Covidiots

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday withdrew his lawsuit challenging the city of Atlanta’s mask mandate and coronavirus restrictions, ending a legal feud between the Republican governor and the Democratic leader of the state’s capital city over how to contain the pandemic. Kemp said he will instead sign an executive order Saturday that is expected to specify …

Blog Toronto reports: The story of how two blood-covered, chainsaw-wielding men came to terrorize the public at Toronto’s Cherry Beach on Sunday morning just keeps on getting weirder as witnesses come forward with additional details. Members of the anti-lockdown group MAD (Mothers Against Distancing) say that the two men wielding chainsaws destroyed roughly $4,000 worth of DJ equipment that had …

The Ocala Star-Banner reports: As the city of Ocala wrestles with an ordinance requiring face coverings for people inside businesses, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods told his employees they will not wear masks at work and visitors to his office can’t wear masks either. Woods, in an email dated Aug. 11, said “my order will stand as is when you …

NewJersey.com reports: A borough council in Camden County voted Tuesday to rescind the business license of a gym that has repeatedly defied a state order to close its doors under coronavirus restrictions. The Bellmawr council voted 5 to 1 to rescind the mercantile license of Atilis Gym after an hour-long hearing that featured comments from the gym owners’ attorney, the …

The Huntington Herald-Dispatch reports: More than 40 members of a family tested positive for coronavirus after an infected relative from another state attended a funeral. Polly Williams, who resides on Jenny’s Creek in Wayne County, West Virginia, was saddened to hear of the death June 30 of her relative who lived in Alabama. Little did she realize the circumstances surrounding …

TMZ reports: A man was carried from a Tucson grocery store by his grown son while threatening to beat other customers over the wearing of face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, screaming that they were “A bunch of pussies wearing masks!” as he was carried off by his own child. In yet another viral video of a …

Philadelphia’s NBC News affiliate reports: A man punched a 17-year-old Sesame Place employee in the face after the teen reminded him to wear a mask, police said. A teen employee told an unidentified man and woman that they were required to wear masks while in the park due to COVID-19. Later that day, around 5 p.m., the same man confronted …

Yahoo News reports: After a fight over wearing a mask at a DMV went viral earlier in the week, a local Ohio “Karen” is back at it again — this time at Planet Fitness. Anna Peric feels extremely passionately about masks and wants to world to know it. She was filmed berating a Planet Fitness manager because she has limited …

Fox News reports: A man in Washington state was arrested Saturday and charged with assault after allegedly breaking the jaw of a 72-year-old disabled veteran in a hotel lobby in a dispute over coronavirus masks. Cody P. Hansen, 35, [photo] was arrested at his home in Spokane, Wash., on Saturday after police received an anonymous tip. He has been charged …

NPR reports: When it comes to the new rules for the novel coronavirus, airlines like Delta are taking them very seriously. So far, the carrier has banned 100 anti-maskers from taking their flights and gone a step further by adding them to a “no fly” list. The legal reasoning is pretty straightforward, says Sharona Hoffman, co-director of Case Western Reserve …

Law & Crime reports: Anti-mask activists pretending to be federal agents are violating federal law, according to a former federal prosecutor. A viral video of people purporting to be affiliated with the so-called “Freedom to Breathe Agency” (FTBA) has been viewed several million times since being cross-posted from TikTok to Twitter on Friday. “We are with FTBA, the Freedom to …

The Associated Press reports: The city of Las Vegas has issued a civil penalty against a hotel for hosting a faith-based campaign event for President Donald Trump that violated a mandate intended to limit the spread of COVID-19 despite warnings from city and state officials. The event proceeded as planned Thursday in Las Vegas despite Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak’s mandate, …

Miami’s ABC News reports: Early Friday, Plantation police were parked outside of 1440 Fitness, letting members know the gym is closed and for now they’ll have to work out somewhere else. The gym’s owner Mike Carnevale’s spent Thursday night in Broward County jail over his refusal to enforce the use of face masks inside his business. This is the third …

The Minnesota Pioneer Press reports: A group of Republican lawmakers and voters on Tuesday said it plans to bring a federal lawsuit against the Walz administration contending the governor’s mandate of face masks in public places, including polling places, violates state law and Minnesotans’ constitutional rights. A handful of voters along with the watchdog Minnesota Voters Alliance brought the action …

The Christian Post reports: Pastor John MacArthur is facing legal action after openly defying California’s restrictions on church gatherings. Now the embattled pastor is receiving special counsel from President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Jenna Ellis, and religious freedom expert Charles LiMandri. “I stand firm with Grace Community Church, its Elder Board, and Pastor MacArthur in biblical truth and the protections …

The Bradenton Herald reports: A Palmetto pastor and a state politician have sued Manatee County government over its mandatory mask mandate. And more than 100 people turned out Monday to support the anti-mask cause. The Rev. Joel Tillis and state Rep. Anthony Sabatini announced the lawsuit Monday morning outside the Manatee County Courthouse. Sabatini has filed 14 similar lawsuits against …

The Daily Beast reports: Claiming that the novel coronavirus that’s killed roughly 157,000 Americans isn’t “that much worse” than the flu, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) blasted the media on Monday for supposedly peddling COVID-19 “panic porn” and downplaying the so-called effectiveness of unproven anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine. Johnson, who last month insisted that the nation “overreacted” to the coronavirus pandemic,” appeared …

Fort Worth’s NBC affiliate reports: Kenneth Copeland, a televangelist who was a faith adviser to President Trump when he was running for president in 2016, is hosting an in-person event for more than 2,000 people in the largest metro area in Texas this month. The Southwest Believer’s Convention, held Aug. 3-8, is the first event held in the Fort Worth …

The New York Daily News reports: The captain and owners of a popular Manhattan party boat were arrested for defying coronavirus social distancing mandates and going for a crowded booze cruise, officials said Sunday. The Liberty Belle, a four-story river boat that can hold up to 600 people, had just returned to Pier 36 in Lower Manhattan about 11:30 p.m. …

Philadelphia’s ABC News affiliate reports: Police say a man who fired shots at an employee after refusing to wear a mask inside a Lehigh Valley cigar shop has been apprehended following a shootout. Adam Zaborowski, 35, of Slatington, Pennsylvania has been charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, and reckless endangerment. According to authorities, around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, an officer …