Day 99: Rhode Island Reopens

Rhode Island's restriction against non-essential businesses expired today. Though there are still mask and occupancy restrictions on businesses, the state was declared reopened in the news. But us increasingly shaggy Massachusetts neighbors should not get our hopes for haircuts up; as PlagueBlog readers may recall, there's still a 14-day quarantine required before out-of-staters can do anything worth doing in Rhode Island, like fish or golf.

It seems that golf courses were essential in Rhode Island all along, and only the recent, overly complicated Massachusetts golf exemption has led to a regulatory morass for the Pawtucket Country Club, a Rhode Island business with 15 1/2 holes located across the state line in Massachusetts. It goes without saying that only Rhode Islanders can play the 2 1/2 holes located in Rhode Island. There is no corresponding restriction in Massachusetts, so Rhode Islanders can play the whole course, but Massachusetts residents cannot (nor, presumably, can they use the Rhode Island-side clubhouse). Massachusetts does not permit the use of golf carts, so only Rhode Islanders can scoot around from hole to hole that way. The owner is concerned that this level of crazy will cause members to quit the club (and mowing all that lawn is apparently expensive, though essential enough on both sides of the state line).

We're up 2% again today in Massachusetts. Today was Couchfest in Somerville, the Porchfest replacement that involved a lot less crowding in front of porches blocking traffic to the sound of live music (actually, no traffic-blocking at all). In Boston the mayor cancelled all fun until through Labor Day.