Convenience Big Store: San Joaquin County, 15 other counties move to less restrictive tiers

San Joaquin, El Dorado counties move to less restrictive tiers –While announcing the plan to abolish the tier system this June, California Governor Gavin Newsom also announced 16 counties would have fewer restrictions this week as they move to less restrictive tiers. Contra Costa, El Dorado, Humboldt, Imperial, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Joaquin, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tulare and Ventura counties became eligible this week to move tiers. San Joaquin County was the only county that moved to the red tier from the purple tier. The county has been waiting to make this move for weeks now. The move comes as 1 in 5 people in the county are now fully vaccinated, according to the county's Office of Emergency Services. (Chelsea Shannon, ABC10)

Social Security stimulus checks should start arriving Wednesday – Americans on Social Security and select other federal benefits plans who did not have to file 2019 or 2020 tax returns should start seeing their stimulus checks arrive Wednesday from the recently passed COVID-19 relief bill. The IRS said a large set of payments for those on Social Security retirement, survivor or disability, Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Board went out last Friday. For those who are receiving the payments electronically, they should show up in accounts Wednesday. The Get My Payment tool was updated last weekend to track these payments, according to the IRS. (Travis Pittman, TEGNA)

Dozens of conventions plan to come to Sacramento this summer –In just 10 weeks, the state will be eliminating the colored tier system, which will allow the economy to fully reopen. This means large-scale indoor events, like conventions, could resume if testing or vaccinations are verified. Visit Sacramento says they already have more than a dozen conferences already booked at the newly renovated (and newly named) Safe Credit Union Convention Center. The convention center shut down at the end of 2018 for renovations, but the city has forecasted it to reopen at the end of May, just weeks before the state of California is set to fully reopen. Part of those reopening plans allow in-person conventions for 5,000 people or less. (Lena Howland, ABC10)

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TIP OF THE DAY

Sutter Health Park welcoming back fans with safety precautions The home of the River Cats is preparing for fans for the first time since changing the name of the ballpark from Raley's Field. If you plan to head to the ballpark, here's what you need to know before you go.(ABC10 staff)

SMILE

Old Navy responds to first grader's letter asking for 'real pockets' in girl's jeans 7-year-old Kamryn Gardner was tired of wearing jeans with fake pockets and decided to write a letter to Old Navy to share her thoughts. Click here to read her letter (and Old Navy's response!) (5News)