Santa Clara County | CalMatters

Voting Centers opened across Los Angeles County, including Grand Central Market, on October 24, 2020. Voters can drop-off ballots or vote in person before Nov. 3rd. Photo Credit by Los Angeles County via Flickr

Counties, cops making sure you’re safe at the polls

by Lewis Griswold October 30, 2020November 2, 2020

California’s election officials don’t expect intimidation or interference at the polls Tuesday but they’re asking law enforcement to step in pronto if it happens.

Taylor Craig stands for a portrait on the edge of his family’s property outside of Vacaville on Oct. 2, 2020. Charred trees and ground on the adjoining property were caused by the LNU Lightening Complex Fire in August; Craig was able to fight off the flames and protect his home from the fire after not receiving an evacuation warning. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

‘Totally inadequate’: Most Californians in wildfire-prone counties aren’t signed up for emergency alerts

by James Bikales October 7, 2020October 8, 2020

Tracy Tran and Steven Tran, owners of La Orquidea Salon and Spa pose for a portrait on Aug. 25, 2020, in Los Gatos. While most of the state’s businesses have been able to resume some activity, nail salons have remained largely closed under state and local health orders since the start of the pandemic. Photo by Dai Sugano, Bay Area News Group

Coronavirus shutdowns are hitting Vietnamese-owned nail salons hard

by Laurence Du Sault September 5, 2020September 4, 2020

As coronavirus case counts climb — and many Californians are unable to return to work or school — Gov. Gavin Newsom suggests he may get more aggressive about trying to address the crisis. Image via iStock

Newsom: California on “the edge of a cliff” — more executive orders likely

by Emily Hoeven July 24, 2020July 24, 2020

A Clinica de la Raza staff member sanitizes her hands after administering Covid-19 tests in a parking lot along 35th Avenue near the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland on July 7, 2020. According to data provided by the Alameda County Public Health Department, Fruitvale’s 94601 ZIP code has one of the highest rates of COVID-19 cases of any ZIP code in Alameda County. Photo by Jane Tyska, Bay Area News Group

A grim tally: Newsom puts brave face on California’s COVID-19 surge

by Barbara Feder Ostrov and Ana B. Ibarra July 8, 2020July 8, 2020

Cleverson Davis, a waiter at Palermo Italian Restaurant in San Jose tends to customers while wearing a mask on June 5, 2020. Photo by Dai Sugano, Bay Area News Group

State cracks down on bars, restaurants

by Emily Hoeven July 7, 2020July 7, 2020

The number of people in California hospitals testing positive for the novel coronavirus is fast approaching the high point the state set in late April. Photo via iStock

California just hit all-time high number of people hospitalized with coronavirus

by Ana B. Ibarra June 18, 2020June 25, 2020

Orange County Chief Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick resigned June 8, after receiving threats over her order for residents wear to face masks in public to protect against the coronavirus. Quick is one of several local health officers in California to quit since the pandemic began. Photo by Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP

‘Things have gotten ugly’ — pandemic pushback drives health directors to quit

by Barbara Feder Ostrov June 16, 2020June 25, 2020

Maria Castellanos, 75, cares for her grandson Valentino, 5, while he is out of school. Elk Grove Unified closed all district schools until March 13 after a student tested positive for COVID-19. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Quarantine grandma? California families scramble as coronavirus hits

by Elizabeth Aguilera and Judy Lin March 11, 2020June 8, 2020