Washington State News

Coronavirus in DC, Maryland, Virginia: What to Know on Sept. 18

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:36:26 +0000

The first day of early in-person voting during the coronavirus era is underway in Virginia, where long lines of mask-wearing citizens waited to cast their ballots weeks before Election Day.

Election officials extended the in-person voting window and expanded mail-in balloting to help citizens avoid lines, but Northern Virginians were impatient to cast their ballots.

Virginia has released the results of a serology test that was conducted over the summer.

Hispanic individuals, Northern Virginia residents and uninsured or Medicaid recipients were most likely to have antibodies that indicated a previous COVID-19 infection.

Overall, roughly 2.4% of adults studied over the summer had coronavirus antibodies. But that number was 10.2% among Hispanic people studied. The data also indicates as many as 4.4% of people in Virginia’s northern region have been exposed to coronavirus.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also weighed in on how long kids who catch coronavirus should wait before returning to sports practice or games.

Kids can gradually resume athletics once their symptoms have been gone for 14 days and a primary care doctor clears them. Furthermore, the APA recommends any athlete who had moderate symptoms undergo an electrocardiogram (EKG) because COVID-19 can damage the heart.

China Sep 15

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MGM Resorts International Sep 15

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What the Data Shows

Across D.C., Maryland and Virginia, trends mostly held steady on Friday.

On Friday, D.C. added 62 new cases; Maryland added 543 and Virginia added 1,130.

Positivity rates have fallen to 2.3% in D.C., 3.2% in Maryland and 6.6% in Virginia.

In an encouraging sign, hospitalizations in Virginia are the lowest they have been in two months. Currently, 648 people are reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19.

D.C. announced it will be revising some of its coronavirus data reporting during a press conference on Thursday.

The old method of reporting community spread is set to be retired. DC Health Director LaQuandra Nesbitt said the model that was in use since the beginning of the pandemic may have confused the average person looking at the data.

The new main metric shared so the public can track community spread will be daily cases reported per 100,000 population.

“We believe that this metric is far easier and useful for the public to be able to follow along with,” Nesbitt said.

The map below shows the number of coronavirus cases diagnosed per 100,000 residents.

Coronavirus Cases in DC, Maryland and Virginia

COVID-19 cases by population in D.C. and by county in Maryland and Virginia

Source: DC, MD and VA Health Departments
Credit: Anisa Holmes / NBC Washington

Local Coronavirus Headlines

D.C. Public Schools in mid-September began considering plans that could bring students back to in-person classes by Nov. 9, 2020. The city is also starting to plan how it will administer a COVID-19 vaccine once one is proven effective and made available. Read more.
Prince George’s County is allowing more businesses to open their doors and revised some of its coronavirus safety guidelines under its second phase of reopening. Read more.
Seven popular nightlife spots near D.C.’s U Street Corridor will be shuttered next month. Read more.
The Smithsonian is set to reopen four more museums to the public beginning this Friday.
The University of Maryland began transitioning to in-person lessons on Monday after the school reported a low campus positivity rate of 0.7%.
Some D.C. Public Schools students could be back in the classroom as early as this month, the mayor said. Read more.
Up to 25,000 low-income students and families in D.C. are set to be provided free internet connections under a new initiative from Mayor Muriel Bowser. Here’s what to know.
What can sewage tell us about COVID-19 in our communities? Stafford County, Virginia, provides an example.

coronavirus Mar 3

The Latest: More Than 264,000 Coronavirus Cases Diagnosed in DC, Maryland, Virginia

coronavirus data May 15

Coronavirus Tracking: Charts, Maps and Interactive Data

Reopening Tracker

Prince George’s County will allow tanning salons, banquet halls and other businesses to open with restrictions. It adjusted some other rules on Wednesday, too. Read more.
Montgomery and Prince George’s counties are among those that did not enter phase three with the state of Maryland. Here’s a roundup of counties in our area.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he has authorized all public schools in the state to begin “safely” reopening because state metrics on the coronavirus show improvements. The state “strongly suggests” that local school districts bring students back into schools but cannot force them to do so, Hogan said. Montgomery and Prince George’s schools have both affirmed that they are not altering plans to hold classes online throughout the first half of the school year.
Private and parochial schools in Maryland can choose when to reopen after a back-and-forth between county health officials and the governor. Read more.
Prince George’s County revisited its phase two reopening executive order due to an uptick in coronavirus cases, according to the county executive’s office.
Virginia entered phase three reopening on July 1, loosening restrictions on restaurants, stores, gyms and pools. Northam has said more restrictions could be implemented if cases continue to grow.
D.C. entered phase two on June 22, allowing indoor dining, gyms, libraries and houses of worship to reopen with restrictions.
Montgomery County entered phase two on June 19, reopening with restrictions gyms, houses of worship, indoor dining and retail.

How to Stay Safe

There are ways to lower your risk of catching coronavirus. Here are guidelines from the CDC:

Anyone over the age of 2 should wear a mask or face covering. Keep it over your nose and mouth.
Wash your hands often. When you do, scrub with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. As a backup, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid close contact with anyone who lives outside your home. That means staying six feet away from anyone outside your circle, even if you’re wearing masks.
Always cover coughs and sneezes.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

Sophia Barnes, Andrea Swalec and Anisa Holmes contributed to this report

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Metro Warns of Service Cuts, Layoffs and More if Federal Funding Lapses

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:32:56 +0000

Reduced hours, service cuts and layoffs could be on the table for Metro if federal funding runs out amid a huge drop in ridership due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ridership and revenue have dropped as much as 90% on some lines, according to WMATA. The transit agency says it has used funding from the CARES Act to maintain service, but that funding is expected to run out by the end of 2020.

Metro’s board of directors voted on cost-cutting measures Friday morning that could be put into place if that funding runs out without new revenue. They include setting 12-minute intervals between trains and ending weeknight rail service at 9 p.m.

“CARES Act funding has replaced fare revenue. If that funding isn’t there after December, Metro will need to implement measures that hurt the region’s economic recovery and adversely impact essential workers,” said WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld in a release from Metro.

Read on for the cuts that Metro says could be implemented:

Proposed Metrorail Cuts:

Reduced Metrorail service: Standardize weekday train frequencies. NBC Washington is awaiting confirmation on proposed train intervals.
Reduced Metrorail hours: Close Metrorail at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (Friday and Saturday closure would remain 11 p.m.)
Turnbacks: On weekdays, half of Red Line trains would operate between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Silver Spring only. All Yellow Line trains would operate between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Square only, seven days a week.

Proposed Metrobus Cuts:

Continue reduced Metrobus service levels and hours, instead of adding service in early 2021 as planned

Metro returned service to pre-pandemic levels just last month. Some services had been running at limited capacity or were completely shut down due to the pandemic in what the transit system called the largest and most complex service change in the system’s 44-year history.

At the time, Wiedefeld said the changes were possible because of funding received through federal aid from the CARES Act.

Now, Metro is saying that service might not continue. But before any changes go into effect, the transit agency will hold a public review phase. Metro will be asking riders to provide feedback on the proposed changes online or at a virtual public hearing. The transit agency said they will announce details soon on how riders can give feedback.

“Metro is required to have a balanced budget, essentially forcing the Board to consider $200 million in spending cuts in the event that federal relief ends,” a release from Metro said.

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Push Is Underway to Test COVID-19 Vaccines in Diverse Groups

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:21:51 +0000

In front of baskets of tomatoes and peppers, near a sizzling burrito grill, the “promotoras” stop masked shoppers at a busy Latino farmers market: Want to test a COVID-19 vaccine?

Aided by Spanish-speaking “health promoters” and Black pastors, a stepped-up effort is underway around the U.S. to recruit minorities to ensure potential vaccines against the scourge are tested in the populations most ravaged by the virus.

Many thousands of volunteers from minority groups are needed for huge clinical trials underway or about to begin. Scientists say a diverse group of test subjects is vital to determining whether a vaccine is safe and effective for everyone and instilling broad public confidence in the shots once they become available.

The expanded outreach by vaccine researchers and health officials is getting a late start in communities that, because of a history of scientific exploitation and racism, may be the most reluctant to roll up their sleeves.

“We know that Blacks and Latinos are bearing the brunt of this virus and, yeah, we definitely need to make sure that this vaccine works for them.”
Dr. Tina Carroll-Scott, medical director of the South Miami Children’s Clinic

Just getting the word out takes time.

“I didn’t know anything about the vaccine until now,” said Ingrid Guerra, who signed up last week at the farmers market in Takoma Park, Maryland, outside the nation’s capital.

The health promoters from CASA, a Hispanic advocacy group, explained how the research process works and how a vaccine could help end the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m not afraid,” Guerra decided. “I want to participate for me, my family, my people.”

University of Maryland researchers agreed to set up a temporary lab at CASA’s local community center so that people struggling financially wouldn’t have to travel to participate.

The hardest part, many experts say, is gaining trust.

“A white guy from NIH is probably not going to be as effective by far in convincing somebody from a minority community that this is the kind of science they might want to trust, as would a doctor from their own community,” said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.

Recruiting African Americans in particular will be “a heavy, heavy lift,” Collins said, because of the legacy of mistrust after the infamous Tuskegee experiment, when Black men in Alabama were left untreated for syphilis as part of a study that ran from the 1930s into the ‘70s.

Some Black doctors, too, are wrestling with doubts. Dr. Tina Carroll-Scott, medical director of the South Miami Children’s Clinic, described a “really, really tough” time, considering the political influence that the Trump administration has exerted on long-trusted health agencies like the Food and Drug Administration.

“Wondering whether that’s going to affect the trials and even the vaccine that comes out I think are all valid concerns,” said Carroll-Scott, who ultimately decided to recommend the studies. “We know that Blacks and Latinos are bearing the brunt of this virus and, yeah, we definitely need to make sure that this vaccine works for them.”

In the U.S., Black, Latino, Native Americans and Asians are more at risk of hospitalization and death from the coronavirus. Together they make up nearly 40% of the U.S. population, and an equitable vaccine study would match those demographics, though health officials would like to see even greater numbers.

As Moderna Inc. neared its goal of 30,000 study participants, some sites slowed recruitment in recent weeks to increase minority enrollment, now at about 28%.

Pfizer Inc., which recently asked the FDA for permission to expand to 44,000 volunteers, says about a quarter of its U.S. participants are from communities of color, more when counting trial sites in Brazil and Argentina. Both companies are having the most success in recruiting Hispanics.

“It’s really important that this vaccine work for everyone, or if it doesn’t, that we understand why,” said Dr. Susanne Doblecki-Lewis of the University of Miami, who is helping to test the Moderna vaccine. Researchers might need to compare the different vaccines “and see how one might better fit a population than another.”

A lack of diversity in the research would have ripple effects once any vaccine is approved for widespread use. Even before final testing began, a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found just 25% of African Americans and 37% of Hispanics would get a vaccine once it’s available, compared with 56% of whites.

“If and when we have a vaccine ready, if you didn’t have enrollment of minorities, then people are going to say, ‘Why should I put the vaccine in myself?’” said Dr. Carlos del Rio of Emory University, another study site.

Yet too often, when Dr. Christian Ramers of Family Health Centers of San Diego tries to recruit, he is told: “How can you possibly expect me to be a guinea pig when time and again we’ve volunteered our community members and not seen the benefits of the research?”

Theresa Hagen of Miami Beach, Florida, hopes she is a role model for other African Americans considering volunteering.

“I may be part of history right here,” she said after enrolling in the University of Miami’s study. The research “benefits not only African Americans but everyone in general.”

Researchers are gearing up to recruit thousands more volunteers over the next two months, as shots made by Johnson & Johnson and Novavax enter final testing and a paused study from AstraZeneca is expected to resume in the U.S.

NIH this week began a program to better inform minority populations about the vaccine studies — and other COVID-19 information — and awarded $12 million to help form “community engagement” teams in 11 especially hard-hit states.

And as part of the NIH’s COVID-19 Prevention Network, the Rev. Edwin Sanders II of the Metropolitan Interdenominational Church in Nashville is heading a separate national project for “faith ambassadors” and clergy to dispel misinformation about vaccines and research.

“We’re not trying to twist anybody’s arm,” said Sanders, who has spent decades working with AIDS researchers to increase Black participation in studies of HIV vaccines and treatments.

People will have reasonable questions and fears, he said. The key is bringing them together with scientists and trusted community leaders for respectful, open conversations.

“We’re trying to change consciousness and change mindset,” Sanders said. “It’s not a quick fix.”

Neergaard reported from Alexandria, Virginia. Associated Press video journalist Cody Jackson in Miami contributed to this report.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Push Is Underway to Test COVID-19 Vaccines in Diverse Groups

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:21:51 +0000

In front of baskets of tomatoes and peppers, near a sizzling burrito grill, the “promotoras” stop masked shoppers at a busy Latino farmers market: Want to test a COVID-19 vaccine?

Just getting the word out takes time.

“I didn’t know anything about the vaccine until now,” said Ingrid Guerra, who signed up last week at the farmers market in Takoma Park, Maryland, outside the nation’s capital.

The health promoters from CASA, a Hispanic advocacy group, explained how the research process works and how a vaccine could help end the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m not afraid,” Guerra decided. “I want to participate for me, my family, my people.”

University of Maryland researchers agreed to set up a temporary lab at CASA’s local community center so that people struggling financially wouldn’t have to travel to participate.

The hardest part, many experts say, is gaining trust.

As Moderna Inc. neared its goal of 30,000 study participants, some sites slowed recruitment in recent weeks to increase minority enrollment, now at about 28%.

Theresa Hagen of Miami Beach, Florida, hopes she is a role model for other African Americans considering volunteering.

“I may be part of history right here,” she said after enrolling in the University of Miami’s study. The research “benefits not only African Americans but everyone in general.”

“We’re not trying to twist anybody’s arm,” said Sanders, who has spent decades working with AIDS researchers to increase Black participation in studies of HIV vaccines and treatments.

People will have reasonable questions and fears, he said. The key is bringing them together with scientists and trusted community leaders for respectful, open conversations.

“We’re trying to change consciousness and change mindset,” Sanders said. “It’s not a quick fix.”

___

Neergaard reported from Alexandria, Virginia. Associated Press video journalist Cody Jackson in Miami contributed to this report.

—-

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The Weekend Scene: What to Do Around the DC Area Sept. 18-20

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:45:48 +0000

Coronavirus restrictions are easing and some people feel more comfortable about going out in public now. So, we’re bringing back The Weekend Scene.

Weather-wise, you couldn’t pick a better weekend to get outside — and show off your best fall jacket. It’s going to be sunny and cool, especially during the night and early mornings. Here’s the Storm Team4 forecast.

Remember your mask, keep your distance from others and enjoy your weekend.

What to Know

Coronavirus is still spreading through the D.C.-area community, so take steps to stay healthy when going out
Frequent hand washing, maintaining a social distance from others and covering your face can help slow the spread of coronavirus
Don’t go out if you feel sick

Weekend Reads

Enjoy some good news from this week

community Sep 16

DC-Area Man Starts Movement to ‘Fix It Forward,' Gives Small Business Owners New Car

National Zoo Sep 15

The National Zoo's Giant Panda Cub Is Getting Seriously Cute

Virtual Event
Kennedy Center Celebrates National Dance Day
Saturday, Sept. 19
Classes run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We’re moving online but we won’t stop moving.”

From Jazz to contemporary to cardio-focused, join free online dance workshops for kids and adults all day. Just follow along on the Kennedy Center’s Facebook page.

Free Pick
Smithsonian Museums Reopen
Four museums reopen Friday

The National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum will reopen with new coronavirus prevention measures.

You need to reserve a timed ticket for entry. Don’t forget your mask, it’s required.

Maryland Corn Maze
Opens Saturday, Sept. 19

Hayrides, bouncy houses, petting zoos and of course the 8-acre corn maze: There’s so much to do at Maryland Corn Maze. It’s an outdoor activity that will get anyone into the fall spirit.

It’s a good idea to purchase tickets in advance ($12 general admission). It’s open through Nov. 8.

Draughts and Drops at Six Flags America
Noon to 6 p.m., Sept. 19-20 and 26-28

Local beers and roller coasters could be a wonderful or risky combination. Anyone over 21 can enjoy a beer festival for the next two weekends at Six Flags America. A combo ticket that includes admission to the park and a sampler of beer costs $47.99.

Maryland Restaurant Week
Friday, Sept. 18 to Sunday, Sept. 27

Maryland is launching its first-ever state-wide restaurant week. Deals vary by restaurant, but cover both take-out and dine-in meals.

Black Restaurant Week
Sept. 18-27

Celebrate and patronize Black-owned restaurants during DMV Black Restaurant Week. D.C.’s kicks off on Friday and includes restaurants in the greater region, including Baltimore. Food trucks and dessert shops are included, plus there are opportunities to win prizes and gift cards.

Trump Calls for ‘Patriotic Education,' Says Anti-Racism Teachings Are ‘Child Abuse'

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:16:22 +0000

President Donald Trump on Thursday accused schools of teaching students “hateful lies about this country” and said he would be taking steps to “restore patriotic education” as he continued his opposition to efforts to raise awareness about racial inequalities.

Speaking at the National Archives Museum, Trump said that he plans to sign an executive order soon to create a “national commission to support patriotic education” called the 1776 Commission and that he is directing funding to create a patriotic curriculum for schools.

“Our youth will be taught to love America with all of their heart and all of their souls,” Trump said at what the White House described as a “conference on American history.

He took aim at the 1619 Project, a New York Times-backed initiative that focused on the “consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are as a country.”

The White House declined to say when Trump would sign the executive order.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's Flirty ‘Fast Times' Table Read Had Fans Swooning

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:05:48 +0000

All right Aniston!

Jennifer Aniston’s flirty scene with ex-husband Brad Pitt was a highlight of a star-studded virtual table read of the classic 1982 teen movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” on Thursday, exciting fans who can’t get enough of seeing them together again in any capacity.

Aniston, 51, played Linda Barrett, who was immortalized by Phoebe Cates in the original film, while Pitt, 56, played Brad Hamilton, who was portrayed by Judge Reinhold in the movie.

Aniston and Pitt re-created the famous dream sequence scene where Brad imagines a bikini-clad Linda seducing him as she climbs out of the swimming pool at his house.

“Hi, Brad,” Aniston as Linda said to Pitt. “You know how cute I always thought you were. I think you’re so sexy. Will you come to me?”

Just like in the movie, it ends awkwardly when Linda barges into the bathroom to interrupt Brad’s dream and catch him in a compromising position.

“Doesn’t anybody f– knock any more?!” Pitt as Brad says.

Pitt and Aniston were joined in the reading by John Legend, Matthew McConaughey, Ray Liotta, Jimmy Kimmel, Julia Roberts, Dane Cook, Henry Golding, Shia LaBeouf, and the original Jeff Spicoli himself, Sean Penn, who played the pizza guy who delivers a pie to Spicoli during Mr. Hand’s class in the table read.

LaBeouf handled the honor of playing Spicoli and went full method, going shirtless and smoking throughout the event.

The event was created to raise money for the emergency relief nonprofit CORE, which Penn founded.

The whole table read was narrated by Morgan Freeman, who had the blush-worthy duty of introducing the famous scene re-created by Aniston and Pitt.

The brief moment between the former couple had fans loving every second.

“This will definitely stop everyone obsessing over Brad and Jen reunions. #FastTimesLive” one fan jokingly tweeted.

“Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are singlehandedly saving 2020 for me #FastTimesLive,” another wrote.

They weren’t the only ones eating up the moment, as Roberts flashed her famous smile as she soaked it in.

The couple, who were married from 2000-2005, also greeted each other earlier in the table read.

“Hi Aniston,” Pitt said.

“Hi Pitt,” she replied.

“How you doing?” he said.

“Good honey, how are you?” she said.

“I’m alright,” he answered.

It was the latest fun moment between the two, who ruled the internet for a night in January when they were photographed together at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Earlier in January, Aniston smirked at Pitt’s speech at the Golden Globe Awards, and Pitt was asked by “Entertainment Tonight” ahead of the ceremony if he would welcome bumping into Aniston during the show.

“I’ll run into Jen,” he said. “She’s a good friend.”

When they steered out of the friend zone for a minute while playing Linda and Brad on Thursday, it let fans dreaming of a reunion enjoy their flirty moment.

In the words of Jeff Spicoli, “Awesome! Totally awesome!”

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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Trump Administration to Block New Downloads of TikTok Starting Sunday

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 11:54:13 +0000

The Commerce Department announced Friday morning that it would ban U.S. business transactions with Chinese-owned social apps WeChat and TikTok on Sunday.

The announcement comes as President Donald Trump is expected to announce Friday whether or not the government will approve a deal for Oracle to take a minority stake in TikTok and become a “trusted technology partner” for the company in the U.S.

It’s unclear if the Commerce Department’s announcement means there’s no possibility of a deal going through before the Sunday deadline, and it could be an aggressive move from the Trump Administration to push for its original intention for TikTok to be fully owned by a U.S. company.

“At the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement Friday.

Friday’s announcement from the Commerce Department appears to be enforcing Trump’s original executive order from August 6 that gave TikTok 45 days to sell its U.S. business to a U.S. company or face a ban in the U.S. WeChat, which is one of the most popular social messaging apps in the world, is owned by the Chinese company Tencent. TikTok’s parent company is the Chinese company ByteDance.

The Commerce Department’s statement on Friday said that starting Sept. 20, U.S. companies would be banned from distributing WeChat and TikTok, meaning the two major mobile app stores run by Apple and Google would have to remove the apps from their libraries. The statement also blocks U.S. companies from providing services through WeChat “for the purpose of transferring funds or processing payments within the U.S.”

WeChat is a popular marketing and sales tool for U.S. companies primarily in China, but around the world as well. With U.S. social apps like Facebook and Instagram banned in China, WeChat is the primary app people use for social network and e-commerce. It’s also a popular app used by people in the U.S. to communicate with people in China, since U.S. apps are banned in China.

The Commerce Department’s announcement also lays out a separate time frame specific to TikTok, which take affect on Nov. 12. The rules that start Nov. 12 include provisions that block U.S. companies from providing internet hosting and services for TikTok. This could be directed at the deal being negotiated between TikTok and Oracle, which would provide cloud services for TikTok if Trump approves, and could give TikTok and Oracle more time to hammer out a deal that Trump will approve.

Representatives for Tencent, TikTok, WeChat, Apple and Google were not immediately available to comment.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

This story first appeared on CNBC.com. More from CNBC:

In-Person Early Voting Begins Friday in Virginia

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 10:08:12 +0000

In-person early voting begins Friday in Virginia. Residents have two big options for casting their ballot before Election Day on Nov. 3.

The in-person early voting period runs from Friday, Sept. 18 to Saturday, Oct. 31 in Virginia.

Early voting is available at your local registrar’s office or a satellite voting location in your county or city, the Virginia Board of Elections says.

voter guide Aug 24

Here's How to Vote by Mail or in Person in DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia

Decision 2020 Sep 14

How to Make Sure Your Mail-In Ballot Is Counted

Some major sites in Northern Virginia that open Friday include:

Loudoun County: Office of Elections, Leesburg
Fauquier County: Office of the General Registrar, Warrenton
Prince William County: Office of Elections, Manassas
Arlington County: Courthouse Plaza

For those who don’t want to vote in-person, absentee ballots will be sent to all voters who have requested a ballot by mail. If you want to vote by mail, you need to request a mail-in ballot by Oct. 23.

Whether you vote in-person or by mail, first, check that you’re registered to vote. If you’re not registered, you have until Oct. 13 for your registration application to be received online or postmarked. Note that Virginia does not allow people to register to vote on Election Day.

Voters will be able to pick president, members of the Senate as well as Congress. There will also be constitutional amendments and local races on the ballot.

One calls for changes to the process for drawing congressional and assembly districts.

Another would exempt the vehicles of disabled veterans from sales taxes.

Gov. Ralph Northam tried on Tuesday to reassure Virginians that voting by mail is safe and that election security is a top priority for the state.

The Democratic governor made the comments Tuesday while highlighting steps the state is taking to protect absentee voting during the coronavirus pandemic, which include using drop boxes for early voting and putting barcodes on absentee ballot envelopes to track when they are delivered.

“We all share the priority of ensuring free and fair elections,” Northam said.

His comments come amid a sustained effort by President Donald Trump to attack the integrity of mail voting.

Virginia is one of several states offering ways for voters to verify the status of their ballot online. The Virginia Department of Elections’ citizen portal shows when an absentee ballot request has been received, when a ballot has been sent and when the ballot has been received by a local election office. Lawmakers also recently approved Northam’s proposal to spend $2 million for prepaid postage for all absentee ballots.

Northam said so far 790,000 people have requested absentee ballots, which will start going out on Friday. He said in the 2016 presidential election, there were a total of 566,000 votes cast absentee.

Hillary Clinton defeated Trump in Virginia by more than 200,000 votes in that election, and the state is not considered to be competitive this year.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.

Doctors alarmed by surge in hospital visits as toxic smoke engulfs west coast

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 10:00:02 +0000

Northern California health system reports surge in cases as region endures weeks of dangerous air

A month after hundreds of wildfires started spewing toxic smoke along the entire west coast, doctors are seeing the alarming health effects of air pollution piling up.

In northern California’s Stanford Health Care system, hospital admissions have jumped by 12% in recent weeks, including a stunning 43% jump in cerebrovascular conditions such as strokes. In Oregon, health officials reported nearly one out of 10 people visiting the emergency room had asthma-like conditions due to the smoke. And in San Francisco, doctors had to cancel their clinics for recovering Covid-19 patients, because the air was so unhealthy that just getting to their appointments could make patients more sick.

Fine particles go to the bottom of your lungs, then can cross over to the bloodstream and go anywhere in your body

10 in Quarantine After Fan at Chiefs Game Tests Positive for COVID-19

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 07:06:03 +0000

The day after attending the NFL season opener in Kansas City last week, a fan tested positive for COVID-19, prompting authorities to tell 10 others who were at the game to quarantine, NBC News reports.

The Sept. 10 contest between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans had fans in the stands — 15,895 of them — but far fewer than the number Arrowhead Stadium can hold, 76,000.

“I want to remind everyone that Covid-19 is anywhere and everywhere,” Kansas City Health Department Director Dr. Rex Archer said in a statement. “While we’re all tired of it, frustrated and even angry at how it has altered and stricken our lives and livelihoods, we must continue to think of those who have not and will not survive it.”

The team said that the person who tested positive last week and their group was in the lower level of the stadium and that its policies kept the potential exposure low.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

Trump and Biden Hit Unlikely Battleground State of Minnesota

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 06:45:54 +0000

Minnesota has backed Democratic presidential candidates for nearly half a century and rarely receives much attention during the final stages of the race, when campaigns typically focus their resources on more traditional swing states like Florida or Pennsylvania.

But Minnesota will feel like a genuine battleground on Friday when President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, campaign here to mark the beginning of early voting.

They’re expected to avoid the urban core of Minneapolis to focus on rural and working class voters, some of whom shifted to Republicans for the first time in 2016. Trump will be in Bemidiji, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, while Biden will swing through Duluth, on the banks of Lake Superior and close to the Wisconsin border.

Since narrowly losing Minnesota in 2016, Trump has focused relentlessly on the state in hopes that a victory this year could offset losses in other states. He has visited regularly and kept a close eye on issues of particular importance to rural corners of the state, reversing an Obama administration policy prohibiting the development of copper-nickel mining and bailing out soybean, corn and other farmers who have been hurt by trade clashes with China.

More recently, he’s embraced a “law and order” message aimed at white suburban and rural voters who may be concerned by protests that have sometimes become violent. That’s especially true in Minnesota, where the May killing of George Floyd by a police officer sparked a national reckoning on systemic racism.

But for all the work Trump has put into the state, it may elude him again in November.

A series of polls over the past week show Biden has built a consistent lead over Trump. And in the 2018 midterms, Democratic turnout surged in suburbs, small cities and even on the Iron Range, across the blue-collar mining towns that were once labor strongholds but had been trending Republican.

David McIntosh, president of the conservative Club for Growth, which has produced anti-Biden ads, said Minnesota may help the Trump campaign build momentum.

“They’re looking beyond the poll numbers and seeing the potential there,” said McIntosh, a former congressman from Indiana. “It’s always smart strategy to go on offense somewhere.”

In 2018, Democrats flipped two suburban congressional districts, took back control of the state House by winning suburban Trump-voting areas and came within one seat of winning control of the state Senate. Democrats won every statewide race that year, even as they lost a rural congressional district.

Trump’s path to Minnesota success likely depends on finding more votes in rural, conservative areas –- running up the score beyond his 2016 tally. It’s a strategy he’s trying to pull off elsewhere and depends on a robust field operation with the money and time to track down infrequent or first-time voters. That could be a tall order since Minnesota already sports one of the nation’s highest voter turnout rates.

“I don’t think they’re there,” said Joe Radinovich, a Democrat who lost a bid for a northern Minnesota congressional district in 2018. Radinovich noted the major organizational challenge and expense in tracking new voters, making sure they’re registered and getting them to vote – especially during a pandemic. “We have relatively high turnout already. Most people vote. I just don’t think it’s there. I think those people showed up in 2016,” he said.

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In 2016, Trump won that district that includes the Democratic city of Duluth by 15 percentage points. But in the midterms two years later, Radinovich lost by just under 6 percentage points.

Still, Trump has spent more than a year building a sizable Minnesota ground game. Republicans are out knocking on doors and interacting personally with voters in ways that Democrats mostly have not, preferring online operations amid the coronavirus.

The president’s reelection campaign announced this week a $10 million ad buy in a series of states, including Minnesota. It has spent nearly $17 million on advertising in the state since last October, compared to almost $6.3 million for Biden over the same period, according to a review of Kantar/CMAG data by The Associated Press.

Democrats warn that Biden still may have his work cut out for him. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson said the Trump campaign has far outpaced Biden in local yard signs — which indicates enthusiasm but may not ultimately affect the outcome.

“One of the things the Trump campaign has been very good about is visibility in Duluth, but also in areas around Duluth,” Larson said.

Ken Martin, chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said that while Biden isn’t likely to carry the congressional district that includes Duluth, he might be able to pick up enough support there to deny Trump the votes he needs to win statewide.

“If your opponent is on the ropes or on the ground, you don’t get up,” Martin said.

Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski contributed to this report from Minneapolis.

Volunteers Help Montgomery County Address Crisis of Food Insecurity

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 03:37:58 +0000

Volunteers are helping Montgomery County, Maryland, cope with a crisis of food insecurity due to loss of income because of the coronavirus pandemic.

When asked to help with an effort of unprecedented size and scope, Montgomery County residents responded.

At a Sikh spiritual center in North Potomac that’s not using its commercial kitchen due to restrictions on large gatherings, volunteers pack bags of beans and rice.

“Sikh place of worship is a known place to have free food for anyone,” said Rajwant Singh of Guru Gobind Singh Foundation. “We feel that the faith communities and the government need to work together to serve those who are in need.”

Small Things Matter, a Takoma Park nonprofit stepped up and tripled the number of families to whom it distributes food, aided by a small army of teenage volunteers.

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“They provided a lot of the manpower to do the packing, and we also had students making casseroles and baking goods to supplement the food,” Roxanne Yamashita said.

“When we see someone in need or there’s a need out there, a person should get up and do something about it,” John Anderson said.

In March, Patrick Campbell of Montgomery County Emergency Management was given the job of coordinating it all.

He said some of the greatest successes come from volunteers willing to reach out to people who need food but who are reluctant to take help from the government. EveryMind, a mental health coalition, helped reach out to veterans.

“Not only did they just make the contact, they said, ‘Hey, we can take the food and deliver it for you,’” Campbell

said. “And so we get them the food, and they’re able to bring it that last mile, build that relationship and make sure we get the services to them.”

To help, visit the Montgomery County Volunteer Center.

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Food Delivery Driver Thankful to Be Alive After Being Struck by His Car During Attempted Car Theft

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:43:14 +0000

A food delivery driver said he’s thankful to be alive after he was struck by his own car in an attempted car theft.

D.C. police said a delivery driver left a Nissan Altima running at 18th and Newton streets NW Tuesday afternoon when a man got into the car and tried to drive off.

The delivery driver, Denis Miranda, then ran back to the car and the driver struck him in the street, police said. The suspect then apparently lost control of the car and somehow got up on the sidewalk, striking a woman and two children, ages 2 and 7.

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Miranda said he blacked out after he was struck. His leg is hurt, and he has a serious head wound.

He is out of the hospital, hoping to recover at home.

The suspect ran off after the crash. Police released a photo of him on Wednesday in the hopes that the public can help them identify him.

Medics took all four patients to area hospitals with serious injuries, the fire department said Tuesday.

Nicholas Cleveland-Stout said he heard screams.

“I immediately came out here and saw someone running away, sprinting from the scene of the crime,” he said.

“There’s a woman down, a gentleman down, and the two kids were screaming,” witness Brad Harris said. “Quite horrific. It was a terrible scene.”

Police examined the Altima at the scene. The car’s bumper and other debris littered the road.

Police are asking anyone who can identify the suspect or who knows anything to call police at (202) 727-9099 or text 50411.

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At Town Hall, Biden Blasts Trump's ‘Criminal' Coronavirus Response

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:14:21 +0000

Joe Biden on Thursday went after President Donald Trump again and again over his handling of COVID-19, calling Trump’s downplaying of the pandemic “criminal” and his administration “totally irresponsible.”

“You’ve got to level with the American people — shoot from the shoulder. There’s not been a time they’ve not been able to step up. The president should step down,” the Democratic presidential nominee said to applause from a CNN drive-in town hall crowd in Moosic, outside his hometown of Scranton.

Speaking about Trump’s admission that he publicly played down the impact of the virus while aware of its severity, Biden declared: “He knew it and did nothing. It’s close to criminal.”

Later, Biden decried Americans’ loss of basic “freedoms” as the U.S. has struggled to contain the pandemic, like the ability to go to a ballgame or walk around their neighborhoods. “I never, ever thought I would see just such a thoroughly, totally irresponsible administration,” he said.

Biden faced a half-dozen questions about the coronavirus and a potential vaccine in the town hall from moderator Anderson Cooper and audience members. The pandemic was not just the main topic of the night — it was the cause of the unusual format of the event: a drive-in with 35 cars outside PNC Field.

The cars were parked around the stage, each with small groups of people standing outside them or leaning or sitting on the hoods to watch Cooper and Biden onstage. The network erected blue and red spotlights over the dirt and gravel parking lot to make it easier to see, and each parking space was marked off with white chalk in large rectangles to ensure that each group stayed more than 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart.

The town hall marked the first time that Biden had faced live, unscripted questions from voters since winning the nomination. Trump participated in a town hall Tuesday in an auditorium in Philadelphia.

The appearances have been seen as tuneups before the three presidential debates, the first set for Sept. 29. Biden’s uneven debate performances during the Democratic primary contributed to his initial struggles in polls and the early primary vote, and Trump has pushed unfounded conspiracy theories about Biden taking performance-enhancing drugs and has raised questions about Biden’s mental acuity.

Biden, meanwhile, has promised to be a “fact-checker on the stage” with Trump but has said he doesn’t want to get drawn into a “brawl” with the Republican.

On Thursday, Biden said he was beginning to prepare for the upcoming debate by reviewing Trump’s remarks and preparing his own.

Biden was also pressed on his stance on the Green New Deal, the sweeping proposal from progressives in Congress that calls for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the economy by 2030. Biden’s proposal doesn’t go as far, but it does aim to reduce emissions to zero by 2050 and has a goal of achieving an entirely carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.

Biden interrupted a questioner who suggested his climate plan embraces the Green New Deal to insist, “No, it doesn’t,” but when asked by the moderator if he supports the proposal, he said, “I don’t think it’s too much.”

Still, Biden added, “I have my own deal,” which he noted the Democratic Party has incorporated as part of its platform.

Biden also weighed in on foreign policy issues, promising to reduce America’s military footprint abroad and saying that any attempt to interfere with the election by a foreign power is a “violation of our sovereignty.” He promised that if he’s elected and it becomes clear post-election that Russia interfered in the election, “they’ll pay a price for it, and it’ll be an economic price.”

Biden described Russia as an “opponent,” but declined to use the same word when asked about China. He instead called the nation a “competitor” and pledging to improve trade policy with China.

Trump signaled he’d been watching the town hall before he took the stage for a rally in Misonee, Wisconsin, on Thursday night.

“I just see he’s up there tonight getting softball questions from Anderson Cooper. They don’t ask me questions like that,” Trump told the crowd gathered at the airport. “They’ve got cars … it’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Trump’s ABC town hall was held inside a half-empty auditorium, with attendees socially distanced and wearing masks.

The format of Biden’s event was a stark reminder of the issue that’s been a central focus of Biden’s campaign — that the pandemic rages on, affecting Americans’ lives in ways large and small, and that stronger leadership in White House could have eased the crisis. More than 195,000 Americans have died of the coronavirus — by far the highest death toll in the world.

Earlier in the day, Biden joined Senate Democrats for a conference call lunch and told allies that he is taking nothing for granted in the race for the White Houseand the down-ballot effort to wrest the Senate’s majority control from Republicans. He fielded questions, particularly from senators facing reelection, about his strategy win back the chamber and defeat Trump.

“He just said, ‘You know what we’re up against. You know why this is so important,’” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said he encouraged Biden to remind workers how much he has been on their side during his many years in government.

“I’ve said, ‘Joe, people need to know that you recognize the dignity of the work, the people have built this country,’” Manchin told reporters. “They need to know that you fought for their pensions, you fought for their health care … and you’re not gonna leave them behind.”

Biden’s campaign team has come under scrutiny in recent days over its outreach efforts, particularly for what some see as short shrift with Latino voters. At the same time, Democrats have mixed views over the party’s get-out-the-vote effort that largely bypasses traditional door-knocking to avoid health risks during the pandemic, instead relying on virtual outreach.

Jaffe reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Darlene Superville in Misonee, Wis., contributed to this report.

At Town Hall, Biden Blasts Trump's ‘criminal' Virus Response