US Senate fails to approve $2K stimulus checks
Trump signs COVID-19 relief bill U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Tuesday, Dec. 29 blocked the House bill that would have fulfilled President Donald Trump’s request to increase…
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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Southern CA, San Joaquin Valley regions to remain under stay-at-home order
THE Southern California and San Joaquin Valley regions will continue to operate under the state’s stay-at-home order into the new year as their ICU capacities are projected to remain under…
Fil-Am cyclist Gerrard Nieva remembered after fatal crash outside of Las Vegas
AN avid cyclist, Gerrard Nieva took the day off from work on Thursday, December 10 to participate alongside nearly 20 bicycle enthusiasts in their annual 130-mile Nipton Loop ride outside…
More than 2,900 health care workers died this year — and the government barely kept track
By Christina Jewett, Robert Lewis and Melissa Bailey / Kaiser Health News More than 2,900 U.S. health care workers have died in the COVID-19 pandemic since March, a far higher…
Non-profit offers US citizenship test materials in 9 languages, including Tagalog
THE path to U.S. citizenship may be more difficult as the naturalization test now features an expanded version of the civics portion — but a free educational tool is helping…
Trump signs long-awaited COVID-19 relief bill
House passes legislation on $2,000 stimulus checks DAYS after expressing doubts over Congress’ coronavirus relief bill, President Donald Trump on Sunday, Dec. 27 signed the bill, leaving the U.S. government…
Multidenominational Prayer Zoom unites Fil-Am NV community
by Gloria T. Caoile In a unique and difficult holiday season, the Fil-Am NV Community Prayer Zoom brought together leaders from four different churches on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Pastor…
Fil-Am health care workers remind community to stay vigilant as coronavirus risk remains high
AS COVID-19 vaccines continue to be administered in the Los Angeles area, Filipino American health care workers are sharing their experiences and are reminding the community to continue following public…
Trump criticizes Congress’ COVID-19 relief bill, demands amendments, bigger checks
A MONTH before he’s set to step down, President Donald Trump once again is putting party loyalty to the test as he demands amendments to the $900 billion COVID-19 relief…
Fil-Am attorney appointed mayor pro tem of Claremont, CA
A Filipino American attorney will serve as the mayor pro tem of Claremont, California for the coming year. Jed Leano, an immigration lawyer who was elected to the City Council in…
LA County warns residents of potential COVID-19 vaccine scams
WITH the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in Los Angeles County, officials are warning residents to be aware of individuals offering to administer the vaccine in exchange for money. “If someone…
LA County’s immigrant services ‘from the womb to the tomb’
By Mark Hedin, Ethnic Media Services Los Angeles County officials from the Office of Immigrant Affairs, Department of Consumer and Business Affairs and Department of Health Services met ethnic media…
US Congress passes $900B COVID-19 stimulus package
FOLLOWING months of inaction, the United States Congress on late Monday, Dec. 22, passed the long-awaited stimulus package that includes $600 in direct payments to millions of American taxpayers as well…
LA County plugs in health care gaps as COVID-19 surges
By Mark Hedin, Ethnic Media Services With the COVID pandemic setting new records almost daily for the number of people dying or hospitalized, Los Angeles County officials met with ethnic…
Supreme Court rejects Trump challenge excluding undocumented immigrants from Census
The U.S. Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s plan to exclude undocumented immigrants from the calculations used to allocate seats in the House of Representatives. “At present,…
Fil-Am groups host blood, bone marrow donor registration drive in Historic Filipinotown
IN the spirit of giving and bayanihan, Filipino American organizations on Thursday, December 17 held a blood donation and bone marrow registration drive in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown for a…
Stay-at-home order ‘very likely’ to be extended for certain California regions
GOING into the holiday week, California is still hitting record COVID-19 numbers, signaling that restrictions could remain in place into the new year. Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this week said…
LA County surpasses 600K virus cases heading into holiday week
Places of worship permitted to hold modified indoor services DAYS before Christmas, Los Angeles County reached another grim milestone of hitting over 600,000 positive cases since the pandemic began. Based…
PH Consulate in LA closed until Jan. 2021 due to at least 1 COVID case among staff
THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles will temporarily shut down operations for the rest of the year following at least one confirmed COVID-19 case among its personnel. The Consulate…
Essential services for essential workers in the pandemic
By Mark Hedin, Ethnic Media Services In a time of COVID-necessitated lockdowns, if you’re working, you’re essential. In Los Angeles County, no one should allow an employer to rob them…
Letty Lopez-Viado ascends to West Covina, CA mayorship, becoming first Filipina-Mexican American in top role
WEST Covina, long considered home to one of the largest Filipino American concentrations in Southern California, now has its first Filipina-Mexican American mayor. Leticia “Letty” Lopez-Viado, who previously served as…
‘Spirit of hope’: Fil-Am health care workers among first to receive COVID-19 vaccine in LA County
FOR the first time since the pandemic hit Los Angeles County, Anna Medrano walked into work hopeful. With a quick jab to her left arm, the Filipina American nurse practitioner…
LA residents urged to skip holiday gatherings as virus cases spike
WITH the Christmas holiday nearing, Los Angeles County officials are pleading with the public to stay home and limit gatherings as the capacity of Southern California’s intensive care units hit…
Envoy: 2 American firms ready to supply PH up to 25M doses of vaccine
TWO U.S. pharmaceutical firms are willing to supply the Philippines with their vaccines against the coronavirus by the second half of 2021, according to Philippine Ambassador to Washington D.C. Jose…
12-year-old Filipino Costa Mesa boy killed by drunk driver
Driver held without bail and convicted of second-degree murder EARLIER this month, a young Filipino boy was killed while riding a bicycle with his father by a suspected drunk driver…
LA announces ‘GIVEN’ initiative to help 10,000 vulnerable households get food, other needs for holiday season
THE City of Los Angeles has launched the Grocery Intervention for Vital Emergency Needs (GIVEN) initiative to provide thousands of low-income Angelenos in need with $300 in cash assistance to…
Kayamanan Ng Lahi shares Filipino dance traditions during 61st annual LA County holiday celebration
Kayamanan Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Arts is putting Filipino cultural traditions on display during Los Angeles County’s 61st annual holiday celebration on Christmas Eve. The beloved holiday tradition, presented in conjunction…
High-poverty neighborhoods bear the brunt of COVID’s scourge
COVID-19 Disproportionately Affects the Poor COVID-19 infection rates are notably higher in communities with high poverty rates than in more affluent areas, according to an analysis of ZIP code and…
Sunrise Travel holds office blessing for new Las Vegas location
SUNRISE Travel, a longstanding travel agency serving the Filipino American community and beyond in Las Vegas, opened its new office along Maryland Parkway with a blessing on December 4 attended…
Nevada extends ‘statewide pause’ until January 15
NEVADA will continue to see restrictions until January 15, 2021 in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Governor Steve Sisolak said this week. Sisolak said the “statewide…