March 26, 2020
By Andrew Taylor, Lisa Mmacaro and Jonathan Lemire
Associated Press
The White House and Senate leaders of both parties announced agreement early Wednesday on unprecedented emergency legislation to rush sweeping aid to businesses, workers and a health care system slammed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The urgently needed pandemic response measure is the largest economic rescue measure in history and is intended as a weeks- or months-long patch for an economy spiraling into recession and a nation facing a potentially ghastly toll.
Top White House aide Eric Ueland announced the agreement in a Capitol hallway shortly after midnight, capping days of often intense haggling and mounting pressure. It still needs to be finalized in detailed legislative language.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are done. We have a deal,” Ueland said.
The unprecedented economic rescue package would give direct payments to most Americans, expand unemployment benefits and provide a $367 billion program for small businesses to keep making payroll while workers are forced to stay home.
One of the last issues to close concerned $500 billion for guaranteed, subsidized loans to larger industries, including a fight over how generous to be with the airlines. Hospitals would get significant help as well.
“After days of intense discussions, the Senate has reached a bipartisan agreement on a historic relief package for this pandemic,” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a key negotiator. “It will rush new resources onto the front lines of our nation’s health care fight. And it will inject trillions of dollars of cash into the economy as fast as possible to help Americans workers, families, small businesses and industries make it through this disruption and emerge on the other side ready to soar.”
At the White House on Tuesday, even as the public-health crisis deepened, President Donald Trump expressed eagerness to nudge many people back to work in coming weeks and held out a prospect, based more on hope than science, that the country could be returning to normal in less than a month.
“We have to go back to work, much sooner than people thought,” Trump told a Fox News town hall. He said he’d like to have the country “opened up and just raring to go” by Easter, April 12. But in a White House briefing later, Trump said that “our decision will be based on hard facts and data.”
Medical professionals say social distancing needs to be stepped up, not relaxed, to slow the spread of infections. At the White House briefing, the public-health authorities said it was particularly important for people in the hard-hit New York City metropolitan area to quarantine themselves for 14 days, and for those who have recently left the city to do the same.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said pointedly at the briefing, “No one is going to want to tone down anything when you see what is going on in a place like New York City.”
On Capitol Hill, five days of arduous talks produced the bill, creating tensions among Congress’ top leaders, who each took care to tend to party politics as they maneuvered and battled over crafting the legislation. But failure was never an option, which permitted both sides to mark big wins.
Even before the deal was reached, news of the likely but elusive agreement had sent the stock market rocketing on Tuesday. The emerging rescue package would be larger than the 2008 bank bailout and 2009 recovery act combined.
The unprecedented economic rescue package would give direct a one-time payment of $1,200 per adult and $500 per child directly to the public.
A huge cash infusion for hospitals expecting a flood of COVID-19 patients grew during the talks at the insistence of Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, while Republicans pressed for tens of billions of dollars for additional relief to be delivered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal disaster agency.
Democrats said the package would help replace the salary of furloughed workers for four months, rather than the three months first proposed. Furloughed workers would get whatever amount a state usually provides for unemployment, plus a $600 per week add-on, with gig workers like Uber drivers covered for the first time.
“It ensures that all workers are protected whether they work for businesses small, medium or large, along with self-employed and workers in the gig economy,” Schumer said.
Republicans won inclusion of an “employee retention” tax credit that’s estimated to provide $50 billion to companies who retain employees on payroll and cover 50% of workers’ paychecks. Companies would also be able to defer payment of the 6.2% Social Security payroll tax.
Democrats pointed to gains for hospitals, additional oversight of the huge industry stabilization fund, and money for cash-strapped states. A companion appropriations package ballooned as well, growing from a $46 billion White House proposal to more than $300 billion, which dwarfs earlier disasters — including Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy combined.
To provide transparency, the package is expected to create a new inspector general and oversight board for the corporate dollars, much as was done during the 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Program bank rescue, officials said.
Trump in recent days has sounded a note of frustration about the unprecedented modern-day effort to halt the virus’ march by essentially shutting down public activities in ways that now threaten the U.S. economy.
Even though Trump’s administration recommended Americans curtail activities for 15 days, starting just over a week ago, the president said he may soon allow parts of the economy, in regions so far less badly hit by the virus, to begin reopening.
He continued on that theme Tuesday as he weighed a relaxation of social distancing guidelines after the 15-day period is up. His suggestion that the pandemic could ease and allow a return to normalcy in a mere few weeks is not supported by public health officials or many others in government.
On Tuesday, top defense and military leaders warned department personnel that the virus problems could extend for eight to 10 weeks, or longer. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a Defense Department town hall meeting that the crisis could even extend into July.
Trump has balked at using his authority under the recently invoked Defense Protection Act to compel the private sector to manufacture needed medical supplies like masks and ventilators, even as he encourages them to spur production. “We are a country not based on nationalizing our business,” said Trump, who has repeatedly railed against socialism overseas and among Democrats.
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.
February 20, 2020
LAWT News Service
Los Angeles Urban League’s Construction Career Academy (CCA) held its first class of the new year this past week with a full house of diverse men and women of all ages looking to get into a construction trade. CCA and many other workforce development programs are trying to fill employment gaps as labor shortages continue to plague the construction industry.
According to a new report released by the Southern California Partnership for Jobs, the Los Angeles County construction sector is expected to add more jobs and higher salaries. The report forecasted a 6% growth in LA County adding about 9,500 jobs for 2020. In addition, average construction wages are projected to grow 0.7% to $68,024, annually.
With projects ranging from sports venues, housing, and hotels to transportation and infrastructure, there is a growing need for skilled construction workers in Los Angeles. However, contractors cannot find enough workers to meet the demand.
When the recession hit in 2007, construction companies shed about 600,000 jobs. A decade later, the industry has bounced back, along with the jobs, but there’s not enough people to fill the positions. Last year, Associated General Contractors of America estimated that 80% of construction companies can’t find the workers they need.
Several factors can be seen contributing to the labor shortage:
During the recession, skilled workers had to find jobs outside the industry or left the workforce entirely; Baby Boomers are starting to retire in record numbers; Millennials are entering the market, but many lack experience or interest in a construction trade; and immigrants can fill the employment gaps, but there can be language and legal barriers in the hiring process.
“There are tons of opportunities available in construction – and lucrative opportunities,” said Jamecca Marshall, Programs Director for Los Angeles Urban League. “We work in communities that are untapped and underutilized in terms of talent, drive and willingness to work. Making connections between our communities and these construction opportunities is why we created our Construction Career Academy.”
CCA is an apprenticeship readiness program that prepares candidates to take and pass a union trade entry exam. The program is 10-weeks and includes 80-hours of instruction. Students not only learn about different pathways into construction, but also how to thrive in their new construction career. Topics of instruction include construction math, interview techniques and workplace retention skills.
A recent graduate of Construction Career Academy, James Green, found CCA through a local job fair, and is now a carpenter’s apprentice with ISEC. “I had been through a couple of programs, but there were never any concrete results,” said Mr. Green. “This is the only program that provided a clear pathway to a union apprenticeship and job placement.”
Green credits the CCA staff for his success. One of Green’s instructors was Jann Whetstone. Ms. Whetstone is a union journeyman, a teacher and advocate for women, minorities and youth learning a union building trade. “Jann really got me prepared, mentally and physically, for what was needed in this field. I wouldn’t have my job today if it wasn’t for Jann.”
Construction Career Academy is led by Amare El Jamii who has worked in manufacturing for more than a decade and has experience in nonprofit start-up and management. El Jamii started his training program at the J.T. Mitchel Pre-Apprenticeship Academy, which later evolved into the Construction Career Academy for Los Angeles Urban League. He holds degrees in statistics and applied mathematics from Norco College and UCLA, respectively.
Another recent graduate of CCA, Niryn Mitchel, said every week there was an emphasis on math. “Amare got me straight on my fractions,” said Mitchel. “You have to want it, you have to work at it, and practice, and now I use this stuff every day at my job. I’m thankful to Amare, his team, and the Urban League.”
At CCA’s orientation event at Los Angeles Urban League, retired iron worker Marion Bryant spoke about his experience as a union journeyman. “It’s like a marriage,” said Bryant. “It can be easy sometimes and it can get really hard sometimes, but she’s put food on my table, clothes on my back and my kids through school. Looking back on my 39 years, nine months and 22 days on the job, I can say that I loved her and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Construction Career Academy is scheduled to start new classes every 10 weeks at the offices of Los Angeles Urban League located at 4401 S. Crenshaw Blvd. Suite 201. For more information on Construction Career Academy and to sign up for the next session, visit laul.org/cca.
February 13, 2020
LAWT News Service
YouthSource Center has immediate slots available for students to learn about the craft of filmmaking from pre-production through post-production for youth 16-24. Students will learn about writing, directing, editing, production and developing a short film.
Individuals interested in taking advantage of this tremendous opportunity are invited to attend an orientation being held on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Brotherhood Crusade – YouthSource Center located at 4401 Crenshaw Boulevard, Suite 103, Los Angeles, California 90043 at the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and Leimert in the Chase Bank building (entrance in the rear of the building).
During the orientation, candidates will learn about Brotherhood Crusade’s Jr. Executive Career Readiness Training and Job Placement Program and the Brotherhood Crusade Video Production, editing and graphic design classes, which connects young people to employment that leads to middle-wage ($18 per hour or more) careers. Once the orientation concludes, qualified and eligible candidates who desire to move forward will be enrolled in the 10 week production classes beginning March 30, 2020. The classes will take place on Monday’s and Wednesday’s, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Brotherhood Crusade YouthSource Center. Candidates who successfully graduate from the program will be placed in full-time, part-time employment or a paid internship.
Spots are limited! To RSVP and take advantage of this opportunity or to obtain more information, please contact Nakia Brazier, via email at. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (323) 903-6926.
Who is Eligible to Participate?
• Youth/Young adults ages 16-24
• Out of School or In School youth/young adults
• Not employed
• Must live in the City of Los Angeles
• Must have the legal right to work in the United States
• Current or former foster youth
• Homeless/runaway youth
• History of involvement in the juvenile justice system
February 13, 2020
LAWT News Service
Everytable, the Los Angeles-based social enterprise seeking to end food inequality by making healthy food affordable, convenient and accessible for all, has received a total of $2.5 million in program-related investments (PRI) from Annenberg Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation (Cal Wellness) to support the development and implementation of a pioneering social equity franchise program. The $1.5 million in funding from Cal Wellness and $1 million from the Annenberg Foundation will allow Everytable to foster economic empowerment among entrepreneurs from marginalized communities. Everytable plans to open 25 franchises owned by entrepreneurs of color from underserved neighborhoods in Southern California over the next five years.
What started in 2015 as a revolutionary grab-and-go restaurant concept with delicious, high-quality, made-from-scratch meals priced according to what a specific neighborhood can afford, Everytable is now a multi-channel, fresh-prepared food business blending markets, SmartFridges, and subscription delivery (and pickup) throughout Los Angeles and Orange County, California. Meals are prepared by chefs at a single central kitchen to reduce costs, and those savings are passed on to guests — meal prices start at $4.95 in underserved neighborhoods, and $6.95 in middle-income or affluent communities. Everytable has also recently stepped up efforts to eliminate food insecurity among students by opening Everytable Markets and SmartFridges at several local colleges and universities.
“At Everytable, our core mission is to push against structural inequality, first through the pricing and accessibility of our healthy food offerings, and second by hiring from the low-to-moderate income communities we serve,” said Sam Polk, co-founder and CEO, Everytable. “Now, with this extraordinary and meaningful funding from Annenberg Foundation and Cal Wellness, we can expand our socio-economic impact through the development of a franchise training and education program to empower disenfranchised entrepreneurs, who ordinarily might not be able to access capital, to bring affordable and nutritious food into their communities and participate in the profits and capital gains from the success of their businesses.”
“The lack of freshly made and affordable, healthy meals is a challenge that should not exist for anyone in a city as plentiful and kind as Los Angeles,” said Annenberg Foundation Executive Director Cinny Kennard. “Everytable is designed to effectively combat this existence of ‘food deserts.’ Along with the California Wellness Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation is pleased to support Everytable’s mission, especially its vital new social equity franchise program — making training and education available to entrepreneurs in underserved communities so they can manage and maybe even open Everytable franchises. With this new project Everytable aims to create jobs and lift up local economies. We are proud to be a part of such an innovative and inclusive approach.”
“Our $1.5 million investment in Everytable shows our commitment to leverage our endowment to serve communities that too often get left behind,” said Judy Belk, President and CEO of The California Wellness Foundation. “We’re committed to using every tool in our tool kit to advance our mission to improve the health and wellness of Californians. That includes grantmaking as well as making program-related and mission-related investments from our endowment. We’re thrilled to partner with the Annenberg Foundation to fund this ground-breaking franchise program. And I’ll tell you, those salads at Everytable are delicious, so we’re encouraging folks to give them a try when one opens near you.”
The new franchise model will be designed to train entrepreneurs from underserved communities with the express purpose of fostering economic empowerment among talented individuals, who lack access to capital and training resources. The program will provide critical education and ongoing support through on-the-job training in a real-world commissary and storefronts, and participation in Everytable University, a year-long, multidisciplinary educational series.
Everytable will also provide program graduates with funding to open Everytable locations, assist with retail site selection and build-out design, and provide marketing support. Program candidates will be recruited internally among current store-level managers, through non-profit and academic partners, and via standard online recruiting channels.