usatoday--2020-05-14--Wisconsin lawmakers say counties and cities are on their own after court ruling in coronavirus case

MADISON , Wis. – After successfully suing Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers to force him to work with the Legislature to craft a plan to control the spread of the coronavirus , Republican lawmakers now suggest they do n't need any new guidelines for the time being .
As Wisconsinites try to understand what daily life is supposed to look like now that the state Supreme Court has eliminated the governor 's stay-at-home order , Evers said GOP legislative leaders in a Thursday phone conversation appeared comfortable with leaving it up to city and county officials to figure out their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joan Ballweg of Markesan , the co-chairwoman of the committee that has veto power over any new coronavirus-related rules written by Evers , told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel she doesn ’ t believe state rules are needed for the immediate situation .
“ Do we need statewide rules for the run-of-the-mill opening of restaurants or small retailers ?
I don ’ t think so , ” Ballweg said .
“ It ’ s been shown what ’ s been deemed essential businesses before , the non-essential businesses can be doing the same things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe manner.
” Instead of immediately putting into effect any rules , she said officials should work on ones that could be implemented if there were a surge in coronavirus cases .
She did n't say what those rules should look like .
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos , a Republican from Rochester , told the Associated Press there could be no statewide order or guidelines in place if Evers and Republicans ca n't agree on them and signaled they did n't need to be enacted quickly .
`` I hope we can work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the books if it 's necessary , '' he said .
`` But I also feel like we have a lot of those tools already in place . ''
Officials in at least 12 cities and counties have issued their own orders placing restrictions on businesses and gatherings each with varying expiration dates .
The rest of the state does n't have any restrictions , leaving a patchwork of rules that GOP leaders had n't previously called for but are now embracing .
`` I thought both leaders felt very comfortable with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconcerned about what I believe is the massive confusion that will exist without a statewide approach , '' Evers said .
`` Apparently they believe different rules are OK .
I ca n't imagine another state that is in this predicament . ''
The restrictions are being lifted after the spread of coronavirus has slowed in recent weeks .
There has been a recent uptick in the number of cases but a decrease in the percentage of positive cases .
As of Thursday , 11,275 people had been infected by the virus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke , a Republican from Kaukauna , in a video statement urged his constituents not to expect daily life to return to normal overnight and to check with local health officials on appropriate guidance to reopen businesses .
But some local officials are frustrated there are no longer state rules to use to navigate the ebbs and flows of the virus outbreak .
In Brown County , where cases of the virus have skyrocketed in recent weeks , the county 's top leader said the `` state failed us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state guidance in terms of how 72 counties were to operate going into the future . ''
Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach said .
`` Unfortunately , we did not receive that guidance.
” Members of the state 's federal delegation also sought guidance for the state .
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson urged GOP leaders and Evers to set guidelines quickly .
`` I have always believed the vast majority of our economy should be deemed essential and continue to operate with appropriate safety measures , '' Johnson tweeted .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recognize this fact and work together to implement a set of guidelines that lets people start to go back to work and resume their lives in as safe a manner as possible .
And Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Kind said “ there is a lot of confusion surrounding this ruling ” among his constituents with little guidance about what comes next , or what the new rules and expectations are .
“ If this suddenly becomes a free for all , a wild , wild west situation in Wisconsin , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which will entail having to close things down again , ” said Kind , who represents a largely rural district in southwestern Wisconsin .
Kind called on the state ’ s political leaders to “ come together quickly , stay united and give people the certainty they need right now.
” Meanwhile , President Donald Trump praised the high court 's ruling , saying `` the people want to get on with their lives . ''
Evers planned to submit a scope statement for new coronavirus rules on Thursday .
That statement will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law the Evers administration will be barred from doing any work on the rules for the next 10 days .
After that , state officials can begin writing the rules .
Once they ’ re completed , the Republican-controlled Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules can block them in whole or in part .
Any changes to the rules would require the lengthy process to start over .
No state rules will be in place in the meantime .
There are outstanding questions about what to expect in the following weeks after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lawsuit to strike down the governor 's order , including whether the local orders could be challenged .
In an emailed newsletter , the Wisconsin Counties Association said the local health orders placing restrictions on businesses and gatherings are made under the same set of state laws the governor 's now-defunct order used as its basis .
`` As a result , it is unclear whether a local health order would , in the Court ’ s view , suffer from the same deficiencies that caused the Court to invalidate the Safer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told county officials .
Jeffrey Mandell , a Madison attorney who has represented Evers on some matters , said he believes local officials still possess broad powers to issue health orders that mirror the one knocked down by the court .
The court found that the Evers administration must follow a complex rulemaking process to put his plans in place .
But local officials are n't required to use that same process and Mandell said that gives them the ability to issue their own orders , he said .
While lawmakers can quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an easy way to block local orders .
But the Supreme Court ’ s decision also found the state ’ s order was unlawful because it was too sweeping , said Rick Esenberg , president of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty .
That could spell trouble for local orders that are similarly broad , he said .
Exactly how far local officials can go remains unclear , both Mandell and Esenberg said .
“ I don ’ t think anything but litigation could answer that question , ” Esenberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he expected legal challenges to stay-at-home orders issued by local officials .
He called Wednesday 's decision a `` historically bad court ruling that is going to have severe negative consequences for Wisconsinites . ''
Kaul urged Republican lawmakers to offer their own plan to fight the pandemic after they successfully sidelined Evers ' proposal .
`` We ’ ve actually seen very little from our Legislature since the coronavirus pandemic has occurred , but it ’ s time for them to step up because we need a plan as we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Kaul said .
`` We can ’ t just leave this to chance and hope that the best happens .
We ’ ve seen that approach at the federal level and it ’ s been disastrous . ''
Contributing : Craig Gilbert of the Journal Sentinel , Haley BeMiller of the Green Bay Press-Gazette

Molly Beck and Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wisconsin lawmakers say counties and cities are on their own after court ruling in coronavirus case
Show Caption Hide Caption After being closed due to the coronavirus, people eating out talk reopening Diners discuss the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that opened restaurants including Tello's restaurant in Port Washington. Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MADISON, Wis. – After successfully suing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to force him to work with the Legislature to craft a plan to control the spread of the coronavirus, Republican lawmakers now suggest they don't need any new guidelines for the time being.
As Wisconsinites try to understand what daily life is supposed to look like now that the state Supreme Court has eliminated the governor's stay-at-home order, Evers said GOP legislative leaders in a Thursday phone conversation appeared comfortable with leaving it up to city and county officials to figure out their own rules.
And Republican state Rep. Joan Ballweg of Markesan, the co-chairwoman of the committee that has veto power over any new coronavirus-related rules written by Evers, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel she doesn’t believe state rules are needed for the immediate situation.
“Do we need statewide rules for the run-of-the-mill opening of restaurants or small retailers? I don’t think so,” Ballweg said. “It’s been shown what’s been deemed essential businesses before, the non-essential businesses can be doing the same things that they were and work in a safe manner.”
Instead of immediately putting into effect any rules, she said officials should work on ones that could be implemented if there were a surge in coronavirus cases. She didn't say what those rules should look like.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Republican from Rochester, told the Associated Press there could be no statewide order or guidelines in place if Evers and Republicans can't agree on them and signaled they didn't need to be enacted quickly.
"I hope we can work together to put some broad parameters on the books if it's necessary," he said. "But I also feel like we have a lot of those tools already in place."
Officials in at least 12 cities and counties have issued their own orders placing restrictions on businesses and gatherings each with varying expiration dates.
The rest of the state doesn't have any restrictions, leaving a patchwork of rules that GOP leaders hadn't previously called for but are now embracing.
"I thought both leaders felt very comfortable with the idea (of a patchwork) and unconcerned about what I believe is the massive confusion that will exist without a statewide approach," Evers said. "Apparently they believe different rules are OK. I can't imagine another state that is in this predicament."
Stay-at-home orders: Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling highlights widening US debate on pandemic
The restrictions are being lifted after the spread of coronavirus has slowed in recent weeks. There has been a recent uptick in the number of cases but a decrease in the percentage of positive cases.
As of Thursday, 11,275 people had been infected by the virus in Wisconsin and 434 people have died.
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, a Republican from Kaukauna, in a video statement urged his constituents not to expect daily life to return to normal overnight and to check with local health officials on appropriate guidance to reopen businesses.
County leader: ‘State failed us'
But some local officials are frustrated there are no longer state rules to use to navigate the ebbs and flows of the virus outbreak. In Brown County, where cases of the virus have skyrocketed in recent weeks, the county's top leader said the "state failed us."
“We were hoping for state guidance in terms of how 72 counties were to operate going into the future." Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach said. "Unfortunately, we did not receive that guidance.”
Members of the state's federal delegation also sought guidance for the state. Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson urged GOP leaders and Evers to set guidelines quickly.
"I have always believed the vast majority of our economy should be deemed essential and continue to operate with appropriate safety measures," Johnson tweeted. "I urge the state legislature and @GovEvers to recognize this fact and work together to implement a set of guidelines that lets people start to go back to work and resume their lives in as safe a manner as possible.
Court ruling: Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down governor’s stay-at-home order
And Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Kind said “there is a lot of confusion surrounding this ruling” among his constituents with little guidance about what comes next, or what the new rules and expectations are.
“If this suddenly becomes a free for all, a wild, wild west situation in Wisconsin, we’re going to have huge outbreaks, which will entail having to close things down again,” said Kind, who represents a largely rural district in southwestern Wisconsin.
Kind called on the state’s political leaders to “come together quickly, stay united and give people the certainty they need right now.”
Trump praises court ruling
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump praised the high court's ruling, saying "the people want to get on with their lives."
Evers planned to submit a scope statement for new coronavirus rules on Thursday. That statement will be formally published Monday and under state law the Evers administration will be barred from doing any work on the rules for the next 10 days. After that, state officials can begin writing the rules.
Once they’re completed, the Republican-controlled Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules can block them in whole or in part. Any changes to the rules would require the lengthy process to start over.
No state rules will be in place in the meantime.
Fate of local orders uncertain
There are outstanding questions about what to expect in the following weeks after the Supreme Court sided with Republicans in their lawsuit to strike down the governor's order, including whether the local orders could be challenged.
In an emailed newsletter, the Wisconsin Counties Association said the local health orders placing restrictions on businesses and gatherings are made under the same set of state laws the governor's now-defunct order used as its basis.
"As a result, it is unclear whether a local health order would, in the Court’s view, suffer from the same deficiencies that caused the Court to invalidate the Safer at Home Order," the group told county officials.
Want to talk more about politics?: Join our Facebook group: ‘Across the Aisle, Across the Nation.’
Bars open as Wisconsin court rejects stay-at-home order Some bars opened immediately and were packed with customers as a court ruling Wednesday tossed Wisconsin's stay-at-home order. (May 14) AP
Jeffrey Mandell, a Madison attorney who has represented Evers on some matters, said he believes local officials still possess broad powers to issue health orders that mirror the one knocked down by the court.
The court found that the Evers administration must follow a complex rulemaking process to put his plans in place. But local officials aren't required to use that same process and Mandell said that gives them the ability to issue their own orders, he said.
While lawmakers can quickly block state rules, they don't have an easy way to block local orders.
But the Supreme Court’s decision also found the state’s order was unlawful because it was too sweeping, said Rick Esenberg, president of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. That could spell trouble for local orders that are similarly broad, he said.
Exactly how far local officials can go remains unclear, both Mandell and Esenberg said.
“I don’t think anything but litigation could answer that question,” Esenberg said.
Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul said he expected legal challenges to stay-at-home orders issued by local officials. He called Wednesday's decision a "historically bad court ruling that is going to have severe negative consequences for Wisconsinites."
Kaul urged Republican lawmakers to offer their own plan to fight the pandemic after they successfully sidelined Evers' proposal.
"We’ve actually seen very little from our Legislature since the coronavirus pandemic has occurred, but it’s time for them to step up because we need a plan as we’re in the middle of an epidemic," Kaul said. "We can’t just leave this to chance and hope that the best happens. We’ve seen that approach at the federal level and it’s been disastrous."
Contributing: Craig Gilbert of the Journal Sentinel, Haley BeMiller of the Green Bay Press-Gazette
Follow Molly Beck on Twitter @MollyBeck.


usatoday--2020-05-14--Whistleblower Rick Bright tells Congress he warned of coronavirus supply problems; Trump calls him '

WASHINGTON – Dr. Rick Bright , a government immunologist , says he will never forget the email he received from a medical supply company earlier this year warning that the nation ’ s supply of N95 respirator masks was completely decimated .
“ He said , 'We are in deep s -- - , ’ ” Bright told members of Congress on Thursday .
“ I pushed that forward to the highest levels I could at HHS and got no response.
” From that moment , Bright testified , he knew the nation ’ s health care workers would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost .
Furthermore , he told the House Energy and Commerce Committee the window is closing fast to prevent the “ darkest winter in modern history ” if the nation doesn ’ t improve its response .
Bright has filed a whistleblower complaint alleging he was ousted from the Department of Health and Human Services in retaliation for his views , which included his resistance to broad access to an unproven drug , chloroquine , that President Donald Trump has touted , along with hydroxychloroquine , as a potential `` game-changer '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was removed last month from his position as the director of HHS ' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority .
The office procures vaccines and other supplies for the Strategic National Stockpile , along with other actions to address pandemics and other health threats .
Dr. Deborah Birx : Birx wins praise for managing the White House 's coronavirus message and Trump On Tuesday , the Office of Special Counsel said in a letter to Bright ’ s attorneys that based on the information he shared , there was a `` substantial likelihood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was calling on HHS Secretary Alex Azar to open an investigation into Bright 's allegations .
While Bright testified , Trump dismissed him as an “ angry , disgruntled employee ” who was bad at his job .
Trump also continued to push for the use of hydroxychloroquine .
“ A lot of people have sworn by it , ” Trump said .
Azar likewise lashed out at Bright , saying everything he complained about was achieved .
The government procured more respirators and launched unprecedented efforts to find a vaccine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying is what every single member of this administration and the president was saying , '' Azar said .
But Bright said that higher-ups didn ’ t believe him when he warned in early February that there was a critical shortage of N95 masks .
Bright said he was told that if a shortage developed , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could change its guidelines on who should wear the masks so that there would be enough for health care workers .
Sen. Richard Burr : NC Republican steps down from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation “ My response was , ' I can not believe you can sit and say that with a straight face , ’ ” Bright said .
“ Lives were endangered and I believe lives were lost.
” Because the United States waited too long , he continued , the nation had to import masks from other countries that weren ’ t necessarily manufactured under the same standards .
As a result , Bright testified , some are only 30 % effective .
When he became “ quite alarmed ” to learn that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bright said he and a colleague tried to raise the issue at a senior leadership meeting with Robert Kadlec , the assistant HHS secretary for emergency preparedness and response , but was rebuffed .
Instead , Bright said , he reached out to White House trade adviser Peter Navarro who quickly contacted the Defense Department for help .
Bright also said he unsuccessfully tried to increase the availability of remdesivir , a drug that has shown a modest benefit for patients with COVID-19 .
“ I was told that my urgings were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from those meetings , ” he testified .
The committee invited Azar , Kadlec and Navarro to testify but they declined .
All are mentioned extensively in Bright ’ s whistleblower complaint .
Trump : Federal appeals court allows emoluments suit against Trump to move forward Rep. Anna Eshoo , the California Democrat who conducted the hearing , called Bright ’ s account “ one of the most specific and troubling whistleblower complaints I ’ ve ever seen.
” “ He was not only ignored , ” she said , “ he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the panel complained that Bright didn ’ t try to notify Congress of his concerns .
They called the hearing a politically motivated attempt to undermine the administration during a crisis rather than an effort to figure out how the country can improve its response .
Bright ’ s recommendations on what still needs to happen include a national testing strategy , increased production of essential equipment and supplies , a more equitable distribution of those supplies and a ramped-up public education campaign about the importance of hand washing , social distancing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee , an American flag pin on his jacket lapel , hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes sat next to his water bottle at his right elbow .
The face mask Bright wore into the hearing room also lay beside him on the witness table .
“ First and foremost , we need to be truthful with the American people , ” he said .
“ The truth must be based on science .
”

William Cummings and Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY

Whistleblower Rick Bright tells Congress he warned of coronavirus supply problems; Trump calls him 'disgruntled'
Show Caption Hide Caption Whistleblower, Dr. Rick Bright recalls N-95 mask crisis email Dr. Rick Bright, who said he was unfairly ousted out of his position, described a meeting at which he urged the need for more N-95 masks. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Dr. Rick Bright, a government immunologist, says he will never forget the email he received from a medical supply company earlier this year warning that the nation’s supply of N95 respirator masks was completely decimated.
“He said, 'We are in deep s---,’ ” Bright told members of Congress on Thursday. “I pushed that forward to the highest levels I could at HHS and got no response.”
From that moment, Bright testified, he knew the nation’s health care workers would be in a crisis and lives would be lost. Furthermore, he told the House Energy and Commerce Committee the window is closing fast to prevent the “darkest winter in modern history” if the nation doesn’t improve its response.
Bright has filed a whistleblower complaint alleging he was ousted from the Department of Health and Human Services in retaliation for his views, which included his resistance to broad access to an unproven drug, chloroquine, that President Donald Trump has touted, along with hydroxychloroquine, as a potential "game-changer" in the fight against the virus.
Bright was removed last month from his position as the director of HHS' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The office procures vaccines and other supplies for the Strategic National Stockpile, along with other actions to address pandemics and other health threats.
Dr. Deborah Birx: Birx wins praise for managing the White House's coronavirus message and Trump
On Tuesday, the Office of Special Counsel said in a letter to Bright’s attorneys that based on the information he shared, there was a "substantial likelihood of wrongdoing." The office said it was calling on HHS Secretary Alex Azar to open an investigation into Bright's allegations.
While Bright testified, Trump dismissed him as an “angry, disgruntled employee” who was bad at his job. Trump also continued to push for the use of hydroxychloroquine.
“A lot of people have sworn by it,” Trump said.
Azar likewise lashed out at Bright, saying everything he complained about was achieved. The government procured more respirators and launched unprecedented efforts to find a vaccine, he said.
“What he was saying is what every single member of this administration and the president was saying," Azar said.
But Bright said that higher-ups didn’t believe him when he warned in early February that there was a critical shortage of N95 masks. Bright said he was told that if a shortage developed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could change its guidelines on who should wear the masks so that there would be enough for health care workers.
Sen. Richard Burr: NC Republican steps down from committee post as FBI seizes phone in investigation
“My response was, 'I cannot believe you can sit and say that with a straight face,’ ” Bright said. “Lives were endangered and I believe lives were lost.”
Because the United States waited too long, he continued, the nation had to import masks from other countries that weren’t necessarily manufactured under the same standards. As a result, Bright testified, some are only 30% effective.
When he became “quite alarmed” to learn that there was also a shortage of swabs, Bright said he and a colleague tried to raise the issue at a senior leadership meeting with Robert Kadlec, the assistant HHS secretary for emergency preparedness and response, but was rebuffed.
Instead, Bright said, he reached out to White House trade adviser Peter Navarro who quickly contacted the Defense Department for help.
Bright also said he unsuccessfully tried to increase the availability of remdesivir, a drug that has shown a modest benefit for patients with COVID-19.
“I was told that my urgings were causing a commotion and I was removed from those meetings,” he testified.
The committee invited Azar, Kadlec and Navarro to testify but they declined. All are mentioned extensively in Bright’s whistleblower complaint.
Trump: Federal appeals court allows emoluments suit against Trump to move forward
Rep. Anna Eshoo, the California Democrat who conducted the hearing, called Bright’s account “one of the most specific and troubling whistleblower complaints I’ve ever seen.”
“He was not only ignored,” she said, “he was fired for being right.”
Republicans on the panel complained that Bright didn’t try to notify Congress of his concerns. They called the hearing a politically motivated attempt to undermine the administration during a crisis rather than an effort to figure out how the country can improve its response.
Bright’s recommendations on what still needs to happen include a national testing strategy, increased production of essential equipment and supplies, a more equitable distribution of those supplies and a ramped-up public education campaign about the importance of hand washing, social distancing and mask wearing.
As Bright addressed the committee, an American flag pin on his jacket lapel, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes sat next to his water bottle at his right elbow. The face mask Bright wore into the hearing room also lay beside him on the witness table.
“First and foremost, we need to be truthful with the American people,” he said. “The truth must be based on science.”
Contributing: David Jackson, USA TODAY; The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-05-14--Is China using drones to spy on South Carolina? Law enforcement leaders are worried

GREENVILLE , S.C. – Two of the state 's top law-enforcement leaders are worried China could use donated drones to spy on South Carolina and the U.S. Republicans in the House of Representatives voiced similar concerns Wednesday in letters sent to the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to seek information about use of Chinese-made drones .
Drone manufacturer Da Jiang Innovations , a global technology company better known as DJI that 's based in Shenzhen , China , has donated 100 drones to 44 police and fire agencies across the U.S. that have expressed interest in using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , according to a statement from DJI .
Six drones have gone to agencies in South Carolina , according to DJI .
Minutes from the state 's Law Enforcement Training Council meeting last month show state Attorney General Alan Wilson and State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel voicing concerns over those drones .
Keel and Wilson agreed that they do not want agencies in South Carolina to use them because of concerns that `` all information recorded by these drones would be reported to China , '' as the meeting 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Police agencies are using drones to enforce stay-at-home orders '' Attorney General Wilson stated that he would be interested in knowing what agencies in SC have received these drones so a conversation can be had in regard to concerns , '' the minutes read .
Robert Kittle , a spokesperson for Wilson , said the AG 's office still does not know which agencies received the drones .
He said the state Police Chiefs Association and Sheriffs Association are trying to find out .
`` The Attorney General ’ s concerns are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email to The Greenville News on Wednesday .
`` A communist government with a long history of cheating , lying , covering up and seeking to hurt the US is now giving free drones to LE agencies .
It is pretty self-explanatory . ''
Jarrod Bruder , director of the state Sheriffs Association , said he 's heard from several agencies that already use DJI drones .
The Georgetown County Sheriff 's Office is one agency that received a DJI drone during the pandemic , Bruder said .
`` That particular provider is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of DJI .
The letters sent by House Republicans include comments about security concerns specifically with DJI drones .
The letters urge federal investigators to inform the members of Congress about steps being taken to monitor the newly donated drones .
`` Although federal law enforcement agencies have warned of potential information security concerns with DJI drones , it is not clear whether state and local law enforcement agencies are fully aware of these issues , '' the Wednesday letter states .
Wednesday afternoon , Wilson , South Carolina 's attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to urge Congress to investigate China 's potential role in the spread of COVID-19 .
He said he helped lead a coalition of 14 states to develop a plan to hold the Communist Party of China responsible for the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We all need to work together to find out what the Chinese government knew , when they knew it , and what our options are to hold them accountable , ” Wilson said in his office 's press release .
Regarding the drones , Keel said he had not heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it up , according to the minutes from last month 's training council meeting .
`` Chief Keel stated that he had not heard anything or knew of any agencies using these drones .
He also stated that he would not accept one because his concern would be that all information recorded by these drones would be reported to China , '' the minutes read .
DJI is the world 's largest drone manufacturer .
The company announced an effort to donate drones to the U.S. as part of its disaster relief program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states that have received drones through the program , according to DJI .
DJI has not identified the recipients of its drones .
Company officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Wednesday .
`` The battle against COVID-19 is going to be a marathon , not a sprint , but we hope this early effort can illuminate one way for America ’ s frontline responders to protect the public , keep themselves safe and hopefully save lives , '' DJI 's senior director of public safety integration , Romeo Durscher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Greenville County Sheriff 's Office has six DJI drones used for search and rescue operations , arson investigations and other operations where aerial coverage is necessary , said Lt. Ryan Flood , a spokesperson .
The agency is hoping to expand its fleet of drones but has not received any newly donated drones from DJI , he said .
The Anderson County Sheriff 's Office has four DJI drones of its own but none newly donated by DJI .
The devices are used for many reasons , including searches for runaway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspects , said spokesperson Sgt .
J.T .
Foster .
Coronavirus and police : :As more officers get sick , it could be bad news for rural policing The Greenville Police Department applied to receive a drone from DJI through its disaster relief program but was not one of the South Carolina agencies selected , said Lt. Alia Paramore , a police department spokesperson .
The police department currently has six certified pilots and one drone , a DJI device that the agency obtained in April 2019 , she said .
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we anticipate building our UAS ( Unmanned Aircraft Systems ) fleet to meet the needs of the department and the City of Greenville , '' Paramore said in an email .
The Pickens County Sheriff 's Office does not have a drone , though Sheriff Rick Clark supports their use and has a personally owned drone that he has used on at least one missing person case , Chief Deputy Chad Brooks said .

Is China using drones to spy on South Carolina? Law enforcement leaders are worried
Show Caption Hide Caption Drone-Maker DJI Willing to Share Data With China April 21 -- While U.S. tech companies battle the government to protect users' privacy, a major Chinese drone-maker is going the opposite way. DJI says it's ready to cooperate with requests from Beijing for data from its products. As Tom MacKenzie Bloomberg
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Two of the state's top law-enforcement leaders are worried China could use donated drones to spy on South Carolina and the U.S.
Republicans in the House of Representatives voiced similar concerns Wednesday in letters sent to the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to seek information about use of Chinese-made drones.
Drone manufacturer Da Jiang Innovations, a global technology company better known as DJI that's based in Shenzhen, China, has donated 100 drones to 44 police and fire agencies across the U.S. that have expressed interest in using drones to manage aspects of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement from DJI.
Six drones have gone to agencies in South Carolina, according to DJI.
Minutes from the state's Law Enforcement Training Council meeting last month show state Attorney General Alan Wilson and State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel voicing concerns over those drones. Keel and Wilson agreed that they do not want agencies in South Carolina to use them because of concerns that "all information recorded by these drones would be reported to China," as the meeting's minutes put it.
Civil rights concerns: Police agencies are using drones to enforce stay-at-home orders
"Attorney General Wilson stated that he would be interested in knowing what agencies in SC have received these drones so a conversation can be had in regard to concerns," the minutes read.
Robert Kittle, a spokesperson for Wilson, said the AG's office still does not know which agencies received the drones. He said the state Police Chiefs Association and Sheriffs Association are trying to find out.
"The Attorney General’s concerns are simple," Kittle said in an email to The Greenville News on Wednesday. "A communist government with a long history of cheating, lying, covering up and seeking to hurt the US is now giving free drones to LE agencies. It is pretty self-explanatory."
Jarrod Bruder, director of the state Sheriffs Association, said he's heard from several agencies that already use DJI drones. The Georgetown County Sheriff's Office is one agency that received a DJI drone during the pandemic, Bruder said.
"That particular provider is the premiere provider anyway," he said of DJI.
The letters sent by House Republicans include comments about security concerns specifically with DJI drones. The letters urge federal investigators to inform the members of Congress about steps being taken to monitor the newly donated drones.
"Although federal law enforcement agencies have warned of potential information security concerns with DJI drones, it is not clear whether state and local law enforcement agencies are fully aware of these issues," the Wednesday letter states.
Wednesday afternoon, Wilson, South Carolina's attorney general, released a statement about his efforts to urge Congress to investigate China's potential role in the spread of COVID-19. He said he helped lead a coalition of 14 states to develop a plan to hold the Communist Party of China responsible for the coronavirus pandemic.
“We all need to work together to find out what the Chinese government knew, when they knew it, and what our options are to hold them accountable,” Wilson said in his office's press release.
Regarding the drones, Keel said he had not heard of the DJI donations before Wilson brought it up, according to the minutes from last month's training council meeting.
"Chief Keel stated that he had not heard anything or knew of any agencies using these drones. He also stated that he would not accept one because his concern would be that all information recorded by these drones would be reported to China," the minutes read.
DJI is the world's largest drone manufacturer. The company announced an effort to donate drones to the U.S. as part of its disaster relief program. South Carolina is one of 22 states that have received drones through the program, according to DJI.
DJI has not identified the recipients of its drones. Company officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Wednesday.
"The battle against COVID-19 is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, but we hope this early effort can illuminate one way for America’s frontline responders to protect the public, keep themselves safe and hopefully save lives," DJI's senior director of public safety integration, Romeo Durscher, said in written statement on April 1.
The Greenville County Sheriff's Office has six DJI drones used for search and rescue operations, arson investigations and other operations where aerial coverage is necessary, said Lt. Ryan Flood, a spokesperson. The agency is hoping to expand its fleet of drones but has not received any newly donated drones from DJI, he said.
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office has four DJI drones of its own but none newly donated by DJI. The devices are used for many reasons, including searches for runaway children, missing elderly persons and fleeing suspects, said spokesperson Sgt. J.T. Foster.
Coronavirus and police:: As more officers get sick, it could be bad news for rural policing
The Greenville Police Department applied to receive a drone from DJI through its disaster relief program but was not one of the South Carolina agencies selected, said Lt. Alia Paramore, a police department spokesperson. The police department currently has six certified pilots and one drone, a DJI device that the agency obtained in April 2019, she said.
"This is a new program for our organization, and we anticipate building our UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) fleet to meet the needs of the department and the City of Greenville," Paramore said in an email.
The Pickens County Sheriff's Office does not have a drone, though Sheriff Rick Clark supports their use and has a personally owned drone that he has used on at least one missing person case, Chief Deputy Chad Brooks said.
Follow Daniel J. Gross on Twitter: @danieljgross.


usatoday--2020-05-15--People are furious over 2020 graduation ceremonies, the latest coronavirus political battleground

Keiv Soliman does n't want to receive his diploma joined on-stage by a hologram of his principal .
But as the coronavirus continues to cast a shadow on American traditions , making large gatherings like graduation ceremonies dangerous , a virtual ceremony might be the Highland High School senior 's only chance at pomp and circumstance .
Soliman 's school , in Gilbert , Arizona , is staging an elaborate virtual graduation ceremony , where Highland seniors will be filmed walking across a stage to receive their diploma .
Their principal will read student names from a different room .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ editors will then edit the ceremony to make it appear as if everyone was in the same room together .
But Soliman 's friends do n't want a studio-produced graduation , he said .
They want a real ceremony .
Soliman started a petition , which has more than 600 signatures so far , asking for an in-person ceremony — with masks and social distancing .
`` You ca n't really replace the real thing with anything but the real thing , '' Soliman said .
Graduation ceremonies have become a political battleground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of school closures caused by the coronavirus .
Some believe they can have a ceremony safely while others are accusing the high-schoolers and their parents of being selfish during a global pandemic .
`` This is much bigger than a graduation ceremony , '' said Reed Burris , a Gilbert resident opposed to in-person ceremonies .
`` You should be pushing for people to stay inside . ''
Soliman 's petition is one of more than 500 on Change.org , pleading for the preservation of in-person ceremonies across the U.S. Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will cross the finish line to high school with a lap at the Daytona 500In Knoxville , Tennessee , district leaders backpedaled on a plan to hold graduation without guests when parents revolted .
`` There 's a lot more involved in these ceremonies than a student getting a paper diploma and turning their tassel , '' Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said .
The discourse shares similarities with the fervent demonstrations staged for and against reopening America 's businesses , as well as the debate over the use of masks in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fractured conversation around COVID-19 .
'Tale of two cities ' : Across US , some embrace reopening amid coronavirus and others remain wary Arizona 's stay-at-home order expires Friday .
The governor is still encouraging social distancing , but nothing in his new order appears to forbid gatherings .
The Arizona Department of Health Services recommended on Monday `` that mass gatherings ( such as graduations , concerts ) are not held at this time . ''
Even still , the agency outlined steps for attendees and organizers to take if they planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Attendees should stay six feet away from each other .
• Anyone in a high-risk group should not attend , including older adults and anyone with a serious underlying medical condition .
• Attendees should not touch their eyes , nose or mouth and should use hand sanitizer after leaving the event .
They should also wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds upon returning home .
• Attendees should cover their faces at the event .
• They should not borrow or rent graduation regalia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceremonies or have decided to hold virtual ceremonies .
Chandler Unified , the second-largest school district in the state , wrote to families on May 5 that the district is working on a plan to hold graduation ceremonies at each high school `` while still adhering to the recommended CDC guidelines . ''
At the ceremonies , students would be seated six feet apart and the audience would likely be limited .
The ceremonies would be livestreamed for families to watch .
One superintendent in suburban Milwaukee , Wisconsin , initially resisted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made the emotional event seem so impersonal .
Back in early April , Wauwatosa School District Superintendent Phil Ertl said he hoped to just keep pushing back the date of an in-person ceremony for as long as it took to do it safely .
But by early May , his district had gone the route of many others , with a planned video celebration set for June 7 .
`` We are also still hanging on to July 26 in hopes that we can do something in person , '' Ertl said this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To cancel that date right now does n't make sense to me . ''
Pleas for the show to go on People in at least nine school districts across Arizona have started Change.org petitions to hold in-person graduation ceremonies .
After Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey announced that businesses could start to reopen , a group of Arizona seniors made a video pleading for an in-person ceremony .
`` There are ways we can make this happen , '' one of the students in the video said .
`` We deserve a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter and received nearly 100 retweets .
But some who responded to the tweet scoffed at the idea .
`` You ’ re asking to put your friends ' parents at risk of dying so you can feel accomplished for a completely normal and baseline accomplishment , '' one Twitter user responded .
Others have tried to come up with alternatives to graduation .
Beth Obermeyer , who works with high school students at New Foundation church in Goodyear , held driveway graduations for seniors .
Using a megaphone , church staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driveway and holding impromptu celebrations , six feet apart .
`` We were trying to think of a way to make our high school seniors feel better because they 've had such a rough spring , '' Obermeyer said .
No prom , either : So these families toasted a high school couple in their own backyard prom In Great Falls , Montana , district officials said they did not want the coronavirus to end the tradition of graduating seniors ' ringing a school bell .
Officials are leaving the bell in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ring .
If students choose to ring the bell , they are asked to maintain social distancing , wear the supplied disposable gloves and sanitize hands before and after ringing the bell .
The school is setting up a hand-sanitizing station .
'We 're not taking this lightly ' : Small Montana school to be among first in US to reopen Some have said schools are being too cautious .
A group of Mountain View High parents in Mesa , Arizona , are throwing a senior salute parade for grads .
Seniors on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart on the sidewalk of a Mesa street for cars to drive by in celebration .
Destinee Mack , a parent and one of the event 's organizers , initially asked the district if parents could drop their student off in the high school 's parking lot so the students could safely line up .
Mesa Public Schools denied that request , Mack said .
Mesa did not respond to a request for comment .
`` I do think there 's a risk , but I do also think that if we follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can still do this in a socially responsible way , '' Mack said .

People are furious over 2020 graduation ceremonies, the latest coronavirus political battleground
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus Chronicles: senior lost opportunity to speak at graduation Since freshman year, Alanis Broussard's goal was to speak at her high school graduation. Because of COVID-19, she won't have a high school graduation. Harrison Hill, USA TODAY
Keiv Soliman doesn't want to receive his diploma joined onstage by a hologram of his principal.
But as the coronavirus continues to cast a shadow on American traditions, making large gatherings like graduation ceremonies dangerous, a virtual ceremony might be the Highland High School senior's only chance at pomp and circumstance.
Soliman's school, in Gilbert, Arizona, is staging an elaborate virtual graduation ceremony, where Highland seniors will be filmed walking across a stage to receive their diploma.
Their principal will read student names from a different room. Using "holographic technology," video editors will then edit the ceremony to make it appear as if everyone was in the same room together.
But Soliman's friends don't want a studio-produced graduation, he said. They want a real ceremony. Soliman started a petition, which has more than 600 signatures so far, asking for an in-person ceremony — with masks and social distancing.
"You can't really replace the real thing with anything but the real thing," Soliman said.
Graduation ceremonies have become a political battleground for schools, students and parents in the wake of school closures caused by the coronavirus. Some believe they can have a ceremony safely while others are accusing the high-schoolers and their parents of being selfish during a global pandemic.
"This is much bigger than a graduation ceremony," said Reed Burris, a Gilbert resident opposed to in-person ceremonies. "You should be pushing for people to stay inside."
Soliman's petition is one of more than 500 on Change.org, pleading for the preservation of in-person ceremonies across the U.S.
Not the real thing, but... Students will cross the finish line to high school with a lap at the Daytona 500In Knoxville, Tennessee, district leaders backpedaled on a plan to hold graduation without guests when parents revolted.
"There's a lot more involved in these ceremonies than a student getting a paper diploma and turning their tassel," Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said.
The discourse shares similarities with the fervent demonstrations staged for and against reopening America's businesses, as well as the debate over the use of masks in public places. The rancor underscores an increasingly fractured conversation around COVID-19.
'Tale of two cities': Across US, some embrace reopening amid coronavirus and others remain wary
Uncertainty looms over ceremonies
Arizona's stay-at-home order expired Friday. The governor is still encouraging social distancing, but nothing in his new order appears to forbid gatherings.
The Arizona Department of Health Services recommended last week "that mass gatherings (such as graduations, concerts) are not held at this time."
Still, the agency outlined steps for attendees and organizers to take if they planned to forge ahead with a ceremony:
Anyone sick should stay home.
Attendees should stay 6 feet away from each other.
Anyone in a high-risk group should not attend, including older adults and anyone with a serious underlying medical condition.
Attendees should not touch their eyes, nose or mouth and should use hand sanitizer after leaving the event. They should also wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds upon returning home.
Attendees should cover their faces at the event.
They should not borrow or rent graduation regalia.
Major Arizona school districts have either postponed ceremonies or have decided to hold virtual ceremonies.
Chandler Unified, the second-largest school district in the state, wrote to families May 5 that the district was working on a plan to hold graduation ceremonies at each high school "while still adhering to the recommended CDC guidelines."
At the ceremonies, students would be seated 6 feet apart and the audience would likely be limited. The ceremonies would be livestreamed for families to watch.
One superintendent in suburban Milwaukee initially resisted the idea of a virtual graduation because it made the emotional event seem so impersonal.
Back in early April, Wauwatosa School District Superintendent Phil Ertl said he hoped to just keep pushing back the date of an in-person ceremony for as long as it took to do it safely. But by early May, his district had gone the route of many others, with a planned video celebration set for June 7.
"We are also still hanging on to July 26 in hopes that we can do something in person," Ertl said this month. "So much is changing. To cancel that date right now doesn't make sense to me."
Pleas for the show to go on
People in at least nine school districts across Arizona have started Change.org petitions to hold in-person graduation ceremonies.
After Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced that businesses could start to reopen, a group of Arizona seniors made a video pleading for an in-person ceremony.
"There are ways we can make this happen," one of the students in the video said. "We deserve a graduation."
Governor Doug Ducey, here is part of the Class of 2020. We have a favor to ask. @dougducey pic.twitter.com/z8XszDeXq2 — amelie (@amelielanddd) May 6, 2020
The video was posted on Twitter and received nearly 100 retweets. But some who responded to the tweet scoffed at the idea.
"You’re asking to put your friends' parents at risk of dying so you can feel accomplished for a completely normal and baseline accomplishment," one Twitter user responded.
Others have tried to come up with alternatives to graduation.
Beth Obermeyer, who works with high school students at New Foundation church in Goodyear, held driveway graduations for seniors. Using a megaphone, church staff surprised students by showing up on their driveway and holding impromptu celebrations, 6 feet apart.
"We were trying to think of a way to make our high school seniors feel better because they've had such a rough spring," Obermeyer said.
No prom, either: So these families toasted a high school couple in their own backyard prom
In Great Falls, Montana, district officials said they did not want the coronavirus to end the tradition of graduating seniors' ringing a school bell. Officials are leaving the bell in the school's parking lot for students to ring.
If students choose to ring the bell, they are asked to maintain social distancing, wear the supplied disposable gloves and sanitize hands before and after ringing the bell. The school is setting up a hand-sanitizing station.
'We're not taking this lightly': Small Montana school to be among first in US to reopen
Some have said schools are being too cautious.
A group of Mountain View High parents in Mesa, Arizona, threw a senior salute parade for grads. Seniors on May 16 lined up 6 feet apart on the sidewalk of a Mesa street for cars to drive by in celebration.
Destinee Mack, a parent and one of the event's organizers, initially asked the district whether parents could drop their student off in the high school's parking lot so the students could safely line up.
Mesa Public Schools denied that request, Mack said. Mesa did not respond to a request for comment.
"I do think there's a risk, but I do also think that if we follow the social distancing protocols ... I think we can still do this in a socially responsible way," Mack said.
Contributing: Erin Richards, USA TODAY; Monica Kast, Knoxville News Sentinel; Skylar Rispens, Great Falls Tribune
Follow Lily Altavena on Twitter: @LilyAlta.


usatoday--2020-05-15--Wisconsin lawmakers say counties and cities are on their own after court ruling in coronavirus case


usatoday--2020-05-15--Some local Wisconsin officials are now tossing coronavirus orders over legal concerns

MADISON , Wis. – Leaders of cities and counties who raced this week to implement restrictions in the wake of a state Supreme Court ruling against Gov .
Tony Evers are now tossing those orders , many citing uncertainty over whether they are legal .
At least 17 communities had issued new orders aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus by Friday morning — but hours later , at least eight had dropped them including Brown County , where cases of the virus have skyrocketed in recent weeks .
The decisions by local officials mean an increasing number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions in place to curb infections as the coronavirus slows but does n't stop .
In Brown County , Health Officer Anna Destree urged people in the area to voluntarily follow the rules included in the order .
`` Just because the order goes away does n't mean there is n't a pandemic , '' she said .
Wisconsin lawmakers : Counties and cities are on their own after court ruling in coronavirus case 'OPEN IMMEDIATELY ! '
: Wisconsinites head out to bars after state stay-at-home orders lifted Joining Brown County in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , were Calumet , Kenosha , Manitowoc and Winnebago counties , and the cities of Appleton , Cudahy , De Pere and Menasha .
The orders were only in place about a day following a ruling by the state Supreme Court that struck down Evers ' order to stay at home , requiring him to instead use a legislative process known as rulemaking to implement any of the restrictions in the order .
Local health officers issued similar orders to replace Evers ' but the legal grounds were not certain .
Evers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court ruling did n't apply to local health officials and that the orders were lawful .
But other attorneys and officials at the Wisconsin Counties Association said they did n't know whether local health officials had the power to close businesses , among other restrictions .
Evers this week predicted chaos would result from the Supreme Court ruling .
`` I ca n't imagine another state that is in this predicament , '' he said .
The local governments are backing off their health orders just as Republican lawmakers insist it should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders to determine whether people should stay at home and businesses should close .
“ I didn ’ t vote for every single city council and county board around the state , but I certainly think it should have the right to do what they think is necessary to keep their community safe , ” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said in an interview Thursday .
But in the 24 hours after the Republican from Racine County said that , community after community abandoned their local orders over concerns they didn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In their view , the lawsuit orchestrated by Republican lawmakers is what prevented them from being able to act .
`` It is deeply frustrating and disappointing that the legislature and Governor will not work together , or even attempt to do so , in the interest of statewide health and clarity , '' Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford said in a statement .
`` The people of Appleton are frustrated and confused as a result of this inaction , and we are not going to wait for the State to act if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
In Outagamie County , health officials rescinded an order they issued a day before because of the status of the virus .
`` After conferring with the governor , it became clear that the legislature has no plans for a staged and sensible reopening of our public spaces , '' Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson said .
Fridays ' tumult also came after GOP lawmakers this week made clear there wo n't be a statewide game plan to navigate the coronavirus outbreak anytime soon — if ever .
GOP Sen. Steve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new proposal from Gov .
Tony Evers ' administration to replace the stay-at-home order that was struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this week .
The court ruling gave a committee led by Nass veto power over a new plan — which he signaled he 'd seek to use if Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm did n't go back to the drawing board .
`` The DHS ( proposal ) leaves little doubt that Secretary-Designee Palm is no longer acting in a lawful capacity by circumventing the Supreme Court ruling and once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daily lives of every Wisconsin citizen , '' Nass said in a statement asking Evers to withdraw the plan .
Nass ' comments come a day after Vos and Nass ' co-chairwoman Rep. Joan Ballweg said they do n't see a need to adopt any new guidelines for the state , despite repeatedly saying previously they were suing to block Evers ' order to be able to work with him on a new plan .
Now , cities and counties are left to come up with their own rules — putting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases varying widely between neighboring counties .
It 's unclear whether Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald , who brought the lawsuit with Vos and is running for Congress , supports the approach of Assembly Republicans .
Fitzgerald has not responded to repeated requests for interviews and answers to questions about whether he agreed with Vos on leaving it to cities and counties to develop their own plans .
Vos said Thursday he didn ’ t want to put state rules in place unless Evers could persuade him that they were needed because local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But a day later , numerous local leaders concluded they didn ’ t have that power .
Not all communities were changing course .
For instance , Dane County plans to keep in place its strict stay-at-home order .
“ I ’ m confident our order is legal and valid .
Hopefully , everyone will continue to follow it to help the suppression of the disease , ” said Marci Paulsen , an assistant city attorney who represents Madison and Dane County ’ s joint health department .
She said she did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision this week would limit the ability of local officials to issue health orders .
The court struck down the state order because it found state officials needed to go through a rulemaking process that is overseen by lawmakers .
But local officials are not required to use that process , she noted .

Some local Wisconsin officials are now tossing coronavirus orders over legal concerns
Show Caption Hide Caption Wisconsin businesses open after court ruling The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers' coronavirus stay-at-home order extension Wednesday. The ruling essentially reopens the state, letting businesses like bars and restaurants open and lifting caps on the size of gatherings. (May 14) AP
MADISON, Wis. – Leaders of cities and counties who raced last week to implement restrictions in the wake of a state Supreme Court ruling against Gov. Tony Evers are now tossing those orders, many citing uncertainty over whether they are legal.
At least 17 communities had issued new orders aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus by Friday morning — but hours later, at least eight had dropped them including Brown County, where cases of the virus have skyrocketed in recent weeks.
The decisions by local officials mean an increasing number of communities in Wisconsin won't have any restrictions in place to curb infections as the coronavirus slows but doesn't stop.
In Brown County, health Officer Anna Destree urged people in the area to voluntarily follow the rules included in the order.
"Just because the order goes away doesn't mean there isn't a pandemic," she said.
Wisconsin lawmakers: Counties and cities are on their own after court ruling in coronavirus case
'OPEN IMMEDIATELY!': Wisconsinites head out to bars after state stay-at-home orders lifted
Joining Brown County in changing course, as of 4:30 p.m. Friday, were Calumet, Kenosha, Manitowoc and Winnebago counties, and the cities of Appleton, Cudahy, De Pere and Menasha.
The orders were in place for only about a day following a ruling by the state Supreme Court that struck down Evers' order to stay at home, requiring him to instead use a legislative process known as rule-making to implement any of the restrictions in the order.
Local health officers issued similar orders to replace Evers', but the legal grounds were not certain. Evers' chief legal counsel said the Supreme Court ruling didn't apply to local health officials and that the orders were lawful.
But other attorneys and officials at the Wisconsin Counties Association said they didn't know whether local health officials had the power to close businesses, among other restrictions.
Evers last week predicted chaos would result from the Supreme Court ruling.
"I can't imagine another state that is in this predicament," he said.
The local governments are backing off their health orders just as Republican lawmakers insist it should be up to local officials rather than state leaders to determine whether people should stay at home and businesses should close.
“I didn’t vote for every single city council and county board around the state, but I certainly think it should have the right to do what they think is necessary to keep their community safe,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said in an interview Thursday.
But in the 24 hours after the Republican from Racine County said that, community after community abandoned their local orders over concerns they didn’t have the ability to keep them in place. In their view, the lawsuit orchestrated by Republican lawmakers is what prevented them from being able to act.
"It is deeply frustrating and disappointing that the legislature and Governor will not work together, or even attempt to do so, in the interest of statewide health and clarity," Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford said in a statement. "The people of Appleton are frustrated and confused as a result of this inaction, and we are not going to wait for the State to act if they aren’t going to anyway."
In Outagamie County, health officials rescinded an order they issued a day before because of the status of the virus.
"After conferring with the governor, it became clear that the legislature has no plans for a staged and sensible reopening of our public spaces," Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson said.
Fridays' tumult also came after GOP lawmakers this week made clear there won't be a statewide game plan to navigate the coronavirus outbreak anytime soon — if ever.
GOP Sen. Steve Nass of Whitewater on Friday rejected a new proposal from Gov. Tony Evers' administration to replace the stay-at-home order that was struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this week.
The court ruling gave a committee led by Nass veto power over a new plan — which he signaled he'd seek to use if Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm didn't go back to the drawing board.
"The DHS (proposal) leaves little doubt that Secretary-Designee Palm is no longer acting in a lawful capacity by circumventing the Supreme Court ruling and once again trying to improperly take control of the daily lives of every Wisconsin citizen," Nass said in a statement asking Evers to withdraw the plan.
Nass' comments come a day after Vos and Nass' co-chairwoman Rep. Joan Ballweg said they don't see a need to adopt any new guidelines for the state, despite repeatedly saying previously that they were suing to block Evers' order to be able to work with him on a new plan.
Now, cities and counties are left to come up with their own rules — putting in place a patchwork of regulations in some cases varying widely between neighboring counties.
It's unclear whether Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, who brought the lawsuit with Vos and is running for Congress, supports the approach of Assembly Republicans.
Fitzgerald has not responded to repeated requests for interviews and answers to questions about whether he agreed with Vos on leaving it to cities and counties to develop their own plans.
Vos said Thursday that he didn’t want to put state rules in place unless Evers could persuade him that they were needed because local officials couldn’t address the issue. But a day later, numerous local leaders concluded that they didn’t have that power.
Not all communities were changing course. For instance, Dane County plans to keep in place its strict stay-at-home order.
“I’m confident our order is legal and valid. Hopefully, everyone will continue to follow it to help the suppression of the disease,” said Marci Paulsen, an assistant city attorney who represents Madison and Dane County’s joint health department.
She said she did not believe the Supreme Court’s decision this week would limit the ability of local officials to issue health orders.
The court struck down the state order because it found that state officials needed to go through a rule-making process that is overseen by lawmakers. But local officials are not required to use that process, she noted.
Follow Molly Beck on Twitter: @MollyBeck.
Contributing: Doug Schneider and Haley BeMiller, Green Bay Press-Gazette


usatoday--2020-05-15--Trump says truckers honking near the White House were a 'sign of love,' but they were protesting shi

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump 's press briefing in the White House Rose Garden on Friday was set to the tune of blaring truck horns nearby .
But the honks were n't `` the sign of love '' for the president that he said they were .
`` Those are truckers that are with us all the way , '' Trump said as he made an announcement about coronavirus vaccines .
`` They 're protesting in favor of President Trump as opposed to against . ''
The horns honked as Trump held his briefing to announce `` Operation Warp Speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 vaccine into production and distribution by the end of this year .
He paused to acknowledge them .
`` That 's the sign of love , not the sign of your typical protest , '' Trump said .
`` So I want to thank our great truckers , they like me and I like them . ''
'If we stop , the world stops ' : Truckers brave coronavirus outbreak to deliver goods .
But the truckers have shown up in downtown D.C. for weeks to protest low shipping rates that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business amid the recent economic downturn .
`` The services provided by truck drivers are currently in high demand , but at the same time many small trucking businesses are far from certain they will survive today ’ s economic downturn .
With freight rates reaching historic lows , small business truckers are struggling , '' said Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer in a letter to members of Congress .
After an early boom in demand for shipped goods at the onset of stay-at-home orders , truckers are now facing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say are too low .
The truckers are also calling for more price transparency between brokers and motor carriers , accusing brokers of skirting regulations requiring them to disclose how much shippers paid them and how much they then paid the carriers .
The organization representing brokers told The Washington Post the rates are due to the current state of the market .
Trump acknowledged truckers ' concerns in a `` Fox & Friends '' interview earlier this month , saying the truckers were being `` price gouged . ''
“ All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Trump said in an interview .
“ And we ’ re going to treat them fairly .
What they ’ re asking is almost nothing in many cases ... we ’ re going to take care of them.
” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows visited with truck drivers demonstrating in Washington on Thursday , according to spokeswoman Alyssa Farah .

Trump says truckers honking near the White House were a 'sign of love,' but they were protesting shipping rates
Show Caption Hide Caption Pres. Donald Trump explains why not all COVID-19 advisors wear masks President Trump's top health advisers attended a White House event with protective masks, though the president himself did not wear a face covering. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's press briefing in the White House Rose Garden on Friday was set to the tune of blaring truck horns nearby. But the honks weren't "the sign of love" for the president that he said they were.
"Those are truckers that are with us all the way," Trump said as he made an announcement about coronavirus vaccines. "They're protesting in favor of President Trump as opposed to against."
The horns honked as Trump held his briefing to announce "Operation Warp Speed," an effort to get a COVID-19 vaccine into production and distribution by the end of this year. He paused to acknowledge them.
"That's the sign of love, not the sign of your typical protest," Trump said. "So I want to thank our great truckers, they like me and I like them."
'If we stop, the world stops': Truckers brave coronavirus outbreak to deliver goods.
As Trump delivers briefing on vaccines in Rose Garden you can hear loud honking from outside WH grounds. pic.twitter.com/RuJ6ZgDZO9 — Laura Figueroa Hernandez (@Laura_Figueroa) May 15, 2020
But the truckers have shown up in downtown D.C. for weeks to protest low shipping rates that they say threaten to put them out of business amid the recent economic downturn.
"The services provided by truck drivers are currently in high demand, but at the same time many small trucking businesses are far from certain they will survive today’s economic downturn. With freight rates reaching historic lows, small business truckers are struggling," said Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer in a letter to members of Congress.
After an early boom in demand for shipped goods at the onset of stay-at-home orders, truckers are now facing a lack of business or offers with rates they say are too low.
The truckers are also calling for more price transparency between brokers and motor carriers, accusing brokers of skirting regulations requiring them to disclose how much shippers paid them and how much they then paid the carriers. The organization representing brokers told The Washington Post the rates are due to the current state of the market.
Trump acknowledged truckers' concerns in a "Fox & Friends" interview earlier this month, saying the truckers were being "price gouged."
“All they want is to be treated fairly,” Trump said in an interview. “And we’re going to treat them fairly. What they’re asking is almost nothing in many cases ... we’re going to take care of them.”
.@WhiteHouse Chief of Staff @MarkMeadows visiting the Truckers demonstrating on Constitution Ave yesterday. @RealDonaldTrump & the American people stand with America’s truckers!! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/WqVAB6F3Og — Alyssa Farah (@Alyssafarah) May 15, 2020
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows visited with truck drivers demonstrating in Washington on Thursday, according to spokeswoman Alyssa Farah.
"@RealDonaldTrump & the American people stand with America’s truckers!!" Farah tweeted.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-05-15--Anthony Fauci, Deborah Birx wear masks, Trump doesn't in address on coronavirus vaccines

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump 's top health advisers – Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx – showed up at a White House event Friday with protective masks , though the president himself continued to spurn any kind of face covering .
`` We 've all been tested , '' Trump said when asked about his decision to go without a mask .
`` I 've been tested . ''
Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , was one of three health officials who signed a statement this week saying they would wear masks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fauci and Birx , coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force , stood behind Trump with masks as the president discussed a project to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus .
The president has steadfastly refused to wear a mask in recent weeks , despite new White House guidelines that require those around them to do so .
Ivanka Trump , daughter and senior adviser to her father , said she wears a mask at the White House , and added that the protocols are different as they relate to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures as it relates to interacting with the president , '' Ivanka Trump told USA TODAY on Thursday when asked about criticism her father has received for declining to wear a mask in public .
The president `` is tested on a daily basis – all those who come into contact with him are tested on a daily basis , '' she said in an interview .
`` No one is in close proximity to him that is n't wearing a mask . ''
Critics say Trump 's refusal to don a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and endangering others at worst .
The president even rejected a face covering when he toured a mask production facility last week in Arizona .
Trump also went bare faced when he toured a medical equipment factory Thursday in Allentown , Pennsylvania .
After he arrived in Pennsylvania , the state 's Democratic governor , Tom Wolf , took a shot at the president over the mask issue .
`` Masks add another layer of protection to help stop the spread of # COVID19 , '' Wolf tweeted , but not mentioning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many people as possible wear masks when leaving home . ''
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’ Most visitors to the White House wear masks these days .
Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control , and Steve Hahn , the Commissioner of Food and Drugs , signed the statement along with Fauci pledging to wear masks and take other protective steps when entering the executive mansion .
The mask rule is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work at the White House .
During the White House vaccine events , two high-ranking officials – Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar – also did not wear face coverings .
Asked about the different approaches , Trump said he told aides they could do what they wanted regarding masks .
`` You can blame it on me , '' Trump said .
`` I gave them the option . ''
As the House debated Friday whether to allow lawmakers to vote remotely to avoid spreading the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lit into his colleagues who were not wearing masks in the Capitol and opposed the procedural change .
McGovern said lawmakers who don ’ t cover their faces “ as a display of how unafraid they may be , ” could be asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 and infecting others .
“ Please , spare me the self-righteous kind of indignation over this , ” he said .
“ We ’ re supposed to follow the medical advice .
”

Anthony Fauci, Deborah Birx wear masks, Trump doesn't in address on coronavirus vaccines
Show Caption Hide Caption Pres. Donald Trump explains why not all COVID-19 advisors wear masks President Trump's top health advisers attended a White House event with protective masks, though the president himself did not wear a face covering. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's top health advisers – Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx – showed up at a White House event Friday with protective masks, though the president himself continued to spurn any kind of face covering.
"We've all been tested," Trump said when asked about his decision to go without a mask. "I've been tested."
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was one of three health officials who signed a statement this week saying they would wear masks and take other precautions during White House events.
Fauci and Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, stood behind Trump with masks as the president discussed a project to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.
The president has steadfastly refused to wear a mask in recent weeks, despite new White House guidelines that require those around them to do so.
Ivanka Trump, daughter and senior adviser to her father, said she wears a mask at the White House, and added that the protocols are different as they relate to the president himself.
"There are different procedures as it relates to interacting with the president," Ivanka Trump told USA TODAY on Thursday when asked about criticism her father has received for declining to wear a mask in public.
The president "is tested on a daily basis – all those who come into contact with him are tested on a daily basis," she said in an interview. "No one is in close proximity to him that isn't wearing a mask."
White House seeks COVID-19 vaccine for all Americans by January Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar talked about a timeline for a COVID-19 vaccine. USA TODAY
Critics say Trump's refusal to don a mask is setting a bad example at best and endangering others at worst. The president even rejected a face covering when he toured a mask production facility last week in Arizona.
Trump also went bare faced when he toured a medical equipment factory Thursday in Allentown, Pennsylvania. After he arrived in Pennsylvania, the state's Democratic governor, Tom Wolf, took a shot at the president over the mask issue.
"Masks add another layer of protection to help stop the spread of #COVID19," Wolf tweeted, but not mentioning the president. "It's important that as many people as possible wear masks when leaving home."
Want to talk more about politics?: Join our Facebook group: ‘Across the Aisle, Across the Nation.’
Most visitors to the White House wear masks these days.
Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control, and Steve Hahn, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, signed the statement along with Fauci pledging to wear masks and take other protective steps when entering the executive mansion.
The mask rule is not mandatory for department heads who do not work at the White House.
During the White House vaccine events, two high-ranking officials – Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar – also did not wear face coverings.
Asked about the different approaches, Trump said he told aides they could do what they wanted regarding masks.
"You can blame it on me," Trump said. "I gave them the option."
As the House debated Friday whether to allow lawmakers to vote remotely to avoid spreading the virus, Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., lit into his colleagues who were not wearing masks in the Capitol and opposed the procedural change.
McGovern said lawmakers who don’t cover their faces “as a display of how unafraid they may be,” could be asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 and infecting others.
“Please, spare me the self-righteous kind of indignation over this,” he said. “We’re supposed to follow the medical advice.”
Contributing: Maureen Groppe


usatoday--2020-05-15--Amid a public health crisis, Americans' views on health care policy haven't changed, survey says

WASHINGTON – Over the past several weeks , the majority of Americans have had to alter their lives due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Face masks have become part of most people 's daily wardrobe .
Social distancing restrictions are still being ordered in many of the states .
And millions have lost their jobs , as well as their health insurance .
Despite the changes , the majority of Americans ' long-held beliefs surrounding health care have n't changed , according to a new survey .
About half of Americans – 51 % – said they agree that government-run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project .
That 's just a 1 percentage point less than in February .
`` The events themselves have not driven people to some radical new conclusions about whether the government should be providing certain types of services , '' said Robert Griffin , research director for the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group .
`` These are not attitudes that have suddenly changed overnight in response to political events that have occurred . ''
The new survey comes amid a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States was closed down for more than a month to help limit the spread of the coronavirus .
Over the past couple of months , more than 36 million people have sought jobless benefits.The Labor Department said Thursday that about 3 million Americans filed initial unemployment benefit claims last week .
Are lockdowns being relaxed in my state ?
: Here 's how America is reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Half the states across the nation have also begun loosening social distancing restrictions over the past several weeks .
Experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new cases may be flattening , but they are estimating at least 60,000 more people will die from coronavirus by August .
The Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project is a large-scale study of the American electorate .
Throughout the 2020 election cycle , the researchers aim to conduct 500,000 interviews about policies and the presidential candidates .
This survey was conducted between April 29 and May 6 , with 6,366 Americans surveyed .
There is a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points .
Another policy view that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Subsidizing health insurance for lower-income people who are not receiving Medicare or Medicaid .
Sixty-three percent of Americans said that they agree with that – a 2 percentage-point drop from February .
However , a majority of Americans believe there should be more short-term aid for those in need during the coronavirus pandemic , according to an analysis on Nationscape Insights , a project of Democracy Fund , UCLA , and USA TODAY .
Pandemic protocols : Safety measures vary from the White House to the Supreme Court Griffin noted that during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more flexible in terms of thinking about what types of policies they might consider , '' even if their attitudes about basic policies have n't shifted much .
Seventy-nine percent of Americans strongly or somewhat support increasing spending on health insurance and food aid for the poor during the coronavirus pandemic .
When broken down between Democrats and Republicans , the majority of both also support to increase spending .
The coronavirus pandemic also has n't affected long-standing political norms for Republicans and Democrats , according to the survey .
Sixty-nine percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health insurance to all Americans .
In February , that number was at 68 % .
In terms of agreeing on subsidizing health insurance for lower income people who are not receiving Medicare or Medicaid , Democrats are at 78 % , a 2 percentage point drop from February .
For Republicans , the numbers do n't change drastically either .
Thirty percent of Republicans agree to providing government-run health insurance to all Americans , compared with 33 % in February .
There was also a three-point drop from February to May among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsidizing health insurance for lower income people who are not receiving Medicare or Medicaid , from 53 % to 50 % .
Want to talk more about politics ?
: Join our Facebook group : ‘ Across the Aisle , Across the Nation .
’

Amid a public health crisis, Americans' views on health care policy haven't changed, survey says
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: Fauci says more deaths to come if no adequate response Dr. Anthony Fauci told senators "it is without a doubt that there will be infections" in the fall and warned of more deaths without adequate response. Associated Press, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Over the past several weeks, the majority of Americans have had to alter their lives due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Face masks have become part of most people's daily wardrobe. Social distancing restrictions are still being ordered in many of the states. And millions have lost their jobs, as well as their health insurance.
Despite the changes, the majority of Americans' long-held beliefs surrounding health care haven't changed, according to a new survey.
About half of Americans – 51% – said they agree that government-run health insurance should be provided to all Americans, according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project. That's just 1 percentage point less than in February.
"The events themselves have not driven people to some radical new conclusions about whether the government should be providing certain types of services," said Robert Griffin, research director for the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group. "These are not attitudes that have suddenly changed overnight in response to political events that have occurred."
The survey comes amid a public health crisis in which most of the United States was closed down for more than a month to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. Over the past couple of months, more than 36 million people have sought unemployment benefits. The Labor Department said Thursday that about 3 million Americans filed initial unemployment benefit claims during the previous week.
Are lockdowns being relaxed in my state?: Here's how America is reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Half the states across the nation have also begun loosening social distancing restrictions over the past several weeks. Experts say that the curve showing the rate of new cases may be flattening, but they are estimating at least 60,000 more people will die of coronavirus by August.
The Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project is a large-scale study of the American electorate. Throughout the 2020 election cycle, the researchers aim to conduct 500,000 interviews about policies and the presidential candidates. This survey was conducted between April 29 and May 6, with 6,366 Americans surveyed. There is a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.
Another policy view that hasn't seen a lot of change? Subsidizing health insurance for lower-income people who are not receiving Medicare or Medicaid.
Sixty-three percent of Americans said that they agree with that – a 2 percentage point drop from February.
However, a majority of Americans believe there should be more short term aid for those in need during the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis on Nationscape Insights, a project of Democracy Fund, UCLA, and USA TODAY.
Pandemic protocols: Safety measures vary from the White House to the Supreme Court
Griffin noted that during the pandemic, Americans are "much more flexible in terms of thinking about what types of policies they might consider," even if their attitudes about basic policies haven't shifted much.
Seventy-nine percent of Americans strongly or somewhat support increasing spending on health insurance and food aid for the poor during the coronavirus pandemic. When broken down between Democrats and Republicans, the majority of both also support to increase spending.
The coronavirus pandemic also hasn't affected long-standing political norms for Republicans and Democrats, according to the survey.
Sixty-nine percent of Democrats said they agree with providing government-run health insurance to all Americans. In February, that number was at 68%. In terms of agreeing on subsidizing health insurance for lower income people who are not receiving Medicare or Medicaid, Democrats are at 78%, a 2 percentage point drop from February.
For Republicans, the numbers don't change drastically either. Thirty percent of Republicans agree with providing government-run health insurance to all Americans, compared with 33% in February. There was also a 3-point drop from February to May among Republicans when asked whether they agree with subsidizing health insurance for lower income people who are not receiving Medicare or Medicaid, from 53% to 50%.
Want to talk more about politics?: Join our Facebook group: ‘Across the Aisle, Across the Nation.’


usatoday--2020-05-15--Joe Biden said in an interview that people who believe Tara Reade 'shouldn't vote for me'

Joe Biden says you 'should n't vote for me ' if you believe Tara Reade Presidential candidate Joe Biden said @ @ @ @ @ O'Donnell on MSNBC that people who believe Tara Reade `` should n't vote for me @ @

Joe Biden says you 'shouldn't vote for me' if you believe Tara Reade
Presidential candidate Joe Biden said in an interview with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC that people who believe Tara Reade "shouldn't vote for me."
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-05-15--Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida will partially reopen on Saturday

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. – President Donald Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago Club will reopen on Saturday , almost two months after it closed because of the coronavirus pandemic .
In a letter sent to club members on Thursday , managing director Bernd Lembcke announced the opening and schedule .
The club will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily , with lunch served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. , through May 25 –Memorial Day .
It will close May 26 and reopen the next day , after which it will remain open through June 28 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of COVID-19 , guests will find themselves making some sacrifices .
For one thing , it ’ s BYOT – Bring Your Own Towel .
There will be no towel service .
Germ-y noodles , floats and any other pool toys will be banned .
Also , the main house , tennis courts , spa , gym , and locker rooms will remain closed .
Restrooms will be sanitized hourly and sanitizing stations will be spread throughout the pool deck .
“ Do not come to the club if you are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with someone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19 .
... Do not shake hands with others , ” the letter said .
Reservations must be made no later than a day in advance , and use of the Beach Club is limited to members with their families .
No guests will be allowed .
Tables and lounge chairs will be placed 6 feet apart , and no congregating is allowed .
The 6-foot social distancing rule will be enforced on both the pool deck and in the pool/Jacuzzi , the letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spa , salon , fitness and accommodations services on March 19 and the Beach Club and tennis operations on March 20 .
Want to talk more about politics ?
: Join our Facebook group : ‘ Across the Aisle , Across the Nation .
’

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida will partially reopen on Saturday
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club will reopen on Saturday, almost two months after it closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a letter sent to club members on Thursday, managing director Bernd Lembcke announced the opening and schedule.
The club will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with lunch served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., through May 25 –Memorial Day.
It will close May 26 and reopen the next day, after which it will remain open through June 28.
But, like everything else in the time of COVID-19, guests will find themselves making some sacrifices.
For one thing, it’s BYOT – Bring Your Own Towel. There will be no towel service.
Germ-y noodles, floats and any other pool toys will be banned.
Also, the main house, tennis courts, spa, gym, and locker rooms will remain closed.
Mar-a-Lago: Trump resort furloughs all 153 'nonessential' employees during coronavirus pandemic
Restrooms will be sanitized hourly and sanitizing stations will be spread throughout the pool deck.
“Do not come to the club if you are not feeling well or have come in contact with someone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19. ... Do not shake hands with others,” the letter said.
Reservations must be made no later than a day in advance, and use of the Beach Club is limited to members with their families. No guests will be allowed.
Tables and lounge chairs will be placed 6 feet apart, and no congregating is allowed. The 6-foot social distancing rule will be enforced on both the pool deck and in the pool/Jacuzzi, the letter to members said.
Mar-a-Lago closed its kitchen, spa, salon, fitness and accommodations services on March 19 and the Beach Club and tennis operations on March 20.
Want to talk more about politics?: Join our Facebook group: ‘Across the Aisle, Across the Nation.’