COVID Roundup: Will Travel Warning Be Ignored; Beloved Alameda Diner's Future In Jeopardy; NFL Remains Committed To Completing Season
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- With a surge in coronavirus cases, the information you need to know is coming fast and furious. Here's a roundup of the COVID stories we've published over the last 24 hours.
West Coast Travel Advisory In Effect -- But Will People Follow It?
SAN FRANCISCO -- A strict COVID advisory to avoid non-essential travel from Gov. Gavin Newsom is coinciding with what would normally the busiest travel period of the year. The governors of Oregon and Washington also urged people to avoid out-of-state travel, and if they leave the region, quarantine for 14 days upon return. "I think it's a great recommendation," said Rashad Froz of Napa. "However, I don't think people will follow it, I think people at the end of the day are going to do what they would like to do. They're going to go and see their friends and family regardless of where it is." Bay Area health officials also warned people to rethink their holiday plans and not gather in large groups or beyond immediate families, where the virus could easily spread. Read More
Alameda Business Owners Fear Fiscal Impact Of COVID Restriction Rollbacks
OAKLAND -- Alameda County is currently in the orange-moderate spread tier, but health officials say they anticipate a move backward into a more restrictive tier soon as new COVID cases soar. That warning has many businesses wondering if they can survive yet another shut-down. Alameda's beloved Ole's Waffle Shop has been around for 93 years. They've had indoor dining for a little over a month, but owner Ken Monize fears another round of shutdowns and restrictions will mean the end of his family restaurant. "We're at the point where it doesn't make sense anymore," Monize said. Monize and his wife says they haven't laid off a single worker since the pandemic started, and even sold their retirement property to keep all 40 of their staff. Read More
For 49ers And NFL Remain 'Committed To Completing The Season As Scheduled'
SANTA CLARA -- Even as the surge in COVID cases nationwide creates increasing havoc across the college football landscape, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell remains lasered focused on his league completing its season. On Sunday, Cal will play a rare morning game against UCLA after both teams and the Pac-12 Conference were forced to rework the schedule because of COVID outbreaks. Meanwhile, at least half a dozen high profile college football games were cancelled on Saturday. Is that a foreshadowing of what's in store for the NFL and its Super Bowl? Currently, the crown jewel of American sports, is scheduled for the first Sunday in February at Raymond James Stadium in Florida at a time when total US deaths from the coronavirus are projected to be nearly 400,000 -- about six times the venue's seating capacity. Read More
Pilot Contract Tracing Mobile Phone App Expanded To Cover UC Berkeley
BERKELEY (CBS SF) -- A pilot program that will provide COVID-19 contact tracing to members of the University of California at Berkeley community via smartphone may go statewide, according to university officials. UC Berkeley community members are being asked to enroll Monday when the program goes live. It alerts them if they have been exposed to the coronavirus and it's meant to help slow the spread of the virus. The program launched at UC San Diego and UC San Francisco in September and has been valuable on those campuses. "California COVID Notify is a privacy-first approach to using smartphones to alert you when you have been exposed to COVID-19," UC Berkeley
Chancellor Carol Christ and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost A. Paul Alivisatos said in a statement. Read More
SF Indoor Dining Ban Wallops Indian Restaurants on First Day of Diwali
SAN FRANCISCO -- The ban on indoor dining that started Saturday in San Francisco couldn't come at a worse time for Indian restaurants. Saturday marked the start of Diwali, the most important holiday for Hindus and Indian-Americans. Diwali is a celebration of lights and lasts for five days. New Delhi restaurant, near Union Square, was expecting to be very busy having booked many reservations from families who wanted to celebrate Diwali. Instead of preparing the food, restaurant staff spent the past couple of days canceling reservations. "The timing, I think nobody really paid attention to small business -- Indian businesses -- that it has played havoc," said Ranjan Dey, owner of New Delhi restaurant. Read More
Contra Costa County Rolls Back Reopening for Gyms, Restaurants as Virus Spikes
ANTIOCH -- Backward, forward, backward -- Contra Costa County is trying to slow the virus spread and, once again, health officials are targeting gyms and restaurants. "Full-service restaurant type of dining, I think it's going to take a big hit," said J.B. Balingit, chef and owner at Vic's in Martinez. "Most of our restaurants are full-service." Balingit runs four restaurants in Contra Costa County. He says that, while he's fortunate to be in a good position to do takeout, losing indoor dining will come with a tremendous cost. "Come Tuesday, we have to scale back," Balingit said. "That's the only way that our businesses will stay afloat and scaling it back means you're going to have to lay off ... some employees. How do you choose? They've all been willing to work through this pandemic. They've all been part of our success." Read More
San Francisco Opera Moves Costume Sale Online to Raise Funds for Opera House Staff
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- The San Francisco Opera has been silenced by the pandemic but, over the weekend, they've offered their fans something special -- a way to own a piece of the pageantry of the art form they love. For the first time in six years -- and the first time ever virtually -- the San Francisco Opera hosted an online costume sale to benefit the cast and crew of the War Memorial Opera House. "Opera is the culmination of all the great art forms together," said San Francisco Opera costume shop manager, Jai Alltizer. "You have dance, you have singing, you have orchestra and movement. And so, grand costumes help to tell the stories of those characters on the stage." Read More
CHP Stops Drivers Traveling At Raceway Speeds; 'Our Freeway Systems Are Not The Autobahn'
CONCORD -- The California Highway Patrol continues to stop and ticket drivers traveling at raceway speeds exceeding 100 mph on local San Francisco Bay Area freeways. On Friday, CHP Contra Costa posted photos on Facebook of two of the latest offenders. One of the drivers was clocked at 131 mph and they did not even have a license. A second was pulled over hours later going 121 mph on Highway 4. Between March 19 and April 19, the CHP issued 2,493 citations statewide to drivers speeding more than 100 mph, compared to 1,335 during the same period a year earlier. CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley has called the jump in tickets written for excessive speeds alarming. Read More
Elon Musk Says He May Have COVID-19 As SpaceX Astronaut Launch Gets Delayed
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- SpaceX delayed its second astronaut flight by a day because of high wind and weather conditions that could jeopardize the recovery and recycling of the rocket booster, pushing the launch to Sunday. Friday's postponement news came after SpaceX chief Elon Musk disclosed he had gotten mixed test results for COVID-19 and was awaiting the outcome of a more definitive test. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said anyone testing positive for COVID-19 must quarantine under NASA policy and remain isolated. Officials said contact tracing by SpaceX found no link between Musk and any personnel in close touch with the four astronauts, who remain cleared for flight. Read More
Cal Football To Begin Season At UCLA On Sunday After Pac-12 Calls Audible
BERKELEY -– Hours after having their second football game canceled due to the coronavirus, the California Golden Bears announced their season will start this Sunday. The team will play UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, with an early kickoff time at 9 a.m. "The date became available after both the Golden Bears' and Bruins' previously scheduled games were canceled. Neither of the teams' opponents – Arizona State for Cal, Utah for UCLA – were able to play due to COVID-19 protocols," Cal Athletics said in a statement. "As I've told our team many times, the one thing we have learned is to expect the unexpected," head coach Justin Wilcox said. "We appreciate all of the hard work that everyone has done on so many levels to allow us to play this weekend, and we are thankful the opportunity has arisen to play at UCLA. Read More
