Biden signs stimulus bill ahead of prime-time address
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion economic relief package on Thursday afternoon, ushering in an aggressive infusion of federal aid in a far-reaching effort to address the toll of the coronavirus pandemic.
“This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of...
Northwest Laboratory to open new Covid-19 testing site in Salinas
SALINAS — Northwest Laboratory will open and operate a new drive-thru Covid-19 testing site in Salinas starting March 3.
“Our organization has worked closely with the communities across the U.S. since this pandemic began, providing laboratory analysis for multiple community testing programs,” said Jennifer Bull,...
Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau plans to enforce Covid-19 citations
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County’s Environmental Health Bureau has conducted 1,971 visits to area businesses since September, which resulted in 12 citations for violations of Covid-related health orders and one permit revocation.
Ricardo Encarnacion, assistant bureau chief for the Environmental Health Bureau, made the announcement...
Fully vaccinated people can have small gatherings indoors, CDC says
UNITED STATES — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday issued long-awaited guidance to Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19, freeing them to take some liberties that the unvaccinated should not, including gathering indoors with others who are fully vaccinated without precautions while...
Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System launches Rose River Memorial
SALINAS VALLEY — A photo of the father she lost to Covid-19 was close by as Maria Munoz cut into red felt fabric and participated in the Rose River Memorial project launched by Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (SVMHS).
“My dad’s battle with Covid lasted...
Crisis Counseling Program provides outreach for Monterey County residents still affected by Covid-19
MONTEREY COUNTY — For those feeling stressed, anxious and lonely in the wake of the ongoing pandemic, Interim’s Crisis Counseling Program (CCP) continues to provide outreach opportunities.
Interim’s short-term program offers support to individuals struggling with mental illness, and their families who have been affected...
Pop-up sites increase access to Covid-19 testing for South Monterey County residents
SALINAS VALLEY — Free pop-up Covid-19 testing sites have been emerging lately in South Monterey County as part of an effort to increase testing access after a new site was added to Castroville to the existing lineup of Salinas and Seaside.
When available, local residents...
Finally, California is about to reopen
We’ve been waiting for this week for a long time.
After more than a year of complex, evolving rules governing where Californians can go and what we can do, on Tuesday, nearly all of them will go away.
California, the nation’s most populous state, will be...
State’s indoor mask mandate to expire for most vaccinated residents
CALIFORNIA — California will roll back its mask requirement next week for vaccinated residents in most indoor spaces, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
The state implemented the mandate in mid-December as COVID-19 cases began to spike due to the highly infectious omicron variant, requiring residents...
Taking the vaccine into the fields to help vulnerable farmworkers
CALIFORNIA — Before state officials announced that 40% of California's new vaccine doses would go to low-income communities, leaders were struggling to make good on promises to prioritize vulnerable Californians in the vaccine rollout.
As my colleague Miriam Jordan recently wrote, farmworkers were among those...
Local News
Garage fire contained in Greenfield; no injuries reported
GREENFIELD — A structure fire early Friday morning was contained to a garage thanks to a rapid, multi-agency response, according to the Greenfield Police...
