AP: California Urges Power Conservation Amid Heat Wave
California’s power grid operator called for voluntary energy conservation on Thursday as the state sweltered under a heat wave that has blanketed the West and brought dangerously high temperatures to many areas. The California Independent System Operator issued a Flex Alert for Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., urging people to set their thermostats to 78 degrees or higher and avoid using washers, dishwashers and other major appliances. (Weber, 6/17)

USA Today: Abnormal Temperatures Are Baking The Western US In Triple Digits. These Heat Waves Could Become The New Normal.
Tuesday, Palm Springs, California, hit 117 degrees, appearing to break the record high temperature for June 15 set in 1961. It hit 120 on Wednesday, reports said. The forecast high temperature in Death Valley, California, on Wednesday was 124, just 10 degrees shy of the highest temperature recorded in the area and in the world, 134 degrees Fahrenheit in 1913. (Aspegren, 6/16)

Bay Area News Group: Bay Area Heat Wave: Temperatures Start To Rise; Advisory Issued
The searing heat wave that will cook the Bay Area with temperatures that could reach as high 110 degrees in some areas gained momentum Wednesday, straining the power grid, increasing the risk of wildfires and prompting doctors to urge people to stay hydrated. “We’re starting to get right into the thick of it,” said Gerry Diaz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “We’re right on track. Best to stay out of it if you can.” (Rogers and Hurd, 6/16)

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat: Sonoma County Health Officials Issue Heat Alert As PG&E Prepares For Possible Outages
Officials are bracing for a heat wave that could set record temperatures for this time of year in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County. A high pressure system is expected to bring temperatures ranging form the low 90s to the low 100s Thursday and Friday, according to meteorologists. Forecasts of furnace-like conditions prompted Sonoma County health officials on Tuesday to issue an advisory. Such conditions, they said, “can cause heat stroke and worsen chronic medical conditions, leading to severe complications and death.” (Pera and Murphy, 6/16)

Sacramento Bee: Amid Record Heat Wave, How To Avoid Heat-Related Illnesses 
As Sacramento prepares for potentially record-breaking temperatures through the weekend, here are some tips for identifying and avoiding heat-related illnesses. With temperatures over 100 degrees forecast until Sunday, the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke increase. Know the signs of these illnesses and how to treat them. (Davidson, 6/16)

Los Angeles Times: After Reopening, Some Californians Aren't Shedding Masks Yet 
It turns out that many people are not that eager to throw away their masks. California fully reopened Tuesday, and with that, fully vaccinated residents were able to go into many public places without masks, even indoors. Some did. But many others decided to keep their masks on. (Vega, Money, Campa, Seidman and Kuo, 6/16)

Los Angeles Times: California Reopening: Workers Prefer You Keep Your Mask On 
Front-line workers have gone through the wringer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their customer-facing jobs meant they could not escape potential exposure to the coronavirus, and the burden of enforcing safety rules largely fell on them. Hailed as heroes, some got extra pay, but many did not, and a lot of them — especially in the restaurant, hotel and travel industries — lost work. Now we’re in another time of transition: California has eased its pandemic safety rules, and at stores, restaurants and other venues, a lot of customers feel things should be back to normal. But should they really? The Times talked to front-line workers and operators of customer-facing businesses. Here’s what they want you to know. (Mendez, Chang, Martín and Flemming, 6/16)

San Diego Union-Tribune: As Pandemic Restrictions Lift, San Diego Begins To Unmask 
While bar, restaurant and gym patrons seemed the most ready to move into a more-open way of living, many noses remained covered in grocery stores and other venues where those who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to mask up. The scene did not surprise Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health director. During her final weekly COVID-19 briefing, the physician said that she didn’t expect the lifting of restrictions to be like flipping a light switch. (Sisson, Lopez-Villafana, Pearlman, Brennan, Meiling and Warth, 6/15)

Orange County Register: Gov. Newsom’s Coronavirus Reopening Tour Rolls Into Six Flags Magic Mountain 
Gov. Gavin Newsom renewed this week’s celebration inspired by the lifting of widespread pandemic measures by rolling into Six Flags Magic Mountain on Wednesday, June 16, aiming to encourage Californians to enjoy the state’s attractions to help rekindle the economy — and to roll up their sleeves if they have yet to be vaccinated. (McGreal, 6/16)

The Bakersfield Californian: Clinica Sierra Vista Handing Out 1,000 Free Passes To Six Flags Magic Mountain Through State Vaccine Initiative 
Clinica Sierra Vista will be distributing 1,000 free admission passes to Six Flags Magic Mountain as part of California’s Roll Up Your Sleeve for Roller Coasters program. The program runs from June 21 until supplies last, when Clinica will hand out 1,000 free admission passes for the amusement park to the first individuals who come get vaccinated. According to a news release from Clinica Sierra Vista, the passes were donated by Six Flags Magic Mountain to the California Department of Public Health. (6/16)

Sacramento Bee: Gavin Newsom Says Vaccine Incentives Have Worked. Have They?
Gov. Gavin Newsom says an increase in COVID-19 vaccinations following the state’s first vaccine lottery drawing shows his incentive program worked. Speaking at an event at a Six Flags park in Valencia on Tuesday, Newsom highlighted a week-over-week increase in overall doses administered, which includes second shots for people who received the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (Reese and Bollag, 6/17)

The Bakersfield Californian: Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force To Hold Special Vaccine Clinic In Honor Of Filipino Heritage Month
In honor of Filipino Heritage Month, The Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force will be in Delano for a special vaccination clinic on Thursday. According to a news release from the task force, the event will be held from 1 to 5:30 p.m. in the small gym parking lot of Robert F. Kennedy High School, 1401 Hiett Ave. Individuals receiving the vaccine will be treated to complimentary Filipino Cuisine and shaved ice, while supplies last. (6/16)

The Bakersfield Californian: BC Students Canvassing To Spread Vaccine Knowledge
Bakersfield College students are engaging in a “get out the vaccine” project in an effort to spread campaign knowledge. The project, funded by a $299,700 grant from UCLA, will pay for 25 student canvassers to engage with around 15,000 households in the 93307 and 93301 ZIP codes. (6/16)

Orange County Register: Researchers At UCLA, International Team, Say Variants May Change Coronavirus Treatment, Vaccines
An international team of researchers, including participants from UCLA, have detailed how an increasing number of variants could cut down on the ability of vaccines and treatments to manage the coronavirus. The team published an article in the peer-reviewed journal “EMBO Molecular Medicine.” Dr. Christina Ramirez, a professor in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and co-author of the study, noted that the number of variants has skyrocketed since last April, jumping from 10 to 100. (McGreal, 6/16)

The Bakersfield Californian: Kern Public Health Reports 14 New Coronavirus Cases Wednesday 
Kern County Public Health Services reported 14 new confirmed coronavirus cases Wednesday. No new deaths were reported. That brings Kern's case count since the pandemic began to 110,687. There have been 1,401 deaths. Public Health reports that 40,061 people have recovered from the illness, and 68,214 people are presumed to have recovered. (6/16)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Tracking Coronavirus Data In San Diego County 
While the state reopens after a year of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, we will continue to track COVID-19 in San Diego County. These charts will be updated as the latest data becomes available. Data are compiled from San Diego County. (Byvik, Gilchrist and Guerrero, 6/15)

San Diego Union-Tribune: COVID-19 In San Diego County From Lockdown To Reopening
Data are compiled from San Diego County. These charts will not be updated on this page after June 15, 2021. (Byvik, Gilchrist and Guerrero, 6/15)

Los Angeles Times: When COVID Deaths Occur, Karl Gives Victims A Dignified Exit 
Martin wants the world to know who Karl is and what he does. She calls him “this healthcare hero. ”Due to the pandemic, Karl became the person who moved the dead bodies from the rooms, then took them to the morgue. Maybe this was a job before the pandemic — I’m not sure. And, on the surface, this doesn’t seem that bad. But in a pandemic, Karl became the body collector. (La Ganga, 6/17)

CapRadio: Sacramento Kings Announce Former Arena Site Will Become New Medical Center 
The site of the former Sacramento Kings arena in Natomas will soon be turned into a medical center and teaching hospital for California Northstate University, according to the team and the city of Sacramento. The team is donating the land, around 35 developable acres, to the university for the project, which is expected to open in three years. That leaves the team with 149 acres at the site. (Hagan and Hagerty, 6/16)

Bay Area News Group: New San Jose Run To Support Valley Medical Center Foundation
Carl Guardino dressed up in a Batman costume on a hot Wednesday at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, but if he really had a secret superhero identity, it probably would be “Running Man” or “Captain Fundraiser.” His mission this time was to launch Bloom Energy’s Stars and Strides Community Run, a 5K/10K race with a goal of raising $250,000 for the Valley Medical Center Foundation. The inaugural run will take place in downtown San Jose on Aug. 22, starting and finishing at Discovery Meadow, with plans to move the race to Fourth of July weekend starting in 2022. Guardino said Bloom Energy’s goal is to have 4,000 participants at what is expected to be Santa Clara County’s first post-pandemic, outdoor running event. Plans for the race have been in the works for months, and Santa Clara County health officials have given it the green light, citing the county’s high vaccination rate and plunging COVID-19 infection rate. (Pizarro, 6/16)

Sacramento Bee: Gavin Newsom Launches New Physical, Mental Fitness Council 
After more than a year of closures and limited capacity restrictions, gyms and physical fitness centers are up and running again as California’s economy reopens. Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke from an In-Shape Health gym in Bakersfield Wednesday about his new initiative to promote Californians’ overall health: a new advisory council on physical fitness and mental well-being. The advisory council aims to close equity gaps in fitness and health education across the state, particularly among children. (Swartz, 6/16)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. Moves To Ban Selling Flavored Tobacco, But Exempts Some Hookah Sales
Tobacco products that come in sweet, fruity and minty flavors could soon be banned from store shelves in Los Angeles, under a proposal backed Wednesday by the City Council. Council members voted to ask city attorneys to start drafting the ban on selling flavored tobacco products, which has been sought by a coalition of youth and public health advocates. Backers of the ban argue that such products — including liquid pods for electronic cigarettes, menthols and flavored cigars — have been a gateway to hooking teens on nicotine. (Alpert Reyes, 6/16)

Sacramento Bee: Calaveras Deputies Find Over $3.4 Million Worth Of Marijuana 
Calaveras County sheriff’s investigators seized nearly 3,000 growing marijuana plants and more than 58 pounds of processed marijuana with an estimated value of over $3.4 million at four illegal outdoor and indoor cultivation sites last week. The marijuana seizures came after serving search warrants at the four Calaveras County properties in unrelated investigations, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office announced in a news release Wednesday. (Ahumada, 6/16)

CapRadio: Bakersfield Police Broke 31 People’s Bones In Four Years. No Officer Has Been Disciplined For It 
Between 2016 and 2019, Bakersfield police officers used force that broke at least 45 bones in 31 people, an analysis of public records shows. The city of Bakersfield released the documents under a recent California law that increases transparency in policing. The records released include those cases that involved serious injury or death. A third of the time, injuries reported included one or more broken bones. (Pickoff-White, Ewald, Daugherty and Echeverria, 6/16)

City News Service: City Of L.A. Asks Court To Toss Out Lawsuit Seeking Skid Row Clearance 
The city of Los Angeles filed a motion on Wednesday seeking dismissal of what it called a “misguided” lawsuit that attempts to compel local government to provide shelter to thousands of homeless people living on downtown sidewalks and next to freeways. Lawyers for the city argue that while homelessness is “among the greatest challenges facing our region,” efforts to address it through the lawsuit filed in federal court last year against the city and county are misplaced. (6/16)

Sacramento Bee: Homeless Kicked Out Of Project Roomkey Hotels In Sacramento 
Lowery was one of about 250 people who have been kicked out of the three Sacramento Project Roomkey hotels since they opened in spring 2020, according to county spokeswoman Janna Haynes. Of those, about 65 people were kicked out because of criminal activity. The rest were told to leave because of non-compliance with a variety of rules. (Clift, 6/17)

CalMatters: Is California Still Facing An Eviction Tsunami When The Moratorium Ends On June 30?
California’s eviction moratorium is coming to an end June 30. Since the earliest days of the pandemic, housing analysts have worried about a tsunami of evictions whenever the state lifts protections for renters. Will there be an eviction tsunami when the moratorium ends? Or a smaller wave? CalMatters asked Carolina Reid, associate professor of city and regional planning at the University of California, Berkeley. (Duara, 6/17)

Daily Pilot: Jury Sides With Park Ranger In Dispute Over Couple's Serving Meals To The Homeless At O.C. Beach 
As Kathy Lemly tells it, the beachside confrontation that led her and her husband, Don Lemly, to the federal courthouse in Santa Ana this month began with an ominous comment from a state park ranger. “I heard someone say, “You’re not going to feed these people are you?’” she recalled on the witness stand. “I turned to my husband and said, ‘I think we can expect trouble today.’” The San Clemente couple’s visit to Doheny State Beach in Dana Point to feed homeless people ended with Don Lemly in handcuffs and Kathy Lemly calling 911 on the ranger who arrested him, part of an ongoing controversy in South Orange County about daily food handouts at the beach, the people who attend them and the law enforcement officials tasked with patrolling the area. (Cuniff, 6/16)

CapRadio: ‘I’m Going To Be Here For A While’: One Man’s Journey From The Streets To A New Home 
The nonprofit Goodwill refurbished the 82-room former convalescent home this spring with the goal of providing transitional housing. It’s one in a patchwork of properties across California that’s housing the wave of formerly homeless residents leaving Project Roomkey, a statewide initiative that sheltered or assisted more than 42,000 unhoused people in motel rooms and trailers during the worst of the pandemic. But the project is now winding down, and while some have secured stable housing, the fate for most is less clear.  (Nichols, 6/17)