COVID-19 Reopening Roundup: Gov. Newsom Signs Eviction Relief Bill; 49ers Star On COVID-19 Injured Reserve; Coronavirus Ravages America's Nursing Homes
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- While the wildfires have raged in Northern California, the coronavirus outbreak, reopenings and school classes starting has continued. To keep you updated on the COVID-19 news you need to know here's a roundup of the top coronavirus and reopening-related stories.
Good News -- Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Better Together: Fremont Teenage Siblings Launch 'Cards 4 COVID Heroes'
FREMONT -- Fremont teenage siblings Prabhleen and Mantej Lamba have experienced the growing uncertainty of everyday life as the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a grip on the San Francisco Bay Area. What has impacted them the most, they say, has been the sacrifices of medical workers around the world who are risking their physical and mental health on the pandemic's front lines. So they decided they needed to act. "During these times of darkness and uncertainty, we just wanted to try to shine some light on the fact that we do have true heroes working on the front lines who are trying their hardest to save people's lives," said Mantej, 17. Read More
Oakland Entrepreneur Walks The Walk When Advising On Overcoming Pandemic Impact On Business
SAN FRANCISCO -- Tevah El Emmet is a bit of a showman and definitely an entrepreneur. His tremendous communication skills and business acumen are on full display in a series of videos he produced that offer simple yet sound advice for small business owners hit hard by COVID-19. "You're a person who dares. You're a business owner," El Emmet espoused on the videos. "When someone comes to your social channels, it should be a microcosm of your business." But Tevah El Emmet's real skill may be helping those around him experience calm in their lives, such as leading breathing exercise to put everyone at ease before our interview began. "Do you mind before we start I would like to do a breathing exercise?" El Emmet asked. "[It is] just being in gratitude of all the inspiration and all the hope that we get to share." Read More
For Uplifting Stories Of Neighbors Helping Neighbors Visit Our Better Together Section
State Lawmakers Pass; Gov. Newsom Signs Eviction Relief Bill
SACRAMENTO -- Californians who haven't paid their rent since March 1 because of the coronavirus could stay in their homes through at least Jan. 31 under a bill the state Legislature passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law late Monday -- one day before statewide eviction protections are set to expire. "COVID-19 has impacted everyone in California – but some bear much more of the burden than others, especially tenants struggling to stitch together the monthly rent, and they deserve protection from eviction," Newsom said. "This new law protects tenants from eviction for non-payment of rent and helps keep homeowners out of foreclosure as a result of economic hardship caused by this terrible pandemic. The pandemic has devastated California's economy, causing millions of people to lose their jobs as the government ordered businesses to close for months to slow the spread of the disease. Read More
San Francisco 49ers Place Star Linebacker Fred Warner On COVID-19 Injured Reserve
SANTA CLARA -- As the San Francisco 49ers prepare for their Sept. 13 regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals, the club announced Monday that star linebacker Fred Warner has been placed on the league's Reserve/COVID-19 List. By league rules, the 49ers were not allowed to say if Warner had tested positive or if he was placed on the list for having come into contact with someone with the illness. "The Reserve/Covid-19 List has been created for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons," the team said in a news release . "If a player falls into either of these categories, his club is required to immediately place the player on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. Clubs are not permitted to comment on player's medical status other than referring to roster status and may not disclose whether the player is in quarantine or is positive for COVID-19." Read More
How Coronavirus Ravaged America's Nursing Homes: 'We've Gone From Long Term Care To Carnage In 5 Months'
NEW YORK -- There are now over 6 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States of America and 183,000 people have died. There are many horrific tragedies that have occurred over the past six months, but one of the worst is how coronavirus decimated many nursing homes across the country. According to Elaine M. Ryan, AARP Vice President of State Advocacy and Strategy Integration in the Government Affairs Department, more than 70,000 people who were residents or staff from nursing homes have died from COVID-19. On top of that, another 375,000 residents or staff from nursing homes have been infected by the virus. "The tragedy of loss of life, especially among older Americans and especially those living in nursing homes has been breathtaking," said Ryan in an interview with CBS Local's DJ Sixsmith. "We've gone from long term care to carnage in five months. It's devastating, but it's also been an inspiration to try to do everything we can do to help." Read More
Chico State Cancels In-Person Classes After Positive For COVID-19 Tests
CHICO -- Chico State canceled its limited number of in-person classes Monday and told students to vacate campus housing by the weekend after at least 30 people tested positive for the coronavirus days after the fall semester started. University President Gayle Hutchinson announced in a statement Sunday that the in-person classes it offered when the semester started last week will be virtual-only for the duration of the fall semester. She also asked students to vacate on-campus housing by Sunday because nearly all on-campus residences have at least one positive case and "there is concern the numbers will only increase." "We understand the inconvenience of vacating campus housing so quickly, but Chico State's residence halls have experienced rapid and alarming rates of COVID-19 cases and the well-being of students makes quick action imperative," Hutchinson said. Read More
Sonoma County Salons, Barbershops Move Back Indoors
SANTA ROSA -- Starting today in Sonoma County, businesses were moving off the sidewalk and back inside as indoor operations were once again allowed for certain types of businesses. After four and a half months of closed doors, Ava Lane hair salon owner Candace Harker was happy to be back in business - and back inside. "We are ready to get back to work," said Harker. "It's been tough. It's a big space that we have here. But we've just been working together to figure out what it is we can do to keep our doors open – and we're still standing." Hair salons and barbershops are finally allowed to open for services inside. It's a welcome relief in the world of quarantine. Read More
Many Santa Clara County Businesses In Limbo As Hair Salons, Retail Shops Reopen
SAN JOSE -- Hair salons, barbershops and retail stores were allowed to resume indoor operations Monday in Santa Clara County while many other business sectors remain shut down due to the novel coronavirus. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that state health officials gave a green light to hair salons and barbershops to reopen indoors with modifications statewide, regardless of the virus' rate of spread in certain counties. California's new simplified, four-tiered COVID-19 guidelines for counties to reopen specific business sectors is based in part on what health officials have learned about the pandemic in recent months. The new system marked the first major change since a surge in coronavirus cases in July forced officials to shut down a number of activities across the state. Read More
A's Postpone Additional Games Following Staffer's Postive COVID-19 Test
SEATTLE -- The first two games of Oakland's series at Seattle have been postponed to allow for additional testing and contact tracing after a member of the Athletics' organization tested positive for the coronavirus. The positive test already caused the postponement of Oakland's game Sunday against the Houston Astros. Now games against the Mariners on Tuesday and Wednesday are being put off. The A's are also scheduled to play at Seattle on Thursday. Major League Baseball said Monday it will continue to provide updates as necessary. Read More
Blue Surgical Masks Of Little Help To Novato Residents Breathing Unhealthiest Air In Bay Area
NOVATO -- The city of Novato is known for its crisp clean air blowing in from the ocean, a few miles to the west but not this week. Now, Bay Area residents have been breathing smoke from wildfires burning across the Bay Area and for the last few days, Novato's smoke has sometimes been three times as dense, three times as thick -- some of the worst air in the Bay Area. It's all due to Lucas Valley that normally channels fresh air across West Marin into Novato. The Woodward Fire burning in Pt. Reyes happens to be nearby, so now the onshore breeze concentrates the smoke into Novato via Lucas Valley. Adriana Low is visiting from Concord. "I was surprised, yes," said Low. "I thought it might have hopefully been clearing up so I was quite surprised." Read More
San Jose-Based Zoom Rides Pandemic To Continuing Explosive Growth
SAN RAMON -- Zoom's videoconferencing service is deepening its integral role in life during the pandemic as tens of thousands more businesses and other users pay for subscriptions to get more control over their virtual meetings. The surge in paying customers enabled Zoom to hail another quarter of explosive growth. The company on Monday reported that its revenue for the May-July period more than quadrupled from the same time last year to $663.5 million, boosted by a steadily rising number of users converting from the free to paid version of Zoom's service. Zoom finished its fiscal second quarter with 370,200 customers with at least 10 employees, up from 265,400 at the end of April. Just a year ago, Zoom only had 66,300 customers with at least 10 employees paying for subscriptions. Read More
San Francisco Reopening Announcement Causes Confusion
SAN FRANCISCO -- Tuesday marks a new phase for hair and nail salons, barber shops and massage studios in San Francisco. They will be allowed to reopen for limited outdoor services. But the announcement -- timed with the state's unveiling of its new tiered reopening system -- has led to false hope for some. "Restaurants were e-mailing me saying 'isn't it awesome we can reopen on Monday' and I'm like no, that's not how it works," said Laurie Thomas, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. Co-owner of MX3 Fitness Dave Karraker was fielding the same types of responses. Read More
San Mateo County Business Owners Hopeful Monday's Reopening Marks Lasting Turnaround
BURLINGAME -- Business owners on Monday opened their doors for the first time in weeks -- in some cases months -- under the state's new tiered system. San Mateo County, currently in the purple tier, learned last week that barber shops and nail and hair salons would be allowed to reopen but with modifications. "I was so excited," said Burlingame hair salon owner Jeff Silverman. "The fact, that we can work in the salon." San Mateo County made the state's now retired watch list several weeks ago, which shut down indoor operations again in August. Read More
