In California: What are shelter-in-place rules? And booze, yes, is now to-go
What sheltering in place means in the Golden State. And how much did Sen. Dianne Feinstein and other senators know when they sold off millions in stock just before the market crashed? Plus: An Apple Valley man believed the Earth was flat, but that's not why he died pursuing his space dreams.
It's Arlene Martínez with news to take you into the weekend.
In California has all your coronavirus news, stories and resources from across Paste BN Network newsrooms and beyond. Sign up for free delivery.
Let's start with some of the top coronavirus headlines:
What sheltering in place means for your day-to-day lives: What's open, what's not allowed and when does this end? Under the order, California's allowing to-go alcohol orders from bars. 🍻
Student loans don't have to be repaid for 60 days and interest won't be charged, the Trump administration announced. This went into effect March 13. The administration also gave states the green light to cancel standardized testing, though California had done so via executive order earlier in the week.
The race for a proven treatment: 41 coronavirus vaccines are being researched.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein is one of several senators who sold millions of dollars in personal stocks shortly before the coronavirus pandemic sent markets into a freefall (more on that later👇🏾)
The state could buy PG&E if the utility fails to hit certain bankruptcy deadlines or has its license revoked by regulators.
Golden State coronavirus tracker: 1,206 cases, 22 deaths.
Already a Guinness World Record holder, he died trying something even bigger
"Mad" Mike Hughes set the Guinness World Record for jumping by stretched limousine in 2002, at Perris Auto Speedway, and for the rest of his life, he'd push limits.
That's what he was doing on Feb. 22, when he was killed trying to launch miles into the atmosphere in his homemade, steam-powered rocket. The crash near Barstow happened shortly after liftoff.
A video of his last launch appears to show a parachute tearing off during takeoff. Hughes, 64, had successfully launched in 2014 and 2018 when he made another go of it. The attempt was filed for the Science Channel TV Series "Homemade Astronauts."
Read more about this flat-Earth researcher and cat lover daredevil, who will be memorialized by friends in July (the memorial was originally set for later this month).
Fair pricing, exercising yays and nays and getting around
Is a roll of toilet paper going for $10? That's an example of price gouging and the state wants to know about it. File complaints at oag.ca.gov/report or call 800-052-5225.
Can I hike, visit a park or even play tennis? Your sheltering-in-place exercise questions, answered.
Yosemite National Park closed Friday to visitors, though Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are still open.
The U.S.-Mexico border will close to non-essential traffic starting Saturday.
Feinstein: I can't know what my husband does
Senators are facing backlash for selling in some cases millions of dollars in personal stocks shortly before the coronavirus pandemic tanked the economy.
Based on publicly financial transaction disclosures, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., all appear to have sold stock earlier this year. The question is whether the senators were aware, based on briefings, that the coronavirus scare was evolving into a worse situation than the public was told.
Feinstein's disclosure shows her selling between $1,000,001 and $5,000,000 of stock in Allogene Therapeutics on Feb. 18. The biopharmaceutical company's stock is down more than 20% since the beginning of the year.
Feinstein spokesman Tom Mentzer told Fox News Feinstein's assets are in a blind trust and, "She has no involvement in her husband’s financial decisions.”
Related: Burr — the head of the Senate's intelligence committee — sold stocks valued between $628,000 and $1.72 million in 33 separate transactions on Feb. 13, public disclosures reported by ProPublica show. About two weeks later, Burr was letting a well-connected group how bad things could get. He didn't share that message with the general public.
Congressman calls for a 'strike' team + other headlines
A Palm Springs-area congressman calls on Riverside County officials to put together a "strike team" in advance of a potentially large number of people stricken with coronavirus.
Shredded T-shirts nearly caused a major problem in Redding's sewer system and another reminder here to just flush toilet paper.
If you're not working because you're quarantined, been exposed to, have or are caring for someone with coronavirus, the state can help. Check out some resources here.
Should I cancel my wedding? Experts say ... probably.
Walmart is hiring 150,000 employees, temporary positions that could become permanent, company officials say.
"The shelters are full, where are they supposed to go?" asked Linda Chavez, a Monterey County resident who until a month ago was homeless.
Coronavirus editorial cartoons say it all, don't they? I LOL'd and cried. In the same minute.
Author note: This story has been updated to reflect Linda Chavez is no longer homeless.
Day laborer centers shut down
Thousands of people are out of work following the closing of day laborer centers across the country, which includes about 20 in California.
“We did it to protect workers, the community and employers. It is not good that 50 labor workers are together in a center waiting for a job,” said Pablo Alvarado, director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON).
It was also driven by the fact employers hadn't been seeking workers.
“A day laborer center is the first place where a crisis is felt," Alvarado told CalMatters.
Still, many workers will continue to informally stand on corners or outside of stores because financially, they have no alternative.
I'll leave you with this story of how coronavirus can be explained to younger family members. It uses a swimming pool and the differences among swimmers to explain why we need to stay out of the pool. And offers things to do as they wait to play with friends again.
Have a good weekend. Stay safe.
In California is a roundup of news from across Paste BN Network newsrooms. Also contributing: ProPublica, NPR, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Union-Tribune, La Opinión, CalMatters.