14May

May 14, 2020

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 […]

13May

May 13, 2020

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 […]

12May

May 12, 2020

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. […]

11May

May 11, 2020

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.  […]

08May

May 8, 2020

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 […]

07May

May 7, 2020

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 […]

06May

May 6, 2020

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: […]

05May

May 5, 2020

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: New COVID-19 testing site opens at Merced Fairgrounds, as case total continues to rise Merced Sun Star A new COVID-19 testing site was launched Monday at the Merced County Fairgrounds — an effort that’s expected to expand testing to all county residents and give a clearer picture of how […]

04May

May 4, 2020

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Business owners plead with local officials to ‘Reopen Turlock’ Turlock Journal As hundreds rallied in front of the California State Capitol on Friday in protest of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home orders, a Facebook group created by Turlock business owners who want to go back to work continued to gain […]

01May

May 1, 2020

POLICY & POLITICS North SJ Valley: Merced mayor asks Newsom to open local businesses. 12 new coronavirus cases in county Merced Sun-Star Merced Mayor Mike Murphy on Thursday sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, asking the state leader to reopen businesses in rural cities amid the coronavirus pandemic.  Stanislaus will use federal money to […]