Measles in the Coachella Valley; Humanities Funding, the CDC, 9/11 Survivors’ Care and Lots of Other Things Are Gutted–Coachella Valley Independent’s Indy Digest: April 3, 2025

Indy Digest: April 3, 2025

You know it’s been an interesting day when the major national news websites break out the big-ass headlines, like this one from CNN:

If you have an investment account—whether it’s a 401(k), or stocks, or anything attached to the markets—and you haven’t looked at how it did today, may I recommend you put off taking a gander for another few days? Or if you do decide to look, consider doing so while holding a bottle of Pepto-Bismol? Or whiskey? Or both?

Anyway … let’s move away from the financial horrors being inflicted upon the country for no good reason, and instead talk about something even less pleasant: infectious diseases, and specifically, measles. On March 13, the Indy Digest headline stated: “Prepare for Local Measles Cases.”

Well, Riverside County today issued this news advisory:

A Riverside County resident has tested positive for measles, according to health officials with Riverside University Health System — Public Health (RUHS – PH). It is the first confirmed case of measles in Riverside County since 2018.  

The adult, who has a recent history of international travel, lives in eastern Riverside County and is recovering at home. Documented measles vaccination could not be confirmed at this time.

This is the ninth confirmed measles case in the state, with the remaining eight cases found in Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Placer, San Mateo​ and Tuolumne ​counties, according to the California Department of Public Health. Recent international travel has been an important risk factor in the 2025 California measles cases.  

“Those who travel internationally to areas with ongoing measles transmission may be at risk for exposure. It’s important to check and make sure you are up to date on your vaccines, at least two weeks prior to international travel,” said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Chevinsky.

KESQ News Channel 3 reports that the county confirmed the person with measles is indeed a Coachella Valley resident.

On one hand, this measles case in and of itself is not very shocking, especially since the person was travelling internationally.

On the other hand, there’s a LOT more of a measles risk in the U.S. today than there’s been in decades. We didn’t used to see all sorts of news stories about possible measles exposures—but we do now. In recent days, health officials have warned about possible exposures in New Jersey, Michigan, Oklahoma and Colorado.

As we have mentioned in this space before: You do not want to get measles. The disease is unpleasant and, in some cases, deadly. If you 1) are unvaccinated or didn’t have measles, 2) work in higher-risk fields, and/or 3) are older, and you’re unsure whether you’re still immune (here’s a piece from Yale Medicine that explains things), talk to your doctor, and consider getting a booster.

The anti-science, anti-vaccine crowd isn’t just threatening their own health; they’re threatening everyone’s health—and we all need to make sure we’re as prepared as possible for whatever health threats come our way.

—Jimmy Boegle

From the Independent

More News

• The news today is particularly heinous, so before we get to the suffering and insanity, let’s start off with a nice, delicious cocktail recipe. Let’s see what Food & Wine has recommended recently, shall we? Ooh, The Airmail: “The Airmail is a sour-style cocktail made with white rum, honey syrup, fresh lime juice, and brut Champagne, served in a highball glass over ice. Invented right after Prohibition, the Airmail’s recipe first appeared in a leaflet for Bacardi rum in the early 1930s. … This rum cocktail is rooted in the Daiquiri, with a French 75 spin. White rum, fresh lime juice, and a sweetener (in this case, floral honey syrup in lieu of simple syrup) hew close to the structure of a traditional Daiquiri, while a splash of Champagne to top things off adds a French 75 flair. The result is a deliciously tangy and tart cocktail with lemon-lime notes and just enough complex sweetness.” Yum!

• If you’re a non-alcohol-imbiber, here’s an endorsement from Washington Post columnist Allison Robicelli of a beverage called “verdita”: “Traditionally, this vibrant Mexican mixture of sweet pineapple and sour lime juices, savory herbs and spicy chiles is meant as a chaser for tequila shots, which is why it’s flown under my radar for far too long. I’ve never had a refined relationship with tequila—my appreciation, if you could call it that, began and ended with salt and lime—and once I got sober, I never considered chasers as a potential source of refreshment. I naively thought their sole purpose was to help harsh liquids go down easier, while throwing in a little extra flavor to keep things exciting. But in some instances, chasers don’t actually need to chase anything. They could be as good—if not better—than whatever booze you’re imbibing with.”

• Now for the terrible stuff: Humanities organizations across the country today learned the federal support that, for some of them, is the backbone of their funding is, suddenly, gone. NPR reports: “Millions of dollars in previously awarded federal grants intended for arts and cultural groups across the country are being canceled by the Trump administration, according to a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) senior official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly. The funds had been awarded by the agency through a competitive application process and, according to the official, covered grants from fiscal years 2021-2025. The official said that ‘no upcoming awards’ will be made in fiscal year 2025. The official said acting NEH Chair Michael McDonald told senior staff that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a team within the executive branch dedicated to reducing government spending, ‘wants to claw back $175 million’ in grant money that has not yet been disbursed. It is not clear if that is the true amount of undisbursed funds, or an estimation by DOGE staff.”

• Here’s a simple, succinct Wired headline from earlier this week: “The CDC Has Been Gutted.” The subhead: “Thousands of CDC employees who worked on things like preventing HIV and lead poisoning have been told they were subject to a reduction in force. Experts say people will die.” Details: “Thousands of federal employees at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were notified early Tuesday morning that they were subject to a reduction in force, or RIF, sources tell WIRED, shuttering programs that directly serve and inform the American public. The effect was felt across the CDC, as workers in the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice (DEHSP), the Division of Population Health, the Division of HIV Prevention, the Division of Reproductive Health, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control all received RIF notices (Tuesday). Dozens of other programs throughout the CDC’s national centers for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention; Environmental Health; Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; and the Global Health center were also impacted.” This is really bad, folks.

• Public records disclosures from the CDC and the FDA? Pretty much gone. CBS News says: “Teams handling Freedom of Information Act requests at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration were gutted Tuesday as part of the widespread job cuts ordered by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., multiple officials said. The process of fulfilling FOIA requests from reporters, advocacy groups and others is a crucial way the public gains access to information on government data and records. All of the workers in the CDC’s FOIA office were cut, two officials said. Two-thirds of the Food and Drug Administration’s records request staff were also cut, down to 50 remaining. ‘Most still here don’t do FOIA processing. They do litigation and other types of disclosure,’ said one FDA official, who was not authorized to speak publicly. It is unclear what will happen to hundreds of pending requests before the agencies.”

• Federal care for 9/11 survivors? Slashed to bits. USA Today reports: “The Trump administration fired hundreds of staff at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), including those at the World Trade Center Health Program who treat 9/11 first responders and survivors. The cuts, advocates and New York officials said, will cripple the program’s ability to adequately monitor and provide care to survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, as well as people newly diagnosed with illnesses such as cancers and respiratory illnesses. ‘It’s an insult to those who died,’ John Feal, a 9/11 survivor and advocate, told USA TODAY Wednesday morning.”

• National Security Council officials who Laura Loomer (a far-far-far right-wing activist who, among other things, claims school shootings are staged) says are not loyal enough to the president? Fired. The Associated Press says: “President Donald Trump said Thursday that he’s fired ‘some’ White House National Security Council officials, a move that comes a day after far-right activist Laura Loomer raised concerns directly to him about staff loyalty. Trump downplayed Loomer’s influence on the firings. But Loomer during her Oval Office conversation with Trump urged the president to purge staffers she deemed insufficiently loyal to his ‘Make America Great Again’ agenda, according to several people familiar with the matter. They all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel manner. … The NSC officials fired include Brian Walsh, a director for intelligence; Thomas Boodry, a senior director for legislative affairs; and David Feith, a senior director for technology and national security, according two people familiar with the matter. ‘Laura Loomer is a very good patriot. She is a very strong person,’ said Trump, who described his talks with the far-right activist as ‘constructive.’”

• Meanwhile, New York University cancelled a speech by a doctor because she has, as, The New York Times put it, an “anti-government tone.” Seriously. The Times says: “The night before Dr. Joanne Liu was scheduled to deliver a long-planned speech at N.Y.U. Langone Health, the hospital affiliated with her alma mater, she received a call that stunned her. Her presentation on humanitarian crises was being canceled, the university official on the other end of the line said. The reason, Dr. Liu said she was told, was that her presentation could be perceived as antigovernment and antisemitic. To Dr. Liu, a professor at McGill University in Montreal and a pediatric emergency physician at Sainte-Justine hospital, the cancellation underscored the fear among leaders of U.S. universities of upsetting the Trump administration amid its crackdown on higher education. … A university official raised concerns about the presentation’s reference to U.S.A.I.D. cuts and about the inclusion of a chart that detailed the number of aid workers killed around the world, including in Gaza, South Sudan and Sudan, she said.” This is America in 2025 folks.

• Closer to home, the state has lost out on millions in federal dollars because it missed a deadline. Sigh. Our partners at Calmatters report: “California voters told lawmakers last fall that they wanted doctors to get paid more to see low-income patients. But officials for the Newsom administration blew past a federal deadline to make that happen through Medi-Cal Monday, effectively leaving millions of dollars unclaimed. The unclaimed money is tied to Proposition 35, a ballot measure passed by 68% of voters in November. The measure committed money from a special tax on health insurance plans to increase payments to doctors and health care facilities that treat low-income patients in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. But first the state had to submit papers to the federal government for approval. That deadline was March 31. Missing the deadline means that, for the first quarter of the year, doctors will not get the rate increases promised by the ballot measure. It also means that California will lose federal matching dollars intended to boost the Medi-Cal program during that time period.” Great.

• And finally … today’s recall news involves … chocolate bars! CBS News has the details: “Tony’s Chocolonely said it’s recalling some chocolate bars after 12 consumers reported finding ‘small stones’ in the products. The recall covers two products, its 6.35 oz Dark Almond Sea Salt bar and the company’s 6.35 oz Everything Bar, which is a milk chocolate bar with caramel, pretzel, almond nougat and sea salt. The small stones weren’t filtered during a third-party’s almond harvesting and almond processing, the company said in a statement Tuesday. … The recall covers bars sold both in the U.S. and Canada.”

Support the Independent!

Folks, truly terrifying things are happening in this country right now—and a lot of locals are going to be affected. The Independent will be here to, as the old journalism cliche goes, comfort the afflicted, and tell our valley’s stories. Help us, if you’re able, by clicking the button below and becoming a Supporter of the Independent. Thank you for reading.