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Bay Area Coronavirus Information — Updated Daily

Monday Morning Headlines: CA Public Health Official Resigns After Data Glitch

State officials said someone would be held "accountable" for the major COVID data glitch, the school year begins today for kids in Oakland, and the SF Fire Department has very few COVID cases despite employees likely exposure to infected people.

Arts & Entertainment

Strolls Through San Francisco and Oakland Zoos Offer Flashes of Pre-Pandemic Normalcy

With zoos in San Francisco and Oakland reopened, attracting sold-out weekend crowds and droves of giddy weekday visitors, spending an afternoon mesmerized by macaws is quickly proving to be a cathartic source of familiarity for many; that's been the case for us, as well.

Yelp Data Shows 5,000 San Francisco Area Businesses Have Closed Since Pandemic Began

It’s been an unprecedented, extinction-level time for small businesses across the nation. Moreover, new findings from Yelp reveal that some 5,000 SF area businesses have closed since the global health crisis started — with over 2,000 of them now permanently shut down.

Sunday Links: Foot Traffic in Chinatown Continues To Trudge Along

SF's Chinatown businesses continue to struggle (even more so than others) amid the pandemic, a two-alarm apartment fire early Sunday near Hayes Valley left one firefighter injured, and Dolores Park was packed yesterday — with many people ignoring COVID-19 safety measures.

Treasure Island Suffers Eighth Power Outage of 2020, Highlighting Need for 'Back-Up Batteries'

Treasure Island had a four-hour blackout Thursday, its eighth one of 2020. And now that we're all at the mercy of our modern-day niceties (Wifi, cable, etc.) this recent power outage only highlights the need to pursue a literal back-up plan for Treasure Island.

California Health Secretary Says 300,000 Health Records Backlogged Because of CalREDIE Glitch

Earlier this week, it was revealed a data system hiccup led to the state grossly underreporting COVID-19 cases. Yesterday, that glitch was estimated to have caused some 300,000 health records in California to go unprocessed — many of which were COVID-19 test results.

Saturday Links: Berkeley Testing Site Will Now Offer Self-Administered COVID-19 Tests

A new self-administered COVID-19 testing site opens in Berkeley today, the almost 14-acre Regional Shoreline Park fire was contained early last night, and file this away under the "WTF 2020" folder: zombie cicadas — mind-controlled by a fungus — have returned to West Virginia.

Day Around the Bay: San Francisco To Stop Leasing Additional Shelter-in-Place Hotel Rooms

San Francisco officials announced this week the City will stop acquiring new shelter-in-place hotel rooms, the CDC is now not recommending face masks with ventilators to be worn to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and a crowd of Trump supporters has shut down an overpass in Novato... because 2020.

Death of Marin Real Estate Investor Reveals Allegedly Vast Ponzi Scheme

A well known Republican donor and real estate mogul who attracted over 1,000 investors into what was allegedly a Ponzi scheme dating back decades died of a heart attack in May, leaving his ex-wife to sort out a major financial mess.

Marin Public Housing Actually Exists, But Residents Sue Over Squalor and Disrepair

Yes, Marin County actually does have some public housing, but residents have filed suit because the county won’t do anything about the rats, exposed electrical wires, and general disrepair.

Arts & Entertainment

Trailer Arrives For New Documentary About Robin Williams' Battle With Dementia

Robin Williams' tragic suicide took the world by surprise in August 2014. Six years on, his widow wants the world to understand the nature of the disease that was tormenting him in his final months, via a documentary titled 'Robin's Wish.'

Arts & Entertainment

Dorothea Lange Exhibit at Oakland Museum To Feature Hundreds of Rarely Seen Photos

Dorothea Lange documented American life through nuanced photographs that highlighted the major social issues of the 20th century. Next week, you can virtually scroll through hundreds of her works, courtesy of OMCA’s latest digital exhibit devoted to the world-renowned photographer.

Vallejo Seeks Change Of Venue And Gag Order For Civil Rights Case In Sean Monterrosa Shooting

The city attorney in Vallejo is already seeking a change of venue and a gag order on the attorneys and plaintiffs involved in the civil rights lawsuit filed yesterday in federal court pertaining to the police shooting of Sean Monterrosa.

Arts & Entertainment

Outside Lands Announces Inside Lands, a Virtual Festival Featuring 12 Years Of Great Performances

As other festivals have done, Outside Lands will move online for a free, virtual event later this month called Inside Lands, featuring videos of past performances and interviews from the festival's last 12 years, all on Twitch.

Bay Area Sports

Tiger Woods Overheard Hating on the SF Giants During PGA Championship

Golf great Tiger Woods may have just lost some fans in the Bay Area, after he was overheard Thursday morning chatting with another player about how much he hates the San Francisco Giants.

Former SF Medical Examiner's Staffer Involved In Adachi Autopsy Sues City Over His Firing

A former employee of the SF Medical Examiner's Office claims he was fired after refusing to alter the autopsy report of late Public Defender Jeff Adachi at the request of the City Administrator. The city says that the allegations are "complete fiction."

Outspoken San Mateo Health Officer Calls State's Watch-List Process 'Arbitrary' and 'Misdirected'

Dr. Scott Morrow, who has the distinction of being the longest-serving county health officer in the state of California, has been mincing no words from the start of the pandemic. And this is no exception.

Friday Morning Constitutional: Zuckerberg Is Now a Centibillionaire

California marks its 10,000 coronavirus death, a shooting in East Oakland claims one life, and Mark Zuckerberg is now worth over $100 billion.

Day Around the Bay: Sonoma County Approves Fines For Mask Scofflaws

Community organizations are scrambling to figure out where 18,000 newly released inmates might live, Uber lost $1.8 billion last quarter, and Laney College is featured on Netflix's 'Last Chance U.'

SF Restaurants, Food & Drink

High-End Mint Plaza Sushi Spot Hashiri Debuts Dining Under Plastic Domes

The $200-per-person kaiseki and omakase menu experience is possibly the most high-end dining option available in SF right now, and it's outside, but not completely.

San Francisco Announces Continued Impacts From State COVID Data Reporting Tool

While San Francisco's COVID patient data may be somewhat better than other counties due to a move made early in the pandemic with regard to how labs report to the city's health department, it is still seeing the impacts of statewide underreporting.

‘Fat Mark’ Gets Life In Prison For Mendocino Double Murder of ‘Shrimp Boy’ Rivals

More wheels of justice turn in the Shrimp Boy affair, as an Oakland crime figure gets a life sentence for the murder of two other crime figures at a fake Mendocino pot farm.

SoCal Man Beaten and Robbed of $200,000 Life Savings Outside Chase Bank

The story of a Los Angeles-area who was just beaten and robbed of his life savings outside a bank where he'd just withdrawn it is enough to make you hate 2020 all over again.

Vallejo PD Moves To Fire Officer In 2019 Shooting As Family of Sean Monterrosa Sues For Wrongful Death

In a federal court filing today, the Monterrosas and their attorneys say that the June 2 shooting was "brutal, malicious, and done without just provocation or cause."

San Leandro Police Officer Fatally Shoots Car Theft Suspect In Oakland

A San Leandro Police officer shot and killed a suspect in an allegedly stolen vehicle following a chase into Oakland Wednesday night, after the suspect allegedly emerged from the car with an assault weapon.