January 31, 2022 Media Brief
Orange County
Voice of OC: School absences declining as OC’s Fourth COVID wave may be cresting
Schools across Orange County had a difficult first few weeks back from winter break amid an Omicron surge that caused student absentee rates to skyrocket and left school districts scrambling to address staff shortages.
Voice of OC: Mission Viejo resident alleges three city council members illegally extended their terms
Council members Wendy Bucknum, Council Members Ed Sachs and Greg Raths were elected to their council seats in 2018 – but they were only supposed to serve two-year terms, according to a 2018 stipulated judgment from OC Superior Court Judge Walter Schwarm.
OC Register: Union president alleges Santa Ana police chief spied on him, covered up misconduct
The complaint was filed late last year in Orange County Superior Court by Gerry Serrano, president of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association, but transferred to U.S. District Court last week at the request of city attorneys.
OC Register: Orange County Board of Education voting map nixed by county committee
Instead, committee picks a plan submitted by an Anaheim resident and union leader. The Board president suggests next step might be court.
Daily Pilot: Costa Mesa City Council to consider plan requiring union labor on major city building projects
Proponents believe such a covenant, also referred to as a project labor agreement, would create job opportunities for Costa Mesa residents, veterans and graduates of the city’s schools, as it would stipulate such workers account for up to 35% of a project’s labor pool.
California
KTLA: State’s universal health care bill faces deadline on Monday
A bill in the state Legislature would create the nation’s only statewide universal health care system. It’s still a long way from becoming law, but Monday is the last chance for lawmakers in the Assembly to keep the bill alive this year.
Nation
OC Register: VP Kamala Harris drove within several yards of pipe bomb at DNC headquarters during Capitol riot
Details about the Vice President’s proximity to the pipe bomb and the extended period she remained inside the DNC have not been previously reported. The revelations further expose a security lapse on January 6 as law enforcement tried to respond to multiple major events.
OC Register: Omicron US death toll higher than fall’s delta surge
The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been climbing since mid-November, reaching 2,267 on Thursday and surpassing a September peak of 2,100 when delta was the dominant variant.
Labor
Labor 411: Republicans introduce two bills to stop workers from getting a minimum wage increase in Virginia
The House Commerce and Energy Committee approved House Bill 320, introduced by Del. Nicholas J. Freitas, R-Culpeper, and HB 296, introduced by Del. Joseph P. McNamara, R-Roanoke. Both bills would eliminate scheduled future increases to the current minimum wage law.
Publication Date: January 31, 2022
