Updating . .
Coronavirus deaths surge in California as officials prepare for challenging weeks ahead -- The number of coronavirus-related deaths in California jumped to 285 as officials warned of tough weeks ahead. The state recorded 39 deaths Friday, the largest one-day total so far. But California’s COVID-19 toll is still lower than those of some other states, and officials believe California’s strict social distancing rules are beginning to make a difference. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
The waiting: Bay Area braces for coronavirus surge -- Shelter-in-place efforts appear to have slowed the spread of the virus, but projections place California on the upward slope of the pandemic curve. It’s impossible to predict when the peak will hit, or how hard, but across the Bay Area people are worried about the climb, anticipating the moment infections might overwhelm the system. Sarah Feldberg in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Shelter in place? Bay Area does it best, tracking app shows -- New data compiled by a location-tracking app suggests that when it comes to sheltering in place, Bay Area residents have been particularly compliant. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Bay Area police, firefighter cases grow as region’s deadly apex nears -- San Francisco police are shuffling patrols and ordering officers to wear masks. Fire and ambulance crews in Oakland are now forced to refuse medical transport for those deemed not sick enough, due to fears the patients could become infected or sicken others if taken to the hospital. Across the Bay Area, fewer arrests are being made. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Coronavirus claims 1,000 U.S. lives in a single day -- United States on Friday recorded at least 1,000 COVID-19 deaths in a single day, a sad milestone in the nation’s war to stop the spread of the novel virus, according to figures maintained by Johns Hopkins University. Erin B. Logan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Front Lines
‘Long on fear, short of gear’: Inside California hospitals as they wait for coronavirus surge -- Nurses, doctors and thousands of medical workers inside California hospitals are already struggling through intense days — and intense emotions — as the wave of expected COVID-19 patients turns from a distant shadow to a roaring peril. Anita Chabria, Soumya Karlamangla, Matt Hamilton, Harriet Ryan, Kiera Feldman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Rationing
Coronavirus ethics: Which patients get ventilators, and how will California hospitals decide? -- Any day, the unthinkable could happen. Coronavirus cases could surge in California — as they did in China, Italy and now New York. Hospitals overwhelmed with patients desperately sick with COVID-19 would have to choose who gets limited resources such as ICU beds or ventilators. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Masks
‘Asymptomatic transmission’ is driving the coronavirus pandemic, experts say -- As the coronavirus landed in the U.S. in January, scientists began whispering about an apparent difference from its notorious sibling, the virus that caused SARS: People infected with this one could easily infect others — even if they had no symptoms. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
The new coronavirus might spread when people talk, but scientists say masks can help -- It’s possible that the new coronavirus can spread from person to person simply by talking, or even breathing, according to new guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Wear a mask! OK, but what kind? -- Wear a bandana, scarf or dust mask when you go out to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus. Just don't use the medical-grade N95 masks. Julie Cart Calmatters -- 4/4/20
How to keep your coronavirus face mask clean -- The California Department of Public Health recommends frequently washing cloth face masks — ideally after each use, or at least daily. Place the coverings in a bag or bin until they can be washed with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle (or at least washed with hot, soapy water). Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Spread
27 test positive at Orinda nursing home in one of state’s biggest outbreaks -- An investigation this week into a nursing home in Orinda revealed that the coronavirus swept through the 47-bed facility, infecting a total of 27 people in what is one of the largest reported outbreaks at a single location in California. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
How the Bay Area got a jump start on the coronavirus — and the CDC missed a chance -- A small survey in early March of Santa Clara County residents who had respiratory symptoms but did not have the flu found that 11% of them tested positive for the coronavirus — striking findings that helped trigger an aggressive public health response and eventually the Bay Area shelter-in-place orders, according to a report released Friday. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
In rural Northern California, dread and denial greet coronavirus’ slower creep -- From her bakery in the Gold Rush town of Quincy, Calif., Amy Carey said the last few weeks have felt like the great wait. Hailey Branson-Potts, Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Here is the latest list of L.A. County communities with coronavirus cases -- Los Angeles County confirmed 11 new coronavirus-related deaths Friday, bringing its toll to 91, and 521 new cases overall, bringing that total to more than 4,500. The number of new cases in the county increased by more than 1,000 within 48 hours. About 541 residents are hospitalized for COVID-19, officials said. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
The controversial story of the Sacramento Slavic church linked to 71 coronavirus infections -- And now Bethany Slavic and its 3,500 members have found themselves accused by Sacramento County health officials of blatantly violating the stay-at-home orders designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Dr. Peter Beilenson, county’s health director, said 71 people linked to the church, including congregants and people they know, have been infected with the virus, including one person who has died. The cluster at Bethany Slavic accounts for nearly one-fifth of all the COVID-19 cases in the county as of Friday. Dale Kasler and Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20
Distancing
She moved in with 17 roommates for the company and to save money. Then came coronavirus -- Early Saturday evening in a bright, three-story shared-living apartment complex in Venice, two twenty-somethings, Jake Viramontez-Smith and Colin Huitfeldt, sat on the couch in a living room watching a movie while their housemate, Julia O. Test, cooked a vegan supper in the kitchen. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Layoffs
Alameda County 911 ambulance provider weighs furlough during coronavirus crisis -- In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the company contracted to provide 911 ambulance services for Alameda County may soon dial back its operations and furlough many of its 600 employees, The Chronicle has learned. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Queen Mary might be used to help with coronavirus medical response, Long Beach says -- Long Beach is considering using the Queen Mary as some type of medical facility as it battles the spread of the coronavirus, officials say. Although few details were provided, the city said in a statement Saturday that the use of the historic attraction and hotel docked in Long Beach Harbor was under consideration. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Testing
These anxious Californians took a COVID-19 test. Then they waited for results ... and waited -- Dominguez’s story of waiting days for test results is one of the frustrating realities of the COVID-19 pandemic as government and private labs across the globe strain to test hundreds of thousands of samples as the disease spreads through communities. Experts say the delays in testing make it difficult to track where the disease is hitting hardest, and in turn, allocate medical staff and resources where they are needed most. It’s a particular challenge for California. Ryan Sabalow and Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20
The Recovered
‘Out of danger?’: They recovered from coronavirus but now worry what’s next -- Gene Qin was so worried the coronavirus coursing through his system would kill him that he tried to keep himself awake all night so it wouldn’t take him in his sleep. At age 72 with a history of heart spasms, he figured he was a prime candidate for succumbing to the pandemic that is taking an especially high toll on older people. Julia Prodis Sulek in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/4/20
New Normal
Yes, there’s an egg shortage in the Bay Area. But only for some shoppers. -- Alongside empty toilet paper and paper towel aisles, refrigerators with barren egg shelves are a more frequent sight these days. A San Jose Whole Foods and a Dublin Safeway were two locations that ran out of eggs this week, among what is surely at least a few more across the Bay Area. Michael Nowels and Kerry Crowley in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/4/20
Working from home? Here are answers to questions about taxes, expenses and lunch -- Employees working from home because of the coronavirus have raised questions about taxes, expense reimbursement and lunchtime. Here are answers to some of their questions. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Passover Seders shift online during Bay Area shelter in place -- Instead, Walder-Biesanz and girlfriend Ellen Liu will be hosting their Seder via Zoom video conferencing, inviting about 20 of their Bay Area friends and family members to partake in the event. They still plan to go through the traditional asking of questions, eating symbolic Kosher foods and performing different readings — and songs — at their Seder, but it will all be happening over electronic screens. Tony Bravo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Nursing Assistants
Pandemic exposes low pay and scant protections for nursing assistants and home-care aides -- As a certified nursing assistant, Smit makes just over $14 an hour to bathe, feed, and reposition patients recovering from car accidents, strokes, and major surgeries like hip replacements. When elective surgeries were suspended last week as the coronavirus spread from hot spots such as New Orleans, Smit began caring for patients with symptoms of COVID-19. Rowan Moore Gerety in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Guns
Gun rights group sues L.A. over closure of firearms stores during coronavirus -- The lawsuit, whose plaintiffs include the California Rifle & Pistol Assn. and stores selling firearms in the San Fernando Valley, states that although Mayor Eric Garcetti did not expressly name gun stores in his written order, both Garcetti and City Atty. Mike Feuer have stated that they must close and the police department has ordered them to shut down. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Also . . .
Lopez: When it comes to coronavirus, she’s L.A.'s version of Dr. Fauci -- On Thursday, when L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer sniffled during one of her daily televised pandemic briefings, my mind went to the obvious. Was she OK? TV reporter Dave Lopez was wondering the same thing and asked that very question. “I have allergies,” Ferrer said, apologizing. “No, I’m not sick.” Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
California Policy & Politics Saturday Morning
Politics
Coronavirus will keep California Legislature away until May -- The future of the legislative session is murky as California shows no signs of letting up soon on its lockdown measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Adam Beam Associated Press John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20-- 4/4/20
Another member of fire panel resigns, criticizes PG&E plan -- Karin Gowins, the former comptroller for Paradise, told The Associated Press Friday that she resigned from the bankruptcy committee overseeing the claims of wildfire victims so she can publicly lambaste what she believes is a deeply flawed, $13.5 billion settlement with PG&E. Michael Liedtke Associated Press -- 4/4/20
Coronavirus Surge
Bay Area braces for coronavirus surge: Hospitals get ready to care for patients, protect workers -- Kaiser Permanente in Northern California has pitched tents to fill with COVID-19 patients. San Francisco General Hospital has rented more ventilators and fixed others. Seton Medical Center in Daly City has received enough masks and goggles to protect workers for a month — a day before they would have run out. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
How the Bay Area got a jump start on the coronavirus — and the country missed a chance -- A small survey in early March of Santa Clara County residents who had respiratory symptoms but did not have the flu found that 11% of them tested positive for the coronavirus. — striking findings that helped trigger an aggressive public health response and eventually the Bay Area shelter-in-place orders, according to a report released Friday. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Why does COVID-19 kill some, not others? Answer may lie in human immune system -- Infectious disease specialists increasingly believe the perplexing randomness of who gets sickest may have less to do with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease, than it does with some people’s overly robust immune responses to the infection. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Front Lines
Bay Area doctors treating coronavirus patients rush to draw up wills, just in case: ‘We have to be brave’ -- Imagining the future is often a luxury for parents with little kids who have immediate needs like eating, getting their diapers changed and finding that lost toy — right now. But many families, particularly those helmed by doctors and nurses, are realizing the coronavirus pandemic means planning for the worst-case scenario and they must jump to the top of the list. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
O.C. sold 100,000 medical-grade coronavirus masks, citing expiration dates -- Just prior to the current scramble for hospital-grade N95 masks, Orange County auctioned about 100,000 expired masks — only to see Centers for Disease Control then ease guidelines to allow for the old masks to be used in some circumstances. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 4/4/20
Coronavirus: Orange County House members, companies get out more protective gear -- MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley got a welcome delivery Friday afternoon, as Rep. Harley Rouda showed up with thousands of gloves, hundreds of face shields, 20 respirators and other equipment needed for healthcare workers and patients battling the coronavirus pandemic. Brooke Staggs in the Orange County Register -- 4/4/20
This is how we’re getting extra doctors and nurses to fight coronavirus -- Hospitals have three broad strategies, according to health workforce experts: reposition existing staffers, keep their staffs intact by keeping the workers healthy, and hire reinforcements. But each sets off a complicated chain reaction that ripples through the organization. Emmanuel Morgan, Geoffrey Mohan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Sean Penn’s nonprofit boosts COVID-19 testing efforts in Los Angeles -- As the need for COVID-19 testing grows, the city of Los Angeles received an unexpected boost from actor Sean Penn and his nonprofit organization, Community Organized Relief Effort. The group, known as CORE, has been working with L.A. officials to run operations at some coronavirus drive-through testing facilities. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Scripps Research finds ‘possible Achilles heel’ in the coronavirus -- Scripps Research in La Jolla reported on Friday that there appears to be a specific area of the coronavirus that could be targeted with drugs and other therapies, a finding that also could help with the development of a vaccine. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/4/20
Dying Alone
Palliative Care Doctors Turn to Technology to Help Those Dying Alone -- There’s too much risk of visitors getting sick or infecting critical frontline staff, and there’s not enough protective equipment to go around. So the new policy at UCSF and hospitals across the country is: One visitor, and only for patients who are actively dying. April Dembosky KQED -- 4/4/20
Masks
Should you wear a face mask? Can you donate hand-sewn masks -- The coronavirus pandemic has caused a critical shortage of face masks for health care professionals. But what about everyday people who want to protect themselves against COVID-19? After sending out conflicting messages early on, scientists and public health officials are now universally recommending that the public wear face coverings to slow the spread of the virus. Here’s a quick look at what you need to know about face masks and coronavirus: Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
CDC recommends wearing face masks during coronavirus pandemic -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now advising Americans to voluntarily wear a basic cloth or fabric face mask when they go out to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus. These non-medical masks can be either purchased online or simply made at home, the CDC says. Chris Megerian, Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Luke Money, Kailyn Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
New state guidance: Wear a cloth mask, but keep your distance -- But those masks should not be surgical or N95 respirator masks. Medical masks should be be reserved for health care workers, health officials say. Instead, Californians are advised that covering their face with home-made cloth masks, bandanas, scarves, even T-shirts is beneficial as an additive safety measure. Mike Moffitt in the San Francisco Chronicle Michelle Wiley, Matthew Green KQED -- 4/4/20
Is simple breathing enough to spread coronavirus? Some experts now say yes -- Officials downplayed the need for widescale protective gear for all health care workers and dismissed the use of face masks for the general public as potentially dangerous. Now — as California’s governor encourages people to cover their faces when they go outside, and as health-care workers continue to sound alarms about a lack of protective gear — much has changed. Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 4/4/20
Spread
27 people at Bay Area nursing home positive for coronavirus: ‘We are very very concerned’ -- Contra Costa County health officials said the facility, the 47-bed Orinda Care Center, notified public health officials on Tuesday that two residents were sent to the hospital with symptoms. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ Eric Ting in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/4/20
Nurse at Stockton’s St. Joseph’s Hospital collapses at home, dies after coronavirus diagnosis -- A Lodi registered nurse who died of complications from coronavirus has become another cautionary tale for front-line RNs who say they are desperate for equipment to help treat sick patients. Cathie Anderson and Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20
‘We are reeling’: Coronavirus kills two Riverside sheriff’s deputies in 24 hours -- In the end, it was not the bombs he disarmed, the suspicious packages he retrieved or the meth labs he raided that killed David Werksman, a 22-year deputy with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. It was the coronavirus. Matthew Ormseth, Kailyn Brown, Nicole Santa Cruz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Orange County coronavirus infections more than double in a week, now top 700 -- Orange County reported 57 new coronavirus infections Friday, hiking its total number of cases to 711 — more than double what it was a week ago. The county’s death toll remained unchanged at 13 — the first time in four days that more COVID-19-related fatalities haven’t been reported in the region. Luke Money, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
2 Orange County jail deputies contract coronavirus as battle escalates over early releases -- Two Orange County sheriff’s deputies assigned to county jails have tested positive for the coronavirus as prosecutors and defense lawyers battled Friday over the continued early release of inmates from behind bars. Tony Saavedra in the Orange County Register -- 4/4/20
San Diego County COVID-19 Cases Pass 1,000 Mark -- The number of COVID-19 cases in San Diego County increased by 146 Friday, the largest local increase since the epidemic began and enough to have the county cross the 1,000-case milestone. KPBS -- 4/4/20
Immigrant detainee, second employee at Otay Mesa Detention Center test positive for COVID-19 -- An immigrant detainee at Otay Mesa Detention Center has tested positive for COVID-19, some detainees were told by facility officials on Friday. Briseida Salazar, 23, said that officials called a town hall in her unit Friday afternoon to tell them a person in one of the men’s units had tested positive for the virus. That man had been in quarantine since Wednesday, officials told Salazar and the 80-some women in her unit. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/4/20
Four San Diego Sheriff’s Employees, One Jail Inmate Test Positive For COVID-19 -- The staffers — it was not immediately clear whether they are deputies, other types of workers or both — were "doing fine" under the supervision of the sheriff's Medical Liaison Unit, according to the agency. "This is all the information we will release about these employees out of respect for their privacy and in keeping with privacy laws," sheriff's said in a prepared statement. KPBS -- 4/4/20
Nurses
California nursing students get path to degree amid pandemic -- Because of the outbreak, hospitals began shutting down hands-on training for medical students — a key requirement for graduation — because of the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus. That left up to 10,000 nursing students who were close to graduating without a way to complete their degree requirements and enter the workforce at a time when California is seeking more medical workers to fight the virus. Cuneyt Dil Associated Press -- 4/4/20
Distancing
L.A. files criminal charges against four stores for refusing to close amid coronavirus -- Los Angeles prosecutors on Friday filed criminal charges against two smoke shops, a shoe store and a discount electronics retailer, accusing them of refusing to shut down despite orders imposed to fight the coronavirus. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Officials losing patience with coronavirus scofflaws -- Many beaches, parks and hiking trails around the state and most beach parking lots have been closed because they attracted large crowds. On Thursday, a paddleboarder near the Malibu pier was taken into custody and cited for a misdemeanor after he allegedly ignored lifeguards’ orders to leave the water, authorities said. Robert Jablon Associated Press -- 4/4/20
El Dorado County: Visitors must stay away from Lake Tahoe during coronavirus outbreak -- El Dorado County’s chief health official on Friday issued a no-travel order for the Lake Tahoe Basin, telling visitors to stay away from the popular vacation spot. Officials say the area continues to attract too many people, despite a statewide stay-at-home order to slow the spread of coronavirus. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20
San Diego Boating, swimming, surfing prohibited countywide during outbreak -- Recreational boating, swimming and surfing will be prohibited countywide beginning Saturday under new county orders directed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, which claimed the life of another resident and reached 1,000 local cases as of Friday. County officials also announced that restaurant workers are included in a new order requiring employees in certain jobs to cover their faces while at work, joining grocery store, convenience store, pharmacy and gas-station employees. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/4/20
New Normal
SF outlaws reusable bags, which the city once championed -- San Francisco, which once championed reusable shopping bags to reduce plastic waste, has banned the environmentally friendly totes in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Mike Moffitt in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/4/20
Information Rich Information Poor
Hot spots: Pandemic pushes California to bridge a digital divide -- The demands of social distancing have revealed the digital divide to be a chasm. California is partnering with Google to close it. Here's what that means. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 4/4/20
Staying afloat
Even retirees with resources find coronavirus is upending their financial plans -- The economic gut punch of the coronavirus pandemic is being felt by retirees. Even those who have savings and other resources now fear that the financial stability they had envisioned for their post-working years is gone. James F. Peltz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Review: WAHVE offers remote work for seasoned workers in accounting, insurance -- WAHVE finds jobs in the insurance, accounting and human resources fields. The site is looking for people in their 50s and 60s who want flexible schedules. WAHVE is primarily interested in people with contemporary experience, who won’t mind taking a pay cut for additional flexibility. Kathy Kristof in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Waiting for stimulus check or unemployment benefits? Here’s when they might arrive -- Another two weeks and that cash payment of $1,200 or more should be in most people’s bank accounts. But if you are getting a paper check, or just lost your job, it could take a lot longer to see at least some of your benefits. Washington and Sacramento officials say they’re working furiously to get economic aid to the people who need it most, which nowadays is just about everyone. But not all money is going to come everyone’s way at the same time. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20
Scams
39 million masks for hospitals never materialized. Federal officials are investigating -- Experts in the global supply chain say that dubious middlemen have flooded the market with suspect offers, creating an atmosphere of confusion and distrust just as hospitals are desperate to arm their front-line personnel with the gear they need to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus. Adam Elmahrek, Harriet Ryan, Ben Poston in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Layoffs
Disneyland union leaders remain in talks with company: ‘The furlough is going to happen’ -- Disneyland union leaders remain in negotiations with Disney labor relations officials over the details of an impending furlough that has already been issued to the company’s non-union theme park employees in the United States. Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 4/4/20
Transit
El Dorado Transit buses now free, including those on Sacramento route, to slow coronavirus -- El Dorado Transit services will be free starting Saturday, including commuter routes into downtown Sacramento, as a way to reduce the financial burden on passengers and comply with social distancing requirements needed to slow the coronavirus spread. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20
Homeless
California homeless advocate: ‘We’re moving way too slowly’ -- Since the beginning of an international pandemic, experts have known one population is particularly vulnerable to contracting and spreading the coronavirus: the homeless. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other elected officials have vowed repeatedly to get them indoors. On Friday, Newsom announced that money from the federal government will help pay for 15,000 hotel rooms during the pandemic. Janie Har Associated Press -- 4/4/20
Nearly 900 placed into hotels, motels — a fraction of California’s homeless -- Amid an alarming spike in the spread of coronavirus in shelters and criticism that hotels rooms are sitting empty, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that nearly 900 homeless Californians have been placed into hotels and motels under a first-in-the-nation federal partnership to provide shelter during the coronavirus outbreak. Matt Levin Calmatters -- 4/4/20
Alameda County Mobilizes to Get At-Risk Homeless Residents Into Hotels -- In the span of nine days, public health officials in Alameda County went from negotiating a lease agreement with a hotelier in Oakland to housing their first guest on March 25 — a resident experiencing homelessness who was showing symptoms of COVID-19. Erin Baldassari KQED -- 4/4/20
Senior residents protest hotel planned for homeless coronavirus patients, operator says it will be isolated and locked down -- Plans to temporarily use a hotel to house homeless people who may have contracted the coronavirus are meant to protect the community and easy the burden on local hospitals, officials said, but surrounding senior residents of Laguna Woods are protesting in fear they are being put at risk. Laylan Connelly in the Orange County Register -- 4/4/20
Housing
Building homes in Valley is deemed essential — but not easy — amid coronavirus outbreak -- Construction — especially building homes — is considered an essential task in California amid the coronavirus outbreak. And scores of construction projects are underway in the San Fernando Valley. But some developers say they have nonetheless been forced to put their projects on hold as the pandemic worsens. Olga Grigoryants in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/4/20
Inmates
Sacramento public defenders go to appeals court to fight for more jail releases -- Public defenders are demanding a state appeals court release seven Sacramento County inmates, accusing Sacramento Superior Court judges of refusing to act to protect inmates’ and the public’s health during the coronavirus crisis. Darrell Smith and Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20
Bail reduced to zero for dozens of misdemeanors in effort to keep people out of jail during pandemic -- Criminal justice system leaders in San Diego have agreed to a list of 57 crimes that will carry a zero bail amount for anyone charged with the offenses, part of an ongoing response to calibrate the criminal justice system to the COVID-19 epidemic. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/4/20
Business Survival
Bay Area businesses eager for $349 billion in coronavirus loans, but bank rules stymie applicants -- Banks didn’t get clear guidelines from the federal government until Thursday, a day before the loan program was supposed to open for business. The lenders struggled to put up online applications. Business owners decried strict measures banks put in place. Fraud and whether banks would be liable for it were major concerns. Shwanika Narayan and Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Wells Fargo, other lenders miss debut of small business rescue -- Small businesses had mixed results Friday trying to apply for loans on the first day of an unprecedented federal relief program, with some banks including Wells Fargo & Co. saying they weren’t ready as lenders across the country grappled with lack of detailed guidelines from the government. Mark Niquette, Michael Sasso and Hannah Levitt, Bloomberg via in the Orange County Register -- 4/4/20
Bay Area small businesses: How to get coronavirus financial help -- In late March, Congress passed and President Trump signed the Cares Act, which offers programs designed specifically for small businesses. San Francisco and other local governments are offering their own ßassistance to keep this vital sector of the economy going. Here are the things small business owners need to know. Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Hiltzik: Here’s how one L.A. business owner is navigating government help for the coronavirus -- On Tuesday, Darryl Holter was feeling frantic. The co-owner of two very different small businesses — the Larchmont neighborhood’s Chevalier’s Books and Felix Chevrolet in downtown Los Angeles — Holter was trying to complete applications for government small business loans for both so they could be sent to his bank before Friday. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
Military
Sailors on coronavirus-infected ship give fired captain emotional send-off -- Hours after he was dismissed from command of his nuclear aircraft carrier for sounding alarms about a coronavirus outbreak, Navy Capt. Brett Crozier received a hero’s send-off Friday from hundreds of sailors on his ship. Matthias Gafni and Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Courts
Trial by video conference? Not yet, but coronavirus forces Bay Area courts to embrace more virtual proceedings -- Jurors can’t sit alongside one another. Defendants can’t confront their accusers in person. Judges, lawyers, clients and witnesses communicate electronically from a distance. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Education
Stanford, UC Berkeley among schools still planning to charge full tuition for spring term -- Stanford undergraduate students begin their spring quarter Monday scattered across the country as they shift to the curious reality of online classes. Another, more familiar reality looms May 15, when tuition is due for the quarter. Ron Kroichick in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
As economic crisis worsens, Sacramento school district approves dozens of layoffs -- Sacramento City Unified school board members approved to a motion to lay off classified employees Thursday night during a board meeting over Zoom. The 46.5 full-time equivalent positions, which include bus drivers, clerks, campus monitors, yard duty employees and instructional aides will be eliminated effective July 1. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/20
CIF cancels California high school spring sports season over coronavirus -- The state’s high school sports governing body head said Friday the CIF was simply following the lead of California state school Superintendent Tony Thurmond, who announced earlier this week that schools will not reopen this academic year. Mitch Stephens in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
How Peg + Cat can be a math class during coronovirus school closures -- In a partnership designed to provide students and parents — especially low-income households without Wi-Fi access — an alternative to online classes, the Los Angeles school district teamed up with PBS SoCal/KCET and San Francisco’s KQED to offer a slate of educational programming. Arit John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/20
With candor and compassion, Jim Harris seeks a new normal for the University of San Diego -- University of San Diego President Jim Harris fished a smartphone out of his pocket, scrolled through a blizzard of emails and chose one that captures the mood of the campus. The message was from a senior who said he’d taken challenging courses and put in long nights of study. Then came a plea: “I ask you to please do everything in your power to not cancel graduation.” Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/4/20
Water
Following California’s water as another dry spell looms -- What does a Central Valley almond farmer have in common with a San Diego homeowner? The answer is simple: Water. More specifically, the amount of water they need to sustain their respective lifestyles — which is a lot. Ryan Kaika Capitol Weekly -- 4/4/20
Environment
California issues first new fracking permits since July -- California issued 24 hydraulic fracturing permits on Friday, authorizing the first new oil wells in the state since July of last year and angering environmental groups who have been pressuring the state to ban the procedure known as fracking. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 4/4/20
Also . . .
A comeback for victory gardens amid Bay Area coronavirus shutdown -- The push toward making gardens productive is being driven during this time in part by worries about the ongoing integrity of the food system. Those who’ve already seen runs on flour, yeast and rice at their local grocery stores wonder what’ll run out next. Alec Scott in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Coronavirus can’t stop Bay Area weddings -- On March 20, the couple wed in front of six friends at the overlook outside the UC Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science. One of the friends, having been ordained online for a previous wedding, officiated. Guests brought their own cups for Champagne, for fear of germs; the cups went mostly unclinked. The bride and groom’s families watched remotely from phones held aloft. Alix Wall in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/4/20
Famed Bob’s Big Boy diner in Northridge is reviving its carhop service amid coronavirus outbreak -- The Bob’s Big Boy diner famed for its hot fudge cake, double-deck cheeseburger and a statue of a husky lad in overalls is bringing back carhops to its Northridge location. Olga Grigoryants in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/4/20
POTUS 45
Trump fires intelligence community watchdog who defied him on whistleblower complaint -- President Donald Trump has fired the intelligence community’s chief watchdog, Michael Atkinson, who was the first to sound the alarm to Congress last September about an “urgent” complaint he received from an intelligence official involving Trump’s communications with Ukraine’s president. Natasha Bertrand and Andrew Desiderio Politico -- 4/4/20
How Trump surprised his own team by ruling out Obamacare -- The president personally opposed reopening the Obamacare marketplaces when presented with the option, one person familiar with the decision said – prompting the creation of a new initiative that federal officials are now rushing to construct. “You have a perfectly good answer in front of you, and instead you’re going to make another one up,” said one Republican close to the administration. “It’s purely ideological.” Adam Cancryn, Nancy Cook and Susannah Luthi Politico -- 4/4/20
Tensions Persist Between Trump and Medical Advisers Over the Coronavirus -- Rarely has the schism between President Trump and his own public health advisers over the coronavirus pandemic been put on display quite so starkly. Even as he announced a new federal recommendation on Friday that Americans wear masks when out in public, he immediately disavowed it: “I am choosing not to do it.” Peter Baker, Maggie Haberman and James Glanz in the New York Times$ -- 4/4/20
Beltway
Inside the coronavirus testing failure: Alarm and dismay among the scientists who sought to help -- Lab scientists expressed dismay at the Trump administration’s failure to move quickly and at bureaucratic demands that delayed coronavirus testing. Shawn Boburg, Robert O'Harrow Jr., Neena Satija and Amy Goldstein in the Washington Post$ -- 4/4/20
-- Friday Updates
L.A. moves to prosecute eight businesses that refuse to close amid coronavirus -- Mayor Eric Garcetti said eight businesses had been referred for criminal prosecution for failing to comply with the city’s strict Safer at Home order that prohibits nonessential work in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Luke Money, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Senate leader: California Legislature won’t return April 13 -- The California Legislature recessed on March 16 shortly after approving a $1 billion spending package to address the COVID-19 outbreak. It was believed to be the first unexpected work stoppage for the California Legislature in 158 years, according to Alex Vassar, an unofficial legislative historian at the California State Library. Adam Beam Associated Press Kailyn Brown, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Coronavirus complicates California wildfire preparation; raises worry over evacuation shelters -- Of greatest concern to Red Cross officials is preventing the spread of illness at evacuation centers, which can quickly grow crowded with evacuees of all ages. Another question is how battalions of firefighters might guard against the pathogen while battling flames in close formations, or while eating and sleeping in fire base camps that were notorious for outbreaks of “camp crud” even before the pandemic. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Front Lines
L.A. County emerges as a coronavirus center in California as deaths, cases jump -- The death toll from the coronavirus jumped again Thursday to 78 in Los Angeles County as officials warned residents “many weeks of work” were ahead before the region might see signs that the spread was slowing. Hannah Fry, John Myers, Paige St. John, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
How badly will the coronavirus hit San Francisco? -- A top San Francisco health official warned that hospitals still could be overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, even as officials elsewhere expressed cautious hope the statewide stay-at-home order to stem the spread of the virus was working. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Big guns fighting the coronavirus -- These Bay Area scientists and medical researchers are in a race to stop the coronavirus — their collaboration may be the secret weapon. We talk to 10 of them. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/3/20
UC San Diego Engineers, Doctors Upgrading, Testing Ventilators To Fight COVID-19 -- Engineers and doctors across the country are racing to build and fix ventilators as the number of people with COVID-19 climbs. That includes engineers from UC San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering and doctors from UC San Diego Medical Center. Shalina Chatlani KPBS -- 4/3/20
Second Southern California sheriff’s deputy dies of COVID-19 -- Another Riverside County sheriff’s deputy has died from the coronavirus, becoming the third member of law enforcement to die of COVID-19 in California. The Sheriff’s Department announced Friday morning that Deputy David Werksman had died the day before. Deputy Terrell Young also died of the virus Thursday. Stefanie Dazio Associated Press Kim Guimarin, Brian Rokos in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 4/3/20
Deputy who died of coronavirus likely contracted it from jail inmate, Riverside sheriff says -- Bianco said he believes Young contracted the virus from an inmate whom he had escorted to the Riverside University Health System during the week of March 16. On March 22, Young came down with a fever and went home. The next day, 10 employees, including Young, called in sick. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
You’re a parent with COVID-19. Your partner is also sick. What do you do? -- Michael Yeates came home from work one afternoon in early March to pick up his 21-month-old daughter, Zoe, for swim lessons. His wife was sick, and in the few hours he’d been gone, she’d gotten much worse. Laura Newberry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
See how a Bay Area concert venue has been converted into a hospital for COVID-19 patients -- Set on 25 acres fronting San Francisco Bay, Craneway Pavilion in Richmond has hosted the Oakland Symphony and was previously recommended by Martha Stewart as a wedding venue. Now, it has been retooled to play a key role in offering support to the Bay Area's novel coronavirus effort. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/3/20
Sacramento Kings donate former practice facility to use as field hospital in coronavirus fight -- Right next door to the facility is the former Arco Arena, where work has started to turn the longtime home of the Kings into a 360-bed hospital for COVID-19 patients that will be operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The Kings are also donating $250,000 to community organizations providing food services and other essential needs of vulnerable people in the Sacramento area. Marcos Bretón in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/3/20
Santa Clara County coronavirus study helped trigger shelter-in-place orders -- A small survey in early March of Santa Clara County residents who had respiratory symptoms but did not have the flu found that 11% of them tested positive for the coronavirus — striking findings that helped trigger an aggressive public health response and eventually the Bay Area shelter-in-place orders, according to a report published Friday. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/3/20
Malaria drugs aren’t the only ones on the shelf that might help coronavirus patients -- There’s also a passel of less celebrated drugs and therapies that are being tested in the United States and abroad. Some seem like a shot in the dark. Some are dangerous. And a few are truly promising. But anything that shows promise in keeping people with COVID-19 off ventilators is getting a look from scientists. Melissa Healy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Masks
Workers at grocery stores, others must wear face coverings, San Diego County orders -- San Diego County is requiring employees who regularly interact with the public to wear face coverings, the latest push across California to have people cover their faces as another measure to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Luke Money, Lyndsay Winkley in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Coronavirus could leave U.S. with a lasting imprint: Masks as normal part of life -- Amid the confusion from Washington, D.C., to Sacramento and parts in between, one thing has become abundantly clear in the era of COVID-19: The mask is having a moment. Ruben Vives, Maria L. La Ganga, Deborah Netburn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Cover your face to thwart coronavirus? Yes, Southern California health officials now say -- The majority of Southern California health officials for the first time this week recommended the general public should cover their faces to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reportedly discussing the issue. Emily Rasmussen in the Orange County Register -- 4/3/20
Spread
Coronavirus cases increase dramatically in L.A. County in 48-hour period as testing ramps up -- The county confirmed 13 new coronavirus-related deaths Thursday, bringing the toll to 80, and 534 new cases overall, bringing that total to more than 4,000. The number of new cases increased by more than 1,000 in 48 hours. Statewide, the number of coronavirus cases swelled to more than 11,000 on Thursday — with the death toll topping 240. Of those cases, 40% have been reported in L.A. County. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Here is the latest list of Los Angeles County communities with coronavirus cases -- Twelve of the victims were older than 65, and all but one of them had underlying health conditions, said Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health. The other person who died was between ages 41 and 65 and also had underlying health conditions, she said. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Coronavirus cases confirmed in 4 Long Beach long-term care facilities -- Chelsey Finegan, a spokeswoman for Long Beach’s Joint Information Center, said the city would not share the number of cases that were identified at each facility “as the numbers may be constantly changing throughout this health emergency.” The four facilities are: Bixby Knolls Towers; Long Beach Healthcare Center; Pacific Palms Healthcare; and Palmcrest Grand Assisted Living. Hayley Munguia in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/3/20
Coronavirus changes the AP test big time. Here’s what it will look like -- The exams will be taken at home with open books and notes and last only 45 minutes, significantly shorter than the normal two- to three-hour duration. They can be taken on any device available — a computer, tablet or smartphone. Or students can write responses by hand and submit a photo via their cellphones. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Eviction
Amid pandemic, some California sheriffs’ departments still evicting renters -- Nearly two weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered 40 million Californians to “shelter in place” to avoid spreading COVID-19, and just days after he issued an executive order declaring a “statewide eviction moratorium,” some sheriffs’ departments across California were still forcibly removing or planning to forcibly remove renters like Waldman. Their evictions are not protected by state or local emergency measures because they are not directly related to financial fallout from the coronavirus. Matt Levin Calmatters -- 4/3/20
Staying afloat
Coronavirus Reset: How To Get Health Insurance Now -- Here are some of the scenarios Americans are facing, and tips for navigating the storm of insurance worries: Selena Simmons-Duffin NPR -- 4/3/20
What to do if you’re struggling to pay your mortgage -- If you’re having trouble making payments on a house you own, here’s what you need to know. Elijah Chiland CurbedLA -- 4/3/20
Guns
NRA, other gun rights groups sue four Bay Area counties over gun store closures -- A group of local residents, gun stores and gun rights organizations including the NRA have filed a federal lawsuit against four Bay Area counties for mandating that gun stores close as "non-essential businesses" during the region's coronavirus outbreak. Eric Ting in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/3/20
California lags in reducing number of felons with firearms as gun sales pick up amid coronavirus -- California has made little progress in reducing the number of felons and mentally ill people who improperly own firearms even as state agents have confiscated thousands of weapons from prohibited owners, according to a new report from the state Department of Justice. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Workers
‘The $2 is insulting’: Retail workers fight for more pay amid coronavirus crisis -- Work has changed for Daniel Reyes-Velarde, an employee at a CVS in Lakewood, Calif. Lines are longer than ever, leaving him little time to restock the shelves and label items. Hand-washing is mandated, timed, and sometimes overseen by a manager. Customers are panicked, and every conversation feels like an added risk. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
Can’t contact California’s unemployment agency during coronavirus crisis? You’re not alone -- When her dog woke her up at 4 a.m. Wednesday, Donna Clemons figured that, finally, it was a good omen that would end her agonizing effort to contact California’s Employment Development Department. So she called the agency handling jobless benefits, and was told to call back at 8 a.m. When she did, she heard a recording advising her of options. She called the governor’s office, was put on hold for 19 minutes and 37 seconds, and gave up. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/3/20
Gasoline
Pandemic slows driving, drops gas prices and swells inventories. How many refineries will shut down? -- Numbers just released by the federal agency in charge of collecting and analyzing energy data confirms how much the spread of the coronavirus has affected driving habits of Americans and, by extension, what it has done to the sheer volume and price of gasoline in the space of just a couple of weeks. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/3/20
Airlines
Flying during coronavirus is scary. Flight attendants want you to stop -- The flight attendant spoke from a hospital bed, with oxygen tubes coming out of her nose. In an Instagram post, the young woman in black-framed glasses, identified as April Rodriguez, looked into the camera and urged her fellow flight attendants to stop flying. Hugo Martín in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
What will happen to airline elite status this year? -- One of the biggest benefits of being a frequent traveler is gaining access to bonus points, perks and special treatment once you achieve elite status in an airline or hotel loyalty program. But to maintain or improve that status, you have to keep traveling just as much or more than you did the year before. So what happens to your status when travel literally grinds to a halt? Chris McGinnis in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/3/20
Military
‘Captain Crozier! Captain Crozier!’ Sailors’ emotional sendoff on coronavirus-infected ship -- Hours after he was dismissed from command of his nuclear aircraft carrier for sounding alarms about a coronavirus outbreak, Navy Capt. Brett Crozier received a hero’s sendoff Friday from hundreds of sailors on his ship. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/3/20
A Military Wife’s Tale Of Fighting COVID-19 From Home With Her Kids, Husband And Mom -- Lindsay Hartmann is an active 38-year-old who lives with her Marine husband and two toddler sons. So when she started having chest pains on March 18, she knew something was off. Mary Plummer inewsource via KPBS -- 4/3/20
Distancing
Can golfing keep its social distance amid coronavirus anti-gathering efforts? -- Hundreds of golfers around Orange County are out swinging their irons on courses that have remained open in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. Now the county’s supervisors are debating whether golf courses must obey California’s March 19 stay-at-home order, which directs “nonessential” businesses to curtail operations. Susan Christian Goulding in the Orange County Register -- 4/3/20
Paddle boarder chased by boat, arrested in Malibu after flouting coronavirus closures -- The man, who was not identified by authorities, eventually made his way to the beach, where he was arrested on suspicion of disobeying a lifeguard and violating Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order, a misdemeanor. Photographs from the scene show the man in handcuffs being led down the beach by two deputies. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/3/20
San Diego Police Have Yet To Issue Citations For Stay-At-Home Violations -- But police have responded to calls reporting non-essential businesses that are open. In those cases, officers have told store owners they need to close and the owners have listened, Takeuchi said. Officers are working to enforce these new rules while trying not to come down with the coronavirus. So far, two officers have tested positive. Claire Trageser KPBS -- 4/3/20
Also . . .
Coronavirus Crisis Brings Out Newspapers Importance–and Vulnerabilities -- News sites have pushed most everything aside to report and explain the pandemic that has hit the planet. But despite this service, because of the economic downfall accompanying the virus, newspapers are in jeopardy. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 4/3/20