Send in the Navy and Tesla against coronavirus + ‘Economic consequences’ + PG&E deal

Andrew Sheeler, Hannah Wiley
·6 min read

Good Monday morning to you, California.

COVID-19 UPDATES

Where we stand:

“We want to get as many people covered as possible to ensure they have access to the health care they need,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “Having more people insured is the right thing to do, and this action builds on our efforts to leave no one behind in California.”

  • Last week, Newsom mentioned that there’s been a “huge increase in people that are assaulting people on the basis of how they were born.” The governor acknowledged that Asians in California have faced racism and xenophobia during this pandemic. Hate crime data is collected and released on a yearly basis through the California Department of Justice.

From the DOJ press team — “Our office encourages individuals who suspect they have been the victim of a hate crime to immediately report it directly to local law enforcement. At the California Department of Justice, we remain committed to doing our part to assist our state, local, and federal partners in tackling hate crime wherever it occurs.”

LOW INCOME WORKERS HIT BY COVID-19

One economic group could be hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Public Policy Institute of California: Low-income workers.

“These Californians are not necessarily at high risk of health complications from COVID-19, but they will be deeply affected by the economic consequences of the steps being taken by cities, counties, and regions to contain the outbreak and protect public health,” according to PPIC’s Caroline Danielson.

12.3 million Californians live in or near poverty, according to PPIC, with 1.5 million of those living in deep poverty “with resources less than half of the poverty line.”

More than half, 58 percent, are Latino, while 21 percent are white, 12 percent are Asian and 6 percent are black.

That includes about 4 million people living in Los Angeles County and 2 million living in the Bay Area.

Many families live on the very edge of poverty, where a loss of income could be enough to push them over the line, according to PPIC.

“A loss of $500 in annual income would push an additional 215,000 Californians into poverty, while a loss of $1,000 would put an additional 425,000 Californians below the poverty line. In short, even a relatively small financial loss can make a big difference,” Danielson wrote.

Danielson wrote that these statistics highlight the importance of state and federal emergency measures which have been proposed, such as expanding food assistance benefits, paid sick leave and unemployment benefits.

WE’VE GOT A DEAL

Via Dale Kasler

PG&E Corp. and Gov. Gavin Newsom have made a deal on overhauling PG&E’s operations, removing one of the last remaining obstacles to the utility’s efforts to exit bankruptcy. Newsom’s office announced Friday that PG&E will commit billions of dollars in additional spending to prevent wildfires, meeting one of his critical demands.

In a filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, PG&E also agreed to a process that could have the entire company put up for sale if it doesn’t pull out of bankruptcy by June 30, a deadline set by the Legislature.

“This is the end of business as usual for PG&E,” the governor said in a prepared statement. “We secured a totally transformed board and leadership structure for the company, real accountability tools to ensure safety and reliability and billions more in contributions from shareholders to ensure safety upgrades are achieved.”

HANNAH WILEY ASKS FOR RECS — A year ago when I first started this job, I called on readers to send me their best California book suggestions. These past 13 months, I’ve come to know and deeply fall in love with this beautiful Golden State through the works of, among others, Joan Didion, Kevin Starr, Miriam Pawel and John Steinbeck.

I’m refreshing my call for favorite book submissions. What’ are you reading during this era of uncertainty, anxiety and perhaps, quiet?

Please don’t limit your suggestions to your current reads. Here are a few things that I’m doing, for example, to keep my mental health above water. What have you found time and energy for?

  • Capital Books is showing up for Sacramento! I walked to the K Street store to pick up a two-book order on Friday and a kind worker handed off my package at a Newsom-approved distance.

  • Several yoga and workout studios are staying virtually open, so I’ve rolled out my mat every morning to take an online Zuda class.

  • Many a cookbook have collected in my kitchen, where for years they’ve collected dust. I’ve finally cracked a few open and leaned on old tried-and-trues — like this coconut turmeric chickpea stew — for the days when my soul feels like it needs a hug.

  • Blocks of FaceTimes, daily walks, decluttering my closet and writing hand-written notes to my family and friends are included in my schedule — yes, I scribbled out a daily agenda. It helps.

  • My colleagues and I became journalists for this very moment. We’re working around-the-clock at The Sacramento Bee to deliver quality content that provides the who-what-when-where-why-and-hows of this entire ordeal. If you can, we’d greatly appreciate a subscription to maintain the pace.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Just wanted to start off the day saying THANK YOU to every -- grocery store worker, pharmacist, and delivery worker that are helping us get though this together.”

- Gov. Gavin Newsom, via Twitter.

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