Jacob’s Journal – Weekly News Rewind

(04/13-04/17)

Mayor Garcetti Outlines How City Will Determine When to Scale Back LA ‘Safer-at-Home’ Orders

Wednesday, April 15 (ABC 7) – In response to the continued spike in new COVID-19 cases and deaths in Los Angeles County, Mayor Eric Garcetti has extended the “safer-at-home” order to May 15th. Beyond that, it is unclear how much longer LA County will be under a stay at home order, but the Mayor and Governor have outlined five factors that will play a part in the city’s decision to begin easing restrictions. They include testing, real-time health surveillance, aggressive response to new cases, hospital capacity, and research and development. “These five principles are the principles guiding us here in Los Angeles as we will make the decisions about how and when we can begin to get back to work and back to school, back to fun, back to the life we had before all of this,” Garcetti said. Last Friday, Los Angeles leaders announced that wearing some form of face covering or mask is required if you are going out in public. 

Coronavirus Update: California to Provide Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for Food Sector Workers

Thursday, April 16 (CBS 5 San Francisco) – On Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom, signed an executive order to help frontline workers in the state’s food sector that are being negatively impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The order would enact a supplemental paid sick leave to help relieve any worry associated with pay if workers are feeling ill and need to miss work. While Newsom didn’t offer any hard details defining how his executive order would work, he did say that a booklet outlining the details is being sent out in the coming days. “The people who grow our food, the people who pick our food, who pack our food, deliver our food, cook, serve and sell our food,” said Newsom. The Governor continued to say, “I hope this will significantly address some of the anxiety our farm workers have, anxiety our fast-food workers have, anxiety around the delivery of our food and those workers have about their own health.”

Child Among 2 Hit and Killed by Train in Monrovia

Wednesday, April 15 (KCAL 9, CBS Los Angeles) – Gold Line train service is suspended between Monrovia and Duarte stations after a child and adult were hit and killed on Wednesday morning. Both child and adult were pronounced dead at the scene and their names have yet to be released until the families are notified. Commuters are asked to avoid the area, police are on the scene investigating. 

South Bay Man Killed in Freeway Motorcycle Crash

Thursday, April 16 (Fox 5 San Diego) – A fatal accident involving a motorcycle and vehicle occurred on Interstate 805 in the Otay Mesa area on Thursday. A 66-year-old Chula Vista man was pronounced dead at the scene when his motorcycle collided with the Nissan, driven by a 22-year-old San Diego man. The driver of the Nissan was uninjured and remained at the scene to cooperate with investigators. Authorities said that intoxication was not a factor in the crash.

SoCal Nurses Suspended for Refusing to Care for COVID-19 Patients Without N95 Masks

Thursday, April 16 (Fox 5 San Diego) – Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica suspended ten nurses after they refused to care for patients that were infected with COVID-19 without first having access to protective N95 masks. The nurses are being paid while on suspension and are being represented by the National Nurses Union. Saint John’s hospital said in a statement that as of Tuesday it’s providing N95 masks to all nurses caring for COVID-19 patients and those awaiting test results. 

31-Year-Old Recovering From Coronavirus Says 1 Trip to the Store Was All it Took to Get it

Wednesday, April 15 (NBC Los Angeles) – One innocent trip to the grocery store sent an otherwise healthy 31-year-old into critical condition with COVOD-19. Benji Ha said he started to feel painful body aches, high fever and was barely able to sit up on Match 24, which prompted him to go to the hospital. Benji said he did everything right. He socially isolated in his home for two weeks, and always wore a mask. The patient said he didn’t attend parties or hang out with friends, wasn’t out socializing or anything of that nature. As he recovers in self-quarantine now, almost a month later, his message to other young adults is simple. “It could hit anyone. I just went grocery shopping. That was it,” Benji Ha said.

L.A. County Reports 55 More People Have Died from Covid-19, Marking Another Single-Day High in Deaths

Thursday, April 16 (KTLA 9, CBS Los Angeles) – While residents in Los Angeles County remain on a state and city-wide quarantine, the numbers of those infected continues to rise in LA. Health officials reported Thursday that another 55 COVID-19 patients have died, marking the third day in a row the county has seen a single-day high in fatalities. At least 77,000 have been tested across Los Angeles County, but that still doesn’t negate that the numbers are what they are. In total, 455 people have died from the virus in L.A. County and 10,854 people have tested positive, including another 399 infections reported Thursday alone. Those that have symptoms can now get tested in a mobile testing unit. The City of Los Angeles, in partnership with the County of Los Angeles and CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), is providing free COVID-19 testing to Los Angeles County residents. Testing is only for people with symptoms, such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. 

Shaq: Three-peat Lakers Would Have Beaten Michael Jordan’s Bulls ‘Easily’ if Both Teams Were in Their Primes

Thursday, April 16 (CBS Sports) – Unfortunately, basketball legends Micheal Jordan and Shaq never got to meet on the court, but O’Neal’s Orlando Magic still defeated Jordan’s Bulls in 1995. Too bad that Michael Jordan only came out of retirement in the middle of that same season. And when Jordan was busy winning his final two championships, O’Neal was spending his time on the court with a teenage Kobe Bryant. The two were never able to have a match up when they were in their prime, but Shaw thinks he would have beaten Jordan’s Bulls ‘Easily’. Shaq backed up his logic, stating the following, “I would have killed Luc Longley, Bill Wennington, Cartwright, yea.” If one thing were to slow down the Lakers, in O’Neal’s mind, it would be his free-throw shooting. Jordan’s Bulls never faced such a successful twosome as O’Neal and Bryant, though one could argue that their shared 3 championships were a result of the power vacuum Jordan left behind by retiring. 

Department of Justice Takes Swift Action to Combat Coronavirus-Related Fraud

Thursday, April 16 (National Law Review) – With evidence of testing and treatment scams, an increase in medical supply scams and even investment scams that claim to have the inside scoop on ‘cutting edge COVID-19 research’, the Department of Justice announced that it will employ a national task force to combat coronavirus fraud. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country have ramped up their efforts to investigate and charge alleged hoarders, price-gougers, and fraudsters looking to profit from this national crisis.

California’s Road Map for Lifting Coronavirus Stay-Home Order Suggests Long-Term Changes to Everyday Life

Wednesday, April 15 (Cap Radio) – California Governor Gavin Newsom introduced a six-point plan on how the state might slowly lift the stay-at-home order. “Normal, it will not be, at least until we have herd immunity and have a vaccine,” the governor said of post-quarantine life. Citizens will continue to be on lockdown until the curve of new COVID-19 patients is not just flattening, but altogether declining. Only then will restrictions be lifted. After that, Californians will be experiencing staggered school schedules in the fall and temperature checks to enter businesses, and even massive deep cleaning efforts like the sanitation of public spaces.