COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACTS THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING COMMUNITY

The Independent Living Center of Kern County adapts its resources for the deaf and hard of hearing community in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACT, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HASCHANGED THE WAY ITS RESOURCESARE OFFERED.23ABC'S KALLYN HOBMANN JOINS USLIVE IN SOUTHWESTBAKERSFIELD WITH MORE ON HOWKERN COUNTY'SINDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER HASADAPTED TO SOCIALDISTANCING AND FACE MASKS...YEAH JESS, I'M STANDING OUTSIDETHE INDEPENDENTLIVING CENTER OF KERN COUNTY.EARLIER TODAY I SPOKE WITH THEMON SOME OF THE BIGGEST WAYS THEPANDEMIC HAS IMPACTEDTHE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARINGCOMMUNITY.

AND THE RESOURCESOFFERED THROUGH THE CENTER."HAVING TO LIMIT THE IN-PERSONWORK THAT WE DO HAS BEEN A HUGEIMPACT INTERMS OF THE SERVICES THATPEOPLE, THAT THE DEAF COMMUNITY,CAN GET."ALEXANDRA LEYZA IS A DEAF ANDHARD OF HEARING SERVICEPROVIDER AT KERN COUNTY'SINDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER.THE CENTER PROVIDES INTERPRETINGSERVICES.

BUTTHE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS FORCEDTHEM TO OFFER WHAT WOULD BEIN-PERSON RESOURCES..

VIRTUALLY."WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THINGSTHROUGH ZOOM, WEBX... JUSTBECAUSETHAT'S GOING TO ALLOW FORMAXIMUM DISTANCING."BUT THIS ISN'T ALWAYS THE BESTOPTION.

"MAYBE THE INDIVIDUAL, ON TOP OFBEING DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING,THEYMAY ALSO HAVE SOME VISUALDIFFICULTY IN WHICH CASE ZOOMISN'T GOING TO BE THEMOST HELPFUL."IN THIS CASE.

IN-PERSONINTERPRETING CAN HAPPEN WITHSOCIAL DISTANCING AND FACEMASKS.THERE IS A PROBLEM CAUSED BY OURFACE MASKS THOUGH.WHEN HALF OF YOUR FACE ISCOVERED.

IT'S DIFFICULT FORTHE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARINGCOMMUNITY TO KNOW IF YOU'RETALKING TO THEM."GRAMMAR, ADJECTIVES,ADVERBS, TONE, INFLECTION.

ALLOF THOSE THINGS ARE ON OURFACE."CLEAR FACE MASKS HAVE BEEN MADE.BUT LEYZA SAYS THE PLASTICMAKES IT HARD TO BREATHE."THEY'RE A LITTLE TRICKY TO USEBUTONCE YOU GET USED TO THEM AREVERY HELPFUL."AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGEINTERPRETER STEPHANIE SMARTSAYS SHE'S THANKFUL FOR THEOPPORTUNITIESTECHNOLOGY OFFERS DURING THISTIME."IT IS INCREDIBLE TO HAVETECHNOLOGY NOW TO BE ABLE TO DOTHAT WHENTWENTY, THIRTY YEARS AGO, YOUKNOW, THERE WAS NO WAY TOPROVIDE THATTYPE OF ACCESS."AND AT THE END OF THE DAY.

SMARTIS JUST GLAD SHE CANSTILL SUPPORT THE DEAF AND HARDOF HEARING COMMUNITY."IT'S BEEN INTERESTING.

IT'S BEENA LEARNING CURVE.

I'M HAPPYTHAT WE HAVE THESE OPTIONS TOSTILL PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY."THE INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER'SRESOURCES AND CONTACTINFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ONTHEIR WEBSITE OR THEIRFACEBOOK PAGE...FOR NOW... IN SOUTHWESTBAKERSFIELD... KALLYNHOBMANN... 23 ABC... CONNECTINGYOU.ARVIN'S PLANNING COMMISSION ISCURRENTLY DISCUSSING THEDEVELOPMENT OF A POSSIBLECOMMERCIAL CANNABISOPERATION WITHIN THE CITY.23ABCS KYLIE WALKER SPOKE TOARVIN'S FINANCEDIRECTOR AHEAD OF TONIGHT'SMEETING TO FIND OUT WHAT THENEXT STEPS WOULD BE FOR THECITY, IF APPROVED...KYLIETHE ARVIN PLANNING COMMISSIONJUST STARTEDTHEIR MEETING AT 6PM.THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS SETTO DISCUSS THE CANNABISORDINANCE, THEY WILL PRESENTDURING TUESDAY'S CITYCOUNCIL MEETING, IF APPROVEDARVIN WILL NOW HAVE 4 CANNABISOPERATIONS WITHIN THE CITY.JEFF JONES..

THE FINANCEDIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF ARVINTELLS 23ABC MONDAY NIGHT THEPLANNING COMMISSION WILLBE DISCUSSING THE CITY'S 4THAPPLICATION FOR COMMERCIALCANNABIS OPERATIONS BEFOREPRESENTING INTHE INFORMATION TO CITY COUNCILFOR APPROVAL."WE HAVE ONE OPERATION THAT'S UPAND RUNNING..

APPROVED..

THEYARE CURRENTLY WHAT WE CALL NONSTORE FRONT RETAILDELIVERY..

WE HAVE A 2ND ONETHAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FORABOUT A YEAR..

A 3RD ONE THATWAS APPROVED ABOUT A MONTHAGO."AND EVEN WITH THAT ONE CANNABISOPERATIONCURRENTLY ONLY DOING DELIVERYSERVICES.

JONES ESTIMATESIT BRINGS IN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN$5,000 AND $8,000DOLLARS IN TAXABLE REVENUE TOTHE CITY.AND WHILE IT CAN TAKE ANYWHEREFROM 2 TO 12 MONTHS FOR ACANNABIS OPERATION TO START.JONES SAYS IF ALL FOURARE APPROVED..

THE CITY OF ARVINCOULD GET AS MUCH AS 2-300KDOLLARS IN TAXATION REVENUE IN ACOUPLE YEARS."EVEN BEFORE COVID 19 HIT..

WEWERE LOOKING AT FINDING A WAY TORAISE AN ADDITIONAL HALF MILLIONDOLLARS A YEAR TOSUSTAIN ..

EXISTING OPERATIONSEACH YEAR FOR THENEXT 5 YEARS..

SO 300K DOLLARSOUT OF 500K DOLLARS WILL BEVERY HELPFUL TO THE CITY"AND IF A FOURTH APPLICATION ISAPPROVED BY COUNCILMEMBERS .

A CANNABIS OPERATIONSAT 901 POTATO ROADWOULD BEGIN THE PROCESS .."THEN BASICALLY THEY APPLY FOR ADEVELOPMENT PERMIT..

AND AYOUTH PERMIT..

AND IF ALL THOSEARE LINED UP AND THEY AGREE WITHTHE STATE LICENSES FOR CANNABISWE DO INSPECT THEIRBUILDING ..

ITS ALL GOOD..

THENTHEY SHOULD BE READY TO ROLL"BUT THE CITY OF ARVIN WANTS TOREMIND THE COMMUNITY ITWON'T SEE CANNABIS OPERATIONSTHROUGH OUTTHE COMMUNITY.

THE ORDINANCEONLY ALLOWS UP TO 1.3 MILLIONFEET OF CANNABIS OPERATIONSWITHIN THE CITY.."I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINKTHAT WE ARE GOING TO GOWALL TO WALL CANNABIS..

WE HAVEA PHASED PLAN TO BRING ITINTO THE CITY"ARVIN'S CITY COUNCIL IS EXPECTEDTO ADDRESS THISAGENDA ITEM IN TUESDAY'S MEETINGAT 6 PM .

KYLIE WALKER23ABC CONNECTING YOU.HERE'S 23ABC'S METEOROLOGISTBRANDON MICHAELS WITHYOUR STORM SHIELD FORECAST.IT WAS A SCORCHING WEEKEND ASWE'RE STUCK INHEATWAVE NUMBER 3 OF THE SEASON!AFTER THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURESOF THE YEAR, 106 SATURDAY AND108 ON SUNDAY IN BAKERSFIELD,WE'RE STILL TRACKING A VERY HOTMONDAY.HOWEVER, ALL HEAT RELATEDWEATHER ALERTS HAVE BEENCANCELED, AND THE ONLY ADVISORYIN EFFECT IS A WINDADVISORY THAT LASTS UNTILMIDNIGHT FOR SOME GUSTS UPTO 35 MILES PER HOUR ALONG THEWEST SIDE HILLS.EVEN THOUGH WE'RE TRENDINGTOWARD COOLER WEATHERCOMPARED TO THE WEEKEND, IT'SSTILL GOING TO BE HOT.HIGHS ON TUESDAY WILL BE RIGHTAROUND 100 IN BAKERSFIELD,AS HOT AS 105 IN THE DESERT, INTHE MID 90S IN THE KERN RIVERVALLEY, AND THE MID 80S FOR THEREST OF OUR MOUNTAINCOMMUNITIES.IN A BIT OF GOOD NEWS, THESLIGHTLY COOLER AIR WILL HELPIMPROVE OUR AIR QUALITY A BIT,WITH MODERATE AIR QUALITYEXPECTED.WITH TEMPERATURES CONTINUING INTHE TRIPLE DIGITSWITH TEMPERATURES CONTINUING INTHE TRIPLE DIGITSTHIS WEEK, AN IMPORTANT REMINDERTO THE COMMUNITYABOUT THE DANGERS OF LEAVINGCHILDRENUNATTEND IN VEHICLES...THE MONTH OF JULY IS DEDICATEDTO RAISING AWARENESSABOUT KAITLYN'S LAW, A LAW THATMAKES IT ILLEGAL TO LEAVECHILDREN UNDER SIX YEARS OLDALONE IN THE CAR IN EXTREMEWEATHER CONDITIONS.WE SPOKE WITH KERN COUNTYDEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICESABOUT WAYS TO PREVENT ANINCIDENT WHERE A CHILD ISACCIDENTALLY LEFT IN A CAR..."SO THIS WEEKEND WE SOTEMPERATURES,109, 110, TODAY WE HAVE HIGHS INTHE TRIPLE DIGITS, AND INSIDE OFYOUR CARIN MATTER OF TEN MINUTES, YOURVEHICLE CAN HEAT UP TO 125DEGREES."COMING UP AT 7, 23ABC'S BAYNEFRONEY EXPLAINS HOW YOU CANPREVENT YOUR CHILD FROM BEINGLEFT BEHIND IN YOUR CAR.THE BAKERSFIELD AREA C-H-P ISINVESTIGATING TONIGHT -- AFTERONE MAN WAS KILLED FOLLOWING ACRASH WITHMULTIPLE VEHICLES IN LAMONT THISMORNING...ACCORDING TO C-H-P AT ABOUT 6:15THIS MORNINGOFFICERS RESPONDED TO THE INTERSECTIONON DI GIORGIO ROADAT MYRTLE AVENUE FOR REPORTS OFA MAJOR INJURYCRASH.C-H-P OFFICERS LATER LEARNED --THAT ONE PERSON WAS DRIVING ACHEVY TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON DIGIORGIO ROAD AT AN UNKNOWNSPEED PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFTTURN ONTO MYRTLE AVENUE.MEANWHILE -- A GMC YUKON WASHEADING WESTBOUND ONDI GIORGIO ROAD AT 55 MILES PERHOUR APPROACHINGTHE CHEVY.THE DRIVER OF THE CHEVY MADE ALEFT TURN DIRECTLY INFRONT OF LOPEZ'S G-M-C AND WASSTRUCK BROADSIDE ONTHE PASSENGER SIDE -- THE FORCEOF THIS CRASH THEN PUSHED THECHEVY INTO THE FLATBED TRUCKWHICH WAS STOPPED ONMYRTLE AVENUE.THE DRIVER OF THE CHEVY RECEIVEDMAJOR INJURIES AND WASTRANSPORTED TO KERN MEDICALWHERE HE LATER DIED.NO OTHER INJURIES WERE REPORTED.AT THIS TIME, IT IS NOT KNOWN IFDRUGS OR ALCOHOLCONTRIBUTED TO THIS COLLISION.AND THE IDENTITY OF THE DRIVERKILLED HAS NOT YET BEENRELEASED.COMING UP -- FUTURES... MADEOF... VIRTUAL REALITY...THAT'S RIGHT -- IF YOU HAVE KIDSAND THEY'RE GETTING READY TO GOBACK TO SCHOOL -- WE'LL SHOW YOUHOW ONE LOCALTEACHER IS HELPING STUDENTSLEARN BY IMMERSINGTHEM DIRECTLY INTO THEIRSUBJECTS.BRANDON???WINDS ARE PICKING UP AS SLIGHTLYCOOLER AIR IS MOVING IN... I'LLHAVE THE FORECASTWELCOME BACK --AS THE CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TOIMPACT OURWORLD AND CHANGE OUR WAYS OFLIVING, ONE BIGQUESTION STILL BEING DEBATED ISWHAT SCHOOLS WILL LOOK LIKE INTHE FALL.WHILE OFFICIALS CONSIDER WHAT TODO - 23ABC'S VERONICAMORLEY SPOKE WITH TEACHERS WHOHAVE BEEN USING VIRTUALREALITY TO KEEP THEIR STUDENTENGAGED AND HOW IT CAN HELPBRING LESSONS TO LIFE, WHENSTUDENTS ARE STUCK AT HOME...THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WILLPROBABLY LOOK UNLIKE ANYOTHER - WITH MANY STUDENTS USINGA SETUP LIKE THIS ATHOME..BUT JUST BECAUSE STUDENTSARE HOME, DOESN'TMEAN THEY CAN'T STILL HAVE AFULLY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE."IT'S REALLY HANDS ON, SO T'SSOMETHINGNEW TO THE STUDENTS SO THEY SAYLIKE 'OH THIS IS SO COOL' BUTALSOTHEY GET A GREAT LEARNINGEXPERIENCE."THAT'S ERIC GARCIA, A TEACHER ATBROWNING ROADSTEAM ACADEMY IN MCFARLAND.GARCIA IS NO STRANGER TO USINGVIRTUAL REALITY IN HISCLASSROOM - AND SAYS ITS A TOOLTHAT HELPS BRING THE LESSONS TOLIFE AND DEVELOP STUDENTS SOCIALAND EMOTIONAL LEARNING SKILLS."BECAUSE NOT ALL STUDENTS LEARNTHESAME WAY.

YOU HAVE SOME STUDENTSTHAT DO FINE WITH JUT READING ABOOK BUTWHEN THEY SEE THAT PLANT THATHAS THE ROOTS AND THEY'RE ABLETO LOOKAROUND IT THROUGH IT..SO WHENTHEY SEE IT HANDS ON IT GIVESTHEMEXCITEMENT AND SHOWS THEMTHERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TOLEARN."FOR GARCIA, HE'S NOT JUSTTEASING LESSON - HE'S HELPINGHISSTUDENTS DEVELOP SKILLS LIKEEMPATHY, COMPASSION, ANDUNDERSTANDING."VR REALLY HELPS OUT NOT ONLYSTUDENTSWITH LEARNING DISABILITIES BUTSTUDENT WITH SOCIAL EMOTIONALPROBLEMSOR LANGUAGE BARRIERS, WHO HAVENEVER BEEN OUTSIDE THEBUBBLE.ITS AWOW FACTOR.WITH THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMICLEAVING THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR INQUESTION, MANY TEACHERS HAVE HADTO START THINKING ABOUT HOW TOKEEP STUDENTS ENGAGED FROM AFAR - ESPECIALLY THOSE WHOALREADY STRUGGLE IN THECLASSROOM.AND WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHINGTHESE SOCIAL SKILLS -TEACHERS LIKECSAY VIRTUAL ANDAUGMENTED REALITY CAN HELPSTUDENT CONNECT LESSONS TO THEIREMOTIONSEVEN WITHOUT THE TYPICAL SCHOOLSETTING."WITH OUR THIRD GRADE CLASS WECREATED COLOR MONSTERS TO HELPWITH EMOTIONS"NATS HOW ARE YOU FEELINGTODAY?

ARE YOU ANGRY ORSCARED OR COLD?FUGLESTAD SAID SHE HAS JUSTSTARTED EXPLORING THEUSE OF AUGMENTED REALITY THISPAST YEAR - BUT THEMORE HER STUDENTS EXPERIENCEDTHEIR PROJECTSCOMING TO LIFE - THE MORE EAGERTHEY WERE TO LEARN.."IT STARTED TO EMPOWER MYSTUDENTS WHEN THEY THINK ABOUTTHE POSSIBILTIES."AND FOR GARCIA, VIRTUAL REALITYNOT ONLY HELPED HIS STUDENTSUNDERSTAND LEARN HISTORY ANDSCIENCE - BUT THEY'RELEARNING TO WORK TOGETHER."FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALEARNINGDISABILITY - WHEN THEY'REWORKING TOGETHER EVEN THOUGHTHEY HAVETHE GOGGLES THEY'RE WORKING WITHOTHER STUDENTS."REPORTER OUTRO: NOW IF YOU'REINTERESTED INFINDING OUT MORE ABOUT VIRTUALREALITY OR AUGMENTEDREALITY TOOLS - WE HAVE A LISTTO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, ASWELL AS SOME FREE VIRTUAL TOURSYOU CAN CHECK OUT TOGET STARTED ON OUR WEBSITE TURNTO 23 DOT COM.FOR 23ABC NEWS I'M VERONICAMORLEY, CONNECTING YOU.HERE'S 23ABC'S METEOROLOGISTBRANDON MICHAELS WITHCLOSED CAPTIONING TEMPS FORAREAS.23ABC NEWS WILL BE RIGHT BACKBRANDON MICHAELS WITH YOUR STORMSHIELDFORECAST.23ABC NEWS WILL BE RIGHT BACKHEY -- IT'S MIKE AND DANIELLE