ST HELENA
Legislators ask state Insurance Commissioner to ensure businesses can use business interruption insurance
Tuesday Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and 32 bipartisan Members of the California delegation in writing to California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara asking him to use his authority to ensure insurance companies comply with their business interruption policies. After hearing that some businesses that had purchased this insurance were getting denied, Thompson and the other signers wrote the below letter to help the businesses get these claims filled so they can remain solvent throughout closures due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The letter was signed by a number of Representatives including local legislators Mike Thompson (D_CA) and Jared Huffman (D-CA). An excerpt can be read below:
Dear Commissioner Lara:
We urge you to exercise all authority to ensure the insurance companies comply with their business interruption policies. During this crisis, we must do everything possible to mitigate the devastating impact on small businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Without immediate action to address the denial of business interruption insurance claims, many businesses like our local restaurants, hotels, bars, small tourist shops and countless other businesses that are staples of our local communities will simply never resume service. California in particular has been battered year after year by earthquakes and fires and small businesses have not fully recovered from those previous disasters.
During this crisis, we must do what it takes to work together to help our small businesses survive and recover. We appreciate your strong support to help California small business owners remain solvent during the coronavirus pandemic and keep employees on payroll until things stabilize.
Thank you for your leadership attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to working with you until this crisis is resolved.
—Submitted
MENDOCINO/LAKE COUNTY
Mendocino College instructors and staff use innovative ways to support students amid Shelter in Place orders
At Mendocino College, faculty and staff have been working diligently to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19
in order to continue providing quality education to students.
With no on ground classes currently being taught, many instructors have moved to a traditional online teaching format,
using the online learning system Canvas. Other instructors have had to be very creative in order to teach content not easily
managed online such as science labs, culinary arts, and music.
• Chemistry instructors are creating videos of their labs so that students can observe, take notes and write their lab
reports as if they were conducting the experiments. Instructors in the new Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)
program are also creating video content approved by the program’s accreditation agency,
for students to observe clinical techniques and exercises to practice at home.
• In the Nursing Department, skills labs and clinical time have been maintained through the use of virtual patient
simulations, patient case studies, virtual skills modules, and faculty demonstrations via Zoom or pre-recorded
video.
• Students in Culinary Arts classes have been supplied with a list of groceries and gift cards funded by a Mendocino
College Foundation affiliate to complete projects at home. They are attending Zoom video meetings with their
instructor to learn techniques and are documenting their own cooking projects with notes and photos.
• Music faculty are also using Zoom and other video conferencing platforms to have students sing and play music
together virtually.
• An English as a Second Language class is using a Facebook group to continue to practice their English skills. The
instructor engages them with a prompt and students respond.
• Learning support and student services, such as tutoring, counseling, and financial aid have also all moved to
Canvas, Zoom and other online formats. Instructors across disciplines are maintaining office hours through Zoom,
telephone and email.
A recent student survey conducted by the college showed that many students are struggling with access to food,
computers, internet, and textbooks during the shelter in place. In order to mitigate some of these barriers, Mendocino
College is helping students in need by loaning Chromebooks to those who do not have access to a computer at home. On
Thursday, March 26, the college offered a free take-out lunch at Subway restaurants throughout the district to all of its
students and continues to provide students with access to free food through the college’s Food Pantry.
“I am extremely proud of what the team at the college has been able to accomplish in such a short time. We have tough road ahead, and we are all doing our best to remain calm and flexible,” said Interim Superintendent/President Eileen Cichocki.
The summer semester class schedule is now posted on the college’s website at www.mendocino.edu. With the uncertainty
of when shelter in place orders will be lifted, the college has ramped up its online class offering for the
upcoming term and will announce information regarding on ground classes if it is deemed safe by public health officials
in time for the June 8 summer term start date. Registration for summer 2020 begins April 25. For ongoing updates
regarding the college during the shelter in place, please visit: www.mendocino.edu/announcements.
—Submitted
