State of the Union 2023 address recap: Biden lays out ambitious ...

WASHINGTON, D.C — President Joe Biden took credit Tuesday for what he said was the country's economic revival while pushing an agenda of reducing prescription drug costs, protecting abortion rights and banning assault weapons.

The economy was reeling two years ago, Biden said in his second State of the Union address delivered in a packed House chamber. In a preview of an expected reelection campaign announcement, he noted that the unemployment rate was at 50-year low while inflation has been easing.

“We’ve been sent here to finish the job,” Biden said, invoking a phrase he used several times in his speech.

But the rancorous atmosphere in the House chamber telegraphed fights ahead, including over budget priorities and avoiding a catastrophic default on the nation’s debt. At several points in Biden’s speech, was interrupted by Republicans, who criticized his handling of border policy and pushed back when he accused them of trying to cut popular entitlements.

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Heckles, spats and deflection:The biggest moments you missed from Biden's State of the Union

State of the Union takeaways:Blue-collar Joe, GOP boos and a 2024 preview

The latest on Biden's speech:

Blue-collar pitch: Promoting his economic plan, Biden assured Americans that he wants to invest in “places and people that have been forgotten,” arguing that “too many people have been left behind or treated like they’re invisible.”

Promoting his economic plan, Biden assured Americans that he wants to invest in “places and people that have been forgotten,” arguing that “too many people have been left behind or treated like they’re invisible.” Biden calls Pelosi 'greatest speaker’ ever: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi isn’t sitting behind Biden for his address but she got a special call-out from the president anyway.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi isn’t sitting behind Biden for his address but she got a special call-out from the president anyway. Biden touts progress on insulin prices while pushing for more: Biden renewed his call to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for every American.

Biden renewed his call to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for every American. Biden spars with GOP over Social Security and Medicare: The president prompted protests in the chamber from Republican lawmakers when he repeated his accusation that the GOP was trying to cut entitlements. When the protests continued, Biden said he wasn’t arguing that all Republicans back reviewing entitlement programs every five years. “But it’s being proposed,” he said.

Sanders: Biden has 'failed' American people; calls for 'new generation'

Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas, at age 40 the youngest governor in the country, didn't hesitate to point out that 80-year-old Joe Biden is the oldest president in history – and added that it is time for a "new generation" of Republican leadership.

"Biden and the Democrats have failed you," Sanders said in the formal GOP response to Biden's State of the Union address. "It's time for a change."

Speaking from the governor's mansion in Little Rock, Ark., Sanders cited domestic issues like inflation, immigration, and crime. Also criticizing the president's foreign policy, Sanders said Biden is "unfit" to be Commander-in-Chief.

Citing the Republican majority in the House, Sanders said: "We will hold the Biden administration accountable."

– David Jackson

The GOP:In Republican response to Biden's State of the Union, a vow to block the president's agenda

Biden calls Paul Pelosi 'tough'

Biden called out the political violence that was unleashed in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack.

“With democracy, everything is possible. Without it, nothing is,” he said.

Biden introduced Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was violently attacked in their home by an intruder, saying the assailant was “unhinged by the Big Lie” that the election was stolen.

“Here tonight in this chamber is the man who bears the scars of that brutal attack, but is as tough and strong and as resilient as they get. My friend, Paul Pelosi," he said. “But such a heinous act never should have happened.”

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Paul Pelosi attack:Video footage of violent home attack on Paul Pelosi released

Biden gets personal and celebrates Cancer Moonshot initiative

Biden celebrated the Cancer Moonshot initiative, aimed at advancing cancer prevention and treatment,

“Our goal is to cut the cancer death rates at least by 50% in the next 25 years. Turn more cancers from death sentences to treatable diseases. Provide more support for patients and their families.” The issue is also deeply personal to Biden, as one of his sons, Beau Biden, passed away due to brain cancer. “It’s personal to so many of us.”

Biden also singled out Maurice and Kandice Barron, a pair of guests invited by First Lady Jill Biden. Their daughter, Ava Barron, was diagnosed with a form of kidney cancer when she was one year old. “She turns four next month,” Biden said to wide cheers from the audience. “They just found out Ava’s beating the odds and is on her way to being cured from cancer.”

– Ken Tran

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Biden says US stood up to China

Facing Republicans who’ve accused him of being too soft on China, Biden said he responded clearly last week when a Chinese surveillance balloon floated over the United States.

China knows that if U.S. sovereignty is threatened, Americans will act to protect the country.

“And we did,” Biden said, an apparent reference to his decision to shoot down the balloon.

– Maureen Groppe

Chinese spy balloon:Chinese spy balloon went over other US missile and nuclear weapons sites, lawmaker says

Biden: Stop production, trafficking of fentanyl

Citing Americans’ growing dependence on prescription drugs, Biden called for a major campaign to stop the production, sale and trafficking of fentanyl.

Biden noted that fentanyl is killing more than 70,000 Americans a year. But his remarks were met with contempt from some members of Congress.

“It’s your fault!” several Republicans shouted.

– Michael Collins

What is fentanyl poisoning?:These State of the Union guests lost their son to it

Biden says VA working to end 'the silent scourge of suicide'

Biden said when he first appointed Denis McDonough to run the Department of Veterans Affairs, the country was losing up to 25 veterans a day to “the silent scourge of suicide,” and continues to lose 17 per day.

“The VA is doing everything it can, including expanding mental health screenings and a proven program that recruits veterans to help other veterans understand what they’re going through and get the help they need,”

– Erin Mansfield

Military suicide:Amid suicide crisis, the Army says it will rush mental health providers to Alaska

Biden calls for higher teacher pay

Biden hasn't touched much on education issues during the address but did take a moment to outline several priorities on that front. Among them: expanding access to preschool and raising teacher pay.

In 2021, teachers made less than 77 cents on the dollar compared with other college graduates. Yet surveys show teachers work more than 50 hours a week on average. Close to 1 in 5 work elsewhere at another job. It's no surprise that nearly half of U.S. schools are short teachers. Some states and districts have proposed or enacted pay bumps but they've been modest at best.

Federal legislation again before Congress this session would set a teacher salary floor of $60,000. While raising teacher pay has garnered the support of some Republicans, the American Teacher Act is unlikely to get far. In some states teachers make less than $50,000 on average.

– Alia Wong

Teacher shortage:Amid crippling teacher shortages, some schools are turning to unorthodox solutions

Biden urges lawmakers to protect abortion rights

Biden called on lawmakers to “restore” abortion rights after the Supreme Court last year overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion.

“The vice president and I are doing everything to protect access to reproductive health care and safeguard patient safety,” Biden said, noting that states across the country have implemented abortion bans and restrictions.

“Make no mistake about it. If Congress passes a national ban, I will veto it,” the president vowed.

– Marina Pitofsky

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Biden renews call to stand with Ukraine 'as long as it takes'

Calling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “test for the ages,” Biden said the U.S. passed that test by standing for sovereignty.

That matters, Biden said, because it “prevents open season for would-be aggressors.”

His argument – and promise to stand with Ukraine “as long as it takes” – comes as some Republicans are calling for greater scrutiny, or even a curtailment, of U.S. involvement.

– Maureen Groppe

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America’s border problems won’t be fixed until Congress acts, said Biden.

Since launching a new border plan last month, unlawful migration from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela has come down 97%, Biden said.

“We now have a record number of personnel working to secure the border, arresting 8,000 human smugglers and seizing over 23,000 pounds of fentanyl in just the last several months,” he said.

He urged Congress to pass his plan to provide the equipment and officers to secure the border. He also asked Congress to pave a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, those on temporary status, farm workers, and essential workers.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Border politics:Republicans said Biden wasn't doing enough on the border. New GOP-led House is demanding answers

Biden highlights ‘courage’ of Brandon Tsay and calls for assault weapon bans

Biden singled out Brandon Tsay’s heroism two weeks ago when he disarmed the Monterey Park shooter who killed 11 people who attended a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration. Tsay, who is in attendance, received a standing ovation from lawmakers as Biden acknowledged him.

“He saved lives. It’s time we do the same as well,” Biden said. “Ban assault weapons once and for all.”

Mass shootings typically lead lawmakers to call for such actions but it’s unlikely that a ban will pass in a divided Congress with many Republican lawmakers who have vowed that they will not waver on gun control.

– Elisabeth Buchwald

'Still too high':Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin orders independent panel to study military suicide

Marjorie Taylor Greene yells at Biden multiple times

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a fervent opponent of Biden who has called for his impeachment, yelled at him twice during the State of the Union address.

The first time came as Biden said Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare – an accusation that Greene refuted when she stood up yelled “Liar!”

Greene later yelled, “China spied on us!” near the end of Biden’s speech.

She also yelled to “close the border” and “it’s your fault” when the president talked about the fentanyl crisis.

– Candy Woodall

Heckling lawmakers:Marjorie Taylor Greene, other Republicans spar with Biden over Social Security, Medicare

State of the Union guests:Lawmakers highlight policing, abortion, wrongful imprisonment

Biden on Tyre Nichols’ death: ‘Something good must come from this’

Biden used his speech to pay tribute to Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died after being beaten by Memphis police officers.

Biden called for more police training and more resources to reduce violent crime, along with more investments in housing, education and training.

Noting that Nichols’ mother and stepfather were seated in the first lady’s box, Biden urged lawmakers to commit themselves to making the words of Nichols’ mother come true: “Something good must come from this.”

– Michael Collins

Tyre Nichols killing:7 more Memphis police employees under investigation in Tyre Nichols' death, city attorney says

Biden invokes Uvalde massacre in call for gun reform

In a call to action on gun violence, Biden invoked his trip to Uvalde, Texas, after the Robb Elementary School shooting where 19 students and two teachers were killed.

“Do something, do something. That was the plea of parents who lost their children in Uvalde, I met with everyone.” Biden said, then pointing to the bipartisan gun reform law he signed. “Thank god we did. Passing the most sweeping gun safety law in three decades.”

– Ken Tran

Uvalde shooting:Her daughter was killed in Uvalde. She's suing police, the school district and a gunmaker.

COVID is under control but vigilance necessary, says Biden

While COVID-19 deaths are down nearly 90%, and the end of the public health emergency is close, Biden said the country will remember the pain of losing loved ones will never go away for many.

“Families grieving. Children orphaned. Empty chairs at the dining room table. We remember them, and we remain vigilant,” he said.

Biden said it was important to remain vigilant and monitor dozens of variants and support new vaccines and treatments. He urged Congress to fund these efforts and keep America safe.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

The COVID emergency declaration is ending:What it means for tests, vaccines, treatment

Biden: Police departments 'must be held accountable'

Saying Tyre Nichols’ mother wants something good to come from his death at the hands of police officers in Memphis, Biden called for police reform.

“When police officers or departments violate the public trust, they must be held accountable,” he said.

Biden also pointed to an executive order he signed affecting federal officers that banned chokeholds, restricted no-knock warrants, and implemented “other key elements of the George Floyd Act.”

– Erin Mansfield

Tyre Nichols:Ex-Memphis police officer took a photo of Tyre Nichols after beating, document says

Biden urges Congress to act on labor reform

Biden called for Congress to take up labor reform and worker protections as he touted his support for unions and his pledge to be “the most pro-union president.”

“I’m so sick and tired of companies breaking the law by preventing workers from organizing,” said Biden. “Workers have a right to form a union.”

Biden also urged action on additional worker protections and benefits, including paid family and medical leave and affordable child care, specifically calling for the return of the expanded Child Tax Credit.

– Ken Tran

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Biden calls for rebooting the expanded Child Tax Credit

Parents who qualify for the Child Tax Credit (CTC) won’t be getting as hefty checks as last year. That’s because the enhanced CTC, which parents could also opt to receive in installments rather than waiting to receive it in a lump sum payment when they file their taxes, expired.

The enhanced CTC increased payments from $2,000 per qualifying child to $3,600 for children ages 5 and under and $3,000 for children ages 6 through 17. This year it will go back to $2,000 for qualifying children of all ages.

In his remarks, Biden vowed to “restore the full Child Tax Credit which gave tens of millions of parents some breathing room and cut child poverty in half, to the lowest level in history.”

– Elisabeth Buchwald

Child tax credit this year:How much is the Child Tax Credit for 2023? Here's what you need to know about qualifying.

Biden: Ban ‘junk fees’ on hotel bills, other services

Biden urged Congress to pass legislation to ban excess fees that companies often tack onto hotel bills, airline tickets and other services.

“Americans are tired of being played for suckers,” he said.

The Junk Fee Prevention Act, if approved, would bar so-called “resort fees” that can add up to $90 a night on hotel bills, stop cable internet and cell phone companies from charging up to $200 more when a customer switches providers, and prohibit airlines from charging up to $50 roundtrip for families to sit together, Biden said.

– Michael Collins

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Social Security and Medicare benefits draw tension during speech

Biden’s State of the Union address comes as he and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have started talks on the debt ceiling and government spending.

Tension has been building between the two parties over Social Security and Medicare benefits. McCarthy said Republicans aren’t going to cut those programs, but Democrats say the math will force those cuts if the GOP demands lowered government spending.

Biden in his speech said Republicans want to cut the programs, to which Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., stood up and yelled “Liar!” as other members booed the president.

“OK, so we agree,” Biden said. “Social Security and Medicare is off the books.”

Bipartisan cheers returned to the chamber.

– Candy Woodall

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Biden takes credit for deficit cuts

Biden celebrated the government’s deficit cuts seen under his administration in his State of the Union address.

“For the last two years, my administration has cut the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion, the largest deficit reduction in American history,” Biden said. The deficit’s cut was partly a result of higher tax revenues that Biden touted but also the end of spending related to the pandemic.

Biden also took a jab at former President Donald Trump for increases in the federal deficit under Trump’s administration. “Under the previous administration, the American deficit went up four years in a row,” Biden said, to boos and jeers from Republican lawmakers.

– Ken Tran

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Biden says Republicans want to ‘take the economy hostage’ in debt ceiling talks

Biden accused Republicans of wanting to “take the economy hostage” unless he agrees to their demands for spending cuts during debt ceiling talks.

Biden demanded Republicans show “what their plans are.” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has not specified what Republicans want axed.

“Some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset every five years,” Biden said, prompting loud boos from Republicans in Congress.

– Joey Garrison

Medicare and debt ceiling fight:How Medicare and Social Security benefits factor into the Kevin McCarthy debt ceiling fight

Biden defends Inflation Reduction Act

President Biden touted the Inflation Reduction Act which he signed into law, saying he was taking on powerful interest to bring health care costs down.

“You know, we pay more for prescription drugs than any major country on earth,” he said. “Big Pharma has been unfairly charging people hundreds of dollars – and making record profits.”

Having capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors on Medicare, Biden said it was time to help Americans not on Medicare, including 200,000 young people with Type I diabetes who need insulin to save their lives. “Let’s cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for every American who needs it,” he said. The law also caps out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors on Medicare at a maximum $2,000 per year.

He also promised to veto any attempts to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Credit fees:Biden moves to limit credit fees to $8 for missed payments in latest "junk fee" crack down

Biden tangles with GOP lawmakers over Social Security and Medicare

Biden got into an unusual back and forth with Republicans over whether GOP lawmakers want to end the automatic continuation of Social Security and Medicare.

When some vocally protested, Biden responded: “Anyone who doubts it, contact my office. I’ll give you a copy of the proposal.”

When the protests continued, Biden said he wasn’t arguing that all Republicans back reviewing entitlement programs every five years.

“But it’s being proposed,” he said.

– Maureen Groppe

Medicare debate:How Medicare and Social Security benefits factor into the Kevin McCarthy debt ceiling fight

Cheers and boos for Biden

Progressive members of the House, known as “the Squad,” cheered as President Joe Biden pushed for fair taxes and called out low tax rates for billionaires.

“You tell ‘em, Joe,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

He also had plenty of jeers from the Republican side of the chamber when he slammed former President Donald Trump’s fiscal record and accused the House GOP of trying to cut Social Security and Medicare. The latter attracted loud boos.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., stood up and yelled, “Liar!” from the back of the chamber.

– Candy Woodall

Talkative Biden:On average, Biden is most talkative president in six decades of State of Union addresses

Biden repeats call for ‘billionaire’s tax’

Biden used his speech to call again for Congress to pass a so-called “billionaire’s tax,” saying some of the biggest corporations in the country are raking in billions of dollars in profits but paying no federal income taxes.

“That’s simply not fair,” he said.

Biden did not spell out the specifics of his proposal. But in the past, he has called for a 20% levy on households with a net worth of more than $100 million.

– Michael Collins

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Biden calls climate crisis ‘an existential threat’

Biden said “the climate crisis doesn't care if you're in a red or blue state” as he touted his administration’s work to take on what he called “an existential threat.”

He pointed to the Inflation Reduction Act, which included the largest climate package ever, and investments from his infrastructure law.

He later went off-script, saying, “We’re still going to need oil and gas for a while.”

– Joey Garrison

UN Secretary-General::'No more baby steps' on climate change

Biden to Congress: Continue insurance subsidies that lowered uninsured rates

Biden celebrated the fact that a record number of Americans have health insurance while calling on Congress to continue expanded insurance subsidies that helped boost that rate.

Those enhanced subsidies for people who purchase insurance on their own, instead of getting coverage from the government or an employer, expire after 2025.

“Let’s finish the job and make the savings permanent,” Biden said as he also called for extending expanded Medicaid coverage to all states.

– Maureen Groppe

Biden takes made in America a step further

Biden touted American manufacturing gains and a campaign promise to move more production to the U.S. from foreign countries. Biden then announced, “new standards to require all construction materials used in federal infrastructure projects to be made in America.”

“American-made lumber, glass, drywall, fiber optic cables,” he said. “And on my watch, American roads, American bridges, and American highways will be made with American products.”

Biden’s message echoes former President Donald Trump’s prior State of the Union addresses where he boasted about initiatives to bring back manufacturing jobs that have been lost over the years.

– Elisabeth Buchwald

Insulin costs:Medicare caps insulin costs at $35 a month. Can Biden get that price for all Americans?

Biden touts legislative victories in infrastructure and manufacturing

Biden championed his series of legislative victories that ranged from tackling the country’s supply chain shortage and sweeping investments in domestic manufacturing and infrastructure.

“We’re gonna make sure the supply chain for America begins in America,” Biden said, touting a bipartisan bill he signed that made investments to boost domestic manufacturing of semiconductors.

“To maintain the strongest economy in the world, we need the best infrastructure in the world,” said Biden, pointing to the bipartisan infrastructure bill. “Folks, we’re just getting started.”

– Ken Tran

Why Bono is at SOTU:Here's why musician, advocate Bono is at Biden's State of the Union address

Biden appeals to middle and working class people on manufacturing

In an appeal to middle class and working class people, Biden said he ran for president “to make sure the economy works for everyone” so that everyone can have pride in what they do for a living.

“For decades, the middle class was hollowed out,” he said. “Too many good-paying manufacturing jobs moved overseas. Factories at home closed down. Once-thriving cities and towns that many of you represent became shadows of what they used to be.”

Biden then spoke about his administration’s accomplishments in the manufacturing sector.

– Erin Mansfield

What is fentanyl poisoning?:These State of the Union guests lost their son to it

More:As Biden prepares 2024 reelection run, Dems worry blue-collar voters are slipping away

Biden: ‘COVID no longer controls our lives’

Biden said the nation’s economy is roaring back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Two years ago, COVID had shut down our businesses, closed our schools, and robbed us of so much,” he said. “Today, COVID no longer controls our lives.”

Biden said his administration has created 12 million jobs, “more jobs created in two years than any president has ever created in four.”

– Michael Collins

A full House – literally – for State of the Union

President Joe Biden entered a full House chamber Tuesday.

The capacity crowd included House and Senate members, current and former Supreme Court justices, family and honored guests.

Biden’s first words were met with a standing ovation, as he honored Republican and Democratic leaders – but also as he described the state of the union.

The applause came from Democrats and Republicans, and the standing ovations were sometimes led by a row of powerful Senate moderates, including Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Kyrsten Sinema, who recently changed her party affiliation to independent.

– Candy Woodall

Biden: Pelosi is 'greatest speaker’ ever

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi isn’t sitting behind Biden for his address but she got a special call-out from the president anyway.

“I want to give special recognition to someone who I think will be considered the greatest speaker in the history of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi,” Biden said.

Pelosi stepped down from Democratic leadership after the midterm elections. Biden also congratulated her successor, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black American to be House minority leader.

– Maureen Groppe

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Biden begins speech telling McCarthy he looks forward to ‘working together’

Biden began his remarks congratulating Kevin McCarthy, the new Republican House speaker, and saying he looks forward to “working together.”

Biden also congratulated Democratic Leader Hakeem Jefferies, the first African American man to lead a party, and gave shout outs to Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“The story of America is a story of progress and resilience. Of always moving forward. Of never giving up,” Biden said.

– Joey Garrison

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is designated survivor for 2023 State of the Union

Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh is the designated survivor for this year's State of the Union address.

Every year, a top government official is chosen as the “designated survivor” as a way to maintain the presidential line of succession in case of a catastrophic event where multiple officials in the line are unable to assume office.

– Ken Tran

Marty Walsh:Former Boston mayor Marty Walsh stepping down as Biden Labor Secretary for job with NHL union

Bono is at the State of the Union

Bono, the Irish lead singer of U2, is attending the State of the Union as a guest of first lady Jill Biden.

Bono is a longtime social justice advocate who co-founded the nonprofit ONE Campaign to address poverty and preventable diseases and Prouct RED to address HIV and AIDS in Africa.

He’s sitting next to Paul Pelosi, husband of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

– Erin Mansfield

What is fentanyl poisoning?:These State of the Union guests lost their son to it

2 Californians will sit behind Biden

Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy may not share a political party. But they do have something in common. Both are from California.

That gave them at least one thing to talk about as they stood on the rostrum, waiting for Biden’s speech to begin.

– Maureen Groppe

Biden gets a Supreme Court majority for speech, if not policies

At least for tonight, President Joe Biden landed a majority of the Supreme Court.

Five sitting Supreme Court justices stepped into the House chamber before the president’s remarks: Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

That’s a decent turnout for an event some current and former justices have derided as a “political pep rally” and a “childish spectacle.”

Whether the president can cobble together a majority for any of his policies pending at the court – on immigration, student loan debt relief or environmental rules – remains to be seen.

– John Fritze

Biden to get bipartisan escort into House chamber

Biden will be escorted into the House chamber by a bipartisan group of House and Senate officials, including Senate leaders Chuck Schumer, D-NY, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

–Michael Collins

Face masks uncommon as pre-pandemic normality returns

Few lawmakers were wearing face masks as they filed onto the House floor for Biden’s State of the Union speech.

And unlike last year, members of Congress were allowed to bring guests, a return to pre-pandemic normality.

“Today, COVID no longer controls our lives,” Biden will declare, according to speech excerpts the White House released in advance.

– Maureen Groppe

State of the economy:A look at economy's strengths, weaknesses as Biden sets to boast of record job growth in State of Union

Biden arrives at Capitol

Biden’s motorcade arrived at the Capitol at 8:40 p.m. ahead of his 9 p.m. State of the Union speech.

“Great shape, getting better,” Biden said when a reporter asked him, “What’s the state of the union?” before he departed the White House.

– Joey Garrison

5 big questions for Biden's speech:Is he running? 5 big questions Joe Biden will answer in the State of the Union

Poll: Republicans want GOP leaders to 'stand up’ to Biden

If Biden doesn’t find a receptive audience to his call for the two parties to work together, Republican voters could be the reason.

Most Republicans (64%) want GOP congressional leaders to “stand up” to Biden on matters important to GOP, even if that makes it harder to address critical problems facing the country, according to recent polling from the Pew Research Center.

And more are concerned that GOP lawmakers won’t focus enough on investigating the administration than the share worried that they will focus too much on investigations.

– Maureen Groppe

State of the Union guests:Lawmakers highlight policing, abortion, wrongful imprisonment

Biden approval rating hovering in low 40s ahead of speech

Biden’s second State of the Union address Tuesday comes as he remains under water politically, with more than half of voters disapproving of his job performance, according to most polls.

A Washington Post-ABC poll released this week found 42% of voters approve of Biden’s job performance, while 53% disapprove. That closely matches the FiveThirtyEight average of polls.

Biden’s job performance has stayed below since August 2021 in most polls. Even more troubling for Biden, most Americans can’t identify his achievements. Sixty-two percent of Americans said Biden has accomplished "not very much" or “little or nothing," in the same Washington Post-ABC News poll, while only 36% said he has accomplished "a great deal" or "a good amount."

– Joey Garrison

What to watch for:The State of the Union is Tuesday: Here's what you can expect from Joe Biden's speech

Vice President Kamala Harris chats with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy ahead of speech

Vice President Kamala Harris shook hands with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and the two chatted, as they stood behind the rostrum waiting for Biden to enter the House chamber.

This will be the first State of the Union with McCarthy as speaker since Republicans took control of the House during the midterm elections.

– Joey Garrison

Biden heads to the Capitol

Biden left the White House at 8:30 p.m. en route to the Capitol. Vice President Kamala Harris arrived ahead of him along with the majority of his Cabinet.

– Elisabeth Buchwald

Paul Pelosi arrives at State of the Union

Paul Pelosi, the 82-year-old husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, arrived at the State of the Union about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

This marks his first visit to a joint session of Congress since a video release of a brutal October attack that left him with head and hand injuries requiring surgery.

– Candy Woodall

Lawmakers arrive for State of the Union

If handshakes across the aisle are any reliable indication, there was a hint of bipartisanship in the air as lawmakers arrived for President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union before a divided Congress.

There was also the smell of cigars in the House gallery hallways on the third floor, a sign of the changing guard and new House rules.

Several guests and congresswomen were wearing white, as a nod to the suffragettes. That included Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who despite earlier posts did not bring a white balloon into the chamber to troll Biden about what she describes as a delayed response in taking down the Chinese spy balloon.

- Candy Woodall

Biden traveling to Wisconsin and Florida after speech

Biden administration officials will hit the road this week, holding events in at least 20 states to highlight parts of the president’s message.

Biden himself will talk about his economic agenda in Wisconsin Wednesday and will discuss Social Security and Medicare in Florida Thursday.

Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to Georgia and Minnesota. Multiple other cabinet members are also fanning out across the country.

- Maureen Groppe

How would Biden’s billionaire tax work?

Tonight Biden will resurface his plan to levy more taxes on the ultra-wealthy. But how would that work?

Under the current tax system, you don’t have to pay taxes on assets like stocks, homes and artwork that can appreciate over time until you sell it. But if you hold onto them until you die, you won’t have to pay any taxes. And on top of that, heirs that inherit your assets won’t have to pay taxes if they sell them.

The Biden Administration refers to this as a tax loophole, as billionaires benefit the most since they’re more likely than working-class Americans to get compensated via stocks or other assets that appreciate over time or inherit them.

To end the practice, Biden is proposing “minimum income tax” on American households worth more than $100 million. His plan calls for the wealthiest Americans to pay a tax rate of at least 20% on their full income, including unrealized gains from assets that have increased in value since their purchase.

– Elisabeth Buchwald

Taxing billionaires:Should the wealthy pay taxes on expensive art and wine? Joe Biden thinks so. Here's how it would work

Ocasio-Cortez lays out expectations for Biden’s speech, working with Republicans

Ahead of Biden’s address, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D.-N.Y., said she’s hoping to “hear a really strong vision” from Biden and explained how Democrats and Republicans could find common ground after the GOP gained control of the House during the midterm elections.

The New York lawmaker told CNN she hopes to hear “about not just what we've done so far, but also our plans on executing on the enormous bills and successes that we've had in the last one to two years," saying “There still is implementation and execution on these plans to address our priorities around climate, taxing the rich and so much more.”

– Marina Pitofsky

Biden's 'finish the job' call in State of the Union echoes FDR

Historian Michael Beschloss hears echoes of Franklin D. Roosevelt in Biden’s State of the Union address.

Biden will call on Republicans to work with him to “finish the job” of rebuilding the economy and uniting the country, according to excerpts of the speech released by the White House.

“Finish the job” was used as a rationale for FDR's reelection, Beschloss tweeted about the phrase’s historical lineage. It was also a slogan for the World War I effort. And in a famous radio address during World War II, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill vowed to “finish the job.”

At the start of Biden’s administration, many comparisons – not all of them favorable – were made between the size and scope of Biden’s ambitions, Roosevelt’s programs and the World War II spending that lifted the nation out of the Great Depression.

– Maureen Groppe

Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Biden is more interested in 'woke fantasies' than concerns of everyday Americans

In delivering the Republican response to the State of the Union, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sander plans to attack Biden and the Democrats over a panoply of issues that include inflation, taxes, education and so-called "culture wars."

"And while you reap the consequences of their failures, the Biden administration seems more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day," Sanders plans to say, according to speech excerpts released by her office.

Another excerpt: "Most Americans simply want to live their lives in freedom and peace, but we are under attack in a left-wing culture war we didn’t start and never wanted to fight."

– David Jackson

State of the Union guests:Lawmakers highlight policing, abortion, wrongful imprisonment

How long does the State of the Union last? What it will take for Biden to set a SOTU record

Biden’s first State of the Union address in 2022 was somewhere between the longest and shortest speeches ever given, according to The American Presidency Project. Will he keep his second address tonight short and sweet, or will he be long-winded?

If he intendeds to break the record for the shortest speech ever, he’d have it keep it under 28 minutes and 55 seconds. That was the time Richard Nixon took to deliver his address in 1972. To beat the longest address ever, he’d have to outdo his fellow Democrat former President Bill Clinton, who went on for 1 hour, 28 minutes and 40 seconds for his final State of the Union speech in 2000. Clinton also claims the spot for the second longest address, clocking in at 1 hour, 24 minutes and 58 seconds in 1995.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Biden to promise investment in ‘places and people that have been forgotten’

Biden will spend part of his address promoting his economic plan and assuring Americans that he wants to invest in “places and people that have been forgotten.”

Amid the economic upheaval of the past four decades, too many people have been left behind or treated like they’re invisible, he will say, according to excerpts of the speech released by the White House.

“Maybe that’s you watching at home,” Biden will say. “You remember the jobs that went away. And you wonder whether a path even exists anymore for you and your children to get ahead without moving away. I get it. That’s why we’re building an economy where no one is left behind. Jobs are coming back, pride is coming back because of the choices we made in the last two years. This is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America and make a real difference in your lives.”

– Michael Collins

Biden to praise recovery from Jan. 6 riot, COVID

President Joe Biden will say “the story of America is a story of progress and resilience” in his State of the Union address as he touts a rebounding economy, COVID-19 recovery and democracy that survived the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack, according to excerpts of the speech provided by the White House.

Biden will tout 12 million new jobs created under his presidency – many that came back following the pandemic – to claim economic progress. And he will reflect on a period two years ago when businesses and schools closed at the height of the pandemic.

“Today, COVID no longer controls our lives,” Biden plans to say. “And two years ago, our democracy faced its greatest threat since the Civil War. Today, though bruised, our democracy remains unbowed and unbroken.”

– Joey Garrison

Biden to ask Republicans to work with him in SOTU speech

President Joe Biden will make a plea to Republicans in Congress to work with him. He said after the November elections that Americans sent a divided Congress to Washington because they want them to work together.

“The people sent us a clear message,” Biden will say, according to excerpts released from the White House. “Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict, gets us nowhere.”

– Erin Mansfield

Why Sen. Patty Murray and other lawmakers will be wearing crayons at State of the Union

Washington Sen. Patty Murray and some of her Democratic colleagues will be wearing crayon pins to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday to signal their support for greater investments in child care. Such care now costs more than $10,000 a year on average, and roughly half of Americans live in a child care desert. Insufficient child care takes a toll on America's economy, recent research shows, costing taxpayers $122 billion annually.

Partisan gridlock has prevented progress on major child care reforms, such as Murray's Child Care for Working Families Act, which would generally cap child care expenses at 7% of a family's household income. Biden, who alluded to that cap in his last State of the Union, has also struggled to gain traction on his child care proposals.

– Alia Wong

Lawmakers to highlight key social issues through guests

Tuesday night’s State of the Union address will be the first year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic where lawmakers are allowed to bring their own guests. As part of tradition, lawmakers tend to invite guests that draw attention to issues important to them.

Several Democratic lawmakers have invited guests to champion abortion access such as Roslyn Roger Collins, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Metropolitan New Jersey, who will attend the address alongside Rep. Bob Mendendez, D-N.J., according to Planned Parenthood.

In the wake of the brutal beating and subsequent death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, members of the Congressional Black Caucus are bringing guests who have been impacted by police violence. House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has invited Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, who died at the hands of a New York police officer in 2014.

– Christine Fernando and Ken Tran

Republican response: Sarah Huckabee Sanders follows in historic footsteps with her State of the Union response

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the first former White House press secretary to deliver a formal State of the Union response – she is not, however, the first governor of Arkansas to do the honors.

Back in 1985, the Democrats picked a young governor of Arkansas to deliver their response to President Ronald Reagan.

His name? Bill Clinton ... then-future President Bill Clinton.

Sanders will give the Republican rebuttal after Biden's speech.

– David Jackson

5 big questions for the SOTU:Is he running? 5 big questions Joe Biden will answer in the State of the Union

Biden and China: Spy balloon likely to be addressed

The speech is a chance for Biden to respond to those who have criticized how he handled the suspected Chinese spy balloon that drifted over the United States last week – and to send a public message to China. Republicans have accused Biden of showing weakness by not shooting down the balloon sooner.

Tensions have been rising with China, which the U.S. considers its biggest strategic and economic competitor. The nations have clashed over Taiwan, technology, human rights, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other disputes.

The Biden administration has been trying to stabilize the relationship, building what it’s called “guardrails” as it normalizes interaction. But one effort to do that – sending Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China – was postponed because of the balloon incident.

– Maureen Groppe and Michael Collins

Intel chair: China balloon flew over nuke sites

Biden to lay out 'forceful approach’ to combatting fentanyl

The Biden administration will launch a national campaign to educate young people on the dangers of fentanyl, part of the “forceful approach” for going after fentanyl trafficking and reducing overdose deaths.

Other steps include:

Using new large-scale scanners to improve efforts to stop fentanyl from being brought into the U.S. through the southern border.

Working with package delivery companies to catch more packages containing fentanyl from being shipped around the country.

Working with Congress to make permanent a temporary tool that that’s helped federal agents crack down on drugs chemically similar to fentanyl.

– Maureen Groppe

5 big questions on Biden's speech:Is he running? 5 big questions Joe Biden will answer in the State of the Union

Biden to plug job market as recession looms

President Joe Biden is expected to take credit for a booming job market and easing inflation when he speaks to the nation Tuesday night.

But he’ll likely leave out a litany of trouble spots, including a slumping housing market, a monthslong manufacturing downturn and elevated recession risk this year. Meanwhile, inflation is still high and economists pin at least some of the blame on Biden for showering Americans with cash in early 2021 while the economy was already healing.

– Paul Davidson

State of the economy:A look at economy's strengths, weaknesses as Biden sets to boast of record job growth in State of Union

Who is Sarah Huckabee Sanders? Arkansas governor to giver Republican response to Biden's State of the Union address

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, one-time White House press secretary for former President Trump and current governor of Arkansas, will deliver the Republican rebuttal to Biden’s State of the Union address tonight.

Sanders, the youngest governor in the U.S., hails from a prominent political family. Her father Mike Huckabee was the 44th governor of Arkansas, serving from 1996 to 2007 before launching an unsuccessful presidential bid during the 2008 election. The younger Sanders has since cut out her own place in GOP politics, emerging as one of the more high-profile members of the Trump administration.

– Anna Kaufman

Bono, Tyre Nichols’ family members among guests sitting with first lady Jill Biden Tuesday night

The lead singer for the rock group U2, Bono, and Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, are among the White House guests attending President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday.

Guests are chosen to highlight themes of the president’s speech or because they represent his policy initiatives.

Bono is the cofounder of the ONE campaign to fight poverty and preventable diseases, and (RED), which fights HIV/AIDS in Africa. Other guests who will be sitting with first lady Jill Biden during the speech include:

The mother and stepfather of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old Black man who died after being beaten by Memphis police officers.

Brandon Tsay, the man who disarmed the Monterey Park gunman who killed 11 people and injured 10 others during a Lunar New Year celebration.

A Texas woman who almost died because doctors were concerned that intervening when her pregnancy ran into difficulties would violate the state’s abortion ban.

One of the Massachusetts same-sex couples who sued the state for the right to marry in 2001.

– Maureen Groppe

What to expect from tonight's speech:Here's what you can expect from Joe Biden's speech

Biden's speech comes amid job gains

One accomplishment Biden is sure to bring up tonight is the level of job gains under his presidency. Since he took office the unemployment rate went from 6.3% to 3.4%, per the latest jobs data.

Despite recession fears and massive tech layoffs, U.S. employers added 517,000 new jobs last month, well exceeding economists' expectations of around 180,000 new jobs.

The blowout jobs report paved the way for the Federal Reserve to pass more rate hikes aimed at lowering inflation, Fed Chairman Powell said in remarks he delivered earlier today. But the rate hikes could push the economy closer to a recession, which the central bank has avoided so far.

– Elisabeth Buchwald

Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan remains stalled

Biden has yet to fulfill his campaign promise of canceling at least $10,000 in student loan debt. Last year he unveiled a plan to make good on his promise.

However the plan is being stalled by legal challenges. Six states – Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina – formed a coalition to fight the proposal. They argue that canceling student loan debt extends beyond the administration’s legal authority.

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments for the case later this month. The Biden administration claims it is well within their legal realm to proceed with its plan. It cannot do so unless the Court rules in its favor, however.

– Elisabeth Buchwald

Stock market under Biden

Since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 10%. Last year the index fell into a bear market, meaning it dropped 20% below a market peak set last January.

During former President Donald Trump's time in office, the Dow gained 56%. That represents an annualized gain of close to 12%, one of the best stock market performances under a Republican president according to data from LPL Financial.

– Elisabeth Buchwald

What time is the State of the Union speech tonight?

Biden’s State of the Union speech is Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST.

How to stream the SOTU

The speech will be livestreamed by USA TODAY.

Who is the designated survivor tonight?

The State of the Union address, delivered to a joint session of Congress and a crowd that includes all nine Supreme Court justices, poses a unique scenario in which every key member of the nation’s leadership is in one room.

That makes it both a momentous affair, and a significant national security risk. For this reason, each year one member of the president’s Cabinet dubbed the "designated survivor" hangs back.

The practice dates back to the Cold War, during which fears of a Soviet Nuclear attack abounded and a fresh urgency surrounded protocols for the order of presidential succession. The designated survivor for 2023 has not yet been announced, but heads of the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Energy have most frequently been chosen.

– Anna Kaufman

What channel is the State of the Union on?

The major TV networks and other news outlets, such as Fox News, MSNBC, CNN and PBS, are providing live coverage of the address.

What is the State of the Union address?

The State of the Union address isn’t just a tradition in the nation’s capital. It's rooted in the Constitution.

Article II of the Constitution says the president shall “from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union."

That doesn’t mean the president has to give a speech – as they often do today.

"From that very general mandate in the Constitution has evolved into what we recognize today as a yearly event, with lots of pomp and circumstance," Claire Jerry, a curator of political history at the National Museum of American History, told USA TODAY.

– Marina Pitofsky

When did the annual message become known as State of the Union address?

From 1790 to 1946, the speech delivered by the president to Congress was known simply as the "Annual Message."

In 1947 is became the ‘State of the Union’ and has since been referred to by that name.

– Anna Kaufman

What is the origin of the state of the union address?

Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution states that the president will “give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

This language birthed the practice, allowing the executive to deliver to a joint session of Congress and the American people.

In the modern era, the speech has become a vehicle for administrations to roll out their policy priorities for the coming year and spotlight key agenda issues.

– Anna Kaufman

What to know: Biden hosts French President Macron for state dinner

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden this week will host French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, for the Biden administration’s first state dinner.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that the dinner, which is scheduled for Thursday, “is an opportunity to highlight a foundational component of this administration's approach to foreign policy and that's through alliances.”

“France is a vital global partner and, of course, the United States’ oldest ally,” Kirby said. “Our partnership and tackling tough global challenges underpinned by our shared commitment to democratic principles, values and institutions, and our cultural ties remain a source of strength and importance to our bilateral relationship.”

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The state dinner is occurring nearly halfway through Biden’s term as president. The White House previously said that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay in the event.

This is not the first time Macron has attended a state dinner at the White House. In April 2018, then-President Donald Trump hosted the French president for Trump’s first official state dinner.

What Macron’s schedule looks like

The French president arrives in Washington this week ahead of Thursday’s dinner.

Macron on Wednesday will join Vice President Kamala Harris in visiting NASA headquarters. Kirby said the visit will “showcase our deepening collaboration on space in support of Earth climate and space science and space exploration.”

On Thursday, Biden and the first lady, along with Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, will greet Macron and his wife for the official arrival ceremony.

Biden and Macron will have a bilateral discussion on the same day where the two leaders “will discuss our continued close partnership on shared global challenges and areas of bilateral interest,” according to the White House. They will then hold a press conference following the bilateral meeting.

On Capitol Hill:Is a government shutdown coming? Will same-sex marriage pass? Breaking down Congress' big week

Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday will also host a luncheon at the State Department for Macron.

Harris and Emhoff will also be in attendance at the state dinner.

“Throughout all of these events, you can expect to see on display both our long shared history as allies as well as our deep partnership and taking on the most urgent global challenges of today and tomorrow,” Kirby said Monday.

What to expect at the state dinner

The dinner is a black tie event where many lawmakers, ambassadors and diplomats are often in attendance.

Some celebrities have also made appearances.

This year, musician and Grammy winner Jon Batiste is set to perform.

“An artist who transcends generations, Jon Batiste’s music inspires and brings people together,” said Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for first lady Jill Biden, whose office is overseeing dinner preparations. “We’re thrilled to have him perform at the White House for the first state dinner of the Biden-Harris administration.”

What is a state dinner?

The state dinner is a long-standing tradition at the White House that gives the president and first lady the chance to honor a world leader with their spouse, according to the White House Historical Association.

The first-ever White House state dinner was held in December 1874 by President Ulysses S. Grant, who hosted King David Kalakaua of the Kingdom of Hawai’i.

Among the world leaders who have been hosted at the White House include General Secretary Mikhail S. Gorbachev of the Soviet Union in December 1987, who was hosted by then-President Ronald Reagan.

More:Supreme Court returns to immigration in test of Biden's power to choose deportation targets

In 2001, then-President George W. Bush held a white-tie state dinner for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, "to mark the 400th anniversary of the English settlement of Jamestown, Virginia," according to the White House Historical Association.

Contributing: Associated Press; Merdie Nzanga

Reach Rebecca Morin at Twitter @RebeccaMorin_

The Bidens' first state dinner features butter-poached lobster with a ...

CNN —

President Joe Biden hosted French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Thursday, using the very first state dinner of his presidency to shore up relations with a key American ally whose friendship has until recently been on the rocks.

Sources close to the planning described a super-sized event under a tent on the White House grounds, including not only the many Democrats clamoring for social time at the White House but also a number of officials and policy staffers interested in strengthening relations with France.

In his remarks celebrating ties between the two nations, Biden offered a toast to “the enduring alliance between France and United States,” calling the alliance “a partnership that’s marked by so many firsts.”

The two presidents raised glasses, with Biden saying, “Vive la France and God bless America.”

The moment takes on extra meaning because of how long the Bidens have waited to hold a state dinner – so long, in fact, that many Democrats worried they were squandering it as a valuable diplomatic tool.

Video Ad Feedback Hear what Biden said about a potential meeting with Putin 02:29 - Source: CNN

Advisers to the president told CNN the dinner is part of the US effort to revitalize ties with France. It comes a year after the US announced a surprise US-Australia submarine partnership – upending France’s own submarine deal with Australia and infuriating French officials. The perilous relations are no small matter, given the array of major challenges facing the larger western alliance.

“If you look at what’s going on in Ukraine, look at what’s going on in the Indo-Pacific and the tensions with China, France is really at the center of all those things,” said John Kirby, the National Security Council’s coordinator for strategic communications. “President Macron has been the dynamic leader inside the G7 … so the President felt that this was exactly the right and the most appropriate country to start with for state visits.”

In an early sign of that diplomacy, the Elysee confirmed to CNN on Thursday a series of gifts exchanged between the world leaders and their spouses.

Macron gifted his US counterpart a centerpiece from French goldsmith and tableware house, Christofle, the Elysee said. The present, crafted in 2012, is a tribute to the French transatlantic liner, the “Normandie,” which sailed with a Christofle silverware collection in the interwar period, per the Elysee.

Biden was also presented with a vinyl record and CD of the soundtrack of the film “A man and a woman,” directed by Frenchman Claude Lelouch. The Elysee described the gift as a “nod to the personal history of the Biden couple” as they watched the 1966 film during their first date. The film also won France’s highest film award, the Palme d’Or at the Cannes film festival.

First lady Jill Biden received two French literary works: a copy of “Madame Bovary,” by Gustave Flaubert, as well as a collection of essays written by Albert Camus, per the Elysee.

Finally, Biden received two gifts from the Elysee Palace gift shop, a watch from watchmaker LIP and a jumper from the French brand Saint James.

Butter-poached Maine lobster and calotte of beef, shallot marmalade, are seen at the White House during a media preview of the state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron. Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Sipa USA/AP

The dinner has domestic political overtones, as well. As the Bidens roll out the red carpet for Macron and his wife Brigitte, there’s word they have two more state dinners in the works along with several other social events to come. Several people with knowledge of White House planning and operations, who spoke to CNN for this story, confirmed this State Dinner will be one of several hosted by the Biden administration in upcoming months.

It may suggest, said those familiar with the thinking around future state dinners, Biden indeed wants to run for a second term, something he has said he intends to do, but a decision that also hinges on the consent and support of his wife and extended family.

“These are intricate – and expensive – events,” said one of the people, who has worked in the White House, of state dinners. “If the administration is willing to sink budget dollars into them, there’s probably a larger strategy at play.”

The guest list for Biden’s first state dinner was big from the start, made extra-large to include all of the people who have missed out on key social time with the president due to Covid-19 restrictions. Having done the mental calculations months ago as planning began, said two people familiar with the dinner’s details, the East Wing, the West Wing, the State Department and the National Security Council’s lists ballooned.

Among those attending the state dinner were celebrities and musicians, as well as top lawmakers, according to a printout of guests from the White House. Stephen Colbert, Anna Wintour and John Legend were among the invitees to rub shoulders with the likes of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy.

Two guests of Macron – the head designers for fashion house Oscar de la Renta, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia – confirmed to CNN that Jill Biden wore the luxury label at the dinner.

Garcia said they collaborated with the first lady for about two months on the dress, getting her input on what she wanted for the look, which included “a sense of ease.”

This first State Dinner offered the opportunity to finally make amends to VIPs and diplomats, members of Congress and deep-pocketed donors. A decision was made to hold the dinner in a tent on the South Lawn, which would allow them to comfortably seat the more than 400 guests expected to attend. (The White House is referring to the tent as a “pavilion,” as it has clear panels on the sides.)

An indoor dinner in the State Dining Room is limited by space restrictions – only about 120 guests can be accommodated. The second and last Trump administration State Dinner, for Australia, was held in the Rose Garden, which could seat approximately 200 for a formal dinner.

“We’ve always expected a larger guest list as it’s the first state dinner of the Biden Administration,” Vanessa Valdivia, Jill Biden’s press secretary, told CNN.

A table is set during a media preview ahead of the State Dinner in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 30, 2022. Oliver Contreras/AFP/Getty Images

The dinner for France was actually supposed to take place months prior, said the two people, but scheduling conflicts, including campaign trips for midterm elections, foreign travel and the wedding of Naomi Biden, meant the date was pushed back more than once. Thursday evening was ultimately where the schedules of several executive branch agencies landed with clear calendars.

Unfortunately for the White House social offices and usher’s office, the final date also meant pulling off the ritual of holiday decorations and dozens of White House holiday parties in tandem with a debut State Dinner, something that has not been done before during a modern presidency. The White House calligraphers, kitchen staff, service teams and floral shop all worked to juggle the demands of overlapping, high-caliber events.

Ancillary kitchen space has been added with refrigeration units placed outside the White House kitchen area, as is usually the case for multiple or large social events, especially during the busy holiday party season where there can be as many as two or three receptions per day. (Three of the industrial-sized refrigerators outside earlier this week were labeled with the word “cheese,” in black magic marker – unclear whether for the French dinner, or holiday party nibbles.)

For the State Dinner, the Bidens have opted to use rental dishes, glasses, flatware, table accoutrements and linens. The venue, though on the White House grounds, does not allow for the official White House china services to be used for the dinner, said White House social secretary Carlos Elizondo. White House curators, who oversee the use of all items in the White House collection, do not count the temporarily installed tent as part of the campus – and thus the china of presidents’ past would not be part of the service.

The overall design and the floral arrangements were put together by an event planner, Jung Lee, and her company, Fete, a posh party design outfit favored by celebrities.

A stage and dance floor was erected in the tent for the evening’s entertainment from singer Jon Batiste, a New Orleans native, a city Jill Biden said Wednesday is “shaped by both French and American culture.” The Macrons will visit New Orleans after Washington, before returning to France.

White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford presents the menu during a media preview ahead of the State Dinner in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 30, 2022. Oliver Contreras/AFP/Getty Images

The décor for the dinner was inspired by red, white and blue, the shared colors of the American and French flags, and “our common values: liberty and democracy, equality and fellowship,” said Biden at a preview of the table settings and menu.

The trick of a successful State Dinner format, says a former White House social secretary, is to seamlessly and organically combine elements from both the United States and the visiting country, an offering of hospitality on the side of a main course of diplomacy. But without being too hokey about it.

The flowers on the tables Thursday night were mostly roses; American Beauty varietals and Piano Roses, deep red blooms because, as Elizondo said, Emmanuel Macron likes the piano. French-made Champagne flutes were used for toasting, but filled with American sparkling wine. Tall candelabras holding blood-red candles are meant to mimic the Statue of Liberty, France’s gift to the United States. And so on.

The table setting is something the first lady has said is always her first consideration when hosting anyone for a meal, a memory from her childhood and her mother. “Even if we were only having fish sticks from the freezer, she always made our dinners feel special,” said Biden, who is expected to make remarks at the dinner.

“The first lady has been involved since the beginning, it’s been important to her that the dinner reflects the warmth and approachable hospitality that the Bidens are known for,” Valdivia said.

A person with knowledge of the first lady’s hands-on approach to the dinner said she was involved with all aspects of the planning, down to doing tastings of each dish and overseeing the seating chart, much like her immediate predecessor, Melania Trump, whose first state dinner also happened to be for the Macrons. Unlike the Trump dinner, the Bidens served caviar and butter-poached lobster for a first-course, Calotte of beef and watercress and sunchoke salad for the main. Trump went with goat cheese gateau with tomato jam, and a rack of lamb. Though the two dinners would share a dessert: crème fraiche ice cream.

A table is set during a media preview ahead of the State Dinner in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 30, 2022. Oliver Contreras/AFP/Getty Images

Another common thread with Biden’s immediate predecessor is the lack of a high number of state dinners by this time in his presidency. However, for much of it, Biden has not been able due to the pandemic to host parties. Trump had a third State Dinner in the works – for the King and Queen of Spain – but canceled it as the pandemic took hold around the world.

Biden is also not as inclined socially to host big events at the White House, Covid-19 restrictions or not. The first couple has notably spent most weekends away from Washington in Delaware or Camp David, and as a closely bonded family, there are few occasions where guest lists for dinners expand beyond relatives.

Previous presidents have used the White House frequently to entertain, typically with a subtext, whether political or cultural. In recent history, Barack and Michelle Obama hosted birthday parties and music concerts, bringing together celebrities and politicians for fun-filled, late nights of elbow-rubbing and bonding. The Obamas’ State Dinner for then-French President Francois Hollande in 2014 brought a star-studded guest list that included Bradley Cooper, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stephen Colbert and Elon Musk.

Singer Mary J. Blige entertained at the dinner. By contrast, Trump’s two state dinners lacked bold-faced guests and headliners, as his political leanings were often antithetical from those of mainstream Hollywood. (For the Trump State Dinner for Macron, the Washington National Opera performed, which a guest told CNN was lovely, “but it wasn’t Beyonce.”)

US President Gerald Ford dances with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II during a state dinner in Washington, DC, in 1976. Ricardo Thomas/Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library/Reuters US President Franklin D. Roosevelt holds up the United Nations Declaration next to Bolivian President Enrique Penaranda after Penaranda signed it during a state dinner at the White House in 1943. "Roosevelt is really the first to start using the dinners a bit more strategically," Matthew Costello, a historian with the White House Historical Association, said in 2020. George R. Skadding/AP Nikita Khrushchev, left, was the first Soviet head of state to visit the United States. He's joined by his wife, Nina, and US President Dwight D. Eisenhower and first lady Mamie Eisenhower, center, in 1959. After Roosevelt, state dinners became a delicate dance of strategy during the Cold War era. Costello said the official visits were opportunities to pull Western allies closer, or to try to thaw icier relationships. The Washington Post/Getty Images US President John F. Kennedy and Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba are trailed by their wives, Jackie and Moufida, as they walk down White House steps to pose for photos in 1961. Bill Allen/AP US President Lyndon B. Johnson welcomes Barbados Prime Minister Errol W. Barrow and his wife, Carolyn, for a state dinner in 1968. Johnson threw 54 state dinners during his time in office, which is more than any other president. AP US President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev share a toast during a state dinner in 1973. Charles Tasnadi/AP US President Gerald Ford dances with first lady Betty Ford during a state dinner held in honor of Jordan's King Hussein in 1974. David Hume Kennerly/Hulton Archive/Getty Images First lady Betty Ford, center left, and decorator Betty Sherrill, center right, look over table settings as they prepare for a state dinner in honor of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in 1976. AP US President Jimmy Carter offers a toast while hosting Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping and his wife, Cho Lin, at a state dinner in 1979. There was no hard liquor served at state dinners hosted by Carter, but they did serve beer and wine. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images First lady Nancy Reagan meets with White House chefs ahead of a state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1982. The White House/The New York Times/Redux Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, left, shakes hands with baseball legend Joe DiMaggio while attending a state dinner at the White House in 1987. At center is US President Ronald Reagan. "The Reagans loved to throw state dinners," Costello said. "In the 80s, global change was reaching a fever pitch, and Reagan had secured the admiration of several leaders." Ronald Reagan Library/Archive Photos/Getty Images Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his wife, Naina, stand next to US President George H.W. Bush, right, and his wife, Barbara, before a state dinner in 1992. Following the Cold War, state dinners began to taper off. Dirck Halstead/The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images Singer Whitney Houston performs at a state dinner in honor of South African President Nelson Mandela in 1994. Ron Sachs/CNP/ABACA/Reuters US President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton stand with Mandela and his daughter Zindzi before the state dinner in 1994. Wally McNamee/Corbis/Getty Images Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, take their seats in 2003 for a state dinner held in honor of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP US President George W. Bush, right, sits with first lady Laura Bush, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip as they listen to a performance by violinist Itzhak Perlman after a state dinner in 2007. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama await the arrival of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife, Gursharan Kaur, for a state dinner in 2009. Pete Souza/White House/AP Obama listens to Singh during toasts in 2009. Jason Reed/Reuters The White House's State Dining Room is seen ahead of a state dinner honoring French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the state dinner in 2018. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Getty Images Trump and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison share a toast at a state dinner in 2019. It was Trump's last state dinner. Joshua Roberts/Reuters US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, as they arrive for a state dinner at the White House in Washington, DC, on Thursday, December 1. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: White House state dinners Prev Next

Going back further, presidents accumulated State Dinners as a means to help soothe icy relationships, or build support on geopolitical crises.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, for example, continued to hold State Dinners during World War II, to pull in allies. Dwight Eisenhower in 1959 hosted Nikita Khrushchev, the first State Dinner for a Soviet leader, to help quell concerns of escalating nuclear tension. Jimmy Carter was not a big party guy – the State Dinners hosted by the president and Rosalyn Carter did not include hard liquor, just beer and wine – but he had held 33 State Dinners by this time in his tenure. After the signing of the Panama Canal treaties, Carter hosted one state dinner for 18 Latin American heads of state, according to data collected by the White House Historical Association.

As time went on, guest lists for the dinners routinely grew, observed by the orders for presidential china sets, which went from accommodating about 100 people, to the most recent official set for the Obamas, which accommodated 320 people. Biden, in other words, still has the time and the space to showcase the highest form of diplomacy this country can offer another world leader. And he intends to.

“There are more being planned and in the works for the future,” said one of the people with knowledge of the larger Biden State Dinner strategy. “This is just the start.”

This story has been updated with additional developments.

Biden's first state dinner will honor French president. Here's what to ...

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will host French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, at the White House on Dec. 1 for Biden's first state dinner, the White House said Monday.

The dinner will "underscore the deep and enduring relationship between the United States and France, our oldest ally, founded on our shared democratic values, economic ties, and defense and security cooperation, said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Jean-Pierre also said the leaders will talk about "continued close partnership on shared global challenges and areas of bilateral interest."

She noted that COVID played a role in delaying Biden’s first state dinner. The dinner is occurring at nearly halfway of Biden's presidency.

Here is what you need to know about White House state dinners.

What is a state dinner?

A state dinner, which showcases power and influence, gives the president and first lady the chance to honor a world leader with their spouse, according to the White House Historical Association.

Trump and Macron state dinner:President Trump after picking something off Macron's suit: 'We have to make him perfect'

Macron:President Trump after picking something off Macron's suit: 'We have to make him perfect'

History of state dinners

President Ulysses S. Grant held the first White House state dinner in December 1874.

He hosted King David Kalakaua of the Kingdom of Hawai’i.

The White House has hosted many notable world leaders at state dinners.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt hosted King George VI of the United Kingdom in June 1939.

Former President Ronald Reagan hosted General Secretary Mikhail S. Gorbachev of the Soviet Union in December 1987.

Former President George W. Bush in 2001 held a white-tie state dinner for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, "to mark the 400th anniversary of the English settlement of Jamestown, Virginia," the White House Historical Association said.

Has Macron been invited to a White House state dinner before?

Former President Donald Trump hosted Macron at a state dinner in April 2018, Trump's first official state dinner.

Who is invited to a state dinner?

Ambassadors, diplomats and members of Congress are among guests that have been invited to state dinners in the past.

It is not uncommon to see celebrities attending, and that there is often entertainment from a noted musician, group or production

How many people typically attend?

The White House Historical Association says that the room where the event takes place usually seats 120 people.

Where are they held?

The dinner is has often been held in the state dining room at the White House. They also have been held in the East Room, and during former President Barack Obama's years, in a tent on the grounds.

Why Saudi Arabia is hosting one of the world's biggest raves | CNN

Editor’s Note: A version of this story first appeared in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Sign up here.

Abu Dhabi, UAE CNN —

Electronic music, strobe lights, glittered faces and hundreds of thousands of people in mixed-gender gyrations are all part of a new kind of ritual in Saudi Arabia that didn’t exist just three years ago.

The kingdom’s Soundstorm music festival, which began in 2019, is back again for its fourth year and will start on Thursday.

In just five years since Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on musical events, the kingdom’s concert scene has arguably outshined even that of Dubai, long seen as the Gulf region’s premier entertainment hub.

The country that has been better known as the birthplace of Islam than a rave capital has gone through a tremendous makeover since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (known as MBS) took control of the everyday running of the kingdom in 2017. Soundstorm is an eye-catching symbol of that change.

For three days every winter, hundreds of thousands of people from across Saudi Arabia and the region descend on a desert site outside the capital Riyadh to listen to some of the top Western and Arab acts .

The rave is a manifestation of the ethos behind Saudi Arabia’s socioeconomic transformation, according to Anna Jacobs, a senior analyst at the Crisis Group think tank. “(It) is a particularly powerful example because it seeks to bring together young people and women from across Saudi Arabia and the world,” she said.

David Guetta, Post Malone and Bruno Mars are just a few of the stars performing at this year’s event, which prides itself as being “the loudest festival in the region,” aiming to “amplify the unseen” as it supports local and international music in the Middle East. Tickets cost between 149 riyals (around $40) for a single day and 6,699 riyals (around $1,800 ) for a three-day VIP treatment.

The festival reportedly welcomed 730,000 partygoers last year. By contrast, Las Vegas’ Electric Daisy Carnival, considered North America’s biggest dance music festival, had an attendance of over 400,000 this year.

An event like Soundstorm was inconceivable in the country just six years ago, when the notorious religious police would roam the streets and censure Saudis for mixing with the opposite sex or flouting social norms. But it is now part of a liberalization initiative spearheaded by MBS, the kingdom’s de facto ruler. It accompanies a series of steps to relax social rules, including lifting the ban on women’s driving and reining in the religious police.

In 2016, Saudi Arabia established the General Entertainment Authority in tandem with Vision 2030 – the crown prince’s plan to diversify its economy beyond oil, which accounts for more than half of the government’s revenue. Among its goals was to almost double household spending on cultural and entertainment activities within the kingdom. Riyadh is now seeing more than $64 billion in entertainment investment, reported Arab News, with a significant proportion of that going to the live music industry.

Vision 2030 prides itself on offering “world-class entertainment” and says that it has organized up to 3,800 entertainment events in the country, attended by more than 80 million people.

“The whole principle about allowing festivals is to provide youth with domestic entertainment and local tourism opportunities so they don’t need to travel abroad in search of fun,” said Ali Shihabi, a Saudi author and analyst.

Some conservatives may find the festival unacceptable, Shihabi said, but given that youth make up the majority of the country’s population, they remain the primary beneficiaries.

Around two-thirds of Saudi Arabia’s population is 34 years old or younger, according to the Saudi General Authority for Statistics. Analysts say it’s the youth that MBS needs to placate, not the conservatives.

Alcohol continues to be banned in the kingdom, as are sexual relations between men, and unmarried couples.

The festival is not, however, without international criticism and accusations of whitewashing the kingdom’s human rights record. Last year, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that performers should either “speak up” about Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations or not attend the festival at all.

“Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars hosting massive entertainment and cultural events in a deliberate (attempt) to whitewash the country’s abysmal human rights record and the Soundstorm music festival is no different,” Joey Shea, a researcher at HRW told CNN. “The creation of the country’s local entertainment industry was accompanied by waves of arbitrary arrests of dissidents, activists, human rights defenders and ordinary Saudi citizens.”

Shihabi rejects the argument that the festival whitewashes the country’s rights record, saying that it “has little to do with any global image and is purely focused on servicing local needs.”

Mdlbeast, the organizers of Soundstorm, did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Some however argue that opening up countries to international norms and values can allow for better discussion on human rights shortcomings.

“I think there is a way for these major international events – whether that be the World Cup in Qatar or music festivals in Saudi Arabia – to help open public discourse to critical debate,” said Jacobs.

“They can help cultivate healthy criticism and discussion around human rights issues in the region,” she added, “and as the Gulf continues to solidify its position as the region’s center of gravity, I think this is what we will see.”

Iran protests

The families of Iran’s World Cup football team had been threatened with imprisonment and torture if the players failed to “behave” ahead of the match against the United States on Tuesday, a source involved in the security of the games said.

Following the refusal of Iranian players to sing the nation’s national anthem in their opening match against England on November 21, the source said that the players were called to a meeting with members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The source said that they were told that their families would face “violence and torture” if they did not sing the national anthem or if they joined any political protest against the Tehran regime.

Here’s the latest:

The Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization said on Tuesday that at least 448 people have been killed in the unrest surrounding the protests. CNN cannot independently verify the death toll.

Members of the activist art group Pussy Riot wore shirts in support of Iranian protesters at Tuesday’s World Cup game between Iran and the United States in Doha.

Two Iranian footballers were freed from detention on Tuesday, according to reports. Voria Ghafouri, who was facing charges of incitement against the regime, was released on bail, reported Iranian judiciary news site Mizan News. And a former member of Iran’s national team, Parviz Boroumand, who was arrested during protests in Tehran, was also released, according to state news agency IRNA.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna announced Monday that a third tranche of European Union sanctions against Iran is “being prepared” over the ongoing repression of protests.

The digest

Qatar to send 2 million tons of LNG to Germany in new energy deal

QatarEnergy signed a deal on Tuesday that will allow Germany to receive flows of Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) over a period of at least 15 years, Qatar’s state news agency QNA said. The deal is the first of its kind to Europe from the expansion project of Qatar’s North Field, the world’s biggest gas field, and is meant to make up for some of the shortage triggered by Russian supply cuts.

Background: Until the Ukraine war, Germany was heavily reliant on Russian gas. Talks with Qatar have been in the works for months, as Germany and other European countries try to find alternative energy sources as the market tightens following sanctions on Russian supplies. The contract provides Germany with two million tons of LNG annually and the first shipment is due in 2026.

Why it matters: Tensions were high this month as Germany ramped up its criticism of Qatar ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, questioning its human rights record and later opposing the Gulf country’s ban on the rainbow-colored armband. Europe’s biggest economy has been running short on natural gas, with German economy minister Robert Habeck previously saying that rationing could not be ruled out ahead of the coming winter.

US State Department approves potential anti-drone system sale to Qatar for $1 billion

The US State Department has approved the potential sale of an anti-drone system to Qatar in a deal valued at $1 billion, Reuters cited the Pentagon as saying on Tuesday. The principal contractors will be Raytheon Technologies and Northrop Grumman Corp, the Pentagon said.

Background: The potential sale approval comes after US President Joe Biden earlier this year designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally of the US, granting special status to a key friend in a turbulent region. Separately, Qatar has also played a role in the Iran nuclear talks and in relations with Afghanistan, where Washington’s interests were represented by the small Gulf country.

Why it matters: The approval comes as the use of drones rises in Middle East warfare. In 2019, a drone attack blamed on Iran knocked off half of Saudi Arabia’s oil production. Iran, which has friendly relations with Doha, has also been accused by the US of supplying Russia with drones in its war with Ukraine. The Pentagon said the proposed sale will improve Qatar’s capability to meet threats by providing electronic and kinetic defeat capabilities against drones.

US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fear Turkish ground invasion could start in a week

The head of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Tuesday said a Turkish ground invasion could take place in a matter of days if Turkey does not see forceful opposition to a military incursion from countries such as the US and Russia.

Background: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched a recent series of airstrikes against Kurdish militants in northern Syria, and has warned that a ground operation will soon follow. The operation is meant to target Kurdish groups that Turkey believes were behind a deadly bomb attack in Istanbul earlier this month.

Why it matters: The SDF’s backbone is the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, which Turkey considers a wing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and seeks to eliminate. But the group has been instrumental in the fight against ISIS since 2014 and has warned that a Turkish assault will complicate the fight against the militants. It is unclear if the US will heed its calls to restrain Turkey. The US has reduced the number of patrols with SDF ahead of a possible incursion.

World Cup

Qatar’s World Cup chief Hassan Al-Thawadi said that between 400 and 500 migrant workers have died as a result of work done on projects connected to the tournament – a greater figure than Qatari officials have cited previously.

In an interview with Piers Morgan which aired on TalkTV on Monday, Al-Thawadi was asked about the number of migrant workers fatalities due to construction for the World Cup and said: “The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500.

“I don’t have the exact number, that’s something that’s been discussed. One death is too many, it’s as simple as that.”

In November 2022, a government official told CNN there had been three work-related deaths on World Cup stadiums and 37 non-work-related deaths.

Read more:

Around the region

A rendition of the Rashid Rover provided by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre

On Thursday, the UAE is set to become the first Arab country to launch a mission to the moon. The Rashid Rover will begin its trip from Cape Canaveral Space Station in Florida where it aims to land on the lunar surface in the coming months.

Beginning construction in 2017, the solar-powered rover has been developed by Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and is named after the emirate’s late ruler Sheikh Rashid Al Saeed.

The rover will take a low-energy route and is expected to land on the lunar surface in March 2023. The vehicle will be delivered by the Japanese HAKUTO-R lander and will touch down on the Atlas crater.

It will spend one lunar day (equivalent to 14.75 days Earth time) where it will analyze the plasma of the moon’s surface and conduct experiments on lunar dust. It will then spend another lunar day in which it will attempt to survive the moon’s harsh environment, before decommissioning.

The launch aims to be the first step in the UAE’s greater space prospects. By 2117, the country aims to have a colony built on Mars’s surface. “We are starting small,” Hamad Al Marzooqi, project manager of the Emirates Lunar Mission at the MBRSC, told CNN. “But we hope that this small step will be eventually the starting point to reach our targets.”

The UAE launched a mission to Mars in February last year.

By Ollie Macnaughton

Photo of the day

Ukrainians returning home find death and destruction: April 3 recap

This story covers news out of the war in Ukraine on Sunday, April 3. For the latest updates, click here.

Ukrainians returning to Kyiv as Russian forces pulled out over the weekend found a shocking trail of destruction and death, including slain civilians lying on the streets with their hands bound.

Iryna Venediktova, Ukraine’s prosecutor-general, said on Facebook that the bodies of 410 civilians were removed from Kyiv-area towns that were recently retaken from Russian forces.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said scores of the dead were found on the streets of Bucha – about 35 miles northwest of Kyiv – and the Kyiv suburbs of Irpin and Hostomel in what looked like a “scene from a horror movie.”

Arestovych said some people were shot in the head and had their hands bound, and some bodies showed signs of torture, rape and burning. Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told Agence France-Presse that 280 people had been buried in mass graves in the city, and reporters from the news organization counted at least 20 bodies on one street.

Zelenskyy said Sunday that the deadly attacks on civilians – including evidence of a massacre in Bucha – are more proof that Russia is committing "genocide" in his country.

Noting that Ukraine's population includes more than 100 nationalities, Zelenskyy told CBS' "Face The Nation" that Russia's actions are "about the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities. We are citizens of Ukraine, and we don't want to be subdued to the policy of the Russian Federation."

While Russia redeploys troops in the southern and eastern parts of Ukraine, Zelenskyy called for a total Russian withdrawal from Ukraine. There are no signs Russia would consider such a move as part of peace talks. "This is the bare minimum that we have to start the de-occupation with," he said.

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Latest developments:

►The Russians are holding 11 mayors in captivity in the Kyiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Donetsk regions, and they killed another one, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchukf said in a social media posting.

►Enrico Letta, the leader of Italy’s Democratic Party, called for a boycott of Russian oil and gas in reaction to images of atrocities against civilians by Russian soldiers retreating from Kyiv. Italy gets 40% of its natural gas from Russia.

►At the conclusion of a two-day trip to Malta, Pope Francis urged about 20,000 people in attendance during a Sunday Mass to “think of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in the martyred Ukraine, which continues to be bombarded in this sacrilegious war.”

►The president of Lithuania on Saturday announced it would no longer import Russian gas, making it the first nation in the European Union to achieve independence from Russian gas supplies.

►Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Poland’s ruling conservative party, said he's open to the permanent stationing of U.S. nuclear weapons in his country as a deterrence against Russian aggression.

Zelenskyy addresses Grammys: 'Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the 64th Grammy Awards Sunday, speaking in a pre-recorded segment shown at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena before John Legend performed a tribute to the war-torn country.

Zelenskyy urged music artists assembled to "tell our story" of his country facing a humanitarian crisis since Russia's invasion in February. He described the devastating impact on life and music.

"The war. What is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people. Our children draw swooping rockets, not shooting stars," said Zelenskyy. Read more here.

— Bryan Alexander

Blinken: US, allies collecting evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine

Amid a flood of new pictures of murdered civilians in Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that allies are collecting evidence of war crimes by Russia.

"We can't become numb to this, we can't normalize this," Blinken said on CNN's "State of the Union."

"We will look hard and document everything that we see, put it all together," he said.

Blinken did a round of Sunday show as news organizations flashed pictures of slain civilians and property destruction after Russian troops withdrew from Bucha, near Kyiv. He described the Bucha massacre as a "punch in the gut."

The secretary of state expressed cautious optimism about signs of Russian withdrawal from areas around Kyiv. He noted that the Russians also appear to be redeploying to the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.

"They could be regrouping," Blinken said.

Either way, Blinken said the war has already been a "dramatic strategic setback" for Russia, and that the Ukrainian people have made it clear they will not be subjugated by a Russian occupation.

– David Jackson

Ukraine: Retreating Russians left boobytraps

As Ukrainian forces moved to retake control of areas surrounding Kyiv from retreating Russians, they proceeded with caution to avoid unexploded ordnance and boobytrapped streets and homes, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukraine officials said.

Zelenskyy said Russians were leaving behind a "catastrophic" situation: land mines in streets, civilian homes and even on dead civilian bodies. Ukrainian soldiers were removing bodies from the streets with caution.

Residents of the town of Bucha said civilians were killed without apparent provocation.

EU developing new Russia sanctions

The European Union will level new sanctions in the wake of killings of civilians in Bucha, Ukraine, the president of the European Council said Sunday. Charles Michel, tweeting about "haunting images" out of Bucha, said "further EU sanctions & support are on their way."

Several other European leaders condemned the atrocities, and Germany’s defense minister even suggested the EU consider banning Russian gas imports, which many of the member countries depend on.

The EU is helping Ukraine and nongovernmental organizations gather evidence for investigations of Russia by international courts for its actions in Ukraine, he said. The U.N.'s International Court of Justice last month ruled that Russia should "immediately suspend" its military operations in Ukraine.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko is among the officials accusing Russia of war crimes, telling the German newspaper BILD: "What happened in Bucha and other suburbs of Kyiv can only be described as genocide.''

In an interview published Saturday, the former chief prosecutor of the U.N. war crimes tribunals, Carla Del Ponte, called for an international arrest warrant to be issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Putin is a war criminal,” she told Swiss newspaper Le Temps.

– Katie Wadington

'A different kind of war': Intelligence secrets revealed as weapon against Putin

In the age of social media and widespread disinformation, a new weapon has emerged to counter aggression by a foreign power – the revelation of intelligence secrets.

The kind of assessments that were previously kept under wraps are now being shared by U.S. and British intelligence agencies in an effort to expose what is happening on the battlefield – and inside the Kremlin – during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Even before the war began Feb. 24, U.S. officials detailed Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to attack Ukraine and create a false flag operation as a pretext for going to war. This past week, the U.S. publicized its findings that Putin was being misled by his military advisers, and Britain's spy chief said demoralized Russian troops were refusing to carry out orders and sabotaging their own equipment.

Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert at University College London, said the public intelligence campaign “reflects the fact that we now live in a different age, politically and internationally. And this is a different kind of war.”

Hike in gas prices comes with costlier cars as well

Russia's war in Ukraine is widely blamed for a drastic increase rise in gas prices. The vehicles the fuel goes into are getting more expensive as well.

The global auto industry has yet to overcome the pandemic-induced shortage of computer chips and other vital parts that has shrunk production, slowed deliveries and sent prices for new and used cars soaring. Now it faces another major challenge.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, a key producer of electrical wiring, has led to a scarcity of that vital component. And if Russian exportation of metals such as palladium for catalytic converters and nickel for electric vehicle batteries gets disrupted or halted, the cost of vehicles amid surging demand figures to continue rising.

Mark Fulthorpe, an executive director for S&P Global, expects a tight supply and high prices well into 2023.

“Until inflationary pressures start to really erode consumer and business capabilities, it’s probably going to mean that those who have the inclination to buy a new vehicle, they’ll be prepared to pay top dollar,” Fulthorpe said.

Kirby mum on Belgorod attack responsibility

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on Sunday dismissed questions surrounding Friday’s explosion at a Russian fuel depot in Belgorod. The attacked facility housed civilian-used petroleum.

While the Russians have pinned the attack on Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined to take responsibility for it. The attack was the first inside Russia since it invaded its neighbor Feb. 24.

Kirby, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," also declined to attribute the attack to the Ukrainians: "I’ll let (Zelenskyy) speak to the operations that they conduct, that’s the appropriate thing. We want to preserve as much of their operational security as we can.”

The Pentagon spokesman emphasized that the Ukrainians have a right to defend themselves and that the U.S. is focused on helping them do that. "Russia is the aggressor and they are attacking inside Ukraine, very very brutally," Kirby said. "It’s not just that they're hitting oil and weapons depots and airfields, I mean they’re hitting residential areas, they’re killing civilians."

– Ana Faguy

Russia targets Odesa fuel sites in new strikes

Russian forces launched an airstrike Sunday on the Black Sea port of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, sending up clouds of dark smoke that veiled parts of the city. The Russian military said the targets were an oil processing plant and fuel depots around Odesa, which is Ukraine's largest port and home to its navy.

"I live in that eight-floor building. At 6 in the morning, Russia launched an attack, and this piece of rock reached my house,” said Maiesienko Ilia, who lives near one of the targeted facilities.

The Odesa city council said Ukraine’s air defense shot down some missiles before they hit the city. Ukrainian military spokesman Vladyslav Nazarov said there were no casualties from the attack.

The smaller port of Mariupol, located to the east on the Sea of Azov, remained cut off from the rest of the country as Russian and Ukrainian soldiers fought for control of the besieged city. About 100,000 civilians, less than a quarter of the prewar population of 430,000, are believed to be trapped there with little or no food, water, fuel and medicine.

– Associated Press

Too soon for Zelenskyy, Putin to meet, Russia indicates

Russia's top negotiator in talks with Ukraine says it’s too early to talk about a meeting between the countries’ leaders.

Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation in Tuesday’s talks in Istanbul, said “there is still a lot of work to do” to finalize a draft agreement before Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could meet.

In remarks carried Sunday by the Interfax news agency, Medinsky reaffirmed that the parties reached a tentative agreement on the need for Ukraine to adopt a neutral status and refrain from holding foreign military bases in exchange for international security guarantees.

The Kremlin demands that Ukraine acknowledge Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, and recognize the independence of Russia-backed separatist regions in Donbas, Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland.

– Associated Press

Zelenskyy: Troops shell retreating Russians

Ukraine has regained control over some areas of the Kyiv region as Russian forces pulled back over the last few days. But leaders warn this does not signal that Russia is giving up; rather, forces could be refueling and shifting their strategy to the Donbas region and the south of Ukraine.

In his nightly video address Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said troops were not allowing the Russians to retreat without a fight: “They are shelling them. They are destroying everyone they can.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine's deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, said Saturday that the capital was "liberated" from invading Russian forces.

"Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader," she said in a Facebook post.

US to facilitate transfer of Soviet-era tanks, reports say

The Biden administration intends to work with allies to provide Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine to help its defense in the eastern Donbas region, according to a report from The New York Times.

CNN confirmed the report, citing unnamed officials who said the T-72 tanks would be delivered within "days, not weeks."

The report, citing an unnamed U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity, says the move was requested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who held an hourlong phone call with President Joe Biden this week.

The U.S. would act as an intermediary, according to the Times. The official said the tanks would allow Ukraine forces to conduct long-range artillery strikes on Russian targets in Donbas, which borders Russia.

The White House declined to comment to USA TODAY.

– Joey Garrison

Contributing: The Associated Press

Alaska for America, bathtub miracle: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Nearly two dozen organizations have sent a letter asking the U.S. House Financial Services Committee to investigate the state’s plan to use $400 million in pandemic relief funds to build two super-size prisons. The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, The Sentencing Project and others signed on to a letter arguing that prison construction is an improper use of money from the American Rescue Plan and asking Chairwoman Rep. Maxine Waters to hold hearings on the matter. “Directing COVID relief funds to a massive prison construction plan that long predates the pandemic is an absurd and inappropriate use of (American Rescue Plan) funds,” the organizations wrote. Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation in October to tap $400 million of the state’s money from the federal plan to help build two super-size prisons. The Republican governor at the time called the construction plan “a major step forward” for the prison system, which faces various federal court orders and a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department. Republican legislative leaders and Ivey have said they are confident they can use the pandemic money for prison construction because the American Rescue Plan says states can use the money to replace revenue lost during the pandemic to strengthen support for vital public services and help retain jobs.

Alaska

Anchorage: The newly crowned Miss America has made history, becoming both the first Korean American and the first Alaskan to hold the title in the competition’s 100-year history. “I never could have imagined in a million years that I would be Miss America, let alone that I would be Miss Alaska,” a beaming Emma Broyles said Friday. In fact, she was sure they had it wrong. The final two contestants were Broyles and Lauren Bradford, Miss Alabama, and Broyles said she was thinking Bradford was going to make an amazing Miss America. “And then they said Alaska, and I said, ‘No way. Are you sure? Do you want to check that card again?’ ” she said. “I am so, so grateful to everybody back at home who’s been supporting me for so long, and I’m so glad that I’m able to bring home the title of Miss America to the state of Alaska for the first time in history.” Broyles, 20, said her grandparents immigrated to Anchorage from Korea about 50 years ago, before her mother was born. Her mother is a special education teacher at Service High School in Anchorage, the same school Broyles attended. Broyles has chosen the Special Olympics for her social impact initiative. Besides her mother’s position, her older brother, Brendan, has Down syndrome and competes in athletic events with Special Olympics Alaska.

Arizona

Phoenix: Gov. Doug Ducey has extended an executive order prohibiting state and local governments from requiring people to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The prohibition includes an exception for hospitals and other licensed health care institutions. It’s a small part of a nine-page order signed Wednesday that largely deals with surveillance and monitoring of health care institutions during the pandemic. Ducey in August issued an executive order barring the state and local governments from requiring vaccines, based on an existing public health law. However, after the outbreak worsened again during the fall, the state university system, the city of Tucson and Pima County decided to require their employees to be inoculated. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said in a statement Friday that the city will keep its employee vaccine mandate in place. The city says Ducey has no authority to block its immunization rules. Phoenix also mandated employee vaccinations, but it and at least one university have since paused their mandates after a court blocked the Biden administration’s mandate that federal contractors require employee vaccinations. Ducey’s office did not announce the latest order, which was reported by local news outlets.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state on Friday reported its first case of the omicron variant as the state’s coronavirus cases and COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to increase. The Arkansas Department of Health did not release information about the person’s location, age or gender, nor whether they had been vaccinated. However, department spokeswoman Meg Mirivel said the case was not associated with travel. The variant’s appearance in the state had been expected as it spreads throughout the United States. The variant has been detected in at least 40 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Globally, more than 75 countries have reported confirmed omicron cases. “This was expected, and we expect more cases of the variant to be confirmed in the near future,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted. “This is not a surprise, but it is a compelling reason to get a booster shot now.” The state reported 1,111 new virus cases, bringing its total since the pandemic began to 542,426. The state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations rose by nine to 538. The state reported 17 new COVID-19 deaths. Arkansas ranks 35th in the country for new virus cases per capita, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers.

California

San Francisco: The California Coastal Commission has approved a plan to poison invasive mice threatening rare seabirds on the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The agency that regulates California’s coastline voted 5-3 Thursday night to approve a plan to drop about 3,000 pounds of poisoned bait from helicopters onto the rocky islands off the San Francisco coast that are home to hundreds of thousands of breeding birds. The move still requires approval from the regional director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, officials said. The Farallon Islands refuge is home to an estimated 300,000 breeding seabirds, including the rare ashy storm-petrel. But officials say the population is threatened by mice that arrived on the islands aboard ships more than a century ago. In recent years, the mouse population has exploded, attracting burrowing owls that also prey on the ashy storm-petrel, officials said. “This project is necessary and is the right thing to do to stop the ecosystem carnage done by mice: a human-caused problem,” Gerry McChesney, manager of the wildlife refuge, said at the meeting. The proposal has won both support and condemnation from various conservation groups. Critics contend other wildlife could be poisoned by the rodenticide. Famed animal researcher and conservationist Jane Goodall spoke against the proposal at the hearing. “This poison will inflict pain and suffering on a great many sentient animals,” she said.

Colorado

Denver: The 110-year prison sentence meted out last week to the truck driver who killed four people when he lost his brakes on Interstate 70 put a renewed spotlight on the state’s mandatory-minimum sentencing laws and on district attorneys’ ability to use such laws to ensure convictions lead to prison time. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced to a prison term twice as long as some Colorado murderers after his convictions triggered provisions in state law that forced District Court Judge Bruce Jones to lay down a minimum 110-year sentence. The judge said during the sentencing hearing that he had no discretion to set a lesser prison term but wished he could. One family member of a man who died in the fiery 28-car pileup in Lakewood said he did not want a life sentence for the truck driver. And the day after the sentencing, First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King – who pursued the convictions that led to the 110-year sentence – said in a statement that she would “welcome” a reconsideration of the prison term. Aguilera-Mederos’ sentence stretched to more than a century because under Colorado law, first-degree assault and attempted first-degree assault are so-called crimes of violence in which prison sentences must run consecutively, not concurrently, when they spring from the same incident.

Connecticut

Hartford: An appeals court ruled Friday that a local historical society cannot try to impose its conservation rules on a congregational church that dates back to 1700 and is located on the celebrated Lebanon Town Green. The ruling by the state Appellate Court is the latest chapter in yearslong legal proceedings over who owns the mile-long green and how to shield it from development that would harm its historic character. As a result of those proceedings, the Lebanon Historical Society has conservation authority over 95% of the green, meaning any construction and property improvements must adhere to its building rules and restrictions. But the First Congregational Church of Lebanon is on the 5% of the green the society does not control. In a lawsuit filed in 2019, the historical society is seeking authority to regulate the remaining 5%, saying it needs to be protected like the rest of the green. The church argued that just because the society controls adjacent property doesn’t mean it has legal standing to try to impose that authority on the property where the church buildings stand. Three judges on the Appellate Court on Friday upheld a lower court ruling in favor of the church, saying the case has implications for property owners statewide. The historical society intends to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court, a lawyer said.

Delaware

Wilmington: A lawsuit filed Friday on behalf of two men who claim they were unjustifiably beaten by officers at Sussex Correctional Institution aims to investigate what the filing describes as an “ongoing and egregious pattern of the use of excessive force” against people housed in the prison. The lawsuit was submitted to U.S. District Court in Wilmington on behalf of William “Bill” Davis and Isaac Montague. Both claim that they were beaten as pretrial detainees and that officers deployed pepper spray directly into their noses and mouths as they were held down in two separate incidents this fall. “Justice? I think they definitely need to be charged criminally because eventually they are going to kill somebody,” said Davis, a resident of Bear and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The lawsuit follows other litigation against the Delaware Department of Correction in which people imprisoned by the state claim that officers engage in violence and other violations of basic rights with impunity. Both Davis and Montague are being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware. It is the first time the organization has represented prisoners in recent years and the first such lawsuit since hiring Susan Burke, who took over as the chapter’s legal director earlier this year. “We intend to do a lot of prison litigation,” Burke said.

District of Columbia

Washington: A new mural honoring civil rights icon John Lewis now decorates the walls of the barbershop where the late congressman was a regular customer, WUSA-TV reports. The artwork was officially unveiled at HIS grooming Thursday afternoon. Posts on the shop’s Instagram page show that the piece depicts Lewis in the chair getting his head shaved. After Lewis’ death in 2020 of pancreatic cancer, shop owner Jared Scott spoke about the first time Lewis came into his business for a hot shave with a straight razor. “My heart skipped a few beats,” Scott said. “My hands were trembling.” Lewis continued to visit HIS Grooming nearly a dozen times over the course of a year. The art project honoring Lewis has been in the works for a while, but a special event for its unveiling will have D.C. Council members in attendance, as well as U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the district’s delegate to Congress.

Florida

Gulf Breeze: A man who was rewarded by the Planters peanut company for being a good Samaritan is continuing to help others in his Panhandle city. Over the previous two Christmas seasons, Mike Esmond donated about $12,000 to pay off utility bills for people in Gulf Breeze who needed some extra help. Then, in March, Planters sent Esmond a check for $104,000 for his good works as part of the company’s “A Nut Above” campaign. Since then, Esmond has continued helping with past-due utility bills, paying off balances for 677 accounts. “In other words, I paid everybody’s past-due account for a while, about March to August, like six months straight,” Esmond said. Last week, he donated funds to pay off 29 accounts, putting his total donations at about $85,000 this year and more than $96,000 over three years. He said he’s continuing his effort in hopes of inspiring others, and it’s been touching to hear how the donations have helped older residents who may need additional assistance. “I’ve had some older, retired people call me crying on the phone because I paid their bills, because they live on Social Security, and they don’t know what’s going on,” Esmond said. The U.S. Army veteran said he was inspired to help with utility bills because of his own experience in the 1980s, when he couldn’t afford to pay his winter gas bill.

Georgia

Atlanta: Johnny Isakson, an affable Republican politician who rose from the ranks of the Georgia Legislature to become a U.S. senator known as an effective, behind-the-scenes consensus builder, died Sunday. He was 76. Isakson’s son John Isakson said his father died in his sleep before dawn at his home in Atlanta. John Isakson said although his father had Parkinson’s disease, the cause of death was not immediately apparent. “He was a great man, and I will miss him,” John Isakson said. Johnny Isakson, whose real estate business made him a millionaire, spent more than four decades in Georgia political life. In the Senate, he was the architect of a popular tax credit for first-time home buyers that he said would help invigorate the struggling housing market. As chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, he worked to expand programs offering more private health care choices for veterans. Isakson’s famous motto was that “there are two types of people in this world: friends and future friends.” That approach made him exceedingly popular among colleagues. In a farewell Senate speech, he pleaded for bipartisanship at a time of bitter divisions between Republicans and Democrats. He cited his long friendship with U.S. Rep. John Lewis, an Atlanta Democrat and civil rights hero, as an example of two men willing to put party aside to work on common problems.

Hawaii

Honolulu: A working group tasked by the Legislature to come up with recommendations for a new management plan for the state’s tallest peak and its affiliated telescopes released the first draft of its proposal Friday. Mauna Kea is the proposed site for what would be the world’s largest optical telescope, the Thirty Meter Telescope. The giant telescope project has sparked a cultural movement among Native Hawaiians who believe the mountain is sacred. Construction of the massive instrument has been blocked by opponents. The group suggested a new governing entity for the mountain, which is managed by the University of Hawaii. The group recommended the school not have a seat on the board of the new governing body. The university’s lease expires in 2033. “The University of Hawaii was represented at the table during the working group discussions,” said the group’s chairperson, Rep. Mark Nakashima, a Democrat whose Hilo district includes Mauna Kea. “One of the premises of the resolution was that the university failed in some of its duties and responsibilities to the Native Hawaiian population, and so it was not included in the final management structure.” The group could not come to a consensus on whether someone from the astronomy field should participate and recommended any such involvement be in an advisory capacity.

Idaho

Kuna: Lawmakers are looking at a $400 million tax relief package for the upcoming legislative session that includes a $200 million income tax cut, a top Republican House member said. House Assistant Majority Leader Jason Monks said Friday that the income tax cut involves lowering the top income tax bracket from 6.5% to 6%. Monks spoke at a legislative district town hall meeting in Kuna with several other lawmakers. Monks said Republican Gov. Brad Little is behind the income tax cut plan, as is the House Revenue and Taxation Committee chairman. “They’re greasing the skids pretty good on this,” Monks said. He said the other $200 million would come from a one-time tax relief package. Republican lawmakers last year passed nearly $400 million in tax relief that Democrats said mainly benefitted the wealthy. Idaho’s budget surplus is estimated at $1.6 billion, much of that attributed to the $5 billion the federal government has sent to Idaho in coronavirus relief money. The Legislature is scheduled to meet in Boise on Jan. 10, and lawmakers will look at setting state agency budgets. Republican Gov. Brad Little earlier this month hinted at possible tax cuts stemming from the projected surplus.

Illinois

Hoffman Estates: Sears plans to sell the sprawling suburban Chicago corporate headquarters that’s been the struggling retailer’s home for three decades. Transformco, Sears’ parent company, confirmed last week that in early 2022 it plans to market the 273-acre corporate headquarters in the northwest suburb of Hoffman Estates. Transformco has been downsizing Sears’ operations and corporate staff for several years. “These changes have reduced our needs for a corporate campus that was built 30 years ago for the needs of a more centralized business,” Transformco spokesman Larry Costello said in a statement. Costello said employees have been operating under a hybrid structure during the pandemic, with a mix of in-office and remote work. He declined to say how many employees are based out of Hoffman Estates or where a future headquarters might be located. The Hoffman Estates campus was home to more than 4,000 Sears employees as recently as 2017, according to company filings. The site features a 2.3 million-square-foot corporate office and 273 acres, including 100 acres of undeveloped land.

Indiana

Indianapolis: More than half of the state’s population remains unvaccinated against COVID-19, and its largest hospital system is so strained that it has asked the Indiana National Guard for assistance. A new WalletHub report adds another dire distinction to the resume: Indiana is the least safe state in the country during the pandemic – not just one of the worst or the worst in the Midwest but the absolute worst. Indiana ranked 51st on the list of “Safest States During COVID-19,” which includes all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The rankings came from the following data, according to WalletHub: vaccinations, deaths, hospitalizations, transmission rate and positive testing rate. All five categories were averaged together and graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 being the most safe. Indiana received a score of 17.67 out of 100. Hoosiers fared poorly in each individual category. When looking at vaccination rates, Indiana ranks No. 48. For COVID-19 hospitalizations, it ranks No. 46, tied with South Dakota, Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan. As of Thursday, the state reported more than 3,000 hospitalized patients, according to the Indiana State Department of Health’s dashboard. The state’s latest average positivity rate was 13.8%, as of Dec. 10. Nearly 18,000 Hoosiers have died of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic.

Iowa

Des Moines: Property owners who ask to remove their names from online property searches to conceal their address may keep their names confidential under a ruling the state Supreme Court published Friday. Des Moines Register reporter Clark Kauffman filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board against Polk County Assessor Randy Ripperger in 2017 after Ripperger refused to release a list of people who had requested their names be removed from the county’s online search-by-name property search database. The list includes police officers, prosecutors, judges and crime victims who want to make it harder for criminals or harassers to find out where they live. There are more than 3,500 property owners on the list. Kauffman alleged that Ripperger was violating the state’s open records law by refusing to provide the list of names. Kauffman said in a hearing that he sought the disabled name list to determine who opts in to the policy and find out if developers, landlords or slumlords are trying to keep their names from public disclosure. The board, which under Iowa law is empowered to enforce the state’s open records law, found in 2018 that Ripperger had violated the law. An administrative law judge and a state court judge affirmed that conclusion, and Ripperger appealed. The court concluded the list of names fits within an exception the Legislature allowed in the state law.

Kansas

Topeka: A moratorium on voluntary admissions at Osawatomie State Hospital will be lifted in January to provide more space for adults with long-term mental health issues. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services announced Thursday that the ban, which has been in place since 2015, will end as of Jan. 3. The hospital, one of two state-run hospitals for the seriously mentally ill, stopped taking voluntary admissions after receiving citations for not doing enough to help suicidal patients and routinely housing three patients in rooms meant for two because of capacity issues. The policy caused problems for other mental health providers, law enforcement and health care facilities who struggled to place people with serious mental health issues. The department also has created a new classification for mental health providers called State Institutional Alternative, which allows private psychiatric facilities to accept mentally ill patients who have been approved for admission to state hospitals. Currently, eight hospitals in the state are classified as SIAs, and they have cared for 122 adults and 291 youth since September. The agency is also planning renovations on the Osawatomie campus that will eventually increase capacity to 72 certified beds and 110 licensed beds.

Kentucky

Madisonville: Two babies survived a tornado that ripped the bathtub in which they were sheltering out of the ground and tossed it with them inside, their grandmother said. Clara Lutz told WFIE-TV she put 15-month-old Kaden and 3-month-old Dallas in the bathtub Dec. 10 with a blanket, a pillow and a Bible. Then the house in Hopkins County started shaking. “Next thing I knew, the tub had lifted, and it was out of my hands,” Lutz said. “I couldn’t hold on. I just – oh my God.” Lutz, who had been hit in the back of the head by the water tank from the tub, said she began looking everywhere among the wreckage for the children. Her house was stripped to the foundation. “All I could say was, ‘Lord please bring my babies back safely. Please, I beg thee,’ ” she said. The bathtub was found in her yard, upside down, with the babies underneath. Authorities from the sheriff’s office drove to the end of her driveway and reunited her with the two children, she said. Dallas had a big bump on the back of his head and had to go to Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville because his brain was bleeding, but the bleeding stopped before Lutz got to the hospital, she said. Lutz said the parents of the children live on the north end of the county, and their home was nearly untouched by the tornado.

Louisiana

New Orleans: A man convicted in a killing has been exonerated and freed after being locked up for 12 years. Kendall Gordon walked out of the criminal courthouse in New Orleans a free man Thursday, days after local prosecutors asked a judge to void his conviction and release him, news outlets report. Gordon was serving a life sentence in the shooting death of a young woman during a 2009 home invasion and robbery. But the justice advocacy group Innocence Project New Orleans and the District Attorney’s office said DNA collected from the crime scene linked someone else to the crime. Also, a key witness recanted. “Darceleen Comadore consistently described the intruders that entered her home as an older man and a younger man, explicitly pointing out that the younger intruder had been shot and wounded while in her home by his accomplice,” the IPNO said in a news release. “Ms. Comadore believed she recognized the younger wounded intruder and identified him as Kendall Gordon.” However, she changed her story after learning that another man, Jessie Bibbins III, 18, had been shot and killed with the same weapon as the victim in her home. Bibbins was found dead less than 3 miles from the crime scene, wearing clothes matching those worn by the younger intruder, IPNO said.

Maine

Portland: New England’s commercial shrimp fishery will remain shut down because of concerns about the health of the crustacean’s population amid warming ocean temperatures. The cold-water shrimp were once a winter delicacy in Maine and beyond, but the fishing industry has been shut down since 2013. A board of the regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted Friday to keep the fishery shuttered for at least three more years. The shrimp prefer cold water, and their population health is imperiled by the warming of the ocean off New England. The Gulf of Maine, in particular, is warming faster than most of the world’s oceans. Scientists have also said recently that warming waters led to increased predation from a species of squid that feeds on shrimp. The board last voted to extend the existing moratorium on commercial fishing of the shrimp in 2018. The board could have decided to reopen the fishing industry Friday but chose not to do so in the face of discouraging news from scientists. Recent surveys of the shrimp show far less of them than historical averages, and there have been seven consecutive years of low abundance, said Maggie Hunter, a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. Warming waters remain a problem, Hunter said.

Maryland

Baltimore: The state’s Public Service Commission on Friday awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits to two developers who have proposed two projects off Maryland’s coast. The decision will support plans by US Wind Inc. and Skipjack Offshore Energy to build separate projects that would produce more than 1,600 megawatts of energy, the PSC said in a news release. The new proposed projects are in addition to the 368 megawatts of offshore wind already being developed by both companies off Maryland’s shore and whose offshore wind renewable energy credits were approved by the commission in 2017. In the second-round application period that ended in June, US Wind submitted three bids, and Skipjack submitted two bids. The proposals were evaluated on a number of criteria, including impacts to customer electric bills; Maryland’s health, environmental and climate interests, including progress toward lowering the state’s greenhouse gas emissions; and economic development benefits, the PSC said. The second-round projects are both expected to be operational before the end of 2026. They are subject to review by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Massachusetts

Worcester: Nurses at St. Vincent Hospital have reached a tentative agreement to end one of the longest nurse strikes in state history. The deal between the Massachusetts Nurses Associates and Tenet Healthcare, the Dallas-based company that owns the Worcester hospital, was announced late Friday. Union members will vote on the proposal at a later date. The hospital said in a statement that 700 nurses will be able to resume their old jobs, and the nurses hired to replace them will also be able to retain their current positions. “We are glad to finally end the strike and put our sole focus back on patient care,” Carolyn Jackson, the hospital’s chief executive, said in a statement. “We will be setting a new tone at Saint Vincent Hospital: We are one team with a common purpose. Not striking nurses versus replacement nurses. Not nurses versus management.” U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, a former Boston mayor and labor leader in Massachusetts, helped broker the accord during an in-person meeting Friday, the union said in a statement. Federal mediators have been working for two weeks with both sides to reach an accord. The nurses walked out in March complaining that staffing levels were too low and that they had too many patients to care for safely.

Michigan

Lansing: The University of Michigan and Michigan State University will require all students, faculty and staff to receive a COVID-19 booster vaccination for the next semester in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The two universities, with the two largest student enrollments in the state, released statements Friday announcing the requirement, noting the omicron variant being found in the state. MSU said in its release that the deadline to get a booster shot is the beginning of the spring semester Jan. 10, while Michigan’s release said Feb. 4. Both schools already require vaccination against COVID-19 and have set their policies to reflect access and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to receive a booster for anyone who is 18 or older and six months out from the last vaccine in their initial series. In July, both university presidents announced vaccines would be required for the fall semester due to spread of the highly infectious delta variant. The first case of the omicron variant was found in Kent County earlier this month. The CDC says the omicron variant may be even more contagious than the highly spreadable delta variant.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Hennepin County’s sheriff has pleaded guilty to drunken driving. Dave Hutchinson entered the plea Thursday to the misdemeanor charge and said he has enrolled in an outpatient treatment program to address his issues with alcohol. Hutchinson crashed his SUV on Interstate 94 near Alexandria on Dec. 8 at 2:30 a.m. after attending a state sheriffs conference. Hutchinson’s blood alcohol level was 0.13%. The legal limit to drive is 0.08%. The sheriff said in a statement that the crash was a “wakeup call” for him. He suffered three broken ribs and head and hip injuries when he rolled the SUV. “I understand the seriousness of my actions, for which I take full responsibility,” Hutchinson said. Hutchinson entered his guilty plea to fourth-degree driving while intoxicated via a plea petition. Douglas County Attorney Chad Larson said a plea agreement calls for a stayed jail sentence of 90 days, up to two years of probation, a $500 fine, a chemical-use assessment and a requirement that he follow the assessment’s recommendations. Hutchinson also must abstain from alcohol and nonprescribed controlled substances and submit to random testing. Larson said it’s a standard misdemeanor sentence for anyone with a first-time drunken-driving conviction.

Mississippi

Jackson: Five universities are receiving nearly $10 million from the state to cover tuition for aspiring educators. The Mississippi Teacher Residency Program is part of an effort to address the state’s teacher shortage. There were 3,036 certified teacher vacancies in Mississippi’s public schools from Aug. 21 to Oct. 11, 2021, according to a Department of Education survey. The grants will cover tuition and expenses for up to 240 people seeking a graduate degree in elementary and secondary education and are being paid for with American Rescue Plan relief dollars. The money is being split among Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University. Anyone accepted into the program will receive full scholarships, testing fees, books and mentor stipends. The grant includes training alongside a mentor teacher, testing support, professional development, and a commitment to teaching in a district serving low-income children, racial and ethnic minorities, and children with disabilities.

Missouri

Columbia: The state treasurer will no longer help schools refinance bond debt unless superintendents promise not to enforce face mask requirements and other COVID-19 safety measures issued by local officials. Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick this month began requiring school districts trying to refinance bond debt to certify that they’ll obey Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s warning against coronavirus-related mandates, Missourinet reports. Schmitt this month threatened to sue school districts and local health departments that require masks. He cited a November ruling from Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green. “These schools received certification forms because their bond deals were scheduled to close after the Attorney General communicated with schools about the court decision and we were made aware of several schools which did not intend to comply with the order,” Treasurer’s Office spokeswoman Mary Compton said in a Friday email. Fitzpatrick’s policy puts more pressure on districts to ditch mask and quarantine requirements. Without help from the Treasurer’s Office, districts face higher interest rates on debts.

Montana

Helena: Federal wildlife officials say two species of rare insects in the Rocky Mountains will need several thousand acres of glaciers and snowfields if they are to survive a warming world that’s threatening them with extinction. The western glacier stonefly and the meltwater lednian stonefly live in streams that flow from melting glaciers and snowfields. Scientists say the insects are not doing well and face continued declines as they lose a projected 80% of their habitat in Glacier National Park by 2030. The stoneflies’ peril underscores the threat climate change poses worldwide to mountaintops that are “biodiversity hot spots” – home to a rich variety of plants, animals and insects about which scientists are still learning. The two species live in and around Glacier National Park in Montana; Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada; and Native American tribal lands in western Montana. More recently, they’ve been found in streams in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana and Wyoming. A new draft recovery plan from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggests the possible transplant of some of the insects to new areas, exploring ways to artificially propagate populations and research into the stoneflies’ heat tolerance.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Even in normal times, the state has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, with fewer than 2 million residents and plenty of jobs to go around. But with some workers slow to return to work after COVID-19 shutdowns, the state has hit new depths, recording the country’s lowest-ever state unemployment rate of 1.8% in November. Now Gov. Pete Ricketts, who frequently expounds on the value of work, is confronting an intriguing question: Can a governor force citizens to work, even if they apparently aren’t eager or able to do so? Options he’s trying include requiring people to confer with job coaches before seeking unemployment benefits. “There’s going to be a lot of different things we’re going to have to do to reach each individual and, if they’re not working for whatever reason, get them back into the workforce,” Ricketts said recently. “Jobs help create great financial independence for Nebraskans and their families, giving them the dignity to achieve their dreams,” said the Republican governor, whose family’s estimated $4.5 billion in wealth originated with the creation of online brokerage Ameritrade. Nebraska has about 49,000 job openings listed on a state website and 19,000 working-age residents who are not working. About 4,300 people are receiving unemployment benefits.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Fireworks that were called off last year because of the coronavirus pandemic are returning to the Las Vegas Strip on New Year’s Eve, with a theme pointed toward 2022 – Deuces Wild – and the addition of an eighth hotel-top launching place, tourism and elected officials announced Thursday. “Aside from last year, ‘America’s Party’ has been the culminating event of the entire year for more than 20 years,” said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events, a nonprofit agency created to produce and support big events. Thousands of revelers still congregated on casino-lined Las Vegas Boulevard last year despite the canceled fireworks. There was no mention during a news conference previewing this year’s event of the possible effect of the emergence and spread in recent weeks of the omicron variant of the virus. Fireworks were first held on the Strip on the last night of 2000. The display has helped make New Year’s Eve one of Las Vegas’ biggest events, drawing more than 300,000 revelers, according to tourism officials, and filling the tourism-dependent city’s more than 250,000 hotel rooms. “Being able to host this event again is so special because it allows us to close out the year in a memorable way,” Christenson said in a statement accompanying Thursday’s announcement.

New Hampshire

Greenland: The town has resoundingly rejected a proposal to ban the use of voting machines and return to counting ballots by hand. Voters in the town of Greenland on Saturday defeated a citizen petition that would have stopped the use of voting machines in all local, state and federal elections. The vote was 1,077 against to 120 in favor of the proposal. Town Clerk Marge Morgan said turnout was higher than expected, and officials had to print more ballots. Greenland has a little over 4,000 residents, according to the 2020 U.S. census. Similar attempts to ban voting machines are under way in Hampton and Kensington, and a bill calling for a statewide ban was filed in the Legislature. Interest in banning the machines grew following an audit of a legislative race in Windham. The audit was requested after a losing Democratic candidate asked for a recount, which showed that Republican candidates got hundreds more votes than were originally counted. The discrepancy drew the attention of former President Donald Trump and his supporters in their effort to find evidence of his wider, unfounded claim of election fraud from 2020. But the audit showed the cause of the discrepancy yielded not from the AccuVote machine but from a separate letter-folding machine used to send out absentee ballots.

New Jersey

Trenton: Marriage equality may soon be better protected as a bill moves on to votes in the state Senate and Assembly. A 2013 court ruling legalized same-sex marriage in New Jersey, but it has not been cemented in a statute. The New Jersey Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted almost unanimously to move forward the bill that would codify marriage equality into law. Legislators will consider the bill Monday. If it passes both chambers, it heads to Gov. Phil Murphy for his likely approval. He has vocally supported LGBTQ rights during his tenure. The momentum in Trenton arrives at an important time, said Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Asbury Park-based Garden State Equality. “With a conservative-leaning Supreme Court, we cannot afford to sit by in hopes the justices will leave Obergefell v. Hodges intact,” Fuscarino said, referring to the 2015 ruling that legalized marriage equality at a national level. When marriage equality got the all-clear from New Jersey courts, Amy Quinn and her partner of 10 years, Heather Jensen, were among the first to be wed, exchanging vows on Asbury Park Boardwalk. Nearly a decade later, Quinn is now deputy mayor of Asbury Park, and the fight for marriage equality in New Jersey continues. “I can’t believe we’re still fighting for this, but here we are,” Quinn said.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation Friday to redraw the state’s three congressional districts and divide a conservative stronghold into multiple districts over the objections of Republicans. Lujan Grisham, a former three-term congresswoman, said the new congressional map establishes a “reasonable baseline for competitive federal elections, in which no one party or candidate may claim any undue advantage.” Republicans disagree, calling it a power grab by Democrats who have long dominated state politics. “These maps are far from fair representation, and they are a disservice to constituents,” said Steve Pearce, chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico. Consultants to the Legislature say the new congressional map gives Democrats an advantage in all three districts to varying degrees, based on past voting behavior. Republicans need a net gain of five seats in 2022 to take control of the U.S. House and effectively freeze President Joe Biden’s agenda on everything from climate change to the economy. Democrat-backed redistricting plans for the House and Senate also were on their way to the governor’s office Friday after a final House vote. Both plans embrace recommendations from Native American communities for shoring up Indigenous voting blocs in New Mexico’s northwest corner.

New York

New York: Despite soaring COVID-19 case numbers, long testing lines and event cancellations, so far New York City hospitals aren’t seeing a repeat of the surges that swamped emergency rooms early in the pandemic. The state reported Saturday that nearly 22,000 people had tested positive for the coronavirus Friday, eclipsing the previous day’s mark for the highest single-day total for new cases since testing became widely available. More than half the positive results were in the city. The Rockettes on Friday canceled remaining performances of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, citing “increasing challenges from the pandemic,” with lines at some testing sites in the city stretched around the block and at-home tests remaining hard to come by or pricier than usual. But new hospitalizations and deaths – so far – are averaging well below their spring 2020 peak and even where they were this time last year, during a winter wave that came as vaccinations were just beginning, city data shows. Mount Sinai Health System’s emergency rooms are seeing about 20% more patients – with all conditions – in recent days, according to Dr. Eric Legome, who oversees two of the network’s seven ERs. But at least so far, “we’re seeing a lot more treat-and-release” COVID-19 patients than in earlier waves, he said.

North Carolina

Raleigh: The state Supreme Court ruled Friday that nonprofit charter schools can’t avoid facing civil fraud claims alleging mismanagement of taxpayer money by arguing they are immune from such lawsuits like a state agency. The justices reversed a 2019 Court of Appeals decision that had dismissed claims against Kinston Charter Academy, which closed abruptly to 190 students and their teachers in 2013. A 2016 lawsuit by then-Attorney General Roy Cooper sought financial damages for the state and monetary penalties against the academy, its CEO and the chair of its board. Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that receive state funds on a per-pupil basis and have more flexibility – with instruction and enrollment among them – than traditional K-12 schools. They are overseen by the State Board of Education. Kinston Charter Academy and leaders were accused by Cooper’s office of violating the state’s False Claims Act and deceptive trade laws. State attorneys allege the school provided a bogus upgraded enrollment estimate to state education officials that meant receiving additional funds, even as leaders knew the school would not last the 2013-14 school year.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject an appeal by developers of the Dakota Access oil pipeline who are seeking to reinstate a federal permit for the line’s Missouri River crossing. Early this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed part of a lower court order that revoked the permit and required a new environmental review of the pipeline. “Though the dispute over the pipeline garnered national attention, the D.C. Circuit’s decision plowed no new ground,” lawyers for Standing Rock and other Sioux tribes fighting the pipeline wrote in a brief filed Thursday. The tribes argued that the high court should decline the developer’s petition to hear the case because appeals courts are not split on the issues surrounding the dispute, which can lead to the Supreme Court taking the case. The tribes say the D.C. Circuit judges applied a “conventional” review of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ permitting decisions and “found no abuse of discretion” in the lower court’s order revoking the permit, the Bismarck Tribune reports. The Corps permitted the pipeline’s river crossing, which is just upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and where tribal members fear a leak could occur and harm their water supply.

Ohio

Columbus: More than 1,000 members of the Ohio National Guard have been ordered into hospitals overwhelmed by patients being treated for COVID-19, the vast majority of them unvaccinated, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday. The state is also hiring a staffing agency to help recruit nurses from out of state to assist with patient care, DeWine said. “Twenty-two months of this pandemic has taken its toll on our health care workers,” the Republican governor said, recounting stories of short-staffed hospitals needing workers to return for second shifts after only short breaks. Of the Guard members, 150 are medical workers – mainly nurses and EMTs – who will be assigned beginning Monday to hospitals largely in the Akron, Canton and Cleveland areas, which are seeing the highest hospitalization numbers. Most of those hospitals have stopped elective surgeries, and facilities elsewhere are considering the same, the governor said. The remaining Guard members will serve in as-needed hospital roles in other parts of the state. As of Friday, 4,723 Ohioans were hospitalized with COVID-19 – a figure last seen almost a year ago, the governor said. Nine of every 10 of those patients are unvaccinated.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: An Oklahoma County grand jury has indicted a top Republican state House leader on multiple felony counts, alleging he misused his power to change state law so his wife could become a tag agent. House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O’Donnell, the second-highest-ranking member in the chamber, was charged in the indictment Friday with five felonies and three misdemeanors. “He denies any wrongdoing,” said his attorney, Mack Martin. His wife, Teresa O’Donnell, who was also indicted, faces three felonies and one misdemeanor. Court records don’t indicate the name of her attorney. The most severe offense against the couple is conspiracy against the state, which has a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. The Catoosa Republican introduced a bill in 2019 that allowed spouses of legislators to serve as tag agents. The Oklahoma Tax Commission appointed his wife to take over the Catoosa Tag Agency on Aug. 1, 2019, three months after Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the bill into law. Terry O’Donnell said last year that his wife had no intention of becoming a tag agent when he sponsored the bill. He said she sought the appointment after her mother died unexpectedly from pancreatic cancer. Her mother, Georgia McAfee, had been in charge of the Catoosa Tag Agency for more than 40 years. Teresa O’Donnell had worked there for more than four years before her appointment. Grand jurors alleged the two submitted a fraudulent application to the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

Oregon

Portland: A weeklong strike is underway, affecting a number of grocery stores across the state less than a week before Christmas Day. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, representing many employees at Fred Meyer and QFC stores, confirmed early Friday morning that it is moving ahead with a walkout at stores in Portland, Bend, Newberg and Klamath Falls, Oregon Public Broadcasting reports. The details and specifics of a walkout are complicated. While the UFCW represents roughly 10,000 Fred Meyer employees, not all stores, departments or worker categories are participating in the strike. The union has been in labor negotiations for months with the Kroger-owned supermarket chains. Last weekend, UFCW announced its members had authorized a strike. Union representatives said Fred Meyer has been underpaying certain workers, in violation of contract terms. The grocery chain hasn’t been providing necessary information to the union to refute or verify its concern or to address it through the grievance process, according to the union. Workers are also seeking wage increases. A Fred Meyer statement provided to OPB confirmed that its stores affected by the strike, along with impacted QFC stores, remain open for customers.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The state will no longer impose income taxes on public-sector workers and nurses who receive student loan forgiveness from two major programs, the Wolf administration announced Friday. The change affects participants in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which provides debt relief to teachers, social workers, military members and other public servants, and the Pennsylvania Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program, a recent pandemic-era initiative to forgive up to $7,500 in student loan debt incurred by state-licensed nurses. Most other states and the federal government do not subject student loan forgiveness to taxation, but Pennsylvania lawmakers who pushed for the change said the state Department of Revenue had considered canceled student loans to be taxable income. That meant that a Pennsylvania resident who owed $50,000 in student loans would be subject to a $1,535 state tax bill once that debt was forgiven. “These people have chosen to serve the public, and often in lower-paying fields, because they want to make a difference. They don’t have thousands of dollars lying around to pay a one-time tax bill. So it’s wrong to take what should be a blessing and turn it into just another burden,” Gov. Tom Wolf said at a news conference Friday.

Rhode Island

Providence: A major theater canceled its performances of “A Christmas Carol” over the weekend because a cast member was dealing with COVID-19 symptoms. The Trinity Repertory Company made the announcement on its Facebook page about half an hour before Saturday’s matinee show. The Providence theater said the unnamed cast member reported feeling sick at home Saturday morning, and the afternoon performance had to be scrubbed because there wasn’t an understudy who could take on the role. The theater said it was canceling the rest of the weekend’s performances out of an abundance of caution. Officials apologized for the abrupt change and said ticket holders would receive a full refund and complimentary access to an online streaming version of the production. “While we never make the decision to cancel a show lightly, our commitment to the health and safety of our artists, staff, and audiences are extremely important to us and made this decision clear,” the theater said in a statement. “A Christmas Carol” runs through Jan. 2 at Trinity Rep. The online streaming version is available until Jan. 16.

South Carolina

Folly Beach: Three young men on a beach vacation dug up a marked loggerhead turtle nest, causing 71 of the 90 eggs not to hatch, wildlife officials said. The men posted video to Snapchat in September of themselves digging up a nest marked with orange tape and signs on Folly Beach, and the Department of Natural Resources said agents were able to track them down. The three men, all under age 21, met with wildlife agents and admitted what they did. In exchange, the agency said it won’t charge them with a count of unlawful taking of loggerhead turtle eggs for each egg, instead agreeing to two counts for each man who was seen digging up the nest and one count for the person who filmed it. The men will face a fine of up to $2,000 on each charge and community service, the agency said in a statement. Wildlife agents will recommend all three men work with the state Marine Turtle Conservation program so they can find out how much work goes into protecting sea turtles in South Carolina. More than 1,300 volunteers along the coast help protect nests. Female sea turtles don’t lay eggs every year, and their nests are vulnerable if not protected on the beaches. Wildlife agents said 2021 overall was a successful year protecting the turtle eggs, with 5,649 nests recorded.

South Dakota

Custer: Authorities say numerous fire departments worked through the night to put out a fire at a popular 85-year-old lodge in the Black Hills. Two firefighters received minor injuries in the blaze at Sylvan Lake Lodge in Custer State Park. No guests of the multistory hotel were hurt, according to the Custer Volunteer Fire Department. Firefighters discovered a “free-burning fire” when they arrived at the lodge Saturday night, authorities said. They encountered heavy smoke and flames extending to the roof. The stone-and-timber lodge was built in 1937, funded in part through Depression-era New Deal programs. A wing of additional rooms was added in 1991. The original Sylvan Lake Hotel was a stopping point for adventurers looking to climb Black Elk Peak, the highest point in America east of the Rockies, according to the lodge’s website. Alarms initially went off in the southeastern part of the building, authorities said. Freezing temperatures, narrow roads covered with ice and snow, and darkness added to the difficulty of dealing with the blaze. About two dozen agencies responded to the fire. Thirty-one cabins are nearby, all within close access to Sylvan Lake. Authorities asked people to steer clear of the area, where Custer firefighters said on social media that a massive cleanup effort is required.

Tennessee

Nashville: The future of Second Avenue, ravaged by a bomb blast nearly a year ago, will feature a life-size mural of the street’s historic buildings, expanded sidewalks and a restored tree canopy. Mayor John Cooper revealed details of the first phase of Second Avenue’s reconstruction Wednesday among a crowd of residents, property owners and first responders. The historic avenue was the site of a bombing on Christmas Day 2020 that crumbled 100-year-old facades and severely damaged dozens of businesses and homes. The bomber, Anthony Quinn Warner, was the only person killed in the explosion. The bombing left Nashville with the task of salvaging as much as possible of the core section of Nashville’s original downtown Market Street, literally brick by brick. In the months since, Cooper’s Second Avenue Task Force and numerous community organizations facilitated nine community workshops to collect input from more than 500 residents on how the street should be rebuilt. The first phase will be funded by a $20 million allocation approved Tuesday by the Metro Council as part of Cooper’s $564 million capital spending plan. The plans focus on creating a “more livable streetscape” with widened sidewalks, increased space for outdoor dining and food kiosks, plant life, and public art.

Texas

Houston: A group of attorneys and advocates have pledged to seek clemency for 110 Black soldiers who were convicted in a mutiny and riots at a military camp in the city in 1917. The South Texas College of Law Houston and the NAACP’s local branch have signed an agreement to continue fighting for clemency for the soldiers of the all-Black Third Battalion of the U.S. Army’s 24th Infantry Regiment, the Houston Chronicle reports. They plan to ask the secretary of the Army to posthumously grant honorable discharges and urge the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to recommend pardons to President Joe Biden. The soldiers were either executed or given long prison sentences. “We are on a quest to obtain justice for the 24th Infantry Regiment … that organized group of men who died with shameful reputations at the hands of those who had the power of the government, the courts and the power of the media,” said Bishop James Dixon, board president of the NAACP Houston Branch. On Aug. 23, 1917, four months after the U.S. had entered World War I, the regiment mutinied in Houston. It resulted in the largest murder trial in U.S. history, with 110 out of 118 soldiers found guilty. Nineteen were hanged. Law enforcement immediately recorded the events as a deadly, premeditated assault by Black Army soldiers on a white population. Historians and advocates now recognize the riot as part of the regiment’s response to what it believed was a white mob heading for them.

Utah

Salt Lake City: A local group is hoping to welcome Afghan refugees to America through playing soccer. Refugee Soccer organizes teams of those who’ve settled in Utah. It gathers equipment and helps place players on mainstream soccer clubs. “Really the mission is to bridge the gap between mainstream and refugee communities,” Executive Director Adam Miles told KSL NewsRadio. Miles is now leading a group of 10 volunteers to a military base in New Mexico after Christmas to play soccer with Afghans who fled the country this summer and are waiting for placement in homes around the country. Miles and his team will head there after Christmas and stay through the first of the year. “Three weeks of concentrated, intense (soccer) clinics, and getting to know these kids and building some relationships,” Miles said. He said soccer allows them to build those relationships. “It’s creating that bridge between people that don’t look like them, don’t speak their language and probably don’t practice their religion but are connecting over the world’s sport – the beautiful game of soccer,” he said. The group also has another big challenge. Miles said many kids fled Afghanistan with nothing. “They fled for their lives … a lot of these kids don’t have shoes.” So Refugee Soccer is trying to collect 500 to 800 pairs of shoes and cleats for the kids to wear.

Vermont

Burlington: The mayor says he hopes to double housing production over the next five years as part of an effort to end chronic homelessness in the city. Mayor Miro Weinberger released a 10-point action plan Thursday to fulfill what he calls the “promise of housing as a human right.” “The path to making good on the promise that decent, stable housing is a human right is to build a lot more homes throughout the city and throughout the region,” Weinberger said. “This will require community change and understanding from us all. Our goal should not simply be to reduce homelessness; it must be to end it.” Mychamplainvalley.com reports Weinberger said the number of people in Chittenden County experiencing chronic homelessness has risen from 35 in 2018 to more than 160 now. The mayor’s action plan includes investing $5 million in COVID-19 relief funds to build new, permanently affordable housing. That would include at least $1 million for initiatives to better serve the chronically homeless population. The plan would also set a goal of creating 1,250 new homes by the end of 2026, with a quarter of those permanently affordable.

Virginia

Fairfax: Police say four bodies discovered at two different locations in the state are the work of a serial killer who used a shopping cart to transport his victims’ bodies after meeting them on dating sites. At a press conference Friday, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis dubbed the suspect, 35-year-old Anthony Robinson, of Washington, D.C., the “shopping cart killer” and said police are working to determine if there are other victims. Davis said Robinson, who was taken into custody in Rockingham County last month, has lived in multiple locations, including New York and Maryland, in recent years. Police in Harrisonburg arrested Robinson last month and charged him with two counts of murder after finding two bodies in a vacant lot in the city. “The good thing is he’s in custody. The challenge that remains is identifying other victims,” Davis said. One body found in Fairfax County has not yet been identified. The three victims who have been identified all went missing in the past few months. Police say they are trying to research Robinson’s life going back many years to see if there might be more victims. “That’s what worries us,” Davis said. “He didn’t suddenly turn into who he is three months ago.”

Washington

Seattle: Voters have retained socialist City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, a controversial lawmaker and longtime foe of hometown tech giant Amazon. Sawant had faced a recall effort. King County Elections on Friday officially certified the Dec. 7 recall election, showing Sawant narrowly prevailing with 50.4% voting “no” on the recall question and 49.6% people casting “yes” ballots. Sawant, a 48-year-old economics professor, is the longest-tenured councilmember in Seattle. By surviving the recall, she gave a boost to the beleaguered left wing in liberal Seattle, which was bruised in last month’s general election when business-friendly candidates won the mayor’s office and a council seat. Sawant has had an outsized influence on the tone and direction of Seattle politics since she launched her political career under the banner of the Socialist Alternative party in 2012, when she ran unsuccessfully for state representative. Sawant was elected to the City Council the following year, and her threat to run a voter initiative drive for an immediate $15 minimum wage has been credited with pressuring business leaders and then-Mayor Ed Murray to reach a deal raising the wage to $15 over a few years. Seattle was the first major city in the U.S. to adopt such a measure.

West Virginia

Parkersburg: A former city councilor who is charged with breaching the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts. Eric Barber, 43, admitted to entering the Capitol and stealing a portable charger from a C-SPAN media station during a remote hearing Thursday, the Parkersburg News and Sentinel reports. “When I entered the Capitol building, I knew we weren’t supposed to be there,” he said after the judge asked if the charges were accurate. The criminal complaint alleged photos and security video showed Barber inside the Capitol wearing a green, combat-style helmet and a green, military-style field jacket. It said that video recorded Barber saying, “They’re giving us the building,” and that he took selfies in the Capitol Rotunda. It also claims he stole a portable power station from a C-SPAN media stand. Barber was elected to the Parkersburg City Council in 2016 as a Democrat. He changed his registration to independent a year later, then changed it again to Republican before losing his reelection bid last November. As part of the plea agreement, other misdemeanor counts will be dismissed. Barber’s sentencing was set for March 31.

Wisconsin

Milwaukee: The city will soon have a change in leadership. The U.S. Senate on Thursday evening confirmed the nomination of Mayor Tom Barrett to become ambassador to the small European country of Luxembourg. Barrett, who was elected mayor in 2004, did not say when he plans to step down. Common Council President Cavalier Johnson will become acting mayor until a special election can be held to fill the remainder of Barrett’s term, which ends in 2024. Johnson is one of seven candidates who have filed papers to run for the permanent position. Others include Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell Lucas, Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic and former Ald. Bob Donovan. After his nomination was confirmed, Barrett thanked President Joe Biden, who nominated him, and U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson. “I’m not running from something; I’m running to something,” Barrett said in a virtual press conference after the vote. “And I think we all recognize that there are different chapters in life, and I’m very, very eager now to start this next chapter.”

Wyoming

Jackson: Residents south of the town are sounding the alarm over the possibility that dozens of high-end commercial campsites, roads and related infrastructure could be carved into the lower flanks of Munger Mountain. A Wyoming-owned 640-acre section of land that raises money for the state’s school trust account and is exempted from local zoning regulations could host the development. At the direction of legislators seeking to wring more money out of state lands in exorbitantly priced Jackson Hole, the Office of State Lands and Investments has identified the site as a potential moneymaker and plans to issue an open-ended request for proposals, Jason Crowder, the office’s deputy director, told the Jackson Hole News&Guide. That board, which has the final say, consists of five state officials: Gov. Mark Gordon, Secretary of State Ed Buchanan, Auditor Kristi Racines, Treasurer Curt Meier and State Superintendent Jillian Balow. Although a request for proposals was once expected out by September, Crowder is now assigning no time frame for its release. But a luxury “glamour camping” company, Under Canvas, has already expressed an interest in building another of its safari-inspired glamping compounds on the Munger parcel. That the concept is being met with firm resistance.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Juneteenth celebrations: history, music, film, talk, Vineyard jubilee

A live lesson in American and Black history will Friday kick off both the Juneteenth weekend and the Arts Alive festival on the Falmouth Public Library lawn.

At 5 p.m. in a performance tent, Jeanne Morrison of AmplifyPOC Cape Cod and the League of Women Voters and State Rep. David Vieira will tell and re-enact the original events that the new federal holiday is celebrating.

That will be one of several events around Cape Cod & the Islands — including talks, music and films — to honor the abolition of slavery that is now marked nationwide after President Joe Biden last year proclaimed June 19 as the federal Juneteenth holiday. The day is known by some as African-American Independence Day, according to the Woods Hole Diversity Advisory Committee, which will hold a talk and Freedom Walk.

On Martha’s Vineyard, several businesses, arts and nonprofit organizations are collaborating to create an islandwide “edu-tourism” Juneteenth Jubilee weekend of events Friday through the actual holiday on Sunday. Among the numerous events at different venues will be a talk by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Nikole Hannah Jones about creating the 1619 Project for The New York Times to mark the 400th anniversary of American slavery by reframing the country’s history through the consequences of slavery and contributions of Black Americans.

In Falmouth on Friday, Morrison will tell the story of Juneteenth, , according to ArtsFalmouth organizers, while Vieira will portray Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army. He was the man who read Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation to the enslaved residents of Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 — more than two years after that document had set free all Confederate state slaves.

For the presentation, Falmouth High School students will play six Black Civil War heroes: Alexander Augusta, Robert Small, John Lawson, Harriet Tubman, Susan Baker King Taylor and Clara Barton.

Here are more details on those two celebrations and other ways to mark the holiday:

The Juneteenth Jubilee on Martha’s Vineyard

The three-day Juneteenth Jubilee on Martha’s Vineyard will include music, film and other entertainment, as well as presentations by historians about the maritime equivalent of the Underground Railroad — documented cases of slaves obtaining freedom at sea. Panel discussions will be held at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and the Vineyard Preservation Trust’s Carnegie Heritage Center, island libraries and other venues.

Inkwell Haven LLC, which owns three historically Black Oak Bluffs guest houses, celebrated the first Juneteenth Jubilee event last year, and its Dunmere House will be dedicated as a destination on the island’s Martha’s Vineyard African American Heritage Trail over the weekend.

Learn more:Do you know Esther's story? Underground Railroad's Martha's Vineyard ties celebrated

Writer Jones will speak Saturday at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs, followed by a Juneteenth Jubilee Creative Festival of theater (with actress Lynn Whitfield, best known for HBO’s “The Josephine Baker Story” and OWN’s “Greenleaf”), art, music and food.

Other events will involve films, including the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival’s “Resilience and Recognition: Short Films Through a Black Lens”; book-signings and readings, including by Vikki Young, author of “A Girl of Color”; talks, including by historical archaeologist Cheryl Janifer LaRoche, whose work focuses on escape from slavery and the Underground Railroad, and UMass professor Barbara Krauthamer, co-author of “Envisioning Emancipation — Black Americans and the End of Slavery”; and a Sunday Gospel Brunch at the Edgartown Yacht Club, with music by singer Athene Wilson.

Groups involved include the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, the Union Chapel Education and Cultural Institute, Circuit Arts, the Museum of African American History — Boston & Nantucket and the Vineyard Gazette.

For a full schedule: bit.ly/MVJuneteenthJubilee.

Music and more in Falmouth

The Arts Alive festival will again fill multiple tents on the lawn of the Falmouth library (300 Main St.) and adjacent Peg Noonan Park Friday through Sunday with music of all types, other performances, vendors and food. The idea to celebrate Juneteenth as part of Arts Alive came from pastor Nell Fields of the Waquoit Congregational Church and No Place for Hate, but Marilyn Rowland, ArtsFalmouth board president, says organizers were “delighted” to collaborate with them — as well as with Falmouth Public Schools, the Cape Cod Cape Verdean Museum and Cultural Center, and the College Light Opera Company (CLOC).

Other events beyond the opening reenactment include performances by Candida Rose Baptista and the Groovalottos on Sunday; the CLOC singers and musicians with Juneteenth celebration songs; the Teaticket Elementary School Chorus; and the International Ensemble from Falmouth Academy. At 3 p.m. Sunday, there will also be a Juneteenth Spoken Word performance of stories and poetry inspired by the events leading to the holiday.

Youth art:Black girl magic: Gianna Preston's mural finds permanent home at Cape Cod Tech

“ArtsFalmouth has strived to be inclusive and to honor diversity, particularly in the last couple of years,” Rowland says by email. “We want to work more closely with AmplifyPOC and other groups in the future to encourage more artists of color to participate in Arts Alive. … Participation by all members of the community is so important, and makes Arts Alive, the arts community, and the community as a whole much more vibrant, equitable, and welcoming for all.”

The dozens of performers and vendors were asked to keep both Juneteenth and Father's Day in mind this year, she says, so vendors will offer items that honor Juneteenth.

Visitors will also be able to see the Falmouth library Storywalk of the children's book "Juneteenth for Mazie." Then at 6 p.m. June 15, the library will hold a book group discussion on Annette Gordon-Reed's "On Juneteenth." Copies are available for pickup at the reference desk. Registration to join the talk is required: www.falmouthpubliclibrary.org.

A Juneteenth Walk for Freedom in Woods Hole

The Woods Hole Diversity Advisory Committee will host a lecture by B. Chad Starks on “Be the Messenger: Tell the Truth About Independence in America and Its Impact on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” at 8 p.m. Friday in the Cornelia Clapp Auditorium, 7 MBL St., Woods Hole.

Then from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, the group will partner with Highfield Hall & Gardens (56 Highfield Drive, Falmouth) for a Juneteenth Walk for Freedom event. The community is invited to take contemplative strolls on the Highfield grounds or in adjacent Beebe Woods, and a Juneteenth children’s story will be featured for a Storywalk on the Beech Tree Trail. A tent will be set up offering information, refreshments, and coloring pages for children.

Registration for the walk and information: www.highfieldhallandgardens.org. More information: https://www.woodsholediversity.org/events/.

Artist market and fundraiser in Provincetown

Provincetown Brewing Co. (141 Bradford St.) will host a community fundraising event from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday for Mom Advocates (MAMA), which pairs advocates with caregivers during their postpartum year, and Amplify POC Cape Cod, an organization committed to eliminating the racial wealth gap (disparity in assets across race and ethnicity) by removing barriers created by systemic racism.

There will be live music, and artisans and businesses owned by people of color will be on hand; those involved will include Belonging Books, The Periwinkle Goddess, Action Is Everything, Zavia Walker and Cutco. There will be prizes to win from local businesses in a raffle. Attendance is free, though a $25 donation is suggested. Information: https://www.eventbrite.com.

Another movie to see:'Shift the lens': Black diplomats during the Cold War, PBS documentary by Cape Cod native

Music in Wellfleet and South Yarmouth

The David Eure Jazz Trio will play a Juneteenth holiday show at 5 p.m. Saturday to kick off the Summer Sounds Concert series at Wellfleet Preservation Hall (335 Main St.).

The band is based in Boston and includes Eure on violin, Lee Adler on piano and Chris Rathbun on bass. Hall organizers say Eure “virtually transforms the violin into a human voice, embodying a soulful sound with precision, clarity and finesse.” Tickets: $12-$25; https://www.wellfleetpreservationhall.org/.

The Cultural Center of Cape Cod (307 Old Main St, South Yarmouth) will host Kotoko Brass in “An Afternoon of Tradition, Diversity and Unity” concert at 3 p.m. Sunday. Kotoko Brass features musicians from Ghana, Antigua, Japan and the United States playing a style of West African dance music inspired by the traditional drum rhythms of Ghana.

The drums merge syncopated African percussion polyrhythms with dance grooves, according to information from the center, then the horns blend traditional sounds of New Orleans with the West African brass band sound heard from Ghana to Nigeria, while the guitar, keyboard and bass evoke "classic African and Caribbean styles of highlife, afrobeat, and reggae." Tickets: $25; www.cultural-center.org or 508-394-7100.

In Cotuit, a discussion of Africa

“Black Kingdoms Matter — Africa: The Motherland” is the title of the latest presentation by Robin Joyce Miller (also the writer) and James Walter Robinson in a Black Lives Matter series at Cotuit Center for the Arts (4404 Falmouth Road, or Route 28).

The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and focuses on “a very positive view of Africa, which is the Motherland to us all,” according to center information. The program will highlight some of the ancient African kingdoms that were in existence before the age of European Imperialism and colonization.

Tickets: $25, $20 for members, $23 for seniors/veterans; artsonthecapeorg. The talk will be streamed on the center's YouTube channel, and all programs in the Black Lives Matter series are there for viewing.

In Dennis, a film and talk

The MLK Action Team of the Nauset Interfaith Association will host the film “Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America” at 4 p.m. Monday at Cape Cinema (35 Hope Lane, Dennis). The film will be followed by a panel of local activists sharing their reflections on the film and its relevance to Barnstable County.

Program partners are local racial justice organizations, including Amplify POC Cape Cod, BFree Wellness, Belonging Books, Cape Cod Voices and No Place For Hate Barnstable. Tickets, $15, which includes a small donation to the MLK Action Team: https://www.capecinema.com.

Contact Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll at kdriscoll@capecodonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @KathiSDCCT.

Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee: Palace reveals how Queen's ...

CNN —

This year is set to be a landmark one for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.

It is her Platinum Jubilee – marking 70 years since the Queen first took the throne in 1952 and making her both the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-serving female head of state in history.

To celebrate the unprecedented anniversary, a number of events will take place throughout the UK over the year – culminating in a four-day national bank holiday weekend from Thursday June 2 until Sunday June 5, known as the Jubilee Weekend.

The holiday itself will include a variety of public events and community activities, as well as “national moments of reflection” on the Queen’s 70 years of service.

The upcoming celebrations will be the Queen’s first jubilee without her husband, Prince Philip, who died in 2021.

The monarch’s private estates – including Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle – will also join in with Jubilee themed events.

One of the initiatives due to take place as part of the celebrations is known as the “Platinum Pudding” celebration – a nationwide baking competition seeking out a new dessert dedicated to the Queen. UK residents aged 8 and over will be invited to create a recipe and the finalists will be judged by a panel including famed baker Mary Berry, Monica Galetti and the Buckingham Palace head chef Mark Flanagan.

The winning recipe will then be made available to the public ahead of the Jubilee Weekend.

Other events planned to mark the occasion include the “BBC Platinum Party at the Palace” – a live concert which promises to bring together some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars to celebrate significant moments from the Queen’s reign.

On Thursday June 2, more than 1,500 towns, villages and cities throughout the UK and its overseas territories will light a beacon to mark the Jubilee. The capitals of Commonwealth countries will also light beacons – even as sentiment towards the British monarch in the Commonwealth now differs throughout different nations.

The Jubilee Weekend celebrations will also see “Big Jubilee Lunches” take place across Britain, including flagship events in London and at Cornwall’s Eden Project – where the idea for the lunches originated.

A Platinum Jubilee Pageant will also be held, in which artistic performers, dancers, musicians, military personnel, key workers and volunteers will unite to tell the story of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign in a festival of creativity. It will take place in London and will include street arts, theater, music, circus, costumes, and visual technology.

This pageant will involve a “River of Hope” section that will comprise 200 silk flags that will process down The Mall – the road in London that leads to Buckingham Palace – like a river. School children are invited to create a picture of their hopes and aspirations for the planet over the next 70 years.

The artwork for the flags will be focused on climate change and incorporate the children’s messages for the future.

The pageant will take place on June 5, the last day of the Platinum Jubilee Weekend celebrations, as the events marking the monarch’s historic 70-year reign draw to a close.

CNN has launched Royal News, a new weekly dispatch bringing you the inside track on the royal family, what they are up to in public and what’s happening behind palace walls. Sign up here.

Hannah Ryan Max Foster
Hannah Ryan
Max Foster

Yo-Yo Ma, flowing green: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: The state is expanding eligibility later this month for COVID-19 vaccinations to more front-line workers, residents with certain chronic health conditions, and people 55 and older, officials announced Friday. “We have been concerned that many people at high risk and others engaged in close-contact work have not been eligible to receive the vaccine yet, but with the additional vaccine supply we are better able to meet the needs of Alabama residents,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement. The expansion, starting March 22, will add more than 2 million people to the groups who can receive a COVID-19 vaccination in Alabama, roughly doubling the number of people now eligible. But demand continues to exceed supply and will increase the competition to find shots. State Health Officer Scott Harris said eligibility was expanded because of the expectations of the public and health officials that the supply will jump over the coming weeks. “I would just encourage people to please remember to be patient. They have been patient for so long and we are really very very close to having enough vaccine to go around. I think in a month, probably six weeks at least, there is going to be more than an adequate supply of vaccine,” Harris said Friday.

Alaska

Juneau: State Sen. Lora Reinbold was allowed to participate in a floor session Friday after special accommodations were made for the Republican who legislative leaders say has refused to comply with protocols meant to guard against the spread of the coronavirus at the Capitol. Before the session started, the chamber doors were closed, which is unusual, and the sergeant at arms stood in front. When Reinbold approached, holding her phone to record the interaction, she was directed to a visitors’ gallery, where she sat alone. Roll, typically called with lawmakers pressing buttons at their desks, was called orally. Two days earlier, senators voted to allow leadership to restrict access by Reinbold to the Capitol until she complies with rules aimed at curbing the virus’s spread. Reinbold continued Friday to wear the type of clear face shield she has worn since the session started in January, which leaders say does not comply with the rules. She also said she was working from her Capitol office and showed up before the start of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which she chairs, before turning the gavel over to her vice chair and participating by video conference.

Arizona

Phoenix: The state can meet President Joe Biden’s goal to offer vaccinations to everyone who wants one by May as long as the federal government supplies enough doses, Gov. Doug Ducey said Friday. “If we have the supply, we certainly have the infrastructure,” Ducey told Phoenix radio station KTAR-FM. Arizona is scheduling COVID-19 vaccines for people 55 and older through four state-run mass vaccination sites in Phoenix and Tucson, and the state plans to lower the threshold to age 45 on April 1. Counties have their vaccine allotments and criteria to get them; some are prioritizing essential workers. Ducey said he’s focused for now on the “coalition of the willing” but plans to turn his attention to people who are apprehensive and communities where people don’t have cars or otherwise struggle to get to drive-thru inoculation sites. Low-income areas and communities of color have lagged wealthier and whiter ZIP codes in vaccination rates. Ducey’s top health official, Dr. Cara Christ, said the state is beginning intensive outreach efforts in areas with low levels of vaccination. Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said she expects to open appointments for people 35 and older sometime in April and to meet Biden’s May 1 deadline for appointments to be open for everyone.

Arkansas

Little Rock: An additional 18 deaths from COVID-19 were reported Saturday by the Arkansas Department of Health, in addition to 314 more confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases in the state. There have been 326,813 confirmed or suspected cases and 5,455 deaths since the pandemic began, according to the health department. The seven-day rolling average of deaths in the state has increased during the past two weeks from 10 per day Feb. 25 to 22 on Thursday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, while the seven-day average of new cases decreased during the same time frame, from 560.7 daily to 310. Arkansas ranked 17th in the nation in new cases per capita with 260.8 per 100,000 population, according to the Johns Hopkins data. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the state is on schedule to meet President Joe Biden’s goal to make all adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, assuming the available supply is sufficient. He expanded the state’s eligibility last week to the rest of those in its 1B category, which he said in a statement was expected to be completed this month.

California

Los Angeles: Coronavirus hospitalizations in Los Angeles County slipped below 1,000 for the first time in nearly four months, officials reported Saturday, as case rates also remained low and as much of the state prepared for some restrictions to be lifted. The number of patients with COVID-19 in LA County hospitals hit 979, the fewest since Nov. 23, the county health department said. The 3,250 people hospitalized statewide represented a drop of more than 85% since peaking around 22,000 in early January, the state Department of Public Health said Saturday. State officials announced Friday that 13 counties would be eligible to open restaurants, movie theaters, gyms and museums at limited capacity Sunday. The easing of restrictions is a result of the state hitting a 2 million equity metric aimed at getting more vaccines into low-income communities. The counties eligible to reopen included Contra Costa and Sonoma in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. San Bernardino and Orange said they’d reopen those businesses Sunday, although LA County officials said they’d wait until Monday. Another 13 counties – including San Diego, Sacramento, Riverside and Ventura – are expected to reopen Wednesday under a different metric. Hard-hit Kern and Fresno in the central valley remain in the most restrictive tier.

Colorado

Denver: Gov. Jared Polis said he expects every resident to be eligible to get vaccinated by mid-April, a faster timeline than what President Joe Biden previously announced. On Thursday, Biden said he’s directing all states to open vaccine eligibility to all ages May 1. “In Colorado, we always aim to do better,” Polis said at a news conference Friday. “We’re very competitive, and … we’re able to announce today that we expect we will be there by mid-April. We will have that date in the next week or two as we further refine our supply projections.” When eligibility opens to all residents, providers will be able to use their own discretion to prioritize those in higher-risk categories, said Scott Bookman, COVID-19 incident commander. Polis made the prediction Friday as he also announced that residents over age 50 and essential workers would be eligible by March 19 – two days earlier than previously expected. By March 17, vaccine providers should have information on how to sign up for the latest eligible group, Polis said. The state estimates about 2.5 million people will be eligible in this group, Bookman said, including workers in the Postal Service, restaurants, higher education and those over the age of 16 with one high-risk condition.

Connecticut

Hartford: Some lawmakers and the state’s restaurant association are raising concerns about the General Assembly’s latest effort to phase out single-use food containers, noting that many restaurants continue to rely heavily on takeout orders because of the pandemic. Rep. Stephen Harding, R-Brookfield, the top House Republican on the Environment Committee, said while the legislation would not bar restaurants from using expanded polystyrene containers until 2023, he still believes it makes sense to wait on passing the bill. “My biggest concern here is implementing legislation that would put further costs and mandates on these restaurants just as they’re trying to open their doors once again and trying to make some level of profit,” said Harding, noting the uncertainty of when the coronavirus threat will finally be over. “This could last longer than we all expect, unfortunately,” Harding said, pledging his support once “we’re on the other side of this pandemic.” Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, the committee’s top Senate Democrat and owner of a bagel restaurant, said lawmakers purposely delayed implementation because of the financial challenges restaurants have faced, but the material is “incredibly harmful” to the environment and must be addressed. The bill advanced to the House for further action.

Delaware

Wilmington: The chief justice of Delaware’s Supreme Court says jury trials and additional in-person court proceedings could return to state courts in June if current COVID-19 trends continue. In a statement Friday to judicial officers, employees and members of the Delaware Bar Association, Chief Justice Collins Seitz Jr. said the latest trends are encouraging, with the rates of positive tests, hospitalizations and deaths all down significantly from the peak in January. The Delaware State News reports Seitz also said vaccination clinics are planned for the judiciary and its justice partners. Seitz said he anticipates the state moving to Phase 3 of the courts’ reopening plan, assuming that “the downward trend in COVID-19 cases continues, and the vaccine becomes more widely available as promised.” In Phase 3, the courts will maintain current health safety precautions, including COVID-19 screening and temperature checks at the entrances to court facilities, as well as mask requirements and social distancing. He said due to the backlog of criminal cases, they will be given top priority during Phase 3.

District of Columbia

Washington: People gathered downtown Saturday to protest utility shut-offs that are still happening amid a pandemic that has delivered a financial wallop to many, WUSA-TV reports. Saturday’s demonstration outside the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services comes as a local D.C. moratorium on Pepco shut-offs, which has been in place since last year, is set to expire next month. Signs at the protest directed messages at President Joe Biden for not establishing a national moratorium on utility cutoffs for people who are having trouble paying the bills during the pandemic. A federal judge in Ohio recently ruled that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lacked the authority to issue a nationwide moratorium on rental evictions – the second such ruling issued by a federal judge in two weeks. U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker in the Eastern District of Texas had earlier determined that the moratorium was unconstitutional. The Justice Department is appealing that order.

Florida

Tallahassee: A measure that would shield businesses from COVID-19-related lawsuits could make it before the state Senate this week, providing another key test for a measure that supporters assert will protect against frivolous lawsuits but that critics worry could give blanket immunity to most business owners, including long-term care facilities, who negligently put the public and their workers in danger during the pandemic. Earlier this month, the House approved liability protections for most businesses, planning to later take up another bill specific to health care providers. The version coming before the Senate combines both into a single bill and would put pressure on the House to follow suit. And it could provide Democrats, who are generally opposed to the bills, with more opportunities to advocate for changes they hope will favor workers and consumers. Gov. Ron DeSantis has urged his allies in the Republican-controlled Legislature to make the COVID-19 liability issue a priority during their 60-day session, which is entering its third week. He has argued that a spate of lawsuits could translate to the loss of jobs. Immunity from such lawsuits is especially important for long-term care facilities. State health records show nearly 11,000 residents in those facilities died from the pandemic.

Georgia

Savannah: The South’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is canceled, as is the boozy riverside festival that accompanies it. Regardless, the city has been preparing for its largest crowds since the yearlong pandemic began – an influx officials worry could bring a surge in coronavirus infections. The Irish holiday typically means Savannah’s manicured squares and magnolia-shaded sidewalks are packed with thousands of gaudy green revelers March 17. But with Georgia still reporting at least 1,000 new COVID-19 infections daily while ranking last in U.S. vaccinations, city officials again pulled the plug on this year’s parade. Likewise, Savannah City Hall withheld a permit for the sprawling St. Patrick’s festival that’s typically a magnet for beer-fueled revelry along the city’s riverfront promenade. But the city’s top tourism official expected hotels in the downtown historic district to be 90% full over the weekend – the busiest in the past year. Meanwhile, the owner of a new $375 million hotel and nightlife development covering a quarter-mile along the riverfront promoted a festival beginning Friday that Mayor Van Johnson called “a slap in the face” to the city’s efforts to curb coronavirus infections by forgoing events that draw big crowds. But Plant Riverside was relatively quiet Saturday morning.

Hawaii

Honolulu: The state won’t need to furlough or lay off workers because it will be receiving more financial help from federal coronavirus relief legislation, Gov. David Ige said Thursday. The Democratic governor had warned in December that the state would need to furlough more than 40,000 employees to balance the budget after plummeting tourism depleted tax revenue. Ige said his planned furloughs would cut worker pay by 9.2% and take effect Jan. 1. But Ige delayed the furloughs after Congress approved a second round of pandemic relief in December. The third and latest package signed by President Joe Biden, which provides Hawaii with about $1.6 billion to bolster its budget, allows Ige to take furloughs off the table completely. Hawaii’s tourism-dependent economy has been hit hard by the pandemic as hundreds of hotels shut down and furloughed and laid off workers. As of December, Hawaii had the highest jobless rate in the nation, at 9.3%, but that’s an improvement over the peak of 23.6% last April. Hawaii’s counties also will receive funding to help their budgets, and money will go to public schools, the University of Hawaii, and rent and mortgage assistance. The state Department of Health will receive funding to cover COVID-19 vaccinations and mental health and substance abuse programs.

Idaho

Boise: The first significant piece of legislation aimed at trimming a governor’s powers during declared emergencies while increasing the Legislature’s power cleared the state Senate on Friday and is headed to the House. The Senate voted 27-7 to approve the measure that targets emergency powers during human-made events, such as a terrorist attack. A companion House bill targets a governor’s authority during natural disasters. Both bills have similar language. Lawmakers say the coronavirus pandemic showed that the state’s current system is a relic from the Cold War that concentrates too much power in the executive branch. Should a governor have the authority to declare an emergency “and then, without limitation, ad infinitum, forever and ever maintain that power and overturn the law, declare martial law, and exercise government by the military without ever calling upon the Legislature to consider the issue?” Republican Senate Majority Leader Kelly Anthon asked his fellow senators during debate on the Senate floor. Democratic Sen. Grant Burgoyne noted that the legislation supported by Republicans was caused by a pandemic that many in the GOP consider a hoax. “This fight against this horrible virus is not over – we still have work to do,” he said. “And in my estimation, this legislation is not equal to the task.”

Illinois

Chicago: The Chicago River was dyed a bright shade of green Saturday after Mayor Lori Lightfoot reversed an earlier decision not to tint the waterway for a second year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Crews on boats began dumping green dye into the riverfront about 7 a.m. after Lightfoot authorized the dyeing ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, delighting pedestrians with the vivid scene. Chicago residents Lori Jones and Mike Smith surveyed the green waters, saying they were glad the tradition that dates to 1962 was resumed this year. “We truly missed it last year, as a lot of other things in 2020,” Jones, 59, told the Chicago Tribune. Last year, Lightfoot abruptly canceled the city’s 2020 parades and the river dyeing just days before they were to take place in the early days of the pandemic. She called off the parades again this year due to the lingering pandemic and said the river would once again not be dyed. But a Lightfoot spokesman said in a statement that the city opted “to honor the long-standing tradition” and authorized its partners, the Chicago Plumbers Union Local 130, to dye the river. The event was not publicized in advance “in order to minimize crowds and avoid congregating,” the spokesman said.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Downtown Indianapolis began to emerge from the pandemic Saturday with a widespread slate of live music, dance, murals, storefront art and more outdoor activities. The goal of “Swish,” an arts and culture festival, is to safely celebrate alongside the NCAA Tournament. Almost 600 artists and creative professionals, many of whom have endured decimated incomes after a year’s worth of cancellations, are contributing to “Swish,” which will run through April 5. “Think about it from the human standpoint: One, we’re coming off of winter. Two, it’s winter with COVID,” said Karen Haley, executive director of the Cultural Trail, one of the organizers of the event. “All of us, I think, are just itching to have anything to do outside in places where we can be physically distant and still be able to be with your friends and family.” Organizers of the festival and beautification efforts include Visit Indy, Downtown Indy, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, IndyHub, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc., Indianapolis Urban League, Indiana Humanities, the Indianapolis Airport Authority, the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Indiana Sports Corp. All of the activities are free and open to the public. And they’re outdoors, along with plenty of signs reminding people to social distance and wear masks.

Iowa

Iowa City: As coronavirus cases plummeted, the state quietly extended by three months a $3.9 million contact tracing contract with a company owned by a major Republican Party donor and supporter of Gov. Kim Reynolds, according to documents released Friday. After a one-day emergency bidding process in November, the Iowa Department of Public Health hired MCI, an Iowa City telemarketing firm, to trace the contacts of residents infected with the virus. The award of the original two-month, $2.3 million contract came during a surge in cases that filled up hospitals with patients and after months of complaints from counties about a shortage of contact tracing workers. MCI is owned by Anthony Marlowe, who was a delegate to the Republican National Convention last year and has emerged as a top donor for Republican Party groups and candidates in recent years. His company performed extensive telemarketing and data work for Donald Trump’s two presidential campaigns and also provided services for Reynolds’ political campaign. The public health department said in November that MCI was the highest-scoring out of 14 bidders and that its political connections played no role in it getting the contract. The company had been pitching its services to the state since the beginning of the pandemic.

Kansas

Mission: A hospital had to throw away 570 doses of vaccine because of a refrigeration mistake, officials say. Lawrence Memorial Hospital said in a news release that city and county health officials transferred the doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the hospital Wednesday. The hospital then put them in a freezer, not realizing they were thawed. Confusion arose because most doses are shipped frozen, but the health department had received this batch in a refrigerated state. The hospital reached out to J&J for guidance and was instructed that the doses would have to be discarded. LMH Health President & CEO Russ Johnson described what happened as a “heart-wrenching situation for our hospital,” which he said is reviewing processes aimed at preventing vaccine waste to prevent future errors. Health officials also have requested replacement doses and are working to reschedule appointments. Meanwhile, it isn’t clear whether the statewide state of emergency for the coronavirus pandemic will remain in effect past March 31, when it is due to expire. The Republican-controlled Legislature would have to extend it, and some GOP leaders want to let it and any remaining restrictions expire with new cases down.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday signed legislation allowing the state to waive the overpayment of some pandemic-related unemployment claims. The bill, which won bipartisan support, applies to some people who left their jobs early in the pandemic due to concerns about exposure to COVID-19. At the time, as Beshear encouraged people to stay “Healthy at Home,” the state signaled they’d be eligible for jobless assistance. Recipients, however, were later informed the money had to be given back. Beshear’s administration pointed to the U.S. Labor Department for the mix-up. On Friday, the Democratic governor said in a social media post that signing the measure was “the right thing to do to help Kentuckians as we recover from the pandemic.” The bill’s main sponsor was Republican Sen. David Givens. The measure seeks to remedy the unintended problem that was hanging over some Kentuckians by allowing the state Labor Cabinet to waive overpayments when the unemployment office was at fault. Recipients would be expected to request the waiver. Lawmakers had pointed to the hardships the reimbursements would cause people who, through no fault of their own, were being asked for the money back.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: Gov. John Bel Edwards declared Sunday a “day of prayer and remembrance” for the more than 9,000 Louisianans who have died from COVID-19 since the outbreak began a year ago. Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 death in the state. “Sadly, there are thousands of empty seats at churches, Sunday dinners, family celebrations, homes, businesses and schools all across our state,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “As we mourn, I am calling on all Louisianans to join me and Donna on Sunday for a moment of prayer or remembrance for those we have lost and their families and friends who need our support now more than ever.” The health department has confirmed 9,122 people have died in the state from COVID-19, and hundreds of additional deaths are suspected from the disease caused by the coronavirus. More deaths continue to be announced daily. But public health officials hope wider availability to vaccines will stem the number of new deaths, and already the daily death toll from COVID-19 in Louisiana has fallen as more people have received immunizations. Nearly 18% of the state’s total population has received at least the first dose of the two-dose vaccine regimens available, according to state health department data.

Maine

Augusta: The Legislature has approved a bill designed to eliminate barriers to coronavirus screening, testing and immunization. Proponents of the bill called it the “COVID-19 Patient Bill of Rights,” and it passed the Legislature during a session that stretched from Thursday into early Friday. The proposal requires state-regulated insurers to cover coronavirus screening, testing and immunization at no cost to patients. Democratic House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, a leading proponent of the bill, said the proposal is about “making sure nothing prevents Mainers from getting the health care they need to protect themselves, their families and loved ones from this serious virus.” The proposal also stops health care providers from charging patients any sort of fee related to coronavirus preventative services. The proposal now goes to Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who has said she supports the bill. She has 10 days to sign it, and it would become effective immediately.

Maryland

Annapolis: The state is extending its income tax deadline by three months to July 15. Comptroller Peter Franchot made the announcement Thursday. No interest or penalties will be assessed if returns are filed and taxes owed are paid by the new deadline. The extension applies to individual, pass-through, fiduciary and corporate income tax returns. The comptroller said the extension is due to legislation at the state and federal levels that affects 2020 tax filings and provides economic relief for taxpayers harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Maryland, passage of the RELIEF Act in February required extensive revisions to previously released forms and software programs used by tax filers and tax software vendors. At the federal level, the passage of a third stimulus package this week necessitates more changes to federal and state forms even as the traditional April 15 tax filing deadline approaches.

Massachusetts

Pittsfield: Newly vaccinated residents were treated to a mini-concert Saturday when famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma brought out his instrument after getting his second shot. Ma took a seat along the wall of the observation area Saturday at Berkshire Community College and played for about 15 minutes, saying he “wanted to give something back,” Richard Hall of the Berkshire COVID-19 Vaccine Collaborative told The Berkshire Eagle. “What a way to end the clinic,” Hall said. The quick concert came a year after Ma started posting recordings of himself using the hashtag #SongsOfComfort on social media. “In these days of anxiety,” he wrote on Twitter on March 13, 2020, “I wanted to find a way to continue to share some of the music that gives me comfort.” Since then, he also has played surprise pop-up concerts for essential workers.

Michigan

Lansing: Visitors will be allowed at state prisons for the first time in a year starting March 26, the Corrections Department said Friday. Visitors will be given a rapid coronavirus test and have their temperature checked. Physical contact between prisoners and visitors will be prohibited. “Connections with family and the community lead to greater offender success,” department Director Heidi Washington said. “With the continuation of vaccines, and cases within the MDOC on a steady decline, the department is prepared to provide in-person visits without jeopardizing the safety and well-being of our inmates and staff.” Visits must be scheduled in advance. Information will be posted at michigan.gov/corrections. More than 25,000 prisoners have tested positive for the virus since the start of the pandemic; 139 have died. There were 788 active cases Wednesday, the Corrections Department said, including 615 at Bellamy Creek in Ionia and Egeler in Jackson.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Gov. Tim Walz on Friday announced he is easing several coronavirus restrictions, citing rising vaccinations and declining COVID-19 cases. “I’m here to tell you that we’re winning. We’re winning, and this thing is coming to an end,” Walz said in a livestreamed announcement. “Today is the day that a lot of things are going to start to change that you’re going to notice.” Starting at noon Monday, religious services will no longer have occupancy limits, though social distancing will still be required. Gathering limits will increase to 50 people outside and 15 people indoors with no household limits. Pod sizes for outdoor youth sports can increase to up to 50 people. Bar and restaurant capacity will also go up to 75% with a limit of 250 people and bar seating for parties of four. Capacity for gyms, fitness centers and pools increases to 50%. There will be no occupancy limits for hair salons and barbershops. Entertainment venues will be able to open at 50% capacity with a limit of 250 people. Starting April 1, larger venues with normal capacities over 500 can allow up to 3,000 people for seated indoor venues and 1,500 people for non-seated indoor venues. The limit for large seated and non-seated outdoor venues is 10,000 people, meaning the Twins will be able to welcome fans for the baseball team’s home opener.

Mississippi

D’Iberville: A casino along the Gulf Coast is offering employees $150 for each COVID-19 vaccine shot they receive. The Sun Herald reports employees at Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville who take vaccines that require two shots will get $300. The casino has also partnered with a hospital to have vaccines administered at its clinic. CEO LuAnn Pappas told the newspaper the casino wants to mitigate the impact COVID-19 has had on the hospitality industry. She said casino directors all have received COVID-19 vaccinations, and they are required for all managers. The casino is also giving employees time off to get the vaccine at another site.

Missouri

St. Louis: A task force appointed to examine concerns about a troubled jail is urging the city to create an independent oversight board to help oversee the lockup, according to a report released Friday. Task force leaders shared the report with Mayor Lyda Krewson. The Rev. Darryl Gray, a longtime racial justice advocate who chairs the task force, said the creation of an oversight board is an “urgent priority.” Krewson and Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards said they’ll review the recommendations. After three violent outbursts in as many months at the downtown City Justice Center, Edwards blamed the uprisings on “angry, defiant, very violent people,” but inmate advocates blamed poor treatment of the detainees. Inmates have complained about unhealthy and inhumane conditions and expressed worries that the jail’s COVID-19 precautions fall short. City leaders have cited coronavirus protocols that include 14-day quarantine periods for each new detainee, masks replaced upon request and testing anytime a detainee or a nurse detects symptoms. The task force also recommended more recreation time for inmates, limiting the length of stay in a holding cell to a maximum of 24 hours, faster response to medical needs, and a renewed effort to reduce legal logjams that have kept some pretrial detainees in jail for well over a year.

Montana

Helena: A legislative committee voted Friday to restore funding for two positions within the state health department that are dedicated to serving Native American communities. State Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, brought the amendment to restore the funding for the the American Indian health director and the tribal relations manager, saying the panel’s earlier elimination of two jobs held by Native Americans doesn’t “look good out there to Montana.” Republican Rep. Matt Regier of Kalispell had argued that the positions were redundant, that other health department workers could work with tribes and that there are other tribal liaisons in state government. Adam Meier, director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services, told the committee Thursday that the employees do important work. The House Appropriations Committee voted 15-9 Friday to restore the $481,000 in state and federal funding for the jobs for the next two years. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte supported restoring the funding, spokesperson Brooke Stroyke has said. The proposed eliminations of the positions were among several moves made by the GOP-controlled Legislature this year that have triggered concerns from some Native Americans and their allies who fear they are losing influence and representation.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Gov. Pete Ricketts endorsed a bill Wednesday that would make permanent his emergency order to let restaurants offer alcohol with takeout orders during the pandemic. The governor’s comments came one day after lawmakers gave the measure first-round approval. “Certainly, this pandemic has demonstrated that a lot of these regulations were not necessary, providing no public benefit,” Ricketts said when asked about the issue at a news conference. Sen. Suzanne Geist, the bill’s sponsor, said she introduced it to help local businesses recover some of the revenue they lost due to government-mandated social distancing restrictions. The bill could still be tweaked to address concerns raised by some senators. Under the measure, drinks could only be sold in a sealed, tamper-evident container and not partially consumed.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Friday that he planned to accelerate the state’s reopening timeline. The Democratic governor reversed plans to limit the number of concerts, conventions and trade show attendees to 1,000 people and decided to allow them to host up to 50% of total venue capacity – the same as most businesses in the state – starting March 15. The decision will allow the Las Vegas Convention Center and venues like 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip to apply for permits to accept thousands more people. The move won quick praise from the hospitality industry. “The meetings and convention business is critical to our economy with tens of thousands of jobs depending on it,” Nevada Resort Association President Virginia Valentine said in response to the decision. “All in all, Las Vegas’ reopening momentum continues to build.” Sisolak has said he’s leveraging all state resources to administer vaccines quickly. On Thursday, he expanded eligibility to front-line workers in the restaurant, hospitality and hotel sectors, following reports from Las Vegas-area health officials that slots were going unfilled. Health officials also promised that by this week people 55 and older with underlying health conditions will be able to book vaccination appointments at pharmacies.

New Hampshire

Concord: The state will receive more than $9.4 million in federal grants to help fight substance use disorder and bolster access to mental health services under the coronavirus relief package signed into law in December, New Hampshire’s congressional delegation said Friday. “The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a tremendous toll on Granite Staters’ mental health, with many people experiencing acute stress, anxiety, depression and trauma as they grapple with the devastating impacts of this crisis,” said U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who pushed for the provision. “The substance use disorder epidemic has been exacerbated by COVID-19, with both patients and treatment providers struggling to get the resources and support they need to stay afloat,” she said in a statement. The package includes a total of $4.25 billion in funding for substance use disorder treatment and mental health care.

New Jersey

Trenton: While Gov. Phil Murphy has pledged to be transparent throughout the coronavirus pandemic, his administration has denied or slowly responded to requests for records related to spending, communications and decision-making. The pandemic has sparked an explosion of public data, yielding a sprawling COVID-19 website, updated daily with data and other information – including the numerous executive orders over the past year – created by Murphy’s office and the state’s health department. Broad requests for COVID-19-related spending have also been answered, but the administration has blocked information from the public. It’s unclear how much more is being withheld than usual, given the dozens of dozens of pandemic-related executive orders and purchase orders, among other official actions, that have created public records. It’s not unusual for governors to cite one of the handful of exceptions when denying records, but the state’s Government Records Council, which oversees the public records law, also says certain documents like payment vouchers should be released without delay. That hasn’t happened with some COVID-19-related records requests. Murphy last week said it might take time to release some records but recommitted his administration to transparency. “We are doing, I promise you, our level best to be transparent in every single way,” he said.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: With the slowing of the coronavirus outbreak, Albuquerque Public Schools will resume in-person learning for five days a week starting April 5, though students can continue remote learning for the rest of the school year. New Mexico’s largest school district announced its startup date Friday after the state Public Education Department earlier in the week said all schools were expected to reopen classrooms after spring break. The district’s Board of Education was briefed on the reopening plan but did not vote on it. Mask-wearing will be required, and social distancing will be expected, interim Superintendent Scott Elder said. “The reality is that full reentry will create situations in classes where we are unable to keep people 6 feet apart, but we’re assured that is OK,” Elder said. “But the goal is to maintain social distancing … to the greatest extent possible.” Albuquerque Public Schools officials said they were trying to arrange extensions for teachers in high-risk groups to allow them to wait to return to in-person instruction until two weeks after being fully vaccinated.

New York

New York: With somber words and music set against a backdrop of images of New Yorkers taken by the COVID-19 pandemic, the city on Sunday marked a year since word broke of the state’s first fatalities from the coronavirus, a fearful moment of reckoning that sent officials rushing to close businesses and schools. The elaborate evening ceremony on the Brooklyn waterfront paid tribute to the approximately 30,000 city residents killed by the virus since March 2020. The event began with a performance by the New York Philharmonic and included remarks by faith leaders and poetry from the city’s youth poet laureate. Throughout the ceremony, faces of the pandemic’s New York City victims were projected onto the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. A visibly emotional Mayor Bill de Blasio called the total number of lives lost in the city “a number we can barely imagine” and noted it represented more than lost in World War II, Vietnam, the Sept. 11 attacks and Superstorm Sandy combined. As devastating as the losses have been, he said, “everyone we’ve lost, what they did goes on. What they contributed, what they created, the love they gave goes on.” The death toll in the broader New York City metropolitan area now stands at more than 65,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

North Carolina

Durham: Duke University issued a quarantine order for all its undergraduates effective Saturday night due to a coronavirus outbreak caused by students who attended recruitment parties, the school said. The university said in a statement that all undergraduate students will be forced to stay in place until at least March 21. Suspension and dismissal from the school are potential punishments for “flagrant or repeat violators.” Over the past week, the school has reported more than 180 coronavirus cases among students. There are an additional 200 students who may have been exposed and have been ordered to quarantine. The school said in the statement that the outbreak was “principally driven by students attending recruitment parties for selective living groups.” Duke said it would provide a policy update Thursday.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Improving oil prices and pending federal coronavirus aid have state lawmakers expecting a slightly better revenue forecast than what was used as a budgetary starting point in January. State budget analysts, the economic consultancy Moody’s Analytics, and the Legislature’s own economic consultancy, IHS Markit, on Tuesday will present their budget predictions that will be used as guidelines to craft the state’s upcoming two-year budget. Republican House Appropriations Chairman Jeff Delzer and his Senate counterpart, Ray Holmberg, said lawmakers are expecting increased tax revenues but will be cautious with priorities when they adopt a blueprint. The revenue assumptions are important because the Legislature will use the numbers in making final spending decisions. Until now, the Legislature has idled major spending bills until the new economic assumptions are released. A forecast adopted in January estimated projected tax revenues for the 2021-23 budget cycle at $3.95 billion, based on the pair of competing revenue forecasts. Tuesday’s estimates will provide a fresh set of numbers, although they only include three months’ worth of new data.

Ohio

Columbus: A bill restricting governors’ abilities to issue public health orders during a pandemic is unconstitutional and a violation of the separation of powers, according to Gov. Mike DeWine, who planned to veto the latest legislation headed for his desk while holding out hope for a compromise. The GOP-controlled House approved the final version of the bill Wednesday, and it now heads to DeWine with what his fellow Republican legislative leaders believe is a veto-proof majority in both chambers. The measure is the latest effort by Republican lawmakers to rein in DeWine’s authority to issue statewide orders such as mandatory mask-wearing and limits on the size of crowds at sporting events. Among other provisions, the bill limits public health orders to 90 days and would allow the Legislature to terminate them after 30 days with a “concurrent resolution,” a fast-tracked vote different from normal legislation. “I’m very concerned about a future governor and health departments around the state not having the tools they need to keep the people of the state safe,” DeWine said. And allowing legislatures to overturn a governor’s order with by resolution and not actual legislation is “clearly unconstitutional,” he said.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The Chickasaw Nation announced Saturday that it is now offering the COVID-19 vaccine to all Oklahoma residents. “We are pleased to do our part to help put an end to this pandemic,” said Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. “Working together, we can help protect our family, friends and neighbors as we help speed our return to a greater sense of normalcy.” Anoatubby called for continued mask-wearing, social distancing and frequent hand-washing. The tribe is offering vaccinations by appointment at its drive-thru site in Ada and at its health clinics in Purcell, Ardmore and Tishomingo. Those receiving a vaccination must be 18 or older for the Moderna vaccine and 16 or older for the Pfizer vaccine. The Oklahoma State Department of Health is offering shots to people in three phases of the state’s four-phase plan, recently adding child care workers, higher and Career Tech education and critical business workers to those eligible. More than 1.1 million vaccinations had been administered by the health department as of Friday. The department on Saturday reported 431,991 total virus cases and 7,486 deaths due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, since the pandemic began.

Oregon

Portland: The state made national headlines when it placed teachers ahead of its oldest residents in the line for a scarce supply of COVID-19 vaccine and then again when a committee advising the governor on vaccine equity flirted with making race a determinant for when a person could get inoculated. Now, three months into the vaccine rollout, the state has begun a pilot program that allows some federally qualified health centers to offer shots to anyone they serve, even if that patient does not fall into any currently eligible categories. These centers must still prioritize patients who are currently eligible under Oregon rules, but the pilot program gives health care providers for the most at-risk populations more latitude and resolves a conflict between federal and state priorities on vaccine equity. The Biden administration last month began distributing vaccine to federally qualified health centers under a program designed to get shots into the arms of the most economically and socially disadvantaged Americans – seasonal and migrant farmworkers and those Americans living in poverty, for example. But those centers in Oregon found their hands tied because state rules on vaccine eligibility hadn’t yet expanded to migrant farmworkers, those with preexisting conditions or other vulnerable groups, so they couldn’t give them shots.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Police officers, firefighters and grocery workers will start getting the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in about two weeks as the effort to immunize school workers wraps up, Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday. Wolf also said he was confident Pennsylvania will meet President Joe Biden’s directive to make everyone eligible for a vaccine by May 1. “We can meet that timeline,” Wolf said, appearing by video with lawmakers on a vaccine task force. “We want to get everybody vaccinated as quickly and fairly as possible. That’s what we’re trying to do here.” Sen. Ryan Aument, R-Lancaster, a vaccine task force member, said the plans mean “a spring of hope is upon us.” The group getting special priority after teachers includes police, prison staff, grocery workers, volunteer and professional firefighters, meat processors, and farm workers. Wolf said planners have to figure out how those doses will be administered, suggesting the initiative could take many forms. Wolf said all who currently qualify for the vaccine, the so-called 1A group that includes older people and those whose medical conditions put them at risk, should be able to get an appointment for their first shot by month’s end.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state is easing some coronavirus restrictions on businesses as vaccination efforts across the state ramp up and as hospitalizations continue to decline, Gov. Daniel McKee said Friday. Starting immediately, restaurants will be able to space indoor tables 6 feet apart, rather than 8 feet, and bar areas where food is being served will be allowed to remain open until midnight, instead of 11 p.m., McKee announced at a news conference. With the spring planting season approaching, capacity limits for outdoor areas at garden shops are being lifted entirely, although indoor restrictions remain, he said. Also, state Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor announced a series of restriction-easing measures that take effect next Friday. They include allowing restaurants to seat up to 75% of indoor capacity, up from 66%, and increased attendance at catered events, including weddings, to 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors, up from 30 and 100. Houses of worship will also be allowed to host services at up to 75% capacity. Retail stores would be allowed to have one person per 50 square feet indoors, up from one per 100 square feet. Big-box stores will be allowed to have one person per 100 square feet, up from one per 150 square feet. Offices will be able to welcome up to 50% of workers, up from 33%.

South Carolina

Columbia: The state House has approved a bill that would make sure churches and other religious organizations are treated as essential services during a state of emergency. The bill given key approval on a 73-39 vote Thursday also says religious groups still have to follow safety protocols and occupancy rules during emergencies. The proposal said churches and other houses of worship can’t be closed if other essential businesses are open. Last spring while temporarily closing restaurants, beauty salons, gyms and other businesses because of COVID-19, Gov. Henry McMaster repeatedly said closing churches would violate the freedom-of-religion provision in the U.S. Constitution. After a routine affirmation this week, the bill will be sent to the Senate. “This just allows a church to be on an even footing – a religious organization to be on an even footing with all other businesses deemed to be essential services,” said Rep. John McCravy, R-Greenwood. Democrats who opposed the bill said it was unnecessary because of the constitutional protection churches have and could lead to churchgoers to not take precautions and put themselves in danger.

South Dakota

Rapid City: The National Park Service has denied state officials’ request to shoot off fireworks over Mount Rushmore again this year. Fireworks returned to Mount Rushmore last year for a Fourth of July celebration that included a campaign stop by then-President Donald Trump. It was the first time Mount Rushmore has hosted a fireworks show since 2009. But NPS Regional Director Herbert Frost wrote a letter to state tourism officials Thursday saying the NPS would not grant their request for fireworks again this year, KOTA-TV reports. The denial was first reported by political website The Hill. Frost said the parks service is still evaluating the risks from the 2020 show, and he’s concerned about both the park and employees’ safety. He said that the service’s tribal partners expressly oppose fireworks at the monument and that the large crowds such an event would draw would make social distancing difficult if not impossible. Gov. Kristi Noem tweeted in response that the best place to celebrate America’s birthday is Mount Rushmore.

Tennessee

Knoxville: The University of Tennessee on Thursday announced it will return to a “fully in-person campus experience” starting in the fall. According to a news release, that will include in-person teaching in classrooms at capacity, normal campus housing, reopening dining halls and allowing more fans at athletic events. “As case counts continue to drop and vaccines become more readily available, we are nearing a turning point in this pandemic,” Chancellor Donde Plowman said in a statement. “We’ve heard time and again from students and members of our faculty how much more effective and meaningful learning can be when we are together in person.” The Knoxville campus moved its classes online last March after spring break around the same time the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The university has since partially reopened with reduced capacity in residence halls and classrooms.

Texas

Austin: The number of newly confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases in the state rose by 4,638 on Saturday, down from a one-day increase of 6,078 reported Friday, according to the state health department. The department also reported 156 more deaths, for a total of more than 2.7 million cases since the pandemic began and 45,474 deaths due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. That state’s death toll is the third highest in the country, trailing California’s and New York’s, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The seven-day rolling averages of both new cases and deaths in Texas have declined during the past two weeks, according to the Johns Hopkins data. The average number of new cases dropped from 7,964 daily on Feb. 25 to 4,648 on March 11, while the average number of deaths fell from 220.6 to 168.9 per day during the same time period. The health department reported that more than 7.9 million Texans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Utah

St. George: Residents can apply for pandemic rental assistance through a new online application starting Monday, state officials announced. “Emergency Rental Assistance is an important program that can help Utah renters impacted by the pandemic to stay in their homes,” Department of Workforce Services Deputy Director Nate McDonald said in a statement. “While we recognize that a pause in accepting applications may cause concern, it will help to ensure the updated program runs smoothly and will allow local community action program agencies to work through their existing backlog of applications.” Utah renters have typically applied for assistance through local community action program agencies, but starting Monday they can simply go online to rentrelief.utah.gov. Renters are eligible if they have combined household income at or below 80% of area median income, have qualified for unemployment, experienced a reduction in income or incurred significant costs due to the pandemic, and are experiencing housing instability. Applicants may be prioritized and expedited if they have been unemployed for at least 90 days or are at or below 50% area median income. Those worried about making rent for March should ask their landlords to develop a plan for payment, according to instructions from the state office.

Vermont

Montpelier: Gov. Phil Scott on Friday announced some small changes to restrictions on social gatherings and restaurant rules amid the pandemic. Two households may now gather together, and that pairing doesn’t have to be the same each time, as earlier restrictions required, he said at his twice-weekly virus briefing. That means children can again have playdates, “which we know have been sorely missed and will be good for the mental health and emotional well-being of the kids as well as parents,” he said. Also, restaurants are now allowed to seat six people at a table from different families, rather than from just one household as was previously required, he said. “Of course, masking, distancing and every other guideline remains in place,” he said. Vermont has taken one of the most cautious approaches in the country to slow the spread of the coronavirus and reduce deaths and hospitalizations, Scott said, adding that he knows it has caused a lot of frustration. “I hear from people everyday who think we should be moving faster to reopen like some other states have,” he said. “But I want to remind Vermonters there’s a reason we have the lowest number of deaths in the country and the lowest death rate in the continental U.S.”

Virginia

Richmond: Officials said Friday that the state expects to meet or possibly exceed President Joe Biden’s commitment to make all adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccines by May 1. “As we look at the supply and the pace and the demand here in Virginia, we really think we will easily meet that May 1 marker and potentially even outpace it by a couple of weeks,” state vaccine coordinator Dr. Danny Avula told reporters. Avula also said the goal won’t require the state to rethink its distribution strategy. Virginia has administered more than 2.5 million doses of vaccine, with 19.5% of the population having received at least one dose, according to health department data. All parts of the state have opened up vaccine eligibility to a second phase of people that includes front-line essential workers and people ages 16-64 with an underlying medical condition. Avula said he thinks that second phase, referred to as 1b, can be completed by mid-April or sooner in some parts of the state. Health districts would then move into a third phase of eligibility that will cover other essential workers at their own pace, he said.

Washington

Olympia: All public schools in the state will be required to offer students an in-person learning option starting next month – with school districts having to meet an average of at least 30% weekly in-class instruction by April 19 – under an emergency proclamation Gov. Jay Inslee said he will sign this week. The proclamation, announced Friday, allows for a staggered start, with all kindergarten to sixth grade students being provided an opportunity for hybrid remote and in-person learning by April 5, followed by all other K-12 students by April 19. Inslee and state schools Superintendent Chris Reykdal cited mental health and academic concerns for students over the past year of school closures. “Many, many of our children have not been able to thrive as we wish them to do so without on-site education,” Inslee said. “For them, we’re taking action today.” Students must be offered no fewer than two days of on-campus, in-person instruction per week, but students can remain fully remote if their families choose. Some public school teachers have resisted returning to the classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the governor’s urging, citing concerns about safety.

West Virginia

Charleston: Gov. Jim Justice’s near-daily ritual of reading the ages and hometowns of people who died from the coronavirus stretched to nearly 19 minutes Friday. Justice takes the first minute or two of his thrice-a-week coronavirus briefings to honor the dead. This time, the Republican governor had to make up for 165 deaths that went unreported, news he first revealed Wednesday. State officials said a list of more than 60 health centers and nursing homes did not report the deaths to state health authorities, which Justice apologized for and again called “totally unacceptable.” Dr. Ayne Amjad, the state health officer, said a further vetting of the data found three fewer coronavirus deaths than reported earlier in the week. “Being transparent is what we strive to be,” Amjad said. Justice said 84% of the previously unreported deaths occurred in December 2020 and January. Officials blamed the issue on facilities not filling out death reports online to the state’s health department in a timely matter. Despite the unreported deaths, Justice said other coronavirus metrics still looked positive. The daily positivity rate for coronavirus tests continued to decline to 2.79%, down from a peak of 17.45% in late December. State data shows 20.8% of residents are partially vaccinated against COVID-19, while 13% are fully vaccinated.

Wisconsin

Green Bay: Thousands of Wisconsin Teamsters are celebrating after President Joe Biden signed a coronavirus relief bill into law and ensured that the workers no longer have to worry about their pensions being cut in half. The American Rescue Plan includes the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act of 2021, which directs the Pension Guaranty Benefit Corp. to allocate billions of dollars to avoid the drastic cuts. It should in turn shore up the Central States Pension Fund, a multiemployer fund for 1.3 million retired Teamsters, 23,500 of whom live in Wisconsin. Many of those retirees have come to depend on payments to survive, said Brad Vaughn, a member of the Wisconsin/Green Bay Committee to Protect Pensions. “To say we are ecstatic would be an understatement,” Vaughn said. “It was so emotional for everybody. It’s hard to even get a grasp on how many people’s lives it will affect in a positive way.” The retirees formed regional committees across the state to lobby Congress first to reject the proposed pension cuts, which happened in May 2016, and then to support the Butch Lewis Act. They raised funds to send members to rallies, as well as to lobby Wisconsin’s congressional delegation.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: The closures implemented after the state confirmed its first coronavirus case a year ago and the uncontrollable nature of the virus led to an unprecedented economic downturn, which placed more pressure on Laramie County’s nonprofits to meet the demand for food assistance and help with rent and utilities. For the NEEDS Inc. food pantry, the higher demand translated to a 369% increase in the amount of food they were getting out the door and into the community. Pantry Manager Damon Hart said although it was difficult to see so many people struggling, the experience reinforced the mission of NEEDS and why the volunteers do what they do. At the start of the pandemic, it was still unclear exactly how transmissible the virus was and what precautions would keep people safe. Hart said volunteers sanitized frequently and did everything they could to keep their doors open and help more people. “Knowing how much we mean to the community, it really changed our outlooks a lot,” Hart said. “Hearing their stories made us really grateful that we were able to help.” Their ability to assist so many residents was made possible by businesses and the larger Cheyenne community stepping up to support the cause. “I would hate to know what would’ve happened if we had not received that help,” Hart said.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports