Tag Archives: lockdown

The Washington Post reports: Elon Musk launched into an expletive-laden rant on Tesla’s earnings call Wednesday, calling shelter-in-place orders “fascist” and demanding political officials “give people back their god damn freedom.” “To say that they cannot leave their house and they will be arrested if they do, this is fascist,” he said, before the call abruptly cut out. “This is …

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: Hundreds of protesters crowded into downtown Raleigh on Tuesday for a third week of rallying aimed at reversing Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-home order for North Carolina. Four protesters, including ReOpenNC leader Ashley Smith, were arrested when they stepped onto the sidewalk outside the governor’s mansion on Blount Street, violating police instructions. Protesters gathered around …

NBC News reports: Attorney General William Barr directed the nation’s federal prosecutors Monday to watch for restrictions imposed by state and local governments during the coronavirus pandemic that may go too far, violating constitutional rights. “Many policies that would be unthinkable in regular times have become commonplace in recent weeks, and we do not want to unduly interfere with the …

The Austin Statesman reports: Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday his stay-at-home order “has done its job” and he will let the restriction expire at the end of April. “We’re not just going to open up and hope for the best,” he said in a Capitol news conference. “Opening Texas must occur in phases.” The governor’s “Phase One” plan will begin …

Hawaii News Now reports: In a decision that was largely expected but nonetheless will be a major blow to thousands of shuttered Hawaii businesses struggling to stay afloat, the governor has extended the statewide stay-at-home order along with the mandatory quarantine for travelers through May 31. “We are not out of the woods yet,” said Gov. David Ige, in a …

Courthouse News reports: The vast majority of Californians support stay-at-home orders issued by state leaders as a means of stemming the surge of Covid-19 infections, even if the restrictive measures continue to weigh down the economy, according to a California Health Care Foundation poll released Friday. His decision to continue social distancing and keep businesses closed is backed by 75% …

The Detroit Free Press reports: In the midst of the continuing spread of the coronavirus in Michigan, the Michigan Legislature has scheduled a special session for Friday to create an oversight committee to examine how Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has responded to the crisis as well as consider bills that would strip the governor of some of her powers. The extraordinary …

The Sacramento Bee reports: A 36-year-old man pulled a knife Friday on a television news team covering an anti-lockdown protest in Huntington Beach, California. Christien Francis Petersen of Costa Mesa has been jailed on suspicion of exhibiting a deadly weapon other than a firearm and kidnapping. Petersen approached a KTTV cameraman and reporter, produced a pocket knife and forced them …

The Washington Post reports: The ads on Facebook sounded populist and passionate: “The people are rising up against these insane shutdowns,” they said. “We’re fighting back to demand that our elected officials reopen America.” But the posts, funded by an initiative called “Convention of States,” were not the product of a grass-roots uprising alone. Instead, they represented one salvo in …

CBS News reports: Most Americans said they do not expect it will be safe to have social gatherings until at least June, according to a new poll. Sixty-five percent of Americans said they expect the coronavirus pandemic to be controlled enough to allow for gatherings of more than 10 people by the end of June or later, according to a …

The Hill reports: Donald Trump Jr. and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), two frequent critics of Silicon Valley, hit Facebook on Monday for taking down the event pages of some demonstrations organized against coronavirus stay-at-home orders. A spokesperson for the social media giant told The Hill on Monday that it removed pages for protests in California, New Jersey and Nebraska after …

The Tennessean reports: Gov. Bill Lee announced Monday that his stay-at-home order will not be extended past April 30, and that some businesses around the state will begin reopening next week. “For the good of our state, social distancing must continue, but our economic shutdown cannot,” Lee said at his Monday afternoon briefing. A governor-appointed, 30-member economic recovery group is …

CNN reports: Facebook will remove some posts on anti-stay-at-home protests being organized in California, New Jersey and Nebraska after consulting with officials in those states, a company spokesperson told CNN Monday. The protests run afoul of the states’ social distancing guidelines, Facebook spokesman Andy Stone said. Protests have erupted around the US in recent days as shutdown orders have been …

Charleston’s The State reports: South Carolinians will be able to once again shop in-person at some of the state’s retail stores. Gov. Henry McMaster is expected on Monday to lift restrictions he placed weeks ago on some retail stores in the state, including clothing, furniture and jewelry stores. Under the governor’s upcoming directive, department stores and flea markets can reopen …

Mediaite reports: Amid growing unrest in several states about the ongoing lockdown, Dr. Anthony Fauci is urging protesters not to demonstrate, and arguing that a premature reopening would “backfire.” Appearing on Good Morning America Monday, George Stephanopoulos asked the infectious disease expert what his message is for those who have been protesting. “I think the message is that, clearly, this …

The New York Post reports: John Krasinski decided he wanted to do something for 2020 seniors stuck inside and announced he will be hosting a virtual prom on his “Some Good News” YouTube channel. “That’s right class of 2020,” the “Office” actor posted on Instagram. “I’m DJing your prom with some friends this Friday night 8EST/5PST!! Click link in bio …

Reuters reports: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer faces at least two federal lawsuits challenging her April 9 executive order to combat the coronavirus outbreak, including requirements that residents stay at home and most businesses close. Both lawsuits say Whitmer’s order deprives residents of their constitutional right to associate with other people under the First Amendment and their right to due process. …

Deadline reports: Los Angeles County saw a second consecutive day of fewer COVID-19 deaths, as local health officials confirmed a “flattening of the curve” as residents continue to practice social distancing. Meanwhile, however, the county’s stay-at-home and business-closure orders were extended to at least May 15. The earlier order was set to expire in nine days. Officials said that while …

CNN reports: Kentucky is taking severe measures to ensure residents exposed to the coronavirus stay at home. Louisville residents who have been in contact with coronavirus patients but refuse to isolate themselves are being made to wear ankle bracelets. WDRB reports that the person, identified as D.L. in the court order, is living with “someone who has tested positive for …

NBC News reports: Dr. Anthony Fauci suggested today that all Americans should be under a stay-at-home order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, and that all states should be operating under the same guidelines. “I don’t understand why that’s not happening,” Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force and director of the National Institute of Allergy …