July 8, 2021 Media Brief

Orange County

Voice of OC: OC residents and businesses grapple with masks, vaccine verification policies amid Coronavirus reopening

While the workplace safety board members ultimately voted to allow fully vaccinated people drop their masks at work and align with the state Department of Public Health guidelines, the safety board didn’t touch on how exactly businesses could verify if their employees are vaccinated.

 

Voice of OC: Will masks be required when OC students go back to school in the fall?

The state public health department is waiting for further updates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before releasing new guidelines for the 2021-2022 school year, according to an email from the department sent to the Voice of OC.

 

OC Register: Orange County reported 3.4 million vaccinations administered with 52.7% of the county fully vaccinated

There were 331 new cases of the coronavirus reported since Friday, increasing the cumulative total in the county to 256,776 cases since tracking began. There was one new death reported since Friday. In Orange County, the count of those who have died from the virus is reported at 5,124.

 

Daily Pilot: As experts predict a bad fire season, Orange County Fire Watch is ready to help prevent wildfires

The 300 volunteers will look for signs of fires, largely on Red Flag warning days when strong winds, low humidity levels and high temperatures increase the risk of fire. O.C. Fire Watch volunteers are particularly important during the Santa Ana winds season, which starts around August.

 

Daily Pilot: After decades of fighting and freeways, Orange County is finally getting a streetcar

The OC Streetcar system, a $423-million project slated for completion in 2023, will comprise only six light-rail vehicles and will cover a bit more than four miles, linking the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center to strip-mall-lined streets near Little Saigon.

 

OC Register: Construction begins on $60 million Wild Rivers water park in Irvine

Construction on Wild Rivers has begun, bringing Irvine’s new water park one step closer to being complete. It could even be ready by next May – just in time for locals to beat the summer heat.

 

OC Register: Ethnic studies, CRT forum venues changed after estimate for legal protection hits $96,000

Sheriff’s Dept. would need to send 69 deputies to maintain security if event is held in Rossmoor. Instead, Orange County Board of Ed will hold meetings at its Costa Mesa offices.

 

Nation

CNN.com: Five under-vaccinated clusters put the entire United States at risk

A new data analysis identifies clusters of unvaccinated people, most of them in the southern United States, that are vulnerable to surges in Covid-19 cases and could become breeding grounds for even more deadly Covid-19 variants.

 

Publication Date: July 8, 2021