Contributed

Hospital officials Tuesday pleaded with the public to follow precautions against the coronavirus as cases surge and staffing and space at local hospitals dwindle to dangerous levels.

As expected, a regional stay-at-home order in effect across Southern California due to surging COVID-19 hospitalizations was formally extended Tuesday, continuing a ban on all gatherings of people from different households and in-person dining and setting strict capacity limits at many businesses.

As my last official action as President of the Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto, I want to wish all of you a very prosperous, healthy and Happy New Year. It has been a pleasure to write articles for the past year. I will continue to submit articles but simply as a citizen, not representing the Democrats.

Christmas came early this year for three local teachers, bringing tidings of great joy in the form of $100 teacher grants, courtesy of the California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA) Division 33, which serves Hemet, San Jacinto and surrounding communities. Vice President Sue Breyer says, “This year has been such a tremendous challenge for educators, our hope is that these $100 grants will help bring a little holiday cheer to these teachers and their students.”

The formal invitation from the Ramona Humane Society to a 2021 No Year’s Eve Party reads: “You’re Invited to….Stay Home!” In what it touts as its first, and hopefully last, socially distanced party, the nonprofit animal shelter is requesting donations in lieu of what would have been spent on an admission ticket. The non-event is being held whenever and wherever “guests” wish.