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Friday, March 20, 2020

Victor Olaiya: Nigeria's 'evil genius' trumpeter who influenced Fela Kuti

Nigerian Victor Olaiya, who died last month, was a musical pioneer and mentor to the Afrobeat legend.

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Senate Democrats propose bailout for student loan borrowers

Realizing the economic impact that the coronavirus crisis is already causing and what it might bring down the line, Senate Democrats say student loan borrowers need quick relief in the form of loan forgiveness and debt cancellation. They are proposing slashing a minimum of $10,000 in debt for all federal student loans, according to The Washington Post.

READ MORE: Two Morehouse grads make plans to give back in a big way thanks to Billionaire’s gift paying off their student loans

“The coronavirus outbreak brought with it crushing economic uncertainty, and students and borrowers need targeted, quick relief from payment burdens,” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), said as he introduced his plan on Thursday, alongside Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

The senators want to shift the loan payments to the Education Department in the months ahead while the United States grapples with the pandemic, and start a three-month grace period where borrowers get a reprieve on making payments without any penalty.

Under the plan, the government would not be able to seize tax refunds or garnish borrowers’ wages or reduce their Social Security benefits to repay past debt. In addition to this, President Trump’s order last week waiving interest on federal education loans would still be applied.

Warren was the first to suggest forgiving student loans as a way to stimulate the economy. Since last week, her aides say she has been meeting with Senate colleagues to work on getting the plan included in the Senate Democrats’ $750 billion stimulus package, according to The Washington Post.

READ MORE: Joy Reid calls out GOP for holding up coronavirus stimulus package

“Last time our economy crashed, this country made a devastating mistake: we turned our backs on students and families to bail out the giant banks,” Warren said yesterday, according to The Post. “Student loan borrowers — especially students of color — never fully recovered from that economic punch to the gut. This time around, by canceling student debt payments for millions, we will fix the mistake that still holds back a generation of people and dragged down our economy.”

The post Senate Democrats propose bailout for student loan borrowers appeared first on TheGrio.



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Study: Black and Hispanic Workers Much Less Likely to Work From Home

work from home

The coronavirus has left almost every industry reeling as many Americans look to work from home. However, many African American and Hispanic workers do not have this option.

According to a study from the Economic Policy Group, fewer than one in five black workers and roughly one in six Hispanic workers can work from home. At the same time, 30% of white workers, 37% of Asian workers, and 31% of non-Hispanic or Latino workers can telecommute.

The study also features a chart showing that the higher the wage an individual earns, the more likely it is that they can telecommute. Only 9.2% of low-wage workers can work from home. More than 60% of higher-wage workers can telecommute.

Low-wage workers tend to work in the hospitality and service industries where, the study observed, less than 10% of workers can telecommute. More than half of workers in the financial activities, professional and businesses services, and information industries can telecommute.

“To make matters worse, those who have children have to navigate continuing to work while also providing adequate care for their children as schools shut their doors,” the study said. “Among all workers, only 34.9% of parents in households with children can telework. This means that not only are their jobs vulnerable, but the care of their children may be as well.”

The government is taking steps in the right direction, passing the Family First Coronavirus Response Act this week. The bill will provide limited increases to paid sick leave coverage, nutrition assistance, and unemployment insurance among other benefits. However, the Economic Policy Group believes the bill does not go far enough.

“There are substantial loopholes in the paid sick coverage provided,” the study states. “It will do little to help the estimated 3 million workers, including 900,000 leisure and hospitality workers, who we estimate will lose their jobs by this summer.”

Low-wage workers have been hit the hardest by the coronavirus outbreak in the chances of catching the virus, retaining employment during the outbreak, and potentially acquiring new employment once American life returns to normal.



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27 Best Nintendo Switch Accessories (2020): Docks, Cases, and More

Have this two-in-one game console? These are our picks for the best screen protectors, chargers, controllers, and more.

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Black Lives Matter coronavirus campaign demands government to do more

Black Lives Matter is calling for the government to immediately pass a coronavirus relief package to aid all homeless and poor Americans.

The movement has launched a petition that outlines a list of demands amid the viral outbreak that has prompted state and city officials to take steps in shutting down schools, churches, bars, restaurants, and other non-essential businesses. The CDC has also urged the public to practice social-distancing to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

READ MORE: L.A. County DA’s husband pulls gun on Black Lives Matter activists in video

“At the current rate, the United States is at risk of experiencing not only a deadly healthcare crisis but one that has the potential to result in massive social, economic, and political upheaval as systems reach crisis points and begin to fracture,” the petition states.

Chris Rock and others have taken to social media to support this effort to encourage the government to be more proactive in adopting their progressive demands on how to deal with COVID-19.

While President Donald Trump has signed an economic relief bill to help businesses and certain hourly workers combat the coronavirus crisis, the BLM movement says it’s not enough.

Black Lives Matter is calling on more advocates, influencers, and supporters to join in their demand for the following:

  • Immediately pass a coronavirus relief package now that provides emergency funding assistance to cover expenses to massively test the population in the millions and provide emergency food and shelter to all homeless and poor.
  • Provide a protection and testing plan for incarcerated people while in custody and upon release.
  • Expand SNAP and unemployment for the duration of the pandemic.
  • Immediately legislate fully paid sick leave for all workers.
  • Implement an immediate moratorium on evictions and utility shut-offs.
  • Emergency funding for family and community-based childcare for families who cannot work from home.

In a lengthy statement as part of the petition, BLM calls out the government’s disastrous response to testing kits and testing citizens as the COVID-19 pandemonium rages on, and due to the lack of significant action from health officials, “the true rate and magnitude of the coronavirus in the United States remain illusory and fragmented at best and a deadly moral and political catastrophe at worst,” the statement reads.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are least 209,839 global coronavirus cases, and the global death toll has risen above 10,000, according to Johns Hopkins University, CNBC reports.

READ MORE: Boston Police Union blasts Black Lives Matter observance

While the public is constantly being urged to remain in their homes, with exceptions only for essential travel, the BLM petition notes that the economic impact of these restrictions will affect Black workers the hardest.

“Among the working poor, Black workers will be harmed the most. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Black, and Hispanic workers are more than twice as likely to earn poverty-level wages compared to their white counterparts,” reports Kristin Myers in Yahoo Finance.

The post Black Lives Matter coronavirus campaign demands government to do more appeared first on TheGrio.



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Tamera Mowry-Housley recalls husband catching his fingers in her weave

On one particular make-out session, Tamera Mowry-Housley said she learned her then white boyfriend, Adam Housley, was down for the cause.

In a pre-recorded episode of The Real, Mowry-Housley dished on Adam running his hands through her weave and coming to a halt when he landed on her tracks.

READ MORE: Tamera Mowry-Housley celebrates Tinder’s new interracial couple emojis

“I had a weft in my hair. For those who don’t know what that means, that is like tracks. And you know when you’re like making out and you’re really, really into it. I remember at one point, he was so sweet, he just stopped. He didn’t say anything because I don’t think he wanted to hurt my feelings. He just didn’t understand,” Mowry-Housley said in the clip. “I said, ‘Oh baby, that’s okay. That’s a weft. Just keep on going.’”

The conversation came up when the ladies were responding to a question on Ask Reddit about whether they would break up with someone if they weren’t “woke” enough for you. The question delved into a woman who realized that she and her boyfriend would always get into fights about topics like feminism, politics, and cultural appropriation but that she discovered it wasn’t because he was ignorant to those topics, he wasn’t willing to listen and grow to other points of view.

The ladies determined that it’s one thing to be ignorant about an issue but it’s entirely another to be disinterested or unconcerned.

That’s when Mowry-Housley piped up with another story about watching her then-boyfriend at her sister, Tia’s wedding to Cory Hardrict, to see how he intermingled with her Black family members. She said her family members came up to her and confirmed he was a keeper. She said they told her “Yes, we love Adam. He feels comfortable with us.”

READ MORE: WATCH: Tamera Mowry-Housley defends her man ‘My husband is not a racist!’

“He’s also open to learning. And on his side, I learned about wine … you know, the wine culture,” she added about her husband of seven years.

The women of The Real are taking a four-week break because of the coronavirus. They pre-recorded a few episodes before they left to keep their audience engaged less on the news and more on some relationship and topical issues while they are out.

The post Tamera Mowry-Housley recalls husband catching his fingers in her weave appeared first on TheGrio.



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Get Counted in the Census While You’re Quarantined During the Coronavirus Crisis

Get counted in the 2020 Census

While the world is counting on America to find a solution for the coronavirus, communities and organizations are depending on people to be counted in the Census for funding. American’s response to the Census helps direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services. Results will also be used to determine the number of seats each state has in Congress and political representation at all levels of government.

Traditionally, it has been difficult getting black and brown people counted in the Census due to a number of access-related issues. Now, the Census questionnaire is available online, by phone, or by mail. The 2020 Census questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete depending on the number of people in your household. If you have not received a questionnaire in the mail, you can be counted online. The information that you submit online is privacy protected.

Related: Civil Rights Leader Marc Morial Warns Black People to Stay ‘Woke and Aware’ in 2020

What you need to know before you get started:

  • You must complete your questionnaire once you begin. If you leave the questionnaire and return later, you will have to start over.
  • Do not use the web browser buttons (back, forward, or close browser). Use the buttons within the questionnaire to navigate.
  • For best results, use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari. Enable cookies.

Key Dates for the US Census

  • January 21: The U.S. Census Bureau started counting the population in remote Alaska. The count officially began in the rural Alaskan village of Toksook Bay.
  • March 12 – 20: Households began receiving official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail.
  • March 30 – April 1: The Census Bureau will count people who are experiencing homelessness over these three days. As part of this process, the Census Bureau counts people in shelters, at soup kitchens and mobile food vans, on the streets, and at non-sheltered, outdoor locations such as tent encampments.
  • April 1: Census Day is observed nationwide. When you respond to the census, you’ll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020.
  • April: Census takers will begin visiting college students who live on campus, people living in senior centers, and others who live among large groups of people. Census takers will also begin following up with households that have not yet responded in areas that include off-campus housing, where residents are not counted in groups. [This is subject to change given the Coronavirus outbreak]
  • May – July: Census takers will begin visiting homes that haven’t responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted.
  • December: The Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the President and Congress as required by law.

2021

  • March 31: By this date, the Census Bureau will send redistricting counts to states. This information is used to redraw legislative districts based on population changes.

Census 101: What You Need to Know                                 [Source: U.S. Census Bureau]

To get counted, Visit my2020census.gov 



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How Fast Does a Virus Spread? Let’s Do the Math

Infectious diseases grow exponentially, not linearly. The number of cases seems small—until they're not, and then it's too late.

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Has the Coronavirus Killed the Techlash? 

Plus: Larry Page’s predictions on regulation, Elon Musk’s brain chip, and an unthinkably bad day for Utah.

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Samsung Galaxy S20 Review: Effortless Perfection

Samsung's latest Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus smartphones are so good, you'll hardly ever stop to think about them.

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US senators sold major stock amid coronavirus fears just before market dropped

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., is under fire for selling over a million bucks in stock just before the market dropped amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Barr downplayed its threat to the economy, while at the same time offloading according to some almost 1.6 million dollars in stock after private briefings on the deadly virus, CBS News reports. Several of the stocks were in major corporations that own hotels.

READ MORE: Civil rights leaders urge Congress to consider Black workers impacted by Coronavirus

Senate records show Burr and his wife sold a significant amount of stock last month, between $600,000 and $1.7 million in 33 separate transactions beginning in late January and mid-February, just as the stock market started to crash due to COVID-19.

ProPublica was the first to report that the North Carolina senator was dumping stock after acquiring information that the public doesn’t have about the status of the Wuhan, China coronavirus.

It’s illegal for members of Congress to trade stocks based on tea spilled from lawmakers in private, which is why there are now calls for Barr to resign. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was one of the loudest voices.

On Fox News Thursday, right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson slammed Burr following reports that he engaged insider trading.

“You may have seen the news reports this afternoon that the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee sold more than a million dollars in stock in February, after learning how devastating the Chinese coronavirus could be,” said Carlson. “He had inside information about what could happen to our country, which is now happening. But he didn’t warn the public. He didn’t give a primetime address. Didn’t go on television to sound the alarm. He didn’t even disavow an op-ed he had written just ten days before claiming that America was, quote, ‘better prepared than ever for coronavirus.’”

“He didn’t do any of those things,” he continued. “Instead, what did he do? He dumped his shares in hotel stocks so he wouldn’t lose money. And then he stayed silent. Now, maybe there’s an honest explanation for what he did. If there is, he should share it with the rest of us immediately. Otherwise, he must resign from the Senate and face prosecution for insider trading.”

READ MORE: Trump called COVID-19 a ‘Chinese Virus’ draws outrage

Several other senators reportedly sold big stock stakes around the same time as Barr, according to Senate records.

Sen. Kelly Loeffler is also being called out on social media for reportedly selling between $1.2M and $3.1M worth of stock the day of a closed-door, all-Senator briefing on the coronavirus in January.

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Michelle Sneed Opens Up About Serving As First Female President At Tyler Perry Studios

Michelle Sneed Tyler Perry Studios

It’s difficult to fathom that a century ago women were not legally allowed to vote in this country. Fast-forwarding 50 years, the chances of any female serving in an executive role across any industry were extremely slim, and for a person of color, virtually non-existent. Today, as a culture, we are peacock proud to witness the burgeoning of black female executives who are standing on the shoulders of ancestors who only reserved such distant dreams for the sweet by and by.

Scripting A Different Story

BLACK ENTERPRISE recently sat down with Michelle Sneed, who serves as the first female president of Tyler Perry Studios (TPS), overseeing all productions and development in film and television, to discuss her role, impact, and contributions to contemporary history. Since 2009, she has watched the studio evolve as there were no current females in leadership. When she took the reins in 2018, not only was it an honor to accept a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but “it was a sign that the company was embracing the times with growth and diversity and my appointment represents that.”

After leaving TPS in 2015 and returning three years later, Sneed told The Hollywood Reporter, “it’s not about me—it’s for the culture.” The position allowed someone who looked like her—a woman, an African American woman, and a decision-maker–to reside in rooms and have a voice that matters representing stories that are culturally relevant.

“I’m taking everybody with me. I didn’t get here without a million people helping me, pulling me up, and showing me the way. I’m going to pay that forward and give that back.”

Breaking Invisible Barriers

When asked to share career advice for women who feel like they’re stuck or unable to shatter the glass ceiling, Sneed emphasized believing in everything you have to offer and knowing that you deserve it because of your value. Be completely confident that you are just as capable as your male counterparts and do not allow the constant chatter such as unequal pay and other inequalities to cause us to retreat. If you exude your best energy, align with like-minded individuals, and maintain healthy, mutual relationships, you’ll be amazed at where a robust skillset, rock-solid work ethic, and great relationships can take you—anywhere your male counterparts can go!

Making The Dream Work

A strong work ethic is paramount for Sneed, which was strongly modeled by her grandparents and particularly her grandfather, who retired two years early because he accumulated so much vacation time. Her advice to her production assistants is to be that person they call first. They’re going to call the person who they know is going to make them look good, and who they know is going to work hard.

Executing the vision of Tyler Perry Studios is no small feat. According to Sneed, leadership isn’t just about being the boss but inspiring people to move to action and finding creative and supportive ways for them to buy into a shared vision. Perry exemplifies this not by shoving off orders but actually doing the work, which empowers her to want to work just as hard as he does. This alignment creates an atmosphere to attract and work with emerging talent, provide greater opportunities, and see people excel.

Disrupting Cultural Boundaries

TPS will continue to evolve as a cultural icon, inspiring the hopes and dreams of multiple generations. Echoing its slogan, “Even Where Dreams Believe,” TPS is Walt Disney from Sneed’s perspective. Although the studio campus is housed on 330 acres, the dreams and visions realized here will be unlimited, from nurturing emerging talent to supporting writing incubators to philanthropic initiatives. The campus was built for creatives to come and explore the possibilities. That is why 12 soundstages have been dedicated to others who made it possible for black creatives to follow. If you build it, they will come.

Legacy In The Making

Sneed’s legacy will be constructed beyond the acquisition of tangibles but rather the quality of her life’s work, relationships, good deeds, and the testament to her character. With a desire to strengthen her flaws and sharpen her career skills, it reduces to how she stewarded her time and her treatment of others—particularly the ones she loved and cared about the most.

One thing is for sure: she’s setting the bar high in black excellence and making a mark that cannot be erased.

 

 

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Go Ahead, Stream All You Want. The Internet Is Fine—for Now

Netflix is slowing streams in Europe in an effort to preserve bandwidth amid the pandemic. But US providers seem to be holding up to the surge in usage.

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Dealing With Quarantine, Family-Style

This week, we discuss why Italy has been hit so hard by the coronavirus, and we have tips for how parents can keep kids entertained as schools close.

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Major League Baseball and MLBPA Donate $1 Million to Emergency Food Services

Major League Baseball and Meals on Wheels America

Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) have announced a joint $1 million donation to help fight hunger due to nationwide school closures and quarantines stemming from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The donation will be split evenly between Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America.

“In these difficult times of navigating this pandemic, it is important that we come together as a society to help the most vulnerable members of our communities,” said MLB commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. in a written statement. “As an institution, baseball is extending our commitment to addressing childhood hunger and food availability issues during this crisis. We are grateful for the partnership with our players on this critical issue, which has the potential to deeply affect children and seniors.”

Tony Clark, executive director of the MLBPA, said: “In this time of international crisis, players are eager to do their part both individually and collectively to ease the significant burdens placed on the most vulnerable people in our communities. This contribution represents one of those efforts.”

Feeding America plans on distributing funds to local member food banks in high-need areas across the United States. The funds will help feed children and families impacted by current, and possibly extended, school closures and other forms of disruptions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Meals on Wheels America will use the emergency funds to boost the size of the network to provide in-home meals to vulnerable senior citizens during this time of crisis.

“Feeding America is tremendously grateful to Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association for their commitment to helping children and families in need,” said Lauren Biedron, vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America. “Member food banks are committed to helping their communities every day as well as when disaster strikes. This donation will help people who struggle to put food on their tables during this pandemic.”

“On behalf of the nationwide Meals on Wheels network, I want to extend heartfelt gratitude to Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association for their substantial contribution in response to COVID-19,” said Ellie Hollander, president and CEO, Meals on Wheels America. “It will take all of us coming together to ensure our most at-risk Americans remain healthy, and Major League Baseball and its players have set an example for others by helping us to ensure homebound seniors will continue to receive the meals they desperately need amid this evolving national crisis.”We’re on, like, Day 6. On Day 50, celebs are going to looking for Pepe Silvia.



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A Beach Town Wrestles With Cutting Its Economic Lifeline

Health officials want to close beaches crowded with spring breakers to slow the spread of coronavirus. Local businesses fear the financial impact.

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As Covid-19 Spreads, Truckers Need to Keep on Trucking

The demand for hospital equipment, groceries and, yes, toilet paper has big rigs rolling and truck stops adapting.

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Thursday, March 19, 2020

Coronavirus: The taxi driver falsely accused of links to

Jude Ikuenobe was falsely accused on social media of using a Covid-19 patient to extort money.

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California governor issues statewide stay-at-home order

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered the state’s 40 million residents to stay at home, restricting non-essential movements to control the spread of the coronavirus that threatens to overwhelm the state’s medical system.

“This is a moment we need to make tough decisions,” Newsom said. “We need to recognize reality.”

His move came after counties and communities covering about half the state’s population already had issued similar orders. He said the restriction is “open-ended,” and it could raise false hopes if he predicted how long the order might last.

People may still leave their homes for walks and exercise and for essential needs such as food and medical care. Restaurant meals can still be delivered to homes.

READ MORE: Homeless Los Angeles residents seize vacant homes for shelter during coronavirus pandemic

The Democratic governor also announced that he is mobilizing 500 California National Guard troops to help with food distribution, but said they will be in place only for humanitarian reasons.

“I don’t believe the people of California need to be told through law enforcement that it’s appropriate just to home isolate,” he said.

Pennsylvania earlier Thursday ordered all “non life-saving businesses” to close across the state.

Newsom earlier in the day asked the president to deploy a U.S. Navy medical ship to help the state expand its medical capacity and warned that more than half of California’s residents could contract the new coronavirus.

Newsom asked President Donald Trump to send the USNS Mercy Hospital Ship to the port of Los Angeles for use through Sept. 1, in a letter dated Wednesday. California has disproportionately aided people returning to the U.S. from foreign countries and needs the ship to help “decompress” its health care delivery system as infection rates climb, Newsom wrote. The ship is based in San Diego.

He said infection rates are doubling every four days in some parts of the state and issued the dire prediction that 56% of California’s population could contract the virus over the next eight weeks.

READ MORE: Baltimore State’s attorney to drop charges of certain crimes due to coronavirus

His spokesman later confirmed that number does not take into account aggressive mitigation efforts underway across the state. Many large counties had already been issuing shelter-in-place orders aimed at keeping Californians confined to their homes and Newsom had directed the closure of bars, gyms and other gathering spaces statewide.

“This projection shows why it’s so critical that Californians take action to slow the spread of the disease — and those mitigation efforts aren’t taken into account in this projection,” spokesman Nathan Click said in an emailed statement.

Newsom’s letter to Trump said 25.5 million people could be infected. But the state’s population is estimated to be just shy of 40 million, meaning 56% of the population would be closer to 22.4 million people. The governor’s office did not respond to questions about his calculation or offer a prediction that considers efforts to stop the spread of the infection.

“If we meet this moment we can truly bend the curve to reduce the need to surge, to reduce the need to have to go out and cobble all those assets together,” Newsom said in his evening news conference streamed live on social media.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. It can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, for some people, especially older adults and those with existing health problems. Most people recover — those with mild illness in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks, according to the World Health Organization.

“I can assure you home isolation is not my preferred choice, I know it’s not yours, but it’s a necessary one,” Newsom said. “This is not a permanent state, this is a moment in time.”

“You can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog,” he said. “If we are to be criticized at this moment, let us be criticized for taking this moment seriously.”

He announced that California had purchased the Seton Medical Center in Daly City. The 357-bed hospital was the city’s largest employer with about 1,500 workers, but the hospital’s owners filed for bankruptcy in August 2018.

“Even after our current public health crisis passes, it would have been imperative for this facility remain open because 27,000 patients, mostly elderly and low-income, are served there,” Democratic state Assemblyman Phil Ting said in a statement.

READ MORE: Surgeon General calls on Kylie Jenner to help combat coronavirus outbreak

In a separate letter, Newsom on Thursday asked U.S. House and Senate leaders for $1 billion to support surge planning for state and local health systems. He said that money would be needed to do things like set up state-run and mobile hospitals, housing options to help people socially distance and testing and treatment for people without health insurance.

He also asked for assistance so the state can extend unemployment benefits beyond the usual 26-week limit, expand food assistance programs, resources for the homeless and tribal communities and boost childcare programs. He further asked for assistance for schools, aid to local and state budgets and transportation relief.

“While California has prudently built a sizable Rainy Day Fund over the past ten years, the economic effects of this emergency are certain to mean that the state and its 58 counties will struggle to maintain essential programs and services,” he wrote.

It warned many California households “may fall into poverty” without a “substantial economic intervention.”

Meanwhile, not everyone was following orders to stay home. In a Northern California county where officials have ordered residents to stay home and non-essential businesses to close because of the coronavirus pandemic, a gun shop is refusing.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelley said Thursday that a gun shop called Solar Tactical remains open, despite the order. He said officers have advised the shop to close.

“We’ll start out nice,” Kelley said. “Then we’ll post a notice to close and then we will take enforcement.”

Solar Tactical did not answer phone calls nor immediately respond to messages sent through its website. A message on its Facebook page said the store is now operating on an appointment-only basis and urged customers to call local police to protest the effort to close it.

“Your 2nd Amendment right is no longer considered essential during forced shelter in place,” the shop said. “Please share and get the word out. Call your local officials, news stations, and Alameda County Sheriffs office to let them know how you feel about your 2nd Amendment rights being taken away.”

Gun sales have spiked as consumers who worried that people are becoming desperate and unpredictable amid the outbreak rushed to buy weapons and ammunition.

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Angelica Ross finds out boyfriend has fiancée, child after posting photos online

“Pose” star Angelica Ross stunned the Internet on Thursday when she revealed that her apparent boyfriend was actually engaged to another woman and had a child.

Just a day before the shocking bombshell, Ross, 39, had shared photos of herself and the unidentified man. In one photo, the couple is happily posing in front of a giant bubble teacup. In another, Ross smiles into the camera as her mystery man kisses her on the cheek.

READ MORE: Angelica Ross is the new face of Louis Vuitton campaign

“Finally found him and have to distance myself from him,” Ross wrote. “An early test we’re committed to passing. I miss you B.”

Fans of Ross were elated to discover that she had apparently found love in the tall, brown skin paramour.

“I love this for you!!” tweeted MTV Decoded‘s Franchesca Ramsey. “A hard test indeed but worth it. stay strong.”

Turns out, Ross’ newly announced relationship would get the ultimate test — one that would quickly lead an unhappy ending.

READ MORE: Trans actress Angelica Ross shares how Oprah helped her mother accept her

The next day, Ross retweeted her original post writing, “The internet is AMAZING. I’ve been talking to the mother of his son and fiancé all morning. #PlotTwist!”

The actress later retweeted a fan who essentially summarized what happened for anyone who was left confused by Ross’ tweet.

“For those who don’t get it. Queen Angelica found this man and was dating. She posted this on Twitter and we all REJOICED in excitement,” tweeted @MrAndrewRoby.

“Twitter FBI probably saw the tweet and told Angelica this man has a kid and is engaged. Angelica was talking to his fiancé all morning.”

“Basically,” Ross replied.

Although at one point Ross suggested that she’d divulge the entire story on Instagram Live “with a bottle,” she later tweeted “After talking with my girl @KingAmiyahScott, I realize I am not in any condition to go LIVE on my IG tonight. Going to pray about it instead.”

“Trust me, she wasn’t ready,” tweeted “Star” actress Amiyah Scott. “Let sis get ahold of her feelings/emotions first. …we can stab & talk about him later.”

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