Well, people are now suing our governor because they think their constitutional rights are being denied. Because their towns haven’t been hard hit. Well, our town wasn’t hard hit...until it was. Our governor smuggled in supplies after two planes of ordered supplies arrived empty (after he rankled the president). So, I think our state is doing what it has to do. But it’s not easy on anyone. My hair will be fine for another week or two, but DS is almost ready for a ponytail.

Not satisfied with our governor at all!

OTOH, our mayor is definitely doing the right things.

No. Accurate death numbers would be helpful.

Well, people are now suing our governor because they think their constitutional rights are being denied. Because their towns haven’t been hard hit. Well, our town wasn’t hard hit...until it was

My area is not hard hit at all, but it's probably part luck and partly because we started social isolation early. I'm really frustrated by people who don't understand that.

Generally yes, but PA just announced that a whole bunch of counties are opening up. But it is a soft opening. Still no sit down restaurants or gyms or salons. (I could be wrong though but I think this is pretty accurate.) Retail stores are Opening, but the governor hopes that curbside pick ups will still be used widely. The counties that are opening are pretty far from Philadelphia.

Yes, very pleased with our governor, as are most Californians outside of Orange County.

Yes, I'm in NYS, and Cuomo has done a great job, his statewide approval rating for the C-19 crisis is hovering around 87%.

My government I would give about a B- but not entirely their fault. This wasn't on their radar screen even though it should have been, but there were lots of competing priorities and differing opinions on what was important. BUT, I live in a state with some of the top industrial, agricultural and medical minds in the world, and these folks are now stepping up to the plate and advising our governor and putting their brilliant entrepreneurial minds to the task and coming up with ways of solving this pandemic , from tamping down the spread of the disease, to prevention and cures, to supply chain issues, and associated social and economic problems. So I would give "that woman" and her team far better grades than the local armchair quarterbacks who have zero medical, science or pandemic management experience but find it easy to criticize when millions of lives are not their responsibility. And how they would make excuses and whine if it were, so they are not inspiring me with confidence. On the flip side, for those of my fellow citizens who are out there on the front lines embracing the challenge and taking constructive action, I have deep gratitude, love and admiration!

Alabama. Mostly. It has cut the original projections quite a bit. Some of the cities, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa had to get quite a bit tougher than the state.

I really don't understand why it was okay to buy anything and everything at Walmart or Target, but they closed all the fabric, furniture, and clothing stores. Yes, they sold groceries, but they also sold everything else. Seems like if one could social distance they all could. Not that I ever shop much, but I would have went to the fabric store for mask supplies.

All the big box stores of any kind that could stay open, shortened their hours and they have been packed all day long. Kids everywhere.

Most stores opened today with a limited capacity. Barber shops, beauty salons, gyms, bars, schools, and inside restaurant dining still closed for two more weeks. Masks are not required, but several stores are requiring them in order to shop.

We shall see, they opened the beaches, so that will probably shoot the infection rate back up.

I'm not getting the feeling that most in my area of LA county are pleased, but that doesn't mean they don't follow common sense guidelines.

CA is a lot bigger than just LA and SF, so I wouldn't bet money that Orange County is the only area that isn't pleased.

No

Newsom's approval rating reached 83% on April 10, the highest in the country. The dissenters in Orange County are the most visible to disapprove. I'm not in Los Angeles County now, and so I can't gauge how things are there now. I do know that people do not like to be told not to go to the beach.

This is an issue that a lot of people don't get. If activity "A" has a low risk factor for virus exposure, and you do activity A repeatedly, over and over again, your risk of exposure goes up by a factor of however many times you engage in the activity. So if your risk of getting the disease is 3/10 for going to the store, the more times you go to the score, the higher your risk. It's like flipping a coin, the more often you flip the coin, the more likely one of the sides will show up. You might get three heads on a row, but keep flipping and a tail will show up. That's simplifying it, since the risk factor for the virus is not 5/10, it's more like 3/100 and it depends on your state and where you live in your state, but the principle is the same. Same with a hundred year flood plain. The risk of getting a flood is one out of one hundred, 1%, but that doesn't mean you can get three big floods three years in a row, or that conditions on the ground haven't changed and the risk is now 1/80 instead of 1/100.

There are two ways of lowering your risk, 1. got to the store less, or 2, lower the risky-ness of each store visit, so that the chance of you getting exposed is lower for each activity. (The equivalent of either stop flipping the coin or weight the coin so tails is less likely to show up). And for the best results, do BOTH. So we're not really sure all the ways the virus can spread, so we've limited exposure and risk by limiting trips out, thereby tamping down the multiplication factors of both 1. and 2.

If we can lower the rate of infection, and get a handle on how and where the virus is spreading, then it will be responsible to the protection of human life to proceed. Otherwise, the basic math remains the same, whether the trip is to the fabric store, the hardware store, or the grocery store, or the department store. Each activity carries a risk, and the more you go out to places where you come into contact with people, the greater the risk. Also, each person visiting the store also increases your risk of exposure. So the more people visiting businesses, the more the risks go up.

The virus will move when we move, at a certain rate, whether we like it or not, unless we can get a handle on it. We don't have a handle on it, but we could get a handle on it and we could move towards doing the things necessary to get there. We know the criteria are testing so we know where it is spreading, contact tracing, so we can quarantine those who are sick or asymptomatic spreaders, and a low rate of infection, (1% or lower) and resources to allow for social distancing in the public spaces. When they have been met, (that's knowable) THEN I will give my state an "A" grade. It's not rocket science, that's how I grade my classes, we determine what the criteria are, describe how we will know when they are met, and then one should theoretically be able to grade oneself.

WA Governor has been fantastic in his response - swift and thorough with lots of communication to the people. I know people are anxious for "normal" and some are being total ignorant jerks about it, but he's not going to be bullied into doing something that isn't in the best interest of the majority of residents. I'd be so pleased if the federal response had been 1/10th as thoughtful and decisive.

The beaches are closed, the parking lots for the beach are closed, the curbside parking close to the beach is cordoned off. What do you see? People parking further away and walking along busy, narrow PCH to the beach. Loads of people on the beach. Lots of traffic as cars circle trying to find a place to park so that they can go to the beach.

I think it's almost impossible to close the beaches effectively unless you are going to put up roadblocks at the entrances to town and only allow residents to access town. Even then, residents will go to the beach.

I will stay away from the beach and away from the tourist-filled grocery stores just like I do every summer.

"I'd be so pleased if the federal response had been 1/10th as thoughtful and decisive."

Yes, It surely would of helped.

Olychick - good points about not being bullied and governor communication. Ours has been very good as well with strong data and explanation of rationale for decisions. I’ve also appreciated that decisions and actions are apolitical and there’s been no finger pointing or blaming other entities. We have just taken responsibility knowing we can do better than the federal government. I guess the founding fathers had the right idea when establishing state and federal government.

Lukki Irish, your gov deserves a lot of credit for her cool headed response and stolid defiance of the asshats who control the legislature. I hope the terrorists who desecrated your statehouse are imprisoned, fined, stripped of their right to own guns and publicly humiliated, but if a lawsuit is the best that can be done, at least it hits them in the pocketbook. Seeing the pics of legislators wearing bulletproof vests while sitting at their desks in the capitol is not an image I will soon forget.

Thank you Lakeaffect, I appreciate your post. I‘m embarrassed at how some of those meatheads are behaving, it’s unbelievable. Those who agree with her which is actually the majority of the state, are so proud that she has stayed the course and not allowed anyone including cheeto head to intimidate her. Her ratings are really high and she deserves it!

Virginia here. At this point I think our governor is doing an okay job as far as our stay-at-home order goes. I do think he was slow in taking those steps. A month ago, our small town had 44 positive cases. Today, we have 754.

Lukki, I wonder how many of those legislators wearing bulletproof vests are Republicans who have voted against sensible gun laws. Also wonder if they will now decide to take action. Probably not since this has happened there before.

I have been pleased with our governor and I like the coronavirus team he has organized. Ct closed our school before NY did and I think this was very insightful. We are on track for a soft opening of may 20, outside dining, parks and camping, nail and hair salons and retail. School is mot likely not opening but will not be decided until next week. Also waiting to hear about summer camps.

I have been pretty satisfied. Early on, when California had shut down but few other states had, I kept searching the news for state-by-state comparisons, to see if the shut-down was paying off. Basically, "I hope this is all worth it." I think the stats have borne out the early shut-down. Both California and Washington are far down the list of states by per-capita infections, despite the virus having made early inroads. You can even see the differences across counties within the state, with the Bay Area really having flattened the curve, while LA and Orange County have had some setbacks (in the rates of decline, if not in active cases). I'm ready to see non-essential retail open back up here is the Bay Area, but it isn't without risk and other parts of the state don't seem quite there yet. Successful reopenings hinge on people being willing to wear masks consistently and properly when in public spaces.

I've said I'd never vote for another Republican until Mitch McConnell (KY) kicks the bucket, but I have great admiration for what Mike DeWine has done in my state so far. If he runs for re-election I might have to eat my words. Even though the stay at home order has been extended to May 29, he's said it might not last that long (paraphrasing). I just hope restrictions are not eased too soon.

I found this article informative, although it's a couple of days out of date: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/healthcare/states-where-the-virus-is-growing-the-fastest-right-now/ss-BB13o9tJ?li=BBnb7Kz

New Mexico here. Our governor is rocking it! She acted early and decisively and I think it has paid off. We are a state with a higher than average elderly population and I think her actions saved lives. Also, the majority of state employees are working from home, which is unheard of.

The mayor of Gallup asked the governor to lock down the city since people are not staying home. The governor did it today. That part of the state has an incredibly high rate of infection.

She also holds regular press conferences and posts on social media to keep everyone updated and why she makes the decisions she does.

I can only hope she can handle the economic fallout as well. We are heavily dependent on oil and gas revenue which has vanished.

SO pleased with Governor Beshear (KY).

Pennsylvania. I think Gov. Wolf has done a pretty good job. He is reopening the most rural counties to allow people to return to work if the work environment can be made safe and people are allowed to visit each other. No more than that. I’m glad that the activity allowed will not bring droves of people from other counties to go to the gym or get a haircut or see a movie. My part of the state, outside of Philadelphia like Jojo, will be the last to open. We have a fair number of covidiots carrying their AK whatever rifles protesting in Harrisburg to reopen now. I guess they plan to shoot the virus.

Illinois. Yes, satisfied overall with how my state has handled it. But unless people follow the guidelines, they're useless. I see quite a few people not following them at all.

Western PA resident here (PIttsburgh). I give Governor Wolf a solid C-. There are plenty of people who are still unable to get thru to the unemployment office after 7 weeks! This is unacceptable. My county has had 2 Covid 19 deaths, but has not been released to open any additional businesses. . The discrepancy of store openings seems unfair. We can walk into the Big Box stores to buy our landscaping supplies, but the independent OUTDOOR nurseries are unable to open and wonder if they will survive. The essential vs non essential line is vague. And, the PLCB (liquor stores) continues to be a hot mess. Maybe a C- is too generous.

NC. I'm happy with Gov. Cooper. We are under stay-at-home until May 8. I hope he extends it, because our numbers are still rising. Several counties/municipalities have imposed stricter restrictions, which makes sense to me. We have a wide variety of urban vs. rural, they don't all work the same. In the town where we keep our boat, 70% of the small population is retired. The town passed restrictions against non-residents (just lifted yesterday). Good, they're rural, elderly, and without nearby medical care. They need to take extra precautions.

Our schools won't reopen until fall, at least.

I think the state is doing well imposing miniimums, but allowing smaller entities to do their thing. And yes, we have covitidiots with AK47s storming the capital. I read yesterday that they placed security at the police chief's home because protesters showed up at her door.🙄

NY: State, yes. County, yes now -- but initially they were hiding the numbers and info., saying they didn't want to create alarm?! People who live in the area, NO! One neighbor has a regular overnight visitor who drives in from a major city. Two neighbors have regular get-togethers with family and friends -- almost daily. Kids are playing together everywhere. Effective May 1, masks are required to be worn by business employees and customers. My friend needed major brake work done on his car yesterday (May 1) -- he said that the few employees that wore masks did NOT have their noses covered, and one customer without any mask kept walking around the small office talking to everyone.

ETA: I'm in the area of NY with the highest numbers outside NYC.

Ratherbesewing, I have several friends who operate small independent nurseries in the suburban Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley area, and they are open for pre-ordering by e-mail or phone, and drive up pickup. In fact, they've been doing a brisk business since the lockdown started. I'm not sure about nurseries open for people walking around shopping, both places I am mentioning are not really those kinds of places, they specialize in landscape plants, not annuals and yard tools, ornaments, etc. Edited to add that they just announced that they are still closed for walk in business. That's the difference I guess. And like I said, they are native plant nurseries so no annual flowers and vegetables. Here in MI they have annuals at the grocery and hardware stores, but our lawn and garden nurseries are opening up next week with social distancing rules. I still won't go, people around me are very rude and inconsiderate, they think it is somehow "cool" to flaunt the rules. They are even flaunting other laws that regulate social conduct. Two weekends ago a big "gang" of three wheelers rode around the neighborhood making noise practically daring anyone to call the police. Such things are illegal under normal circumstances. I'm not in a hurry for my annuals, don't buy that many anyway, costs too much.

What is really bugging me about these protests is they are pretty much strictly theatrical. Not a single person fomenting them has a single idea of how to manage a pandemic, just following the strategy of criticizing those that do, and none of their criticisms are based on facts. It is easy to criticize when you are not the one responsible. And then half the time these folks just pooh pooh evidence of poor performance.

I know there is an idea out there that all numbers are suspect, but people use math all the time to make decisions, like insurance rates, investments, health decisions, research on best practices, drug tests, safety campaigns, business projections, making a loan, even ratings on an appliance. Uncertainty and errors can be dealt with by people who know what they are doing. In fact, it is one of the most common mistakes is to not figure in a margin of error, or randomness into your numbers. This is the standard novice mistake, but folks who do this kind of numbers projections know how to compensate for errors in reporting. In fact, that's why a non-random small group test of a drug's effectiveness is NOT a viable means to make a decision on how it will work amongst a large, diverse population. There are too many possibilities for errors and non-random factors influencing the outcome, not to mention the placebo effect, which is why in drug tests people have to be given placebo drugs and not know which one they are getting, the real deal or the placebo.

I pink, all the businesses you mentioned use Risk Analysis in their decisions too. It isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, which is what people are protesting.

Saying that those who are willing to choose more risky decisions than you would, don't know math or are too stupid to interpret the numbers, doesn't help your argument.

If we go with your argument, young adult males should not be able to drive or get any insurance at all, as they cause most of the accidents. Or no medicine/drug that has the smallest probability of a bad reaction should ever be approved, only drugs that are 100% safe for everyone will be approved. The list would be really small. Risk has to be considered in all these decisions.

I think our state is doing pretty well (NC.) The governor seems to be using trends and statistics to determine the course, which is rational since we don’t know what we are dealing with. He laid out a 3 phase plan for gradually reopening, with benchmarks to be met. Most of the states around us have looser restrictions. It will be interesting to see if their economies benefit from the early re-opening.

I am trying to avoid labeling people in our state (and the country) as idiots bc they may be coming at the issue from a very different perspective than you or I. Honestly, in my area which is in commuting distance to a large city, I don’t know of a single soul who has tested positive, and neither do my friends and neighbors. We are seeing clusters in our state in nursing homes and prisons. They are actually getting really interesting data from the prison testing that is showing some huge number of prisoners are positive, but asymptomatic (I want to say It was like 80% of prisoners were positive, and the majority were asymptomatic.) Anyway, our hospitals have been nowhere near capacity, in fact, one hospital closed down bc of the lack of patients seeking care for other issues and there were no Covid patients.

So with all of that said...I can empathize with folks who don’t trust what they are being told. .They are scared, going broke, and feel like their rights are being taken away. It would be better to meet them part way, or somehow acknowledge their real fears without marginalizing or insulting them. They just want to work. It’s not like they are trying to stay on unemployment. The news media has a clear bias, depending on the source, which is why I read all of it, and formulate my own opinion. A lot of these folks don’t have an opportunity to do this. Sigh. It’s such a mess.

No, that's not it. I get the frustration. I have no problem with people doing risk analysis and coming up with mitigation techniques. That is called a "soft opening." It's the blanket criticism NOT based on risk analysis or inability to even consider any data based evidence that bugs me. If someone shows reason, facts and data as part of their arguments, and if it is credible, then fine. Also, you have a right to take risks, but do you have a right to force someone else to take risks? For example, we know the actual research and risks of second hand smoke, I don't think it is unreasonable for anyone to expect not to have to be subjected to it. Same with known pandemic risks. Rights are not unlimited, they are mitigated by reasonable consideration of other's rights. We have noise ordinances for just that reason. You have freedom of speech and a right to hear and listen to whatever you want, but you don't have an absolute right to impose that noise on someone else. And the list goes on and on.

I don't think people are stupid nor do I think that they don't have huge legitimate concerns. My own family is suffering greatly. But refusal to consider data is to me a sign of something other than stupidity. It's an emotional reaction, and some folks are very emotionally difficult. Drug addicts, for example, are in denial of their problems and often cause great social problems for their families. That is not stupidity. My dad is a narcissist, and his thrill would be knowing better than any expert, whether it be doctor, lawyer, researcher, public health official, etc. He argues for some emotional need to stir up conflict. I think online it is called "trolling" and in real life it is called "making a scene." That's something I would like to steer clear of, not reasonable folks who are trying to sort out what is and is not safe to do during a pandemic.

I'm reasonably satisfied with MN's approach. The website has improved steadily. Communication is good with a daily briefing and Q&A session where politicians are not the focus. I'd like to see more testing and it is increasing. The goal of 20,000 per day has been labeled a "moon shot" which I appreciate because that express both the goal and the challenge in reaching it.

The stay at home order has been extended, which I support. It was accompanied by slight easing of restrictions on non-essential businesses. I'm ambivalent about some of those. Our number of deaths daily is still in the 20's. My concern is that we will have a second wave and have to start over. I'm hoping they will consider a geographical approach. For counties where there have been fewer than 3 deaths and none of those occurring recently, it might make sense to ease restrictions faster than in the counties in the Twin Cities metro area.

Cyn, Michigan has extremely lax gun laws and the republicans fight any laws proposed to rein it in. They’re also fighting the Governor on every front so no empathy from me if they were scared (I actually hope they were). We voted a ton of republican (men!) out of office in 2018 and I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to get the remaining ones out now in 2020. I can’t wait!!!!

Our governor announced a few businesses are being allowed to open; among them car washes. I'm the most happy about that of anything, but he's also allowing retail curbside, which will really help small businesses like bookstores and toy stores, etc. Any retail store that you can order from, actually. But with the heavy pollen that has fallen this Spring and two black cars, I am so happy to be able to use the car wash (even though I'm not really driving much, but the pollen turns to concrete if not scrubbed off).

I'm honestly curious about the idea of opening by county. It seems that wouldn't work very well, since we are so mobile. If a county with few cases opens up, won't the neighboring counties come flocking? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of sheltering?

Our Governor did the same. She relaxed stores for curbside pick up and we can wash our cars now too. It was funny, literally within 2 hours of her announcement, the carwash down the street was open with cars lined up. Landscapers is another that has been given the green light.

aok, re county or regional openings, Cuomo said that's an issue that must be addressed prior to any openings here. Aside from all things needing to meet the obvious criteria, any business that would naturally draw 'outsiders' won't be allowed to open (e.g., concert venues), and neighboring counties/regions must be in agreement and ready for soft openings too.

LOL until this is over and well behind us and TRUTH in numbers and FACTS are known...there is not way to answer this. It grieves me GREATLY there is no where one can turn and have confidence in any of the reports on numbers and spread...there is an agenda under all this and here's hoping the USA populous is smarter and more diverse than other countries. I an hoping that is what saves our free republic, in the end.

I'm fairly satisfied with what our govt has been doing. The only thing I'd like to see emphasized more is that while we have done a good job of flattening the curve, that does not mean the virus has gone away. If I understand things correctly, it just means we've slowed the rate of infection so that medical facilities can keep up. As soon as word of "opening up" got out here, some seem to feel all threat is gone and it's back to normal.

I just read an interesting article about Denmark, they have the highest death per 100000 people count in the world but the article mentioned the different ways all countries and even states report their deaths. Germany, touted for its low death rate, only reports confirmed COVID diagnosed deaths while most other places, including my state and most of the USA, England and Italy count assumed deaths. I think we need global standards in regards to testing, tracing and accounting to move forward.

North Bay Area, CA. I'm very proud of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Confirmed cases in my county number 252, and the curve seems to be flattening.

Somewhat. Here in my area of TN, cases are fairly low. But I'm in a small, fairly rural, area. Although cases are still slowly rising in our state (due now mainly to the abundance of testing available), recovered cases has risen also. Hospitalization is down. We are opening in phases, and I do wish our state had waited a bit. Restaurants, churches, retail are now opening (some areas last Friday, some this Wednesday). On this morning's news, it showed the touristy town of Gatlinburg, with people on the sidewalks/streets again. Too many congregating. We will see what happens. Here in our house, we are still sticking close. We have done take-out/curb-side but we will not go to a restaurant for a while yet. My facebook feed had several friends who hit up the restaurants first thing Friday. It's too soon. Our church has opted to continue with streaming services which I think is a wise decision. How would you determine what 50 could attend anyway??? Praying this isn't a mistake. I feel for the mayors and our governor. I know there are many people hurting and NEED to go back to work. I know the economy is suffering. I just hope people will continue to be cautious and this decision does not backfire.

I'm not aware of any plans to open MN by county, but I mentioned it because much of the state is rural and has low death rate in a number of counties. It would only work if people from the metro area didn't flock to their cabins. There isn't an actual prohibition from going to one's cabin now, but it has been strongly discouraged.

As someone who deals with facts on a daily basis in addition to the skill of evaluating the validity of research data (I teach science), the idea that data and facts cannot be objectively verified I find puzzling. As I mentioned, we use facts all the time to make decisions, for example, we check the weather before going somewhere to determine how to dress. Weather predictions are made based on facts, measurements and data. But, since weather is a system that is highly variable (many data points and facts affect the system) there is always going to be some level of uncertainty in your predictions. Meteorologists factor that into their weather reports, and usually give a range of predictions, such as 20% chance of rain. That is not zero, btw, so I always carry a collapsible umbrella in my car. But we don't assume that a meteorologist has some hidden political agenda, nor do we necessarily question the need for weather forecasting, particularly those of us in outdoor professions who depend on reliable weather data to make critical decisions. I have no reason to doubt that the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, one of the most respected and admired research centers in the world, would not be working diligently to present the best and most valid data available. Also, since science thrives on constant questioning and examination, they would not rest until more and more "truth" could be determined. I know science constantly refines ideas, I'm comfortable with evolving advice based on the results of more and more information being investigated and newer data coming in. That's why medical advice evolves over time and what was once standard advice, (like taking vit. E protects against heart disease, for example, which has evolved to it being a minor preventative factor if at all, not trumping genetics, and having no benefit in clinical studies as a treatment, in fact in might be a detriment and is no longer supported by the American Heart Association).

I not only have confidence in the public health researchers at the University of Michigan and my alma mater Michigan State, for example, I feel blessed beyond compare that I live in a state where such institutions can exist and thrive. I feel the same way about the Johns Hopkins Center, their web site is a marvel of useful and helpful information. As well as the many professional groups I belong to that share "truths" amongst members so we can develop strategies to meet all kinds of situations arising out of real data coming out of the real world. For example, the spotted lanternfly is similar to this covid-19 virus in that it has the potential to decimate dozens of economic fruit crops. No one is questioning the validity or political agendas of folks reporting on its spread, nor on ideas for mitigation and control. That's the irony to me, I live in a state known for having more colleges than just about any other state, (we are number 9 for number of colleges) and yet folks want to refuse the good advice one can find here for FREE! Folks from all over the world come here to convene with some of the best brains on the planet! When it was just "their loss" I was fine with it. Now, when it is my own close family at risk and myself, not satisfied!

I have also noted, that in my rural area, there is a movement to not only flaunt social distancing recommendations and rules, but also other laws regarding social conduct. For example, two weekends ago a gang of three wheelers rode up and down the streets in my neighborhood for quite a while, knowing full well that ORVs are not allowed on public roads. It was totally annoying because we were outside trying to enjoy the beauty and peace of our yard. It's happening on a regular basis now, folks going out and engaging in socially disruptive behavior, I guess either hoping to draw folks into conflicts or hoping no one will come out to stop them from the local neighborhood. My friend's husband is a policeman, and this is totally adding to their stress unnecessarily since they are not only having to police serious crimes, but respond to the health crisis as well. So they do not need to deal with things like folks setting off firecrackers, etc.which are totally avoidable. Regarding the three wheelers, eventually they got bored and moved on, but such things are happening on a regular basis in my neighborhood, gangs of trucks and motorcyclists driving around revving their motors, etc. And I'm not talking about groups gathering for socially distancing parties, which we had up the street from us. That was very clear what was going on as the cars all had "Happy Birthday" balloons decorating them.

There are several cases of church communities being ravaged by the virus here in MI and some folks have lost MULTIPLE family members. We stopped going to church before it was cancelled, and we intend to keep on participating virtually. The biggest issue for me is how to continue to support local feeding efforts which our church was heavily involved in as volunteers. I am having to remind myself to regularly donate to the food pantry now online with money instead of food, and also not forget to regularly tithe at church.