Public services impacted by New Year's Day holiday

The new year is just a few days away and that means various municipal services will be closed or operating on a limited basis.

Mountain View City Hall is closed through Monday, Jan. 1, along with most city departments and facilities. Emergency services will continue to operate.

Buses and trains will also be operating on modified hours. Caltrain and VTA will both offer free fares after 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

For a full rundown of how the holidays will impact local public services, check out the Voice's recent roundup article.

Minimum wage to rise in the new year

With the new year comes a higher minimum wage in Mountain View.

Starting on Jan. 1, employers will have to pay their workers at least $18.75 per hour, up from $18.15 in 2023. The city's minimum wage is automatically adjusted annually to account for inflation.

To find out more about what the rising wage will mean and how it compares to neighboring cities, see the Voice's recent explainer piece.

COVID levels high in local wastewater, updated vaccinations available

The concentration of the virus that causes COVID-19 is currently high in samples from the wastewater treatment facility that serves Mountain View.

The Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant is currently showing high levels of SARS-CoV-2, according to data from the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department.

Tracking virus concentrations in wastewater "can comprehensively detect levels of COVID infection within a community," according to the public health department's website.

Meanwhile, only 19% of county residents are up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, according to county data.

For information on getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine, visit the county public health department's website.