The first thing “H.N.” did when he got up on a July Sunday morning was say hi to his dog, Biscuit, and then start reading “Treasure Island,” which after just the first chapter may overtake “Robinson Crusoe” as his all-time favorite book—but that needs to wait until he finishes the book. Later, he played Monopoly with…

SANTA ANA, Calif.—Orange County supervisors voted Tuesday to ask state officials to reconsider a needle-exchange program in Santa Ana. The program by the Harm Reduction Institute comes about five years after the county prevailed in litigation to halt another needle-exchange program based on arguments that it led to an increase in littering in the city….

SAN DIEGO—San Diego County supervisors unanimously ratified a state of emergency Aug. 9 in response to the monkeypox outbreak in an attempt to bolster vaccination efforts. The ratification follows a state declaration last week and will need to be ratified again every 30 days, as needed. The state of emergency declaration will allow the county…

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Masks will be required for students and staff at California school campuses this fall, but revised guidance issued by the state means local districts will determine how to enforce the mandate if students refuse to comply. Long Beach school officials said they would be developing specific guidelines. “We’re committed to full-time, in-person instruction…

The Capistrano Unified School District board of trustees is opposing a California policy that will require students to wear masks when they return to classrooms. It passed a resolution June 23 to send a letter to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), requesting a timely revision of face covering guidance for schools and school-based programs. The resolution, which…

Costa Mesa lifted its mask mandate June 1 and will now instead follow the state’s relaxed guidelines that allow the fully-vaccinated to go without face coverings in some indoor settings. With the city easing its mask mandate after it was first implemented in April 2020, Councilmember Manuel Chaves said he is looking forward to a sense of normalcy. “We actually were one…

The state is now allowing out-of-state visitors to attend California’s theme parks—but only if they’re fully inoculated. California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy guidelines were updated April 19 with an addendum that reads: “Fully-vaccinated persons from out-of-state may visit or attend activities or events that are restricted to in-state visitors.” The California Department of Public Health did…