1 Minnesota Attorney General Announces More Charges In George Floyd Case
The other three former Minneapolis police officers in the George Floyd case are officially facing charges in the killing – and the charges against Derek Chauvin have been increased. Attorney General Keith Ellison has announced that Chauvin will now face second-degree murder charges instead of third-degree. Former police officers Tou Thao , Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane are charged with felony aiding and abetting second-degree murder. All of the officers remain in custody on $1-million bail. The reaction? Benjamin Crump, the attorney for the Floyd family is pleased and says they’re looking forward to justice being served. But Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says it’s about more than that – that this case is America's last chance to fix systemic racism. Following the announcement of additional and elevated charges in the case, Walz said Minnesota “needs to show Floyd's family that there is a better side to their state.”
2 Former Defense Secretary Slams Trump Over Protest Response
Former Defense Secretary James Mattis has stayed silent, but no more. He is venting frustration over President Trump's response to nationwide protests. The retired Marine general has kept mostly quiet since exiting the Trump Administration in 2018. But now? In a piece appearing in “The Atlantic” magazine, Mattis argues that Trump is the first president he's seen who doesn't "even pretend to try" to unite Americans. His comments come after Trump threatened to use the military to put an end to the demonstrations. "We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort,” Mattis offers in part. “We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.”
3 Governor Announces Phase 3 Reopening
Governor Greg Abbott has announced the third phase of the State of Texas’ plan to safely open the economy while containing the spread of COVID-19. Under Phase III, effective immediately, all businesses in Texas will be able to operate at up to 50% capacity, with very limited exceptions. Business that previously have been able to operate at 100% capacity may continue to do so, and most outdoor areas are not subject to capacity limits. All businesses and customers should continue to follow minimum standard health protocols laid out by the Texas Department of State Health Services. "The people of Texas continue to prove that we can safely and responsibly open our state for business while containing COVID-19 and keeping our state safe,” said Governor Abbott. "As anticipated, the new positive cases that we are seeing are largely the result of isolated hot spots in nursing homes, jails, and meat packing plants. Thanks to the effectiveness of our Surge Response Teams, we have the ability to contain those hot spots while opening up Texas for business. As we begin Phase III, I ask all Texans and Texas businesses to continue following the standard health protocols and to heed the guidance of our state and federal officials who continue to closely monitor COVID-19. If we remain vigilant, we will continue to mitigate the spread of this virus, protect public health, and get more Texans back to work and their daily activities." Between May 26th and June 2nd, over 45% of new cases came from jails or prisons, meat packing plants and nursing homes. There are currently 1,487 Texans hospitalized due to COVID-19. There are 20,679 active cases in the state and 45,858 Texans are estimated to have recovered. As with previous phases, the Phase III plan is based on the advice and support of the four doctors on the Strike Force to Open Texas medical team. Via Executive Order, Phase III begins immediately. A breakdown of Phase III can be found below:
Effective June 3:
All businesses currently operating at 25% capacity can expand their occupancy to 50% with certain exceptions.
Bars and similar establishments may increase their capacity to 50% as long as patrons are seated.
Amusement parks and carnivals in counties with less than 1,000 confirmed positive cases may open at 50% capacity.
Restaurants may expand their maximum table size from 6 to 10 persons.
Effective June 12:
Restaurants may expand their occupancy levels to 75%.
Effective June 19:
Amusement parks and carnivals in counties with more than 1,000 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 may open at 50% capacity.
Additional Openings:
Special provisions have been made for outdoor gatherings, such as Fourth of July celebrations, but it is imperative that local officials and public health officials collaborate on safe standards.