COVID-19 Roundup: Alameda Sheriff's Dept. Suffers Another Death: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Cancelled; Sierra 'Hidden Gem' Swimming Hole Shut Down
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The tsunami of news about the current coronavirus outbreak and now the reopenings can be overwhelming. To help you navigate through what you need to know here's a news roundup of the top coronavirus and reopening-related stories from the last 24 hours.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival Cancelled Because Of COVID-19 Fears
SAN FRANCISCO -- Organizers for San Francisco's wildly popular free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival announced Saturday that this year's event will be cancelled in light of the current surge in COVID-19 cases. The festival, which has featured the likes of rock legend Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, T-Bone Burnett and others, annually draws hundreds of thousands of fans to Golden Gate Park over an October weekend listen to great music. Since it began, the event has never charged an admissions fee. But now it has gone the way of San Francisco's Outside Lands, Napa's Bottlerock, the summer-long Stern Grove Music Festival, Coachella 2020, SXSW 2020 and other large music gatherings that have been cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More
Second Alameda County Sheriff's Department Staffer Dies While Being Treated For COVID-19
OAKLAND -- For the second time in a week, a member of the Alameda County Sheriff's Department has died while being treated for a COVID-19 infection, officials announced Saturday night. Alameda County Sheriff's Department spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly said technician Valerie Leon passed away Friday evening while being treated for from complications due to COVID-19 at Kaiser Hospital in Modesto. Leon, 61, joined the Sheriff Office in 1997 and worked a variety of assignments including at the Rene C Davidson Courthouse in Oakland. During the pandemic she was on assignment to the Coroner's Bureau where she worked in administration. "Once again it is with a heavy heart we must announce the passing of one of our own," Sheriff Greg Ahern said in a press release. "Valerie was just a wonderful and loving person with a bright smile. She loved her job, community, family and friends. We are truly heartbroken at her passing." Read More
Access To Sierra 'Hidden Gem' Swimming Hole Shut Down Due To Overcrowding
FORESTHILL -- California park officials have shut vehicle access to a pristine swimming hole in Northern California due to an influx of visitors to the "hidden gem" that has become a popular photo backdrop on social media. There are just 12 parking spots near Yankee Jim's, a sliver of crystal clear water on the North Fork American River, about 35 miles west of Lake Tahoe, but last weekend California State Parks and Placer County authorities counted more than 300 vehicles parked near the rugged roads surrounding a one-way bridge overhead. Some vehicles blocked entry and exit points to the area, causing an hours-long traffic jam as drivers tried to turn around, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook posting on Friday. Authorities said the scenic area has exploded in popularity thanks to social media postings. Read More
Despite High Infection Count, San Mateo County Stays Off State COVID-19 Watch List
REDWOOD CITY -- Business owners in San Mateo County were worried about having to close as they sat on the precipice of California's coronavirus watch list. By state guidelines, that could have happened last Monday or Tuesday but it did not. It was great news for gym and salon owners in San Mateo County but it's causing some frustration in the South Bay. "You know, either way with the virus and the pandemic, business has been rough," says Taylor Martin, owner of The Weight Room in Redwood City. "But at least being open we have the opportunity to rebuttal." When KPIX spoke with Martin last week, he was worried he would be closed again by now. Despite the still-bad situation, it's good news. "Being open, it's a blessing," Martin says. Read More
Staffer Positive COVID-19 Test Forces Weekend Closure at Oakland Summer Camp
OAKLAND -- A youth summer camp run by the city of Oakland was shut down on Friday after someone tested positive for the coronavirus. Parents found out it was a camp staff member. "Yeah, it was fun," said six-year-old Oscar about his experience at the camp. While it was fun for Oscar, mom Anya Shapina said it's been a headache. She says the infected staffer worked in Oscar's pod. "We had to isolate our grandmother, Oscar's grandmother. So it's impossible to isolate him to one room of course -- he's six and a half. So now my mother has to stay in her room," Shapina said. She add that the family will stay put for the next 14 days.City spokeswoman Karen Boyd released a statement reading: "the individual was wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and observed other safety protocols. However, out of an abundance of caution, programs were suspended on Friday and the facility received heightened cleaning." Read More
Morgan Hill Goes All-In With Outdoor Dining as Pandemic Wears On
MORGAN HILL -- Morgan Hill is feeling the same economic pressures from the pandemic as any other place but this community is showing how much can be accomplished when you embrace change rather than try to resist it. Morgan Hill is working to make outdoor dining an ongoing attraction. The sidewalks outside restaurants are full of tables that, on some blocks, extend into the street. City government had to ease regulations to make it happen. "With this new norm of 'the future is outside' we've actually partnered with our community to help our businesses thrive through this pandemic," Mayor Rich Constantine told KPIX. But it's not enough just to drag tables outside so the city is offering $2,500 grants to businesses to pay for upgrades to make the area more inviting. Read More
Petaluma Fire Dept Puts 15 in Quarantine After Crew Member Tests Positive for COVID-19
PETALUMA -- The Petaluma Fire Department has quarantined 15 crew members after a firefighter tested positive last week for COVID-19, fire officials said Saturday. The firefighter, who tested positive on July 19, is currently in good condition and has not been hospitalized, said Fire Marshal Jessica Power. The firefighter and 14 crew members that he had close contact with have been isolated. In addition, Station 3, where the infected firefighter works, is closed for cleaning by a professional cleaning company. While the station is closed, Rancho Adobe Fire Department will assist the Petaluma department in responding to emergency calls, Power said. Read More
Angels Beat A's 4-1 Behind Impressive Debut From Dylan Bundy
OAKLAND -- Dylan Bundy pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning in his Angels debut and Justin Upton homered to lead Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday. Bundy (1-0) allowed one run, three hits, no walks and hit one batter in 6 2/3 innings as part of an impressive first start after being acquired from Baltimore in a trade last December. The performance helped the Angels bounce back from an extra-inning loss in the opener. Upton hit a solo homer off Sean Manaea, and Andrelton Simmons and David Fletcher also had run-scoring hits for Los Angeles. Bundy had seven strikeouts and needed only 90 pitches in an efficient performance. He was replaced after allowing a two-out double to Stephen Piscotty in the seventh. Read More
Giants Pull Past Dodgers 5-4 for Kapler's 1st Win as Manager
LOS ANGELES -- Wilmer Flores homered and the Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 on Saturday to give Gabe Kapler his first win as San Francisco manager. After getting outscored 17-2 in the first two games, the Giants took advantage of Dodgers starter Alex Wood's struggles to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2012. They scored in each of the first four innings to snap a six-game skid against their NL West rivals. The Giants lined up near the mound and bumped elbows to celebrate. Kapler and his socially distanced coaching staff did so with a bottle of wine in the clubhouse afterward. Baseball might be strange in 2020 but it can still be enjoyable. Read More