• President Donald Trump claimed he has “total authority” on Monday on how to decide when to reopen the economy after weeks of social distancing guidelines. Governors from both parties were quick to push back, noting they have primary responsibility for ensuring public safety in their states and would decide when it’s safe to begin a return to normal operations. The President reversed his statement on Tuesday, saying he would leave it to governors to determine when and how to revive activity in their states. 
  • President Trump says he will halt U.S funding for the World Health Organization while his administration reviews the organization’s handling of the coronavirus crisis. Trump says the review will take 60 to 90 days and that a quote very thorough investigation is underway.
  • U.S retail sales plummeted 8.7 percent in March after the coronavirus pandemic closed down thousands of stores and shoppers stayed home. Sales fell sharply across many categories, auto sales dropped 25.6 percent while clothing store sales fell more than 50 percent.
  • Former President Barack Obama endorsed Joe Biden on Tuesday, giving the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee a boost from the party’s biggest fundraiser and one of its most popular figures. 
  • Forty-two Canterbury Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center residents have now died due to a COVID-19 outbreak at a western Henrico center. The 84 living residents who have tested positive for the virus are being treated at a hospital or at the center itself. 
  • Governor Ralph Northam revealed Monday that many businesses in Virginia will remain closed beyond next week. After closing restaurants, entertainment venues, hair salons, and other businesses that couldn’t practice social distancing, the order was to last until April 23rd, which is next week. But the governor says that the models showed a late April or early may COVID-19 peak date in Virginia, so the closures must be extended.