New research has found that kids have had it particularly bad during the coronavirus lockdowns, but not because of the virus, because of the lockdowns themselves. Kids ended up dying of suicides and being hospitalized for mental health illnesses at a high rate, according to a new study. Once again, we see that this “cure” was far worse than virus ever was, especially for young people. Per Just the News: Jeanne Noble, director of COVID response in the UCSF emergency department, is finishing an academic manuscript on the mental health toll on kids from lockdown policies. She shared a presentation on its major points with Just the News. Suicides in the Golden State last year jumped by 24% for Californians under 18 but fell by 11% for adults, showing how children were uniquely affected by “profound social isolation and loss of essential social supports traditionally provided by in-person school,” the presentation says. Children requiring emergency mental health services jumped last year in Children’s Hospital of Oakland, and children’s hospitalizations for eating disorders more than doubled at UCSF Children’s Hospital. In January, the latter’s emergency department (ED) at Mission Bay hit a record for “highest proportion of suicidal children in ER” at 21%. The study authors charged that the CDC is bringing serious harm to children with its coronavirus policies. Just the News added that kids are facing more than the virus. They are also facing an “atrophy” of the interpersonal skills because of masks and lost school time, and they are suffering great bouts of depression. It is even harder on teens, especially those close to graduation, because they face a stymied start to college, or their careers. This also brings severe depression. Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston.

Members of the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners used the coronavirus crisis to give themselves a huge pay raise. Using federal COVID-19 relief funds, board members claimed they were using the funds as a way to give back to front line workers by giving those who have been dealing with the coronavirus a pay raise. But what the board didn’t tell anyone is that along with helping front-line workers, they gave themselves a $25,000 per member pay raise too. According to M-Live: Records obtained by MLive-The Flint Journal show “top-level administrators” in the county received $25,000 each from the COVID-19 relief funds awarded to the county while department heads each received $12,500. “Middle management” officials received $5,000 each while chief deputies, Health Department employees, and attorneys received $2,500. The breakdown written by County Coordinator Brian Boggs shows employees identified as “cleaning staff” received $2,000 each and all other employees received $1,000. “It’s a sad day … I feel badly,” said Commissioner Marlene Webster, a Republican who represents a portion of the city of Owosso. “It’s a blow to county workers’ morale at a time when it’s difficult to keep good workers … I think (it shows) a serious lack of acknowledgment of what people did (during the pandemic).” Webster, who voted in favor of the measure, claimed that she did not know she was voting for her own pay raise and said that she didn’t even know she was getting a pay raise until it showed up in her bank account. “I’m mortified. I never would have voted to give myself more than the average (employee) — if anything,” Webster said. On the other hand, several other members of the board blasted Webster for refusing the pay raise. Commissioner Cindy L. Garber and Jeremy R. Root said they had no…