Pacific6/MWN Principal John Molina Said Recent Movie Shoots Using Community Hospital During COVID-19 Crisis Surge Were "Planned Months Ago"...But City Mgm't Says Most Recent Film Shoot (Dec. 21-23) Permit Was Requested Dec. 14 And City's Special Events/Filming Office Approved It Dec. 21

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Community Hospital Amnesia File/Credibility Gaps (A Continuing Series)

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(December 30, 2020, 6:15 p.m.) -- Pacific6/MWN principal John Molina said in s Dec. 23 message posted message to the Long Beach Politics Facebook page that recent movie shoots using Community Hospital (closed/unlicensed pending approval to reopen by the CA Dept. of Public Health) during the current COVID-19 crisis surge were "planned months ago" and "there is no blame" for Long Beach Mayor Garcia or CA Governor Gavin Newsom.

But city management's Joint Information Center (JIC) per Jennifer Rice Epstein tells LBREPORT.com the permit for the most recent Community Hospital movie shoot (Dec. 21-23, photos below) was sought on by the film production company on Dec. 14. The permit itself (provided to us by the JIC) indicates it was approved by the City's Special Events/Filming Office on Dec. 21.

Responding to Dec 22 comments by the Long Beach Politics Facebook page's administrator Ian Patton saying Community Hospital was being used as a film set rather than providing supplemental ICU capacity as "was promised last spring...say it isn't so [hyperlink to Mayor Garfcia's FB page] Mayor Robergt Garica? [hyperlink to Mr. Molina's FB page] John Molina?"

Mr. Molina jumped onto the thread, writing:

There is no blame. It is not the Mayor's fault and not even the Gov's fault. We are working every single hour of every single day in an effort to get the hospital open. The movie shoots were planned months ago. Is this the best scenario? Absolutely not. We'd like to be open. It would be great if there weren't so many hoops to jump through. Unfortunately, we inherited a building that needed way more deferred maintenance than anyone anticipated.

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