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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services suspending in-person services U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said Tuesday it is suspending in-person services at its field and asylum offices and application support centers over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus illness COVID-19. The suspension starts Wednesday and will last until at least April 1. The agency said it will notify those with appointments or naturalization ceremonies that could be impacted, and interviews for those seeking asylum will be rescheduled. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is an agency that deals with immigration to the United States, as well as with those working in the U.S. and fleeing persecution, warfare and other crises. In an effort to protect our employees & communities, effective immediately, we'll no longer be providing in-person services at any of our offices. We'll continue operations & services that don't require in-person contact w/ the public. For more info visit: https://t.co/m3N1ZBE1Ez — USCIS (@USCIS) March 18, 2020 Share this -







Visitation limits can't stop man's face-to-face chats with elderly father Charlie Johnson, left, visits with his father, Bernard Johnson, through the window of his assisted living facility in Anoka, MN on Sunday, March 15. Sandy Hamilton A photo of a Minnesota man visiting with his father through the window at an assisted living facility illustrates the lengths some are going to in order to see their loved ones as nursing homes and assisted living facilities implement tougher restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. When Charlie Johnson found out that Whispering Pines, the center where father Bernard Johnson, 88, lives, was going into lockdown, he figured he would speak to him by phone every day. "I said, 'You know actually, that’s good. I'm glad that they're doing that,'" Johnson told NBC News. But he quickly realized that talking by phone was not enough -- he needed to see his dad. So, he set up a chair Sunday outside his father's window. The two spoke by phone while maintaining a version of their usual face-to-face visits, something Charlie Johnson said would keep up for as long as the lockdown lasts. "They just had a normal conversation, like the window wasn’t even in between them," said Sandy Hamilton, the Whispering Pines employee who took the photo, which has more than 800,000 shares on Facebook. Photo of man visiting his father through window goes viral March 18, 2020 01:49 Share this -







Nevada's casinos ordered to close Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak on Tuesday ordered a statewide closure of casinos, table games and gaming machines for 30 days to help fight the spread of the coronavirus illness. They must close at midnight Tuesday. Sisolak also said that non-essential businesses should close as of noon Wednesday. Grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, hardware stores, gas stations and other similar services will remain open. "Please, stay home for Nevada," Sisolak urged all residents. Several Las Vegas casino operators, including MGM Resorts, had already announced that they would shutter properties. The Culinary Union, which represents casino workers, said they support Sisolak's move. Today, I took the necessary steps to date to try to mitigate this pandemic & keep our community safe. Medical experts have advised that the most effective course of action is to direct all Nevadans to stay home & for all nonessential businesses to close to the public for 30 days. — Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 18, 2020 Share this -







Arizona sees high voter turnout despite coronavirus fears The number of in-person voters in Maricopa County taking part in the state’s Democratic presidential preference primary today has surpassed the number who took part at the county level for the 2016 Democratic presidential preference primary, Maricopa County Elections Department spokeswoman Megan Gilbertson told NBC News. Maricopa County accounts for more than half of the state’s registered Democratic voters. This is especially notable because the Democratic race was more competitive in and the high Democratic turnout took place despite coronavirus concerns and despite the county closing one-third of its polling locations over the weekend. Share this -







Philadelphia police to stop arresting certain non-violent offenders The Philadelphia Police Department said Tuesday that, because of coronavirus, certain non-violent offenders will be arrested at a later date pursuant to an arrest warrant. The measure means that a person will be detained, officers will complete the appropriate paperwork, confirm the offender’s identity and then let them go. Later, they will arrest the person and they will be processed and prosecuted per normal procedure. There is an exception, the Police Department says, “if a police officer believes that releasing an individual would pose a threat to public safety, the officer will notify a supervisor, who will review the totality of the circumstances, and in the interest of public safety, utilize discretion in determining the appropriate course of action.” The move comes amid growing concern over how the coronavirus could wreak havoc in U.S. jails. Share this -







Kansas kids out of class for rest of 2019-20 school year Kansas public school children will be out of class for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, the governor announced Tuesday in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus illness COVID-19. “This was not an easy decision to make,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement. While Kansas appears to be the first state to cancel the remainder of the academic year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday said it was unlikely that schools will re-open this spring. Kansas has 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the state’s health department. One death linked to the illness was reported by the governor on March 12. On Tuesday West Virginia confirmed its first case, meaning that all 50 states have reported cases. Today I signed Executive Order #20-07 announcing the closure of our school buildings statewide. We must protect our children and parents, as well as the educators and staff who work at our schools.https://t.co/ACcQNwb4WV (1/5) — Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) March 18, 2020 Share this -







San Francisco reverses course on pot shops, says they can stay open San Francisco announced late Tuesday that marijuana dispensaries may stay open during the city's shelter-in-place order, reversing an earlier decision that drew complaints from stores and their customers. "Cannabis is an essential medicine for many San Francisco residents," the San Francisco Department of Public Health said in a tweet. "Dispensaries can continue to operate as essential businesses during this time, while practicing social distancing and other public health recommendations." City health officials had earlier put a halt to pot shop sales under emergency measures related to the coronavirus pandemic, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Cannabis is an essential medicine for many San Francisco residents. Dispensaries can continue to operate as essential businesses during this time, while practicing social distancing and other public health recommendations. — SFDPH (@SF_DPH) March 17, 2020 Share this -





