July 2020

Louisiana has largest spike in virus cases since April

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana has recorded its largest daily coronavirus case spike since April, and the mayor of Baton Rouge announced Wednesday that she is requiring people to wear masks inside businesses in hopes of stemming the worrisome spread of the disease.

La. lawmakers end session with budget deal, tax breaks

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana lawmakers on Tuesday completed a 30-day special session called in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, after awarding millions of dollars in tax breaks to businesses and finishing the state’s multibillion-dollar budget a day before it must take effect.

The $34 billion spending plan approved unanimously by the House and Senate — for the financial year that starts Wednesday — uses federal virus aid to stop deep cuts but sets Louisiana up for future financial problems if state tax collections don’t rebound from the virus outbreak.

House approves $1.5T plan to fix crumbling insrastructure

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic-controlled House approved a $1.5 trillion plan Wednesday to rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into projects to fix roads and bridges, upgrade transit systems, expand interstate railways and dredge harbors, ports and channels.

The bill also authorizes more than $100 billion to expand internet access for rural and low-income communities and $25 billion to modernize the U.S. Postal Service’s infrastructure and operations, including a fleet of electric vehicles.

Census door knockers starting in six states later this month

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Homes in six states across the U.S. can expect to get knocks on their doors from census takers in two weeks as part of a soft launch of the next phase of the largest head count in U.S. history, Census Bureau officials said Wednesday.

Movement for Black Lives plans virtual national convention

NEW YORK (AP) — Spurred by broad public support for the Black Lives Matter movement, thousands of Black activists from across the U.S. will hold a virtual convention in August to produce a new political agenda that seeks to build on the success of the protests that followed George Floyd’s death.

Florida felons seeking voting rights back face court setback

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal appellate court has stayed a lower court ruling that gave impoverished Florida felons the right to vote. The order issued Wednesday disappointed voting rights activists and could have national implications in November’s presidential election.

In May, a federal judge in Tallahassee ruled that Florida law can’t stop an estimated 774,000 disenfranchised felons from voting because they can’t pay back any legal fees and restitution they owe. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle called the law a “pay-to-vote system.”

Louisiana businesses can apply for virus grants on July 28

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana will start accepting applications July 28 from small businesses seeking up to $15,000 grants to help with coronavirus expenses, Treasurer John Schroder announced Wednesday.

The Republican state treasurer said he will use three contractors to help run the website portal for applications. They are to review and approve grant recipients and market the program, which will hand out at least $260 million in grants.

“I expect once somebody qualifies, the check goes out pretty quickly, within days,” Schroder said.

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Stonewall Jackson removed from Richmond’s Monument Avenue

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Work crews wielding a giant crane, harnesses and power tools wrested an imposing statue of Gen. Stonewall Jackson from its concrete pedestal along Richmond, Virginia’s famed Monument Avenue on Wednesday, just hours after the mayor ordered the removal of all Confederate statues from city land.

Trump plans huge July 4 fireworks show despite DC’s concerns

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s July Fourth celebration on the National Mall will feature one of the largest fireworks displays ever and as many as 300,000 face masks will be given away to those who want them — but despite health concerns from D.C.’s mayor, no one apparently will be required to wear them.

Trump made no mention of the masks or of the pandemic overall in a tweet Wednesday on his Independence Day pIans. He thanked corporate donors for supporting “what will, without question, be a special evening.”