My Daily Grind News

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 are coming off of their worst first quarter in history. Source: Dow futures fall more than 300 points after market posts worst first quarter on record The article was originally published here!

Some service stations in the U.S. are selling gasoline for 99 cents a gallon, prices not seen in about two decades Source: Gas is cheap, but for many motorists there’s nowhere to go The article was originally published here!

“I called her up and said, ‘Hi, this is Greg, your newspaper guy — I’m at the store, do you need anything?’” said New Jersey Star-Ledger deliveryman Greg Dailey. It took off from there. Source: Newspaper deliveryman brings groceries to his older customers on morning route, no extra charge The article was originally published here!

Coronavirus update: 803,650 infected, up from 741,030 yesterday. 39,545 deaths, up from 35,114 yesterday. Relevant COVID-19 stories: New York is fast becoming the world’s next coronavirus hotspot The Instacart strike, explained – Amazon, Whole Foods, Instacart workers on strike due to poor working conditions 6 feet enough for social distancing? MIT researcher says droplets carrying coronavirus can travel up to 27 feet Economy Update: https://www.thestreet.com/quote/djia/dow-jones-industrial-average-today.html DJIA is up about 75 at the moment. Looks like the stock market is in a holding pattern, awaiting news. Relevant Economy stories: Stock market live updates: Dow’s worst first quarter ever, S&P 500’s worst month since ’08 Restaurants and bars lost a total of $25 billion so far due to coronavirus Politics: Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell are at odds over a Phase 4 federal stimulus package that focuses on infrastruct...

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo has tested positive for coronavirus after suffering a fever, chills and shortness of breath. Source: CNN’s Chris Cuomo tests positive for coronavirus The article was originally published here!

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) hit the brakes Tuesday on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) plan to move ahead with a fourth stimulus package that would include major infrastructure spending and other Democratic priorities. Source: McConnell hits brakes on next economic stimulus package The article was originally published here!

The captain of a US nuclear aircraft carrier has pleaded for help from the Navy, amid a growing coronavirus outbreak on the vessel, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Source: Captain of nuclear aircraft carrier pleads US government for help as… The article was originally published here!

A conversation about the latest market-moving events, including the coronavirus outbreak, as Wall Street wraps up a wild first quarter. Source: Stock market live updates: Dow’s worst first quarter ever, S&P 500’s worst month since ’08 The article was originally published here!

An MIT researcher says gaseous clouds could carry droplets of all sizes up to 27 feet, though doctors contend 6 feet is adequate against coronavirus. Source: 6 feet enough for social distancing? MIT researcher says droplets carrying coronavirus can travel up to 27 feet The article was originally published here!

Covid-19 ravages America’s biggest city Right now, New York stands apart. The state saw its first case just four weeks ago, and plunged rapidly into crisis. On March 29th New York reported 965 deaths and 59,513 confirmed cases, accounting for more than 40% of America’s cases and 7% of the world’s. The majority of these—678 deaths and 33,768 cases—are in New York City itself. The peak is expected to come by mid-April. Source: New York is fast becoming the world’s next coronavirus hotspot The article was originally published here!

Coronavirus update: 741,030 infected, up from 558,552 Friday. 35,114 deaths, up from 25,251 Friday. Fauci Estimates That 100,000 To 200,000 Americans Could Die From The Coronavirus Relevant COVID-19 stories: Liberty University Brings Back Its Students, and Coronavirus Fears, Too John Prine hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms; family says ‘his situation is critical’ Joe Diffie, Nineties Country’s ‘Pickup Man,’ Dead at 61 From Coronavirus Economy Update: DJIA is up about 450 today, passing back into the 22,000 range. The markets are awaiting a slew of really bad news. Feels like impending DOOM. Relevant Economy stories: IMF head says global economy now in recession Mortgage bankers warn Fed mortgage purchases unbalanced market, forcing margin calls Cramer warns stock market short sellers about betting against science in coronavirus crisis Politics: Editorial : Fallout from bloated and misdirected federal stimulus package con...

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits skyrocketed to a record-breaking 3.283 million for the week ended March 21 . Consensus expectations were for 1.64 million claims. The previous record was 695,000 claims filed the week ended October 2, 1982. Source: U.S. jobless claims skyrocket to 3.283 million The article was originally published here!

MARCH 27–After a night of partying in Key West, a vacationing couple from Maryland sexually assaulted a woman they invited back to their hotel room, according to police who yesterday arrested the duo on felony charges.Investigators allege that Eleanora Kurban, 23, and Bryce Summerlin, 28, met the victim in late-January at a bar where she had gone for karaoke night. The 23-year-old victim subsequently went to the Bare Assets strip club with Kurban and Summerlin.By the time the club closed at 4 AM, the victim told police, she had consumed numerous alcoholic drinks, including multiple shots of tequila. “When she would take a shot, another one would always just be there,” investigators noted. Source: Couple Charged With Assaulting Drunk Woman | The Smoking Gun The article was originally published here!

“This is a day where you say, if I’m short I’m betting against science, not betting against the lackadaisical attitude of many people in the country,” CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Monday. Source: Cramer warns stock market short sellers about betting against science in coronavirus crisis The article was originally published here!

(CNN) The Justice Department has started to probe a series of stock transactions made by lawmakers ahead of the sharp market downturn stemming from the spread of coronavirus, according to two people familiar with the matter. The inquiry, which is still in its early stages and being done in coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission, has so far included outreach from the FBI to at least one lawmaker, Sen. Richard Burr, seeking information about the trades, according to one of the sources. Public scrutiny of the lawmakers’ market activity has centered on whether members of Congress sought to profit from the information they obtained in non-public briefings about the virus epidemic. Source: Justice Department reviews stock trades by lawmakers after coronavirus briefings The article was originally published here!

The family of John Prine says that the legendary singer-songwriter has been hospitalized since Thursday, after a “sudden onset of COVID-19 symptoms.” Source: John Prine hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms; family says ‘his situation is critical’ The article was originally published here!

Joe Diffie, a Nineties country music star known for hits like ‘Pickup Man,’ died Sunday due to complications from the coronavirus. Source: Joe Diffie, Nineties Country’s ‘Pickup Man,’ Dead at 61 From Coronavirus The article was originally published here!

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/USA (UPDATE 7, PIX, TV, GRAPHICS):UPDATE 7-Trump drops idea of New York lockdown as U.S. death count crosses 2,000 Source: Trump drops idea of New York lockdown as U.S. death count crosses 2,000 The article was originally published here!

As many as 200,000 workers could walk off the job unless demands for improved equipment and hazard pay are met. Source: Instacart Shoppers Plan to Strike Over Coronavirus Protections The article was originally published here!

The administration says it won’t provide documentation for audits into $500 billion in corporate bailout funds. Source: Trump says he won’t comply with key transparency measures in the coronavirus stimulus bill The article was originally published here!

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today issued a legal opinion following a request from Representative Dustin Burrows regarding the sales of firearms in Texas municipalities and counties. The opinion concludes that municipal and county authorities may not use emergency powers to regulate or restrict the sale of firearms. Source: AG Paxton: Local Governments Must Allow the Sale of Firearms The article was originally published here!

Big government is needed to fight the pandemic. What matters is how it shrinks back again afterwards Source: The state in the time of covid-19 The article was originally published here!

A Fifth person has died due to the new coronavirus in Pierce County. Officials have also confirmed 45 new cases of the virus. Source: 5th Death, 231 Coronavirus Cases Confirmed In Pierce County The article was originally published here!

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the International Monetary Fund said Friday it is clear that the global economy has now entered a recession that could be as bad or worse than the 2009 downturn. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the 189-nation lending agency was forecasting a recovery in 2021, saying it could be a “sizable rebound.” But she said this would only occur if nations succeed in containing the coronavirus and limiting the economic damage. “A key concern about a long-lasting impact of the sudden stop of the world economy is the risk of a wave of bankruptcies and layoffs that not only can undermine the recovery but erode the fabric of our societies,” she told reporters at a news conference following a telephone conference with finance officials from the 24 nations that make up the IMF’s policy-setting panel. Source: IMF head says global economy now in recession The article was originally published here!

Weeks ahead of the rest of the country, Washington state’s policies could be flattening the curve. Source: Where coronavirus outbreak started in Washington state, officials see hope as cases appear to be leveling off The article was originally published here!

The number of U.S. coronavirus infections climbed above 82,000 on Thursday, surpassing the national tallies of China and Italy, as New York, New Orleans and other hot spots faced a surge in hospitalizations and looming shortages of supplies, staff and sick beds. Source: As of Thursday, U.S. had most coronavirus cases in world The article was originally published here!

Coronavirus update: 558,552 infected, up from 495,086 yesterday. 25,251 deaths, up from 22,993 yesterday. New York is hardest hit, with Florida poised to claim largest death count (due to a large percentage of seniors who have retired there). Relevant COVID-19 stories: Live updates: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus; the U.S. now leads the world in confirmed cases Terrifying cellphone ‘heat map’ shows just how much people are still traveling Economy Update: DJIA is down nearly 900 points today, passing back down to the 21,000 range. The markets are awaiting a slew of really bad news. Relevant Economy stories: U.S. markets sharply turn after three straight days of gains America’s mortgage market sickens Politics: Senators voted 96-0 on the $2 Trillion federal fiscal stimulus package. The House votes Friday. Trump is expected to pass it. Teen Who Died of Covid-19 Was Denied Treatment...

MARCH 26–For Jahrea Raheem Wallace, a desperate time allegedly called for a desperate measure. The 25-year-old Floridian–seated in the rear of a police cruiser after being arrested following a 2:40 AM traffic stop–sought to dispose of some narcotics on his person, cops reported . Well, actually, in his person. According to an arrest affidavit , a vehicle cam captured Wallace last month “eating a bag of drugs he pulled from his butt.” Pictured at right, Wallace then “proceeds to eat the baggy with the drugs.” When confronted by sheriff’s deputies, Wallace denied consuming the baggy, and then spit it out in front of a cop. The officer subsequently “swabbed the defendant’s mouth which tested positive for cocaine,” the affidavit states. “The baggy is being sent to the lab for testing.” Charged with cocaine possession, providing a false name to cops, and tampering with physical evidence, Wallace was booked into the Pinellas County lockup. The St. Petersburg resident, ...

A 17-year-old boy in Los Angeles County who became the first teen believed to have died from complications with covid-19 in the U.S. was denied treatment at an urgent care clinic because he didn’t have health insurance, according to R. Rex Parris, the mayor of Lancaster, California. Roughly 27.5 million Americans—8.5 percent of the population—don’t have health insurance based on the latest government figures. Source: Teen Who Died of Covid-19 Was Denied Treatment Because He Didn’t Have Health Insurance The article was originally published here!

The grocer started communicating with its Chinese counterparts in January and was running tabletop simulations a few weeks later. (But nothing prepared it for the rush on toilet paper.) Source: Inside the Story of How H-E-B Planned for the Pandemic The article was originally published here!

AMERICA’S $19trn commercial and residential mortgage market is jittery as investors begin to fear that laid-off workers and shut-down firms will struggle to repay their debts. Plenty of investors—such as real-estate investment trusts—are highly leveraged. As the value of mortgage-backed securities has dropped sharply they have begun to face margin calls on their debt from their bankers. Some have warned investors that they are unable to meet cash calls. Demand for new residential mortgages is likely to suffer, too. Lockdowns and economic uncertainty have stopped homebuyers looking. Source: America’s mortgage market sickens The article was originally published here!

In an interview with Sean Hannity, the president again minimized the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York says his state needs 30,000 ventilators to respond to the escalating coronavirus crisis. President Donald Trump doesn’t believe him. Speaking with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Thursday night, Trump again minimized the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic, casting doubt on the need for tens of thousands of ventilators for hospitals responding to the crisis. “I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to be,” he said. “I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying, ‘Can we order 30,000 ventilators?’” Source: Trump: I don’t believe you really need that many ventilators The article was originally published here!

Many retail outlets “will never reopen their doors,” analysts say in underlining the outbreak’s “debilitating” impact. Source: Coronavirus could cause a record 15,000 stores to close in 2020 The article was originally published here!

The first crushing wave of 3.28 million workers seeking unemployment benefits is expected to be followed by millions more in coming weeks. Source: Markets take 3 million claims in stride and now brace for ‘tsunami of negative news’ The article was originally published here!

Fearful of catching the coronavirus, a 75-year-old man pointed a handgun at two women wearing face masks and gloves during an encounter at a post office in Georgia, police charge. According to cops, Harvey Taratoot was in the post office Sunday when he confronted the victims. Taratoot yelled at the duo–a grandmother and her 18-year-old granddaughter–“to get back.” The women, who were not hurt during the incident, told police that they were “wearing medical masks and gloves when they entered the post office” in Alpharetta, a city 25 miles north of Atlanta. Upon walking into the post office, they were immediately met by the gun-toting Taratoot, police say. Source: Fearing Coronavirus, Man, 75, Pulled Gun On Masked Women, Warned Them To “Get Back” | The Smoking Gun The article was originally published here!

ATLANTA and MIAMI , March 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, a closely held biotechnology company, and Drug Innovations at Emory (DRIVE), LLC, a not-for-profit biotechnology company wholly owned by Emory University , today announced a collaboration to rapidly advance DRIVE’s EIDD-2801, a promising oral COVID-19 treatment, into human testing. This collaboration combines Ridgeback’s unique experience advancing drug development efforts in the midst of an on-going disease outbreak with the three decades of experience that the DRIVE executive team has in antiviral drug development and commercialization. Source: Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Drug Innovations Ventures at Emory Partner to Develop Clinical Stage Coronavirus Treatment The article was originally published here!

“The numbers are grossly under-reported. I know for a fact that we’ve had three deaths in one county where only one is listed on the website,” one California ER doctor told BuzzFeed News. Source: Doctors And Nurses Say More People Are Dying Of COVID-19 In The US Than We Know The article was originally published here!

“The numbers are grossly under-reported. I know for a fact that we’ve had three deaths in one county where only one is listed on the website,” one California ER doctor told BuzzFeed News. Source: Doctors And Nurses Say More People Are Dying Of COVID-19 In The US Than We Know The article was originally published here!

The Senate has struck a historic $2 trillion deal in response to the coronavirus pandemic to provide relief for Americans, businesses and the health care industry. Source: READ: $2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill The article was originally published here!

New York Chef Floyd Cardoz died from the coronavirus. He was 59 years old. Source: Chef Floyd Cardoz Dies of Coronavirus in New Jersey at 59 The article was originally published here!

It is unclear whether the Russian state, in combatting the spread of COVID-19, has been lucky, smart with preëmptive measures, or dangerously incompetent. Source: Why Is Russia’s Coronavirus Case Count So Low? The article was originally published here!

Coronavirus update: 438,749 infected, up from 398,107 yesterday. 19,675 dead, up from 17,454 yesterday. Relevant COVID-19 stories: Man who said he had coronavirus coughed on Wegmans worker, charged with making terroristic threat India’s coronavirus lockdown and its looming crisis, explained Where the Sick Will Go When Hospitals Run Out of Room Economy Update: DJIA is up 350+ points, passes 21,000 (again). Relevant Economy stories: The Senate has struck a $2 trillion deal on the coronavirus stimulus. Here’s what’s in it. The coronavirus unemployment insurance plan, explained Politics: ‘It’s a two-way street’: Trump suggests federal coronavirus aid will be given to governors who ‘treat us well’ President Trump pulled a dick move, but what’s new, right? Relevant Politics stories: Republicans Seem to Think They Can Decide Who Dies Sen. Paul: Why I didn’t quarantine after getting tested – Because you’re...

The numbers of officially confirmed cases are very low. But they’re likely masking a deeper problem in the world’s second-most-populous country. Source: India’s coronavirus lockdown and its looming crisis, explained The article was originally published here!

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti opened his daily briefing Tuesday recognizing what may have been the first teenage COVID-19 death in L.A. County and went on to announce actions against nonessential businesses that don’t close and a new portal for recruiting medics. He reminded young people that the virus can hit them too, urging them to stay at home and practice social distancing. “Your behavior can save a life and take a life,” Garcetti said. “And that life could be yours.” The mayor addressed President Trump’s remarks from earlier Tuesday about having the nation “opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” Garcetti said he didn’t think L.A. would be back to normal “in that short time.” “We won’t extend it one day longer than we need to,” Garcetti said, but emphasized that the “safer at home” measure had to be followed through. The mayor said L.A. is six to 12 days behind New York in being hit wit...

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti opened his daily briefing Tuesday recognizing what may have been the first teenage COVID-19 death in L.A. County and went on to announce actions against nonessential businesses that don’t close and a new portal for recruiting medics. He reminded young people that the virus can hit them too, urging them to stay at home and practice social distancing. “Your behavior can save a life and take a life,” Garcetti said. “And that life could be yours.” The mayor addressed President Trump’s remarks from earlier Tuesday about having the nation “opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” Garcetti said he didn’t think L.A. would be back to normal “in that short time.” “We won’t extend it one day longer than we need to,” Garcetti said, but emphasized that the “safer at home” measure had to be followed through. The mayor said L.A. is six to 12 days behind New York in being hit wit...

State health officials said at least 2,469 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Washington by Tuesday night, and 123 people have died. Source: Washington Adds 248 New Coronavirus Cases; 13 More Deaths The article was originally published here!

President Trump said Tuesday that he wants the country “opened up” by Easter — April 12 — and continued to play down the dangers of the coronavirus pandemic even as experts warned of a worsening crisis. A World Health Organization official said that the United States has the potential to become the new epicenter of the global crisis. More governors are issuing stay-at-home orders as the death toll in America continues to rise: On Monday, U.S. deaths surpassed 100 in a single day for the first time. Source: Live updates: Trump says he wants ‘country opened’ by Easter, despite warnings from public health experts about coronavirus outbreak The article was originally published here!

Coronavirus update: 398,107 infected, up from 353,692 yesterday. 17,454 dead, up from 15,430 yesterday. US leads the way in number of infections gained per day. MAGA? Can we do that soon, please? Relevant COVID-19 stories: Biden: Trump’s ‘failure of planning and preparation’ worsened coronavirus crisis Arizona Man Dies From Chloroquine Overdose After Listening to Trump Coronavirus Press Conference Summer Olympics in Japan Postponed Until Next Year Economy Update: DJIA is up 1,700+ points on news federal stimulus bill may soon be passed. Relevant Economy stories: The coronavirus unemployment insurance plan, explained Whatever It Takes: How the Fed Aims to Rescue the Economy Politics: Joe Biden is beating up President Trump over his horrible response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Obamacare turns 10 years old today. Let’s see how the GOP plans on killing it again. Stay Alive, Joe Biden Obamacare Turns 10 Today Feel good s...