Conspiracy theories, overtime abuse, digital divide: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Birmingham: Hospitals that already are treating a record number of COVID-19 patients are bracing for a “tidal wave” of additional cases linked to holiday gatherings, a health official said Tuesday. Despite the fact that less testing is being performed now than earlier in the outbreak, the state has still recorded at least 2,000 new cases daily since Nov. 15. Hospitals are treating more patients than ever, and an expected post-Thanksgiving surge of cases has yet to begin, said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Only 11% of the state’s intensive care beds were available Monday, according to the Alabama Hospital Association, and the remaining spaces could be filled as more patients are admitted than leave hospitals. While experts have tried to avoid “alarmist terminology” during the crisis, Marrazzo said, “I think this is a time when we need to start thinking about things like tidal wave imagery or tsunami imagery.”

Alaska

Kenai: Some borough attorneys have refuted a claim by the state’s top lawyer that boroughs can enact mask mandates in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Attorneys representing second-class boroughs in the state sent a letter to Alaska Acting Attorney General Ed Sniffen, The Peninsula Clarion reports. Sniffen last month said municipalities, including the state’s second-class boroughs, can mandate face masks using their disaster powers. Alaska has 18 organized boroughs and one unorganized borough covering more than half the state, the Alaska Municipal League’s website said. Second-class boroughs must receive voter approval to exercise many powers, while first-class boroughs can exercise any power not prohibited by law by adopting ordinances. The letter was signed by attorneys for the Aleutians East, Bristol Bay, Fairbanks North Star, Kenai Peninsula, Ketchikan Gateway, Kodiak Island and Matanuska-Susitna boroughs.

Arizona

Tucson: COVID-19-related hospitalizations continue to climb as the state on Wednesday reported more than 3,800 additional known cases, well short of a record set Tuesday due to holiday weekend reporting delays. COVID-19 hospitalizations reached 2,699 as of Tuesday, up more than 100 from Monday, and included 642 patients in intensive care unit beds. Health experts have said holiday travel and gatherings are expected to produce additional new cases and related hospitalizations over the next few weeks. According to the state Department of Health Service’s coronavirus dashboard, 10% of all hospital acute-care beds and 10% of ICU beds remained available. The Tucson City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to establish a mandatory nightly curfew, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., for three weeks beginning Friday in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 reached another record Tuesday as the state unveiled a new effort to coordinate its virus cases among its hospitals. The Department of Health said the state’s hospitalizations due to the illness caused by the coronavirus rose by 11 to 1,074. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the state would begin using its Trauma Communications Center to coordinate transfers of COVID-19 patients between hospitals. The plan was recommended by a task force Hutchinson formed to address a surge in virus cases and hospitalizations. “We’re really trying to maximize the use of those scarce resources, ICU beds in particular, and look at the whole state and take care of all of our patients in Arkansas,” said Baptist Health President and CEO Troy Wells, who is also a member of the task force. The new system will cost about $70,000 a month and should be up and running in about two weeks, Hutchinson said.

California

Sacramento: A staggering rise in coronavirus cases could overwhelm the state’s health system within weeks, and “drastic” action such as a widespread stay-at-home order may be needed to combat the threat, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned. Hospitalizations from COVID-19 have increased nearly 90% and could triple by Christmas, officials said Monday. “The red flags are flying in terms of the trajectory in our projections of growth,” Newsom said. The number of COVID-19 cases reported each day in California has been setting records, with the average daily case rate over the past week topping 14,000. The levels are far above those recorded during a summer peak or even in March, when a state public health order restricted people from going outside except for the most essential reasons. That order was later eased. About 12% of Californians testing positive for the virus are likely to need hospital care within the next two to three weeks.

Colorado

Denver: In an effort to keep residents fed and employed this winter, the Legislature concluded a special session Wednesday by passing bills offering assistance to restaurants and food pantries struggling to keep their doors open during the coronavirus pandemic. Democratic Sen. Tammy Story, sponsor of a bill to add $5 million for the state’s Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program, stressed that 1 out of 3 Colorado residents doesn’t have enough food because of the pandemic’s economic fallout. Restaurants serving financially stable Colorado residents could receive relief from a tax break allowing the restaurants to keep monthly sales tax receipts rather than paying it to the state. Diners pay 2.9% state sales tax on restaurant bills. Lawmakers also passed a $37 million “direct relief” bill for food retail establishments and other small businesses subject to severe capacity limits under public health orders.

Connecticut

Manchester: Laptop computers have been provided for every student identified by their district as in need, state officials said Wednesday, touting progress in closing the digital divide as a silver lining of the pandemic. In an appearance at Manchester High School, Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, said the devices and internet connections provided with help from nonprofits, federal aid and donors are invaluable for households to keep up with education through the pandemic and offer other opportunities, such as virtual medical appointments. “This is about education, but it’s about so much more,” Lamont said. As school districts switched to distance learning in March, the nonprofit Partnership for Connecticut spent $24 million to provide 60,000 laptops to high school students. And the state used $43.5 million from its portion of federal coronavirus relief funds to buy 82,000 laptops and 44,000 home internet connections for students, the governor’s office said.

Delaware

Dover: Schools are “safe places” and should continue with a mix of in-person and virtual instruction despite a statewide spike in coronavirus cases, Gov. John Carney said Tuesday. During his weekly COVID-19 briefing, Carney said the number of new cases was “off the charts” compared with numbers in late summer. He noted hospitalizations as of Monday have more than doubled since the start of November. But the Democratic governor’s administration has taken issue with decisions by some school districts in central Delaware to move to remote learning, rather than a hybrid approach of online and in-person classes. The districts’ decisions were based on trends in the number of new COVID-19 cases, average daily hospitalizations and the percentage of positive tests in Kent County. But “schools are safe environments. Children are wearing masks, and they’re social distancing,” Carney said. “We’re not seeing a lot of spread within schools themselves.”

District of Columbia

Washington: D.C. already has the ultra-cold storage capacity it needs to house coronavirus vaccines when they become available, WUSA-TV reports, but will likely only get a fraction of the doses it needs to inoculate front-line health care workers at first, the city’s top health official said Monday. Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, director of the District of Columbia Department of Health, joined Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday at her weekly coronavirus briefing to talk about the city’s efforts to prepare for distribution of an eventual COVID-19 vaccine. Nesbitt said unlike other jurisdictions – Maryland, for example, which purchased five ultra-cold freezers to store the Pfizer vaccine – D.C. was advised to look for existing capacity within the city. DC Health was able to identify acute care providers and pharmacies in the district that already have ultra-cold storage in place. Nesbitt said the city did decide to purchase one additional freezer for itself.

Florida

Miami: The Sunshine State joined Texas and California in surpassing 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases Tuesday as the governor vowed not to adopt any further restrictions or impose closures like those enacted in the spring and summer. Hospitalizations have also climbed in the state with 4,261 COVID-19 patients, up from 4,139 tallied Monday. The figure is still less than half what hospitals saw in late July, but it has steadily climbed since October after plateauing at about 2,000 hospitalizations daily for weeks following the summer surge of the virus. The state’s health department on Tuesday reported 82 new virus deaths, raising the toll in the third-most populous state to at least 18,942 since the beginning of the pandemic. While vaccines could arrive as early as this month, officials say it will be spring at the earliest before most people can receive the shots.

Georgia

Atlanta: Students who took online classes at the University of Georgia and the Georgia Institute of Technology because of the pandemic are now seeking a return of some tuition and fees. The students filed two class-action lawsuits this week, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. They say they didn’t get the full educational experience they anticipated when they paid their tuition and fees. A representative of the University System of Georgia said the institution does not discuss pending litigation and declined comment. The system oversees operations at the two schools and Georgia’s other public colleges and universities and is a defendant in the lawsuits. The lawsuits are similar to others that have been filed against colleges and universities across the nation.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said her department takes responsibility for the actions of officers on its now-suspended coronavirus enforcement units who are accused of abusing the department’s overtime policy. Ballard confirmed Monday in a statement on social media that multiple investigations are being conducted about the officers accused of submitting as many as 300 overtime hours in one week. Ballard also criticized state lawmakers for not amending a state law that makes violations of coronavirus-related health orders a misdemeanor. The police department “believes that a fine would have accomplished the desired change in public behavior without flooding the courts,” Ballard wrote. Less than 1 in 50 citations issued on Oahu for violating public health orders related to the pandemic resulted in convictions, Hawaii News Now reports.

Idaho

Boise: Three gas retailers have reached a settlement agreement with state Attorney General Lawrence Wasden after his office launched an investigation into their fuel prices. The retailers – Maverik, Jacksons Food Stores and Stinker Stores – don’t admit any wrongdoing under the agreement and say they disagree with the premise of the attorney general’s investigation. Still, they said they agreed to the settlement because it will help consumers facing economic difficulties during the pandemic. Wasden began investigating the fuel prices after state and federal officials declared a state of emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year. Those emergency declarations triggered a state law that forbids companies from selling food, water, fuel or pharmaceuticals at excessive prices while the declarations are in effect. Under the settlement agreement, the three companies will provide a combined $1.5 million in sales credits during 2021 by selling fuel at a lower margin than the average margin earned by fuel retailers in neighboring states.

Illinois

Springfield: The state on Wednesday reported a record 238 fatalities related to the coronavirus pandemic, a total that is nearly one-quarter higher than the previous record set during the spring onslaught of the illness. The deaths were accompanied by 9,757 new cases of COVID-19, the malady caused by coronavirus infection. Overall, in nine months of the pandemic, Illinois has recorded 12,639 deaths among 748,603 infections. The seven-day rolling test positivity average, which had hit a high of 13.2% on Nov. 13, had leveled off at just above 10% for several days but increased to 10.6% Wednesday. There was a glimmer of good news for hospitals, which are bracing for another sharp increase in illness following the Thanksgiving holiday. Hospitalizations dipped slightly to 5,764, as did the number of occupied intensive care units (1,190) and those on ventilators (714).

Indiana

Indianapolis: The number of COVID-19 deaths in Indiana nearly doubled in November, and the state on Tuesday reported that coronavirus-related hospitalizations remain at their highest point during the pandemic. Gov. Eric Holcomb on Tuesday also signed an extension of the state’s public health emergency through Dec. 31, a step under which he has issued the statewide mask order and limits on crowd sizes. The Indiana State Department of Health added 142 deaths to the statewide toll with Tuesday’s daily update. Most of those deaths occurred over the past week with a reporting lull from local officials over the Thanksgiving weekend. Those boost Indiana’s coronavirus deaths during November to at least 1,416 people – surpassing the previous monthly peak during April by nearly 400 and almost double October’s total of 732 deaths. The state’s seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths has reached 58 per day after that average was below 10 a day during July, when the state recorded 286 coronavirus fatalities.

Iowa

Des Moines: The state posted 22 additional deaths from the coronavirus Wednesday, the third consecutive day of more than 20 deaths and raising the state’s death toll to 2,449. The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks from nearly 22 deaths per day Nov. 17 to 29 deaths per day Tuesday. The state’s death count is the nation’s 21st highest per capita at 77.6 deaths per 100,000 people, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. More than 2,900 additional confirmed coronavirus cases were identified in the past day, and hospitalizations remained high with 1,162 people in Iowa hospitals with COVID-19. The state health department reported 181 patients were admitted in the previous 24 hours, an increase from recent days. State data indicated virus outbreaks in 163 nursing homes, continuing an upward trend

Kansas

Topeka: The state on Wednesday reported the sharpest increase of deaths over a two-day period since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with a rise of 119 fatalities linked to the coronavirus. It appears that most of the deaths did not occur in the past several days, and it’s possible the dramatic increase is due to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment squaring death records from weeks prior. The rise in deaths most heavily affected older Kansans, with roughly two-thirds of the deaths coming among residents age 75 and older. Statewide, 4,615 new cases of COVID-19 were reported by KDHE since Monday, as well as 185 new hospitalizations in that same time frame. The state also reported multiple new COVID-19 outbreaks, with most of the clusters remaining concentrated in long-term care facilities and prisons and jails; 71 cases were linked to the Kansas Department of Corrections’ central office in downtown Topeka.

Kentucky

Frankfort: The state reported record-high numbers of new coronavirus cases and deaths Tuesday as the governor warned that the COVID-19 outbreak is “spreading like wildfire.” Gov. Andy Beshear announced 4,151 more virus cases statewide and 35 additional virus-related deaths. He called it “the very worst day” since he started reporting daily virus numbers in March. Nearly 1,780 virus patients are hospitalized in Kentucky, including more than 440 in intensive care – both record numbers in the state, he said. Nearly 250 virus patients are on ventilators. The statewide rate for positive tests reached 9.59%. Beshear warned that “a huge amount of virus” is spreading rapidly in every Kentucky county. “Today is a terrible day that shows us how quickly this thing is spreading,” he said. The record-setting surge reinforces the need for aggressive actions to try to curb the virus’s spread, the governor said. Beshear warned that “inaction is deadly,” adding that he’s “willing to do what’s unpopular” if it saves lives.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: Amid the state’s third surge of the coronavirus outbreak, craft brewers and bar owners told lawmakers Wednesday that Gov. John Bel Edwards’ COVID-19 restrictions are damaging their operations and threaten to bankrupt their businesses. Microbrewery representatives told the House Ways and Means Committee that their taprooms shouldn’t be treated the same as bars, which are largely required to shutter indoor operations under the tightened virus rules the Democratic governor enacted last week. The brewers also called for the ability to deliver their beer directly to consumers, as other businesses are allowed to do with their products. Bar owners criticized Edwards’ rules limiting indoor live music performances as too strict, largely unworkable and unnecessary to protect public safety. Louisiana’s health department said 1,288 people in the state were hospitalized Wednesday with COVID-19, more than double the 596 COVID-19 patients hospitalized a month ago. Louisiana’s death toll from COVID-19 grew by another 37 confirmed deaths to 6,231.

Maine

Augusta: With Gov. Janet Mills in quarantine, the state’s acting chief justice instead swore lawmakers into office Wednesday in a historic offsite session that featured the state’s first openly gay House speaker and the first Black woman in a party leadership position. Mills, a Democrat, delivered a video message urging lawmakers to put safety first as they gathered at the Augusta Civic Center, where the session was moved from the Statehouse to ensure adequate space for social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which is surging in the state. Mills told lawmakers she feels well and is displaying no symptoms after exposure to a member of her security detail who is presumed to have contracted the virus. “I hope this serves as another reminder to all of us. As we’ve said all along, no one is immune to the spread and impact of the virus. Please stay safe,” Mills said on the video, a day after the state recorded a single-day high of 20 COVID-19 deaths.

Maryland

Annapolis: Faced with surging COVID-19 cases, Gov. Larry Hogan announced measures Tuesday to boost the number of available health care workers and plan for more hospital beds. In a partnership with the Maryland Hospital Association, the governor announced the launch of an initiative called MarylandMedNow to recruit people with clinical backgrounds to work at state hospitals, nursing homes, testing sites and vaccination clinics. The state has asked colleges and universities to develop emergency policies and procedures to award academic credit to students who are willing to get hands-on work experience during the pandemic. Colleges also are being encouraged to allow health care students who are in their final semester and have satisfied all graduation requirements to get an “early exit” and expedited testing and licensing requirements to get them into the workforce.

Massachusetts

Boston: Gov. Charlie Baker is urging those attending services at houses of worship to adhere to COVID-19 precautions, like wearing masks and practicing social distancing, particularly for indoor services. The state is still seeing too many COVID-19 clusters that can be traced back to houses of worship, the Republican said at a Tuesday press conference. “We know that houses of worship have always served as a place of refuge especially in difficult times like this,” Baker said. “But as with all gatherings, protocols have been put in place to ensure that services and other functions that happen in houses of worship happen as safely as possible.” Baker said many of the state’s faith leaders have stepped up by moving services online or holding them outside if possible. “It’s critically important that if you do attend an in-person service, please do wear a mask,” he said. “Keep your distance.”

Michigan

Detroit: Bars and restaurants lost a challenge Wednesday to the state’s ban on indoor dining and immediately warned about business failures and deep job losses if the restriction linked to the coronavirus is extended past next week. U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney turned down a request for an injunction with seven days left in the three-week ban ordered by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration in response to an alarming rise in virus cases. “The court finds that a plausible explanation for the emergency order exists: Restaurant patrons cannot wear a mask while eating or drinking,” Maloney said. “Plaintiffs complain that they are being treated differently than similar businesses, but as the court noted in its previous order, individuals can patronize the businesses that remain open while wearing a mask.” The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association and some restaurants had sued state health director Robert Gordon, saying they can safely provide indoor dining and were being treated unfairly when compared to other businesses.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: State health authorities reported 77 new COVID-19 deaths Wednesday – the second-highest one-day total of the pandemic – but this week’s figures have been affected by reporting lags due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The new deaths raise the state’s toll to 3,692. Minnesota’s highest one-day total was 101 cases last Friday, which reflected data from last Wednesday. The daily death tolls had been relatively low since then until now, but health officials have cautioned against reading too much into short-term fluctuations. The Minnesota Department of Health also reported 5,192 new coronavirus cases to bring the state’s total to 327,477. As of Tuesday, Minnesota hospitals were treating 1,604 COVID-19 patients, including 354 in intensive care.

Mississippi

Jackson: Gov. Tate Reeves instituted mask mandates in 13 more counties Tuesday but chose not to implement the measure statewide, a week after several prominent health care leaders called on him to do so. During a press briefing, the Republican governor said he believes issuing mask requirements in counties with the highest number of new cases will encourage people to take the regulations more seriously than a blanket approach would. A total of 54 out of the state’s 82 counties now have a mask mandate. “I almost feel like there are those out there who really, truly believe if I were to write an executive order, a statewide prohibition against hurricanes in 2021, that we won’t have any hurricanes,” Reeves said. “It just doesn’t work that way.” Reeves’ decision to forgo a statewide mask mandate comes as 12 major hospitals had no intensive care unit beds available Tuesday, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said.

Missouri

Columbia: The Legislature resumed work Tuesday after a special session had been delayed because several lawmakers tested positive for the coronavirus. The Senate budget committee on Tuesday gave initial approval to a $1.2 billion coronavirus aid package mostly comprised of federal funding. The move would allow the state to keep the federal money, including about $752 million in general coronavirus relief funding that needs to be spent by the end of the year. In Missouri, the Legislature must give approval for the governor to spend federal funding. Senators raised concerns with Republican Gov. Mike Parson’s request to spend more federal funding despite not yet using all the coronavirus aid the state received earlier this year. For example, Parson’s administration expects counties to leave as much as $300 million on the table that will go back to the federal government if unspent by the end of the year.

Montana

Helena: A new counseling hotline is available to help residents struggling with their mental health during the COVID-19 crisis, Gov. Steve Bullock announced Tuesday. The hotline is funded by a $1.6 million federal grant and will be available for at least the next nine months. People can call 1-877-503-0833 to receive free and confidential counseling services from trained crisis counselors from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. The new service is meant to help health care workers, first responders, school officials, veterans, the elderly, Native Americans, and farmers and ranchers but is available to all Montana residents, according to the governor’s office. The state Department of Public Health and Human Services partnered with Disaster and Emergency Services to pursue the grant to address the growing need for mental health services amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Nebraska

Lincoln: One of the state’s largest county jails is locked down after an outbreak of the coronavirus among inmates, and a state prison inmate with the virus has died. Lancaster County officials said Tuesday that their jail was locked down as a precaution after 12 inmates tested positive for the virus. All of the ill inmates are being treated in the jail’s infirmary, and more testing is being done in the two housing units where they had been held. Officials said it’s not clear how the virus reached the jail’s general population. The jail screens new inmates and holds them in quarantine for 10 days before releasing them into the general population. Previously, nine cases of COVID-19 were discovered during booking at the jail. All inmates and staff are required to wear masks inside the jail. Separate from the jail outbreak, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said Tuesday that an inmate in his 70s died at a Lincoln hospital. The cause of death hasn’t been determined. The department said the inmate had COVID-19 and other underlying medical conditions.

Nevada

Reno: A photo of a hospital’s alternative care site is being misrepresented on social media to fuel the false narrative that the coronavirus pandemic is a hoax, even as cases surge. Renown Regional Medical Center has been the primary target of renewed conspiracy theories suggesting hospitals are empty. The alternative care site with two floors of supplemental hospital beds inside a parking structure was opened Nov. 12 to accommodate an overflow in COVID-19 cases if needed. A photo showing a doctor standing in front of empty beds was taken the day it was opened, and patients had yet to arrive. Renown Regional Medical Center said the site has treated 198 coronavirus patients since it opened. President Donald Trump propelled the misinformation Tuesday, retweeting the photo of the doctor amid empty beds to his more than 80 million followers. “Fake election results in Nevada, also!” he said of the tweet suggesting that the parking garage site and pandemic were both fake. Gov. Steve Sisolak rebutted Trump’s retweet, saying that the president’s “consistent misleading rhetoric on COVID-19 is dangerous and reckless.”

New Hampshire

Durham: State lawmakers bundled up and spread out on an athletic field Wednesday to start their next two-year session. But many House Democrats skipped the gathering over concerns about the coronavirus, and the no-shows, coupled with a show of force by Republicans, signaled a rough path ahead. The 400-member House and 24-member Senate met at the University of New Hampshire to get sworn in, choose leaders, and elect the secretary of state and treasurer. Things went smoothly for the Senate, of which Salem Republican Chuck Morse was elected president. But many House Democrats decided to stay home after Republican leaders revealed Tuesday that a number of GOP House members tested positive for the virus after attending a caucus meeting Nov. 20. There were 130 representatives absent, including Rep. Renny Cushing, D-Hampton, the new House minority leader. He said Republicans showed an unconscionable, blatant disregard for public health at a time when coronavirus cases are surging.

New Jersey

Hackensack: Health officials are investigating a rise in COVID-19 cases at Ocean Medical Center that has infected at least 100 employees as the coronavirus surges through hospitals across New Jersey, according to the Ocean County Health Department, employees and a memo from the hospital’s ownership. The Brick hospital’s owner, Hackensack Meridian Health, said that “more than 100 of our team members are out of work at one hospital” because of the disease, according to a network memo sent to employees Nov. 20. The health system declined repeated requests the past week to provide the number of employees who were infected with the disease and quarantined but acknowledged that “we are seeing a higher rate of COVID-19 infection among team members at Hackensack Meridian Ocean Medical Center,” spokesman Ben Goldstein said.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: The state was expected to mark another grim milestone Wednesday as the coronavirus pandemic marches on and as some public health restrictions were eased following a two-week lockdown. Confirmed cases in the state were on track to top 100,000 on Wednesday. Data shows about half of the state’s total cases since the pandemic began have been reported in just the past month. Like other states across the nation, New Mexico has been dealing with a surge in infections, related deaths and hospitalizations in recent weeks. Health care providers say they are at capacity, and laboratories have been struggling to keep up with growing demand for testing. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham tweeted Tuesday that the state has been at “this precipice for some time now” and urged people to abide by the health restrictions, which include staying home as much as possible, wearing a mask and keeping distance from other people.

New York

New York: An owner of a Staten Island bar that was providing indoor service in defiance of coronavirus restrictions was arrested after a sting in which plainclothes officers went inside and ordered food and beverages, the city sheriff’s office said. Protesters shouted as deputies arrested Danny Presti, the co-owner of Mac’s Public House, on Tuesday. The tavern is in an area of New York City designated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo as an orange zone because of spiking COVID-19 rates and was not supposed to be serving customers indoors. But the owners had declared the bar an “autonomous zone,” a nod to protesters who claimed control over a Seattle neighborhood in June. The bar has been fined thousands of dollars as it continued to serve patrons inside and to operate past the 10 p.m. curfew for restaurant service that Cuomo imposed citywide. According to a release from Sheriff Joseph Fucito, plainclothes deputies went inside Tuesday and ordered food in exchange for a mandatory $40 “donation.” Uniformed deputies went in then and issued tickets for state and city violations.

North Carolina

Wilson: Nearly half of third to 12th grade students in one school district failed a class this school year while taking virtual classes during the coronavirus pandemic, the district’s data shows. Wilson County Schools released data showing that 46% of students in those grades failed a class during the first nine weeks of the school year, WRAL-TV reports. That’s more than double the rate from the same period last year. The first quarter of the school year for students was entirely remote. Elementary and middle school students then transitioned into hybrid learning. Superintendent Dr. Lane Mills said in a statement that the outcome is “not what we want for our students and system.” “However, we also recognize that this pattern is happening across the state in all systems,” he said. “We are now on a path where many of our students are back in face-to-face instruction and are becoming more accustomed to online learning.”

North Dakota

Fargo: City commissioners are planning to provide assistance to local businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, beyond what is available at the state and federal level. Commissioners will look at a number of possibilities to assist bars, restaurants, retail and other businesses, KFGO reports. That could include waiving next year’s liquor license fees, adjusting utility bills and property tax reductions. City Strategic Planning Director Jim Gilmour said data from a number of sources shows that at least 30 Fargo businesses have closed so far during the pandemic. That includes seven hotels and 19 restaurants and breweries that have not renewed licenses required by the city. Gilmour said that in October there were 5,000 fewer employees in Cass and Clay Counties compared to a year ago. North Dakota health officials on Wednesday confirmed a dozen new deaths due to complications from the coronavirus, lifting the total number of fatalities in the state to 966 since the start of the pandemic.

Ohio

Columbus: A leading business group on Tuesday asked employees to model best practices for reducing the spread of the coronavirus as it warned of the impact the current spike in cases could have on the economy. The Ohio Business Roundtable, a nonprofit organization of big economy chief executive officers, wants workers to encourage mask-wearing at any gathering outside immediate family, avoid large gatherings such as game day celebrations, and reconsider indoor holiday parties. “This is not a choice between our health and a strong economy; the two are strongly connected,” said Pat Tiberi, the roundtable’s president and CEO and a former longtime Republican congressman. The group dubbed the effort the Coalition to Stop the Spread. The announcement came as Ohio’s economy continues to show signs of weakness. Last week, the state said 30,177 Ohioans filed initial claims for unemployment compensation, a 21% jump from the week before. More than 5,200 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus Tuesday, another record.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: State health officials reported a record-high 54 deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, more than double the previous one-day record, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to surge. The latest deaths were reported in 23 counties across the state between Oct. 24 and Nov. 30, including 37 deaths since Nov. 26, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. There is often a delay in reporting deaths because of the time it takes to confirm the death is COVID-19-related, said department spokesman Anthony Triana. The previous one-day record number of reported deaths was 26 on Nov. 18. The latest figures bring the total number of virus-related deaths in Oklahoma to 1,812. The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in the state has risen over the past two weeks from 13.29 deaths per day Nov. 17 to 13.43 deaths per day Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Oregon

Salem: The state reported 24 more deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, a record high for a single day in the state. The Oregon Health Authority said the “grim milestone” underscores that people should wear masks, keep physical distance and keep gatherings small. The increase raises the state’s known death toll to 936. Meanwhile, officials in Silverton, a town east of Salem, are trying to monitor a potential outbreak among firefighters. The situation has underscored a weakness in Oregon’s response to the pandemic: a lack of a system for getting first responders tested rapidly, said Assistant Chief Ed Grambusch of the Silverton Fire District. A member of the fire district who was taking part in training Nov. 21 has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Twenty people who were trainees or instructors may have had a high risk exposure.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Regional “strike teams” will fan out across the state over the next 12 weeks in a bid to improve its coronavirus testing efforts, the governor announced Tuesday, as health officials anticipated a post-Thanksgiving surge in new cases. The Department of Health is expanding an existing contract with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare, which will dedicate five virus testing teams to the new effort. Each week, the teams will operate temporary testing sites in counties identified as virus hot spots, eventually making it to every Pennsylvania county that doesn’t have its own health department. “Our goal is to ensure that everyone who needs a test in Pennsylvania can get one,” Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday. Temporary sites opened Wednesday in Bedford, Mifflin, Tioga and Northampton counties, with another scheduled to open Friday in Butler County. Pennsylvania is reporting an average of 6,700 new confirmed infections and 73 deaths per day, both up sharply over the past two weeks, according to AP analysis of data from the COVID Tracking Project. Statewide hospitalizations have more than tripled since the beginning of November, according to Department of Health data.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state Department of Corrections’ medical director is stepping down as Rhode Island’s prison system deals with a spike in coronavirus cases. Dr. Jennifer Clarke’s last day is Friday after working for the department since 1998. Corrections Director Patricia Coyne-Fague acknowledged Clarke’s departure comes at a challenging time for the department but thanked her for improvements she made to inmate health care. Coyne-Fague highlighted Clark’s work implementing the department’s medication-assisted opioid treatment program, which has garnered national attention. The corrections department reported Monday that 488 prisoners and 112 staffers had tested positive for the coronavirus in November. The prison’s maximum-security unit is among the hardest hit. Nearly all of the roughly 350 inmates in the unit have tested positive for the virus. The state public defender’s office has filed an emergency petition with the state Supreme Court seeking the release of as many people as possible on bail to reduce the prison population. The petition includes a statement of support from Clarke.

South Carolina

Greenville: The state Department of Health and Environmental Control on Wednesday reported 1,612 new cases of the coronavirus and 35 new deaths. The department also reported 70 new probable cases of COVID-19. The state cumulative total is 206,653 confirmed cases, and there have been 4,126 total confirmed deaths. Additionally, there have been 14,182 probable cases and 318 probable deaths. Of the 7,480 COVID-19 test results reported Tuesday to DHEC, 21.6% were positive. Among South Carolina’s 46 counties, Greenville County has led the state with the most confirmed cases for 27 consecutive days, every day since Nov. 6. Seven Upstate hospitals including five from Prisma have reported staffing shortages related to demands from the coronavirus pandemic, although all of the facilities said they have made internal adjustments to accommodate needs.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The state on Wednesday reported that 47 people had died from COVID-19, one of the highest single-day death tallies since the pandemic began. South Dakota has reported more than 50 deaths in a day only twice – both in November. The total number of deaths stands at 995. The rate of death from the virus has risen dramatically in recent weeks, and the state now has the nation’s ninth-highest number of deaths per capita. There were 107.5 deaths per 100,000 people, according to Johns Hopkins researchers. But health officials did offer some good news. They are expecting to receive the first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine in the next two weeks if it is authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration. Medical workers caring for COVID-19 patients will be the first to receive the vaccine, followed by people in elder care facilities.

Tennessee

Nashville: Lawmakers who have often been critical of government restrictions to curb COVID-19’s spread are suggesting ways to give themselves the power to limit or overturn emergency orders from the governor during future health crises. Amid the worsening pandemic, a GOP-led panel of state House and Senate lawmakers issued recommendations Tuesday that would treat health-related emergency orders differently from others, with caps on how long a governor’s health state of emergency can stand before lawmakers would get a vote on it; power for lawmakers to override a state of emergency or executive order; requirements for notice and fiscal impact estimates of an emergency order; and more. The suggestions are poised to end up in legislation that the Republican-supermajority Legislature will consider when it returns in January for its annual lawmaking session. The recommendations also take some heat off Republican Gov. Bill Lee, since they would only apply to the next administration, exempting his.

Texas

Marfa: The state surpassed 9,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients Tuesday for the first time since a deadly summer outbreak as the pandemic’s spread threatened the Big Bend region near the desert artist hub of Marfa, where tourists continued visiting and officials urged people to stay home. The rising number of cases near the remote West Texas border is but another example of how the virus is now spreading into places that ducked previous surges. Texas reported more than 15,000 new cases Tuesday, smashing the previous single-day record. Marfa is about 200 miles down the border from El Paso, where hospitalizations have fallen slightly after a grim November. The town of roughly 1,700 people is the second-largest in Presidio County, where in the past two weeks the number of cases since the pandemic began has doubled to at least 460 confirmed cases, according to state health figures. The county borders Ojinagao, Mexico, and the only hospital in rural Alpine has just enough beds to treat only a handful of COVID-19 patients.

Utah

St. George: With winter sports in the state set to officially begin Thursday, the high school governing body has released updated guidelines for teams and spectators. The UHSAA has unveiled Return-to-Play Protocol for winter sports, which includes recommendations based on each county’s COVID-19 transmission rate. According to the guidelines, counties with high transmission rates are only allowed to have parents of the participating athletes in the venue. Support groups, such as the drill team or cheerleaders, will be allowed with required masks and social distancing for the home team only. Support groups for away teams will not be allowed. For moderate transmission rates, arenas will be allowed with 25% capacity, and support groups are allowed with required masks and social distancing, but there are no defined student sections. The low transmission rate fundamentals are far more lax.

Vermont

Montpelier: People who attended multi-household Thanksgiving gatherings against the governor’s order are urged to quarantine and get tested for the coronavirus. “It’s best to get tested right away and again on Day Seven or later,” Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said Tuesday during the governor’s virus briefing. The state is investigating a situation related to a Thanksgiving dinner party that was celebrated early, he said. “I can only hope this single event will not be a sign of more to come,” he said. Levine also reminded Vermonters that Gov. Phil Scott’s order banning on multi-household gatherings is still in effect. “If we can keep doing our part to prevent further spread of COVID-19, we can weather the current surge in cases,” he said. Vermont reported 101 new cases of the coronavirus Wednesday for a statewide total since the pandemic began of 4,461. Two more people have died, bringing the total number of deaths to 74.

Virginia

Richmond: A health system serving a swath of the central Appalachian mountains said Wednesday that it will halt nonemergency elective procedures due to surging cases of COVID-19 and capacity concerns at its Virginia and Tennessee hospitals. Ballad Health officials announced the change, which will take effect Monday and last for at least 30 days, at a news conference at which they again implored community members to follow basic public health guidelines such as mask-wearing and social distancing. “The way we’re seeing people act in the community, the way we’re seeing people attend large gatherings, we can expect to see the numbers continuing to rise higher and higher. So I’m pleading with you, please change your behavior if you haven’t yet,” said Eric Deaton, Ballad’s chief operating officer. Gov. Ralph Northam said at a separate news conference Wednesday that health officials believe Tennessee’s lack of a mask mandate and other restrictions has helped increase the virus’s spread in neighboring southwest Virginia communities.

Washington

Mount Vernon: The vast majority of Skagit County businesses are complying with emergency rules to curb the spread of COVID-19, but a few have been cited and fined for violations. The Skagit Valley Herald reports Skagit Arms is the first county business to be fined by the Department of Labor & Industries for a COVID-19 mask violation, though at least one other local business has been cited by the state Liquor and Cannabis Board and has requested a hearing. Skagit Speedway, meanwhile, received a written warning for a large outdoor political rally held at the racetrack in October, though no fine was issued. Eight other businesses throughout the state also had been cited and fined for mask violations in the past two months. Fines ranged from $900 to $7,500. Businesses have 15 days to appeal. By state mandate, businesses must ensure all customers and workers on their premises wear masks to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

West Virginia

Fairmont: The Marion County Family Resource Network hosted Santa Claus for a breakfast event in the city last year, but the pandemic is preventing his return this year. However, Frank Jarman, executive director of the Family Resource Network, said the nonprofit will serve as a liaison between Saint Nick and area families through its new Letters to Santa initiative instead. “Because of COVID, we weren’t able to do our Breakfast with Santa,” Jarman said. “We just felt like people still needed that hope, that magic that comes with Christmas, so our team came up with this great letter.” According to Jarman, parents can send Santa letter requests to the FRN by just including some information about their children. He said those who send in letters should get replies from Santa in the beginning of December. “We’re just the conduit,” Jarman said. “We just get the information from the parents, we send it to Santa, and he is going to send out a great letter.”

Wisconsin

Madison: Republicans who control the state Senate won’t take up any COVID-19 relief measures before January, the incoming majority leader said Wednesday, even though Assembly Republicans have said they’re open to coming in this month, and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has urged swift action before federal money runs out. “We’re not coming back in December,” said Sen. Devin LeMahieu, who takes over as majority leader in January. Republicans who control the Legislature are at odds on what the next step should be in fighting the virus, which continues to spread across Wisconsin. The state reported 3,777 new confirmed cases Wednesday, bringing the total to more than 395,000. The seven-day average of new cases was 3,664, down from highs seen in mid-November but still five times higher than three months ago. The numbers still show high community spread, the state Department of Health Services said. There were 82 new deaths reported, for a total of 3,502 since the pandemic began.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: The governor says he disagrees with a state Republican Party resolution calling on him to rescind a state of emergency in place since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, called the resolution approved by the Wyoming State Republican Central Committee in mid-November a “very unfortunate choice.” Besides allowing the state health officer to issue public health orders, the state of emergency Gordon issued in March makes it easier for hospitals and others to get funding and other resources to help deal with the virus, Gordon said Tuesday in a virtual meeting with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle editorial board. “I just think it was an unfortunate resolution, but it’s perhaps a sign of the times of how far apart this country has become,” he said. Gordon’s comments came a day after Wyoming reported a record 247 coronavirus hospitalizations and as he himself was experiencing mild symptoms of the virus.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

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