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Archives Altadena Blog Altadena Archive

Saturday, April 17, 2021

Unemployment Rate Dips In LA County In March

Unemployment Rate Dips In LA County In March

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped to 11.3% in March, down from a revised 11.5% in February, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.

The 11.3% rate was still well above the pre-pandemic rate of 5.4% in March 2020.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.3% in March, down from 8.5% in February, but also well above the 4.5% rate from March 2020. The comparable estimates for the nation were 6% in March, 6.2% in February and 4.5% in March 2020.

According to the EDD, total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County increased by 34,200 jobs between February and March to reach about 4.1 million. The leisure and hospitality sector led the way with 13,300 jobs.

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Wednesday, April 14, 2021

COVID-19 Deaths Linked to Poor Air Quality

COVID-19 Deaths Linked to Poor Air Quality

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A research project led by the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health found that Los Angeles County neighborhoods with poor air quality had the highest coronavirus death rates, it was announced today.

“Our findings imply a potentially large association between exposure to air pollution and population-level rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths,” said Dr. Michael Jerrett, a Fielding School professor of environmental health sciences and the project’s leader. “These findings are especially important for targeting interventions aimed at limiting the impact of COVID-19 in polluted communities.”

The research — “Spatial Analysis of COVID-19 and Traffic-Related Air Pollution in Los Angeles” — is being published in the August edition of the peer-reviewed journal Environment International and is now available online.

One example of the findings is Los Angeles County neighborhoods with the worst air quality saw a 60% increase in COVID-19 fatalities when compared with communities with the best air quality.

“In the U.S.,

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Thursday, April 8, 2021

COVID Vaccine Appointments Up For Grabs? Blame Scheduling, Not Lack Of Demand

COVID Vaccine Appointments Up For Grabs? Blame Scheduling, Not Lack Of Demand

CITY NEWS SERVICE

COVID-19 vaccination appointments — often a hot commodity in Los Angeles County — appeared widely available Wednesday, but the county’s public health director said it was likely the result of scheduling issues, not a sign of dwindling demand.

Barbara Ferrer also said that even if there is a sudden wide availability of appointments, it doesn’t mean the county should immediately expand eligibility to everyone aged 16 and over, which is scheduled to occur April 15.

“There’s 5.5 million people in (currently) eligible groups, and all of them have not received their first dose,” Ferrer said. “… We only opened for people 50 and older a few days ago, so we’re going to continue to make sure there’s good access.”

Officials at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services announced Wednesday morning that there were immediate appointments available for vaccines at the federally operated site at Cal State Los Angeles. Appointments were also readily available at many Los Angeles city-operated sites,

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Monday, April 5, 2021

61-Year-Old Diabetic Man Reported Missing in Altadena Has Been Found

61-Year-Old Diabetic Man Reported Missing in Altadena Has Been Found

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A 61-year-old schizophrenic man with type-2 diabetes who went missing in Altadena has been found, the sheriff’s department reported
today.

Michael Coker was reported missing last Thursday and the Los Angeles

County Sheriff’s Department had sought the public’s help to find him.

The LASD announced on Monday afternoon that Coker had been found. No further information was released.

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Friday, April 2, 2021

Altadena Libraries to Begin Phased Reopening Next Week

Altadena Libraries to Begin Phased Reopening Next Week

New partnership with local businesses announced

Altadena Libraries plans to begin a phased reopening of its facilities Monday, while also kicking off a new program to allow members to get discounts at local businesses with their library cards, representatives said.

The reopening coincides with National Library Week, April 4-10.

Following a closure prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, library facilities will reopen with limited capacity and services, primarily geared toward providing members with computer and internet access, Altadena Libraries said in a written statement.

“The Bob Lucas Memorial Library and the Community Room at the Main Library will be open for limited hours to help meet needs for computer access and bring back the joy of browsing,” according to the statement. “While the main floor at the Main Library on Mariposa Street will still be closed to the public, the Community Room has been laid out to allow for socially distanced services.”

More information on services and hours at each branch can be found online at altadenalibrary.org/reopening.

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Thursday, April 1, 2021

Man With Schizophrenia, Diabetes Goes Missing in Altadena

Man With Schizophrenia, Diabetes Goes Missing in Altadena

Sheriff’s officials asked for the public’s help Thursday in finding a 61-year-old man suffering from schizophrenia and diabetes who went missing in Altadena earlier this week.

Michael Coker was last seen at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 30 in the 2600 block of North Lincoln Avenue, north of Mountain View Street, according to Deputy Miguel Meza of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Information Bureau.

“His family is concerned for his well-being and asking for the public’s help,” Meza said in a written statement. “The missing person suffers from schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes.”

Coker was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue jacket and white tennis shoes, the deputy added.

Anyone with information was urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau — Missing Persons Unit at (323) 890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

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Thursday, April 1, 2021

Nation’s Largest Paid Summer Arts Internship Program Opens for L.A. County

Nation’s Largest Paid Summer Arts Internship Program Opens for L.A. County

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The nation’s largest paid summer arts internship program is accepting applications from university and community college students from Los Angeles County, officials announced Thursday.

The LA County Arts Internship Program will provide 228 university and community college students with paid on-the-job experience in the arts while completing projects that can include education, marketing, graphic design, fundraising and production, at more than 140 nonprofit organizations starting this summer.

The program — in its 21st year — has allowed more than 2,500 students to enter the Los Angeles County arts and culture field through internships in nonprofit performing, presenting, literary and municipal arts organizations, officials said.

A companion program, the Getty Multicultural Internship Program, provides internships to museums and visual arts organizations.

“For 21 years, the LA County Arts Internship Program has built career pathways for diverse young people to enter and thrive in L.A. County’s creative economy. The program is a win-win —

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Wednesday, March 31, 2021

L.A. County Hits 4 Million Mark In COVID Vaccine Doses As Eligibility Expands

L.A. County Hits 4 Million Mark In COVID Vaccine Doses As Eligibility Expands

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County has officially crossed the 4 million mark in total COVID-19 doses administered, but the public health director again warned today that getting an appointment for a shot will become more difficult starting tomorrow when everyone aged 50 and over becomes eligible.

According to the Department of Public Health, a total of 4,013,521 doses have been administered in the county as of last Saturday. That includes 1,323,686 second doses, equating to the number of people who are now fully vaccinated.

“This does translate to tens of thousands of people having an extra layer of protection from serious illness and death due to COVID-19,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “… While we still have a lot of work to do, I do hope we can all take a moment to be proud of what L.A. County has accomplished in really a little more than three months.”

The county this week received its highest vaccine allocation to date,

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Wednesday, March 31, 2021

County To Provide Grants For Small Personal Care and Retail Businesses

County To Provide Grants For Small Personal Care and Retail Businesses

Small Los Angeles County businesses in the personal care and retail sector can apply for $10,000 grants starting April 5, county officials announced today.

The L.A. Regional COVID Fund distributed nearly $100 million in grants last year to small businesses and nonprofits, and this new round of funding, called the Keep Our Shops on the Block Grant, will dedicate $4.7 million to personal care and retail businesses.

Eligible businesses include hair and beauty salons, nail salons, estheticians, skin-care specialists, barbershops, dry cleaners, bakeries, and automotive stores, among others. They must have an open storefront in L.A. County, excluding the city
of Los Angeles, and make less than $1 million in revenue per year, officials said.

They also must also show proof of financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Main streets across L.A. County have experienced a sharp decline in pedestrian traffic throughout the pandemic,” said Rafael Carbajal, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs.

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Tuesday, March 30, 2021

LASD to Start Writing Tickets, Towing Cars Again on Thursday

LASD to Start Writing Tickets, Towing Cars Again on Thursday

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced Tuesday that it will resume enforcing state and county parking ordinances on Thursday.

The Sheriff’s Department patrols 42 of the county’s 88 cities, along with 130 unincorporated county areas, such as Altadena and East Pasadena.

Automobiles parked in street sweeping zones during posted times will be cited along with vehicles with expired registration will be cited, and those with delinquent registration for more than six months will be towed.

Parking restrictions were lifted at the beginning of the pandemic.

Anyone wishing to arrange a payment plan for fines can reach the Sheriff’s Department at (866) 561-9744, online at lasheriffparking.com, or by mail at Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, P.O. Box 30629, Los Angeles, CA 90030-0629.

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