With county restaurants shuttered for indoor dining in response to a spike in local COVID-19 cases, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said he will sign an emergency executive order that will waive regulatory requirements, allowing restaurants to expand their service into outdoor spaces, like sidewalks and even parking lots. Also on KPBS’ San Diego News Matters podcast: COVID-19 numbers continue trending up, the San Diego City Council Tuesday approved a measure for the November ballot that if passed would change how San Diego Unified School District board members are elected and more local news you need.

The county continues to ramp up its contact tracing program in hopes of slowing the spread of the coronavirus, but the program has some big limitations. Also on KPBS’ San Diego News Matters podcast: San Diego County public health officials ordered a halt to all indoor operations in several businesses, a rise in COVID-19 cases in Pacific Beach and more local news you need.

San Diego County was placed on the state's COVID-19 monitoring list, which could lead to closures or new restrictions on businesses following the Fourth of July weekend. Also on KPBS’ San Diego News Matters podcast: County libraries are among the businesses that have had to backtrack plans to go back to business as usual, the histories of staffing shortages at nursing homes, which have left them especially vulnerable to the pandemic and more local news you need.

San Diego County recorded a record number of new COVID-19 cases Thursday and will be added to the state’s monitoring list. Plus, the rise in coronavirus cases has impacted communities of color at alarming rates. And, “John Lewis: Good Trouble” a documentary about a 17-term Congressman and civil rights crusader is releasing over the holiday weekend.

Unless the COVID numbers change, San Diego County could be forced to restrict more indoor business activities as soon as Monday. Also on KPBS’ San Diego News Matters podcast: African Americans are disproportionately represented in the county's foster system and local leaders are working to fix that, San Diego officials are optimistic that a long-term fix to stop persistent cross-border sewage flows is close and more local news you need. Local beer resource: https://bit.ly/HelpSDbeer2

A new report from the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at UC San Diego says one-third of the city of San Diego's essential health, food and agricultural workers in the city of San Diego are foreign-born. Also on KPBS’ San Diego News Matters podcast: San Diego City Council members voted Tuesday to extend the city's moratorium on evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more restrictions for bars and restaurants and more of the local news you need.

All San Diego bars, breweries and wineries that don’t serve food must close at midnight Tuesday night in response to a spike in COVID-19 cases. Also on KPBS’ San Diego News Matters podcast: Covid-19 is a serious problem in the California prison system, George Floyd's in-custody death has renewed calls to stop adding people's names to California's controversial gang database and more local news you need.

The shooting victim is 25-year-old San Diego resident Leonardo Hurtado Ibarra who officers recognized from a wanted poster, according to a police statement. He is in a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Also on KPBS’ San Diego News Matters podcast: Antibodies aren’t the body's only weapons against the coronavirus, the San Diego VA is removing suicidal veterans from a life-saving drug and transitioning them to a controversial nasal spray and more local news you need.

San Diego scientists have zoomed in on the coronavirus and say the virus is coated with a sugary exterior that makes it hard for the human body to fight it. Also on KPBS’ San Diego News Matters podcast: San Diego County public health authorities reported over 300 new COVID-19 cases for the fourth time in five days, unemployment numbers continue to decrease across San Diego County from a high of 25% in May and more local news you need.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer and police Chief David Nisleit announced two new policies designed to address community concerns about excessive use of force by the San Diego Police Department. Also: San Diego County public health authorities reported 332 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday — a new daily high — and six deaths, raising the county totals to 11,626 cases and 347 deaths and more local news you need.