Friday, August 21, 2020
USPS staffing shortages are exacerbating coronavirus concerns about social distancing.
A group of staff at Riverside Community Hospital are suing the hospital for being asked to return to work while still having coronavirus symptoms, as well as for not being provided with adequate PPE. — KTLA Los Angeles
L.A. County’s chief medical officer announced that if COVID-19 cases continue to drop, school officials can begin applying for waivers to reopen. The goal would be having fewer than 200 cases per 100,000 people — over the last two weeks, L.A. has had 275 cases per 100,000 people. — L.A. Times
The most common underlying conditions in those who have died from COVID-19 are high blood pressure and diabetes. — The Eastsider
The delays affecting the U.S. Postal Service are compounding with pandemic-related problems. One L.A. public housing complex was told that its deliveries would arrive at a centralized location, not on doorsteps, requiring that residents leave their homes to retrieve mail. — L.A. Times
Thursday, August 20, 2020
Garcetti Authorizes Utilities Shutdown at Hollywood Hills Party House
Black and Latino Angelenos are still disproportionately suffering from COVID-19, but data shows that the gap is decreasing.
Mayor Eric Garcetti authorized the disconnection of utility services at the Hollywood Hills home of a a TikTok influencer who had hosted multiple large parties in violation of social-distancing guidelines. — NPR
The state of California is applying for the federal “lost wages assistance” program, which will provide and extra $300 per week to unemployed residents. — San Francisco Chronicle
The disproportionate COVID-19 death rate between white residents and Black and Latino residents is narrowing, according to data reported by L.A. County health officials. In July, Black residents had a rate of four virus deaths per 100,000 people, and Latino residents had six per 100,000. — L.A. Times, Deadline
Orange County officials reported its first coronavirus-related death of a juvenile on Wednesday. The teen had underlying medical conditions and was the second person in California below 18 years old to die from COVID-19. — L.A. Times
The Los Angeles Zoo, which has been closed since March 13, will be reopening next Wednesday with modified protocols and social-distancing measures. — The Eastsider
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
21 People Arrested in Unemployment Fraud Scheme
An L.A. Times project found that over half of Angelenos are not wearing masks in public spaces or are wearing them incorrectly.
Police arrested 21 people who were part of an alleged fraud ring that filed more than $250,000 worth of false unemployment claims using the personal information of 30 California inmates. — FOX Los Angeles
An on-the-ground mask use tracking project by the L.A. Times found that only 42% of people observed in L.A. and Orange counties wore masks correctly, while 10% of them wore masks incorrectly and 47% were not wearing masks at all. — L.A. Times
With schools providing online-only instruction, the number of children receiving flu vaccines has decreased, according to state health officials. They urge people to get the vaccine to avoid an uptick in flu hospitalizations that may take up resources needed for coronavirus patients. — ABC Los Angeles
As Angelenos remain indoors, illegal trash dumping in L.A. is reaching new highs, and some local garbage hauling is increasing by more than 85%. — Crosstown
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Health Officials Warn Against Social Gatherings that May Jeopardize L.A.’s Progress
Stay-at-home orders are exacerbating instances of domestic violence, but fears of getting infected are keeping victims home.
L.A. County currently meets five of the six coronavirus-monitoring benchmarks required by the state. Officials remain worried that gatherings, such as parties and church services, could threaten that progress. — The Eastsider
Continued restrictions on salons and barbershops are pressuring hairstylists to take their services underground — or even outright defy state health orders — for survival. — CBS Los Angeles
California hospitalizations have fallen below 5,000 for the first time since June, with L.A., in particular, seeing a 40% decrease. — The Mercury News
Domestic violence rates are rising during the COVID-19 lockdown, but fear of infection is preventing victims from reporting the abuse at clinics, shelters or hospitals. — L.A. Times
L.A. County’s rent relief program went live Monday and will accept applications through Aug. 31. — ColoradoBoulevard.net
WeHo’s Flaming Saddles permanently closed after a coronavirus-related dispute with their landlord. According to the bar’s owners, it’s the second gay bar in WeHo to permanently close due to the pandemic. — Eater Los Angeles
Ten more Los Angeles Police Department employees tested positive for the virus. Of the 510 employees who have tested positive since the start of the pandemic, 128 are currently self-isolating, and 410 have recovered. — CBS Los Angeles
If you’re an undocumented immigrant, you can find safe COVID-19 relief programs through nonprofit- and county-sponsored programs that don’t share their information with ICE. — L.A. Times
Monday, August 17, 2020
Social Distancing Strains California’s Energy Grid Amid Heat Wave
The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest school district in the U.S., will launch a massive COVID-19 testing and tracing program.
Social-distancing lead to California’s worst energy shortage in 20 years. The strain on power grids during the heat wave — caused by many staying home and using their air conditioners as opposed to visiting public spaces like movie theaters and cooling centers — forced officials to order rolling blackouts across the state. — L.A. Times
The Los Angeles Unified School District announced a coronavirus testing and contact tracing program that, if successful, would encompass 500,000 students and 75,000 staff members. — L.A. Times
Contrary to health officials’ fears at the start of the pandemic, L.A. County’s homeless population has been largely spared by the virus. Officials estimate that more than 1,200 of an estimated 66,000 homeless people have been infected in L.A. County. — KTLA
Contact tracing efforts at the state and county levels are struggling due to a lack of bilingual staff. — The Mercury News
Pink’s Hot Dogs, the iconic 81-year-old hot dog stand, has reopened for the first time since its COVID-19 shutdown five months ago. — CBS Los Angeles