Governors Given Free Rein By Trump, But There’s Only So Much They Can Do Without Federal Help
“That is a Darwinian approach to federalism; that is states’ rights taken to a deadly extreme,” said Martin O’Malley, the former Maryland governor who served for eight years on the Homeland Security Task Force of the National Governors Association. Some view President Donald Trump's decision to let states take the lead as a way for him to avoid the worst of the criticism in the midst of the pandemic. Meanwhile, states who haven't issued shut-down orders are facing increasing pressure to do so. And media outlets look at how states are being impacted by the crisis.
Politico:
‘A Darwinian Approach To Federalism’: Governors Prep For New Authority From Trump
The Trump White House is doubling down on a strategy to govern the coronavirus pandemic: pushing authority and responsibility for the response onto the states. As the virus spreads across the U.S. and new hot spots emerge in states such as Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan and Texas, senior administration aides have privately argued the coronavirus response is a test of local politicians’ leadership and resourcefulness — with the White House acting as a backstop for the front-line state-by-state efforts. (Cook and Diamond, 3/31)
PBS NewsHour:
More U.S. States Lock Populations Down As COVID-19 Cases Climb
The coronavirus pandemic keeps burning through the U.S. population. The country now has 160,000 confirmed cases of the illness and 2,900 deaths -- and infections are still rising. In New York state, the nation’s worst hot spot, Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to appeal for outside help. But health care systems across the country are straining to support the surge in patients. (Nawaz, 3/30)
The Washington Post:
Stay-Home Orders Issued In Maryland, Virginia, D.C. On Monday
Maryland, Virginia and the District on Monday barred residents from leaving home unless it’s absolutely necessary, joining a handful of other states that have issued such orders in hopes of controlling the fast-spreading novel coronavirus. While all three jurisdictions had already banned most gatherings, closed businesses and schools, and urged people to stay home as much as possible, the orders made clear that compliance is no longer optional — and added fines and potential jail time for some violations. (Olivo, Wiggins and Schneider, 3/30)
The Hill:
Holdout Governors Face Pressure To Issue Stay-At-Home Orders
Holdout governors are coming under pressure to take more aggressive action as the coronavirus spreads to more areas of the country. Sweeping orders that residents stay at home and that nonessential businesses close have garnered attention, but a number of states have yet to take such statewide actions. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump’s former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, issued warnings to Texas and Florida on Sunday. (Sullivan, 3/30)
The New York Times:
Florida Pastor Arrested After Defying Virus Orders
Before the Rev. Rodney Howard-Browne, the pastor of a Pentecostal megachurch in Florida, held two church services on Sunday — each filled with hundreds of parishioners — lawyers from the sheriff’s office and local government pleaded with him to reconsider putting his congregation in danger of contracting the coronavirus. The pastor ignored them, proceeding with the services at the River at Tampa Bay Church and even providing bus transportation for members who needed a ride. (Mazzei, 3/30)
Houston Chronicle:
Hotze, Pastors Ask Texas Supreme Court To Rule Harris County Stay-At-Home Order Unconstitutional
A hardline conservative power broker and three area pastors filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court Monday arguing that Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s stay-at-home order violates the Constitution by ordering the closure of churches and failing to define gun shops as “essential” businesses. The emergency petition for a writ of mandamus, filed by anti-LGBTQ Republican activist Steven Hotze and pastors Juan Bustamante, George Garcia and David Valdez, contends Hidalgo’s order undercuts the First Amendment by limiting religious and worship services to video or teleconference calls. Pastors also may minister to congregants individually. (Scherer and Downen, 3/30)
The New York Times:
Days After A Funeral In A Georgia Town, Coronavirus ‘Hit Like A Bomb’
It was an old-fashioned Southern funeral. There was a repast table crammed with casseroles, Brunswick stew, fried chicken and key lime cake. Andrew Jerome Mitchell, a retired janitor, was one of 10 siblings. They told stories, debated for the umpteenth time how he got the nickname Doorface. People wiped tears away, and embraced, and blew their noses, and belted out hymns. They laughed, remembering. It was a big gathering, with upward of 200 mourners overflowing the memorial chapel, so people had to stand outside. (Barry, 3/30)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus Hospitalizations Spike In California
While Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an urgent call Monday for retired healthcare workers and students nearing graduation to join in caring for an expected surge of coronavirus patients, officials scrambled to contain a rash of outbreaks in nursing homes and find space for thousands of new hospital beds. Authorities in Los Angeles County moved to isolate and quarantine patients at 11 assisted living facilities, up from just three on Friday. (Gutierrez, Dolan, Gerber and Shalby, 3/30)
ABC News:
New Orleans Doctor On How City Is Dealing With Becoming A COVID-19 Hot Spot
New Orleans has become a hot spot for the novel coronavirus in the U.S. just one month after its Mardi Gras celebrations drew over a million people to the streets to celebrate. “We understood, once COVID arrived, why it came when it did,” Dr. Susan Gunn, who works in pulmonology and critical care at Ochsner Hospital, told ABC News. “Now, college kids are back from spring break, which may cause another spike.” (Yang and Nalty, 3/30)
NBC News:
11 Vets Die At Massachusetts Soldiers' Home; 5 Tested Positive For COVID-19
The superintendent of a veterans facility in Massachusetts was placed on leave Monday, the same day it was reported that 11 residents had died, including at least five who had tested positive for the coronavirus illness COVID-19. A state official said test results are pending for five others who died at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke. The status of the 11th person who died was unknown. (Helsel, 3/31)
ProPublica:
He Was Ordered To Self-Isolate. He Didn’t. Now He’s Facing Criminal Charges.
In what may be the first case of its kind in Illinois, a man who walked into a busy gas station store after posting on Facebook that he had been ordered to self-isolate because of coronavirus symptoms now faces criminal charges of reckless conduct. The 36-year-old man, who had stopped in the store so his 4-year-old son could use the bathroom, was recognized by an employee who had gone to high school with him and saw his social media post. After the man left, the employee alerted her supervisor, who then called authorities. (Cohen, 3/30)
NBC News:
Las Vegas Officials Invited Homeless To Parking Lot After Coronavirus Closed Shelter
Officials are facing criticism for using a Las Vegas parking lot as a temporary shelter after a facility was closed when a homeless man tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Officials from Las Vegas and Clark County opened the temporary shelter at an event site lot a few miles north of the Las Vegas Strip on Saturday after determining that 500 people using Catholic Charities' overnight facility would have nowhere to sleep, said David Riggleman, the city's communications director. (Stelloh, 3/30)
State House News Service:
Baker: Expect Surge Of Coronavirus Patients In Mass. As Early As April 7
The surge in coronavirus cases long expected by public health officials could start to hit Massachusetts between April 7 and April 17, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday, stressing the importance of taking steps to prepare additional health care capacity. With the state's testing apparatus up to thousands of patients per day, confirmed COVID-19 cases have recently been increasing at a rapid pace. Massachusetts had 5,752 cases as of Monday and 56 deaths attributable to the disease. (Lisinski, 3/30)
The Hill:
Brooklyn Man Accused Of Lying About Hoarding Medical Supplies, Coughing At Officers
A Brooklyn man has been accused of lying about hoarding medical supplies and of coughing on police officers, officials announced Monday. Baruch Feldheim, 43, was arrested over his alleged large supply and illegal sale of surgical masks, medical gowns and other medical supplies. He also was charged with assault for allegedly coughing on FBI agents while saying he had COVID-19, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced in a release. (Coleman, 3/30)
Detroit Free Press:
2 Of Detroit’s Homeless Positive For COVID-19 As City Adds 300+ Beds, Testing
Two people in the city’s homeless shelter system have tested positive for COVID-19 and are being separated with 27 others at a new facility opened amid the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic.Detroit has added about 325 shelter beds for homeless people, rooms for isolation and launched a formal testing program for symptomatic members of the homeless community in an attempt to quell the spread, Donald Rencher, director of the Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department, said Monday. (Moran, 3/30)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Wisconsin Coronavirus Testing Could Double; Army Scouts Locations
As the number of coronavirus cases in the state continues to climb, Wisconsin is hoping to double its testing capacity through a new partnership with laboratories across the state. Gov. Tony Evers announced Monday that the state is launching a public-private partnership with Exact Sciences, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Promega and UW Health. The goal is to share knowledge, resources and technology with the Wisconsin Clinical Lab Network in an effort to bring additional testing capacity. (Spicuzza, 3/30)
Boston Globe:
8 Boston Homeless People Test Positive For Coronavirus
The novel coronavirus has spread to Boston’s homeless community, with eight people testing positive for COVID-19 in recent days, medical officials said Monday. Of the eight who tested positive, five spent time at local shelters in recent days, said Dr. Denise De Las Nueces, medical director the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. (Coleman, 3/30)
Boston Globe:
Ordered To Close And Excluded From Federal Aid, Marijuana Entrepreneurs Staring Down Insolvency
To open their businesses, Massachusetts marijuana entrepreneurs already had to navigate a long and expensive obstacle course, overcoming zoning restrictions, hostile neighbors, municipal demands, a plodding state licensing process, and a scarcity of financing. Now, small cannabis companies are warning that Governor Charlie Baker’s decision to shutter recreational marijuana facilities until at least April 7 amid the coronavirus pandemic — while leaving medical marijuana operations and liquor stores open as “essential” services — could force them to give up altogether. (Adams, 3/30)
