Janelle Monáe to perform in livestreamed concert to support small businesses amid COVID-19 pandemic

Janelle Monáe will be the latest artist to perform in Verizon’s Pay It Forward Live entertainment series on Thursday, April 30 at 8 p.m. ET. | 5 p.m. PT.Donations made during the concert will benefit the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s (LISC) Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund. “As people support their favorite small businesses with #PayItForwardLIVE, Verizon will commit an additional $10 per use of the hashtag, up to $2.5 million, for a total of up to $5 million in support,” according to LISC’s website.Here’s how you can watch:-Some Fox TV Stations’ websites-FOX's CoronavirusNOW, both coronavirusnow.com and the CoronavirusNOW channel on Samsung TV Plus (1006)-AXS TV-Fios Channel 501 and 604-Twitch-Verizon’s Facebook and YouTube pages-On Verizon’s Twitter page-Yahoo-The concert can also be listened to on iHeart and SiriusXMMonáe also tweeted about the upcoming performance on Wednesday.

More than 1 million people have recovered globally from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins data

More than 1 million people globally have recovered from COVID-19 across the world, according to the most recent data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.As of April 30, there are more than 3 million people who have tested positive for COVID-19, with over 1 million of those positive cases belonging to the United States, according to Johns Hopkins’ data.So far, there have been more than 230,000 COVID-19 deaths across the world.The milestone of recoveries comes at a time when many countries and cities are opting to loosen their lockdown restrictions and reopen certain parts of their economies.

Will 'Stay Home' order thwart May Day mayhem?

SEATTLE– For nearly a decade, May 1 has meant everything from peaceful marches to full-blown riots in the heart of downtown Seattle.But with a "Stay Home" order in effect amid the Coronavirus pandemic, do Seattle police anticipate any of the typical May Day mayhem?Q13's Brandi Kruse spoke with SPD Captain Todd Kibbee.

US intel: Coronavirus not manmade, still studying lab theory

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that the new coronavirus was “not manmade or genetically modified” but say they are still examining whether the origins of the pandemic trace to contact with infected animals or an accident at a Chinese lab.

Everett makes thousands of dollars available to small businesses

EVERETT, Wash. - Snohomish County's largest city approved a plan that will put hundreds of thousands of dollars back into local small businesses.The Everett Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Grant Program looks to help small businesses impacted by COVID-19.Starting Thursday, businesses can apply for the program.

Inslee: Washington's stay-at-home order will extend past May 4; state to reveal phased-in approach Friday

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday the state has to see more progress in several areas, including the daily number of new coronavirus cases and deaths, before social distancing restrictions can safely be lifted.

16 employees at Foster Farms test positive for coronavirus

The results of a second round of employee COVID-19 testing Monday at Foster Farms in southwestern Washington has revealed six new cases, and a seventh was found through a healthcare provider, county health officials said Wednesday.

Company says drug proved effective against virus in US study

For the first time, a major study suggests that an experimental drug works against the new coronavirus, and U.S. government officials said Wednesday that they would work to make it available to appropriate patients as quickly as possible.In a study of 1,063 patients sick enough to be hospitalized, Gilead Sciences’s remdesivir shortened the time to recovery by 31% — 11 days on average versus 15 days for those just given usual care, officials said.

Trump says he won't extend social distancing guidelines

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Donald Trump said Wednesday the federal government will not be extending its coronavirus social distancing guidelines once they expire Thursday, and his son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, predicted that by July the country will be “really rocking again.”Meanwhile, Trump said he plans to resume official travel with a trip to Arizona next week.

Tacoma Facebook group steps up to help small business

TACOMA -- A local Facebook group is trying to help small businesses through the power of social media.Q13 Photojournalist Michael driver shows us how people are stepping up to help a community in need.

Starbucks to reopen 90% of US stores by June in ‘carefully planned stages,’ according to report

Seattle - Starbucks will reportedly begin reopening some stores with limited service in May — and anticipates reopening 90% of its company-owned U.S. locations by early June.The Seattle-based coffee giant temporarily closed about half of its U.S. stores due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Woodinville's beloved wine scene making big changes amid COVID-19

WOODINVILLE, Wash. -- Your next trip to Woodinville's beloved wine scene will look a lot different.One winery in particular has taken blow after blow because of stay home orders, but is still giving back to the community.Even when the order lifts, wine maker's busiest season wont be as bustling as before.Once a lively destination with the sights and sounds of wine connoisseurs mingling around tasting rooms, Woodinville's Hollywood district is now desolate.”We'll fight through," Rich Janshen said. "We're resilient."Alexandria Nicole Cellars is at the center of it all, with three tasting rooms in Washington shut down and a brand new business that never even made it to its grand opening.“We had just opened up a new wine bar in downtown Seattle on Pike Street two weeks before this happened,” Janshen said.Glasses sparkling clean and wine at the ready, Audacity awaits its first flourish of customers once COVID-19 gets under control.Until then, Janshen says they've had to pivot their business to stay afloat since their record setting wholesale numbers also plummeted to zero.“We took the wholesale van that we were using to deliver wine kegs to restaurants, now became a home delivery van for people who are staying home,” said Janshen.Passing cars is a big help right now with curbside pickup becoming a steady revenue stream.Janshen says quarantine specials like 50 percent off all wine for essential workers was also a big hit but was more about the deed than the dollar.“We’re grateful for them so it was one way for us to say thank you,” he said.Healthcare workers can also pick up a free bottle of hand sanitizer the wine maker just started bottling, which we're told will soon be donated in Seattle.As they await word from the Governor on when they can reopen, Alexandria Nicole will undergo a physical transformation.Outdoor lights are going up.Tables will now be placed six feet apart in line with social distancing.Janshen says they'll likely have to start a reservation system to keep groups small.Intimate but safe.“We’ll make through this.

With days until it expires, extension of Washington's ‘Stay Home’ mandate imminent

Olympia – There is little doubt that Washington’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order will be extended in some form past May 4, but questions remain about whether any of its restrictions will be loosened and when Governor Jay Inslee will make the extension official.On a conference call with reporters Tuesday, the governor’s chief of staff said the announcement was likely to come by the end of the week.“We hope we will be able to tell you what the date of the extension will be by the end of this week, but I’m not 100 percent sure we will do that,” said Chief of Staff David Postman.In a televised address on April 21, Governor Inslee made it clear that many of the restrictions Washingtonians are currently under will remain in place past May 4.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) out of the University of Washingtonian, a source Governor Inslee’s office has leaned on for guidance, suggested that the state should extend current social distancing measures through the end of May.Dr.

#ThankYouHeroes: Mattel unveils new collection of toys honoring front line workers of COVID-19

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Mattel is honoring doctors, nurses, EMTs and delivery drivers everywhere with a new line of toys designed for those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.The #ThankYouHeroes line for Fisher-Price includes 16 different action figures featuring health care workers and other “every day heroes,” according to a statement from Mattel, which is the parent company of Fisher-Price.

Small landlords concerned over rent strike movement

SEATTLE -- With May rent due just around the corner, many are stressed of paying it with so many people out of work.The words ‘cancel rent’ were seen on a car on Saturday -- just one way people are protesting while socially distancing in a pandemic.“Already a third of renters have not paid rent for the month of April right now we have a patchwork of moratoriums and evictions across the country,” Jane Cutter with Party for Socialist and Liberation said.And Seattle City Council Member Kshama Sawant going as far as to encourage tenants to boycott paying rent even if they can afford to pay.Calls for such a significant strike is shocking to some landlords worried about how to cope in that situation.On Tuesday, dozens of small landlords joined a town hall meeting worried about the repercussions of a rent strike.“I do agree this is not the time to evict or raise rent on tenants but I am concerned about Sawant organizing a coalition of people refusing to pay rent,” small landlord Claudia Campanile said.Campanile says it will encourage unscrupulous behavior during a time when people should be working together.Groups calling on a rent strike also support mortgage moratoriums for landlords including Sawant but  landlords still say they have felt no support from her and many other Seattle council members“All I’ve heard is the divisiveness of evil landlords, pitting groups of people together which I think is so divisive and not helpful especially in times like this when so many people are hurting,” Campanile said.Seattle Grassroots Landlords, a group made up of 80 independent landlords, says they are also concerned about talks to extend eviction moratoriums beyond the pandemic by council member Lorena Gonzalez.“The one that we are most concerned about and we are urging people to contact city council about is Gonzalez’s six-month ban so whenever the emergency ends so if it ends the end of May that means 6 more months that residents can use the calendar as a defense,” Roger Valdez with Seattle Grassroots Landlords said.In that situation, many are worried about losing their homes to foreclosure or forced sale.

Seattle graphic designer creates 'Quarantine Postcards'

A Seattle graphic designer and illustrator created quarantine postcards to help people feel connected during these times.

Shortages easing on coronavirus-hit toilet paper

LOS ANGELES - U.S. consumers have begun spotting rare Quilted Northern and Charmin toilet paper rolls on store shelves across the United States, as stocks start building after weeks of severe shortages.Shoppers who bagged the coveted rolls are crowing on Twitter about their finds. “Found some toilet paper in the wild!