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Morning Brief: Vaccinations At Dodger Stadium
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Good morning, L.A.
If you’re one of the thousands of people who’ve sat in hours-long lines for testing at Dodger Stadium, you might want to gear up for another round — the parking lot is going to be converted to a vaccination site.
The transition is slated to begin this week, reports my colleague Jackie Fortiér. For now, vaccines are only available to frontline healthcare workers, but officials plan to open five more large vaccination sites as the month goes on and more people become eligible.
The stadium’s conversion comes on the heels of the county’s announcement that, at some testing sites, they would discontinue the use of a COVID-19 test made by the company Curative, which the FDA alleged was likely to produce a false negative.
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It’s not clear how, or where, other coronavirus testing facilities will be set up to offset the loss of the popular Dodger Stadium location.
Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A. today, and stay safe out there.
What You Need To Know Today
L.A.’s Surge: With more than 12,000 new cases in a single day, county public health officials are now recommending that anyone who lives with someone who may be vulnerable to COVID-19 should wear a face covering at home.
The Digital Divide: The federal coronavirus relief package could help college students who are falling behind with online learning, via a stipulation that provides low-income families $50 per month for internet services.
California Numbers: COVID-19 hospitalizations are plateauing in California, but Newsom warns it’s not time for celebration yet.
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Higher Education: Incarcerated people can now apply for federal Pell Grants for college, thanks to a provision tucked into the massive spending bill signed into law late last year. The University of California will return to in-person instruction on all 10 of its campuses for the Fall 2021 semester.
L.A. Kids: LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner continued his criticisms of Gov. Gavin Newsom's Safer Schools for All plan, including a proposal to use Prop 98 funds to pay for district-based COVID tests.
Here’s What To Do: Learn about Shirley Jackson's life and work, hear about art as an outlet during the Age of Mass Incarceration, find out how higher education can better serve students and society, and more in this week’s best online and IRL events.
Before You Go… Meet Our Engagement Reporter, Carla Javier!
That’s me, pre-pandemic. Don’t worry: I wear a mask now. (Photo by Bill Youngblood).
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Carla Javier was in an LAUSD board meeting when she realized she could report the news in a different way.
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It was March, and parents, students and educators were panicking about how to handle school during the pandemic. Carla began live-tweeting the meeting and was flooded with questions via social media and email. As she says, “From that moment, answering your questions became my focus. Now, instead of starting my stories exploring my own questions, I'm guided by what you want to know.”
Carla has since filed public records requests to find out which local schools received reopening waivers, created maps to show disparities in in-person education, explored whether public health officials were ensuring that reopenings were being done safely, and much more.
Do you have a question for Carla? Email her at cjavier@scpr.org, DM her on Twitter @carlamjavier, or fill out this form. Don’t be a stranger!
Help Us Cover Your Community
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The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft, and check LAist.com for updates on these stories and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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