No flight required: 10 island escapes in the US that you can drive to – USA TODAY

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Travis Marshall, For 10Best.com Published 7:00 a.m. ET Aug. 5, 2020 | Updated 12:59 p.m. ET Aug. 5, 2020

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You don't need to hop a plane to the Caribbean to enjoy a relaxing island escape full of great beaches and far-flung adventures.

If you're more inclined to take a road trip than fly amid the coronavirus pandemic, the United State has plenty of beautiful island getaways you can drive to.

10Best.com has put together 10 of the best island escapes in America that you can reach by car. But be sure to familiarize yourself with local restrictions on travel in each location, and check with any businesses for the latest updates on closures and visitor requirements before you go.

But if you do want to go to the Caribbean: We've also got you covered with Caribbean resort sales and entry requirements

Coronado, California(Photo: iStock / f11photo)

A laid-back island escape just a short drive from the heart of downtown San Diego, Coronado Island boasts a long stretch of award-winning beach that sparkles in the sun thanks to a mineral in the sand called mica.

The small beach town is the perfect place to rent a bike and explore the beautiful gardens. And if you're spending the night, the historic Hotel del Coronado is a must-stay.

Florida Keys(Photo: iStock / GabrielPevide)

The Florida Keys are a necklace of tropical islands connected by the Overseas Highway, running from Key Largo, just south of Miami, to the end of the road at Key West.

In 2009, the famed highway was designated an All-American Road, the highest recognition under the National Scenic Byways program. The drive offers a myriad of island escapes with a beautiful blend of emerald-green harbors, turquoise seas, swaying palms and wildlife-rich mangroves.

Chincoteague Island, Virginia(Photo: iStock / Mak_photo)

Virginia's Chincoteague Island is best known for two things: sumptuously salty oysters and its unique population of wild ponies. The island is part of a 14,000-acre national wildlife refuge, which means it remains blissfully underdeveloped.

Tours offer the chance to see the wild ponies in their natural habitat, or visit during late July to watch the local "saltwater cowboys" move the herd on their annual pony swim.

Tybee Island, Georgia(Photo: iStock / Douglas Rissing)

The sleepy beach town on Tybee Island may be one of the best-kept secrets in all of the American Southeast. This under-the-radar barrier island sits along the pristine Georgia coast just 30 minutes from the historic colonial center of Savannah.

It makes the ideal spot for every sort of beach activity, from beach-combing for shells along the secluded northern beaches to kite surfing and kayaking with dolphins from the wind-swept south end.

Marco Island, Florida(Photo: iStock / Robert Mintzes)

Florida's Marco Island sits along the Gulf Coast between Naples and the mangroves of the Ten Thousand Islands as they stretch into the Everglades. Here you can find perfect white sand beaches along with some of the best beachfront dining in the state.

Orcas Island, Washington(Photo: iStock / SEASTOCK)

Drive onto a Washington state ferry in Anacortes, and you'll soon land on Orcas Island, a rugged, rainforest-clad jewel in the San Juan Islands.

Take a whale watching tour to spot killer whales spy hopping in the emerald sea or hike through lush forests to visit Cascade Falls in Moran State Park. A drive to the top of Mount Constitution offers exceptional views of the islands and snowcapped peaks in the distance.

Outer Banks, North Carolina(Photo: iStock / NikonShutterman)

Off the coast of North Carolina, the barrier islands of the Outer Banks are connected by a coastal highway, offering easy access to many great beaches and attractions, from Cape Hatteras National Seashore to the site of the Wright brothers' first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk.

Not to mention, you'll find miles of off-road beach and opportunities for great fishing, surfing, scuba diving and many other watersports.

Mount Desert Island, Maine(Photo: iStock / S_Hoss)

Mount Desert Island, Maine's largest island, is a popular escape for those looking to truly get away from it all. Those looking to hobnob can stay in Bar Harbor to see the estates of Millionaire's Row and hike Cadillac Mountain. But nature fans should head straight to Acadia National Park, where you can explore remote beaches and glacier-cut canyons.

Thousand Islands, New York(Photo: iStock / Vladone)

The Thousand Islands in Upstate New York are the eponymous home of Thousand Island dressing, which you can sample at its birthplace in Clayton, and they also sit along the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, an iconic and picturesque drive past Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

The region is chock-full of activities, such as world-class fishing and birdwatching. And don't miss the chance to explore a unique pair of island castles, Boldt Castle and Singer Castle.

South Bass Island, Ohio(Photo: iStock / SkyF)

Nicknamed "Key West of the Midwest" for its eclectic characters and lively nightlife, Put-in-Bay is a town on South Bass Island in the Ohio section of Lake Erie. A car ferry makes it easy to drive onto the island, and once there you can rent a bike, golf cart or scooter to get around the friendly town.

Adventurers can take a kayaking trip on the lake or visit Crystal Cave to see the world's largest geode.

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No flight required: 10 island escapes in the US that you can drive to - USA TODAY

"Once On This Island" Adaptation to be Developed for Disney+ – wdwnt.com

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It has been reported that Disney+ is working on a movie adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical Once On This Island.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the adaptation is set to be written by Jocelyn Bioh, with Wanuri Kahiu on board to direct. The musical will be produced by Marc Platt.

The musical, with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, is a stunning, calypso-inspired adaptation of the novel My Love, My Love; or The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy. It is described by many as being similar to a romantic island retelling of Hans Christian Andersons The Little Mermaid. Once On This Island, tells the story of Ti Moune, an orphaned peasant girl on her journey to reunite with her rich love Daniel, as the Gods watch on with a wager over whether her love can overcome the power of death.

A Broadway revival of the musical in 2017 threw Once On This Island back into the recent spotlight since its limited run in the mid-1990s. This Tony Award-winning revival featured the Disney on Broadway alum Merle Dandridge as Papa Ge, the sly demon of death, and Disney Legend Lea Salonga as Erzuile, the beautiful goddess of love. So far, no casting has been announced for this adaptation, which is set to run as a live-action movie, rather than a professionally-recorded performance like other musicals in the Disney+ library (such as Newsies).

With the recent success of Hamilton on Disney+, which saw a huge increase in app downloads after its debut on the service last month, we can only hope that Disney+ is trying to expand its library with more musical titles.

You can read up on the latest additions to Disney+ for August here. Are you excited at the news of the Once On This Island adaptation? Let us know in the comments!

Featured Image: Joan Marcus via Whats On Stage

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"Once On This Island" Adaptation to be Developed for Disney+ - wdwnt.com

Exploring the vast, rolling hills of the Faroe Islands – Far Out Magazine

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TheFaroe Islands, aNorth Atlantic Island group located betweenNorwayandIcelandis a rough, rugged and unconventionally impressive location.

The cluster of islands, inhabited primarily by sheep and puffins, has developed into Scandinavias ultimate off-the-beaten-track destination. Despite being at the northern tip of Scotland, travel to the Faroe Islands has never been the most convenient.

However, improved links to the 18 islands has been vastly improved in recent years and the uncompromisingly, sharp cliffs, glaciated valleys, rolling hills and waterfalls has allowed the Faroe Islands to develop into the alternative nature holiday.

Part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the island has a population of around 50,000 people, is self-governed, has its own parliament and has a fishing industry that shows no sign of slowing down.

Whether youre hiking to the famous Kallurin lighthouse, taking the ferry from Trshavn to Nlsoy, heading to Gjogv or exploring the isolated little village of Saksun, the Faroe Islands has an expanding list of options.

To give you a taste of what the Faroe Islands has to offer, photographer Annie Spratt headed to the location to explore:

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Exploring the vast, rolling hills of the Faroe Islands - Far Out Magazine

Sunsets on Cape Cod and the islands are beautiful this summer. Here are 20 reader-submitted photos to prove it. – Boston.com

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Last week we asked readers to share a spectacular sunset they photographed recently and over 100 submissions of vibrant skies flooded in from across New England and beyond. We narrowed it down to 60+ photos from Boston, Cape Cod and the islands, north of Boston, and south of Boston, and will feature our favorites by region over the next few days.

Below, we feature our favorite sunsets over Cape Cod and the Islands from a sunset swim over a bright orange sky in South Dennis to a vibrant sky in Aquinnah, here are the top 20 reader-submitted photos.

Stay tuned: Our favorite north of Boston sunset photos from readers is up next!

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Sunsets on Cape Cod and the islands are beautiful this summer. Here are 20 reader-submitted photos to prove it. - Boston.com

Islands of Ireland: Small islands, big ambitions – Irish Examiner

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It is a long way from the Clew Bay island of Inishlyre to the corridors of power in Brussels, but for the secretary of the European Small Islands' Network (ESIN), the occasional trip there is vital.

The journey involves a half-hour on a boat to Rosmoney Pier, Co Mayo, by road to Westport, and then a further drive to Knock or Dublin to catch a flight to Belgium.

American-born Rhoda Twombly has been living on the island for 20 years, having previously run Joe Wattys pub on Inishmore, Co Galway.

Rhoda is now one of only three residents on Inishlyre, and this voluntary post keeps her very involved in the destiny of Irish and European islands.

ESIN was set up in 2001, with Ireland a leading advocate, along with Denmark, Finland, France, Sweden, and Scotland. The group represents 360,000 islanders on 1,640 small islands. To qualify for inclusion in its remit, an island must have fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. (Some Finnish islands have only one resident.)

While Comhdhil Oilein na hireann (Irish Islands Federation) is concerned with specifically Irish islands, ESINs bailiwick is the smaller islands of the continent.

It overlaps with Comhdhil, when bigger issues come to the fore, such as major infrastructural damage from the likes of Hurricane Ophelia in 2017.

For smaller issues, Irish islanders will go to Comhdhil for help in contacting the relevant people in government. If it is a big issue, we will pass it on to Comhdhil and get them to lobby as well, says Rhoda.

Comhdhil has been reaching out to Europe much more of late and supplements ESINs connections with the European Commission and the parliament.

ESIN is constantly networking to get funding, programming, and trying to get the small islands voices heard, says Rhoda. Her job is to persuade, solicit, and otherwise cajole help from the powers that be for European islanders. And her armoury in the digital age now includes Zoom meetings.

Irish islands are considered very small on the European scale, she says.

"We have defined 'small islands' as islands with populations of fewer than 5,000, with no permanent connection to the mainland so anywhere from one person up to several thousand. You get an awful lot of archipelagos, especially up in Scandinavia, she says.

A few years ago, Inishlyre hosted Comhdhils AGM, with 300 delegates a considerable achievement for an island. ESIN alternates the location for its AGM: one year it goes to Brussels and the next year it goes to one of ESINs islands, such as recently on Hven, in Sweden.

Its very good for networking, meeting with our MEPs. The Irish MEPs are very helpful to us and their European counterparts are as helpful as they can be, says Rhoda.

The group has taken part in several European initiatives, such as the energy project Smilegov, and is involved in the EUs Clean Energy for Islands project, working closely with Mirtn Malid, on Oilen Chlire, and Darragh Molloy, of the Aran Energy Co-op on Inishmore, Co Galway. (Those were the two Irish islands out of 26 selected for that project.)

"ESIN is working towards getting more clean energy on islands, more renewables," says Rhoda.

Since the onset of Covid-19, ESIN has been an invaluable source of information for islanders on how to cope with the disease. They also recently worked on the EUs Intangible Heritage Project and advocated for improved fisheries regulations.

Nobody is paid in the network and it is a group effort to get programmes developed to benefit islands, whether in France, Denmark, or Ireland.

And together with chairman John Walsh, from Bere Island, Co Cork, and Camille Dressler, on the Isle Of Eigg, Scotland, Rhoda is passionate about her calling.

We try to figure out what challenges we have in common, she says.

She also consults with other island support groups, such as the Sherkin Island Development Society. And she still finds the time to contribute to Tom McSweeneys radio programme, This Island Nation. An islanders islander.

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Islands of Ireland: Small islands, big ambitions - Irish Examiner

Daufuskie Island offers a taste of the simple life in the Lowcountry – Atlanta Journal Constitution

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After disembarking from the ferry and getting my golf cart (essential for getting around on the island), I soon began to experience the simple life I had heard about. This is a place where people make turn signals by hand because blinkers dont come standard on golf carts. Roads are generically named for whats on them: School Road, Beach Road. One-word hand-painted signs in the shape of arrows are tacked to poles at every intersection leading the way to Coffee, Church, Lighthouse, and so forth, making it fairly easy to get around without a map.

Visitors can stay overnight in Haig Point Lighthouse. Contributed by Holger Opderbeck

The Haig Point Lighthouse at the north end of the island is one of two historic lighthouses on Daufuskie, the other being the Bloody Point Lighthouse at the south end, now housing a small but worthwhile history museum. The one on Haig Point was constructed in 1873 and remained in use until 1934. In the 1980s the International Paper Corporation, which owned the property at that time, restored the tower and the keepers quarters underneath. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982; in 1986 the U.S. Coast Guard authorized its re-lighting as a private aid to navigation in Calibogue Sound between Daufuskie Island and Hilton Head Island.

Today the lighthouse is part of Haig Point, one of three planned communities on Daufuskie bordering the Historic District. Haig Point is a private residential community, but visitors can book a Stay and Play package with accommodations in the historic Strachan Mansion (circa 1910) or the lighthouse. The package includes a golf cart, ferry tickets, a round of golf or a horseback ride on the beach, morning coffee and pastries, and access to Haig Point amenities such as tennis and a private beach.

I opted for the lighthouse because I wanted to stay on a solitary point overlooking the water. The front porch has one of the best views on the island. I spent a good deal of time in a rocking chair watching the dolphins surface and the boat traffic come and go through the sound. The tour boats would idle offshore gawking at the old lighthouse. I could hear the narration over the loudspeakers and see people looking through binoculars, probably wondering who I was sitting on the porch staring back and waving.

The lighthouse has been restored to look as it did in the 1890s. The attention to detail is striking, right down to the locks on the doors and the lamps hanging on the wall. In a closet, plexiglass covers interior woodwork with inscriptions from workers dated June 1873.

Tempting as it was to hang out on the point, the Historic District was calling, and I wanted to discover some more history. The island was once home to large indigo and cotton plantations. During the Civil War, the planter class abandoned Daufuskie. The former slaves stayed behind, isolated from the outside world, maintaining their own distinct Gullah culture and eventually making a living from selling oysters. Contamination from the Savannah River wiped out that industry in the mid 20th century, but many of the cottages from the oystering days still exist. These are the classic Daufuskie houses set back in the ancient live oaks dangling Spanish moss on sandy roads.

Sallie Ann Robinson, a sixth-generation native of Daufuskie Island, leads the Authentic Gullah Tour of historic sites aboard her air-conditioned tour bus.Courtesy of Blake Guthrie

Credit: Blake Guthrie

Credit: Blake Guthrie

I met Sallie Ann Robinson, a sixth-generation Gullah native of Daufuskie, in front of one of these old houses near the Mary Field School, the schoolhouse where Pat Conroy taught. The first thing Robinson showed me was a Gullah version of the bible titled De Nyew Testament. Next, she handed me a copy of Oprah Winfreys magazine that included a story about her. Then she showed me a Gullah cookbook penned by her with a foreword by Pat Conroy. Robinson was one of Conroys students at the schoolhouse in 1969. He changed her name in the book just like he had changed the name of the island.

"I'm Ethel," she said with a smile.

Sallie Ann conducts the Authentic Gullah Tour in association with the non-profit Daufuskie Island Gullah Heritage Society. The organization works to help restore the old Gullah homes and maintain the centuries-old cemeteries. Robinsons three-hour tour through the Historic District provides a unique first-person perspective on Gullah heritage and other aspects of the islands history. Shell drive you in her air-conditioned bus (a rare automobile on the island) to the major historic sites and regale you with stories about growing up on Daufuskie before it became an off-the-radar vacation destination. She also talks a lot about Conroy, who she remained close with up until his death in 2016. The two often appeared at book signings and literary events together.

They loved to have the two of us together because we were always so much fun, she said.

A lot has changed on Daufuskie over the years, but some things remain the same. Driving back to the lighthouse in my golf cart I passed the schoolhouse and the church Robinson attended as a child. The schoolhouse is now home to a coffee shop and a clothing store, but the circa-1884 First Union African Baptist Church remains active and is still attended regularly by Robinson.

If you go

Daufuskie Island Ferry. $45 round-trip, $10 parking per night. 35 Fording Island Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-940-7704, http://www.daufuskieislandferry.com

Authentic Gullah Tour. $70. 48 Melrose Landing Rd., Daufuskie Island. 843-686-2227, daufuskieislandgullahheritagesociety.org

Stay

Haig Point Lighthouse. $300 per night. 10 Haig Point Ct., Hilton Head Island (ferry embarkation). 800-686-3441, haigpoint.com

The Oyster Cottage. A traditional cottage in the Historic District that comes with a golf cart. $216 per night. 168 Benjies Point Road. 843-842-9448, http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/25458525.

Eat

Lucy Bells Cafe. Seafood and Lowcountry classics, lunch and weekend brunch only. Entrees $12 and up. Outdoor seating. 111 Benjies Point Road. 843-341-6477.

Old Daufuskie Crab Company. Seafood deck bar where people gather to watch the sunset. Baskets $10.99 and up. Outdoor seating. 256 Cooper River Landing Road. 843-785-6652.

Tourist info

DaufuskieIsland.com

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Daufuskie Island offers a taste of the simple life in the Lowcountry - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Second-Annual Garden Island bodyboarding a success – Thegardenisland.com

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KOLOA Long-time bodyboarder Kawika Kaui never lost sight of the second annual Garden Island Boogie Board Classics underlying mission statement.

Saturdays bodyboarding classic held at Kuhio Beach was put on to promote the sport to the islands keiki to preserve Kauais reputation as a bodyboarding mecca.

I just like a day at the beach with all of the local people getting together, Kaui said. It is great families spending time with each other and connecting with the ocean and each other.

Kaui, now 31 and a Kauai resident, will only compete in Saturday afternoons competition as his one contest a year in the open mens division.

Kaui, a former International Boarding Association, and Hawaii Surfing Association competitor, took advantage of this opportunity to showcase his skills and advanced to Sundays quarterfinal in the mens open heat.

Kauis strategy to advance to the quarterfinal round in the second heat was about timing.

There was a nice open face wave, and I wanted to stay up and didnt want to break behind the wave, Kaui said. I kept thinking the wave was going to break, and it ended upholding.

Kaui stated he felt he got lucky during the second heat of the competition.

Normally the center surf break waves kept coming in from the east side and continued breaking during the competition, Kaui said. It was a weird opportunity to get a couple of good waves.

Tragedy to triumph

For Bryce Hollis, a 17-year-old Big Island resident, participating in the Garden Island competition marked his return to the sport.

Hollis, who took a one-year hiatus from the sport to focus on his health, enjoyed competing for the first time in Kauai.

A year ago, Hollis suffered a traumatic experience.

During a whip out while surfing, he experienced a compound fracture in his leg and a broken wrist.

The injury was so severe he had to have a metal plate inserted into his leg.

The wound didnt heal and became an MRSA infection. A bacterial infection usually spread by sharing personal items.

Having to have a PICC line inserted into his body so he could cure the infection took a while before he could return to the water.

Now recovered, he made the trip to Kauai to celebrate his girlfriends birthday and compete in the classic, marking his return to competition.

Maintaining distance

The tournament featured 300 competitors competing in nine different skill levels, and social distancing was something event organizer Chris Burkart remained conscious of.

We are trying our best, and we have to remind people to wear masks, Burkart said. People are always walking by, and we had to remind them to mask up. There were more families huddled up, and I think they are doing a good job. We have to remind people because of everyone slacks off.

Entering Sundays competition, Burkart anticipates it will be easier to patrol in a sport that isnt conducive for social distancing.

I am happy for the turnout publicly, Burkart said.

Jason Blasco, sports reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com.

Super Grom (9 AND under, keiki push-in) : Round 1 : Heat 1

Moana Liddell 8.74

2.) Chloe Pascual 8.34

3.) Joshua Hamilton 8.30

4.) Thomas Hamiltion 7.80

5.) Liku Reilly 7.26

6.) Amaezin Grace 5.83

Super Grom (9-AND-under, keiki push-in) Round 1 Heat 2

1.)Shiloh Hunt 13.70

2.)Laelia Valeria 7.77

3.)Nanea Trask 7.70

4.) Zion Carbonell 7.10

5.) Aukanaii Koa 7.00

Super Grom (9 AND under, keiki push-in) Round 1 Heat 3

1.) Maiha Kjeldsen 15.33

2.) Laola Seraphin 10.86

3.) Lelehune Reilly 8.67

4.) Alexander Acob 7.60

5.) Iris Haines 5.40

Super Grom (9 AND under, keiki push-in) Semifinal Heat 1

Sun 11:12 am

Moana Liddell

Chloe Pascual

Laola Seraphin

Lelehune Reilly

Nanea Trask

Zion Carbonell

Super Grom (9-and-under, keiki push-in) Semifinal

Heat 2

Sun 11:28 am

Maiha Kjeldsen

Shiloh Hunt

Laelia Valeria

Joshua Hamilton

Thomas Hamiltion

Alexander Acob

Final

Super Grom (9 AND under, keiki push-in) Final Heat

1Sun 02:27 pm

1st From Semifinal Heat 1

1st From Semifinal Heat 2

2nd From Semifinal Heat 1

2nd From Semifinal Heat 2

3rd From Semifinal Heat 1

3rd From Semifinal Heat 2

Menehune (ages 10 13)Round 1 Heat 1

1.) Kona Rasmussen 9.67

2.) David ORourk 8.73

3.) David ORourke 5.40

4.) Chance Kawakami 5.07

5.) Hobie Fujimoto 3.00

Menehune (ages 10 13) : Round 1 Heat 2

1.) Springwater Kaulili 9.74

2.) Koa McDaniel 9.50

3.) Makoa Miguel 6.27

4.) Kaiea Nishi 5.70

5.) Lyon Foster 4.84

6.) Kyran Luis 3.70

Menehune (ages 10 13)

Round 1 Heat 3

1.) Aarya Tabalno 8.70

2.) Kupaa Kaiminaauao 6.27

3.) Konalu Yamamoto 5.70

4.) Travis Wood 4.10

5.) Karter Reichle 3.63

6.) Alexandra Iida 1.30

Menehune (ages 10 13) Round 1 Heat 4

1.) Kamaehu Kahaunaele 14.46

2.) Keanu Lanoza 8.00

3.) Keanu Lanoza 7.87

4.) Zayen Asuncion 6.20

5.) Kaden Itamura 2.50

6.) Samuel Cotter 2.30

Menehune (ages 10 13) Round 1 Heat 5

1.) Alex Sakamoto 8.24

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Second-Annual Garden Island bodyboarding a success - Thegardenisland.com

Waterfowl Hunting Permits Available for Deal Island, Fairmount – The Southern Maryland Chronicle

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Lottery Open for Wildlife Management Area ImpoundmentsNews Release, Maryland Department of Natural Resources

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced a new schedule and process for annual permit-only waterfowl hunting at Deal Island Wildlife Management Area and Fairmount Wildlife Management Area impoundments, located in Somerset County on Marylands Eastern Shore.The changes are being made to reduce crowding and improve the quality of waterfowl hunting during the regular duck season.

Applications for permits for both the Deal Island and Fairmount impoundments are now available on the Departments website and are due Sept. 14. Permits for the regular duck season will be issued by a lottery conducted in mid-September.

These permits will allow the selected hunter and up to two additional guests to hunt on the dates for which they are chosen.

The 2020-2021 schedule provides 17 open hunting dates during the three combined duck season segments at both impoundments as follows:

Hunters should note that a permit will now be required to hunt on all open days during the regular duck season at the Deal Island impoundment. As in the past, a permit will be required to hunt at the Fairmount impoundments on the opening day of each segment of the regular duck season.

All the impoundments will remain open to qualified hunters without permits on special youth and veteran hunting days, and during the September Resident Goose Season. In addition, the Fairmount impoundments will be open during the September Teal Season without permits, although the Deal Island impoundment will be closed during that time..

Hunters with questions may contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service at 410-651-2065, ext.100.

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Waterfowl Hunting Permits Available for Deal Island, Fairmount - The Southern Maryland Chronicle

Why ‘Renovation Island’ Hosts Bryan and Sarah Baeumler Will Never Become the Next Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

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Ever since Fixer Upper ended in 2013, fans have eagerly looked for a renovating duo who could live up to Chip and Joanna Gainess legacy. The talented pair made a reputation transforming the worst house in the best neighborhood into dream homes for their clients. Fixer Upper became a cultural phenomenon and remains extremely popular today.

A new series on HGTV, Renovation Island, has been generating a lot of buzz lately. Bryan and Sarah Baeumler are the married stars of the series and have been drawing comparisons to Chip and Joanna. But there are a few reasons why this couple likely wont ever reach Fixer Upper levels of fame.

Part of Fixer Uppers appeal was telling the heartwarming stories of families restoring homes to start new chapters in their lives. The Gaineses were intent on helping these homeowners create beautiful spaces. Viewers could envision themselves calling up Chip and Joanna to infuse that signature farmhouse chic style in their own houses.

Meanwhile, Renovation Island has a different aim. The series follows Canadians Bryan and Sarah as they uproot their family and move to the Bahamas to renovate a dilapidated resort and turn it into a luxury vacation destination.

The audience for Fixer Upper is likely different than the viewers who enjoy Renovation Island. And thats not the only reason why the two shows are truly incomparable.

RELATED: Why Fans Loved Fixer Upper Even Though They Knew It Was Fake

Many HGTV shows feature hosts who openly disagree with each other, like Hilary Farr and David Visentin from the long-running series Love It or List It. The frequent fighting between hosts is one reason viewers embraced Chip and Joanna so eagerly they were so clearly in love with each other, and it was refreshing. They were much more likely to laugh and smile than bicker and roll their eyes.

Meanwhile, Bryan and Sarah on Renovation Island tend to get into disagreements during the renovation process. Fans point out that Sarah is more concerned with how upscale the final design appears while Bryan is more focused on finishing the project quickly so the couple can start earning revenue.

Viewers have also expressed their distaste for Sarahs frequent last-minute changes to the design plan and even called her a spoiled brat because of it.

The biggest reason why the Baeumlers will never become the Gaineses is because they dont have to. Chip and Joanna just announced their intentions to reboot Fixer Upper on Magnolia Network, which is scheduled to launch in 2021.

The couple hadnt planned on reviving the series that made them famous. However, after a three-year hiatus they decided it was time to start helping clients create their dream homes once again.

The day we wrapped our final episode of Fixer Upper, we really believed it was a chapter closed. We knew we needed a break and a moment to catch our breath. But we also knew we werent done dreaming about ways to make old things new again, Chip and Joanna said in a statement.

They continued: These past few years, weve continued tackling renovations and projects, doing the work were passionate about, but I dont think either of us anticipated how the show would become such a permanent fixture in our hearts. Weve missed sharing the stories of these families and their homes with you, and were excited to do that again very soon!

Just like that, theres no need for the Baeumlers or anyone else to become the next Chip and Joanna Gaines. These two arent going anywhere.

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Why 'Renovation Island' Hosts Bryan and Sarah Baeumler Will Never Become the Next Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

PM lifts restrictions on southern islands, 20 new cases reported – EyeWitness News

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis today announced lockdown and curfew measures will be lifted for eight islands tomorrow.

Normal commercial activity, including church services, beaches and parks will resume on those islands at 5am on Monday.

These include: Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay, and Ragged Island.

The lockdown and curfew has been lifted for these islands because health officials have not recorded any specific COVID-19 activity on these locations for at least two weeks, he said.

The prime minister advised travelers between islands where restrictions have been lifted will be not be required to get tested or quarantine upon arrival.

Minnis noted while there has not been a confirmed case in San Salvador; however, he said officials are waiting on the results of a travel-related swab.

During his national address, the prime minister also announced measures to expand bed capacity in New Providence as health officials confirmed 20 new cases of COVID-19.

Of the new cases, there were 15 in Grand Bahama, and five in New Providence.

Minnis noted the COVID-19 outbreak in GB is still not under control, urging residents there to give the restrictive measures more time and stick to safety protocols.

The prime minister advised grocery stores will be allowed to open on all weekdays in Grand Bahama, similar to the easing of restrictions for Abaco.

Noting the need for greater accessibility to food stores, Minnis noted shopping hours have been extended to 7pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the extension to 6pm on Saturdays for essential service workers.

Food stores will also be permitted to restock on Sundays, in addition to Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Minnis revealed the government is spending $1 million per week with the national food distribution task force, adding just under 28,000 families have registered for food assistance.

He noted that the pharmaceutical association has raised concerns about access to services, and the public has raised concerns regarding access to laundromats.

We will continue discussions with health officials on those two areas, he said.

As the Princess Margaret Hospital approaches bed capacity, Minnis revealed plans to utilize privately-owned facilities to establish a public health facility off-site.

He announced plans to utilize the east building of Superclub Breezes as a national response facility to meet the needs of non-COVID-19 low medical care patients during the pandemic.

The government will only be tasked with covering utility expenses for the facility, he said.

He said moving forward clinical management of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients will be treated at following locations: South Beach Center mild to moderate presentation; PMH moderate to severe; Doctors Hospital West moderate to severe presentations.

PMH will continue the management of medical and surgical patients at the main institution, he said.

Minnis said Doctors Hospital West is also increasing its bed capacity to help address shortfalls.

In Grand Bahama, he said the Cancer Society Building will be retrofitted to house patients with infectious diseases.

The combined strategy in public and private facilities will result in increasing capacity by 80 patient beds.

This includes transferring 33 PMH boarders to another facility.

Minnis said those boarders cost the government $491 per day, or $6 million per year.

Minnis added: Do not be misled with fakes news or fake therapieswe have to learn to live with this virus until there is a vaccine.

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PM lifts restrictions on southern islands, 20 new cases reported - EyeWitness News

A promise is a promise at least to these two – Coastal Point

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By the time you read this, there is an excellent chance I am sitting on my luxury yacht, sipping on an adult beverage and listening to Alicia Keys sing If I Aint Got You from a makeshift stage on deck while Bobby Flay grills me a steak a few feet away. Oh, yeah... the wife and kid will probably be on the boat somewhere, too.

At least that was the plan while I was waiting on the Powerball numbers to be called Wednesday night. Buy a yacht, enlist celebrities to be at my beck and call and leave the 2020 Presidential election and all its accompanying headaches in the rearview as I sail forth to establish my new nation on a private island forever-to-be-known as Darinia.

Youll notice that nowhere in this plan do I mention calling an old friend and telling him or her that we split the jackpot.

Well, thats what happened with Tom Cook recently, according to an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. As the story goes, Cook was out at breakfast with his wife in June and was idly comparing the Powerball numbers for the $22 million jackpot to his own.

Not sure if he was seeing things right, he asked his wife to take a look. She gasped, handed it to somebody else and asked that person to validate the numbers.

It looks like you guys won the Powerball, this individual told them.

Its at this point of the story where I would have pulled out my phone, called in sick to work for the next 37 years and updated my Zillow app to look for uninhabited islands for sale that have sewer, clean water, electricity, Internet and a facility large enough where I could fly in sports teams and entertainers to perform for me at my whim. Oh, and good schools. That feels like something that should be a priority, right?

But not Cook. No, he remembered a promise that he made with his longtime fishing buddy, Joseph Feeney, in 1992 if either of them ever hit the Powerball, they would split the winnings 50/50. So, he called Cook.

Are you jerkin my bobber, Feeney asked. No, really. Thats what the article said.

After assuring him that it was indeed very real, Cook came through as promised and the two split the cash prize in half, just as they had discussed doing if either of their numbers hit. After taxes, the two friends each pocketed nearly $5.7 million.

We both grew up with not a lot of money, so this is really something special, said Feeney, who grew up in a two-bedroom house with his parents and 12 siblings, according to the article. Feeney was already retired as a firefighter and EMT, while Cook decided to join him in the golden era of retirement from his job as a maintenance worker.

I cant think of a better way to retire, said Cook, via an article on people.com. I got grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and Im looking forward to spending time with them, not worrying about if I got time to go and [if we can] afford it.

That does kind of sound like the dream, right?

We joke about buying gold-plated toilets or private planes or seven-day benders in Las Vegas that end in sirens and abject poverty, but when it comes down to it, if were really honest with ourselves, what wed really appreciate from that kind of financial windfall is the flexibility to do whatever we want and an end to the sleepless nights over how to pay our bills or tuition for our children.

Well, and maybe one gold-plated toilet. Even if its just a rental. I mean, its called the throne for a reason, right? If a pile of money fell right into my lap and I could enjoy every Taco Tuesday for the rest of my life, a golden toil...

But I digress.

Judging by some terminally-grouchy people of wealth Ive known over the years, the old saying, Money cant buy happiness, is one based largely on facts. It doesnt. We still have stressors in life, be they based on jobs, relationships, spiritual questions or the Orioles continuous inability to field a competent starting rotation, even though their penny-pinching owner basically prints money from his cable television...

Second digression. Sorry, that one got away from me.

Regardless, everybody has problems, be they big or be they small. Winning the lottery, inheriting billions or building a fortune from scratch does not grant you immunity from lifes woes and struggles. It gives you a big bank account. Thats it.

But it does provide a little security in the world, which is a pretty big deal unto itself. For these two gentlemen, it means a retirement of fishing, travel and knowing they can keep the lights on for years to come.

But it also means that a handshake still matters in this world. That giving somebody your word and keeping it still has value. That friendship and a sense of brotherhood are important.

Im not jerkin your bobber. It really means all of that.

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A promise is a promise at least to these two - Coastal Point

The Good Place Season 3: The Best One-Liners of The Season – TheThings

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In Season 2, Michael (Ted Danson) and Janet (D'Arcy Carden) escapedthe Bad Placeandgave Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper), Tahani (Jameela Jamil), and Jason (Manny Jacinto) a chance to return to their lives on Earthto earn enough good points to get them into the actual Good Place.This playsout in Season 3 where it'sdetermined that living on Earth is truly hell.

RELATED:The Good Place: The Most Confusing Questions, Finally Answered

The group reunites anddiscovers that the points system is fundamentally flawed and sets up a simulated Good Place toprove humans can develop morally with proper support.

Eleanor: "At first, I was kinda nervous, but so far I think I'm doing okay. It's like I became such a good person, I almost forgot I'm a world-class liar, baby."

Just as the faux Good Place is getting up and running, Michael suffers debilitating anxiety and agrees to turn his architect duties over to Eleanor who has to convince new recruits that's she's in charge. As usual, she finds her confidence, as misguided as it is.

Eleanor: "Okay. Okay. Focus, team! Michael and I will prep for Simone. Tahani, keep an eye on John. Jason, talk to no one, go nowhere, do nothing."

Jason: "I won't let you down."

When Eleanor and Michael realize that the new Good Placehas been sabotaged by Shawn (Marc Evan Jackson), who has brought to thecommunity people who have a history with the humans,Eleanor and Michael demand a meeting withthe Immortal Being and Judge Gen (SNL's Maya Rudolph). Sherules against them though. While everyone is dejected and feeling lost, Eleanor stepsup to rally the troops.

Tahani: "Oh, my. You were quite mean to me."

John: "Oh, no, I wouldn't call it mean. Okay? My targets were rich and high status, and I was just doing the important work of telling truth to power. So wait, what about you? Huh?You died in Canada. Ah. That's so weird and embarrassing. That's the nip slip of dying."

RELATED:The Ending Of 'The Good Place' Explained

Tahani runs into a new member of The Good Place community, John(Brandon Scott Jones) a former gossip columnist who spots her right away:"I used to write about you all the time on my blog, The Gossip Toilet!"

Eleanor: "When is the right time to tell someone you were passionate lovers in an alternate timeline in the afterlife, but he doesn't remember, because technically none of that happened in this strand of the multiverse?"

Tahani: [sigh]

Eleanor: "You know what? I'll just check with Yahoo Answers. I'm sure someone's weighed in."

Eleanor considers whether to share with Chidi what happened between them previously and seeks advice from Tahani who remindsher that through all the reboots they'veremained best friends, to which Kristen Bell's character responds: "Uh-huh. Yeah. Mmm-hmm."

Eleanor: "Hey, guys, having fun? Cool, cool, cool. We need to get out of here immediately because this bar is full of demons."

Tahani: "Just because these people are wearing cheap leather and stonewashed denim. They're still part of the queen's realm. Calling them demons is a bit much."

Eleanor: "No, no, no, actual demons."

The gang goes to a bar to play pool and relax, but Eleanor notices the other patrons are from The Bad Place and warns the other. With the help of Michael and especially Janet and her powers, a bar fight ensues.

Eleanor: "Holy Crap Tahani, You Found This Place On Airbnb?"

Tahani: "Oh No, I See Why You're Confused. I Used Heirbnb. H-E-I-R. It's an app for heirs and heiresses where we swap mansions, private islands, blimp hangars, that sort of thing."

Six months after she runs into an ex-boyfriend, Tahani gets engaged to Larry Hemsworth (Ben Lawson), the brother of Liam andChris Hemsworth, and decides to marry him and move to London. She throws a "little" engagement party at her rental house, "very last minute. Come as you are."

Eleanor: "Hate to say it, but the group probably needs a new member. I don't know how we'll ever replace Tahani. Do you think Margot Robbie's into philosophy?"

RELATED:15 Things Most People Don't Know About The Making Of The Good Place

At Tahani's quite fancy aforementioned engagement party, it occurs to Eleanor that since the Brainy Bunch is down one member a replacement will be in order. However, when she broaches the subject with Chidi and Simone (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), their answer throws her for a loop. They think Tahani's departure is time to "take stock," disband the group to analyze data, apply for grants, and bring in some other subjects to compare results.

Eleanor: "You're a brain scientist, can you tell me why I did that in there?"

Simone: "I mostly do clinical research in neuroscience. I don't usually specialize in temper tantrums. Maybe you need a child psychologist or a binky."

Feeling abandoned and vulnerable by the breakup of the Brainy Bunch, Eleanor acts out and says terrible things to hurt the others but ends up embarrassing herself. She asks advice of brilliant and level-headed Simone who always delivers words of wisdom in a straightforward fashion as well as with the most endearing Australian accent.

Judge Gen: "I've Never Been So Angry In My life, Which Is The Age Of The Universe."

As the group continues to study ethical thought, Michael and Janet, now in Australia, intervene in their lives in numerous ways which goes against the ruling of Judge Gen, who gave their plan the go-ahead with the proviso that the humans be left to their devices and make their own choices. When Gen finds out thatTed Danson's character and Janet have broken her rules she is none too pleased.

Val: "Why did you do that?"

Shawn: "I'm A Demon. It's Fun."

Back on Earth with their memories wiped, Eleanor, Jason, Tahani, and Chidi connect after having near-death experiences. Michael bends the rules of the new experiment. And of course, Shawn, an Immortal Being and Michael's superior in The Bad Place and spends his time trying to sabotage Michael and the humans. He's also not very nice to his people. One slip of the tongue or just because Shawn feels like it, a subordinate can end up imprisoned in a pod.

NEXT:Kristen Bell Welcomes New 'Central Park' Cast Member Emmy Raver-Lampman

Next 10 Singers Who Wrote Songs For Other Stars Before They Were Famous

Lorraine Duffy Merkl is a published author of two novels via The Vineyard Press: Fat Chick (2009) and Back To Work She Goes (2013), with the upcoming The Last Single Women In New York City to be published in 2021 by Heliotrope Books.In her advertising career, she specializes in entertainment marketing.Her essays have appeared in print and online.

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The Good Place Season 3: The Best One-Liners of The Season - TheThings

What If the Big Bang Was Actually a Big Bounce? – WIRED

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Steinhardt and company imagine a universe that expands for perhaps a trillion years, driven by the energy of an omnipresent (and hypothetical) field, whose behavior we currently attribute to dark energy. When this energy field eventually grows sparse, the cosmos starts to gently deflate. Over billions of years a contracting scale factor brings everything a bit closer, but not all the way down to a point. The dramatic change comes from the Hubble radius, which rushes in and eventually becomes microscopic. The universes contraction recharges the energy field, which heats up the cosmos and vaporizes its atoms. A bounce ensues, and the cycle starts anew.

In the bounce model, the microscopic Hubble radius ensures smoothness and flatness. And whereas inflation blows up many initial imperfections into giant plots of multiverse real estate, slow contraction squeezes them essentially out of existence. We are left with a cosmos that has no beginning, no end, no singularity at the big bang, and no multiverse.

From Any Cosmos to Ours

One challenge for both inflation and bounce cosmologies is to show that their respective energy fields create the right universe no matter how they get started. Our philosophy is that there should be no philosophy, Ijjas said. You know it works when you dont have to ask under what condition it works.

She and Steinhardt criticize inflation for doing its job only in special cases, such as when its energy field forms without notable features and with little motion. Theorists have explored these situations most thoroughly, in part because they are the only examples tractable with chalkboard mathematics. In recent computer simulations, which Ijjas and Steinhardt describe in a pair of preprints posted online in June, the team stress-tested their slow-contraction model with a range of baby universes too wild for pen-and paper analysis.

Adapting code developed by Frans Pretorius, a theoretical physicist at Princeton University who specializes in computational models of general relativity, the collaboration explored twisted and lumpy fields, fields moving in the wrong direction, even fields born with halves racing in opposing directions. In nearly every case, contraction swiftly produced a universe as boring as ours.

You let it go andbam! In a few cosmic moments of slow contraction it looks as smooth as silk, Steinhardt said.

Katy Clough, a cosmologist at the University of Oxford who also specializes in numerical solutions of general relativity, called the new simulations very comprehensive. But she also noted that computational advances have only recently made this kind of analysis possible, so the full range of conditions that inflation can handle remains uncharted.

Its been semi-covered, but it needs a lot more work, she said.

While interest in Ijjas and Steinhardts model varies, most cosmologists agree that inflation remains the paradigm to beat. [Slow contraction] is not an equal contender at this point, said Gregory Gabadadze, a cosmologist at New York University.

The collaboration will next flesh out the bounce itselfa more complex stage that requires novel interactions to push everything apart again. Ijjas already has one bounce theory that upgrades general relativity with a new interaction between matter and space-time, and she suspects that other mechanisms exist too. She plans to put her model on the computer soon to understand its behavior in detail.

The group hopes that after gluing the contraction and expansion stages together, theyll identify unique features of a bouncing universe that astronomers might spot.

The collaboration has not worked out every detail of a cyclic cosmos with no bang and no crunch, much less shown that we live in one. But Steinhardt now feels optimistic that the model will soon offer a viable alternative to the multiverse. The roadblocks I was most worried about have been surpassed, he said. Im not kept up at night anymore.

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What If the Big Bang Was Actually a Big Bounce? - WIRED

Mexicos Coronavirus Struggle Worsened by Fear of Hospitals – The New York Times

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MEXICO CITY A gray Suzuki stopped outside the General Hospital of Mexico and deposited a heaving Victor Bailn at the entrance. He had refused to come to the hospital for days, convinced that doctors were killing coronavirus patients. By the time he hobbled into the triage area and collapsed on the floor, it was too late.

Papito, breathe! his wife screamed. Please breathe.

Within an hour, Mr. Bailn was dead.

Mexico is battling one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world, with more than 52,000 confirmed deaths, the third-highest toll of the pandemic. And its struggle has been made even harder by a pervasive phenomenon: a deeply rooted fear of hospitals.

The problem has long plagued nations overwhelmed by unfamiliar diseases. During the Ebola epidemic in 2014, many in Sierra Leone believed that hospitals had become hopeless death traps, leading sick people to stay home and inadvertently spread the disease to their families and neighbors.

Here in Mexico, a similar vicious cycle is taking place. As the pandemic crushes an already weak health care system, with bodies piling up in refrigerated trucks, many Mexicans see the Covid ward as a place where only death awaits to be avoided at all cost.

The consequences, doctors, nurses and health ministers say, are severe. Mexicans are waiting to seek medical care until their cases are so bad that doctors can do little to help them. Thousands are dying before ever seeing the inside of a hospital, government data show, succumbing to the virus in taxis on the way there or in sickbeds at home.

Fighting infections at home may not only spread the disease more widely, epidemiologists say, but it also hides the true toll of the epidemic because an untold number of people die without ever being tested and officially counted as coronavirus victims.

Many Mexicans say they have good reason to be wary of hospitals: Nearly 40 percent of people hospitalized with confirmed cases of the virus in Mexico City, the epicenter of the nations outbreak, end up dying, government data show, a high mortality rate even when compared with some of the worst coronavirus hot spots worldwide. During the peak of the pandemic in New York City, less than 25 percent of coronavirus patients died in hospitals, studies have estimated.

While the statistic may be imprecise because of limited testing, doctors and researchers confirmed that a startling number of people are dying in Mexicos hospitals.

During a surge of cases in May, almost half of all Covid-19 deaths in Mexico City hospitals occurred within 12 hours of the patients being admitted, said Dr. Oliva Lpez Arellano, Mexico Citys health minister.

In the United States, people who died typically made it five days in the hospital.

Doctors say more patients would survive if they sought help earlier. Delaying treatment, they argue, simply leads to more deaths in hospitals which then generates even more fear of hospitals.

The distrust is so pronounced that relatives of patients in Ecatepec, a municipality outside Mexico City, stormed a hospital in May, attacking its employees, filming themselves next to bags of corpses and telling reporters that the institution was killing their loved ones.

After seeing videos of what happens to people inside hospitals, screw that, said Mr. Bailns brother, Jos Eduardo, who had recently spent 60 days at home recovering from his own bout with what he believes was the coronavirus. Id rather stay home and die there.

But many people who die at home in Mexico or even on the way to the hospital are never tested for the virus, so they are not counted as coronavirus victims. Instead, they fall into a statistical black hole of fatalities that are not officially tied to the pandemic.

Even by the official count, Mexico has already suffered more coronavirus deaths than any other nation but the United States and Brazil. And the government said recently that during a period of over three months this spring, there were 71,000 more deaths than expected, compared with previous years an indication that the virus has claimed many more lives than the official tally suggests.

Adding to the confusion, political leaders here, as in many countries, have sown doubts about the virus and the need to seek medical care. The hugely popular president, Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador, said he uses religious amulets and his clean conscience to protect against the coronavirus, and he has advocated fighting the pandemic at home, with the help of families, rather than in hospitals.

Nearly 70 percent of Mexicans said they would feel unsafe taking their loved ones to the hospital during the pandemic, in a survey published last month. A third said they would prefer to care for their relatives themselves.

Now the nations top health officials have begun pleading with Mexicans to stop resisting medical care.

Its very important that late care doesnt contribute to death, Hugo Lpez-Gatell, the health official leading the countrys response to the virus, said at a news conference last month. Please, go to hospitals early, especially people who are most at risk.

Many are wary of the costs that come with a hospital stay. And in a country plagued by rampant government corruption, the fundamental distrust of the authorities often extends to doctors and nurses in public hospitals.

At the General Hospital in Mexico City, where Mr. Bailn died, suspicion was running high. No one had wanted to come to the hospital, a place that seemed to swallow their loved ones and leave them outside, with few updates to calm the nerves. Everyone had a theory about the real cause of the virus and the destruction it had unleashed.

Modesto Gmez, whose wife was inside, heard the government was letting elderly people die of the virus because they had expensive pensions. Hctor Mauricio Ortega, whose father was intubated there with a Covid infection, said he believed doctors were purposely infecting people with the virus because countries have a quota of people who need to die every year.

Ral Prez woke up in a panic on the benches outside the entrance. It was his 16th day sleeping there after his sister went in for brain surgery.

He said he had met seven families of patients who had come in for another illness and then died of the coronavirus.

Updated August 6, 2020

People think maybe theyre injecting them with something or killing them in there, he said.

Mr. Prez didnt believe the rumors at first, but then doctors told him that his sister, who was still intubated after her brain surgery, had tested positive for coronavirus. Now he was frantic, calling all of his relatives, telling them the hospital wanted his sister dead.

They are letting people get infected, he said. They just want to get rid of one more patient.

Dr. Lpez, Mexico Citys health minister, said that rumors of malicious medical practices had been widespread. Doctors were supposedly stealing the fluid from peoples knees, or trading their fingerprint data gleaned from oximeter readings.

There was a big fake news campaign spreading rumors that health workers were attacking people inside hospitals, profiting from their death, she said.

Dr. Ernesto Nepomuceno said that in his clinic in Iztapalapa, a poor neighborhood in Mexico City, doctors perform oximeter readings on themselves to show patients that they are measuring oxygen levels, not recording personal data.

We have to make great efforts to put people at ease, Dr. Nepomuceno said.

Two days before Mr. Bailn was wheeled into the General Hospitals intensive care unit, he visited a doctor in his tiny hometown an hour outside the capital. His oxygen levels were low, but he begged his wife, Fabiola Palma Rodrguez, not to drive him to the hospital.

Please dont take me there, I dont want to die, she recalled him telling her. By the time Mr. Bailn relented, he was already ravaged by the disease.

After a local hospital turned him away, he made the trip to Mexico City. He died on a stretcher in the General Hospital, Ms. Palma said, before doctors could intubate him.

I would have taken him earlier, but we were both too scared, Ms. Palma said. It is so unfair. I took him there alive and brought him back home dead the same day.

Aurora Arzate Nieves died on the same day as Mr. Bailn, in the same hospital, about 30 hours after being admitted. The matriarch of a tightly knit Mexican family, Ms. Arzate, 83, was known for her green mole dish and strong will. Her sons practically had to drag her to the hospital.

That decision was tormenting Eduardo Gutirrez Arzate as he said a final goodbye to his mother, who was zipped into a bag inside a Ford minivan converted into a hearse by a funeral company near the hospital.

Pawing at the window, Mr. Gutirrez begged his mother to wake up.

I felt really guilty when I saw her, he said, standing outside the crematory, black smoke billowing overhead.

She was scared of everything having to do with the coronavirus and of hospitals, where shed be surrounded by depressed people, instead of by her family.

I asked her in that moment to forgive me, he said. I asked her to forgive me for taking her to the hospital.

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Mexicos Coronavirus Struggle Worsened by Fear of Hospitals - The New York Times

Study: 14 Face Masks, Here Are The Best, Worst For Covid-19 Coronavirus – Forbes

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Face masks and coverings come in many different forms. But are they all the same at preventing the ... [+] spread of Covid-19 coronavirus? Here Ashley Haas (L) and Heather Aboff are seen in SoHo, New York City, wearing theirs. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)

Face masks can be like pizza, at least in certain ways.

People can end up wearing both on their faces, albeit for different reasons. Both can come in a wide variety of types and designs. And not all are created equal. Some (face masks, not pizza) are better than others at blocking droplets that may come out of your nose and mouth. In fact, some face coverings can actually make things worse, causing even more droplets to spew out into the air, according to a study just published in Science Advances.

Yes, you heard that correctly. Wearing some face coverings can be even worse than when you wear nothing at all. That isnt quite how the Alison Krauss song goes, so how then can a face covering possibly be worse than wearing nothing but the smile on your face? Arent face coverings supposed to block all that stuff that comes out of your mouth and nose when you do things like cough, sneeze, talk, sing, pant, and say, ohhh, pizza? Arent face coverings supposed to help block your filthy nose and mouth from transmitting the Covid-19 coronavirus to others?

For the study, a team from Duke University (Emma P. Fischer, Martin C. Fischer, David Grass, Isaac Henrion, Warren S. Warren, and Eric Westman) created some spitting images of a person talking into a box. The study used freaking laser beams to do this. The laser beams created a sheet of light inside the black box in front of a hole in the box. So, essentially the experiment wasnt just a black box.

Next, the research team asked a person to position his or her mouth at the hole and repeat the phrase, stay healthy, people, five times. Therefore, anything that would come of the persons mouth, whether its small droplets or hot dog fragments, would subsequently hit the sheet of light, causing the light to scatter. In other words, any droplets or particles would scatter the sheet out of it. A cell phone camera filmed this sheet show, which would allow the researchers to quantify how much stuff was coming out of the persons mouth.

The person repeated this procedure multiple times, first without any face covering and subsequently with 14 different types of face masks. The person didnt wear all 14 masks at once, which would have looked ridiculous. Instead, the person tried them one at a time. The research team established a relative droplet count scale with a 1.0 count representing the number of droplets that hit the sheet when the person had no face covering and 0.0 representing what happened with the best mask of the bunch.

A view of an N95 face mask outside NYU Langone Health hospital during the coronavirus pandemic. ... [+] (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

It should come as no surprise that the best mask was clearly the fitted N95 mask that didnt have an exhalation valve. After all, this is what health care workers are supposed to wear, assuming that their health care facilities actually have provided enough of such protection. These masks are designed to keep droplets and viruses from going either direction, out or in, and protect both the wearer and everyone else. Experiments with this kind of mask in essence kept the sheet together with not much scatter recorded. Indeed, such masks arent perfect. However, they served as the standard for this experiment with a relative droplet count of basically zero.

Surgical masks, like the ones seen here being worn by medical workers in Hong Kong, China, finished ... [+] second in the testing. (Photo by Qin Louyue/China News Service via Getty Images)

The second place finisher was not too surprising either. Compared to the N95 mask, the three-layer surgical mask had a more variable relative droplet count that ranged from zero to 0.1. These masks are medical grade as well and can be like boxers (the underwear and not Mike Tyson). They can keep most things inside but every now and then can let something sneak outside.

The third and fourth ranking masks were the ones with polypropylene: the cotton-polypropylene-cotton mask and the 2-layer polypropylene apron mask. These had relative droplet counts around 0.1, a little bit higher than the surgical mask.

The fifth through eleventh place finishers included four different two-layer cotton pleated masks and one one-layer cotton pleated mask. These fell in the zero to 0.4 relative droplet count range. So they caused some sheet to move around.

Does your N95 mask have an exhalation valve? (Photo: Getty)

Number seven was another type of N95 mask: one with an exhalation valve. This registered a relative droplet count ranging from 0.1 to 0.2. When using a N95 mask, check first whether it has an exhalation valve. A N95 mask with such a valve is a bit like those one-way see-through windows. It provides full protection only in one direction. While the mask may protect you, you can still end up exposing yourself to others. Let me re-phrase that. You can still expose others to whatever may come out of your mouth and nose.

The valve allows air to move from the wearers mouth and nose through the mask without going through the main filter. While this may make exhaling easier, at the same time, it may permit viruses to get on through to the other side. This exhalation valve may be fine if the sole purpose of the mask were to protect you from what may be in the air. An example would be working with construction materials as you are building your plaster Justin Bieber shrine. But such a mask wouldnt protect others from you as well as a N95 mask without an exhalation valve would. Thats why health care workers dont tend to use N95 masks with exhalation valves.

The ninth place finisher was a one-layer Maxima AT mask that had an average relative droplet count of 0.2 with its range going no higher than 0.3.

At number 12 was the knitted mask. Not surprisingly this mask had a pretty large range, going from a relative droplet count of around 0.1 to just under 0.6. A knitted mask tends to be like a politicians speech, full of holes. And holes can let a whole lot get through to the other side.

Then there were the two masks that could actually be worse than wearing no mask at all. At number 13, the bandanna had a range of 0.2 to 1.2. This suggested that going Axl Rose on your nose and mouth could in some cases allow more droplets to get through than when going bare-nosed and bare-mouthed. How could this be? How could a bandanna create even more droplets? Well, the answer is shear reality.

Depending on its arrangement, construction, and positioning, a bandanna may actually shear larger droplets into many more smaller ones. Think about the last time you try to push a block of Parmesan cheese through a screen window (because who hasnt tried that). Smaller droplets are worse than larger droplets because they can float in the air longer and may make it through a persons respiratory tract more readily.

The last place finisher showed why when purchasing a face covering, you shouldnt get fleeced. The fleece mask finished at number 14 on the list, worse even than wearing nothing at all. The experiments showed that you could still create quite a sheet storm while wearing the fleece mask. The average relative droplet count was 1.1. That means, on average, the person while wearing a fleece mask generated more droplets than when his or her nose and mouth were fully exposed. Like the bandanna can do in some cases, the fleece was making big problems into many more little problems. And thats not good.

Of course, this study was not perfect and had its limitations. It didnt test all possible versions of the different masks. Who knows what might have happened with different people who have different facial shapes and ways of speaking. Spraying droplets doesnt necessarily mean that you are spraying viruses. Each droplet may not contain enough of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) to infect others. And certainly stay healthy, people, is not the only thing that you may be saying around other people. What would happen, for example, if you were to say something like it is what it is?

Nonetheless, all of this is a reminder that public health recommendations have their nuances and associated detail. Its not enough just to cover your face. Covering your face with sweat, chocolate, pizza sauce, or shame wont suffice. And using just any mask wont do. For example, dont show up at a Costco wearing a Lone Ranger mask or a mask that doesnt really block whats coming out of your nose and mouth. Even when you are seemingly covering your nose and mouth, you may not be adequately protecting others. Therefore, be careful when choosing and purchasing a mask. Choose the right face covering. After all, you wouldnt say, just bring me some pizza, any kind of pizza, would you?

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Coronavirus testing: How it works, why Utah’s tests are down, and what’s coming next? – Salt Lake Tribune

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Testing has taken on a gigantic role in the story of this pandemic. Its the subject of genuine confusion and grandstanding claims, and because it provides the basis of our knowledge about the virus, its legitimately important. But its funny: despite how vital tests are, I dont think most people know how they work.

Lets address that. While were at it, lets also look at how long tests take in Utah, why testing numbers have changed in the state (its not a conspiracy), and what might be coming down the pipeline.

The vast majority of coronavirus tests administered in the United States are called RT-PCR tests. Basically, we want to know whether or not a person has the virus RNA in their upper respiratory tract. So we get a sample that could be saliva, cells from the nasopharyngeal tract (gathered with those long cotton swabs), or just from the nostril. From there, we use chemicals to break open the cells in the sample and filter it so we get just the bits that are the size of RNA.

To figure out what kind of RNA it is, we use a technique called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. Weve known how to do PCR for only 35 years, but its become so important for so many applications that we did it in my high school chemistry class 12 years ago.

Basically, what PCR does is amplify the DNA in a sample from just a few copies to millions or billions of copies, simply by adding a number of ingredients into a test tube and changing its temperature.

For the coronavirus, we have to turn the RNA we sifted out of our sample into DNA by adding an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. Then, we add DNA polymerase to the soup, along with DNA building blocks, fluorescent probes and coronavirus-specific primers.

Then its all about the temperature.

We heat the mixture to 200 degrees to split open the DNA into strands, then cool it to 140 degrees. That temperature allows the primers to potentially bind to the open DNA, but only if they match the genetic code of the coronavirus. The probes attach too.

Then, we heat it up to 161 degrees. This is when the rest of our soup goes to work. The DNA polymerase assembles building blocks floating in the soup to recombine into that beautiful double-helix you picture when you think of DNA. The probes get knocked off the chain and begin to glow.

By repeating this cycle 25-35 times, we can turn one copy of this DNA into billions of copies. And at that point, the solution can fluoresce so much that it can be detected. But remember, it only will light up if the coronavirus RNA was there in the first place otherwise, the primers wont attach, and no copying will happen at all.

This is very impressive stuff, but PCR takes 2-4 hours and requires a specialized oven to quickly heat and cool this solution to the needed temperatures. It also requires a lot of specialized material: for example, the DNA polymerase has to be heat-resistant, so we get it from microorganisms that usually hang out near geothermal heat vents in the bottom of the ocean. Of course, we need those coronavirus-specific primers, too. This stuff can and has been subject to shortages in the pandemic.

How long does it take for people to get their test results back?

Of course, just because it takes less than a day to actually complete the test doesnt mean people get their results that quickly: samples have to be driven to labs, then prepared once they get there. Afterward, test results have to be recorded, sent to a medical provider, and then the patient has to be contacted.

Thanks to the Utah Legislative Auditor General, we now know how long this typically takes in Utah. On average, it takes 1.6 days from the time a sample is collected to when the lab notifies the medical provider.

While 1.6 days was the average, there was significant variation between labs. One lab got the results back within 1.3 days on average, but another major lab took 3.7 days to get the test results back. The labs werent identified in the audit, instead they were called lab A, lab B and so forth.

And there was tremendous variation in between individual tests, even at the fast labs. The quickest lab still took seven days on a few tests, and one of the labs that performed well even had a batch that took 21 days to process 21 days!

The audit found that testing times increased as labs dealt with more tests. It also found that tests outside of Salt Lake County were more likely to take longer, presumably because of the driving time required to get them to a lab.

We dont know how long it usually takes medical providers to tell people whether they are positive or negative. Sometimes, it seems people are contacted in a matter of minutes or hours. But sometimes, it takes longer than that: the audit notes that one major provider just stopped notifying patients who had tested negative in June and July when testing volumes increased.

Heres the issue: a coronavirus test that takes more than a few days to come back is nearly worthless from a public health standpoint. People who are tested are relying on the results to decide whether or not to quarantine themselves youd hope that anyone taking the test would quarantine, but the reality is that some will do the minimum until they hear the word positive.

Some businesses require a positive test before COVID-19 sick leave can begin, and nearly all businesses would wait until a positive test to inform close contacts. When theres a delay, all of those secondary interventions are delayed too, allowing times for the virus to spread.

The audit included several suggestions, all of which the Utah Department of Health agreed to work on. They want to set a goal for test processing times. They want to collect data on how long each test takes, and publish the results to coronavirus.utah.gov. They want the labs to share best practices and resources on how to get these tests done more quickly. And they want the labs to work together when theres a pileup at one lab and capacity at another.

Why has testing slowed in Utah?

Clearly, the number of tests performed has declined in Utah over the past month, as has the rate of positive cases.

This has led some to believe Utah is fiddling with the system intentionally reducing the number of tests taken in order to reduce case counts, making it look like the state is recovering when it isnt. This would be rather evil.

I dont see a lot of evidence for that theory, though.

Those who work at testing sites have noticed fewer cars driving through than before. It might be due to the heat, it might be because people are on summer vacations or because they are just less interested in getting tested. Those are all relevant theories covered by my colleagues Erin Alberty and Sean Means this week.

The biggest factor, though? I think fewer people are getting sick.

The past three weeks, the system has found pretty low levels of coronavirus in the sewers, much more comparable to the relative lull in mid-May.

I suppose its possible that the government is cooking the books on the numbers of tests performed, that they instruct random testing site employees to lie about drive-thru traffic and hospital administrators to lie about their tests gathered, and are feeding artificial data to the wastewater monitoring system. But that strikes me as exceptionally unlikely, the kind of conspiracy that would get exposed in 0.2 seconds flat by somebody somewhere with eyeballs and a brain.

In other words I think this good news is real. That doesnt mean were out of the woods. Were still experiencing high case numbers, so it isnt time to go to birthday parties and hug everyone you see again. But were trending in a positive direction.

Whats next in the world of testing?

The last time I wrote about testing, I looked at ways to make it easier for everyone involved. And most of those recommendations have been adopted. Were doing widespread sewage testing. Many test sites now get a saliva sample, and some just swab the shallow part of your nostril, not the part deep inside your skull. And many but not all businesses have incentivized their employees to stay home if theyre sick. Thats good!

I think we can still do better, though. In particular, I think we need to put more emphasis on rapid testing, an evolving field that has the potential to cut transmission of the disease to near-zero.

Our current testing setup doesnt do much to prevent the virus spread. People are most contagious in the day or two before and the day or two after they first exhibit symptoms, so testing them once they show symptoms and then giving them the results a couple days later doesnt mitigate the peak of the spread. Ideally, wed want to test even healthy people, especially in high-risk or high-importance areas.

The good news: we now have tests that can respond within minutes. These are antigen tests that are described as a lab on a swab. Essentially, you get a nasal swab or saliva sample, mix it with a buffer liquid, and then drop it on one end of a test strip. Capillary action the same force that causes your whole paper towel to get wet even if you only expose one corner to water drags the solution across the strip.

At the other end of the strip lay coronavirus antibodies. If the virus is present, the antibodies bind to the virus, just as they would inside of your body. And that binding triggers a marker that changes color. Essentially, it works almost like a pregnancy test: if you see the strip light up, you have coronavirus.

Now, this process takes minutes and is really easy to administer: sample, mix it, drop it on a test strip. These tests can cost about $1 or $2 each, where the PCR tests described earlier usually cost about $100.

Theyre also way less accurate.

Remember how PCR turns one coronavirus copy into millions or billions, making it easy to spot? The antigen tests dont do that, so theyre relying on some amount of chance to make sure the virus interacts with the antibodies on the strip. Antigen tests have a success rate of 50% to 90%. PCR, when done right, is about 98%. These rapid tests are going to tell a lot of people who really do have the disease that they dont, and that causes problems, to be sure.

But that downside is mitigated by how quick and cheap they are. Lets say you own a business that wants to test people every day, and your test has an 80% success rate. If each test is independent (and early indications say thats largely the case), the odds that someone with the coronavirus will test positive at least once after two tests is 96%. After three tests, its 99.2%. As Bettina Fries, chief of infectious diseases at Stony Brook University, told Science magazine, Even if the sensitivity [of antigen tests] is not perfect, if you test over and over you will pick up those cases.

Remember, this test will catch positives before symptoms occur, so even with three days of tests, youre likely going to get a result more quickly than someone waiting for their cough to get bad and drive to a testing facility, then wait for the PCR test to be processed and the results to be reported back.

There are plenty of situations in which youd want the higher accuracy of the PCR tests. But its also easy to imagine cases in which youd want the fast, cheap test. For the general public, catching 50% to 90% of coronavirus cases early would decimate the effective transmission rate, or Rt, and drive our case numbers way down. We need to let go of the notion that all the tests have to be perfect, Fries said.

Perfect can be the enemy of the good, and good repeated over time is enough to decimate the virus. Rapid tests are good.

Andy Larsen is a Salt Lake Tribune sports reporter who covers the Utah Jazz. During this crisis, he has been assigned to dig into the numbers surrounding the coronavirus. You can reach Andy at alarsen@sltrib.com or on Twitter at @andyblarsen.

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Your Hot-Weather Guide to Coronavirus, Air-Conditioning and Airflow – The New York Times

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If you want to speed up the flow of outdoor air into a room, you could also take a box fan, place it in a window and blast it outward, Dr. Jimenez said. When any amount of air leaves, that same amount of air returns its a fixed volume. Therefore, the fan should help pull in the same amount of outdoor air.

If you have air-conditioning in your home, no one is saying that you need to give up on it entirely. When its sweltering out, air-conditioning can be essential not only to help you function but also to avoid heatstroke.

But if you are going to spend time in a cooled space with other people, it may be worth understanding a bit more about the cool air you are breathing. Basically, all air-conditioning falls into one of three categories.

The unit cools both indoor and outdoor air.

The unit cools and recirculates only indoor air.

The unit relies entirely on pulling in outdoor air. (These are uncommon outside hospitals and labs.)

Centralized-air systems, such as those common in office buildings, dorms and some large apartment buildings, often fall in category one. Dr. Jimenez and other building scientists involved in coronavirus prevention are currently advising owners of businesses and buildings with category one systems to adjust the ratio to pull in more outdoor air, an enterprise that can be costly. Take a casino in Las Vegas, which is kept cool enough to keep people gambling inside while its 120 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Cooling that hot outdoor air will be more expensive than recirculating the already cool inside air. But given that keeping customers healthy is also a priority, more are willing to revisit their approach, Dr. Jimenez said.

Few of us have the ability to adjust our air-conditioning in this way. Most window units sitting with their rears facing the outdoors, for example, fall into category two. Instead of pulling in outdoor air, they are dumping heat from the room outdoors, said William Bahnfleth, a professor of architectural engineering at Penn States Institutes of Energy and the Environment.

If you live alone, or with people youre sure arent infectious, those units are fine. But if you give in to throwing that birthday dinner for your parents, or if your teenager has been less than strict about staying home, its worth remembering that any virus thats present will be mixed in to the recirculating indoor air, Dr. Jimenez said.

And so, if you have to have people over, it may be preferable to revert to rule one: When in doubt, open the windows. Or better yet, go outside.

So what do you do if youre stuck with a unit that primarily recirculates indoor air and its unrealistic to open the window? This is where filters come in. The right filter is just as effective as pulling in outside air, said Dr. Edward A. Nardell, a professor at Harvard Medical School who has written about the role that air-conditioning plays in spreading airborne diseases.

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How San Francisco succeeded more than other U.S. cities in fighting the coronavirus – CNBC

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San Francisco's coronavirus response has been far from perfect.

But with just over 7,000 cases and 64 deaths, in a population of over 800,000, it's better off than most U.S. cities, experts say.

At this stage, the city remains on the state's watchlist although things have recently been frozenfor the past few days because of a data glitch and schools will open later this month with 100% remote learning.

But hospitals were never overwhelmed. That allowed the University of California, San Francisco to send medical volunteers to other parts of the country that have been harder hit by the virus.

The city's health experts say that there are lessons to be drawn from San Francisco's response. Dr. Bob Wachter, chairman of the department of medicine at UC San Francisco, has recently highlighted in a series of tweet storms how the city has one of the lowest rates of cases per 100,000, compared to other large U.S. cities. The first months of the response in March and April were particularly impressive, he notes, although things took a turn for the worse in the early summer months.

Wachter created the following chart, which shows that as of July 31, San Francisco had the third-lowest case rate and lowest death rate of the 20 largest cities.

In an interview, he shared some of the major factors that might explain why case counts remain relatively low compared to other parts of the country and state. Overall, California has seen more than 540,000 cases and more than 10,000 deaths.

A pedestrian wearing a protective mask walks past signage at the Google San Francisco office in San Francisco, California, on Monday, July 27, 2020.

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Many of the city's largest companies took an early leap in recommending that their workers remain at home, rather than commuting into the office. Of course, it's worth noting that many of these companies are in the business of software, so remote work is a far easier proposition. Twitter, Google, and other techcompanies with big offices in San Francisco all asked employees to stay home back in early March.

"Corporate leaders in the Bay Area were early to recognizing that this was going to be a big deal," said Dr. Wachter. "I remember it hitting me how serious it was when Google told everyone to stay home, and I figured they must know something."

A person wearing a protective mask receives hand sanitizer while attending mass outside the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in San Francisco, California, on Tuesday, July 14, 2020.

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

California is one of the states that requires people to wear masks. Moreover,polls and surveys have consistently found that Californians are actually following the rule more than residents of most other states.

The one exception to the rule, in San Francisco at least, seems to be the parkswhere city officials have drawn circles in chalk to establish social distancing. But for the most part, people do wear masks while on walks and in grocery stores. City health officials have also been consistent in recommending masks and cloth coverings.

"There's also social pressure here in San Francisco," explained Wachter. "In San Francisco, if you go to a gathering with one person having a mask off, it's likely that person would be looked at funny and their friends might even say something."

San Francisco Mayor London Breed

Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

It hasn't been easy to be a health official in America since the outset of the pandemic. In the Bay Area, public health experts have reported harassmentfrom residents that took issue with the guidelines.

But they still took early stands based on science and stuck to them consistently.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency in late February, before the city had confirmed a single case of the coronavirus. She was also very early to ban gatherings of more than 1,000 people.

"In retrospect, it was gutsy as hell," said Wachter. "Our local politicians have demonstrated they have the courage to do it, and the city's citizens have demonstrated in return that they will take the time to understand what's going on and they'll accept it."

In mid-July San Francisco Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax issued some concerning predictions about where the city could be going. He recently estimated a worst case scenario where the city could seea peak of 6,000 patients hospitalized by early to mid-October.

Wachter feels cautiously optimistic but recognizes that it's hard to know what the future may hold. People are getting fatigued by the shutdowns and may be looking for reasons to avoid the public health guidelines. But he also says some of the recent small surges were to be expected as the city starts to allow some stores to reopen and restaurants to serve customers outdoors.

"You can't be on strict lockdown for two years so we must accept some cases, but we're ready for it," he said.

He also notes that hospitals have had a bit of time to prepare, so it's better to see a modest uptick now than in March. Back then, there were widespread shortages of personal protective equipment for health care workers.

Overall, he feels relatively confident that San Francisco residents will continue to do the right thing. Despite mounting pandemic fatigue, there's still widespread acceptance of wearing masks and in social distancing compared to other parts of the country.

"From what I've seen so far, I expect that we'll be able to manage alright and get things under control," he said.

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How San Francisco succeeded more than other U.S. cities in fighting the coronavirus - CNBC

Woman dies after drinking ‘medicine’ given to her by lover, his wife – Times Now

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Pinky moved to rented accommodation in Thanesar's Akash Nagar area with her two children (Representative Image).   |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

Kurukshetra: A couple from Haryana's Kurukshetra allegedly fed poison to a woman. The woman had been living separately from her husband at a rented accommodation. The woman was found dead in Akash Nagar, Thanesar.

The deceased woman was identified as Pinky. Pinky hailed from the Bohli village in Kurukshetra.

Around 10 years ago, Pinky got married to Ravi. During the course of time, the couple became parents to two children. Around 3 years ago, Pinky took the decision of living away from her husband after he got addicted to drugs and moved out with her children.

Pinky moved to a rented accommodation in Thanesar's Akash Nagar area with her two children. She allegedly started having a relationship with a man identified as Ganga Singh. Ganga was an alcoholic. He used to assault Pinky and demanded money for alcohol. Pinky had recently opened up to her mother and informed her about the assault.

On August 8, Pinky's daughter Shabnam called her maternal uncle (Pinky's brother) Lakhan and said that Ganga and his wife had come to the house the previous day, The Times of India reported. Ganga and his wife allegedly made Pinky drink a medicine they had brought.

After consuming the medicine, Pinky started vomiting and died on Saturday. Mange Ram, SHO of Krishna Gate police station said, "The deceased woman's post-mortem has been conducted and the body handed over to the family for the last rites on Sunday. We have registered a case and started the investigation. The arrests are pending. " The accused were booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

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Woman dies after drinking 'medicine' given to her by lover, his wife - Times Now

Global Precision Medicine Software Industry Market 2020 Size, Share, Trends, Growth and Outlook with Company Analysis and Forecast to 2025 – CueReport

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The research report on Precision Medicine Software Industry market comprises of key development trends that define the industry in terms of profit potential and expansion scope. It also highlights the challenges & constraints that may negatively influence the market outlook alongside the various growth drivers and opportunities affecting the future remuneration of this business vertical. In addition, the study encompasses data regarding the impact of COVID-19 in an effort to gain insights about the projected performance over the study duration.

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Study on Key Market Trends:This section of the report offers a deeper analysis of the latest and future trends of the market.

Market Forecasts:Buyers of the report will have access to accurate and validated estimates of the total market size in terms of value and volume. The report also provides consumption, production, sales, and other forecasts for the Precision Medicine Software Industry market.

Regional Growth Analysis:All major regions and countries have been covered in the report. The regional analysis will help market players to tap into unexplored regional markets, prepare specific strategies for target regions, and compare the growth of all regional markets.

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Key questions answered in the report:

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Global Precision Medicine Software Industry Market 2020 Size, Share, Trends, Growth and Outlook with Company Analysis and Forecast to 2025 - CueReport