Updating . .   

Shelter in place orders: Six Bay Area counties encourage residents to stay home -- Six San Francisco Bay Area counties are issuing shelter in place orders Monday afternoon, encouraging residents to stay home, officials said. The new declarations issued by Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, along with the city of Berkeley, affect nearly 7 million people. Starting at midnight, residents of these counties are advised to stay home for the next three weeks, except for essential needs such as getting food, picking up medicine, seeing a doctor, care for a family member or friend, or for work reasons. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle James Rainey, Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ Tim Arango, Thomas Fuller, John Eligon and Conor Dougherty in the New York Times$ -- 3/16/20

Bay Area to ‘shelter in place:’ What you need to know about how life will change with new coronavirus order -- Here’s a quick look at what you need to know about the shelter-in-place order: Why is this happening? To safeguard public health and safety. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

SF mayor: City will foot businesses’ bills for coronavirus sick days -- San Francisco will pay for five additional sick days for private sector workers harmed by the new coronavirus. Mayor London Breed is setting aside $10 million to help those financially strapped by the growing pandemic. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

Stop panic buying and hoarding food because of coronavirus, Mayor Garcetti tells L.A. -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti visited a Ralphs food distribution center in Paramount on Monday morning with several grocery store chain executives in an effort to calm Angelenos worried about the region’s grocery supplies. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Coronavirus: L.A. City Hall is closed. What city services are still running? -- Los Angeles City Hall is largely closed to the public to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. Libraries and the zoo are shuttered too. But some other municipal services are still running with restrictions on crowd size at public counters. Emily Alpert Reyes, David Zahniser, Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Bay Area sees another spike in coronavirus cases -- The Bay Area continued to see a growing number of cases of the coronavirus, with the Silicon Valley region reporting 114 cases and rising. Santa Clara County has been the epicenter of the virus in California, with officials saying 52 of those cases were a result of community spread. Alex Wigglesworth, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

California healthcare workers, first responders test positive for coronavirus -- The new coronavirus is beginning to take a toll on medical workers and other first responders at a time when they are needed to help treat patients. Two healthcare workers at UC San Diego Health have confirmed COVID-19 infections and are now on home quarantine, officials said Saturday. Richard Winton, Paul Sisson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

More San Jose firefighters, a community center volunteer test positive for Coronavirus -- Two more San Jose firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the fire department to 10, the city said in a report Friday. The city said it is also tracking the status of 57 other firefighters who may have been exposed to the respiratory disease. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/16/20

Two California state offices close after workers take coronavirus tests -- Caltrans planned to close an office in Oakland on Monday after an employee there tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Sunday night email. Separately, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System closed its Sacramento headquarters for cleaning Monday after an employee there showed symptoms and went home. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/20

Bay Area Rep. Mark DeSaulnier hospitalized with pneumonia -- Bay Area Rep. Mark DeSaulnier has been hospitalized with pneumonia, a complication after he fell and fractured a rib on a run, his office said Monday. DeSaulnier, D-Concord, was admitted to a hospital Friday night. His chief of staff, Betsy Arnold Marr, said the illness led the lawmaker to miss the House’s vote Saturday on coronavirus relief legislation. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

California has tested fewer than 9,000 for coronavirus. Officials hope to ramp up soon -- Weeks since the first coronavirus case in California was confirmed, fewer than 9,000 tests have been conducted throughout the state. The lack of testing has made it harder to track the spread of the virus. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Coronavirus: Safeway seeks to hire thousands amid virus panic -- Safeway on Monday announced it had launched a mass hiring effort amid the panic shopping unleashed by the Coronavirus crisis, saying it wants to hire thousands in Northern California. The supermarket giant said it wants to hire both in-store and delivery workers, the company said. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/16/20

Raley’s, Safeway each ‘mass hiring’ in California amid coronavirus crisis -- Northern California supermarket chain Raley’s is mass hiring for personal shoppers at many of its locations, as millions of Californians are limiting exposure to the public due to the rapidly developing coronavirus crisis. Safeway also announced a surge of hiring for in-store employees and delivery drivers at its Northern California, Nevada and Hawaii stores. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/20

Thunder Valley Casino cutting back operations, laying off workers due to coronavirus spread -- The region’s largest casino announced early Monday that it is severely curtailing some operations and laying off 85 workers as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/20

Why are some Southern California casinos still open during coronavirus pandemic? -- Because the casinos are on sovereign tribal land, the county can’t order them to close, Riverside County spokeswoman Brooke Federico said. “We understand that it’s an economic hardship and would have a lasting impact for any business to close down,” she said. “We appreciate that some have taken the proactive measure to close.” Jeff Horseman and Alex Groves in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 3/16/20

Recession due to coronavirus could hit California harder than rest of U.S. -- The U.S. economy has entered its first recession in 11 years, and it’s likely to be slightly more severe in California than the rest of the nation, a new forecast from the UCLA Anderson School of Management said Monday. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/20

There are 8,000 hospital beds in San Diego County. Is that enough if coronavirus hits hard? -- With COVID-19 showing up now in San Diego, beginning what health care officials expect to be a long burn through the county’s population, the health care system’s capacity to handle potentially thousands of patients could be tested. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/16/20

Sheriff cuts jail population and arrests amid the virus outbreak -- L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Monday his agency had reduced the number of inmates in its jails by more than 600 amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Even before coronavirus, infectious disease was on rise in California — but spending got cut -- California’s fight against the coronavirus comes amid long-term budget cuts that public health officials fear will slow efforts to combat the pandemic. Joaquin Palomino in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

Coronavirus: Red Cross seeking donors after hundreds of blood drives shut down -- A Red Cross official Sunday urged healthy prospective blood donors to check the organization’s web site or call its toll-free number to find a donation center or a still-scheduled blood drive after hundreds were cancelled across the nation because of school-district shutdowns spurred by the novel coronavirus contagion. Richard K. De Atley in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/16/20

Coronavirus: Universal to make current theatrical movies available for home viewing on Friday -- Universal Pictures, in a bold move to confront the coronavirus’ threat to the movie industry, is collapsing the theatrical window. In an extraordinary step, the studio on Monday said it will make its movies available in the home on the same day as their global theatrical releases, beginning with DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls World Tour,” opening April 10 in the U.S. Ryan Faughnder in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

A new era — politics and the coronavirus -- In offices in and around the state Capitol, politicians, consultants, lobbyists, and the whole array of other political types have one thing on their minds: How do we conduct campaigns and politics in the face of the growing coronavirus pandemic? Will candidates make speeches wearing face masks? Are latex gloves going to be de rigueur at meet-and-greet events with supporters? Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 3/16/20

Fox: Panic Buying and Rationing -- The Covid-19 crisis has brought a rash of panic buying off market shelves. While officials and commentators try to calm the public and argue that such behavior is irrational, fear has taken over. Franklin Roosevelt’s reassuring words during his first inaugural address that, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” does not seem to have the same calming impact in modern day America. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 3/16/20

 

Kamala Harris tops the vice-presidential list. Here are some other possibles -- Now that Joe Biden has committed to naming a woman as his vice-presidential candidate — and Bernie Sanders has responded that “in all likelihood,” he would, too — it is time for the way-too-early Democratic veepstakes. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

In sweeping new measures, California calls on seniors to stay home, bars to close and restaurants to reduce seating -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday called for all bars, wineries, nightclubs and brewpubs to close in the nation’s most populous state and urged seniors and people with chronic health conditions to isolate themselves at home in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The state also will reduce occupancy in restaurants by half to keep people farther from each other, Newsom said at a news conference. Christopher Weber Associated Press Megan Cassidy, Tatiana Sanchez, Michael Cabanatuan and John King in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Suhauna Hussain, Andrea Chang, Jenn Harris in the Los Angeles Times$ Louis Hansen in the San Jose Mercury$ Angela Hart, Carla Marinucci and Jeremy B. White Politico Vincent Moleski and Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/20

L.A. limits restaurants to takeout and delivery, closes gyms, entertainment sites over coronavirus -- Mayor Eric Garcetti on Sunday night announced an emergency action to close bars, nightclubs, restaurants — with the exception of takeout and delivery — entertainment venues and gyms in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus. Garcetti also announced a moratorium on evictions for renters, telling Angelenos that they won’t lose their housing during the crisis “because you can’t make the rent,” and has asked the city attorney to look into whether the city can stop commercial evictions. Alex Wigglesworth, Laura King, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Rong-Gong Lin II, Phil Willon, Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

California coronavirus cases hit 335, with six deaths: Here is what you need to know -- California had recorded 335 cases of coronavirus as of Sunday, a 14% increase from the day before, The state also reported six deaths, with the sixth one in San Mateo County, where 32 cases have been recorded. Alex Wigglesworth, Phil Willon, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

LAPD confirms its first coronavirus case, a supervisor in Pacific Division -- The Los Angeles Police Department on Sunday confirmed its first coronavirus case. The supervisor in the Pacific Division felt ill and went home Monday, officials said. Cindy Chang, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Sailor aboard USS Boxer in San Diego becomes first shipboard sailor to test positive for COVID-19 -- The sailor, whose official status is “presumptive positive” until confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is now in isolation at his or her off-base residence and the Navy is conducting a contact investigation to identify anyone who might have had contact with the sailor. Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/16/20

Total number of coronavirus cases in San Diego County jumps to 39 -- The county’s COVID-19 case summary included a total of 33 San Diego County residents with the virus and an additional four people in federal quarantine, as well as two non-residents of San Diego County. Wendy Fry in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/16/20

CDC recommends suspending large events for 8 weeks -- The CDC on Sunday recommended canceling or postponing all events nationwide with more than 50 people — the most aggressive federal guidance issued yet in the worsening the coronavirus crisis. Adam Cancryn Politico -- 3/16/20

California Legislature will consider a work hiatus due to coronavirus -- California lawmakers attempting to help the state respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are grappling with whether to continue to meet as a legislative body or adjourn temporarily to lessen the risk of virus spread inside the state Capitol. Melody Gutierrez, Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Coronavirus screening website launched by Google Verily’s Project Baseline -- A pilot Web site intended to offer COVID-19 risk screening and testing for high-risk individuals set to go live Monday, launched Sunday evening. The site is limited to residents of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Participants must be U.S. residents, be 18 or older, speak and read English and be willing to sign a COVID-19 Public Health authorization form. George Kelly in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/16/20

Google website can help you get tested for coronavirus — so long as you aren’t sick -- After several days of mystery around the nature of a website touted by President Trump as Google’s solution to the problem of getting people tested for the new coronavirus, an initial version of the site appeared online Sunday night. But if you’re feeling sick, don’t expect it to help you get tested faster. Jeff Bercovici in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

California plans to use private hotels, motels to shelter homeless people as coronavirus spreads -- California state government is procuring hotels and motels to shelter the homeless as part of the state’s effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday. In addition, the state is sending 450 travel trailers to locations around the state to help shelter many of the 108,000 unsheltered homeless people living in California, Newsom said. Wes Venteicher and Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/20

For LAX passengers returning from Europe, it’s nothing like the chaos at other major airports -- Merryman and his companion, who did not want to be identified, had their temperatures taken at U.S. customs with an infrared thermometer held near their foreheads. They were also asked about whether they had potentially interacted with someone who had the coronavirus and then were told to go home and self-quarantine for two weeks. Andrew J. Campa, Laura King in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

No virus-related delays at SFO, but international travelers not medically screened -- Travelers returning from Paris on Sunday said they breezed through customs at San Francisco International Airport and did not undergo medical screening for the coronavirus — a sharp contrast from many airports across the nation that saw chaos as staff scrambled to test passengers for symptoms. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

Bay Area places of worship weigh coronavirus threat: Close, video stream or carry on? -- Grace Cathedral in San Francisco has canceled services only twice in its nearly 100-year history: around 1918 during the Spanish flu epidemic and in 2020 due to COVID-19. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

 

Internet bill would force tech firms to keep inappropriate content from children -- The bill, which is backed by Common Sense Media, a San Francisco advocacy group, would be the most sweeping children’s internet law of its kind. It would create regulations subjecting youth-oriented online content to more rigorous scrutiny, like television programming. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

Walters: Even more confusion over tax vote -- Throughout California, local government and school officials have been stunned by voters’ reluctance this month to approve new taxes and bonds. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 3/16/20

 

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Coronavirus engulfs Silicon Valley — school closures, medical tents --Silicon Valley, the booming innovation capital of the world, is confronting a basic, low-tech need as coronavirus sweeps the region: If the illness isn’t checked, area hospitals could run out of beds. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

Bars shutter across the Bay Area due to coronavirus. Owners adjust to an uncertain future -- Bay Area bar owners have felt torn between maintaining their livelihoods, supporting their employees and slowing the spread of the coronavirus — but a new directive from Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday makes the choice for them. They’re closing their businesses indefinitely. Janelle Bitker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

Coronavirus fears force bars, wineries, breweries to scramble after Newsom requests shutdown -- Shortly after a news conference Sunday afternoon in which Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended cocktail bars, beer and wine tasting rooms close to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, Golden Road Brewing Anaheim shut down abruptly. Staff members told diners they would have to leave the popular brewpub across from Angel Stadium immediately after finishing their orders. Anne Valdespino in the Orange County Register -- 3/16/20

Napa Valley anxious after Newsom calls for halt to wine tasting -- Napa Valley businesses already grappling with the economic fallout of coronavirus are bracing for further impact after Gov. Gavin Newsom called Sunday on all wine tasting rooms to close. Alexander Nieves Politico -- 3/16/20

Northern California casino closes to stem coronavirus. Newsom working with tribal leaders -- Cache Creek Casino Resort announced Sunday evening it’s closing temporarily in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Cache Creek’s announcement marked the first Northern California tribal casino to close. A day earlier, the San Manuel and Pechanga resorts in Southern California said they were suspending operations as well. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/20

14 Las Vegas Strip hotels and casinos to close Tuesday due to coronavirus -- Fourteen resorts along the Las Vegas Strip will close temporarily, effective Tuesday, as the impact of the coronavirus on daily life significantly expands. Jay Jones in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Nunes Encourages People to Dine Out as Experts Urge Them to Stay Home -- Representative Devin Nunes, a California Republican, on Sunday encouraged healthy people to dine out at restaurants, contradicting public health advisories that strongly encouraged social distancing and discouraged Americans from attending mass gatherings. In an appearance on Fox News, Mr. Nunes said Americans should stop fighting over groceries and toilet paper. Mariel Padilla and Zach Montague in the New York Times$ -- 3/16/20

Is your state government job ‘essential?’ Newsom administration to tell you on Tuesday -- California will issue new guidance to state workers Tuesday on working from home, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/20

Coronavirus causing wedding bell blues -- As if weddings were not stressful enough, couples getting hitched in the next few months face an agonizing dilemma — go ahead with the wedding albeit with fewer guests, postpone it or cancel and possibly lose thousands of dollars worth of deposits. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/20

Most federal workers will report to the office Monday — as the rest of the country isolates itself -- Most of the nation’s 2.1 million federal employees will report to work Monday to tightly packed office cubicles and other workplaces where they serve the public, even as schools and colleges across the country have closed, businesses have sent their staffs home to work and governors have canceled public activities to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Lisa Rein, Ian Duncan and Tracy Jan in the Washington Post$ -- 3/16/20

Homeless  

An unexpected side effect of the coronavirus? A new urgency about helping homeless people -- As public health officials scramble to manage the spread of the novel coronavirus, strategies are starting to be implemented across California and the rest of the country to protect the homeless population. Thomas Curwen, Benjamin Oreskes, Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Education 

USC student tests positive for coronavirus but appears not to have recently been on campus -- A USC student who had recently returned from international travel has tested positive for coronavirus, the university said in an email Sunday. The undergraduate had gone directly from the trip to Orange County and “has not been on or near the USC campuses. Alex Wigglesworth, Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

L.A. Unified scrambles to get help centers ready amid coronavirus school closures -- Los Angeles school officials were racing Sunday to organize the complex logistics of opening 20 meal pickup sites and 40 family resource centers to serve students who will be displaced from campuses beginning on Monday in an unprecedented shutdown to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Coronavirus: As Bay Area schools shut down, students face wide disparities in online education plans -- At Abraham Lincoln High School in San Jose, where classes will shut down for at least three weeks amid fear of the coronavirus outbreak, the time off might feel a little like an unplanned vacation. Students will receive no assignments or grades during the closure, and the public school currently has no plans to offer online classes, the principal said Friday. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/16/20

Parents and teachers scramble to keep education going now that school’s ‘out’ for spring -- In advance of those developments, many school districts last week sent home thick work packets and registered students for online programs to ensure children benefit academically as they spend much of their day at home. They will have new teachers, too: Their parents and guardians. Many of them are now navigating “home-schooling” for the first time, and some parents are doing this while working full time. Sawsan Morrar and Michael Finch II in the Sacramento Bee$ Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 3/16/20

Amid concerns about children’s health and safety, Gov. Newsom holds off on ordering closure of California schools -- As over 30 states move to close their schools, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday that he would hold off on ordering all schools closed in California. He said many school districts, especially those in rural areas, are not in a position to provide the meals and other services children will need during the closure, and he expressed concern some districts are closing without plans in place to meet those vital needs. Louis Freedberg EdSource -- 3/16/20

Guns 

As the coronavirus pandemic grows, gun sales are surging in many states -- David Stone snagged a cardboard box of .223-caliber ammunition from the shelf and slid it across the glass countertop, offering his go-to sales pitch: “Welcome to the biggest selection of ammunition in all of Oklahoma.” “I’m not sure I can keep on saying that,” Stone said, explaining that the supply of goods at Dong’s Guns, Ammo and Reloading has been seriously depleted over the last few days. Kurtis Lee, Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Also . . . 

Two Emergency Room Doctors Are in Critical Condition With Coronavirus -- Two emergency medicine doctors, in New Jersey and Washington State, are in critical condition as a result of coronavirus, reinforcing concerns that the nation’s front-line medical workers are becoming especially vulnerable to the virus, the American College of Emergency Physicians said. “A lot of us think that despite everything we do, we will probably be exposed,” said Dr. William Jaquis, the chair of the group. Karen Weise in the New York Times$ -- 3/16/20

POTUS 45  

Trump urges no hoarding as coronavirus panic strains grocery stores -- During a news conference Sunday evening, Trump said grocery firms had urged him to communicate the message to consumers to avoid panic-buying. “You don’t have to buy so much,” he said. “There’s no need for anybody in the country to hoard essential food supplies.” He claimed there are “no shortages” at stores but people are “buying three-to-five times what they normally buy.” Ryan McCrimmon Politico -- 3/16/20

Beltway 

Joe Biden’s surprise in coronavirus-dominated debate: He’ll pick a woman for vice president -- In a surprisingly feisty debate, Joe Biden promised to choose a woman for his vice president, Bernie Sanders renewed his call for revolutionary change in America and both Democratic candidates slammed President Trump for his handling of the coronavirus crisis. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Evan Halper, Matt Pearce, Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/20

Who are the women probably on Joe Biden’s short list for vice president? -- We’ve known for some time that Biden was leaning toward a woman. He has said he’d prefer a running mate “of color and/or a different gender.” His other criteria: Someone he can trust. So, if he does win the nomination, who would be on his short list and why? Here are some educated guesses. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 3/16/20

 

-- Sunday Updates 

To help fight coronavirus, California seniors should isolate and bars must close, Gov. Gavin Newsom says -- Gov. Gavin Newsom asked Californians over the age of 65 on Sunday to isolate themselves from others and said that neighborhood bars and pubs should close their doors as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state continued to rise. Phil Willon, John Myers, Taryn Luna, Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ Tony Bizjak, Vincent Moleski, Dale Kasler, Benjy Egel, and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ Christopher Weber Associated Press -- 3/15/20

Fed takes emergency steps to slash rates and ease bank rules -- The Federal Reserve took massive emergency action Sunday to help the economy withstand the coronavirus by slashing its benchmark interest rate to near zero and saying it would buy $700 billion in Treasury and mortgage bonds. Christopher Rugaber Associated Press Nick Timiraos in the Wall Street Journal$ Heather Long in the Washington Post$ -- 3/15/20

US moves nearer to shutdown amid coronavirus fears -- Officials across the country curtailed elements of American life to fight the coronavirus outbreak on Sunday, with governors closing restaurants, bars, and schools and a government expert saying a 14-day national shutdown may be needed. At the same time, long airport lines for virus screenings raised doubts that the government is prepared to respond to the crisis. Terry Spencer and Teresa Crawford Associated Press -- 3/15/20

School closures, medical tents. What happens when coronavirus engulfs Silicon Valley -- Silicon Valley, the booming innovation capital of the world, is confronting a basic, low-tech need as coronavirus sweeps the region: If the illness isn’t checked, area hospitals could run out of beds. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/20

Against public health advice, Devin Nunes urges people to go to pubs as coronavirus spreads -- Rep. Devin Nunes on Sunday urged people go out to local pubs in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, a recommendation that runs contrary to advice a federal health official made the same morning. Coronavirus is spreading in Nunes’ San Joaquin Valley dsitrict. A second case of coronavirus was confirmed in Nunes’ home county of Tulare Friday. At least two cases have been conformed in Fresno County, which he also represents. Kate Irby in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/15/20

Healthcare workers fear greater coronavirus risk due to safety gear shortage -- Federal officials have begun urging healthcare workers to switch from respirator face masks to looser surgical ones, a move that is raising alarms among doctors and nurses who say they will now be less protected when treating highly infectious coronavirus patients. Emily Baumgaertner, Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

Dockweiler Beach in L.A. County could be used as coronavirus quarantine zone -- Dockweiler Beach may be used to temporarily house people ordered isolated or quarantined because of the coronavirus, an El Segundo official said. The beach’s RV park on Vista del Mar is one of several locations the county could use for this purpose, according to a city press release. Officials said the public should avoid the area. Alex Wigglesworth, James Rainey, Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

She couldn’t get a coronavirus test in the U.S., so she flew back to China, officials there say -- Chinese citizen living in Massachusetts became ill earlier this month, with symptoms consistent with the coronavirus. She went to a local hospital and asked to be tested three times, but was denied. Frustrated, she flew to China — and tested positive upon arrival. Alice Su in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

Coronavirus: 23 new cases in Santa Clara County, 12 in San Mateo County -- Health officials on Sunday confirmed 23 new cases of coronavirus in Santa Clara County, bringing the total number of cases to 114. “We expect numbers to grow and urge everyone to follow Public Health recommendations,” the county said in a statement. The confirmation came a day after Santa Clara County officials ordered all gatherings of more than 100 people canceled and restrictions put in place for gatherings of more than 35 people. Aldo Toledo in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/15/20

15 new cases of coronavirus reported in Sacramento County -- Thirty-two people in Sacramento County have now been afflicted with the coronavirus, county heath officials disclosed on Sunday morning, a near tripling in the last six days. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/15/20

7 students at San Francisco school test negative for coronavirus -- The San Francisco Unified School District said Sunday seven students at Glen Park Elementary School who reported respiratory illness tested negative for COVID-19. SFUSD sent the school community a letter stating that based on the recommendation of the Department of Public Health, families and staff no longer need to self-quarantine and are not required to stay home. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/15/20

Thermo Fisher, with offices in Carlsbad, set to produce test kits that can diagnose COVID-19 in four hours -- The company — based out of Waltham, Mass., with West Coast headquarters in Carlsbad — said the Food and Drug Administration’s approval late Friday will allow them to provide the high-speed tests to hospitals and laboratories, diagnosing as many as 5 million people a week, according to a statement. Michael James Rocha in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/15/20

Parts of San Quentin prison in quarantine as a precaution -- Inmates in two cellblocks at San Quentin State Prison are quarantined off from the rest of the Bay Area prison, but California prison officials say there is no indication that the prison is dealing with the coronavirus. Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

Garcetti urges L.A. not to panic-buy and hoard supplies amid coronavirus -- The guidance comes amid unprecedented levels of demand that has left some stories out of stock of many items. Long lines were reported at Trader Joe’s, Costco and other retailers, as well as local mom-and-pop stores. Hot items included frozen goods, pasta, water, meats and, of course, toilet paper. Ruben Vives, Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

Chula Vista councilman tests positive for coronavirus -- Chula Vista Councilman Steve Padilla tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, he announced Saturday night. He said he was home, in isolation, and doing well. “I feel healthy, strong and safe,” Padilla, 53, said in a statement. “Following the guidance of county Public Health officials, I’m self-isolating and working remotely to serve Chula Vista.” Pauline Repard in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/15/20

San Diego Navy bases begin new screening and sanitation measures over coronavirus -- The new measures are meant to protect “the health and well-being” of San Diego-area Navy personnel, according to a statement from Navy Region Southwest, which is headquarterd in San Diego and oversees naval installations in California and five other states. Andrew Dyer in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

Angelenos cope with coronavirus ‘pandemonium’ by buying craft supplies, weed and guns -- Parents stocked up on arts and crafts supplies, knowing their children would be home from school for weeks. Families sought out the damp beauty of the Huntington Gardens in San Marino and the boardwalk in Santa Monica. Couples packed liquor stores and pot shops to, as one Highland Park customer put it, “take the edge off all this craziness.” And people lined up to buy guns — fearing that today’s public health emergency might turn into tomorrow’s broader civil breakdown. James Rainey, Louis Sahagun, Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

‘I’ve never seen Las Vegas like this’: As coronavirus brings change, Sin City feels the effect -- For weeks as the coronavirus spread across the world, the daily tempo of Las Vegas had remained relatively normal. But now, the pandemic is crushing the adult playground’s ability to meet the desires and temptations of the more than 42 million people it draws annually and is dealing a strong blow to its $6.6-billion gambling industry. Melissa Etehad in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

Eerily empty freeways: A symbol of how the coronavirus has hurt Los Angeles -- Evening traffic on the 405 Freeway in West Los Angeles was so sparse last week that 24-year-old Jerrold Smith II took out his iPhone and recorded it for posterity. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/20

Coronavirus canceled their concerts, so artists like Yungblud are looking to live stream shows to fans -- As governments around the world mandate social distancing, Yungblud’s international tour dates have been postponed as well. In an effort to connect with his fans, Yungblud is one of the first major recording artists to announce a live stream concert via his YouTube channel at 7 a.m. PST Monday, March 16. Kelli Skye Fadroski in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/15/20