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Calling the fight against coronavirus a “war” can motivate but also mislead

Donald Trump has called himself a “wartime president” and said coronavirus is an “invisible enemy.” The former CDC director has warned of a “long war ahead.” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called on the public to support our “troops,” otherwise known as health care workers. The now-common metaphors comparing the efforts to stop coronavirus…

Coronavirus has police everywhere scrambling to respond as their forces are reduced

Serving and trying to protect against a threat we can’t see, law enforcement officials around the country are grappling with policing during the coronavirus pandemic. Big departments such as in New York or Detroit are shifting resources and people around to ensure essential work gets done as their workforces are reduced by the virus. Sheriffs’…

Florida governor: We’ll take state residents only from Zaandam cruise ship

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday his state was willing to accept Floridians on board a cruise ship seeking to disembark in Florida after more than 190 guests and crew reported flu-like symptoms, including eight passengers who tested positive for Covid-19. But DeSantis expressed concerns about taking in others given the state’s limited hospital beds. “We…

More than 12,000 people want to be part of NASA’s next class of astronauts

NASA received an out-of-this-world number of applicants in this last month for its new class of astronauts. More than 12,000 people from every corner of the US, including its four territories, have applied to be NASA’s next class of astronauts. That’s the second-highest number of applicants NASA has ever received, according to a news release.…

Thousands of Tennessee doctors and local officials want the governor to issue stay-at-home order

A growing chorus of Tennessee doctors and local leaders want Gov. Bill Lee to issue a stay-at-home order, warning that the coronavirus outbreak will only worsen in the state if he doesn’t. At least 80% of the U.S. population is under a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order, according to a CNN count. In Tennessee, Lee has…

A man was showing symptoms of coronavirus, but came to the hospital to see his partner give birth

A woman who gave birth in a New York hospital was discharged after she started showing symptoms of coronavirus. Staff at Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital later learned that her partner, who was present for her delivery, may have been exposed to the virus. The couple and their baby were discharged from the hospital and asked…

A Facebook group matches RVs that are sitting idle with health care workers who need a place to isolate after long hospital shifts

For Mark Quale, an emergency room physician in Burlington, North Carolina, coming home after a long day at the hospital was as stressful as work itself. With two young boys, a wife and elderly mother-in-law at home, he knew that if he wasn’t cautious, he could spread the novel coronavirus to his own family. So…

Almost $30 million in drugs seized in nearly half-mile-long tunnel linking US and Mexico

Federal agents in San Diego seized about 4,400 pounds of drugs from a sophisticated smuggling tunnel that stretched into Tijuana, Mexico, authorities in California announced Tuesday. The three-foot-wide tunnel is more than 2,000 feet long and has reinforced walls, ventilation, lighting and a rail system, according to a statement from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.…

Lorena Borjas, a transgender Latina activist who fought for immigrants and sex workers, has died of Covid-19

Even as Lorena Borjas was feeling ill and waiting on Covid-19 test results, she was worried about how transgender immigrants would cope with the pandemic. That, according to her friends and chosen family, was typical of Borjas, a transgender Latinx activist from Queens who spent decades advocating for people from marginalized communities. Despite numerous challenges…

5 things to know for April 1: Coronavirus, census, prisons, election, Venezuela

It’s April Fools’ Day, but understandably, not many people are in a joking mood. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. Coronavirus President Trump issued a…

Legendary jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney dies of complications from coronavirus

Legendary jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney has died of complications from the novel coronavirus, his publicist said. He was 59. Roney died Tuesday at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey, publicist Lydia Liebman said in a statement. “I am saddened to confirm that the iconic trumpeter and jazz legend Wallace Roney passed away…

Police are arresting and fining people for violating social distancing orders

Across the nation, people are under strict orders to follow social distancing guidelines in order to lower the risk of coronavirus spreading. To comply with new stay-at-home orders, many people have postponed their planned celebrations, everything from birthdays to weddings. Others have canceled big trips. Theaters have closed their doors, concerts and festivals have been…

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes Idaho

A preliminary magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck northeast of Boise, Idaho, on Tuesday night, according to the United States Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but residents on social media in several cities reported feeling the shaking. The USGS says the epicenter of the quake was nearly 45 miles west of the town…

Math teacher shows up at student’s front porch to give her a one-on-one lesson while social distancing

For 12-year-old Rylee Anderson, the algebra concept of graphing a function just didn’t make sense. Since her classes are now all remote due to the coronavirus pandemic, Anderson emailed her teacher for help, rather than ask for it in the classroom. She expected some emails, or maybe even a phone call from her teacher, Mr.…

When you order from this restaurant, you won’t pay a dime

It’s no secret that the coronavirus has many people out of work, so a small mom and pop restaurant decided money was no object when it comes to receiving a hot meal. Cliff “Cooks” restaurant in Barneveld, Wisconsin, a rural town 30 minutes from Madison, took prices off its menu in order to help those…

It’s Census Day. Here’s what you need to know about the 2020 count

Households across the United States have been receiving invitations to complete the 2020 census for weeks. But another milestone in the count is here. April 1 is known as Census Day. And around the country, local officials are encouraging residents to complete census questionnaires this week. “Lots of people are home right now, as you…

ER doctor in New York details dire supply shortages from the front lines of the coronavirus fight

When Dr. Calvin Sun gets back to his New York City apartment after a 12-hour shift treating critically ill coronavirus patients, he heads straight to the kitchen sink to wash his ski goggles and ski jacket. He scrubs and wipes, then sprays them with Lysol before hanging them up to dry. The items are his…

From cupcakes to candles, you can now find Dr. Anthony Fauci’s face on everything

Not all heroes wear capes — but some of them do wear stethoscopes. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has long been celebrated in the medical world. Now, because of his work as a key member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, he’s grown into an overnight…

A son used a bucket truck to visit his mother on the third floor of her assisted living home

An Ohio arborist with a bucket truck is making a strong entry for son of the year award. Charley Adams hasn’t been able to visit his mom Julie at her Ohio assisted living home because of coronavirus restrictions, so he came up with a clever way to visit her without violating social distancing rules. Adams…

A woman trained her dog to deliver groceries to a neighbor with health problems

Renee Hellman never imagined a golden retriever delivering groceries to her home. “Absolutely not. It was kind of out of the blue,” Hellman told CNN. But during a time of social distancing, it was one of the better options for Hellman, a 71-year-old living in Manitou Springs, Colorado, a resort town located outside of Colorado…

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