How to Spot an SBA Loan Scam. If you receive any calls, emails, or other communications claiming to be from the Treasury Department or the SBA offering you grants or stimulus payments in exchange for personal financial information, do not respond. And whatever you do, don’t provide any private information … read on

Here’s your Daily LA for April 6, 2020.

Happening in LA

L.A. officials urge residents to avoid shopping, stay indoors this week as coronavirus deaths spike again

As coronavirus cases and deaths continue to spike across Los Angeles County, health officials urged residents to stay home this week, to limit time spent outside and to even avoid shopping if possible to slow the spread of the virus. “If you have enough supplies in your home, this would be the week to skip shopping altogether,” said public health department director Barbara Ferrer.

Quibi launches its mobile streaming service

Quibi, the much-hyped mobile app promising to deliver “quick bites” of video entertainment, is finally here. The company has been in the headlines for more than two years, thanks to the involvement of founder Jeffrey Katzenberg (who previously co-founded DreamWorks Animation) and CEO Meg Whitman (previously the CEO of eBay and Hewlett Packard Enterprise).

LA Landlords Are Urging Renters To Pay Online. Here’s Why That Might Be Illegal

With rent now due for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit, many L.A. landlords are urging their tenants to pay rent online. In many cases, landlords say the purpose is to promote social distancing and prevent the spread of infection.

The LA Zoo is preparing animals and staff for COVID-19

The closure of public spaces, due to the coronavirus pandemic, has led to interesting times at the Los Angeles Zoo. While zoo employees continue to report to work and care for the animals, they’re noticing some unique behaviors.

L.A. officials crackdown on speeding amid stay-at-home orders

With millions of Southern Californians hunkering down at home, traffic has been blissfully light — a rare positive in a time of sickness, death, unemployment, and isolation. But in the age of coronavirus, people still venture out to the supermarket or to help elderly relatives. And some are succumbing to the temptations of wide-open roads.

Headlines

New York City schools ban Zoom due to security concerns and shift to Microsoft Teams

New York City’s Department of Education is banning the use of Zoom for online learning classes and is recommending Microsoft Teams instead, according to The Washington Post.

Google Maps puts restaurant takeout and delivery options front and center now that eating out is off the menu

Rolling out widely this week, Google Maps has highlighted shortcut buttons to the main interface of its mobile app. These new “Takeout” and “Delivery” shortcuts work a lot like other Maps shortcuts for restaurants, gas stations, coffee shops, and other locations. The options for takeout and delivery have been in Maps for a while, but Google is just now pushing them to the forefront.

Facebook and Carnegie Mellon launch survey to track Covid-19

Drive-thru COVID-19 tests are only as safe and quick as the systems used to put those tests in the hands of clinics, and a new initiative in Jacksonville, Florida might just improve that weak link. The Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Navya, and Beep are using completely self-driving shuttles to carry COVID-19 tests from a drive-thru location to the Mayo Clinic campus. The move theoretically minimizes exposure to the virus and frees up medical staff for taking care of patients.

What top CEOs fear telling America about the coronavirus shutdown

Top CEOs, in private conversations and pleas to President Trump, are warning of an economic catastrophe if America doesn’t begin planning for a phased return to work as soon as May, corporate leaders tell Axios.

Tim Cook: Apple shipping custom face shields to medical workers as mask donations cross 20M

Tim Cook is back with another update on Apple’s ongoing efforts to help healthcare professionals amid the COVID-19 outbreak. In a new video posted to Twitter today, Cook said that Apple has now sourced over 20 million masks for healthcare workers, and it’s still pushing to do more.

AngelList lays off a number of staff and cuts executive salaries

AngelList, a platform that connects angel investors to startups and has roughly $1.8 billion assets under management, has laid off a sizable number of staff and cut executive salaries across all departments, according to a source familiar with the company. AngelList declined to share the number of people who were laid off.

How celebrities are pitching in in the fight against the coronavirus

During this time of quarantine and fear over COVID-19, many celebrities are stepping forward to lend a hand wherever it may be needed — donating money, creating mask tutorials, even delivering tacos.

Good To Know

Startups will be eligible for coronavirus stimulus loans

Venture capital-backed startups will become eligible for $350 billion in small business loans guaranteed by the federal government, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told the Axios.

WorkJam raises $50 million to help companies engage with frontline workers

Founded in 2014, Montréal-based WorkJam claims some 1.5 million frontline users spanning 35 countries. The platform serves as a communication channel between headquarters and those working out in the field, while also offering tools for managing shifts and tasks, clocking in and out, training, and surveying — all from a single mobile app.

John Diep

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Founder, Editor-In-Chief // A native Angeleno. John studied engineering at UCLA; founded Schmoozd, an offline social tech networking event in LA with 30,000 subs; ran a startup accelerator (StartEngine). Worked for several major brands like Toyota, DIRECTV, Hitachi, ICANN, and Raytheon. A mentor at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Entrepreneur School, Dr. David Choi. And advises a dozen local LA startups building amazing tech in various industries; and invested in some. // Let's Connect: john@lastartups.com