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January 27, 2026

Fully vaccinated people no longer required to wear a mask in Monterey County buildings

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County will no longer require fully vaccinated residents to wear a face covering when inside a county building, the county announced Wednesday. Starting Thursday, residents will be asked to verbally attest that they are fully vaccinated when entering a county building...

California surpasses New York in coronavirus deaths

CALIFORNIA — Dozens of times a day in COVID-19 wards across California, a scene like this plays out: A hospital chaplain watches as a death is announced by machine. Kristin Michealsen, a hospital chaplain in Los Angeles, stood at a man’s bedside, holding his hand....

What counts as ā€˜essential business’ in Monterey County amid COVID-19 stay-at-home order

Covid-19, novel coronavirus 2019
MONTEREY COUNTY — California residents have been advised to stay indoors, and only leave their home for essential items or services, since the statewide stay-at-home order went into effect March 19 to help combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Essential businesses, however, can stay open...

Why Omicron was first found in San Francisco

As soon as the first U.S. case of the omicron variant of the coronavirus was reported in San Francisco, California officials began sounding the same message: Don’t panic. ā€œWe are not surprised by this. This was predictable. This was predicted,ā€ Gov. Gavin Newsom said in...

A new demographic surprise for California: population loss

SACRAMENTO — For the first time in more than a century, California recorded a net loss in population last year, a demographic reversal caused by the deadly toll of the coronavirus and declining immigration and birthrates. The small but startling 0.46% drop — a decline...

Hundreds receive their second Covid-19 vaccine shot at mass clinics in Gonzales

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.Ā  These doses were the second shots, with recipients having...

Monterey County mask order still on the table

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Board of Supervisors has moved forward with a countywide indoor face covering ordinance, which could take effect in late October. Last week the board introduced language for the mask mandate and met on Tuesday for approval. However, due to amendments...

California is reinstating an indoor mask mandate

California will once again require residents to wear masks in indoor public settings everywhere in the state, amid uncertainty surrounding the rapid spread of the omicron coronavirus variant and rising case rates as the holidays approach. The mandate will go into effect Wednesday and will...

Vaccines and travel: What you need to know

For 12 straight days and counting, Transportation Security Administration officers have screened more than 1 million people a day at domestic airports. On Skyscanner, a travel-booking site, weekly booking volume has increased by 75% in the last month. In a recent survey of nearly...

What to know about new masking guidelines in California

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...

Local News

California Highway Patrol (CHP)

CHP highlights public safety laws taking effect in 2026

CALIFORNIA — California Highway Patrol (CHP) is highlighting new public safety laws passed during this year’s legislative session and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom....