Share: On May 15, the Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force’s Thunderbirds honored health care workers, first responders and essential employees by conducting flyovers over Los Angeles and San Diego. The flyovers were part of Operation America Strong, a collaborative effort announced by President Donald Trump to display solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though they should be appreciated as a positive effort to raise the country’s morale amidst such a challenging time, they unknowingly encouraged irresponsible behavior that threatened public safety. Concerns were raised …
COVID-19 wreaks havoc on Pasadena nursing homes
Share: When it comes to Covid-19, Pasadena would appear to be extremely negligent. How else would you explain the disparity in the number of Covid-19 attributed deaths in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Pasadena with those of other cities across the nation? The gap is a big one. At the time of this writing, 65 of the 71 or 92% of all covid related deaths in Pasadena were either residents or employees of nursing homes or assisted living facilities. In contrast, Nationally, the …
COVID-19 pushes PCC’s fall semester online
Share: PCC has decided to move all of its summer and most of its fall courses online, according to an email sent to faculty on May 15. The stay-at-home order has been extended multiple times, so PCC decided to make the commitment to go fully online for the summer instead of making adjustments for both students and faculty later in the intersession. The majority of fall 2020 courses will be taught remotely with the exception of a few courses which cannot be delivered online. These …
Reopening may not be as bad as we thought
Share: The United States has over a million cases of COVID-19, according to the CDC, but the states should help small-business owners and reopen now. The money that was meant to help these small companies was claimed by several bigger companies, such as Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc., a real estate company that owns over 100 hotels across the United States. Only 15 of the 245 public companies that applied for at least $905 million returned $116 million to the Paycheck Protection Program so far. According …
PCC work-study student tests positive for COVID-19
Share: A part-time PCC employee has become the campus’s first connection to the novel coronavirus after testing positive, according to an email from officials on Tuesday afternoon. Follow:
Special COVID-19 grading in the works for PCC
Share: A new COVID-19 grading policy for Spring 2020 was presented at the most recent Academic Senate meeting on May 4. The policy proposed consideration of the following: that all withdrawals (W) be converted to excused withdrawal (EW), all F grades be automatically converted to EW and students earning a D grade may petition for an EW if needed. According to Dean of Instructional Services, Stephanie Fleming, who presented the policy, this would allow student petitions for D grades to be automatically converted to EW. …
Quarantine won’t stop us from celebrating Mother’s Day
Share: From thanking mom for always being there for you during your downfall, cheering you on during a game and telling you that she loves you no matter what, PCC students and staff still take the time to celebrate Mother’s Day during quarantine. For student Yessenia Hernandez, Mother’s Day was spent lounging around. The only exciting part of the day was surprising her mother with a gift. “My mother has always baked growing up and had her own little business going on here around the …
COVID-19 town hall briefs students on available aid
Share: PCC’s Student Services department held their first coronavirus town hall on May 6. During this informational panel, the department discussed its efforts to assist students during the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of campus. A focal point of the meeting was the distribution of funds that the college has received from the Coronavirus Aid, Response, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to Cynthia Olivo, vice president of Student Services, 5,500 students have currently been awarded funds. The disbursement of CARES Act funding to PCC …
Vietnam traded freedom for safety, and it worked
Share: With less than 300 cases and an astonishing zero deaths from COVID-19, Vietnam has established itself at the forefront in how to deal with coronavirus. While their tactics may be seen as aggressive and hasty, it’s exactly that proactiveness that led to Vietnam standing toe to toe with much wealthier countries such as Taiwan or South Korea, who have had the resources and money for mass-testing, a luxury Vietnam couldn’t afford. Opting for isolation instead of testing for the first few months, the Vietnamese …
PCC’s Personal Counseling embraces next phase of student support
Share: This story has been updated to accurately reflect statements made by Jason Vasquez. Zoom fatigue—it’s the idea that the sudden shift to virtual conferences has a more taxing toll on one’s mental health than in-person meetings. Home offices and bedrooms have been converted to makeshift workspaces, blurring the boundaries between work and personal life. As California moves into its ninth week in quarantine, the shock of the transitional period is weaning off for some. However, PCC’s Personal Counseling department is prepared for the emotional …