OLYMPIA Coffee shops, construction companies, bars, casinos, long-term care facilities, a hospital.
Throughout the COVID-19 state of emergency, some businesses across Spokane struggled to follow guidelines.
Some chose to stay open despite regulations because they feared losing business. Others failed to offer proper social distancing for employees or signs to customers about wearing masks.
As of the first week of May, the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) had issued $7.3 million worth of fines to businesses failing to follow COVID-19 guidelines or mask mandates. The state Liquor and Cannabis Board received 11,836 complaints about bars refusing to follow guidelines.
From January to March of this year alone, 25 Spokane businesses received citations from L&I, totaling nearly $174,000. The county had the second-highest number of businesses cited during this period, following King County, which cited 26 businesses. Pierce County was third, citing 19.
Clearly, Spokane is just a small slice, L&I spokesman Tim Church said.
The businesses in Spokane with the most fines during that time period are:
None of them returned The Spokesman-Reviews request for comment.
Some of the businesses may have appealed their citations, which can take a long time to resolve, Church said.
For the entire state of emergency, 15 Spokane bars were investigated for a COVID-19 related complaint, according to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Most received some sort of warning, but five received some kind of penalty, starting at $500 or a five-day suspension.
The Liquor and Cannabis Board deals only with businesses, such as bars or restaurants, that have some sort of liquor license.
The violations include not having a sign on the door signaling to customers to wear a mask and keeping indoor dining open during a time when it was not allowed or at very little capacity, Church said. For a restaurant or a gym that remained opened when they shouldnt have been, they received fines by the day.
Spokane was in Phase 1 of reopening, which kept the county relatively closed, until mid-February. The county then moved to Phase 2, which still restricted indoor dining to 25% capacity.
Violations are broken down into two categories: general or serious. Both types can be considered willful or not willful, meaning the business disregards known rules or has no idea what the rules are in the first place.
A serious violation has a fee associated with it, and if it is willful, the fine grows.
The fines go up exponentially, Church said.
Much of the $7.3 million in L&I fines statewide come from a few businesses who stayed open or ignored worker safety. Gebbers Farm Operations in Brewster received a more than $2 million fine in December after workers complained about COVID-19 conditions. Stuffys II Restaurant in Longview is facing nearly $1 million in citations. Maple Valley Fitness is facing more than $412,000 in fines, Church said.
In Spokane County, so far this year, the company with the largest number of fines is Coles Coffee Shop in Spokane Valley.
The coffee shop had three inspections in February, each resulting in multiple COVID-19 violations. The shop had 14 serious COVID-19 violations totaling more than $126,000 in fines.
One of the citations alleged the coffee shop was open for business and offering indoor dining services despite the states emergency orders prohibiting businesses from offering indoor dining at the time.
COVID-19 remains a significant health risk that has continued to worsen in Washington State and continued operations in contravention of the orders of the Governor unnecessarily endangers employees and creates a substantial probability that death or serious harm could result, the citation reads.
L&I said information about where the citations are in the potential appeals process was not immediately available.
Either a member of the public or an employee can submit COVID-19 complaints to L&I at the states coronavirus response website. L&I oversees both public-facing businesses, such as a grocery store, and businesses that arent public-facing, such as a construction or manufacturing company.
Many of the large citations are likely in the appeals process, which could go on for some time, Church said. Smaller fines likely are paid sooner because it can cost more to appeal than pay the fine.
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center received a $4,200 fine in March of this year for not ensuring their employees practiced social distancing at nursing workstations, report rooms, and break rooms, according to the citation.
A statement from Providence Health Care said the citation alleged the need for additional social distancing during employee breaks in several areas of the hospital: Providence is cooperating with Labor & Industries, we have addressed the allegation and have appealed the violation. That process is on-going.
When L&I visits a business, inspectors come unannounced, Church said.
Lilac Lanes and Casino general manager Ernie Williams said it was frustrating that they did not get a warning or time to fix their issues before receiving a fine.
The bowling alley and casino in Spokane received a $3,600 fine.
Williams said the citation alleged they did not have enough signage for social distancing or masks, and a few customers were not wearing masks properly.
Williams said they fixed everything immediately.
They appealed the fines and got them down to $2,700, Williams said. Theyve since paid the fine, which added to the million-dollar debt theyve incurred since the pandemic started.
He said it was completely unfair that they did not get a warning. He said they always protected their staff and customers.
We never endangered our staff at all, he said. It was frustrating.
Other businesses cited by L&I in Spokane include Super 1 Foods, which received a $2,700 fine for not ensuring employees properly social distanced or wore a mask. Super 1 Foods did not respond to comment by press time.
Most of the other businesses cited this year are construction or manufacturing companies in Spokane.
Laurel Demkovich's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspapers managing editor.
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Britain reported on Sunday 2,235 more cases of COVID-19 and five further deaths within 28 days of a positive test, official data showed.
The total number of people to have received a first vaccine dose reached 37,943,681, the data also showed.
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UK reports 2235 more COVID-19 cases, five further deaths - Reuters
WINK NEWS
Experts are now saying people who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 may need a booster shot in nine to 12 months.
Originally, they said it would be at the one-year mark, but Dr. Jill Roberts with the University of South Florida said once youve made it to a year after being fully vaccinated, you can run the risk of getting COVID-19 at that point as the antibodies from the vaccine wear off.
You need to protect yourself from that loss of antibodies and the booster shot will also stop people from getting infected by variants of the virus.
A variant results because a virus when it replicates, it makes mistakes. So the type of virus that coronavirus is, it makes a lot of mistakes and when it replicates itself, it doesnt do it perfectly and the result is a mutation or a variant, Roberts said.
She said this shot will continue to stop mutations and the booster will better protect people, and vaccines can also be updated to target any new variants.
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COVID-19 booster shot needed within 9 to 12 months, doctor says - Wink News
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Licking County Sheriff Captain Chris Barbuto walks by a dental chair in the medical wing at the Licking County Justice Center in Newark, Ohio on May 6, 2021. (Photo: Ty Wright/The Advocate)
NEWARK -Over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Licking County officials are uncertain about what the future of the countys jail population could, or should, look like beyond the pandemic.
Days after the novel coronavirus was declared a global pandemic, the Licking County Sheriffs Office instituted policies that would help them prepare for the possibility of an outbreak, lowering their jail population by 26%. The changes allowed jail staff to make room for isolation and quarantine areas in the jail in case of a coronavirus outbreak.
More:Licking County Jail population reduced by 26% in preparation for coronavirus
Licking County's judges were asked to make a decision on who they wanted to release from the jail and they considered numerous factors including the time left on an individual's sentence and the nature of the offense. For those in jail on probation violations, most of those released had completed a majority of their sentence. Some people were placed on GPS monitoring.
In another effort to curb the jail population, area law enforcement began issuing more summonses rather than making arrests for non-violent offenses.
During a recent interview with Licking County Justice Center Commander Capt. Chris Barbuto, he said their COVID-19 policies for the jail still remain intact.
Licking County Sheriff Captain Chris Barbuto (left) and Lieutenant Craig Ford walk through the Orientation Unit at the Licking County Justice Center in Newark, Ohio on May 6, 2021. If inmates contract COVID-19 they are housed in the Orientation Unit where they are quarantined for 10 days . They are checked on everyday, at least once a day, while they are quarantined in the unit.(Photo: Ty Wright/The Advocate)
"Now we're in a position where obviously any violent felony or misdemeanor or probation violation that's done from a violent felony or misdemeanor, we take regardless of a screening. We do have a screening process," he said. "Even if an inmate is on a misdemeanor charge or OVI commit, if we have the space, we will take them."
He explained if an inmate is refused due to a screening, the jail will incarcerate the individual depending on the circumstances.
According to Barbuto, some of their screening involves checking for temperatures and any COVID-related symptoms, along with whetherthe individual had been around anyone with symptoms recently.
More:Licking County jail COVID-19 restrictions create revolving door for Newark property crime
Looking to the future, Barbuto said their agency has been and will continue taking their guidance from the Ohio Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevnention, and the Licking County Health Department.
"We are learning as a facility the way the community is learning how to operate with COVID. I don't know as far as the future, what the jail will look like," Barbuto said. "Obviously we want the pandemic to end and go back to the way we were, but we continue to take our clearance from the CDC and health departments."
Barbuto emphasized that area law enforcement, the probation departments, the judges and the jail have worked well to balance those who need to be in the jail with the health and safety of the jail community, and the public. He also noted the Licking County Health Department recently began vaccinating inmates for COVID-19 on a voluntary basis.
According to data provided by the Licking County Prosecutor's Office, their agency had 702 cases filed as either an indictment or a warrant in 2020. Of that number, 232 involved violent offenses.
One of the exam rooms in the medicals wing at the Licking County Justice Center in Newark, Ohio on May 6, 2021.(Photo: Ty Wright/The Advocate)
As of May this year, the agency has filed 270 cases as either an indictment or warrant and of those, 68 have involved violent offenses.
When it comes to the jail population, Licking County Common Pleas Judge David Branstool said he thought as things open up and life resumes in some ways to how it used to be, whatever processes the jail has in place now may go away.
If that all goes away, will the jail population increase? Maybe, the judge said. He explained court officials have struggled in cases where an individual is on pre-trial release or on community control supervision and for example, continue to use substances. Branstool said its been hard to deal with situations like that because sometimes their only option is to save the person from themselves through temporary incarceration.
Adult Court Services Director Michele Hamann said their department has been challenged to look at other options aside from incarceration.
What do we do with people other than putting people in jail? Hamann questioned. I think thats always going to be a challenge and that still needs to continue to be a challenge even when the jail opens, is what do we do with people that struggle with mental health, substance abuse, (and other things)?
Licking County Sheriff Captain Chris Barbuto (left) and Lieutenant Craig Ford walk through the Orientation Unit at the Licking County Justice Center in Newark, Ohio on May 6, 2021. If inmates contract COVID-19 they are housed in the Orientation Unit where they are quarantined for 10 days . They are checked on everyday, at least once a day, while they are quarantined in the unit.(Photo: Ty Wright/The Advocate)
The director said she understands they have to look at how they handle non-violent offenders in a different way. She noted their agency is already doing that through T-CAP, or Targeted Community Alternatives to Prison. Their office, she said, does a good job looking at other avenues and are working to come up with different ways to sanction people, but in some cases, said they need to be able to "back up their bark."
According to Hamann, their agency used GPS units on probationers less in 2020 than in 2019. She noted their biggest use of the devices was when they were in the office more, toward the end of 2020.
"If we could not get people in jail, we used GPS and house arrest - things we typically do now," she explained. "The success was not always great, because we could stop them from using and sometimes absconding."
At Licking County Municipal Court, Judge David Stansbury said the countywont reach one day suddenly where people say the pandemic is over and were back to normal.
Its going to be a fluid transition. I think its a very complicated situation because jail space is at even more of a premium given the limitations on the common pleas court judges in imposing prison sentences, Stansbury said.
Although he wasnt certain how he compares to other judges when it comes to incarcerating individuals upon conviction, he said I will probably still continue to be reluctant to impose jail time on offenses that arent violent for the reason we want to keep the pressure off the jail as far as their population is concerned.
Although Licking County officials are uncertain what the jail population could look like after a return to some normalcy, they agreed some things brought on by the COVID-19 pandemicwill remain.
Branstool said COVID-19 has opened a lot of eyes in the judicial system to different processes.
"It's been over a year now that we've kind of experienced this first shutdown. And we've adapted the best we've been able to, and that means we've done a lot more video conferences, video hearings when thats a possibility, Branstool said. And a lot of times that means were setting up video conferences with incarcerated peopleThe impetus for that was COVID.
A dental chair is seen in the medical wing at the Licking County Justice Center in Newark, Ohio on May 6, 2021.(Photo: Ty Wright/The Advocate)
Branstool said he thought video conferences would likely continue beyond the pandemic for things like competency and sanity hearings.
According to Stansbury, his court switched over to telephone pre-trial conferences early in the pandemic and because it's more efficient, that will likely continue. Municipal court also established three YouTube channels for the public to watch court proceedings and weddings.
"As far as the jail is concerned, we adapted when it was really rough to get anyone in there, when they had some significant concerns about COVID," Stansbury said. "We did use GPS units, strict house arrest...(for example) in lieu of putting someone in jail for three days for a drug court sanction. As far as offenses of violence are concerned, nothing has changed from pre-COVID cases. Those cases obviously take priority."
More: Licking County sees record number of accidental drug deaths in 2020
Hamann said like others, their department, including theday reporting program, began using Zoom and making video contact through their case management system, Ohio Community Supervision System during the pandemic. Looking ahead, Hamann said they're planning to keep in contact with some, such as some diversion cases, through video.
In addition to using those video programs, Hamann said their agency filed motions to revoke someone's probation quicker for community safety, noting normally they try to use other sanctioning tools before revoking probation. After they were allowed more contact, she said they increased drug testing, physical reporting and sent people to as many treatment locations that were accepting people. She noted a concern about drug overdoses.
"I think when you talk about what did we learn from this, it's better use of technology and video," Hamann said, the pandemic encouraged people to think outside the box at other options available.
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Future of Licking County jail population beyond COVID-19 uncertain - The Newark Advocate
Daniel Clarke Petersen(Photo: Provided by Debra Petersen)
This obituary is part of We Will Remember, a series about those weve lost to the coronavirus.
Daniel Clarke Petersen, who stood 6-foot-10, was known as a gentle giant who always had a smile on his face and who loved spending time with family and friends.
Petersen, 30, died April 22, 2020, at the University of Michigan Hospital of complications from COVID-19.
He was a graduate of Farmington High School beforeattendingVisions Unlimited, a post-secondary program that serves young adults with developmental and physical disabilities.
"He learned life skills in regard to transitioning out of school, including job skills,"his mother, Debra Petersen, said about his time at Visions Unlimited.
Daniel Petersen at a swim meet in March 2008(Photo: Provided by Debra Petersen)
Petersen participated in the Special Olympics on Team Farmington and enjoyed various sports, especially swimming, in his free time.
Hewas very family-oriented and always celebrated the success of others, recalls his sister Bethany Petersen, who added:Daniel loved his family and was so proud of his sisters. He would tell everyone how his sister Katie played volleyball for U of M Dearborn, that his sister Lauren was a wonderful teacher and that his sister Bethany is a child life specialist at U of M."
Some of his favorite pastime activities includedplaying Xbox, being in a gamers club and participating in other activities at the Living and Learning Enrichment Center in Northville. The centers mission is to help individuals with autism and related challenges reach their full potential in work, relationships and in the community.
From left to right: Eric Wasiloff, Lauren Wasiloff (holding James Wasiloff), Daniel Petersen, Debbie Petersen, Don Petersen, Katie Petersen and Bethany Petersen.(Photo: Provided by Debra Petersen)
Bethany Petersen recalled that her brother was known for being kind and caring and always made sure that his friends had somewhere to go on holidays.
"He would invite them into our family to celebrate days such as Thanksgiving, Christmasand Easter with us, and treated them so well, making sure they were fed and had gifts to open," she said.
At times, Petersen was a man of few words, according to Bethany, but when it came to history, he loved to talk with veterans about their military experiences.
He also enjoyedtrying different foods, going to themoviesandvisitingthe assisted-living home wherehis grandmother lived. While there, he spent time being a bingo caller.
Daniel Petersen(Photo: Provided by Debra Petersen)
Petersen loved animals, especially his golden retriever named Brody, and was a volunteer with the Humane Society.
Bethany Petersen had COVID-19 first and suffered extreme fatigue, fever, shortness of breath, weakness, distorted taste, chills and body aches. Hermother also became sick and tested positive for the coronavirus.
I still have ongoing fatigue and headaches since recovering from COVID, Debra Petersen said.
Petersen and his father went to get tested after they started to feel ill.
It progressed very quickly for him, Debra Petersen said of her son.
On April 17, Petersenwas admitted to the University of Michigan Hospital. On April 19, he was put on a ventilator, and hedied a few days later.
Two hours after Petersen died, his father, who was experiencing a high fever, chills, body shakes, shortness of breath and distorted taste, was admitted to the University of Michigan Hospital, but he recovered.
Petersen is survived by his parents, Donald and Debra (Crane); sisters Lauren (Eric), Katherine and Bethany; two nephews; grandmother Elizabeth Crane, and aunts, uncles and cousins.
"We are resting in the happy memories of Daniel and knowing he lived a life of love and service," Bethany Petersen said.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Michigan Humane Society or the Living and Learning Enrichment Center.
The family has a visitation planned 4-8 p.m. July 23 at Heritage Park in Farmington and a celebration of life at 3 p.m. July 24 at Greenmeadin Livonia.
If you have a family member or close friend who has died from COVID-19 and you would like to share their story, please visit our memorial wall and select Share a story.
Brendel Hightower is an assistant editorat the Detroit Free Press.Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com.
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Indias giant outsourcing firms are facing a two-front challenge: protecting the health of millions of employees as the nation suffers the worlds worst Covid-19 crisis, and ensuring that their work continues as usual for the big Western companies on their client lists.
Companies like Infosys Ltd. , Wipro Ltd. and Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. , known as TCS, have built up armies of workers who serve global clients like Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc.s Citibank and Vanguard Group, doing everything from running call centers to writing computer code. The companies, along with Western tech businesses with large India-based staffs, are dealing with absences of sick workers, trying to help stricken employees find oxygen and getting vaccine shots for others at a time when such resources are scarce.
I dont think anyone can downplay the challenge, said Sandip Patel, International Business Machines Corp.s managing director for India. IBM is working to vaccinate its 100,000-plus staff in India, and providing them with services such as medically supervised quarantining in hotels.
What were going through right now has no management or operational playbook, Mr. Patel said.
India has logged more than 25 million Covid-19 infections and over 280,000 deaths; months earlier, it appeared the nation had contained a first surge of the virus.
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Indias Covid-19 Crisis Tests the Worlds Back Offices - The Wall Street Journal
Doctors in Texas reported seeing a number of patients who had COVID-19 symptoms but those patients did not have COVID-19.
Per KBTX, doctors said there has been an increase in upper and lower respiratory illnesses in recent weeks as mask mandates have lifted and restrictions have been eased in businesses and retail locations.
Doctors said they werent surprised by this happening, either.
Back in April 2020, National Jewish Health released a breakdown of the differences between colds, influenza and COVID-19, showing some similar symptoms and some slight differences.
There are also some cases where people have been feeling allergy symptoms, which are also close to COVID-19. Dr. Lisa Lockerd Maragakis, senior director of infection prevention at the Johns Hopkins Health Systems in Baltimore, Maryland, said back in fall 2020 that you cant escape seasonal illnesses.
In Utah, cases of the respiratory syncytial virus and the flu are down because of the coronavirus pandemic, as the Deseret News reported. A lot of this has been attributed to face masks and pandemic health measures.
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COVID symptoms appear in Texas patients, but its not COVID. What is it? - Deseret News
BOSTON Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced that the Commonwealth is on track to meet the goal of vaccinating 4.1 million residents by the first week of June and all remaining COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted effective May 29.
The Commonwealths face covering order will also be rescinded on May 29. The Department of Public Health will issue a new face covering advisory consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions updated guidance. Face coverings will still be mandatory for all individuals on public and private transportation systems (including rideshares, livery, taxi, ferries, MBTA, Commuter Rail and transportation stations), in healthcare facilities and in other settings hosting vulnerable populations, such as congregate care settings.
Governor Charlie Baker will end the State of Emergency June 15.
The Administration also announced updates that will be effective May 18 to revise face covering requirements for youth and amateur sports and other guidance relating to childcare programs and K-12 schools. The Administration will release updated guidance for summer camps effective May 29.
The Administration is able to take these steps to reopen the Commonwealths economy because Massachusetts is on track to meet the goal set in December to fully vaccinate over 4 million individuals by the first week of June. The Commonwealth leads the nation in vaccinating residents, with 75% of adults receiving at least one dose. To date, over 4 million residents have received a first dose, with 3.2 million fully vaccinated.
New cases have dropped by 89% since January 8. COVID hospitalizations are down 88% since January 1 and the positive test rate is down by 88% from peaking at 8.7% on January 1 to 1% today.
Effective May 29
Effective May 29, all industries will be permitted to open. With the exception of remaining face-covering requirements for public and private transportation systems and facilities housing vulnerable populations, all industry restrictions will be lifted, and capacity will increase to 100% for all industries. The gathering limit will be rescinded.
All industries will be encouraged to follow CDC guidance for cleaning and hygiene protocols.
On May 18, 2020, the Administration published the reopening phases, which called for ending restrictions when vaccines became widely available. Today, there are over 975 locations for Massachusetts residents to access vaccines without delay.
Face Covering Guidance
In line with updated CDC face covering guidance, the Administration will rescind the current face covering order and issue a new face covering advisory effective May 29.
Non-vaccinated individuals are advised to continue wearing face masks and to continue distancing in most settings. The advisory will also recommend fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a face covering or social distance indoors or outdoors except for in certain situations.
Face coverings will still be required for all individuals on public and private transportation (including rideshares, livery, taxi, ferries, MBTA, Commuter Rail and transportation stations), healthcare facilities and providers, congregate care settings and health and rehabilitative day services.
Face coverings will also remain required indoors for staff and students of K-12 schools and early education providers.
Link to mask guidance
Youth and Amateur Sports Face Covering Guidance
Effective May 18, the youth and amateur sports guidance will be updated to no longer require face coverings for youth athletes 18 and under while playing outdoor sports. Effective May 29, all youth and amateur sports restrictions will be lifted.
Link to youth sports guidance
K-12, Early Education and Summer Camp Guidance
Effective May 18, guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Early Education and Care will be updated to no longer require masks for outdoor activities like recess and to allow for the sharing of objects in classrooms, in both K-12 and childcare settings. This guidance will remain in effect beyond May 29.
The Administration will release updated guidance for summer camps, effective May 29, which will include no longer requiring masks for outdoor activities.
Link to DESE guidance
Link to EEC guidance
State of Emergency Order
Governor Baker will end the State of Emergency June 15, and the Administration will work with legislative and municipal partners during this period in order to manage an orderly transition from emergency measures adopted by executive order and special legislation during the period of the State of Emergency.
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For a full list of answers to the most frequently asked questions, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have questions about this tool or need help understanding the appointment-making process, call the NC COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center at 888-675-4567. Visit http://www.yourspotyourshot.nc.gov to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines.
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