Updating . .   

Purple-tier California counties will get curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., state says -- People will still be allowed to perform essential tasks like walking their dog, picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy or getting takeout at restaurants, according to a source in the Newsom administration. Sophia Bollag, Tony Bizjak, and Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ Phil Willon, Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ Al Saracevic in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Marisa Kendall, Evan Webeck in the San Jose Mercury$ Jeremy B. White and Victoria Colliver Politico Barbara Feder Ostrov CalMatters -- 11/19/20

At least 750,000 Californians could lose unemployment benefits by end of 2020 -- Somewhere between 750,000 and 1.6 million Californians will abruptly lose federal unemployment benefits at the end of December, unless Congress passes and the president signs a bill extending them, according to two reports issued this week. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Despite reports of unemployment fraud, California keeps sending mail with Social Security info -- California’s unemployment benefits agency, which has reported a deluge of fraudulent claims, has sent out more than 38 million pieces of mail containing Social Security numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic began, despite a call last year for the practice to stop because it could lead to identity theft, the state auditor warned Thursday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Covid 

California at a coronavirus crossroads as average number of new cases hits record high -- Over the one-week period that ended Wednesday, the state, on average, recorded more than 10,000 new cases each day — an unprecedented figure that has more than tripled from a month ago, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Andrea Roberson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

L.A. officials are still not sure how or why COVID cases are skyrocketing. It’s a huge handicap -- Los Angeles officials in recent days have pleaded with residents to cancel social gatherings and announced limited hours for businesses in an effort to counteract a swift rise in coronavirus cases. But the clear messaging belies a murkier reality: They don’t fully understand why so many people are becoming infected. Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Urgency increases as coronavirus surge threatens to overwhelm LA County hospitals -- A major wave of coronavirus patients flowing into hospitals by early December could force Los Angeles County to return to restrictive Safer-at-Home orders similar to those of the early days of the pandemic, according to public health officials who expressed a new sense of urgency on Wednesday, Nov. 18. David Rosenfeld in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 11/19/20

Sacramento reaches 300 COVID-19 deaths. 1 in 28 city residents have tested positive -- Increasing hospitalizations and especially intensive care unit rates — which are also surging fast in Sacramento, exceeding 50 on Thursday for the first time in almost three months — have consistently been predictors of fatality spikes, which tend to begin a few weeks after hospital numbers start to jump. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/20

California’s vaccine plan will prioritize Blacks and Latinos, among others. Here’s why -- Take a look at California’s COVID-19 caseload maps, and it’s easy to spot where rates are highest: in some of the state’s most diverse and low-income communities. Hannah Wiley and Kim Bojórquez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/20

California considers emergency COVID-19 workplace safety rules as infections rise -- A six-member board overseeing the safety of California’s workplaces on Thursday will consider imposing new rules intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has been surging across the state. Jie Jenny Zou in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

School   

‘State-sanctioned segregation’: California’s school closure debate boils over -- A hands-off approach by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and public pressure from powerful labor unions has led the state’s biggest city districts to keep schools shuttered, leaving most of California’s 6 million public schoolchildren learning at home. Even San Francisco, which has had one of the lowest infection rates for any U.S. city, hasn’t attempted in-person teaching. MacKenzie Mays and Katy Murphy Politico -- 11/19/20

Cal Lutheran reports coronavirus outbreak after students hold off-campus party -- The university said in a statement that all students associated with the outbreak had been instructed to isolate. Twelve of the students may have been on campus while contagious, officials said. Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

San Bernardino school system plans to stay online for the entire year. Will other districts follow? -- The San Bernardino school system will not reopen its campuses for the remainder of the school year, a response to the surging coronavirus crisis and a move that may make it the first in the state to make the difficult decision to keep students online in kindergarten through 12th grade. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Crime Free Housing  

Black and Latino renters face eviction, exclusion amid police crackdowns in California -- Stewart didn’t know it at the time, but he was up against “crime-free housing,” a collection of policies that have expanded the power of the police to decide who can and can’t live in more than a thousand cities across the country. Liam Dillon, Ben Poston, Julia Barajas in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Here’s how we found places in California with rules about ‘crime-free housing’ -- To understand the spread of crime-free housing policies in California, The Times searched the municipal codes of all 539 cities and counties in the state and scoured local police department websites. Liam Dillon, Ben Poston, Julia Barajas in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Election  

Speed reading: California votes being counted twice as fast this year -- With nearly 17.5 million votes already tallied, county election officials have just about wrapped up counting the ballots from November’s presidential election. A little over two weeks out, that puts California way ahead of the norm from recent elections. Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 11/19/20

Michael Tubbs lost his bid to return as Stockton mayor. Some say he’s still a rising star -- When Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs conceded defeat Tuesday in a bid for a second term in this troubled San Joaquin Valley city, it was a painful moment he had not expected. Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

California Republican infamous for social posts refuses – like Trump – to concede election -- Republican Ted Howze was beaten handily by Rep. Josh Harder in the 2020 election. Even if Howze won all of the remaining votes left to count, he would still fall short of Harder’s lead. But Howze isn’t conceding. Kate Irby in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/20

San Diego telemarketer fined nearly $10 million for fraudulent Caller ID numbers -- The Federal Communications Commission has fined a San Diego man and his telemarketing company nearly $10 million for falsifying Caller ID numbers on political robocalls that contained false accusations about a candidate in a 2018 California Assembly race. Mike Freeman in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/19/20

Water     

What happens when a rural area’s only well is contaminated? -- In the spring of 2013, Jocelyn Walters moved Nativearth, her family’s small shoe business, into a warehouse in Mariposa Industrial Park that gave them more space to grow. But there was one quirk of the new space she hadn’t foreseen. Rebecca Sohn CalMatters -- 11/19/20

Also . . .   

Why ‘sea-scooter’ Ponzi suspect allegedly targeted California ‘prosperity gospel’ church -- People who visit the website of Bethel Church, an evangelical megachurch in Redding, will find inspirational quotes from its leaders, photos of worship services and a link to its YouTube channel. Oh, and this: a financial disclaimer telling congregants that Bethel doesn’t endorse any offers they may receive to invest their money. Dale Kasler, Sam Stanton, and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/20

Lopez: The Republican mayor of San Diego was right to slap down Gov. Newsom -- I haven’t eaten at a restaurant in so long, I can’t even remember the last time. Why not? Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Feds charge Hollywood man after drone collides with LAPD helicopter -- The potentially deadly collision occurred Sept. 18 after Los Angeles police officers responding to a predawn burglary call at a Hollywood pharmacy requested air support. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

California Policy and P  olitics Thursday Morning  

Hospitals could soon be overwhelmed amid COVID-19 surge, L.A. County officials say -- The COVID-19 pandemic is hurtling toward crisis levels in Los Angeles County, with officials saying hospitals are in danger of being overwhelmed and significant new restrictions are possible. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Health officials’ plea: Cancel the Thanksgiving spread and stay home -- Isabel Morales was among hundreds of Contra Costa County residents who lined up at a free drive-through coronavirus testing site in Concord this week, hoping to clarify her health status ahead of Thanksgiving. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

‘Fighting for their lives’: Lone Yuba-Sutter hospital flooded with COVID-19 patients -- The rural Yuba-Sutter area in Northern California is facing a severe influx of coronavirus activity that is filling hospital beds at an alarming pace, the president of the bi-county region’s only hospital said this week. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/20

Yolo County reports COVID-19 outbreak at nursing facility. It’s the second one this week -- Yolo County on Wednesday afternoon announced another nursing facility has reported a coronavirus outbreak. This time it’s Cottonwood Post-Acute Rehab in Woodland, where 22 residents and six staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/20

The new COVID-19 surge in Placer County is ‘escalating much faster’ than officials feared -- The county, home to more than 400,000 residents, reported its test positivity rate and case rate doubled in the last month pushing the county, along with most of California, into the most restrictive tier of business and religious service openings. The spike is the highest in three months. And it’s not showing any signs of letting up. Molly Sullivan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/20

Surge Impact  

As COVID cases rise, businesses feel San Diego County’s tightening enforcement -- On Wednesday afternoon, Diana Reynolds sat just inside the back door of Don’s Cocktail Lounge in El Cajon taking drink orders. Her patrons were sitting at tables set up in the parking lot, sipping beers and stronger stuff, tucked into the bar’s lengthening shadow as cars and trucks rumbled down nearby Los Coches Road. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/19/20

Child Care Providers Say California's Subsidized System Is Collapsing Under Pandemic Pressure -- Child care providers who care for some of California's neediest families have been warning for months that the system is going to collapse if they don’t get help soon. In-home providers already operated on razor-thin margins. Katie Orr KQED -- 11/19/20

These California workers were used to solving crises, but COVID-19 took it to a new level -- Accustomed to solving one crisis after another, workers at WEAVE, My Sister’s House and other agencies addressing domestic violence adopted radical changes in how they served people in the face of statewide orders for residents to shelter in place to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Cathie Anderson and Yesenia Amaro in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/20

First rain of season unveils a new pollution problem: masks and gloves — pandemic PPE -- The Bay Area’s first rain of the season is washing away worries of wildfire and drought. But it’s also bringing a new concern: gobs of face masks flooding San Francisco Bay. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Newsom's French Laundry dinner sparks questions about 'outdoor dining' definition -- Does a fancy open garage count as an outdoor dining venue? That's the question prompted by pictures that emerged this week of Gov. Gavin Newsom's dinner with friends and lobbyists at the posh French Laundry in Yountville. Victoria Colliver Politico Emily DeRuy, Linda Zavoral in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/19/20

This Thanksgiving, hit the grocery store early to avoid overcrowding -- This year, crowds could be a threat to shoppers and workers alike. Cases of the coronavirus have increased substantially in recent weeks, spurred in most instances by large gatherings and close contact. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Budgets  

California could see a $26-billion windfall followed by growing deficits, analysts say -- California’s state budget faces a dramatic boom-and-bust period over the next four years, analysts said Wednesday, a roller-coaster period that could begin with a $26-billion tax windfall and later plunge to a projected deficit of $17.5 billion by the middle of 2025. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Laurel Rosenhall CalMatters -- 11/19/20

San Diego faces large budget deficits as pandemic shrinks tax revenues -- Even if a COVID-19 vaccine becomes widely available by next spring, San Diego will likely face sizable budget deficits over the next three years despite plans to freeze expenditures and give no employees a pay raise, a new city analysis shows. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/19/20

Two Bay Area cities at ‘high risk’ for financial problems, state says -- Richmond and El Cerrito are among nine California cities at high risk for serious financial distress in the next several years, largely due to their lack of rainy-day funds and heavy debt loads. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

As San Francisco sales tax receipts sag, cannabis is riding high -- Because of the pandemic shutdown, San Francisco’s local sales taxes have been hit hard and are expected to continue the downturn in the coming year, except those for one product: cannabis. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Policy & Politics 

Facing increasing criticism, California legislators defend Hawaii trip during COVID-19 surge -- California lawmakers who flew to a conference in Maui amid the pandemic broke their silence over the controversy Wednesday, defending the trip by calling it safe despite officials in their home state advising people not to travel during the current surge in COVID-19 cases. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

California could lose a seat in Congress, but Bay Area looks to be safe -- While California is likely to lose at least one of its 53 congressional seats when the 2020 census is complete, the Bay Area probably won’t take the hit. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Skelton: Courts will decide if Newsom exceeded his executive power. Californians are judging his hypocrisy -- Judges will decide whether Gov. Gavin Newsom has the legal right to dictate public activity during the pandemic. But the public will judge whether he has the moral right after committing a hypocritical blunder. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Ex-Recology exec accused of funneling $1 million in bribes to Mohammed Nuru -- Federal prosecutors charged a former San Francisco executive at waste management company Recology with bribery and concealing money laundering Wednesday, saying he funneled more than $1 million to Mohammed Nuru over the span of several years in an attempt to curry favor with the ex-Public Works director. Michael Williams in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Oakland’s new waterfront park is a startling remake of a derelict pier -- Every shoreline park is unique — shaped by conditions that differ from site to site as surely as each day’s shifting tides. John King in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Cleaner Cars  

Up to $1,500 off: California rolls out a new incentive program for clean cars -- In another example of California encouraging drivers to buy zero- or low-emissions vehicles, the California Air Resources Board and the state’s utilities have teamed up to launch a program offering a discount of up to $1,500 on the purchase or lease of new electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/19/20

Street  

Witness video captures shooting by S.F. police of man on Market Street -- A person who said they witnessed the shooting of a man on Market Street by San Francisco police officers on Tuesday posted video of the encounter on social media and said he did not see the man advance on officers before he was shot. Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

S.F. Public Defender’s Office launches website for searching cop records -- The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office on Wednesday launched a website where members of the public can search for police records of misconduct, shootings, civil suits and certain officer complaints. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

San Jose leaders push forward on voter-approved police reforms -- With a strong mandate from voters, San Jose leaders are forging ahead with proposed police reforms that involve wider scrutiny on police misconduct. But their success hinges largely on support from a police union that calls the reforms “a solution in search of a problem.” Maggie Angst, Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/19/20

Small group protests outside home of L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva -- A small group protested near Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s home Wednesday afternoon, calling for the department to release the names of deputies involved in the recent fatal shootings of Dijon Kizzee and Fred Williams. Leila Miller, Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

LAPD sergeant sues after being disciplined over social media posts on Nipsey Hussle, other topics -- A Los Angeles police sergeant who was repeatedly disciplined over controversial posts on his personal Facebook and Instagram accounts is suing the LAPD and its top commander for violating his constitutional rights, alleging they punished him simply for expressing political viewpoints they didn’t like. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Back to School  

How one Northern California school district got teachers and students back in the classroom -- There was little debate in Manteca about reopening schools. The district’s 25,000 students needed to get back into classrooms with their teachers, officials and parents argued. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Education 

In ‘remarkable’ turnaround, California schools can expect huge one-time windfall next year, LAO says -- An uneven recession savaging low-income Californians, but a surprisingly fast economic rebound advantaging higher-income Californians, will create a huge unexpected state budget surplus that will provide an unexpected $13.1 billion in one-time revenue for K-12 schools and community colleges in the fiscal year starting July 1, 2021, the Legislative Analyst’s Office reported on Wednesday. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 11/19/20

San Diego Unified floats requests to Biden administration in State of District address -- District asks Biden to give schools $350 billion in COVID aid and fully fund special education while reinstating national teacher corps program. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/19/20

SDSU asks thousands of students not to travel over Thanksgiving holiday -- San Diego State University is urging all students who have been taking in-person classes or engaging in campus research not to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday to minimize the chance that they would spread or contract the novel coronavirus. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/19/20

High school seniors lament what they are missing as they plan for the future -- Once again, California high school seniors are facing a year of uncertainty. They don’t know if they will be able to go to their prom or attend their graduation. Diana Lambert, Ali Tadayon, Theresa Harrington EdSource -- 11/19/20

Distance Learning Struggle 

Disappointing grades, technology glitches and glimpses of learning fun -- While some students have acclimated to distance learning and even thrived, most in EdSource’s project following California families on how they are coping with Covid-19, are still struggling with spotty internet access, technical glitches and the frustration of not seeing friends and teachers in person. EdSource -- 11/19/20

How Kusema Thomas missed six weeks of distance learning in LA Unified middle school -- The grades hardly came as a shock. Kusema hadn’t attended classes for most of the first six weeks of school at the Stephen M. White Middle School STEAM Magnet. But not for lack of interest or for lack of trying. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 11/19/20

Homeless  

S.F. will slow down plan to move 500 homeless people out of hotels, but mounting costs still a worry -- San Francisco’s homeless department said it will slow down a much-criticized plan to move more than 500 homeless people out of city-funded hotel rooms before Christmas, following news that it will get millions of dollars from the state to support the program. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Cannabis  

Court dismisses cities’ lawsuit challenging cannabis deliveries in California -- In a win for California’s struggling cannabis industry, a Fresno judge has dismissed a lawsuit by 24 cities seeking to invalidate state regulations allowing delivery of cannabis to homes in communities that have outlawed sales in shops. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Guns 

AG contests assigning new gun law case to same federal court judge -- Lawyers for Attorney General Xavier Becerra, facing another lawsuit from gun rights groups in San Diego federal court over firearms laws, are formally objecting to the case being heard by the same judge who twice before struck down state gun regulations. Greg Moran in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/20

Also . . .   

Apple to pay $113 million, with $4.1 million each to Santa Clara and Alameda counties, over iPhone slowdowns -- Apple has agreed to pay state attorneys general and Bay Area district attorneys’ offices $113 million to resolve claims that it secretly slowed the performance of certain iPhones. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/19/20

Water district officials and others were negligent in Naya Rivera’s drowning, lawsuit says -- As the actress Naya Rivera and her young son swam in Lake Piru in July, gusts of wind and currents likely pushed her rented boat away from her as she struggled to swim and eventually drowned, according to a wrongful-death lawsuit filed this week by the boy’s father and others. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

FBI and LAPD arrest 14 in alleged storefront drug ring run by South L.A. gang -- FBI agents and Los Angeles police arrested 14 suspects with alleged ties to the Hoover Criminals gang in South Los Angeles on federal drug charges Tuesday night and Wednesday. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/20

Sacramento County Top Executive Placed On Paid Leave While Under Investigation For Claims Of Misconduct -- Following weeks of public pressure, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors announced on Wednesday it unanimously voted to place the county’s CEO Nav Gill on paid administrative leave while under investigation for claims of misconduct. Nick Miller, Kris Hooks Capital Public Radio -- 11/19/20

POTUS 45  

Biden warns that ‘tough guy’ approach to the coronavirus leads to deaths -- An emotional President-elect Joe Biden praised Republican governors and others who have bucked President Trump to endorse more-stringent measures to control the spread of the coronavirus, while warning Wednesday that a "tough guy" approach contributes to preventable deaths. Anne Gearan in the Washington Post$ -- 11/19/20

POTUS 45  

As defeats pile up, Trump tries to delay vote count in last-ditch attempt to cast doubt on Biden victory -- President Trump has abandoned his plan to win reelection by disqualifying enough ballots to reverse President-elect Joe Biden’s wins in key battleground states, pivoting instead to a goal that appears equally unattainable: delaying a final count long enough to cast doubt on Biden’s decisive victory. Amy Gardner, Robert Costa, Rosalind S. Helderman and Michelle Ye Hee Lee in the Washington Post$ -- 11/19/20