COVID-19 Reopening Roundup: New Cases Continue Record-Setting Pace; Giants Drop COVID-19 Season Opener; Cash-Strapped Oakland Zoo Set to Reopen
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.
Good News -- Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Oakland Teen's Academic Turnaround Earns Him A New Car For Graduation
OAKLAND -- Castlemont High student Jasin Saunders graduated from one of the toughest high schools in Oakland after he turned his academic record around with help from a special mentor. At first, the now 18-year-old Saunders struggled with terrible grades. With a GPA of 0.00, he was averaging below an "F." But then he met his mentor, Oakland Police Sergeant Gordon Dorham. "When I met Jasin, I knew he was intelligent. Just upon speaking to him, the first time, I knew he was intelligent. So I knew this wasn't an issue of whether he could perform in school," said Dorham. Sergeant Dorham convinced Saunders to join the OK Program, where police officers and other adult Black men mentor young, male African American students through school. It was eye opening for Jasin. Read More
For Uplifting Stories Of Neighbors Helping Neighbors Visit Our Better Together Section
Classroom-Reopening Plans Focus on Elementary Schools
SAN FRANCISCO -- There's renewed talk of elementary schools -- even in counties on the state watchlist -- reopening but the process in the Bay Area as it currently stands, varies widely. As of late Thursday, 81 schools in Santa Clara County have inquired about variances and waivers to allow some schools to restart in-person education. Under Gov. Gavin Newsom's statewide guidelines for in-person education, public and private elementary schools can open if the superintendent or head of school for private institutions chooses to apply for waivers. Schools in Santa Clara County can e-mail schools@eoc.sccgov.org to initiate the waiver process.There's limited guidance in other counties like San Francisco. Read More
Dodgers Beat Giants 8-1 in Fan-Less COVID-19 Season Opener
LOS ANGELES -- Kiké Hernández homered and drove in five runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the rival San Francisco Giants 8-1 in a fan-less ballpark as baseball's shortened season opened on Thursday night. Mookie Betts, who took a knee during the national anthem, went 1 for 5 in his Dodgers debut. Betts struck out swinging in his first at-bat a day after signing a $365 million deal over 12 years. Justin Turner grounded into a fielder's choice and Betts beat a throw to the plate to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the seventh. The Giants lost their appeal of the call after Betts slid head-first. Betts struck out with the bases loaded to end a five-run inning that made it 6-1. Read More
Cash-Strapped Oakland Zoo Set to Reopen Next Week
OAKLAND -- After being closed for four months, the Oakland Zoo will reopen next week. Along with some new attractions, like a two-year-old giraffe named Kijiji that was brought in from Kansas, the zoo will look a little different overall after implementing health and safety protocols. The sound of macaws echoed throughout the empty zoo Thursday but, in just days, visitors will return and some animals almost seem to be looking forward to it. We asked one chimpanzee if he was excited to see visitors and he nodded his head. The park worked with the Alameda County health department to be able to assure returning visitors. Read More
Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy Dies of Complications From COVID-19
WALNUT CREEK -- An Alameda County sheriff's deputy has died of COVID-19. The department confirmed that 57-year-old Oscar Rocha died just before 7 o'clock Thursday evening after being in intensive care at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. The 25-year-veteran from Danville was surrounded by fellow deputies and his wife Maureen Ennor Rocha who had herself been infected with the coronavirus but recovered. The sheriff's office honor guard posted a photo on Facebook captioned: RIP brother, you'll be greatly missed. Read More
Homebound Pandemic DIYers Put Pinch on Lumber Supplies
OAKLAND -- Your next home-improvement project may well cost more due to a shortage of lumber and you can blame COVID-19 for it. Industry experts said the shortage is affecting prices from small lumber yards to big-box stores across the country. Here in the Bay Area, many local contractors and homeowners are having a hard time finding certain types of lumber. "I've been having trouble trying to find redwood and cedar -- usually it's always stocked up (at the Colma Home Depot) but the last couple of times that I've been here, it was completely sold out," said Douglas Robbins, who's building a fence. "Gone to Lowes -- it's sold out." Lumber yards are running low mostly on pressure-treated wood, redwood and engineered-wood panels. At Economy Lumber in Piedmont, they were out of the popular 1" x 8" x 6' redwood used for fences. General manager Paul Rosky doesn't know when the sawmills can fill his order. Read More
California Will Allow Absent Legislators to Vote During Pandemic
SACRAMENTO -- California's legislative leaders said Thursday they will let absent lawmakers vote on bills during the final month of the legislative session after at least seven people who work in the state Capitol became infected with the coronavirus, including one 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. Senators must still be present on the floor to cast final votes on bills. The state Legislature had to shut down twice because of the coronavirus, shortening a legislative session where lawmakers have had to make tough choices to close a virus-induced $54.3 billion budget shortfall. A few lawmakers have missed votes for fears of contracting the disease or because they had already been exposed to it. Read More
New Alameda COVID-19 Testing Center Reopens During Troubled Second Day
ALAMEDA -- Frustration and confusion reigned Thursday at the brand new CityHealth Urgent Care COVID-19 testing site in Alameda that was forced to close temporarily. In an e-mail blast at midnight and with a single sign at an office park on Wind River Way, the COVID-19 testing facility abruptly closed after over a thousand people were swabbed Wednesday. The new free testing site operated in partnership between CityHealth Urgent Care, the city of Alameda and the Research Park at Marina Village opened Wednesday to large crowds. While the site promised to have test results available within 15 minutes of the test being administered, the big turnout caused a backlog that made the wait more like an hour for those tested Wednesday. Then the site abruptly announced it's closure late Wednesday night. Read More
California COVID-19 Deaths Set New Daily Record; Total Tops 8,000
SACRAMENTO -- California reached sobering new milestones in the coronavirus pandemic Thursday, reporting 157 more deaths over the previous 24 hours, the most in one day since the start of the pandemic. The state has also topped the 8,000 mark in total deaths from the virus with 8,027, according to the state Department of Health. The previous daily high of 149 deaths was seen on July 8. California also saw 12,040 new COVID-19 cases over the previous 24 hours, just below the record 12,807 cases set on Wednesday, when the state surpassed New York as the state with the most confirmed cases - now at 425,616 as of Thursday afternoon. The 7-day average number of new cases is 9,920 per day. The 7-day average from the week prior was 8,526. Gov. Gavin Newsom called the latest figures a "grim milestone." Read More
Santa Cruz County Flagged By State For COVID-19 Case Increase
SANTA CRUZ -- Public health officials in Santa Cruz County announced Thursday that the county has been flagged by the state for a significant increase in COVID-19 cases, with shutdowns of many types of indoor businesses and activities imminent. The county was flagged Wednesday after passing 100 cases per 100,000 residents and is currently over 850 cases countywide, according to Public Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel. More than 500 of those cases occurred in the last two weeks. The county will be flagged for three days before it officially gets put on the state's watchlist. When it is placed on the watchlist, all indoor operations like gyms, hair/nail salons and religious gatherings will have to shut down to limit the spread of the virus. Schools will also have to switch to a distance learning model in the fall, but elementary schools may have the option to submit a waiver to the state to request using a hybrid or in-person model, Newel said. Read More
Santa Clara County Extends Eviction Moratorium Through August 31
SAN JOSE -- Santa Clara County on Thursday extended its moratorium on evictions of renters who can't pay because of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic through August 31. The temporary eviction ban applies county-wide to both incorporated cities and unincorporated areas within the geographic boundaries of the county. Once the moratorium expires, all tenants will have up to six months to repay at least 50% of the past-due rent and a further six months to repay all outstanding past due rent, according to the county. This moratorium does not apply to otherwise lawful or at-fault evictions for reasons other than nonpayment of rent due to a substantial loss and/or out-of-pocket medical expense as a result of COVID-19. Read More
Dr. Deborah Birx Concerned About Rising Coronavirus Cases In San Jose, 11 Other Cities
SAN JOSE -- White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx privately told a group of state and local health officials Wednesday about a concerning rise in coronavirus cases in 12 U.S. cities, including San Jose. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump continues to tout progress amid the coronavirus pandemic at scripted, on-message briefings this week. "There are cities that are lagging behind and we have new increases in Miami, New Orleans, Las Vegas, San Jose, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Baltimore, so we're tracking this very closely. We're working with the state officials to make sure we're responding together, but when you first see that increased test positivity, that is when to start the mitigation efforts," Birx said during the call according to audio obtained by journalism nonprofit Center for Public Integrity. Read More
California Lyft Drivers Accuse Company Of Not Providing Enough Protective Gear
SAN FRANCISCO -- A group of California Lyft drivers is accusing the company of forcing them to buy their own personal protective equipment to avoid catching Covid-19 at work instead of providing them with enough to do their jobs safely. It's the latest conflict in an ongoing labor rights dispute between rideshare workers and so-called gig app companies, including Uber, Doordash, GrubHub, Instacart and Postmates, who classify their drivers, shoppers and couriers as independent contractors rather than employees. California law requires companies to provide PPE to employees but not independent contractors. Read More
California Unemployment Claims Surge To Highest Level In 3 Months As Pandemic Pounds Economy
SACRAMENTO -- California unemployment claims have climbed to their highest levels in nearly three months as surging coronavirus cases halt plans to reopen the economy, and an extra $600 in weekly federal unemployment benefits is set to expire at the end of the week. There were 292,673 initial unemployment claims filed in California for the week ending July 18, a 2.7 percent increase from the prior week. according to the state Employment Development Department. Since the middle of March, there have been nearly seven million first-time jobless claims in California. Last week's jobless claims are at the highest level since the week ending May 2, when 316,300 initial claims were filed. Nationwide, more than 1.4 million people applied for jobless benefits last week, the Labor Department said, up from 1.3 million the previous week. Read More
PGA Players Shouldn't Get Too Comfortable Without Fans
DUBLIN, Ohio -- Tiger Woods made his 19th trip to Muirfield Village as a pro and it was unlike anything he remembered. "I hadn't taken these lines," he said. That typically refers to shots off the tee. He was talking about the direction he was walking. There was no need to go from the range to the side of the clubhouse, into the locker room, down the stairs and out a side door to get to the putting green. With no fans around, it was a straight shot.On the course, he could cut corners — with his legs more than with his driver. Read More