Friday, September 25, 2020
Project Roomkey participants are now being transitioned from short-term to long-term housing.
The next few weeks will be critical for Los Angeles in avoiding another surge and bringing the transmission rate — currently 1.02% — back below 1%. — ABC Los Angeles, L.A. Times
More than 70 local businesses were issued citations by L.A. County for violating COVID-19 guidelines. — KTLA
California has passed 800,000 coronavirus cases, making it the state with the highest number in the nation. Accounting for population proportion, California has 12% of the country’s population and 11% of its COVID-19 cases. — L.A. Times
Thursday, September 24, 2020
L.A. County Qualifies to Transition to Less Restrictive State Reopening Tier
Black-owned restaurants can apply for COVID-19 relief funding through a new SoCalGas program.
L.A. County has met the data thresholds required to move up in the state’s tiered reopening plan. If the county maintains current COVID-19 trends for two weeks, it will qualify to loosen restrictions on businesses. However, a recent uptick in cases, hospitalizations and the transmission rate may delay reopenings. — CBS Los Angeles, L.A. Times
Young adults in their 20s now account for the largest age group of Americans with COVID-19, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. — L.A. Times
SoCalGas launched a COVID-19 recovery program that provides grants of $1,000-$5,000 to Black-owned restaurants in L.A. County and the Inland Empire. — CBS Los Angeles
Luxe Rodeo Drive is the first L.A. hotel to close permanently due to the coronavirus. — Eater Los Angeles
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
COVID-19 Cases on the Rise in L.A. County
USC research shows that a quarter of L.A. households have struggled with food insecurity over the last few months.
County health officials are concerned over what appears to be an upward trend in COVID-19 cases. L.A. County’s “R” number, which measures how many additional people contract the virus for every person infected, has risen to 1.02. If R is over 1, the virus’s transmission is increasing over time. — Deadline, KTLA, L.A. Times
Meanwhile, Orange County will allow all K-12 schools to reopen without waivers. The county hasn’t exceeded 7 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people for the past two weeks. — NBC Los Angeles
More than one in four L.A. households struggled with food insecurity over the summer months as a result of COVID-19-induced financial stress, according to USC researchers. — Los Feliz Ledger
The L.A.-founded national restaurant chain restaurant, Sizzler, just declared bankruptcy, following the path of other casual dining chains that are falling victim to long-term COVID-19 closures. — Eater Los Angeles
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
COVID-19 Testing Sites See Thousands of Vacant Appointments
Hollywood studios and labor unions have reached an agreement on COVID-19 protocols as TV and film production ramps up.
COVID-19 testing sites across L.A. have thousands of empty appointment slots. In July, about 130,000 people were tested weekly. Now, about 74,000 people visit every week. — NBC Los Angeles
Local hotel employees and other service workers are fearful of having increased exposure to the coronavirus, as guests and tourists fail to wear masks. — KCRW
Yesterday, California surpassed 15,000 coronavirus-related deaths. L.A. County has the highest death toll with 6,353, followed by Riverside and Orange Counties. — KCRA
Hollywood labor unions reached a deal with studios to resume filming and production. The agreement mandates regular COVID-19 testing schedules for employees, paid coronavirus sick leave and personal protective equipment guidelines. — CBS Los Angeles
Monday, September 21, 2020
An Uptick in L.A.’s COVID-19 Cases May Be the Outcome of Labor Day Outings
Some schools are now hosting day camps for children whose parents can afford enrollment fees.
There’s been a recent uptick in L.A. County’s coronavirus cases over the past four days. Officials say this may reflect increased transmission from Labor Day weekend, or it may be a result of testing centers reopening after temporarily closing due to poor air quality. — KTLA
In proper pandemic fashion, the 2020 Emmys took place as a socially-distant telecast, with winners receiving their awards via mail and some encountering interns in hazmat suits. — NBC News
About 150 people gathered at a Sherman Oaks home for a kid’s party, which was shut down by police for violating social distancing guidelines. — ABC Los Angeles
California has temporarily stopped accepting new unemployment applications. Until the system resumes on Oct. 5, the state will process a backlog of 600,000 applications. — ABC San Diego
Some K-12 schools in L.A. have reopened by rebranding as day camps operated by outside contractors where parents can pay a weekly fee so their child can attend remote classes from within physical classrooms. — L.A. Times