SAG-AFTRA and Producers Guild Recommend "Temporary Hold on In-Person Production" in Southern California

Music producer Phil Spector, who participated in shaping up the music industry with his “Wall of Sound” method and who later was convicted of murder, has passed away at 81. California state prison officials confirmed the news via Twitter and revealed that the icon died on Saturday of natural causes at a hospital.

Police have arrested writer and producer Tim Gautier (above) in connection to the fatal shooting of his wife, Gina Gautier.

Tanya Roberts' longtime partner is hoping to spread her ashes near an area she frequented often: her favorite dog walking trail just behind the couple's home in Southern California's Laurel Canyon. "I’m supposed to pick up the body tomorrow and I’m not sure what the legalities are about spreading her ashes but that’s the plan," Roberts' significant other, Lance O'Brien, told Fox News on Monday.  According to TMZ, Roberts visited the hiking trail with her two dogs five days a week.

“This very clearly is the latest surge for the winter holidays and New Year’s.” That was Los Angeles Public Health Chief Science Officer Dr. Paul Simon on Friday. “It’s likely to continue over the next week or two. We do expect these numbers continue to be high over the next couple weeks,” he said.

SAG-AFTRA has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the executive poaching battle between Netflix and Disney-owned Fox. The union isn’t taking sides but says “the case raises important questions about the right of workers to pursue employment opportunities, and the strong protections in California law against employers holding their workers off the market, especially when they are not being compensated for that time.”

On Monday, there were four confirmed cases in Southern California of the new, more contagious strain of SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19. By Tuesday, officials announced that that number had jumped to at least 26.

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterAmid surging COVID-19 cases in Southern California following the holidays, SAG-AFTRA, the Producers Guild of America and the Joint Policy Committee are together recommending a “temporary hold on in-person production in Southern California.” Together, the organizations represent thousands of actors, producers, commercial advertisers and ad agencies.“Southern California hospitals are facing a crisis the likes of which we have never seen before,” said SAG-AFTRA president

On-set commercial production has been shuttered temporarily in Southern California because of surging coronavirus outbreaks in the region, effective immediately. The major studios and streamers, meanwhile, are already on production hiatus in Southern California until mid-January.

Janet Hubert didn’t hesitate to make her feelings known after Lori Loughlin completed her two-month prison stay for her role in the nationwide college admissions scandal.“So when white actresses commit crimes they get new shows, pilots, etc. Lori Loughlin … I assume, will get an Emmy for her time in prison,” the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum, 64, tweeted days after Loughlin, 56, left the Federal Correctional Institution, in Dublin, California.

SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris and national executive director David White on Tuesday posted a message to the labor union website with an update to COVID-19 filming protocols amid the current surge in cases.

The new U.K. coronavirus strain has been found in California, Gov.

A Southern Califonia police officer was wounded Tuesday afternoon while attempting to arrest a homicide suspect, who later died in an exchange of gunfire, authorities said. The female officer, who was not identified, was expected to recover, San Bernardino police Chief Eric McBride told the San Bernardino Sun.

the stay-at-home order for Southern California will remain in effect indefinitely, SAG-AFTRA told members Tuesday night that “most” film and TV productions will stay on hiatus through at least the middle of January.Across the Los Angeles area, hospitals are at zero capacity with ICUs full, with some reporting that they’ve had to turn gift shops into makeshift rooms and even turn patients away.

Ellise Shafer administratorIn a message to members on Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris and national executive director David White said that many productions will remain on hiatus for the next few weeks as Los Angeles County experiences a continued surge in COVID-19 cases.“We are writing to let you know that we are closely monitoring the recent surge in COVID-19 infections along with the reported lack of intensive care unit (ICU) beds throughout the state of California and

the stay-at-home order for Southern California will remain in effect indefinitely, SAG-AFTRA told members Tuesday night that “most” film and TV productions will stay on hiatus through at least the middle of January.Across the Los Angeles area, hospitals are at zero capacity with ICUs full, with some reporting that they’ve had to turn gift shops into makeshift rooms and even turn patients away.