Current Events in January 2022

A new study conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic explored some of the health risks that cancer patients face when receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

According to their findings, certain cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, CDK 4/6 inhibitors, and treatments targeted at B cells, may weaken the immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine and increase the risk of infection. 

“It is important for patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy to receive a COVID-19 vaccine,” said researcher Dr. Saranya Chumsri.  

Paying attention to antibody levels

The researchers analyzed the antibody response of over 200 cancer patients after they received each dose of one of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The study focused on patients receiving chemotherapy, CDK 4/6 inhibitors, and treatments that targeted B cells. 

The study showed that chemotherapy posed a significant risk to the patients’ immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine. Patients receiving CDK 4/6 inhibitors, which typically aren’t supposed to be as aggressive on the immune system as chemotherapy, experienced similar results. 

The researchers learned that despite receiving both rounds of the mRNA vaccine, many of the patients struggled to produce adequate levels of antibodies that would protect them from the virus. Two fully vaccinated participants also tested positive for COVID-19 throughout the study. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more health care providers are closely monitoring their cancer patients’ antibody levels. This can help identify patients who may have a higher risk of infection, as well as those who may be ideal candidates for a booster shot. 

Outside of a couple of states, motorists saw little change in gasoline prices this week. But the trends don’t look promising for the future.

The AAA daily survey of gasoline prices shows that the national average price of regular rose two cents a gallon this week to $3.32 a gallon, nearly the same as a month ago. The average price of premium gas is $3.95 a gallon, a penny more than seven days ago. Diesel fuel showed the biggest one-week move, rising five cents a gallon to $3.65.

The relatively stable gas prices come amid a backdrop of steadily rising oil prices. Gasoline demand has been stable, but Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, tweeted this week that there are signs that demand could be about to take off.

“Going to be interesting to see this week's EIA (Energy Information Administration) implied gasoline demand number given that last Friday saw a big 10%+ surge in demand vs prior week according to GasBuddy data,” he wrote on Thursday.

Oklahoma motorists saw one of the week’s biggest fuel price increases, with the statewide average gas price rising seven cents a gallon. The average price was up four cents a gallon in Arkansas but down four cents in Ohio.

States with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to AAA:

• California ($4.65)   

• Hawaii ($4.34)  

• Washington ($3.96)  

• Oregon ($3.92)   

• Nevada ($3.81)   

• Alaska ($3.78)   

• Arizona ($3.57)      

• Idaho ($3.54)

• Pennsylvania ($3.52)

• New York ($3.48)    

States with the cheapest gas

AAA reports that these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Texas ($2.96)   

• Mississippi ($2.96)

• Arkansas ($2.97)   

• Kentucky ($2.98)  

• Oklahoma ($3.00)    

• Missouri ($3.00)  

• Alabama ($3.01) 

• South Carolina ($3.02)

• Kansas ($3.03)

• Tennessee ($3.03)

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 38,312 model year 2021 AMG GLB35s, model year 2019-2020 A220s, and model year 2020 GLB250s.

The integral carrier that supports the front axle may corrode, causing it to fail.

Front axle carrier failure may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the integral carrier -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on February 15, 2022.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.

Haifa Smoked Fish of Jamaica, N.Y., is expanding its earlier recall of Turbot Cold Smoked fish.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product is packaged in 8-oz clear plastic with a gold board displaying a sticker that reads “LOT # 97; LOT #223; in addition to LOT #246; LOT # 299; LOT # 321,” which were originally recalled.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it. Instead, they should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (718) 523-8899 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST).

Ford Motor Company is recalling 184,698 model year 2021-2022 F-150s.

Underbody heat and noise insulators may loosen and contact the aluminum driveshaft, which could damage the driveshaft and cause it to fracture.

A fractured driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power or a loss of vehicle control if the driveshaft contacts the ground. Additionally, unintended movement could occur while parked if the parking brake is not engaged.

Any of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and repair the driveshaft -- as necessary -- and properly attach the underbody insulators free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 31, 2022.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S56.

Crypto.com – a cryptocurrency exchange app company – says it was the victim of a hack totaling $15 million in stolen funds.

In a statement, a Crypto spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs that the incident affected 483 customers and that the company prevented unauthorized withdrawals in the majority of cases. In all other cases, customers were fully reimbursed.

Breaking those 483 instances down into values, the company said the unsanctioned withdrawals totaled 4,836.26 ether, 443.93 bitcoins (BTC), and approximately $66,200 in other currencies.

To ensure a hack like this doesn’t affect users the next time one happens, the company said it has “hardened” its security systems and is introducing a program to offer additional protection and security for up to $250,000 in funds held in the Crypto.com app and exchange.

The company appears to be in solid enough financial shape to withstand the losses claimed by the hack. Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek recently told Fortune that the company's revenue surged 2,000% in the last 12 months. 

Security firm says not all funds are safe

Peckshield, a China-based blockchain security firm, questioned Crypto.com’s stance that only $66,000 USD was stolen, claiming that its analysis shows that the unauthorized withdrawals amounted to $33 million.

"I’m sorry, but all funds are not safe. I had BTC withdrawn from my account that I did not authorize," tweeted J8Arnold, one of Crypto’s customers. "These funds have yet to be returned to me… I have always had passcode & 2FA [two-factor authentication, a method for protecting identity theft] enabled. I have reached out to Customer Support using every channel possible with no response."

ConsumerAffairs asked Crypto to speak directly to Peckshield’s claims, but the company has not yet replied.

Shaky ground?

While protections are improving for cryptocurrency investors, the digital money world is still in its "Wild West" phase and is not yet completely under the same regulations that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires other trading sectors to follow. That allows some wiggle room for hackers to continue trying to break into cryptocurrency exchanges whenever they can, forcing many investors into "buyer beware" mode.

Roger Aliaga-Díaz, Vanguard America’s Chief Economist, cautions investors that while cryptocurrency may seem attractive, it’s no substitute for stocks and bonds.

"The biggest risk for all investors would be to assume that demand growth will continue just because their prices have recently gone up," he said. "That's speculation, not investment."

Coronavirus (COVID-19) ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 68,636,638 (67,617,789)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 858,118 (854,292)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 338,375,610 (334,699,140)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,567,534 (5,558,316)‌

Surviving COVID-19 makes reinfection less likely, study shows

A study released by state health agencies in New York and California found that people who had been infected with COVID-19 and recovered during the Delta variant wave had as much or more immunity than those who had only been vaccinated.

However, officials say that is no reason to skip a vaccination or booster. They say the study provides a number of caveats. The study was conducted over a short period of time before boosters were widely available and before the surge of cases caused by the Omicron variant.

“We know that vaccination remains the safest strategy for protecting against COVID-19,” said Benjamin Silk, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Gallup Poll finds growing pessimism about COVID-19

Call it pandemic fatigue. After nearly two years, a new Gallup Poll finds that Americans are growing more pessimistic about when the COVID-19 pandemic will end.

Conducted during the first two weeks of January, the poll found optimism about the future of the pandemic in the U.S. had fallen sharply, with an increase in the number of people worrying about getting sick. To compensate, more Americans are socially distancing and wearing masks in public.

The poll found that only 20% of the public thinks pandemic conditions are improving. Twenty-two percent think it is staying the same and 58% believe things are getting worse.

Layoffs took a surprising turn higher last week

Economists were taken by surprise today when the Labor Department reported an increase in the number of people seeking jobless benefits. Initial claims for unemployment benefits rose to 286,000 last week – about the same as before the pandemic.

But many economists expected a lower number, pointing out the need for more workers. Nela Richardson, an economist at the human-resources software firm Automatic Data Processing, told the Wall Street Journal that very few firms are laying off workers.

“Someone who’s dependable, who’s been on the job for a year and doesn’t need to learn the ropes—you don’t want to lay that person off when you’re expecting a spring thaw in economic activity,” Richardson said.

Around the nation

• New Jersey: State officials have tightened COVID-19 rules for health care workers. Gov. Phil Murphy has removed the testing option and is now requiring workers to be vaccinated. “We are no longer going to look past those who continue to put their colleagues and perhaps, I think even more importantly, those who are their responsibility, in danger of COVID,” Murphy said.

• Michigan: Counties across the state with the highest rates of vaccination reported the lowest number of deaths over a six-month period last year. An analysis by Michigan Live found that for every additional 10 percentage points a county was vaccinated, it had 0.9 fewer deaths per 10,000 residents between July and December.

• Utah: The new session of the state legislature got off to an uncertain start this week when the president of the state senate tested positive for the coronavirus. But Utah Senate President Stuart Adams was at his post for the start of the session, sometimes wearing a mask, sometimes not.

• Oklahoma: The Omicron variant has swept through Oklahoma public schools, creating a shortage of substitute teachers. Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed an executive order enlisting state employees to work as teachers, vowing to keep classrooms open. 

• Virginia: After newly sworn-in Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order ending the vaccine mandate for state employees, three state universities softened their COVID-19 policies. George Mason University, James Madison University, and Virginia Commonwealth University now “strongly encourage” vaccinations but don’t require them.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says it will begin to more closely scrutinize the procedures that post-secondary schools, such as for-profit colleges, use to extend private loans directly to students.

Going forward, the CFPB says its new procedures will take a hard look at several aspects of the student loan process, including placing enrollment restrictions on applicants, withholding transcripts, improperly accelerating payments, failing to issue refunds, and maintaining improper lending relationships.

The agency’s effort is another layer of protection that the U.S. is affording student loan borrowers. Just last week, Navient – one of the largest student loan lenders in the U.S. – came to an agreement with 39 state attorneys general over allegations that it wrongly led borrowers into taking on predatory and high-cost loans. 

“Schools that offer students loans to attend their classes have a lot of power over their students’ education and financial future,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “It’s time to open up the books on institutional student lending to ensure all students with private student loans are not harmed by illegal practices.”

What’s the biggest rub for the CFPB? The agency stated that many of the loans it's taking a harder look at have a potential for abuse because they are made outside the supervision of the Department of Education, with many being connected to banks, non-profits, nonbanks, credit unions, state-affiliated organizations, for-profit schools, and non-profit schools. Officials pointed to past abuses at schools like Corinthian Colleges and ITT Tech as cases in which students were subjected to high-interest rates and strong-arm debt collection practices. 

What student loan borrowers can expect

With Congress’ backing, the CFPB now has supervisory authority over entities that originate private education loans, including institutional loans. In addition to looking at general lending issues, CFPB examiners will be looking at the following:  

• Placing enrollment restrictions: Students who are late on their loan payments may be restricted from enrolling in or attending classes, which could delay their graduation and prevent them from finding employment.

• Withholding transcripts: When a school withholds academic transcripts from students who owe the school money, this prevents them from using their transcripts to demonstrate their education levels in the job market.

• Improperly accelerating payments: Schools that use acceleration clauses in their loans when a student withdraws from the program could be putting a heavy financial burden on them by making their loans immediately due and collectible.

• Failing to issue refunds: If a borrower withdraws from a program early, they may be entitled to some refunds by the school.

• Maintaining improper lending relationships: Schools that have preferential relationships with certain lenders may pose risks to students because they may end up paying more for their loans.

To help students and their families get a better grip on how to tackle their student debt, the CFPB has created a new online resource center called “Paying for College,”  It also wants student loan borrowers who are experiencing problems related to repaying student loans or debt collection to know that they can submit a complaint to the agency.

ConsumerAffairs recently researched the student loan landscape and has produced a guide that covers everything from differences between lenders to rates and terms. That guide is available here.

Mortgage rates are moving higher, making homes – already at record highs in terms of median price – less affordable.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with conforming loan balances increased this week to 3.64%, still relatively low from a historical perspective. But rates were below 3% several months ago when John, of Georgetown, Texas, decided to refinance his mortgage and contacted eight lenders.

“The mortgage rates and closing costs varied widely,” John wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I ended up refinancing my mortgage with Jake at Network Capital. Jake was able to save me 22% off my original home mortgage.”

But fewer current homeowners like John are refinancing this week since the opportunity to get a lower rate has largely passed, at least for now. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports that the number of refinancing applications plunged by 3% from the previous week. It was 49% lower than one year ago.

"Mortgage rates hit their highest levels since March 2020, leading to the slowest pace of refinance activity in over two years,” said Joel Kan, MBA's associate vice president of Economic and Industry Forecasting.

Some home buyers getting more serious

Kan says the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has increased 30 basis points in just two weeks, primarily due to a recent spike in the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond. Mortgage rates are keyed to the 10-year bond. 

Kan says the increase in mortgage rates may have slowed refinancing activity, but it has also caused some prospective home buyers to get more serious.

"Despite the increase in rates, purchase applications jumped almost 8 percent, with conventional purchase applications accounting for much of the stronger activity,” Kan said. “The average loan size for a purchase application set a record at $418,500.”

Realtors report that demand for homes remains strong despite rising mortgage rates. But according to Kan, buyers are facing challenges to finding homes in their price range, especially with the cost of financing going up.

Every rise in rates makes monthly payments more expensive. A 0.5% increase in interest rates on a 418,500 mortgage increases the monthly payment by $115.

A new study conducted by researchers from Ohio State University found that children who struggle to pay attention in class may be more likely to cheat. The team explained that many of these students are undiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and with the proper resources and assistance, they can be successful academically. 

“Students diagnosed with ADHD get a lot of support and help in school, but many other kids with attention problems fall through the cracks,” said researcher Eric Anderman. “They don’t get the help they need that could help them do better in school and avoid cheating.” 

Hyperactivity may affect kids’ behavior in school

For the study, the researchers had 855 children from three Midwestern public schools answer questions about their ability to pay attention in school, the likelihood that they’d cheat, and their hyperactivity. They reported on how frequently they felt they had to get out of their chairs during class, their general forgetfulness, and if they’d ever cheated off of another student, among other similar questions. 

The researchers found that there were clear links between hyperactivity, inability to pay attention, and the likelihood that students end up cheating. However, while all three factors came into play, the researchers found that students who struggled to pay attention were the most likely to cheat. 

“Inattention is the driver here, the issue that leads to problems in the classroom,” said Anderman. “The student is not paying attention, so he gets out of his seat and goofs around, and when you put both together, that is a perfect setup for more cheating.”

The study showed that being disruptive wasn’t correlated with cheating. Rather, not being able to pay attention made it difficult for students to stay focused solely on their own work. 

The researchers explained that many of these students weren’t diagnosed with ADHD, and this may affect how likely they are to cheat. When students receive the proper resources, they’re better able to focus in school and they’re less likely to cheat. 

“There are so many evidence-based programs that can help these students who have problems with attention learn to self-regulate, to learn how to be a learner,” Anderman said. “If they had access to these programs, they could learn in class and they wouldn’t have to cheat. And these students are not learning partially because of attention issues they can’t help.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Stanford Medicine explored one way to identify the severity of COVID-19 cases. According to their work, analyzing patients’ antibodies shortly after the onset of symptoms may indicate whether their case will be mild or severe. 

“We’ve identified an early biomarker of risk for progression to severe symptoms,” said researcher Dr. Taia Wang. “And we found that antibodies elicited by an mRNA vaccine – in this case, Pfizer’s – differ in important, beneficial ways from those in infected people with SARS-CoV-2 who later progress to severe symptoms.”  

Antibodies highlight differences in infection severity 

For the study, the researchers collected blood samples from nearly 180 adults who tested positive for COVID-19. The team analyzed the participants’ antibodies the day they tested positive and then again 28 days later. When the study began, all of the participants had mild symptoms. 

Ultimately, the researchers identified two major differences in antibodies between participants who had mild cases of COVID-19 and those with severe cases. For starters, they explained that neutralizing antibodies are the cells that are most effective at stopping pathogens from inciting more serious infections. Neutralizing antibodies played an important role here, as participants who developed severe cases of COVID-19 started the trial with very low levels of neutralizing antibodies. Conversely, participants with healthy levels of neutralizing antibodies tended to have mild symptoms. 

The second difference was in the way that the antibodies were able to create chains that contain sugars that are important for immunity. These sugar fucose cells work with the antibodies to ensure inflammatory levels stay at a healthy place. However, the study showed that patients who went on to develop severe symptoms lacked these fucose cells, and their bodies were producing inflammatory cells at a much faster rate. 

“Some inflammation is absolutely necessary to an effective immune response,” Wang said. “But too much can cause trouble, as in the massive inflammation we see in the lungs of people whose immune systems have failed to block SARS-CoV-2 quickly upon getting infected. 

Understanding the vaccine response

The researchers also looked at how Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine affected participants’ antibody response. They compared the antibody blood samples of 29 adults who had received both doses of the vaccine with participants who developed severe cases of infection and those who had mild cases. 

The findings from the first round of testing held up. Participants who were vaccinated showed higher levels of neutralizing antibodies and higher antibody fucose levels, both of which were linked with more mild cases of COVID-19. 

The researchers concluded that the makeup of consumers’ antibodies is likely to predict the severity of their COVID-19 infection. 

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 78 model year 2022 Toyota 4Runners.

The driver's side high beam may be inoperable after the installation of accessory fog lights.

An inoperable driver's side high beam may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will install an updated wiring harness free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on February 10, 2022.

Owners may contact SET customer service at (866) 405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET21A.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 2,622 model year 2021-2022 Mustang Mach-Es and model year 2022 Mavericks.

The rear seat belt buckles may not be properly attached to the rear floor assembly.

Improperly attached seat belts may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Dealers will repair the rear seat belt buckle attachments free of charge.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C36.

EGL Motor of El Monte, Calif., is recalling about 2,900 EGL and ACE branded youth all-terrain vehicles.

The vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the federal mandatory ATV safety standard.

Children can operate them above the maximum allowed speed, increasing the risk of a crash that can cause serious injuries.

The handlebars could pose a laceration hazard if the child rider’s body or head impacts the handlebars at a high rate of speed, such as in a crash. Additionally, the parking brake does not prevent the movement of the vehicle at the minimum required steepness.

ATVs that fail to meet the mandatory safety requirements pose a risk of serious injury or death to children. The recall involves EGL and ACE branded Youth ATVs, models MADIX 125 and D110. No incidents or injuries are reported.

The name of the vehicle is printed on a label located on both sides of the vehicle. The model number is stamped into the metal plate located on the left side, under the rear body. The ATVs were sold as either Age 12+ or Age 16+.

The ATVs have a label under the model number, stating: “This ATV is subject to EGL MOTOR INC’s action plan approved by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.”

The ATVs, manufactured in China, were sold at Triple J Import, AWL Distribution, D & M Motorsports, and other authorized dealerships nationwide from July 2020, through March 2021, for between $650 and $850.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ATVs and contact EGL Motor to make an appointment for a no-cost full repair from an authorized repair shop.

Consumers may contact EGL Motor toll-free at (866) 496-9919 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday, by email at service@eglmotor.us, or online at http://www.eglmotor.us/recall.html or www.eglmotor.us. Consumers can click on “RECALL” at the top of the company's webpages for more information.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 67,617,789 (66,700,210)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 854,292 (852,601)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 334,699,140 (331,350,251)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,558,316 (5,540,981)‌

White House to provide free masks, officials say

A day after announcing a website where Americans can order a free COVID-19 test, White House officials say they expect more help for people to avoid getting sick. Officials say the government is preparing to provide free N95 masks at retail pharmacies across the nation.

The Wall Street Journal quotes a White House official as saying nonsurgical N95 masks will begin appearing at distribution centers late next week. The program is expected to be fully operational by early February.

According to the official, the program will be “ the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in U.S. history.”

WHO warns the pandemic isn’t over

After a post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases, mostly caused by the Omicron variant, the number of new cases is falling. But a top official of the World Health Organization (WHO) cautions that the pandemic is “nowhere near over.”

“In some countries, cases seem to have peaked, which gives hope that the worst of this latest wave is done with,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s director. “But no country is out of the woods yet. I remain particularly concerned about countries with low vaccination rates.”

Ghebreyesus said the evidence suggests that Omicron infections are less severe. However, he says it is wrong to assume that all cases of the variant of the virus are mild.

Couple’s first date leads to engagement after COVID-19 lockdown

Zhao Xiaoqing, a 28-year-old woman from northern China's Shaanxi province, agreed to a blind date arranged by her family. But after visiting her date’s parents’ home, she had to stay for weeks because the government decreed a lockdown.

"I never thought about staying the night, because it's pretty awkward," Zhao Xiaoqing, who was meeting her date for only the second time, told local media Jimu News.

The relationship was reportedly awkward at the beginning, but apparently, nature began to take its course. “We get along very well," Zhao Xiaoqing said, confirming they are now engaged.

Around the nation

• New York: Add New York to the list of East Coast states that appear to be getting a grip on the latest COVID-19 outbreak. Gov. Kathy Hochul says the number of positive test results dropped by 75% over the last two weeks. The positivity rate is now down to 12.48%.

• Louisiana: State health officials report that many of the new COVID-19 cases in the state are occurring in nursing homes, infecting both residents and staff. "It's very difficult on staffing," Lisa Gardner of CommCare, which operates 14 homes around the state, told NOLA.com.

• New Hampshire: Colleges across the state are preparing to resume classes for the spring semester and attempting to navigate the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. “We've had a lot of practice managing through this pandemic, the various surges and so a lot of protocols we've had in place for now going on two years will remain in place,” said Paul Pronovost, a Saint Anselm College spokesperson.

• Nevada: With Las Vegas beckoning travelers from around the world, Nevada has struggled to keep infection rates low, even in rural areas far from the strip. This week, the rural regions of Storey, Eureka, and White Pine counties joined the rest of the state in resuming a mask mandate. 

• Oregon: The coronavirus has taken a toll on one of the Oregon Coast’s major events. Newport's visitor center and the Chamber of Commerce have announced the cancellation of the annual Newport Seafood and Wine Festival for the second year in a row. The event had been scheduled for the end of February.

There’s apparently been a deal cut regarding the chaos that AT&T and Verizon’s new 5G service would create on airplanes' instruments and guidance systems.

As the clock ticked precariously toward the launch of the 5G enhancement, the White House stepped in late Tuesday to referee the situation. It apparently was able to get the telecom companies to agree to delay 5G C-band deployment around key airports and help airlines avoid a rash of potentially canceled flights.

“This agreement will avoid potentially devastating disruptions to passenger travel, cargo operations, and our economic recovery, while allowing more than 90 percent of wireless tower deployment to occur as scheduled,” President Biden said in a statement.

“This agreement protects flight safety and allows aviation operations to continue without significant disruption and will bring more high-speed internet options to millions of Americans. Expanding 5G and promoting competition in internet service are critical priorities of mine, and tomorrow will be a massive step in the right direction.”

The 5G fuss

To some, this issue is a tempest in a teapot. Trade association CTIA – which represents the U.S. wireless communications -- claims that 5G C-band communications operate safely without causing harmful interference to aviation equipment. Putting some numbers to that assertion, it says that nearly 40 countries already use the service with no impact on aviation.

However, the Biden administration is playing it safe. The President said this pause will give the wireless carriers, airlines, and aviation equipment manufacturers an opportunity to work with the Department of Transportation on a safe way to make their 5G hopes a reality. He also stated that his team is already on the case and engaging with all parties.

“At my direction, they will continue to do so until we close the remaining gap and reach a permanent, workable solution around these key airports," Biden said.

Consumers can still get the new 5G service 

AT&T and Verizon may be standing down at the airport, but that doesn't mean consumers won't have access to new 5G services.

AT&T said that its new 5G+ is available in parts of 44 cities in the U.S. as well as in public and private venues like stadiums, arenas, school campuses, hospitals, and concert halls.

Wednesday morning, Verizon stepped aside from the aviation issue to also announce that its new 5G Ultra Wideband network will be available to 100 million more people this month in over 1,700 cities across the U.S.

Tesla’s Autopilot feature has landed a California driver in a vehicular manslaughter case. While the automaker has been tied to other fatal crashes and is part of a federal investigation related to its Autopilot system, this is the first time Tesla has been tied to a felony charge. ​​

The Associated Press reports that California prosecutors have filed two charges against Kevin George Aziz Riad, the person behind the wheel of a Tesla involved in a fatal Autopilot-related collision. The lawsuit was originally filed in Oct. 2021, but it wasn’t publicly reported until now. 

According to the police report, after exiting a highway in his Tesla Model S, Riad ran a red light and smashed into a Honda Civic at an intersection in Gardena. The collision killed a man and a woman in the other vehicle. 

Riad pleaded not guilty and is free on bail while the case is pending.

History of Autopilot crashes 

The felony charge against Riad isn’t the first tied to an automated driving system. In 2018, the driver of an autonomous Uber driver was charged with negligent homicide after a pedestrian was struck and killed by the vehicle he was serving as the human backup for. That incident led Uber to shut down its self-driving car operations in Arizona

Concerns about the Autopilot system continue to grow, but Tesla has tried to move the tide against the technology the other way. The first thing out of the chute was an update for the system's software so that it was harder for drivers to abuse the option.

The company also went on a campaign to warn against the misuse of Autopilot and Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system. Officials have consistently stated that the vehicles that have the system cannot drive themselves. They also say it’s imperative that drivers stay vigilant and ready to react if needed.

When Car and Driver put Autopilot to the test late last year, it gave the feature mixed reviews. On the positive side, the researchers said they were impressed with its capability while taking certain highway interchanges, lane changes, and while using on two-lane roads. However, they did find certain hiccups like the car merging onto the highway too late and decelerating too slowly when exiting the highway. 

“With the features the Full Self-Driving package offers today, the system isn't anywhere near something we'd call ‘self-driving’” the test drivers reported. “The system bobbled more than 10 maneuvers and driving situations on our loop, some of which required us to quickly retake control.”