Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Couple forced to wear ankle monitors to self-isolate after Kentucky woman tests positive for COVID-19

A Hardin, Kentucky couple has been forced to wear ankle monitors after a woman who tested positive for COVID-19 refused to sign health department documents that would limit her travel without permission. The wife got tested for COVID-19 as a precaution before going to visit family in Michigan recently. She tested positive, but does not have any symptoms. The Hardin County Health Department sent her documents that needed her signature limiting her from traveling anywhere unless she called them first. She said she refused to sign the documents because of how they were worded, not because she refused to quarantine. “My part was if I have to go to the ER, if I have to go to the hospital, I’m not going to wait to get the approval to go,” she said in an interview with a local TV station. Days later, authorities arrived to their home and placed ankle monitors on her and her husband. They go off if either goes more than 200 feet from their home. She never said she would not quarantine, she just disagreed with the language on the papers. “That’s exactly what the Director of the Public Health Department told the judge, that I was refusing to self-quarantine because of this and that was not the case at all,” she added. “I never said that.” The couple plan to get an attorney. (WKYT)

Utah meeting on masks is canceled when residents without masks pack room

A public meeting in Utah about a mask policy for schoolchildren was abruptly adjourned when people without masks packed the room. “This is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing. We’re supposed to be physically distancing, wearing masks,” one Utah County Commissioner said from the dais of the meeting room in Provo, drawing boos from the audience. His motion to adjourn was then approved on a 2-to-1 vote, with a commissioner who had organized the meeting dissenting. Many of the approximately 100 people in the audience stayed, however, with the two other commissioners remaining to hear their concerns about a mandate from Utah Governor Gary Herbert requiring that all K-12 students wear masks in school. The commission meeting had been called to consider a letter asking the state to allow exemptions to the mandate for students, a proposal that the one commissioner has announced he opposes. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Healing donor lungs, with pigs

Researchers from Vanderbilt University and Columbia University have been able to convert previously unusable donor lungs into viable transplants by connecting these organs to pigs. Yes, pigs. In a process called cross-circulation, human lungs can benefit from a pig’s working liver, kidney and other functions, giving the organs time to recover. Using current methods, such lungs may last up to six hours, but this method can give these organs as much as 24 hours to heal and become transplant-ready. (STAT)

World population is set to decline

The global population is set to shrink by the year 2100, and nations need to start preparing for the economic implications, according to researchers at the University of Washington. Fertility rates have fallen, partly due to increased access to education and contraception for women, so they say populations in some countries could shrink by more than half by the turn of the century. Globally, there would be twice as many people over 80 as under five, posing questions about how countries pay for aging populations, with migration likely to become essential. (Sky News)

Truck hauling cookie dough catches on fire on Tennessee highway

A tractor-trailer hauling cookie dough caught fire this past Sunday (7/19) morning on a Tennessee highway. Coble, Tennessee Fire Department had the fire contained shortly after responding. On their Twitter accounty, they posted “This morning, Coble Fire responded to a fully engulfed tractor trailer carrying…believe it or not…cookie dough!! 🍪…” There were no injuries and the road was reopened shortly later. (WKRN)

Should parents help kids find a job?

With the pandemic forcing college students to shelter at home, parents are stepping in to help their offspring find jobs, but should they be getting involved? Some experts say tapping networks is OK and can help speed up the process, but draw the line at the writing and editing of cover letters and resumes. Others encourage graduates to seek out a mentor, rather than a well-intentioned parent. Almost 50% of graduating seniors say they enlist their parents’ help with job seeking, according to research; 26% find them useful. (The Wall Street Journal)

Disney cuts Facebook ad spend

Disney has quietly cut its ad spending on Facebook, joining hundreds of companies to boycott the social media giant over how it handles hate speech. According to reports, promotion of the streaming-video service Disney+ is paused, as is ad spending on Facebook-owned Instagram for Disney’s sister streaming service, Hulu. It’s unclear when Disney pulled back, according to the Journal, but the move is considered significant as Disney had been Facebook’s top U.S. advertiser in 2020 and Hollywood has been silent about the boycott. (The New York Times)

Man arrested in after alleged poop-throwing incident involving officers

A 40-year-old man was arrested in Palm Springs, California a day after he allegedly threw his own feces at police officers, police said. Palm Springs police responded to the scene regarding a person who was allegedly under the influence and had just vandalized a hotel.  When officers arrived, they found the man in his car. He resisted efforts to be detained and threw his own feces at officers, police said.  He then resisted officers and paramedics who attempted to treat him while he was being transported to a hospital. He was apparently in a “highly intoxicated state” and ultimately detained, police said. Because of his high level of intoxication, he was unable to be treated at the hospital and released for booking purposes, police said. (Desert Sun)

Delaware police say they arrested 12-year-old car thief

Police in Delaware say a 12-year-old boy stole a pickup truck from a gas station then led officers on a high-speed chase before crashing and trying to escape on foot. Delaware State Police said the boy stole the 2003 Ford Ranger while its owner was using the ATM at gas station in New Castle, Delaware. Police did not provide the boy’s name. When police located the truck, the boy refused to stop and led police on a chase. After crashing into a parked car, police said the suspect did a U-turn, sped up and then crashed into a guardrail after failing to make a curve. Police said the boy exited the truck after the crash and tried to flee on foot before he was arrested by troopers. Police said the boy is facing multiple charges, including three felonies, and was released on a $8,008 bond. (ABC News)

‘Can’t do that, boss’ FedEx driver says no to helping fallen 89-year-old man

The family of a Freeport, Texas man is outraged after a FedEx driver was captured on video refusing to help after the man fell outside his front door. A Ring doorbell camera recorded the exchange between the 89-year-old man and the employee. “Hello, help please,” the man could be heard saying. “Give me a hand. I need to get up.” “I can’t do that, boss,” the driver said from a distance. The 89-year-old man had fallen approximately 15 minutes before the delivery was made, according to his daughter. “(He) didn’t at least ring the doorbell or call 911!” she wrote in a Facebook post that had been shared more than 480 times. “Thank God he’s OK, but what if he hadn’t been?” she said her father, who has dementia and trouble with his legs, has fallen before. He laid on the floor for another 10 minutes before she arrived. FedEx issued the following response: “We extend our thoughts and concerns for the well-being of the person depicted in this video. The safety of our team members and customers in the communities that we serve is our highest priority. We are reviewing the circumstances behind this incident and will take the appropriate action.” (ABC 13)

Body found by railroad tracks turns out to be sex doll

Liberty County officials believe they were set up when what they thought was a dead body turned out to be a sex doll. The Liberty County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office said officers found the object laying on the side of railroad tracks. By policy, law enforcement officers do not touch a deceased person until the coroner arrives, so they placed a sheet over the suspected body and waited. When the coroner arrived, detectives began to check for injuries and immediately discovered the body was a female sex doll. The doll was anatomically correct, with realistic skin and features, and was fully dressed, authorities say. (WSAV)

Disney World Closes Mask Loophole, Bans Eating And Drinking While Walking

Disney World has been under fire in some quarters for reopening at a time when COVID-19 cases are spiking, particularly in its home state of Florida. To minimize the potential spread of the disease, the theme park has instituted many new rules on social distancing, capacity, and cleaning. It is also requiring masks to be worn at all times. Previously, the rule’s exception on masks was limited to eating and drinking. But that loophole has now been closed, as patrons were seen walking throughout the park with beverages and food sans masks. Walt Disney World News Today and Mickey Blog report guests are now required to remain stationary while sipping or snacking. Walt Disney World updated its official policy to indicate the change. It now states that “you may remove your face covering while actively eating or drinking but you should be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing.” (Walt Disney World News Today)

Ohio man loses nearly 200 pounds to ride new roller coaster

Seven years ago, a man in Mason, Ohio had given up on what he loves: roller coasters. Weighing in at 430 pounds, he couldn’t fit on the rides. But, on August 15, 2019, his life changed with one simple announcement: Orion was coming to Kings Island, and he was going to ride it no matter what. When he weighed 430 pounds, he got escorted off roller coasters all the time because he couldn’t fit in the seats. “I always told myself that if Kings Island ever built a B&M giga-coaster that I would have to ride it no matter what,” he said. “The day that they announced Orion was the day in which I said to myself, ‘I will lose this weight.’ I went and I bought a scale, I weighed myself that day and I was 430 pounds.” Orion was the goal, and he took no days off to get there. “Reduced my diet down to around 2,000 calories. I was exercising daily within my garage. While binge-watching television shows, I would run in place,” he said. Ten months and 190 pounds later, the man rode Orion for the fifth time. “Not only is it a great roller coaster, but for me, it will always be one of my top favorite roller coasters just because of the sentimental value of it. Before all of this, I was on blood pressure medication, cholesterol medication and now I’m off all of it…I’ve received many messages from many people that have said, ‘This has happened to me. It’s great to hear your story that I can do.’ I’ve gotten messages saying that they’re going to start their diet based on what I told them my story was, and it just makes me feel good that I’ve helped those people,” he added. He admits the thrill of the ride was worth it and he plans to ride it over and over again. “It was a motivation for me to change my life, and I’ll think about that every time I ride the ride.” (Springfield News Sun)

Tuesday Comes Up In Your Face With:

• Fast of Tammuz
• Junk Food Day
• Legal Drinking Age Day
• Lowest Recorded Temperature Day (-128.6F Antarctica)
• National Be Someone Day
• No Pet Store Puppies Day