WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement on July 31 by Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer, on the possible exclusion of temporary liability protections for businesses, schools, colleges, and other institutions and establishments: "It is impossible to understate what an enormous mistake it would be to exclude temporary liability protections from the next coronavirus relief package. The entire business community, universities a  more

NEW YORK, Aug. 1 -- Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health issued the following news: Since the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in Wuhan, China in late 2019, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health has been working on multiple fronts to respond to the spread of the virus. Our experts are conducting research that informs the public and policymakers; collaborating with government authorities on pandemic response; advising Columbia University leadership  more

HARTFORD, Connecticut, Aug. 1 -- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued the following news release: Attorney General William Tong is demanding answers from Eversource regarding a delivery charge hike that has contributed in part to major increases in consumer bills. Formal interrogatories were served Thursday as part of a Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's proceeding in which the Eversource delivery fee increase is being investigated and reconsidered. The interrogatories (https:/  more

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, Aug. 1 -- Operation HOPE issued the following news release on July 31: Governor Gina M. Raimondo announced an investment of $45 million for a workforce development partnership that will create thousands of job opportunities for Rhode Islanders displaced by COVID-19 and help break down traditional barriers to hiring. The initiative - Back to Work RI - will use CARES Act funding to accelerate Rhode Island's economic comeback, pairing a unifying to job training with criti  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 1 -- The National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following news release: As DHS abuses are exposed in Portland, and reports of deadly conditions continue in ICE detention camps, groups in Massachusetts and Connecticut are calling on their representatives in Congress to take immediate action to prevent more harm, and cut off all funds in the region to the nativist Sheriff of Bristol County, MA - Thomas Hodgson - in order to protect the lives of people in hi  more

AMHERST, Massachusetts, Aug. 1 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Massachusetts office issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced nearly $174,000 in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for three projects that will stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies to address water quality and quantity, air quality, energ  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, July 31 -- The Natural Resources Council of Maine issued the following news release on July 30: Over the past six months, the foreign government-owned corporation Hydro-Quebec has dramatically escalated its political campaign to interfere with the citizen-initiated referendum to block Central Maine Power's (CMP) controversial corridor proposal. A new analysis by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) detailed below shows the extent to which Hydro-Quebec, a so-called "Cro  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) connected with Maine student veterans from the University of Maine System (UMS) to share their unique perspective as non-traditional students - including some still serving in the Reserves - and additional challenges they have faced during the coronavirus pandemic. The students who participated in today's call represent veterans from six campuses in the UMS: University of   more

LONDON, England, Aug. 1 -- The Salvation Army International issued the following news: Globally, COVID-19 has now claimed more than 655,000 lives according to World Health Organization statistics, with around 16.5 million confirmed cases. While some countries are starting to relax disease-prevention regulations designed to curb the spread of the virus, there are concerns of a 'second wave' in others. The Salvation Army continues to serve individuals, families and communities affected in numerou  more