Labor
City of Novato minimum wage set to increase this July
KRON 4, 6/22
The Novato City Council is set to increase its local minimum wage effective July 1… The local minimum wage increase comes as part of a phased approach allowing all employees in Novato to reach a $15 minimum wage one year earlier than California law requires.
Food Industry Policy
Poorest seniors shut out of California’s coronavirus meal program
Los Angeles Times 6/22
To help elderly people at severe risk from the coronavirus, California launched the “Great Plates Delivered” program to bring meals from local restaurants to their homes.
Podcast: Vinny Eng on how SF New Deal has kept restaurants going through the pandemic
San Francisco Chronicle 6/22
On this episode of Extra Spicy, co-host Soleil Ho talks with organizer and sommelier Vinny Eng about working with SF New Deal, a nonprofit that has provided financial relief for restaurants by enlisting them to cook meals for people and organizations in need.
SF looks to speed up reopening salons and bars, citing encouraging health stats
San Francisco Chronicle 6/22
San Francisco officials are looking to accelerate the city’s emergence from the economic shutdown prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic by moving up the date at which certain businesses, including hair salons, museums and outdoor bars, can reopen.
Gov. Newsom asks Californians to report restaurants, businesses that shirk social distancing
The Mercury News 6/22
California Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the state’s residents Monday to be the eyes and ears of the government, imploring them to report businesses cutting safety corners as the economy continues its slow reopening from the coronavirus shutdown.
Study: Taxing Sugar Levels In Soda Could Prevent 2M US Cases Of Diabetes And Cardiovascular Disease
CBS, Sacramento 6/22
Cities, states and nations have been turning to sugar taxes as a potential way to improve public health in their communities, but the jury has been out on how best to implement the fine.
Marin supervisors cap fees for 3rd-party food couriers
Marin Independent Journal 6/21
Effective Monday, third-party food delivery companies, such as DoorDash and Grubhub, must limit the commissions they charge restaurants in unincorporated Marin to 15%.
On the Side
The Reality of Reopening: Restaurateurs Share Their View from the Ground
Eater 6/22
Join Eater’s Meghan McCarron for a discussion with chef/owners Deborah VanTrece, Carlos Salgado, and Reyna Duong on what reopening in three distinct cities across the U.S. looks like.
Multiple LA Locations of Bakery Chain Close After Employees Test Positive for COVID-19
Eater, Los Angeles 6/22
National chain bakery Nothing Bundt Cakes has closed two San Gabriel Valley locations temporarily after staff there tested positive for the coronavirus.
This Echo Park Cafe Is Using Greenhouses For Socially-Distant Outdoor Dining
Eater, Los Angeles 6/22
It’s been a busy few weeks around the city, as Los Angeles restaurants reopen for dine-in service, with many taking unprecedented steps to expand seated areas into public parking lots and sidewalks.