May 11, 2021 Media Brief
Orange County
Voice of OC: Cities ask for public input in COVID relief spending but not Orange County
The supervisors’ plans include $15 million in spending last week on businesses and meal programs, and another potential $15 million up for approval today to be divided among each supervisor to distribute to businesses in their district. Taxpayer advocates say the public – who’s paying the tax bills – should be part of the process.
OC Register: OC officials to face crowd, again, over stalled plans for digital vaccine records
Much of the increase comes as Othena started adding digital proof-of-vaccination barcodes to the app page people use to check their vaccination history. Othena labeled the QR code as a “Vaccine Passport,” prompting hours of concerned comments at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors.
Voice of OC: Irvine faces questions from public over lack of transparency in public meetings
Residents are asking tough questions of Irvine City Council members this week in a cease and desist letter criticizing them for not doing enough to inform the public on what they’re doing.
Voice of OC: Los Alamitos School Board to vote on ethnic studies social justice standards
The situation became so intense, it prompted the Los Alamitos School Board to hold their meeting tonight online. “The only way we can 100% absolutely guarantee that the participants wouldn’t risk any physical harm or verbal abuse and all that stuff was if they were to conduct a meeting online,” said Los Alamitos Police Chief Eric Nuñez.
Voice of OC: Tustin becomes first city in OC to say NO to hero pay for grocery workers
In response to the meeting, Secretary and Treasurer of UFCW Local 324 Matt Bell said that the council majority sided with corporations. After enduring more than a year on the frontlines of the pandemic, workers are calling on elected officials and holding them accountable for their actions.”
Daily Pilot: Ascon landfill site cleanup resuming in Huntington Beach
Regulators from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control held a one-hour virtual meeting with residents Thursday night over Zoom. The meeting detailed plans to remove toxic waste from “Pit F,” a 45-foot wide and 30-foot deep portion of the site deemed the most toxic and currently covered by a white tent.
Labor
Labor 411: Employees quit by posting signs at Dollar General showing why ‘no one wants to work’
One sign reads, “Closed indefinitely because Dollar General doesn’t pay a living wage or treat their employees with respect.” And another stated, “If you don’t pay people enough to live their lives, why should they slave away for you?”
Nation
CNN: Air pollution from animal-based food production is linked to 12,700 deaths each year, study says
Air pollution from food production in the United States is linked to an estimated 15,900 premature deaths each year, according to a new study published Monday in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
Publication Date: May 11, 2021
