unable to keep up with the claims.

Kentucky

Louisville:The city will benefit from an Accelerator for America grant to help people who have taken financial blows during the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Greg Fischer’s office said. The $50,000 grant will add to the assistance provided through the One Louisville COVID-19 Response Fund, which provides financial relief to eligible people. “One of the many inspiring actions we’ve witnessed during the pandemic is the support and compassion for neighbors in need,” Fischer said in a statement. “This grant from Accelerator for America will provide an additional boost to get much needed support into the hands of residents seeking rental, utility or food assistance.” Louisville is one of 10 communities to receive the grant. The others are Atlanta; Connecticut; Rhode Island; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Dayton, Ohio; Birmingham, Alabama; Oklahoma City; Salt Lake City; and Austin, Texas. Accelerator for America was founded in 2017, according to its website, and “finds and develops solutions to economic insecurity and shares them with cities to create national change from the ground up.”

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: State health regulators have tied at least 100 cases of the new coronavirus to bars near Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and report a new cluster of the illness in the Orleans Parish area. The state Department of Public Health said Friday that bars in an area near the campus called Tigerland are believed to be a major contributor to the outbreak. Anyone who visited bars in that area recently should consider themselves exposed and should self-quarantine for 14 days. People should monitor for symptoms including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea and diarrhea, the health department said. At least three bars – JL’s Place, Reggie’s and Fred’s – have employees who have tested positive for COVID-19, the businesses’ owners told WAFB-TV. Louisiana Department of Health spokeswoman Mindy Faciane confirmed an outbreak investigation is underway involving JL’s Place and Reggie’s Bar. Meanwhile, the owner of Fred’s confirms two of his employees have tested positive for the virus. He said each is recovering at home. In New Orleans, health officials are investigating a new cluster of COVID-19 that is likely linked to a high school graduation party. Health care professionals said they have seen an increase in positive cases at New Orleans mobile testing sites, indicating a possible increase in community spread. Statewide, numbers are rising too. As of Saturday, the state reported 49,385 cases of the disease with almost 3,000 deaths.

Maine

Houlton: Four ambulance crew members and at least two others in the Houlton area tested positive for the novel coronavirus after having contact with a person who exhibited no symptoms, the Maine Center for Disease Control said. Two separate ambulance crews transported the patient first to a hospital in Houlton and then to a hospital in Bangor, the Maine CDC said. The patient tested positive during a routine screening before undergoing surgery at Northern Lights Eastern Maine Medical Center. All four Houlton Ambulance Service crew members tested positive for the virus, as did two others who were close in contact with the crew members or the patient, the Maine CDC said Sunday. In Fort Fairfield, about 50 miles away, the police chief announced Sunday that five members of the town’s fire department and one police officer might have been exposed to the virus during a training exercise It’s unknown if it was related to the Houlton case.

Maryland

Annapolis: More than 200 Maryland companies and nonprofits have supported their communities’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Larry Hogan said Monday. Companies have helped in ways from sewing face masks, manufacturing personal protective equipment and delivering meals to front-line workers. The businesses include technology firms, local boutiques, restaurants, hotels and biotechnology companies. At least 35 breweries, distilleries, wineries and vineyards have produced hand sanitizer or donated to COVID-19 relief funds, the governor’s office said. More than 20 biotechnology and health care companies are contributing to the global effort to develop tests, vaccines, and treatments.

Massachusetts

Boston: Restaurants were allowed to start offering indoor dining again, and close-contact businesses including nail salons, tattoo parlors and personal trainers could reopen Monday under the latest phase of Massachusetts’s coronavirus pandemic economic recovery plan. In addition, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority was cranking up service again, allowing more people to return to their offices, which are limited to 50% capacity under Gov. Charlie Baker’s reopening plan. Restaurants opening their indoor dining areas must space tables at least 6 feet apart, but bars, unattended buffets and self-serve drink stations will remain closed for now. Parties are limited to a maximum of six people. Workers are required to wear face coverings and must wash or sanitize their hands between table visits. Employees of close-contact businesses as well as their customers are also required to wear masks, and frequently touched surfaces must be cleaned regularly. Personal trainers can see clients by appointment only, and only one person at a time, or two if they are from the same household. After boosting subway and bus service Sunday, the MBTA also increased commuter rail and ferry service Monday. Face coverings will be required on buses, trains and ferries.

Michigan

Ann Arbor:The fall term at the University of Michigan will open Aug. 31 with a mix of remote learning and in-person classes at the Ann Arbor campus, the school said Monday in its latest response to the coronavirus pandemic. Residence halls will be open, but there will be an emphasis on boxed meals and fewer people in dining rooms. The pandemic has been “substantially contained” in Michigan and other parts of the U.S., although the potential for new infections will continue until a vaccine or drug regimen is developed, said university President Mark Schlissel, who is also a medical doctor. Large classes will be held online, small classes will meet in-person and other classes will be a mix of both. “Some students will choose or need to take all their classes remotely, and we’ll provide a robust set of fully remote classes that will enable most students to make that choice,” Schlissel said. There will be no in-person classes after Thanksgiving. Instruction and final exams from Nov. 30 to Dec. 18 will be conducted remotely. The winter term will start on Jan. 19.

Minnesota

St. Cloud:Four more Minnesotans died of COVID-19, according to the Monday report from the Department of Health. That is the lowest daily total since April 13, when the daily count was zero and the total death count was 70.The state reported 308 new cases Monday, including three in Stearns County, one in Sherburne and one in Benton County. That makes 2,137 cases in Stearns, 276 in Sherburne and 202 in Benton. There re no new deaths from COVID-19 reported in those three counties. The number of people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus reached 33,227 in the state on Monday, and 1,384 people have died, according to the MDH. And 29,065 coronavirus patients no longer need isolation. As of Monday 156 COVID-19 patients in the state were in intensive care and 176 others were hospitalized.

Mississippi

Jackson:Ashlee Smith, chief executive officer of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation, said the conservation organization will not hold its traditional Mississippi Wildlife Extravaganza because of COVID-19 response guidelines requiring events at convention centers to be limited to 25% of capacity with seating requirements. The event was scheduled for July 24-26. “These guidelines, coupled with the events of the 2019 boycott, have led us to the difficult decision that we need to take a ‘timeout’ from our traditional extravaganza format,” Smith said. “We do plan to host some historic components of the extravaganza live in an outside setting, if the CDC guidelines on COVID allow.” The cause of the boycott was the organization’s one-time position against the Yazoo Backwater Pumps, which were a part of a federal plan to alleviate flooding in the south Delta. But it drew severe backlash from the public following months of flooding in the Delta that displaced families, killed wildlife, destroyed homes and prevented farming in 2019. Attendance at the 2019 event dropped significantly. The federation has since stated it will support the pumps if new data shows wetlands won’t be harmed by them.

Missouri

O’Fallon: A rural area of Missouri’s far southwestern corner is seeing a big spike in coronavirus cases, driving a record increase in cases in the state. Missouri reported 389 new cases on Saturday, but that was topped by the 413 new cases reported Sunday – the highest one-day total since the pandemic began. More than half of those new cases came from one county. The McDonald County Health Department announced 235 new cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, bringing its total to 473. Although the county has just 23,000 residents, only six counties and the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City have confirmed more cases in Missouri. McDonald County Health Department Director Paige Behm said the big increase is the result, in part, of testing at two poultry plants, one operated by Tyson Foods in Noel and the other operated by Simmons Foods in Southwest City. But Behm said the cases extend beyond workers at the plants. “It’s people from all over the community,” she said. “I wouldn’t say it’s all Tyson or all Simmons.” Behm said the big increase is “very concerning, but I think it’s important that we’ve done a lot of testing to identify, isolate and contact trace so we can kind of see what’s going on in the community. But it’s more widespread than we realized.” Missouri’s health director, Randall Williams, said last week that all 1,400 workers at the Tyson plant were being testing. The state has not released the results of those tests. An email message left with a Simmons spokesman was not immediately returned. McDonald County sits at the border of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Although the number of positive tests has risen dramatically, few people are requiring hospitalization. Mercy Hospital Joplin, the largest hospital in the region, has just seven patients with COVID-19, spokesman Jordan Larimore said.

Montana

Bozeman: Tourist spending in and around Yellowstone National Park supported about 7,000 jobs in 2019, according to a National Park Service report released last week. The roughly 4 million people who visited the world’s first national park in 2019 spent $507 million dollars in towns within 60 miles of the park. That doesn’t include Bozeman, which is about 80 miles from Yellowstone’s border, but does include gateway cities West Yellowstone and Gardiner. “The positive economic impacts of Yellowstone are essential to the economies of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho,” said Cam Sholly, Yellowstone superintendent, in the release. “It is important that we continue working with our state and local partners to balance the many benefits of tourism with our continued efforts to protect the world-class resources within the park.” Yellowstone was closed on March 24 for seven weeks this spring to curb the spread of COVID-19. Its Wyoming entrances opened in mid-May and Montana entrances opened June 1. The closure at the beginning of the summer season hurt gateway businesses, but traffic at the park has been steady since its reopening.

Nebraska

Omaha: Nebraska confirmed another 103 coronavirus cases Sunday but no new deaths, according to state health officials. The new cases brings the total known number to 17,810 in the state since the pandemic began. Officials have confirmed 244 virus-related deaths.

Nevada

Reno:The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles said it temporarily suspended driving tests because of concerns over spreading the novel coronavirus. The announcement that all noncommercial skills tests are suspended came after an examiner at the West Flamingo office in Las Vegas tested positive for the virus. The examiner did not report for work on Wednesday after feeling ill and subsequently tested positive for the virus, the DMV said. On June 15 and June 16, the DMV said, the examiner conducted tests while wearing personal protective equipment that included a face shield, mask, gloves and gown. “We’re taking this brief pause to reevaluate our protocols. Even though our examiners have been wearing personal protective equipment, the driver and the examiner sit in close proximity during a test. We must continue to put the safety of the public and our employees first,” DMV Director Julie Butler said. Driving tests were expected to resume Monday with the added precaution that drivers will also be required to wear a mask. Before the suspension, masks were recommended for drivers but not required, the DMV said. Appointment services were also expected to resume Monday at DMV offices in Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City and Henderson.

New Hampshire

Concord: The state capital is seeing more use of fireworks by private residents than typical, as the coronavirus pandemic has canceled dozens of planned celebrations. New Hampshire had more than 100 fireworks shows last year and about a third that many are scheduled this year, the Concord Monitor reported. Most of those have happened already. The city of Concord is seeing more complaints about fireworks use this year, Police Chief Brad Osgood said. Purchasing fireworks is relatively easy in New Hampshire. Osgood said exercising safety is important.

New Jersey

Trenton: Salons, barber shops, and massage and tattoo parlors in New Jersey reopened Monday from their COVID-19 pause. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy also announced on Monday that Atlantic City’s casinos would be cleared to reopen on July 2 at 25% capacity. The governor also said that indoor dining would resume the same day, also at 25% capacity. Those are the latest businesses authorized to reopen since the outbreak hit the state in early March. Murphy’s executive order requires that masks be worn inside these businesses and for service to be by appointment only. Murphy has moved the state into Stage 2 of three. He has not said when the third stage would begin.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: New Mexico’s largest airport has enlisted a robot to help with cleaning in the age of the coronavirus pandemic. KOAT-TV reported that Albuquerque International Sunport is employing an autonomous robot to sanitize spaces in the airport. Airport officials said the robot, dubbed Breezy One, will be employed every night. The device came from Build with Robotics and Fetch Robotics. Fetch Robotics officials said it decontaminates spaces of mover than 100,000 square feet in under two hours. The robot uses a disinfectant developed at Sandia National Labs.

New York

Albany:New York could team with New Jersey and Connecticut to require travelers from states with high COVID-19 transmission rates to isolate upon their arrival, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. Cuomo last week threatened to impose a mandatory quarantine order on travelers from Florida, which is seeing thousands of newly confirmed coronavirus cases each day as New York continues to see declines in hospitalizations and deaths. The Democratic governor offered more detail Monday, saying he has been in discussion with his neighboring states about issuing travel guidance that would mandate a quarantine when someone arrives from any state with a high COVID-19 transmission rate – not just Florida. "I would consider states with the highest transmission rate, that if somebody comes from that state to New York, then there’s a period of quarantine where they quarantine themselves to make sure they’re not spreading," Cuomo said Monday on CNN. Cuomo's comments come three months after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis imposed a similar order on travelers from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, mandating they quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival in Florida.

North Carolina

Marshall:The Madison County Health Department has scheduled another free drive-thru testing event open to all, regardless of their home county or whether they show symptoms, for Wednesday on Blannahassett Island in Marshall from 3 p.m. 5 p.m. Although County Health Director Tammy Cody anticipated the Marshall event would be the county’s busiest yet, she said health department staff would be ready. “We’ve streamlined consent forms and figured out little things after each testing event to have things move smoothly,” she said.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Field hospitals set up in North Dakota in preparation for a spike in coronavirus cases have been disassembled. Hundreds of cots and medical supplies were put in place at the University of Mary Fieldhouse in Bismarck and at the Fargodome early this spring in case regular hospitals weren’t able to handle all the coronavirus cases. About two dozen people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in North Dakota, well below the state’s hospital bed capacity. The Bismarck Tribune reported state officials said the cots are in storage and could be reassembled in as little as 48 hours, if needed. State health officials on Monday confirmed 25 new cases of the coronavirus, including seven in Sioux County and five in Cass County. A total of 284 cases are active, down 17 from the previous day. No new deaths were reported.

Ohio

Columbus: The state continued Monday to defend its right to impose normal signature requirements on ballot issue campaigns amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a filing with the U.S. Supreme Court, Republican Attorney General Dave Yost’s attorneys argued that a lower court judge who had temporarily relaxed the rules effectively “rewrote Ohio’s Constitution and Revised Code.” The state also argued that changing signature-gathering rules now would lead to “last-minute confusion” and the possible wrongful passage of issues this fall. U.S. District Court Judge Edmund Sargus Jr. set up the more flexible rules in a May 19 decision. They would have allowed campaigns promoting minimum wage, voting rights and marijuana issues to collect signatures electronically. Sargus had also extended the deadline for submitting signatures by about a month, to July 31. The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked those less restrictive rules from kicking in. Justices have been asked to decide whether failing to accommodate ballot campaigns during the time of COVID-19 violates their constitutional right to access Ohio’s ballot. A decision by the justices will no longer help what was the most high-profile of Ohio’s fall ballot campaigns. Ohioans for Safe and Secure Elections, which advanced election-law changes aiming to make voting easier, suspended its campaign last week as its protracted fight to proceed with the effort neared the June 30 filing deadline. Other parties to the case are Ohioans for Raising the Wage, which seeks a statewide vote to raise the state minimum wage from $8.70 to $13 over five years, and backers of placing marijuana decriminalization measures on more than a dozen town and village ballots across the state.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: A day after President Donald Trump held a campaign rally at an indoor arena in the city of Tulsa, the Oklahoma State Department of Health urged anyone who has recently attended a large-scale event to be tested for the novel coronavirus. The department did not specify any event in its news release sent late Sunday. Nearly 6,200 people attended Trump’s rally at Tulsa’s BOK Center on Saturday night. The campaign did not require attendees to wear face masks to guard against the spread of the virus. And just hours before the rally began, the campaign announced that six staffers had tested positive. The state health department recommends that people take a test before and after attending such events and encourages participants to wear face masks and practice social distancing. The Trump campaign handed out masks to attendees as they arrived, but the majority did not wear one, including the president.

Oregon

Salem:Marion County moved into Phase 2 of reopening on Friday; but on Monday, it had its highest number of new coronavirus cases since the pandemic hit in March. The county reported 51 new cases on Monday, setting a record for highest number of new cases and topping the previous high of 37 on May 9. According to Marion County data, the 51 cases came from the 540 tests results returned Sunday, a positive test rate of 9%. The county has had 1,352 total cases and 35 deaths, including one new death announced Monday. A 90-year-old woman in Marion County tested positive on June 18 and died later. Her exact date of death has not yet been made available. The state continued to report high numbers of new cases in the past few days as more counties across the state reopened, with 206 on Friday, 178 on Saturday and 190 on Sunday. Marion County Commissioner Kevin Cameron said a message he received indicated that many of the positive tests were linked to a long-term care facility and the former NORPAC facility on Madrona Ave. in Salem. That facility, which is now owned by Lineage Logistics, was the source of an outbreak between June 5 and June 8 when 11 people tested positive for the virus, according to the Oregon Health Authority. And the message he received indicated more positive test results are anticipated in the coming days.

Pennsylvania

Chester: Delaware County residents 18 years old or over can get a free coronavirus test outside of City Hall from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Those who have health insurance are asked to bring their insurance card. People seeking a test are asked to wear a mask and can drive through or walk up to the testing site.

Rhode Island

Providence: State Rep. Camille Vella-Wilkinson, D-Warwick, has introduced legislation that would make Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings essential and allow them to be held in person during the coronavirus pandemic and other declared emergencies. “The services provided by Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are not only essential, they are necessary for the public health,” Vella-Wilkinson said in a statement Monday. “During the pandemic, AA meetings were designated as a social gathering rather than an essential service, while liquor stores were considered essential and permitted to remain open.” Vella-Wilkinson noted that many people are court-ordered to attend AA meetings. “To consider this service as nonessential when the results can be devastating is not only absurd, it’s reckless,” she said. The bill would also mandate that adequate measures be made to provide the services safely.

South Carolina

Columbia: An organizer of protests against racial injustice in South Carolina is urging people who participated in recent events to get tested for the new coronavirus. The call from Lawrence Nathaniel of the group I Can’t Breathe SC comes after several group leaders and attendees tested positive, South Carolina news outlets reported. Nathaniel posted a Facebook video Saturday about the danger of COVID-19 to those protesting in the state. Nathaniel said four of his group’s leaders, three photographers and six protesters recently tested positive for the virus. He said testing is vital in light of the state’s recent surge in coronavirus cases. Nathaniel said his group will cancel protests until they’re able to work out a safe way of assembling. Other protesters should be careful about joining protests until they’re sure they’re not spreading the virus, he said. Events canceled include a Sunday art project on Main Street in Columbia called Chalk the Streets, The State reported. Nathaniel said 12 of the artists scheduled to work on specific portions of the project backed out last Sunday morning, including two who contacted him at 2 a.m. to inform him they tested positive for COVID-19. Nathaniel told The Post and Courier Gov. Henry McMaster should “do everything in order to keep the citizens here safe.” For him, the Post and Courier reported, that means a return to a statewide lockdown.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: Gov. Kristi Noem said she will be sending $200 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to city and county governments, but warned the economic impact of the pandemic could last for years. The Republican governor visited the state’s largest city, Sioux Falls, to explain that cities and counties will be able to access the funds based on their population. That means Sioux Falls city leaders can get up to $41.5 million reimbursed for what they spend on addressing the coronavirus. The state has received $1.25 billion from the federal government as part of a relief package for the pandemic, part of which the governor is still hoping can be used to make up losses in tax revenue from the economic downturn. Noem said she was concerned businesses and tax revenue could be hurt in the long-term by the pandemic, especially after federal relief sent to businesses and individuals dries up. “We’re going to start to see the real impact of this virus in the coming days, and we could feel it for up to one to two years,” Noem said. She has said that the state budget that will end on June 30 looks to be in good shape, but that a special legislative session might be called in August to reshape the state’s budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. The governor will be touring the state this week, visiting some of the larger cities to dole out the funds. Her visits come amid what Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken called an “appetite, at least in Sioux Falls, for us to get the cash registers ringing again.”

Tennessee

Nashville: The city entered another phase of reopening Monday amid a rise in the trend of new COVID-19 cases, but officials said the city will stay in the phase for at least a month. The move comes as Tennessee collectively has seen its new cases of COVID-19 trend upward. The state on Friday reported its biggest single-day increase in positive cases since the pandemic began in March. Nashville’s third phase notably allows event spaces and small music venues to operate at half-capacity, or up to 250 attendees, while bars can open at half-capacity. The remaining closed metro parks and facilities, including playgrounds and basketball courts, can reopen, and camps can operate at full capacity with social distancing. Schools can also open with restrictions. In moving forward, Mayor John Cooper cited Nashville’s testing capacity, contract tracing levels and adequate hospital beds. The phases originally were meant to last two weeks each, though the second phase lasted a month.

Texas

Austin:Although calling the rising number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations “unacceptable,” Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday said he has no plans to shut down the state again. “We must find ways to return to our daily routines as well as finding ways to coexist with COVID-19,” Abbott said in a news conference. “Closing down Texas again will always be the last option.” His remarks come a day after Texas set its 10th consecutive record for COVID-19 hospitalizations, with state health officials reporting 3,409 patients in Texas hospitals Sunday. The percentage of tests that come back positive has also continued to increase. The state’s seven-day rolling average rate of positive cases reached 8.8% over the weekend. The rolling rate is calculated by taking a week’s worth of new COVID-19 cases and dividing it by the total tests performed in those seven days. Public health experts said that ideally that number should stay below 6%. “To state the obvious, COVID-19 is now spreading at an unacceptable rate in Texas,” Abbott said, adding the state can do a number of things to slow down increases in certain parts of the state. “It must be corralled.” It was a change in tone for Abbott, who up until his Monday news conference, had insisted that much of the state’s COVID-19 case increases came from batches of additional reporting in certain areas. Although noting that hospitalizations have more than doubled since Memorial Day, Abbott still insisted that Texas hospitals can continue to manage the current rise in cases. “If we were to experience another doubling of those numbers over the next month, that would mean we are in an urgent situation,” which would require new restrictions for the state, Abbott said.

Utah

St. George:A letter from Washington County School District Superintendent Larry Bergeson is causing some local parents to consider whether they would rather send their children to school in the fall wearing masks or keep them home for online instruction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends wearing face cloth coverings in public settings to help slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Additionally, state epidemiologist Angela Dunn said at a recent media event that in situations like buses, masks are beneficial. Dunn said it will be up to local education agencies whether wearing a mask will be mandated. "Wearing masks is a simple safety measure than can protect our neighbors," said parent Brandon Bonewell, who's planning on sending his children to school if masks are required. "We all know that kids aren't great at covering their coughs or keeping their fingers out of their noses. A mask will automatically cover that cough and block that finger. ... It's a small inconvenience that may save a few lives." St. George resident Rebecca Bushnell said she "absolutely (does) not support children going back to school wearing masks. ... Watching people wear masks has been a bit of a joke with them either wearing them inappropriately or (constantly) adjusting, which causes cross contamination." If masks are required to return to school, her children will be learning online, she said.

Vermont

Montpelier: The Legislature hopes to give final approval this week to a state budget for the first quarter of the fiscal year that begins July 1. Lawmakers are also wrapping up legislation to allocate about $1 billion in federal money designed to help the state respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, House Speaker Mitzi Johnson said Monday. The plan is for lawmakers to return in August when they will have more information about state revenue and potential federal assistance to pass a budget for the rest of the fiscal year that runs through June 30, 2021, she said Monday. “There is no way we could pass a straight-faced budget right now,” said Johnson, a Democrat. “We just don’t have enough information.” The pandemic prompted the federal government to delay this year’s tax deadline until next month, which means Vermont won’t have a clear revenue picture until after taxes are filed. Johnson said they hoped that by August there will be more information about about what, if any, additional federal assistance might be available to help states make up losses caused by the pandemic. Lawmakers in the House and Senate are wrapping up legislation to allocate almost $1 billion of the $1.25 billion Vermont has received from the federal CARES Act, which is helping states respond to the pandemic. Under the terms of the CARES Act, states must spend the money by the end of the year on coronavirus-related projects that will have immediate benefit. It is separate from the regular state budget. Republican Gov. Phil Scott has criticized the Legislature for not moving faster to disperse the CARES Act funds.

Virginia

Manassas: Federal workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be going door to door in two northern Virginia cities to conduct a survey of needs related to the coronavirus pandemic. Manassas and Manassas Park have large Hispanic populations and on a per-capita basis have been some of the hardest-hit jurisdictions in the country with COVID-19 cases. CDC workers were expected to start going door-to-door Monday in the area with a 30-question survey conducted in Spanish. The city of Manassas said the survey will collect information designed to help local health officials understand what resources are needed in the community. The survey is voluntary and will not collect information that can be used to identify individuals.

Washington

Seattle: A Seattle hospital said four staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19 work in or near the facility’s operating rooms. A spokesperson for Virginia Mason Medical Center confirmed the positive tests occurred within the last week, The Seattle Times reported Sunday. After three employees tested positive for the virus, surveillance testing of more than 650 other staff members discovered one additional employee had developed COVID-19. Media-relations Manager Gale Robinette said in a statement that each staff member who tested positive has been treated and will remain at home for at least two weeks in accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. “We have not identified any risk of exposure to patients, as these team members were always wearing appropriate personal protective equipment while in their presence,” Robinette said. Robinette did not respond to questions concerning the number of patients those staff members came in contact with or whether the patients would be notified and tested.

West Virginia

Charleston: A coronavirus outbreak linked to a church in southern West Virginia has grown to at least 41 cases, officials said Monday. The caseload connected to the Graystone Baptist Church in Lewisburg increased after several tests came back positive over the weekend, Greenbrier County health officials said in a statement. The state has seen multiple outbreaks this month connected to church services and tourism travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Health officials are urging residents to wear face masks and follow safety precautions. Preston County has reported at least 26 cases stemming from trips to Myrtle Beach. Cabell and Kanawha counties have also reported spikes after residents traveled to the popular beach getaway. Republican Gov. Jim Justice has framed reopening as a process of managing risk and said the state can react to virus flare-ups as they emerge. He has lifted most virus restrictions. Sporting events with spectators resumed Monday and fairs can begin again on July 1, under the governor’s reopening plan.

Wisconsin

Madison: Reopening guidelines for Wisconsin schools released Monday make clear that big changes are in store if and when in-person classes resume. That includes teachers, staff and students wearing masks, classes with no more than 10 students at a time and schedules where buildings are open as few as two days a week, with the bulk of instruction continuing online only. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s 87-page guidance document, dubbed “Education Forward,” is not a mandate for Wisconsin’s 421 public school districts, 26 independent charter schools and 792 private schools. But it does provide a framework for schools to use as they plan for what instruction, both in the classroom and online, will look like in the fall amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “The next school year will be likely be different from the learning environment students and teachers have grown accustomed to,” state Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor said in a statement. Flexibility will be key given that a vaccine for COVID-19 likely won’t be in broad circulation for 12 to 18 months, the recommendations said. The education department stressed that the guidance, the first comprehensive set of recommendations for reopening in the fall, will be ever-evolving as more is known. When schools reopen, it is likely that students and staff will be screened for symptoms; social distancing will be in effect in all settings; and there will be isolation and the timely removal of students and staff who are displaying symptoms, the guidelines said.

Wyoming

Casper: Two people in Uinta County are in intensive care after contracting COVID-19 amid a coronavirus outbreak that continues to grow, the Casper Star-Tribune reported. The southwest Wyoming county recorded 17 new cases over the weekend, all but one of which came from the Evanston area, according to an announcement from Uinta County Public Health. That brings the county's total to 118. Three people have been hospitalized, two of which are still being treated. Both of those patients – one is over 60, the other is younger – are in intensive care.

Summer camp, Operation Haircut: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: State Health Officer Scott Harris said Alabama’s coronavirus numbers are “not as good as we could hope for” as outbreaks continue. Harris said the trend in coronavirus numbers “depends which part of the state you are looking at.” Butler, Mobile, Marshall and Franklin counties are among the counties experiencing outbreaks, he said. Montgomery and Mobile are among the counties with large hospitalization numbers, he said. Harris urged people to continue to take precautions. “The whole country is moving toward opening up. Generally speaking, the health numbers by themselves warn us that we’ve got to be extremely careful,” Harris said. “If you are a senior, or if you have chronic health problems, it doesn’t matter whether the businesses are open again; you need to protect yourself. The danger has not gone away,” he said.

Alaska

Anchorage: Gov. Mike Dunleavy will lift most restrictions put into place because of the coronavirus as of Friday. “It’s time to get Alaska back on its feet,” he said Tuesday. “Friday, we’re open for business across the state of Alaska.” Low case numbers and death totals in the huge but sparsely populated state led Dunleavy, a first-term Republican facing a recall effort, to his decision. Alaska has confirmed 399 COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths. All businesses, including bars and gyms, will be allowed to reopen without restrictions or capacity limits, as will churches, libraries and museums. Recreational and sports activities will also be allowed to resume. “It will all be open just like it was prior to the virus,” he said. There will be some guidelines in place: Alaskans will be advised to still practice social distancing, clean touch screens before use, stay home if sick and wear a face covering in public if near other people. And some communities may have different plans for reopening.

Arizona

Phoenix: The state is slowly reopening, but hospitals continue to see severely ill COVID-19 patients, and providers are bracing for another surge. Not only are health leaders preparing for a continuation of COVID-19 in Arizona and a possible surge of illness in the fall and winter, but they are also preparing for 2021, too. Unless a vaccine is ready, more COVID-19 illnesses could show up next spring. “My concern is that people might think that because the state is opening, that the virus has gone away. The virus is still here,” said Dr. Marjorie Bessel, the chief clinical officer for Banner Health, the state’s largest health system. “We have more than 400 people hospitalized right now in our system who are either COVID positive or under suspicion. We have 100 people on ventilators in that same category. ... The threat of the pandemic will not substantially go away for some time.”

Arkansas

Greers Ferry: A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released Tuesday confirmed the coronavirus was spread in a rural central Arkansas church in March when disregarding restrictions on large group gatherings. Among 92 attendees at Greers Ferry First Assembly of God during March 6-11, 35 (38%) developed laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, and three people died, the CDC report says. The highest attack rates were in persons ages 19-64 years (59%) and greater than 65 years (50%). An additional 26 cases linked to the church occurred in the community, including one death. Church member William Barton, 90, was among the first COVID-19 deaths in Arkansas, KARK in Little Rock reports. The Associated Press reported April 1 that the church had been accused of disregarding restrictions on large group gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic.

California

Twentynine Palms: Joshua Tree National Park is slowly reopening after a lengthy closure to slow spread of the coronavirus. The park announced this week that it is using a phased approach. Park entrances, roads, parking lots, trails, individual campsites and most restrooms are open. Visitor centers and group campsites remain closed, and all campsite reservations made through the recreation.gov website are canceled. The park says all campsites are first-come, first-served until Sept. 4, and campers must pay as normal at each campground. All programs remain canceled. Recent years have seen a big increase in the popularity of Joshua Tree, which straddles the Mojave and Colorado deserts 140 miles east of Los Angeles. Spring and fall are the best times to visit. The rapidly approaching summer will bring scorching heat, intense sunlight and the need to drink at least a gallon of water a day.

Colorado

Denver: A judge on Monday ordered a mental health evaluation for a man who prosecutors said was heading to a protest against COVID-19 lockdown restrictions when FBI agents found pipe bombs in his home. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hegarty ruled Bradley Bunn, a 53-year-old Army veteran, poses a danger to the community and ordered him to remain in custody while he awaits an evaluation. A defense attorney can renew a request for Bunn to be freed after the evaluation, the magistrate said. FBI agents searched Bunn’s Loveland, Colorado, home May 1 and allegedly found four pipe bombs. Bunn told investigators that he would “fight to the death” anyone who tried to disarm him, had started to “gear up” for a coming war and would be willing to “take out a few” officers to “wake everyone up,” a federal prosecutor said during a court hearing.

Connecticut

Hartford: Restaurants were allowed to begin offering service in outdoor dining areas Wednesday as part of the first phase of a statewide reopening, including in hard-hit Fairfield County on the New York state line. Gov. Ned Lamont and some eatery owners have said they will be wary of customers visiting from nearby sections of New York, where restaurants among other businesses remain closed. While infection rates have been declining, the southwestern part of the state was affected by an outbreak in the greater New York City area worse than any other in the country. Fairfield County has had 122 deaths associated with COVID-19 per every 100,000 residents, compared with 119 fatalities per 100,000 in Manhattan, according to state figures. Still, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo said most people are looking forward to getting back at least a little sense of normalcy.

Delaware

Dover: Democratic Gov. John Carney on Tuesday announced a further loosening of his coronavirus restrictions on businesses, but Republican lawmakers are claiming Carney is moving too slowly and has abused his authority. Carney said retail establishments may start operating by appointment only Wednesday morning, and restaurants and bars can begin applying Friday to expand outdoor-seating capacity when those businesses reopen next month. Carney had previously announced that retailers and restaurants would be allowed to resume indoor operations at 30% of stated fire capacity starting June 1. Restrictions on swimming and sunbathing at beaches are scheduled to be lifted effective Friday evening, but Carney is facing increasing pressure to move faster. A group of 15 GOP lawmakers sent a letter to Carney, saying they “urge you in the strongest possible terms to give people and business owners back their freedom.”

District of Columbia

Washington: A pilot program through the D.C. government is offering a helping hand to nonessential businesses that have been closed since March 24, WUSA-TV reports. With the district’s stay-at-home order extended through at least June 8, many local businesses are trying desperately to stay afloat. The Educational and Academic Retail Shops Pilot will grant waivers to certain nonessential businesses, such as bookstores, allowing for curbside and front-door pickup on orders placed in advance online or by phone. Those granted waivers through the EARS Pilot must agree to share certain data with the government to help them gain knowledge of how to safely reopen when businesses when stay-at-home orders are lifted. As of May 19, 14 businesses had been granted a COVID-19 EARS Waiver. The businesses include florists, bookstores, toy stores, and arts and crafts shops.

Florida

Islamorada: Banners featuring scores of yearbook photos are hanging next to the Florida Keys Overseas Highway to honor graduating seniors who will miss out on traditional ceremonies because of the coronavirus pandemic. Several residents in Islamorada knew COVID-19 would affect celebrations for the 177 graduating seniors at Coral Shores High School in the Upper Keys. Local businessman Mike Forster helped finance the project to transform yearbook portraits into banners, and Florida Keys Electric Cooperative crews hung them from power line poles in Islamorada. Bridget Dougherty, 18, who is planning to attend the University of South Florida, said she and her fellow graduates were surprised by the banners. “It’s reassuring that people are aware of what we are going through,” Dougherty said. “It’s connected those who have graduated with those who are graduating now.”

Georgia

Atlanta: Elections officials in the state’s most populous county agreed Tuesday to open polls earlier and expand voting sites, but not before the elections chief received input on risks to poll workers and voters from the coronavirus. People lined up outside some polling sites in Fulton County before they opened Monday, the first day of early voting for the June 9 primaries, said the county’s elections director, Rick Barron. Some voters endured long waits. The county includes most of Atlanta. “There is a lot of political pressure that we are receiving, and I understand that we don’t want lines,” Barron said at an emergency meeting of the county’s Board of Registration & Elections Tuesday. “But at the same time, I’m concerned with the welfare of our poll workers and the voters that show up.” Barron cited a report about coronavirus infections in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that could be connected to in-person voting there April 7.

Hawaii

Honolulu: The state’s public schools are expected to offer in-person and online course options this summer, education officials said. Hawaii Department of Education Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said in-person instruction will be available to students who struggled with distance learning resulting from coronavirus restrictions, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. There are also expected to be distance learning courses for other students, with 18 mostly middle and high schools already committed. Plans are still being made in response to communication with parents, Kishimoto said. “There are parents who are taking full advantage of the online tele-learning approach because it fits the readiness of the students,” Kishimoto said, “but there are also a whole group of students where tele-learning is not appropriate to their needs.”

Idaho

Meridian: The Ada County emergency dispatch center received more than 300 phone calls after video of an anti-vaccine activist’s arrest at a playground gained popularity on social media last month, records said. After reviewing public records, the Idaho Statesman reported that some of the calls were supportive of the Meridian Police Department, while others were critical and threatening. Sara Walton Brady, 40, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor trespassing after she and several other people took their children to Julius Kleiner Park on April 21 to play on playground equipment closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Brady has since apologized to the police department. Videos of the arrest were shared widely on social media. Some organizations including the Idaho Freedom Foundation and 3% of Idaho encouraged people to call the Meridian Police Department to voice their thoughts about the arrest, authorities said.

Illinois

Chicago: All parts of the state are on track to see coronavirus-related restrictions loosened and more businesses reopen before the end of the month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday, while also warning that residents must remain diligent about stopping the spread of COVID-19. Illinois recorded 1,545 new cases of COVID-19, including 146 additional deaths. That brings the state’s total cases to 98,030, with 4,379 deaths, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported. IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said the numbers are evidence that Pritzker’s stay-at-home order and other measures such as wearing masks and frequent hand washing are working, but “hear me clearly: The virus is still out there.” The next phase of Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” plan, which could begin May 29, will allow more businesses, such as hair salons and some manufacturing, to reopen. Critics say Pritzker’s plan is too strict and is devastating the economy.

Indiana

Porter: The Indiana Dunes National Park will reopen part of a local beach in time for Memorial Day weekend, but beachgoers will be monitored to make sure they adhere to coronavirus pandemic safeguards, a park official said Tuesday. The national park temporarily closed its portion of Porter Beach on Lake Michigan on May 6, citing “unsafe health conditions” created by overcrowding, unsafe sanitation practices and a lack of social distancing. Park spokesman Bruce Rowe said Tuesday that the park would reopen its stretch of Porter Beach, beach parking lots and restroom facilities Saturday, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports. The beach will be closed again, however, “to protect public health” if visitors are found to be disregarding pandemic precautions, Rowe said. “We are urging our visitors to stay safe by practicing social distancing on the beaches to protect their health and that of other visitors,” he said.

Iowa

Des Moines: Movie theaters, museums, zoos and wedding reception venues will reopen Friday, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday as she expressed confidence the state can respond if there’s an outbreak. Also reopening in time for Memorial Day activities are state campground restrooms, showers and cabins. Camping will be allowed for tents and all campers, but playgrounds, shelters and visitor centers remain closed. Reynolds said bars can reopen next week at 50% capacity. She also said that it’s time for summer school-sponsored activities such as softball and baseball to resume as of June 1 and that she will provide more details Thursday about schools. Reynolds said the state’s testing capability allows officials to track and respond to any outbreaks that may occur. She said she believes new cases and death reports are stabilizing, although the state continues to typically see about 200 to 300 new positive cases a day and a dozen deaths.

Kansas

Mission: Lawmakers appear divided on the importance of wearing masks as they prepare to convene for the final day of the session, generating concerns that the gathering could fuel a coronavirus outbreak in the Legislature and further complicate efforts to reopen. Gov. Laura Kelly, meanwhile, announced Tuesday that Kansas is ready to move on to the next phase of reopening Friday, instead of June 1. The maximum size of mass gatherings will increase from 10 to 15 people, and state-owned casinos can reopen, along with theaters, museums, bowling alleys and other indoor leisure places. Sports tournaments and practices also can resume. The final day of the legislative session is scheduled for Thursday. Republican Rep. Don Hineman, a farmer from Dighton, said some lawmakers have attended open-up rallies at which social distancing and other safety protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus weren’t followed, and those lawmakers could also be the ones least likely to wear masks in the Legislature because in some circles doing so has “become a political issue.”

Kentucky

Frankfort: Gov. Andy Beshear on Tuesday announced 20 more deaths related to the coronavirus outbreak, the state’s largest single-day total since the global pandemic began. The higher death count was based in part on the timing of some reports, the governor said at his daily briefing. But he called it a “tough day” even as the state reaches more milestones this week in gradually reopening its virus-battered economy. Nonessential retail businesses were allowed to reopen Wednesday. Social distancing guidelines include limiting the number of customers to 33% of a shop’s maximum allowed occupancy. Meanwhile, Beshear announced that museums, outdoor attractions, libraries, aquariums and distilleries will be able to reopen starting June 8. On Friday, restaurants can reopen dining rooms at 33% capacity. Restaurants also can offer outdoor seating while meeting spacing guidelines. That same day, people can resuming gathering in groups of 10 or fewer.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: A lawmaker shelved his effort to cut state unemployment aid during the coronavirus outbreak Wednesday after learning the proposal would keep the state from receiving the boosted benefits offered by the federal government. Republican Rep. Gerald “Beau” Beaullieu, from New Iberia, was trying to keep unemployment aid for Louisiana residents who are out of work from exceeding the money they earned in their previous jobs. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie told the House labor committee the proposal would run afoul of federal virus aid requirements. She said it would make Louisiana’s 450,000 unemployed workers ineligible to receive the $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit available through July. “We’d be the only state in the nation” refusing the federal aid for those out of work, Dejoie said.

Maine

Portland: A decline in tax revenues in April and other economic indicators point to a pandemic-inspired recession that will be “one for the record books,” the state finance commissioner wrote. State tax collections were off by nearly 50% last month, mostly because of the delayed deadline from April 15 to July 15 for income tax filings, Administrative and Financial Services Commissioner Kirsten Figueroa wrote in a monthly email to the governor and lawmakers. The delay in individual and corporate income tax revenue translated to $264 million less than projected in those categories. Even accounting for that, “it’s becoming apparent that the swift and deep COVID-19 related recession will be one for the record books,” Figueroa wrote. “Recovery is expected to be slow.”

Maryland

Silver Spring: A jail in a COVID-19 hot spot is detaining more than 100 prisoners who have been authorized or ordered by a court to be released, according to civil rights attorneys who sued over jail conditions during the pandemic. The Prince George’s County Jail is holding at least 113 prisoners who have been authorized for release by a state court but haven’t been cleared for release by the county’s pretrial services department, plaintiffs’ lawyers said in a court filing Monday. The county draws a distinction between court-authorized and court-ordered releases. Its lawyers say nobody has been detained in violation of a court order. However, plaintiffs’ attorneys say four additional prisoners were ordered released by a court but remained detained Monday. Another prisoner was ordered released in January but wasn’t released until May 11, the lawyers said. “It’s baffling that they don’t seem to see orders as orders,” Civil Rights Corps senior attorney Katie Chamblee-Ryan said Tuesday.

Massachusetts

Boston: Two Muslim groups have collected 40,000 face masks they plan to distribute to first responders, police officers, nursing home staff, medical workers and others on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center said in a statement Wednesday that the initiative is taking place in the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims are encouraged to perform acts of charity. The project, led by a group of local Muslim physicians, obtained the masks through a fundraising effort. “As Muslims, we’re humbled to be able to live out our faith by serving our neighbors,” Wael Alkhairo, executive director of the Islamic Center, said in a statement. “We’re called to both pray and take action when we witness a need, and during the holy month of Ramadan in particular, it’s our duty to do everything in our power to ensure the safety of those around us.”

Michigan

Lansing: Police ticketed three people for cutting hair during a protest outside the Capitol, where about a dozen barbers and hair stylists defied stay-at-home orders to give free haircuts Wednesday. About 350 people were attending the demonstration organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition to protest the orders imposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Three barbers were cited for disorderly conduct – engaging in an illegal occupation or business – after being warned by state police. The cases were referred to the state attorney general. The penalty is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $500 fine or both. Angela Rigas, of Caledonia in western Michigan, said she was ticketed after refusing three times to stop cutting hair. “We’re all here for the same reason today – to show the governor that our rights do not come from her and that we need to open Michigan. People need to get back to work,” she said.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Hospitals continue to discharge patients infected with COVID-19 to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities where the majority of coronavirus deaths have occurred. Some lawmakers, families of residents and others are voicing their opposition to the transfers, saying they are endangering the health of the uninfected who live in the facilities, including those that have had large and deadly outbreaks of the disease. They are calling for more scrutiny from state officials over the transfers, including tougher standards on which facilities should be allowed to accept infected patients, the Star Tribune reports. The Minnesota Department of Health turned to nursing homes to relieve hospitals that were at risk of being overwhelmed by coronavirus patients. Even nursing homes with large and deadly clusters of coronavirus cases have been allowed to admit COVID-19 patients from hospitals.

Mississippi

Jackson: Gov. Tate Reeves on Tuesday issued guidelines for churches and other places of worship to reopen for in-person services during the coronavirus pandemic, with an emphasis on keeping spaces clean and maintaining distance between people. The Republican governor never shut down in-person worship, saying he does not think the government has the power to do so. But he has strongly encouraged people to worship in their homes through online services or other methods. Among the suggestions: Have multiple services rather than a single service so people will have a chance to spread out in a sanctuary; encourage people to wear masks that cover the mouth and nose, even during worship; discourage hugging and handshakes; minimize sharing of food and drinks; replace choirs with solo singers. “I know that pastors want to protect their flock,” Reeves said. He said he and his family will continue to worship remotely, from the Governor’s Mansion.

Missouri

O’Fallon: St. Louis-area kids and families bored at home during the coronavirus shutdown will start to see new options open up next month, when the St. Louis Zoo, summer camps and swimming pools all are expected to reopen. St. Louis County Executive Sam Page announced Wednesday that summer camps will likely be able to open starting June 1. County officials are still working on guidelines. A news release from the county said officials are hoping to allow pools to open in early June. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Zoo announced it will reopen June 13, though with enhanced measures that seek to limit the spread of COVID-19. The zoo will limit attendance and require timed reservations, a news release said. It will begin accepting reservations June 8 by phone or through its website. Across the state, the Kansas City Zoo opened Saturday. Summer camps also began earlier this month in Kansas City.

Montana

Helena: The state will further ease coronavirus restrictions in two weeks by lifting a 14-day quarantine for out-of-state visitors, allowing groups of up to 50 people to gather, and allowing more people inside restaurants, bars and gyms, Gov. Steve Bullock said Tuesday. “Montana has been an example for the rest of the nation in our response to this global pandemic,” Bullock said. “I have no doubt that we can continue to be that example, but only if Montanans, businesses and visitors alike continue to take seriously the responsibility we all have in protecting others.” The Democratic governor said the state has the lowest rate of COVID-19 and hospitalizations per capita in the nation. Starting June 1, gyms, indoor group fitness classes, pools and hot tubs can operate at 75% capacity under strict physical distancing and sanitation guidelines. Concert halls, bowling alleys and other places of assembly may operate with reduced capacity.

Nebraska

Omaha: The coronavirus has hurt a vast majority of the state’s businesses, and about 1 in 6 of them are worried it will force them to close their doors permanently, according to a report released Tuesday. The report from the Nebraska Business Development Center at the University of Nebraska Omaha highlights the sweeping damage caused by the virus and the steps taken to keep it from spreading, including business closures and social distancing measures. The report said 87% of Nebraska businesses have been hurt by the pandemic. The hardest-hit industries have been the arts, entertainment and recreation; health care and social assistance; educational services; and food services. The results came from the first of two planned surveys that state officials will use to help them decide what they can do to help companies recover. The initial survey of nearly 8,000 Nebraska businesses was conducted April 15-24, and the second is scheduled for June.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Testing for the new coronavirus is due to start Thursday for the first of tens of thousands of Las Vegas casino employees being tapped for job callbacks before resorts reopen, according to a cooperative plan announced Tuesday by several casino companies and local tourism, hospital and union officials. State gambling regulators have not given the go-ahead or a date for the lifting of Gov. Steve Sisolak’s mid-March order closing all gambling establishments in Nevada to prevent groups from gathering and spreading coronavirus. But some resorts are aiming for June 1 reopening, and officials said testing will start with scheduled appointments for notified employees at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Employees will not be charged a fee. The goal is to collect up to 4,000 test samples for the COVID-19 illness per day, officials said. Results are expected within 48 hours.

New Hampshire

Concord: Children should be allowed to return to camps and athletic programs under strict safety measures this summer, according to a task force on reopening the state’s economy. The recommendations sent to public health officials and Gov. Chris Sununu on Tuesday lay out proposed rules for day camps, residential camps and outdoor team sports. The group also approved proposals for museums and acupuncture as well as indoor restaurant dining and the catering of larger events such as weddings. On day camps, task force members said they took into consideration that parents will need care for children as they return to work. The rules call for keeping campers outside as much as possible and separating them into groups that would move about “as a self-contained bubble.” Similarly, campers and staff at overnight camps would be separated into “cohort groups” with limited interaction with other groups.

New Jersey

Trenton: Residents who qualify for food stamps can start using them for online grocery shopping next week. State officials announced Wednesday that Amazon will be available for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program enrollees starting Wednesday, May 27, and on the following day they can use Walmart, ShopRite and Fresh Grocer locations that offer online shopping. About 700,000 New Jerseyans are enrolled in NJ-SNAP. The program’s participants will be able to use their EBT card to buy eligible groceries, but federal rules prohibit SNAP funds from being used to pay for delivery fees. SNAP users can register to buy groceries on Amazon at Amazon.com/SNAP.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday defended her response to the coronavirus pandemic against calls by Republican lawmakers who want her to remove enforced business restrictions. In a letter, Lujan Grisham responded to 13 state senators who want the governor to provide only safety guidelines. The first-term Democratic governor said demands for an immediate, full-scale reopening of the economy are reckless, ignore effective health precautions, and will only serve to inflame misinformed public opinion and risk further illness and likely death. Lujan Grisham recently eased an emergency health order, allowing many businesses to reopen their doors to customers at a fraction of full capacity to avoid crowding and transmission of COVID-19. Tougher restrictions remain in place for dine-in restaurant service, gyms and hair salons, while face covering are required for everyone in public places with exceptions for outdoor exercise and eating. Lujan Grisham said she has outlined a plan to move even those high-risk businesses back into operation in the near future based on progress in limiting transmission of the coronavirus.

New York

New York: The city will offer free coronavirus tests at its 169 nursing homes and will provide staff to replace nursing home employees who test positive for the virus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. The announcement comes after some 3,000 residents of nursing homes in the city have died of COVID-19, including those confirmed whose diagnoses were by lab tests and those for whom COVID-19 was the presumed cause based on symptoms. De Blasio noted the state is in charge of regulating nursing homes but said the city would start a “two-week blitz” to provide up to 3,000 tests a day to residents and employees at the facilities. He said the city already has sent 240 fill-in staff members to replace nursing home employees who tested positive for the virus and must stay home for two weeks. The city will fulfill additional staffing requests by the end of next week, he said.

North Carolina

Raleigh: Gov. Roy Cooper is letting restaurants, barbershops and salons welcome patrons inside starting this holiday weekend, saying in announcing the loosened rules Wednesday that state COVID-19 trends remain largely stable. But bars, gyms and indoor entertainment venues will remain closed five more weeks. The Democratic governor announced a new executive order launching the second phase of easing business and assembly restrictions after nonessential businesses and dine-in restaurant service were initially shuttered in March. The original closures were meant to curb the spreading coronavirus but had also put hundreds of thousands of people out of work. Two weeks ago, Cooper allowed more businesses to open, provided they limit entry largely to 50% of their fire code capacity. Cooper said Wednesday he now feels comfortable about the virus data to lift the stay-at-home order and extend partial openings starting Friday afternoon for dine-in eating at restaurants and for personal care services such as barbers. Pools also can reopen with reduced numbers of swimmers.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The state will use $750,000 of federal coronavirus aid to livestream legislative committee hearings at the Capitol ahead of next year’s legislative session to help ensure remote participation amid the COVID-19 outbreak. “We have to do it to be prepared,” said John Bjornson, director of the Legislative Council, the Legislature’s nonpartisan research arm. The Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee on Monday voted to fund the project. It includes enhancing web conferencing among lawmakers and upgrading livestream technology in the House and Senate chambers using funds from the $1.25 billion given to the state as part of the federal stimulus package approved in March. Bjornson said all the work should now be done by fall.

Ohio

Columbus: A federal judge has ruled that the state must allow groups pursuing voting law changes, a minimum wage increase and marijuana decriminalization more time and flexibility to qualify for ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. District Court Judge Edmund Sargus Jr.’s ruling Tuesday ordered the state to allow campaigns until July 31 to gather required signatures and to allow them to be collected electronically. He stopped short of reducing the number of signatures required, as some courts elsewhere have allowed amid a spate of COVID-19-related signature-gathering challenges. Sargus said he might have agreed, under ordinary conditions, with the arguments of Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, both Republicans, that Ohio’s signature requirements are an appropriate qualifier for ballot access. “These times, however, are not ordinary,” he wrote.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The Oklahoma Democratic Party and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have sued to overturn the state’s absentee voting rules in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, state party Chair Alicia Andrews said Wednesday. Requirements that include notarized ballots and photo identification create barriers to voters, Andrews said in a statement. “Oklahomans deserve to make their voices heard safely without further barriers to the voting process as we continue to deal with a worldwide pandemic,” Andrews said. “The additional barriers to the mail-in voting process do nothing more than further suppress the votes of marginalized groups and put citizens in harm’s way under the false claims of reducing voter fraud.” The lawsuit against the state Election Board and Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax comes after a bill signed into law earlier this month imposed the restrictions on absentee ballots.

Oregon

Salem: The state faces an 11% drop in revenue from the previous biennium as the coronavirus pandemic triggered a shutdown order and a consequent drop in tax payments, state economists reported Wednesday. General Fund and other major revenues have been reduced relative to the March forecast by $2.7 billion in the current biennium and $4.4 billion in the 2021-23 budget period, state economist Josh Lehner said. He said the current recession is the deepest on record in Oregon with data going back to 1939 but is expected to be shorter in duration than the Great Recession. “The economy should return to health by mid-decade,” Lehner said. Gov. Kate Brown said that “we have tough choices ahead.” “We will need to tighten our belts. I am working with legislative leaders to preserve critical state services, find efficiencies and prepare for potential budget cuts,” the Democratic governor said.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Real estate sales and related activity can resume across the state if guidelines designed to limit infection are followed, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday. The governor’s new guidance says people in the real estate industry can get back to work as long as they all wear masks or other facial coverings and use separate vehicles to drive to visit properties. Business that is conducted in person must be scheduled ahead of time and limited to no more than the real estate worker and two people inside a property at a time. Property showings will have to be scheduled at least 30 minutes apart, and food will be prohibited during in-person real estate business activities. Parts of transactions that can be performed electronically or otherwise remotely should be done that way, Wolf said.

Rhode Island

Providence: With two state-run beaches about to reopen in time for Memorial Day, some communities are making plans to open municipally run beaches that were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Newport is planning to open Easton’s Beach on or around June 4, City Manager Joseph Nicholson told the City Council during its weekly COVID-19 update Tuesday, according to The Newport Daily News. Under that plan, parking capacity during June will be capped at 33%, and no bathrooms or showers will be available at first. The Middletown Town Council this week voted to reopen Third Beach as of Saturday, but with limitations, including that only town residents will initially be allowed. Gov. Gina Raimondo announced this week that East Matunuck Beach in South Kingstown and Scarborough Beach in Narragansett will be open with free but limited parking starting Monday.

South Carolina

Columbia: A group of government, health, tourism, religious and social leaders that Gov. Henry McMaster created to help the state grapple with the coronavirus pandemic is winding down its work. Accelerate SC met Tuesday with members listening to reports from its committees. They spoke about increased COVID-19 testing, rules that restaurants and barbers must follow to reopen, and obstacles local governments are facing as revenues dip and money is spent to fight the pandemic. They got a first look at how South Carolina might spend the $1.9 billion in federal help from the pandemic. A committee suggested $100 million to expand broadband internet access, which became a big problem after schools closed and businesses asked people to work from home. About 10% of the state’s 5 million people have no broadband access at all, and 1 in 4 has internet speeds slower than what is considered minimally acceptable, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: Employees at a Smithfield pork processing plant where a coronavirus outbreak infected more than 800 people were greeted at work Wednesday with thank you signs, cheers and waves from about a dozen area residents. “They’re putting their health at risk just like the hospital workers are to continue on with this work, so I hope they feel appreciated,” said Becky Olson, a Sioux Falls resident who held a sign outside Smithfield’s entrance. The plant has instructed many workers to return to work this week as it looks to scale up operations by the end of the month. Masked employees streamed into the factory entrance as trucks carrying pigs rumbled past. Dave Tesphay, an employee who was reporting to work Wednesday, said that with the pandemic, “it was really scary at first.” Tesphay said the plant’s closure and safety measures gave him confidence to return. The people who showed up to cheer him on made him feel the community cared, he said.

Tennessee

Gatlinburg: Second lady Karen Pence visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park to talk about the mental health benefits of spending time outdoors Tuesday as officials announced the second phase of a plan to reopen all park trails. “National parks offer many mental health benefits, and more than ever before, we must ensure that we are taking care of ourselves and each other,” Pence said. The Smokies reopened May 9 with some popular trails blocked off to visitors after closing in late March. All park trails will now reopen Saturday, while campgrounds and visitor centers will remain closed. Pence said it’s possible for people to visit the park and still practice social distancing. But some are reluctant about that idea during the virus outbreak. “Karen Pence’s visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park downplays the risks of visiting a crowded park,” said David Lamfrom, southeast regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association. “When people learn that the vice president’s wife visited the park, they may believe it is safe for them to visit over the long weekend. It’s not.”

Texas

Austin: After months of home schooling and lost sports seasons, millions of children in the state may get a taste of a somewhat normal summer after all – if their parents go for it. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said this week that child care facilities can reopen immediately and set the stage for a return to summer camp, youth sports leagues and even summer school. All come with guidelines on just how to do it amid the coronavirus pandemic, including sanitation practices and limits on how many children can be in one place. They also require parents to keep their distance from one another while celebrating a goal, home run or dunk. Whitt Melton, co-owner of Legendary Black Belt Academy in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, said the business has been open to offer child care for essential workers but will now expand and open its planned summer camp. He said he hopes to boost enrollment from the current seven children to a maximum of 30 a day but doesn’t expect the ramp-up to happen right away.

Utah

Kaysville: A watchdog group has asked Mayor Katie Witt to resign over her support of a concert planned for late May that could attract hundreds of people. Witt expressed her support for the May 30 concert featuring country artist Collin Raye in a statement last week asking residents to come “be a pioneer and patriot with us.” The progressive Alliance for a Better Utah group argued that the concert could put residents’ health and lives at risk. Organizers expect up to 800 people to attend. “Mayor Witt should resign for moving forward with this dangerous political stunt,” Better Utah executive director Chase Thomas said, referencing her current Republican run for Congress. “Mayor Witt is sacrificing public health in her community to further her own political ambitions. Mayor Witt’s flagrant disregard for public health is a disqualifier for public service.” Witt said she has a responsibility to give people back individual freedoms she said they lost during the pandemic.

Vermont

Montpelier: Gov. Phil Scott on Wednesday announced a $400 million economic recovery proposal funded by the federal economic rescue law known as the CARES Act to help employers and small businesses struggling amid the coronavirus-related shutdown. The first phase is $310 million in grants and loans to help businesses survive, he said. It will go to those most affected, including funds to help stabilize rental housing and assist renters, technical help for business owners, and an in-state marketing campaign to boost local buying and exploring Vermont, he said. The second phase will be a $90 million investment to help the economy survive and come out better equipped to thrive in the future, he said. The Legislature must approve the proposal. “I think the scale of it is probably appropriate,” Senate President Tim Ashe said Tuesday. “Our downtown villages are defined by restaurants, small retail, small locally owned stores.”

Virginia

Richmond: The state Supreme Court has rejected an injunction request from a gym owner who is challenging the executive order that has closed his business. Merrill Hall, who owns a chain of Gold’s Gym franchises and other gyms, sued the governor in Culpeper County Circuit Court. His lawyer, Republican state Sen. Bill Stanley, said Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, exceeded his authority by ordering fitness centers and other businesses closed to combat the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday the state’s high court rejected the request for an injunction. Hall can still go forward with his lawsuit, but the governor’s order will remain in place while the issue is litigated. Late last month, a judge in Culpeper also rejected the request for an injunction, saying state law gives the governor broad authority to issue executive orders during a public health emergency.

Washington

Olympia: Ten additional counties can apply to move to the second stage of the state’s economic reopening plan, based on new guidelines announced Tuesday by Gov. Jay Inslee that allow larger counties with fewer new coronavirus cases to open some of their businesses sooner. Previously, of the state’s 39 counties, only those with a population of less than 75,000 and no new cases of COVID-19 in the past three weeks, among other stipulations, could apply for a quicker reopening. The counties identified Tuesday – Spokane, Adams, Mason, Thurston, Lewis, Clark, Clallam, Kitsap, Island and San Juan – are those with fewer than 10 new cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period. Their application to the state must include a local public health officer’s recommendation, a letter from hospitals confirming bed capacity, and a county commission vote. The counties also have to submit testing data and information on resources available for contact tracing investigations.

West Virginia

Charleston: There are now at least four coronavirus cases at a state prison after the lockup reported its first infection earlier this week, officials said Wednesday. Corrections Commissioner Betsy Jividen said two staffers and two inmates at the Huttonsville Correctional Center in Randolph County have the virus. Widespread testing of employees and inmates is underway, she said. Officials on Monday said a Huttonsville prison guard tested positive and on the following day reported that a 62-year-old inmate tested positive, though the governor’s general counsel said the two cases are not linked. Jividen said the two inmates who tested positive have been quarantined with fevers. About 40 prisoners housed around those inmates and more than 200 employees have since been tested. Separately, at least five inmates have tested positive at FCI Gilmer, a federal prison in Glenville, after the federal Bureau of Prisons transferred 124 inmates to the lockup.

Wisconsin

Madison: State residents who lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic can get help paying their rent, and farmers will be eligible for direct cash payments, under new programs Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday. The $50 million aid to farmers program, $25 million rental assistance program, and another $15 million for food banks and those fighting hunger are all paid for under the federal coronavirus relief bill. Evers said the state agriculture department was working with stakeholders “to ensure a fair, accessible distribution system for these aid payments” to farmers. He said the money would start to be distributed as early as June. Money available under the rent assistance program can be used to help pay for rent and security deposits. To qualify, an applicant must be a Wisconsin resident with a household income at or below 80% of the county medium income.

Wyoming

Casper: A surge in local cases of the coronavirus blamed on people not following social distancing recommendations or wearing face masks in public has prompted the cancellation of a Memorial Day car show. Yellowstone Garage in Casper previously received verbal approval for a variance to the state health order banning gatherings of more than 25 people. By Monday, however, the situation had changed. Nine new virus cases in Natrona County led State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist to oppose the variance, Casper-Natrona County Health Department spokesperson Hailey Bloom told the Casper Star-Tribune. The outdoor car show could have drawn thousands of people. The new virus cases brought to 13 the number of local infections confirmed in the previous week – after three weeks without any new cases in the area. “This is not an appropriate time to have a large event,” Bloom said, citing comments by Harrist.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Disney World, SeaWorld, petrified forest, Wisconsin state fair: News ...

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Decatur: A high school student who attended a graduation ceremony last week has tested positive for the new coronavirus, a school district announced Wednesday. The student was awaiting test results when they attended Austin High School’s ceremony May 21 in Decatur, school officials said. A member of the student’s family had previously tested positive, Al.com quoted Decatur City Schools Deputy Superintendent Dwight Satterfield as saying. The district had 16 nurses checking students’ temperatures and asking them whether any family members tested positive or had symptoms, but the student and their family did not disclose that information, he added. Graduates were kept 6 feet apart and families were also asked to keep 6 feet between other groups, according to the district. Satterfield said that despite the guidelines, some students still gathered and hugged each other, though he defended the district’s decision to host the ceremony. “I will put what we did at graduation against anyone,” Satterfield said. “There will be people second guessing whether we should have had graduation or not. So be it, that will be a conversation for another day.” Some Alabama schools began hosting in-person graduation ceremonies after the state eliminated rules limiting crowds to 10 people or fewer. Gatherings of any size were allowed starting in mid-May as long as people from different households stayed at least 6 feet apart. Other schools nationwide have canceled or postponed traditional graduation ceremonies to slow the spread of the virus.

Alaska

Juneau: Prosecutors have accused an Alaska man of violating a federal judge’s order and breaking his quarantine after securing early release from prison amid the coronavirus pandemic. A complaint alleging criminal contempt of court has been filed against Duane Byron Fields. Cindy Franklin, an attorney for Fields, said Wednesday her client is being made a scapegoat after a series of miscommunications. She said Fields was tested for COVID-19 before his release from a federal prison in California that had been hit hard by the virus. The test came back positive the day before he was allowed to travel to Alaska but no one told Fields the result, she said. The system infected him and potentially exposed others and “when they found out up here about those results, their reaction was to attempt to make some kind of scapegoat out of Mr. Fields,” Franklin said. “It’s appalling.” Chloe Martin, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney in Anchorage, said the office to its knowledge “has not charged contempt by criminal complaint before now. It’s an unusual approach, but given the gravity of Fields’ alleged conduct and the need to protect the public, the U.S. Attorney’s Office felt it was important to move forward with a criminal complaint.” Messages were left for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, which runs the California facility, Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island. The bureau told the Anchorage Daily News, which first reported the story, that it is investigating. Fields, who was serving time in a drug-related case and has battled cancer, was granted compassionate release earlier this month by Senior U.S. District Judge James K. Singleton Jr. Singleton’s order said the court “may fashion an appropriate sanction” should Fields fail to follow quarantine or social distancing measures or any other condition of release. Alaska requires people arriving in the state to self-quarantine for 14 days to help guard against the virus’ spread. People are to leave their quarantine location only for medical emergencies or care.

Arizona

Holbrook: Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona is reopening some of its facilities and areas that have been closed to the public since March 24 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Park officials said that a phased approach to increase recreational access and other services will have the park road, all trails and wilderness areas reopen Friday, with entry fees collected by credit card. The Painted Desert Visitor Center, the Rainbow Forest Museum, Rainbow Forest Lodge and the Painted Desert Dinner and Gift Shop will reopen in future phases, officials said. Meanwhile, a project to repair and replace three bridges and sections of the park road continues with completion of the project’s second phase scheduled for late June.

Arkansas

Little Rock: A group seeking a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas has stopped collecting signatures because of the coronavirus pandemic but will refocus its efforts for 2022, a spokeswoman said. Arkansas True Grass wanted an amendment to legalize marijuana use and expunge prior drug convictions on the Nov. 3 ballot. But the pandemic has led to the cancellation of events, making it all but impossible to collect the nearly 90,000 signatures required by the July 3 deadline, according to Briana Boling, the group’s spokeswoman. The group mailed 350 petition forms to canvassers when the outbreak began, but only four were returned, Boling told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Arkansas True Grass has already started collecting signatures for 2022, she said. Meanwhile, Arkansans for Cannabis Reform continued to gather signatures in pursuit of qualifying in the November election, said group director Melissa Fults. The group has collected more than 20,000 signatures, she said. Fults’ group spent more than $20,000 to hire a canvassing company to assist with signature collection, reports filed with the state Ethics Commission showed. Meanwhile, True Grass reported spending less than $5,000 over the course of two years. A federal judge ruled Monday that Arkansas’ laws requiring petitions be signed in-person were unconstitutional, allowing groups to gather electronic signatures. Voters approved legalizing medical marijuana in 2016.

California

Los Angeles: The sprawling Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced measured steps toward reopening churches and resuming celebration of daily Mass for early next month. Archbishop José H. Gomez said in a letter to 288 parishes that they must submit reopening plans under guidelines that include sanitary measures and attendance limits to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Once a parish plan has been approved a parish can open its church for private personal prayer and begin daily Mass as early as June 3. The earliest Sunday Masses would be on June 7. “During Mass, Communion will be offered only in the form of bread and in the hand, and with priests sanitizing their hands before and after distributing Communion,” an archdiocese statement said. Among other measures, choirs will be replaced by a cantor and accompanist and people should be dismissed after Mass by groups of pews. “As we enter this new moment, it is important to remember that the coronavirus is still out there, it is still contagious, and it is still dangerous,” Gomez said. On Monday, the state released a framework to permit counties to allow in-person worship services. The archdiocese is the nation’s largest, with an estimated 4.3 million Catholics in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Colorado

Denver: Skiing is back in Colorado after a more than two-month closure caused by the new coronavirus, but only a few have been lucky enough to score reservations at the only reopened resort in the state. Arapahoe Basin near the Continental Divide west of Denver opened Wednesday with restrictions and at limited capacity, allowing only 600 skiers and snowboarders on the mountain. Alan Henceroth, the resort’s chief operating officer, told The Denver Post about 4,000 people tried to make online reservations Monday night “and it just crushed the system.” The resort replaced it with a random drawing. Arapahoe Basin, which along with other resorts was forced to close in mid-March, usually attracts 1,000 to 2,000 skiers and riders on weekdays in May and more than 3,000 on weekend days. “We had to reduce numbers because a lot of people want to go skiing,” Henceroth told The Post. “We couldn’t have a crushing, busy day. That just wouldn’t work.” Skiers and snowboarders wearing face coverings lined up 6 feet apart and were spaced out on the lifts Wednesday. Restaurants at the resort remain closed, and the “beach,” a row of parking closest to the lifts, wasn’t holding any of its typical raucous spring parties. Tailgating also is barred in all the parking lots. All but 30 of the daily reservations were set aside for season pass-holders. The resort, which tops out at 13,050 feet above sea level, usually stays open until early June and sometimes into early July, depending on the snowpack. It joined Oregon’s Timberline Lodge and Ski Area and Mt. Bachelor in reopening. The Oregon resorts opened in mid-May after Gov. Kate Brown signed an executive order allowing skiing and snowboarding to resume.

Connecticut

Hartford: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is planning to reopen its parishes to the public for weekday Masses only beginning June 8, with rules for wearing masks and social distancing to guard against the new coronavirus, church officials said Wednesday. The archdiocese released its guidelines for reopening its more than 120 parishes in Hartford, New Haven and Litchfield counties. Church officials said a date for resuming Sunday services has not been determined. Churches will continue to livestream and post videos of Sunday services. Parishioners will be required to wear masks, with exceptions for young children and those with a legitimate health reason. People also must stay at least 6 feet apart, and services will be limited to 50 people according to Gov. Ned Lamont’s orders. There also will be no passing of offering baskets. Older adults, those with medical conditions and those caring for sick or housebound people are urged not to attend the weekday services. “Coordinated and thoughtful planning is imperative for a church to reopen; otherwise it should not do so,” the new guidelines said. “A pastor must be able to ensure that the parish is prepared to meet the pandemic requirements for public worship.” Lamont said Tuesday he plans to reevaluate his order concerning houses of worship in the next week or so.

Delaware

Wilmington:The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will reopen campgrounds at Delaware state parks on Monday. This is in response to Gov. John Carney’s removal of the emergency ban on short-term rental units. All state park campsites, cabins, cottages and yurts were closed from March 24 through May 31 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the department said. The department said it issued refunds for reservations through May 31 and the cancellation policy will remain in effect through June 15. All cabins and cottages will be sanitized by a professional cleaning service between rentals and some amenities will remain closed until further notice, the department said. The department said campers also must wear masks and maintain social distancing. Camping will be available after June 1 at the following state parks: Cape Henlopen, Delaware Seashore, Indian River Marina, Killens Pond, Lums Pond and Trap Pond.

District of Columbia

Washington:The Youth Baseball Academy, the community outreach arm of the Washington Nationals, has traded bats and gloves for food and essential needs and is making a big difference in Wards 7 and 8 during the coronavirus pandemic by handing out free meals, WUSA-TV reported. “We began to serve meals our selves at the academy and we began distribution of them back in March,” Youth Baseball Academy executive director Jenn Cartland said. The pandemic threw the entire city a curveball, but the pain is worse for the less fortunate areas. Wards 7 and 8 already suffer from a lack of healthy food options. Food shortages during the pandemic made it worse. “The first thing we wanted to do was make sure children had access to fresh healthy meals,” Cartland said. This month, they received a large donation of supermarket goods from Safeway and Ward 7 Councilman Vincent Gray. Now, the staff gives out care packages to the community filled with food, water, even toilet paper.

Florida

Orlando: SeaWorld and Walt Disney World will reopen in in June and July after months of inactivity because of the coronavirus pandemic, under plans approved Wednesday by a city task force. The proposals will now be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis for final approval. The plan calls for SeaWorld to open to the public on June 11. Disney plans a tiered reopening, with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opening on July 11, followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15. Last week, Universal Orlando presented its plan to reopen on June 5. That plan also has been approved by the Orlando task force, which sent its recommendation to the governor. In a statement, Diseny said attendance will be managed through a new system that requires advance reservations for park entry. Disney World plans a smaller, soft openings befpre July 11, but no specifics were provided. SeaWorld is planning an employee appreciation event on June 10 before opening to the public the next day, said Interim CEO Marc Swanson. Both parks said they will require guests and employees to wear face coverings and social distancing will be enforced throughout their properties. Guests and employees also will undergo temperature checks before entering the parks. Disney employees will be required to conduct temperature checks before heading to work, McPhee said. They will also undergo temperature checks at the park, he added. Fever is one of the virus symptoms. Fireworks shows, character meet-and-greets and parades will be suspended to meet social distancing requirements, McPhee said.

Georgia

Atlanta: Gov. Brian Kemp said he wants to lift more restrictions on businesses as long as people continue to heed coronavirus guidance from officials and public health experts. The Republican governor’s comments came as state data showed the number of new daily infections trending upward after weeks of decline. “We can’t keep fighting the virus from our living room,” Kemp said, according to video of his remarks posted online by WMAZ-TV. Kemp was touring a temporary medical pod set up at a hospital in Macon. Kemp said that using common sense and following health advice, including social distancing and wearing masks, will allow Georgians to get out of their homes safely and help spur the economy. He said people should patronize businesses that follow health restrictions and sanitation guidelines. A seven-day moving average of confirmed cases provided by the health department showed the number of new daily cases in Georgia declining between April 22 and May 11, then beginning to trend back upward.

Hawaii

Honolulu: The Honolulu Liquor Commission and other agencies are investigating two businesses connected to Oahu holiday parties that allegedly violated emergency health regulations stemming from the coronavirus outbreak. The Memorial Day weekend parties at Waimea Bay Beach Park and Kaena Point State Park might also have broken liquor and permitting laws, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Tuesday. A complaint against Candy Ice LLC and No Smoke Entertainment alleged alcoholic drinks were served at the events Saturday and Sunday without permits. Authorities found about 200 people and more than 170 cars at the Kaena Point gathering Sunday night, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said. A group called Protect Waimea filed the complaint with the liquor commission, the land and natural resources department, police and other agencies. Candy Ice and No Smoke Entertainment do not have liquor licenses and therefore are outside the liquor commission’s regulatory oversight. They have not been fined but could face criminal charges, the agency said. Business registration documents for Candy Ice filed with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs listed a Schofield Barracks address for its agent, Ariana Darcy, who could not immediately be reached. Police and the Honolulu city parks division did not immediately respond to questions.

Idaho

Boise: Idaho’s unemployment rate swung from a record low to a record high in the span of a month, spurred by job losses from the coronavirus pandemic. Idaho Department of Labor officials said April’s unemployment rate reached 11.5%, a nine-point jump in the seasonally adjusted number compared to the record-low 2.5% rate in March. Nearly 103,000 Idaho residents were unemployed last month, according to the department, an 81,000 person increase. Gov. Brad Little issued a statewide stay-at-home order that closed nonessential businesses for Idaho’s 1.75 million residents on March 25 in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. The state has since begun the process of reopening some businesses, including daycare facilities and restaurants that can offer social distancing in their dining rooms. April’s job losses were spread throughout the state, with the Lewiston, Coeur d’Alene and Pocatello regions seeing job losses between 11% and 15%. The Boise metropolitan area had a 10% job loss. The Idaho Falls area fared best with a loss of 4.3%.

Illinois

Chicago: In a news release on Thursday morning, the office of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans announced that two judges in the courthouse in suburban Bridgeview tested positive for COVID-19. The release did not provide any details about the judges or their conditions. According to the release, an employee of the adult probation department also tested positive, bringing to 39 the number of county court employees who have tested positive. The release also said that another resident of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center has also tested positive, bringing the number of residents to test positive to 15. The county’s criminal justice system has been hit hard by the pandemic, particularly the county jail, where hundreds of detainees and correctional officers have tested positive and seven detainees and two correctional officers have died. At the Chicago Police Department, 521 sworn officers and 30 civilian employees have tested positive for the virus, and three officers who tested positive have died, according to the most recent department statistics.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Indiana is experiencing more substance use disorders and other mental health issues amid the coronavirus outbreak, the state’s human services chief said Wednesday. Indiana experienced its highest monthly dispensation of the opioid antidote naloxone in April, with 1,306 uses, Jennifer Sullivan, secretary of the Family and Social Services Administration said during a state news briefing. “We’ve never seen naloxone distribution like this before,” Sullivan said. Year to date, nearly 1.5% of all emergency medical runs involve administration of naloxone, or Narcan, compared with less than 1% for the same period last year, she said.. The state announced last week it will use nearly $1 million in federal funds to pay for the distribution of naloxone to first responders, families, friends and others who are likely to be the first on the scene if someone overdoses. The money was made available by a grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Naloxone is given when a person is showing signs of opioid overdose. It blocks the toxic effects of the overdose and is often the difference between a patient living and dying.

Iowa

Des Moines:Tyson Foods announced a plan to temporarily close its Storm Lake pork processing plant late Thursday, hours after the Iowa Department of Public Health confirmed the facility was the site of a coronavirus outbreak that infected more than one-fifth of its workers. Tyson's meat processing facilities in Iowa and elsewhere have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, the company has had to temporarily close plants in Waterloo, Columbus Junction and Perry, as well as in Dakota City, Nebraska; Logansport, Indiana; and Pasco, Washington, so it could installing additional worker safeguards. In late April, Tyson Chairman John Tyson warned in full-page newspaper ads that "the food supply chain is breaking." In a news release Thursday, the company attributed the closure in Storm Lake in part to "a delay in COVID-19 testing results and team member absences related to quarantine." It said it was ceasing slaughter and would finish processing operations "over the next two days." "Additional deep cleaning and sanitizing of the entire facility will be conducted before resuming operations later next week," the release said. It said Tyson had completed COVID-19 testing of employees and contractors at the plant and promised to share results "once complete data is available, with health and government officials, team members and other stakeholders as part of our efforts to help communities where we operate better understand the coronavirus and the protective measures that can be taken to help prevent its spread."

Kansas

Topeka: At least eight wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against a nursing home in Kansas City, where 36 people have died from the new coronavirus. The lawsuits alleged the Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation was negligent in its handling of the coronavirus outbreak and did not provide adequate staff or notify families of the outbreak, KCUR reported. Health officials said another 136 patients and staff at the home have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Attorneys representing the nursing home on Tuesday transferred all eight cases from Wyandotte County District Court to federal court in Kansas City. The attorneys invoked a federal law that provides immunity from liability for health care providers during public health emergencies. Rachel Stahle, an attorney representing four of the eight families, said she will seek to have the cases sent back to state court. Riverbend posted a statement on its website last month defending its care, saying staff took reasonable actions with the resources and information that were available at the time. Riverbend officials have declined to discuss the lawsuits.

Kentucky

Frankfort: After two Kentucky Republicans asked Gov. Andy Beshear to consider a new approach for Lake Cumberland State Resort Park that wouldn’t hurt the area’s tourism dollars in a “crippling” way, the governor announced on Thursday that all state parks can reopen on June 1. In a Wednesday letter from Sen. Max Wise and Rep. Jeff Hoover to Beshear and tourism secretary Mike Berry, the two wrote that Lake Cumberland, which is in South Central Kentucky near Jamestown, relies heavily on tourism revenue. “Many Kentuckians have invested significant amounts of money in developing recreational housing in the area and providing food service for the community,” the two wrote, “particularly during the peak seasons at the park.” Beshear had announced that state resort parks, recreational parks, lodges and cabins that had been closed because of the virus will open June 1 with a few exceptions. So it could be reserved for coronavirus efforts, Lake Cumberland State Resort Park wasn’t included in that plan, along with Lake Barkley, Blue Licks Battlefield and Buckhorn Lake state resort parks.

Louisiana

New Orleans: The state’s high school athletic association is investigating 10 schools accused of allowing some sports teams to begin training before the summer start date, which was pushed back to fall in line with coronavirus restrictions. Six New Orleans-area schools, two Lafayette-area schools and two north Louisiana schools were reported to the association for practicing before June 8, The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate quoted Executive Director Eddie Bonine as saying. The association changed the summer start date from May 17 to June 8 to fall in line with Gov. John Bel Edwards’ proposed timeline for the second phase of reopening the state as it moves away from “stay-at-home” measures enacted in March, the news outlet said. The schools were turned in by other schools and parents who said they were told there would be repercussions if their child did not attend the workouts, Bonine said. Some complainants also sent pictures and videos of the alleged practice sessions. The official said the association sent investigators to the schools and drove by between nine and 12 schools in the Baton Rouge-Livingston Parish area this week, but found no activity at the sites. Bonine declined to identify which schools were being reviewed. Schools and coaches that violate the association’s guidelines could be fined $2,500, suspended or placed on probation, officials said.

Maine

Augusta: Another 24,500 individuals have filed initial claims for unemployment benefits last week – more than double the number of claims the previous week, the Maine Department of Labor said Thursday. The large number of claims is suspicious, coming off a week in which 11,500 individuals filed claims for assistance, officials said. “We believe these higher numbers are evidence of the organized crime of unemployment impostor fraud, which many states are experiencing,” Commissioner Laura Fortman said. All told, there were a combined 37,000 claims for state unemployment and pandemic assistance for the week ending May 23, topping the previous high of 34,000 claims during the week ending April 4, officials said. To date, the department has canceled about 2,200 unemployment claims because of fraud. The department is investigating another 1,000 cases for potential fraud.

Maryland

Baltimore: A union chapter that represents workers at Giant Food stores is calling for the grocer to extend hazard pay and maintain coronavirus safety measures. The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday that Giant plans to cancel its 10% “recognition pay” on May 30. The pay has been in place since mid-March. Giant spokeswoman Felis Andrade said that grocery stores are no longer among the only businesses open. She added that the company is transitioning to a new normal. The company said it will offer one-time bonuses on July 1 of $400 for full-time workers and $200 for part-time workers. Two locals of United Food & Commercial Workers said Giant should extend the temporary pay increase until the pandemic ends. They argued that workers took extra risks during the pandemic and continue to do so while no vaccine is available. Jason Chorpenning, president of UFCW Local 27, said that “nothing is getting back to normal.” The union is also calling on Giant to restrict customer traffic to a maximum of 50 customers at any one time.The union estimated that more than 65 workers have died across the country and that more than 9,800 have been infected by the virus.

Massachusetts

Boston: The case against a Rhode Island man accused of kidnapping and killing a Boston woman has been halted because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to his defense. Louis Coleman’s public defenders requested for the case to return in 45 days during a teleconference with a federal judge Tuesday. “Since the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of our work in the case has stalled,” Jane Peachy, an attorney for Coleman, told District Court Judge M. Page Kelley. “Most importantly, our ability to visit with Mr. Coleman in the jail has been put on hold,” which “hampers our progress significantly. Coleman, who faces the death penalty, was charged with kidnapping Jassy Correia, the mother of a 2-year-old girl, from outside a Boston nightclub where she had been celebrating her 23rd birthday in February 2019. He pleaded not guilty a month later. Federal authorities alleged Coleman was captured on surveillance video carrying her body into his Providence apartment. Coleman was stopped in Delaware days after Correia’s disappearance. Her body was found in the trunk of his car by authorities. Peachy asked that the status conference in the case be continued 45 days to July 7, a request the judge approved. Coleman is charged with kidnapping resulting in death. He has been held without bail.

Michigan

Lansing: A Republican legislative leader said Wednesday that Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer “lied” and engaged in a “cover-up” by requesting the removal of a social media post about her husband’s attempt to get his boat in the water during the coronavirus pandemic, only to later acknowledge he did drop her name as a joke. The governor confirmed Tuesday that her husband, Marc Mallory, called a dock company last week before he traveled to their home in the Elk Rapids area, after she had urged people to “think long and hard” about visiting the region. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey questioned why her staff contacted his office Friday to successfully push Republican Sen. Tom Barrett to delete his Facebook post about Mallory. The post was based on a post by the owner of NorthShore Dock, who said his staff took a call from Mallory asking if his boat could be put in the water before the Memorial Day weekend. When Mallory was told there was no chance, Tad Dowker wrote, Mallory replied, ‘I am the husband to the governor, will this make a difference?’” according to The Detroit News. NorthShore Dock subsequently said on Facebook that Mallory was respectful and understood why the company could not quickly get his boat in the water. “The governor lied. Not only did she lie, but she directed her staff to lie on her behalf in order to cover up her own lies,” Shirkey said in statements from the Senate floor. He said Whitmer’s staff was “emphatic that the story was false and that it should be removed.” Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown said Shirkey’s comment were “incorrect and unfair, and frankly, he owes the governor an apology. She has been completely honest about the situation and she never directed her staff to mislead anyone or to contact his office.”

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order Wednesday that formally implements the next phase of his “Stay Safe MN” plan, which will allow restaurants and bars to offer outdoor dining and salons and barber shops to reopen starting next Monday. Those businesses must observe capacity limits and follow other safety restrictions. There’s still no target date for allowing restaurants and bars to serve guests indoors. Walz acknowledged at a news conference that the terms of his order aren’t substantially different from the “cautious, strategic turn of the dial” he announced for these businesses last week. The governor took note of the grim milestone of the U.S. passing 100,000 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday. He said the peak in Minnesota is “still a ways off” and that how well Minnesotans comply with health guidelines – including social distancing, wearing masks and staying home when sick – will have an impact. Many restaurant owners have complained that allowing outdoor-only dining doesn’t give them enough relief from the shutdown that Walz imposed starting March 17, with exceptions for takeout and delivery service. The governor acknowledged the continuing economic pain, but said long dinners with friends in smaller spaces pose one of the higher risks for spreading the virus.

Mississippi

Vicksburg: A second company has announced its plans to resume cruises on the Mississippi River. American Cruise Lines announced this week that it plans to resume cruises in late June. The 190-passenger American Harmony is scheduled to depart from Memphis, Tennessee, on June 28, and sail to New Orleans, a company spokeswoman said. American Cruise Lines said it would voluntarily sail at 75% capacity. The announcement comes after the American Queen Steamboat Co. revealed that the American Queen would also will resume cruises in late June. That vessel is scheduled to dock in Vicksburg on June 24.

Missouri

Kansas City: The University of Missouri-Kansas City has announced it will begin bringing back faculty, staff and students to its two campuses in Kansas City starting next week following its shutdown during the coronavirus outbreak. The university said Thursday in a news release that the campuses will open in three phases. The first phase will begin Monday, when a small group of employees engaged in critical operations will be brought back through July 5. The second phase will bring back senior administration and departmental leaders from July 6 through Aug. 2. The final phase would bring back all remaining faculty, staff and students from Aug. 3-24, except for those with individual medical exemptions. Although the university plans to return to in-person classes in August, it will monitor the public health situation closely and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local guidelines, the release said. “The time has come for us to prepare in earnest to return to campus,” Chancellor Mauli Agrawal said. “We will do so carefully and flexibly, because the health and safety of our community is our highest priority.”

Montana

Helena: Applications for temporary unemployment assistance declined for the seventh straight week last week while Montana reported four more positive COVID-19 cases from more than 1,100 tests run. The state received 3,617 new unemployment applications last week, a decrease of 1.2% from the 3,660 claims that were filed the previous week, the U.S. Employment and Training Administration said Thursday. The applications were an increase of 364% compared to the number of applications submitted in the same week last year. Since March 14, the state has processed 105,494 claims for unemployment, which represents 23.1% of the total workforce in Montana that is eligible for the unemployment insurance program. The numbers don’t include the self-employed and gig workers who were eligible for federal unemployment payments under the coronavirus relief act. As of May 16, 48,919 people in Montana were receiving unemployment benefits, which represents 10.7% of all eligible employees in the state. The unemployment rate was 10.5% a week earlier.

Nebraska

Omaha: Nebraska will use its $1.1 billion share of federal coronavirus money to help small businesses, local governments, nonprofits and other groups hard-hit by the pandemic, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Wednesday. Ricketts provided a first glimpse of the state’s plan, which focuses heavily on small businesses and unemployment insurance for laid-off workers. Nebraska will receive $1.25 billion under the federal CARES Act, the emergency law passed to help Americans with the pandemic. Of that amount, Omaha’s Douglas County will get $166 million for its own virus-related expenses, reducing the state government’s cut to about $1.1 billion. Ricketts said he intends to hire outside auditors to track the huge influx of money and ensure that it doesn’t get misspent. The law prohibits states from using its share on nonvirus expenses or to replace lost tax revenue. Ricketts said he plans to set aside $330 million for small businesses, defined as having five to 49 employees, and small livestock producers. Business and producers can each apply for up to $12,000 in state grant money. Ricketts said many of those companies didn’t have the connections or resources to seek previous rounds of federal aid before the application deadlines passed.

Nevada

Reno: The Washoe County Health District plans to offer drive-thru testing next week for people with no COVID-19 symptoms. Testing will be available mornings on a first-come, first-served basis Monday through June 6 at the Reno Livestock Events Center. Health District chief Kevin Dick said about 900 tests a day can be taken using nasal swabs. He acknowledged that testing can produce false negatives, but said it should provide information about how widespread the coronavirus is in the Reno-Sparks area.

New Hampshire

Concord: The attorney general’s office will not take action against a New Hampshire racetrack that violated the state’s order prohibiting large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. Riverside Speedway in Groveton held races with spectators on Saturday despite being warned by police, the attorney general’s office said. After being told the state was prepared to take legal action, Riverside owner Michael Humphrey announced Wednesday the season has been postponed until further notice. Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said Thursday that no further action was necessary. “The objective of the Governor’s Orders is to protect the public health. Mr. Humphrey’s decision advances that important objective,” he said.

New Jersey

Point Pleasant Beach: Another Jersey Shore town is planning to reopen its boardwalk. Point Pleasant Beach said it plans to make the move Friday and will also start lifting parking restrictions. But the rides, amusements and games along the boardwalk will remain closed, and restaurants will be open for takeout only. Officials last month limited much of the town’s parking to residents. But private and public lots will be allowed to reopen Friday, and remaining restrictions will be lifted June 5.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: New Mexico’s state court system plans in mid-June to resume starting jury trials that had been suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. The suspension to be lifted under an order issued Thursday by the state Supreme Court’s chief justice has been in place since March. The order said the 21 judicial districts can resume starting jury trials beginning June 15 through July 15 but that districts must first submit plans to maintain physical distancing of people in courtrooms and jury selection rooms and use of protective barriers in courthouses. Chief Justice Judith Nakamura’s order said courts will rigorously follow practices developed by public health authorities and that courthouses will be reopened “in a safe and gradual manner that is based on the local circumstances and available resources in each judicial district.” New Mexico’s courts have already required that people entering court buildings wear a protective face covering and have limited the number of people in locations within courthouses.

New York

Albany: The state Senate and Assembly on Wednesday voted to extend the deadline for residents who were sexually abused as children to file legal claims, citing the upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The original deadline for those making claims under the Child Victims Act was Aug. 14th; the legislation would extend it a year, to the same date in 2021. The 2019 act lifted statute of limitations even for allegations that were decades old, for a filing period of one year. But with the shutdown and disruption caused by the virus, advocates and survivors had been pressing for an extension. The legislation now goes to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who earlier this month had extended the deadline by five months, to January. A spokesman said it would be reviewed. The state Senate passed the legislation by a vote of 60-0, and the Assembly by a vote of 135-9.

North Carolina

Raleigh: Legislators are wading into Gov. Roy Cooper’s business reopening decisions, as the state Senate voted Thursday to let bars serve customers again despite his recent executive order keeping them closed because of COVID-19. With support from members of both parties, the legislation approved overwhelmingly that would essentially overturn Cooper’s decision on bars, which the Democratic governor said was based on data and science. Republicans and some business owners have questioned his orders, calling them uneven and devastating to the state economy. Currently, bars must be shuttered through late June, but Cooper allowed restaurants last week to reopen partially their indoor dining areas. But senators said all of these businesses needed a stronger economic lifeline to avoid permanent closure and rehire workers they had to lay off when restrictions began in mid-March. More than 956,000 individuals have filed unemployment claims since then and the state’s unemployment rate soared above 12% last month. The measure still would have to be approved by the House before it goes to Cooper, who has veto power. The margin of the Senate vote suggests that Cooper would have work to do to prevent an override. Gyms and adult entertainment businesses have sued Cooper, seeking to ease portions of his executive orders keeping them closed. A federal judge this month blocked enforcement of a previous ordering prevented indoor church services of more than 10 people.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Another person has died from COVID-19 in North Dakota, bringing the total number of deaths to 57, state health officials said Thursday. The state Health Department said the victim was a Cass County man in his 80s with underlying health conditions. The Department of Health said another 42 people have tested positive for the new coronavirus since Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 2,481. Cass County, which remains the epicenter of the state’s coronavirus outbreak, had 36 additional cases. The county, which contains Fargo, has had a total of 1,632 cases. Health officials said 65,773 people statewide so far have tested negative for the virus. Thirty-five people are hospitalized with the virus, down five from Wednesday.

Ohio

Columbus: Outdoor visits will be allowed at assisted living facilities as well as facilities for people with developmental disabilities, beginning June 8. Social distancing and other safety restrictions will apply. Gov. Mike DeWine said the limited visitation will be watched closely as his administration considers when to reopen nursing homes to visitors. He said officials are balancing safety against damage done by prolonged periods without seeing family. The latest data showed outbreaks in nursing homes are continuing to pop up in some counties while the deaths have leveled off in others. Ottawa County reported a week ago just one death since the pandemic began and this week added nine more. Monroe County also had a recent rise in deaths, bringing its total to 12. The number of nursing home deaths in Franklin County has tripled during the past three weeks, rising to 150 – the most in the state.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Four Oklahoma tribes are being awarded a total of nearly $1.2 million to fight the new coronavirus. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration on Thursday announced the awards. They include $300,000 to both the Cherokee Nation and the Cheyenne and Arapho Tribes, more than $299,000 to the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma and more than $295,000 to the Chickasaw Nation. The funding can be used by the tribes to acquire personal protective equipment; pay for overtime and hazardous duties; building infrastructure; increase testing and the isolation of suspected COVID-19 patients; purchase mobile clinics or vehicles for transporting COVID-19 patients; and provide educational resources to help slow the spread of the virus.

Oregon

Portland: Multnomah County said it hopes to begin reopening in about two weeks, but a mysterious coronavirus outbreak could hinder those plans. The Oregon Health Authority said it is working with county health authorities to investigate “an increase in COVID-19 cases tied to an outbreak at specific locations of a business that operates in the Tri-county region and the Willamette Valley.” Pressed for specifics and for the name of the involved business, the health authority said it is keeping that company’s identity secret – but did not say why, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. “At this time, there is no indication that the outbreak at these locations poses any significant risk to surrounding communities,” the health authority said. Multnomah County had an unusual 41-case spike in new coronavirus cases Wednesday. It’s not clear whether those new cases are connected to the workplace outbreak the health authority cited. The county said Wednesday that it hopes to reopen June 12.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Professional sports can resume in Pennsylvania where the governor’s stay-at-home order to stem the spread of the coronavirus is no longer in force, but without spectators, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said. Those teams and competitors will be allowed to practice or play in counties where Wolf’s “yellow” or “green” designation applies in his stoplight-colored three-phase reopening plan. To resume, a team or a league must develop a coronavirus safety plan that has been approved by the state Department of Health and it must include testing or screening and monitoring of all “on-venue” players and personnel, the administration said. Fans or spectators cannot be permitted inside or outside the sporting venue property, the administration said. Major League Baseball, the NHL and the NBA have been on hiatus since mid-March and the NFL has been holding its organized team activities “virtually,” though the reopening means players could potentially participate in person when mandatory minicamps are held next month.

Rhode Island

Providence: The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority does not plan to immediately resume express bus service to state beaches this summer because of the coronavirus pandemic, an agency spokeswoman said Thursday.RIPTA usually offers summer express service on weekends and holidays from Providence, Central Falls, Woonsocket and other cities to South County state beaches. All state beaches closed because of the pandemic are scheduled to reopen Monday, but with limited parking and other restrictions. There are no plans to resume beach service immediately and it might not resume this summer, RIPTA told The Providence Journal. “We are in close contact with the Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Management, and we plan to reinstate that additional service as soon as it is safe to do so,” agency spokeswoman Barbara Polichetti said.

South Carolina

Columbia: The committee assigned by Gov. Henry McMaster to plan to reopen the state after the initial spread of the coronavirus and figure out how to spend $1.9 billion in federal money is preparing to give its final report. The Accelerate SC committee meets Thursday afternoon in its traditional social distancing format with all seats at least 6 feet apart, microphones sanitized after every speaker and hand sanitizer and masks at every place. As the reopening committee winds down its work, South Carolina’s response is far from over. Many members worry the economy could continue to struggle because consumers feel the risk to their health is too great to return to tourist attractions or restaurants or they are saving because of the economic crisis. McMaster formed the Accelerate SC committee five weeks ago. It has provided recommendations on how to get restaurants, barber shops and other businesses reopened. It is looking at the best ways schools can teach students in the fall. And it worked on the best way to get protective equipment to people now and stockpile it for a future pandemic.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls:When the city announced it was keeping its public pools closed for the year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, officials with the Sioux Falls Swim Team scrambled to find other accommodations to keep its 200 swimmers in the water this summer. Unlike Sioux Falls, Brandon or Dell Rapids, the city of Lennox has opted to open swimming facilities and has agreed to allow the Sioux Falls swimmers to use them outside of regular operating hours for practice purposes. The way practices are conducted won't be the same as prepandemic. Kyle Margheim, a coach with the swim team, said some changes will have to be made. Usually, there would be 60 swimmers in the water at once, but continued social distancing will probably drop that number to 12 or 13. Use of locker rooms will be suspended for the time being.

Tennessee

Nashville: A judge expects to rule June 4 on whether to order a temporary injunction to let all voters cast ballots by mail in the August primary because of the coronavirus pandemic. Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle set the deadline during a video conference hearing Thursday that she rescheduled for June 3. The lawsuit argues universal vote by mail eliminates risk of catching COVID-19 at the polls or unknowingly spreading it. State officials said they “cannot feasibly implement” a quick shift to let all voters cast their ballots by mail in the 2020 elections. Lyle will weigh whether to order the temporary injunction of more than a dozen excuses to qualify to vote absentee in Tennessee in the August primary. Those range from being sick to being 60 or older. The hearing will include discussion on two similar state court lawsuits that seek vote by mail for all in the August and November elections: One filed by Memphis-based voting rights group #UpTheVote901 and several voters, and another led by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the Campaign Legal Center have also sued in federal court seeking absentee voting for all voters this year.

Texas

Austin: Joe Biden will close out Texas Democrats’ virtual convention next month that was moved online over fears of the new coronavirus. The announcement Thursday rounds out an unusual slate of big names that Texas Democrats have rounded up for their state convention. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts will also speak at the weeklong event via video. Democrats are redoubling efforts in Texas this year after gaining ground in the nation’s largest red state in 2018. A major target for them is the Texas House, where Democrats need to flip just nine seats to reclaim a majority for the first time in nearly 20 years. The Texas Democratic Party convention begins Monday. Biden is also speaking via video at other state Democratic conventions. Since abruptly canceling a March 10 rally in Cleveland at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee has waged much of his campaign from his home in Delaware.

Utah

Salt Lake City: More people have now applied for unemployment in Utah during the coronavirus pandemic than the previous three years combined, though the number of new claims are decreasing as the state economy reopens, officials said Thursday. Nearly 5,500 more people applied for unemployment last week, a 12% drop from the week before. Since business shutdowns aimed at halting the spread of the virus began in mid-March, the state has processed nearly 165,000 claims, or about about 11% of the eligible workforce. “We have now received the same amount of claims in the last ten weeks that were filed over the previous three years,” said Kevin Burt, Unemployment Insurance Division director for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, in a statement. Still, there are other signals workers are getting back on the job. Almost 10,000 people ended their unemployment claim on May 16, an increase from the week before, officials said.

Vermont

Montpelier: The Vermont Department of Corrections said Thursday it has completed testing of inmates and staff at the Rutland prison for the virus that causes COVID-19 and no cases were detected. The department announced the results of the tests of 117 inmates and 87 staff members of the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility.Vermont now has completed testing of all inmates and staff at four of the state’s six correctional facilities. Additional tests are planned. Earlier in the course of the pandemic, 45 inmates from the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans tested positive for the virus. Most of the infected inmates were moved to a special surge site set up at the St. Johnsbury corrections complex until they recovered and could be moved back to St. Albans. Those inmates are now considered to be “in recovery″ after two negative tests for the COVID-19 virus.

Virginia

Richmond: Warnings have been issued to more than 100 businesses in Virginia about price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s attorney general said. Attorney General Mark Herring has sent at least 114 warning letters in light of complaints on products which include toilet paper, hand sanitizer and paper towels, among other things, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. Herring said at the end of March, the first month of Virginia’s state of emergency, that his office had sent 42 letters to businesses in response to price gouging complaints. Spokeswoman Charlotte Gomer said that as of Tuesday, Herring’s office had received more than 500 price gouging complaints from across Virginia. Gomer said Virginia’s Post-Disaster Anti-Price Gouging Act, which prohibits businesses from charging “unconscionable prices” for “necessary goods and services” during a crisis, also requires that the complaints be kept confidential, meaning the attorney general’s office is not publicly identifying the businesses it has warned.

Washington

Vancouver: The CEO of a fruit processor connected to 85 coronavirus cases said his company could have done more to protect employees. Firestone Pacific Foods CEO Josh Hinerfeld said Wednesday the company began implementing new safety policies and educating employees about the disease in March, but that it struggled to implement and enforce physical distancing measures on the production line and in a break room, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. “We could have done better,” Hinerfeld said. “Through this process, we learned that we didn’t do enough. I sure hope through our experience, which obviously has been very painful for many, that others will learn from it.” Firestone suspended production and closed its office May 18 because of the outbreak. Washington state health officials have also suspended Clark County’s application to move to phase two of its reopening. Hinerfeld said that the company implemented daily health screenings for employees starting March 20 and required employees to wear masks on April 29. But, he said, some employees were still working in close proximity on the production line and it was difficult to enforce mask rule when employees went on break. The company set up a canopy outside in May to give workers more space during breaks. Hinerfeld said the company would work in collaboration with the county to determine when it could reopen, but was hopeful that the facility could resume operations as early as this week.

West Virginia

Charleston: Gov. Jim Justice said he wants widespread coronavirus testing at all of the state’s correctional facilities as cases continue to rise inside a rural prison. At least 102 inmates and eight staffers at the Huttonsville Correctional Center in Randolph County have tested positive for the virus, according to state records. About 360 tests are still pending. Justice, a Republican, did not give a timeline on when testing at all of the state’s lockups would begin, but he said it should happen as quickly as possible. Corrections department data show few inmates have been tested outside of the Huttonsville facility. The Huttonsville Correctional Center had the state’s first inmate coronavirus case, after a 62-year-old prisoner tested positive last week. Justice said he ordered testing throughout the facility after screenings had been limited to the area where the initial cases were located. Betsy Jividen, corrections department commissioner, said jails and prisons have been following federal safety guidelines. She said cases will likely continue to rise as courts resume normal hearings and more people enter the criminal justice system.

Wisconsin

Madison:For the first time since 1945 and just the sixth time in 169 years, the Wisconsin State Fair has been canceled. The venerable event held every August outside of Milwaukee was called off Thursday because of the coronavirus pandemic, the latest in a long line of cancellations of major events in Wisconsin and nationwide. The cancellation marks only the second time the fair was called off for a reason other than a war. The announcement was expected as fairs in other states, including neighboring Minnesota, have also been called off. Wisconsin organizers said that even though they had hoped to somehow pull off the event in the face of the pandemic, it just couldn’t be safely done. The fair board gave chairman John Yingling the power on Tuesday to decide whether to proceed with the event. There is no state prohibition on large gatherings, after the Wisconsin Supreme Court invalidated Gov. Tony Evers’ “safer at home” order two weeks ago, but the safety challenges of putting on an event that draws more than a million people over 11 days was too much to overcome, Yingling said. The decision to cancel has Evers’ support, the fair said in announcing the decision. Tickets purchased for the fair this year will be valid for the 2021 fair, assuming that happens as scheduled. Refunds will also be offered through the end of June. The state fair began in Janesville in 1851 and since 1892 it has been staged in West Allis. The last time it was canceled was the last year of World War II. It was also not staged three years during the Civil War and in 1893, when the World’s Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago.

Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park: The northern half of Yellowstone National Park remains closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Memorial Day weekend traffic in the park's southern half was similar to last year. Yellowstone has been open since May 18 through its two Wyoming entrances. Yellowstone's other three gates in Montana remain closed to park tourists and will open no sooner than Monday. A snowstorm forced the Wyoming entrances to close Saturday. After that, park officials said Memorial Day weekend traffic for those gates was similar to last year. Almost 4,700 vehicles entered through the two Wyoming gates last Sunday and Monday. Last year, about 4,800 vehicles entered through the Wyoming gates on Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend. More than two-thirds of visitors typically enter the park through the Montana gates.

50 States

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Auburn University said a number of students are quarantined after four COVID-19 cases were reported in a campus residence hall and a fraternity house, a university spokesman said Wednesday. “Auburn is aware of multiple students who have tested positive for COVID-19 in a campus residence hall and a fraternity house. The university has taken immediate action to quarantine the impacted students and is going above and beyond all guidance from public health officials,” spokesman Preston Sparks wrote in an email to the Associated Press. Sparks in a follow-up email said it involved four COVID-19 cases. The school did not name the fraternity or dorm. The university said that 32 students and eight employees tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Sparks said the students will remain quarantined until each has received medical clearance. The students will complete coursework remotely while quarantined. Auburn has about 30,000 students on its main campus. The university is requiring face coverings, both indoors and outdoors on campus, and has taken other steps to try to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Alaska

Anchorage: The University of Alaska Anchorage will drop its men’s hockey program and three other sports next year because of significant reductions in state funding, the university said Wednesday. The school also will cut men’s and women’s skiing and women’s gymnastics. The moves will save about $2.5 million a year, chancellor Cathy Sandeen said. “This comes at a difficult time as they are already facing much uncertainty surrounding this year’s season due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sandeen said. The Seawolves will go from sponsoring 13 sports to nine. The hockey team began play in 1979. The ski program dates to 1970, and the Seawolves have had nine skiers win national championships. About 55 athletes, seven coaches and two athletic department staff members are impacted. Travel to the Lower 48 states for competitions exacerbated the athletic department’s financial woes. Recent budget issues made the situation untenable.

Arizona

Phoenix: Arizona’s downward trend of coronavirus cases means parts of the state could meet all three metrics the state’s health and education departments set for at least a partial reopening of schools by Labor Day, according to a former state health director. And bars and nightclubs in at least some counties could meet the parameters for reopening shortly after that, according to Will Humble, who now leads the Arizona Public Health Association. But caution is the word of the day, according to Humble and Dr. Joshua LaBaer, executive director of the ASU Biodesign Institute, which has been tracking the virus in Arizona. “Arizona continues on what I would consider a positive trend, a good trend for us,” LaBaer said Wednesday at his weekly media briefing. Humble credited local government officials for requiring masks and gives the Republican governor credit for closing bars. The third element in the case drop, he believes, is some level of so-called “herd immunity” that came from lots of people being infected.

Arkansas

Little Rock: Arkansas is seeking $300 in additional weekly federal unemployment benefits, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday as the state reported 729 new confirmed coronavirus cases. Hutchinson said the state is submitting its application to the federal government for the unemployment extension. He said state lawmakers are also reviewing the request. Arkansas is the latest state to seek the extended benefits under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump this month. Congress approved payments of $600 a week at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, but those benefits expired Aug. 1 and Congress has been unable to agree on an extension. Hutchinson opted against seeking $400 in weekly benefits, which would have required the state to pay a quarter of the cost. Hutchinson has said that would cost $265 million and would require tapping into coronavirus relief money the state has received that’s already been allocated for other programs.

California

Los Angeles: Mayor Eric Garcetti said Wednesday that he authorized shutting off utility services at a home in the Hollywood Hills that has been the site of raucous parties despite a ban on large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. “Despite several warnings, this house has turned into a nightclub in the hills, hosting large gatherings in flagrant violation of our public health orders,” Garcetti said. “The city has now disconnected utilities at this home to stop these parties that endanger our community.” The city did not identify the home’s address or the owner. Garcetti announced earlier this month that he would ask the city’s Department of Water and Power to shut off service to houses and businesses hosting parties. With bars closed in town, large house parties can become “superspreaders” of COVID-19, Garcetti said. The announcement came days after an Aug. 3 party at a mansion where hundreds of people gathered without masks or social distancing. The party ended in a shooting that killed a woman and wounded two other people.

Colorado

Pueblo:With the looming start of the 2020 Colorado State Fair, Pueblo County’s COVID-19 testing site will be temporarily relocated. The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment said the site will move while the expo is in session, and an announcement about where the new site will be will be made soon. The site will be moved from Monday through Sept. 9, according to the health department. Testing will remain from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The testing site is expected to move back to the fairgrounds once the state fair has ended. The site opened in April and 8,652 tests have been conducted there. There have been a total of 14,369 COVID-19 tests completed in Pueblo County to date. The fair runs from Aug. 28-31.

Connecticut

Storrs: University of Connecticut officials have evicted several students from on-campus housing after learning of a crowded dormitory room party with no mask-wearing or social distancing, which violated the school’s coronavirus rules. School officials notified the campus community of the disciplinary actions and investigations in a letter Tuesday night. Students began returning to campus Aug. 14, all were tested for the virus and all were supposed to limit their contact with others during their first 14 days back on campus. Video of the party was posted on social media. “Students were not wearing masks, closely assembled, and endangering not only their own health and well-being, but that of others at a time when UConn is working to protect our community and resume classes in the context of a deadly global pandemic,” said the letter sent by Eleanor Daugherty, associate vice president and dean of students, and Pamela Schipani, executive director of residential life. Temporary disciplinary action was taken against an undisclosed number of students and they were removed from student housing pending a school investigation, they said. Many colleges have changed course and moved all undergraduate classes online as schools struggle to contain outbreaks and students continue to gather in large groups without masks or social distancing. UConn officials, however, said there is no outbreak at the Storrs campus and the students’ actions were not representative of the entire student body, most of which has been following the coronavirus protocols. About 5,000 students are on campus.

Delaware

Wilmington:Delaware and New Castle County are giving out $100million in grants for small businesses and nonprofits in the state. The program known as DE Relief Grants, which was announced on Wednesday afternoon, will provide grants ranging from $30,000 to $100,000 to 3,000 small businesses and nonprofits, according to a news release from Gov. John Carney's office. Organizations can use the money to buy equipment such as PPE, air purifiers or plexiglass to make the workplace safer during the COVID-19 pandemic; refinance debt incurred because of COVID-19, including the state's HELP loans; advertise efforts undertaken as a result of COVID-19; and fix expenses accrued during COVID-19. The size of the grant will depend on the organization's 2019 revenue. The Division of Small Business is administering the program and will start accepting applications in early September at business.delaware.gov/relief.

District of Columbia

Washington:As of Wednesday, 600 people have died from COVID-19 in the District of Columbia, WUSA-TV reported. The District reported 29 new cases of the coronavirus – its lowest daily number of cases since July 4. D.C. health has now reported successfully contact tracing more than 90% of new coronavirus cases for 60 consecutive days.

Florida

Tallahassee:With more than 28% of Florida voters casting ballots, Tuesday’s pandemic-shaded elections drew the largest state primary turnout in 18 years – setting the stage for what could be another record in November. The primary can prove a tough sell to voters, but almost 3.9 million cast ballots in the primary – almost 1 million more than during 2016 presidential year. The turnout also was the largest in a presidential year Florida primary since 1992, when 35% of voters cast ballots. About 1.1 million people voted at the polls on Tuesday.Much of the primary turnout increase was powered by the 2.3 million vote-by-mail ballots submitted, which represented about 59% of all votes cast.

Georgia

Atlanta: Gov. Brian Kemp defended his administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in fiery remarks Wednesday after a report from the White House coronavirus task force said Georgia led the nation last week in new cases per capita. The White House report, dated Sunday, recommends several steps to curb the virus that Kemp has declined to take, including closing bars and issuing mask mandates in counties with 50 or more active cases. Kemp was among the first governors to ease earlier restrictions this spring, and although infections declined for weeks afterward, they began to rise in June and peaked in late July. First reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the report said “Georgia’s small gains are fragile and statewide progress will require continued, expanded, and stronger mitigation efforts, including in all open schools.” Kemp insisted Wednesday that other markers he’s watching paint a different picture. The report from the White House coronavirus task force says that last week Georgia had 216 new cases per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 112 new cases per 100,000 residents. State health officials say more than 243,000 people in Georgia have contracted the virus and at least 4,849 people have died from COVID-19.

Hawaii

Honolulu: The Hawaii attorney general’s office denies threatening a Republican state House of Representatives candidate with arrest for violating a traveler quarantine mandated to protect the islands from the spread of the coronavirus. Lori Ford was in California visiting family when Hawaii’s 14-day quarantine on arriving travelers went into effect in March. She returned in May to file candidacy papers and then returned to California. Agents from the Hawaii attorney general’s office contacted her and told her she would be arrested for violating the quarantine, Ford and her attorney Bilal Essayli said. Because of that threat, she remains in California. “Our office has communicated with Ms. Ford’s attorney, and we informed him that if Ms. Ford were charged, we would contact him so he could assist her in receiving the Complaint and a penal summons to appear in court,” Krishna Jayaram, spokesperson for the attorney general’s office said in a statement. “These communications did not contemplate or threaten Ms. Ford with arrest should she return to Hawaii.” Ford said she didn’t attempt to seek an exemption to the quarantine so that she could file her candidacy papers. Essayli said she was required to appear in person at the elections office by June 2. However, Nedielyn Bueno of the state Office of Elections said Wednesday a candidate is not required to file candidacy papers in person. “Candidates may have a representative deliver or submit the required documents by mail,” she said. Authorities have routinely arrested tourists and returning residents for violating the quarantine.

Idaho

Boise: Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday called the part-time Legislature back into a special session because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Republican governor in a news release said the special session will start Monday. He said lawmakers will consider election law changes as well as establishing temporary civil liability standards related to the pandemic. Lawmakers meeting in special working groups comprised of senators and representatives from both parties have been calling for a special session to address those two issues. Election officials have testified before those lawmakers that polling places for the November election could be limited because of a lack of volunteers afraid of getting the virus and some facilities declining to be polling places. That has led to suggestions of polling centers with expanded voting times as well as using National Guard soldiers at polling places. Election officials have also sought changes in the absentee ballot system to make vote counting more efficient due to possibly much larger numbers of absentee ballots. Another group of lawmakers said that a liability shield law is needed to protect government, schools and private businesses from frivolous lawsuits. Lawmakers said that if someone gets the virus at a school or workplace, they could file a lawsuit. But others said such a liability shield would remove responsibility from businesses, schools and government.

Illinois

Chicago: Gov. J.B. Pritzker touted a University of Illinois saliva test on Wednesday as a potential “game changer” in the fight against COVID-19. The test, which involves spitting into a test tube, can offer results in hours and is expected to cost about $10. The university has performed more than 50,000 tests since making it available at no cost to faculty, staff and students last month. University officials said Wednesday that the test had become the latest to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The university expects to test up to 20,000 students at a day when the fall semester begins next week and students will be required to be tested twice a week. Pritzker said there are possibilities for the tests to be used statewide, particularly for K-12 schools. “If ongoing research continues to yield positive results, this has potentially game-changing implications for our statewide testing complex as well as for testing on a national level,” Pritzker said. “The potential here is enormous.”

Indiana

Indianapolis: State officials are working to develop a public website that will track the number of coronavirus cases among students, teacher and other employees at Indiana’s K-12 schools. Dr. Kristina Box, the state health commissioner, said her goal was to have the website available by mid- to late September and that the information would broken down by individual school. The public tracking system is being developed as school districts across the state have struggled with reopening decisions. Gov. Eric Holcomb and state health officials have declined to set benchmarks for the circumstances when schools should close their doors to students. Several of the state’s largest school districts have started the academic year with only online classes. Some opened with in-person classes only to backtrack after facing coronavirus cases.

Iowa

Coralville: An increase in coronavirus cases prompted Iowa prison officials on Wednesday to stop admitting inmates from county jails to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville. The Department of Corrections said 59 inmates tested positive in the last week out of nearly 800 tests conducted at the center. When officials believe the virus is no longer spreading in the facility, it will end the suspension. Staff implemented enhanced quarantine and testing measures after an inmate tested positive for the coronavirus last week. Inmates typically are temporarily assigned to the center before being sent to another prison in Iowa’s system. The Coralville center usually admits about 65 inmates a week from jails.

Kansas

Lawrence: University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod is seeking permission to obtain a $20 million, short-term line of credit in case the coronavirus pandemic significantly modifies the 2020 football and basketball seasons. The Lawrence Journal-World reported that Girod said in an email calling an emergency meeting of the governing board that oversees Kansas Athletics that the line of credit is just to provide “emergency liquidity.” Girod said the credit would also allow Kansas athletics to continue its operations in such a scenario without having to ask the university for financial assistance. The university is facing a budgeting shortfall of at least $120 million on its own during the current fiscal year. The meeting will take place through a group email, with the results of each board member’s vote made public. Votes must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday. Girod, as chairman of the board, also requested that members give University of Kansas Athletic Director Jeff Long permission to refinance nearly $30 million in outstanding bond debt. If board members allow Long to undertake the financial restructuring, both the refinanced bond debt and emergency line of credit will be up for a final discussion and vote at the board’s September meeting.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has ruled that the state cannot force religious schools to close as long as they are following health recommendations put in place to protect against the coronavirus. Cameron wrote in the Wednesday opinion that a forced closure of religious schools by Gov. Andy Beshear would violate the U.S. Constitution and state law, news outlets reported. When asked about the opinion, Beshear said Wednesday that “nobody is trying to close any school that is complying with guidelines and preventing outbreaks.” “I don’t know where that came from,” the Courier-Journal quoted him as saying. Republican state Sen. Wil Schroder requested the opinion, according to the ruling. Cameron said in a statement that religious schools were protected by the Constitution, even during the pandemic. “Religiously affiliated schools are an important extension of faith for many Kentucky families, and the state cannot prevent them from operating so long as necessary health precautions are observed,” according to the statement. The opinion comes after Beshear recommended Kentucky schools begin the year with online learning until Sept. 28 to give more time to bring a recent surge in virus cases under control. The Archdiocese of Louisville and other religious schools, as well as some public districts, have decided to move ahead with or have already begun reopening for in-person classes, the newspaper said. Others have said they plan to start virtually.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: As college students return to campus, Gov. John Bel Edwards is urging them to take precautions against the coronavirus, worried the schools could undercut recent progress the state has made in fighting the pandemic. Louisiana continued Wednesday to have one of the nation’s highest per capita virus infection rates in recent weeks. But the average number of new confirmed cases per day has fallen by more than 50% over the past 14 days, to about 1,000. The number of people hospitalized with the COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus also has significantly declined. But elementary and secondary schools started opening this month, and move-in days began last week at Louisiana’s universities, raising fears of a new spike in COVID-19 just as the state is making strides to contain its second surge of the disease. “This is going to be a lot more movement, a lot more activity and people coming into contact with one another than we have seen on our campuses since March … so we have to be especially vigilant right now,” Edwards said. Louisiana’s universities are planning to hold classes through a mix of in-person and online learning, with a wary eye toward the experiences in other states. Edwards is asking college students to wear masks as the state requires, maintain social distancing and to “think twice about going” to a party or event if it will be packed with people not following those rules.

Maine

Portland: The largest school district in Maine has approved a plan for the upcoming school year that will mix in-person learning with remote instruction. The Portland Board of Public Education unanimously approved the proposal on Wednesday. The school year will begin on Sept. 14. The proposal calls for elementary students to return to school full-time on Oct. 13. The possibility of more in-person learning for middle-schoolers is scheduled to be reassessed after the first trimester, school officials said. The plan also calls for students in grades 10 through 12 to take courses remotely four days a week and receive in-person instruction in a learning center one day a week. District officials said they hope to “maximize in-person learning time for students in grades 10-12 starting in October.” The district has more than 6,700 students.

Maryland

Towson: Multiple Maryland inmates have filed federal lawsuits alleging a leak spilled sewage into cells for days and that rules meant to protect against the coronavirus are being repeatedly ignored in state facilities. Baltimore County inmates Keith Wiggins and Reginald Dorsey said in separate complaints filed last week in U.S. District Court that they were forced to sit in dirty jails without running water for at least four days in April, The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday, citing the lawsuits.The men said staff members were slow in responding, and when they did, they shut off the water in the cells and kept inmates locked inside. The allegations join those that were contained in several other federal complaints recently filed against the Baltimore County Detention Center. Inmates are seeking damages and asking the court to address what they said are chronic health and safety issues, as well as repeated violations of coronavirus guidelines. Another inmate, Renardo Whitehead, alleged in a separate federal lawsuit that he asked for a coronavirus test several times and was denied. He added that staff has ignored social distancing orders, allowing groups of nearly 20 people to congregate. Other inmates accused prison officials of failing to provide proper access to protective equipment and overlooking mask mandates. The Director of the Baltimore County Department of Corrections contended the department has been following safety measures.

Massachusetts

Boston:Ten people who work at a Massachusetts courthouse have tested positive for the coronavirus, and the building will remain closed until further notice, according to a court official. In addition to the 10 employees at New Bedford District Court who tested positive, 25 have tested negative for the disease and additional test results are pending, trial court spokeswoman Jennifer Donahue told The Standard-Times. The facility closed for cleaning and disinfecting last week after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. Donahue said in an email Wednesday that court officials do not yet have a reopening date for the public. “The Trial Court is analyzing the protocol in response to this situation and working with the Department of Public Health,” she said, “There are still virtual hearings going on, and in-person matters for New Bedford are currently taking place in Fall River.”

Michigan

Lansing: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Wednesday that her administration is assessing the risk of reopening Michigan businesses that have been closed for five months under her orders to curb the spread of the coronavirus, saying she will have more to say next week. Movie theaters, gyms and indoor pools are among the places that remain barred from operating in much of the state amid the pandemic. The Democratic governor told reporters her office is working with the state health department to “drill down” into businesses that are closed, “where we can do another assessment on risk mitigation and determine if we might consider making some improvements in the policy.” Whitmer said other states have taken “bad” steps that “we don’t want to do,” but there are “perhaps some things that they have done and been successful.” She has come under criticism from the owners of theaters and fitness clubs – which are now open with capacity restrictions in many other states – for letting Detroit casinos reopen at 15% capacity about two weeks ago while keeping their businesses shut except in northern counties. Other closed operations including amusement parks, arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, indoor climbing centers, indoor dance areas, skating rinks, trampoline parks, water parks and other similar recreational or entertainment facilities.

Minnesota

St. Paul: Minnesota’s unemployment rate fell to 7.7% in July from 8.6% a month earlier, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development said Thursday, but cautioned that job growth is slowing as the coronavirus pandemic persists. The agency said Minnesota added 32,500 payroll jobs in July on a seasonally adjusted basis, while the U.S. added 1.8 million jobs in July. The U.S. unemployment rate was 10.2% for July, down from 11.1% in June. “We’re moving in the right direction, but job growth is slowing, a sign that this recovery will likely take some time,” DEED Commissioner Steve Grove said in a statement. Minnesota’s unemployment rate was 2.9% before the pandemic struck, according to the department’s revised figures. Some groups of Minnesotans have been more affected more than than others during the pandemic. Based on six-month moving averages, the agency said, unemployment for Black Minnesotans was 15.3% in July, up 9 percentage points from 6.3% one year ago. For Hispanic Minnesotans, unemployment was 8.6% in July, double the rate from July 2019. White Minnesotans had a jobless rate of 6.3% in July, up from 3.1% one year ago. Seasonally adjusted job gains in July were led by the leisure and hospitality sector, which added 17,200, or 9.8%.

Mississippi

Jackson: Outbreaks of the new coronavirus have been found at two of Mississippi’s eight public universities within the first days of students returning to campuses, the state health officer said Wednesday. Dr. Thomas Dobbs said cases at the University of Mississippi in Oxford and Mississippi University for Women in Columbus appear to have originated off-campus. The University of Mississippi said in a memo Wednesday that 13 student-athletes and one employee had tested positive for COVID-19. The memo said 11 of the athletes are on the same team, but it did not name the sport. “These individuals were tested earlier this week as part of a mass screening for student-athletes returning to campus and were instructed to quarantine until test results were received,” the memo said. Mississippi University for Women said on its website Wednesday that seven students had reported testing positive for the virus since Friday, and each had been on campus within a week before the diagnosis. Dobbs said some of the Mississippi University for Women cases can be traced to the Cotton District in Starkville, an area with restaurants and bars that are popular with students from MUW and Mississippi State University.

Missouri

St. Louis: A businessman who went to prison in June after pleading guilty in a pay-to-play scandal that brought down a top St. Louis County elected official has asked to be released because he has the coronavirus. John Rallo, 55, asked a federal judge to allow him to serve some of his 17-month prison sentence under home confinement with family in Salt Lake City because of health concerns, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Rallo pleaded guilty last summer to three bribery counts as part of a scheme involving former Democratic St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, who pleaded guilty in May 2019 to corruption charges for providing political favors in exchange for campaign donations. Stenger is serving a sentence of nearly four years in prison. Rallo was sentenced in early March but his date to report to prison was pushed to late June because of the pandemic. In an Aug. 11 letter to U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber, Rallo wrote that his cellmate, Taiwan Davis, died after contracting COVID-19. Rallo’s attorney, Curtis Poore, told the newspaper that Rallo tested positive for the virus on Aug. 2, and that he has been very ill and is still having difficulty breathing. He said Rallo has a compromised immune system because he has thyroid cancer and a blood disorder. “No one deserves to be put in harms way and exposed to COVID-19 as I have been for the last several weeks,” Rallo wrote in his handwritten letter to the judge.

Montana

Billings: Visitation to Yellowstone National Park has increased substantially despite the coronavirus pandemic, park officials said. Visitation rates were higher in July than they were in the same month last year. This comes after the park’s overall visits had been down 49% from last year through the end of June. The park’s visitation rates were down 32% in June compared to the same month last year. The park hosted 955,645 people in July, up about 2% from July 2019. The influx of visitors occurred despite the fact that campsites and hotels inside Yellowstone have drastically reduced their capacity. Just over 1,000 campsites have been used inside Yellowstone this summer, compared with more than 57,000 last year. Park-operated campgrounds have seen 198,500 people this year compared with 380,900 last year. Concession lodging was down 84% from last year, with 72,700 this year and 465,000 in 2019. Backcountry camping in the national park was down by half. Visitors have used surrounding national forest campgrounds or lodging in bordering gateway communities for shelter instead, The Billings Gazette reported. Grand Teton National Park just to the south of Yellowstone also experienced a 3% increase in July visitors. “We are seeing visitors from all 50 states,” said Wendy Swenson, marketing director for the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce, who added that most visitors are from Idaho, California and Utah. Yellowstone was closed in full from March to May as a result of the pandemic. Its two Wyoming entrances reopened its doors on May 18. The park’s three Montana entrances followed suit on June 1.

Nebraska

Omaha: Thirty-five confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Omaha-area schools in the early weeks of the school year, Douglas County health director Adi Pour said. Seventeen students and 18 school staff members have tested positive as of Tuesday night, Pour said Wednesday. Another 152 students, staff and faculty who had close contact with those who are ill were in quarantine, The Omaha World-Herald reported. Pour told the Douglas County Board of Health she was surprised more cases haven’t been confirmed but attributed that in part to the Omaha Public Schools teaching only remote classes for the first quarter. Positive cases have been confirmed at the Millard, Gretna and Ralston school districts in recent days, she said. County health department employees and experts from the Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska Medical Center are working with schools to respond to the coronavirus.

Nevada

Las Vegas: A veteran Las Vegas police lieutenant who died from complications of COVID-19 was remembered Wednesday for his police career and for leading a program supporting families of officers injured or killed in the line of duty. Departmental honors for Lt. Erik Lloyd included a vehicle procession on area freeways and the Las Vegas Strip, and a memorial at a church in suburban Henderson. Lloyd, 53, died July 29 at a hospital in Las Vegas in what Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo classified as the line of duty. Lloyd was a police officer for nearly 30 years and was president of the Injured Officers Police Fund for 16 years. He and his wife, Minddie Lloyd, coordinated support for wounded officers and their families. They recently organized a fundraiser for Officer Shay Mikalonis, who is being treated for paralysis after he was shot June 1 during a protest on the Las Vegas Strip. Lloyd was a married father of two with five grandchildren. He was originally from Downey, California, and became a patrol officer in Las Vegas in September 1990. He became a narcotics detective and served in roles in internal affairs, counter-terrorism and use-of-force investigations.

New Hampshire

Concord: Communities can require that voters and poll workers wear face coverings on Election Day to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to state officials. Attorney General Gordon MacDonald and Secretary of State Bill Gardner released a 10-page document Wednesday with guidance for the Sept. 8 primary and Nov. 3 general election. They said they agreed with town moderators that decisions about mask requirements should be made locally given the wide variation in the size of polling places, expected volume of voters and other factors. Communities that require face coverings for voters must, however, provide alternatives for those who can’t or won’t comply, the officials said. Although the officials said they believe towns likewise have the right to require poll workers to wear masks, they also highlighted the “risk of a legal challenge” and urged local officials to consult their attorneys. They noted that some voters might feel uncomfortable encountering unmasked poll workers, and that it might be hard to attract sufficient workers without a mandate. The guidance also clarifies issues around absentee voting, which has been temporarily expanded to allow the coronavirus pandemic as a reason for voting absentee. Municipalities can set up drop boxes to collect absentee ballots from those who don’t mail their ballots – both before Election Day and on Election Day – but the boxes must be staffed by election workers.

New Jersey

Trenton: The agency that oversees high school sports in New Jersey has decided that indoor fall sports will be delayed until early next year, but outdoor sports will start their seasons in about a month. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Sports Advisory Task Force released its “Return to Sports Plan” on Thursday. It features condensed schedules and will keep most contests local. The plan also prohibits out-of-state competition except for “exceptional circumstances” and states postseason play will be limited and local, with no statewide championships. Under the plan, outdoor fall sports – football, cross country, field hockey, girls tennis and soccer – will begin practice on Sept. 14. The girls tennis season will start two weeks later, while cross country, field hockey and soccer will begin competition on Oct. 1. Opening day for football will be Oct. 2. The indoor fall sports – gymnastics and girls volleyball – will be moved to a new, special season that will begin with practices on Feb. 16. They will start their seasons on March 3. The task force noted that if circumstances force the outdoor fall sports to be postponed, their seasons will also be played during this “special season” time frame. Winter sports teams will be allowed to start practicing on Dec. 3, with competition commencing on Dec. 21.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: The Albuquerque Public Schools Board voted to extend online instruction through the end of the first semester. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham had said classes would take place remotely until at least Sept. 7. The public schools board conducted a survey sent out to all 59,000 parents that said 56.3% of the nearly 14,000 who responded said they were “very uncomfortable” with their children returning to school in person. About 61% of parents who responded said that sending their children back to school in person was an “unnecessary risk.” That same survey found about 29% of the responding parents are thinking about transferring their children to a school that is teaching in-person and just over 34% are thinking about switching their children to home schooling. About 10% have transferred their children’s schools, and just below 12% have switched their children to home schooling. Three public schools in the jurisdiction have had positive cases of the coronavirus. East San Jose Elementary has seen two cases and Hawthorne Elementary and Hayes Middle School have had one each. All three schools are closed.

New York

Albany: Gov. Andrew Cuomo dismissed concerns that his state’s coronavirus death toll in nursing homes could be a significant undercount, saying it makes sense to include only those residents who died on the home’s property. Unlike the federal government and every other state with major outbreaks, only New York explicitly said that it counts just residents who died on nursing home property and not those who were transported to hospitals and died there. “If you die in the nursing home, it’s a nursing home death. If you die in the hospital, it’s called a hospital death,” the Democratic governor said Wednesday during an interview on Albany public radio station WAMC. “It doesn’t say where were you before.” Cuomo said if New York were to count a death as a nursing home death and a hospital death, that could lead to a “double count.” “And if I’m a nursing home operator, I say: ‘Don’t say that person died in my nursing home, because they didn’t,’ ” Cuomo said. “‘They died in the hospital. And if the hospital did a better job, they wouldn’t have died. So why do I get the blame for the death when it didn’t happen in my nursing home?’ So it depends on how you want to argue it.” Some New York lawmakers have accused Cuomo’s administration of refusing to divulge the complete count to make it appear that his state is doing better than others on the nursing home crisis and make a tragic situation less dire.

North Carolina

Raleigh: Certain touch-screen ballot-marking machines will remain in use in North Carolina this fall, a judge ruled in a case in which voters questioned the equipment’s accuracy and health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state NAACP joined the four voters who demanded in April that the ExpressVote machines – already used in roughly 20 of the state’s 100 counties since last year– be barred from future elections. They wanted hand-marked paper ballots used instead. But Wake County Superior Court Judge Rebecca Holt rejected their request, saying no tabulation errors have been reported since the machines were first used last fall. There’s also no evidence their use will increase the likelihood of the virus’s spread, especially with cleaning guidelines issued by the State Board of Elections, Holt wrote. The names of the voters’ choices are printed on the ballot by the ExpressVote machine. They correspond with bar code data that’s also printed on the same ballot and tallied by a separate counting machine.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Gerald VandeWalle, North Dakota’s longest-serving Supreme Court justice, is expected to be released from a hospital this week, where he has been recovering from COVID-19. VandeWalle, who has been on the court for 42 years, has been hospitalized at Sanford Health in Bismarck since Aug. 3. The 87-year-old justice said the virus has been much more debilitating than a typical cold or flu. VandeWalle told the Bismarck Tribune that he lost a lot of his strength while being confined to his room. He said he has been keeping up with his work on the court, reading emails and printed briefs and drafting opinions. But VandeWalle said he hasn’t been able to communicate as well with his law clerks and four fellow justices. VandeWalle said he isn’t sure how he contracted COVID-19. He had been working from the state Capitol amid the pandemic and has worn a mask and gloves while shopping.

Ohio

Middletown:A 9-year-old girl who fought brain inflammation, COVID-19 and body paralysis for nearly three months died Wednesday, according to the family's online fundraiser. Dorielis Reyes-Paula, a fourth-grade student, was diagnosed with COVID-19 on May 10 after her mother Doranny Escolastico noticed her walking strangely and dragging one foot. Doctors found brain inflammation during an MRI scan. She was sent home with medication and returned to the hospital on July 19 after suffering from severe headaches and having an epileptic seizure. She also lost her ability to walk. Dorielis continued to get sicker while doctors at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital tried to figure out what was causing the brain inflammation, speech impairment and paralysis. During her stay at the hospital, she endured several biopsies, MRIs, blood tests, and treatments. At one point, the doctors tested her blood to see if cancer was causing the illness. Escolastico said her oxygen levels constantly fluctuated. Escolastico, a single mother of four, started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover bills and purchase household items for her other children. To date, the account has raised more than $19,000. The goal was $15,000.

Oklahoma

Stillwater: Mayor Will Joyce has signed an emergency proclamation limiting the number of people in bars and requiring people to be seated in order to be served after videos emerged last weekend of packed bars in the city that’s home to Oklahoma State University. The proclamation signed Wednesday closed dance floors and requires tables to be 6 feet apart and all customers to wear masks except while eating or drinking. All employees – including musicians and disc jockeys – must also wear masks. Bars are limited to 50% of maximum capacity or the maximum number of customers possible under the distancing guidelines, whichever is fewer people. The order took effect immediately and is set to expire Nov. 30. Meanwhile, one of the headliners at a three-day music festival in Stillwater called “Weedstock” canceled his appearance after testing positive for the coronavirus. Musician Parker McCollum said on Twitter that he had no symptoms. Stillwater’s mayor has expressed concern about the event, which was set to start Thursday, but he said the venue, Tumbleweed, is outside the city limits. A Tumbleweed official did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment and a recorded message said the venue follows U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that include masking, social distancing and personal hygiene.

Oregon

Salem: Democratic and Republican lawmakers lawmakers said county governments should directly receive tens of millions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief funds rather than having the state government funnel them to communities. The Legislature has debated how to spend $1.4 billion in COVID-19 money for months, but last week more than half of Oregon’s lawmakers signed a bipartisan letter – addressed to Gov. Kate Brown, Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, and House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland – requesting a $200 million payout that they said had been promised to local governments. “By keeping a disproportionate amount of the funds, the state has created inadequate resource distribution with significant statewide inequities in the amount of aid provided to local governments to help their communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the letter, signed by 47 of 90 lawmakers, read. The bipartisan letter specified that according to United States Federal Treasury guidelines, 45% of the funds must be given to local government – about $625 million.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Republican-sponsored legislation that would give Pennsylvania school districts the final say over whether to hold sports and other activities during the pandemic cleared a House committee Thursday, a day before the governing body for interscholastic sports was to decide the fate of the fall season. With dozens of parents, students and coaches staging a “Let Our Kids Play in PA” rally on the steps of the Capitol in Harrisburg, the House Education Committee passed a bill that would give “exclusive authority” to public and private schools to make decisions on sports, and require them to develop safety protocols. Majority Republicans in the Legislature introduced the legislation after Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf issued a “strong recommendation” that all youth athletics be canceled until 2021 to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Wolf and his administration have repeatedly said the decision on whether to hold fall sports rests with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and individual school boards. Some districts and leagues have canceled fall sports, saying the risk of spreading the virus is too great, and others plan to play if they get the PIAA’s blessing. Several Pennsylvania high schools have already reported virus cases among athletes, prompting temporary shutdowns of sports programs. The bill passed the committee largely along party lines, though it attracted the support of two Democrats. The PIAA had been making plans to start the season as scheduled when the Wolf administration recommended Aug. 6 that scholastic and recreational youth sports be put off until January.

Rhode Island

Providence: Rhode Island’s slow recovery from the economic shutdown prompted by the coronavirus continued last month as the state’s unemployment rate dropped to 11.2% and the economy added nearly 14,000 jobs, the state Department of Labor and Training said Thursday. The July unemployment rate was down 1.4 percentage points from the revised June rate of 12.6%. The rate in July 2019 was 3.6%. The national unemployment rate was 10.2% in July, down from 11.1% the previous month. With the addition of 13,800 jobs in July, the state has recovered more than half of the 98,100 jobs lost in March and April when the economic shutdown meant to control the spread of the virus took effect, the department said. The accommodation and food services sector accounted for about 4,000 of the jobs added July as full service and limited-service restaurants steadily continued to add employment to their payrolls, the department said. The health care and social assistance sector, which includes dentist’s offices, added about 1,600 jobs in the month.

South Carolina

Columbia: The University of South Carolina is joining a handful of universities nationwide to implement saliva tests for COVID-19, as part of its plan to reopen for classes this week. The tests will be free for students, faculty and staff on the school’s Columbia campus, the university said in a news release Tuesday. The tests, which require a spit sample, are an alternative to nasal swab tests and typically deliver results within 24 hours. The implementation of the tests comes amid the university’s attempt to hold classes, which are set to begin Thursday, in person. Other higher education institutions in the state, including Clemson University and the College of Charleston, are delaying the start of in-person teaching because of the pandemic. The University of South Carolina is now the only school in the state to receive state certification for the saliva tests, and one of a handful of universities nationwide approved for the tests. The school said West Columbia-based Nephron Pharmaceuticals donated 50,000 sample tubes and a robot for processing samples.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: State health officials warned Thursday that a number of people who attended the 10-day Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this month, including some who came from out of state, have come down with COVID-19. Department of Health officials did not give an exact number of attendees who tested positive, but they said it was below 25. The rally, which ended Sunday, brought hundreds of thousands of people from far and wide to the city in the western part of the state. Even before it kicked off, some locals and officials expressed concern that COVID-19 could spread rapidly at the rally and that it would be hard to track attendees who got infected before heading home. The state’s health department has received reports from other states that people who traveled from the rally have tested positive, state epidemiologist Josh Clayton said. Contact tracers have been able to work with most people to determine who they were around and might have infected. But the health department has issued public warnings for two bars in the region because they were not able to track all of the people at the bars who may have been exposed to the coronavirus. Sturgis is planning to conduct mass testing of its residents next week to stem a possible outbreak of infections from the rally.

Tennessee

Nashville: State authorities cannot pursue perjury charges against voters who seek mail ballots by concluding on their own that they, or someone in their care, have a health condition that increases their risk for COVID-19, an attorney for the state said in court Thursday. The comment by Deputy Attorney General Janet Kleinfelter came during questioning by Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle as the state and the groups that sued over absentee ballot access continued to argue about transparency in the state’s vote-by-mail eligibility parameters. Earlier this month, Tennessee’s Supreme Court sided with the state by overturning a vote-by-mail option ordered by Lyle for all eligible voters. Afterward, the state removed mentions of COVID-19 from the absentee ballot application. The plaintiffs argued the form doesn’t follow the Supreme Court’s order, which requires instructions for people with underlying health conditions to vote by mail. The state counters that underlying conditions are mentioned on its website and it has sent out news releases to publicize the change, which requires voters to check existing boxes on the form for either illness or caretaking. The state did change its form in another way. A new section on the absentee application offers a reward of up to $1,000 for reporting voter fraud that leads to a conviction. Additionally, the absentee application continues to requires voters to attest to the information they provide under the penalty of perjury.

Texas

Austin: Texas on Thursday joined the growing list of states that will pursue President Donald Trump’s plan to offer a stripped-down boost in unemployment benefits to millions of Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Texas will apply for federal grants allowing the state to increase unemployment checks by $300. An Associated Press survey found that as of Thursday, at least 25 states have said they intend to pursue the money while two states, Mississippi and South Dakota, have said they won’t. Abbott previously was noncommittal about whether Texas would accept the money while expressing optimism that Trump and Congress would reach a deal on a broader new coronavirus relief plan. People out of work had been receiving an extra federally funded $600 a week, but the boost expired at the end of July. The president signed an executive order on Aug. 8 to extend the added weekly benefit, but cut it to $300 or $400 a week, depending on which plan governors choose. “The Lost Wage Assistance program will provide crucial financial support to Texans who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Abbott said in a statement.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Utah overhauled crisis guidelines Thursday that could have put people with disabilities at the back of the line if hospitals become overwhelmed during the coronavirus pandemic, adopting a new plan that federal officials said should serve as a national model for removing bias from life-or-death decisions. The changes settle a complaint from disability advocates and set a new standard for other states in removing bias from making potentially agonizing decisions, said Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “When the going gets tough you don’t throw the most vulnerable overboard,” he said. Utah was one of several states facing complaints over state guidelines meant to help doctors and nurses making life-or-death decisions about who gets care if faced with a nightmare scenario like a shortage of ventilators. Advocates said the criteria devalued older people and those with disabilities, putting their lives at risk in worst-case scenarios. Complaints have also been filed in places like Kansas, Washington state and Oklahoma. Five states have settled so far.

Vermont

Montpelier: Federal coronavirus relief funding is now available to Vermont farmers, sugar makers, meat processors and agricultural food and forest products businesses to help cover losses and costs related to the pandemic. A total of $8.5 million in grants is available and will be distributed to applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to apply for the Agriculture and Working Lands Assistance Application is Oct. 1. “Farmers have not stopped working since the pandemic and are providing us with food but many of their markets were disrupted, creating economic hardship,” said Gov. Phil Scott in a written statement. “These grants are intended to alleviate losses and added expenses due to the impacts of COVID.” Applicants are advised to complete a W-9 form and collect records of losses and costs since March 1 that are related to the public health emergency. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture will hold webinars on the application process, with the first one happening at noon Friday.

Virginia

Hopewell: A prison staff union representative said nearly a third of inmates at a federal correction facility in Virginia have tested positive for the coronavirus. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Wednesday that the outbreak is at the Federal Correctional Institution Petersburg complex. It includes a work camp, as well as a low- and medium-security prisons in Prince George County. Michael A. Castelle Sr., a union representative for the facility’s prison staff, shared an email with the newspaper from a prison official that said that 60 of 187 inmates are currently positive for the virus. The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on specifics. Emery Nelson, a bureau spokesperson, told the newspaper that all of its institutions “have areas set aside for quarantine and isolation. Inmates are treated at the institution unless medical staff determine they require hospitalization.” Nelson added that all inmates are managed per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The Bureau of Prisons has reported that 1,378 federal inmates and 592 staff have currently tested positive for the virus across the country.

Washington

Spokane: Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday updated his coronavirus proclamation so that it requires agricultural employers to test their workforce broadly when health officials identify an outbreak that passes certain thresholds. Since the governor first issued his proclamation on May 28, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Washington has increased from 21,138 to 67,721, an average of more than 500 new cases per day. Many of the new cases are appearing at farms and food-packing facilities, where employees often work, travel, and live together in close contact. “From the data, we know that people of color have been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic, and while we have much work to do to address that, this is one step in the right direction,” Inslee said. In addition, Washington Secretary of Health John Wiesman ordered Gebbers Farms, located in Okanogan County, to test all its employees in coming weeks. Gebbers Farms has suffered a significant outbreak of COVID-19, including the deaths of three employees. “We call upon all agricultural employers to join us in proactively safeguarding against workplace outbreaks,” Inslee said. “When employers are unable to do so on their own, local health jurisdictions and state Department of Health will be ready to intervene.”

West Virginia

Charleston: A child has a rare, serious immune system condition associated with the coronavirus, health officials said Thursday. The Department of Health and Human Resources said the child was the first in the state to be diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 570 children in the U.S. have contracted the condition and 10 have died. “This development is an unfortunate reminder that COVID-19 does not just affect the elderly,” Dr. Ayne Amjad, the state’s health officer, said in a news release. “We must continue to be diligent in our efforts to protect each other by social distancing, wearing masks in public and following all recommendations of local, state and federal health experts.” Forty other states had reported similar cases from mid-February to mid-July. The CDC said a study found many of the patients with the condition had severe complications, including inflammation of the heart, shock and kidney damage. Nearly two-thirds of the cases overall were admitted to intensive care units, and the average ICU stay was five days.

Wisconsin

Green Bay:Fifty-seven people have tested positive for the coronavirus at the Green Bay Correctional Institution, according to state officials. All of the prisoners who have tested positive are being isolated and anyone who was exposed is being quarantined, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections said. All inmates and staff at the prison are in the process of being tested for COVID-19 with the help of the National Guard. “As we’ve all learned about COVID-19, due to asymptomatic cases, mass testing is the only way for us to identify all persons in our care infected and isolate them from the uninfected,” DOC Secretary Kevin Carr said in a statement. Three staff members are among the 57 positive cases, the State Journal reported. Corrections officials completed a mass testing of inmates and staff at each of its 37 prison facilities at the end of July and just nine people tested positive. Green Bay prison staff have been required to wear masks, except while eating or drinking or while alone in an office, DOC said. Inmates are required to wear masks in common spaces. The only other major outbreak DOC has reported in a Wisconsin prison was at the Waupun Correctional Institution in May and early June, when there were 228 positive COVID-19 cases. among prisoners. All since recovered from the virus.

Wyoming

Casper: The total number of coronavirus cases in Wyoming grew by 67 on Wednesday, with the number of confirmed cases rising by 59, the Casper Star-Tribune reported, according to the Wyoming Department of Health’s daily update. The newly confirmed cases come from Albany, Campbell, Carbon (eight), Converse, Crook (two), Fremont (14), Goshen, Laramie (six), Natrona (two), Park (four), Sheridan (nine), Sublette, Sweetwater (six), Teton, Uinta and Washakie (two) counties. The 59 confirmed cases are tied for the fourth-most announced in a single day in Wyoming, and the 67 total cases are the third-most.