county

Rise of coronavirus in nursing homes has Muskegon County probing possible reinfections

By Shelton Muro 2 weeks ago

MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI – A concerning uptick in coronavirus cases among nursing homes is under investigation by Muskegon County health officials, who are exploring whether there may be some reinfections.

That’s according to Kathy Moore, director of Public Health-Muskegon County, who said she’s concerned about the continuing growth in new COVID-19 cases.

There is one known case of COVID-19 reinfection in the county, in which the two episodes of illness were about four months apart, Moore said.

Muskegon County statistics show a surge of 14 cases among individuals age 80 and older in the past week. There are another six new cases among people in their 70s.

Overall, the county recorded 74 additional cases since Sept. 30, bringing the cumulative total to 1,566. Deaths increased by two in the last eight days – both of whom were elderly patients from congregate living facilities, Moore said.

Muskegon County public health employees

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L.A. County deputies arrest radio reporter covering protest outside hospital

By Shelton Muro 4 weeks ago

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies arrested a public-radio reporter as she covered protests that had erupted outside a hospital where two deputies were being treated for gunshot wounds suffered Saturday evening in an “ambush” attack.



a group of people walking down a street next to a fire hydrant: A large number of L.A. County sheriff's deputies converged on the area surrounding St. Francis Medical Center, where two sheriff's deputies are being treated after being shot. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

© Provided by The LA Times
A large number of L.A. County sheriff’s deputies converged on the area surrounding St. Francis Medical Center, where two sheriff’s deputies are being treated after being shot. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

The incident drew widespread condemnation from journalism organizations and prompted the sheriff’s chief watchdog to launch an investigation.

The reporter, Josie Huang, of KPCC and LAist, was taken into custody outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood and released hours later. She received a citation for allegedly violating the obstruction law, Penal Code Section 148.

“That’s what surprises me the most is that once she was identified as a reporter that they transported her, that

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Infrared Thermometers Being Deployed In Morris County

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ – Infrared thermometers are now available to requesting community organizations and faith-based groups for use at group gatherings that follow state social distancing and face covering guidelines, according to the Morris County Freeholders.

County government will make 300 infrared thermometers available at no cost to community and faith-based groups that generally have gatherings that attract more than 20 persons, to better ensure overall public wellness.

The freeholders, at the request of the Morris Communities Panel of the Morris County Recovery Task Force, have approved spending $32,100 to purchase the infrared devices.

Infrared thermometers will be available for free on a first-come, first-serve basis – one per organization. Interested groups must fill out a required from to apply for thermometers online.

“Community groups clearly play an important role in our county’s overall public health response to COVID-19,” said Freeholder John Krickus, who chairs the Recovery Task Force.

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HCPS Virtual Learning Plan Approved By Harford County Board Of Ed

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The Harford County Board of Education approved administrators’ proposal to hold the first semester online while also establishing in-person learning centers. The plan presented by Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Sean Bulson was approved, 8-1.

The dissenting vote came from Tamera Rush, who represents Council District D, which includes the northern part of Harford County.

Approval of the virtual learning plan came after hours of discussion, with board members asking questions of school system leadership on logistics.

While a hybrid model consisting of in-person and virtual instruction had been considered in recent months, Bulson said it would not be feasible to educate the more than 37,000 students enrolled in Harford County Public Schools in that format.

“We were not going to be able to deliver logistically to provide a good instructional program” and deliver on safety, Bulson said.

Coronavirus data in recent months showed an increase

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Los Angeles County Department of Health Services-LAC+USC Home

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

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Fugitive Chinese researcher arrested overnight, being held in Sacramento County Jail

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

The Chinese researcher who fled her post as a visiting researcher at UC Davis after being questioned by the FBI has emerged from the Chinese consulate in San Francisco and is in custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail, online jail records show.

Juan Tang, 37, who had been a visiting cancer researcher at UC Davis for several months, left her Davis apartment in June after FBI agents questioned her about evidence that she lied concerning whether she was a member of the Chinese military or Communist Party when she applied for a visa, according to federal court papers.

She is one of four Chinese researchers charged by federal authorities in recent days with lying about their background to gain access to the United States, and the Justice Department issued a statement Thursday saying Tang “is a fugitive from justice currently being harbored at the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco.”

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Baltimore County postpones start of high school sports season ahead of virtual-only semester

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

Although Maryland Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon did not provide any specific guidelines for the high school fall sports season during Wednesday’s press conference, Baltimore County Public Schools on Tuesday night proposed in its draft reopening plan postponing the start of the athletic season.

BCPS Coordinator of Athletics Michael Sye confirmed the decision to postpone the fall season in an email obtained by Baltimore Sun Media to its athletic directors Wednesday. The county Board of Education on Tuesday proposed a delay to return to school buildings until the semester ends Jan. 29, and in its reopening plan it writes the postponing of the athletics season “while instruction is virtual and until it is safe to conduct all the various facets of organized team sports.”

Coaches may continue to provide virtual conditioning.

The fall sports season was set to begin with tryouts on Aug. 12. Sports played in the fall season

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Baltimore County school board to vote on reopening plan during special meeting Tuesday

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

The Baltimore County Board of Education is scheduled to vote on its reopening plan for the 2020-21 academic year Tuesday evening and is expected to approve a virtual return to the classrooms.

Last week, Baltimore County Public Schools superintendent Darryl L. Williams said during a virtual school board meeting that he supported keeping remote learning in place for the start of the school year amid the coronavirus pandemic, citing the safety of students and faculty.

The meeting will stream at 5:05 p.m. and can be viewed online at BCPS TV.

The Baltimore County teachers union and four other unions representing county school system employees said they do not want to return to school buildings until they feel it’s safe. Several school board members also have voiced their support for the remote learning option.

The Maryland State Education Association, Baltimore Teachers Union and the Maryland Parent Teacher Association called on state

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Solano County Students To Start New School Year Online

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — As California Gov. Gavin Newsom laid out back-to-school guidelines for K-12 students across the state Friday, saying that students in counties on the state’s coronavirus monitoring list must start the school year online, the Solano County Office of Education confirmed all K-12 students in Solano County will start the school year with distance learning.

“Previously, some Solano County school districts and charter schools made plans to reopen school campuses with varying models of social distancing, modified schedules, and distance learning options for students,” SCOE Spokeswoman Jennifer Leonard said Friday in a news release.

“However, the newly issued orders require that schools located in counties on the state’s County Monitoring List must begin the school year with distance learning from home,” Leonard said. “Solano County is currently on the state’s County Monitoring List due to recent increased in COVID-19 cases.”

As to when students in Solano and

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Cobb County Schools Go Online Only, Joining Other Metro Districts

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

EAST COBB, GA — Cobb County’s schools joined other area districts Thursday in announcing that fall classes would be online only.

Speaking to the Cobb County Board of Education in an online meeting, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said he made the decision because “we didn’t have any more information than the people asking the questions” about mask use and safety standards.

Ragsdale said guidance from Dr. Janet Memark of Cobb & Douglas Public Health — who emphasized that the county is in a state of “high transmission” — helped him make up his mind.

As of Thursday, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported that 258 Cobb County residents have died of COVID-19, second only to Fulton County. The health department also reported that Cobb had confirmed 7,713 cases of COVID-19, placing it fourth out of 159 Georgia counties.

Ragsdale told the board that kids in classrooms not only would be

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