Alaska<\/h2>\n
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One of the faces of North America\u2019s tallest peak in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Rangers say they are seeing impatient, inexperienced climbers take more risks and put their lives and other climbers in danger this year. (Photo: Becky Bohrer\/AP)<\/span><\/p>\n Anchorage: <\/b>Rangers who keep an eye on North America\u2019s highest mountain peak say impatient and inexperienced climbers are taking more risks and endangering themselves and other climbers after a year off because of the coronavirus pandemic. Denali in southern Alaska is 20,310 feet above sea level and requires a level of expertise and acclimation to high altitudes not needed for climbing most peaks in the U.S. \u201cWe have seen a disturbing amount of overconfidence paired with inexperience in the Alaska Range,\u201d the National Park Service wrote in a statement Thursday. The remoteness and extreme weather in Alaska pose extra risks, even for climbers who may have a good deal of experience at elevations up to 14,000 feet in the Lower 48. After no deaths were reported in 2018 and 2019, at least two people have already died on the mountain in 2021. Two others were seriously injured, authorities said. Last month a skier from Colorado died after falling into a crevasse. A climber from Idaho was killed by a falling block of glacier ice, according to rangers. The rangers issued their statement after a Canadian climber was seriously injured in a nearly 1,000-foot fall. He was not wearing ropes. Other climbers reported the fall, and a nearby helicopter doing glacier surveys was able to rescue the man, park officials said.<\/p>\n Phoenix: <\/b>COVID-19 vaccine outreach is increasing in the Arizona-Mexico border area in an effort to use up doses before they expire this month. There\u2019s waning demand for the shots in Arizona, and a 10-day pause on administration of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April because of safety concerns has fueled an excess vaccine supply. Health care providers, in partnership with binational government entities, are working on getting the COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable groups along the international border before doses expire. Those groups include temporary agricultural workers and Mexican truck drivers who often cross the border several times a day. Still, some doses may go to waste. The pause on use of the J&J vaccine \u201creally slowed down demand for it,\u201d said Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association. In the meantime, production of the drug continued, and orders placed prior to the pause were still delivered, he said. \u201cYou can decide not to order some, but once you\u2019ve ordered it, you can\u2019t send it back,\u201d said Humble, who is a former state health director. Maricopa County as of Thursday had 15,610 doses of the J&J vaccine that are set to expire June 23. <\/span><\/p>\n Little Rock: <\/b>Nearly 60,000 doses of the state\u2019s allotment of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are nearing their expiration date and would have to be discarded if not used by the end of June, according to a state health official. The J&J doses administered so far include 11,150 given May 1 through Friday \u2013 an average of fewer than 400 per day, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. \u201cWhat we have done is move them around\u201d to various vaccination sites \u201cso that the earlier expiring doses get used,\u201d state epidemiologist Jennifer Dillaha told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. \u201cStates everywhere are in a similar situation where they\u2019re not ordering doses.\u201d Health officials in several Arkansas counties last month slowed or stopped their orders for doses, and demand for the shots decreased. The health department reported more than 2.6 million total doses of vaccines have been received and more than 1.9 million doses administered, including to nearly 898,000 people who are fully immunized. There have been 341,130 total coronavirus cases in Arkansas since the pandemic began, the department reported Friday, and 2,016 cases are active.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Sacramento: <\/b>Workforce regulators recommended Friday that the state stick with a July 31 deadline for updating certain employer pandemic safety rules instead of adopting Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s mid-June lifting of mask and distancing requirements in most social settings. Revised rules to be considered Thursday by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board have relatively few changes from an earlier proposal that drew extensive criticism from business and agricultural groups. Cal\/OSHA\u2019s staff withdrew their initial proposal last month so they could take into account new federal guidance that fully vaccinated people can now skip face coverings and distancing in virtually all situations. California is delaying that recommendation until June 15 in social settings, and business groups hoped the workplace regulators would adopt the same date. The timing of the standard board\u2019s emergency hearing this week means the new regulations could take effect in mid-June, but several of the proposed revised rules affecting masking and physical distancing still include a date six weeks later. That broad mask requirement could mean a shortage of the most effective N95 masks for health care workers and agricultural workers entering what is expected to be another drought-driven wildfire season, critics said.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Denver: <\/b>Two sheriff\u2019s deputies who contracted COVID-19 have died in less than two weeks. The Denver Sheriff\u2019s Department announced the death of Deputy Daniel \u201cDuke\u201d Trujillo on Thursday. The former Marine was a seven-year department veteran who worked for the city\u2019s downtown jail. His death followed the death of Deputy James Herrera, announced May 17. Herrera worked for the department for 25 years and was assigned to the downtown jail. After Trujillo\u2019s death was announced, criticism of some of his social media posts that seemed to express skepticism about COVID-19 vaccinations surfaced, such as one Facebook profile photo update that said \u201cI have an immune system.\u201d Following Herrera\u2019s death, Trujillo changed his profile photo to one of Herrera and a badge with a black band. Like other workplaces, the sheriff\u2019s department does not require its employees to be vaccinated, spokesperson Daria Serna said. It has tried to educate employees about vaccinations, including by inviting a doctor to speak to them during a town hall. This week, the department will offer vaccination clinics for deputies in its jails after previously offering clinics in sites nearby, she said. Sheriff Elias Diggins said he was designating the deaths of both deputies as happening in the line of duty, a move that provides certain rights and benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n Hartford: <\/b>Gov. Ned Lamont held his last regular COVID-19 briefing for the media Thursday \u2013 a sign that he and his administration believe the state is well on its way to finally emerging from the pandemic. But Lamont said he wasn\u2019t proclaiming \u201cmission accomplished\u201d after about 15 months of giving regular, televised updates. He warned there could still be some flare-ups of infections, especially with variants of the coronavirus, in parts of the state where vaccinations have lagged, such as eastern Connecticut and some urban areas. \u201cSo that\u2019s why we are not taking our foot off the accelerator when it comes to getting everybody vaccinated,\u201d he said. Also, new data released Thursday showed persistent racial disparities in vaccine distribution in the state. Fifty-nine percent of white residents have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 36% of Black residents, 41% of Hispanic residents, 45% of American Indian\/Alaskan residents and 58% of Asian\/Pacific Islander residents. But the Democratic governor said the state\u2019s infection numbers are \u201cwhere we want them to be.\u201d Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Connecticut has decreased by 59.8%, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins.<\/p>\n Pasta dishes change hands at the St. Anthony's Italian Festival. (Photo: WILLIAM BRETZGER\/DELAWARE NEWS J, WILLIAM BRETZGER\/DELAWARE NEWS J)<\/span><\/p>\n Wilmington: <\/b>St. Anthony\u2019s Italian Festival in the city\u2019s Little Italy neighborhood is back this year with a pandemic twist. The carnival atmosphere is still a no-go even as social distancing guidelines ease, but the festival, one of the most popular in the state, will be offering takeout Italian fare June 8-11. Wilmington\u2019s Greek Festival is also featuring a to-go version this week, from Wednesday through Saturday. More details are available on the festival\u2019s Facebook page. Organizers say they hope to be back Sept. 7-11 for a bigger festival outside Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. St. Anthony\u2019s Italian Festival, a celebration of Italian Amerian culture and heritage, has been a Delaware institution since the early 1970s, but its roots go back even further in the neighborhood that has been home to many Italian immigrants. The eight-day festivities \u2013 featuring rides, beer tents, live music, and food and wine booths \u2013 are widely considered one of the state\u2019s most popular tourist attractions. President Joe Biden, when he served as a senator and later as vice president, often visited the festival, especially during the Procession of Saints parade, which won\u2019t take place this year. In 2020, the festival was canceled due to COVID-19. It was the first time in almost 50 years the church called off the celebration.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Washington: <\/b>A majority of child care centers in the city reported zero coronavirus outbreaks between July and December, even as cases citywide spiked by more than 500% over that same period, WUSA-TV reports. COVID-19 outbreaks in about 6% of the 469 licensed D.C. child care facilities accounted for almost half of all cases linked to child care facilities from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2020, and represent only a quarter of all facilities that reported at least one case, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data also shows that more than half of the people who tested positive for the virus were teachers or staff members at the facilities. This suggests that the following of CDC safety guidelines stopped the virus from spreading to others even when a case was identified. It was also reported that COVID-19 outbreaks were more likely to happen in newer facilities than older, more established ones. The research suggests this may have happened because the older centers had more experience using resources to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The CDC said delays of more than three days in testing for symptomatic people were associated with COVID-19 outbreaks. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Ousted Florida data scientist Rebekah Jones (Photo: Contributed)<\/span><\/p>\n Tallahassee: <\/b>A former Florida Department of Health employee has received whistleblower status a year after being fired for repeatedly violating the agency\u2019s policy about communicating with the media. Rebekah Jones had raised questions about Florida\u2019s COVID-19 data after being ousted as the data\u2019s curator. State officials said she was fired for insubordination after being reprimanded several times, according to state records. The Miami Herald reports the Office of the Inspector General told her attorneys Friday that \u201cthe information disclosed does meet the criteria for whistleblower status as described by \u2026 Florida statutes.\u201d Jones, who helped build the state\u2019s online presentation of its COVID-19 data, received national attention a year ago when she sowed doubt about the information being reported by the state when Florida was an epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. She suggested that Health Department managers wanted her to manipulate information to paint a rosier picture and that she pushed back. A letter from Inspector General Michael J. Bennett, the Herald reports, said Jones\u2019 complaint demonstrates \u201creasonable cause to suspect that an employee or agent of an agency or independent contractor has violated any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation.\u201d<\/p>\n Atlanta: <\/b>Gov. Brian Kemp declared Friday that public schools no longer have his permission to require masks for coronavirus protection, though his executive order fell short of banning such mandates outright. The Republican governor\u2019s written order came two days after he gave a preview in a Fox News Channel interview Wednesday, declaring: \u201cThe time for mandates is over.\u201d \u201cWe\u2019re not going to have a mask mandate for our kids,\u201d Kemp said. \u201cOur teachers have had the ability to get vaccinated. It certainly doesn\u2019t keep anyone from wearing a mask.\u201d The actual order adjusting Georgia\u2019s few remaining coronavirus restrictions isn\u2019t so strongly worded. Instead, Kemp\u2019s order says his COVID-19 emergency declaration \u201cdoes not include the authority for local school districts to rely on the Public Health State of Emergency as a basis for requiring students or workers to wear a face covering\u201d on school campuses. In other words, Georgia school districts can no longer claim their authority to require masks comes from the governor. Anthony Michael Kreis, a constitutional law professor at Georgia State University, said school boards can likely require teachers and students to wear masks without the governor\u2019s permission.<\/p>\n Wailuku: <\/b>Hawaiian Airlines is ending service between Honolulu and the rural islands of Molokai and Lanai in Maui County. Citing significant cost and an inter-island travel market that has been limited by restrictions due to the pandemic, Hawaiian Airlines said it will terminate its \u2019Ohana by Hawaiian service to the two islands, The Maui News reports. \u201cWith our focus on rebuilding and restoring our mainline interisland, North America and international service, we cannot responsibly justify incurring the startup costs and weakening our financial outlook,\u201d Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram said in a statement. \u201cWe do this as stewards of our company, with a firm eye on ensuring that Hawaiian Airlines is positioned to not only survive but thrive as we exit the pandemic.\u201d Travel to Hawaii has increased as pandemic restrictions have eased. Hawaiian Airlines announced last week that it has 400 open positions and is offering a $2,000 bonus for many positions on Maui, where the need for workers is high. \u201cWhile we have seen a strong recovery for our North America routes, Neighbor Island and international demand continues to be suppressed by travel restrictions,\u201d Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva said.<\/p>\n Idaho Gov. Brad Little gestures during a press conference at the Statehouse in Boise. Little has repealed a mask-mandate prohibition put in place by the lieutenant governor while he was out of the state and called the move a \u201cself-serving political stunt.\u201d (Photo: Darin Oswald\/Idaho Statesman via AP)<\/span><\/p>\n Boise: <\/b>Gov. Brad Little on Friday issued an executive order repealing a mask mandate prohibition put in place by the lieutenant governor while he was out of the state. Little described Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin\u2019s actions as a tyrannical abuse of power and an \u201cirresponsible, self-serving political stunt.\u201d The governor had previously been reserved in his comments about his fellow Republican, a member of the far-right who has worked to undermine Little\u2019s handling of the pandemic. Last month McGeachin announced her run against him for governor. Her executive order Thursday banning mask mandates in schools and public buildings is widely seen as part of that campaign, and she is already using the order in fundraising efforts. Little has never issued a statewide mask mandate, but counties, cities and schools have issued their own directives. \u201cI have opposed a statewide mask mandate all along because I don\u2019t think top-down mandates change behavior the way personal choice does,\u201d Little said in a statement about his repeal of McGeachin\u2019s order. \u201cBut, as your Governor, when it came to masks, I also didn\u2019t undermine separately elected officials who, under Idaho law, are given authorities to take measures they believe will protect the health and safety of the people they serve.\u201d Little was attending the Republican Governors Association conference in Nashville, Tennessee, and returned late Thursday.<\/p>\n Springfield: <\/b>Both state fairs this summer will boast a unity theme: \u201cOne Illinois.\u201d Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the theme is to inspire the state to come together after the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation last summer of the Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fair. \u201cComing off a year where the fair was canceled for the first time since World War II, we want to convey a show of unity and strength when people return to the fairgrounds in August,\u201d Illinois State Fair Manager Keven Gordon said. Both fairs will host on-site mobile vaccination clinics for their duration so that any fairgoer who wants a COVID-19 shot can get inoculated. The \u201cOne Illinois\u201d logo will be featured throughout the grounds of both fairs and on merchandise. The Illinois State Fair is scheduled for Aug. 12-22 and the fair in DuQuoin for Aug. 27-Sept. 6. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Lafayette: <\/b>While Indiana University faces political backlash over its plans to require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for all students and employees, Purdue University is offering a chance at winning a full year\u2019s tuition for students who get the shots. Purdue\u2019s \u201cOld Golden Ticket\u201d drawing makes students who submit proof of a COVID-19 vaccination by July 15 eligible for one of 10 prizes paying $9,992. That is the equivalent of a year\u2019s undergraduate tuition. Purdue has avoided criticism of its plans to require students and employees to either provide proof of vaccination for the fall semester or participate in frequent coronavirus testing. IU said Thursday that it \u201cwill further consider our process for verifying the requirement,\u201d a day after the state attorney general issued a nonbinding opinion that the policy was illegal under a new law banning the state or local governments from issuing or requiring so-called vaccine passports. Many Republican legislators have also come out against IU\u2019s plan, with a letter signed by 35 GOP state senators calling it a \u201cheavy-handed mandate.\u201d IU officials have defended the vaccine requirement as a way to safely resume full in-person classes and events on all the university\u2019s campuses across the state.<\/span><\/p>\n Harvey Hunter Jr. defended a profane voicemail he left for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds that said she should be \u201chung for treason,\u201d saying he didn\u2019t intend to threaten her and was expressing his opposition to her COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo: Polk County Jail via AP)<\/span><\/p>\n Iowa City: <\/b>A man who left a threatening voicemail telling Gov. Kim Reynolds she should be hung or shot \u201cfor treason\u201d for imposing coronavirus restrictions has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge. Harvey Hunter Jr., 48, pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree harassment, accepting a plea agreement offered by Polk County prosecutors. In a written guilty plea, he said he \u201cdid threaten to commit bodily injury to a government official\u201d in his Jan. 5 voicemail. Prosecutors will recommend that Hunter serve a one-year term of probation, pay a fine, have no contact with the governor and undergo a mental health evaluation. A judge will not be bound by the recommendation when Hunter is sentenced this week and could impose stricter penalties. Hunter left the voicemail on a governor\u2019s office phone line set up to gather input on the partial statewide mask mandate. He called the governor a dictator and said that \u201cevery single one of you need to be hung for treason for pushing this COVID scam.\u201d He also called Reynolds two derogatory names for women and said that \u201cyou need to be put in front of a firing squad.\u201d Hunter had defended his comments as free speech in April interviews with the Associated Press, saying he was expressing opposition to what he considered \u201ctyrannical\u201d COVID-19 restrictions.<\/span><\/p>\n Topeka: <\/b>Advocates for renters are troubled by the end of the state\u2019s ban on evictions and foreclosures on home mortgages for people who are struggling financially because of the coronavirus pandemic. Top Republican lawmakers on Friday rescinded the executive order from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly imposing the ban. State law gives leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature the power to rescind such orders. Republicans have long argued that the state\u2019s moratorium prevents landlords from getting paid. Many landlords have their own mortgages to pay on the properties they rent. But advocates said ending the state\u2019s ban is troubling because of questions about how long a nationwide ban from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will stay in place. The CDC ban, imposed through June, would prevent evictions and foreclosures in Kansas, but it could be nullified by a federal lawsuit. \u201cIf that goes away, I think we\u2019re going to be in for a world of hurt,\u201d said Dustin Hare, a Wyandotte County organizer. Hare said the CDC\u2019s ban was more effective. But Vince Munoz, an organizer with the advocacy group Rent Zero Kansas, said providing rental assistance is not as helpful as \u201csimply saying we aren\u2019t going to have evictions.\u201d<\/p>\n Frankfort: <\/b>The state ushered in the Memorial Day holiday weekend by relaxing pandemic-related limits on crowd sizes as COVID-19 vaccinations continued to climb. Friday marked the start of a two-week stretch in which Kentucky businesses and events are allowed to operate at 75% capacity. The state also lifted its coronavirus-related curfew on bars and restaurants. All of the state\u2019s pandemic-related capacity restrictions will end June 11. \u201cWe are safely and sustainably easing restrictions to limit the spread of COVID as more of our young people get their \u2018shot of hope\u2019 and we end this pandemic,\u201d said Gov. Andy Beshear, who recently announced the new round of relaxed restrictions. In urging more people to get inoculated, Beshear warned that the return to larger gatherings \u201ccomes with a heightened risk\u201d for the unvaccinated. While more than 80% of people 65 and older in Kentucky have been vaccinated, inoculation rates have lagged among younger residents. The Deocratic governor on Friday praised Kentuckians ages 12 to 17 for their willingness to roll up their sleeves for the shots to \u201cprotect themselves and others.\u201d \u201cThese vaccines are a miracle \u2013 and they are the key to safe classrooms for our students, teachers and staff,\u201d Beshear said on social media.<\/span><\/p>\n Baton Rouge: <\/b>A statewide \u201cShot for a Shot\u201d campaign offering free drinks for people who get vaccinated against COVID-19 begins this month, officials said Thursday. Participating businesses will provide a free alcoholic or nonalcoholic drink to people who can prove they\u2019ve been fully vaccinated within the previous seven days, the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control said. Just under 31% of Louisiana residents have been fully vaccinated, compared to 40% nationwide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Several bars and restaurants in New Orleans held \u201cA Shot for a Shot\u201d events in April. Establishments in Baton Rouge also have held such events. The LA Wallet app or the state-issued vaccination card can be used as proof of inoculation, the news release said. The state office will collect drink tallies from participating bars and restaurants for the Louisiana Restaurant Association, which will provide partial reimbursements. No taxes will go toward the reimbursements, it said. The campaign will run \u201cbetween June 1 and June 30 or until funds are exhausted,\u201d the statement said.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Augusta: <\/b>Legislative leaders are keeping in place a mask requirement for the State House, despite Republican opposition. The Legislative Council on Thursday took no further action on the mask mandate, despite an uproar among Republicans who say lawmakers shouldn\u2019t be subjected to different rules than the public. The governor has lifted requirements for masks indoors, though businesses can choose to continue requiring them. On May 24, seven Republicans defied the rule by entering the State House without masks. House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, a Democrat, responded by stripping them of their committee assignments. Fecteau said he had received \u201cveiled threats\u201d over the decision and was still unwavering in the decision to keep the mask rule. And some GOP lawmakers are vowing to continue to flout the rules. \u201cWe will not have a House that is not in order,\u201d Fecteau said, referencing a common order of the presiding officer of the chamber. Rep. Chris Johansen, R-Monticello, one of the seven lawmakers who were punished for not wearing masks, said he was exploring whether legal action could be taken against Fecteau.<\/span><\/p>\n Annapolis: <\/b>Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed more than a dozen measures Friday, including one aimed at creating greater transparency in emergency procurements \u2013 such as the one that made headlines when Hogan confidentially purchased 500,000 coronavirus tests from South Korea that later stirred controversy. The bill would require the governor to provide a legislative panel notice within 72 hours after the execution of the contract or the expenditure of funds when authorizing a certain emergency procurement during a state of emergency.In his veto letter, Hogan said that \u201cextraordinary measures were necessary to keep Marylanders safe from this deadly virus.\u201d But Del. Brooke Lierman, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation in the House, said that \u201cit\u2019s incredibly disappointing and quite frustrating that our governor would be opposed to shining a light on how his administration is spending taxpayer dollars.\u201d Last month, a state audit found that the Hogan administration failed to follow state procurement regulations when it bought the 500,000 tests last year. The first batch that later had to be replaced at an additional $2.5 million cost had not been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Hogan has adamantly defended the purchase of the tests. <\/span><\/p>\n Boston: <\/b>Gov. Charlie Baker signed an order Friday officially lifting Massachusetts\u2019 pandemic state of emergency June 15, and the state lifted nearly all COVID-19 restrictions Saturday, in an indication its battle against the coronavirus has turned a sharp corner. \u201cI would pretty much say it\u2019s over,\u201d Gov. Charlie Baker said, cautioning that the pandemic has thrown a number of curves in the past year. \u201cI do believe it\u2019s certainly on the run.\u201d There are still locations where masks will be required, including public transportation, Baker said. The mandate was replaced with a mask advisory that echoes recommendations from federal health officials. Baker also said businesses may still require customers and visitors to continue wearing masks inside. More than 3.5 million residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, he said, predicting the state will hit its 4.1 million goal by mid-June. Massachusetts is also launching a new campaign to encourage diners to start eating out in their favorite restaurants. Restaurants are among the businesses hit hardest during the pandemic, and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said Friday that the Baker administration wants to send the message that restaurants are open, and vaccinated people should go out and dine to help those eateries bounce back.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is facing pushback from lawmakers over whether people can visit branch offices without an appointment. (Photo: Paul Sancya\/AP)<\/span><\/p>\n Lansing: <\/b>Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is defending her decision to stick with appointment-only visits to branch offices after the coronavirus pandemic, amid pushback from lawmakers who say people should again be able to go without an appointment. Half of all appointments are next-day appointments \u2013 an option for drivers with urgent business such as renewing an expiring license or transferring a vehicle title. Benson conceded they fill up quickly but contended the system, while \u201cnot perfect,\u201d is better than residents having to potentially wait hours in line, as they did before COVID-19 struck. Critics note that other appointments are months in the future. Benson is pledging to add appointment slots \u2013 which are booked online or by phone \u2013 saying fewer staff will be out sick and fewer offices will be closed as infections continue to subside. The state is on track, in July, to implement a new law that requires in-person visits for new license and ID photos every 12 years instead of eight. \u201cThat will dramatically reduce the demand for office visits for a number of years,\u201d Benson, a Democrat, told the Republican-led House Oversight Committee this past week. She said the department is continuing to work through a backlog caused by a 13-month grace period for driver\u2019s license and ID renewals in the pandemic.<\/p>\n St. Paul: <\/b>Several breweries and distilleries are offering a shot and a beer to adults to encourage them to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Gov. Tim Walz announced the \u201cCheers to the Vaccine\u201d campaign Friday in partnership with the Craft Brewers Guild and the Minnesota Distillers Guild. It\u2019s separate from a list of incentive giveaways he announced Thursday, including Minnesota State Fair tickets, fishing licenses and state park passes. As of Friday, all statewide coronavirus restrictions for Minnesota bars, restaurants, event centers \u2013 and all other businesses \u2013 were lifted under a plan Walz announced earlier. However, local governments and individual businesses can still maintain restrictions. Masking and social distancing mandates remain in effect in Minneapolis, St. Paul and some other communities, for example. Establishments participating in \u201cCheers to the Vaccine\u201d will offer free or discounted drinks through June 30 to Minnesota residents 21 and older who provide proof that they have received at least one vaccine dose. The limit is one drink per person. Several of the breweries and distilleries are also planning on-site vaccination clinics in the coming weeks. Details will be announced by the establishments themselves. <\/span><\/p>\n Jackson: <\/b>Outdoor enthusiasts weren\u2019t spared when the pandemic put the world on pause in 2020, leading to the cancellation of the Wildlife Extravaganza and what would have been the first Mississippi Ag & Outdoor Expo. But both events are on track for this summer. The Wildlife Extravaganza on July 30-Aug. 1 falls on its traditional weekend but will be held in a new location and promises a fresh look. The event will be held at the new Sheraton Refuge Hotel & Conference Center in Flowood in Rankin County near Jackson. The development offers a hotel, golf course, restaurants, a swimming pool and lazy river, among other amenities. It also features a 12-acre lake and outside space to exhibit larger products such as hunting blinds, trucks and boats. The Mississippi Ag & Outdoor Expo, expected to be the largest outdoor show held in Mississippi, is scheduled for Aug. 6-8 at the new Mississippi Trade Mart at the Mississippi Fairgrounds in Jackson. It is hosted by the Foundation for Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Organizers said there will be a petting zoo and vendors with special items for kids, possibly to include an indoor trout pond where younger children can experience catching a fish. And a concert is in the works, too. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Jefferson City: <\/b>The Missouri Supreme Court is lifting directives for the state\u2019s courts aimed at protecting the safety of employees and the public during the coronavirus pandemic. Court officials said the restrictions were being lifted June 15 because of a decrease in the national and local levels of COVID-19 cases and the effectiveness and availability of vaccines, the Jefferson City News Tribune reports. The Supreme Court last revised its directives in March, saying local courts could operate in one of four operating phases. Each phase reflected differing approaches to in-person proceedings, personnel and staffing, and courthouse operations. The new order applies to Missouri\u2019s appellate and circuit courts, including associate, family, juvenile, treatment, municipal and probate divisions. Court officials said local chief and presiding judges may determine whether to continue precautions, based on local health conditions and recommended federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The state Department of Health and Senior Services reported that as of Friday, more than 2.5 million Missouri residents, or 41.6% of the state\u2019s 6.2 million people, had received at least a first vaccine shot.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n A rendering of a new wellness center planned for the Fort Peck Reservation. (Photo: Courtesy of Dave Glaser, MoFi)<\/span><\/p>\n Great Falls: <\/b>A new wellness center on the Fort Peck Reservation has received about $5 million in funding that will help bring the 20-year project \u201cacross the finish line,\u201d according to a news release. The project is expected to be complete by January 2022. Financing for the $23 million wellness center came through investment from the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes and New Markets Tax Credits from Missoula-based community development lender MoFi. Jackie Weeks, tribal operations officer for the Fort Peck Tribes, said the funding \u201cprovided the bridge … to complete the project.\u201d The 50,000-square-foot center aims to address the disparity in life expectancy and provide a supportive space to promote long-term health and wellness among tribal members. The wellness center is expected to create 70 new full-time jobs with benefits. The genesis for the Fort Peck wellness center came in 2001, when local high school students partnered with Harvard Medical School to study disparities in life expectancy among members of the Fort Peck Tribes. The group found that the average life expectancy for an individual living on the Fort Peck Reservation was nearly 20 years lower than the average life expectancy in Montana, according to a release.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Lincoln: <\/b>Restaurants can now offer carry-out alcohol permanently under a new state law inspired by Gov. Pete Ricketts\u2019 efforts to help struggling businesses during the pandemic. Ricketts announced Wednesday that he signed the measure into law. It went into effect immediately. The governor issued an executive order to allow carry-out alcohol in March 2020 to aid restaurants that were struggling financially because of the pandemic and social distancing restrictions. The order proved popular with the public, and some restaurants reported that it had helped their sales. Ricketts said the order showed that the previous restriction on carry-out alcohol was unnecessary. The law applies to restaurants and farm wineries with the proper liquor licenses. To-go alcohol must be sold in a sealed, tamper-evident container and not partially consumed. Lawmakers approved the measure 45-0.<\/p>\n Las Vegas: <\/b>Uber and Lyft will be able to resume surge pricing in the state after Gov. Steve Sisolak ended a ban meant to prevent price gouging amid the pandemic. The Democratic governor\u2019s emergency order late Friday took effect immediately. App-based ride-hailing firms, known formally as transportation network companies, generally raise their prices during periods of high demand, which they say reduces wait times by encouraging more drivers to work. But that\u2019s been banned during the public health emergency declared in March 2020. Uber said last month that the loss of surge pricing led to a shortage of drivers because it depressed their earnings, and the company urged users to pressure Sisolak to ease the restriction. The Nevada Transportation Authority said peak wait times have jumped 225% since March 2021, with some riders waiting as long as 30 minutes, according to documents released by Sisolak\u2019s office. In future emergencies, surge pricing will only be banned for 30 days.<\/p>\n Concord:<\/b> The state is moving toward making it easier for paramedics and others to become nursing assistants to address workforce shortages exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The state Senate passed a bill Thursday that would allow certain military personnel, emergency medical technicians and paramedics to take the licensed nursing assistant exam without having to take the standard courses. The bill passed the House last month. It now goes to the governor\u2019s desk. Meanwhile, Gov. Chris Sununu once again renewed New Hampshire\u2019s state of emergency declaration Friday, but for only 14 days instead of the usual 21. Sununu first declared a state of emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic March 13, 2020, and has renewed it every three weeks since then. Friday\u2019s decision came six weeks after Sununu eliminated the statewide mask mandate and three weeks after the lifting of business restrictions. \u201cToday\u2019s action to renew the State of Emergency allows the legislature to take up our various critical emergency orders that have brought flexibility to manage through this pandemic, and I call on the House and Senate to move swiftly in this charge so that we can move out of a State of Emergency as quickly as possible,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n People walk and ride along the boardwalk the day before Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer, in the shore community of Wildwood, N.J. (Photo: Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n Belmar: <\/b>The second summer of COVID-19 at the Jersey Shore is shaping up to look far different from last year\u2019s: Many virus restrictions have been lifted, nightclubs and dance floors are packed again, and restaurants and bars can serve full crowds indoors. Shore towns have reported brisk beach badge sales as they drop capacity limits put in place last summer to keep people further apart on the sand. Ocean City was closing in on $1 million worth of beach badge sales by the end of April \u2013 the earliest they had ever reached that mark. \u201cIt\u2019s been exceptionally busy,\u201d city spokesperson Doug Bergen said. The lifting of outdoor capacity limits has cleared the way for large-scale concerts to resume at venues including the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, which lists upcoming shows including Luke Bryan, Lady A and the Jonas Brothers. Summer rentals are seeing strong bookings. Meanwhile, beachgoers at three popular spots were able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 over Memorial Day weekend. Gov. Phil Murphy said the \u201cShots at the Shore\u201d effort would offer free jabs Saturday and Sunday at Sandy Hook, Long Branch and Asbury Park. \u201cWe\u2019re going to make it possible for beachgoers to get some sun and at the same time get their first shot,\u201d the Democratic governor said.<\/span><\/p>\n Albuquerque: <\/b>Drug overdose deaths in the state in 2020 increased by 25% from the previous year, continuing a trend seen before the pandemic. Increased abuse of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl pumped up the number of overdose deaths to 721 in 2019, up from 574 in 2019, the Albuquerque Journal reports. The provisional numbers were gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and broken down by QuoteWizard, a division of LendingTree, according to the Journal. Fentanyl is an extremely potent opioid that is prescribed for legitimate medical uses, including treatment of cancer patients and in surgical anesthesia, but it also is smuggled into the United States from Mexico and often trafficked illegally in counterfeit pills known as \u201cblues.\u201d \u201cThe pervasiveness of fentanyl on the illicit drug market in New Mexico is one of the most daunting public safety issues we face,\u201d said Fred Federici, acting U.S. attorney for New Mexico. \u201cOver the past several years, we have seen the prevalence of fentanyl rise from occasional seizures to an alarming number of cases.\u201d<\/p>\n New Paltz: <\/b>A 102-year-old Army veteran is comparing his World War II service to the campaign to vaccinate Americans against COVID-19 in a public service announcement released by officials in Ulster County. \u201cWhen our nation needed us, and Uncle Sam came calling, we answered. We fought the Nazis and stormed the beaches of Normandy,\u201d veteran Bill Swetow says in the video released Saturday by County Executive Pat Ryan. \u201cAnd over 75 years later, we are at another moment where we need every American to do their part.\u201d The Daily Freeman of Kingston reports that Swetow, who lives in New Paltz in the Hudson Valley, joined the Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and went on to serve as a cryptographer and a statistical control officer. Swetow says in the minutelong PSA: \u201cWe are not asking you to fire a gun, dig a trench or go to a foreign land. But we are asking you to join the fight, the fight against COVID-19. And we want you to get vaccinated.\u201d The ad will air on local TV and radio stations as well as social media sites. Two-thirds of adults in New York state have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to recent federal data.<\/p>\n Durham: <\/b>A former deputy is suing a sheriff over his requirement for employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Christopher Neve is asking a court to force Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead to reinstate him with back pay and to rule that vaccine mandates are unconstitutional, The Herald-Sun of Durham reports. The lawsuit, filed in April in federal court, argues that mandating a vaccine that has only emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration and not formal approval violates federal law. The Durham County Sheriff\u2019s Office declined to comment Friday, citing the ongoing litigation. In January, Birkhead sent a notice to employees that the COVID-19 vaccine would be mandatory except for medical or religious objections, according to court documents. After Neve and other deputies failed to schedule a vaccine appointment, Birkhead sent an email Jan. 25 reminding deputies to schedule their appointments. Neve continued to refuse, according to the lawsuit, and his badge and other equipment were confiscated in March. Public employers can mandate that employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the N.C. Department of Labor and Diane Juffras, a professor of public law and government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.<\/span><\/p>\n Bismarck: <\/b>The state Capitol is resuming public tours after suspending them for more than a year, officials said Thursday. Tuesday\u2019s reopening comes on the heels of data that showed the number of active COVID-19 cases dropped about 51% last month, going from 995 on May 1 to 508 on May 26. \u201cAs we resume normal activities, we are anxious to again offer this service to the public. We know it is appreciated by visitors to the Capitol at all times of the year, but especially during the summer travel season,\u201d Office of Budget Management Director Joe Morrissette said. Face coverings are required for those who are not fully vaccinated. Tours are conducted Monday through Friday. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Fans weren't allowed in the stands at Great American Ball Park last year, and so far this season they've faced capacity restrictions. (Photo: Liz Dufour\/The Enquirer)<\/span><\/p>\n Cincinnati: <\/b>Wednesday is \u201cRe-Opening Day\u201d in the city after it went without its baseball opening day traditions the past two years because of the pandemic. The afternoon game with the Philadelphia Phillies will mark the return of full seating capacity at the Reds\u2019 Great American Ball Park home after most seats were closed off to begin this season. City and county leaders said it will be a \u201chalf-day holiday,\u201d and they want everyone to wear red and to gather in downtown entertainment venues to celebrate. Tickets as low as $5 each were being sold for the game. \u201cNo city does Opening Day like Cincinnati,\u2019 said Jill Meyer, President and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. She called June 2 a time to \u201ccelebrate the future and honor what we have been through together as a community.\u201d In announcing the half-day holiday Thursday, officials said everyone should get vaccinated against COVID-19 so they can be safe while visiting Great American Ball Park, as well as local bars and restaurants. \u201cIf you haven\u2019t gotten one, get one \u2013 don\u2019t be stupid,\u201d Mayor John Cranley said.<\/span><\/p>\n Oklahoma City: <\/b>State agencies will be barred from requiring a mask or COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of being allowed to enter a state building or office under an executive order signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt. \u201cIt is time to return to normal,\u201d Stitt said in a statement after signing the order Friday. \u201cEvery Oklahoman must have access to all government services whether or not they choose to be vaccinated or wear a mask.\u201d The order, which does not apply in medical settings with patients, was announced after Stitt signed into law a bill prohibiting schools and colleges from adopting mask or vaccination requirements. Stitt refused to issue a statewide mask mandate but in November required masks inside state buildings. That order was lifted in March. The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Friday reported 452,777 total coronavirus cases since the pandemic began and 1,214 currently active cases in the state.<\/p>\n Salem: <\/b>Significant coronavirus-related staffing shortages at the Oregon State Hospital prompted health officials to call for the National Guard\u2019s assistance at the psychiatric facility last week. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the state\u2019s health authority, which oversees the hospital, requested 30 nurses from the National Guard. \u201cWe need your help,\u201d Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen wrote to state employees. \u201cOHA has exhausted all other staffing options for the hospital\u2019s Salem Campus, and our circumstances are dire.\u201d Officials say the hospital, which employs 1,800 people and has more than 600 patients, is full and temporarily stopped new admissions. The hospital treats some of the state\u2019s most vulnerable: those found guilty except for insanity, civil commitment patients, and those ordered to the hospital by a judge on aid and assist orders. The staffing crisis at the hospital has persisted on and off throughout the pandemic. But the number of staff out on coronavirus-related leave has increased dramatically since February. Hospital Superintendent Dolly Matteucci told state lawmakers last month that nearly 700 employees had taken some form of COVID-19 leave, and from February to March there was a 45% increase in direct-care staff taking leave.<\/p>\n Philadelphia: <\/b>The Philadelphia Phillies will soon be able to pack their ballpark, and the city said Friday that it will lift nearly all its pandemic restrictions more than a week ahead of schedule, as new coronavirus infections decline to their lowest point since September. Capacity limits for businesses and events and social distancing rules will go away Wednesday. The city had planned to eliminate the restrictions June 11, but officials said the relatively low number of new cases and a test positivity rate of less than 3% made it possible to do it earlier than planned. The city\u2019s indoor mask mandate and an 11 p.m. last call at bars and restaurants will continue until at least June 11, the city said. After the city\u2019s announcement Friday, the Phillies announced that seating at Citizens Bank Park will be increased to 100% capacity starting next Friday, June 4, the club\u2019s next home series.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Providence: <\/b>A bill that gives the state\u2019s nursing homes the highest staff-to-patient ratio in the nation has been signed into law by Gov. Daniel McKee, despite objections from industry leaders who said it will lead to nursing home closures. Advocates, however, say the staffing mandate will improve resident safety and lead to better pay for workers \u2013 problems that were highlighted during the coronavirus pandemic. \u201cToday we take a step forward for staff, residents and their families,\u201d McKee said during the signing ceremony Thursday. \u201cStronger staffing standards and funding for direct care staff will help raise the bar on resident care in our state.\u201d The law establishes an average of at least 3.58 hours of direct nursing care per resident, per day, starting next Jan. 1 and 3.81 hours starting Jan. 1, 2023, which both sides agree is the highest staff-to-patient ratio in the nation. Nursing home owners warned of mass closings due to mounting losses and years of state cuts to Medicaid reimbursement. The Rhode Island Health Care Association, a coalition of nursing homes, said the bill attempts to legislate \u201cthe impossible.\u201d Association President Scott Fraser said nursing homes already have a hard time filling open positions.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Columbia: <\/b>A top Democratic lawmaker wants the state to use some of its COVID-19 relief money to offer $1 million prizes to people who get vaccinated for the disease, similar to a program in Ohio. That type of program might get South Carolina, where just 36% of residents are fully vaccinated, out of the bottom 10 in the percentage of residents who have completed their COVID-19 immunizations, House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford said. \u201cI think the message of the State of South Carolina should be clear. Get vaccinated: protect yourself, protect those around you, and you just might win a million dollars,\u201d the Columbia Democrat said in a statement. Ohio saw an increase in vaccinations after announcing its prizes. South Carolina senators considered more modest incentives during April\u2019s budget debate, including a $250 scholarship to college students who get vaccinated or $100 for the first 500,000 people to get a COVID-19 shot. Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto compared it to how crazy people get when prizes worth only several dollars are offered at sporting events. \u201cWhen they drop the things at the ball games, people jump all over themselves to get a Chick-fil-A sandwich gift card,\u201d said Hutto, D-Orangeburg. Both proposals failed with minimal support from the Republican majority.<\/span><\/p>\n Sioux Falls: <\/b>Sanford Health has closed its mass vaccination clinic on its Medical Center campus in the city. The health care system opened the clinic in the Sanford Imaginetics building in December. \u201cAnd five and a half months later, we\u2019ve seen over 102,000 patients at this location alone,\u201d said Terri Carlson, executive director at Sanford Health. On the mass vaccination clinic\u2019s final day Thursday, 14-year-old Rayna Goehring got her first dose, KELO-TV reports. \u201cIt feels good; hopefully it\u2019ll stop me from getting COVID too,\u201d Rayna said. \u201cIt shocked me how old they will allow people to get vaccinated.\u201d She\u2019s looking forward to when things are back to normal, especially at school, she said. \u201cAnd finally it\u2019s kind of starting to get back to normal, but it\u2019s the new normal, people will say.\u201d Carlson said Sanford still offers the vaccines at its primary care facilities in the Sioux Falls area. Getting to the point where the clinic can be closed is surreal, she said. \u201cIt\u2019s emotional when I think about it,\u201d Carlson said. \u201cWhat we\u2019ve been able to accomplish is very humbling, and it\u2019s very rewarding to be able to see people being able to start living their lives again and seeing hugs again and families together and hearing all those good stories.\u201d<\/p>\n Nashville: <\/b>The owner of a hat shop is dealing with pushback after posting a photo of herself to social media wearing a yellow patch resembling the Star of David with the words \u201cnot vaccinated.\u201d The photo posted by Gigi Gaskins, owner of HatWrksNashville, shows her smiling and wearing the badge that looks similar in shape and color to those that the Nazis forced Jews to wear in Europe during the Holocaust. A caption with the photo advertised the patches for $5 apiece. \u201cPeople are so outraged by my post? But are you outraged with the tyranny the world is experiencing?\u201d Gaskins said on Instagram. \u201cIf you don\u2019t understand what is happening, that is on you not me. I pay much more respect to history by standing up with the fallen than offering silence and compliance.\u201d Gaskins later deleted the photo and issued an apology Saturday. \u201cIn NO WAY did I intend to trivialize the Star of David or disrespect what happened to millions of people. That is not who I am & what I stand for,\u201d Gaskins wrote. \u201cMy intent was not to exploit or make a profit. My hope was to share my genuine concern & fear, and to do all that I can to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again. I sincerely apologize for any insensitivity.\u201d The photo was shared widely on social media and prompted hat maker Stetson to announce it was pulling its products from the store. Hat maker Goorin Bros. of San Francisco said on Instagram that it was \u201chorrified\u201d by the patch.<\/p>\n Austin: <\/b>A bill that would curb the governor\u2019s powers during a pandemic has died after a committee of appointed members of the state House and Senate missed a midnight Saturday deadline to issue a compromise report on the measure. The initial version of what was known as the Pandemic Response Act would have created an oversight committee with powers to strike down any governor\u2019s order, waiver or suspension. The legislation, a priority for House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, came in response to Gov. Greg Abbott\u2019s use of sweeping powers under the state\u2019s disaster declaration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many conservative Republicans chafed at Abbott\u2019s coronavirus restrictions, which followed the recommendations of public health experts, including state health officials and the governor\u2019s medical advisers. Abbott\u2019s pandemic performance, however, was not a central feature of debate about the bill. Phelan has called the legislation \u201cthe House\u2019s blueprint for pandemic response,\u201d and Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock Republican, the top lieutenant of the speaker, carried the measure. The House version of the bill would have continued to allow the governor to suspend state laws and trump decisions by local officials, a change denounced by Democrats, including Austin Mayor Steve Adler.<\/p>\n Zion National Park shuttles transport visitors through the park Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Photo: Chris Caldwell \/ The Spectrum & Daily News)<\/span><\/p>\n St. George: <\/b>Zion National Park has ended a shuttle ticket system that was implemented to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Masks are still required while in line and while riding the shuttle, but seating capacity will now be similar to pre-COVID-19 levels. The change was announced Thursday, shortly before the Memorial Day weekend, a busy time for visitation. More than 85,000 visitors are expected this year. Tickets are no longer required, though anyone who has already purchased one will be prioritized in the shuttle queue at or after the ticket\u2019s time and date. Otherwise the shuttle will be boarding first-come, first-served during the day from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. The shuttle ticket system was installed last July, with removed seats in the buses to allow for social distancing. Tickets were $1, which had increased to $2 apiece just two weeks ago.<\/p>\n Montpelier: <\/b>Restaurants, bars and social clubs can now stay open past 10 p.m. Gov. Phil Scott announced Friday that he\u2019s lifting the curfew because the rate of 18- to 29-year-olds getting vaccinated against COVID-19 had risen from less than 30% to over 50% in the past month. He said he expects Vermont to reach 80% of the eligible population \u2013 ages 12 and up \u2013 getting at least one dose by this week, at which time he will drop the remaining pandemic-related restrictions. As of Thursday, 77% of eligible Vermonters had been vaccinated, he said. But Vermont will not let up on efforts to get as many people vaccinated as possible, particularly with variants of the coronavirus circulating, including one report of a strain first identified in South Africa, said Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine. Walk-in vaccine clinics were held Friday at various sites and over the weekend, including at Thunder Road in Barre, and there will be more than 130 walk-in vaccine sites, including at many pharmacies, this week, Scott said. \u201cGet vaccinated, and help protect yourself and those around you,\u201d Levine said. \u201cBecause the good news is that vaccines are showing tremendous success against the virus in general, and this includes variant strains.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Harrisonburg: <\/b>James Madison University has announced it will require students to provide verification that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus in the fall, according to a post on its website. That includes undergraduate, graduate, and full-time and part-time students who attend in-person classes or participate in in-person studies, research opportunities or any other on-campus activities. \u201cI\u2019m grateful that JMU is not only prioritizing the safety of professors and students by requiring the vaccine,\u201d said Maddie Painter, a rising JMU sophomore. \u201cBut I\u2019m also relieved to know that the local community will not have to worry about transmission of the virus from students.\u201d Locally, JMU joins Mary Baldwin University and Bridgewater College in requiring its students to receive a COVID-19 vaccination before the start of fall semester. \u201cExceptions will be accommodated for medical conditions, religious beliefs or in cases where individuals agree in writing to the conditions set forth in an assumption-of-risk exemption,\u201d JMU said in the post. \u201cAll individuals who do not complete vaccination for any reason must complete an Assumption of Risk form, which defines the mitigation strategies that will be required of students who have not been fully vaccinated.\u201d<\/p>\n Lynnwood: <\/b>Bicycle store owners have raised concerns over a shortage as more people are buying bikes during the coronavirus pandemic. Gregg\u2019s Cycle General Manager Marty Pluth said most of the racks are empty, and the remaining bikes have already been sold and are awaiting pickup, KING-TV reports. He said the wait to buy a bike is now at least four to six weeks. \u201cI joke that we\u2019ve become the toilet paper of the pandemic,\u201d said Pluth, who operates the store in Lynnwood, about 15 miles north of Seattle. \u201cPeople have been calling us from as far away as Oregon and California. The supply chain is pretty much broken.\u201d Currently, Gregg\u2019s Cycle only has about 10% of its normal inventory, with 8,000 bikes on backorder. Pluth attributes the increase in demand to the coronavirus. He said more people started buying bikes for transportation and exercise as mass transit and gyms closed to limit the spread of COVID-19. Harvy\u2019s Bikes, also in Lynnwood, is seeing that increase in demand, too. Owner Harvy Massoud said the store is doing double the number of repairs but having trouble getting bike parts from manufacturers. Industry experts believe it will take another year or two before supply catches up with demand again.<\/p>\n Charleston: <\/b>The state will step up its prizes for vaccines, enrolling all residents who have received a COVID-19 shot into a lottery for the chance to win a college scholarship, an F-150 pickup truck or cash rewards. Republican Gov. Jim Justice announced the plan for the new incentives Thursday, but more details are expected to be finalized this week. The governor has aimed to turn around a vaccination drive that drastically slowed down after a strong early start. \u201cWe\u2019re going to make a few West Virginians millionaires before this is over,\u201d Justice said. The program is expected to be paid through federal pandemic relief funds. Vaccinated residents ages 16 to 35 are already set to receive a $100 savings bond or gift card. Half of the state\u2019s residents have received at least one vaccine dose, according to state data. Justice projects more than two-thirds of eligible residents will be vaccinated by the time the state removes its mask mandate June 20. He said he wanted to beat Ohio\u2019s $1 million prize incentive program. \u201cWe\u2019ll blow Ohio out of the water,\u201d Justice said. Giveaways will include 10 Rocky Ridge version Ford F-150 trucks, which can cost around $80,000. The state will also follow its northwestern neighbor\u2019s prizes, which include full-ride college scholarships and $1 million rewards.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Tommy Bartlett Show owner Tom Diehl poses in Lake Delton, Wis., in 2008. The coronavirus pandemic shut down the iconic Wisconsin Dells-area water ski show. (Photo: Morry Gash\/AP)<\/span><\/p>\n Wisconsin Dells: <\/b>One of the state\u2019s major tourist attractions was making do with fewer workers over Memorial Day weekend, hoping more will arrive during the summer. Tom Diehl, president of the Attractions Association and Tommy Bartlett Inc. in Wisconsin Dells, said they\u2019re ready to welcome visitors, but labor is a problem. \u201cWe don\u2019t have the young people that we used to have, and then we put on top of that the enhanced unemployment,\u201d he said. Diehl said due to the pandemic, there\u2019s also a shortage of so-called J1 workers from other countries who come to the United States on work visas. He said they typically get 3,200 employees from around the world, but they\u2019re \u201cgoing to be lucky\u201d to get 1,000 workers this year, WMTV-TV reports. Noah\u2019s Ark Water Park General Manager Roland Reyes said the park is working to get back to a full staff of 500 employees. He said he expects more J1 workers as the summer continues. \u201cWe\u2019re very optimistic \u2013 so much so that we\u2019ve added eight operating days to our calendar season,\u201d Reyes said. The water park will now be open on eight Tuesdays from June 22 through Aug. 10, when it was previously planning to close. As embassies start to approve more applications, Diehl is hopeful new workers will come to start filling the gap.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Cheyenne: <\/b>A coronavirus outbreak among staff has indefinitely closed a local animal shelter to the public, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports. The Cheyenne Animal Shelter said Sunday morning that positive tests among essential staffers and related quarantines took out too many workers to allow public access for the time being, but those pets already in custody \u201care being well taken care of and loved upon,\u201d according to the newspaper.<\/p>\n From USA TODAY Network and wire reports<\/i><\/p>\nArizona<\/h2>\n
Arkansas<\/h2>\n
California<\/h2>\n
Colorado<\/h2>\n
Connecticut<\/h2>\n
Delaware<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nDistrict of Columbia<\/h2>\n
Florida<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/57d489e5844b2ae3b64761b7539587198eac7b74\/c=0-6-1072-1435\/local\/-\/media\/2020\/07\/17\/PalmBeachPost\/ghows-LK-200718464-98549e7b.jpg?width=180&height=240&fit=crop\")
<\/p>\nGeorgia<\/h2>\n
Hawaii<\/h2>\n
Idaho<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/media\/2021\/06\/01\/USATODAY\/usatsports\/B9345179482Z.1_20210601102253_000_GHIT708CU.2-0.jpg?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\nIllinois<\/h2>\n
Indiana<\/h2>\n
Iowa<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/media\/2021\/06\/01\/USATODAY\/usatsports\/B9345179482Z.1_20210601102253_000_GHIT6V6SP.4-0.jpg?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\nKansas<\/h2>\n
Kentucky<\/h2>\n
Louisiana<\/h2>\n
Maine<\/h2>\n
Maryland<\/h2>\n
Massachusetts<\/h2>\n
Michigan<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/media\/2021\/06\/01\/USATODAY\/usatsports\/B9345179482Z.1_20210601102253_000_GHIT73QSE.2-0.jpg?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\nMinnesota<\/h2>\n
Mississippi<\/h2>\n
Missouri<\/h2>\n
Montana<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nNebraska<\/h2>\n
Nevada<\/h2>\n
New Hampshire<\/h2>\n
New Jersey<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/media\/2021\/06\/01\/USATODAY\/usatsports\/B9345179482Z.1_20210601102253_000_GHIT71H75.2-0.jpg?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\nNew Mexico<\/h2>\n
New York<\/h2>\n
North Carolina<\/h2>\n
North Dakota<\/h2>\n
Ohio<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2021\/04\/01\/PCIN\/4e83b686-d6de-48fc-a4d0-9b57761a252e-Reds4.JPG\")
<\/p>\nOklahoma<\/h2>\n
Oregon<\/h2>\n
Pennsylvania<\/h2>\n
Rhode Island<\/h2>\n
South Carolina<\/h2>\n
South Dakota<\/h2>\n
Tennessee<\/h2>\n
Texas<\/h2>\n
Utah<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2021\/05\/07\/PSTG\/beb49580-f437-48d4-afc1-1ceae9056a3a-STG_0507_ZNP_Shuttle_11.JPG\")
<\/p>\nVermont<\/h2>\n
Virginia<\/h2>\n
Washington<\/h2>\n
West Virginia<\/h2>\n
Wisconsin<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWyoming<\/h2>\n