Mark Meadows' 2,319 text messages reveal Trump's inner circle ...

Washington CNN —

CNN has obtained 2,319 text messages that former President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff Mark Meadows sent and received between Election Day 2020 and President Joe Biden’s January 20, 2021 inauguration.

The vast trove of texts offers the most revealing picture to date of how Trump’s inner circle, supporters and Republican lawmakers worked behind the scenes to try to overturn the election results and then reacted to the violence that effort unleashed at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The logs, which Meadows selectively provided to the House committee investigating the January 6 attack, show how the former chief of staff was at the nexus of sprawling conspiracy theories baselessly claiming the election had been stolen. They also demonstrate how he played a key role in the attempts to stop Biden’s certification on January 6.

The never-before-seen texts include messages from Trump’s family – daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner and son Donald Trump Jr. – as well as White House and campaign officials, Cabinet members, Republican Party leaders, January 6 rally organizers, Rudy Giuliani, My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, Sean Hannity and other Fox hosts. There are also text exchanges with more than 40 current and former Republican members of Congress, including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mo Brooks of Alabama and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

The texts include everything from plans to fight the election results to surprising and unexpected reactions on January 6 from some of Trump’s staunchest allies. At 2:28 p.m., Greene, the conservative firebrand who had helped to plan the congressional objections that day, texted Meadows with an urgent plea for help as the violence was unfolding at the Capitol.

“Mark I was just told there is an active shooter on the first floor of the Capitol Please tell the President to calm people This isn’t the way to solve anything,” Greene wrote. Meadows does not appear to reply.

More messages flooded in.

“Mark: he needs to stop this, now. Can I do anything to help?” Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s former acting White House chief of staff, texted Meadows.

“It’s really bad up here on the hill. They have breached the Capitol,” Georgia Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk wrote.

“The president needs to stop this ASAP,” texted GOP Rep. William Timmons of South Carolina.

“POTUS is engaging,” Meadows sent in response to Loudermilk. “We are doing it,” he texted to Timmons.

“Thanks. This doesn’t help our cause,” Loudermilk replied.

Shortly after, Donald Trump Jr. weighed in: “This his(sic) one you go to the mattresses on. They will try to fuck his entire legacy on this if it gets worse.”

“TELL THEM TO GO HOME !!!” texted Trump’s first chief of staff, Reince Priebus.

Heated rhetoric and conspiracy theories

The text messages CNN obtained begin on Election Day, November 3, 2020. Even before the election was called, Meadows was inundated with conspiracy theories about election fraud, strategies to challenge the results and pleas for Trump to keep fighting. The messages – from GOP activists, donors, Republican members of Congress and state party officials – appear to act as an echo chamber affirming Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen. For months leading up to Election Day, Trump had claimed the only way he could lose was if the election was rigged.

Previously disclosed text messages showed that former Trump administration Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., each texted Meadows on November 4 and 5 with ideas for overturning the election.

On November 7, hours before the election was called, Perry texted Meadows again: “We have the data driven program that can clearly show where the fraud was committed. This is the silver bullet.”

While Perry has previously denied CNN reporting about his text messages to Meadows, CNN has confirmed it’s his cell phone and he signed this text, “Rick Perry,” including his number.

Other texts, however, include hints of doubt expressed by members of Trump’s team and even Meadows himself about the veracity of conspiracy theories being spread by Trump’s “kraken” team – outside attorneys working for Trump that included Giuliani and Sidney Powell.

Some key congressional allies who worked with Trump’s campaign initially in its efforts to overturn the election, such as Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, ultimately soured on the approach as the January 6 congressional certification neared, CNN previously reported.

The texts also show how Trump allies were quick to deflect responsibility for the January 6 attack. Shortly after pro-Trump rioters breached the Capitol, one of his top aides began crafting a counter-narrative.

At 3:45 p.m., Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller suggested to Meadows and Trump aide Dan Scavino that Trump should tweet: “Call me crazy, but ideas for two tweets from POTUS: 1) Bad apples, likely ANTIFA or other crazed leftists, infiltrated today s peaceful protest over the fraudulent vote count. Violence is never acceptable! MAGA supporters embrace our police and the rule of law and should leave the Capitol now! 2) The fake news media who encouraged this summer s violent and radical riots are now trying to blame peaceful and innocent MAGA supporters for violent actions. This isn’t who we are! Our people should head home and let the criminals suffer the consequences!”

Trump’s allies in Congress appeared to get the message. At 3:52 p.m., Greene told Meadows: “Mark we don’t think these attackers are our people. We think they are Antifa. Dressed like Trump supporters.”

Five minutes later, Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican, texted Meadows: “Cap Police told me last night they’d been warned that today there’d be a lot of Antifa dressed in red Trump shirts & hats & would likely get violent.”

In the 16 months since January 6, hundreds of indictments have shown nearly all of those who breached the Capitol were in fact pro-Trump supporters.

While Greene was alarmed on January 6, by the next day she was apologizing that the efforts to block Biden’s certification had failed.

“Yesterday was a terrible day. We tried everything we could in our objection to the 6 states. I’m sorry nothing worked. I don’t think that President Trump caused the attack on the Capitol. It’s not his fault,” she wrote the morning of January 7. “Absolutely no excuse and I fully denounce all of it, but after shut downs all year and a stolen election, people are saying that they have no other choice.”

Meadows replied, “Thanks Marjorie.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wears a "Trump Won" face mask as she arrives on the floor of the House to take her oath of office as a newly elected member of the 117th House of Representatives in Washington, U.S., January 3, 2021. Erin Scott/Reuters

Greene is currently facing a legal challenge to disqualify her from running for Congress because of her alleged role in January 6. In court testimony Friday, the Georgia Republican repeatedly deflected or said she didn’t remember what she had said around the events of January 6. The Meadows text logs offer a new glimpse into what she was telling the White House chief of staff in real time.

On December 31, Greene reached out to Meadows for advice about how to prepare for objections to certifying the election on January 6.

“Good morning Mark, I’m here in DC. We have to get organized for the 6th,” Greene wrote. “I would like to meet with Rudy Giuliani again. We didn’t get to speak with him long. Also anyone who can help. We are getting a lot of members on board. And we need to lay out the best case for each state.”

Meadows does not appear to respond.

By January 17, Greene was suggesting ways to keep Trump in office, telling Meadows there were several Republicans in Congress who still wanted the then-President to declare martial law, which had been raised in a heated Oval Office meeting a month earlier.

Greene texted: “In our private chat with only Members, several are saying the only way to save our Republic is for Trump to call for Marshall (sic) law. I don’t know on those things. I just wanted you to tell him. They stole this election. We all know. They will destroy our country next. Please tell him to declassify as much as possible so we can go after Biden and anyone else!”

Again, Meadows does not appear to respond.

What Meadows turned over

Meadows provided the cache of 2,319 messages to the January 6 committee in December 2021. But soon after, he stopped cooperating and refused to appear for a deposition. Ultimately, the House voted to hold the former White House chief of staff in contempt of Congress. The Justice Department has not yet announced whether it will charge Meadows.

Meadows has sued the House committee in an attempt to block the congressional subpoenas. And in a late-night court filing on Friday, the committee responded with new details revealing Meadows was warned ahead of time that January 6 could turn violent, according to testimony from Cassidy Hutchison, one of Meadows’ former White House aides.

In addition, the committee released text messages Meadows exchanged with Republican members of Congress, including texts with Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania about a scheme to replace Justice Department leaders who opposed Trump’s claims of election fraud.

In late December, Perry reached out to Meadows, connecting him to then-DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, who was pushing unfounded claims of voter fraud inside the Justice Department. Trump was considering firing the acting attorney general and installing Clark instead. Clark invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he spoke to the January 6 committee in February.

On December 26, Perry texted Meadows, “Mark, just checking in as time continues to count down. 11 days to 1/6 and 25 days to inauguration. We gotta get going!”

“Mark, you should call Jeff,” he continued. “I just got off the phone with him and he explained to me why the principal deputy won’t work especially with the FBI. They will view it as as (sic) not having the authority to enforce what needs to be done.”

“I got it,” Meadows responded. “I think I understand. Let me work on the deputy position.”

On December 28, Perry reached out again: “Did you call Jeff Clark?” Meadows does not appear to respond.

Meadows withheld more than 1,000 messages from the committee on claims of privilege, the panel said in Friday’s court filing. In his lawsuit, Meadows’ attorney argued the former White House chief of staff “has been put in the untenable position of choosing between conflicting privilege claims.”

Hannity to Meadows: ‘Yes sir’

In addition to the texts the committee has released, CNN and other news organizations have previously published selections of text messages Meadows received from Lee, Roy, Trump Jr., Perry and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife, Ginni Thomas.

The logs obtained by CNN include numerous messages from official White House cell phone numbers. Some have been identified by CNN, others are unknown.

There are also numerous group texts with Trump’s inner circle. The various group chats include Meadows, Ivanka Trump, Trump Jr. and Kushner, as well as top advisers such as Hope Hicks, campaign manager Bill Stepien, Miller and Scavino, among others.

Some texts only include links to news reports and social media. Others appear to contain content that was cut-and-pasted and forwarded. The logs do not contain images or attachments.

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump watch a video featuring Fox host Sean Hannity ahead of Trump's arrival to a campaign rally in Michigan on October 30, 2020. John Moore/Getty Images

Meadows’ messages also include dozens of exchanges with Fox hosts, as well as journalists from the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Politico, Bloomberg, NBC, ABC, CBS and CNN.

Among Meadows’ most frequent interactions were those with Fox’s Sean Hannity, a well-known friend of Trump. Throughout the logs, Hannity both gives advice and asks for direction.

On the afternoon of Election Day, Hannity texted Meadows to ask about turnout in North Carolina.

Meadows responded: “Stress every vote matters. Get out and vote.”

“Yes sir,” Hannity replied. “On it. Any place in particular we need a push.”

“Pennsylvania. NC AZ,” Meadows wrote. “Nevada.”

“Got it. Everywhere,” Hannity said.

For the most part, Meadows’ texts are short, and frequently he does not appear to reply at all. Some conversations include non sequiturs. It’s unclear whether Meadows did not respond to the messages or if the logs are incomplete, because texts could also have been deleted or withheld for claims of privilege.

CNN reached out for comment to all individuals who sent text messages quoted in this story. Meadows and his attorney did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for the January 6 committee declined to comment.

The fight to ‘stop the steal’

The text messages provide a timeline showing how Trump’s team searched all corners for evidence of election fraud and tried to overturn the election. Beginning on Election Day, Meadows was in the middle of it all, from connecting activists pushing conspiracy theories to strategizing with GOP lawmakers and rally organizers preparing for January 6.

The texts also show Meadows was dealing with everything from mediating a fight over who would be on the speaker’s list for the January 6 rally to fielding requests to pay Giuliani’s bills.

“Sir, we are airborne on the way to Michigan from Arizona. We’re going to need a hotel for the team and two vehicles to pick us up,” Bernie Kerik, a Giuliani associate, texted Meadows on December 1.

Reached for comment by CNN, Kerik confirmed the text was his and said that he never received a credit card for those travel expenses, paid for it himself and was later reimbursed.

Other texts show Meadows coordinating with GOP activists in the immediate aftermath of the election.

“Pls get 4 or 5 killers in remaining counts. Need outsiders who will torch the place. Local folks won’t do it. Lawyers and operators. Get us in these states,” American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp texted Meadows on November 4.

“I may need to get you and mercy (sic) to go to PA,” Meadows responded, referring to Schlapp’s wife, Mercedes, who is a former Trump White House aide.

On a few occasions, Trump family members weighed in. Ivanka Trump sent a note on November 5 to a group that included Kushner, Hicks, Stepien, Miller and Meadows: “You are all WARRIORS of epic proportions! Keep the faith and the fight.”

Dozens of Republicans also offered support and advice to Meadows – as well as perpetuated conspiracy theories that were gaining traction in right-wing media.

For instance, Rep. Ted Budd, a North Carolina Republican now running for Senate, suggested in a text on November 7 that Dominion Voting Systems could be connected to George Soros’ company. Dominion has no corporate ties to Soros, a billionaire and frequent target of baseless conspiracy theories, according to a CNN fact check.

On November 6, Rep. Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican, appeared to suggest that state legislatures should appoint electors “in the various states where there’s been shenanigans,” a move he acknowledged would be “highly controversial.” In his text, he wrote the legislatures could appoint “a look doors,” which is phonetically similar to electors.

On December 1, then-Attorney General William Barr infuriated Trump when he publicly stated that the Justice Department did not find widespread evidence of voter fraud. Nevertheless, Meadows received multiple texts pushing back, including from Schlapp later that day: “Happy to walk ag through our evidence. Its (sic) overwhelming.”

The texts also show Meadows reached out to GOP officials in multiple states to lobby for Trump’s cause. On two occasions, Meadows attempted to contact Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was under attack from Trump for certifying Georgia’s election for Biden.

“mr Secretary. Can you call the White House switchboard,” Meadows wrote on December 5. “Your voicemail is full.”

Raffensperger does not appear to reply to the messages.

Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results in Georgia are under investigation by a district attorney in the Atlanta area.

Meadows also received text messages from GOP activists and local officials making outlandish claims, including allegations that “traitors inside our intel agencies” were committing election fraud, as well as baseless charges that voting equipment companies Dominion and Smartmatic had manipulated votes – the same false claims being pushed by Giuliani and Powell.

Both companies have filed billion-dollar lawsuits over the false election claims, including against Fox News, right-wing media organizations, Giuliani, Powell and Lindell.

Throughout the two months, Meadows received dozens of messages from Arizona GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward, who offered what she claimed were examples and sources of voter fraud.

On December 9, she sent a text to Meadows letting him know she’d already reached out to Trump’s executive assistant: “This guy says he’s cracked the whole election fraud and wants to speak to someone. I sent his info to Molly Michael a few days ago, but I’m not sure it went anywhere.”

“I will call him,” Meadows responded.

MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell, speaks to reporters outside federal court in Washington, Thursday, June 24, 2021. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

Another frequent texter was Lindell, one of the most vocal proponents of baseless election conspiracy theories. Even after courts had dismissed dozens of Trump’s legal challenges, the My Pillow CEO was still pressing the White House.

“Everything Sidney has said is true! We have to get the machines and everything we already have proves the President won by millions of votes!” Lindell texted Meadows on December 20. “This is the biggest cover up of one of the worst crimes in history! I have spent over a million$ to help uncover this fraud and used my platform so people can get the word not to give up!”

Meadows replied, “Thanks brother. Pray for a miracle.”

Reached for comment by CNN, Lindell confirmed the text was his. He told CNN that he has not spoken to Meadows since before January 20, 2021, and that at the time he was “just trying to get an appointment with the President.”

Doubts about election fraud

While Trump and his allies publicly stuck by their claims that the election had been stolen, behind the scenes, Trump’s inner circle – including Meadows – expressed some doubts. Trump’s aides also questioned whether lawyers like Giuliani and Powell were doing more harm than good.

On November 6, Miller, Trump’s campaign spokesman, texted a group, which included Ivanka Trump, Kushner, Hicks, Stepien, Scavino and Meadows, suggesting that the numbers in Philadelphia didn’t back up claims about alleged election fraud there.

“One other key data point: In 2016, POTUS received 15.5% of the vote in Philadelphia County. Today he is currently at 18.3%. So he increased from his performance in 2016. In 2016, Philadelphia County made up 11.3% of the total vote in the state. As it currently stands, Philadelphia County only makes up 10.2% of the statewide vote tally. So POTUS performed better in a smaller share. Sen. (Rick) Santorum was just making this point on CNN - cuts hard against the urban vote stealing narrative,” Miller wrote.

Jason Miller talks on the phone in a meeting room for lawyers of former President Donald Trump during his Senate Impeachment trial on Capitol Hill, February 12, 2021 Jabin Botsford/AFP/Pool/Getty Images

A week later, Miller wrote to Meadows again, this time saying that campaign research did not find any evidence of a conspiracy involving Soros, the Democratic donor. Miller also said he was concerned about sharing the findings with Trump.

“Lots there re: functionality problems, not much there on Dem/Soros conspiracy connections,” Miller wrote on November 13. “Will defer to you on whether or not to share full report with POTUS. POTUS is clearly hyped up on them, not just from his tweets, but he also called me and Justin separately last night to complain. JM.”

On November 20, Meadows was asked by a Florida contact how confident he was about fraud related to Dominion. Meadows texted back: “Dominion, not that confident. Other fraud. Very confident.”

Two days later, Ginni Thomas messaged Meadows with apparent concerns, asking, “Trying to understand the Sidney Powell distancing…”

Meadows responded: “She doesn’t have anything or at least she won’t share it if she does.”

“Wow!” Ginni Thomas wrote back.

In one of the few messages Meadows received from Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law shared a fact check on December 4 debunking one of the most prominent election fraud claims from Georgia. The article showed that despite inflammatory claims of poll workers stashing suitcases filled with ballots under a table, that did not, in fact, occur.

‘Hoping the VP sticks with us’

After the Electoral College affirmed Biden’s win on December 14, Trump’s allies turned their attention to January 6: the congressional certification of the electors and the rally that Trump said on Twitter “will be wild!”

On December 21, Brooks, the Alabama congressman, wrote to Meadows and others in a group text asking whether he should engage with the media about the “formulation of our January 6 strategies.”

“Does the White House want me to reply or be mum?” Brooks wrote. A staunch Trump ally running for Senate this year, Brooks gave an incendiary speech on January 6 but recently fell out of favor with Trump after suggesting Republicans should move on from 2020.

In response to CNN’s request for comment, Brooks said he had “no regrets” about his speech on January 6 and that he was “shocked” by the violence. “I had no inkling,” Brooks added.

Cruz, a Texas Republican who pushed a plan inside the Senate that would have delayed certification of the election, exchanged just a few messages with Meadows – links to his statements posted to social media.

On January 2, the senator sent Meadows his tweet proposing a 10-day audit of the election results.

“Here’s the statement,” Cruz wrote.

“Perfect,” Meadows responded.

The texts also make frequent reference to then-Vice President Mike Pence, who refused to go along with Trump’s plan to try to block the certification on January 6. On December 30, Rep. Brian Babin of Texas expressed concern that congressional leaders might try to short circuit their objections – and that Pence was not on board.

“Dems and some Republicans may well try to shortstop our objection efforts. Hoping the VP sticks with us,” Babin wrote.

On New Year’s Eve, Miller shared a news article with Meadows that Pence opposed a lawsuit intended to help overturn the election. Miller warned that it could be used “to drive a massive wedge between POTUS and everybody else in the party.”

“He’s absolutely going to blow his stack on this if he isn’t already aware,” Miller said of Trump. “Oh boy I don’t understand what the VP was thinking here.”

On January 5, Jordan, the Ohio congressman and close GOP ally of Meadows, weighed in.

“On January 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence, as President of the Senate, should call out all electoral votes that he believes are unconstitutional as no electoral votes at all – in accordance with guidance from founding father Alexander Hamilton and judicial precedence,” Jordan wrote.

Meadows responded the morning of January 6: “I have pushed for this. Not sure it is going to happen.”

The January 6 committee included the text exchange in its Friday court filing as evidence of Meadows’ alleged involvement in the effort to overturn the election.

The logs also show Meadows was involved with planning the rally on January 6, helping to mediate a fight over the speakers list. Trump adviser Katrina Pierson was alarmed at some of the proposed fringe figures who wanted to speak.

Crowds arrive for the "Stop the Steal" rally on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

On January 2 and 3, Pierson wrote to Meadows looking for help.

“Good afternoon, would you mind giving me a call re: this Jan 6th event. Things have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction. Please,” she asked on January 2.

The next day, she reached out again: “Scratch that, Caroline Wren has decided to move forward with the original psycho list. Apparently Dan Scavino approved??”

She continued: “So, I’m done. I can’t be a part of embarrassing POTUS any further.”

Wren was a fundraiser for the Trump campaign and helped organize the January 6 rally. She has been subpoenaed by the January 6 committee.

Less than an hour later, Pierson wrote Meadows that she told Wren she was talking to the White House in order to get her to back down.

“I let her know that I was going to reach out to WH and her tone changed,” Pierson wrote. “So, I’ll continue to build a proper event.”

“Thank you,” Meadows responded.

‘As bad as this can get’

In the aftermath of the violence at the Capitol on January 6, Trump’s inner circle discussed in a group text how to deal with the fallout – and Trump’s suspension from Twitter. At 10:10 p.m. on January 6, Kushner texted the group: “Why don’t we post on his Facebook page since he isn’t locked out there.”

In the final days of Trump’s term, as he faced impeachment for a second time, Meadows received words of encouragement from staunch allies, as well as caution from advisers.

“I would like to pass to POTUS that we are still with him, I believe in him and I want to encourage him,” Rep. Andrew Clyde, a freshman Georgia Republican, wrote on January 9. “I truly hope he does create a new platform to complete (sic) with Twitter and I hope he calls it ‘Trumpet’ and then we can send out ‘notes’ to each other!”

“I will share it with him. Thanks Andrew,” Meadows responded.

On January 13, the day the House voted to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection at the Capitol – with 10 Republicans joining Democrats – Miller shared polling data in a group text with Meadows, Scavino and Kushner that showed “2/3 of the MAGA base wants us to move on.”

“I tried to walk the President through this earlier but he won’t have any of it,” Miller said.

As Trump prepared to leave power, he appeared to be a pariah in the Republican Party. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy had said during the House’s January 13 impeachment debate that the outgoing President “bears responsibility” for the riot. Six days later, on January 19, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell denounced Trump from the floor of the Senate, saying the mob that attacked the Capitol was “provoked by the President and other powerful people.”

Nevertheless, Trump’s standing in the Republican Party quickly recovered, especially after McCarthy’s January 28 visit to Mar-a-Lago and the February 2021 acquittal of Trump in the Senate impeachment trial.

But before Trump left office, the Meadows text logs show some of Trump’s staunchest allies were dejected. On January 19, in one of the final texts Meadows received as chief of staff, Fox’s Sean Hannity shared a video of McConnell’s floor speech.

Hannity texted Meadows: “Well this is as bad as this can get.”

Jamie Gangel Jeremy Herb Elizabeth Stuart

Coal miners, crawfish offer: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Public health officials are urging people to get COVID-19 shots as soon as possible, after the White House informed governors last week that it might reallocate supply from states with decreasing demand. Distribution has been in steady decline for several weeks, according to Alabama Department of Public Health data. “Y’all, we want shots in the arms and off the shelf,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “If you have not made it a priority to schedule a vaccine, I encourage you to go get the shot as soon as you are able. If you are hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, please speak to a physician you trust and ask if he or she would recommend it for you. If we don’t use it, we could lose it. This is our ticket back to normal. The vaccine is free and could possibly save your life.” In the early stages of the vaccine rollout, the Alabama Department of Public Health heavily targeted vulnerable areas, particularly those with large minority populations that have been historically underserved medically and seen disproportionately severe, deadly COVID-19 outcomes. The strategy paid off, with Alabama outperforming its neighbors earlier this year at reaching its most vulnerable citizens. The state’s highest county vaccination rates are in the Black Belt. But Alabama is now running into serious “vaccine hesitancy.”

Alaska

Anchorage: Officials have reported that the city’s sewer system is clogging up because people are flushing wipes and other items – a problem worsened by the pandemic as people continue to spend more time at home. Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility spokesperson Sandy Baker said up to 6,000 pounds of wipes have entered the sewer system daily since the coronavirus pandemic started, Alaska’s News Source reports. “We saw a small uptick in wipes when the pandemic started,” Baker said. “But this is a year-round problem for us.” The wipes combine with grease, oils and fats, which can block pipes if not removed and even cause sewage to back up into residential neighborhoods and homes. Baker said the problem, in part, is that many brands of wipes claim to be flushable on their packaging but for practical purposes are not because they “don’t break down” after flushing. Crews have also retrieved masks, gloves, dental floss, hair and other items from sewer pipes, Baker said. “We had a surprising number of people doing extensive cleaning with toothbrushes and then flushing toothbrushes,” she said. “We had a lot of that showing up … and those are horrible for our system.” Baker urged people to be mindful of what they flush down toilets and remember the three P’s – “pee, poo and toilet paper.”

Arizona

Phoenix: An elected utility regulator has shared discredited conspiracy theories while trying to persuade energy and power providers not to require their employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Arizona Corporation Commission member Jim O’Connor said the government and news media are covering up the shots causing numerous deaths and people becoming “human vegetables,” but there’s no evidence of such problems. O’Connor, a Republican, was elected last November to his statewide office as one of five commission members. He served as a presidential elector for then-GOP nominee Donald Trump during his successful campaign in 2016. O’Connor said one source of his information was Ryan Cole, an Idaho physician who has made false and controversial statements about COVID-19. The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania debunked several of Cole’s claims about COVID-19 vaccines on its website. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that the vaccines are safe. Besides mild side effects such as soreness and fever, the only serious side effects so far are very rare blood clots associated with one of the three vaccines and even rarer allergic reactions.

Arkansas

Little Rock: Sluggish COVID-19 vaccination rates for prison workers are raising concerns about the state prison system’s ability to ward off disease during the pandemic’s next phase and against more-contagious variants, according to public health and incarceration experts. About 42% of the more than 4,700 employees of the Arkansas Department of Corrections have received at least one shot, an agency spokeswoman said. The corrections department set a goal of vaccinating 80% of employees after shots were offered Jan. 5, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. More than 11,300 people in Arkansas’ custody have contracted the coronavirus, and at least 49 have died, according to Department of Health data. As of May 1, Arkansas’ infection rate among prisoners was the third-highest among states, according to data compiled by the Marshall Project, a nonprofit criminal-justice news outlet. State prisons continue to see new virus cases, with five sites reporting new cases since April 15. Department of Corrections communications director Cindy Murphy didn’t answer questions from the newspaper about why officials think COVID-19 vaccinations lag among workers. In a statement, she said the agency has been affected “more than most” institutions in the state, and workers had “stepped up once again” to get shots.

California

Los Angeles: Residents will no longer need an appointment for COVID-19 shots at city-run inoculation sites, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Sunday. The city is prepared to administer over a quarter-million vaccinations for the second week in a row, the mayor’s office said. Last week, Los Angeles stopped requiring appointments for some walk-up and mobile locations. As of Monday, appointment-free options are available at all vaccination sites. People can still sign up ahead of time if they prefer. “We stand at a critical juncture in our fight to end this pandemic, and our City will keep doing everything possible to knock down barriers to vaccine access and deliver doses directly to all Angelenos,” Garcetti said in a statement. In addition, the city will provide nighttime appointments at three locations so residents can get vaccinated after work, officials said. At the city’s first night clinic last week, 62% of first doses were given out after 2 p.m., Garcetti’s office said. So far, 48.4% of Los Angeles County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 34.8% are fully vaccinated, according to the Los Angeles Times’ vaccination tracker.

Colorado

Denver: A former Amazon warehouse worker has filed a complaint with the state Department of Labor and Employment against Amazon over its COVID-19 policies and allegations that her firing was retaliatory. Linda Rodriguez alleged in her complaint filed Thursday that Amazon fired her in 2020 because she raised concerns about the company’s policies and practices. She said they put Thornton, Colorado, warehouse workers at risk amid the spread of the coronavirus, according to the complaint sent to the agency’s Division of Labor Standards and Statistics. The complaint said Rodriguez was fired “for speaking out” after she raised concerns that Amazon was providing health information only in English even though many workers in the facility only speak Spanish and “felt extraordinary pressure to continue coming to work every day, even if they were sick.” In response to the complaint, an Amazon spokesperson said Rodriguez was not fired for speaking publicly but for “timecard fraud” or “time theft,” which they said was confirmed by time records and video footage. Amazon also said that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a federal agency that regulates companies to ensure safe working conditions, confirmed Rodriguez withdrew a complaint filed with the federal agency in early December 2020.

Connecticut

Hartford: Of the more than 1.4 million residents who are now fully vaccinated, 242 later became infected with COVID-19, according to data released Friday by the state Department of Public Health. Among the 242 so-called vaccine breakthrough cases, 109 people had no symptoms of the disease. DPH reported three deaths among vaccinated individuals who were confirmed to have had underlying medical conditions. All were over 55 years old. Nationally, there have been 132 vaccine breakthrough deaths, DPH said. “The main takeaway is that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and cases of infection after a person is fully vaccinated are very rare,” Dr. Deidre Gifford, the state’s acting public health commissioner, said in a statement. The percentage of cases of COVID-19 in fully vaccinated individuals in Connecticut is less than 0.1%, according to the DPH data. “The best protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 is vaccination, and I strongly urge all eligible Connecticut residents who have not yet gotten vaccinated to do so,” Gifford said. Release of the breakthrough case data comes as more than 50% of Connecticut residents age 16 and older are now fully vaccinated.

Delaware

Wilmington: As demand returns for activities that were put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses say they are struggling to hire workers. “What we are hearing, of course, are a need for workers to fill unfilled jobs,” said Rachel Turney, deputy secretary at the Delaware Department of Labor. The pandemic-era unemployment system could be contributing to the lack of job-seekers for lower-paying positions thanks to Congress extending extra federal unemployment benefits and the state labor department halting the requirement that beneficiaries actively look for work. Office of Occupational and Labor Market Information Chief Thomas Dougherty said businesses struggling to hire could raise wages in order to compete with unemployment benefits. “When you have the wage going up, you also attract more workers to either enter the labor market or ... attract them from another industry, or maybe attract them from another state,” he said. “If I’m making such and such money from unemployment insurance, I’m reluctant to take a job that pays the same or less.” Democrats in the General Assembly are trying to pass a $15 minimum wage, gradually raising it from the current $9.25 over the course of several years. But many business representatives oppose the measure.

District of Columbia

Washington: D.C. will lift most COVID-19 restrictions and capacity limits starting May 21 following “dramatic” improvements in health metrics in the city, WUSA-TV reports. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday that restrictions on public and commercial activities – including capacity limits, types of activities and time restrictions – will be lifted across the city May 21. But the loosening of restrictions excludes bars, nightclubs, and large sports or music venues, which will operate at 50% capacity. Bowser said starting June 11, restrictions will be lifted for all establishments and venues in the district. D.C. will continue to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s mask guidance. That means wearing masks will still be required, Bowser said. City health officials said community spread of the coronavirus is decreasing after peaking in January. She said the district is going in the right direction when it comes to COVID-19 cases and vaccinations., and residents and businesses have outperformed the metrics. “I am proud of D.C. residents who have followed health guidance, and we see it in the numbers,” Bowser said.

Florida

Tallahassee: Local vaccination clinics have noticed a slowdown in demand for COVID-19 shots. “People who were eager to get vaccinated have been vaccinated,” said Dr. Temple Robinson, CEO of the Bond Community Health Center. “Now we really need to turn our attention to (the) people who are still deciding when or if they want to get vaccinated.” Leon County health officials say the observed vaccination fatigue is concerning and concentrated among young adults. Included in that demographic are nearly 70,000 students who attend local colleges. Despite students residing in Tallahassee for school, they are counted among Leon County’s population for COVID-19 statistics, according to the Florida Department of Health. This pattern holds true across the state. Florida has fully vaccinated about 31% of its adult population, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “My concern is the 18-35 population is showing a little more hesitancy than I would have expected early on,” Robinson said, adding that the 65-and-older population has been more eager to get vaccinated. Of the more than 93,000 locals vaccinated, state data shows that only about 8,240 are between the ages of 16 and 24.

Georgia

Atlanta: The state’s elected labor commissioner said he intends to reinstate the requirement that people must actively search for work to receive unemployment benefits “in the next few months.” Republican Mark Butler didn’t say exactly when the job-search requirement would return. Butler said last week that those getting benefits would get notice of the change. Georgia and most other states suspended job-search requirements to cut down on COVID-19 exposure. Butler said his department is shifting its focus from paying benefits to encouraging recipients to find new jobs. He said employers have 240,000 jobs listed with the state, and the department provides job-search assistance, career counseling and skills testing. “I hear every day from employers who have been forced to reduce business hours, refuse large deliveries, and turn down economic opportunities due to the simple fact that they did not have the staff to support them,” Butler said in a statement. He said hotels and restaurants have particularly critical labor needs. Some officials and business owners have called for ending a $300-a-week federal unemployment supplement, saying it allows too many workers to afford to stay home. However, defenders of the measure say the labor market is still disrupted by COVID-19, particularly among those with children.

Hawaii

Honolulu: The state is leading the nation in vaccinating its adult population against COVID-19, HawaiiNewsNow reports. Lt. Gov. Josh Green told the outlet that with 70% of residents 18 and up having received at least one dose of a vaccine, Hawaii is ahead of the rest of the United States, taking the No. 1 spot. The state has been seeing daily new coronavirus cases in the high double-digits but expects to see that number drop further as the Aloha State pushes further toward herd immunity, Green said.

Idaho

Boise: The state Department of Health and Welfare is offering funding to groups to establish and operate mobile, off-site, walk-in and special COVID-19 vaccination clinics in underserved populations. That includes communities of high social vulnerabilities, racial and ethnic minority populations, and rural communities, among others. A total of $9 million is available on a first-come, first-served basis to enrolled vaccine providers, who can apply for funding online. Grant money can be used for any COVID-19 vaccine services the recipient provides outside their usual, appointment-based clinics. Examples include, but are not limited to, in-home vaccination for homebound individuals; clinics joined with community and job fairs; and walk-up sites at pharmacies, shopping centers, places of worship, colleges and universities, salons, and other locations. An initial funding cap of $500,000 per applicant will apply for the funding opportunity. Eligible applicants must either be currently enrolled as an Idaho COVID-19 vaccine provider or partner with an enrolled Idaho COVID-19 vaccine provider to administer the clinic.

Illinois

Springfield: State public health officials on Sunday reported 1,741 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 30 additional deaths. The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting a total of 1.35 million coronavirus cases in Illinois, including 22,223 deaths, since the start of the pandemic. As of late Saturday, 1,870 people were hospitalized in the state due to COVID-19. Of those, 452 were in intensive care units, and 232 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity rate is 3.4%. A total of 9,908,489 vaccines have been injected into the arms of Illinois residents since mid-December, and 35% of the state’s population, about 4.5 million, is fully vaccinated, according to the public health department.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Advocates for nursing home residents say they worry a new state law expanding COVID-19 liability protections for health care providers will effectively block many lawsuits over neglect and substandard treatment that weren’t caused by the pandemic. The law, which applies retroactively to when Indiana’s first COVID-19 infections were reported in March 2020, was sought by the nursing home industry, which argues it will keep facilities financially viable by shielding them from a potential flood of coronavirus-related lawsuits. Critics of the law, however, maintain it lets nursing homes escape responsibility for deaths and injuries caused by problems that preceded the pandemic, such as inadequate staffing. The new law protects health care providers against any claims “arising from COVID-19.” The definition of that phrase includes the reallocation of staff, delaying or modifying nonemergency medical services, and reasonable nonperformance of medical services due to COVID-19. The measure doesn’t prevent lawsuits over “gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct,” but trial lawyers warn those are virtually impossible to prove. Jody Madeira, a professor who teaches medical law at Indiana University, said the law provides a way for nursing homes to make mistreatment claims go away.

Iowa

Marshalltown: Gov. Kim Reynolds has removed the chief executive of the state’s nursing home for veterans and their spouses, months after praising his response to the coronavirus pandemic, her office said Monday. Reynolds’ spokesman, Pat Garrett, said Timon Oujiri was “relieved of his duties” as commandant of the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown last week. He offered no additional information on the leadership change at the facility, which is Iowa’s largest nursing home. Reynolds appointed Oujiri as commandant in 2017, and the Iowa Senate confirmed him in 2018. In his role, he oversaw one of the nation’s largest state-owned nursing homes for veterans, with about 500 residents and 900 employees. In December, the governor appeared with Oujiri at one of her news conferences and praised the work he had done protecting the home’s staff and residents during the pandemic. “You and your team have done such an outstanding job,” Reynolds said. “Job well done.” Oujiri, 63, returned the support, saying the governor had ensured the home had adequate personal protective equipment and testing supplies. He said then that 21 of the home’s residents tested positive for the coronavirus in 2020 and that five of them died.

Kansas

Wichita: Identity theft rose sharply last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, and no place was hit harder than the Sunflower State. The Wichita Eagle reports that 43,211 Kansans alerted the Federal Trade Commission in 2020 that someone had stolen or tried to steal their identity. That was 2,272 more cases than in 2019. Kansas’ 1,802% year-over-year increase was the highest among the states and more than three times the national average. Rhode Island was next, with an increase of 1,002%. Of all the 2020 identity theft reports in Kansas, 88% were classified as government documents or benefits fraud. The Kansas Department of Labor has cited a barrage of fraudulent unemployment claims since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Kentucky

Louisville: Those who get a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at a Kroger or Walmart may be able to get in on a major cash prize. The Kentucky Lottery announced Monday that, starting immediately, people 18 or older who get a first or second dose of the vaccine at more than 170 Kroger and Walmart locations across the state will receive a coupon for a free CashBall 225 ticket. The top prize in the nightly CashBall game is $225,000, according to the Kentucky Lottery. This announcement comes as public officials in the Bluegrass State continue to urge Kentuckians to receive a COVID-19 shot. As of Sunday, 1,867,037 Kentuckians – or 42% of the commonwealth’s population – have been vaccinated. At recent press briefings, Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, has said that he will be announcing incentives to encourage people to get the vaccine.

Louisiana

New Orleans: A pound of crawfish is being promised to lure people to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The city is partnering with the local nonprofit Go Propeller to give the vaccines and crawfish from The Original Cajun Seafood on Thursday, WVUE-TV reports. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available during the event, along with food, music and gift card giveaways, officials said. The crawfish giveaway is one of many different ways health officials and businesses have been encouraging people to get vaccinated. In recent weeks various bars have held “shots for shots” events where people who get vaccinated can get a free shot of booze, while other events have featured music or fish fry giveaways.

Maine

Portland: A proposal from a group of Republicans to ban mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for five years is up for consideration by a legislative committee this week. The lawmakers, led by Rep. Tracy Quint, R-Hodgdon, have based their proposal in part on the theory that the vaccines cause reproductive harm. Numerous medical authorities have said the claim lacks merit, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there is “no evidence that any of the COVID-19 vaccines affect future fertility.” The proposal is slated for a work session before the Legislature’s Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services on Tuesday. The bill says it “prohibits mandatory vaccinations for coronavirus disease 2019 for 5 years from the date of a vaccine’s first emergency use authorization by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration in order to allow for safety testing and investigations into reproductive harm.” Maine authorities are not currently considering any proposals that would make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for residents. More than 52% of the eligible people in the state have been fully vaccinated, state officials said Monday. Maine was one of the first states in the country to surpass the 50% threshold.

Maryland

Hagerstown: While taking note of current health threats, a bit of the past will roll through Washington County next weekend. After missing last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Pike Festival and James Shaull Wagon Train will return. “This year, obviously, is going to be different,” said Chad Walker, the organization’s secretary and treasurer. Even though it’s an outdoor event, face coverings will be required because of ongoing COVID-19 concerns. Visitors will be able to pet horses at the stops, Walker said, but they should wear masks. “As well, we’re going to practice social distancing where possible,” he said. The event celebrates the past and tries to educate people about what life was like when it took an hour or so just to hitch up a buggy and prepare for a trip to town. The National Pike Festival commemorates what was once the major route west. Different communities celebrate in different ways. The James Shaull Wagon Train is a nod to Shaull, who farmed with Belgian horses and participated in annual wagon trains and parades. He died in a tractor accident. “He thought it was important to educate the public on how it was to live back then,” Walker said. The wagon train will set off Friday afternoon from Plumb Grove and end Sunday morning in Boonsboro.

Massachusetts

Boston: The city’s famous Swan Boats are again offering rides after being sidelined last year because of the pandemic. Acting Mayor Kim Janey took her family on one of the foot-powered boats Saturday to celebrate their reopening at the Boston Public Garden. Janey called it “a great way to celebrate our recovery from the pandemic.” “We welcome Bostonians and visitors back to our historic park to enjoy this joyful attraction in keeping with current health guidelines for a safe ride with family and friends,” she said in a statement. Masks are required on the boats, and passengers are being spaced apart in line and on the vessels. The Paget family, which has run the iconic Boston tradition since 1877, said last summer was the first time the entire season had been canceled. The oldest boat in the fleet just celebrated its 111th season. Each Swan Boat weighs 3 tons fully laden and is powered by the driver using a foot-propelled paddle wheel.

Michigan

Lansing: The state said late Friday that 54% of residents ages 16 and up have gotten at least one COVID-19 shot, a roughly 2.5 percentage point jump after factoring in people who were vaccinated outside the state or at federal facilities. The addition of nearly 227,000 residents to the state’s count put Michigan close to a 55% benchmark Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has said is needed to allow in-person work in all sectors, including offices. The reopening step will occur two weeks after the milestone is reached. State officials said a new tracker uses data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which can access data from out-of-state providers and federal entities like veterans hospitals. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s chief medical executive and chief deputy for health, said the “Vacc to Normal” tracker provides the most complete vaccination estimate. Nearly 4.4 million Michiganders, 53.9%, ages 16 and older have received one dose. That is higher than 51.5% that was shown on the state’s regular vaccine dashboard Friday. The state health department urged people who were vaccinated in another state to bring their card to their next doctor’s appointment or to their local health department so that their immunization information is updated in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Health officials are trying a range of strategies in an attempt to get people vaccinated and slow the spread of the coronavirus. Volunteer physicians are working with a brewery in St. Paul on a pop-up event that rewards those who get shots with a free beer. Vaccinations are being offered in the downtown bus depot in Duluth. An Elk River clinic is offering shots to patients who are seeking help for other health care needs. Officials are hoping the creativity pays off. Since early April, the statewide average for first COVID-19 vaccine doses administered has fallen from about 40,000 per day to fewer than 14,000 at the end of last week, the Star Tribune reports. “We’re seeing a shift now from the earlier phases of vaccination, where there were folks very eager to get the vaccine and able to go to, sometimes, pretty extraordinary lengths to go find the vaccine wherever it was,” said Jan Malcolm, the state health commissioner. “Now we’re in a situation where we’ve got plenty of vaccine supply, and we need to reach those folks and make it more convenient for them.” Gov. Tim Walz has announced the state’s indoor mask mandate will end July 1 but said it could be lifted sooner if 70% of those age 16 and older receive first doses. That would equal more than 3 million people.

Mississippi

Bay St. Louis: A hospice care center is working to brighten patients’ pandemic-darkened days with good deeds. Wishing Well Project was started at SouthernCare Hospice in Picayune. “If there’s something specific that will just brighten their day, cheer them up and give them a couple of good memories is what we try to do,” Coordinator Rebecca Silvia told WLOX. The TV outlet reports Nola King of Bay St. Louis just had her garden restored. When she was younger, she used to spend all her time in the garden. “I got garden of the month twice,” King told WLOX. “I’ve had a lawnmower; I weeded my flower beds; I made my flower beds. I’ve done it all.” But lately, King said she has not been able to work in her garden at the house where she’s lived for more than 70 years due to her health. “I miss it so much,” King told the television station. “Gardening helps you grow. I’ve read that plants are the best thing you could do when you’re older.” Silvia said the organization relies on volunteers to complete patients’ wishes, and they’re always looking for more. “I’m always a little surprised at the turnout,” she said. “When you reach out to the need of folks, especially in Bay St. Louis, they just turn up. Especially after a tough year of COVID, it’s nice to see people being nice.”

Missouri

Springfield: Springfield Public Schools’ summer program is finding a new balance this year. Explore’s offerings for elementary and middle school will largely resemble the courses before the pandemic, with a few changes and extra precautions. High school courses will be almost entirely online. Dana Hubbard, director of summer learning and student experiences, said seated or in-person learning will be an option for kindergarten through eighth grade. “We are really hopeful that we can get our families reengaged in that way,” she said. In a nod to the pandemic, there will also be a virtual learning option for elementary and middle school students. “The new thing we bring with us, after a year of COVID and shifting, is we will also have – starting with first grade all the way through eighth grade – online options for courses,” she said. Elementary courses, in-person and virtual, include “Route 66 Road Trip” and the Earth Explorers. The seated-only courses include Explore Diversity, Life Lab, and the STEAM Works. Hubbard said Central High School will have in-person classes for students with special needs, students with limited English skills, and individuals significantly lagging behind their peers academically. The district will offer two sessions of Explore, one June 7-30 and the second July 7-30.

Montana

Billings: A nonprofit plans to open a slaughterhouse that will kill and process cattle donated for food banks. The $2.5 million Producer Partnership plant outside Livingston will be able to process 300 animals per month by next year, the Billings Gazette reports. Ranchers who donate cattle for food banks will have access to the processing plant for their own retail sales. The Producer Partnership formed last year to help struggling communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership has donated 80,000 pounds of hamburger in the past year and is shooting for 140,000 pounds a year. The group has struggled to secure space at slaughterhouses, however, limiting how many donated animals it can accept. “We’ve been trying to get kill dates at different plants. That proved to be hard to find a kill date in the first place, and then we wound up with so many animals donated that we couldn’t find enough dates,” said Mayzie Purviance, Producer Partnership program administrator. The processing plant will be federally inspected, meaning ranchers who choose to use the facility for direct retail sales will be able to ship meat out of state, Purviance said.

Nebraska

Lincoln: The state will issue emergency payments Tuesday to residents who received food stamp benefits in April as part of the federal pandemic assistance law, state officials said. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said it will issue the payments through Sept. 30 to comply with the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law earlier this year by President Joe Biden. Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will not have to take any action to get the extra support because the increased benefits will go directly to their EBT cards. Under the law, all SNAP households must receive a minimum of $95 in emergency allotments.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Casino giant Caesars Entertainment Inc. is postponing plans to sell one of its eight Las Vegas Strip resorts until the market further rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic, perhaps next year, the Las Vegas Sun reports. Caesars officials have said since the company’s merger with Eldorado Resorts that they plan to sell a Strip asset. “We remain convinced that it does not make sense for us to market an asset until we can market it off the cash flow that we’re doing with it, not off a bridge to what we think we can do with it,” Caesars CEO Tom Reeg said. He said it’s possible a sale could happen in 2022. A potential buyer, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, looked at a Strip property before coming to terms on a $650 million deal announced last week to buy the Palms, according to its CEO, Laurens Vosloo, who declined to say which Strip property the band was considering. Caesars posted a net loss of $423 million for the first quarter of the year after collecting $1.7 billion in net revenues for the three months that ended March 31. The company recorded a net loss of $173 million during the first quarter of 2020. Caesars officials said they expect business in Las Vegas will continue to improve as the year goes on.

New Hampshire

Concord: State officials expect spending on summer tourism to rebound to near 2019 levels. The state Division of Travel and Tourism Development is predicting there will be nearly 3.5 million visitors to New Hampshire this summer, with spending reaching $1.8 billion. Summer is typically the busiest season for tourism in the state. Last summer, visitation dropped 15% because of the pandemic. But officials expect a rebound based on pent-up demand for travel and the state’s high vaccination rate, strong economy and tourism assets. The state is launching a summer advertising campaign targeting Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio, said Lori Harnois, state tourism director. She said the emphasis will be on hiking, boating, camping and family fun. “We expect this to be a summer of discovery and rediscovery for visitors,” Harnois said. “Our message is to come, explore everything we have to offer, and Discover Your New in New Hampshire.”

New Jersey

Trenton: Gov. Phil Murphy will set aside $275million to help small businesses and individuals affected by COVID-19, including $40 million in federal funds for undocumented immigrants and others left out of previous pandemic relief. Murphy announced the funding in a statement Friday and said much of the $235 million in small-business assistance would go toward bars and restaurants, child care centers and others hard hit by a year of coronavirus lockdowns. State lawmakers would still have to approve that pot, but Murphy said legislative leaders are already on board. Cash payments for individuals, meanwhile, would come out of federal stimulus funds over which Murphy has control, the administration said. The money would help New Jerseyans who suffered relatively short periods of unemployment as well as undocumented immigrants, who’ve been largely ineligible for trillions of dollars in federal relief payments as well as state unemployment over the past year. “COVID-19 has created unimaginable challenges for our economy over the past year,” Murphy said. “As we emerge from this pandemic, we need to make targeted investments in both our small businesses and our workforce to lay the foundation for a stronger and fairer future that works for everyone.”

New Mexico

Albuquerque: The state has set a record for the highest monthly royalty earnings from oil and gas leases, according to state officials. The State Land Office reported that nearly $110 million was earned in April – more than any month in state history. The previous record was nearly $109 million in February 2020, just before a global price war and pandemic market forces disrupted the oil industry. Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard said the revenue boon will benefit public schools, hospitals and other programs that are funded by drilling and other development on state trust land. Revenue from activities on trust land on average saves the typical New Mexico household an estimated $1,500 per year in taxes that would otherwise be needed to fund state operations, Garcia Richard said. “This is a huge monetary relief for hard working New Mexico families, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic,” she said in a statement. While oil and gas is a driving force of New Mexico’s economy and the state budget, the Democratic land commissioner said the resources are finite and aren’t a stable long-term budgeting tool for the state.

New York

New York: A political candidate who led protests against coronavirus restrictions in Brooklyn last fall will avoid jail time after pleading guilty Friday to a charge of inciting a riot. Harold “Heshy” Tischler was sentenced to 10 days of community service for egging on a crowd of men that chased and trapped a journalist during the Oct. 7 protest in the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Borough Park. Video showed the men surrounding, jostling and taunting Jacob Kornbluh, who had been reporting on resistance to social distancing in the neighborhood. Tischler, not wearing a mask, could be seen screaming in Kornbluh’s face. Kornbluh, who is also an Orthodox Jew, said he was struck and kicked during the incident. Kornbluh was reporting for Jewish Insider at the time and now writes for the Jewish newspaper The Forward. Tischler, an activist and City Council candidate, posted a video on Twitter after his court appearance praising his lawyers who “saved me” and showing himself behind the counter with supporters at a local pizza parlor. Kornbluh tweeted that he welcomed Tischler’s acknowledgment in court “that he incited a riot against me and has been held accountable for his actions. I am looking forward to continuing my work in journalism undeterred.”

North Carolina

Raleigh: Lawmakers are pressing to ensure that patients at health care facilities can receive visits from family member and clergy, especially during future emergencies. Last week the state Senate and House approved separate measures designed to address situations where patients lacked access to a minister or visits from family during last year’s COVID-19 restrictions and later died. The Senate’s “No Patient Left Behind” bill, approved on a 40-9 vote, tells hospitals and hospice care, nursing home and residential treatment facilities to allow patients to receive visitors to the fullest extent permitted by federal Medicaid and Medicare rules and regulations. If they don’t, the health care facilities will receive a warning. Those who don’t allow visitors within 24 hours of the warning will face minimum daily fines of $500 per incident. Similar rules apply to adult care homes. The House voted 98-19 for a measure directing state-licensed hospitals to allow a clergy member to visit any patient who requests one. A cleric may be subject to health screenings and could be turned away if he or she fails to pass that screening or tests positive for an infectious disease. Each bill still must pass the opposite chamber before being sent to Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk.

North Dakota

Bismarck: An annual report using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the state’s rate of workplace deaths remains among the highest in the country. The annual report released by the AFL-CIO shows that 37 North Dakota workers died in 2019 due to on-the-job injuries. The rate of 9.7 deaths per 100,000 workers was the third-highest in the nation, behind Alaska and Wyoming, the Bismarck Tribune reports. “This year’s report is yet another reminder of the dangers facing working people in North Dakota every single day,” North Dakota AFL-CIO President Landis Larson said in a statement. “Now with COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to protect working people.” Nationally in 2019, 5,333 workers were killed on the job, and an estimated 90,000 died from occupational diseases. The overall rate of fatal job injuries was 2.8 per 100,000. according to the labor union federation. It’s the the 30th year the AFL-CIO has released the findings on the state of safety and health protections for workers across the country. North Dakota’s ranking has changed little in recent years. In 2016, the state had 28 workplace deaths and ranked fifth in the nation; in 2017, the state had 38 deaths and ranked second; and in 2018, it had 35 deaths and ranked third.

Ohio

Cincinnati: The state will take only 20% of the COVID-19 vaccine doses allocated to it this week amid slumping demand. Ohio was allocated 324,960 first doses this week. The state has ordered just 65,370 first doses to arrive this week, an Ohio Department of Health spokeswoman said Monday. More could be used this week: The state is banking 139,230 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for use in children ages 12 to 15, once the vaccine receives emergency approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration. That’s expected as soon as this week. Those doses will be stored with the rest of Ohio’s stockpile at the federal level. As of last week, Ohio had stockpiled 480,180 first COVID-19 vaccine doses – about 10% of the total number of first doses administered statewide. “Vaccine is precious,” health department spokeswoman Alicia Shoults wrote in an email. “Many providers in Ohio have adequate vaccine supply on hand and requested that additional doses not be shipped to them the week of May 10.” Last week, White House officials said states could request a smaller or larger number of doses than what was allocated to them. Unordered doses could be contributed to a national pool to divert to states and programs in need of more vaccine.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The latest flu season has been especially mild, and experts say COVID-19 precautions likely played a role in keeping the numbers down. Across the state, 221 flu-associated hospitalizations and 10 deaths were reported so far during the 2020-21 season – the lowest numbers in years, aligning with trends across the country. During the previous flu season, 3,580 hospitalizations and 85 deaths were reported, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Masks and social distancing were likely a major factor in keeping the flu at bay this year, said Dr. David Chansolme, medical director of infection prevention with Integris Health. “As people have really questioned the science behind masks, to me, the lack of a significant flu season is the most verification that you need,” Chansolme said. During a presentation at a recent Healthier Oklahoma Coalition news conference, MyHealth Access Network founder and CEO Dr. David Kendrick said there was a significant difference in flu positivity rates in communities where masks were required versus where they weren’t. There are likely other factors, too, Chansolme said: a relative lack of crowds, more people working from home than usual – even fist-bumps versus handshakes.

Oregon

Portland: The city’s mass vaccination site is expected to close June 19 after giving hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 shots, organizers said Monday. The All4Oregon site, which was set up by four of Portland’s major hospitals in a joint vaccination effort, has been running since Jan. 20 at the Oregon Convention Center. The site began offering self-scheduling and walk-in appointments for the first time last week, but organizers said a drop in volume made it clear that demand for a mass vaccination site is waning as shots become more widely available elsewhere. Many retail pharmacies now offer walk-in appointments, and health providers are shifting their focus to smaller neighborhood- and community-targeted vaccination efforts as supply begins to outstrip demand for the doses. All4Oregon will offer stop offering first doses of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine May 27 and will offer second doses only in June. It expects to close completely June 19. The clinic only offers Pfizer. As of Friday, the site had administered 465,000 shots. Oregon has now administered more than 3.3 million doses of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines statewide, and nearly 2 million Oregonians have received at least one dose, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: As federal agencies stand poised to approve COVID-19 vaccines for children 12 to 15, a Montgomery County state legislator is planning to introduce a bill that would allow those 14 and older to consent to receiving federally recommended immunizations without parental approval. Democratic state Sen. Amanda Cappelletti said in a co-sponsorship memo circulated that the legislation would mirror the state’s mental health law that allows minors 14 and older to consent to inpatient mental health treatment. Cappelletti wrote that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended immunizations for children and adolescents that include “vaccines that have been proven to be safe, effective, and necessary to protect and promote public health” and that minors should be able to consent to receive them. According to the CDC, everyone 16 and over is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Cappelletti offered statistics from the World Health Organization that showed vaccinations prevent 2 million to 3 million deaths annually, and 1.5 million more deaths could be prevented if vaccination numbers are improved.

Rhode Island

Providence: The mental health and education of the state’s children suffered greatly last year during the coronavirus pandemic, and children of color were the hardest-hit, according to data released Monday by Kids Count, the national child advocacy nonprofit. “Unacceptable gaps continue to exist between children of color and white children in nearly every Factbook indicator,” Rhode Island Kids Count executive director Elizabeth Burke Bryant said. “These gaps have persisted because of systemic racism and barriers to opportunity that must be addressed and dismantled to ensure that every child can succeed. The COVID-19 pandemic shined a spotlight on stark economic, education, and other disparities and challenges to children’s success.” The number of calls to Kids Link RI, a 24-hour emergency mental health and behavioral referral network, was up 22% in 2020 from the previous year, the organization said. The number of children enrolled in kindergarten, considered a critical first step toward fluency in reading and writing, dropped 11% in 2020 from the previous year, similar to national trends as families kept their youngest home or waited for schools to open in person.

South Carolina

Pickens: Pickens County is planning to pay charities and civic groups $250 a mile for cleaning up litter. The county has set aside $75,000 in COVID-19 relief funding for the program, enough to clean up 300 miles, said County Councilman Roy Costner III. The program is designed to help struggling groups that have been unable to do their usual fundraising during the pandemic, Costner said. It would also be a way to use relief money aimed at helping communities, without having officials pick and choose which organizations get the relief, he said. The program aims to clean up at least 25% of the county’s roads while supporting local organizations and businesses, said Jamie Burns, a spokeswoman for the county. It’s a big step in a yearslong effort to fight litter, said Chris Bowers, council chairman. Pick Up Pickens is believed to be the first program of its kind in the state, and using pandemic money for this could be a first in the nation, Burns said. Political groups and candidates aren’t eligible, before-and-after photos must show that the area was cleaned, and there would be a limit on how many miles each group handles. The plan is promising and could serve as a model for other counties in the state, said Sarah Lyles, executive director of Palmetto Pride, the state’s anti-litter organization.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: Two state agencies, the Department of Labor and Regulation and the Department of Tourism, are partnering together to help fill jobs in the tourism industry. Businesses are encouraged to post their job openings on SDWORKS, according to a news release. The database has more than 23,000 job openings. “The success of our tourism industry is a major factor in South Dakota’s economic health,” Gov. Kristi Noem said in the release. “South Dakota’s economic success has led to the lowest unemployment rate in America. While that is excellent news, we have more job openings than workers to fill them – especially in travel and tourism.” Noem initially announced the tourism workforce recruitment campaign at a press conference at Mount Rushmore on May 3 to kick off National Travel & Tourism Week. In 2020, a total of 49,500 jobs were supported by the tourism industry, representing 1 in 12 jobs in South Dakota, the release said. Those jobs include full-time, part-time and seasonal positions. South Dakota expects an increased amount of visitation to the state in 2021 due to a demand for travel and the state remaining open for business amid the pandemic, the release said.

Tennessee

Nashville: Two major venues will soon lift capacity restrictions as the city continues to reopen from limitations implemented on businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. News outlets report that Nashville Soccer Club will open at near capacity for its May 23 match. Face coverings will still be encouraged but not required for outdoors. Meanwhile, Grand Ole Opry will begin weekly performances at full capacity Friday for the first time in more than a year. The indoor mask mandate will remain in place. That night’s show will include Opry members Lorrie Morgan and the Oak Ridge Boys. Earlier this year, Nashville officials announced that on May 14 the city would lift all COVID-19 restrictions, except for an indoor mask mandate. The city decided to ease the limits after the COVID-19 vaccine had been available to all adults for several weeks.

Texas

Austin: Republican Don Huffines, a former state senator from Dallas who has sharply criticized the state’s handling of the pandemic, said Monday that he will challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2022. Huffines is a wealthy businessman who has spent the past year rallying with conservative activists around Texas, including outside the governor’s mansion in October. Abbott, who did not have a serious primary challenger in his first two campaigns for governor, has faced pressure from within his party over COVID-19 closures and a statewide mask mandate. Huffines, who served one term in the Senate before losing his seat in 2018 to Democrat Nathan Johnson, did not mention Abbott in his announcement. “Plain and simple, our politicians aren’t getting things done, and Texans have rightfully run out of patience,” Huffines said. Abbott reported having nearly $38 million in his campaign account in January, and his prolific fundraising has been a major obstacle for previous challengers. A Democratic challenger to Abbott next year has yet to emerge, although former congressman Beto O’Rourke has not ruled out running. Actor Matthew McConaughey is also flirting with a run for governor.

Utah

Salt Lake City: The state reported 2,340 new coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, down 9.3% from the previous week. Utah ranked 31st among the states where the virus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. Across Utah, cases fell in five counties, with the best declines in Salt Lake, Utah and Tooele counties. Meanwhile, the state ranked 34th in the nation in share of people receiving at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 40.9% of its residents at least partially inoculated. The national rate is 45.8%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. In the week ending Sunday, Utah reported administering another 95,682 vaccine doses, including 37,389 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 132,249 vaccine doses, including 56,176 first doses. In all, Utah reported it has administered 2,263,595 total doses. Within Utah, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in San Juan, Davis and Summit counties. Adding the most new cases overall were Salt Lake County, with 855 cases; Utah County, with 460 cases; and Davis County, with 296. Across the state, 20 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 22 people were reported dead.

Vermont

Vernon: The town is planning to hold its annual town meeting outdoors this year. Earlier this year the Vernon select board moved the community’s town meeting, which is usually held in March, to May 23 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The whole process will be new, but as far as what they’re voting on, should be pretty much the same,” said interim town administrator Wendy Harrison. The Brattleboro Reformer reports the meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. on May 23 on the lawn outside the town hall. In addition to masking, participants will answer health-related questions upon checking in. Social distancing rules also will be applied. No food sales or table leafletting will be allowed. At the meeting, townspeople will decide a number of economic issues for the community.

Virginia

Petersburg: Petersburg Area Transit riders can expect free fares for at least the next year, officials say. The influx of federal funding from the coronavirus relief package passed in March 2020 and other federal dollars allow PAT to ensure free rides until the end of the 2021-22 fiscal year. “We’ve already balanced our budget without the revenue from free fares,” said Charles Koonce Jr., transit general manager for PAT. Free bus fares have been offered since March 2020. Ridership has decreased about 40% since the start of the pandemic, according to Koonce. Nearby localities have followed suit in providing free fares for riders in efforts to protect everyone on board. Greater Richmond Transit Company will operate under free fares until the end of the next fiscal year and hold a board meeting to see whether to continue the free fares the following year. Charlottesville promised its residents zero fares for the next three years. The Commonwealth Transportation Board allocated $3.5 million of the $456 million it received from the first pandemic relief package passed by Congress. A portion of the funds went into purchasing personal protective equipment for all employees and increasing custodial operations.

Washington

Seattle: More people in the state died of drug overdoses in 2020 than any other year in at least the last decade, according to preliminary data from the state Department of Health. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic likely led to a surge in drug use, the department said. The Seattle Times reports fatal drug overdoses increased more than 30% last year compared to 2019, according to the data, marking an increase more than twice as large as any other year in the past decade. Deadly opioid overdoses – from prescription painkillers, heroin, fentanyl and other similar substances – increased even faster, by nearly 40%, according to the data. That represented more than triple the rate of any other increase in the past decade. The Department of Health is still analyzing the preliminary data and causes of death in specific cases, and state health officials expect the number of overdose deaths to grow even higher. “It is reasonable to believe the psychological, social and economic impacts of COVID-19 led to an increase in drug use,” said Kristen Maki, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health. In 2020 the health department reported 1,649 drug overdose deaths, compared with 1,259 the previous year. Many more people reached out for help with drug or alcohol problems during 2020, according to state data.

West Virginia

Kanawha County: A clinic formed in 1973 to care for and serve families in the region’s mining communities has been working to vaccinate coal miners against COVID-19. Dr. Jessica McColley, head of medical services at Cabin Creek Health Systems, said she and her colleagues show up at the mines between shifts and catch workers coming and going, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports. McColley called the working environment for coal miners “great for an airborne virus.” Underground miners often work in small, low-airflow areas with several other people for extended periods of time. Researchers are learning more about the coronavirus and its variant strains every day, but they agree the lungs are often the main organs affected. “That’s one of the most significant effects we’ve seen from COVID-19,” said Dr. Rayan Ihle, a critical care pulmonologist with Charleston Area Medical Center. Many coal miners already suffer from preexisting lung conditions, such as black lung disease or COPD, Ihle said. COVID-19 poses a serious health risk to miners, Ihle said, and the best protection is a vaccine. “Coal miners ... should really be on the forefront and standing in the front of the line to protect themselves,” Ihle said. “But vaccination not only helps that individual patient not contract (the virus); it protects others. It’s almost a civic duty.”

Wisconsin

Appleton: The Fox Cities Exhibition Center vaccine clinic is partnering with three local breweries – Appleton Beer Factory, McFleshman’s and Stone Arch Brewpub – to launch a “Shot and a Beer” campaign to encourage people to get immunized against COVID-19. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the clinic will administer the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. People who get their shot will also get a coupon for a free beer at one of the breweries. The coupon may not be redeemed until June, as it takes about 15 days after the J&J vaccine for people to build full immunity to the disease caused by the coronavirus. Those who are under 21 can redeem the coupon for a free root beer or other soda. Residents can make an appointment online at foxcitiescovidvaccine.com or walk in to the clinic without an appointment. The exhibition center clinic will close at the end of May.

Wyoming

Casper: The state is reopening nine rest stops that were closed last year due to budget cuts, Gov. Mark Gordon said. The state plans to open the locations before the Memorial Day holiday weekend and keep them open at least through this year’s tourism season, the Casper Star-Tribune reports. “With the summer season just around the corner, I’m glad we will be able to reopen these facilities to travelers,” Gordon said in a statement Thursday. “We are glad to have this chance to find a temporary solution.” The rest stops were closed last June in the first budget cuts enacted amid declining revenues caused by the energy slowdown and the COVID-19 pandemic. The closures were expected to save the state more than $700,000. Gordon said he would work to get federal money to reopen the rest areas. The rest stops that are reopening are near Lusk, Guernsey, Greybull, Moorcroft, Star Valley, Sundance, Upton, Orin Junction and Chugwater. Wyoming has 37 rest stops.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports


Grammys diversity 2022: Better than Oscars, and a welcome change

This year's Grammys telecast showcased something industry watchers and fans have been clamoring for: inclusion.

Yes, the 64th annual awards in Las Vegas, which aired Sunday on CBS, honored a diverse array of performers – from song and record of the year winners Silk Sonic to best new artist Olivia Rodrigo to album of the year winner Jon Batiste.

But the Recording Academy reminded us that an awards show can be inclusive in all kinds of other ways, too – something other shows like the Oscars should implement. Like, yesterday.

Performers again electrified the Grammys stage with passion and poise. The jovial Batiste. Queer artists Lil Nas X, Brandi Carlile and T.J. Osborne, half of the Brothers Osborne. Spanish-language singers J. Balvin and Maria Becerra. K-Pop sensation BTS. The soulful, swoon-worthy John Legend, joined by Ukrainian performers in a gut-wrenching tribute to the country, now under attack by Russia.

Our Grammys live blog:John Legend performs tribute to Ukraine, President Zelenskyy appears virtually

Viewers also glimpsed snippets of performances from lesser-known artists from the MGM Grand's rooftop across many genres, including Cuban singer Aymée Nuviola and contemporary worship group Maverick City Music.

This year's show even made an effort to recognize those who rarely receive any attention at all: behind-the-scenes tour staff introduced their bosses, including Billie Eilish, Chris Stapleton and H.E.R.

Even E!'s red-carpet coverage joined in on the spirit of inclusion, with sign language interpreters occasionally accompanying artists during host Laverne Cox's interviews for the benefit of deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers.

What if the Oscars tamped down its attempts at relevance – like cutting eight categories from the live show and replacing that time with cringeworthy gags – and instead elevated more behind-the-scenes support staff that help make movies happen?

Instead of Amy Schumer jokingly calling Kirsten Dunst a seat filler, for example, why not recognize lower-profile Oscar nominees in the short film or makeup and hairstyling categories? And a film's assistant director could introduce a montage for best picture of the year.

In case you missed:Brutally honest reviews of every Grammys 2022 performance, including BTS and Billie Eilish

One reminder from this year's Grammys: It's not just the biggest categories that make for the most compelling acceptance speeches.

Take Jazmine Sullivan's for best R&B album. She says she wrote the project to deal with her own shame over choices she made in her 20s. But "Heaux Tales" blossomed into "a safe space for Black women to tell their stories, for us to learn from each other, laugh with each other, and not be exploited at the same time," she said. "And that's what I'm most grateful for. So shout-out to all Black women who are just living their lives." (Sullivan finally won her first two Grammys this year after receiving more than a dozen nominations since 2009.)

Of course, the Grammys remain imperfect. Music's biggest night has been far from immune to controversies – particularly when it comes to diversity and inclusion in its nominees and winners.

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The past few years have brought the #GrammysSoMale hashtag, protesting the scarcity of female winners, and in response, former Recording Academy president Neil Portnow suggesting that women need to "step up" to be recognized; artists lamenting the awards' treatment of Black music; and K-Pop groups failing to make significant headway in major categories.

The academy has made sweeping efforts to diversify its ranks, developing a task force months after its January 2018 ceremony celebrated mostly men and pop music.

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It made headway last year by awarding Grammys to Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion and H.E.R., and it featured performances from artists like Mickey Guyton, Bad Bunny and Cardi B.

The organization has also worked to diversify membership, created inclusive initiatives and eliminated its controversial nomination review committees – panels that chose nominees from a list of those who received the most votes. Nominees are now based purely on votes cast by the academy’s more than 11,000 voting members.

Questions have loomed for years around the nominations process as music industry players called for more transparency.

And the academy's goal is to double the number of female members by 2025, and it is more than halfway there.

The awards show has also built more inclusion into its broadcast behind the scenes: The Grammys announced last fall that it had adopted an inclusion rider for the 2022 ceremony, an agreement requiring producers to audition, interview and hire people from groups that have been historically and systematically excluded from the industry. CBS also included audio description for the live telecast for the first time.

"From a 'front of camera' perspective, the Grammys appear to have been quite diverse and inclusive – from race to gender and other elements of diversity, song selections and artist performances," says Angela Reddock-Wright, an employment lawyer and mediator who works with the entertainment industry. "The real question is what is happening behind the scenes and whether the Grammy organization is honoring its commitment to require an inclusion rider for the 2022 Grammys." She notes the success of this rider has not been made public.

Still, "it appears the organization, like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the Oscars, has made great strides," she says.

Overall the Grammys bested the Oscars this year in terms of inclusion, beyond just winners. But every awards show should sing the Grammys' tune.

Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, and The Associated Press

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Maren Morris, Rissi Palmer talk racism in country music

The country music industry is ripe for change when it comes to diversity and inclusion – and it's been a long time coming.

Rissi Palmer hosted a special virtual roundtable episode of her radio show "Color Me Country" on Sunday with country singers Maren Morris and Cam as well as author Andrea Williams. The episode, which aired on Apple Music Country, touched on country music's issues with race and gender, as well as how to diversify the industry moving forward.

Morris reflected during the roundtable on her tribute to Black women in country music at the CMA Awards last November. "I certainly was not trying to be performative at all," she said. "I genuinely was thinking about the people that kind of kicked the door in for me and gave my name a platform like that, some recognition ... Several people did that early on in my career, and that's kind of where my heart was at."

Morris honored Black women in country music at the 2020 CMA Awards, dedicating her Female Artist of the Year win to Rhiannon Giddens, Yola, Linda Martell, Palmer, Mickey Guyton and Brittney Spencer — Black women ranging in influence from the 1970s to lauded modern songwriters and Nashville up-and-comers.

"There are so many amazing Black women that pioneer and continue to pioneer this genre," Morris said at the awards show. "I know they're gonna come after me. They've come before me. You've made this genre so, so beautiful. I hope you know that we see you."

The group talked during the radio show about the roadblocks still in the way for progress – Palmer said the industry curbs the voices of artists whenever they want.

"I think that in this business we're a dime a dozen," Palmer said. "And if you're too much trouble, or if you cost too much, or if you're not making them enough money, it all has to do with the bottom line and if you're not meeting that, I think that you're disposable."

Williams, for her part, pointed out Nashville's liberal white hypocrisy. "Since what happened at the Capitol, (there are) so many people in this Nashville space that are doing all of this stuff, that are calling out the Confederate flags that were traipsed through the Capitol building, that have been to billions of shows with Confederate flags, that don't care that Black people can't work in this town," she said.

CMA Awards 2020:Maren Morris dedicates win to 'amazing Black women' who pioneered country music

The special comes on the heels of the Morgan Wallen racism scandal, which shook the country music world – and the country. A recent video surfaced of the singer using a racist slur. In the video, he told a friend, "take care of this (expletive) N-word," referring to another person he was with.

"I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back," Wallen said in a statement after the video was posted by TMZ. "There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better." He has since released a more detailed apology, met with Black organizations and asked followers to stop defending him.

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Cam discussed how to tackle diversity in the industry. "We can't play this game anymore of pretending everything's fine," she said. "Even if you're trying, you have to be okay being uncomfortable."

Morris added: "I feel like we all should be uncomfortable. The nature of it is change, is being uncomfortable. It's breaking out of something that has worked for very few for far too long, and for the many stopped so short."

She said "the best way to validate someone is to pay them."

"Everything going from writing songs in the room with someone, production, instrumentation, your crew people that you bring out on the road, I feel like there are so many," Morris said. "So it's just such an insular bubble that we have to burst, and I am absolutely aware of it. Like I said, embarrassingly late, but I'm just trying to do the right thing."

Contributing: Matthew Leimkuehler, Nashville Tennessean