DeVos extends student loan forgiveness through January
In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is extending student loan forgiveness through Jan. 31, 2021, her office announced Friday.
Interest accrual will also be paused during this period. Federal student loan borrowers will still have the option of paying down debt if they chose and will benefit from a 0 percent interest charge.
“The coronavirus pandemic has presented challenges for many students and borrowers, and this temporary pause in payments will help those who have been impacted,” DeVos said in a statement. “The added time also allows Congress to do its job and determine what measures it believes are necessary and appropriate. The Congress, not the Executive Branch, is in charge of student loan policy.”
Bay Area adheres to stay-at-home orders before state mandates them
Five counties in California's Bay Area announced Friday they would impose regional shutdown orders ahead of an expected move by the state to do the same.
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties and the city of Berkeley said the measures, including closing bars, wineries, hair salons and other nonessential businesses, will begin Sunday in most areas.
In Alameda County, the limitations will start Monday, and in Marin, they will take effect Tuesday, Bay Area officials said. The orders are expected to remain in place until Jan. 4. They include an end to restaurant dining and 20 percent capacity for essential retail stores.
Officials said the region's intensive care capacity had not yet fallen below 15 percent, the trigger for the state's stricter stay-at-home orders announced Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. But Bay Area officials said in a statement that reaching threshold was "inevitable."
San Francisco Mayor London Breed tweeted Friday, "We're on pace to run out of hospital beds to care for patients the day after Christmas. We must turn this around now."
Los Angeles County rolls out rapid home test
Public health officials in Los Angeles County announced Friday that a rapid home test will be available by mail to qualified people.
The FDA-approved home test developed by Fulgent Genetics can be mailed to residents within two days of a request. After the test is taken, it can be dropped in a FedEx box and results returned by email in another two days, county officials said in a statement. The home test will be available through Jan. 15.
"It aims to help address the current surge in demand for testing and reduce the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday season when people may risk exposure," the county said.
Qualified individuals include those with Covid-19 symptoms, those recently in close contact with a coronavirus patient, or a senior or person with disabilities who might have been exposed but who can't easily get to a testing site.
The Department of Public Health recorded the highest daily number of new cases Tuesday: 7,854.
Families on the brink fear what’s next as pandemic benefits expire
The pandemic has pushed millions of Americans to the cliff’s edge, with the ground crumbling at year’s end without further stimulus action by Congress.
When federal emergency coronavirus relief protections expire, some as soon as the day after Christmas, 13 million Americans will lose their jobless benefits. Many more face eviction, or will find student debt has come due.
Nine months in to the pandemic, the latest jobs report showed the economy in November gained a paltry 245,000 jobs out of the 10 million yet to be recovered, underscoring the need for swift remedy.
Relief can’t come soon enough for millions of families.
Kelly Ann Hotchkin from Hamilton, New Jersey, was out of work for 7 months and went back to work for a month and a half, only to be furloughed again. Her husband is out of work too. They have four kids from ages 2 to 13. She only gets $231 a week in unemployment.
“We've gone through every penny of our savings, my husband is going through the appeals process for unemployment now,” Hotchkin told NBC News in an online message. “I have zero ability to provide even one gift for our kids' Christmas this year and apparently the government’s gift to us is to completely screw us the day after Christmas.”
Baltimore families connect homes with holiday lights in place of in-person gatherings
A group of Baltimore families is using lights in place of in-person gatherings to connect with each other this holiday season.
Leabe Commisso said her block usually throws Christmas and New Year’s parties but had to call off that tradition this year due to the pandemic. Instead, families who live in the neighborhood have connected their homes by stringing Christmas lights together, with a sign on the street that says, “Love lives here.”
“You start off thinking you’re going to put lights up across the street and then everyone else starts doing it,” Commisso told NBC News. “Then you find yourself spending an entire weekend watching all the people you live with and love engineer the most beautiful experience ever. And then you realize you’re connected. Literally and figuratively.”
N.J. Gov. Murphy calls Florida congressman "fool," bans him from Garden State over maskless party
The governor of New Jersey called Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz a “fool” and a “putz” for taking part in a gathering of the New York Young Republicans Club in Jersey City where there appeared to be little mask-wearing or social distancing.
“It is beyond the pale that anyone would willingly endanger people in another state,” Murphy tweeted. “Jersey City law enforcement is investigating this matter.”
Murphy also tweeted that Gaetz, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, was no longer welcome in the Garden State.
Gaetz, who famously mocked the precautions his colleagues were taking by wearing a gas mask on the floor of Congress, fired back in a Tweet: “You’re gonna regret this tweet when you move to Florida like the rest of New Jersey.”Gavin Wax, president of the Young Republicans, insisted in a tweet that their gala “was held in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.”
Some 65 people took part in the gathering Thursday inside the Maritime Parc at Liberty State Park that appeared to be held in violation of the Garden State’s Covid-19 restrictions, The New York Times reported.
NFL further limits player access to facilities amid recent outbreaks
The NFL is further limiting player access to team facilities as it attempts to enhance safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a memo sent to the 32 clubs and obtained by The Associated Press, teams must close their facilities for two days after games, with some exceptions.
Beginning Monday, that all teams playing on a Sunday must close those facilities the next two days — except for clubs playing on the subsequent Thursday. Only players needing medical attention for injuries or in rehab programs may enter the team complex.
Coaches can access the facility but must work in their own offices and can't conduct meetings except virtually.
Speaker Pelosi says there is 'momentum' to reach Covid relief deal
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Friday that there is "momentum" on Capitol Hill to reach a deal on coronavirus relief, further optimism that legislation could be approved before the end of the year.
"There is momentum," Pelosi told reporters. "I am pleased that the tone of our conversation is one that is indicative of the decision to get the job done."
The deal would provide for augmented unemployment payments through March but would not send another round of checks to the nation.
Pelosi said she spoke with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Thursday about attaching the Covid-19 relief to the government funding bill, which needs to be passed by Dec. 11 to avoid a shutdown. That means lawmakers negotiating another round of aid are working on a tight deadline after months of deadlocked negotiations.
