50 ☆ States
ALABAMA Tuscaloosa: The maximum number of people allowed inside businesses in the city holding a lounge liquor license has been increased from 100 to 150.
ALASKA Anchorage: The Anchorage School District’s finances could be significantly affected by decreased enrollment after many families enrolled children in home-schooling programs instead of neighborhood schools with classes starting online because of the pandemic.
ARIZONA Phoenix: The novel coronavirus seems to mutate every two weeks, say a team of researchers who’ve analyzed genetic information from nearly 3,000 coronavirus samples in the state. That might sound like a fast mutation rate, but compared to other viruses, it’s somewhat slower, according to Northern Arizona University geneticist Jason Ladner.
ARKANSAS Little Rock: More than 600 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the state and seven more deaths reportedWednesday, while a new White House report kept the state in the red zone for new virus cases per capita, officials said.
CALIFORNIA San Diego: Officials saidWednesday that the state would not consider removing college students’ virus cases from San Diego County’s data because they are part of the broader community and can contribute to the illness’ spread.
CONNECTICUT Trumbull: Hillcrest Middle School was forced to close for two weeks after a person associated with the school tested positive for the coronavirus, and nearly 70 people were asked to quarantine.
DELAWARE Wilmington: The state has released a new app that could alert users they have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. COVID Alert DE uses Bluetooth “keys” – numbers that change every few minutes in the background of a person’s phone.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAWashington: GeorgeWashington University has developed an in-house coronavirus test conducted in its new COVID-19 laboratory, WUSA-TV reports. The free, on-campus testing gives results within 24 to 48 hours, compared to days or weeks for results to return from outside laboratories.
FLORIDA Fort Lauderdale: Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider took to social media to condemn anti-maskers who went into a local Target store blaring the group’s hit “We’re Not Gonna Take It” while ripping off their masks. In a tweetWednesday, Snider said the group doesn’t have his “permission or blessing to use my song for their moronic cause.”
GEORGIA Atlanta: For the first time since April, some families will be able to visit relatives in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in the state under new rules approved by the governor.
HAWAIIWailuku: A 46% cargo shipping rate increase is expected to raise prices on some products moved between the state’s islands before they reach customers. Young Brothers LLC also returned to shipping schedules used before the coronavirus outbreak, which was a condition of the rate approval by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.
IDAHO Boise: The state’s rate of death by suicide this year is similar to figures from 2019 and less than numbers from 2018 despite the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Idaho Statesman reports.
ILLINOIS Springfield: Gov. J.B. Pritzker saidWednesday that the focus during the pandemic should be on protecting communities and not whether families make decisions about sons and daughters strapping on football helmets or spiking volleyballs, a day after he refused to retract an earlier prohibition on fall sports despite protests around the state.
INDIANA Indianapolis: The counties that include Indiana and Ball State universities are listed as the highestrisk locations for coronavirus infections on the state health department’s updated county-by-county map releasedWednesday.
IOWA Johnston: Gov. Kim Reynolds saidWednesday that there is nothing inappropriate about her decision to spend nearly $450,000 in federal coronavirus relief money on salaries for aides in her office, including her chief of staff and spokesman.
KANSAS Lawrence: State officials are considering spending $50 million to dramatically ramp up testing of people who aren’t showing obvious signs of the coronavirus.
KENTUCKY Frankfort: Gov. Andy Beshear said he is willing to roll up his sleeves to be vaccinated in public to show his confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines once they become available through proper scientific channels.
LOUISIANA New Orleans: The state must reinstate coronavirus pandemic voting plans used for summer elections rather than using a more restrictive plan proposed by the Louisiana secretary of state and approved by the Legislature for elections in November and December, a federal judge has ruled.
MAINE Augusta: The University of New England is adding testing measures on its Biddeford and Portland campuses as York County remains a hot spot for COVID-19.
MARYLAND Annapolis: It will likely be at least six to eight months longer before a coronavirus vaccine can be distributed in a best-case scenario, prominent state health officials and lawmakers saidWednesday as they make plans for Maryland.
MASSACHUSETTS Boston: Getting a flu shot this year is one of the best ways to help the state guard against a spike in demand for health care services caused by any potential new surge in COVID-19 cases, Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday.
MICHIGAN Ann Arbor: Graduate students who teach at the University of Michigan returned to classes Thursday after voting to end a strike. The Graduate Employees’ Organization said it achieved “critical progress” on child care options during the pandemic, COVID-19 testing protocols and concerns about campus police operations.
MINNESOTA St. Paul: The City Council has voted unanimously to approve Mayor Melvin Carter’s proposal to guarantee $500 in monthly income to 150 low-income families affected by COVID-19.
MISSISSIPPI Jackson: Significantly fewer Mississippians approve of Gov. Tate Reeves’ handling of the pandemic now than in the early weeks of the crisis, a new survey shows. Some 56% of state residents approved of Reeves’ performance in late April, a figure that slipped to 34% by August, according to the survey project run by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers and Northwestern universities.
MISSOURI O’Fallon: Poll workers who signed up to work the November election in a county near St. Louis were urged by email to “act surprised” if voters ask why they aren’t wearing masks given the coronavirus threat, but the elections director said Thursday that the message was misinterpreted.
MONTANA Helena: About sixty schools in the state have seen at least one confirmed case of COVID-19 in a student or staff member since the beginning of the school year, Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock saidWednesday.
NEBRASKA Omaha: Students in the city will begin going back into classrooms next week. Omaha Public Schools announced in an email that some schools will open to in-person classes starting Wednesday, the Omaha World-Herald reports.
NEVADA Carson City: Gov. Steve Sisolak asked in a letter Wednesday to Vice President Mike Pence why President Donald Trump’s campaign defied White House guidance on public gatherings by holding two weekend rallies in Nevada. Sisolak said the president’s behavior was an insult to Nevadans’ sacrifices.
NEW HAMPSHIRE Concord: State lawmakers on Wednesday failed to override more than 20 bills vetoed by Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, including a catchall one containing 40 wide-ranging measures that was passed during during a truncated session amid the pandemic.
NEW JERSEY Trenton: Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday that YouTube stars who rented out the “Jersey Shore” house in Seaside Heights on Monday should “be taken to task” after an estimated 1,000 people showed up, many flouting COVID-19 social distancing rules.
NEW MEXICO Las Cruces: Las Cruces Public Schools board members unanimously voted Tuesday to remain online for the remainder of the fall semester or longer depending on health guidelines.
NEW YORK New York: The city’s ambitious attempt to bring students back into classrooms closed by the coronavirus suffered another setback Thursday, as the mayor announced he was again delaying the start of in-person instruction for most students due to a shortage of staff and supplies, just days before students were set to resume inperson instruction Monday.
NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh: North Carolina State University confirmed Wednesday that more than 1,000 of its students have tested positive for the coronavirus since fall classes began Aug. 10.
NORTH DAKOTA Bismarck: State health officials reported five more deaths related to COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing to 10 the number of people who died from the coronavirus in the past two days.
OHIO Columbus: Houses of worship can’t be shut down by local or state officials, and elections can’t be moved from their prescribed dates, under a bill signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Mike DeWine and pushed by fellow Republicans. DeWine expressly did not order religious institutions shut down in Ohio because of the pandemic.
OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City: Gov. Kevin Stitt reiterated Thursday that he will not issue a statewide mask mandate, despite a recommendation from the White House Coronavirus Task Force. He also took issue with the task force’s report for saying Oklahoma is fifth in the nation in the number of positive virus cases. “We’re going to make a phone call to the White House and find out exactly where they’re getting their numbers,” he said.
OREGON Woodburn An outbreak of COVID-19 at French Prairie Nursing and Rehab facility continues to grow, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The assisted living facility has been the site of 71 cases and seven deaths, rising by 29 cases and three deaths from the week before.
PENNSYLVANIA Harrisburg: State Attorney General Josh Shapiro asked a federal judge Wednesday to retain Gov. Tom Wolf ’s limits on crowd size, at least for now, warning that allowing large groups to congregate during a legal battle over Wolf ’s public health orders “will result in people’s deaths” from the coronavirus.
RHODE ISLAND Providence: The state has had at least 19 students and staff members test positive for the coronavirus since schools reopened for in-person learning this week, Gov. Gina Raimondo said Wednesday.
SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia: Gov. Henry McMaster signed into law Wednesday changes in state voting rules allowing anyone to cast an absentee ballot without a reason in November’s election, in an effort to help fight the spread of COVID-19. But the changes did not include proposals pushed by Democrats including eliminating the requirement that a second person witness and sign the ballot and placing multiple drop boxes for ballots in counties.
SOUTH DAKOTA Pierre: More than 100 inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus at a minimum-security women’s prison in the city, the Department of Corrections said.
TENNESSEE Nashville: Mayor John Cooper announced Thursday that bars and limited-service restaurants may open at 50% capacity, thanks to steady gains against COVID-19. Cooper and city leaders also announced plans to allow some fans at upcoming Titans games, as well as the return of high school football.
TEXAS Austin: The state is ready to relax coronavirus restrictions for the first time in months, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday, but bars remain closed indefinitely, and a mask mandate is still in place after what became one of the deadliest outbreaks in the U.S. Abbott is allowing restaurants and gyms to let more people inside, as well as lifting a ban on elective surgeries and nursing home visits under certain criteria.
UTAH Salt Lake City: A spike in COVID-19 cases in the state will continue if schools continue resisting health department guidelines, an infectious disease expert warned Thursday. The increase of new cases was likely driven by high schools and colleges resuming in-person learning and could lead to an increase in hospitalizations for older people, said Dr. Eddie Stenehjem, of the Intermountain Healthcare hospital network.
VERMONT West minster: A photo of senior high school football players is prompting officials to remind them and others of the need to wear masks and maintain social distancing. The Brattleboro Reformer reports school board member Colin James said players were “stacked on top of each other; no masks were worn.”
VIRGINIA Charlottesville: The University of Virginia says it’s increasing testing of students after it identified a cluster of coronavirus cases in a residence hall.
WASHINGTON Seattle: A graduate student at the University of Washington filed a lawsuit demanding tuition reimbursement after the school shifted most of its classes online for the remainder of the year.
WEST VIRGINIA Charleston: Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday that the state will kick in $6 million to continue a program that funds day care for the children of essential workers, after federal funding ran out.
WISCONSIN Madison: The pandemic has forced an iconic Wisconsin Dellsarea water ski show to shut down forever. Tom Diehl, president and co-owner of the Tommy Bartlett Show in Lake Delton, said the show can’t recover from the revenue loss.
WYOMING Cheyenne: The number of known coronavirus cases in the state lurched upward by more than 100, officials said Thursday. Three more people have died of COVID-19 in recent weeks, the Wyoming Department of Health said in a statement.