Ohio’s Health Director Resigns As GOP Aimed To Limit Authority; After New Orleans Cases Wound Down, Staffing Remained High

Columbus Dispatch: Dr. Amy Acton Resigns As State Health Director; Democrats Cite Criticism From GOP Lawmakers
Turning down pleas from Gov. Mike DeWine to stay on the job, Dr. Amy Acton surprisingly resigned Thursday as director of the Ohio Department of Health amid the coronavirus pandemic. DeWine said Acton’s resignation is effective Thursday, although she now will become his chief health adviser. “It is difficult for me to put in words how grateful I am for Dr. Acton’s service to the state,” he said. (Ludlow, 6/11)

ABC News: Amy Acton, Ohio's Embattled Health Director, Resigns Amid COVID-19 Crisis 
Protesters demonstrated in front of her home on several occasions in May, and Republican lawmakers have been working on legislation to limit the health director's authority. In ruling that the state's order closing gyms during the pandemic violated the Ohio Constitution, an Ohio judge wrote that Acton acted in an "impermissibly arbitrary, unreasonable, and oppressive manner." Lance Himes, the Ohio Department of Health's general counsel, will become interim director, DeWine said.(Deliso, 6/11)

Kaiser Health News/The Associated Press: Public Health Officials Face Wave Of Threats, Pressure Amid Coronavirus Response
In the battle against COVID-19, public health workers spread across states, cities and small towns make up an invisible army on the front lines.  But that army, which has suffered neglect for decades, is under assault when it’s needed most. Officials who usually work behind the scenes managing everything from immunizations to water quality inspections have found themselves center stage. Elected officials and members of the public who are frustrated with the lockdowns and safety restrictions have at times turned public health workers into politicized punching bags, battering them with countless angry calls and even physical threats. (Weber, Barry-Jester and Smith, 6/12)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: An Inside Look At New Orleans' Coronavirus Field Hospital: ‘150 Bodies To Watch 12 People’
At its apex, the convention center held just one-tenth of the patients that it was built and staffed for, reaching 108 patients on April 16 and shrinking from there. While health care providers who worked there applauded the decision to prepare for the worst-case scenario, several said in interviews with The Times-Picayune | The Advocate and WWL-TV that they do not understand why the operation didn’t wind down sooner, given the absurd staffing ratios for just a handful of patients on a steep downward trend over the past eight weeks. (Gallo and Perlstein, 6/11)

The Associated Press: LA-Area Homelessness Spike Could Get Worse Post-Coronavirus
The number of homeless people counted across Los Angeles County jumped 12.7% over the past year to more than 66,400 and authorities fear that figure will spike again once the full impact of the coronavirus pandemic is felt. The majority of those experiencing homelessness were found within the city of Los Angeles, which saw a 13.6% increase to 41,209, according to data released Friday by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. (Weber, 6/12)

Los Angeles Times: Homelessness Jumped 13% In L.A. Before The Coronavirus Hit
Despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to curb homelessness, the number of people without a home in Los Angeles grew last year for the fifth time in the last six years, officials announced Friday. And that was before the pandemic. The double-digit increases reported in both the city and county reflected the status in January, when the annual count is taken, and before the novel coronavirus thrashed the region’s economy, raising the likelihood of a new wave of people losing their homes. (Oreskes and Smith, 6/12)

The Washington Post: Is The Appalachian Trail Open?
In mid-March, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail started shutting down sections and services to hikers of all ambitions. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), which oversees the 2,193-mile route, implored day hikers and “thru-hikers” to temporarily hang up their hiking boots. Last month, the organization revised its message and released guidelines that coincide with the steady reopening of the trail. (Sachs, 6/11)

Houston Chronicle: Hidalgo Unveils COVID-19 'Threat Level' System, Says Harris County At Second-Highest Risk
A large, ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 places the Houston area on the second-highest of four public threat levels unveiled by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Thursday. If troubling trends continue, including an increase in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, the county health department again would recommend residents stay at home except for essential errands, such as buying groceries and medicine, she said. (Despart, 6/11)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Coronavirus: 333 New Cases, But Testing Slows In Milwaukee
Milwaukee officials are concerned about a drop-off in tests administered for the coronavirus, an issue that one leading health official attributed in large part to the unfounded sense that the pandemic is over. The county continues to see a downtrend in testing at health care and National Guard testing sites, said Ben Weston, medical services director for Milwaukee County’s Office of Emergency Management. (Heim, Dirr, Casey and Jones, 6/11)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Vos Says Immigrant Culture Was To Blame For COVID-19 In Racine County
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos blamed the culture of immigrant populations for a coronavirus outbreak in Racine County, according to a secret recording of his meeting last month with Gov. Tony Evers. “I know the reason at least in my region is because of a large immigrant population where it’s just a difference in culture where people are living much closer and working much closer,” the Rochester Republican said of an outbreak in Racine County. (Marley, Torres and Beck, 6/11)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Evers Designates $40 Million From CARES Act To Wisconsin Hospitals
Wisconsin hospitals will get a $40 million boost to help with financial losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday that hospitals statewide will receive direct payments, funded by the CARES Act, to assist with lost revenue and expenses incurred from March through May. (Garfield, 6/11)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County Directs $10 Million In Federal Aid Toward Housing Security
Milwaukee County will direct $10 million in federal money to county residents to prevent eviction, assist with mortgage payments and provide temporary housing. The federal money comes through the CARES Act, a package of measures approved by Congress and President Donald Trump, to address economic effects of the pandemic. (Redsten, 6/11)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County Moves Into Next Phase Of Coronavirus Reopening Plan
Milwaukee County’s suburban municipalities are moving forward with the next phase of reopening plans on Friday. Generally, the next phase shifts guidelines to include slightly larger mass gatherings of at least 50 persons, as well as an increasing to 75% the capacity guideline for restaurants and bars. (Casey, 6/11)