mercurynews--2020-11-21--The Latest: Texas National Guard team helps El Paso morgues

By The Associated Press EL PASO , Texas — The Texas National Guard has sent a 36-member team to El Paso to assist morgues in the border region with the number of dead as a result of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus .
Statewide , the Texas health department on Saturday reported a one-day high of 12,597 new virus cases , nearly 20,500 dead since the pandemic began and more than 8,200 virus hospitalizations .
“ The Texas Military will provide us with the critical personnel to carry out our fatality management plan and we are very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” El Paso Mayor Dee Margo said late Friday when the deployment was announced .
The pandemic is blamed for 853 deaths in El Paso County , including more than 300 since October .
Jail inmates are being paid to move bodies and county leaders are offering $ 27 an hour for morgue workers .
County Judge Ricardo Samaniego , in a letter to Gov .
Greg Abbott asking for support for a 10 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew in the county , said mortuaries are being overwhelmed .
He wrote that the local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 234 bodies were being held at the main morgue and nine mobile morgues .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK : — Donald Trump Jr. doing ‘ very well ’ after coronavirus diagnosis this week .
— U.S. Housing Secretary Ben Carson says he ’ s ‘ out of the woods ’ after battling COVID-19 .
— Los Angeles County businesses trying to recover from the coronavirus pandemic face new restrictions and the prospect of a shutdown on the horizon .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden says all Americans should be able to attend religious services during the pandemic — as long as they do so safely .
Biden made the statement in response to a reporter ’ s shouted question as he was walking out of church Saturday evening in Delaware .
Specifically , Biden was asked whether all Americans should be able to attend religious services during the pandemic .
He did not answer a follow up question about whether indoor services should be allowed .
Some in-person church services across America have been closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safeguards as the pandemic surges .
PORTLAND , Ore. — Oregon has reported a record number of coronavirus cases for the second day in a row .
On Saturday , the Oregon Health Authority said there were 1,509 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections , spread across all but four of the state ’ s 36 counties , with the majority in the Portland metro area .
Among the seven new deaths being reported Saturday , all were in their 70s or 80s , and either had or were suspected of having underlying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total is now 63,668 confirmed coronavirus infections and 819 deaths .
BALTIMORE — More than 12 million people in the U.S have contracted the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic .
The nation ’ s total number of confirmed cases reached 12.01 million on Saturday , six days after the number had reached 11 million , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Daily numbers of new U.S. cases are approaching 200,000 , less than three weeks after hitting 100,000 for the first time .
The record of 195,542 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several recent daily highs .
Deaths rates are getting closer to the dire numbers seen in the spring .
The U.S. daily death toll exceeded 2,000 on Thursday , the first time since early May .
On Friday , 1,878 deaths were reported .
The U.S. leads the world with more than 255,000 dead .
ROME — Italy registered 34,767 new cases on Saturday , about 2,500 fewer than the previous day .
The government recently put the majority of Italy ’ s regions under new restrictions , including banning dining at cafes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care system risked collapse .
Italy has 1.3 million total confirmed cases .
With 692 more deaths , the known death toll reached 49,261 .
TOPEKA , Kan. — Kansas will launch a media campaign to encourage more of its residents to wear masks .
The campaign comes months after the state ’ s Republican-controlled Legislature forced Democratic Gov .
Laura Kelly to accept that local officials would set pandemic restrictions .
Kelly issued two mandates for people to wear masks in public , including one set to take effect Wednesday , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s 105 counties to opt out .
The state has set aside $ 1.5 million of its federal coronavirus relief funds for television , radio , print and social media ads promoting masks that are set to start before Thanksgiving and run through January or longer .
Kansas added an average of 2,718 per day over the seven-day period that ended Friday , with the state reaching a confirmed total of more than 134,000 cases .
There ’ s been more than 1,400 confirmed deaths .
HARRISBURG , Pa. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday there were 3,162 people hospitalized with coronavirus , the most since May .
A total of 661 coronavirus patients were in intensive care units .
The trend in the 14-day rolling average of hospitalized patients per day had increased by nearly 1,900 since the end of September , the department says .
Officials noted again that most of the hospitalized patients and deaths occurred among those 65 or older .
NEW YORK — The Rockefeller Center ice-skating rink is opening in a limited way and on time for the holidays .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is welcoming skaters Saturday as part of a tradition dating to the 1930s , according to the Rockefeller Center website .
The rink is operating at reduced capacity , with skate time limited to 50 minutes .
Masks are required .
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says his eldest son , Donald Trump Jr. , is doing “ very well ” in quarantine after becoming infected with the coronavirus .
A spokesman for the younger Trump says he received the positive test result earlier this week , has no symptoms and has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Trump tweeted Saturday that his son “ is doing very well.
” Trump Jr. is the latest member of the president ’ s family to become infected , after the president , first lady and their son Barron .
PIERRE , South Dakota — Coronavirus infections are ravaging South Dakota , where more than half of tests have come back positive for weeks .
Republican Gov .
Kristi Noem won ’ t issue a mask mandate but suggests smaller gatherings “ may be smarter this year.
” Some governors who for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism of measures to control the coronavirus are now relenting , including North Dakota Gov .
Doug Burgum , who recently ordered the use of masks statewide .
Republican and Democratic governors from several Midwestern states issued a joint video urging people to say home for Thanksgiving and wear masks to slow the spread of the virus until a vaccine is widely available .
Hospitals in many states are running out of beds and are short on nurses , including in the states where governors are reluctant to act .
“ We know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three to four weeks from Thanksgiving , we will see an exacerbation of the outbreaks , ” said Dr. Georges Benjamin , executive director of the American Public Health Association .
CDC scientists believe about 40 % of infected people don ’ t have obvious symptoms but can still spread the virus .
The U.S. leads the world with 11.9 million cases and more than 254,000 deaths .
TALLAHASSEE , Florida — The game between No .
4 Clemson and Florida State has been postponed just hours before kickoff on Saturday .
Medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree it was safe to play in Tallahassee , Florida , amid the pandemic .
The Atlantic Coast Conference announced the postponement , although it didn ’ t detail whether it involved coronavirus issues .
Star Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence missed the past two games after testing positive for the coronavirus .
He was to return for his first time since Oct. 24 .
There have been 18 postponements this week out of 62 scheduled games .
It is the 81st postponement in all of college football this season .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game day .
SACRAMENTO , Calif. — One of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s children may have been exposed to the coronavirus at school and is in quarantine .
The child began a 14-day quarantine “ from the date of exposure ” after the family was told a classmate at the private school had tested positive for the coronavirus , spokesman Nathan Click said in an emailed statement Friday .
The rest of the governor ’ s family is not quarantining because they weren ’ t directly exposed .
The governor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children have tested negative for the virus , Click says .
Newsom had a rapid test this week that was negative and will get a regular test this weekend .
LOS ANGELES — California is enacting a nighttime curfew Saturday as spiking coronavirus cases threaten to overrun health care systems .
The state ’ s largest county warned that a more drastic lockdown could be imminent .
The new restrictions say people should stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. , except for essential errands .
The curfew runs through Dec. 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s population .
Authorities say the focus is on keeping people from social mixing and drinking — the kinds of activities blamed for causing coronavirus infections to soar after dipping only a few months ago .
Los Angeles County , the state ’ s largest with about 10 million people , could see a stricter lockdown as early as next week because of soaring cases and hospitalization levels .
The county accounts for a quarter of the state ’ s 40 million residents , but it has about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 40 % of the deaths .
California had a record 13,000 new cases on Thursday and more than 1 million total confirmed cases .
The state has 18,653 confirmed deaths , third in the nation behind New York ( 34,252 ) and Texas ( 20,751 ) .
TEHRAN , Iran — Iran has shuttered businesses and curtailed travel between its major cities , including the capital of Tehran .
The Iranian Health Ministry says the daily deaths have risen above 430 in the past five days , bringing the death toll past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases has risen past 840,000 .
The new restrictions include Iran ’ s major cities and will last two weeks but can be automatically extended .
Top Iranian officials initially downplayed the risks posed by the virus outbreak , before recently urging the public to wear masks and avoid unessential travel .
All schools in the capital will close and switch to remote learning .
Authorities will close shrines in Tehran and cancel mass prayers in mosques , though it was not immediately clear if the same restrictions would apply in other cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
MOSCOW — Russia reported new daily highs in the number of coronavirus infections and deaths on Saturday .
The national coronavirus taskforce says 24,822 new cases were recorded over the past day , the fourth time in a week that a new high has been tallied .
It says a record 467 people died of COVID-19 .
The surge in infections is straining Russia ’ s vast but underfunded health care system , with many infected people reportedly forced to search for sparse hospital beds .
Overall , Russia has recorded more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
TOKYO — Japan is scaling back on the government-backed “ GoTo ” campaign to encourage travel and dining out , as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases reached a record for the third day straight at 2,418 .
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the decision at a government panel on coronavirus pandemic measures .
Stressing the need for “ utmost caution , ” he says the campaign ’ s travel discounts will no longer apply to hard-hit areas and discounts on eating out will temporarily end .
Japan has never had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer than 2,000 confirmed deaths related to the coronavirus .
But worries have been growing about a spike in infections over the three-day weekend .
Monday is Labor Thanksgiving , a national holiday .
NEW DELHI — India has reported 46,232 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours , with the situation particularly alarming in New Delhi .
Intensive care wards and the capital ’ s main crematorium are near capacity , and health officials this week found the prevalence of infections in markets much higher than expected .
The city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each day in recent weeks .
The next two weeks in the post-festival season , including celebrations for the Diwali holiday , are going to be important in determining which way the virus will go .
The Health Ministry on Saturday also registered 564 deaths in the past 24 hours , taking total confirmed deaths to 132,726 .
While the pace of new cases in the country of 1.3 billion appears to be slowing , experts have cautioned that official figures may be offering false hope since many infections are undetected .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have announced night curfews in at least in eight cities from Saturday .
Northern Rajasthan state is also imposing restrictions on the assembly of more than four people during nighttime .

By The Associated Press
TOKYO — The daily tally of reported COVID-19 cases in Japan hit a record for the fourth day in a row, with 2,508 people confirmed infected, the health ministry said Sunday.
Japan has had fewer than 2,000 coronavirus-related deaths so far, avoiding the toll of the harder hit nations. But fears are growing about another surge. A flurry of criticism has erupted, from opposition legislators and the public, slamming the government as having acted too slowly in halting its “GoTo” campaign, which encouraged travel and dining out with discounts.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the decision Saturday. But many people had already made travel reservations for this three-day Thanksgiving weekend in Japan.
Airports and restaurants have been packed. Some said the government should have offered to pay for cancellations, or stepped up more on PCR testing instead, if the goal is to keep the economy going amid a pandemic. Tutorials are circulating online on the proper way to eat and drink at restaurants, while wearing masks.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
— US reaches 12 million total coronavirus cases
— Italy hits nearly 35,000 new daily virus cases
— Calif Gov. Newsom’s child in 14-day quarantine
— Donald Trump Jr. doing ‘very well’ after coronavirus diagnosis this week.
— U.S. Housing Secretary Ben Carson says he’s ‘out of the woods’ after battling COVID-19.
— Los Angeles County businesses trying to recover from the coronavirus pandemic face new restrictions and the prospect of a shutdown on the horizon.
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Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
EL PASO, Texas — The Texas National Guard has sent a 36-member team to El Paso to assist morgues in the border region with the number of dead as a result of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
Statewide, the Texas health department on Saturday reported a one-day high of 12,597 new virus cases, nearly 20,500 dead since the pandemic began and more than 8,200 virus hospitalizations.
“The Texas Military will provide us with the critical personnel to carry out our fatality management plan and we are very grateful to them for their ongoing support,” El Paso Mayor Dee Margo said late Friday when the deployment was announced.
The pandemic is blamed for 853 deaths in El Paso County, including more than 300 since October. Jail inmates are being paid to move bodies and county leaders are offering $27 an hour for morgue workers.
County Judge Ricardo Samaniego, in a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott asking for support for a 10 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew in the county, said mortuaries are being overwhelmed. He wrote that the local medical examiner’s office reported that 234 bodies were being held at the main morgue and nine mobile morgues.
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WILMINGTON, Delaware — President-elect Joe Biden says all Americans should be able to attend religious services during the pandemic — as long as they do so safely.
Biden made the statement in response to a reporter’s shouted question as he was walking out of church Saturday evening in Delaware.
Specifically, Biden was asked whether all Americans should be able to attend religious services during the pandemic.
He responded, “Yes, safely.”
He did not answer a follow up question about whether indoor services should be allowed.
Some in-person church services across America have been closed as state leaders grapple with social distancing safeguards as the pandemic surges.
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PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon has reported a record number of coronavirus cases for the second day in a row.
On Saturday, the Oregon Health Authority said there were 1,509 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections, spread across all but four of the state’s 36 counties, with the majority in the Portland metro area.
Among the seven new deaths being reported Saturday, all were in their 70s or 80s, and either had or were suspected of having underlying health conditions.
The state’s total is now 63,668 confirmed coronavirus infections and 819 deaths.
__
BALTIMORE — More than 12 million people in the U.S have contracted the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.
The nation’s total number of confirmed cases reached 12.01 million on Saturday, six days after the number had reached 11 million, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Daily numbers of new U.S. cases are approaching 200,000, less than three weeks after hitting 100,000 for the first time. The record of 195,542 new cases on Friday was the latest of several recent daily highs.
Deaths rates are getting closer to the dire numbers seen in the spring. The U.S. daily death toll exceeded 2,000 on Thursday, the first time since early May. On Friday, 1,878 deaths were reported.
The U.S. leads the world with more than 255,000 dead.
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ROME — Italy registered 34,767 new cases on Saturday, about 2,500 fewer than the previous day.
The government recently put the majority of Italy’s regions under new restrictions, including banning dining at cafes and restaurants in areas where the health care system risked collapse.
Italy has 1.3 million total confirmed cases. With 692 more deaths, the known death toll reached 49,261.
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TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas will launch a media campaign to encourage more of its residents to wear masks.
The campaign comes months after the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature forced Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to accept that local officials would set pandemic restrictions. Kelly issued two mandates for people to wear masks in public, including one set to take effect Wednesday, but a law enacted in June allows each of the state’s 105 counties to opt out.
The state has set aside $1.5 million of its federal coronavirus relief funds for television, radio, print and social media ads promoting masks that are set to start before Thanksgiving and run through January or longer.
Kansas added an average of 2,718 per day over the seven-day period that ended Friday, with the state reaching a confirmed total of more than 134,000 cases. There’s been more than 1,400 confirmed deaths.
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HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported Saturday there were 3,162 people hospitalized with coronavirus, the most since May.
A total of 661 coronavirus patients were in intensive care units. The trend in the 14-day rolling average of hospitalized patients per day had increased by nearly 1,900 since the end of September, the department says.
Officials noted again that most of the hospitalized patients and deaths occurred among those 65 or older.
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NEW YORK — The Rockefeller Center ice-skating rink is opening in a limited way and on time for the holidays.
The iconic, sunken rink in midtown Manhattan is welcoming skaters Saturday as part of a tradition dating to the 1930s, according to the Rockefeller Center website. The rink is operating at reduced capacity, with skate time limited to 50 minutes. Masks are required.
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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is doing “very well” in quarantine after becoming infected with the coronavirus.
A spokesman for the younger Trump says he received the positive test result earlier this week, has no symptoms and has been quarantining and following the recommended medical guidelines.
President Trump tweeted Saturday that his son “is doing very well.” Trump Jr. is the latest member of the president’s family to become infected, after the president, first lady and their son Barron.
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PIERRE, South Dakota — Coronavirus infections are ravaging South Dakota, where more than half of tests have come back positive for weeks.
Republican Gov. Kristi Noem won’t issue a mask mandate but suggests smaller gatherings “may be smarter this year.”
Some governors who for months echoed President Donald Trump’s criticism of measures to control the coronavirus are now relenting, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who recently ordered the use of masks statewide.
Republican and Democratic governors from several Midwestern states issued a joint video urging people to say home for Thanksgiving and wear masks to slow the spread of the virus until a vaccine is widely available.
Hospitals in many states are running out of beds and are short on nurses, including in the states where governors are reluctant to act.
“We know what will happen. We know that three to four weeks from Thanksgiving, we will see an exacerbation of the outbreaks,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.
CDC scientists believe about 40% of infected people don’t have obvious symptoms but can still spread the virus.
The U.S. leads the world with 11.9 million cases and more than 254,000 deaths.
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TALLAHASSEE, Florida — The game between No. 4 Clemson and Florida State has been postponed just hours before kickoff on Saturday. Medical personnel from both schools couldn’t agree it was safe to play in Tallahassee, Florida, amid the pandemic. The Atlantic Coast Conference announced the postponement, although it didn’t detail whether it involved coronavirus issues.
Star Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence missed the past two games after testing positive for the coronavirus. He was to return for his first time since Oct. 24.
There have been 18 postponements this week out of 62 scheduled games. It is the 81st postponement in all of college football this season. It’s believed to be the first postponement on game day.
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — One of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s children may have been exposed to the coronavirus at school and is in quarantine.
The child began a 14-day quarantine “from the date of exposure” after the family was told a classmate at the private school had tested positive for the coronavirus, spokesman Nathan Click said in an emailed statement Friday.
The rest of the governor’s family is not quarantining because they weren’t directly exposed. The governor, his wife and all four of their children have tested negative for the virus, Click says.
Newsom had a rapid test this week that was negative and will get a regular test this weekend.
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LOS ANGELES — California is enacting a nighttime curfew Saturday as spiking coronavirus cases threaten to overrun health care systems. The state’s largest county warned that a more drastic lockdown could be imminent.
The new restrictions say people should stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., except for essential errands. The curfew runs through Dec. 21 and covers 41 counties that contain most of the state’s population.
Authorities say the focus is on keeping people from social mixing and drinking — the kinds of activities blamed for causing coronavirus infections to soar after dipping only a few months ago.
Los Angeles County, the state’s largest with about 10 million people, could see a stricter lockdown as early as next week because of soaring cases and hospitalization levels. The county accounts for a quarter of the state’s 40 million residents, but it has about a third of the coronavirus cases and close to 40% of the deaths.
California had a record 13,000 new cases on Thursday and more than 1 million total confirmed cases. The state has 18,653 confirmed deaths, third in the nation behind New York (34,252) and Texas (20,751).
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TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has shuttered businesses and curtailed travel between its major cities, including the capital of Tehran.
The Iranian Health Ministry says the daily deaths have risen above 430 in the past five days, bringing the death toll past 44,000. The total number of confirmed cases has risen past 840,000.
The new restrictions include Iran’s major cities and will last two weeks but can be automatically extended.
Top Iranian officials initially downplayed the risks posed by the virus outbreak, before recently urging the public to wear masks and avoid unessential travel.
All schools in the capital will close and switch to remote learning. Authorities will close shrines in Tehran and cancel mass prayers in mosques, though it was not immediately clear if the same restrictions would apply in other cities, including the holy city of Mashhad.
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MOSCOW — Russia reported new daily highs in the number of coronavirus infections and deaths on Saturday.
The national coronavirus taskforce says 24,822 new cases were recorded over the past day, the fourth time in a week that a new high has been tallied. It says a record 467 people died of COVID-19.
The surge in infections is straining Russia’s vast but underfunded health care system, with many infected people reportedly forced to search for sparse hospital beds.
Overall, Russia has recorded more than 2,064,000 confirmed cases and 35,778 confirmed deaths.
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TOKYO — Japan is scaling back on the government-backed “GoTo” campaign to encourage travel and dining out, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases reached a record for the third day straight at 2,418.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the decision at a government panel on coronavirus pandemic measures.
Stressing the need for “utmost caution,” he says the campaign’s travel discounts will no longer apply to hard-hit areas and discounts on eating out will temporarily end.
Japan has never had a total lockdown. It has had fewer than 2,000 confirmed deaths related to the coronavirus. But worries have been growing about a spike in infections over the three-day weekend. Monday is Labor Thanksgiving, a national holiday.
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NEW DELHI — India has reported 46,232 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, with the situation particularly alarming in New Delhi.
Intensive care wards and the capital’s main crematorium are near capacity, and health officials this week found the prevalence of infections in markets much higher than expected. The city has added an average of 6,700 cases each day in recent weeks.
The next two weeks in the post-festival season, including celebrations for the Diwali holiday, are going to be important in determining which way the virus will go. The Health Ministry on Saturday also registered 564 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total confirmed deaths to 132,726.
While the pace of new cases in the country of 1.3 billion appears to be slowing, experts have cautioned that official figures may be offering false hope since many infections are undetected.
The two states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have announced night curfews in at least in eight cities from Saturday. Northern Rajasthan state is also imposing restrictions on the assembly of more than four people during nighttime.
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mercurynews--2020-11-21--Experts, California residents question curfew effectiveness

SACRAMENTO — Come Saturday night , California will join other states and nations in trying a partial overnight curfew as its latest desperate attempt to stem a surge in coronavirus cases , though experts said its effect may be more symbolic than real and many law enforcement agencies are refusing to enforce it at all .
Officials said what they are calling a limited stay-at-home order is aimed at discouraging late gatherings where people are more likely to let down their guard , their inhibitions — and their required masks — while drinking and socializing .
The curfew announcement came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and 232 new hospitalizations , among the highest one-day totals .
About 12 % of those new cases will be hospitalized in coming weeks , based on trends , said Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s top health officer .
The increase could soon threaten to swamp the health care system as it has in other states and nations .
Santa Clara County ’ s public health officer said Friday that hospitalizations there could exceed capacity soon , and Los Angeles is on the verge of declaring another more stringent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not on essential errands to stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Dec. 21 , with a possible extension if rapidly worsening trends don ’ t improve .
But protests were being planned Saturday in at least 15 cities around the state , including Santa Cruz , Sacramento , Huntington Beach , San Diego and Riverside .
By design , the restrictions are less intrusive than California ’ s first-in-the-nation , around-the-clock lockdown in March that officials credited with slowing the spread early in the pandemic .
This curfew applies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties that are in the most restrictive of four tiers allowing stages of economic reopening , though it encompasses 94 % of the nearly 40 million people living in the most populous U.S. state .
But for now , it excludes San Francisco and neighboring Marin and San Mateo counties , raising questions of whether San Francisco Bay Area residents can simply party across county lines .
Although San Francisco ’ s health director said the city could move into the more restrictive tier as early as Sunday , the distinction prompted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jim Nielsen , to accuse Gov .
Gavin Newsom of favoring “ three extremely wealthy and very Democratic counties.
” However , this surge is exploding in rural areas that were largely spared in the first go-round : Lassen , Sutter , Imperial , Tuolumne and Shasta counties , in that order , now have the state ’ s highest per-capita rates .
Officials in El Dorado , Fresno , Los Angeles , Orange , Placer , Sacramento , San Bernardino and Stanislaus counties were among those saying they would not enforce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Sheriff ’ s Office will not come to your home , question you or your guests or pull you over for driving during the curfew , ” Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse said on Facebook .
“ The Order itself lacks direction regarding methods , specific statutes , and enforcement criteria , as to whether the Governor intends to try to hold violators of this Order accountable in criminal courts , ” Fresno County ’ s district attorney said in a statement Friday , adding that her office would “ not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or misdemeanor violations of this Order.
” Rocco Temasamani , who was selling jewelry at a stand at San Diego ’ s Ocean Beach on Friday , said the curfew will just anger people who consider it government overreach , particularly supporters of President Donald Trump .
“ How are you going to enforce it ?
” he asked .
“ You have enough police to give out tickets ?
” Michael Maring , a mechanic from El Centro who was visiting a friend in San Diego Friday , said his brother tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfew .
But he predicted it will only produce an angry backlash from people who think the governor is overstepping .
The combination of lax enforcement , a lack of county uniformity and the limited nature of the curfew has experts questioning its effectiveness .
Dr. Mark Cullen , an infectious disease expert who recently retired from Stanford University , said the underlying goal is based on a reasonable interpretation of data blaming gatherings for surging infections .
“ Large numbers of people getting together oblivious of controls — no masks , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of those things are in fact occurring at night , ” he said .
But the point will be lost on most , he fears , partially because California is allowing many exemptions for things like getting groceries , filling prescriptions , picking up takeout , and even walking dogs .
“ And then it ’ s completely undermined if you ’ re not going to enforce it , ” Cullen said .
“ Limiting people ’ s nighttime activity specifically , without enforcement , doesn ’ t necessarily appear to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have much evidence outside of a relatively authoritarian enforcing situation in which we have reason to believe it worked.
” It could be counterproductive , said Dr. Lee Riley , an infectious disease professor at the University of California , Berkeley , School of Public Health .
Officials in London who tried a similar approach found that “ if anything , for the young people it may have increased their social gathering activities , ” he said .
“ They can ’ t go out , so they congregate in somebody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fewer Thanksgiving travelers , but some take flight despite health officials ’ warnings • Sharks say they may need to leave San Jose for training camp Moreover , it makes no sense not to apply the standard statewide , he said .
“ So I ’ m not sure how effective this is going to be , ” Riley said .
“ But the state feels that they have to do something .
I think it ’ s going to be mostly a cosmetic effect and not so much a real impact on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Woolfolk contributed to this report .
Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat contributed to this story from San Diego .

By Don Thompson | Associated Press
SACRAMENTO — Come Saturday night, California will join other states and nations in trying a partial overnight curfew as its latest desperate attempt to stem a surge in coronavirus cases, though experts said its effect may be more symbolic than real and many law enforcement agencies are refusing to enforce it at all.
Officials said what they are calling a limited stay-at-home order is aimed at discouraging late gatherings where people are more likely to let down their guard, their inhibitions — and their required masks — while drinking and socializing.
The curfew announcement came as California reported a record 13,000 confirmed cases and 232 new hospitalizations, among the highest one-day totals. About 12% of those new cases will be hospitalized in coming weeks, based on trends, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s top health officer.
The increase could soon threaten to swamp the health care system as it has in other states and nations. Santa Clara County’s public health officer said Friday that hospitalizations there could exceed capacity soon, and Los Angeles is on the verge of declaring another more stringent lockdown.
The newest restrictions require people not on essential errands to stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Dec. 21, with a possible extension if rapidly worsening trends don’t improve.
But protests were being planned Saturday in at least 15 cities around the state, including Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Huntington Beach, San Diego and Riverside.
By design, the restrictions are less intrusive than California’s first-in-the-nation, around-the-clock lockdown in March that officials credited with slowing the spread early in the pandemic.
This curfew applies to 41 of the state’s 58 counties that are in the most restrictive of four tiers allowing stages of economic reopening, though it encompasses 94% of the nearly 40 million people living in the most populous U.S. state.
But for now, it excludes San Francisco and neighboring Marin and San Mateo counties, raising questions of whether San Francisco Bay Area residents can simply party across county lines. Although San Francisco’s health director said the city could move into the more restrictive tier as early as Sunday, the distinction prompted the dean of the Legislature, Republican Sen. Jim Nielsen, to accuse Gov. Gavin Newsom of favoring “three extremely wealthy and very Democratic counties.”
However, this surge is exploding in rural areas that were largely spared in the first go-round: Lassen, Sutter, Imperial, Tuolumne and Shasta counties, in that order, now have the state’s highest per-capita rates.
Officials in El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino and Stanislaus counties were among those saying they would not enforce the curfew, with some strongly opposed.
“The Sheriff’s Office will not come to your home, question you or your guests or pull you over for driving during the curfew,” Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse said on Facebook.
“The Order itself lacks direction regarding methods, specific statutes, and enforcement criteria, as to whether the Governor intends to try to hold violators of this Order accountable in criminal courts,” Fresno County’s district attorney said in a statement Friday, adding that her office would “not be initiating criminal charges for any felony or misdemeanor violations of this Order.”
Rocco Temasamani, who was selling jewelry at a stand at San Diego’s Ocean Beach on Friday, said the curfew will just anger people who consider it government overreach, particularly supporters of President Donald Trump.
“How are you going to enforce it?” he asked. “You have enough police to give out tickets?”
Michael Maring, a mechanic from El Centro who was visiting a friend in San Diego Friday, said his brother tested positive and he plans to follow the curfew. But he predicted it will only produce an angry backlash from people who think the governor is overstepping.
The combination of lax enforcement, a lack of county uniformity and the limited nature of the curfew has experts questioning its effectiveness.
Dr. Mark Cullen, an infectious disease expert who recently retired from Stanford University, said the underlying goal is based on a reasonable interpretation of data blaming gatherings for surging infections.
“Large numbers of people getting together oblivious of controls — no masks, no social distancing, often indoors — a lot of those things are in fact occurring at night,” he said.
But the point will be lost on most, he fears, partially because California is allowing many exemptions for things like getting groceries, filling prescriptions, picking up takeout, and even walking dogs.
“And then it’s completely undermined if you’re not going to enforce it,” Cullen said. “Limiting people’s nighttime activity specifically, without enforcement, doesn’t necessarily appear to be a productive strategy, and I don’t have much evidence outside of a relatively authoritarian enforcing situation in which we have reason to believe it worked.”
It could be counterproductive, said Dr. Lee Riley, an infectious disease professor at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health.
Officials in London who tried a similar approach found that “if anything, for the young people it may have increased their social gathering activities,” he said. “They can’t go out, so they congregate in somebody’s home or dormitories.”
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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 Moreover, it makes no sense not to apply the standard statewide, he said.
“So I’m not sure how effective this is going to be,” Riley said. “But the state feels that they have to do something. I think it’s going to be mostly a cosmetic effect and not so much a real impact on interrupting this transmission.”
Staff writer John Woolfolk contributed to this report. Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat contributed to this story from San Diego.


mercurynews--2020-11-22--Walters: California revenue windfall creates political dilemma

As Gov .
Gavin Newsom makes the final decisions on writing a 2021-22 budget , he ’ s receiving some good revenue news from his beancounters .
During the first four months of the 2020-21 budget cycle , which began on July 1 , state general fund revenues were more than $ 11 billion higher than the apocalyptic estimates on which the budget was based .
Moreover , the windfall could easily double to $ 26 billion in the first months of 2021 , according to the Legislature ’ s budget analyst , Gabe Petek .
The sharp recession triggered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been very uneven , striking hard at Californians on the lower rungs of the economic ladder while affecting those on the upper rungs very softly , if at all .
Those on top are able , unlike the working poor , to continue earning from home .
Many have also benefited from stock market gains , and they generate most of the state ’ s income taxes .
Hence , the state ’ s revenues have been far healthier than the 2020-21 budget had assumed .
Whatever its size , the one-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Petek also projects that during the years beyond the 2021-22 period , the state faces structural budget deficits — a built-in gap between income and outgo .
Petek said in his report , “ although the budget is expected to have a windfall in 2021‑22 , it is also expected to have an operating deficit in that year .
The operating deficit is relatively small in 2021‑22 , but would grow to around $ 17 billion by 2024‑25.
” Thus , it creates a dilemma for Newsom and the Legislature — whether to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cuts and repay loans that were used to close the projected 2020-21 gap , or sock the windfall away to cushion the impact of projected longer-term deficits .
Petek proposed a solomonic solution , appropriating about half of the extra money before the spending cuts fully kick in , and keeping the remainder in the piggy bank .
However , from a purely political standpoint , such a measured approach would be difficult because the pressure to spend is heavy , as Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon indicated in his reaction to Petek ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the revenue analysis of the Legislative Analyst ’ s Office , it should be our priority to restore funds to critical programs that were cut and prevent additional cuts , ” Rendon said .
“ I agree with Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins ’ approach for making use of the $ 26 billion that has been identified.
” Ever since the 2020-21 budget was passed in June , advocates for education and other programs that were cut back have been pressing for tax increases , especially after it became clear that a massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reductions was not happening .
They had hoped that voters would bolster their cause by passing Proposition 15 , a hefty increase in commercial property taxes , but the measure was defeated .
Newsom has also thrown cold water on calls for income tax increases and the windfall would make a tax increase politically impossible in the short run .
With new taxes seemingly off the table , advocates will press , as Rendon hinted , for spending most or even all of the windfall , even though such an approach would worsen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raises another scenario .
The windfall may make a tax increase impossible in the short run , but if the state faces the longer-term deficits that Petek projects , they will fuel pressure for either another try at a property tax hike or an income tax increase circa 2022 .
Furthermore , we also don ’ t know how long the pandemic and the recession it induced will last .

As Gov. Gavin Newsom makes the final decisions on writing a 2021-22 budget, he’s receiving some good revenue news from his beancounters.
During the first four months of the 2020-21 budget cycle, which began on July 1, state general fund revenues were more than $11 billion higher than the apocalyptic estimates on which the budget was based. Moreover, the windfall could easily double to $26 billion in the first months of 2021, according to the Legislature’s budget analyst, Gabe Petek.
What happened?
The sharp recession triggered by Newsom’s COVID-19 business shutdowns has been very uneven, striking hard at Californians on the lower rungs of the economic ladder while affecting those on the upper rungs very softly, if at all.
Those on top are able, unlike the working poor, to continue earning from home. Many have also benefited from stock market gains, and they generate most of the state’s income taxes. Hence, the state’s revenues have been far healthier than the 2020-21 budget had assumed.
Whatever its size, the one-time windfall is not an unleavened blessing because Petek also projects that during the years beyond the 2021-22 period, the state faces structural budget deficits — a built-in gap between income and outgo.
Petek said in his report, “although the budget is expected to have a windfall in 2021‑22, it is also expected to have an operating deficit in that year. The operating deficit is relatively small in 2021‑22, but would grow to around $17 billion by 2024‑25.”
Thus, it creates a dilemma for Newsom and the Legislature — whether to use the extra bucks to offset spending cuts and repay loans that were used to close the projected 2020-21 gap, or sock the windfall away to cushion the impact of projected longer-term deficits.
Petek proposed a solomonic solution, appropriating about half of the extra money before the spending cuts fully kick in, and keeping the remainder in the piggy bank.
However, from a purely political standpoint, such a measured approach would be difficult because the pressure to spend is heavy, as Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon indicated in his reaction to Petek’s report.
“In light of the revenue analysis of the Legislative Analyst’s Office, it should be our priority to restore funds to critical programs that were cut and prevent additional cuts,” Rendon said. “I agree with Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins’ approach for making use of the $26 billion that has been identified.”
Ever since the 2020-21 budget was passed in June, advocates for education and other programs that were cut back have been pressing for tax increases, especially after it became clear that a massive new federal relief program to offset the reductions was not happening.
They had hoped that voters would bolster their cause by passing Proposition 15, a hefty increase in commercial property taxes, but the measure was defeated. Newsom has also thrown cold water on calls for income tax increases and the windfall would make a tax increase politically impossible in the short run.
With new taxes seemingly off the table, advocates will press, as Rendon hinted, for spending most or even all of the windfall, even though such an approach would worsen the longer-term deficits.
The situation then raises another scenario. The windfall may make a tax increase impossible in the short run, but if the state faces the longer-term deficits that Petek projects, they will fuel pressure for either another try at a property tax hike or an income tax increase circa 2022.
Furthermore, we also don’t know how long the pandemic and the recession it induced will last.
Dan Walters is a CalMatters columnist.


mercurynews--2020-11-22--Lawyer for accused Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse thanks actor Ricky Schroder for helping post $2

Lawyer for accused Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse thanks actor Ricky Schroder for helping post $2 million bail

The attorney for Kyle Rittenhouse , a 17-year-old gunman accused of killing two protesters in August in Kenosha , Wis. , said actor Ricky Schroder was among those who helped the teen post $ 2 million bail for his release on Friday .
Attorney Lin Wood took to Twitter on Friday to announce Rittenhouse ’ s release , giving a shoutout to Schroder for his donation .
“ God bless all who donated to help # FightBack raise required $ 2M cash bail , ” wrote Wood .
“ Special thanks to actor Ricky Schroder and [ My Pillow CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top .
Kyle is safe .
Thanks to all who helped this boy.
” Later on Friday evening , Wood shared a photo of Rittenhouse with fellow attorney John Pierce and Schroder .
“ Thank you , all donors .
Thank you , all patriots .
Thank God almighty , ” the tweet read .
Schroder also retweeted Wood ’ s comments on Parler , a conservative social media platform , sharing a post that read , “ Follow and thank actor Ricky for his significant contribution to get # FightBack over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash bail goal.
” Rittenhouse ’ s bond was posted on Friday afternoon , and he “ is no longer in custody at the Kenosha County Jail , ” according to a statement from Kenosha County Sheriff ’ s Sgt .
David Wright .
On Aug. 25 , Rittenhouse , a teenager from Antioch , Ill. , was charged with first-degree intentional homicide , first-degree reckless homicide , attempted first-degree intentional homicide and other charges in connection with the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber .
• Ivanka Trump distances self from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her own legal jeopardy grows • Ivanka Trump ’ s shrinking friend group includes Meghan Markle ’ s designer friend — but she ’ s not ‘ rich enough ’ for high-society return • Melania Trump ’ s not likely to dump Trump : ‘ They deserve each other , ’ Michael Cohen says in new report • Not so cool , Keanu : Reeves caught in COVID-19 party scandal — like the Kardashians and Gavin Newsom • Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are poised to return to a Manhattan social scene that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed he was acting out of self-defense .
Schroder — who launched his career as a child actor in “ The Champ ” and starred in the NBC sitcom “ Silver Spoons ” — was arrested twice for suspicion of domestic violence in April 2019 , and was held in lieu of $ 50,000 bail .
He was not prosecuted for either allegation .
Schroder ’ s representatives did not immediately respond to Variety ‘ s request for comment .

By Janet W. Lee | Variety
The attorney for Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old gunman accused of killing two protesters in August in Kenosha, Wis., said actor Ricky Schroder was among those who helped the teen post $2 million bail for his release on Friday.
Attorney Lin Wood took to Twitter on Friday to announce Rittenhouse’s release, giving a shoutout to Schroder for his donation.
“God bless all who donated to help #FightBack raise required $2M cash bail,” wrote Wood. “Special thanks to actor Ricky Schroder and [My Pillow CEO] Mike Lindell for putting us over the top. Kyle is safe. Thanks to all who helped this boy.”
Later on Friday evening, Wood shared a photo of Rittenhouse with fellow attorney John Pierce and Schroder. “Thank you, all donors. Thank you, all patriots. Thank God almighty,” the tweet read.
Schroder also retweeted Wood’s comments on Parler, a conservative social media platform, sharing a post that read, “Follow and thank actor Ricky for his significant contribution to get #FightBack over the goal line to reach $2M cash bail goal.”
Rittenhouse’s bond was posted on Friday afternoon, and he “is no longer in custody at the Kenosha County Jail,” according to a statement from Kenosha County Sheriff’s Sgt. David Wright.
On Aug. 25, Rittenhouse, a teenager from Antioch, Ill., was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and other charges in connection with the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber.
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Schroder — who launched his career as a child actor in “The Champ” and starred in the NBC sitcom “Silver Spoons” — was arrested twice for suspicion of domestic violence in April 2019, and was held in lieu of $50,000 bail. He was not prosecuted for either allegation.
Schroder’s representatives did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
© 2020 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC


mercurynews--2020-11-22--Twitter, Facebook to hand over @POTUS account to Joe Biden on Jan. 20

Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc will transfer control of the @ POTUS account to the Joe Biden administration on Jan. 20 , the social media companies said on Saturday .
The @ POTUS account on both platforms is the official account of the President of the United States .
It is separate from the @ realDonaldTrump Twitter account and the @ DonaldTrump Facebook page that U.S. President Donald Trump mostly uses to write his posts .
“ Twitter is actively preparing to support the transition of White House institutional Twitter accounts on January 20th , 2021 .
As we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this process is being done in close consultation with the National Archives and Records , ” the company confirmed to Reuters on Saturday .
The social media giants will also hand over other institutional handles – for the White House , vice president and first lady of the United States – on inauguration day .
“ In 2017 , we worked with both the Obama Administration and incoming Trump Administration to make sure the transition of their Facebook and Instagram accounts was seamless on January 20th , and we expect to do the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to a query from Reuters .
Politico reported earlier that the handover of the @ POTUS Twitter handle requires no sharing of information between the outgoing Trump team and incoming Biden team .
• Twitter launches new disappearing messages : Here ’ s how they work • Steve Bannon banned by Twitter after calling for Fauci ’ s beheading It also reported that Twitter will meet transition officials of Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the coming months to discuss the particulars of how the new administration will use Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mark since becoming president-elect , is preparing to take office on Jan. 20 , but Trump has refused to concede and is seeking to invalidate or overturn the results through lawsuits and recounts in a number of states , claiming – without proof – widespread voter fraud .

By Aakriti Bhalla | Reuters
Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc will transfer control of the @POTUS account to the Joe Biden administration on Jan. 20, the social media companies said on Saturday.
The @POTUS account on both platforms is the official account of the President of the United States. It is separate from the
@realDonaldTrump Twitter account and the @DonaldTrump Facebook page that U.S. President Donald Trump mostly uses to write his posts.
“Twitter is actively preparing to support the transition of White House institutional Twitter accounts on January 20th,
2021. As we did for the presidential transition in 2017, this process is being done in close consultation with the National Archives and Records,” the company confirmed to Reuters on Saturday.
The social media giants will also hand over other institutional handles – for the White House, vice president and first lady of the United States – on inauguration day.
“In 2017, we worked with both the Obama Administration and incoming Trump Administration to make sure the transition of
their Facebook and Instagram accounts was seamless on January 20th, and we expect to do the same here,” Facebook said in response to a query from Reuters.
Politico reported earlier that the handover of the @POTUS Twitter handle requires no sharing of information between the
outgoing Trump team and incoming Biden team.
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months to discuss the particulars of how the new administration will use Twitter.
Biden, who has reached the two-week mark since becoming president-elect, is preparing to take office on Jan. 20, but
Trump has refused to concede and is seeking to invalidate or overturn the results through lawsuits and recounts in a number
of states, claiming – without proof – widespread voter fraud.
(Reporting by Aakriti Bhalla in Bengaluru and Kanishka Singh;
Editing by Andrea Ricci)


mercurynews--2020-11-22--‘It’s kind of like a nightmare’: How Bank of America helped fuel California’s unemployment meltdown

For a brief moment this summer , Stephanie Moore thought she might finally see a glimmer of hope at the end of the coronavirus recession .
Unemployment benefits provided a lifeline for the 38-year-old Los Angeles housekeeper to leave a bad relationship and rent an Airbnb while she looked for a job .
But in early October , her state-issued Bank of America debit card balance plummeted from around $ 400 to negative $ 1,100 after a credit for fraudulent charges from months earlier was reversed without warning .
So began her unofficial full-time job trying to get the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of like a nightmare , ” Moore said .
“ Every day I ’ m wondering what ’ s more important .
Do I get on the phone with the bank and try again so I have a place to sleep tomorrow , or do I just accept that I ’ m going to be on the street and focus on my job search ?
Because you can ’ t do both.
” For months , California ’ s Employment Development Department has attracted the ire of jobless workers and state lawmakers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaked at 1.6 million .
Now , Moore is among those entangled by potential security lapses and payment errors involving Bank of America , which since 2010 has had an exclusive contract to deliver state unemployment benefits through prepaid debit cards .
It ’ s a breakdown of the state ’ s job safety net that raises questions about the best way to get money into the hands of workers who desperately need it , since California is one of only three U.S. states that does not offer a direct deposit option , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents .
To this day , it ’ s not clear how much Bank of America has made from handling the bulk of the unprecedented $ 109 billion California has paid out in benefits since March .
Lawmakers are examining the bank ’ s role in payment issues that began during a two-week identity-verification update , and whether the bank has provided adequate security for unemployment insurance money in the face of rampant fraud .
“ Unfortunately , there has been billions of dollars of fraud during this pandemic in state unemployment programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America said in a statement to CalMatters , urging those impacted to contact the bank .
“ We are working with the state and law enforcement to identify and take action against fraudulent applicants , protect taxpayer money and ensure that legitimate applicants can access their benefits.
” For San Francisco Assemblymember David Chiu , a progressive Democrat who authored a 2019 public banking bill and has pushed to reduce state reliance on Wall Street , the confusion marks “ another failure ” by the state and its corporate vendors .
The employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s fault , insisting in an Oct. 29 statement that it “ has no direct access to debit funds on any accounts ” and that those impacted by card issues should contact Bank of America .
“ They ’ re playing the blame game .
Someone needs to take responsibility for this , ” Chiu said .
“ I think we ’ re going to have to revisit that contract if BofA can ’ t provide the services it promised.
” The state agency said it will review all options this summer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the depths of the Great Recession .
Unemployment was 12.1 % , and the state was paying out $ 66 million a day in jobless benefits .
But at the state agency , a major tech overhaul was underway after a new debit card contract with Bank of America .
At no cost to the state , the bank had begun rolling out prepaid cards to replace paper unemployment checks .
It would be faster and more efficient , the EDD argued in a public report at the time , and much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The bank promised to share some revenue from merchant transaction fees with the state and guaranteed low fees for the unemployed : a few dollars for multiple ATM withdrawals , $ 10 for expedited or lost cards , and normal merchant fees whenever the card is swiped .
“ Terms are more favorable than most people have for their own personal bank accounts , ” the 2011 report said .
The result was what United Way of California Communications Director Unai Montes-Irueste calls a “ NASCAR card , ” thanks to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most other states have moved from paper checks to direct deposit or hybrid debit card and direct deposit systems .
This past spring , millions of Californians received their federal coronavirus stimulus payments via direct deposit to personal bank accounts .
Still , California was far from alone in betting that debit cards would be a big part of the future of government benefits .
Use of the cards exploded in the last decade at state , local and federal agencies as Bank of America , U.S. Bank , KeyBank , Comerica @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By 2016 , government agencies had paid out $ 146 billion in benefits through prepaid debit cards , generating $ 518 million in revenue for banks , the Federal Reserve reported .
Today , 43 states use a combination of direct deposit and debit card systems , which consumer groups favor to reach unemployment claimants with the widest variety of financial situations .
Michele Evermore , a senior policy analyst at worker advocacy group the National Employment Law Project cautioned that banks acting as middlemen in debit card contracts can sometimes divert funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic stimulus .
“ It may seem like a 2 % fee here and a 2 % fee there doesn ’ t amount to much , but in the aggregate , it really does , ” Evermore said .
Bank of America referred questions about fees generated by its California unemployment contract to EDD .
The employment agency has not yet responded to a CalMatters request for records of revenue and fees related to the debit card contract .
In the meantime , the stories of Californians dealing with debit card problems continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single mother Aimy Onan , a drained account meant falling behind on rent and moving into a shared bedroom with her daughter in her ex ’ s home with a new girlfriend .
For furloughed Disney candy maker Julie Hansen , a negative $ 12,000 balance threatened her ability to care for her autistic son .
For Demarcus Sparks , who was self-employed before the pandemic , a frozen debit card led to a Greyhound trip from L.A. to stay with his mom in Georgia for fear of ending up in a shelter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Paul Dease , a 52-year-old antiques dealer in San Diego County , who has been locked in a dispute with Bank of America over $ 1,000 withdrawn from his account without notice .
“ How many people have the same story I have , that have lost $ 1,000 or $ 800 and haven ’ t gotten it back ?
” How are you getting by on unemployment benefits ?
We invite you to share your story here .
That much remains unclear .
Chiu said lawmakers also have yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answers about the “ mind boggling ” omission of microchips in the cards to root out fraud .
Bank of America declined to comment on the security of California ’ s unemployment debit cards .
But bank personnel also say their own outdated customer service systems have contributed to claimants ’ financial purgatory .
The bank ’ s internal processes for reporting and investigating unemployment debit card complaints have led to long delays and shifting timelines , two workers told CalMatters , as they juggle antiquated technology and shifting corporate scripts .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell them a timeframe , because we have no clue , ” said one Bank of America customer service worker , who asked to remain anonymous since they were not authorized to discuss the matter .
“ Every day , I talk to 30 people with the same story .
I just pray for them after my shift , honestly.
” If the world wasn ’ t paralyzed by a deadly pandemic , it might look like Matthew Hoffman has been traveling quite a bit .
His Bank of America unemployment card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alabama , Modesto , Sacramento , Tennessee , Connecticut and even a series of overseas charges .
But Hoffman , a former Comcast employee who has been out of work since a stroke last year , said he ’ s never used the card in any of those places .
In total , he saw almost $ 7,000 disappear .
He said one bank representative told him the fraud dispute he filed had been closed without investigation .
Another said it was reopened .
Finally , he was told that a credit would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t .
“ What ’ s the point of having and paying into unemployment insurance if it ’ s not actually made available to me when I need it ?
” said Hoffman , who is alternating staying with his girlfriend and in his car after the loss of his Livermore rental home in a recent wildfire .
Stories like Hoffman ’ s aren ’ t hard to find after a governor-appointed Strike Team in September advised EDD that organized fraud “ represents a serious risk to the state , and EDD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” In total , 693,000 paid and unpaid unemployment claims out of the more than 14 million filed from March to early October were temporarily suspended for potential fraud during the agency ’ s late September reset , according to an EDD statement to CalMatters .
From dark web conspiracies to YouTube rap videos , the range of apparent fraud could cost the state “ hundreds of millions , ” Sacramento Assemblymember Jim Cooper predicted at a recent EDD hearing .
In one instance , Beverly Hills police arrested 100 people and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 4 million after a series of shopping sprees on Rodeo Drive .
Until fraud is detected , Bank of America reaps normal transaction fees every time the cards are swiped under the terms of its state contract .
The bank promised California “ best-in-class ” fraud monitoring in its original unemployment debit card pitch , and assured the state that “ EDD has no liability for issues related to fraud.
” But amid the unemployment surge during the pandemic , Beverly Hills Assistant Police Chief Marc Coopwood said much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement , rather than EDD or the bank , to uncover such schemes .
“ The real victim in this , the people whose identities were stolen , they ’ re going to get a 1099 next year , ” Coopwood said .
“ They ’ re going to spend years fighting this with the IRS.
” Where California goes from here to remedy its unemployment woes isn ’ t clear .
The EDD has vowed to work through its remaining backlog of 542,000 unpaid unemployment claims by January .
Bank of America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customer service centers “ nearly 20-fold ” to deal with unprecedented demand , and that it continues “ to review and decision claims in a timely fashion and within the regulations.
” Chiu said he is one of multiple state lawmakers considering new EDD reform bills in the coming year .
Several unemployment claimants interviewed by CalMatters said they have contacted lawyers about bringing potential claims against Bank of America .
Labor lawyers also see courtrooms in EDD ’ s future if problems persist .
“ I ’ m skeptical this will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Urban , director of Sacramento ’ s Center for Workers ’ Rights .
“ I think that it ’ s warranted .
The question is whether EDD fixes it first , or what the response is .
”

BY LAUREN HEPLER AND STEPHEN COUNCIL | CALMatters
For a brief moment this summer, Stephanie Moore thought she might finally see a glimmer of hope at the end of the coronavirus recession. Unemployment benefits provided a lifeline for the 38-year-old Los Angeles housekeeper to leave a bad relationship and rent an Airbnb while she looked for a job. But in early October, her state-issued Bank of America debit card balance plummeted from around $400 to negative $1,100 after a credit for fraudulent charges from months earlier was reversed without warning.
So began her unofficial full-time job trying to get the money back.
“It’s kind of like a nightmare,” Moore said. “Every day I’m wondering what’s more important. Do I get on the phone with the bank and try again so I have a place to sleep tomorrow, or do I just accept that I’m going to be on the street and focus on my job search? Because you can’t do both.”
For months, California’s Employment Development Department has attracted the ire of jobless workers and state lawmakers for a backlog of unpaid unemployment claims that peaked at 1.6 million. Now, Moore is among those entangled by potential security lapses and payment errors involving Bank of America, which since 2010 has had an exclusive contract to deliver state unemployment benefits through prepaid debit cards.
It’s a breakdown of the state’s job safety net that raises questions about the best way to get money into the hands of workers who desperately need it, since California is one of only three U.S. states that does not offer a direct deposit option, according to a CalMatters review of public documents. To this day, it’s not clear how much Bank of America has made from handling the bulk of the unprecedented $109 billion California has paid out in benefits since March. Lawmakers are examining the bank’s role in payment issues that began during a two-week identity-verification update, and whether the bank has provided adequate security for unemployment insurance money in the face of rampant fraud.
Bank of America, whose contract is up next July, declined to answer detailed questions about how many unemployed Californians are still unable to use their debit cards, how much money has been withdrawn from accounts flagged for potential fraud, when and how claimants may be paid back or how much the bank has made in fees on the cards. The state told CalMatters that some 377,500 debit cards were frozen this fall and as of Thursday, around 350,000 accounts remain impacted, meaning progress has been slow.
“Unfortunately, there has been billions of dollars of fraud during this pandemic in state unemployment programs, including California,” Bank of America said in a statement to CalMatters, urging those impacted to contact the bank. “We are working with the state and law enforcement to identify and take action against fraudulent applicants, protect taxpayer money and ensure that legitimate applicants can access their benefits.”
For San Francisco Assemblymember David Chiu, a progressive Democrat who authored a 2019 public banking bill and has pushed to reduce state reliance on Wall Street, the confusion marks “another failure” by the state and its corporate vendors. The employment agency hinted it was the bank’s fault, insisting in an Oct. 29 statement that it “has no direct access to debit funds on any accounts” and that those impacted by card issues should contact Bank of America.
“They’re playing the blame game. Someone needs to take responsibility for this,” Chiu said. “I think we’re going to have to revisit that contract if BofA can’t provide the services it promised.”
The state agency said it will review all options this summer.
Banking on debit cards
In August 2011, California was still in the depths of the Great Recession. Unemployment was 12.1%, and the state was paying out $66 million a day in jobless benefits. But at the state agency, a major tech overhaul was underway after a new debit card contract with Bank of America.
At no cost to the state, the bank had begun rolling out prepaid cards to replace paper unemployment checks. It would be faster and more efficient, the EDD argued in a public report at the time, and much more accessible to Californians without bank accounts. The bank promised to share some revenue from merchant transaction fees with the state and guaranteed low fees for the unemployed: a few dollars for multiple ATM withdrawals, $10 for expedited or lost cards, and normal merchant fees whenever the card is swiped. “Terms are more favorable than most people have for their own personal bank accounts,” the 2011 report said.
The result was what United Way of California Communications Director Unai Montes-Irueste calls a “NASCAR card,” thanks to its flashy corporate logos for Visa and Interlink. Most other states have moved from paper checks to direct deposit or hybrid debit card and direct deposit systems. This past spring, millions of Californians received their federal coronavirus stimulus payments via direct deposit to personal bank accounts.
Still, California was far from alone in betting that debit cards would be a big part of the future of government benefits. Use of the cards exploded in the last decade at state, local and federal agencies as Bank of America, U.S. Bank, KeyBank, Comerica and others pursued more government contracts. By 2016, government agencies had paid out $146 billion in benefits through prepaid debit cards, generating $518 million in revenue for banks, the Federal Reserve reported. Today, 43 states use a combination of direct deposit and debit card systems, which consumer groups favor to reach unemployment claimants with the widest variety of financial situations.
Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst at worker advocacy group the National Employment Law Project cautioned that banks acting as middlemen in debit card contracts can sometimes divert funds from workers — a missed opportunity for economic stimulus. “It may seem like a 2% fee here and a 2% fee there doesn’t amount to much, but in the aggregate, it really does,” Evermore said.
In California, paper checks are still available by request, and Bank of America notes that debit card customers can transfer the money from the card to their own bank accounts — both time-consuming alternatives, said Lauren Saunders, associate director of the National Consumer Law Center. In a 2013 report , the organization found that despite the relatively consumer-friendly terms in the state’s Bank of America unemployment contract, Californians paid almost $1.8 million in fees in a year.
Bank of America referred questions about fees generated by its California unemployment contract to EDD. The employment agency has not yet responded to a CalMatters request for records of revenue and fees related to the debit card contract.
Debit card problems pile up
In the meantime, the stories of Californians dealing with debit card problems continue to pile up. For Santa Maria single mother Aimy Onan, a drained account meant falling behind on rent and moving into a shared bedroom with her daughter in her ex’s home with a new girlfriend. For furloughed Disney candy maker Julie Hansen, a negative $12,000 balance threatened her ability to care for her autistic son. For Demarcus Sparks, who was self-employed before the pandemic, a frozen debit card led to a Greyhound trip from L.A. to stay with his mom in Georgia for fear of ending up in a shelter.
“They treat you like trash,” said Paul Dease, a 52-year-old antiques dealer in San Diego County, who has been locked in a dispute with Bank of America over $1,000 withdrawn from his account without notice. “How many people have the same story I have, that have lost $1,000 or $800 and haven’t gotten it back?”
How are you getting by on unemployment benefits?
We invite you to share your story here.
¿Cómo te las estás arreglando sin los beneficios del Seguro de Desempleo?
Te invitamos a compartir tu historia aquí.
That much remains unclear. Chiu said lawmakers also have yet to receive updated account information, or answers about the “mind boggling” omission of microchips in the cards to root out fraud.
Bank of America declined to comment on the security of California’s unemployment debit cards. But bank personnel also say their own outdated customer service systems have contributed to claimants’ financial purgatory. The bank’s internal processes for reporting and investigating unemployment debit card complaints have led to long delays and shifting timelines, two workers told CalMatters, as they juggle antiquated technology and shifting corporate scripts.
“We’re actually no longer allowed to tell them a timeframe, because we have no clue,” said one Bank of America customer service worker, who asked to remain anonymous since they were not authorized to discuss the matter. “Every day, I talk to 30 people with the same story. I just pray for them after my shift, honestly.”
A field day for fraud
Matt Hoffman, seen at his girlfriend’s house in Escalon on Nov. 13, 2020, spends his days sitting on the porch while on hold with EDD, Bank of America and FEMA. According to Hoffman, he spends an average of 4 hours on hold per call. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
If the world wasn’t paralyzed by a deadly pandemic, it might look like Matthew Hoffman has been traveling quite a bit. His Bank of America unemployment card ledger shows transactions and ATM withdrawals in Alabama, Modesto, Sacramento, Tennessee, Connecticut and even a series of overseas charges.
But Hoffman, a former Comcast employee who has been out of work since a stroke last year, said he’s never used the card in any of those places. In total, he saw almost $7,000 disappear. He said one bank representative told him the fraud dispute he filed had been closed without investigation. Another said it was reopened. Finally, he was told that a credit would arrive on Nov. 10. It didn’t.
“What’s the point of having and paying into unemployment insurance if it’s not actually made available to me when I need it?” said Hoffman, who is alternating staying with his girlfriend and in his car after the loss of his Livermore rental home in a recent wildfire.
Stories like Hoffman’s aren’t hard to find after a governor-appointed Strike Team in September advised EDD that organized fraud “represents a serious risk to the state, and EDD must develop capabilities to understand and combat it.”
In total, 693,000 paid and unpaid unemployment claims out of the more than 14 million filed from March to early October were temporarily suspended for potential fraud during the agency’s late September reset, according to an EDD statement to CalMatters. From dark web conspiracies to YouTube rap videos, the range of apparent fraud could cost the state “hundreds of millions,” Sacramento Assemblymember Jim Cooper predicted at a recent EDD hearing.
In one instance, Beverly Hills police arrested 100 people and seized 200 fraudulent unemployment debit cards worth more than $4 million after a series of shopping sprees on Rodeo Drive. Until fraud is detected, Bank of America reaps normal transaction fees every time the cards are swiped under the terms of its state contract. The bank promised California “best-in-class” fraud monitoring in its original unemployment debit card pitch, and assured the state that “EDD has no liability for issues related to fraud.”
But amid the unemployment surge during the pandemic, Beverly Hills Assistant Police Chief Marc Coopwood said much of the burden has fallen on local law enforcement, rather than EDD or the bank, to uncover such schemes.
“The real victim in this, the people whose identities were stolen, they’re going to get a 1099 next year,” Coopwood said. “They’re going to spend years fighting this with the IRS.”
Lawsuits ahead?
Where California goes from here to remedy its unemployment woes isn’t clear. The EDD has vowed to work through its remaining backlog of 542,000 unpaid unemployment claims by January. Bank of America said it has increased staffing at prepaid customer service centers “nearly 20-fold” to deal with unprecedented demand, and that it continues “to review and decision claims in a timely fashion and within the regulations.”
Chiu said he is one of multiple state lawmakers considering new EDD reform bills in the coming year. Several unemployment claimants interviewed by CalMatters said they have contacted lawyers about bringing potential claims against Bank of America. Labor lawyers also see courtrooms in EDD’s future if problems persist.
“I’m skeptical this will be resolved without litigation,” said Daniela Urban, director of Sacramento’s Center for Workers’ Rights. “I think that it’s warranted. The question is whether EDD fixes it first, or what the response is.”


mercurynews--2020-11-22--SpaceX rocket deploys latest NASA satellite into orbit after Santa Barbara County launch

Hawthorne-based SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket Saturday morning , Nov. 21 , from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County .
The craft promptly deployed NASA ’ s Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite into orbit and doubled back to return its reusable main components to Earth .
On an unexpectedly clear morning , many residents in Santa Barbara , Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties got a good view of the airshow and could hear a series of sonic booms following liftoff .
Farther south in Los Angeles County , residents might have caught a glimpse of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powered the satellite into orbit , then reversed course and returned to Vandenberg for recovery and use in future missions .
The launch was scheduled for 9:17 a.m. , and SpaceX tweeted a video showing the successful liftoff at 9:19 a.m. At 9:28 a.m. , the company tweeted that “ Falcon 9 ’ s first stage has landed on Landing Zone 4 , ” and deployment of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich was confirmed at 10:18 a.m .
The rocket cut loose the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite , which joins a nearly 30-year project to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing atmospheric data that , officials say , will improve weather forecasts , climate modeling and hurricane tracking .
That satellite ’ s twin , dubbed Sentinel 6B , will join the mission in 2025 .
The namesake of Saturday ’ s satellite was NASA ’ s former Earth Science Division director .
Freilich died in August , about seven months after NASA announced the satellite would bear his name .
He was 66 .
“ Mike ’ s excellence as a scientist is well known , ” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ His dedication to oceanography and helping train the next generation of scientific leaders was inspiring .
“ This satellite , ” Bridenstine added about the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich , “ will gather critical information about the oceans for which Mike had such an abiding passion.
” Three science instruments aboard the satellite were built by Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena — the Advanced Microwave Radiometer , the Global Navigation Satellite System-Radio Occultation and the Laser Retroreflector Array .
The ocean-monitoring program was developed by the European Space Agency in conjunction with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administration .
The launch was the second triumph in a week ’ s time for the South Bay rocketbuilder .
The company ’ s Crew Dragon capsule docked at the International Space Station on Monday , Nov. 16 , to engage in a history-making six-month science mission by its four-person crew , which includes Pomona native Victor Glover .
The Dragon capsule ’ s docking concluded a 27-hour , completely automated flight from NASA ’ s Kennedy Space Center .
The Space Station will be home and workplace for the four-astronaut crew until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Navy Cmdr .
Glover , 44 , the first Black astronaut to serve on an extended Space Station Mission .
Glover , a Navy commander , aviator and test pilot , is taking his first spaceflight as a Crew Dragon First Mission astronaut .
He was presented his gold astronaut pin Monday by Commander Mike Hopkins during an impromptu mid-flight ceremony marking his first time crossing the 100-kilometer mark above Earth .
The three Americans and one Japanese astronaut will remain at the orbiting lab until their replacements arrive on another Dragon in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with SpaceX — and eventually Boeing — transporting astronauts to and from the station for NASA .
This regular taxi service got underway with Sunday night ’ s launch .

Hawthorne-based SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket Saturday morning, Nov. 21, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County. The craft promptly deployed NASA’s Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite into orbit and doubled back to return its reusable main components to Earth.
On an unexpectedly clear morning, many residents in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties got a good view of the airshow and could hear a series of sonic booms following liftoff.
Farther south in Los Angeles County, residents might have caught a glimpse of the rocket’s smoky trail as it powered the satellite into orbit, then reversed course and returned to Vandenberg for recovery and use in future missions.
The launch was scheduled for 9:17 a.m., and SpaceX tweeted a video showing the successful liftoff at 9:19 a.m.
At 9:28 a.m., the company tweeted that “Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on Landing Zone 4,” and deployment of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich was confirmed at 10:18 a.m.
The rocket cut loose the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, which joins a nearly 30-year project to measure global sea-surface height, while also providing atmospheric data that, officials say, will improve weather forecasts, climate modeling and hurricane tracking.
That satellite’s twin, dubbed Sentinel 6B, will join the mission in 2025.
The namesake of Saturday’s satellite was NASA’s former Earth Science Division director. Freilich died in August, about seven months after NASA announced the satellite would bear his name. He was 66.
“Mike’s excellence as a scientist is well known,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a written statement after Freilich died. “His dedication to oceanography and helping train the next generation of scientific leaders was inspiring.
Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on Landing Zone 4 pic.twitter.com/eDrI5HSXaJ — SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 21, 2020
“This satellite,” Bridenstine added about the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, “will gather critical information about the oceans for which Mike had such an abiding passion.”
Three science instruments aboard the satellite were built by Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena — the Advanced Microwave Radiometer, the Global Navigation Satellite System-Radio Occultation and the Laser Retroreflector Array.
The ocean-monitoring program was developed by the European Space Agency in conjunction with NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The launch was the second triumph in a week’s time for the South Bay rocketbuilder.
The company’s Crew Dragon capsule docked at the International Space Station on Monday, Nov. 16, to engage in a history-making six-month science mission by its four-person crew, which includes Pomona native Victor Glover.
The Dragon capsule’s docking concluded a 27-hour, completely automated flight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The Space Station will be home and workplace for the four-astronaut crew until spring.
Among the capsule crew is Navy Cmdr. Glover, 44, the first Black astronaut to serve on an extended Space Station Mission. Glover, a Navy commander, aviator and test pilot, is taking his first spaceflight as a Crew Dragon First Mission astronaut. He was presented his gold astronaut pin Monday by Commander Mike Hopkins during an impromptu mid-flight ceremony marking his first time crossing the 100-kilometer mark above Earth.
The three Americans and one Japanese astronaut will remain at the orbiting lab until their replacements arrive on another Dragon in April. And so it will go, with SpaceX — and eventually Boeing — transporting astronauts to and from the station for NASA. This regular taxi service got underway with Sunday night’s launch.