Coronavirus Roundup: Virtual Easter Celebrations; Medical SWAT Teams Targeting Stricken Senior Care Facilities
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The tsunami of news about the current coronavirus outbreak and now the shelter-in-place can be overwhelming. To help you navigate through what you need to know -- KPIX.com/KPIX 5 News/CBSN Bay Area -- will be publishing a news roundup each morning of the top coronavirus-related stories from the last 24 hours so you can start your day with the latest updated developments.
Good News -- Neighbors Helping Neighbors
San Jose T-Shirt Printers Raising Money For Local Businesses $10 At A Time
SAN JOSE -- A new fundraising campaign in San Jose aims to help keep Bay Area small businesses afloat, $10 at a time. It's called Unity SJ. Three local t-shirt printers teamed up to sell new designs emblazoned with the word 'Unity.' For every t-shirt sold, $10 will go to one of a dozen local businesses, chosen by the buyer. Read More
Budding Elementary School Journalists Publish 'Third Grade Lockdown News'
ORINDA -- With schools out for weeks during the coronavirus shelter in place, some elementary students in Orinda are circulating their own newspaper. Third graders from Glorietta Elementary are hiking, backyard camping, and even trimming their parents' hair while sheltering in place. But twice a week a dozen students pitch story ideas in a videoconference call. One by one, Lucy Targonski asks each of her classmates, "What are you doing?" Read More
Alameda County Seeking Donations To Disaster Relief Fund During Coronavirus Pandemic
OAKLAND -- Alameda County on Saturday reactivated a disaster relief fund to help individuals, community-based organizations, first responders and health care workers in need of various things thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. To replenish this fund, the county is reaching out to our philanthropic, business, private, public nonprofits and other partners for donations. "Looking ahead, we are just beginning to understand and address the impact of the pandemic," said County Administrator Susan S. Muranishi. "What we do know, without doubt, is that many will certainly face financial struggles and unforeseen challenges in the days, weeks and months ahead." Read More
For Uplifting Stories Of Neighbors Helping Neighbors Visit Our Better Together Section
Despite Coronavirus Deferments, Californians Get No Pass on Property Tax Payments
SACRAMENTO -- The coronavirus has delayed income taxes, mortgage payments and evictions in California. But not property taxes. Friday was the deadline to pay those taxes without incurring a hefty penalty and Gov. Gavin Newsom let the date pass without taking any action. Business groups had urged Newsom to use his executive authority to delay the deadline or at least waive all penalties for late payments.
Local governments pushed back. Property tax payments are their largest source of revenue and only collected twice a year. The governments said they need the money because other revenue sources — including taxes on retail sales and hotel rooms — have dried up since Newsom ordered everyone to stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus. Read More
Newsom Launches Medical SWAT Teams To Stem 'Golden Wave' Of Senior Care Facility Outbreaks
SAN FRANCISCO -- With growing outbreaks of coronavirus in the senior care facilities across the San Francisco Bay Area and the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched SWAT teams of infectious disease experts to stem what he called a "Golden Wave" of infections among staff and elderly residents. During his daily coronavirus news conference Friday, Newsom addressed the growing concern over the outbreaks among the most vulnerable Californians to the disease. He said there were 1,224 major senior care facilities in the state with health officials monitoring outbreaks and infections at 191. Among those sites reporting coronavirus, 1,266 individuals -- staffer members and residents -- have tested positive for the illness. Read More
'Give Up Easter' – East Bay Parks Close to Dissuade Shelter-in-Place Violators
CASTRO VALLEY -- As Easter weekend began, Bay Area leaders implored people to stay home and many parks were temporarily closed. "This is the year we ask you to give up Easter in your traditional way of picnics and things like that," said Robert Doyle, the general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District. Easter weekend is the busiest of the year at East Bay parks, which is why 10 of the most popular parks are closing their parking lots Saturday and Sunday to try to reduce the potential crowds. Read More
2 San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Employees Test Positive for COVID-19
REDWOOD CITY -- Two employees at the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the sheriff's office said Saturday. The staffers, whose job descriptions were not released, are not correctional officers or deputies, the sheriff's office said in a release. The two employees are quarantined at home and under the treatment of their doctors. They haven't been at work since late March and the two cases don't appear to be related, according to the sheriff's office. Read More
Mount Diablo Beacon to Be Lit on Easter and Subsequent Sundays Till Pandemic Ends
WALNUT CREEK -- The beacon atop Mount Diablo will be lit after sunset on Easter Sunday and will be illuminated each succeeding Sunday until the novel coronavirus crisis has ended, representatives of nonprofit group Save Mount Diablo said Friday. Save Mount Diablo staff and volunteers, in coordination with their partners at California State Parks, will light the famed beacon at Mount Diablo State Park each Sunday and turn it off at sunrise Monday. Physical distancing will be followed throughout, organizers said. Read More
Californians Abiding By Stay At Home Order Over Holiday Weekend
SAN FRANCISCO -- With most parks shuttered at least for the holiday weekend, Northern Californians seemed to be abiding to the state's shelter in place order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Easter/Passover weekend is the busiest of the year for the East Bay county parks system, which is why 10 of the most popular recreational destinations had their parking lots Saturday and Sunday shuttered to reduce the potential crowds. Parks officials say people were doing a good job of social distancing once they are on the trails but it's getting there that's been a recurring weekend problem. Read More
5 New Bay Area Deaths; Alameda Tops 800 Confirmed Cases
SAN FRANCISCO -- While the number of coronavirus patients in ICU units across the San Francisco Bay Area dipped on Saturday, the spread of the illness continued with new deaths reported in Contra Costa, Sonoma, Santa Clara and Alameda counties. Health officials in Contra Costa County reported to 2 new deaths and 21 additional positive test results among local residents. They did not release any other information about the latest victims in regards to age, gender, how they may have contracted the disease or where their deaths occurred. Read More
SF Scrambling To Keep Unsheltered Homeless People Healthy After COVID-19 Outbreak At Shelter
SAN FRANCISCO -- One day after San Francisco announced 70 coronavirus cases at the city's largest homeless shelter, buses were taking residents to city-secured hotels. On Saturday, MSC South looked very much like an emergency medical ward. The sheriff's deputies outside were in full protective gear as some residents, presumably those not infected, were ferried to hotels the city has secured to isolate vulnerable populations. "We had plans to staff up hotel rooms as rapidly as we possibly can in case an outbreak occurred," Mayor London Breed said Friday. Read More
San Francisco Medical Personnel Join NYC Coronavirus Battle; Curry Delivers Surprise Message
SAN FRANCISCO -- A group of 20 UC San Francisco health care workers -- 12 physicians and eight nurses -- boarded a flight to New Jersey Saturday to join the battle against the coronavirus in New York City and were treated to a special shoutout from Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry. As they settled into their seats on the United Airlines flight, Curry appeared on the screen of the plane. Read More
Surge In Domestic Violence Cases In San Francisco Since COVID-19 Stay Home Order
SAN FRANCISCO -- With couples and families under stay at home orders, reports of domestic violence are up in San Francisco, according to Mayor London Breed. In the first week of shelter in place, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office saw an initial spike of 60% in clients referred to its Victim Services Division, compared to the same week, last year. The following week, there was a 33% decrease in referrals. Read More
SJ Fitness Gym Offers Testing For Antibodies For People Who May Have Had COVID-19
SAN JOSE -- A San Jose fitness studio may have shut its door to its clients when the stay at home order went into effect, but the owners found themselves in a unique position to open back up earlier this week and join in the fight against the pandemic. The founders of Red Dot Fitness, located on The Alameda, is now offering testing for antibodies of COVID-19. "We're really trying to help the community the best we can so this is just a service we're able to provide that not a lot of places can," said Red Dot Fitness CEO Scott Howell. Read More
