Subway changes, school schedules, parks shortfalls: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Spanish Fort: A city worker who accused the mayor of slapping her last year has been fired after refusing to perform temperature checks on people at City Hall, her lawyer said. Lyndsey Cooper was dismissed Monday for insubordination by the coastal town of Spanish Fort, said her attorney, Ed Smith. Cooper has no medical training and refused to take the temperatures of people entering City Hall, Smith told WALA-TV. Such screenings, typically performed with an electronic sensor held near the face, are being used to detect people who might be sick from the new coronavirus. The firing came eight months after Cooper accused Spanish Fort Mayor Mike McMillan of slapping her at City Hall. A misdemeanor harassment case against the mayor is pending, and Smith said he believes Cooper’s removal was in retaliation for her filing charges against the mayor.

Alaska

Anchorage: An annual extreme mountain race has been postponed until next year over coronavirus concerns, organizers said. The committee that oversees the Mount Marathon Race in Seward announced that the 93rd running of the Fourth of July event would be postponed until July 2021 after failing to find another appropriate date this year. The race of about 3 miles up and back down Mount Marathon to the finish line in Seward began in 1915 and was last canceled in 1942 because of World War II. No races were held between 1932 and 1938, or between 1920 and 1924, during railroad construction. The committee considered an alternate date of Sept. 6, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced officials to cancel, Race Director Matias Saari said. “Not having Mount Marathon in 2020 is a great disappointment and a decision the committee took very seriously,” Saari said in a post on the event’s website.

Arizona

Phoenix: The number of patients hospitalized with positive or suspected cases of COVID-19 in the state has reached an all-time high, according to state figures. The Department of Health Services says hospitals reported a total of 1,009 hospitalizations Monday, marking the first time the daily number has reached 1,000. The agency has been disclosing hospitalization data since April 9. Health officials reported an additional 1,127 COVID-19 cases Tuesday as well as 24 deaths. Including those findings, the total number of cases in Arizona now stands at 21,250 and the number of deaths at 941. The increases are being reported in the wake of more testing and of Gov. Doug Ducey’s lifting of some lockdown orders that closed many businesses and other establishments. Ducey has said Arizona’s health care system can care for any coronavirus patients and has enough hospital beds and ventilators available.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state on Tuesday marked another one-day record for new coronavirus cases, and the governor said plans to further loosen restrictions on businesses remained on hold because of the spike. The Health Department said at least 7,818 people have tested positive for the virus, an increase of 375 over the 7,443 reported Monday. The department said it marked the biggest one-day increase in cases among non-incarcerated people, as only one of the new cases was somebody who was incarcerated. The number of people in the state who were reported to have died from COVID-19 reached 136. Officials said 132 people are hospitalized, a new high for the state. Gov. Asa Hutchinson has been rolling back restrictions in recent weeks but said moving the state into “phase 2,” where those limits can be further loosened, is on pause for now.

California

Sacramento: A Chinese company paid by California to manufacture hundreds of millions of protective masks missed a Sunday deadline for federal certification, marking the second time its shipments to the state will be delayed. State officials are deciding whether to give manufacturer BYD more time or seek a refund for about a quarter-billion dollars it already paid up front for the masks, said Brian Ferguson, spokesman for the Office of Emergency Services. The contract requires BYD to repay the money by Friday unless it can reach an agreement with the state. It’s the latest setback in the contract Gov. Gavin Newsom announced with fanfare on a nightly cable news show in early April, calling it a “bold and big” expression of California’s economic power. California signed a nearly $1 billion contract to manufacture 200 million masks a month. The company has already sent more than 60 million looser-fitting surgical masks to the state.

Colorado

Denver: The state is adding more than 800 new contact tracers to quickly identify coronavirus outbreaks as it gradually reopens its economy, Gov. Jared Polis said Tuesday. The Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency dedicated to enlisting people in public service, will supply AmeriCorps and Senior Corp members to support Colorado’s pandemic response through tracing, which involves identifying, notifying, testing and, if necessary, quarantining any exposed individuals, the Democratic governor told a news briefing. “With hundreds of contract tracers working in the state, we will have a much better response to the virus, and we’ll be able to address outbreaks more quickly, which will reduce infections, save lives and allow us to be more open with our interactions,” Polis said.

Connecticut

Hartford: When determining eligibility for unemployment benefits, the state Department of Labor is now allowed to consider whether returning to work during the cononavirus pandemic would pose an “unreasonable risk” to a person’s health or the health of their household. The latest executive order, signed by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont on Monday evening, pertains to claims covering May 17 through July 25. According to the order, when there’s “an unreasonable risk to the individual’s health or, due to COVID-19, the health of a member of that individual’s household is established,” the commissioner will determine that returning to work is “unsuitable for the individual.” Lamont said Tuesday that his administration is trying to get people back to work safely, but he understands some may need more time. It’s unclear how many workers might be affected.

Delaware

Dover: Democratic Gov. John Carney plans to back off restrictions he imposed on church worship to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, state attorneys told a federal judge Tuesday. Carney planned to issue new guidance regarding communities of worship either later Tuesday or Wednesday that could narrow, or even resolve, issues raised in a lawsuit challenging his restrictions as unconstitutional, attorneys said. The lawsuit argues that houses of worship are being treated differently from other “essential” businesses in Delaware and that they have been subjected to restrictions on religious practices – including how a baptism can be conducted – that are not neutrally and generally applicable to secular entities. “The facts and circumstances are going to change significantly,” state solicitor Aaron Goldstein told U.S. District Judge Colm Connolly.

District of Columbia

Washington: D.C. reported just one new coronavirus death Wednesday, WUSA-TV reports. That’s the lowest daily number since April 5. The district has now had more than 9,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. D.C.’s seven-day average for new cases has now declined to where it was in early April. Its seven-day average for percent positivity in coronavirus tests is now under 10%. D.C. Health reported 130 new cases and one new death Wednesday, bringing its totals to 9,016 and 473, respectively.

Florida

Tallahassee: The state’s largest association of educators called Tuesday for changing how schools operate in the era of the coronavirus – including staggering school schedules, suspending active-shooting drills, and imposing social distancing rules on buses and campuses. The discussions come amid preparations for the state’s 2.9 million public schoolchildren to return this fall after being shut out of classrooms nearly three months ago by the pandemic. In a 17-page document released Tuesday, the Florida Education Association called on the Department of Education to suspend standardized tests for students and key performance evaluations for teachers and schools – proposals that are sure to garner skepticism among adherents of accountability metrics. The plan also called on schools to test students for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and put procedures in place to isolate infected students to prevent the virus from spreading across campus.

Georgia

Savannah: The state’s confirmed-case count for COVID-19 rose to 48,894 by Wednesday afternoon, while the statewide death toll reached 2,123, according to figures posted by the Georgia Department of Public Health. As of Tuesday – the first day the DPH began issuing a single daily afternoon update for COVID-19 statistics – Georgia’s total case count was 48,207, while the statewide death toll was 2,102.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Coronavirus information from state health officials presents an incomplete story of the pandemic’s impact on racial and ethnic communities, some critics said. The state Department of Health continues to gather data on the pandemic’s impact on residents, Hawaii Public Radio reports. State health authorities collect data on race and ethnicity using federal forms provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which some say highlight deficiencies in identifying cultural backgrounds. Health officials continue to deal with a flood of information about COVID-19 but face a challenge “making sure the data is complete and clean,” state Epidemiologist Sarah Park said. Officials are attempting to divide the categories of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders into more specific designations, Park said. Until recently, health authorities did not have time to take a second pass at data to make more focused breakdowns such as whether people in the two larger categories were of Filipino, Korean, Japanese or Chinese descent.

Idaho

Boise: Thousands of people attended a vigil in front of the Statehouse to protest the killing of George Floyd in a largely peaceful demonstration. Organizers of the Black Lives Matter Candlelight Vigil on Tuesday evening said the intention was to remember black Americans killed in recent years, many by police. “If your intention is not one of reflection and not one of mourning, this is not the space for you,” co-organizer Jessie Levin told the crowd. Boise Mayor Lauren McLean and acting Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar had earlier asked that people taking part in the event remain peaceful. Similar but smaller gatherings took place in other parts of the state, including Ketchum, Hailey, Twin Falls, Sandpoint, Idaho Falls and Rexburg.

Illinois

Chicago: Ten state-run testing sites for the coronavirus reopened Wednesday after state officials shut them down Sunday in response to unrest following protests over the death of George Floyd. An 11th testing site at a vehicle emissions facility in Waukegan is relocating and will reopen Thursday, officials said in a statement. Illinois officials have encouraged anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 to get tested for the virus and expanded eligibility last month to people working in health care and at other essential jobs, along with anyone who has been exposed to a confirmed case. On Tuesday, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,614 new cases of COVID-19 and 113 deaths, bringing statewide totals since the start of the pandemic to 122,848 cases and 5,525 deaths. State health officials estimate that 92% of those with the virus have recovered.

Indiana

Indianapolis: An apparent slowdown of coronavirus-related deaths is continuing in the state, as figures released Wednesday by health officials show it has been more than a week since more than 20 people per day died with infections. That level is down from the period between early April and mid-May when more than 30 COVID-19 deaths were recorded most days, with the deadliest day on April 22 with 50 fatalities, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. The agency reported 10 additional COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, giving the state a total of 2,207 confirmed or presumed infection-related fatalities. The newly recorded deaths occurred between Friday and Tuesday. May 25 was the last day for which as many as 20 coronavirus deaths were reported, according to health department data Wednesday. Indiana hospitals, however, still had 357 COVID-19 patients in their intensive care units Tuesday.

Iowa

Des Moines: Coronavirus tests have revealed that 224 employees of a Tyson beef and pork processing plant in Council Bluffs have tested positive for the virus, company officials said Tuesday. The company said 103 workers stayed home the required quarantine time and have returned to work. The company has 1,483 employees at the plant. “More than half of individuals who tested positive did not show any symptoms and otherwise would not have been identified,” the company said in a statement. Some were tested by the state and some through their own health care providers. The company tested 145 workers at the plant May 14-16. Tyson also reported testing at its pork processing plant in Storm Lake indicated 591 positive cases out of 2,303 workers. More than 75% did not show symptoms and otherwise would not have been identified, the company said.

Kansas

Wichita: Health officials want to randomly test Sedgwick County residents to determine the spread of coronavirus in the area. KSNW-TV reports the local health department will offer testing to 1,600 random residents next week. Residents who get a call from the health department will be offered testing regardless of whether they have symptoms of COVID-19. Testing in Sedgwick County will be held June 18-20. Health officials are planning another round of random testing in mid-July to see if the virus spreads. Kansas has continued to see coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related deaths increase. The state Department of Health and Environment reported Monday that the number of cases had reached 10,011, up 292 or 3% since Friday, and the number of deaths jumped 4.5%, up nine to a total of 217 since the pandemic hit the state in early March.

Kentucky

Winchester: Day-use recreation sites at Daniel Boone National Forest are reopening after being temporarily shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Picnic areas, shooting ranges and White Sulphur Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System were among the sites scheduled to reopen Wednesday, forest officials said in a news release. The openings will be site-by-site, with assessment of facility cleanliness, maintenance status, and health and safety of recreation areas. The forest reopened the Redbird Crest Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System and the Red River Gorge on May 22. Developed campgrounds will reopen June 11. Any changes will be sent via text or email to those with campground reservations. Projected opening dates may vary depending on circumstances, the release said.

Louisiana

New Orleans: State health officials reported more than 400 newly confirmed cases of the new coronavirus Tuesday and 34 more deaths related to the disease caused by the virus. With the total number of tests in the state surpassing 393,000, the number of positive cases hit 40,746. The death toll was 2,724. The number of current cases resulting in hospitalization continues to fall. It was 639 in the midday Tuesday figures, down from 661 on Monday. That’s a trend that contributed to the state’s decision to allow reopenings Friday of bars, massage facilities, bowling alleys and some other businesses closed when the state was a COVID-19 hot spot with more than 2,000 hospitalized.

Maine

Portland: State leaders are considering a “layered” approach instead of a 14-day quarantine for tourists who might be bringing the coronavirus to Maine, its top economic official said. Lifting the quarantine order will probably require a blend of testing, symptom checks, public education, and adherence to industry-specific guidelines and protocols, Heather Johnson, the state’s commissioner of economic and community development, told the Bangor Daily News. “When you layer all of those together, you create a mesh that is intended to capture and really mitigate that risk,” she said. The administration of Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, is working on a plan that incorporates several elements because there is no single answer to keeping residents healthy “when you go from 1.3 million people to 10 million people in a summer in Maine.”

Maryland

Snow Hill: At least four correctional officers at the Worcester County Jail have tested positive for COVID-19, county officials confirmed Tuesday evening. The number of cases could grow, as results for the rest of the staff and inmate population are pending. The four cases of COVID-19 were confirmed by Worcester County, which said in a statement that the testing was ordered to comply with Gov. Larry Hogan’s recommendation that detention facilities test their populations for the novel coronavirus. An outbreak of COVID-19 in the Worcester County Jail has been a possibility for months. As part of a federal lawsuit, lawyers with the ACLU of Maryland revealed that in late March and early April at least three ICE detainees held at the Worcester County Jail were labeled by jail personnel as “patient monitoring for confirmed or suspected COVID-19.”

Massachusetts

Boston: People with family members in nursing homes and some other long-term care facilities were allowed to start to visit their loved ones again starting Wednesday, according to new state guidelines meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Visits have been limited since mid-March to help protect a particularly vulnerable population. Still, more than 60% of the state’s coronavirus-related deaths have been in nursing home residents, according to state data. Under the guidelines, visits must be scheduled in advance and take place in designated outdoor areas, with the exception of end-of-life situations. Nursing home residents are allowed only two visitors at a time, and everyone must wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet apart. Residents with confirmed or possible cases of the disease cannot have visitors, although those who have recovered can. Visitors will have their temperature taken and be screened for symptoms of COVID-19.

Michigan

Lansing: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told Congress on Tuesday that Michigan still lacks enough supplies to fully ramp up testing for the coronavirus and said it is difficult to determine what the U.S. government is shipping. Whitmer said while the state is appreciative for the federal assistance, information about the types of swabs and other testing supplies being delivered is sometimes inaccurate. “It’s made our planning very difficult,” the governor testified remotely to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. “Supplies could be allocated more quickly. If we had a detailed breakdown of what was actually in the shipment, we could mobilize and ensure that we can make the best use of the supplies and hit our capacity.” As of Sunday, about 13,400 COVID-19 diagnostic tests were conducted per day over the prior week. That is near Whitmer’s short-term goal of 15,000 a day but short of the 25,000 she said could be done with additional supplies across at least 67 labs in the state.

Minnesota

St. Cloud: A judge on Tuesday blocked a chain of central Minnesota bars and restaurants from offering sit-down dining in violation of Gov. Tim Walz’s peacetime emergency order during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Stearns County judge issued a temporary injunction sought by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison against the owner of the “Shady’s” chain. Shady’s owner Kris Schiffler earlier had planned to reopen a bar in Albany last month, but he announced he was not reopening after he was blocked by a court order. “All Minnesotans – especially the folks who live in and near Stearns County – can be relieved that the Court has put their health first by granting this temporary injunction,” Ellison said in a statement. Walz has since allowed bars and restaurants to offer outdoor dining. Schiffler also has Shady’s taverns in Burtrum, Cold Spring, New Munich, Rice and St. Martin – all in or near Stearns County, a COVID-19 hot spot.

Mississippi

Vicksburg: Distance learning within the local school district has allowed construction workers to get ahead on several school renovation projects, according to the project’s manager. Vicksburg Warren School District buildings have been without students, teachers and staff since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Vicksburg Post reports. Work is ahead of schedule at both high schools and two middle schools, according to Gary Bailey, project manager with Dale Bailey Architects of Ridgeland. But other projects have had setbacks due to contractors affected by COVID-19, Bailey said. A pair of issues at Bowmar Elementary, built in 1939, were awaiting approval from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History because the school is listed as a Mississippi Historic Landmark, Bailey said.

Missouri

St. Louis: St. Louis County Executive Sam Page on Wednesday asked protesters who didn’t wear masks or socially distance themselves during protests over the death of George Floyd to quarantine. Page said he’s concerned days of protests over Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody might reverse progress made in the county to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The county has confirmed more than 400 deaths and 6,000 cases of COVID-19. Page said the county is making progress and is now able to test more than 1,000 people a day and with a positive test result rate reduced to 4.2%. “The unrest could, unfortunately, result in a bump in these numbers,” Page said. “That’s why I’m asking everyone who’s participated in a march or protest to quarantine themselves for two weeks unless they were able to wear a mask or to be socially distance from others.”

Montana

West Glacier: Glacier National Park will start a limited reopening for visitors next week following the northern Montana park’s closure in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The park will reopen its west gate entrance at West Glacier next Monday and will be open until 4:30 p.m. each day, according to a statement Tuesday from Jeff Mow, the park’s superintendent. Visitors will be able to access Apgar and Going-to-the-Sun Road as far as Lake McDonald Lodge. Hikers and bikers will have additional access as road conditions allow. Visitors will also be able to use restrooms and trails that are accessible from open park roads. Visitor centers, ranger stations and overnight accommodations will remain closed, and no backcountry permits will be issued. Hotels, full-service dining, commercial tour buses and ranger programs will reopen when health conditions allow, park officials said.

Nebraska

Omaha: Eleven employees and one patient have tested positive for the coronavirus at the state-run psychiatric hospital in Lincoln. Officials with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said they expect to confirm more cases as testing continues with patients and staff at the Lincoln Regional Center. Other state facilities have seen similar outbreaks, including the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney, a treatment center for juvenile offenders. Six workers and three teenage boys tested positive for the virus in April. Some Nebraska prison workers have been confirmed infected as well, as have seven inmates from the Community Corrections Center in Omaha. Nebraska had confirmed 14,611 coronavirus cases as of Wednesday morning, including 181 deaths. More than 110,000 people have been tested. Hospital capacity is relatively stable, with 42% of hospital beds, 42% of intensive care unit beds and 73% of ventilators available.

Nevada

Carson City: The number of Nevadans who have tested positive for COVID-19 has increased by 101, bringing the statewide total of known infections to 8,931 people, according to new numbers posted to the Nevada Health Alliance dashboard. The 101 new cases came from 3,976 people tested Tuesday. The statewide number of deaths has been adjusted upward to 429, with four previously unannounced deaths announced for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. No deaths were announced for Tuesday. The positive test rate has decreased to 5.7%. Hospitalization rates increased by 1.9%; there are now 188 hospitalized patients known to have COVID-19 and an additional 104 suspected to have COVID-19.

New Hampshire

Concord: Candidates were permitted to start signing up for the Sept. 8 state primary Wednesday, but they’re being encouraged to do so by mail because of concerns about the coronavirus. New Hampshire election officials encouraged candidates to file their paperwork by mail instead of in person to get on the primary ballot because of concerns about spreading the virus. The filing period opened Wednesday and runs through June 12. Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan told WMUR-TV that safety procedures are in place for candidates filing in person. There will be a table outside the Statehouse where paperwork can be collected, and those who want to come inside can do so but with restrictions. Each candidate can be accompanied by no more than five supporters, and they will be screened for fevers and asked to wear face masks.

New Jersey

Trenton: The average number of people who become infected with coronavirus from another infected person has fallen below one in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy and health officials said Tuesday. The data point, called the rate of reproduction, indicates how many people one infected person goes on to infect, the Democratic governor said. Before Murphy’s stay-home order went into effect in March, the rate was above five, he said. The governor and the head of the state’s communicable disease service, Dr. Edward Lifshitz, credited public adherence to social distancing guidelines with having brought down the number. Murphy also reported that about 700 more people tested positive overnight, increasing the total to 161,000. There were 51 deaths reported overnight, raising the death toll to 11,770.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: State health officials on Tuesday reported an additional 227 coronavirus cases, with just over half of those among inmates at a detention center in southern New Mexico. The figures released Tuesday include 116 new cases among inmates in the custody of the New Mexico Corrections Department who are being housed at a lockup in Otero County. That comes after officials announced a day earlier that a male inmate in his 30s there had died after being infected. The inmate had preexisting conditions. His death marked the first COVID-19 inmate fatality for the facility. State officials also reported that 92 detainees at a federal processing center in Otero County also have tested positive, along with 66 inmates in federal custody at the facility. There are also confirmed cases among federal inmates at correction centers in Torrance and Cibola counties.

New York

New York: City buses and subways should look different when the city begins to ease coronavirus restrictions next week, with hand sanitizer in the stations and social distancing markers in place, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. “I want to see that everywhere you go – whether it is in a subway station, on the platform, or on the train or on a bus, there are markings telling you exactly where to be,” de Blasio said at his daily briefing. Ridership on subways and buses is expected to increase when the city enters the first phase of New York state’s region-by-region, four-step reopening process Monday, and transit officials say they are taking steps to prevent a flare-up of the virus. Officials with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said in a letter to de Blasio’s administration Tuesday that they’re asking employers to stagger shifts and continue to allow for remote work.

North Carolina

Raleigh: State legislators want to make available another $300 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration to cover additional government expenses incurred due to the virus. The Senate voted unanimously Tuesday for the measure, which would raise the amount distributed from North Carolina’s share of federal funds to Cooper’s state budget office for government operations to $370 million. They could be used in part to pay overtime at state institutions and purchase personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing at state prisons. The measure now moves to the House. Last month, the Legislature approved distributing close to half of the state’s $3.5 billion allocation from Congress for things like schools, hospitals, local governments and researchers.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Another person has died from COVID-19 in the state, bringing the total number of deaths to 66, health officials said Wednesday. The victim was a Cass County man in his 70s with underlying health conditions. The Department of Health said another 33 people have tested positive for the coronavirus since Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases to 2,679. Cass County, which remains the epicenter of the state’s coronavirus outbreak, has 21 additional cases. The county, which includes Fargo, has recorded a total of 1,783 cases. Health officials say 71,823 people so far have tested negative for the virus. Thirty-four people are currently hospitalized with the virus, the same as on Tuesday. The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.

Ohio

Columbus: Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday that the state “fully intends” for schools to reopen this fall in an announcement coming almost exactly two months after he shut down schools for what turned out to be the remainder of the spring semester. “The goal is to have kids back in the classroom,” the governor said at a news briefing that covered both the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and protests across the state over racism and police violence against minorities. DeWine’s comment didn’t order schools to reopen, and he also said the date for starting was entirely up to local education boards. The state will provide districts with broad health guidelines ahead of time, “fully recognizing that over 600 school districts are very different, and have very different needs and very different situations,” the governor said. He also said Tuesday that health care providers can resume all procedures and surgeries postponed during the coronavirus pandemic.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The State Department of Education released guidance Wednesday for how public schools could reopen in the fall that includes recommending the use of masks for staff and students to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The department’s Return to Learn Oklahoma framework for reopening schools lists several factors for individual districts to consider as they reopen. The State Board of Education moved to shut down schools March 16 amid the coronavirus outbreak, and schools then began implementing distance-learning plans to finish the school year. “Educators know students will experience greater learning losses this year, given that the ‘summer slide’ has been compounded by the unconventional ending of the spring term,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister said in a statement.

Oregon

Portland: State parks have started to reopen, but the agency that manages them is facing an estimated $22 million budget shortfall between now and next June amid the economic collapse caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said Tuesday that it will lay off 47 full-time employees by June 30. That’s in addition to the 338 seasonal staff that will not be rehired this year, The Oregonian/OregonLive reports. Only 77 of 415 seasonal positions have been filled for 2020. Unlike other state agencies, the parks department is not funded by tax dollars but by Oregon Lottery funds, camping and parking fees, and RV registration fees. Oregon state parks closed to the public in late March, just before Gov. Kate Brown announced a stay-home order that closed most businesses across the state. Lottery funds subsequently shrunk, while park fees were zero.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Elementary and secondary schools inside the state’s less restrictive reopening zones can resume teaching in person and other activities at the end of June, the Education Department announced Wednesday. The guidance issued by the department says school boards in the green and yellow zones under the stoplight-colored reopening system must first adopt health and safety procedures that meet federal and state guidelines. The more than 300 colleges and other post-secondary institutions can restart Friday if they have a plan to keep students and teachers safe, the agency announced. The reopening details follow a spring in which buildings were closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, sending students home for distance learning to complete the school year, and more recently virtual graduation ceremonies. Signs the pandemic is easing have prompted officials to implement gradual reopening of many functions.

Rhode Island

Newport: The City Council has passed a resolution that requires pedestrians to wear face coverings on the city’s busiest streets for a large portion of the day to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The resolution passed 6-1 on Tuesday night will be imposed through an executive order from City Manager Joseph J. Nicholson Jr. and take effect Friday, The Newport Daily News reports. Pedestrians will be required to wear a face covering from noon until 10 p.m. daily, with exceptions for very young children and people with certain medical conditions. First-time offenders will be told of the requirement and given a mask, but subsequent offenses could lead to a $100 fine. Gov. Gina Raimondo has issued an executive order requiring face masks in all public places when people cannot maintain 6 feet of social distancing. Council Vice Chairwoman Susan Taylor said social distancing is not possible on Newport’s narrow sidewalks.

South Carolina

Columbia: A week into the summer season that typically drives the state’s robust tourism economy, finding ways to safely draw visitors amid the coronavirus outbreak is top-of-mind for officials discussing the state’s reopening. “For the tourism industry, it is certainly a depression,” Helen Hill, CEO of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Tuesday of the overall economic downturn spawned by the outbreak. “It has been really difficult.” Hill spoke during a meeting of a state Senate committee studying the best way to revamp South Carolina’s economy in the wake of the outbreak, during which more than 12,000 people have been infected in the state and 500 have died. Hill stressed a need to harness interest from what she called the “drive market,” or tourists who would be driving to the state instead of using air travel, which is still dramatically down.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The South Dakota Board of Regents announced Wednesday morning that once students break for the Thanksgiving holiday this fall, they won’t be returning to campus for the rest of the semester. Instead, students will complete their final exams remotely, according to a press release by the regents. “The goal is to maintain the academic calendar while being mindful of public health,” Regents President John W. Bastian said. “Our university presidents recommended this adjustment to reduce student travel to and from campus. Everyone is looking for ways to successfully operate during a global pandemic and avoid the spread of this coronavirus wherever possible.” Regents announced last month that on-campus studies would continue this fall, but they decided Wednesday that instruction would begin Aug. 19, three days earlier than originally scheduled. And Thanksgiving recess will last Nov. 25-29, the release says.

Tennessee

Nashville: A small county in the northwest corner of Tennessee is once again leading the nation in active coronavirus cases per capita after an outbreak at a state prison. An analysis by the Associated Press on Wednesday shows Lake County, with a population of just over 7,500, has reported 352 new cases over the past seven days. Online records posted by the state showed Lake with 360 active cases Wednesday morning. Health Department spokesperson Shelley Walker said in an email that the high case count is attributable to an outbreak at the Northwest Correctional Complex there, although online records for the prison show only 230 inmates as positive for the virus. Walker and a spokesperson for the Correction Department were not able to immediately explain the discrepancy.

Texas

Corpus Christi: The United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday received 10,000 face masks from the UniFirst Corp. to help local small businesses stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. Karl Granato, UniFirst’s general manager, said the delivery was part of a corporate-wide initiative for the uniform rental company. UniFirst Corp. is partnering with 10 chambers across the country to deliver a total of 100,000 face masks. Granato said when restrictions were lifted and the economy started to rise, the company realized small businesses were adversely affected by the pandemic that has infected more than 66,000 people in Texas. “This is our (way) of helping the small business community get back on their feet,” Granato said. “We know that they are going to be on the front lines in helping this local economy begin to recover.”

Utah

Salt Lake City: The state is seeing a spike in new COVID-19 cases about a month after many businesses were allowed to reopen, leading state health officials to issue renewed pleas for people to maintain social distancing. Recent protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis have brought hundreds of people together in downtown Salt Lake City, adding to concerns about a rise in cases in the coming days and weeks. The state recorded an average of about 200 cases a day last week – by far the highest weekly average since the pandemic began, state figures show. The average rate of positive tests had crept up to 4.6% as of Monday, after hovering closer to 4.3% in May. The most recently available seven-day rate of positive tests jumped to 5.2% for the week of May 19. State health officials acknowledge that the caseload appears to be growing across the state, Utah Health Department spokesman Tom Hudachko said.

Vermont

Marshfield: Gov. Phil Scott hopes to announce in two days that restaurants may reopen for indoor dining, with physical distancing a high priority, he said Wednesday. “We still have a very long way to go to help our restaurants get back up on their feet, but we’ve got to start somewhere,” he said at a news briefing. The state is also working on a plan to allow visitors from certain states, or possibly regions of those states, without requiring them to quarantine, he said. He plans to discuss the approach Friday. “There are some areas throughout the Northeast that have low positive case rates like we do, and so we’re looking at how do we open the doors … so that we can continue to get back to some sort of normal and be able to move freely,” he said. The administration is also weighing raising the capacity at hotels, inns and campgrounds.

Virginia

Richmond: Gov. Ralph Northam said most of the state will start its second phase of reopening Friday as Virginia’s key health metrics continue to show positive trends amid the coronavirus pandemic. The governor said Tuesday that restaurants can start serving customers inside, gyms can reopen indoor areas at limited capacity, and museums and zoos can reopen – all with certain restrictions under Phase 2 of reopening. Northam said the number of tests performed and the percent positive of those tested, along with other metrics, are heading in the right direction. “Based on that data, I feel comfortable allowing most of Virginia to move into Phase 2,” Northam said. The governor said Northern Virginia and Richmond will not enter Phase 2 on Friday, as they delayed the first phase of their reopening. Accomack County on the Eastern Shore, which also delayed its reopening, will move ahead.

Washington

Olympia: Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday extended the state’s eviction moratorium through Aug. 1, saying the intent of his order was to prevent an increase in homelessness during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Seattle Times reports that the moratorium – in place since March and extended once – was scheduled to expire this week. It prohibits, with limited exceptions, residential evictions and late fees on unpaid rent. It also requires landlords to offer residents a repayment plan on unpaid rent. The state’s unemployment rate jumped to a record 15.4% last month after businesses closed or reduced operations under a stay-at-home order that expired Sunday night. Counties can apply to move through a four-stage reopening plan based on virus benchmarks in their area, including number of new cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period. So far, more than two dozen of the state’s 39 counties have been approved to the second stage.

West Virginia

Huntington: Marshall University is offering a virtual program for people who want to learn about jazz improvisation and traditions. The program runs next week, Monday through Friday at 1 p.m. each day. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the program will be livestreamed through the Marshall University Jazz Facebook page. The virtual camp is being offered in place of the School of Music’s Jazz Studies program’s usual Jazz-MU-Tazz jazz camp, The Herald-Dispatch reports. The program will be free and open to all music students ages 13 to adult, music teachers and band directors. Registration is required in advance by clicking the registration link on the Jazz-MU-Tazz page at https://www.marshall.edu/music/jazz/jmt.

Wisconsin

Madison: The Wisconsin man whose criminal case was featured in Netflix’s “Making a Murderer” documentary has contracted COVID-19 in prison, his attorney said Wednesday. Kathleen Zellner tweeted that Steven Avery has the disease but is expected to fully recover. Avery, 57, is serving a life sentence for the 2005 killing of photographer Teresa Halbach. Offender records show Avery is incarcerated at Waupun Correctional Institution. The DOC announced Friday that 184 inmates there have tested positive for COVID-19. State health officials said that as of Wednesday the state has seen 19,400 cases of COVID-19, an increase of nearly 500 cases since Tuesday, with 616 deaths. The percentage of positive tests stood at 2.9%, however – the second-lowest percentage of positives over the past two weeks.

Wyoming

Laramie: University of Wyoming officials have drafted a plan to resume classes on campus with a modified schedule next school year, provided the state helps with funding. Under the proposal, classes would begin Aug. 24 and end Dec. 4. But students wouldn’t return to campus after Thanksgiving. Courses would shift entirely online after Nov. 23. Final exams would be given remotely. The spring semester would start Jan. 25, a week later than planned, and spring break would be eliminated, the Laramie Boomerang reports. Students and employees would need to be tested for the coronavirus and get results within 14 days of returning to campus in Laramie or Casper. A phone app would monitor employee and student body temperature and health symptoms daily. Face coverings and social distancing would be required in public spaces.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Subway changes, school schedules: News from around our 50 states