Lawmakers Push For Georgia To Free Detainees Over Gynecology Care

The Washington Post: Democrats Say ICE Must Not Deport Women At Georgia Facility Who Accused Gynecologist
A group of more than 100 congressional Democrats demanded Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement release female detainees from a Georgia detention facility who allege they received subpar gynecological care while detained there. The lawmakers say the women may be potential witnesses in an ongoing federal investigation into Mahendra Amin, a physician who the women allege conducted “nonconsensual and medically unnecessary” gynecological procedures on female detainees at Irwin County Detention Center. Their letter calls for the women to receive necessary certifications for a chance to apply for U-visas, which allow undocumented immigrants who have assisted law enforcement to apply to stay in the country legally. (Armus, 11/19)

In news from Iowa, Arkansas and Nebraska —

The Washington Post: Tyson Foods Supervisors Placed Bets On How Many Workers Would Catch Coronavirus, Lawsuit Says 
As the novel coronavirus ripped through a pork processing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, in April, Tyson Foods supervisors not only kept the facility open — they also placed bets on how many workers would catch the virus, a recent wrongful death lawsuit claims. More than 1,000 employees eventually tested positive amid the outbreak, which eventually shut down the meat-processing plant and spurred harsh condemnations from local officials who said the company had failed to provide the necessary protections for its workforce. (Shepherd, 11/19)

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Treatment Plant Part Of Study On Detecting Coronavirus In Waste
Health officials have warned of the various ways that the coronavirus can spread. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus that causes covid-19 is spread mainly from person to person, mostly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. An ongoing study at Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility, conducted by Camila Silva of the National Center for Toxicological Research, has detected the virus in the wastewater at the Boyd Point Wastewater Treatment Facility. (Colvin, 11/19)

USA Today: Nebraska Server Loses Job Over Video Of Maskless Gov. Pete Ricketts
Karina Montanez was fired this week for violating her employer's social media policy after sharing a video of Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts without a mask inside an Omaha-area sports bar. She doesn't regret it, either. Montanez originally posted the video of the Republican governor on Nov. 3 – the night of the election – on her Snapchat account before sharing it on Twitter. It gained widespread attention on Tuesday and, hours later, she got a call from her boss who fired her from her job as a server at DJ's Dugout. (Flores, 11/19)

In news from North Carolina, Kentucky, New Jersey and the Washington, D.C., metro area —

AP: 3 More Dead From COVID-19 Outbreak Linked To NC Church
Health officials said Thursday that three more people have died of coronavirus complications linked to a series of convocation events at a North Carolina church last month, raising the death toll to 12. Large crowds attended events at the United House of Prayer for All People in October in west Charlotte. In that time, public health contact tracers and Mecklenburg County officials have connected 213 COVID-19 cases to the events, which includes attendees and people who came in close contact with participants, The Charlotte Observer reported. (11/20)

Courier-Journal: Beshear Asks Kentucky Religious Leaders To Suspend In-Person Services To Curb Virus Spread
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asked religious leaders Thursday to suspend in-person services at houses of worship, resurfacing a controversial issue in Kentucky's battle to curb the surging coronavirus. And while some members of the Kentucky Council of Churches are receptive to the idea, other church officials immediately rejected the request and said they won't change their plans. (Tobin and Archie, 11/19)

The New York Times: How 'Magic' Mushrooms Caused A Snag In NJ's Marijuana Legalization 
Winning a constitutional right for adults to smoke pot in New Jersey was, apparently, the easy part. The ballot question drew overwhelming support on Election Day, in spite of a muted pandemic-era campaign that had minimal financial backing from the national cannabis industry. But creating a legislative pathway to reach proponents’ goals — establishing New Jersey as the dominant East Coast marijuana market, right next to New York, while ending the disproportionate rates of arrest in minority communities — is proving to be far more complicated. (Tully, 11/19)

The Washington Post: Smithsonian Museums, Zoo To Close As Coronavirus Caseload In D.C. Region Hits Record For 16th Day
The Smithsonian Institution [announced] it will temporarily close eight facilities in the Washington region that had reopened. It did not announce a reopening date, but officials said the closure will last at least through January. (Hedgpeth and Wiggins, 11/19)

The Washington Post: Forensic Genetic Genealogy: DOJ Grant To Prince George' Could Solve Cold Cases With DNA Tracing 
Prince George’s County is one of 10 jurisdictions across the country that will receive a $470,000 grant from the Justice Department to reopen cold cases using forensic genetic genealogy — a new investigative technique that draws on privately curated DNA databases from popular genealogy websites to compare with samples collected from crimes. The funding could help investigators reopen as many as 60 cold cases over the next three years, Prince George’s prosecutors and police said at a news conference Thursday. (Mettler, 11/19)