Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
West Nile Virus Detected In LA County Mosquitoes
Los Angeles Times: Mosquitoes Carrying West Nile Virus Found In L.A. County
Los Angeles County has detected mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus for the first time this year. ... “While the presence of West Nile Virus in our community is not unusual, this early detection serves as a critical reminder for all residents to take preventative actions,” said Steve Vetrone, the director of scientific and technical services at the vector control district, in a prepared statement. (Nelson, 6/1)
San Francisco Chronicle: Berkeley, Albany To Test Parks For Evidence Of Radioactive Waste
Officials in Berkeley and Albany are moving forward with plans to test two popular bayside parks — César Chávez and the Albany Bulb — for evidence of radioactive material possibly dumped decades ago by the former Stauffer Chemical Co. plant in Richmond. ... The planned testing in both cities will include uranium, thorium and the banned pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), on the advice of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, according to reports from both cities. (Johnson, 6/1)
San Francisco Chronicle: SF Sheriff’s Office: Training That Sickened Kids Used ‘Old’ Tear Gas
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office acknowledged Friday that the canisters of tear gas used in a training exercise that sickened nearby children on May 21 were “old,” raising questions about health concerns and safety protocols in a facility less than a half a mile from an elementary school. (Cassidy, 5/31)
The Mercury News: Big Boost For Contra Costa's One-Call Paratransit Plan
Paratransit regulators in Contra Costa County are developing a one-stop, seamless transportation system for seniors and people with disabilities — thanks to a sizable federal grant. The $1 million U.S. Department SMART grant recently awarded to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority will over the next year allow the agency to develop the “One Call, One Click” system. The aim is to bring together 24 accessible transportation services in the county into one database so users only have to make one phone call to schedule a ride. (Bender, 6/1)
KFF Health News: ‘So Much Death’: Lawmakers Weigh Stricter Speed Limits, Safer Roads For Pedestrians
The party was winding down. Its young hosts, María Rivas Cruz and her fiancé, Raymond Olivares, had accompanied friends to their car to bid them farewell. As the couple crossed a four-lane main road back to the home they had just bought, Rivas Cruz and Olivares were struck by a car fleeing an illegal street race. The driver was going 70 in a 40-mph zone. Despite years of pleading, ... residents say the county had done little to address speeding in this unincorporated pocket of southeastern Los Angeles. (Sánchez, 6/3)
