May 27, 2020 Media Brief
Coronavirus
Voice of OC: Coronavirus infections hit OC Latino community hard
Leo Chavez, an anthropologist at University of California, Irvine and immigration researcher says much of the low-income jobs in restaurants, hotels and other service industry positions are staffed by Latinos. The jobs increase their exposure to virus.
Voice of OC: Westminster faces $17 million future deficit and potential cuts to core services
Among the city’s anticipated funding casualties: entire police department bureaus, a city staff unit dealing with blighted areas, and scores of part-time city yard employees. Other areas like youth and senior services, parks, and top City Hall departments would sustain financial hits as well, according to staff.
OC Register: LA city attorney accuses Orange County company of selling fake coronavirus tests
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office is accusing a Huntington Beach-based business of falsely touting home-testing kits the company claimed could determine if someone has the coronavirus and citing non-existent approvals from government agencies for its products
OC Tribune: Garden Grove budget outlook grimmer for 2020-21
The loss in sales tax is estimated at $5.1 million for the current fiscal year, with the loss of bed tax pegged at $9 million. Additionally the city has incurred $1.2 million in direct costs since the declaration of a local emergency on March 12.
Orange County
OC Register: OC Streetcar project keeps on rolling, now with a $45 million contract for operator
In a major step toward completion, the OCTA Board of Directors approved the $45 million contract with Herzog Transit Services on Friday, May 22, for operating what will be Orange County’s first modern electric streetcar system.
Labor
OC Register: Boeing slashes 12,000 jobs as virus seizes travel industry
Boeing had said it would cut 10% of a workforce that numbered about 160,000. A Boeing spokesperson said Wednesday’s actions represent the largest number of job cuts, but several thousand additional jobs will be eliminated in the next few months.
Nation
Associated Press: U.S. deaths from coronavirus surpass 100,000 milestone
“It is a grim milestone,” said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington. “It’s a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be.”
Publication Date: May 27, 2020
