Rams livestreaming to students at home. I think that were already beginning to see across social media or through Informal Networks teachers talking about how they go about creating that classroom culture and connections with individual students. Reporter the District School board Vice President says there wont be as much confusion and scrambling as last year when the pandemic forced quick decisions on the run and the governors order is helpful. We have time to plan. We have time to organize. We have time to make sure kids have the devices they need, that we are using fewer platforms so that everybody kind of knows the technologies. Reporter the school board also plans to meet next week to address concerns by teachers who might be reluctant to instruct from school and find a way so they can teach from home yet still be ready for the first day of School August 12th. In san jose, robert handa, nbc bay area news. Robert, thank you. In Contra Costa County, several schools that were planning to reopen classrooms are now shifting to plan b. Concords two private high schools plan to reopen in midaugust but thats not possible right now unless the county is removed from that watch list. And the Liberty UnionSchool District in east Contra Costa County says theyll have to scrap their hybrid model plan and gear up to start the school year completely virtual. Parents and school staff that we spoke to say they hope the Distance Learning wont be required for too long. You know, i really would like for my kids to be able to go back to school for the social aspect of things. I think it takes a toll on their mental, you know, stability. And i love school and i love our students being in school. And i love our students interacting with our quality educators and staff. And as soon as we can get them back on campus, we will. It should be noted even Governor Newsom said he wants kids to get back onto campus, but right now its just not safe. The superintendent also says understanding the governors trying to keep the students, teachers, and community safe, and he does appreciate that. We mentioned the watch list. What does it mean for the schools . If a schools county is on that list, the governor said campus must remain closes. Campuses cannot reopen until they have been off that list for 14 consecutive days. Right now 32 counties statewide are on the watch list. Thats not the only reason why campuses would have to be shut down. An outbreak at the school. Also if theres a confirmed case in the classroom, the entire class must go home for 14 days. If more than 5 of the school has tested positive, the whole school must close. And a whole district must shut down if more than 25 of the schools are closed within the district. Now, theres one exception to this rule. Superintendents can request waivers for Elementary Schools from their local health officers. There are a lot of questions. A lot to go through. Weve put the governors detailed plan on our website so you can check it out for yourself. Just go to nbcbayarea. Com returntoschool. On the university level, uc berkeley is looking on the bright side as it reports new covid cases. School hasnt started yet but theres a Campus Community in place at cal. The School Reports 25 new cases, more than half of whom have ties to fraternities and sew rorties. The school says compared to the 47 cases report the last week, its good news because its a downward trend, and its a plus that people are coming in for testing after theyre identified through contact tracing. San quentin now has more than 2,000 cases and so far 12 inmates have died. But in the middle of the devastating outbreak, but theres been one island of calm, and thats the h unit. Its a dormstyle housing unit for hundreds lower security prisoners. Sources tell our Investigative Unit that there are now two c e cases inside that h unit including a guard. There are concerns that the virus could spread within that block. Were told everyone in those dorms are scheduled to be tested tomorrow. As we mentioned, San Francisco is the latest county to be added to the state watch list, and if it stays on it for three consecutive days, more businesses will be forced to close as of monday. Nbc bay areas Christie Smith joins us from San Francisco with a message that the mayor really wants everyone to hear. Christie . Reporter the mayor was very direct about this. San francisco is going backward. She said we need to get this virus under control. Time is running out, and the decisions you make matter. We have flattened this curve once, and we must do it again. Reporter San Francisco mayor london breed didnt mince words as covid19 hospitalizations are on the rise. San francisco is now on the states watch list. Meaning we need to follow the state restrictions even though we were given a variance not too long ago to move forward more quickly with our reopening. Reporter indoor malls and nonessential offices will need to close monday except for basic operations. She then explained one factor behind the citys surge in new cases. What im afraid of is the complacency. People are tired of the virus, but the virus is not tired of us. Reporter reopening is paused until conditions improve. We were hoping that it was going to be this last monday. Reporter pete sitnik at water bar and epic steak offers Outdoor Dining and is grateful that people are coming but also says he understands Public Health comes first. Still, he isnt sure when diners will be allowed to dine inside again. And that were taking the necessary safety protocols. But ultimately in the end, just doing Outdoor Dining with socially distanced tables does not create a Sustainable Business model. Reporter the city is also issuing a new Public Health order for private Health Care Providers to increase testing services, and there are plans to expand access to impacted communities. People were asked to carefully consider their decisions. Were not reopening until we get this under control. So we need to redouble our efforts to limit gatherings and wear masks when youre outside your household. Reporter in San Francisco, Christie Smith, nbc bay area news. So weve been telling you about the surge of cases but also a surge of deaths. The past two weeks have been the deadliest weeks of this pandemic for california. Lets show you this. It shows the number of daily coronavirus deaths, okay . You can see the numbers. Were pretty low back here in march, right . Then they start to go a little higher, but then they kind of flatten out throughout april, may, and june. But check out the last two weeks here in july. 149 deaths july 8th, and this now, july 14th, 140 deaths. Thats a lot. Hospitalizations and case numbers are also rising, and it may take several weeks for that death rate that we see there to slow back down. For the second day in a row, the u. S. Has reached another singleday high, adding close to 74,000 new cases. Tonight a leaked white house document has 18 states in the socalled red zones. That document was obtained by the center for public integrity, a nonprofit newsroom. In it, california, arizona, texas, and florida are classified as redzone states, meaning theyve had a spike in cases and high positivity rates. It suggests stringent protective measures like Wearing Masks and closing gyms and bars. And you can see here the president s Approval Rating has taken a downward turn. A Washington Post abc news poll found 60 disapprove of the president s pandemic response. The white house is now considering a shift in strategy. His Approval Rating on the pandemic was higher when he was at the podium. It was at 51 in march. I think people want to hear from the president of the united states. During Previous Daily briefings, the president was often criticized for overshadowing the advice of medical professionals and giving fuel to the protests against shutdowns and face masks. The man who killed 18yearold nia will sob at a baurtd station in oakland will spent the rest of his life behind bars. Today a judge sentencing John Lee Cowell to life in prison without the possibility of parole. For the Wilson Family, the legal drama dragged on for two years is finally over. But they say the pain they feel is just as raw. Nbc bay areas melissa colorado spoke to wilsons family after they left court. She has more from oakland for us. Even though its been two years, its still fresh to me. It still seems like yesterday. Reporter nia wilsons family hardly ever missed a court date for her killer, John Lee Cowell. And even in the middle of a pandemic, today was no different. During a virtual sentencing hearing, the family watched as a judge sentenced cowell to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Wilsons mother, alicia grayson, wore a personalized face mask with her youngest daughters name and picture. It was good to finally look him well, you know, through tv and let him hear my voice. Reporter cowell was convicted back in march of firstdegree murder for stashing and killing wilson as she was stepping offer a train at the macarthur b. A. R. T. Station nearly two years ago. Cowell was also convicted of attempted murder for stabbing nias older sister latifah, who spoke at todays sentencing. What i want him to understand is the pain that you inflict on people or anybody, it dont ever go away. Reporter at his trial, cowell pled not guilty by reason of insanity. The prosecutor said cowell had no reaction until the very end when he asked the judge if his attorney would be able to file an appeal. Which i think is ill straightive of his mindset. Reporter in the search for justice, the Wilson Family said they found a Guardian Angel to help them navigate the legal system. If it wasnt for butch, we would not be here. Thank you so much, butch, if youre watching. Thank you, butch, we love you. Reporter John Lee Cowell now hands to san quentin where he will be evaluated for the next 90 days. From there its up to the department of corrections to decide which prison the 29yearold will serve his life sentence. In emeryville, melissa colorado, nbc bay area news. Up next here at 5 00, what put San Francisco on the states watch list, and how concerned should we be across the bay area . Ucsfs leading ep dpeem yol gist joins us for a live interview. Plus fed up with people not Wearing Masks . Senator feinstein is proposing a new penalty for the states that dont make it a requirement. Im chief meteorologist jeff ranieri. Sunshine for a lot of the bay area right now but ill show you where the fog rolls in tomorrow morning and the change in the weather next week. Ill set it all up for you coming up in about seven minutes. When we welcome our viewers here in the west, the debate over mandatory mask orders heads to court in georgia. The governor versus atlantas mayor. Also well take a few moments to share some thoughts about our failure to control the covid crisis and whats being asked of us when we see you back here tonight. This cheeseburger is the best its about to get bester baby menutaur make it a double, yeah nice mane try my 5. 99 southwest cheddar cheeseburger combo and make it a double for a buck more. Order now with no contact delivery. Sad news today about Supreme CourtJustice Ruth Bader ginsburg. The justice says her liver cancer has returned. Ginsburg is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Doctors say shes already seeing positive results. In a statement, ginsburg said she plans to remain on the high court and that her treatment will not get in the way of her work. This is not ginsburgs first battle with cancer. She received Radiation Therapy for pancreatic cancer last year. She also had tumors removed from her lungs back in 2018. How long will we be in this stage . More businesses being shut down and campuses closed. Eight of our nine bay area counties are now on that states watch list. San francisco is the latest addition with an increase in hospitalization rates. San mateo county is the only one not on the governors list. Lets bring in dr. George rutherford, epidemiologist at ucsf. Doctor, youve always been blunt with us. Numbers are going in the wrong direction. How concerned are you . Oh, we have to be concerned when the numbers are going in the wrong direction. The hospital numbers are a bit of an artifact, though, because were getting transports both from san quentin as well as a handful from Imperial County that are taking beds. But, you know, thats part of the deal. We have to be able to help out the other counties in california who are overloaded. But thats created some pressure on the icu beds. More people are getting tested. Thats the upside. But its taking five to eight days to get those results back. How damaging is that . Its not good. Its not good. Its the wrong direction. It makes it particularly difficult for contact tracing, you know, unless people selfquarantine while theyre waiting for their results because it just takes its that many more people who are going to get exposed by someone Walking Around who turns out to be infected. Initially thoughts on the governors decision today about schools . Essentially most of our schools, public and private, those campuses have to be shut down. Are you in favor of that . I think its a prudent move. You know, i think there are lots of different ways you could parse this. Im particularly i think that we really could get away with k through 3, k through 4, maybe k through 5 education. Im a pediatrician, and in the world of pediatric infectious diseases, we know that children are not younger children are not that susceptible and if infected, theyre not big transmitters. I could see being able to pull that off. Obviously middle schools and high schools and colleges are another ball of wax totally in that people transmit, students at those ages transmit like adults do. So, you know, that was always going to be the really tough thing. The Elementary Schools probably a little easier, a little less risk, but i think the governor is holding all the data in his hands and makes the decisions that need to be made. Thanks for your time. Well talk with you down the road as well. Anytime. The coronavirus has intruded on one of the worlds most beautiful places, Yosemite National park. When the car reopened it was careful. Last month county Health Workers collected sewage samples and both tested positive. The testing lab estimates roughly 170 infected people were in yosemite valley. Surprisingly the Parks Health Center has not had one patient test positive. Senator Dianne Feinstein wants to get tough on the issue of face masks. She says if states wont enact mask mandates, they shouldnt get federal relief funding. In a statement she said its time for serious action, adding it is literally a matter of life and death. She says when the senate takes up the next Coronavirus Relief bill, shell introduce the mask rule as an amendment. Okay. As we head into the weekend, a lot of people were planning on some summer vacations but now theyre going to do more stay cases. That brings us to jeff ranieri with that allimportant forecast as people start to take some time off. Jeff. You know, we have some really good news as we head through this upcoming weekend. As of just a couple of hours ago, based on the way the fog is moving in right now, it looks like its not going to be nearly as hot as originally expected for tomorrows forecast. Then were also looking at some cooler changes in that next sevenday period. Lets go ahead and bring you outside to our live view here of our mapping data. You can see what i wanted to point out to you is the fog and low clouds really persistent at the coastline this afternoon. So thats already dropping us down to 76 at walnut creek and San Francisco a chilly 63. So with that in place now, we do expect some extensive areas of cloud cover cover here over marin, napa, sonoma counties, even reaching into parts of contra costa, alameda counties, make back towards lafayette, walnut creek, and some clouds near concord, down the peninsula, and some patchy clouds for the south bay as well. We start off with that nice, cool breeze tomorrow. Then we get that sunshine for the afternoon away from the beaches. So it looks great if youre up early tomorrow morning. Might even need a light jacket with that cold, foggy wind. Mid to upper 50s for the south bay, peninsula, and the trivalley. For the east bay, i have you at 57. 55 in San Francisco. The north bay at 54. So with that aggressive push of fog at the coastline, we are not looking at an extremely hot day, especially down here in the south bay. Pretty much perfect in san jose at 85 degrees. Over to the east bay, youre of course going to find the best weather closest to the bay. 77 in hayward. You head over to the east bay hills, one of my warmest is livermore at 89 degrees. For the peninsula, its downright cold in half moon bay. 63. But over to redwood city, looking good as well, 77. San francisco just how we like it