NEW YORK (AP) — Speed is of the essence if a federal relief program for small businesses is going to be effective in combating the damage wrought by the coronavirus lockdowns.Yet, days into the program, many Main Street businesses are...
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A sad Holy Week after virus death of 1st Catholic priest
NEW YORK (AP) — “Animo!” Courage! In life, the Rev. Jorge Ortiz-Garay would repeat the word in Spanish when he encouraged teenagers to stay in school, when he fed the homeless, when he consoled those who lost loved ones. Now, parishioners...
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Louisiana responds to coronavirus with rare bipartisanship
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A simple gift from a bitter political rival — a medical mask emblazoned with Louisiana’s state seal — has helped Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards pound home a bipartisan plea for people to stay at home and avoid...
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Hawaii mayor: Florida man flouting quarantine was ‘covidiot’
HONOLULU (AP) — A mayor in Hawaii is calling a Florida man accused of trying to flout Hawaii’s traveler quarantine a “covidiot.” Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami isn’t taking credit for coining the word borne from the COVID-19 pandemic, but...
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Cats, dogs, Quillie the hedgehog source of comfort in crisis
NEW YORK (AP) — Lala, a 3-month-old black Lab, romped into Ufuoma George’s life a few weeks ago, just as she retreated into her New York apartment in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Lala, she thought, would be company. But she’s...
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Making plans, defiantly, amid the chaos and madness
As owners of a wedding and event-planning business, Karina Lopez and Curtis Rogers have always known how the best-laid plans can go awry. But there’s no way they could have imagined just a few weeks ago what would happen to their very own...
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