HOLMBY NEWS
April 17, 2020
From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.
1. COVID-19 Mapping
2. Free COVID-19 Testing
3. Urgent Need – Blood Donors
4. Avoid Coronavirus Scams
5. Volunteer Opportunities
6. Fundraising Appeals
7. Mayor Garcetti’s State of the City Address
8. Village for Vets – Keeping Veterans Safe
9. Extra Trash Collection Service
10. Census Submission Deadline Extended
11. Activites & Things to Do
12. HWPOA Communication and Ad Policy
13. Resident Ads
14. HWPOA Contact Information
1. COVID-19 MAPPING
From park closures to confirmed cases of COVID-19, these GIS tools and dashboards map Los Angeles County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
These dashboards contain data compiled by LA County’s Department’s of Public Health, Health Services, Parks and Recreation, the Office of Education, and the Office of Emergency Management. Some of the maps include:
- Covid-19 Confirmed Cases
- Drive-Up Mobile Testing Locations
- Park, Beach and Trail Closures
- Elder Nutrition Programs
2. FREE COVID-19 TESTING
The City of Los Angeles, in partnership with the County of Los Angeles and CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), is providing free COVID-19 testing to Los Angeles County residents.
At this time, testing is only for people with symptoms, such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of their age or prior medical condition can now book a same or next day appointment.
3. URGENT NEED – BLOOD DONORS
California is facing severe blood shortages due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Blood and platelet donations are urgently needed by California hospitals and medical facilities. California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris and Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday safely gave blood, and you can too.
California Needs You. Join us in giving blood safely:
redcrossblood.org
4. AVOID CORONAVIRUS SCAMS
The amount of information around COVID-19 is changing quickly, and the amount of new information can be confusing and scary. This is how scammers take advantage. Using robocalls, text messages and social media, snake oil salesmen peddle hoax cures and free home testing kits. Predatory lenders pursue seniors with offers of medicare and social security fraudulent one-stop solutions that are simply consumer frauds and opportunities for identity theft.
The Federal Trade Commission offers tips and precautions to help avoid scams and determine the veracity of official offers:
5. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
L.A. Works – To volunteer remotely and help make protective masks or do research for creating care packages, please visit the LA Works Virtual Volunteering. To help fight social isolation and get connected to the TeleSocial, please visit the Social Connection page. To navigate to all pages and for complete information, click here: www.laworks.com/social-caring.
California Volunteers -Every Californian can safely help their community during these difficult times. Here are some ways you can make a difference California Volunteers – click here
6. FUNDRAISING APPEALS
Over the last several weeks, HWPOA has received a number of fundraising appeals related to the coronavirus. We wanted to pass on to you these fundraising appeals in case you are interested in assisting. Please note – HWPOA has not investigated any of these and does not endorse any of them – so please do your own due diligence and make your own decisions.
Child Care Support for UCLA Healthcare Workers – Please donate to a babysitting/child care fund that will provide financial relief to UCLA Health Care Providers/Staff across Los Angeles County. This support is crucial as they arrange alternative childcare plans and manage new, unexpected costs because schools and day care centers are closed. Here is the link with more details: https://spark.ucla.edu/project/20687
The COVID-19 Coronavirus Patient Care and Healthcare Provider Protection Fund supports patient and family care; social services to those impacted by the virus; the acquisition of patient care equipment, supplies and personal protective equipment for health care workers; and innovation that will lead to advances in COVID-19 testing and treatment. https://www.uclahealth.org/Giving/covid-19-patient-care
The COVID-19 Coronavirus Research and Education Fund provides vital funding for the exploration of the pathogenesis of the Coronavirus family; the development and scaling of novel diagnostic tests and therapeutics; and infectious disease education for healthcare providers and the public. https://giveto.ucla.edu/fund/covid-19-coronavirus-research-and-education-fund/
UCLA Health Gift Card Drive – To relieve the logistical burden on our healthcare workers who are focused on patient care at this time, the best way you can help is to donate a gift card through our Gift Card Drive, https://spark.ucla.edu/project/20536
Support UCLA Healthcare Workers and Westwood Village – The Westwood Village Improvement Association (WVIA) has launched a GoFundMe effort to collect donations to purchase 500 lunches from Westwood Village restaurants at a discounted price. We have exceeded our initial goal so we are adding meals and participating businesses to our effort! This effort will not only feed our UCLA Health friends and neighbors who are fighting for our community, this effort will also support local Westwood restaurants struggling during this unprecedented public health crisis. Contributions to the WVIA are tax-deductible. Click here to donate:
https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/support-ucla-frontline-workers-and-westwood-village
7. MAYOR GARCETTI’S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
In compliance with the Safer at Home Order and official guidelines to protect public health, Mayor Garcetti’s 2020 State of the City Address will be delivered without an audience or watch party.
The address has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 19th at 5:15 p.m. You can watch it live on Channel 35, other local stations, and on the Mayor’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mayorofla/
8. VILLAGE FOR VETS – KEEPING VETERANS SAFE
Update on Village for Vets
Emergency Response to the Covid-19 Virus
- The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) has opened A Bridge Housing facility for 50 Veterans.
- Homeless Veterans are moving onto the VA Campus with their belongings. They are provided with bathrooms, hand-washing stations, showers, and the full scope of social services provided by the VA. The VA will accommodate 25 Veterans to start and will expand in increments of 25 as needed. Village for Vets is providing breakfast; Brentwood School is providing lunch and dinner during the week and Fresh Lunches is providing lunch and dinner on weekends.
- Our Veterans Emergency Fund is receiving triple the number of cases each week as many at-risk and formerly homeless Veterans need help meeting basic needs like food, medical care and emergency shelter to keep themselves and their families safe. We are seeking donations to expand our ability to provide vital support to these Veterans.
This week, the VA identified the following additional items as emergency needs:
- IPADS and Tablets – OVER 400 are desired for Vets to access telehealth
- Water in 5-gallon bottles with pumps – 25 needed next month for the tent housing area
- N95 Face masks for frontline workers – as many as possible as supplies are running low.
- The VA needs volunteers who are healthy and have no pre-existing conditions. Volunteers will be protected with masks and hand sanitizer. Sign up here to donate your time
For more information or to donate:
Village for Vets – Covid 19 Response
9. EXTRA TRASH COLLECTION SERVICE
The City has introduced extra trash collection services under the Safer At Home emergency order. On regularly scheduled collection days, residents can go outside to meet the Sanitation truck and wait for the sanitation worker to pick up the collection; then they can refill their black and blue bins if they have more trash, and the worker — who will remain in the truck — will take those away too. The free service will be in place until the stay-at-home order is lifted.
Questions? Call Los Angeles Sanitation Dept. 24-hour customer call center at 800-773-2489.
10. CENSUS SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED
The Census Bureau has announced a schedule adjustment due to COVID-19. The new deadline to respond is October 31, 2020. However, you can submit your response online anytime at https://my2020census.gov/, by mail with your invitation, or by phone at 844-330-2020.
11. ACTIVITIES & THINGS TO DO
Online Panel: Can $2 Trillion Prevent Another Great Depression? Tues. April 21, 5:00 p.m. From the “Hammer at Home” Forum, this online panel moderated by Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson examines the unprecedented pandemic relief bill, whether it goes far enough, and what else we might do to guard against another economic depression. RSVP here to receive an email reminder on the day of the program with the link to tune in. This program will be recorded and the recording will be available soon after.
Help NASA Study Mars – Help NASA study exotic landscape features near the south pole of Mars! Seasonal freezing and thawing of carbon-dioxide ice at the Martian poles creates some unusual surface features. In this citizen science project, you’ll view images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Context Camera. Your input will help scientists identify possible areas for more detailed examination with the orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. https://www.zooniverse.org/#/projects/mschwamb/planet-four-terrains
Energy Science – LADWP has free interactive activities, games, lessons and experiments on basic electricity and safety at our website to help with schooling at home. To access eSMARTkids go to: https://ladwp.e-smartonline.net
12. HWPOA COMMUNICATION AND AD POLICY
Please direct all comments, questions or issues regarding the Holmby News to hwpoa@aol.com.
Ads for plumbers, housekeepers, garage sales, etc. will be posted in the weekly News. Emergency situations such as lost and found pets, traffic alerts and similar situations will be published during the week as received.
When placing an ad, please send to hwpoa@aol.com for the Holmby News moderator to review. Responses to ads should be directed to the ad placer, not to HWPOA.
13. RESIDENT ADS
SEEKING BEDROOM TO RENT
While I was working on the Save Hilgard opposition, I came to know two awesome students through their work with the Daily Bruin. Their names are Kyle and Stephanie. Since then, Kyle has tutored my kids in math and art and Stephanie has tutored my son in writing. Kyle asked if I knew of anywhere nearby for them to rent a one bedroom (one queen/king bed) for ten weeks starting in June. Either a guest house or a room with access to a kitchen. They are happy to pay for the 10 weeks of rental.
Please email me if you can have them. My email is emagna@msn.com or feel free to email Kyle or Stephanie directly (see below).
Thanks!
Esther Magna, Malcolm resident
Kyle Icban – kyleicban@g.ucla.edu
College: UCLA
Major: Mathematics
editorial cartoonist for the Daily Bruin
Stephanie Lai – stephanie.lai@columbia.edu
College: Columbia University
Major: Political Science
Editor for the Columbia U paper
14. HWPOA CONTACT INFORMATION
HOLMBY WESTWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
P.O. Box 49180
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310-470-1785
Email: hwpoa@aol.com
Web site: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org
Pay Membership Dues: https://squareup.com/store/hwpoa
You Are Invited . . .
- To attend our monthly Board Meetings*
- To let us know your concerns about our community and your ideas about how we might work to improve it
- To become involved in our Association.
*Board Meetings are usually held the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm at Belmont Village (10475 Wilshire Blvd.). Please confirm prior to attending.