Who said Californians couldn’t handle the cold? Spoiler Alert: They probably can’t.

Happening in the World: Following the earthquake-related tragedies in Turkey, there is an increasing number of journalists being detained for reporting on the scene. A recently adopted disinformation law criminalized the spreading of disinformation, while also giving the state much more control over news sites and social media. Under that basis, many journalists—the number being investigated remain unclear—are being charged with spreading disinformation. Critics are saying that the efforts have gone too far beyond stopping the spread of disinformation, and have turned into the suppression of information from the quake zone. (BBC)

Happening in the US: Parts of Southern California are facing their first blizzard warning since 1989. Forecasters are predicting snowfall of up to 8 feet in the mountains north and east of Los Angeles, powerful winds of 60 to 70 miles per hour, and flooding in coastal areas. There will be dangerous avalanche conditions across the Sierra Nevada. Schools in the far northwest have been closed due to unusual weather and nearly 1000 flights have been canceled. California residents are advised to stay home at this time. (BBC)

Happening in NYC: City, state, and federal officials suspect that norovirus, a common intestinal germ that spreads easily through food and person-to-person contact, may be responsible for a rise in stomach illnesses in New York City. The reason for the lack of certainty is that norovirus is poorly tracked because the federal government does not require hospitals and health departments to report cases. Despite this, New York City’s health department requires laboratories in the city to report positive norovirus test results, which gives some insight into what is happening in various zip codes. (Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: On February 27, in Wien Lounge, Alice! Health Promotion is hosting a therapy dog hangout in partnership with Active Minds. Access to dogs is first come, first serve. No pre-registration is required. For more information click here.

Sierra Nevada Mountains via Wikimedia Commons