Desert Star Weekly April 17, 2020 issue!

Your adjudicated newspaper for Riverside County

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Ways to help Medical staff during pandemic see page 6.

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Friday, April 17, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 30

‘The Great Lockdown’ The global economy likely to suffer its worst recession since the Great Depression

By Desert Star Staff The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday has dramatically downgraded its outlook on global economic growth, projecting a sharp contraction for this

year amid “exceptionally high” uncertainty.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is inflicting high, and rising human costs worldwide, and the necessary protection measures are severely

impacting economic activity.

As a result of the pandemic, the global economy is projected to contract sharply by 3 percent in 2020, much worse than during the 2008–09 financial

crisis,” said the IMF. In January, the IMF had forecast that the global economy would expand 3.3 percent this year and 3.4 percent in 2021.

“This year, the global

economy will likely experience its worst recession since the Great Depression, surpassing that seen during the global financial crisis a decade ago,” said IMF’s chief economist Gita Gopinath.

She then added: Continues on Page 3

College of the Desert Staff Use 3D Printing to Protect Healthcare Providers

By Desert Star Staff Heeding the call from local healthcare providers, College of the Desert staff are utilizing 3D printers to create face shields for local hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Jim Lilly, a computer support specialist at the College who is also a 3D printer enthusiast with seven professional 3D printers at home, was one of the first to respond to the crisis. He started making masks in early March.

“I am amazed at how the community has responded to work on this crisis. Thank you to Jim and College of the Desert for assisting in

getting our medical facilities the supplies we need,” said Dr. Ignacio Borensztejn, who spearheaded efforts in accepting and approving Eisenhower Health’s donation from Lilly and the College.

Following Lilly’s lead, three other College employees, Michael Gayle, Miguel Pena III, and Jonathan Gorges, have taken home 3D printers from the College and are volunteering to make additional face shields.

The new shields are being donated to John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Desert Aids Project,

Continues on Page 3

Jonathan Gorges, Instructional Computer Support Specialist, shown in his home office, with 3D printing mask pieces

EDD Call Centers to Expand Hours Starting Monday NBC PS Nico Payne As people continue to stay safe at home, the number of unemployed applicants continues to increase, some people are having to go through the unemployment process for the first time are learning how frustrating it can be.

NBC Palm Springs spoke to local leaders on what people should expect if they find themselves unemployed.

There is a lot of frustration as people go through the process of applying for unemployment benefits, some waiting days, even weeks before speaking to someone on the phone.

“In the last four weeks, 2.7 million Californians have formally filed for unemployment insurance,” explained Governor Gavin Newsom of California.

To apply for uninsurance benefits, one must apply

online. People without access to computers who depending on the telephone face another struggle.

“We’ve tried faxing, we’ve called them for two weeks straight, every three or four hours I called them,” said Richard Perrone, resident of Desert Hot Springs.

Perrone decided to show up to the local Employment Development Department (EDD) office for answers, he was given a new number and was able to reach a voicemail, which he says is a step forward.

“First time that I got a voicemail, brings me a lot of comfort, yes,” added Perrone.

State and local leaders are working together to help ease frustration, increasing call center hours to help get questions answered.

“The governor’s executive order today is going to allow

us to open up the hours of our call center so those of you seeking a live person to talk to get help will be able to do that much more easily,” said Julie Su, Secretary of California Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

“If you are applying and you get a response with a confirmation number, you have applied and it takes approximately three weeks

to get that turned around and you begin to see the first initial benefits,” explained Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia with California’s 56th District.

Assemblyman Garcia says his office is standing by to help applicants who already applied.

“If there are specific questions after you already applied and you’re not hearing back from them, our office is more than happy

to directly contact the EDD agency,” added Garcia.

“I know they are overwhelmed, that’s why I’m not really upset, but it’s time to pay,” said Perrone.

The Employment Development Department will also be expanding hours starting Monday, they will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Source: NBC Palm Springs

Trump threatens to dismiss both chambers of Congress

By Desert Star Staff US President Donald Trump has said he may force both chambers of Congress to officially adjourn unless they do so voluntarily in a protest over the House and Senate blocking him from recess appointments.

The Senate should “either fulfill its duty and vote on my nominees or formally adjourn so that I can make recess

appointments,” the president said on Wednesday at a White House press conference.

Both the Republicanmajority Senate and the Democrat-majority House continue to gavel in for pro forma sessions. At the same time, most of the lawmakers have departed Washington DC and do not intend to return until May, Trump

noted. This is having the effect of preventing him from making appointments in the manner provided for by law.

“The current practice of leaving town while conducting phony pro forma sessions is a dereliction of duty the American people can’t afford during this crisis,” Trump argued.

It is a scam, and everybody knows this.

Democrats have dragged their feet in approving 129 nominees to various government posts in the Senate in “a concerted effort to make life difficult,” Trump said. Unless the lawmakers either return to work or formally adjourn, he said he would “exercise my constitutional rights to adjourn both chambers of Congress.”

Some of these nominations

have been held up for years, he added, using as an example his nominee to head the government broadcast agency in charge of Voice of America – which has even been renamed in the meantime, from the Broadcasting Board of Governors to US Agency for Global Media.

••••••••••••••

US jobless claims due to coronavirus lockdown rise

By Desert Star Staff The US Labor Department reported that 5.245 million more Americans filed first-time claims for unemployment last week.

The new numbers include independent contractors and others who previously were not eligible for benefits.

That brings the total rise in US unemployment over the past month to over 22 million, nearly wiping out all of the job gains since the 2008 financial crisis. The previous record for initial jobless claims during the Great Recession was below 700,000.

US unemployment has now surged to 16 percent, worse than during the financial crisis.

BREAKING! US initial jobless claims rose 5.25 million in the week until April 11. Cumulative job losses during the four weeks now at a staggering 22 million — jeroen blokland The number of jobless claims for the week ended April 11 represents a drop from the previous two weeks. In the week ending April 4, more than six million claims were filed,

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which was a slight decrease from the previous week’s record-breaking 6.867 million.

Some analysts predict that the number of claims will steadily begin falling from previous highs in the coming weeks, while others say there will be further spikes in the time ahead.

“It’s akin to the entire country being hit by a hurricane,” Jason Reed, assistant chair of finance at the University of Notre Dame, told the Guardian.

“And we don’t know when the hurricane is leaving.”

The US Federal Reserve reported this week that industrial production had plunged 5.4 percent in March as work in factories producing automobiles, aircraft and other goods was stopped to protect workers from the coronavirus outbreak.

It is the steepest onemonth slowdown since 1946, when American industries were shutting to shift production from wartime commodities to consumer products following the end of World War II. April 17, 2020

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Report: Stay-at-Home Changing Nature of Crime

By Desert Star Staff INDIANAPOLIS -- The governor’s stay at home order has dramatically changed the daily life of many Hoosiers, and it also could be behind recent shifts in crime patterns.

Researchers at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs examined calls received by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department throughout the unfolding pandemic.

Jeremy Carter, director of research and criminal justice and public safety at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, says social distancing recommendations didn’t have as wide-reaching of

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an impact as might be expected.

“I think there’s a perception out there among people that if we’re supposed to be staying home, and people don’t want to contract COVID, that crime should just be down across the board, and that’s just simply not the case,” he states. “Crime, for the most part, is stable.”

The report shows that after closures of schools and restaurants, traffic stops fell dramatically while both domestic violence calls and vandalism calls increased.

Robbery, assault, and vehicle theft remained the same, and burglary calls fell slightly after the stay-at-home order went into effect.

Carter says crime is a function of behaviors, but also interactions between people.

Vandalism might be increasing because teenagers are out of school and bored, and traffic stops are down because fewer people are traveling.

He says the rise in domestic violence calls is not surprising since social distancing creates a more significant opportunity

for conflict in the home.

“The timing of this is pretty tragic with the death of the IMPD officer responding to a domestic violence call,” Carter states. “It highlights the risks and the challenges that face police departments during a shelter in place. These are volatile, dangerous situations to try and diffuse and manage.”

Carter says the data is especially useful for law enforcement’s resourceallocation planning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Police departments have several officers that are out sick, that are on self-quarantine,” he explains. “They’re trying to run as few officers as possible to spread the workload and

to minimize public interaction and so forth. How do you use data to gain efficiencies with the personnel that you have?”

Carter notes the study results are limited to just two weeks and says future research on crime numbers will cover a more extended range of dates and can be compared with local data on new infections.

Voters Urged to Act Fast to Cast Vote-by-Mail Ballot

By Desert Star Staff COLUMBUS, Ohio -March 17 has passed, but Ohio’s 2020 presidential primary is not over.

Because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19 and the closure of polling locations, Ohioans now can vote by mail until April 28.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose says the state already has a convenient absentee-voting system, which is routinely used by about 25% of voters. But he notes time is short of requesting a voteby-mail ballot for the primary.

“Our postal carriers are out there working hard, and it takes time for the mail to get things to you,” he states. “So the biggest mistake would be waiting to request your absentee ballot.

“It’s time to act, and it’s straightforward. It only

takes you a few minutes.

Whether there’s a pandemic or not, your voice matters.”

Voters can print their absentee ballot request form online at voteohio. gov or call their local county board of election and have a request sent.

Ballots must be postmarked no later than April 27. People with disabilities and those who do not have a home mailing address may vote in person at their local board, but only on April 28.

Additional voting information is available by calling 1-877-SOS-OHIO (1-877-767-6446).

Jason Smith, associate state director of advocacy for AARP Ohio, says the organization is working with the secretary of state to make sure all voters know how to

‘The Great Lockdown’

Continued from Page 1

“Assuming the pandemic fades in the second half of 2020 and that policy actions are taken around the world

are effective; we project global growth in 2021 to partially rebound to 5.8 percent.”

The IMF, which dubbed the current crisis “the Great Lockdown” and “a crisis

participate in the primary.

He says that outreach and education are especially important for older adults.

“People over 65 continue to show up at polls far more than any other age group and tend to have a strong preference for voting in person,” he points out. “And this new voting-bymail process that we have for the primary is very new.”

Smith says at AARP.org/ oh, there is critical information about voting in the 2020 primary, and the organization is providing videos, timelines, and other resources through both social and print media.

“We also are buying ad space in over 60 newspapers on Sunday, April 19, where folks can cut out their ballot request form and send it into their board of elections if they don’t have access to a

printer to be able to print that request at home,” he states.

LaRose contends that Ohio has been a leader in election security, and explains that ballots that already have been cast in the primary are safe at local boards of elections behind double lock and key.

“There’s a secure room where there are two locks on the door,” he explains.

“The Democratic Party has one key, and the Republican Party has another key, and that’s one of those ways that we all keep each other honest and make sure that there’s bipartisan supervision of the entire process.”

Disclosure: AARP Ohio contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Health Issues, Senior Issues.

like no other,” said that the risks for even more severe outcomes are substantial. It has called for the necessity of effective policies.

According to the

fund, it had received “an unprecedented number of calls for emergency funding,” with more than 90 nations (out of its 189 members) having asked for financial support.

COD Staff Use 3D Printing to Protect Healthcare Providers

Continued from Page 1

Blythe Post Acute, and Eisenhower Medical Center.

“After surveying our local healthcare providers, we www.desertstarweekly.com

Domestic violence calls in Indianapolis rose from about 73 calls a day before the stay-at-home order to 86 per day. (AdobeStock)

received requests for more than 1,000 shields,” said Wendy Deras, MS, RN, Regional Director of Employment Engagement, Health, Inland Empire/Desert. “We are April 17, 2020

pooling our resources, using College supplies and those donated from the community to make 75-100 per day.”

College of the Desert is continuing to serve its

local community and has donated other PPE, including gowns, hair bonnets, gloves, and shoe coverings to local healthcare facilities and the Desert Aids Project as well.

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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

By Madeline Zuckerman Although it has been almost 50 years since the first federal legislation aimed at curtailing Child Abuse was passed, it remains a devastating problem in America. Every ten seconds in the United States, a case of child abuse is reported.

In 1983, President Reagan declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. During April and throughout the year, communities are encouraged to increase awareness and provide education and support to families through resources and strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect.

A year before Congress passed the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, Dr. Donald, and Lois Verleur, who was living in Southern California, took in four young girls who needed a home, and in so doing, created Olive Crest, an organization committed to addressing the individual needs of at-risk youth and their families. Olive Crest today is the recognized leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse, serving over 3,500 children and families daily throughout California, Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest. And while so many of the individual stories of child abuse and neglect can end in heartbreaking ways, Olive Crest has celebrated a wealth of successful endings, translated into new beginnings, as at-risk children have become hopefilled, productive young adults.

Here Are Some of Their Stories . . .

Helen grew up in a home where drug addiction reigned supreme, while she and her brother became afterthoughts in their parents’ lives. She found herself often shifted in and out of foster care, and sadly, often separated from her brother. For Helen, whose experience of uncertainty and separation from her brother and family left her undone by trauma, Olive Crest was the answer to her prayers.

Once Olive Crest intervened, Helen and her brother were placed together with a loving family who provided

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a structured life, for them to succeed and heal. Today, Helen holds an Associate Degree in Child Development and a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership for Christian Ministry. She is married and launching a business selling products that benefit foster children.

Then there was Michael.

When Michael was born, his mother was a single 18-yearold who struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. Immediately after he was born, she became pregnant again, only to lose her second son to sudden infant death syndrome at the age of 3 months. It was too much for her, and she abandoned her remaining son. As Michael relates, “the police came to our home and found me, at age two, all alone and sitting on the floor with a knife in my hand.” He would then go through a series of possible homes, only to find rejection and loneliness. Michael was on the road to becoming another member of the child welfare system, 60% of whom end up being incarcerated.

Finally finding himself in the safety and care of an Olive Crest Residential Home for Teenagers, Michael began to thrive, graduating high school and landing his first two jobs.

He then met a mentor, Chris, who believed in him. Chris arranged for Michael to get a job with his family’s business in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Michael wound up opening his Branding and Design business, before becoming a teaching pastor at a local church.

When Ruby first entered the system, she was six years old, and the primary caretaker of her two baby sisters, Stephanie and Jessica. Their home had been a vacant house that her parents had broken into. As she describes it, “It was not the kind of place where anyone should live.” Her parents, addicted to drugs and alcohol, saw their children as minor concerns. Ruby slept without sheets or blankets on a mattress on the floor, and often drank sour milk, or her baby sisters’ formula. After finally being removed from their’

home,’ Ruby spent the next few years in and out of seven houses, heading for an adult life of homelessness. 25% of children that age out of the child welfare system end up homeless within the first year of their adult lives. For Ruby and her two sisters, homelessness was a constant threat, until Olive Crest connected with her.

Then one day, she overheard her Olive Crest parents discussing the possibility of adopting her. Miraculously, her family later adopted her younger sister, Jessica, with sister Stephanie being taken by another Olive Crest family.

These three sisters now see one another monthly as part of the extended Olive Crest family.

Homelessness was already a part of Ashley’s life at the age of 14. Initially raised by parents who were addicted to methamphetamines, she had been removed from their care and had spent most of her childhood in and out of the child welfare system. When she was 13, her mother reentered her life, and Ashley’s initial joy turned to the worst kind of betrayal, as her mother turned her daughter into a meth addict. “My mother showed me how to smoke meth. She popped it right in my mouth and lit it, and I was hooked.” Within a year, Ashley was not only addicted to methamphetamine; she was involved with an abusive man

Suicide, overdose, drug-related violence, and human trafficking are the tragic final chapters in the lives of too many children as a result of child abuse and neglect. However, over the last 12 months, Olive Crest has provided over 100,000 Safe Days in Riverside County.

Olive Crest works tirelessly to stop child abuse by both treating those suffering from the cycle of violence, and by preventing it via intervention and education strategies.

“We have seen a remarkable 54% increase in our services just this past year, and it is critical for us to educate the community to help,” stated Tracy Fitzsimmons, Executive Director who became the father of her of Olive Crest, in the Inland two children. Her life became and Desert Communities. a nightmare of alternating “Our future is ensuring a between living in abandoned strong family for every child buildings or jail. And when she within our community. I wasn’t in prison, her old habits hope that more people will led her down a dark path with embrace the challenge of her children along for the ride. supporting the health and In Riverside County, this isn’t well-being of local children a novel situation. Last year and their families. Each of alone, there were more than us can make a difference 40,000 reports of Child Abuse, by educating ourselves and with roughly 7,000 cases still making a commitment to help open. Leaving jail, Ashley end child abuse. As we at realized she had to make a Olive Crest say, it happens change for her family’s sake.

“One Life At A Time®,” She called her grandmother, Fitzsimmons continued. who recommended two places The COVID-19 crisis for her to seek help – CV highlights the critical role Rescue Mission and Olive Crest of Olive Crest as a First Desert Communities. Ashley Responder, as at-risk children contacted Olive Crest, and the rely on the Olive Crest organization connected her professionals to assist with with a Safe Family, who cared managing difficult emotions, to for her two young children support their ongoing healing while she went through the process. With fundraising Rescue Mission. As she efforts being postponed and, worked through her healing in some instances, canceled process, the Olive Crest team throughout the community, developed a plan to reunite Olive Crest is projecting a her with her children. Today, significant financial shortfall.

Ashley has sole custody of her If you have the means and two children, works full-time, would like to help at-risk and lives in a three-bedroom children and their families, apartment. Her next goal this is the time to commit is to achieve an Accounting to joining the fight against Degree. “Without Olive Crest, Child Abuse and Neglect. my story would have turned To learn more about out differently,” comments how you can help, please Ashley. Child Abuse Stopped contact Olive Crest in the Here® with Ashley.

Desert Communities at For these children and 760-848-4124 or email many, many more, these stories angela-allen@olivecrest.org could have ended horrifically. or visit www.olivecrest.org.

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Teachers and Students Find Purpose Through Leadership Programs

By Desert Star Staff Many teachers are drawn to education for the opportunity to make a difference in their students’ lives. However, when faced with guiding students through trying times in order to meet their big goals, teachers need resources that strengthen social and emotional skills.

At Port Chester Middle School in Port Chester, NY, teacher Allison Silverman faced this very challenge and used the lessons in the Lead4Change program to be successful. Lead4Change is a free student leadership curriculum offering the chance to submit a student-led service learning project for a grant of up to $10,000. Its series of leadership lessons provides opportunities for strong student engagement through collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving and reflection.

Such programs offer students numerous benefits.

An independent research study found that participating in Lead4Change caused significant growth in areas such as leadership skills (60 percent of students improved), respect for others (54 percent) and ambition and innovation (53 percent). However, teachers can have equally transformative experiences.

When Silverman and her students formed the “PC

Hunger Fighters” team, her students studied the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and together, came to consensus on creating a vertical garden using upcycled materials, aiming to help the 200,000 food insecure individuals in their county. Then, Silverman heard from a student participating in the program.

“I received a very desperate call from one of our students,” she recalls.

“There had been a shooting the night before and a 26-yearold Port Chester resident was killed. The student knew this man. I remember sitting on the bench next to my school garden and crying. I cried so hard. I had no idea what to do, or what to tell the kids.”

“I thought about how insignificant our ‘little gardens’ would be alongside challenges like poverty and violence,” Silverman says.

The students coped with the tragedy by using the Lead4Change’s lessons in communication, overcoming barriers and working as a team. They knew more could be done because of what they’d practiced.

“I cancelled our celebration scheduled for the following day and instead met in the boardroom with the kids. For three hours, we talked about injustices and inequalities,

pledging to continue to work together to fight these things and make a real difference.

We realized our project was important,” says Silverman.

Their efforts were awarded as one of the grand prizewinning teams, earning a $10,000 grant, though their participation was a reward in and of itself because of the leadership skills they mastered.

This is just one of the hundreds of stories unfolding nationwide.

“The Lead4Change experience was as valuable to

me as it was for the students,” shares Thomas Loner, a teacher from South Carolinalocated Bates Middle school, whose “Bates’ Bodacious Bantams” student team helped a local homeless shelter by collecting supplies. “This program forced me to give up ‘control’ of my classroom and let students become leaders.”

Teacher Holly Hartman in Lebanon, PA continues to experience the program’s benefits after years of participation. “This journey

not only helps my students grow, but somehow also manages to help me become a bit wiser with each experience,” she says.

For more information about the Lead4Change Student Leadership Program, visit lead4change.org.

Leadership curriculum will not only prepare students for a future of increasingly complex social issues, but also serve as a catalyst for helping teachers and students alike find purpose and meaning. StatePoint

PepsiCo Pledges $1 Million to No Kid Hungry

By Desert Star Staff Athletes including New York Giants Running Back Saquon Barkley, New York Yankees Outfielder Aaron Judge and WNBA All-Star A’ja Wilson join to rally donations and support meal distribution to children in need With the global health crisis driving school closures across the country, kids who rely on school for food have missed nearly 608 million meals to date. Because students urgently need support to meet their nutrition needs during this time of crisis, PepsiCo and the company’s philanthropic arm The PepsiCo Foundation announced the launch of Give Meals, Give Hope. It’s an initiative to help connect kids in need with critical food through a fundraising campaign with No Kid Hungry, a national campaign working to ensure every kid gets three meals a day during the pandemic and after, especially those in the hardest-hit communities.

Despite nationwide efforts to help feed children during this emergency, significant hurdles remain including increased demand for rapid supply of nutritious food and beverages, low awareness of meal availability, and distribution barriers to bring meals “the last www.desertstarweekly.com

mile” to children and families.

Recruiting an All-Star Team to Propel No Kid Hungry® Endeavors PepsiCo is enlisting athletes including New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and WNBA All-Star A’ja Wilson to rally communities to contribute to No Kid Hungry and spread the word about this important issue using #GiveMealsGiveHope.

To double the support, PepsiCo will match $1 million in donations made at NoKidHungry.org/ PepsiCoGives from April 13 through April 30, 2020.

“We’re thankful for partners like PepsiCo who are leveraging their capabilities and assets -- like a roster of star athletes -- to help get the word out and ensure all kids have access to nutritious food during this challenging time and beyond,” said Jill Davis, Chief Revenue Officer for No Kid Hungry.

Delivering on the PepsiCo Promise to Fight Hunger Give Meals, Give Hope is one part of PepsiCo’s more than $45 million effort to fight hunger and distribute 50 million meals globally amid the health crisis. In the U.S., PepsiCo is

providing 20 million nutritious meals to communities in need through The PepsiCo Foundation’s Food for Good program, the No Kid Hungry partnership, and a partnership with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and USDA to reach rural students.

In addition, PepsiCo has committed $3 million to support Team Rubicon’s food delivery operations for partners Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, and others in 100

April 17, 2020

locations across the U.S. “The massive scope of this issue calls for businesses, nonprofits and citizens to join forces,” said Anne Fink, President of PepsiCo Foodservice. “Our Foodservice team works with thousands of schools so we’re seeing firsthand the urgency to get kids the nourishment they need now more than ever. We’re passionately committed to serving students and we urge everyone to

give what they can to make an even bigger impact.”

With extensive knowledge of Kindergarten – 12th grade nutrition guidelines, the PepsiCo Foodservice team also will donate products to schools. PepsiCo is utilizing its portfolio of healthier brands, like Quaker, Tropicana, Smartfood, Sun Chips and Rold Gold, while helping fill the need for nutritious shelf-stable meals that can travel “the last mile.”

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Social Distancing Not an Option in Nebraska’s Overcrowded Prisons

By Desert Star Staff LINCOLN, Neb. -Nebraska’s overcrowded prisons could put their incarcerated residents at greater risk of an outbreak of COVID-19, and a coalition of legal groups want the state to share its plans for keeping those serving time, prison employees and their families safe.

Adam Sipple, legal director at the ACLU of Nebraska, said many prisons are operating at 200% capacity, and one facility has three times as many people as it was designed to house. In some facilities, more than 50 people are held in spaces designed for 16.

“We’re getting reports that four inmates are being housed in a 7-foot-by-15-foot cell, with two sets of bunks and four lockers, and that the cell is so crowded that only one person can move at a time,” Sipple said.

Three juveniles at a facility in Kearney have COVID-19, along with six staffers. Sipple said the number of adult cases is unknown because of a lack of testing.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services has said it’s following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control on hygiene, and Gov. Pete Ricketts has argued that releasing inmates early could pose a public safety risk.

Sipple said Nebraska has a constitutional and moral obligation to protect people in custody, and noted that people are released from prison on parole every week because they’re eligible and not a risk to public safety. He said combing through the files to find such individuals would help bring the population down to a safer level.

“It’s very difficult for us to believe that with 800 parole-eligible incarcerated

The U.S. District Court of Nebraska holds a status hearing today on an emergency motion requesting the release of the state’s plan for prevention, management and treatment of COVID-19 in Nebraska prisons. (USAF) Nebraskans, we can’t find a substantial number of that 800 that could be released without threatening public safety,” he said.

The U.S. District Court of Nebraska is set to meet today, by phone, for a status hearing on an emergency motion filed last week that asked the court

to require the state corrections agency to provide a COVID-19 prevention, treatment and management plan.

4 Ways to Help Nurses During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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FAMILY FEATURES

merica’s nurses are on the front lines of the fight against coronavirus, providing safe, quality, compassionate and nondiscriminatory care to those they serve, many of whom are doing so at significant risk to their own well-being.

The American Nurses Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association, created the Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses to provide direct financial assistance, mental health support and science- and data-based information to nurses serving on the front lines.

“Nurses always answer the call to serve their patients, communities and country during times of crisis,” said American Nurses Foundation Chair Tim Porter-O’Grady, DM, EdD, ScD (h), APRN, FAAN, FACCWS. “As we confront the new and emerging challenges of this pandemic, nurses are and will continue serving on the front lines in extraordinary ways.”

To show your support during this uncertain time, consider taking part in these four key actions: 1. Text THANKS to 20222 to donate $10. One of the easiest ways to directly support nurses is to donate $10 to the Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses, spread the word to others using the hashtag #ThanksNurses, and visit ThanksNurses.org.

2. Stay home. Only leave home for essentials and maintain a safe distance from other people.

3. Wash your hands. Frequently wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing. It is also important to wash your hands after going out in public and touching items that others may have come in contact with such as doors, shopping carts or credit card readers.

4. Follow local guidelines. Seek guidance from local public health officials, such as those at your county health department.

Nurses are reliable and proven responders during infectious disease emergencies, providing essential care where it is needed most. Following simple steps like these can go a long way toward keeping people healthy.

Donations will help provide direct financial assistance, mental health support and science- and data-based information to benefit nurses. Visit ThanksNurses.org to learn more.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

About the Support Fund The American Nurses Foundation’s Coronavirus Response Fund for Nurses is a nationwide effort to provide direct financial assistance, mental health support and science- and data-based resources to benefit nurses. The Johnson & Johnson company and its TYLENOL brand made a $1.5 million commitment to launch this fund.

A portion of the donations will help support Nurses House, Inc., a national fund for registered nurses in need. The American Nurses Foundation is partnering with this organization to help nurses affected by COVID-19. Nurses who are unable to work due to COVID-19 infection, are caring for a family member with COVID-19 or are under mandatory quarantine can submit an application for assistance.

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DesertSTAR

April 17, 2020

www.desertstarweekly.com

Desert Star Weekly Legals PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

VALLEY, CA 92509. Riverside County. Full name of registrant LUCKY 8 MARKET, INC., 5448 MISSION BLVD, JURUPA VALLEY, CA 92509/CA. Business is conducted by CORPORATION. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 01/01/2017. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant, who declares as true, information which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime) Signed NITABEN PATEL, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Riverside County on 03/12/2020. Peter Aldana, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder File No. R-202003871. NOTICE — THIS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT EXPIRES FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THAT TIME. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411, ET. SEQ., BUSINESSAND PROFESSIONS CODE). Publish April 10, 17, 24, May 1, 2020 DSW20-5077

PUBLIC NOTICE

April 17, 2020 PUBLIC NOTICE

TCM Inc., 850 E Vista Chino, #24, Palm Springs, CA 92262. Riverside County. Full name of registrant: Anhui Acu¬puncture & TCM Inc., 850 E Vista Chino #24, Palm Springs, CA 92262/CA. Business is conducted by: Corporation. Registrant has not yet begun to trans¬act business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant, who declares as true, information which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime).

Signed: Christopher Thomas Burnett, President.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Riverside County on February 18, 2020. Peter Aldana, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder File No. R-202002516. NOTICE — THIS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT EXPIRES FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATE¬MENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THAT TIME. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTI¬TIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411, ET. SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE). DSW20-5060 March 6, 13, 20, 27, 2020, April 10, 17, 24, May 1, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

NESS AS YELLOW BIRCH, 5935 SAGUARO ST, RIVERSIDE, CA 92509. Riverside County. Full name of registrant BRIANNA MONIQUE HERNANDEZ, 7739 LAKESIDE DR, RIVERSIDE, CA 92509/CA. Business is conducted by INDIVIDUAL. Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 11/31/2019. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant, who declares as true, information which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime) Signed BRIANNA MONIQUE HERNANDEZ. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Riverside County on 03/04/2020. Peter Aldana, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder File No. R-202003392. NOTICE — THIS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT EXPIRES FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THAT TIME. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411, ET. SEQ., BUSINESSAND PROFESSIONS CODE). Publish March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 2020 DSW20-5070

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE AMENDED FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEFOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSI- MENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE AMENDED STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT NESS AS MISSION MARKET, 5448 BLVD, JURUPA DOING BUSI¬NESS AS: Anhui Acupuncture & FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSI- OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME The

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PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

following fictitious business name(s) PUBELO SERENO MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY, 25521 LINCOLN AVENUE, HEMET, CA 92544, RIVERSIDE COUNTY. Riverside County has been abandoned by the following person(s): BKKS HOLDINGS, LLC 25521 S. ELK STREET, HEMET, CA 92544/CA. This business is conducted by: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY The fictitious business name(s) referred to above was filed in Riverside County on: 1/28/16 I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true, information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime. Signed: LOGAN A. BOGGS, BKKS HOLDINGS, LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITIED LIABILITY COMPANY BY: LAB MANAGEMENT, LP, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ITS: MEMBER BY: LOGAN A. BOGGS, TRUSTEE OF THE LOGAN A. BOGGS 1998 PRIMARY TRUST FBO LOGAN A. BOGGS, JR. ITS: MANAGING GENERAL PARTNER This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Riverside County, signed by, Peter Aldana Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder on January 02/2020 File No. R-201601188. Publish January 15, 22, 29, February 5, 2020, March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 2020. DSW20-2015

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By Desert Star Staff More than 25 million Americans (about 1 in 13 people) suffer from asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey.

Asthma is a serious lung disease that affects the airways and makes it difficult to breathe. However, symptoms can be controlled with proper treatment and an action plan similar to this recommendation from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Find more information at nhlbi.nih.gov/LMBBasthma.

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How to Clean and Disinfect Your iPhone

oleophobic coating. Still, there are certain disinfecting products that Apple approves of.

Disinfecting Your iPhone A simple solution of isopropyl alcohol is an effective way to eliminate illness-causing particulates from your iPhone, and Apple says that it is safe to use either 70 percent isopropyl alcohol or Clorox cleaning wipes on your devices.

With a cleaning spray or 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, moisten a microfiber cloth until it’s just damp.

Wipe down the iPhone, front and back, with the microfiber cloth.

Dip a Q-Tip or cotton swab and go over the edges of the iPhone to make sure to disinfect all of the crevices. has a higher water resistance For these phones, Apple

By Desert Star Staff Alternatively, take a Clorox rating than other iPhones, which does not recommend the Most of us are touching our wipe that is not too moist and means Apple can recommend step of using warm soapy iPhones constantly throughout thoroughly wipe the front, back, washing them a bit more water for cleaning purposes. the day, which means the and sides of the iPhone. thoroughly than other iPhones.

Unplug all cables and iPhone can be a magnet for Display cleaning sprays: Unplug all cables and turn off the iPhone. germs, dirt, and fingerprints.

Monoprice Screen turn off the iPhone.

Use a soft, slightly damp It’s a good idea to regularly light-free cloth to rub debris and Cleaner ($5.79) clean your iPhone, especially Use a soft, slightly damp Whoosh Screen light-free cloth to rub debris and fingerprints from the display. during the flu season and, Cleaner Kit ($9.99) fingerprints from the display.

Avoid getting right now, the COVID-19 Clorox Screen If the material is still moisture in openings. coronavirus outbreak.

Cleaning Wipe ($3.99) present, use a soft, lint-free These guidelines don’t Apple has some Care Check Lens precisely address disinfecting cloth with warm soapy water. specific guidelines for Wipes ($8.99) the iPhone (except for using Apple instructs people to cleaning, depending on iCloth Lens and Screen warm, soapy water), and make sure not to get moisture which iPhone you have.

Cleaner ($19.49) Apple recommends against in the openings of the iPhone Cleaning iPhone 11, It’s a good practice to harsh cleaning products and during the cleaning process.

11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max make sure to do a small test abrasive materials because Cleaning iPhone XS, Apple’s iPhone 11, iPhone spot when using any screen these can diminish the iPhone 8, and Earlier 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max

cleaning spray to make sure it’s not causing damage to the iPhone’s fingerprint coating.

Cleaners other than isopropyl alcohol, and those that are designed explicitly for displays should be avoided.

Harsh cleaners that contain bleach and other surfactants should not be used under any circumstances.

Cleaning Dust from the Lightning Port Displays aren’t the only part of the iPhone that can become dirty, as dust and other particulates can coagulate in the Lightning port of the iPhone, leading to problems with charging.

Luckily, there’s an easy fix: Turn off the iPhone.

Using a toothpick, very carefully remove any visible lint that’s in the Lightning port.

You may need a flashlight to get a good look inside the port so that you can see what you’re doing.

You can also use the toothpick to clean out speaker grilles and anywhere else dust has accumulated.

Note that the tips that we’ve provided for the iPhone also work on Apple’s iPads.

Make sure to check out how to disinfect your Apple keyboard, trackpad, and mouse, which can also be a hotbed for germs.

Source: Macrumor.com

Lessons Still to Be Learned 10 Years After Deepwater Horizon Blowout

By Desert Star Staff LONG BEACH, Calif.

-- A report out today from Oceana says the feds have failed to learn from the biggest oil spill in American history the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, which took place ten years ago next week.

The Trump administration is working on expanding offshore drilling, even proposing new wells off the California coast. Diane Hoskins is the campaign director at Oceana and co-author of the report.

She said it’s not a question of if there will be another massive spill, but when.

“Offshore drilling is still as dirty and dangerous as it was ten years ago,” Hoskins said. “And if anything, another disaster is more likely today, as the industry drills deeper and farther offshore in much riskier places.”

The administration’s draft 5-year offshore energy plan would open up nearly all federal waters to new drilling. In March, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management confirmed it still is working on updating the proposed 5-year plan, which has been held up by a lawsuit challenging the government’s right to lift Obama-era protections for sensitive areas in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

The feds already have rolled back some of the regulations

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DesertSTAR

put in place after the disaster - rules Hoskins said are crucial to prevent another blowout.

“For example, reducing the frequency and duration of testing for safety equipment, weakening onshore monitoring of particular safety equipment, and removing a requirement for an independent third party to review safety plans,” she said.

Oceana is calling on the president and Congress to halt all new offshore drilling projects in federal waters and invest more in renewable energy.

Hindsight 2020: * On April 20, 2010, the BP exploratory rig Deepwater Horizon exploded, killing 11 workers and setting off the most massive oil spill in U.S. history. Oil gushed from the seafloor for 87 days, ultimately spewing more than 200 million gallons of fuel into the Gulf of Mexico.

Ten years after one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history, this report examines the cause and impacts of the catastrophe, how those impacts are still being felt today; and whether the tragedy changed the government and industry’s approach to offshore drilling.

To answer these questions, Oceana reviewed government documents, media coverage, scientific studies, reports from nonprofit organizations,

The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill permanently damaged wetlands and continues to affect marine mammal populations. (U.S. Coast Guard) and interviewed Gulf Coast residents, scientists, business owners, and policy experts.

Explore Oceana’s findings in the interactive feature above, which includes video testimonials from Gulf residents who lived through the disaster, the scientists analyzing the impacts, and policy experts trying to prevent a repeat. These stories help us understand what is at stake under President Trump’s radical plan to expand offshore drilling to nearly all U.S. waters.

April 17, 2020

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