SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers want a fuller accounting of Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to buy 500 million protective masks, with a top budget official on Thursday seeking details on how the state will distribute the masks and ensure they are good quality. In a letter to Newsom's finance director, state...
Newsom Encouraged by Drop in ICU Placements
SACRAMENTO — California saw its first daily decrease in intensive care hospitalizations during the coronavirus outbreak, a key indicator of how many health care workers and medical supplies the state needs, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday. The rate of all virus hospitalizations has slowed this week. Those in the ICU...
California to Buy 200 Million Masks a Month Amid Outbreak
SACRAMENTO — California will spend nearly $1 billion to purchase up to 200 million masks a month to boost the state's stockpile of protective equipment during the COVID-19 outbreak and could act as a supplier to other Western states, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “We've been competing against other states, against...
Massive Effort to Get Los Angeles Homeless Into Hotels
LOS ANGELES — To curb the coronavirus spread, Los Angeles has embarked on a massive effort to bring thousands of homeless people off the streets and into hotels to protect them and others from infection. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that money from the federal government would help...
Governor Exploring Stimulus for Immigrants in Country Illegally
An economic stimulus package for immigrants in the country illegally is under consideration as California deals with the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday. Newsom said the idea it is part of a broader package he plans to unveil in May that will include “some...
Frustrated Newsom Calls on Task Force to Fix Coronavirus Test Shortfall
California is finally making a dent in the backlog of tests for the novel coronavirus that, at peak, left 65,000 people waiting to find out if they were infected. But that still isn’t good enough, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a briefing Saturday where he announced a new effort to increase daily tests...
Courts Halt Eviction Actions Statewide Amid Pandemic
SACRAMENTO — California judicial leaders on Monday adopted a statewide emergency order suspending evictions to help deal with the COVID-19 crisis that has crippled the court system. It was one of eleven temporary rules adopted by the state's Judicial Council during a second emergency meeting since the coronavirus pandemic started....
2nd COVID-19 Death in Fresno County. When Will Virus Peak?
Another patient has died in Fresno County from COVID-19, local health officials said Monday. It's the second death from the disease in Fresno County since Friday. The male patient was described as elderly and passed away at an area hospital, the Fresno County Department of Health reported. The number of...
Fracking in California Gets Green Light After 9-Month Pause; Aera Energy Receives Permits
[aggregation-styles] Desert Sun California regulators on Friday issued fracking permits for the first time in nine months, saying federal scientists had given clearance for 24 permits to Aera Energy for oil well stimulation in Kern County. Another 282 applications remain on hold pending individual review, until a comprehensive audit of...
As Fresno COVID-19 Cases Rise, Rapid Virus Testing Coming to California
Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Saturday that he's struck an agreement to ramp up rapid COVID-19 testing around the state. The news comes one day after Fresno County reported its first death from the disease, and the number of confirmed cases in the county climbed to 103. Tulare County reported...