In California: Republican John Cox opens run for governor with ad slamming party rival
Winston GiesekeI'm Winston Gieseke, philanthropy and special sections editor for The Desert Sun in sunny Palm Springs, bringing you the latest headlines on this Monday.
In California brings you top Golden State stories and commentary from across the USA TODAY Network and beyond. Get it free, straight to your inbox.
Republican Cox: 'It’s time for a fresh start'
Republican John Cox formally opened his campaign for California governor Monday with a TV ad depicting his leading GOP rival as a political twin of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and promising to work for lower housing costs and new jobs.
“I’m a businessman, not a politician,” Cox says in the ad, looking directly into the camera. “It’s time for a fresh start.”
Cox will be a candidate in the proposed recall election that threatens to oust Newsom this year, if it qualifies for the ballot, or will run against Newsom when he is expected to seek a second term in 2022. Cox filed paperwork with the state last week to establish a committee to raise money.
Cox's main target in the ad is former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, a Republican who entered the race last week. The ad faults Faulconer for San Diego's decision to enter into a $127 million lease-to-own deal for office space that later turned out to be essentially unusable because of problems with asbestos, plumbing, elevators, fire alarms and other systems.
The ad pairs a description of San Diego's soured real estate deal with a reference to Newsom's decision during the coronavirus pandemic to dine out with friends and lobbyists at an opulent Napa Valley restaurant, after telling residents to stay home and avoid social gatherings.
"Had enough of this?" Cox asks, suggesting his two competitors share a common bond in bad judgment and incompetence.
Disney California Adventure Park to reopen in March for outdoor dining
Disney California Adventure Park is set for a limited reopening mid-March for a "limited-time ticketed experience" of outdoor dining, the company said Monday. The park itself, however, does not have an official reopening date, and attractions will not be operational during this experience.
The limited reopening means that 1,000 Disneyland Resort cast members will return to work after almost a year since the park shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.
California Assemblywomen Sharon Quirk Silva, D-Buena Park, and Suzette Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at hastening the reopening of Disneyland, which has been shuttered since March, and other California theme parks.
The bill proposes to move larger theme parks, including Disneyland, to California's orange tier, which is one of the benchmark levels for reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
L.A. vaccination sites only giving out second doses this week
Beginning Tuesday and lasting at least through the end of the week, COVID vaccination sites in Los Angeles County will only be giving out second doses due to an extreme shortage.
According to CBSLA, the L.A. County Public Health Department announced Saturday that “due to short supply of vaccines from the state,” all county super sites will only be administering COVID-19 doses to those who have already received their first dose. Proof of having received the first dose will be required.
Meanwhile, a representative from the City of Pasadena, which has its own health department separate from Los Angeles, said it will give out only second doses for at least the next two weeks.
According to the report, through Sunday more than 1.155 million doses have been administered in L.A. County, and 4.65 million have been administered across California.
L.A. County is currently restricting vaccines to healthcare workers, nursing home residents and people over the age of 65.
Some coronavirus patients face heart, lung or neurological problems
The Orange County Register reports that an estimated 10% of people who battle COVID-19 may suffer long-term complications that can affect any organ system.
Labeled “long-haulers,” these people continue to experience health problems after believing they have kicked COVID-19. Experts don't know why certain people suffer from continuing neurological, heart, lung or other problems. In addition, the disease's initial symptoms — muscle weakness, headaches, nausea — often don’t go away for long-haulers and may persist for months.
“COVID-19 is a disease of extremes,” said Dr. Judith Currier, chief of UCLA’s Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine. “Some people can be asymptomatic and some people can be on a ventilator. There’s a full spectrum of outcomes. Most people do recover completely, but there are people who have lingering signs and symptoms.”
Experts believe it will take decades to fully understand the long-term complications of COVID-19.
Visit Santa Maria Valley, earn a hundred bucks
The City of Santa Maria Valley is so eager for you to visit that it will pay you $100 if you come and stay during the pandemic.
Located less than two hours north of Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Valley offers hiking, bird watching, beaches, wineries, family activities and more. And the Chamber of Commerce is offering visitors who spend at least two nights at a city hotel a $100 Visa gift card in a marketing initiative aimed at boosting the local hotel industry, reports the Santa Maria Times.
Since the state recommends limiting travel to within 120 miles, the chamber has been advertising mainly to areas within that distance, such as Bakersfield.
To receive their gift card, visitors must provide the chamber with confirmation of their two-night booking at a local hotel, and they must actually show up for their reservation. The offer went into effect Thursday and lasts through March 31.
San Francisco named healthiest city in the U.S.
The City by the Bay was awarded the No. 1 spot on WalletHub’s list of the healthiest cities in the United States, a list released Monday.
The Sacramento Bee reports that WalletHub, a personal finance website based in Washington, D.C., "assessed the 150 most populous cities in the nation — along with at least two of the most populous in each state — on 44 factors across four categories: health care, food, fitness and green space."
San Francisco scored high in both the green space and food categories. The food category examines the number of healthy restaurants per capita, while the green space category considers access to physical activity and recreation as well as a city’s biking and walking scene.
Other Golden State cities to make the list, along with their rankings, were San Diego at No. 4, Irvine at No. 8, Huntington Beach at No. 13, Fremont at No. 14, San Jose at No. 21, Santa Rosa at No. 23, Los Angeles at No. 29, Glendale at No. 30, Santa Clarita at No. 31, Oakland at No. 33, Sacramento at No. 34, Oceanside at No. 38 and Long Beach at No. 40.
In California is a roundup of news from across USA Today network newsrooms. Also contributing: CBSLA, The Orange County Register, The Sacramento Bee, Santa Maria Times. We'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with the latest headlines.
As the philanthropy and special sections editor at The Desert Sun, Winston Gieseke writes about nonprofits, fundraising and people who give back in the Coachella Valley. Reach him at winston.gieseke@desertsun.com.