Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/category/news/emergencies-disasters/)
Many OC mayors want direct access to a $75 million county bailout fund set up for cities. A majority of county supervisors want a central administrator to distribute the funds instead of just directing monies to local city halls for a local business grant program. Biggest unanswered question is in what areas, sectors to invest the money.
“It is imperative that Orange County residents have a clear picture about the number of recoveries and recovery rates from COVID-19,” supervisors’ Chairwoman Michelle Steel told Voice of OC in a statement Wednesday.
Orange County can now reopen dine-in restaurants and shopping centers after state health officials approved the County’s reopening plans just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
After being questioned by Voice of OC, Orange County Health Care Agency officials now say they’re now looking at publishing a more consistent picture of coronavirus hospitalizations, after weeks of posting optional data that’s missing some hospitals on most days.
Orange County saw two straight days of increasing coronavirus deaths, with the highest reported number of deaths Thursday at 14 people.
Hundreds of families have been impacted by the spread of COVID-19 through at least 20 nursing homes and long term care facilities throughout Orange County.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this past Tuesday to approve a $3 million agreement to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and the Community Action Partnership of Orange County to assist with their emergency food distributions through the Social Services agency.
As retail sales plummet during the pandemic, local governments across America are facing massive budget holes. Orange County is no exception.
Orange County might be ready to open more businesses like restaurants and shopping centers as Memorial Day weekend draws near, with county supervisors pushing for faster reopenings after the novel coronavirus business shutdowns in March.
While Supervisors unanimously agreed to allocate $26 million to reimburse OC cities for virus-related costs, they were split over who should administer their $75 million bailout fund for small businesses.