In CA: Governor announces strict school guidelines; hospitals get military help
Friday greetings from Wendy Leung. I'm filling in for Arlene today.
Before we get to the newsy stuff, let's check in with Alex Trebek. "I’m doing well," said the "Jeopardy!" host. "I’ve been continuing my treatment and it is paying off."
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Hold off on that back-to-school shopping
You didn't need a crystal ball to learn that most California schools will not reopen this fall. Still, Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement that schools will stay closed in the 32 counties with elevated coronavirus transmission is a stark reminder that this fight is a long haul.
Parents in Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego and elsewhere have already heard from local officials that the academic year will begin with distance learning. But the guidelines outlined by the governor paint a clearer picture of campus life in the age of COVID-19.
- Students third grade or older will be required to wear masks.
- Younger students are "strongly encouraged" to wear masks.
- School days will start with temperature checks.
- Campuses are expected to set up hand-washing stations and increase sanitation efforts.
Schools that remain closed must implement distance learning that includes daily interactions between students and teachers. "Learning in the state of California is simply non-negotiable," Newsom said Friday.
Military deployed for hospital help; millions of COVID-19 cases uncounted
Some 3.5 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus have been reported across the country. The actual number is likely 10 times that, experts say.
Tens of millions of Americans who contracted COVID-19 have been kept out of the official tally due to testing errors, misdiagnosis and other reasons, according to researchers. Emily Talkington in Santa Cruz tells USA Today that after experiencing night sweats, difficulty breathing and near blackouts, a physician assistant told her she was just dealing with menopause.
Researchers believe entire neighborhoods might be dramatically undercounted. A study from the University of California, San Francisco looked at the city's Mission district. Test results showed as many as 1 in 50 people living and working in the historically immigrant neighborhood could be actively infected and many are likely asymptomatic.
Meanwhile military doctors and nurses have been deployed to eight California hospitals facing staffing shortages. The teams arrived this week at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital in San Joaquin County and Eisenhower Health in Riverside County, where staffing is at 100% capacity.
We're following these headlines
Nearly four years after the deadly Ghost Ship fire, the Oakland City Council voted on a $32.7 million settlement for 32 of the 36 victims. The settlement includes $23.5 million to families of those who died in the warehouse and $9.2 million to a survivor who the city says suffers from "severe, lifelong injuries."
The Right to Know Act has brought a variety of law enforcement records and investigations to light. The latest KQED and California Reporting Project investigation reveals a California Highway Patrol officer propositioned and harassed 21 women during appointments when he was supposed to verify the women's vehicle identification numbers. The agency never pursued criminal charges.
It was expected but still, it's a bitter blow. Following news that the 2021 Rose Parade is cancelled, the Tournament of Roses announced staffing changes that involved layoffs, furloughs and salary reductions. Without a parade, the nonprofit simply doesn't have a revenue stream.
'This is holy ground'
On the same day that the Ventura City Council voted to remove statues of Father Junipero Serra from City Hall, Archdiocese of Los Angeles officials announced the local mission he founded has been declared a basilica. It's the seventh church in California to receive this distinction.
"It means this is holy ground," said Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez. "Something beautiful and important in the history of salvation happened here."
Council had voted unanimously to place two Serra statues in storage following a five-hour online meeting.
Ducks, camels and virtual fair food?
Fatty duck liver, anyone?
Californians can now buy foie gras following a federal judge ruling. But there's a caveat. You can buy it if the delicacy is from out of state and if it's delivered by a middleman. But don't expect to find it in restaurants. The latest ruling only applies to individual consumption.
Any guesses as to what paleontologists in San Diego found at a freeway construction site? Hint: It's got humps.
Fossils of extinct camels, a 3-million-year-old horse and evidence of "volcanic bombs" were discovered near the U.S.-Mexico border. The finds help fill a gap in the region's geologic history.
Turkey leg and funnel cake fans are surely disappointed that county fairs aren't happening this year. But folks at the Orange County Fair want you to celebrate online by watching videos of last year's entertainment and competing for virtual blue ribbons. The 2020 Virtual OC Fair kicks off today and while that may sound fun, who's going to fry up a funnel cake at home?
It's the weekend; jump around
San Franciscans, here's your chance to break the world record.
The NoPa neighborhood wants to draw a four-mile long hopscotch route to bring residents out of their quarantine funk. "Hopscotch Your Block" hopes to break the Guinness World Record for the longest game. A route that long will likely take 1,500 pieces of chalk. The drawing, with social distancing, starts Saturday morning.
In California brings you top news and analysis from across Paste BN Network newsrooms. Also contributing: San Francisco Chronicle, KQED, Pasadena Star-News, Associated Press, Orange County Register, San Diego Union Tribune, Hoodline SF.