promoearn: Checks and balances

Tuesday, March 17

Americans might get $1,000. Tom Brady is leaving the Patriots. Kevin Durant tests positive for coronavirus. It's Tuesday's news.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from my home office, Short Listers! A pot of gold may be in our future ... if President Donald Trump gets his way.

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It's Ashley, and boy am I excited to give you the news because there's not much else to do here. Besides reading The Short List, how have you all been spending your time social distancing? Share some of your tips here.

But first, penguin date night 🐧🐧🐧: A few Chicago aquarium penguins were set free to explore the exhibits closed due to the coronavirus. Take a minute to watch their adorable field trip.

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Could $1,000 be coming your way?

Trump is calling for a "big, bold" economic stimulus package to help manage the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump promised to help thousands of workers facing furloughs and layoffs while speaking at the White House on Tuesday. Among options being considered: $1,000 checks to almost all adult Americans.

Other important updates on coronavirus:

Give it to me straight

The death toll in the United States from coronavirus now exceeds 100, with more than 6,200 confirmed cases nationwide, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. Worldwide, more than 7,900 people have been killed by the virus.

Lockdowns, restrictions sweep nation

Florida was the latest state to order all bars and nightclubs to close, and required restaurants to cut their crowd capacity in half. Meanwhile, Bay Area residents began their order to "shelter in place" for the next three weeks. This is a good time to phone a friend you haven't talked to for a while!

Stocks stabilize after worst day since 1987

The Dow climbed over 1,000 points Tuesday after the White House laid out plans to help cushion the economy from the coronavirus pandemic. The stock gains follow the market's worst sell-off in more than three decades on Monday.

Students and parents are facing a new reality

At least 70% of America's schools have shut down, and a nationwide shutdown looks increasingly to be a case of when, rather than if. It's also becoming clear the nation's schools could be closed not just for a couple of weeks, but months.

Volunteers in Seattle get first doses of trial vaccine

The first shots in the first vaccine trial for the new coronavirus were administered to volunteers in Seattle. The experimental vaccine is one of many being developed around the globe, but it could still take over a year for it to be widely available if proven safe.

Jennifer Haller, left, smiles as the needle is withdrawn after she was given the first-stage safety study clinical trial of the potential vaccine.

Ted S. Warren, AP

What a time to be an election year

There was an election. Then there wasn't. Then there was. Then there wasn't. In the end, the coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of Ohio's primary election on Tuesday . Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's administration ordered polls closed as a "health emergency," a decision not made final until early Tuesday when the Ohio Supreme Court denied a legal challenge to DeWine's order. DeWine said voters would face an "unacceptable health risk" of contracting coronavirus.

The states that did hold primaries on Tuesday – Florida and Illinois and Arizona – promised social distancing. Follow along with our liveblog for updates from across the country as primary results come in.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, greet one another before they participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Evan Vucci, AP

What everyone's talking about ... more coronavirus news

•	NBA star Kevin Durant says he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
•	Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have left the hospital, five days after they were admitted and tested positive for coronavirus.
•	Some utility, phone and internet companies are giving consumers a break amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
•	The American Red Cross is urging healthy residents to donate blood as the country faces a "severe blood shortage."
•	Amazon says it will "temporarily prioritize" shipments of popular items such as medical supplies or household staples during the coronavirus crisis.
•	Goes without saying, but police are urging people who have run out of toilet paper to stop calling 911.

It's been a good run, Tom Brady

What once seemed unfathomable is now a reality. Tom Brady is leaving the New England Patriots. The six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback and three-time NFL MVP announced Tuesday he will not return to the New England Patriots after a 20-year run with the franchise. And he didn't take long to determine his landing spot: Brady has agreed to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a historic NFL free-agency move, according to NFL Network and ESPN.

•	In other NFL news: The Carolina Panthers said they were giving Cam Newton permission to seek a trade. Minutes later, Newton said the team "forced" him into it.
•	It's OK to feel depressed over the loss of sports in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, mental health experts say.

Tom Brady, QB, Patriots

Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

Real quick

•	This really happened: Things got heated live on CNN between brothers Chris Cuomo and Andrew Cuomo on CNN over one big question: Who is mom's favorite son?
•	A museum displayed a WWII-era grenade for 2 years. It may have been live the whole time.
•	A Florida dog went missing. Two months later, Simba was found 1,400 miles away in Michigan.
•	The IRS plans to delay the April 15 tax payment deadline by 90 days.
•	China banned American journalists with from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post from the country in an escalating media war.

Just when we thought winter was over...

A blizzard is forecast for portions of the north-central U.S. this week, which will make travel "difficult if not impossible" in some areas . Weather conditions on the last day of winter "will seem more like the middle of January for an approximate 1,200-mile-long swath of the central United States on Thursday," AccuWeather said. Blizzard conditions will spread across portions of Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and South Dakota, due to strong winds and a heavy rate of snow.

A break from the news

•	10 soapy, addictive TV dramas to distract you from coronavirus.
•	Answers to your St. Patrick's Day questions: Who he was, why we wear green and more.
•	11 ways to make reading easier when you're stuck at home.