December 7, 2021 Media Brief
Orange County
OC Register: Pandemic once closed schools; now it’s financing them
Districts in Orange County are getting millions in COVID-relief dollars. Spending plans vary, but a common goal is to help students recover from a lost year.
OC Register: In city budget talks, Fullerton police union spars with councilmen over cuts
As Fullerton leaders consider options to alleviate the city’s money problems, the union representing its sworn police officers has raised concern over proposed budget cuts that it says would hurt public safety resources.
Voice of OC: Santa Ana officials will reimagine City’s landscape for the next few decades
The policy of long-term goals and visions for this built-out city of 330,000 people — which is supposed to guide city leaders’ choices on issues of housing, transportation, public services, open space, and community health — hasn’t been comprehensively revised since 1982.
Voice of OC: OC’s new mental health director is promising transparency, collaboration
Veronica Kelley is returning to the OC Health Care Agency after five years as behavioral health director for San Bernardino County. Kelley will oversee a team of 1,000 behavioral health staff at the county Health Care Agency who manage a range of mental health and addiction treatment services.
OC Register: How Airbnb’s nonprofit is making resettling refugees a core mission
In its first year, Airbnb.org helped provide more than 100,000 first responders with housing during the pandemic to help them avoid spreading COVID-19 to their families. In recent months, the nonprofit has worked to resettle 7,600 Afghan refugees after the Taliban takeover of the country.
OC Register: Orange County reported 1,443 new cases and 15 more deaths over the weekend
The OC Health Care Agency reported 1,443 new cases of the coronavirus over the weekend, increasing the cumulative total since tracking began in the county to 315,186, as of Monday, Nov. 6.
Labor
Labor 411: CEO terminates almost 1,000 workers via Zoom weeks before Christmas
‘If you’re on this call you’re part of the unlucky group being laid off,’ said Vishal Garg, chief executive of mortgage firm Better.com, on the call, later uploaded to social media. Comments on social media said it was ‘cold’, ‘harsh’ and ‘a horrible move’, especially in the run up to Christmas.
California
KTLA: Delta, Omicron variants have California preparing for winter COVID-19 surge
It’s still far from clear what kind of increase California will see, and the state has been doing better than other parts of the country. But officials say they want to be ready.
KTLA: Man arrested after shooting at teens who threw water balloons at his truck in Ridgecrest
Deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office later found the man in a desert area and arrested him without incident. Police described the suspect as a convicted felon who is not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
Publication Date: December 7, 2021
