COVID-19

President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed a two-month extension of the Paycheck Protection Program, which offers loans for small businesses struggling with the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden signed the extension in the Oval Office alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and Isabella Casillas...

UNITED STATES — The second year of the coronavirus pandemic is starting with rising hopes for the economic outlook — and a long way to go. Positive signs are emerging as restrictions on businesses lift and the pace of vaccine distributions ramps up. But millions...

As of Thursday, every Californian age 16 and older is officially eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. That doesn’t mean it will be easy for everyone get a shot right away. The vaccine rollout has been chaotic, according to various news reports and hundreds of emails...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Reopening blueprint metrics have Monterey County in the Orange Tier, but the vaccination rates continue to climb. County Health Officer Dr. Edward Moreno said on April 14 that 48% of the county’s populace age 16 and older have received at least one...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo submitted a pandemic economic recovery ordinance for the county on Feb. 3, aimed at recalling laid-off county hospitality, restaurant and travel workers when the economy re-opens.  The ordinance would request those recalls based on greatest length of...

GONZALES — Community Foundation for Monterey County partnered with the City of Gonzales, Gonzales Fire Department and Gonzales Pharmacy to host two mass vaccination events on April 28 and 29, totaling 1,170 doses of Covid-19 vaccine.  These doses were the second shots, with recipients having...

MONTEREY COUNTY — On Sept. 4, the federal unemployment insurance program, known as the Pandemic Unemployment Insurance benefit, created under the CARES Act, will expire in California and across the states. “Starting today, over 3 million California workers impacted by the expiration of these critical...

COACHELLA, Calif. — The sun-baked desert valley tucked behind the San Jacinto Mountains is best known for an annual music festival that draws 100,000 fans a day and a series of lush, oasis resort towns where well-heeled snowbirds go to golf, sunbathe and party....

The U.S. job market remains challenging, with the government reporting Thursday that initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose last week. A total of 741,000 workers filed first-time claims for state jobless benefits last week, an increase of 18,000, the Labor Department said. It was...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Representatives from Monterey County’s hospitals reflected on the one-year anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic and the many impacts felt locally during last week’s press briefing. “This past year has been very challenging for Monterey County residents,” said Dr. Edward Moreno, the county’s...