It's Monday. We're explaining the impact of California's decision to delay its K-12 coronavirus vaccine mandate. Plus, a new museum in downtown L.A. |
 | | Activist groups held a rally against vaccine mandates for schoolchildren in Huntington Beach in January.Mike Blake/Reuters |
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In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California would become the first state to require all schoolchildren to receive the coronavirus vaccine. |
That turned out to be easier said than done. |
State officials say they made the decision because the F.D.A. has so far granted full approval for Covid vaccines only for people older than 15, and because school administrators were worried they didn't have enough time to implement the mandate. |
But the delay also comes as support for new vaccination requirements and other coronavirus precautions appears to be waning in California, as we settle into this latest phase of the pandemic. |
"There's a sort of Covid mitigation fatigue," Kevin Gordon, a longtime lobbyist for California school districts, told The Times. "People are just sort of done with it now." |
This aligns with a nationwide trend that my colleague Benjamin Mueller called the "the choose-your-own-adventure period of the pandemic." In his article published on today's front page, Benjamin writes that Americans are increasingly being forced to make their own, very complicated risk calculations when it comes to Covid, as communitywide pandemic guidance fades away. |
In California, officials maintain that they are not backing down from the K-12 vaccine mandate, and that planning to roll it out for the 2023-24 school year will give them time to work out the kinks. |
Whenever it is implemented, a childhood vaccination mandate will undoubtedly help close a yawning gap in immunization rates in the state. |
Currently, 80 percent of adults in California are fully vaccinated (not including a booster) against the coronavirus. Among children ages 5 to 11, just 35 percent are. |
If you read one story, make it this |
 | | People using plastic forks and plates in Los Angeles in 2019.Ringo Chiu/EPA, via Shutterstock |
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- Single-use plastics only: A new ballot initiative would require all single-use plastics to be recyclable, reusable, refillable or compostable by 2030, The Los Angeles Times reports.
- Job growth: The number of unemployed people in California dipped below one million for the first time since the start of the pandemic, The Associated Press reports.
- Grocery workers contract: California grocery store workers ratified a deal that will grant higher wages, better health benefits and secured pensions, The Associated Press reports.
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- A coveted invite in Los Angeles: Benny Blanco, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and music producer, has been preparing dozens of dinner parties for the better part of a year.
- Santa Ana police: The Santa Ana Police Department is conducting an investigation into officers who played Disney music to prevent being recorded, The Guardian reports.
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- "Massive takedown": The California authorities arrested 47 suspected gang members accused of drive-by shootings, murder and funding their illicit activities in the Central Valley through prostitution rings and the sale of guns and narcotics, The Associated Press reports.
- Stolen water: The former general manager of a San Joaquin Valley water district is accused of stealing more than $25 million in federally owned water, The Associated Press reports.
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 | | Tacos de carnitas.Danny Ghitis for The New York Times |
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 | | Pinnacles National Park near Soledad in 2018.George Rose/Getty Images |
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Today's tip comes from Lauren Chu, who lives in San Mateo: |
"Monterey truly has it all. My family spent Thanksgiving one year hiking in nearby Pinnacles National Park, admiring the silence and beauty that rests in its ridges and valleys. Afterwards, we drove back to Monterey and strolled down Cannery Row, window shopping while smelling the freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafting from just down the street. In Monterey, families can visit the beach or the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium — both great options. But for my family, our top choice is always visiting the Sardine Factory, our family's favorite restaurant of all time. Eating their bruschetta, steak, and salmon while sitting beneath their atrium has to be one of my favorite memories. But just as enjoyable is sitting out on the balcony of our hotel in silence, listening and watching the ocean at night. But even if we don't spend the night there and are simply passing through on a trip back from L.A., we always make sure to stop at the Old Fisherman's Wharf to pick up some piping hot, delicious clam chowder." |
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We'll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter. |
If you'd like to submit a love letter to your California city, neighborhood or region — or to the Golden State as a whole — please email us at CAtoday@nytimes.com. We'll keep sharing your missives in the newsletter. |
And before you go, some good news |
Next time you visit downtown Los Angeles, stop by the nation's first museum dedicated to Mexican food. |
The recently opened La Plaza Cocina hosts cooking classes and cultural events, with the ultimate goal of expanding and highlighting people's knowledge of Mexican cuisine, The Guardian reports. |
"It's more than tacos," Ximena Martin, one of the curators, told the news outlet. Each region of Mexico "needs to be celebrated and acknowledged." |
Thanks for starting your week with me. I'll be back tomorrow. — Soumya |
Jonah Candelario and Mariel Wamsley contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com. |
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