State and Local Officials Frustrated by Inequities in COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
Orange County is currently (as February 14) hospitalizing 790 COVID-19-positive patients; 257 of them are in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), a drop from over 400 ICU hospitalized patients just two weeks ago. St. Jude Medical Center will not confirm the number of COVID-19 patients currently being treated there, but a California government site shows a hospital corresponding with St. Jude’s location treating 97 COVID-19 positive patients at this time. Countywide, the availability of ICU beds has risen from a low of 70 on January 20 to 130 on February 12.
Spectrum News: SoCal Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Reopen Theme Parks
SoCal Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Reopen Theme Parks
By Daniela Pardo and Hannah Poukish Sacramento
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s largest amusement parks have been shut down since the start of the pandemic, and despite a strong push by elected officials and industry leaders to reopen, Gov.
Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva Holds Press Conference on Vaccine Distribution within Orange County Communities
Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva Holds Press Conference on Vaccine Distribution within Orange County Communities
FULLERTON –Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D- Orange County) held a press conference at Richman Community Center with County of Orange Board of Supervisor, Vice Chair, Doug Chaffee (D – Fullerton) and local elected officials and community leaders to address the vaccine distribution within Orange County.
A few of the following members that participated in the press conference joined us from throughout North Orange County including Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut, Fullerton Councilmember Jesus Silva, Cypress Councilwoman Francis Marquez, Centralia School Board President Elizabeth Gonzalez, Anaheim Union High School District Board Member Al Jabbar, and community leaders to address the concerns about vaccine distribution to underserved regions and efforts on making the vaccine distribution more accessible for our community members.
“As we know many of our hard hit communities are in our underserved Latinx and ethnic community regions of Orange County lacking availability to vaccine distribution PODs,” said Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva. “With our LatinX community dying at a rate of 3-1, we must address the ongoing issues our community faces.”
Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva Holds Press Conference on Vaccine Distribution within Orange County Communities
Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva Holds Press Conference on Vaccine Distribution within Orange County Communities
KABC: SoCal lawmakers aim to speed up reopening of theme parks like Disneyland, Magic Mountain
SoCal lawmakers aim to speed up reopening of theme parks like Disneyland, Magic Mountain
The bill would place large parks like Disneyland and Universal on the same timeline for reopening as smaller parks.
Two Southern California legislators have introduced a bill that seeks to allow large theme parks to reopen sooner. The bill would place the largest parks, like Disneyland, Magic Mountain and Universal Studios, on the same timeline for reopening as smaller parks.
Assembly Bill 420 was introduced by Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares, a Santa Clarita Republican whose district includes Magic Mountain, and Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, a Democrat from Orange County whose district borders Disneyland.
They note that other large theme parks around the world, including Disney World in Florida, have reopened without evidence they have contributed to major COVID-19 outbreaks.
They also note that theme parks contribute significantly to the California economy, generating $12.6 billion in direct and indirect revenue to state government and paying $1.5 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes. The assemblywomen say reopening the parks would allow tens of thousands of people to return to work.
Disneyland closed in March 2020, at first as a voluntary safety measure and later remaining closed under state orders that applied to many businesses and activities throughout California.
"I think it can be done safely, and I think not only Disney, Magic Mountain, other theme parks -- they're in the business to move people, to move them safely, and I think that it's the time to move down this pathway," said Quirk-Silva.