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US: QAnon conspiracy emerges in some state legislative races
Some state legislative candidates have repeatedly shared QAnon memes and interacted extensively with social media accounts promoting the conspiracy — which is centered on the baseless belief that President Donald Trump is waging a secret campaign against enemies in the “deep state” and a child sex trafficking ring.
US: Court halts early census finish
A federal court judge in California ordered the Trump administration to stop winding down census operations until a court hearing later this month over whether the 2020 count should continue through October.
NY: New York governor resists Democratic lawmakers’ push to tax the ultrarich
New York state faces a $14.5 billion budget gap this fiscal year. But Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the potential benefit of new revenue from taxing the rich would be far outstripped by the negative impact on the state’s highest earners, who already shoulder the bulk of the state’s taxes.
NC: North Carolina loosens rules for some child care facilities due to pandemic
Now set to become law, the North Carolina bill will allow some child care facilities to operate during the school day with little oversight during a state of emergency. No background checks for employees will be required, reporting confirmed COVID-19 cases to public health officials won’t be mandatory, and staff members will not need to be certified in CPR or first aid.
AZ: Arizona Supreme Court says no to online signatures for ballot measures
Voters in Arizona must sign petitions for ballot measures with a pen and paper under the state constitution, the state Supreme Court said Friday, snubbing the idea of online signatures
NJ: New Jersey teachers face backlash as tensions grow over all-remote learning
After months of COVID-19 lockdowns, some New Jersey parents are eager to get their children back to school and upset with teacher unions for their role advocating for remote learning. They say schools have taken safety precautions and that teachers should return to their workplace.
AZ: Arizona Republicans rally for end to COVID-19 restrictions
A crowd of about 100 people gathered for a pair of rallies Friday at the Arizona Capitol. Not a mask was in sight as Republican lawmakers and candidates criticized Republican Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive orders, protested the use of masks and lamented the economic fallout of the pandemic.
OR: Oregon GOP bid to recall governor fails
The Oregon Republican Party did not gather enough signatures by the deadline to recall Democratic Gov. Kate Brown — its second failed recall of the governor in less than a year. Republicans have accused Brown of abusing her power and destroying the state’s economy through shutdowns imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
MS: Mississippi governor bemoans politicizing of coronavirus
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, recently lamented how some people try to politicize issues surrounding the pandemic, such as mask-wearing. Yet Reeves opted to forgo wearing a mask as Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination to run for a second term as president.
FL: Florida demonstrators released after arrests
The scene descended into disorder after officers pulled one protester from a car for impeding traffic in front of the Florida state Capitol. The protests followed a Leon County grand jury decision to clear Tallahassee Police Department officers in three fatal shootings of suspects over the past year.
WV: West Virginia University cancels most in-person undergraduate courses
After just eight days of in-person classes, West Virginia University is canceling most in-person undergraduate courses for at least the next three weeks and is moving them online. Since classes began, WVU has received reports that 436 Morgantown students, and two faculty or staff, have COVID-19.
WA: Washington relying on hotels, state offices to house foster kids more than ever
As Washington legislators allocated tens of millions of dollars to boost care for severely troubled youth in the state’s child-welfare system this year, the numbers of those kids forced to sleep in hotel rooms or state offices hit record numbers.
OK: Oklahoma to begin including rapid coronavirus tests in positive case count
As rapid COVID-19 tests become more prevalent, the Oklahoma State Department of Health announced that starting Tuesday it will begin counting those positive test results along with the state’s “confirmed” cases.
CO: COVID-19 could lead to shorter school weeks in Colorado
As the coronavirus pandemic has upended classroom operations and district finances across Colorado, the four-day week may be poised to expand beyond the state’s rural school districts and into urban areas that have long resisted it.
VT: Vermont House to debate state budget amid virus uncertainty
The Vermont House is expected to continue debating the 2021 budget this week without knowing whether the federal government will help state and local governments make up budget losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
NM: New Mexico film crews can start work
While no film projects are shooting in New Mexico, officials have given the OK for crews to prepare for production. Each company must come up with a plan to ensure worker safety during the pandemic.
HI: Hawaii hotel quarantine program comes with lots of rules
There won’t be any visitors, homeless people or medically fragile guests at the quarantine and isolation hotels set up by Hawaii — and guests shouldn’t expect a typical hotel stay with services.
WY: Wyoming Medical Center reopens its respiratory clinic as school year begins
Wyoming Medical Center has reopened its respiratory and coronavirus clinic as schools reopen and health officials brace for a potential COVID-19 spike in the coming months. The clinic was initially opened in mid-March.
DE: 11th Delaware inmate dies of COVID-19 complications
A 55-year-old has become the 11th Delaware inmate to die with a connection to COVID-19. State prison officials said he died Monday from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and COVID-19.
TX: Texas extends disaster declaration as COVID-19 lingers
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday extended the state’s disaster declaration for all Texas counties. He urged all Texans to keep wearing masks, practice social distancing and sanitize their hands.
ID: Idaho’s case numbers remain below 300 for second day in a row
For the second straight day, Idaho has added fewer than 300 COVID-19 cases and marked the first time in five days without a new death. The state caseload exceeds 31,000 since the start of the pandemic.
NV: Opioid-related overdoses are on the rise in Nevada
From January to May, Nevada saw 23% more opioid-related overdose deaths than during the same period last year.
MA: In Massachusetts town, a lottery determines which students return to school
With too many students to fit in classrooms under social distancing rules, school districts across Massachusetts have tried to get creative. In Lowell, which serves nearly 15,000 students, the district has chosen to hold a weighted lottery for in-person spots.
OH: 6% of Ohioans filing for unemployment were overpaid, state says
Of the nearly 800,000 Ohioans who have been paid regular unemployment benefits since the start of the pandemic in March, about 6% have been alerted that they were overpaid. “In most cases, overpayments are the result of claimants not reporting or underreporting earnings during the week claimed,” Bret Crow, an Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services spokesperson, said in an email.
CA: Several California national parks to close because of wildfire danger
National forests throughout California are being closed because of fire danger caused by extreme heat and dry conditions across the state, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
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