Elected Officials And Nurses Speak Out About Community Medical Center

Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, Mayor Robert Garcia and other elected officials joined representatives from the California Nurses Association (CNA) outside MemorialCare Community Medical Center Long Beach earlier today “to demand MemorialCare Health System stop artificial moves. . . to hasten its unwarranted decision to close Community Hospital Long Beach,” as stated by the CNA. MemorialCare recently submitted a 120-day lease termination notice for the hospital to the City of Long Beach. Last Friday, Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) made the decision to divert ambulances carrying patients in need of advanced life support away from Community to other emergency rooms. Both the city and CNA have called MemorialCare to task for this decision. However, the assistant director of L.A. County EMS told the Business Journal that his department made the call.

 

Rent Control Advocates To Rally At City Hall

Rent control advocates plan to rally outside city hall before Tuesday night’s (March 20) city council meeting, claiming, according to a flyer distributed on social media, that “councilmembers are trying to derail the democratic process and keep voters from having an informed choice.” Councilmembers Daryl Supernaw, Suzie Price and Stacy Mungo have agendized an item for that meeting requesting that the city manager and city attorney review a list of questions related to a proposed rent control ballot initiative. Questions pertain to whether the proposal would comply with state law, clarifications about requirements for landlords and enforcement, and more. Click here to read the item.

 

Transfer Of Infrastructure Funds For Cambodia Town Festival

The following item was added to the March 20 city council meeting agenda: “Recommendation to approve the use of the 6th Council District’s one-time infrastructure funds transferred from the Capital Projects Fund in the Public Works into the Legislative Department operating budget in the amount of $15,000 to support a partnership being entered into with Cambodia Town Inc., for the 10th Annual Cambodia Town Culture Festival.”

 

Democrats Could Cancel Each Other Out In Several California House Races

California Democrats could be looking at several key runoff elections for the U.S. House of Representatives in which they won’t be represented, Politico reports. After the filing deadline yesterday, several districts ended up with crowded Democratic fields, which could result in a division of the Democratic vote. In California, the top two vote-getters in primary elections advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation – opening the door for two Republicans to advance to the general in districts with crowded Democratic fields.

 

Assembly Bill Would Require Disclosure Of Personal Information To Labor Groups

CalChamber is urging opposition to Assembly Bill 2455 – which would require the State Department of Social Services to share home care worker’s personal information with labor organizations – arguing that it violates privacy for the sake of union organizing. Home care workers would have to opt out of having their information shared in order to prevent the department from doing so. The bill would prohibit labor organizations from sharing this information except for the purposes of “employee organizing, representation and assistance activities.”