Tri County Sentry

S SENTRY The Tri County’s Only Multicultural Newspaper

The Tri County’s Only Multicultural Newspaper

Sean Penn

wants to ‘save lives’ with free COVID-19 testing

TRI TRICOUNTY COUNTY

ENTRY VOL. XXVIII NO. 16

n See page 8

APRIL 17, 2020

SHARON KEEPS HER

SIZZLING

Cultural and Community

Services review COVID 19 response

SENIORS VERY MOTIVATED

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Port Hueneme-- As the Coronavirus drags on through April, lines, shortages at the grocery store, layoffs, and worrying about receiving unemployment from the state became a centerpiece of worry in many families’ lives.

S

OCIAL distancing is part of the new normal too, and that has taken a toll on many vital services in the

area.

One casualty has been the canceling of “Sharon’s Sizzling Seniors” exercise

class that usually meets each Mon. Wed., and Fri. at the Port Hueneme Community Center.

The class allows the group to get active and stay healthy and in shape moving forward. What is equally important is the class has a social aspect. The group has a family feel, and everyone is always welcome.

Group Leader Sharon Kloeris and her group follow a simple set of rules that’s guided them for 20 years: Because a women / man with a physique is much more than how good she / he looks….

A well-built physique is a status symbol….

It reflects you worked hard for it….

No money can buy it…

You cannot inherit it…

You cannot steal it…

You cannot borrow it…

You cannot hold on to it without constant work!

It shows dedication…

It shows discipline….

It shows self-respect….

It shows dignity…

It shows patience, work ethic and passion!

(File photo by Chris Frost)

Community Services Director Terrel Harrison.

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com

Kloeris said that she never before has seen anything like the coronavirus in her life and hopes it never happens again.

“The rippling effect of this Pandemic is overwhelming,” she said. “No one

Oxnard-- The Cultural and Community Services Committee received a report April 14, on the Cultural and Community

Services’s response to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Director Terrel Harrison updated the committee and said usually, people think of the department doing recreation activities for the youth and seniors, plus operating the Oxnard libraries and arts programs.

The department closed its senior centers, RSVP Programs, the Oxnard Special Population Program, and the city’s boxing gyms because of COVID 19.

“On March 13, we had to close our libraries and all of the rest of our gyms, our City Corps youth program, our preschool classes, our after school programs, and our recreation classes,” he said.

“We know the community relies on these programs as a whole, and n Response, see page 3

n Seniors Motivated, see page 6

Community Services Commission approves La Colonia Boxing Gym Dr. Manuel Lopez Youth Center name change

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard—The Oxnard Community Services Commission has recommended that the City Council rename the La Colonia Boxing Gym to the La Colonia Boxing Gym Dr. Manuel Lopez Youth Center at its Apr. 14 meeting.

Lopez was elected to the Oxnard City Council in 1978 and became mayor in 1992. He served on the council until 2004.

Lopez had an impact on many city organizations and committees, as he

The La Colonia Boxing Gym to the La Colonia Boxing Gym Dr. Manuel Lopez Youth Center is a true family.

also was part of the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce, the Community Relations

Committee, the Housing Authority, Planning Commission, the Boys and

(File photo by Chris Frost)

Girls Club, and the Oxnard College Foundation.

Lopez passed away on Jan. 27, 2020.

Recreation Coordinator Janis Zaragoza presented the item to the committee and said Lopez was always a proponent for the youth of Oxnard.

“Especially youth boxing,” Zaragoza said. “In 1994, he led an effort to allocate $250,000 to renovate the La Colonia Boxing Gym.” Lopez told the Los Angeles Times that “A lot of people have been involved with boxing gyms in the past, and I think that this will show that we are interested in maintaining the boxing n La Colonia, see page 6

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

NEWS Frosted Thoughts A rebel and his laptop

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard-- Maybe I’m spending too much time in front of the television, but the more I watch the news, the more outraged I become watching the media play gotcha with Donald Trump.

I

N case you forgot, we are in the middle of a pandemic, and we don’t have time for this nonsense. When this is over, I’m sure there will be a time to evaluate the response, and I think it should be an independent commission. I’m sure that President Trump will admit in the end that there are things he could have done better. That’s normal.

Let me ask you, do you want a president who sidesteps every question, or do you want a president who gives you straight answers, whether you like it or not? Trump is a New Yorker like I am, and I have no problem watching him stand up to the media. If you need help with this. Try running a bakery on the subway platform at the Port Authority Building in New York City. I did, and you’ll understand quickly.

With all that said, let’s review how an election works. A candidate has a set of ideas or theories to make the government better, and they run for president. If they get enough electoral college votes, that candidate gets elected president. If you think that Trump is

not your president, that is stupid. We live in the United States, this is the system we live in, and it’s not subject to negotiation. Maybe you can spend your time thinking of ways to raise the bar and elevate the debate. Of course, that means less time to scream; I hate Donald Trump.

Let’s review what a journalist is supposed to do, and how the current environment has digressed, unfortunately.

When I report on a story, once again, I check the facts, get quotes, and report on the story without an agenda or goal.

A journalist should always be neutral every time, and, unfortunately, I have to write this a second time.

You know, about 1.5 months ago I was watching television, and the J-Train said to me that the coronavirus is awful and she worried about what would happen.

I turned to my wife and said: “you watch, at some point in time, they’ll figure out a way to make this Donald Trump’s fault.”

I read the news story that outlined how this was Trump’s fault, and the New York Times said he didn’t act soon enough, and bingo, I hit the nail right on the head.

When he responded and outlined what he did to respond, including banning travel from China, I read a story about how the media broke away from his comments. CNN called it a propaganda video. Well, where I come from, that means misleading information. Since he actually did all this stuff, how is that misleading?

Chris Frost

Trump banned travel from China four days after they reported human to human transmission of the virus.

Democrats called this fear-mongering and racism.

It’s not the first time that happened at a newspaper I worked for. At another location, I wrote a story about an election where a member of the Tea Party got beat. I reported on the facts, and my publisher called it an awful story and told me to write it again. I wrote it again, sort of, and added the

sentence “this is the end of the Tea Party,” and my boss congratulated me, called it a great story and he boosted the story on Facebook.

When the Tea Party came to complain at me, I showed them what happened and told them that my boss is their problem. Needless to say, my boss got seriously pissed at me.

I had another boss tell me that I was not allowed to record meetings. I told her tough 888888, and recording stories protect me from people calling

fake news. The next thing I knew, I had people telling me that my boss hated me. They called her my nemesis.

When I worked in Compton, I asked a lot of candidates how they can work with Republicans to get things done?

The candidates all promised to work across the aisle, but two years later, they all blamed the Republicans for not getting anything done. I called her out on this, and it did not go well.

If you want something dramaladen to sink your teeth into, I can help. When Bernie Sanders opened his campaign office in Oxnard, I covered that event and the lady who ran the evening told me that she would not do an interview, she refused to tell me her name, and when I arrived, I started taking pictures, and I was told to stop.

Somebody else from the campaign told me they didn’t want the public knowing how few people there were volunteering to help.

I report on what happens, and I don’t care what people think. I have no fear, and I ask people who do you want your news to come from? Do you want your news to come from a chicken or an SOB? For me, I want the SOB every time.

So here it is, once again, what the media should be doing. The truth is a great story 100 percent of the time, without bias. If you are part of the media and you think your job is to press your agenda, and you are wrapped up with your self-absorbed importance, perhaps you can try a different career, or you can try journalism in a different location, like China.

Response continued from page 1

they enhance the quality of life for our citizens in Oxnard.”

That raised the question about how the department moves forward, he said, and still provide

some services to the community.

Oxnard Public Library Library Manager Sofia Kimsey told the committee that

the library is closely tied to the community’s quality of life.

“The library builds relationships and creates opportunities within the

community and helps grow our residents into vibrant community members,” she said.

The Oxnard Library system was one of the first to react to the COVID 19 pandemic, she said, and the staff kicked into gear to seek ways to continue providing free information and services to the community while they

sheltered in place.

“You will be proud to know that our library staff provides similar services to what our patrons usually receive coming into the library, but they are doing this from the safety of their home,” she said. “During the crisis, the services the Oxnard Public Library provides

are essential to the community.”

The Oxnard Public Library posts virtual storytimes on Facebook and Instagram.

“Storytimes are interactive ways that parents can encourage their little ones to continue to read,” she said. “The books we are sharing have all received n Services Reviews, see page 3

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

NEWS Kala Everhart named 2019 dispatcher of the year Oxnard--The Oxnard Police Department kicked off National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week by congratulating Kala Everhart for being chosen by her peers as Oxnard Police Dispatcher of the Year for 2019!

K

ALA has worked to protect our city and officers for over 15 years. During the course of her career, she has handled several critical incidents, including officer-involved

Oscar Villareal arrested after assaulting police detectives with screwdriver

shootings. She consistently shows her compassion and dedication to the public and does everything she can to ensure the callers’ needs are met.

Within the communications center, Kala is always respectful, dependable, and provides strong leadership skills. Throughout her career, Kala has consistently portrayed a strong work ethic and continues to provide exceptional service to our community.

All these attributes are why Kala was chosen as the 2019 Dispatcher of the Year! Thank you for your exceptional work, Kala!

(Courtesy photo)

Kala Everhart

Oxnard-- On April 13, 2020, at approximately 12:25 p.m., Detectives from the Oxnard Police Department were driving in a marked police vehicle in the area of Sixth and Meta streets when they observed a female yelling for help. The Detectives stopped to assist the female and observed Oscar Villareal attempting to leave the area. As Detectives attempted to contact Villareal, he produced a n Oscar Villareal, see page 9

Response continued from page 2

permission from publishers to present to our viewers online, and are available through our website to check out virtually. This week, we had a special birthday storytime for children. We reached over 135 different community members.

That is way more than we would be able to fit into our main library event room.”

The virtual book discussion allows kids ages kindergarten through the third grade to interact with one of the children’s librarians and discuss books.

“She will pick a topic, and they will discuss it,” she said. “We try to refer our children to some of our resources; they can check out with their library card.”

The virtual homework center has a staff that works out of the main branch and South Oxnard, and they still tutor children from kindergarten through the 12th grade on any questions they have.

Students can email the library at library@oxnard.org, or the staff can take their phone calls directly and get tutoring over the phone.

“We have lots of online resources that will help students, parents, as well as teachers on our website,” she said.

The library also has a book talk discussion posted on social

media.

“Last week, we posted a fiction book talk on several recently published mysteries, as well as separate posts on exercise and running while we are in isolation,” she said. “Our book discussions are for all ages. They wet the appetite of the listener to try out different formats and content online.”

Kimsey said the library is adding to its digital library content almost daily, and it’s active.

“We’ve been working with our statewide consortium and providing electronic resources to the community at no charge during this time,” she said. “We’ve added additional career exploration apps. We have an Asian language periodical electronic resource and statewide access to one of our e-book platforms that provides an additional 70,000 e-book titles, in addition to our large e-book collection already.”

The library also added a career app through the end of June, she said, which is free through the statewide consortium.

“As our community gets back to normal, the app will assist them to find the right career path, as well as help them develop personal budgets,” she said. “In addition, we’re adding Asian language

periodicals at no cost to the city in the next two months.”

The Oxnard library staff has beefed up its social media presence.

“Our social media is really on fire right now,” she said. “We’re meeting our community where they are. The librarians have been working from home, and many of our Instagram posts have engaged up to 400 people each.”

The e-content allows residents to view movies and listen to music and read books with their library card.

“There are also children’s books and materials in English and Spanish,” she said. “COVID 19 has brought to the forefront a demand for online content.”

The city is waiving library fines because of the COVID pandemic and patrons should keep their library materials until the problem is over.

“We’re also registering patrons by phone, so if people don’t have a library card, all they have to do is pick up a phone and call us, so they can use resources through our website,” she said.

“We’re suspending the need for identification so that we can provide these services.”

Recreation

Recreation Coordinator Rene Rakestraw updated the committee and said her team looked hard at how they can bring programs into the resident’s homes.

The department has a youth mentoring program for kids ages 12-17 at the Oxnard Police Activities League under the Youth Director’s Council. They usually meet with the mentors once a week.

“We’re now taking those meetings to a virtual level via Hangout and Zoom,” she said.

“We also moved our recreation programs into what we’re calling Oxnard Rec at home. There are daily postings on all of our social media outlets, activities that can be done at home, and we have a weekly campaign. This week’s activity is chalk it up, so we’re encouraging people to go out and write encouraging messages and do activities with chalk and share it with us using the hashtag.”

The recreation department had a virtual Easter Egg hunt last week.

“Every week, we have a new campaign,” she said. “With our afterschool program staff, we are providing videos with activities. It will be a familiar face kids will see in the afterschool programs via the activities kids see.”

The Oxnard Special Populations went virtual, she said, and they put together supply

packets that participants can stop by and pick up.

“Once a week, they’ll be participating in virtual art classes,” she said. “They have all the supplies at home to participate.

They can log in once a week to our Oxnard Special Populations social media and participate.”

The recreation team remains committed to supporting the citywide food distribution effort.

“There are a few websites for the Oxnard School District, the Hueneme School District, the El Rio School District, and the Oxnard High School District, and all four of those districts are providing lunch for children ages 1-18 Mon. through Fri,” she said.

“Their schedules get updated weekly, so I encourage the community to visit those websites directly for information. We also have food distribution going on for seniors. What would usually be served at the Wilson and Palm Vista Senior centers as a hot lunch, we are now serving as a hot meal to go. Anyone interested can call 805-385-8029 to reserve your meal ahead of time. You can pick up that meal at 11:30 a.m Mon through Fri.” Home delivered meals are also available for seniors, she said, and more information and an application are available by calling 805-385-8029.

“We have our pantries,

senior kits, and popup sites in collaboration with Food Share,” she said. More information can be found at foodshare.com.”

Committee Member Oscar Madrigal commented that he hears many positive things being done by the department.

“I know this is a difficult time,” he said.

Committee Member Gabriela Basua asked if the weekly update information about all the services is available on the city’s website.

“There is a lot of information with the library, and they’re doing great things,” she said. “You guys are all doing a wonderful job, and I am wondering if there is information on our website.”

Each of the divisions is posting on their social media sites,” Assistant City Manager Ashley Golden said.

For people without smartphones, they can get recreation information by calling 805-385-7995. For library information, call 805385-7532.

“Our county is doing a pretty good job trying to flatten the curve,” Chairwoman Carmen Ramirez said. “We can’t be complacent and let our guard down. My concern is for people who didn’t get the message. We need to get our Spanish language radio stations to talk about these things.”

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

SENIOR Savvy Senior

Tai chi helps seniors deal with stress during outbreak

By Kelsey Stewart OMAHA, Neb. (AP)—Cars rushed up and down nearby Underwood Avenue.

Birds chirped incessantly.

Bicycle wheels whirred and runners’ shoes pounded the pavement.

Nearby, a woman hosed off her home’s siding after planting flowers.

But Rita Otis’ calm voice projected over the chaos and neighborhood noise around her.

Through a series of neighborhood tai chi practices, Otis hopes she can help her neighbors take their minds off of stress and anxieties during the coronavirus outbreak.

For the past week, Otis has hosted the sessions in the large, grassy island where Sunset Trail meets Glenwood Road in her neighborhood northwest of Memorial Park.

Otis, 71, has been leading tai chi for about 20 years. The practice involves repetition of gentle movements for a form of movement meditation.

Otis practices tai chi daily on her own and wanted to open it up to her neighbors. It’s a chance for the already tight-knit neighborhood to connect and boost their health, Otis said.

The grassy island a few houses away from her home has been perfect to allow for appropriate social distancing.

“It’s a time you can relax and feel safe,” Otis told the Omaha World-Herald. “You can let go of other things and just listen to the birds and feel yourself on the earth. Feel yourself connected to other people.”

Marge and Jim Bresel were vaguely familiar with tai chi. A desire to get outside and get some exercise was enticing enough for the couple to give the practice a try.

“It’s a good distraction,” Marge Bresel said. She and her husband appreciate their neighbor’s offer.

Jim Bresel said it has been nice to leave the house and socialize with the neighbors—without getting too close, of course.

During a recent practice, Otis camped out at the narrow point of the island. Five neighbors, including the Bresels, fanned out at the wide base of the island, allowing plenty of space between them. One neighbor exercised more caution, practicing from her lawn across the street.

Medicare Expands Telehealth Services to Help Keep Seniors Safe at Home Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare cover telehealth services? My 71-year-old mother has chronic type 2 diabetes but is very concerned about going to the doctor for fear of exposing herself to coronavirus.

What can you tell us?

Avoiding the Doctor Dear Avoiding, Yes! Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Medicare recently announced that it will be expanding coverage for telehealth services to help keep vulnerable seniors safe at home. Here’s what you and your mom should know.

Telehealth Services If you’re not familiar with telehealth or telemedicine services, they are full visits with a health care provider who isn’t at your location using telephone or video technology device—i.e. smartphone, tablet or computer.

Telehealth services allow Medicare

beneficiaries to take care of ongoing medical problems as well as new concerns, while following public health advice to stay home during the coronavirus outbreak.

Medicare patients with chronic health conditions now don’t have to postpone a regular follow-up visit with the doctor to keep safe. They can do it via Skype or FaceTime. And people concerned they may have the virus could see their doctor or nurse practitioner virtually to find out how to get tested. Nursing home residents will also be able to have telehealth consultations with their doctors.

If your mom isn’t familiar or comfortable with technology, you or another relative or friend can assist her.

You may need to go over to her house to help her do this. Bring your smartphone, tablet or laptop—but remember, don’t visit if you’re feeling sick.

Risk of serious illness from the coronavirus is much greater for older people and those with underlying

health problems such as lung conditions, diabetes or heart problems.

Many seniors are also managing chronic health issues that put them at heightened risk.

Until recently, telehealth coverage under original Medicare has been limited to beneficiaries only in rural areas, and patients often need to go to specially designated sites for their visits.

The expanded telehealth coverage, which will remain in effect during the coronavirus outbreak, now allows doctors and hospitals to bill Medicare for visits via telemedicine that previously had to take place in person, at a medical office or facility.

If your mom happens to get her Medicare benefits through a private Medicare Advantage plan, they will also be expanding their telehealth services.

For coverage details, contact her plan directly.

In

Other Medicare Coverage addition to the expanded

telehealth services, Medicare will also be covering all coronavirus testing costs to see your mom has been infected, and medically necessary hospitalizations, so if her doctor recommends that she remain in quarantine at the hospital rather than self-isolating at home, she will not have to pay for these costs.

And if your mom has a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, it will cover the coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available and will waive prescription refill limits so she can have extra medication on hand during the pandemic.

For more information on how Medicare is covering the coronavirus see Medicare.gov/medicare-coronavirus.

And for the latest information on the coronavirus, visit Coronavirus.gov.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

CORONAVIRUS HEROES | MORE THAN DOCS

Hospital Support Staff Janitors, technicians and food service staff are just a few examples of the people working behind the scenes of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hospitals around the nation are staying functional and open in part because of these frequently overlooked groups of people.

CLEANING STAFF

Dusting, sweeping, mopping and changing out bed sheets are all normal duties of hospital janitorial personnel.

However, with the outbreak of COVID-19 in America, hospital maintenance and cleaning crews have had to step up their game.

An important part of their job is sanitizing every surface in every room the staff visits, and these workers are rising to the occasion.

Hospital housekeepers risk infection every time they walk into a patient’s room, whether that patient shows symptoms of the virus or not. Keeping a hospital clean and functional is no easy task and these professionals are keeping up with admirable persistence.

MAINTENANCE WORKERS

The technicians who keep respirators and other essential equipment functional are also

© ADOBE STOCK

indispensable.

Machines that provide life-giving air to those suffering are in high demand, so the technicians who maintain them are of utmost importance.

The workers who specialize in other systems in hospitals are also doing their part to fight this illness. They keep the lights on, the water running, the heaters and air conditioners functioning at their optimal levels and the hospital grounds up to a high standard.

TECHNICIANS AND THERAPISTS

While COVID-19 is showing

up everywhere in America, there are patients who are in the hospital for other reasons.

Patients still need physical therapy, dialysis treatments, and other life-saving procedures.

Technicians and therapists continue to carry out and perform invaluable services for their patients while risking exposure to the disease. While it’s true elective procedures are on hold at many hospitals, there are many patients who benefit greatly from therapy services.

The therapists and technicians who offer those treatments are still showing up

every day and helping those who need it. Respiratory therapists are helping COVID patients with breathing problems, but they’re not the only ones.

Therapists are also playing a key role in making patients strong and capable enough to safely leave the hospital, making more beds available when they might be needed the most.

FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEES

Most hospitals across America have shut down their public cafeterias. Preventing the spread of the coronavirus

this way is very important by keeping people from congregating in public eating areas.

However, hospital food services continue to feed and nourish patients under their care. Hospital patients need to eat, and someone has to prepare those meals.

Food service in hospitals continues without a hitch, delivering meals to patients throughout the day. It’s a mark of kindness and bravery on the part of all those who continue to provide nutritional meals and do so with a smile. Keeping the spirits up of those who fight off COVID19 is a rare gift.

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TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

SENIOR Advanced care planning during COVID-19: An important conversation to have

By Rob Hedelt

Posted by Karen Fletcher California Health Advocates If not now, when?

The coronavirus (COVID-19) puts everyone at risk, but especially our older adults 65 years or older and anyone with a pre-existing health condition and/or compromised immune system. fIf you or a loved one has not yet had a conversion about health care choices during a potential serious illness, now it the time to do it. One of our partners, Coalition for Compassionate Care is starting a communications campaign to encourage people to think about and put in writing what medical care they want in case of an emergency.

This is important to do before needing medical treatment. And the COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgency for all of us to engage in these important conversations.

Below are a few reminders from CCC’s recent article: The Vital Importance of Advanced Care Planning During COVID-19 Things to Do Now: Engage seniors and medically fragile patients and their families in conversations about medical treatments during serious illness.

Encourage patients or their surrogates to express their wishes and complete appropriate documents.

Individuals who are relatively healthy should be encouraged to complete an advance directive. Individuals who are chronically or seriously ill should

be encouraged to complete a POLST (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment).

If advance care planning documents are already in place, conduct a review to be sure that the information is still valid and up-to-date.

We can support our patients, their families and the health care system as a whole by encouraging all patients to talk about advance care planning in light of COVID-19. Talk with patients about:

Potential serious complications from COVID-19 and how the patient’s age and/or health issues might be a risk factor. The treatment options most commonly employed for those who become seriously ill from COVID-19.

• How the patient’s current age and underlying health condition might impact the potential success rate of treatment options like ventilator support • The individual’s personal values, goals and wishes regarding medical

care if they were to become seriously ill from COVID-19 • Whom the patient trusts to make medical decisions for them if they can’t speak • The options for keeping the patient comfortable if they decide they do not want to be transported to the hospital or treated with a ventilator • The availability of palliative care services and hospice to help ensure comfort and dignity will be a primary goal of treatment.

Virus sends Holocaust survivors behind doors, back in time

By Don Babwin OAK PARK, Ill. (AP)—For Olga Weiss, the order to stay at home is about much more than simply locking her door to the coronavirus. It has awakened fears from decades ago when she and her parents hid inside for two years from Nazis hunting down Jews in Belgium.

“It is almost an echo of when we were young, when we were children, the same feeling of not knowing what will happen next,” said Weiss, 83. “We aren’t thinking about the virus; we are thinking of what happened to us” back then.

Close to 400,000 survivors of the Holocaust are believed to be alive worldwide, and for many elderly Jews the coronavirus pandemic has dredged up feelings of fear, uncertainty and helplesness not felt since they were children during that dark period.

While the fast-spreading virus has caused fear and the reliving of trauma for many in the general public, Yael Danieli, a psychologist and director of the Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children, said the emotional toll can be particularly acute for survivors of the Nazi genocide.

“They are not living though this— they are reliving it,” Danieli said.

Not everyone reacts the same way.

Some Holocaust survivors see their role in today’s pandemic as setting an example for how to survive, how to fight back, according to Danieli.

Those with sewing, quilting talents answer call for masks

But parallels that may seem extreme to others can push their way unbidden into traumatized minds: The fear of hospitalization, akin to the idea of going to a camp from which you don’t come out, she said, or sheltering in place feeling like a “return of the horrific times when you had to hide from the world in order to survive.”

The issue is compounded by the fact that Holocaust survivors are elderly, since old traumas can resurface naturally with advancing age even in pandemic-free times. Nursing homes, for example, know a trip to the shower can trigger elderly Jewish residents.

That’s something Colette Avital, who emigrated after World War II from Romania to Israel, served in parliament and now chairs the Center Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel, saw firsthand when her mother approached death years ago at age 97: “She was shrieking at night, ‘the Nazis are coming!”’

Today such fears are only magnified, she added, because people know there really is a menace lurking outside their doors: “This has got them panic-stricken.”

Andre Stein, who was attacked in a Budapest bread line last century by thugs who left him for dead on a pile of

bodies, said a difference with the virus is that the enemy is unseen: “Now you can walk down the street and somebody sneezes on you, and you may be killed,” said Stein, 83, a Toronto resident and author of “Hidden Children: Forgotten Survivors of the Holocaust.”

For most people the coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause pneumonia and lead to death.

So at 88 years old, “I don’t go outside much,” said Sidney Zoltak of Montreal, who as a boy sneaked with his parents from one hiding place to the next in Poland, including seven months in an underground bunker with no sunlight.

Zoltak considers himself fortunate because his days are filled with writing, talking with a son who drops food off on his doorstep, video chatting with grandchildren and communicating with fellow Holocaust survivors. This week he celebrated what he called a “virtual Passover” with family via FaceTime. But he knows others aren’t so lucky, cut off from family and left to dwell on their fears.

The understanding that Holocaust survivors are a vulnerable population led to this week’s announcement by the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany of $4.3 million in grants to agencies around the world that provide care for 120,000 survivors.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP)— Before the U.S. government issued guidance directing Americans to cover their faces in public, many of those who quilt and sew were already making masks for front-line medical and emergency workers, and others who wanted them.

Trish Cooper of Louisa County, who’s a quilter and has her own business called HMF Creations by Trish, said she got started making masks first for her daughter, who is a health care worker in a nursing home.

Then, she made a few for her other daughter and a friend who felt safer having one.

“Then I started thinking: I’ve been a quilter for 19 years and I’ve got all this fabric and I had the elastic you need and they’re not hard to make,” said Cooper. “Why not make them free for people who need them?”

And that’s just what she’s been doing on her family’s small farm— working all day in assembly-line fashion to roll out masks for people who get in touch with her on Facebook at her HMF Creations by Trish page.

“It hit me that there are a lot of people making masks for hospitals and other groups that need them, but what about individuals who might be immunocompromised and need one to go out?” she said.

“So I got started. I’m sending one today to a woman in Marion, Va., who’s 65 and on oxygen. She’s afraid to go out without one.”

Cooper said she’s making them available free of charge, though if someone wants to donate to get their mask or others made, she’ll accept that so she can make more. Ditto for postage, as she’s sending them out as soon as they are finished.

“I’ve sent out 82 so far, and have orders for 77 more,” said Cooper.

“Most are individuals who just want to feel safer going out, but I did take an order for a friend for the PICU at University of Virginia Hospital. And another 50 for a business in Virginia Beach.”

Cooper said that while she’s got plenty of fabric, the tricky thing to find are pieces of elastic. But she’s used some creative thinking for that, as well.

“I’ve taken wider elastic and cut it down, then zig zag stitching across it to shore it up,” she said.

“And my brother sent me something about how some folks are using weaving loom loops, so I’ve placed an order for some of those.”

She added, “I’m making these all day and then taking a break in the evening. I try to get them out to these folks who are scared and getting desperate as the CDC considers whether people need to wear them in public.”

Cooper is certainly not alone.

Word spread of a burgeoning local effort by quilting and sewing guild members making masks for health care workers, first responders and others at risk for infection.

6

TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

NEWS STATEPOINT CROSSWORD

Seniors Motivated continued from page 1

THEME: FAIRY TALE CREATURES

can foresee what will happen in the future. It seems every day there is something different that we need to adapt to or additional restrictions that will take effect.”

March 11, Sharon asked the Community Center staff if they would clean the floor mats; the Sizzling Seniors used times a week.

The staff did not have enough supplies to clean the mats, and they asked her students on March 13 to bring their personal mats on March 16. “I thought fair enough,” she said, “My students will certainly oblige that request.”

On March 12, the Community Center management told Sharon her Sizzling Senior Class was

suspended starting on March 13, for the remainder of March.

“I still have not heard when our class will resume,” she said.” When I broke the news to my students that morning, their response was, what are we going to do? Sharon, do you have a Video?”

Sharon told the group to keep moving. “We will get through this,” she said. “At that time, one of my students, Karen, began videotaping the class while she worked out. The city wanted me to teach at City Hall and place the class on a website for viewing. That idea got canceled.”

Despite the virus, Sharon remains the eternal optimist.

“We live in such a beautiful

area with nature surrounding us everywhere,” she said. “Go outside and walk, walk, and walk. Use your hand weights while walking for an added bonus. Walk around your neighborhood, and stretch.”

Sharon suggests a nice walk to the Port Hueneme Lighthouse.

“It’s not only beautiful with the sounds of the crashing waves, the smell of the ocean air, the ocean breeze, not to mention the very friendly Feral cats, makes for a very productive healthy emotional and physical work-out,” she said.

Stay positive, stretch, be kind, help others, and we will get through this stronger and better than ever before.”

his name tied to the La Colonia Boxing Club.

“When I first became involved and became the president of the La Colonia Youth Boxing Association, I had no experience in how the city worked, and I had never done anything like this,” Herrera said.

“The first person I went to was Dr. Lopez. I didn’t know him at the time, and he was instrumental in guiding me and introduced me to the right people.”

The La Colonia Boxing Club is world-famous, Herrera said, and every boxing fan around the world knows about the gym.

“I thought it would be an honor not to rename the building, but add to the name,” Herrera said. “I hope you guys agree with me that he deserves this. He was a well-loved and respected citizen in Oxnard.”

Irma Lopez, Dr. Lopez’s wife, thanked the commission and city council for their support and called it a great honor.

“It was comforting that everyone was there for his services,” she said. “That gave the family a lot of comfort that the community supported him and the life he led.”

Lopez was a big boxing fan, Irma said, and he felt it was a good thing for the community.

“I am appreciative of Mayor Pro Tem Carmen Ramrez for all of her friendship to her husband,” she said. “Towards the end, he was one of the last people to call her and give advice on her campaign prior to his passing. I want to thank her for being with him at the hospital at the time of his passing.”

During Committee Comments, Oscar Madrigal said if you haven’t been to the gym, you should go and check it out.

“It’s a great place, and it is well kept,” he said. “I know the building is old., but you see the blood, sweat and tears that many youths go through there. They grow up a lot because of the leadership at the Colonia Boxing Gym. It’s a staple for a lot of kids in the Colonia neighborhood.” Ramirez enthusiastically supports the item, but she did have a question about reversing the name.

Cultural and Community Services Director Terrel Harrison clarified the question, and he said after speaking to the Lopez family, changing the name to the La Colonia Boxing Gym Dr. Manuel Lopez Youth Center is the way the doctor would want it.

“That puts the name of the world-class gym out there intact, and also includes Dr. Lopez’ contribution,” Harrison said.

Ramirez said Dr. Lopez served the community since 1978 and became the first Latino elected mayor in 1992.

“He was my optometrist when I first came to this city in 1978, and we had a long and great relationship,” Ramirez said. “It’s hard to believe he’s gone.” She also sent a letter to City Clerk Michelle Ascencion to name the downtown branch of the Oxnard Public Library after Dr. Lopez.

“Doctor Lopez was instrumental in getting our library built, and he raised money for it,” she said. “He loved the library.”

La Colonia continued from page 1

ACROSS 1. *Like many mythical creatures 6. Second mo.

9. Spill the beans 13. Convex molding 14. “___ the President’s Men” 15. Ankle support, e.g.

16. Make a logical connection 17. *E.T.’s craft?

18. Des Moines native 19. *Fire-breather 21. *Household spirit 23. Tucker of “Modern Family” 24. Antonym of is 25. *Grimm’s Queen ____ 28. Tailor-made 30. Showing on TV 35. “All’s well that ____ well” 37. Golly!

39. Punctuation mark 40. Seaport in Yemen 41. Hitching post?

43. Additionally 44. Poison ivy or Poison oak 46. One more than The Beatles 47. Hold as a conviction 48. *Mrs. Potts or her son Chip 50. Andrew Sean Greer’s 2017 Pulitzerwinner novel 52. Toast choice 53. Jack and Jill’s water jug 55. “____ Now or Never” 57. *Horse’s cousin 61. *One of the seven dwarfs 64. Ascetic holy Hindu 65. HHS agency 67. Relating to #25 Across 69. Banana treat 70. Go bad 71. Australian canid 72. Lou of “Walk on the Wild Side” fame 73. Card in the hole?

74. “The Forsyte ____,” pl.

DOWN 1. Wisecrack 2. Like a zealous fan

3. Regular attendee 4. Hipbone-related 5. Cuban music genre, pl.

6. *Half-man, half-goat 7. *Santa’s helper 8. Splotches 9. Arch on a face 10. Croquet turf 11. Popular smoothie berry 12. Well, to Sofia Loren 15. Relating to living organisms 20. Opposite of alpha 22. Genetic initials 24. Parents hope to do this with values 25. *Beauty’s beau 26. Empower 27. Dropsy 29. *Big Bad One 31. Yellow brick one 32. Feeling worse than before

33. *Like Curious George 34. *Garden dweller 36. Finger move 38. Moneyed one 42. Pine product 45. Choose not to do something, 2 words 49. Toni Morrison’s “____ Baby” 51. 1862 plots, for short 54. Prefix for below 56. Old photo color 57. Stalin’s domain 58. Back of the neck 59. Not active 60. Past tense of chide 61. Fill beyond full 62. Sound of passing bullet 63. *Baba ____ 66. *Who Bugs Bunny talks to?

68. Numbers, abbr.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

tradition in this city.”

In 2019, the Lopez family pledged to donate $1,000 to fix the roof at the gym.

Mr. Manuel Herrera requested the name change in late 2019, Zaragoza said, and the Parks Recreation and Community Services Commission recommended the change unanimously.

During public comments, Herrera wished everyone good health, and he thanked the city for its actions to keep the citizens safe during the pandemic.

He is the former President of the La Colonia Youth Boxing Association that was created in 1990 to renovate the old firehouse now known as the La Colonia Youth Boxing Club.

“When I first proposed this, it was while Dr. Lopez was still alive, but he was having serious health issues,” Herrera said. “I was hoping this would be approved in time for Dr. Lopez to accept this honor in person. Unfortunately, that was not to be.”

Lopez knew about the action and felt extremely honored to have

7

TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

LEGAL File No.: 2020021910003296-0 1/1 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: 1. VLS NATAL ALLURE 486 WEST WOOLEY ROAD OXNARD, CA 93030 VENTURA COUNTY Full Name of Registrant: 1.

VERONICA GUTIERREZ 486 WOOLEY ROAD OXNARD, CA 93030 This Business is conducted by: INDIVIDUAL. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 04/03/2020.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares information as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) / S / V E R O N I C A GUTIERREZ NOTICE - In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in residence address or registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of 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., Business and Professions Code).

THIS STATEMENT WAS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OF VENTURA ON 2/19/2020.

MARK A. LUNN SchId:79618 AdId:26586 CustId:1307 -----------File No.: 20200313100051550 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: 1. RELEAF ON VINE 5153 Bluebell Ave Valley Village, CA 91607 VENTURA COUNTY Full Name of Registrant:

1. Yuma Way CA LLC 5153 Bluebell Ave Valley Village, CA 91607 This Business is conducted by: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares information as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) /S/Jessica Reuven NOTICE - In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in residence address or registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of 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., Business and Professions Code).

THIS STATEMENT WAS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OF VENTURA ON 3/13/2020.

MARK A. LUNN SchId:79627 AdId:26590 CustId:1308 -----------File No.: 20200317100052790 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: 1. CLEANPRO BUILDING MAINTENANCE 4769 PENROSE AVE MOORPARK , CA 93021 VENTURA COUNTY Full Name of Registrant: 1. JORGE & MARIBEL LOPEZ 4769 PENROSE AVE MOORPARK , CA 93021 This Business is conducted by: MARRIED COUPLE. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 03/01/2005.

I declare that all information in this statement is true

and correct. (A registrant who declares information as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) /S/JORGE LOPEZ NOTICE - In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in residence address or registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of 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., Business and Professions Code).

THIS STATEMENT WAS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OF VENTURA ON 3/17/2020.

MARK A. LUNN SchId:79634 AdId:26593 CustId:1309 -----------File No.: 2020033110005551-0 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: 1. Lakeside Community Healthcare 912 E Janss Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 VENTURA COUNTY Full Name of Registrant: 1.

Lakeside Medical Organization, A Medical Group, Inc. 8510 Balboa Blvd., Suite 150, Attn: Karyn Nicholson Northridge, CA 91325-5810 This Business is conducted by: CORPORATION. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 11/01/2012.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares information as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).)

/S/Lakeside Medical Organization, A Medical Group, Inc. NOTICE - In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in residence address or registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of 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., Business and Professions Code).

THIS STATEMENT WAS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OF VENTURA ON 3/31/2020.

MARK A. LUNN SchId:79638 AdId:26594 CustId:1310 -----------File No.: 2020031610005232-0 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: 1. TOWN AND COUNTRY MARKET 611 W. FIRST ST OXNARD, CA 93030 Ventura COUNTY Full Name of Registrant: 1. MESAIEL KIRLOS 172 WILLOWBROOK DR PORT HUENEME, CA 93041 2. HANY KIROLES, 1240 ISLETON PL. APT. 3, OXNARD, CA 93030 This Business is conducted by: COPARTNERS. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares information as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) /S/MESAIEL KIRLOS NOTICE - In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in

the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in residence address or registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of 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., Business and Professions Code).

THIS STATEMENT WAS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OF Ventura ON 3/16/2020.

MARK A. LUNN SchId:79648 AdId:26597 CustId:693 -----------NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL PROPERTY AT PRIVATE SALE Case No. 17STPB02317 Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles.

In the matter of the Estate of DONALD LEE EBELL, conservatee Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell at private sale, on or after April 27, 2020, at the office of DIAMOND REALTY, THERESA ROBLEDO, BRE 01483023, 460 Santa Clara Street, Fillmore, CA 93015, to the highest and best bidder, and subject to confirmation by said Superior Court, all right, title and interest of said conservatee, in and to all the certain real property situated in the County of Ventura, State of California, described as follows: Lot 42, Sparr Terrace, in the City of Fillmore, County of Ventura, State of California, as per Map recorded in Book 11, Page 5 of Maps, in the office of the County Recorder of said County.

APN: 053-043-050 Commonly known as: 548 Kensington Dr., Fillmore, CA 93015.

Terms of sale are cash in lawful money of the United States on confirmation of sale, or part cash and balance upon such terms and conditions as are agreeable to the personal representative. 10,000 of amount bid to be deposited with bid.

Bids or offers to be in writing and will be received at the aforesaid office at any time after the first publication hereof and before date of sale.

Dated: March 24, 2020 MARIA VASSEUR, Personal Representative of the estate of said

conservatee THE WERNER LAW FIRM RANDY D GRUEN ESQ 27433 TOURNEY RD STE 200 SANTA CLARITA CA 91355 (661) 252-9022 CN969325 EBELL Apr 10,17,24, 2020 SchId:79658 AdId:26602 CustId:65 -----------File No.: 2020031610005200-0 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: 1. Kim Digital Electronics 3331 Wolf Creek Court Simi Valley, CA 93063 Ventura COUNTY Full Name of Registrant: 1. Meesun Sandra Kim 3331 Wolf Creek Court Simi Valley, CA 93063 This Business is conducted by: INDIVIDUAL. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 6/18/2018.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares information as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).) /S/Kristi Hamlet NOTICE - In accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in residence address or registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of 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., Business and Professions Code).

THIS STATEMENT WAS FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OF Ventura ON 3/16/2020.

MARK A. LUNN SchId:79673 AdId:26609 CustId:1311

8

UFC 249 canceled after ESPN, Disney halt promotion’s plans

By Greg Beacham LOS ANGELES (AP)—UFC 249 was canceled Thursday after ESPN and parent company Disney stopped UFC President Dana White’s plan to keep fighting amid the coronavirus pandemic.

After defiantly vowing for weeks to maintain a regular schedule of fights while the rest of the sports world halted, White confirmed the decision to cease competition in a text to The Associated Press.

“I was ready to go on Saturday, but Disney and ESPN asked me to step down,” White wrote. “I love and respect my partnership with them so I postponed the event.”

UFC 249 was scheduled for April 18 on ESPN Plus pay-perview, and White planned to follow it with regular fight cards from Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino on tribal land in California’s Central Valley.

In an interview on ESPN, White said he “got a call from the highest level you can go at Disney and the highest level of ESPN” asking him to cancel the shows.

The UFC moved to ESPN in 2019 with a reported $1.5 billion deal.

The network issued a statement to the AP: “ESPN has been in constant contact with the UFC regarding UFC 249. Nobody wants to see sports return more than we do, but we didn’t feel this was the right time for a variety of reasons.

ESPN expressed its concerns to the UFC and they understood.”

While the UFC won’t have fights in the upcoming weeks, White said he is still pursuing his plan to build an octagon and everything else necessary to telecast small fight shows on an unidentified private island. White had planned to use the so-called “Fight Island” in upcoming months for nonAmerican fighters who couldn’t get into the U.S. “Fight Island infrastructure is being built and will be up and running ASAP,” White told the AP. White’s frustration with the decision was obvious after he had repeatedly vowed to fight on amid mixed public opinion. He has described the past month of preparation for UFC 249 as the most challenging part of his fight promotion career, which began as the UFC’s president in 2001.

The UFC boss still remained upbeat, vowing to be “the first sport back” after the pandemic eases.

White announced the cancellation shortly after U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein issued a statement urging the mixed martial arts promotion to reconsider its plan. A few hours earlier, former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas dropped out of her comain event bout at UFC 249 after two deaths in her family related to the pandemic.

TRI-COUNTY SENTRY, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

ENTERTAINMENT Sean Penn wants to ‘save lives’ with free COVID-19 testing

By Marcela Isaza MALIBU (AP)—After nearly a decade of helping communities in distress abroad, Sean Penn is joining the fight against the coronavirus much closer to home.

We have an infrastructure in place to respond, and so we decided that we would if we could be value added.

T

HE Oscar winner’s disaster relief organization CORE has teamed up with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office and the city’s fire department to safely distribute free drive-thru COVID-19 test sites for those with qualifying symptoms. He along with his staff wearing hazard suits also are administering tests in his home city of Malibu.

Penn hopes the program can “save lives and alleviate depletion of resources” through the efforts of CORE, which stands for Community Organized Relief Effort. His non-profit organization stepped in to help rebuild Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and the devastating Hurricane Matthew.

The actor said he and his staff decided to “pull the trigger” very quickly to help run the test sites.

“We have an infrastructure in place to respond, and so we decided that we would if we could be value added,” Penn said in an interview this week.

“It’s something that we can adapt to very quickly with the training of the Los Angeles Fire Department initially. And then we’re able to take all those firemen and put them back in to serve the people in the way that we need them to.”

So far, CORE has provided more than 6,500 free tests since March 30.

Sean Penn

The organization is operating at four sites with plans of expanding and will manage a new location in Los Angeles starting Friday.

About 60 staff and volunteers are

working in California including 10 Peace Corps volunteers.

“Getting more people tested will help us get Angelenos the care they need and flatten the curve more quickly to slow

the spread of COVID-19,” Garcetti said in statement. “We are working closely with these extraordinary partners to expand access and grow capacity— and we’re grateful to everyone who has stepped up to strengthen this work.”

Los Angeles deputy mayor Jeff Gorell said in a tweet that CORE’s efforts will help take over the city’s fire department’s workload and free up first responders for emergency services.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

Penn hopes other non-profit organizations and local governments will help run test sites as well. In the meantime, he said everyone should be washing their hands so often, the skin on their hands should change.

“They gotta be really crispy, or you’re not doing it right,” he said.

What’s wrong with UFC ruler Dana White?

By Paul Newberry What’s wrong with Dana White?

Almost everyone else in the world of sports understands it’s time to stand down, but not this guy.

The UFC’s undisputed ruler is determined to put others in harm’s way to provide his Roman gladiator-style of alleged entertainment, even if it means taking it to the islands.

Talk about viral denial.

White’s nutty insistence on staging UFC 249 from a casino located on tribal land in California’s Central Valley— beyond the reach of a state ban on mass gatherings—was shut down only when television partner ESPN and its parent company, Disney, realized the public relations nightmare that awaited them if they gave the green light to mixed martial arts fighters knocking each other silly in the midst of a pandemic.

But White isn’t backing down from his ludicrous idea of setting up an octagon on “Fight Island”—a private arena somewhere offshore (he hasn’t said where it is) that could be used to stage small fight shows while the rest of the world is on lockdown.

“Fight Island infrastructure is being built and will be up and running ASAP,” White said.

The UFC moved to ESPN in 2019 with a reported $1.5 billion deal, so the coronavirus outbreak has undoubtedly been a huge financial blow to White’s

ultimate-fighting empire.

No wonder White keeps insisting that UFC will be “the first sport back.”

He’s certainly not doing it for philanthropic reasons or to boost the country’s morale. This is all about restoring what had been an ample bottom line for White’s pseudo-sport, which has become wildly popular for no apparent reason beyond the bloodlust of its fan base.

White would have us all believe he’s the smartest guy in the room, that he’s somehow figured out a way to carry on with a pursuit that requires vicious combat and the closest of physical contact at a time when nearly every other sport has shut down indefinitely because of the highly contagious virus.

“I have an obligation to my employees,

my fighters and the fans,” White said in an interview last month with CNN. “I have built all this infrastructure around crazy stuff happening. I have my own venue. I have my own arena where I can literally put on fights and keep this thing going.”

In the early days of the world finally coming to grips with the full-fledged pandemic, White did carry on with a full fight card in an empty arena in Brazil. He wanted to hold more cards in an empty arena the UFC owns in Las Vegas, but the Nevada State Athletic Commission put the kibosh on those plans by temporarily banning combat sports.

Thankfully, he’s been stifled at every turn since then.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California was among those who

weighed in on White’s plans for UFC 249, noting all the potential harm of holding an event we can all do without in such troubled times.

“This event would involve dozens of individuals flying to California and driving to a casino for a purpose no one can honestly claim is essential,” Feinstein wrote. “At best this event ties up medical resources and sends a message that shelter-in-place orders can be flouted. At worst, participants and support staff could carry the virus back to their home communities and increase its spread.”

Don’t expect White to give up on his plans to stage fight cards long before anyone else deems it safe to return. In all likelihood, it’s going to be up to the fighters to shut down a guy who doesn’t go into the octagon himself but has collected a major financial windfall.

Already, we’ve seen some promising signs.

Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was supposed to headline the main event at UFC 249, but those plans were scrapped because he was either unable or unwilling to leave his native Russia due to the pandemic.

Then, shortly before the card was canceled altogether, former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas, who is known for her shaved head and “Thug Rose” nickname, announced she was withdrawing because of two deaths in her family related to the virus.