Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 6, 2020

5

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 6, 2020 

ASSEMBLYMEMBER 
CHRIS HOLDEN’S 

STATEMENT ON DEATH 
OF GEORGE FLOYD:

 

Shock and Disgust

 

These are dark and perilous times for Black Americans. Make that, all Americans. The constant reminder of a 
blatant disregard for the lives of so many black men and women at the hands of police officers has rocked our 
collective consciousness. 

 

As a father of four young black sons and one black daughter, I am devastated to witness the senseless murder of 
George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Albery, Stephon Clark, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Freddie Gray, 
Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and Trayvon Martin. A generation of young voices extinguished 
by rash and senseless vio-lence at the hands of police officers or those attempting to assume the role of law 
en-forcement. 

 

The attack on George Floyd has touched a raw nerve and aggravated a deep wound in-flicted for 400 years on 
black people in the form of slavery oppression, discrimination, alienation, fragmentation, and isolation. This 
malignant pain, now exposed, has been re-leased with a collective, ENOUGH! The Constitution reminds us 
that ... “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their 
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness….” It 
is now time we make these words ring true and not hollow. 

 

Justice demands that all marginalized people be lifted from second class status to one of equality and fairness, 
and that we dismantle the dysfunctional systems – whether in the courts or classrooms.

 

Justice, however, will not happen through violence and destruction. Burning and looting from people who 
count the sweat on their brow as capital in their business does not carry the day. While it may not be immediately 
apparent, there is hope! That confident expecta-tion, a firm assurance regarding things that are unclear 
and unknown. Dr. King influenced an unclear world and led an unknown Civil Rights Movement by nonviolence 
and hope. 

 

When the outcry of shock and disgust from George Floyd’s tragic death was met with pro-found indignation 
from the law enforcement community and people of goodwill across all strata of society, rich and poor, racial 
and cultural position, I am hopeful.

 

As a Member of the Legislative Black Caucus, we will continue to pursue policies and pro-cedures that ensure 
not only a healthy relationship between the police and community, but also hold law enforcement accountable.

 

Nelson Mandela reminds us, “For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects 
and enhances the freedom of others”. Let us all be hopeful!


LOS ANGELES COUNTY 

COVID-19 UPDATE

HAIR SALONS, BARBERSHOPS AND IN-PERSON 
DINING TO REOPEN IMMEDIATELY WITH 
SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE

L.A. County Road to Recovery Moves Forward With State Approval

Hair salons and barbershops can reopen and in-person dining in restaurants 
can resume immediately with safeguards as Los Angeles County moves forward 
on the Roadmap to Recovery.

The State of California today approved the County’s request for a variance 
to state guidelines because the County has met the necessary public health 
thresholds to safely allow critical sectors of the economy and community to 
begin serving residents.

The County has demonstrated that it has controlled the spread of the virus, 
and is protecting residents and essential workers. Hospital testing and contact 
tracing capacity are appropriate in response to the outbreak. Los Angeles 
County is now in the advanced stages of Phase 2 of the State’s Resilience 
Roadmap.

This new phase of Los Angeles County’s reopening better aligns the County 
with neighboring counties, moving Southern California towards a regional 
recovery and supporting our service-oriented businesses, many of which are 
small and locally owned It’s a testament to the efforts of residents who adhered 
to the Safer At Home order, practiced physical distancing and wore 
cloth face coverings.

“This is an important milestone for Los Angeles County as we transition to 
being Safer at Work and Safer in our Communities and move forward in our 
path of reopening and recovery,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Chair of the 
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “I am grateful to our state and local 
leaders for their partnership and collaboration in supporting the residents 
and businesses of Los Angeles County.”

However, this step forward doesn’t mean the threat of COVID-19 is gone. 
Residents must continue to practice physical distancing, wear cloth face coverings 
and follow public health guidelines in place.

If at any time, the County’s rate of infection and other key metrics return to 
unsafe numbers, the Department of Public Health can limit or close reopened 
sectors.

“We are only able to take this important step forward because everyone did 
their part. As we move along in our progress to reopen, let’s continue to keep 
our guard up. This highly contagious virus hasn’t disappeared; it is still out 
there, imposing a real threat to our communities. We cannot go back to business 
as usual,” said Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “I urge everyone to continue 
doing their part by abiding by physical distancing and face covering requirements 
and by adhering to our new public health directives for reopened 
businesses. While our measure to reopen will provide economic relief to our 
workers and small businesses, extreme caution must be taken to prevent another 
spike in confirmed cases and fatalities. We must remember that our 
communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, 
and they will likely continue to bear the brunt if the coronavirus comes back 
with a vengeance.”

“This is a fine line that we’re walking in the County of Los Angeles, “said 
Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We are threading the needle between keeping the 
public safe and allowing our economy to reopen.”

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and we all should do our 
part to help them stay open safely,” Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said. “But 
we are absolutely not out of the woods yet, so we must continue to protect our 
health and those of everyone around us. Following public health directives is 
critical as we go back to work, dine in at our favorite restaurants, and make 
that long-awaited trip to the barber or salon.”

“Like my colleagues I am happy that so many will return to work and familiar 
activities. Still, I cannot overemphasize the importance of the public’s role in 
making these next steps a success,” said Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. “People must 
continue to physically distance, wear face covers, and wash their hands often. 
If not, our cases and hospitalizations are likely to rise dramatically, forcing us 
to consider reducing access in order to protect public health.”

Dining in restaurants and getting a haircut will be a different experience than 
we’re used to. Just as is required for all out-of-home activities, clients and staff 
will have to practice physical distancing and wear cloth face coverings. There 
will be limited capacity and enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

Key, specific guidelines for customers at hair salons, barbershops and in-person 
restaurant dining are below:

Barbershops and hair salons

• Physical distancing measures will be in place.

• Employees and customers will be screened for symptoms, including 
cough and fever. Clients feeling unwell should reschedule their appointment.

• Everyone, including clients, must wear cloth face coverings while in 
the salon or barber shop and clients are encouraged to wear face coverings 
with earloops to ensure the face covering does not interfere with the hair 
service.

• Magazines, coffee and other amenities will not be available.

• Clients are encouraged to use credit cards and contactless payment 
systems. If electronic or card payment is not possible, customers should come 
with exact cash payment or check, if available.

• Stylists may only serve one client at a time.

For the detailed protocols visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/
coronavirus/.

Personal grooming that is still closed, or prohibited, at this time:

• Nail salons

• Spa services, including massage, facials and waxing

In-person dining in restaurants

• Physical distancing measures will be in place.

• Employees and customers will be screened for symptoms, including 
cough and fever. Patrons feeling unwell should not eat at a restaurant.

• Outdoor seating and curbside pickup are prioritized.

• Reservations will be encouraged.

• Customers will be asked to wait for their table in their cars or outside 
the restaurant to prevent crowds from gathering.

• Diners must wear cloth face coverings when not eating.

• Bar areas will be closed.

• Occupancy capacity will be limited to 60% for the next three weeks.

For the detailed protocol visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/
coronavirus/.

Los Angeles County is under a Safer At Work And In The Community order 
and public and private gatherings of people outside of a single household unit 
are not permitted except for public protests and faith-based services, which 
are permitted to operate with limits on the number of participants.

Everyone must continue to follow physical distancing and infection control 
protocols and wear a cloth face covering when in contact with others not in 
your household.

Still closed are:

• Gyms and fitness centers

• Beach piers

• Indoor entertainment venues including arcades, bowling alleys, movie 
theaters, live performance theaters, concert halls, stadiums, arenas, theme 
parks, gaming facilities and festivals

• Indoor museums, galleries and zoos

• Click here for a detailed list of what’s open and closed in L.A. County

The new openings are part of a phased progression guiding the safe resumption 
of public life in Los Angeles County, including the resumption and reopenings 
that include: in-person faith-based services, in-store shopping at 
retail stores, bike paths, drive-in movies and other recreational pursuits. The 
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will amend its Health Officer 
Order accordingly.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com