Local and regional coronavirus coverage from KCBX News

Stories related to COVID-19 on the Central Coast

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Gig Workers Struggle To Get Financial Help During Pandemic

April McGhee and her teenage daughter started feeling sick last month. They had coughs, sore throats and fevers. Her daughter's condition became so bad that they went to the emergency room. "She had it worse than I did," McGhee said. "Her cough lasted longer. It was really a concern. ... It was like a dry, nonproductive, hacking cough." McGhee, who lives in Sacramento, wanted both of them to get tested for the coronavirus. But the hospital told her they weren't sick enough to qualify for...

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Greta Mart/KCBX

Mindbody lays off, furloughs over a third of its employees due to global client business closures

A Must For Millions, Zoom Has A Dark Side — And An FBI Warning

NPR

President Trump Fires Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson

Updated at 11:50 p.m. ET President Trump is firing Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, two congressional sources confirm to NPR. In a letter to the Senate Intelligence committee chairs Friday, Trump said he "no longer" has the fullest confidence in Atkinson. The letter says the removal will be effective "30 days from today." Atkinson first raised concerns about a complaint involving President Trump's communications with Ukraine, which led to the impeachment inquiry. An...

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U.S. May Get More Ventilators But Run Out Of Medicine For COVID-19 Patients

Supreme Court Delays Oral Arguments, Hinting Some May Be Decided Next Term

Mindbody lays off, furloughs over a third of its employees due to global client business closures

By • Apr 3, 2020
Greta Mart/KCBX

Mindbody is a health and wellness technology company headquartered in San Luis Obispo, with offices in Santa Maria and around the world. While the current stay-at-home situation may be good for some tech companies, like Zoom, for Mindbody this is not the case. On Thursday, the company announced it is laying off or furloughing thirty-five percent of its workforce. 

The Reluctant Therapist: Shelter-in-place parenting

By • Apr 2, 2020

Shelter-in-place parenting has become a category of its own, an unprecedented experience that has even the most confident of caregivers struggling to meet the daily demands of their children. Elizabeth Barrett and her guest, therapist Megan Englert, discuss strategies for keeping it all together when we're not sure where we're going.

Alarmed over bottled water scarcity, some calling for statewide ban on water shut-offs

By Michael Barros • Apr 2, 2020
Flickr/Paul Hudson

4/2/20 UPDATE: On Thursday, California's governor signed an executive order directing a statewide moratorium on water shutoffs. 

Central Coast Voices: COVID-19 effects on the Central Coast homeless population

By • Apr 2, 2020

Last year California’s homeless population climbed to 150,000, the most in the nation. Already communities have been struggling throughout the state to deal with this crisis. Now with the outbreak of COVID-19, there are fears that many in this vulnerable population could become infected with the virus. One projection suggests that up to 60,000 homeless in the state could become infected. How can you shelter-at-home when you have no home?

Issues & Ideas: STEAM learning at Hearst Castle, tutors for homeless youth and local olive oil

By , , & & Beth Thornton • Mar 31, 2020

On this episdoe of Issues & Ideas: We learn more about a STEAM—science, technology, engineering, the arts and math—program for middle school students offered by the Foundation at Hearst Castle. And a nationwide shortage prompts distilleries in San Luis Obispo County to turn production over to hand sanitizer. We hear more about a nonprofit organization called 'School on Wheels' that tutors homeless children in Santa Barbara County. And Father Ian takes us on an educational tour of Central Coast olive groves and olive oil producers. 

Playing With Food: Central Coast olive oil

By Fr. Ian Delinger • Mar 30, 2020
Fr. Ian Delinger

Explore the world of Central Coast olive oil with Father Ian on "Playing With Food."

Central Coast distilleries pitch in to produce needed supplies

By • Mar 30, 2020
Greta Mart/KCBX

As the novel coronavirus pandemic widens, the acute shortage of personal protective equipment worsens; things like face masks and hand sanitizer. To help meet the great need, Central Coast distilleries are changing their production lines from booze to bottling ethanol-based sanitizer.

Some spring courses to center on coronavirus at Cal Poly

By Michael Barros • Mar 28, 2020
Courtesy of Cal Poly College of Engineering

In San Luis Obispo, some Cal Poly professors are using the spring quarter’s curriculum to provide tangible support to doctors and nurses during the pandemic, research the virus, and more—an impromptu study in real-world applications.

33 COVID-19 cases in SLO County

By • Mar 23, 2020

On March 14, there was one confirmed cast of COVID-19 in San Luis Obispo County. Nine days later, as of Monday afternoon, there are 33. Two of those patients have been admitted to a local hospital, one in the intensive care unit.

Journeys of Discovery: SLO air travel status

By • Mar 20, 2020
Thomas Wilmer

Kevin Bumen, director of the San Luis Obispo County Airport, offers insights into the current status of travel by air and specific health and safety responses to COVID-19.  

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