San Francisco Chronicle: California Reopening: Here's What Day One Of 'Normal' Looked Like
In a way, it felt like the clock was reset to 2019 again. As the order came down Tuesday for California to go back to almost business as usual, gyms and restaurants got to pack ’em in like the old days, most places dropped their mask requirements and, for the first time since March 2020, we all got to see what normalcy might actually look like. (Fagan, Kost, DiFeliciantonio, Vainshtein and Cano, 6/15)

Bay Area News Group: California COVID Reopening Day Arrives With Celebration, Caution
California’s much-anticipated reopening date arrived Tuesday, bringing with it the end of most pandemic-related business restrictions and mask requirements for those who are vaccinated against COVID-19. (Savidge, Geha, Sulek and Selig, 6/15)

Los Angeles Daily News: As Coronavirus Fades, LA County Officials Pause For Smiles (And Words Of Caution) On Reopening Day 
Businesses in Los Angeles County and across the state returned to mostly normal operations on Tuesday, June 15, with the lifting of COVID-19-prompted capacity limits and physical distancing requirements, a move that brought a celebratory atmosphere to the Southland. Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis, other county officials and a group of front-line workers gathered at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles to mark the lifting of restrictions. While celebratory in nature, the gathering also struck a somber tone in remembrance of the more than 23,000 county residents who have died during the pandemic. A moment of silence was held in memory of those lost. (Gutknecht, 6/15)

Southern California News Group: Gov. Newsom Rides Wave Of Easing Coronavirus Rules Into Universal Studios Celebration 
Gov. Gavin Newsom rolled into the land of Harry Potter on Tuesday, June 15, to make a wide array of coronavirus-era restrictions disappear in his state and make $1.5 million in walking-around money appear in the pockets of 10 California residents. In what might be a sign of the times, costumed-characters playing Transformers robots and Minions from the “Despicable Me” movies appeared in 90-degree weather to greet Newsom who sauntered onto the stage on a day when the park’s capacity restrictions were formally lifted. (Chou, 6/15)

Los Angeles Times: California COVID Reopening: Why Officials Say It's More Safe 
Tuesday is not the first time California has tried to reopen its economy during the pandemic. But officials are hopeful it will be the last.In the past, efforts to lift or ease restrictions on businesses and activities have triggered new surges of COVID-19. That deadly domino effect played out last spring, and again in the fall. (Money and Lin II, 6/15)

Bay Area News Group: How Are Health Experts Handling California’s Reopening? 
How safe is it for vaccinated Californians to go about mask-free indoors now that it’s no longer a state requirement? A good gauge might be to watch what top health experts are doing as California on Tuesday drops its pandemic restrictions on how many people can be inside stores, restaurants and most other indoor places, and the requirement that everyone wear a face mask indoors whether vaccinated or not. (Woolfolk, 6/15)

Orange County Register: Disneyland Without Pandemic Rules: Huge Crowds, Massive Lines, No Masks, Hot Temps 
The first day without pandemic restrictions at Disneyland brought with it massive lines, huge crowds, no masks and an end to physical distancing on a hot and sweaty day that crept close to triple digits. Disneyland dropped COVID-19 rules on Tuesday, June 15 requiring masks, physical distancing and temperature checks while increasing theme park attendance and ride capacity for the first time in 15 months. (MacDonald, 6/15)

AP: Fireworks Return To Disney Parks In Latest Lifting Of Rules
Disney plans to restart fireworks shows at its theme parks in Florida and California in the latest move by the company to ease up on pandemic restrictions implemented last year. The company said Tuesday that firework shows will resume at the beginning of July at Walt Disney World in Florida and on the Fourth of July at Disneyland in California. The fireworks shows had been put on hold to discourage people from gathering together after the parks reopened following virus-related closures last year. (6/15)

SF Gate: San Francisco To Reopen Cable Cars In August - With A Twist
The sound of cable cars running up and down San Francisco's roller coaster hills hasn't been heard since March 2020, when a shelter-in-place order shut down the city at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The clickety-clack will be back the first week in August. (Graff, 6/15)

The Bakersfield Californian: Most Pandemic Restrictions Lift In Kern 
Kern took a big step toward pre-pandemic normality Tuesday with the start of an honor system allowing fully vaccinated people to forgo masks and social distancing at restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and grocery stores, even as employees will still be required to abide by California's COVID-19 restrictions pending a decision later this week by a state safety board. County health officials, citing state guidance, announced most places of business may return to regular operation but not "mega events" attended by more than 5,000 people or sensitive settings such as public transit, health-care sites, childcare businesses, local and state detention facilities, homeless centers and schools from kindergarten through high school. (Cox, 6/15)

Bay Area News Group: Reopening: Are Bay Area Restaurants Ready For 100% Indoor Capacity?
It’s the day we have been waiting 15 months for — the opportunity to tear off the masks, step into our favorite neighborhood restaurant dining room or saddle up to the bar and break bread again, no matter the indoor capacity. For thousands of Bay Area food business owners, the return to normal couldn’t come soon enough. They planned for this day, despite a national hiring crisis and skyrocketing supply prices. For others, the new lifted restrictions don’t change much. While cautiously optimistic, their COVID-era pivots to wholesale, outdoor dining or fast-casual have served them well, even increased revenue, and they are in no rush to change that. (Yadegaran and Zavarel, 6/15)

CalMatters: Will Travel And Tourism Return With California Reopening?
As California drops capacity and social distancing rules, experts are tempering expectations on a full rebound of the state’s tourism industry. Domestic travel won’t recover fully until 2023 and international visitors remain half of pre-pandemic levels. Still, state and local tourism officials express optimism. (Green, 6/15)

KQED: Many Are Thrilled California Has Reopened. How Do COVID Survivors Feel? 
For Gina Vitelli, who lost her father to COVID last December, California's so-called return to pre-pandemic normal will never really be possible. Vitelli, who is based in Los Gatos, is a member of COVID Survivors for Change, a grassroots, nonpartisan group of COVID survivors across the country. The group aims to help survivors find ways to use their experiences to drive policy and cultural change. Vitelli, 53, said she wishes people would be a little bit more empathetic during this time of reopening. (Sarah and Chang, 6/16)

Los Angeles Daily News: Be Smart, LA County Officials Say, And Hang On To That Coronavirus Mask For Some Situations 
Los Angeles County businesses whisked away many coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday, June 15 and many residents shed their long-required masks for rolling around town. But officials warned amid the celebrations that folks shouldn’t toss those masks in the garbage just yet. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that unvaccinated people should continue to wear face coverings as statewide capacity and physical distancing restrictions are lifted, noting that many people in the county still are not vaccinated. (6/15)

Los Angeles Times: Amid COVID Reopening, Many Californians Keeping Masks On 
Despite Tuesday’s massive reopening of the California economy and the loosening of COVID-19 rules that have been in place for more than a year, many people continued to wear masks in public, saying they felt it was better to be safe than sorry. (Campa, Vega and Seidman, 6/15)

Orange County Register: Masks Are (Mostly) Off And People In Orange County Are (Mostly) Happy 
California officially lifted most pandemic-related restrictions Tuesday, nearly 15 months after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stay at home order that weaved into a series of sometimes confusing, always evolving rules aimed at slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In Orange County, some welcomed the new, lax rules, while others thought it’s going too far, too fast. And yet another camp said they either didn’t know about the changes or didn’t care because they haven’t been following the rules to begin with. (Kopetman, 6/15)

CapRadio: ‘Reopening’ In Sacramento: Excitement And Optimism, But Not Everyone Is Ready To Ditch Their Masks 
On Tuesday, Californians woke up to the possibility of returning to their favorite cafes, stores and shops without wearing face-coverings — if they’re fully vaccinated. They also may not face limits on the number of customers permitted indoors, as Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted the state’s mask mandate and other pandemic restrictions on June 15. In the greater Sacramento region, this “economic reopening,” as Newsom says, has been in fact gradual over recent weeks. But on Tuesday, residents acknowledged a significant new chapter in the pandemic by celebrating and expressing optimism — but also confessed to remaining cautious. (Ibarra, Nichols, Miller, Rodd, Mizes-Tan, Fletcher and Salanga, 6/15)

Los Angeles Times: On California Reopening, South Coast Plaza Mask Views Vary
With an intense heat wave baking Southern California, John Sullivan made his way to the air-conditioned South Coast Plaza on Tuesday. The 71-year-old wasn’t wearing a mask as he approached the Costa Mesa mall but kept his black one stored in his shirt pocket just in case. Sullivan was among the millions of Californians welcoming a new day of freedom as the state lifted nearly all its coronavirus-related capacity restrictions and physical distancing requirements at businesses and other institutions, and allowed residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to go without face coverings in most nonwork situations. (Vega, 6/15)

KQED: Some Artists, Workers Say It’s Too Soon To Remove Masks Indoors 
Even as California gears up for an arts and nightlife renaissance, some artists and service workers say it’s too soon to remove all COVID-19 precautions, especially requiring masks in indoor spaces. “We’re vaccinated and we think it’s an important step, but we feel like there need to be multiple preventative measures continuing forward until there are no new cases of COVID whatsoever,” says Catalina Xavlena, an artist, former food service worker and organizer with the mutual aid collective Oakland Workers Fund. (Voynovskaya, 6/15)

San Francisco Chronicle: Many Bay Area Restaurants Are Setting Their Own Masking Rules Despite State's Reopening
June 15’s reopening is bringing a host of changes to Bay Area restaurants this week — but masks are likely to remain a common sight. At some restaurants, owners say they’ll continue requiring masks for employees to make diners feel more comfortable. At others, workers will soon get to decide whether to mask up. Many restaurants will no longer expect diners to wear masks — but people should keep a mask in their pocket, just in case they wander into a spot that still mandates face coverings. (Bitker, 6/15)

The Bakersfield Californian: Kern Public Health Reports 1 New Coronavirus Death, 56 Cases Tuesday 
Kern County Public Health Services reported one new confirmed coronavirus death and 56 new cases Tuesday. That brings the county's count of deaths attributed to the virus to 1,401, and the cases to 110,673. (6/15)

Los Angeles Times: San Francisco To Require COVID-19 Vaccine For Some Workers 
San Francisco will eventually require workers in hospitals, nursing homes and jails to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with limited exceptions. The order is notable as some companies have internally debated whether to impose vaccination requirements for workers. Many companies have generally avoided requiring workers to be vaccinated. But the University of California and California State University systems have announced they will eventually require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, faculty and staff on campus properties. (Lin II, 6/15)

Sacramento Bee: Who Are Winners In California’s $15 Million Vaccine Lottery? 
Gov. Gavin Newsom celebrated California’s reopening date during a press conference at Universal Studios by announcing 10 winners of the $15 million grand prize in the state’s vaccine lottery program. The event marked the first day Californians could shed COVID-19 habits like mask wearing, social distancing and adhering to venue capacity limits. (Wiley, 6/15)

The Bakersfield Californian: Bakersfield College Holding Vaccine Clinic At Mercado Latino On Friday 
Bakersfield College's Student Health and Wellness Center is hosting a pop-up vaccine clinic from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Friday, at Mercado Latino located at 2105 Edison Hwy. The clinic will distribute the Moderna vaccine and a limited number of Pfizer vaccines. It is being put on by BC's nursing students through a partnership with Mercado Latino and the city of Arvin. (6/15)

The Bakersfield Californian: Kern High School District Hosting Vaccine Clinic Wednesday At Kern Ag Pavilion 
The Kern High School District is hosting a free mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinic for anyone 12 and older from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, at the Kern Ag Pavilion located at 330 E. Belle Terrace. (6/15)

Bay Area News Group: Vaccination Status For Santa Clara County Cops And Firefighters
Though law enforcement officers were among the front-line workers given first shot at coveted COVID-19 vaccines early this year, the majority of their departments in Santa Clara County have lower inoculation rates today than the general public. In contrast, fire departments in the county are reporting vaccination rates that range from 15% to 24% higher than law enforcement and are slightly exceeding those of the people they serve. (Angst, 6/15)

San Gabriel Valley Tribune: Workers To Picket Tenet Hospitals Over Alleged Understaffing, Health Insurance Concerns 
Workers plan to picket three Tenet Healthcare hospitals Wednesday, June 16, alleging the facilities are understaffed and have left some employees without health insurance while the company has received billions in federal COVID-19 relief funds and spent $1.1 billion to buy 45 surgery centers. The employees, including respiratory therapists, housekeepers, nursing assistants and medical technicians, are represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). They will gather outside Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Los Alamitos Medical Center in Orange County and Lakewood Regional Medical Center in Los Angeles County. (Smith, 6/15)

Sacramento Bee: Most CalPERS Health Insurance Plans To Cost More Next Year 
Prices are going up 23% next year for California public employees enrolled in some of CalPERS’ cheapest health insurance plans, according to preliminary rates published Tuesday. The price hikes for the 110,000 people enrolled in PERS Select PPO plans come as the retirement system moves to a new rate-setting system that officials say will stabilize prices over time and align plan prices more closely with their true value. (Venteicher, 6/16)

Sacramento Bee: California Prison Psychiatrists Could Earn $10,000 In Bonuses 
California prison psychiatrists could claim $10,000 bonuses as a perk for seeing patients in person under a proposed contract their union negotiated with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. The bonuses are part of an agreement for the Union of American Physicians and Dentists that ends temporary pay cuts Newsom and the Legislature demanded from public employees last year, when state leaders anticipated a $54 billion budget deficit that never materialized. (Sheeler, 6/16)

Bay Area News Group: Bay Area Heat Wave May Send Some Temps As High As 110
The official beginning of summer is closing in, and Mother Nature is whipping up a Bay Area blast furnace to mark the occasion. Thermometers throughout much of the region are expected to race past 90 degrees, and some areas will roll past 100 and get possibly as high as 110 degrees during a heat wave that’s expected to arrive Wednesday, peak Thursday and Friday, and then linger into the early weekend, according to the National Weather Service. (Hurd, 6/15)

Los Angeles Times: Southland Hits Record Highs; More Heat On Tap Wednesday 
Southern California reported record highs amid a heat wave Tuesday, with high temperatures expected to continue throughout the week. Daily records were reached in Anaheim (97 degrees), Palm Springs (119), San Jacinto (106) Big Bear Lake (89) and Palmdale (107), the last breaking a record of 105 set in 1966. (Pinho and Seidman, 6/15)

Bay Area News Group: Conservation May Be Needed To Avert Blackouts This Week, California Grid Operator Says
In the first sign this year that California’s power grid could strain again to keep the lights on during extreme heat waves, the state’s grid operator on Tuesday afternoon said residents may be asked Wednesday and Thursday to reduce their electricity use to avert rolling blackouts. The California Independent System Operator, a non-profit corporation that runs the state’s power grid, predicted it would have enough electricity supply to meet demand and avert outages. (Rogers and Avalos, 6/15)

San Francisco Chronicle: Will There Be Blackouts? California May Call To Conserve Power As Heat Wave Strains Grid
As one of this year’s first major heat waves blankets the West, Texas’ electric grid operator has asked Texans to conserve energy “as much as possible” through Friday as increased demand strains the state’s supply — and similar concerns began rising Tuesday in California. And the summer hasn’t even officially started yet. As of now, consumers in California are not being asked to conserve electricity, according to the state’s power grid operator. But the excessive heat might stress the grid, so consumers should be on the lookout for a potential Flex Alert calling for reduced energy use on Wednesday or Thursday, the California Independent System Operator said in a news release. (Echeverria, 6/15)

CapRadio: Cooling Centers To Open Starting Wednesday Across Sacramento Region As Heatwave Arrives 
Officials from Sacramento to Rancho Cordova to Elk Grove announced this week their respective cities will open emergency cooling centers starting Wednesday to provide relief from what forecasters describe as dangerously hot conditions arriving later this week. (Nichols, 6/14)

Los Angeles Times: Hookah Businesses Are Upset As L.A. Targets Flavored Tobacco 
In Los Angeles, the push to rid store shelves of tobacco products infused with sweet, minty or fruity flavors has run into opposition from hookah sellers, who argue it could destroy a cherished tradition among Armenians, Arabs and other communities in which hookah has been a centerpiece of gatherings and celebrations. Under the proposal, L.A. could ban businesses from selling many flavored tobacco products, a move meant to stop teens from getting hooked on nicotine. A coalition of youth and public health advocates backing the ban argues that flavored products have lured more teens to use tobacco, including by vaping with electronic cigarettes. (Alpert Reyes, 6/16)

The Washington Post: Senate Bill Would Ban Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Makeup, Which New Study Found Are Often Unlabeled
Cosmetics distributed in the United States and Canada are rife with a class of chemicals that have been associated with a number of diseases, including cancer, and frequently aren’t labeled accurately, according to a new study. Over the last three years, researchers tested 231 cosmetics products in North America for fluorine, an indicator of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The study found fluorine in 56 percent of foundations and eye products, 48 percent of lip products and 47 percent of mascaras. (Root, 6/15)

AP: Study: Half Of US Cosmetics Contain Toxic Chemicals
More than half the cosmetics sold in the United States and Canada are awash with a toxic industrial compound associated with serious health conditions, including cancer and reduced birth weight, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Notre Dame tested more than 230 commonly used cosmetics and found that 56% of foundations and eye products, 48% of lip products and 47% of mascaras contained fluorine — an indicator of PFAS, so-called “forever chemicals” that are used in nonstick frying pans, rugs and countless other consumer products. (Daly, 6/15)