The ‘Independent’ Wins a Bunch of Awards; COVID-19 Levels Are Rather High–Coachella Valley Independent’s Indy Digest: July 18, 2024

Indy Digest: July 18, 2024

Please indulge me as I use this space today to tout some big awards this little newspaper has earned.

First, on a national level: Matt King won first place in the Music Writing category of the annual AAN Awards. There’s no breakdown into categories; all publications, no matter the size, compete against one another. In other words, Matt and the Independent were honored as having the best music writing among all alternative newspapers (that entered the contest, at least), period—which is pretty significant.

On the state level: The Independent took home a whopping 15 California Journalism Awards, from the California News Publishers Association, for work done in 2023. The CNPA does break down entries into categories, and the Independent falls into Category 5, for “weeklies” with a print circulation between 11,000 to 25,000; publications with an average of 300,000 to 399,000 unique online visitors per month; or a staff of six to 10 full-time-equivalent employees. (We have nowhere near that many unique visitors or employees, but our monthly print circulation is around 16,000, so that’s our category.) For some awards, the CNPA combines categories.

Most significantly: We finished third in our category for General Excellence—even though the vast majority of our competitors are MUCH larger.

Other awards:

• First place (all divisions) in the Online Story Presentation Page Layout and Design category. In other words: We have the best website in the state, as far as the judges are concerned.

• Second place (Division 5) in the Coverage of Business and the Economy category, for “Open During Construction: Backstreet Art District Business Owners Bemoan the Lack of Communication Regarding a Storm Water-Drainage Project,” by Kevin Fitzgerald.

• Second place (Divisions 4-7) in the Print Front Page Layout and Design category, for Dennis Wodzisz’s cover designs.

• Second place (Divisions 4 and 5) in the Print Inside Page Layout and Design, for Dennis Wodzisz’s design of The Music Issue (April 2023).

• Second place (Divisions 4-7) in the Tourism/Travel Writing/Reporting category, for “Vine Social: A Trip to Mexican Wine Bootcamp in Baja Was Eye-Opening—and Beyond Impressive,” by Katie Finn.

• Third place (Divisions 4-7) in the Best Newsletter category, for what you’re reading right now—the Indy Digest, by Jimmy Boegle.

• Third place (Divisions 4-7) in the Immigration Reporting category, for “Unpredictable Arrivals: A Look at How Riverside County Deals With the Tens of Thousands of Asylum-Seekers Who Pass Through Each Year,” by Kevin Fitzgerald.

• Third place (Divisions 4-7) in the Religion and Faith Writing category, for “Helping the Poorest: The Galilee Center Plans to Double in Size to Meet the Ever-Growing Need for Services in the Eastern Coachella Valley,” by Cat Makino.

• Third place (Divisions 4 and 5) in the Music Writing/Reporting category for “Emotional Enjoyment: Pappy & Harriet’s and the McCallum Theatre Unite to Present Emo Orchestra,” by Matt King.

• Fourth place (Divisions 4 and 5) for “Desert Rock Pilgrimage: Kyuss Fans From Around the World Make an Annual Journey to the ‘Welcome to Sky Valley’ Sign,” by Matt King.

• Fourth place (Division 5) in the Environment Reporting category for “Colorado River Water: Local Effects,” by Kevin Fitzgerald.

• Fourth place (Division 5) in the Homelessness Reporting category, for “Civic Solutions: Local Food Banks and Service Agencies Are Working to Decrease the Stigma Around Food Insecurity—While Helping Those in Need,” by Maria Sestito.

• Fifth place (Divisions 4 and 5) in the Editorial Comment category, for “Please Prepare for Hilary, and Take the Storm Seriously (Indy Digest Special),” by Jimmy Boegle.

• Fifth place (Divisions 4-7) in Print Special Section category, for the Best of Coachella Valley (December 2023).

Congrats to all the winners! Our talented staffers and contributors make me very, very proud.

—Jimmy Boegle

More News

• There’s a good chance someone you know has COVID-19 right now. The Los Angeles Times says: “Coronavirus levels have jumped significantly in wastewater across the nation, an indication that the summer bump is continuing to grow. National virus measurements in sewage reached ‘high’ levels for the first time this summer, according to estimates released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 is growing or probably growing in 44 states and in the nation’s capital, the agency reported. And for the first time since the winter, California has ‘very high’ coronavirus levels in its wastewater, according to CDC data for the week ending July 6. California was one of seven states in this category; the others are Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon and Texas. Nineteen other states, covering every region in the country, have high coronavirus levels in sewage. Coronavirus levels in California’s wastewater are now estimated to be significantly higher than last summer.”

• Donald Trump has not released any medical reports since the assassination attempt on Saturday—and more and more experts are saying this is a problem, including CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “It’s been five days since gunfire erupted at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulting in an injury to the former president, the death of one attendee, Corey Comperatore, and severe injuries to two others. And although the images we’ve seen of Trump since his attempted assassination have been those of a person who was barely injured and is now in high spirits, what we’ve been told by the campaign offers very little insight into the former president’s condition, what kind of care he received or how his medical team will monitor him in the days and weeks ahead. A full public assessment of Trump’s injuries is necessary, for both the former president’s own health and the clarity it can provide for voters about the recovery of the man who could become president of the United States once again. The concern is that gunshot blasts near the head can cause injuries that aren’t immediately noticeable, such as bleeding in or on the brain, damage to the inner ear or even psychological trauma. As a trauma neurosurgeon, I have seen how a thorough evaluation after any kind of gunshot wound can provide a complete picture and lead to a speedier recovery.”

• Our partners at Calmatters say most cities and counties—including all Coachella Valley cities and Riverside County—are ignoring a state law intended to make homeless shelters safer: “In 2021, following earlier reports of maggots, flooding and sexual harassment in shelters, the state Legislature created a new system requiring local governments to inspect the facilities after complaints and file annual reports on shelter conditions, including plans to fix safety and building code violations. Calmatters found that just five of California’s 58 counties—Lake, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange and Yuba—have filed shelter reports. Only 4 of the state’s 478 cities filed reports: Fairfield, Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Woodland, according to records from the agency in charge of implementing the law, the California Department of Housing and Community Development.”

• Today’s recall news involves … Hyundais! ABC News reports: “Hyundai is recalling up to 54,647 vehicles due to loss of drive power from fuel pump failure, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall impacts certain 2019-2023 models of Genesis G70, Veloster N, Elantra N, and Kona N, the federal agency said. According to NHTSA, premature wearing of the fuel control valve in the high-pressure fuel pump ‘could allow excess fuel to enter the fuel pump and the air and fuel mixture can result in a reduction or loss of motive power at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.'”

• And … Bissell steam cleaners! CBS News says: “Bissell is recalling more than 3.5 million steam cleaners sold across the U.S. and in Canada because the handheld products can spew hot water or steam, potentially burning users, the company said Thursday in a notice posted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recall involves multiple models of the Bissell Steam Shot Handheld Steam Cleaners in the model series 39N7 and 2994, with ‘STEAM SHOT’ or ‘POWER STEAMER’ printed on the side. … Bissell has received 183 reports of hot water or steam escaping from the product, including 157 reports of minor burn injuries, according to the recall. … The announcement follows the April recall of more than 2 million Black+Decker garment steamers blamed for scalding dozens of users.”

• And finally … did you know that nonstick pans can make people sick if they’re overheated? It’s called the “Teflon flu,” and The Washington Post has the details: “Last year, there were 267 suspected cases of the little-known illness, which is believed to be one of the highest reported totals since 2000, according to America’s Poison Centers, a nonprofit organization that oversees 55 U.S. poison centers. Teflon and many other nonstick pans are made with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which belongs to the larger class of substances known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—or ‘forever chemicals,’ because of their ability to persist in the environment for years. Studies have found nonstick pans made with PTFE are safe to cook with when used as instructed. But at very high temperatures—when a nonstick pan is exposed to temperatures above 500 degrees Fahrenheit—the coating can start to degrade and burn off potentially harmful fumes.” Now you know!

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