Des Moines Register: Auditor: Iowa misallocated at least $21 million in COVID-19 funds. “Iowa’s government misallocated at least $21 million of federal assistance intended for COVID-19 relief and must correct the error by the end of the year or face having to repay the money, State Auditor Rob Sand says. Iowa used the money from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act to help pay for a new accounting system.”
state government
Los Angeles Times: Newsom says California will review FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines before releasing them to public
Los Angeles Times: Newsom says California will review FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines before releasing them to public. “Gov. Gavin Newsom said [October 19] that California will review the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines that receive federal approval before distributing them to the public, adding an extra safeguard amid concerns that the White House could rush the process.”
Argus Leader: South Dakota mayors ask citizens to do their part against COVID-19
Argus Leader: South Dakota mayors ask citizens to do their part against COVID-19. “The mayors of South Dakota’s largest cities have written an open letter to the citizens of the state, asking that they do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19. The letter, signed by 16 mayors including Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken and released through the South Dakota Municipal League, says they ‘have come together to bring you a united message concerning the COVID pandemic in our state.'”
AP: Some in North Dakota wish for tougher virus tack by governor
AP: Some in North Dakota wish for tougher virus tack by governor. “James Yantzer strode into a Harbor Freight Tools store in one of North Dakota’s worst hot spots for the coronavirus, brushing off a sign telling customers to wear a face mask. ‘If they kick me out, I’ll go somewhere else,’ Yantzer said, calling masks about as effective at blocking the virus as ‘stopping sand with chicken wire.’ Despite the Bismarck store’s mask requirement, the 69-year-old trucking company owner wasn’t asked to leave.”
PV Magazine: Politicians talk a green game, but do they have solar on their home rooftops?
PV Magazine: Politicians talk a green game, but do they have solar on their home rooftops?. “A Google Maps view of [Governor Gavin] Newsom’s panel-less roof can be seen on a new website… which is out to name names on the politicians who are — or aren’t — backing up their public support for solar with rooftop installations at home. The project is the brainchild of solar sales consultant Nick Thorsch, who recently launched the website, looking first at the rooftops of all 50 state governors’ official mansions and their personal homes.”
Tennessee Department of Health: New COVID-19 Website Launched by Tennessee Department of Health
Tennessee Department of Health: New COVID-19 Website Launched by Tennessee Department of Health. “The new COVID19.tn.gov website is designed to streamline and simplify some of the most frequently requested COVID-19 data for both desktop and mobile users. The site offers dashboards and daily reports with state and county-level information including case counts, hospitalizations and tests conducted.”
Seven states may sue Google in coming ‘weeks’: NY AG (Reuters)
Reuters: Seven states may sue Google in coming ‘weeks’: NY AG . “Seven additional states may file a separate antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc’s Google in the coming weeks, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Tuesday.”
Mass. Using New Tool in COVID Fight: Phone Alerts for High-Risk Communities (NBC News)
NBC News: Mass. Using New Tool in COVID Fight: Phone Alerts for High-Risk Communities. “People who live in or near some Massachusetts communities at high risk for COVID-19 transmission were getting alerts on their phones Monday afternoon reminding them about coronavirus safety rules. It’s the first time a Wireless Emergency Alert is being sent about the coronavirus in Massachusetts, a Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center spokesman said.”
Show us the money: Interactive website lets citizens and candidates build real budgets (Anchorage Daily News)
Anchorage Daily News: Show us the money: Interactive website lets citizens and candidates build real budgets. “The website, which is the only one of its kind in Alaska that we know of, works like this: Visitors read basic descriptions of different budget categories, and choose what actions to take. They can cut spending, add new revenue, increase current taxes, and any combination of the above. As they make choices, the website updates the budget gap in real-time.”
New York Times: How a Feud Between Cuomo and de Blasio Led to a Chaotic Virus Crackdown
New York Times: How a Feud Between Cuomo and de Blasio Led to a Chaotic Virus Crackdown. “The governor and mayor, both Democrats, have feuded for years, and their reluctance to work together closely has become a critical issue during the pandemic. Mr. [Bill] de Blasio, who needed Mr. [Andrew] Cuomo’s approval to act, pushed out a plan without the state’s blessing, only to have the governor override that plan with one of his own — causing unnecessary confusion for thousands of business owners and school parents.”
KMBC: KDOL launches new website to track identity theft fraud during the COVID-19 outbreak
KMBC: KDOL launches new website to track identity theft fraud during the COVID-19 outbreak. “The Kansas Department of Labor launched a new website… that helps people report identity theft fraud during the COVID-19 outbreak. The KDOL says scammers are filing fraudulent claims by using names and personal information of people who have not lost their jobs.”
Connecticut State Library: Connecticut Public Libraries will receive $2.6M in Coronavirus Relief Funds
Connecticut State Library: Connecticut Public Libraries will receive $2.6M in Coronavirus Relief Funds. “Governor Ned Lamont announced that his administration is dedicating $2.6 million of Connecticut’s Coronavirus Relief Funds to support the state’s public libraries as they continue to make health and safety improvements and offer more services to residents amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
BuzzFeed News: State Health Officials Say They Aren’t Getting Contact Tracing Information From The White House
BuzzFeed News: State Health Officials Say They Aren’t Getting Contact Tracing Information From The White House. “As the nation’s capital reeled with news of one high-profile presidential aide after another testing positive for COVID-19, officials in local health departments in several jurisdictions said the White House has complicated efforts to identify and contract trace anyone whom the president and his entourage may have exposed to the coronavirus during his recent travels.”
AG Ferguson: Twitter To Pay $100,000 To Washington State For Multiple Campaign Finance Violations (Washington State Attorney General)
Washington State Attorney General: AG Ferguson: Twitter To Pay $100,000 To Washington State For Multiple Campaign Finance Violations. “Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that Twitter will pay $100,000 to Washington’s Public Disclosure Transparency Account for violating the state’s campaign finance disclosure law, which Washingtonians adopted through initiative in 1972. Twitter unlawfully failed to maintain for public inspection records about Washington political ads that ran on its platform from 2012 until Nov. 22, 2019. On that date, Twitter implemented a ban on all political advertising.”
KMSP: Minnesota adding COVID-19 saliva test results to online database
KMSP: Minnesota adding COVID-19 saliva test results to online database. “The Minnesota Department of Health began posting the results from the saliva COVID-19 tests to the online database. This means that results from saliva testing, also known as antigen testing, will be posted alongside results from the other COVID-19 tests. The cumulative results are also posted. For example, on Wednesday, Minnesota reported the state has a total of 115,943 positive cases to date, with 180 of those coming from antigen tests.”