California Coronavirus Updates: New Sacramento Health Order Allows More Outdoor Businesses

3:56 p.m.: New Sacramento County health order allows for more outdoor activities

Following a new ‘tier system’ announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, Sacramento County health officials have put out an order detailing what activities are allowed indoors and outdoors.

Despite Newsom's announcement, businesses allowed to operate under the new system couldn't reopen until the county formally allowed it with this new order. Under the new guidelines, which replace the last order published July 14, the following businesses are permitted to operate outdoors:

These businesses are allowed to open for indoor operations:

• Critical infrastructure
• Hair salons and barbershops
• All retail (25% maximum capacity)
• Shopping centers (Malls, destination centers, swap meets, excluding food courts and common areas) maximum 25% capacity
• Professional sports (without live audiences)

These businesses are allowed to open for outdoor operations:

• Personal care services (nail salons, body waxing, estheticians)
• Museums, zoos, aquariums
• Places of worship
• Movie theaters
• Gyms and fitness centers
• Restaurants
• Wineries
• Family Entertainment Centers (e.g. bowling alleys, miniature golf, batting cages and arcades)
• Cardrooms, satellite wagering
• Bars, pubs, brewpubs and breweries may operate outdoors, only if they offer sit-down, outdoor meals

The new state reopening strategy organizes counties by tiers, which are determined by the number of new positive cases per week and the positivity rate. With a daily case count of 12 per 100,000 and a positivity rate of 8.1%, Sacramento County is listed at the highest risk level tier in the state. This means that the virus is widespread in the community. 

These guidelines do not change the county’s August 28 order to keep schools closed. Schools can reopen for in-person school when they’ve been in Tier 2 for two weeks. A county must remain in its current tier for 21 days, and then meet criteria for the next tier for two weeks, before moving to a less restrictive tier.

6:16 a.m.: Lower traffic during stay-at-home saved wildlife, study shows

A study shows California's stay-at-home order in response to the coronavirus outbreak seems to have saved some wildlife, as decreased traffic resulted in fewer collisions with mountain lions, deer and other large animals. 

A study by the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis found traffic declined by about 75%  after the emergency order went into effect in March. The number of animals struck and killed by vehicles also fell, including a 58% decrease in fatal crashes involving mountain lions between the 10 weeks before and 10 weeks after the order.

5:32 p.m.: Foster Farms plant shut down over COVID-19 outbreak

A chicken processing plant in central California has been ordered to shut down after it became the site of one of the largest and most severe COVID-19 outbreaks in the state. 

The Foster Farms Livingston facility was ordered to shut down on Wednesday. At least 358 employees have tested positive, and eight employees died due to the coronavirus. Officials issued a 48-hour stay of the order.

Foster Farms says prior to June 17 it had just 16 positive cases at the Livingston facility. It says there was a big jump in positive tests that coincided with a dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in many communities statewide, including Merced County, where the processing plant is located.

5:20 p.m.: Fewer COVID-19 cases in Sacramento food workers after dining restrictions

Sacramento County’s efforts to move people outside for dining appears to be reducing the spread of COVID-19 among food workers. 

Contact tracers with the county are finding most of the new cases tied to family gatherings and workplaces, but not necessarily bars or restaurants.

Of people who test positive and who gave their occupation, county officials say the number in the food industry has gone down by about half since the order to move dining outside took effect July 14. Mayor Darrell Steinberg has been encouraging restaurants to use their outdoor space, including city streets, to expand seating.

The county also says since the start of the pandemic, less than five of total positive cases have specifically mentioned going to a river, five cases have been traced to parks, less than five cases were reported at farmers’ markets, and 14 said they’d gone to a protest or rally.

1 p.m.: Newsom unveils new reopening guidelines

Gov. Gavin Newsom has unveiled a new system to replace the state's COVID-19 watchlist. It's a four-tiered, color-coded approach, with purple for widespread restrictions, red for substantial restrictions, orange for moderate restrictions and yellow for minimal restrictions. 

The new system requires counties to meet and report metrics. Under the old system, a county could attest or give its word that it was meeting benchmarks. Counties must also spend three weeks in a category before moving to the next less restrictive tier.

Of California's 58 counties, only three — Alpine, Modoc and Tuoloumne — are in the yellow or “minimal” category.  Sacramento is one of 38 counties in the purple or “widespread” tier.

Read more here.

6:23 a.m.: New reopening guidelines expected Friday

Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to announce plans for reopening businesses that were shuttered in July amid soaring coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. 

The steps he announces Friday could move the state slowly back toward normalcy heading into fall. The California Restaurant Association hopes Newsom will allow the return of indoor dining. 

Businesses and local governments buffeted by the outbreak say they need clarity in state rules to avoid confusion over who can reopen, and when. Newsom ordered sweeping closures last month,  shuttering bars, indoor religious services, gyms and hair and nail salons.

5:47 p.m.: State Senate meets without 10 GOP senators amid virus tests

Nearly all of the Republicans in the California Senate were barred from entering the state Capitol Thursday after they were exposed to the coronavirus. 

Republican state Sen. Brian Jones confirmed in a Facebook post on Wednesday that he tested positive for the virus. Jones was on the Senate floor on Monday with his colleagues. According to Republican Sen. John Moorlach, Jones also attended a caucus lunch on Tuesday. 

Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, a Democrat, said Republican senators will be allowed to vote via video conference from their homes over the coming days. Lawmakers have until midnight Monday to pass bills. 

Republicans were furious. Republican Sen. Jim Nielsen was the only Republican allowed on the Senate floor on Thursday. He blasted his Democratic colleagues for not canceling the session while Republicans get tested.

6:52 a.m.: SacRT has seen a 70% drop in ridership during the pandemic

Fewer people in Sacramento are taking mass transit since the coronavirus pandemic triggered stay-at-home orders, with Sacramento Region Transit reporting a 70% drop in ridership

On Wednesday, Jessica Gonzalez with SacRT told CapRadio's "Insight" that ridership has started to pick-up in the past month. So starting this Sunday the agency is restoring service to pre-pandemic levels on most bus and light rail lines. 

"We're expecting, as we move into the fall, to see some increased ridership," she said. "So what we wanted to do was restore our service to those pre-COVID levels to ensure that we still have room for social distancing, that people feel comfortable to ride."

Gonzalez says a mask or face covering is required to ride. SacRT is also blocking-off some seats to promote social distancing.

"We're also fogging and sanitizing our buses," Gonzalez said. "So the fogging is a deep-cleaning we're doing every single day for our buses and light rail vehicles and then cleaning throughout the day. This is a huge part of what we've been doing for months now."

1:41 p.m.: Senate cancels floor session after positive COVID-19 test

The Senate canceled its planned floor session on Wednesday following a positive coronavirus test in the chamber, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins confirmed in a statement. 

“The person has been in the Capitol this week,” Atkins said.She added that Wednesday’s floor votes would be canceled “while we conduct immediate contact tracing and inform anyone who may have been exposed.” The chamber would also be deep-cleaned. 

Hours after an initial email was sent to Senate staff alerting them of the positive test, Sen. Brain Jones (R – Santee) announced that it was him who tested positive.

In a social media post, Jones wrote that he “will be taking additional tests to recheck the results and to rule out possibility of a false-positive result.”

The disruption comes just days before the Legislature must end its work on Aug. 31. 

“The Senate will be prepared to continue our work when we have completed public health protocols to ensure that the risk of exposure has been eliminated,” Atkins continued. “The Senate will use the tools available to us to make sure that we can complete necessary work prior to August 31.”

11:38 a.m.: California Senate Delays Business After Positive COVID-19 Test

A positive coronavirus test is complicating the remaining days left in the California Legislative session, prompting Senators and their staff to “hold in place” Wednesday morning.

An email sent to staff from the Secretary of the Senate’s office asked Senators and their staff to stay put “out of an abundance of caution.”

“Those who are not yet in the building, please remain at home. Those who are in the Capitol already should remain in their offices,” the email reads.

The positive test could complicate the remaining days of the session, which is scheduled to end Aug. 31. Lawmakers have major bills to vote on before then, including bills dealing with police reform, renter and eviction relief and a new $3 billion wildfire bond.

Earlier this summer, Legislative leaders extended a recess after two Assemblymembers tested positive. Assemblyman Tom Lackey, a Republican from Palmdale, was hospitalized but has since recovered.

10:32 a.m.: New rules allow schools to provide in-person learning for students with special needs

California health officials released guidance Tuesday allowing school districts to welcome back some children who are struggling with distance learning back to in-person school.

The new rules allow certain students at K-12 schools to come back in “cohorts” — groups of no more than 14 children and two supervising adults who stay together for all activities. The change is allowed even in counties where school campuses are closed due to COVID-19.

The state suggests districts prioritize special needs students, English learners, students at higher risk of further learning loss or not participating in distance learning, students at risk of abuse or neglect, foster youth and students experiencing homelessness. 

Each group must be kept separate from other groups, and within the cohort adults must practice physical distancing. Adults and students must wear face coverings.

Previous state guidelines on schools, child care, day camps, youth sports, and institutions of higher education still stand.

6:00 p.m.: San Francisco 49ers to open season without fans

Those planning to attend the San Francisco 49ers season opener will have to cancel their plans.

The team announced Tuesday that after consulting with state and local officials they'll play the game Sept. 13 at Levi Stadium without fans. The team said it would work with health officials to determine whether it will be safe to allow fans to attend games later this season.

The Minnesota Vikings announced they'll play at least their first two home games without fans in attendance.

5:56 p.m.: California at ‘high risk” of mismanaging federal COVID-19 funds, auditor says

California's auditor says the state is at high risk of mismanaging the billions in coronavirus aid it is getting from the federal government.

Elaine Howle said Tuesday she is invoking a state law that allows her to keep a close watch on 18 government agencies that are in charge of overseeing the spending.

Howle's office identified more than $71 billion the state has either already received or is expected to receive from the federal government. More than half of that money is to help the state pay unemployment benefits to millions of people who lost their jobs. 

11:48: SacRT to return to pre-pandemic service levels

Sacramento Regional Transit officials say they will restore service to pre-pandemic level starting Aug. 30.

The update will apply to schedules for light rail, bus, all peak-only/express and Folsom Stage Line routes. SacRT says there could be unplanned route reductions or schedule disruptions as COVID-19 conditions change.

Due to low ridership, SacRT says it will continue to suspend service on the Airport Express (route 142), the 200 series routes and Folsom Stage Line route 20F. 

See more information on the changes here.

6:15 p.m.: Nevada reports 636 additional COVID-19 cases

Nevada health officials on Saturday reported 636 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and 12 more deaths, increasing the state's totals in the coronavirus outbreak to 65,069 cases and 1,197 deaths.

A daily report by the state Department of Health and Human Services showed the number of people hospitalized for confirmed or suspected infections with COVID-19 increased by 18 to 825.

According to Johns Hopkins University data analyzed by The Associated Press, the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases declined over the past two weeks while the seven-day rolling average for deaths increased. 

4:18 p.m.: Stockton distributes protective equipment to community organizations

Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is essential to many organizations and businesses to keep their employees, customers, and clients safe from COVID-19.

Monday the city of Stockton handed out free supplies from facemasks to sanitizers to community organizations.

Volunteers brought loads of boxes to waiting vans, pickups, and trucks lined up outside the downtown Civic Center, ready to take them across the city where they are needed most. 

Almost $225,000 dollars worth of PPE was given to two dozen organizations such as the Haven of Peace, the Gospel Rescue Mission, and El Concillio. Those organizations will distribute them to families, workers, and other groups working in the community. 

City Councilman Paul Canepa says it’s another way that Stockton is making it safer for its citizens.

“The supplies that they need to be safe, you know, stop [the] spread so we can get people back to schools and work and I think it’s important that the city step up and help out,” Canepa said.

6:42 p.m.: Placer County removed from COVID-19 watch list

Placer County announced it was removed from the state COVID-19 watch list, could allow the county to reopen schools and businesses in the coming weeks.

If Placer County remains off the list for at least 14 days, K-12 schools could potentially reopen for in-person instruction. However, no other businesses would be allowed to reopen until the state modifies the state order. The county has asked the state to change those orders.

County health officials said they continue to urge residents to follow COVID-19 precautions to stay under state guidelines. Those include using a face covering when in public, maintaining physical distance, avoiding gatherings, staying home if sick and regular hand washing.

2:13 p.m.: Yolo County reports COVID-19 outbreak at Woodland senior care facility

Yolo County has announced an outbreak of COVID-19 at Gloria’s Country Care, a residential care facility for the elderly in Woodland.

There are 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the facility as of August 19, and there have been no deaths. Seven residents and nine staff members have tested positive for the virus.

The outbreak was identified this weekend when a resident tested positive, prompting Yolo County Public Health staff to test all residents and staff. These results came in late on August 17.

3:11 p.m.: Capital Christian School ordered by Sacramento county to stop on-campus classes

Capital Christian School has been ordered to stop on-campus classes by the Sacramento County Health Department for violating state rules that prohibit in-person instruction in counties on the state’s COVID-19 watch list.

The school declared itself a “day care.” Those facilities are allowed to open with restrictions, while schools are not yet as Sacramento County is on the state watch list and is not issuing waivers for schools to hold in-person learning or activities. The school serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Sacramento County has ordered the school to immediately close down in-person instruction to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and said that failure to comply would be punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.

11:25 a.m.: Newsom says state 'moving in the right direction'

After several weeks of unreliable data, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the backlog from a pair of data reporting issues that surfaced in late July has been cleared.

The new test-positivity rate is 6.5% over a two-week average, which the governor said is not quite at his 5% target. “We’re moving in the right direction. Let’s continue the good work,” he said.

The state is now reporting 632,667 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 11,342 deaths from the virus.

Monday, August 17

5:33 p.m.: Stockton releases new contact tracing app

Officials in the city of Stockton and San Joaquin County hope a majority of residents will download and use a new app to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Called SafePass, the technology uses bluetooth to track a person’s movements — and it lets you know if you spent time with anyone who ended up with the virus.

“If you happen to be positive, the contract-tracing happens automatically, which means all of the people you may have infected are anonymously and immediately notified,” said Andrew Frame, CEO of Citizen, the company that developed the technology.

Frame says all the user data is secured and anonymous, and would be deleted after 30 days. If an individual is identified as possibly having contracted the virus, the company will send a kit for at-home testing.Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs said at a press conference on Monday that wide participation is needed for the app to work.

“I do want the citizens of Stockton to know ... that this is the way for folks to be involved in the fight against COVID, and that we all have a role to play,” Tubbs said.

Frame says Stockton needs to get 50 percent participation from residents to create a critical mass for contact-tracing, which would make it tough for the virus to spread.

5:04 p.m.: Lack of protective equipment led to COVID-19 deaths, study finds

A new UC Berkeley study estimates 20,000 essential workers in California could have avoided contracting coronavirus if the state had stockpiled protective equipment before the pandemic. 

Study author William Dow says the additional PPE would have also prevented COVID-19 deaths.

“Our best estimate is that there have been dozens of essential workers who have died who did not have access to PPE, who had workplace exposures — those deaths could have been avoided,” Dow said.

Without adequate protective equipment, health care employees have been sidelined from the workforce, creating an additional burden on an already strained unemployment insurance system.

The study found an adequate PPE stockpile would have saved the state $93 million per week in jobless benefits.

4:47 p.m.: Report faults California prisons for poor coronavirus checks

California's inspector general says state prisons were inconsistent in screening employees and visitors for the coronavirus, which may have increased the risk of its spread. 

The report Monday does not link the poor practices to the worst outbreak, which resulted from a botched transfer of infected inmates from a Southern California prison to San Quentin State Prison. But the report criticizes the corrections department for vague rules and inadequately trained staff that allowed some visitors and employees to enter prisons before they were properly screened. 

Moreover, the screeners said that their thermometers did not always work properly, were not always accurate, or lacked battery power.

— The Associated Press

7:01 a.m.: Judge orders coronavirus testing at immigration facility

A judge in California has ordered immediate testing of all detainees and staff at an immigration detention center where COVID-19 was spreading for weeks while officials refused to test for the virus. 

The Los Angeles Times reports federal District Court Judge Vince Chhabria ordered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to conduct quick-result testing of everyone in the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Facility in Bakersfield. 

Chhabria’s order followed results Friday showing nearly half of the detainees tested earlier in the week were positive. According to the Associated Press, at least 54 of the 104 detained people remaining at the facility had tested positive for the virus. A public defender says initial results from quick tests Saturday found 11 more positive cases.

— The Associated Press

6:28 a.m.: Drive-in movie nights coming to Stanislaus County Fairgrounds 

“Get In, Sit Tight, It’s Movie Night” is the theme of drive-in movie nights in Turlock.

Current COVID-19 restrictions don’t allow for the opening of indoor movie theaters, and it’s been months since they closed their doors. But a drive-in movie theater would allow social distancing with people in their own cars.

The Stanislaus County Fairgrounds plans to turn its parking lot into a drive-in theater. The fairgrounds would have room for 300 cars with proper distancing.

Fairgrounds CEO Matt Cranford says for people growing weary of isolation, this could be the cure. 

“This is one small way of having entertainment for our kids and family and still adhering to social responsibility, so we’re just looking to have something fun and bring people out and be safe doing it,” Cranford said.

He said the plan is to start the movies this week and continue Thursdays through Sundays.

The drive-in plans to have an app that will allow moviegoers to order food from their cars for pickup, from tri-tip sandwiches to hot dogs to popcorn.

6:01 p.m.: California schools scrambling for info, tech as year begins

Millions of California children are already back in the virtual classroom. But families, teachers and districts are still scrambling to figure out some of the basics. How and when they can resume in-person learning and how to get the in-demand technology they need for distance learning now? 

State officials estimate 97% of California schoolchildren are starting the year online. Gov. Gavin Newsom tried to project control over the situation Friday, though he acknowledged it’s a “sub-optimal environment.” 

“We are now just beginning this journey together on a more robust approach to distance learning,” Newsom said.

And though there are a slew of rules about what schools should do, the rules for being able to reopen for in-person instruction aren't set in stone. 

—The Associated Press

5:34 p.m.: California Capital Airshow canceled this year

The 2020 California Capital Airshow scheduled for Oct. 3-4 at Mather Airport has been canceled.

Organizers say that after exploring options for modifying the event to make it safe during the pandemic, they were not fully confident they could minimize risks.

“Please know we did not want to let you down – but ultimately, it is the right call for the safety of everyone,” a press release reads.

While this year’s airshow, which was to be presented by Sacramento County and the city of Rancho Cordova, is called off, plans are still underway for next year’s show, scheduled for Sept. 25-26, 2021, and featuring the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

6:49 a.m.: Fresno County school that opened classrooms ordered to close

A private school in California has been ordered to close after it reopened classrooms in violation of a state health order aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. 

Fresno County issued a health order Thursday against Immanuel Schools in Reedley. The K-12 school was told to close its classrooms until the county is removed from a state monitoring list for two weeks. 

The school, which has about 600 students, allowed students into classes Thursday without masks or social distancing. The school’s trustees and superintendent said they believe students' development will suffer if they can't be taught on campus. 

— The Associated Press

6:23 a.m.: Alcatraz to reopen after monthslong closure due to pandemic

Alcatraz Island will reopen its outdoor areas to the public next week after being closed for five months because of the pandemic. 

The Mercury News reported Thursday the island that once housed Al Capone and George “Machine Gun" Kelly will reopen Monday. But it will be an outdoor-only experience, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. 

The National Park Service, which owns Alcatraz, has been steadily reopening other national parks, including Yosemite, Muir Woods, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Pinnacles and others. Ferry service, trails, gardens and a revised audio tour that has commentary from former prisoners and guards will be available.

— The Associated Press

4:27 p.m.: Wanted: Available space for Vote Centers in Sacramento County

Sacramento County is struggling to find enough in-person “Vote Centers” ahead of the Nov. 3 election. 

The county must secure 84 locations but had confirmed only 53 as of Thursday, according to Janna Haynes, a county spokesperson. That’s largely because locations used in the past including schools and community centers are hosting daycares, COVID-19 testing and employment assistance programs, all due to the pandemic. 

“We are seeking Vote Centers open Oct 31 – Nov 3,” Haynes wrote in a message aimed at business owners, community organizations, school districts and government facilities.

“We will consider ANY space, no matter how large or small, and we really need help in Natomas, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova and Folsom,” the message continued. “But again, willing to look at ANYTHING and ANYWHERE in Sacramento County! We are also willing to provide deep cleaning services after the election to any location.”

A new state law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom this summer requires counties to send mail-in ballots to all active registered voters, in an effort to limit the health risks of going to a polling place during the pandemic. 

Even so, counties are still required to make some in-person voting locations available. 

Vote Centers are part of a new election model adopted by Sacramento County and other counties statewide. The model, established by the Voter’s Choice Act in 2016, limits the number of traditional polling places in favor of the vote centers, which are open longer and allow anyone registered in their county to vote in person or drop off a mail-in ballot. 

If you have information about available space, contact the Sacramento County Elections Office at [email protected] or call 916-875-6451.

3:15 p.m.: California to end eviction protections as lawmakers mull fix

California will resume eviction and foreclosure proceedings on Sept. 1 unless the state Legislature agrees to extend the protections. 

The Judicial Council of California voted 19-1 to end the temporary rules that had been in place since April 6. 

State lawmakers are negotiating with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on a proposal that would halt most evictions for the duration of the pandemic. But they have yet to reach a deal despite having five months to negotiate. 

California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye on Thursday urged the Legislature and the governor to move quickly to “resolve this looming crisis.”

 —Associated Press

3:01 p.m.: UC Davis looking for COVID-19 vaccine trial participants

UC Davis Health is partnering with pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech SE to take part in a worldwide COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial, which health officials hope will result in the approval of an inoculation by the end of the year.

UC Davis is one of only 120 sites chosen around the world. The health center is looking for as many as 200 local residents, with emphasis on essential workers and people of color, all of whom are at disproportionate risk of COVID-19 infection.

Dr. Timothy Albertson, chair of UC Davis Health Internal Medicine and the principal investigator of the effort, says the trial’s unique approach involves inserting RNA into host cells and generating a nontoxic protein to create antibodies.

Those antibodies “would be generated towards that spike protein because it's foreign, and that would provide protection against the COVID infection,” Albertson said.

Learn more about the study and volunteer to participate here.

5:21 p.m.: Nearly 90 Folsom State Prison inmates have tested positive for COVID-19

Nearly 90 inmates at Folsom State Prison have tested positive for the coronavirus in the latest outbreak to hit California's troubled corrections system. 

According to the latest data from the state, 89 inmates have active COVID-19 infections at the prison. The agency says it has sent a medical strike team to respond to the outbreak and has also set up tents to quarantine patients. They're also screening potentially infected people. 

The worst outbreak so far has been at San Quentin Prison, where 25 people have died, including a guard, and more than 2,200 inmates have contracted the virus.

5:20 p.m.: Top Federal Reserve official criticizes California’s decision to reopen businesses before getting COVID-19 under control

A top official at the Federal Reserve has criticized the decision by California and many other states to reopen businesses this spring before getting the virus fully under control, and said those choices have hindered an economic recovery in the U.S. 

Eric Rosengren, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, says states in the West and South that allowed businesses to reopen after shutting down for a brief period did register an initial burst of economic activity. But he says spikes in infection rates soon followed and economies in those states are now lagging those in the Northeast as consumers have become more cautious. 

Rosengren's comments are among the most specific yet by a Fed official tying the health of the economy to the nation's ability to control the virus. 

7:55 a.m.: UCSF researchers develop antiviral nasal spray

A new nasal spray developed by UC San Francisco scientists could help stop the spread of COVID-19. 

Researchers call their new formulation “AeroNabs.” They say  these molecules could be self-administered with a nasal spray or inhaler and when used once a day, AeroNabs could provide reliable protection against coronavirus until a vaccine becomes available. 

“Far more effective than wearable forms of personal protective equipment, we think of AeroNabs as a molecular form of PPE that could serve as an important stopgap until vaccines provide a more permanent solution to COVID-19,” said co-inventor and UCSF biochemistry professor Peter Walter in a statement. 

UCSF says it hopes to start human trials soon.

7:30 a.m.: State judicial council to vote on eviction and foreclosure proceedings

The state’s Judicial Council will vote Thursday on whether eviction and foreclosure proceedings could resume on Sept. 1.

The AP reports this places pressure on the state legislature to pass a law by the end of the month to prevent what many people are calling an “eviction tsunami.” 

The pandemic has prompted state-ordered shutdowns of most businesses, which led to more than 9.7 million Californians to file for unemployment benefits since March. This prevented many tenants from paying rent.

The Judicial Council of California voted to halt eviction and foreclosure proceedings on April 6 because of the pandemic. The rules were never meant to be a permanent solution.

5:55 p.m.: California adds backlogged case counts after data glitch

California began adding additional coronavirus cases to its public record Tuesday, a week after state officials acknowledged a data problem in late July had caused nearly 300,000 records not to appear in its health system. 

The state reported 12,500 confirmed cases, up sharply from its previous 14-day average. But it was not clear on what dates the confirmed cases were found.

The data glitch has been embarrassing for the state of 40 million people, which relies on timely statistics to determine whether schools and businesses can reopen. The glitch may have been behind the resignation Sunday of California Director of Public Health Sonia Angell.

5:51 p.m.: Pac-12, Big Ten pull plug on fall football 

The Pac-12 and Big Ten and conferences won't play football this fall because of concerns about COVID-19. The decisions take two of college football’s five power conferences out of a crumbling season amid the pandemic. 

The Big Ten is postponing all fall sports and hopes to make them up in the second semester. The Pac-12 is pausing all sports until Jan. 1, including basketball. 

The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference are still moving forward with plans to conduct a football season.

7:48 a.m.: At least 97,000 children tested positive for virus

A new review of state data shows at least 97,000 children in the United States tested positive for the coronavirus during the last two weeks of July.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and Children's Hospital Association, the increase represents a 40% surge in the nation's cumulative total of child cases.

NPR reports the findings come as schools struggle with when and how to reopen safely.

President Trump falsely claimed in an interview last week on “Fox & Friends” that "children are almost, I would almost say definitely, but almost immune from this disease."

This new report repeats the fact that children are not immune to this disease.

The LA Times reports there are more than 50,000 cases among children and teenagers in California this week. According to the state department of public health, this represents about  9.5% of total cases in California.

7:05 a.m.: Kaiser Permanente, coalition donate $81.8 million to state COVID-19 response

A coalition of  philanthropic entities will donate $81.8 million to fund to support quarantine and isolation efforts in California.

Gov. Gavin Newsom made the announcement yesterday. 

“Government can’t slow the spread of COVID-19 alone — it’s all hands on deck,” said Newsom. “We must work in partnership and bring together leaders across sectors, including philanthropy, to leverage resources and scale up culturally and linguistically competent containment efforts.”

This new commitment expands grant funding from the CDC, which allocated $499 million to California’s COVID-19 response. Out of that funding, $286 million was set aside for local governments. Nearly $52 million is going to eight counties in the Central Valley, including Fresno, Merced and San Joaquin counties.

Kaiser Permanente is committing $63 million to support local health departments with contact tracing. 

“The recent increase of cases in California demonstrates the importance of being able to accurately track the virus and respond when and where it begins to surge in order to save lives,” said Kaiser CEO Greg A. Adams in a statement.

The Kaiser donation is also being used to connect people who cannot isolate and quarantine on their own to services and resources.

5:55 p.m.: The Mountain West postpones its football season

The Mountain West has become the second FBS conference to postpone its football season, punting on the fall with an eye toward playing in the spring.

In fact, the Mountain West will not play any sports in the fall. The Mountain West's decision comes less than a week after it announced plans to play an eight-game conference football season and allow its members to pursue two non-conference games.

The Mountain West, which includes Nevada, Fresno State, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV and Boise State joins the Mid-American Conference as leagues from the highest tier of NCAA Division I football to bail on the fall season

5:15 p.m.: Veteran San Quentin guard dies as a result of COVID-19 

A veteran guard at San Quentin has died as a result of the coronavirus. It's the first COVID-19 death of an employee at the California prison where a large outbreak has infected staff and inmates. Sgt. Gilbert Polanco, an Army veteran and guard at San Quentin since 1988, died after being hospitalized for more than a month. Of more than 260 staff members infected by the virus at San Quentin, Polanco is the first to die. At least two dozen inmates at the prison near San Francisco have died from COVID-19 complications...a third death row inmate from the Sacramento is the latest.

3:05 p.m.: UC system to require flu shots for students, staff

The University of California system is requiring all returning students, staff and faculty to get an influenza vaccination by Nov. 1 in an effort to prevent a surge in flu patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The executive order is an important proactive measure to help protect members of the UC community — and the public at large — and to ameliorate the severe burdens on health care systems anticipated during the coming fall and winter from influenza and COVID-19 illnesses,” UC representatives wrote in a statement.

Students who are attending school remotely are also required to get the vaccine.

Health experts say a surge of influenza patients arriving at hospitals this fall and winter could strain supplies of ventilators, intensive care unit beds and protective gear for staff.

“Coronaviruses in general do better in the winter than in other parts of the year,” said UC Berkeley infectious disease expert John Swartzberg. “Hospitals will manage both influenza patients and COVID patients in the same way. And hospitals will require the same PPE for both diseases.”

Flu season typically begins in October and lasts until springtime. Last year, roughly half of Americans got a flu shot.

8:05 a.m.: Ventura County church holds indoor services

Despite a judge’s temporary restraining order, a church in Ventura County’s Newbury Park held indoor worship services Sunday.

The AP reports Pastor Rob McCoy led three services in defiance of coronavirus health orders at Godspeak Calvary Chapel.

He promised to continue in-person services even though the judge’s order cited “an immediate threat to public health and safety due to the 2019 novel coronavirus.”

The services come as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. hits 5 million.

Livestreams of the services showed McCoy without a mask, standing before congregants. The first service showed at least two dozen worshipers — most of whom were also not wearing masks.

7:24  a.m.: Top state public health official steps down

California’s top public health official has resigned from her role as director and public health officer at the state’s department of public health. 

Dr. Sonia Angell informed her staff about stepping down from her roles Sunday and did not offer a specific reason for her decision. 

The AP reports this comes just days after health officials announced a fix for a glitch that caused a lag in the reporting of coronavirus test results.

The health and human services department announced Sandra Shewry, vice president of external engagement for the California Health Care Foundation, will fill the role of acting health director. Dr. Erica Pan, who was recently appointed state epidemiologist, will be the acting state public health officer.

6:49 a.m.: State records more than half-a-million cases

State health officials report the number of COVID-19 cases in California stood at 554,160 cases Sunday.

According to the AP, the California Department of Public Health said there have been 8,826,119 tests conducted in the state. This is an increase of 118,592 over the prior 24-hour reporting period.

California has recorded 10,293 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

At least one community is teaming up with an outside agency to make sure people are using masks.

The LA Times reports Hermosa Beach officials will use a private consulting firm to help police enforce an ordinance requiring face coverings in public areas.

9:28 am.: California reports more than 10,000 deaths

California now has the third-highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., surpassing 10,000 since the beginning of the pandemic. 

New York and New Jersey have the highest and second highest number of deaths in the U.S. at more than 32,000 and nearly 16,000, respectively.

According to the AP, Johns Hopkins University reported 10,024 people have died in California since the outbreak began in the state in February.

The first known COVID-related death in the country happened in early February in Santa Clara.

7:41 a.m.: State sets in-person voting rules

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that will allow counties to offer fewer in-person voting options as they hold the general election in the middle of a pandemic. 

Newsom has already signed a law requiring counties to mail ballots to all voters ahead of the November 3 election. 

County election officials said they are having trouble securing enough polling places because COVID-19. 

7:20 a.m.: U.S. contact tracing workforce falls short

In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Congress the country needs 100,000 contact tracers to fight the pandemic. 

NPR surveyed all 50 states about their contact tracing work. The workforce has barely expanded since mid-June while cases have surged.

The new survey finds that as of the end of July, 45 states and Washington D.C. reported a workforce of 41,960, up less than 5,000 since NPR’s June survey found a total contact tracing workforce of 37,110.

7:05 a.m.: Immigration officials ordered to conduct testing at detention center

A federal judge ordered immigration officials to conduct weekly coronavirus testing for more than 100 men held at a Bakersfield detention center. 

Judge Vince Chhabria issued the temporary restraining order Thursday. 

A lawyer told the San Francisco Chronicle that nearly two dozen inmates and staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Mesa Verde Detention Center in Bakersfield. 

The judge said the evidence shows ICE officials avoided widespread testing because of “ fear that positive test results would require them to implement safety measures that they apparently felt were not worth the trouble.”

The Chronicle said ICE didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. 

7:15 a.m: Correctional officer dies from COVID-19 complications

A correctional officer at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla has died after testing positive for COVID-19.  

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says Sgt. Seeyenkgee Ly had been sick for four weeks. He spent the final two weeks of his life on a ventilator in a hospital.  

Eight CDCR employees have died of COVID-19 and 1,927 have tested positive.  894 of those employees have returned to work.

6:50 a.m.: Technical database problems delay state COVID-19 efforts

State health officials say they will not add any more counties to the coronavirus watch list until they have solved a technical problem that has delayed reporting of COVID-19 cases. 

The issue with the state’s electronic case reporting system has  left the state and counties with an undercount of new cases in recent data.. 

Until it's fixed, state health officials have stopped removing or adding to the list of 38 counties with higher infection rates. 

California has recorded 525,000 positive tests, the highest figure in the nation. But authorities say the true number is even higher. 

Health officials say incomplete data has hampered their ability to limit the spread of the virus by reaching those who had contact with infected people.

3:57 p.m.: California may release 17,600 inmates early due to COVID-19

As many as 17,600 California inmates may be released early due to COVID-19, state prison officials say.

This number is 70% more than what was previously estimated, and victims and police say the new total includes dangerous criminals who should stay locked up.

Several hundred of these inmates have been paroled while still at risk for transmitting COVID-19. This has caused consternation as probation officers and community organizations scramble to provide housing, transportation and other services for inmates who may pose a public health risk.

Officials have been under intense pressure to free more inmates, though officials say Corrections Secretary Ralph Diaz is likely to block some of the earlier releases.

3:51 p.m.: California lawmakers considering bill to require businesses notify employees of COVID-19 exposure

A bill moving through California’s state Legislature would require businesses to notify workers and public health officials when an employee has been exposed to COVID-19.

The bill would require businesses to notify workers within 24 hours of them learning that another worker has been exposed. Employers who violated this potential law by not notifying employees and public health officials could be charged with a crime and fined $10,000.

Business groups oppose the bill, saying that the legislature doesn’t clearly define what “exposure” means. The California Chamber of Commerce says that would make it hard for companies to comply.

Lawmakers have until Aug. 31 to pass the proposal.

7:48 a.m.: Two patients die from COVID-19 at state mental hospital

Two patients from a state mental hospital in Coalinga have died from COVID-19 complications, officials say.

According to the Sacramento Bee, one patient, who became infected while being treated outside of the Department of State Hospitals-Coalinga, died Sunday. Another patient died Monday at another hospital.

A department spokesman says 28 patients at the hospital have tested positive for the virus as of July 31.

7:30 a.m.: Pac-12 football players reach out to Gov. Newsom for help

A group of Pac-12 football players with the #WeAreUnited movement met with representatives from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office Tuesday. They discussed concerns about their schools’ COVID-19 protocols and requested Newsom’s help with protecting  their college eligibility. 

The AP reports Pac-12 players want an executive order from Newsom that would mandate player-approved, third-party oversight of COVID-19 rules at the Pac-12′s four California schools: U.C. Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA and USC.

Players also requested that this possible order ensure that student athletes won’t lose a year of eligibility if they opt out of the coming season due to coronavirus concerns.

Meanwhile, the  NCAA Board of Governors is expected to release more information on football games and other sports for the  fall season Wednesday.

7:10 a.m.: Three USPS employees test positive at West Sacramento facility

The U.S. Postal Service plans on stepping up disinfecting processes at its West Sacramento branch after three employees tested positive for coronavirus.

The Sacramento Bee reports USPS is reaching out to local public health officials. The test results cover the period up to July 20. 

A Postal Service spokeswoman said the risk to West Sacramento employees is low and operations have not been affected.

“Although the virus can survive for a short period on some surfaces, it is unlikely to be spread from domestic or international mail, products or packaging,” said the CDC in its online FAQ.

1:13 p.m.: Reporting system issues causing undercount of recent COVID-19 cases in California

An issue with the state of California’s electronic disease reporting system is likely causing an underestimate of COVID-19 cases in counties’ recent data.

The state’s system, CalREDIE, has been experiencing technical issues while processing incoming reports which has led to artificially low case numbers, according to Sacramento County.

Sacramento County has added a disclaimer to their COVID-19 data dashboard referencing the issue, as have many other counties. The California Department of Public Health also posted a similar disclaimer on their statewide data dashboard. This error impacts the number of new cases reported in a single day, causing an undercount in new daily cases.

Sacramento County reported a record high 400 new COVID-19 cases on July 28, but has reported relatively low numbers of new cases the past few days.

7:50 a.m.: Poll: Most Americans support aggressive COVID-19 measures

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the U.S., a new NPR/Ipsos poll finds broad support among Americans for more aggressive measures to contain the virus and for one national strategy to address the pandemic.

Two-thirds of respondents said they believe the U.S. is handling the pandemic worse than other countries.

"We've come to a pretty dire place when it comes to both the death toll and the spread of coronavirus across the country," said Mallory Newall, a pollster with Ipsos. "Americans, as they grapple with the reality of just how grave the situation is, they're looking for sweeping, really broad, powerful action here." 

The national death toll from COVID-19 in the U.S. has passed 150,000.

More than 75% of respondents support enacting state laws to require mask wearing in public at all times. 

Nearly 60% of respondents said they would support a national order making it mandatory to shelter at home for at least two weeks.

7:19 a.m.: Health permits suspended for two El Dorado County restaurants

El Dorado County officials have suspended health permits for Apple Bistro in Placerville and Cafe El Dorado in El Dorado because they say they failed to enforce mandatory mask rules in their businesses.

The Sacramento Bee reports both restaurants are defying county orders and staying open.

County spokeswoman Carla Hass says the county had received several complaints about both restaurants, specifically that employees were not wearing masks. 

Last month, county supervisors gave health officials the green light to suspend permits of businesses that flagrantly defy the state order requiring mask-wearing indoors in businesses.

7:05 a.m.: State releases guidelines for school waivers

California health officials have released guidelines for elementary schools that want waivers to allow them to offer in-person classroom instruction to students.

The AP reports some public, private and charter schools in 38 counties on a state watch list can seek waivers from local health officials if they meet certain criteria and have plans for keeping students and staff safe. 

Schools in counties whose COVID-19 infection rates are more than 200 cases per 100,000 people would not be considered for the waiver. 

Health officials said they created the waiver process because new data shows young children were far less likely to shed and transmit the virus.

4:58 p.m.: Las Vegas’ Electric Daisy Carnival pushed back to 2021

The Electric Daisy Carnival electronic dance music festival in Las Vegas will not be happening this year due to COVID-19.

The event, typically held in May at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, has been pushed back to 2021. The festival was initially postponed until October because of the pandemic. It’s now slated for May 21-23 of next year.

Tickets for this year’s festival will be honored. Typically, more than 150,000 people attend each night of the carnival, which features more than 200 performers on eight stages.

12:04 p.m.: Federal government offering loans to businesses damaged after this summer’s protests — but not in Sacramento

Owners of homes and businesses severely damaged in the late hours after this summer’s demonstrations for racial justice will be getting help from the federal government — but not in Sacramento County.

Bill Koontz with the U.S. Small Business Administration says Sacramento was also surveyed but not eligible to borrow up to $2 million for repairs.

“There weren’t at least 25 properties with major damage in the county, which is our criteria to issue a disaster declaration, so Sacramento County is not included,” he said.

Alameda County, many Bay Area counties, plus San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties are included because at least 25 businesses, homes and nonprofits were at least 40 percent destroyed since May 26.

All the counties that share a common border with Alameda are included in the emergency declaration.

Koontz says September 16 is the deadline to apply for the low-interest loans.

7:18 a.m: Birx: Coronavirus pandemic enters new phase

The  U.S. is now in a "new phase" of the COVID-19 pandemic, says White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, who urged people to follow public health guidance as cases continue to spike.

On CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, Birx said: "What we're seeing today is different from March and April. It is extraordinarily widespread — it's into the rural as equal urban areas." 

Data from Johns Hopkins University shows  the U.S. has surpassed more than 4.6 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus and has recorded 154,000 deaths.

The latest forecast from the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts the U.S. could record as many as 182,000 total deaths by Aug. 22.

6:55 a.m.: California lost more revenue than most states due to COVID-19

New numbers show California’s bottom line has taken a hit during this economic downturn due to the state’s progressive tax structure.

An NPR nationwide analysis of states' revenue and budgets during the pandemic found tax revenue was down in California by 42% from March to May, in comparison to the same time last year.

The state went from a projected $5.6 billion surplus in January to a $54 billion deficit during the pandemic.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is requesting $14 billion in aid from Congress, arguing that "the federal government has a moral, ethical and economic obligation to help support the states."

6:54 p.m.: Central Valley teen is first young person to die from COVID-19 in state

A teenager in the Central Valley has died from COVID-19, according to California health officials. This is the first death of a young person from the virus in the state.

This person was between ages 12 and 17, but the state won’t provide more exact information due to patient confidentiality. The teen did have underlying health conditions. There have been no reported deaths in children under age 12. 

In California, people under 18 make up 9% of cases, while people ages 18 to 34 make up 35%. People ages 35 to 49 account for an additional 25% of cases.

Initially, the virus was thought to mostly pose a threat to older adults. Health officials in several California counties have said young people going to beaches and backyard parties is a main cause of the recent uptick.

6:51 p.m.: San Joaquin County hospitals over ICU capacity

San Joaquin County Emergency Medical officials say hospital Intensive Care Units are operating at 149% capacity. It's the highest ICU occupancy rate since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Earlier this month two federal medical teams were deployed to Lodi Memorial and Dameron Hospitals to help with staffing. San Joaquin County's total hospital capacity is at 76%.

7:52 a.m.: Operation Warp Speed shells out $2.1 billion into another potential vaccine

Pharma giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur announced a $2.1 billion deal with the federal government to develop and deliver 100 million doses of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. 

“The global need for a vaccine to help prevent COVID-19 is massive, and no single vaccine or company will be able to meet the global demand alone,” said Sanofi Executive Vice President Thomas Triomphe. “With our partner GSK, we expect our Phase 1/2 study for the recombinant adjuvanted approach to start in September.”

As part of Operation Warp Speed, the funding will cover clinical trials, manufacturing, scale-up and delivery of the vaccine.

“The portfolio of vaccines being assembled for Operation Warp Speed increases the odds that we will have at least one safe, effective vaccine as soon as the end of this year,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in a statement.

According to the deal, the U.S. government has the option to pick up an additional 500 million doses. 

7:40 a.m.: Lawmakers investigate changes to COVID-19 hospital data system

Data analysts say a new public COVID-19 hospital data hub is riddled with  inconsistencies and errors.

NPR reports the delays and problems with data on the availability of beds, ventilators and safety equipment could have serious consequences as cases and deaths spike across the nation.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration directed  hospitals to redirect coronavirus data to a new online system instead of a platform operated by the CDC. Trump administration officials claimed the new system would be more complete, transparent, and an improvement over the old one.

House members plan on questioning  the White House Coronavirus Task Force about the reporting change Friday.

According to NPR, several house subcommittees have already launched an investigation into the data change. 

7:15 a.m.: Yolo County announces more testing sites

Starting next week, Yolo County Public Health will offer free COVID-19 testing at various locations. The goal is to provide more testing access to communities.

The health department says testing is on a first come, first served basis and is only open to Yolo County residents. People can register for appointments here.

6:25 p.m.: Sacramento County to open new COVID-19 testing centers

Sacramento County is opening three new COVID-19 community testing centers starting Aug. 3, with another set to open Aug. 11.

The three new centers will provide free COVID-19 tests by appointment, and be operated by UC Davis Health. Tests are open to Sacramento County residents 2 years or older, and available regardless of U.S. citizenship or legal residency status.

The new centers opening Aug. 3 are:

(North Highlands) Liberty Towers Church
5132 Elkhorn Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95842
Open: Mondays, 8 a.m. - Noon
Appointments: 916-583-8877 or https://northhighlands.setmore.com

(Folsom) Oak Hills Church
1100 Blue Ravine Road, Folsom, CA 95630
Open: Wednesdays, 8 a.m. - Noon
Appointments: 916-983-0181 or https://folsom.setmore.com

Galt Chabolla Community Center
610 Chabolla Ave., Galt, CA 95632
Open: Thursdays, 8 a.m. - Noon
Appointments: 209-366-7180 or https://galt7662.setmore.com

The new center opening Aug. 11 is:

(Rancho Cordova) Folsom-Cordova Community Partnership Center
10665 Coloma Rd., Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Open: Tuesdays, 1 - 5 p.m.

For scheduled appointments, bring any form of identification with date of birth. At all testing sites, face coverings must be worn (some masks may be available). Physical distancing must be maintained with other members of the public. 

Get more information on Sacramento County testing here.

5:39 pm.: Cities start to increase enforcement around stay-at-home orders

After weeks of stressing education over enforcement, California communities are issuing fines and relying on anonymous tips to make sure businesses and residents are complying with health orders amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Los Angeles County is averaging 2,000 reports a week on its tip lines with complaints ranging from a lack of hand sanitizer to improper cleaning of workplace bathrooms. 

Thursday, California reported nearly a half-million confirmed virus cases since March, the most in the nation, and 391 deaths were tallied over the past two days, the highest since the start of the pandemic.

12:21 p.m.: California lawmakers race to beat August 31 adjournment deadline

California lawmakers are advancing several bills spurred by the coronavirus as they race to beat an August 31 adjournment deadline in a session shortened by the pandemic. 

One bill expands paid sick leave for food sector workers, including farmworkers, so those who are sick can afford to take time off. A second would require the state and hospitals to each stockpile 90-day supplies of masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment for essential workers. Both are opposed by employer organizations but advanced to the Assembly Appropriations Committee Wednesday. 

A third bill would allow high school seniors to get their diplomas even if their classes were interrupted this spring by the coronavirus.

6:26 p.m.: Nevada County could impose $1,000 fines on businesses defying COVID-19 health orders 

Nevada County officials are looking at imposing fines of $1,000 a day on restaurants and other businesses that don't comply with state coronavirus health orders.

The move comes as three restaurants in the Sierra foothills keep their dining rooms open despite orders to allow only outside seating.

Heidi Hall, chair of the Nevada County Board of Supervisors, said the fines would be part of an urgency ordinance.

"We're going to spend the next two weeks getting more information out explaining how it works and we're going to bring it back on August 11,” she said. “And it's my hope, at that time, that we will pass it and make it easier for us to get those businesses into compliance."

Right now if a business defies orders, the county issues a Notice of Violation with fines starting at $25 a day.

5:20 p.m.: Teachers urge Manteca Unified to allow them to teach from home

Earlier this week, about 100 teachers demonstrated outside the Manteca Unified Schools office, urging the district to allow them to teach from home rather than inside a classroom.

Manteca schools are set to start instruction on August 6.

Plans are to have the district’s 1,100 teachers instruct from their classrooms while students learn at home.

But Manteca Educators Association President Ken Johnson says that still puts them at risk of COVID-19 infection with some classrooms relying on the same air conditioning system.

“You’re not just breathing the air, recycled air, from your classroom of students,” he said. “You’re also breathing the air from the classrooms of eight or nine other classrooms.”

The school district in a statement to teachers says, “We believe in the classroom, and all of the resources provided in the classrooms are part of the arsenal of tools to educate.”

Ken Johnson says teachers are anxious to be back with their students as well.

“We want to make sure that it’s done safely for the students and the teachers," he said. “That’s our main goal.”

1:28 p.m.: Modoc County records first COVID-19 case

A rural California county that was the first to defy state shutdown orders intended to prevent spread of the coronavirus has recorded its first cases. 

Modoc County now has two confirmed cases of COVID-19, health officials announced Wednesday. Both cases are from the same household. They ask any residents who visited a bar in the past 14 days to call the county warm line at (530) 233-1350.

"How lucky we have been to not see COVID-19 in our county until now, but it's here and we could see the number of cases increase in the next few weeks," Director of Health Services Stacy Sphar said in a statement.

Modoc was the last of California's 58 counties to not to have a confirmed coronavirus case.

8:05 a.m.: Two Central Valley cities lose state money for defying health orders

Gov. Gavin Newsom is withholding money from two Central Valley cities that are defying state health orders by allowing all businesses to open.

The AP reports the state is withholding nearly $65,000 from Atwater and more than $35,000 from Coalinga. 

These are first installments of $2.5 billion that cities and counties risk losing if they don't toe the line on coronavirus safeguards. 

The state’s Office of Emergency Services notified both cities last week that they risked losing more money if they didn’t withdraw resolutions that went against the state’s orders. The city council members in Atwater and Coalinga met Monday and agreed to stand by their resolutions.

7:40 a.m.: Medical staff collecting personal data during tests

Californians can expect some personal questions when getting a coronavirus test.  

During a news conference Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said testing facilities and doctors will be required to report the sexual orientation, gender identity, race and ethnicity of patients.  

The requirement also applies to all transmittable diseases. 

"Improving our data is like getting a new pair of glasses that helps us see more clearly or using binoculars that help us see a little further out,” Ghaly said.

State Senator Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco) has been pushing for the state to get this information.  

“The LGBTQ community has suffered a long history of government neglect when it comes to our healthcare system,” said Wiener in a statement. “I want to thank the state for listening to the LGBTQ community – namely, LGBTQ advocates and the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus – and responding by enabling this data collection moving forward.”

He says when it comes to the health care system, the LGBTQ community has suffered a long history of government neglect.  

Dr. Ghaly adds that certain ethnic groups, including Latinos, face a disproportionate risk from COVID-19.

6:05 p.m.: Distance learning exacerbates California’s 'digital divide'

Distance learning in California has exacerbated the so-called “digital divide” — leaving kids without access to reliable internet and devices at a severe disadvantage. 

The latest state budget allocated over $5 billion to schools for spending on pandemic-related needs.

Tracy Unified School District in San Joaquin County received about $10 million.

“We spent it all — 100% — on devices. All of it,” said Brian Stephens, the district superintendent. He says Tracy Unified bought 14,000 internet hotspots and laptops for students in need.

Some parts of the district have minimal broadband availability — a problem up and down the state, from Modoc County to the inland Mexican Border.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is mandating that all students have access to devices and adequate internet connection.

As some spend all of their pandemic-related funds on technology, others are turning to Silicon Valley companies for donations.

6:03 p.m.: CES tech conference will not be held in person in 2021

CES, one of the world's biggest tech conferences, won't be held in person next year, a reversal from May when organizers said it still planned to go ahead with a smaller show in Las Vegas.

Instead, the 2021 event will be a virtual convention, one that organizers hope to bring back to Vegas in 2022.

The announcement today is a blow to the tourism industry in Las Vegas. More than 170,000 people attended the four-day show back in January, flying from all over the world to see some of the latest TVs, robots and gadgets.

6:18 p.m.: Most Google employees could work remotely until June 2021

Google has decided that most of its 200,000 employees and contractors should work from home through next June.

It's a sobering assessment of the pandemic's potential staying power from the company that provides the answers for the world's most trusted internet search engine.

The remote-work order issued today by Google CEO Sundar Pichai also affects other companies owned by Google's corporate parent, Alphabet.

It marks a six-month extension of Google's previous plan to keep most of its offices closed through the rest of this year. The prolonged lockdown of Google's offices could push other major employers to take similar precautions. 

5:20 p.m.: California Legislature reconvenes, but not all in Sacramento

The California Legislature reconvened Monday, but not every lawmaker returned to Sacramento to conduct the people’s business. 

The state Assembly and Senate are known for doing things their own ways. Case in point: Voting on bills in the time of coronavirus.

The Senate is allowing lawmakers who are elderly or immuno-compromised to vote remotely during committee hearings. It hasn’t announced a plan yet for voting during floor sessions as a full body.

In the Assembly, at-risk lawmakers can vote by proxy through party leaders, but only during floor session. Members must be present to vote in committee hearings.

Lawmakers have just over a month to get through nearly 700 bills. They’ll consider proposals to halt evictions during the pandemic, impose stricter stay at home orders, and end mandatory prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.

9:14 a.m.: Butte County reports two COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents

Butte County health officials announce two residents from a nursing home have died due to complications from COVID-19. 

They say both patients were hospitalized at the time of their deaths. The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Butte County is now seven.

5:34 p.m.: 10 cases confirmed in Davis nursing facility outbreak

A skilled nursing facility in Davis is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, Yolo County officials report.

As of Friday, there are 10 confirmed cases at the Courtyard Healthcare Center — six residents and four staff. A resident first tested positive on June 12. Four of the cases have occurred in the past two weeks.

The county says that all residents and staff have been tested, and are routinely tested and monitored for symptoms. Residents and their families have been notified of the outbreak.

5:21 p.m.: State denies two Central Valley cities relief funds for defying state orders

Two Central Valley cities are being denied COVID relief funds from the state for failing to follow the governor’s orders on reopening.

Atwater in Merced County declared itself a sanctuary city, allowing businesses and churches to remain open. And Coalinga in Fresno County declared that all businesses were essential and could operate as usual. The amount being denied is over half a million dollars combined.

Atwater was eligible for almost $400,000 in relief funds, and Coalinga just over $200,000.

Atwater Mayor Paul Creighton, in comments to the Merced Sun-Star, called the governor “a complete dictator” and his actions “criminal.” 

Coalinga Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Benjamin Kahikina says his office is closed as it follows the state order — and he’s not alone.

“We’re seeing very few businesses operate that should not be operating,” he said. “We have a local movie theater that should be closed. I think that consequences have definitely frightened them. They are going to operate for another week and then they are going to close their doors until further notice.”

In letters to the city managers in both cities, the Governor’s Office writes that Atwater and Coalinga can receive their relief funding once they rescind their resolutions allowing businesses to stay open — and on a final note, thanks them for their “anticipated cooperation.”

4:33 p.m.: First Los Angeles police officer dies from COVID-19

A Los Angeles police officer died this morning of the coronavirus, becoming the agency's first sworn member to succumb to complications from COVID-19. 

Officer Valentin Martinez was a 13-year veteran of the department. He is survived by his domestic partner who is 20 weeks pregnant with twins. 

Alameda County Deputy Sheriff Oscar Rocha also died yesterday evening from complications related to the virus. 

Hundreds of law enforcement officers around the state have tested positive for the virus.

9:17 a.m.: Yolo County issues mass isolation and quarantine orders

New orders from interim Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Mary Ann Limbos require all people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and individuals who have been in close contact with COVID-19 patients to isolate and self quarantine.  

The mass isolation and quarantine orders go into effect immediately. 

Health officials say Yolo County has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases because of  family gatherings as well as interactions among a cross section of industries over the past four weeks.

Testing and contact tracing efforts have increased. Medical staff have instructed patients with COVID-19 to isolate for as long as they remain infectious. They have also instructed people who have been in contact with these individuals to quarantine themselves.   

“Unfortunately, in recent weeks county staff have identified instances where voluntary compliance with these requirements has not been adhered,” health officials said in a press release. “This hinders contact tracing efforts and threatens the overall health and safety of the community.”

County leaders say people who do not comply with the isolation and quarantine requirements under the orders may be subject to penalties including citation.

8:01 a.m.: U.S. sees 4 million cases

The United States hit another milestone with 4 million people testing positive for coronavirus. 

The nation added 1 million cases in just 15 days, according to a tracker from Johns Hopkins University. 

More than 143,700 people have died from the virus in the U.S. This is nearly twice as many as Brazil, the country with the second-highest number of fatalities. 

7:43 a.m.: State leaders will allow absent lawmakers to vote

Absent lawmakers will be allowed to vote on bills during the final month of California’s legislative session. 

State leaders announced the decision Thursday. The AP reports this comes after at least seven people who work in the state Capitol were infected with the coronavirus, including an assemblyman who had to be hospitalized. 

The state Assembly plans to let four legislative leaders cast votes for absent members during floor sessions. 

The state Senate will let lawmakers cast votes remotely, but only in committee hearings. 

Some government watchdog groups oppose the new rules, arguing they undermine the deliberative process of the Legislature. 

Lawmakers are scheduled to return to work next week.

7:14 a.m.: Tourist hot spots ask visitors to stay home

City and county leaders with tourist attractions like Lake Tahoe are asking weekend visitors to stay away because they say those crowds are making it harder to protect communities from COVID-19 infections. 

Officials from the Truckee-Tahoe region say the influx of tourists makes it difficult to maintain safe physical distancing.

“We have seen substantial issues with parking, camping, calls for service, complaints about trash, large groups not distancing, and overcrowding in public areas and trails,” Truckee Mayor David Polivy said in a press release. 

North Lake Tahoe and Truckee officials want visitors to stay away on weekends through at least August 17. They say visitation levels may subside to more manageable levels and better allow physical distancing after this date.

Communities along the South Yuba River say they are also struggling with weekend crowds.

According to the South Yuba River Citizens League, the river is being “loved to death” as tourists park cars illegally and leave behind too much trash.   

“This has been a tough year. Typically our river ambassadors are at the river crossings each weekend talking to visitors from out-of-town and picking up trash. But with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to safely implement the program that, in normal years, helps mitigate negative impacts,” said Daniel Belshe, the league’s community engagement manager. 

5:05 p.m.: Sacramento housing inventory plummets during pandemic

It looks like the coronavirus pandemic has stopped people from trying to sell their homes. 

Erin Stumpf, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in Sacramento, told CapRadio’s Insight on Thursday the housing inventory in the Sacramento region has plummeted.

"In June we had about 1,300 active listings and in June of last year we had almost double that," she said.

Stumpf said bidding wars are erupting as the shortage of homes for sale intensifies.

"We really have extremely low inventory right now and it's kind of creating this imbalance of supply and demand that is really driving prices up,” she said. “We're getting multiple offers on a lot of listings."

Real estate agents can't hold open houses now because of the pandemic. Instead, a potential buyer must sign a health declaration that they are virus free and wear protective gear before seeing a home. 

You can hear the full interview with Stumpf and more about how the pandemic is affecting the U.S. housing market at capradio.org/insight.

4:45 p.m.: Manteca School District cancels school bus service due to social distancing costs

Many more students may be walking to classes in Manteca as the local school district has cancelled bus service for this school year due to the cost of maintaining social distancing.

Classes start August 6 for Manteca schools, but it will be distance learning at first and later classroom instruction when conditions change.

Twelve hundred students normally ride school buses in the Manteca Unified District, which has campuses in Lathrop, South Stockton and Manteca.

Buses that would normally carry 84 students would only be allowed to carry 24 to maintain distancing.

School Superintendent Dr. Clark Burke says that would send transportation costs soaring — from $6 million to $30 million.

He says there’s also the staffing issue with the CHP no longer certifying bus drivers during this COVID shutdown.

“Which meant that our pipeline for having certified bus drivers dried up for the time period,” he said. “It is a matter of having enough staff, having enough vehicles to keep our students safe.” 

Burke says buses will still transport special education and homeless students.

7:54 a.m.: NAACP challenges rules that allows federal funds to support private schools

The NAACP is joining the legal fight that challenges a U.S. Education Department rule that could funnel millions of dollars in coronavirus relief to private schools.

The lawsuit focuses on the distribution of more than $13 billion in federal aid intended for public K-12 schools. 

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced a change to the distribution, saying if states want to use those funds, they must also fund "equitable services" for all private school students in the district.

Earlier this month, California and other states filed a  lawsuit, arguing the rule unlawfully interprets the federal CARES Act because the funding was supposed to be distributed to districts with low-income and disadvantaged students.

7:40 a.m.: Another 1.4 million U.S. workers filed for unemployment benefits 

The Labor Department reports new claims for unemployment benefits rose to 1.4 million last week. 

NPR reports this marks the first increase since March.

Claims for the program which helps people who are self-employed or who don't qualify for regular benefits also went up nearly 20,000 to about 975,000. 

These are signals that the labor market is sliding  as businesses shut down again in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

This snapshot on the economy comes as Congress continues to debate whether to extend federal unemployment insurance connected to the pandemic. That federal aid is set to expire at the end of this week.

7:20 a.m.: Poll shows more Americans support mandatory face covering rules

There is a growing number of people who are willing to do their part and wear masks in response to spiking coronavirus cases in the U.S. 

The new survey by the  Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows three out of four Americans, including many Republicans, favor mandatory face covering rules for people outside of their homes.

The poll also finds that about two-thirds of Americans disapprove of how President Donald Trump is handling the outbreak.

This nationwide survey  was conducted July 16-20.

6:09 p.m.: Newsom announces new plans to shore up the state’s PPE stockpile

A day after California became the state with the highest number of coronavirus cases, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new plans to shore up the state’s stockpile of personal protective equipment. 

Newsom has ordered more than 400 million masks to distribute to frontline workers and says he’ll open up bidding for future PPE contracts.

Labor unions applauded the investment in PPE but say employers need to do more to protect essential workers, who are largely Black and brown Californians hit harder by the virus.

Today, California shattered its daily record for coronavirus cases, with more than 12,800 new confirmed infections.

6:07 p.m.: Some school districts using closed classroom buildings for child care 

Some California school districts that have closed classrooms in favor of online instruction for the new academic year are putting those buildings to another use: child care.

Education officials in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale have started a program that will drop off students at local schools where they will complete their online lessons in small groups during school hours. The program is for families in need of child care.

Last week Gov. Gavin Newsom set strict rules for in-school instruction that are contingent on districts and their home counties controlling the virus outbreak.

2:08 p.m.: Half of low-income Sacramento-area workers have high anxiety about COVID-19 on the job

Half of the lowest wage earners in the greater Sacramento region are very concerned about getting COVID-19 on the job, according to a new poll from CapRadio and the non-profit Valley Vision.

The survey suggested that people who made less than $30,000 dollars a year were the most likely to be very worried about getting infected at work, when compared to people with higher incomes. 

The “COVID-19 resilience poll” included responses from eight counties in the Sacramento metro area, ranging from San Joaquin, to the foothills and the Yuba/Sutter region. It was administered by Sacramento State’s Institute for Social Research. 

UCLA Labor Center’s research director, Saba Waheed, said she wasn’t surprised by the findings about the high level of fear among Sacramento’s working poor. She says some of the lowest-wage jobs — cashiers, home caregivers, or restaurant workers — are now risky because of the virus. 

“Any [job] where you are basically in a space, where you are dealing with customers, and face-to-face customers, and there’s not a lot of room, have become dangerous,” said Waheed.  

The findings about Sacramento’s working poor are in stark contrast to how the highest earners responded. 

Half of the people with the most comfortable salaries — starting at $150,000 a year — said they were “not at all” or “not very” concerned about getting COVID-19 on the job. 

Waheed said that may be because many of those jobs can be done from home.

“If you had an office job for example … Anyone working in finance can probably move to the house, someone working in tech can move and do their work from the house, so a lot of those jobs can happen remotely,” Waheed said. 

You can learn more about how Sacramento-area residents are faring during the pandemic here.

11:49 a.m.: Butte County added to state watchlist

California health officials have added Butte County to the state's COVID-19 watchlist, which may require new businesses to close this weekend.

Butte County exceeded the state's limits for rates of cases over the past 14 days, increase in hospitalizations, and the percentage of ICU beds available.

If the county stays on the list for at least three days, it will be required to close indoor operations for a number of businesses, including gyms, worship services, hair salons and barbershops.

8:37 a.m.: Pandemic impact on California child care

UC Berkeley researchers say the pandemic had a devastating impact on California’s child care programs.

Cal’s Center for the Study of Child Care Employment released a report Wednesday that surveyed 953 programs between June 22 to July 1. Forty percent of respondents were center-based administrators, and 60% were home-based family child care providers. 

According to researchers, survey results show that the attempt to reopen the economy has only escalated the crisis in child care, which left providers facing both health risks and the potential collapse of their programs. 

The California Reports says 80% of respondents are taking care of fewer kids because of health and safety restrictions, which leads to less income. And child care programs are also paying more for cleaning and staffing.

Key findings from the report include:

• Both child care providers and early educators are deeply concerned about the health risks of operating during the pandemic. 

• The reopening process introduced new financial challenges for programs. 

• Decreased capacity and increased costs are disrupting an already financially unstable industry.

• Without more public funding, the California child care industry will continue to collapse.

8:21 a.m.: Free vaccines for Americans under new Operation Warp Speed contract

A new deal with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, BioNTech and the federal government would give Americans free coronavirus vaccines, following emergency approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

“We made the early decision to begin clinical work and large-scale manufacturing at our own risk to ensure that product would be available immediately if our clinical trials prove successful and an Emergency Use Authorization is granted,” said Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla in a press release.

The New York Times reports the  U.S. government will pay both companies nearly $2 billion for 100 million doses. That works out to about $20 per dose. The federal government also has the rights to acquire up to 500 million more doses.

“Expanding Operation Warp Speed’s diverse portfolio by adding a vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech increases the odds that we will have a safe, effective vaccine as soon as the end of this year,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar in a statement. 

Vaccine trials are set to begin this month. There could be a regulatory review set for as early as October.

7:22 a.m.: Golden State has the most confirmed virus cases in nation

California hit a new milestone Wednesday as its confirmed coronavirus cases topped 409,000, surpassing New York for most in the nation. 

The AP reports John Hopkins University data shows California now has nearly 1,200 more cases than New York. 

New York state has the most COVID-19 deaths with 72,302.

California is the most populous state in the nation with nearly 40 million people, while New York has about 19.5 million.

6:07 p.m.: San Joaquin County faces steady increase of COVID-19 cases

San Joaquin County is seeing a steady increase in COVID-19 cases as well as a spike in hospitalizations and intensive care beds in use.

The state is asking counties to keep hospitalizations from increasing by more than 10%. San Joaquin is meeting that standard so far. 

San Joaquin has over 8,300 cases of which 236 are hospitalized, 80 in ICU.

But the percentage of occupied ICU beds is running over 130% and that’s cause for concern.

Marissa Matta with the county’s Emergency Medical Services says two federal medical teams have had to be deployed to Lodi Memorial and Dameron Hospitals.

“They have the beds but not the staffing. So, it was really worked out among the seven hospitals …[and] the state to where those deployments were going to go,” she said.

In the past week, the county has averaged 190 new cases a day, but there were 382 new cases on July 15th alone and the number of infections is doubling every 25 days.

6:05 p.m.: Only 18.5% of ICU beds are available in Placer County

State health officials are closely monitoring coronavirus hospitalizations and the decreasing number of hospital beds in Intensive Care Units throughout California, including in Placer County where just 18.5% percent of ICU beds are available.

Placer County has had 11 COVID-19 related deaths and about 1,400 confirmed cases. 

"It's concerning and we have to go back and say, 'Folks, we need you to help be safe, which means we want you to wear face coverings, please listen, wear the face coverings, respect people around you, maintain six feet of distance,” said Bonnie Gore, chair of the Placer County Board of Supervisors.

5:10 p.m.: Newsom denies being asked to thank Trump

California Gov. Gavin Newsom denied a New York Times report published over the weekend which claimed that in exchange for hundreds of thousands of new test kits, the governor was told to call President Trump himself to make the request and to publicly thank the president. 

“It’s not true,” Newsom said. “No one asked me that. There may have been a conversation, but it never came to me. Anybody that’s willing to help this state, I’m going to acknowledge that help.”

In an April 22 press conference, Newsom said the state would receive at least 100,000 test swabs — which were then in short supply — from the federal government. The next day, he announced 90,000 were on the way and praised Trump.

“Promise made, promise kept,” he said  — a line which was almost immediately put in a Trump campaign ad. 

9:47 a.m.: Start of CIF high school sports season pushed to December, January

The California Interscholastic Federation announced  high school athletes will kick off the fall season in December or January.

CIF released its modified sports calendar Monday, which reflects dates for regional and sectional championships in March and April 2021.

“We are continuously monitoring the directives and guidelines released from the Governor's Office, the California Department of Education, the California Department of Public Health, and local county health departments and agencies as these directives and guidelines are followed by our member schools and school districts with student health and safety at the forefront,” said CIF officials in a press release. “As these guidelines change, CIF Sections may allow for athletic activity to potentially resume under the summer period rules of the local section.” 

On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said most public schools in California will stay closed at the beginning of the fall semester and most campuses will have to convert classes to distance learning models.

The LA Times reports the CIF sports schedule may give more than 800,000 athletes their best opportunity to have a 2020-2021 season.

“This is the best possible plan we have with what’s going on to give students an opportunity to participate,” CIF LA section commissioner Vicky Lagos told the LA Times. “There are going to be issues in terms of facilities and multiple-sport athletes, but this is the best scenario for the most people.”

7:52 a.m.: Sewage tests confirm coronavirus infections at Yosemite 

Tests of raw sewage at Yosemite National Park confirm the presence of coronavirus.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports the results came from lab analysis at two wastewater treatment plants serving Yosemite. Health officials say dozens of people in Yosemite Valley are believed to have been infected.

Mariposa County public health officer says the new findings will probably not lead to policy changes because the park is already following local and state restrictions.

7:17 a.m.: Sacramento County testing sites reopen Monday

Sacramento County will reopen community-based testing sites starting Monday, after it secured testing supplies and lab services from StemExpress.

This partnership with UC Davis Health will have 100 tests per day at each of the five testing sites during this first week. They plan on  transitioning to a  new system, which is expected to scale up the testing capacity to 1,500 at each site.

Here are the testing sites:

La Familia Maple Neighborhood Center

7710 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95823 

Monday

Time: 1 – 5 p.m. 

Appointments: 916-990-1311

Natomas Unified 

1931 Arena Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95934

Tuesday 

Time: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Appointments: 916-561-5253

Tetteh Pediatric 

7248 S Land Park Dr, Sacramento, CA 95831

Wednesday 

Time: 1 – 5 p.m.

Appointments here

Robertsons Community Center 

3525 Norwood Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95838

Thursday 

Time: 1 – 5 p.m.

Appointments: 916-567-9567

South Sacramento Christian Center 

7710 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95823

Friday 

Time: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Appointments: 916-681-6791

StemExpress is expected to be able to report results within 72 hours. 

County health officials say testing will be by appointment only and priority will be given to those on waitlists or had cancellations. 

1:35 p.m.: First COVID-19 related death in El Dorado County

El Dorado County announced the first COVID-19 related death of a resident. The man was a resident of the Lake Tahoe region.

“This morning we received the very sad news that a male over 65 years of age died yesterday of complications from COVID-19,” said County Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends during this very difficult time.”

6:35 p.m.: While California wine sales are up, pandemic still takes toll on industry

Even in the midst of the pandemic, California wine sales are climbing.

The state continues to lead the nation’s wine market with $43 billion in sales in the U.S in 2019 according to the Wine Institute. California shipped 276 million cases of wine both in the U.S. and abroad last year. 

But while wine sales were up 6 percent, the volume was down as the market tended to go flat.

And this year consumer spending was down 25 percent from mid-March to mid-May due to the pandemic.

Stuart Spencer with the Lodi Winegrape Commission says, in spite of those setbacks, people are turning to wine as they shelter in home.

“We are continuing to see that people are actually drinking more wine during this shutdown and they’re purchasing it at supermarkets and grocery store chains and that has shifted the brands and suppliers that are benefitting from that growth,” he said.

Spencer says smaller wineries which have had to close their tasting rooms are having a tough time since many depend on those sales, on their wine clubs, and reaching new customers.

A report released by the Sonoma State University Wine Business said in all, the state wine industry is projected to lose $4.22 billion in revenues in 2020.

5:47 p.m.: Sac Republic FC’s MLS debut pushed back a year to 2023

Sacramento Republic FC will not be making its debut in Major League Soccer until 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The league announced a new timeline for four expansion clubs, including Sacramento. Originally slated to begin play in 2022, the team will now join the league a year later.

“The one-year adjustment to the club’s expansion timeline provides the team with the opportunity to address pandemic-driven challenges in the global construction economy and develop new strategies with local leaders to meet the club and stadium goals to support Sacramento’s workforce and communities facing challenges connected to the global health crisis,” a press release on the Republic’s website reads.

Republic FC is expected to break ground on its new stadium at the Railyards in downtown Sacramento sometime this fall.

5:30 p.m.: Military sends help to overwhelmed California hospitals

The military is stepping in to help eight California hospitals being overwhelmed by the coronavirus surge. 

The hospitals say they have beds but are stretched thin for personnel. At the state's request, the Air Force has begun sending 160 doctors, nurses and other health care specialists to the facilities, including medical centers in San Joaquin and Riverside counties. 

Yesterday, California reported its largest two-day total of confirmed cases at nearly 20,000. There also were 258 additional deaths in 48 hours. More than 8,000 people with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 have been hospitalized.

—The Associated Press

4:43 p.m.: Asian farmers across Central California struggle to sell produce

Asian farmers in the Central Valley say they are struggling to sell enough produce during the pandemic. 

The Asian Business Institute and Resource Center, based in Fresno, says many micro-farmers don’t individually qualify for state or federal relief. The group is helping some farmers out by funneling money to the growers. 

But Blong Xiong, executive director of the center, says they need a lot more help.

“There's over 200 farmers right now in Fresno,” Xiong said. “Up here in Sacramento we already went through an application process with 25 farmers.”

The resource center pays each farmer a thousand dollars for their produce and then the food is distributed to Southeast Asians families experiencing food challenges.

But Xiong admits funds are limited and there are hundreds of farmers still in need of help across Central California.

9:34 a.m.: Outbreak at Woodland nursing home

Yolo County officials report there is a coronavirus outbreak at Woodland Residential Services in Woodland. 

As of Wednesday, there are 10 confirmed cases and one death of a resident. The four staff members and six residents who have been infected are being isolated and monitored for symptoms.

There are plans to test all residents and staff on Thursday.

According to county officials, this facility is not required to be posted on the state’s Skilled Nursing Facility list. They also say this location is classified as an intermediate care facility that serves vulnerable and high-risk residents who are “developmentally disabled, need nursing or rehabilitative care, and live in a congregate setting.”

Yolo County has seen a significant increase in cases in the last month and has reached more than 1,000 confirmed cases.

7:21 a.m.: Rose Parade canceled for the first time since World War II

The coronavirus pandemic forced organizers to cancel next year’s Rose Parade in Pasadena.

“The health and well-being of our parade participants and guests, as well as that of our volunteer members, professional staff and partners, is our number one priority,” said Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association president Bob Miller in a statement. “Obviously this is not what any of us wanted, and we held off on announcing until we were absolutely sure that safety restrictions would prevent us from continuing with planning for 132nd Rose Parade.”

Organizers say the College Football Playoff Semifinal — The Rose Bowl — is still moving forward.

Millions of people tune in to watch the New Year’s Day tradition and thousands of fans camp out for days in downtown Pasadena to watch all the floats and bands marching down Colorado Blvd.

Since its inception in 1891, the Rose Parade has only been canceled three times during World War II.

6:57 a.m.: UC Health creates new data set for COVID-19 research

The University of California Health produced a new COVID-19 data set based on patient information collected from its five medical centers: UC Davis Health, UC San Diego Health, UCI Health, UCLA Health and UCSF Health. 

UC Health says the location of its hospitals across the state means the data pulls from a broad section of California’s diverse communities. 

The University of California COVID Research Data Set (UC CORDS) has more than 460 million data points made up of clinical information. UC researchers can use the data to quickly compare treatment options from past patients to help current and future  patients. UC Health says it also follows U.S. Department of Health and Human Service rules on data collection by removing information that can identify specific individuals or family members. 

"With the scale of the pandemic, we need as many UC researchers as possible to work on treatment options” said Atul Butte, UC Health chief data scientist, in a press release. “Having access to this diverse data set that is already integrated may contain insights into COVID-19 that they may not find elsewhere, and can make their work more efficient. This type of dataset may provide a window into patterns they might not have otherwise been able to identify."

6:02 p.m.: San Joaquin intensive care units at 121% capacity 

Hospital intensive care units in San Joaquin County are operating at 121% capacity due to COVID-19 cases, necessitating the deployment of a federal medical assistance team to help with care.

Twenty medical personnel which include physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists have come to the aid of Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital. The hospital has 36 COVID positive cases, six of which are in ICU.

That federal medical team will allow the hospital to increase intensive care bed capacity by 15% with the extra staffing.

Tiffany Heyer with San Joaquin Emergency Services says there are shortages in hospital staffing but people shouldn’t delay seeking medical care for any reason.

“We still have the system available to treat strokes, and difficulty breathing, and anything else 911 would need to be called for,” she said.

The federal medical team will assist for at least the next 30 days.

Current statistics show 195 COVID cases hospitalized in the county with 66 of them in ICU.

5:17 p.m.: Sacramento County plans to open a new lab for COVID-19 tests

Sacramento County is preparing to ramp up tests for COVID-19.

Dr. Peter Beilenson, head of the county's Department of Health Services, says they plan to open a new lab. This will allow the county to expand the number of community testing sites to 10, up from the current five.

"Those sites have been testing asymptomatic as well as symptomatic patients,” he said. “So I'm hopeful that we'll have more available in the next couple of weeks."

Beilenson says the county is also looking at putting more restrictions on social gatherings.

"The state actually has sort of mushy language, if you will, about outdoor gatherings and we want to put more specific information about that,” he said. “So we're seriously considering that.”

He says it's not just gatherings. There are a large number of people — particularly migrant workers and day workers — who are being infected and aren't quarantining because they can't afford to take time off from work. 

8:22 a.m.: Americans facing new deadline Wednesday: Tax Day

No more delays for Americans when it comes to filing taxes.

Wednesday marks the day the federal government postponed the traditional April 15 filing deadline. 

The AP reports the  move provided some economic and logistical relief for taxpayers dealing with the disruptions and uncertainty brought on by coronavirus lockdowns, school closures and shuttered businesses. 

Taxpayers will face a penalty if they do not  file or seek an extension by Wednesday.

The IRS is expecting about 150 million returns from individuals. As of last count, it had received almost 142 million.

7:43 a.m.: Spike in Nevada COVID-19 cases could be traced to July 4

People enjoying crowds and leaving their masks at home during the Independence Day holiday could be behind a record high in the daily number of positive COVID-19 tests in Nevada, according to state officials.

Nevada's pandemic response chief Caleb Cage said Tuesday a resurgence in hospitalizations continues less than a week after Gov. Steve Sisolak closed bars and restaurants in the Reno and Las Vegas areas in response to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The state health department reported 1,104 new cases Tuesday, which brings the total to nearly 30,000 since the pandemic began. 

At least 612 people have died.

7:25 a.m.: ICE backs off mandatory in-person classes for international students

The Trump administration has backed off a directive that would have taken away visas from international college students if their colleges did not offer in-person classes for the fall semester.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement rule change would have stopped foreign students from entering or remaining in the country to take only online course loads.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University challenged the rule with a lawsuit. They called the directive "arbitrary and capricious" and wanted the rule to be reversed and declared unlawful.

On CapRadio Insight Monday, Sacramento State president Dr. Robert Nelsen said there were nearly 500 international students who would have been affected by the new rule. He says many students cannot go back to their home countries because they have been living in the United States, which has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases.

6:45 p.m.: Fourth Sacramento Kings player tests positive for COVID-19

A fourth player for the Sacramento Kings has tested positive for the coronavirus. 

Harrison Barnes says he's been primarily symptom free and is doing well. He also tweeted that he's quarantined and abiding by other safety protocols.

Barnes' positive announcement comes as teams prepare for the restart of the NBA season in Orlando.

Previously, the Kings announced that Buddy Hield, Jabari Parker and Alex Len had tested positive.

Over the weekend, center Richaun Holmes inadvertently broke the perimeter of the NBA campus to pick up a food delivery which means he has to quarantine 10 days before he can return to practice.

5:16 p.m.: California's fluctuating rules making it harder for restaurants to stay afloat

"This is sort of, I guess, the Twilight Zone wrapped in a blizzard," says Jot Condie, president and CEO of the California Restaurant Association. 

Condie was responding to Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision Monday to — once again — close bars and indoor-dining as the coronavirus sweeps the state with renewed ferocity. He says this latest move comes just as restaurants were ramping up again.

"Many of those funds that they got from ... the federal funds ... have run out,” he said. “They've brought their workers back, who were on unemployment ... back on the payroll. And then all of a sudden you're told 'you've got to shut down again.'"

He says, pre-COVID, there were roughly 100,000 restaurants in California. Because of pandemic-related shutdown orders, analysts predicted about 30,000 of them would go out-of-business. Condie says that number will likely increase with the governor's latest order.

6:40 p.m.: Officials recommend San Joaquin schools to provide only distance learning

San Joaquin County Public Health Officer Dr. Maggie Park and the County Superintendent of Schools James Mousalimas strongly recommend that local schools begin the school year providing only distance learning instruction through at least the end of August 2020.

They will review the recommendation in mid-August to determine if the situation has improved enough for schools to begin to offer a modified form of in-person instruction in September.

Currently the number of positive COVID-19 cases in San Joaquin County has risen to 6,988, and the ICUs in their seven area hospitals are at 121% capacity. 

4:18 p.m.: First SacRT bus driver tests positive for COVID-19

Sacramento Regional Transit says one of its bus drivers has tested positive for COVID-19. 

The agency says riders of the 84/26 route who rode between 5:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on July 1-7 should know they could have been exposed. SacRT says the bus operator did wear a mask and that all drivers get a temperature check before beginning their shift.

The driver is the first frontline worker for SacRT to test positive.

3:22 p.m.: Los Angeles, San Diego school districts won't open classrooms this fall

Two of the state’s largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego Unified, announced they would not be reopening campuses for in-person instruction in the fall.

The districts, home to around 700,000 students, released a statement Monday saying they would start the school year with all-distance learning. The announcement comes as President Trump and others in the federal government have pushed for schools to fully reopen.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said he plans to release additional information on guidelines for schools reopening in the fall later this week, including guidance on in-person learning, contact sports and other activities.

6:20 p.m.: UC Berkeley ties recent coronavirus spike to frat parties

Officials say a recent spike of coronavirus infections at UC Berkeley is tied to a series of frat parties. 

University health officials say the university had reported 23 COVID-19 cases since March, but it recently confirmed 47 cases in just one week. 

They say in a letter to the school community that the new cases are linked to parties connected to Cal's Greek system. 

They say the spike could derail the university's plan to have some in-person classes in the fall.

4:06 p.m.: Giants star catcher Posey out this year over virus concerns

San Francisco Giants star catcher Buster Posey has become the latest big-name player to skip this season because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. 

The six-time All-Star said his family finalized the adoption of identical twin girls this week. The babies were born prematurely and Posey said after consultations with his wife and doctor he decided to opt out of the season. 

The 2012 NL MVP and three-time World Series champion joined Dodgers pitcher David Price, Washington first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, Colorado outfielder Ian Desmond, Arizona pitcher Mike Leake and others in deciding not to take part in the 60-game season this year.

—The Associated Press

8:08 a.m.: Nevada businesses brace for new restrictions

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak says businesses will face more restrictions imposed under Phase One of the state's reopening plan. 

The clampdown is in response to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, which have surged in recent weeks. 

The new restrictions will only be enforced in counties that are deemed to be COVID-19 hotspots. State officials are set to announce which counties fall into that category Friday. In addition to bars, there will be more restrictions for restaurants and food establishments, like not being able to seat parties larger than six people — indoors or outdoors. More restrictions are also expected for gyms and other venues.

The new restrictions will take effect at midnight Friday.

Sisolak says state inspectors have found one-fifth of Nevada businesses are not following guidelines intended to slow the spread of the virus. For bars, compliance is even worse.

“I'm concerned because based on our inspection thus far, fewer than half the bars that OSHA inspectors have visited have been found to be in compliance,” said Sisolak.

7:43 a.m.: New push to hire back firefighters for wildfire season

As California enters wildfire season, the state is on a recruitment drive for sufficient firefighters after the coronavirus outbreak depleted the ranks of fire crews made up of inmates. 

The pandemic also caused a budget deficit that derailed plans to hire 600 new state firefighters and staff.

Gov. Gavin Newsom says the state has enough money to add back 172 professional firefighters. He is  using his emergency authority to boost seasonal fire crews as the state enters another hot, dry summer which can help fuel the  fire season.

The news on hiring more seasonal firefighters comes as 98 of the state’s 192 inmate fire crews have been shut down due to the aggressive spread of COVID-19 through California’s prison system. 

7:30 a.m.: Sutter and Yuba placed on state watch list

A spike in coronavirus cases placed two Northern California counties on the verge of mandatory closings.

Sutter and Yuba counties are averaging about 30 new coronavirus cases a day, up from five cases a month ago. 

Two months ago, both counties defied Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order to more quickly reopen businesses. 

State officials placed Sutter and Yuba on a monitoring list of counties with rapidly increasing caseloads on Thursday. If both counties stay there for three days, state rules require all bars to close and restaurants and other businesses to stop indoor operations. 

Placer County was also added to the watchlist Thursday.

5:01 p.m.: Nevada church appeals virus attendance cap to Supreme Court

A rural Nevada church is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to suspend the state’s 50-person cap on religious gatherings. 

Leaders of Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley are seeking an emergency injunction while an appellate court considers their claim that the COVID-19 restrictions treating casinos and others more leniently violates their constitutional right to exercise their beliefs. 

The church says Gov. Steve Sisolak’s June 4 directive allowing casinos, restaurants and amusement parks to reopen at 50% of capacity while maintaining the hard cap for church services “simply turns the First Amendment on its head.” 

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a similar emergency request last week.

— The Associated Press

8:15 a.m.:  More than 1.3 million Americans seek unemployment benefits

New numbers from the Labor Department show many employers are cutting more jobs as the nation sees a surge in COVID-19 CASES.

More than 1.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week.

According to the AP, the  spike in  cases has forced six states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan and Texas — to reverse their move to reopen businesses. These states make up one-third of the U.S. economy. 

Fifteen other states have suspended their re-openings. 

Thursday’s report shows that the number of applications for unemployment benefits fell from 1.4 million in the previous week. 

This figure has now topped 1 million for 16 straight weeks. 

6:50 a.m.: The cost of surge hospitals in California

There are new questions about several makeshift hospitals in California that have seen few patients but cost a lot of money.

These so-called “alternative care” or “surge” facilities were funded to support the rising number of COVID-19 cases. They come with high costs, whether or not they end up dealing with a high volume of patients.

The AP reports more than $4 million was spent to prepare and staff a facility that only treated two people over nearly two months. 

AP reporters are asking for an accounting of the first three months of operations for these facilities. 

So far, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has only been able to account for about 20% of the $252 million spent.

6:37 a.m.: State Senate delays work due to outbreak

A coronavirus outbreak at the Capitol has prompted the state Senate to delay its work.

Senators were supposed to return from summer recess on Monday. Now a memo from Senate secretary Erika Contreras says the Senate will not  be in session next week. 

The memo does not give a return date. 

The State Assembly already announced an indefinite hiatus after six people, who worked there, tested positive for the virus. This includes Assemblywoman Autumn Burke from Inglewood. 

Lawmakers have missed nearly two months of work at the start of the pandemic.

6:42 p.m.: Sacramento granted $7.5 million to help arts groups, tourism, and more

The city of Sacramento has $7.5 million in grant money to help out arts groups, tourism and cultural organizations during the pandemic.

"Applications for these Creative Economy Recovery grants open today, July 8, and they're open through July 22,” said Ray Gargano of  the city's Office of Arts and Culture. 

He says shutdown orders have devastated arts organizations because there's been no revenue for them to keep going.

Gargano says AB-5 — the bill that reclassifies many freelancers as employees — is also hurting the community, and the Office is hoping for an adjustment in the law when it comes to hiring artists through contract.

Applications will be accepted online at arts.cityofsacramento.org/grants.

4:21 p.m.: Sacramento County to reopen four closed testing sites

Sacramento County plans to reopen four of the five testing sites it closed earlier this week due to a supply chain problem with a shortage of testing supplies, namely a fluid used for transporting tests.

To solve this problem, the county is switching from its previous partner, UC Davis, to the National guard, which has the supplies as of now.

The following testing sites will reopen next week to accommodate clients whose appointments were cancelled:

• Tuesday, July 14: Natomas Unified School District
• Wednesday, July 15: Robertson Community Center
• Thursday, July 16: La Familia’s Maple Neighborhood Center
• Friday, June 17: South Sacramento Christian Center (This site will also serve clients from Tetteh Pediatric Health)

The continued operation of these sites will be assessed weekly, and priority will be given to previously scheduled clients who have not already gotten tested through alternative means and are 18 years or older. The National Guard will still be testing people at the Valley-hi Library on Thursday, July 9 at 7:30 a.m. on a first come, first serve basis as planned.

11:48 a.m.: Yolo County placed on state COVID-19 watch list 

Yolo County has been placed on the state of California’s COVID-19 watch list due to recent increases in confirmed cases over the past two weeks.

The state places counties on this list when counties exceed certain metrics related to elevated coronavirus transition and limited hospital capacity for three consecutive days. 

As of July 8, Yolo County had no available staffed ICU beds. One of the state’s metrics for placing a county on the watchlist is if the county has less than 20% of staffed ICU beds available. Additionally, Yolo County has a rate of 117.2 cases per 100,000 residents, exceeding the state’s standards.

This increased community transmission of the virus is due to social and family gatherings, workplace transmissions and an increase in widespread testing at skilled nursing facilities, according to the county.

The county will be evaluating local case data, increasing disease investigation and contact tracing, continuing public messaging on social distancing and wearing face coverings, doing educational outreach and working with long-term care and congregate community facilities to address this increase.

A process is already in place to serve patients in need of an ICU bed if none are available in Yolo County. On July 3, before landing on the watch list, the county already chose to preemptively close the sectors the state was requiring counties on the list to close and is fining businesses that violate the order. 

Yolo County will be working with the California Department of Public Health and the state to identify any other necessary interventions.

7:42 a.m.: Harvard, MIT challenge Trump plan to require in-person classes for foreign students

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are trying to block a new directive from the Trump administration that would take away visas from foreign college students if their coursework was entirely online.

The New York Times reports both campuses filed a lawsuit in federal court Wednesday.

The universities say the new rule was politically motivated and it was an effort by the White House to pressure universities into reopening, despite announcing plans to  reduce COVID-19 transmission. 

Harvard plans on going digital for all classes for this school year. Other universities announced hybrid teaching models which include some in-person instruction but mostly online classes.

7:17 a.m.: State sues Education Department over pandemic relief funds for schools

California, Michigan and 3 other states are suing the U.S. Department of Education over a policy change that could take pandemic relief funds away from K-12 public schools and divert them to private schools. 

The lawsuit filed Tuesday challenges a new rule issued by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos last month, which calls for equitable distribution of the relief dollars.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra says the rule is “the Trump administration’s latest effort to steal from working families and give it to the very privileged.”

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Michigan, Maine, New Mexico and Wisconsin have also joined.

7:01 a.m.: Yolo County to fine businesses that violate health orders

There are some  Northern California counties that are scaling back reopening  as the state sees more cases of coronavirus. 

Yolo County supervisors passed a measure Tuesday that allows fines of up to $10,000 for businesses that don't follow state and local health orders. 

Sutter, Yuba and Placer counties plan on halting indoor restaurant dining this week. Currently, 23 counties are on a state watch list because of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

California now has seen nearly 280,000 cases and some 6,500 deaths. 

5:45 p.m.: 188 farmworkers test positive for COVID-19 at a housing facility in Southern California

As of Friday, 188 of 216 farmworkers tested positive at a housing facility in Southern California.

Villa Las Brisas in Oxnard has dorm-style accommodations for temporary migrant farmworkers in the H-2A visa program. The workers were employed by three separate contractors that leased space for their H-2A workers.

The county public health director says he believes the laborers were working as a unit and did not work alongside other farmworkers in Ventura County.

3:58 p.m.: White House pushes to reopen schools despite surge in coronavirus cases

Early Tuesday the Trump administration aimed a conversation at reopening schools in the Fall despite recent spikes in COVID-19 cases.

The roundtable discussion administered Tuesday afternoon was aimed to “focus on the holistic health and learning needs of America’s students” according to administration officials noted in an article by NPR. However, President Trump made it clear Monday morning in a tweet that “SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!”.

Following that tweet, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos amplified his message with a follow up tweet of “American Education must be fully open and fully operational this fall!” 

NPR also reports the Trump administration will share “best practices” on reopening with states, including recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

One thing, however, that did not get mentioned was new federal aid. According to the NPR article “Education groups have asked for at least $200 billion in federal funding to reopen safely and plug holes in state budgets due to the recession. So far, $13.5 billion has been appropriated to K-12 education.”

One last thing to note is this push to reopen schools stems from new regulations released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that foreign students attending American Colleges can not remain in the country if classes are online.

8:12 a.m.: Operation Warp Speed pays $1.6 billion for vaccine

The biotech company Novavax announced it will be paid $1.6 billion to expedite the development and production of a coronavirus vaccine by next year.

In a news release published Tuesday, the company said this was part of Operation Warp Speed, the federal government’s effort to produce vaccines and treatments for American patients as soon as possible. The contract covers a Phase 3 clinical trial and calls for establishing  large-scale manufacturing and delivering 100 million doses as early as late 2020.

According to the New York Times, the vaccine deal is the largest that the Trump administration has made so far.  

“The pandemic has caused an unprecedented public health crisis, making it more important than ever that industry, government and funding entities join forces to defeat the novel coronavirus together,” said Novavax CEO Stanley C. Erck in a press release. “We are grateful to the U.S. government for its confidence in our technology platform, and are working tirelessly to develop and produce a vaccine for this global health crisis.”

The NY Times reports the Maryland company has never brought a product to market.

7:30 a.m.: Testing supply shortage in Sacramento County

A testing supply shortage is forcing Sacramento County to temporarily close five of its six community testing centers. 

Only the Oak Park location will remain open. 

The shortage comes after a jump in tests administered. Sacramento County health Director Peter Beilenson says the county is now testing about 16,000 people a week compared to 300 to 400 a few months ago. 

The county is short “transport media,” which is a chemical solution. More than 4,600 COVID-19 tests were conducted at the six community clinics in Sacramento County since opening on May 15.

7:10 a.m.: Companies connected to Gov. Newsom and other state leaders receive federal relief funds

Businesses tied to Gov. Gavin Newsom,  Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis and two legislative leaders received federal loans aimed at keeping small businesses afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Federal data on the Paycheck Protection Program released Monday showed a Northern California-based winery and hospitality company founded and partly owned by Newsom received a loan worth $150,350. 

A labor consulting company led by California Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove received a loan within the same dollar range. A consulting firm founded by the spouse of state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins and a real estate investment company run by the husband of Kounalakis received loans of at least $350,000.

The LA Times reports the federal government gave more than $68 billion to 580,000 companies in California in the last three months as part of the program that was supposed to help small businesses keep employees on the payroll.  

4:48 p.m.: Survey finds 3% of Americans moved due to the pandemic

Around 3% of U.S. adults moved either temporarily or for good because of the pandemic and 6% had someone move into their household, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center.

The numbers were even higher among young people, with 9% of 18-29 year olds moving because of the coronavirus.

"But many more knew someone else who had moved," D'Vera Cohn, a senior writer and editor at Pew who authored the study, told NPR. "So if you add up the number of adults who either knew someone who moved or moved themselves, about one in five U.S. adults did."

People gave a number of different drivers for moves:

• 28% said reducing the risk of contracting the virus
• 23% because their college campus closed 
• 20% to be with family
• 8% due to job loss
• 10% had other financial reasons

4:13 p.m.: California issues 52 citations to businesses violating coronavirus restrictions over holiday weekend

Newly formed "strike teams" of state inspectors contacted thousands of businesses over the Independence Day weekend. But they issued citations to only a handful as they enforced coronavirus restrictions amid a resurging pandemic. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the teams only issued 52 citations because most business owners complied with the state's directives. He formed the teams last week with resources from 10 state agencies after some local officials openly said they would not enforce new shutdown orders or a statewide mask rule. About 200 state inspectors were in the field.

8:02 a.m.: Another coronavirus outbreak at a Woodland convalescent hospital 

Yolo County health officials are monitoring another coronavirus outbreak at a convalescent hospital in Woodland. 

The recent outbreak occurred at Alderson Convalescent Hospital. County health officials say there are 10 confirmed cases: six residents and four staff members. They say all residents and facility staff were tested on July 2. The people who tested positive have been isolated and their families notified.

The outbreak follows an earlier one at Stollwood Convalescent Hospital where 66 residents have tested positive. 

The county has recorded 26 deaths related to COVID-19, with 17 of those cases were at long-term care facilities. 

Yolo County has seen a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. When Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered 19 counties to scale back reopening measures, Yolo County moved ahead with  tougher safety rules even though it was not part of the list.

7:26 a.m.: UN: COVID-19 knocks HIV progress off course

A new report from the United Nation agency leading the international effort to end AIDS shows its efforts are not meeting target goals because of COVID-19.

UNAIDS says those missed targets resulted in 3.5 million more HIV infections and 820,000 more AIDS-related deaths since 2015.

The agency  and its partners are calling all COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and tests to be mass produced and distributed fairly and free for all, in order to contain the pandemic and HIV. It also wants countries to increase investments in both diseases.

“We cannot have poor countries at the back of the queue. It should not depend on the money in your pocket or the color of your skin to be protected against these deadly viruses,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. “We cannot take money from one disease to treat another. Both HIV and COVID-19 must be fully funded if we are to avoid massive loss of life.”

According to the UNAIDS report, its HIV response could be set back  by 10 years or more if COVID-19 pandemic results in severe disruptions to HIV services.

6:55 a.m.: Sacramento Kings closes practice facility 

The Sacramento Kings and the Milwaukee Bucks closed practice facilities Sunday following a round of coronavirus testing, ESPN reports.

A source told ESPN that one member of Sacramento's traveling party tested positive for COVID-19. The Kings practice facility will stay closed through their departure for Orlando Wednesday, where the team is set to play in an exhibition game against the Miami Heat at Disney World. 

At least one positive test for the Bucks has the team closing its facility to workouts until the team leaves Thursday for the Orlando exhibition game.

According to NPR, 25 NBA players have tested positive for coronavirus as of July 2.

4:54 p.m.: UC Davis doctor: Instead of another full shutdown, control places where new cases originate

Scientists say now that they've learned more about coronavirus transmission patterns from contact tracing over the past few months they have a better understanding of how to prevent its spread.

UC Davis Doctor Brad Pollock, who heads the University of California's Public Health COVID-19 Working Group, said given what they know, he doesn’t think a full shutdown is necessary again.

"I don't think we have to go back to a full shelter-in-place type of situation," he said.

He said officials should instead regulate the places where new cases originate.

“I think if we can control where the new cases are coming from, which is to try to control this physical contact in confined spaces mainly and larger social gatherings or in a few businesses where the tendency is to have people get much closer without that protection, I think if we can put measure in places to reduce that down, we’re not going to have to go back to a full shelter-in-place order,” he said.

One such measure was implemented by Gov. Gavin Newsom this week. On Wednesday, he shut down bars, movie theaters and indoor eating at restaurants for three weeks across 19 counties, including Sacramento. In the past two weeks, confirmed coronavirus cases in California have jumped by 45 percent. 

You can hear the full interview with Pollock at capradio.org/insight.

8:52 a.m.: Milestone: U.S hits 50,000 new cases in a single day

The United States hit another milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic Wednesday, with more than 50,000 new cases reported in a single day.

Johns Hopkins University says the total number of cases reported in the U.S. stands at 2,686,480. This marks an increase of 50,700 over Tuesday's figure. 

U.S. deaths attributed to the coronavirus stand at 128,062. 

Brazil is ranked second in the world behind the United States, with 1,448,753 cases and 60,632 deaths. 

8:42 a.m: NFL pushes back start of preseason

Football fans will see a short preseason to give NFL players more time for training.

A source told the AP that the league will cut its preseason in half and push back the start of exhibition play following an offseason on video conferences because of the pandemic.

The AP reports there are players who are talking with their union on whether to ask to cancel all preseason games. 

Teams are set to meet in person for the first time on July 28 when training camps open.

8:00 a.m.: Hiring surge with 4.8 million jobs in June

Before the latest spike in COVID-19 cases, the U.S. economy continued to recover from the recession as employers added 4.8 million jobs in June.

The Labor Department reports the unemployment rate dipped to 11.1%. And revised figures show job growth sped up in May when employers added 2.7 million jobs.

This new report reflects conditions from the middle of June. So the new job numbers do not reflect what happened with states like California and Arizona, which started pulling back from reopening and moved forward with shutting down businesses again.

6:41 p.m.: Newsom allocates $27 million to Stockton for COVID-19 relief

Governor Newsom has allocated $27 million to the city of Stockton for COVID-19 relief.

Federal relief money went to the counties rather than the cities. San Joaquin County took in $133 million but none of that is shared with any of the cities.

Mayor Michael Tubbs along with mayors in Oakland and Long Beach reached out to the Governor’s office seeking funds directly to the cities.

Tubbs says his top priority is permanent housing for the homeless and financial relief for families hard hit by job losses. 

“We know that bills are stacking up and we know that a city is nothing more than people who live in it, so some of these resources can’t just go to city government as an organization, but it has to go out to you the people,” he said. 

The mayor added that the money will also go to small businesses and help with the city budget which he says will not include layoffs, furloughs, or service cuts.

However, Tubbs notes that the county started June with less than a thousand cases of the virus, but that figure has now climbed 280% to 3,800 cases.

5:03 p.m.: Sacramento could write tickets for those without masks, mayor says

The holiday weekend is near and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg wants residents to practice social distancing and wear masks — and he's willing to have the city write tickets for those who don't.

The mayor acknowledged Sacramento would not be able to "police its way" out of the pandemic, but he also says people need to follow the guidelines.

"This weekend, the Fourth of July, if there are large numbers of people that are having big picnics and not wearing masks I would not mind some enforcement here,” he said. “And not police, but code enforcement. Because I think we need to make a few examples here, to assure people that we are serious about this."

COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Sacramento and across the state.

The mayor says lives are at stake, and that businesses lose out when residents don't cover their faces and keep safe distances from each other.

2:10 p.m.: Stay home for Fourth of July, Sacramento health director says

People can either help bring down coronavirus numbers by staying at home this Independence Day or possibly spread transmission of the virus if they go out and socialize. That's the message from Sacramento County Health Director Dr. Peter Beilenson.

"It's really, really crucial — for this holiday weekend especially — that we not congregate," Belienson said on CapRadio's Insight Wednesday.

Beilenson says the number of coronavirus cases in Sacramento County has increased by more than 1,000 in the past seven to 10 days. And hospitalizations have gone up from eight to 98 in about a two-week period. 

"We think that it's actually a combination of cabin fever and message fatigue that has gotten people to kind of throw caution to the wind and it's absolutely crucial this weekend that people do not gather," he said.

Earlier this week, Sacramento County closed bars and nightspots hoping to curb transmission of the virus after a mandate from the state.

12:38 p.m.: California closes bars, indoor dining in 19 counties

California is mandating that bars close and indoor activities stop at restaurants, movie theaters and museums in 19 counties hardest-hit by a surge of new COVID-19 cases. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the order as public health officials attempt to slow the spread of the virus before a busy holiday weekend.

The new rules mandate certain businesses stop indoor operations — including dine-in restaurants, wineries, museums and movie theaters — for all counties that have been on the state watchlist for more than three days. The closures will last for at least three weeks.

Those 19 counties cover 72% of California residents, and the list includes Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties.

Under the new order, the following business must stop indoor activities:

Indoor dine-in restaurants

Indoor wineries and tasting rooms

Indoor family entertainment centers

Indoor movie theaters

Indoor zoos and museums

Indoor cardrooms

All brewpubs, breweries, bars and pubs in these counties must also close immediately, both indoor and outdoor operations.

Read more here.

7:41 a.m.: State hits pause on some testing sites

California needed to increase daily coronavirus testing in order to lift stay-at-home orders and begin the process of reopening the state’s economy, said Gov. Gavin Newsom last April as he launched a multi-million dollar initiative to expand COVID-19 testing.

The LA Times reports the state  will no longer fund new testing sites and it has closed some locations and moved them elsewhere. 

County public health officials told the LA Times that the state has also threatened to pull testing out of underutilized sites. This includes a testing site in the town of Shingle Springs in June because it couldn’t fill enough appointment slots.

7:05 a.m.: Border cities to backpedal on reopening

A farming region on California's border with Mexico has sent hundreds of patients to hospitals outside the area in recent weeks as leaders accept Gov. Gavin Newsom's recommendation to backpedal on reopening its battered economy. 

Imperial County supervisors unveiled a plan Monday that includes closing businesses deemed non-essential and shuttering county parks. The county has a positive coronavirus test rate of about 20%. There are 6,200 cases among 30,700 people tested. 

According to the  AP, health experts agree that cross-border traffic with Mexicali is at least partly to blame for a surge.

Mexicali has taken its own measures to combat the virus, including a checkpoint for motorists entering from the U.S. This created a 7-hour backup on the American side on Saturday.

6:36 a.m.: Project Roomkey helps 14,200 homeless Californians during pandemic

Gov. Gavin Newsom used a motel in Contra Costa County Tuesday to launch the next phase in the state’s effort to help homeless people during the pandemic.

As part of Project Roomkey, the state procured more than 15,600  hotel and motel rooms plus more than 1,300 trailers  for homeless people to help protect them against COVID-19. The project has helped an estimated 14,200 individuals in the last three months.

The next phase of the project is backed by $1.3 billion in funding from the budget signed by Newsom Monday.

“We’ve long dreamed about scooping up thousands of motel rooms and converting them into housing for our homeless neighbors,” said Newsom. “The terrible pandemic we’re facing has given us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy all these vacant properties, and we’re using federal stimulus money to do it.”

Health officials were concerned the virus could potentially sweep through homeless encampments. One projection made in March said as many as 60,000 homeless people could be infected over a two-month period. 

6:05 p.m.: Minor League Baseball cancels 2020 season

There will be no Sacramento River Cats games this summer. No Stockton Ports. No Modesto Nuts.

Minor League Baseball announced Tuesday it is canceling the 2020 season after Major League Baseball informed the league it wouldn't provide players to affiliated teams.

“These are unprecedented times for our country and our organization as this is the first time in our history we’ve had a summer without Minor League Baseball played,” said MiLB President and CEO Pat O’Conner. “While this is a sad day for many, this announcement removes the uncertainty surrounding the 2020 season and allows our teams to begin planning for an exciting 2021 season of affordable family entertainment.”

5:45 p.m.: Fauci warns COVID-19 cases could reach 100,000 a day

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert, told members of Congress that he would not be surprised if COVID-19 cases reached 100,000 a day. 

Not politicizing mask-wearing was at the center of the conversation. 

"There's no doubt that wearing masks protects you," Fauci said. "Anything that furthers the use of masks, whether it's giving out free masks or any other mechanism, I am thoroughly in favor of."

Drs. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Stephen Hahn, Food and Drug Administration commissioner; and Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services, also testified.

1:09 p.m.: Northeastern states add California, Nevada  to travel quarantine list

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are requiring travelers from California, Nevada and six other states be quarantined for 14 days under new rules released Tuesday.

California, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada and Tennessee are now added to a list of 16 states under travel restrictions. The quarantine applies to states with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average. 

"As an increasing number of states around the country fight significant community spread, New York is taking action to maintain the precarious safety of its phased, data-driven reopening," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

12:54 p.m.: Outgoing Sacramento Youth Symphony conductor worries about musicians unable to play during pandemic

The longtime conductor and artistic director of the Sacramento Youth Symphony is stepping down. 

Maestro Michael Neumann is retiring after 40-years. Under his leadership, the Symphony has grown into one of the largest youth orchestra programs in California. 

On "Insight with Beth Ruyak," Neumann said he worries about his fellow musicians who aren't able to perform because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"For me, this was going to be coming to an end anyway," he said. "But for those who are still involved and still vitally a part of playing in an orchestra, being part of the arts or whatever, this is very devastating because they have to find new ways or new things to do."

Some of the big events set to coincide with Neumann's retirement — including a concert and a final tour of Italy — were canceled because of the coronavirus.

6:10 p.m.: Sacramento News & Review says it will resume print paper on July 1

The Sacramento News and Review stopped publishing its weekly print paper in March after the pandemic forced many of its advertisers — including restaurants and music venues — to shut down.

But on Wednesday, the SN&R says it is returning with a new issue in print.

Founder and CEO Jeff vonKaenel is asking for readers to help out so the paper can continue. 

“We’re hoping the reader support will help create a sustainable model, so we can continue to do what we've done at the News & Review for the last 31 years: Provide Sacramento with the coverage they so deserve,” he said.

He hopes that the paper can continue to publish on a monthly basis while also posting stories on its website.

5:55 p.m.: Major COVID-19 outbreak at San Joaquin County nursing home

(updated Tuesday, June 26 - to reflect two residents have died)

Arbor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Lodi has 35 residents and 15 staff members testing positive for the coronavirus.

Two resident who tested positive have died.

The facility has 149 beds with about 130 residents.

In a press release, the nursing center says it is screening staff and essential medical personnel prior to entry and prohibiting visitors.

It has also created a separate observation unit where the patients can be quarantined, tested, and closely monitored for any symptoms. A separate wing has been designated for those residents who have the virus.

According to Adventist Health Memorial Hospital, in the past two weeks there has been more than a five-fold increase in hospital admissions in Lodi, with 29 people testing positive on Thursday alone.

San Joaquin County is one of the hot spots for COVID-19 due to the increasing cases which now total 3,100.

In Sonora, the Avalon Care Center reported six staff members testing positive. Residents and staff have been tested and are awaiting results. All were isolating at home. 

5 p.m.: San Quentin outbreak grows

At least 1,021 inmates in custody at San Quentin prison have now tested positive for the coronavirus, plus five who have been released. 

The outbreak has reportedly been tied to an inmate transfer from a Chino facility in late May. 

At his Monday press briefing, Gov. Gavin Newsom said some sickened inmates are being screened for possible early release, but many do not have a safe place to go.  

“That is our deep focus and area of concern right now,” Newsom said. “We are working ... through the medical screening to move people as quickly as we can, but as safely — and more importantly — responsibly as we can.”

A day after the state closed bars in seven counties, Newsom said he’s considering further restrictions, though he did not elaborate on what they are. Read more here.

2 p.m.: Sacramento again sees highest daily coronavirus count since start of pandemic

Sacramento County recorded its highest single-day coronavirus count since the county began keeping records at the end of February. The county recorded 228 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the overall numbers to 3,004. 

The second-highest daily recorded case count was on June 23, which saw an increase of 131 cases. Monday’s count is nearly double this. 

This comes as the state is pulling back on some of its reopening efforts. During a press briefing earlier today, Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended Sacramento, along with seven8 other counties across the state close bars. Seven counties, including Los Angeles and San Joaquin, were required to close bars by the state.

Other counties have been asked to reinstate stay-at-home orders entirely as cases continue to rise across the state. California now has over 200,000 cases of coronavirus.

6:56 p.m.: Sacramento Kings to resume season with game against Spurs July 31

The Sacramento Kings will resume their 2019-2020 season with a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Orlando on July 31.

The team is one of 22 returning to play eight “seeding games” selected from its remaining regular season matchups. The seeding games are part of the NBA’s plan to restart the season at a single venue — the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The participating teams are the eight teams in each conference with the highest current winning percentages and the six teams that are currently within six games of the eighth seed in either conference.

“We are looking forward to this opportunity in Orlando, and getting back to playing the game we love,” Kings Head Coach Luke Walton said in a press release. “We continue to work with the NBA to prioritize health and safety, while recognizing our responsibility to use our platform to bring attention and drive sustained action to issues of racial injustice.”

The Kings games will be broadcast on NBC Sports California (NBCSCA) and Sports 1140 KHTK. You can find the Kings’ full schedule of games for the restart here, as well as more details about their pursuit of a playoff spot.

8:35 a.m.: CDC: At least 20 million Americans have coronavirus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates at least 20 million Americans are infected with coronavirus. And they may not know it.

"Our best estimate right now is that for every case that was reported, there actually were 10 other infections," said CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield during a call with reporters Thursday. 

At this time, 2.3 million Americans have tested positive for coronavirus infections. According to NPR, CDC researchers analyzed communitywide antibody tests and other surveillance measures and determined between 5% to 8% of the U.S. population has been exposed.

7:55 a.m.: Study: Stay-at-home orders make roads safer for wildlife

Lately, it doesn’t feel like a game of Frogger for rabbits, coyotes and other critters wandering onto  highways. A new study from U.C. Davis shows fewer wild animals, including mountain lions, are ending up as roadkill during shelter-in-place orders.

Researchers used traffic and collision data collected from California, Idaho and Maine. They found that wildlife-vehicle crashes have declined by up to 56% from early March to mid-April, following government stay-at-home orders. 

They estimate that if these orders continued, this could add up to 13,000 fewer animals being killed annually in those states. That would add up to less than 50 mountain lions being killed per year in California.

“There is a statistically significant decline in wildlife deaths on highways in all three states following reductions in traffic this spring,” said Fraser Shilling, director of the UC Davis Road Ecology Center, in a press release.. “This has not been the case for any of the previous five years for these three states. If anything, there is usually an increase in spring.”

7:40 a.m.: DMV resumes behind-the-wheel driving tests Friday

Californians who need driver’s licenses could be one step closer to getting one as the Department of Motor Vehicles resumes behind-the-wheel driving tests, by appointment, on Friday.

The tests have been suspended since mid-March due to COVID-19. The department says it will automatically reschedule canceled appointments, and that new appointments for behind-the-wheel tests will not be available until those previously canceled tests are finished.

“I’m asking for everyone’s patience as we safely clear the backlog of behind-the-wheel drive test appointments,” DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a press release. “For all of those Californians who have been waiting, we know how important this is to you.”

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, there are new testing protocols including:

• All behind-the-wheel drive test applicants will be required to wear a face covering and answer screening questions before starting the exam
• Temperature checks will be added to protocols statewide in the coming weeks.
• DMV examiners will wear protective equipment: face coverings and gloves.
• DMV examiners will place plastic covers on the test vehicle’s passenger seat and floorboard.
• At least two windows need to be lowered in the vehicle during the test for increased ventilation.

Thursday, June 25

Wednesday, June 24

8:07 a.m.: U.S. records another milestone with coronavirus cases

As states continue to reopen their economies, the New York Times reports the U.S. saw its highest single-day coronavirus case total since late April on Tuesday.

According to the paper’s database, more than 35,000 new coronavirus cases were identified across the United States on Tuesday.

This also marks the third-highest total of any day of the pandemic.

Another sign of the spread of the virus is the increase in hospitalizations. Texas has more than doubled the number of patients in hospitals to more than 4,000. On Monday, the state of Arizona saw its highest number of  hospitalizations. California also reached its highest hospitalization level earlier this week.

7:43: Major League Baseball to return for a shorter season in 2020

Major League Baseball and the union representing professional ball players have reached an agreement to play a shortened season this year. 

The MLB Players Association made the announcement on Twitter. 

“All remaining issues have been resolved and Players are reporting to training camps,” the association tweeted.

In a news release, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said players will report to spring training on July 1. The other changes for the 2020 season include:

• The regular season is set to begin either on July 23 or 24. 
• Teams will play just 60 games, instead of a typical 162-game regular season. 
• There will be no fans in the stands for the beginning of the season.

Major League Baseball stopped spring training two weeks before opening day because of the pandemic. At least 40 MLB players and staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week. 

7:18 a.m.: Yosemite delays reopening some campgrounds

Yosemite National Park says it will hold off on reopening some campgrounds through the month of July after a spike in coronavirus cases in the state. 

Park officials began reopening some campgrounds earlier this month after being closed for nearly three months because of the coronavirus outbreak. 

According to the park’s website, only Wawona Horse Campground and Upper Pines Campground (at 50% capacity) are currently open for the summer season.

Park officials said Tuesday that reservations with arrival dates between now and July 31 have been canceled for several other campgrounds, including Bridalveil Horse Camp and Crane Flat. 

The park had already reduced the number of visitors admitted to about half those that normally visit this time of year.

Tuesday, June 23

2:43 p.m.: Sacramento County sets new high for daily COVID-19 cases

Sacramento County reported 131 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on June 23, the highest one-day increase the county has reported since the pandemic began.

COVID-19 cases in Sacramento County have been on the rise this month, after the county reported what was then it’s largest one- day jump in cases since April on June 17 with 67 new cases.

As of June 23, the county’s highest single-day jumps in reported cases have now all been in the past seven days, with the second highest increase being on June 20 with 93 new cases and the third highest being on June 21 with 91 new cases.

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise as well in counties across Californians, public health officials are urging residents to stop private social gatherings, practice social distancing and wear face coverings to slow the spread.

7:36 a.m.: Study: People drinking less during pandemic

During the coronavirus pandemic, people are not reaching for another round of beer, wine or cocktails, according to drink market research group IWSR.

Even though numbers show there are more people buying alcohol from grocers and liquor stores to enjoy at home, there is still a huge hole created by declines in shipments to restaurants, bars and sporting venues that were closed due to stay-at-home orders.

According to IWSR, global alcohol consumption will not return to pre-COVID-19 levels until 2024, and the U.S. recovery will take even longer.

6:57 a.m.: Federal data reinforces the stark racial disparities among Black Medicare patients with COVID-19

New data from the  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows Black Americans enrolled in Medicare were hospitalized with COVID-19 at rates nearly four times higher than their white counterparts.

The data shows disparities were also significant among Hispanics and Asian Americans. 

• Hispanics were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized as whites
• Asian Americans were about 50% more likely  to be hospitalized as whites

CMS Administrator Seema Verma said Black and Hispanic beneficiaries were more likely to test positive for the coronavirus as well.

“The data confirms long understood and stubbornly persistent disparities in health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority groups," Verma said in a press briefing Monday. 

She added: "Low socioeconomic status itself, all too often wrapped up with the racial disparities I just mentioned, represents a powerful predictor of complications from COVID-19.”

Monday, June 22

1:21 p.m.: Systemic issues cause communities of color to be harder hit by coronavirus, Tubbs says

Growing data show that communities of color are being hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19. 

On "Insight with Beth Ruyak" Monday, Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs said those rates are connected to societal issues impacted by a history of systemic racism.

"So because of lack of access to grocery stores, lack of faith of environment because of environmental injustice, African American communities, and other communities of color, have high rates of diabetes and other core morbidities and asthma because they are more likely to live next to freeways which have a lot of toxins in the air," Tubbs said.

Listen to Tubbs' full interview here.

Saturday, June 20

11:50 p.m.: Sacramento County sees largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases

On Saturday morning Sacramento County reported 93 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 2,069.

It’s the largest single-day increase in cases reported in the county since the start of the pandemic. The county reported 90 new cases between March 31 and April 1.

The county has attributed recent increases in positive cases mostly to private gatherings. Increased testing could also result in higher case counts.

Sacramento County is encouraging anyone who has gathered with people outside their household — whether during a protest, graduation or other event — to get tested at a free test site or through a healthcare provider.  

No new deaths were reported Saturday, with the total number in Sacramento County remaining at 67.

Friday, June 19

8:05 a.m.: Tattoo parlors, massage practices and other personal care businesses may reopen today

Customers will see major changes Friday for manicures, pedicures and getting some ink done.

Personal care services such as nail salons and tattoo parlors are allowed to reopen in California Friday, under guidelines released by the state department of public health.

Those guidelines include: 

• Temperature checks for staff and customers

• Staff wearing disposable gloves for services that require them. 

• No additional friends or family allowed in businesses, except for a parent or guardian accompanying a minor.

• Chair seats may be covered with  plastic or disposable liners

7:30 a.m.: Whistleblower: TSA put passengers at risk during pandemic

A new whistleblower complaint claims the Transportation Security Administration withheld N-95 masks and mismanaged its response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

TSA Federal Security Director Jay Brainard told NPR  the leadership of his agency failed to protect its staff from the virus. He says that allowed TSA employees to become "a significant carrier" for the spread of coronavirus to airport travelers.

An independent federal agency that handles whistleblower complaints ordered Homeland Security to open an investigation because it said it found "substantial likelihood of wrongdoing" in the complaint. 

7:14 a.m. : Washoe County suspends COVID-19 testing

Washoe County has temporarily suspended COVID-19 testing of most people with no symptoms because of a backlog of test samples at the state lab.

The backlog was caused in part by increased testing of inmates at state institutions. 

According to the  county health department,  there are 2,106 cases, 71 patients in the hospital and 72 deaths.

Thursday, June 18

7:50 a.m.: 1.5 million Americans file for unemployment

Another 1.5 million people filed for unemployment benefits for the first time last week, but the number who continue to seek the payments fell as states continue to reopen and workers return to their jobs.

The Labor Department announced continued claims dipped by 62,000 to 20.5 million. 

The new numbers released Thursday marked the 11th straight weekly decline in applications since the pandemic shut down the economy and caused tens of millions of layoffs.

6:50 a.m.: Stanislaus County to implement mandatory face covering order by Monday

Mandatory face coverings will become a reality for Stanislaus County starting Monday. 

County Supervisor Kristin Olsen made the announcement on Facebook Wednesday during a daily briefing for the county’s Office of Emergency Services.

She says more details on the face covering order will be released Friday. 

“I know the idea of mandatory face coverings is difficult news for many people in our community.  I don’t like wearing one myself,” Olsen said in the Facebook video. “If this was nanny government policy to protect me from myself, I wouldn’t support it. But that is not what this is. Face coverings are to protect other people from you. Wearing face coverings is about protecting our neighbors, our family members and our friends. And they will allow public health to open more businesses and activities in our county.”

Stanislaus County is on the state’s watch list for having a growing number of COVID-19 cases. The data shows the increase in outbreaks related to family gatherings and businesses reopening.

 As of Wednesday, the county recorded 1,322 positive cases and 35 deaths. 

 “Despite rumors to the contrary, the scientific and public healthy community at the state, local, federal and worldwide levels are in agreement about the benefits of face coverings,” said Olsen. “Both the CDC and WHO say they are an important tool for reducing the spread of COVID-19, and to be worn out in public and visiting places like grocery stores and other businesses.”

Wednesday, June 17

8:20 a.m.: Study reviews COVID-19 cases connected to major highways

Data compiled by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia shows new  COVID-19 hot spots are popping up along interstates in California, Arizona and the Carolinas.

Newsweek reports these hot spots can be found along Interstate 5 and Interstate 10 which connects Santa Monica to Jacksonville, Florida.

Researchers used cell phone GPS data to calculate travel to non-essential businesses.

7:40 a.m.: Cows help produce COVID-19 treatments

Cows injected with genes from the human immune system could make antibodies that may help people fight the coronavirus.

SAB Biotherapeutics CEO Eddie Sullivan says these cows are injected with what essentially amounts to a coronavirus vaccine that will then cause them to try to fight off what the body sees as an infection.

The goal is to "produce a specifically targeted high-neutralizing antibody that can be used in patients," said Sullivan. 

7:11 a.m.: Sacramento County sees decline in child abuse reports

In what appears to be a side effect of the pandemic, Sacramento County officials say they’ve seen a significant decline in reports of child abuse.

The Child Protective Services hotline has seen a decrease in tips by nearly  50% in April and May, compared to the period last year.

The head of the county’s Department of Child, Family and Adult Services, Michelle Callejas, attributes the decline to one major factor: “Fewer eyes on kids.” 

Children haven’t been going to the usual places where abuse allegations are reported from, like schools and day care centers, during the state's stay-at-home order.

Tuesday, June 16

7:50 a.m.: Two inmates die from coronavirus complications

Two inmates at a San Bernardino County prison have died from what appears to be COVID-19 complications.

The AP reports both men were at the California Institution for Men in Chino. 

According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, there have been 17 COVID-19 related inmate deaths. Across the state, 2,460 inmates have active cases.

6:54 a.m.: Survey: Sacramento businesses will have problems paying rent in June

The city of Sacramento took a survey of commercial landlords and tenants about who is paying the rent during the pandemic.

• More than four out of five tenants who responded to the survey in May said they had difficulty paying rent that month.

• A third of those surveyed — mostly retail and restaurant owners — say they couldn’t pay rent.

• Majority of respondents say they will have difficulty paying the monthly rent in June and going forward.

• 13% say they plan on closing their businesses permanently.

Less than half of landlords in the survey say they will not have problems with paying their mortgage. But only one in five landlords responded that their tenants paid all of their rent.
The city of Sacramento passed eviction moratoriums for commercial and residential tenants in March. The emergency ordinance was extended by the state until July 28.

Monday, June 15

7:51 a.m.: State records more than 5,000 deaths

As California continues to reopen the economy, the state has recorded 5,063 COVID-19 deaths.

The state Department of Public Health announced Sunday there were 148,855 coronavirus cases and 3,092 patients in the hospital.

Local health departments have reported 12,173 cases in health care workers and 73 deaths of health care workers across the state.

As of last Friday, more than 2 million tests have been conducted. 

6:50 a.m.: Film projects resume in Sacramento

The county health department allowed the city of Sacramento to resume film projects as long as they follow health and safety guidelines.

The guidelines for filming were developed by a safety committee task force and unions.

“Taking the recommendations from the task force, the city is confident production teams will be able to implement the recommended safety procedures to protect the safety of the public, crew and actors,” said Sacramento Film Commissioner Jennifer West. 

The new rules include:

• Film projects must remain small and not exceed more than 20 people. This includes the actors, director and film production team members. 

• Require all personnel who are not being filmed to wear masks or other protective equipment.

• Make hand sanitizer or hand washing stations readily available.

• Be able to maintain physical distancing of up to six feet whenever possible.

• Verify that all personnel are not feeling sick prior to production and conduct temperature checks.

• Only allow actors to remove masks while filming.

Saturday, June 13

11:02 a.m.: New Forest Service map shows status of recreation sites throughout California

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has launched a new online map where you can find out which campgrounds, picnic areas and other recreation sites in California’s national forests are open. 

The map shows the status of recreation sites throughout the state, some of which remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

You can access the map here.

The Forest Service reminds visitors to practice self-sufficiency, maintain social distance and not gather in large groups. They also continue to discourage people from traveling long distances to recreate.

Friday, June 12

6:50 a.m.: Orange County lifts face coverings requirement

Orange County's interim health officer relaxed the county’s face covering requirement for residents in public.

Dr. Clayton Chau changed the order Thursday to say people should wear face coverings outside their home when they can’t physically distance themselves by at least six feet. 

“This change ensures the OC Health Care Agency is acting consistently with our partners at the California Department of Public Health and is based on Orange County’s measures against state-mandated COVID-19 metrics,” Chau said in a press release. “I stand with public health experts and believe strongly that face coverings help slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives."

This change comes three days after the previous health officer resigned after she received threats over her order requiring face coverings as Orange County allowed more businesses to reopen.  Residents have railed against the requirement at public meetings.

Similar rules are in place in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.  In Riverside County masks are recommended, not required.

6:33 a.m.: California hotels and zoos welcome back visitors 

California counties now have the green light to allow hotels, zoos, aquariums, wine tasting rooms and museums to reopen Friday. 

But guests will see changes.

Hotels will limit people lounging by pools and attractions will require masks. 

Stay-at-home orders are estimated to have cost the state economy some $72 billion in expected revenue from tourism. The $145 billion industry is now trying to balance how to implement safety measures to control a pandemic without ruining the experience for visitors. 

Thursday, June 11

7:00 a.m. New coronavirus cases at Tesla Fremont plant

Tesla employees say there are new coronavirus cases among co-workers after Elon Musk defied Alameda County health orders and reopened its main production plant in Fremont.

Employees told the Washington Post that they found out about the cases during meetings with supervisors and they confirmed at least two cases at the seat assembly facility near the Fremont plant.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Tesla notified the Alameda County Public Health Department about the cases.

“We are working with Tesla to investigate and ensure appropriate public health measures are in place,” said Alameda County Public Health spokeswoman Neetu Balram in an e-mail to the Chronicle. 

Tesla has not responded to requests for comments from media organizations.

It is not clear from employees or from the county health department on whether these workers were infected on the job or off site.

6:40 a.m.: State judicial leaders delay vote on ending eviction protections 

California judicial leaders delayed a decision on ending statewide emergency orders suspending foreclosures and evictions during the coronavirus pandemic. 

State lawmakers meanwhile are scrambling to expand safeguards. 

The courts' consideration prompted objections from housing advocates who said  the move could lead to a wave of renters being forced onto the streets.

Wednesday, June 10

7:15 a.m.: Stockton council votes down face covering proposal

Stockton City Council members rejected an emergency ordinance to require masks at stores, retail shops, and workplaces during Tuesday’s meeting.

According to state guidelines for stage 2 of reopening, San Joaquin County needs to show less than  190 coronavirus cases over a 14-day period. 

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs says the county has seen more than 300 cases in the past two weeks.

He announced the vote last night on social media.

“Every single council member voted against the mask ordinance, although our city hall and city staff  follow those guidelines,” Tubbs said on Twitter. “I have serious concerns about our ability to stay open without measures to mitigate the spread, and am disappointed in council’s action tonight.”

California placed San Joaquin County on a state watch list this week after it experienced a spike of COVID-19-related hospitalizations.

6:50 a.m.: State judicial leaders may end eviction protections early

The statewide emergency orders that suspend foreclosures and evictions during the coronavirus pandemic may end early.

The AP reports California’s Judicial Council is set to vote  Wednesday on whether to lift the rules as California reduces stay-at-home orders that helped slow the spread of the virus.

Council members delayed all eviction cases in April.

Lawmakers and advocates say the group may be acting too soon and the vote could disproportionately harm minorities in the middle of civil unrest over police violence.

Tuesday, June 9

Monday, June 8

8:15 a.m.: Wineries welcome back customers

Even though tasting rooms are still closed, wine lovers can again share a bottle at local wineries.

California wineries have been closed since late March. 

The State’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has relaxed rules that allow winery customers to buy a bottle to enjoy outside of tasting rooms,  as long as they order food to go with it.  

Bokisch Vineyards manager Kristine DeBock says the Lodi winery has 100 acres and picnic tables outside that can accommodate 150 people.

The winery opened up last weekend, and she says the word was put out on social media with an instant response.

“Within two minutes our phones and emails were ringing off the hook and blowing up, so it was an absolutely positive experience for us to see that everyone missed us as much as we missed them,” said DeBock.

Not all wineries will be opening up due to size or space restrictions, but many feel it’s a step in the right direction.

7:50 a.m.: Retail workers describe violent confrontations during COVID-19

Retail workers across the country are facing insults, threats and even attacks from customers upset over being told they had to comply with coronavirus restrictions in stores. 

One retail store manager in Modesto has decided to fight back with a Facebook page called "Retail Life During COVID-19." 

After posting a photo of her bruised and bloody face that she said she suffered after being punched by an angry shopper, Samantha Clarke quickly accumulated tens of thousands of followers. Some told her their stories of similar harassment. 

Find older coronavirus updates on our previous blog page here.