In CA: Undocumented immigrants join 2.7 Californians in getting unemployment aid

The state announces creation for what's believed to be the first-of-its-kind fund to help undocumented immigrants who don't qualify for federal relief. Plus, read dispatches from the deadliest week since COVID-19 arrived in force in America.

It's Arlene Martínez, bringing you news to get you over the hump.

But first, Disneyland releases the recipe for its in the tiki-tiki-tiki-tiki Tiki Room Dole Whip. But wait, there's more! The Happiest Place on Earth also leaked the way of its churros.

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For undocumented workers, a lifeline

The state, together with philanthropists, plans to provide $125 million to undocumented immigrants to help them weather a near-collapse of the economy, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday.

California’s roughly 150,000 undocumented workers can expect to receive $500, or up to $1,000 per household, and can begin applying next month. “This is a state that steps up always to support those in need, regardless of status,” Newsom said during his daily midday briefing.

The group isn't eligible for relief under the federal stimulus bill, which is providing up to $1,200 per individual or $2,400 per couple, plus $500 for dependents under the age of 17.

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California will allocate $75 million to form a new disaster relief fund and another $50 million will be raised by the Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees.

"Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen" author and Bay Area resident Jose Antonio Vargas tweeted to Newsom: "Thank you for remembering that undocumented Californians are an inextricable part of our state."

Millions of us may want to mark our calendars: Starting Monday, the state will expand the hours it's open to help process some of the 2.7 million unemployment claims Newsom said have come in the past four weeks; 1,340 staffers have come on board to help. New hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

More on that stimulus money

My main question is — where's my money? Track it at IRS.gov/EIP. I tested it and it's up and running.

If I owe child support or back taxes, will I still get my refund? And other questions you've got about the stimulus checks that have started hitting people's accounts.

90% of the $349 billion designed to help struggling businesses stay alive and keep paying their workers had been allocated by Wednesday afternoon.

Not for just the living: "Dad got his stimulus check of $1,200. He died in 2018. Does he have time to spend it online?"

President Trump thought his name should be on those stimulus checks. So it is.

Coronavirus details remain largely behind closed doors

Yes, we get to hear Newsom every day for an hour or so, but when it comes to getting hard facts and figures about so many things that touch our lives as the coronavirus pandemic rages in some of our communities? The data is really incomplete.

Much of what we do know about what's happening in nursing homes and senior facilities isn't coming from public sources. It's coming from family members, friends, staff and administrators, the L.A. Times reports.

“As the general principle, the public has a right to important information that would influence their own health,” Richard Jackson, who served as California’s state health officer under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, told the newspaper.

The professor emeritus at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health said residents should be able to know hot spots, infection rates and the demographics of who's getting the coronavirus.

Crosswalks, farmworkers and a fire with no water (or records)

Some Bay Area cities have moved to auto-activating crosswalks so no one has to touch them. This has some wondering why we need them in the first place.

The feds announced temporary rule changes that'll allow companies to employ temporary foreign farmworkers faster and for longer periods of time.

More than 500 Ventura homes burned down in the Thomas Fire, and residents have long sought answers as to why water to fight the blaze was MIA. An elected official successfully sued to get related records released, but the rest of the public remains largely in the dark about what happened.

The deadliest week and ... who's dying?

More Americans died from coronavirus last week than any other in the last three months since coronavirus arrived. In all, 12,056 families are now grieving the loss of a loved one. Here are some of their stories.

Nearly 90% of adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States had one or more underlying diseases. The most common were hypertension (49.7%), obesity (48.3%), chronic lung disease (34.6%), diabetes (28.3%), and cardiovascular disease (27.8%).

Ventura County public health officials released a racial and ethnic breakdown of some COVID-19 cases and deaths for the first time Wednesday — it was missing for nearly half of the region's 365 cases.

Live stories coming atcha

I'll leave you with a suggestion for how to spend part of your Thursday evening when The Storytellers Project presents its second "LIVE in Your Home" virtual show.

This show is centered around stories of personal growth, relationships and lessons learned. Head to the Storytellers Project Facebook page or YouTube channel to listen.

Come because you happen to be free, leave inspired to do that thing you've always put off or mend that relationship you've missed. Get more information and see the full lineup here. The show starts at 5 PST.

In California is a roundup of news from across USA TODAY Network newsrooms. Also contributing: Curbed San Francisco, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Atlantic.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California, coronavirus, stimulus checks, illegal immigrants: Wed news