Page 28 - Bon-dia-aruba-20210424

A28 u.s. news
Diasabra 24 aPriL 2021

Topless clubs among businesses that can reopen in Vegas

(AP) — Topless dancers Several rural Nevada coun-
can shed coronavirus re- ties received the go-ahead
strictions next weekend in Thursday to relax restrictions
Las Vegas and get face-to- and reopen businesses May 1,
face with patrons again, including Churchill, Doug-
under rules accepted las, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt
Thursday by a state CO- and Nye. Other counties re-
VID-19 task force. ceived approval last week.
But masks still will be re- Kyra Morgan, state biostat-
quired for adult entertain- istician, reminded the task
ment employees and recom- force that lifting restrictions
mended for customers. will almost certainly spread
the virus and increase report-
Sin City strip clubs that went ed numbers of COVID-19
dark when Nevada Gov. Steve cases.
Sisolak ordered casinos, clubs
and nonessential businesses The state Department of
closed in March 2020 will be Health and Human Services
able to open May 1 at 80% of has tallied more than 312,000
fire code capacity under strict cases in the past 13 months.
social distancing guidelines. But rates have slowed since
peaks in December and Janu-
The rules will allow strip ary.
club entertainers to get closer
than 3 feet (0.9 meters) to As restrictions are relaxed
patrons if the entertainer re- in and around Las Vegas,
ceived at least a first dose of protested and pointed to ris- plan in coming days. No firm bar seating will be OK next
a COVID-19 vaccine at least ing local coronavirus case time frame was set. Scientists in the U.K. be- month with up to four peo-
14 days earlier, according to numbers. lieve the variant is more ple per group, and 12 people
county rules, or if the danc- Lucey had favored what he contagious than previously can be seated around dining
er tests negative in a weekly Existing rules including 50% termed a “workable” plan identified strains. But health tables, Samuels said. Most re-
COVID-19 test. capacity and 6-foot (1.8-me- to relax restrictions but ac- officials in the U.S. say vac- strictions on youth and adult
ter) social distancing will re- knowledged a rift among re- cinations being given now sports will be lifted.
Occupancy limits will be main in effect. gional policymakers. are thought to be effective
relaxed but not lifted com- against the variant. Casino dayclubs and night-
pletely at many other busi- As of Thursday, the corona- “People are going to return clubs can reopen, although
nesses — stores, spas and virus pandemic has claimed to life and the things they’ve Dick and Thornley called designated dancing areas will
saunas, restaurants and bars, 5,400 lives in Nevada and missed in the last year wheth- for social distancing require- remain closed until health
even karaoke clubs — un- badly hurt an economy de- er we dictate mandates or ments to stay in place at least officials report that a 60%
der a reopening plan adopted pendent on tourism, conven- not,” he said. until June 1. community vaccination rate
Tuesday by county officials tions, hotel bookings and big is met.
and summarized Thursday crowds. It has also shuttered The snag came after last-min- Cage said the task force,
by Deputy Clark County Fire businesses and threatened ute protest letters Wednesday which first began work in The reopening plan that
Chief Billy Samuels. the livelihood of bartenders, from county Health Officer August, still plans to turn Clark County lawmakers
waiters, entertainers and ho- Kevin Dick and Reno City over the handling of corona- adopted for the state’s most
Hair and nail salons, tattoo tel clerks. Manager Doug Thornley virus mitigation measures to populous area and its key
parlors and massage thera- pointed to a jump in Washoe local control in the state’s 17 economic region relies on
pists will be able to book cus- “We know there is COVID County COVID-19 cases counties on May 1. reports from regional health
tomers by appointment only. fatigue in our community,” linked to a variant first de- officials about the percent-
Washoe County Commission tected in the United King- The governor has set a June 1 age of people 16 and older
A separate plan to lift restric- Chairman Bob Lucey said in dom, and a rise in the coun- date for lifting essentially all in the county who have had
tions almost completely in a statement before accepting ty’s 14-day test positivity rate state restrictions except a re- received at least one vaccina-
Washoe County skidded to an offer from task force chief to 7.2%. The World Health quirement for people to wear tion shot. As of Tuesday, that
a stop after health district, Caleb Cage to broaden sup- Organization goal is 5% or face coverings. number was about 43%.
school and Reno city officials port and submit a finalized below to relax restrictions.

Federal officers seek to block shooting trial

in state court

(AP) — A federal judge is yard in the shooting death of Descano and Virginia Attor-
scheduled to hear argu- Bijan Ghaisar, 25, of McLean, ney General Mark Herring
ments on whether Virgin- after a stop-and-go chase on filed joint briefs arguing that
ia prosecutors can bring the George Washington Me- the local prosecution should
manslaughter charges morial Parkway near the na- be allowed to proceed.
against two U.S. Park Po- tion's capital. After months of inaction, a
lice officers accused of fa- Descano indicted the pair hearing is scheduled for Fri-
tally shooting an unarmed after the Justice Department day morning in U.S. District
motorist in 2017. opted against filing criminal Court in Alexandria in front
charges. of Judge Claude Hilton.
Fairfax County Common- Ghaisar's family has long de-
wealth's Attorney Steve Des- But the officers are seeking to cried the years of inaction by
cano obtained indictments have the case removed from federal prosecutors; they say
last year against officers Ale- state jurisdiction, citing their justice demands that the of-
jandro Amaya and Lucas Vin- status as federal officers. ficers be held accountable.