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At least 15 states in the U.S. are pausing or rolling back their coronavirus reopenings
As government officials attempt to handle a near-unprecedented pandemic event that has resulted in the deaths of more than 127,000 Americans, citizens now face health orders that seem to change by the day -- as infections surge in many areas, worrying officials who are tasked with keeping their constituents safe.
Plans for a steady and gradual reopening amid the coronavirus have effectively been scrambled in many states.
Efforts to reopen have been put on hold in places including Texas and Arizona. Other states, including California and Oregon, have mandated face coverings in public. Meanwhile, many local governments are taking measures into their own hands with restrictions such as mask requirements, and others are resisting their states' health measures.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, amid a surge in cases, took steps to reduce bar capacity and ban alcohol sales, describing “the very swift and very dangerous turn” the virus had taken in his state. Now it's one of many states across the South and West to see cases rebounding in recent weeks.
That led to a commitment of federal resources by Vice President Pence, as federal officials announced funding for testing sites would be extended for two weeks. Click here for more on our top story.
Other coronavirus related developments:
- Gov. DeSantis says Florida 'not going back' on coronavirus reopening, despite new case surge.
- California smashes state coronavirus record with over 8,000 confirmed cases.
- Biden claims Trump has 'surrendered' in the coronavirus war.
St. Louis homeowner speaks out about bearing arms to defend home
St. Louis resident Mark McCloskey broke his silence on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" on Tuesday after he and his wife Patricia drew national media attention for brandishing guns in the front yard of their home after protesters allegedly broke into their gated community.
"People start coming in. And then a flood of people start coming in," McCloskey said. "They are angry, they're screaming, they've got spittle coming out of their mouth they're coming toward the house ..."
"I turned to my wife and I said, 'Oh my God, we're absolutely alone. There is nobody here to protect us.'"
At that point the couple retrieved their guns and stood firmly outside their home -- as seen in a now-viral video posted to Twitter, McCloskey said.
"When I saw that mob coming through the gate with their rage and their anger, I thought that we would be overrun in a second," he said. "By the time I was out there with my rifle, the people were 20 or 30 feet from my front wall.
He feared for the worst, he said: "I saw it all going up in flames and my life destroyed in an instant and I did what I thought I had to do to protect my hearth, my home, and my family." Click here for more.
Other related developments:
- Seattle CHOP barriers being cleared by city crews, police at the scene.
- Fox News' Dan Springer, crew accosted by agitators at Seattle's CHOP.
Biden presser draws mix reactions: A 'pretty gentle session' for Dem candidate
Joe Biden held his first formal news conference in 89 days -- and it drew mixed reviews.
During the campaign event in his hometown of Wilmington, Del., the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee continued with his condemnation of President Trump's handling of the coronavirus outbreak and knocked him over recent reports of his response to White House intelligence briefings that said Russia had been offering bounties to Taliban forces for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Members of the media offered their opinions of Biden's performance as well as the performance of the pool reporters.
Axios reporter Jonathan Swan called Biden's appearance a "pretty gentle session" and claimed he was "not really being tested" by reporters' questions.
The Hill media reporter Joe Concha noted that Biden faced no questions about the "defund the police" movement taking hold in New York City, nor about recent shootings in Seattle's "CHOP." zone
Ari Fleischer, a Fox News contributor who served as White House press secretary under former President George W. Bush, said he saw a difference between how reporters treated Biden and former President Obama and how they have been treating President Trump.
"The difference between the tenor of the questions to Biden compared to the questions asked of Trump is striking," Fleischer tweeted. "After 8 years of going easy on Obama, almost 4 years of being brutal to Trump, the MSM [mainstream media] seems happy to go easy again." Click here for more.
Other related developments:
- Biden says he won't hold rallies due to coronavirus.
- Biden says he's 'putting together a list' of potential black female Supreme Court nominees.
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TODAY'S MUST-READS
- Arizona ammo supplier to Las Vegas massacre gunman gets prison time.
- California woman gored by bison at Yellowstone National Park after trying to take a photo.
- Trump 2020 Campaign reshuffles; Brad Parscale stays put.
-NY City Council approves slashing NYPD budget.
THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS
- Walmart hires 265,000 veterans, promotes more than 44,000 to higher-paying roles.
- Pelosi fails to wear mask properly despite her calls for national mandate.
- FedEx says coronavirus shopping helped offset commercial slowdown.
#TheFlashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History."
SOME PARTING WORDS
Tucker Carlson called on voters to hold Republicans accountable Tuesday after Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., introduced a bill that would limit qualified immunity for law enforcement officers: "An awful lot of Republican officeholders look very much like Mike Braun right now."
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Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Stay safe, stay healthy, and try to stay positive -- we'll get through these hard times together as a nation. See you in your inbox first thing Thursday morning.
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