Elton John to the rescue, a former governor doles out advice from a hot tub and the Cheesecake Factory says it won’t be paying rent next month.
L.A. County now has 812 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 13 deaths due to the virus. Orange County is currently at 187 cases and one death. — ABC7
This morning, the mayor closed down the Runyon and Bronson Canyon hiking trails as well as Venice Pier.
Homeowners in California paying a mortgage to JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, or US Bank will receive a 90-day waiver on mortgage payments, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. A Bank of America spokesperson told Business Insider that “Bank of America is deferring mortgage payments on a monthly basis until the crisis is over.” — Business Insider
Zoombombing, a form of online trolling where hackers take over a Zoom video-conference to cause mayhem, occurred at USC. USC President Carol Folt and Provost Charles Zukoski confirmed that some online classes “were disrupted by people who used racist and vile language that interrupted lectures and learning.” The pair promised that the university’s IT team will be vigilant in finding the culprits and “we want to personally tell our students and faculty how deeply sorry we are for these disturbances in an already disruptive time.” — L.A. Times
The chatter on Twitter for the last two days was that the LAPD was issuing tickets to people who weren’t following the shelter-in-place, stay-at-home orders by the mayor and governor. The LAPD denied the accusations, calling them rumors:
Here’s some more good news: Yes, you can become immune to coronavirus. At least for a little while. And as a bonus, antibodies gathered from those who have recovered may be used to aid those struggling with the illness — NY Times
Safer at home is fine, as long as you truly are safe there. Domestic violence hotline staffers are hearing that abusers are preventing their partners from going to their jobs in health care, or blocking them from needed health care services or from accessing safety tools like gloves or sanitizer. “An abuser will use anything in their toolbox to exert their power and control, and COVID-19 is one of those tools,” says Crystal Justice, who oversees development at the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a 24/7 national hotline in the United States. “When cabin fever sets in, give it a week or two, people get tired of seeing each other and then you might have domestic violence,” says L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. — AP
Nothing to see here. Just a few hundred tanks being moved from Ventura to the IE. It’s all part of some “routine movement” says a Navy spokesperson.
The Cheesecake Factory says it won’t be paying rent for any of its restaurants beginning April 1. David Overton, CEO of the Calabasas-based company, wrote, “due to these extraordinary events, I am asking for your patience, and frankly, your help … we appreciate our landlords’ understanding given the exigency of the current situation.” — EaterLA
A warehouse worker from Amazon’s Moreno Valley fulfillment center has tested positive for coronavirus. Moreno Valley Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez says it was unclear if the diagnosed worker was a resident of the city. Amazon workers have now been diagnosed with COVID-19 at eight U.S. warehouses. — KTLA
One L.A. Metro worker and two contractors have tested positive for the virus. A maintenance worker at a Metro bus yard in South Los Angeles has tested positive for the coronavirus. Of the contractors, one was working in downtown L.A. The other worked for Walsh Shea Corridor Constructors. Staff have been told to self-quarantine and stay away from work sites. — San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Glendale has closed all hiking trails and city-owned recreation centers, including their amenities and equipment until April 19. — Daily News
Dental clinics in Southern California are struggling to stay open. “Like many young dentists, I have a student loan that I carry as well as a business loan. I still have to pay monthly rent for my office. And that’s a lot right now. But, what’s important at this time is we set a good example as health-care providers to do the right thing,” says Dr. Jaewoo Cho of Diamond Bar. — Daily News
Elton John is still standing and will be hosting a “Living Room Concert for America” on March 29 in support of the medical professionals and first responders who are on the front lines of this historic battle. Highland Park’s Billie Eilish, along with musicians Alicia Keys, Backstreet Boys, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mariah Carey, Tim McGraw and others will each play a set from their homes. — The Wrap
The Animation Industry is still standing too and pumping out new content for a hungry audience confined to their homes. The team behind Netflix’s “Big Mouth” has also started doing virtual table reads, while artists at every animated show on Fox — such as “Duncanville,” “Family Guy” “Bob’s Burgers” and “The Simpsons” — are using a program called Toon Boom to work remotely on shared storyboards. — Los Angeles Magazine
The annual Turner Classic Movies Film Festival held at the Hollywood Roosevelt and the Egyptian and Chinese Theatres is being moved to your TV. Turner announced a schedule of classic film programming that will air on the cable network from April 16-19. — Los Angeles Magazine
California has now eclipsed one million unemployment claims. Are you one in that million? Here’s how to apply for unemployment benefits in California. — NYT’s California Today
Charter is expanding its offer of 60-days of free internet and WiFi to include educators who don’t already have a Spectrum account. Teachers who live in a Spectrum market and do not currently have broadband can contact Spectrum to sign up. A free self-installation kit will be provided to new student and educator households. — CBS LA
Rams fans vote on a new logo. Are you on team blue background or white background? — Twitter