buzzfeednews--2020-04-11--Prudish Clinton-Era Rules Mean Strippers, Porn Stars, and Sex Shops Might Not Get Coronavirus Aid Mo

Prudish Clinton-Era Rules Mean Strippers, Porn Stars, and Sex Shops Might Not Get Coronavirus Aid Money

Businesses that provide services of a “ prurient ” nature are excluded from the multi-trillion-dollar bailout because of obscure federal regulation that lawyers say is an unconstitutional limit on free speech .
When Mirna Mosquera first took a job at a strip club in West Palm Beach in 2014 , she remembers judging the women who worked there .
“ That ’ s unfortunately what I was taught as a young girl — you know , that strippers were judged and … and you don ’ t associate yourself with those types of females , ” she said .
Mosquera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Monroe ’ s of Palm Beach , and after seven years of making sure it ran smoothly , she said she ’ s completely changed her mind .
“ I have the utmost respect for them , I think they ’ re beautiful people , ” she said .
“ Their form of entertainment to me is now an art.
” But now , like millions of Americans , Mosquera is out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic , alongside 97 employees and at least a few dozen dancers who work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s worried the club may close for good .
The CARES Act , a $ 2 trillion relief bill passed by Congress to address the crisis , was meant to help people like Mosquera , but she and her colleagues may be out of luck because of long-standing rules that prohibit loans to anyone who makes their money from activities of a “ prurient sexual nature ” — even if their work is legal .
The restriction at the Small Business Administration , which is responsible for giving out $ 349 billion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outcry among people who make money at strip clubs , in porn or camming , at sex shops , and even as sex educators , who say they are being unfairly excluded and face financial ruin .
First Amendment lawyers who spoke to BuzzFeed News say people are right to be upset , and that prohibiting funding to the “ vast majority ” of businesses in the adult industry based on outdated prejudices would be a violation of free speech rights .
The restriction has already prompted at least one lawsuit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
The pandemic has devastated the US economy , with nearly 17 million people filing for unemployment in just three weeks .
Sex workers and many parts of the adult industry , like strip clubs , porn studios , and sex shops , have been included in that suffering .
“ Our industry has been hit pretty hard , and I ’ m scared that I might not have a job to go back to , ” Mosquera said .
The owner of Monroe ’ s — which has twice been named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Exotic Dancer Publications — is Scott Lizza , and he estimated the club had lost about a million dollars in revenue since it was forced to close in the middle of its busy season .
`` It ’ s complete devastation , ” said Lizza .
Lizza said he was shocked when he read the SBA ’ s loan application , which asks applicants to verify that they do not “ present live performances of a prurient sexual nature ” or make money from “ the sale of products or services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ displays , of a prurient sexual nature.
” “ When we saw the stimulus package ... my mouth dropped , my heart dropped , ” he said .
Lizza argued that he and his employees contributed to their community and deserved help just like anybody else .
“ We pay our taxes and run a legal business , ” said Lizza .
“ We shut down like they asked us to shut down , under the pretense that the government would help us.
” “ You ’ re dehumanizing people , ” Lizza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even though you do everything right , we ’ re not going to help you.
” Lizza said that Monroe ’ s employs 97 people , including administrative staff , bartenders , security , servers , and kitchen workers in its restaurant .
He estimated the business supports about 300 children .
Mosquera herself has nine children , three of whom still live at home , and a grandson she helps support , and is desperate to find enough money to pay her bills .
Lizza said he covered the first round of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirement savings , but can ’ t afford to keep doing that if the club doesn ’ t get financial support .
He said the situation is particularly dire since many of his staff work “ paycheck to paycheck , or even night to night.
” Jennifer Cartwright , who oversees the club ’ s operations , said there are also about two dozen dancers who work at the club regularly and many more who dance at Monroe ’ s from time to time .
Like most strip clubs , the dancers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaning they make money from tips and are not offered the same workplace protections as employees .
Although the SBA funding is open to independent contractors and people who are self-employed , sex workers would face the same hurdles as anyone else applying .
Kyra Lane , who works regularly at Monroe ’ s , said dancers were already struggling before the shutdown .
When the coronavirus began to spread , fewer and fewer people came to the club , hitting the dancers particularly hard because they rely on tips .
Lane said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ siblings , and her mother from her work at Monroe ’ s .
She said she hasn ’ t been able to speak to her mom , who is currently incarcerated , for a few weeks because she doesn ’ t have the money to cover the email fees charged by for-profit companies that contract with prisons .
Like Mosquera , Lane said she was worried the club would be forced to permanently close .
“ I ’ m just kind of stuck right now because I do understand that we don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this point , ” she said .
“ My landlord is still telling me I have to pay rent on 15th , and I don ’ t know how that ’ s going to happen.
” Nearly everyone who spoke to BuzzFeed News said they had faced judgment for their work at some point or another , but were shocked by the outright discrimination in the middle of a worldwide disaster .
“ Whorephobia is literally written into this covid19 relief for New Yorkers , ” wrote stripper and comedian Jacqueline Frances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , policy makers are actively making the world a worse place for sex workers and their families.
” News about the restriction on relief money spread quickly on social media .
Cartwright said she had been getting panicked messages from the staff at Monroe ’ s : “ I immediately started getting text messages that said ‘ Wait a second , we ’ re not worthy of help ?
We ’ re humans just like anybody else.
’ ” Fear over being denied the relief money has also extended into the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex education .
Justyn Hintze , the vice-chair of the board of the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health , a sex education organization based in Rhode Island , said the organization was concerned about its ability to get relief money from the SBA .
Hintze said such judgmental regulations were common , and that they frequently faced similar restrictions from grant-making organizations .
She compared the SBA rules to restrictions on funding for abortion providers .
“ There ’ s a correlation there with a lot of sexphobia , and who ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what they will and won ’ t talk about , ” said Hintze .
Angelina Spencer , who is the executive manager of the Association of Club Executives , the industry trade group for strip clubs , said the restrictions were particularly galling because many of the people who judge the industry see dancers as victims .
“ The thing that always kills me too is that they always say ‘ every dancer that works in a club is a victim.
’ If that ’ s so , you ’ ve just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t get any relief to help them , ” said Spencer .
Cartwright said that in the meantime she was working to support staff and dancers who were struggling by helping people navigate unemployment filings and loan deferments .
She also organized a petition to demand that adult businesses get the relief money , which has been circulating the petition among other strip clubs .
She said she even sent it to J.Lo and Lizzo , who she saw as advocates for the industry because of their performances in the movie Hustlers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go to war to defend a legally run business , '' said Cartwright .
The SBA ’ s restriction against funding businesses engaged in activities of a “ prurient sexual nature ” dates from the Clinton administration .
A proposal to add the restriction says the SBA has an obligation to direct its limited resources toward businesses it considers to be in the public interest , and that it is within its rights to exclude strip clubs and shops that sell porn because “ obscene ” speech is not protected by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , that the SBA is wrong .
They don ’ t dispute that businesses engaged in “ obscene ” and “ prurient ” activities could be excluded from getting the money , but they say those labels don ’ t apply to most businesses in the adult industry .
Jeffrey Douglas , who is the chair of the board for the porn industry trade organization , the Free Speech Coalition , and a chair emeritus of First Amendment Lawyers Association ( FALA ) , called the restriction a “ complete absurdity.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been discussing the SBA ’ s restrictions on the relief money on a listserv and generally agreed that the restrictions would not apply to the “ vast majority ” of businesses in the adult industry .
He said that although the SBA guidelines may have been intended to prohibit funding to strip clubs and sex shops , they weren ’ t applicable in most cases because the language used in the regulation had a very specific meaning .
“ The people who wrote [ the SBA ’ s guidelines ] may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of speech , or even , potentially , anything that they themselves would be aroused by , ” said Douglas .
“ But the Constitution requires enormous specificity when you attempt to restrict speech or punish speech or , in this category , deny access to government services based on speech.
” He said the regulation ’ s use of the word “ prurient ” meant it only applied to really extreme cases .
“ What prurience means according to scores , probably hundreds of [ court ] cases over the last 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he explained .
And he said legally , the standard for something to be considered obscene is incredibly high .
“ None of [ the porn that is currently available through mainstream outlets ] could possibly fail the obscenity test.
” He said that because the definition of “ prurience ” was so narrow , most businesses would be afforded free speech protections and that the SBA would open itself up to lawsuits if it told banks not to give money to strip clubs or porn producers .
Indeed , the regulation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the owners of Little Darlings strip club in Flint , Michigan , first reported by NBC .
The lawsuit asserts that the SBA and the US Treasury Department violated the First and Fifth Amendments by proposing to deny funding to a business engaged in protected free expression .
Douglas said the restrictive language still served a purpose for the government .
“ Adult businesses have typically regarded themselves and accepted that they have pariah status , ” he said .
“ Having that language in there serves a purpose because it causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t qualify , ’ so they don ’ t apply .
But , it ’ s wrong . ''
So far the SBA has only issued preliminary guidance for banks on how to handle the applications .
In an effort to speed up the loan process , the guidelines say lenders can rely on businesses themselves to say whether or not they are eligible for the programs .
But the guidelines also note that applicants could be held liable for fraud if they “ knowingly use the funds for unauthorized purposes.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the SBA has been plagued by reported power struggles and delays , and lingering questions over who should qualify .
President Trump appeared to consider advocating for the gambling industry to be included during a press briefing on Wednesday .
Carol Chastang , a spokesperson for the SBA , told BuzzFeed News the organization was scrambling to answer questions about the loan programs , but was overwhelmed by the unprecedented scope of helping virtually all small businesses across the US at the same time .
“ So many pieces of this are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Chastang speaking to BuzzFeed News last week , the night before SBA was due to issue guidelines for banks .
“ It ’ s beyond a disaster .
I mostly work with the disaster program , ” said Chastang .
“ There ’ s a flood ; there ’ s a hurricane .
There ’ s a beginning , a middle and an end .
There ’ s so much more clarity about how we can respond , what we can do .
This is so different because it has affected so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the SBA had provided disaster loans after 9/11 , but that this relief program was much bigger .
“ After 9/11 the SBA expanded the disaster loan program nationwide .
It was somewhat comparable , but not really and not as extensive , ” said Chastang .
“ This is on a totally different scale.
” When asked if the restriction on “ prurient ” businesses might be waived by the SBA in light of the rushed rollout , though , Chastang said , “ Probably not.
” Luke Lirot , a lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adult businesses and is also a chair emeritus of FALA , said he was advising clients like Lizza to go ahead and file the paperwork .
Lirot said he expected more businesses to sue the government if they were denied the aid money .
“ There would be no lawful basis for them to be denied and other businesses to be granted those benefits , ” said Lirot .
“ I imagine I will have a class action of monumental proportions , ” if the restriction is applied , he said .
Lizza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be devastating for his business and employees like Mosquera .
“ Long term , what Luke said — this is a constitutional issue , ” said Lizza .
“ But that ’ s not going to help my bartender .
How do I help my servers , hostesses , entertainers ?
” “ How do we get these people back to work ?
”

The CARES Act, a $2 trillion relief bill passed by Congress to address the crisis, was meant to help people like Mosquera, but she and her colleagues may be out of luck because of long-standing rules that prohibit loans to anyone who makes their money from activities of a “prurient sexual nature” — even if their work is legal. The restriction at the Small Business Administration, which is responsible for giving out $349 billion of the relief money, has led to an outcry among people who make money at strip clubs, in porn or camming, at sex shops, and even as sex educators, who say they are being unfairly excluded and face financial ruin.
First Amendment lawyers who spoke to BuzzFeed News say people are right to be upset, and that prohibiting funding to the “vast majority” of businesses in the adult industry based on outdated prejudices would be a violation of free speech rights. The restriction has already prompted at least one lawsuit, and lawyers predict there could be many more.
The pandemic has devastated the US economy, with nearly 17 million people filing for unemployment in just three weeks. Sex workers and many parts of the adult industry, like strip clubs, porn studios, and sex shops, have been included in that suffering. “Our industry has been hit pretty hard, and I’m scared that I might not have a job to go back to,” Mosquera said.
The owner of Monroe’s — which has twice been named the best adult club in the country by Exotic Dancer Publications — is Scott Lizza, and he estimated the club had lost about a million dollars in revenue since it was forced to close in the middle of its busy season. "It’s complete devastation,” said Lizza.
Lizza said he was shocked when he read the SBA’s loan application, which asks applicants to verify that they do not “present live performances of a prurient sexual nature” or make money from “the sale of products or services, or the presentation of any depictions or displays, of a prurient sexual nature.”
“When we saw the stimulus package ... my mouth dropped, my heart dropped,” he said.
Lizza argued that he and his employees contributed to their community and deserved help just like anybody else. “We pay our taxes and run a legal business,” said Lizza. “We shut down like they asked us to shut down, under the pretense that the government would help us.”
“You’re dehumanizing people,” Lizza said about the SBA restrictions. “Even though you do everything right, we’re not going to help you.”
Lizza said that Monroe’s employs 97 people, including administrative staff, bartenders, security, servers, and kitchen workers in its restaurant. He estimated the business supports about 300 children. Mosquera herself has nine children, three of whom still live at home, and a grandson she helps support, and is desperate to find enough money to pay her bills.
Lizza said he covered the first round of payroll after the shutdown out of his retirement savings, but can’t afford to keep doing that if the club doesn’t get financial support. He said the situation is particularly dire since many of his staff work “paycheck to paycheck, or even night to night.”
Jennifer Cartwright, who oversees the club’s operations, said there are also about two dozen dancers who work at the club regularly and many more who dance at Monroe’s from time to time. Like most strip clubs, the dancers at Monroe’s are independent contractors, meaning they make money from tips and are not offered the same workplace protections as employees.
Although the SBA funding is open to independent contractors and people who are self-employed, sex workers would face the same hurdles as anyone else applying.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-11--“My President Is Not My God”: Some Churches Are Planning To Host Hundreds For Easter Sunday Services

“My President Is Not My God”: Some Churches Are Planning To Host Hundreds For Easter Sunday Services Despite The Coronavirus

The federal government recommends no one attend gatherings of more than 10 people , but some churches are still encouraging big congregations to attend Easter Sunday services .
When he picked up the phone and heard it was a reporter on the line , Louisiana Pastor Tony Spell almost immediately began reciting the Declaration of Independence .
“ We hold these truths to be self-evident , that all men are created equal , that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights , that among these are life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church in Baton Rouge told BuzzFeed News Thursday morning over the phone .
“ My government is not my creator , my president is not my God , ” continued Spell , who was charged with six misdemeanors last week for continuing to hold in-person services despite the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The president did not give me my rights to worship God and to assemble in church , and no socialist government or godless president can take that right away.
” While the majority of churches in the country have chosen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choosing , when they can , to host their congregations online via livestream — several churches around the country have continued to hold services .
Many of them have big Easter Sunday plans , even as some church gatherings across the US have led to outbreaks among their congregants .
Glorious Way Church in Houston , Texas , plans to hold a socially distanced Easter morning service on Sunday , removing benches and using volunteer ushers to make sure family units stay six feet apart from one another , the distance recommended by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help prevent spreading the virus .
Solid Rock Church , a megachurch in Ohio , has stated it will keep holding services as long as the First Amendment of the Constitution is upheld , though a notice on its website says it is limiting its services , suspending collections and communion “ in a normal sense , ” and that there are not a “ large number of worshippers ” in the facility for services .
A link to “ Easter @ Solid Rock ” leads to an unrelated event , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show that the church plans on holding two services Sunday at their Lebanon ( “ North ” ) campus , as well as some “ adult classes ” for members of the church , including a finance class and one called “ Marriage Matters.
” A woman who answered Solid Rock ’ s phone told BuzzFeed News she has been advised to refer all callers to its website , due to “ all the bad press we ’ ve received ” for staying open .
The website has a notice saying they “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio ’ s order , and lists ways in which the church is attempting to mitigate the spread .
However , it also insists it is the church ’ s responsibility to stay open , quoting this line from the New Testament : “ Let us not give up the habit of meeting together , as some are doing .
Instead , let us encourage one another all the more , since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer .
Hebrews 10:25.
” The Bridge Church in Robstown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services leading up to Easter , Pastor Joel Garza told BuzzFeed News over the phone Thursday , as well as its normal Sunday services .
They disinfect the church before and after services , ask congregants to stay a “ safe distance ” from other families , and set up speakers in the parking lot for those who prefer to stay in their cars for service , but anywhere from 100 to 200 attendees have been showing up , Garza said , adding that he hopes more people come this Sunday for Easter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge , told BuzzFeed News he is sending 27 buses out to bring congregants to his church for Easter Sunday service , and that he expects about 2,000 people to attend .
The service will last all day with a rotating cast of congregants as more are bused in and out — about eight hours for the morning service and three hours in the evening , he said .
Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak , medical experts have advised against gatherings of more than a few people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) urged against the congregating of more than 50 people .
Just a few days later , President Donald Trump released his guidelines for slowing the spread of coronavirus , including avoiding “ social gatherings in groups of 10 or more people.
” Many houses of worship are obeying these guidelines , and some influential religious organizations and sects , including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Catholic Church , the US Council of Muslim Organizations , and various denominations of Judaism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are urging services take place online .
As BuzzFeed News reported last month , a poll conducted in mid-March found that nearly a fifth of religious Americans said they were still attending in-person services .
However , conditions have changed and worsened significantly since then , and some outbreaks have even occurred explicitly due to church gatherings .
At least 70 attendees of a church in Sacramento , California , were diagnosed with COVID-19 last week , and in March churches in Arkansas and Illinois saw dozens of citizens fall ill after attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued stay-at-home orders have included exceptions for houses of worship .
New York , Pennsylvania , Texas , Michigan , and California have all issued stay-at-home orders that either designate houses of worship as “ essential ” ( exempting them from having to close ) or encourage them to close but exempt them from penalties .
For example , Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer banned all gatherings outside the home , but added that “ a place of religious worship , when used for religious worship , is not subject to penalty '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have directives that are not particularly clear on the guidelines for houses of worship .
South Carolina and Alabama did not explicitly address houses of worship , but left them out of their list of nonessential businesses required to close .
Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards issued an executive order in mid-March that banned gatherings of more than 50 people , but made exceptions for traveling “ to-and-from ” houses of worship .
Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine ’ s order exempts houses of worship from the state ’ s ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he then tweeted a plea to religious leaders to halt in-person services .
Even with these exemptions , some religious leaders , like Spell , have flouted directives so openly that they are now facing criminal charges .
“ Right now I have $ 5,000 in fines and am facing up to 900 days in jail , ” Spell said Thursday , adding that his congregation continues to support him and is even growing with each service , people coming from all over the country , he said , from as far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at times , claimed his congregation is as big as 1,800 .
The Central Police Department in Baton Rouge confirmed Spell has to go to court on six counts , but said the court will decide on a fine amount and sentencing .
Asked if the department plans to break up Easter services at Life Tabernacle Church , the spokesperson told BuzzFeed , “ As far as us going up in the church Sunday , unless the government puts an order out and tells the chief , our hands are tied , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforce what he ’ s put out .
We ’ ve gone as far as we can go.
” Contrary to Spell ’ s claims , “ He does not have 1,800 people in that church .
Ever , ” the spokesperson said .
They added that the police department is on scene , monitoring the situation — but has not been invasive — and there are multiple agencies investigating the church .
In Florida , state and local governments grappled with confusing executive orders that all seem to center around megachurch pastor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay Church .
Howard-Browne was arrested on March 30 after refusing to close doors in response to social distancing guidelines .
Hillsborough County in Florida issued a “ safer-at-home ” order on March 27 for everyone , aside from essential workers .
All other residents were to leave their homes only for food , medicine , and essentials .
Three days later , on April 1 , Gov .
Ron DeSantis followed up with a statewide executive order declaring churches “ essential.
” He then signed a second order that would supersede “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by local officials in response to COVID-19.
” Thursday afternoon , Howard-Browne posted a powerful minutelong video with the caption “ The Church Shall Stand.
” “ And if it is the end , then so be it .
We ’ re willing to die for the cause of the Gospel , ” Howard-Browne 's voice boomed , calling the directive to close churches amid the pandemic an “ insidious plan to shut the church of Jesus Christ down.
” It ’ s still not clear if the church will open for Easter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian Center in Lodi , California , was stopped by police before hosting in-person Palm Sunday services on April 5 .
The church that rented Duncan ’ s congregation space , Bethel Open Bible Church , had even changed the locks three weeks earlier to keep the pastor from holding services .
A receptionist for Bethel Open Bible Church told BuzzFeed News Thursday that she “ didn ’ t know ” whether the group would be holding Easter Sunday services as well .
The landlord did not return BuzzFeed News ’ request for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Way Church in Houston told BuzzFeed News that they are working with law enforcement to continue to hold services .
Glorious Church has instituted strict social distancing rules , requiring people to wait in their cars until they are able to be ushered into the church by a volunteer and making sure every family unit is at least 6 feet apart .
In a phone call Thursday , Glorious Way Church Associate Pastor James Buntrock said that he has even hired law enforcement to be present at services to protect his congregation from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case any “ activist type people ” try to show up to spread COVID-19 among the church attendees .
“ Nobody has threatened us directly here , ” Buntrock said , adding that they haven ’ t had any problems with members of the press either : “ But I 've heard rumors of those possibilities , ” he said , “ so I just wanted to be prepared.
” Texas ’ stay-at-home order explicitly labeled houses of worship “ essential services , ” and some churches , like Glorious Way and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We as essential organizations need to show up right now .
If nurses and doctors , or police officers and firefighters , didn ’ t show up , it would be considered dishonorable , ” Bridge Church leader Joel Garza told BuzzFeed News .
“ Yet churches , for whatever reason , seem to feel like it 's okay not to show up when our world needs us the most.
” Garza even went as far as to say that he believed attending services would help people fight off coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , depressed , it weakens your immune system , and they 're most susceptible to disease through depression , ” Garza said .
“ But if they come to church , they 're encouraged , they 're joyful , their immune system receives like a B-12 , and they 're able to go do better fighting off any kind of infirmities.
” American Psychological Association Director of Clinical Research and Quality Vaile Wright told BuzzFeed News Friday that there was “ certainly no evidence ” to suggest that attending church could boost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommending a distance of 6 feet between congregants was still in violation of the CDC ’ s recommendations .
“ Long-term stress can suppress the immune system and that can in turn lead to illness , and we do know social contact is a way to buffer stress .
However , the benefit that can come from that social contact does not have to be face to face , ” Wright said .
“ It ’ s important that we come together during these times of worship , but you have to balance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay physically apart .
”

“Right now I have $5,000 in fines and am facing up to 900 days in jail,” Spell said Thursday, adding that his congregation continues to support him and is even growing with each service, people coming from all over the country, he said, from as far as Michigan and Minnesota. He has, at times, claimed his congregation is as big as 1,800.
The Central Police Department in Baton Rouge confirmed Spell has to go to court on six counts, but said the court will decide on a fine amount and sentencing.
Asked if the department plans to break up Easter services at Life Tabernacle Church, the spokesperson told BuzzFeed, “As far as us going up in the church Sunday, unless the government puts an order out and tells the chief, our hands are tied, ma’am. We can only enforce what he’s put out. We’ve gone as far as we can go.”
Contrary to Spell’s claims, “He does not have 1,800 people in that church. Ever,” the spokesperson said. They added that the police department is on scene, monitoring the situation — but has not been invasive — and there are multiple agencies investigating the church.
In Florida, state and local governments grappled with confusing executive orders that all seem to center around megachurch pastor Rodney Howard-Browne of the River at Tampa Bay Church. Howard-Browne was arrested on March 30 after refusing to close doors in response to social distancing guidelines.
Hillsborough County in Florida issued a “safer-at-home” order on March 27 for everyone, aside from essential workers. All other residents were to leave their homes only for food, medicine, and essentials. Three days later, on April 1, Gov. Ron DeSantis followed up with a statewide executive order declaring churches “essential.” He then signed a second order that would supersede “any conflicting official action or order issued by local officials in response to COVID-19.”
Thursday afternoon, Howard-Browne posted a powerful minutelong video with the caption “The Church Shall Stand.”
“And if it is the end, then so be it. We’re willing to die for the cause of the Gospel,” Howard-Browne's voice boomed, calling the directive to close churches amid the pandemic an “insidious plan to shut the church of Jesus Christ down.” It’s still not clear if the church will open for Easter.
Pastor Jon Duncan of Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi, California, was stopped by police before hosting in-person Palm Sunday services on April 5. The church that rented Duncan’s congregation space, Bethel Open Bible Church, had even changed the locks three weeks earlier to keep the pastor from holding services. A receptionist for Bethel Open Bible Church told BuzzFeed News Thursday that she “didn’t know” whether the group would be holding Easter Sunday services as well. The landlord did not return BuzzFeed News’ request for comment.
Other churches, like Glorious Way Church in Houston told BuzzFeed News that they are working with law enforcement to continue to hold services. Glorious Church has instituted strict social distancing rules, requiring people to wait in their cars until they are able to be ushered into the church by a volunteer and making sure every family unit is at least 6 feet apart.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-02--Minneapolis Public Schools Voted To End Its Contract With The City’s Police After The Death Of Georg

Minneapolis Public Schools Voted To End Its Contract With The City’s Police After The Death Of George Floyd

The board of Minneapolis Public Schools voted unanimously Tuesday to end the district ’ s $ 1.1 million contract with the Minneapolis Police Department after the death of George Floyd , saying the actions of city police officers “ run directly counter to the values ” of the school district .
It is among the earliest and most tangible victories so far for activists protesting Floyd ’ s killing , who have demanded that police departments be reformed , defunded , or abolished in order to stem police violence .
Few , if any , school districts have ever taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Several hundred people , including Rep. Ilhan Omar , gathered outside the district building before the vote .
Students at local high schools and community groups had been organizing for years to try to force the district to remove police , called school resource officers , from city schools .
But after three high-profile police deaths in the city and an incident with a racist Christmas tree , there was little concrete action from officials beyond incremental steps to reduce the number of officers and train police .
Then George Floyd was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Floyd ’ s death was different in part because the conversation seemed to have simply changed , said Nathaniel Genene , a student activist and a junior at a public high school in south Minneapolis .
“ We could have had the debate all day : Do you put your money into police or social services and counselor support ?
” Genene said .
“ That ’ s a back-and-forth that was going on for a long time.
” Floyd ’ s killing and the outrage that followed , Genene said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was : ‘ Do we align with the Minneapolis police , do they align with our values ?
Can you continue to align yourselves with a group of people that disenfranchise your students ?
’ I don ’ t think it was the same conversation anymore , morally.
” Two days after Floyd 's death began to roil the city with protests and riots , the University of Minnesota said they would cut some ties with the Minneapolis Police Department .
Shortly after , Minneapolis Public School board members introduced a resolution to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract with police entirely .
One called immediately for a special meeting .
An onslaught of emails poured in from students and community members , one board member said .
“ This vote is about justice , ” said Siad Ali , the board ’ s director , during the meeting Tuesday .
“ It ’ s about time we end this contract with the Minneapolis police .
They do not meet our values , and therefore , we will have no business with this organization.
” In the wake of increased national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school resource officers contracted from local police departments , some districts have tried reform measures , including trying to limit officers ’ involvement in any school discipline .
But there ’ s little precedent for a school district ending its contract with police entirely as Minneapolis has , said Marc Schindler , the executive director of the Justice Policy Institute , an advocacy organization .
“ I ’ m not aware of school districts actually making those decisions , ” Schindler said .
As anger over race and policing sparked by what happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Minneapolis Public Schools ’ termination of the contract could fuel similar pushes in other school districts , Schindler said , along with economic pressures from the coronavirus that will lead districts to rethink how they spend their limited money .
A school board member in Denver , Tay Anderson , called last week for the city ’ s district to cut its ties with police .
“ Hey New York , hey Colorado , hey Nevada , look at us — we ’ re making a change with our voices , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you can do it too .
Students can do the same thing and pressure our elected officials , ” said Janaan Ahmed , a student activist who graduated from Minneapolis ’ s Patrick Henry High School this week .
“ If it wasn ’ t for the riots that happened on 38th and Lake , if it wasn ’ t for Minneapolis residents getting out in the streets , the nation wouldn ’ t look like what it is right now.
” The push , which Ahmed said she had learned about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago , had grown in city schools in recent years after a spate of killings and other incidents by police officers in and around Minneapolis .
There was Jamar Clark , in 2015 .
There was Philando Castile a year later , an employee of St. Paul Public Schools , just across the river .
Two years later , there was the racist Christmas tree , which Minneapolis police officers decorated with Popeye ’ s chicken , malt liquor , and crime scene tape .
Then the Minneapolis police union ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cops for Trump.
” Minneapolis public school students have been among the tens of thousands of protesters flooding the city since Floyd ’ s death .
Some have been caught up in police crackdowns involving tear gas and rubber bullets .
Ahmed said she had seen a former classmate on a livestream who had been hit in the head by a rubber bullet .
He had been one of the first voices she ’ d heard advocating to get police out of her school , she said , back when she was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of my peers — we walked the halls together . ''
Ahmed thought images like those had forced school board members to confront the reality of police ’ s relationship with students : “ We see police officers tear-gassing and shooting rubber bullets at youth that go to Minneapolis public schools , so how can you sit with yourselves as a school board , as elected officials , with students getting shot ?
” Some 1,600 Minneapolis students responded to a survey sent out by Genene and other student activists , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 90 % voted for “ total divestment ” from the police department .

The board of Minneapolis Public Schools voted unanimously Tuesday to end the district’s $1.1 million contract with the Minneapolis Police Department after the death of George Floyd, saying the actions of city police officers “run directly counter to the values” of the school district.
It is among the earliest and most tangible victories so far for activists protesting Floyd’s killing, who have demanded that police departments be reformed, defunded, or abolished in order to stem police violence. Few, if any, school districts have ever taken such a dramatic step over the issue.
Several hundred people, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, gathered outside the district building before the vote.
Students at local high schools and community groups had been organizing for years to try to force the district to remove police, called school resource officers, from city schools. But after three high-profile police deaths in the city and an incident with a racist Christmas tree, there was little concrete action from officials beyond incremental steps to reduce the number of officers and train police.
Then George Floyd was killed on the street in south Minneapolis.
Floyd’s death was different in part because the conversation seemed to have simply changed, said Nathaniel Genene, a student activist and a junior at a public high school in south Minneapolis.
“We could have had the debate all day: Do you put your money into police or social services and counselor support?” Genene said. “That’s a back-and-forth that was going on for a long time.”
Floyd’s killing and the outrage that followed, Genene said, “just ended that conversation. It was: ‘Do we align with the Minneapolis police, do they align with our values? Can you continue to align yourselves with a group of people that disenfranchise your students?’ I don’t think it was the same conversation anymore, morally.”
Two days after Floyd's death began to roil the city with protests and riots, the University of Minnesota said they would cut some ties with the Minneapolis Police Department. Shortly after, Minneapolis Public School board members introduced a resolution to end the school district’s own contract with police entirely. One called immediately for a special meeting. An onslaught of emails poured in from students and community members, one board member said.
“This vote is about justice,” said Siad Ali, the board’s director, during the meeting Tuesday. “It’s about time we end this contract with the Minneapolis police. They do not meet our values, and therefore, we will have no business with this organization.”
In the wake of increased national scrutiny over the efficacy and safety of school resource officers contracted from local police departments, some districts have tried reform measures, including trying to limit officers’ involvement in any school discipline.
But there’s little precedent for a school district ending its contract with police entirely as Minneapolis has, said Marc Schindler, the executive director of the Justice Policy Institute, an advocacy organization.
“I’m not aware of school districts actually making those decisions,” Schindler said.
As anger over race and policing sparked by what happened in Minneapolis reaches a fever pitch nationwide, Minneapolis Public Schools’ termination of the contract could fuel similar pushes in other school districts, Schindler said, along with economic pressures from the coronavirus that will lead districts to rethink how they spend their limited money. A school board member in Denver, Tay Anderson, called last week for the city’s district to cut its ties with police.
“Hey New York, hey Colorado, hey Nevada, look at us — we’re making a change with our voices, just like our parents and neighbors are, and you can do it too. Students can do the same thing and pressure our elected officials,” said Janaan Ahmed, a student activist who graduated from Minneapolis’s Patrick Henry High School this week.
“If it wasn’t for the riots that happened on 38th and Lake, if it wasn’t for Minneapolis residents getting out in the streets, the nation wouldn’t look like what it is right now.”
The push, which Ahmed said she had learned about her first year of high school four years ago, had grown in city schools in recent years after a spate of killings and other incidents by police officers in and around Minneapolis.
There was Jamar Clark, in 2015. There was Philando Castile a year later, an employee of St. Paul Public Schools, just across the river. Two years later, there was the racist Christmas tree, which Minneapolis police officers decorated with Popeye’s chicken, malt liquor, and crime scene tape. Then the Minneapolis police union’s president wore a shirt that read “Cops for Trump.”
Minneapolis public school students have been among the tens of thousands of protesters flooding the city since Floyd’s death. Some have been caught up in police crackdowns involving tear gas and rubber bullets.
Ahmed said she had seen a former classmate on a livestream who had been hit in the head by a rubber bullet. He had been one of the first voices she’d heard advocating to get police out of her school, she said, back when she was a first-year student.
“That was one of my peers — we walked the halls together."
Ahmed thought images like those had forced school board members to confront the reality of police’s relationship with students: “We see police officers tear-gassing and shooting rubber bullets at youth that go to Minneapolis public schools, so how can you sit with yourselves as a school board, as elected officials, with students getting shot?”
Some 1,600 Minneapolis students responded to a survey sent out by Genene and other student activists, he said in the board meeting Tuesday. More than 90% voted for “total divestment” from the police department.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-26--Hundreds Of Kids In The US Have Been Hospitalized For The Mysterious Coronavirus-Related Syndrome

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
Public health officials are on high alert for a mysterious new illness likely linked to the coronavirus that is hospitalizing hundreds of kids across the US .
On May 14 , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the illness a name : the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children , or MIS-C. At least 339 suspected or confirmed cases have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a BuzzFeed News review of data from local health departments .
At least 170 of these cases — about half the total cases in the country — are under investigation in New York , ground zero for the nation ’ s worst coronavirus outbreak .
Three kids have died .
“ For the first several months of this horrible pandemic , we really thought kids were not being affected , ” according to Michael Anderson , president of the University of California San Francisco ’ s Benioff Children 's Hospitals .
Then in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Kingdom and Italy began reporting kids of varying ages , from toddlers to teenagers , coming to the hospital with fevers , rashes , and other symptoms similar to an inflammatory illness called Kawasaki disease .
In the last several weeks , cases have begun to be reported in cities like New York and Detroit as well .
“ Nobody read about this before .
Nobody saw this coming .
This is completely new , ” said Jane Burns , director of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center , a collaboration between UC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hospital , “ and it is absolutely incontrovertibly connected to the appearance in our communities of this coronavirus .
You just ca n't walk away from that observation.
” As with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , there ’ s a lot experts do not know about this new syndrome , including what exactly is triggering it , who is most vulnerable , and how exactly it overlaps with Kawasaki disease .
Further complicating matters , kids suspected of having it are exhibiting a wide range of symptoms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Consequently , medical experts aren ’ t sure whether this is in fact a single syndrome or multiple ones .
The good news , multiple pediatricians told BuzzFeed News , is the new syndrome is rare and most cases are treatable , and there ’ s so far been unprecedented coordination among academics , hospitals , and governments on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean to learn more .
“ This has really been a whole of government and whole of society response , ” said Anderson , who has served as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learn more about the emerging syndrome .
The United States Department of Health & Human Services , the Food and Drug Administration , National Institutes of Health , and CDC are “ all working on overdrive to help the children 's hospital and the pediatricians figure this out.
” Here ’ s what we know so far about the new illness plaguing kids : The new illness is most similar to Kawasaki disease — with some crucial differences .
Although no one knows exactly what triggers Kawasaki disease , it ’ s usually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We believe that the immune system has some massive reaction , ” said Anderson .
Commonly found in kids under 5 years old , the classic symptoms of Kawasaki disease include a high fever that lasts several days , a rash , bloodshot eyes , swollen hands and feet , and swollen lymph glands in the neck .
One of the most extreme complications is the ballooning and weakening of a child ’ s heart , called “ coronary artery aneurysms.
” According to the CDC , 5,440 kids under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US for Kawasaki disease in 2016 .
While children with the new MIS-C are being hospitalized with some of the same symptoms as Kawasaki disease , such as bloodshot eyes and rashes , they vary widely in age and more often experience heart complications and shock .
“ They have cardiovascular collapse , ” said Burns of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center , “ so their heart muscle is just not working.
” There are also kids coming into hospitals with less severe symptoms , like prolonged fevers , abdominal pain , vomiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies are very different from what we typically see with Kawasaki disease , ” said Burns , who views all these kids as experiencing “ flavors of the same process with gradations of severity.
” Most cases respond well to treatment .
An overwhelming majority of the impacted kids are responding well to the same treatment used on patients with traditional Kawasaki disease .
Specifically , the children have largely been treated with aspirin , steroids , and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy , or IVIg .
“ All of the children we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IVIg .
Of the 40-something we ’ ve had , we haven ’ t had anybody super sick .
I know some places have , ” said Steven Kernie , a pediatrician at New York ’ s Morgan Stanley Children ’ s Hospital .
But in a few rare cases , children have died .
New York has reported three deaths so far .
According to a small case study published in the journal Lancet , out of the 8 children studied , ages 4 to 14 , one died .
Experts agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to the coronavirus .
Experts agree this new syndrome is very likely tied to the coronavirus since it has never been seen before this outbreak and is showing up primarily in coronavirus hot spots .
Cases were first detected in Italy and the United Kingdom in the weeks following the peaks of local outbreaks .
By April , European pediatricians started warning their colleagues across the Atlantic , who then started detecting cases on the East Coast and in the Midwest .
On May 1 , the UK ’ s Royal College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released guidance on the new syndrome .
The next day , hundreds of pediatric and public health experts — including officials from the CDC and the World Health Organization — gathered on a call organized by Jeffrey Burns , a pediatrician at Boston ’ s Children ’ s Hospital , to discuss cases identified so far in Europe and the US .
Burns explained that the meeting was an “ aha moment ” for the pediatric community that the syndrome was definitely linked to the coronavirus outbreak .
Since then , the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to identify the new syndrome .
According to a few case studies out of Europe published so far , as well as accounts from US pediatricians , most of the impacted children have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have antibodies for the virus .
For example , all of the some 40 kids diagnosed with MIS-C at New York ’ s Morgan Stanley Children ’ s Hospital have tested positive for the disease or related antibodies , according to Kernie .
Crucially , they aren ’ t suffering from the respiratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ These are children that never had any illness when they first became exposed , ” said Jane Burns .
“ This seems to be something about the immune response to having been exposed to the virus.
” The disease is serious — but so far it ’ s rare .
“ We ’ re not seeing thousands of kids flooding the emergency department , ” UCSF ’ s Anderson said .
“ This is really rare.
” Since the CDC issued a health alert for the new syndrome on May 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases have been identified across 26 states , according to state and local officials that responded to questions about case counts from BuzzFeed News .
The highest number of cases are in New York ( 170 ) , Michigan ( 33 ) , Massachusetts ( 24 ) , New Jersey ( 19 ) , Pennsylvania ( 17 ) , Georgia ( 15 ) , and Louisiana ( 13 ) .
Officials in California and Texas both said some cases were under investigation but declined to provide specific numbers .
These numbers are changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and investigated , and they include children both currently in the hospital and those who have recovered .
Officials in 18 states said they had zero reported cases , and a handful of states did not respond to a BuzzFeed News request for information .
Multiple registries have been quickly set up worldwide to track these cases .
In the US , the CDC has provided funding for a registry to track both COVID-19 and MIS-C cases in children at dozens of hospitals .
The project is being run by Adrienne Randolph of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had previously set up the network to study the H1N1 influenza pandemic in kids .
While experts are largely focused on the very basics of this new syndrome , such as how to define and identify it , some are starting to look to the future .
“ What is the impact on opening schools ?
What do we think the numbers could eventually be ?
” Anderson said .
“ There ’ s a lot of other things attached to it . ''

Public health officials are on high alert for a mysterious new illness likely linked to the coronavirus that is hospitalizing hundreds of kids across the US.
On May 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the illness a name: the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. At least 339 suspected or confirmed cases have been reported in 26 states, according to a BuzzFeed News review of data from local health departments. At least 170 of these cases — about half the total cases in the country — are under investigation in New York, ground zero for the nation’s worst coronavirus outbreak. Three kids have died.
“For the first several months of this horrible pandemic, we really thought kids were not being affected,” according to Michael Anderson, president of the University of California San Francisco’s Benioff Children's Hospitals.
Then in mid- to late April doctors in the United Kingdom and Italy began reporting kids of varying ages, from toddlers to teenagers, coming to the hospital with fevers, rashes, and other symptoms similar to an inflammatory illness called Kawasaki disease. In the last several weeks, cases have begun to be reported in cities like New York and Detroit as well.
“Nobody read about this before. Nobody saw this coming. This is completely new,” said Jane Burns, director of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center, a collaboration between UC San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital, “and it is absolutely incontrovertibly connected to the appearance in our communities of this coronavirus. You just can't walk away from that observation.”
As with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, there’s a lot experts do not know about this new syndrome, including what exactly is triggering it, who is most vulnerable, and how exactly it overlaps with Kawasaki disease. Further complicating matters, kids suspected of having it are exhibiting a wide range of symptoms, with some far more severe than others. Consequently, medical experts aren’t sure whether this is in fact a single syndrome or multiple ones.
The good news, multiple pediatricians told BuzzFeed News, is the new syndrome is rare and most cases are treatable, and there’s so far been unprecedented coordination among academics, hospitals, and governments on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean to learn more.
“This has really been a whole of government and whole of society response,” said Anderson, who has served as a consultant on the US government to learn more about the emerging syndrome. The United States Department of Health & Human Services, the Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, and CDC are “all working on overdrive to help the children's hospital and the pediatricians figure this out.”
Here’s what we know so far about the new illness plaguing kids:
The new illness is most similar to Kawasaki disease — with some crucial differences.
Although no one knows exactly what triggers Kawasaki disease, it’s usually found in children who have viral infections. “We believe that the immune system has some massive reaction,” said Anderson.
Commonly found in kids under 5 years old, the classic symptoms of Kawasaki disease include a high fever that lasts several days, a rash, bloodshot eyes, swollen hands and feet, and swollen lymph glands in the neck. One of the most extreme complications is the ballooning and weakening of a child’s heart, called “coronary artery aneurysms.” According to the CDC, 5,440 kids under the age of 18 were hospitalized in the US for Kawasaki disease in 2016.
While children with the new MIS-C are being hospitalized with some of the same symptoms as Kawasaki disease, such as bloodshot eyes and rashes, they vary widely in age and more often experience heart complications and shock.
“They have cardiovascular collapse,” said Burns of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center, “so their heart muscle is just not working.”
There are also kids coming into hospitals with less severe symptoms, like prolonged fevers, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. “Their laboratory studies are very different from what we typically see with Kawasaki disease,” said Burns, who views all these kids as experiencing “flavors of the same process with gradations of severity.”
Most cases respond well to treatment.
An overwhelming majority of the impacted kids are responding well to the same treatment used on patients with traditional Kawasaki disease. Specifically, the children have largely been treated with aspirin, steroids, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, or IVIg.
“All of the children we’ve treated are getting better with steroids and IVIg. Of the 40-something we’ve had, we haven’t had anybody super sick. I know some places have,” said Steven Kernie, a pediatrician at New York’s Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.
But in a few rare cases, children have died. New York has reported three deaths so far. According to a small case study published in the journal Lancet, out of the 8 children studied, ages 4 to 14, one died.
Experts agree that the mystery illness is most likely linked to the coronavirus.
Experts agree this new syndrome is very likely tied to the coronavirus since it has never been seen before this outbreak and is showing up primarily in coronavirus hot spots.
Cases were first detected in Italy and the United Kingdom in the weeks following the peaks of local outbreaks. By April, European pediatricians started warning their colleagues across the Atlantic, who then started detecting cases on the East Coast and in the Midwest.
On May 1, the UK’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Children’s Health released guidance on the new syndrome.
The next day, hundreds of pediatric and public health experts — including officials from the CDC and the World Health Organization — gathered on a call organized by Jeffrey Burns, a pediatrician at Boston’s Children’s Hospital, to discuss cases identified so far in Europe and the US. Burns explained that the meeting was an “aha moment” for the pediatric community that the syndrome was definitely linked to the coronavirus outbreak.
Since then, the CDC and the WHO both released guidance on how to identify the new syndrome.
According to a few case studies out of Europe published so far, as well as accounts from US pediatricians, most of the impacted children have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have antibodies for the virus. For example, all of the some 40 kids diagnosed with MIS-C at New York’s Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital have tested positive for the disease or related antibodies, according to Kernie. Crucially, they aren’t suffering from the respiratory problems plaguing adult victims of the pandemic.
“These are children that never had any illness when they first became exposed,” said Jane Burns. “This seems to be something about the immune response to having been exposed to the virus.”
The disease is serious — but so far it’s rare.
“We’re not seeing thousands of kids flooding the emergency department,” UCSF’s Anderson said. “This is really rare.”
Since the CDC issued a health alert for the new syndrome on May 14, at least 339 suspected or confirmed cases have been identified across 26 states, according to state and local officials that responded to questions about case counts from BuzzFeed News. The highest number of cases are in New York (170), Michigan (33), Massachusetts (24), New Jersey (19), Pennsylvania (17), Georgia (15), and Louisiana (13). Officials in California and Texas both said some cases were under investigation but declined to provide specific numbers.
These numbers are changing daily, as more cases are identified and investigated, and they include children both currently in the hospital and those who have recovered.
Officials in 18 states said they had zero reported cases, and a handful of states did not respond to a BuzzFeed News request for information.
Multiple registries have been quickly set up worldwide to track these cases. In the US, the CDC has provided funding for a registry to track both COVID-19 and MIS-C cases in children at dozens of hospitals. The project is being run by Adrienne Randolph of Boston’s Children Hospital, who had previously set up the network to study the H1N1 influenza pandemic in kids.
While experts are largely focused on the very basics of this new syndrome, such as how to define and identify it, some are starting to look to the future.
“What is the impact on opening schools? What do we think the numbers could eventually be?” Anderson said. “There’s a lot of other things attached to it."


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--US Immigration Offices Are Going To Temporarily Close Due To The Coronavirus Pandemic

The Gonzalez family from Guatemala , who are applying for asylum in the US , stand for a family portrait before going to a soup kitchen in Nogales , Mexico , on Jan. 3 , 2020 .
US immigration offices across the country will temporarily close to the public as a result of the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
The move by US Citizenship and Immigration Services , which will postpone naturalization ceremonies and citizenship and asylum interviews , among other things , represents the biggest impact to the immigration system as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field offices will send notices to applicants and petitioners with scheduled appointments and naturalization ceremonies impacted by this closure , '' the agency announced .
`` USCIS asylum offices will send interview cancellation notices and automatically reschedule asylum interviews . ''
In recent days , USCIS asylum and immigration officers have been calling for the offices to be closed immediately due to fears surrounding large group gatherings at offices .
USCIS chief Joseph Edlow emailed staff late Tuesday to inform them that they would be immediately `` suspending all routine face-to-face services with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including all interviews and naturalization ceremonies through at least April 1 . ''
Edlow said employees were encouraged to work from home and that those still in the offices will continue `` mission-essential services '' that do not require contact with the public and will conduct interviews in emergency situations .

US immigration offices across the country will temporarily close to the public as a result of the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
The move by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, which will postpone naturalization ceremonies and citizenship and asylum interviews, among other things, represents the biggest impact to the immigration system as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
"USCIS field offices will send notices to applicants and petitioners with scheduled appointments and naturalization ceremonies impacted by this closure," the agency announced. "USCIS asylum offices will send interview cancellation notices and automatically reschedule asylum interviews."
In recent days, USCIS asylum and immigration officers have been calling for the offices to be closed immediately due to fears surrounding large group gatherings at offices.
USCIS chief Joseph Edlow emailed staff late Tuesday to inform them that they would be immediately "suspending all routine face-to-face services with applicants at all of our offices, including all interviews and naturalization ceremonies through at least April 1."
Edlow said employees were encouraged to work from home and that those still in the offices will continue "mission-essential services" that do not require contact with the public and will conduct interviews in emergency situations.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--Ohio’s Governor Said Primary Polls Will Be Closed Tuesday Because Of The Coronavirus

Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine gives an update on the state 's preparedness efforts in Cleveland , Feb. 27 .
Ohio will close its polls for Tuesday ’ s presidential primary , citing a health emergency due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus .
The decision came late Monday , after hours of confusion and after a judge ruled against a lawsuit by private citizens endorsed by Gov .
Mike DeWine to postpone the primary until June 2 .
DeWine had said earlier Monday that state officials could not unilaterally change the date of a primary and recommended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date .
`` During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis , to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at a unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus , ” DeWine said in a statement late Monday night .
“ As such , Health Director Dr. Amy Acton will order the polls closed as a health emergency .
While the polls will be closed tomorrow , Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be granted that opportunity . ''
Polls were due to open in Ohio at 6:30 on Tuesday morning .
Online court records in Franklin County , Ohio , where Monday ’ s lawsuit was filed , showed an appeal to the judge ’ s ruling had been filed , with LaRose listed as a respondent .
It was not clear late Monday what would happen to early votes already cast or if the state would tabulate any results Tuesday .

Ohio will close its polls for Tuesday’s presidential primary, citing a health emergency due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus.
The decision came late Monday, after hours of confusion and after a judge ruled against a lawsuit by private citizens endorsed by Gov. Mike DeWine to postpone the primary until June 2.
DeWine had said earlier Monday that state officials could not unilaterally change the date of a primary and recommended extending absentee voting until the June makeup date.
"During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at a unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus,” DeWine said in a statement late Monday night. “As such, Health Director Dr. Amy Acton will order the polls closed as a health emergency. While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity."
Polls were due to open in Ohio at 6:30 on Tuesday morning.
Online court records in Franklin County, Ohio, where Monday’s lawsuit was filed, showed an appeal to the judge’s ruling had been filed, with LaRose listed as a respondent.
It was not clear late Monday what would happen to early votes already cast or if the state would tabulate any results Tuesday.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--12 Remarkable Color Pictures Of St. Patrick's Day Parades From History

In cities across the world , St. Patrick 's Day is a time to honor Irish heritage through traditional food @ @ @ @ @ and music .
The holiday 's most beloved traditions are the annual St. Patrick 's @ @ @ @ @ turn out hundreds of thousands of emerald-clad spectators each year to cheer on floats and @ @ @ @ @ their way down city streets .
This year , as many cities , including Ireland @ @ @ @ @ or postponed their St. Patrick 's Day parades in an effort to help mitigate the @ @ @ @ @ BuzzFeed News has teamed up with MyHeritage to bring the Irish holiday direct to you @ @ @ @ @ pictures transformed into color .
These colorizations were made possible through advanced software that was @ @ @ @ @ to create a full understanding of the world and its colors .
The result is @ @ @ @ @ brings the past to life in vibrant and realistic hues .
Take a journey back @ @ @ @ @ St. Patrick 's Day celebrations looked like in remarkable color .

In cities across the world, St. Patrick's Day is a time to honor Irish heritage through traditional food, drink, dance, and music. The holiday's most beloved traditions are the annual St. Patrick's Day parades, which often turn out hundreds of thousands of emerald-clad spectators each year to cheer on floats and community leaders as they make their way down city streets.
This year, as many cities, including Ireland and Chicago, have canceled or postponed their St. Patrick's Day parades in an effort to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, BuzzFeed News has teamed up with MyHeritage to bring the Irish holiday direct to you through a collection of historic pictures transformed into color. These colorizations were made possible through advanced software that was trained by millions of images to create a full understanding of the world and its colors. The result is an incredible colorization effect that brings the past to life in vibrant and realistic hues.
Take a journey back in time to witness what St. Patrick's Day celebrations looked like in remarkable color.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--The Coronavirus Is Shutting Down Porn Sets

The call to shut down affects the roughly 2,000 performers and the majority of porn production companies in North America that use the FSC ’ s PASS testing system , which screens for sexually transmitted infections , FSC communications director Mike Stabile told BuzzFeed News .
“ We ask that producers cancel all shoots through March 31 , and recommend that performers immediately stop filming with partners who are not a part of their household , ” the FSC said in a statement .
The announcement from the Free Speech Coalition ( FSC ) , an industry trade association , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cancel or postpone gatherings of more than 50 people and after California and other states called on nonessential businesses like bars and restaurants to close .
Porn may grind to a halt across North America after an industry body has advised producers in the US and Canada to voluntarily shut down production of adult films starting Monday in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic .
Coronavirus In The Workplace : BuzzFeed News looks at how companies and employees are handling the coronavirus pandemic .
The PASS system , which plays a crucial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by showing which performers are cleared for work , will continue to function as usual , meaning that productions that have not shut down will still be able to vet performers for STIs .
“ While we are calling for an immediate halt to production , we do not want to compound the situation by removing a critical tool for safeguarding the health of our community , ” said the statement .
Performers are required to take a panel of STI tests every two weeks and are not cleared for work if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test .
Some production companies have already decided to suspend operations .
In San Francisco , where residents were told to shelter in place on Monday , Luster Productions informed performers on Saturday that it would suspend new shoots .
“ It ’ s an impossible choice .
It ’ s a choice between a health crisis and a financial crisis , ” said Fivestar , a co-owner of Luster Productions , using the name she goes by as a director and producer .
“ We know that a lot of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income they get from us , and that has put a lot of weight on our discussions.
” Fivestar said that the company , which makes woman domination , bondage , and trans content for Kink.com , in addition to independent work , typically produces 10 to 12 movies per month .
She estimated that the company would usually employ 30 to 40 people each month , though some of those people would only work for Luster one day out of the year .
During the shutdown , the company will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was looking for additional projects .
Fivestar estimated that she would hire only 4 to 6 people during the shutdown .
Fivestar said that the company had some movies already shot that would be edited and released in the coming weeks , but that the pace of those releases would likely slow .
Kink.com CEO Alison Boden told BuzzFeed News in a statement that the company had already alerted members that the site would be updating less frequently .
The industry has shifted dramatically in recent years , with many performers doing solo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Pornhub have made a seemingly endless stream of porn available online for free .
Earlier this month , the FSC advised performers and studios to stockpile video content to release in the event of a shutdown or if they became sick .
Some sites like Stripchat increased pay for some performers and offered free tokens to consumers , which Stabile likened to monetary easing .
Fivestar said that Luster Productions planned to promote its performers ’ solo content while the shutdown was in place .
“ We want to promote them so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that they can support them by buying clips , paying for their movies , and giving them tributes , ” she said .
“ This is the time to pay for your porn , ” she added .
“ I know that there ’ s a lot of free porn on the internet and you don ’ t have to , but if you can there are a lot of performers that need your help out there , and this is the time to show appreciation .
”

The PASS system, which plays a crucial role in porn production in North America by showing which performers are cleared for work, will continue to function as usual, meaning that productions that have not shut down will still be able to vet performers for STIs.
“While we are calling for an immediate halt to production, we do not want to compound the situation by removing a critical tool for safeguarding the health of our community,” said the statement.
Performers are required to take a panel of STI tests every two weeks and are not cleared for work if they test positive or fail to take the test.
Some production companies have already decided to suspend operations. In San Francisco, where residents were told to shelter in place on Monday, Luster Productions informed performers on Saturday that it would suspend new shoots.
“It’s an impossible choice. It’s a choice between a health crisis and a financial crisis,” said Fivestar, a co-owner of Luster Productions, using the name she goes by as a director and producer. “We know that a lot of the people that work for us depend on the income they get from us, and that has put a lot of weight on our discussions.”
Fivestar said that the company, which makes woman domination, bondage, and trans content for Kink.com, in addition to independent work, typically produces 10 to 12 movies per month. She estimated that the company would usually employ 30 to 40 people each month, though some of those people would only work for Luster one day out of the year. During the shutdown, the company will continue to do post production and promotion work and was looking for additional projects. Fivestar estimated that she would hire only 4 to 6 people during the shutdown.
Fivestar said that the company had some movies already shot that would be edited and released in the coming weeks, but that the pace of those releases would likely slow. Kink.com CEO Alison Boden told BuzzFeed News in a statement that the company had already alerted members that the site would be updating less frequently.
The industry has shifted dramatically in recent years, with many performers doing solo work through sites like OnlyFans after platforms like Pornhub have made a seemingly endless stream of porn available online for free.
Earlier this month, the FSC advised performers and studios to stockpile video content to release in the event of a shutdown or if they became sick. Some sites like Stripchat increased pay for some performers and offered free tokens to consumers, which Stabile likened to monetary easing.
Fivestar said that Luster Productions planned to promote its performers’ solo content while the shutdown was in place.
“We want to promote them so that fans know where to find everybody, and that they can support them by buying clips, paying for their movies, and giving them tributes,” she said.
“This is the time to pay for your porn,” she added. “I know that there’s a lot of free porn on the internet and you don’t have to, but if you can there are a lot of performers that need your help out there, and this is the time to show appreciation.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-16--Couples Still Held Weddings Amid The Coronavirus Outbreak. Two Of Them Explained Why.

“ It ’ s pretty heartbreaking to have mixed emotions about what ’ s supposed to be the happiest day of your life , ” said one groom .
Randall Hunt and bride-to-be Koel Bose were getting dressed for their Los Angeles wedding on Saturday morning when their phones buzzed .
Some very close friends were letting them know they wouldn ’ t be attending after all — they were concerned , like people around the world were , about the risk of catching the coronavirus by attending a large public event .
The couple , both 28 , rushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seating chart .
Some 300 people were originally supposed to attend .
In the end , fewer than half showed .
“ It was stressful , ” said Hunt , a software engineer for Amazon Web Services .
“ At that point we were too far gone to postpone or reschedule.
” Hunt and his new wife had spent more than $ 60,000 on the wedding and could not get a refund from the hotel for the March 14 event — a date chosen because it was Pi Day .
Desperate vendors also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were the only couple who hadn ’ t canceled , he said .
So they had hand sanitizer stationed at every entrance and pushed the tables and chairs farther apart .
Few guests shook hands and instead greeted one another by tapping elbows .
Some posed for photos with Corona beers .
“ Anytime someone saw someone coughing , everyone would turn and everyone ’ s heart rate went up a little bit , ” Hunt said .
As the coronavirus pandemic radically alters every section of the global economy and forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change their daily routines , many are also being forced to make agonizing decisions about upcoming celebrations and major life events , including weddings .
Late Sunday night , the CDC advised that all weddings , concerts , festivals , and other events involving more than 50 people be postponed for the next eight weeks to try to stop the virus from spreading .
On Monday , President Donald Trump urged Americans to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 .
Health officials say so-called social distancing should help decrease the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the country ’ s health care system .
There were approximately 23,000 weddings scheduled to have taken place in the United States this past weekend , according to the Knot , a popular wedding-planning website .
For many of them , the health guidance arrived too late to call off the big day .
One couple , who asked to remain anonymous as they feared backlash , married in Connecticut on Saturday and paid the final deposit for their roughly $ 80,000 wedding the day before guests started canceling .
They initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 60 didn ’ t show on Saturday .
“ It ’ s pretty brutal to have the drip-drop of last-minute cancellations over the course of a week that ’ s already pretty stressful , ” the bride told BuzzFeed News .
“ We are just hugely thankful for the people that made it.
” “ If we had had the wedding on March 7 , I suspect we would have had almost full attendance , ” said the groom .
“ If it were a week later , the ability to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to us.
” The couple said they were understanding of people ’ s decisions not to attend and held no resentment .
They , too , agonized over the decision but had already spent thousands and didn ’ t want to hurt the small business vendors and their staffers .
“ To be candid , we had mixed emotions about this too , and it ’ s pretty heartbreaking to have mixed emotions about what ’ s supposed to be the happiest day of your life , ” the groom said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ married in Los Angeles , was less sympathetic to some of his guests who canceled on his wedding .
“ I was most disappointed in the guests who only had to drive a few miles , ” he said .
“ The folks who had to fly in had a legitimate reason to be concerned in my opinion.
” The coronavirus pandemic was also discussed at wedding reception tables outside the US over the weekend .
David Alire , 45 , attended a traditional Mexican wedding Saturday near the city of Puebla with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with mole sauce , drank tequila and beer , and danced to a mariachi group and other bands .
But something was always at the back of his mind : “ I was pretty conscious and aware from start to finish , and I was washing my hands constantly .
I was trying to be a little more distant than I normally would , ” he said .
“ Hearing every cough and sneeze , my head turned.
” Alire , who works as a reporter for Reuters in Mexico City , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet registered the scale and dangers of the pandemic .
The country only has 50 confirmed cases so far and zero deaths .
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has continued to hold political rallies and was shown on the front page of a Mexican newspaper kissing a toddler on the cheek .
At Saturday ’ s wedding , Alire watched as the bride and groom kissed and hugged dozens of well-wishers outside the old Catholic church in the town of Cholula .
They posed for dozens of photos standing alongside family members and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venue , the roughly 350 or so guests had to get close to one another to converse over the loud music .
“ I remember thinking , I ’ ll be close , but I ’ ll try to keep my mouth and nose away and maybe let someone talk into my ear , ” Alire said .
“ There ’ s probably a risk there , of course.
” In Costa Rica , 31-year-old Ronald celebrated his best friend 's wedding at an outdoor venue northwest of the capital , San José @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story of the celebrations but said he did n't receive any positive interactions .
“ Some people even judged me , so I felt a little bad about the irresponsibility of attending an event like this , ” he said .
“ But it was my best friend , so I was not missing it.
” ( Ronald asked to be identified only by his first name because he didn ’ t “ want the couple and their families to be judged.
” ) One guest who had been exposed to someone confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attend the function , Ronald said .
He also tried to avoid a woman who had just returned from Disney World in Orlando .
But as he drank more alcohol over the night , he forgot the rules he had set for himself .
“ I personally washed my hands quite often , but no one kept distance , especially when booze kicked in , ” he said .
“ Staying distant at a Latin wedding is quite hard.
” There ’ s a lot we still don ’ t know about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will do its best to put everything we do know in one place — you can sign up here .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
It ’ s not just guests and couples who are feeling the effects of the pandemic .
The coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sections of the economy , is expected to have a profound impact on the wedding industry , which is worth $ 100 billion a year .
“ The wedding industry is obviously enormous , ” said Kristen Maxwell Cooper , editor-in-chief at the Knot , “ and there ’ s about 1.8 million weddings that happen every year .
So that ’ s a ton of money .
A ton of people that are impacted by this.
” Ryan Hamilton , a 38-year-old real estate agent in Phoenix who earns extra money officiating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two marriages on Sunday .
One was a smaller wedding for two women in a family home with around 10 guests .
He was careful not to shake any hands — even to congratulate the brides .
“ I came in and said , ‘ I ’ ll bump elbows with you guys , but we are not shaking hands or hugging , ’ ” he said .
“ It caught everyone off guard , but it ’ s just what we ’ re doing.
” Hamilton ’ s other ceremony was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invited guests — but a couple dozen people stayed away on the big day .
“ It was definitely noticeable in the seating , ” he said .
“ As I was standing there , looking out , I could see a large number of empty seats.
” At the entrance to the venue was a huge bottle of hand sanitizer .
“ Everyone in the wedding party was camped out by it and squirting it on their hands every few minutes , ” Hamilton said .
He is now debating if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place during the pandemic .
He fears especially picking up the coronavirus and spreading it to his three young boys or his wife ’ s parents .
“ If I do it , I ’ m going to tell them that I ’ ll come in five minutes before it starts , I ’ ll do the ceremony , sign the paperwork , and leave , ” he said .
Other wedding providers are also anxious about the months of uncertainty ahead .
“ It ’ s a tough pill to swallow on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 34-year-old DJ in New Jersey who said he has two upcoming weddings that have been postponed .
“ All the vendors attached to the events are going to suffer losses and disruptions to their business .
This is technically peak booking season for weddings and we have seen a dramatic decrease in bookings for our remaining 2020 dates and beyond.
” Lauren Kiedrowski , 24 , and her fiancé , 23-year-old Evan Warner , made the difficult decision to call off their wedding , which had been planned for March 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York .
The pair had been expecting about 80 people to attend .
“ Our venue was OK to go ahead , but I just didn ’ t feel comfortable with that , ” she said .
“ I didn ’ t want to still have it , then have somebody get sick at our wedding , because I would just feel so guilty .
I couldn ’ t have that on me.
” The high school sweethearts had been planning the wedding since their engagement in December 2018 .
Just last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I cried when I bought it , and I cried when I picked it up — because that ’ s when it started sinking in we were actually getting married next week , ” she said .
“ Now it ’ s not happening , so it just feels weird.
” Kiedrowski is just one of more than 845,000 couples whose weddings between March and May will be impacted by the outbreak , according to data from the Knot .
Maxwell Cooper , the site ’ s editor-in-chief , said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller , at-home ceremonies to be followed by the reception they had long planned .
She advised couples whose weddings will be affected to talk to their vendors or wedding planners to set a future date , review contracts with a lawyer if necessary , and be communicative with guests whose travel plans will need to be altered .
She also suggested couples find a way to celebrate the day , albeit in a smaller , more intimate way .
“ I think couples understand that it ’ s impacting the whole world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very disappointing and upsetting time for many couples and it ’ s OK to feel sad , ” she said .
At the wedding for the unnamed couple who got married in Connecticut , guests dined on burrata , steak , and salmon ; they danced to a live seven-piece band , and they signed coasters with advice for the newlyweds .
But guests also were encouraged to use sanitizing wipes throughout the venue , as staffers wearing gloves served and cleared plates at tables that were spread out as much as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donated to a homeless shelter .
The couple also refrained from touching some friends and family members who expressed a desire to maintain distance as much as possible .
After a week of stress planning and reading news nonstop about the virus , the couple left their phones behind and enjoyed their day as much as possible .
“ I think we had a wonderful day , ” the bride said .
“ The wedding — except for the cancellations and the virus — went off without a hitch .
”

As the coronavirus pandemic radically alters every section of the global economy and forces billions of people around the world to change their daily routines, many are also being forced to make agonizing decisions about upcoming celebrations and major life events, including weddings.
Late Sunday night, the CDC advised that all weddings, concerts, festivals, and other events involving more than 50 people be postponed for the next eight weeks to try to stop the virus from spreading. On Monday, President Donald Trump urged Americans to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10. Health officials say so-called social distancing should help decrease the number of new infections and lessen the strain on the country’s health care system.
There were approximately 23,000 weddings scheduled to have taken place in the United States this past weekend, according to the Knot, a popular wedding-planning website. For many of them, the health guidance arrived too late to call off the big day.
One couple, who asked to remain anonymous as they feared backlash, married in Connecticut on Saturday and paid the final deposit for their roughly $80,000 wedding the day before guests started canceling. They initially had 180 guests RSVP, but more than 60 didn’t show on Saturday.
“It’s pretty brutal to have the drip-drop of last-minute cancellations over the course of a week that’s already pretty stressful,” the bride told BuzzFeed News. “We are just hugely thankful for the people that made it.”
“If we had had the wedding on March 7, I suspect we would have had almost full attendance,” said the groom. “If it were a week later, the ability to move — it would have been far more available to us.”
The couple said they were understanding of people’s decisions not to attend and held no resentment. They, too, agonized over the decision but had already spent thousands and didn’t want to hurt the small business vendors and their staffers.
“To be candid, we had mixed emotions about this too, and it’s pretty heartbreaking to have mixed emotions about what’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life,” the groom said.
Hunt, the Amazon software engineer who married in Los Angeles, was less sympathetic to some of his guests who canceled on his wedding. “I was most disappointed in the guests who only had to drive a few miles,” he said. “The folks who had to fly in had a legitimate reason to be concerned in my opinion.”
The coronavirus pandemic was also discussed at wedding reception tables outside the US over the weekend. David Alire, 45, attended a traditional Mexican wedding Saturday near the city of Puebla with his boyfriend. They dined on chicken with mole sauce, drank tequila and beer, and danced to a mariachi group and other bands. But something was always at the back of his mind: “I was pretty conscious and aware from start to finish, and I was washing my hands constantly. I was trying to be a little more distant than I normally would,” he said. “Hearing every cough and sneeze, my head turned.”
Alire, who works as a reporter for Reuters in Mexico City, said he believes many Mexicans haven’t yet registered the scale and dangers of the pandemic. The country only has 50 confirmed cases so far and zero deaths. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has continued to hold political rallies and was shown on the front page of a Mexican newspaper kissing a toddler on the cheek.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-17--The Coronavirus Outbreak Has Made Voting In Illinois Today A Full Mess

Voters and poll workers reported chaos , nonfunctional polling places , unsanitary conditions , and low turnout across the state of Illinois on Tuesday as the primary election continued despite the coronavirus outbreak .
After the state scrambled to move polling places away from nursing homes and other vulnerable populations , some voters said they were unable to vote because their new polling places lacked basic voting supplies .
With scores of election judges and volunteers dropping out at the last minute in the face of the outbreak , the city of Chicago was asking “ able bodied voters ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to deal with understaffed polling locations , according to an email viewed by BuzzFeed News .
The Cook County Clerk ’ s Office posted that it was “ waving all training requirements ” for applicants who wanted to serve as election judges .
“ This was a very rushed process , and our local election officials are trying to handle it the best way that they can , ” said Matt Dietrich , a spokesperson for the Illinois State Board of Elections .
He said local areas had been “ doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaning supplies to polling locations .
“ Everyone needs to keep in mind that this is an unprecedented situation , ” he added .
Some election workers who did show up , meanwhile , said they felt unsafe because of a lack of sanitary supplies .
Some precincts had zero hand sanitizer , voters said , or only a few bottles that had been brought in by poll workers themselves .
Rebecca Gross , 16 , a high school student who is staffing one of two precincts being served by a polling place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago , said Tuesday morning that her precinct had still not received the `` blue box '' full of election materials necessary to conduct voting , as of late morning .
They had turned away roughly 70 voters so far Tuesday , Gross estimated .
Gross said she and others working at the precinct had been told the materials would be on their way around 7 a.m. , but they still had n't arrived , and that staff had now been told it might not come at all .
She said she and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Board of Elections `` countless times '' in an effort to get the box .
They have begun redirecting voters to an early-voting location in their ward .

Voters and poll workers reported chaos, nonfunctional polling places, unsanitary conditions, and low turnout across the state of Illinois on Tuesday as the primary election continued despite the coronavirus outbreak.
After the state scrambled to move polling places away from nursing homes and other vulnerable populations, some voters said they were unable to vote because their new polling places lacked basic voting supplies.
With scores of election judges and volunteers dropping out at the last minute in the face of the outbreak, the city of Chicago was asking “able bodied voters” to act as last-minute poll workers as a way to deal with understaffed polling locations, according to an email viewed by BuzzFeed News. The Cook County Clerk’s Office posted that it was “waving all training requirements” for applicants who wanted to serve as election judges.
“This was a very rushed process, and our local election officials are trying to handle it the best way that they can,” said Matt Dietrich, a spokesperson for the Illinois State Board of Elections. He said local areas had been “doing everything they possibly could” to provide cleaning supplies to polling locations.
“Everyone needs to keep in mind that this is an unprecedented situation,” he added.
Some election workers who did show up, meanwhile, said they felt unsafe because of a lack of sanitary supplies. Some precincts had zero hand sanitizer, voters said, or only a few bottles that had been brought in by poll workers themselves.
Rebecca Gross, 16, a high school student who is staffing one of two precincts being served by a polling place at the Broadway United Methodist Church in Chicago, said Tuesday morning that her precinct had still not received the "blue box" full of election materials necessary to conduct voting, as of late morning. They had turned away roughly 70 voters so far Tuesday, Gross estimated.
Gross said she and others working at the precinct had been told the materials would be on their way around 7 a.m., but they still hadn't arrived, and that staff had now been told it might not come at all. She said she and the other workers had called the Chicago Board of Elections "countless times" in an effort to get the box. They have begun redirecting voters to an early-voting location in their ward.