March 29, 2024

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Newsom releases colorful framework for reopening the economy

Gov. Gavin Newsom released new tiered guidelines today for reopening the economy. Purple indicates you’re in one of the highest risk places, while yellow indicates minimal risk. (Shout out to Modoc, Tuolumne and Alpine counties — the only yellow counties in the state!)

In Palm Springs, this is Maria Sestito of The Desert Sun. 

In California brings you top Golden State stories and commentary from across the USA TODAY Network and beyond. Get it free, straight to your inbox.  

Grumpy Cat.
Grumpy Cat.

That feeling when your favorite color becomes the marker of widespread risk for COVID-19 spread …

Most of California, including where I’m sitting in Riverside County, is purple, meaning that many non-essential indoor business operations are closed. These areas have the most new cases daily and have positivity rates of more than 8%. 

What Newsom’s color chart means for you: 

Skittles.
Skittles.

Newsom’s new framework for reopening California businesses is, as he says, “more stringent” but “more steady” as it will allow counties to modify activity based on the spread of COVID-19. The two metrics are case and positivity rates. 

The four tiers include:

  • Purple (widespread): Most non-essential indoor business operations are closed; more than 7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents; a positivity rate of 8% or higher

  • Red (substantial): Some non-essential indoor business operations are closed; 4-7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents; a 5-8% positivity rate

  • Orange (moderate): Some business operations are open with modifications , 1-3.9 daily new cases per 100,000 residents; a 2-4.9% positivity rate

  • Yellow (minimal): Most businesses open with modifications; less than 1 daily new case per 100,000; a positive rate of less than 2%.

If a county fails to meet its current tier’s metrics for two weeks, it will move back to the prior tier. 

Newsom’s announcement today came with some other notable changes. Hair salons in purple counties will be allowed to operate under state guidelines, for example, though counties can put stricter guidelines in place. If you’ve already hacked your hair yourself, maybe your hairdresser will be able to fix it now (unless it was bangs — was it bangs?)

Still no tattoos or piercings are allowed, though, in purple zones where personal services remain closed.

Find out which businesses and activities can open in your county here.

What about schools?

Health experts offer valuable advice for returning to school this fall.
Health experts offer valuable advice for returning to school this fall.

Waivers to open schools are still an option, even if counties are in the purple tier. When a county has been in the “red” tier for at least two weeks, it can begin to pursue reopening. A county can reopen schools for classroom learning if it is off the watch list for 14 days. 

What else you need to know for back-to-school:

  • A federal judge rejected Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ attempt to give private schools a greater share of Congress’ COVID-19 relief funds at the expense of public schools in low-income areas, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 

  • Earlier this week, Newsom outlined the rules for schools to reopen to its highest-need students, including those with disabilities, according to EdSource. 

and:

  • A Lancaster teacher put on bed rest setup a wall by her hospital bed to look like a classroom. The pregnant teacher’s students didn’t even realize she was in the hospital, reports KTLA. 

  • Three students in Shasta County high schools have tested positive for COVID-19. Two of the cases were at Anderson High School, which has switched to distance-learning until Sept. 2 due to the positive cases. North Valley High School, where the other case was identified, is scheduled to resume in-person classes Sept. 8. 

COVID-19 cases linked to game night

In Hasbro's newest game, players try to collect experiences, not money.
In Hasbro’s newest game, players try to collect experiences, not money.

There have been 104 new coronavirus cases among USC students in the past four days, according to KTVU. Off-campus housing, hang-outs and game nights have been linked to the spread. 

The university has identified one outbreak originating with a study group, while others were traced to sources including dinners and, in one case, a Monopoly game. 

Officials with the University of California system announced this week that disciplinary action may be take against students who flout social distancing in order to have large parties, according to EdSource. What those actions will be, however, will be determined on a campus-by-campus and case-by-case basis. What they don’t want is for students to be afraid to report feeling ill. 

Police and protests

Young demonstrators hold a sign, June 9, 2020, in Culver City, Calif. during a student-led protest over the death of George Floyd who died May 25 after he was restrained by Minneapolis police.
Young demonstrators hold a sign, June 9, 2020, in Culver City, Calif. during a student-led protest over the death of George Floyd who died May 25 after he was restrained by Minneapolis police.

A package of more than a dozen police reform bills introduced after the killing George Floyd may be “more modest” than expected, according to the L.A. Times. The lack of enthusiasm for the bills could also be linked to the legislature facing a shortened session due to COVID-19 as well as the recent focus on wildfires. 

AP News reports that one of the hallmark bills of California lawmakers’ policing reform efforts might be in danger as some law enforcement organizations who initially supported the measures now say it goes too far.

State legislators have until Monday night to vote on remaining bills. 

Meanwhile, protests have been held in Sacramento and L.A. in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin last Sunday, according to AP News. 

“I hate that I have to keep coming out here” to protest the deaths of Black people, Tisa Johnson said. “I want to show up and bear witness and be counted.”

In Los Angeles, protesters showed up at Police Chief Michel Moore’s home in a gated community and plastered the house with anti-police posters, according to KABC. 

Speaking of police shootings, the city of Whittier has agreed to pay $1 million to a man who was shot in the back on April 30 by Whittier police officers and survived, according to the Whittier Daily News. Nicholas Carrillo of Whittier, who is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was shot in the back by two plainclothes police officers following a traffic stop. 

Not so peachy keen

In California is a roundup of news from across USA TODAY Network newsrooms. Also contributing: Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, L.A Times, Whittier Daily News, EdSource and stations KABC, KTVU, and KTLA. 

KRCA — not KCRA — in Sacramento contributed to yesterday’s newsletter. Sorry for the mistake!

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California Gov. Newsom releases framework for reopening the economy

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