Upcoming Virtual Meetings
NWSPNC Community Issues Committee Meeting
Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 6:00pm
VIRTUAL MEETING VIA ZOOM

NWSPNC Public Safety Committee Meeting
Thursday, August 27, 2020, 6:00pm
VIRTUAL MEETING VIA ZOOM
Mayor Garcetti Joined this month's Zoom meeting of the Harbor Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (HANC)
Youth Board Seat Applications Now Being Accepted
City of LA Updates
Mapping Small Business Assistance
L.A. Controller Ron Galperin, in cooperation with the City’s Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD), just updated his interactive map and microloan tracker displaying the microloans funded by the City of Los Angeles to help small businesses get the assistance they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tracker is updated through the beginning of August and includes a map with the name, location and loan amount for each recipient.

The Small Business Emergency Microloan Program — created by Mayor Eric Garcetti in March 2020 with an $11 million commitment — began distributing $5,000 to $20,000 loans in early April to local businesses that are not eligible for federal CARES Act dollars. Since the program started, EWDD has distributed more than $5.9 million to 419 Los Angeles businesses.

 
Metro is getting ready to provide you and all other LA County residents with better, safer and more frequent bus service for you to use now or whenever you are ready.
Join us this week to live stream or call into one of our public hearings to learn about the proposed changes and share your thoughts on the July 2020 Updated NextGen Bus Plan.

Click here for details on how to participate and submit comments through August 27.

You can submit your comment on one of the following hearing dates. Submitted comments will be read during the hearing. Link to hearing dates.

To learn more about the July 2020 Updated NextGen Bus Plan and the improvements planned for your area, click here.

As part of the NextGen efforts to improve travel times, selected bus stops are being analyzed for consolidation. To see the maps, click here and go to the Stop Consolidation Maps tab.

For more information, visit metro.net/nextgen.
LA County Updates
Your Child's Mental Health During COVID-19
Parents and students, LA County understands these next few days and possibly weeks may be tough as you start the school year online. We're sure there will be frustrations with the transition and know that feelings of anxiety, stress, anger or depression during this time are normal.
Parents and caregivers should be on the lookout for signs of anxiety and depression in children. This can take different forms – being withdrawn, acting out, disobeying, being tearful. Please reach out if you need support:
  1. Call the LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH) 24/7 Help Line at (800) 854-7771. The call is free AND confidential.
  2. Call your pediatrician or healthcare provider if you are concerned about your child. If you don't have a health care provider, dial 2-1-1 and we'll connect you to one.
You can also visit DMH online at dmh.lacounty.gov/resources for resources related to back to-school and a number of other mental health topics.

Learning Together Safely
To help children get back to school, and parents back to work, LA County will be sharing regular content on resources and support for distance learning. County students, parents, educators, child care providers, or administrators are invited to read and share what you see here to ensure we are all "learning together safely" during the COVID-19 crisis.
What Parents & Students Can Do to Safely Get Back-to-School
Parents and students can turn change & stress caused by COVID-19 into strength, growth and resilience this new school year. LA County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Debra Duardo, Department of Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer, and Department of Mental Health Director Dr. Jonathan Sherin tell you how. Watch their video.

To regularly tune in to DPH news and updates on COVID-19, you can now download & listen to the LA Public Health Podcast.

Election Updates
California Assembly Bill (AB) 860 was recently enacted to ensure all registered voters in California receive mail-in ballots for the November 3rd, 2020 election. This, to maintain the health and well being of voters, election workers, and the greater community during this year's electoral process. Elections with only in-person voting pose a higher risk for the spread of COVID-19, as they can produce large crowds and long wait times.

LA County's Department of Public Health (DPH) and Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) are working together closely to ensure registered voters in the County know what to expect & how to safely prepare for November's election. To that end, the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk wants you to know:

  • Vote by Mail ballots will be processed starting 29 days prior to Election Day;
  • Any mail-in ballots received by (or postmarked on) November 3rd will be counted;
  • multiple measures have been put in place to make in-person voting safer and more accessible, including offering expanded voting days (additional consecutive days prior to, as well as, on election day) for those who prefer to vote in-person; and
  • you can vote at any vote center (for further information on voting, visit the RR/CC online at lavote.net/home/voting-elections)

Additionally, DPH has released guidance so voters and election workers, alike, can stay healthy during the voting process. The following are highlights from today's DPH Guidance for Voters, Election Officials and Election Workers:

Voters
  1. Stay home if you have symptoms of COVID-19 (or if you are in quarantine due to an exposure to COVID19 within the previous 14 days).
  2. Sanitize your hands before entering and after leaving the vote center.
  3. Wear a cloth face covering the entire time you are at the vote center or waiting in line outside the center.
  4. Maintain at least 6 feet of distance from others - even when you & others are wearing cloth face coverings.
  5. Avoid crowds and consider voting alternatives that minimize contact. Check the RR/CC voting website for information about vote by mail, and early voting.
  6. Do not disinfect or wipe down the voting equipment yourself. Electronic voting equipment can be damaged by cleaners and disinfectants. If you use hand sanitizer before touching the voting equipment, ensure your hands are completely dry to avoid damaging the equipment. (Be sure your hands are completely dry before handling ballots as well.) Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer after using the voting equipment.)

Poll Workers
  1. Symptom screening is conducted before employees may enter the vote center. 
  2. Election workers who are sick, have tested positive for COVID-19, or have recently had a close contact with a person with COVID-19 should stay home and comply with posted isolation or quarantine instructions. 
  3. Ensure vote centers are adequately staffed to cover any sick workers who need to stay home.
  4. Encourage election workers to wash their hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or with hand sanitizer (e.g., before entering the vote center, before and after breaks or shifts, after touching or handling cloth face coverings)
  5. Cloth face coverings must be used by all workers at all times during the workday when there are any other people in the area. 
  6. Ensure adequate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors. 
  7. Physical barriers, such as plexiglass shields, can be used to protect workers and voters when physical distance cannot be maintained.
  8. Limit nonessential visitors.
Visit DPH at publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus for more information on guidance, reopening protocols or a list of what is open or remains closed in LA County.
DWP Updates
Partnering with Neighborhood Councils
The DWP is the only department in the City of Los Angeles with a formal  Memorandum of Understanding with Neighborhood Councils committing to regular and ongoing communication about programs and policies. The DWP-NC MOU Oversight and Advocacy Committees meet every first Saturday of the month at 8:45 a.m. In order to keep the public and DWP employees safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings will be broadcast via webcast .

Join the Webcast meeting
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020
8:45 a.m.
2020 Census
Have you taken the census yet? Due to the Covid crisis, the deadline has been extended, and you can quickly do it online here: TAKE THE CENSUS  -- Safe, easy, and secure!

COVID-19 cases in San Pedro
as of 8:00 p.m., August 20
Cases 1,080; Deaths 27
(number includes San Pedro and unincorporated area of La Rambla; number does not include cases at Terminal Island Federal Correctional Institution).  
Source: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Reputable Sources for Covid-19 Updates
Continue to support local San Pedro businesses!