Also: State officials released a list of skilled nursing facilities.
 | | Volunteers loaded vehicles at a food distribution center in Los Angeles on Friday. Food banks in the state have seen a spike in numbers as the state’s unemployment level jumped to 5.3 percent for the month of March.Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press |
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A few weeks ago, we asked readers to send us stories of people helping one another during the pandemic. From the responses, it’s clear that across the state, acts of generosity and resilience are happening every day. |
In Van Nuys, Nicole Gregory attended a dance party on her street organized by a neighbor, a dancer. She wrote: “My 22-year-old son set up his drums and played them, several adults banged on pans in the same beat, and danced in place (safely distanced from each other of course)!” |
Seeing acts of kindness inspired others to act, too. In Goleta, Susie Naughton watched as her neighbors handed a truck driver a large case of toilet paper. “I thought, what can I give them?” she wrote. “I picked a handful of oranges and gave them to the driver when he reached our house.” |
Here are a few tales of kindness or positivity shared with us. (They’ve been lightly edited for length and clarity.) We hope they help you start your week feeling a little better: |
 | | Jenya Chernoff |
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We were scheduled to get married May 25, and had already acquired our license; since it was looking like our wedding might not happen as scheduled, we decided to get married last month. |
Five of our friends came and stood apart from one another to witness our ceremony, and a sixth officiated, as they’re ordained. We even found a photographer through our old work on short notice. |
We held our mini-wedding at the Lawrence Hall of Science [in Berkeley], in the lower parking lot. It wasn’t what we’d pictured or what we’d planned, but it was lovely, and we are so lucky to have friends close by who dropped everything to help us get married. |
— Reese Lichtenstein, Oakland
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 | | Todd Hale |
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I took the picture from the view of exiting the elevator to the fourth floor of my condo building. We are located in downtown San Diego in a neighborhood called Bankers Hill. One of our neighbors started this thoughtful gesture to assist those who may be uncomfortable to venture to the stores. |
This display began March 23 and is still being used today. Some people take items and then others will replenish the shelving with other or different supplies. I am very proud to call Laurel Bay home.
— Todd Hale, Laurel Bay |
 | | Ros Creasy |
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I was chatting with my longtime friend Glenda on my birthday call when I happened to mention that I was running out of toilet paper at a bad time. The next morning she showed up and put this package on my front mat, waved and drove off. There will be many such moments in the future that will stand out in our minds when we look back at this strange event; this will be one of the anecdotes I’ll remember. |
I’ve known Glenda since 1963 when we both lived in the Boston area. We both gravitated to California and joined a woman’s group in the turbulent 1970s and have seen each other through turbulent times. Good times or bad, having someone who knows you well helps you ground yourself and celebrate the joys of life and weather the downs. Longtime good friends are one of the great treasures in life.
— Ros Creasy, Los Altos |
Here’s what else we’re following |
We often link to sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. We appreciate your reading Times coverage, but we also encourage you to support local news if you can. |
- Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized cities he said blocked the conversion of hotels and motels for emergency housing, saying over the weekend that they will be judged by “the annals of history.” [CalMatters]
- Mr. Newsom also announced that the former presidential candidate Tom Steyer will lead the Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery. The bipartisan committee includes the state’s four living governors as well as Tim Cook, Janet Yellen and Bob Iger. [The Sacramento Bee]
- Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles warned that the economic fallout from the outbreak will be bigger than the 2008 recession, requiring furloughs of thousands of city employees. [The Los Angeles Times]
- A small study tested more than 3,000 people in Santa Clara County for coronavirus antibodies and found that one in every 66 people had been infected with Covid-19. However, the accuracy of antibody tests used in the study has been called into question. [Nature]
- State officials released a list of over 250 skilled nursing facilities that have reported one or more cases of Covid-19. Not included in the list were assisted living facilities. [The Mercury News]
- The global outbreak has not halted the sex trade on the streets of Los Angeles. [The Los Angeles Times]
- The country’s three largest metropolitan areas, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, all lost population in the past several years as more people opt to live in cheaper, less densely packed cities. The pandemic has left mayors of big cities wondering about their future. [The New York Times]
- Here’s a running list of organizations that distribute emergency grants to artists, creative professionals and freelancers facing financial hardships in California. Most of these organizations also accept donations, if you are in a position to help. [KQED]
- Where do you go to escape? We want to hear how you are using time outdoors as a balm or a distraction from the pandemic. [The New York Times]
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 | | Francesco De Grazia recreating Caravaggio’s “Boy With a Basket of Fruit.” |
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Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, graduated from U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter. |
California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley. |
