Updating . .
As 1 million Californians file for unemployment, homeowners hurt by coronavirus will get a break -- Several major banks and financial institutions have agreed to delay foreclosures and provide mortgage relief to California homeowners who are struggling to make their monthly payments due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday. Phil Willon, Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
California governor says 4 banks to waive mortgage fees -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom says four of the nation’s largest banks have agreed to temporarily suspend mortgage payments for those affected by the coronavirus. Wells Fargo, US Bank, Citi and JP Morgan Chase have all agreed to waive mortgage payments for 90 days, Newsom said. Bank of America has agreed to a 30-day suspension, he said. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 3/25/20
As deaths rise in L.A. County, officials issue new quarantine order for the sick -- As the number of coronavirus cases continued to spike in Los Angeles County, the health officer issued an order Wednesday requiring all individuals who are presumed positive or have tested positive for COVID-19 to self-isolate, and for all close contacts of such individuals to self-quarantine. L.A. County confirmed three additional deaths linked to the coronavirus Wednesday, and is no longer including the death of the Lancaster teenager reported Tuesday in its count. Sarah Parvini, Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Taryn Luna, Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
The worst of coronavirus is still ahead for California: ‘The peak will be bad’ -- With coronavirus-related deaths in California climbing to 55, state officials are warning that the worst is still to come as the virus continues to spread. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned Tuesday that residents should be prepared for more loss of life as the pandemic expands. Sarah Parvini, Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Taryn Luna, Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Will California’s coronavirus crisis look like Italy’s soon? -- More than 2,600 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Golden State and 55 people have died of the respiratory disease. That’s a far cry from the 69,000 cases and 6,820 deaths reported in Italy. But health officials here have hinted that it’s possible. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus threatens to wipe out California’s $21-billion surplus. And it could get worse -- For more than six years, through two governors and hundreds of lawmakers’ votes, California’s state government slowly built the largest cash reserve in its history — projected to total $21 billion by next summer. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
What exactly is in this massive $2 trillion Senate coronavirus bill? -- The $2 trillion bill touches every part of the economy, and parts of it are still being negotiated and could change. But overall, there are five categories of beneficiaries of the bill: taxpayers, small businesses, corporations, hospitals, and states and localities. Let’s start with how this bill aims to help you, the taxpayer, during the coronavirus pandemic. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 3/25/20
Bay Area counties extend school closures through May 1 amid coronavirus shutdowns -- Seven Bay Area county health officers and school officials on Wednesday announced they are extending school closures until May 1 in an effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus. Aldo Toledo in the San Jose Mercury$ Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/25/20
Elderly stranded in hospitals as nursing homes turn them away over coronavirus -- Carl Schoen’s 99-year-old mother has lived in a nursing home for five years. On March 13, she was taken to the emergency room at Huntington Memorial Hospital with pneumonia. She got better quickly, within a few days, but now the nursing home won’t take her back because she can’t prove she doesn’t have the coronavirus. She got tested 12 days ago but the results aren’t back yet. Jack Dolan, Harriet Ryan, Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
How the coronavirus pandemic is crippling California's efforts to prevent catastrophic wildfires -- California’s ability to prepare for a dry and potentially dangerous fire season this year is being crippled as the coronavirus pandemic prompts fire agencies across the West to cancel or delay programs aimed at preventing catastrophic wildfire. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
AC Transit just eliminated fares. Why can't BART do the same? -- On Monday, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District announced that riders will not have to pay fares for the indefinite future. Meanwhile, BART last week announced a reduction in service with no change to the cost of boarding a train. What accounts for the disparate responses of the two transit agencies? In a word: budgets. Michael Rosen in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/25/20
Banks: How coronavirus turned supermarket workers into heroes -- Raymond Lopez doesn’t carry a stethoscope or wear a gun. He’s more at home on a loading dock than in a fire station. But as a grocery store worker, Lopez is on the front lines of our daily battle against a new enemy: coronavirus pandemic panic. Sandy Banks in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Guns
Sheriff suspends efforts to close L.A. gun stores amid coronavirus restrictions -- One day after announcing that gun shops were nonessential businesses that needed to close their doors amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has shelved efforts to shut them down. Luke Money, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Health Workers
Orange County now accepting donated equipment to protect health workers from coronavirus -- Businesses that want to donate items to protect Orange County’s health care workers can now do so through the county’s Emergency Operations Center. Starting Wednesday, March 25, the county will accept new, unopened containers or packages of medical and N95 masks, gloves, gowns, eye protection and sanitizing wipes. The items will be distributed to health care providers around the county, according to a news release. Alicia Robinson in the Orange County Register -- 3/25/20
Unemployment
California hit with 1 million unemployment claims amid help for homeowners during coronavirus pandemic -- Several major banks and financial institutions have agreed to delay foreclosures and provide mortgage relief to California homeowners struggling to make their monthly payments due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday. Phil Willon, Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
California isn’t ready to increase unemployment benefits in coronavirus crisis, analyst warns -- A new report from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office found the information technology systems at California’s Employment Development Department, which adminsters unemployment benefits, are limited in what they can currently do. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
Can’t pay rent because of coronavirus? Here’s how Sacramento-area eviction protections work -- So far, only the city of Sacramento and Davis have passed emergency ordinances to protect renters from evictions if they’ve been financially impacted by COVID-19, the potentially deadly disease caused by the virus that has infected more than 2,300 people in California as of Tuesday. Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks and Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
Business Survival
L.A. threatens to shut off water, power of businesses breaking coronavirus rules -- Mayor Eric Garcetti expressed frustration and outrage that some nonessential businesses remained open despite coronavirus restrictions and vowed Los Angeles would take action against them. Sarah Parvini, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
How long can Sacramento businesses survive a coronavirus shutdown? -- While the governor’s “stay at home” order exempts plenty of businesses, from hardware stores to auto-repair shops to pharmacies, it has left thousands of others out in the cold. Whether they own health clubs or jewelry stores or day spas, entrepreneurs are learning instantly painful lessons in financial triage as they figure out which bills get paid and which don’t. Dale Kasler and Michael Finch in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
How California businesses can get help to outlast coronavirus and keep their employees -- There are resources available at both the state and federal level aimed at helping businesses struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a look at some of the assistance available to them, and some of the ways companies are trying to keep workers on their payroll. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
Economics Of Coronavirus Slam California’s Commercial Fishermen, Including In San Diego -- The true economic impact of the novel coronavirus is a long way from being determined, but it has likely already affected every industry in San Diego — including the one that helped define the region. Brad Racino, Zoë Meyers inewsource via KPBS -- 3/25/20
Surviving the Shutdown: Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop has its loyal customers, but ‘we’re a little more desperate’ -- As the restaurant shutdown stretches into the foreseeable future, Nakano worries that more tough decisions are ahead. Small vendors he buys from are already hurting, and he’s concerned some won’t be able to supply him with ingredients soon, which could cause him to reduce hours further. Garrett Snyder in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Construction Industry Stays Open Amid Virus Outbreak To Combat A Different Crisis: California’s Housing Shortage -- There was a steady whir of construction on Monday at the Folsom Ranch subdivision, where about 40 workers sawed lumber, applied stucco, hauled mulch and added other final touches to new homes near Highway 50. Contractors supplied workers more soap and hand sanitizer and asked crews to wash their hands multiple times a day. Chris Nichols Capital Public Radio -- 3/25/20
Learning at Home
Bretón: How kids learn at home in coronavirus shutdown depends on their school and where they live -- The coronavirus outbreak exacerbates inequality among kids because when schools closed and all of us began to shelter in place to slow the spread of COVID-19, some kids were positioned to begin learning immediately and without missing a beat while others weren’t. Marcos Bretón in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
‘Zoombombing’ hits USC as classes are interrupted with racist remarks -- In a letter to the university community, USC President Carol Folt and Provost Charles Zukoski wrote that they learned Tuesday that some online Zoom classes “were disrupted by people who used racist and vile language that interrupted lectures and learning.” Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Spread
Long Beach reports 8 firefighters tested positive for coronavirus -- In all, Long Beach announced 13 new cases Wednesday, upping the citywide total to 41 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, officially known as Covid-19. Four of the firefighters are Long Beach residents and were included in Wednesday’s updated total, while the others live elsewhere. Hayley Munguia in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 3/25/20
Gov. Newsom Halts Intake of New Inmates Into State Prisons, Citing Coronavirus Threat -- Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Tuesday evening suspending the intake of new people into both state prisons and juvenile facilities, citing the health and safety of current staff and inmates in state lockups. Marisa Lagos KQED -- 3/25/20
How Silicon Valley became California’s epicenter of the coronavirus -- The tipping point came on March 6, when county public health authorities recommended all large gatherings be postponed. The San Jose Sharks professional hockey team went ahead with a home game that evening anyway, playing before an announced attendance of more than 14,500 fans. Infectious disease experts and county officers were livid. COVID-19 “clearly is a virus that likes high-density populations,” said Dr. Jeffrey V. Smith, Santa Clara’s executive officer, who is a physician and a lawyer. Maura Dolan, Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Dana Point closes trails, coves due to coronavirus concerns -- The city of Dana Point has closed access to Dana Cove and the tidepool area behind the Ocean Institute, as well as several trails in the city, until further notice due to coronavirus concerns. Laylan Connelly in the Orange County Register -- 3/25/20
San Clemente closed pier, beach parking lots due to coronavirus concerns -- San Clemente shut down the popular pier and city-owned beachfront parking lots in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, with the closures starting Wednesday, March 25. The sand and ocean, as well as the beach trail, remain open for now. Laylan Connelly in the Orange County Register -- 3/25/20
OC Parks joins parking lot closures at county beaches and parks to curb coronavirus -- OC Parks announced the closure of parking lots at all county beaches, regional parks and wilderness parks to curb the spread of coronavirus, effective Wednesday, March 25. Laylan Connelly in the Orange County Register -- 3/25/20
Trump’s refusal to use wartime powers to direct scarce medical supplies has left states fighting it out -- Trump’s reluctance to take a more assertive role -- instead forcing states to fend for themselves and bid against one another -- has created confusion and competition. And it has at times tied the hands of his own administration officials designated to lead the White House response to the pandemic. Don Lee, Jennifer Haberkorn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Coronavirus
Federal officials reach deal on $2 trillion aid package -- The White House and Senate leaders of both parties struck an agreement late Tuesday on a sweeping $2 trillion measure to aid workers, businesses and a health care system strained by the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak. The agreement came after days of often intense haggling and mounting pressure and still needed to be finalized in detailed legislative language. Lisa Mascaro, Andrew Taylor and Jonathan Lemire Associated Press Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ Miriam Berger and Teo Armus in the Washington Post$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus: Richard Branson latest business mogul ‘stepping up’ in state’s COVID-19 response -- In a press briefing on Tuesday evening, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Branson will lend a 747 aircraft from Virgin Atlantic’s fleet to coronavirus relief efforts in the Bay Area. Newsom said the state plans to announce specifics of the arrangement later this week, but indicated Branson has freed up a Virgin aircraft to bring personal protective equipment (PPE) from China to Oakland International Airport. Kerry Crowley in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus restart: Trump ‘raring to go’ by April, but Gavin Newsom sees California danger -- President Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom have been mutually complimentary during the coronavirus crisis, but they are on a collision course when it comes to how long to keep social distancing measures in place to blunt the pandemic. Joe Garofoli and Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
San Francisco mayor slams Trump on coronavirus comment: ‘Why are we still listening to the president?’ -- President Trump’s comments Tuesday suggesting the coronavirus restrictions end by Easter prompted a swift response from San Francisco Mayor London Breed, whose city has pushed aggressive social distancing rules to slow the spread of the virus. Rong-Gong Lin II, Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus: Trump’s desire to end social-distancing guidelines draws rebukes from Bay Area mayors -- President Trump drew sharp rebukes from three Bay Area mayors on Tuesday after he said nationwide social-distancing guidelines to contain COVID-19 could be lifted as soon as Easter. “The president has exhibited such poor leadership throughout this crisis, going from Obama-blaming to denial to now downplaying the seriousness of this crisis,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf told KTVU. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/25/20
Trump and governors in heated debate over saving lives versus the economy -- President Trump and some of the nation’s most prominent governors plunged into heated debate Tuesday over how much death they’re willing to risk in order to get the economy running again during the coronavirus pandemic. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
New York state has 10 times the COVID-19 cases California has. Why? -- New York’s coronavirus outbreak has violently erupted over the past few days, and the state is now driving the national epidemic — while on the West Coast, public health experts are wondering if an early and aggressive response saved California from a similar fate. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
Walters: Newsom veers off the rails -- During his first couple weeks of managing California’s COVID-19 crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s words and actions were impressively cool-headed and measured. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 3/25/20
As Coronavirus threatens general election, California could be example for states expanding vote-by-mail -- Now states are rushing to expand the use of vote-by-mail, laying the groundwork for an unprecedented shift in voting procedures. California, which has massively ramped up its use of mail-in voting over the last few decades, could be a model for others to follow. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/25/20
California governor says virus likely to curb state spending -- With nearly 40 million people stuck at home because of the coronavirus, California’s governor on Tuesday warned state agencies to prepare for less money from the government that will likely postpone many of the state’s ambitious spending plans. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 3/25/20
California coronavirus prevention measures could last another 12 weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom says -- Newsom said he could see the social distancing measures lasting as long as 12 weeks. All Californians, not just the elderly, need to be careful. He noted the “tragic loss of life” of a teenager in Lancaster, which brought total number of California coronavirus deaths to about 40 Tuesday morning. Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
‘The peak will be bad’: Garcetti warns L.A. coronavirus crisis will get worse -- Mayor Eric Garcetti warned Los Angeles on Tuesday that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is still to come and that residents should be prepared for more loss of life. Garcetti said L.A. could be six to 12 days from seeing similar numbers to the outbreak in New York City, where the death toll has dramatically increased in recent days. Sarah Parvini, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus: Study says California is most-aggressive state fighting pandemic -- As the fight against coronavirus shows no signs of letting up, a new study looking at responses to the pandemic says that California is putting in the most-aggressive effort of any U.S. state against the ongoing health crisis. Rex Crum in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/25/20
UC San Diego ‘inundated’ after it asks for equipment, supplies to fight coronavirus -- UC San Diego says its been inundated with gifts from the public and the scientific community after making an appeal for donations of equipment and supplies to fight the coronavirus. Donors have been especially generous in giving or offering personal protective equipment, which includes medical-grade protective gear and surgical masks. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/25/20
California needs nurses, doctors for coronavirus surge. Here’s what the state is doing to get them -- For years, if not decades, health care professionals have battled at the state Capitol over what is known as “scope of practice” - laws governing the types of work various health workers can perform. Newsom said he is in “advanced negotiations” to make changes for this situation. Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
Financially strained and low on supplies, community clinics help fight the coronavirus -- Three days ago, Precious Williams began to feel sick. The young pregnant mother had a runny nose, a sore throat and shortness of breath — just some of the symptoms associated with novel coronavirus. Concerned for her unborn child, the 22-year-old went to the Watts Health Center in South L.A. like she always has for her medical needs. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
COVID-19 research: UC San Diego begins testing experimental drug for fighting coronavirus -- UC San Diego said Tuesday that it is beginning to test whether remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug, can be safely and effectively used to fight the novel coronavirus . The school is joining with University of California medical centers at Irvine, Davis and San Francisco to study the drug, which has already undergone some animal and human testing involving other viruses, including SARS-CoV and Ebola. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/25/20
Bay Area food bank opens pop-up pantries as demand rises -- As Bay Area food banks scramble to meet increased demand for their services, the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank has opened seven new pop-up pantries to fill a gap left by dozens of sites that have shut down due to coronavirus and volunteer shortages. Erica Hellerstein Calmatters -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus: National Guard fills critical volunteer shortage at Silicon Valley food bank -- As food banks across the Bay Area rush to help a growing number of needy families affected by the coronavirus outbreak, the California National Guard has stepped in to fill one of the state’s most critical demands as help from volunteers has all but disappeared. Tatiana Sanchez & Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
Bay Area low-income seniors struggle to access food during coronavirus -- Before the coronavirus, low-income seniors in the Bay Area would gather for lunch or breakfast at a community hall or pick up bags of groceries at senior centers and other food pantries. But with the state’s orders that all seniors over age 65 stay at home, service providers are having to quickly figure out how to get food to the most vulnerable population. Janelle Bitker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
Spread
Half of California’s confirmed coronavirus patients are younger than 50, Newsom says -- As Los Angeles County announced the death of a teenager from possible coronavirus complications on Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned that California’s young people have been disproportionately testing positive for the virus. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/25/20
Lancaster teen is possible coronavirus death; his father is also infected, mayor says -- A Lancaster teen who may have died of the coronavirus was killed by septic shock, and his father is also infected with the virus, the city’s mayor said Tuesday. Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said in an interview that the father “had close contact on the job with the public daily.” It’s unclear how the teenager got the virus. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
‘Exposure is inevitable’: three staff members test positive for coronavirus at Laguna Honda Hospital -- Three employees at Laguna Honda, San Francisco’s huge city-run nursing home, have tested positive for the new coronavirus, raising the frightening possibility of a wider outbreak in the 750-person facility. Jason Fagone and Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
UC Davis Med Center employees infected with coronavirus. Hospital expects ‘many more’ -- Staff members of the UC Davis Medical Center, including one emergency room nurse, have tested positive for COVID-19, the “first of what will be many” infections among workers at the hospital as the disease spreads throughout the community, according to an internal email obtained by The Sacramento Bee. Ryan Sabalow and Jason Pohl in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
We’re sicker and have a doctor shortage. Coronavirus can ravage Fresno area, experts warn -- The central San Joaquin Valley for years has struggled to attract medical doctors, with physician-to-resident ratios well below what medical experts say is needed for adequate healthcare. That was before the coronavirus pandemic. Manuela Tobias in the Fresno Bee -- 3/25/20
San Francisco reports first COVID-19 death: a man in his 40s -- The patient who passed away was a man in his 40s with "multiple, significant" underlying health conditions, officials said in a statement. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/25/20
4 hospital workers among 41 coronavirus infections now confirmed in Ventura County -- A total of 41 coronavirus cases, including four hospital employees, have been confirmed in Ventura County as of Tuesday morning, according to the county’s public health department. Three physicians and one administrator at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura tested positive for the virus, according to a hospital representative. Kailyn Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
COVID-19 claims life of second San Diego County resident; two infants test positive -- San Diego’s COVID-19 public health crisis continued to evolve Tuesday with a second death announced just after it became clear that the region’s first two children, both infants, have tested positive for novel coronavirus infections. And the impact continued to be felt far outside medicine as life guards and law enforcement officers spent their first day trying to enforce new beach-and park-closure orders all along the county’s 70-mile coastline. Paul Sisson, Gustavo Solis, Phil Diehl, Gary Warth, Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus: 25 with ties to Stanford infected with COVID-19 -- At least 25 people with ties to Stanford University have tested positive for COVID-19, a university official said Tuesday. One student remains on-campus in quarantine, said Associate Vice Provost Russ Furr in an update. The others are off-campus and have been told to self-isolate and seek medical care if necessary. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/25/20
L.A. Unified confirms first known employee COVID-19 case -- The facilities contract employee, who last worked on the 28th floor of the district’s downtown headquarters on March 13, was diagnosed with COVID-19 by a healthcare provider on March 21st “although the employee has not been tested due to unavailability of the test,” Beutner said. Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Orange County jail inmate tests positive for the coronavirus -- The inmate, whose name was not released, is in his 40s. He recently showed symptoms of the flu and was placed in isolation, said Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Three workers connected to L.A. Metro infected with the coronavirus -- A maintenance worker at Metro’s bus yard in South Los Angeles was hospitalized and tested positive a week later, officials said in a statement. The worker, who last went to the Hyde Park facility on March 16, has since been released and allowed to go home under quarantine, Metro said. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Two workers at SpaceX test positive for the coronavirus -- Because of the positive test results, the company sent some of its workers home to quarantine and watch for symptoms of the virus, according to CNBC. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Lopez: Here’s what to do if you think you have the coronavirus -- So you’ve got some aches and pains, a rattling cough, and you’re beginning to panic because the problem could be you know what. Should you take an aspirin, call your doctor or get yourself to the nearest hospital as soon as possible? Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Social Distancing
When will coronavirus restrictions end? Here’s what Trump, Newsom, Fauci say -- Trump on Tuesday said he expected that the federal government could lift restrictions within three weeks, but public health experts say to expect social distancing to last one to three months. Here is what key figures and institutions are saying: Chris Megerian, Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
L.A. Archdiocese closes all churches in hopes of easing coronavirus danger -- Citing danger from the coronavirus, the Los Angeles Archdiocese announced Tuesday it was closing all its churches until further notice. The decision was made in hopes of slowing the spread of the virus, church officials said. The order began Tuesday. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
To wear a mask or not? Experts answer coronavirus protection questions -- As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase, you may be wondering whether you should be wearing a mask when you leave your home to shield yourself from the new coronavirus. Deborah Netburn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Update: Sacramento expands city ban on evictions during coronavirus crisis to business tenants -- The Sacramento City Council Tuesday voted to extend its emergency moratorium on evictions to business tenants financially-impacted by the coronavirus. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/25/20
San Diego County approves moratorium on residential, commercial evictions for people affected by COVID 19 -- San Diego County will place a moratorium on all evictions of residential and commercial renters in the unincorporated areas who have seen their income reduced or been otherwise substantially economically harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/25/20
Bay Area airport workers at risk of coronavirus face looming layoffs -- As the new coronavirus devastates the airline industry, workers at Bay Area airports exposed to health risks are enduring mass layoffs as a potential U.S. travel shutdown looms. At San Francisco International Airport, between 800 and 900 workers soon will be laid off, SEIU United Services Workers West reported. Around 250 airline catering workers were already let go, Unite Here Local 2 Union said. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus: Work continues for county's 36,000 farmworkers, who are considered essential -- In the fields, farmworkers now practice social distancing, staying six feet apart while harvesting strawberries, broccoli and other produce. But at home, social distancing is more difficult. Urbano's family of four lives in one room of a four-bedroom home shared with three other families, in overcrowded housing conditions that many farmworkers experience. Erin Rode in the Ventura County Star -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus: SF businesses decline cash, fearing it could spread the virus -- When customers step in for a cup of coffee at Ritual Coffee Roasters on Valencia Street, a sign informs them that cash is no longer welcome. The coffee shop wants customers to use contactless forms of payments to pick up their cups of joe, in an effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
Ralphs adding partitions to limit cashiers’ exposure to coronavirus -- Ralphs is making its strongest move yet to protect its workers from the coronavirus, saying on Tuesday it will install plexiglass barriers to separate shoppers from cashiers. The supermarket said the two-week installation process begins later this week with partitions added to every checkout line and pharmacy and Starbucks counters. Jack Katzanek in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus: More San Francisco storefronts board up as shutdown enters its second week -- Late Tuesday afternoon contractors were busy nailing boards over the large plate glass windows at Saks Fifth Avenue while the iconic Sir Francis Drake Hotel up the block on Powell was already sealed up as if bracing for a hurricane or riot. Karl Mondon in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/25/20
Job help, sick pay and worker options in the pandemic -- Labor law and resources for those affected by coronavirus crisis. The items are in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
‘We live paycheck to paycheck’: Undocumented workers struggle as economy grinds to a halt -- More than 2 million undocumented workers, who do not quality for many state and federal benefits, are among the hardest hit Californians as the economy is battered by the coronavirus pandemic. Jacqueline Garcia, Jackie Botts Calmatters -- 3/25/20
California hotels laying off thousands amid coronavirus pandemic -- The nation’s hotel industry has lost nearly 3.4 million direct and indirect jobs amid the coronavirus outbreak, and California is taking the heaviest hit, an industry group reports. Kevin Smith in the Orange County Register -- 3/25/20
Kaiser cancels plans for downtown Oakland headquarters tower -- Kaiser Permanente has scuttled plans to move its headquarters into a modern office in downtown Oakland, an economic blow for the East Bay’s largest city that could compound the jolts from the coronavirus panic. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/25/20
Coronavirus forces some L.A. workers to choose between their health or a paycheck -- Teresa Trejo has spent the last two decades shuttling between jobs at the L.A. Convention Center and Dodger Stadium. Her work as a barista and a bartender serves as the main source of income for her family, which includes her 7-year-old son, whose fears around the coronavirus have steadily grown. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Cannabis and cocktails amid coronavirus? State says carry on -- There may be a coronavirus pandemic, but California is making it easier than ever for housebound and anxious residents to get buzzed. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 3/25/20
Ballmer to buy Forum, clearing way for new Clippers arena -- Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is buying the Forum for $400 million, ending the billionaire’s legal fight with the Madison Square Garden Company and clearing the way to build a new arena for his NBA team down the street in Inglewood, California. Greg Beacham Associated Press -- 3/25/20
Uber Sues Los Angeles Over Data-Sharing Rules -- Uber sued the Los Angeles Department of Transportation on Tuesday, escalating a monthslong disagreement over the city’s data-collection efforts. Uber has been sparring with the city’s transportation authority. Preetika Rana and James Rundle in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/25/20
Homeless
California Leasing Hotels For Homeless People During Coronavirus Crisis — And After Could Make Them Permanent Housing -- California is currently working to lease hotels and motels for homeless people during the crisis. If that works out, it could also mean purchasing the properties from owners, who may be under economic duress after the state emerges from its efforts to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. The state may do the same with apartment buildings. Scott Rodd Capital Public Radio -- 3/25/20
Education
San Diego Unified will launch online instruction and grading by April 27 -- The district’s plan is meant to answer the concerns of many students about whether they’ll be able to finish the school year or complete course credits to move on to the next grade or graduate. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/25/20
Educating in an Outbreak: California Teachers Adapt to the New Reality of 'Distance Learning' -- Mary Vanasit, a third grade teacher in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, is holding class for the first time since her school closed four days ago. On the computer screen in front of her, 21 of her 27 students form a squirming grid, each of them in their own little video chat universe. Vanessa Rancaño KQED -- 3/25/20
Despite assurances of flexibility, educators fear liability in online instruction of special ed students -- State and federal education leaders have assured school districts they would have flexibility in serving out-of-school special education students, but some districts are still afraid of lawsuits if they are unable to appropriately educate those students amid the coronavirus crisis. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 3/25/20
Rural California district stays open despite statewide stay-at-home order -- Less than a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, one small rural school district in California remains open. Sydney Johnson EdSource -- 3/25/20
Immigration / Border
Legal battles escalate over virus dangers to immigration detainees -- A legal campaign to force the release of at-risk immigration detainees escalated Tuesday as officials announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus in a prisoner being held for immigration violations. Josh Gerstein Politico Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
‘Remain-In-Mexico’ Paused As Asylum-Seekers Stranded In Crowded Shelters During Pandemic -- For the past two weeks, as schools, businesses and government offices closed down to stem the spread of coronavirus, immigration courts in San Diego have remained open for asylum-seekers in the Trump administration’s “Remain-in-Mexico” program. Max Rivlin-Nadler KPBS -- 3/25/20
Guns
San Diego County sheriff won’t force gun stores to close — at least for now -- In response to questions about whether gun stores should remain open under a statewide order that has closed nonessential businesses, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said Tuesday that his department will not force firearm dealers in county jurisdiction to close, at least for now. David Hernandez in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/25/20
San Diego Sheriff Seeking Gun Shop Guidance From Governor -- While some San Diego county officials say gun stores are non-essential and should be closed under Governor Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order, Sheriff Bill Gore said Tuesday he wants more direction from the governor’s office. Gun stores in San Diego county have seen record sales during the coronavirus pandemic. Matt Hoffman KPBS -- 3/25/20
Also . . .
Bay Area Rep. Mark DeSaulnier stable, but remains in critical condition -- Bay Area Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s condition is stable, though he remains in critical condition after he was hospitalized with pneumonia earlier this month, his sons said Tuesday. The congressman’s sons, Tristan and Tucker DeSaulnier, said he still being treated in the intensive care unit. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/25/20
Those who intentionally spread coronavirus could be charged as terrorists -- The Justice Department offers guidance on how to deal with “purposeful exposure and infection of others.” Josh Gerstein Politico -- 3/25/20
Sewing machines become latest weapon against coronavirus as California volunteers swing into action -- Smita Paul has been sewing scarves and clothing for her small fashion business since 2003 but ever since the coronavirus struck the Bay Area and created a shortage in personal protective equipment for hospital workers, she has switched from sewing scarves to sewing masks. Nathan Frandino, Shannon Stapleton, Robin Respaut Reuters -- 3/25/20
Mexico’s coronavirus fight has just begun. Doctors say they’re already running out of masks -- As the novel coronavirus spreads in Mexico, doctors and nurses at public hospitals have begun protesting a shortage of personnel and basic supplies such as masks and gloves. Medical staff held strikes and walkouts across the country this week, warning that a lack of resources increases the risk for them and their families as well as for patients. Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Here is where airlines are parking all those grounded planes as travel dries up -- With demand for air travel in a nose dive, U.S. airlines are taking hundreds of commercial planes out of service and parking them in remote desert airports, with the hope that the aircraft will be back in the air shortly. Hugo Martín in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/25/20
Home-bound due to coronavirus, people are chalking hope on sidewalks -- All over the region, people have discovered a way to help one another battle a new sense of isolation in this coronavirus pandemic as people social distance with a simple and universal antidote: Chalk. Reassuring messages abound on sidewalks and driveways: You matter. You will be OK. This too shall pass. Susan Christian Goulding in the Orange County Register -- 3/25/20
POTUS 45
Oracle Providing White House With Software to Study Unproven Coronavirus Drugs -- The White House is preparing to use software provided by the technology giant Oracle to promote unproven coronavirus treatments, including a pair of malaria drugs publicized by President Trump, potentially before the government approves their use for the outbreak, according to five senior administration officials and others familiar with the plans. Noah Weiland and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 3/25/20
Trump Wants U.S. ‘Opened Up’ by Easter, Despite Health Officials’ Warnings -- President Trump said on Tuesday that he wanted to reopen the country for business by Easter, on April 12, despite widespread warnings from public health experts that the worst effects of the coronavirus were still weeks away and that lifting the restrictions now in place would result in unnecessary deaths. Annie Karni and Donald G. McNeil Jr. in the New York Times$ -- 3/25/20
Beltway
Andrew Cuomo to Trump administration: 'You pick the 26K people who are going to die' -- Cuomo was careful not to call out President Donald Trump by name, but said in stark terms that if U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar doesn’t release the 20,000 ventilators in the federal stockpile and the president doesn’t demand U.S. companies manufacture more, thousands of New Yorkers will die as a result. Shannon Young and Marie J. French Politico -- 3/25/20
Scramble for medical equipment descends into chaos as U.S. states and hospitals compete for rare supplies -- The market for medical supplies has descended into chaos, according to state officials and health-care leaders. They are begging the federal government to use a wartime law to bring order and ensure the United States has the gear it needs to battle the coronavirus. So far, the Trump administration has declined. Jeanne Whalen, Tony Romm, Aaron Gregg and Tom Hamburger in the Washington Post$ -- 3/25/20
-- Tuesday Updates
California scrambling to obtain virus protection gear -- “It’s going to take an heroic effort” to procure the personal protection equipment, or PPE, needed to prepare for an expected surge in COVID-19 cases, Newsom said. Among other things, he said the state would charter flights from China with gear and had heard from companies wanting to use 3-D printers to make surgical masks. Kathleen Ronayne and Brian Melley Associated Press -- 3/24/20
Virus Skeptic Musk Donates Ventilators in What Governor Calls ‘Heroic Effort’ -- The billionaire said in a tweet he helped acquire 1,255 of the machines from China last week and arranged them to be air-shipped to Los Angeles. He thanked Tesla staff and customs officials in China and Los Angeles for assistance. Sophie Alexander and Blake Schmidt Bloomberg -- 3/24/20
Coronavirus hospitalizations climbing sharply in L.A., likely the approaching wave -- A steep rise in people being hospitalized with COVID-19 in Los Angeles County likely signals the approach of a wave of extremely sick patients that could overwhelm hospitals in the coming weeks, experts say. As of March 6, five people in the county had been hospitalized at some point with COVID-19. Two weeks later, on Friday, that figure had jumped to 48. By Monday, the total had climbed to 90. Soumya Karlamangla, Harriet Ryan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/20
Coronavirus: When will Bay Area hospitals see surge in patients? -- Even as they frantically stock up on protective gear and jump through the hoops of converting regular rooms to intensive care beds, Bay Area hospitals say they are not yet seeing the surge in coronavirus patients that state officials have warned is on the way. Emily DeRuy, John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/24/20
Gun stores must close amid coronavirus restrictions, L.A. County sheriff says -- Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Tuesday said gun shops are nonessential businesses and if they don’t close their doors, they will be cited and face the loss of their business licenses. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/20
Key medical glove factories cutting staff 50% amid virus -- Malaysia’s medical glove factories, which make most of the world’s critical hand protection, are operating at half capacity just when they’re most needed, The Associated Press has learned. Juliet Linderman and Martha Mendoza Associated Press -- 3/24/20
Incomplete data
California is way behind in testing and tracking coronavirus. It’s a big problem -- A fragmented landscape akin to an orchestra playing without a conductor has emerged with public officials at the city, county and state levels scrambling to come up with testing options and priorities. At the same time, various universities and an increasing number of private, for-profit labs have developed their own testing schemes. The result has been a confusing, incomplete picture of the virus in California. Joel Rubin, Anita Chabria, Taryn Luna, Melody Petersen, Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/20
Six Bay Area counties demand coronavirus testing data from labs -- Seven Bay Area jurisdictions have demanded that academic, commercial and pop-up labs report all COVID-19 testing data, including negatives, to health authorities as they attempt to track the fast-spreading virus across the region. Fiona Kelliher in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/24/20
Spread
L.A. County has first youth death amid coronavirus outbreak, with cases over 660 -- Los Angeles County on Tuesday confirmed four more deaths linked to the coronavirus, including one previously reported in the city of Long Beach. The deaths include an individual under the age of 18, the first such death reported in the county. Taryn Luna, Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Colleen Shalby, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ Hayley Munguia in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/24/20
How much of a risk does the coronavirus pose to children? -- Data on the novel coronavirus currently has shown very few cases of serious illness or death in children and young adults, but experts say that doesn’t mean they’re immune or will not become infected. Alicia Robinson in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/24/20
Trump will use Defense Production Act to secure thousands of test kits -- FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor said the Trump administration on Tuesday will formally implement the Defense Production Act to secure medical equipment sorely needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic. "So, just a little while ago my team came in, and we're actually going to use the DPA for first time today," Gaynor told CNN. Quint Forgey, Sarah Owermohle and Megan Cassella Politico -- 3/24/20
Coronavirus updates: Santa Clara County now counts 375 cases of coronavirus -- Santa Clara County reported three more deaths from COVID-19 complications, bringing the toll there to 16. In addition, the county reported 54 new confirmed cases. The new results equate to 375 cases across Santa Clara County. Amy Graff, Alyssa Pereira in the San Francisco Chronicle Evan Webeck in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/24/20
Guests at Trump National Golf Club disco party get coronavirus -- It underscores that in a pandemic, certain motions of daily life no more extraordinary and no less cherished than a birthday party can turn perilous, seeding a crowd with a sickness that blooms as the party breaks up, carrying it home, to work — everywhere. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/20
Long Beach reports 7 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 28 -- One of the new cases was that of a Cal State Long Beach student, which the university reported earlier Tuesday. CSULB officials announced another case, but that student is not included in the city’s tally because they are not a Long Beach resident. Hayley Munguia in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ Priscella Vega, Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$-- 3/24/20
‘You spit in our face:’ San Mateo County health officer blasts those ignoring coronavirus order -- The San Mateo County health officer lambasted those flouting shelter-in-place rules Monday, writing in an unrestrained letter that residents “spit in our face” by leaving home unnecessarily. Fiona Kelliher in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/24/20
3 sailors on deployed San Diego-based aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt test positive for COVID-19 -- Three sailors on the San Diego-based aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for COVID-19, Thomas Modly, the acting secretary of the Navy, announced Tuesday at a Pentagon press briefing. The affected sailors were flown off the ship and taken to a Defense Department hospital, said Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations. Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/24/20
Jobs
These companies are hiring right now in the Bay Area -- Unemployment is climbing as shelter-in-place orders change life around the nation. But for those seeking jobs, not all businesses are instituting hiring freezes or eliminating positions. Katie Dowd in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/24/20
Economy
Airline cutbacks batter Bay Area airports -- So far this week, San Jose International Airport has suffered more than 200 flight cancellations, Oakland International Airport has endured in excess of 150 flight cancellations, and San Francisco International Airport has experienced about 790 canceled flights, according to blogs that track nationwide airline delays and cancellations. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/24/20
Fox: During Time of Crisis Property Tax is Stable—for Now -- The state of California is bracing for a hit in revenue because of the COVID-19 crisis. Income taxes, sales taxes and corporate taxes, the three pillars holding up the state budget, are expected to fall precipitously. Property taxes, however, may not be reduced much, if at all, thanks to California’s Proposition 13 property tax system. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 3/24/20
Social Distancing
California tourist towns demand outsiders stay home. ‘Someone is going to get shot’ -- Mono County over the weekend banned most short-term vacation rentals in an effort to prevent tourists from carrying the new coronavirus into the isolated, resource-strapped community. The decision followed a wave of similar announcements that have derailed ski trips, hobbled backpacking plans, and landed a devastating blow to local tourism-dependent economies across the West. Ryan Sabalow and Jason Pohl in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/24/20
Some beaches stay open, others shut down – why coastal closures are varying during coronavirus response -- In Seal Beach and Laguna Beach, you’ll be ushered off the sand, possibly even fined, by authorities looking to distance people from each other to curb the coronavirus spread. At California State Parks beaches throughout Southern California and stretches of coast managed by Los Angeles County, you won’t be able to access parking spots in most lots, but as of Tuesday morning, the beaches were still be open to people who can walk, jog or ride bikes into the area. Laylan Connelly in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Jeremy B. White and Debra Kahn Politico -- 3/24/20
To slow coronavirus spread, Orange County moves to close parking lots at beaches, parks -- Like its neighbors up and down the California coast, Orange County is moving to restrict parking access to its parks and beaches in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, officials said Tuesday. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/20
Andrew Cuomo to Trump administration: 'You pick the 26K people who are going to die' -- Cuomo was careful not to call out President Donald Trump by name, but said in stark terms that if U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar doesn’t release the 20,000 ventilators in the federal stockpile and the president doesn’t demand U.S. companies manufacture more, thousands of New Yorkers will die as a result. Shannon Young and Marie J. French Politico -- 3/24/20
Also . . .
Davis, Peters report stock and bond sales after COVID-19 briefing -- Rep. Susan Davis recently disclosed the sale of tens of thousands of dollars worth of airline and cruise ship stocks two weeks after a congressional briefing on the COVID-19 outbreak that has wreaked havoc on financial markets. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/24/20