COVID-19 Reopening Roundup: Pelosi's Controversial SF Salon Visit; SF Tourism Industry Preparing To Reopen; Santa Clara County Health Officer's Life Threatened
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.
Guns, Ammo Seized At Alleged Boogaloo Sympathizer's Gilroy Home Who Threatened Dr. Sara Cody
GILROY -- Authorities arrested a California community college instructor, Alan Viarengo, with ties to the far-right, anti-government "Boogaloo" movement last week for allegedly sending more than two dozen threatening letters to Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody. "To the effect of, 'It's over,' 'You're done,' 'Goodbye,' 'Eat (expletive) and die,'" said Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Lt. Brendan Omori. "He was relentless." A woman who spoke from a window inside Viarengo's Gilroy home told KPIX that she did not want to comment. Along with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office arrest of the 55-year-old Viarengo, authorities seized large amounts of firearms and explosives from his family's home in Gilroy, according to a press release. Court records reviewed by the station show detectives found more than 100 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, tools for making ammunition and Confederate flags. Read More
Gov. Newsom Poised To Sign Bill That Keeps Foreclosed Homes In Hands Of Residents
SACRAMENTO -- A bill ready for Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature may help keep homes in the hands of residents if a foreclosure crisis occurs, according to the office of state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, who sponsored the legislation. SB 1079, titled "Homes for Homeowners, Not Corporations," would give tenants, families, housing nonprofits and local governments first dibs on foreclosed properties before corporations. The bill modifies how foreclosed properties are sold at an auction. "We can't afford a repeat of the foreclosure crisis when corporations gobbled up tens of thousands of homes, and significantly reduced home ownership among California residents," Skinner said in a statement. Read More
Speaker Pelosi Criticized After Video Of Indoor Visit To San Francisco Salon Surfaces
SAN FRANCISCO -- Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi faced some criticism Tuesday after video surfaced of an indoor visit to a San Francisco salon that briefly showed her not wearing a mask. However, a statement released by Pelosi's office Tuesday afternoon denied any wrongdoing or negligence. The surveillance video shows Pelosi inside eSalon on Union Street in San Francisco without a mask, according to the owner of the establishment, Erica Kious. She reportedly provided the video to Fox News and said Pelosi got her hair done at around 3 p.m. Monday afternoon. Kious, who rents stylists chairs at the salon and reportedly learned about one stylist's plan to provide the Speaker a wash and blow dry the day before the appointment, told Fox News she felt Pelosi's visit reflected a double standard, She said she considered the service "a slap in the face" to business owners who have closed during the pandemic. Read More
Rangers Oust Musicians From Golden Gate Park, SF's Home To Jamming, Live Music For Decades
SAN FRANCISCO -- The pandemic has been tough on musicians who now have few places to perform. A recent incident involving a world-class pianist at Golden Gate Park has some wondering where has San Francisco's spirit gone? From the bare-knuckle days of the Barbary Coast to the free-wheeling psychedelic 60's, San Francisco is a town that has never played it safe. But there are those in the arts community who say that's changing and it may be losing its soul as a result. Steve Scholz is a professional jazz pianist who outfitted a van with a piano on wheels to fulfill a dream of playing in outdoor settings across America. But when the pandemic hit, the road trip ended and Scholz parked the van. "I felt it important to stay in the community and play for people in the park," said Scholz. Scholz began holding small concerts a block from his home in the Golden Gate Park panhandle. Sometimes he brought along a few friends to entertain small groups of socially-distanced parkgoers. Read More
Pacifica Closing Beaches Over Labor Day Weekend
PACIFICA -- City officials announced Tuesday that the city is closing all beaches and beach parking lots in Pacifica over the Labor Day holiday weekend to limit the spread of COVID-19. "With the continuing health concerns related to the spread of COVID-19, the City is taking the necessary measures to promote the health and safety of our community," Pacifica Mayor Deirdre Martin said. Pacifica City Manager Kevin Woodhouse ordered the beaches to be closed from sunrise on Saturday, Sept. 5 to sunrise on Tuesday, Sept. 8, according to a release sent out Tuesday. Despite recent spikes of coronavirus cases, residents in cities all over the Bay Area have been ccrowding to local beaches during hot weekends. Cities along the coast like Monterey have been ordering beach closures in order to prevent further spikes. Santa Cruz County voted last month to close beaches in its unincorporated areas over Labor Day. Read More
Uncertainty Widespread Over Eviction Ban Expiration, Even After Bill's Passage
SAN FRANCISCO -- Tuesday is full of uncertainty for thousands of renters across the North Bay and beyond as a statewide temporary ban on evictions expires at midnight. In Marin County alone, Superior Court officials have suggested that as a result, 100 to 200 unlawful detainers—which initiate the court process to evict a tenant—will be processed in September starting Wednesday. That's up from about 20 a month in pre-COVID-19 times, said Lucie Hollingsworth, senior attorney of the housing unit at Legal Aid of Marin. "We are definitely looking at mass displacement," Hollingsworth said. The expiration of the state Judicial Council's eviction ban—which took effect April 6 -- has tenants and their advocates around the North Bay scrambling, and warning in dire terms of what they fear is to come. Read More
Chico State Sees COVID Cases Rise, Can't Pinpoint Source
SAN FRANCISCO -- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases linked to California State University, Chico, is rising, school officials said Tuesday, with a lack of test kits hampering its ability to screen for the virus on campus. The university abruptly halted in-person classes this week, and 36 students and staffers are now confirmed to be infected in the outbreak. "We are receiving positive cases on a daily basis," Juanita Mottley, the university's student health center director, said in an online news conference Tuesday. The Chico State outbreak is the latest on a university campus as colleges around the country struggle to control the spread of the virus, prompting leaders in some college towns to raise alarms. Many campus outbreaks have been linked to parties and socializing at bars and fraternity and sorority houses. Read More
Mayor Breed Set For Mid-September Relaunch Of San Francisco's Tourism Industry
SAN FRANCISCO -- Mayor London Breed implored San Francisco residents Tuesday to cancel any large gatherings planned for the upcoming Labor Day weekend as the city was still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and a post-holiday surge of new cases will derail plans to reopen key businesses and schools. Over the last six months, Breed said, San Francisco has had a total of 9,544 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 83 deaths. The mayor noted that progress was being made, but said she fears a possible surge in new cases and hospitalizations coming out of Labor Day Weekend. "Labor Day weekend is coming up. I know what everybody is thinking -- 'Well, this is a time I miss my family, it's been six months, here's an opportunity for us to get together.' That is highly discouraged. Highly discouraged," Breed said. Read More
San Francisco Hair Salons And Barbershops Reopen For Outdoor Business
SAN FRANCISCO -- Some San Francisco hair salons and barber shops on Tuesday reopened for business outside, taking customers for the first time in months and providing relief for business owners shaggy SF residents alike. The snip snip of sharp scissors is sound of being back in business, and it was music to Simply Cuts owner Cliff Hong's ears. "I want to be the first person outside, cutting hair for Simply Cuts!" said Hong. After almost six months of being closed for COVID, the 31-year-old Marina business is back in action, serving up style on the sidewalk of Chestnut Street. The line, full of people sporting split ends and longer than usual locks, started at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Customers were just as excited for Simply Cuts to reopen as Hong was. Read More
San Francisco Monthly 1-Bedroom Rental Cost Continues Downward Trend During Pandemic
SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco remains the most expensive American city when it comes to renting a one-bedroom apartment, but the monthly hit to the pocketbook will continue to drop in September, according to the online rental listing website Zumper. The company said San Francisco will not be alone. Rents in New York also were projected to drop in September. "Leading the price decline of cities at the top are San Francisco and New York, the nation's two priciest cities," the company said in a Tuesday news release. "Both San Francisco and New York reached the lowest price points they ever have since Zumper started tracking median prices in 2014. Median 1-bedroom price in San Francisco last month was $3,040, a 14.1% decrease from a year ago." New York trailed San Francisco on the latest list with an average monthly rent of $2,700 and then Boston followed at $2,300. San Jose and Oakland rounded out the top five at $2,270 and $2,200 a month, respectively. Read More
SF Salon Adds Extra Safety Measures In Preparation For Indoor Services
SAN FRANCISCO -- For the first time in months, hair and nail salons are open in San Francisco, but some are biding their time. The city has green-lighted salons to offer limited outdoor services, but many businesses are choosing to wait until indoor services are permitted. Right now, shampooing and chemical treatments are not allowed outdoors. On Tuesday, Mayor London Breed said the goal is to allow salons to reopen indoors in late September. "We want you to do this responsibly, because we want to make sure we continue to see these businesses to re-open. All plans are subject to change, just like they were before," Mayor Breed said. Archer Salon on Grant Avenue, in Union Square, says it will be more than ready when a reopening date is announced. Read More
