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

Update on School Waivers in L.A. County

As counties across California begin to reopen, many L.A. County residents have wondered when they, too, will begin seeing the lifting of public health restrictions currently impacting sectors in the county - among them those impacting schools.

Today, we share the latest from the Department of Public Health (DPH) on the In-Person Learning Waiver Program (often referred to as the School Waiver Program). The program aims to allow school districts in L.A. County the opportunity to apply for a waiver that would allow in-classroom instruction for students in grades TK-6. L.A. County initially hoped to launch a school waiver application process in early August. This, however, changed as COVID-19 data changed. Below, you'll find answers to many of your biggest questions on school waivers in L.A. County.

1.         Other counties are accepting waivers, why not L.A. County? To date, COVID-19 has infected over a quarter million people and tragically taken the lives of 6,300 in L.A. County. L.A. County has the most people and COVID-19 infections in California, so we must take a more measured approach to reopening schools based on our local data.

2.         Why were the requirements for waivers changed? The school waiver requirements are set by the State of California. Counties have the option of providing school waivers. There has been little change to the waiver requirements, but L.A. County decided to take a more cautious and staged approach to reopening, so we can better protect the safety of our students and families.

3.         Why isn’t DPH releasing school district level data?  School district level data was a requirement for the State of CA School Waivers. Since L.A. County is not processing waiver applications currently, the school district level data is not useful at this time. School district data are not helpful for assessing community transmission and may cause greater confusion. DPH will provide this data once school waivers are permitted.

4.         Why is L.A. County currently not offering the waiver? DPH monitored the COVID-19 community transmission data closely and assessed the risk of reopening. With widespread community transmission, reopening schools is high risk. The state started allowing schools to reopen in small cohorts for students with the greatest need for in-person learning. L.A. County is taking a cautious and staged approach to reopening to keep our students and families safe. The county will offer the waiver when it is safe, and schools are better prepared to ensure the safety of students and staff. This will reduce the chances of future school disruptions caused by identified cases and outbreaks should they occur by limiting these occurrences and better preparation with effective protocols and procedures in place should identified cases and outbreaks occur at schools.

5.         Are all schools closed? L.A. County reopened schools for small groups of students most in need of in-person learning for special education and specialized services. You can see the schools that reopened on the Public Health website: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/TK-12SpecializedServicesFormSubmissions.htm. Schools also continue to provide instructional services for online learning, nutrition services, and other supportive services for students and their families.

6.         When will schools reopen for in-person learning? DPH is currently taking a staged approach to reopening schools for small groups of students most in need of in-person learning for special education and specialized services. DPH will monitor the schools and assess the safety of open schools, which will take 6-8 weeks. DPH will examine the data and assess whether expanded reopenings are safe.

7.         Why is DPH (or Dr. Ferrer) politicizing the reopenings? Dr. Ferrer’s comment on the timing of school waivers is based on the time required to implement the current reopening and assess the safety of schools. The county will be working closely with schools, providing services and supports to high need students over the next 6-8 weeks to implement and assess safety directives and strategies for ensuring infection control and distancing. This information will be used to inform the timing of future activities at schools and the broad implementation of school waivers. The county will release school district level data at that time.

8.         Our school is small and in a community with low rates of COVID-19. Why can’t we reopen? With widespread community transmission in L.A. County, reopening schools is risky. There is currently substantial spread of COVID-19 in most L.A. County communities and COVID-19 does not stop at city limits. Schools are a part of the broader community. Students, teachers, and staff can become infected with COVID-19 in the community and spread the virus to others while at school, who will then bring it home to their families.

9.         What can I do about my child who is suffering from mental and emotional strain from not being in school? Schools can reopen for children most in need of in-person learning for special education and specialized services. Schools are permitted to bring a small cohort of students onto their campus for in-person instruction. Schools can assess which students are in the greatest need for this type of instruction. Please check with your school about the services that they’re providing. In addition, the L.A. County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) supports the well-being of every member of our communities. The COVID-19 information home provides mental health resources for L.A. County residents. LACDMH's 24/7 Help Line at (800) 854-7771 is available to provide mental health support, resources and referrals.

10.       Why are schools allowed to reopen as "camps"? Schools are not allowed to reopen as camps. However, the state allows day camps to be open as an essential form of childcare. Daycare and day camps are permitted to operate on school campuses if they are licensed and following DPH COVID-19 safety protocols. Day camps that are operating as schools are violating the education code and should be referred to the local education authority. Day camps and daycares are required to be licensed by the California Department of Social Services or must obtain a waiver.

11.       The COVID-19 case rates are improving. Why can’t we reopen immediately? While the case rates are dropping, rushed reopenings have proven harmful, resulting in an increase of COVID-19 infections. L.A. County is taking a more measured approach to reopening schools based on our local data to reduce the risk to students, teachers, and their families. Right now, DPH has reopened schools for a small number of high need students to return to school for specialized supports and services. This allows students with the greatest need to return to campus and for public health experts to assess preparedness and safety of L.A. County schools reopening. DPH is closely monitoring COVID-19 data including COVID-19 infections, outbreaks, contact investigation findings, and school safety protocols. This allows us to reopen when it is safe and to develop additional infection control measures for schools.

PVPUSD Fall Parent Education Series

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District and South Bay Families Connected invite parents to attend a virtual Fall Parent Education Series with Dr. Moe Gelbart. The series will kick off October 7 at 9 a.m. with “Managing the Emotions of Distance Learning: Parenting in 2020.” All events will be live-streamed and recorded, and information will be posted on pvpusd.net prior to each event.

For additional online youth wellness resources, including resources to support youths during distance learning, please visit southbayfamiliesconnected.org/pvpusd

ICYMI: Free Breakfast and Lunch Curbside Pickup for All Students

In case you missed it, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District announced that any adolescent 18 years of age and under may now pick up a FREE breakfast and lunch! This program will run until winter break.

Curbside pickup is available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Miraleste Intermediate School, Palos Verdes Intermediate School, Ridgecrest Intermediate School, Palos Verdes High School and Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. No pre-order required! 

All meals include a main entrée, choice of milk, and seasonal fruit and vegetable offerings.
Parents and guardians may pick up meals on behalf of their child/children. The community at large is welcome and adolescents do not need to be enrolled in the district to participate.

For more information and menus, visit pvpusdschoolnutrition.net.

Space Open in After School Recreational Enrichment Program

Registration is currently open for the After School Recreational Enrichment Program offered by the San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA and the City at Hesse Park! The after school program for grades K-5 started this week and takes place from 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday from through December 18. This program is 100% outdoors and features activities covering science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM), individual conditioning physical exercise, enrichment, and much more, all designed to maintain physical distancing and follow Los Angeles County Department of Public Health protocols. Fees are $100 per week, per child. Registration remains open.

**Due to lower than anticipated enrollment at Ryan Park and Eastview Park, these locations will be placed on hold until there is more interest.**

? 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

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.

PVLD Virtual Programs

Did you know the Palos Verdes Library District offers virtual programs for all ages? Check out PVLD’s program listings at pvld.org/virtual.

Some programs require pre-registration. If you need any assistance signing up for or accessing programs, please call the PVLD Reference Phone and leave a voicemail at (310) 377-9584 x601. A librarian will return your call shortly.

Mayors Call on Governor Newsom for Variance to Reopen South Bay Businesses

This week, the City of Torrance sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom signed by seven South Bay mayors, including RPV Mayor John Cruikshank, requesting a variance for the region to move to a less restrictive tier than L.A. County as a whole under the state’s reopening guidelines. The letter noted that the South Bay has relatively lower COVID-19 infection and death rates than the county, and that businesses are reeling and facing great uncertainty due to the impacts of shutting down. Read the letter at https://www.rpvca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16112/South-Bay-Cities-Letter-to-Governor-Newsom

Getting Vaccinated Against Flu More Important Than Ever

In an effort to prevent a "twindemic" of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is urging Californians to get vaccinated against the flu now to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Flu vaccination is part of a comprehensive public health strategy to reduce the burden of flu, but also to preserve health care resources for care of patients with COVID-19. Getting vaccinated is the best defense against the flu. In California, flu activity usually begins to increase in late November or December. It takes a couple of weeks after vaccination for the body to build an immunity. So, don't delay getting a shot.

CDPH recommends the annual flu vaccination for everyone six months of age and older. Those at higher risk of getting severe flu disease include:

• People 65 years and older.
• People who smoke or have underlying medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, lung disease, neurologic disorders, and weakened immune systems.
• Pregnant women and children under five years of age.
• African Americans, Latinx and Native populations, who are disproportionally affected by chronic medical conditions that can increase the risk for severe flu or COVID-19.
• Caregivers and residents in long-term care facilities.
• Essential workers who encounter others outside their homes.

Learn more at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR20-235.aspx

L.A. County Supervisors Approve Foreclosure Prevention and Mortgage Assistance Program

This week, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved a proposal by Supervisor Janice Hahn and coauthored by Supervisor Hilda Solis to prevent foreclosures in L.A. County by connecting struggling homeowners with foreclosure prevention counseling and mortgage assistance.

The program includes a two-pronged approach. The first is $1.5 million allocated to assist homeowners facing foreclosure by connecting them with foreclosure prevention counselors who can assist with loan modifications, forbearance, and work with their lenders to keep them in their homes. The second is $4 million allocated to creating a Mortgage Financial Relief Program which will provide deferred and forgivable loans to homeowners to help stabilize their mortgage with their loan servicer. The program will be targeted to assist areas of the county which have experienced high levels of foreclosures.
When the program is developed, services will be available through the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs.

Board of Supervisors Approves $10 Million Grant Program for Breweries
 

Also this week, the Board of Supervisors approved a $10 million grant program requested by Supervisor Janice Hahn to help breweries and other small businesses that have remained closed or restricted by L.A. County health officer orders despite being allowed to open under the state’s health order.

Although breweries in Tier 1 counties have been allowed to open under the state’s health order, L.A. County’s health officer order has kept many local breweries that do not qualify as restaurants closed for on-site service to slow the spread of the virus.

The new grant program was included in a supplemental coronavirus relief fund spending plan considered by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The funding comes from Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding allocated to L.A. County by the federal government.

Small businesses that have remained closed or faced substantial operating restrictions due to health officer orders would be eligible for the grant. Priority will be given to those small businesses subject to L.A. County health officer order restrictions that are more stringent than those required by state health officer order, such as breweries. These businesses include: breweries, wineries, family entertainment centers, and card rooms.

More details about how to apply for the grant are to be announced.

Heard of 'Stay Housed L.A. County'?

L.A. County has launched Stay Housed L.A. County, a new program which connects tenants facing eviction with legal assistance, and virtual educational workshops, to help keep county residents in their homes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The new program is a partnership between the County of L.A., legal aid groups, and community-based organizations to provide emergency support to tenants in need.

Today's launch included the release of the StayHousedLA.org website, which offers tenants with:

•           useful information about their rights
•           workshops for residents who need legal assistance
•           as well as other support, including case management support

Stay Housed L.A. County serves as an important resource for tenants who are facing housing uncertainty — including bilingual residents and those with undocumented status — about their rights and who need legal support navigating their interactions with their landlord and the legal system. When tenants have legal representation, a family’s chance of avoiding homelessness due to eviction increases by over 70 percent. Learn more about Stay Housed L.A. County, by watching this short video or visiting StayHousedLA.org.

New $5 Million Childcare Provider Grant Program

L.A. County's new $5 million Childcare Provider Grant Program opened this week for eligible licensed childcare operators in L.A. County who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This new program is funded by Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds.

Childcare operators in L.A. County (with the exception of those operating in the City of Los Angeles, as the City received its own allocation of CARES Act funds and has its own programs for City childcare operators) may visit childcaregrant.lacda.org for:

•           Eligibility requirements;
•           A video tutorial on how to complete the online application;
•           And the Application Portal

The application period will remain open through Friday, September 25 at 12 p.m. Applications will be ranked via a lottery and applicants will be selected in the order ranked per lottery process.

Washington and Oregon Join California in Pilot Project Using Google and Apple Exposure Notification Technology to Slow the Spread of COVID-19

This week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Washington and Oregon, members of the Western States Pact, will participate with California in piloting a project to test promising exposure notification technology. These states join other members of the Western States Pact, Colorado and Nevada, along with states and universities across the country, in piloting this technology. 

Announced Friday by the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Technology, the pilot project will test the Exposure Notification Express mobile application pioneered by Google and Apple. The app confidentially notifies individuals who may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus. Privacy and security are central to the design of the technology, which does not collect location data from any device and never shares user identities. Users must opt-in to the technology.

Learn more at: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/09/16/washington-and-oregon-join-california-in-pilot-project-using-google-and-apple-exposure-notification-technology-to-slow-the-spread-of-covid-19/

Upcoming Local Blood Drive

Blood donations have decreased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthy, eligible donors are urged to come out and give to ensure there’s lifesaving blood on the shelves for those who need it.

The City of Rolling Hills Estates is hosting a blood drive on Friday, September 25 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ernie Howlett Park, 25851 Hawthorne Blvd. in Rolling Hills Estates.

Appointments can be made online at ucedonor.com (click on “Blood Drives” and enter “City of Rolling Hills Estates” in the Account Name box), or by phone at 310-825-0888 X 2.

Last month, donors were able to provide 24 pints!

Time is Running Out! Complete Your Census Today.

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 September 16, Rancho Palos Verdes had a self-response rate of 80%, 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

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.

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/