I remember one summer when, before going to work, I drove Mary-Margaret to the barn to spend the day with her horse every morning. Webb Ranch was the best child care that a middle-school equestrian could have. It was a half hour drive on beautiful 280. I always thought as time in the car as quality time.

Usually, I stopped by Happy Doughnuts and picked up breakfast and a copy of USA Today. And usually she would read it to me on the drive. In those days, it was all brief articles. All on one page. Not continued on” page whatever.” Colored pictures.

I really hadn’t read it since those days until I was teaching at the Indian School. My students were from every western state. We would pass the paper around the classroom and students liked to read the blurbs about their home states.

Now, it is included in the online version of my local paper, and I like to read about the states to which I have some connection. Here are some blurbs today, May 20, 2020.

OREGON Portland: The Oregon Supreme Court has kept statewide virus restrictions in place by halting a judge’s order to end them in a lawsuit filed by churches claiming the governor exceeded her authority when she shut down in-person services. (I admire Governor Kate and the grace with which the takes all this guff.)

TEXAS Houston: A Catholic church has closed its doors after five of its leaders tested positive for COVID-19, including two priests who had helped celebrate public Masses, which resumed earlier this month. The positive tests come after a priest from Holy Ghost parish died last week. (What were these people thinking?!)

WYOMING Yellowstone National Park: Tourists entered Yellowstone National Park on Monday for the first time in nearly two months, but they weren’t allowed to camp, and some areas remained off-limits due to coronavirus- related restrictions. ( You can see a lot just driving through Yellowstone. And I’m thinking field techs might be able to get back to work .)