The Rundown: California Surpasses NYS With Most Cases

LA Times 7/23/20 

California reported 12,807 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing its total to more than 415,000 since the pandemic began, moving it past New York into having the highest number in the country. However, on a per capita basis, New York is still the highest, with California having roughly twice its population. Additionally, when the virus hit New York early on, there wasn't the amount of testing that's now being done. There have been more than 143,100 deaths in the U.S. as of early this morning, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, and more than 3,970,000 confirmed cases.

Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon all announced mandatory mask orders yesterday, with more than half of U.S. states now requiring people to wear face masks. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser also issued an order making face masks mandatory when people are outside their homes. The order doesn't apply to employees of the federal government while they are on duty or on federal property. D.C. health officials said the number of cases has been slowly rising after they'd successfully reduced the curve in the city earlier this summer.

Agreement Reached with White House on More Testing Money in Relief Package: Senate Republicans and the White House reached agreement yesterday on having more coronavirus testing money in the next relief package, which the White House had previously opposed. However, there are still significant disagreements on the scope of the proposed $1 trillion package, including among Republican senators. One key issue is President Trump wanting a payroll tax cut, which most GOP senators don't agree with. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell instead wants another $1,200 stimulus for Americans. Democrats, who two months ago approved a $3 trillion aid package in the House that the Senate didn't take up, said that Republican infighting is delaying needed relief to Americans during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Poll: Just 10 Percent of Americans Think Should Have Full School Reopenings: How to handle school this fall amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is a huge issue that federal, state and local officials are trying to tackle and that parents are worried about. But while some, including President Trump, are calling for full return to five-day-a-week in-person classes, most people don't feel that way. A new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll found that only some 10 percent of Americans that schools, as well as daycare centers and preschools, should reopen this fall as usual without restrictions. Most think there need to be face masks required and other safety measures, and about 30 percent thing there shouldn't be children in classrooms at all. The majority, 46 percent, think schools can reopen with major adjustments necessary, which 14 percent think schools just need to make minor adjustments. Many of the country's largest school districts have already said they'll be do teaching entirely virtually or use a hybrid model that has kids in classrooms just a couple of days a week. Sixty percent in the poll say they believe the hybrid model is necessary, and majorities say it's essential that buildings be disinfected daily, temperature checks and face masks be mandatory, and desks be spread apart if schools reopen.

➤TRUMP SAYS SENDING FEDERAL AGENTS TO CHICAGO, ALBUQUERQUE: President Trump said yesterday that he is sending federal agents to Chicago and to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to help combat rising crime. Trump used partisan language in announcing the deployments, portraying cities led by Democrats as out of control and blaming the, quote, "radical left" for increased violence, saying, "This bloodshed must end. This bloodshed will end." Crime began surging in some cities as coronavirus stay-at-home orders lifted. AP cited criminal justice experts as pointing to the current unprecedented situation of a pandemic, historic unemployment, and a mass movement over race and police brutality as being among the factors likely behind it. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who initially blasted the plan, said yesterday the U.S. attorney’s office will supervise the additional agents and said, "If those agents are here to actually work in partnership on support of gun violence and violent cases, plugging into existing infrastructure of federal agents, not trying to play police in our streets, then that’s something different." However, she also accused Trump of trying to distract from criticism of the federal response to the pandemic. Elected Democratic officials in New Mexico had warned Trump against sending in federal agents, and Senator Martin Henrich called them "the President’s stormtroopers."

LA Times 7/23/20

➤OREGON ASKS JUDGE FOR RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST FEDERAL AGENTS: As President Trump was announcing a new deployment of federal law enforcement agents to Chicago and Albuquerque to fight crime yesterday, attorneys for the state of Oregon were in federal court asking a judge for a restraining order against the federal agents Trump send to Portland against the wishes of the mayor and the governor to protect a federal courthouse amid ongoing at-times violent protests in the wake of George Floyd's death. The lawsuit filed by state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum accused the federal agents of arresting protesters without probable cause, taking them away in unmarked cars and using excessive force. The request for a restraining order asks that the agents stop detaining protesters without probable cause, identify themselves and their agency before arresting anyone, and explain why an arrest is taking place. An attorney for the federal government, David Morrell, argued that the state's motion was based only on, quote, "a few threadbare declarations" from witnesses and a Twitter video.

➤U.S. ORDERS CHINESE CONSULATE CLOSED IN HOUSTON: The U.S. has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, one of the country's six missions in the U.S., within 72 hours, alleging that Chinese agents have tried to steal data from facilities in Texas, including the Texas A&M medical system and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. China called the order "outrageous" and warned of a strong response, and the Chinese consul general told local TV station KTRK in Houston that it was, quote, "very damaging" to U.S.-China relations.

Derek Chauvin

➤EX-OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER IN GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH FACES NEW TAX EVASION CHARGES: Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who's been charged with murder in George Floyd's death after he kneeled on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, was charged Wednesday with nine counts of tax evasion. Chauvin and his wife, Kellie May Chauvin, who was also charged, are accused of not reporting income from various jobs, including more than $95,000 for his off-duty security work. It's alleged that they underreported their income from 2014 to 2019 by more than $464,000. Kellie Chauvin, a real estate agent who also operates a photography business, filed for divorce after Floyd's death.

➤HOUSE APPROVES BILL TO REMOVE CONFEDERATE STATUES FROM THE CAPITOL: The House on Wednesday approved a bill to remove statues of Confederate leaders from the U.S. Capitol, as well as the bust of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, who wrote that 1857 Dred Scott decision that said Black people couldn’t be citizens. Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said, "Defenders and purveyors of sedition, slavery, segregation and white supremacy have no place in this temple of liberty." The bill was passed 305-113, with 72 Republicans, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, joining 232 Democrats in support of it. The legislation's prospects are uncertain in the Senate, and it's not known if President Trump would sign it. Trump has opposed the removal of Confederate statues elsewhere, and is also against the renaming of military bases named for Confederate figures.

➤MLB SEASON BEGINS TODAY: Baseball is finally back tonight, four months after it was supposed to start, with MLB's coronavirus-delayed, 60-game season getting underway with a game between the reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees, followed by a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. But it's going to be a different experience this year, with no fans in the stands -- replaced by cardboard cutouts of people in some stadiums -- and piped-in sound effects, along with many other rules to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In acknowledgment of the current Black Lives Matter movement, layers will be able to put a patch with "Black Lives Matter" or "United For Change" on a sleeve during their opening day games, and teams can stencil an inverted MLB logo with "BLM" or "United for Change" on the back of the pitcher’s mound.

➤ANGELS' TROUT SAYS WILL PLAY THIS SEASON: Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, MLB's best player, confirmed yesterday that he will be playing this season. Trout had initially considered sitting the season out, but the centerfielder told the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that he'd said, "I'm playing." The Athletic said that Trout, who is expecting a baby with his wife next month, had been concerned about coronavirus outbreaks within the league, but had been encouraged by the health protocols that have been put in place.

➤PENNSYLVANIA WON'T LET BLUE JAYS PLAY AT PITTSBURGH'S BALLPARK: Pennsylvania health officials said yesterday that they won't allow the Toronto Blue Jays to play their home games at the Pittsburgh Pirates' PNC Park. Canada had refused to allow the Blue Jays to play in their home stadium, the Rogers Centre, because they'd be frequently traveling across the border from the U.S., where coronavirus cases are surging. The Pirates had appeared willing to share their stadium with the Blue Jays, but the health officials also cited the coronavirus for not allowing it, because it would bring more travelers to the region. AP reported that the Blue Jays are now talking with the Baltimore Orioles about possibly playing their home games at Oriole Park. The Blue Jays' first home game is next Wednesday, after the MLB season begins tonight.

"Super happy to be a part of this organization for the rest of my career." @mookiebetts shares his thoughts on a monumental day for both his family and the #Dodgers organization. pic.twitter.com/XPgUSneQP5

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) July 22, 2020

➤BETTS AGREES TO 12-YEAR, $365 MILLION EXTENSION WITH DODGERS: Los Angeles Dodgers star outfielder Mookie Betts agreed to a 12-year, $365 million extension on Wednesday. The 27-year-old said in a video conference call, "I love everything about here. I'm here to win some rings and bring championships back to L.A." The Dodgers acquired Betts from the Boston Red Sox in a trade over the winter, and he's currently playing out a one-year, $27 million contract. The extension will now keep the former American League MVP with the Dodgers for 13 years.

➤FANS -- IF ALLOWED -- AT NFL GAMES WILL HAVE TO WEAR MASKS: If any fans are allowed at NFL games in the upcoming season, they will have to wear face masks. That's according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, who tweeted yesterday, "Yes, it is league-wide." McCarthy said that while the NFL will require face masks, other stadium decisions, such as if fans will be allowed and the number allowed in, will be up to local authorities.

➤TOKYO OLYMPICS OFFICIALS SAYS GAMES CAN'T BE PLAYED UNDER CURRENT CORONAVIRUS CONDITIONS: The president of the Tokyo Summer Olympics organizing committee said Wednesday that the Games, which have already been delayed to next summer from this year, won't be able to be played if coronavirus pandemic conditions are the same as they are now. Yoshiro Mori said to Japanese broadcaster NHK, "If current situation continues, we couldn’t." Mori said he's hopeful the situation will improve and suggested a vaccine is key. The Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to open on July 23rd, 2021, one year from today.