Dear Residents,

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes continues to monitor the spread of the novel coronavirus in Los Angeles County and would like to share the following updates with the community:

The Latest

We’re Here

Although City Hall is closed for the weekend (and closed to the public in person through at least May 15), the City Council and City staff are monitoring communications from various government agencies and the public and will continue to share information with residents. A webpage with coronavirus updates, resources and information on local closures is continuously being updated at rpvca.gov/coronavirus

Stay connected and get daily updates from the City by subscribing to the Breaking News listserv at rpvca.gov/notify

Be sure to also follow the City on Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Reminder: Parks, Beaches and Nature Preserve CLOSED

As we head into a weekend of warm weather, the City would like to remind residents that all City parks, beaches and open space areas, including the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve, remain closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

City staff, Park Rangers and law enforcement are monitoring these areas.

These closures follow county and state guidance, along with similar closures by other cities, and were put in place March 23 after a weekend that saw a high volume of visitors despite the “Safer at Home” Order and physical distancing guidelines.

Please know that these closures are temporary. The more we all stay home except for essential needs and stick to walking in our neighborhoods, the sooner we will get through this and reopen the open space areas.

We’re all in this together, RPV. We will get through this together and resume our routines, but we need everyone to do their part to get us through sooner.

For a full list of closures, visit: bit.ly/2UexWwo

Cases

As of April 24, there are 18,517 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Los Angeles County, including the South Bay, so the public should not think one location is safer than another and everyone should be aware and practice physical distancing. The total includes 51 cases in Rancho Palos Verdes, 37 in Palos Verdes Estates and 13 in Rolling Hills Estates. Countywide, 848 people have died.

For a list of cases broken down by city, demographic characteristics, and settings, visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/locations.htm

An interactive dashboard of COVID-19 cases in the South Bay maintained by the City of Torrance is available at bit.ly/2XB1fv1. The dashboard reflects information sourced by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Reminder: Alert SouthBay Community Survey #2

Have you responded to the Alert SouthBay survey? The Alert SouthBay cities, including Rancho Palos Verdes, want to hear from you about your COVID-19 concerns and what kind of information you need and care about most. Take a moment to fill out the survey at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z9ZD2NW

PVP Chamber Weekly Business Series: Ask the Expert - COVID 19 Pandemic

On April 23, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce featured Dr. Lawrence Sher of Palos Verdes Medical Group and Peninsula Research Associates as part of its Weekly Business Series.

A recording of the session is available at youtu.be/XK_S7YBgVlU

Enjoy Parks from Home with L.A. County Parks' Virtual Recreation Center

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (L.A. County Parks) has launched Parks From Home, a virtual recreation center to provide free access to fitness and instructional classes for the public to enjoy from home during the COVID-19 crisis.

The free online programming includes videos of L.A. County Parks staff teaching recreation, sports, arts, and specialty courses, plus virtual tours of trails, gardens, and popular attractions throughout Los Angeles County.

L.A. County Parks is committed to continuing to provide healthy and resilient communities by bringing much-needed resources right to our residents' homes. Now more than ever, access to healthy opportunities and creating calm spaces to maintain mental wellness, in a matter that supports social distancing is paramount.

L.A. County Parks will continue to add additional online programming to provide a positive outlet and fill the gap of outdoor experiences for all Los Angeles County residents during the Safer At Home order.

Parks from Home is available for free on the L.A. County Parks website and YouTube channel. New video content will be added regularly and announced via social media @lacountyparks.

Parks From Home webpage: parks.lacounty.gov/virtual
L.A. County Parks on YouTube: youtube.com/lacountyparks

Now Available: Special Enrollment Period for Health Care Coverage due to COVID-19

Have you lost your health insurance due to COVID-19? If you've recently lost your coverage or will soon lose it, Covered California has issued a special-enrollment period for those impacted by income changes, reduced hours or lay off due to COVID-19.

If the following circumstances apply to you, you may be eligible for health care coverage through Covered CA:

You've lost Medi-Cal coverage
You've lost your employer-sponsored coverage
Your COBRA coverage is exhausted
You are no longer eligible for student health coverage

To learn if you're eligible, visit apply.coveredca.com To apply, you may apply online or call a Covered CA Certified Insurance Agent or Navigator for free and confidential enrollment help.

Those without access to the Internet can call Covered CA's Service Center at 1-800-300-1506 for assistance with determining eligibility and/or applying for health care coverage.

If you're not eligible for Covered CA health coverage, you may be eligible for health insurance through L.A. County's My Health LA (MHLA). MHLA is a no-cost health care program for individuals or families who do not have and cannot get health insurance. For assistance over the phone with MHLA, call 1-844-744-6452 from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM (Monday through Friday).

DMV Offers Relief to ID Cardholders, Vehicle Owners and Businesses

The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced it is waiving late fees and penalties for vehicle registration, extending expiring identification cards, temporary operating permits and motor carrier permits.

With authority granted under the April 23 executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the DMV is:

Waiving late fees and penalties for vehicle registration renewals due between March 16 and May 31, 2020, and paid within 60 days of the original expiration date. The requirement to have current license plate stickers is also waived for vehicles with registration expiring between March 4 and June 30, 2020.
Extending identification cards expiring on or after March 4, 2020, to be valid through June 22, 2020 (60 days from today).
Temporarily suspending for 60 days the requirement to submit a transfer of ownership within 10 days for vehicle transfers occurring on or after March 4, 2020, and the requirement to register a vehicle acquired or previously based outside of California within 20 days once registration becomes due.
Allowing temporary operating permits that expire on or after March 4, 2020, to be valid another 60 days from today.
Lengthening motor carrier permits expiring in March, April and May 2020 to June 30, 2020. A motor carrier permit is required for numerous transportation and commercial activities in California, including transporting property for compensation, hauling with a commercial vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds, and transporting hazardous materials.

Read the full announcement at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/newsrel/2020/2020_18

New Health Officer Order for Congregate Health Care Facilities

Today, county officials announced a new Health Officer Order for all licensed congregate health care facilities. The order includes measures intended to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in these facilities and to protect vulnerable residents, as well as staff. The measures include, restricting all visitors, suspending all communal dining and activities to ensure physical distancing, screening frequent temperature checks for staff, patients and residents, and testing for all employees and residents. Staff will be required to wear surgical masks at all times and personal protective equipment when appropriate. Residents will also need to wear surgical masks or cloth face coverings when they are outside of their personal room.

$484 Billion Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act Signed into Law

This week, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act to provide additional COVID-19 relief to small businesses and hospitals. The bill provides an additional $310 billion in funding for the PPP; adds $50 billion to the U.S. Small Business Administration's Disaster Loans Program; increases disaster grants by $10 billion; and offers $75 billion to hospitals and health care workers for necessities like personal protective equipment.

Supervisors Hahn, Kuehl Propose Sending Vote-by-Mail Ballots to Every L.A. County Voter

Los Angeles County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Sheila Kuehl have proposed sending a Vote-by-Mail ballot to all eligible LA County voters for the general election this November amid the ongoing effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The current “Safer At Home” public health order is set to expire May 15, 2020 but health officials have acknowledged that some form of social distancing will be needed for an extended period of time and that “Safer At Home” orders may be reenacted if deemed necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19. These issues could present challenges for the General Election, including possibly hampering the recruitment of election workers or making it difficult for in-person voting locations to meet capacity demands while ensuring social distancing.

The proposal, which will be voted on during this Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, would mean that the County of Los Angeles would send mail-in-ballots to every eligible voter in all elections starting with the November 3, 2020 General Election. It would also instruct the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to take appropriate measures to align in-person voting options for the General Election to ensure the safety of voters and election workers. The Supervisors have also proposed sending letters to both the Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation and the Los Angeles County State Legislative Delegation urging that funding be allocated to support the implementation of expanded vote-by-mail model.

Read the motion at: http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/145432.pdf

Governor Newsom Announces Initiatives to Support Older Californians During COVID-19 Pandemic

Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a series of initiatives to support vulnerable older Californians who are isolating at home during California's stay at home order. California is launching a first-in-the nation meal delivery program, a partnership to make wellness check-in calls, and the expansion of Friendship Line California to help combat social isolation. These actions will support the approximately 1.2 million Californians over the age of 65 who live alone.

Read the full announcement at: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/04/24/governor-newsom-announces-initiatives-to-support-older-californians-during-covid-19-pandemic/

Heat Safety Tips

High temperatures have been forecast for many areas throughout L.A. County this weekend. As the Safer at Home Order remains in effect, the Department of Public Health would like to remind everyone that precautions should be taken to avoid heat-related illness, especially by older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and people with a chronic medical condition, among others, who are especially sensitive to negative health impacts from extreme heat.

Public Health offers the following recommendations during high temperatures:

Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated throughout the day.
If you must go out, plan your day to avoid going out during the hottest hours, and wear sunscreen. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothes, and bring a hat or umbrella with you.
Cars get very hot. Don't leave children or pets in cars, and call 911 if you see a child or pet in a car alone.
Beware of heat-related illness, like heat stroke and call 911 if you see these symptoms: high body temperature, vomiting, and pale and clammy skin.
Check on those at risk, like the sick, older adults, pregnant women, and children.
Avoid working out wearing face coverings or masks not intended for athletic purposes; this means avoiding contact with others while you work out.

Public Health and county partners are planning on ways to safely open cooling centers if the need arises.

LACoFD Fire and Water Safety Tips

Over the last couple of weeks, the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) has seen a concerning surge in home fires across the County. As residents continue to follow the Safer At Home Order, L.A. County encourages families to be mindful of fire hazards at home, and to practice fire escape safety steps with family members and loved ones.

LACoFD has also recently released a new family-friendly fire safety tool, named the Family Instructions for Rapid Escape (FIRE) guide, and an accompanying coloring book. Both are available at no cost and can be downloaded from LACoFD’s website, fire.lacounty.gov.

The FIRE guide walks families through simple steps to ensure a fire-safe home, and teaches new strategies to safely escape if a fire strikes at home. https://www.fire.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/F.I.R.E.-Booklet_Small-file.pdf

LACoFD asks that residents make sure they have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on each level of their home. https://www.fire.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/F.I.R.E.-Booklet_Small-file.pdf

Additionally, with warmer weather approaching, wildfire season is also coming soon to L.A. County. LACoFD is planning for wildfires and looking at what the wildland season may look like during the COVID-19 pandemic. For residents who live in a wildland interface area, now is a good time to:

Clear leaves and other debris from roofs, gutters, and decks.
Remove flammable materials like firewood stacks and low hanging trees around your roof to create a defensible space around your home.
Prepare your family’s “Ready, Set, Go!” wildfire action plan. https://www.fire.lacounty.gov/rsg/
Look at ways to “Harden your Home,” by protecting vents near eaves and consider installing double-pane windows. Please make sure your address is visible to firefighters.

For more fire safety tips, visit fire.lacounty.gov.

Additionally, as the weather heats up, the County wants to highlight the importance of water safety for families who own or access swimming pools:

Never take your eyes off a child that is near or in a swimming pool; children can “drown without a sound.”
Don’t rely on fences or barriers and inflatable devices for safety in a swimming pool.
Even if your child has had swimming lessons, they are still at risk for drowning; nothing substitutes adult supervision.
Learn CPR, you never know when you might need this life-saving skill.

https://www.fire.lacounty.gov/water-safety/

For more summer season safety tips, visit https://www.fire.lacounty.gov/safety-messages/summer-safety-tips/

Alert SouthBay Safer at Home PSA

During this unprecedented time in all our lives, our Alert SouthBay cities are so appreciative of everyone’s collective efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19. We are deeply humbled by the acts of human kindness our communities have shown towards each other. And while we have flattened the curve, we need to remain vigilant as to not create a second wave of infections.

Please take a moment and watch the Alert SouthBay PSA on Safer at Home by visiting youtu.be/vs6SFuc9ZS8

Local Volunteer Match

Join PVPUSD School Board Member Linda Reid’s local volunteer match effort during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 40 volunteers have been linked with 100 isolated seniors needing help with grocery shopping and other errands.

If you're a parent, student or graduate of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District interested in participating in the volunteer match program, or an older resident needing support, contact Member Reid at reidl@pvpusd.net.

Find out more ways to help your community during the COVID-19 crisis by visiting the How You Can Help page on the City’s coronavirus webpage.

L.A. County Department of Animal Care and Control Waives Adoption Fees for All Animals

The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) is currently waiving adoption fees at all seven animal care centers in an effort to quickly place animals in homes during the COVID-19 crisis. The fee waived adoptions are possible thanks to an $80,000 grant DACC was awarded from the Petco Foundation to support life-saving efforts for Los Angeles County animals.

In addition to the fee waived adoptions, the Petco Foundation investment will enable DACC to undertake a variety of other lifesaving measures including purchasing necessary medical equipment and partnering with veterinary partners to provide pets in DACC care extensive medical treatment beyond the regular capacity of our medical program.

Those in LA County wishing to adopt must first make an appointment to visit their local care center by going to animalcare.lacounty.gov.

Other Closures

For a list of school, library, transit and other local closures, visit the Closure Information page on the City’s coronavirus webpage.

Open for Business

Need a list of Peninsula restaurants that are serving takeout and delivery? Or updated grocery store hours? Check out the Open for Business tab on the City’s coronavirus webpage. If you would like to add your business to this page or provide updated information, please email slee@rpvca.gov.

City Hall Closed

As a reminder, to reduce the risk of community spread of COVID-19, through at least May 15, City Hall and park buildings are closed to the public, and all recreational activities, classes and events at City facilities have been canceled. The City will primarily be providing essential city services that are necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our community and City employees. To facilitate these measures, all non-essential staff will be working remotely. Inquiries will be reviewed daily and will be responded to on a case-by-case basis. Please note that our response to your inquiry could be delayed.

Community Development Department applications and permit requests may be submitted to planning@rpvca.gov.

Non-emergency service requests may be submitted at http://www.rpvca.gov/FormCenter/NonEmergency-Customer-Service-Requests-3/NonEmergency-Customer-Service-Requests-43.

Public Works service requests may be submitted at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/6d13530e7ca84edbb5c4e022bdc54da8.

Please visit the appropriate department page on the City website for a list of phone numbers and email addresses to accommodate your needs:

City Manager
City Clerk
Community Development
Finance
Human Resources
Public Works
Recreation, Parks & Open Space
RPVtv

Overall Staff Directory

Resources

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about the novel coronavirus.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health: publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus
California Department of Public Health: cdph.ca.gov/covid19
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): cdc.gov/COVID19
World Health Organization: who.int/coronavirus
California Governor’s Office: covid19.ca.gov
County of Los Angeles: lacounty.gov/covid19
L.A. County residents can also call 2-1-1
FEMA Coronavirus Rumor Control: https://www.fema.gov/Coronavirus-Rumor-Control

Sign up for “Notify Me” city listervs at rpvca.gov/notify

Be sure to also follow the City on Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert SouthBay by:

Texting “alertsb” to 888-777, which returns a link to register for Everbridge (for COVID-19-related alerts, text the keyword "cv19rpv")
Registering online at alertsouthbay.com
Downloading the free Everbridge app on an iOS or Android device from the App Store or Google Play. Select “Find an organization or subscription” and search “alertsb”

Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert LA County at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/alert-la/

The City Council is committed to keeping you informed on this ever-changing situation, and thanks you for your cooperation and support. The City reminds all residents that closures and cancellations announced by the City and other agencies and institutions are being implemented because public health officials advise that physical distancing is the best and most effective tool to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.