Everything was new to Mike Tirico when he walked past the famed pagoda that dominates the front stretch at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, assumed his broadcast perch high above pit lane and proceeded to host his first Indy 500. Now, all that was new has given way to unprecedented. One year...
What’s in That Wildfire Smoke, and Why Is It So Bad for Your Lungs?
If I dare to give the coronavirus credit for anything, I would say it has made people more conscious of the air they breathe. A friend texted me this week after going for a jog in the foothills near Boise, Idaho, writing: “My lungs are burning … explain what’s happening!!!”...
County Seeks Injunction to Halt Immanuel Schools’ In-Person Instruction
Fresno County is seeking a court injunction to force Immanuel Schools of Reedley to close to in-person instruction, contending that the private Christian K-12 schools are violating state and local health orders and are a public nuisance. The complaint seeking a temporary restraining order, permanent restraining order, and an injunction...
Dozens of California Elementary Schools Allowed to Reopen
Dozens of California elementary schools have been approved to reopen with in-person instruction under special waivers approved by health officials in counties that were placed on a state monitoring list because of high numbers of coronavirus infections. State health authorities haven't said how many have been approved statewide. But data...
Pharmacists Can Give Childhood Shots, U.S. Officials Say
NEW YORK — Pharmacists in all 50 states are now allowed to give childhood vaccinations under a new directive aimed at preventing future outbreaks of measles and other preventable diseases. Alex Azar, the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, took the step using emergency powers he...
When Is It Safe to Open Schools? States Have Varying Answers
As schools across the U.S. decide whether to reopen this fall, many are left wondering how to know if it's safe. Public health experts say virus rates in the community should be low, but there's little agreement on a specific threshold or even a measurement. The federal government has largely...
Rise in Jobless Claims Reflects Still-Struggling US Economy
WASHINGTON — The coronavirus recession struck swiftly and violently. Now, with the U.S. economy still in the grip of the outbreak five months later, the recovery looks fitful and uneven — and painfully slow. The latest evidence came Thursday, when the government reported that the number of workers applying for...
Q&A: California’s New Electricity-Blackout Challenge
BERKELEY — As if the pandemic and economic recession weren't bad enough, millions of Californians now face recurring threats of abrupt blackouts during a heat wave in the nation's most populous state. California's Independent System Operator, a nonprofit agency that manages the state's power supply, ordered utilities to impose temporary...
Legislation Would Hurt Small Businesses That Have Turned to Online Sales
Over the past six months, online commerce has exploded, as more and more brick and mortar businesses turn to online venues to sell their goods and services in a safe, socially distanced way. As consumers shift their purchasing power online, businesses will embrace a new normal with online commerce which...
Newsom Says New Rules Coming for Reopening Counties
With many areas of California seeing a significant slowdown in the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday his administration is working with local health officials on rules for businesses to reopen in counties that come off the state's watch list. San Diego, Placer and Santa Cruz counties...