Coronavirus transmission rates are falling across California, bringing guarded optimism
LA Times, LUKE MONEY/RONG-GONG LIN II/MARISSA EVANS: "After weeks of an unprecedented spike in coronavirus cases that challenged hospitals, schools and other institutions, there are growing indications that the surge spawned by the Omicron variant is flattening and, in some parts of California, even beginning to wane.
Health officials in San Francisco said Thursday they believe they’ve passed the peak of the latest wave. And in Los Angeles County, there’s cautious optimism that the days of exponential growth may be in the rearview mirror.
But officials warn that hospitals will continue to face significant challenges in the coming days and weeks, and that Californians need to keep their guard up."
UCSF scientists detect anomalies in people with post-COVID ‘brain fog’
The Chronicle, NANETTE ASIMOV: "Scientists studying the persistent “brain fog” that plagues many people after a bout with COVID-19 are reporting, for the first time, abnormalities in the clear liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord of several patients.
The discovery of elevated protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid suggests the presence of inflammation, while unexpected antibodies may reveal an abnormally activated immune system, according to small study led by UCSF and published Tuesday in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.
“It’s possible that the immune system, stimulated by the virus, may be functioning in an unintended pathological way” even though the virus was no longer present, said Dr. Joanna Hellmuth, a brain expert at UCSF’s Coronavirus Neurocognitive Study and the study’s senior author."
Zookeeper, chauffeur among 78 phony IDs used by NJ man to scam California EDD, feds say
SAM STANTON, SacBee: “One claim filed with California’s Employment Development Department was in the name of someone claiming to be a “children’s zoo caretaker” in Sacramento who earned $124,000 until being laid off because of COVID-19.
Another was for an “aqua fitness instructor” in Sacramento who was making $105,000 annually until they lost their job after getting COVID.
Yet another was for a Los Angeles chauffeur who also had a background as a zoologist.”
Teens could get vaccinated against parents’ wishes under proposed California law
SOPHIA BOLLAG, SacBee: “California teens could get vaccinated against parents’ wishes under a proposed law introduced Thursday.
State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said his proposal, Senate Bill 866, was spurred by parents who won’t let their kids get the COVID-19 vaccine. It would allow people 12 and older to get any kind of vaccine without parental permission.
Currently, children over 12 can get HPV and hepatitis B vaccines without parents’ permission, but that rule does not extend to other vaccines.
Kamala Harris to announce wildfire money in visit to California on Friday
LA Times, NOAH BIERMAN: "Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit a San Bernardino fire station Friday to announce the federal government will provide California $600 million to help the state recover from a historically severe wildfire season while highlighting plans to spend $5 billion more to address the dangers posed by fires, an administration official said.
The event is part of the Biden administration’s effort to showcase a $1-trillion bipartisan infrastructure law that the president signed in November. President Biden said during a news conference marking his first year in office on Wednesday that he wanted to spend more time selling the administration’s achievements in the face of low poll numbers and recent setbacks on his agenda, including the failure this week to pass a major voting rights bill championed by Harris.
Harris’ speech in San Bernardino will be the first to feature the infrastructure bill’s $5 billion allocation to combat, prevent and prepare for wildfires. Last year’s wildfire season was among the worst in California’s history, with fires scorching nearly 2.6 million acres."
Attorney’s ethics complaint seeks investigation of Feuer, others in DWP case
LA Times, DAKOTA SMITH/RICHARD WINTON: "Paul Paradis, an attorney who performed work for the city attorney’s office and Department of Water and Power, agreed two months ago to plead guilty in a sprawling federal case involving a collusive lawsuit, bribes and extortion.
Now, Paradis has filed a complaint with the city’s Ethics Commission asking the agency to investigate the actions of several individuals, including City Atty. Mike Feuer and Mel Levine, a former president of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.
Paradis’ complaint was also sent to City Controller Ron Galperin’s office and the State Bar, the attorney told The Times."
Wind advisory issued for much of Bay Area for Friday and Saturday
The Chronicle, ANDRES PICON: "Strong winds are expected to blow through the Bay Area on Friday and Saturday, prompting a wind advisory from the National Weather Service.
The North Bay, East Bay, Santa Cruz mountains and the Peninsula coast could see northerly winds of up to 30 miles per hour, and gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, between Friday morning and Saturday morning, according to the NWS.
“Winds will be strongest over the higher terrain” of the North Bay and East Bay, the weather service said in a tweet Thursday."
The pandemic pushed more families to home school. Many are sticking with it
LA Times, LAURA NEWBERRY: "Before the pandemic, Karen Mozian had a concrete vision of her son’s K-12 education: He would go to public school, just as she had.
But then schools shut down in March 2020 and Mozian saw 9-year-old Elijah glued to Zoom at the kitchen table, struggling to get his words out. Elijah stutters, and distance learning made it worse. He was barely engaging, daydreaming through his classes.
Elijah was diagnosed with ADHD in the summer of 2021, just before his sixth-grade year. He was back on campus and his school granted him accommodations, such as additional testing times and help with incomplete assignments, but Mozian noticed that Elijah was expected to advocate for himself — and he didn’t want to be singled out. His grades dropped abruptly."
How many records can Southern California home prices break? Last year, 10
LA Times, ANDREW KHOURI: "Southern California home prices hit another all-time high in December, capping a year of sharp growth that left many first-time buyers frustrated while homeowners counted their equity gains.
The six-county region’s median sale price reached $697,500 last month, up 16.3% from a year earlier, real estate data firm DQNews said Friday. It marked the 10th time the median set a record in 2021, a frenzy driven by low rates, millennial buyers and a desire for more living space during the pandemic.
Some economists forecast that prices will rise again this year, but the increases are expected to be smaller as affordability — already an issue for many — becomes an increasing barrier to homeownership."
State AG investigating fatal shooting by S.F. police of allegedly armed man at SF
The Chronicle, RICARDO CANO/RACHEL SWAN/MICHAEL CABANATUAN: "The California Department of Justice is investigating San Francisco police officers’ fatal shooting of a man police said was armed with two handguns and behaving in a threatening manner inside San Francisco International Airport’s International Terminal on Thursday morning.
The confrontation unfolded at 7:26 a.m. after police received several calls reporting a man causing a disturbance near the BART entrance to the terminal’s Main Hall and outside the Reflection Room, said Officer Grace Gatpandan of the San Francisco Police Department. Officers from the department’s airport bureau rushed to the scene, where the man was brandishing two guns, airport spokesperson Doug Yakel said.
Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, Yakel said, “but the suspect continued to demonstrate threatening behavior.” Police fired beanbag projectiles at the man, but he continued to advance — and officers fired several shots at him “to neutralize the threat,” he said. Gatpandan said police administered first aid to the man but he died on the scene."