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...

The delta variant is really throwing a wrench into our vaccinated summer. The super contagious strain of the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, leading, once again, to a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, prompting leaders to reverse course on guidance that if you’re inoculated, you...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County could move into the yellow tier of the state's pandemic reopening system as soon as next week, the county's top health official said Tuesday. Monterey County's rate of new cases per day per 100,000 residents, adjusted for the county's testing...

YUMA, Ariz. — The Rev. Emilio Chapa was delivering a homily on a recent Sunday when he paused to lament a sight that had shaken him as he entered the sacristy before Mass. The board where his staff posted requests for funeral services was covered...

SALINAS VALLEY — Salinas Valley Health and Healing Together hosted the Monterey County dedication of the Rose River Memorial art project to recognize the impact of Covid-19 and promote community healing. The renowned Los Angeles artist who co-founded the national effort was one of the...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County residents can apply for financial help to cover funeral expenses through FEMA’s Covid-19 Funeral Assistance Program, which began accepting applications Monday. As of April 14, Monterey County has lost 348 residents to Covid-19. “For those families who have lost a loved...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Medical professionals from area hospitals discussed progress toward quelling the Covid-19 pandemic during Monterey County’s press briefing last week. Among the guest speakers at the May 19 briefing was family practice physician Dr. Joshua Deutsch from Mee Memorial Healthcare System, who spoke...

CALIFORNIA — Facing swelling political pressure and numerous lawsuits by businesses forced to shut down, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Monday lifted a strict stay-at-home order and handed to local authorities greater control over whether restaurants, hair salons and other commerce could reopen. The...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County schools are likely to remain closed through the end of the 2019-20 school year due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. According to online reports Tuesday, Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Deneen Guss announced in a letter to parents that the...

The push to mandate coronavirus vaccinations amid sharply rising caseloads nationwide accelerated Monday, as the country’s most populous state and its largest city both announced that they would require hundreds of thousands of government workers to get inoculations or face weekly testing. At the same...