mercurynews--2020-04-03--Ask Amy: Someone left a catty note for my parents

DEAR READERS : Because of syndication scheduling , I write and submit my columns two weeks in advance of publication .
Due to this time lag , the Q & A will not reflect the latest information about the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic we are currently facing .
DEAR AMY : “ Queasy in Florida ” wanted to put an anonymous note in the mailbox of a woman at her retirement community , criticizing her behavior at the home ’ s communal dining table .
Thank you for recommending a discreet , in-person conversation .
My loving , kind , 86-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
My dad wore a hat in the dining room because his head is always cold .
Someone left a copy of the dress code at their apartment door with an arrow pointing to “ no hats in the dining room.
” • Ask Amy : I want her to be a vegan , but she won ’ t take my advice • Ask Amy : Flirting men need to know I stick to my own kind • Ask Amy : After my brother ’ s response to sick baby , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jerk • Ask Amy : How the coronavirus pandemic looked two weeks ago • Ask Amy : Being a good Christian put me in a bad situation My mother was furious , and I was heartbroken that someone would be so catty and cowardly toward my wonderful parents , especially as they were brand new and just getting used to their new home .
DEAR PROTECTIVE : Nonjudgmental , discreet , and in-person is almost always the best way to communicate .
DEAR AMY : I wish I could undo some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My daughter hasn ’ t spoken to me in years .
When she was very young , I divorced her dad and moved hundreds of miles away .
I married a man with two sons and a parenting method that I didn ’ t agree with , but I felt trapped with him — the way I ’ d felt trapped with her dad .
We were together for 10 years .
I waited until after my daughter graduated from high school , and then I separated from her stepfather .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we ended up getting back together .
It was more out of convenience than anything .
When I told my daughter that I was getting back together with him , she blew up and told me that her stepbrother had drugged and raped her several times .
I was in complete shock !
She has not spoken to me since then .
I think about her every day .
I stalk her on Facebook ( with an unrecognizable profile ) just so I can see her life .
I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because she has blocked me .
This estrangement breaks my 83-year-old mother ’ s heart , and I would like to see us all together again .
DEAR REGRETFUL : If you want your relationships to change , then you need to change .
It ’ s really that simple .
Although you admit to having regrets , you don ’ t seem to have taken responsibility for the role you played in your daughter ’ s trauma .
Your reaction to her disclosure that she was raped while in your household was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sigh — and continue on to reunite with your ex .
Are you not aware that the best thing to do when someone reports a rape is to call the police ?
( And people wonder why assault victims hesitate to report ! )
Yes , you ’ ve made mistakes .
Admitting this is definitely a step in the right direction , but you don ’ t get to claim victimhood , here .
Until you take responsibility for your parental neglect , passivity , and terrible judgment , you can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook-stalking seems to me more melodrama than the action of a mother desperate to make things right .
You are not Stella Dallas standing in the rain , wistfully watching your daughter through a window .
You are not the victim of her blocking you .
There are many ways — other than Facebook — to contact someone , however , until you can commit to positive change , it is probably wisest for your daughter to keep her distance .
A compassionate and competent counselor could walk you through the events in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment .
With coaching and positive change , the reconciliation you desire might be possible .
I hope you will try .
DEAR AMY : I was absolutely blown away by the letter from “ Justin , ” the young transgender man who sent you a follow-up after you published his question about how to communicate with his parents over the holidays .
So many of us in the LGBTQ community are tasked with extremely challenging and awkward social or family-related negotiations .
It ’ s not fair to us , but yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ THERE : Justin is a special person — I appreciated hearing back from him that his parents are really coming around .
The companion letter in that column , from the mom of a transgender girl , showed how hard it can be for parents to adjust how they refer to their transgender kids .
You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy @ amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy , P.O .
Box 194 , Freeville , NY 13068 .
You can also follow her on Twitter @ askingamy or Facebook @

DEAR READERS: Because of syndication scheduling, I write and submit my columns two weeks in advance of publication. Due to this time lag, the Q&A will not reflect the latest information about the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic we are currently facing.
DEAR AMY: “Queasy in Florida” wanted to put an anonymous note in the mailbox of a woman at her retirement community, criticizing her behavior at the home’s communal dining table.
Thank you for recommending a discreet, in-person conversation. My loving, kind, 86-year-old parents just voluntarily moved into an assisted-living community. My dad wore a hat in the dining room because his head is always cold.
Someone left a copy of the dress code at their apartment door with an arrow pointing to “no hats in the dining room.”
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Protective Daughter
DEAR PROTECTIVE: Nonjudgmental, discreet, and in-person is almost always the best way to communicate.
DEAR AMY: I wish I could undo some of the terrible mistakes I’ve made.
My daughter hasn’t spoken to me in years.
When she was very young, I divorced her dad and moved hundreds of miles away. I married a man with two sons and a parenting method that I didn’t agree with, but I felt trapped with him — the way I’d felt trapped with her dad. We were together for 10 years.
I waited until after my daughter graduated from high school, and then I separated from her stepfather. It was very difficult to live on my own, and we ended up getting back together. It was more out of convenience than anything.
When I told my daughter that I was getting back together with him, she blew up and told me that her stepbrother had drugged and raped her several times. I was in complete shock! She has not spoken to me since then.
I think about her every day. I stalk her on Facebook (with an unrecognizable profile) just so I can see her life. I can’t be a part of her life because she has blocked me. This estrangement breaks my 83-year-old mother’s heart, and I would like to see us all together again.
Regretful
DEAR REGRETFUL: If you want your relationships to change, then you need to change. It’s really that simple. Although you admit to having regrets, you don’t seem to have taken responsibility for the role you played in your daughter’s trauma. Your reaction to her disclosure that she was raped while in your household was to express shock, and then passively sigh — and continue on to reunite with your ex.
Are you not aware that the best thing to do when someone reports a rape is to call the police? (And people wonder why assault victims hesitate to report!)
Yes, you’ve made mistakes. Admitting this is definitely a step in the right direction, but you don’t get to claim victimhood, here. Until you take responsibility for your parental neglect, passivity, and terrible judgment, you cannot hope for a reconciliation. Even your Facebook-stalking seems to me more melodrama than the action of a mother desperate to make things right. You are not Stella Dallas standing in the rain, wistfully watching your daughter through a window. You are not the victim of her blocking you. There are many ways — other than Facebook — to contact someone, however, until you can commit to positive change, it is probably wisest for your daughter to keep her distance.
A compassionate and competent counselor could walk you through the events in your life that have culminated in this moment. With coaching and positive change, the reconciliation you desire might be possible. I hope you will try.
Want Ask Amy delivered to your inbox for free on weekdays?
DEAR AMY: I was absolutely blown away by the letter from “Justin,” the young transgender man who sent you a follow-up after you published his question about how to communicate with his parents over the holidays.
So many of us in the LGBTQ community are tasked with extremely challenging and awkward social or family-related negotiations. It’s not fair to us, but yes — humor always helps.
Been There
DEAR BEEN THERE: Justin is a special person — I appreciated hearing back from him that his parents are really coming around. The companion letter in that column, from the mom of a transgender girl, showed how hard it can be for parents to adjust how they refer to their transgender kids.
You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Letter: A  victory for Concord’s voiceless neighbors

Good .
I am glad no deal was reached .
All the wildlife living there would be displaced , and @ @ @ @ @ dramatically and crime would go up .
• Letter : If we can keep this @ @ @ @ @ any challenge • Letter : We need reassurance ; Trump provides none • Letter : @ @ @ @ @ change our economy This is a victory for the wild creatures who are our voiceless @ @ @ @ @ bats last .
Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters @ @ @

A victory for Concord’s
voiceless neighbors
Re: “Concord lets weapons station developer walk away amid labor dispute” (Eastbaytimes.com, March 24):
Good. I am glad no deal was reached.
All the wildlife living there would be displaced, and I believe traffic would increase dramatically and crime would go up.
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Dana Hangen
Concord
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
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mercurynews--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: After Kushner remarks, ‘national stockpile’ redefined

By Jonathan Lemire , Amanda Seitz and Jill Colvin | Associated Press WASHINGTON — Already facing growing anger and worry from governors over federal assistance to fight the coronavirus outbreak , the Trump administration on Friday abruptly changed its description of the Strategic National Stockpile and put forward a narrower vision of the role the federal government ’ s repository of life-saving medicines and equipment should play in supplying states ’ needs .
The change conforms with President Donald Trump ’ s insistence that the stockpile is only a short-term backup for states , not a commitment to ensure supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most during an emergency , the latest front in a concerted White House effort to try to put the onus for battling the crisis on the states , with Washington meant to play more of a supporting role .
The alteration of the language describing the stockpile was reflected on government websites on Friday , a day after Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s son-in-law and White House senior adviser who has taken a larger role in the coronavirus response , offered a new argument about the supplies .
After saying that states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kushner on Thursday said , “ And the notion of the federal stockpile was it ’ s supposed to be our stockpile .
It ’ s not supposed to be states ’ stockpiles that they then use.
” Trump on Friday touted the number of supplies it was sending to the states , including 8.1 million masks to New York .
The president also directed FEMA to prevent export of the N95 masks under Defense Production Act .
And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance for Americans to wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot spots , but Trump immediately said that he would not personally follow the recommendation .
Until Friday , the federal Health and Human Services website had reflected a markedly different approach to the stockpile .
The “ Strategic National Stockpile is the nation ’ s largest supply of life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out , ” the website used to say , according to an archived search .
“ When state , local , tribal , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their response efforts , the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency , ” the website had said .
But , according to data , the description changed Friday morning : “ The Strategic National Stockpile ’ s role is to supplement state and local supplies during public health emergencies .
Many states have products stockpiled , as well .
The supplies , medicines , and devices for life-saving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term stopgap buffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these materials may not be immediately available.
” Officials at the agency said the change had been in the works for weeks , downplaying any connection to Kushner ’ s comments .
Kushner made his claim during his first appearance at the daily White House coronavirus task force briefing , a moment meant to highlight his growing role in managing the federal response to the pandemic , particularly in delivering vital supplies .
Trump has long insisted that the primary responsibility lies with the states in managing the pandemic .
He has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order and said that he didn ’ t want to overly use the Defense Production Act , which allows him to mobilize private companies for the effort , because he believed the states should take the lead in obtaining supplies .
“ I leave it up to the governors , ” Trump said Friday about whether every state should have a stay-at-home order .
“ I like that from the standpoint of governing.
” But in statehouses across the nation , there has been increasing frustration at the lack of assistance from Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s request for 30,000 ventilators for the state , a virus hotbed .
In neighboring Connecticut , Gov .
Ned Lamont told CNN on Tuesday that the state couldn ’ t get personal protective equipment from the national stockpile and was only able to get 50 ventilators from the federal supply .
He said he was told that he ’ ll have to secure the rest on his own .
States have also reported multiple issues with the equipment the federal government has managed to send .
Illinois was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 300,000 N95 masks in March , but instead received less-effective surgical masks , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker revealed during a Tuesday briefing .
California Governor Gavin Newsom , who is trying to track down 10,000 ventilators for his state , announced on Twitter last week that he had received 170 broken ventilators from the national stockpile .
And Gov .
Jay Inslee of Washington , in a recent conference call with the White House , said the states need “ a Tom Brady , ” urging Trump to act like the legendary quarterback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , the White House on Friday stepped up precautions to protect the president and vice president from contracting the new coronavirus .
Anyone who is expected to be in “ close proximity ” to Trump or Vice President Mike Pence will be given a new , quick COVID-19 test “ to evaluate for pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers status to limit inadvertent transmission , ” according to White House spokesman Judd Deere .
All visitors to the White House complex already have their temperatures taken when entering the building and if they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Pence .
Trump took the new COVID-19 test on Thursday and the White House doctor said results were back in 15 minutes .
He tested negative .
The president , however , did not seem to be aware the new policy had been put into place , when he sat down for a Friday afternoon roundtable discussion with energy industry executives at the White House .
“ You know what ?
I like it .
Let ’ s test these guys , ” he said in response to a question about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us millions of jobs .
If anybody wants to be tested , we ’ ll test them.
” Many of those seated around the Cabinet Room table indicated when asked that they had , indeed , received the tests .
Lemire reported from New York .
Seitz reported from Chicago .
Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed from Washington .

By Jonathan Lemire, Amanda Seitz and Jill Colvin | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Already facing growing anger and worry from governors over federal assistance to fight the coronavirus outbreak, the Trump administration on Friday abruptly changed its description of the Strategic National Stockpile and put forward a narrower vision of the role the federal government’s repository of life-saving medicines and equipment should play in supplying states’ needs.
The change conforms with President Donald Trump’s insistence that the stockpile is only a short-term backup for states, not a commitment to ensure supplies get quickly to those who need them most during an emergency, the latest front in a concerted White House effort to try to put the onus for battling the crisis on the states, with Washington meant to play more of a supporting role.
The alteration of the language describing the stockpile was reflected on government websites on Friday, a day after Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and White House senior adviser who has taken a larger role in the coronavirus response, offered a new argument about the supplies.
After saying that states should use their own stockpiles first, Kushner on Thursday said, “And the notion of the federal stockpile was it’s supposed to be our stockpile. It’s not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use.”
Trump on Friday touted the number of supplies it was sending to the states, including 8.1 million masks to New York. The president also directed FEMA to prevent export of the N95 masks under Defense Production Act. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance for Americans to wear masks in crowded areas, particularly in hot spots, but Trump immediately said that he would not personally follow the recommendation.
Until Friday, the federal Health and Human Services website had reflected a markedly different approach to the stockpile. The “Strategic National Stockpile is the nation’s largest supply of life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out,” the website used to say, according to an archived search.
“When state, local, tribal, and territorial responders request federal assistance to support their response efforts, the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency,” the website had said.
But, according to data, the description changed Friday morning: “The Strategic National Stockpile’s role is to supplement state and local supplies during public health emergencies. Many states have products stockpiled, as well. The supplies, medicines, and devices for life-saving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of adequate amounts of these materials may not be immediately available.”
Officials at the agency said the change had been in the works for weeks, downplaying any connection to Kushner’s comments. Kushner made his claim during his first appearance at the daily White House coronavirus task force briefing, a moment meant to highlight his growing role in managing the federal response to the pandemic, particularly in delivering vital supplies.
Trump has long insisted that the primary responsibility lies with the states in managing the pandemic. He has resisted calls to issue a national stay-at-home order and said that he didn’t want to overly use the Defense Production Act, which allows him to mobilize private companies for the effort, because he believed the states should take the lead in obtaining supplies.
“I leave it up to the governors,” Trump said Friday about whether every state should have a stay-at-home order. “I like that from the standpoint of governing.”
But in statehouses across the nation, there has been increasing frustration at the lack of assistance from Washington.
Trump scoffed at New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s request for 30,000 ventilators for the state, a virus hotbed. In neighboring Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont told CNN on Tuesday that the state couldn’t get personal protective equipment from the national stockpile and was only able to get 50 ventilators from the federal supply. He said he was told that he’ll have to secure the rest on his own.
States have also reported multiple issues with the equipment the federal government has managed to send.
Illinois was supposed to receive a federal shipment of 300,000 N95 masks in March, but instead received less-effective surgical masks, Gov. J.B. Pritzker revealed during a Tuesday briefing. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is trying to track down 10,000 ventilators for his state, announced on Twitter last week that he had received 170 broken ventilators from the national stockpile.
And Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, in a recent conference call with the White House, said the states need “a Tom Brady,” urging Trump to act like the legendary quarterback instead of playing a backup role.
Meanwhile, the White House on Friday stepped up precautions to protect the president and vice president from contracting the new coronavirus. Anyone who is expected to be in “close proximity” to Trump or Vice President Mike Pence will be given a new, quick COVID-19 test “to evaluate for pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers status to limit inadvertent transmission,” according to White House spokesman Judd Deere.
All visitors to the White House complex already have their temperatures taken when entering the building and if they will be in close proximity to either Trump or Pence. Trump took the new COVID-19 test on Thursday and the White House doctor said results were back in 15 minutes. He tested negative.
The president, however, did not seem to be aware the new policy had been put into place, when he sat down for a Friday afternoon roundtable discussion with energy industry executives at the White House.
“You know what? I like it. Let’s test these guys,” he said in response to a question about the policy. “Listen: They gave us millions of jobs. If anybody wants to be tested, we’ll test them.”
Many of those seated around the Cabinet Room table indicated when asked that they had, indeed, received the tests.
Lemire reported from New York. Seitz reported from Chicago. Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed from Washington.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--New tax for Caltrain? Measure this fall could fund trains every 10 minutes

Even as traffic jams and crowded trains start to feel like distant memories , Caltrain officials are mounting a campaign for a new sales tax measure they say will allow the rail line to carry thousands more passengers up and down the Peninsula — once the world is no longer sheltered in place .
The measure would raise $ 108 million per year for the agency with a new sales tax of one-eighth of a cent in Santa Clara , San Mateo and San Francisco counties if voters approve it this fall .
Caltrain would put that money toward its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a new fleet of electrified trains .
That would allow the agency to shift over the next several years from a commuter railroad whose schedule riders must plan their days around to one more comparable to BART , with service so frequent passengers just show up at a station and ride .
The campaign took a first step toward the November ballot on Wednesday , when the SamTrans board of directors gave its support to a potential measure .
Six other government bodies — each county ’ s board of supervisors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transportation Agency and Caltrain ’ s board — will also have to sign on before voters see it on their ballots this fall .
The tax will need a two-thirds majority to pass .
“ Providing Caltrain with a dedicated source of funding will finally allow the system to operate the fast , frequent , electrified service that our communities deserve , ” Karyl Matsumoto , a South San Francisco city councilmember and chair of the SamTrans board , said in a statement .
Funding from the tax measure would help Caltrain run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and San Francisco by 2022 , officials say , with trains arriving every 10 minutes during peak commute hours .
Gilroy and southern Santa Clara County would see more frequent service as well .
Looking further into the future , Caltrain has plans to eventually run over 200 trips per day and extend its tracks to downtown San Francisco ’ s Salesforce Transit Center .
Caltrain now typically has 92 trips each day , but last month slashed that service to 42 trains because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The measure would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency that has seen ridership all but evaporate as millions of Bay Area residents stay home .
Caltrain relies on passenger fares for 70 percent of its operating budget , with the rest coming from each of the three counties where it operates .
The agency will receive a share of the $ 1.3 billion in stimulus funding the federal government is providing to the Bay Area ’ s public transit systems , which should help soften the blow , though exactly how much money Caltrain will get hasn ’ t been determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reminder that when we come out of this crisis , the ( Caltrain ) system will not be able to grow without dedicated investment.
” But there were signs of trouble for transit funding even before COVID-19 upended public life .
Voters in Sonoma , Marin and Contra Costa counties rejected transportation sales tax measures like the one Caltrain is pursuing by wide margins on Super Tuesday .
And with so much attention focused on the coronavirus , Faster Bay Area , the leading campaign for a Bay Area-wide sales tax increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 billion for major transportation projects such as Caltrain ’ s , announced last month that it is postponing its campaign to a future election .
Caltrain ’ s proposal would impose a smaller tax than each of those other measures , though , and would fund a well-established rail line that has seen its ridership double over the past 15 years .
Another significant difference : While the regional “ mega-measure ” needs the state Legislature and governor to pass a bill authorizing it to appear on ballots across the Bay Area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanks to legislation approved in 2017 .
A January poll conducted by Silicon Valley Leadership Group — one of the leaders of the Faster Bay Area campaign and a backer of the Caltrain proposal — found 68 percent of respondents were in favor of a one-eighth sales tax to fund the railroad .
Of course , January feels like a very long time ago , so the business group noted it ’ ll need to do more polling on the measure “ when the global health and economic situation is more clear .
@

Even as traffic jams and crowded trains start to feel like distant memories, Caltrain officials are mounting a campaign for a new sales tax measure they say will allow the rail line to carry thousands more passengers up and down the Peninsula — once the world is no longer sheltered in place.
The measure would raise $108 million per year for the agency with a new sales tax of one-eighth of a cent in Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties if voters approve it this fall.
Caltrain would put that money toward its ambitious plans to provide more frequent service with a new fleet of electrified trains. That would allow the agency to shift over the next several years from a commuter railroad whose schedule riders must plan their days around to one more comparable to BART, with service so frequent passengers just show up at a station and ride.
The campaign took a first step toward the November ballot on Wednesday, when the SamTrans board of directors gave its support to a potential measure. Six other government bodies — each county’s board of supervisors, plus VTA, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and Caltrain’s board — will also have to sign on before voters see it on their ballots this fall. The tax will need a two-thirds majority to pass.
“Providing Caltrain with a dedicated source of funding will finally allow the system to operate the fast, frequent, electrified service that our communities deserve,” Karyl Matsumoto, a South San Francisco city councilmember and chair of the SamTrans board, said in a statement.
Funding from the tax measure would help Caltrain run 168 trains each weekday between San Jose and San Francisco by 2022, officials say, with trains arriving every 10 minutes during peak commute hours. Gilroy and southern Santa Clara County would see more frequent service as well.
Looking further into the future, Caltrain has plans to eventually run over 200 trips per day and extend its tracks to downtown San Francisco’s Salesforce Transit Center.
Caltrain now typically has 92 trips each day, but last month slashed that service to 42 trains because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The measure would also provide a new revenue source for an agency that has seen ridership all but evaporate as millions of Bay Area residents stay home. Caltrain relies on passenger fares for 70 percent of its operating budget, with the rest coming from each of the three counties where it operates.
The agency will receive a share of the $1.3 billion in stimulus funding the federal government is providing to the Bay Area’s public transit systems, which should help soften the blow, though exactly how much money Caltrain will get hasn’t been determined.
Matsumoto said the pandemic is “a reminder that when we come out of this crisis, the (Caltrain) system will not be able to grow without dedicated investment.”
But there were signs of trouble for transit funding even before COVID-19 upended public life. Voters in Sonoma, Marin and Contra Costa counties rejected transportation sales tax measures like the one Caltrain is pursuing by wide margins on Super Tuesday. And with so much attention focused on the coronavirus, Faster Bay Area, the leading campaign for a Bay Area-wide sales tax increase this November that would have raised $100 billion for major transportation projects such as Caltrain’s, announced last month that it is postponing its campaign to a future election.
Caltrain’s proposal would impose a smaller tax than each of those other measures, though, and would fund a well-established rail line that has seen its ridership double over the past 15 years.
Another significant difference: While the regional “mega-measure” needs the state Legislature and governor to pass a bill authorizing it to appear on ballots across the Bay Area, Caltrain already has that green light thanks to legislation approved in 2017.
A January poll conducted by Silicon Valley Leadership Group — one of the leaders of the Faster Bay Area campaign and a backer of the Caltrain proposal — found 68 percent of respondents were in favor of a one-eighth sales tax to fund the railroad. Of course, January feels like a very long time ago, so the business group noted it’ll need to do more polling on the measure “when the global health and economic situation is more clear.”


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: Stream this — one of 2020’s best movies just came out

Which movies should you stream at home ?
Here are recommendations , and one to avoid .
“ Never Rarely Sometimes Always ” : Eliza Hittman embraces realism again for her award-winning drama about a small-town Pennsylvania teen ( a natural Sidney Flanigan , who never acted before ) confronting roadblocks to get an abortion .
There ’ s not one false step in the “ Beach Rats ” director ’ s verite drama , an affecting portrait that speaks with quiet but urgent authority .
Details : 4 out of 4 stars , streaming on Amazon Prime .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents with this family-friendly , sumptuously photographed Nature documentary narrated by an exclamatory Natalie Portman .
The spectacle of the undersea world and its denizens are the stars , even if “ Dolphin ” intends to chart the cute growing pains of a dolphin .
The streaming service also offers “ Elephant , ” narrated by Meghan Markle .
Details : 3 stars ; available now .
“ Tigertail ” : Alan Yang ’ s subtle family drama shifts from Taiwan to America as well as from a child ’ s perspective to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repressed man reflects on past and present relationships and attitudes .
It ’ s well made and poignant .
Details : 3 stars ; available April 10 on Netflix .
“ Extra Ordinary ” : This zany Irish supernatural comedy boosts downtrodden spirits .
Lafayette native Will Forte is hilarious as an ego-driven , has-been rocker , but Maeve Higgins fuels this wild ride and she ’ s a hoot as a driving instructor in tune with ghosts .
Details : 3 stars ; to screen , go to www.cinemasf.com/balboa or drafthouse.com/virtual-cinema ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : A reinvention of Victor Hugo ’ s tale doesn ’ t sound promising , but this contemporary jolt set in an impoverished section of Paris shows what universally ails our world .
Ladj Ly directs with action fury .
Details : 3½ stars ; streaming April 10 on Amazon Prime .
“ Mine 9 ” : This intense based-on-a-true story survival thriller received a world premiere at the 2019 Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival and justly took home a best narrative drama prize .
Edward Mensore ’ s heroic nail-biter finds nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the oxygen supply dwindles .
You ’ ll feel like you ’ re there with them .
Details : 3 stars ; available on various platforms .
“ Invisible Life ” : In this passionate Brazilian epic , two sisters in the ‘ 50s get separated by the cruel actions of their strict father , thrusting them into relationships wherein macho men with fragile egos dominate .
Karim Ainouz ’ s melodrama is sexually explicit and unforgettable .
Details : 3½ stars ; streaming on Amazon Prime .
“ Coffee & Kareem ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this rancid , obnoxious and dumb mess — a Netflix original comedy/thriller .
Ed Helms is a white cop romancing a black woman ( Taraji B. Henson ) who has an annoying son .
This one should be flushed down the toilet .
Details : Zero stars ; available now .
“ Almost Love ” : Cozy up to this romantic comedy from actor-turned-director Mike Doyle about a self-absorbed New Yorker artist fumbling with his career , social media and a romance .
Scott Evans and August Prew play a disconnected gay couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walsh and Patricia Clarkson in smaller roles .
Details : 3 stars ; available on various platforms .

Which movies should you stream at home? Here are recommendations, and one to avoid.
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”: Eliza Hittman embraces realism again for her award-winning drama about a small-town Pennsylvania teen (a natural Sidney Flanigan, who never acted before) confronting roadblocks to get an abortion. There’s not one false step in the “Beach Rats” director’s verite drama, an affecting portrait that speaks with quiet but urgent authority. Details: 4 out of 4 stars, streaming on Amazon Prime.
“Love Wedding Repeat”: In this creative rom-com romp, “Hunger Games” hunk Sam Claflin plays a sweetheart brother of an anxious bride (Eleanor Tomlinson) who’s walking down the aisle with an indelicate secret. All actors on this guest list — Freida Pinto as the acid-tongued ex and Olivia Munn as Jack’s journalist crush — are a scream. RSVP now to director/writer Dean Craig’s sassy tinkering of genre tropes. Details: (3 stars; streaming now on Netflix).
“Dolphin Reef”: Disney+ bails out parents with this family-friendly, sumptuously photographed Nature documentary narrated by an exclamatory Natalie Portman. The spectacle of the undersea world and its denizens are the stars, even if “Dolphin” intends to chart the cute growing pains of a dolphin. The streaming service also offers “Elephant,” narrated by Meghan Markle. Details: 3 stars; available now.
“Tigertail”: Alan Yang’s subtle family drama shifts from Taiwan to America as well as from a child’s perspective to that of a senior, as a repressed man reflects on past and present relationships and attitudes. Details: Available April 10 on Netflix.
“Extra Ordinary”: This zany Irish supernatural comedy boosts downtrodden spirits. Lafayette native Will Forte is hilarious as an ego-driven, has-been rocker, but Maeve Higgins fuels this wild ride and she’s a hoot as a driving instructor in tune with ghosts. Details: 3 stars; to screen, go to www.cinemasf.com/balboa or drafthouse.com/virtual-cinema; $12.
“Les Miserables”: A reinvention of Victor Hugo’s tale doesn’t sound promising, but this contemporary jolt set in an impoverished section of Paris shows what universally ails our world. Ladj Ly directs with action fury. Details: 3½ stars; streaming April 10 on Amazon Prime.
“Mine 9”: This intense based-on-a-true story survival thriller received a world premiere at the 2019 Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival and justly took home a best narrative drama prize. Edward Mensore’s heroic nail-biter finds nine coal miners trapped in West Virginia as the oxygen supply dwindles. You’ll feel like you’re there with them. Details: 3 stars; available on various platforms.
“Invisible Life”: In this passionate Brazilian epic, two sisters in the ‘50s get separated by the cruel actions of their strict father, thrusting them into relationships wherein macho men with fragile egos dominate. Karim Ainouz’s melodrama is sexually explicit and unforgettable. Details: 3½ stars; streaming on Amazon Prime.
“Coffee & Kareem”: I lasted just 30 minutes through this rancid, obnoxious and dumb mess — a Netflix original comedy/thriller. Ed Helms is a white cop romancing a black woman (Taraji B. Henson) who has an annoying son. This one should be flushed down the toilet. Details: Zero stars; available now.
“Almost Love”: Cozy up to this romantic comedy from actor-turned-director Mike Doyle about a self-absorbed New Yorker artist fumbling with his career, social media and a romance. Scott Evans and August Prew play a disconnected gay couple and are first-rate, as are Kate Walsh and Patricia Clarkson in smaller roles. Details: 3 stars; available on various platforms.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: CDC recommends face masks in public

By Eric Tucker , Zeke Miller and Mike Schneider | Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced new federal guidelines Friday recommending that Americans wear face coverings when in public to help fight the spread of the new coronavirus .
The president immediately said he had no intention of following the advice himself , saying , “ I ’ m choosing not to do it.
” The new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages people , especially in areas hit hard by the spread of the coronavirus , to use rudimentary coverings like T-shirts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces while outdoors .
The president exempted himself from his administration ’ s own guidelines , saying he could not envision himself covering his face while sitting in the Oval Office greeting world leaders .
“ It ’ s a recommendation , they recommend it , ” Trump said .
“ I just don ’ t want to wear one myself.
” The new guidance , announced at a time when states are bracing for critical shortfalls like those that other parts of the world have experienced , raises concern that it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans turn to private industry to meet the expected surge in demand .
Trump and other administration officials sought to minimize any burden by stressing the recommendations did not amount to requirements and a variety of homemade coverings were perfectly acceptable .
Federal officials stressed that surgical masks and N95 respirators should be left for those on the front lines of fighting the spread of the infection .
Friday ’ s announcement capped an evolution in messaging from the White House that officials acknowledged has at times been confusing .
First lady Melania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet saying , “ As the weekend approaches I ask that everyone take social distancing & wearing a mask/face covering seriously.
” The administration has said states should have done more to stockpile medical supplies , but it ’ s not clear if anyone is prepared for the potential rush that could ensue if people try to obtain medical masks for themselves .
In rural Florida , Okeechobee Discount Drugs has been sold out of face masks for almost two weeks , and “ we don ’ t know where you can find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Stacey Nelson , one of the pharmacy ’ s owners .
“ It ’ s very hard to get these products , but people want them , ” Nelson said .
“ They ’ ve been getting mixed messages and people aren ’ t sure if they should be wearing masks in our daily lives .
It ’ s very confusing .
Wear them , or don ’ t wear them ?
” For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
In fashioning the recommendations , the administration appears to be striving to balance political concerns about wanting to preserve as much normalcy as possible with public health concerns that some infections are being spread by people who seem to be healthy , which could infect areas that so far have been mostly spared .
The White House has faced pushback against rigorous social distancing guidelines from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For the hardest-hit areas , where social distancing has already been in place for some time , the White House coronavirus task force thought there would be less risk of people ignoring the other guidance if they covered their faces .
Dr. Deborah Birx , the task force coordinator , said Thursday she was concerned that people would be lulled into a false sense of security by covering their faces , and wouldn ’ t abide by the more critical and effective measures to slow the spread of the virus : staying six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and refraining from touching their faces .
As with other public health guidance , the recommendation on face covering has been a moving target for the administration .
Under the previous guidance , only the sick or those at high risk of complications from the respiratory illness were advised to wear masks .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams wrote on Twitter at the end of February that people should “ STOP BUYING MASKS ” and said they were not effective in protecting the general public .
On Monday , he noted that the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy members of the population .
Three days later , he tweeted that though there remains “ scant ” evidence that wearing a mask , especially improperly , can protect the wearer , “ emerging data suggests facial coverings may prevent asymptomatic disease transmission to others.
” Schneider reported from Orlando , Florida .
Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report .

[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/04/03/fauci-pandemic-preparedness-trump-sot-acosta-vpx.cnn”]
By Eric Tucker, Zeke Miller and Mike Schneider | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced new federal guidelines Friday recommending that Americans wear face coverings when in public to help fight the spread of the new coronavirus. The president immediately said he had no intention of following the advice himself, saying, “I’m choosing not to do it.”
The new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages people, especially in areas hit hard by the spread of the coronavirus, to use rudimentary coverings like T-shirts, bandannas and non-medical masks to cover their faces while outdoors.
The president exempted himself from his administration’s own guidelines, saying he could not envision himself covering his face while sitting in the Oval Office greeting world leaders.
“It’s a recommendation, they recommend it,” Trump said. “I just don’t want to wear one myself.”
The new guidance, announced at a time when states are bracing for critical shortfalls like those that other parts of the world have experienced, raises concern that it could cause a sudden run on masks if Americans turn to private industry to meet the expected surge in demand.
Trump and other administration officials sought to minimize any burden by stressing the recommendations did not amount to requirements and a variety of homemade coverings were perfectly acceptable. Federal officials stressed that surgical masks and N95 respirators should be left for those on the front lines of fighting the spread of the infection.
Friday’s announcement capped an evolution in messaging from the White House that officials acknowledged has at times been confusing.
First lady Melania Trump embodied the ever-changing messaging with a tweet saying, “As the weekend approaches I ask that everyone take social distancing & wearing a mask/face covering seriously.”
The administration has said states should have done more to stockpile medical supplies, but it’s not clear if anyone is prepared for the potential rush that could ensue if people try to obtain medical masks for themselves.
In rural Florida, Okeechobee Discount Drugs has been sold out of face masks for almost two weeks, and “we don’t know where you can find any masks at this point,” said Stacey Nelson, one of the pharmacy’s owners.
“It’s very hard to get these products, but people want them,” Nelson said. “They’ve been getting mixed messages and people aren’t sure if they should be wearing masks in our daily lives. It’s very confusing. Wear them, or don’t wear them?”
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
In fashioning the recommendations, the administration appears to be striving to balance political concerns about wanting to preserve as much normalcy as possible with public health concerns that some infections are being spread by people who seem to be healthy, which could infect areas that so far have been mostly spared.
The White House has faced pushback against rigorous social distancing guidelines from states with lesser rates of infection. For the hardest-hit areas, where social distancing has already been in place for some time, the White House coronavirus task force thought there would be less risk of people ignoring the other guidance if they covered their faces.
Dr. Deborah Birx, the task force coordinator, said Thursday she was concerned that people would be lulled into a false sense of security by covering their faces, and wouldn’t abide by the more critical and effective measures to slow the spread of the virus: staying six feet apart, frequently washing their hands and refraining from touching their faces.
As with other public health guidance, the recommendation on face covering has been a moving target for the administration. Under the previous guidance, only the sick or those at high risk of complications from the respiratory illness were advised to wear masks.
Surgeon General Jerome Adams wrote on Twitter at the end of February that people should “STOP BUYING MASKS” and said they were not effective in protecting the general public.
On Monday, he noted that the World Health Organization does not recommend masks for healthy members of the population. Three days later, he tweeted that though there remains “scant” evidence that wearing a mask, especially improperly, can protect the wearer, “emerging data suggests facial coverings may prevent asymptomatic disease transmission to others.”
Schneider reported from Orlando, Florida. Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: Santa Clara County COVID-19 cases up 90 percent since last week

Over the last seven days , the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County has increased by 90.6 percent .
According to updated data released by the Public Health Department on Friday , 1,094 people in the Bay Area ’ s most populated county have tested positive for the novel coronavirus , an increase in 75 cases since Thursday .
At this time last Friday , the county had recorded 574 confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
The county also announced two new COVID-19-related deaths on Friday , bringing the countywide total to 38 .
Eighteen of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since this time last week .
The Public Health Department says there are currently 287 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Santa Clara County , including 88 in intensive care unit beds .
To date , 9,910 patients have been tested for the coronavirus in the county , an increase of 692 tests since Thursday .
With 1,094 confirmed cases , the test positivity rate is 11.04 percent .
The county has not provided data on the number of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 who have made full recoveries .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there have been more than 3,000 confirmed positive tests for the coronavirus to date in the Bay Area and 84 COVID-19-related deaths in the region .
More than 45 percent of those deaths have occurred in Santa Clara County .
Santa Clara County is the only Bay Area county with more than 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , but according to totals published by the the California Department of Finance , its population of nearly 2 million residents includes at least 300,000 more people than every other county in the region .
Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus are hospitalized around the state , including 901 who are in intensive care unit beds .
Santa Clara County Public Health Officer , Dr. Sara Cody , has been among the busiest health officials in the country since the Bay Area had its first confirmed case on Jan. 31 .
On Thursday , Dr. Cody joined health officials from around the Bay Area to issue regional guidance recommending that people who must leave their house for essential travel use face coverings .
“ Wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 .
We know that a person can spread the virus before they develop symptoms , or even if they never develop symptoms , ” said Dr. Sara Cody , Santa Clara County Health Officer and Public Health Director .
On Friday , Dr. Cody , the chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition joined with leaders from 28 other health departments around the United States in sharing an open letter in newspapers around the country urging people to stay home .
“ We understand many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffering from real impacts to their livelihood , ” Dr. Cody wrote .
“ Right now , we all need to reduce the number of people with whom each of us comes in contact .
We each have a part in slowing the spread of this virus .
”

Over the last seven days, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County has increased by 90.6 percent.
According to updated data released by the Public Health Department on Friday, 1,094 people in the Bay Area’s most populated county have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, an increase in 75 cases since Thursday.
At this time last Friday, the county had recorded 574 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The county also announced two new COVID-19-related deaths on Friday, bringing the countywide total to 38. Eighteen of those deaths (47.4 percent) have occurred since this time last week.
The Public Health Department says there are currently 287 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Santa Clara County, including 88 in intensive care unit beds.
To date, 9,910 patients have been tested for the coronavirus in the county, an increase of 692 tests since Thursday. With 1,094 confirmed cases, the test positivity rate is 11.04 percent.
The county has not provided data on the number of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 who have made full recoveries.
According to data compiled by this news organization, there have been more than 3,000 confirmed positive tests for the coronavirus to date in the Bay Area and 84 COVID-19-related deaths in the region. More than 45 percent of those deaths have occurred in Santa Clara County.
Santa Clara County is the only Bay Area county with more than 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, but according to totals published by the the California Department of Finance, its population of nearly 2 million residents includes at least 300,000 more people than every other county in the region.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday more than 2,000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus are hospitalized around the state, including 901 who are in intensive care unit beds.
Santa Clara County Public Health Officer, Dr. Sara Cody, has been among the busiest health officials in the country since the Bay Area had its first confirmed case on Jan. 31.
On Thursday, Dr. Cody joined health officials from around the Bay Area to issue regional guidance recommending that people who must leave their house for essential travel use face coverings.
“Wearing a face covering is an additional strategy to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. We know that a person can spread the virus before they develop symptoms, or even if they never develop symptoms,” said Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County Health Officer and Public Health Director.
On Friday, Dr. Cody, the chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition joined with leaders from 28 other health departments around the United States in sharing an open letter in newspapers around the country urging people to stay home.
“We understand many people cannot work from home and are suffering from real impacts to their livelihood,” Dr. Cody wrote. “Right now, we all need to reduce the number of people with whom each of us comes in contact. We each have a part in slowing the spread of this virus.”


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Map: Where to get Bay Area restaurant takeout or delivery during the coronavirus shutdown

Check this Bay Area interactive map to see where to find restaurants with takeout and delivery options in Alameda , @ @ @ @ @ , and Santa Clara counties while we all shelter in place .
For more information @ @ @ @ @ restaurants by region , view our comprehensive guide .
Scroll below the map and use @ @ @ @ @ us know if we missed a restaurant that is offering takeout or delivery in the @ @ @ @ @ .

Check this Bay Area interactive map to see where to find restaurants with takeout and delivery options in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties while we all shelter in place. For more information and a complete list of restaurants by region, view our comprehensive guide.
Scroll below the map and use the contact form to let us know if we missed a restaurant that is offering takeout or delivery in the South Bay and East Bay.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: After 75 years, Clarke’s Charcoal Broiler closes for good in Mountain View

The owners of Mountain View ’ s oldest restaurant , Clarke ’ s Charcoal Broiler , say they can ’ t weather the coronavirus crisis and have shut down the business for good .
The Blach family , in announcing the “ difficult decision ” on the restaurant ’ s website , wrote : “ Clarke ’ s has had a long and successful run for 75 years and we appreciate each and everyone of you for supporting us through the years !
Due to COVID-19 and the current extended shelter in place , it has made it impossible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy and we wish you all the best.
” A rustic throwback , the El Camino Real eatery had been serving burgers , fries , barbecue and milkshakes since 1945 .
According to the posted history , Clarke ’ s Charcoal Broiler was established by H.W .
Clarke and purchased years later by Jim and Liz Blach .
Son Steve Blach told the Mountain View Voice — whose readers over the years have declared Clarke ’ s the best burger in town — that he and his siblings and his mother , now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough to stay in business , even with takeout orders .
“ It could be another 18 months until we get back to where we were prior to the virus , ” he was quoted as saying .
“ What do you do ?
You lay off people .
You cut hours .
You raise prices .
And then you ’ re going to be out of business anyway .
It ’ s a no-win situation.
” The news , first reported by the Daily Post , rocked fans of the restaurant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hundreds posted their sentiments on social media .
“ Please , please , please tell me there is something we can do to raise money to save Clarke ’ s , ” wrote Greg Roumbanis on the Facebook page .
“ I ’ m not at all kidding .
This can ’ t happen .
How much money do you guys need to keep this going ?
I ’ ve been going to Clarke ’ s since I was a little boy and I ’ m 42 now .
We have to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another customer , Diane Burgess , quickly added that she is 72 and had been eating at Clarke ’ s her whole life .
“ I remember when there were three locations : the MV one , another on Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino , and the one in Los Altos Rancho , ” said Cameron Ladd .
“ I hope that , when this is all over , the fantastic burgers that were called ‘ Clarke ’ s ’ will be offered to the public again in some incarnation.
” Many begged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about small-business relief funds now available during this crisis .
One noted that Peninsula residents had helped save another beloved business , Kepler ’ s Books , from closing many years ago .
Others bemoaned the loss of their favorites : “ Best bacon cheeseburger ever.
” “ Best patty melt ever.
” “ I will miss you and your chili cheese fries.
” • 15 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2019 • 14 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2018 • 12 long-lived Bay Area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • 10 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2016 • 12 long-lived , legendary Bay Area restaurants that said goodbye in 2015 And many customers simply thanked the Blachs for maintaining a welcoming spot for so many years .
“ Such a comfortable place to be at , like being at home , ” Doris Cecil wrote .
“ Really going to miss going here on those warm summer nights , when they would have it opened up like a backyard patio .
So sorry to see this unique place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blach told the Mountain View Voice that the family would extend severance to all employees , including one who had worked for them for 30 years .

The owners of Mountain View’s oldest restaurant, Clarke’s Charcoal Broiler, say they can’t weather the coronavirus crisis and have shut down the business for good.
The Blach family, in announcing the “difficult decision” on the restaurant’s website, wrote: “Clarke’s has had a long and successful run for 75 years and we appreciate each and everyone of you for supporting us through the years! Due to COVID-19 and the current extended shelter in place, it has made it impossible for us to continue on.
“Stay healthy and we wish you all the best.”
A rustic throwback, the landmark El Camino Real eatery had been serving burgers, fries, barbecue and milkshakes since 1945. According to the posted history, Clarke’s Charcoal Broiler was established by H.W. Clarke and purchased years later by Jim and Liz Blach.
Son Steve Blach told the Mountain View Voice — whose readers over the years have declared Clarke’s the best burger in town — that he and his siblings and his mother, now 92, decided it would be too tough to stay in business, even with takeout orders.
“It could be another 18 months until we get back to where we were prior to the virus,” he said. “What do you do? You lay off people. You cut hours. You raise prices. And then you’re going to be out of business anyway. It’s a no-win situation.”
The news, first reported by the Daily Post, rocked fans of the restaurant, reportedly the oldest in the city. Hundreds posted their sentiments on social media.
“Please, please, please tell me there is something we can do to raise money to save Clarke’s,” wrote Greg Roumbanis on the Facebook page. “I’m not at all kidding. This can’t happen. How much money do you guys need to keep this going? I’ve been going to Clarke’s since I was a little boy and I’m 42 now. We have to do something to save Clarke’s.”
Another customer, Diane Burgess, quickly added that she is 72 and had been eating at Clarke’s her whole life.
Cameron Ladd said: “I remember when there were three locations: the MV one, another on Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, and the one in Los Altos Rancho. I hope that, when this is all over, the fantastic burgers that were called ‘Clarke’s’ will be offered to the public again in some incarnation.”
Many begged the owners to reconsider, posting information about small-business relief funds now available during this crisis. One noted that Peninsula residents had helped save another beloved business, Kepler’s Books, from closing many years ago.
Others bemoaned the loss of their favorites: “Best bacon cheeseburger ever.” “Best patty melt ever.” “I will miss you and your chili cheese fries.”
Related Articles Health | 15 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2019
15 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2019 Health | 14 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2018
14 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2018 Health | 12 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2017
12 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2017 Health | 10 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2016
10 long-lived Bay Area restaurants we said goodbye to in 2016 Health | 12 long-lived, legendary Bay Area restaurants that said goodbye in 2015 And many customers simply thanked the Blachs for maintaining a welcoming spot for so many years.
“Such a comfortable place to be at, like being at home,” Doris Cecil wrote. “Really going to miss going here on those warm summer nights, when they would have it opened up like a backyard patio. So sorry to see this unique place go. What a sad loss.”
Blach told the Mountain View Voice that the family would extend severance to all employees, including one who had worked for them for 30 years.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Garden Grove teacher races to fill coronavirus face-shield shortage

The battle against the novel coronavirus has exposed huge gaps in “ supply chains ” and shown us how these shortfalls are being filled with old-fashion ingenuity and volunteerism .
Take the shortage of medical protective gear .
Basic face masks have gotten much of the publicity , probably because they ’ re in demand from the public for their own wear , too .
Companies and individuals alike have pitched in to fill this supply void with simple , fabric masks .
But face shields , devices that create a plastic barrier between medical providers and patients , also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doctors and nurses didn ’ t have this key protection motivated Eric Henninger , a Garden Grove High School computer science teacher , to get to work .
Two weeks ago , the 42-year-old was feeling bummed about the virus-related shutdown of schools .
The closing took him away from his job as well as his post as the school ’ s swim and water polo coach .
He wanted to fill his empty time doing something good .
Henninger admits he was “ bored and sad for the loss of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ season .
This got my mind on something positive.
” Face shields can ’ t be made with the typical do-it-yourself effort .
Henninger did some research to figure out how to make simple shields , first by creating frames with high-tech 3D printers , then combining the output with clear sheets of plastic typically used as report covers .
He connected them with decidedly low-tech three-hole punches .
He created his first few shields for local medical workers .
Pictures of those deliveries on social media created a major problem : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t make them fast enough .
Henninger ’ s home in Orange has become part-factory with 10 3D printers spitting out shield frames at a slow rate of one an hour .
He ’ s thankful his wife and 11-year-old son are being supportive .
His labor of love started two weeks ago and has produced and delivered more than 600 shields to Southern California medical workers at institutions such as Children ’ s Hospital of Orange County , Kaiser Permanente and St. Mary ’ s Memorial .
He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So now Henninger is seeking volunteers to help via his oc3dppe.org website .
His top priority is finding folks with idle 3D printers .
He ’ s willing to train those willing to join his efforts .
Less tech-savvy people can help , too , by hole-punching plastic sheets or helping move materials and delivering finished shields .
Filling in some coronavirus cracks isn ’ t easy , he admits , saying he ’ s feeling “ mostly positive knowing I ’ m helping people , but extremely stressed .
Managing printers 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many requests .
I also felt overwhelmed when comparing requests to production .
I have to accept that I can only do so much .
”

Photos like this, of a face-shield delivery at St. Mary’s Memorial Hospital in Long Beach, ballooned demand for a volunteer manufacturing effort. (Courtesy: Eric Henninger)
Face shields made by Eric Henninger, a Garden Grove High School computer science teacher. (Photo: Jonathan Lansner/SCNG)
Eric Henninger, a Garden Grove High School computer science teacher, is making face shields to protect medical workers. (Photo: Jonathan Lansner/SCNG)
Face shields made by Eric Henninger, a Garden Grove High School computer science teacher.(Courtesy: Eric Henninger)
The battle against the novel coronavirus has exposed huge gaps in “supply chains” and shown us how these shortfalls are being filled with old-fashion ingenuity and volunteerism.
The shortage of medical protective gear has focused mainly on basic face masks because they’re in demand by the public, too. Companies and individuals alike have pitched in to fill this supply void with simple, fabric masks.
But face shields, devices that create a plastic barrier between medical providers and patients, also are in short supply. News reports that doctors and nurses didn’t have this key protection motivated Eric Henninger, a Garden Grove High School computer science teacher, to get to work.
The 42-year-old was feeling bummed about the virus-related shutdown of schools. The closing took him away from his job as well as his post as the school’s swim and water polo coach. He wanted to fill his empty time doing something good.
Henninger admits he was “bored and sad for the loss of the (swim team’s) seniors’ season. This got my mind on something positive.”
Face shields can’t be made with the typical do-it-yourself effort. Henninger did some research to figure out how to make simple shields using high-tech 3D printers, first outputting frames and connecting those with clear sheets of plastic with decidedly low-tech three-hole punches.
He created his first few shields for local medical workers. Pictures of those deliveries on social media created a major problem: He got so many requests, he couldn’t make them fast enough.
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Henninger’s home in Orange has become part-factory with 10 3D printers spitting out shield frames at a slow rate of one an hour. He’s thankful his wife and 11-year-old son are being supportive.
His labor of love started two weeks ago and has produced and delivered more than 600 shields to Southern California medical workers at institutions such as Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Kaiser Permanente and St. Mary’s Memorial. He’s still got another 2,000 on back-order.
So now Henninger is seeking volunteers to help via his oc3dppe.org website. His top priority is finding folks with idle 3D printers. He’s willing to train those willing to join his efforts. Less tech-savvy people can help, too, by hole-punching plastic sheets or helping move materials and delivering finished shields.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Watch: The stunning growth of coronavirus cases in California’s hardest-hit counties

When March started , Santa Clara County was the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in California .
But throughout the month , as the virus spread across the Golden State , and the tragic bottleneck of testing for the deadly COVID-19 virus eased , a new picture emerged : Southern California caught up to the Bay Area in a race nobody wants to win .
The interactive animated graphic below illustrates that dramatic shift .
By March 18 , Los Angeles County – California ’ s most populous – had eclipsed Santa Clara County , with 192 confirmed case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks since , LA ’ s numbers have spiked to more than 4,000 cumulative cases , nearly four times as many as Santa Clara County .
By Friday , California had more than 11,300 cases .
To see how cases have grown over the course of March in California ’ s hardest-hit counties , click on the start button ( white arrow inside the black circle ) on the bottom of the graphic .
You can stop it to see the numbers on any given date .
Los Angeles reported 4,045 cases as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 10.4 million residents .
Santa Clara county remained in second for the moment , reporting 1,019 cases among its nearly 2 million residents as of April 2 .
San Diego was in a close third , likely to surpass Santa Clara as its cases are growing more rapidly .
San Diego reported 966 cases among its 3.4 million residents as of April 2 .
Orange County and Riverside County were next , followed by San Mateo , San Francisco , and Alameda counties .
Check the latest tally of coronavirus cases and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and see the data for each California county here .

When March started, Santa Clara County was the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in California.
But throughout the month, as the virus spread across the Golden State, and the tragic bottleneck of testing for the deadly COVID-19 virus eased, a new picture emerged: Southern California caught up to the Bay Area in a race nobody wants to win.
The interactive animated graphic above illustrates that dramatic shift.
By March 18, Los Angeles County – California’s most populous – had eclipsed Santa Clara County, with 192 confirmed case of the lethal virus. In a little over two weeks, LA’s numbers have spiked to more than 6,000 cumulative cases, five times as many as Santa Clara County.
By Monday, California had more than 16,300 cases. To see how cases have grown over the course of March in California’s hardest-hit counties, click on the start button (white arrow inside the black circle) on the bottom of the graphic. You can stop it to see the numbers on any given date.
Los Angeles reported 6,360 cases as of April 6 among the county’s 10.4 million residents.
San Diego is in second, reporting 1,404 cases among its 3.4 million residents as of April 6. Santa Clara County is now in third, reporting 1,224 cases among its nearly 2 million residents as of April 6.
Riverside County and Orange County were next, followed by Alameda, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties.
Check the latest tally of coronavirus cases and deaths in 10 Bay Area counties here, and see the data for each California county here.


mercurynews--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: Do reusable grocery bags spread the virus? And are they banned?

Reusable grocery bags have been a staple of life for more than a decade , as environmental groups , cities and voters across California and other states have supported bans on single-use plastic bags to reduce huge amounts of plastic pollution increasingly turning up in rivers , streams and oceans .
But in recent days , as part of expanded efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus , health officials in Bay Area counties , along with Santa Cruz and San Benito counties , have prohibited grocery stores from allowing customers to bring their own bags when they go shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bags is that when they are handled by different people and moved among different environments , it ’ s possible they could be a carrier of the virus , ” said Preston Merchant , a spokesman for the San Mateo County health department .
“ It does attach to surfaces .
Moving towards non-reusable bags means fewer people will have touched them.
” But the science is still unclear , however .
No studies have been published showing coronavirus is spread through reusable shopping bags .
“ To be honest , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rodrigo Hasbun , a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Texas .
“ It is fear-based .
And because we ’ re not sure , everyone is taking precautions.
” The virus can spread on many types of surfaces , including plastic , he noted , if an infected person touches something , or coughs or sneezes on it — whether it ’ s a shopping cart handle , a paper bag , a plastic bag , a product on the shelf or a reusable bag .
A study published last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicine found that the virus can survive up to 72 hours on stainless steel and plastic surfaces and on cardboard up to 24 hours .
Reusable grocery bags are made of different materials , including woven polypropylene plastic , cotton and other cloth .
“ So far , evidence suggests that the virus does not survive as well on a soft surface ( such as fabric ) as it does on frequently touched hard surfaces like elevator buttons and door handles , ” wrote Dr. Lisa Lockerd Maragakis , an epidemiologist at Johns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She noted that the 72-hour life of the virus on plastic has received a lot of attention , but the scientists who made that discovery found that by 72 hours less than 0.1 % of the starting virus material remains , meaning infection then is unlikely .
Even though that study didn ’ t expressly answer the question about reusable bags , it can inform decisions about them , some experts say .
“ When I think about what the things are that we can do to reduce pandemic risk , do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing ?
No , ” said Dr. Stephen Luby , an epidemiologist and professor of medicine at Stanford University .
“ Is there some evidence to support it ?
Yes .
I guess I would say I don ’ t find it unreasonable.
” Luby noted that the grocery store workers are most affected .
“ We ’ re all depending on those checkers , ” he said .
“ They play a crucial role for us and we want them protected , just like we want our health care workers protected.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers are alarmed .
“ A lot of our members feel very anxious because they are put on the front lines.
” said Jim Araby , director of strategic campaigns for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 , a grocery workers union that has 30,000 members in Northern California .
“ In a typical shift at a grocery store you are looking at seeing 500 people a day , ” he said .
“ All the unknowns lead our members to be very cautious about touching bags that are in peoples homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” As a result of those concerns , the state is considering a similar ban to the Bay Area ’ s , which could mean the return of single-use plastic bags , at least temporarily .
On March 25 , the California Grocers Association and the California Retailers Association sent a letter to Gov .
Gavin Newsom , asking him to temporarily suspend the state ’ s prohibition on single-use plastic bags at supermarkets and pharmacies .
The industry groups also asked Newsom to waive the requirement that stores charge customers 10 cents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The law banning most plastic bags and setting that fee was signed by former Gov .
Jerry Brown in 2014 .
It was supported by the grocery workers union and major stores such as Safeway , and upheld by voters in 2016 when they approved Proposition 67 , defeating an attempt by the plastic bag industry to over turn it .
“ Our employees are expressing a great deal of discomfort and fear of exposure , ” wrote Ron Fong , president of the grocery association and Rachel Michelin , president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Newsom .
“ This is a laudatory environmental policy , but it is simply not appropriate to expect our employees to handle and load customer ’ s used grocery bags at this time.
” Jared Blumenfeld , secretary of the the California Environmental Protection Agency , is in discussions with state environmental regulators and officials at the governor ’ s office .
“ These are important questions and we are looking into them , ” he said in a statement .
“ Protecting the safety of both consumers and grocery workers is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19.
” Around the Bay Area , the new ban is being handled differently by different stores .
Some Safeway stores have posted signs .
Some Whole Foods stores have a worker at the door telling people they can ’ t bring the bags in .
Some stores are charging the 10-cent bag fee , or 25 cents in certain counties where local laws allow for a higher fee .
Some aren ’ t .
The legal questions around bringing back plastic are thorny .
There is no provision in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Proposition 67 , to waive the law in an emergency .
Whether stores should continue to collect the 10-cent fee , which they retain to cover the costs of the paper bags they hand out , wasn ’ t addressed by the Bay Area health officers .
And meanwhile , the plastic bag industry , which has lost campaigns around the country following California ’ s law , is highlighting the crisis to push some states to bring back plastic bags .
In the past few weeks , Maine delayed a plastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massachusetts banned reusable bags over coronavirus concerns .
One study often cited in the debates was done in 2010 by scientists at the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University in San Bernardino County .
Analyzing 84 reusable bags that shoppers brought to supermarkets , researchers found bacteria in all of them , and e.Coli in 8 % .
The study , however , was funded by an industry group , the American Chemistry Council , and didn ’ t call for a ban on the bags .
Instead , it recommended people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the bacteria .
Critics said it was misleading .
“ A person eating an average bag of salad greens gets more exposure to these bacteria than if they had licked the insides of the dirtiest bag from this study , ” said Michael Hansen , a senior staff scientist with Consumer Reports , at the time .
“ These bacteria can be found lots of places.
” Plastic pollution is a growing problem .
Only 9 % of the plastic sold every year in the United States is recycled .
Up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in the world ’ s ocean each year — the equivalent of a garbage truck-full being dumped into the sea every minute — where it kills fish , birds , sea turtles , whales and dolphins .
Plastic lasts for hundreds of years .
At the current rate , one recent study found there will be more plastic by weight in the ocean in 2050 than fish , most of it broken into trillions of tiny pieces of toxic confetti .
Environmentalists say they support the grocery workers .
They are looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules that would still allow people to bring reusable bags during the pandemic , but only if they load their own groceries and leave the bags in a cart .
“ If the workers don ’ t want to handle my reusable bag , they shouldn ’ t have to , ” said Mark Murray , executive director of Californians Against Waste , an environmental group in Sacramento .
“ We should be minimizing the touching between customers and employees .
But that isn ’ t just for reusable bags .
”

Reusable grocery bags have been a staple of life for more than a decade, with environmental groups, cities and voters across California and other states supporting bans on single-use plastic bags to reduce huge amounts of plastic pollution increasingly turning up in rivers, streams and oceans.
But in recent days, as part of expanded efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus, health officials in Bay Area counties, along with Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, have prohibited grocery stores from allowing customers to bring their own bags when they go shopping.
“The thinking with the reusable bags is that when they are handled by different people and moved among different environments, it’s possible they could be a carrier of the virus,” said Preston Merchant, a spokesman for the San Mateo County health department. “It does attach to surfaces. Moving towards non-reusable bags means fewer people will have touched them.”
It’s a position supported by many grocery workers.
But the science is still unclear, however. No studies have been published showing coronavirus is spread through reusable shopping bags.
“To be honest, there is no scientific evidence,” said Dr. Rodrigo Hasbun, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Texas. “It is fear-based. And because we’re not sure, everyone is taking precautions.”
The virus can spread on many types of surfaces, including plastic, he noted, if an infected person touches something, or coughs or sneezes on it — whether it’s a shopping cart handle, a paper or plastic bag, a product on the shelf or a reusable bag.
A study published last month in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the virus can survive up to 72 hours on stainless steel and plastic surfaces and on cardboard up to 24 hours. Reusable grocery bags are made of different materials, including woven polypropylene plastic, cotton and other cloth.
“So far, evidence suggests that the virus does not survive as well on a soft surface (such as fabric) as it does on frequently touched hard surfaces like elevator buttons and door handles,” wrote Dr. Lisa Lockerd Maragakis, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University, in a recent article.
She noted that the 72-hour life of the virus on plastic has received a lot of attention, but the scientists who made that discovery found that by 72 hours less than 0.1% of the starting virus material remains, meaning infection is unlikely.
Even though that study didn’t expressly answer the question about reusable bags, it can inform decisions about them, some experts say.
“When I think about what the things are that we can do to reduce pandemic risk, do I think this is the most important thing? No,” said Dr. Stephen Luby, an epidemiologist and professor of medicine at Stanford University. “Is there some evidence to support it? Yes. I guess I would say I don’t find it unreasonable.”
Luby noted that the grocery store workers are most affected.
“We’re all depending on those checkers,” he said. “They play a crucial role for us and we want them protected, just like we want our health care workers protected.”
And there’s clear evidence those workers are alarmed.
“A lot of our members feel very anxious because they are put on the front lines.” said Jim Araby, director of strategic campaigns for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5, a grocery workers union that has 30,000 members in Northern California.
“In a typical shift at a grocery store you are looking at seeing 500 people a day,” he said. “All the unknowns lead our members to be very cautious about touching bags that are in peoples homes and may not have been properly sanitized.”
As a result of those concerns, the state is considering a similar ban to the Bay Area’s, which could mean the return of single-use plastic bags, at least temporarily.
On March 25, the California Grocers Association and the California Retailers Association sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, asking him to temporarily suspend the state’s prohibition on single-use plastic bags at supermarkets and pharmacies.
The industry groups also asked Newsom to waive the requirement that stores charge customers 10 cents for paper bags and reusable plastic bags. The law banning most plastic bags and setting that fee was signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2014. It was supported by the grocery workers union and major stores such as Safeway, and upheld by voters in 2016 when they approved Proposition 67, defeating an attempt by the plastic bag industry to over turn it.
“Our employees are expressing a great deal of discomfort and fear of exposure,” wrote Ron Fong, president of the grocery association and Rachel Michelin, president of the retailers association, in the letter to Newsom.
“This is a laudatory environmental policy, but it is simply not appropriate to expect our employees to handle and load customer’s used grocery bags at this time.”
Jared Blumenfeld, secretary of the the California Environmental Protection Agency, is in discussions with state environmental regulators and officials at the governor’s office.
“These are important questions and we are looking into them,” he said in a statement. “Protecting the safety of both consumers and grocery workers is essential as we work to limit the spread of COVID-19.”
Around the Bay Area, the new ban is being handled differently by different stores. Some Safeway stores have posted signs that say reusable bags are not allowed. Some Whole Foods stores have a worker at the door telling people they can’t bring the bags in. Some stores are charging the 10-cent bag fee, or 25 cents in certain counties where local laws allow for a higher fee. Some aren’t.
The legal questions around bringing back plastic are thorny. There is no provision in the original law that Brown signed, or in Proposition 67, to waive the law in an emergency. Whether stores should continue to collect the 10-cent fee, which they retain to cover the costs of the paper bags they given to customers, wasn’t addressed by the Bay Area health officers.
And meanwhile, the plastic bag industry, which has lost campaigns around the country following California’s law, is highlighting the crisis to push some states to bring back plastic bags. In the past few weeks, Maine delayed a plastic bag ban, and New Hampshire and Massachusetts banned reusable bags over coronavirus concerns.
One 2010 study, in particular, is often cited in the debates by scientists at the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University in San Bernardino County. Analyzing 84 reusable bags that shoppers brought to supermarkets, researchers found bacteria in all of them, and e.Coli in 8%. The study, however, was funded by an industry group, the American Chemistry Council, and didn’t call for a ban on the bags. Instead, it recommended people wash them, which removed 99.9% of the bacteria.
Critics said it was misleading.
“A person eating an average bag of salad greens gets more exposure to these bacteria than if they had licked the insides of the dirtiest bag from this study,” said Michael Hansen, a senior staff scientist with Consumer Reports, at the time. “These bacteria can be found lots of places.”
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Plastic pollution is a growing problem. Only 9% of the plastic sold every year in the United States is recycled. Up to 13 million metric tons of it ends up in the world’s ocean each year — the equivalent of a garbage truck-ful being dumped into the sea every minute — where it kills fish, birds, sea turtles, whales and dolphins.
Plastic lasts for hundreds of years. At the current rate, one recent study found there will be more plastic by weight in the ocean in 2050 than fish, most of it broken into trillions of tiny pieces of toxic confetti.
Environmentalists say they support the grocery workers. They are looking for middle ground, however, like rules that would still allow people to bring reusable bags during the pandemic, but only if they load their own groceries and leave the bags in a cart.
“If the workers don’t want to handle my reusable bag, they shouldn’t have to,” said Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste, an environmental group in Sacramento. “We should be minimizing the touching between customers and employees. But that isn’t just for reusable bags.”


mercurynews--2020-04-04--Letter: The ‘wet markets’ of China reopening raises concerns

Now that we have responded to the COVID-19 virus , we need to find the source .
The “ wet markets ” of China are reopening and signs advertise the sale of bats for consumption .
I don ’ t think bats were meant to be eaten , or monkeys ( one of the likely sources of Ebola in humans ) , or camels ( the likely source of the MERS infection in humans ) .
The new strain of coronavirus likely originated in bats or pangolins .
Bats naturally carry a lot of different viruses .
Eating bats requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , get the virus and die from the virus .
• Letter : Lockdown has resulted in epiphanies for many • Letter : Here ’ s how Trump is keeping people from panicking • Letter : We ’ re asking MDs and RNs to volunteer to risk their lives • Letter : Many are helping us survive this crisis — for example… • Letter : Higher taxes may hit small businesses just like COVID-19 has Just don ’ t allow humans to eat bats .
Duh .
Submit your letter to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Editor

The ‘wet markets’ of China
reopening raises concerns
Now that we have responded to the COVID-19 virus, we need to find the source.
The “wet markets” of China are reopening and signs advertise the sale of bats for consumption.
I don’t think bats were meant to be eaten, or monkeys (one of the likely sources of Ebola in humans), or camels (the likely source of the MERS infection in humans).
]
The new strain of coronavirus likely originated in bats or pangolins. Bats naturally carry a lot of different viruses. Eating bats requires humans handling bats. Be near the virus, get the virus and die from the virus.
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Charles Fox
Antioch
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
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mercurynews--2020-04-04--Letter: Lockdown has resulted in epiphanies for many

Lockdown has resulted in epiphanies for many The shelter-in-place orders that so many of us are fulfilling has resulted in epiphanies for many .
For students , it ’ s a realization that we might actually like school ; for adults it ’ s that their dream of working at home in pajamas is actually feasible .
But remote work has also had an unforeseen effect on climate change by reducing traffic-congestion and thereby reducing carbon emissions , which is one of the biggest culprits of climate change .
However , as mentioned in Nico Savidge ’ s recent article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congestion with the intent of slowing climate change , we are going to need an actionable policy that addresses the economic recession that may follow the pandemic .
• Letter : Here ’ s how Trump is keeping people from panicking • Letter : We ’ re asking MDs and RNs to volunteer to risk their lives • Letter : Many are helping us survive this crisis — for example… • Letter : Higher taxes may hit small businesses just like COVID-19 has • Letter : Kaiser and John Muir Health are asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carbon Dividend Act ( HR 763 ) fulfills both of those requirements and has bipartisan support .
Please write to your representatives to show your support of HR 763 and urge climate action .
Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

Lockdown has resulted
in epiphanies for many
Re: “Will coronavirus spur a traffic-solving remote-work revolution? Don’t count on it” (Mercurynews.com, March 22):
The shelter-in-place orders that so many of us are fulfilling has resulted in epiphanies for many.
For students, it’s a realization that we might actually like school; for adults it’s that their dream of working at home in pajamas is actually feasible.
But remote work has also had an unforeseen effect on climate change by reducing traffic-congestion and thereby reducing carbon emissions, which is one of the biggest culprits of climate change. However, as mentioned in Nico Savidge’s recent article, if we are to reduce traffic congestion with the intent of slowing climate change, we are going to need an actionable policy that addresses the economic recession that may follow the pandemic.
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Karishma Goswami
Saratoga
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mercurynews--2020-04-04--Word Game: April 4, 2020

Word Game: April 4, 2020

Can you find 46 or more words in HETERODOX ?
The list will be published Monday .
To purchase the @ @ @ @ @ WordGameBooks.com .
Order it now for just $ 5 while supplies last !
1 .
@ @ @ @ @ or more letters .
2 .
Words that acquire four letters by the addition of @ @ @ @ @ as “ bats ” or “ dies , ” are not allowed .
3 .
@ @ @ @ @ a “ d ” or an “ s ” may not be used .
For @ @ @ @ @ ” is used , “ baked ” or “ bakes ” are not allowed , @ @ @ @ @ “ baking ” are admissible .
4 .
Proper nouns , slang words , or @ @ @ @ @ are not allowed .

TODAY’S WORD — HETERODOX (HETERODOX: HET-uh-ruh-dox: Holding unorthodox opinions.)
Average mark 30 words
Time limit 45 minutes
Can you find 46 or more words in HETERODOX? The list will be published Monday.
YESTERDAY’S WORD — DIPLEGIA dale deal deli dial idea ideal idle page paid pail
pale peal pedal pied pile plaid plea plead pled plie plied lade laid lead leap lied gale
gape geld gelid gild glad glade glide aged agile aide ailed aped
To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!
RULES OF THE GAME:
1. Words must be of four or more letters.
2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.
3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.
4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.