NOON 7-28-20

NOON 7-28-20

Watching.

We'll see you again the u-s.

Could there be a chance---it could be ready by the end of this year.

Plus-- seven nonprofits in the tri-state awarded crisis funding to help during the pandemic.

Good afternoon.... welcome to 44news at noon.

I'm -- erran huber and we begin this hour--in the way that's become all too common--these past months.

With where things stand across the tri- state with covid-19.

Let's take a closer look.

These are the latest numbers into our newsroom this afternoon.

In indiana-- vanderburgh county--marks an 8th death.

According to state numbers.

Also according to state data - dubois county reporting eight additional cases.... 16 new deaths state wide--809 new infections across the hoosier state.

In illinois -- seven new cases.

Two from both hardin and gallatin counties.... and - richland - and wayne counties all reporting one new case.

In the bluegrass state - where major statewide mandates aim to curb the spread.... our western kentucky counties adding 34 cases so far.... the latest numbers from green river health.

Daviess county - with 9 new patients.... henderson adds 10.

Hopkins county--sees 13 today.

The burgh house at showplace cinemas in newburgh -- shut down after a worker was in contact with someone who tested positive for covid-19.

The announcement was made on facebook.

The restaurant-- closed since monday--will remain closed today for deep cleaning.

Plans are to reopen on wednesday.

Staff members will be required to test negative before returning to work.

The covid-19 crisis response fund of the greater evansville region has awarded over one hundred thousand dollars to seven nonprofit agencies.

The response fund announced round-seven disbursements would help with funding foods, mental health education and more.

Feed evansville received over 23-thousand dollars for shelf-stable food for the community.

The advisory board also approved a 500- thousand dollar grant to aurora that would pre-fund financial aid to residents.

The warrick county school board - approving the district's reopening plans at a monday night meeting.... in-class instruction - now set for wednesday august 12th.... all staff and students in grades 3 through 12-- required to wear face coverings while attending school.

Those students kindergarten through 2nd grade must wear face coverings*on the bu*-- and it's strongly recommended to wear them throughout the day.

Warrick schools also giving parents a live streaming option if they don't feel comfortable sending their kids to school.

Additional safety protocols include temperature checks for students and staff -- social distancing and frequent sanitizing.

Union county school officials announcing reopening plans.

August 26th will be the first day of school!

Students will be offered two options -- attending in- person classes or going virtual with online learning.

If students attend in- person classes -- they can expect temperature checks -- wearing face masks and altered schedules to reduce group sizes.

For online learning -- parents will need to be sure their students have a reliable device and strong internet connection.

Taking a look across the nation-- florida added 8- thousand 892 new coronavirus cases monday-- it's lowest number in weeks, while texas saw its covid death total jump 12 percent after the state changed the way it counts fatalities.

Danya bacchus reports.

Officials in houston say so far they have twice as many covid-19 deaths in july than in all of june and the numbers show significant community spread.

"do not think you're so strong you can't be a carrier, even if you're feeling well."

Florida reported another 77 covid- related deaths monday.

Coronavirus response coordinator dr. deborah birx says what is happening in the south is moving north.

She urged states to take precautions.

"there are states that do need to close their bars to decrease indoor gatherings //to really make it possible to control the pandemic before it gets worse in states like kentucky, indiana, ohio, tennessee and virginia."

But tennessee's governorãwho met with dr. birx mondayãwaived off her recommendation.

I've said from the very beginning of this pandemic, that there's nothing off the table.

I've also said that we're not going to close the economy back down.

In baltimorer.

Joseph costa who was on the frontlines of the covid-19 battle died from the virus.

Dr. costa is a hero.

He was doing incredible work saving lives two large scale coronavirus vaccine trials are now underway in the u.s. "we want to see how bad their symptoms are, do they end up in the hospital or is it a very minor infection.

And we're going to compare that to the placebo group, see how they did with the covid infection.

That's how we are going to know if this vaccine really works."

If either is successful& health officials say a vaccine could be ready by the end of the year.

Danya bacchus, cbs news, los angeles.

President trump getting a closer look at the race for a coronavirus vaccine.... the president visited a lab in north carolina, monday.... president trump speaking with researchers - hoping to find a cure for covid-19.... the president remaining optimistic... "a groundbreaking agreement with pfizer includes a guarantee to deliver 100 million doses shortly after the vaccine's approval, almost immediately, with the option to purchase an additional 500 million thereafter.

Not only is operation warp speed accelerating the development of a vaccine, we're also directing a colossal industrial mobilization to ensure its rapid delivery.

The president has recently taken a more serious and somber tone - when talking about the pandemic - saying monday - that all americans need to be conscious about their actions - and to exercise extreme vigilance..... some light breezes--some temps in the 80s.

A nice change of pace from what's been a hot and humid summer.

Storm team 44 meteorologist anthony copeland joins us now.

Anthony--are we going to stay dry for long?

A proposed class-action lawsuit--is accusing the country's largest for- profit hospice company--of putting profits ahead of patients.

Anna werner spoke with one employee--who says she was labeled an "essential worker" - and told to make in- person sales visits during the pandemic..

What's happening is wrong what kristina eisenacher says needs to stop are the practices of her own employer, vitas healthcare, the nation's largest for- profit hospice company.

I didn't want to speak out.

But there is really no choice when people's lives are at stake.

Eisenacher worked as a sales representative, visiting medical facilities to referrals for hospice patients.but in mid-march, bay area counties issued shelter in place orders due to the pandemic&.so eisenacher says she was surprised when, just a few days later, she got this robocall from her employer&..

"all vitas staff are considered essential health care workers.

Report to work as scheduled.

Governor's stay-at-home order does not apply."

Did you think you were essential?

No.

Neither, she says, did some of her clients..

So they didn't want you there.

They didn't want us there because of that, and her own respiratory problems, eisenacher refusedãand some weeks later, sued.kay van wey is eisenacher's attorney.

"let's be clear that this is health care sales.

This is not rendering health care services to patients."

Yet text messages we obtained show other vitas sales staff visiting multiple bay area nursing homes and doctors' offices during the pandemic&.they took numerous "selfies" with healthcare workers& some bringing gifts of pizza, chicken, or donuts&.anothe r email shows a manager running a 'weekend referral contest', saying "whoever gets the most selfies of themselves with medical staff could win& vitas would not comment on eisenacher's case or do an interview, but in a statement, it said, "representatives work directly with healthcare partners to educate them and support hospice care transitions..."

"our reprentatives are critical to ensuring access to hospice care for healthcare partners, and thereby hospice- eligible patients, making them essential works in the healthcare system.

They're in the business of death, and unfortunately their employees could've been contributing to more deaths.

To their benefit.

In a response to the lawsuit filed last week, vitas said it has not violated any law or regulation and denied the allegations.anna werner, cbs news, berkeley, california.

Attorney general william barr testifies on capitol hill what issues the democrats are pressing him on...coming up.

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Administration-- is preparing to deploy up to 100 more federal officers to portland, oregon--as federal agents clash with protesters.

This comes as attorney general william barr is launching a defiant defense of the trump administration's response to protesters.

Skyler henry has more.

Attorney general william barr defended the trump administration's response to clashes in portland between federal officers and protesters.

"what unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called a protest; it is, by any objective measure, an assault on the government of the united states."

Barr dismissed the connection between the portland protests and calls for racial equality in the wake of george floyd's death.

And he insisted police departments are not inherently racist.

"the threat to black lives posed by crime on the streets is massively greater than any threat posed by police misconduct."

House democrats accuse the administration of inflaming tensions in portland and other cities.

"by flooding federal law enforcement into the streets of american cities, against the wishes of the state and local leaders of those cities, to forecefully and unconsitutionally repress dissent.

And they accuse barr of politicizing the department of justice to do whatever president trump wants.

"in this justice department, the president's enemies will be punished and his friends will be protected, no matter the cost - no matter the cost to liberty, no matter the cost to justice."

Republicans used their time to re- hash the russia investigation that dogged president trump's first two years in office.

"you had the courage to state the truth.

They attack you, they've been attacking you ever since, every day, every week for simply stating the truth that the obama/biden administration spied on the trump campaign."

And while democrats say they are still concerned about foreign interference in the upcoming election...attorn ey general barr says the administration is concerned about voter fraud utilizing mail-in ballots.

Skyler henry, cbs news, capitol hill.

Dry for now-- rain wise and humidity wise.

A welcome change--but how long will that last?

Storm team 44 meterologist anthony copeland has all your answers.

Anthony?

Days into the delayed major league baseball season- more than a dozen players and staff test positive for covid-19 why some in the league say this raises a big concern.

A short season-- getting shorter.

Five days into the delayed major league baseball season, games continue to be postponed....aft er more than a dozen players and staff on the miami marlins tested positive for covid-19.

Some in the league say they're concerned, but there's no move to suspend the whole season just yet.

Dana jacobson has more in a surprise move, the miami marlins battled the philadelphia phillies on sunday despite four positive tests within the organization.no w...that number has reportedly jumped to at least 13.

"every day we're taking risks.

So, that's what the players all around the league are doing."

The marlins outbreak is creating a ripple effect across the league...monday night major league baseball postponed the marlins-orioles and yankees- phillies games out of precaution.

"baseball had a plan that has 113 pages worth of protocols, ///but there's no specific language that deals with a situation quite like this where you have multiple infections on one team."

"i don't put this in the 'nightmare' category" commissioner rob manfred says owners have not yet considered cancelling or suspending the season.

"we expected we were going to have positives at some point in time.

I remain optimistic that the protocols are strong enough that it will allow us to play."

His comments come as managers and players remain concerned for their safety.

"i'm going to be honest with you, i'm scared.'' that's washington nationals manager dave martinez.

Last year he missed at least three games during the season after undergoing a heart procedure.

I worry about these guys, i worry about everybody around us.

I don't want anybody to get sick."

Dr. zachary binney is an epidemiologist at emory university.

He says the marlins*shoul* quarantine for two weeks... but it's premature to suspend the whole season.

"so far what you've seen is a disaster in one market and one team, but if you were to see something like this again happen on a second team, i think you'd have to think very seriously about it."

For now, mlb is only saying that the marlins will miss 2 games.

Obviously all eyes are on mlb to see how they handle thingsãperhaps none watching more closely than the nfl, which is set to become the only other major pro sports franchise in the u.s. to operate outside of that protected zone, better known as "the bubble."dj, cbs news, boston.

Here is a live look at copeland gives us a final check of your forecast..

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