Houston confronts one-two punch of virus, oil bust AP Domestic
Labor Day is meant to be a celebration. A day to reflect on and recognize the achievements of American workers.
There's little to celebrate this year, however, forroustabouts, roughnecks and drillers the hard-working muscle for decades onoil rigs from the wilds of Alaska to high plains of Wyoming. These are jobs that have long helped fuel America. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has brought it all to a hard stop in many places.
How bad is it?
Texas, the largest oil-producing state in the U.S., had 440land rigs at the end of August last year, according to Baker Hughes' weekly count. That number had shrunk to 104this year.
The story was the same inNorth Dakota, the second-largest oil-producing state: The rig count was down from 51to 10, according to Baker Hughes.
And, in Wyoming, where the oil and gas industry is the state's economic backbone, the rig count dropped to zero for one week in July forthe first time since 1884, Pete Obermueller, executive director of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming Executive Director,told USA TODAY.
"It's historic and troubling," because there are many jobs associated with oil rigs, Obermueller said.
The oil industry is suffering amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with rig counts nationally down from 876 at the end of August last year to 241 this year, according to Baker Hughes.(Photo: Joyce Marshall, AP)
In January, Wyoming had 25 rigs, according to Baker Hughes data. That number had dropped by nearly half by early April and then to zero in July as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the country.
Each rig accounts for approximately 100 jobs, said Obermueller, meaning thatroughly 2,500 jobs have been lost in The Cowboy State since the beginning of the year.
"In normal times, if a rig lays down in Wyoming, that crew might move to North Dakota, or Texas or New Mexico. But, in this particular climate, there (is) nowhere to move because everyone was down," he said, referring to the dwindling rig count in those states.
"So, it essentially functioned as total job loss," Obermueller said.
New Mexico had 46 rigs at the end of August, down from 108 a year ago, according to Baker Hughes. Neighboring Utah has been without an active rig since the beginning of May.
Utah and Idaho are among the states with the best economies.Where do other states fall?
The national rig count, according to Baker Hughes data, has fallen nearly 30% since the end of August 2019, from 876 to 241, and COVID-19 will likely prevent a quick recovery. Demand is down: Theper-barrel price for October delivery is $42.61, compared to about $58 at this time a year ago.
The loss of every oil job is amplified in Wyoming, where the oil and gas industrypaid for 40% of all property taxesin 2019, according to the petroleum association.It also contributed $705 million to public education and millions more to the state fund and cities, towns and counties.
Obermueller also estimates the Cowboy State isfacing an approximately $2 billion shortfall in state funds with the oil and gas industry plummeting. According to the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, the oil and gas industrypaid for 40% of all property taxes in the state in 2019.
"That's an insurmountable gap," said Obermueller, who estimates the state is facing anapproximately $2 billion shortfall with the oil and gas industry slumping in 2020.
"You can't cut your way out of it and our population is too small to necessarily tax your way out of it, either, so it's intractable and really, really relies heavily on oil and gas being able to stand back up in the state," he added. "It has a community impact that's deeply felt."
While the national rig count has gradually declined over the years even before the coronavirus pandemic oil and gas production has been increasing with the rise ofhorizontal drilling.
In April of last year, the country's oil production sustaineda record-tying 12.1 million barrels per day while petroleum demand was at its highest since 2007, according to the American Petroleum Institute.
That number had reached 12.8 million by the end of 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
In Texas, where oil and gas producers evacuated near the Gulf of Mexico before Hurricane Laura made landfall on Aug. 27, the rig count is slowly increasing. The state added up to eight rigs in August before losing one in September, according to Baker Hughes data.
Texas Oil & Gas Association President Todd Staples is taking an optimistic approach.
"Throughout the pandemic, every sector of the Texas oil and natural gas industryexploration and production, oilfield services, transportation and storage, and refining and manufacturing has continued to reliably provide the oil and natural gas products that have helped keep Texans safe, stocked and fueled up," Staples told USA TODAY in a statement.
While oil workers are losing their jobs, Staples said the industryis "well equipped" to helpfamilies, businesses and communities recover during the ongoing pandemic.
The recovery in Wyoming, though,will be different and much more difficult, Obermueller said.
"There's much talk about a V-shaped recovery in other industries, [but] a V-shaped recovery in oil and gas in Wyoming is harder. It will be more U-shaped," he said.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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Mbappe took a test on Monday morning that returned positive, the FFF said, and was then isolated from the French national team. France is scheduled to play at home in Paris on Tuesday against Croatia in a UEFA Nations League match.
Mbappe played for France against Sweden on Saturday, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win.
PSG are set to begin their domestic season on Thursday, but the availability of several of their players is in question following the spate of positive tests.
Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes joined Neymar in returning positive tests, their agency confirmed via e-mail to CNN last week. French media said the three teammates all tested positive after returning from vacation in Ibiza, Spain.
Mbappe's representatives have not responded to CNN's requests for comment about his test. Paris Saint-Germain replied by noting that Mbappe "is on duty with the France National Team who have confirmed the positive test."
The forward played an instrumental role in helping France win the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and he was named "Best Young Player" of the tournament.
He led the club in scoring in the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season and helped them reach the UEFA Champions League final in Portugal last month, where PSG lost to Bayern Munich 1-0.
The Lost Summer of 2020 drew to a close Monday with many big Labor Day gatherings canceled across the U.S. and health authorities pleading with people to keep their distance from others so as not to cause another coronavirus surge like the one that followed Memorial Day.
Downtown Atlanta was quiet as the 85,000 or so people who come dressed as their favorite superheroes or sci-fi characters for the annual Dragon Con convention met online instead. Huge football stadiums at places like Ohio State and the University of Texas sat empty. Many Labor Day parades marking the unofficial end of summer were called off, and masks were usually required at the few that went on.
Please, please do not make the same mistakes we all made on Memorial Day weekend. Wear your masks, watch your distance and wash your hands, said Dr. Raul Pino, state health director in Orange County, Florida, which includes the Orlando area.
The U.S. had about 1.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases around Memorial Day, before backyard parties and other gatherings contributed to a summertime surge. It now has more than 6.2 million cases, according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University. Deaths from the virus more than doubled over the summer to nearly 190,000.
In New Orleans, which had one of the largest outbreaks outside of New York City this spring, city officials reminded residents that COVID-19 doesnt take a holiday after they received 36 calls about large gatherings and 46 calls about businesses not following safety rules on Friday and Saturday.
This is not who we are, and this is not how we as a community get back to where we want to be, the city said.
In South Carolina, which was a hot spot of contagion over the summer before cases started to decline in early August, 8,000 fans, including Gov. Henry McMaster, were allowed to attend the NASCAR race at the Darlington Raceway on Sunday. State officials approved a socially distant attendance plan at the track, which can hold 47,000 people.
It was the biggest gathering in the state since the outbreak started six months ago. Many rows and seats were kept empty to keep groups of fans apart, and people were asked to wear masks.
Debbie Katsanos drove down from New Hampshire with her husband, her father and a friend. It was their first trip out of state since COVID-19 started spreading. They had time off because the Labor Day weekend fair where they typically sell concessions canceled this year.
Katsanos said they wore masks at all times when they were away from their motor home, ate in a restaurant only once on the way down and tried to stay socially distant when visiting with other people at their campground.
Its probably our only chance to get somewhere before the summer ends, Katsanos said Monday as she sat in traffic on Interstate 95 in North Carolina on the long trip home. I saw it as the turning of the corner. We survived this. Lets live life a little.
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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
by: News Release & Posted By Staff | newsweb@everythinglubbock.com
(Nexstar Media Group/EverythingLubbock.com Staff)
LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) The following is a news release from the City of Lubbock:
As of 4:00 p.m. on Monday, September 7, 2020, the City of Lubbock confirmed 71 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and 289 recoveries. The total number of cases in Lubbock County is 8,983: 2,563active, 6,315 listed as recovered and 105 deaths.
The City wants to remind citizens to follow Governor Greg Abbotts latest executive order whichprohibits gatherings of 10 or more people, within the city limits, unless approval from the Mayor is received. That order can be found atmylubbock.us/COVID19.
To request approval from the Mayor for outdoor events with anticipated gatherings of 10 or more people, visitmylubbock.us/lubbocksafewhere you will find an approval checklist. Completed checklists should be submitted tolubbocksafe@mylubbock.usa minimum of ten days prior to the event for approval.
(News release from the City of Lubbock)
TheWest Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reportsas of 10:00 a.m., on September 6, 2020, there have been 458,180 total confirmatory laboratory results receivedfor COVID-19, with 11,412 total cases and 246 deaths.
DHHRhas confirmed the deaths of an 81-year old male from Kanawha County, an 83-year old female fromLogan County, and a 68-year old male from Monroe County. Asmany West Virginians are growing tired of the thought of COVID-19, we must,more than ever, stay vigilant in our efforts to prevent further spread andrealize that the virus is among us, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR CabinetSecretary. We extend our sympathies to these families for their profound loss.
CASESPER COUNTY: Barbour (35), Berkeley (825), Boone(154), Braxton (9), Brooke (102), Cabell (580), Calhoun (17), Clay (29),Doddridge (11), Fayette (412), Gilmer (20), Grant (144), Greenbrier (106),Hampshire (93), Hancock (125), Hardy (75), Harrison (297), Jackson (211),Jefferson (388), Kanawha (1,686), Lewis (36), Lincoln (126), Logan (520),Marion (227), Marshall (133), Mason (119), McDowell (74), Mercer (349), Mineral(146), Mingo (276), Monongalia (1,371), Monroe (136), Morgan (40), Nicholas(57), Ohio (296), Pendleton (45), Pleasants (15), Pocahontas (45), Preston (141),Putnam (340), Raleigh (390), Randolph (228), Ritchie (6), Roane (36), Summers(21), Taylor (110), Tucker (12), Tyler (15), Upshur (45), Wayne (285), Webster(7), Wetzel (45), Wirt (8), Wood (322), Wyoming (71).
Pleasenote that delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from thelocal health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the localhealth department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain countymay not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual inquestion may have crossed the state border to be tested.Such is the case of Marionand Upshur counties in this report.
Pleasevisit the dashboard located at www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more information.
On 31 August 2020 the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) received a request for international assistance from KFOR.
Following a request by the Institutions in Kosovo, the Commander of the Kosovo Force (COM KFOR) has requested international assistance to help the latter in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic through the expansion of their medical response capacity. The appropriate military channels endorsed COM KFORs request while concluding that the requested capabilities are not readily available through military channels and forwarded it to the International Staff.
9 hours agocoronavirusBy Andy Lyman | 9 hours ago
Andy Lyman
With an additional four deaths related to COVID-19 and 46 new positive cases reported on Sunday by New Mexico health officials, the state has seen 807 deaths and 26,144 confirmed cases of the disease. As of Sunday, the state Department of Health reported 65 people are hospitalized in the state with the disease and 13,604 have been deemed recovered.
According to state officials, all four of the latest deaths came from counties with the most total number of cases.
The largest number of newly reported cases came from Bernalillo County, which is the most populous county in the state and the county with the most cumulative number of cases.
McKinley and San Juan Counties have the second and third highest number of cases, respectively.
Here are the breakdown of the total number of cases of COVID-19 by correctional facilities that house federal detainees:
The Department of Health currently reports the following numbers of COVID-19 cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the following facilities:
Below is the breakdown of positive cases by facilities that house state inmates.
There are currently 44 congregate care facilities in New Mexico that have reported at least one case of COVID-19 in the past 28 days.
State officials continue to encourage New Mexicans to stay home if possible and everyone is required to wear a face covering when in public.
Those who show symptoms of COVID-19 like fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of taste or smell should call their medical provider or the DOH COVID-19 hotline at 1-855-600-3453.
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Jess Ahumada (left) oversees farm workers picking strawberries. He talks with Henry Gonzales, the Monterey County agricultural commissioner who secured more than 330,000 masks for farm workers there. Erika Mahoney/KAZU hide caption
Jess Ahumada (left) oversees farm workers picking strawberries. He talks with Henry Gonzales, the Monterey County agricultural commissioner who secured more than 330,000 masks for farm workers there.
With precision, farm workers swiftly harvest rows of strawberries at an organic field in Salinas, Calif. It's hard work, even without a global pandemic and wildfires burning in the background.
Four major wildfires erupted across the state's Central Coast in mid-August, one near Salinas. Smoke blanketed the region, the sun glowed orange and ash rained down.
"It hurt our sinuses," said Jess Ahumada, an agricultural foreman, in Spanish. "The smoke was so thick."
Ahumada leans up against his white pickup truck, which stands out against the green field. He supervises 65 farm workers. When the smoke was unbearable, they made a decision together to stop for their safety. They stopped for one day, Ahumada said.
That wasn't an easy call. Farm workers are paid at least minimum wage, but earn more money the more crates they fill.
Dr. Caroline Kennedy, medical director of the Clinic Services Bureau at the Monterey County Health Department, says it's been one hardship after another for the people who harvest our food; first COVID-19, now wildfire. Kennedy directs nine clinics in a county where agriculture is a leading industry.
Monterey County is home to the Salinas Valley, which is called the "Salad Bowl of the World." Here, vast farm fields of lettuce, broccoli and strawberries feed the entire country.
These farm workers, who are predominantly Latino, are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. In Monterey County, more than 70 percent of COVID-19 cases are among Latinos.
Kennedy said housing is just one root cause, "Often, they go back to very congested living situations and everyone in the family is infected."
COVID-19 patients tell her they just can't take a deep breath, even weeks after being diagnosed. Or, they say, heavy labor is difficult. All of that is compounded by wildfire smoke. But, Kennedy said, when you're behind on bills, it's a tough choice to make.
"Do you stay home when the air quality doesn't make you feel well, or do you just go back to work?" Kennedy said.
A year ago, California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, implemented new standards for protecting outdoor workers from wildfire smoke. It requires employers to provide proper respiratory protection equipment, such as N-95 masks, when air quality is harmful. Whether or not use of a mask is voluntary or required depends on how bad the air quality is.
The messaging is confusing, according to Richard Stedman, executive director for the Monterey Bay Air Resources District, which monitors air quality across Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties. When the air is bad, the general public is told to stay indoors.
"So when I see workers being advised that they can go out into the field and exert themselves as long as they have, in their possession, a mask, that's... that's not very protective," said Stedman.
According to the United Farm Workers, enforcement of the regulation is also problematic.
The labor union conducted a statewide poll in late August to get a better understanding of the situation. Armando Elenes, UFW's secretary treasurer, said of the 350 workers who responded, many from California's Central Valley, about 84% said they didn't get a mask. Workers told Elenes they could see the haze and felt a burning sensation in their eyes.
But, he said, it's difficult to think about long-term health impacts when you're just trying to figure out next week.
"They, unfortunately, were more worried about trying to make ends meet and trying to pay the rent," Elenes said.
With over a dozen wildfires burning in California and a global pandemic that's making N-95s hard to find, the state's Office of Emergency Services answered calls for help. It shipped around 1.4 million masks to county agricultural commissioners in 35 counties.
Monterey County Agricultural Commission Henry Gonzales received over 330,000. He called them a godsend considering their scarcity.
Gonzales knows first-hand what this job takes. He was a migrant farm worker when he was a child. He said showing up to this job can be a risk, but the fruit and vegetables don't wait.
"They're ready when they're ready. And if you're not there to harvest, they're going to go waste," Gonzales said.
Waste that means less money for companies, smaller paychecks for farm workers and fewer strawberries in grocery carts; losses that might be necessary to protect farm workers' health.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) --Local health officials are bracing themselves for a potential spike in Covid-19 cases.This Labor Day weekend marks the first big holiday since Purdue students came back on campus.The university has brought in around 40,000 more people to Greater Lafayette.
"Labor Day weekend, in and of itself, sure, I mean with any kind of celebration time, so to speak, it makes me a little concerned," said Dr. Chris Mansfield, Chief of Adult In-Patient Medine's IU Health Western Region.
Dr. Mansfield said health leaders have concerns about all the "first times" in this community as Covid-19 continues spreading statewide.Concerns like the first time school districts began in-person classes this fall, the first time college students came back to campus, and the first time big holidays have taken place since Covid-19 arose.
"We saw a slight uptick around Memorial Day and really track it on honestly an hourly or on a daily basis and say, you know, 'hey, how is this positivity rate over the last seven days going, how are we doing day by day," said Mansfield.
Dr. Mansfield said each month brings more knowledge as hospitals work to treat patients battling the virus.That's why he's confident if Tippecanoe County does see a spike in cases after Labor Day that the hospital will be able to handle it.
"We've done a pretty darn good job locally staying ahead of the curb and almost staying cutting-edge," said Mansfield. "Using steroids when appropriate, proning patients, meaning turning them over and having them breathe differently to open up lung capacity, just doing different techniques," said Mansfield.
Dr. Mansfield said the number of Covid-positive Purdue students needing hospital care has stayed very low.He's confident that the university's Protect Purdue Plan and Health care Center will continue to work well for students even after a big holiday weekend.
"We're doing everything that we can to protect those students and community members around them," said Mansfield. "I don't know how many students exited over the weekend and maybe went back to their home towns but my hope is if they did they were safe while doing so."
As of Monday, Sep. 7 there are 275 positive Covid-19 cases at the Purdue.We reached out to Purdue Police Chief John Cox who said they did not receive any large gathering complaints during the holiday weekend.
Animals can catch the coronavirus, but that doesnt mean you need to keep your distance from the family pet.
Disease experts say the chance of your pet catching the virus from you or another pet in the neighborhood or at the park is tiny. If they do, the chance they get sick is smaller still. And the chance you catch the virus from your pet is close to zero.
Some...
