Arkansas Times (Arkansas)
Tom Cotton on educating Chinese students in America: Let them brush up their Shakespeare
If we must let a few in, he says, restrict them to Shakespeare (how about Faulkner?) and the Federalist papers (could you spare copies of these for Donald Trump))
Austin Chronicle (Texas)
Austin Black Pride, QueerBomb Cancel In-Person Celebrations for June Orgs exploring virtual programming; potential Pride month in October
“I think our goal was more so to offer something immediately, just to get virtual programming into the hands of people now.” This includes mental and spiritual wellness check-ins, fitness classes with ABP board member Rocky Lane and queer workout guru Erica Nix, and a journal/book club. “We want to make sure that people’s mind, body, and spirit are taken care of while they’re at home.” This year ABP received a core funding grant from the city, which typically should fund the contracted activities applied for originally; however, Darnell said the city’s been “very gracious and [is] being very flexible with those funds,” which has allowed ABP to purchase the digital infrastructure needed to pivot to virtual programming.
Chicago Reader (Illinois)
‘The city is dead, are we next?’ What staying at home means for people who stay on the streets.
“These pigeons have nothing to eat anymore. So I’m tossing them bits of leftover cat food. Yeah they’re eating cat food. They never used to do this before. There used to be just a few of them here but people would walk by and scare them off. Now there’s only me, Lazy, and the pigeons. One thing I’ve noticed in the last couple of days is the seagulls that land on the sidewalk. The seagulls joined the pigeons and they all fight for food. I’m thinking what in the hell are the seagulls doing on this sidewalk over here? I never saw them at this spot before. Everything is changing. I don’t know what it all means. It’s kind of scary.”
City Beat (Ohio)
Chagrin Falls Man Reaches Settlement with Ohio Attorney General in N95 Mask Price-Gouging Lawsuit The man sued by Ohio for allegedly hoarding thousands of N95 masks and selling them at a gigantic mark-up reached a settlement with the state, but did not admit wrongdoing
After the Ohio Attorney General filed the suit, and used Salwan as a poster child for its efforts to combat PPE hoarding, Salwan had issued a statement arguing he was selling 10 packs of masks for $350 simply because that’s what the market would bear at the time.
Cleveland Scene (Ohio)
COVID-19 Could Mark a Turning Point for Juvenile Justice Reform
“Maybe we are finally really ‘right-sizing’ juvenile detention in this country,” Balis said. “We could emerge from the pandemic with a detention population that truly is young people who pose an immediate community safety risk, rather than all kinds of young people who are not a risk to public safety.”
Coachella Valley Independent (California)
Pandemic Stories: Agencies That Help Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Adapt to the New, Stay-at-Home Reality
“We still have our 24-hour crisis hotline up, and anybody can still call that number and get a live person, not an automated recording,” Brenner said. (That number: 800-656-4673.)
Creative Loafing (Florida)
COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed at two Florida prisons So far, 121 corrections workers have tested positive for the virus, but the state has not yet released the number of workers who have undergone testing.
Corrections officials said Friday that 82 inmates tested positive for COVID-19 at Tomoka, a Daytona Beach facilities with a maximum capacity of 1,263 prisoners. Tomoka, which had seven infected inmates a week ago, is the state’s hardest-hit correctional facility amid the pandemic. In addition to the inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19, 1,090 inmates at the prison are either in medical isolation or quarantine after being exposed to the highly contagious virus, officials said Friday.
DigBoston (Massachusetts)
Landlords can’t evict during pandemic, but a lot of them tried
“It was sort of testing the water with it, seeing what [evictions] they can get away with. This legislation stopped folks in their tracks before it caught on.”
Erie Reader (Pennsylvania)
PA Stay-at-home Order Held Until May 8 Gov. Tom Wolf detailed the latest developments of reopening businesses amidst COVID-19
“Reopening will require that adequate personal protective equipment and diagnostic testing be available. Reopening will require monitoring and a surveillance program that allows the Commonwealth to deploy swift actions for containment or mitigation if that becomes necessary.
PA Secretary of Health, Dr. Rachel Levine relayed the latest statewide numbers. There were 948 new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 33,232 total cases. There have been 1,204 deaths statewide, all in adults. To date there have been 129,720 patients who have tested negative.
Eugene Weekly (Oregon)
Cracking Down During COVID The CDC recommends against clearing homeless camps. So why is Eugene still doing it?
McLaughlin says EPD has been briefed on social distancing and the officers practice it as much as they are able. Officers have been given N95 masks, but to conserve them, officers are not required to use the masks, instead recommending they use them only when interacting with someone known to have COVID-19 or with known symptoms of the virus.
Gambit Weekly (Louisiana)
Hot-sauce themed sweatpants and other ‘stay-at-home’ apparel benefits service industry workers
“The majority of people I know who work in restaurants no longer have jobs, or had to lay off all their employees,” Rebackoff says. “So this is a way to give back and also get people into comfortable clothes that they can live in while stuck in the house.”
Icepeople (Svalbard)
March hotel stays drop 64 percent (April to be far worse), virtual May Day events, coping with COVID-19 as a ‘doomsday’ expert
But while that’s just one of many shocking figures arising locally and globally due to the coronavirus pandemic, in relative terms it’s “good” news compared to when hotel stays for April and likely subsequent months are released, since local hotels were open and had guests for the first half of March until they and many locals were forced to depart for the mainland.
INDY Week (North Carolina)
Meet the Doctors Working to Get Face Coverings to the Vulnerable
Their goal is to get masks to “anyone who’s living or working conditions make impossible for them to observe social distancing,” says organizer Isaac Henrion. That’s “farm workers, poultry workers, bus drivers, bus riders, sex workers, many people who are experiencing homelessness, people in nursing homes, people in assisted living facilities, as well any other high-risk populations.”
Inlander (Washington)
Tent city emerges as homeless people get mixed messages from city of Spokane, shelter operator
Within hours, a tent city had formed in Spokane after about 100 people staying at shelters were told by shelter operator Jewels Helping Hands, founded by Julie Garcia, that they had to leave today. They went to either Coeur d’Alene Park in Browne’s Addition or nearby People’s Park with all their belongings and tents they’d been given by Jewels, thinking they’d lost the little shelter they had.
Isthmus (Wisconsin)
No sex for you! A Woman’s Touch and other “sexuality boutiques” get turned down for federal relief loans
Barnard says most of its referrals come from health care providers and therapists.
Jackson Free Press (Mississippi)
‘Reopen Mississippi’ Protesters Demand Governor to Reopen State Amid Pandemic
The “Reopen Mississippi” protest came just two days before Reeves’ order to partially reopen Mississippi went into effect. Similar protests have occurred throughout the rest of the country, notably in Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. Reeves’ new order, effective until May 11, allows some non-essential businesses, such as retail, to reopen in Mississippi.
Lansing City Pulse (Michigan)
No social distance tickets, one arrest at Capitol rally
LEO Weekly (Kentucky)
Want to reopen Kentucky? What happened here during the 1918 flu epidemic
“Louisville was not quite out of the woods yet, however. In late-February 1919, the health department documented a sudden, third spike in influenza cases that lasted approximately five weeks. The cases were generally much milder this time, however, and thus neither Baker nor the state Board of Health considered issuing a third closure order. It was not until the end of spring that conditions returned to normal.”
Little Village (Iowa)
‘We must learn to live with COVID’: Reynolds announces partial reopening of businesses in 77 counties
“Refusing to return to work when recalled for any other reason… will be considered a ‘voluntary quit’ which would disqualify a claimant from receiving benefits,” IDW said.
Memphis Flyer (Tennessee)
Memphis and Shelby County to Re-Open May 4
There are 2,358 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Shelby County, up by 38 over Monday’s count. One new death was recorded Monday for a new total of 46.
Monterey County NOW (California)
This stunning tribute to medical workers comes from the sky
How do you say “thank you” to medical workers from 1,500 feet? CNN’s Jeanne Moos reports on the US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds special flyover.
Orlando Weekly (Florida)
COVID-19 could affect Florida’s hurricane response plans
“It will differ between if we have early storms in June or July or if we have August and September storms,” when the state hopes the number of COVID-19 cases will have significantly decreased, he said. If there is an early hurricane season, the state is considering using hotel rooms instead of schools and other types of mass shelters, Moskowitz said.
Pittsburgh City Paper (Pennsylvania)
Wendy Bell compares those against Gov. Wolf’s coronavirus orders to people killed in Benghazi attacks
“There is a huge disconnect, Governor Wolf here in Pennsylvania, between you and the people who make up this great commonwealth. You are not hearing them,” she said during her monologue on her KDKD Radio show on April 24. “They are in the trenches, fighting for their lives, and you’re not hearing them. You know, it was Sept. 11, 2012, when the U.S. ambassador to Benghazi in Libya, who had asked repeatedly for more security at that U.S. embassy in Benghazi and never received it. His calls never were answered. His requests for help were never heeded. When he was brutally attacked and murdered along with three other Americans and seven Libyans.”
Pittsburgh Current (Pennsylvania)
Allegheny County Jail Reports 11 New Cases Of COVID In A 12-Hour Period; Number Of Infected Climbs To 19
“It is increasingly likely that we will unfortunately see a significant spike in cases over the next two weeks. As local and state officials alike have been discussing reopening plans, our incarcerated populations have been noticeably absent from these discussions.”
Random Lengths News (California)
Long Beach Plan for Economic Recovery
Additionally, the city will create an online forum for businesses and residents to encourage civic engagement and to provide input on what sectors of the economy are most in demand, and ideas on how businesses and operations could safely reengage. This will help the city better understand the needs of the community as it prepares for future changes to the Health Order in alignment with the county and Governor’s “Stay at Home” order.
The Reader (Nebraska)
Children of the Pandemic, Crete Pork Plant Close
Some worry the Republican Party is letting Democrats lead the mail-in voting charge, spending millions in advertising to draw remote voters as the coronavirus limits social activity.
The River (New York)
Mutual Aid to the Rescue
“We quickly grew to over 300 volunteers and 500 people,” says Silverman. The group is now serving food, providing emotional support, and doing prescription pickups for about 475 people a week.
Rochester City Newspaper (New York)
New York cancels presidential primary amid coronavirus concerns
The move by the state Democratic party infuriated progressive supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders who had hoped to amass convention delegates and have a voice in the party’s platform going into the November election.
Sacramento News & Review (California)
Bracing for financial impact
However, the Sacramento city attorney’s office informed Steinberg at the meeting that it needed more time to complete its legal research. District 3 Councilman Jeff Harris mentioned he’d received a letter outlining concerns from the Sacramento Association of Realtors about banning evictions. Without elaborating, Harris asked city attorneys to read it while they were finishing their research.
Santa Fe Reporter (New Mexico)
COVID19 Response: What Did You Eat? A podcast during the pandemic
Vanessa Bowen—an Albuquerque-based graphic designer and DJ—talks about why she made the decision to start a home garden, and how it’s helping her family find some peace of mind right now.
Santa Barbara Independent (California)
Santa Barbara Unified Looks at Laying Off Food Service Workers School Board Punts on Voting to Cut 40 of Program’s 123 Classified Positions
“As board president, I recommended that this item not be voted on tonight,” said Laura Capps. “It’s of such weight to be considering layoffs during this unchartered time of a pandemic that I believed our board deserved to have a report and an opportunity to discuss it before voting. This has serious life implications for our staff.”
Seven Days (Vermont)
Coping With Death and Grief in the Time of Pandemic
They sat in her kitchen and cried, six feet apart and unable to hug one another. “My mother is 98 years old,” said Marguerite. “I didn’t want it to be the last hug.”
SLO New Times (California)
COVID-19 antibody testing is coming to Dignity Health
It may be many months before a COVID-19 vaccine is created and approved, but in the meantime, Ferguson said antibodies can still be used through an old technique: convalescent plasma treatment.
Source Weekly (Oregon)
City Pauses Homeless Camp Evictions The City of Bend planned to post 30-day notices to vacate Juniper Ridge this week. Instead, they may establish a managed camp.
When asked to elaborate on the City’s plans for a possible managed camp, Smith told the Source she is still working on a presentation for City Council, which will focus on land use regulations.
The Stranger (Washington)
The 2020 Seattle Art Fair Is Canceled
“I think it was a savvy move on their part to delay it a year,” he said.
Toledo City Paper (Ohio)
Abortion access considered essential in Ohio
CEO and President of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, Iris Harvey, released a statement after the court ruling — “Now, more than ever before, we need to remain focused on providing care to patients throughout the state who are increasingly vulnerable, especially during this pandemic,” she said. “Today our doors remain open for the patients who need access to essential health care, and we will continue to do everything we can to ensure that surgical abortion remains accessible in Ohio.”
Triad City Beat (North Carolina)
COVID’s toll on Guilford County: Hasty goodbyes to loved ones through cell phones and social media
Lan Ilong Ti Le, a 74-year-old woman who was born in Vietnam and made her home in High Point, died at High Point Regional Hospital on April 20. COVID-19 was listed as an underlying cause on Le’s death certificate, although she was also diagnosed with breast cancer.
Volume One (Michigan)
During a Pandemic, Doctors and Nurses Are Essential Workers. So Are Those of Us in Grocery Stores
My job? I never thought my job was very important, but now I know that it’s essential. I’m a grocery store worker, and I am on the front lines of the coronavirus.
Washington City Paper (Washington, DC)
Meet the Lobbyists, Developers, and Insiders On Bowser’s ReOpen DC Committees
As others have pointed out, Bowser’s advisory committee, broken up into sectors such as restaurants, education, public safety, health, and real estate, include many of the usual suspects who hang around the District government—the “highfalutin mucky mucks,” as Rev. Graylan Hagler calls them.
Willamette Week (Oregon)
Oregon Jails Have Cut Inmate Populations in Half During the Pandemic, New Data Shows Multnomah County’s jail population decreased by 30 percent.
The reductions, which took place in both rural and urban counties, were a result of local district attorneys and courts authorizing reduced intakes of new detainees, as well as an increase in releases of detainees facing minor charges, Disability Rights Oregon said in a press release.
BONUS
Cleveland Scene: New Roots of American Music Podcast Features Interviews with Local Musicians Struggling During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Each podcast will feature a one-on-one artist interview and will include the featured artist’s pre-recorded music. Interviews will be done remotely and will focus on how each artist is making a living during this challenging time. In total, there will be about eight podcasts. Each one will be about 15 minutes long.
Nyadenya is a photojournalist and reporter from Boston who enjoys writing and illustrating comics.