Here’s what’s happening Wednesday with the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.: THREE THINGS TO KNOW TODAY: — States not willing to wait for pandemic financial relief from the federal government have taken matters into their own hands.
Maryland and California recently approved help for small businesses, the poor, the jobless and those needing child care. New Mexico and Pennsylvania are also funneling grants directly to cash-starved businesses.
The spending shows that many states have proved unexpectedly resilient during the pandemic. And it has provided fuel for critics who say they don’t need another massive infusion of cash from Congress.