KQED's Forum

With music venues closed and festivals postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, music fans have been gathering online to watch livestreamed concerts, DJ sets and more. We’ll talk about upcoming music events you can stream at home and we want to hear from you: what music and artists are keeping you company in quarantine?

About 60 million U.S. workers are providing essential services such as keeping the internet running, delivering groceries, maintaining utilities and caring for the sick, but many lack the proper protections on the job, says Silicon Valley Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna. He is working with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to craft the Essential Workers Bill of Rights. The legislation would ensure Americans working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic receive adequate compensation, paid sick leave, protections for union workers, child care assistance, and other provisions. Khanna joins us to dive into the proposal and other issues lawmakers are addressing.

These are unprecedented times at the Supreme Court. For the first time in history the tradition-bound court is hearing cases by phone and live streaming oral arguments, starting Monday. It also postponed months of oral arguments, something it hasn't done since the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. The court is also considering historic cases, including whether President Trump can shield his tax records from state and congressional investigations. Forum talks about how the Supreme Court is changing in the time of COVID and we preview some of the biggest cases before the court.

California issued new guidelines this week for who can get unemployment benefits, now allowing millions of self-employed people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic to apply. But the state’s Employment Development Department is struggling to keep up with callers and many are unable to fill out applications because of  frozen screens, disconnections or other technical issues.  We'll hear about the new benefit guidelines and what the EDD is doing to keep up with skyrocketing demand.

Bay Area officials updated the region’s stay-at-home orders Wednesday to allow for outdoor activities including golf, tennis and summer camps. These new guidelines also gave the greenlight to restart construction projects, which could help thousands of people go back to work. We break down the details of these revisions and discuss what it means for reopening the Bay Area.

Some of the biggest Silicon Valley technology firms are faring surprisingly well during the coronavirus pandemic. Google’s revenue grew by 13 percent in the first quarter of 2020 over the same period last year, while Facebook’s increased 18 percent. But startups are not faring as well, with many having to lay off workers, cut costs, or shut down altogether. We’ll talk about how the pandemic is affecting Silicon Valley.

Leaders from rural communities in California have called for Gov. Gavin Newsom to ease up shelter-in-place restrictions sooner than more urban parts of the state.  Only about 10 percent of Californians live in counties that account for over half of the state’s land mass. Because these less-densely populated parts of the state have had fewer coronavirus cases to date, county leaders want to instead focus on reviving their dormant economies. However, many rural areas in California -- and nationwide -- lack hospital capacity and access to medical care. That means an outbreak could be especially devastating. We dive into the desire to open up rural California and how the coronavirus has played out in those regions.

President Trump on Tuesday said he would sign an executive order to force meat processing facilities to stay open in order to prevent food shortages. But labor unions say that thousands of workers in those plants have been infected and more needs to be done to protect them.  We’ll talk with Washington Post reporter Philip Bump about the executive order and other national political news, including the ongoing controversy over the president’s daily press briefings.

Gov. Gavin Newsom Tuesday said he believes the state is "weeks, not months, away" from easing some of the stay-at-home orders. Newsom says low-risk businesses, retail stores and some public spaces will be among the first to reopen. He added that schools may get an early jump on next year, opening as soon as July. But don't plan on a haircut soon. Higher risk businesses like hair salons and gyms will be the last to reopen. Forum discusses the governor's announcement and his declaration that changes to shelter-in-place orders will be decided at the state, not the local level.

The "new normal" of social distancing is forcing many single Californians to redefine their dating lives. Dating apps have seen a spike in usage since coronavirus hit and they're responding with new features for audio and video messaging within their platforms. Messages from exes looking to reconnect are also on the rise as people seek companionship in this time of isolation. This hour, we talk about dating during the coronavirus pandemic. And we want to hear from you: if you're currently dating in quarantine -- or attempting to -- what's been your experience?