Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Officials Seek To Shift Resources Away From Policing To Address Black ‘Public Health Crisis’
Local governments around the country are declaring racism a public health crisis. That could be lip service, or it might lead to shifting resources from policing to health care, housing and other services, experts say. (Anna Almendrala, )
Listen: Threats, Pressure Prompt Some California Public Health Officials To Leave Office
California Healthline senior correspondent Anna Maria Barry-Jester joined KQED’s Lily Jamali on “The California Report” and Alison St John on KPBS’ “Midday Edition” to discuss the threats that public health workers are facing as they enact pandemic protections. ( )
COVID-19 Cases Show No Sign Of Slowing As Nursing Facilities Deal With Tragedy: Coronavirus cases in California continued a troubling spike this week, but it remains unclear how much worse conditions must get before officials move to slow the rapid reopening of the economy. For the second consecutive day, California shattered a daily record for new cases Tuesday. More than 6,600 infections were reported — the largest single-day count in the state since the pandemic hit the U.S. Adding to the alarm, 13 residents of a skilled nursing facility in Concord have died with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, according to state data. Additionally, 62 residents at San Miguel Villa have tested positive for the coronavirus as well as 13 workers. It remained unclear Monday afternoon when the residents of the 190-bed facility died. “My heart goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one to COVID-19, and I am deeply concerned with the recent outbreak at a nursing home in Concord,” State Assemblyman Tim Grayson, D-Concord, said in a statement. “Our Contra Costa Health Officer and County Supervisors have been extraordinarily cautious in reopening, and these recent heartbreaking deaths and positive cases illustrate that no matter how cautious the policies, it still comes down to individuals self-regulating their actions.” Read more from Colleen Shalby and Rong-Gong Lin II of the Los Angeles Times, Alejandro Serrano of the San Francisco Chronicle and more stories in the listings below.
In other news —
Divided L.A. School Board Fails To Agree On School Police Reform: A deeply divided Los Angeles school board on Tuesday failed to agree on proposed reforms to the school police, effectively leaving the matter to a task force created by Supt. Austin Beutner and disappointing activists who had called for eliminating the department. The lack of consensus capped a day of intense passions as students and activist groups called for terminating the department and using its $70 million annual budget for other student needs, especially those that would benefit Black students. “I think we need to be practical about what we’re doing rather than reactionary,” said George McKenna, who had proposed a resolution to study the issue and provide recommendations to the board. “Being loud doesn’t mean you’re right,” he said, referring to the day’s demonstration against police. Read more from Howard Blume and Sonali Kohli of the Los Angeles Times.
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
San Francisco Chronicle:
California Sees Spike In Number Of Cases — For Second Straight Day
California on Tuesday saw some of its highest numbers of new coronavirus cases — surpassing 6,000 new cases in a 24-hour reporting period for the second day straight as the state barreled forward with reopening plans. Dramatic surges in new cases were seen in various parts of the state: Santa Clara County on Tuesday recorded its highest daily total in new coronavirus cases in more than two months, with 121 cases, a “worrisome” spike, health officials said. (Allday and Kawahara, 6/23)
The Beach Reporter:
LA County Reports Nearly 5,000 New Coronavirus Cases In Two Days
Los Angeles County public health officials reported another 2,364 cases of the coronavirus Tuesday, June 23, which, when added with Monday’s tally, contributed to the county’s biggest two-day total since the pandemic began — a sign, officials said, that the virus is still spreading. The county has confirmed nearly 5,000 additional cases over Monday and Tuesday. (Rosenfeld, 6/24)
Bay Area News Group:
Santa Clara County Sees 'Worrisome' Uptick In Cases, Hospitalizations With Reopening
Santa Clara County has seen a “worrisome” uptick in recent coronavirus cases and hospitalizations as more sectors of the economy have reopened — putting the county back on the state’s watch list and showing that disease transmission has likely accelerated, health officer Dr. Sara Cody said Tuesday. “None of us want to be forced to return to a full shelter-in-place, so it’s critical we have strong protocols and risk reduction strategies firmly in place as we continue to reopen,” Cody told the county Board of Supervisors. (Kelliher, 6/23)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno CA Reports 3 More Deaths, 187 New Cases Of COVID-19
Fresno County reported three more deaths from issues related to COVID-19 on Tuesday and 187 new cases, according to health officials. Fresno County now has seen 70 fatal cases of the coronavirus among its 3,672 cases, numbers show. In Fresno County, 83 people with confirmed cases required them to be hospitalized, including 18 in intensive care units since April 1, according to health officials. (Miller, 6/23)
Fresno Bee:
Rising Fresno, CA COVID-19 Cases Threatens Business Reopening
A continuing rise in coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths in Fresno County has the potential to trigger a reversal of businesses reopening if the epidemic’s trend continues. Beyond that, however, the COVID-19 pandemic’s “real repercussions are the ones that our community is already experiencing,” said Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer. “These are people’s lives that are affected. These are people’s relatives who are hospitalized, sometimes who pass away.” (Sheehan, 6/23)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus: 13 Dead, 75 Test Positive At Concord Skilled Nursing Facility
Thirteen residents of a skilled nursing facility in Concord have died with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, according to state data. Additionally, 62 residents at San Miguel Villa have tested positive for the coronavirus as well as 13 workers. It remained unclear Monday afternoon when the residents of the 190-bed facility died. (Serrano, 6/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Coronavirus Deaths At Nursing Homes Like San Miguel In Concord Driven By Poor Oversight
Debra Plummer learned with horror while watching TV this week that 14 residents and at least one health care worker at the San Miguel Villa nursing home in Concord have died of COVID-19, and 75 more have been infected with the coronavirus. Plummer’s mother was among the infected. She has Alzheimer’s disease and tested positive for the virus three weeks ago before recovering and emerging from isolation. Since the start of the pandemic, Plummer said, San Miguel administrators wouldn’t tell her how many people had tested positive at the nursing home, although they report the figures to the state. (Ravani, 6/23)
Bay Area News Group:
At Least 15 Dead In COVID-19 Outbreak At Concord Nursing Home
At least 15 people are dead after COVID-19 infected 75 people at an East Bay skilled nursing facility, according to data published by the state. The state Department of Public Health’s latest report shows that 14 patients and at least one health care worker at San Miguel Villa, a post-acute nursing facility in Concord, have died after contracting the virus, which infected 62 residents and 13 workers at the facility. The state’s data portal does not specify the exact number of deaths if fewer than 11, so the staff death toll could be anywhere between one and 10. (Sciacca, 6/23)
Los Angeles Times:
Reopening California Amid Coronavirus A Challenge For Newsom
Gov. Gavin Newsom stood in the state’s emergency operations center March 19 and announced an executive order that would change the course of California history, requiring residents to remain in their homes as the coronavirus spread around the world. California became the first state to tell all residents to stay at home amid the pandemic. Newsom’s decision sparked some controversy and a few lawsuits but has been credited with slowing the spread of the coronavirus and allowing California to avoid larger death tolls seen in states with early outbreaks, such as New York and New Jersey. Now, three months later, the governor is in the middle of a test that could prove even more challenging than closing California: reopening it. (Luna, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento CA Residents Embrace Gov. Newsom’s Mask Order
Dripping with sweat on a sweltering morning, workers navigated the construction site of the new state Natural Resources Agency headquarters in downtown Sacramento. All but a couple wore masks. Inside Arden Fair mall, the vast majority of shoppers wore them. At the Bel Air supermarket on Laguna Boulevard in Elk Grove, and the Sprouts grocery store near the Sacramento Zoo, not a single person was without a mask. (Kasler and Bizjak, 6/24)
Sacramento Bee:
Northern California Mayor Lashes Out At Newsom’s Mask Order
The mayor of Nevada City, in a controversial social media post, suggested that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent order for all Californians to wear masks when in public was not legitimate. Mayor Reinette Senum wrote Saturday morning that Newsom’s orders could not be enforced by law, and that no action can legally be taken against offenders. (Moleski, 6/20)
Los Angeles Times:
California's Economic Recovery Will Be Like A Slow 'Nike Swoosh'
California is unlikely to recover its pre-coronavirus prosperity over the next three years, economists say, even as the state slowly rebuilds from a catastrophic economic lockdown. The Golden State’s gradual recovery will probably mirror the nation’s trajectory, according to a new UCLA forecast.“The public health crisis of the pandemic morphed into a depression-like crisis in the [U.S.] economy,” wrote David Shulman, a senior economist at UCLA Anderson Forecast. (Roosevelt, 6/24)
Southern California News Group:
Disneyland Will Be Last Disney Theme Park To Reopen Worldwide
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure will be the last Disney parks to reopen worldwide following the extended coronavirus closures of all 12 Disney theme parks around the globe. Disney has proposed reopening its Anaheim theme parks on July 17 pending government approval. The Downtown Disney outdoor shopping mall will resume operations on July 9. Disney’s Grand Californian and Disney’s Paradise Pier hotels will reopen on July 23. (MacDonald, 6/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus Testing Gets More Challenging In Los Angeles
As tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest police brutality earlier this month, health officials hammered home a single message: Get tested for the coronavirus. The massive demonstrations could become hotbeds for transmission, officials warned. Widespread testing might allow detection of those cases before they spread further. But in the weeks since the protests, Los Angeles County residents say they have struggled to secure testing appointments, even as officials report a troubling surge in people infected with COVID-19. (Karlamangla, 6/24)
Bay Area News Group:
Coronavirus: Here's Where To Get Tested In The Bay Area
As California continues to rack up record numbers of coronavirus infections, COVID-19 testing continues to expand in the Bay Area. Think you need to be tested? Testing services are available across various hospitals, county and third-party sites available to the general public (here’s a map of various providers across the Bay Area). For the most part, they do not require you to be symptomatic — though some sites will screen you for eligibility — and require no out-of-pocket expense. (Wu, 6/24)
Bay Area News Group:
Coronavirus: UPS Employees Test Positive; Delays In Bay Area
Employees at multiple UPS hubs in the Bay Area have tested positive for COVID-19, sources tell the Bay Area News Group, and union leadership is blasting the company for a lack of safety protocols for its workers. Workers at the shipping center in San Ramon were informed Wednesday that a colleague had tested positive, but were given no other information, like whom the employee had been in contact with or which department he worked in. UPS also declined to confirm the case with this news organization, but sources said the employee was a driver in training. (Webeck, 6/23)
San Francisco Chronicle:
The Buckeye Roadhouse Closes After Employees Test Positive For The Coronavirus
A historic restaurant in Mill Valley, the Buckeye Roadhouse, has temporarily closed upon learning two of its staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. The Buckeye Roadhouse is now scheduled to reopen July 6 after a deep-cleaning. Employees will receive paid sick leave while the restaurant is closed, and now coronavirus testing is mandatory for the entire staff, according to an open letter on the restaurant’s website. (Bitker, 6/23)
Sacramento Bee:
Midtown Restaurant, Bar Zebra Club Closes Due To COVID 19
After weeks of operation with little social distancing, midtown Sacramento bar and grill the Zebra Club has temporarily closed following a customer‘s positive coronavirus test.A handwritten sign on the door at 1900 P St. Tuesday informed customers that the Zebra Club would be shut for at least a few days. (Egel, 6/23)
San Francisco Chronicle:
San Jose Police Seek Woman Who Coughed On Baby In Social Distancing Dispute
A woman is wanted for assault after coughing on a one-year-old baby in a San Jose Yogurtland, officials said. The suspect was in line at the yogurt shop on Cottle Road around 5:25 p.m. June 12 when she became upset that the woman standing behind her with a stroller was not maintaining proper social distancing, San Jose police said. (Bauman, 6/23)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Is It Worth It To Go Wine Tasting In Napa And Sonoma Amid Coronavirus?
The scene at Ashes & Diamonds, a Napa Valley winery that reopened for wine tastings earlier this month, was almost disarmingly orderly.Seemingly every box on the coronavirus safety checklist had been checked: bathrooms accessible from outdoors. Touch-free hand sanitizer stations. Reassuring distances between guests’ tables. Instead of using normal wine glasses, the winery simply provided a stemless, plastic cup — yours to take home. A prodigious cast of masked employees kept the order. One greeted us, another escorted us to the tasting room bar, where several more stood waiting to explain wine purchasing options, then yet another led us to our table.Welcome to wine tasting in the age of COVID-19: sterile, highly regimented and more than a little eerie. (Mobley, 6/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Coronavirus Devastates Koreatown Family, One By One
It had been five years since the Kim family had lived together in their Koreatown apartment, but the coronavirus brought them all back home. First, grandmother Soon Sun came home in mid-April after checking out of Olympia Convalescent Hospital, where she had lived for five years. The family worried, particularly her daughter Eun-Ju, about the spread of the virus in assisted living facilities. Then the father, Timothy, closed up his acupuncture practice and started delivering sermons from home for his weekend job as a pastor at L.A. Nasung Church in La Crescenta. Eun-Ju, meanwhile, took care of the household while her children, 22-year-old Hannah Haein and 17-year-old Joseph, finished the school year at home, their classes now online. (Wong, 6/23)
Los Angeles Times:
LAPD Says It's Trying To Step Back From Mental Health Calls
The young woman was walking along the ledge of a parking structure downtown when Los Angeles police officer Stacy Pierce-Rogers arrived. For more than an hour that night, Pierce-Rogers and the woman, who appeared to be in her 20s, talked about Taylor Swift, church, tarot cards and horoscopes. At one point, the woman wanted to pray, so the officer held her hand. “I started praying with her, not really knowing what I was saying but just trying to make her feel better,” said Pierce-Rogers of the 2017 incident. (Miller, 6/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Sheriff Asks State To Monitor Gardena Shooting But Puts Hold On Autopsy Findings
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Monday asked the California attorney general to monitor its investigation of the controversial shooting of a man in Gardena but also blocked the public from learning the results of an autopsy the coroner was scheduled to perform on 18-year-old Andres Guardado. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said on Twitter on Monday that he had reached out to Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra to monitor the Guardado investigation “out of an abundance of caution.” (Tchekmedyian and Vives, 6/22)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Prop. 47 Reduced Gaps In Arrests, Jailings Among Blacks And Whites, Report Finds
Proposition 47, the 2014 ballot measure that lowered penalties for many property and drug crimes in California, has reduced but not eliminated the gap between African Americans and whites in arrests and jailings, according to a new report. While white Californians are arrested and booked into jail less often than Blacks, the disparity dropped by 5.9% in overall arrests, and 8.2% in bookings, in the first two years after passage of Prop. 47, said the report issued Tuesday by the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonprofit policy research organization. For the crimes covered by the ballot measure, the declines in racial disparity were 24.4% in arrests and 36.2% in jail bookings — and for the drug crimes alone, the declines were about 55%. (Egelko, 6/23)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Jail Inspectors Decline To Track COVID-19 Infections
More than three months into the coronavirus pandemic, California officials say they still have no plans to collect and publish basic data about COVID-19 testing and outbreaks in local jails, frustrating advocates, families and even some members of the state’s own jail oversight board. The state board that regulates California’s county jails and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office both maintain local sheriffs should work with public health departments to test for and contain the disease. (Pohl, 6/23)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Officials Propose $800-Million Plan For Homeless
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic is slashing tax revenue across the board, officials Tuesday unveiled an $800-million plan to house Los Angeles County’s homeless people who are most vulnerable to the disease. The three-year program proposed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority would employ a combination of bridge housing, rental subsidies and rehousing services, all leading to permanent placements for 15,000 people who are considered most vulnerable to COVID-19 because of their age or health conditions. (Smith and Oreskes, 6/23)
San Francisco Chronicle:
State Lawmakers Expedite Hearing On California Prisons Amid Coronavirus Outbreaks
State lawmakers have expedited an oversight hearing on California’s prison system to find out why the coronavirus has surged at various lockups across the state. More than 3,800 inmates have been infected, including more than 400 at San Quentin, where an outbreak has grown after officials transferred sick inmates into the prison from the virus-plagued California Institution for Men in Chino. (Cassidy and Fagone, 6/23)
Sacramento Bee:
CA County Funds Hinge On COVID-19 Compliance In Budget Deal
California counties must comply with state and federal COVID-19 rules if they want part of up to $1 billion in funding through the state budget, according to details of a budget deal expected to win approval in the Legislature. The agreement Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders reached Sunday night would allocate $750 million to counties for social safety net programs. That amount could be increased to $1 billion if the federal government sends California additional aid money that it has requested, according to bill language posted Monday at 8:45 p.m. (Bollag, 6/23)
Sacramento Bee:
Covered California Extends Time To Sign Up For Health Coverage
Covered California announced Tuesday that it would extend a special enrollment period to July 31 to give Californians additional time to sign up for health insurance. It had been set to end June 30.As cases of COVID-19 surged in California, the agency’s board voted to give all uninsured Californians the opportunity to sign up for coverage. Typically, after open enrollment ends in January, only people who have a qualifying life event such as a job loss are eligible to get coverage. (Anderson, 6/24)