Barbara hope zuckerberg. Charles rosenblum. We try to live in the moment, to not miss whats right in front of us. At mutual of america believe taking care of tomorrow can help you make the most of today. Mutual of america financial group, Retirement Services and investments. Additional support has been provided by and by the corporation for public broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the american people. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Sreenivasan good evening, and thanks for joining us. More than twothirds of states are now allowing reopenings, after weeks of orders to stay at home and to close businesses in order to contain the covid19 outbreak. Its the first round in a new phase for the country and the world. Lets get started with todays top news a massive new spending bill narrowly passed in the house of representatives last night, setting up a battle with the senate and President Trump. The heroes bill is passed. Sreenivasan democrats and one republican voted to authorize 3 trillion in additional covid19 financial aid. The republican majority in the senate is opposed, and President Trump said he will veto the bill in its current form if it reaches his desk. And, before leaving last night, the house also approved a rules change that means members may now cast votes from home. Proxy voting will allow a representative who is present to bring as many as ten other members votes to the floor. Late last night, President Trump removed state Department Inspector general steve linick from his job, replacing him with an ally of Vice President mike pence. Linick was an appointee of president barack obama. President trump has replaced several federal i. G. S in the last few months. Democrats called linicks ouster outrageous. And, they accused the president of retaliating against the Inspector General for opening an unspecified investigation into secretary of state mike pompeo. Retail sales are collapsing during the pandemic, and another national chain, j. C. Penney, filed for Chapter Eleven bankruptcy late yesterday. The 118yearold company said it will close some stores in phases and will announce more details in the coming weeks. Neimann marcus, j. Crew and stage stores have also filed for bankruptcy in the past few weeks. Coronavirus cases are still rising in the united states. There are now more than 1. 4 million confirmed cases, and close to 88,000 deaths. States are allowing reopenings using different plans. Barber shops and salons are open in texas. Gyms will open there on monday. In parts of new york state and ohio, restaurants and other businesses are reopening, with restrictions. But in new york city, where more than 27,000 people have died from covid19, a strict stayat home order remains until at least june 13. With summer right around the corner, new jersey announced this week that beaches would be open by memorial day weekend, with some restrictions. The openings are weeks behind other coastal states like georgia and florida, but, as one of the states hardesthit by the covid19 pandemic, local Officials Say they are proceeding cautiously. At exactly 10 00 a. M. Yesterday, barriers that had been blocking the boardwalk and beach in Seaside Heights, new jersey, were pushed aside. An announcement made it official. These beaches are now officially open. Once again, these beaches are now officially open. Sreenivasan its a sign that things are returning to normal in this quintessential jersey shore town sort of. Were looking to see how we deal with the social distancing. Thats going to be our test today. Sreenivasan tony vaz is the mayor of Seaside Heights. After nearly two months of being closed because of covid19, visitors can now walk and ride bikes on the boardwalk, provided they heed the rule of six feet between groups of people. On the beach, theres no swimming or sunbathing, buthe public can walk, fish, and even surf. Mayor vaz says its just the first phase of Seaside Heights reopening. Im optimistic that this is a a good first step. Obviously, i would love to see everything open. I would love to see us swimming and so forth. But we have to recognize that we have to take this in steps. Sreenivasan Seaside Heights is one of more than three dozen communities along the jersey shore grappling with how best to reopen. In neighboring seaside park, beaches are already open to sunbathers, provided beachgoers keep their distance. But by memorial day weekend, all beaches in new jersey will be open. On thursday, Governor Phil Murphy officially gave the go ahead and issued statewide guidance. We want everyone to have fun, but we need everyone to be safe. To accomplish both, we will be requiring restrictions on how many beachgoers may allowed on any beach or lakefront. And the social distancing weve been practicing in our hometowns will be extended to our beaches. Sreenivasan here in Seaside Heights, many are bracing for a Summer Season unlike any other. I i dont know how much business well do, but just being open is is incredible. Its a great feeling. Sreenivasan john gato is the manager of van holtens chocolate and sweet shop on the Seaside Heights boardwalk. He opened up today for takeout only. I mean, we are open year round, but our big months are june, july and august. And those are the those are the big months. Sreenivasan only restaurants and food vendors have the go ahead to open. Many attractions on the boardwalk remain close including Amusement Park casino pier. And theres no timeline on when businesses like this may be allowed to open. Marketing manager Maria Mastoris saltzman says they have started preparing for how social distancing could be implemented in the park. We have decals already ready for the floors to make sure people stand on each decal in the lines and on the rides and the slides. And trying to limit as many people in the park at the one time. Sreenivasan saltzman says the covid19 shutdown is just the latest challenge for Seaside Heights, which was ravaged by a massive fire in 2013 and hit hard by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. But she says its crucial for this park and its 500 Seasonal Workers to try and open before this Summer Season is lost. So, yeah, unfortunately, were not essential. However, tourism brings money to new jersey, so we are essential in bringing the economy back to new jersey. So, hopefully, the governor sees that, and were able to open sooner than later. Sreenivasan in a report released earlier this month, the new jersey state tourism board estimates that tourism spending will drop this year by about a ird because of covid19, but thats only if things get back to normal in june. But for me people out on this first day, the reopening might be coming too soon. Celenia hernandez got takeout from a favorite boardwalk food stand when she saw it was unexpectedly open yesterday, but she worries that the social distancing being practiced today may not be possible if crowds come for memorial day. Its going to be packed. And i know for a fact everybodys been waiting for this day. And now that this day came sooner than what we expected, its just its just going to be a madhouse at this point. Sreenivasan Seaside Heights has in the past had a reputation for some outlandish behavior. It was, after all, the setting for mtvs infamous jersey shore reality show. One minute, you got three girls in the jacuzzi; next minute, somebodys in jail, and you ha to bail them out. Thats what happens down at the shore. Sreenivasan but mayor tony vaz says hes confident that this community can meet the challenge of social distancing. If we just obey the rules. You know youre going to stop at a stoplight. Thats a rule. So, you know, if its social distcing now, social distancing, if younow its another mandate, follow it. Im an optimist. It has to get better. I dont have the magical number when, but it will get better. Sreenivasan in europe, some border restrictions put in place to prevent the spre of covid19 are being relaxed. A border fence separating germany and switzerland was dismantled last night. Its part of an agreement by those countries, as well as austria, to begin opening borders again. German Prime MinisterAngela Merkel said earlier this week that she would like all emergency bord controls in europes 26natn schengen zone removed by june 15. Also in germany, the countrys premier soccer league, bundesliga, resumed play today, without fans. Its the worlds first Major Soccer League to start up, following a twomonth pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. In greece, more than 500 public beaches reopened today as the country experienced its first heat wavof the year. Beachgoers were required to keep their distance as officials stipulated how many people could be on the beach, and exactly how far apart umbrellas needed to be. Reopening beaches is the first major easing of greeces coronavirus lockdown. To date, it has had jt a fraction of the cases of many neighboring countries, including turkey. Starting tomorrow, greeks will be allowed to attend church, and tourism officials hope to welcome back foreigners in july. Brazils Health Minister resigned last night after just one month on the job. The shakeup comes as the number of Coronavirus Infections in brazil continues to rise. Dr. Nelson teich did not provide a reason for his resignation, but it came just a day after brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro pressured him to accept the use of chloroquine to treat covid19 patients. The drug, which is used to treat malaria, has been praised as a therapeutic for the new disease by bolsaro and President Trump, though it lacks scientific support. Brazil has become an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, setting daily records for infections each of the last three days. On friday, the Health Ministry confirmed more than 15,000 new infections, despite relatively low rates of testing. Sreenivasan tonight, we continue our coverage amendment 4 in florida, which, in 2018, restored the right to vote to people with felony convictions, or returning citizens, as they prefer to be called. In 2019, florida passed a l saying that former felons cannot vote until they pay off all fines and fees related to their convictions. Voting rights advocates are suing over that law. For now, those with felony records can still try to have their debts waived through the court system, but the coronavirus outbreak has complicated that process. Desmond meade is the head of the florida rights restoration coaltion and is himself a returning citizen. Newshour weekends yvette feliciano recently spoke with him. This segment is part of our ongoing series, chasing the dream. Reporter how has the covid19 pandemic affected the process by which returning citizens can regain their Voting Rights . The stayathome order that was issued by the governor had a great impact on our court system and with our clk of courts, as well as with our judges. Immediately after the stayat home order was issd, we had courts that was shutting down and that they were only open for, like, essential cases. And, eventually, they moved more towards video hearings. And so, the hearings that we needed in order to get a persons sentence modified, in order to remove their fines and fees, they were low priority. So, we didnt see any cases where people were able to utilize the courts to be able to vote again. Reporter whats the latest latest on the legal battle over floridas law on paying off fines and court fees . Has the case been able to proceed despite the coronavirus pandemic . Thankfully, yes, it did. The as a matter of fact, as of last week, the case has concluded. And right now, everything is in a holding pattern, waiting on a judge to issue his final decision. The trial judge made a determination to certify this case as a class action. And and thats very significant because prior to that certification, any rulings that was coming out of the courts only really apply to the 16, 17 plaintiffs that was named in the case, and they did not apply broadly. But now, with class action status, that means that the ruling thats going to be coming out of this trial, of this court is going to have an impact on every one of the 1. 4 million. Reporter how else is the covid19 pandemic affecting returning citizens on the outside . We have a lot of folks who are who are business owners. Me of our leaders own businesses, and they were forced to have to shut down their businesses. And while there may have been relief through Small Business loans and various relief acts, they were denied that opportunity to even apply for some type of relief from the federal government because they had a previous felony conviction. And then, in other cases, when we have returning citizens that are out there working its hard enough just to get a job when you have a convictioon your record, but when you do get it, a lot of times its returning citizens thats the first to be laid off when the hard times hit a Small Business. Reporter how do you see the covid19 crisis affecting voter turnout among returning citizens this fall . Theres a lot of concern about people actually going to the polls and and putting themselves at risk. But the problem that we have here is that, you know, while were encouraging folks to engage in votebymail, you know, the reality is that people like me who have fought long and hard to get their rights restored, is really looking forward to actually going into a forward to actually going in to a voting location and actually casting that ballot in person. Thats an experience that ive been personally longing for, for over 20 years. And so, there is a struggle there. There are going to be a lot of folks that probably will come out to vote. But i think that covid19 may prevent people from voting, and they probably wont even vote by mail. Reporter Desmond Meade from the florida rights restoration coalition, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for having me. Reenivasan theres general agreement that one of the biggest impacts of Climate Change will be on the coastal regions, and islands that coexist with the seas. Islands like a tiny speck of a place in the equatorial pacific called rose atoll, in the u. S. Administered territory of American Samoa. It is a place few humans have ever set foot. Now a protected sanctuary for dozens of wildlife species that have rested and nested and raised their young there for generations. As part of our Samoan Islands shifting tides series, special correspondent mike taibbi joined a team from the department of fish and Wildlife Service to see how rose is doing, and might do in near and distant future, as Climate Change marches on. Reporting for this story is supported by Pacific Islanders in communications. Reporer approaching rose atoll, it doesnt look like an island, really more like a faint smudge on the horizon, not much to it at all. But then you enter the lagoon through a rrow opening in the surrounding reef, you make out some trees, you notice the green sea turtles weighing hundreds of pounds lolling or coupling in the waters around your boat, and then you see and hear this birds it is an incessant riot of sound and a dizzying sight. Tens of thousands of birds, perhaps a hundred thousand or more on some days, circling or diving or traveling to and from their foraging expeditions so they can feed the next generation. So, here these clothes have already been frozen and theyre sealed. Reporter before we embarked on our trip to rose, we were briefed by host brian peck, a u. S. Fish and wildlife Environmental Management specialist whos been one of the most frequent human visitors to one of the least visited places on the planet. The risk, as with the quarantine clothes and freezing that we try and preven is the introduction of an Invasive Species. Reporter in this case, quarantine meaning clothes weve kept in a freezer for at least 48 hours to kill off any Invasive Species. How do we know that were not carrying some sort of bacteria, in our hair, on our body . Bacteria, thats hard to prevent against. Were really concerned about seeds, and thats why we bring new clothes out to rose; and then insects, and thats why we freeze them. Reporter from American Samoas capital of tutuila, its a 180mile eastward passage to rose atoll, making it the southernmost point of the united states. Sorry, key west. How many times has it been now, by your cunt . You know ive lost count, or i dont keep count. But i would say 15 to 18 time reporter and each time, whether accompanied by other scientists or experts or by educators and students, or journalists, he has his assembled team take roses temperature, literally and figuratively. I was so shocked when brian emailed me that i got the spot to come here, so i was pretty excited reporter aveipepa fua she goes by avei a marine science student at American SamoaCommunity College and aspiring marine biologist, helps him set temperature loggers in the warming lagoon waters and on land as well. Snorkeling outside the channel was pretty amazing. Ive never seen so much c. C. A. , crustose coralline algae. Reporter that coralline algae gives the coral reef a distinctive rose hue, and the island its name. And in a series of snorkeling surveys, avei and we observe the sharks and other native species and note the level of coral bleaching caused by warming waters that helps describe the health of e reef. So far, so good. Today we saw several species of sharks, and many ofhem. So, that a sign of a healthy ecosystem, where you have the top predators, and theres enough prey that they can forage on. Reporter and its when you walk inland from the coralsand shore that tiny rose, all of 16 acres, spills its secrets, a seeming armada of a dozen distinct seabird species that come here to mate and nest year after year, in the tournefortia and pisonia trees, and anywhere on the ground. Sooty terns and white tern brown and redfooted boobies, noddies and frigatebirds, and redtailed tropic birds. Eggs and hatchlings and fledges and chicks on the verge of flight, everywhere tiny place, tiny reef. But its critical for this entire region of the South Central pacific ocean. Within American Samoa, over 90 of the seabirds nest here on rose island. 16 acres, 90 of the birds. Reporter and, every visit, there are the tracks that peck follows from the waters edge a few yards into the vegetation, here another female green turtleas returned to lay her eggs. This turtle went up. I think theres a turtle up there reporter this one, surprisingly, before the suns gone down. Pecks process kicks in painting a nailpolish nametag on her shell, measuring her size and making sure she has a flipper tag to track her migratory pattern. This is the first time ive seen a turtle come up during the daylight, in the evening time. Reporter these turtles usually cover about 1,000 miles and several years before they return to rose to nest again. Undisturbed, like the birds above. Its a great habitat. Its protected. The seabirds are nesting, the sea turtles are nestg, so, you know, the species are doing their thing. No humans that live here. Theres no predators here, so thats rare to have an intact entire habitat. Reporter but there are always threats. At one point, rats were a destructive Invasive Species on this island th is, until the fish and Wildlife Service finally eradicated them in 1993. Today, its a population of ants that transport tiny aphidlike insects called scale insects that suck the sap from the leaves of the pisonia tree. You can see the tiny ants that are tending the scales. Reporter these tiny invaders pose a real danger to the tree favored by many nesting bird species here. You can see these leaves are just completely infested. Reporter and the few coconut palms on the island, of no use to birds looking to rest or nest, are also a threat to choke off the more useful trees on rose. So, part of pecks extensive todo list for each visit, clearing away any palm saplings and killing off the adults. Then, on each circuit of the island, he collects the manmade flotsam and jetsam that will wash up on any shore, even here, and he positions motion activated cameras to record wildlife events or even the arrival of any unannounced visitor who ignores the warning billboard or comes ashore in an emergency. Its a remote place, very few people will ever come here. Reporter or, should ever come here . Or should ever come here. Reporter or,n the nottoo distant future, might find theres no island to come to. Last year, the u. N. s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the i. P. C. C. , updated the dire projections in its oceans report that lowlying islands and coasts are uniquely threatened by an accelerating cocktail of measurable threats warming and rising oceans, ocean acidification, and more frequent and more intense storms. Given the i. P. C. C. Projections about the impacts of Climate Change, it makes sense that a laboratory called rose would be an ideal place to measure those effects. At its highest point, rose is only ten feet above sea level, putting it right in Climate Changes wheelhouse. Pecks own surveys have confirmed significant changes in the shape and topography of the island, especially following extreme sea level events like the cyclone that hit in 2016. Even during our stay, when we slept in tents and had minimal gear, a couple of short but powerful squalls, weather events now more frequent and intense, scraped the island, and collapsed one tent and the canopies that protected our equipment. How much of a priority is it to protect the vegetation here when Severe Weather events could wipe it all out in a day . Oh, its an absolute priority of just having the native trees and shrubs. And theyre resilient. You know, if the stressors, if we can control the scale insects, you know, theyll be able to, theyve evolved with storm events, so theyll be able to withstand that. Some might die, but then theyll regrow. Reporter and t birds kee coming back anyway. And the birds are able to rebound, too. Reporter nature has proven it can overwhelm the best levels of protection and management, and according to the i. P. C. C. , the pace of seawater rise is already twice this century what it was all of the last full century. Since our visit last fall, brian peck has been back to rose twice to monitor the sea turtles and the coral reefs. In march, he did find that increased water temperatures have caused minor bleaching to the corals. For now, rose atoll remains teeming with life, as it has been since humans first saw it. Alive and essential, but never more fragile. Sreenivasan to get a special 360degree view from the island in a behindthescenes look from our trip, go to www. Pbs. Org nehour or visit our facebook page. Sreenivasan thats all for this editi of pbs newshour weekend. For the latest news updates, visit www. Pbs. Org newshour. Im hari sreenivasan. Thanks for watching. Stay healthy, and have a good night. Captioning sponsored by wnet captioned by Media Access Group at wgbh access. Wgbh. Org pbs newshour weekend is made possible by bernard and irene schwartz. Sue and Edgar Wachenheim iii. The cheryl and Philip Milstein family. Rosalind p. Walter. Barbara hope zuckerberg. Charles rosenblum. 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