Treasury secretary: Virus aid package soon, $1,200 checks by August
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said extending an expiring unemployment benefit—but reducing it substantially—was a top priority.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said extending an expiring unemployment benefit—but reducing it substantially—was a top priority.
The state has reported more than 700 new COVID-19 cases daily for six straight days and more than 600 cases daily for the past 13 days.
The FDA also advises Americans to be wary of products that claim to be “FDA-approved,” as none exist, or say they provide protection for “up to 24 hours.”
The overall COVID-19 testing-positivity rate remained at 8.9% Saturday after the state reported 11,570 new tests. Daily testing in Indiana has topped 8,000 for 12 straight days.
A joint statement from the symphony’s management and musicians said they were working together to try to provide health insurance for furloughed orchestra members.
Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Education Betsy Devos and Dr. Deborah Birx, a leader of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, joined Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and leaders of Marian University on Friday for a roundtable about how to reopen K-12 schools and and universities.
With days to go before enhanced jobless benefits expire, the White House and Senate Republicans are struggling to design a way to scale back the program without overwhelming state unemployment agencies and imperiling aid to more than 20 million Americans.
A nationwide analysis by The Marshall Project and The Associated Press says Indiana’s prison population dropped 4% from March to June, to 25,876.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s executive order, signed Friday, does not include penalties for violations. The state attorney general said this week that the governor does not have legal authority to enforce a mask mandate.
The loss in convention business due to COVID-19 is starving downtown restaurants of customers. And without great restaurants, Indy isn’t as attractive as a convention destination.
Considerations about whether students should be in school are about far more than just whether it’s the best learning environment.
Firms that specialize in making conferences, fundraisers and other events memorable and financially successful must pivot on a dime to stay relevant in the coronavirus era.
The surge in cases came on the same day Indiana reported 12,515 new tests. That’s the second-highest number of tests reported in a daily state health department report since the beginning of the pandemic.
In April, 78% of those in households with a job loss thought the losses would be temporary. Now, 47% think that lost job is definitely or probably not coming back, according to the poll.
Visit Indy said about $75,000 of the $1 million budgeted for the “You’ve Earned It” advertising campaign has so far been spent, generating about $400,000 in visitor spending.
Movie houses say that despite far from ideal circumstances, it’s time for new movies. Four months of near-zero revenue has brought the $50 billion annual business to its knees.
The Republican governor’s comments came a day after he announced the requirement, which is to take effect Monday, and less than a day after Attorney General Curtis Hill said the governor did not have the authority to enforce a mandate.
Among other restrictions, the new guidelines, which start Friday, prevent in-class instruction at schools until at least Aug. 5 and close bars and nightclubs until at least Aug. 12.
The stock market was dragged down by a report showing layoffs are picking up across the country along with coronavirus counts.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had planned to roll out a $1 trillion GOP bill Thursday morning, but that announcement was canceled in a head-spinning series of events.