COVID-19

SBA Leaves Businesses Still Hoping for More Leeway on Loans

Published by Scott Stewart on Fri, 05/29/2020 - 12:00am

New York – Small businesses hoping for more leeway in using coronavirus loan money were disappointed as the government released instructions for seeking forgiveness for the loans.

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Unforgivable? Restaurants Fear Loans Won’t Bring Relief

Published by Scott Stewart on Fri, 05/29/2020 - 12:00am

New York – Restaurants owners across the U.S. are worried that a loan from the government’s coronavirus relief program could wind up being a burden instead of a blessing.

The Paycheck Protection Program has disbursed more than 4.3 million loans worth more than half a trillion dollars to small businesses.

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County Corrections, DCYC Staff Test Positive for Virus

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 7:27am

CORRECTION: The Douglas County corrections officer in the story did not have COVID-19, according to a correction issued May 29 by a Douglas County spokesperson to a May 26 news release. The officer was hopsitalized for an unrelated health condition and tested negative for COVID-19. The office was released from the hospital May 29.

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State Senator Sick with COVID-19

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 7:26am

Lincoln – Among the latest coronavirus patients in Nebraska is state Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus, who has been receiving care at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Gov. Pete Ricketts said Tuesday that he was “praying for (Moser) and his family as he goes through this recovery process.” Moser, 68, was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2018.

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Federal Court Delays Criminal, Civil Trials Through Early July

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 6:56am

The U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska hopes to be resuming criminal and civil trials shortly after Independence Day.

Chief U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard issued an order May 14 extends continuances for criminal and civil matters scheduled for jury trial for all proceedings on or before Friday, July 3.

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Face-to-Face Proceedings in Iowa Scheduled to Commence July 13

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 6:55am

The Iowa Supreme Court issued a supervisory order May 22 that states face-to-face court proceedings will resume July 13, with some counties possibly starting up sooner if court operations meet safety standards.

Only emergency and essential hearings have been held face-to-face since March 14, with most proceedings held by phone or videoconference.

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11th State Prison Employee Tests Positive for Virus

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 6:54am

Lincoln – Another Nebraska prisons employee has tested positive for COVID-19, according to state officials.

A staff member at the Lincoln Correctional Center recently tested positive for the virus and is self-isolating at home, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said Monday afternoon in a news release.

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Texas High Court Justice Tests Positive for Virus

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 6:54am

Austin, Texas – A Texas Supreme Court justice said last week that she and her husband have tested positive for COVID-19 after going to a drive-through testing center with symptoms including body aches and fevers.

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Iowa Postpones Jury Trials Until Sept. 14 Due to COVID-19

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 5:00am

Iowa City, Iowa – The Iowa Judicial Branch announced that it would postpone jury trials in criminal cases until at least Sept. 14 and push back any in-person proceedings until July 13 or later because of the coronavirus threat.

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Feds Secretly Made Home Confinement Harder to Obtain

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 4:00am

Even as the Justice Department announced that federal prisons would release vulnerable, nonviolent inmates to home confinement to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the agency was quietly adopting a policy that makes it harder for inmates to qualify for release, not easier. The result has been that more than 98% of inmates remain in federal custody, while a handful of celebrity inmates, like President Donald Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort, have been released to home detention.