COVID PM: How outdoor dining kept Scotts Valley restaurants afloat; vaccine incentive backlash

By Mark Conley

Source: Lookout Santa Cruz

Happy Friday evening, folks.

Before we get to the fabulous weekend ahead, the headlines du jour ...

‘Our locals kept us alive’ — and so did outdoor dining

Mother and owner Norma Corona and daughter Ashley Garcia of Auntie Mame's.

A push for Scotts Valley restaurants to stay outside: With restaurants, politicians and community members seemingly all-in on outdoor dining, bureaucratic hurdles could be the only thing keeping Scotts Valley from making it permanent before a city ordinance expires at year’s end. More from our Neil Strebig on that here.

Newsom kicks off plan to incentivize vaccinations as critics lash out

Gov. Gavin Newsom selected 15 winners Friday as part of California's "Vax For The Win" campaign.

#VaxFTW program: Gov. Gavin Newsom, facing a recall election, drew the names of the first winners of California’s COVID-19 vaccine lottery in an upbeat event Friday. “He’s gambling for people’s votes with our taxpayer dollars,” said one recall organizer. More from the LA Times on that here.

COVID-19 state of emergency will last beyond June 15, Newsom says (LA Times)

‘Hero pay’ bill for healthcare workers fizzles in California Legislature (LA Times)

California moving toward workplaces without masks

What you need to know: A California safety board recommends relaxing workplace safety rules, including mask requirements, for people vaccinated against COVID. Here’s more from the Times.

Many CSU students see big upsides to online learning

Now, there is a push to expand it: COVID-19 forced schools to shift to online learning. At CSU, it’s sticking around in what will be a new normal. More from the Times.

More from here & elsewhere

➤ CDC: Rise in teen hospitalizations shows importance of vaccine (CNN)
➤ Fauci’s emails don’t prove a Wuhan conspiracy, but raise questions (NBC News)
➤ 20 MLB teams reach 85% vaccinated, relax protocols (ABC News)
➤ The CDC’s No. 2 Official Says The U.S. Isn’t Ready For Another Pandemic (NPR)
➤ New York to eliminate indoor mask rule for schools, camp (USA Today)
➤ Anti-vax protesters in Marvel costumes camp out at Disneyland (SF Gate)
➤ Napa confirms first COVID death of fully vaccinated patient (SF Gate)
➤ New Vaccine Incentives, Surplus Dose Shipments, and More Coronavirus News (Wired)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Mark Conley
Deputy Managing Editor