Anonymous ID: 0e34f9 May 19, 2020, 10:03 p.m. No.9248110   🗄️.is đź”—kun

Reporters to no longer get an early look at some economic data

 

The long-standing process of allowing news reporters to examine economic data ahead of public release is coming to an end.

The U.S. Labor Department says the data includes high-profile reports on unemployment, retail sales and inflation.

The department for decades has given news organizations 30 minutes to an hour ahead of release to assess the numbers and prepare news reports to be distributed once the data is officially released.

The announcement was made Tuesday by William Beach, commissioner of the department's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

Beach said that the past two months, when all such “lockups” had been suspended over the coronavirus pandemic, had shown that the absence of the lockups did not cause much of a time delay or a decline in the accuracy of news reports.

“The recent COVID-19 experience demonstrates that DOL can eliminate the overhead and risk of lock-up rooms altogether without degrading the quality or timeliness of media coverage,” Beach said in a letter to the news organizations.

 

Early this year, the department had announced its intention to remove computers from the secure room in which reporters had been given an early look at economic reports. The department said it would still allow reporters to have time to study the reports before they were released via the government’s website, but they would have to do so without the benefit of electronic devices.

The Associated Press and several other news organizations protested that that decision would make the economic data releases less secure and less useful to the public.

 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/reporters-to-no-longer-get-an-early-look-at-some-economic-data

Anonymous ID: 0e34f9 May 19, 2020, 10:05 p.m. No.9248117   🗄️.is đź”—kun

CVS to return $43M in coronavirus stimulus payments

 

CVS Health announced in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Tuesday that the company will return roughly $43.3 million it received in payments through the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund.

"As you know, CVS Health did not solicit these funds but received them as part of an automatic distribution by the Department of Health and Human Services," CVS President & CEO Larry Merlo wrote. "We have made the decision to return the funds and forgo participation in subsequent disbursements."

 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/cvs-to-return-43m-in-coronavirus-stimulus-payments

Anonymous ID: 0e34f9 May 19, 2020, 10:19 p.m. No.9248201   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>8217

Phases 3 and 4 of Alaska's reopening plan to take effect Friday morning

 

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) — Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced Tuesday evening that Alaska will be fully open for business effective at 8 a.m. Friday as the state simultaneously enters phases 3 and 4 of its reopening plan.

Under the third and fourth phases of the plan, all businesses, houses of worship, libraries and museums, and all recreational and sports activities will be open and able to operate at 100 percent capacity.

 

https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Phases-3-and-4-of-Alaskas-reopening-plan-to-take-effect-Friday-morning-570612711.html?