The families of the young Latinos who died will feel the loss for decades to come — not just the grief but the long-term financial hardships. It will be harder for their children to get an education and achieve upward mobility, potentially widening the class divide in the coming decades.
COVID 2022
Posted inCOVID 2022
Santa Cruz County COVID-19 update: Infections, hospitalizations, deaths and demographic data
New Leaf Community Markets brand manager Lindsay Gizdich said the store is moving from Pacific Avenue in order to have…
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Signs of Omicron found in California wastewater, suggesting variant is widespread
The number of cases associated with the new strain rose to double digits this week, including a newly confirmed infection in a Long Beach resident.
Posted inCOVID 2022
Car crash deaths have surged during COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s why
Evidence suggests the pandemic has made U.S. drivers more reckless — more likely to speed, drink or use drugs and to leave their seatbelts unbuckled.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County workers could strike this week after 93.5% vote to approve walkout
Leaders of the union representing Santa Cruz County workers told the board of supervisors Tuesday that they’re ready to strike against the county government after an overwhelming majority of members voted in favor. Negotiations are set to resume Thursday, and a strike could come soon thereafter.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
California prepares for winter COVID-19 surge; if not from Omicron, then from Delta
It’s still far from clear what kind of COVID-19 increase California will see, and the state so far has been doing better than other parts of the country. But officials say they want to be ready.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Could Omicron cause less severe COVID infections? There’s optimism but also worry
“This is a picture that has not been seen in previous waves,” a new report from South Africa says; still, “more time is required to fully answer the questions about the severity of COVID-19 caused by the new Omicron variant.”
Posted inCOVID 2022
Health officials bracing for impact of Thanksgiving travel, gatherings on local COVID-19 cases
The latest data from the Santa Cruz County health department shows a 17% increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks. Though a smaller increase than in recent periods, health officials say the impact of travel and gatherings around Thanksgiving is not yet known, but things are likely to get worse.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Watsonville Community Hospital reaches preliminary agreement for sale to avoid closure
Watsonville Community Hospital officials have reached a tentative agreement to sell the hospital’s operations to the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project — a recently formed nonprofit made up of local government bodies and healthcare nonprofits. If successful, the purchase would prevent the closure of the hospital.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Is it time to change the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’?
Experts weigh in as the federal government urges everyone to get boosted amid concerns over Omicron, a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.