SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that provides additional support for older adults and vulnerable young children.
The order will allow for a 60-day waiver for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program caseworkers to continue their work and be able to care for older adults, as well as individuals with disabilities.
A copy of the Governor’s executive order can be found here and the text of the order can be found here.
Learn more about the state’s ongoing COVID-19 response efforts here. Visit covid19.ca.gov for critical steps Californians can take to stay healthy, and resources available to those impacted by the outbreak.
LOS ANGELES, CA— Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the establishment of the Los Angeles Surge Hospital, a temporary facility in Los Angeles that will expand access to additional beds and expand ICU capacity for patients who contract COVID-19. Dignity Health and Kaiser Permanente will partner with the State of California and the County of Los Angeles to open the facility, which will be located on the campus of the former St. Vincent Medical Center in central Los Angeles.
Last month, under his Declaration of State Emergency and Executive Order, Governor Newsom authorized the leasing of facilities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the recently closed St. Vincent Medical Center. The hospital will create additional inpatient capacity in the community to treat the expected surge of patients with COVID-19 in the coming weeks. The facility will operate as a dedicated referral hospital and will not have an emergency room or accept walk-in patients. The County of Los Angeles’ Department of Health Services will play a critical role in coordinating intake and transfer requests from hospitals across the County.
The Los Angeles Surge Hospital is expected to open April 13. It will open in phases, ramping up to accept more patients as physicians and staff are hired and supplies and equipment are secured, up to a projected capacity of 266 beds when fully operational.
The State of California will fund the hospital and its operations and will be responsible for obtaining all federal and state permits, licenses, and waivers to operate. The State is also responsible for procuring critical equipment and supplies, such as personal protective equipment and ventilators.
Dignity Health and Kaiser Permanente, two of California’s largest not-for-profit healthcare systems, are providing expertise in establishing the Los Angeles Surge Hospital and will oversee management at the facility. Operational support will not diminish either healthcare system’s existing frontline capacity.
Los Angeles County is working with the Governor’s office and contracted health workers to temporarily re-open the recently closed St. Vincent Medical Center to act as a transfer facility for COVID positive patients. (Photo Credit: Los Angeles County)
“LA County has the largest concentration of confirmed COVID-19 cases in California. A time like this demands leadership, partnership, and collaboration—and I applaud my fellow leaders and our community partners who have risen to that challenge with aplomb,” said L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “Gov. Newsom’s swift effort to utilize the space at St. Vincent’s, and the collaboration of our private partners to operationalize this along with the Department of Health Services, is a true testament to the strength of our community here in Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles Surge Hospital is one component of our county’s comprehensive effort to respond to the need for surge capacity as we come together to serve our community.”
“I applaud Gov. Newsom’s bold and decisive action to temporarily transform the St. Vincent Medical Center into a surge hospital that will help individuals exposed to COVID-19,” said L.A. County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Under my direction, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services will provide transportation, referrals and other support in tandem with Kaiser Permanente and Dignity Health to expedite the opening of this temporary hospital on the St. Vincent campus. Once operational, the facility will serve the region with the primary mission of increasing hospital capacity to care for patients with COVID-19 and helping slow the spread of this pandemic. This facility, located in the heart of my Supervisorial First District, will address our urgent health care needs through this unique public-private partnership among the State of California, LA County, Kaiser Permanente, and Dignity Health. No one stands alone in this critical moment, and I thank each partner for coming together to treat COVID-19 patients and for ensuring our communities remain safe and healthy.”
“The opening of this COVID treatment facility speaks to the power of partnership at a critical moment, united in our shared mission of service to our communities as we confront this pandemic,” said Dr. Christina Ghaly, Director for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS). “We are grateful for the vision and support of the State of California, and the ingenuity and commitment of Kaiser Permanente and Dignity Health to open this medical facility at lighting speed, bolstering the resilience of our County’s healthcare system and our ability to meet the medical needs of those impacted by this terrible virus.”
Los Angeles County is working with the Governor’s office and contracted health workers to temporarily re-open the recently closed St. Vincent Medical Center to act as a transfer facility for COVID positive patients. (Photo Credit: Los Angeles County)
“As we confront an unprecedented public health crisis, we are honored to be able to continue our legacy of service as part of this unique public-private partnership to expand access to additional beds as the COVID-19 threat continues to evolve,” said Lloyd H. Dean – CEO of CommonSpirit Health, which includes Dignity Health hospitals. “More than ever, this is the time for our communities to come together to care for people affected by this disease. We have worked with each of these partners over time, and this groundbreaking collaboration will help meet the urgent demand for health care services in California.”
“Beating this pandemic requires all of us to work together, nimbly and creatively, and there is no better proof of that than our collective work to stand up this surge hospital in a matter of days,” said Greg Adams, Kaiser Permanente’s chairman and CEO. “This temporary hospital will add much needed resources to help us safely meet the needs of an expected surge of patients affected by this pandemic. We are proud to be able to help launch it, and appreciate California’s leadership and collaboration as we look to leverage every resource available to fight COVID-19.”
Julie Sprengel, President of Dignity Health’s Southwest Division, will serve as acting CEO. David Quam, MD, who served in multiple leadership roles for Kaiser Permanente, will be the Chief Medical Officer. Jason Black, RN, formerly of Dignity Health, will be the Chief Nursing Executive. Additional leaders will be selected in the coming days.
Executive Bios:
Julie Sprengel, MBA, RN, Chief Executive Officer
Julie Sprengel, MBA, RN, will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Surge Hospital. Julie currently oversees Dignity Health’s Southwest Division, which encompasses nine acute care hospitals in Southern California and Nevada: California Hospital Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Northridge Hospital Medical Center, St. Bernardine Medical Center, and St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, and three St. Rose Dominican facilities in Nevada. With nearly 20 years of progressive health care management, Julie’s experience includes operations, strategic planning, financial analysis, and clinical integration. She holds a nursing degree from LAC+USC School of Nursing, a bachelor’s degree in management, and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
David Quam, MD, Chief Medical Officer
David A. Quam, MD, has accepted the role of chief medical officer for the Los Angeles Surge Hospital. The former medical director and chief of staff of Kaiser Permanente San Bernardino County, Dr. Quam most recently served as an assistant executive medical director overseeing the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Laboratory System and the Regional Genetics and Pathology Departments. In addition, he was instrumental in the planning of the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine and participated in Kaiser Permanente’s program-wide Precision Medicine/Genomics efforts. During his career, he has planned and opened multiple medical office buildings and two large hospitals.
Jason Black, RN, DNP, MBA, Chief Nursing Executive
Dr. Black has been named chief nursing executive for the Los Angeles Surge Hospital. Most recently, Dr. Black served as Chief Operating Officer at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital, where he was accountable for day-to-day operations of the 334-bed facility. Dr. Black’s breadth of experience spans acute care, sub-acute care, and ambulatory care in community medical centers and public hospitals. Previous experience includes serving as chief nursing officer at the West Anaheim Medical Center and as senior director of clinical operations and performance improvement at San Diego-based Scripps Health. Dr. Black holds a doctor of nursing practice from Case Western Reserve University, a master of business administration and a master’s in nursing leadership from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s in nursing from Loma Linda University.
About Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. DHS operates as an integrated health system, operating 26 health centers and four acute care hospitals, in addition to providing health care to youth in the juvenile justice system and inmates in the LA County jails. Across the network of DHS’ directly operated clinical sites and through partnerships with community-based clinics, DHS cares for about 750,000 unique patients each year, employs over 22,000 staff, and has an annual operating budget of $6.2 billion.
Through academic affiliations with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU), DHS hospitals are training sites for physicians completing their Graduate Medical Education in nearly every medical specialty and subspecialty. In addition to its direct clinical services, DHS also runs the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the County’s 911 emergency response system, as well as Housing for Health and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, each with a critical role in connecting vulnerable populations, including those released from correctional and institutional settings, to supportive housing.
About Dignity Health
Dignity Health is a multi-state nonprofit network of 10,000 physicians, more than 60,000 employees, 41 acute care hospitals, and 400-plus care-centers, including community hospitals, urgent care, surgery and imaging centers, home health, and primary care clinics in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Dignity Health is dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality, and affordable patient-centered care with special attention to the poor and underserved. Dignity Health is a part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit health system committed to advancing health for all people and dedicated to serving the common good. For more information, please visit our website at www.DignityHealth.org.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care and is recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of its members and the communities its serves. Kaiser Permanente currently serve 12.3 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Its experts and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. https://about.kaiserpermanente.org.
About CommonSpirit Health
CommonSpirit Health is a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. It was created in February 2019 through the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. CommonSpirit Health is committed to creating healthier communities, delivering exceptional patient care, and ensuring every person has access to quality health care. With its national office in Chicago and a team of approximately 150,000 employees and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice clinicians, CommonSpirit Health operates 137 hospitals and more than 1000 care sites across 21 states. In FY 2019, Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health had combined revenues of nearly $29 billion and provided $4.45 billion in charity care, community benefit, and unreimbursed government programs. Learn more at commonspirit.org.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY—-In an effort to protect the public from further spread of COVID-19, the County’s Acting Health Officer has formally ordered everyone in San Bernardino County to wear a face covering when leaving home.
Face coverings may include coverings that secure to the ears or back of the head and encompass the mouth and nose. Homemade cloth ear loop covers, bandannas and handkerchiefs, and neck gaiters may be used to reduce the spread of COVID-19 particularly among asymptomatic people. Surgical masks and N95 masks must be preserved for healthcare workers and emergency responders.
“Staying home, practicing social distancing and frequent handwashing are far more effective ways to combat the spread of COVID-19, and face coverings are not a substitute for those practices,” said Dr. Erin Gustafson, the County’s Acting Public Health Officer.
Tuesday’s order also says faith-based services must be electronic only through streaming or online technology. People may not leave their homes for driving parades or drive-up services or to pick up non-essential items such as pre-packaged Easter eggs or bags filled with candy and toys at a drive-thru location.
“We understand that this is an important time for Christians around the world and it is natural to want to worship and celebrate with our families. Right now, however, is a critical time for our country and our community – we can still celebrate this time from the safety of our individual homes while we help flatten the curve and save lives,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “When we stay home we help our healthcare workers and our emergency responders and vulnerable populations beat COVID-19.”
Many churches and houses of worship are hosting “virtual” services, streamed online. The County encourages single-family, home-based worshipping and activities, including Easter egg hunts among household members inside the house or in residential back yards.
As of today, San Bernardino County has 530 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the deaths of 16 county residents have been associated with the disease.
The Acting Health Officer’s order may be viewed here. Violation of the order is a crime punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or imprisonment up to 90 days, or both.
For information about the coronavirus crisis, visit the County’s coronavirus website at sbcovid19.com. New information and resources are updated daily. The public can also contact the COVID-19 hotline from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at (909) 387-3911, or email the County at coronavirus@dph.sbcounty.gov.
CURB celebrates each release that Governor Gavin Newsom has used his executive authority to grant in the face of COVID-19. In states like New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has not expressed half of the urgency to protect public health as Newsom has in California. Although, with over 122,000 people incarcerated in the California Department of Corrections (CDCR), 3,500 expedited parole dates does not impact the prison population nearly enough to slow the spread of the COVID-19.
There are positive cases of the virus at 10 of the 35 prisons in CA, currently affecting 25 staff and four prisoners. If Governor Newsom’s intent is to take “extraordinary and unprecedented protective measures” to slow the spread of the virus and protect those who live and work within California’s 35 prisons, he must not continue to exclude people who are convicted of violent offenses. Tens of thousands of people are serving decades under the 3-Strikes Law, over 5,000 people are serving a Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP) sentence and over 30 thousand people are 50 years of age and older in CDCR. Granting commutations for thousands of elders and medically vulnerable people, including those serving an LWOP or other life sentences would be extraordinary, unprecedented and a lifesaving move, protecting the health of people across California.
COVID-19 is changing the way we handle everything from work to play to fresh produce and other groceries. With so much uncertainty and anxiety in the air, it’s only natural to wonder whether that perfectly ripe avocado could be a potentially deadly weapon. But what are the actual facts around food safety? Is now a good time to go vegan, and do I really need to be washing my vegetables in soap and water?We consulted the experts. Some useful best practices and myth-busting below.
Do I need to wash fruit and vegetables with soap?
The debate around giving your fruits and veggies a bubble bath blew up last weekfollowing a viral video in which a family doctor from Michigan said soap and water was a good way to keep veggies COVID-19 free, which sounds like it makes sense (treat your honeydew melon as you would your hands). Since then a whole bunch of experts have refuted this advice, many pointing out that of the 1-million cases of COVID-19 worldwide, not a single one has come from contaminated food. Still not convinced?
Okay, there is also this from the FDA: “Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended.” Jodi Koberinski, a food safety researcher at the University of Waterloo, agrees, noting that dish soap is likely to cause more problems than it solves including nausea, diarrhea, and cramping. “It is not made for and not safe for human consumption,” she explains.
But what if I rinse everything really well?, you may be thinking. The problem is that fruits and vegetables are porous and may absorb harmful chemicals that won’t come out with even the most rigorous rinse.
Okay, but isn’t a little diarrhea better than contracting COVID-19? First off, nobody said anything about a little diarrhea — you can get really sick, and so can your kids, if you have them. Secondly, that question is based on exactly the kind of false equivalency we need to be avoiding right now (along with bars, playgrounds, and IRL hangs). “Technically, it may be possible to contract COVID-19 from the surface of a piece of fruit,” says Koberinsk, noting that is not the threat that people should be focused on. And also that there’s no evidence that soap and water kills the COVID-19 virus on fruits and vegetables anyway. (Ditto for lemon juice, baking soda, and bleach — whatever you do, please don’t wash your edibles in Clorox.)
In other words, contracting COVID-19 through produce isn’t something you need to stress about. So chill out. And then do the same for your produce, washing them in cold (wan-wan) water, which will remove between 90% and 99% of germs and bacteria. For items with tough skin (avocados, potatoes) you can also use a scrub brush. It’s okay to wash that with soap. Same goes for your hands before and after you handle food of any kind.
Should I quarantine my groceries before I bring them inside?
This one is a little more straight forward: No, there is absolutely no reason to leave groceries outside or in the garage or the car, despite what you may have read on that fountain of misinformation known as the Internet. “This is absolutely not a good idea,” says Koberinski.And, in fact, the potential risks of ignoring best practices around refrigeration (ie, putting things that need to be in the fridge in the fridge) make this behavior not just excessivebut dangerous.
“It’s really important to remember basic food safety,” says Koberinski. “Both because best practices haven’t actually changed much. And also because any kind of sickness may weaken the body’s ability to withstand a truly virulent illness.” (Cough, cough, COVID-19.)
By all means, she says, bring groceries inside when you come home from the store. Place your bags and do your unloading on a surface that you can wipe down — with any alcohol-based cleaning spray — once everything has been put away.
Should I disinfect all the grocery packaging too?
Paranoia around packaging spiked last month after a new study showed that the COVID-19 virus can survive longer on certain surfaces (24-hours on cardboard, up to three days on plastic and stainless steel). So you can go to the hypothetical scenario where an infected grocery shopper has contaminated your box of Cheerios, and use this as justification for sanitizing every bit of packaging that passes your threshold.
Or, you can simplify by washing your hands and surfaces before and after all eating. If that doesn’t feel like enough, Koberinski suggests discarding packages rather than disinfecting. A lot of groceries (like cereal and crackers) have a bag within the box. Others can be stored in homemade jars of Tupperware. That way you’re feeling protected without wasting valuable cleaning products, which is probably the more relevant safety concern, Koberinski says.
What about using a UV light to kill the virus on groceries? That wouldn’t waste cleaning products.
UV lights don’t work, either. In short, because the level of UV required to kill COVID-19 is extremely unsafe.
Is now a good time to go vegetarian? I’ve heard meat holds particular threats.
There are plenty of reasons to consider a plant-based diet, but COVID-19 safety is not one of them. Particular worries around meat may come from the fact that the virus is believed to have originated with animals. But as far as food safety goes, that has zero baring. “Heating meat to the recommended temperature is the recommendation, same as always,” says Koberinski.
What about reheating takeout just to make sure it’s coronavirus-free?
Obviously you want to be careful about all food that is coming into your home, and if you don’t feel secure about food safety practices of a particular restaurant maybe just stick to home cooking, since repeated reheating isn’t safe either.
Is there a problem with being extra cautious?
If by that you mean upping safety measures, and erring on the side of caution, then no. Obviously people have every reason to feel scared and since the grocery store is pretty much the only place anyone’s allowed to go these days (as infrequently as possible), concerns around food safety are something we’re all talking about. That’s a good thing, and if COVID-19 gets us to think more seriously about food safety in the long term, that’s good too, says Koberinski. At the same time, she says, “We don’t want everyone turning into a cartoon version of a germaphobe or shelling out big bucks for bogus miracle cures.” Safety is important, but so are the facts.
Governor also announces COVID-19 Testing Task Force to boost California’s testing capacity
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of a new website, covid19supplies.ca.gov, to get critical medical supplies to the front lines of California’s fight against COVID-19. The website will allow individuals and companies to donate, sell or offer to manufacture 13 of the most essential medical supplies, including ventilators, N95 respirators and testing materials.
Governor Newsom also announced the COVID-19 Testing Task Force, a public-private collaboration that will work with stakeholders across the state to quickly and significantly boost California’s testing capacity. The Task Force plans to scale up testing as demand increases.
“These actions marshal the generosity and innovative spirit of Californians to help us achieve two essential goals: getting more lifesaving supplies into our health care system and increasing our testing capacity,” said Governor Newsom.
Governor Newsom called on companies, organizations and individuals who have medical supplies to contribute, either for donation or purchase, to support California’s response to COVID-19 and visit covid19supplies.ca.gov.
Additionally, three specific collaborations have launched today as part of the testing effort:
Collaboration with the University of California, San Diego and University of California, Davis to establish high throughput testing hubs.
Collaboration with Stanford Medicine to launch the first serology test invented in California.
Collaboration with Abbott Laboratories to deploy the first rapid point-of-care test across 13 health care delivery systems and 75 sites.
The Task Force, co-chaired by California Department of Public Health Assistant Director Charity Dean, M.D., M.P.H. and Blue Shield of California President and CEO Paul Markovich, will ensure the state has sufficient capacity and supplies to administer a significantly greater number of tests.
“The Task Force is connecting with laboratories across California to tap into unique technologies to improve and refine our testing capabilities to ensure we’re meeting the needs of patients across the state,” said Dr. Dean.
The Testing Task Force is focusing on:
Ensuring California has lab capacity to rapidly turn around test results and increase capacity strategically to meet demand;
Improving the supply chain to ensure that California can both collect samples and evaluate results without delay;
Enabling new, high-quality tests to launch in California as soon as possible;
Improving our ability to accurately track and evaluate COVID-19 testing capacity, results and reporting; and
Building the workforce necessary to meet our testing goals.
“The Task Force will work together with California academic systems, private systems, public health experts and others to ensure we’re creating the most streamlined and effective way to evaluate testing data,” Blue Shield of California President and CEO Paul Markovich said. “This kind of public-private collaboration will allow us to tap into the systems needed to get the results California deserves.”
Usually it’s come as you are, but this past Sunday the message to parishioners of African-American churches across the Golden State was tune in online.
Worship houses from Southern California to beyond the Bay Area have been instructed not to hold in-house services for some time due to the novel coronavirus outbreak making its way around the globe.
“We may not be able to touch in the natural but we are connected in the spirit,” the Rev. Jacqueline Thompson, pastor of Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, told her parishioners via video stream last Sunday. The 100-year-old congregation is one of the oldest Black churches in the Bay Area.
For Clint Thompson of Santa Monica the governor’s shelter in place order meant abandoning his weekly jaunt to West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles for Sunday service. The popular South Los Angeles church canceled its service and instead live-streamed Bishop Charles E. Blake’s message online. Thompson, a 37-year-old actor, said he watched the service for his weekly inspiration, but noted that he missed sitting in the pews.
“The service is good and its theatrical,” he said. “The music is good, the praise dancing. It feels like a live music festival.”
Thompson isn’t the lone California worshipper who will be catching the gospel online during this time.
Churchgoers across the state are tuning into worship services online via video streaming on their websites or social media pages in response to government officials across the state requesting that church services not convene anytime in the foreseeable future to slow the rapid spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes.
Sermons, choir performances, praise and worship, and other church service mainstays go on as usual. But they happen in front of a handful of worshippers, camera crews and technicians responsible for posting the services online — instead of the dozens to hundreds of people who usually pack California Black church benches on Sunday mornings.
The Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr., pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Yorba Linda, said not preaching in front of hundreds of familiar faces is a strange feeling, but it is an essential one because of the health risks that come with the rapidly spreading respiratory illness. Curry said when Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a health emergency that put restrictions on public gatherings larger than 250 people, his church’s services were immediately cancelled. They began taping them for the internet.
“I’ve preached in small groups, but its hard when you are standing in a sanctuary that you know holds 700 people, and you might be preaching to ten, and you are trying to make it feel like Sunday morning, and you’re far from Sunday morning,” he said. “It’s different, but it’s a service that is needed, so I make it happen for my people to the best of my ability.”
Last Sunday, was men’s Sunday at Allen Temple Baptist in Oakland. The members of the men’s chorus performed on stage in a formation that allowed six feet of social distance among them. Each man had his own mic.
“We’re scared right now, lord. We don’t understand what you are doing and we don’t like it,” Thompson, the pastor at Allen Temple, prayed during her Oakland church’s live stream that was broadcast on Facebook and on the church’s website.
“But remind us that you are gracious. Even in the midst of this, thank you for slowing us down and connecting us with family and what is important in this world,” she added.
The spread of the coronavirus, officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, has sickened more than 329,000 people on six continents according to official tallies by governments and health organizations. It has caused the deaths of at least 14,522 people, as of Monday morning.
In the United States, there have been 428 deaths and 33,018 health cases attributed to the illness.
In California, so far, there have been 33 deaths related to COVID-19 and an estimated 1,849 people have tested positive.
The high infection rate of the untreatable virus has changed life across the globe, shuttering businesses, schools, offices, restaurants, sports and entertainment venues and any other places groups of people might gather.
Governments have urged people to stay indoors.
California’s Black churches say they are taking the pandemic seriously by vigorously cleaning their worship houses and closing their doors to the public for regular church activities.
Pastor “J” Edgar Boyd of First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles said in an online statement his church is working on ways for the church body to stay connected through video chats and conference calls.
“Please know that we are praying for the safety, physical wellbeing and spiritual strength for you, your household, and for your entire family,” Boyd wrote.
Curry said no services have taken place at his church since March 15. The church has been streaming its 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. services, and Sunday was the first time they broadcast their Sunday school service, which had about 130 viewers. He said churchgoers watch online messages.
“I don’t care what a church does, even if it is in a minimized form, I think every church has to have some type of online presence,” Curry said. “They will figure out how to watch it. Even if they have to bring their grandkids over to get them online. They will figure out how to access it.”
The pastor hinted at a question some churches will have: How to deal with deaths in church families? One of Curry’s congregants recently died, and another expected to pass soon.
“We have to find a way to figure out how to celebrate that individual’s life,” he said.
Pastor Touré Roberts of The Potter’s House at One L.A. said in his Sunday morning sermon, that it seems like the world has been flipped on its head during the coronavirus emergency, but he saw a silver lining
“There are sometimes it feels like the world wasn’t turned upside down, but it was turned right-side up,” he said. “People are spending more time with their families. People are texting one another and checking on one another. In the midst of all this craziness, it seems we are getting our priorities straight, and I have just come to suspect that God is somewhere in it.”
At Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, a 168-year old African-American congregation, pastor Amos Brown prayed a solemn prayer for those affected by the Coronavirus crisis.
“We pray for those on hospital bed waiting for healing, waiting for medical supplies desperately needed in this time of a pandemic worldwide,” he said.
SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today released the below statement following the announcement of a commitment from California counties to cancel penalties and other charges for homeowners, small businesses and other property owners with demonstrated economic hardship, on a case-by-case basis, due to COVID-19. Property owners that can afford to pay these taxes should continue to pay on time.
“This is good news for Californians. I would like to thank the California State Association of Counties and the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors for committing to providing economic relief for residents and small businesses facing hardships due to COVID-19,” said Governor Newsom.
More information on the counties commitment can be found here.
Not only has the corona virus wrought havoc worldwide, it’s also become a new pretext for fraudsters trying to take advantage of people’s trust to steal their money. According to the United States Federal Trade Commission, COVID-19-related crimes are being reported by the thousands, have doubled in just the past week and are growing faster still.
Complaints describe perpetrators claiming to represent the government or a business, often trying to take advantage of travel and vacation-related reports about cancellations and refunds. Other complaints cited problems with online shopping and mobile texting.
If you have been targeted by a fraudulent operation, please report it to the FTC: FTC.gov/complaint.
As a general rule, don’t click on links in emails that claim to be from the government or a bank, even if they look legitimate, and don’t respond to those emails. The criminals are good at copying the look of those institutions’ correspondence. It’s better to call the government agency or bank directly. But even there, be careful to find out the correct phone number on your own, and don’t trust the number in any unsolicited call or email.
Also, most phone calls trying to defraud people are “robocalls” — calls made by machines — so if you pick up a call and there’s no person on the other end of the line, just hang up. But fraudulent calls are sometimes made by individual people, too.
Because the government has passed legislation offering various kinds of financial relief to consumers, some scammers are trying to take undue advantage of that, also. In one effort to combat this type of crime, the Small Business Administration is asking people to contact them directly, either by phone or at the sba.gov/coronavirus website, to find out what kind of help is legitimately available.
Similarly, be wary of people or callers offering a fast-track to such financial help. And never give your Social Security, tax ID, bank account numbers or any other such highly personal information to someone you don’t know.
Those companies included: USTelecom; Connexum; VoIPMax; SipJoin Holding, Corp.; SipJoin Holdings Corp.; iFly Communications; Third Rock Telecom; Bluetone Communications, LLC; VoIP Terminator, Inc. — also known as BLMarketing — J2 Web Services, Inc.; Voxbone US LLC; VolPMax; and Comet Media, Inc.
“It’s never good business for VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocols) providers and others to help telemarketers make illegal robocalls that scam people,” FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Andrew Smith said. “But it’s especially bad when your company is helping telemarketers exploiting fears about the coronavirus to spread disinformation and perpetrate scams.”
The FTC reports that it also is prosecuting another company, Globex Telecom, and software provider James B. Christiano, for this kind of activity The Department of Justice is a prosecuting two VoIP companies for “committing and conspiring to commit wire fraud by knowingly transmitting robocalls that impersonated federal government agencies.”
These include Gaia’s Whole Healing Essentials, LLC; Health Mastery Systems/Pure Plant Essentials; Homeomart Indibuy; Neuro XPF; FullerLifeC60, LLC; Halosense, Inc.; JRB Enterprise Group Inc.; Carahealth; Corona-Cure; Vital Silver; Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd.; N-ergetics; GuruNanda, LLC; Vivify Holistic Clinic; Herbal Amy LLC and the Jim Bakker Show.
Although the FTC strongly recommends against communicating with ANY unknown person or business, the opposite is true when it comes to notifying friends and family to be careful.
“Share these tips with your co-workers, family and social networks,” the agency says.
LOS ANGELES, CA—- Due to the mandatory closing of all non essential business, Art Angels LA has had to close its’ gallery doors temporarily. Wanting to find a way of bringing art to the community, Gallery owners Kat Emery and Jacquelin Napal commissioned one of their favorite artists; PUNKMETENDER to paint and install a mural on the exterior of the gallery.
The beautiful and timely mural is one example of how small businesses are reflecting themes of resilience to the community and supporting their artists during uncertain times.
“We chose PUNKMETENDER because butterflies are a powerful symbol of hope and transformation in a period of challenging and uncertain times,” says Kat Emery, co-owner of Art Angels Los Angeles. “He is the hero we needed and he certainly delivered on this mural, bringing the life of the gallery to the streets in this time of closure.”
To many cultures, the butterfly is a symbol of a battle won, a beautiful goal achieved through perseverance. After all, only through the chrysalis can the plain caterpillar reach the heights of the butterfly. However, the butterfly’s most common symbolism is one pertaining to growth and progress. It teaches us to be aware of the heights we could reach, and to consciously work towards the summit. It reminds us that the long journey behind us is daunting — it is meant to be this way.
“We hope the mural is a reminder of connection and inspiring to the community,” say Jacquelin Napal, co-owner of Art Angels LA. “After all, only through trials can we really taste the sweetness of victory.”
“After the mandatory closure of the gallery all our fine art specialists started working immediately from home,” said Kat Emery, co-owner of Art Angels. “We are utilizing all our online platforms to assist collectors with their art choices including exhibition videos and view in room programs,” adds Emery. “It has never been easier to purchase art from the comfort of your own home.”
Art Angels’ website gallery provides View in Room functionality for every artwork, the latest online viewing rooms, updated on future exhibitions.
For high resolution images, click here: EXTERIOR MURAL. To interview gallery founders or the artist, contact Julie Du Brow or Shaun Thompson above.
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PUNKMETENDER | Series Statement
The mysterious artist Punk Me Tender is known for his very graphic, raw form of art. Inspired by women, fashion, and style, his art offers a new look on the female body, claiming that desire is the biggest drive in everybody’s soul.
?Born in France on September 4th, 1982, the artist came to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams. Whether it is art in the form of graffiti, a mural, or photography, his works are always a surprise and unexpected. Like many artists, Punk Me Tender doesn’t have a strategy for his art. He only acts based on instinct and doesn’t follow any rules. Much of his photography has themes of sensuality and wanting.
??His murals show women in varied color schemes and are a sensation. His mixed media pieces utilize black and white photography, bright splashes of pinks and blues, and incorporate real pieces of clothing. The artist maintains that a mix of graffiti and fabric is an original approach that never fails to intrigue and captivate the viewer. ? ??His identity is kept secret in order to maintain freedom and express himself as he desires. When interviewed he uses a surrogate, such as a model, to speak for him. The artist sees women as heroes and has a deep passion for them.
About Art Angels Los Angeles Gallery With flagship galleries in Los Angeles and Miami and permanent art curations in Nobu Hotel Miami Beach, Eden Roc Hotel Miami Beach and Catch Restaurant Los Angeles, Art Angels was founded in 2013 by Jacquelin Napal and Kat Emery. Art Angels’ contemporary and provocative style has attracted collectors from around the world. Art Angels describe themselves as a premium luxury brand who are inviting and very approachable. The Gallery exhibits a selection of both established and emerging artists, offering a truly eclectic mix for their clientele. Showcasing a number of barrier breaking exhibitions including David Yarrow, Russell Young, Flore, Nick Veasey and Mike Dargas to name a few, the gallery was quick to build a cult following – so much so that they have recently expanded their LA gallery and recently opened a new space in Miami, with more to come. The rapidly successful gallery has become the go-to destination for artists and collectors alike, who want to be a part of something visionary and unique. Now one of the leading galleries in Los Angeles and a major player in the art and creativity sphere, the gallery has a core team of art specialists dedicated to providing collectors, designers, developers and corporations with the tools needed to offer innovative and creative art from around the world. For more information on Art Angels Galleries, upcoming exhibitions and current collections, contact Gerry Conedy, Gallery Director at Art Angels LA, 619.994.3130. 9020 Beverly Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90048. www.artangels.net. Instagram: @art_angels.
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