News

Newspapers Face Existential Question: How To Cover The Pandemic When There’s No Money?

April 6, 2020

Sitting at his desk within the small office of the Sandpoint Reader, a weekly newspaper in northern Idaho, publisher Ben Olson is exhausted.

Trump Again Speaks In Favor Of Anti-Malaria Drug For Coronavirus

April 5, 2020

The drug has not been proven to be an effective treatment for coronavirus.

Health Care

Scientists Probe How Coronavirus Might Travel Through The Air

April 5, 2020

Simply talking could produce tiny particles of mucus and saliva that might carry the coronavirus, experts say. How much these airborne particles matter for the spread of this disease is controversial.

Need Money During Coronavirus Pandemic? How To Avoid Loan Sharks And Debt Traps

April 5, 2020

Most payday loan offices in California are in zip codes with above-average poverty rates. As unemployment surges due to the coronavirus, people are vulnerable to costly schemes.

Environment

Should California Throw Out Environmental Rules To Help Businesses During Quarantine? ‘That’s Not Happening,’ Governor’s Office Says.

April 4, 2020 | Ezra David Romero

A number of industries in California want environmental exemptions because of the economic impact of COVID-19. But the governor’s senior advisor on climate change says this is not a moment to toss out the rules.

Trump Warns 'One Of The Toughest Weeks' Is Ahead, Says To Brace For 'A Lot Of Death'

April 4, 2020

The president predicts "one of the toughest weeks" for the U.S. since the outbreak began. He also questioned state's request for ventilators, saying some had been denied.

State Government

A Coronavirus Property Tax Delay? Californians Shouldn’t Count On It

April 4, 2020

Income tax filers got a delay. Why not homeowners?

COMIC: Grocery Workers Are Essential, And Feeling The Strain

April 4, 2020

"I feel happy to have a job that is important," says a clerk in Portland, Ore. "But safe? No way!" A graphic artist relays the worries, pleas and pride from key workers on the pandemic's front line.

State Government

California Significantly Reduces COVID-19 Testing Backlog, Works To Increase Capacity

April 4, 2020 | Nick Miller

Overall, roughly 126,000 Californians have been tested for the virus, a number that Newsom called “inadequate” despite having “substantially reduced that backlog” of unprocessed tests to approximately 13,000.

Arts and Lifestyle

Stuck At Home, Sacramento DJ With Autoimmune Disorder Turns To Facebook, Instagram For Live Shows

April 3, 2020 | Ezra David Romero

The entertainment industry was one of the first to feel the economic pain of the pandemic. It’s affected performers like DJ Epik, who makes his living off clubs and events.

Twenty Trailers Arrive At Cal Expo In Sacramento To House Homeless Residents

April 3, 2020 | Sarah Mizes-Tan

The state-sponsored trailers are the first delivery of what will eventually be about 60, which will be set up to help those experiencing homelessness self-quarantine during the COVID-19 crisis. They could house around 100 homeless people.

Food and Sustainability

Northern California Distilleries Are Filling The Hand Sanitizer Shortage For First Responders And The Public

April 3, 2020 | Ezra David Romero

It’s almost impossible to find hand sanitizer in stores now because of the pandemic. But some unexpected businesses are stepping in to fill the sanitizer shortage.

White House Stresses Payments Will Come Soon, As Unemployment Soars

April 3, 2020

The Trump administration has promised that the first direct payments to taxpayers will arrive in two weeks. The White House has scheduled a briefing on its coronavirus response for 2 p.m. PT.

State Government

California Moving Homeless People Into Hotels To Tackle ‘Crisis That Predated The Current Crisis’

April 3, 2020

The state’s “Project Room Key” effort wants to secure 15,000 hotel and motel units for unsheltered people. So far, 869 are already in the rooms.

Business Journal: Layoffs At Punch Bowl Social, Domus Construction; Projects At Railyards And Midtown Still On Schedule

April 3, 2020 | Steve Milne

Even though construction is considered an essential business during the coronavirus pandemic, some workers are still being laid off. The Sacramento Business Journal's Sonya Sorich has that story, plus news about more restaurant workers losing jobs.

California Schools Give Laptops To Students As Districts Prepare For ‘Distance Learning’

April 2, 2020 | Sarah Mizes-Tan

Schools will be closed through the academic year, maybe longer, but online instruction is scheduled to begin in many places by mid-April.

Sacramento County Says Church With 71 COVID-19 Cases Ignoring Stay-At-Home Order, Leaders Dispute Claim.

April 2, 2020 | Bob Moffitt

Members of a Slavic church near Rancho Cordova make up nearly a quarter of all COVID-19 cases in Sacramento County. The county says the church has been resistant to stop members from holding private meetings, but church leaders say that's not true.

From Virtual Pop-Ups To Paying Jobs, Youth Mentors Are Finding Creative Ways To Engage Teens During Shelter-In-Place

April 2, 2020 | Sammy Caiola

With teenagers on an indefinite break from school, leaders in Sacramento’s low-income neighborhoods are finding creative ways to keep them engaged.

Health Care

This Coronavirus Test Promises Results In 45 Minutes. But Some California Labs Can’t Get It.

April 2, 2020 | Scott Rodd

The test from Silicon Valley-based company Cepheid was among the first authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Government Works To Begin Disbursing Loans And Payments Amid Record Unemployment

April 2, 2020

At a White House briefing Thursday, officials vowed that some of the first systems for loans or payments would be up and running as soon as Friday.