Jun 03

Rapid Response – Layoff Assistance Webinar

Workforce Alliance of the North Bay

Rapid Response Team

is inviting businesses considering work stoppages, layoffs, or furloughs and employees whose job has been affected by COVID-19 to attend

Rapid Response – Layoff Assistance Webinar.

Webinars are offered each week on Wednesday at 10:00 am.

Next webinar tomorrow

Wednesday, June 3 at 10:00 am

Our partners will go over Unemployment Insurance, health care and retirement options, other resources to help you through this pandemic and will take your questions.

Register for the webinar here

Jun 01

We Love Our City Storehouse Offers Union Workers Night- Beginning Monday June 8th 6 pm

 

We love Our City Storehouse Union Workers Nights

Monday, June 22nd at 6pm

1145 E Monte Vista Ave., Vacaville

As we all prepare to reenter some sense of normalcy in both our work and family lives, we need to aware that the economic impacts of the COVID-19 will affect everyone, some more than others. We have seen more people availing themselves of Food Banks to feed their families as they deal with the loss of income due to the pandemic.

Raymond Beaty, who runs We Love Our City Storehouse, has offered to provide a special evening to accommodate Union members who may need help.

The Storehouse already provides a special evening for Active Duty Service members every Monday evening at 6pm and will now welcome any Union members beginning at 6pm every Monday beginning June 8th. All you need to do is show up and show your membership card or other form of affiliation.

Questions – Please contact 707-455-7790

May 27

Workers First Caravan – Postponed

MEMORANDUM

TO:      Principal and Secondary Officers of State Federations and

Central and Area Labor Councils

FROM: AFL-CIO Office of the President

No person of conscience can watch the video of George Floyd pleading for his life under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer and not understand that something is deeply wrong in America. What happened to George Floyd, what happened to Ahmaud Arbery, what happened to far too many unarmed people of color has happened for centuries. The difference is now we have cell phones. It’s there for all of us to see. And we can’t turn our heads and look away because we feel uncomfortable. This is a labor issue because it is a workplace issue. It is a community issue, and unions are the community. We must and will continue to fight for reforms in policing and to address issues of racial and economic inequality.

 

We are asking you to postpone Workers First Caravan national day of action events. We will in the near future be calling for coast to coast action around the 5 Economic Essentials and the HEROES Act.

 

The HEROES Act will be one of the most important pieces of social legislation in the last 30 years and is urgently needed in response to the economic crisis our nation faces.  However now is the time for the labor movement to focus on the national conversation underway around racism.

 

All public in person events planned for the Workers First Caravan actions should be postponed.

 

Media events specific to the 5 Economic Essentials and importance of getting the HEROES Act passed  that can be postponed should be, if at all possible. If not possible, we will provide you social justice messaging that the media will be asking you about anyway.

 

Events with elected officials regarding the 5 Economic Essentials and importance of getting the HEROES Act passed  that can be postponed should be, if at all possible.

 

Many of the Workers First Caravan actions / National Day of Action events our State and Central Bodies have planned deal directly with food insecurity and workplace safety. These types of actions are always timely. We defer to your judgment about local conditions and the ability to continue these efforts.

 

Just to be clear, we are only asking events you have planned for the national day of action to support the 5 Economic Essentials and the HEROES Act be postponed. We encourage you to continue to provide the leadership and voice for workers in your communities and states that is so desperately needed now. We will get back to you shortly with revised plans for our mobilization on behalf of the 5 Economic Essentials and the HEROES Act.

 

Please let your Regional Field Director, field staff or mobilizers know your specific plans in relation to your scheduled June 3rd event. We will continue to be in regular contact.

Thank you.

AFL-CIO

Office of the President
815 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006

—————————————————————————————————–

Join the Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo and now Sacramento Labor Councils on Wednesday, June 3rd from 11am-1pm for an action and car caravan from the SF Federal Building to the Oakland Federal Building calling on Congress and on our state level officials to adopt the 5 Economic Essentials:

  • Keep America healthy—protect and expand health insurance for all workers.
  • Keep front-line workers safe and secure.
  • Keep workers employed and protect earned pension checks.
  • Keep public schools going, the Postal Service solvent, state and local governments running.
  • Keep America competitive—hire people to build infrastructure.

Want to find the Caravan Nearest to you?  GO HERE!

Make your voice heard. Demand worker protections today. RSVP HERE!

Central Labor Council of Contra Costa County, AFL-CIO 1333 Pine Street, Suite E Martinez, CAwww.cclabor.net

Apr 28

Here are your daily facts, news, and information on COVID-19, compiled by the Senate Democratic Caucus.

 

Cal OES Update:

  • April 26, 2020 – pdf

Governor Update:

  • Colorado & Nevada Join California, Oregon & Washington in Western States Pact – link

Important Updates:

  • California Supreme Court orders delay of the July Bar Exam until September and asks the State Bar to try to work on remote options – link
  • From Federal Housing Finance Agency – “No Lump Sum Required at the End of Forbearance” says FHFA’s Calabria – link
  • Labor Secretary Issues Directive to Employment Development Department to Suspend Unemployment Insurance Certifications (April 23) – link

Social Media:

  • Posts for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – link
  • Social Media Images – zip
  • We recommend repurposing the COVID-19 social media posts and graphics that were previously delivered as the majority are still valid and warrant additional communication. You can find all of the previously delivered posts in the same Google spreadsheet that holds today’s copy. All previously delivered graphics can be found in English (zip) and in Spanish (zip). Please review the posts before posting to ensure they contain the most recent COVID-19 information.
  • We recommend sharing pertinent social media posts from official local sources that pertain to your constituents, including posts from counties, cities, school districts, and local elected officials.

News Highlights:

  • CA Senate is considering giving lawmakers an option to legislate remotely
  • Keep California stay-at-home order for as long as needed, vast majority say in new poll
  • California cities warn of widespread layoffs and service cuts due to nearly $7 billion in coronavirus losses
  • Virtual medical visits are the new normal during the coronavirus pandemic
  • Despite coronavirus, many flock to Orange and Ventura county beaches to beat the heat
  • As coronavirus curve flattens, some California counties consider reopening
  • Kaiser study finds coronavirus seriously affects people regardless of age
  • Project Roomkey is saving lives in the coronavirus pandemic
  • Social distancing could last months, White House coronavirus coordinator says
  • USDA let millions of pounds of food rot while food-bank demand soared
  • How Las Vegas became ground zero for the American jobs crisis
  • Young and middle-aged people, barely sick with covid-19, are dying of strokes
  • Coronavirus projected to trigger worst economic downturn since 1940s
  • ‘No Evidence’ yet that recovered COVID-19 patients are immune, WHO says
  • World leaders kick off initiative to fight coronavirus without US
  • Speaker Pelosi told reporters on Friday that she expects the next coronavirus-related bill to include up to $700 billion for cities and states
  • The White House is finalizing expanded guidelines to allow for a phased reopening of society
  • Four states (Alaska, Georgia, Oklahoma and South Carolina) have begun to reopen businesses, while eight more will lift stay-at-home orders by Thursday

News Articles:

California:

  • In the coronavirus crisis, California isn’t under one-party rule, it’s under one-man rule — With the legislative and judicial branches basically shut down because of the virus, the executive has seized almost complete control over state government. And many legislators are smarting. They’re antsy to reenter the political arena and resume exerting influence over decision-making, particularly regarding the state’s approach to taming the virus, returning to normal life, restoring the economy and managing a bleeding state budget. The Senate is considering giving lawmakers an option to legislate remotely if they fear contracting the virus. Assembly attorneys say remote legislating may be illegal. Senate attorneys say it’s OK. Do whatever works, I say. These are desperate times. Forget purity. LA Times – 4/27/20
  • California lawmakers chafe at Newsom’s unilateral coronavirus actions — Members of the California Legislature are happy with the job Gov. Gavin Newsom has done in leading California’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, OK? They really, really want to make sure everyone knows that. And yet.  In a pair of recent legislative hearings — where Newsom administration officials appeared via videoconferencing and answered questions from a handful of mask-wearing lawmakers convened in Sacramento — there was clearly frustration with some of the governor’s recent go-it-alone decisions. Expect those rumbles to grow louder as the Legislature prepares to return to the state Capitol as soon as next week for at least basic preparations to craft a short-term budget before June 15. LA Times — 4/27/20
  • New memos shed light on how California Legislature may operate upon return —As the California Legislature prepares to return May 4 under pressure to pass a state budget and respond to a new coronavirus world, legislators and lobbyists alike are discussing monumental changes to Capitol business like remote voting and limited in-person testimony to protect constituents — and the lawmakers themselves. Assemblyman Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) made a strong appeal this week to Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon to consider remote voting to protect people at high risk. Politico — 4/25/20
  • California may test state lawmakers before they return to Sacramento — Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins said in a statement that, given finite testing capacity, the Senate is not recommending testing for senators or staff unless they are at high risk for infection. Atkins said that the Senate has not heard from public health authorities about testing. “We continue to require essential employees, including Senators and staff, to practice self–assessment each day prior to coming into the Capitol, including taking their temperature and monitoring for signs of illness,” Atkins said. “Anyone experiencing any symptoms of illness has been instructed to stay home and not come into the Capitol.”  Politico — 4/24/20
  • California’s jobless face jammed phone lines, computer glitches and bureaucratic blunders — With millions of Californians thrown out of work by the state’s stay-at-home order, services offered by the EDD have buckled under a lack of sufficient technology to support them, an issue that has plagued the agency for years but has now been put into stark relief by the current crisis. “I know this sounds crazy because we are in California, we are the tech center of the world, but our system is built on multiple antiquated systems, and because of that it is inflexible — it is very difficult to change,” California Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a Facebook Live chat Friday. LA Times — 4/27/20
  • Nonstop calls and no answers: Why California wasn’t prepared for surge in unemployment — The losses have arrived, with 3.2 million people filing unemployment claims in the state in the last six weeks. Many said they have struggled with a clunky online system and maddening delays when they call — often hundreds of times — to try to reach a human at the Employment Development Department. The department’s leaders have faced criticism over its outdated computer systems since before the Great Recession. Yet a $30 million modernization project launched four years ago remains in the planning stages, even as a new recession seems to be arriving. Sac Bee — 4/27/20
  • Who should pay for pandemic impacts? — In California, it’s renewed the perpetual conflict over liability — known colloquially as “tort wars” — pitting business, employer and insurance interests against lawyers who specialize in personal injury suits. The Civil Justice Association of California, a business coalition, fired a preemptive strike recently in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, citing an “imminent threat of litigation.” It asks for an executive order and legislation to immunize “all private entities and their workers providing critical services, goods, and facilities during the COVID-19 state of emergency.” CalMatters — 4/27/20
  • Virtual medical visits are the new normal during the coronavirus pandemic — California’s stay-at-home order to slow the coronavirus has significantly accelerated the use of telehealth visits. Some health systems in California report up to 80% of their patient visits are handled by video chat or a phone call. CalMatters — 4/27/20
  • Despite coronavirus, many flock to Orange and Ventura county beaches to beat the heat — For many, the confluence of a heat wave and more than a month sheltering at home made a visit to the sand irresistible, prompting beach tableaux that looked more like a peak summer day in normal times than an April Saturday with a respiratory disease circulating among the population. LA Times — 4/26/20
  • Governor’s quandary: Who should get California workers’ comp benefits for COVID-19? — Gov. Gavin Newsom is deciding whether to order that essential employees who contract coronavirus be presumed to have done so on the job — and thus automatically qualify for workers’ comp benefits. Businesses warn that could cost billions. CalMatters — 4/26/20
  • Perfect storm clobbers California cities — California’s nearly 500 cities had been hurting financially even before the COVID-19 pandemic clobbered the state’s economy and triggered a downward spiral of tax revenues. Although their revenues had climbed sharply during the previous decade, cities had seen even sharper increases in spending for employee pensions and health care and an epidemic of homelessness. CalMatters — 4/26/20
  • As coronavirus curve flattens, some California counties consider reopening — Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised a “bottom-up approach” to reopening that is responsive to regional differences across a vast state, but he has provided cities and counties with little flexibility so far. During his daily briefings last week, the governor repeatedly cautioned local elected officials about “taking the parachute off before we land,” and said Thursday that he would be able to loosen the stay-at-home order sooner if “all of us are checking off the same list.” SF Chronicle — 4/26/20
  • Here’s when stay-at-home orders are expiring in each of California’s 58 counties — The county-level orders vary, as do their expiration dates. Some of the measures are in place until a specified date, others until further notice. Generally, local health officials can issue guidance that’s stricter, but not more lenient, than the state’s. LA Times — 4/24/20
  • Kaiser study finds coronavirus seriously affects people regardless of age — A study of 1,300 Northern California Kaiser patients who tested positive for the coronavirus last month found that nearly a third were hospitalized and almost 1 in 10 ended up in intensive care — and nearly as many young and middle-aged adults were admitted as people age 60 and over, according to results published online Friday. SF Chronicle — 4/25/20
  • Exclusive: Coronavirus caused heart to rupture in nation’s first known victim, autopsy shows — Patricia Dowd, 57, died Feb. 6 and had reported flu-like symptoms in the days before her death, according to the report. The autopsy, performed by medical examiner Dr. Susan Parson, found COVID-19 viral infection in her heart, trachea, lungs and intestines. “There’s something abnormal about the fact that a perfectly normal heart has burst open,” said Bay Area forensic pathologist Dr. Judy Melinek, who was not involved in the autopsy but read the report at the request of The Chronicle. “The heart has ruptured. Normal hearts don’t rupture.” SF Chronicle — 4/26/20
  • Building dense cities was California’s cure for the housing crisis. Then came coronavirus — For more than a decade, California lawmakers have pushed with increasing urgency to build more housing near transit stops and job centers. Density, they’ve reasoned, is the best way to control the exploding cost of living and reduce residents’ reliance on carbon-spewing vehicles in a state best known for its sprawling suburbs. But now density has a new foe: the coronavirus. LA Times — 4/26/20
  • Project Roomkey is saving lives in the coronavirus pandemic — This is one state program that actually is a win-win-win. First, protecting some of the most vulnerable — which also, of course, protects you and me. Second, allowing social workers to have a much better chance of getting these people permanent housing when this pandemic passes since they are available for counseling in one place in which they are fed and have access to showers and beds. Third, as you can imagine, hoteliers are thrilled with the $75 a day per room they’re getting for their formerly empty businesses. California also got FEMA to reimburse 75 percent of the cost for this life-saving mission, a model for other states. OC Register— 4/26/20
  • ACLU sues California to block ICE transfers, reduce prison population amid coronavirus outbreak — Gen. Xavier Becerra and come as the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego and Lompoc penitentiary in Santa Barbara County have become home to some of the worst outbreaks in the federal prison system. In the lawsuits, the ACLU argued that outbreaks behind bars pose threats not only to the incarcerated, but also the families of jail and prison employees. LA Times — 4/25/20
  • Top policymakers weigh in on coronavirus — “Priority number one in terms of the budget, it needs to be to stabilize the budget,” Rendon said. “There are a lot of unknowns, a lot of unknowns with respect to our revenue projections, a lot unknowns with respect to how much COVID is going to cost. Those unknowns, once we figure those out, will then determine how much money there is for other things.” Fox 11 — 4/25/20
  • Symptoms or not, Sacramento County wants California lawmakers tested for coronavirus — California lawmakers should be tested for coronavirus before they return to Sacramento regardless of whether they are showing symptoms of COVID-19, according to guidance from the county’s health department. Assembly Rules Committee Chairman Ken Cooley disclosed the request from the health department Thursday during a Democratic Caucus meeting, according to notes from the meeting that were shared among lawmakers and others who do business in the building. The health department also wants lawmakers to have one key staff member tested for the virus before lawmakers resume their legislative session on May 4. Sac Bee — 4/24/20
  • Here’s where California has distributed its protective masks and equipment — So far, the state has distributed more than 46.5 million masks — both N95 respirators and surgical masks — across the state, according to data from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The data, which are current as of April 17, provide a breakdown of how state agencies have spread coveted protective supplies on a county level. Generally, counties with a high number of confirmed cases have received the most shipments. SF Chronicle — 4/24/20
  • Plan to change workers’ comp rules for employees with COVID-19 angers business, ag groups — A proposed executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom to substantially expand protections for coronavirus-infected employees who qualify for workers’ compensation insurance is raising concerns among leaders in the agriculture and business communities, who say it could cost billions of dollars.  Although few have seen a copy of the draft proposal, the details leaked out several days ago and industry groups have rallied to kill it. Sac Bee — 4/24/20
  • Coronavirus: Cases and deaths surged last week. Is California really flattening the curve? — Geographically, Los Angeles County remains the state’s coronavirus epicenter and suffered by far its worst week so far in terms of new cases: On Monday, it reported more than twice as many new cases as on any previous day. In the Bay Area, increases are more modest, but Santa Clara County became the first in the region and the fourth county in the state Friday to soar past 2,000 total cases. Mercury News — 4/24/20
  • Keep California stay-at-home order for as long as needed, vast majority say in new poll — Despite several protests over California’s stay-at-home order to slow the spread of coronavirus, a new poll shows the vast majority of residents support the restrictions. Among those polled, 75% want the order to continue as long as it’s needed, according to a California Health Care Foundation/Ipsos survey. Only 11% wanted to stop the stay-at-home order, while 13% had no opinion. Among low-income residents, support was even stronger: 78% support the  stay-at-home order and only 3% oppose it. LA Times — 4/24/20
  • COVID-19 has brought havoc to nursing homes. Will pandemic end ‘warehousing’ the elderly? — As many as 1.3 million Americans live in nursing homes. Despite the shutdown orders, unofficial tallies indicate more than 6,700 skilled nursing home residents have died from the virus nationwide. The World Health Organization says up to half of all coronavirus deaths in Europe are in long-term care facilities. Sac Bee — 4/26/20
  • California doesn’t disclose coronavirus deaths at nursing homes — As deaths from the coronavirus rise, topping 1,500 across California, families are left in the dark about how many of those occur in the nursing homes, where their ill parents and others they love remain isolated, because the state Department of Public Health has so far declined to say. In Santa Clara County, which does disclose the data, nearly 30% of all coronavirus deaths have occurred in nursing homes. SF Chronicle — 4/24/20
  • After miscommunication, here are the nursing homes where National Guard is deployed — New details emerged on Friday around the California National Guard’s deployment to Los Angeles County nursing homes inundated with staff who tested positive for COVID-19, as initial reports provided by the military force proved to be inaccurate. Daily Breeze –4/24/20
  • California paying Sacramento Kings $500,000 a month to rent Natomas arena for field hospital — The expenses are detailed in a state contract The Bee obtained after filing a request under the California Public Records Act with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services. The contract — signed quietly and without public announcement — now raises questions about the expenditure of taxpayer money to enrich an NBA franchise that paid its top player Harrison Barnes $24.1 million in 2019. The Kings are owned by a wealthy group of investors that includes Ranadivé, a software multi-millionaire. Sac Bee — 4/24/20
  • Yolo County will require face masks in public, authorities say — Yolo County officials said Friday they are requiring that residents wear face coverings in public. The order is effective immediately but is not enforceable until April 27 at 8 a.m. As of Friday morning, Yolo County had 155 confirmed coronavirus cases and 12 deaths related to the virus. At least six deaths have been tied to a nursing home in Woodland that has seen an outbreak in cases. KCRA 3 –4/24/20
  • California cities warn of widespread layoffs and service cuts due to nearly $7 billion in coronavirus losses — California cities expect to lose nearly $7 billion over the next two years because of the coronavirus pandemic, a fiscal emergency they warn could lead to widespread cuts in staffing and services without more federal and state aid. In a new analysis, the League of California Cities estimated that the state’s 482 cities will face a $6.7 billion decline in their local budgets in the next two fiscal years, largely from a drop in sales and hotel tax revenue. Those losses could climb by billions of dollars if widespread shutdowns of businesses and tourism continue past the end of May. San Francisco Chronicle — 4/24/20
  • LA city and county aim to help domestic abuse victims during coronavirus pandemic — Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced a program Friday aimed at providing resources to victims of domestic abuse, as reports of those types of crimes have declined since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Feuer said he was “very alarmed” at the decline in reports of domestic and other forms of abuse during the pandemic because people may continue to be abused, but they’re not coming forward due to the Safer at Home Orders. Daily Breeze — 4/24/20
  • Two Bakersfield doctors cite their testing data to urge reopening — Their message: COVID-19 is more ubiquitous and less deadly than we think. It’s similar to influenza and we should therefore reopen society and stop treating the situation like the lethal menace it was initially thought to be. Andrew Noymer of UC Irvine disagreed with the doctors’ premise that COVID-19 is as widespread as Erickson and Massihi think, saying the idea that nearly 5 million Californians have had the virus is a gross overestimate. The people tested in California were not a random sample; they were mostly people who were symptomatic, Noymer said. Bakersfield Californian — 4/23/20

National:

  • Here’s when all 50 states plan to reopen after coronavirus restrictions — Governors are beginning to announce timelines for relaxing strict measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus. Many states are dropping stay-at-home orders beginning May 1, while several states have not yet announced an end to restrictions. The Hill — 4/27/20
  • Supreme Court Rules Government Must Pay Insurers Under Affordable Care Act Program — The court’s ruling clears insurers to seek roughly $12 billion under an ACA program in place during early implementation of the 2010 health law that sought to mitigate financial risks for insurers that sold policies on ACA insurance exchanges, to persuade them to set insurance premiums at prices consumers would accept. WSJ — 4/27/20
  • McConnell’s rejection of federal aid for states risks causing a depression, analysts say — That’s a recipe for turning a potentially short recession into a prolonged depression, according to officials and analysts. The question of whether Congress and the White House should provide relief funding to state and local governments — as the feds have done already for private business — is about to reach a showdown in Washington. Washington Post — 4/27/20
  • Trump’s Disinfectant Remark Raises a Question About the ‘Very Stable Genius’ — The reaction has so rattled the president’s allies and advisers that he was compelled over the weekend to remove himself from the pandemic briefings entirely, at least temporarily accepting two fates he loathes: giving in to advice (from Republicans who said the appearances did far more harm than good to his political standing) and surrendering the mass viewership he relishes. NY Times — 4/27/20
  • The Secret Group of Scientists and Billionaires Pushing Trump on a Covid-19 Plan — They are working around the clock to cull the world’s most promising research for what they describe as a virus-era Manhattan Project. WSJ — 4/27/20
  • Social distancing could last months, White House coronavirus coordinator says — Some form of social distancing will probably remain in place through the summer, Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus task force coordinator, said Sunday — the same day several governors expressed optimism about the course of the virus and outlined their plans for a piecemeal reopening of their economies. It was the latest instance of conflicting signals coming not just from state and federal leaders but also from within the Trump administration in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic that so far has claimed the lives of more than 54,000 Americans. Last week, Vice President Pence predicted that “we will largely have this coronavirus epidemic behind us” by Memorial Day weekend. Washington Post — 4/26/20
  • ‘We’re basically ill-prepared’: Hobbled House majority frets about its effectiveness amid pandemic — Yet amid the biggest national crisis in generations, the one branch of government where Democrats hold power has largely sidelined itself, struggling so far to adopt remote voting, Zoom video hearings or any of the other alternative methods that have become standard for most workplaces in the age of covid-19. No administration official has appeared at a congressional hearing in over a month. Committees have been unable to meet in person to debate and advance bills. There is no firm date for when the new oversight panel will start its work. Washington Post — 4/26/20
  • Trump called PPE shortages ‘fake news.’ Health care workers say they’re still a real problem — President Donald Trump often opens his evening news briefings on the pandemic by rattling off a list of actions his administration has taken to secure protective gear for frontline health workers, claiming dire shortages have been resolved. But hospitals, nursing homes and caregivers across the country tell POLITICO they are still struggling to obtain medical masks, gloves and gowns, undercutting Trump’s assertions. Politico — 4/26/20
  • USDA let millions of pounds of food rot while food-bank demand soared — Tens of millions of pounds of American-grown produce is rotting in fields as food banks across the country scramble to meet a massive surge in demand, a two-pronged disaster that has deprived farmers of billions of dollars in revenue while millions of newly jobless Americans struggle to feed their families. While other federal agencies quickly adapted their programs to the coronavirus crisis, the Agriculture Department took more than a month to make its first significant move to buy up surplus fruits and vegetables — despite repeated entreaties. Politico — 4/26/20
  • Mnuchin: ‘You’re going to see the economy really bounce back in July, August, September’ — Treasury Secretary — “I think as we begin to reopen the economy in May and June you’re going to see the economy really bounce back in July, August, September,” Mnuchin said on “Fox News Sunday.” “We are putting an unprecedented amount of fiscal relief into the economy,” he added. “You’re seeing trillions of dollars that’s making its way into the economy, and I think this is going to have a significant impact.” The Hill — 4/26/20
  • How Las Vegas Became Ground Zero for the American Jobs Crisis — Nearly 350,000 people in Nevada have filed for unemployment benefits since the crisis began, the highest number in the history of the state. Applied Analysis, a Las Vegas-based economic research firm, estimates the city’s current jobless rate to be about 25 percent — nearly double what it was during the Great Recession — and rising. NY Times — 4/26/20
  • Large, Troubled Companies Got Bailout Money in Small-Business Loan Program — Applicants for loans do not need to provide evidence that they have been harmed by the pandemic. They simply need to certify that “current economic uncertainty makes this loan request necessary” to support their operations. Instead of having the Small Business Administration, which is guaranteeing the loans, decide which companies get funding, the process was essentially outsourced to banks. The banks collect fees for each loan they make but don’t have to monitor whether the recipients use the money appropriately. NY Times — 4/26/30
  • McConnell state bankruptcy remarks raise constitutional questions — Experts on state and local government finances say that Congress may not have the right to grant states the ability to file for bankruptcy under the Constitution. They also argued that bankruptcy wouldn’t be particularly helpful in addressing states’ coronavirus-related challenges. The Hill — 4/25/20
  • Young and middle-aged people, barely sick with covid-19, are dying of strokes — Doctors sound alarm about patients in their 30s and 40s left debilitated or dead. Some didn’t even know they were infected. Washington Post — 4/25/20
  • Editorial: Who do we save from coronavirus and who do we let die? Take wealth, race and disability out of that brutal equation — “Our society faces momentous decisions,” the chief of surgery explained to a young resident. “About terminal illness, prolonged coma, transplantation. Decisions about life and death. But society isn’t deciding. Congress isn’t deciding. The courts aren’t deciding. Religion isn’t deciding. Why? Because society is leaving it up to us, the experts. The doctors.” LA Times — 4/25/30
  • Coronavirus Projected to Trigger Worst Economic Downturn Since 1940s — The economy is likely to shrink 12% in the second quarter—a 40% drop if it were to persist for a year—and the jobless rate will average 14%, the nonpartisan research service said Friday. Job losses will come to 27 million in the second and third quarters. The federal budget deficit is expected to reach $3.7 trillion by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, the CBO said, up from about $1 trillion in the 12 months through March. WSJ — 4/24/20
  • U.S. weighs taking equity stakes in U.S. energy companies, Mnuchin says — The U.S. government is considering taking equity stakes in U.S. energy companies as it seeks to help the nation’s oil and gas sector amid the coronavirus outbreak, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Friday. Reuters — 4/24/20
  • Trump remarks on injecting disinfectants draw blowback from doctors — President Trump’s suggestion that people could inject disinfectants as a way to treat the coronavirus is drawing strong criticism from doctors who warn the remarks from the White House could endanger the public. In an unusual statement, the company that makes Lysol also warned against ingesting its products on Friday. The White House pushed back at the criticism on Friday morning, blaming the media for stirring up negative headlines. The Hill — 4/24/20
  • NASA team developed a ventilator tailored for coronavirus patients in 37 days — It’s called VITAL, or Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally. And after passing a critical test at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York earlier this week, NASA is hoping for fast-track approval of the ventilator in the coming days so it can be used to help coronavirus patients. CNN — 4/24/20
  • Workers Sue Smithfield Foods, Allege Conditions Put Them At Risk For COVID-19 — Smithfield Foods, one of the biggest meat producers in the country, is operating its plant in Milan, Mo., in a manner that contributes to the spread of the coronavirus, according to a federal lawsuit filed Thursday in Kansas City. The suit, brought by a plant worker identified as Jane Doe and by a nonprofit that advocates for plant workers, accuses Smithfield of failing to provide workers with sufficient protective equipment; forcing them to work shoulder to shoulder; giving them insufficient opportunities to wash their hands; discouraging them from taking sick leave; and failing to implement a plan for testing and contact tracing. NPR — 4/24/20
  • Trump offered a confusing coronavirus theory. Conservative pundits explained it for him — The evolution of Trump’s idea that light might be used inside coronavirus patients shows the symbiotic relationship between the president and his boosters. At times, conservative outlets have promoted ideas, such as the possibility that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine might help cure the disease, that Trump has then adopted. Other times, Trump throws out his own theories, and conservative outlets swiftly parrot them and defend the president. The president’s medical advisers expressed a desire for the media to spend less time dissecting the president’s extemporaneous remarks. Politico –4/26/20
  • Dr. Fauci gets his wish as Brad Pitt plays him in ‘SNL’ cold open — “Saturday Night Live” aired its second at-home episode Saturday night, kicking off the remotely produced show with a cold open featuring Brad Pitt as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In a CNN interview earlier this month, Fauci jokingly requested Pitt to portray him on “SNL.” Los Angeles Times — 4/26/20
  • Closed Hospitals Leave Rural Patients ‘Stranded’ as Coronavirus Spreads — Across the United States, hospitals serving rural areas have spent decades trying to provide medical care and produce enough revenue to stay open. They have closed in increasing numbers in recent years as local populations have declined. About 170 rural hospitals have shut down since 2005. New York Times — 4/26/20
  • ‘No Evidence’ Yet That Recovered COVID-19 Patients Are Immune, WHO Says — The World Health Organization has pushed back against the theory that individuals can only catch the coronavirus once, as well as proposals for reopening society that are based on this supposed immunity. In a scientific brief dated Friday, the United Nations agency said the idea that one-time infection can lead to immunity remains unproven and is thus unreliable as a foundation for the next phase of the world’s response to the pandemic. NPR — 4/25/20

Global:

  • Ardern: New Zealand has ‘won battle’ against community transmission of Covid-19 — Ahead of move to level-3 lockdown, PM says country must remain vigilant Level 3 will see retailers, restaurants and schools allowed to reopen on a smaller scale. Schools will reopen on Wednesday for children up to Year 10 who cannot study from home, or whose parents need to return to work. The Guardian — 4/27/20
  • UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson returns to work after coronavirus hospitalization, but warns that this is the ‘moment of maximum risk’ — The U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to work on Monday morning, completing his recovery after he was hospitalised for coronavirus and spent three nights in the ICU earlier this month. ABC— 4/27/20
  • Could a ‘controlled avalanche’ stop the coronavirus faster, and with fewer deaths? — The strategy would mimic the effects of a vaccination campaign by encouraging a majority of a population to become infected with the coronavirus and recover. But embedded within are a plethora of practical, political and ethical dilemmas, experts warn. Political leaders will face the charge that they’re sacrificing lives to shore up their economies. Healthcare workers and first responders could be overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. Low-income workers, already burdened by poorer health, would feel pressured to become infected so they could return to work. LA Times — 4/25/20
  • Maas warns of second Coronavirus wave — Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has called for a very cautious approach to relaxing measures against the spread of the Coronavirus in a bid to prevent a second wave of the pandemic. Deutschland.de — 4/24/20
  • Coronavirus will make life hard for a long time, Angela Merkel says — Despite positive developments in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has cautioned that the pandemic has only just begun. She also said Germany should be prepared to open its pocketbook to help the EU. dw.com –4/24/20
  • Air France-KLM secures billions in government aid — Air France-KLM has secured at least €9bn (£7.9bn; $9.7bn) in government aid, as the Franco-Dutch airline group struggles to stay afloat because of the coronavirus outbreak. BBC News — 4/24/20
  • World leaders kick off initiative to fight coronavirus without US — The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an initiative in collaboration with world leaders to accelerate the development of tests, drugs and vaccines against the coronavirus and share them around the world, without the involvement of the United States. WHO on Friday launched the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator during a video news conference with world leaders, among those who joined the conference included France President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The Hill — 4/24/20
  • Dutch students sail home across the Atlantic due to coronavirus — A group of 25 Dutch high school students arrived back in the Netherlands in a two-mast schooner on Sunday, after airline restrictions left them with little choice but to help sail it home from the Caribbean. The group, aged 14-17, had been halfway through a six week sail-study program in the region on board the “Wylde Swan”, which was built in 1920. But by mid-March, it appeared they could no longer fly home from Cuba as planned. Reuters — 4/26/20
  • Berlin’s Anti-Lockdown Protests Are Getting Way Bigger, Crazier, and More Far-Right — Berlin’s wild anti-lockdown protests took a decided turn to the far right on Saturday as extremist activists — and reps from Germany’s far-right parties, for the first time — came out in big numbers to swell the crowds to about 1,000 people, double the size of last weekend’s protest. The protests are organized by a fringe group that considers themselves left-wing anticapitalists, they’ve increasingly attracted support from far-right groups and activists. VICE News — 4/26/20

For more resources and information on COVID-19:

  • CA COVID-19 Response Website: link
  • California Department of Public Health: link
  • Centers for Disease Control: link
  • California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: link
  • Employment Development Department (EDD) link
  • Labor Workforce and Development Agency: link
  • Tips for prevention: English | Spanish

Apr 27

Weekly Blast from Jon Riley!

Hi Folks,

Tomorrow is Workers Memorial Day, a day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job, and to renew the fight for safe jobs. This year, Workers Memorial Day will be a little different since we are not able to congregate, but we will still make sure our voices are heard.
Together we will demand personal protective equipment (PPE), paid sick leave, and hazard pay for all frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic. And together we will speak up for safe jobs!

We have graphics for both twitter and facebook honoring our fallen brothers and sisters and demanding we protect frontline workers here. The AFL-CIO also has a great toolkit with resources that you can access here.

In addition, the Economic Policy Institute put out a Workers Memorial Day blog highlighting Labor Secretary Scalia’s failure to protect workers during the coronavirus crisis here.

Last but not least, today is the #SafetyNet4AllofUs digital day of action! A coalition of worker and immigrant rights groups will be hosting a Twitter chat from 1-2pm to ensure a safety net for all of us by committing to long-term relief for California’s undocumented community. Join us! Toolkit with sample emails, twitter and facebook posts here.

Stay safe and stay well.

In solidarity,

Alex Catsoulis

Engaging Union Members Ahead of Census 2020  

Every 10 years, everyone living in the United States gets counted. It’s called the census. The 2020 Census will provide a snapshot of our nation—our population, where we live, and so much more. More than $700 billion in federal funding is distributed to states and communities each year. These funds support vital community programs such as schools, hospitals, housing, and food assistance. The California labor movement is committed to educating and engaging our members and their families on the Census to ensure a fair and accurate count.  Below we have resources aimed at educating, supporting and recruiting both union and non-union members to participate in the 2020 census.


ACTION:
Post your union members holding I Count and Yo cuento porque signs and TAG US!

Other Resources/Materials
California Census
My Black Counts 
Counting for Dollars 

For more resources, questions and/or to schedule an in-person census training, please contact Census@calaborfed.org

 

13

Apr 27

Message from our President about Workers Memorial Day

Tomorrow workers across the nation celebrate Workers Memorial Day and honor those that fought hard, many giving their life to raise up working people’s conditions. I urge all of our affiliate members to take a minute at noon to stand in silence honoring those workers and to make a commitment to carry on the work to raise up working people’s standards – G Anthony Phillips, President

Apr 24

Labor Secretary Issues Directive to Employment Development Department to Suspend Unemployment Insurance Certifications

 

EDD Temporarily Suspends Certifications for the Weeks Ending March 14 – May 9

Suspending Certification Will Remove Strain on UI System Allowing More Users to have access to the system to file claims and to get online support

SACRAMENTO, CA — California Labor Secretary Julie A. Su sent a memorandum to Employment Development Department Director Sharon Hilliard directing the department to temporarily suspend unemployment certifications.

Su’s memo addresses the reasoning behind the directive:

Over the last two days, the benefits system has slowed significantly due to the strain of so many claims, keeping Californians from accessing UI Online to file new claims and to certify for payments. This has threatened the ability of people to apply for benefits and our ability to pay benefits[.]

In order to preserve UI Online and its ability to function to provide UI benefits and additional federal pandemic-related benefits to Californians, we need to take additional temporary emergency action.

Su also provided clarity on how this is allowable in the Unemployment Insurance Code:

In light of the persistent inability of many claimants to access UI Online to submit benefit certifications because of the historically high volume of claims causing unprecedented pressure on the UI Online platform, I am directing EDD not to disqualify a claimant for continued UI benefits on the ground that the claimant has not submitted a continued claim under Unemployment Insurance Code (UIC) section 1326.5 (also known as “certification” or “re-certification”) for the weeks ending March 14, 2020 through May 9, 2020. . . . This temporary emergency action is needed to ensure that claimants continue to be paid timely, even as the total number of new incoming claims continues to rapidly increase.

This temporary emergency flexibility is consistent with state law. UIC section 1326.5 provides that EDD can excuse a claimant’s failure to strictly comply with the statute’s requirements for “good cause.”

In response, the EDD posted a notice temporarily suspending the requirement to certify eligibility usually required for claimants every two weeks before a payment can be made. Claimants, however, remain required to notify the EDD immediately if they return to work during this time period.  They can do so through the EDD’s AskEDD system and selecting “Unemployment Insurance”, “Payments”, and then “EDD Paid Me and I Returned to Work, Need to Report Wages”. These changes apply to all those with an active claim that need to submit their certification for weeks ending March 14, 2020 through May 9. 

The EDD will continue to issue regular UI payment amounts to eligible claimants. The suspension of the certification requirement will help reduce the unprecedented server load on the UI Online system that created some intermittent access to some users. 

It will also allow the State to finish expanding system capacity needed to support UI enhancements moving forward, including the launch of the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program next week. 

“These are extraordinary times calling for extraordinary measures and it is our job to do everything we can to get these critical benefits into the hands of Californians,” said Su.

Apr 21

Here are your daily facts, news, and information on COVID-19, compiled by the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Cal OES Update:

  • April 19, 2020 – pdf

Governor Updates:

  • Today at Noon: Governor Gavin Newsom will provide an update on the state’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The update will be streamed at the @CAgovernor Twitter page and California Governor Facebook page.

News Highlights:

  • California schools ask for pension relief, more funding to cope with coronavirus costs
  • L.A. school district confronts $200 million in coronavirus costs and a grim budget future
  • Federal judge refuses to release large number of California prisoners
  • CA study finds thousands more with antibodies than known
  • California’s attorney general defends virus shutdowns
  • Protesters demand California stay-at-home rules end
  • State-funded L.A. ‘surge hospital’ opens at St. Vincent Medical Center
  • Less than half of L.A. County residents still have jobs amid coronavirus crisis
  • Woodland nursing home identified as site of 35-patient coronavirus outbreak
  • San Diego Comic-Con International Canceled
  • Safeway confirms approx. 51 employees test positive at Tracy distribution center
  • Congress, Trump administration near deal on coronavirus aid to small businesses
  • The one-day death toll in N.Y. state fell below 500 for the first time since April 2
  • Anti-lockdown protests grow across US
  • President Donald Trump’s administration clashed with state governors Sunday over lifting coronavirus lockdowns

News Articles:

California:

  • L.A. school district confronts $200 million in coronavirus costs and a grim budget future — The Los Angeles Unified School District is confronting an estimated $200 million in emergency coronavirus costs — after swiftly moving to provide computers for all students and food for their families — but it’s not clear from where crucial additional funding might ultimately come, Supt. Austin Beutner told The Times.  The mounting expenses will not immediately push the district’s $7.87-billion general fund into insolvency, but the unbudgeted spending probably violates state law requiring school systems to maintain a three-year balanced budget. LA Times — 4/20/20
  • Protesters demand California stay-at-home rules end. There is a path forward — Over the last three days, protesters have converged in Huntington Beach, San Diego, San Clemente and Encinitas, calling for the end to California’s stay-at-home orders, which have helped slow the spread of the coronavirus. They cite the devastating toll the shutdown has had on the economy. Some claim that coronavirus fears have been overblown and that social distancing is not needed, which goes against what public health officials and experts have said. LA Times — 4/20/20
  • Californians complying, but for how long? — How long will Californians continue to comply with social distancing and economic restrictions voluntarily? And if they chafe at the limits on their personal freedoms and begin to ignore them, will Newsom and other authorities use police, courts or even soldiers to enforce the orders? Newsom once hinted, carelessly, that he was prepared to declare martial law and have the National Guard enforce virus-dampening restrictions if needed. He quickly backed off and having now declared that he sees “light at the end of the tunnel” and a day when restrictions can be eased, clearly hopes that voluntary compliance will prevail. CalMatters — 4/19/20
  • PD Editorial: Newspapers’ vital role in the time of the coronavirus — Three more community newspapers are folding, leaving a void in three California communities at a time when local news and information are more essential than ever. With the latest closures, at least nine California weeklies have been silenced in the past month, each an ancillary victim of the coronavirus. Press Democrat — 4/19/20
  • Editorial: Massive COVID-19 testing needed before ‘opening up’ states — President Trump’s assertion Thursday that states can begin “opening up again” by May 1 or earlier is an invitation to disaster. It’s clear that when it comes to understanding the science of the COVID-19 pandemic or his administration’s inadequate response, the president doesn’t have a clue. Mercury News — 4/19/10
  • ‘It’s very exciting:’ Gov. Newsom and former Pres. Clinton discuss coronavirus testing, search for a vaccine — The two men discussed efforts to find a vaccine or therapeutic treatment for coronavirus, as well as disparities in outcomes for black residents and the role of income inequality in deaths from COVID-19, which Newsom referred to as America’s “original sin.” The day-long series of conversations with the former president also included one-on-one chats and panel conversations between Clinton and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, members of Congress and health care experts. Mercury News — 4/18/20
  • California schools ask for pension relief, more funding to cope with coronavirus costs — “The ramp up for distance learning is not cheap,” said Kevin Gordon, whose lobbying firm represents California school districts. “It’s really expensive.” The state is protecting funding for schools’ regular staffing costs and providing an additional $100 million in emergency money, according to the letter. Federal coronavirus aid will provide an $1.6 billion in short-term emergency money for California schools, the letter says. But the money won’t be enough to ensure access to online learning, provide meals to children and adults and to provide “overtime, stipends and differential pay to maintain a minimum level of staffing,” the letter states. Sac Bee — 4/18/20
  • Federal judge refuses to release large number of California prisoners — A federal judge refused Friday to order California prison officials to release large numbers of inmates or impose social-distancing requirements as protections against the coronavirus, saying the state has acted “reasonably” so far by freeing several thousand prisoners ahead of schedule and taking steps to expand housing and improve sanitation. SF Chronicle — 4/17/20
  • California chief justice: Courts lack information on jail conditions — “The biggest piece of data we need is our in-custody defendants, what is happening in real time in the jails … what is the contagion in the jails,” Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said Thursday in a national teleconference organized by the nonprofit Council on Criminal Justice. SF Chronicle — 4/17/20
  • Garcetti: L.A. is ‘under attack’ and will need to furlough thousands of city workers — The mayor’s remarks represented a jarring break from previous State of the City speeches, when he offered overwhelmingly uplifting messages. In this year’s address, Garcetti offered a series of grim signposts about the city’s immediate future: joblessness, a collapse in hotel reservations and a 95% drop in passenger air travel — all products of the coronavirus outbreak. The city has already borrowed $70 million from special funds while responding to the health crisis. To balance the city budget, civilian city workers will need to take off 26 unpaid days — the equivalent of a 10% reduction in pay, the mayor said. LA Times — 4/19/20
  • What comes next for California cities? Deficits, bailouts and long recoveries — Across California cities, the clamor for a federal bailout is growing. Whatever reserve they may have built up during the recovery is being wiped out and replaced by red ink. City hall leaders now face an unsavory menu of service cuts, furloughs and staff reductions. Public employee pension and health care obligations will only add to the pain.  Here’s a look at California’s 10 largest cities and how they’re responding to the coronavirus fallout. CalMatters — 4/17/20
  • Editorial: Newsom should deliver results, not chase headlines — Throughout his career, Gov. Gavin Newsom has relied on audacious statements and actions. When he’s at his best, they work. His decision to order the state to shelter-at-home has curbed the spread of COVID-19 and saved lives in the process. California’s lower rate of COVID-19 cases relative to the national average is a clear benefit of this action. But too often, his “bold” gestures unravel under scrutiny and he comes off as chasing national headlines before he actually accomplishes his objectives.OC Register — 4/17/20
  • How widespread is coronavirus? CA study finds thousands more with antibodies than known — Research from Stanford University shows that it’s possible that between 50 and 85 times more people in Santa Clara County may have been infected by the coronavirus by early April, researchers said. The study used blood tests to see how many people had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the scientific name of the coronavirus, in their system. The prevalence of the antibodies could indicate how many people had COVID-19 in the past, researchers said. Sac Bee — 4/17/20
  • This reclusive Marin County town is testing everybody for coronavirus —In the 1970s, this remote seaside village gained a measure of notoriety when the quirky characters who lived here successfully halted new development and became the subject of the book, “The Town that Fought to Save Itself.” Now, nearly 50 years later, the Marin County town is fighting to save itself once again — this time from the threat of coronavirus. Starting Monday, a privately-funded guerrilla-style operation will be underway to test the entire town of 1,680 people for the deadly virus. It’s an extraordinarily rare privilege at a time when most of the country is desperate to get a handle on the extent of infection, but hamstrung by a lack of available tests. Mercury News — 4/18/20
  • California’s attorney general defends virus shutdowns  — The state has been sued over all three during its shutdown as government officials pick winners and losers in deciding which businesses and activities can operate and which can’t. But in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, Attorney General Xavier Becerra said officials have broad authority to do what they think is necessary to slow the spread during the virus pandemic, even if that trumps normal fundamental freedoms. AP — 4/17/20
  • Cut farmworker pay during the crisis? Don’t do it, California growers say — The Trump administration reportedly is considering a farmworker pay cut. But it would cause hardships for people already living on the edge of poverty. Growers say they’d rather see the feds fund food banks and others so they can buy their food.  CalMatters — 4/17/20
  • State-funded L.A. ‘surge hospital’ opens at St. Vincent Medical Center — The hospital, which opened Monday, had eight patients as of Friday morning, said Dr. Christina Ghaly, director for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The hospital is one of a handful of facilities set aside for use during the pandemic. The Los Angeles-owned Convention Center is now being turned over for use as a field medical facility. LA Times— 4/17/20
  • Less than half of L.A. County residents still have jobs amid coronavirus crisis — Because of the colossal impact that the coronavirus outbreak has had on the U.S. economy, less than half of Los Angeles County residents — 45% compared with 61% in mid-March — still hold a job, a decline of 16 percentage points, or an estimated 1.3 million jobs, according to findings from a national survey released Friday. The survey also suggests that 25.5 million jobs have been potentially lost across the U.S. since mid-March, and that people of color, especially black Americans, are more likely to have lost their jobs since mid-March. LA Times — 4/18/20
  • San Diego Comic-Con International Canceled — For the first time in 50 years, San Diego Comic-Con International has been canceled due to the impact and restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic, organizers announced Friday. Comic-Con was supposed to take place from July 23 to July 26 at the San Diego Convention Center in downtown San Diego – the same venue currently being used as a temporary shelter for homelesslocals during the coronavirus pandemic. NBC — 4/18/20
  • ‘This is the wild Wild West.’ Gavin Newsom says more transparency could imperil mask deal — On Saturday, Newsom promised that his administration would release the “hundreds and hundreds of pages” of the agreement soon so that the public can scrutinize them. In the meantime, he said those seeking more detail about the $1 billion contract are consumed with process while he is more interested in outcome. The first shipment of masks is due to arrive before the end of April, a spokesman for the governor’s Office of Emergency Services has said. — Sac Bee — 4/18/20
  • Newsom: Cities blocking hotels for homeless will be ‘judged’ by history — Governor accuses some municipalities of succumbing to NIMBY politics, announces partnership with Motel 6 that may open 5,000 additional rooms across the state for homeless residents.  CalMatters — 4/18/20
  • CA officially in recession, budget cuts loom — The good news: California has an $18 billion rainy day fund, the biggest in its history. The bad news: It’s likely gone, with cuts looming on the horizon. Viswanathan made clear that the $15.3 billion California is getting from the federal government’s stimulus package won’t be enough to patch the state’s financial hole — nor, for that matter, would the $1 trillion Newsom requested from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for all state and local governments. CalMatters –4/17/20
  • Woodland nursing home identified as site of 35-patient coronavirus outbreak — A retirement and assisted-living campus in Woodland has been identified as the site of a coronavirus outbreak where about two dozen residents and a dozen staff members recently tested positive. Yolo County officials announced in a Monday news release that 23 residents and 12 staffers at an undisclosed nursing facility within the county had tested positive for COVID-19. One of those residents has died. Sac Bee –4/17/20
  • Taylor Swift concerts scheduled to open SoFi Stadium in July are canceled — Taylor Swift, whose concerts July 25 and 26 would have opened the $5-billion stadium in Inglewood, postponed all her live appearances for the remainder of the year Friday because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Los Angeles Times –4/17/20
  • Coronavirus antibody tests are almost impossible to get. Meet three L.A. residents who got them — The antibody tests, also known as serology tests, have become increasingly publicized. Last week, Los Angeles County launched a study to test residents, including those without symptoms, to get a sense of how many people had the virus. While the tests have captured growing attention, they’re not yet widely available to the public. Only a handful have been allowed by the federal government for diagnostic use; others are approved for research use only. No test offers ironclad accuracy. Los Angeles Times –4/17/20
  • Placer County amends stay-home order. What it means for golf courses, parks and more — It appears the county is becoming one of the first in the state to roll back some restrictions within its stay-at-home order, offering a small glimpse of the eventual return to normalcy amid a worldwide pandemic. Placer County Public Health on Thursday evening amended sections of its order governing outdoor activities and businesses, in effect allowing a number of parks, golf courses and sports courts to reopen under certain conditions. Sacramento Bee –4/17/20
  • Safeway Confirms Approx. 51 Employees Test Positive At Tracy Distribution Center — This is the first time the company has given a numerical figure on the number of confirmed cases at the facility. In a statement to CBS13, the company said 3 percent of the facility’s approximately 1,700 employees received a positive diagnosis. On Wednesday, the company confirmed that one employee at the distribution center died from COVID-19. CBS Sacramento –4/17/20

National:

  • Congress, Trump Administration Near Deal on Coronavirus Aid to Small Businesses –– Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday that he was hopeful that the two sides could reach a deal on Monday, when the Senate is set to convene in the afternoon. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) has advised members that the House could vote on an agreement as early as Wednesday. The emerging agreement would send about $310 billion more to the Paycheck Protection Program, which last week exhausted the $350 billion Congress originally allocated for it. The deal is also set to include $75 billion in assistance for hospitals and $25 billion to expand testing for the virus across the country. WSJ — 4/20/20
  • The one-day death toll in N.Y. state fell below 500 for the first time since April 2 — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Monday that another 478 people had died in New York, the lowest single-day toll in more than two weeks. After having said in recent days that the virus appeared to have reached or past a peak in New York, Mr. Cuomo said that authorities were now trying to ascertain how gradual the decrease in infection might be in the days and weeks to come. NY Times — 4/20/20
  • Homebound Congress grasps for relevance as Trump eats up airtime — Congress is missing. With every level of government consumed by the coronavirus pandemic, the 535 members of the House and Senate have been relegated to the sidelines, scrounging for relevance while the fights of consequence unfold without them. Even as they’ve busied themselves back home, lawmakers are desperate for a way to cast votes or hold hearings from afar. Politico — 4/17/20
  • Reasons you may not have gotten your stimulus money yet — About 80 million people were sent their stimulus payments this week — but if you weren’t one of them, it doesn’t mean you won’t get the money. The Internal Revenue Service started by sending money to the people it could reach the fastest. This was anyone who had direct deposit information already on file with the agency because they were due a refund on either their 2018 or 2019 federal tax returns. KCRA 3 –4/17/20
  • Anti-lockdown protests grow across US — Protests against lockdown measures are growing across the US, even as the number of infections and deaths continue to rise. The demonstrations have occurred in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Minnesota, Utah, Virginia and Kentucky. Protesters say the severe economic restrictions are hurting citizens, but health officials warn lifting them could spread infection. BBC News –4/17/20
  • Fauci: Diseases like coronavirus ‘don’t just disappear’ — Fauci was asked during an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham if COVID-19 could “disappear” like SARS did in 2004. “Anything could, Laura, but I must say that the degree of efficiency of transmissibility of this is really unprecedented in anything that I’ve seen. It’s an extraordinarily efficient virus in transmitting from one person to another,” Fauci said. “These kinds of viruses don’t just disappear.” The Hill –4/16/20
  • Can you catch coronavirus from a dead body? It’s a possibility, researchers say — People who passed away from the new coronavirus may still be contagious after death, researchers say, but how long bodies can possibly be infectious remains a mystery. The possibility raises health safety concerns for forensic scientists and other workers who handle the dead as the global death toll continues to rise, overwhelming hospitals, nursing homes and funeral homes with piles of bodies. Sacramento Bee –4/17/20
  • Empty Roads Amid Coronavirus Pandemic Brings Severe Spike In Speeders, Highway Officials Say — Emptier streets and highways have resulted in a “significant surge” in reports of drivers reaching speeds of 100 mph or more in major cities and less populated ones, the safety association said. The uptick in speeding follows a decline in overall traffic during the pandemic. March marked the first time ever that congestion disappeared across American roadways. CBS Sacramento –4/17/20
  • Feds charge doctor who cited Trump to push hydroxychloroquine ‘miracle cure’ — It was described as the “magic bullet” to protect against the deadly coronavirus — a “remarkable clinical phenomenon” that could cure the disease within hours. In the words of San Diego physician Jennings Staley, the drug hydroxychloroquine, approved to treat conditions ranging from malaria to lupus, was “almost too good to be true.” The doctor would soon be charged with a federal crime. CNN –4/17/20
  • ‘Delusional’: US governors excoriate Trump’s Covid-19 lockdown exit plan — President Donald Trump’s administration clashed with state governors Sunday over lifting coronavirus lockdowns, in a standoff embittered by his support for protests against the restrictions. Vice President Mike Pence said that every US state has the ability to do enough testing to allow preliminary re-opening of the economy and a partial restart of normal life in America. But some state governors said testing capacity was far behind levels needed to avoid sparking new outbreaks of the virus. France 24 –4/19/20
  • Beware of These Fake Text Messages and Robocalls Going Around About the Coronavirus — If you get a text message saying you’ve come into contact with someone who’s tested positive for COVID-19, don’t click the link. It’s a scam, officials say. Warnings about such texts have been circulating from Kansas to Maine. And it’s just one of numerous coronavirus-related scams that local, state and federal officials report are attempting to prey on vulnerable Americans. Action News Now –4/19/20
  • Covid-19 has killed multiple bishops and pastors within the nation’s largest black Pentecostal denomination — The Church of God in Christ, the country’s biggest African American Pentecostal denomination, has taken a deep and painful leadership hit with reports of at least a dozen to up to 30 bishops and prominent clergy dying of covid-19. Washington Post–4/19/20
  • DeWine calls on protesters to observe social distancing — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said Sunday that he did not object to protests against closures in the state as long as demonstrators did not violate social distancing measures. DeWine also said that while Ohio has “had a great partnership with the president and the vice president” on the coronavirus response, “I could probably double, maybe even triple testing in Ohio virtually overnight” if the FDA took action. Maryland’s Larry Hogan (R) told CNN’s “State of the Union” that states are struggling with a testing kit shortage. The Hill –4/19/20
  • Congress, Trump administration close to deal on new aid package — Congress and the Trump administration are quickly nearing a more than $400 billion deal on emergency funding for small businesses hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with passage expected in the coming days. A deal could be announced as early as Sunday or Monday, according to congressional aides. Politico –4/19/20

Global:

  • Zoom’s Security Woes Were No Secret to Business Partners Like Dropbox — One year ago, two Australian hackers found themselves on an eight-hour flight to Singapore to attend a live hacking competition sponsored by Dropbox. At 30,000 feet, with nothing but a slow internet connection, they decided to get a head start by hacking Zoom, a videoconferencing service that they knew was used by many Dropbox employees. NY Times — 4/20/20
  • ‘Cartels are scrambling’: Coronavirus snarls global drug trade — The coronavirus is dealing a gut punch to the illegal drug trade, authorities say, paralyzing economies, closing borders and severing supply chains in China that traffickers rely on for the chemicals to make such profitable drugs as methamphetamine and the powerful opioid fentanyl. One of the main suppliers that shut down is in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the global outbreak. LA Times — 4/20/20
  • Singapore Seemed to Have Coronavirus Under Control, Until Cases Doubled — The spread suggests that it is unrealistic for the United States, Europe and the rest of the world to return to the way they were anytime soon, even if viral curves appear to flatten. NY Times — 4/20/20
  • EU should back ‘recovery bonds’ in response to coronavirus, says European Parliament — The EU should go further in its response to the coronavirus crisis by setting up a “European Health Response Mechanism” and recovery bonds guaranteed by the EU budget, MEPs urged in a resolution adopted Friday. Politico –4/17/20
  • A governor in Kenya is putting Hennessy bottles in coronavirus care packages — Recipients of Nairobi politician Mike Sonko’s COVID-19 care packages can expect to receive the typical food staples except for one item — alcohol. The governor justified the inclusion of alcohol as “throat sanitizer.” The World Health Organization has explicitly stated that alcohol does not protect against coronavirus, and advises people to minimize its consumption. KCRA 3 –4/17/20
  • Saudi grand mufti: Ramadan, Eid prayers to be done at home — Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti, the highest religious authority in the kingdom, has said prayers during Ramadan and the subsequent Eid al-Fitr festival should be performed at home if the coronavirus outbreak continues. The holy fasting month of Ramadan begins next week. Al Jazeera –4/17/20
  • Paris mayor promises public hand gel dispensers, other measures when lockdown ends — Paris’ bus stops and metro entrances will be equipped with hand gel dispensers and commuters will likely be obliged to wear face masks to use public transport once coronavirus confinement measures are lifted, according to the city’s mayor. France is due to start exiting its strict lockdown from May 11, with schools set to reopen then, but the government has yet to spell out when businesses like cafes and cinemas can restart and to what extent people will be allowed to move around. France 24 –4/19/20
  • In Europe, Covid-19 puts idea of universal income back into welfare debate — Hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, Spain is the first European country to lay the foundation for universal income. The health crisis has also reopened the debate about a living wage or unconditional living allowance in France and elsewhere. France 24 –4/19/20
  • Foreign powers test US defenses amid coronavirus pandemic — U.S. adversaries are probing America’s defenses as the world is preoccupied with the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. In the past two weeks, Russia, China, Iran and North Korea have all moved to test Washington in the sea, in the air and on land as U.S. forces have become more restricted in movement amid concerns over the spread of COVID-19. The Hill –4/19/20
  • ‘Missing in action’: UK’s Johnson under fire for early handling of Covid-19 — The British government insisted Sunday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was “on top of things” as he recovers from the coronavirus facing criticism of his early handling of the crisis. The Conservative leader spent three days in intensive care after contracting the virus, and has been off work since March 27, but was released from hospital last Sunday after a week-long stay. A Sunday Times newspaper report said Johnson had missed five of the government’s emergency response meetings in January and February. France 24 –4/19/20

For more resources and information on COVID-19:

  • CA COVID-19 Response Website: link
  • California Department of Public Health: link
  • Centers for Disease Control: link
  • California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: link
  • Employment Development Department (EDD) link
  • Labor Workforce and Development Agency: link
  • Tips for prevention: English | Spanish

Apr 16

You should check your Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application confirmation number!

 

The CARES Act of 2020 simplified the EIDL program application process and allowed small businesses to receive a payroll advance of up to $10,000. If you applied before March 29th 2020 and your confirmation number starts with a “2” it’s wise to reapply. When you do you will receive a new confirmation number starting with a “3”. You will not lose your original place in line. Reapplying provides these benefits:

·    Your application is incorporated directly into the faster, upgraded application processing system and doesn’t need to be moved over from the older system.

·    You can request an advance of up to $10,000 ($1,000 per owner/employee).

Apply for EIDL here

 

Contact your local Small Business Development Center for more information:

https://www.westcenter.org/

https://www.marinsbdc.org/

https://www.napasonomasbdc.org/

Apr 16

COVID-19 Resource Workshops with Vallejo City Councilmember Hakeem Brown