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Costco is lining the wallets of its employees with even more money, but they won't get the loot unless they tough out the pandemic.

The chain's CEO sent out a memo to all of its employees, which reads in part ... "In recognition of your hard work during this unprecedented time, all full-time, part-time and limited part-time hourly Costco employees in the U.S. and Puerto Rico will receive an additional $2 per hour for hours worked during the five weeks of March 2 through April 5, 2020.

Sounds great, and God knows these employees are a lifeline for untold thousands of people who get food and vital supplies from the mega-store.

Here's the catch ... "The additional compensation will be paid in a lump sum in your April 17 paycheck."

Translation ... you gotta stick it out till the end and if you don't, you don't get the money.

The worst part about the Olympics being postponed?? The world has to wait another year to see the viral Tongan flag guy again. But, don't worry!! He's got a solution ...

SHIRTLESS WORKOUT VIDS!!!

Of course, skier Pita Taufatofua stole everyone's hearts at the 2016 Games opening ceremony with his chiseled, oiled body -- a Tongan tradition.

Being the caring, loving people we are over here at TMZ Sports ... we figured we'd still give y'all a bit of Pita content now that the 2020 games have moved to 2021.

As it turns out, fans can still get their Pita fix during the delay ... 'cause Taufatofua is hosting *educational* workouts while everyone's home self-quarantined ... and it's great.

"What we're doing at the moment on the Olympic Channel Instagram page, is we're doing a live workout video every night of the week," Pita tells us. "So, everyone will be able to see exactly what it is we're working on."

Brilliant idea ... props to whoever made this happen!!!

Ariana Grande has a new man in her life, and it couldn't be better-timed, because he's also her new quarantine partner ... along with her pooch.

Eagle-eyed fans might have notice the mystery guy on AG's social media in the last few days. You could never see his face, but he was clearly there with Ariana ... chillin' in quarantine like the rest of us.

In one of the shots, you can see the dude playing with her dog, Toulouse, and she recorded the adorable interaction. It was more than just a friendly petting session, because we've learned the guy in question IS Ari's new squeeze ... Dalton Gomez.

Our Ariana sources tell us she and Dalton have been seeing each other for several months now. He's a high-end real estate agent who handles multi-million dollar listings for L.A.'s A-list buyers.

He's also a pretty good kisser in Ariana's eyes. Remember this video last month of her making out with a guy as she and her friends plopped into a booth at a bar? Yeah, that's Dalton ... we're told.

He definitely rolls in the same circles as his new GF -- Dalton recently posted a pic hanging with Miley Cyrus and some friends.

Another sign of how much Ariana digs him -- not only is she following him on social, but several of her friends are too. You're in, Dalton.

This is Ari's first love interest, that we know of, anyway, since her highly publicized relationship with Pete Davidson.

NBA superstar Karl-Anthony Towns says his mother had to be placed on a ventilator and then into a medically-induced coma after she displayed severe symptoms of COVID-19.

The Minnesota Timberwolves center revealed the devastating news in an emotional video late Tuesday night ... saying both of his parents came down with flu-like symptoms early last week.

KAT says he urged the two to go to the hospital, and while he says his dad eventually got better -- his mom, Jacqueline Cruz, didn't ... with her condition "deteriorating" daily.

Karl-Anthony says a fever ravaged her ... with Cruz's 103-degree temp only falling to 101.9 after meds -- and then re-spiking almost immediately after.

KAT, who didn't specifically say his parents had tested positive for coronavirus, says doctors tried all kinds of drugs to get his mom better ... but, eventually, the 24-year-old says her lungs got so bad, she was forced to be put on a ventilator.

Then, KAT says doctors put her in a medically induced coma.

"We always thought the next medicine would help," he said. "The next one would help. This is the one that's going to get it done. This one will make sure to get it done."

Towns says he's optimistic for his mom ... but you can see in the video, he's VERY concerned.

"My mother is the strongest woman I know, and I know she will beat this," he said. "And, we will rejoice when she does."

The NBA player says he made the video this week to explain the virus is VERY real ... and begged people to take stay-at-home orders seriously.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought live concerts to a total standstill, but the music industry is still set on churning out new tunes ... and producers are increasingly working from home and getting super creative.

Music industry sources tell TMZ ... recording studios across Los Angeles and New York City have all closed due to the virus, forcing lots of music producers to build mobile studios in their homes, where they can still make beats and record tracks.

Our sources tell us music producers are increasingly turning to video chats and streaming services to brainstorm ideas, collab and record pieces of songs with other producers.

We're told producers are still working directly with their artists to write and collab, but the interactions are going digital now that face-to-face meetings are highly discouraged due to COVID-19.

As you know ... Lady Gaga announced Tuesday she's delaying the release of her upcoming album, "Chromatica," in light of the outbreak, joining a growing list of artists and festivals that have seen disruptions on account of coronavirus.

It's likely just the tip of the iceberg, but our music industry sources say albums won't be delayed because they aren't finished. We're told home studios can essentially do everything traditional sessions can do, and pushing back release dates is more about marketing concerns.

Coronavirus has folks in heavily populated areas getting outta Dodge ... believing they'll be much safer away from people, isolating in homes on wheels.

It seems RV parks and campsites are the new safe haven for motor home owners fleeing COVID-19. Campground owners and managers in inland states -- like Nevada, Idaho and Wisconsin -- tell us they've seen an influx of folks from pandemic hot zones.

The owner of Devils River Campground in Manitowoc County, WI says they’re closed -- the ground is frozen, there’s no running water and power has been switched off -- but that hasn’t stopped diehards from trying to set up camp there anyway. As they say ... any port in a storm.

The owner tells us one couple from L.A. appeared in the middle of the night last week offering $40 just to hunker down for a night in the parking lot. A Chicago family had the same idea, and even told the owner they picked Manitowoc County because it had no reported coronavirus cases.

Anderson Camp in Eden, Idaho is also filling its RV spaces with folks from “areas that have been hit hard” ... according to the owner.

The same is true at the Canyon Trail RV Park in Boulder City, Nevada. Owner and operator Mike Wells says residents from California and Washington -- 2 of the hardest-hit states -- have accounted for 50 percent of patrons trying to crash on his 13 acres.

Mike says, “It’s been so busy and so many calls are coming in -- it’s like a call center here."

Musicians are creative by nature ... so it should come as no surprise the creative ways they're getting by during this new era of social distancing.

DJ Pauly D, Katherine McPhee and Tyler, the Creator are just some of the artists using their quarantine time to hone their musical talent while letting fans into their houses to watch via social media.

Seriously, they're all doing it. From Miguel, Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes to country star Chris Pasley, John Legend and Chris Martin. Then, of course, there's DJ D-Nice.

Dude's been KILLING it with hosting virtual dance parties ... dubbed #ClubQuarantine on his Instagram Live. Catchy, for sure.

As we reported ... more than 100k people showed up to his sesh and turned up over the weekend ... from Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden and Michelle Obama to Rihanna, Janet Jackson and Dwyane Wade.

DJ D-Nice popped up again the next day and it drew tons of famous faces handles -- Mariah Carey, Spike Lee, Brandy, Quincy Jones, Timbaland, Usher, Questlove, Jadakiss, Raekwon and many more.

Camila Cabello says she's putting her upcoming world tour on ice before it even begins ... because things just ain't safe out there due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The "Senorita" singer announced Tuesday she's postponing her "Romance" tour, which was set to kick off in May and make stops across Europe and the United States, areas that are being ravaged by the virus.

Camila says she's postponing the tour as an extreme precaution and to protect her fans, team, dancers, band, crew and loved ones.

Concerts and social distancing just don't mix, and Camila says she can't even get her group together to start rehearsing. The singer is hoping to reschedule as soon as possible.

Michael Rapaport's had it up to here politely trying to ask the youth -- and their parents -- to stay indoors ... he's demanding it now, and with some cuss words to spare.

The actor and sports fanatic hopped online Tuesday with a VERY blunt PSA ... except, it ain't anywhere near as calm and collected as some of the others you've seen from your fave celebs over the past few days. Mike's getting nasty, and maybe rightly so.

"GET YOUR F****ING KIDS INSIDE!" -- it's a message to the parents of teens and young adults (probably dumb college kids, mostly) who either still live at home or rely on their parents for dough. In any case, if parents have some authority -- MR wants them to flex it to the fullest extent so their children stop infecting everyone else.

Check out the full 2-and-a-half minute message yourself, 'cause we really can't do it justice. Mike -- never one who's at a loss of words -- finds just the right ones to describe the dummies who disregard social distancing and quarantining ... and insist on partying.

It's kinda crazy -- he says he was asked by the powers that be to do a kosher PSA like most everyone else has been doing ... but he said screw that, and did one that'll resonate and accurately reflect society's outrage. BTW, his message applies to more than the "s**t-stained" kids he's talking to -- anyone screwing around with this outbreak needs to listen up.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is putting his money where his heart his -- dropping a small fortune to help get crucial supplies to doctors and scientists battling the virus.

The ex-Gov of California shared the news Tuesday, telling his followers he'd donated a million bucks to a GoFundMe account called Frontline Responders Fund -- which is run by an organization called Flexport. They specialize in transporting must-have equipment to different causes around the world ... right now, all their efforts are focused on the coronavirus.

Arnold says, "I never believed in sitting on the couch and complaining about how bad things are, I always believed we should all do our part to make things better." He continued, "This is a simple way to protect our real action heroes on the frontlines in our hospitals, and I’m proud to be part of it."

He also encouraged everyone to follow in his footsteps by giving whatever you can "to support these heroes."

As for how exactly the money -- a whopping $3.2 million so far -- is going to be used ... Flexport breaks it down on the GFM page. They say it's a 4-step process: manufacturers make the stuff, trucks take it to airports and ports, cargo planes and ships transport it where it needs to go and then trucks deliver supplies to hospitals and anywhere else they're needed. Delivered items include masks, gloves, surgical gowns and thermometers.

All of that loading and unloading ain't cheap, and Flexport supports and finances companies directly involved in the endeavor. Arnold just made it a whole lot more affordable!

Chris Cornell's widow says Soundgarden doesn't give a rat's ass about her elderly mother, asking her to sit for a deposition despite coronavirus risks ... but the band's attorneys say they've done just the opposite.

Vicky Cornell claims Soundgarden is ignoring the dangers of the virus -- especially among the elderly -- because they're making a push to get Vicky's mom to sit for a proper grilling by their attorneys.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, Vicky claims Soundgarden is "callously insisting on the immediate deposition" of Vicky's mother who is "an elderly, at-risk individual." What's more ... Vicky's accusing Soundgarden of taking advantage of the pandemic by refusing to play nice on any of the deadlines in the case.

She says, for example, Soundgarden has "leveraged the COVID-19 epidemic for vexatious ends." Soundgarden, however, claims it's been willing to make accommodations.

An attorney for the band tells TMZ ... they have made it very clear to Vicky and her legal team they are willing to do the deposition at her home, or at Vicky's attorney's office ... or even through a video conference to help minimize any risks associated.

This is the latest volley in Vicky's ongoing war with Soundgarden over who owns the final songs Chris wrote, and also for allegedly unpaid royalties.