COVID-19 Reopening Roundup: Chuck E. Cheese Declares Bankruptcy; San Quentin Outbreaks Continues To Grow
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 -- KPIX.com/KPIX 5 News/CBSN Bay Area -- will be publishing a news roundup each morning of the top coronavirus and reopening-related stories so you can start your day with the latest updated developments.
NASA Releases Unique Look At COVID-19 Impact's On San Francisco Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO -- A coalition of the world's top space agencies have launched a unique dashboard to show the impact of COVID-19 from images captured by their satellites including views of the San Francisco Bay Area. Using data from 17 satellites, three space agencies have created a website that serves as a global dashboard for temporary changes observed from orbit. The European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and NASA Thursday unveiled the Earth Observing Dashboard. The data, which will be expanded in the future, monitors 30 environmental indicators, 17 economic signals and three agricultural indices. Read More
Farm Workers Strike In Central Valley After Dozens Stricken By COVID-19
WASCO -- A group of about 50 farm workers went on strike Thursday at a California pistachio farm demanding free face coverings, gloves and information from the farm's owner after they said they learned from the media that dozens of their coworkers tested positive for the coronavirus, a union official said. Workers picketed in Wasco outside Primex Farms, which grows pistachio nuts, said Armando Elenes, a United Farm Workers official. Their demands also include better sanitation measures and more information from the company, which had not told them about the positive cases, he said. "They wanted to keep everything confidential, and at the same time, people getting contaminated," Elenes said. Read More
Study: COVID-19 Testing Proving Fiscally Costly For San Francisco Bay Area Counties
BERKELEY -- Researchers at UC Berkeley estimate that the costs of testing for the coronavirus and treating confirmed COVID-19 cases across California already has topped $2.4 billion and some Bay Area counties are enduring the state's highest per-capita costs. Without a vaccine, the statewide cost of COVID-19 now stands at roughly six times that of treating the flu every year and could pass $25
billion before California reaches "herd immunity," the researchers estimate. Herd immunity occurs when 60 percent or more of a population has beeninfected and is immune. The study, "What are the Health Care Costs of COVID-19 in California?: State and County Estimates," was released Thursday by UC Berkeley's Nicholas C. Petris Center on Health Care Markets and Consumer Welfare. It is based on costs that insurers have paid so far during the pandemic. Read More
San Francisco Zoo Officials Prepare For Reopening; Online Reservations Required
SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco Zoo officials are gearing up to reopen on Wednesday with new safety precautions in place after three and one-half months of closure due to COVID-19. Under updated rules, all guests must make an online reservation before visiting and must purchase admission tickets and parking in advance. Face coverings are required at all times, both for staff and for all guests over two years old. News signage will remind guests to practice social distancing, and hand sanitizer will available throughout the zoo. Visitors will now follow a one-way path in popular areas like the Children's Zoo and Youth Exploration Zone, and restrooms will be cleaned hourly while high-touch areas and exhibits will be cleaned every one to two hours. Read More
Uncertainty Abounds Among California Parents, Teachers Making Plans for New School Year
NOVATO -- There's no summer break for educators this year as they try to make a plan for the fall. Thursday night, there was a town hall meeting with the California superintendent of schools to discuss the options. While the hope is to get kids back to school, districts do have to plan for the worst-case scenario. Carrie Anderson, a 3rd-grade teacher with the Oakland Unified School District said, "I know students want to go back, I know parents want their kids to go back but the science is telling us it's not safe to go back." As California sees a spike in COVID-19 cases, educators like Carrie Anderson are worried about going back into the classroom this fall. Read More
San Quentin Prison Officials Report Death Of Condemned Inmate Amid COVID-19 Outbreak
SAN QUENTIN -- Officials at San Quentin State Prison were investigating the death of a condemned inmate following a large outbreak of COVID-19 at the prison. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said 71-year-old Richard Eugene Stiley, on San Quentin's Death Row since 1992, was found unresponsive in his cell Wednesday at 8:38 p.m. He was given medical assistance and an ambulance was summoned, but he was pronounced dead about a half-hour later, CDCR said. There were no signs of trauma and the cause of death and COVID-19 status would be determined by the Marin County Coroner, CDCR said. Read More
Pandemic-Pummeled Chuck E. Cheese, Founded In San Jose, Files For Bankruptcy
SAN FRANCISCO -- Chuck E. Cheese -- where kids could be kids while parents nursed headaches -- is filing for bankruptcy protection. The 43-year-old chain, which drew kids with pizza, video games and a singing mouse mascot, was struggling even before the coronavirus pandemic. But it said the prolonged closure of many outlets due to coronavirus restrictions led to Thursday's Chapter 11 filing. CEC Entertainment Inc. has reopened 266 of its 555 company-operated Chuck E. Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza restaurants as restrictions ease, but it's unclear how willing parents will be to host birthday parties and other gatherings. The Irving, Texas-based company said it will continue to reopen locations and offer carryout and delivery while it negotiates with debt and lease holders. Read More
Newsom Announces New COVID-19 Modeling Website, Open-Source Tools For 'Citizen Scientists'
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced a new COVID-19 modeling website as well as new open-source tools designed to help California residents understand the data informing local health departments and empower what he called "citizen scientists." The governor introduced the new coronavirus modeling website found at calcat.covid19.ca.gov, as a way for residents to see the raw data that is driving the decisions of state and county officials with full transparency. Newsom pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic modeling would continue to guide the state's future actions. "The future is not just something to experience. We are not victims of fate. We can manifest the future. It's not something in front of us, it's something inside of us," explained Newsom. Read More
Study: Shelter-In-Place Leading To Fewer California Mountain Lions Becoming Roadkill
DAVIS -- Months of sheltering in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significantly fewer wild animals becoming roadkill, including California's mountain lions, a new study finds. Analyzing traffic and collision data, the study by researchers at the University of California, Davis found that 58 percent fewer mountain lions were killed in the 10 weeks after shelter-in-place went into effect compared to the preceding 10 weeks. "The reduction in numbers of wildlife killed is surprising, and is a silver lining for both wildlife and people at this difficult time," Winston Vickers of the California Mountain Lion Project said in a university statement. Read More
Santa Cruz County To Reopen Beaches; 'People Are Not Willing To Be Governed Anymore'
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY -- While Santa Cruz County health officials on Thursday reported a significant jump in the number of COVID-19 cases in the last week, the county will reopen beaches due to resistance from the public in adhering to the restrictions in place. County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newell said the video press conference on Thursday morning was being held due to several "interesting developments" in the county's coronavirus response that merited the conference. Dr. Newell reported that Santa Cruz County had an alarming spike in cases with 28 new cases confirmed over the weekend. "This is by far the greatest increase we've had to date in COVID-19 in our county," Dr. Newell said, noting that the department had to redesign the epidemiologic graph on the county's COVID-19 website. Read More
Newsom Declares Budget Emergency To Pay For Pandemic Response As COVID-19 Cases Soar
SACRAMENTO -- Anticipating a potential surge in COVID-19 patients across the state, Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued a proclamation of a budget emergency to make additional resources available to fund the state's pandemic response. The proclamation will clear the way for passage of legislation allowing the state to draw from the state's rainy day fund to spend on personal protective equipment, medical equipment and other expenditures as needed for a surge in hospitalizations and to provide services to vulnerable populations. Read More
Vallejo's Six Flags Discovery Kingdom To Open Without Rides
VALLEJO -- The Six Flags Discovery Kingdom amusement park in Vallejo is reopening next week but rides will not be operating and the amount of visitors will be kept well below capacity, park officials announced Thursday. The park had closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic but will reopen on July 2 as an animals-only experience with various talks from animal care specialists and animal demonstrations at outdoor venues. To limit the number of visitors and ensure social distancing, Six Flags is requiring reservations for people attending. People can make reservations at www.sixflags.com/reserve. Members and Season Pass holders can make reservations starting Thursday, and the general public can on Friday. Read More
Concerns Over COVID-19 Workplace Outbreaks As Santa Clara Co. Prepares To Restart Construction
SAN JOSE -- Construction crews in Santa Clara County have been working since getting the green light to return on May 4 as pandemic restrictions loosened. County public health officials now say a third of the county's 89 workplace-related outbreaks since then have come from construction sites. The construction projects with cases of COVID-19 paused operations voluntarily, but Santa Clara County supervisor Dave Cortese says the county has the power to go further. "The attorneys at the public health department could shut down any given site, if there's an outbreak or a non-compliance with rules," Sup. Cortese told KPIX 5. Read More
