Fire Weather Arrives Early, CA Population Falls | NorCal In Brief

San Francisco CA

09 May, 2021

8:36 PM

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA — As the weekend wraps up, we've rounded up all the stories you may have missed on Saturday and Sunday to prepare you for Monday. But before we jump into Northern California's top stories, Golden State residents should know that California's population declined in 2020 for the first year since at least 1900. The state's leaders have maintained that the coronavirus pandemic shrank the population. California's population declined by 182,083 people in 2020, according to data released Friday by the state Department of Finance. Also, the state has managed to keep coronavirus infection rates low even as neighboring states experience the fourth surge. On Sunday, the state reported a 1.1 percent positivity rate, which was among the lowest in the nation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize vaccines for children ages 12 to 15 as early as next week. The green light for this age group will add 2.1 million teens to the number of Californians eligible. And state officials will allow pediatricians to bypass California's glitchy appointment system, MyTurn, to speed up vaccinations. To date, California has administered 32,471,842 vaccine shots. What's more, California has entered its 2021 fire season a little early. The number of acres burned this year is around 700 percent higher than last May, ABC10 reported. In Northern California, fire agencies battled several wildfires on Saturday in the first red flag warning weekend of the year. From a red flag warning extended until Tuesday night across the Bay Area and Northern California to a string of shootings in Oakland this weekend — here are the top stories that you might have missed. Fires Crop Up All Over NorCal, Red Flag Warning Extended Several wildfires burned all over NorCal and the Bay Area on Saturday during the first red flag weekend of 2021. 8 People Wounded In 5 Oakland Shootings Friday, Saturday Oakland police are investigating five shootings that injured eight people late Friday and early Saturday, including one near Lake Merritt. CA's Population Shrank In 2020, But Don't Call It An Exodus The number of Californians declined in 2020 for the first year since at least 1900. But state officials blame the pandemic. Police Search For Suspect In Bay Area Home Invasion That Left 1 Dead Fremont Police sought the public's help in locating a man wanted in connection with a home invasion robbery that left one dead. CA Proposes To Steer New Homes From Gas Appliances California's energy policy and planning agency wants to transition new homes away from gas-powered appliances. Redwood City Police Arrest Man Connected With 2 School Burglaries Video surveillance at two Redwood City schools helped officers locate a suspect in connection with burglaries at the campuses. 5 Napa Valley Wineries To Visit On A Weekend There are hundreds of wineries up and down the Golden State, and we've selected a few of our favorites. Take a look at this week's picks. CA Bar Owner Accused Of Selling Fake Coronavirus Vaccine Cards Golden State authorities charged a man this week in connection with selling fraudulent COVID-19 vaccine cards, a first for the state. How Growers Sidestepped County, CA Programs To Vaccinate Workers As harvest season approached, growers begged county officials to vaccinate their workers. Tesla Settles $1M Penalty For Air Quality Violations In Fremont Officials from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said Friday that Tesla, Inc., has agreed to pay a $1 million penalty. Central Marin Police Investigate Attempt To Lure Student Into Car A man reportedly tried to lure the student into a car by saying the student's parents contacted him and told him to pick him up. Union City's 'Protect Our Elders' Event To Offer Free Safety Kits Portable safety kits will be given out to elderly members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities next week. San Francisco Art Installation To Honor 1st Africans In America "Monumental Reckoning" by Bay Area sculptor Dana King, honors the first Africans stolen from their homeland and sold into slavery. Pediatricians Can Bypass MyTurn As They Vaccinate Children To accelerate vaccination of teens, CA health officials say they will allow pediatricians to obtain doses without going through MyTurn. Napa Co. Man Dies After Vehicle Swerves Into Oncoming Traffic A 24-year-old man of St. Helena died on the scene of a traffic collision Friday night on Highway 29. American Rescue Plan Provides Billions For A Down Payment Toward Racial Equity Here are 5 key proposals using money from the American Rescue Plan Act as an initial investment for racial equity in California. Vax Live Concert Raises $302 Million, Exceeds Vaccine Goal Selena Gomez hosted the show, which was attended by several thousand fully-vaccinated concertgoers who cheered on several performers. CA Hospital Safety Grades 2021: The Best And The Worst Safety grades by the nonprofit health care watchdog group Leapfrog show how hospitals in California responded to the coronavirus pandemic. Marin County To Offer Help For Rental Assistance Marin County is offering in-person help with federal rental assistance during two events later this month. 3 Suspects In Rohnert Park Arrested In Catalytic Converter Thefts Sonoma County sheriff's deputies arrested three Oakland men suspected of stealing catalytic converters early Friday. Berkeley Animal Shelter Surveys Region's Residents On Pet Matters If you've found a lost pet, had your pet go missing, or adopted a pet in the Bay Area recently, the agency wants to hear from you. More Seals Could Visit Drakes Beach During Wetland Restoration The beach was closed to public access on May 3 and is expected to remain closed through August 31. California COVID-19 Data as of Sunday 3,654,545 cases of coronavirus have been reported in California to date. 1,853 newly recorded confirmed cases Saturday. 1.1% is the 7-day positivity rate. 61,827,671 tests have been conducted in California. 61,228 COVID-19 deaths have been recorded since the start of the pandemic. 32,471,842 vaccine doses have been administered statewide.