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

Registration Now Open for After School Recreational Enrichment Program; More Outdoor Classes Coming Soon!

The Recreation and Parks Department is excited to offer a variety of outdoor recreation and enrichment activities beginning September 14! The City is committed to providing activities that promote health and wellness and serve the social and emotional needs of the community in a safe environment.

After School Recreational Enrichment Program

In partnership with the San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA, the City is offering an After School Recreational Enrichment Program for grades K-5 at various City parks from September 14 - December 18. Activities include individual conditioning physical exercise, sports, games, arts and crafts, enrichment, science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM), recreation, service learning, nature appreciation and so much more, all designed to maintain physical distancing and follow Los Angeles County Department of Public Health protocols. This program will take place Monday – Friday (except where noted) from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on school days only. The program is 100% outdoors and will not operate on days with inclement weather. Fees are $100 per week, per child.

Registration is now open! For more information and to register for the After School Recreational Enrichment Program, visit bit.ly/3jg58gA or ymcala.org. Download a program flyer at: bit.ly/3gunjxl

Recreation Classes

The Recreation and Parks Department will offer a full menu of contract instructor-led outdoor sports, art, music, and language activities for all ages. Offerings include individual conditioning soccer, baseball, painting, yoga, guitar, cooking, Spanish and more! All activities will be held on-site at outdoor park facilities and will adhere to Los Angeles County Department of Public Health protocols. New activities will be added regularly and class schedules and offerings are subject to change.

For more information, to view class schedules, fees and to register for programs and activities, check rpvca.gov.

If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in programs, services, activities and meetings, contact the City's ADA Coordinator/Risk Manager at 310-683-3157, adarequests@rpvca.gov, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, at least 48 hours in advance to request an auxiliary aid or accommodation.

Department of Public Health Not Opening Waiver Process for Schools

On August 26, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced that L.A. County’s 14-day COVID-19 case rate has decreased to 198 cases per 100,000 residents. Although this falls just below the state’s threshold for recommending that counties with case rates at (or above) 200 cases per 100,000 residents do not extend waivers for the reopening of classroom instruction for students in grades TK-6, L.A. County will not be opening the waiver process at this time. Read Department of Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer’s full statement below:

“At this point, Public Health will not be opening up our waiver process for schools. We will be closely reviewing the guidance from the state and will be reviewing all the options with the Board (of Supervisors) to ensure that schools are able to open as safely as possible for all children and staff.”

The state is monitoring all counties to determine their progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19. L.A. County must stay below 100 cases per 100,000 people 14-day case rate thresholds for three consecutive days to be removed from the state’s COVID-19 county monitoring list.

ICYMI: PVPUSD Distance Learning Parent Meeting

In case you missed it, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District has uploaded video of a recent Distance Learning Parent Meeting for Grades 6-8 discussing all things distance learning. Watch a recording of the webinar at: youtu.be/OI87RWUDDd0.

Cox Expands Commitment to Bridging the Learning Divide, Provides Additional Support for Kids and Families Learning from Home

Cox Communications has announced an expanded commitment to bridging the learning divide as part of its ongoing effort to support kids and families learning and teaching from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Through June 30, 2021, Cox is suspending late fees and extending payment relief offerings for customers in the company’s low-cost internet program Connect2Compete who express an inability to pay due to pandemic hardships.

Read more at https://newsroom.cox.com/2020-08-20-Cox-Expands-Commitment-to-Bridging-the-Learning-Divide-Provides-Additional-Support-for-Kids-and-Families-Learning-from-Home

Having trouble with your connection?

The City has received inquiries from residents who are experiencing problems with their internet connection and are concerned about staying connected for distance learning. Any Cox Communications customers who are having trouble with their internet connection are advised to contact Government Affairs Manager Michael Hadland directly at michael.hadland@cox.com. Please provide your address. Customers can also report problems to Customer Support at 1-800-234-3993. The following are links to Cox Communication's troubleshooting FAQs and videos, a Wifi Optimization Guide including a helpful Infographic and Internet Experience Customer Resources.

LAUSD Announces Dynamic Digital Resources for Students, Teachers and Parents

The Los Angeles Unified School District, Annenberg Learner and Discovery Education have launched a new partnership providing educators, students and families access to high-quality digital resources.

Through this new partnership, Los Angeles Unified educators, students and families are empowered to interact with more than 300,000 exciting digital resources, standards-aligned activities and vetted, high-quality content carefully curated by grade level. These new digital resources will play a critical role to support continued learning on any device; whether at home or in the classroom.

Read more at: bit.ly/2QiLQK

MIS-C: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

Last week, the L.A. County Department of Public Health reported an increase in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). With an increase of nine additional cases, L.A. County's total MIS-C cases is now 25.

MIS-C, a rare condition affecting children under 21 years old who may have been exposed to COVID-19 or had COVID-19, presents itself in different ways. While not all children will have the same signs and symptoms, most children with MIS-C have experienced persistent fever, fatigue, and the inflammation of different body parts, including inflammation of the: heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs.

It is important to note no children with MIS-C in L.A. County have died.

MIS-C may begin weeks after a child has been infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). The child may have been infected from an asymptomatic person and, in some cases, the child and their caregivers may not even know they had been infected. Most children diagnosed with MIS-C have had laboratory evidence of past, or current, COVID-19 infection and the majority have had no underlying medical conditions.
Last week's additional nine cases showed:

28% percent of these cases were between the ages of 0 and 5 years old
44% were between the ages of 6 and 12 years old
28% were between the ages of 13 and 20 years old
and the majority of cases (68%) were Latino/Latinx

If you believe your child may be displaying MIS-C symptoms, contact your primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider, dial 2-1-1 and L.A. County will help connect you to one.

If you're unsure about the symptoms you're seeing, and don't have a primary care provider, you may also contact our COVID-19 Nurse Advice Line at (844) 804-0055. This free service is provided by L.A. County's Department of Health Services and is available 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information on guidance, reopening protocols or a list of what is open or remains closed in L.A. County, visit publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus.

California Public Health Officials Release Guidance for Small Supervised Groups of Children

The California Department of Public Health this week released guidance regarding the in-person supervision of cohorts of children or youth in educational and childcare settings. A cohort is a stable group of no more than 14 children or youth and no more than two supervising adults in a supervised environment in which the adults and children stay together for all activities and avoids contact with people outside of their group in the setting. The guidance makes cohorting practices consistent and outlines the required health and safety practices needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 across settings, such as small group learning for students with special needs and district or school "hubs" for distance learning and childcare. Guidance and directives related to schools, child care, day camps, youth sports, and institutions of higher education are not superseded by this document and still apply to those specified settings.

Read more at: bit.ly/NR20-207

FDA Warns Consumers About Hand Sanitizer Packaged in Food and Drink Containers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers about alcohol-based hand sanitizers that are being packaged in containers that may appear as food or drinks and may put consumers at risk of serious injury or death if ingested. The agency has discovered that some hand sanitizers are being packaged in beer cans, children’s food pouches, water bottles, juice bottles and vodka bottles. Additionally, the FDA has found hand sanitizers that contain food flavors, such as chocolate or raspberry.

In one recent example of consumer confusion, the FDA received a report that a consumer purchased a bottle they thought to be drinking water but was in fact hand sanitizer. The agency also received a report from a retailer about a hand sanitizer product marketed with cartoons for children that was in a pouch that resembles a snack. Drinking only a small amount of hand sanitizer is potentially lethal to a young child, who may be attracted by a pleasant smell or brightly colored bottle of hand sanitizer.

Read more at: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/covid-19-update-fda-warns-consumers-about-hand-sanitizer-packaged-food-and-drink-containers

Application Window to Reopen August 31 for Grants of up to $15,000 for Small Businesses

On August 31, applications for the fourth round of funding from the L.A. Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund will reopen for small businesses, nonprofits and micro-entrepreneurs facing unprecedented health and economic challenges due to COVID-19. Applications may be submitted for the fourth round of funding August 31 – September 4.

The L.A. Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund aims to distribute: 1) $5,000 grants to micro-entrepreneurs and 2) $15,000 grants to non-profits and small businesses. Grants will be distributed through an equitable lottery system, to ensure equitable access to capital across various demographics in the Los Angeles region.

Register for an upcoming webinar to learn more about eligibility and deadlines at lacovidfund.org/events.

Access a full list of local partners providing technical assistance by visiting the LA Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund website. For more information, visit lacovidfund.org.

Fact Check: Wearing a Face Covering Does Not Cause Legionnaires’ Disease

The L.A. County Department of Public Health reminds the public that Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially severe lung infection spread through water or mist contaminated with Legionella bacteria, NOT by wearing a mask. Learn more at: cdc.gov/legionella

Governor Newsom Announces Major Plan to More than Double State’s Testing Capacity, Reduce Turnaround Time

This week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California has signed a groundbreaking contract with a major diagnostics company, which will allow California to process up to an additional 150,000 COVID-19 diagnostic tests a day, with a contractual turnaround time of 24-48 hours. The goal is to stand up a laboratory facility and begin processing tens of thousands of additional tests by November 1 and run at full capacity by no later than March 1, 2021.

This first-of-its-kind agreement aims to disrupt the testing marketplace, help break supply chain logjams and drive down the costs for tests for every Californian. It will greatly expand California’s ability to track and prevent COVID-19 infections across the state and create additional testing capacity that will allow the state to increase testing in communities at high risk for contracting COVID-19, like essential workers, those in congregate settings and communities of color.

Read more at: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/08/26/governor-newsom-announces-major-plan-to-more-than-double-states-testing-capacity-reduce-turnaround-time/

Need COVID-19 Posters for Your Business?

Calling all businesses! The L.A. County Department of Public Health has printable posters to help you keep your customers and employees safe and informed about required health protocols. Check them out at: bit.ly/3d0B05

Be Counted. Complete the Census.

Have you completed your 2020 census? Responses to the census shape decisions about how billions of dollars in federal funds flow into communities each year for the next 10 years for critical services, including health care, emergency response, schools and education programs, and roads and bridges. The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of census data and census participation.

As of August 26, Rancho Palos Verdes had a self-response rate of 77.7%, above state and national averages, but behind our goal of 100% participation. The U.S. Census Bureau, however, has extended the official deadline to participate in the census to September 30 in response to the evolving COVID-19 crisis. If you haven't already done so, complete your census form now online at my2020census.gov, by phone at 844-330-2020, or by mail if you receive a paper form.

Looking for a fun outdoor activity for your kids?

National Park and Recreation Month is over, but you can still play Agents of Discovery at Hesse Park and Eastview Park! The self-guided, mobile educational game will be available at both locations through September 30.

Kids and their families can play by downloading the Agents of Discovery app to access RPV’s “missions” (games). Players that complete all the challenges will receive a gift bag from the Recreation and Parks Department!

To download the free Agents of Discovery app, go to Google Play or the App Store. Once downloaded, find our missions within the app and hit “play” before you head out. No WiFi connectivity is required to download or play the missions.

Free Virtual Art Classes for Older Adults

Discover the healing properties of art therapy with free virtual art classes for older adults presented by BlueSea Care every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register at bit.ly/2X7doqz

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Recreation and Parks Department at 310-544-5260 or parks@rpvca.gov. If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in programs, services, activities and meetings, contact the City's ADA Coordinator/Risk Manager at 310-683-3157, adarequests@rpvca.gov, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, at least 48 hours in advance to request an auxiliary aid or accommodation.

New Temporary Special Use Permit for RPV Businesses

The Community Development Department has developed a new Temporary Special Use Permit (TSUP) to assist Rancho Palos Verdes businesses with the opportunity to provide limited outdoor operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A TSUP will allow for outdoor operations on sidewalks and parking lots for:

Restaurants
Fitness centers
Hair salons and barbershops
Personal care services, such as nail salons, massage, and tattoo parlors

A TSUP will be processed administratively without a filing fee, public notification, or appeal process that is typically required for a standard Special Use Permit. For a complete list of operational requirements and permit limitations, please see the TSUP application at bit.ly/3gcLFME. For questions regarding the application or submittal requirements, please contact the Planning Division at 310-544-5228 or send an email to the Planning Division at planning@rpvca.gov.

Cases

As of August 27, there are 236,986 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Los Angeles County (population 10.17 million), 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 266 cases in Rancho Palos Verdes (population 41,731), 81 in Palos Verdes Estates (population 13,190), 39 in Rolling Hills Estates (population 8,066), eight in Rolling Hills (population 1,874), and eight in the unincorporated areas of the Peninsula. Countywide, 5,701 people have died.

According to the Department of Public Health, 12 deaths have been reported in Rancho Palos Verdes. The City extends its deepest condolences to the families of these residents.

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

For an interactive dashboard with maps and graphs showing testing, cases and death data by community, poverty level, age, sex and race/ethnicity visit: http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_surveillance_dashboard/

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.

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/