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GREEN BAY It was May 15, 2020, and Aaron Rodgers was sitting in the parking lot of a Bed Bath & Beyond in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, talking about his football future and how one draft-day decision had significantly altered how he envisioned it.

The Green Bay Packers quarterback was conducting a conference call with reporters a little more than a week after his boss, general manager Brian Gutekunst, had traded up in the first round of the NFL draft to take Utah State quarterback Jordan Love a selection that, Rodgers knew, was a game-changer for his long-term standing with the team.

As much as I feel confident in my abilities and what I can accomplish and what we can accomplish, there are some new factors that are out of my control, Rodgers explained that afternoon. And so, my sincere desire to start and finish with the same organization, just as it has with many other players over the years, may not be a reality at this point.

And as much as I understand the organizations future outlook and wanting to make sure theyre thinking about the team now and down the line and I respect that at the same time, I still believe in myself and have a strong desire to play into my 40s. And Im just not sure how that all works together at this point.

In that moment, Rodgers understood the implications. He was entering the first year of the four-year, $134 million extension hed signed in August 2018, and now Gutekunst and the Packers were more likely to decide when his days in Titletown would end.

He responded by winning his third NFL MVP award with a masterful 2020 season, then set about taking back some of that control over his future by making his unhappiness with the teams front office known privately at first, at least until an ESPN report on April 29 made Rodgers dissatisfaction public.

On Monday, while Gutekunst and team president/CEO Mark Murphy were in the midst of the teams annual shareholders meeting at Lambeau Field and with veteran players set to report for the start of training camp the next day, the Rodgers saga took an unexpected turn. According to multiple sources, following conversations over the weekend between Rodgers representatives and the team, the sides had made enough progress on an altered contract for Rodgers one that would apparently give him a modicum of control back over his future that the future Pro Football Hall of Famer was set to end his stalemate with the team and come to camp after missing all of the offseason program.

According to ESPN, the Packers and Rodgers were working toward a deal that would:

As a result, Rodgers and the Packers might be having their own version of The Last Dance, one final season together like Michael Jordan and the 1998 Chicago Bulls had an NBA championship season that was chronicled in ESPNs docuseries last year and was referenced in Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams Instagram posts late Friday night.

The altered deal still had not been finalized as of Monday evening, and Rodgers said in an iMessage he had not yet left California to come to Green Bay. He also described the process as having a lot of moving pieces. But clearly things had changed since as recently as Saturday when Rodgers had not been planning to report to camp.

Among those moving pieces, according to two league sources, was the possibility of the Packers reacquiring wide receiver Randall Cobb, one of Rodgers closest friends and confidantes who doesnt appear to be in the Houston Texans plans moving forward. Cobb, signed by Houstons previous front-office administration, became expendable Sunday when the Texans traded for ex-Chicago Bears wide receiver Anthony Miller, a slot receiver like Cobb.

Cobb left the Packers following the 2018 season when Gutekunst did not make him an offer in free agency. He spent one season with the Dallas Cowboys before getting a three-year, $27 million deal that is set to pay him an $8.25 million base salary in 2021. Rodgers was a groomsman in Cobbs wedding and the two remain close.

The Packers, meanwhile, added Cobbs protg, Amari Rodgers, in this years draft, taking him with their third-round pick out of Clemson. Cobb played for Amari Rodgers father, Tee Martin, in college at Kentucky and has been mentoring the rookie since he was a junior high schooler.

Speaking during the shareholders meeting and before news of Rodgers possible return broke, both Gutekunst and Murphy had expressed optimism the standoff would be resolved and that Rodgers would quarterback the team again in 2021.

We have been working tirelessly with Aaron and his representation to resolve the issues he has raised this offseason, Gutekunst told the crowd of 4,000 in the stadium bowl and 8,000 more streaming online. And we remain hopeful for a positive resolution.

Added Murphy: We want him back. Were committed to him for 2021 and beyond. He is our leader, and were looking forward to winning another Super Bowl with him.

In a news conference following the meeting, Murphy said he thought the issues between Rodgers and the organization had been a pox on both houses, us and Aaron but that he, Gutekunst, director of football operations Russ Ball and head coach Matt LaFleur were doing whatever needs to get done.

Weve been in constant communication, obviously (for) months, and Im hopeful that well have it all resolved, Murphy said. Weve all been involved, and obviously hes a very important player to the organization. Were working through, and Im hopeful. hopefully hell be here on time and be ready to go.

Asked if a new deal would give Rodgers greater control over his career, Murphy replied: Im not going to talk about specific details of contracts. We dont do it for any player. Murphy also wouldnt say exactly what Rodgers had asked for from the organization, saying, Im not going to get into specific details.

What Murphy was willing to talk about was how much Rodgers means to the organization and why it was important to keep him in the fold.

I do think our fans are spoiled, Murphy said, referring to the three decades of largely uninterrupted Hall of Fame-quality quarterbacking the franchise has gotten from Rodgers and Brett Favre since 1992. I think theres a lot of them that want it resolved. I dont know if theyre against the Packers or against Aaron. They want to see it resolved.

I know the people know how good a player Aaron is, but I do think sometimes in these situations its easy to forget what hes done. I mentioned obviously the Super Bowl and the three MVPs, but Aarons played through a lot of things, a lot of injuries, and has really developed into a great leader as well.

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With an altered contract in the works and a bit more control of his future, Aaron Rodgers set to report to training camp - Star Local Media

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) Hospitalizations in West Virginia due to COVID-19 have more than doubled since the Fourth of July and cases are up amid the spread of the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

State officials said they do not currently plan to bring back an indoor mask mandate, but they indicated they are open to shifts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to backpedal Tuesday on its masking guidelines and recommend that even vaccinated people wear masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging, a federal official said.

Republican Gov. Jim Justice said he does not think we are on the threshold of moving in that direction today, but, he added, weve all got to be smart enough to be open-minded.

He said he did not receive any recommendations from his health advisers to reinstate the mask mandate, which was lifted on June 20. But I will continue to listen, and I will absolutely act on the advice of experts, he said.

There are 111 hospitalizations in the state, a steady uptick since early July. There were 121 new confirmed cases reported on Tuesday, up from 51 cases a week ago.

The state has recorded 43 total confirmed cases of the delta variant.

Our hospital numbers are shooting up, said James Hoyer, a retired major general who leads the states coronavirus task force, which he said is now on its 501st day.

Officials have repeatedly urged more residents to get vaccinated, emphasizing that the vaccines are safe and offer strong protection against contracting the potentially life-threatening disease. Nearly 59% of all residents have received at least one dose, while 49% are fully vaccinated.

Those numbers drop sharply among young people. Only 29% of West Virginia children aged 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, while 36% of residents aged 18 to 29 are covered, according to Hoyer.

Please quit following the misinformation thats out there, particularly across the internet and social media sites. Talk to someone who is a medical professional, Hoyer said to those who are vaccine hesitant.

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COVID-19 hospitalizations rise in West Virginia - Associated Press

New Jersey on Tuesday reported seven more newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths and another 792 confirmed cases, while the statewide transmission rate has risen to 1.5, the highest mark since the early days of the pandemic.

The update comes as the federal Centers for Disease Control reversed course Tuesday and said all people, including the fully vaccinated, wear masks indoors in public again in parts of the U.S. with high or substantial transmission. The agency is also recommending that everyone in K-12 schools wear face coverings.

In New Jersey, Monmouth County is listed as having high transmission, while Atlantic, Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, Ocean, and Passaic counties have substantial transmission.

Gov. Phil Murphys administration is evaluating the latest recommendation, a spokeswoman told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday afternoon, but did not make an announcement about any mask mandates returning to New Jersey.

Governor Murphy and the New Jersey Department of Health will review the new CDC guidance on masking requirements in response to the spread of the delta variant, Murphy spokeswoman Alex Altman said in an email. Governor Murphy continues to encourage all individuals ages 12 and up to receive the free and effective COVID-19 vaccination to reduce the spread of the virus.

MORE: Will N.J. indoor mask mandate return following latest CDC guidance change?

The Garden State, home to one of the nations highest vaccination rates, is still recording numbers below the pandemics peaks, with daily deaths continuously in the single digits. But officials warn that daily cases and hospitalizations have been increasing in recent days as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread, with unvaccinated people largely fueling the rise and being the most at risk.

The variant has made up 75% of the states new cases over the last four weeks based on sampling of test results, according to state date.

New Jerseys seven-day average for confirmed positive COVID-19 tests is now 726, up 59% from a week ago and 280% from a month ago, when officials were reporting record-low daily caseloads. Its the highest seven-day average since May 17.

There were 442 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 or suspected cases across New Jerseys 71 hospitals as of Monday night 23 more than the previous night and the most since June 7. Thats up 44% from a month ago.

Of those hospitalized Monday, 78 were in intensive care (four fewer than the night before), with 34 on ventilators (three fewer). There were 45 patients discharged.

New Jerseys statewide transmission rate increased Tuesday from 1.44 to 1.5 the highest number since the first few weeks of the pandemic in spring 2020, when testing was scarce. Any number over 1 indicates that each new case is leading to more than one additional case and shows the states outbreak is expanding.

The statewide positivity rate for tests conducted on Thursday, the most recent day available, was 3.84%.

Murphy said Monday that because of New Jerseys high vaccination rate, officials are relatively hopeful that hospitalizations will not return to where we were even a little more than two months ago. But officials are calling on more people to get vaccinated to help curb the spread.

Unless more of you who, for whatever reason, have not yet been vaccinated step forward and receive your doses, these risks remain, Murphy said.

Though its still possible for vaccinated people catch the virus, officials say state data shows vaccines have been widely effective in preventing infections, hospitalizations, and deaths related to COVID-19. Officials presented new data Monday showing of nearly 32,000 patients in New Jersey hospitalized with positive COVID-19 cases between Jan. 19 and July 12, more than 99% were unvaccinated.

In the same span, only 49 of the 5,400 COVID-19 deaths were of fully vaccinated people. That, officials said, means 99% of the deaths were of unvaccinated people.

More than 5.24 million people who live, work, or study in New Jersey have now been fully vaccinated, according to state data. There are more than 9 million residents in the state, including children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated.

About 70% of the eligible population is vaccinated in New Jersey, ranking seventh in country, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But inoculations have slowed in recent months and about 4 million people in the state remain unvaccinated. The vaccinations are on top of any natural immunity people may have because they caught COVID-19 and survived.

New Jersey, an early coronavirus hotspot, has now reported 26,586 total COVID-19 deaths in slightly less than 17 months 23,867 confirmed and 2,719 considered probable. Thats the most coronavirus deaths per capita in the U.S.

In all, the state of more than 9 million residents has reported 903,611 total confirmed cases out of more than 14.61 million tests since it announced its first case March 4, 2020. The state has also reported 131,416 positive antigen tests, which are considered probable cases.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

People 30 to 49 years old make up the largest percentage of New Jersey residents who have caught the virus (30.9%), followed by those 50 to 64 (22.3%), 18 to 29 (20%), 5 to 17 (10.1%), 65 to 79 (10%), 80 and older (4.3%) and 0 to 4 (2.2%), according to state data.

The virus has been more deadly for older residents, especially those with pre-existing conditions. Nearly half the states COVID-19 deaths have been among residents 80 and older (45.3%), followed by those 65 to 79 (33.6%), 50 to 64 (16.5%), 30 to 49 (4.1%), 18 to 29 (0.4%), 5 to 17 (0%) and 0 to 4 (0%).

At least 8,063 of the states COVID-19 deaths have been among residents and staff members at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, according to state data.

As of Tuesday, there have been more than 194.9 million positive COVID-19 cases reported across the globe, according to Johns Hopkins University, with more than 4.17 million people having died from complications related to the virus. The U.S. has reported the most cases (more than 34.5 million) and deaths (more than 611,000) than any other nation.

More than 3.9 billion vaccines have been administered globally.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @johnsb01.

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N.J. reports 792 COVID cases, 7 deaths. Transmission rate spikes to highest since early days of the pandemic. - nj.com

Seton Hall star Sandro Mamukelashvili is a projected second-round pick in Thursdays NBA Draft, but he says he has first-round talent.

The 6-foot-11 native of the Republic of Georgia is projected at No. 59 to the Nets in the latest ESPN.com mock, but Mamu feels he belongs much higher than that.

Im the least cockiest person, I think, he told Steve Serby of the NY Post. But in my opinion, Im one of the most underrated guys in this draft. I think I can be a top-30 player in this draft. No matter how it goes, Ill be blessed, Ill be so excited. Ill be with my family, and Ill enjoy it. But Ill definitely try to prove to everybody that I have what it takes to be one of the best players.

Mamu, who won a share of Big East Player of the Year honors this past season with the Pirates, said he wont be disappointed if hes chosen in the second round.

No, I will not be disappointed no matter how the night goes, he said. Its a celebration for my family. First, my parents coming to stay, we are al together. I had a lot of workouts. I did my best. I just can control what I can control, control the controllable.

The Nets and Knicks both have multiple picks -- including the Knicks at 58 and the Nets at 59 -- and Mamu has worked out for both local clubs.

It went really good, he told the Post of the Knicks.

[The Nets] went good too, to be honest, he added.

Still, Mamu doesnt want to be perceived as only wanting to play for the local teams -- and says hell feel blessed to play for any NBA team.

Some insiders and experts believe he is being under-valued and will be a sleeper for whoever drafts him.

New Jersey native Kevin Boyle, who coached Mamu at Montverde (FL) Academy and could make history with as many as five or six players from one school chosen on Thursday, spoke to NJ Advance Media about Mamus upside.

I think what Sandro has going for him, No. 1 hes legitimately 6-11, said Boyle, who could produce his third No. 1 pick since 2011 in Oklahoma States Cade Cunningham.

The NBA loves big guys who can stretch the floor. They have to have the 3-point shot, obviously. Secondly, he has the ability to pass and make some individual plays vs. bad four and five matchups. He may not be able to go by some threes because of his handle, but he can go by most fives and many fours. And hes big enough and hes starting to get strong enough, thats probably going to be a the center spot some so he also creates that difficult matchup for some of these bigger centers to go out and stay in front of him.

Mamu shot 43% from deep as a junior and 34% as a senior while facing many double-teams and exotic defenses.

The college guys I was talking to think hell be alright defensively, Boyle said. With his offensive skillset, hes developed nicely over the last five years. I think hes going to end up being a good pro and a good contributor. If you can shoot consistently, you can end up having a solid career.

On Draft night, Mamu hopes to hear his name called not just for himself, but for the kids at home in his native Georgia as well.

I feel like NBA gave me the platform and Seton Hall gave me a platform to reach out to these little kids who are going through a similar situation as me, and especially Georgian kids who have not a lot on their plate and are trying to make it out, Mamu told the Post.

What drives me is to be an example and be the hope for them that everything is possible. No matter how your life is, just keeping my word and keep being a good person, because I feel like being a good person will always help you in the long run, and just spreading good energy will always help you in the long run. Also, my family motivates me because I feel like theyve done so much for me.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media.

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NBA Draft 2021: Despite 2nd-round projections, Seton Halls Mamu says, I can be a top-30 player in this dr - NJ.com

Maine is expected to adopt new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on mask-wearing indoors for vaccinated individuals as a resurgence of COVID-19 cases has kept the pandemic from receding.

Maine CDC director Dr. Nirav Shah told the Bangor City Council on Monday that masks are likely coming back.

We probably need to be prepared, even for fully vaccinated folks, for the time being, to go back to wearing masks in indoor settings, Shah told councilors, according to the Bangor Daily News.

The Maine CDC did not immediately respond to questions Tuesday about mask-wearing recommendations.

Meanwhile, state health officials reported 172 new cases of COVID-19 for the three-day period from Saturday through Monday, adding to an increasing level of new virus transmission. One additional death was reported Tuesday as well.

The U.S. CDC announced Tuesday that it was reversing its earlier guidance and recommending that vaccinated people resume wearing masks indoors in areas with substantial and high transmission, especially those who live with or are in close contact with immunocompromised individuals or unvaccinated people, including children under the age of 12.

Additionally, the CDC will recommend that teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.

What impact the new guidelines will have is unclear.Since May, guidance has been that vaccinated individuals do not need masks because of the protection afforded by vaccines.The U.S. CDC has still recommended that unvaccinated people continue wearing masks in crowded public settings, but no one is enforcing that policy and masks have become increasingly scarce even as cases spike.

Maines new COVID-19 cases include cases for Saturday, Sunday and Monday, as the state no longer processes tests over the weekend. The new figure continues an upward trend. The seven-day daily case average, which has been rising steadily for about a month, now sits at 64 cases after bottoming out at about 14 cases on average at the beginning of the month.

Case counts are far greater than they were last summer, when people were more cautious about large gatherings and wore masks in many public settings.

The same trend is playing out across the country and is even worse in some areas where the highly transmissible delta variant has taken hold. The seven-day average in the U.S. is about 42,000 cases, up from 12,000 cases this time last month. Some states, such as Florida, are being especially hard hit.

Dr. James Jarvis, COVID-19 incident commander for Northern Light Health, said he thinks the updated mask guidance is prudent and could have some impact, even if its not a mandate.

I think there are people who have wanted to (wear masks) but have felt uncomfortable because no one else is, he said.

He said while the virus is still circulating widely, breakthrough infections in vaccinated people can happen.

Everyone who gets infected could be the source of a new variant, maybe even one that eludes our vaccinations, Jarvis said. This is how viruses work. Masks help to prevent the spread, weve known that.

Greg Dugal, director of government affairs for Hospitality Maine, which represents the states food and lodging industry, said without a mandate, though, he doesnt see much changing.

Everything that our businesses had to go through last year and earlier this year was under a state of emergency, he said. Without that mechanism, I think thats going to create some confusion. Recommendations are really gray areas.

Dugal said businesses arent equipped, and shouldnt be, to police mask wearing. The same is true, he said, of vaccination status.

Ive not been looking forward to this, he said. You knew something was going to happen.

Of the new cases reported Tuesday in Maine, 46 were in Cumberland County, which is also the county with the highest rate of vaccination. But Cumberland County also has the most people, so even though its vaccination rate is 72 percent, there are still 84,000 people who have yet to get their shots.

Since the pandemic began, there have been 70,076 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 and 898 deaths, according to data tracked by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hospitalizations which had been stable have started to creep back up as well. As of Tuesday there were 33 individuals in the hospital with COVID-19, an increase of eight just in the last week. Of those, 18 were in critical care.

Vaccinations, on the other hand, have slowed way down in Maine and across the country, although there are small signs demand might be increasing. In all, Maine has administered 807,540 final doses of COVID-19 vaccine, covering just over 60 percent of all residents and about 68 percent of eligible residents age 12 and older.

For the week ending Saturday, July 24, Maine averaged 1,299 shots per day, which is an increase from 1,164 shots per day on average the week prior.

Despite Maines high rate of vaccination rate overall, though, many parts of the state lag. While Cumberland County has vaccinated 72 percent of residents, nine counties have rates below 55 percent, including two Somerset and Piscataquis that still havent reached 50 percent.

The geographic disparities are even more stark in rural areas. Among those between the ages of 16-39, 70 percent of those in Cumberland County have been fully vaccinated, which is close to the overall rate. However, in five mostly rural counties Somerset, Piscataquis, Franklin, Washington and Oxford the rate among 16-39 year-olds is less than 40 percent.

Public health officials continue to stress the importance of vaccinations, even as hesitancy has hardened into hostility for some. The overwhelming majority of all new deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19 have been among unvaccinated individuals.

Jarvis at Northern Light said he hopes the recent surge leads to more vaccinations. He didnt have current numbers available Tuesday but said nearly everyone who has been hospitalized in recent weeks has been unvaccinated.

Asked if hes frustrated about the direction the state and country are heading back toward, Jarvis said yes.

People always have the choice to heed advice, but when we see the spread of misinformation, that really frustrates people in public health, he said.

This story will be updated.

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Masking expected to return in Maine, as new COVID-19 cases increase - Press Herald