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Rush Limbaugh says his stage 4 lung cancer has progressed 'in the wrong direction'

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Rush Limbaugh says his stage 4 lung cancer has progressed 'in the wrong direction'

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This is prominence because he is very well known and it is a tragic story.

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Rush Limbaugh's stage 4 lung cancer has progressed "in the wrong direction," the conservative commentator and radio host announced.

More than eight months after revealing his diagnosis, Limbaugh, 69, said Monday on his radio show that his new health developments weren't "dramatic," but had nevertheless recently worsened.

"The idea now is to keep it where it is or maybe have it reduce again," he said, according to a transcript on his website. "We've shown that that is possible. If it happened once, it can happen again. So that's the objective of the current treatment plan."

Limbaugh announced in early February that he had been diagnosed with "advanced lung cancer," confirmed by "two medical institutions back on Jan. 20." Speaking Monday, he said at the time, he did not believe he'd live past September.
More: Rush Limbaugh has advanced cancer. What does that mean? What is stage IV?
"When October 1st hit on the calendar this year, I reminded myself of that thought," Limbaugh said. "If we go back to the end of January, early part of February when I was first told of my diagnosis and the reaction... So given that as a starting point, given that as a baseline, I'm kicking butt - and the future remains pretty good-looking, given all of that."

He added: "This is why I say that I always try to keep everything in perspective on a day-to-day basis and to realize that you just don't know. Nobody does, and you have to give every day."

Limbaugh visited the doctor two weeks ago for "some scans," which showed "some progression of cancer," he said. Previously, his doctors believed the cancer growth had been "reduced" and "manageable." Now, his chemotherapy treatment has been updated in the hopes of keeping "additional progression at bay for as long as possible."

"Some days are harder than others," he said. "I do get fatigued now. I do get very, very tired now. I'm not gonna mislead you about that. But I am extremely grateful to be able to come here to the studio and to maintain as much normalcy as possible - and it's still true."

Limbaugh is the leading conservative talk radio host, a star of the airwaves for more than three decades having gotten his start in the 1970s. According to Talkers, which tracks audience numbers for talk radio, Limbaugh is the most-listened to radio host in the country, with 15.5 million listeners tuning in weekly as of December 2019.

He is an ally and friend of President Donald Trump, who awarded Limbaugh the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one day after revealing his diagnosis at this year's State of the Union address.

Limbaugh was visibly stunned and overcome with emotion.
Contributing: Cydney Henderson 'The prognosis is good':Jeff Bridges reveals he's been diagnosed with lymphoma
"Rush Limbaugh, thank you for your decades of tireless devotion to our country," Trump said during his speech.

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Rush Limbaugh says his stage 4 lung cancer has progressed 'in the wrong direction'

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Rush Limbaugh's stage 4 lung cancer has progressed "in the wrong direction," the conservative commentator and radio host announced. More than eight months after revealing his diagnosis, Limbaugh, 69, said Monday on his radio show that his new health developments weren't "dramatic," but had nevertheless recently worsened.

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Man shot at Bear Wawa after 'altercation' late Tuesday, police say

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Man shot at Bear Wawa after 'altercation' late Tuesday, police say

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The conflict is the police and the shooters viewpoints.

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A 24-year-old man was shot in the parking lot of a Wawa convenience store on Route 40 in Bear late Tuesday night, according to Delaware State Police.

Police said the shooting occurred at 11:58 p.m. at the Wawa at 1100 Pulaski Hwy.

Through an investigation, police determined the man had an altercation in the parking lot and was then shot twice while standing outside his car.

Investigators early Wednesday morning focused on a red SUV parked directly in front of the store surrounded by more than two dozen evidence markers, broken glass, a small amount of cash and other debris.

The man was taken to a hospital and treated for gunshot wounds to his leg and abdomen, police said.

Police ask anyone with information regarding the shooting to contact Detective Bange at (302) 365-8411. Information can also be provided to Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333 or delawarecrimestoppers.org.
Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @holveck_brandon.

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Man shot at Bear Wawa after 'altercation' late Tuesday, police say

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A 24-year-old man was shot in the parking lot of a Wawa convenience store on Route 40 in Bear late Tuesday night, according to Delaware State Police. Police said the shooting occurred at 11:58 p.m. at the Wawa at 1100 Pulaski Hwy.

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Biden calls wife of Glen Ridge police officer who died due to COVID-19

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Biden calls wife of Glen Ridge police officer who died due to COVID-19

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This is prominence because Joe Biden is very well-known and this is a heartwarming story.

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Glen Ridge's Alice Roberts, whose husband died of complications related to COVID-19, appeared on CNN's "New Day" saying she received a compassionate call from Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden.

Roberts spoke with host John Berman on Wednesday morning to express her appreciation for the candidate's phone call, saying she received a similar call from Gov. Phil Murphy, but went on to lambaste President Donald Trump for a lack of compassion.

If he had called, she said, "I would have hung up."

Robert's husband was Glen Ridge Police Officer Charles "Rob" Roberts, who died in April. He received a posthumous promotion to the rank of sergeant the following month.

Alice Roberts has received media attention for a guest column she penned, criticizing the president, that was published by NJ Advance Media.

To continue hosting, what Roberts called "super-spreader" rallies, the president is "spitting on all these loved ones' graves."

Biden, on the other hand, she said, phoned her at about 11 p.m., and spoke with her for 20 minutes, sharing tragedies he has suffered in his life, but understanding that mere words "cannot make a difference."

"It was, honestly, just like talking to a friend," she said of her conversation with Biden. "He's the kind, caring guy and that, to me, is what we need right now in the White House."
Breaking news: COVID in NJ: The second coronavirus wave is here in NJ. Here's why it's different from last time. Gov. Murphy tests negative but will quarantine after two staff members test positive for COVID
Asked about the president's own brush with the disease, she rebuked Trump's public brand as an everyman who identifies with his base.

"I know a lot of people feel he speaks for them, and he's just one of them, but he's not one of us," she told Berman. "He was able to get top-notch medical care" compared to her husband, whose tests were "mixed up" and took weeks to return results.

On whether she expected Trump's demeanor to soften after his illness, she said she expected him to show more empathy for those affected by the disease but quickly backtracked.

"Well, I didn't really think that," she said correcting herself. "It would be silly to think that."
Nicholas Katzban is a breaking news reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all the major news happening in North Jersey, subscribe here. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter. Email: katzban@northjersey.com Twitter: @nicholaskatzban
He has spoken through his actions, she said, further denying any interest in a conversation with him.

Trump's campaign did not immediately return a request for comment.

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Biden calls wife of Glen Ridge police officer who died due to COVID-19

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Glen Ridge's Alice Roberts, whose husband died of complications related to COVID-19, appeared on CNN's "New Day" saying she received a compassionate call from Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden. Roberts spoke with host John Berman on Wednesday morning to express her appreciation for the candidate's phone call, saying she received a similar call from Gov.

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Rehoboth Beach won't host a Christmas tree lighting this year

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Rehoboth Beach won't host a Christmas tree lighting this year

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This is proximity because this only affects the people in DE

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Rehoboth Beach canceled its annual public tree lighting due to COVID-19 restrictions, but the city's Christmas tree will still be on display and lit throughout the holiday season, according to a statement the city released Tuesday.

Every year, thousands of people attend the ceremony, which usually takes place at the Bandstand just after Thanksgiving and features a sing-along and a tall, well-lit tree that's hard to miss.

This year's tree was donated by Jerry Owens of Lewes. And while the actual ceremony was canceled, that shouldn't stop folks from visiting Rehoboth Beach this holiday season.

City officials "encourage all visitors to enjoy the many forms of holiday spirit our hard-working businesses provide," per Tuesday's statement.

Holiday music will be played at the Bandstand and surrounding businesses.

"Come early and stay late," city officials stated. "Please help us support local businesses, enjoy the start of the holiday season, and take a stroll along the boardwalk during the upcoming winter months."
Pole Family is back: Broadkill oil spill: Estimated 215 gallons of oil washes ashore at Delaware's Broadkill Beach: DNREC The Pole Family makes a comeback in Lewes, after careless driver destroyed them

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Rehoboth Beach won't host a Christmas tree lighting this year

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Rehoboth Beach canceled its annual public tree lighting due to COVID-19 restrictions, but the city's Christmas tree will still be on display and lit throughout the holiday season, according to a statement the city released Tuesday.

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University of Delaware plans to bring more students back for spring semester

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University of Delaware plans to bring more students back for spring semester

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This is proximity because it takes place in DE and it affects the students in DE.

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The University of Delaware plans to increase its number of students living in on-campus residence halls from 1,300 to 4,000 for the spring semester, Dennis Assanis, the school's president, announced Wednesday in a message to the school's students, faculty and staff.

UD plans to start its spring semester on February 15, one week later than scheduled, to "reduce campus activities during the flu season, provide more time for a longer move-in process and allow more campus activities to take place in warmer weather."

There will be no spring break, an effort to minimize out-of-state travel.

While the school is aiming to increase face-to-face classes, all classes with 50 or more students will be conducted online.

As Assanis discussed in a town hall session with the university community this month, first-year students and seniors will be given priority to take advantage the expanded capacity on campus.

All of these plans are subject to change.

"Of course, it is difficult to say with certainty what will happen in the weeks and months ahead, so our plans must remain flexible to accommodate the evolving nature of the pandemic," Assanis wrote.

The university is facing a massive budget deficit. A drop in first-year and out-of-state students contributed greatly to a tuition deficit of more than $80 million. Overall, the deficit could fall between $228 million and $288 million for fiscal year 2021.

The university announced another round of cost-saving measures in late September that will include layoffs, a voluntary retirement program and voluntary staff hour reductions. An unpaid leave program similar to a furlough will also occur. Non-union employees will all take a 5% pay cut for the remainder of the fiscal year.

During the town hall presentation in early October, Assanis said the deficit is "directly tied to the pandemic."

The increase to 4,000 students living on campus represents a jump from 20% capacity, the current level, to 60%.

The university's Thanksgiving break begins after classes on Friday, Nov. 20. All classes resume virtually on Nov. 30, and most winter courses will be online.

Assanis said the school would be "ramping up our surveillance testing program from 1,000 tests per week now to about 4,000 tests per week so we can quickly identify COVID-positive individuals and support them appropriately."

This week, UD has reported 27 new cases among students. To date, 372 students and seven employees have tested positive, according to the school's COVID-19 dashboard.

The spring semester will also bring the return to most sports. Winter sports, like men's and women's basketball, begin Nov. 25. All sports postponed from the fall, including football, will begin Jan. 23.

Commencement is planned for May 29, though that is "subject to public health guidelines and requirements."

Delaware State University is still finalizing its plans for the spring semester.

Earlier this month, Wilmington University announced that its spring 2021 semester will continue to be virtual. Delaware Technical Community College said it will do the same, with limited "skills lab" courses and academic support offered on campus.
FIRST DAY: Appoquinimink students, teachers return to buildings TOP TEACHER: This is the winner of Delaware's Teacher of the Year for 2021 Contact Jeff Neiburg at jneiburg@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeff_Neiburg.

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University of Delaware plans to bring more students back for spring semester

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The University of Delaware plans to increase its number of students living in on-campus residence halls from 1,300 to 4,000 for the spring semester, Dennis Assanis, the school's president, announced Wednesday in a message to the school's students, faculty and staff.

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Senate Democrats will boycott Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing vote as GOP vows to move forward.

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Senate Democrats will boycott Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing vote as GOP vows to move forward.

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The conflict is the two viewpoints between Senate Democrats and Amy Coney Barrett.

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WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats say they will boycott a committee hearing Thursday where Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination is set to move forward, a longshot attempt that is unlikely to stall the federal judge's confirmation to the high court.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote tomorrow afternoon on Barrett's confirmation to the high court, a vote that was expected to pass along party lines and send her nomination to the full Senate for a Monday vote - just eight days before Election Day.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats on the committee said in a statement that they wouldn't show up on Thursday to grant these "sham" and rushed proceedings any legitimacy for a nominee that could "take away health care from millions and execute the extreme and deeply unpopular agenda" that Republicans have attempted for years.

"We will not grant this process any further legitimacy by participating in a committee markup of this nomination just twelve days before the culmination of an election that is already underway," the statement said.

Schumer noted on the Senate floor Wednesday evening that Democrats not appearing for the hearing would mean a quorum was not present and thus the committee would not be able to move forward on Barrett's nomination.

"The bottom line is very simple: We should not be moving forward on this nomination," Schumer said from the Senate floor.

The Senate Judiciary Committee's rules outline that at least nine members of the majority (Republicans) and at least two members of the minority (Democrats) need to be present to conduct business. The rules also state that nominations and bills can't move forward unless a "majority of the Committee is actually present at the time."
The path ahead: More: Six conservative justices? 10 ways the Supreme Court could change Amy Coney Barrett hearings conclude: Here's what happens next in Supreme Court confirmation
While Democrats boycotting the hearing would technically mean the committee's rules would bar Republicans from moving forward on Barrett's nomination, it's likely not to stop the process.

Sarah Binder, a political science professor at George Washington University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, noted that "committee rules can't enforce themselves."

"Were a Democrat to raise a point of order in committee against proceeding, GOP majority could easily vote down the objection," she said on Twitter, noting that any attempt to enforce this rule would be quashed by Republicans who hold the majority.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, said the panel will move forward on voting with or without Democrats.
No drama?:Who is Amy Coney Barrett?: Talented judge, popular professor brings solid conservative credentials Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court hearings lacked the drama that Brett Kavanaugh's proceedings had. Here's why.
"Judge Barrett deserves a vote and she will receive a vote. Judge Barrett deserves to be reported out of committee and she will be reported out of committee. Judge Barrett deserves to be on the Supreme Court and she will be confirmed," the South Carolina Republican said. "As to my Democratic colleagues' refusal to attend the markup, that is a choice they are making. I believe it does a disservice to Judge Barrett who deserves a vote, up or down."

Graham said he wasn't worried about the precedent it could set by going around the committee's rules on a quorum, telling reporters, "I worry about the game they're playing, and we're not gonna. She deserves a vote."
Contributing: Nicholas Wu
Democrats had been teasing the possibility they might boycott Barrett's hearings for days. While liberals have harshly criticized the process and Barrett's appointment in the midst of Americans voting in a presidential election, Democrats have acknowledged they don't have the power to halt her confirmation.

Only two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, have voiced opposition to filling the vacancy on the court left by Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death before the election. Two other Republicans would have to join with Democrats in order to halt what appears to be Barrett's inevitable confirmation to the Supreme Court.

While Democrats cannot stop her nomination, they have employed a host of procedural maneuvers to attempt to slow it down.

"Because our Republican colleagues have made such a mockery of the Supreme Court confirmation process, we are not going to have business as usual in the Senate," Schumer said Monday before forcing votes on a series of maneuvers, including an attempt to adjourn the Senate until after the election.

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Senate Democrats will boycott Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing vote as GOP vows to move forward

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WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats say they will boycott a committee hearing Thursday where Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination is set to move forward, a longshot attempt that is unlikely to stall the federal judge's confirmation to the high court.

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Ireland goes back on lockdown: Residents must stay within 3 miles of home through November

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Ireland goes back on lockdown: Residents must stay within 3 miles of home through November

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This is timeliness because it just happened recently.

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DUBLIN (AP) - Ireland is already focused on Christmas. It's a major national priority.

Unless the country can get the COVID-19 pandemic under control, there won't be much Christmas cheer this year in Galway, Cork or Dublin.

With infections on the rise, the government has imposed a tough new lockdown that began at midnight Wednesday, shutting down non-essential shops, limiting restaurants to takeout service and ordering people to stay within five kilometers (three miles) of their homes for the next six weeks.

The restrictions are among the toughest in Europe, and Prime Minister Micheal Martin said he imposed them in part to ensure Ireland can celebrate Christmas "in a meaningful way."

That message has won the support of many business owners, even in the hard-hit hospitality industry which was still recovering from an earlier lockdown that slashed revenue and triggered layoffs in the spring.

Paul Cadden, owner of the Saba Restaurant Group, will have to lay off 20 people, but will do takeaway, hampers, anything necessary, to get by until lockdown ends. He hopes the new restrictions will bring the virus under control in time for the all-important holiday season.

"Nobody wants to be closed, but for the greater good, you know," Cadden told The Associated Press. "It's all to play for for Christmas. And if everybody takes it seriously and, you know, we all lock down and do what we're told, hopefully we can get a run into the December period."

Ireland has had little success in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in recent weeks, even as it has slowly ratcheted up restrictions on social and business interactions. The infection rate stood at 279 cases per 100,000 people in the 14 days through Tuesday, compared with 96 per 100,000 in the period through Sept. 30.

With a population of about 5 million, Ireland has recorded 1,865 deaths related to COVID-19.

In announcing that he was moving the entire country into the highest level of restrictions in the government's five-tier strategy, Martin appealed for optimism at a time many have experienced loss.

"The days are getting shorter and colder, but I ask you to remember this: Even as the winter comes in, there is hope and there is light," he told the nation on Monday night. "It won't be the same Christmas that we've enjoyed in years past, but if we all pull together and follow the spirit of these new rules, it will be a very special time and will give us all some respite from the hardship of the last seven months."

But the measure also makes economic sense to some business owners because it has the potential to save the Christmas season.

Cadden, a past president of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, said that between corporate events and family gatherings, Christmas can account for 40% of the annual revenue for some establishments.

Sean Collender, co-owner of the Kinara chain of Pakistani restaurants, supports the new measures but says the government needs a long-term strategy to prevent a series of lockdowns and re-openings that will be hard on workers and force some businesses to close permanently.

"The government need to come up with a plan, because if we're just shutting to reopen to shut to reopen to shut we have a major problem ahead for all our businesses," he said.

Even those in retail, who will lose key shopping days before the holiday, are hopeful - although they wish the lockdown had come earlier.

Jennie Flynn, owner of the Designist gift and homeware shop in Dublin, is hoping that the shift toward online shopping will help save her Christmas season. Traditionally, about 80% of her business comes from in-store sales this time of year, but she'll be totally reliant on the internet until her shop is allowed to reopen.

"Irish people are very behind this, behind making the best of the situation," she said. "That makes me feel able to keep going."

Business owners seem to be almost willing the lockdown to work because they, like everyone in Ireland, need a break from the loneliness, suffering and death.

"We all want Christmas to happen. We all want time with our families. We all need hugs," Cadden said "And we all need to be able to look forward to sitting around a restaurant table with our friends, sharing great food, having a laugh and saying, 'Wow, got through that.'"
French impose coronavirus curfew: Eerie quiet on streets of Paris Associated Press Writer Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this story.
Belgium tries to stop a COVID-19 'tsunami': Country enacts curfew and closes bars

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Ireland goes back on lockdown: Residents must stay within 3 miles of home through November

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DUBLIN (AP) - Ireland is already focused on Christmas. It's a major national priority. Unless the country can get the COVID-19 pandemic under control, there won't be much Christmas cheer this year in Galway, Cork or Dublin.

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Nashville Airport Authority approves first on-site hotel, releases design images

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Nashville Airport Authority approves first on-site hotel, releases design images

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This is timeliness because it just happened recently.

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A 14-story Hilton will be the first on-site hotel at Nashville International Airport in about three years, the airport authority announced Wednesday, reports the Nashville Tennessean, a USA TODAY Network publication.

A hotel has been planned for two years as part of the larger BNA renovation and expansion program underway.

The developer and brand were approved Wednesday morning by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. It is scheduled to open in late 2023.

Chartwell will finance the roughly $95 million hotel and the airport will fund an attached $82 million four-level parking garage with bonds.

"This high-end hotel, and the many amenities it brings, adds a special touch to our BNA Vision expansion," said airport CEO Doug Kreulen. "It's easy to see the appeal for passengers catching an early morning flight, arriving late at night or who simply want the convenience of a hotel room right here at the airport. We think it will be a popular venue for corporate functions and business meetings with unique airport views and sightlines."

Franklin-based Chartwell Hospitality will erect and operate the building branded by Hilton with 292 rooms including six suites.

A rooftop bar and pool will offer airfield views. Other amenities include a bar and music lounge, high-end restaurant, ballroom, meeting and event spaces and fitness center.

A covered pedestrian bridge will connect it to the terminal.

Construction will begin this fall with Corgan leading the design work.

"We are excited to deliver this modern and luxurious on-airport hotel that is a powerful symbol of the hospitality and global connectivity of BNA," said Chartwell Hospitality CEO Rob Schaedle. "(It) expresses Nashville's spirit of creative innovation and dynamic transformation into a world-class city."

Completed construction on the BNA Vision plan includes a new parking garage, an upgraded International Arrivals Building and added Concourse D.

Security checkpoint expansions will be added to more ticketing and baggage lanes and another new parking garage nearly completed, along with redesigned ride-hailing pickup and dropoff areas. A new pedestrian plaza and administrative building are also nearly complete.
Forget about that empty middle seat: Southwest Airlines to start filling planes in December

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Nashville Airport Authority approves first on-site hotel, releases design images

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A 14-story Hilton will be the first on-site hotel at Nashville International Airport in about three years, the airport authority announced Wednesday, reports the Nashville Tennessean, a USA TODAY Network publication. A hotel has been planned for two years as part of the larger BNA renovation and expansion program underway.

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The Worst Virus Outbreaks in the U.S. Are Now in Rural Areas

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The Worst Virus Outbreaks in the U.S. Are Now in Rural Areas

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This is consequence because it affects everyone that lives in rural areas.

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Note: Rural areas are those counties located outside of metropolitan areas, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. They may include small cities and towns.

The coronavirus was slow to come to Foster County, N.D., a community of just over 3,000 people in the eastern part of the state. When virus cases surged in the Northeast in the spring, the county recorded just one positive case. When national case counts peaked in mid-July, it had recorded just two more.

But by Tuesday, about one in every 20 residents had tested positive for the virus. More than half of those cases were reported in the past two weeks.

Most of the worst outbreaks in the United States right now are in rural places like Foster County. Where earlier peaks saw virus cases concentrated mainly in cities and suburbs, the current surge is the most geographically dispersed yet, and it is hitting hard remote counties that often lack a hospital or other critical health care resources.

Since late summer, per capita case and death rates in rural areas have outpaced those in metropolitan areas.

Note: Rural areas are those counties located outside of metropolitan areas, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. They may include small cities and towns.

The total number of coronavirus cases and deaths in rural places remains smaller than those in cities because of the comparatively low population in rural areas. But the rural share of the virus burden has grown over time.

Now, about one in four deaths from the virus is recorded in a rural county. That stands in contrast to March and April, when almost every death was in a metropolitan area, as the virus tore through the Northeast, after early clusters in the Seattle area and populous parts of California.

These maps show the case rates in rural areas at different points of the national outbreak:

During the summer surge, rural outbreaks occurred more often than they had in the spring, but reported cases per million remained higher in cities and their suburbs than in rural counties.

It was not until August, when the outbreak was receding from Sun Belt cities like Houston, Miami and Phoenix that per capita rates of cases and deaths in rural areas surpassed those in metropolitan areas.

Now, with the national case count and hospitalization rates approaching a third peak, none of the country's biggest hotspots are in a large city. Almost all the counties with the largest outbreaks have populations under 50,000, and most have populations under 10,000. Nearly all are in the Midwest or the Mountain West.

Though the outbreak's geographic spread is expanding, many of the same kinds of places remain at risk for clusters of infections. In Norton County, Kan., the hardest-hit county in the country relative to its population, all 62 residents of one nursing home have been infected with the virus, and 10 have died. A state prison in the county also has an outbreak.

Hospitals across the Upper Midwest and the Mountain West are also feeling the surge. Facilities are struggling with capacity, and in some cases residents are finding that the nearest hospital with available beds is hours away, or in another state.

Earlier this month, hospitals in North Dakota had to turn patients away. Bismarck, the state's capital, had one staffed I.C.U. bed available as of Monday.

Overwhelmed by the record case numbers, North Dakota suspended its contact tracing program this week. New Mexico's governor, also seeing hospital beds fill up in her state, plans to put in effect new restrictions on restaurants, bars and retail stores.

And Alaska, which is experiencing record numbers, provides a cautionary tale: Even with extensive testing and robust contact tracing, the virus is poised to thrive as temperatures drop and people move activities indoors.

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The Worst Virus Outbreaks in the U.S. Are Now in Rural Areas

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Note: Rural areas are those counties located outside of metropolitan areas, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. They may include small cities and towns. The coronavirus was slow to come to Foster County, N.D., a community of just over 3,000 people in the eastern part of the state.

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This is human interest because it is so odd, it is just news.

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Chelsea Moore, a law student, married Christopher Blackwell, who is incarcerated for murder, at the Monroe Correctional Complex in Washington State. He will be released in 2045.

Chelsea Moore and Christopher Blackwell were married Sept. 18 in the visitors' room at the Washington State Reformatory in the Monroe Correctional Complex, where he is a prisoner. Credit... Mark Miller

On the day Chelsea Moore got married, it had been six months since she last saw her fiancé, Christopher Blackwell.

But now Ms. Moore, wearing a mask assigned to her, stood on a designated spot six feet from her soon-to-be husband. The room was empty save for a few chairs and tables and other seemingly storage-bound items haphazardly strewn about and a backdrop depicting a walking bridge in the woods in the early fall.

On Sept. 18, Ms. Moore and Mr. Blackwell were married in the visitors' room at the Washington State Reformatory in the Monroe Correctional Complex, where he is a prisoner.

The only guests were guards and staff and two witnesses.

It was the furthest thing from the wedding of their dreams. Still, it was a day for which Ms. Moore and Mr. Blackwell were grateful.

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Ms. Moore on the way to her wedding. The couple first crossed paths when she volunteered to teach a constitutional law civil liberties class at the prison in the summer of 2017. Mr. Blackwell was in the class.

Mr. Blackwell, 39, is serving two sentences. The first is for a robbery, for which he was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to eight years. The second is for the murder of 17-year-old Joshua May during a home invasion in 2003. Mr. Blackwell was convicted of first-degree murder and received a 38-year prison sentence in 2007. He is not eligible for parole. He will be 61 when his time is served.

He grew up in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, Wash., which was known for its gang violence in the late 1980s and is now being gentrified. He was incarcerated for the first time when he was 12 for stealing a car and would spend the next six years of his life in and out of jail.

While incarcerated, Mr. Blackwell has received a general associate degree from Seattle Central College and is several classes away from a bachelor's degree in political science from Adams State University, which is in Alamosa, Colo. He writes about his experiences in prison and his work has appeared in BuzzFeed, the Marshall Project and Jewish Currents.

Ms. Moore, 32, who grew up in the wealthy community of Ojai, Calif., which she describes as "hippie town nestled in the mountains and known for being a geomagnetic vortex that attracts eccentrics and mystics," is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of Washington. She expects to complete her degree in the next couple of months. Ms. Moore also just started law school at the University of Washington where she is also an instructor and teaching assistant.

It is her aim, she said, to use her education to "do post-conviction review work for people with long sentences."

The pair first crossed paths when Ms. Moore volunteered to teach a constitutional law civil liberties class at the prison in the summer of 2017. Mr. Blackwell was in the class.

Ms. Moore was still finishing her dissertation and interested in criminal justice work when she met his mother, Connie Palmersheim, in February 2019 at a community meeting in Seattle for those interested in sentence reform and parole legislation. The random connection seemed like kismet to Ms. Moore.

"She told me a bit about what Chris was up to and encouraged me to reach out to see if I could help at all," Ms. Moore said in reference to his writing.

Ms. Moore, who is passionate about prison reform, found it a daunting task to receive permission to marry Mr. Blackwell at the prison. Covid-19 protocol made the process even more difficult.

She and Mr. Blackwell began corresponding platonically that February at which time they were both separated from and in the process of divorcing their first spouses. (She had been married three years and her divorce was final in May 2019. He married his first wife in prison in 2012, divorcing in September.)

Their friendship grew through prison email, but, "really it was snail mail where we first started to fall in love," she said. "We have binders and binders full of letters we've written to one another."

Their connection grew over music, movies and books. "We'd send each other songs to listen to that remind us of each other. We sometimes do a book club. We can watch movies together over cable and will write back and forth about them."

After they had begun corresponding, the pair were disheartened to learn there was a Washington Department of Corrections policy that did not allow former volunteers to be on a prisoner's visitation list for three years after the date they stopped volunteering.

They set out to change the policy. "Through a lot of advocacy and persistence we were able to change the wait to a year instead of three years," Ms. Moore said. The new policy went into effect in November 2019, though it has not been posted on the D.O.C. website.

Although neither can remember the precise moment they knew they were in love, both were sure that's precisely what it was. Mr. Blackwell says knowing that Ms. Moore had read through his 360-plus-page juvenile record, and still wanted to be with him, made him sure she was the one.

There was no formal proposal, although she said he did "kind of" propose after writing a list of the 50 things he loved about her. They decided in January 2020 that they wanted to get married.

Megan Rose Donovan has been a close friend of Ms. Moore since 2008, when both were at Occidental College. She said what Ms. Moore needs now "is a friend to confide in and someone who won't pass immediate judgment."

"I also understood that Chelsea's decision to marry Chris would likely create tension in some of her other relationships with friends and family," she added. "So when she told me that they would be getting married I thought, "OK, pretty much everyone in this woman's life is going to have a negative reaction to their relationship."

That very same month, the couple began the long process of applying with the corrections department to get married.

But then the coronavirus pandemic struck and a difficult process became a near impossible one. No prison visitation was allowed - just three months after she had begun regularly visiting him - and virtual marriages were not legal in the State of Washington at the time.

The couple and their two witnesses in the visitor's room at the Washington State Reformatory in the Monroe Correctional Complex. The bride and groom were not allowed to touch. Credit... Mark Miller

In May, they received and signed a marriage packet (which was separate from a marriage license) from the Department of Corrections. "The D.O.C. application requires me to say whether or not I've ever been abused and also that I restate all of Chris's criminal history," Ms. Moore said.

Because of the coronavirus, she felt it was urgent to speed the process. Should they fall ill, they would have no rights in regard to the other without being married.

"Incarcerated people are 550 percent more likely to get Covid-19 and 300 percent more likely to die of it, " she said.

On May 18, Ms. Moore reached out to the D.O.C., including Robert Herzog, the assistant secretary of the Washington State Department of Corrections Prisons Division, and the associate superintendent of the Monroe complex, John Padilla, to inquire about getting married. They were denied at every turn.

Emails were exchanged until mid-June. Her knowledge of the law and the system was invaluable during what she called a stressful process.

Ms. Moore soon learned that the Washington Supreme Court had already proclaimed video marriages were legal on May 29 but had not issued a public statement about it.

Finally, on Aug. 18, after more calls and emails, Mr. Herzog, who had been contacted by State Senator Joe Nguyen at Ms. Moore's request, responded to Ms. Moore. He told her that the prison would allow a virtual ceremony.

The next day, much to her surprise, she was notified that the ceremony could be done in person after all.

The couple received a document that laid out the rules for the in-person ceremony including, "There will be no physical contact at any time between any parties, to include the bride and groom. Failure to follow this expectation will result in immediate termination of the marriage ceremony, an infraction for the incarcerated individual, and suspension/termination of the visitor's visiting privileges."

On the day of their wedding, Mr. Blackwell was taken to the visitation room, wearing his assigned prison uniform and a mask that he had beaded himself with the letters BLM. (Mr. Blackwell is a bead artist, and sold some of the works he has made while in prison to buy Ms. Moore's engagement ring. "Chris worked hard to sell his beadwork and make enough money to buy me a ring, a yellow diamond ring that has two crescent moons and one full moon in it," she said.)

Ms. Moore's arrival to her wedding was delayed 40 minutes because of the prison's entry process, which she described as humiliating. Ms. Moore wore a long, sheer, white dress that had a knee-length slip beneath it. After prison officials measured the hem length, and then the height of her heels, she was then told the dress showed too much cleavage. "So I had to zip up my jacket," she said. "These are just some of the small indignities that someone who visits an incarcerated person has to suffer."

When she did finally walk in the room, the bride and groom had tears in their eyes.

They were relieved.

"We were in constant fear of retribution," Mr. Blackwell said, "of me being put in the hole, of the ceremony being stopped, of Chelsea losing her visitation rights."

Ms. Donovan, who served as the one witness Ms. Moore was allowed to have in attendance, said the ceremony "was surreal."

She stood more than six feet away from the couple as the bride read her vows.

"I know our life together will not be easy, but loving you is," Ms. Moore said through her mask. "And I promise to love you without regards to convenience or circumstance. This marriage is not the first mountain we have had to move to be together and it will not be the last."

Both said the ceremony, led by a prison chaplain, Brian Henry, passed in what felt like an instant. "We signed the papers, took a few photos, and then we were told the ceremony was over," Mr. Blackwell said. "It makes me tear up now because I have no idea when we'll see each other again."

Mr. Blackwell's mother said the years her son has spent behind bars have changed him.

Mr. Blackwell, 39, will be 61 when his sentence is served. Credit... Mark Miller

"Despite being surrounded by negativity everyday, somehow he manages to keep a positive attitude," she said. "It's a blessing Chris found the woman of his dreams."

Mr. Herzog of the D.O.C. said he was appreciative of the couple for working within the system.

"We are grateful to Ms. Moore and Mr. Blackwell for helping us work through the challenges to find a safe way to facilitate their marriage and we thank them for helping us define clear protocols to ensure all involved would be safe and secure," he said via email. "We wish them a long and happy marriage."

The couple are in the early stages of forming a nonprofit group, Look2Justice, which will work for comprehensive sentencing reform in Washington, especially for people who committed crimes as young adults.

"We have a clear passion for the same things," Mr. Blackwell said by phone. "We care about people. We care about equality."

In an email, Ms. Moore cites current brain science, which, she said, "tells us that an individual's brain is not fully developed until around their 25th birthday. In Washington, people can't even buy tobacco until they're 21, yet in sentencing we treat anyone above the age of 18 the same. This legislation would provide people who received long sentences before the age of 25 to eventually be considered for parole."

Mr. Blackwell was 23 when he was convicted of murdering Mr. May. Mr. Blackwell has said that he believes his juvenile convictions prejudiced the no-parole aspect of his sentencing.

Ms. Moore spoke to her family after the ceremony.

"They're not excited, but they're supportive, which is what I expected," she said. "I'm so happy. I love him so immensely. I can't picture a life without him and I don't want to. Any life can turn difficult at any moment. I just followed my heart on this one."

Above all else, Ms. Moore said she and Mr. Blackwell are grateful. Not only to be married but also because now other couples with an imprisoned partner will also have the opportunity to marry as well.

"Marriage is a human right," Mr. Blackwell said. "To say someone can't love is simply inhumane."
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Chelsea Moore, a law student, married Christopher Blackwell, who is incarcerated for murder, at the Monroe Correctional Complex in Washington State. He will be released in 2045. On the day Chelsea Moore got married, it had been six months since she last saw her fiancé, Christopher Blackwell.

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End Sars protests: People 'shot dead' in Lagos, Nigeria

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End Sars protests: People 'shot dead' in Lagos, Nigeria

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This is consequence because it affects Nigerians, police, their families, and the people that live around them.

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A number of people have reportedly been shot dead or wounded at a protest against police brutality in Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos.

Witnesses and the rights group Amnesty International said several people were killed and wounded when soldiers opened fire.

The state governor said about 25 people had been wounded but only one person had died.

An indefinite 24-hour curfew has been imposed on Lagos and other regions.

Protests over a now-disbanded police unit - the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) - have been taking place for two weeks, with demonstrators using the social media hashtag #EndSars to rally crowds.

As tensions continued to rise on Wednesday, police in different districts of Lagos fired shots in the air to disperse people defying the curfew, the BBC's Nduka Orjinmo reports from the capital, Abuja.

Protesters who briefly gathered again at the Lekki toll gate - where Tuesday's shootings took place - were forced out by police, he adds.

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed for "understanding and calm".

However, plumes of smoke could be seen above Lagos on Wednesday.

A reporter for AFP news agency said several buildings were in flames around the Lekki area. A bus station was reported to be on fire in another district while a major TV station - linked to one of the governing party's top politicians - was reportedly set alight by people throwing petrol bombs.

The headquarters of the Nigerian Ports Authority was also set on fire, local media said.

What do we know about the shooting?

Witnesses spoke of uniformed men opening fire in the wealthy Lekki suburb on Tuesday evening.

Soldiers were seen barricading the protest site moments before the shooting, BBC Nigeria correspondent Mayeni Jones reports.

Social media footage streamed live from the scene shows protesters tending to the wounded.

An unnamed witness told BBC News that shortly before 19:00 local time soldiers "pulled up... and they started firing directly" at peaceful protesters.

"They were firing and they were advancing straight at us. It was chaos. Somebody got hit straight beside me and he died on the spot," he said.

Four witnesses told Reuters news agency that soldiers had opened fire on demonstrators. One of them, Alfred Ononugbo, 55, said: "They were firing into the crowd. I saw the bullet hit one or two persons."

In a tweet, Amnesty International Nigeria said it had "received credible but disturbing evidence of excessive use of force occasioning deaths of protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos".

How have the authorities reacted?

In a statement on Wednesday, President Buhari did not directly refer to the shootings, but called on people to have patience as police reforms "gather pace".

A statement issued by his office said the dissolution of the Sars was "the first step in a set of reform policies that will deliver a police system accountable to the Nigerian people".

"The presidency wishes to reiterate the full commitment of the Buhari administration to the implementation of lasting police reforms in Nigeria," it added.

The army has not issued a statement on events in Lekki, but in several Twitter posts it described media reports as "fake news".

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who visited hospitals on Wednesday, said about 25 people had been wounded in what he described as an "unfortunate shooting incident".

He initially said no-one had been killed but later said one person had died in hospital due to "blunt force trauma to the head".

Contradicting the army, he told the BBC's Newshour programme that the military had been at the scene at the time of the shooting despite public assurances that soldiers would not be deployed until after the start of a curfew at 21:00.

"I think about seven o'clock or thereabouts there was a small unit of the military that went [to Lekki] and we heard that gunshots were fired," he said.

What other reaction has there been?

And former US Vice-President Joe Biden - who is standing against President Donald Trump in next month's election - also urged authorities to end the "violent crackdown on protesters".

"The US must stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption in their democracy," he said in a statement.

Nigerian footballer Odion Jude Ighalo, who plays for Manchester United, accused the Nigerian government of killing its own citizens. "I'm ashamed of this government," he said in a video posted on Twitter.

Nigeria reacts to harrowing scenes

Analysis by Mayeni Jones, BBC Nigeria Correspondent

It was a bleak night in Nigeria as social media footage from the shooting poured in, showing gunshots ringing out at the protest site long into the night.

This is not the first time the Nigerian army has been accused of shooting unarmed protesters. There have been reports of violent crackdowns on EndSars protesters in other parts of the country.

But seeing live rounds used at one of the protest sites that had been peaceful until last night has rattled many. Just last week I stood at the very site of the shooting.

The protesters were peaceful, organised, hopeful for the future of their country. But this is no more.

Harrowing social media videos showing protesters singing the national anthem as shots ring out in the background have caused outrage.

Multiple online accounts say the CCTV and lights were taken out at the toll gate where the protest took place before troops started advancing, leading to total chaos.

These details are galvanising a generation already disillusioned with the ruling class. The Nigerian government is running out of time to quell the growing dissatisfaction.

How did the unrest begin?

Protests began nearly two weeks ago with calls for the Sars police unit, which had been accused of illegal detentions, assaults and shootings, to be disbanded.

President Buhari dissolved the unit on 11 October.

But the demonstrators called for more changes in the security forces as well as reforms to the way the country is run.

Mr Sanwo-Olu has said that criminals have hijacked the protests.

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End Sars protests: People 'shot dead' in Lagos, Nigeria

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A number of people have reportedly been shot dead or wounded at a protest against police brutality in Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos. Witnesses and the rights group Amnesty International said several people were killed and wounded when soldiers opened fire. The state governor said about 25 people had been wounded but only one person had died.

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This is human interest because it s so emotional and odd, it is news.

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(Newser) - A lemur has been stolen in an apparent break-in at the San Francisco Zoo, according to police, who are actively searching for 21-year-old Maki. The ring-tailed lemur, who was born at the zoo, was last spotted inside the Lipman Family Lemur Forest-touted as the largest outdoor lemur habitat in North America-on Tuesday evening, but he had vanished by Wednesday morning. "We found evidence of forced entry, meaning there was damage to the enclosure," San Francisco police officer Robert Rueca tells KABC. Dr. Jason Watters, the zoo's executive vice president of animal behavior and wellness, notes Maki "has exceeded median life expectancy of 16.7 years," making him "one of the slowest, and we believe, likely, the easiest to catch" of the zoo's 19 lemurs.

"We understand that lemurs are adorable animals, but Maki is a highly endangered animal that requires special care" and "a specialized diet," adds Watters. Not to mention lemurs are banned as pets in California. Officials and police are pleading with the public for help in finding the lemur so he can be reunited with his carers and offspring. "We need your help in locating 'Maki' the stolen Lemur!," reads a tweet from police. "If spotted please dial 911 and be prepared to provide as much detail as possible." Public tips have proved helpful in the past. That's how authorities were able to capture two koalas stolen from the zoo by two teenagers in December 2000, per ABC News. The San Francisco Chronicle reported the animals were meant as a late Christmas gift for one of the teen's girlfriends. (Read more San Francisco Zoo stories.)

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A lemur has been stolen in an apparent break-in at the San Francisco Zoo, according to police , who are actively searching for 21-year-old Maki. The ring-tailed lemur, who was born at the zoo, was last... Science News Summaries. | Newser