Powell: Recovery may begin by summer, will likely be slow

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell expressed optimism that the U.S. economy can begin to recover from a devastating recession in the second half of the year, assuming the coronavirus doesn’t erupt in a second wave.

NY widens testing eligibility as social distancing hits snag

New Yorkers who flouted coronavirus restrictions for a weekend night on the town got the mayor’s wrath. Mayor Bill de Blasio admonished people seen Saturday crowding outside bars, many with drinks in hand but no masks on their faces, for putting lives in danger.

NJ cites Katrina-era law to block some virus records

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration is citing a 2005 emergency powers law enacted after Hurricane Katrina to block some information about the state’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Colorado Gov. Polis pushes back against CDC's coronavirus death counts

“The CDC criteria include anybody who has died with COVID-19, but what the people of Colorado and the people of the country want to know is how many people died of COVID-19,” Polis told “Fox News Sunday."

European leaders are blunt: A vaccine won't come soon enough

In separate, stark warnings, two major European leaders have bluntly told their citizens that the world needs to adapt to live with the coronavirus and cannot wait to be saved by the development of a vaccine.

New MLB rules: shower at home, don't spit, Mr Met stay away

Major League Baseball will look somewhat like high school ball this year under protocols to deal with the new coronavirus, with showers at ballparks discouraged and players possibly arriving in uniform, like they did when they were teenagers.

Obama criticizes virus response in online graduation speech

Former President Barack Obama criticized some U.S. leaders overseeing the coronavirus response as he delivered an online commencement speech for graduates of historically black colleges and universities. Obama told graduates that the pandemic shows many officials, as he put it, “aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”

Beaches across the region begin to open as NYC beaches remain closed

Select beaches across the region are doing what they are calling a "soft opening," but local leaders can still decide to opt-out, which is what New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has done. However, his decision has come under some criticism.

Restaurants and racing can resume, but new rules abound

Restaurants can reopen in New Orleans but must take reservations and limit the number of diners. Auto and horse racing tracks in New York can reopen without spectators. Officials cautiously eased more restrictions Saturday on eateries, shops and outdoor venues as they tried to restart economies without triggering a surge in new coronavirus infections.

Cuomo says car and race tracks in NY can reopen with no fans

New York will take another step toward reopening its economy going into the summer by allowing horse racing tracks and Watkins Glen International to reopen. But Gov. Andrew Cuomo was quick on Saturday to add a caveat: “No crowds. No fans.”