Families struggle with how to hold 2nd pandemic Thanksgiving
Back in the spring, Pauline Criel and her cousins talked about reuniting for Thanksgiving at her home near Detroit after many painful months of seclusion because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who’s a hero? Some states, cities still debating hazard pay
HARTFORD, Conn. — When the U.S. government allowed so-called hero pay for frontline workers as a possible use of pandemic relief money, it suggested occupations that could be eligible from farm workers and childcare staff to janitors and truck drivers.
Schatz talks infrastructure – ‘really good news’ – Build Back Better
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, who’s in Hawaii for Thanksgiving, called the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill President Joe Biden recently signed into law “really great news.”
On the road again: Travelers emerge in time for Thanksgiving
DALLAS — Determined to reclaim Thanksgiving traditions that were put on pause last year by the pandemic, millions of Americans will be loading up their cars or piling onto planes to gather again with friends and family.
White House: 92% of fed workers under mandate are vaccinated
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for millions of federal workers seems to be working, with no apparent disruption to law enforcement, intelligence-gathering or holiday travel.
Saturday sign-waving rally to honor hometown heroes
The Exchange Club of Hilo is inviting businesses, community organizations, families and individuals to participate in the “Thanksgiving Unity Island-Wide Mahalo Sign-Waving Rally” between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
Vaccines making Thanksgiving easier, but hot spots remain
The U.S. is facing its second Thanksgiving of the pandemic in better shape than the first time around, thanks to the vaccine, though some regions are seeing surges of COVID-19 cases that could get worse as families travel the country for gatherings that were impossible a year ago.
Fighting gas prices, US to release record 50M barrels of oil
NEW YORK — Santa is back this year, but he pleads caution as he continues to tiptoe through the pandemic.
Ige: Counties free to make emergency rules without state’s permission
Gov. Ige today announced that as of Dec. 1, he will no longer require counties to obtain his approval or that of Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, before issuing county emergency orders, rules or proclamations.
Ige urges parents to vaccinate keiki
Gov. David Ige said Monday about 14% of children ages 5 to 11 statewide have received at least one shot of vaccine to inoculate them against the novel coronavirus.
How COVID shots for kids help prevent dangerous new variants
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Cadell Walker rushed to get her 9-year-old daughter Solome vaccinated against COVID-19 — not just to protect her but to help stop the coronavirus from spreading and spawning even more dangerous variants.
GOP embraces natural immunity over vaccine mandates
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Republicans fighting President Joe Biden’s coronavirus vaccine mandates are wielding a new weapon against the White House rules: natural immunity.
Austria begins national lockdown to fight surging infections
VIENNA — Austria went into a nationwide lockdown early Monday to combat soaring coronavirus infections, a step being closely watched by other European governments struggling with national outbreaks that are straining health care systems.
Protests erupt over virus rules in Austria, Italy, Croatia
VIENNA — Tens of thousands of protesters, many from far-right groups, marched through Vienna on Saturday after the Austrian government announced a nationwide lockdown beginning Monday to contain skyrocketing coronavirus infections.
New hurdle for COVID-19 home testing — the holiday season
WASHINGTON — Millions more home tests for COVID-19 are hitting store shelves, but will there be enough for Americans hoping to screen themselves before holiday gatherings?
No cruise ships until 2022
Anyone hoping to travel on a cruise ship to Hawaii this year can forget about it.
NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn’t happen this week
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:
Facing surge, Austria will mandate COVID-19 shots, lock down
VIENNA — Austria announced a national lockdown and a plan to mandate vaccinations as coronavirus infections hit a record high Friday, forcing the government to walk back promises that strict shutdowns were a thing of the past.
US opens COVID boosters to all adults, urges them for 50+
WASHINGTON — The U.S. on Friday opened COVID-19 booster shots to all adults and took the extra step of urging people 50 and older to seek one, aiming to ward off a winter surge as coronavirus cases rise even before millions of Americans travel for the holidays.
Virus surge worsens in Midwest as states expand boosters
A surge in cases in the Upper Midwest has some Michigan schools keeping students at home ahead of Thanksgiving and the military sending medical teams to Minnesota to relieve hospital staffs overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.
