Category: newsom

School Reopening Bill Draws Strong Reactions in Orange County

A $6.6 billion school reopening initiative launched by Gov. Gavin Newsom was met with mixed reactions in Orange County, where parents are divided on the prospect of full-time, in-classroom studies. “I think they should open immediately,” Orange County resident Jim Puro told The Epoch Times. “We’re creating a generation of kids that are going to…


State Clears Theme Parks, Ballparks To Reopen, With Strict Capacity Rules

LOS ANGELES—Disneyland, Universal Studios and other theme parks across the state, along with outdoor ballparks and stadiums, can reopen as early as April 1 subject to counties’ rates of COVID-19 spread and with strict capacity-control mandates and required mask-wearing, state officials announced March 5. The announcement marks a major policy shift relating to theme parks,…


Newsom Signs $6.6 Billion School-Reopening Bill, School Year Could Be Extended

LOS ANGELES (CNS)—Gov. Gavin Newsom March 5 signed a $6.6 billion legislative package that offers incentives for schools to resume in-person instruction for students up to second grade by April 1 and provides funds to help recoup learning lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly by extending the school year. But whether Los Angeles Unified School…


Orange County’s Restricted Businesses Unlikely to Reopen Until Late March

Indoor gyms and theaters will likely reopen in Orange County later this month, if the region’s COVID-19 metrics continue their downward trend. Right now, Orange County falls under the state-mandated purple tier, meaning some of its non-essential businesses, fitness facilities and theatres must remain closed. Restaurants can remain open to facilitate takeout orders, or serve…


State Deal to Encourage School Reopening By April, But Local Resistance Looms

LOS ANGELES—Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders will announce a multibillion-dollar deal March 1 aimed at enticing schools to resume in-person instruction for young students by April 1, but union demands for COVID vaccinations of teachers and reduced transmission rates make it unlikely L.A. Unified will meet that date. According to reports out of Sacramento,…


It’s Game on For Orange County Athletes, Who Are Permitted to Play Again

Outdoor sports competitions can resume in Orange County March 3, following a nearly yearlong athletic shutdown, officials said Feb. 25. “As a strong supporter of youth sports, I’m very happy to see that students can compete in sports again,” Orange County Supervisor Doug Chaffee said in a press release. “Our children deserve to return to…


Special Election to Recall Gov. Newsom Likely to Be Held This Fall: Adviser to Recall Effort

An effort to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom will likely succeed in getting a special election by fall this year, according to Randy Economy, senior adviser to the Recall Gavin 2020 effort. “The process has begun,” Economy told Fox on Thursday. “We’re going to continue to work as hard as we can and to make sure…


Orange County Awaits Return to Competitive Sports

High school coaches say teens are eager to return to the playing fields following the recent lifting of a state ban that could soon allow sports to resume in the region. However, Orange County athletes might have to wait a little longer to participate in the long-awaited competitions. California revised its guidelines Feb 19 to…


State Eases Restrictions on Youth Sports Amid COVID Concerns

LOS ANGELES—Youth competition in sports such as football and basketball could resume sooner than anticipated in the Southland, with the state today revising its guidelines to allowing the activities in counties with relatively low rates of new COVID-19 cases. The standard, which takes effect Feb. 26, allows for a resumption of “outdoor high-contact sports” in…


Californians Part of ‘Cal-Exit’ Say Why They Left

Mike Kimmel and his wife, native Californians, moved to Arizona last year. Kimmel speaks of his love for California—but in the past tense. “We loved the area and state we were born in,” he told The Epoch Times via email. “The beauty and diversity of the state stayed constant across those years. But the taxes…