COVID-19

MONTEREY COUNTY — In order to support small businesses facing financial impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Monterey County Workforce Development Board, in partnership with the California Office of the Small Business Advocate, has established the Covid-19 Microbusiness Grant fund. The fund will provide grants to eligible...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday formally endorsed the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for children aged 5 through 11, a move that will buttress defenses against a possible surge as winter arrives and ease the worries of tens of millions of pandemic-weary...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Board of Supervisors has voted to suspend the masking requirement of its indoor face covering ordinance, effective immediately. “This means while wearing face coverings in indoor public settings remains strongly recommended, it is no longer required,” according to Maia Carroll,...

The U.S. job market remains challenging, with the government reporting Thursday that initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose last week. A total of 741,000 workers filed first-time claims for state jobless benefits last week, an increase of 18,000, the Labor Department said. It was...

MONTEREY COUNTY — California residents have been advised to stay indoors, and only leave their home for essential items or services, since the statewide stay-at-home order went into effect March 19 to help combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Essential businesses, however, can stay open...

For 12 straight days and counting, Transportation Security Administration officers have screened more than 1 million people a day at domestic airports. On Skyscanner, a travel-booking site, weekly booking volume has increased by 75% in the last month. In a recent survey of nearly...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County residents can apply for financial help to cover funeral expenses through FEMA’s Covid-19 Funeral Assistance Program, which began accepting applications Monday. As of April 14, Monterey County has lost 348 residents to Covid-19. “For those families who have lost a loved...

CALIFORNIA — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced that the state is “setting our eyes on fully reopening by June 15 — with commonsense measures like masking.” Newsom made the announcement via Twitter, and reiterated the state’s plan to eventually forgo the current four-tiered,...

MONTEREY COUNTY — City parks throughout Monterey County have begun to reopen due to the lessening of health restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. Gonzales Recreation Department announced the reopening of its parks by March 12. The announcement followed a March 1 reopening of the...

KING CITY — Monterey Bay Aquarium has loaned a freezer capable of reaching sub-zero temperatures to Mee Memorial Healthcare System in an effort to help the South Monterey County hospital administer Covid-19 vaccines in the area. “While vaccines remain in short supply in Monterey County,...