Newsom signs $6.6B bill to expand in-person learning
Ridgecrest Daily Independent
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $6.6 billion package on Friday intended to accelerate the return of in-person instruction in California.
A portion of funds $2 billion will go toward safety measures to support in-person learning. The other $4.6 billion will go toward expanded learning opportunities, including summer school, tutoring, mental health services and more.
“This package of funding and supports for our schools recognizes that in-person education is essential to meet not only the learning needs, but [also] the mental health and social-emotional needs of our kids – especially the youngest and the most vulnerable,” Newsom said.
When it comes to pandemic damage, Ridgecrest has fared better than many places, according to Mark Schniepp.
Ridgecrest lost far fewer jobs and rebounded more quickly than the rest of Kern County and California and can likely look forward to a good future along with the rest of the Indian Wells Valley assuming recovery from the pandemic continues, he said.
Schniepp, who is Director of the California Economic Forecast in Santa Barbara, was the keynote speaker at the virtual Indian Wells Valley Economic Outlook Conference Feb. 25.
Employment in Ridgecrest only went down around 4% at the worst last April, as compared to nearly 16% for both the state and Kern County at the same time. Job loss was at its greatest shortly after the first statewide shelter-in-place order went into effect last March.
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Ridgecrest Daily Independent
Starting this weekend, Ridgecrest Regional Hospital will be closing its vaccine appointment waitlist and opening an online booking system under an agreement for vaccine distribution with Blue Shield beginning Monday. In an effort to honor our commitment to those already on our waitlist, we will continue making callbacks to the age-based eligibility of 65 and older in the order received, as more vaccine becomes available, said Michelle Whalley, RRH Clinic Administrator and Vaccine Taskforce Leader. This is going to be no easy feat, but we are determined to press on to the best of our ability. We have over 5,000 seniors 65 and older in line to call back and schedule. We are working on this in anticipation of adverse weather conditions, which have also delayed shipments and hampered our efforts this past week.