Health or a paycheck? Coronavirus forces some L.A. workers to choose
From the LATimes' COLLEEN SHALBY: "Teresa Trejo has spent the last two decades shuttling between jobs at the L.A. Convention Center and Dodger Stadium. Her work as a barista and a bartender serves as the main source of income for her family, which includes her 7-year-old son, whose fears around the coronavirus have steadily grown.
For Trejo, 46, the effects of the outbreak hit swiftly two weeks ago, when both her workplaces shuttered and her hours were cut indefinitely, forcing her to file for unemployment. Like other Americans who don’t have the luxury of a work-from-home option, Trejo is finding that the virus will disproportionately affect those whose livelihoods depend on daily human interaction.
“This is the first time in my life that I literally have no work, and I don’t know when I’m going back,” she said. Trejo’s family has some money in savings, but she doesn’t know how long that will last. She’s hopeful that her union can assist."
Wait for first round of jobless bennies could be 'much longer' than 21 days
Sac Bee's DAVID LIGHTMAN: "An unemployed worker in California will likely find their first benefit payment will take “much longer” than the typical 21 days, according to a report from the state Legislative Analyst’s Office report released Monday.
Under normal economic conditions, the state Employment Development Department “typically issues about 80 percent of first benefit payments within 21 days of receiving a worker’s application,” the analysis by the nonpartisan agency found.
But, with claims surging as the coronavirus outbreak sends the economy into a tailspin, “given the extraordinary number of applications received recently, as well as the expectation that claims will continue to increase over the coming weeks, the Legislature should anticipate that first benefit payments will take much longer than 21 days."
READ MORE related to Economy: Farmers' markets open during pandemic. But farmers' livelihoods remain uncertain -- The Chronicle's JANELLE BITKER; Worried about layoffs? This map shows which communities face biggest losses -- Sac Bee's PHILLIP REESE/ANDREW SHEELER; Amazon expands 'social distancing' to six feet at warehouses after employee complaint-flood -- Sac Bee's DALE KASLER; Social distancing in some of SF's new luxury buildings means closing amenities -- The Chronicle's J.K. DINEEN
Trump designates some medical supplies as 'scarce' -- so hoarding them is now a crime
Sac Bee's SUMMER LIN: "President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that designates certain medical supplies as “scarce” to prevent price gouging and hoarding, according to a White House press briefing.
Attorney General William Barr said Trump signed the order to stop people from hoarding medical suppliesfor the purpose of selling them “in excess of market prices.”
The order is aimed at those who are price gouging N95 masks and stockpiling ventilators and other supplies critical to the treatment of COVID-19, according to the Dalily Caller."
READ MORE related to COVID-19 Pandemic: US now has the third-most cases in the world after infected count jumps to 46,371 -- The Chronicle's RUSTY SIMMONS/RON KROICHICK/JILL TUCKER/ANNA BAUMAN/RACHEL SWAN/KATHLEEN PENDER; Give Newsom what he wants for pandemic, California Democrats tell Pelosi -- Sac Bee's KATE IRBY; Free private drive-thru testing begins in Sacramento via online appointments -- Sac Bee's MICHAEL MCGOUGH/TONY BIZJAK; Sen. Harris backs new pandemic-financial help plan -- Sac Bee's DAVID LIGHTMAN; Sacramento County cases jumps to 88; 4th death reported -- Sac Bee's TONY BIZJAK; Bay Area site opens for covid-19 test without doctor's order, one of first in state -- The Chronicle's CATHERINE HO/SARAH RAVANI; 80% of infected in LA County are ages 18-65, contaminating people 'across the board' -- LA Times's COLLEEN SHALBY/ALEX WIGGLESWORTH/HOWARD BLUME; Newsom says California needs at least 30,000 more hospital beds than anticipated for patients -- LA Times's TARYN LUNA; Community groups alarmed after LA City Council cancels meetings for the rest of March -- LA Times's EMILY ALPERT REYES/DAVID ZAHNISER; Infection testing sales by 'concierge' doctors under review by medical board -- LA Times's ADAM ELMAHREK/AMY KAUFMAN/BEN POSTON
Column: Biden is right to pick a woman for vice president. Now he has to make the right choice
LA Times' GEORGE SKELTON: "Joe Biden made a smart move by promising to choose a woman as his running mate. Next he needs to be smart again and choose the right woman.
Pledging to select a female vice president was smart because it’s the right thing to do. America, supposedly the land of equal opportunity, should have elected a woman president long ago. The veep spot is just one step away.
The right thing isn’t always the smart thing politically. But in this case it was for the Democratic front-runner. Assuming Biden becomes the party’s presidential nominee, the right female running mate should help the ticket appeal to swing-vote suburban women in battleground states he must carry to oust President Trump in November.'
Feinstein denies wrongdoing in stock sale before viral outbreak
The Chronicle's DUSTIN GARDINER: "California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein took to Twitter on Friday to deny she did anything improper when she sold between $1.5 million and $6 million in a biotechnology company’s stock before the market crashed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The New York Times reported that Feinstein and three other senators sold large amounts of stock in late January and early February, as federal officials publicly downplayed the threat of the virus. The sales came shortly after Trump administration officials provided classified briefings to senators on the threat from the virus, the Times and other media outlets reported.
“During my Senate career I’ve held all assets in a blind trust of which I have no control,” Feinstein tweeted. “Reports that I sold any assets are incorrect."
Virus halts ballot measure signature-gathering in its tracks
The Chronicle's JOHN WILDERMUTH: "Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order will not only keep people off the streets, but also could keep some initiative measures off the November ballot.
With the statewide ban on nearly all public contact, signature gatherers who normally set up their tables at supermarkets, on street corners and at crowded public events will find themselves out of business. And without the signatures, supporters of a variety of ballot measures could find themselves short of qualifying.
That’s a huge deal for those initiatives. Measures that don’t make the upcoming ballot can’t go before the public until November 2022."
READ MORE related to Ballot: Key California congressional race looking more competitive for GOP -- The Chronicle's JOHN WILDERMUTH
Fed judge rules freelance journalists, photographers not exempt from state contracting law
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "A federal judge has refused to exempt freelance journalists and photographers from a new California law that would reclassify many of them as employees rather than contractors, a status that would increase their workplace benefits but could make it harder for them to find work.
The law, AB5, defines workers as employees unless they operate free of outside control in work that is different from the business that hired them. It exempts some freelancers, but only if they submit no more than 35 articles or photos to a particular news outlet or business in a year.
Employees are entitled to benefits that are generally denied to independent contractors, including the right to a minimum wage, overtime pay, workers’ compensation and reimbursement for work expenses. But the organizations that challenged the law’s application to freelancers said the law damaged their job prospects by making it cheaper for out-of-state publications to seek submissions from non-Californians unaffected by AB5."
Trump didn't give California everything it wanted in disaster request. Here's what he left out
The Chronicle's DUSTIN GARDINER: "California didn’t get everything it was seeking when it secured a major disaster declaration from President Trump — left out was money for numerous types of individual aid, including broader access to food stamps and unemployment benefits.
In his declaration Sunday, which Trump issued just hours after Gov. Gavin Newsom requested it, the president gave a green light for funding to help state, local and tribal governments cope with response efforts to the coronavirus.
“The request from the state of California was just received, and we will have it approved very quickly,” Trump said Sunday during a briefing on the outbreak. “We’ll be working — I told that to Gavin Newsom. And we are — we’re working on getting that done very quickly."
Trump to postpone Real ID deadline due to COVID-19; DMV sighs relief
Sac Bee's BRYAN ANDERSON: "President Donald Trump announced Monday afternoon that he plans to postpone the Oct. 1 deadline for Americans to obtain a Real ID card because of the coronavirus outbreak, relieving pressure on states like California where millions of people have yet to apply for the new kind of driver’s license.
Trump did not say what the new deadline would be.
The Real ID deadline worried drivers and DMV employees alike because obtained the new kind of identification card requires a visit to a state office. Customers and state workers have said DMV offices are unsafe in the coronavirus outbreak, and going to one contradicts the stay-at-home orders that mayors and Gov. Gavin Newsom have handed down to slow the spread of the virus."
SF's building chief Tom Hui pulls the plug on himself
The Chronicle's PHIL MATIER: "Rather than face an almost assured dismissal, Department of Building Inspection chief Tom Hui pulled the plug himself.
“After such a long tenure as a civil servant, I believe it is now time to shift focus to my family,” Hui said in a March 11 letter to Building Inspection Commission President Angus McCarthy.
Hui’s resignation was effective the next day, before the commission could take up Mayor London Breed’s request that Hui be removed for misconduct. The commission, not the mayor, has the power to dismiss the DBI director."
Insurance rates will spike without US action on virus costs, Covered California says
Sac Bee's CATHIE ANDERSON: "Without federal action, insurance premiums are likely to skyrocket by as much as 40 percent or more in 2021 because of the costs of testing and caring for patients with COVID-19, Covered California reported Monday.
“Consumers, employers and our entire health care system may be facing unforeseen costs that could exceed $251 billion, said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “Consumers will feel these costs through higher out-of-pocket expenses and premiums, as well as the potential of employers dropping coverage or shifting more costs to employees.”
The agency’s chief actuary, John Bertko, prepared the report after conferring with actuarial experts in the commercial insurance markets and analyzing interviews with health insurances plan leaders."
READ MORE related to Health: Marin County's top health officer tests positive for COVID-19 -- Sac Bee's DARRELL SMITH
Regional air quality expected to improve from traffic reduction due to shelter in place order
Sac Bee's ALEXANDRA YOON-HENDRICKS: "One bright spot amid the coronavirus pandemic: The Sacramento region has been experiencing relatively clean air this spring.
While it’s still too early to tell, local air quality experts say they expect reduced pollution levels in the coming weeks as thousands of cars and trucks are kept off the road following California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order last week for all residents to stay at home except for essential chores or jobs.
For the last three weeks, the region’s air for particulate matter (PM2.5) on the Air Quality Index has been rated “good” except for two days, which were “moderate.” It’s an improvement from the air quality in January and February, according to data from Sacramento Region Spare The Air."
READ MORE related to Environment: Jam-packed parks prompt officials to cut back on access to keep people apart -- The Chronicle's PETER FIMRITE
CCSF chancellor placed on paid leave during budget crisis
The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN/NANETTE ASIMOV: "City College of San Francisco has placed Chancellor Mark Rochaon paid administrative leave effective immediately, the college board’s president announced Monday morning.
“I know this news may come as a surprise,” trustees President Shanell Williams said in a statement. “I want to assure you on behalf of our board that the college is in good hands. There is a plan to move the college forward.”
Rocha earns $361,352 a year and will continue to be paid while on leave from the college of 65,000 full- and part-time students. The college did not say how long the leave would last and is seeking an acting chancellor."
READ MORE related to Education: YMCA offering free lunches to kids during school closures -- Sac Bee's ROSALIO AHUMADA
CHP closed its academy over pandemic, but Cal Fire training will continue
Sac Bee's SAM STANTON: "The California Highway Patrol has closed its academy because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Cal Fire says its training academy in Ione is staying open for classes for its recruits.
“These are essential classes that we need to continue with,” Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said. “We are very cognizant of the situation and we will constantly re-evaluate the situation as conditions change.”
But with the state having endured years of devastating wildfires, Cal Fire says classes and training for recruits remains necessary, although officials are increasing the distance between recruits in classrooms and in training."
READ MORE related to Public Safety/Crime: Solano County presiding judge intervenes, calls off what may have been the state's last active trial -- The Chronicle's MEGAN CASSIDY
Frustrated by economic damage, Trump says he may ease restrictions
LA Times's NOAH BIERMAN/CHRIS MEGERIAN/ELI STOKOLS: "President Trump, desperate to turn around the cratering economy, indicated Monday that he is likely to ease within weeks extreme restrictions on commerce that were intended to stem the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, resisting advice from public health advisors who have urged a longer shutdown.
Trump did not offer specifics but suggested he would modify the administration’s call to close schools and businesses, encourage people to work from home and avoid gatherings following a 15-day period that ends March 30.
“At some point, we’re going to open up our country, and it’s going to be fairly soon,” Trump told a White House news conference. “I’m not looking at months, I can tell you right now."
US to bring home stranded Americans using planes that deport immigrants
LA Times's TRACY WILKINSON: "With pressure mounting over Americans stranded outside the United States because of coronavirus-related travel restrictions, the government plans to use its planes that deport migrants to bring U.S. citizens home, a senior administration official said Monday.
The use of repurposed deportation flights is one of several actions the State Department is taking to retrieve thousands of Americans grounded in foreign countries since the U.S. began closing its borders and barring arrivals from some nations, in an effort to slow the spread of the highly infectious virus. At the same time, commercial airlines dramatically cut back on flights.
“We’re working around the clock to bring U.S. citizens who are stranded overseas back home,” a senior State Department official said, briefing reporters by phone on grounds of anonymity, in keeping with administration protocol. Consular staffs “have been working night and day to help Americans get on flights."