The first two Starbucks stores in California to move to unionize — among 60 nationally — could soon be joined by another five. COVID-19, the student-heavy workforce and troublesome customers all have contributed to the movement.
Pandemic Life
Posted inCOVID Today
Masks off again: Santa Cruz County to align with state next week as Omicron tapers off
Vaccinated individuals will no longer be required to wear masks indoors as of next Wednesday; the mandate remains in place for those who haven’t been vaccinated and in K-12 schools, health care settings and on public transit.
Posted inCOVID Today
When is it really safe to take off your mask in California? Here’s what we know
Even as indoor mask orders in Santa Cruz County and across the state are set to expire next week, health officials are still encouraging people to wear masks while transmission rates are up.
Posted inCOVID Today
Ready for another pandemic malady? It’s called ‘decision fatigue’
Living through the COVID-19 pandemic has come with a barrage of daily choices that have many of us complaining of a sort of brain freeze. That exhaustion is real, and it’s got a name: “decision fatigue.”
Posted inHealth & Wellness
‘I don’t have a life’: Parents struggle to get home nurses for medically fragile kids
California families have long had difficulty getting home nursing care for medically fragile children. The problem has persisted with the arrival of COVID-19.
Posted inCOVID Today
Statewide mandate for indoor masking to sunset on Feb. 15, but Santa Cruz’s guidelines still uncertain
Whether or not Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel lifts the mask mandate will depend on what she sees. “She’s going to base it off data like case rates, testing positivity, and effective reproductive number,” said county health spokesperson Corinne Hyland.
Posted inEducation
Free money: California offers up to $225 to open a college savings fund for a child
To help less affluent families save for college, California’s ScholarShare 529 plan is again offering up to $225 in grants. Here’s how to apply.
Posted inCOVID Today
COVID remains the most formidable, frightening foe at Beijing Olympics
Olympic athletes are coping with intense anxiety over COVID test results, with positive results a constant threat to knock them out of competition.
Posted inCOVID Today
Flushing COVID away: Santa Cruz back to wastewater testing in hopes of creating better virus surveillance
Consistent wastewater testing begins again this week in Santa Cruz in an effort to know more earlier about local COVID trends. How does the testing work and how might it help track the virus faster?
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Unsung Santa Cruz: Why one woman’s outside-the-box idea could be a fitness game-changer
Natalia Rivera-España didn’t intend to start a business, but she spotted a big need during the pandemic and knew she’d regret it if she didn’t act. The result: GOAT Santa Cruz and signs of an outside workout phenomenon.