In California: Golden Staters, get used to a new reality
And some rural some schools in Northern California are staying open even as everything else, it seems, shuts down. That includes the State Legislature, for the first time since possibly the 1860s. And still, why won't some people social distance?
It's Arlene Martínez with news for Tuesday.
But first, it's St. Patrick's Day so pour a glass of green beer in the comfort of your home and dive into the true story of St. Patrick, who wasn't even Irish. Or just stare into space as your brain processes the news schools may be closed for the year.
In California handpicks the most relevant, useful stories from across Paste BN Network newsrooms and beyond. Sign up for free, weekday delivery.
Newsom: It's going to be a long, difficult road
California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned Californians on Tuesday that serious disruptions to daily life would continue, perhaps for months, and schools are unlikely to reopen before summer as the state adopts extraordinary measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.
In a signal of just how intense the situation may grow, Newsom said the state was negotiating with 901 hotels with "tens of thousands" of rooms to quarantine patients and house individuals experiencing homelessness who are susceptible to contracting the virus. Already, he said, the state had leased two hotels with a total of 393 rooms, a number he acknowledged would likely not provide adequate capacity.
As of Monday, 472 people in California had contracted coronavirus and 11 had died, according to a state tally, though that appeared to be lagging individual county reporting Tuesday. Newsom said state leaders and hospital administrators were running models using contraction rates and projected hospital demand to prepare to expand capacity to keep pace with an increasing number of cases and fatalities.
Projections suggest the state could need anywhere from 4,000 to 20,000 more beds than the 88,000 it has across 416 hospitals statewide.
In rural NorCal, a difficult decision to stay open
Some rural schools in California have additional factors to weigh when considering whether to close because of the coronavirus pandemic: In some cases, 50-60% of their students don't have internet access at home. And even if schools could offer free meals to those who need it, physically getting the food for families can be an obstacle in spread-out districts.
McCloud Union School District in Northern California's Siskiyou County will stay open until it is told by state officials to shut down or the virus arrives in town, officials said. The county has no confirmed cases so far.
“Staying open is our best course of action at this time," McCloud Union School District Superintendent Shelley Cain said. “We are not equipped to deliver online learning exclusively, due to lack of resources in student homes, nor do we have the capability or staffing to deliver meals."
NFL rumors; GOP congressman sentenced; a 1980s crematorium
Tom Brady and the ... Los Angeles Chargers? Hopefully, the rumor floating around early Tuesday didn't excite too many people. Later in the day, he had more or less settled on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A Republican congressman who spent campaign donations on transporting a pet rabbit, his daughter's private school tuition, high-thread-count bedding and weekends with his mistress was sentenced Tuesday to 11 months in prison. Rep. Duncan Hunter unsuccessfully had tried to get house arrest.
Mortician David Sconce would stop at nothing to corner the Los Angeles death market. Here's the story of how he turned his family's funeral home into a mass crematorium and parts-harvesting business. And check out all of 2019's "Longreads Best."
- And on a semi-related note, Hulu and HBO Go are streaming "Six Feet Under," a funny, touching drama about a family that runs a funeral home.
Capitol goes dark for first time since possibly 1862
The state legislature approved up to $1 billion in new spending on Monday to combat the coronavirus outbreak, then suspended its work for the next month to try to contain the illness.
It's believed to be the legislature's first work stoppage since 1862, when a flood overtook much of Sacramento. Even during the 1918-19 flu pandemic, several wars, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and an incident in which an anti-vaxxer threw blood onto the Senate floor, business carried on. Also:
Whether you're out of work because of sickness, your child's school is closed or your company shut down operations, here's how to get unemployment or other help in California.
Ventura County and Palm Springs joins several other counties in ordering older residents to shelter in place and limiting restaurants to drive-through, delivery and take-out options. Riverside County has 16 confirmed cases; Ventura County is investigating six.
In river bottoms and under freeways, coronavirus testing begins
When physicians approached a tent near a Ventura County creek, the man inside fell down while telling them about his fever, dizzy spells and dry cough. The physicians quickly pulled on protective gowns, face masks, gloves and face shields before returning to the patient.
The physicians are part of the county's backpack medicine team, who bring medical care to homeless residents in river bottoms, under freeway overpasses, and on the side of strip malls. They provide vaccines, do blood work, test for tuberculosis, give addiction medicine and connect people to other services. Starting this week, they began coronavirus testing.
So far, there haven't been any COVID-19 cases in the county related to community transmission. The county's only positive case and three presumptive positive cases are all travel-related. But, officials are preparing in case community transmission reaches homeless encampments. Related:
When your child has complex health care needs, skipping a treatment isn't an option, even if that means potential exposure to whatever's inside that busy hospital.
100 things to do, more store closings and why we won't social distance
Organize lids to containers, make a fortune teller paper thingy, call a grandparent (tape the convo) and 97 other things to do if you're inside during a pandemic.
Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom announce coronavirus-related closings. You can still shop online. Target is also reducing hours starting Wednesday and will offer an hour of shopping each week for populations more likely to get the disease.
Popular bars were packed over the weekend; backyard parties raged; a woman ate slowly in a crowded Red Robin because "this is America." Why won't people social distance? Experts weigh in.
A tax reprieve; for ICE, businesses as usual
Californians who owe less than $1 million will get a 90-day reprieve on paying their taxes.
ICE agents continue arrests in Los Angeles, a day after the mayor put into place stringent social distancing measures. “Asking us to stop doing that (arrests) basically gives those criminals another opportunity to maybe commit more crimes, to create more victims," said ICE's David Marin.
Want to help?
A friend of mine posted on her Facebook a message about being available to drop off food or run errands or help out in any other way she could. I've seen the offers everywhere and each warms my heart.
Organizations have also been mobilizing, ready to help those who are a paycheck away from being unable to pay rent or put food on the table. Here are a couple:
San Diego Gas & Electric and the San Diego Foundation just launched the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund. Donate here.
The Rapid Response Fund for Ventura County will help with food and housing support, child care, wage replacement, mental health and pet care. Donate here.
Want to help but you don't have money? Your blood donation is desperately needed.
I'll leave you with this, a puppet show about what Day 6 in quarantine looked like. It's got sock puppets and it's awesome (and don't miss the comments!).
In California is a roundup of news from across Paste BN Network newsrooms. Also contributing: Reader's Digest, KPBS, Berkeleyside, Associated Press, Topic, Los Angeles Times, California Health Report.