Updating . .   

California coronavirus cases top 75,000, and nearly half are in L.A. County -- California surpassed 75,000 coronavirus cases Friday as officials continued to ease stay-at-home restrictions. Statewide, more than 3,000 people have died from causes related to COVID-19. Alex Wigglesworth, Luke Money, Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Long lives cut short -- When the coronavirus came to San Francisco’s Bayview, it attacked the heart of the historically black neighborhood: the elders. Lizzie Johnson, Gabrielle Lurie in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Why are Orange County coronavirus cases rising? Here’s what we know -- Coronavirus cases have been rising in Orange County in recent days. The county confirmed 229 additional coronavirus infections Thursday, its highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic. The total broke the previous day’s record of 156 new cases. Colleen Shalby, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

California nursing homes are examples of how cruel the coronavirus pandemic can be -- The gravesite still has no marker. No grass has grown over the dry ground here, in a flat cemetery surrounded by some of the richest citrus groves in the country, where Hortensia Sosa and her husband, Luis, are buried together. The grave is too new for that. Just dug. Just filled. Scott Wilson in the Washington Post$ -- 5/15/20

San Diego’s Sorrento Therapeutics says antibody might have ability to fight COVID-19 -- Sorrento Therapeutics of San Diego said Friday that an antibody it has been developing proved highly effective in blocking the novel coronavirus in laboratory experiments — a possible first step in the creation of a drug cocktail to battle COVID-19. Gary Robbins, Jonathan Wosen in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/20

Coronavirus outbreaks continue in California prisons amid plan to accept more inmates -- Amid coronavirus outbreaks that have left inmates being housed and treated by doctors in tents inside one California prison, the state has signaled that it plans to resume accepting new prisoners from county jails on May 26, introducing thousands more people into the system, lawyers for the inmates say. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/20

Hospitals 

California hospital leaders again appeal to Newsom for coronavirus financial relief -- Hospital leaders have again called upon Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators to provide state financial relief as part of the 2020-21 California budget, saying billions of dollars are needed to help defray costs incurred as institutions prepared for and met a surge in cases connected to the coronavirus. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/20

Reopen 

Coronavirus FAQ: What does it mean to enter California’s ‘Phase 2’ and which parts of the state qualify? -- A region that had been in lockstep has splintered in its approach to reopening parts of its economy. Evan Webeck in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/20

Coronavirus: How one small San Jose business came back from the brink -- When shelter-in-place orders came down in March, Zechman told the 45 employees of Clean Solar to expect layoffs or worse. Solar panel installers and roofers couldn’t work, the company couldn’t make money, and it certainly couldn’t pay several hundred thousand dollars in monthly overhead expenses. Zechman thought this might be the end. Louis Hansen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/20

Real estate giant Irvine Co. sees ‘protracted’ downturn, cuts 181 more workers -- The Newport Beach-company detailed 171 job cuts and 10 temporary furloughs in a filing with state employment regulators. The vast majority of these layoffs were in the retail division that operates 38 neighborhood shopping centers plus three outdoor malls — Fashion Island, Irvine Spectrum Center and The Market Place — around Orange County. Jonathan Lansner in the Orange County Register -- 5/15/20

Smolens: Customers may be slow to come back as businesses reopen -- But along with the fatigue of being cooped up at home is concern about potential health risks in re-engaging in commercial and social activities while the coronavirus is still ubiquitous. Michael Smolens in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/20

Education 

California schools face ‘devastating’ coronavirus cuts as they struggle to reopen -- Even as costs skyrocket in response to the coronavirus crisis, California school districts face major funding cuts that could potentially lead to teacher and staff layoffs and leave some schools struggling to safely reopen campuses in the fall, according to district officials and educators. Howard Blume, Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$ Hannah Wiley and Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/20

State auditor: Cal State should let students vote down fee increases -- Undergraduates who enrolled at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo this year paid $5,742 in tuition — less than many of their peers at public universities nationwide, one reason a California State University education is often lauded as a path to upward mobility for the state’s low-income students. But they also had to pony up more than $4,000 in campus-based fees, bringing their total bill to nearly $10,000 — not including room and board. Felicia Mello, Kimberly Morales, Stephanie Zappelli Calmatters -- 5/15/20

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gives $10 million to Oakland schools’ tech equality initiative -- Twitter and Square chief executive Jack Dorsey said Friday he will donate $10 million to an Oakland initiative to close the divide between students who have technology to learn at home and those who do not. Alejandro Serrano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/20

Go Away 

South Lake Tahoe issues $1,000 fines to tourists and short-term rental owners -- Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the city prohibits hotel or short-term-rental owners from renting their properties to anyone except for essential workers. Hotel and home owners who rent their properties illegally to vacationers as well as guests of those properties can both be fined. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Mass Masking 

Face masks are now a mandatory L.A. accessory. Can we keep covered up? -- The move makes Los Angeles the strictest of the state’s largest cities when it comes to face coverings. Residents of San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose can go without them so long as they practice social distancing. In San Diego, that means staying six feet away from other joggers or strollers. Andrew J. Campa, Kiera Feldman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Is the COVID-19 pandemic good news or bad news for renewable energy? -- Will the depth of the pandemic slow down investment in solar, wind and other cleaner energy projects? Or will the economic tumult that the virus has wrought on the oil and gas segments provide an opening for renewables to fill? Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/20

Gov. Newsom wants to pause 3 major downtown Sacramento office projects due to deficit -- They are the Resources Building at Ninth and O streets, the Gregory Bateson building at Ninth and P streets, and the Jesse Unruh building on Capitol Mall. The governor’s office did not say how long the remodel projects might be postponed, but noted in its May revise budget summary that the proposal was being made due to coronavirus-deficits “absent additional federal (stimulus) funds.” Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/20

Fox: A Push for Taxes to Fill the Budget Hole? -- Gov. Gavin Newsom did not include a broad tax increase to help balance the state’s budget but that doesn’t mean we will not see attempts by the legislature to raise taxes. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/15/20

Also ... 

Coronavirus leads to L.A. County Fair cancellation. It’s the first time since WWII -- It looks as if Angelenos will need to make their own deep-fried Twinkies, chocolate-covered bacon and gargantuan turkey legs at home. Hugo Martín in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Places without social distancing have 35 times more potential coronavirus spread, study finds -- Areas in the United States that do not adhere to any social distancing policies face 35 times more cases of the novel coronavirus, according to a study published Thursday in a peer-reviewed health-care journal. Timothy Bella in the Washington Post$ -- 5/15/20

 

 

California Policy & Politics Friday Morning  

Appeals panel says California can enforce ammo background check -- A federal appeals court allowed California to enforce its voter-approved requirement of background checks for purchasers of ammunition on Thursday and said the state was likely to win reversal of a judge’s ruling that the law violated the constitutional right to bear arms. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Coronavirus: Who gave you COVID-19? It’s not who you think -- COVID-19 has sparked fierce debate about the risks posed by that careless stranger in the grocery aisle, post office or sidewalk. But there’s a growing body of evidence that it’s close contact during gatherings of beloved friends and family that is most likely driving the spread of the novel coronavirus. Jack Lee in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/20

CDC alerts doctors of syndrome in children that might be linked to the coronavirus -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday alerted doctors across the United States about an inflammatory syndrome afflicting children that is associated with the coronavirus, offering a case definition for the sickness and recommending clinicians report to officials any patients who meet that definition. Alejandro Serrano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Reports: Former A’s manager Art Howe in ICU with coronavirus -- Art Howe, who managed the A’s to three straight playoff appearances and two 100-win seasons, is fighting the coronavirus in a Houston hospital, according to published reports. Henry Schulman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Door knobs, trash cans, gas pumps: Citizen scientists search for coronavirus on everyday surfaces -- McGee is one of the first to sign up for a new research effort that seeks to learn more about how the novel coronavirus spreads and mutates on common surfaces by enlisting an army of citizen scientists to collect nearly 10,000 samples from throughout the community. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/20

LAPD training academy outbreak: 17 recruits infected with coronavirus -- An outbreak at Los Angeles Police Department training center has seen 17 police and detention officer trainees infected with the coronavirus, and officials say they are now implementing weekly testing for academy classes and instructors. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Imperial County has highest per capita rate of coronavirus hospitalization in California -- Imperial County reported the highest rate of hospitalized patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state as of Wednesday, with the county of fewer than 200,000 residents reporting that approximately 31 out of every 100,000 residents are being hospitalized for the virus. Los Angeles County, which is more than 50 times as populous as Imperial and has almost half of all cases in the state, has reported 17 out of every 100,000 of its people are hospitalized with the virus. Christopher Damien, Shane Newell and Risa Johnson in the Palm Springs Desert Sun -- 5/15/20

Huge number of Bay Area residents couldn’t afford a $400 emergency before coronavirus -- Thousands of Bay Area households headed into the coronavirus crisis already struggling to pay their monthly bills, unable to afford even a $400 emergency expense. That was before the pandemic forced 4.1 million Californians into unemployment in less than two months. Leonardo Castañeda in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/20

San Francisco city employees face possible hike in health plan costs -- San Francisco is considering approving higher health care rates for more than 47,000 city employees and early retirees starting in July, but workers say they can’t afford to pay more during a pandemic and an economic recession. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Policy & Politics 

Newsom trims California budget — but pins trigger cuts on Trump and Congress -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday proposed a slimmed-down $203 billion state budget that relies on help from Senate Republicans and President Donald Trump to avoid $14 billion in trigger cuts, with the state facing its first deficit in eight years after being blindsided by the coronavirus pandemic. Kevin Yamamura and Jeremy B. White Politico -- 5/15/20

Coronavirus forces sharp cuts to schools, healthcare in California, Newsom says -- With California’s economy hobbled by the impacts of the long coronavirus shutdown, Gov. Gavin Newsom asked state lawmakers Thursday to sharply curtail spending on public schools and an array of government services while directly appealing to President Trump and Congress for help to prevent billions of dollars in additional spending cuts. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

How Gavin Newsom plans to close California’s huge budget gap during coronavirus pandemic -- California would scale back public services, temporarily limit corporate tax credits, slash state workers’ pay and borrow from special funds to close a $54 billion deficit that has opened up during the coronavirus pandemic, under a revised budget plan Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled Thursday. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Billions in cuts proposed as California revenue plunges -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed $14 billion in budget cuts on Thursday because of the coronavirus, with more than half coming at the expense of public schools already struggling to educate children from afar during a pandemic. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 5/15/20

Governor Proposes Painful Cuts to Health Care Programs to Close Budget Shortfall -- With so many Californians losing jobs and health insurance because of the pandemic, the state estimates 2 million more people will sign up for Medi-Cal coverage this year, bringing the total caseload in the health care program for low-income Californians to 14.5 million people. April Dembosky KQED -- 5/15/20

Gavin Newsom’s $203.3 billion California budget cuts school funding, spends reserves -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s updated $203.3 billion budget proposal would cut school funding, cancel a planned boost in public pensions spending and draw down reserves to make up for a projected $54.3 billion budget deficit brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Sophia Bollag, Adam Ashton, and Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/20

Gov. Newsom's revised budget would partially offset huge drop in revenue for K-12 schools, community colleges -- With state revenues plummeting from a COVID-19-precipitated economic recession, Gov. Gavin Newsom released a revised California budget proposal Thursday that would lessen the impact of a potential two-year drop of $19 billion in state funding for schools and community colleges. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 5/15/20

New state park? Climate catalyst fund? On hold in Newsom’s coronavirus-afflicted budget -- State officials said that California isn’t backing away from prioritizing environmental protections, but the harsh realities of the economic meltdown require difficult compromises. Julie Cart, Rachel Becker, Rebecca Sohn Calmatters Kevin Stark KQED -- 5/15/20

Main points of Gavin Newsom’s budget: State worker pay cuts, fewer tax credits, tapping reserves -- Here are some of the cuts that Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed Thursday in his revised state budget: Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Undocumented Seniors, Low-Income Mothers Could Get Less Help As Coronavirus Shifts California Budget -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom had big plans to fix long-standing problems in California’s health system in 2020. Instead, a budget deficit driven by the COVID-19 crisis could lead to reductions in programs for vulnerable groups. Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 5/15/20

‘A lot of sacrifices:’ California state workers brace for pay cut in Gavin Newsom’s budget -- Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed cutting state worker pay by 10 percent Thursday, dramatically changing the economic outlook for a workforce that just a few months ago was looking forward to raises from a humming economy. Wes Venteicher in the Fresno Bee -- 5/15/20

California faces ‘jaw dropping’ unemployment, requiring more federal loans, Newsom says -- Gov. Gavin Newsom says that unemployment in California amid the COVID-19 pandemic has far exceeded what it was during the peak of the Great Recession, with 4.7 million people filing for jobless benefits, requiring the state to borrow billions of dollars more from the federal government to cover claims. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Power struggle in San Francisco City Hall reduces SFMTA board to four members -- The board that oversees all aspects of transportation in San Francisco — from Muni buses to e-scooters to parking — is set to lose nearly half of its seven members next week. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Rob Stutzman -- The Capitol Weekly Podcast’s John Howard and Tim Foster are joined by Rob Stutzman, longtime GOP strategist, the president of Stutzman Public Affairs and former communications director for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The race for CA25 was being called just as we taped this podcast — Rob weighs in on what Mike Garcia’s victory in a district that Hillary Clinton carried by six points in 2016 means for November and for the Republican Party in general. Link Here -- 5/15/20

Reopen     

Shutting down California was tough. Now comes the hard part. -- California has nearly 40 million residents whose everyday lives can bear little resemblance to one another, from high desert ranches to coastal metropolises and farm communities. While infection rates remain stubbornly high in some parts, other regions have been barely touched by the disease. Victoria Colliver Politico -- 5/15/20

San Diego County backs off plan to block casino openings, recognizes sovereign right -- County officials on Thursday backed off of their opposition to tribal nations’ plans to reopen casinos that have been closed for two months and now say they will work with them to safely resume operations during the coronavirus outbreak. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/20

Some California churches to reopen May 31, with or without state approval -- Those pastors, some who oversee megachurches, said they will abide by all social distancing and infection control rules. “We will do everything the restaurants and every other place is doing. I don’t see why we are being looked over and judged to be nonessential in a time like this. It’s foolish,” Bishop Jackson said outside his East Oakland church. David DeBolt in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/20

Nearly a third of California counties have contained coronavirus enough to allow more reopenings -- Nearly a third of California’s 58 counties have certified to the state that they have contained the spread of COVID-19, which allows them to reopen restaurants to dine-in service, as well as shopping malls and other businesses, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Large workplaces vulnerable to coronavirus super-spread as economy reopens, experts warn -- Experts say so-called super-spreading events could become a leading cause of virus transmission. Having people clustered together at work could set the stage for large numbers of people falling ill, as happened when 52 workers became infected at a Safeway distribution center in the San Joaquin Valley. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Shopping policies in effect at the Bay Area’s biggest grocery stores -- Six Bay Area counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Mateo — have banned reusable bags for as long as shelter-in-place orders are in effect. The counties also require stores to post social distancing notices visible to customers. Residents must wear masks when running errands, including going to the grocery store. Shwanika Narayan and Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

SF retail to resume Monday for curbside pickups — here’s what you need to know -- San Francisco health officials are on the verge of relaxing restrictions on retail business activity in the city on Monday — barring a spike in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations over the next few days. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Sonoma, Napa, Solano counties seek waivers to reopen to go to Phase 2 -- Sonoma County is joining two nearby counties in asking Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office to grant them an advancement to Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan for containing coronavirus, saying the mandated benchmarks from the governor set the bar unreasonably high. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Berkeley to introduce proposal to allow outdoor dining on city streets, plazas, parks -- Berkeley is joining a growing list of Bay Area cities, including San Francisco and San Jose, looking to turn parking lots, streets and sidewalks into outdoor dining spaces for restaurants during the coronavirus pandemic. The efforts are familiar, but where Berkeley takes its proposal a step further is by including public parks as potential dining areas. Justin Phillips in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Sacramento courts to begin temperature checks. Face covering mandate to follow -- Got a fever? Stay home. That’s the message from Sacramento courts officials who say, starting Friday, people entering Sacramento County’s courthouses will have their temperatures checked at security gates in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/20

Surf’s up and so are new beach rules to prevent virus spread -- They arrived at the beach by car, skateboard and on bare feet. They carried Frisbees, cameras and surfboards. They wore running shorts, yoga pants and wetsuits. Many wore masks. Brian Melley Associated Press -- 5/15/20

Distancing  

Oakland cracks down on crowds at Lake Merritt, bans vendors and adds ‘ambassadors’ -- Officials are banning vendors and weekend parking around Lake Merritt and other Oakland parks to thwart crowds that could spread the coronavirus. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

New Normal  

SF grocery prices have jumped: How they compare with LA, nation amid coronavirus pandemic -- San Francisco’s grocery prices increased the most in every category: Overall, the price for food at home increased by 5.15%, and the meat, poultry, fish and eggs category went up the highest at 10.4%. Cereal and bakery items were the next highest at 4.1%, then fruits and vegetables at 3.8%, and finally dairy products at 3.5%. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

$50 ribeye to go? Expect higher meat prices at Bay Area grocery stores and restaurants -- Even while open for takeout and delivery only during the coronavirus shutdown, James Woodard still sells 100 pounds of brisket every day from his Oakland restaurant Smokin’ Woods BBQ. But on Wednesday of last week, the pitmaster had some unwelcome news for his loyal customers: He’d be closing the restaurant for the rest of the week, because he ran out of meat. Esther Mobley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Masks are mandatory in L.A. What do you do if you head outside to exercise? -- With Los Angeles city and county officials requiring face coverings for anyone going outside, joggers, runners and others itching to get outside and exercise are trying to figure out how to incorporate masks into their workouts. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Coachella and Cathedral City vote to mandate face coverings -- Coachella and Cathedral City officials voted Wednesday to require residents to wear face coverings in certain public settings, joining such other Riverside County cities as Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs and La Quinta. Kailyn Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Education 

Rising fees at CSU campuses questioned by state audit -- California State University’s 482,000 students pay rising mandatory fees that have little oversight, are not covered by financial aid and finance programs that should be covered by tuition and government funding, according to a state audit released Thursday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

UC, CSU to lose 10% of state funding in new California budget proposal -- The California State University and University of California budgets each would take a 10 percent cut from their planned funding. The proposal also rolls back funding for community college support services like campus food banks. Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/20

CSU San Marcos To Hold Parade For Graduates With Commencement Canceled By Coronavirus -- More than 4,000 college students at CSU San Marcos will earn their degrees this week, but they won't be walking across the stage in front of a big crowd of friends, family and faculty. Instead, the university will host a parade on campus in place of the commencement ceremony that was canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bennett Lacy KPBS -- 5/15/20

Gov. Newsom’s proposed budget revision cuts programs to recruit, train teachers -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s biggest education priority in his proposed state budget — $915 million to recruit and train teachers — was eliminated in his May budget revision released Thursday. Diana Lambert EdSource -- 5/15/20

Preschool and child care plans slashed under California governor’s proposed budget -- Unless the federal government comes to California’s aid, the coronavirus has set back most of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s big investments in preschool to levels not seen since before he took office. Zaidee Stavely EdSource -- 5/15/20

Homeless  

Mass unemployment over coronavirus could lead to a 45% jump in homelessness, study finds -- With the coronavirus-induced shock to the economy crippling businesses of all sizes and leaving millions of Americans out of work, homelessness in the United States could grow as much as 45% in a year, according to a new analysis conducted by a Columbia University professor. Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Housing  

Taylor: Who can really afford rent in the Bay Area? Beats the heck out of me -- In today’s episode, the audience will get to know Jenn Oakley, a homeless woman affectionately known as Tennessee Jenn on the street. She’s lived in Oakland for 14 years, moving here from — you guessed it — Tennessee. Earlier this week, I met Oakley on 10th Street outside of the Lake Merritt Tuff Sheds. She had her face in the hood of her car. It was leaking oil. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Also . . .   

L.A. city attorney sues maker of radish paste advertised as protection against COVID-19 -- The Los Angeles city attorney’s office filed suit Wednesday against an herbal remedy specialist, accusing the store of trying to pass off an untested radish paste as a safeguard against the coronavirus, officials said. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

‘Alarming increase’: L.A. traffic deaths surge back to pre-pandemic levels -- Despite a precipitous drop in traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people killed in car collisions this year in Los Angeles is now about the same as it was at this point in 2019, officials said Thursday. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/20

Oakland police have 1,200 untested rape kits, second most in California, audit finds -- A sweeping audit by the office of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra found nearly 1,200 untested rape kits at the Oakland Police Department, accounting for about 9% of the nearly 14,000 untested kits held by law enforcement agencies across California. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/20

Hospital ship Mercy returning to San Diego Friday after assisting Los Angeles’ COVID-19 response -- Navy ship saw 77 patients over seven weeks in Los Angeles, battled a coronavirus outbreak among its crew. Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/20

POTUS 45  

Trump: Coronavirus testing may be ‘overrated’ and reason for high U.S. case count -- President Donald Trump on Thursday said testing for coronavirus might be “overrated,” revisiting his concern early in the outbreak that testing for the disease would raise the nation’s case count. Myah Ward Politico -- 5/15/20

Changing Subject Amid a Pandemic, Trump Turns to an Old Ploy: Blame Obama -- On Twitter, on television, in the Rose Garden and even on an official White House social media page, Mr. Trump in recent days has taken aim at his most recent predecessor in a way that no sitting president has in modern times, accusing Mr. Obama of undefined and unspecified crimes under the vague but politically charged catchphrase “Obamagate.” Peter Baker in the New York Times$ -- 5/15/20

Beltway   

McConnell says he was wrong on Obama pandemic playbook -- The Senate majority leader told Fox News he was mistaken in claiming that the previous administration had failed to leave guidance for the Trump White House. Matthew Choi Politico -- 5/15/20

‘Lives Were Lost’ as Warnings Went Unheeded, Whistle-Blower Tells House -- The whistle-blower who was ousted as the head of a federal medical research agency charged on Thursday that top Trump administration officials failed to heed his early warnings to stock up on masks and other supplies to combat the coronavirus, and that Americans died as a result. Sheryl Gay Stolberg in the New York Times$ -- 5/15/20

 

-- Thursday Updates   

Homeowners who can’t make mortgage payments get a new deferral option -- Many struggling homeowners who are delaying their mortgage payments through so-called forbearance programs will get a new repayment option, allowing them to make missed payments when the home is sold or the loan term is over, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said Wednesday. Andrew Khouri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/20

Policy & Politics 

Gavin Newsom’s $203.3 billion California budget cuts pension funding, spends reserves -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new $203.3 billion budget proposal would cut funding for public pensions, draw down reserves and borrow money from internal accounts to make up for a projected $54.3 billion budget deficit brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Sophia Bollag and Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Katie Orr, Scott Shafer KQED Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Jackie Botts Calmatters -- 5/14/20

White House: No plans for a President Pelosi if Trump, Pence are incapacitated by coronavirus -- White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany revealed Thursday there is no procedure in place to facilitate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s ascension to the presidency should President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence become incapacitated by the coronavirus. Quint Forgey Politico -- 5/14/20

Why progressives are angry with Nancy Pelosi -- The House is scheduled to vote Friday on a $3 trillion coronavirus relief package that Republicans mock as a wish list meant to curry favor with Democrats’ liberal base during campaign season. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/20

Sen. Dianne Feinstein questioned about husband’s stock trades amid coronavirus pandemic -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein was questioned by federal law enforcement agents about stock trades her husband made after the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, her office said Thursday. The California Democrat also provided documents to federal agents to show she was not involved in the transactions by her husband, investment banker Richard Blum, her spokesman said. Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/20

New Normal  

News Analysis: California’s $54-billion deficit fueled by coronavirus will test a decade of preparations -- The warnings had been sounded in Sacramento for years: California was long overdue for an economic downturn, one in which tax revenues would evaporate and leave lawmakers with a series of painful choices in balancing the state budget. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20

California state workers face 10 percent pay cut, possible furloughs, union leader says -- Walker, the president of the state’s largest public employee union, announced the news in a video on the union’s Facebook page Wednesday night. She said she had received a call from the Governor’s Office earlier in the day. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ Adam Beam Associated Press -- 5/14/20

Monterey Jazz Festival canceled for 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic -- Here’s something jazz fans never wanted to hear: The Monterey Jazz Festival won’t happen this year. Jim Harrington in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/20

Vanishing Revenues   

San Diego hotel tax revenue plummets 90 percent in May -- With San Diego hotels still largely empty, tourist attractions closed and restaurants barred from offering dine-in service because of the pandemic, it’s no surprise that hoteliers are projecting a 90 percent drop in tourism marketing revenue for the month of May. Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/14/20

Fox: Local Governments Looking for Revenue are Watching the CA Supreme Court -- While taxpayers, the federal government, budget gimmicks and borrowing may all play a part in balancing state and local budgets, California governments anxiously await a decision on pension obligations from the California Supreme Court. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/14/20

Tuition   

USC planned tuition hike before coronavirus. They’re still doing it. -- USC will raise tuition for the 2020-21 school year by 3.5% regardless of whether classes are held onsite or online, the university’s student-led newsroom reported Thursday. Undergraduate tuition for the coming year will be set at $59,260 — an increase of $2,004, according to the Annenberg Media report. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/14/20

Mass Masking  

L.A. now requires face coverings even when outside. Here are the rules -- Los Angeles residents are now required to wear masks when going outside for any tasks. The new rule marks a significant increase in the city’s mandates, one that Mayor Eric Garcetti says is a necessary step to help slow the spread of the coronavirus and eventually reopen the economy in a bigger way. Sonja Sharp, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20

The Uptick  

Orange County reports highest daily coronavirus case count -- Orange County confirmed 229 additional coronavirus cases Thursday, the highest number reported since the beginning of the pandemic and breaking the previous day’s record of 156 new cases. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20

Where are coronavirus cases surging in California — and why? -- As California looks to ease stay-home restrictions imposed to keep COVID-19 in check, infections of the new coronavirus seem to be spreading fastest in the southern third of the state, according to a Bay Area News Group analysis. John Woolfolk, Harriet Blair Rowan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/20

San Bernardino County reports another 18 coronav irus deaths, biggest daily increase in fatalities -- San Bernardino County reported 18 additional deaths related to the coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the county’s toll to 138. It was the highest jump in the number of deaths the county has reported to date, jumping 15% from the previous day’s total of 120. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20

After nearly two weeks with no coronavirus deaths, Ventura County reports 5 -- After nearly two weeks with no coronavirus-related deaths, Ventura County reported five fatalities in the last two days, bringing the death toll to 24. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20

Coronavirus deaths in California near 3,000 as reopenings continue -- California will likely surpass 3,000 coronavirus-linked deaths and could top 75,000 confirmed cases by the end of the day. Despite the steady increase in the number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, the state is starting to cautiously lift restrictions put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The result has been a pandemic patchwork. Luke Money, Hannah Fry, Sonja Sharp, Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20

The Defiant  

Oceanside gym reopens in defiance of guidelines -- The Oceanside gym owner arrested Sunday for violating the county’s COVID-19 public health order reopened his business Wednesday afternoon, saying he was prepared to be cited again if necessary. Phil Diehl in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/14/20

Jobs & Workplaces & Spread   

Coronavirus job loss: Weekly unemployment claims drop below 3 million -- As U.S. workers continued to endure the economic storm triggered by the coronavirus and economic shutdown, 2.98 million Americans filed new unemployment claims last week, the Labor Department said Thursday. Chase DiFeliciantonio and Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/20

Harsh times could await some Bay Area teams as coronavirus slows cash flow -- Could things have gone any worse for the Golden State Warriors in recent months? The team financed the brand new $1.4 billion Chase Center, saw its dynasty collapse in the arena’s debut season and now — because of the coronavirus pandemic — has seen virtually all revenue streams dry up. Ann Killion in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/20

Large workplaces vulnerable to coronavirus super-spread as economy reopens, experts warn -- Even as the economy begins to reopen, the coronavirus will remain a threat for some time to come, experts say. And of particular concern are large workplaces. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20

Spread   

‘I’m really disappointed’: San Jose’s Latino leaders decry disproportionate deaths of minority residents to coronavirus -- In response to an exclusive analysis of Santa Clara County death records showing that Latino residents in San Jose were dying from COVID-19 at disproportionate rates, some Latino city leaders are calling on the city to take further steps to protect its Latino residents. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/20

Bay Area doctors prepare for coronavirus in looming flu season -- The Bay Area blunted the impact of its first brush with the coronavirus, but infectious disease experts warn there are more outbreaks to come once the region eases shelter-in-place restrictions, and one looming event is of particular concern: the flu season. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/20

Also . . .   

With the U.S. looking to reopen, Canada seeks to prolong border closure -- While parts of the United States rush to open restaurants, stores and public places, Canada — fearful of the high coronavirus contamination rates to the south — is rushing to keep the 5,525-mile border closed for nearly six more weeks. David M. Shribman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20

Mossbrae Falls, among Northern California’s most beautiful, may soon be safely accessible -- For more than a century, hikers have put themselves at risk by hiking the railroad tracks out of the small town of Dunsmuir in Siskiyou County to see one of the off-limits shrines of nature, Mossbrae Falls. Tom Stienstra in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/20

Elon Musk doubles down on his promise to ‘own no house’ by selling five more -- Elon Musk has emphatically doubled-down on his promise to “own no house,” listing another five of his California properties himself for a combined $97.5 million. Neal J. Leitereg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/20