US states build stockpiles of malaria drug touted by President Trump

SALT LAKE CITY — State and local governments across the United States have obtained more than 30 million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Trump to treat patients with the coronavirus, despite warnings from doctors that more research is needed.At least 22 states and Washington, D.C. secured shipments of the drug, hydroxychloroquine, according to information compiled from state and federal officials by The Associated Press.

President Trump: Postal Service must charge Amazon more, or no loan

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that he won't approve a $10 billion loan for the U.S. Postal Service unless the agency raises charges for Amazon and other big shippers to four to five times current rates.“The Postal Service is a joke because they’re handing out packages for Amazon and other internet companies and every time they bring a package, they lose money on it,” President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.The president was responding to a question about reports his administration plans to force major changes in postal operations as the price for approving a $10 billion loan that was included in the government’s $2 trillion economic rescue package.Under the rescue package legislation, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin must approve the loan before the Postal Service can receive the money.

State chamber of commerce calls for opening businesses, rally planned for Friday

MADISON — Wisconsin's chamber of commerce on Friday called for opening all businesses starting May 4, three weeks sooner than is called for under Democratic Gov.

President Trump signs $484 billion measure to aid employers, hospitals

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed a $484 billion bill Friday to aid employers and hospitals under stress from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 50,000 Americans and devastated broad swaths of the economy.The bill is the latest effort by the federal government to help keep afloat businesses that have had to close or dramatically alter their operations as states try to slow the spread of the virus.

TMZ Sports: Brett Favre on Packers drafting QB, 'No one's replacing Aaron Rodgers'

MILWAUKEE -- Days before the NFL Draft, TMZ Sports spoke with Brett Favre about the possibility Green Bay could take a quarterback in the first round.Favre said he had talked with Aaron Rodgers about that -- and insists #12 didn't have a problem with it.Fast-forward to GB selecting Utah State QB Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick ...

Parent company of Lysol warns don't inject disinfectants to treat COVID-19

WASHINGTON — The parent company of Lysol and another disinfectant warned Friday that its products should not be used as an internal treatment for the coronavirus after President Donald Trump wondered about the prospect during a White House briefing.President Trump noted Thursday that researchers were looking at the effects of disinfectants on the virus and wondered aloud if they could be injected into people, saying the virus “does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that.”That prompted a strong warning from the maker of disinfectants Lysol and Dettol, which said it was issuing a statement to combat “recent speculation.”“As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route),” said the statement from Reckitt Benckiser.On Thursday, the White House also pitched “emerging” research on the benefits of sunlight and humidity in diminishing the threat of the coronavirus.Past studies have not found good evidence that the warmer temperatures and higher humidity of spring and summer will help tamp down the spread of the virus.But William Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security said at a White House briefing Thursday that there are “emerging results” from new research that suggest solar light has a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air.

'We need that help:' 56K more Wisconsinites file for unemployment, others still waiting on filed claims

MILWAUKEE -- Last week, 4.4 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits, bringing the total number of people who have filed for unemployment over the last five weeks to roughly 26 million.

President Trump says Thunderbirds, Blue Angels will do flyovers across country to honor medical workers

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- In the coronavirus task force briefing Wednesday, President Donald Trump said that the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force's Thunderbirds would be doing flyovers of major American cities in honor of "American medical workers" — and that on July Fourth he would bring back the Independence Day celebration held last year on the National Mall."I'm excited to announce that in the coming weeks, the Air Force Thunderbirds – are incredible – and the Navy Blue Angels, equally incredible, will be performing air shows over America's major cities," President Trump said. "What we're doing is we're paying tribute to our front line health care workers confronting COVID.

Moving past 'invisible enemy,' President Trump nudges nation to reopen

WASHINGTON — For weeks, the Trump administration played up the dangers of the coronavirus as it sought to convince Americans to disrupt their lives and stay home.

'Operation Gridlock Wisconsin:' Protesters vow to rally against 'Safer at Home' without permit

MADISON — Health officials tied nearly 150 coronavirus cases to a Green Bay meatpacking plant on Wednesday, April 22, while the number of people who may have contracted the virus after going to the polls on April 7 also grew.Meanwhile, organizers of a rally against Wisconsin's extended stay-at-home order said they would proceed with the event on Friday even though a permit to hold it on the grounds of the Capitol has been denied.To date, 246 people in Wisconsin have died from the virus and more than 4,800 have tested positive.

Gov. Evers, Speaker Vos speak out after lawsuit filed over 'Safer at Home'

MADISON -- The argument over whether to keep Governor Tony Evers' "Safer at Home" order in effect until May 26 has extended from the courtroom to the living room, with the public not waiting on a Supreme Court ruling to take action.Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature asked the state Supreme Court on Tuesday to block an extension of the Democratic governor's stay-at-home order, the most partisan divide yet in the fight against the coronavirus.

Wisconsin Republicans push back state convention to July

MADISON -- The Wisconsin Republican Party is pushing back its state convention to July, even as state GOP leaders are trying to overturn a stay-at-home order that runs until May 26.Republicans had originally scheduled their state convention for May 15 and May 16 in Green Bay.