LOOKOUT PM: Climate change, Delta variant showing their teeth

Hey, we’ve made it through another Monday, people!

Congrats to us and a great reminder that the next July weekend will be upon us before we know it. And with actual stuff on actual calendars — “events” I believe they were called — it’s a perfect time for another rundown on BOLO, our latest crazy Lookout concoction: A digital events resource that’s actually useful. The how-to…

• Sign up for our weekly Best Bets newsletter, sent every Thursday afternoon.
• Get our weekly Best Bets text alert by signing up here or texting the word BOLO to (831) 387-7662.
• Want a complete listing of everything planned from now until eternity? We’ve got that too — and it’s called Down The Line.
• Questions, comments, concerns? Email bolo@lookoutlocal.com

To the headlines of the day we go…

CLIMATE

California’s ‘extraordinary conditions’

State faces power shortage as fires threaten electric lines: California’s energy operator issued a third Flex Alert in four days, attributing it to ‘extraordinary conditions’ due to record-breaking heat and fire. More from the LA Times here.

‘Climate change is real, it’s bad’

California hit by record-breaking fire destruction: Already this year, there have been more than twice as many acres burned than during the same period last year — and hundreds more fires. More from the Times here.

COVID

Delta developments: ‘The virus will find you’

Unvaccinated people face growing danger as Delta variant stalls herd immunity: Non-vaccinated people, perhaps hoping they might outlast the pandemic without getting a shot or getting sick, may be playing an increasingly risky game of chance. More from the Times here.

FAQ: Are COVID-19 symptoms different if I’m infected with the Delta variant? (LA Times)

The cost of fighting COVID in California (where 63,000 people have died): At least $12.3 billion (CalMatters)

EDUCATION

California to bar K-12 students from campus if they refuse to wear a mask under new rules

Latest strict guidelines: California K-12 students who refuse to wear masks inside school classrooms and buildings, as required under new state rules, will be prohibited from entering their campus, and another form of education will be provided to them, according to new regulations the state released Monday. More from the Times here.

How many California kids actually go to college?

The state lags in tallying data but a fix may be coming: California high schools say they make students college-ready, but rarely does the public have the data to see if students actually made it to college and thrived. California lags the nation in public data that shows how students move from school to college and the workforce. A statewide fix is on the horizon. More from CalMatters here.

These eight Cal State schools are giving students iPads in an effort to cut barriers to college enrollment (LA Times)

ETC

In case you somehow missed them over the weekend, be sure to check out these two good reads by contributors Liza Monroy and Laurel Bushman:

A surf tribe rallies for Ráine: ‘When your baby is diagnosed with cancer, you need extra family’

‘No Snapchat filter’ can do this: Our resident caricature artist walks you through life at the Boardwalk

We’ll do it again tomorrow.

Mark Conley
Deputy Managing Editor