washingtontimes--2020-05-09--Nursing homes get iPads to keep residents connected

The state health department distributed iPads to Connecticut nursing homes Saturday with an order to help residents who have been unable to have visitors since March stay in touch with friends and relatives .
The iPads , paid for with civil fines , were being delivered in time for Mother ’ s Day Sunday .
Each of the state ’ s 215 nursing homes was to receive a number of the devices based on the facility ’ s size .
State officials banned visitors to nursing homes March 13 as part of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coleman-Mitchell on Saturday ordered each facility to schedule weekly alternatives to in-person visits for residents .
They can include outdoor visits while social distancing , video chats , telephone calls or visits through the window .
Nursing home residents have accounted for more than half of all COVID-19-related deaths in the state , according to data released by Gov .
Ned Lamont ’ s office .
As of Saturday , more than 32,980 state residents had tested positive for the virus and 2,932 residents had died .
There were 1,301 people hospitalized because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous day , continuing a two-week decline .
The University of Connecticut held its first ever virtual commencement Saturday , with thousands of graduates and parents tuning in on tablets and smartphones .
The names of the graduates scrolled like movie credits at the end of the 35-minute ceremony .
“ I know this is not the ceremony you had in mind when you started your studies at UConn some time ago , but it doesn ’ t reduce the significance of this day in your life or the importance of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Thomas Katsouleas , standing at a lecturn wearing academic regalia .
He said an in-person celebration would be held in October if possible .
Women ’ s Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma , in a recorded message , told graduates they are experiencing the defining moment of their generation .
“ Everybody is looking for answers .
Maybe you get to provide the answers .
Maybe somebody in this class comes up with the answers so these things that are happening now won ’ t happen again , ” he said .
Colleges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students home in March to complete coursework online as the coronavirus began taking hold in the United States .
“ During these unprecedented times , our students have served as an inspiration to all of us , ” Lt. Gov .
Susan Bysiewicz said in a written statement .
UConn said it would award more than 8,900 degrees this May , including 6,335 Bachelor ’ s degrees and 1,877 Master ’ s degrees .

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -
NURSING HOMES
The state health department distributed iPads to Connecticut nursing homes Saturday with an order to help residents who have been unable to have visitors since March stay in touch with friends and relatives.
The iPads, paid for with civil fines, were being delivered in time for Mother’s Day Sunday. Each of the state’s 215 nursing homes was to receive a number of the devices based on the facility’s size.
State officials banned visitors to nursing homes March 13 as part of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Department of Public Health Commissioner Renee Coleman-Mitchell on Saturday ordered each facility to schedule weekly alternatives to in-person visits for residents. They can include outdoor visits while social distancing, video chats, telephone calls or visits through the window.
Nursing home residents have accounted for more than half of all COVID-19-related deaths in the state, according to data released by Gov. Ned Lamont’s office.
As of Saturday, more than 32,980 state residents had tested positive for the virus and 2,932 residents had died. There were 1,301 people hospitalized because of the virus, 35 fewer than the previous day, continuing a two-week decline.
___
VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT
The University of Connecticut held its first ever virtual commencement Saturday, with thousands of graduates and parents tuning in on tablets and smartphones.
The names of the graduates scrolled like movie credits at the end of the 35-minute ceremony.
“I know this is not the ceremony you had in mind when you started your studies at UConn some time ago, but it doesn’t reduce the significance of this day in your life or the importance of what you’ve achieved,” said President Thomas Katsouleas, standing at a lecturn wearing academic regalia.
He said an in-person celebration would be held in October if possible.
Women’s Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma, in a recorded message, told graduates they are experiencing the defining moment of their generation.
“Everybody is looking for answers. Maybe you get to provide the answers. Maybe somebody in this class comes up with the answers so these things that are happening now won’t happen again,” he said.
Colleges and universities around the nation abruptly sent students home in March to complete coursework online as the coronavirus began taking hold in the United States.
“During these unprecedented times, our students have served as an inspiration to all of us,” Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said in a written statement.
UConn said it would award more than 8,900 degrees this May, including 6,335 Bachelor’s degrees and 1,877 Master’s degrees.


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--Barber shop owner who vowed to reopen hosts rally instead

MEDIA , Pa. ( AP ) - A suburban Philadelphia barber shop owner who had vowed to reopen over the weekend in defiance of the governor ’ s shutdown order instead hosted a rally calling for an end to the shutdown .
Giovanni ’ s owner Nichole Missino on Saturday cited threats from the state board that licenses her and her business and from local police she said had promised action to revoke her occupancy license .
Missino said last week that she and her six employees had been unable to get unemployment compensation and collectively decided to reopen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trained to contain infectious diseases and vowed additional safety precautions , including masks , face shields and partitions between barber chairs .
But instead , she held an impromptu rally Saturday on the salon ’ s front steps , telling a crowd outside through a bullhorn “ What happened to ‘ Home of the Free ’ ?
I don ’ t know where I live anymore.
” “ I do have a lawyer and I am speaking to him , ” Missino said , “ And I ’ m going to try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t stay closed.
” About 70 people had booked appointments for what would have been the shop ’ s reopening weekend , but Missino said she called each customer back to cancel the appointments after a last-minute decision Friday to reverse course .
“ We wanted to go against this , today , but there ’ s too much pressure ; this is bigger than our small shop , ” said Chris Cifelli , the shop ’ s manager .
“ If this continues , there won ’ t be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses .
”

MEDIA, Pa. (AP) - A suburban Philadelphia barber shop owner who had vowed to reopen over the weekend in defiance of the governor’s shutdown order instead hosted a rally calling for an end to the shutdown.
Giovanni’s owner Nichole Missino on Saturday cited threats from the state board that licenses her and her business and from local police she said had promised action to revoke her occupancy license.
Missino said last week that she and her six employees had been unable to get unemployment compensation and collectively decided to reopen the Media shop. She said barbers are trained to contain infectious diseases and vowed additional safety precautions, including masks, face shields and partitions between barber chairs.
But instead, she held an impromptu rally Saturday on the salon’s front steps, telling a crowd outside through a bullhorn “What happened to ‘Home of the Free’? I don’t know where I live anymore.”
“I do have a lawyer and I am speaking to him,” Missino said, “And I’m going to try to figure out how to open because we can’t stay closed.”
About 70 people had booked appointments for what would have been the shop’s reopening weekend, but Missino said she called each customer back to cancel the appointments after a last-minute decision Friday to reverse course.
“We wanted to go against this, today, but there’s too much pressure; this is bigger than our small shop,” said Chris Cifelli, the shop’s manager. “If this continues, there won’t be a Media; this town is all small businesses.”


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--Pawn shop selling stolen goods hit with $7 million in fines

MIDDLETOWN , Del .
( AP ) - The operators of a Delaware pawn shop have been hit with nearly @ @ @ @ @ for trafficking in stolen goods .
The Delaware attorney general ’ s office announced the @ @ @ @ @ Pawn Shop in Middletown .
The court judgments were obtained after in the aftermath of @ @ @ @ @ Operation Golden Eye.
” Nearly two dozen people were arrested on theft and racketeering charges @ @ @ @ @ shop enlisted shoplifters to steal items which would then be sold at the pawn shop @ @ @ @ @ Kisha Reilly , along with Shaun Reilly ’ s mother , Denise Toy , all @ @ @ @ @ as well in 2017 .
The civil penalties announced Friday include $ 6.4 million against @ @ @ @ @ 350,000 against Shaun Reilly and $ 40,000 against Toy .

MIDDLETOWN, Del. (AP) - The operators of a Delaware pawn shop have been hit with nearly $7 million in fines for trafficking in stolen goods.
The Delaware attorney general’s office announced the penalties Friday against Gold Fever Pawn Shop in Middletown.
The court judgments were obtained after in the aftermath of a 2016 investigation dubbed “Operation Golden Eye.” Nearly two dozen people were arrested on theft and racketeering charges after authorities said the pawn shop enlisted shoplifters to steal items which would then be sold at the pawn shop.
Shop operators Shaun and Kisha Reilly, along with Shaun Reilly’s mother, Denise Toy, all pleaded guilty to criminal charges as well in 2017.
The civil penalties announced Friday include $6.4 million against the pawn shop, $350,000 against Shaun Reilly and $40,000 against Toy.


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--St. Louis area outpaces Kansas City in virus cases, deaths

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - Experts aren ’ t clear why the coronavirus is striking the state ’ s two largest metropolitan areas so differently , although the geography of the areas might provide a clue .
Johns Hopkins University reported 483 deaths and 9,700 cases in Missouri as of Saturday , with the bulk of them in the St. Louis region .
As of late the week , 466 had died in the St. Louis area , compared to 157 in greater Kansas City , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported .
The victims of the St. Louis region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 83-year-old Patricia Olwig , whose maiden name was Abeln .
They had been married nearly 61 years when they died less than an hour apart this month from COVID-19 complications .
” It ’ s devastating , ” their son , Pat , said .
“ And I know they ’ re just this one small part of this thing that ’ s hitting people all over the world.
” For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up after two to three weeks .
For some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The St. Louis region is home to about 30 % more people , which isn ’ t enough to account for the lopsided totals .
The discrepancy is all the more confusing , according to some experts , because the timeline of each region ’ s coronavirus outbreaks and response actions seemed to unfold - at least initially - in such similar fashion .
“ The ingredients don ’ t seem all that different , from what I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sociologist at Saint Louis University who has closely tracked regional data on the virus .
He has wondered about the imbalance between the two similarly sized cities .
“ It ’ s a great question , and one I wish I had an answer to.
” One theory , according to some experts , is that the St. Louis community has a higher population density and simply had more of the virus circulating undetected at the time shutdowns clicked into place .
Kansas City also is better shielded from initial hot spots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t think I would ’ ve done anything differently than what they ’ ve done , ” Dr. Rex Archer , the director of Kansas City , Missouri ’ s health department , said of the St. Louis metro response .
“ I think the difference was that there were more undetected cases in St. Louis than we had , when we put in our social-distancing , stay-at-home orders .
At least in Kansas City , Missouri , we were very late in getting our first death .
Our cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other places.
” The question is now whether the discrepancies will remain as the communities prepare to reopen , with restrictions .
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and St. Louis City Mayor Lyda Krewson will allow some businesses to open May 18 , but that does not include gyms .
The restrictions led the owners of a gym and shuttered antique store to sue to reopen .
But a district court judge on Friday denied their request for a temporary restraining order , the Post-Dispatch reported .

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Experts aren’t clear why the coronavirus is striking the state’s two largest metropolitan areas so differently, although the geography of the areas might provide a clue.
Johns Hopkins University reported 483 deaths and 9,700 cases in Missouri as of Saturday, with the bulk of them in the St. Louis region. As of late the week, 466 had died in the St. Louis area, compared to 157 in greater Kansas City, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
The victims of the St. Louis region’s outbreak include 85-year-old Bill Olwig and 83-year-old Patricia Olwig, whose maiden name was Abeln. They had been married nearly 61 years when they died less than an hour apart this month from COVID-19 complications.
”It’s devastating,” their son, Pat, said. “And I know they’re just this one small part of this thing that’s hitting people all over the world.”
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up after two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The St. Louis region is home to about 30% more people, which isn’t enough to account for the lopsided totals. The discrepancy is all the more confusing, according to some experts, because the timeline of each region’s coronavirus outbreaks and response actions seemed to unfold - at least initially - in such similar fashion.
“The ingredients don’t seem all that different, from what I can glean,” said Chris Prener, a sociologist at Saint Louis University who has closely tracked regional data on the virus. He has wondered about the imbalance between the two similarly sized cities. “It’s a great question, and one I wish I had an answer to.”
One theory, according to some experts, is that the St. Louis community has a higher population density and simply had more of the virus circulating undetected at the time shutdowns clicked into place. Kansas City also is better shielded from initial hot spots by a larger geographic buffer.
“I don’t think I would’ve done anything differently than what they’ve done,” Dr. Rex Archer, the director of Kansas City, Missouri’s health department, said of the St. Louis metro response. “I think the difference was that there were more undetected cases in St. Louis than we had, when we put in our social-distancing, stay-at-home orders. At least in Kansas City, Missouri, we were very late in getting our first death. Our cases were extremely low when they were building in other places.”
The question is now whether the discrepancies will remain as the communities prepare to reopen, with restrictions. St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and St. Louis City Mayor Lyda Krewson will allow some businesses to open May 18, but that does not include gyms.
The restrictions led the owners of a gym and shuttered antique store to sue to reopen. But a district court judge on Friday denied their request for a temporary restraining order, the Post-Dispatch reported.


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--Fleeing 30-year-old motorist dies in crash in Nebraska

OMAHA , Neb .
( AP ) - Authorities say a fleeing motorist has been killed in a crash in @ @ @ @ @ Lake police had been in pursuit of 30-year-old Brittany Madson when she crashed around 4 @ @ @ @ @ the only person inside the car and was ejected , The Omaha World-Herald reports .
@ @ @ @ @ the scene .
An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday .
The investigation into the crash @ @ @ @ @ jury will be convened because Madson died during a police pursuit .

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Authorities say a fleeing motorist has been killed in a crash in north downtown Omaha.
Carter Lake police had been in pursuit of 30-year-old Brittany Madson when she crashed around 4 a.m. Saturday. She was the only person inside the car and was ejected, The Omaha World-Herald reports.
Medics declared her dead at the scene. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
A grand jury will be convened because Madson died during a police pursuit.


washingtontimes--2020-05-10--Native American tribes seal borders to keep out coronavirus

PICURIS PUEBLO , N.M. — On a dusty plaza in a Native American village that dates back nearly a millennium , a steady trickle of vehicles inched through a pop-up coronavirus testing site .
From the bed of a pickup truck and backseats of cars , wide-eyed children stared from behind hand-sewn masks and then sobbed as testing crews in hospital gowns swabbed their noses .
The workers packed the samples into a plastic travel cooler for a return trip past the tribe ’ s guarded roadblock to a state lab .
The mandatory testing - under the threat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pueblo - was being performed by the state Health Department and U.S. Indian Health Service as they strive to identify potential infection hot spots and contain the virus that ’ s ravaged other Native American communities .
The order covered everyone from visiting construction workers and homebound seniors to the clerks at the pueblo ’ s sole general store , where candy , jerky , liquor and cigarettes are now sold only through a slot in the front door .
Small Native American pueblos across New Mexico are embracing extraordinary isolation measures that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing to try to insulate themselves from a contagion with frightening echoes of the past .
“ If the virus does reach us , that could be the end of Picuris , ” said Wayne Yazza , the pueblo ’ s lieutenant governor .
A hundred miles ( 160 kilometers ) west , the coronavirus has rampaged across the vast Navajo Nation , one the most populous tribes in the U.S. whose boundaries extend from northwestern New Mexico through portions of Arizona and Utah .
That outbreak has public health officials concerned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the pandemic because of underlying health issues , including high rates of diabetes , obesity and heart disease .
For most , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .
New Mexico ’ s 19 indigenous pueblos - communities that range from several thousand members to just 300 - view the coronavirus as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through San Felipe and Zia pueblos , propagated in one instance by people attending a funeral .
“ You hear about all these other big towns that are losing 10 , 50 , 100 - that ’ s already half of our whole tribe , ” Picuris Gov .
Craig Quanchello said .
“ We ’ ve got to do everything we can to protect our race here.
” Native Americans accounted for more than 55 % of confirmed COVID-19 infections in New Mexico as of Friday , though they ’ re only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The stark discrepancy in part reflects extensive testing in the heavily Native American northwest part of the state , a hot spot for infections .
Tribal leaders also say the surge of Native American infections and related deaths reflects chronic underfunding of health care services and basic infrastructure such as household plumbing .
The pueblos , whose homelands trace the upper Rio Grande as the river descends for 150 miles ( 241 kilometers ) from Taos to Albuquerque and extend west near the Arizona line , have closed down cultural attractions , casinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend to villages atop mesas in Acoma Pueblo ’ s “ sky city ” and on the Hopi reservation in Arizona , which is encircled by the Navajo Nation .
In Picuris Pueblo , roughly 200 residents in the core settlement have all tested negative for the virus .
It ’ s been more than a month since the tribe erected a roadblock and guardhouse with video surveillance to intercept unannounced tourists .
Tribal members also are screened for coronavirus symptoms , such as fever , by taking body temperature readings from each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among New Mexico ’ s pueblos , ceremonial rites and political meetings in compact subterranean kiva rooms have been upended , as have preparations for annual feast days - mass gatherings with traditional dancing and regalia .
In Picuris , preschool lessons in the native Tiwa language are on hold and children can ’ t exit the pueblo ’ s boundaries , even with parents .
Families are encouraged to send one person for groceries - a 50-mile ( 80-kilometer ) round trip .
New Mexico Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham has extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bans gatherings larger than five people and requires arriving air travelers to self-quarantine , while allowing some nonessential businesses to start offering curbside service after a weekslong closure .
The northwest part of the state is on full-fledged lockdown as infections increase .
Pueblos are going further with their own curfews , and Picuris is vowing to stay on lockdown for an additional two weeks before considering any changes .
The pueblos have dealt with devastating contagions in the past .
Bouts of smallpox - brought by Spanish conquistadors in the late-1500s - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from roughly 2,500 to 500 by 1650 in the first of several close brushes with annihilation , said Michael Adler , a professor of anthropology at Southern Methodist University .
He leads a satellite campus outside Taos and has worked with Picuris Pueblo to explore its ancestral history .
In the 20th century , the pueblo ’ s population fell below 150 after brutal raids ; it ’ s unclear whether the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 played a role .
“ It ’ s a story of decimation in spades - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It amazes me that they ’ re still here.
” State officials say the coronavirus crisis was foreshadowed by the H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009 .
Native Americans experienced fatalities at four times the rate of the general public , according to a 12-state study - including New Mexico , Arizona and Utah - published that year in the CDC ’ s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report .
“ The reason I believe we saw this spike ( in coronavirus infections ) is that tribal communities live in largely rural areas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple-family units , and they engage in community support , community activities , ” New Mexico Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel said at a state PBS forum .
“ The very qualities that make tribal communities unique are the very qualities that put them at risk.
” Quanchello , the Picuris governor who covers late-night shifts at the roadblock , hopes to keep his people safe , even if it means loneliness , financial hardship and warning potential visitors to keep away .
“ We don ’ t get a second chance here , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is death .
”

PICURIS PUEBLO, N.M. — On a dusty plaza in a Native American village that dates back nearly a millennium, a steady trickle of vehicles inched through a pop-up coronavirus testing site.
From the bed of a pickup truck and backseats of cars, wide-eyed children stared from behind hand-sewn masks and then sobbed as testing crews in hospital gowns swabbed their noses. The workers packed the samples into a plastic travel cooler for a return trip past the tribe’s guarded roadblock to a state lab.
The mandatory testing - under the threat of fines by the tribal council in Picuris Pueblo - was being performed by the state Health Department and U.S. Indian Health Service as they strive to identify potential infection hot spots and contain the virus that’s ravaged other Native American communities. The order covered everyone from visiting construction workers and homebound seniors to the clerks at the pueblo’s sole general store, where candy, jerky, liquor and cigarettes are now sold only through a slot in the front door.
Small Native American pueblos across New Mexico are embracing extraordinary isolation measures that turn away outsiders as well as near-universal testing to try to insulate themselves from a contagion with frightening echoes of the past.
“If the virus does reach us, that could be the end of Picuris,” said Wayne Yazza, the pueblo’s lieutenant governor.
A hundred miles (160 kilometers) west, the coronavirus has rampaged across the vast Navajo Nation, one the most populous tribes in the U.S. whose boundaries extend from northwestern New Mexico through portions of Arizona and Utah. That outbreak has public health officials concerned that Native American communities may be especially susceptible to the pandemic because of underlying health issues, including high rates of diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
For most, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
New Mexico’s 19 indigenous pueblos - communities that range from several thousand members to just 300 - view the coronavirus as an existential threat after early infections raced through San Felipe and Zia pueblos, propagated in one instance by people attending a funeral.
“You hear about all these other big towns that are losing 10, 50, 100 - that’s already half of our whole tribe,” Picuris Gov. Craig Quanchello said. “We’ve got to do everything we can to protect our race here.”
Native Americans accounted for more than 55% of confirmed COVID-19 infections in New Mexico as of Friday, though they’re only 11% of the general population.
The stark discrepancy in part reflects extensive testing in the heavily Native American northwest part of the state, a hot spot for infections. Tribal leaders also say the surge of Native American infections and related deaths reflects chronic underfunding of health care services and basic infrastructure such as household plumbing.
The pueblos, whose homelands trace the upper Rio Grande as the river descends for 150 miles (241 kilometers) from Taos to Albuquerque and extend west near the Arizona line, have closed down cultural attractions, casinos and hotels.
Roadblocks against nonessential visitors extend to villages atop mesas in Acoma Pueblo’s “sky city” and on the Hopi reservation in Arizona, which is encircled by the Navajo Nation.
In Picuris Pueblo, roughly 200 residents in the core settlement have all tested negative for the virus. It’s been more than a month since the tribe erected a roadblock and guardhouse with video surveillance to intercept unannounced tourists. Tribal members also are screened for coronavirus symptoms, such as fever, by taking body temperature readings from each passing car and the occasional bicycle.
Among New Mexico’s pueblos, ceremonial rites and political meetings in compact subterranean kiva rooms have been upended, as have preparations for annual feast days - mass gatherings with traditional dancing and regalia.
In Picuris, preschool lessons in the native Tiwa language are on hold and children can’t exit the pueblo’s boundaries, even with parents. Families are encouraged to send one person for groceries - a 50-mile (80-kilometer) round trip.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has extended through mid-May an aggressive stay-at-home order that bans gatherings larger than five people and requires arriving air travelers to self-quarantine, while allowing some nonessential businesses to start offering curbside service after a weekslong closure. The northwest part of the state is on full-fledged lockdown as infections increase.
Pueblos are going further with their own curfews, and Picuris is vowing to stay on lockdown for an additional two weeks before considering any changes.
The pueblos have dealt with devastating contagions in the past. Bouts of smallpox - brought by Spanish conquistadors in the late-1500s - cut the Picuris Pueblo’s population from roughly 2,500 to 500 by 1650 in the first of several close brushes with annihilation, said Michael Adler, a professor of anthropology at Southern Methodist University. He leads a satellite campus outside Taos and has worked with Picuris Pueblo to explore its ancestral history.
In the 20th century, the pueblo’s population fell below 150 after brutal raids; it’s unclear whether the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 played a role.
“It’s a story of decimation in spades - and resilience,” Adler said. “It amazes me that they’re still here.”
State officials say the coronavirus crisis was foreshadowed by the H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009. Native Americans experienced fatalities at four times the rate of the general public, according to a 12-state study - including New Mexico, Arizona and Utah - published that year in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
“The reason I believe we saw this spike (in coronavirus infections) is that tribal communities live in largely rural areas and they live in large family units, multiple-family units, and they engage in community support, community activities,” New Mexico Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel said at a state PBS forum. “The very qualities that make tribal communities unique are the very qualities that put them at risk.”
Quanchello, the Picuris governor who covers late-night shifts at the roadblock, hopes to keep his people safe, even if it means loneliness, financial hardship and warning potential visitors to keep away.
“We don’t get a second chance here,” he said. “The endgame is death.”


washingtontimes--2020-05-10--India denies new road breaches territory disputed with Nepal

NEW DELHI ( AP ) - India says a newly inaugurated road does not illegally cross into neighboring Nepal , denying the tiny Himalayan country ’ s claim that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’ s Hindu nationalist-led government is ignoring a long-standing dispute over a border with China and Tibet .
Inaugurated by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday , the 80-kilometer ( 50-mile ) Lipu Lekh road is the shortest route from New Delhi to Kailash-Mansarovar , a revered Hindu pilgrimage site in the Tibetan plateau .
The road cuts through the Lipu Lekh Himalayan pass , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and most feasible trade routes between India and China .
Nepal has fiercely contested India ’ s claim on the territory , which it includes in contemporary boundary maps as part of the Indian state of Uttarakhand , since the early 19th century , because of its potential as an economic corridor .
Nepal views the alleged incursions as a stark example of bullying by its much larger neighbor .
“ The Government of Nepal has learnt with regret about the ‘ inauguration ’ yesterday by India of ‘ Link Road ’ connecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which passes through Nepali territory , ” Nepal ’ s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday .
Nepal asked India “ to refrain from carrying out any activity ” on the road that has triggered a fresh dispute over the strategically important territory .
India quickly rejected Nepal ’ s claims on Saturday , saying the road falls exclusively within India .
“ India is committed to resolving outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue and in the spirit of our close and friendly bilateral relations with Nepal , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
Nepal , which was never under colonial rule , has long claimed the areas of Limpiyadhura , Kalapani and Lipu Lekh in accordance with the 1816 Sugauli treaty with the British Raj , although these areas have remained in control of Indian troops since India fought a war with China in 1962 .
In 2015 , Nepal opposed an agreement between India and China to promote Lipu Lekh as a bilateral trade route without its consent .
Kathmandu also registered its opposition when New Delhi unveiled a new political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territories , including Lipu Lekh , as part of India .

NEW DELHI (AP) - India says a newly inaugurated road does not illegally cross into neighboring Nepal, denying the tiny Himalayan country’s claim that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist-led government is ignoring a long-standing dispute over a border with China and Tibet.
Inaugurated by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, the 80-kilometer (50-mile) Lipu Lekh road is the shortest route from New Delhi to Kailash-Mansarovar, a revered Hindu pilgrimage site in the Tibetan plateau.
The road cuts through the Lipu Lekh Himalayan pass, which is considered one of the shortest and most feasible trade routes between India and China. Nepal has fiercely contested India’s claim on the territory, which it includes in contemporary boundary maps as part of the Indian state of Uttarakhand, since the early 19th century, because of its potential as an economic corridor.
Nepal views the alleged incursions as a stark example of bullying by its much larger neighbor.
“The Government of Nepal has learnt with regret about the ‘inauguration’ yesterday by India of ‘Link Road’ connecting to Lipu Lekh (Nepal), which passes through Nepali territory,” Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.
Nepal asked India “to refrain from carrying out any activity” on the road that has triggered a fresh dispute over the strategically important territory.
India quickly rejected Nepal’s claims on Saturday, saying the road falls exclusively within India.
“India is committed to resolving outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue and in the spirit of our close and friendly bilateral relations with Nepal,” Indian foreign affairs spokesman Anurag Srivastava said in a statement.
Nepal, which was never under colonial rule, has long claimed the areas of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh in accordance with the 1816 Sugauli treaty with the British Raj, although these areas have remained in control of Indian troops since India fought a war with China in 1962.
In 2015, Nepal opposed an agreement between India and China to promote Lipu Lekh as a bilateral trade route without its consent. Kathmandu also registered its opposition when New Delhi unveiled a new political map in 2019 that shows some disputed territories, including Lipu Lekh, as part of India.
___
Sedhai reported from Kathmandu, Nepal.


washingtontimes--2020-05-10--'Temporary' coronavirus layoffs may be permanent

WASHINGTON — In late March , Britney Ruby Miller , co-owner of a small chain of steakhouse restaurants , confidently proclaimed that once the viral outbreak had subsided , her company planned to recall all its laid-off workers .
Now ?
Miller would be thrilled to eventually restore three-quarters of the roughly 600 workers her company had to let go .
“ I ’ m being realistic , ” she said .
“ Bringing back 75 % of our staff would be incredible.
” Call it realism or pessimism , but more employers are coming to a reluctant conclusion : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to lay off in the face of the pandemic might not be returning to their old jobs anytime soon .
Some large companies won ’ t have enough customers to justify it .
And some small businesses won ’ t likely survive at all despite aid provided by the federal government .
If so , that would undercut a glimmer of hope in the brutal April jobs report the government issued Friday , in which a record-shattering 20.5 million people lost jobs : A sizable majority of the jobless - nearly 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary .
That could still turn out to be the case for some .
The federal government may end up allocating significantly more financial aid for people and small businesses .
And more testing for the coronavirus , not to mention an eventual vaccine or an effective drug therapy , would make more Americans comfortable returning to the restaurants , shops , airports and movie theaters they used to frequent .
That , in turn , would lead companies to recall more laid-off workers .
Yet Congress remains sharply divided about additional aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escalating federal debt .
President Donald Trump ’ s top economic adviser , Larry Kudlow , said Friday that negotiations have “ paused.
” If most layoffs become permanent , the severe recession the economy has slid into would likely last longer , the recovery would be slower and the toll on laid-off workers would be harsher , economists say .
Unemployment soared to 14.7 % in April - the highest rate since the Great Depression - and analysts predict it will rise still further in May .
It could remain in double-digits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of those furloughed workers , a non-trivial number will have no job to go back to , because the company they worked for will have failed or will need fewer workers than they used to , ” said Claudia Sahm , a former Federal Reserve economist who is now director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth .
In March , MGM Resorts let go 63,000 employees and described them as furloughed , meaning temporarily laid off .
Yet this week , the company acknowledged that many of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 31 .
The hotel and casino operator didn ’ t provide precise figures .
“ We were optimistic at the time of the initial layoff in March that we would be able to reopen quickly , ” Laura Lee , head of human resources , said in a layoff notice letter to the state of Michigan .
“ However , we have had to reassess our reopening date , given the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.
” In some ways , Miller , the restaurant owner , is more hopeful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The states her company operates in - Ohio , Kentucky , and Tennessee - have begun to gradually reopen portions of their economies .
Customers are phoning to see when they can make reservations .
She hopes to reopen the five Jeff Ruby ’ s Steakhouses and two other restaurants the company operates by early June .
Yet business won ’ t be returning to what it was before .
In Kentucky , the restaurants will be limited to 33 % of capacity .
They are putting six feet between tables in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Miller estimates that the company ’ s revenue will plunge by half to three-quarters this year .
And expenses are rising because the company must buy face masks and other equipment for the workers it does recall and restock its food , drink , and equipment supplies .
If many of the job losses do prove only temporary , it would raise the possibility of a relatively swift economic recovery .
It ’ s much easier for someone out of work to return to a former job than retrain for a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After the previous three recessions , the vast majority of people who were laid off lost their jobs permanently .
Some were essentially replaced by new software or factory robots .
In other cases , their employers folded or entered new lines of business .
After those recessions , the unemployment rate took so long to fall back to normal levels that economists began applying a chilling label : “ Jobless recoveries.
” If a substantial number of small businesses are forced into bankruptcy , a similar dynamic could emerge this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by small companies in this recession have occurred because the business has shut down , whether by government order or from lack of demand , according to research released this week by Tomaz Cajner at the Federal Reserve and seven other economists .
If those companies can ’ t reopen , those layoffs will become permanent .
Research by the JPMorgan Chase Institute has found that only half of all small businesses have enough cash on hand to last a month without revenue .
Even after government closure orders are lifted , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shopping , eating out or attending concerts , movies or sporting events , especially as they used to - as part of tightly seated crowds .
Not until the virus is well under control can a full economic recovery likely happen , economists say .
In the meantime , structural changes in the economy might help make many temporary layoffs permanent .
It ’ s not clear , for example , when restaurants will need anywhere near as many workers they did before the virus struck .
Nelis Rodriguez has worked as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Warwick Hotel in downtown Chicago for 21 years .
But revenue at the restaurant steadily disappeared as conventions that are critical for spring sales were canceled .
She received two days ’ notice of her layoff before the restaurant closed March 15th .
Rodriguez , 45 , never thought she ’ d be thrown out of work , so she ’ d never thought about finding another job .
But now she fears that as the coronavirus lingers , she might be laid off again and again .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the restaurant business altogether because I am afraid now , ” she said .

WASHINGTON — In late March, Britney Ruby Miller, co-owner of a small chain of steakhouse restaurants, confidently proclaimed that once the viral outbreak had subsided, her company planned to recall all its laid-off workers.
Now? Miller would be thrilled to eventually restore three-quarters of the roughly 600 workers her company had to let go.
“I’m being realistic,” she said. “Bringing back 75% of our staff would be incredible.”
Call it realism or pessimism, but more employers are coming to a reluctant conclusion: Many of the employees they’ve had to lay off in the face of the pandemic might not be returning to their old jobs anytime soon. Some large companies won’t have enough customers to justify it. And some small businesses won’t likely survive at all despite aid provided by the federal government.
If so, that would undercut a glimmer of hope in the brutal April jobs report the government issued Friday, in which a record-shattering 20.5 million people lost jobs: A sizable majority of the jobless - nearly 80% - characterized their loss as only temporary.
That could still turn out to be the case for some. The federal government may end up allocating significantly more financial aid for people and small businesses. And more testing for the coronavirus, not to mention an eventual vaccine or an effective drug therapy, would make more Americans comfortable returning to the restaurants, shops, airports and movie theaters they used to frequent. That, in turn, would lead companies to recall more laid-off workers.
Yet Congress remains sharply divided about additional aid, with some Republicans expressing concern about escalating federal debt. President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, said Friday that negotiations have “paused.”
If most layoffs become permanent, the severe recession the economy has slid into would likely last longer, the recovery would be slower and the toll on laid-off workers would be harsher, economists say. Unemployment soared to 14.7% in April - the highest rate since the Great Depression - and analysts predict it will rise still further in May. It could remain in double-digits into next year.
“For a lot of those furloughed workers, a non-trivial number will have no job to go back to, because the company they worked for will have failed or will need fewer workers than they used to,” said Claudia Sahm, a former Federal Reserve economist who is now director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
In March, MGM Resorts let go 63,000 employees and described them as furloughed, meaning temporarily laid off. Yet this week, the company acknowledged that many of those people will become permanently laid off by Aug. 31. The hotel and casino operator didn’t provide precise figures.
“We were optimistic at the time of the initial layoff in March that we would be able to reopen quickly,” Laura Lee, head of human resources, said in a layoff notice letter to the state of Michigan. “However, we have had to reassess our reopening date, given the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In some ways, Miller, the restaurant owner, is more hopeful than she was when the shutdowns began: The states her company operates in - Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee - have begun to gradually reopen portions of their economies. Customers are phoning to see when they can make reservations. She hopes to reopen the five Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouses and two other restaurants the company operates by early June.
Yet business won’t be returning to what it was before. In Kentucky, the restaurants will be limited to 33% of capacity. They are putting six feet between tables in all their restaurants, thereby limiting seating. Miller estimates that the company’s revenue will plunge by half to three-quarters this year.
And expenses are rising because the company must buy face masks and other equipment for the workers it does recall and restock its food, drink, and equipment supplies.
If many of the job losses do prove only temporary, it would raise the possibility of a relatively swift economic recovery. It’s much easier for someone out of work to return to a former job than retrain for a new one or shift to a new industry. After the previous three recessions, the vast majority of people who were laid off lost their jobs permanently. Some were essentially replaced by new software or factory robots. In other cases, their employers folded or entered new lines of business.
After those recessions, the unemployment rate took so long to fall back to normal levels that economists began applying a chilling label: “Jobless recoveries.”
If a substantial number of small businesses are forced into bankruptcy, a similar dynamic could emerge this time, economists warn. Most job cuts by small companies in this recession have occurred because the business has shut down, whether by government order or from lack of demand, according to research released this week by Tomaz Cajner at the Federal Reserve and seven other economists. If those companies can’t reopen, those layoffs will become permanent.
Research by the JPMorgan Chase Institute has found that only half of all small businesses have enough cash on hand to last a month without revenue.
Even after government closure orders are lifted, many consumers won’t likely be comfortable shopping, eating out or attending concerts, movies or sporting events, especially as they used to - as part of tightly seated crowds. Not until the virus is well under control can a full economic recovery likely happen, economists say.
In the meantime, structural changes in the economy might help make many temporary layoffs permanent. It’s not clear, for example, when restaurants will need anywhere near as many workers they did before the virus struck.
Nelis Rodriguez has worked as a server at the M Restaurant & Lounge in the Warwick Hotel in downtown Chicago for 21 years. But revenue at the restaurant steadily disappeared as conventions that are critical for spring sales were canceled. She received two days’ notice of her layoff before the restaurant closed March 15th.
Rodriguez, 45, never thought she’d be thrown out of work, so she’d never thought about finding another job. But now she fears that as the coronavirus lingers, she might be laid off again and again.
“I think I will try to get out of the restaurant business altogether because I am afraid now,” she said.


washingtontimes--2020-05-10--Kawasaki disease, possible coronavirus complication, eyed in New York child deaths

ALBANY , N.Y. — Two young children and a teenager have now died in New York state from a possible complication from the coronavirus involving swollen blood vessels and heart problems , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Saturday .
At least 73 children in New York have been diagnosed with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease - a rare inflammatory condition in children - and toxic shock syndrome .
Most of them are toddlers and elementary-age children .
Cuomo announced two more deaths a day after discussing the death of a 5-year-old boy Thursday at a New York City hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a teenager in Suffolk County on Long Island also died .
There is no proof that the virus causes the mysterious syndrome .
Cuomo said children had tested positive for COVID-19 or the antibodies but did not show the common symptoms of the virus when they were hospitalized .
“ This is the last thing that we need at this time , with all that is going on , with all the anxiety we have , now for parents to have to worry about whether or not their youngster was infected , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York is helping develop national criteria for identifying and responding to the syndrome at the request of the Centers for Disease Control , Cuomo said .
Children elsewhere in the U.S. have also been hospitalized with the condition , which was also seen in Europe .
Doctors still believe that most children with COVID-19 develop only mild illness .
At least 3,000 U.S. children are diagnosed with Kawasaki disease each year .
It is most common in children younger than 6 and in boys .
Other coronavirus developments in New York .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s stay-at-home restrictions to June 7 - despite a claim by a spokesman that he did , according to a top aide to the governor .
Melissa DeRosa , secretary to the governor , released a prepared statement Saturday evening saying the May 15 expiration date for the restrictions still stands “ until further notice.
” Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi had said earlier in the day that Cuomo in an executive order extended the stay-at-home restrictions into early June , though regions of the state would be able to phase in reopenings sooner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He later said he misinterpreted the order , which extended the expiration date of other emergency actions .
Cuomo plans to allow regions to gradually begin restarting economic activity after May 15 if they demonstrate progress in taming and tracking the outbreak .
DeRosa said new guidance will be issued for regions of the state at that time based on those metrics .
Some upstate areas hope to begin reopening later this month , though none of the state ’ s 10 regions had met all seven required benchmarks earlier this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity must show that COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations are trending down and that there are enough hospital beds to meet a surge .
Counties will have to increase testing and tracing and businesses will need to adapt to protect workers .
Businesses will reopen in four phases , starting with construction , manufacturing and retail with curb-side pickup .
New York reported 226 new deaths , up by 10 from the previous day but in line with daily tolls from the rest of the week .
More than 21,200 people in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total doesn ’ t include more than 5,300 deaths in New York City that were attributed to the virus on death certificates but weren ’ t confirmed by a lab test .
Pressures on hospitals continue to ease .
Total hospitalizations dipped to 7,776 , well under half the number at the peak of the outbreak .
New COVID-19 admissions are averaging 572 a day , compared to more than 3,000 a day in early April .
New York City transit officials said they ’ re providing buses for homeless people to shelter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newly instituted overnight subway closures .
The subway system has been shutting down from 1 to 5 a.m. since Wednesday as part of an outbreak-related plan for daily train disinfecting .
City outreach workers have been persuading homeless people to leave the system for shelters during the shutdowns .
With temperatures around the freezing mark and a traces of snow reported in Manhattan ’ s Central Park , transit officials said they also would provide a limited number of buses at end-of-line stations Saturday and Sunday .
The buses are not for transportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place for individuals to escape the elements in the short term , ” according to a prepared statement from New York City Transit President Sarah Feinberg and Transport Workers Union Local 100 President Tony Utano .
“ We are providing these buses only during this cold snap and expect the city to continue to step up and take responsibility for providing safe shelter for those individuals experiencing homelessness , ” according to the statement .
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority did not immediately respond to an email Saturday morning asking how many buses were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter in them .

ALBANY, N.Y. — Two young children and a teenager have now died in New York state from a possible complication from the coronavirus involving swollen blood vessels and heart problems, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday.
At least 73 children in New York have been diagnosed with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease - a rare inflammatory condition in children - and toxic shock syndrome. Most of them are toddlers and elementary-age children.
Cuomo announced two more deaths a day after discussing the death of a 5-year-old boy Thursday at a New York City hospital. A 7-year old in Westchester County and a teenager in Suffolk County on Long Island also died. There is no proof that the virus causes the mysterious syndrome.
Cuomo said children had tested positive for COVID-19 or the antibodies but did not show the common symptoms of the virus when they were hospitalized.
“This is the last thing that we need at this time, with all that is going on, with all the anxiety we have, now for parents to have to worry about whether or not their youngster was infected,” Cuomo said at his daily briefing.
New York is helping develop national criteria for identifying and responding to the syndrome at the request of the Centers for Disease Control, Cuomo said.
Children elsewhere in the U.S. have also been hospitalized with the condition, which was also seen in Europe.
Doctors still believe that most children with COVID-19 develop only mild illness.
At least 3,000 U.S. children are diagnosed with Kawasaki disease each year. It is most common in children younger than 6 and in boys.
Symptoms include prolonged fever, severe abdominal pain and trouble breathing.
Other coronavirus developments in New York.
___
STAY-AT-HOME
Cuomo did not extend New York’s stay-at-home restrictions to June 7 - despite a claim by a spokesman that he did, according to a top aide to the governor.
Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, released a prepared statement Saturday evening saying the May 15 expiration date for the restrictions still stands “until further notice.”
Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi had said earlier in the day that Cuomo in an executive order extended the stay-at-home restrictions into early June, though regions of the state would be able to phase in reopenings sooner if they meet a series of benchmarks. He later said he misinterpreted the order, which extended the expiration date of other emergency actions.
Cuomo plans to allow regions to gradually begin restarting economic activity after May 15 if they demonstrate progress in taming and tracking the outbreak. DeRosa said new guidance will be issued for regions of the state at that time based on those metrics.
Some upstate areas hope to begin reopening later this month, though none of the state’s 10 regions had met all seven required benchmarks earlier this week.
Regions wishing to phase in economic activity must show that COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations are trending down and that there are enough hospital beds to meet a surge. Counties will have to increase testing and tracing and businesses will need to adapt to protect workers.
Businesses will reopen in four phases, starting with construction, manufacturing and retail with curb-side pickup.
___
THE NUMBERS
New York reported 226 new deaths, up by 10 from the previous day but in line with daily tolls from the rest of the week.
More than 21,200 people in the state have died from coronavirus, though the total doesn’t include more than 5,300 deaths in New York City that were attributed to the virus on death certificates but weren’t confirmed by a lab test.
Pressures on hospitals continue to ease. Total hospitalizations dipped to 7,776, well under half the number at the peak of the outbreak. New COVID-19 admissions are averaging 572 a day, compared to more than 3,000 a day in early April.
___
SHELTER BUSES
New York City transit officials said they’re providing buses for homeless people to shelter from unseasonably frigid weather this weekend during newly instituted overnight subway closures.
The subway system has been shutting down from 1 to 5 a.m. since Wednesday as part of an outbreak-related plan for daily train disinfecting. City outreach workers have been persuading homeless people to leave the system for shelters during the shutdowns.
With temperatures around the freezing mark and a traces of snow reported in Manhattan’s Central Park, transit officials said they also would provide a limited number of buses at end-of-line stations Saturday and Sunday.
The buses are not for transportation, “but may serve as a place for individuals to escape the elements in the short term,” according to a prepared statement from New York City Transit President Sarah Feinberg and Transport Workers Union Local 100 President Tony Utano.
“We are providing these buses only during this cold snap and expect the city to continue to step up and take responsibility for providing safe shelter for those individuals experiencing homelessness,” according to the statement.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority did not immediately respond to an email Saturday morning asking how many buses were provided and how many people were taking shelter in them.


washingtontimes--2020-05-10--New Mexico GOP, sheriffs appeal to William Barr over Michelle Lujan Grisham coronavirus orders

RIO RANCHO , N.M. — New Mexico Republicans and sheriffs are asking U.S. Attorney General William Barr to look into Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham ’ s health orders aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 .
State Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce and New Mexico Sheriffs ’ Association President Tony Mace each sent letters to Barr last week seeking a review into the health orders that have shuttered some businesses since late March .
They say the orders , which have closed several small businesses , violate residents ’ civil rights .
“ We want to express our fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lujan Grisham ’ s public health order , a policy many in our state believe to be a blatant violation of peoples ’ civil rights , liberties and their right to conduct free commerce , ” Pearce wrote .
“ The situation in New Mexico is one that is unjust and inequitable.
” Mace , the Cibola County sheriff and a frequent critic of fellow Democrat Lujan Grisham , said the health order was unfairly hurting residents .
“ The governor has been discriminatory in her policies , keeping big box corporate giants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of state - while shutting down mom and pop locally owned establishments , ” Mase wrote .
“ This is not only preferential treatment for the big box stores but a violation of the civil rights of our small business owners whose livelihoods are now in free fall.
” New Mexico GOP House Minority Leader James Townsend also sent a similar letter .
In an interview with The Associated Press , Pearce said he wanted Barr to look at New Mexico to see if the U.S. Constitution “ is being respected ” during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order issued late March , state officials told all nonessential businesses to close their doors .
First-time lockdown offenders can be given warnings , second citations for the same offenders are petty misdemeanors with a fine of up to $ 100 , and third-time violators can be fined up to $ 5,000 .
The health order has been extended to May 15 .
Lujan Grisham said the order will be lifted in phases .
Gallup , a popular supply stop for rural residents of the nearby Navajo Nation , has been on lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered to stay at home except for emergencies .
State health officials reported more than 4,770 positive tests of the virus in the state as of Saturday .
Nearly 200 people were hospitalized and at least 191 have died , .
including 10 reported Saturday .
McKinley County in western New Mexico is the county leading the state with the highest number of cases despite its small population .
It includes parts of the Navajo Nation , which has some of the highest infection rates in the country .
Of the additional 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were from McKinley County , five were older people who lived in care facilities in neighboring San Juan County and one was from Bernalillo County .
Those three counties are the only ones in New Mexico that had at least 1,000 cases of COVID-19 , according to state figures released Saturday .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and death .

RIO RANCHO, N.M. — New Mexico Republicans and sheriffs are asking U.S. Attorney General William Barr to look into Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s health orders aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.
State Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce and New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association President Tony Mace each sent letters to Barr last week seeking a review into the health orders that have shuttered some businesses since late March. They say the orders, which have closed several small businesses, violate residents’ civil rights.
“We want to express our fears and frustrations regarding New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham’s public health order, a policy many in our state believe to be a blatant violation of peoples’ civil rights, liberties and their right to conduct free commerce,” Pearce wrote. “The situation in New Mexico is one that is unjust and inequitable.”
Mace, the Cibola County sheriff and a frequent critic of fellow Democrat Lujan Grisham, said the health order was unfairly hurting residents.
“The governor has been discriminatory in her policies, keeping big box corporate giants open - draining New Mexico dollars out of state - while shutting down mom and pop locally owned establishments,” Mase wrote. “This is not only preferential treatment for the big box stores but a violation of the civil rights of our small business owners whose livelihoods are now in free fall.”
New Mexico GOP House Minority Leader James Townsend also sent a similar letter.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Pearce said he wanted Barr to look at New Mexico to see if the U.S. Constitution “is being respected” during the health order.
A spokeswoman for Lujan Grisham declined to comment.
Under a health order issued late March, state officials told all nonessential businesses to close their doors. First-time lockdown offenders can be given warnings, second citations for the same offenders are petty misdemeanors with a fine of up to $100, and third-time violators can be fined up to $5,000.
The health order has been extended to May 15. Lujan Grisham said the order will be lifted in phases.
Gallup, a popular supply stop for rural residents of the nearby Navajo Nation, has been on lockdown for nearly a week. Residents were ordered to stay at home except for emergencies.
State health officials reported more than 4,770 positive tests of the virus in the state as of Saturday. Nearly 200 people were hospitalized and at least 191 have died,. including 10 reported Saturday.
McKinley County in western New Mexico is the county leading the state with the highest number of cases despite its small population. It includes parts of the Navajo Nation, which has some of the highest infection rates in the country.
Of the additional 10 additional deaths, four of the people were from McKinley County, five were older people who lived in care facilities in neighboring San Juan County and one was from Bernalillo County.
Those three counties are the only ones in New Mexico that had at least 1,000 cases of COVID-19, according to state figures released Saturday.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
___
Associated Press writer Paul Davenport contributed from Phoenix.
___
Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras


washingtontimes--2020-05-10--The Latest: French Open may be held without fans

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world : The president of the French Tennis Federation says holding the French Open without fans later this year is an option .
The clay-court tournament at Roland Garros was initially slated to be held May 24-June 7 , but was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic and rescheduled for Sept. 20-Oct. 4 .
Bernard Giudicelli tells French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that “ organizing it without fans would allow a part of the economy to keep turning , ( like ) television rights and partnerships .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Giudicelli adds that “ the lack of visibility is genuine ” when hosting a tournament without fans but “ we are not ruling any option out.
” That could potentially mean moving the starting date back to Sept. 27 , something Giudicelli says “ does not change much.
” The FFT is refunding all tickets purchased for the original dates of Roland Garros by the end of May and a new ticketing procedure will be opened if the tournament goes ahead .
A Brighton player has tested positive for the coronavirus as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resume during the pandemic .
The southern England club says there is no need for other members of the squad or coaches to self-isolate because players have only trained in isolation when at the training ground .
The positive test came back on Saturday .
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber told broadcaster Sky Sports that “ despite all of the measures that we ’ ve been taking over the past few weeks , where the players haven ’ t been involved in any significant training at all , we ’ ve still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus.
” Brighton says three players have now had the coronavirus .
The club announced one case in March .
Premier League clubs are due to hold a conference call on Monday about “ Project Restart.
” Clubs are yet to resume group training as they abide by government social distancing regulations .
Brighton has opposed plans to complete the season in neutral stadiums rather than being able to play its five remaining home games at its stadium .

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
___
The British government says tennis courts and golf courses in England can reopen from Wednesday, although people can only play with members of their own household.
The sports venues were ordered to be closed in March when Britain imposed a national lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Gyms and swimming pools remain closed, although swimming in the sea or lakes will be allowed.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can set their own stance on tennis courts and golf courses, and their administrations have already indicated a more stringent version of the lockdown will be maintained.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson used a speech on Sunday to lay out the outlines of a “road map” for easing the coronavirus pandemic restrictions while maintaining forms of social distancing.
Johnson said people can “play sports but only with members of your own household.”
Johnson gave no indication when professional sports can resume after competitions, including the Premier League, shut down in March.
___
The president of the University of Virginia says he hopes college football can be played this fall, though he cautioned that he does not expect it to seem like “normal football seasons.”
James Ryan told CBS’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday that athletic director Carla Williams and football coach Bronco Mendenhall are committed to a safe return to play, but that nothing will proceed until medical officials say it’s safe to resume workouts.
“We’re taking it day by day,” Ryan said. “Obviously, we need to have students back on grounds before football can begin.”
Virginia is coming off a season in which it won the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division championship. The Cavaliers also have recently won national championships in men’s basketball, soccer, tennis and lacrosse.
“Our hope, obviously, is that there’s a football season this fall,” Ryan said. “I don’t imagine it will look like normal football seasons just like I don’t imagine even if we have all students back on grounds it will look like a normal semester. It will not be a normal semester next fall.”
___
The Spanish league says five players from clubs in the country’s first and second divisions have tested positive for COVID-19.
They are all without symptoms and will be allowed to start practicing after testing negative in further testing. They will need two negative results to be allowed to come back.
The league has not named the players who tested positive. It also hasn’t disclosed their clubs.
Spain this week started loosening some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic, allowing soccer players to resume training individually.
Most teams returned to action on Friday, including league leader Barcelona. Atlético Madrid resumed its activities on Saturday and Real Madrid players will be back practicing on Monday.
Spanish media has reported that Atlético Madrid defender Renan Lodi was among the players who tested positive. He did not practice on Saturday.
___
The president of the French Tennis Federation says holding the French Open without fans later this year is an option.
The clay-court tournament at Roland Garros was initially slated to be held May 24-June 7, but was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic and rescheduled for Sept. 20-Oct. 4.
Bernard Giudicelli tells French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that “organizing it without fans would allow a part of the economy to keep turning, (like) television rights and partnerships. It’s not to be overlooked.”
Giudicelli adds that “the lack of visibility is genuine” when hosting a tournament without fans but “we are not ruling any option out.”
That could potentially mean moving the starting date back to Sept. 27, something Giudicelli says “does not change much.”
The FFT is refunding all tickets purchased for the original dates of Roland Garros by the end of May and a new ticketing procedure will be opened if the tournament goes ahead.
___
A Brighton player has tested positive for the coronavirus as the Premier League pushes ahead with plans to resume during the pandemic.
The southern England club says there is no need for other members of the squad or coaches to self-isolate because players have only trained in isolation when at the training ground.
The positive test came back on Saturday.
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber told broadcaster Sky Sports that “despite all of the measures that we’ve been taking over the past few weeks, where the players haven’t been involved in any significant training at all, we’ve still suffered another player testing positive for the virus.”
Brighton says three players have now had the coronavirus. The club announced one case in March.
Premier League clubs are due to hold a conference call on Monday about “Project Restart.”
Clubs are yet to resume group training as they abide by government social distancing regulations.
Brighton has opposed plans to complete the season in neutral stadiums rather than being able to play its five remaining home games at its stadium.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-05-10--Three Percenters, far-right groups doxxing residents reporting coronavirus stay-at-home violators

SEATTLE — Protesters of Washington ’ s stay-at-home order to slow the coronavirus rallied again Saturday at the state Capitol while some residents who reported stay-at-home violators said they ’ ve received threats after far-right groups posted their personal information on Facebook .
Some of the complainants who reported to the state businesses allegedly violating the order say the Facebook posts have generated threats of violence and harassment against them , The Seattle Times reported .
One group publicizing the names , the far-right Washington Three Percenters , has promoted the stay-at-home protests and one of its leaders spoke at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the groups likely acquired the information through public records requests .
Saturday ’ s rally drew roughly 1,500 people , according to the Washington State Patrol .
That was fewer than the more than 2,000 who attended a similar protest last month .
The demonstration came as Washington state health officials had reported a total of 16,674 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , including 921 fatalities as of Saturday .
Nationwide , more than 77,000 people have died of the virus , according to figures Saturday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rep. Matt Shea , a Spokane Valley lawmaker who was suspended last year from the GOP House caucus after a House-commissioned investigation found he planned and participated in domestic terrorism , led the crowd Saturday in a chant of “ Freedom is the cure.
” While some Washingtonians have vehemently objected to the state ’ s restrictions on workplaces and social gatherings , polls have shown most residents approve of Inslee ’ s handling of the pandemic .
Also this week , Seattle City Council leaders said it would stop deliberating a proposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide coronavirus-emergency proclamation that limits what public agencies can discuss during the pandemic .
The decision by Council President M. Lorena González and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda will slow the tax championed by Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales , who already faced opposition from Mayor Jenny Durkan .
The Open Public Meetings Act-related proclamation , issued by Gov .
Jay Inslee in March and extended through May , says agencies are prohibited from meeting in person and from deliberating matters remotely , “ unless those matters are necessary and routine matters or are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak and the current public health emergency.
” The council ’ s budget committee , chaired by Mosqueda , has met twice via teleconference to consider the proposal to enact a payroll tax on Amazon and other corporations with annual wage costs of more than $ 7 million , and a third remote meeting was scheduled for next week .
But Councilmember Lisa Herbold wrote a letter to González expressing concern about compliance with the state proclamation .
The Sawant-Morales proposal makes reference to the civil emergency that Durkan and the council declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send coronavirus-crisis relief checks to Seattle households .
The proposal also includes the tax , which the council members have said could raise $ 500 million a year and which would not have an end date .
In interviews Thursday , González and Mosqueda said they now agree with Herbold that the council shouldn ’ t be considering the tax until Inslee ’ s proclamation expires .
Sawant decried the move , saying she was stunned and scandalized by the decision .
The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness and death in some patients , particularly the elderly and those with underlying health conditions .

SEATTLE — Protesters of Washington’s stay-at-home order to slow the coronavirus rallied again Saturday at the state Capitol while some residents who reported stay-at-home violators said they’ve received threats after far-right groups posted their personal information on Facebook.
Some of the complainants who reported to the state businesses allegedly violating the order say the Facebook posts have generated threats of violence and harassment against them, The Seattle Times reported.
One group publicizing the names, the far-right Washington Three Percenters, has promoted the stay-at-home protests and one of its leaders spoke at Saturday’s demonstration. State officials said the groups likely acquired the information through public records requests.
Saturday’s rally drew roughly 1,500 people, according to the Washington State Patrol. That was fewer than the more than 2,000 who attended a similar protest last month.
The demonstration came as Washington state health officials had reported a total of 16,674 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 921 fatalities as of Saturday. Nationwide, more than 77,000 people have died of the virus, according to figures Saturday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At the rally, Rep. Matt Shea, a Spokane Valley lawmaker who was suspended last year from the GOP House caucus after a House-commissioned investigation found he planned and participated in domestic terrorism, led the crowd Saturday in a chant of “Freedom is the cure.”
While some Washingtonians have vehemently objected to the state’s restrictions on workplaces and social gatherings, polls have shown most residents approve of Inslee’s handling of the pandemic.
Also this week, Seattle City Council leaders said it would stop deliberating a proposal to tax large corporations, citing a statewide coronavirus-emergency proclamation that limits what public agencies can discuss during the pandemic.
The decision by Council President M. Lorena González and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda will slow the tax championed by Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales, who already faced opposition from Mayor Jenny Durkan.
The Open Public Meetings Act-related proclamation, issued by Gov. Jay Inslee in March and extended through May, says agencies are prohibited from meeting in person and from deliberating matters remotely, “unless those matters are necessary and routine matters or are matters necessary to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and the current public health emergency.”
The council’s budget committee, chaired by Mosqueda, has met twice via teleconference to consider the proposal to enact a payroll tax on Amazon and other corporations with annual wage costs of more than $7 million, and a third remote meeting was scheduled for next week. But Councilmember Lisa Herbold wrote a letter to González expressing concern about compliance with the state proclamation.
The Sawant-Morales proposal makes reference to the civil emergency that Durkan and the council declared in March and includes a plan to send coronavirus-crisis relief checks to Seattle households. The proposal also includes the tax, which the council members have said could raise $500 million a year and which would not have an end date.
In interviews Thursday, González and Mosqueda said they now agree with Herbold that the council shouldn’t be considering the tax until Inslee’s proclamation expires.
Sawant decried the move, saying she was stunned and scandalized by the decision.
The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients, and the vast majority recover. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness and death in some patients, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.


washingtontimes--2020-05-10--Anthony Fauci enters coronavirus quarantine

WASHINGTON — Three members of the White House coronavirus task force , including Dr. Anthony Fauci , placed themselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 , another stark reminder that not even one of the nation ’ s most secure buildings is immune from the virus .
Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading member of the task force , has become nationally known for his simple and direct explanations to the public about the coronavirus and COVID-19 , the disease it causes .
Also quarantining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , Stephen Hahn .
Fauci ’ s institute said that he has tested negative for COVID-19 and will continue to be tested regularly .
It added that he is considered at “ relatively low risk ” based on the degree of his exposure , and that he would be “ taking appropriate precautions ” to mitigate the risk to personal contacts while still carrying out his duties .
While he will stay at home and telework @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House if called and take every precaution , the institute said .
Redfield will be “ teleworking for the next two weeks ” after it was determined he had a “ low risk exposure ” to a person at the White House , the CDC said in a statement Saturday evening .
The statement said he felt fine and has no symptoms .
Just a few hours earlier , the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that Hahn had come in contact with someone who tested positive and was in self-quarantine for the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
All three men are scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Tuesday .
Sen. Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn. , the chairman of the panel , said the White House will allow Redfield and Hahn to testify by videoconference , a one-time exception to the administration ’ s policies on hearing testimony .
The statement was issued before Fauci ’ s quarantine was announced .
Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday , making her the second person who works at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the virus this week .
White House officials had confirmed Thursday that a member of the military serving as one of Trump ’ s valets had tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday .
President Donald Trump , who publicly identified the affected Pence aide as spokeswoman Katie Miller , said he was “ not worried ” about the virus spreading in the White House .
Nonetheless , officials said they were stepping up safety protocols for the complex .
Miller had been in recent contact with Pence but not with the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She is married to Stephen Miller , a top Trump adviser .
The White House had no immediate comment on whether Stephen Miller had been tested or if he was still working in the White House .
The CDC and FDA would not disclose the identity of the person who had tested positive and with whom the agency leaders had come in contact .
Redfield sought to use the exposure as a teachable moment .
The CDC statement said if he must go to the White House to fulfill any responsibilities as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will follow CDC practices for critical infrastructure workers .
Those guidelines call for Redfield and anyone working on the task force to have their temperature taken and screened for symptoms each day , wear a face covering , and distance themselves from others .
Trump has resisted wearing a mask , and in a meeting with the nation ’ s top military leaders Saturday evening , he did not wear a mask during the brief portion that reporters were allowed to view .
The generals around Trump also did not wear a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few feet away from each other .
FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said Hahn tested negative for the virus after he learned of the contact .
He wrote a note to staff on Friday to alert them .
Six people who had been in contact with Miller were scheduled to fly with Pence on Friday to Des Moines , Iowa , on Air Force Two .
They were removed from the flight just before it took off , according to a senior administration official .
None of those people was exhibiting symptoms , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be tested “ out of an abundance of caution , ” a senior administration official told reporters traveling with Pence .
All six later tested negative , the White House said .
The official said staff in the West Wing are tested regularly but much of Pence ’ s staff - which works next door in the Executive Office Building - are tested less frequently .
Katie Miller was not on the plane and had not been scheduled to be on the trip .
Pence , who is tested on a regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted she was “ doing well ” and looked forward to getting back to work .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said the administration was stepping up mitigation efforts already recommended by public health experts and taking other unspecified precautions to ensure the safety of the president .
He said the White House was “ probably the safest place that you can come , ” but the he was reviewing further steps to keep Trump and Pence safe .
The White House requires daily temperature checks of anyone who enters the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing among those working in the building .
The administration has also directed regular deep cleaning of all work spaces .
Anyone who comes in close proximity to the president and vice president is tested daily for COVID-19 .
Trump ’ s valet ’ s case marked the first known instance where a person who has come in close proximity to the president has tested positive since several people present at his private Florida club were diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March .
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller , Darlene Superville and Lauran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON — Three members of the White House coronavirus task force, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, placed themselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, another stark reminder that not even one of the nation’s most secure buildings is immune from the virus.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading member of the task force, has become nationally known for his simple and direct explanations to the public about the coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes. Also quarantining are Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn.
Fauci’s institute said that he has tested negative for COVID-19 and will continue to be tested regularly. It added that he is considered at “relatively low risk” based on the degree of his exposure, and that he would be “taking appropriate precautions” to mitigate the risk to personal contacts while still carrying out his duties. While he will stay at home and telework, Fauci will go to the White House if called and take every precaution, the institute said.
Redfield will be “teleworking for the next two weeks” after it was determined he had a “low risk exposure” to a person at the White House, the CDC said in a statement Saturday evening. The statement said he felt fine and has no symptoms.
Just a few hours earlier, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that Hahn had come in contact with someone who tested positive and was in self-quarantine for the next two weeks. He tested negative for the virus.
All three men are scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Tuesday. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the chairman of the panel, said the White House will allow Redfield and Hahn to testify by videoconference, a one-time exception to the administration’s policies on hearing testimony. The statement was issued before Fauci’s quarantine was announced.
Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, making her the second person who works at the White House complex known to test positive for the virus this week. White House officials had confirmed Thursday that a member of the military serving as one of Trump’s valets had tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump, who publicly identified the affected Pence aide as spokeswoman Katie Miller, said he was “not worried” about the virus spreading in the White House. Nonetheless, officials said they were stepping up safety protocols for the complex.
Miller had been in recent contact with Pence but not with the president and had tested negative a day earlier. She is married to Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser. The White House had no immediate comment on whether Stephen Miller had been tested or if he was still working in the White House.
The CDC and FDA would not disclose the identity of the person who had tested positive and with whom the agency leaders had come in contact.
Redfield sought to use the exposure as a teachable moment. The CDC statement said if he must go to the White House to fulfill any responsibilities as part of the coronavirus task force, he will follow CDC practices for critical infrastructure workers. Those guidelines call for Redfield and anyone working on the task force to have their temperature taken and screened for symptoms each day, wear a face covering, and distance themselves from others.
Trump has resisted wearing a mask, and in a meeting with the nation’s top military leaders Saturday evening, he did not wear a mask during the brief portion that reporters were allowed to view. The generals around Trump also did not wear a mask, but participants did sit a few feet away from each other.
FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said Hahn tested negative for the virus after he learned of the contact. He wrote a note to staff on Friday to alert them.
Six people who had been in contact with Miller were scheduled to fly with Pence on Friday to Des Moines, Iowa, on Air Force Two. They were removed from the flight just before it took off, according to a senior administration official.
None of those people was exhibiting symptoms, but all were asked to deplane so they could be tested “out of an abundance of caution,” a senior administration official told reporters traveling with Pence. All six later tested negative, the White House said.
The official said staff in the West Wing are tested regularly but much of Pence’s staff - which works next door in the Executive Office Building - are tested less frequently. Katie Miller was not on the plane and had not been scheduled to be on the trip.
Pence, who is tested on a regular basis, was tested Friday. Miller tweeted she was “doing well” and looked forward to getting back to work.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said the administration was stepping up mitigation efforts already recommended by public health experts and taking other unspecified precautions to ensure the safety of the president. He said the White House was “probably the safest place that you can come,” but the he was reviewing further steps to keep Trump and Pence safe.
The White House requires daily temperature checks of anyone who enters the White House complex and has encouraged social distancing among those working in the building. The administration has also directed regular deep cleaning of all work spaces. Anyone who comes in close proximity to the president and vice president is tested daily for COVID-19.
Trump’s valet’s case marked the first known instance where a person who has come in close proximity to the president has tested positive since several people present at his private Florida club were diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March.
___
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Darlene Superville and Lauran Neergaard in Washington and Aamer Madhani in Chicago contributed to this report.