Fauci award, John Denver, isolation outreach: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Birmingham: A year into the coronavirus pandemic, the creator of a popular website for tracking COVID-19 in the state is pondering what will become of his creation once the health care crisis eases. David Marconnet told WBHM he sees two options for his Bama Tracker site, which has been visited by at least 1.5 million people so far and presents publicly available data about the virus in easily accessible, understandable charts and graphs. Bama Tracker could remain online as an archive for researchers or anyone who wants to look through pandemic data, said Marconnet, or it could adapt to track other data that Alabamians find interesting. “I’ve been playing with some ideas there, and I’ve had some struggles figuring out what people would care about,” Marconnet said. “I don’t have an answer there. We’ll just sort of see.” The software developer from Huntsville didn’t have any idea what his side project would become when it first went online last year, weeks after the first confirmed case of coronavirus appeared in Alabama. The site became a go-to place for professionals and amateurs to find data about the pandemic. State lawmakers commended Marconnet for his work with a resolution last month.

Alaska

Alaska state Sen. Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, left, speaks to Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, during a break in the Senate floor session Monday in Juneau. (Photo: Becky Bohrer/AP)

Juneau: A state senator returned to her seat on the Senate floor Monday wearing a new face covering after Senate leaders last week restricted her access to the chamber and committee meetings for what they said was a lack of compliance with rules meant to guard against the coronavirus. Wearing a clear face covering with padding that goes over the nose and cheeks and along the bottom of her face, Sen. Lora Reinbold walked to and from the floor session with Senate President Peter Micciche. She previously had worn a looser-fitting face shield. The Eagle River Republican said agreements had been made “behind the scenes that we’re working towards because some of us are more inquisitive, and we want to know what the policy is based on and why, what the testing is based on and why, and why healthy people are wearing masks with negative testing,” she said. “There’s got to be philosophical, logical reasoning behind policies.” She also cited cost concerns. Senate Rules Chair Gary Stevens said last week that Reinbold also hadn’t been following testing protocols or submitting to temperature checks and questions that are standard to be allowed into the Capitol. Meanwhile, Rep. Christopher Kurka, R-Wasilla, left the House floor Monday after removing his mask. He’d given a floor speech questioning the masking policy and enforcement.

Arizona

Phoenix: Banner Health poison officials said Monday that they saw a significant increase in medical incidents involving hand sanitizer across Maricopa County last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 640 incidents with hand sanitizer exposure occurred last year, compared to 266 the previous year – a 140% increase in cases, said Maureen Roland, managing director for the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center. Most of the incidents involved children under 5 years old and were due to accidental ingestion of small amounts of hand sanitizer, according to Roland, who said most of the cases were treatable at home. Parents staying at home more and an increase in purchasing hand sanitizers have contributed to the significant uptick in cases over the past year, Roland said. Sometimes young children cannot tell the difference between a colorfully packaged sanitizer and their juice box, he said. Medical experts are also concerned about methanol. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recalled dozens of hand sanitizers that contain methanol, which can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or life-threatening if ingested, according to the FDA. “Even small amounts can be fatal without immediate treatment,” said Dr. Daniel Brooks, medical director of the Banner poison center.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state’s active coronavirus virus cases on Monday dropped to their lowest point since June as lawmakers expanded their ability to end the emergency declared because of the pandemic. The Department of Health said the state’s active virus cases now sit at 2,863, the lowest since June 7. The state’s total virus cases rose by 117 to 327,060. The active cases dropped as lawmakers sent Gov. Asa Hutchinson a revision of the state’s emergency powers law. The bill, which passed on a 78-16 vote, gives the Legislature greater say in whether to terminate emergency declarations or orders issued under them. Rep. Jimmy Gazaway, a sponsor of the measure, said the measure wasn’t a criticism of Hutchinson’s approach to the pandemic but called it an effort to “restore an appropriate balance of power between the executive branch and the legislative branch.” Hutchinson has faced pushback over the state’s virus restrictions from some Republicans in the Legislature, including a group of lawmakers who sued over the state’s pandemic-related orders. Hutchinson last month lifted nearly all of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions and has said its mask mandate will end at the end of March if certain health goals are met. The House also approved by a 67-20 vote legislation requiring the state to refund fines it’s collected for rule violations.

California

Visitors wear face masks while watching a presentation in a theater at the Aquarium of the Pacific on its first day of reopening to public in Long Beach, Calif., on Tuesday. (Photo: Jae C. Hong/AP)

San Francisco: About 90% of the state’s nearly 40 million residents can enjoy a restaurant meal indoors, watch a movie at a theater and sweat it out inside a gym after more counties were authorized to open up to business thanks to low coronavirus case rates throughout the state. California has been on a reopening roll since a deadly winter surge that saw skyrocketing hospitalizations and positivity rates. San Diego and Sacramento were among the counties that moved out of the most restrictive purple tier, public health officials announced Tuesday. Los Angeles and a dozen other counties were allowed to reopen Sunday, moving to the lower-risk red tier of a four-tier, color-coded system announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom in August. San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco, will even be able to welcome customers to outdoor bars that don’t serve meals after moving to the orange tier this week. It can also open bowling alleys, card rooms, wineries, breweries and distilleries at 25% capacity indoors. At this level, indoor capacity at houses of worship, restaurants, movie theaters, museums, zoos and aquariums can increase to 50%. Indoor gyms and fitness centers can increase capacity from 10% to 25%.

Colorado

Fort Collins: From jury trials to work release programs, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced almost every aspect of Larimer County’s criminal justice system to pause and adjust. Jury trials were halted for about 32 weeks in the 8th Judicial District while it was deemed unsafe to gather community members for a jury. Meanwhile, new criminal cases continued to pile on the desks of public defenders and district attorneys. Almost 260 trials were vacated during the nearly eight months that COVID-19 restrictions prevented trials from happening, but 8th Judicial District Chief Judge Susan Blanco said it’s hard to quantify the exact impacts of COVID-19 on the criminal justice system. But this much is clear: Defendants and victims are waiting longer for closure, new cases are stacking up, and sentencing programs are struggling to keep up. Trials resumed in February, and so far seven trials have been conducted successfully. Attorneys and court officials all hope trials won’t need to be paused again as vaccines become more widely available. Blanco said court officials are starting to see relief in a system that has felt the pressure of courtroom backups likely exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions. “We’re really lucky that the wheels of justice here are turning,” she said.

Connecticut

Hartford: The state plans to speed up the next age-based phase of its COVID-19 vaccination rollout by a few days and ultimately allow everyone else, age 16 and older, to begin making their appointments for a shot April 5, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday. Meanwhile, the state plans to work with health care providers and the Department of Developmental Services to accelerate access to vaccinations for the most medically high-risk individuals under age 45 during the month of April. The state’s plans to speed up the rollout come as President Joe Biden’s administration has informed the state it should be receiving a “significant” increase in vaccine doses over the next several weeks. Connecticut expects to receive about 130,000 doses this week, a figure Lamont predicted could climb to about 200,000 doses by early April. The state previously planned to allow people 35 and older to begin getting vaccinations April 12 and everyone 16 and older May 3. As of Monday, 59% of Connecticut’s population over age 55 had received at least one dose of a vaccine. Meanwhile, applications for up to $11,500 in emergency rental and electric utility assistance for eligible households became available Monday. People can apply on the state Department of Housing website or call 844-864-8328.

Delaware

Dover: The state will soon move into its next vaccination phase to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, with a focus beginning Wednesday on residents with health conditions that put them at higher risk if they have the virus. According to an email sent by the state to physicians Monday night, it’s advising them to use “clinical judgment and patient histories to make determinations.” Conditions that apply to the next phase of the vaccine include cancer, serious heart conditions and obesity, as well as chronic kidney disease, pregnancy or a history of smoking. The state has been administering vaccines to people 65 and older. It recently shifted its focus to vaccinating teachers and school staff as well as people who work in poultry plants and grocery stores. Delaware has said it will open vaccine eligibility to all adults by May 1.

District of Columbia

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser arrives to give a coronavirus update at a news conference Monday in Washington. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP)

Washington: Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday that she is loosening several COVID-19 restrictions starting March 22 for outdoor gatherings, restaurant alcohol sales, indoor dining and recreational sports, WUSA-TV reports. Beginning next week, outdoor gatherings can include up to 50 socially distanced people. “We have not crushed the virus in this city or this nation, and we have to be mindful of that,” Bowser said. “We can’t go back to normal” yet. The mayor said alcohol sales will be permitted until midnight, the same time restaurants must close, under the city’s new guidelines. Indoor dining will increase to 25% capacity or up to 250 people. Tables inside restaurants and bars must continue to be 6 feet apart with no more than six people per table. Diners are still not permitted to stand in the bar area. Bowser also announced professional sports may operate if they submit a waiver with plans for fans in attendance. And high school sports will able to resume under DCSAA guidelines Monday. Field permits will be issued for the spring sports seasons. Starting March 22, some high school and middle school sports will start, with applications opening for spring sports to include drills and practices. Low- to moderate-contact sports may occur on a casual basis with playgrounds opening.

Florida

Palm Beach Atlantic University President Dr. Debra Schwinn chats with Pablo Castillo, a senior business major, as they walk on campus in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Photo: Wilfredo Lee/AP)

West Palm Beach: Every day at 5 p.m., Palm Beach Atlantic University’s new president jumps on a Zoom call – not with faculty or donors but with students in isolation due to the coronavirus. Dr. Debra Schwinn, a physician and mom, worries about the toll such isolation takes on her students at the small Christian school. As few as one and as many as 15 students have been on the 20-minute video calls, where she tries to bolster spirits, find out if their needs are being met, check mental and physical conditions, and learn what prayers are wanted from her. It has also given her the opportunity to meet students and build personal bonds unusual for college presidents, particularly new ones. “It was the one unique thing I could do,” said Schwinn, who took over the school of 3,600 students in May, shortly after the virus gripped the world. All quarantined students are in contact daily with a nurse, monitor classes online and have meals delivered, but being alone for days or weeks can play havoc with emotions. Tabitha Maher, a junior music major, has been in quarantine three times. The extrovert said the Zoom calls allowed her to retain a sense of connection. “It is really rewarding to talk to other people who are going through a similar situation,” said Maher, 20. “But it is also knowing that the president of the university is looking out for you, and she wants to hear your voices, your concerns and what is going on.”

Georgia

Georgia Tech President Angel Cabrera, left, speaks as Dr. Anthony Fauci listens via video call Monday at Georgia Tech in Atlanta as the university awarded the top U.S. infectious disease specicalist its Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage. (Photo: Angie Wang/AP)

Atlanta: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the public face of the nation’s fight against COVID-19, has accepted an award that honors his courage in leading Americans through an exceptionally partisan pandemic. Fauci, who appeared via video call, wore a Georgia Institute of Technology lapel pin during the Monday afternoon ceremony hosted by the university. He called the outbreak, which has raged for more than a year, the most polarizing public health crisis he’s yet endured. The leading infectious disease expert’s public disagreements with then-President Donald Trump as Fauci headed the White House virus task force sparked threats and vitriol. Still, he stuck to the science and told the truth even when inconvenient, making him the top choice for the award, said Georgia Tech President Angel Cabrera. “Thank you for a lifetime of social courage from which we have all benefited,” Cabrera said. The Georgia Institute of Technology’s annual Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage, named for the former Atlanta mayor, recognizes those who stick to their morals despite risk to their personal and professional lives. At the ceremony’s close, Fauci tipped his hat to his many collaborators across the country. “I get a lot of the attention,” he said. “But there are thousands of us at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and other organizations that are pulling the country out of this outbreak.”

Hawaii

Honolulu: More tourists traveled to Hawaii on Saturday than the state has seen in a single day since the start of the pandemic. About 26,400 trans-Pacific and interisland travelers were screened by the state’s Safe Travels program Saturday, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. That makes it Hawaii’s busiest day since coronavirus restrictions caused travel to plummet last year. Data compiled by the Hawaii Tourism Authority showed that about 18,700 travelers were flying on Saturday for vacation or pleasure. The increase coincides with spring break and more vaccinations. “Our advance bookings are very strong and getting stronger,” said Keith Vieira, principal of KV & Associates, Hospitality Consulting. “Hotels are seeing continued pickup all the way through summer, which we think could run as high as 50% occupancy. We’re hearing from guests that they want to travel and that Hawaii is probably their most trusted destination.” Still, tourism is expected to struggle in Hawaii for years to come. “We won’t be back to 2019 levels even by 2022 because we’ve had too many group cancellations,” Vieira said. “We also need to get international visitors back.”

Idaho

Boise: Legislation to prohibit mask mandates by government entities headed to the state House on Monday. The House State Affairs Committee voted 10-2 along party lines with both Democratics opposed to advance the measure, a reworked version of previous legislation. The new bill allows hospitals and other health care facilities to require masks. Private businesses could also continue to require masks. Republican Gov. Brad Little has never issued a statewide mask mandate, but a handful of counties and about a dozen cities have such orders in place. Backers of the legislation said requiring them to wear masks violated their rights. Some argued that masks are ineffectual at preventing the spread of disease, that masks can cause cancer or that they’re simply a method to control others. However, health experts have consistently said wearing masks slows the spread of the coronavirus. Several people testified that victims of assault who had their mouths covered experienced post-traumatic stress when having to wear a mask or seeing others wearing a mask. Opponents of the bill said masks are effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19, and without such mandates where they lived, they’d be afraid to go to the grocery store. A restaurant owner testified that Boise’s mandate removed confusion and conflict with customers.

Illinois

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker talks with the State Journal-Register in a Zoom interview Monday about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic thus far. (Photo: Dean Olsen)

Springfield: Gov. J.B. Pritzker plans to work on strengthening the state’s public health system as it strains to deal with what may be the waning months of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the first-term Democratic governor, in a brief interview this week, had no specifics on what needs to be done going forward other than continuing to stress mask-wearing, social distancing and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. “The time to write the playbook for the next pandemic is when we get to the end of this pandemic, when we’re right at the end and we’ve just been through all of the challenges,” Pritzker said. “I’m taking notes all the way along, and I know the people who work with me are, to make sure that we’re doing the things after this pandemic that will prepare the state for the next one.” The governor said he is reviewing the data and consulting with doctors and scientists on when it will be appropriate to further relax restrictions. He defended his executive orders and other aspects of his administration’s handling of restrictions to quell the pandemic amid criticism by many Republicans of an approach that largely bypassed the Illinois General Assembly. “The claim by members of the opposite party that we were taking some ‘go-it-alone’ approach is just plain false,” he said.

Indiana

Indianapolis: State health officials opened up COVID-19 vaccination eligibility Tuesday to all residents 45 and older. The step comes about two weeks after the state began allowing those ages 50 to 54 to register for appointments. The Indiana Department of Health said the latest eligibility expansion makes the vaccine available to 415,640 additional Hoosiers. The department said vaccine appointments for those ages 45 to 49 will be available over the next several weeks to align with expected vaccine deliveries. Individuals seeking an earlier appointment are encouraged to look at openings in surrounding counties. On Monday, teachers and other school employees became eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations through clinics across the state. Officials have said additional groups will be added as more vaccine becomes available. To schedule a vaccine, residents can visit ourshot.in.gov and select a location from one of nearly 400 clinics around the state. Hoosiers who do not have a computer or cellphone or those who need assistance scheduling an appointment can call 211 or contact one of Indiana’s Area Agencies on Aging or AARP.

Iowa

Des Moines: As the inaugural guest for Iowa Workforce Development’s new “Mission Employable” podcast Tuesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds told the host, agency Deputy Director Ryan West, that the state kept 80% of its economy “up and going” during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also said she hopes Iowa will attract teleworkers looking for a low cost of living, low crime rates and a state that has required most schools to keep their classrooms open. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Iowa as the best state in the nation for opportunity, using a mix of data such as cost of living, housing prices, income inequality, median household income, poverty rates, food insecurity rates and racial inequality in education rates. “You can work from anywhere,” Reynolds said. “We have a great story to tell in the state of Iowa. We’re coming out of the pandemic very strong.” Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows Iowa lost about 5% of its jobs from February 2020 to January 2021, putting it in about the middle of the pack among U.S. states. At the same time, about 102,000 people dropped out of the state’s labor force during that period, a 6% drop – the second-steepest decline in the U.S. during that period. Despite that significant drop, Iowa’s labor force participation rate was 65.5% in January, above the national average of 61.4%.

Kansas

Topeka: A Republican proposal to require all public schools to offer every student full in-person classes by March 26 failed Tuesday in the state House after some lawmakers complained that it would take too much power away from local school boards. The GOP-controlled House’s 69-55 vote against the measure showed that some Republicans had misgivings about the proposal, which would have overridden a few local school districts’ decisions to wait longer because of the coronavirus pandemic. Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, pushed for the mandate, and his GOP-controlled chamber approved it earlier this month with no Democratic support. The mandate for the state’s 286 local school districts to offer all students full-time in-person classes would have been permanent. Supporters said the state still could grant exceptions when a disaster such as a flood, tornado or fire damages or destroys a school building. But Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly was skeptical, calling the measure “just something the Legislature didn’t need to be spending any time on.” “The school districts have done a great job of getting the kids back into the classes as quickly as they feel they safely can,” she said Monday after the House debated the bill.

Kentucky

Frankfort: A campaign has been started to raise funds for a permanent memorial on the state Capitol grounds to honor Kentuckians who died from COVID-19, Gov. Andy Beshear said. The governor announced the memorial fund Monday, the same day Kentucky’s death toll from the pandemic surpassed 5,000 people. “This memorial is an opportunity for willing Kentuckians to help honor the memory of those who died because of this virus as well as honor the sacrifices made by all Kentuckians during this terrible pandemic,” Beshear said. Contributions can be made in the name of a lost loved one or friend or in the name of someone who sacrificed and stepped up during the pandemic. The Democratic governor first announced plans for the memorial during a ceremony March 6, a year after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Kentucky. A website at teamkycovidmemorial.ky.gov will accept donations and provide information about how to make a tax-deductible donation.

Louisiana

New Orleans: Three bars that are usually hubs for St. Patrick’s Day activity in the city won’t open for the holiday this year amid coronavirus concerns. The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reports two of the bars electing to stay closed Wednesday are in the Irish Channel neighborhood – Parasol’s and Tracey’s Original Irish Channel Bar. The other is Finn McCool’s, an Irish bar in the Mid-City area. Owners told the newspaper they decided to close without consulting city officials, who were critical last year of big block parties in the Irish Channel as COVID-19 cases were rising. Finn McCool’s owner Sean Kennedy said his decision to close Wednesday follows problems posed by groups seeking to celebrate the approaching holiday this past weekend. Kennedy said they refused to wear masks or abide by social distancing rules. “Our staff works very hard to keep people safe, and our regulars are on board with it all, but this weekend, we had too many confrontations with other people coming in,” Kennedy said. Parasol’s owner Mark Bruser said his bar stayed closed Saturday as a precaution. “We didn’t want to be in a predicament where too many show up for us to serve safely,” he said. Tracey’s was open Saturday, but owner Jeff Carreras said patrons were encouraged to make table reservations or take drinks to go.

Maine

Saco: One of the state’s best-known amusement parks is preparing to reopen after a one-season hiatus because of the pandemic. Funtown Splashtown USA, in Saco, said new health protocols will be in place to protect guests and workers. Its reopening plan has been submitted to the state for review. Among the changes, operators will keep some seats on rides and picnic tables empty to allow for physical distancing, and guests will be required to wear masks while visiting the park. Both the water park and amusement park rides will be open. Last year, the park broke a streak of 60 consecutive years of operation. The Maine Department of Economic & Community Development has said amusement parks can safely open in the state with protocols such as social distancing, mask-wearing and attendance limitations.

Maryland

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan holds his granddaughter Daniella Velez, then age 2, as he and his wife, Yumi, acknowledge supporters after inaugural ceremonies at the Statehouse in Annapolis in 2015. (Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP)

Baltimore: The governor says his family has felt the effects of discrimination over the past year amid a wave of racism against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Larry Hogan’s wife, Yumi Hogan, is Korean American. Speaking to Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the Republican governor called the attacks on Asian Americans “outrageous” and “unacceptable.” “My wife, my three daughters, my grandkids, all Asian, and they – they have felt some discrimination personally,” Hogan said. “We feel it personally with my daughter, who sort of is sometimes afraid to come visit us, with people who had best friends that were being harassed at the grocery store, or being called names, and people yelling about ‘the China virus,’ even though they’re from Korea and born in America.” Hogan praised President Joe Biden for addressing the issue during his first prime-time address to the nation last week, when he condemned violent attacks against Asian Americans and called them “un-American.” Tapper asked Hogan if he blames former President Donald Trump for hesitancy among his supporters to get the COVID-19 vaccine. “Well, I think he certainly didn’t help any with his messaging … on masking and not speaking out strongly enough on the vaccines,” Hogan said.

Massachusetts

Boston: The state has released 21 convicted first-degree murderers under its medical parole law, most of them in the past year during the coronavirus pandemic, angering prosecutors and the families of their victims. Under state law, people convicted of first-degree murder receive mandatory sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole. “I’m not sure the members of the Legislature fully realized that they set up a conflict in the law: A first-degree murderer is not eligible for parole, yet we’re allowing them to be released,” Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey told The Boston Globe. The parole law passed in 2018 allows inmates, regardless of their crime, to petition the state Department of Correction for release if diagnosed by a physician as terminally ill, with a life expectancy of less than 18 months, or permanently incapacitated so they do not pose a risk to society. Advocates for prison inmates defended the law. “Every single one of these people who got released deserved to be released,” said Ruth Greenberg, a lawyer who has represented dozens of inmates seeking medical parole, including 13 who have been released. Several inmates were granted medical release hours before their death, she said. Among all prisoners, 47 have been granted medical parole, of more than 400 who have applied, according to state records. Eleven have died since their release, two from illnesses related to COVID-19, according to the state.

Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses the state during a speech in Lansing, Mich. Allegations that New York intentionally manipulated data regarding COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes has led Republicans to demand an investigation in Michigan, where Gov. Whitmer, early in the pandemic, told such facilities to admit or readmit coronavirus-affected residents under certain conditions. (Photo: AP)

Lansing: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Monday declined Republicans’ request to investigate whether nursing home orders issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer led to COVID-19 deaths or if related data is inaccurate, citing a lack of evidence that any law was violated. There are allegations that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration falsified figures to downplay deaths in nursing homes. “But the situation here is completely different,” Nessel, a Democrat, wrote to Sen. Jim Runestad, who had asked for an investigation along with seven other GOP senators. “I am aware that Gov. Whitmer’s office complied with the (Department of Justice) information request and have no reason to doubt the accuracy of that response – much less suspect intentional misrepresentations within that response.” Republicans have faulted the Democratic governor for letting recovering COVID-19 patients be admitted or readmitted to nursing homes from hospitals or other nursing homes, potentially putting other residents at risk. The Whitmer administration has said her orders – which, among other things, required the creation of dedicated coronavirus units within certain nursing homes and established regional “hub” homes with COVID-19 wings – followed federal guidance.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Gov. Tim Walz and several Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation toured a community vaccination site Monday to highlight several pieces of the federal stimulus package passed last week. Walz was joined by U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, Reps. Angie Craig and Betty McCollum, and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan at a Mll of America vaccination site to highlight several pieces of the “American Rescue Plan” signed into law by President Joe Biden. The Democrats lauded the $1.9 trillion package that offers grants for restaurants, a child care tax credit for families, and funding for schools to reopen, among other measures. The package reserves nearly $5 billion in aid for Minnesota’s state, local and tribal governments, some of which will be aimed at bolstering the state’s vaccination apparatus. And funds set aside for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “are going to specifically help to address the disparities in vaccine distribution, which are part of why we’re seeing white Minnesotans getting vaccines at a higher rate than others,” Smith said. Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said state health officials are working with community-based health care providers and pharmacies to reach and vaccinate vulnerable and underrepresented communities.

Mississippi

Jackson: Appointments to get a vaccine opened up for everyone in the state over age 16 on Tuesday, and thousands of residents rushed to book their shots. Robin McCall made appointments for her 17-year-old twin daughters. She has a 15-year-old son who has been treated for leukemia. “He has a compromised immune system, so these vaccines for our family are very important for him,” said McCall, who got vaccinated weeks ago because she has a qualifying health condition. As of Tuesday, 592,500 people in Mississippi had received one dose of a vaccine, according to the state Department of Health. About 330,000 residents, out of a total population of about 3 million, were fully vaccinated. People can get shots at state-run drive-thru sites in counties across the state, at private clinics and community health centers, and at some pharmacies, like Walmart and Walgreens. Appointments can be made at COVIDvaccine.umc.edu or by calling the COVID-19 call center at 1-877-978-6453. Before Tuesday, vaccinations in Mississippi were only available for anyone 50 or older, staff at K-12 schools, first responders, health care workers, and those with health conditions that might make them more vulnerable to the coronavirus.

Missouri

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page speaks during a news conference at the Office of Emergency Management in Baldwin, Mo. (Photo: Colter Peterson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP File)

O’Fallon: Teachers and other school workers are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, even as the leader of the state’s largest jurisdiction said Missouri’s “fumbled vaccine rollout” continues to frustrate urban residents. The tier of Missouri’s vaccination plan that went into effect Monday added educators and school staff along with transportation and infrastructure workers to those eligible for shots – an estimated 550,000 people. Democratic St. Louis County Executive Sam Page stressed the importance of vaccinating teachers so schools can return to full in-person learning. But he noted that the St. Louis region is still a long way from vaccinating those in earlier groups. Leaders in Kansas City and St. Louis have complained that while some rural counties are getting more vaccine than they need, the urban areas are getting so little that it has become common practice for people to drive hundreds of miles for shots. “Conversations on vaccine equity should have happened before any distribution plan was executed,” Page said at a news conference. Gov. Mike Parson’s spokeswoman Kelli Jones said conversations about the distribution plan occurred for several months before the rollout. She said the plan finalized in October “has been executed exactly as planned.”

Montana

Helena: The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 4% in January, Gov. Greg Gianforte said. Montana’s unemployment rate remains lower than the national rate of 6.3% in January, which was a reduction of 0.4 percentage points from December. Total employment – which includes payroll, agricultural and self-employed workers – increased by nearly 1,200 jobs in January. The payroll increase accounted for 700 jobs, mostly in professional services and wholesale and retail trade, according to the Department of Labor and Industry. “Montana’s economy is growing stronger as we work toward an end to this public health and economic pandemic,” Gianforte said in a statement Monday. January’s numbers were released late due to an annual benchmarking process that improves data accuracy over the previous year. February’s unemployment report is scheduled to be released March 26. Montana’s unemployment rate was 3.8% in March 2020 and grew to a high of 11.9% the next month during the shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Nebraska

Lincoln: More than 100,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in the state last week, health officials say. As of Sunday, more than 624,230 doses have been given to those in Phase 1 priority groups, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. And more than 213,151 Nebraskans have completed vaccination, or 14.4% of those 16 and older. Finish Strong Nebraska is the state’s official COVID-19 vaccination campaign designed to keep the public motivated and informed on the vaccine. Once registered on the vaccine portal at FinishStrong.ne.gov, residents will be notified when vaccination begins in their area. A Spanish translation of the website is now available. To access, users should select Español from the language drop-down menu at the top-right side of the page. As of Monday, more than 278,148 Nebraskans have registered to receive the vaccine at vaccinate.ne.gov.

Nevada

Las Vegas: As customer capacity increased to 50% at casinos, businesses and restaurants, state health officials said Monday that they will begin to return oversight of coronavirus prevention measures to counties. The state COVID-19 Response Task Force planned meetings for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with groups of county managers, emergency, public health and elected officials about handing over pandemic authority by May 1. Task force chief Caleb Cage said the Nevada Hospital Association was reporting some of the lowest numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations the state has seen in almost a year. The 305 people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 statewide compared with the more than 1,800 coronavirus patients that hospitals reported handling at their peak in December. The first known death from COVID-19 in Nevada was reported a year ago, on March 15, 2020, and Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered a sweeping statewide shutdown two days later of casinos, retail stores and nonessential businesses. Thirteen casinos in Nevada remain shuttered, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

New Hampshire

Concord: Representatives of restaurants and lodging industries in the state said Monday that they are optimistic for a strong spring and summer now that COVID-19 vaccinations are available, but some problems remain. “Both vacation rentals and lodging pre-bookings are up over previous years at this time, as well as rentals of boats, canoes, kayaks, attraction tickets,” Amy Landers, executive director of the Lakes Region Tourism Association, said during a call hosted by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. “We are encouraging people if you want to get to the Lakes Region this summer, you better start planning now because everything is going be sold out.” Landers said some businesses are still struggling, such as restaurants. She said one challenge in past years, finding workers, will increase. “It’s going to be the worst ever that we’ve seen because we don’t have the international (staff) coming in as well. I’m fearful that we’re going to lose several businesses because they won’t have employees,” she said. Landers said there has been discussion of marketing to draw workers from other states, but there’s a lack of housing for them. Shaheen said the Biden administration is reevaluating policies to make it easier for visa workers to come into the country for jobs.

New Jersey

The Jewish Link, a weekly newspaper in Teaneck, N.J., published a controversial satirical article Feb. 25 that joked about Israelies shooting Palestinians in a pun referencing COVID-19 vaccines. (Photo: Jewish Link screenshot)

Teaneck: A weekly Jewish newspaper based in the township has sparked controversy over the publication of a satirical story that joked about shooting Palestinians, in a play on words referencing the COVID-19 vaccine. The Jewish Link’s four-paragraph article, which ran in the Feb. 25 “Purim satire” edition, said 100,000 Palestinians were “shot” by Israeli sharpshooters dispensing the vaccine. “After all the Arabs are shot once, we look forward to shooting them a second time,” it said in a quote attributed to a fictional military leader. Several readers, including two rabbis, wrote to the Jewish Link saying the article was “in bad taste.” On Monday, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for a public apology. “Suggesting the systematic murder of 100,000 people of an oppressed minority will never make for good comedy. Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinians is not a joke,” Selaedin Maksut, executive director of CAIR-NJ, said in a statement. Rich Siegel, a Teaneck resident, said the article was “in ghastly bad taste.” “I am Jewish myself, and I am shocked and dismayed by this,” said Siegel, director of Deir Yassin Remembered, an organization committed to memorializing the 1948 massacre of Palestinians in the village of Deir Yassin.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: Lead state budget negotiators are rewriting spending plans to quickly tap federal pandemic relief money and shore up unemployment insurance, student financial aid, Medicaid insurance, teacher pensions and select state agency budgets. The Senate budget committee on Monday put the finishing touches on proposed amendments to a spending plan for the coming fiscal year that starts July 1. The amended plan would increase general fund spending by 4.8% over current annual spending obligations to $7.45 billion, a $373 million increase. The panel was considering amendments that funnel $600 million in federal relief toward the state’s indebted unemployment fund – relieving businesses of future payroll tax obligations. “That is really important for small businesses,” said Democratic Sen. George Munoz of Gallup, chairman of the committee. New Mexico state government expects to receive $1.63 billion directly from the landmark $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill approved by congressional Democrats and President Joe Biden. The committee’s endorsement would send the budget bill to the Senate floor for a decisive legislative vote. The bill addresses most spending priorities outlined by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who can veto any portion or the bill.

New York

Sterling Gallagher and his son, Conor Gallagher, of Song Hill Winery, pour some wine for a socially distanced event in the summer of 2020 in Victor, N.Y. (Photo: Photo Provided)

Canandaigua: While the COVID-19 pandemic hit wineries in the Finger Lakes hard, many also found room to adapt. By renovating property or creating new events that fit within federal and state health and safety guidelines, many winery owners improved their business to survive the rest of the pandemic and plan ahead for the future. John French, vice president of Arbor Hill Grapery and Winery, has worked to include virtual tastings through Zoom, and in-person tastings are now offered solely through reservations. Song Hill Winery in Victor restructured its annual summer festivals to become more of a guided culinary tour around the vineyard. Conor Gallagher, winemaker and owner, said the winery swapped out the usual buffet-style meals for more specific wine and meal pairings last summer. He said while restaurant sales have been down, the winery has made it up through other avenues including curbside pickup and online store orders, which had been around since before the pandemic but expanded dramatically. “I think I did more online sales than I did in the last three years combined,” Gallagher said.

North Carolina

Asheville: Restaurant owners are celebrating after the passage of the American Rescue Plan, including two local chefs who helped lobby Congress on behalf of cohorts across the country. The $1.9 trillion bill directs $28.6 billion in debt-free relief to independent restaurants and bars with 20 or fewer locations. Though restaurants have been eligible for relief through the Paycheck Protection Program, some said it did not meet the industry’s needs. The Market Place restaurateur William Dissen was a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, which worked closely with lawmakers to craft a financial aid program that finally worked for restaurants. He said PPP funding, designed to cover payroll, is the wrong fit for restaurants, many of which ran on skeleton crews throughout the pandemic. Stopgaps like the allowance of takeout cocktails have done little to chip away at the massive debt restaurant owners have accrued, he said. Katie Button, as a member of the leadership council for the Independent Restaurant Coalition, helped drive the policy that ultimately became a lifeline for restaurants across the country. “Although we were grateful for the PPP, independent restaurants’ road to recovery is longer and harder than with many other businesses,” she said.

North Dakota

Bismarck: State health officials on Monday reported fewer than 700 new coronavirus tests performed in the prior day, with 25 turning out positive. Testing numbers were typically low for the weekend, when about 2,350 screenings were processed. There are regularly more than 7,000 tests reported on a weekday. The update raised the total number of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic to 101,001. The number of fatalities remained unchanged at 1,457. Officials said 15 people are hospitalized with the virus, the lowest total since early last summer. There were about 153 new cases per 100,000 people in North Dakota over the past two weeks, which ranks 41st in the country for new cases per capita, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers. One in every 1,299 people in the state tested positive in the past week. The rolling average number of daily new cases over the past two weeks has increased by 10%, researchers said.

Ohio

Cleveland: The state’s eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines will expand this week to people 40 and older and those with additional medical conditions, including cancer and obesity, Gov. Mike DeWine announced at a news conference Tuesday morning in Cleveland. And by the end of the month, all Ohioans 16 and older will be eligible to get the vaccine. Eligibility starts Friday for about 766,000 Ohioans in Phase 1E, which includes those 16 and older with cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease or obesity. Friday also marks the start of Phase 2C – those 40 and older, including about 818,000 Ohioans between ages 40 and 49. On March 29, all Ohioans 16 and older will be eligible. DeWine was in Cleveland for the “soft launch” of Ohio’s first federally coordinated mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center. Dubbed Operation Magnus – after the CSU Viking mascot – the mass vaccination clinic is expected to administer shots to some 210,000 Northeast Ohioans over the next eight weeks. Smaller, temporary pop-up vaccination sites will be coming to communities throughout the state once the availability of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine increases, DeWine said.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt receives his first dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine from Oklahoma City-County Health Department Director Dr. Patrick McGough on Monday. (Photo: Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman)

Oklahoma City: The mayor publicly received his first dose of vaccine Monday and urged others to do the same. “With most Oklahomans now eligible, I want our residents to hear the message that there is no need to delay your pursuit of the vaccine any longer,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said in a statement after receiving his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department. Roughly 85% of Oklahoma residents are currently eligible to receive the vaccine after state health officials opened eligibility last week to workers in essential industries. Gov. Kevin Stitt, who in July became the first governor in the nation to confirm testing positive for coronavirus, has not yet received a vaccine, according to his spokesman, Charlie Hannema. Oklahoma has been successful with its vaccine rollout and currently ranks fourth in the nation with 12.8% of its population now fully vaccinated, compared to a national average of 11.1%, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Oregon

Portland: The state has removed a 100-person cap on the number of individual contacts students can have per week in a return to in-person classes, a move that should make bringing older students back for in-person learning less of a challenge for school districts. The revised guidance for COVID-19 in-person learning protocols released Monday did not make any changes to the amount of space schools must give each student and teacher. The current rules require 35 square feet of space per person in the classroom, although many educators and parents want to see that reduced to 9 square feet. State education officials said last week that they are considering reducing the space requirements but have not done so. The elimination of the weekly contact limit should make it easier for schools to plan for a return to in-person learning for middle and high school students. Those students rotate between teachers and classrooms for different subjects, increasing the number of contacts they have in a week. Gov. Kate Brown ordered all schools in counties where infection rates do not exceed certain limits to offer at least some in-person learning for all grades by April 29, with elementary students phased in no later than March 29.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Visitors will be allowed back into the Pennsylvania Capitol starting next week after being closed during a COVID-19 surge in early December. The state Department of General Services said Tuesday that the Capitol would reopen to the public Monday. Visitors will be able to enter at the Main Capitol, East Wing and North Office Building entrances and must wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines. Each entrance will offer hand sanitizer stations and masks for visitors who do not have them. The General Services department said it is working with the House and Senate on strengthening security at the Capitol in light of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. State employees who do not work in the Capitol or nearby buildings; visitors; and lobbyists will have to pass through metal detectors at the entrances, as will media members not assigned to the Capitol newsroom or who do not have department-issued press badges. There will still be no events allowed in the Capitol, but outdoor events on the Capitol steps and other sites will be allowed.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state may not be able to meet President Joe Biden’s goal of making all adults eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine by May because of a limited supply, health officials said Tuesday. Much depends on the state’s allocation of Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose shot, officials said at a meeting of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Subcommittee, WPRI-TV reports. “But surprises happen, and we would love to be pleasantly surprised,” said Alysia Mihalakos, chief of the state Health Department’s Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response. The state received 1,300 doses of the J&J vaccine this week, following an initial shipment of 9,100 doses at the beginning of March, but officials projected the state would receive 16,000 doses per week in the near future. The state also gets roughly 50,000 total doses per week of Pfizer’s vaccine, along with 21,600 doses of Moderna’s vaccine, said Tricia Washburn, chief of the Office of Immunization. She told the subcommittee that vaccine allocation is expected to double by June.

South Carolina

Columbia: The state’s unemployment rate continued to drop in January, but the agency is worried people receiving jobless benefits aren’t doing enough to look for work. The jobless rate dropped to 5.3% in January, down from 5.6% in December but well above the 2.6% rate in January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic started, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce reported Monday. One troubling part of January’s report is that the number of job searches made by people collecting unemployment benefits is quite low, Department of Employment and Workforce Executive Director Dan Ellzey said in a statement. The agency suspended requirements for a certain number of job searches when the pandemic started in March 2020 but will begin to enforce them again soon, Ellzey said. “Businesses around the state would love to see more South Carolinians reengaging in the workforce, earning a livable wage without worry of federal programs expiring and enjoying a sense of fulfilment in the work they do,” Ellzey said. South Carolina has lost 69,000 jobs in the past year. Hotels, restaurants, and other travel and hospitality businesses continue to be the hardest hit. That industry has lost nearly 36,000 jobs, or 13% of its total workforce, in the past year, according to the agency’s data.

South Dakota

Pierre: The South Dakota Board of Regents says the state’s six public universities and two special schools are planning for a return to more normal operations this fall. “Our goal is to return campus life this fall to a setting that looks much like it was before the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Brian L. Maher, executive director for the board. “With vaccines available now in higher education and K-12 settings, we can all look forward to more normal operations ahead.” Maher said South Dakota’s success in vaccine distribution, as well as local efforts to manage and keep positive infection rates low, will guide the universities’ and schools’ planning for the 2021 fall semester, the Yankton Press & Dakotan reports. The Board of Regents is the governing body for Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, South Dakota State University, University of South Dakota, South Dakota School for the Blind & Visually Impaired, and South Dakota School for the Deaf. The University of South Dakota is planning for fall operations that do not include social distancing measures or mask mandates, provided local infection rates remain low.

Tennessee

Bill Miles, 76, verifies drivers' appointments before they are given their COVID-19 vaccines at the Germantown Baptist site March 10 in Germantown, Tenn., an eastern suburb of Memphis in Shelby County. (Photo: Ariel Cobbert/ The Commercial Appeal)

Memphis: State officials said the investigation into Shelby County’s wasted COVID-19 vaccine doses and the storing of other vaccines is now finished, and the state is confident no one was given an expired dose. Tennessee State Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also finalized a report on vaccine stability that was provided to state and county officials confirming what Piercey said. “We can confidently reassure all recipients of vaccine at Shelby County sites the doses they received were stable and effective,” she said in a media briefing Monday. However, other problems reported by state officials remain unresolved, including the apparent vaccination of two children and the alleged theft of vaccine from the Pipkin Building vaccination site. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and representatives from Pfizer and Moderna also participated in the investigation into the handling of vaccine doses, and the White House was kept apprised of the investigation, Piercey said. She said the root cause of all the problems with Shelby County’s vaccine storage and administration was a lack of consistent documentation and operational practices.

Texas

Austin: The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state has dropped below 4,000 for the first time since October. The Texas Department of Health and Human Services on Monday reported 3,980 hospitalizations. State health officials also reported 1,610 new confirmed and probable cases and 27 additional deaths from the coronavirus. Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Texas has fallen by 2,921.3, a decrease of 39.1%, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. More than 2.8 million people in Texas are now fully vaccinated, about 10% of the state’s population. Johns Hopkins data shows more than 46,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Texas – the third-highest death count in the country. Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott ended the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, including the state mask mandate. Many businesses, though, have kept their mask rules in place.

Utah

Salt Lake City: The state’s vote to cut taxes this year could mean it has to return $100 million in aid given under the federal pandemic relief bill. There’s a provision in the latest federal coronavirus relief package aimed at preventing states from directly or indirectly using federal funds for tax cuts, KUER-FM reports. Since Utah passed $100 million worth of tax cuts, it could have to return an equal amount in federal aid. If the state can pay for the tax cuts from its own tax revenue, though, it might not apply, according to Jared Walczak with the Tax Foundation think tank. The outcome will depend on guidance from the Treasury Department that hasn’t been issued yet, he said. The head of the Legislature’s budget committee, Republican Sen. Jerry Stevenson of Layton, said the state has abided by the rules and shouldn’t need to return any money. Matthew Weinstein with the advocacy group Voices for Utah Children is calling on Gov. Spencer Cox to veto the tax cut bills so the state can address needs like education, public health, infrastructure and clean air. Gubernatorial spokeswoman Jennifer Napier-Pearce said Cox’s office is parsing the details as he considers the bills. The deadline is March 25.

Vermont

Montpelier: If vaccine supplies are provided as promised, all residents who want a shot can be fully vaccinated by the summer, allowing the state “to get back to normal” by July 4, Gov. Phil Scott said Tuesday. Scott said at his twice-weekly virus briefing that he had received the assurance needed in a call with White House officials and other governors on vaccine supplies to soon outline the remaining schedule for vaccines so that all Vermonters are eligible by the end of April. He said he will announce Friday when the next age group, Vermonters 60 and older, can start making vaccine appointments. “This doesn’t mean that everyone will be fully vaccinated by May 1; it just means they can sign up,” the Republican governor said. By Independence Day, there may still be guidelines for mask-wearing, particularly for people who have not been vaccinated, and other restrictions of which the state is not currently aware, Scott said, pointing out that it’s unclear when the border between the U.S. and Canada will open. “A lot of what ifs,” he said about what he foresees by the Fourth of July, but “it’s almost like we’re back to where we were pre-pandemic in terms of having businesses open and being able to freely travel throughout the United States.”

Virginia

Virginia Beach: Business owners along the coast are looking forward to a tourist season that is expected to rebound from the losses suffered during the pandemic last year. The Virginian-Pilot reports hoteliers are on a hiring blitz and preparing for more tourists as more people get vaccinated. “We’re cautiously optimistic,” said John Zirkle, president of the Virginia Beach Hotel Association. “It’s going to be a make-or-break summer for a lot of hotels.” Vacation homes are also a large part of the tourist economy. They were a big draw on the Outer Banks last year because of the natural social distance that they provide. They are expected to have the same popularity this year.

Washington

Olympia: The state’s unemployment rate dropped to 6% in January, down from December’s 7.1% rate, state officials announced Tuesday. The Employment Security Department said that in addition to the drop in the overall jobless rate, the state added 4,400 jobs in January. February’s unemployment rate will be released March 24. Two different surveys are used to calculate unemployment figures and job losses and gains. The unemployment rate represents the percentage of the labor force that’s unemployed and actively looking for work. People who quit looking for work are not counted. The job gains and losses estimates are based on a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of businesses. Private-sector employment decreased by 2,800 jobs, while government employment increased by 1,600 jobs. Leisure and hospitality, education and health services, and government saw the largest gains, while professional and business services, transportation, warehousing and utilities, and financial activities saw the biggest losses.

West Virginia

John Denver's charm for many West Virginians is eternal. (Photo: AP FILE)

Charleston: This year’s West Virginia Vacation Guide celebrates the 50th anniversary of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” Gov. Jim Justice’s office said. Justice unveiled the new guide last week, dedicated to promoting Almost Heaven, West Virginia. The guide highlights the four seasons, outdoor activities and small mountain towns, Justice said. “I’ve been saying it since the first day I took office: John Denver surely got it right when he coined ‘Almost Heaven, West Virginia,’ ” Justice said. “The song is a perfect love letter to our great state, and one that so many know by heart.” Work on the guide had already started before the coronavirus pandemic, but as new travel trends showed a desire for road trips, outdoor recreation and small towns after COVID-19 emerged, the focus shifted slightly, Justice’s office said in a news release. To request a copy of the guide, visit WVtourism.com.

Wisconsin

Madison: People ages 16 and up with certain preexisting conditions will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting Monday, a week earlier than previously announced, Gov. Tony Evers said Tuesday. Last week, the state said people in that eligibility group who are at a higher health risk would be able to get vaccinated starting March 29. “Our vaccinators across the state are doing great work to get folks vaccinated,” Evers said in a statement. “Moving up eligibility for this critical group will help us get over the finish line, and sooner, and get us back to our Wisconsin way of life.” Qualifying conditions include moderate to severe asthma; cancer; diabetes; high blood pressure, Down syndrome; and being overweight with a body mass index of 25 or above. Women who are pregnant are also eligible. Evers’ administration on Tuesday also clarified that all clergy are eligible now, as well as judges, prosecutors, public defenders and other essential criminal court personnel. The general public will become eligible May 1 or possibly even sooner, Evers said during a virtual event hosted by Wisconsin Health News. “We will always look at pushing it up,” Evers said. “We want to get shots into people’s arms.”

Wyoming

Cheyenne: Lawmakers have endorsed a plan to set aside money to sue states that turn away from using coal to generate electricity. The state’s House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee voted unanimously Friday to advance the bill that would reserve $1.2 million to sue states that support shutting down Wyoming coal-fired power plants or impede exports of Wyoming coal. “If we don’t start fighting back, we will be dictated by not only the federal government but other states,” Wheatland Republican Rep. Jeremy Haroldson said. Haroldson is among nearly 40 co-sponsors of the bill in the state House and Senate, the Casper Star Tribune reports. Wyoming produces more coal than any other state. Increased competition from renewable energy and cheaper natural gas has diminished demand for coal-fired electricity. Wyoming and Montana have sued Washington state for denying a permit to build a dock that would allow more coal exports. The company seeking to build the port, Lighthouse Resources, filed for bankruptcy in December and has been unable to find a buyer for the project.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

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