The end-of-day totals from California public health websites for Tuesday, Feb. 16, registered 8,855 people needing hospital care, a 61.3% drop since the Jan. 1 high of 22,853.,Reports for Tuesday, indicated a 75.9% drop in the 14-day total of 10,208 new cases from a Jan. 1 high of 42,268.,And the 14-day average of 401.9 new deaths represents a 26% decline since its Feb. 1 high of 543.1.,California communities reported 11,236 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases to 3,478,579.,There were 388 new deaths reported Tuesday, for a total of 47,507 people in California who have died from the virus.

— Sarah Anna Marie Miller, 23, Salem, was cited with failure to control after she went off the road and struck a pole and ditch on state Route 45 in Salem Township at 7:55 a.m. Feb. 9.,— Bruce Steiner, 17, Salem, was cited with failure to control after he lost control of his vehicle and went off the road, striking a traffic sign on Lisbon Road in Salem Township at 7:17 a.m. Feb. 12.,— Virgil Garreston, 30, Lisbon, was cited for right of way when turning left, passenger seat belt and license suspension after he failed to yield while turning left and was struck by a vehicle driven by Cheryl Riggs, 62, Wellsville at 2:27 p.m. Feb. 11 on state Route 517 in Elkrun Township.,— Arnaldo Batista Salas, 32, Lake Charles, La., was cited for right of way at stop signs following a two-vehicle crash at U.S. Route 62 four-lane and state Route 14 at 3:03 p.m. Feb. 4 in which he was stopped at the stop sign and attempted to turn southbound, pulling into the path of a northbound vehicle driven by Gregory V. Arquilla, 62, North Canton, who struck Salas’ trailer.,— Dwight A. Coler, 64, West Calla Road, Salem, was cited for right of ways at stop signs following a two-vehicle crash at Pine Lake and Seacrist Roads at 7:54 a.m. Feb. 10 in which he was northbound and failed to yield from the stop sign, striking a westbound vehicle driven by Rose Arlene Roelen, 60, Hickory Lane, Salem, causing her vehicle to spin out of control and strike a utility pole on the northwest side of the intersection.

Futures Inc., which has been in business for 30 years, has had a location in West Hartford for 16 years, but recently has become much more physically visible in the community.,In West Hartford, The Kitchen at Futures Inc. operates a teaching kitchen that shares space with the offices on South Quaker Lane, and in August 2020, they opened the organization’s third brick and mortar retail location, Good Cause Gifts, which shares space with Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union at 973 Farmington Ave.

Good Cause Gifts also has stores in Berlin and at the Hospital for Special Care in New Britain – and the Kitchen at Futures Inc. also runs the cafe at the hospital.,“One of our biggest goals to opening a store in West Hartford Center was to get our name into the community and share what Futures Inc. and Good Cause Gifts is doing – while also providing another great shopping option for our town,” said DonAroma.,“In addition to shifting to a stronger online presence, simultaneous to opening our West Hartford Good Cause Gifts location, we also built an online store (goodcausegifts.org).,One of the key goals for opening the West Hartford Center store and launching the online store was working with more local vendors and businesses, and Futures Inc. has succeeded on that front as well. read more

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LOS ANGELES — The rates of new coronavirus infections and hospitalizations continue to fall across California, but the state’s death toll remains persistently high.,___ read more

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ROME — On the eve of what was supposed to finally be the much-delayed opening of Italy’s ski slopes, the government yanked permission because high circulation of a coronavirus variant.,PRAGUE — The Czech government has re-declared its state of emergency for next two weeks to be able to effectively tackle the coronavirus pandemic in one of the hardest hit European countries.,UNDATED -- Though many people with disabilities are more vulnerable to COVID-19, in some U.S. states they’re being left behind in the massive effort to get limited vaccines into the arms of those who need them most.,LONDON — The U.K. government said Sunday that it reached its goal of giving at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot to at least 15 million of the most vulnerable people in the country by mid-February, increasing pressure on ministers to clarify when they will ease a lockdown imposed in early January.,NEW YORK — Millions of New Yorkers with health conditions that leave them at high risk of illness from COVID-19 can theoretically sign up for appointments at state-run vaccination sites starting Sunday, but a lack of vaccine supply means many will be frustrated in thei read more

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LOS ANGELES — The rates of new coronavirus infections and hospitalizations continue to fall across California, but the state’s death toll remains persistently high.,___ read more

By The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota health officials urged this week that people wear masks — and wear them properly — as the state reported an additional 964 new infections on Saturday.,Louisiana has registered 9,276 confirmed coronavirus deaths, 16th highest in the U.S. read more

STRATFORD, Conn. — A Stratford woman is under arrest for trying to impersonate an officer while in the nation's Capitol.,U.S. Capitol Police say Linda MaGovern, 63, tried to talk her way through a security checkpoint.,Authorities say the MaGovern drove up to the United States Capitol Police Presidential Inauguration checkpoint at First Street and Columbus Circle Saturday morning.,Capitol Police ordered her to turn the car off and present a driver’s license but instead, MaGovern drove off.,She was processed by U.S. Capitol Police and remains in custody, charged with False Impersonation of a Law Enforcement Officer, Failure to Obey an Officer, and Fleeing a Law Enforcement Officer.

Spector was best known for developing the music production technique called the "wall of sound," and was serving prison time for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson.,The California Department of Corrections has confirmed that music producer Phil Spector has died, he was 81-years-old.,Spector was responsible for some of the biggest chart toppers the music industry has ever seen, but his life came crashing down after the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003, for which Spector was serving a prison sentence for her shooting death.,Spector's lawyer confirmed that date to The Associated Press, putting his age at death at 81, despite the California Department of Corrections' news release originally stating otherwise on Sunday.,During his long run as a music producer, Spector produced hits for The Beatles, Cher, John Prine, John Lennon, the Ramones, The Righteous Brothers, Curtis Lee and on and on.

— Vonda K. Wright, 54, of Wellsville, was cited for assured cleared distance violation after she struck the rear of a stopped vehicle operated by Rozita K. Daugherty, 57, of Steubenville, at the intersection of state Route 39 and Fife Coal Road in Yellow Creek Township at 2:22 p.m. Tuesday.,— Matthew R. McGuire, 27, of Lisbon, was cited for failure to stop an assured cleared distance after he struck the rear of a vehicle driven by Randy L. Garretson, 35, of Lisbon at the intersection of state routes 7 and 558 in Fairfield Township at 3:31 p.m. Wednesday.,— Trucker Michael R. Franklin 62, of Canton, was cited for assured cleared distance violation after the semi he was driving struck the bottom of railroad bridge on Georgetown Road in Knox Township at noon Tuesday.,— Samara L. King, 20, of East Liverpool, struck a deer while driving on state Route 45 in Salem Township at 1 p.m. Monday.,— Dustin Mellon, 19, of Hammondsville, was cited for assured clear distance after he struck the rear of a vehicle driven by Giovanna Pucci, 16, of Wellsville, while attempting to pass on state Route 39 in Yellow Creek Township at 9:33 p.m. Mellon’s vehicle overturned after striking the other vehicle.