GEOFF: GOOD AFTERNOON APART. WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS. TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL 2020 ONE AFTER WEEKS OF SPECULATION THAT THE GAMES COULD NOT GO AHEAD AS SCHEDULED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS. THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE OLYMPICS WHILE IT WILL COST HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY HAD BECOME INEVITABLE. CANADA WAS THE FIRST TO PULL OUT. U.S. TRACK AND FIELD HAD CALLED FOR A POSTPONEMENT AND IN THE END THE DECISION CAME EARLIER THAN THE OLYMPICS DECISION-MAKERS THOUGHT THEY WOULD. THE PRESIDENT OF THE IOC SPOKE TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF JAP SHINZO ABE AND AGREED TOGETHER THAT THEY SHOULD MAKE THIS DELAY AND THAT THE OLYMPICS SHOULD BE HELD AT SOME POINT NEXT YEAR. IT WILL STILL BE CALLED TOKYO 2020 BUT THEY SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION THAT THEY HAD DECIDED TO RESCHEDULE. THIS I UNPRECEDENTED. THE OLYMPICS HAVE BEEN CANCELED DURING WARS BUT NEVER POSTPONED LIKE THIS. GEOFF: BREAKING NEWS OUT OF NORTH CAROLINA NOW. NEW — THERE ARE 398 CASES IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW. BEST — AND THAT IS UP FROM 200 90 SEVEN REPORTED YESTERDAY. ROY COOPER HAS CLOSED ALL K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNTIL MAY 15. A STUDENT AT WINTHROP UNIVERSITY HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. THE UNIVERSITY FOUND OUT ABOUT IT YESTERDAY. THE STUDENT STOPPED BY A RESIDENCE HALL ON MARCH 17 TO PICK UP BELONGINGS DURING SPRING BREAK. THE STUDENT WAS ON CAMPUS FOR ONLY A SHORT TIME. PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO CLEAN THE HALL. SIMPSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL HOLD AN EMERGENCY MEETING THIS AFTERNOON TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE CITY. PROCEDURES WILL ALSO BE SET FOR FUTURE COUNCIL MEETINGS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19. NUMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY NOT ATTEND THIS MEETING IN PERSON. IT WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE. THE MEETING IS SET FOR 4:0 AS SOUTH CAROLINA SEES NEARLY 300 CASES OF COVID-19 THE GOVERNOR SAYS LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN BREAK UP GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE PEOPLE. WE ARE SEEING CROWDS — ARE WE SEEING CROWDS HERE IN THE UPSTATE? RENEE IS LIVE IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE WITH HOW THINGS LOOK RIGHT NOW. >> IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT DOWNTOWN REALLY PRACTICALLY NOBODY. YOU DO SEE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE MAKING THEIR WAY, PICKING UP FOOD. WE HAVE SEEN ONE OR TWO PEOPLE RUN TO CVS FOR A PICKUP BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWNTOWN. AS YOU MENTIONED YESTERDAY IT WAS GOVERNOR MCMASTER WHO GAVE THE DIRECTIVE TO AUTHORIZE LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT IF THEY DO SEE GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE PEOPLE THEY CAN BREAK THOSE GROUPS UP. HERE THE GOVERNOR. >> WHAT IT IS NOT INTENDED TO APPLY TO IS LAW-ABIDI BUSINESSES OR EMPLOYERS. WE KNOW IT WHEN WE SEE IT AND LAW OFFICERS HAVE THE AUTHORITY I STATE LAW AND UNDER THIS STATE OF EMERGENCY I AM ASKING THEM TO IMPLEMENT IT VIGOROUSLY. >> EARLIER TODAY, JUST AN HOUR OR SO AGO. HOBART LEWIS RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART ” WHILE IT IS OUR DUTY TO ABIDE BY THE GOVERNOR’S ORDER LET ME BE CLEAR WHEN I SAY WE ARE NOT PROACTIVELY SEARCHING FOR GROUPS OF PEOPLE OR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GATHERING TOGETHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING A CRIMINAL CHARGE. THIS MORNING I MADE CALLS TO SHERIFF’S OFFICES AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE UPSTATE. EACH DEPARTMENT IS FIGURING OUT IN THEIR OWN WAY, TAKING THEIR OWN STEPS. THEY ARE LOOKING TO KEEP THEIR COMMUNITY SAFE. IT IS EXACTLY UNCLEAR — WE ARE HARDLY SEEING ANYONE TODAY. WHETHER THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS RAINING OR BECAUSE WE ARE PROACTIVELY SOCIALLY DISTANCE IT IS UNCLEAR TO TOWEL. LATER TODAY I WILL BE SPEAKING VIA FACETIME — TO TELL. WE WILL BRING YOU MORE UPDATES
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South Carolina schools will remain closed until the end of April, governor says
Executive order will also apply to the state’s public colleges, universities, and technical colleges
Updated: 3:59 PM EDT Mar 24, 2020
Governor Henry McMaster and South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman today released the following joint statement announcing that South Carolina’s schools will remain closed for the duration of the month of April.(Video above: Noon headlines)“At this time, students, parents, and families should plan for South Carolina’s schools to remain closed through the month of April. Our dedicated teachers and school administrators have done a tremendous job in making it possible for our students to learn at home. We understand that the prospect of schools remaining closed for an extended period of time places stress and strain on parents and children. Rest assured, if there is any way to safely open our schools earlier, we will do that, but schools must remain closed to protect the health and safety of South Carolinians.”On March 15, Governor McMaster issued Executive Order 2020-09, which closed public schools for students and non-essential employees through March 31st. The governor will issue an additional executive order to extend the K-12 school closures through the month of April in the coming days.As his previous executive order did, the governor’s executive order will apply to the state’s public colleges, universities, and technical colleges, and encourage those institutions to maintain existing plans to provide instruction through virtual learning.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
Governor Henry McMaster and South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman today released the following joint statement announcing that South Carolina’s schools will remain closed for the duration of the month of April.
(Video above: Noon headlines)
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“At this time, students, parents, and families should plan for South Carolina’s schools to remain closed through the month of April. Our dedicated teachers and school administrators have done a tremendous job in making it possible for our students to learn at home. We understand that the prospect of schools remaining closed for an extended period of time places stress and strain on parents and children. Rest assured, if there is any way to safely open our schools earlier, we will do that, but schools must remain closed to protect the health and safety of South Carolinians.”
On March 15, Governor McMaster issued Executive Order 2020-09, which closed public schools for students and non-essential employees through March 31st. The governor will issue an additional executive order to extend the K-12 school closures through the month of April in the coming days.
As his previous executive order did, the governor’s executive order will apply to the state’s public colleges, universities, and technical colleges, and encourage those institutions to maintain existing plans to provide instruction through virtual learning.
