Brace Yourself for a Season of Sickness; the Election Is Almost Here–Coachella Valley Independent’s Indy Digest: Nov. 3, 2022

Indy Digest: Nov. 3, 2022

As I sat at the Palm Springs International Airport last week waiting for my flight, a woman a few seats down from me started coughing.

These coughs were not diminutive, brief bursts. No—they were I-have-a-phlegm-ball-the-size-of-a-weasel hacks.

As I glared at her, pondering whether I should move to a seat further away, I started thinking of all the ways in which I do NOT have time to get sick. Ugh.

Alas, that would not be the last time on my journey when I encountered someone coughing as if they were trying to hock up small woodland creatures. A man several rows behind me on the plane coughed every few minutes from being seated until disembarking. When I was at the Reno airport waiting for my return flight earlier this week, a woman not too far from me in the waiting area probably went through a half-box of Kleenex blowing her nose.

Ugh. Folks, if you are sick, STAY HOME. Do not go to a show. Do not go out to dinner. Do not go to work. And for Pete’s sake, do not travel.

We are on the cusp of what looks like it will be an awful season for respiratory illnesses. RSV—respiratory syncytial virus—cases are filling hospital beds already in some areas. The high number of early-season flu cases has some doctors thinking this will be the worst season in more than a decade.

And then there’s SARS-CoV-2, about to enter its fourth year of running amok around the world. In Monday’s digest, we posted the latest Palm Springs wastewater testing results for the virus that causes COVID-19. Usually, these reports include testing results from the previous Monday and Tuesday, but as of three days ago, only the previous Monday’s results had come in. Well … the city updated that report when the Tuesday results arrived, and, um, yikes.

Meanwhile, down in Indio, the Valley Sanitary District’s testing for SARS-CoV-2 is showing steady-ish numbers—but the VSD is also testing for influenza and RSV levels, and after looking at those stats … to repeat myself, yikes.

Because of all of this, I am very happy I got my updated COVID-19 booster and my flu shot last week. And this is why I am again wearing a mask inside airports and other crowded indoor spaces.

It’s gonna be a turbulent season for respiratory illnesses, my friends. Take precautions, and prepare—because for most us, it’s not a matter of if we’ll get sick. It’s a matter of when we’ll get sick, and how severe that illness will be.

—Jimmy Boegle

More News

• Gov. Gavin Newsom today announced he’s paused $1 billion in state aid that was supposed to go to local governments to deal with homelessness. The Associated Press reports: “The state’s homeless population seemed to grow in concert with increased state spending, frustrating officials. California’s counties, 13 largest cities and groups of homeless service providers were in line to receive about $1 billion in state homelessness spending, but only if they submitted plans on how they would use the money. Thursday, Newsom declared those plans were ‘simply unacceptable’ as they would collectively reduce the state’s homeless population by just 2% over the next four years. Newsom said he would pause that spending, calling a meeting with local officials later this month to ‘review the state’s collective approach to homelessness.’’’

• Our partners at Calmatters examine what industry groups are donating the most money to legislative candidates—and spending on “independent committees” not directly affiliated with candidates: “This year the stakes may be especially high for industries, labor groups and others with an interest in the legislation that comes out of Sacramento. Thanks to a wave of incumbents hitting their term limits or announcing early retirements earlier this year, California voters are being asked to fill 31 open seats in the Assembly and the Senate, of the 100 spots in the Legislature up for grabs on Tuesday. The first orders of business for this new class of legislators are likely to include picking the next Assembly speaker and voting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to tax the ‘windfall profits’ of oil and gas producers. … No surprise, the biggest sources of outside spending in legislative races so far are oil and gas companies and electric utilities. Together, those groups have spent more than $7.6 million, roughly one-fifth of the total. Most of that spending has been unleashed since Newsom announced his oil tax plan; the oil industry’s flagship IE committee dropped nearly $5 million into seven legislative races on Oct. 10 alone.”

• While we’re talking about CalMatters: Just a friendly reminder that the nonprofit news organization has assembled a fantastic 2022 voter guide, breaking down the various races, explaining the ballot propositions, and disclosing who’s giving money to what race/cause/etc. It was very helpful to me as I filled out my ballot—and it’ll be helpful to you, too.

• Los Angeles Times business columnist Michael Hiltzik examines the financial aspects of the proposed merger of the owners of Ralph’s, Von’s, Albertsons and various other supermarket brands: His conclusion? “That big Albertsons/Kroger merger will enrich millionaire insiders at your expense.” Some elaboration: “At the heart of the $20-billion deal announced Oct. 14 is a $4-billion dividend to be paid Monday to Albertsons stockholders. Who are these stockholders? Six of them are corporate insiders, defined as holders of more than 5% of Albertsons shares each. … The six investors control about 75% of Albertsons shares. Combined with the three current and former Albertsons executives on the board, they hold a majority of seats. In other words, they voted themselves a multibillion-dollar handout. The dividend is being challenged in federal court by the attorneys general of California, Illinois and Washington, D.C., and separately by the attorney general of Washington state. The courts will have to move fast to block the dividend, as the challengers ask: Once it’s paid out Monday, it will presumably be impossible to recover. As of this writing, Albertsons hasn’t filed an answer to the motion and the courts haven’t ruled.”

• If you use “dry shampoos,” this CBS News article may make you reconsider: “Dry shampoos—used as a quick fix between washes—are an increasing health concern, with more of the aerosol spray-on products found to be tainted with a cancer-causing chemical, according to findings released on Tuesday. Benzene—the contaminant behind nationwide recalls of dry shampoos by Unilever and Procter & Gamble—is also showing up in products that remain on store shelves. … New Haven, Connecticut-based Valisure tested 148 batches from 34 brands of spray-on dry shampoo and found benzene in 70%, the laboratory stated Tuesday in a news release. … Valisure on Monday filed a petition with the FDA requesting that the products found to be contaminated with benzene be recalled. Exposure to benzene can result in cancers including leukemia and cancer of the bone marrow, as well as life-threatening blood disorders, health officials say.”

• And finally … two sociocultural anthropologists (!), writing for The Conversation, look at how some “celebrities” running for office have taken a page out of the Trump playbook—and the Reagan playbook—by engaging in what would have previously been unacceptable behavior … and not faced any consequences: “A close look at (Herschel) Walker; Kari Lake, the GOP gubernatorial candidate in Arizona; and Mehmet Oz, the Republican senate candidate in Pennsylvania known as Dr. Oz, reflects how Trump has led politics down a path that not only prioritizes personality over policy, but also rewards celebrity politicians for behaving badly. … Celebrity politicians have always been held to a different standard than traditional politicians. As media critic Neil Postman has noted, former U.S. president and Hollywood actor Ronald Reagan frequently said things that were untrue—and was not held accountable for doing so. Reagan praised the apartheid regime in South Africa for having ended segregation when it had not, and he repeatedly insisted that trees were harmful to the environment. Yet, he remained a popular political figure because most voters who backed him cared less about the veracity of what he said and more about his ability to tap into their emotions.”

Support the Independent!

Whether you’re celebrating Greater Palm Springs Pride, enjoying Run With Los Muertos, doing something else, or spending some quiet time at home, please have a safe and enjoyable weekend. Thanks, as always for reading the Independent—and please consider throwing us some financial support if you have the means; click the button below to learn more!

Read this Indy Digest at CVIndependent.com!