VOL . LVI NO. 12
MARCH 20, 2020
THE NEWSPAPER OF RECORD FOR BEVERLY HILLS
BHCOURIER .COM
Beverly Hills Suspends Services, Declares Emergency in Response to COVID-19
IN THIS ISSUE
Curbside Pick-Up and Delivery in Beverly Hills and Environs 5
BY L AUR A COLEMAN
Screenings and More in The Scene 6
With the L.A. County Department of Public Health declaring four cases of COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) in Beverly Hills this week (11 in West Hollywood, including the Mayor, John D'Amico), the pandemic is closer to home than ever before. At over 237,000 COVID-19 cases worldwide as of March 19, including over 230 reported cases in L.A. County, and over 9,800 dead from the virus,
governments around the globe are taking increasingly stringent actions to curb the disease from continuing to spread. On March 16, the Beverly Hills City Council declared a local emergency in response to COVID-19 at the start of a televised eight-hour-long Emergency Public Session meeting. (COVID-19 continues on page 7)
REGISTER TO RECEIVE IMPORTANT NEWS AND HEADLINES BY EMAILING NEWSALERTS@BHCOURIER.COM News 4
Update on Beverly Hills Unified School District Operations BY ANA FIGUEROA
The Scene 6 Pet Adoption 7 Fun & Games 8 Classifieds 1 3
THE WEATHER, BEVERLY HILLS
Friday
64° | 52°
Saturday
67° | 51°
Sunday
68° | 54°
Monday
63° | 53°
Tuesday
62° | 50°
Wednesday
60° | 47°
Thursday
65° | 50°
SINCE 1965
Horace Mann Elementary School Spring Break week has drawn to a close for the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD). Under normal circumstances, classes would resume on March 23. However, the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has made these days anything but ordinary. And the BHUSD is acting accordingly. All facilities shut down on March 13 and are expected to remain closed until
April 5. This includes every school site and the District Office. All field trips, athletic events (both games and practices), activities, concerts, performances, conferences, and gatherings are suspended at least through April 5. During this time, the BHUSD is undertaking a thorough cleaning of every school site and the District Office. While there will be no on-site instruction during the next few weeks, teachers are developing Home Learning plans, which will launch on March 24. One day earlier, any student who receives a BHUSD-provided lunch can begin receiving to-go lunches at Horace Mann Elementary School. The lunches will be available as of March 23, between 10:30 a.m. and noon through the Hamel Drive Auditorium Gate only. (BHUSD continues on page 4)
BHPD Chief Reassures Community Beverly Hills Police Chief Sandra Spagnoli emphasized the City’s commitment to protect residents during this perilous time in a letter sent March 18 to the community. “The Police Department will continue to monitor the public safety issues impacting Beverly Hills and the surrounding region,” Spagnoli wrote. “We understand the community concerns related to safety and have taken proactive measures during this time to keep Beverly Hills safe.” In addition to implementing new procedures designed to safeguard the community, the department has also taken proactive steps to maintain the health of police employees and limit the exposure to officers. BHPD has also increased high visibility patrols and modified the handling of non-emergency calls. “The Police Department will maintain our less than three-minute response times to crimes in progress and life-threatening emergencies,” Spagnoli pledged. While the front lobby of the Police Department has been closed to the public, for emergencies, BHPD can be reached immediately by calling or texting 911. The non-emergency line is 310-550-4951.
Beverly Hills Has COVID-19 Kindness Task Force BY L AUR A COLEMAN
In the wake of the continued spread of COVID19 (Novel Coronavirus), on March 16 Mayor John Mirisch announced the formation of the COVID-19 Kindness Task Force. The new task force will consist of residents and community members willing to volunteer in ways that are mindful of the community. “This is an opportunity for Beverly Hills to do what we do best, care for one another,” said Mayor Mirisch. “We encourage members of our community to call their friends and loved ones, develop networks and support neighbors. By offering assistance in a safe and responsible way, we demonstrate our resilience as a community and will prevail healthier and stronger." (Kindness continues on page 4) $145 PER YEAR — $3.00 PER COPY