California enters a perilous phase as coronavirus spread intensifies
From the LAT's COLLEEN SHALBY, RONG-GONG LIN II, MAURA DOLAN and JACLYN COSGROVE: "California plummeted deeper into a new coronavirus crisis Monday as new cases spiked to record levels, some hospitals filled up, and officials expressed growing alarm and frustration with people refusing to follow safety rules despite the increasingly perilous conditions.
The state broke its record Monday for the greatest number of new coronavirus cases reported in a single day, tallying more than 8,000. That’s the third time in eight days the state has broken a record of new daily cases, according to the Los Angeles Times’ California coronavirus tracker.
A Times analysis found that California is on track to roughly double the number of coronavirus cases in June over those it recorded in May. In May, there were 61,666 cases reported statewide; by Monday night, there were 114,196 cases reported for the first 28 days of June."
‘We’re surging again.’ Doctors, nurses angry as coronavirus strains California hospitals
LAT's ANITA CHABRIA, EMILY BAUMGAERTNER, STEPHANIE LAI andTARYN LUNA: "For a brief moment, California returned to bars, beaches and Botox. But after a few days, much of the state is reversing course as hospitals see an alarming spike in people sick with COVID-19, raising the specter of an overwhelmed medical system.
“It’s scary,” said Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco. “We still haven’t recovered from the first phase, and now we have to get ready for the next one.”
While Chin-Hong and other medical experts said California currently has the capacity it needs to treat patients, the future is uncertain. Coronavirus cases jumped to more than 220,000 Monday, creeping steadily upward in some places, skyrocketing in others and prompting health officials in multiple counties to demand the closure of bars, hair salons and other businesses opened only days ago."
California health officers facing protests, even death threats, over coronavirus orders
The Chronicle's CAROLYN SAID: "A colleague texted Dr. Erica Pan, the health officer for Alameda County, a photo of the yard sign. It showed a photo of her with the words “Financially destroyed families and businesses” and “#A--holeMD.”
“I’m getting antagonism in all sorts of ways,” said Dr. Pan, who has been trolled on social media, received threats to come to her house and been vilified on websites that rate doctors. “These things distract from the important public health work I need to do to protect the community; that’s my job. Where I get upset is if it tries to invade my personal and family life. I really don’t want my family to be dragged into this.”
She isn’t alone. Across California and the country, public health officers have become targets of protests, intimidation and even death threats from people who resent mandates to slow the spread of the coronavirus by sheltering in place, closing businesses and wearing masks."
Golden State Killer pleads guilty to 26 charges in rape and murder spree
The Chronicle's MATTHIAS GAFNI/ALEJANDRO SERRANO: "Four decades after he started sneaking into homes, tying up victims, raping women and killing couples, former police officer Joseph DeAngelo pleaded guilty Monday to 26 charges of murder and kidnapping, admitting what pioneering forensic science had already proven — he was the sadistic Golden State Killer.
His acceptance of a plea deal spared him death, a reprieve the 74-year-old never offered more than a dozen men and women he shot and bludgeoned to death during a 12-year spree of rapes and killings during the 1970s and ’80s.
The admission of guilt guarantees that DeAngelo will be sentenced to life without parole."
Newsom signs $202B pandemic budget
Sac Bee's SOPHIA BOLLAG: "California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $202 billion budget Monday with emergency pandemic funding, expanded unemployment aid and billions of dollars in cuts forced by the coronavirus-caused recession.
The budget that takes effect Wednesday assumed a $54 billion deficit brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and Newsom’s March stay-at-home order, which halted much of the state’s economy.
“In the face of a global pandemic that has also caused a recession across the world and here in California, our state has passed a budget that is balanced, responsible and protects public safety and health, education, and services to Californians facing the greatest hardships,” Newsom said in a written statement."
California unemployment agency set limits on requests to help 'hardship' cases
Sac Bee's DAVID LIGHTMAN: "The state’s Employment Development Department told senators and Assembly members concerned about special constituent “hardship requests” they could ask for help with only one each week – but after an uproar from some lawmakers the agency has changed its mind.
With the state’s unemployment agency deluged with calls from Californians seeking financial assistance, legislative and EDD staff members have been talking every two weeks to help coordinate responses.
Earlier this month, EDD officials said, some legislative aides suggested that the agency come up with a way to get older cases, or those with immediate needs, considered more quickly. The agency provided no lawmakers’ names."
Alameda County's health officer resigning to take top state epidemiology job
The Chronicle's MATT KAWAHARA: "Alameda County health officer Dr. Erica Pan, a key figure in the county’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, is leaving that position for a role with the state’s health department.
Pan has been appointed California State Epidemiologist and deputy director for the Center for Infectious Diseases at the California Department of Public Health, according to a release from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office Monday.
Dr. Nicholas Moss, who has served as Alameda County’s deputy health officer since early this year, will step in as interim health officer starting Tuesday, the county said in a release."
How schools across the globe are reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic
From EdSource's MICHAEL BURKE and YUXUAN XIE: "Each morning before Chengbao Shang leaves for school in Guangzhou, China, his parents take the 7-year-old’s temperature and send the results to his teacher using a program on WeChat, the popular Chinese social media platform. It’s the same for every student in this city of more than 15 million.
Chengbao’s father then drives him to school and drops him off 20 yards away from the campus. Chengbao, a first-grade student, gets his temperature taken again when he approaches the front gate of the school, this time by security guards. He and his classmates enter one-by-one, walking about three feet apart. He then goes to his classroom, where 51 students sit at their own desks, also three feet from their closest classmates.
“I really enjoy the classes and I can play with my classmates and friends. I can hear stories from my teachers,” he said during a conversation over WeChat. “And I feel safer and safer slowly.”
Riverside County hospitals hit 99% capacity for ICUs. That’s not their biggest problem
LAT's KRISTI STURGILL: "Riverside County intensive care unit beds nearly hit capacity Sunday, when patients occupied 99% of the normal number of beds. Suspected and confirmed coronavirus patients account for about 35% of those beds, said Riverside spokeswoman Brooke Federico.
The shortage prompted a local member of Congress, a medical doctor, to call for the county to act immediately.
“I am calling on the County to immediately reverse their decision to rescind public health safety measures and reinstate their order to wear masks in public and to transparently communicate their social distancing and stay at home surge intervention plans and enforcement mechanisms,” U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, (D-Palm Desert) said in an email."
5 (more) times California fought Trump on immigration -- and what happened
Sac Bee's KIM BOJORQUEZ: "California had two big victories this month with The Supreme Court ruling in favor of the state’s sanctuary laws and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival protections for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
From the 2020 Census citizenship question controversy to the Mexico border wall funding, here are five (more) times the state has challenged the Trump administration on immigration since 2016 and where the litigation stands now."
Pre-COVID evictions, on hold since March, resuming in San Bernardino County
JEFF COLLINS in the Press-Enterprise: "Evictions resumed this month in San Bernardino County, with sheriff’s deputies processing move-out orders pending from before the coronavirus emergency started in mid-March, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said.
That means two counties in Southern California have resumed efforts to whittle eviction backlogs. Orange County began evicting tenants at the start of June.
Los Angeles and Riverside counties still have all evictions on hold, sheriffs spokespeople told the Southern California News Group."
