Walmart stores change operating hours, offer special shopping hours for seniors, give item limitations – WYFF4 Greenville, Wyff4.com

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>> LIVE, LOCAL, BREAKING NEWS, THIS IS WYFF NEWS 4 AT : . CAROL: WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS OUT OF WASHINGTON, D.C. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SIGNED THE SENATE-APPROVED EMERGENCY AID PACKAGE. THE BILL ESTABLISHES AN EMERGENCY PAID LEAVE PROGRAM, INCREASES UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, AND PROVIDES FOOD AID. THE PRESIDENT THANKED AMERICANS FOR COMING TOGETHER. MORE BREAKING NEWS FROM WASHINGTON, CONGRESS SEEING ITS FIRST CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS. REPUBLICAN FLORIDA REPRESENTATIVE MARIO DIAZ-BALART HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE COVID – 70. ‘’S OFFICE SAYS HE DEVELOPED A FEVER AND A HEADACHE SATURDAY NIGHT. DIAZ-BALART SAYS HE IS FEELING MUCH BETTER. RERESENTATIVE BEN MCADAMS OF UTAH HAS ALSO TESTED POSITIVE. MCADAMS SAYS HE IS WORKING FROM HOME UNTIL ITS SAFE TO END HIS QUARANTINE. NOW TO THE LATEST NUMBER OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE CAROLINAS AND GEORGIA, YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN. IN SOUTH CAROLINA. IN NORTH CAROLINA. 728 IN GEORGIA. THE CASES OF COVID – IN SOUTH CAROLINA SPAN ACROSS 24 COUNTIES. 3 OF THOSE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. 2 IN ANDERSON COUNTY. 1 IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY. ONE PERSON HAS DIED, IN THE MIDLANDS ON MONDAY. 728 PEOPLE HAVE TESTED NEGATIVE IN THE PALMETTO STATE. IN NORTH CAROLINA THE CASES SPAN COUNTIES. NO REPORTED DEATHS. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SAYS THE STATE HAS COMPLETED MORE THAN 01575879 TESTS. IN GEORGIA, THERE ARE CASES WITH 3 DEATHS REPORTED. ONE OF THOSE REPORTED BY THE CDC AND TWO OTHERS REPORTED TODAY BY A DOCTOR AT PHOEBE PUTNEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN ALBANY. PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE SHARED THE LATEST MEASURES IN PLACE TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL INVOKE THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT. IT IS A WARTIME POWER, WHICH WILL FORCE AMERICAN INDUSTRY TO RAMP UP PRODUCTION OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES THAT ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY. THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID THAT THE U.S. WILL BE TEMPORARILY CLOSING THE BORDER WITH CANADA TO NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL, SAYING IT WAS A MUTUAL DECISION. THE PRESIDENT SAYS TRADE WILL NOT BE AFFECTED. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS HE CONSIDERS HIMSELF A “WARTIME PRESIDENT,” CALLING THE CORONAVIRUS THE ENEMY.>> IT’S A VERY TOUGH SITUATION HERE. YOU HAVE TO DO THINGS. YOU HAVE TO CLOSE PARTS OF AN ECONOMY THAT SIX WEEKS AGO WERE THE BEST THEY’VE EVER BEEN. WE HAD THE BEST ECONOMY WE’VE EVER HAD. AND THEN ONE DAY YOU HAVE TO CLOSE IT DOWN IN ORDER TO DEFEAT THIS ENEMY, AND, BUT WE’RE DOING IT AND WE’RE DOING IT WELL. CAROL: PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ALSO SUSPENDING ALL FORECLOSURES AND EVICTIONS UNTIL THE END OF APRIL. THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT WANTS $ 728 BILLION IN PAYOUTS FOR TAXPAYERS. THE FIRST ROUND OF CHECKS WOULD BE SENT ON APRIL 6 AND THE SECOND ON MAY . THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE PROPOSAL. OFFICIALS SAY THE PAYMENTS WOULD BE TIERED, DEPENDING ON INCOME LEVEL AND FAMILY SIZE. ANOTHER DOWN DAY FOR STOCKS. THIS IS HOW THE MAJOR INDEXES FINISHED TODAY, ALL IN THE RED, DOW JONES LOSING MORE THAN 2019 POINTS IN THE SECOND DAY OF BIG LOSSES FOR THE DOW THIS WEEK. QUICK WEATHER FOR YOU NOW, CHIEF METEOROLOGIST CHRIS JUSTUS JOINS US. CHRIS, IT IS RAINING OUT AND EVEN A LITTLE THUNDER? CHRIS: CERTAINLY SOME HEAVIER DOWNPOURS ALONG THE WARM FRONT LIFTING INTO OUR AREA, AS WE EXPECTED RIGHT ON CUE AT 19: . WE WILL SEE SOME WARMER AIR MOVING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE FRONT OF THE THUNDER ACROSS LAURENS, NOTHING SEVERE BUT HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WIND AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS, CLAPS OF THUNDER IN DOWNTOWN LAURENS, HEADING ALONG THE I – CORRIDOR TO THE EAST. SPARTANBURG IS CHECKING IN AT 70 DEGREES. OVER THE NEXT 18 HOURS, CANNOT WITHOUT MORE THUNDER OR SHOWERS OVERNIGHT. WE WILL WAKE UP TO FOG AND CLOUDS, BUT BY NOON TIME WE ARE CLOSE TO 70. WHO WILL TOUCH TOMORROW? COMING UP, IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. MICHAEL: THANK YOU. BREAKING NEWS OUT OF ANDERSON COUNTY, THE CORONER HAS BEEN CALLED TO A WRECK ALONG HIGHWAY HIGHWAY . HE SAYS THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED NEAR SHERRARD ROAD RIGHT AFTER : . FOR THE LATEST ON THIS BREAKING NEWS STORY, STAY WITH WYFF NEWS 4 ACROSS ALL MEDIA PLATFORMS. TURNING BACK TO OUR CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE. NEW CHANGES ANNOUNCED TODAY TO A GREENVILLE CITYWIDE ORDINANCE RESTRICTING DINING-IN AT BARS AND RESTAURANTS. THE SPECIAL CALLED COUNCIL MEETING WAS BROADCASTED ONLINE IN AN EFFORT TO SOCIAL DISTANCE. MADELEINE HACKETT LISTENED IN AND SHARES REACTION FROM LOCAL BUSINESS. MADELEINE: SOCIALIZING IS NOT NOW IN GREENVILLE WHAT IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO OR EVEN TWO DAYS AGO. WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT TIME, AND IT IS HARDER ON SOME THAN OTHERS.>> FAR AS WE HAVE THE DO NOT SERVE FOOD, NIGHTCLUBS, – BARS THAT WE HAVE THE DO NOT SERVE FOOD AND NIGHTCLUBS ARE CLOSED. MADALYN: GREENVILLE CITY LEADERS REAFFIRMING TODAY THAT WHILE AN END DATE MAY TECHNICALLY BE IN SIGHT, IT IS STILL FAR AWAY, ANNOUNCING THAT BARS AND CLUBS THAT DON’T SELL FOOD MUST CLOSE THEIR DOORS, THROUGH MARCH ST. AND THAT RESTAURANTS THAT DO SERVE FOOD ARE LIMITED TO TAKE OUT SERVICE ONLY THROUGH THAT SAME DATE.>> IT IS A MATTER OF FINDING THE FINE LINE. IN THIS CASE, WE WILL DO IT TWO WEEKS AT A TIME INSTEAD OF TWO MONTHS OUT. SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU WILL SEE, WE ARE ONLY LOOKING THROUGH MARCH 31 AT THIS POINT AS OPPOSED TO TWO MONTHS. MADALYN: BUT IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY, EVEN TWO WEEKS WILL TAKE A TOLL.>> WE ARE STILL IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR LIVES. MADALYN: GENERAL MANAGER OF FOXCROFT WINE JAMES ALFORD SAYS HE’S ALREADY HAD TO LAY OFF 80% OF HIS WORKFORCE, RELYING NOW MORE THAN EVER ON LOYAL PATRONS OPTING TO CARRY OUT, SO THAT BUSINESS CAN STAY AFLOAT. THE CITY IS TAKING ITS OWN MEASURES TO EASE THE BURDEN THAT BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE INEVITABLY FEELING. ONE OF THEM, RESERVING ALL PARKING ALONG MAIN STREET TO CURBSIDE PICKUP ONLY, ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO CONTINUE TO COME DOWNTOWN AND SUPPORT THEIR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS. THE DECLARATION, WHICH PASSE UNANIMOUSLY TODAY, ECHOES A SIMILAR STATEWIDE ORDER BY HENRY MCMASTER. BUT WE ARE TOLD AS THE SITUATION WITH COVID – 24 CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND CHANGE, SO COULD THIS TIMELINE.>> PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE THEIR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS STILL AROUND AFTER ALL THIS IS OVER, YOU HAVE TO VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLARS. THERE’S NO OTHER WAY ABOUT IT. MICHAEL: RIGHT NOW – CAROL: RIGHT NOW 6000 TEACHERS ACROSS GREENVILLE COUNTY AND MORE ACROSS THE UPSTATE ARE TRANSITIONING TO ONLINE LEARNING. AS SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED, TEACHERS ARE INSTRUCTING THEIR STUDENTS USING GOOGLE CLASSROOM. THEY’RE STILL ABLE TO SEE STUDENTS THROUGH VIDEO CONFERENCING AND TALK USING LIVE CHATS. DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAY THIS FIRST DAY OF ONLINE INSTRUCTION IS GOING WELL. STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPATING AND CAN KEEP LEARNING EVEN WHILE THEY’RE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.>> IT HAS BEEN TWO BUSY DAYS. HOWEVER, WORKING AS A TEAM AND THE DISTRICT SUPPORT WE HAVE WITH THE TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAMS, THAT MADE IT A TASK THAT WAS REALLY IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE. CAROL: GREENVILLE COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE OFFERING MULTIPLE WI-FI HOTSPOTS FOR STUDENTS WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS AT HOME, AND ARE ALSO OFFERING RENTED COPIES OF THE SCHOOL WORK. BMW WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE ITS SPARTANBURG PLANT FOR RIGHT NOW, AMID THE CORONAVIRUS. THE NEWS COMES AS GM AND FORD ANNOUNCED PLANS TO CLOSE ALL NORTH AMERICAN PLANTS UNTIL MARCH 36. IN A STATEMENT, BMW SAID “IN REGARD TO CLOSING PLANT SPARTANBURG, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA DAILY AND ARE IN CLOSE ALIGNMENT WITH BOTH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE IN A DYNAM PREPARED TO ADJUST QUICKLY BASED ON THE DAILY ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT. IN PARALLEL, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED NUMEROUS MEASURES TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES. ” N.C. STATE OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE SEEING AN UPTICK IN SCAMS. ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH STEIN SAYS HE RECEIVED AN EMAIL THIS MORNING PROMISING A MIRACLE CURE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS.>> WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN PHISHING. AND IN TELEMARKETING ROBO CALL ATTEMPTS. THE PHISHING IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. THE ONE PROMISING A MIRACLE CURE THIS MORNING, I DON’T THINK THEY WANTED TO GET MY MONEY. THEY WANTED ME TO CLICK ON A ATTACHMENT SO THEY COULD GET MY PERSONAL INFORMATION. THAT’S WHAT PHISHING IS ALL ABOUT. GETTING YOU TO CLICK SOMETHING THAT’LL CREATE A PROBLEM THAT WILL OPEN UP YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATON TO CRIMINALS. CAROL: OFFICIALS SAY THAT IF YOU LIVE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND RECEIVED A SCAM CALL OR EMAIL YOU CAN CALL 1800 -8-NO-ROBO TO REPORT IT. YOU’VE PROBABLY BEEN TO THE GROCERY AT LEAST ONCE IN THE LAST WEEK AND SEEN SHELF AFTER SHELF KIND OF EMPTY. THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION SAYS THE RUSH AND RAID IS UNNECESSARY. THE FDA COMMISSIONER INSISTS THERE’S NO NATIONWIDE FOOD SHORTAGE AND WE ONLY NEED ENOUGH FOOD TO LAST A WEEK. THE AGENCY LOOSENED SOME RULES FOR SUPPLIERS AND TRUCKERS TO HELP GET SHELVES RESTOCKED. CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS ARE ON YOUR SCREEN NOW. THE CDC SAYS IT SYMPTOMS CAN INCLUDE FEVER, COUGH AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND IT MAY SHOW 2 – 18 DAYS AFTER EXPOSURE. RIGHT NOW DOCTORS ARE WARNING, YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY MAY NOT BE AT THE HIGHEST RISK BUT THEY CAN STILL GET THE VIRUS AND CAN SPREAD IT TO OTHERS. THIS IS A LOOK AT MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA FROM EARLIER TODAY. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WERE STILL MANY PEOPLE ON THE BEACH. A BELGIAN DOCTOR SAYS PATIENTS AGES TO ARRIVED AT HIS EMERGENCY ROOM LAST WEEKEND WITH WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE FLU. THEN, THEY STARTED HAVING SHORTNESS OF BREATH. HE SAYS THEY WERE HEALTHY, NON-SMOKERS, WITH NO HEART DISEASE OR DIABETES.>> PEOPLE FROM 36 UP TO YEARS OLD WERE PRESENTING AT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WITH ALL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A COVID – 19 INFECTION. SO, THIS WAS SURPRISING FOR US. SECONDLY, WHAT WE DIDN’T KNOW IS THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE ALL WITHOUT ANY MEDICAL HISTORY. CAROL: DR. DEBROAH BIRX IS COORDINATING THE TRUMP ADMINSTRATION’S RESPONSE TO COVID – AND AND ALSO ECHO DAY SIMILAR MESSAGE.>> THERE ARE CONCERNING REPORTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND ITALY, ABOUT SOME YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING SERIOUSLY ILL AND VERY SERIOUSLY ILL IN THE ICU’S. MICHAEL: HEALTH OFFICIALS – CAROL: HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY ALL 70 STATES NOW HAVE AT LEAST ONE CONFIRMED CASE OF CORONAVIRUS. NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL COMMUNITIES, SOME ARE CLOSED TO VISITORS BUT OTHERS ARE STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS. DARE COUNTY IS RESTRICTING VISITORS. HYDE COUNTY IS NOW ALLOWING ANY NEW VISITORS ON OCRACOKE ISLAND. EMERALD ISLAND REMAINS OPENED. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE BEACHES. SOME BROUGHT HAND SANITIZER WITH THEM. KAREN MARTIN CALLS BALTIMORE HOME, BUT IS A PART TIME -TIME RESIDENT OF EMERALD ISLE.>> FOR ME, IT WAS A SIMPLE CHOICE. I WANTED TO COME DOWN WITH MY DAUGHTER AND ENJOY THE BEACH BEFORE THE FIRST WAVE, RIGHT, THE FIRST WAVE OF SICKNESS. BECAUSE THIS WILL BE A POND, RIGHT? YOU DROP THE ROCK INTO THE POND, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE WAVES THAT COME OUT. SO, WE WANTED TO ENJOY THE FRESH AIR. CAROL: MARTIN SAYS SHE’S MAKING SURE TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING AT THE BEACH. THE EMERALD ISLE TOWN MANAGER SAYS THERE WERE NOTICEABLY FEWER PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND. HEALTH OFFICIALS IN THE AREA SAY THAT THERE’S A SEVERE BLOOD SHORTAGE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK. TODAY, A STRONGER TOGETHER BLOOD DRIVE WAS HELD AT THE OLD CIGAR WAREHOUSE. HIGH SPIRITS HOSPITALITY AND EUPHORIA GREENVILLE TEAMED UP WITH THE BLOOD CONNECTION AND HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK. HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK IS WORKING TO PACK WEEKEND BACKPACKS. THEY ARE FILLED WITH MEALS AND SNACKS FOR STUDENTS WHO DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FOOD AT HOME. WE ARE TOLD THE VIRUS HAS LED TO A DECREASE IN BLOOD DONATIONS FOR THE BLOOD CONNECTION.>> BLOOD CONNECTION DESPERATELY NEEDS ALL BLOOD PRODUCTS. SO IF YOU CAN TAKE 36 MINUTES TO A COUPLE HOURS AND GO TO ANY OF THEIR CENTERS AND DONATE SOME BLOOD OR DONATE PLATELETS, THEY DESPERATELY NEED IT. STOP BY, OR MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION TO HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK. THEY WILL TAKE CASH DONATIONS AS WELL. CAROL: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING, YOU CAN VISIT THEBLOOD CONNECTION.ORG OR CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN. THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL SAYS IF YOU’RE HEALTHY, IT IS SAFE TO DONATE. THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS USING ELECTRONIC HIGHWAY SIGNS TO PROVIDE SAFETY MESSAGES ABOUT COVID – 28. YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN THESE. THE SIGNS OVER HEAVILY TRAVELED ROADS HAVE THE MESSAGE SAVE LIVES NOW, STAY HOME WITH THE # COVID . THE MESSAGE ALSO INCLUDES THE WEBSITE FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL. OTHER STATES ARE ALSO USING THEIR ELECTRONIC HIGHWAY SIGNS TO GET OUT SIMILAR MESSAGES ON CORONAVIRUS. STILL TO COME TONIGHT, THE IMPACT ON FARMING. CROPS CONTINUE TO GROW WHILE, THE GREEN SHRINKS. CHRIS: IN THE MOUNTAINS OVERNIGHT, TEMPERATURES STEADY IF NOT RISING A DEGREE OR TWO. WE WILL BE NEAR 2020 BY LU