Coronavirus Disinfecting Services : 2020

Thursday, 31 December 2020

San Francisco business owner starts petition for long-term aid

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) - A San Francisco business owner is on a mission to get long-term funding for small businesses and residents across the country.

The owner of Cassava in the Outer Richmond District recently wrote a letter to Congress and started a petition saying the government is failing to adequately compensate people during this financial crisis.

The owner, Yuka Ioroi believes her restaurant was targeted by thieves as a consequence.

Yuka's restaurant Cassava was hit by thieves last week and instead of placing blame on the suspects, she's directing her anger and frustration towards the government for putting people in these desperate situations.

“If you're going to take the livelihood of the people, you need to adequately compensate for the loss,” Ioroi said.

Ioroi says it's common sense but something local, state and federal governments aren't doing.

As a restaurant owner in the city, Ioroi feels the impact of the pandemic in multiple ways. First, by the restaurant dining closures and then by becoming a victim of burglary.

“They targeted our key box outside so they broke that and used the key to come inside and stole all our iPads, the delivery tablets, and also we, later on, learned they got checkbook and credit card for the company,” Ioroi said.

But Ioroi doesn't blame the thieves, instead, she says she's frustrated by the government for putting people in these desperate situations.

“We learned that the credit card was used in only two locations, the supermarket and the other one was Ross and we were like oh my god, they just went to byu food and clothes,” Ioroi said.

Ioroi says this is just one example that reinforces her letter to Congress and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

She recently started a petition for the federal government to provide long-term pandemic relief for all residents and businesses.

“What we're asking is for all residents to have rent or mortgage plus $1000 per resident a month plus $500 per child for 6 months at least and for all businesses to have the fixed cost and payroll covered for 6 months,” Ioroi said.

Something that other nations are already doing.

For example, in Canada a new budget plan will provide more aid to businesses in hard-hit industries, that's on top of its ongoing subsidies for workers, including $2,000 a month for those who lost jobs or income due to the pandemic.

“The richest country in the world should not operate like this. The conversation should be pay us to stay home or stay closed so this can end,” Ioroi said.

Ioroi hopes her letter will help change the conversation and political leaders will take more responsibility to adequately compensate the people they serve.

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Santa Clara County has received 95,000 COVID vaccine doses so far

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) - On this New Year's Eve, the health care system in Santa Clara County is stretched to the limit.

Close to 30 available ICU beds, and on any given day as many as 60-patients waiting in emergency rooms for beds. Health officials are also reporting some good news.

The good news is COVID-19 vaccinations are moving along in Santa Clara County. A cautionary tale on this New Year's Eve with the county experiencing 50 or more cases per 100,000 people every day.

"A light at the end of the tunnel for us. Some hope in the coming year,” Dr. Martin Fenstersheib said.

The last COVID-19 update of 2020 from the county of Santa Clara Health Department focused on vaccinations.

To date, the county has received from Pfizer and Moderna a combined total of 95,000 doses. The distribution will go according to CDC phased guidelines.

Santa Clara County is currently in phase 1a which includes health care personnel and residents in long-term care facilities.

"People are certainly asking when is it my turn? After we finish the health care personnel we will move to phase 1b. That includes people over the age of 75 and it will include some of the essential frontline workers such as teachers, such as law enforcement. People working in places like grocery stores. In phase 1c we will expand vaccinations again to include people who are between 64 and 74 and all those people between 16 and 64 that have any chronic conditions and the rest of the essential workers. The last phase, phase 2 will be everybody else,” Fenstersheib said.

“The good news, if there is any to be had, is that the additional pressure that was put on after Christmas was not as great as we saw after Thanksgiving,” Dr. Ahmad Kamal said.

This being New Year's Eve, the health department is urging residents to exercise some of the more of that holiday vigilance to take the strain off hospital ICU capacity which is teetering at the limit.

"It is the summation of our individual and collective decisions and actions that decides where this pandemic goes,” Kamal said.

The first vaccine dose for the phase 1a group went out in mid-December. The second dose for that group is scheduled to begin the first week of January 2021.

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SFPD: No parties allowed on New Year's Eve amid COVID spike

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) -- 2020 is a year that few of us will likely ever forget.

And while leaving this year in the dust is definitely cause for celebration, San Francisco public officials held a virtual news conference to remind people of the rules of the health order.

Big crowds would normally come out to the streets of San Francisco to watch the annual fireworks show. But because of the pandemic, that and other similar celebrations are canceled.

When the ferry building clock strikes midnight tonight, 2020 is going out with a whimper instead of a bang. That's because the annual epic fireworks display that normally helps ring in the new year have been cancelled because of the virus that has already ruined most of this year.

San Francisco public safety officials held a news conference to remind the public that big parties were held in past New Year's Eve celebrations isn't allowed this year in order to keep out hospitals from being overrun with COVID-19 patients.

That means no gathering with anyone outside your household. SFPD is boosting patrols and will have extra resources in spots people normally gather, like the Embarcadero, the Market Street Corridor and Union Square to name a few.

As to how they will enforce the health order...

"We will begin with warnings and then admonishments which are official warnings which will be documented in police reports," SFPD Officer Robert Rueca said. "If those admonishments are not heated then people can be cited and or arrested for not complying with the health order or other criminal violations."

The City's Rec and Park Department is going to turn off the holiday lights exhibit in Golden Gate Park in order to discourage crowds. The Marina Green, Stern Grove and Ocean Beach parking lots will be shut down until 5 a.m. Friday.

"It'd be nice to have fireworks but I also understand playing it safe and stuff," one woman said. "I'm just gonna enjoy stuff with my flat mate, just dance in my house and have that kind of thing you know."

One other note -- those public safety officials also want to remind people that fireworks of any kind -- even safe and sane ones are illegal in the city and county of San Francisco.

They ask that anyone calling to report fireworks or any kind of other noise complaint to call 311 and save 911 for police fire and medical emergencies. And of course, you really shouldn't be driving anywhere, but if you do don't do it while impaired.

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Here's a look back at the biggest celebrity scandals of 2020

(KRON) - 2020 will always be remembered for the coronavirus pandemic, but it was also a year of high-profile scandals.

Here's a look back at some of the biggest celebrity scandals of 2020.

A college admissions scandal revealed how some rich and famous got into elite universities.

Lori Loughlin, her husband Mossimo Giannulli, and Felicity Huffman were among dozens of wealthy parents charged with cheating on entrance exams or bribing coaches to send their children into certain schools.

Loughlin was released from federal prison in Dublin this month after serving a two-month sentence.

Her husband is serving a five-month sentence at a different prison in California. Huffman served two weeks back in October.

Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison sentence in New York state.

The 68-year-old was convicted in March on charges of rape and sexual assault against two women.

Weinstein faces similar charges involving five women in LA and Beverly Hills. Investigators there are trying to extradite him to California.

California is now home to a royal family.

Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle announced in early January that they will step back as senior members of the royal family and work independently.

The royal couple first relocated to Canada before eventually settling down in Santa Barbara.

And could you have survived the pandemic without Tiger King?

The Netflix hit spotlighted a long-running feud between two big cat enthusiasts Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin.

The battle involves murder accusations, as well as convictions of animal abuse and attempted murder charges.

Joe is currently serving 22 years in prison and is seeking a pardon from President Trump.

These are just some of the celebrity scandals of 2020.

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California passes 25,000 deaths, finds 3 more variant cases

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California surpassed 25,000 coronavirus deaths since the start of the pandemic and officials disclosed Thursday that three more cases involving a mutant variant of the virus have been confirmed in San Diego County.

The grim developments came as an ongoing surge swamps hospitals and pushes nurses and doctors to the breaking point as they brace for another likely increase after the holidays.

“We’re exhausted and it’s the calm before the storm,” said Jahmaal Willis, a nurse and emergency room leader at Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley. “It’s like we’re fighting a war, a never-ending war, and we’re running out of ammo. We have to get it together before the next fight.”

Public health officials continued to plead with residents just hours before the start of 2021 not to gather for New Year's Eve celebrations.

In Los Angeles County, where an average of six people die every hour from COVID-19, the Department of Public Health tweeted out snippets every 10 minutes on lives that have been lost.

“The hair stylist who worked for 20 years to finally open her own shop.”

“A grandmother who loved to sing to her grandchildren.”

“The bus driver who put her daughter through college and was beaming with pride.”

The tweets, which included messages to wear a mask, physically distance, stay home and “Slow the spread. Save a life,” came on a day when the county reported a record 290 deaths. That would be a rate of one death every five minutes, though it included a backlog.

Los Angeles County, which has a quarter of the state's 40 million residents, has had 40% of the deaths in California, the third state to reach the 25,000 death count. New York has had nearly 38,000 deaths, and Texas has had more than 27,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Infections are spreading rapidly. San Diego County confirmed Thursday that it had found a total of four cases of the virus variant that appears to be more contagious. A 30-year-old man tested positive for the variant on Wednesday and three more men — two in their 40s and one in his 50s — also have been confirmed to have the strain.

At least two of the men hadn't traveled outside of the country and none had “any known interaction with each other," the county said. Officials believed many more cases will surface.

San Diego County also reported a record high number of new deaths in a single day at 62, well over the previous record of 39 reported only a week earlier.

Hospitals, particularly in Southern California and the agricultural San Joaquin Valley in the middle of the state, have been overrun with virus patients and don't have any more intensive care unit beds for COVID-19 patients.

In Los Angeles County, hospitals have been pushed "to the brink of catastrophe,” said Dr. Christina Ghaly, health services director. “This is simply not sustainable. Not just for our hospitals, for our entire health system.”

Cathy Chidester, director of the county's Emergency Medical Services Agency, said hospitals are facing problems with oxygen with so many COVID-19 patients needing it because they are struggling to breathe. Older hospitals are having difficulty maintaining oxygen pressure in aging infrastructure and some are scrambling to locate additional oxygen tanks for discharged patients to take home.

Ambulances are being forced to wait in bays as long as eight hours before they can transfer patients inside hospitals — and in some cases, doctors are treating patients inside ambulances, she said.

At Providence St. Mary Medical Center, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, there is a cacophony of alarms that sound when a patient's heart stops and a constant hiss from the oxygen keeping so many alive, Willis said. The hospital has filled the triage area with beds and is assessing new arrivals in the parking lot. Three dozen patients were waiting to be admitted.

“We’re overflowing," Willis said. "We’re treating patients in chairs, we’re treating patients in the hallways.”

In Santa Clara County, home to Silicon Valley, only 8% of ICU beds were available, which is better than many places. Hospitals are still “stretched to the limit,” said Dr. Ahmad Kamal, county director of healthcare preparedness.

Two months ago, the county had 4.5 cases per 100,000 people. Now it has 50 cases per 100,000.

“What we are seeing now is not normal,” Kamal said. “It is an order of magnitude more than we saw just two months ago. We are not out of the woods. We are in the thick of the woods. And we all need to redouble our efforts.”

Kamal said the one bit of good news was that hospitals hadn’t felt the additional pressure of new cases after Christmas that they did after Thanksgiving, which has led to the current surge.

But public health officials fear a double-whammy from people who gathered at Christmas and New Year's will create a surge upon a surge. They made their final pleas to persuade people to stay home on what is typically one of the biggest party nights of the year.

“We recognize the temptation and the frustration," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. "You may simply want to stray for one night to celebrate with friends. However, all it takes is one slip to have one exposure and the coronavirus has found another host, another victim, and our dangerous surge continues.”

Most of the state is under a 10 p.m. local time curfew and newly extended restrictions that have closed or reduced capacity of businesses. People people are being urged to stay home as much as possible to try to slow the spread of infections.

Police in Los Angeles will be patrolling streets and looking to shut down large New Year’s Eve gatherings, Mayor Eric Garcetti said. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria issued an executive order directing stricter enforcement of state and local public health rules.

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Vegas NYE: Las Vegas Raiders QB Marcus Mariota wishes a happy, safe new year

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Raiders quarterback Marcus Mariota wishes all those back home and across the United States a happy and safe new year!

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Vegas NYE: Tape Face and crew wish everyone a Happy New Year

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Tape Face and his crew wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

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Vegas NYE: Music icon Donny Osmond wishes a happy new year

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Let us put 2020 in hindsight with music icon Donny Osmond! He wishes all a Happy New Year and is so excited to be back in Vegas.

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Vegas NYE: Marc-André Fleury and Mark Stone wish a Happy New Year from the Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-André Fleury and right winger Mark Stone wish everyone a Happy New Year and healthy 2021.

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Vegas NYE: Magicians Penn & Teller wish a Happy New Year, want to see you back in Vegas in 2021

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Magicians Penn & Teller wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year! They urge you to stay safe because they want to see you all back in Vegas in 2021.

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Vegas NYE: Raiders' linebacker Javin White sends new year wishes

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Raiders' linebacker Javin White wishes everyone a Happy New Year!

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Vegas NYE: Magician Vinny Grosso wishes everyone a happy, healthy new year

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Magician Vinny Grosso wishes you a happy and healthy new year! While he has become comfortable performing his online show from home, he cannot wait for you to visit Vegas to see his live show.

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VegasNYE: Singer Curtis Salgado shares his musical New Year's message

LAS VEGAS (KOIN) -- Blues singer and songwriter Curtis Salgado shares a beautiful rendition of Auld Lang Syne on his harmonica with a few wise words for the coming year.

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Vegas NYE: Chef Sam Choy's 2021 greeting

LAS VEGAS (KHON2) -- Television chef Sam Choy who is known for his Pacific Rim Cuisine and his chain of Hawaiian restaurants sends his New Year's Eve greeting from the 50th state.

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Vegas NYE: The Chippendales wish all you ladies a Happy New Year!

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- Even though they haven't seen you in some time, the Chippendales are wishing all you ladies a Happy New Year. They can't wait to see you in 2021!

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Fresno City council votes to fine $10,000 for mass gatherings

FRESNO, California (KGPE) - Fresno City Council voted Thursday to allow immediate fines of up to $10,000 for gatherings of 50 people or more in the city, in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19.

According to the city, both the property owner and the organizer of the event would be fined $10,000. The order applies to both commercial and private gatherings.

The order was passed by 5 votes to 2, with Councilmembers Garry Bredefeld and Paul Caprioglio against it.

In a statement, the City of Fresno says hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.

The City Attorney and Code Enforcement have been directed to enforce all emergency orders prohibiting mass gatherings, including any New Year’s parties and similar gatherings. Owners of property where violations occur and promoters of these illegal gatherings will be cited as egregious violations, without additional notice or warnings, to the maximum extent provided by law.

Unless changed by Fresno City Council, the order remains in effect for seven days.

This is a developing story.

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New coronavirus variant reported in Florida, marking the nation's 3rd confirmed case

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (NewsNation Now) — The new coronavirus variant first reported in the United Kingdom then later reported in Colorado and California has now been detected in Florida, the state's department of health said Thursday.

"Florida has evidence of the first identified case of the UK COVID-19 variant in Martin County," the department said in a tweet. "The individual is a male in his 20s with no history of travel. The Department is working with the CDC on this investigation."

Colorado health officials confirmed Wednesday that the first person in the U.S. known to be infected with the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus was identified as a Colorado National Guardsman who had been sent to help out at a nursing home struggling with an outbreak. And health officials said a second Guard member may have it, too.

California officials also confirmed later Wednesday that a San Diego County man has California’s first confirmed case of a new variant of the coronavirus.

The cases have triggered a host of questions about how the mutant version circulating in England arrived in the U.S. and whether it is too late to stop it now, with top experts saying it is probably already spreading elsewhere in the United States.

“The virus is becoming more fit, and we’re like a deer in the headlights,” warned Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute. He noted that the U.S. does far less genetic sequencing of virus samples to discover variants than other developed nations do, and thus was probably slow to detect this new mutation.

Florida has more than 1.3 million confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 21,500 deaths according to data complied by Johns Hopkins University.

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New Year’s Eve: The best seat in the house to Countdown to 2021 comes to you from Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- The best seat for ringing in 2021 might be from your home -- in front of your television, computer or phone-- where you can watch the 3.5 hour special "Las Vegas New Year's Eve Countdown to 2021" which will be seen in 13 West Coast television markets starting at 8:59 p.m..

The show will be hosted from Circa which is the newest Las Vegas resort property and located on the famous Fremont Street. There will be a fireworks show at midnight from the rooftop of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. The special will also feature Las Vegas entertainment acts including the evening's musical host, Zowie Bowie who is a six-time "Best of Las Vegas" winner.

“This is all about the people at home and not people in front of us,” said Chris Phillips, the lead singer for Zowie Bowie.

There will also be lots of celebrity greetings, and a live look at celebrations in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver, Honolulu and more as the clock strikes midnight.

You can also follow all the action on social media at #VegasNYE where pictures will be shared from around the country. Be sure to use #VegasNYE to post your pictures or comments from your home or wherever you may be celebrating.

CELEBRATING FOR A CAUSE

While the show will celebrate leaving behind 2020 and entering 2021, it will also focus on how you can help those who are facing difficult times due to the pandemic. There will be an opportunity for viewers to give back to local food banks by donating to the Souper Bowl of Caring which is a movement working across the nation to tackle hunger in local communities.

Since the organization started 30 years ago it has raised more than $163 million to feed the nation's hungry. Any donation you make goes directly to a food bank in your community.

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Find out how small business owners can benefit from the second stimulus bill

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- Some much-needed financial assistance is on the way for small businesses impacted by COVID-19 after a second stimulus bill has been signed.

Local financial expert Sam Gaeta from Defined Financial Planning tells KRON4 News how the latest relief package aims to help small businesses in the Bay Area.

“I think this stimulus is definitely needed especially in the Bay Area and I think there is some opportunity for small businesses, mom-and-pop shops, in particular, to take advantage right now,” said Gaeta.

Since the start of the pandemic, many small businesses throughout the state have been finding ways to stay afloat while others have been forced to close their doors for good.

Luckily for some small business owners, this second stimulus package dedicates $284 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by giving federal, forgivable loans to hard-hit small businesses.

“The initial program, the CARES Act was kind of broad in nature and kind of just blanketed a lot of stimulus because I don’t think they realized what industries will be affected and not affected,” said Gaeta. “That’s changed."

“They've been much more targeted with industries that we know have been impacted. Those industries have a much more streamlined application process and those industries have more flexibility with how they use the resources that this new bill provides," Gaeta added.

A recent report reveals that since March, San Francisco and San Jose are having one of the highest rates of businesses closures.

As of Aug. 31, 8.9 out of every 1,000 businesses in San Jose have permanently closed since March along with 11.3 per 1,000 closing their doors temporarily.

San Francisco recorded the second-most with 10.1 permanent closures for every 1,000 businesses along with 11.8 temporary closures.

“One of the things from a planning perspective we’ve been communicating with our small business owner clients is really around uncertainty in 2021,” said Gaeta. “We’ve seen a tick up in some business revenue which I think is strong and that's good but I don’t think we should count on that."

“I think small business owners especially mom and pop shops, this is a great opportunity to use resources to make sure you keep maintain your savings, maintain the balance sheet, the assets on your balance sheet to be able to support something else happening in 2021," Gaeta added.

You can still apply for a PPP loan even if you already received one in 2020.

Borrowers are able to get loans for up to two and half times their average monthly payroll expenses.

How to qualify:

You need to have been in business before February of last year.
You must have fewer than 300 employees.
Your income must have dipped by 25% or more from any quarter in 2019 to 2020.
The deadline to apply for this round of PPP loans for business owners is March 31st, 2021.

The federal relief program through the CARES Act was designed to provide small businesses with forgivable loans, but the program drew criticism after hundreds of millions of dollars were claimed by large, publicly traded companies.

Loans made through the CARES Act topped out at $10 million, but now, the most a business could get is $2 million.

PPP funds are also now tax deductible. Previously, businesses could not deduct expenses to qualify for forgiveness, but this new bill changes that.

“I would say seek some advice, see the different opportunities you have, the different benefits that you can get and take advantage of all of them,” said Gaeta.

“These are designed for small businesses, the first go around we saw a lot of larger organizations taking PPP loan money that had the resources to develop a strategy around this stimulus,” Gaeta added.

“Well the government has seen that and now this bill has kind of re-addressed that and really designed for a small business owner.”

In addition, business owners can now choose the time period they need to use up the PPP funds to qualify for forgiveness. To be fully forgiven, you need to use at least 60% of the loan on the payroll.

Loan money can be used for safety upgrades at businesses for things like sanitation stations and to fix property damage not covered by insurance caused to stores during widespread civil unrest in 2020.

There is still much left to be determined on how much money each American will receive through the new stimulus bill after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected the house bill boosting checks to $2,000.

If the Senate decided to make changes like McConnell is proposing, the House would be required to vote again.

To learn more, click here.

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2 dead following hit-and-run collision in SF

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) -- San Francisco police officers responded to a hit-and-run collision Thursday that left one person dead and another in the hospital with life threatening injuries.

As of 5:11 p.m., officials say the second person has died.

Around 4 p.m., officers arrived to the scene at 2nd Street and Mission Street where they located two pedestrians who were struck by the car.

One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene despite life saving efforts from emergency responders.

The second victim was taken to a local hospital for life-threatening injuries. That person later died at the hospital.

The second person was just pronounced dead. Just crushing and horrific.
— Matt Haney (@MattHaneySF) January 1, 2021

The driver immediately left the car and fled the scene on foot. Officers located the driver near by and after a foot pursuit, officers stopped the driver and detained him.

The identities of the suspect and victims are not being released at this time.

Officials are now further investigating the hit-and-run collision. They are processing the scene for evidence and say the area will be closed for a while.

No other information is available at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444.

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Minneapolis to release bodycam video in fatal shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Police in Minneapolis said they would release body camera video on Thursday from a traffic stop that ended with a man shot dead, the city’s first police-involved death since George Floyd died while being restrained by officers in May.

Police said the man was a suspect in a felony and that he died in an exchange of gunfire Wednesday on the city’s south side. Chief Medaria Arradondo said witnesses said the man fired first. He said the officers’ body cameras were turned on and promised to release the video on Thursday, even as a state-led investigation proceeds.

The shooting stirred anxiety about renewed protests, seven months after unrest following Floyd’s death.

“I want our communities to see that so they can see for themselves,” he said. Until then, Arradondo said, “Please allow me, the (state) investigators, allow us the time, let us get the evidence, get the facts, so we can process this.”

Police spokesman John Elder said the shooting happened about 6:15 p.m. at a Holiday gas station as officers were carrying out a traffic stop. Police did not provide details of the supposed felony nor release any information about the man, including his race.

Elder said medical personnel pronounced the man dead at the scene. A woman in the car was unhurt, and no officers were hurt, Elder said. He declined to say whether police recovered a gun at the site of the shooting.

The state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is handling an investigation.

Bayle Gelle, of Eden Prairie, told the Star Tribune on Thursday that the dead man was his son, 22-year-old Dolal Idd. Gelle told the newspaper that authorities haven’t given him any more information about what happened. He said several officers carried out a search warrant at his home Wednesday night.

“The police they are brutality,” he told the Star Tribune. “I want to get justice.”

Online court records showed a string of minor traffic charges against Idd, but also a felony theft conviction in 2018 and a felony drug conviction in 2017. The records, which included a birthdate that would make Idd 23 years old, did not include detailed summaries of the cases.

The records also included a misdemeanor conviction in 2019 for carrying a pistol in a public place. The Star Tribune reported that charges in the case said Idd fired a gun in the basement shower of his parents’ home in suburban Eden Prairie with two children sleeping nearby. The charges said Idd was later arrested with a handgun that had been reported stolen in North Dakota.

Idd was Somali-American.

Arradondo said the traffic stop was carried out by members of a police community response team — long-standing units that respond to situations such as drug investigations and gun crime. He said he did not have additional details on why the man was sought.

The shooting happened less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the street corner where Floyd, a Black man, died in May after a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for minutes, even as Floyd pleaded that he couldn’t breathe. Floyd’s death sparked days of sometimes violent protest that spread around the country and resonated worldwide.

In Minneapolis, Floyd’s death also led to a push for radical change in the police department, long criticized by activists for what they called a brutal culture that resisted change. A push by some City Council members to replace the department with a new public safety unit failed this summer.

Mayor Jacob Frey and Arradondo, who opposed doing away with the department, have offered several policy changes since Floyd’s death, including revising use-of-force policies and requiring officers to report on their attempts to de-escalate situations. Just this week, the chief and mayor unveiled a new plan to involve the city attorney’s office more quickly in investigations of officers accused of misconduct.

Frey said in a statement late Wednesday that he was working with Arradondo for information on the shooting, and pledged to get it out as quickly as possible in coordination with the state investigation.

“Events of this past year have marked some of the darkest days in our city,” Frey said. “We know a life has been cut short and that trust between communities of color and law enforcement is fragile. ... We must all be committed to getting the facts, pursuing justice, and keeping the peace.”

All four officers involved in Floyd’s death were fired and quickly charged. They are scheduled for trial in March.

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San Francisco closes holiday displays and parking lots for New Year's Eve

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) -- The holiday light exhibits in Golden Gate Park will be shut off and several parking lots will be closed on Thursday in the interest of discouraging crowds and risking the spread of COVID-19 on New Year's Eve, the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department announced.

"Millions of healthcare workers are fighting each day to keep Americans alive and will continue to do so in 2021," the department said in an announcement. "To honor our healthcare heroes, as well as those lost in the past year, we will be turning off all of the holiday light exhibits in Golden Gate Park on New Year's Eve."

The department said that on Thursday it would also close the Ocean Beach parking lot at 5 a.m., and the Marina Green and Stern Grove parking lots at 6 p.m. The lots will reopen at 5 a.m. Friday.

The gates to Twin Peaks off of Burnett Avenue and off of Portola Drive will also remain closed to vehicle traffic Thursday evening and reopen at 6 p.m. Friday.

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Renter protections: Most tenants aren't guaranteed lawyer in housing disputes

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic stretch into 2021, millions of U.S. renters are bracing for the possibility of having to show up in housing court to avoid getting evicted. But unlike their landlords, only a small fraction of them will do so flanked by an attorney.

Fewer than 10 cities and counties nationwide guarantee tenants the right to a lawyer in housing-related disputes, and for people struggling to make ends meet, an attorney is beyond their means, leaving many to skip their court hearings or walk in knowing they have little chance. Unlike criminal cases, an attorney won't be assigned if someone can't afford one. Legal aid organizations and pro bono lawyers represent many renters every year, but the need outpaces what they can handle.

While housing advocates have primarily pushed for rent relief from the government, experts also expect more cities to join the movement to give tenants the right to an attorney.

“The push for right to counsel preceded the pandemic, but it’s particularly acute and particularly urgent in light of the pandemic, given just the overall precarity that renters are facing,” said Gretchen Purser, an associate professor of sociology at Syracuse University who specializes in housing, homelessness and urban poverty.

She said legal representation “is going to be one of the most important things that groups around the country can be pushing for.”

Many people owe months of back rent, having lost their jobs or faced mounting medical bills during the health crisis. By January, renters will owe as much as $34 billion, according to estimates by the global investment bank and advisory firm Stout. An estimated 23 million people are at risk of getting evicted.

The federal COVID-19 relief package includes $25 billion for rental assistance and an extension of an eviction moratorium through January.

The moratorium is what Zachary Kettering thought would protect him when he lost two jobs during the pandemic, fell behind on rent and received a notice in October to vacate his one-bedroom apartment in the Dallas suburb of McKinney.

But he fell victim to a caveat that housing attorneys have warned about: The order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is not a blanket moratorium; tenants must sign a declaration and give a copy to their landlord. By early December, Kettering, a disabled veteran, owed $6,900 in rent and a constable knocked on his door with an eviction notice.

A friend loaned him the money to cover his debt, and he agreed to sign a document from his landlord saying he won’t renew his lease in February in exchange for dropping the case.

“I just kind of acquiesce to whatever they wanted,” said Kettering, 33, who is now raising money online. “It’s like you’re playing a game, and one of the people involved doesn’t know the rules of the game. And that game is a very high stakes, to the point where, like, you will be homeless if you don’t play the game.”

The federal relief bill also includes $20 million for legal assistance for renters.

In Baltimore, only 1% of tenants have legal representation in eviction cases, compared with 96% of landlords. But this month, Maryland’s largest city became the latest U.S. jurisdiction to grant renters a right to counsel in those cases. A Stout report estimated that 92% of tenants represented by lawyers in Baltimore would avoid having to leave their homes.

The new ordinance requires the city’s Department of Housing and Community Development to hire nonprofit legal organizations and calls for funding to help spread the word and educate tenants. It gives the city four years to fully implement the requirements.

Attorney Matthew Hill with the Public Justice Center, which advocated for the new ordinance, said Baltimore could draw from general funds and federal money to cover the program's costs. He said a measure proposing a right to counsel also will be introduced in the Maryland Legislature, potentially making state funds available for Baltimore’s effort.

“This is really supposed to level the playing field and really provide tenants access, because eviction court often is just about evictions, but tenants have a lot of defenses,” Hill said, including whether the place is livable and if landlords are licensed. “So, we want to try and change eviction court into housing court and make sure we enforce tenants’ rights to safe, stable, healthy housing.”

The Stout report estimated that an investment of $5.7 million a year to get legal representation for Baltimore renters would result in $35.6 million in savings to the city and state on homeless shelters, Medicaid spending, school funding and foster care costs.

In 2017, New York became the first U.S. city to guarantee the right to an attorney in housing court. Between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 86% of tenants represented by lawyers were able to stay in their homes, according to a city report released this fall.

Other cities with similar laws include San Francisco, Philadelphia and Newark, New Jersey.

Before the pandemic, about 300,000 evictions were filed in the U.S. in an average month, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University. A patchwork of local and state guidelines combined with the federal moratorium have provided some protections for people unable to pay rent. But in some places, including cities in South Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Virginia, renters are losing their homes.

Pablo Estupiñan, interim co-coordinator of Right to Counsel NYC Coalition, said eviction filings dropped in New York since its right-to-counsel ordinance took effect three years ago. But he said landlords’ attorneys have increased pressure on tenants and sometimes people choose to leave because they may not know their rights.

“As a result of right to counsel, we saw landlords changing their tactics, and we definitely heard from community members that landlord attorneys were threatening them, saying, ‘If you get an attorney to represent you, then I will fight your case harder and not give you a fair settlement,’" Estupiñan said.

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Nonprofit co-founder charged with murder in hit-and-run that killed 2 boys

LOS ANGELES (NEXSTAR) – A woman has been charged with murder in a Los Angeles hit-and-run crash that killed two young brothers in September, officials announced Wednesday.

Rebecca Grossman — the 57-year-old co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and wife of prominent plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman — faces two counts of murder, as well as two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death.

The victims, 11-year-old Mark Iskander and 8-year-old Jacob Iskander, were crossing the street in a marked crosswalk with their parents and siblings in Westlake Village, a city in Los Angeles County, the evening of Sept. 29 when Grossman allegedly struck them.

She continued driving but stopped about a quarter of a mile away when her engine cut off, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's Office.

“We believe speed is a factor. Alcohol is a factor," L.A. County sheriff's Capt. Salvador Becerra said after the incident.

A family friend said the mother had managed to get her two youngest children, including her daughter who was in a stroller, out of the way, but couldn't get to the older boys in time.

Mark died at the scene, while his younger brother Jacob was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Grossman was arrested the night of the crash but was released on Oct. 1 after posting bond, county inmate records show. Her bail had been set at $2 million, the sheriff's department previously said.

She pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, and her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 16.

Grossman could face 34 years to life in state prison if convicted as charged, the DA's Office said.

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500 vaccine doses 'intentionally' removed from refrigeration at Wisconsin clinic

GRAFTON, Wis. (NewsNation Now) — Clinicians had to discard about 500 doses of the Moderna vaccine after vials were intentionally removed from refrigeration at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, Wisconsin.

"Earlier this week, we learned that 57 vials of Moderna vaccine were removed from a pharmacy refrigerator at Aurora Medical Center - Grafton overnight, resulting in more than 500 doses of vaccine being discarded," the clinic said in a statement to NewsNation.

An internal review initially found it was an inadvertent human error until the individual said they intentionally removed the vaccine from refrigeration.

The individual is no longer employed by Aurora Medical Center.

"We are more than disappointed that this individual’s actions will result in a delay of more than 500 people receiving their vaccine," the clinic said.

Clinicians were still able to administer some of the vaccines from the vials within the allowable 12-hour post-refrigeration window. Once the vaccine is thawed, it cannot be refrozen.

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Wednesday, 30 December 2020

CA COVID-19 cases continue to rise as San Diego man tests positive for new strain

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KRON) - California is reporting its first case of the variant COVID-19 virus strain.

A San Diego man tested positive for the strain, that was first identified in the United Kingdom.

Health experts say it was only a matter of time before it reached California, but now there's a new effort to slow down the spread as California saw another day of record cases.

It's not good news for doctors who worry that without enough vaccine to protect Americans against it, there could be a set up for more COVID-cases.

A San Diego man in his 30s is now the first person in California to test positive for the COVID variant strain.

On Wednesday, San Diego County officials said the man, first began showing symptoms of the strain on Tuesday.

Scientists in the United Kingdom first discovered the strain now known as B117.

Health leaders say the virus is believed to be more contagious and spread more easily.

"The early data suggests, yes that the current vaccines that we have available from Pfizer and Moderna should be effective against these particular strains," Dr. Grace Lee said.

Dr. Grace Lee with Stanford Health says vaccines are proving effective against it but she says doctors are still concerned.

"I think the concern is that if it is more transmissible even though our same protective measures will be effective, just that we won't be able to get vaccine out enough into the population as quickly as we would like,” Dr. Lee said.

Lee says until there is enough vaccine available, people should still continue to practice social distancing, hand washing, and wearing face masks.

"We don't believe at this point that it changes about the severity of the disease or mortality rates, but obviously we want to avoid infections as much as possible," Dr. Lee said.

The discovery comes as California continues to shatter daily records for COVID cases.

On Wednesday more than 34,000 new cases were reported.

The rise in cases and hospitalizations are causing ICU beds to drop. The Bay Area is now at 7.5 percent.

At the current rate, she says hospitals across the Bay Area could be forced tough decisions, on who lives, and who dies.

"We're all preparing for what we're calling Crisis Standards of Care to be able to make those tough decisions. Our hope is that again, we can encourage the public and the community to continue to adhere to the protective measures that need to be put into place,” Dr. Lee said.

The man who contracted the strain is currently quarantining at home.

Officials say the man didn't travel which Dr. Lee says likely means the man contracted the virus in the community, which likely means, more cases will begin to pop up soon.

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San Francisco leaders push for financial help to keep nightclubs open

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) - For San Francisco's hard-hit live music and entertainment industry, the doors have remained closed for nearly 10 months.

To make sure those doors eventually open back up, San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney proposed a recovery fund to help save the city's nightlife industry.

This comes at the same time that the federal government approved the save our stages act, which will provide $15 billion in grants to live entertainment venues.

However, it's still unclear when that money will be distributed and how many businesses it will reach.

For many of these venues, they've had no way to make money since the beginning of this pandemic.

Many are on the brink of closures and federal money may come too late if at all, that's why San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney says a recovery fund is essential.

As the pandemic forced San Francisco’s live music and entertainment venues to keep their doors shut since mid-March, some doors won't open again, including the doors at the Stud's former home on 9th Street.

“We've all seen cities that have not fostered these institutions that make them such beautifully rich cultural centers and I fear we can turn into one of those ghost towns,” Maria Davis said.

Co-owner Maria Davis says they shut down to avoid the mounting debt from the closure so they could come back someday in a new location.

Meanwhile, other establishments, like PianoFight, are barely getting by, hoping to make it through the pandemic, a scenario that's becoming less likely as the months go on.

“It's been rough you know? We've been racking up debt and without either support from the federal, local, or state government. Us and many other small venues and businesses are just going to go out of business,” Rob Ready said.

PianoFight co-owner Rob Ready says that's why he got involved with the independent venue alliance and San Francisco venue coalition to push the city for more help.

Supervisor Haney has been listening and recently proposed a recovery fund to save San Francisco’s hard-hit entertainment industry.

“Right now there's really no plan to open the arts and music venues, comedy clubs, theaters and so if we want these businesses to be here when the pandemic is over, we need to give them a lifeline of support,” Haney said.

While the federal government just approved $15 billion dollars in grants for entertainment venues, Haney says it may be too late before the help gets here, which is why a city fund is crucial to saving San Francisco’s nightlife.

“It may be next year, late next year before that money gets to businesses like theaters, like music venues and what they told us is that might be too late so my hope is we can start this fund, get some city money in it, however, limited, some private funds, some federal money that might come into local governments and then we can bridge these businesses so they can stay afloat,” Haney said.

Haney says there will be a hearing and vote in January for the recovery fund and from there, if approved, they'll be able to start building the fund.

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Bay Area parents lean toward keeping kids in distance learning until vaccinated

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KRON) - Governor Gavin Newsom introduced a $2-billion school reopening plan on Wednesday, allowing some to restart in February.

The governor's plan will begin in phases with elementary school students and younger will begin in-person learning.

Parents with older kids KRON4 spoke with plan to keep their students in distance learning until they get vaccinated.

"I'm not sure yet until everything is okay with the vaccine,” Jesse Paraiso said.

"I think they will be safe once they get the vaccine,” Donn McMahon said.

These parents of high school students still leaning towards keeping their kids at home, even though distance learning is difficult for Jesse Paraiso’s son.

“Right now, it's just too short there's not a lot of one on one experience,” Paraiso said.

Governor Newsom unveiled a $2 billion school reopening plan - part of the state's budget that will allow students to return to in-person learning in February.

"As long as we can do it safely and I would say that children and teachers and staff are essential so they should be ones to get the vaccine soonest,” McMahon said.

Newsom says teachers will be prioritized in receiving the vaccine in the next rollout phase.

The governor insists schools will be the proper protective equipment, testing, and contact tracing.

School districts across the Bay Area and state still processing the governor's school plan.

In a joint statement that includes Oakland and San Francisco reads:

"We will look carefully at what is being proposed and intend to provide feedback to the Governor and his staff, as well as our legislative representatives in Sacramento, to make sure the guidelines address the needs of students and families served by large, urban districts across the state."

We expect to learn more details of the governor's plan next week.

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COVID outbreak at Santa Rosa care facility leaves families in fear

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KRON) - Terrifying times for people in nursing homes and their family members who often feel helpless.

After a surge of cases in one North Bay facility, public health officials say they are doing their best to help but family members have been reaching out to KRON4 saying the assistance they need is not there, and their loved ones are suffering.

KRON4 has spoken to two family members who say they are beside themselves.

Their loved ones are at Santa Rosa Acute Care Center. One person says COVID is racing through the place, affecting staff and vulnerable patients.

“I am so scared,” Windy Paynes said.

Windy Paynes mom lives at Santa Rosa post-acute.

She came here after suffering a stroke. In the past few days, Windy says her father found out, her mother’s roommate contracted SARS COVID-19 when she left then returned for a party.

“We don't understand why she was able to leave and come back, and now no answers about my mom whether she has it or not, no one will answer calls or concerns,” Paynes said.

KRON4 reached out multiple times to Santa Rosa Acute. On the phone, an assistant mentioned that COVID was happening at the center and took a message for the administrator to contact us for clarification on how bad it is.

Another person who has a loved one at the center, who didn't want to go on camera for fear of retribution from staff members, called what she saw in the facility a horror show -- that the outbreak was horrific, leaving patients in dire medical need.

Sonoma County Public Health officials tell KRON4 they are seeing an increase in cases at skilled nursing facilities and are working with those agencies but would not identify any center by name, citing privacy issues.

“We know that 75 percent of those dying in Sonoma County from COVID are at centers,” Crista Barnett Nelson said.

Crista Barnett Nelson is with Senior Advocacy Services of Sonoma County. She says care centers are in a crisis.

As for Windy, she just wants the facts about her beloved mom.

“When I called, they wouldn’t tell me anything. I just want to know. I want to know if she is alright,” Paynes said.

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Lafayette's El Charro Mexican Dining closing after 73 years due to pandemic

LAFAYETTE, Calif. (KRON) - It was a Facebook post seen all around the East Bay that led to a line wrapping all around El Charro Mexican Dining Wednesday afternoon.

Known for their delicious blue cheese dip and tasty margaritas, the restaurant in Lafayette will close its doors for good on New Year's Day.

"I cant believe they're closing."

The owners of the 73 year old restaurant announced on Tuesday that Thursday would be their last day.

"I wish it was different, I wish we could stay open, but this pandemic has hit hard," said bartender Cameron Door.

He's been a bartender and server at El Charro for eight years.

He says not only have COVID restrictions hurt the business, but a sale of the building has given the owners no choice.

"It is what it is. The people that own El Charro itself don't own the building. And without any rent relief, or government aid, its set us back."

The closure comes the same week the state of California has announced 500 million dollars in grant money available for small businesses.

Unfortunately, the help came too late.

"Would've been nice to have that two months ago," Doorn said.

State senator Bob Wieckowski who represents portions of the East and South Bay says legislators have worked as quickly as possible to get this money out.

"For government, we turned this around pretty quickly," said Wieckowski.

But he understands it isn't going to fix everyone's problems.

"I wish we had another zero after this number. Believe me. We're hoping small businesses and non profits will take advantage of this. They'll be in chunks of 5k, 15k and 25k dollars," Wieckowski added.

Small business owners have until January 8th to apply for the grants.

The money will be awarded in two rounds. Wieckowski says the more applications they receive, the better idea they'll have of just how much more needs to be allotted in the future.

"This is last year's money, so when we go back in January, we'll continue discussions about what we need," Wieckowski said.

Unfortunately this new round of funding won't help El Charro stay open, but Wednesday's boom of business hopefully gave a little extra lifeline before the year is up.

"I have people in there that have worked here their whole lives over 30 years, so its just sad."

Any small business or nonprofit owner looking to take advantage of the grant money, click here for more information.

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