News

12.29.20 Memory-care unit for COVID-19 patients with dementia opens at Fairview Developmental Center

Excerpted from Daily Pilot

By Sara Cardine

When local coronavirus cases began to surge and hospitals became overrun with COVID-19 cases, McAleer and his colleagues looked for a way to serve and treat this unique segment of the care population.

12.21.2020 California dropped its guard before it was hit with $2 billion in unemployment fraud

Excerpted from the Los Angeles Times

SACRAMENTO —

As California grapples with staggering levels of unemployment benefit fraud — $2 billion or more by one estimate — lawmakers and security experts say the state let its guard down well before the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, failing to keep up with what other states have done to flag bogus claims.

12.17.20 CBS Los Angeles: Unemployed Californians, Lawmakers Beg Bank Of America For More Help In Wake Of Massive Fraud Scheme

Excerpted from CBS Los Angeles.

12.16.20 Fox40: San Joaquin County DA cracking down on EDD fraud

“Our DAs all across the state really have been leading the charge here. They were the first to really raise the alarm about the fraud crisis,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Laguna Beach.

“The more the DAs do their work, the more we see how widespread the fraud was,” said Assemblyman Jim Patterson, R-Fresno.

Legislation is currently underway that will address the many EDD problems.

“We’ve got to close the obvious loopholes, so we need to stop sending Social Security numbers in the mail,” Petrie-Norris told FOX40.

12.16: State Announces: Tax Credits and Support for Small Businesses

In an effort to continue supporting small businesses through the pandemic, the state has recently increased different channels of support, including:

12.12.20 Column: California’s unemployment payment fiasco makes the DMV look like a well-run agency

Excerpted from The Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach) said desperate Californians have “this sense of falling into a black hole” as they continue struggling with a malfunctioning computer system. They can’t get their benefits, spend months in EDD purgatory and can’t get anyone to answer their cries for help.

12.11.20 LAGUNA BEACH INDEPENDENT: Petrie-Norris Sworn-in for Second Term

Excerpted from Laguna Beach Independent:

Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach) was sworn in Monday for her second term serving the 74th Assembly District, which includes Laguna Beach.

12.09.20 OC Register: Proposed bill would require in-person instruction at schools when a county’s COVID stats improve

Excerpted from The OC Register.

The proposed law would still allow students to choose the distance learning option, said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, but targets concerns about the effectiveness of distance learning and the overall well-being of youth during the pandemic.

12.04.20 OC Register: Sober living, addiction treatment conflicts return to lawmakers’ crosshairs

Excerpted from OC Register:

11.21.20 Volunteers distribute holiday meals in Costa Mesa as officials stress pandemic caution

Excerpted from Daily Pilot

By Andrew Turner

The holidays bring an infectious spirit of giving, something that community members have done well to observe for needy families from the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

As Thanksgiving approaches, the Power of One Foundation and more than 70 volunteers worked together to make sure that families would be able to put food on the table to celebrate it.