LOS ANGELES (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has urged his exhausted state to dream of brighter days ahead during his annual State of the State address. Newsom spoke Tuesday evening from an empty Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, surrounded by 56,000 seats representing roughly the number of people who have died during the pandemic. Newsom said his public health decisions including the nation’s first statewide shutdown order saved lives. He acknowledged mistakes, but he did not articulate them. The speech came at a critical time as Newsom will likely face a recall election later this year fueled by widespread anger over his handling of the pandemic.
