Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
As COVID Cases Spike, California Shifts Its Strategy
Public health officials have been alarmed by the increase in COVID-19 cases linked to family gatherings and socializing. While Gov. Gavin Newsom is defending the state’s reopening, local health officials worry the situation could get worse this summer. (Angela Hart and Anna Maria Barry-Jester, )
Newsom Says He May Punish Cities That ‘Thumb Their Nose’ At Rules: Gov. Gavin Newsom says he may withhold financial relief from local governments that don’t follow guidelines that he says are necessary to tamp down the spike in coronavirus cases in California. At a news conference Wednesday, the governor called out those who “simply thumb their nose” at state guidelines. Newsom did not specify how cities and counties would be expected to prove their compliance, though he added that he was trying to encourage good behavior rather than punish bad behavior. “We give an enormous amount of power, control and authority to local government, but what we’re now looking for is accountability,” Newsom said. Read more from Alexei Koseff of the San Francisco Chronicle.
As COVID-19 Cases Soar At San Quentin, Experts Say Inmate Population Must Be Reduced: A team of UC Berkeley and UCSF health experts warned prison medical officials nearly two weeks ago that they’d need to cut the population of San Quentin State Prison in half to avoid a potentially “catastrophic” outbreak there. But prison officials didn’t heed the warning and, since then, confirmed coronavirus infections among prisoners have rocketed from 48 to 456, far outpacing any other facility in the state and overwhelming a system that waited too long to react. Health experts warn that conditions there are already “dangerous” and that the only way to control the situation would be to reduce the prison’s population. Read more from Jason Fagone and Megan Cassidy of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Below, check out the full round-up of California Healthline original stories, state coverage and the best of the rest of the national news for the day.
More News From Across The State
Los Angeles Times:
California Sees Record-Breaking Coronavirus Cases
Gov. Gavin Newsom again reported a significant rise in coronavirus cases in California on Wednesday, noting that a record-breaking 7,149 new positive results were confirmed in the state in the last day. The news came shortly before Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned in a Sacramento Press Club appearance that easing restrictions to slow the spread of the virus does not mean it’s safe to resume normal life again. (Willon and Luna, 6/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus: Alarming Spike In Bay Area, State Cases Threatens Reopening Plans
Months into the coronavirus pandemic, infections are spiking in the Bay Area and across broad sections of the country, a surge that on Wednesday prompted cancellation of events, a plunge in the stock market, and a warning from Gov. Gavin Newsom that too many Californians have grown complacent as lockdown orders ease. The numbers are so concerning, some health officials in the Bay Area said they could put the brakes on reopening plans. (Fimrite, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Coronavirus Postive Rate For COVID-19 Jumped, Newsom Says
The percentage of Californians testing positive for the coronavirus is increasing as the state has reopened its economy, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday, calling it a sign that people are letting their guard down and not doing enough to prevent the virus’ spread. The percentage of people who have tested positive over the past two weeks is about 5.1 percent. The same number over the last 7 days is up to 5.6 percent, he said. On Monday, Newsom had said the two-week positive rate was 4.8 percent. (Bollag, 6/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Charts Show The Hot Spots Driving California’s ‘Sobering’ Coronavirus Surge
California reported record new daily coronavirus case counts this week and a surge in hospitalizations, as the state continues to reopen businesses and allows for more outdoor and indoor activities. But what about in the Bay Area?Cases here have nearly doubled in the past month, and sharp spikes this week indicate an alarming trend. But Chronicle analysis of county-by-county data shows that the Bay Area has not been among the biggest contributors to the statewide surge thus far, with cases-per-capita remaining below the state average for the past 14 days and well below the hot spots driving the surge. (Hwang and Massa, 6/25)
Bay Area News Group:
Coronavirus: 5 Signs California Is Heading The Wrong Direction
As more people venture out and expand their social circles, the coronavirus pandemic is sending some alarming signals to California about the effects of reopening. “Right now it’s looking like things are going in the wrong direction,” said John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert and professor emeritus at UC Berkeley. (Deruy, 6/25)
CalMatters:
Fauci Praises California's Reopening, Urges Public Cooperation
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading public health voice in the coronavirus pandemic, gave California a pat on the back Wednesday, complimenting the state’s handling of its reopening — even amidst some public pushback. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, weighed in from almost 3,000 miles away in Washington, D.C., during a virtual event hosted by the Sacramento Press Club. (Ibarra, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Dr. Anthony Fauci Talks Newsom, Masks On Facebook Live Chat
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s preeminent epidemic expert and the face of the national coronavirus response effort, had a stern response Wednesday to California’s recent uptick in cases amid reopening. As the state’s reopening restrictions loosen, Fauci told virtual attendees at a Wednesday talk with the Sacramento Press Club that young people are contributing to the surge. (Kristoffersen, 6/24)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno CA Adds Another Death, 220 Cases Of Coronavirus
Along with another death related to the coronavirus, Fresno County on Wednesday reported an additional 220 positive cases, according to health officials. Fresno County now has tallied 71 deaths from its 3,892 positive cases of COVID-19, according to officials. Tulare County reported another 99 positive cases in its Wednesday update in the county that now has seen 3,533 cases. Two more deaths brings that total to 118. (Miller, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Model: 33,000 Fewer COVID-19 Deaths If 95% Of People Wear Masks
If nearly everyone wears masks in public, tens of thousands of lives could be saved during the coronavirus pandemic, an updated forecast from the University of Washington predicted. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s (IHME) model, which is often cited by the White House, predicted that more than 179,000 people in the U.S. will die from COVID-19 by Oct. 1, U.S. News reported. But the model also showed the number of deaths would fall to about 146,000 if 95% of the population wore masks in public, according to KIRO. (Wolford, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Coronavirus Cases Up Among Latinos In Sacramento, California
Latino residents of the Sacramento region and California – a population that experts say is more likely to be working on the front lines of “essential” professions outside the home – are falling ill to coronavirus at a higher rate than any other ethnic group. The alarming trend in Sacramento, where more than half of recent cases are among Latino residents, combined with instances of COVID-19 spreading in homes among families has prompted county officials to say they need to refocus on reaching ethnic groups where they live. That includes mask distribution and public warnings on local health orders in multiple languages. (Yoon-Hendricks, Bizjak and Reese, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Shasta County CA Party Spreads COVID-19 To 12 People
A large family party in Northern California has left at least 12 people stricken with COVID-19, most with symptoms, Shasta County health officials report. A man in his 20s who attended the party several weeks ago later tested positive for the coronavirus, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. County health officials advised 20 people who had been at the party to self-quarantine, but 12 have since come down with COVID-19, according to the publication. None have been hospitalized. (Sweeney, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Downtown Sacramento Restaurant Closes Due To COVID-19 Scare
The Melting Pot is temporarily closing its downtown Sacramento restaurant after discovering an employee may have been exposed to the coronavirus off the job. No employees have tested positive for COVID-19, the deadly respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, according to a Facebook post. The fondue restaurant at 814 15th St. reopened for dine-in service on June 1 from 4-9 p.m. each night with a maximum of six people per table. (Egel, 6/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Uber Drivers Protest Coronavirus Safety Program At CEO’s SF Home
Uber and Lyft drivers organized a caravan in San Francisco on Wednesday to protest the companies’ opposition to classifying drivers as employees and what drivers called inadequate safety measures during coronavirus. Protesters in around 50 cars drove from the Marina to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi’s $16.5 million Pacific Heights house, holding signs that included the words, “A Thief Lives Here.” (Echeverria, 6/24)
Bay Area News Group:
Woman Who Coughed On Baby ID’d As San Jose School Employee
A woman suspected of intentionally coughing on a baby at a San Jose frozen yogurt shop last week has been identified as an employee of the Oak Grove School District.In a statement Wednesday, Superintendent Jose L. Manzo said the district was “aware of an incident allegedly involving one of our employees who was videotaped coughing on a baby.” “We do not tolerate conduct from any employee that compromises any child’s safety,” he said. “The employee is currently off of work and not providing any services to our District students.” (Green, 6/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
After Three Big Verdicts, Owner Of Roundup Agrees To Settle 125,000 Suits For $10 Billion
After three Bay Area verdicts awarded $190 million to cancer victims who sprayed Monsanto’s widely used herbicide on their crops, parent company Bayer AG said Wednesday it would pay more than $10 billion to settle as many as 125,000 lawsuits by ailing U.S. users of the product. The settlement will also establish a scientific panel to determine whether the Roundup weed-killer and its active ingredient, glyphosate, cause cancer. (Egelko, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento-Area Schools To Start Mental Health Counseling
New mental health clinicians will soon be available at 10 Sacramento-area public schools come fall, according to a Wednesday announcement by the Sacramento County Office of Education. In collaboration with the county’s Office of Public Health and local school districts, the County Office of Education rolled out the School Based Mental Health and Wellness Partnership, which aims to eventually assign a health clinician to every school in the county. (Tahui Gomez, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento CA Businesses Make Fashionable, Customized Masks
Californians can comply with the statewide mask order in style thanks to clothing businesses that quickly adapted to the pandemic. Sacramento designers responded to the spike in demand for face masks beginning in March, with small businesses rising to the occasion at a time when personal protective equipment remained in short supply. When Old Country Tailor received a call from a nonprofit in mid-March seeking 1,000 face masks for its employees, the company took the order and figured out how to fill it. (Kerber, 6/25)
Fresno Bee:
CA Undocumented Worker Struggles To Survive During COVID-19
“I’ll be back in about a week… maybe 15 days.” That’s what Reyna Rubio thought when the restaurant where she works as a manager/server called to tell her she would not be needed until further notice. That was March 18. (Jiselle, 6/25)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento Kings: Parker, Hield, Len Test Positive For Virus
One member of the Kings announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday and two others were reported to be infected as well. Kings forward Jabari Parker released a statement announcing he tested positive last week. A short time later, Sam Amick and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Kings guard Buddy Hield had also tested positive for the virus. Kings center Alex Len later revealed he had tested positive as well. (Anderson, 6/24)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Sheriff Is Stonewalling Inspector General
The independent monitors for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were brought in for moments like these. The law enforcement agency is facing outrage from the community and questions about back-to-back shootings that left two men dead as well as its handling of the death of Robert Fuller, 24, who was found hanging from a tree near Palmdale City Hall. But the two institutions tasked with overseeing investigations of deputies’ use of force — the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission and its investigative arm, the Office of Inspector General — say they are running into roadblocks. (Tchekmedyian, 6/25)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Video Exclusive: Navy Vet Who Died 8 Days After Alameda Arrest Was Pinned, Tased Multiple Times
Records and video released exclusively to The Chronicle show that a man who died days after being arrested by Alameda police lost consciousness and stopped breathing while at least one officer was instructed to use their body weight to pin the handcuffed Navy veteran while repeatedly tasing him. The city of Alameda agreed in March to pay $250,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by Shelby Gattenby’s mother, who said police violated her 40-year-old son’s civil rights on Dec. 5, 2018, when they deployed their stun guns five times and restrained him with the weight of their bodies as he lay on his stomach. (Ravani, 6/24)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Times Faces Painful Reckoning Over Race In Staff, Pages
Two years after the Los Angeles Times reverted to local ownership, one of the country’s largest metropolitan daily newspapers is facing a painful internal reckoning over glaring deficiencies and missteps regarding race and representation in its pages and its staff. On Wednesday, Executive Editor Norman Pearlstine heard from aggrieved newsroom staff members during a more than four-hour meeting examining the mistreatment of Black and brown editorial staff members past and present. (James and Hernandez, 6/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Centrist And Conservative Business Leaders Support Protests
Billionaire hotel developer and shopping center magnate Rick Caruso is one of Los Angeles’ most prominent voices of pro-business centrism, known for building luxury outdoor shopping malls and leading the boards of public institutions such as the Department of Water and Power and the Police Commission. He demanded a new headquarters for the LAPD that was later built and has been a prominent fundraiser for Republican candidates including Mitt Romney and John Kasich. Now Caruso has joined the voices declaring that Black lives matter. (Vincent, 6/25)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Oscar Grant Lost His Life Because Of A BART Police Shooting. Now His Mother Wants To Train The Agency To Prevent Such Tragedies
BART is looking into what could be an unprecedented chapter in the police reform movement: bringing in the mother of someone killed by its own officer to train its department in implicit bias. Although BART staff are only beginning their search for a possible trainer, Board President Lateefah Simon has someone in mind. She’d pick the mother of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old man shot to death by a BART police officer in 2009. (Swan, 6/25)