In California: Off with the masks (sort of). And can I sell you an NFT?
But first. If you've been putting off going to the DMV to get a "Real ID," you can relax. The deadline has been extended another 19 months. On Tuesday the Department of Homeland Security once again delayed the full implementation of the law requiring people to have a Real ID in order to board domestic flights and enter some federal buildings. The department postponed the Real ID deadline from Oct. 1, 2021, to May 3, 2023. Of course, you can always just travel with a passport and keep your regular old driver's license. Here's a thought-provoking column on privacy and why you might think twice about Real ID.
Know someone who cares about the Golden State? Let them know they can sign up for the In California newsletter via this link. I'm Julie Makinen, California editor for the USA Today Network, bringing you Tuesday's key headlines.
Mask rules relaxed for those fully vaccinated
Fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to wear a mask outside, except in crowded settings, under new guidelines released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. California quickly jumped on the bandwagon.
During a White House briefing, public health officials said fully vaccinated individuals can unmask while walking, running, hiking or biking outdoors alone or with members of their household. Vaccinated people also don’t need to wear a mask during small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated family and friends or at gatherings with a mixture of vaccinated and unvaccinated people, they said.
In addition, fully vaccinated individuals don’t need to wear a mask at outdoor restaurants with friends from multiple households, the guidance said. “Today is another day we can take a step back to the normalcy of before,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “If you are fully vaccinated, things are much safer for you than those who are not yet fully vaccinated.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom released a statement saying that “we are moving to align California's guidance with these common-sense updates" but added: "While more than half of Californians 16 and older are partially or fully vaccinated, many others are still not vaccinated, and the threat of variants remains. We need to remain vigilant and continue public health prevention measures — like wearing masks when appropriate and getting vaccinated – but the light at the end of this tunnel has never been brighter.” The move contrasted with Newsom’s recent comments that his plans to reopen most sectors of the economy on June 15 did not include any changes to the mask mandate — indoors or out, the San Francisco Chronicle noted.
Numbers check: More than 50% of Californians 16+ are partially or fully vaccinated.
It's official: Burning Man 2021 has been canceled.
If you were hoping that progress on vaccinations would make Burning Man a reality this year, your hopes have been dashed. Burning Man organizers announced Tuesday that the event scheduled to take place from Aug. 26 to Sept. 3 in the Black Rock Desert, about two hours north of Reno in Nevada, is not happening.
On its website, Burning Man posted there were too many variables and challenges. "But, although here in the United States we may be feeling the weight lifting and the light at the end of the tunnel brightening, we are still in the pandemic, and the uncertainties that need to be resolved are impossible to resolve in the time we have.
"We have decided to set our sights on Black Rock City 2022." On its website, Burning Man organizers said they have already started the application for permits for 2022 with the Bureau of Land Management.
Privacy vs. transparency: Supreme Court conservatives question California donor disclosure requirement
The Supreme Court justices this week leaned into a California requirement that charities disclose their donors in a high-profile case that pits advocates for transparency against those who say Americans should be able to give anonymously.
The appeal was brought by two conservative groups who said their donors fear retaliation. Advocates for stricter campaign finance laws worry a ruling for the charities could undermine other disclosure requirements, such as for political campaigns.
"Do you doubt that donors to organizations that take unpopular positions on hot button issues have reason to fear reprisals if those donations are made public?" Associate Justice Samuel Alito asked during more than 90 minutes of oral argument. "Do you think that's a legitimate fear in our current atmosphere or do you think it's paranoid?"
At issue is a California mandate that nonprofits disclose donors to state regulators, just as they do to the IRS. Two conservative groups, the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and the Thomas More Law Center, said the regulation violates the Constitution because the threat of identification could prompt donors to think twice about giving, chilling their First Amendment right to "peacefully to assemble."
The groups point to a landmark 1958 civil rights case in which the Supreme Court struck down a request by Alabama that the NAACP reveal its membership, a decision that required governments to weigh their need for information against the potential that its disclosure could make people nervous to support an advocacy group.
Big companies give big $$ on Newsom's behalf
Huge companies including Facebook, Google and Blue Shield of California are among corporations that gave a staggering $226 million to government causes on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s behalf last year, the L.A. Times reported in an eyebrow-raising investigation.
The Times reviewed records that “behested payments” jumped in 2020 compared to 2019. Pre-pandemic, companies gave $12.1 million on Newsom’s behalf. Gifts on behalf of the now-recall-bound governor were six times as much as what Gov. Jerry Brown reported during his final eight years in office combined. The piece raises serious questions about the influence of large corporations in the state capital.
There's apparently no limit on how much dough companies, individuals or just ordinary rich joes can donated at the behest of the governor. Records show that millions were given in to prop up Newsom’s favored programs, like a program to address homelessness and a campaign promoting wearing masks to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The companies told The Times they were simply trying to help the state in a time of need. Donors say the contributions smell like influence-buying and could allow corporations to hold more sway in state government.
Can NFTs fund local news? SF Chronicle tries selling one to find out
The San Francisco Chronicle announced Tuesday it is launching its first non-fungible token, or NFT, an animated card representing the newspaper's "Best Bay Area Views Guide."
What the heck is an NFT? The paper explained: "It’s a digital item or piece of art that includes a snippet of code stored on a blockchain establishing its authenticity and who owns it. It can be one of a kind or an edition in a series, and it can be bought, sold and traded, like a Van Gogh painting, a 1952 Topps Willie Mays card or a piece of memorabilia collected just for fun." If you are still confused, USA Today has a handy Q&A here.
In this case, the buyer gets the NFT and the power to remove the paywall on the "Best Bay Area Views Guide" page. That would make the guide to some of the region’s top outdoor spots free for everyone, forever. If the bidding surpasses the reserve price for the token, all additional proceeds will go to The Chronicle’s flagship charity, Season of Sharing. The paper didn't say what the reserve price was.
The Chronicle said it was also debuting an NFT collection of digital postage stamps illustrated by staff artist John Blanchard featuring San Francisco landmarks.
If an NFT is too pricey for you, let me suggest you support local journalists by purchasing a subscription to your favorite local California news site!
Meanwhile, The Golden State Warriors became the first professional sports team to invest in a non-fungible token (NFT) collection Tuesday morning. Warriors president Brandon Schneider said the franchise has been studying the rise in value of NFTs over the past several months to discover ways to create an engaging collection catered for fans.
"This is the wave of the future," Schneider told ESPN. "So we've been studying what the best way for us to get involved and create something for our fans is. NFTs have been around for years, but they've really become more mainstream and popular this year."
Golden State will create digital championship rings to commemorate its franchise NBA title squads and also create digital ticket stubs for iconic games like the April 13, 2016 win over the Memphis Grizzlies — the night the franchise broke the NBA single-season record with 73 wins.
That's all for today! We'll be back in your inboxes tomorrow with more Golden State headlines.
In California is a roundup of news from across USA Today network newsrooms. Also contributing: Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle. Julie Makinen is California editor for the USA Today Network. Follow her on Twitter at @Julie_Makinen