mercurynews--2020-08-03--Ask Amy: He shows up every night to drink on my porch, and I feel trapped

Dear Amy : Prior to the pandemic , I met up with an old friend of nearly 20 years three or four nights a week at a local watering hole .
We would also watch football together on Sundays at my house .
When the pandemic hit , we all self-quarantined , me with my college-aged daughter and him by himself .
We kept in touch , and when I would order groceries , I would get him food , and deliver it to his back door .
Restrictions were loosened , and we have both tested negative ( so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But now he takes an Uber to my house every night for “ porch drinking , ” which consists of him drinking large amounts of whiskey ( which he brings ) and retelling the same stories .
This has been going on for six weeks , every night .
One night he came over while I was sleeping , and started drinking and smoking on my back porch .
• Ask Amy : Our neighbor destroys our plants and I ’ m fed up with her excuse • Ask Amy : His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m pregnant , and I need to keep it that way • Ask Amy : After his creepy comments , I can ’ t be around my boyfriend ’ s father • Ask Amy : My dead husband ’ s parents have made an unreasonable demand • Ask Amy : My daughter is pushing me to come to her wedding , and I ’ m scared He arrives with no invitation , and when I have questioned him , he has said he will “ never grace me with his presence again.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behold , there he is again , with no memory of the previous conversation .
One time I sent him away , and he then claimed he was visiting relatives in another state the next day .
Instead , he showed up at my house .
I liked the previous arrangement , at a neutral location .
I could go to the bar if I wanted to , when I wanted to , and leave when I wanted .
Now I feel trapped in my own home .
What should I do ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have passed through the neighborly sloppy porch-drinker phase and is now parked at the belligerent/blackout drunk stage .
In the course of coaxing him off of your porch , you can tell him the truth about his drinking and urge him to seek help .
Because he is belligerent and forgetful at night when he is drunk , you should lay down the law during the day .
Tell him , “ I have something important to say .
You can not come over to my house unless I invite you .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I want you to know that if you show up uninvited , I ’ m going to take you home right away.
” And then when this scenario presents itself , follow through .
If your friend seems dangerously drunk and ill , you should take him to the hospital ( or call 911 ) .
Alcoholics Anonymous offers an impressive array of online meetings , so it is now possible to virtually attend a meeting , any hour of the day or night .
People who want to give sobriety a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dear Amy : For the last four years , a group of friends from high school have gathered for an annual weekend getaway .
I have always been invited , but due to life events ( grad school , a newborn baby , or financial constraints ) , I have always graciously declined .
I was finally at a point where I was excited to attend this year ’ s outing .
Time passed with no invitation , so I reached out to the friend who organizes the event , who told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled , but if somebody dropped out , I could join .
Not only did I not receive an invite , but I found out that their group is much larger this year , with outside friends of the group getting invited .
Am I wrong to feel hurt and left out by my friends here , or did the previous four years of declining the trip excuse them ?
I am now questioning my friendship with these guys .
Dear Left Out : Life presents many opportunities to feel bad , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never attended this annual event , and it seems most likely that the people who do attend commit to it early .
There is nothing “ wrong ” with attendees inviting guests .
All of this is up to the organizer .
I suggest that you keep in closer touch in order to get back on the primary guest list for next year .
Dear Amy : Like “ Isolated , ” I have a medical condition that makes it necessary to isolate during the pandemic .
My remote friends and I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play via Zoom .
I can ’ t tell you how much I look forward to this weekly two-hour activity .
Another group of friends picked a book to read and we have met virtually , to discuss it .
These activities are literally keeping me sane .
Plan It , and They Will Come Dear Plan It : Deal me in !
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook .

Dear Amy: Prior to the pandemic, I met up with an old friend of nearly 20 years three or four nights a week at a local watering hole. We would also watch football together on Sundays at my house.
When the pandemic hit, we all self-quarantined, me with my college-aged daughter and him by himself. We kept in touch, and when I would order groceries, I would get him food, and deliver it to his back door.
Restrictions were loosened, and we have both tested negative (so has my daughter) for the coronavirus. But now he takes an Uber to my house every night for “porch drinking,” which consists of him drinking large amounts of whiskey (which he brings) and retelling the same stories.
This has been going on for six weeks, every night. One night he came over while I was sleeping, and started drinking and smoking on my back porch.
Related Articles Advice | Ask Amy: I found the videos she posted about me, with all the demeaning comments
Ask Amy: I found the videos she posted about me, with all the demeaning comments Advice | Ask Amy: My fiance wants me to stay home. Should I bolt?
Ask Amy: My fiance wants me to stay home. Should I bolt? Advice | Ask Amy: Why did she react that way? It was a compliment!
Ask Amy: Why did she react that way? It was a compliment! Advice | Ask Amy: I’ve told them they need therapy, and they refuse to do it. What now?
Ask Amy: I’ve told them they need therapy, and they refuse to do it. What now? Advice | Ask Amy: The man I love is my grandchild’s uncle, and things have gotten messy He arrives with no invitation, and when I have questioned him, he has said he will “never grace me with his presence again.” But the next day, lo and behold, there he is again, with no memory of the previous conversation.
One time I sent him away, and he then claimed he was visiting relatives in another state the next day. Instead, he showed up at my house.
I liked the previous arrangement, at a neutral location. I could go to the bar if I wanted to, when I wanted to, and leave when I wanted. Now I feel trapped in my own home.
What should I do?
Trapped
Dear Trapped: Your friend seems to have passed through the neighborly sloppy porch-drinker phase and is now parked at the belligerent/blackout drunk stage. In the course of coaxing him off of your porch, you can tell him the truth about his drinking and urge him to seek help.
Because he is belligerent and forgetful at night when he is drunk, you should lay down the law during the day. Tell him, “I have something important to say. You cannot come over to my house unless I invite you. I’m very worried about your drinking. I want you to know that if you show up uninvited, I’m going to take you home right away.” And then when this scenario presents itself, follow through.
If your friend seems dangerously drunk and ill, you should take him to the hospital (or call 911).
Alcoholics Anonymous offers an impressive array of online meetings, so it is now possible to virtually attend a meeting, any hour of the day or night. People who want to give sobriety a try should check aa-intergroup.org for more information.
Dear Amy: For the last four years, a group of friends from high school have gathered for an annual weekend getaway.
I have always been invited, but due to life events (grad school, a newborn baby, or financial constraints), I have always graciously declined.
I was finally at a point where I was excited to attend this year’s outing. Time passed with no invitation, so I reached out to the friend who organizes the event, who told me that all of the spots were filled, but if somebody dropped out, I could join.
Not only did I not receive an invite, but I found out that their group is much larger this year, with outside friends of the group getting invited.
Am I wrong to feel hurt and left out by my friends here, or did the previous four years of declining the trip excuse them?
I am now questioning my friendship with these guys.
Left Out
Dear Left Out: Life presents many opportunities to feel bad, if you try hard enough. You have never attended this annual event, and it seems most likely that the people who do attend commit to it early. There is nothing “wrong” with attendees inviting guests. All of this is up to the organizer.
I suggest that you keep in closer touch in order to get back on the primary guest list for next year.
Dear Amy: Like “Isolated,” I have a medical condition that makes it necessary to isolate during the pandemic.
My remote friends and I have discovered online bar trivia, which we play via Zoom. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to this weekly two-hour activity. Another group of friends picked a book to read and we have met virtually, to discuss it. These activities are literally keeping me sane.
Plan It, and They Will Come
Dear Plan It: Deal me in!
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--2020-08-03--Harriette Cole: My friend asked nosy questions about what fell out of my purse

DEAR HARRIETTE : I have high blood pressure , and I take medication for it .
Pretty much nobody in my friend group knows about it because I just don ’ t think it ’ s any of their business .
I ’ m a very private person .
The other day when we finally got to meet up in the park — socially distanced , of course — I dropped my purse and everything fell out , including my high blood pressure medicine .
One of my friends went to help me retrieve everything , and she picked up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottle and asked me why I didn ’ t tell her I had HBP .
I was offended .
I don ’ t have to talk about my medical condition .
Even though she knew what the medication was for , I still felt like it was wrong for her to pry .
I told her I didn ’ t want to talk about it .
Am I wrong for being so tight-lipped ?
She is my good friend , but I don ’ t want anybody in my business .
DEAR OUTED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privacy , to be sure .
But step back a moment and ask yourself why you are so overly sensitive to your good friend knowing about your condition .
Since she knew immediately what the medication was for , chances are , she or someone close to her may be suffering from the disease .
Instead of hiding out and dealing with your illness in isolation , consider gaining support by talking about it with a select group of friends , or even just one .
You can request confidentiality .
Of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she will say nothing , but it certainly should make her more thoughtful about it .
• Harriette Cole : Who should I call if I don ’ t want cops involved ?
• Harriette Cole : Should I fix my nose , or just learn to live with it ?
• Harriette Cole : My dream withered when I had to come home from the beach • Harriette Cole : Why would you tell her to give to panhandlers ?
Millions of Americans suffer from high blood pressure .
Having support as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diet , exercise and lifestyle changes can be helpful as you work to control this disease .
For more information on how to manage your HBP , go to mayocl.in/39lRg0v .
DEAR HARRIETTE : I am part of a new team at my job , and things are not going very well .
There was consolidation recently that resulted in a small group of us being folded into another department .
The way my new boss works is totally different from my old boss , and I am having to figure it out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t give me any instructions about procedures .
I feel like I ’ m constantly stepping on landmines because I don ’ t know what this boss expects .
How can I smooth things over ?
I feel like we need to start all over again .
DEAR RESTART : Since your new boss did not take the initiative to give you the lay of the land , you need to request it .
Ask for guidelines and procedures on how this team operates .
Request written materials that outline processes so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Do your best to cultivate a rapport with your boss and with other team members .
It ’ s not the easiest thing to do in this virtual world , but make an effort .
Stay engaged as you work to figure out how to find a way of working with this new team .
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS , an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams .
You can send questions to askharriette @ harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication , 1130 Walnut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have high blood pressure, and I take medication for it. Pretty much nobody in my friend group knows about it because I just don’t think it’s any of their business. I’m a very private person.
The other day when we finally got to meet up in the park — socially distanced, of course — I dropped my purse and everything fell out, including my high blood pressure medicine. One of my friends went to help me retrieve everything, and she picked up my meds. She looked at the bottle and asked me why I didn’t tell her I had HBP.
I was offended. I don’t have to talk about my medical condition. Even though she knew what the medication was for, I still felt like it was wrong for her to pry. I told her I didn’t want to talk about it.
Am I wrong for being so tight-lipped? She is my good friend, but I don’t want anybody in my business.
Outed
DEAR OUTED: You have the right to your privacy, to be sure. But step back a moment and ask yourself why you are so overly sensitive to your good friend knowing about your condition.
Since she knew immediately what the medication was for, chances are, she or someone close to her may be suffering from the disease. Instead of hiding out and dealing with your illness in isolation, consider gaining support by talking about it with a select group of friends, or even just one. You can request confidentiality. Of course, that doesn’t guarantee that she will say nothing, but it certainly should make her more thoughtful about it.
Related Articles Advice | Harriette Cole: Was it rash to choose this job over my boyfriend’s objections?
Harriette Cole: Was it rash to choose this job over my boyfriend’s objections? Advice | Harriette Cole: What does it mean that my boyfriend’s sister called me by this name?
Harriette Cole: What does it mean that my boyfriend’s sister called me by this name? Advice | Harriette Cole: Our guest walked through a closed screen door. Is it our problem?
Harriette Cole: Our guest walked through a closed screen door. Is it our problem? Advice | Harriette Cole: I’m ashamed to tell people I forgave my childhood friend
Harriette Cole: I’m ashamed to tell people I forgave my childhood friend Advice | Harriette Cole: I’ve worked hard, and my poor siblings resent my success Millions of Americans suffer from high blood pressure. Having support as you work to make smart choices about diet, exercise and lifestyle changes can be helpful as you work to control this disease. For more information on how to manage your HBP, go to mayocl.in/39lRg0v.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am part of a new team at my job, and things are not going very well.
There was consolidation recently that resulted in a small group of us being folded into another department. The way my new boss works is totally different from my old boss, and I am having to figure it out for myself because my new boss doesn’t give me any instructions about procedures.
I feel like I’m constantly stepping on landmines because I don’t know what this boss expects. How can I smooth things over? I feel like we need to start all over again.
Restart
DEAR RESTART: Since your new boss did not take the initiative to give you the lay of the land, you need to request it. Ask for guidelines and procedures on how this team operates. Request written materials that outline processes so that you can be in better alignment. Do your best to cultivate a rapport with your boss and with other team members. It’s not the easiest thing to do in this virtual world, but make an effort. Stay engaged as you work to figure out how to find a way of working with this new team.
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.


mercurynews--2020-08-04--In campaign email, Trump touts mask-wearing

President Donald Trump on Monday sent a campaign email , typically used for soliciting donations , to make a different request of his supporters : consider wearing a mask .
“ We are all in this together , and while I know there has been some confusion surrounding the usage of face masks , I think it ’ s something we should all try to do when we are not able to be socially distanced from others , ” the email , sent by the Trump campaign and signed by the President , read .
The rare move comes after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for months until he tweeted a photo of himself wearing one in a stark messaging pivot in July — though footage later surfaced of Trump not wearing a mask later that day .
The shift to encouraging mask-wearing was primarily motivated by floundering poll numbers , a source familiar with the President ’ s thinking told CNN last month , and came nearly three months after he publicly announced new mask recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — and two months since he mocked his election rival Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s email , Trump highlighted mask wearing as a potential means of accelerating a return to normal life , lamenting the effects of the coronavirus using a stigmatizing and inaccurate term for the virus .
“ I don ’ t love wearing them either .
Masks may be good , they may be just okay , or they may be great , ” the email continued .
“ They can possibly help us get back to our American way of life that so many of us rightfully cherished before we were so terribly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , “ My feeling is , we have nothing to lose , and possibly everything to gain , including the next chapter to our country , and to keep things open whether it be schools or businesses.
” Despite Trump ’ s change of message , masks have loomed as a sticking point for some of his legislative allies .
Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert , who was diagnosed with Covid-19 last week , had refused to wear a mask — a fact highlighted by Rep. Raúl Grijalva when the Arizona Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hearing with Gohmert .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday she would require all House members and aides to wear masks on the floor following Gohmert ’ s diagnosis .
Masks are a focal point of many health experts ’ recommendations to suppress the spread of the virus , and some states and businesses have required them .
The CDC says that everyone “ should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public , for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Experts say wearing a face mask or other face covering could reduce the transmission of Covid-19 by as much as 50 % , and the University of Washington ’ s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation announced in June that if 95 % of Americans wore face masks in public , it could prevent 33,000 deaths by October 1 .

By Caroline Kelly | CNN
President Donald Trump on Monday sent a campaign email, typically used for soliciting donations, to make a different request of his supporters: consider wearing a mask.
“We are all in this together, and while I know there has been some confusion surrounding the usage of face masks, I think it’s something we should all try to do when we are not able to be socially distanced from others,” the email, sent by the Trump campaign and signed by the President, read.
The rare move comes after Trump avoided wearing a mask in public for months until he tweeted a photo of himself wearing one in a stark messaging pivot in July — though footage later surfaced of Trump not wearing a mask later that day.
The shift to encouraging mask-wearing was primarily motivated by floundering poll numbers, a source familiar with the President’s thinking told CNN last month, and came nearly three months after he publicly announced new mask recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — and two months since he mocked his election rival Joe Biden for wearing one.
In Monday’s email, Trump highlighted mask wearing as a potential means of accelerating a return to normal life, lamenting the effects of the coronavirus using a stigmatizing and inaccurate term for the virus.
“I don’t love wearing them either. Masks may be good, they may be just okay, or they may be great,” the email continued. “They can possibly help us get back to our American way of life that so many of us rightfully cherished before we were so terribly impacted by the China Virus.”
Trump added, “My feeling is, we have nothing to lose, and possibly everything to gain, including the next chapter to our country, and to keep things open whether it be schools or businesses.”
Despite Trump’s change of message, masks have loomed as a sticking point for some of his legislative allies.
Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert, who was diagnosed with Covid-19 last week, had refused to wear a mask — a fact highlighted by Rep. Raúl Grijalva when the Arizona Democrat tested positive for the virus after attending a hearing with Gohmert. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday she would require all House members and aides to wear masks on the floor following Gohmert’s diagnosis.
Masks are a focal point of many health experts’ recommendations to suppress the spread of the virus, and some states and businesses have required them. The CDC says that everyone “should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities.”
And the effects can be dramatic. Experts say wearing a face mask or other face covering could reduce the transmission of Covid-19 by as much as 50%, and the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation announced in June that if 95% of Americans wore face masks in public, it could prevent 33,000 deaths by October 1.


mercurynews--2020-08-04--‘It screams disrespect’: San Jose teachers must return to the classroom despite safety concerns

Despite acknowledging the unknown long-term effects of COVID-19 , the San Jose Unified School District is forcing most of its teachers back into the classroom next week for the start of the upcoming school year .
Under a new agreement reached between the district and the San Jose Teachers Association , nearly 1,600 teachers will head back onto campus for the first day of school on Aug. 12 .
But unlike most years , they ’ ll be teaching their lessons in an empty classroom to students on the other side of a computer screen — without being given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few other Bay Area districts — including Palo Alto Unified and Santa Clara Unified — have considered such a move , as did Los Angeles Unified School District , but San Jose Unified appears to be alone in going through with it .
The California Teachers Association , which has been lobbying to keep teachers out of classrooms until it ’ s safe , said some other districts and teachers ’ unions across the state are still negotiating the issue , however .
While record numbers of Californians are getting infected and hospitalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel like the district is caving in to political pressure from parents and knowingly putting teachers in harm ’ s way .
“ It screams disrespect , ” said Jodi Disario , a drama and English teacher at Willow Glen High School with underlying health conditions .
“ We work very hard to do what ’ s best for our students , and we don ’ t feel like someone is working very hard to do what ’ s best for us.
” And although he didn ’ t single out San Jose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it clear Monday when giving a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic that he doesn ’ t believe teachers should be forced back into their classrooms .
In response to a reporter ’ s question , Newsom said , “ I don ’ t believe anyone should be forced to put their life and health at risk .
Period .
Full stop .
“ If people feel their lives are being put at risk and their health is being put at risk , it is incumbent on us to call that out.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are working to make accommodations for teachers and staff who have medical , childcare or family needs .
But many teachers say that ’ s not actually the case .
A high school teacher with a newborn and 2-year-old said she found out Monday that her request to work from home had been rejected .
The teacher , who asked not to be named out of concern of retaliation , is struggling to find childcare for her two children , but the district said that was not an adequate reason to allow her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the district effectively told her she could either show up in person or take a leave of absence for up to 12 weeks and lose a portion of her pay .
Anything longer than 12 weeks would be unpaid .
The district is allowing teachers to bring their preschool through high school-age children with them to their classrooms , but this teacher ’ s children are too young .
“ We feel like our district does not trust us to be professional , ” the teacher said .
“ And it seems like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed largely by parents putting pressure on administrators or the school board — not taking into account the needs and feeling of teachers.
” Particularly galling for some current and former San Jose Unified educators and parents was a recent post made on the San Jose Unified Facebook page .
In the Sunday morning post , the district wrote , “ we do not know the long-term health problems that could come from getting COVID-19 .
We do not know because this is a new virus .
Do not be foolish .
COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people commented on the post — nearly all of whom ridiculed the district for forcing teachers back into the classroom and thus exposing them to other people potentially carrying the virus while acknowledging the unknown long-term health effects of COVID-19 .
“ Forcing teachers to come to school and bring their children with them is risking unnecessary exposure .
This is foolish and tone-deaf , ” one person commented .
“ Shame on your district !
You acknowledge the sheer magnitude of the power of the virus while sending faculty and staff with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” another wrote .
San Jose Unified Deputy Superintendent Stephen McMahon said the district ’ s intention in bringing teachers back is to provide the “ best quality instruction possible ” by having technology and support readily available for them .
“ We want to make sure we do start with the highest possible delivery system for instruction , which is the classroom , ” McMahon explained at a recent school board meeting .
“ The tools are going to be there , the WiFi system is going to be tested , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know where you ’ re at .
“ There are a lot of strategic advantages to being at your work location.
” McMahon said the district is working tirelessly to ensure safe working conditions for its staff , including social distancing requirements , individual classroom assignments and routine cleaning of common areas and high-touch surfaces such as door handles and printers .
But many teachers are still fearful of sharing common areas and inevitably increasing their chances of infection — some pointing to the example of top Santa Clara Unified educators being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where one person tested positive for the virus .
Patrick Bernhardt , president of the San Jose Teachers Association , said the union leaders sought greater flexibility around the ability of teachers and staff members to work from home but inevitably were unsuccessful .
“ I don ’ t think parents care where teachers are teaching from so long as they ’ re doing it well , ” Bernhardt said .
“ But the district felt very strongly that teachers should be in the classroom .
”

Despite acknowledging the unknown long-term effects of COVID-19, the San Jose Unified School District is forcing most of its teachers back into the classroom next week for the start of the upcoming school year.
Under a new agreement reached between the district and the San Jose Teachers Association, nearly 1,600 teachers will head back onto campus for the first day of school on Aug. 12. But unlike most years, they’ll be teaching their lessons in an empty classroom to students on the other side of a computer screen — without being given the choice to work from home.
A few other Bay Area districts — including Palo Alto Unified and Santa Clara Unified — have considered such a move, as did Los Angeles Unified School District, but San Jose Unified appears to be alone in going through with it.
The California Teachers Association, which has been lobbying to keep teachers out of classrooms until it’s safe, said some other districts and teachers’ unions across the state are still negotiating the issue, however.
While record numbers of Californians are getting infected and hospitalized from COVID-19, San Jose Unified teachers feel like the district is caving in to political pressure from parents and knowingly putting teachers in harm’s way.
“It screams disrespect,” said Jodi Disario, a drama and English teacher at Willow Glen High School with underlying health conditions. “We work very hard to do what’s best for our students, and we don’t feel like someone is working very hard to do what’s best for us.”
And although he didn’t single out San Jose Unified, Gov. Gavin Newsom made it clear Monday when giving a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic that he doesn’t believe teachers should be forced back into their classrooms.
In response to a reporter’s question, Newsom said, “I don’t believe anyone should be forced to put their life and health at risk. Period. Full stop.
“If people feel their lives are being put at risk and their health is being put at risk, it is incumbent on us to call that out.”
San Jose Unified leaders say that they are working to make accommodations for teachers and staff who have medical, childcare or family needs. But many teachers say that’s not actually the case.
A high school teacher with a newborn and 2-year-old said she found out Monday that her request to work from home had been rejected. The teacher, who asked not to be named out of concern of retaliation, is struggling to find childcare for her two children, but the district said that was not an adequate reason to allow her to work from home.
Instead, the district effectively told her she could either show up in person or take a leave of absence for up to 12 weeks and lose a portion of her pay. Anything longer than 12 weeks would be unpaid.
The district is allowing teachers to bring their preschool through high school-age children with them to their classrooms, but this teacher’s children are too young.
“We feel like our district does not trust us to be professional,” the teacher said. “And it seems like the district’s decisions are being pushed largely by parents putting pressure on administrators or the school board — not taking into account the needs and feeling of teachers.”
Particularly galling for some current and former San Jose Unified educators and parents was a recent post made on the San Jose Unified Facebook page.
In the Sunday morning post, the district wrote, “we do not know the long-term health problems that could come from getting COVID-19. We do not know because this is a new virus. Do not be foolish. COVID is playing to win.”
About 200 people commented on the post — nearly all of whom ridiculed the district for forcing teachers back into the classroom and thus exposing them to other people potentially carrying the virus while acknowledging the unknown long-term health effects of COVID-19.
Related Articles Education | AT&T to provide 11,000 hotspots to San Jose students without internet
AT&T to provide 11,000 hotspots to San Jose students without internet Education | San Jose to create a ‘quiet zone’ to stop trains from blaring horns at night
San Jose to create a ‘quiet zone’ to stop trains from blaring horns at night Education | San Jose scraps ballot measure to give Mayor Liccardo more power, 2 extra years “Forcing teachers to come to school and bring their children with them is risking unnecessary exposure. This is foolish and tone-deaf,” one person commented.
“Shame on your district! You acknowledge the sheer magnitude of the power of the virus while sending faculty and staff with children in tow marching to their death,” another wrote.
San Jose Unified Deputy Superintendent Stephen McMahon said the district’s intention in bringing teachers back is to provide the “best quality instruction possible” by having technology and support readily available for them.
“We want to make sure we do start with the highest possible delivery system for instruction, which is the classroom,” McMahon explained at a recent school board meeting. “The tools are going to be there, the WiFi system is going to be tested, and we can provide immediate support because we know where you’re at.
“There are a lot of strategic advantages to being at your work location.”
McMahon said the district is working tirelessly to ensure safe working conditions for its staff, including social distancing requirements, individual classroom assignments and routine cleaning of common areas and high-touch surfaces such as door handles and printers.
But many teachers are still fearful of sharing common areas and bathrooms, coming into contact with significantly more people on a daily basis and inevitably increasing their chances of infection and bringing it home to their families — some pointing to the example of top Santa Clara Unified educators being quarantined after a 45-person meeting last month where one person tested positive for the virus.
“It’s just impossible to sanitize every time someone goes through an area like our staff room — the only place to make copies and get out mail. It’s shared by 84 staff members and now potentially their children too,” Disario said.
Related Articles Education | San Jose office building wobbles into default — again
San Jose office building wobbles into default — again Education | College students blocked from campus when COVID hit want money back. Some are getting refunds
College students blocked from campus when COVID hit want money back. Some are getting refunds Education | One controversial East Bay parklet reveals dilemmas of pandemic dining
One controversial East Bay parklet reveals dilemmas of pandemic dining Education | Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms
Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Education | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Patrick Bernhardt, president of the San Jose Teachers Association, said the union leaders sought greater flexibility around the ability of teachers and staff members to work from home but inevitably were unsuccessful.
“I don’t think parents care where teachers are teaching from so long as they’re doing it well,” Bernhardt said. “But the district felt very strongly that teachers should be in the classroom.”


mercurynews--2020-08-04--Kurtenbach: Kyle Shanahan aced last year’s test. Now he gets a tougher one.

That ’ s it .
That ’ s all the time Kyle Shanahan said his 49ers team will have on the field during training camp this season .
Because of the pandemic , there have not been off-season practices , there won ’ t be preseason games , and training camps have been condensed , as to allocate proper time for player and staff intake , which included rounds of COVID-19 testing and now a physical ramp-up period .
So when the 49ers take the field for practice in a few weeks , it ’ ll be for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is 15 practices enough time to prepare a team ?
It has to be .
Kyle Shanahan silenced every doubter of his coaching ability last year , and that earned him a well-deserved extension this offseason .
Even with the Super Bowl let-down , he aced last year ’ s test .
But this season ’ s edition is far more difficult .
Is Shanahan truly one of the NFL ’ s elite leaders ?
We ’ re going to find out in 2020 , because fewer practices this summer means the gap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be starker than it will be this fall .
Shanahan can not complain about unfair treatment , though — these are roughly the same circumstances every other team in the NFL will face , too .
That ’ s good and bad news for the 49ers .
• The Deets : A ’ s disappoint , Giants breed optimism in game of expectations • Kurtenbach : Why are the 49ers paying everyone but George Kittle ?
The good news for San Francisco is that they don ’ t have to install new systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is the fourth year that Shanahan has been at the helm of the Niners ’ roster and the third with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm of his offense .
And the mistake several teams made this past offseason to not to make San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh a head coach means that there will be schematic continuity on that side of the ball as well .
Yes , there was some roster turnover year-over-year , but most of the team ’ s new , veteran players — including tight end Jordan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience in Shanahan ’ s system .
So the Niners should have an advantage on at least some of their competition because the depth chart is fairly established and the vast majority should be well versed with Shanahan and Saleh ’ s playbooks .
I can ’ t imagine how stressed first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski is in Cleveland right now .
• The Deets : A ’ s disappoint , Giants breed optimism in game of expectations • Kurtenbach : Why are the 49ers paying everyone but George Kittle ?
The bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practices hardly seems like adequate time to integrate anything new the coaching staff wanted to install for this season .
All those plans to build off of last year ’ s success — to take things to another level in 2020 ?
Those need to be tempered or perhaps scrapped altogether .
Like they say in every action movie , there simply isn ’ t enough time .
And some of the offseason roster changes and injuries have placed an outsized onus on their two first-round draft picks , defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Niners ’ simple-but-effective defensive line scheme and deep rotation might give Kinlaw a chance to be up-to-speed by the time the season starts , but Shanahan ’ s offense puts more responsibility on wide receivers than any other scheme in the league .
With Deebo Samuel ’ s foot fracture — his return date remains unknown — Aiyuk should be the team ’ s top wide receiver .
He ’ s certainly the most talented .
But can he take all of the lessons from the Niners ’ online classes this summer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reps ?
It has to happen , otherwise , the Niners will be relying on role players to become impact players .
That ’ s a recipe for disappointment .
And complicating matters , San Francisco can not afford a slow start this season .
No team wants to start slow , duh , but the Niners play in the toughest division in football and open the campaign with a divisional game .
While the team ’ s goal is to return to the Super Bowl and win it , there are steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is winning the NFC West .
Week One against the Cardinals carries weight .
There ’ s also the issue of cutting down the team ’ s roster , which stands at 80 players .
• The Deets : A ’ s disappoint , Giants breed optimism in game of expectations • Kurtenbach : Why are the 49ers paying everyone but George Kittle ?
There weren ’ t too many positional battles heading into the season — again , the Niners are an established team — but for guys on the fringes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preseason games will be difficult .
Last year Shanahan said of preseason games “ I ’ d rather have zero than four.
” But while he might put less stock in the preseason than most coaches , it doesn ’ t mean that he didn ’ t want any exhibition action — his preference was to have two .
“ What do you miss ?
” Shanahan said Monday of going straight into the regular season .
“ Evaluating running backs to me [ will ] be a lot harder .
A lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the preseason games happen .
That ’ s why there ’ s a lot that doesn ’ t matter out there , but it ’ s hard to know how good a guy ’ s going to break tackles until you actually see guys try to tackle .
Punt returner , things like that… those will be a little harder to evaluate .
We haven ’ t decided exactly how we ’ re going to do it , but we ’ re going to have to see that if we can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that problem , Shanahan even suggested the unthinkable for a modern-age coach like him : actual tackling in practice .
“ I ’ ve never done tackling before , I ’ ve never planned on it , ” Shanahan said .
“ Bringing guys to the ground , to me , is where guys get hurt and you want to only do that on game day , but there might be certain drills and stuff you have to set up .
There ’ s going to be a few guys on this team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s got to play out and as a coaching staff , we ’ re going to have to figure out how to put those guys in that position , which will be new for us.
” This many moving parts , this tight of a timeline to prepare for a season where you ’ re a Super Bowl favorite .
I bet Shanahan is happy he landed that contract extension this summer .
Because if he can pull this off — if he can take the 49ers where they want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll have earned every dollar and year of that deal .

Fifteen practices.
Two hours each.
Fifteen walkthroughs.
Two hours each.
That’s it. That’s all the time Kyle Shanahan said his 49ers team will have on the field during training camp this season.
Because of the pandemic, there have not been off-season practices, there won’t be preseason games, and training camps have been condensed, as to allocate proper time for player and staff intake, which included rounds of COVID-19 testing and now a physical ramp-up period.
So when the 49ers take the field for practice in a few weeks, it’ll be for the first time since the Super Bowl.
So is 15 practices enough time to prepare a team?
It has to be.
Kyle Shanahan silenced every doubter of his coaching ability last year, and that earned him a well-deserved extension this offseason. Even with the Super Bowl let-down, he aced last year’s test. But this season’s edition is far more difficult.
Is Shanahan truly one of the NFL’s elite leaders? We’re going to find out in 2020, because fewer practices this summer means the gap between good and bad coaching will never be starker than it will be this fall.
Shanahan cannot complain about unfair treatment, though — these are roughly the same circumstances every other team in the NFL will face, too.
That’s good and bad news for the 49ers.
Related Articles San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: The 49ers aren’t worried about Nick Bosa’s holdout. They should be
Kurtenbach: The 49ers aren’t worried about Nick Bosa’s holdout. They should be San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: What’d I miss? A summer’s worth of takes on the Warriors, Giants, Niners, and Pac-12
Kurtenbach: What’d I miss? A summer’s worth of takes on the Warriors, Giants, Niners, and Pac-12 San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: The 49ers should trade Trey Lance. It’s what’s best for the player and team The good news for San Francisco is that they don’t have to install new systems ahead of this season.
No, this is the fourth year that Shanahan has been at the helm of the Niners’ roster and the third with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm of his offense.
And the mistake several teams made this past offseason to not to make San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh a head coach means that there will be schematic continuity on that side of the ball as well.
Yes, there was some roster turnover year-over-year, but most of the team’s new, veteran players — including tight end Jordan Reed, signed Monday — have previous experience in Shanahan’s system.
So the Niners should have an advantage on at least some of their competition because the depth chart is fairly established and the vast majority should be well versed with Shanahan and Saleh’s playbooks.
I can’t imagine how stressed first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski is in Cleveland right now.
Related Articles San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: The 49ers aren’t worried about Nick Bosa’s holdout. They should be
Kurtenbach: The 49ers aren’t worried about Nick Bosa’s holdout. They should be San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: What’d I miss? A summer’s worth of takes on the Warriors, Giants, Niners, and Pac-12
Kurtenbach: What’d I miss? A summer’s worth of takes on the Warriors, Giants, Niners, and Pac-12 San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: The 49ers should trade Trey Lance. It’s what’s best for the player and team The bad news for the Niners is that 15 practices hardly seems like adequate time to integrate anything new the coaching staff wanted to install for this season. All those plans to build off of last year’s success — to take things to another level in 2020? Those need to be tempered or perhaps scrapped altogether. Like they say in every action movie, there simply isn’t enough time.
And some of the offseason roster changes and injuries have placed an outsized onus on their two first-round draft picks, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
The Niners’ simple-but-effective defensive line scheme and deep rotation might give Kinlaw a chance to be up-to-speed by the time the season starts, but Shanahan’s offense puts more responsibility on wide receivers than any other scheme in the league. With Deebo Samuel’s foot fracture — his return date remains unknown — Aiyuk should be the team’s top wide receiver. He’s certainly the most talented. But can he take all of the lessons from the Niners’ online classes this summer and apply them to the field with limited reps? It has to happen, otherwise, the Niners will be relying on role players to become impact players. That’s a recipe for disappointment.
And complicating matters, San Francisco cannot afford a slow start this season. No team wants to start slow, duh, but the Niners play in the toughest division in football and open the campaign with a divisional game. While the team’s goal is to return to the Super Bowl and win it, there are steps to that process, the first of which is winning the NFC West. Week One against the Cardinals carries weight.
There’s also the issue of cutting down the team’s roster, which stands at 80 players.
Related Articles San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: The 49ers aren’t worried about Nick Bosa’s holdout. They should be
Kurtenbach: The 49ers aren’t worried about Nick Bosa’s holdout. They should be San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: What’d I miss? A summer’s worth of takes on the Warriors, Giants, Niners, and Pac-12
Kurtenbach: What’d I miss? A summer’s worth of takes on the Warriors, Giants, Niners, and Pac-12 San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: The 49ers should trade Trey Lance. It’s what’s best for the player and team There weren’t too many positional battles heading into the season — again, the Niners are an established team — but for guys on the fringes of the roster, the lack of preseason games will be difficult.
Last year Shanahan said of preseason games “I’d rather have zero than four.”
But while he might put less stock in the preseason than most coaches, it doesn’t mean that he didn’t want any exhibition action — his preference was to have two.
“What do you miss?” Shanahan said Monday of going straight into the regular season. “Evaluating running backs to me [will] be a lot harder. A lot of things, we’ve evaluated before the preseason games happen. That’s why there’s a lot that doesn’t matter out there, but it’s hard to know how good a guy’s going to break tackles until you actually see guys try to tackle. Punt returner, things like that… those will be a little harder to evaluate. We haven’t decided exactly how we’re going to do it, but we’re going to have to see that if we can’t make a decision.”
To remedy that problem, Shanahan even suggested the unthinkable for a modern-age coach like him: actual tackling in practice.
“I’ve never done tackling before, I’ve never planned on it,” Shanahan said. “Bringing guys to the ground, to me, is where guys get hurt and you want to only do that on game day, but there might be certain drills and stuff you have to set up. There’s going to be a few guys on this team where gosh, it’s neck-and-neck and it’s got to play out and as a coaching staff, we’re going to have to figure out how to put those guys in that position, which will be new for us.”
This many moving parts, this tight of a timeline to prepare for a season where you’re a Super Bowl favorite. I bet Shanahan is happy he landed that contract extension this summer.
Because if he can pull this off — if he can take the 49ers where they want to go despite these circumstances — he’ll have earned every dollar and year of that deal.


mercurynews--2020-08-04--Trump threatens to sue Nevada to stop mail-in ballots

President Donald Trump vowed on Monday he would sue Nevada after the state ’ s Democratic lawmakers passed a bill to send mail-in ballots to every voter ahead of November ’ s presidential election in light of the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump , who has repeatedly claimed without evidence that voting by mail will lead to rampant fraud , wrote on Twitter the legislation approved on Sunday was an “ illegal late night coup ” and told reporters his administration was already preparing a lawsuit .
“ We will be suing in Nevada .
And that ’ s already been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably file something tomorrow , ” he said during a White House briefing .
The state ’ s Democratic governor , Steve Sisolak , signed the bill , making Nevada the seventh state to send ballots to all registered voters for the Nov. 3 election between Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden .
Utah , Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon and Washington already conduct their elections entirely by mail , while California and Vermont have decided to do so this year due to the pandemic .
Trump told reporters he had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots but did not elaborate on what that would involve .
“ We haven ’ t gotten there yet , ” he said .
Most states have sought to expand mail-in voting to avoid spreading the coronavirus at polling places on Election Day .
The ongoing public health crisis has prompted litigation in dozens of states between Democrats and Republicans over issues like absentee ballots , postmark deadlines and signature requirements .
“ I don ’ t think the Post Office is prepared for a thing like this , ” Trump told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mail-in voting in the 2020 election .
Democrats and voting rights groups have warned that cost-saving measures instituted at the Postal Service by a Trump financial backer who is now postmaster general could lead to delays in service just as voting by mail ramps up .
Nevada mailed ballots to voters ahead of its primary election in June and encouraged residents not to risk in-person voting .
Most of the state ’ s polling places were closed , leading to waits of as much as seven hours in Las Vegas .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a commitment that we ’ d do all we can to allow Nevadans to safely cast a ballot in the upcoming November election , ” Sisolak said on Twitter after signing the bill .
Election experts say voter fraud of any kind , including incidents related to mail-in ballots , is extremely rare .
• Negotiations resume as virus relief bill remains up in air • Trump says he has fired head of Tenn. Valley Authority • Manhattan DA looking at Trump Org .
for ‘ bank fraud ’ Trump , who trails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series of questions about the integrity of the election .
Last week , he suggested delaying the election due to the likelihood of fraud , though he does not have the authority to do so .

By Joseph Ax and John Whitesides | Reuters
President Donald Trump vowed on Monday he would sue Nevada after the state’s Democratic lawmakers passed a bill to send mail-in ballots to every voter ahead of November’s presidential election in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed without evidence that voting by mail will lead to rampant fraud, wrote on Twitter the legislation approved on Sunday was an “illegal late night coup” and told reporters his administration was already preparing a lawsuit.
“We will be suing in Nevada. And that’s already been taken care of, we’ll probably file something tomorrow,” he said during a White House briefing.
The state’s Democratic governor, Steve Sisolak, signed the bill, making Nevada the seventh state to send ballots to all registered voters for the Nov. 3 election between Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington already conduct their elections entirely by mail, while California and Vermont have decided to do so this year due to the pandemic.
Trump told reporters he had a right to issue an executive order regarding mail-in ballots but did not elaborate on what that would involve.
“We haven’t gotten there yet,” he said.
Most states have sought to expand mail-in voting to avoid spreading the coronavirus at polling places on Election Day. The ongoing public health crisis has prompted litigation in dozens of states between Democrats and Republicans over issues like absentee ballots, postmark deadlines and signature requirements.
“I don’t think the Post Office is prepared for a thing like this,” Trump told reporters, referring to an expected increase in mail-in voting in the 2020 election.
Democrats and voting rights groups have warned that cost-saving measures instituted at the Postal Service by a Trump financial backer who is now postmaster general could lead to delays in service just as voting by mail ramps up.
Nevada mailed ballots to voters ahead of its primary election in June and encouraged residents not to risk in-person voting. Most of the state’s polling places were closed, leading to waits of as much as seven hours in Las Vegas.
“During this global pandemic, I made a commitment that we’d do all we can to allow Nevadans to safely cast a ballot in the upcoming November election,” Sisolak said on Twitter after signing the bill.
Election experts say voter fraud of any kind, including incidents related to mail-in ballots, is extremely rare.
Trump, who trails Biden in polls, has raised a series of questions about the integrity of the election. Last week, he suggested delaying the election due to the likelihood of fraud, though he does not have the authority to do so.


mercurynews--2020-08-04--Twelve hospitalized after hot air balloon crash in Wyoming

Twelve people were hospitalized in Wyoming on Monday after a hot air balloon crash , officials said .
Three hot @ @ @ @ @ of 36 people crashed into the ground on Monday morning , according to Jackson Hole @ @ @ @ @ Hansen said authorities received a call just after 8 a.m. local time that three sightseeing @ @ @ @ @ the foothills of the Teton Village Resort Community , which is located about 12 miles @ @ @ @ @ the 36 people on board the balloons , 11 were transported to local hospitals and @ @ @ @ @ level 1 trauma center in Idaho Falls , Hansen said .
It appears the pilots @ @ @ @ @ winds that forced the balloons down , Hansen said , adding that the NTSB and @ @ @ @ @ CNN has reached out to the owner of the hot air balloons , Wyoming Balloon @ @ @ @ @

By Claire Colbert | CNN
Twelve people were hospitalized in Wyoming on Monday after a hot air balloon crash, officials said.
Three hot air balloons carrying a total of 36 people crashed into the ground on Monday morning, according to Jackson Hole Fire Chief Brady Hansen.
Hansen said authorities received a call just after 8 a.m. local time that three sightseeing balloons had gone down near the foothills of the Teton Village Resort Community, which is located about 12 miles northwest of Jackson.
Of the 36 people on board the balloons, 11 were transported to local hospitals and one was transported to a level 1 trauma center in Idaho Falls, Hansen said.
It appears the pilots experienced an unexpected downdraft of winds that forced the balloons down, Hansen said, adding that the NTSB and FAA will further investigate.
CNN has reached out to the owner of the hot air balloons, Wyoming Balloon Company, for comment.


mercurynews--2020-08-04--California’s coronavirus cases are finally dropping. How do we stop another surge?

In the first good news in weeks , Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Monday said coronavirus infections in the Golden State appear to have started a downward trend — but , as Californians have learned , it ’ s far too soon to celebrate .
The number of reported cases , people hospitalized with COVID-19 and the percent of tests coming back positive are dropping for the first time since a June spike in infections sent shock waves through the state ’ s recovery plans .
Those are “ encouraging signs , ” Newsom said , but he warned Californians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get too comfortable .
“ We can quickly find ourselves back to where we were just a few weeks ago , a month ago , with significant increases , ” he said , “ if we do not maintain our vigilance .
If we do not maintain our focus and our commitment .
Again , this virus is not going away.
” As of Sunday , California has seen an average of 8,539 new cases per day for the past week , according to data compiled by this news organization .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before .
As of Saturday , there were 7,761 patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases — a 7.5 % decrease from two weeks before , and the first sustained drop since May .
And a smaller percentage of coronavirus tests have positive results .
As of July 24 , an average of about 8 % of tests indicated an infection over a seven-day period , Newsom said .
Now , that number has dropped to 6 % .
“ Not where it needs to be , still too high , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is good to see this number trending down , not trending up.
” After Newsom shut down the economy in March , the number of new infections and COVID-19 hospitalizations remained fairly flat for weeks .
Buoyed by those steady numbers , Newsom in May eased some of his reopening requirements , allowing more California counties to open certain retail stores , restaurants and other businesses .
Cases and hospitalizations started to spike shortly after .
And in mid-July , Newsom reversed course and ordered counties to once again close many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have slowed once again , Newsom made it clear Monday he doesn ’ t intend to repeat history .
The recent surge led the governor to shut down bars and require businesses such as restaurants , fitness centers and salons to operate outdoors in most of the state .
He also mandated K12 schools in counties on the state ’ s watchlist — including those in the Bay Area — begin the school year online .
When he reopened the state last time , Newsom focused on drafting rules and regulations for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual people , he said .
This time , as he loosens the rules , he intends to launch a focused campaign to educate the public about what ’ s expected of them .
It ’ s smart to lay out clear guidelines , as people can ’ t necessarily be counted on to take the right health precautions on their own , said Kathryn Leifheit , an epidemiologist and postdoctoral fellow at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health .
“ As much as you can give people clear messaging on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not , I think that ’ s the way we can sustain social distancing and make it something people can incorporate into their day-to-day lives , ” Leifheit said .
But educating Californians on what they can and can ’ t — or should and shouldn ’ t — do is no simple task , said Dr. Steven Goodman , associate dean of clinical and translational research and professor of epidemiology at Stanford University .
“ We live in a very complicated time right now , and these same people that he wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our federal government and all sorts of different media sites , ” Goodman said .
The best way to prevent another spike in coronavirus cases might be to continue restricting the economy — but in moderation , Goodman said .
Finding a middle ground where people are allowed to enjoy relatively low-risk , mostly outdoor activities could prevent them from going stir-crazy and jumping at their first chance to go to a crowded bar or a large , indoor party , he said .
“ If we find this middle ground , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where some degree of socialization is allowed in safe ways , we won ’ t get this radical jump ( when we loosen the rules ) , ” he said .
• ‘ It screams disrespect ’ : San Jose teachers must return to the classroom despite safety concerns • Which Raiders , 49ers and other NFL players have opted out over coronavirus ?
• San Mateo County Supervisors could impose fine for not wearing a face mask The other key factor in preventing history from repeating is to put stronger policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most vulnerable to the virus , Goodman said .
That includes residents of assisted living facilities and prisons — both of which have seen deadly outbreaks throughout the state .
And , as school gets underway as soon as this month , it will mean protecting students if and when they return to classrooms .
Like Newsom , Goodman is cautiously optimistic about the recent drop in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations .
“ It ’ s been steadily climbing for the last four-to-six weeks , and now this is the first indication that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Goodman said .
“ But we won ’ t know until we get around the corner .
”

In the first good news in weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said coronavirus infections in the Golden State appear to have started a downward trend — but, as Californians have learned, it’s far too soon to celebrate.
The number of reported cases, people hospitalized with COVID-19 and the percent of tests coming back positive are dropping for the first time since a June spike in infections sent shock waves through the state’s recovery plans. Those are “encouraging signs,” Newsom said, but he warned Californians to not forget what happens when we get too comfortable.
“We can quickly find ourselves back to where we were just a few weeks ago, a month ago, with significant increases,” he said, “if we do not maintain our vigilance. If we do not maintain our focus and our commitment. Again, this virus is not going away.”
As of Sunday, California has seen an average of 8,539 new cases per day for the past week, according to data compiled by this news organization. That’s down 9% from the week before. As of Saturday, there were 7,761 patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases — a 7.5% decrease from two weeks before, and the first sustained drop since May.
And a smaller percentage of coronavirus tests have positive results. As of July 24, an average of about 8% of tests indicated an infection over a seven-day period, Newsom said. Now, that number has dropped to 6%.
“Not where it needs to be, still too high,” Newsom said, “but, again, it is good to see this number trending down, not trending up.”
After Newsom shut down the economy in March, the number of new infections and COVID-19 hospitalizations remained fairly flat for weeks. Buoyed by those steady numbers, Newsom in May eased some of his reopening requirements, allowing more California counties to open certain retail stores, restaurants and other businesses. Cases and hospitalizations started to spike shortly after. And in mid-July, Newsom reversed course and ordered counties to once again close many indoor businesses.
Now that infections appear to have slowed once again, Newsom made it clear Monday he doesn’t intend to repeat history. The recent surge led the governor to shut down bars and require businesses such as restaurants, fitness centers and salons to operate outdoors in most of the state. He also mandated K12 schools in counties on the state’s watchlist — including those in the Bay Area — begin the school year online.
When he reopened the state last time, Newsom focused on drafting rules and regulations for businesses rather than addressing the behavior of individual people, he said. This time, as he loosens the rules, he intends to launch a focused campaign to educate the public about what’s expected of them.
It’s smart to lay out clear guidelines, as people can’t necessarily be counted on to take the right health precautions on their own, said Kathryn Leifheit, an epidemiologist and postdoctoral fellow at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
“As much as you can give people clear messaging on what’s OK and what’s not, I think that’s the way we can sustain social distancing and make it something people can incorporate into their day-to-day lives,” Leifheit said.
But educating Californians on what they can and can’t — or should and shouldn’t — do is no simple task, said Dr. Steven Goodman, associate dean of clinical and translational research and professor of epidemiology at Stanford University.
“We live in a very complicated time right now, and these same people that he wants to message are getting different messages from our federal government and all sorts of different media sites,” Goodman said.
The best way to prevent another spike in coronavirus cases might be to continue restricting the economy — but in moderation, Goodman said. Finding a middle ground where people are allowed to enjoy relatively low-risk, mostly outdoor activities could prevent them from going stir-crazy and jumping at their first chance to go to a crowded bar or a large, indoor party, he said.
“If we find this middle ground, and maybe we’re finding it now, where some degree of socialization is allowed in safe ways, we won’t get this radical jump (when we loosen the rules),” he said.
Related Articles Health | San Jose office building wobbles into default — again
San Jose office building wobbles into default — again Health | College students blocked from campus when COVID hit want money back. Some are getting refunds
College students blocked from campus when COVID hit want money back. Some are getting refunds Health | One controversial East Bay parklet reveals dilemmas of pandemic dining
One controversial East Bay parklet reveals dilemmas of pandemic dining Health | Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms
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 The other key factor in preventing history from repeating is to put stronger policies in place to protect those who are most vulnerable to the virus, Goodman said. That includes residents of assisted living facilities and prisons — both of which have seen deadly outbreaks throughout the state. And, as school gets underway as soon as this month, it will mean protecting students if and when they return to classrooms.
Like Newsom, Goodman is cautiously optimistic about the recent drop in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
“It’s been steadily climbing for the last four-to-six weeks, and now this is the first indication that we’re maybe turning the corner,” Goodman said. “But we won’t know until we get around the corner.”
Staff reporter Harriet Rowan contributed to this article.


mercurynews--2020-08-04--Biden slams Trump for ‘bald-faced lies’ about mail-in voting

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday that President Donald Trump was telling “ bald-faced lies ” about voting by mail to distract from his own failures , after Trump last week suggested it could be cause to delay the election .
Biden ’ s remarks were his strongest on the issue since Trump , who trails the presumptive Democratic nominee in opinion polls , tweeted on Thursday that he would not trust the results of an election that included widespread mail voting – a measure many observers see as critical during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Trump then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postponed , an idea immediately rejected by Democrats and his fellow Republicans in Congress – the sole branch of government with the authority to make such a change .
Speaking during a virtual campaign fundraiser on Monday , Biden said he believed Trump would do everything in his power to “ argue this election is fraudulent.
” “ He suggested we should postpone the election , full of just bald-faced lies about how mail-in votes were fraud , and how it was so terrible , ” Biden said .
“ Well look , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to exploit this pandemic for political purposes .
It distracts from his complete failure , ” he said .
Trump ’ s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
The United States is enduring a coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 155,000 lives – the most in the world – a crippling recession sparked by the outbreak , and nationwide protests against police violence and racism .
Without evidence , Trump has repeatedly claimed increased mail voting would be rife with fraud , remarks that have deepened Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept the election outcome should he lose .

By Michael Martina | Reuters
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday that President Donald Trump was telling “bald-faced lies” about voting by mail to distract from his own failures, after Trump last week suggested it could be cause to delay the election.
Biden’s remarks were his strongest on the issue since Trump, who trails the presumptive Democratic nominee in opinion polls, tweeted on Thursday that he would not trust the results of an election that included widespread mail voting – a measure many observers see as critical during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Trump then suggested the Nov. 3 vote could be postponed, an idea immediately rejected by Democrats and his fellow Republicans in Congress – the sole branch of government with the authority to make such a change.
Speaking during a virtual campaign fundraiser on Monday, Biden said he believed Trump would do everything in his power to “argue this election is fraudulent.”
“He suggested we should postpone the election, full of just bald-faced lies about how mail-in votes were fraud, and how it was so terrible,” Biden said.
“Well look, he’s calling out any effort to exploit this pandemic for political purposes. It distracts from his complete failure,” he said.
Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The United States is enduring a coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 155,000 lives – the most in the world – a crippling recession sparked by the outbreak, and nationwide protests against police violence and racism.
Without evidence, Trump has repeatedly claimed increased mail voting would be rife with fraud, remarks that have deepened Democrats’ fears that he will refuse to accept the election outcome should he lose.


mercurynews--2020-08-04--San Jose police chief announces retirement after 28 years with department

CLICK HERE , if you are unable to view this photo gallery on your mobile device .
SAN JOSE — Eddie Garcia , who has spent more than four years as chief of the San Jose Police Department as part of a 28-year career in his adopted hometown , announced Monday he is retiring at the end of the year .
When Garcia took over as chief in 2016 , SJPD was at a crossroads .
Recession-fueled austerity measures and a protracted political battle over pension benefits helped drive an officer exodus that had whittled the ranks to just over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-1980s .
Now , as Garcia leaves the department , it faces a different reckoning : A national police reform movement galvanized by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis that reached San Jose , propelled by local furor over SJPD ’ s own violent response to related protests downtown , and growing calls for independent oversight of police misconduct and use of force .
The chief said Monday that his December retirement had been in the works for some time , but that he held off on announcing it in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fallout from the department ’ s response to Black Lives Matter protests that began in late May .
Though that fallout is ongoing , Garcia said Monday he decided not to postpone the announcement any longer in order to allow the city to formally start a search for his successor .
“ I ’ m at peace with it .
I know people will try to connect dots because of what ’ s going on , and all the change that is happening , but this decision was made long ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Puerto Rican kid that came to San Jose , and I didn ’ t know how to speak English .
I ended up being the chief of police for the 10th largest city in the country .
I ’ m humbled … and forever thankful for the opportunity this city and department gave me.
” Had he decided to retire a half a year earlier , the story about his time as chief might have been unequivocally headlined by his work to restore SJPD ’ s status as a national destination for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to about 1,150 and robust police academies in tow .
The department over the past four-plus years has also instituted a series of measures including adopting body-worn cameras and mandatory crisis-intervention training , police history education , bolstered the community service officer program , publishing aggregate use-of-force data online , and increasing its community outreach efforts , particularly with schools in high-crime areas .
But a string of high-profile controversies in recent weeks and months have given fodder for critics and police-reform advocates to be skeptical of the effectiveness of those measures .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rubber bullets , tear gas , and other less-than-lethal munitions to break up Black Lives Matter demonstrations — prompting the department to conditionally ban rubber-bullet use and the city council to consider a permanent ban of the rounds — was followed by a scandal over revelations that active and retired officers had for years been sharing racist and anti-Muslim message over Facebook .
Then last week , as police reform debates accelerated in cities around the Bay Area , a video of an officer kicking and dragging a woman sitting in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condemnation , giving force to criticisms that the San Jose Police Department has fostered a culture that ’ s driving excessive use of force and other officer misbehavior .
“ I ’ m not going to let these last three months define nearly five years as police chief and nearly three decades as a San Jose police officer , ” Garcia said .
“ I hold absolutely no bitterness .
I have had an incredibly supportive city council , and mayor , I ’ ve had two incredible bosses , ” referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Norberto Dueñas .
Sam Liccardo , who has been mayor for the entirety of Garcia ’ s time as chief , noted how he energized what had been a struggling department .
“ History will remember Chief Eddie Garcia in the same way I ’ ve seen him embraced at countless community meetings : as a dynamic , exuberant leader who gave his heart and soul to his hometown , ” Liccardo said in a statement .
“ He brought this police department back from the brink , rebuilding our officers ’ ranks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their faith in themselves and their mission.
” Paul Kelly , president of the San Jose Police Officers ’ Association , said he appreciated Garcia thinking of front-line officers in his decision making .
“ Chief Garcia never forgot what it was like to push a patrol car through the streets of San Jose and what a difficult job police officers have in trying to keep our residents and businesses safe , ” Kelly said in a statement .
As he has throughout his time as chief , Garcia sought to separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of force — as being distinct from , rather than reflective of , the attitudes of the majority of rank-and-file police officers , a stance that has often put him at odds with community leaders and advocates .
“ I ’ m going to admit that we have issues that we need to address .
I ’ m going to admit that we have problem officers that we need to address , ” he said .
“ But I am not going to admit that there is a culture issue in this police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the amazing men and women that put their lives on the line every day for these residents.
” In the same breath , Garcia said he valued the community leaders and groups that have leveled the criticisms that he has often refuted .
“ I have never begrudged our community groups , the ones that are loud and vocal , that want change , and that are constantly keeping the fire on the police department , ” he said .
“ We need that .
We can not get complacent as a society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of the most prominent of those critics over the years has been Silicon Valley De-Bug , which has long supported people who have been subjected to police misconduct and violence .
Co-founder Raj Jayadev says he wants to take up the chief on his sentiment , and says Garcia has an opportunity , now that he ’ s on way out , to use his newfound political insulation as an outgoing chief to push through rapid accountability measures in the department , including swift discipline or termination for the officers involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the authority in that position to act on it without obligatory strings that hold him .
He is in a position to be the most responsive chief in the country right now , ” Jayadev said .
Garcia said his preference is that an internal candidate be chosen to succeed him .
He added that whoever fills the position will be confronted with a long list of changes that community and civic leaders want made by the next police administration .
“ You need to have a perspective of large city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of the chief ’ s role .
“ You have do a job with what you got , and you have to be honest with your community and your neighborhoods , but at the end of the day they understand where you ’ re at , and appreciate the hard work .
That ’ s the balance.
” Lee Wilcox , chief of staff for the city manager , said the city plans to contract a firm to perform a nationwide search for the next chief , and that details will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week .
Jayadev said any focus on a new chief has to be paired with systemic change , including ensuring that the direction of policing in San Jose is not too heavily determined by who happens to be in charge of SJPD .
“ The fact that the current police chief is leaving at arguably the most dynamic , volatile , fluid moment in this city ’ s history when it comes to racial justice , means the community can help influence and guide what public safety means , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new chief will allow the city to respond to the powerful community voices that have emerged in recent months .
“ There ’ s no question that this a moment of re-evaluation and re-imagination of policing in America , ” Liccardo said .
“ We ’ ll need a chief willing to have hard conversations about how policing changes to address the evolving needs of our diverse community , and a chief sensitive to the morale and well being of the women and men who serve our community in uniform .
”

CLICK HERE, if you are unable to view this photo gallery on your mobile device.
SAN JOSE — Eddie Garcia, who has spent more than four years as chief of the San Jose Police Department as part of a 28-year career in his adopted hometown, announced Monday he is retiring at the end of the year.
When Garcia took over as chief in 2016, SJPD was at a crossroads. Recession-fueled austerity measures and a protracted political battle over pension benefits helped drive an officer exodus that had whittled the ranks to just over 900, a number not seen the mid-1980s.
Now, as Garcia leaves the department, it faces a different reckoning: A national police reform movement galvanized by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis has reached San Jose, propelled by local furor over SJPD’s own violent response to related protests downtown.
The chief said Monday that his December retirement had been in the works for some time, but that he held off on announcing it in June as originally planned in part because of the fallout from the department’s response protests that began in late May. Though that fallout is ongoing, Garcia, who turns 50 in December, said Monday he decided not to postpone the announcement any longer in order to allow the city to formally start a search for his successor.
“I’m at peace with it. I know people will try to connect dots because of what’s going on, and all the change that is happening, but this decision was made long ago,” Garcia said. “I was a Puerto Rican kid that came to San Jose, and I didn’t know how to speak English. I ended up being the chief of police for the 10th largest city in the country. I’m humbled … and forever thankful for the opportunity this city and department gave me.”
Had he decided to retire a half a year earlier, the story of his time as chief might have been headlined by his work restoring SJPD’s status as a national destination for officers, with the ranks now up to about 1,150 and robust police academies. The department also has instituted a series of progressive measures including adopting body-worn cameras and mandatory crisis-intervention training, police history education, bolstering the community service officer program, publishing aggregate use-of-force data online, and increasing its community outreach efforts, particularly with schools in high-crime areas.
“Chief Garcia never forgot what it was like to push a patrol car through the streets of San Jose and what a difficult job police officers have in trying to keep our residents and businesses safe,” said Paul Kelly, president of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association.
But a string of high-profile controversies in recent weeks and months have given fodder for critics and police-reform advocates to be skeptical of the effectiveness of those measures. An aggressive officer response and liberal deployment of rubber bullets, tear gas, and other less-than-lethal munitions to break up Black Lives Matter demonstrations — prompting the department to conditionally ban rubber-bullet use and the city council to consider a permanent ban of the rounds — was followed by a scandal over revelations that active and retired officers had for years been sharing racist and anti-Muslim message over Facebook.
Then last week, amid growing calls for independent oversight of police misconduct and use of force, a video of an officer kicking and dragging a woman sitting in a McDonald’s parking lot drew widespread condemnation, giving credence to criticisms that the San Jose Police Department has fostered a culture that’s driving excessive use of force and other officer misbehavior.
“I’m not going to let these last three months define nearly five years as police chief and nearly three decades as a San Jose police officer,” Garcia said. “I hold absolutely no bitterness. I have had an incredibly supportive city council, and mayor, I’ve had two incredible bosses,” referring to City Manager Dave Sykes and his predecessor Norberto Dueñas.
“History will remember Chief Eddie Garcia in the same way I’ve seen him embraced at countless community meetings: as a dynamic, exuberant leader who gave his heart and soul to his hometown,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a statement. “He brought this police department back from the brink, rebuilding our officers’ ranks, their morale, and most importantly, their faith in themselves and their mission.”
Pastor Jason Reynolds of Emmanuel Baptist Church, who participated in diversity and bias training for incoming officers, said Garcia will be missed for his efforts to engage with residents, even with contentious issues.
“Chief Garcia as a person really had a heart for the community,” he said. “I believe he cared, and worked to see a number of changes that were beneficial.”
Garcia said his preference is that an internal candidate be chosen to succeed him. Liccardo suggested that the search for a new chief will allow the city to respond to the powerful community voices that have emerged in recent months.
“There’s no question that this is a moment of re-evaluation and re-imagination of policing in America,” Liccardo said. “We’ll need a chief willing to have hard conversations about how policing changes to address the evolving needs of our diverse community, and a chief sensitive to the morale and well being of the women and men who serve our community in uniform.”
Reynolds added, “I think this is a time when we need great leaders who are able to hear from the community but also be willing to act on and call out things that are wrong. The next chief will have to reckon with what does accountability look like, acknowledge the history of misuse and abuse of authority, and then be able to rightfully correct.”
As he has throughout his time as chief, Garcia sought to separate officer misconduct — particularly involving questionable uses of force — as being distinct from, rather than reflective of, the attitudes of the majority of rank-and-file police officers, a stance that has often put him at odds with community leaders and advocates.
“I’m going to admit that we have issues that we need to address. I’m going to admit that we have problem officers that we need to address,” he said. “But I am not going to admit that there is a culture issue in this police department, and stain the reputation of the amazing men and women that put their lives on the line every day for these residents.”
But Regina Alexander, co-chair of the faith-based civil-rights coalition People Acting in Community Together, contends that cultural issues bear themselves out on a broader scale, particularly when problematic behavior goes unchecked because of officers’ reluctance to report colleagues they may rely on for their safety in the field.
“If it’s not safe for a good cop to report a bad officer, that’s a cultural problem,” Alexander said. “Here’s the thing with this phrase ‘bad apples’: There can’t be bad apples if there is a genuinely good culture.”
Still, Garcia said he valued the community leaders and groups that have leveled the criticisms that he has often refuted.
“I have never begrudged our community groups, the ones that are loud and vocal, that want change, and that are constantly keeping the fire on the police department,” he said. “We need that. We cannot get complacent as a society when it comes to this job.”
One of the most prominent of those critics over the years has been the civil rights group Silicon Valley De-Bug. The organization’s co-founder Raj Jayadev said Monday that the hiring of a new chief has to be paired with systemic change in the department.
“The fact that the current police chief is leaving at arguably the most dynamic, volatile, fluid moment in this city’s history when it comes to racial justice, means the community can help influence and guide what public safety means,” he said.
Garcia said whoever succeeds him will be confronted with a long list of changes that community and civic leaders want made by the next police administration.
“You need to have a perspective of a large city, but with small-city resources,” he said of the chief’s role. “You have to do a job with what you got, and you have to be honest with your community and your neighborhoods. But at the end of the day they understand where you’re at, and appreciate the hard work. That’s the balance.”
Lee Wilcox, chief of staff for the city manager, said the city plans to contract a firm to perform a nationwide search for the next chief, and that details will be presented to the city council within the next week.