CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice ordered the loosening of pandemic restrictions on Friday at restaurants, bars and most businesses to allow full capacity at those establishments where social distancing is possible. The state’s mask mandate will remain in effect. Full capacity will be allowed at small business and retail stores and gyms and museums. Justice said standing room to congregate will not be allowed in places such as bars. READ MORE: Ohio And West Virginia Governors Easing COVID-19 Restrictions, Keeping Mask Mandates In Place Last month, Justice had already loosened restrictions on businesses after a dip in cases and deaths. But he said he will not be influenced by other Republican governors removing mask mandates, to avoid a “whiplash that really hurts us” in cases. Governors in Texas and Mississippi announced the end of state mask requirements in their states this week. “We absolutely expect you to continue to wear your mask,” Justice said. “We are not backing off of our mask mandate at this time.” The limit on social gatherings will also go up from 75 to 100, taking effect at midnight. Restrictions are also being lifted on youth travel sports in counties that are not labeled red on the state’s coronavirus map. Currently, no county has that designation, which is for the most severe level of virus spread. The state reported 195 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 9 deaths. Hospitalizations stand at 200 patients, down from a peak of 818 patients two months ago. The daily percent of people took a coronavirus test and received a positive result has dropped to about 2.5%, the lowest since last fall. READ MORE: St. Patrick's Day Organizers Optimistic Parade Can Be Held In Fall 2021 “I’m 100% comfortable” with the latest lifting of restrictions, said the state’s coronavirus czar, Dr. Clay Marsh, at a press conference with Justice. The state reported a jump in vaccination pace on Friday, with over 16,200 ...
Social justice
We cannot let fear create a new PATRIOT Act for Americans
The Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol has renewed calls for federal domestic terrorism statutes akin to existing laws targeting foreign terrorist groups such as ISIS and al Qaeda. Similar demands were made in the aftermath of Robert Bowers’s anti-Semitic attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018. At the time, some legal experts argued that it was a moral imperative to label domestic violent extremists as terrorists equal to Islamist extremists. Following the 2019 mass shooting perpetrated by Patrick Crusius at an El Paso Walmart, several law enforcement officers also sought a federal domestic terrorism rule. Such calls for enhanced legal authority may seem understandable when viewed in the context of the aftermath of senseless, tragic attacks. However, U.S. laws treat foreign perpetrators of violent extremism and domestic perpetrators differently for good reason — namely, protections granted to U.S. citizens under the Constitution make aspects of foreign terrorism laws unworkable for activities conducted solely within the United States. And the growing impassioned push for new sweeping domestic terrorism statutes should give U.S. citizens pause. ADVERTISEMENT A domestic terrorism statute undoubtedly would impact civil liberties and create a chilling effect on freedom of speech and assembly. It also would open up the opportunity for law enforcement to unreasonably surveil and monitor the movements and activities of Americans with impunity. After the 9/11 attacks, most Americans understandably rallied behind the country’s leadership. The USA PATRIOT Act — which was passed just less than a month after al Qaeda operatives killed nearly 3,000 people — passed with overwhelming support. However, over time, it became clear that the law empowered the U.S. government to carry out roving wiretaps, unfettered surveillance of individuals, and indefinite detention of suspects — all in the name of protecting national security. Creating equivalency between ...
Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons To Miss All-Star Game Over COVID-19 Contact Tracing
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers teammates Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were ruled out of Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game after being flagged by coronavirus contact tracing, a development that prompted some players to question again why the exhibition was being played during a pandemic. The 76ers and the NBA learned of the situation with Embiid and Simmons — it stemmed from getting haircuts — on Saturday night and made the decision that neither could play on Sunday morning, about nine hours before the scheduled tipoff. READ MORE: What Flyers Fans Can Expect Sunday When Wells Fargo Center Welcomes Fans Back After Nearly A Year The game in Atlanta is going forward as scheduled. You cant be serious. https://t.co/5VfDsmkbj6 — Pat Gallen (@PatGallenCBS3) March 7, 2021 “It’s just an unfortunate time in the world where our health and safety should be at the front of the helm,” All-Star Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers said Sunday from Atlanta. “I personally didn’t agree with the game but, you know, it is what it is.” A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Embiid and Simmons have both tested negative for COVID-19, and that their barber has tested positive for it. Both saw the barber a day or two before before flying to Atlanta, said the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Sunday because those details were not released publicly. “It’s kind of messed up,” Washington All-Star Bradley Beal said. “It’s unfortunate.” Embiid would have been a starter for Team Durant, which will be coached by Philadelphia’s Doc Rivers. Simmons would have been a reserve for Team LeBron. New Orleans’ Zion Williamson will start in Embiid’s place, the NBA said, and both teams will have 11 players on the active rosters instead of the usual 12. Embiid and Simmons are in Atlanta, though it was not immediately clear if they would have to remain there and quarantine or if they could leave and resume their All-Star break ...
Texas Olympic Champ Simone Manuel Pushes For Change In And Out Of The Pool
SAN ANTONIO (CBSDFW.COM/AP) – Growing up swimming in Sugar Land, Texas, the pool has been home to Simone Manuel for years. Outside of it, the Olympic champion is pushing herself in a new endeavor to boost the profile of women’s sports. She joined with fellow Olympians Sue Bird, Chloe Kim and Alex Morgan to launch TOGETHXR, a media and commerce company aimed at girls and women. It will create content for social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok as well as its own YouTube channel. Billie Jean King cheered its announcement this week. READ MORE: Manhunt Underway For Man Who Allegedly Killed Girlfriend At Garland Apartment Complex “I can’t wait to share everything we have in store,” Manuel tweeted. “There has never been a place for women that exist like this. It’s about damn time.” Manuel has been busy making her own news in the water. She broke out at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, becoming the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal in swimming with her victory in the 100-meter freestyle, one of four medals she earned. In 2019, she became the first American woman to sweep the 50 and 100 freestyles at the world championships. She’s aiming to defend her 100 free title at the Tokyo Olympics, delayed for a year by the coronavirus pandemic. When Stanford closed its facilities last March, Manuel and training partner Katie Ledecky found a backyard pool to work out in. Simone Manuel competes in the Women’s 100 Meter Freestyle Final on Day Two of the TYR Pro Swim Series in San Antonio on March 04, 2021. (credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images) “If you think about it, we’ve essentially been training for five years for the Olympics, so it takes a lot out of you and it takes a lot of mental strength to continue to push on through this period,” Manuel said Thursday in a virtual interview. “We’re all kind of going through the ebbs and flows of how to train for an extra year.” Although the self-critical Manuel wasn’t pleased with her time, ...
Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Voting Tells Agencies to Push Vote-by-Mail, ‘Combat Misinformation’
President Joe Biden issued an executive order on “access to voting” on Sunday that instructs federal government agencies to promote voter registration, help Americans apply to vote by mail, and “combat misinformation,” among other measures. The “ Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting ” reads like a Democratic Party wish-list of “reforms” that enshrines many of the practices that were adopted on a temporary basis during the pandemic-affected 2020 election. Its provisions include: using federal agencies to promote voter registration; using federal agencies to inform Americans about voting; linking federal agency websites to state voter registration websites; providing voter registration and vote-by-mail applications; using “approved, nonpartisan third-party organizations” to register voters at federal agencies; using identification documents issued by the agency to help people register to vote; providing more multilingual services to potential voters; giving public employees “time off to vote in Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial elections”; and promoting voter registration for federal prisoners. One provision states: “It is the responsibility of the Federal Government to expand access to, and education about, voter registration and election information, and to combat misinformation, in order to enable all eligible Americans to participate in our democracy.” Legitimate (and accurate) news stories on the business dealings of Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, were suppressed by social media companies and mainstream media outlets during the 2020 election under the guise of fighting such “misinformation.” The list of measures in the Executive Order parallels those included in Democrats’ legislation, H.R. 1 , the “For the People Act,” which intends to override state measures that bolster ballot integrity. H.R. 1 recently passed the Democrat-run House. The list also appears aimed at providing opportunities for the Department ...
