Biden admin appoints Fil-Ams to key roles
SHORTLY after taking his oath of office on January 20, President Joe Biden appointed acting heads of federal and development agencies, and among them is Gloria Steele who will serve…
Category: USA
Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the United States for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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Fil-Am father, daughter electrocuted by downed power lines in Panorama City, CA
A Filipino American father and adult daughter were found electrocuted to death early Monday, January 25 in Panorama City, California. Firefighters were called to the 14700 block of Tupper Street,…
‘They’re more unified by what they’re against than what they’re actually for’: Breaking down the growing influence of QAnon, far-right conspiracies
FOLLOWING the violent insurrection at the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, concern over the impact of far-right and radical groups on American democracy became an urgent issue. Hundreds of…
US imposes travel restrictions on several countries with virus variant
UNITED STATES President Joe Biden has reinstated travel restrictions on most non-U.S. citizens who have been in Britain, Brazil, Ireland and much of Europe to slow the transmission of the…
Vaccine ramp-up squeezes COVID testing and tracing
By Bernard Wolfson / California Healthline California Gov. Gavin Newsom, under growing pressure to jump-start a faltering COVID-19 vaccine rollout, jetted to Los Angeles on Jan. 15 to unveil a massive…
Fil-Am appointed White House liaison for Office of Personnel Management
FILIPINO American millennial Jason Tengco has been tapped to be the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s White House liaison, the Biden-Harris administration announced on Monday, January 25. The OPM serves…
Fil-Am restaurant The Park’s Finest launches limited-edition collaboration with Vans
HISTORIC Filipinotown restaurant The Park’s Finest has unveiled limited-edition merchandise as part of the Vans “Foot the Bill” initiative to support small businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The Park’s…
California lifts regional stay-at-home order, counties return to tier system
LA County to allow certain activities, outdoor dining again CALIFORNIA lifted the regional stay-at-home order across the state amid “positive signs” of a slower spread of COVID-19, officials announced this…
Immigration reform among Pres. Biden’s first directives
The word ‘alien’ to be removed from immigration laws, Congress directed to provide pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients AFTER the historic inauguration on Jan. 20, President Joe Biden followed…
Los Angeles County expands COVID vaccine access — but biggest challenge is supply
By Mark Hedin / Ethnic Media Services As the COVID-19 pandemic death toll passed 400,000 in the United States, three Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials joined in…
Amb. Romualdez: PH-US relations to run smoothly under Biden administration
Duterte extends ‘warmest greetings’ to new leadership THE relations between the Philippines and the United States will continue to run smoothly under the administration of newly sworn-in President Joe Biden,…
LAX adds rapid antigen tests to on-site COVID-19 lab offerings
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) now offers COVID-19 test results in as little as 30 minutes with the addition of rapid antigen tests at the airport’s innovative on-site laboratory. Antigen…
LA County to launch loan program to help stabilize small businesses
A SMALL business loan program will launch on January 28, the Los Angeles County Development Authority announced this week. The loan program is made possible through a $10 million business…
Pinay chefs highlighted during 10-day festival supporting LA’s women-owned restaurants
A five-course kamayan feast from Ria Barbosa’s Petite Peso with baboy Tim (braised pork belly) and pancit at the center. A box of pan de sal and custards from Kristine…
SF launches vaccine notification system
STARTING this week, those who live and work in San Francisco can be notified once they are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. On Tuesday, January 19, the city launched…
Jollibee opens in Delano, Bakersfield next
POPULAR Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee recently opened its first location in Delano, California as part of its 2021 expansion plans in North America. The Delano location is along Woollomes Ave.,…
‘Democracy has prevailed’: Biden becomes president of the United States, Harris breaks barriers as VP
Harris is the first woman, Black and Asian American in nation’s second-highest office SHORTLY before noon on Wednesday, January 20, Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States…
Relieved, but still cautious: Fil-Am health care workers get second dose of COVID-19 vaccine
LAST month, Eva Teniola kicked off Sacramento, California’s vaccination campaign as she became the city’s first health care worker to receive a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Three weeks later,…
Filipina traveler from SoCal details ‘frustrating’ two days in NAIA custody following PH travel ban
Duterte extends last minute travel ban that left airport staffers, travelers in a confusing scramble LIKE countries across the world desperate to mitigate the coronavirus, the Philippines instituted a new…
High hopes or another false hope? Green cards for undocumented ‘essential workers’ on Biden’s agenda
On a recent Monday, Maribel Lapuz got up at 4:30 a.m. The 46-year-old immigrant from the Philippines braved the sub-zero weather and took the train from Jersey City, NJ to…
LA County expands vaccinations to residents 65 years and older
County surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases AS Los Angeles County continues to grapple with unprecedented coronavirus cases and deaths, the county this week moved to officially allow residents who are…
Newsom formally appoints Alex Padilla to the US Senate, nominates Dr. Shirley Weber as secretary of state
CALIFORNIA Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, January 18 formally submitted the appointment of Alex Padilla to become California’s first Latino U.S. Senator and the nomination of Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber…
Fil-Am veteran police dispatcher dies from COVID-19 in LA
A FILIPINO American who was a veteran 911 dispatcher in Los Angeles has died of complications related to COVID-19, becoming the LA Police Department’s fourth employee taken by the virus….
Biden unveils new $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package
Sweeping stimulus plan includes $1,400 direct payments, generous unemployment benefits AHEAD of his inauguration on Jan. 20, President-elect Joe Biden announced on Thursday, Jan. 14 a massive coronavirus economic plan…
‘There’s a lack of national guidance’: Medical professionals lament the ‘slow’ vaccine rollout in the US
When the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were confirmed to effectively combat the coronavirus, people across the world were overjoyed. Lawmakers in the United States promised a swift, widespread distribution of…
Trump impeached for second time, charged with ‘incitement of insurrection’
Fil-Ams across the aisle weigh in on historic impeachment WITH the end of his term approaching, President Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 13 became the first president in U.S. history…
Air travelers now required to show proof of negative COVID-19 test before entering US
New measure applies to all foreign nationals and U.S. citizens THE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday, Jan. 12 that anybody flying to the United States…
PH eligible again to participate in US H-2B visa program in 2021
THE Philippines can now participate in the United States’ H-2B visa program again after two years of ineligibility. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of…
Greater Sacramento exits regional stay-at-home order
THE Greater Sacramento area has exited the regional stay-at-home order based on four-week intensive care projections. The region, which exited the order on Tuesday, January 12, has a current intensive…
Governor reaffirms commitment to leading New Jersey through the COVID-19 pandemic
STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS NEW Jersey Governor Phil Murphy aired his third State of the State Address from Trenton on Tuesday, Jan. 12, highlighting accomplishments from his first three…