When Nick Bosa undertook an expected offseason absence, reported for minicamp but didn’t participate, then missed all of training camp and the preseason, the San Francisco 49ers understood.

Bosa, in the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, wants a new deal. And that’s more than fair and understandable because he’s among the NFL’s best defensive players.

But the Niners’ regular season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers is only 10 days away and they’re admitting to being surprised a deal still isn’t done.

“Yeah, but that’s where it’s at,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said Thursday during his post cutdown media availability.

Rapper Lil Wayne interviews former NFL linebacker John Lynch at ESPN the Magazine’s NEXT Big Weekend 2009 Super Bowl Party on January 30, 2009 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for ESPN the Magazine)

49ers’ John Lynch Is Normally Awesome

A little background: Lynch is a Salt of the Earth kind of person. Yes, he was a fierce hitter as a safety during his Hall of Fame career, but off the field he’s friendly and approachable. Just a good guy.

But the Bosa thing seems to be grating on him a little bit. His answers on the subject, ringing with optimism at the start of training camp, are close to curt now.

Like when he was asked Thursday if there are any updates on the negotiations.

“No,” Lynch replied. “No updates.”

End of answer.

Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns is tackled by Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on October 07, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Nick Bosa Holdout Is Holding Up 49ers

Compare that to how Lynch talked when asked about the other edge rushers on the roster — none, by the way, nearly as accomplished as Bosa:

(Feel free to skip the quote because it’s long but proves the point Lynch is happy to talk about stuff. Just not Bosa contract stuff).

“I really like the group,” Lynch said. “For you guys to know, we announced, I think [coach] Kyle [Shanahan] talked about [WR] Danny Gray going to IR, [DL] Robert Beal will as well. He’s coming off a hamstring that he re-injured. We thought the best thing for Robert, he’s a guy we really like and are excited to work for, but we’ve got to get that thing right.

“To qualify for the short term, he had to make our 53. He’s a guy who showed a lot and we’re thrilled about the prospect of working with him going forward, but we’ve got to get him back so that he’s ready. So, we’ll go through that process.

“Drake Jackson has had a tremendous offseason and we’re very excited to see that come to fruition on the field. [Clelin Ferrell], he’s a fit, he’s a Niner. The way he plays, how he plays, his talents, his skillset, he plays hard, all those things. We’re excited about him. Kerry Hyder is just a pro’s pro, always in the right place. He’s a good football player. Austin Bryant is another guy who’s a very good scheme fit that we identified. Very excited about him moving forward.”

Get the drift?

Not yet?

Niners GM John Lynch at the NFL Combine. (Getty Images)

Would 49ers Trade Nick Bosa?

Well, John, what about that Reddit post that contends the team is thinking about trading Bosa? Any chance of that? Any, he’s on the team right now, GM speak?

“No,” Lynch said. “Real simple.”

Shanahan was more upbeat. The coach continues to expect a deal because, well, there is activity even if there hasn’t yet been achievement.

“I’m really hoping it gets done,” the coach said. “I know they’re working tirelessly at it … but hopefully we can get him in here sooner than later.”

As negotiations continue with the regular season beckoning, both sides want to find a sort of sweet spot to get an agreement.

Bosa’s representation initially swung for the fences. They wanted their 25-year-old client to match or beat the annual average salary of the league’s highest-paid defender Aaron Donald. Donald averages $31.6 million per season.

And …

Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams throws the ball as he is pressured by Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter at SoFi Stadium on October 30, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Nick Bosa Wants A BIG Contract

Bosa’s team also wanted to beat the guaranteed money older brother Joey Bosa got from the Chargers — which is $102 million.

It is not known where the 49ers are on all that, but obviously they didn’t simply fold and offer Bosa everything he wants.

And this just in: Bosa has so far been worth the asking price because last season he collected a league-leading 18.5 sacks and was the Defensive Player of the Year.

The situation is the most pressing one the 49ers have now in an offseason they’ve dealt with a lot of pressing stuff. Remember, they moved on from former starter Jimmy Garoppolo, traded Trey Lance, and managed Brock Purdy’s return from elbow surgery.

So the club and Bosa have 10 days to find common ground.

For John Lynch’s sake.

Follow on X: @ArmandoSalguero

The post San Francisco 49ers Stunned Nick Bosa Nonetheless Holding Out As NFL Season Approaches – OutKick appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

NEW YORK (WPIX) – Police officers and a good Samaritan in New York City rescued a man who suffered a possible medical issue and fell onto the city’s subway tracks on Thanksgiving, police said.

NYPD Officers Brunel Victor and Taufique Bokth were conducting a transit sweep at the station, located at East 116 Street and Lexington Avenue, when officers were told by other riders that a man had fallen onto the tracks. Police immediately left the station to re-enter through the northbound side in order to reach the man, officials said.

Bodycam video released by the NYPD shows the officers rushing down to the subway platform and finding the victim on the track, where another rider was already trying to assist. Together with the good Samaritan, police were able to lift the 40-year-old man back to the platform and out of harm’s way.

One of the officers, however, was still on the track after helping to lift the man — even as the uptown 6 train approached, the footage shows.

He is soon helped back up the platform, with just seconds to spare before the train comes into the station.

Suspect hijacks city bus in San Francisco, smashes into cars, video shows

While waiting for medical help, another responding officer was able to help the victim using his prior medical training. The man was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

NYPD Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell tweeted a video of the rescue on Friday, describing the responding officers’ actions as heroic.

“For the officers who rescued a man from an oncoming train after he accidentally fell on the subway tracks yesterday in Manhattan — courage is second nature. Join me in saluting these great cops,” the commissioner wrote.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber also issued a statement praising the officers and the good Samaritan as well as state and city officials.

“The joint commitment by [Gov. Kathy Hochul] other [Mayor Eric Adams] to have additional NYPD officers patrol in subway stations and on trains not only helps riders feel safer, but in this case, enabled brave officers and a good Samaritan — in the finest tradition of New Yorkers helping each other — to save a life,” Lieber said.

The post WATCH: NYPD, good Samaritan save man who fell on subway tracks moments earlier than prepare approaches appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

While the San Franciscans are re-evaluating New Years Eve plans amid yet another COVID-19 surge, state and local health officials have been busy making changes of their own.

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reduced the recommended isolation time for people who test positive for COVID-19 from 10 days to five days if they are asymptomatic, followed by five days of wearing a well-fitting mask near others.

On Wednesday, San Francisco reintroduced its universal indoor mask mandate, urging facilities such as bars, restaurants and gyms to include booster vaccinations as part of their vaccination records.

“As COVID-19 becomes endemic, we need to make sure all those eligible are vaccinated and boosted, we maintain our hospital capacity and protect the most vulnerable. These health regulation updates help us achieve this, ”said Grant Colfax, SF Director of Public Health.

Local falls rise three times faster than during the summer delta rise. The average 7-day case number in San Francisco hit an all-time high of 630 on December 28, according to the New York Times’ COVID-19 tracker, and cases are expected to continue to rise in the short term.

While hospital admissions have remained relatively low across San Francisco, city health officials told The Examiner, “We are getting to the point where we would expect hospital admissions to surge after an increase in cases.

Given the sudden spike, city officials are reviewing vacation plans. On Tuesday, the Mayor of London Breed announced that the New Years Eve fireworks show would be canceled.

“These are the things we have to do. The case rate in San Francisco is currently above the state average, and I don’t know if I ever saw that in the pandemic. And hospital stays are increasing at an alarming rate, ”said John Swartzberg, an infectious disease specialist and professor of infectious diseases at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health.

Despite the setbacks, some of the country’s leading infectious disease experts say the shorter isolation and quarantine recommendations make sense alongside a growing body of research showing that the fast-spreading omicron variant incubates faster and cases are milder in vaccinated individuals .

“This is justified,” said George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert at UCSF, regarding shorter isolation requirements for people who test positive for COVID-19. “What you want to do is provide adequate isolation time, not twice as long as necessary.”

For most people who have been vaccinated, five days of isolation are enough to stop them being contagious. But those who aren’t vaccinated or have more severe cases can keep shedding the virus after five days, leading experts like Swartzberg to point out that testing and masking are still essential.

“In general, I agree. I think it will lead to wider diffusion, but it will also make critical workers functional for our society, ”Swartzberg said. “I think we may have found a balance.”

CDC officials said their decision was based on Omicron data from places like Norway, South Africa and most recently Nebraska, where a study of an Omicron outbreak showed the variant had a shorter incubation period – three days compared to four to six days in the case Delta variant – and was less severe than other variants for the vast majority of people vaccinated.

However, pressure to change the 10-day wait period also came from communities scrambling to keep businesses and essential services up and running as the Omicron variant quickly spreads across the United States.

“The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to influence all facets of our society. These updates ensure that people can safely get on with their daily lives, ”said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

Still, some health professionals and workers’ representatives have disapproved of the CDC’s decision, saying that it increases health risks for workers who may not have adequate health care or paid sick leave. National workers’ representatives from groups like the Association of Flight Attendants, meanwhile, have warned that the new CDC guidelines could put pressure on workers to return to work too early.

“Even the lack of paid sick leave puts employees under pressure to come to work sick. Companies that fail to recognize this with paid sick leave or pressure on workers to come to work sick or face disciplinary action are failing their workers and their customers, “said Sara Nelson, president of the flight attendants union.

Another infectious disease expert at UCSF, Peter Chin-Hong, said he was cautiously optimistic about allowing people to return to their lives if they don’t show symptoms of COVID and continue to wear a mask around others.

“At Delta, about 15% of the cases were hospitalized, and in general we see about 5% or less at omicron,” he said.

A major ongoing concern he and other public health officials across the country fear as the holiday gatherings continue is that there is now more emphasis on individual responsibility to make safe choices following exposure or testing positive for COVID .

Currently, 84% of eligible San Franciscans are fully vaccinated and 55% have received a booster dose. With cases and hospital stays on the rise, doctors and city guides advise everyone to take precautionary measures on New Year’s Eve.

Swartzberg said canceling events like the fireworks show was the right move. “The problem we have now is largely because omicron decided to put their heads up at the time of year when everyone gathers for the holidays,” he said.

As people travel and gather for the holidays, public health officials recommend that everyone be vaccinated, boostered, tested, and wear N95 or other well-fitting masks before visiting others.

“The quick test helps determine how contagious you are; It is not intended to be used to diagnose you. And everyone (at the party) has to do it, ”said Chin-Hong, who plans to spend the holidays with his immediate family. “There are still sick people and we’ve had an increase in hospital admissions in the bay, but nothing compared to last year.”

Swartzberg said he would spend the night at home with his wife and a bottle of champagne. And Rutherford will be dining with a small group in Oakland at a restaurant that recently announced that diners would be required to show proof of vaccination to eat indoors. San Francisco has had a similar policy for indoor bars and facilities since the summer.

Restaurants and small businesses that are struggling to stay with sufficient staff in the face of the recent surge may find some relief from the relaxed quarantine rules.

“There will be so many cases here that a number of industries will be left without enough people,” said Rutherford. “Restaurants will need people who can serve tables.”

For those just trying to get through another confusing Christmas season, Rutherford’s advice is simple: “You need to be vaccinated and boosted, and around people who are being vaccinated and boosted. Do not lower your mask unless you have to. And I wouldn’t go to a huge party. “

sjohnson@sfexaminer.com

The post San Francisco modifications COVID protocols as New Yr’s Eve approaches appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

RENO, Nevada (KOLO) – As temperatures cool in northern Nevada, more people will be warming their homes. The Reno Fire Department (RFD) wants to make sure you are ready to prevent any potential fire in your home.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), one in seven reported home fires involves a heater. One in five of them leads to death.

“Unfortunately it is very common. We get a lot of house fires. We get a lot of activated carbon monoxide calls, ”said Willie Seirer, fire safety captain at RFD.

Inspecting your heating equipment before using it can mean the difference between life and death.

Seirer added, “If you haven’t looked at it in a couple of years, it’s a good idea to have a professional come out and clean it and make sure everything is tuned and ready to use.”

According to Seirer, if you use space heating, you should keep anything that could burn at least three feet away and make sure the device is plugged directly into an electrical outlet, not a power strip or extension cord.

“Take the device and tilt it about 45 degrees. You should feel like it’s turned off. You will usually hear an audible click. If not, it should be replaced with a modern device with a toggle switch. Said Seirer.

Fireplaces are another area that needs maintenance to safely warm your home.

Seirer added, “Have a qualified technician, a chimney sweep, clean your chimney before burning a fire in it. Don’t burn rubbish or dirt there, just clean firewood. “

If any of these devices are not operated properly, carbon monoxide poisoning can result. According to Seirer, a simple solution is to install your own CO detector.

“If we can help even one person understand the danger and avoid a fire or burn, that’s a good thing,” said Seirer.

Firefighters say now is a good time to check the batteries in your smoke alarm as well.

Further information on heating safety can be found here. For carbon monoxide safety tips, click here.

Copyright 2020 KOLO. All rights reserved.

The post Dwelling fireplace prevention as winter climate approaches N. Nevada appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Find an updated count of COVID-19 cases in California and by county on our tracker here.

Latest Updates

California moving from mass vaccination sites to hyper-local approaches

Travis Air Force Base shipping medical supplies, COVID tests to India

Why COVID-19 vaccine patents are so contentious

Sacramento County ‘hopeful’ about moving to orange tier in June, officials say

California State Fair postponed, Cal Expo to remain vaccination site

COVID-19 By The Numbers

Monday, May 10

9:17 a.m. : California moving from mass vaccination sites to hyper-local approaches

California is shifting away from mass vaccination sites after administering more than 30 million doses.

Instead, the state will target hard-to-reach populations and people hesitant about the vaccine.

“We know when we stand up clinics in partnership with trusted locations in communities like churches and schools, we know that builds confidence in people to get vaccinated,” said Sami Gallegos, spokesperson for the state’s Vaccinate all 58 campaign.

“And we also know that there are access barriers to traveling to those large vaccination sites. So the state’s really been making this transition to community clinics over the last month or so,” Gallegos said.

California will spend more than $85 million on grants for community organizations to help with outreach. The state is also working on expanding at-home vaccination services for home-bound residents.

9:14 a.m.: Travis Air Force Base shipping medical supplies, COVID tests to India

Fairfield’s Travis Air Force Base is supporting the delivery of medical supplies to India where COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing.

California is donating more than a-thousand oxygen-related pieces of equipment. On CapRadio’s Insight, California’s Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis said the federal government is coordinating the operation.

“It includes not just the oxygen equipment that we are giving, but it includes 15 million N95 masks, one million rapid COVID tests, 20,000 treatments of Remdesivir and the actual airlift is coming out of Travis Air Force Base,” Kounalakis said.

The COVID-19 crisis is getting worse in India and hospitals are stretched beyond capacity. New cases are staying well over 300,000 every day.

9:10 a.m.: Why COVID-19 vaccine patents are so contentious

The Biden administration’s call to lift patent protections on COVID-19 vaccines to help distribute more globally has drawn praise from countries and health advocates.

But, according to the Associated Press, the plan has run into some resistance from the pharmaceutical industry and others who say that it will “hurt innovation.”

Patents are to prevent competitors from emulating a company’s discovery and launching a rival product. In the U.S., patents on medicines last about 20 years from when they are filed, which happens once a drugmaker thinks it has a lucrative drug. Since it takes about a decade to get a drug approved, companies enjoy nearly a dozen years of competition-free sales.

However, drugmakers often find ways to change the product or widen its use to secure additional patents to extend their monopoly for many more years.

Drugmakers and their trade groups spend millions every year lobbying governments to maintain the status quo on patents. Why? In a word, money. In the U.S., pharmaceutical companies can charge whatever they want for their medicines. They typically raise prices twice a year, often doubling or tripling them during a drug’s patent-protected years.

If the patents are lifted, there’s no precedent for vaccines. Two decades ago, World Trade organization members passed a temporary waiver allowing less wealthy countries to import affordable generic drugs for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria amid health crises. Eventually, that waiver was made permanent.

Drugmakers say that waiving patents won’t get life-saving vaccines into developing countries faster since creating the vaccines is more complex than following a cooking recipe. There’s little specialized factory space, equipment, and highly trained employees to produce the inoculations in many of the countries asking for vaccine assistance.

Friday, May 7

6:32 p.m.: Sacramento County ‘hopeful’ about moving to orange tier in June, officials say

Sacramento is one of just a dozen California counties remaining in the red, or second-most restrictive, COVID-19 reopening tier. Health officials said Thursday that they’re hopeful the county can move up to the orange tier by June 15, the same day California is set to reopen and end the tier system.

Less restrictive tiers allow more businesses to open at greater capacity. But in Sacramento the case rate is still a concern — 7.5 cases per 100,000 people, as compared to 4.2 cases per 100,000 people statewide. To move to the orange tier, Sacramento County must bring its case rate down to somewhere between 2 and 6 cases per 100,000 people.

Dr. Olivia Kasirye, public health officer for Sacramento County, says new, more infectious variants “could be contributing to the stagnation in cases.”

She also says people are not getting tested for COVID-19 as often as they used to, which affects tier status.

Officials also said there are no Sacramento ZIP codes that are close to reaching herd immunity, or having about 70% of residents immunized. In certain north and south Sacramento neighborhoods, less than 20% of people have been fully vaccinated.

Thursday, May 6

6:52 p.m.: California State Fair postponed, Cal Expo to remain vaccination site

Cal Expo officials said Wednesday it’ll remain a mass vaccination site through the summer with the hope of allowing events to open with larger capacity later this year.

“The more people we can get vaccinated the more the event business can come back,” Cal Expo CEO Rick Pickering said. He said this year’s state fair will be delayed and likely slimmed down.

Since March 2020, health officials at the site have vaccinated a quarter-million people.

“That would be the equivalent of half of the population of Sacramento or 16% of the county of Sacramento,” Pickering said.

While demand for the vaccine is dropping across the country, Pickering said there is more work to be done as the county’s focus shifts to inoculating school-age children.

9:29 a.m.: From 3 feet of distance to 6 feet: How the pandemic might have affected our personal space bubbles

Face-to-face meetings are creeping back into our lives after more than a year of social-distancing. A steep decline in coronavirus transmission rates plus an increasing number of vaccinations are just two of the biggest reasons why.

But how comfortable will you or others be with this shift back to in-person social interaction?

Researchers say that the personal-space boundary in the U.S. before the pandemic was about 3 feet with strangers and a little more than 2 feet with an acquaintance. But now, a year of staying 6 feet apart could have you feeling crowded — even if others are maintaining what used to be considered an acceptable distance.

CapRadio’s Randol White spoke with Cal State Northridge Communications Studies Professor Kathryn Sorrells to see how the pandemic may have changed what we consider comfortable.

“I know a number of people I’ve talked to, even as we open up,” Sorrells said. “There’s a little hesitancy, like ‘Do I remember how to engage with people in that way?’ I think that probably if it’s a year or a year and half … we’ll shift back into the old patterns because those are much more deeply ingrained.”

9:14 a.m.: Can COVID-19 affect my period? Scientists are looking into it.

It’s not yet known if COVID-19 vaccines can affect your period, but researchers are starting to study the issue.

According to the Associated Press, vaccines are designed to activate your immune system, and some experts wonder if that could temporarily disrupt menstrual cycles. So far, reports of irregular bleeding have been anecdotal. It’s difficult to draw any links to the vaccines since anything from stress, diet and exercise could affect periods.

There’s also a lack of data tracking changes to menstrual cycles after vaccinations in general.

Dr. Jen Gunter, an obstetrician and gynecologist in the San Francisco Bay area, says a link is possible since the uterine lining, which is shed during a period, contains immune cells that help protect the uterus.

Even if scientists do eventually find a link between the COVID-19 vaccines and short-term changes in bleeding, experts say that would be no reason to avoid getting inoculated.

“The benefits of taking the vaccine certainly way outweigh putting up with one heavy period, if indeed they’re related,” said Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a gynecologist and professor at the Yale University School of Medicine.

9:08 a.m.: US unemployment claims call to pandemic low of 498,000

The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell last week to 498,000, according to the Associated Press.

It’s at the lowest point since the pandemic struck 14 months ago and a sign of the job market’s growing strength as businesses reopen and consumers step up spending.

Applications declined 92,000 from a revised 590,000 a week earlier. The number of weekly jobless claims — a rough measure of the pace of layoffs — has declined significantly from a peak of 900,000 in January as employers have ramped up hiring.

However, the pace of applications is still well above the roughly 230,000 level that was common before the COVID-19 outbreak ran through the economy in March of last year.

Wednesday, May 5

5:45 p.m.: California appeals court upholds Newsom’s pandemic emergency powers 

A California appeals court has upheld Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Three judges from the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento today overturned a lower court saying Newsom overstepped his authority. The case emerged from a lawsuit by two Northern California state lawmakers.

Republican Assemblymembers Kevin Kiley and James Gallager said Newsom issued emergency orders in what amounted to a one-man rule. Newsom did everything from halt evictions to allow marriages to be conducted by video or teleconference.

The appeals court agreed that the governor acted within the broad emergency authority granted him amid the crisis.

Kiley and Gallagher said they would appeal to the state Supreme Court. 

5:42 p.m.: COVID-19’s U.S. toll expected to wane dramatically by end of July

Teams of experts are projecting that COVID-19′s toll on the U.S. will wane dramatically by the end of July, according to research released by the government today.

But they also warn a “substantial increase” in hospitalizations and deaths is possible if unvaccinated people do not follow basic public health guidelines such as wearing a mask and social distancing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paper included projections from six different research groups.

5:32 p.m.: US backs waiving COVID-19 vaccine intellectual property protections

The Biden administration is throwing its support behind efforts to waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines to speed up to the end of the pandemic.

According to the Associated Press, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the government’s position in a Wednesday statement amid World Trade Organizations talks over easing global trade rules. This would enable more countries to produce more life-saving vaccines.

Tai says, “The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines.”

She cautions that it will take time to reach the required global “consensus” to waive the protections under WTO rules.

11:14 a.m.: Sacramento County stays in red tier

As state officials announced COVID-19 tier changes Tuesday, Sacramento County remained in the state’s red coronavirus risk tier.

Sacramento moved out of the state’s most restrictive purple tier into the red tier on March 16, where it has stayed since.

As of Tuesday, the county had 7.7 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, a 2.8% test positivity rate over the past 7 days and a 4% test positivity rate for the state’s health equity quartile. In order to move into the less restrictive orange tier, counties need to have less than 5.9 new cases a day per 100,000 residents, a test positivity rate below 4.9% for the whole county, and a test positivity rate below 5.3% for the health equity quartile.

Yolo and El Dorado counties are currently in the less restrictive orange tier, while Placer County is also in the red tier.

11:02 a.m.: Nearly one-third of Californians fully vaccinated

Nearly a third of Californians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of May 4, according to NPR’s state vaccine tracker.

In California, 32.1% of all residents have either received one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or both shots of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Additionally, 49.9% of the state’s population has received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Currently, not all Californians are eligible to get the vaccines, as the shots are not approved for people under age 16 yet. But that may change soon, as Pfizer expects the FDA to approve its vaccine for use in children ages 12-15, according to NPR.

According to the California Department of Public Health, 31,027,617 vaccines have been administered in the state.

​Tuesday, May 4

6:40 p.m.: California urges people to vacation in state, boost tourism

California tourism leaders are urging residents to spend their pent-up travel dollars exploring their home state as coronavirus case numbers stay low.

The tourism industry is reeling from a steep decline in revenue, plummeting from $145 billion in 2019 to $65 billion last year.

The state of nearly 40 million people has been among the most conservative in the U.S. with strict restrictions in place to curb the pandemic. It’s gradually reopening but tourism revenue is not expected to top pre-pandemic levels until 2024.

Tourism officials are calling on Californians to do their patriotic duty and vacation within the state to bolster the industry.

6:34 p.m.: Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates launch Sac-Bike-Match 

If you’re in the market for a new bike, you may have to wait a while. There’s a nationwide shortage because of the pandemic and predominantly shipping out of China and Asia. 

The Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, or SABA, has launched a program called Sac-Bike-Match. They’re asking people to donate old bikes. SABA will then match those bikes with essential workers once they’ve been reconditioned at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen repair site in midtown.   

“We’re in partnership with them and we wrench those bikes, make sure that they’re in great working order and then we match them up with somebody else and get them on the road,” said Debra Banks. 

May is National Bike Month. It’s mostly virtual in Sacramento again this year because of the pandemic, but SABA is hoping to host a few rides in small groups.

6:30 p.m.: All Nevada counties granted local authority over COVID-19 restrictions

All of Nevada’s 17 counties have been granted local authority over COVID-19 restrictions.

The latest addition came yesterday when Washoe County commissioners approved a revised plan for the Reno-Sparks area and successfully submitted the necessary endorsements to the state’s mitigation task force.

Masks remain mandatory. Control over all other COVID-19 measures began May 1 in all of Nevada’s other counties under local plans.

Washoe County’s new plan eliminates capacity limits effective June 1, unless there’s a big spike in the new cases. In the meantime it allows full capacity in businesses with enough space to still comply with six-feet social-distancing.

9:25 a.m.: Pandemic led to 30% increase in worker deaths in certain California industries

During the first 10 months of the coronavirus pandemic, California saw a 30% increase in the deaths of essential workers in 10 industries, according to a new study by U.C. Merced’s Community and Labor Center.

The U.C. study found that overall deaths among Californians aged 18-65 increased by 25% in 2020. Workers accounted for 87% — or more than 14,000 — of those additional deaths.

Dr. Edward Flores, who helped direct the study, said that the pandemic just exposed previously existing inequalities in the workplace.

“There’s a need for better awareness for the rights that workers have, of their ability to take sick leave, to file a complaint in regards to health and safety conditions,” said Flores.

The most affected groups of workers came from industries such as warehouses, agriculture, restaurants and food services, and grocery stores. Among the 10 industries with the highest death increases were nursing care, landscaping, and building services like janitorial and security work.

9:07 a.m.: FDA could OK Pfizer vaccine for teens by next week

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 12 to 15 by next week, setting up shots for many before the start of the next school year.

According to the Associated Press, the update comes from a federal official and a person familiar with the vaccine approval process.

The FDA action would be followed by a federal vaccine advisory committee meeting to discuss whether to recommend the shot for 12- to 15-year olds. Then the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would act on the committee’s recommendation. Those steps could be completed in a matter of days.

Monday, May 3

3:30 p.m.: Children now account for 22% of new COVID-19 infections in US

The number of children contracting COVID-19 in the U.S. is much lower than the record highs set at the start of the new year, but children now account for more than a fifth of new coronavirus cases, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

This number is based on states that release their data by age, but still, it’s a statistic that’s surprised many — just one year ago, child COVID-19 cases only made up around 3% of the U.S. total.

Now, children represent 22.4% of the new cases reported in the past week as of this Monday. The cases account for 71,659 out of 319,691 cases. The latest report, drawn from data collected through April 29, illustrates how children’s share of coronavirus infections has grown in recent weeks.

There seems to be several factors why — particularly high vaccination rates among older Americans lowers the number of adults getting sick. But other dynamics are also in play, from new COVID-19 variants to the loosening of restrictions on school activities.

It’s also worth noting that for the vast majority of the pandemic, the age group with the highest case rates has been 18 to 24 year-olds in the U.S.

3:22 p.m.: Las Vegas convention center will transform into drive-thru vaccine clinic

Health officials say they hope to administer more than 1,000 doses a day of coronavirus vaccines to Las Vegas-area residents once the first big drive-thru COVID-19 shot clinic opens Tuesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

According to the Associated Press, the Southern Nevada Health District on Monday said the goal is for 60% of the eligible population to receive at least one dose. If they reach that goal, that would meet a goal the Clark County Commission set for fully reopening casinos and businesses without social distancing rules. However, masks would still be required.

To date, the percentage of state residents who have gotten at least one shot is 47%.

3:10 p.m.: UN inks Moderna deal to provide 500 million doses globally

Moderna and vaccine promoter Gavi have announced a deal by which the pharmaceutical company will provide up to 500 million coronavirus vaccines, according to the Associated Press.

The U.N.-backed program will ship the doses to clinics and vaccination centers in low- and middle-income countries by the end of 2022.

The advance purchase agreement comes just days after the World Health Organization announced the emergency approval for the Moderna vaccine that will pave the way for its rollout in the U.N.-backed COVAX program.

However, deliveries of the vaccines are not set to begin until the fourth quarter of this year, and the vast majority of the doses in the deal — 466 million — are planned for only next year.

9:39 a.m.: Las Vegas hitting jackpot as pandemic-weary visitors return

Las Vegas has been jammed lately with pandemic-weary tourists looking for excitement and entertainment.

According to the Associated Press, on Saturday, casino capacity limits on the Strip increased again to 80%, while person-to-person distancing drops to 3 feet. However, masks are still required.

The boom began as casino occupancy went from 35% to 50% on March 15 under state health guidelines. Analysts point to pent-up demand, available rooms and federal coronavirus relief checks.

Economic markers are now ringing up a revival on the neon resort corridor that was ghostly quite a year ago. Casinos have also reported four slot jackpots worth upward of $1 million in the last week.

9:15 a.m.: Public transit tries to woo back riders

As President Joe Biden urges more federal spending on public transportation, transit agencies decimated by COVID-19 are struggling to figure out how to win back passengers.

According to the Associated Press, commuting patterns are changing as work-from-home arrangements show signs of becoming a longer-term trend, and riders are still hesitant to return to potentially crowded spaces on buses and trains.

Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan would provide $85 billion over eight years to update and replace subway cars and repair aging tracks and stations. Of that amount, $25 billion would go to expanding bus routes and rail lines. Another $25 billion would pay to convert gasoline- and diesel-powered mass transit buses to zero-emission electric vehicles.

Even with the country slowly opening up again, transportation officials say it could take years to get riders back. Transit agencies are trying different approaches to win over riders, from reduced fares to shiny new bus stops and even shifting transit schedules around to accommodate more passengers due to the pandemic shift away from 9-to-5 work.

9:07 a.m.: US to start global COVID-19 vaccine distribution talks

Two White House officials say the U.S. trade representative will begin talks on COVID-19 vaccine distribution around the world, according to The Associated Press.

The trade representative will begin talks in the world Trade Organization on ways to overcome intellectual property issues that are keeping poorer countries from making their own generic version of critically needed COVID-19 vaccines.

White House chief of staff Ron Klan said trade representative Katherine Tai will be starting talks with the trade organization to get the vaccine more widely distributed, licensed and shared.

Klain and national security advisor Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration will have more to say on the matter in the coming days.

Sunday, May 2

10:40 a.m.: Personal income jumped over 21% in March as the government sent out relief payments 

Americans’ personal incomes jumped 21.1% in March, according to the Commerce Department. This is the biggest increase on record as the government sent out $1,400 relief payments as part of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue effort.

Personal spending also jumped by 4.2%, and wealthier Americans are also increasing spending. 

Read more here.

Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

The post California Coronavirus Updates: California Shifting From Mass Vaccination Websites To Hyper-Native Approaches appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

OAKLAND (CBS SF) – The sound of illegal fireworks has become a nightly soundtrack for many people in the San Francisco Bay Area, but authorities say complaints about high explosives started earlier than usual this year.

Nightly fireworks have become a regular occurrence on the streets of Oakland. They were in the middle of Grand Ave. launched during a celebration on June 19th.

CONTINUE READING: Update: Suspect arrested after Fremont Hotel was evacuated due to a suspicious package

Illegal fireworks shows have also become more common in San Jose, the Peninsula, and San Francisco. It is a phenomenon that is being featured on social media across the county.

“We just got here to get a couple of beers and dinner and we just heard a bang, bang, bang and bang – we thought it was gunfire,” said Alex of San Francisco, who refused to take his Surname to be indicated.

The noise didn’t just scare people.

In San Francisco’s Hayes Valley neighborhood, someone posted a sign asking who will set off fireworks at night to please stop.

“All of our dogs are freaking out and they’re scared of the loud noises,” read the sign.

For some, fireworks can be boring. For others, they have become part of rallies and protests for social justice or an act of defiance towards the police.

“I think people are obviously outraged and trying to express that, so I think you want you want and show how you want,” said a woman identified as Joey in San Francisco.

Oakland Councilor Noel Gallo says the problem is the worst he has seen in his life. He grew up in East Oakland.

CONTINUE READING: Suspicious Rams US Capitol Barrier with car, attacks officers with knife; 1 officer, suspect killed

“Ordinarily we’d celebrate July 4th and shoot the fireworks for three or four days, but now it’s become a habit for you to hear the fireworks every night from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m.,” Gallo said. “But now people are shooting from their guns.”

He picked up cartridge cases when he volunteered for street cleaning in Oakland this weekend.

“The reality is that our police and firefighters have their hands free right now, but we are at the beginning of the fire season,” said Gallo.

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office reported an increase in complaints about fireworks Monday and suggested calling the department’s non-emergency number to report incidents.

FIREWORKS: We receive complaints about an above-average use of illegal fireworks. The repeated loud explosions affect certain members of the community, including pets and livestock. There is also a risk of fire. Call our non-emergency number 510 667-7721.

– Alameda County Sheriff (@ACSOSheriffs) June 22, 2020

Oakland Police Department says there will be more forays during the July 4th vacation.

MORE NEWS: Arson suspected in Antioch grass fire near Kaiser Medical Center; Suspect wanted

Those caught with fireworks can be fined and fined up to $ 10,000.

The post Complaints Of Unlawful Fireworks Develop Throughout San Francisco Bay Space As July 4th Approaches – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

This week, a bill proposing moving heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in schools to more energy efficient units and speeding up approvals for electrical and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure will get one of the final votes needed for approval by the legislation 18 months after the initial introduction to the congregation.

A multi-faceted bill based on energy efficiency

Bill 841, drafted by MP Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), would specifically require the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to take final decisions on new zero-emission vehicle infrastructure such as EV chargers for electric cars by March 2021. AB 841 would essentially all charging stations or places where charges are offered have a separate charging meter infrastructure by mid-2021. Charging stations would only be installed by licensed contractors with a person installing such EV infrastructure with certification of the EV infrastructure training program.

The bill also addresses HVAC systems in schools. AB 841 would provide funding to schools, as part of the Schools Energy Efficiency Program, to set up more energy efficient and better ventilated HVAC systems. Inefficient and non-compliant plumbing systems would also be replaced by less wasteful ones.

The PUC would get funding for the School Energy Efficiency Program through 2023 and would also involve energy companies to find the best systems for schools. 25% of all new systems are deployed to schools in underserved communities, with those schools being prioritized for newer systems.

MP Ting originally wrote the bill to promote energy conservation, lower energy bills for schools, reduce pollution and create more green jobs. However, the advent of COVID-19 has shown that schools need to have better air quality and prevent COVID-19. After a year of inactivity, the upcoming shoulder mine revived the bill in June and MP Ting changed the bill to better emphasize the need for COVID-19.

This resulted in AB 841 being passed by the Senate’s Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee earlier this month.

“More green jobs under CA’s stimulus plan!” Exclaimed MP Ting after the committee vote. “A Senate committee passed my Law AB 841Temporary diversion of energy efficient funds to improve HVAC systems in schools, which can help prevent the spread of COVID-19;; The bill also accelerates the approval process for electric vehicles Charger. “

More green jobs under CA’s #EconomicStimulusPlan! A Senate committee passed my Law No. AB841, which temporarily diverted energy efficient funds to improve HVAC systems in schools to prevent the spread of No. COVID19. The bill also expedites approvals for # EV chargers.

– Phil Ting (@PhilTing) August 4, 2020

The opposition to AB 841 is growing

While the bill was originally unanimously and bipartisan backed when it was a water safety bill last year, the bill’s changed priorities have largely split the vote. Many GOP legislators have spoken out against the bill because AB 841 combines two topics in one bill and questions arise about whether or not HVAC systems need to be replaced in many schools. The need for additional temporary expenses and department expansion at such an economically critical time has also been questioned by many in Sacramento.

“The bill almost built in a driver,” remarked attorney Megan Kirsch in a Globe interview. “One part deals with electric cars, the other with air conditioning systems for schools. One part fulfills this exemption for COVID-19 invoices in this session, the other does not.

“When I read this, that was the first thing that came to mind. How much did that pack in one bill with things that had nothing to do with each other. “

“I can see how many senators voted against in committee alone. Nobody votes against child safety, right? Especially during a pandemic? Well, that just adds something, and that’s not right. And this is how many legislators see it. That is not right.”

“We have a few weeks to go before the end of the session, so we’ll see how far this goes. Many lawmakers see this bill for what it is and it is sad because improving air conditioning for schools, especially during such a heatwave, is very beneficial. But it is dumped in other projects. “

Despite the uncertainty about the bill, AB 841 is expected to retain a majority of support in both the Assembly and Senate.

AB 841 is expected to be negotiated by the Senate Appropriations Committee very soon.

The post Vitality Environment friendly Faculty HVAC, Electrical Automobile Invoice Approaches Committee Vote appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.