Veterans home, online dress code, mask counting: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Montgomery: The Alabama Department of Human Resources says 63% of the state’s 2,410 child care facilities are now open after most closed in the spring because of COVID-19. The department said in a news release that only 12% of child care providers were open for business in March because of the pandemic. The department said reopening is a positive sign for parents. “This is good news at a time when many parents and guardians are gradually returning to their normal daily lives outside of the home,” Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner said in a statement. The department said that, so far, $7 million in financial aid has been provided to 501 child care providers through the Temporary Assistance for Stabilizing Child Care grant program. Locations of open child care facilities and information about the grant program can be found at www.dhr.alabama.gov/child-care.

Alaska

Anchorage: The Municipality of Anchorage has requested a contempt-of-court hearing after a restaurant defied a judge’s ruling to halt indoor dining service in compliance with a city order meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The motion filed Saturday requests contempt sanctions against Kriner’s Diner and its owners, The Anchorage Daily News reports. City attorneys said they do not want the defendants jailed but are trying to make sure the restaurant stops indoor dining service to protect the health of Anchorage residents. The motion also accuses the restaurant’s attorney, Blake Quackenbush, of encouraging and participating in the violation, arguing the lawyer should be sanctioned. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz issued an emergency order temporarily prohibiting indoor dining at restaurants and breweries as the number of confirmed cases increased. Quackenbush argued the order violates the Alaska Constitution.

Arizona

Phoenix: Hundreds of faculty at Arizona State University have added their names to a letter online in opposition of the university’s plans to return to some in-person instruction Aug. 20. Citing risks of COVID-19, a lack of transparency and other concerns, the letter asks that ASU postpone in-person instruction until it uses the state’s guidance for starting in-person classes that was released Thursday, conducts testing of all members of the ASU community, and accommodates all faculty, staff and graduate students regardless of reason. The letter also demands equal representation of faculty, staff and students on a committee that advises executive leadership on COVID-19 policy. Directed to ASU President Michael Crow and administration, the letter was created by a new group called the ASU Community of Care Coalition and was signed by more than 500 faculty, staff and graduate students from across the university’s colleges as of Sunday.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state has 572 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and nine additional deaths due to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, state health officials reported Sunday. The Arkansas Department of Health said there are now 49,383 confirmed cases of the virus in the state and a death toll of 544, up from 48,811 cases and 535 deaths reported Saturday. The true number of coronavirus cases in Oklahoma is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick. The health department said 41,452 people have recovered from the virus, and there were 7,387 active cases Sunday.

California

Sacramento: California’s top public health official has resigned, just days after the state announced a fix for a glitch that caused a lag in reporting coronavirus test results. Dr. Sonia Angell said in a resignation letter made public late Sunday that she’s departing from her role as director and state public health officer at the California Department of Public Health. Her letter to staff did not give a reason for her departure. Angell often appeared during news conferences about California’s response to the pandemic alongside Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who in a statement thanked Angell “for her service to the state and her work to help steer our public health system during this global pandemic, while never losing sight of the importance of health equity.” Sandra Shewry, vice president of external engagement for California Health Care Foundation, will fill the role of acting health director, the health and human services department said.

Colorado

Denver: Volunteers from the public health department are sitting in vehicles outside stores, watching shoppers to see whether they’re wearing masks. Thanks to the reconnaissance, Tri-County Health Department has weekly data going back to April about the percentage of people in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties putting on face coverings when they go out in public, the Colorado Sun reports. The data could ultimately help in figuring out whether a weekly dip in mask-wearing correlates with increasing cases of coronavirus one or two weeks later, said Brian Hlavacek, Tri-County’s environmental health director. The public health department, one of the largest in the state, is among the few conducting mask surveys. The percentages of mask-wearers, after slipping in June, have been above 90% the past two weeks – which coincides with Gov. Jared Polis’ July 16 statewide order requiring people to wear masks when indoors in public.

Connecticut

Hartford: Gov. Ned Lamont criticized President Donald Trump’s executive order that seeks state money to help extend emergency unemployment benefits amid the coronavirus pandemic. Trump’s plan to provide an extra $400 a week in benefits requires states to kick in $100 a week. Speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Lamont said the plan would cost Connecticut about $500 million through the end of the year. “I could take that money from testing,” Lamont said. “I don’t think that’s a great idea. I could take that money from, you know, mass disinfecting for our schools. I don’t think that’s a great idea.” The governor also defended the state’s plan to reopen schools without requiring regular coronavirus testing for students and teachers. He said that he believes the the state’s low infection rate will allow the state to open schools safely and that teachers could go get free tests if they wanted.

Delaware

Wilmington: The state is going to spend $40 million to help residents who are struggling to pay rent or mortgages during the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. John Carney and the Delaware State Housing Authority announced Monday that the state is resurrecting the Delaware Housing Assistance Program to help people who are missing payments. The program was originally launched in late March but then halted a few weeks later because it was swamped with applications. At the time, it received requests from three times more tenants than officials originally set aside funds to help. The $40 million this time around is coming from the federal coronavirus relief package that Congress passed in late March to help states cover coronavirus-related expenses.

District of Columbia

Washington: The mass shooting of 21 people at a D.C. party is calling into question the issue with large gatherings during the pandemic, and some neighbors want police to do more, WUSA-TV reports. D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said Sunday that a gathering of hundreds of people in the city’s Southeast neighborhood Friday into Saturday defied the mayor’s order to limit groups to 50 people. Despite community members circulating flyers advertising the block party days before, police said organizers did not have a permit for the party. “It’s important as a community that we have zero tolerance for this kind of activity,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said Sunday. But, when it comes to enforcement, the district’s police department said recently that it is hoping for community compliance. Newsham said the department did not have enough officers to break up this party.

Florida

Orlando: Students began returning to some university campuses Monday as the state reported the fewest new daily cases in more than a month. Classes for new students started Monday at Stetson University. Students moved into dormitories over the weekend at the DeLand campus as well as at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. In Orange County, public school students started the school year Monday with two weeks of online learning. At the end of the month, they will get to choose between continuing with the virtual learning or going to in-person classes. Meanwhile, Florida reported 4,155 new coronavirus cases Monday, the smallest daily caseload increase since the end of June. The Sunshine State now has 536,961 total cases and 8,408 virus-related deaths. That marked an increase of more than 90 deaths reported in Florida on Monday.

Georgia

Savannah: A man falsely claimed that a drug his company was selling would lower the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19, federal prosecutors said. Matthew Ryncarz and his company Fusion Health and Vitality, which operated as Pharm Origins, are accused of saying a misbranded drug called Immune Shot would lower the risk of getting COVID-19 by 50%, according to federal prosecutors in Savannah. The drug “bore false and misleading labeling,” prosecutors said in a news release Monday. A lawyer for Ryncarz did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the charges of selling a misbranded drug. “Our office is committed to ensuring that businesses do not take advantage of a global health crisis and people’s fears in order to unlawfully make a buck,” U.S. Attorney Bobby Christine said in the release.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Health officials reported a record 231 new coronavirus cases Saturday as state and municipal officials closed beaches and parks on Oahu and restricted other activities. The statewide total of cases since the start of the pandemic in March has risen to 3,346, and newly confirmed infection cases surpassed 200 for two days in a row. Most of the cases have been in Honolulu and its suburbs. The death Friday of an Oahu man who was older than 60 was the state’s 31st fatality linked to COVID-19, the state Department of Health said. Closing Oahu’s beaches, parks and other high-risk activities will help prevent the spread of the virus, but the measures are not enough, and residents need to take responsibility in efforts to curb the virus, Anderson said. Gov. David Ige, a Democrat, plans to reinstate a requirement that people traveling between the islands quarantine themselves for 14 days, starting Tuesday.

Idaho

Boise: The state will remain in the fourth and final stage of a plan to reopen for at least another two weeks as coronavirus infections and deaths show little sign of slowing, Gov. Brad Little said Thursday. The Republican also reemphasized his desire that schools open this fall, though he said that would be up to local districts. Little said the state has sufficient health care workers, personal protection equipment, ventilators and ICU beds. He also said the state was making some progress with declining infection rates and other criteria and emphasized the money being spent to make sure schools can safely reopen, including $10 million for additional masks, gloves, sanitizer and separation glass. “The expectation is that schools will not be closed for extended periods of time during the ’20-’21 academic year,” Little said. “I genuinely understand the deep concern of some teachers and parents about returning to school for in-person instruction.”

Illinois

Springfield: The school district in the capital city has updated its dress code policy for remote learning, saying students can’t wear pajama pants, slippers or hats while on camera when classes start this month. Springfield Public Schools officials said they hope students approach online classes the same way they would attending classes in person, and that means following a dress code that also bars hoods, sunglasses and bandannas, among other things. The district said students should also be “sitting up out of bed preferably at a desk or table” during remote learning, according to its school manual. “The expectation is that the dress code is upheld,” Jason Wind, director of school support, recently told school board members. School officials said the policy changes were developed with teachers, administrators and parents. But some parents disagree with the rules.

Indiana

Indianapolis: State public health officials on Sunday reported a fourth consecutive day of 1,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and one new death. The Indiana State Department of Health said the state has had 74,328 cases and 2,835 deaths since the start of the pandemic. More than 841,000 tests have been administered in Indiana. Students at Indiana University began moving in Sunday, in a process that will be spread out over 12 days. Before moving in, students have to undergo a COVID-19 test. Tents will be set up in Memorial Stadium, according to The Herald-Times. Those who test positive will have to return home and isolate themselves for 10 days before coming back to campus. If they can’t return home, they’ll be assigned to isolation on campus. Students who are living off campus will also have to get tested before they arrive. Classes begin Aug. 24.

Iowa

Iowa City: University of Iowa administrators pushed ahead Monday with plans to resume some in-person classes and on-campus housing, even as student leaders said those steps were too risky during the coronavirus pandemic. University leaders said they would not test students who will begin moving into the Iowa City campus in the coming days, unlike last week’s mass testing at Iowa State University. They have also not finalized metrics for determining whether to shut down face-to-face instruction in the event of an outbreak during the semester. But at a news conference, top administrators touted the safety measures they have put in place and said they looked forward to welcoming students. Last week, undergraduate and graduate student government leaders sent a joint letter calling on the school to offer online-only classes and limit student housing.

Kansas

Topeka: The state on Monday reported nearly 1,100 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases and another seven COVID-19-related deaths over the previous three days. The state Department of Health and Environment said Kansas has had 31,730 coronavirus virus cases since the pandemic reached the state in early March. That’s up 3.6%, or 1,092 cases, since Friday. The actual number of cases is thought to be far higher because people can be infected without feeling ill and because of a lack of testing, particularly early in the pandemic. The state health department said there have been 387 COVID-19-related deaths reported for Kansas during the pandemic, an increase of 1.8% since Friday. However, the confirmed or probable cases leading to deaths stood at 1.22% as of Monday, a low for the pandemic. Hospitalizations increased 1.9% over three days, up 36 to 1,911.

Kentucky

Bardstown: Bourbon fans will be doing virtual toasts at this year’s Kentucky Bourbon Festival. The festival’s board has shifted the event to a virtual experience because of the coronavirus to help protect the safety of distilleries and the health of bourbon fans and the Bardstown community, where the annual event is held, festival organizers said. “At this time, we know it’s the right decision to move to a new type of bourbon celebration by going virtual,” said festival Board of Directors Chairman David Mandell. “We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Bardstown for our 30th anniversary next year.” This year’s event is set for Oct. 15-18. Bourbon fans will be able to go online to view nearly 20 live and recorded “Spirits Education Sessions,” festival organizers said. All will require free registration to attend. Virtual sessions will include a series featuring master distillers teaching the particulars of bourbon making.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: The state’s legislative auditor found two rural parishes’ claims that the state was double-counting their positive coronavirus tests in the official tally of cases was unfounded, upending theories pushed in conservative circles that the data is being skewed to make the outbreak appear worse than it is. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera’s office, a nonpartisan agency that digs into numbers for state lawmakers, said the case statistics reported on the Louisiana Department of Health’s online coronavirus dashboard “are generally correct.” “We found that none of the duplicates reported by Red River Parish were counted twice on LDH’s dashboard, and all but three duplicates identified by DeSoto Parish were not counted twice on LDH’s dashboard,” says the auditor’s report, released Thursday evening.

Maine

Portland: An American Indian tribe plans to expand its food pantry services as it responds to the coronavirus pandemic. The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians has received $900,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Indian Community Development Block Grant program to retrofit and expand a food service facility, Republican Sen. Susan Collins said. The expansion will establish a food pantry, Collins said. She said the expansion is important for the tribe’s efforts to combat the pandemic, which has brought economic hardship to the community. “This investment will help ensure that the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians can continue to safely provide affordable and nutritious food services on their lands during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Collins said. The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs were awarded $1.8 million in HUD money last month, Collins said.

Maryland

Silver Spring: The state elections board voted Friday to significantly reduce the number of places where voters can cast ballots on Election Day in November, a proposal aimed at accommodating a shortage of poll workers while avoiding voter confusion and crowded precincts during the coronavirus pandemic. The five-member board’s recommendation to Gov. Larry Hogan calls for using 282 public high schools or better sites as “vote centers” where any registered voter in a particular county could cast a ballot Nov. 3. Board members also expressed support for keeping the state’s roughly 80 early-voting centers open Nov. 3. The state’s current election format calls for having roughly 80 early-voting centers and opening up to 1,800 precinct-based polling places. Vote centers would be larger forums than precincts, which could make it easier to maintain social distancing rules, according to local election officials.

Massachusetts

Boston: Church officials say nearly a dozen Catholic schools have closed in the state this year, and more could shutter as the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic mounts. The Boston Herald reports among the recently announced closures are schools in Chelsea, Boston, Braintree, Holbrook, Lowell, Kingston, Marlborough, Methuen, Weymouth and Winchester. Thomas Carroll, school superintendent for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, told the newspaper it’s already the largest number of closures the region has seen in almost 50 years. He said Catholic schools nationwide have been dealing with declining enrollment and financial challenges for years, but they’ve been exacerbated by the pandemic. Carroll estimated Catholic school enrollment in the Boston archdiocese is down 7% from March, when Massachusetts and other states enacted widespread economic closures and social restrictions to control the pandemic.

Michigan

Detroit: Hatch Detroit contest winners and other participants whose businesses have been hurt by the coronavirus pandemic will have access to a $100,000 utility assistance relief fund created by the nonprofit. This year’s Hatch Detroit Small Business Alumni Relief Fund takes the place of the annual Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest. Hatch Detroit is a nonprofit that supports existing and new retail initiatives in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck through funding, exposure and mentoring. Hatch Detroit’s executive director, Vittoria Katanski, said the program’s graduates have opened 44 businesses, employed more than 500 people and invested more than $7 million in their businesses since the first contest was held in 2011. Comerica has invested an additional $50,000 to provide organizational support to Hatch Detroit in 2020.

Minnesota

St. Paul: State health officials reported a decrease in the number of new cases of COVID-19 on Friday but urged residents to stay vigilant in their efforts to stop the virus’s spread by continuing to wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid large crowds. Officials also expressed worry about an increase in cases tied to long-term care facilities, saying the new cases seem to come as staff members have relaxed precautions and started attending large events such as parties, church gatherings or weddings. “This is fragile, and we are very concerned that the progress we have made can be at risk, and can even be lost, if we let up on our precautions,” said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist. “We need everyone in Minnesota to be doing their part to limit transmission. We are all connected to each other.”

Mississippi

Jackson: The state Department of Health reported 16 new coronavirus deaths and 476 new cases Monday, bringing the total to 67,649 cases and 1,912 deaths. There were a total 175 outbreaks reported at long-term care facilities. The latest statistics available, last updated Saturday, show 4,067 Mississippians in long-term care have been diagnosed with coronavirus, and 832 have died. Mississippians in the 60-to-69 age bracket made up the largest number of hospitalizations as of Friday with 1,039. Those in the 70-to-79 age bracket made up the largest number of deaths with 497. But, by far, those in the 18-to-29 age group have the highest number of confirmed cases in the state with 14,236. Eleven people in that age bracket have died of the virus. State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said positive cases of the virus have surged in recent weeks in the that demographic.

Missouri

Jefferson City: State health officials reported another 1,027 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday, continuing a trend of nearly 1,000 new cases every day since last week. The exception was Sunday, when the state recorded 475 confirmed cases. The state’s data was delayed over the weekend as health department officials moved the numbers from an old surveillance system to a new one, and health officials said Monday that another 1,073 cases were confirmed Saturday. Six COVID-19 deaths were confirmed over the weekend and none Monday. On Monday, St. Louis County health officials said they planned to survey 5,000 randomly selected residents and test them for the coronavirus. The study is planned to help health officials understand racial disparities in public health, identify risk factors for COVID-19 and educate about preventative measures that could be taken, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Montana

Helena: The state has surpassed 5,000 known cases of COVID-19 and has reported 75 deaths, officials said Monday. The state reported 261 cases over the weekend, including 65 on Monday, bringing the total known cases to 5,017. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. Two more residents of long-term care facilities in Billings recently died from COVID-19, Yellowstone County officials said Saturday. A woman in her 80s who had lived at Canyon Creek Memory Care died in the hospital Aug. 4. Hers was the 16th death tied to an outbreak at the facility. A man in his 90s died Aug. 5 at a senior living facility that county officials did not identify. Eighty people are hospitalized with the respiratory virus, including 44 in Yellowstone County, health department spokesperson Barbara Schneeman said Saturday.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Lincoln Police closed down a bowling alley over the weekend for violating the city’s coronavirus restrictions after the owner vowed to fight the rules requiring people to wear masks in public places. On Saturday, Lincoln Police enforced the local health department’s order to close Madsen’s Bowling & Billiards for violating restrictions related to the coronavirus outbreak. Officials have said employees at Madsen’s Bowling & Billiards weren’t wearing face coverings, patrons were told masks were optional, and people weren’t far enough apart. The bowling alley’s owner, Benjamin Madsen, has challenged the city’s health restrictions in court. The business was ticketed Saturday for violating a closure order by operating Friday. Madsen’s attorney, J.L. Spray, declined to comment on the closure Saturday.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Tourism officials marked another index of the economic effect of the coronavirus pandemic Friday, reporting that about 1 million people visited the Las Vegas area during June – down 70.5% from the same month a year ago. A monthly economic report from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority noted that casinos were closed for 78 days before reopening four days into the month. It said that with large gatherings banned to prevent the spread of COVID-19, convention attendance was zero. Some Las Vegas resorts remain closed, and the report put occupancy of the more than 95,000 rooms available after properties were allowed to open June 4 at only about 41%. State health officials reported 976 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide and 20 more deaths, bringing the Nevada total to at least 920 since the pandemic began.

New Hampshire

Concord: The state’s hospitals are hurting financially and bracing for cuts due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hospitals in the Granite State collectively lost $575 million in revenue between March and July, said Kathy Bizarro-Thunberg, executive vice president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. The group estimates hospitals will lose $700 million by the end of the year, The Concord Monitor reports. Hospitals were forced to pause lucrative nonessential surgeries and services due to the virus crisis. Alex Walker, chief operating officer at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, said the hospital laid off more than 70 employees last week, reduced hours for dozens of positions and froze hiring for all nonessential workers. The hospital expects to lose $40 million by the end of next month. “COVID has had a devastating effect on our finances,” Walker said.

New Jersey

Paramus: Two congressmen called for the CEO of the New Jersey Veterans Home at Paramus to resign Monday following a story last week that showed how lax infection control and questionable decisions may have exacerbated the devastating toll COVID-19 has taken at the facility. U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell Jr. and Josh Gottheimer called for CEO Matthew Schottlander to step down before an expected second wave of COVID-19 emerges this fall and winter. “Mismanagement and a lack of transparency at the state-run Paramus Veterans Home resulted in needless death and preventable tragedy,” the two Democrats said in a statement. The Paramus home leads the state in nursing home deaths, with 81 residents and one caregiver dying from COVID-19. It is one of the highest death tolls nationally. Almost 300 residents and staff have been infected.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: Environmental regulators have ordered employers to promptly report coronavirus cases to the state. An emergency rule issued by the Environmental Department requires employers to report positive COVID-19 cases to the department within four hours of being notified of the case. The department said the emergency rule will remain in effect for up to 120 days unless a permanent rule is adopted before the end of the 120 days. “By requiring employers to report positive cases in a timely manner, the state will be able to more rapidly respond to workplaces, providing immediate guidance and support to employers and preventing the spread of COVID-19 beyond the infected employees,” the department said. However, the department said that in more than 280 instances, employers were aware of cases at least three days before the department learned of them.

New York

New York: Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday dismissed President Donald Trump’s executive orders as “laughable” and another chapter in the federal government’s botched response to the coronavirus as he praised New Yorkers for mostly good behavior that has reduced the infection rate in his state. The Democrat was particularly critical of Trump’s Saturday announcement that states must pay part of $400 weekly unemployment insurance benefits. Meanwhile, Cuomo praised New Yorkers for driving down the rate of infections so low that only 0.78% of tests performed Saturday came back positive. He said the 131 people in intensive care units also represented the lowest number since the early days of the health crisis. “It’s great news,” he said. It was not all good through: Another seven deaths were recorded. And Cuomo is trying to keep pressure on local authorities to enforce rules meant to keep crowds from bars and restaurants.

North Carolina

Raleigh: When K-12 public school students in the state resume classes this fall, the vast majority of them will be sitting at home in front of a computer screen. Despite a desire by most Americans to reopen schools at least partially for in-person learning, nearly 2 in 3 North Carolina parents were not given the choice to send their kids back for the start of the fall. Data released by the state shows at least 65% of public school students will start this academic year fully remote because their districts went with the Plan C option that Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper offered in his reopening guidance. Beyond that, an unknown number of parents have opted for remote instruction in districts that allowed for a mix of in-person and online learning. “We know how important in-person school is,” Cooper said Thursday. “However, we need to put the health and safety of the children first.”

North Dakota

Harwood: Veterans who weren’t given military funeral rights when they were buried during the coronavirus pandemic have been given a final salute at the Fargo National Cemetery. United Patriotic Bodies and Fargo Honor Guard volunteers were at the cemetery Saturday when three rifle volleys were fired and taps were played individually for 14 different families of veterans. United Patriotic Bodies Cmdr. Jason Hicks said the salute is an honor and a duty to those who sacrificed for their country. Gary Varberg came to the cemetery to honor his brother, Roger Nelson. They served in Iraq together and decades in the National Guard, KVLY-TV reports. “Closure, maybe a little bit,” Varberg said. “Mainly to salute his military history and his duty.” Nelson was just one of the many veterans who wasn’t given military rights and honors when he was buried at the Fargo National Cemetery during the pandemic.

Ohio

Columbus: Unemployment claimants would receive $300 in federal weekly unemployment assistance under an option provided by the White House that doesn’t require extra state spending, the administration of Gov. Mike DeWine said. The plan agreed to late Sunday by Gov. Mike DeWine means less money for the unemployed than under another option that would provide $400 a week, with $100 coming from the state. Both options involve less than the $600 a week in federal pandemic aid that recipients were receiving until their expiration Aug. 1, with Congress unable to agree on an extension. Ohio recipients will still receive regular state unemployment benefits under the plan. The new federal benefit might not take effect until later this month while Ohio seeks guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor for implementing it, said DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: State health officials reported 397 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus Monday and two additional deaths. The latest numbers from the Oklahoma State Department of Health bring to 43,963 the number of confirmed cases in the state since the pandemic began in March. The death toll now stands at 605. Meanwhile, one of the state’s largest hospital systems is reporting an alarming increase in the number of pregnant women testing positive for COVID-19. Integris Baptist Medical Center reported Monday that doctors have delivered 24 babies from women who have the coronavirus since June 30. Prior to that, the hospital had not cared for any expectant mothers with COVID-19. The health system has not reported any maternal or fetal deaths related to the virus.

Oregon

Salem: Out-of-state travelers will be charged more while camping at state parks to help recoup some losses during the economic downfall caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced a 30% surcharge on nonresidents who make new camping reservations or arrive at a state park campground beginning Monday. Under the surcharge, the average cost for a full-service recreational vehicle site for nonresidents will increase from $33 a night to $42 a night, and the average tent rental fee will increase from $19 a night to $23 a night. The additional fees are temporary and will remain through 2020, officials said, adding that it could raise about $500,000 to help hire staff, pay for cleaning supplies and support other operations. It is similar to the extra fees most states add to fishing licenses purchased by out-of-state residents.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Under pressure to give schools more health guidance about how to safely reopen, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said Monday that it will provide recommendations to school districts based on the local rate of transmission of the coronavirus. The Department of Health plans to provide an analysis showing the seven-day rate of transmission in each county and group those rates into three categories: low, moderate and substantial. The department’s recommendation on how to reopen would be based on those categories. So, for areas with a low transmission rate, districts could adopt a partly remote or a full in-person instruction model. For areas with a moderate transmission rate, districts could adopt a partly remote or fully remote instruction model. For areas with a substantial transmission rate, the department would recommend a fully remote instruction model. Most districts will be in the moderate category.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state registered one more death from COVID-19 and 176 newly reported positive cases over the weekend, state health officials said Monday. The state Department of Health also said 93 people are currently hospitalized with the virus, the highest total in more than a month. Eight of the patients are in the intensive care unit, and two are on ventilators, the agency said. The new cases bring the state’s coronavirus death toll to more than 1,000 and its total cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic started to nearly 20,000. In recent days Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo has been enacting tougher social and economic measures to control the spread of the virus as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in the state.

South Carolina

Columbia: Gov. Henry McMaster is calling on the state health department to report any COVID-19 cases among students and staff in public schools. The Department of Health and Environmental Control should develop a process to collect and disclose cases in every school district in the state, McMaster wrote Monday in a letter to DHEC Chairman Mark Elam. That data, stripped of identifying information to comply with confidentiality laws, should be reported on a daily basis, he said. A spokesperson for the health agency said it intended to fulfill the governor’s request. At least eighteen districts will start classes next week, according to reopening plans approved by the state education department. Currently, schools are only required to notify students and families who were in close contact – within 6 feet for at least several minutes – with someone who tested positive, state Department of Education spokesman Ryan Brown said.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The Sioux Falls School District may be short of bus drivers when school begins later this month. School Bus Inc. holds the contract to transport Sioux Falls students to and from school by bus, and manager Jim Shafer said concerns about the coronavirus pandemic are partially to blame for the shortage. Shafer said in a normal year, the district would still be looking for 10-15 drivers. He said it’s about double that number this year. Shafer said driver applications are coming in, but there are background checks, physicals and other tests that potential hires need to complete. Shafer said that “the district has done pretty extensive stuff” in the way of precautions. Those safety efforts include an expectation by the district that drivers wear masks.

Tennessee

Nashville: Election officials have updated the absentee ballot application for November to reflect that the state Supreme Court eliminated an expansion of mail voting during the pandemic. Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office said voters who have underlying health conditions particularly susceptible to COVID-19 can get absentee ballots by selecting the “illness or physical disability” on the application. The application doesn’t mention underlying conditions or COVID-19, but the secretary of state’s website does. Voters themselves will determine under penalty of perjury whether their underlying conditions qualify. In a news release, Hargett and Elections Coordinator Mark Goins said that “if a voter is too ill to go to shopping centers, Walmart, Home Depot, or other public places then they are probably too ill to go the polls and conversely, if you are going to those other places then common sense would indicate the voter is well enough to go to their polling place.”

Texas

Austin: State Attorney General Ken Paxton advised Friday that local governments’ attempts to delay evictions for renters grappling with the COVID-19 recession amounted to rewriting state law – something they can’t do, he said in nonbinding legal guidance. “While local officials do possess certain emergency powers ... statewide eviction procedures far exceed the requirement that those powers be exercised ‘on an appropriate local scale,’ ” Paxton said in a letter. “Government Code does not authorize local governmental entities operating under a declared disaster to independently rewrite state law as it applies to their jurisdiction to prohibit, delay, or restrict the issuance of a notice to vacate.” Paxton’s letter, in response to a question from Republican state Sen. Brandon Creighton of Conroe, seems to chide local officials like Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who last month extended the eviction moratorium in the city until Sept. 30.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Federal inmates who have sued a jail and alleged a failure to adequately protect them from the coronavirus will not be able to seek immediate release through a habeas corpus petition, a judge ruled Friday. Six people charged with federal crimes and held at Weber County Jail in Ogden filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court last month, asking for more inmates to be released to home confinement and for additional health measures, such as mandating masks and providing hygiene supplies. Attorney Benjamin McMurray, whose office represents more than 100 jail inmates, said during a court teleconference hearing Friday that his clients are being punished and put into disciplinary confinement if they continue to report symptoms. Frank Mylar, who represents Weber County Sheriff Ryan Arbon, said some of the inmates lack any legal standing because they have already contracted the virus “and moved on.”

Vermont

Northfield: As the first group of Norwich University students has arrived on campus, some students have failed to follow coronavirus-related safety guidelines, the military school said. Some cadets apparently broke the rules of the school contract, school officials told WCAX-TV, but they would not elaborate on which ones. President Mark Anarumo plans to meet with those students early this week to discuss consequences, Norwich officials said. Students who break the contract may be asked to leave campus, officials said. Under the contract, students agree to follow certain safety measures, including abiding by occupancy limits in dormitories and common areas as well as physically distancing and wearing a mask in public spaces. On-campus students may not leave the campus without approval. Approximately 400 to 500 students were expected to return to campus this past weekend and were required to quarantine based on state guidelines.

Virginia

Richmond: Hundreds of thousands of applications for mail-in ballots that a voter advocacy group sent to voters in Virginia had the wrong return addresses, adding another complication for state election officials who are already hard-pressed to pull off a smooth election in a pandemic. The Virginia Department of Elections said the return envelopes were addressed to the wrong election office, which would force election officials to forward the applications to the correct office for processing. Meanwhile, the department said anyone wanting to vote absentee should apply for a ballot through the state’s website. The problem mailers were sent by The Center for Voter Information, a third-party group not affiliated with the state, the department said in a news release. The Washington-based group, which says it’s a nonpartisan organization aiming to increase voter participation, had mailed over 2 million applications, The Washington Post reports.

Washington

Seattle: New guidelines for fitness centers and gyms went into effect in the state Monday in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. KING TV reports under the updated guidelines, gyms and fitness facilities will need to nearly triple the minimum distance required for patrons exercising indoors, except for those practicing certain team sports. The new COVID-19 guidance issued by Gov. Jay Inslee for counties in Phase 2 or 3 of reopening increases the requirement of 6 feet of distance between patrons to 300 square feet, which is just over 17 feet of space. Showers, hot tubs, saunas and tanning beds at multi-use facilities will be closed, as will steam rooms, squash courts and racquetball courts. Locker rooms will also be limited for handwashing and restrooms only. All patrons will also be required to wear facial coverings while inside indoor fitness facilities, “except while engaged in strenuous exercise.”

West Virginia

Glen Jean: The New River Gorge National River is increasing access and services that were stopped in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The National Park Service is using guidance from federal authorities and state and local health officials as it monitors the pandemic and increases access. The park was reopening access beginning Saturday to Grandview Sandbar Campground, Glade Creek Campground and Stone Cliff Campground. Backcountry camping, hiking trails, river and river access points, vault toilets at heavy visitor use areas and group picnic shelters at Grandview continue to be available. Facilities that remain closed include visitor centers, vault toilets at less popular areas, group campsites, and campgrounds at Army Camp, Brooklyn, Gauley Tailwaters, Meadowcreek, Thayer and War Ridge.

Wisconsin

Madison: The state’s voters have requested more than 900,000 absentee ballots for Tuesday’s primary, more than seven times what they requested in the August primary in 2018, according to data state elections officials released Monday. The sheer volume of applications is another sign of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact as voters try to avoid infection at the polls. According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, voters had requested 903,760 absentee ballots and had returned 506,709 as of Monday. That compares with 2018, when they requested 123,393 ballots and returned 106,663. Tuesday’s primary includes nearly 30 legislative races and two Republican primaries for congressional seats in southeastern Wisconsin’s 5th District and western Wisconsin’s 3rd District. No statewide offices are on the ballot.

Wyoming

Casper: Workers closed the state’s last operating oil rig last week. It is just the second time since 1884 that the state has had zero gas rigs in operation, according to Pete Obermueller, the executive director of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. “It is historic, but not in a great way,” Obermueller said. “There are so many jobs attached to these rigs, and now, people are painfully learning so much revenue is attached too. It’s mind-boggling and hard to capture the impact.” The organization estimates that one lost rig means roughly 100 lost jobs, the Casper Star-Tribune reports. This year, diminished demand for oil due to the coronavirus pandemic and a global price war have depleted production. In April, oil future prices turned negative for the first time in history. The state relies heavily on revenue from fossil fuels. The collapse in energy prices and the pandemic have led state analysts to predict a $1.5 billion revenue decline.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Veterans home, online dress code: News from around our 50 states