Here are your local news headlines for the morning of Friday, Feb. 19, 2021.
Nevada Reports 1st Case Of Virus Variant From South Africa
By The Associated Press
Nevada health officials have confirmed the state's first known case of a coronavirus variant that was first identified in South Africa. The state Public Health Laboratory said Thursday the mutated version of the virus was confirmed in a sample traced to a person who traveled from South Africa and began showing symptoms when arriving in Reno. Experts say the South African variant has demonstrated an ability to avoid immunity to a certain extent. They say Nevadans need to keep wearing masks as restrictions relax on businesses and gatherings. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the South African variant has been detected in 10 other states.
Nevada Registers Slight Uptick In Daily Cases Despite Overall Downward Trend
By Paul Boger
Nevada saw a slight uptick in the number of new coronavirus cases and an additional 31 COVID-19 deaths Thursday.
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 488 new cases of COVID-19 statewide. That's higher than the state's two-week rolling average of new daily cases, which has trended downward since early January.
Nevada's test positivity rate has also seen steady declines in recent weeks, falling to 11.3%. The World Health Organization recommends less than a 5% positivity rate before governments fully reopen.
There are currently fewer than 700 people being hospitalized for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 in Nevada.
Statewide, 289,880 people have contracted the virus and 4,805 people have died.
In Washoe County, health officials reported two additional COVID-19 deaths and 38 new cases Thursday. There are 6,076 active cases countywide. COVID-19 has killed 635 people in Washoe County since the start of the pandemic.
Carson City Health and Human Services reported 17 new cases Thursday. Roughly 2,200 cases remain active in the area surrounding Carson City, while 203 people from the area have died from COVID-19 since last March.
California Virus Aid Plan Would Pay $600 Each To Millions
By The Associated Press
Millions of low-income Californians would receive $600 checks under a $9.6 billion coronavirus aid package proposed by lawmakers. Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders announced Wednesday that they've agreed on a plan that would cut checks to about 5.7 million people who earn less than $30,000 per year, as well as some immigrants who were excluded from federal COVID-19 relief payments during the Trump administration. The package also provides a new round of small business grants and more housing assistance for farmworkers infected by the virus. The Legislature hopes to vote on the plan as early as next Monday.
Nevada GOP Lawmakers Outline Plans But Face Uphill Battle
By The Associated Press
Republican lawmakers in Nevada's Democrat-controlled statehouse hope that economic anxiety and coronavirus restrictions will broaden the resonance of their small government, anti-tax message. But as a minority in both chambers, they could face uphill battles in getting their proposals passed into law. The Assembly Republican caucus outlined a list of priorities Thursday that included rolling back the decision to send all active voters mail-in ballots and restricting Gov. Steve Sisolak's executive powers 11 months into the pandemic. They also said they would resist efforts to increase taxes and instead would pursue balancing the state budget through finding efficiencies in individual agencies.
Republican Infighting Rattles Bid To Oust Democrat Newsom
By The Associated Press
Infighting among California Republicans could endanger the party's hopes of ousting Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The state GOP has long been split between rival factions of conservatives and moderates. Those divisions only have intensified in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s presidency. Battles are shaping up for an online convention starting Friday, including whether state Republicans should pick a new leader or censure GOP Rep. David Valadao for voting to impeach Trump. Meanwhile, organizers behind a potential recall election that could remove Newsom from office say they have collected enough petition signatures to qualify for the ballot, though many have not been verified by election officials.
Tahoe Outdoor NHL Games Could Lead To More Picturesque Sites
By The Associated Press
Outdoor games have become the marquee event of the NHL season ever since the league staged the first Winter Classic in Buffalo in 2008. There have been games at iconic baseball stadiums like Wrigley Field and Fenway Park and others at college football cathedrals like Notre Dame Stadium or the Big House at Michigan. None of the 30 previous outdoor games had quite a setup like this season when the league will stage two games this weekend on the 18th fairway of a golf course on the shores of Lake Tahoe, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains towering in the background.
