After Yolo County’s First Flu Death, Officials Remind Residents It’s Not Too Late For Shot
Flu season typically peaks around mid-January, but cases can crop up as late as April or May.
Sacramento Bee:
Yolo County Reports First Flu Death; Officials Say It's Not Too Late For Flu Shot
Yolo County reported its first flu-related death this season, prompting health officials to remind Californians there’s still time to get a flu shot. “It’s absolutely not too late,” said Dr. Stuart Cohen, chief of the infectious diseases division for the UC Davis Health System. Last week, he said, UC Davis lab technicians confirmed 32 new cases of flu, roughly double the number during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. (Buck, 1/11)
In other news from across the state —
KQED News:
After 20 Years, California Man Leaves Foster Care On His Own Terms
Walking into court for my very last time as a foster youth, I feel like I’m getting a divorce from a system that I’ve been in a relationship with almost my entire life. It’s bittersweet because I’m losing guaranteed stipends for food and housing, as well as access to my social workers and my lawyer. But on the other hand, I’m relieved to finally get away from a system that ultimately failed me on its biggest promise: that one day it would find me a family who would love me. (Anaya, 1/11)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Sonoma State Asbestos Lawsuit Trial Begins
Testimony began Wednesday in the case of a former Sonoma State University employee who claims he was forced to quit his job after reporting the school’s mishandling of asbestos and lead, including one incident in which a custodian was ordered to remove contaminants from a campus rooftop with a leaf blower. Thomas R. Sargent, 48, of Santa Rosa, seeks $15 million in damages in a whistleblower lawsuit alleging that retaliation from top-ranking officials ended his 24-year career at the Rohnert Park institution. The school denies his claims. In opening statements, his lawyer said trouble started in 2012 when Sargent, the school’s environmental health and safety inspector, discovered a chalky substance atop the three-story physical education building. (Payne, 1/11)
Orange County Register:
Homeless Vets Get First Peek At New O.C. Cargo Container Housing
The first of 15 homeless military veterans who will live in the innovative Potter’s Lane housing complex constructed from cargo containers surveyed their soon-to-be new homes on Wednesday. The three veterans, all baby boomers who served in the Army, were thrilled at their good fortune, even if the studio-size units are not complete. Painting, flooring, furnishing and landscaping must be finished before they can move in next month. Meanwhile, the veterans, all with health problems, are staying next door in the Jackson Street shelter run by American Family Housing, the nonprofit developing Potter’s Lane. (Walker, 1/11)