Updating . .   

More than 90,000 Californians test positive for coronavirus -- The number of coronavirus infections in California surpassed 90,000 on Friday, even as Gov. Gavin Newsom promised to reveal yet another set of guidelines early next week to slowly reopen the state. At the same time, California counties reported a drop in new COVID-19 deaths. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/23/20

California state unions have three weeks to negotiate pay cuts. Can they avoid furloughs? -- The administration has given the unions a June 12 deadline to reach deals that will reduce state workers’ compensation by 10 percent, according to several of the unions. That’s three days before the state’s deadline to pass a budget that will address a projected $54 billion deficit. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/23/20

Memorial Day brings heat and warnings on outings amid coronavirus in Southern California -- With a heat wave in the forecast, Memorial Day weekend is going to pose a challenge in the fight against the coronavirus. Alex Wigglesworth, Colleen Shalby, Hannah Fry, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Four-alarm fire consumes warehouse at Pier 45 at Fisherman’s Wharf -- Flames from the blaze shot more than 40 feet in air and billows of black smoke shrouded the waterfront as 150 firefighters with 50 trucks and other pieces ßof equipment fought the fire on Pier 45, next to the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, the last of the World War II liberty ships. Steve Rubenstein and Ron Kroichick in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/23/20

California elections officials suggest schools as voting sites for social distancing -- Elections officials across California, seeking a way to offer in-person voting in November with strict coronavirus protections, are urging lawmakers to close schools and allow campus gyms and auditoriums to be used in the days leading up to and including election day. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

As coronavirus stay-at-home restrictions ease, California casinos gamble on reopening -- Michael L. Fennell says he has spent a good portion of his 70 years gambling, so he knows the difference between a long shot and a sure bet. And he admits his decision to step inside a casino during a global pandemic was a bit of a gamble. Kevin Baxter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

County makes an example of Pacific Beach bar as Memorial Day weekend arrives -- Consequences were swift Friday for El Prez, a Pacific Beach bar and restaurant that blew up social media after patrons posted videos featuring crowds of people drinking, often maskless and far closer to each other than the 6-foot standard set for restaurants under newly-approved reopening guidelines. Lyndsay Winkley, Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/23/20

California’s coronavirus testing ground: Is this the kind of place that’s ready to reopen for business? -- There was a huge outbreak this month at the local meat-packing plant in this Central Valley community that’s home to miles of sprawling dairies and cattle farms. The number of coronavirus cases has continued to surge over the past week, and COVID-19 patients at the county’s hospitals have been climbing all month long. Does Kings County sound like the kind of place that’s ready to reopen for business? John Woolfolk, Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/23/20

Marin’s health officer developed antibodies. He’s now in a unique spot to fight coronavirus -- Dr. Matt Willis holds the dubious distinction of being one of the only California public health officers known to have come down with COVID-19. Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Lopez: Column: First one death in the family, then another, and the toll kept mounting for Inglewood couple -- The first death from COVID-19 came toward the end of the first week of May, and that alone was hard enough to deal with. The came another death in the family, and another, and another. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

One final viral infusion: Trump’s move to block travel from Europe triggered chaos and a surge of passengers from the outbreak’s center -- Across the Atlantic, Jack Siebert, an American college student spending a semester in Spain, was battling raging headaches, shortness of breath and fevers that touched 104 degrees. Concerned about his condition for travel but alarmed by the president’s announcement, his parents scrambled to book a flight home for their son — an impulse shared by thousands of Americans who rushed to get flights out of Europe. Greg Miller, Josh Dawsey and Aaron C. Davis in the Washington Post$ -- 5/23/20

 

 

California Policy & Politics Saturday Morning  

Divided 9th Circuit leaves Newsom’s ban on church services intact -- A divided federal appeals court refused late Friday to order Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow in-person religious services at this stage of the coronavirus pandemic. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

California to issue reopening rules for religious gatherings by Monday -- California will issue coronavirus safety guidelines for religious gatherings by Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said hours after President Trump declared houses of worship “essential” and called on states to allow them to reopen this weekend. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Robert Salonga, Fiona Kelliher in the San Jose Mercury$ Victoria Colliver Politico -- 5/23/20

Virus Politics  

Newsom promises reopening plan for churches as Trump demands immediate action -- Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to provide plans Monday for reopening California churches amid mounting pressure to allow in-person religious services both from protesters and President Trump, who is demanding that governors take action immediately. Phil Willon, Eli Stokols in the Los Angeles Times$ Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/23/20

Facing defiant counties and churches, Newsom willing to bend -- As pastors and local politicians chafe against California's pandemic restrictions, the governor speaks of "collaboration" and seems characteristically conflict-averse. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 5/23/20

Churches react to Trump’s call to reopen -- The president’s call to open houses of worship for in-person services did not seem to resonate with some local church leaders. Greg Moran, Jeff MCDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/23/20

California Republicans think reopening the state is a winning election issue -- With California’s economy racked by the coronavirus pandemic, a growing number of GOP congressional candidates are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to move much more quickly to fully reopen the state’s economy. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

Trump administration warns Garcetti against ‘heavy-handed’ stay-at-home orders -- Garcetti defended the city’s approach to the health crisis at a news briefing Friday when asked about the Justice Department‘s criticisms. “We were able to do this and save lives,” he said, adding that the city collaborated with businesses, employees and labor groups on the region’s response. David Zahniser, Dakota Smith, Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/23/20

California Politics  

Bipartisan California lawmakers criticize Newsom’s COVID-19 spending, warn of ‘overreach’ -- California lawmakers from both parties on Friday criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom’s coronavirus spending, telling officials he had misused emergency authority they gave him at the start of the outbreak in March. Hannah Wiley and Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ Katy Murphy Politico -- 5/23/20

‘They killed my dad’: Glendale nursing home sued after resident contracts COVID-19 and dies -- The wife and children of a 77-year-old man who died after contracting the coronavirus have accused his nursing home of preventing staff from wearing masks and gloves during the pandemic, downplaying the threat of the virus and withholding information about exposure to COVID-19 inside the Glendale facility. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Measure that could exempt Uber, Lyft, DoorDash from AB5 qualifies for November ballot -- California voters will decide this November whether to exempt app-based drivers and couriers — like those working for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash — from a state law that sought to classify the drivers as employees. Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/23/20

After fire victim vote, PG&E bankruptcy nears expected finish line -- Nearly 90% of California wildfire victims who voted on PG&E Corp.’s plan to pay them and restructure its finances have accepted the proposal, but the company’s problems are far from over. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

Deloitte Gets No-Bid Contract To Improve California’s Unemployment System Despite Criticism Over Previous Work -- As unemployment claims flood its Employment Development Department, California is seeking help from a company that has been criticized for past department projects. Scott Rodd Capital Public Radio -- 5/23/20

Corruption case against former L.A. County Assessor John Noguez tossed by appellate court -- The long-running bribery and corruption case against former Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez hit another roadblock Friday, when an appellate court ordered the matter dismissed on a technical violation, court records show. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Film producer charged with paying credit cards with coronavirus funds, defrauding investors -- Federal authorities on Friday arrested a Beverly Hills film producer on fraud charges after he allegedly paid off his personal credit cards using federal loans intended to help small businesses weather the coronavirus pandemic. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Charter company that operated helicopter in Kobe Bryant crash has received federal coronavirus funds -- The charter company that operated the helicopter that crashed in January, killing Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others, has received more than $600,000 through a federal program to support aviation industry payrolls in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. Nathan Fenno in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Immigration detainee tests positive for coronavirus at Imperial detention facility -- A government attorney representing ICE told Judge Dana Sabraw that a second detainee at the Imperial Regional Detention Facility was waiting for COVID-19 test results. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/23/20

Judge dismisses One America News defamation suit against MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow -- OANN’s parent company, Herring Networks, sued Maddow last year after she said on her talk show that OANN was “really literally is paid Russian propaganda.” The statement came during a July 22 segment in which she commented on a news report regarding a OANN staffer who reportedly had also written for the news agency Sputnik, reportedly a Russian government-funded media outlet. Teri Figueroa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/23/20

Fox: No Respite for Business vs. Labor Battles During Pandemic -- The Covid-19 flame of disease, death and economic devastation has only served to bring aspects of the traditional battle between business and labor to a boil. Optimistically, one might think that the call of ‘all in this together’ would have different interests pulling on the same end of the rope in hopes of quick economic recovery. But when it comes to major labor laws like AB 5 and PAGA (Private Attorney General Act), no compromise seems acceptable. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/22/20

Unemployed  

California unemployment hits 15.5% in April — largest monthly job loss ever recorded -- Despite the historic numbers, the rate is certainly an undercount, due to technicalities in how it’s calculated and the fact that it’s already a month old, based on surveys done the week of April 12. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/23/20

Business Lost  

Los Gatos chef decides to ‘walk away’ from his Nick’s Next Door -- One of Los Gatos’ most popular restaurants, Nick’s Next Door, is closing permanently because of the business uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic. Grateful customers, employees and industry colleagues flooded chef-owner Nick Difu’s Facebook page with thanks and comments after he broke the news. “Class doesn’t begin to describe you well enough,” Dan Huddleston posted. Linda Zavoral in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/23/20

Reopen     

Amid 2-day spike in coronavirus deaths, Orange County pushes for wider reopening -- On the heels of a two-day spike in coronavirus-related deaths in Orange County, officials on Friday affirmed that they are pushing forward with a proposal to allow more businesses to reopen. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Diocese of Orange will allow parishes to hold public Masses starting June 14 -- The Diocese of Orange announced Friday, May 22, that public Masses can begin in parishes within the diocese starting Sunday, June 14, which will include Vigil Masses the evening before. But Bishop Kevin Vann has extended the dispensation excusing Catholics from the obligation to attend Mass until large gatherings are deemed safe again. Deepa Bharath in the Orange County Register -- 5/23/20

Sonoma County’s wineries, restaurants can begin serving outdoor meals -- Sonoma County wineries, breweries, restaurants and bars can provide outdoor dining after state officials approved the county’s petition to move forward with the next phase of California’s reopening plan. Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

Good news for parents: San Francisco summer park and camps programs reopen in June -- Summer camps and park programs in San Francisco will be permitted to open next month — with modifications intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19, city officials announced Friday. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

L.A. County to consider ways some cities could reopen under coronavirus guidelines -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider a motion at its Tuesday meeting that would instruct the county health officer to work with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and state public health officials to devise a plan that would allow the parts of the county that have been less hard-hit by COVID-19 to reopen more quickly. Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Nevada casinos may reopen June 4 if coronavirus cases don’t spike this weekend -- Nevada’s hotel-casinos can reopen June 4 if the number of COVID-19 cases doesn’t soar during Memorial Day weekend, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said Friday afternoon. Jay Jones in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

See’s Candies reopens candy kitchens, paying attention to coronavirus concerns -- While See’s Candies may have shuttered its doors for Easter and Mother’s Day, the chocolate confectioner will be back in production this holiday weekend. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/23/20

Front Lines  

SF brings testing to Chinatown SRO to try to prevent outbreaks at crowded hotels -- The Chinese Hospital gave free coronavirus tests to all residents in a single-room-occupancy hotel in San Francisco’s Chinatown on Friday to try to prevent another widespread outbreak in these densely packed buildings. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

20 days, 10,000 meals: Facebook project pairs restaurants with at-risk families, front-line workers -- It was Day 14 of Facebook’s ambitious meals initiative, and Back A Yard restaurant’s turn to cook. Chef Robert Simpson and his team arrived early to make and package 500 of their Caribbean specialties — jerk chicken or tofu curry, both with plantains, beans and rice. By 11 a.m. they were loading the containers into a massive van with help from Loaves & Fishes staffers. Linda Zavoral in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/23/20

Rent forgiveness for businesses leasing from city of San Francisco? It’s news to them -- Rent relief could be coming for the hundreds of small businesses on property owned by the city of San Francisco — though the businesses’ owners largely haven’t heard anything about it. That’s because forgiving rent is a tricky process when the city’s properties are distributed among a complex web of agencies, some city departments and some overseen by independent commissions. Janelle Bitker and J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

Education 

Coronavirus testing would cost the UC $24 million per week -- The UC Board of Regents discussed possible ways to address imminent budget problems, including a 5% tuition increase, as well as complications to a fall reopening. Mikhail Zinshteyn Calmatters -- 5/23/20

CCSF plans to close Fort Mason campus spark student protest -- Art students are protesting City College of San Francisco’s plans to shut down its Fort Mason campus and relocate dozens of art classes from the historic waterfront site, Interim chancellor Dianna Gonzales said fiscal challenges brought on by the pandemic were forcing the perpetually cash-strapped college to consider dropping the Fort Mason location, a move it had considered and rejected three years ago after students objected. Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

Tom Hanks delivers graduation speech to Skyline High School’s Class of 2020 -- Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks delivered a graduation speech at his former high school’s virtual graduation ceremony on Friday to offer hope amid the coronavirus pandemic. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

Landlords & Tenants  

Taylor: When eviction protections are lifted, how will people afford to pay accumulated rent? -- On May 6, Lorenzo Perez got a notice on the door of the Walnut Creek apartment he shares with his wife, Lesly Ordonez, and their two children. It said they had three days to pay rent or quit. In other words, the landlord was threatening to evict the family. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

Local Budgets   

Sacramento Hotels Are Mostly Vacant. Now, The City Is Looking For Other Ways to Pay For Major Projects -- Before the crisis, through February, the Sacramento was on pace to match last year’s total of $35 million raised through its Transient Occupancy Tax, or TOT, a 12% levy on hotel rooms. But that was before Gov. Gavin Newsom advised that non-essential businesses shut down and hotels could only provide rooms to essential workers. Bob Moffitt Capital Public Radio -- 5/23/20

Homeless  

Trump administration yanks approval for homeless shelters in Sacramento, across California -- The Trump administration has yanked approval for major homeless shelter projects it previously approved in Sacramento and San Francisco. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/23/20

POTUS 45  

GOP Never Trumpers’ dilemma: Is any Republican worth voting for? -- The dilemma for President Trump-loathing Republicans: Do you vote for a Republican who supports him? It’s a question that hit home to Never Trumpers in California this week when Rep. Mike Garcia was sworn in to the House. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/23/20

Behind Trump’s demand to reopen churches: Slipping poll numbers and alarm inside his campaign -- A sudden shift in support for Donald Trump among religious conservatives is triggering alarm bells inside his reelection campaign, where top aides have long banked on expanding the president’s evangelical base as a key part of their strategy for victory this November. Gabby Orr Politico -- 5/23/20

Beltway   

Biden apologizes for controversial ‘you ain’t black’ comment -- African American support was crucial to former Vice President Joe Biden’s 2020 primary victory, and his ability to turn out black voters in November could make or break the general election for Democrats. So after comments to a popular black radio personality Friday morning induced queasiness among some of his allies, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee eventually apologized later in the day. Quint Forgey and Myah Ward Politico -- 5/23/20

 

-- Friday Updates   

Coronavirus: Cases in California hit new peak, deaths nearing new high -- The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in California climbed to a new high Thursday as the state reported more than 2,000 positive tests for the fourth time this week. Evan Webeck in the Orange County Register Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

As coronavirus deaths mount, L.A. County is far behind on promise to test everyone in nursing homes -- A month after vowing to test all nursing home residents and staff for the novel coronavirus, Los Angeles County health officials have completed the effort in only about a third of homes and have dramatically scaled back testing plans. Jack Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

White House concerned with coronavirus spread in L.A. area, asks CDC to investigate -- While some parts of the country are seeing major progress in fighting the coronavirus, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, on Friday singled out Los Angeles as one of three regions where persistent spread remains a significant concern. Alex Wigglesworth, Luke Money, Noah Bierman, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

- Little sense of shared grief as virus deaths near 100,000 -- For months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the nation ached together in televised memorials, joining in a collective catharsis of uniformed salutes, bagpiped dirges and President George W. Bush declaring a national day of mourning and remembrance. Noah Bierman, Eli Stokols in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

‘Shocking’: Federal officials revoke approval for huge homeless shelter in San Francisco’s Bayview -- Federal highway officials have reversed approval for San Francisco to open a 200-bed Navigation Center in the Bayview neighborhood — a blow that could potentially throw into doubt plans for dozens of homeless shelters across the state. Dustin Gardiner, Kevin Fagan and Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/20

Newsom pushes coronavirus contact tracing with first batch of tracers -- A batch of about 500 people will be deployed this week statewide for contact tracing, the public health practice that involves tracking down people who have come in contact with COVID-19 patients. Fiona Kelliher in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/22/20

What’s the link between the coronavirus and the Kawasaki-like disease MIS-C? -- One of the few silver linings of the novel coronavirus is that it mostly spares kids. Or so we thought. Deborah Netburn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

The Unemployed  

California unemployment hits 15.5% in April — largest monthly job loss ever recorded -- Every major industry sector in California lost jobs at unprecedented levels in April as the state’s unemployment rate hit 15.5%, officials said on Friday. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Margot Roosevelt in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

4 million Southern California jobs may be at risk because of coronavirus, report finds -- Southern California faces a dire economic outlook over the next two years, with high unemployment rates expected to linger through 2021 and many more jobs at risk than unemployment data may suggest, according to two new reports. Sammy Roth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

Businesses are reopening. If you’re older or sick, what happens to your job? -- There’s no social distancing for Venda Ripke at work. The 41-year-old teacher often gets face-to-face with the young students in her special-education classes at Newcastle Elementary School. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

Reopen   

Even as California reopens, some officials tell tourists to stay away -- As more parts of California reopen, some officials are urging tourists to stay away — at least for now. Dr. Penny Borenstein, San Luis Obispo County’s health officer, asked tourists to not visit as the county reopened many shops and restaurants this week. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

Memorial Day weekend: Beach rules, parking, ideas for ocean getaways without crowds plus your weather and wave forecast -- Memorial Day typically marks the “unofficial” start of summer, a long weekend when beachgoers flock to the sand for a day of fun in the sun. But this year is anything but typical, and getting to the sand is, well, complicated. Laylan Connelly in the Orange County Register -- 5/22/20

L.A. County reopens bike paths, parking lots at beaches and allows curbside service at malls -- Now, parking lots at Dockweiler State Beach, Will Rogers State Beach, Zuma Beach and Surfrider Beach will open at partial capacity. Santa Monica lots and most beachside public parking spots in coastal communities will remain closed. Beachgoers are still not allowed to sunbathe, grill or lounge in the sand. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

California to issue reopening rules for religious gatherings by Monday -- California will publish coronavirus safety guidelines for religious gatherings by Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said, hours after President Trump deemed houses of worship “essential” and called on states to allow them to reopen this weekend. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/20

• Trump deems churches ‘essential,’ calls for them to reopen -- President Donald Trump said Friday that he has deemed churches and other houses of worship “essential” and called on governors across the country to allow them to reopen this weekend, even as some parts of the nation remain under coronavirus lockdown. Jill Colvin and Zeke Miller Associated Press -- 5/22/20

Not So Fast  

Sacramento County pulls plug on fitness studios, small gatherings after state intervenes -- Sacramento County has walked back its decision to allow the opening of fitness studios and plans for small gatherings after state public health officials said both are still not allowed under relaxed stay-at-home orders. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

The Protesters  

Anti-shutdown protests at state Capitol have cost CHP nearly $1 million in OT, other costs -- The California Highway Patrol has spent nearly $1 million in overtime and meal costs policing a series of of protests against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order at the state Capitol since April 1, newly released figures show, and the figure is likely to go much higher as authorities brace for the biggest protest yet on Saturday. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/22/20

New Budget Normal  

Coronavirus could force pay cuts for California lawmakers, state workers -- The California budget crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has put an end to seven straight years of pay hikes for state legislators and other elected officials and raises the possibility that they could see their salaries reduced. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

Education 

UC Berkeley changes course: Lecturers now excluded from hiring freeze -- UC Berkeley officials abruptly changed course and will exclude more than 750 lecturers from a campus-wide hiring freeze, which went into effect April 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Ron Kroichick in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/20

Also . . .   

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s promise to feed California seniors falling short so far -- When Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the start of an initiative last month to deliver free meals to California seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic, he declared that “the universe of those eligible is certainly in the millions.” Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

In a pandemic, no one wants to touch it. Why cash has become the new Typhoid Mary -- The Almighty Dollar has lost some of its might in the time of COVID-19. While most struggling businesses will take payment in any form to make ends meet during the economic downtown, a minority reject cash, fearing that it could be a transmission vehicle for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

How to celebrate Memorial Day during the pandemic -- Memorial Day reflexively evokes image of backyard barbecues with friends and family, flash sales and parades — all activities the coronavirus has taken off the table. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/20

KQED Political Breakdown -- Carmela Coyle on How California Hospitals are Weathering COVID-19 -- The Legislature delves into Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget proposal, and Marisa and Scott talk with KQED's Katie Orr about how lawmakers are pushing to reassert themselves in spending negotiations. Marisa Lagos, Scott Shafer KQED -- 5/22/20