POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Atwater is now a business ‘sanctuary city’ during coronavirus pandemic. What does it mean? Modesto Bee Atwater residents gave City Council a standing ovation and cheers Friday when they unanimously passed a resolution to make Atwater a sanctuary city for all businesses to open amid the coronavirus pandemic. EDITORIAL: […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Coronavirus update: Stanislaus ‘positivity rate’ climbs; MJC receives big grant Modesto Bee Stanislaus County announced its 24th death to the coronavirus Friday. No detail was provided other than that the person was 50 or older, as were the other 23. Turlock Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had no update Friday. A day […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Mariposa County Gets OK to Move to Phase 2.5 Sierra News Mariposa County officials received word late Wednesday from the California Department of Public Health that the county’s “Roadmap to Reopen” has been approved and the county can now immediately move to Phase 2.5.  Stanislaus County will look the […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Stanislaus County will look the other way if businesses defy Newsom’s stay-home order Modesto Bee Stanislaus County will not spend resources to enforce the governor’s coronavirus stay-at-home order, effectively sending a message that many non-essential businesses can open at their own risk. See also: ●     Coronavirus shelter-in-place order lifted in […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Merced County reports fourth COVID-19-related death. Plan for reopening submitted to state Merced Sun-Star Although a state requirement for counties to reopen faster is no COVID-19 related deaths for two weeks, Public Health officials say the new death won’t affect the plan since it was submitted prior to the […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Merced resuming public operations, City Hall planning to open by May 18 abc30 The City of Merced is resuming operations with the public Monday. Employees who have been working remotely have returned to their offices. The goal is to open up City Hall to the public by May 18. […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Will Merced County reopen before much of California? There’s a plan for that, officials say Fresno Bee As some businesses across Merced County reopened Friday, the Board of Supervisors held a special meeting to begin progressing the county through the stay-at-home order faster than the rest of the state.  […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Stanislaus County is expanding the team assigned to contain coronavirus. Will it help? Modesto Bee Stanislaus County is building a cadre of health workers for more effective contact tracing as county and state residents are released from coronavirus stay-home orders. County supervisors unanimously approved a staffing request Tuesday to […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Merced County prepares to reopen some businesses Friday, following governor’s decision Fresno Bee Merced County is preparing to reopen some businesses — under certain rules — as officials anticipate Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Thursday announcement specifying guidelines to move into Stage 2 of the state’s stay-at-home order on Friday. ‘Open […]

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: ‘Open really slowly.’ Stanislaus outlines next steps for businesses closed by coronavirus Modesto Bee As it starts a process of reopening the local economy after the coronavirus shutdown, Stanislaus County will allow dog grooming, drive-in movies and retail stores providing curbside pickup, starting on Friday. See also: Coronavirus update: […]