Today's edition of quick hits:
* A scary scene: "Anxiety is setting in for Texas hospital officials as the number of coronavirus patients has surged in the last few days."
* NYC: "President Trump on Wednesday said painting 'Black Lives Matter' on New York's Fifth Avenue would be 'a symbol of hate' and wind up 'denigrating' the street outside Trump Tower, as he ratcheted up objections to a plan that he suggested the city's police could stop."
* A simple truth the White House doesn't accept: "It isn't just testing. Coronavirus case counts are ticking up across the country, and medical experts say the increases can't be explained by ramped-up testing alone."
* Paycheck Protection Program: "Democrats drove a temporary extension of a popular subsidy program for small businesses through the GOP-controlled Senate late Tuesday, an unexpected development that came as spikes in coronavirus cases in many states are causing renewed shutdowns of bars and other businesses."
* Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) "signed a bill into law Tuesday that will change the state flag by removing the Confederate battle emblem, first included 126 years ago."
* Hmm: "A handful of major donors footed the bill for nearly $500,000 worth of Vice President Mike Pence's legal fees related to the special counsel's investigation, according to a financial filing released Tuesday. Mr. Pence listed the donations as gifts on a mandatory annual financial disclosure statement covering last year."
* The ICC story is an important one: "A group of 175 legal scholars and lawyers specializing in international law have urged President Trump to rescind his authorization of sanctions and visa denials for International Criminal Court staff members investigating war crimes in Afghanistan, including those allegedly committed by U.S. forces."
* Iowa: "A vehicle transporting Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds struck a Black Lives Matter protester Tuesday as the protester was intentionally blocking the car's path."
* A small step in the right direction: "Facebook said Tuesday it was banning and removing 220 accounts from its platform as well as dozens of accounts from Instagram that are part of a loose, 'violent U.S.-based anti-government network' that calls itself the boogaloo movement."
See you tomorrow.