Airbnb shares more than double in Wall Street debut
The Chronicle's CAROLYN SAID: "San Francisco gained another $100 billion company as Airbnb had a staggeringly successful stock offering Thursday. The company’s shares soared 113% as they traded for the first time, more than doubling the value insiders had placed on it late Wednesday as bankers ratcheted up the share price a third time on the vacation-rental company’s way to Wall Street.
Airbnb, the most successful initial public offering during a blockbuster year on Wall Street, is now worth more than Marriott and Hilton combined. It caps off a dramatic turnabout for the company, which laid off employees and slashed its valuation in the spring to secure cash from private investors. The company’s saga shows how rapidly the pandemic has transformed the fortunes of businesses — and highlighted the fortunes being made in the capitals of tech and finance as many continue to struggle.
The stock closed at $144.71 per share, up from an opening price of $68 per share. Including shares the company has promised employees as compensation, its value reached $100.7 billion as a frenetic day of trading ended."
L.A. County shatters COVID-19 record with 12,741 new cases in one day
LUKE MONEY and RONG-GONG LIN II: "Los Angeles County shattered its daily record for new coronavirus cases, with 12,741 reported Thursday as hospitals continued to fill with patients, according to an independent Times tally.
The new total is more than 2,800 more coronavirus cases than L.A. County has seen in a single day — breaking the previous record set Sunday — and shows the coronavirus is still spreading rapidly through communities. The county also reported 74 new deaths, the fourth-highest single-day total of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The surge in cases likely represents the consequence of an explosion of virus transmission over the Thanksgiving holiday, officials said."
Dozen East Bay restaurants defy health order, plan legal action
ANGELA RUGGIERO, Mercury News: " In one of the Bay Area’s most dramatic examples of pandemic protest to date, 12 Danville restaurants are defying a county health order to stop outdoor dining and are remaining open.
Contra Costa County last week ordered restaurants to shut down outdoor dining because of the rising cases of COVID-19, ahead of a statewide order that would require counties to do the same based on hospital bed ICU availability dropping below 15%. Contra Costa County, along with five other Bay Area counties, agreed to get a head start on the shutdown.
But that decision irked some restaurant owners who say they’re struggling even with outdoor dining; allowing only take-out or delivery orders won’t bring in enough for them to stay afloat, they say."
A user’s guide to CA Notify, the state’s COVID-19 alert system for smartphones
LINDSAY WINKLEY, Union-Tribune: "Californians are now able to conscript their cellphones in the fight against COVID-19.
On Thursday, the state officially launched CA Notify, a system that sends smartphone alerts to people who’ve spent time with someone who later tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
This free technology is coming online as regions across the state grapple with climbing COVID-19 case totals and higher-than-ever hospitalization numbers. State officials are hopeful the digital tool will help slow the spread of the coronavirus by giving people the information they need to quickly isolate and test after coming in contact with the fast-spreading disease.'
Nevada City approves $100 fine for failure to wear mask
Sac Bede's MICHAEL MCGOUGH: "Nevada City approved an ordinance Wednesday allowing police to enforce the state’s mask mandate with fines against individuals, becoming one of the first jurisdictions in Northern California’s foothills to do so.
The Nevada City Council voted unanimously to approve the urgency ordinance, which permits a fine of $100 for first-time violators. Repeat offenders face $150 for a second violation and $200 for a third.
The ordinance calls noncompliance to the face covering order a “public nuisance” and health risk. It notes the city “has received numerous complaints from City residents that the public is not heeding the Guidance” even as the COVID-19 case total in Nevada County is “rapidly rising.”
Newsom recall unlikely -- but simmering
CHUCK McFADDEN, Capitol Weekly: "A perfect storm of events is giving Gov. Gavin Newsom political headaches, and he is yet again the subject of a recall movement that claims to have already collected more than 800,000 signatures.
Backers of the recall have until March 17, 2021 – a Superior Court judge last month gave them an extension — to collect at least 1,495,709 verified signatures on petitions. That number, required by law, is equal to 12% of the vote for governor in 2018. They say they want to collect 2,000,000 signatures for insurance, and claim they have 5,000 volunteer petition circulators.
It marks the sixth attempt by various Republicans to oust Newsom – the other five fizzled. Few veteran political observers give this one any chance of success, either, although California politics is full of surprises."
Bay Area nears critical shortage of ICU beds, with Santa Clara County at 8% of capacity
The Chronicle's NANETTE ASIMOV: "Intensive-care availability in the region continued its dramatic decline Thursday, as the number of open ICU beds in Santa Clara County dropped to an alarming 8% — just 38 for nearly 2 million people — and the Bay Area’s capacity to care for critically ill patients slipped below 18%.
“This is absolutely the worst we have seen, by an order of magnitude,” Dr. Ahmad Kamal, Santa Clara County’s director of health care preparedness, said this week, noting that three area hospitals ran out of room in the ICU this week and are sending patients elsewhere in the county or, if necessary, to neighboring San Mateo or Alameda counties. Those hospitals were O’Connor and Regional Medical Center in San Jose, and St. Louise in Gilroy.
Kamal said the county is also talking with state officials about opening a regional surge center where every county could send critical care patients."
California Lottery will stop sending workers to store amid feared COVID-19 spread
Sac Bee's WES VENTEICHER: "The California State Lottery will stop sending sales representatives to liquor and convenience stores starting Monday to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The lottery announced the change to employees Wednesday, after The Bee wrote about workers’ concerns that they could contract and spread the virus on the job.
“The lottery is committed to doing its part to help flatten the curve and reduce community spread of the coronavirus,” spokeswoman Carolyn Becker said in an email. “Along with other state agencies, we regularly assess risk and make adjustments as needed.”"
Eric Swalwell cries foul as Republicans seize on Chinese spy report
The Chronicle's TAL KOPAN: "Republicans have jumped on a report that a suspected Chinese spy developed connections to Bay Area politicians to attack Dublin Rep. Eric Swalwell. The Democrat, meanwhile, says the story was leaked to damage him.
Swalwell has been an outspoken critic of President Trump in Congress and in national media. A member of the House Intelligence and House Judiciary committees, he was a key figure in the president’s impeachment.
That has also made him a target of conservatives, who are now using an investigation into a Cal State East Bay student and Chinese national who cultivated ties with local figures including Swalwell to suggest he should lose his seat on the Intelligence Committee."
Newsom appoints former farmworker as his judicial appointments secretary
Sac Bee's KIM BOJORQUEZ: "California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday the appointment of Luis Céspedes to serve as his judicial appointments secretary, a seat previously held by current California Supreme Court Associate Judge Martin J. Jenkins.
The 68-year-old Carmichael native has years of experience practicing law at his own Sacramento firm and working as a California State Assembly staffer.
“Luis Céspedes has championed the cause of civil rights, equal justice, diversity and inclusion throughout his storied legal career,” Newsom said in a statement. “Luis’ resilience and compassion have touched countless lives and earned the respect of countless others. I am proud to have him join our team and look forward to his counsel as we continue to build a bench that reflects the rich diversity of California.”"
First COVID vaccine doses could arrive in Sacramento on Monday
Sac Bee's TONY BIZJAK: "The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine could arrive in Sacramento on Monday, and the first injections of local health care workers potentially could begin that same day, marking a dramatic turning-point in the area’s 10-month battle with the persistent and deadly pandemic.
Dr. David Lubarsky, Chief Executive Officer for UC Davis Health, said his Sacramento medical center – one of a handful designated regional vaccine repositories in California – has been told to prepare for the vaccine’s imminent arrival.
“We don’t know everything yet, but we’re expecting a first shipment to be in our freezers on Monday,” he said. “We are ready and willing.”"
READ MORE related to Vaccines: Will the rich and powerful get vaccines ahead of the more vulnerable? Bay Area bioethicists hope not -- The Chronicle's PETER FIMRITE
SCUSD school principals offer to slash their pay to help avoid budget cuts
Sac Bee's SAWSAN MORRAR: "Hours before the Sacramento City Unified School District board is scheduled to debate budget cuts, the districts principals and assistant principals offered to reduce their salaries by 2%, and called on the superintendent and teachers to do the same to save the struggling district from a state takeover.
The letter from the principals arrived before Thursday’s school board meeting where board members will vote on potential budget cuts to save $18 million as the district tries to prevent insolvency.
United Professional Educators Director Richard Owen and President Judy Farina stated in the letter that principals and assistant principals across the district would consider accepting a state auditor’s recommendation and cut their salaries by 2%. The offer was contingent on teachers and other labor groups doing the same."
Facebook probably won't mandate coronavirus vaccine, Mark Zuckerberg says
The Chronicle's CHASE DIFELICIANTONIO: "Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday he was looking forward to getting a vaccine for the coronavirus himself, but would probably not require employees to get vaccinated to return to the office.
He made the announcement during a Q&A session with employees Thursday, according to spokeswoman Sona Iliffe-Moon.
Companies can require their employees to get the vaccine, with exceptions for religious beliefs and disabilities."
Family of Oscar Grant demands murder charges for second BART officer
The Chronicle's RACHEL SWAN: "Family members of Oscar Grant, the Black man who helped spur a movement after he was slain by a BART police officer in 2009, are ramping up pressure on Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley to charge a second officer involved with felony murder.
“We have been seeking justice for almost 12 years now,” Grant’s mother, Wanda Johnson, said at a news conference Thursday morning on the steps of the county courthouse near Lake Merritt. She was surrounded by a small crowd of attorneys and ministers, as well as Oakland City Councilman Loren Taylor, former Black Panther Party Chair Elaine Brown, and Johnson’s brother, Cephus Johnson.
They all had signed a letter urging O’Malley to charge the second former BART officer, Anthony Pirone, because Pirone’s “hostile” and “violent” behavior on the platform set a tragedy in motion, and because, they say, Pirone caused brain damage to Grant by slamming him against a concrete wall."
Inmate featured in Netflix show files excessive force lawsuit against Sacramento sheriff
Sac Bee's MOLLY SULLIVAN: "A Sacramento County jail inmate featured in the Netflix show “Jailbirds” filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Office this month, alleging deputies in the jail singled her out after her appearance on the show and beat her while in custody.
Yasmin Sundermeyer, who appeared in the first episode of the 2019 reality show, was named as the plaintiff in the case. Sundermeyer was arrested on suspicion of felony theft at the time the show was being filmed.
In the complaint, filed by Sacramento attorney Kellan Patterson, Sundermeyer alleges on Jan. 8, 2019, she was injured when two deputies forced her to the floor of her cell after she said she misunderstood their instructions."
READ MORE related to Prisons/Protests/Public Safety: US carries ouit rare execution during presidential transition -- AP's MICHAEL TARM
Biden, Harris named Time magazine's 'Person of the Year'
The Chronicle's STAFF: "Time magazine has named President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris its “Person of the Year.”
Time's editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal says Biden and Harris won the honor for “changing the American story, for showing that the forces of empathy are greater than the furies of division, for sharing a vision of healing in a grieving world.”
Felsenthal notes, “Every elected President since FDR has at some point during his term been a Person of the Year, nearly a dozen of those in a presidential election year. This is the first time we have included a Vice President.”"
