April 13, 2021 Media Brief
Orange County
Voice of OC: Supervisors have historically undermined, underfunded their public anti-hate group
Amid a spike in hate crimes and incidents during the Coronavirus pandemic, Republican county Supervisor Lisa Bartlett has announced her plans to request more funding for the commission, which would only happen with a majority of her colleagues on board.
Voice of OC: County officials say Coronavirus vaccine passports won’t be forced on residents
Meanwhile, federal officials have stopped shipments of the Johnson and Johnson coronavirus vaccine before all Orange County residents 16 and over, along with the rest of the state, will qualify for the shot this Thursday.
Voice of OC: Vaccines are key to preventing new mutations in county, but it’s a race against time
State public health officials and local health experts say increased coronavirus vaccinations are critical in preventing existing variants from getting out of hand and curbing the proliferation of new mutations.
Voice of OC: Crime Victims’ Memorial faces major downsize after fundraising effort falls flat
The vision for the crime victims’ memorial in Orange County is getting a major downsize. Originally proposed by Todd Spitzer as a robust memorial at a county regional park in Irvine, the then-supervisor, who was preparing to run for DA at the time, said it would provide a comforting space to honor victims.
Voice of OC: Fountain Valley city council approves housing development at former school
The City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to give final approval to an ordinance, paving the way for Brookfield Residential to develop the Moiola Park Residences, changing the zoning from public use to residential to allow the housing to be built. The city’s Planning Commission had recommended approval of the project.
California
KTLA: State lifts limits on indoor worship as health officials continue to recommend them
California on Monday lifted its limits on indoor worship services in the face of U.S. Supreme Court rulings that struck down the coronavirus public health mandates.
KTLA: Expanded trail access proposed for electric bikes in forests around Lake Tahoe
The U.S. Forest Service is proposing a five-fold increase in the number of miles of trails open to certain electric bikes in the forests surrounding Lake Tahoe.
Nation
AP News: US recommends pause for J&J vaccination amid concern of blood clots
The U.S. on Tuesday recommended a “pause” in using the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of rare but potentially dangerous blood clots, setting off a chain reaction worldwide and dealing a setback to the global vaccination campaign.
AP News: Biden Admin to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by September 2021
President Joe Biden will withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America that were coordinated from that country, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
Publication Date: April 13, 2021
