MARCMA MAY 6, 2020 H 26, 2020
Some businesses can begin reopening Friday
San Diego County announced that some businesses can begin to reopen Friday if they have a plan in place to protect workers and the public.

The Business Safety Framework was adopted by the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to highlight steps that must be taken before businesses can reopen, including the creation of a Safe Reopening Plan that ensures proper sanitation, physical distancing and general business practices and communication.

The Business Safety Framework was adopted by the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to highlight steps that must be taken before
businesses can reopen, including the creation of a Safe Reopening Plan that ensures proper sanitation, physical distancing and general business practices and communication.

Governor Gavin Newsom has also said he will announce guidelines tomorrow that will loosen public health restrictions that will allow some businesses with curbside pickup, such as bookstores, toy stores, and florists, to reopen Friday.

Public health officials said the public should continue to stay at home, wear a face covering when in public, maintain social distancing of at least six feet and frequently wash their hands.

Officials said the county can loosen restrictions because it meets four of the five federal criteria for reopening:
  • The County has experienced a 14-day downward trajectory in the number of people with influenza-like illness at local emergency departments.
  • The County has registered a downward trajectory of COVID-like syndromic cases reported within a 14-day period.
  • The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in comparison to the number of tests administered over a 14-day period has been in a downward trajectory.
  • The local health care system has been able to handle the number of patients needing hospitalization for COVID-19 and other illnesses and diseases.

The fifth criteria involves COVID-19 testing, an area where officials say progress is being made.

COVID-19 testing
Grossmont College’s debut on Tuesday as one of three state COVID-19 testing sites went well, although heavy demand caused waiting times of about two hours.
An appointment for testing can be made online or by calling 888-634-1123 , Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Newsom said more than 800,000 Californians have been tested for COVID-19, with 25,000 to 30,000 tests a day now being conducted.
Quarantine Cooking
Sheltering at home to escape the clutches of COVID-19 has sparked an interest in cooking and baking unlike anything that Grossmont College Culinary Arts instructor Helen Coyne has ever seen.
 
Perhaps it is the simple act of cooking for loved ones during a time of anxiety and peril that is so appealing. As an expression of love or merely a way to occupy time, whipping up a home-cooked meal or baking a loaf of sourdough bread have never seemed so enticing.
 
During a recent faculty meeting Javier Ayala, dean of Career and Technical Education, called upon Coyne to share some cooking tips and recipes. The instructor of the college’s home cooking essentials class happily obliged.
Chef Helen credits her mother for instilling a lifelong love for baking. “At home, I was in charge of holiday baking since my mother always seemed to burn her baked goods,” said Coyne, who got her start in food services at age 18 as a counter clerk at a Winchell’s Donut House.
The San Diego native worked her way up to baker and store manager, working 70-90 hours a week. Other culinary jobs followed, as well as a culinary arts degree from Grossmont College in 2000.
 
In 2014, Coyne returned to the campus and was hired as an adjunct instructor in Culinary Arts Program, teaching soups and stocks, a well as buffet and catering classes.
 
“I have taught every semester since then. I love it here,” she said. “I love making a difference in students’ lives. It is so rewarding to see students learn and grow and become successful in the industry.” More recipes.
For more flavor, simmer the rice in coconut milk and water, or chicken stock. .Add a spice or herb like a bayleaf or a sprig of thyme.
In the News
In the Remote Report, you’ll see important updates, get your questions answered, and learn ways to help us all navigate this new world of mass telecommuting. Issues of the Remote Report will be archived on the District Remote Report page

If you have news to share or discovered a tip that helps you work better remotely, pass it on. Please send your items to Anne Krueger , Christianne Penunuri (Cuyamaca College) or Lorena Ruggero (Grossmont College).