Meals on Wheels Offers Free Food Delivery to Qualifying Seniors (Aired: March 19, 2020)

While shelter in place orders do not apply to going to the grocery store, you may still be concerned about leaving your home. The Sonoma County Council on Aging offers a number of resources available to seniors during this time, including their meals on wheels fresh food delivery service. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with Marianne McBride, the President and CEO of the Council on Aging, about how you may be able to qualify.

(Photo: A Meals on Wheels recipient of a Thanksgiving dinner sponsored by the Great Falls Community Food Bank –  U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen)

Sonoma County Addresses Community Spread of COVID-19 (Aired: March 17, 2020)

Six Bay Area counties ordered residents to shelter in place on Monday, as the Novel Coronavirus continues to spread. Sonoma County is not among them as of yet.

Over the weekend, Sonoma County announced that two residents were diagnosed with Novel Coronavirus without having traveled abroad. That brings the total number of cases to 6 in the county. KRCB’s Adia White has more on what these new cases mean for the community.

Watch our coronavirus town hall Tuesday at 7 p.m. on KRCB TV channel 22. More at norcalpublicmedia.org/coronavirus.

San Jose Attempts to Protect Low Wage Workers by Boosting Sick Leave (Aired: March 16, 2020)

During this coronavirus crisis, low wage workers are most at risk of losing their economic footing when they become sick.

Residents of Six Bay Area counties — San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda — have been ordered to shelter in place for the next three weeks. Low wage workers in businesses that remain open may have a difficult choice to make. There are serious public health consequences when these workers go to work sick. That has led San Jose council members to propose bold action. Pamela Lorence reports.

Join us Tuesday evening at 7 for our second Coronavirus Town Hall with Sonoma County’s top officials. More on our updated blog at norcalpublicmedia.org/coronavirus

Demonstrators Demand More Protections for North Bay Undocumented Immigrants (Aired: March 13, 2020)

Activists are demanding Sonoma County provide more protections for undocumented immigrants, especially during local emergencies like the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Santa Rosa immigrant rights activists rallied outside of the County Courthouse late last month in a demonstration against recent arrests of undocumented immigrants.  KRCB’s Adia White attended the demonstration and has this report. You can find more coverage on immigration at norcalpublicmedia.org.

Santa Rosa Symphony Begins Commissioning Project with Matt Browne’s Symphony No.1 (Aired: March 12, 2020)

If you need a break from worrying about novel coronavirus and the stock market, join us on Sunday afternoon for an extraordinary program.

The Santa Rosa Symphony has begun a unique project with its neighbor to the north, the Eugene Symphony. Beginning this year, both groups are presenting a series of world premieres of commissioned symphonies by young composers. Host of our symphony broadcasts, Steve Mencher, talked with Matt Browne about his first symphony, which was greeted with cheers when it debuted last month.

The next Santa Rosa Symphony broadcast, featuring Browne’s The Course of Empire, can be heard Sunday afternoon at 3 on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Via Facebook)

For Gig Workers and Hourly Earners Coronavirus Is a Test (Aired: March 11, 2020)

The spread of Covid-19 in the Bay Area has caused businesses to ramp up their plans to protect employees and customers. Conferences have been cancelled; staff is being encouraged to work from home at companies like Facebook and Google.

Reporter Pamela Lorence went to Silicon Valley to find out how hourly and subcontracted workers factor into these plans.

(Photo: Gerd Altmann/via Pixabay)

Sonoma County Point in Time Count Aims to Tally Homeless Population (Aired: March 10, 2020)

One of the populations most at risk for the coronavirus is the homeless. Most of those living on the streets lack a way to wash their hands frequently; many also have underlying health issues. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires counties to survey their homeless population annually to better assess their needs in general and determine how much to allocate for services. KRCB’s Adia White reports on this year’s count.

On Tuesday, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to narrow down a list of new potential indoor-outdoor shelter sites to two or three. For updates on housing and homeless, visit norcalpublicmedia.org

30 Healthcare Workers at Local Hospital Directed to Self-Quarantine, According to Their Union (Aired: March 6, 2020)

30 healthcare workers at Sutter Health Santa Rosa were quarantined on Thursday, according to their union SEIU United Health Care Workers West. As of Thursday evening, neither Sutter Health nor Sonoma County Officials have confirmed the union’s statement. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with Sean Wherley, a spokesperson for SEIU, about what the union is hearing from healthcare workers in Santa Rosa and across the State.

Follow updates on the novel coronavirus at norcalpublicmedia.org.

Spreading the Word for Emergency Preparedness as Fire Season Concerns Rise (Aired: March 5, 2020)

Ask local emergency officials about lessons learned during the 2017 fires and they’ll tell you this: widely shared education and stepped-up readiness can save lives.

Sonoma County has seen its fair share of disasters over the past few years. This week, the County declared a local emergency due to the spread of COVID-19. The lack of rain this winter also has many on edge ahead of fire season. The Sonoma County Library is hoping to ease residents’ concerns about planning for all types of emergencies. They have been hosting preparedness workshops at branches throughout the County.

KRCB’s Adia White attended the most recent class on family emergency planning. She was reminded of her own experience evacuating during the Kincade fire.

Find details on emergency preparedness, including how to protect your family from COVID – 19 and planning for fire season, at norcalpublicmedia.org.

County Health Officials Work to Track Down Contacts of Local Coronavirus Patient (Aired: March 4, 2020)

Sonoma County officials are working to track down anyone who may have come into contact with a county resident who tested positive for the new coronavirus. The patient recently returned from a cruise to Mexico and had been in the county for ten days when the diagnosis was reported. KRCB’s Adia White has more on the County’s plan to mitigate further spread of the virus.

(Photo: Chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, Susan Gorin, addresses reporters Monday afternoon –  Adia White/NorCal Public Media)