Imperial County

Remote, low-income and hit hard by COVID-19, the Imperial Valley has emerged as an unexpected success story — 86% of eligible residents are vaccinated. The county relied on its trusted networks of clinics, hospitals and farm employers.

Whites make up a little more than a third of California’s population but nearly two-thirds of its Superior Court judges. Advocates are devising ways to get more people of color into law and onto the bench.

As the governor and lawmakers wrangle over the budget, local public health departments are underfunded and overwhelmed. Outdated equipment and insufficient staff hamper handling of everything from asthma to syphilis.

With counties moving to less-restrictive tiers and the state loosening visitation restrictions, hospitals are gradually allowing more visitors for non-COVID-19 patients. Some are moving immediately on new state recommendations, while others are weighing the risks.

On the edge of the Salton Sea, state officials and investors are seeking to turn brine into ‘white gold’ that can power electric cars. But will this help solve the Imperial Valley’s troubles — or add to them?

Although data is incomplete, in nearly all counties, white people received the largest percentage of vaccine doses — even in counties with large Latino populations. Latinos are the biggest group vaccinated in Los Angeles and two other counties.

Imperial County’s 68 percent registered voter turnout in November hid a surprising fact: the highest number of people voted in the history of the county. Here’s a look behind the numbers.

In the worst-hit counties, some hospitals are sending critically ill patients to other counties. Others are keeping ICU patients in crowded emergency rooms. Imperial, Kings, San Benito, Madera and Fresno are among those in the worst shape.

November’s election results showed that most of California’s Democratic counties moved further away from President Donald Trump — and the bulk of its Republican counties did too. With fewer than 1 million ballots left to count, the 2020 election here was an unsurprising blowout for President-elect Joe Biden. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton nabbed 62% of […]

As we head toward fall, and COVID-19 persists, experts forecast how our lives may look and the challenges we are likely to confront.