With the United States entering an economic recession, and the coronavirus’ expected impact now expanded into the fall, California’s community colleges are managing new ways to adapt and to support their students.

Half a million of Americans are now infected with COVID-19 and fatalities numbers surpassed every other country. Los Angeles extended measures till May 15 and Santa Monica Closed beaches and markets amid Easter weekend. Free testing in LA comes with priorities. Food and ventilator donations due to the pandemic’s financial crisis.

In the midst of a pandemic, the traditional graduation ceremony of the year 2020 transitioned to a virtual event. Students graduating this year will not walk the commencement stage, but they will be honored for their academic achievements.

Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered most essential workers, patrons and guests to wear protective face coverings or masks in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. The order, which goes into effect on Friday at midnight, effectively mandates that masks be worn anywhere outside the home.

For many, myself included, the rapid development of the Coronavirus, COVID-19, has turned everyday life on its head. I’ve spent more hours on my couch in the past week than I would like to admit and it’s getting harder every day to remember what real pants feel like.

COVID-19 is now in over 100 countries, including China, South Korea, Japan, Italy and now the United States. COVID-19 has spread at a rapid pace in the U.S., causing cities around the country to enact emergency shutdowns and quarantines, leading to a domino effect on the supply and demand of basic household items.

Craig Zobel’s The Hunt has had quite the bad luck with its struggle of scoring a release date. The satirical horror film has been controversial with its graphic use of violence and dark humor, making it difficult for Universal and Blumhouse to release it.

All countries urged to make public health affordable, while caution against early cancellation of measures. California expands telehealth video-chats and Angelenenos are advised to wear masks in public. Santa Monica enforces strict measures as will shut down construction sites that do not follow COVID-19 guidelines. $1,200 on the way, as unemployment claims skyrocket and rent along with water bills are suspended.

These last few weeks are creating a new normal in the U.S, from businesses, to the lives of its citizens and even how people use the bathroom. In this hectic time all people can do is toi-let things run their course.

As college campuses across the country are sending students home for the remainder of the semester, many have found themselves with a bit more time on their hands than they had originally anticipated. While there are plenty of ways to stay productive - reading a book, organizing your room, going on a social distanced walk around the neighborhood - giving the brain a break has its benefits as well.

Life’s a beach. Or, it was for Californians before social distancing- defined for the first time this month by Merriam’s Webster as “the practice of maintaining a greater than usual physical distance from other people or of avoiding direct contact with people or objects in public places during the outbreak of a contagious disease in order to minimize exposure and reduce the transmission of infection.”

The USNS Mercy, a hospital ship, arrived in the Port of Los Angeles, offering 1,000 extra beds to aid the city’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency.

Ja'Shawn Chisel, 20, is a basketball player from Denver, Colorado currently playing for the Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs and stepping into his sophomore year. 

All hail technology.

With a widespread illness invading countries worldwide, businesses closing their doors left and right, and panic-inducing coughs and sneezes occurring on the daily, now is the time when many of us need the support of our loved ones. However, social distancing and lockdown protocols ordained by our local governments are making face-to-face interaction as difficult as it is to get your hands on a roll of toilet paper.

The continuing progressions of how the country is handling the COVID-19 pandemic has California currently in a "Stay at Home" order, along with at least 30 other states. People are not to leave their homes unless they are doing an "essential" activity. These essential activities include, but are not limited to, allowing people to go to the grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants (for pick-up only), and outdoor exercise, all while keeping a social distance of 6 feet apart.

As of 5 p.m. on March 31, Santa Monica College (SMC) announced to its faculty via email that all instructor-initiated dropped courses taking place on or after March 4 through the “Guaranteed Withdrawal deadline” will be recoded, in which the W will be removed from transcripts. SMC will perform a “catch-up batch job” today, April 1, to take care of any outstanding W’s on student transcripts resulting from student or instructor-initiated drops, according to the announcement.

In the wake of the coronavirus, the SMC Music Department was severely affected as the challenge to transition such physical classes was immense. Performances were forced to cancel, along with some music classes. Now, they only meet online as they continue to spread the power of melody but it is not the same.

What does twenty bucks buy in the COVID-19 economy? Well, it can buy 23.8 rolls of toilet paper. While it’s probably smart to stock up on those, another Andrew Jackson can be used to stream one of several major motion pictures - still in theaters - at home.

As colleges across the country close their campus and switch to online format due to COVID-19, many students fear the unknown. International students face an even more unpredictable outlook as they grapple with the choice to stay in America or attempt to rush back home to familiar surroundings.