Dear Senator Murkowski,
I wrote you during impeachment when many of us knew it was only a matter of time before we'd get where we are today. We didn't know the specific crisis that would come, but we knew when it did, Trump would do terrible things. We've passed 100,000 COVID deaths. Trump's militant racist messages have contributed to the demonstrations and violence in the streets today.
While the Rule of Law is the basis of our democracy, Trump's destroying the Department of Justice and undermining so many other agencies. With COVID making mail-in elections necessary, Trump has put a political hack in control of the Post Office. You missed your chance to stop all this during impeachment.
In early May I wrote to request you find six other Republican Senators brave enough to block Trump's lawless presidency. Shortly after that the former top federal ethics officer Walter Shaup called on just four Senate Republicans to stop Trump.
There is little doubt in my mind that Trump plans to meddle with the election. His new, greater control of the Post Office makes it much easier to steal the election by delaying ballots being sent out and 'losing' ballots being returned. And he's already preparing for the possibility he might lose, by inciting militant revolt by claiming the Democrats are going to rig the election. That will be his claim if he loses.
You are one of 100 people who can stop this president before we have war in the streets. After November 3, your power will be diminished. The Senate has let Trump get away with one violation of the law, of norms, of decency after another. He knows the Senate won't hold him accountable - because it's done nothing to counter his violations. You've given him license to do crazier and crazier things.
My hope is that everything I'm saying here, you already know well and that you are working with Republican colleagues to stop the destruction of our nation that Trump is carrying out daily.
Thank you for listening. I desperately hope that soon I'll be thanking you for taking action.
Steven Aufrecht
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Alaska COVID-19 Count Sunday May 31, 2020 - 27 NEW CASES - Most Ever
When the State is an hour past their "Updates will typically occur by 12:00 PM AKDT daily" promise (often their up before 11 am) I wonder if it's just because it's Sunday or whether they don't want to tell us the bad news. The increased number of folks back out in the world, plus the demonstrations yesterday here (and other places) suggests a likely spike in a couple of weeks by the latest.
Meanwhile, while I'm waiting for the numbers, let me say once again, this is the last of these regular posts on the virus. Instead, I'll update on a tab (what Blogger calls a Page) just below the header picture on top.
OK - the numbers were put up 15 minutes ago, now. I guess it was the bad news that held things up. 27 NEW CASES. That's the most we've ever had in one day. The previous high was 22 on April 7. This really shows the impact of hunkering down and then easing up the restrictions. I'm hoping the governor and mayor get us back on hunkering down. This isn't just a freak number. This last week the numbers have been higher than the week before.
I'd note that yesterday's state chart (you can see the screenshot in yesterday's post) said there were 334 cases - so by my count that would mean we had 36 new cases to get us to 360. But for various legitimate reasons the state adjusts numbers. That's another reason why I'm tracking the original numbers and not adjusting daily.
State Charts
The screen shot above is high resolution so you can click on it to enlarge and focus. Click here if you want to use the chart interactively.
My Day-By-Day Chart
It's going to get a lot bumpier from here on unless things get shut down again fast. This shows there have been a lot of untested folks out there and with the demonstrations in support of George Floyd yesterday, a lot more people were probably infected.
Meanwhile, while I'm waiting for the numbers, let me say once again, this is the last of these regular posts on the virus. Instead, I'll update on a tab (what Blogger calls a Page) just below the header picture on top.
OK - the numbers were put up 15 minutes ago, now. I guess it was the bad news that held things up. 27 NEW CASES. That's the most we've ever had in one day. The previous high was 22 on April 7. This really shows the impact of hunkering down and then easing up the restrictions. I'm hoping the governor and mayor get us back on hunkering down. This isn't just a freak number. This last week the numbers have been higher than the week before.
I'd note that yesterday's state chart (you can see the screenshot in yesterday's post) said there were 334 cases - so by my count that would mean we had 36 new cases to get us to 360. But for various legitimate reasons the state adjusts numbers. That's another reason why I'm tracking the original numbers and not adjusting daily.
CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES ALASKA MARCH/APRIL/May 2020
| ||||||
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| new/total | hos=hospital | 12th = 0/0 | 13th = 1/1 | 14th = 0/1 | 15th = 0/1 | |
| 16th = 0/1 | 17th = 2/3 | 18th = 3/6 | 19th = 3/9 | 20th = 3/12 | 21st= 2/14 | 22nd= 8/22 |
| 23rd=14/36 | 24th =6/42 1 hos 1 dead | 25th = 17/59 3 hos 1 dead | 26th = 10/69 3 hos 1 dead | 27th =16/89 5 hos 2 dead | 28th = 13/102 6 hos 2 dead | 29th= 12/114 7 hos 3 dead |
| 30th=5/119 7 hos 3 dead | 31st= 14/133 9 hos 3 dead | |||||
| April 2020 | 1st= 10/143 9 hos 3 dead | 2nd=8(6)/149 13 hos 3 dead | 3rd=8(11)157 15 hos 3 dead | 4th=15/171 16 hos 5 dead | 5th= 14/185 20 hos 6 dead | |
| 6th=6/191 23 hosp 6 dead | 7th= 22/213 23 hosp 6 Dead29 recovered | 8th= 13/226 27 hosp 7 dead 32 recovered | 9th= 9/235 27 hosp 7 dead 49 recovered | 10th=11/246 28 hosp 7 dead 55 recovered | 11th=11/257 31 hosp 8 dead 63 recovered | 12th= 15/272 31 hosp 8 dead 66 recovered |
| 13th= 5/277 32 Hosp 8 dead 85 Recovered | 14th = 8/285 32 Hosp 9 dead 98 Recovered | 15th= 8/293 34 Hosp 9 dead 106 Recovered | 16th= 7/300 35 hosp 9 dead 110 recovered | 17th= 9/309 36 hosp 9 dead 128 recovered | 18th = 5/315 36 hos 9 dead 147 Recovered | 19th= 4/319 36 hos 9 dead 153Recovered |
| 20th 2/321 36 hos 9 dead 161 recovered | 21st 8/329 36 hos 9 dead 168 recovered | 22nd 6/335 36 hos 9 dead 196recovered | 23nd 2/337 36 hos 9 dead 209recovered | 24th 2/339 36 hos 9 dead 208recovered (-1 from 4/23) | 25th 0/339 36 hos 9 dead 217recovered | 26th 2/341 36 hos 9 dead 217recovered |
| 27th 4/345 37 hos 9 dead 218recovered | 28th 6/351 37 hos 9 dead 228 recovered | 29th 4/355 36 hos 9 dead 240recovered | 30th 0/355 36 hos 9 dead 252recovered | |||
| May 2020 | 1st 9/364 36 hos 9 dead 254recovered | 2nd 1/365 36 hos 9 dead 261recovered | 3rd 3/368 36 hos 9 dead 262recovered | |||
| 4th 2/370 37 hos 9 dead 263recovered | 5th 1/371 38 hos 9 dead 277 recovered | 6th 1/372 38 hos 10 dead 284recovered | 7th 2/374 38 hos 10 dead 291recovered | 8th 3/377 38 hos 10 dead 305recovered | 9th 1/378 38 hos 10 dead 318recovered | 10th 1/379 38 hos 10 dead 324recovered |
| 11th 1/381 38 hos 10 dead 328recovered | 12th 2/383 38 hos 10 dead 334 recovered | 13th 0/383 38 hos 10 dead 335recovered | 14th 4/387 39 hos 10 dead 339recovered | 15th 1/388 41 hos 10 dead 343recovered | 16th 4/392 43 hos 10 dead 344recovered | 17th 4/396 43 hos 10 dead 344recovered |
| 18th 3/399 43 hos 10 dead 345recovered | 19th 0/399 43 hos 10 dead 348 recovered | 20th 3/402 44 hos 10 dead 352recovered | 21st 0/402 44 hos 10 dead 356recovered | 22st 2/404 44 hos 10 dead 356recovered | 23rd4/408 45 hos 10 dead 358recovered | 24th 0/408 45 hos 10 dead 358recovered |
| 25th1/409 45 hos 10 dead 361recovered | 26th 2/411 45 hos 10 dead 362 recovered | 27th 2/411 46 hos 10 dead 362recovered | 28th13/425 46 hos 10 dead 366recovered | 29th5/430 47 hos 10 dead 367recovered | 30th4/434 47 hos 10 dead 368recovered | 31st 27/460 47 hos 10 dead 368recovered |
State Charts
The screen shot above is high resolution so you can click on it to enlarge and focus. Click here if you want to use the chart interactively.
My Day-By-Day Chart
Alaska Covid-19 Data NewFor... by Steve on Scribd
It's going to get a lot bumpier from here on unless things get shut down again fast. This shows there have been a lot of untested folks out there and with the demonstrations in support of George Floyd yesterday, a lot more people were probably infected.
Saturday, May 30, 2020
Alaska COVID-19 Count Saturday May 30, 2020 - 4 New Cases, Plus New Travel Regs
Four new cases. Anchorage 1, Kenai 2, Juneau 1. No new hospitalizations or deaths. There were over 2000 new tests. One new recovery.
The Governor announced yesterday new plans starting Friday, June 5 for travelers coming to Alaska.Right now travelers are required to do a 14 day quarantine.
The new plan includes visitors or Alaskans coming home. This does not include essential workers - health care, mining, fisheries. Those companies bringing in workers must have their own plans in place. These are the Guidelines for developing industry plans. And here's the website with information on Industry Plans more generally. I don't see any actual plans posted. It would be good to have them posted so people can know exactly what steps they will take to monitor quarantines, social distancing, etc. Enforcement is not going to be easy.
The new rules for individual travelers include:
Rural communities without good health care - can choose to limit non-essential travel.
The details will be on the State Website by Monday/Tuesday (June 1 or 2)
You can see the whole press conference here. (Travel info starts around 8:30)
The governor acknowledged that new cases will go up (as they have the last couple of days) as the State opens things up, but said the key is to monitor the situation and take action quickly if necessary.
My Calendar Chart
State Charts
The screen shot above is high resolution so you can click on it to enlarge and focus. Click here if you want to use the chart interactively.
My Day-By-Day Chart
The Governor announced yesterday new plans starting Friday, June 5 for travelers coming to Alaska.Right now travelers are required to do a 14 day quarantine.
The new plan includes visitors or Alaskans coming home. This does not include essential workers - health care, mining, fisheries. Those companies bringing in workers must have their own plans in place. These are the Guidelines for developing industry plans. And here's the website with information on Industry Plans more generally. I don't see any actual plans posted. It would be good to have them posted so people can know exactly what steps they will take to monitor quarantines, social distancing, etc. Enforcement is not going to be easy.
The new rules for individual travelers include:
- Before coming to Alaska passengers are asked to take test within 72 hours before boarding the plane and bring the results with them to the airport.
- These will be checked before boarding the plane. People who tested positive won't be allowed to travel.
- People will fill out forms on the plane - like agricultural forms when going to Hawaii.
- Travelers will be met at the airport when they land and their paperwork will be checked.
- If people lost their paperwork on the plane, they can be tested at the airport. They must stay at the airport until the results are back. This could take a while.
- Met here, people will take your papers and test results.
- If someone tests positive officials will work with them to develop - isolation or quarantine.
- If negative, no problem.
Rural communities without good health care - can choose to limit non-essential travel.
The details will be on the State Website by Monday/Tuesday (June 1 or 2)
You can see the whole press conference here. (Travel info starts around 8:30)
The governor acknowledged that new cases will go up (as they have the last couple of days) as the State opens things up, but said the key is to monitor the situation and take action quickly if necessary.
My Calendar Chart
CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES ALASKA MARCH/APRIL/May 2020
| ||||||
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| new/total | hos=hospital | 12th = 0/0 | 13th = 1/1 | 14th = 0/1 | 15th = 0/1 | |
| 16th = 0/1 | 17th = 2/3 | 18th = 3/6 | 19th = 3/9 | 20th = 3/12 | 21st= 2/14 | 22nd= 8/22 |
| 23rd=14/36 | 24th =6/42 1 hos 1 dead | 25th = 17/59 3 hos 1 dead | 26th = 10/69 3 hos 1 dead | 27th =16/89 5 hos 2 dead | 28th = 13/102 6 hos 2 dead | 29th= 12/114 7 hos 3 dead |
| 30th=5/119 7 hos 3 dead | 31st= 14/133 9 hos 3 dead | |||||
| April 2020 | 1st= 10/143 9 hos 3 dead | 2nd=8(6)/149 13 hos 3 dead | 3rd=8(11)157 15 hos 3 dead | 4th=15/171 16 hos 5 dead | 5th= 14/185 20 hos 6 dead | |
| 6th=6/191 23 hosp 6 dead | 7th= 22/213 23 hosp 6 Dead29 recovered | 8th= 13/226 27 hosp 7 dead 32 recovered | 9th= 9/235 27 hosp 7 dead 49 recovered | 10th=11/246 28 hosp 7 dead 55 recovered | 11th=11/257 31 hosp 8 dead 63 recovered | 12th= 15/272 31 hosp 8 dead 66 recovered |
| 13th= 5/277 32 Hosp 8 dead 85 Recovered | 14th = 8/285 32 Hosp 9 dead 98 Recovered | 15th= 8/293 34 Hosp 9 dead 106 Recovered | 16th= 7/300 35 hosp 9 dead 110 recovered | 17th= 9/309 36 hosp 9 dead 128 recovered | 18th = 5/315 36 hos 9 dead 147 Recovered | 19th= 4/319 36 hos 9 dead 153Recovered |
| 20th 2/321 36 hos 9 dead 161 recovered | 21st 8/329 36 hos 9 dead 168 recovered | 22nd 6/335 36 hos 9 dead 196recovered | 23nd 2/337 36 hos 9 dead 209recovered | 24th 2/339 36 hos 9 dead 208recovered (-1 from 4/23) | 25th 0/339 36 hos 9 dead 217recovered | 26th 2/341 36 hos 9 dead 217recovered |
| 27th 4/345 37 hos 9 dead 218recovered | 28th 6/351 37 hos 9 dead 228 recovered | 29th 4/355 36 hos 9 dead 240recovered | 30th 0/355 36 hos 9 dead 252recovered | |||
| May 2020 | 1st 9/364 36 hos 9 dead 254recovered | 2nd 1/365 36 hos 9 dead 261recovered | 3rd 3/368 36 hos 9 dead 262recovered | |||
| 4th 2/370 37 hos 9 dead 263recovered | 5th 1/371 38 hos 9 dead 277 recovered | 6th 1/372 38 hos 10 dead 284recovered | 7th 2/374 38 hos 10 dead 291recovered | 8th 3/377 38 hos 10 dead 305recovered | 9th 1/378 38 hos 10 dead 318recovered | 10th 1/379 38 hos 10 dead 324recovered |
| 11th 1/381 38 hos 10 dead 328recovered | 12th 2/383 38 hos 10 dead 334 recovered | 13th 0/383 38 hos 10 dead 335recovered | 14th 4/387 39 hos 10 dead 339recovered | 15th 1/388 41 hos 10 dead 343recovered | 16th 4/392 43 hos 10 dead 344recovered | 17th 4/396 43 hos 10 dead 344recovered |
| 18th 3/399 43 hos 10 dead 345recovered | 19th 0/399 43 hos 10 dead 348 recovered | 20th 3/402 44 hos 10 dead 352recovered | 21st 0/402 44 hos 10 dead 356recovered | 22st 2/404 44 hos 10 dead 356recovered | 23rd4/408 45 hos 10 dead 358recovered | 24th 0/408 45 hos 10 dead 358recovered |
| 25th1/409 45 hos 10 dead 361recovered | 26th 2/411 45 hos 10 dead 362 recovered | 27th 2/411 46 hos 10 dead 362recovered | 28th13/425 46 hos 10 dead 366recovered | 29th5/430 47 hos 10 dead 367recovered | 30th 4/434 47 hos 10 dead 368recovered | |
State Charts
The screen shot above is high resolution so you can click on it to enlarge and focus. Click here if you want to use the chart interactively.
My Day-By-Day Chart
Alaska Covid-19 Data NewFor... by Steve on Scribd