Updating . .
California needs to shut down again to contain coronavirus, Bay Area lawmaker warns -- State Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, put forth a proposal Thursday that would require every county to keep residents at home again, except for essential trips, until the rate of positive tests over 14 days drops below 2% in both the county and its neighbors. As of Wednesday, the statewide positive test rate for the previous week was 7.6%. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
California records highest coronavirus death total in a day as fatalities pass 8,000 -- Wednesday’s 157 fatalities — the state’s highest one-day toll yet, according to The Times’ coronavirus tracker — pushed California’s fatalities above 8,000. The sobering death toll continues what’s been an unprecedented week in California in terms of the COVID-19 outbreak. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
California was impatient. Now it tops New York for most coronavirus cases -- California is No. 1 in part because it is the most populous state but also because millions of residents have been unwilling, or unable, to practice the social distancing and mask-wearing that public health experts say are the best measures to keep SARS-CoV-2 somewhat in check. Luke Money, James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
LA County reports 64 more coronavirus deaths – plus another day of 2,200-plus hospitalizations -- Los Angeles County reported 64 coronavirus-related deaths and 3,266 new cases — both above daily averages, even amid recent weeks’ alarmingly resurgent outbreak — as well as a fourth consecutive day of more than 2,200 hospitalizations, on Wednesday, July 22. Ryan Carter in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 7/23/20
The more we stay home, the less the coronavirus spreads. Here’s the evidence -- For instance, when residents of a typical county cut their visits to nonessential businesses in half, a single infected person transmitted the virus to 46% fewer people than she would have in a county where business proceeded as usual, the study authors found. In some counties, that reduction could end the outbreak. Melissa Healy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Disneyland tightens COVID-19 mask requirements at Downtown Disney -- Disneyland has updated two face covering policies at Downtown Disney to prohibit neck gaiters and bandanas and close the so-called “sip and stroll” loophole. Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 7/23/20
More restaurants and stores reopen at Downtown Disney -- A pair of restaurants will reopen and a new retail shop has debuted at Downtown Disney as the outdoor shopping mall next to Disneyland continues a gradual return to the new normal following an extended coronavirus closure. Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 7/23/20
Schooling
SF will open ‘learning hubs’ across city to help 6,000 school children with distance learning -- San Francisco officials are readying an unprecedented educational assistance program for the fall meant to help up to 6,000 children with their distance-learning needs, as parents and students confront the reality of starting the school year without classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
L.A. County could use parks, libraries as learning sites amid school closures -- Los Angeles County is considering using parks and libraries as alternative learning sites for students as most schools remain shuttered amid the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said. Tomás Mier in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Poll: Most San Diegans agree with mandated school closures -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to keep schools closed in counties with high coronavirus case numbers provoked disappointment from parents and schools, and even a lawsuit. But a new poll of San Diego County shows that most adults agree with the controversial order. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/23/20
Teachers' mantra: ‘I am not a child care provider’ -- Teachers are afraid and parents are desperate. Both want children to succeed. But the tension across the country over access to an education and the promise of a safe working environment has escalated as school start dates near, at times pitting them against each other in the pandemic. Mackenzie Mays Politico -- 7/23/20
Bay Area students choose gap year over remote or unpredictable college experience: ‘People are bailing’ -- Sadie Fleig eagerly anticipated her freshman year of college — moving away from home, embracing campus life, making new friends. But this spring, as she witnessed the wild uncertainty of life in the age of coronavirus, she realized her vision might not match reality. Ron Kroichick in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
Stressed Business
‘This is not a solution.’ Sacramento nail salon owners rebel against operating outdoors -- Although Gov. Gavin Newsom declared this week that nail salons could operate outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic, salon owners say the governor’s overture is unworkable. Dale Kasler and Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
One month in, outdoor dining is an important yet messy lifeline for S.F. restaurants -- Now, the city’s restaurants have been serving diners outside for about a month — and owners are generally grateful. But the results are mixed, with some restaurants not seeing new customers despite efforts. And San Francisco’s often chilly, windy weather doesn’t inspire alfresco dining. Janelle Bitker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
Staying Afloat
'It's a mess': Congress prepares to lurch over unemployment aid cliff -- Tens of million unemployed Americans are about to lose their economic lifeline during the worst recession in 80 years, with eviction protections set to expire at the same time. Sarah Ferris and Andrew Desiderio Politico -- 7/23/20
U.S., California job losses grow as unemployed face benefit cuts -- Another 1.4 million Americans filed for unemployment last week, just as the benefits they can receive are about to be slashed, deepening the humanitarian and economic crises stemming from the pandemic. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
Workers fear returning to work. Many are resisting the call -- Many, especially those backed by powerful labor unions, are resisting. They cite the failure of employers over the last four months to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks, even in hospitals, nursing homes, fast-food outlets, grocery stores and warehouses where workers were deemed “essential” by the state. Margot Roosevelt, Hugo MartÍn, Taylor Avery in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Jobless Sacramento workers rely on weekly $600 benefit. What happens if it disappears? -- Jeremy Lanni hates to think what the past few months would have been like without the extra $600 in weekly unemployment benefits he received after the coronavirus pandemic struck and he lost his restaurant job in Sacramento. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
Policy & Politics
LAPD begins cost cutting, and units must ‘show your relevance,’ chief says -- During a recent meeting with officers from the elite but troubled Metropolitan Division, Los Angeles police Chief Michel Moore offered support for their crime-fighting mission, but also a warning he’d previously shared with command staff. With significant reductions in the force looming, every unit is under a microscope — and must prove its worth. Kevin Rector, Richard Winton, Cindy Chang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Put people of color on California boards or pay $100K, proposed law says -- As California corporations tout their efforts to address systemic racism and increase diversity within their companies, their boardrooms tell a different story. Kim Bojórquez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
These California inmates risked death to fight wildfires. After prison, they’re left behind -- Herrera is among the more than 2,000 inmate firefighters assigned to the state’s wildfires each year who are usually barred from getting firefighting jobs after they’re released due to their record of convictions and state licensing rules. Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
How Trump’s coronavirus immigration orders affect visas and green cards -- President Trump tweeted in April that he would “temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” leading to confusion and panic. For those affected by the rapidly shifting regulations, it can be hard to make sense of documents written in inscrutable legalese. Tweets can’t capture the full picture of the new rules, or may distort them entirely. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Sacramento City Council to consider placing ‘strong mayor’ measure on Nov. 3 ballot -- The City Council will consider placing a measure on the Nov. 3 ballot to give the mayor more power and overhaul the city government structure – a move Mayor Darrell Steinberg supports. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
Fox: Will Masks Interfere with Courtroom Justice? -- The fact that wearing or not wearing a mask has become a political symbol of state authority versus freedom seems so far out of bounds with medical reality. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 7/23/20
California Policy & Politics Thursday Morning
Santa Clara County ordered salons closed in March. This San Jose salon never shut down -- As other salon owners applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans and filed for unemployment, Griffiths ushered customers through the back door, his windows boarded up to maintain the illusion that the salon was closed. Erin Woo in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/23/20
Coronavirus surge linked to restaurants in Mammoth Lakes lands county on state watchlist -- A surge in coronavirus cases tied to restaurants in Mammoth Lakes has prompted the state to place Mono County on its watchlist for the first time. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
County floats ‘compliance team’ as San Diego COVID-19 cases just keep on coming -- During their twice-weekly afternoon COVID-19 briefing, officials announced that they are building a “Safe Reopening Compliance Team” designed to get county and local code enforcement departments working together to pursue public complaints of health order violations and, more generally, to educate businesses on specific operating regulations which can differ from industry to industry. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/23/20
SF’s malls are closed, but smaller stores also have coronavirus risks, experts say -- The latest health order shut down malls because of assumed high risk for coronavirus transmission due to people congregating in larger numbers. But experts say shopping in a smaller store isn’t necessarily safer than in a large mall. Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
Business Collapse
SF, Oakland, Hayward faced more than 300 permanent restaurant closures since March, study finds -- On the local front, the results revealed that the San Francisco Bay Area (specifically San Francisco, Oakland and Hayward) was the third highest metropolitan area for closures just behind New York City and Los Angeles. Together, the three Bay Area cities had a total of 5,048 temporary and permanent business closures, which included restaurants, retail, and other industries. Susana Guerrero in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/23/20
United is going to be a smaller airline -- United's July 8 letter to California authorities stated that it anticipates reducing its workforce at San Francisco International by 6,573 employees — that's half of its pre-pandemic payroll of 13,000. At Los Angeles International it will cut 1,634 employees, along with smaller numbers at airports in Orange County and San Diego. Chris McGinnis in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/23/20
Ferry Building closure further threatens its status as a local food oasis -- Even before new public health orders forced the building — categorized as an indoor mall — to close this week, the pandemic had turned the legendary San Francisco food hall into a ghost town. Janelle Bitker and Justin Phillips in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
California childcare centers take big hit as parents try to go back to work -- Hernandez’s struggles to keep her childcare business afloat are not unique. Some Bay Area in-home care providers have decided to stop offering their services entirely for fear of exposing their family members to COVID-19. Other daycare providers have gone into credit card debt just to pay rent. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/23/20
Face of downtown Santa Cruz changing as retailers, restaurants permanently close -- More than a dozen downtown storefronts have shuttered in the months since shelter-in-place restrictions began, and more closures are likely to come. Nicholas Ibarra in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 7/23/20
Virus
California shatters another record for new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations -- Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that 12,807 new coronavirus infections had been reported statewide in the past 24 hours — a record high — bringing California’s total to 413,576. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Walnut Creek: 12 Deaths Among 92 Residents Of Local Nursing Facility Testing Positive For Covid-19 -- A Walnut Creek skilled nursing facility is dealing with a COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak that as of Tuesday night has left 12 residents dead and a total of 92 residents and 38 staff testing positive. The item is in in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/23/20
California adds $315 million to mask contract from China-based BYD, Gov. Newsom announces -- California is extending its agreement with China-based manufacturer BYD to buy hundreds of millions more masks to protect essential workers from the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday. Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Nicole Nixon Capital Public Radio Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 7/23/20
Who’s handling coronavirus better, California or New York? It’s getting harder to tell -- California this week surged ahead of New York as the state with the most total cases of COVID-19 — a dubious title that prompts what would have seemed a silly question two months ago: Is New York now handling the virus better than California? Tony Bizjak and Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
Is traffic on Bay Area highways and bridges returning to ‘normal’? Here’s how close we are -- The short answer: We’re nearly three-quarters back to normal, depending on how you look at the data. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
Inmates
Judge orders release of vulnerable inmates at Lompoc prisons hit by virus -- Federal prison authorities must begin transferring medically vulnerable inmates at Lompoc’s prison complex to home confinement to prevent further illness after an outbreak of the coronavirus killed four inmates and infected more than 1,000 others, a U.S. District Court judge ruled. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Jail numbers up, but most are asymptomatic, sheriff office says -- Although a total of 103 inmates at the Santa Rita Jail are currently positive with coronavirus, a majority of them are not showing any symptoms, according to the sheriff’s office. Angela Ruggiero in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/23/20
Street
Redwood City washes away Black Lives Matter street art after resident proposes a MAGA one too -- The 1990s and 2000s had been disappointingly stagnant years in the push for racial equality, Daniel Pease thought. He was worried for the future of his mixed-race son, just 4 years old. Kristi Sturgill in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
List of over 50 John Muir namesakes shows how widespread memorials to him are in California -- The Sierra Club on Wednesday distanced itself from Muir, its founder, saying he was a racist and apologizing for the group’s “substantial role in perpetuating white supremacy.” Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
Sierra Club director cancels founder John Muir — should parks, schools, be renamed? -- But in a stunning turn this week, the 128-year-old club’s current executive director, Michael Brune, said “it’s time to take down some of our own monuments” and called out Muir for having made “derogatory comments about Black people and Indigenous peoples that drew on deeply harmful racist stereotypes.” John Woolfolk, Jane Tyska in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/23/20
Alameda police chief to leave following criticism against police department -- Police Chief Paul Rolleri, whose department came under fire three months ago after officers arrested a Black man for dancing in the street, has submitted a resignation letter saying he intends to retire. Peter Hegarty in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/23/20
Workplace
Two L.A. County supervisors tout pandemic safety, but put own employees at risk, staffers say -- Los Angeles County Supervisors Hilda Solis and Kathryn Barger have made clear their views on ways to minimize risky behavior during the pandemic. Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Staying Afloat
Stimulus check or unemployment boost? What’s the best way to support coronavirus economy? -- The best way the government can help the millions of people out of work right away? Keep giving them that extra $600 a week, or at least some emergency payment, as unemployment benefits. That’s the loose consensus of economists and many Washington lawmakers contacted by McClatchy, as President Donald Trump and Congress engage in tense closed-door negotiations on the next federal economic relief package. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
Policy & Politics
Oakland, San Jose mayors tell Trump sending agents to Portland and other cities is ‘abuse of power’ -- Mayors from 15 U.S. cities co-signed letter to William Barr and Chad Wolf demanding “immediate action to withdraw your forces.” Wes Goldberg in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/23/20
Report on San Diego’s new franchise agreement sparks complaints from SDG&E -- The city has already filed a $35.6 million lawsuit against the utility over a dispute involving an expensive water project and last month the City Attorney’s office said invoices from SDG&E regarding underground power lines in portions of San Diego have been way too high — something the company disputes. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/23/20
Defendants settle for $1.6 million as details emerge on 44,000-gallon Ventura oil spill -- Four years after 44,814 gallons of unrefined crude gushed out of a Crimson oil pipeline, the Ventura County district attorney’s office said the companies responsible for the 2016 accident will pay up. Jake Sheridan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Walters: Appeals court makes tax increases easier -- California voters may see a slew of new local tax proposals after a state appeallete court ruled that the two-thirds vote requirement doesn’t apply to those placed on the ballot via initiative petitions. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 7/23/20
Education
LA County elementary schools can apply for waivers to open classrooms -- If Los Angeles County school districts still want to open elementary and pre-kindergarten classrooms for in-person instruction they might be allowed to do so under a new waiver process announced by Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Wednesday. David Rosenfeld in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 7/23/20
San Diego Unified pursues slew of anti-racist reforms -- The San Diego Unified School Board voted to ban future “willful defiance” suspensions for all middle school students and to implement a host of other reforms at an online school board workshop on racial equity on Tuesday. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/23/20
California is short 1 million laptops and hot spots for kids as it prepares online school -- When COVID-19 forced schools to close across California in March, state education officials estimated that 1.2 million students — 20 percent of the total K-12 population — didn’t have the technology necessary to participate in distance learning. MacKenzie Hawkins in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/23/20
CSU undergrads must take an ethnic studies or social justice class starting in 2023 -- In the first major change to general education across its system in decades, all 430,000 undergraduates attending Cal State universities must take an ethnic studies or social justice course, a requirement approved by CSU trustees Wednesday following a fierce two-day debate that left some longtime social activists in the awkward position of voting “no.” Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$ Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ David Rosenfeld in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Michael Burke EdSource -- 7/23/20
Citing racist past, Hawthorne elementary school drops Peter Burnett name -- As one by one, monuments and markers linked to California’s racist past were being toppled by protesters last month or hastily moved out of sight, a small school district in Hawthorne set its sights on an elementary campus named after the state’s first elected governor. Jake Sheridan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
California’s online community college still has much to prove -- Calbright College, California’s online community college, may have survived elimination in the state’s budget, but the pressure is on to prove its value to the state. Ashley A. Smith EdSource -- 7/23/20
Housing
Amid COVID, San Diego home price hits highest ever: $600K -- The median home price in San Diego County crossed the $600,000 line for the first time in June, said CoreLogic data provided by DQNews. It represents a modest 1.7 percent price gain in a year but is still noteworthy as unemployment is at historic highs. Phillip Molnar in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/23/20
Also . . .
FBI links killing of California lawyer to suspect in deadly attack on New Jersey judge’s family -- In two killings separated by nearly 3,000 miles, a gunman came dressed as a deliveryman. The individual at the doorstep claimed to be dropping off a package but instead unleashed a hail of bullets. On Wednesday, the FBI said it had now linked the two slayings to one man. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Tesla, posting a crucial profit, unveils Austin factory plan -- With Tesla crossing a key financial milestone and enjoying a dizzying climb in the value of its stock, the company is treating itself to a splurge: a new factory. Russ Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Apple co-founder Wozniak sues YouTube, Google, over Bitcoin scam -- Lawyers for Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, announced a lawsuit against YouTube and parent company Google on Wednesday, alleging the companies failed to take down videos that used Wozniak’s likenesses in a Bitcoin scam. Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/23/20
POTUS 45
Trump says he’s ‘comfortable’ sending his son and grandchildren back to school amid pandemic -- President Trump said Wednesday he would be comfortable sending his school-age son and grandchildren to in-person school this fall even as the country struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Colby Itkowitz in the Washington Post$ -- 7/23/20
Legal analysis: Is Trump stretching the law to deploy federal police power in cities? -- The federal government has broad power to enforce the laws of the United States, but not to police the streets or maintain order in a city if protests lead to violence. That has been how the separation of powers between states and the federal government has been understood. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/23/20
Beltway
Biden says Trump is America’s first ‘racist’ president -- Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, on Wednesday called President Trump the country’s first racist to be elected to the White House. Colby Itkowitz and John Wagner in the Washington Post$ -- 7/23/20
House votes to remove Confederate statues from Capitol -- The House has approved a bill to remove statues of Gen. Robert E. Lee and other Confederate leaders from the U.S. Capitol, as a reckoning over racial injustice continues following the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in Minneapolis. Matthew Daly and Jessica Gresko Associated Press -- 7/23/20
-- Wednesday Updates
California has most COVID-19 cases in U.S., surpassing N.Y., as spike continues -- California now has the most confirmed coronavirus infections of any state, surpassing New York, as an ongoing statewide spike in the number of infections has pushed its case count past 409,000. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks in the Sacramento Bee$ Evan Webeck in the San Jose Mercury$ Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/20
‘I don’t believe it’: Huntington Beach a symbol of mask resistance as doubters abound -- As Brad Colburn whisked his metal detector over the tan sands of Huntington Beach, a rejection of Orange County’s spiking coronavirus infection rates surfaced. “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe the rates are rising,” Colburn said. “They’re inflated. It’s another way of shutting everything down … of the Democrats trying to get what they want.” Jake Sheridan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/20
Santa Clara County’s top health official laments ‘uncertainty,’ piecemeal reopening approach -- A fractured approach to reopening across the state and nation has created “much uncertainty” for Santa Clara County’s long-term coronavirus response, the top health official said Tuesday. Fiona Kelliher in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/22/20
California nursing facility devastated by 17 coronavirus deaths will close permanently -- Stollwood Convalescent Hospital, a Woodland skilled nursing facility devastated by 17 coronavirus deaths in the earlier months of the pandemic, will close permanently this fall. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/22/20
30 active coronavirus cases, 1 death at Sacramento County senior facility, state says -- An assisted living facility in south Sacramento County is in the midst of a large coronavirus outbreak, reporting 30 total cases among residents and staff members since late June along with one resident death during the pandemic. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/22/20
Street
Sierra Club calls out the racism of John Muir -- John Muir is a towering figure in the environmental movement. He saved Yosemite Valley, helped form the National Park Service and influenced generations with his passionate calls to protect and revere nature. But on Wednesday, the Sierra Club — which Muir co-founded — acknowledged a darker part of Muir’s history. Shelby Grad in the Los Angeles Times$ John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/20
Santa Clara County District Attorney unveils wide-ranging reform plan to address racial equity disparities in prosecutions -- Dropping the pursuit of the death penalty, easing up on dog-piling charges on defendants, putting a more watchful eye on police misconduct, and further backing away from prosecution of minor crimes highlight an array of reforms that Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen says he is instituting in the wake of national dissatisfaction with the criminal justice status quo galvanized by the police killing of George Floyd. Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/22/20
LAPD promised to curb violence on protesters for two decades, but has yet to deliver -- After Los Angeles police officers stormed through a protest in MacArthur Park in 2007, beating protesters and journalists with batons and shooting them with tactical weapons, the department issued an unusual mea culpa as part of a report filled with reforms. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/20
‘I’m going to die out here.’ Brutal heat is even more dangerous with coronavirus -- For Southern California’s elderly and homeless populations, stifling heat is more than an inconvenience. Without the cooling centers and shelters that are sanctuaries for vulnerable populations, heat can be a killer. Stephanie Lai in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/20
FBI launches vandalism investigation at Sacramento Black church after series of hate crimes -- The very next day, a parishioner at Murph-Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, a predominately black, 126-member church in North Highlands that was holding a drive-in church service outside because of COVID-19, found racial slurs, including “Kill ‘em all” and “KKK,” carved into the rooftop air conditioning unit. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/22/20
Schooling
Parents rush to hire tutors and create learning pods. But not everyone has options -- The advertisements started popping up on social media almost immediately after Los Angeles Unified School District said campuses would remain closed for the start of the school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sonali Kohli, Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/20
Child care is on the verge of collapse in the Bay Area. Can parents go back to work? -- In some senses, Rockridge Little School has not changed since COVID-19 engulfed the Bay Area. Wooden blocks and cubbies still line the shelves. Small jackets still hang from the coat racks. Scraps of butcher paper from an unfinished art project lie scattered across the tables. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/20
Has California figured out online school? ‘I forgave them for the spring. I’m not going to forgive them for the fall.’ -- Now that the great summer debate has been settled and most California schools will be teaching online instead of opening their classrooms for the fast-approaching school year, parents like Martin Rauchwerk have one request: Reassure us online instruction will be better this time around. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/22/20
Policy & Politics
Richmond extends eviction moratorium, rent payback period for residential and business tenants -- Residential and business tenants who are struggling to afford rent will get more time to pay their debt, thanks to a City Council decision Tuesday night to ratify the city manager’s order extending the city’s moratorium on evictions and rent increases through the end of September. Annie Sciacca in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/22/20
These California privacy initiative opponents might surprise you -- The Consumer Federation of California, the ACLU of California and Media Alliance have gone public with scathing critiques of Proposition 24 — a move that will complicate the pro-consumer narrative of a campaign to rewrite the state's landmark Privacy Act. Katy Murphy Politico -- 7/22/20
Labor, industry tangle over dialysis ballot initiative -- Kidney dialysis may sound like an odd topic for a California ballot proposition, but voters will tangle with the issue on Nov. 3 — for the second time. Lana Schwartz Capitol Weekly -- 7/22/20
Fox: The Attorney General’s Uneven View on What’s Right -- Two events yesterday showed an unequal outlook on fairness by California’s Attorney General. In one instance, AG Xavier Becerra rightly objected to President Trump’s order attempting to limit the people counted in the census as ignoring the plain language of the United States Constitution. On the other hand, he issued titles and summaries for California ballot initiatives that are raising complaints that his political ideology is interfering with his official duties to write neutral ballot descriptions. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 7/22/20
Also . . .
‘Strong’ evidence quake fault runs along site of Hollywood skyscrapers, state says -- State geologists have concluded there is “strong” evidence that an earthquake fault runs along the site of a controversial skyscraper development slated for Hollywood, records obtained by The Times show. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Lorena Iñiguez Elebee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/20
What happens to the U.S. economy if the $600 federal unemployment benefit ends? -- When the COVID-19 pandemic first drove the country into lockdown and tens of millions of workers lost their jobs, Congress voted to add $600 a week to whatever individual states paid in unemployment insurance. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/20
California feared pandemic would overwhelm Medicaid, but that hasn’t happened. Why? -- “It’s a mystery,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, an advocacy group for health consumers. “We have lots of plausible explanations, but they don’t seem to add up.” Even the state is stumped. Rachel Bluth, Angela Hart in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/20
Transit
Ridership’s down, revenues are down, but salaries are up for BART workers -- BART’s ridership is only 12% of what it was before the coronavirus pandemic and it’s facing a projected loss of $975 million over the next three years — nonetheless, the transit agency’s workers got a 2.75% raise July 1, bringing the top salary for station agents and train operators to $93,085.20 a year, plus benefits. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/20
Tesla referral code for you to use -- https://www.tesla.com/referral/john93948 to get 1000 free Supercharger miles. -- jk