East County News Service

MARCH 19, 2020 UPDATE: 

Remote classes and student support at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges will continue to be held until the end of the spring semester on June 1. The Grossmont and Cuyamaca college campuses are also closed to all students and the public until June 1. 

All instructional activities and office hours, including any lab courses, and support services will be held in some form of remote delivery. Faculty will be communicating directly with their students regarding next steps.Student information about withdrawals and late drops is available. 

Gov. Newsom has ordered that all Califrornians stay at home effective midnight March 19. To comply with that order,  all District employees are to work from home beginning Friday, March 20. Essential personnel who are necessary to secure district facilities and maintain core operations will be contacted by district leadership. 

All student events through June 1 are cancelled, and intercollegiate athletics games are cancelled indefinitely. 

March 16, 2020 (El Cajon) --As the coronavirus situation remains in a state of flux, effective today, Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are now closed to students and the public until further notice. All instructional activities, office hours and labs will take place online or through another remote delivery to the fullest extent possible. Students are advised to follow directives provided by their instructors and to regularly check the college website and emails to keep apprised by the latest developments.

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Photo: creative commons-sa-nc

East County school districts will be providing food services for its students during the mandated school closures over the Coronavirus pandemic.

Below is the distribution schedule for several local districts.

If you know of others, please post the information or links in the comments section below, or email editor@eastcountymagazine.org.

CVUSD provides multi-lingual updates

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Photo: Superintendent David Miyashiro, EdD, screenshot off video

March 15, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- In line with worldwide concern over the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, Cajon Valley Union School District Superintendent David Miyashiro, EdD outlined a policy Tuesday night on plans to cope with the growing health crisis.

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2020 (Sacramento)—With 330 Covid-19 (novel coronavirus) cases in California, double the number just four days ago,six deaths in our state and thousands of deaths worldwide, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced extreme steps to slow the rate of infection and reduce deaths. The actions aim to save lives and prevent hospitals and medical workers from becoming overwhelmed.

The Governor’s new emergency proclamation calls for:

• Home isolation of everyone over age 65
• A ban on visitors to nursing homes, except for end-of-life visits
• Closure of bars, wine bars, breweries and pubs
• Restaurants to reduce occupancy by half; restaurants can also provide curbside service and at-home deliveries
• Moving homeless people into motels, trailers or other facilities
• Allow urgency for procuring medical supplies, sharing data, and bringing in out of state licensed medical professionals to help with treatment

Though the Governor stopped short of mandating closures of bars, restaurants and wineries, and left home isolation of seniors voluntary for now, his actions are similar to what some foreign nations and Governors in other states have done. 

The entire nations of Spain and Denmark are on lockdown. France has ordered closure of cafes, restaurants and bars.  The Governors of Ohio and Illinois have ordered restaurants and bars to close.  New York state’s Governor has ordered restaurants to cut occupancy in half and called for voluntary closure of many private businesses.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

Photo, left by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson:  Meat aisle at Vons in Santee was picked nearly clean by shoppers yesterday.

March 15, 2020 (East County)—After public health officials recommended stocking up on 14 days of supplies in the event of home quarantine during the local, state and federal COVID-19 emergency declarations, shoppers overwhelmed many local stores, causing long lines and local shortages.

Officials are now urging the pubic not to hoard products, to assure that everyone will have access to items that they need. Some stores are also beginning to limit sales to prevent hoarding or reselling  items at a higher price. (It is illegal to price gouge during a declared emergency and violators can be fined or imprisoned).

Shoppers yesterday were out in force piling their shopping carts not only with toilet paper but with meats, canned beans, breads, potatoes (if they can find them), and other products.  At Trader Joe’s in La Mesa, the line when the store opened extended from one end of the shopping center to the other. Inside, the checkout line stretched to the back of the store.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: President Donald Trump, via WhiteHouse.gov

March 13, 2020 (Washington D.C.) – After issuing a national emergency declaration today, President Donald Trump in a rare moment of bipartisan agreement urged Congressional Republicans to pass economic relief legislation authored by House Democrats.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi negotiated the economic relief deal with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin following days of plummeting stock prices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC by SA-NC

March 13, 2020 (San Diego) – San Diego Superior Court Presiding Judge Lorna Alksne has sent the following message, which was forwarded to local attorneys by the Association of Business and Trial Lawyers, San Diego:

March 13, 2020 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:  

LOCAL

• Empty shelves: signs of the coronavirus impacts in San Diego (NBC 7)
• San Diego could take a hit if cruises are cancelled (10 News)
• Judge hears objections to housing sex predator in Jacumba, delays ruling (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Victim’s skull found; ex-electrician sentenced to almost life in prison (The Alpine Sun)
• Familiar faces dominate San Diego’s community college trustee races (San Diego Union-Trbune)

STATE

• Trump administration blocks states from using Medicaid to respond to Coronavirus outbreak (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• California proposes 3-day backup power for cell towers, communication networks (San Francisco Chronicle)
• California calls for ban on large events as coronavirus spreads; NBA suspends season (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Gov. Newsom issues order allowing California to take over hotels, medical facilities (Los Angeles Times)
• Passengers of ship linked to virus toured Mexico ports (AP)
• California orders insurers to waive out of pocket costs for corona virus testing (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Chaos at hospitals due to shortage of coronavirus tests (Los Angeles Times)
• Disneyland, California Adventure to close for the rest of the month over coronavirus (Orange County Register)
• Coronavirus symptoms ‘take five days to show’ (BBC)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

Many major events closed or cancelled across our state and region

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2020 (San Diego) – In response to the fast-spreading COVID-19 outbreak, effective immediately, the state of California and San Diego County have ordered that from today through March 31^st: Violators are subject to fines or imprisonment.

• all gatherings of over 250 people be cancelled or postponed, including concerts, conferences, and sporting events;
• Smaller events of 10 may be held only if social distancing space of 6 feet between people can be provided;
• Gatherings of people at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people, while following social distancing guidelines. This includes gatherings at retirement facilities, assisted living facilities, developmental homes and support groups for people with health conditions.
• Visitors should be restricted at medical facilities with people at high risk of COVID-19 complications, such as nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and hospitals providing acute in-patient care.

The ban on gatherings generally does not apply to workplaces, shopping malls, grocery stores, or emergency shelters such as those for the homeless.

View:  Governor Gavin Newsom’s message, Calif. Dept. of Public Health directive,  County press release, County health office order,  World Health Organization director’s statement on pandemic

March  12, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Trump tries to calm nation amid market meltdown, spread of virus (CNN)
• Dow plummets 2,000 points, oil prices drop as global recession concerns mount (USA Today)
• Republican leaders dismiss House coronavirus relief bill, leaving action uncertain (Washington Post)
• Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders Rebuke Trump Over Virus: ‘The Clock Is Ticking’ (New York Times)
• Sanders and Biden to Face Off in Debate on Sunday, Amid a Winnowing Primary and COVID-19. Here's What to Know (Time)
• Response to Trump's coronavirus address: Another market plunge, airport chaos, anxious lawmakers (USA Today)
• More than 20 colleges cancel in-person classes in response to coronavirus (NPR)
• Trump had contact with congressmen Collins and Gaetz before they self-quarantined over coronavirus concerns (CNBC)
• OPM and Defense Dept. Issue Guidelines for Civilian Employees on Coronavirus (Gov Exec)

WORLD

• A 'short, sharp' global recession is starting to look inevitable (CNN Business)
• All of Italy under Coronavirus lockdown (BBC)
• Coronavirus: Israel will require a quarantine for everyone entering the country (NPR)
• A day without women: Strikes across Latin America follow huge rallies (Reuters)
• Here’s why Chinese scientists say there’s a second, more dangerous coronavirus strain (Los Angeles Times)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

UPDATE AS OF 5:09 PM:  ALL SDSU SPRING SPORTS HAVE BEEN CANCELED. 

East County News Service

March 12, 2020 (San Diego) - After Utah Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell tested positive for Coronavirus, the National Basketball Association and several other professional sports leagues have suspended their seasons, the NBA's announcement coming on Wednesday night.  The NBA announced it was suspending games while it determined its next steps.