Ontario News Press-8/12/2021

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Complete up to the minute coverage every day. Read more on www.heysocal.com. Insurance pool sues Edison over money paid to Monrovia Unified School District

LA Co. Health Director: Region in middle of ‘explosion’ of COVID-19 infections

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 12 - AUGUST 18, 2021

Pasadena parents, mayor, school board member demand vaccination mandate Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com

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asadena Unified School District Board Member Tina Fredericks called a press conference outside Willard Elementary School Tuesday evening to set forth demands she and others feel are essential for safely reopening schools. “PUSD is set to open fulltime, in-person, five days a week on Aug. 12, 2021, with no physical distancing requirement, and with students under the age of 12 currently ineligible to be vaccinated,” Fredricks told Beacon Media. “I do not believe our labor unions are an obstacle. As soon as the Board votes in favor of a vaccine mandate, we can initiate negotiations to ensure fairness and equity. I personally have spoken to many teachers and staff members who support a vaccine requirement for employees. They want to work in the safest environment possible for themselves, the students and the community, but the countdown is on. Once a vaccine mandate is approved, it takes weeks for vaccines to reach maximum effectiveness. Lives are on the line. We do not have time to delay. “To clarify the statement made by California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, even though a statewide mandate of vaccines for all K-12

schools would take action by our state legislators, individual school districts, as employers are well within their rights to enforce a vaccine mandate. To those who question whether a vaccine mandate is possible, Santa Barbara Unified School Board and San Jose Unified School District Board as well as University of California system, and California State University system, recently passed vaccine mandates and/or mandatory COVID testing. “PUSD must act now for the sake of the children, staff, their families, and the community. We cannot wait until the next general meeting on Aug. 26 which is two weeks from the first day of school. I’m calling on PUSD to immediately call an emergency special meeting so the Board can convene at earliest [Wednesday] evening for a swift vote to support the vaccine mandate,” Fredericks read from her prepared statement to the media. “While it has been reported that PUSD has a 96% vaccination rate of its employees, this means 89 employees are unvaccinated. A 96% vaccination rate is irrelevant to the 2,225 elementary students or more who will be assigned to schools or classrooms with unvaccinated personnel. An elementary school student who ends up with an unvaccinated teacher will See Vaccination page 4

VOL. 5, NO. 31

Homeless forum in Arcadia spawns communication and compassion

| Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com

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he City of Arcadia hosted a community forum on Homelessness on Saturday at the Arcadia Performing Arts Center. The forum was designed to provide information on the topic of homelessness in Arcadia while also providing an opportunity for community members to share ideas and concerns regarding this issue. Over 430 individuals registered for the event, either in-person or on Zoom. The forum was presented in English and Mandarin. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation and video is available on the city’s website at arcadiaca.gov/

enrich/recreation___community_services/homeless_ services/homeless_forum/ index.php. Vocal opponents to proposed tiny shelters in the city were present at the forum claiming that the now closed Homelessness Resource Hub — which was located at the city’s Par 3 Golf Course’s parking lot, adjacent to the Santa Anita Wash Trail — attracted homeless people to the city. The Hub, which was funded by a short-term pilot program grant, opened in November 2020 and was available every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Services at the Homeless Resource Hub included showers and laundry facilities, free Wi-Fi, charging stations, food,

and clothing, on-site case management/housing navigation, job training, first aid services, resources for housing, flu shots, COVID-19 testing and vaccines,  and more. The city reports that “To date, the Homeless Resource Hub has provided service to a total of 1,007 participants, the vast majority of which are repeat clients who return each week to the Hub.” During the forum, Foothill Unity Center offered solutions with the work they have been doing in Arcadia, Monrovia and Pasadena. However, some in the community earlier this year questioned Foothill Unity’s programs and some even requested they cut services for unhoused residents.

The forum went well overall despite the length and complexity of the issue, according to Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto. “There were a few moments of excitement amongst the crowd, but I think the community began truly listening to each other and started sharing ideas on how to make progress on this topic. My favorite moment came after the forum ended, when I was talking out front with folks representing all sides of the issue. One of the participants said to another something like, ‘You were my sworn enemy, but I'm going to call you so we can go get a beer and talk things out...’ The See Homeless forum page 3


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