thetennesseestar--2020-05-14--Gov. Tim Walz Extends Peacetime Emergency Order Until Mid-June

Gov .
Tim Walz announced late Wednesday that he will extend Minnesota ’ s peacetime emergency order for thirty days .
“ Our actions have saved lives , but the threat of COVID-19 remains , ” Walz said .
“ The next stages of this pandemic are going to challenge us – an extension of Minnesota ’ s peacetime emergency will allow us to protect Minnesotans ’ health and wellbeing and continue to respond effectively to this rapidly-evolving situation.
” As a state , Minnesota only has 12,917 cases , which is the 21st most in the country , The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcement comes the same day the state tested a record of 6,7000 people in one day , according to CBS Minnesota .
Even though the lockdown order has been extended , Walz is allowing “ non-critical businesses , like retail stores and main street businesses ” to reopen on Monday .
Walz also announced bars , salons , restaurants , salons and gyms will reopen some capacity on June 1 .
“ Today we announced a cautious , measured turning of the dial toward a new normal , ” he said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Order will be replaced with one that encourages Minnesotans to stay close to home and allows retail stores and main streets to safely open.
” The first-term governor told Minnesotans that he is trusting them to make smart choices .
“ Wear a mask , stay home if you are sick , wash your hands , and get tested if you are not feeling well , ” he said .
“ We are counting on Minnesotans to take personal responsibility for their own health and the health of their community.
” “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resilient people with a deep reserve of courage , optimism , and grit , ” Walz added .
“ No matter how daunting the challenge ; no matter how dark the times ; Minnesota has always risen up—by coming together.
” Once the peacetime emergency extension was announced , members of the New House Republican Caucus criticized Walz ’ s decision in a statement .
“ Governor Walz ’ s decision to extend the peacetime emergency order is foolhardy , dictatorial , and self-centered .
The emergency declaration is the mechanism which gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive edicts .
However , the governor knows that his executive orders no longer enjoy the consent of the governed .
As such , the governor announced that the stay-at-home order will expire on schedule , and businesses will be permitted to operate in an extremely limited capacity .
Clearly , the governor still believes he has the almighty authority to suspend our God-given rights .
But instead of going full speed in the wrong direction , Governor Walz has now opted to go half-speed in the wrong direction .
Minnesota has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media .
If you have any tips , email Zachery at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-14--Ohio’s Franklin County Experiences 11 Overdose Deaths This Past Weekend

Franklin County in Ohio saw another surge in drug-related overdoses last weekend , according to The Columbus Dispatch .
Dr. Anahi Ortiz , the Franklin County coroner , told The Dispatch that 11 people had died .
Since the Wuhan virus came to Ohio , Franklin County has been one of state ’ s hardest-hit areas in terms of overdoses .
“ I think the pandemic has just made the situation worse for people , ( with ) unemployment , isolation , ” the coroner told The Dispatch .
These high overdose numbers follow a disturbing pattern for the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to May 2 , Franklin County saw 28 non-fatal overdoses , Ortiz said on Facebook .
“ As you may have seen , Friday night to Saturday night our county saw 28 non-fatal overdoses .
This is a high number for our county .
COVID 19 has showed us the vulnerabilities and deficiencies in our addiction services , ” she said .
2020 has been a difficult year for Franklin County in terms of drug overdose-related deaths .
Ortiz said from January to April 15 , the county saw a 50 % increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month of April alone we saw 62 people die of overdoses , ” she said .
“ In April we saw a younger age group dying of overdoses than in 2019 : 25 to 35 .
In 2019 the majority were 35 and up.
” “ We need to push narcan and even as important fentanyl test strips .
Much of the cocaine here in Franklin County is cut with fentanyl and sold without people knowing , ” she added .
“ We need to check in with those who use .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for wiser and better ways of treating those with addictions.
” Overdose deaths in Franklin County have continued to rise in the last couple of years .
In 2019 , the county saw 597 overdose deaths , which was up 14 percent from 2018 , according to a Franklin County Coroner ’ s Office report .
Ninety-one percent of overdose deaths were due to opioids , the report says .
Furthermore , fentanyl , which is commonly found in opioids , was found in 81 percent of drug overdoses .
“ Nearly 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Franklin during 2019 was between the ages of 25 years old and 54 years old , the report reads .
“ Further , 9 out of every 10 overdose deaths in Franklin County during 2019 fell between the ages of 25 and 64 years old.
” Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media .
If you have any tips , email Zachery at [ email protected ]

by Virginia Allen
Republican governors are sending National Guard troops to the southern border.
Governors of Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia announced this week they will send troops and resources to Texas to support the work of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Operation Lone Star to secure the southern border.
“President [Joe] Biden’s failure at our southern border puts the entire country at risk,” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday. “States must now step up where the president has failed to repel illegals, fight the cartels, and stop human and drug trafficking.”
Sanders is sending 80 National Guard troops to the border in July. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt will send troop but has not clarified how many, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum also announced Thursday that he will send 100 National Guardsmen to Texas to help secure the southern border. Gov. Mike DeWine says he will send 14 State Highway troopers and supervisors to Texas for two weeks. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says she will deploy about 50 National Guard troops to the border this summer.
Arkansas, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota join nine other GOP governors who have already pledged to send troops and resources to Texas to help secure the state’s border with Mexico.
“The ongoing border crisis facing our nation has turned every state into a border state,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement Wednesday.
“Given the intensive resource demands on Texas, the dangers posed by the fentanyl crisis, and impact of the border crisis on criminal activity to the Commonwealth, Virginia will do its part to assist the State of Texas’ efforts with the coordinated deployment of Virginia National Guard soldiers to assist in key aspects of their mission,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin is sending 100 troops and 21 supporting personnel to Texas from the commonwealth.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is sending up to 50 National Guard troops and airmen to the border for up to 30 days. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster says he will also send troops to the border but has yet to announce how may.
“The safety and security of South Carolinians require that we stop the drug cartels, criminals, and terrorists from entering our country to peddle their poison,” McMaster said in a statement Wednesday.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday that she will send 100 National Guard troops and 30 Department of Public Safety personnel to the border.
The Republican governors’ decision to send troops to the southern border comes in response to Abbott’s request for states to join Texas and help secure the border through the work of Operation Lone Star, Texas’ border security plan.
Nine GOP governors met with Abbott in Austin, Texas, on May 22 to discuss the border crisis. The meeting was held about a week after Abbott sent a letter to fellow governors asking them to help Texas secure the border.
The Texas governor applauded Idaho and Florida for already having sent border security resources and personnel to the Lone Star State to help secure the border and invited more governors to join in the “mission to defend our national sovereignty and territorial integrity and send all available law enforcement personnel and resources to the Texas-Mexico border to serve alongside our thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers.”
Last week, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced he will send 100 National Guard troops to the border and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen committed to send 10 state troopers to Texas to “help stop the influx of illegal immigration at our southern border.”
Florida, Idaho, and Mississippi were among the first states to answer Abbott’s call for help.
On May 17, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced he was mobilizing a National Guard unit to the border.
“To keep Mississippians safe and limit the impact of our nation’s open borders, the Mississippi National Guard’s 112th Military Police Battalion has been mobilized and is supporting Customs and Border Protection officers and agents along the Southwest border.”
The day before Reeves’ announcement, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida had “over 1,100 assets and resources available” to aid Operation Lone Star, including 800 National Guard soldiers and 200 Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers.
“At my direction, state agencies, including law enforcement and the Florida National Guard, are being deployed to Texas, with assets including personnel, boats, and planes,” DeSantis said. “While Biden ignores the crisis he created, Florida stands ready to help Texas respond to this crisis.”
Since the start of the Biden administration, Customs and Border Protection reports encountering more than 5.5 million illegal aliens at the southern border. Since fiscal year 2023 began on Oct. 1, CBP has encountered more than 1.4 million illegal aliens, about triple the number encountered at the southern border during fiscal year 2020.
CBP has seized a record 17,000 pounds of fentanyl at the southern border so far in fiscal year 2023, which ends Sept. 30, more than triple the total amount seized in all of fiscal year 2020.
– – –
Virginia Allen is a senior news producer and podcast host for The Daily Signal. She is the co-host of “The Daily Signal Podcast” and “Problematic Women.”
Photo “National Guard” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-14--Michigan Suspends License of Owosso Barber Who Opened During Lockdown

The state of Michigan has suspended the business license of the Owosso barber who was operating his shop in defiance of Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s executive order , his lawyer said on Wednesday .
Karl Manke originally reopened his barbershop , Karl Manke Main St. Barber & Beauty Shop , on May 4 and said he wore a mask , washed his hands between cuts , and sanitized his tools .
The license for the shop has been suspended and the related document sent to the barber and his attorney , a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Detroit News .
A copy of the suspension obtained by the outlet said the opening of the Owosso barbershop required “ emergency action ” to protect “ the public health , safety or welfare.
” Manke ’ s attorney David Kallman said he also faces “ $ 1,000 and 1 year in jail per haircut ” under an order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services , according to The Detroit News .
Shiawassee County Circuit Court denied a request from Attorney General Dana Nessel on Monday to issue a temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the state tried to close it permanently .
Kallman said the license suspension is unprecedented , adding that the executive order Manke broke comes without backing after Michigan lawmakers did not extend the state of emergency .
“ I ’ ve never seen it used this way , ever , ” Kallman told MLive .
“ It ’ s usually saved for situations if you have doctors doing bogus cancer treatments or you have a sex offender living at a daycare center .
We don ’ t have that here.
” Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet soon for a hearing in front of Shiawassee County Circuit Judge Matthew Stewart about the Department of Health and Human Services order for Manke to cease and desist his operation .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-14--Nashville Has Reportedly Suffered the Steepest COVID-19 Consumer Spending Drop in the Nation

Nashville has suffered the steepest drop in consumer spending of any major metropolitan area in the U.S due to COVID-19 , according to a report Wednesday in the Nashville Business Journal , The Journal used information obtained from Harvard ’ s new Opportunity Insights Economic Tracker , working with Brown University and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation to pull data from a variety of sources .
As of April 30 , consumer spending had fallen 46 percent in the Nashville metro area as compared to mid-January , and reflects more than twice the 21 percent drop seen nationally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small business revenue had fallen 31 percent , which is about nine percent less than the national decline , the Journal reported .
While the drop would seem expected due to the city ’ s perceived reliance on tourism , the budget book for the upcoming fiscal year reveals that , ranked fifth in the top 10 , just 11.7 percent of Nashville ’ s employment is from the leisure and hospitality industry .
First in Nashville ’ s employment at 19.8 percent is trade , transportation and utilities industry .
Excluding government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include Vanderbilt University Medical Center , Nissan North America , HCA Healthcare , Inc. , Vanderbilt University , Saint Thomas Health , Community Health Systems , Randstad , Asurion , The Kroger Co. and National Healthcare Corp .
The outlook doesn ’ t look all that positive , given a recent S & P Global report that just seven percent of respondents to a survey about overall spending said they plan to spend more overall in the next 90 days than the same period in 2019 .
That response represented a shift from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of consumers said they planned more spending over the next 90 days and a month earlier when still 20 percent of consumer expected to increase spending according to S & P Global .
When travel – now at a near-standstill – resumes , it will likely start with road trips and be for weekend getaways and domestic versus international travel , reports CNBC .
That may bode well for Nashville , with 50 percent of the nation ’ s population living within 650 miles of the city .
Nashville ’ s financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooper issued a stay-at-home order that went into effect at midnight on March 22 and didn ’ t initiate Phase I of the four-phase reopening plan until May 11 , while 89 Tennessee counties began reopening at the end of April .
As Nashville wraps up the current fiscal year , which ends June 30 , 2020 , a shortfall of $ 192.4 million in revenue is being forecasted for the fourth quarter related to COVID-19 .
Estimated losses in fiscal year 2020 for six tax funds include : For the fiscal year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 , the expected impact of COVID-19 on projections is a reduction of $ 276.1 million in revenues .
To offset the revenue losses , Cooper has proposed a 32 percent increase in the property tax rate , The Tennessee Star reported .
Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-14--Nearly Three Million New Unemployment Claims Drives Two-Month Total to More Than 36 Million

New jobless claims continued their COVID-19 surge last week , driving the total number of those filing for unemployment benefits to more than 36 million over the past two months .
Even as many states across the country began easing restrictions and slowly reopening their economies , 2.98 million Americans filed for new unemployment benefits for the week ending May 9 , according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor .
That ’ s down 195,000 from the 3.17 million Americans who filed claims for the week ending May 2 , but still well above the numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home orders that closed businesses deemed nonessential .
Connecticut led all states with 298,680 new unemployment claims filed last week .
Georgia saw 241,387 new claims , and California , 214,028 .
Michael Lucci , president and publisher of 50economy.org , last week placed the real-time unemployment rate in the U.S. at 23.8 percent through April 25 .
“ The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the American economy on its head , leaving nearly 1 in 4 American workers unemployed , ” Lucci wrote .
“ In only two months , the U.S. economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Americans have not lived through since the Great Depression.
” Still , some workers are returning to their jobs .
Since the calendar turned to May , several states began limited reopenings of certain business sectors .
Even states that haven ’ t loosened restrictions yet are putting together plans for reopening that could begin to roll out this month or next .
Dan McCaleb is the executive editor of The Center Square .
Photo “ Unemployment Office ” by Burt Lum .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--New Tennessee Unemployment Claims Numbers Show Mixed Results

Fewer Tennesseans are filing brand new unemployment claims versus the number who filed last week , but the number of state residents with continued claims has gone up slightly .
This , according to new numbers the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development ( TDLWD ) released Thursday .
According to those numbers , 29,308 Tennesseans filed new unemployment claims for the week of May 9 .
One week earlier , May 2 , state residents filed 37,319 new claims .
Meanwhile , for the week of May 9 Tennessee recorded 325,095 continued unemployment claims .
One week prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 321,571 claims .
Tennessee residents have filed 503,888 claims since March 15 , around the same time the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the United States .
For the week of May 9 Tennesseans in each region of the state filed the following number of unemployment claims , per the TDLWD : As The Tennessee Star reported last month , residents in Northern Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee have likely filed high numbers of claims because of their respective hospitality industries .
If tourists may not travel to those areas then , of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thrive .
“ There is no way to know for certain why these areas of Tennessee have seen more unemployment than others .
But , Nashville sits in the Northern Middle Tennessee region and the Smoky Mountains are part of the East Tennessee region , ” TDLWD spokesman Chris Cannon told The Star last month .
“ These locations are home to a majority of the state ’ s hospitality industry .
This industry has been one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 health emergency in our state.
” Also , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unprecedented increase in unemployment claims until the third and fourth weeks of March .
The statewide unemployment rate for April 2020 will come out on May 21 , 2020 , at 1:30 p.m. Central Time , TDLWD officials said .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

A new bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour is emerging in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Sponsored by Representative Patty Kim (D-Harrisburg), the bill as described in a memorandum appears similar to legislation Senator Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) is spearheading in his chamber. It contrasts with a more radical measure authored by Representative Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) that would hike the wage floor to $16.50 in July 2025 and gradually increase it to $21 by mid-2028. The Rabb bill would also apply the state minimum wage to prisoners, vastly boosting their pay.
In her memo pushing for a $15 hourly floor, Kim (pictured above) lamented that the commonwealth last hiked its minimum wage to $7.25 in 2009. She cited data from the U.S. Department of Labor indicating that 30 states, including all of those that neighbor Pennsylvania, mandate higher wage minimums. Her $15 rate would take effect in January 2024 and would tie future minimum-wage rises to inflation.
“Too many people have worked too hard for too long to not be able to pay their bills,” Kim said at a House Majority Policy Committee hearing on the issue in late March. “We want to tag a cost-of-living adjustment on this, so we never have to wait years and years – or wait for a once-in-a-century pandemic – for this issue to have a bright light shined on it.”
While free-market advocates generally oppose minimum wage increases, some in Harrisburg expect Republicans like Laughlin who now champion a hike will insist that such a policy come as part of a broader deal that will include regulatory reform. Governor Josh Shapiro (D) has urged enactment of a new $15 floor and many Republicans have sensed an opportunity for dealmaking, particularly insofar as they control the state Senate.
Advocates of an increase often cite a Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Advisory Board report indicating that 63,800 individuals — less than two percent of the state’s workforce — earned $7.25 per hour or less in 2021. Nonetheless, wages have risen markedly over the last two years and many who continue to make so little are teenagers working one of their first jobs.
After House Democrats began clamoring for new pay mandates, the Harrisburg-based Commonwealth Foundation (CF) issued a backgrounder in March opposing the idea. CF cited calculations from the nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office suggesting that even raising the floor to $12 per hour would kill 5,000 jobs.
And the think tank fears the proposal could disadvantage even workers who keep their jobs insofar as employers may compensate for the new mandate by cutting worker hours and benefits. An example of this was observed nationally in 2018 after Amazon set its own low-end hourly wage to $15 but nevertheless suspended workers’ monthly bonuses and stock options.
Instead of raising the minimum wage, CF suggested, the commonwealth should focus on lowering impediments to employment by reforming licensing and permitting processes as well as improving public-assistance programs so they reward those who secure employment.
– – –
Bradley Vasoli is managing editor of The Pennsylvania Daily Star. Follow Brad on Twitter at @BVasoli. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Patty Kim” by Rep. Patty Kim. Background Photo “Pennsylvania Capitol” by Ad Meskens. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Commentary: Borders and Taking Care of Our Own

One of my favorite short stories is “ The Lame Shall Enter First ” by Flannery O ’ Connor .
The plot centers on a young , atheist widower who takes in a violent teenage orphan and attempts to reform him .
Neglecting his own young and motherless son , the widower focuses all his love and attention on the delinquent teen , even blinding himself to certain crimes the teen commits .
As is common in O ’ Connor ’ s work , the ending is gut-wrenching , with the father realizing his neglectful behavior too late as his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tale came to mind after reading some of the outraged reactions to President Trump ’ s emergency border measures , including his restrictions on international travel , his suspension of refugee processing , later topped off by the “ immigration halt ” executive order .
Even in the face of a global pandemic , some members of the anti-borders lobby apparently still couldn ’ t fathom the nation-first principles behind such policies .
Amnesty International ’ s Charanya Krishnaswami , for instance , called the changes “ cruel , short-sighted , and opportunistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the right to seek safety .
Full stop.
” Yet early polls show the popularity of the travel ban , with a stunning three-quarters of respondents approving of it as a protective measure .
More recent polls show an even higher percentage of Americans favoring an “ immigration halt.
” Much has been written about the pandemic ’ s challenge to entrenched globalism .
Undoubtedly , it has separated the fellow-travelers from the die-hard dogmatists , showing a key difference between the two .
While the former might ask whether a balance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border moves and the health of the nation , the latter would say there is no question .
For them , putting the rights of citizens before the privileges we bestow to foreigners discriminates ; therefore , it ’ s immoral .
But isn ’ t that what all nations do , especially in times of crisis ?
For instance , Canada ’ s liberal government followed Trump ’ s directive to stop international travel ( 48 hours after decrying it ) and has since stopped processing asylee and refugee claims ( after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But because its own ban on incoming travel made an exception for Canadians stranded abroad ( just like American policy ) , one commentator labeled it “ classist ” because it “ implicitly states that citizens deserve the safety and comfort of Canada , but migrants do not.
” I would agree ; it is a “ classist ” policy , or at least one that does discriminate .
This is what nations do , and must do , if citizenship is to mean anything .
Those who maintain that we must acknowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in or outside times like these , utterly fail to understand the complexities that may arise in moral situations .
Philosophy professor John Lachs once made an interesting comparison between nations , national boundaries , and the family unit , writing : “ One ’ s own children can not be told to get in line with all those needing to be fed ; the fact that they are ours gives them priority and imposes overriding obligations on us.
” To forgo the nation and put the foreigner ahead of the fellow citizen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atheist protagonist did with his own child – is not a supreme virtue , but a diabolic vice .
As O ’ Connor adeptly shows , the father ’ s perceived humanitarianism was actually rooted in self-aggrandizement and in relieving a sense of guilt he felt toward the orphaned teen .
His actions were self-interested , not based on genuine moral , philanthropic considerations .
Various philosophers have tackled the problem of misguided philanthropy and pathological altruism .
Michael Novak once described rootless liberalism as being oddly characterized by both an “ exaggerated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of universal community.
” “ The middle term between these two extremes ” he said , that is , “ the term pointing to the finite human communities in which individuals live and have their being , ” is “ precisely the term that the liberal personality disvalues.
” By leaping over their own local and national communities and into the Third World when relieving their altruistic urges , it ’ s as if they perceive philanthropy only in the abstract .
Further , they seem compelled by some sort of guilt complex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West ’ s history of Third World colonialism , or to present global wealth disparities .
It ’ s Novak ’ s “ middle term ” of community and nation which is ironically so core to the greater , universal humanitarianism pursued by globalists .
As the great Edmund Burke said , “ to love the little platoon we belong to in society , is the first principle of public affections… it is the first link in the series by which we proceed towards a love to our country , and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grant similarly espoused this principle when he wrote : “ It is true that no particularism can adequately incarnate the good .
But is it not also true that only through some particular roots , however partial , can human beings first grasp what is good and it is the juice of such roots which for most men sustain their partaking in a more universal good ?
” Before stepping out into the global community , one first needs a firm grounding in the global community ’ s basic unit : the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s own seems an obvious prerequisite to extending the same to strangers .
How , for instance , can one show an understanding for the needs , values , and traditions of other nations when they disregard those of their own ?


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--GOP Lawmaker Breaks Ranks, Will Vote for Pelosi’s Coronavirus Package

An outgoing Republican lawmaker says he will buck his party to vote for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s coronavirus stimulus package , a bill that includes a slate of progressive measures .
New York Rep. Peter King told to The Hill Wednesday that he plans to vote for House Democrats ’ s HEROES Act , a $ 3 trillion relief package for Americans suffering financially from the coronavirus pandemic .
The bill has been criticized by some Republicans as a “ liberal wishlist ” that has no chance of passing .
Pelosi ’ s legislation , for example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance , gives protections for sanctuary cities , and allegedly paves the way for coronavirus funds to end up in Planned Parenthood ’ s coffers .
King , who represents a New York district hit hard by the viral outbreak , said he is looking past the measures he disagrees with because his constituents stand to benefit from the bill .
“ In some ways it ’ s a tough decision and in some ways it ’ s an easy decision , ” King said to The Hill on Wednesday .
“ Look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things that are in that bill : some of the provisions involving illegal immigrants , some of the absentee ballots , the mail , all that stuff .
But the fact is , to me , [ Majority Leader Mitch ] McConnell sort of laid it down … he ’ s talking about no federal aid to state and local governments , ” he explained .
“ New York is going to die , my county , Nassau County , [ and ] Suffolk County is also in my district ; not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their revenue losses are unbelievable , ” King said .
Pelosi introduced her party ’ s coronavirus package on Tuesday , and scheduled it for a Friday vote in the House .
The $ 3 trillion bill allots $ 500 billion for state governments and $ 375 billion for local governments — something King feels is necessary .
However , the 1,815-page bill includes provisions that the GOP says is a no-go .
Such measures include allowing those who use Taxpayer Identification Numbers ( what many illegal aliens use in lieu of Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving protections to cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities , and calling for a release of aliens in immigration detention .
House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy called the package a “ liberal wishlist that has no chance of becoming law.
” King acknowledged that the bill has no chance of passing through the Republican-controlled Senate , but says Pelosi ’ s bill is a good starting point for negotiations .
“ I think the Speaker is piling it in there to keep our left-wing base happy — I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] that ’ s the price I have to pay to get funding to keep New York and Nassau County and Suffolk County and New York City alive , then I ’ ll do that , ” King said Wednesday .
King , who has been a member of Congress since 1993 , will retire at the end of his current term .
Jason Hopkins is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Tennessee GOP Senate Candidate Bill Hagerty Weighs in on Joe Biden and His Plan to Bring Back Supply

Tennessee GOP Senate Candidate Bill Hagerty Weighs in on Joe Biden and His Plan to Bring Back Supply Chains to America

Former Ambassador to Japan and Tennessee Republican Senate Candidate Bill Hagerty joined The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Thursday morning on the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Hagerty discussed former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s involvement in the unmasking of General Michael Flynn and how he has deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party .
Hagerty said his campaign is actively laying out a blueprint for bringing much-needed supply chains back to America .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our friend former U.S .
Ambassador to Japan and GOP Senate Candidate Bill Hagerty .
Good morning Bill .
Hagerty : Good morning , it ’ s great to be back with you !
Leahy : I have to say something about Bill Hagerty , behind the scenes when we set up our interviews we always ask for a backup number just in case the person doesn ’ t call in .
I ’ m not going to ever use your backup number Bill you know why ?
Because at 7:15 a.m. every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
On the dot , there ’ s a call by Bill Hagerty .
One of the traits that we are told often is that you are very punctual and very disciplined .
I can attest to that fact because you are always on time .
Hagerty : You want a businessman , right ?
That ’ s how we operate .
That ’ s one of the reasons the president has endorsed me for the U.S. Senate .
Leahy : Exactly .
You need a businessman .
You need that on-time approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are late .
Leahy : Old Vince Lombardi time .
Since we booked you big breaking news in Obamagate .
It turns out that Vice President at the time Joe Biden was one of the Obama administration officials who asked to unmask Mike Flynn .
How about that ?
Hagerty : Indeed .
Indeed .
First Biden denied it .
And then earlier this week on Good Morning America he said well maybe he did .
Then we read the Wall Street Journal Report yesterday I ’ m sure that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden is one of the 16 Obama officials for Flynn to be unmasked .
I tell ya , whichever Obama official leaked Flynn ’ s name to the media committed a felony .
They need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law .
And I think we need to find out what did Obama and Biden know and when did they know it .
Leahy : Yes .
That whole chronology , the thing about Biden is I don ’ t even know if he remembers that he unmasked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) He also said something yesterday criticizing President Trump for going after China .
He ’ s seriously said that .
Unbelievable !
Hagerty : It is unbelievable .
But I ’ d say that today as we are on this interview today we are releasing my plan to hold China accountable .
It will be on my website at www.teamhagerty.com .
It lays out our blueprint to hold China accountable for all this .
The Chinese Communist Regime is still trying to stall the investigation of the origin of this Wuhan virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plan to hold them accountable on every measure .
Leahy : Joe Biden does not seem to recognize that China is an adversary .
I mean he ’ s publicly stated that last year oh they are not a problem .
And then yesterday he criticized the president for going after China .
Plus , of course , Hunter Biden is involved in a business deal funded by the Bank of China which is owned by the Chinese Communist Party .
That is awful hard to get over .
Hagerty : It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ties that run as deep as the Biden family ’ s ties do .
I call him Beijing Biden .
You remember that Hunter flew over with him on Air Force Two a government-funded excursion for Hunter and two weeks later he walks out with a very hard to get a license to do business there and a multi-billion dollar deal with the Chinese Communist-backed entity there .
Leahy : Yes .
And it ’ s like they put a billion-plus into this fund that he was a managing partner of .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off it just as a managing fee I think .
It hasn ’ t all come out publicly .
Hagerty : There is a management fee and a carried interest on it and the numbers I ’ ve seen on the range between a billion and two and a half .
It depends on who you ask .
Leahy : How can you say anything other than Joe Biden is compromised on China ?
Hagerty : Well you ’ d say the same thing about Ukraine too and as the president has asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve ripped off .
Leahy : You were the former ambassador to Japan and part of being the ambassador has to do with where the embassy is .
I note this is a two year anniversary of a very significant embassy movement .
Hagerty : Yes .
It ’ s a very significant movement indeed .
It ’ s the second anniversary of moving our embassy in Israel to Jerusalem .
President Trump promised to do that like so many before had but in this administration promises made , promises kept .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ president for like half a century at some point during their campaign for president make that promise one way or the other ?
Hagerty : Yes .
That is correct .
They did but none of them have been the type of president that we have today .
A businessman who thinks outside the box .
Again , I think that ’ s why he endorsed me to become the next U.S .
Senator from Tennessee .
He likes my background and that sort of similarity of a business person who thinks outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Israel , I think he demonstrated our support for Israel in a way that we ’ ve missed before .
And I ’ ll tell you this , if I ’ m elected to the US Senate I ’ m going to stand with Israel just like the president has .
Leahy : It ’ s less than 90 days between now and the Republican primary of the US Senate on August 6 .
Tell us what you ’ re going to be doing and what you have been doing on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has certainly shifted a tremendous amount .
We have a tremendous business plan .
When I came back we laid out a great business plan .
We were meeting and exceeding every metric and then the shutdown of the economy occurred .
I had my team focused on volunteer work .
We have a great field staff who ’ ve been running errands and helping people that are shut in with pharmacy and supermarket runs .
That sort of thing .
We spent a lot of time working on the tornado recovery in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly across Middle Tennessee , Cookeville , and all the way down to Mt .
Juliet .
What I ’ ve been doing with my time the president has appointed me to the White House Economic Recovery Taskforce .
I ’ ve been spending a great deal of time there advising the president on getting our economy back open .
One of the most critical aspects of my job there and working with a great team of people to do this is putting in place the plan to get our supply chain back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the street today and they would say we should not be dependent on China for critical things like our pharmaceuticals .
Do you want to get an antibiotic today that ’ s not manufactured in China ?
You are looking pretty far and wide because they have taken over strategic industries .
We are very focused on getting those back .
Looking forward though , we have a great plan and a great team in place and we are going to move very very aggressively to win this election .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today .
We did one just earlier with Larry Kudlow .
And the economy is very much I think is at the forefront of people ’ s minds .
Jobs and the economy .
I ’ m the only businessperson running in this election and I ’ m certainly the only person that President Trump has named to the Economic Task Force .
That really speaks to my business background .
We need somebody who understands the economy and will work very hard with President Trump to get our economy back and reopened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take us as a country to get the supply chain back from China ?
Hagerty : It ’ s already begun .
If you recall back in 2017 when the president came in , he took on a major effort to streamline the regulatory process and make America a more business-friendly environment .
Then the 2017 tax reform took our corporate tax rates from the highest in the world from 35 % down to something more competitive at 21 % .
We ’ ve already seen companies move back .
After the trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were beginning to make that move .
I tell ya , I can ’ t imagine a CEO or a corporate board today wanting to allocate more capital to China .
The question is how do we accelerate this ?
And that ’ s why I ’ ve been working on with the president and our task force .
We have a plan on our website that takes us through all of that .
Again , www.teamhagerty.com .
We have a plan in place to accelerate this movement and certainly get our most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s a country that doesn ’ t have our best interests at heart and back home to American shores .
Leahy : It ’ s clear they are adversaries .
( Whispers ) Joe Biden doesn ’ t quite know that yet , right ?
( Laughs ) Hagerty : No .
I can ’ t believe he can ’ t figure that out .
But again that ’ s why we call him Beijing Biden .
He is just compromised .
He ’ ll never be able to stand up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you need someone like me a trustworthy conservative businessman that understands the game there and has the strength and courage to stand up to them and will back this president in doing so .
Leahy : Compare the energy levels of President Trump and Joe Biden in the basement of his house in Delaware .
Hagerty : I ’ ve spent a lot of time with President Trump over the years and volunteered full time for six months back in 2016 during the election and have been working with him ever since .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the level of energy that he has .
Even the young staff in their 20s are just exhausted by the end of the day .
The president works very late hours .
You may remember the time that he invited Kim Jong-un to meet him at the border of North and South Korea , I was with him then .
That happened at about 3:00 a.m. And I asked the staff that used to work with him on the digital stuff and I said , gosh did you guys stay up late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That was the president all by himself .
( Leahy chuckles ) He ’ s working overtime and he ’ s working when they ’ re asleep .
At the beginning of each day , he ’ s got a laundry list of what he wants them to do .
He ’ s got an amazing amount of energy .
A boundless amount of energy .
And that ’ s the type of person we need to lead in the U.S. Senate here too .
I want to be just that type of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Japan and senate candidate Bill Hagerty .
Thank you so much for joining us .
Will you come back as the campaign continues ?
Hagerty : I ’ d love to do that .
We got a lot to do .
I think our message is carrying well .
I ’ m the only candidate that ’ s got the complete and total endorsement of President Trump .
The only candidate that ’ s a business person and certainly the only one that ’ s been named to the Economic Recovery Taskforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message of economy and jobs and we ’ re going to get Tennessee back roaring .
I think we ’ ll do better than the other states as we come back through this .
We just need to get back to work quickly .
And that ’ s where my focus is right now .
Leahy : Bill Hagerty thanks for joining us .
Have a great day .
Hagerty : Thanks so much .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Carol Swain Question’s Mayor Cooper’s Spending While Expecting More Bailout Money from the Federal G

Carol Swain Question’s Mayor Cooper’s Spending While Expecting More Bailout Money from the Federal Government

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined on the newsmakers line by all-star panelist and former Vanderbilt Professor of Law Dr. Carol Swain .
At the bottom of the second hour , Swain reported from credible sources that Mayor Cooper has purchased 40,000 thermometers for Metro employees while keeping his hands out for federal coronavirus bailout money .
She added that the coronavirus numbers don ’ t add up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the top of the list of metropolitan cities that are losing the most money during the pandemic .
Leahy : That ’ s Senator Bill Cassidy from Louisiana talking about the latest stimulus bill put together by Nancy Pelosi in the middle of the night with a bunch of staffers and nobody from Congress inputting into it .
They want to give about a trillion dollars to bail out reckless states and cities that have wasted money from taxpayers from years and years and years .
Carol , Nashville is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think to try and get some of that money .
Whatever it ’ s passing ?
Swain : They already have their hands out .
In fact , a person contacted me and told me they were told by some official that the reason they were doing mandatory testing was they needed to get the numbers up in Nashville to qualify for more federal money .
That ’ s why they went into the projects and forced certain people to take tests .
Nashville ’ s hand or hands are certainly out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s true probably for the whole state .
And Democrats and vying to see which areas can have the most cases because there is money tied to every case .
And hospitals like Vanderbilt and various clinics are getting a windfall because of this coronavirus .
And so if this virus hadn ’ t come along they would have to invent something .
So this is like a dream come true for Democrats and it gave Nancy Pelosi time to go home and get a facelift .
( Leahy laughs ) Leahy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pint chocolate ice cream in her $ 30,000 refrigerator .
Leahy : Our lead story at The Tennessee Star at tennesseestar.com by Laura Baigert .
“ Nashville Reportedly Suffered the Steepest COVID-19 Consumer Spending Drop in the Nation.
” In the midst of this drop in consumer spending , it makes sense because Nashville has been a tourist destination for some time .
But in the midst of all this Mayor Cooper thinks it ’ s a great idea to raise property taxes by 32 % .
Is there a worse idea than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a terrible idea .
And I can tell you that I ’ m working with a group of people you may know Michelle Foreman ?
Swain : And some lesser-known people like Jim Roan .
Our position is there should be no tax increase this year .
And I have written in an op-ed piece that there is going to be a tax increase that needs to be next year after the mayor has demonstrated that he ’ s done everything to cut costs .
And I was notified yesterday that the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Leahy laughs ) without contacting people to ask if they needed a thermometer .
Can you imagine how much that cost ?
Leahy : No .
You ’ ve got to be kidding right ?
Is that really true ?
Swain : I got it from ( Chuckles ) a person that works for the city .
Leahy : OK .
So we have a source .
Swain : We have a source that I could name but I ’ m not going to name them .
Swain : But I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Metro , it may be federal dollars , but they ’ re wasting money .
I ’ m also quite offended that there was no money in his proposed budget for first responders but he plans to give them a raise using some of this coronavirus money .
So that would be a temporary raise .
The Democrat cities see this as such an opportunity to spend federal dollars .
Leahy : Yes .
And by the way , I just looked at the budget .
Here we have a pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lowest of any major metropolitan area in the country and the budget that the mayor submitted has a five percent increase in spending .
How does that happen ?
Swain : It doesn ’ t happen .
The think about it is it has the lowest consumer spending it ’ s because they jumped into lockdown mode .
There was no reason to lock down the state of Tennessee .
And the cases in Nashville , we know that they ’ re inflated .
The number of deaths versus the number of infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been that high .
And these are inflated deaths , some of them , we knew were other conditions people were suffering from .
Leahy : I have that number here right now .
As of today in the state of Tennessee , there have been 273 coronavirus deaths to date .
And now that turns out to be about six million people .
That ’ s a little over 40 per million .
Put that in contrast to New York State where the death rate is about 1,400 deaths per million .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms of deaths per million .
Swain : Again , those deaths mean nothing , but they mean something because there is a loss of life but when you look at conditions how many people normally die in Tennessee per year ?
And so you think about people that are counted as COVID-19 when they died of heart attacks , cancer , and all kinds of diseases and strokes .
They have them counted .
They would count suicides if they could get away with it .
Leahy : And of course remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , well we ’ re going to shut down all the restaurants on Broadway .
And for a period of time Kid Rock ’ s restaurant downtown .
The guy who owns that said we ’ re not going to comply .
Oh , all the people came down and he ended up backing off from that .
But in retrospect , it ’ s kind of looking like he was right .
What do you think Carol ?
Swain : The numbers never justified what Mayor Cooper did .
So he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these partial openings will not give businesses enough time to generate revenue .
Leahy : No .
I ’ m with you .
They need to come back 100 % full .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Trump Plans to Keep Borders Closed Until Coronavirus Isn’t a Threat: Report

The Trump administration is preparing an order that will extend current border restrictions indefinitely , until a top public health official declares the novel coronavirus is no longer a threat , The New York Times reported Wednesday .
The White House plans to keep border restrictions in place until it decides the coronavirus outbreak is not a significant threat to the public anymore , according to a draft of a public health order obtained by the NYT .
If such an order is implemented , it would remove any concrete timetable to open up the U.S.-Mexico border to non-essential traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has so far killed more than 297,000 people across the world , the Trump administration on March 20 shut down northern and southern borders to all non-essential traffic for 30 days .
This order was extended for another 30 days on April 20 .
The proposed order , handed down by the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) , only permits “ essential ” cross-border travel , according to the NYT .
Essential border crossing includes travel for medical and educational purposes , emergency response operations , public health services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cross-border trade.
” The border restrictions also do not permit anyone to enter the country if they do not have proper documentation — meaning illegal aliens will not be accepted if they reach the U.S. border .
This provision in particular has resulted in a rapid return of illegal entrants and a steep drop in illegal border crossings altogether .
Now the administration is looking to extend the restrictions for an indefinite amount of time , under the auspices of CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield .
Once the public health order is issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place until Redfield determines that the disease is no longer a danger to the American public , according to the NYT .
“ I am extending the duration of the order until I determine that the danger of further introduction of Covid-19 into the United States has ceased to be a danger to the public health , ” a copy of the draft order reads .
The order is under review by several agencies , the NYT reported .
It was immediately clear when , or if , the administration will issue the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming days , given the current border restriction is set to expire on May 21 .
Jason Hopkins is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--U.S. Sen. Burr Steps Down from Senate Intelligence Committee Chairmanship

A day after his cellphone was seized by federal agents as part of an FBI investigation into insider trading , North Carolina U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is leaving his position as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee .
“ Senator Burr contacted me this morning to inform me of his decision to step aside as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee during the pendency of the investigation , ” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , said in a statement .
“ We agreed that this decision would be in the best interests of the committee and will be effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Los Angeles Times reported FBI agents seized Burr ’ s cellphone Wednesday night as part of an investigation into whether Burr illegally traded stocks at the onset of the coronavirus outbreak .
Citing an unnamed law enforcement source , the newspaper reported Burr turned over his phone at his residence in the Washington , D.C. , area after federal agents produced a search warrant .
Burr sold a large portion of his stock portfolio Feb. 13 .
Members of Congress are prevented from trading on insider information they have gleaned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported FBI agents recently served a warrant on Apple to get information from Burr ’ s iCloud account .
It said agents used that data as evidence for the warrant for Burr ’ s phone .
Burr , a Republican , was elected to the Senate in 2004 .
Before becoming senator , Burr served in the U.S. House for 10 years .
Jason Schaumburg is an award-winning , veteran editor who has been a journalist for more than 20 years .
He spent a decade as the top editor in three northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press .
Schaumburg is a contributor to The Center Square .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Nashville Officials Scold White House for Reporting False COVID-19 Data Despite Nashville Officials

Nashville Officials Scold White House for Reporting False COVID-19 Data Despite Nashville Officials Making Similar Claims Two Weeks Ago

Metro Coronavirus Task Force Chair Alex Jahangir scolded members of the White House Thursday for saying — falsely — that Nashville had a sudden 129 percent increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases earlier this month .
Jahangir said a spike at a prison in nearby Trousdale County had a lot to do with the White House reporting false data about Nashville .
This , even though , as The Tennessee Star reported , Jahangir earlier this month made misleading claims about Trousdale County numbers and how they relate to Nashville .
“ There have been some national stories about Nashville and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is having a spike in the country .
I want to emphasize something .
These stories are misleading , and they are not accurate .
The reports are based on an unreleased May 7 White House Coronavirus Task Force report that showed that Nashville had an increase of 129 percent in a single week .
That ’ s just not accurate , ” Jahangir said at a press conference Thursday .
“ The number actually included data from 13 surrounding counties .
The so-called Nashville numbers also included Trousdale County in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst prison outbreaks in the country .
And it also included Rutherford County .
During that one week there was an increase of 200 cases in Rutherford County .
The facts are this .
During this time Nashville and Davidson County had a 17 percent increase in cases during the one week reported .
That is the accurate number , 17 percent .
Not 129 percent.
” But at a May 1 press conference , Jahangir said that counties surrounding Davidson now had a higher number of COVID-19 cases than Davidson County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highly misleading .
Jahangir said at the time that Davidson had 2,832 confirmed cases , an increase of 163 cases in 24 hours .
He also said there were an additional 3,227 cases in the surrounding counties — an increase of 955 in one day .
A spokesman for the Metro Nashville Health Department later admitted to The Star that Jahangir ’ s claim included cases in Trousdale County , which does not border Davidson County .
Trousdale County suddenly reported 1,344 reported cases of coronavirus .
That number includes more than 1,300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility – almost all of whom were asymptomatic , as The Star reported .
The Tennessee Department of Health provided The Star with raw data to demonstrate how Nashville officials mischaracterized the situation earlier this month .
Jahangir said Thursday that he had not spoken with White House officials about their report .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Press Conference ” by John Cooper .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Making In-Network Telehealth Services Permanent

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members will have easier access to health care services moving forward as the state ’ s largest insurer makes permanent its coverage of virtual visits with in-network providers effective immediately , according to a press release the company put out Thursday .
“ The BlueCross decision makes it the first major insurer to embrace telehealth for the long-term after the dramatic expansion of these services during the COVID-19 pandemic , a move the company said aligns with other steps it has taken to improve access to primary care .
In March , the mission-driven insurer began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providers , ” the press release said .
“ The change initially included primary care providers , specialists and behavioral health providers and was later expanded to include occupational , physical and speech therapy as well as ABA therapy services .
All of these services will now be covered on an ongoing basis.
” BlueCross telehealth coverage includes both member-to-provider and provider-to-provider consultations , and it has seen health care providers across Tennessee demonstrate increasing support for these services .
Making telehealth benefits available on a permanent basis is another way to collaborate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more convenient , company officials said in the press release .
BlueCross investments have included clinical quality programs and innovation grants to help practices improve the member experience , including telehealth services and enhanced digital tools .
In February , the insurer announced a joint venture with Sanitas , a Keralty company , to open eight primary care medical centers in Middle and West Tennessee .
State Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Chairman Paul Bailey ( R-Sparta ) said in an emailed press release of his own that the free market best determines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is best that doctors , insurance providers , and patients define the value of these services , rather than rely on burdensome definitions mandated by the General Assembly , ” Bailey said .
“ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , we have seen that this indeed is the case , and are very encouraged that BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is making these services a permanent part of their coverage .
I am optimistic that other insurance carriers will follow suit to provide Tennesseans with cost-effective telehealth services that are readily available and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Confirmed: China Pressured WHO Against Declaring Coronavirus Global Health Emergency

China pressured the World Health Organization ( WHO ) against declaring the coronavirus pandemic a global health emergency , a senior U.S. intelligence official told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
That official ’ s account confirms aspects of Newsweek ’ s reporting , which cited a CIA report stating that China urged the WHO not to declare the pandemic a global health emergency .
The WHO , the health arm of the United Nations , was supposed to decide on Jan. 22 whether to declare a global health emergency , but WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus ended up delaying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In his statement announcing the delay , Tedros praised “ the cooperation of China ’ s Minister of Health , who I have spoken with directly during the last few days and weeks.
” “ The decision about whether or not to declare a public health emergency of international concern is one I take extremely seriously , and one I am only prepared to make with appropriate consideration of all the evidence , ” Tedros added .
The next day , the WHO opted not to declare a global health emergency .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency of international concern today , ” Tedros , who won his position in 2017 with China ’ s backing , said on Jan. 23 .
“ As it was yesterday , the Emergency Committee was divided over whether the outbreak of novel coronavirus represents a PHEIC or not , ” he continued .
“ Make no mistake .
This is an emergency in China , but it has not yet become a global health emergency .
It may yet become one.
” The WHO didn ’ t declare a global health emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s leadership , the WHO ’ s rhetoric on the coronavirus has consistently aligned with Chinese propaganda on the subject .
Despite the fact that China worked to cover up the virus ’ s severity , WHO officials repeatedly went out of their way to praise China ’ s “ transparency.
” A May 1 Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) report obtained by the Associated Press said that Chinese authorities downplayed the virus ’ s severity in part so China could get a head start in stockpiling medical supplies from around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ echoed misleading Chinese claims about the possibility of human-to-human transmission of the virus .
A top WHO official later said that she suspected “ right from the start , ” on Dec. 31 , that the virus was transmitting between people .
The WHO also took an adamant stand against President Donald Trump referring to the coronavirus , which originated in Wuhan , China , as the “ Wuhan coronavirus.
” The WHO claimed that identifying the virus that way amounted to scapegoating , even though historically that ’ s how such diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example , is named after Lyme , Connecticut . )
The majority view among the U.S. intelligence community agencies is that coronavirus is a naturally occurring virus that accidentally leaked out of a Wuahn laboratory , a senior intelligence official previously told the DCNF .
China meanwhile has shut out other countries and the WHO from its investigation into the coronavirus ’ s origins .
The WHO didn ’ t return multiple requests for comment from the DCNF for this story .
Peter Hasson is a reporter for the Daily Caller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization ” by Yann Forget .
CC BY-SA 4.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Bezos Could Become World’s First Trillionaire as Amazon Rakes in Cash During Pandemic, Research Show

Bezos Could Become World’s First Trillionaire as Amazon Rakes in Cash During Pandemic, Research Shows

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is expected to ride the wave of business his company is collecting during the coronavirus pandemic to become the world ’ s first trillionaire , research shows .
Bezos ’ s net worth has grown by 34 % on average over the past half decade , which could make him a trillionaire , according to an analysis from Comparisun , a platform that helps companies create business management tools .
Along with creating marketing tools , the company also conducts studies forecasting what will happen in the business sector , Comparisun ’ s website noted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit the $ 100 billion mark and could be the world ’ s first trillionaire sooner than you ’ d think , ” Comparisun noted in a blog post .
“ We ’ ve analysed historical valuations of some of the world ’ s richest companies and individuals in an attempt to predict when they ’ ll join the Trillion Dollar Club.
” Comparisun analyzed the past five years of data on the net worth of the wealthiest 25 people in the world , according to Forbes , as well as the market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The company ’ s analysts then calculated the average yearly percentage of growth over the past half decade and extrapolated that number to predict how the value will change over time .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is snipping on Bezos ’ s heels , according to Comparisun ’ s analysis , which suggests the social media mogul could gain trillionaire status by age 51 .
But the Amazon CEO ’ s rise in the ranking will come despite a personal setback : a divorce settlement .
Bezos lost an estimated $ 38 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 to his ex-wife , MacKenzie Bezos .
She took roughly 25 % stock in Amazon and left him with full stock in The Washington Post and Blue Origin , a privately funded aerospace manufacturer designed to make technologies allowing private travel to space .
Meanwhile , more and more Americans are leaning on Amazon ’ s e-commerce technology to help them cope with the economic lockdowns , which officials instituted to slow the coronavirus pandemic , which has killed nearly 85,000 people in the United States .
The sky-high market evaluation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Antitrust Subcommittee chairman David Cicilline of Rhode Island is taking aim at Amazon and demanding that Bezos appear in front of his committee and address reports that his company used data from independent sellers to develop competing products .
“ It is our hope and expectation that he will come voluntarily , ” Cicilline told Politico reporter Cristiano Lima during a May 7 virtual interview posted online .
“ But if he elects not to do it voluntarily then we are prepared to use compulsory process to compel his attendance , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Jeff Bezos ” by Seattle City Council .
CC BY 2.0 .
Background Photo “ Amazon Biosphere ” by brewbooks .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down Evers’ Safer-at-Home Restrictions

Dan McCaleb is the executive editor of The Center Square .
He welcomes your comments .
Contact Dan at [ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Commentary: Senate Should Adopt Sen. Rand Paul Amendment to Ensure FISA Abuse Never Happens Again

Reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) is once again up for consideration and Sen. Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) has an amendment to fix it — and is urging President Donald Trump to veto the renewal legislation if the Senate doesn ’ t adopt it .
What makes the Paul amendment unique — and why it must be adopted — as summarized by Lawfareblog.com is that it would “ require that electronic surveillance , use of a pen register or trap-and-trace device , production of tangible things , or targeting of U.S. persons for information can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued by a non-FISA federal court and only under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
” This is the heart of the matter , in that FISA allows the government to spy on U.S. citizens for the purpose of gathering intelligence without needing an underlying crime to investigate .
It was on this basis that former National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn had surveillance conducted on him that was transformed into a criminal investigation on the flimsiest of grounds .
No federal judge had issued a warrant to question Flynn , nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And yet , the FBI used surveillance on his Dec. 22 , 2016 conversation he had with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak during the presidential transition , which was then maliciously leaked to the Washington Post on Jan. 12 , 2017 , as a basis to quiz Flynn about it on Jan. 24 , 2017 .
The ostensible reason to run the FBI at Flynn was supposed violations of the centuries-old , never-prosecuted Logan Act , but Flynn had already been discounted as a potential Russian agent on Jan. 4 , 2017 as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing investigation into the Trump campaign on false allegations the President and his team had coordinated the Wikileaks hacks of the DNC and John Podesta with Russia .
Turns out none of it was true .
As former Special Counsel Robert Mueller stated in his report : “ [ T ] he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities , ” and “ the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was insufficient evidence to support the investigation , how in the world did the surveillance ever get authorized ?
FISA , that ’ s how .
The Kislyak call surveillance because it came from a stream of intelligence was used to renew the investigation .
As currently written , even with the reform amendments under consideration , the legislation would actually still have authorized a FISA judge to target not only Flynn but also Carter Page on mere suspicion and erroneous intelligence reports , whose applications were fueled by the DNC-Steele dossier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Paul Manafort of being Russian agents .
There are new oversight tools for Congress to potentially rein it in , but on the core issue , there is no eye witness testimony to support a FISA warrant , leaving the door open for malicious targeting by intelligence agencies like happened with Trump .
If we ’ re really going to say never again , then Sen. Paul ’ s amendment must be adopted , or else President Trump should veto the legislation until Congress gets it right .
Otherwise , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
2016 was only the beginning .
Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government .
Image “ Senator Rand Paul ” by C-Span.org and photo “ FISA Court ” by AgnosticPreachersKid .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Ohio Antibody Testing Traces History of Coronavirus to January

Dr. Amy Acton claims the Ohio Health Department found five cases in five counties where COVID-19 symptoms were experienced in January .
Acton mentioned serological antibody testing and hinted that contact tracers were involved in investigating the patients ’ cases during a press conference Monday , WLWT reported .
Despite her claims , however , Acton said she does not have the specific counties where the patients are from , the station said .
The Washington Examiner reported that six Ohio patients had been identified as having been ill as early as Jan. 7 .
Two of them , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but officials did not know if that was involved in becoming sick .
WKEF reports the first case in Ohio , dating to January , was in the Miami Valley .
That begs the question : Is antibody testing taking place ?
The Health Department on April 13 said some Ohio businesses were buying serological test kits .
These tests find antibodies , or proteins , in blood left when the body responds to the virus that causes COVID-19 .
The department warns about these tests because many at the time were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drug Administration .
The federal government allowed tests to be rolled out before being fully vetted in the rush to address the impact of COVID-19 .
These tests detect the immune response to the virus , not the virus itself , and can help healthcare professionals identify individuals who have overcome an infection in the past and developed an immune response .
In the future , this may potentially be used to help determine , alongside other clinical data , that patients are no longer susceptible to infection and can return to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drug Administration ( FDA ) .
Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton , M.D.
, MPH , strongly recommends that employers in Ohio review the following information before purchasing or using COVID-19 antibody test kits : In the early days of an infection when the body ’ s immune response is still building , antibodies may not be detected .
As such , antibody testing is one piece to the puzzle to determine whether employees can return to work .
Antibody test results are not the sole answer .
Some firms developing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serological tests are approved by the FDA or falsely claiming that they can diagnose COVID-19 .
All employers looking to use the tests should ensure that they are buying only antibody tests approved by the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization ( EUA ) .
Without the FDA ’ s EUA approval , there is no way to know if the test kits are valid .
Testing companies that are EUA-approved are listed on the FDA website , which is updated daily .
Quest Diagnostics was conducting serological tests in northeast Ohio , Cleveland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Department on May 9 said it would test 1,200 households randomly for antibodies , Fox 8 said .
Households would be notified by mail and could opt-out .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Lewis Says Any Politician Who Purports to Represent the People Can’t ‘Deny Them Their God-Given Righ

Lewis Says Any Politician Who Purports to Represent the People Can’t ‘Deny Them Their God-Given Right to Earn a Living’

There ’ s no “ pandemic exception ” to the Bill of Rights , Republican Senate candidate Jason Lewis told The Minnesota Sun in a recent interview .
That ’ s the same argument U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr made in an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt .
“ We have three branches of government , and allowing the unitary executive to do this , especially making a pandemic exception to the Bill of Rights , seems to me to be , and to Attorney General Bill Barr , to be overstepping their bounds .
Now states , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do have plenary police powers , but that assumes the state will make a law in the normal order – introduced in the legislative branch and signed by the governors .
That ’ s not what ’ s happening here , ” Lewis told The Minnesota Sun .
Lewis said he ’ s been campaigning all over the state for the past two weeks because his team decided “ enough was enough.
” Going through “ a second Great Depression ” won ’ t do “ anything to stop a virus , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant to give hospital capacity a head start – we ’ ve accomplished that by anybody ’ s standard .
Any official who purports to represent the people of Minnesota can not deny them their God-given right to earn a living , ” Lewis added .
Lewis predicts that the state will continue to see cases of civil disobedience in response to shelter-in-place mandates , such as the case of a St. Paul barber who reopened in defiance of the governor ’ s orders .
“ And I think people are looking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ never in my wildest dreams did I think I ’ d have to fight for the right to put food on the table , ’ ” he continued .
The lesson to be learned from the coronavirus pandemic , according to Lewis , is “ to be very wary of a mob mentality.
” “ You have a capriciousness to this that belies any seriousness .
That ’ s why people are starting to get very , very skeptical of all of this , ” said Lewis .
For example , abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ churches must close .
Walmart can sell gardening supplies “ but the general store in Good Thunder ” can ’ t , he noted .
“ And they ’ re moving the goalposts .
First it was to make certain that hospital capacity got caught up , now it ’ s to eradicate any and all virus .
Well , you ’ re never going to do that so in that case the lockdown would last in perpetuity , which would be the end of America and Minnesota as we know it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s coronavirus models , which have estimated a vast range of possible outcomes , have been a source of debate and controversy throughout the pandemic .
By Lewis ’ s estimation , these models have been “ anything but science.
” “ You can not have a divergence of epidemiological deaths of 20,000 people in one state , as we have between the University of Washington model and the U of M model , and expect people to believe it , ” he said .
The former radio host has picked up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s response to the virus , which has included calls for everything from rent moratoriums and mail-in voting to a universal basic income and the release of all ICE detainees .
“ Why are all the solutions to corona basically a liberal wish list ?
All of that added up means there ’ s a whole lot more skepticism out there than a Star Tribune poll would have you believe , ” he said .
“ I will say it just goes to show you the Democrats will never let a crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing when you ’ re bankrupting American families and small businessmen and women is the height of hypocrisy.
” Lewis said Gov .
Tim Walz ’ s biggest mistake has been his refusal to reopen the state on a county by county basis , which he has the authority to do .
“ Now we ’ ve got six counties with zero cases and over 30 with three or less , ” he said last week .
“ There ’ s no reason for the governor not to be opening these counties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut or Hennepin.
” This is the third part of a three part interview with former Congressman Jason Lewis .
Check back for part three .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ John Lewis ” by John Lewis .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Minnesota Organization for Retired Americans Sue To Keep Voting Rights for Quarantined Residents

The Minnesota Alliance for Retired American Educational Fund , along with three of its members , filed a lawsuit to protect voting rights of those who may be self-quarantining without a legal adult .
The lawsuit alleges that those who are quarantining alone — or without a voting-age member of the household — essentially lose their ability to cast a vote , as mail-in absentee ballots require a witness signature .
The Alliance was joined by one other individual plaintiff .
Three individual plaintiffs said they have serious health conditions which put them at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I have a constitutional right to vote and have my vote counted , ” said Teresa Maples , of Red Wing , a member of the Minnesota Alliance for Retired Americans and a registered voter in Goodhue County , in a statement .
“ I am 66 and have several serious health conditions… There is no question that I will be unable to vote in person because I am strictly following the social distancing and self-isolation guidelines .
Because I live alone and can not safely obtain a witness signature , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a second wave of infections may occur in the fall and that those who are at risk for catching the coronavirus will most likely need to continue to practice social distancing .
The Minnesota Secretary of State is working to ensure that most of all ballots are cast before Election Day , but a slowing of the U.S .
Postal Service means there is no guarantee that absentee ballots will be delivered by that time .
“ There are more than three million seniors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state is asking them to take unnecessary risks with their health if they want to cast a ballot that will be counted , ” said Richard Fiesta , executive director of the national Alliance for Retired Americans , in a statement .
“ The Alliance for Retired Americans is committed to ensuring that all older Americans nationwide can exercise their right to vote , especially during this unprecedented public health crisis.
” Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voting ” by Wyofile .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Michigan Protesters Battle Rain Downpour to Decry Stay-Home Order

About 250 protesters braved a downpour of rain Thursday to object to Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s executive orders on the Capitol lawn .
Protesters clad in rain gear brought signs wrapped in plastic to share their displeasure with the first-term Democrat ’ s response to COVID-19 .
Signs read , “ We the people , not you the dictator.
” This was the smallest of the past three protests within the last month , dampened by heavy rain and less advertising as Facebook removed two groups this week in which anti-quarantine residents often posted events and frustrations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s page was removed , dubbed their event as a “ Judgment Day ” aiming “ to convey to our lawmakers , state officials , and the public that the people of Michigan will passionately defend our freedom and prosperity , ” the group said in a statement .
Lightning shot across the sky as J.J Stempien , a West Bloomfield resident , stood next to a friend who was yelling support for letting hairdressers return to work while carrying a pair of cardboard scissors .
“ I think that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Stempien said .
“ The virus is certainly real , and it is deadly , but only to that higher-risk [ groups ] .
” She recommended sheltering those who are most vulnerable and letting healthy people develop herd immunity .
“ This is the first time in history we ’ ve ever quarantined the healthy , ” she said .
Extending lockdowns “ will cause more suffering and death from child abuse , domestic abuse , alcoholism , anxiety , depression , suicide , and loss of livelihood , ” Stempien @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be way more suffering and death from those things than from the actual virus.
” Larry Schlenker lives in Jackson County and is a month away from turning 80 .
He said he worries how shutdowns in the United States could affect other countries .
“ The shutdown is destroying the economy , ” he said .
“ If we stay in this mold for very much longer and we go broke , it ’ s going to affect the whole world .
As an example , our farmers feed the world.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot in my lifetime , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve seen other countries fall through bad leadership and socialistic programs.
” He came armed with beef jerky and a rifle to protest “ governmental overreach.
” Lemp said Whitmer ’ s executive orders criminalizing gatherings of friends and families were “ a complete violation of every principle of freedom that I have ever been taught .
“ I ’ d like to think of all the mothers and fathers that are in hospice care that were going to die naturally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They ’ re dying scared , old , and alone because their family can ’ t see them.
” He ’ s lucky to have a job , he said , but he knows many people have been forced out of work via state mandates .
“ A lot of people can ’ t work , ” Lemp said .
“ A lot of people are scared of how they ’ re going to feed their children .
So I have to stand up for my state.
” Scott McClallen is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for The Center Square .
A graduate of Hillsdale College , his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org .
Previously , he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi .
Photo “ Michigan Protester ” by Jazmine Early .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--Ohio Unemployment Numbers Continue to Fall as Economy Opens Up

Ohio received a little over 51,000 unemployment claims last week , according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services ( ODJFS ) .
This marks the third consecutive week that unemployment claims have been less than 100,000 .
Furthermore , the number of jobless claims people have filed has reduced over 40,000 claims in the last two weeks .
The reduced number of people asking the government for help is due to Ohio reopening its economy .
By May 15 , retail stores , barbershops , restaurants and bars , and personal care services will have opened up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out by the Ohio Department of Health to stay open .
Ohio unemployment claims expect to go down as the state ’ s economy continues to open .
Gov .
Mike DeWine said this week that around 90 percent of Ohio ’ s economy will be open by the weekend , according to the Associated Press .
Almost 1.2 million Ohioans have filed for unemployment benefits over the last two months .
Nationally , America has seen over 36 million people file for unemployment during this same time period .
Ohio accounts for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims the last eight weeks .
According to WHIO , the ODJFS has handed out over $ 2.4 billion to more than 587,000 people who filed unemployment claims .
This means that only 53 percent of people have received their government-issued paychecks .
The ODJFS announced on Tuesday that Ohioans can apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance ( PUA ) , which is a new federal program that covers many more categories of workers than the traditional unemployment program .
PUA will offer up to “ 39 weeks of benefits to many who traditionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including self-employed individuals , 1099 tax filers and part-time workers , ” according to the ODJFS press release .
We appreciate everyone ’ s patience as we diligently worked to build this new system in record time for the agency , ” ODJFS Director Kimberly Hall said .
“ We encourage anyone who believes they may be eligible to apply .
Even after you return to work , you still may be eligible to receive retroactive benefits , dating from as early as February 2.
” Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have any tips , email Zachery at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--More Than 47,000 File for Unemployment in Michigan as State Continues to Stay Shut Down

More than 47,000 people filed for unemployment in Michigan in the week ending May 9 , bringing the state total to more than 1.7 million people in the state who have filed for unemployment insurance , according to recently released data from the U.S. Department of Labor .
According to the data , 47,438 people in Michigan filed for unemployment insurance in the state in the week ending May 9 , down nearly 20,000 claimants from the previous week .
Nearly 3 million people filed nationally .
Since March 15 , the onset of the coronavirus pandemic , more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Michigan , according to an update from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency .
More than $ 5.6 billion has been paid to roughly 1.3 million workers , with 92 percent of eligible claimants either receiving benefits or being approved to receive benefits .
A little more than 64,000 workers have been determined ineligible to receive unemployment benefits .
Michigan was also among the first states to begin sending Pandemic Unemployment Compensation , which is an additional $ 600 in financial aid from coronavirus relief bill sent in addition to unemployment insurance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely funded at the federal level .
“ While we appear to be outpacing most other states in paying benefits and processing claims , our focus remains on helping those who still need one on one assistance to receive benefits , ” said Dept .
of Labor and Economic Opportunity Director Jeff Donofrio in a statement .
“ No one will lose a dollar of benefit they are eligible for and we will not rest until everyone gets the benefits they deserve.
” Michigan is currently in stage three of Gov .
Gretchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaning that outdoor work , construction , real estate and manufacturing businesses are allowed to open .
Many businesses , including retail , restaurants and offices , are still either entirely closed down or limited .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--More Than 40,000 File for Unemployment in Minnesota, State Totals Nearly 700,000

More than 40,000 filed for unemployment insurance in Minnesota , bringing the state total to nearly 700,000 , according to recent data .
Data from the U.S. Department of Labor showed that 40,427 people filed for unemployment insurance benefits in the week ending May 9 .
That number is down a little more than 1,000 applicants from the week prior .
More than 668,000 Minnesota residents have filed for unemployment insurance benefits since March 15 , according to state data .
The number of claimants has been steadily dropping since the peak of more than 32,000 in a single day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 7,026 claimants on May 13 and 5,395 claimants the day prior .
Some industries were hit harder than others .
The food and beverage industry lost 51,619 workers , retail lost 39,914 workers and construction lost 32,089 workers , according to state data .
Other industries that were hard hit include cook and food prep , which lost 23,918 workers ; personal appearance , which lost 19,560 workers ; and motor vehicle operators , which lost 18,865 workers .
The layoffs also disproportionately affected those between ages 25 and 44 , making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment insurance benefits , as well as certain education demographics .
Those with a high school education and some college made up nearly 400,000 of those who filed for unemployment insurance benefits .
Gov .
Tim Walz recently announced that he would be replacing the current order — set to expire on May 18 — with one that allows gatherings of 10 people or less .
It also opens retail stores and other “ main street businesses ” with a social distancing plan , although it restricts them to operating at 50 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time for sudden movements , ” Walz said in a statement .
“ We are not flipping a switch and going back to normal all at once .
We are slowly moving a dial and introducing more interaction between people over time .
As we take cautious steps forward , it is more important than ever that we protect those most at risk , support workers , and all do our part to slow the spread of the virus.
” Minnesota currently has more than 13,00 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data from the COVID Tracking Project .
The death toll in the state in the 663 .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ] Photo “ Long line of People ” by Dave Winer .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--City of Franklin Announces Proposed Cuts in Next Fiscal Year Budget

City of Franklin officials on Thursday released a proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 , and it includes a somewhat steep decrease compared to the current 2019-2020 Fiscal Year budget .
This , according to the City of Franklin ’ s website , per City of Franklin Administrator Eric Stuckey .
The 2020-21 ( FY21 ) general fund budget is $ 70,221,303 , which represents a decrease of 10.2 percent compared to the current budget for 2019-20 ( FY20 ) .
The FY21 budget for all funds is $ 154,318,230 which represents a decrease of 10.5 percent compared to FY20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ For the first time in our lifetimes , we are faced with a global pandemic paired with a significant worldwide economic downturn , the depth and duration of which are unknown , ” Stuckey said on the city ’ s website , referring to the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ In the face of these uncertain times , the City of Franklin will continue to move forward maintaining service levels , investing in our future , and enhancing our community ’ s competitive position .
We can not wait for national and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ craft a budget and action plan which is both fiscally prudent and consistent in maintaining our commitment to community service.
” Aspects of the 2020-21 Budget include the following : • The budget is balanced , with a planned use of reserves to maintain services .
• The budget fully complies with the Board of Mayor and Aldermen ’ s debt and fund reserve policies .
• Despite significant budget reductions , there are no layoffs of existing staff .
City team member salaries are frozen at this time with no market or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully absorb the cost of benefit increases including health insurance premiums , keeping employees “ whole ” in FY21 .
• The City property tax remains unchanged at $ 0.4176 per $ 100 of assessed valuation .
The Invest Franklin dedicated funding for infrastructure/transportation investment and support of City operations remains in place .
The City of Franklin continues to maintain one of the lowest municipal property tax rates in the State of Tennessee .
• This budget will likely be updated later in the year as more information is available regarding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downturn .
“ The challenges ahead of us will be significant , and the uncertainty we face is real , ” Stuckey said .
“ However , we have a highly capable City team supported by strong , long-term financial plans and policies that will provide financial capacity to weather these difficult times.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Franklin Downtown ” by Ichabod .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-15--New York Admits Knowingly Undercounting Nursing Home Deaths After Quietly Changing Reporting Rules

New York has omitted an unknown number of coronavirus deaths in recent reports regarding residents of nursing home and adult care facilities , the New York State Department of Health acknowledged in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation .
In early May , those reports quietly began omitting long-term care residents who died of coronavirus in hospitals .
Even so , New York still leads the nation with 5,433 reported deaths at nursing homes and adult care facilities as of Wednesday .
The revelation comes as New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo faces criticism for ordering nursing homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients from hospitals who had tested positive for coronavirus .
Cuomo rescinded the March 25 order , which experts say led to higher levels of death among nursing home residents , on May 11 to allow such facilities to wait until a coronavirus patient tests negative before readmitting them .
The NYSDOH confirmed to the DCNF that until around April 28 , it was disclosing coronavirus deaths for all nursing home and adult care facility residents , regardless of whether the patient died at their long-term care facility or at a hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its disclosures beginning around May 3 , according to web archives .
The NYSDOH told the DCNF its disclosure now only reports coronavirus deaths for long-term care patients that died while physically present at their facility .
New York ’ s coronavirus tracker “ currently does not include out of facility deaths , ” NYSDOH spokeswoman Jill Montag told the DCNF .
“ Deaths of nursing home and adult care facility residents that occurred at hospitals is accounted for in the overall fatality data on our COVID-19 tracker.
” In other words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and adult care facility coronavirus deaths tracker omits any individuals who contracted coronavirus while living at a long-term care facility but died in a hospital .
Montag told the DCNF that the state is opting to not disclose out of facility deaths “ in order to maintain consistency and reliability in the data as presented , and to avoid any potential for double-counting.
” But the reporting change has , in fact , resulted in inconsistencies in New York ’ s disclosure of long-term care coronavirus fatalities , particularly regarding deaths of residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t typically don ’ t have the medical capacity of nursing homes or hospitals .
New York reported on April 28 that there had been 644 deaths from residents of adult care facility residents who died at either the facility or at a hospital .
Montag confirmed that the table “ contained lab-confirmed and , in some cases , presumed COVID-19 deaths.
” But on May 13 , after the state ceased disclosing long-term care residents who died at hospitals , New York reported a total of 165 coronavirus-confirmed and presumed deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 479 deaths from its disclosure 16 days prior .
Of the nine states with the largest coronavirus outbreaks at long-term care facilities , according to a New York Times tracker , New York is the only state that omits the deaths of residents who died at hospitals from its reporting .
Spokespeople for the health departments of New Jersey , Pennsylvania , Illinois , Maryland and Massachusetts confirmed to the DCNF that their disclosures include coronavirus deaths of long-term care residents regardless of their place of death .
The health departments of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear in their reporting that their disclosures of long-term care residents who died of coronavirus includes those who died in hospitals .
Connecticut ’ s reporting of nursing home deaths , for example , specifically “ includes residents currently in-house , in the hospital , or who are deceased.
” The NYSDOH did not respond to the DCNF when asked if it disputes that the state is omitting at least 479 adult care facility residents that died from coronavirus at a hospital in its reporting on long-term care deaths .
The department also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health benefits are of concealing the deaths of long-term care residents who died in hospitals from its reporting on long-term care coronavirus fatalities .
New York ceased reporting deaths of long-term care residents who died in hospitals the same day it unveiled 1,700 previously undisclosed deaths that occurred on the grounds of long-term care facilities from residents presumed to have coronavirus .
Betsy McCaughey , a former Republican lieutenant governor of New York and current chairman of the patient advocacy group Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths , told the DNCF that New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deaths of all long-term care patients , regardless of whether they died at a hospital .
“ It would be a more accurate reflection of the peril at nursing homes , ” McCaughey said .
“ If you look at the more accurate figures reported by other states , it ’ s reasonable to conclude that half of all deaths in the United States are among nursing home residents and that rather than shutting down the economy they could have focused resources on nursing homes.
” Indeed , of the nine states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York has the lowest reported share of state deaths from long-term care residents at 20 % , according to The Times .
The share of long-term care resident fatalities reported by the other eight states ranges from 36 % to 66 % , according to The Times .
Andrew Kerr is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ” by Gov Andrew Cuomo and “ Senior COVID Patient ” by the Department of Defense .