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Coronavirus

Monroe ranks No. 1 for COVID occurrence in the state

WOODSFIELD — For the second time this year, Monroe County tops the list for COVID-19 occurrence rate, ranking No. 1 in the state. Monroe County is ranked highest for virus occurrence based on its number of current cases and population size. Although the county has only had 31 new cases reported in the past two weeks, those cases have left the county ranked No. 1 among Ohio's 88 counties in terms of occurrence rate due to its small population of 13,654. According to the latest released data from the Ohio Department of Health, the county has an occurence rate of 277 cases per ...

Woodsfield theater now open for live entertainment

WOODSFIELD — The Monroe Theatre is up and running, and ready to provide the public with live entertainment this year. The venue held its first live show of the season last weekend with dozens more planned in the near future. The theater's in-person shows were put on hold last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led the theater to begin holding live virtual performances in an effort to keep the community connected and entertained. Once entertainment venues were given the green light to reopen, the theater was able to host live shows with limited capacity last summer — 25 ...

NYC strip clubs sue New York state over COVID shutdown

NEW YORK (AP) — A group of New York City exotic dancing clubs sued New York state Thursday, saying it’s not fair that they’re being kept closed when everything from axe-throwing venues to bars with live music and casinos can open up. The lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court claimed that thousands of employees are forced out of work by the state’s ban because of the coronavirus. Defendants included Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state’s liquor licensing authority. Exotic dancing clubs including “Starlet’s,” “Sugar Daddy’s” and “Gallagher’s 2000” in the ...

Report: Fresno chicken plant got tip about virus inspection

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Local health officials gave a heads-up to a California chicken processing plant about a state inspection during the largest known COVID-19 workplace outbreak in Fresno County, The Fresno Bee reported, citing emails obtained through the Public Records Act. Health ...

Students who got partial loan relief to see full discharge

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of students defrauded by for-profit schools will have their federal loans fully erased, the Biden administration announced Thursday, reversing a Trump administration policy that had given them only partial relief. The change could lead to $1 billion in loans being canceled for 72,000 borrowers, all of whom attended for-profit schools, the Education Department said. “Borrowers deserve a simplified and fair path to relief when they have been harmed by their institution’s misconduct,” said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “A close review of ...

Bellaire could get $970K in COVID relief funds

BELLAIRE — Bellaire Village Council members learned Thursday their village is estimated to receive about $970,000 in federal COVID relief money that is expected to be disbursed over a two-year period. Village Administrator Mike Wallace said the village is expected to receive half of the ...