Saturday Updates   

California’s biggest heat wave of the year heightens drought and fire fears -- With a worsening drought gripping the West and wildfire season looming, California is bracing for the most severe heat wave of the year — one that promises to tax the state’s power supplies while also offering a grim preview of challenging months to come. Hayley Smith, Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

More than half of all eligible Californians are fully vaccinated -- More than half of Californians 12 and older, the current minimum age to be eligible for one of the vaccines against COVID-19, are fully inoculated, a significant milestone just days before the state’s major lifting of pandemic restrictions on June 15. Leonardo Castañeda in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/12/21

California moves to rescind dozens of emergency COVID-19 actions as reopening nears -- California has finalized plans for its full economic reopening next week, beginning the process of unwinding more than a year of pandemic-related restrictions and emergency actions while continuing efforts to persuade the skeptical and reluctant to get vaccinated. Luke Money, Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ Jeong Park in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/12/21

Finally, Bay Area hospitals shutter COVID wards as threat of coronavirus recedes -- They’re dismantling triage tents and flipping COVID wings into overflow maternity wards. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/12/21

Here’s how Bay Area sports fans will be affected by state’s June 15 re-opening -- Oakland Athletics, SF Giants to immediately allow maskless fans at games, other Bay Area teams’ plans awaiting governor’s announcement Tuesday. Jon Becker in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/12/21

How California theme parks will verify visitors have been vaccinated -- Coronavirus guidelines call for Disney, Universal and other California theme parks to verify that visitors have been vaccinated once the state’s economy fully reopens on June 15 — but what does that mean and how are the parks supposed to pull off that massive undertaking? Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 6/12/21

Homeless  

Something surprising happened in Oakland when a homeless man organized a community discussion -- Nino Parker, who’s been homeless in Oakland for years, had a new set of worries in October when the city passed a policy that bars homeless people from living in encampments in parks and near homes. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/12/21

Lopez: The homeless situation in Venice is complicated. But that’s no excuse for inaction -- Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin, who finds himself at the center of a raging storm over homelessness in his district, isn’t surprised that so many of his constituents on the Westside are livid. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

Policy & Politics 

These big banks were the least likely to serve Bay Area communities of color with PPP loans -- The economic crisis triggered by COVID-19 pummeled small businesses across the nation, especially those without safety nets and access to credit. To alleviate those struggles, Congress established the Paycheck Protection Program, designed to provide forgivable loans to needy businesses at no interest. Yoohyun Jung, Nami Sumida in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/12/21

City Hall silence: Why did so many stay quiet about Supervisor Aaron Peskin's behavior? -- Supervisor Aaron Peskin has bullied and berated people for years — often in front of his colleagues in public meetings, but nobody did much about it. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/12/21

Street  

Police I.D. driver suspected of plowing into outdoor diners, killing one -- San Jose police have identified the driver who allegedly crashed into an outdoor dining area of a sports bar in the Willow Glen neighborhood on Friday night, killing one person and injuring two. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/12/21

Preliminary injunction granted restricting L.A. County Sheriff’s Department use of force at protests -- A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction limiting the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s use of projectiles and chemical agents at protests, finding that it has indiscriminately fired them at peaceful protesters, legal observers and journalists. Leila Miller in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

Unstable Ground  

Here’s what would happen if a huge quake hit Los Angeles -- If a large earthquake ruptures the San Andreas fault, the death toll could approach 2,000, and the shaking could lead to damage in every city in Southern California — from Palm Springs to San Luis Obispo, seismologist Lucy Jones has said. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

What to do during and immediately after an earthquake -- California natives know the drill: During an earthquake, drop to the floor and cover your neck and head with your hands. If you can, get underneath a table and hold on until the shaking stops. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

Japan and Mexico have earthquake early-warning systems. How does California’s compare? -- When it comes to building a state-of-the-art earthquake early warning system, California is behind. Victoria Kim, Kate Linthicum, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

We unboxed 4 premade earthquake kits, from $30 to $300 -- Everyone needs an earthquake kit. When the big one hits, you’ll need basic supplies, food and water to last you at least a couple of days until help arrives. Jenn Harris in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

Earthquake apps: Which ones are worth downloading? -- Apps cannot predict when and where an earthquake will strike, but there is a relatively new early warning system for the U.S. West Coast. Those warnings will come through an app called MyShake. Madalyn Amato in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

Your guide to retrofitting your home for earthquakes -- Picture this: You’ve just bought and moved into your first home. You’ve found the right shade of eggshell paint for the walls and family pictures have been hung. Madalyn Amato in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

How earthquakes happen: The science of a shake -- Californians have no doubt seen warnings about a major earthquake in headlines, science textbooks, Hollywood and more for years. And experts say we’re overdue. But to prepare for the Big One, it will help to know what one is. Madalyn Amato in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

Lucy Jones says this is the most important thing you can do to prepare for a quake -- People, not kits. If you really want to be ready for the next big earthquake, forget the earthquake kit and go talk to your neighbors. Lucy Jones in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/12/21

Boom  

Here’s what might have caused the latest mystery boom over San Diego -- The window-rattling boom that shuddered through parts of San Diego county Tuesday may have been — could have been— the result of aircraft from MCAS Miramar training over the ocean. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/12/21

Also . . .   

Pentagon adds ‘Ghost Fleet’ of autonomous ships to San Diego’s cutting-edge Navy squadron -- Late last month, the Nomad pulled into San Diego harbor after a 4,000-mile voyage from the Gulf of Mexico. The long, flat-bed ship was utterly nondescript — except for the fact that it had navigated nearly the entire trip on its own, without the aid of a human pilot. Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/12/21