Los Angeles Times: Hospitalizations For COVID-19 Continue To Rise In California 
Across California, health officials have been closely watching the numbers on COVID-19 to see whether the recent surge driven by the Delta variant could be leveling off. The summer wave has put renewed pressure on hospitals, alarmed parents as unvaccinated children head back into schools, and dampened earlier hopes for a swift return to normal life. (Alpert Reyes, 8/25)

The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: Summer COVID-19 Surge Taxing For Sonoma County Hospitals
Hospitalizations in Sonoma County related to the coronavirus nearly doubled in the past month, straining local hospitals as the powerful delta variant continues spreading mainly among those who have yet to be vaccinated. But there are hopeful signs the summer surge of COVID-19 infections and subsequent hospitalizations is starting to peak. (Espinoza, 8/25)

Capital & Main: Between COVID And Staffing, California Pushes Nurses To The Limit
It was a little more than three weeks ago that COVID patients began filling up the intensive care units at both Bakersfield hospitals where Mary Lynn Briggs works. It had happened before, but this felt different. “The majority of patients we’re seeing are in their 20s and 30s, and we’ve never seen that before,” Briggs said. “And in the past, although so many people who were in the ICU with COVID died, we also saw patients who survived — even went back to work. But these last three weeks, everybody has died.” (Kreidler, 8/25)

VC Star: COVID Surge Sparks Rise In Outbreaks Across Ventura County
COVID-19 outbreaks are rising across Ventura County in a wide variety of settings, from third-grade classrooms to high school football teams, a cannabis dispensary, car dealerships and a police department. Ventura County public health officials said Wednesday they're investigating 19 outbreaks, most involving at least three infected people and emerging within 14 days of each other. Like the rise in COVID transmission across the nation, the outbreaks are being propelled by the highly contagious delta variant believed to make up at least 95% of the county's current infections. (Kisken, 8/25)

City News Service: CDC: Unvaccinated LA County Residents Are 29 Times More Likely To Be Hospitalized With Coronavirus 
The number of COVID-positive patients in Los Angeles County hospitals dropped again on Wednesday, Aug. 25, while a federal study of local virus statistics found that unvaccinated residents were five times more likely to get infected and 29 times more likely to wind up hospitalized. The study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that between May 1 and July 25, 25.3% of COVID-19 infections in the county occurred among fully vaccinated people, while 71.4% were in unvaccinated people and 3.3% among those who were partially vaccinated. (8/25)

Los Angeles Times: What's Fueling The L.A. COVID Surge? How Can Vaccines Help? 
More evidence is emerging this week underscoring the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against the Delta variant of the coronavirus. A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that more than 71% of coronavirus infections between May 1 and July 25 in Los Angeles County were among the unvaccinated, compared with about 25% among fully vaccinated people, and about 3% among the partially vaccinated. (Smith and Lin II, 8/25)

Voice of OC: Orange County Cities Begin Dropping COVID Emergency Declarations As Cases Soar
More Orange County cities are examining their local COVID-19 states of emergency as new cases and trends are starting to mirror last Summer’s wave. Most cities in Orange County have officially been in local emergencies for over a year now, swiftly setting up the status in March as the pandemic swept through. At least nine cities across Orange County have ended their emergencies while others move to reinforce and extend their emergency protocols. (Biesiada, 8/25)

The Bakersfield Californian: In Echo Of Previous Surges, County To Limit 911 Responses As Calls For Ambulances Increase
A significant increase in COVID 911 calls is stretching Kern County’s ambulance services thin. To address growing ambulance shortages, Kern County Public Health Services is preparing to limit the calls to which emergency medical personnel respond. This week, the county plans to move to the second level of its surge plan, a move which stops ambulances from responding to “low acuity,” or non-emergency, 911 calls during peak periods of activity. (Morgen, 8/25)

Santa Cruz Sentinel: Santa Cruz County Reports 210th COVID Death
Santa Cruz County health officials Wednesday morning announced the third death of an unvaccinated person in relation to the Delta variant surge. The 210th person to succumb to their COVID-19 illness was a man in his 60s who suffered from underlying conditions, according to a statement from the county. He was unvaccinated. (Hartman, 8/26)

Orange County Register: Coronavirus: Orange County Reported 557 New Cases And Six New Deaths, Aug. 25
The OC Health Care Agency reported 557 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, Aug. 25, increasing the cumulative total since tracking began in the county to 282,166. There have been 9,717 new infections reported in the last 14 days. (Goertzen, 8/25)

The Bakersfield Californian: Four New Coronavirus Deaths, 559 Cases Reported By KCPHS On Wednesday 
The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported four new coronavirus deaths and 599 new cases on Wednesday. The total number of coronavirus deaths now stands at 1,452, while the total number of cases is 121,898. No new variant cases were identified compared to the last time numbers were updated on Monday. Still, not every case is tested for variants, meaning the variants could be spreading undetected in Kern. (8/25)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Covid Outbreak Races Through Downtown Federal Jail 
The federal lockup in downtown San Diego is dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19 that has infected about 10 percent of the detained population and gives the facility the highest number of cases of any federal prison or jail in the U.S. The surge in cases at the Metropolitan Correctional Center has also affected how defense attorneys can meet with their clients. The office of Federal Defender, which represents people charged with crimes who can’t afford a lawyer, said that it has stopped in-person visits to the facility. (Moran, 8/25)

San Francisco Chronicle: BottleRock And Outside Lands Are Coming Back Despite Delta. Here's What We Know About The Risks
After several frustrating postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the Bay Area’s major music festivals are scheduled to return over the next few weeks and months. BottleRock Napa Valley is set to take place over Labor Day weekend; Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival comes back to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park over Halloween weekend; and several others are scheduled in between. (Vaziri, 8/25)

Modesto Bee: Modesto, Turlock School Districts Report COVID Cases 
Turlock and Modesto school districts reported 60 and 84 COVID-19 cases, respectively, from their second week of in-person instruction. The numbers reflect a rise in cases in Stanislaus County and across the country caused by the more transmissible delta variant. Modesto City Schools’ positivity rate doubled over the first two weeks of school. The positivity rate at Turlock Unified School District more than quadrupled, though its first week of school only included three days. (Isaacman, 8/26)

Santa Cruz Sentinel: Students In Santa Cruz County See Increase In Cases, No Evidence Of School Transmission 
Santa Cruz County schools have seen an increase of the amount of COVID cases among their students, but they have received no evidence that the virus has spread on the various campuses. The rise in cases among students can be attributed to a few causes, according to Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah. First, Sabbah noted that the rise in cases among school children has represented the way it has spread through the community. (Stuart, 8/26)

Bay Area News Group: San Jose Unified Reports Few Cases During First Week Of School
Unlike some school districts across the nation that have seen COVID-19 outbreaks after returning to the classroom, San Jose Unified has recorded just 21 cases in the first five days of school — and none of them were contracted on campus, according to the district. Of the 21 reported cases, five staff members and 16 students — ranging from elementary school to high school — have tested positive for the virus, according to district spokesperson Jennifer Maddox. (Angst, 8/25)

Los Angeles Times: COVID-19 Outbreaks With Kids At School: What To Know 
With children returning to school, one big question is what happens when new coronavirus cases occur on campus. Early data from testing in L.A. schools show relatively few cases during the early days of the school year. As of Tuesday night, L.A. Unified officials reported seven cases that were possibly transmitted from one person to another while on a campus since the Aug. 16 start of school. The district also listed 2,304 total “active” infections among 451,000 students and 60,000 employees. (Blume, Khan, Shalby and Garcia, 8/26)

Southern California News Group: Doctor Challenges UC System’s Vaccine Mandate, Saying He Is ‘Naturally Immune’ To COVID-19
A UCI School of Medicine physician who contracted COVID-19 in 2020 alleges in a lawsuit he should be exempt from the university’s vaccine mandate because he has a “natural immunity” to the virus. Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the UCI medical school, filed the suit last week in U.S. District Court against the University of California Board of Regents and Michael V. Drake, the system’s president. He is seeking an injunction to block the mandate, allowing him to return to work unvaccinated, and is asking the court to declare the policy unconstitutional. (Schwebke, 8/26)

Los Angeles Times: Suspend Unvaccinated California Lawmakers, Democrat Says 
Members of the California Assembly who don’t provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination by next week would be suspended during the final days of this year’s legislative session under a proposal unveiled Wednesday by a Bay Area lawmaker. The resolution by Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-Greenbrae) comes on the heels of new cases reported in the state Capitol, including a positive test result earlier this week for a vaccinated legislator. (Myers, 8/25)

Modesto Bee: CA Considers Statewide Requirement For Restaurants, Indoor Venues 
Nearly everyone in California could be required to prove they’re fully vaccinated before entering restaurants, bars, movie theaters, gyms, hotels, stadiums and other indoor establishments under a draft of a proposed new law. The proposal, by Assembly members Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, Akilah Weber, D-San Diego, and Evan Low, D-Campbell, hasn’t yet been introduced in the Legislature. The Sacramento Bee obtained a copy of the draft. (Venteicher, 8/25)

San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego Military Hospitals Ready To Vaccinate 7,000 Troops Per Day 
San Diego military medical providers are ready to vaccinate up to 7,000 troops per day when the Pentagon makes the coronavirus vaccine mandatory, which it is expected to do in coming days, according to Navy Medical Forces Pacific. Military treatment facilities are planning to go wherever they’re needed to get shots into arms, the Navy said, whether that’s on the pier next to ships or in the field at Camp Pendleton. (Dyer, 8/24)

Los Angeles Times: LAPD COVID-19 Cases Spiking As Vaccine Mandate Nears 
Coronavirus cases are spiking within the Los Angeles Police Department as city officials work with labor leaders to finalize a vaccination mandate for city employees, and those who oppose the requirement search for ways to circumvent it. There were 84 new coronavirus cases identified among LAPD personnel in the last week, an increase from 45 the week prior, according to police. The new total includes a “hot spot” of 26 new infections among employees at the LAPD’s Central Station in skid row — where officials were scrambling to isolate the outbreak. (Rector and Cosgrove, 8/26)

Voice of OC: OC Sheriff Staff Have Lowest Self-Reported Vaccination Rate As COVID Outbreaks Increase In County Workforce
As coronavirus outbreaks continue hitting county government workplaces, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has the lowest self-reported vaccination rate among county departments, according to data from county officials. Just 16% of sheriff staff self-attested to being vaccinated as of last week, compared with 75% of Board of Supervisors staff, according to data obtained through a public records request. County officials cautioned the data is based only on self-reporting of vaccination by employees who want to work maskless indoors, and that the data might not reflect the actual rates of vaccinations. (Gerda, 8/25)

Sacramento Bee: Placer County Advises Masks Indoors As Delta Cases Surge 
Placer County health officials are now recommending residents use masks indoors regardless of vaccination status as hospitalizations for the delta variant of COVID-19 surge in the region. “The delta surge has resulted in record numbers of COVID-related hospitalizations this week and is leaving our local hospitals with less room to absorb more patients requiring hospitalization,” the county said in a news release Wednesday. “Hospitals in Placer County are providing critical care in areas not typically designed for that purpose, report a high level of acuity in their patients, and are experiencing strains on their workforce.” (Sullivan, 8/25)

San Diego Union-Tribune: No Indoor Mask Mandate In County's COVID Update Despite Urging Of Local Doctors And Hospitals 
San Diego County’s weekly COVID-19 update continued to recommend indoor masking, but did not go so far as instituting a local mandate as requested by local doctors and hospitals early this week. On Monday, the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties and the San Diego County Medical Society publicly asked Dr. Wilma Wooten, the region’s public health officer, to follow other big California cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco and require even those who are fully vaccinated to cover their noses and mouths indoors. Experts say the move can help contain the spread of the Delta variant, especially as evidence shows that even the fully vaccinated can transmit the virus. (Sisson, 8/25)

Los Angeles Times: Anti-Asian, Anti-Vaccine Hate Roils Orange County Government 
Between anti-lockdown rallies, pushback against mask mandates and a restaurant catering to the unvaccinated, Orange County has seized the spotlight as a nexus of aggressive COVID denialism — even if the protesters are a small minority of residents. The ratcheting up of incivility and racism comes at a time when pandemic fatigue is worsening and concerns about the Delta variant have prompted businesses and public officials to reconsider protocols like mask wearing and proof of vaccination. (Fry and Do, 8/25)

The Bakersfield Californian: Free Vaccine Clinic To Be Hosted In Lamont On Thursday 
The Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force will host a free vaccine clinic at Nueva High School, located at 8600 Palm Ave. in Lamont from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday. The Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available. Second doses, and first doses, will also be administered, according to a Kern County Latino Task Force news release. A $25 gift card will be given to the first 100 people who are vaccinated, Jay Tamsi, the co-founder of the Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force, said in a news release. No appointments are necessary. The task force encourages residents ages 12 and older to attend. (8/25)

Modesto Bee: Evacuations Ordered For Fire Spreading Quickly In Calaveras County 
The blaze has been named the Airola fire. According to the Cal Fire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit in a 7:30 a.m. update on its Facebook page, the fire is about 700 acres. Crews will construct fire line throughout the night, and there is currently 0% containment, Cal Fire reported. (Gerike, 8/25)

San Francisco Chronicle: The Delta Variant. Wildfire Smoke. Now Is The Time To Break Out The N95s, Experts Say
With revived mask mandates in place to combat the delta variant surge, face coverings have once again become a common sight across the Bay Area. But especially with wildfire smoke compounding the need for protection, should you upgrade to an N95 mask? Many seem to think so — public health experts are increasingly tweeting about N95s, and Google searches for the term in the Bay Area spiked this month. (Echeverria, 8/25)

San Francisco Chronicle: The Bay Area's First Summer Heatwave Is Coming. Here's When And Where It Could Reach 100 Degrees
Triple-digit heat is expected to reach parts of the Bay Area starting Thursday and lasting through the weekend, the National Weather Service predicted. While much of August has been milder than July throughout the region due to the thick coastal fog, high pressure is building, causing temperatures to heat back up by an average of between 5 and 15 degrees in all Bay Area regions. (Whiting, 8/25)

Sacramento Bee: CA Recall Candidate Blasts Larry Elder Over Drug Legalization
Former San Diego Mayor and recall gubernatorial candidate Kevin Faulconer blasted GOP frontrunner Larry Elder during a Wednesday debate for supporting the legalization of recreational drugs. Faulconer, also a Republican, was referencing a years-old interview during which Elder said he supports both the federal and state government “getting out” of the so-called war on drugs. (Wiley, 8/25)

San Francisco Chronicle: A Water Pipeline To The Mississippi River? Democrat Stirs Up Recall Debate With Unusual Ideas
There was an unusual twist at Wednesday’s gubernatorial recall debate in Sacramento: A Democrat participated for the first time. And that Democrat, 29-year-old millionaire Ventura County real estate investor Kevin Paffrath, jump-started the hour-long debate with some unusual ideas. Paffrath, who has never held elective office, proposed to solve California’s water shortages by building a pipeline to the Mississippi River. He assured viewers that he had a plan to remove every homeless person from the streets within 60 days. And several times he described himself, without much elaboration, as a “JFK Democrat.” Perhaps because, like the tax-cutting President John Kennedy, Paffrath proposed eliminating state income taxes for anyone making less than $250,000 a year. (Garofoli and Gardiner, 8/25)

Sacramento Bee: Who Is Kevin Paffrath? Democrat Recall Candidate Calls For A Pipeline To The Mississippi River
In his first appearance on the 2021 California recall election debate stage, Democratic candidate and YouTube content creator Kevin Paffrath advocated for building a water pipeline from the Mississippi River, pledged to clear the streets of homeless people in 60 days and called on his Republican debate opponents to step down and endorse him. Paffrath is one of 46 candidates whose name appears on the ballot, which asks voters two questions: Should Gov. Gavin Newsom be recalled from office and, if so, whom should replace him. Voters have until Sept. 14 to mail in their ballots. (Sheeler, 8/25)

Sacramento Bee: Fact Check: Did Newsom Cast Doubt On The COVID-19 Vaccine? 
Claim: During Wednesday evening’s televised California recall candidate debate, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, claimed that Gov. Gavin Newsom cast doubt on the COVID-19 vaccine. Kiley was responding to a question from the moderator about what his position is on vaccine mandates in both the private and public sector. “Last year in October, when Newsom thought it was good politics, he cast doubt on the vaccine. He said that we couldn’t take the FDA’s word for whether it was safe. The chair of the United States Senate Health Committee had to write him a letter telling him to cut it out,” Kiley said. (Sheeler, 8/25)

AP: California Looking To Pay Drug Addicts To Stay Sober
Frustrated by out-of-control increases in drug overdose deaths, California’s leaders are trying something radical: They want the state to be the first to pay people to stay sober. The federal government has been doing it for years with military veterans and research shows it is one of the most effective ways to get people to stop using drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, stimulants for which there are no pharmaceutical treatments available. (Beam, 8/26)

San Francisco Chronicle: California Must Provide Prompt Treatment For Mentally Incompetent Defendants, Court Rules
The California Supreme Court rejected the state’s appeal Wednesday of an order requiring prompt mental treatment for more than 1,000 criminal defendants who are being held in jail for months after being found mentally incompetent to stand trial. The case involves defendants who are found to be unable to understand the criminal proceedings they are facing, or unable to communicate with their lawyer. Under state law, they cannot be tried or allowed to plead guilty, but instead must be taken to a state hospital or other treatment center, where they can be held for up to two years while undergoing care to restore their competency. If those efforts fail, the state can seek to keep them hospitalized in a non-criminal commitment or set them free. (Egelko, 8/25)