mercurynews--2020-06-26--Wave of new infections, including among the young, pushes LA County over 90,000 cases, jolts health

Wave of new infections, including among the young, pushes LA County over 90,000 cases, jolts health officials

With coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County surpassing 90,000 — the most of any county in the U.S. — local health officials expressed deep concerns Thursday about the disease ’ s burgeoning spread .
L.A. County is also the nation ’ s most populated county at 10 million people , nearly double that of Cook County , Illinois which had the next highest case count .
Nonetheless , the rising numbers of cases , fatalities and hospitalizations in L.A. County — as well as statewide case totals that toppled records for three days in a row this week — provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite far from controlled .
“ Based on this information we are concerned , ” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer .
“ We are concerned not only for people who are out not wearing their face coverings or keeping their distance from others but we are also concerned about people who can unwittingly infect their friends and family who are at greater risk of illness and death.
” The rate of people testing positive is also increasing at a worrisome rate , Ferrer said .
The local statistics mirror national and state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferrer ’ s assessment .
Cases are not just rising among high-risk residents , they are also increasing among young people , officials said .
L.A. County reported 42 new deaths related to the novel coronavirus Thursday and an additional 2,012 cases bringing total deaths to 3,246 and cases to 91,467 .
Thursday marked the third day this week that the county reported more than 2,000 new cases .
Not included were updated totals from Long Beach and Pasadena , which operate their own health departments .
Long Beach on Thursday reported one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in the city to 123 and cases to 3,509 .
Pasadena reported six new cases on Thursday , up to 1,213 , and no new deaths .
A total of 89 people in Pasadena have died from COVID-19 .
In the countywide numbers , one of the reasons for the increases in key indicators , Ferrer said , was that people were out in public more as the county , neighboring counties and the state all combined to ease “ Safer at Home ” health orders .
Many restaurants were not following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said .
Out of 3,751 restaurants visited by inspectors , materials were provided to 3,109 establishments that were out of compliance , Ferrer added .
The county will start cracking down on establishments not following such rules as required such as facemasks for customers and employees and limiting capacity to assure social distancing .
“ We are now going out and — starting this weekend — we will be issuing orders for people to be in compliance , ” Ferrer said .
“ It ’ s abundantly clear that the strategies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best they can to adhere to the directives.
” Over the past two weeks , L.A. County public health officials have reported an increase in new cases now up to a daily average over a seven period of 1,764 cases .
Testing capacity , meanwhile , has risen to about 20,000 per day — back to where it stood in late May .
Hospitalizations , considered a lagging indicator since the process takes some time to occur , have been steadily rising since about June 15 to more than 1,600 as of Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it does reflect more community transmission of COVID-19 , ” Ferrer said .
“ Increased cases will always lead us to more hospitalizations.
” At the same time , average deaths per day have been inching downward since early May — from about 45 to about 25 currently .
So what ’ s happening ?
Where are the new cases coming from and who are they ?
And are they the result of mass protests and relaxed health-officer orders in recent weeks ?
Public health officials say it ’ s difficult to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they know specifically that they made contact with an individual who had it .
The challenges in discerning people who might have gotten sick at a mammoth protest march from at a neighborhood restaurant or other gathering are very difficult , officials say .
As for the cases , an analysis by Southern California News Group shows that young people under 18 represent the fastest growing number of confirmed positive cases representing a 60 % increase over two weeks up to 5,954 cases now representing roughly 7 % of all cases .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest increase in new cases up 41 % from two weeks ago to 34,360 cases now representing 40 % of the total .
Most children who test positive show no symptoms , said Dr. Lawrence Sher , who heads the Palos Verdes Medical Group and Peninsula Research Associates and serves as a board-certified adult and pediatric immunologist .
Children are still the least likely to become hospitalized and die .
However , Sher said they are still able to spread the disease — including to people who are older or experience underlying conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died from the coronavirus in L.A. County had pre-existing conditions and 75 % were over the age of 65 .
That does not exclude young people entirely from those who died nor from those who became seriously ill .
Among those 18 to 40 , 85 deaths have occurred related to COVID-19 .
“ Cases in kids are often very mild , ” Sher said .
“ But kids can be ‘ super-spreaders ’ because they can go all over .
And because we ’ re not always getting masks on these children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go all over , they can be more likely to spread the illness.
” Put in perspective , Sher said children are 11 times less likely to be hospitalized from coronavirus than they are from the flu .
And while most cases will be asympomatic , children can still experience severe symptoms , he said , such as diarrhea , nausea , vomiting , and loss of appetite .
They can also exhibit red toes and fingers , Sher said .
Roughly half of all deaths in L.A. County related to the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities , but the average number of deaths at nursing homes has dropped to fewer than 10 per day , on average .
An analysis of the cases , compared to two weeks ago , shows the highest rates of increase have occurred predominantly in working-class communities where jobs require more contact with others and where people live closer together .
Another area of growth has been among workplaces , which are now up to 824 cases .
Employers with the highest case counts include the Smithfield Farmer John meatpacking plant in Vernon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Ice Plant and Warehouse in Compton with 100 cases and Lakins Tires West in Santa Fe with 85 cases .
Among the cities with the highest new case count compared to two weeks ago were : • El Monte , with a 65 % increase up to 1,282 cases as of Wednesday ; El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero said the city was aware of the increase but didn ’ t know the exact reason , adding that the city continues to distribute masks and gloves as well as promote the public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently , our code enforcement and police department have responded to businesses that were not adhering to health department protocols , ” Quintero said .
“ This resulted in voluntary compliance on their part.
” • West Los Angeles ’ caseload rose 69 % over two weeks , up to 161 cases ; and • Hermosa Beach cases increased 72 % percent from two weeks ago , to 62 cases as of Wednesday .
Hermosa Mayor Mary Campbell said it was “ very sad and concerning ” to see the trend not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well .
“ Public health officials determined it was time to reopen our beach and businesses so that we could begin to restore jobs and our economy , ” Campbell said .
“ But even as we all return to some of what we did before this all started , we must recognize the virus has not changed , ” If people don ’ t follow public health guidelines , Campbell said , the community risked “ erasing the hard-earned advantage that we built together through the “ Safer at Home ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome from happening in our very populous region .
”

With coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County surpassing 90,000 — the most of any county in the U.S. — local health officials expressed deep concerns Thursday about the disease’s burgeoning spread.
L.A. County is also the nation’s most populated county at 10 million people, nearly double that of Cook County, Illinois which had the next highest case count. Nonetheless, the rising numbers of cases, fatalities and hospitalizations in L.A. County — as well as statewide case totals that toppled records for three days in a row this week — provided grim reminders that the virus was still quite far from controlled.
“Based on this information we are concerned,” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. “We are concerned not only for people who are out not wearing their face coverings or keeping their distance from others but we are also concerned about people who can unwittingly infect their friends and family who are at greater risk of illness and death.”
The rate of people testing positive is also increasing at a worrisome rate, Ferrer said. The local statistics mirror national and state numbers, adding to the urgency of Ferrer’s assessment. Cases are not just rising among high-risk residents, they are also increasing among young people, officials said.
L.A. County reported 42 new deaths related to the novel coronavirus Thursday and an additional 2,012 cases bringing total deaths to 3,246 and cases to 91,467. Thursday marked the third day this week that the county reported more than 2,000 new cases.
Not included were updated totals from Long Beach and Pasadena, which operate their own health departments. Long Beach on Thursday reported one additional death and 104 new cases bringing deaths in the city to 123 and cases to 3,509. Pasadena reported six new cases on Thursday, up to 1,213, and no new deaths. A total of 89 people in Pasadena have died from COVID-19.
In the countywide numbers, one of the reasons for the increases in key indicators, Ferrer said, was that people were out in public more as the county, neighboring counties and the state all combined to ease “Safer at Home” health orders.
Many restaurants were not following completely the tenets of the health order, she said. Out of 3,751 restaurants visited by inspectors, materials were provided to 3,109 establishments that were out of compliance, Ferrer added.
The county will start cracking down on establishments not following such rules as required such as facemasks for customers and employees and limiting capacity to assure social distancing.
“We are now going out and — starting this weekend — we will be issuing orders for people to be in compliance,” Ferrer said. “It’s abundantly clear that the strategies we have require people to do the best they can to adhere to the directives.”
Over the past two weeks, L.A. County public health officials have reported an increase in new cases now up to a daily average over a seven period of 1,764 cases. Testing capacity, meanwhile, has risen to about 20,000 per day — back to where it stood in late May.
Hospitalizations, considered a lagging indicator since the process takes some time to occur, have been steadily rising since about June 15 to more than 1,600 as of Thursday.
“This is extraordinarily worrisome as it does reflect more community transmission of COVID-19,” Ferrer said. “Increased cases will always lead us to more hospitalizations.”
At the same time, average deaths per day have been inching downward since early May — from about 45 to about 25 currently.
So what’s happening? Where are the new cases coming from and who are they? And are they the result of mass protests and relaxed health-officer orders in recent weeks?
Public health officials say it’s difficult to determine exactly where someone contracted the virus unless they know specifically that they made contact with an individual who had it. The challenges in discerning people who might have gotten sick at a mammoth protest march from at a neighborhood restaurant or other gathering are very difficult, officials say.
As for the cases, an analysis by Southern California News Group shows that young people under 18 represent the fastest growing number of confirmed positive cases representing a 60% increase over two weeks up to 5,954 cases now representing roughly 7% of all cases. People aged 18 to 40 represented the next largest increase in new cases up 41% from two weeks ago to 34,360 cases now representing 40% of the total.
Most children who test positive show no symptoms, said Dr. Lawrence Sher, who heads the Palos Verdes Medical Group and Peninsula Research Associates and serves as a board-certified adult and pediatric immunologist.
Children are still the least likely to become hospitalized and die. However, Sher said they are still able to spread the disease — including to people who are older or experience underlying conditions.
Roughly 93% of those who died from the coronavirus in L.A. County had pre-existing conditions and 75% were over the age of 65. That does not exclude young people entirely from those who died nor from those who became seriously ill. Among those 18 to 40, 85 deaths have occurred related to COVID-19.
“Cases in kids are often very mild,” Sher said. “But kids can be ‘super-spreaders’ because they can go all over. And because we’re not always getting masks on these children and they can take it off and go all over, they can be more likely to spread the illness.”
Put in perspective, Sher said children are 11 times less likely to be hospitalized from coronavirus than they are from the flu. And while most cases will be asympomatic, children can still experience severe symptoms, he said, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. They can also exhibit red toes and fingers, Sher said.
Roughly half of all deaths in L.A. County related to the virus have occurred among patients at skilled nursing facilities, but the average number of deaths at nursing homes has dropped to fewer than 10 per day, on average.
An analysis of the cases, compared to two weeks ago, shows the highest rates of increase have occurred predominantly in working-class communities where jobs require more contact with others and where people live closer together.
Another area of growth has been among workplaces, which are now up to 824 cases. Employers with the highest case counts include the Smithfield Farmer John meatpacking plant in Vernon with 178 cases, the Ralph’s Ice Plant and Warehouse in Compton with 100 cases and Lakins Tires West in Santa Fe with 85 cases.
Among the cities with the highest new case count compared to two weeks ago were:
El Monte, with a 65% increase up to 1,282 cases as of Wednesday;
Pomona, up 62% to 1,186 cases;
South Gate, which added 500 cases, a 53% surge; and
East L.A., which added 731, a 52% increase.
El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero said the city was aware of the increase but didn’t know the exact reason, adding that the city continues to distribute masks and gloves as well as promote the public health guidelines, including enforcement.
“Most recently, our code enforcement and police department have responded to businesses that were not adhering to health department protocols,” Quintero said. “This resulted in voluntary compliance on their part.”
In addition:
West Los Angeles’ caseload rose 69% over two weeks, up to 161 cases; and
Hermosa Beach cases increased 72% percent from two weeks ago, to 62 cases as of Wednesday.
Hermosa Mayor Mary Campbell said it was “very sad and concerning” to see the trend not only in Hermosa, but across the region as well.
“Public health officials determined it was time to reopen our beach and businesses so that we could begin to restore jobs and our economy,” Campbell said. “But even as we all return to some of what we did before this all started, we must recognize the virus has not changed,”
If people don’t follow public health guidelines, Campbell said, the community risked “erasing the hard-earned advantage that we built together through the “Safer at Home” phase, which prevented a more devastating outcome from happening in our very populous region.”


mercurynews--2020-06-26--Friends, family rally to bring home body of California Paralympian Angela Madsen

An effort is underway to help bring Paralympian and long-distance rower Angela Madsen ’ s body back to Long Beach from Tahiti — as tributes continue to come in days after her death .
Madsen , a three-time Paralympian and U.S. Marine veteran , died at sea earlier this week , halfway through her attempt to become the first openly gay athlete and oldest woman to row alone across the Pacific Ocean .
Madsen , a Long Beach resident who set out on her journey to Hawaii from Marina del Rey in April , was reportedly found tethered to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting in the water to make repairs .
James Brown , who knew Madsen and is with the nonprofit Wine Country Marines veterans group , based in Gilroy , had already raised about $ 20,300 of the $ 50,000 GoFundMe goal as of Thursday evening , June 25 .
The money will be used for travel expenses and final arrangements .
Madsen ’ s remains are on the German cargo ship Polynesia , which is currently sailing toward Tahiti .
Brown , during a Wednesday phone interview , said that Madsen ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put the online fundraiser together .
Brown and Angela Madsen met about eight years ago , he said , and worked together on the Valor Games , an event for veterans with disabilities .
“ I knew that Angela was quite the daredevil , so there is that inherent risk , ” Brown said , adding that he learned of Madsen ’ s death in a Tuesday text message from her wife .
“ But nobody thought this would happen .
Angela was a force of nature.
” Brown was far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madsen .
Jack Nunn , a long-distance swimmer who was selected as the 2019 Long Beach Aquatic Capital of America athlete of the year , compared Madsen to Joan Van Blom , the two-time Olympic silver medalist rower who also hailed from Long Beach .
Van Blom died from cancer in 2015 .
“ I ’ m pretty devastated , ” said Nunn , a family friend of hers for years .
“ Angela was just the epitome of inspiration and not giving up .
“ Her story should be more well-known , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing she couldn ’ t do.
” Madsen competed with the U.S. squad in the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing , where she finished seventh in the trunk and arms mixed double sculls with partner Scott Brown .
Madsen won four gold medals and one silver medal at the world championships during her national team career .
“ Angela was really stubborn and would not take no for an answer , whether that was raising funds for adaptive rowing , advocating for veterans , or even trying to get her to change her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Rowing website .
“ But that stubbornness , combined with her intense love of rowing , translated into so many great things that she was able to share with us along the way .
Angela was happiest out on that wide-open ocean she loved.
” • Simone Biles , survivors ask court to force USOPC to provide answers in Larry Nassar cases • Bay Area women file sexual abuse suit against USA Swimming and former coaches • NCAA argues in sex abuse case it has no legal duty to protect athletes against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was documenting the ocean crossing for a film , posted on her Facebook page that she will fly to Hawaii on Friday , June 26 .
“ The count resets .
Now we navigate moving forward without Angela , ” Simi wrote .
“ She brought us halfway .
Time for us to pick up where she left off.
” Simi said she is not sure if she will be allowed to board a vessel heading close to where Madsen ’ s rowboat , named the Row of Life , is drifting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hawaii ’ s governor has mandated that visitors from the mainland have to stay in a 14-day quarantine when they arrive ; she may have to wait for the boat to come back to Hawaii in a month .
“ I remember once I asked Angela what she does on bad days , ” Simi wrote .
“ She said ‘ row harder.
’ That has stuck with me since .
It is Deb ’ s and Angela ’ s wish that I complete this film .
Carrying someone ’ s story is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I signed up for , and one we will see through .
”

By Gary Metzker, Contributing writer
California Paralympian Angela Madsen dies rowing alone across Pacific Ocean
An effort is underway to help bring Paralympian and long-distance rower Angela Madsen’s body back to Long Beach from Tahiti — as tributes continue to come in days after her death.
Madsen, a three-time Paralympian and U.S. Marine veteran, died at sea earlier this week, halfway through her attempt to become the first openly gay athlete and oldest woman to row alone across the Pacific Ocean. Madsen, a Long Beach resident who set out on her journey to Hawaii from Marina del Rey in April, was reportedly found tethered to her boat Monday, June 22, after getting in the water to make repairs.
James Brown, who knew Madsen and is with the nonprofit Wine Country Marines veterans group, based in Gilroy, had already raised about $20,300 of the $50,000 GoFundMe goal as of Thursday evening, June 25. The money will be used for travel expenses and final arrangements. Madsen’s remains are on the German cargo ship Polynesia, which is currently sailing toward Tahiti.
Brown, during a Wednesday phone interview, said that Madsen’s wife, Deb Madsen, asked him to put the online fundraiser together. Brown and Angela Madsen met about eight years ago, he said, and worked together on the Valor Games, an event for veterans with disabilities.
“I knew that Angela was quite the daredevil, so there is that inherent risk,” Brown said, adding that he learned of Madsen’s death in a Tuesday text message from her wife. “But nobody thought this would happen. Angela was a force of nature.”
Brown was far from the only one to pay tribute to Madsen.
Jack Nunn, a long-distance swimmer who was selected as the 2019 Long Beach Aquatic Capital of America athlete of the year, compared Madsen to Joan Van Blom, the two-time Olympic silver medalist rower who also hailed from Long Beach. Van Blom died from cancer in 2015.
“I’m pretty devastated,” said Nunn, a family friend of hers for years. “Angela was just the epitome of inspiration and not giving up.
“Her story should be more well-known,” Nunn added. “There was nothing she couldn’t do.”
Madsen competed with the U.S. squad in the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, where she finished seventh in the trunk and arms mixed double sculls with partner Scott Brown. Madsen won four gold medals and one silver medal at the world championships during her national team career.
“Angela was really stubborn and would not take no for an answer, whether that was raising funds for adaptive rowing, advocating for veterans, or even trying to get her to change her rowing stroke,” Brown told the US Rowing website. “But that stubbornness, combined with her intense love of rowing, translated into so many great things that she was able to share with us along the way. Angela was happiest out on that wide-open ocean she loved.”
Soraya Simi, who was documenting the ocean crossing for a film, posted on her Facebook page that she will fly to Hawaii on Friday, June 26.
“The count resets. Now we navigate moving forward without Angela,” Simi wrote. “She brought us halfway. Time for us to pick up where she left off.”
Simi said she is not sure if she will be allowed to board a vessel heading close to where Madsen’s rowboat, named the Row of Life, is drifting to retrieve the cameras and footage. Hawaii’s governor has mandated that visitors from the mainland have to stay in a 14-day quarantine when they arrive; she may have to wait for the boat to come back to Hawaii in a month.
“I remember once I asked Angela what she does on bad days,” Simi wrote. “She said ‘row harder.’ That has stuck with me since. It is Deb’s and Angela’s wish that I complete this film. Carrying someone’s story is a heavy responsibility, one my crew and I signed up for, and one we will see through.”


mercurynews--2020-06-26--Coronavirus cases trickle into California’s addiction treatment centers; some workers worry

As the quest for sobriety continues during the pandemic , state-licensed and certified addiction treatment facilities have reported 89 COVID-19 cases at 55 different sites , according to data from the Department of Health Care Services .
The infections have hit 44 staffers and 45 clients , with no deaths reported thus far .
Separately , mental health programs logged another 106 cases of COVID-19 — 94 patients and 12 staff — at 12 different locations in California .
Again , there were no deaths reported .
That ’ s a total of 195 coronavirus cases at California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The names of all facilities reporting cases are now online and regularly updated at bit.ly/3fS3AaI , “ to offer a snapshot of COVID-19 in behavioral health licensed and/or certified facilities … and do not imply wrongdoing on the part of any facility , ” the state site says .
Thirty-four facilities in Los Angeles , including one for pregnant and post-partum women , have reported case .
In Orange County , five facilities reported cases ; in Riverside , four ; and in San Bernardino , one .
But the exact number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of the time .
“ Privacy protections prevent the Department of Health Care Services from releasing detailed information that , because of the small numbers involved , could potentially identify someone who has received treatment for a substance use disorder , ” said spokeswoman Carol Sloan by email .
The COVID-19 emergency is a first , so the state can ’ t put the case numbers in historical perspective , she said .
Some workers inside residential rehabs worry .
As most are tract homes in single-family neighborhoods , with only six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough funding to keep therapists and similar staffers at a single site .
Instead , health providers often travel from house to house over the course of a day to work with different clients .
Some workers fear that might stoke the spread of disease .
Workers in Orange County , who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal , said that some rehabs aren ’ t requiring employees or clients to wear masks and are continuing group therapy meetings with 20 or more people , despite official restrictions on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separation between people is often flouted as well , they said .
While many addiction treatment centers have developed protocols requiring face masks , temperature checks , testing and isolation of new clients , as well as the use of virtual meetings whenever possible and practical , some facilities apparently aren ’ t making the same effort .
“ The employees are forced to deal with this every day , wondering if they are going to catch the virus , ” a woman said by email .
“ Management doesn ’ t care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t matter.
” Sloan said the DHCS encourages providers to follow the California Department of Public Health ’ s guidance and work with local county health departments .
The American Society of Addiction Medicine has issued guidance on avoiding infection in residential treatment centers , as has the National Council on Behavioral Health .
Workers can file safety complaints with the state Department of Industrial Relations , and with the DHCS as well .

As the quest for sobriety continues during the pandemic, state-licensed and certified addiction treatment facilities have reported 89 COVID-19 cases at 55 different sites, according to data from the Department of Health Care Services.
The infections have hit 44 staffers and 45 clients, with no deaths reported thus far.
Separately, mental health programs logged another 106 cases of COVID-19 — 94 patients and 12 staff — at 12 different locations in California. Again, there were no deaths reported.
That’s a total of 195 coronavirus cases at California’s behavioral and mental health facilities through mid-June.
The names of all facilities reporting cases are now online and regularly updated at bit.ly/3fS3AaI, “to offer a snapshot of COVID-19 in behavioral health licensed and/or certified facilities … and do not imply wrongdoing on the part of any facility,” the state site says.
Thirty-four facilities in Los Angeles, including one for pregnant and post-partum women, have reported case. In Orange County, five facilities reported cases; in Riverside, four; and in San Bernardino, one.
But the exact number of cases at each facility is masked most of the time.
“Privacy protections prevent the Department of Health Care Services from releasing detailed information that, because of the small numbers involved, could potentially identify someone who has received treatment for a substance use disorder,” said spokeswoman Carol Sloan by email.
The COVID-19 emergency is a first, so the state can’t put the case numbers in historical perspective, she said.
Some workers inside residential rehabs worry. As most are tract homes in single-family neighborhoods, with only six beds, there’s usually not enough funding to keep therapists and similar staffers at a single site.
Instead, health providers often travel from house to house over the course of a day to work with different clients. Some workers fear that might stoke the spread of disease.
Workers in Orange County, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, said that some rehabs aren’t requiring employees or clients to wear masks and are continuing group therapy meetings with 20 or more people, despite official restrictions on the size of gatherings. The recommended six-foot separation between people is often flouted as well, they said.
While many addiction treatment centers have developed protocols requiring face masks, temperature checks, testing and isolation of new clients, as well as the use of virtual meetings whenever possible and practical, some facilities apparently aren’t making the same effort.
“The employees are forced to deal with this every day, wondering if they are going to catch the virus,” a woman said by email. “Management doesn’t care because money talks and employee health doesn’t matter.”
Sloan said the DHCS encourages providers to follow the California Department of Public Health’s guidance and work with local county health departments. The American Society of Addiction Medicine has issued guidance on avoiding infection in residential treatment centers, as has the National Council on Behavioral Health.
Workers can file safety complaints with the state Department of Industrial Relations, and with the DHCS as well.


mercurynews--2020-06-27--Coronavirus: Is it time to hit pause on re-opening California?

With COVID-19 cases surging to record levels , is it time for California to push pause on reopening ?
The question crystallized Friday as confirmed cases in the state passed 200,000 and hospitalizations continued a three-week-long upward march .
Two Bay Area counties — San Francisco and Marin — said they would slow schedules that would have seen a new round of businesses open next week , and Contra Costa may also pump the brakes .
For his part , Gov .
Gavin Newsom called on Imperial County , the state ’ s hardest hit with intensive-care units dangerously close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or he would force the issue .
But Newsom resisted suggestions in his daily press conference that he should take more extensive steps that would impact other regions .
Yet as governors in Florida , Texas and elsewhere pulled back on their reopening plans , several prominent medical experts called on this state to do the same .
“ If we don ’ t act now , it doesn ’ t make sense to wait until we ’ re a lot worse off , ” said John Swartzberg , an infectious disease expert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Shashank Ravi , assistant medical director in the emergency department at Stanford Health Care , said his hospital has been preparing for both a second wave of COVID-19 and the upcoming flu season , and he is concerned by the way Californians have been venturing out in recent weeks , promoting viral spread .
“ I think we do need to pause and see where we ’ re at , ” Ravi said .
“ I think , people are moving across counties more and more , Southern to Northern California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re seeing more intermingling.
” Most troubling to experts like Swartzberg and Ravi are the sharp upward trends in newly confirmed COVID-19 cases — approaching double the daily rate from the beginning of June — and hospitalizations , which have increased by more than 30 % over the past two weeks .
Alarmed by the numbers in her city , San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Friday announced the suspension of a plan to enter into the third stage of Newsom ’ s four-phase re-opening , which would have allowed salons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ select businesses to resume activity .
The decision was made after 103 test results came back positive for the virus over the previous 24 hours .
“ At our current rate , the number could double rapidly , ” Breed said .
“ If that continues and we don ’ t intervene , we ’ ll be at such a high number that our only option would be to shut down.
” Marin County said late Friday it would pause reopenings of gyms , hotels and body art professionals , propelled by an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Contra Costa County health officials — who had planned to reopen indoor dining , bars , gyms and hotels July 1 — also said they were “ evaluating whether the county should continue its current reopening timeline.
” It was in response to COVID-19 hospitalizations surging 42 % over the previous seven days , the average daily number of new cases soaring from 39 to 68 , and the proportion of infected people under 40 increasing from 38 % to 55 % .
Santa Clara County signaled its intent to overhaul its reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowest in the state , next week as well .
But officials were broad about what that would mean .
“ What ’ s been learned over the last four months is that it ’ s not about the business you ’ re participating in , but it ’ s the activities you ’ re doing , ” County Executive Jeff Smith said .
“ It ’ s like driving a car on the freeway .
It doesn ’ t matter whether it ’ s a truck or a sports car , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people at risk .
The focus had been on what you were driving , or the business.
” In his news briefing Friday , Newsom put a particular focus on Imperial County , is home to the state ’ s highest per-capita case rate , with 3,000 cases per 100,000 residents .
The Southern California county borders Mexico , which is thought to have contributed to the problem .
Imperial County ’ s test positivity rate meanwhile hit 23 % over the last two weeks — drastically higher than the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re now in a position where we are working with county officials and advising them to pull back and once again re-institute their stay-at-home orders , ” Newsom said .
“ If they ’ re not able to come to some consensus , I am committed to intervening.
” But Newsom dismissed questions about whether he would do the same for more populated counties that have increased activities and seen significant infection surges as a result .
“ California is not one-size-fits-all … when you look at the prism of California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is through a bottom-up lens , ” Newsom said .
The governor insisted he is striking the proper balance , urging people to continue to wear masks and avoid unnecessary activities , but others were not so sure .
“ Our governor said we were going to follow the data .
The idea of following the data is that if we start to liberalize things , and see cases not going up , we can continue to liberalize things , ” Swartzberg said .
“ But if the percentage starts going up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reevaluate where we are .
He ’ s not following that plan right now.
” Dean Winslow , a professor of medicine at Stanford specializing in infectious diseases , believes that counties will soon need to return to heavier restrictions .
“ I think at this point , probably ( a ) very strict shelter in place is not going to fly , ” Winslow said .
“ But I think all of the other measures , we should really strongly consider maintaining at least for the foreseeable future potentially , until we @ @ @ @ @ @

Robert Salonga, Daniel Wu, Fiona Kelliher

With COVID-19 cases surging to record levels, is it time for California to push pause on reopening?
The question crystallized Friday as confirmed cases in the state passed 200,000 and hospitalizations continued a three-week-long upward march. Two Bay Area counties — San Francisco and Marin — said they would slow schedules that would have seen a new round of businesses open next week, and Contra Costa may also pump the brakes.
For his part, Gov. Gavin Newsom called on Imperial County, the state’s hardest hit with intensive-care units dangerously close to capacity, to shut down tight or he would force the issue. But Newsom resisted suggestions in his daily press conference that he should take more extensive steps that would impact other regions.
Yet as governors in Florida, Texas and elsewhere pulled back on their reopening plans, several prominent medical experts called on this state to do the same.
“If we don’t act now, it doesn’t make sense to wait until we’re a lot worse off,” said John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert and professor emeritus at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Shashank Ravi, assistant medical director in the emergency department at Stanford Health Care, said his hospital has been preparing for both a second wave of COVID-19 and the upcoming flu season, and he is concerned by the way Californians have been venturing out in recent weeks, promoting viral spread.
“I think we do need to pause and see where we’re at,” Ravi said. “I think, people are moving across counties more and more, Southern to Northern California, Northern to Southern California, and so we’re seeing more intermingling.”
Most troubling to experts such as Swartzberg and Ravi are the sharp upward trends in newly confirmed COVID-19 cases — approaching double the daily rate from the beginning of June — and hospitalizations, which have increased by more than 30% over the past two weeks.
Alarmed by the numbers in her city, San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Friday announced the suspension of a plan to enter into the third stage of Newsom’s four-phase re-opening, which would have allowed salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors and other select businesses to resume activity. The decision was made after 103 test results came back positive for the virus over the previous 24 hours.
“At our current rate, the number could double rapidly,” Breed said. “If that continues and we don’t intervene, we’ll be at such a high number that our only option would be to shut down.”
Marin County said late Friday it would pause reopenings of gyms, hotels and body art professionals, propelled by an outbreak at San Quentin Prison.
And Contra Costa County health officials — who had planned to reopen indoor dining, bars, gyms and hotels July 1 — also said they were “evaluating whether the county should continue its current reopening timeline.” It was in response to COVID-19 hospitalizations surging 42% over the previous seven days, the average daily number of new cases soaring from 39 to 68, and the proportion of infected people under 40 increasing from 38% to 55%.
Santa Clara County signaled its intent to overhaul its reopening strategy, which has been perhaps the slowest in the state, next week as well. But officials were vague about what that would mean.
[vemba-video id=”health/2020/06/25/california-coronavirus-spike-lah-ebof-pkg-vpx.cnn”]
“What’s been learned over the last four months is that it’s not about the business you’re participating in, but it’s the activities you’re doing,” County Executive Jeff Smith said. “It’s like driving a car on the freeway. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a truck or a sports car, if you’re speeding, you put people at risk. The focus had been on what you were driving, or the business.”
In his news briefing Friday, Newsom put a particular focus on Imperial County, home to the state’s highest per-capita case rate with 3,000 cases per 100,000 residents. The Southern California county borders Mexico, which is thought to have contributed to the problem.
Imperial County’s test positivity rate meanwhile hit 23% over the last two weeks — drastically higher than the state’s rate of 5.3%.
“We’re now in a position where we are working with county officials and advising them to pull back and once again re-institute their stay-at-home orders,” Newsom said. “If they’re not able to come to some consensus, I am committed to intervening.”
But Newsom dismissed questions about whether he would do the same for more populated counties that have increased activities and seen significant infection surges as a result.
“California is not one-size-fits-all … when you look at the prism of California, the only responsible way to look at it is through a bottom-up lens,” Newsom said. The governor insisted he is striking the proper balance, urging people to continue to wear masks and avoid unnecessary activities, but others were not so sure.
“Our governor said we were going to follow the data. The idea of following the data is that if we start to liberalize things and see cases not going up, we can continue to liberalize things,” Swartzberg said. “But if the percentage starts going up, we need to at least pause and reevaluate where we are. He’s not following that plan right now.”
Dean Winslow, a professor of medicine at Stanford specializing in infectious diseases, believes that counties will soon need to return to heavier restrictions.
“I think at this point, probably (a) very strict shelter in place is not going to fly,” Winslow said. “But I think all of the other measures, we should really strongly consider maintaining at least for the foreseeable future potentially, until we have an effective vaccine.”
Staff writer Evan Webeck contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-06-27--Letter: Americans don’t deserve freedom and liberty

The people of this country don ’ t deserve freedom and liberty .
They ’ re willing to give up @ @ @ @ @ safe .
They allow petulant governors and mayors to tell them when they can go @ @ @ @ @ and can not do everyday .
They have been allowed to destroy our economy along @ @ @ @ @ Many will lose homes , jobs , businesses , livelihoods .
Suicide will increase , @ @ @ @ @ abuse will increase .
Wait until the next real or imagined crisis and see how @ @ @ @ @ They want more control over your life and you will give it to them and @ @ @ @ @ too late will you realize you ’ ve been had .
Submit your letter to @ @ @ @ @ Read more Letters to the Editor

The people of this country don’t deserve freedom and liberty. They’re willing to give up these freedoms just to feel safe.
They allow petulant governors and mayors to tell them when they can go anywhere and what they can and cannot do everyday. They have been allowed to destroy our economy along with thousands of lives.
Many will lose homes, jobs, businesses, livelihoods. Suicide will increase, homelessness will increase, domestic abuse will increase. Related Articles Letters to the Editor | Letters: Escape Bay Area | CASA program | Feinstein replacement | Faulty comparison | Not conservatives
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Wait until the next real or imagined crisis and see how they jerk you around. They want more control over your life and you will give it to them and only when it’s too late will you realize you’ve been had.
Dan Woody
Pleasanton
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mercurynews--2020-06-27--US travelers ‘unlikely’ to be allowed into the EU, diplomats say

Travelers from the United States are “ unlikely ” to be allowed into the European Union , as ambassadors of the 27 members states have agreed “ in principle ” to criteria as the bloc begins to open up to international travel , several EU diplomats told CNN on Friday .
The agreement is not final , as the ambassadors will need to consult with their respective governments .
Under the current criteria — which , among other parameters , takes into account the number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in the past 14 days — US travelers would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first reported by The New York Times .
The US has the highest number of coronavirus deaths and infections in the world .
As of Friday afternoon , at least 2.4 million had been infected in the country and 124,891 people had died , according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center .
An EU diplomat told CNN that it was very “ unlikely ” travelers from the US would be allowed in , adding that even though the list had not been finalized “ the US ’ s chances are close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ with their infection rates … not even they can believe in that possibility.
” A new meeting on the matter will take place on Monday .
Officials at the European Commission have been working with member states on advising which visitors might be considered safe to visit from July 1 , when the EU plans to reopen its borders .
But the 27 member states have yet to formally agree on the criteria to be used to draw up the guidance that will be applied to the 104 countries with which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
EU diplomats who spoke to CNN insisted that the criteria would be based on health , not political , considerations .
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Americans might not be able to travel to the European bloc when it reopens its borders .
The paper said it had seen draft lists of countries considered acceptable or not , based on their coronavirus situation .
However , multiple sources told CNN that they had not seen draft lists of specific countries .
“ We have not set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of countries has not been written .
It does not exist .
We have data for sure , but there is no list , ” one EU official told CNN on Thursday .
“ The objective criteria has to be applied equally to a hundred or more third countries , so it was never about one country.
” Discussions continued in European capitals Friday ahead of the ambassadors ’ meeting as EU member states wrestle with thorny issues , such as how to handle restrictions on non-EU countries which have a bilateral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as Brazil with Portugal .
Questions over how to assess certain countries ’ testing and tracing regimes , and the reliability of their data , have also been raised .
Recommendations made by the European Commission are not mandatory — decisions on whether and how to open up borders are matters for individual states .
But European Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz said it was essential for EU member states to take a united approach when borders reopen .
“ It is indeed essential for the effectiveness of this travel restriction as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schengen area that member states act together on this , ” he said .
“ We have seen a very strong political commitment from member states to continue acting in a coordinated way on this issue.
” When asked earlier this week whether the US was on a list of origin countries that might be barred from travel to Europe , one EU diplomat directed CNN to the first point of a June 11 checklist published by the European Commission on what to consider when allowing travelers into the EU .
The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country can “ be considered as being in a comparable or better epidemiological situation as the average in the EU+ area ” with regard to number of new infections , trend of new infections and response in areas such as testing , surveillance , contact tracing , containment , treatment and reporting .
A second EU diplomat insisted there was no political aspect to the criteria being discussed .
“ It is only ever about health .
For sure , you can see not being on the list as something political , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not , but this is a misrepresentation of what we are doing .
We are looking to open our borders , this is a positive step , ” the diplomat said .
“ There are 27 countries sitting around the table who are having a lot of different opinions , they are focused on objective criteria , as the criteria need to apply uniformly .
“ If you take the US , as I know there is a lot of interest already since the New York Times article , if you look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then we can not open our border to the US , but we can not open our borders to other countries also.
” The diplomat hoped that progress could be made in the latest talks , as the July 1 deadline looms .
Reciprocity is another consideration under the June 11 guidelines .
Earlier this year , the US severely restricted travel from large parts of Europe due to coronavirus concerns .
Responding to a reporter ’ s question Thursday , Eric Mamer , chief spokesman for the European Commission , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new tariffs to EU goods would not factor into deliberations .
“ Our internal process is related obviously to considerations based on health criteria .
All the rest — in terms of what decisions the US might take or not — is speculation that we will not get into .
And in any case , it will not influence our internal process.
” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the US had been working with European nations on how best to reopen travel .
“ It ’ s important for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity to travel back to the United States .
It ’ s important , very important for the Europeans to fully reconnect with the American economy as well .
I think leaders all across those two places understand the importance of this , ” he said during a State Department briefing .
Among the options being discussed are travel restrictions based on US geographic regions , rather than a sweeping ban on the entire country , since some regions have higher infection rates than others , two EU officials told CNN .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities ’ to reopen next week • San Francisco puts reopening on hold while Contra Costa County mulls its own pause US Travel Association Reaction US Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement , “ The EU ’ s announcement is incredibly disappointing , and a step in the wrong direction as we seek to rebuild our global economy.
” The statement goes on to say , “ This is unwelcome news , and will have major negative implications for an economic recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cycles of retaliation , as is so often the case .
”

By James Frater, Vasco Cotovio and Laura Smith-Spark | CNN
Travelers from the United States are “unlikely” to be allowed into the European Union, as ambassadors of the 27 members states have agreed “in principle” to criteria as the bloc begins to open up to international travel, several EU diplomats told CNN on Friday.
The agreement is not final, as the ambassadors will need to consult with their respective governments.
Under the current criteria — which, among other parameters, takes into account the number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in the past 14 days — US travelers would likely be excluded.
The development was first reported by The New York Times.
The US has the highest number of coronavirus deaths and infections in the world. As of Friday afternoon, at least 2.4 million had been infected in the country and 124,891 people had died, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
An EU diplomat told CNN that it was very “unlikely” travelers from the US would be allowed in, adding that even though the list had not been finalized “the US’s chances are close to zero.” The diplomat also said, “with their infection rates … not even they can believe in that possibility.”
A new meeting on the matter will take place on Monday.
Officials at the European Commission have been working with member states on advising which visitors might be considered safe to visit from July 1, when the EU plans to reopen its borders.
But the 27 member states have yet to formally agree on the criteria to be used to draw up the guidance that will be applied to the 104 countries with which the EU has visa arrangements, including the United States.
EU diplomats who spoke to CNN insisted that the criteria would be based on health, not political, considerations.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Americans might not be able to travel to the European bloc when it reopens its borders. The paper said it had seen draft lists of countries considered acceptable or not, based on their coronavirus situation.
However, multiple sources told CNN that they had not seen draft lists of specific countries.
“We have not set the final objective criteria so the first list of countries has not been written. It does not exist. We have data for sure, but there is no list,” one EU official told CNN on Thursday.
“The objective criteria has to be applied equally to a hundred or more third countries, so it was never about one country.”
Coordinated approach
Discussions continued in European capitals Friday ahead of the ambassadors’ meeting as EU member states wrestle with thorny issues, such as how to handle restrictions on non-EU countries which have a bilateral travel arrangement with an EU member state, such as Brazil with Portugal.
Questions over how to assess certain countries’ testing and tracing regimes, and the reliability of their data, have also been raised.
Recommendations made by the European Commission are not mandatory — decisions on whether and how to open up borders are matters for individual states.
But European Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz said it was essential for EU member states to take a united approach when borders reopen.
“It is indeed essential for the effectiveness of this travel restriction as well as for the integrity of the Schengen area that member states act together on this,” he said.
“We have seen a very strong political commitment from member states to continue acting in a coordinated way on this issue.”
When asked earlier this week whether the US was on a list of origin countries that might be barred from travel to Europe, one EU diplomat directed CNN to the first point of a June 11 checklist published by the European Commission on what to consider when allowing travelers into the EU.
The first point on the checklist asks whether the country can “be considered as being in a comparable or better epidemiological situation as the average in the EU+ area” with regard to number of new infections, trend of new infections and response in areas such as testing, surveillance, contact tracing, containment, treatment and reporting.
A second EU diplomat insisted there was no political aspect to the criteria being discussed.
“It is only ever about health. For sure, you can see not being on the list as something political, when one country is allowed in and another is not, but this is a misrepresentation of what we are doing. We are looking to open our borders, this is a positive step,” the diplomat said.
“There are 27 countries sitting around the table who are having a lot of different opinions, they are focused on objective criteria, as the criteria need to apply uniformly.
“If you take the US, as I know there is a lot of interest already since the New York Times article, if you look exactly at the criteria since 11 June, then we cannot open our border to the US, but we cannot open our borders to other countries also.”
The diplomat hoped that progress could be made in the latest talks, as the July 1 deadline looms.
US tariffs not a factor
Reciprocity is another consideration under the June 11 guidelines.
Earlier this year, the US severely restricted travel from large parts of Europe due to coronavirus concerns.
Responding to a reporter’s question Thursday, Eric Mamer, chief spokesman for the European Commission, said that moves by the US to apply new tariffs to EU goods would not factor into deliberations.
“Our internal process is related obviously to considerations based on health criteria. All the rest — in terms of what decisions the US might take or not — is speculation that we will not get into. And in any case, it will not influence our internal process.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the US had been working with European nations on how best to reopen travel.
“It’s important for the United States to get Europeans the capacity to travel back to the United States. It’s important, very important for the Europeans to fully reconnect with the American economy as well. I think leaders all across those two places understand the importance of this,” he said during a State Department briefing.
Among the options being discussed are travel restrictions based on US geographic regions, rather than a sweeping ban on the entire country, since some regions have higher infection rates than others, two EU officials told CNN.
US Travel Association Reaction
US Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement, “The EU’s announcement is incredibly disappointing, and a step in the wrong direction as we seek to rebuild our global economy.” The statement goes on to say, “This is unwelcome news, and will have major negative implications for an economic recovery — particularly if this ban results in cycles of retaliation, as is so often the case.”


mercurynews--2020-06-27--H-1B: Government issues first-ever official estimate of visa population in U.S.

The federal government on Friday issued a first-ever official estimate of the number of people in the U.S. who hold the controversial H-1B work visa , intended for jobs requiring specialized skills but attacked by critics over reported abuses .
At the end of September , there were “ approximately ” 583,420 people on the H-1B living in the U.S , according to a U.S. Customs and Immigration report .
The agency provided estimates going back the previous three years , but gave total numbers of people whose H-1B applications were approved , rather than the total it believes have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger “ approved ” numbers don ’ t factor in withdrawals of approval or changes in visa status .
The estimates start at the end of September 2016 , when the “ approved ” population was 564,663 , and have fluctuated significantly since , dipping below 600,000 in two quarters and rising to a high of almost 650,000 .
Furor over the H-1B — intended for jobs requiring specialized skills — escalated this week when President Donald Trump ordered suspension of entry into the U.S. of H-1B holders until the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move , with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai both saying on Twitter they were “ disappointed , ” and connecting immigration with American prosperity .
Facebook said the order would “ keep highly skilled talent ” out of the U.S .
While Silicon Valley ’ s tech giants rely heavily on the visa , critics point to reported abuses and say companies including major tech firms and staffing and outsourcing companies use the H-1B to supplant U.S. workers , drive down wages and facilitate outsourcing .
• H-1B and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with alleged luxury tastes gets three years in prison Research by Daniel Costa , of the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute , and Howard University political science professor Ron Hira , found that 60 % of H-1B workers receive lower-than-average wages for their job and region .
Google , Facebook and Apple “ take advantage of program rules in order to legally pay many of their H-1B workers below the local median wage for the jobs they fill , ” Costa and Hira said in an Economic Policy Institute paper .
The vast number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulted in large part from backlogs in the green card system , where per-country caps have meant citizens of India and China , a great many on the H-1B , wait years , and sometimes decades , for a green card , Costa said .
Relatively few H-1B holders leave the program every year by getting green cards , but 120,000 to 140,000 new ones come in , Costa pointed out .

The federal government on Friday issued a first-ever official estimate of the number of people in the U.S. who hold the controversial H-1B work visa, intended for jobs requiring specialized skills but attacked by critics over reported abuses.
At the end of September, there were “approximately” 583,420 people on the H-1B living in the U.S, according to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration report. The agency provided estimates going back the previous three years, but gave total numbers of people whose H-1B applications were approved, rather than the total it believes have been living in the country. The larger “approved” numbers don’t factor in withdrawals of approval or changes in visa status.
The estimates start at the end of September 2016, when the “approved” population was 564,663, and have fluctuated significantly since, dipping below 600,000 in two quarters and rising to a high of almost 650,000.
Furor over the H-1B — intended for jobs requiring specialized skills — escalated this week when President Donald Trump ordered suspension of entry into the U.S. of H-1B holders until the end of the year. Major technology firms attacked the move, with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai both saying on Twitter they were “disappointed,” and connecting immigration with American prosperity. Facebook said the order would “keep highly skilled talent” out of the U.S.
While Silicon Valley’s tech giants rely heavily on the visa, critics point to reported abuses and say companies including major tech firms and staffing and outsourcing companies use the H-1B to supplant U.S. workers, drive down wages and facilitate outsourcing.
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H-1B: Minimal effects expected from Trump’s visa suspensions, green card freeze Technology | H-1B and Mountain View: Visa fraudster from China with alleged luxury tastes gets three years in prison Research by Daniel Costa, of the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, and Howard University political science professor Ron Hira, found that 60% of H-1B workers receive lower-than-average wages for their job and region. Google, Facebook and Apple “take advantage of program rules in order to legally pay many of their H-1B workers below the local median wage for the jobs they fill,” Costa and Hira said in an Economic Policy Institute paper.
The vast number of foreign citizens on the visa has resulted in large part from backlogs in the green card system, where per-country caps have meant citizens of India and China, a great many on the H-1B, wait years, and sometimes decades, for a green card, Costa said. Relatively few H-1B holders leave the program every year by getting green cards, but 120,000 to 140,000 new ones come in, Costa pointed out.
Citizenship and Immigration said in its report that coming up with a number for H-1Bs living in the U.S. “is complex, as no electronic data system tracks or houses this information.” Costa said the government’s estimates fit with those he and others have made. “That’s been everybody’s best guess,” he said. “It’s right around where you would expect, and knowing what we know about the green card backlog it looks about where I would expect it to be.”


mercurynews--2020-06-27--San Jose: Dead body found in Guadalupe River

SAN JOSE – A dead body was found in the Guadalupe River north of downtown San Jose on Friday , @ @ @ @ @ dispatched to the area south of West Hedding Street and Ruff Drive about 12:10 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ possible dead body in the river , said San Jose police Sgt .
Enrique Garcia @ @ @ @ @ Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner ’ s Office was called to the scene and took over @ @ @ @ @ information was immediately available .

SAN JOSE – A dead body was found in the Guadalupe River north of downtown San Jose on Friday, authorities said.
Officers were dispatched to the area south of West Hedding Street and Ruff Drive about 12:10 p.m. for a report of a possible dead body in the river, said San Jose police Sgt. Enrique Garcia.
Garcia said the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office was called to the scene and took over the case.
No other information was immediately available.
Check back for updates.


mercurynews--2020-06-27--Alleged Contra Costa meth ring leader, linked to 30-pound sale, gets 5 years in federal prison

OAKLAND — A Bay Point man who federal prosecutors linked to a 30-pound methamphetamine deal was sentenced to five years in prison last week .
Jose Lopez-Mercado was part of a five-defendant indictment that alleged the defendants were selling meth by the pound in Contra Costa County .
Prosecutors alleged that Lopez-Mercado was a higher-up in the drug ring , and that he arranged for 30 pounds to be shipped to him from Southern California .
One of Lopez-Mercado ’ s co-defendants , Arturo Vazquez Jr. , was sentenced to five years last August .
Based on recorded phone calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the organization , and Mr. Vazquez did not have supervisory authority over Mr. Lopez-Mercado , ” federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo .
Prosecutors added that Lopez-Mercado had committed money laundering because , “ he sent the proceeds of drug trafficking to an individual in Southern California , knowing that it would be used to settle a methamphetamine debt.
” Defense attorneys say Lopez-Mercado turned to drug trafficking after pain and drug addiction “ had completely taken over his life.
” The defense sentencing memo says Lopez-Mercado lost several loved ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car crash , and that he gradually turned to drugs after facing one tragedy after another .
Lopez-Mercado ’ s attorney , John Runfola , pushed back against the notion that his client was in charge of anything .
“ He was directed by others , including his co-defendant Arturo Vasquez Jr. , to pay money to a drug trafficking organization , sell and deliver methamphetamine , and deposit money into the supplier ’ s bank account , ” Runfola wrote in the memo .
“ He was generally paid with drugs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addiction and paid for his drug habit.
” Lopez-Mercado must report to prison on Sept. 25 to begin his sentence .

OAKLAND — A Bay Point man who federal prosecutors linked to a 30-pound methamphetamine deal was sentenced to five years in prison last week.
Jose Lopez-Mercado was part of a five-defendant indictment that alleged the defendants were selling meth by the pound in Contra Costa County. Prosecutors alleged that Lopez-Mercado was a higher-up in the drug ring, and that he arranged for 30 pounds to be shipped to him from Southern California.
One of Lopez-Mercado’s co-defendants, Arturo Vazquez Jr., was sentenced to five years last August. Based on recorded phone calls, the two “were roughly equals within the organization, and Mr. Vazquez did not have supervisory authority over Mr. Lopez-Mercado,” federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo.
Prosecutors added that Lopez-Mercado had committed money laundering because, “he sent the proceeds of drug trafficking to an individual in Southern California, knowing that it would be used to settle a methamphetamine debt.”
Defense attorneys say Lopez-Mercado turned to drug trafficking after pain and drug addiction “had completely taken over his life.” The defense sentencing memo says Lopez-Mercado lost several loved ones to murder, suicide, and a car crash, and that he gradually turned to drugs after facing one tragedy after another.
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“He was directed by others, including his co-defendant Arturo Vasquez Jr., to pay money to a drug trafficking organization, sell and deliver methamphetamine, and deposit money into the supplier’s bank account,” Runfola wrote in the memo. “He was generally paid with drugs and small amounts of cash which fueled his addiction and paid for his drug habit.”
Lopez-Mercado must report to prison on Sept. 25 to begin his sentence.


mercurynews--2020-06-27--Letter: Toppling statues misses point about tragic history

Protesters , stop the destruction .
Let ’ s create an outdoor history park/museum and move all the historic sculptures @ @ @ @ @ in Contra Costa meth ring , linked to 30-lb sale , gets federal prison time @ @ @ @ @ an order to protect monuments Tragic history will not repeat itself if we and our @ @ @ @ @ about it .
Can you imagine if the Auschwitz museum in Poland was destroyed ?
@ @ @ @ @ about the horrors of the Holocaust .
Submit your letter to the editor via this @ @ @ @ @ the Editor

Protesters, stop the destruction. Let’s create an outdoor history park/museum and move all the historic sculptures there. Related Articles Latest Headlines | President Joe Biden and first lady plan to visit Maui next week. Follow live updates
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Tragic history will not repeat itself if we and our future generations learn and know about it. Can you imagine if the Auschwitz museum in Poland was destroyed? We would have never known about the horrors of the Holocaust.
Lina Broydo
Los Altos Hills
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mercurynews--2020-06-27--Judge orders Roger Stone to begin sentence on July 14

A federal judge on Friday delayed the prison sentence of Trump ally Roger Stone for two weeks , and ordered him to spend that time at home , a de facto quarantine that puts him one step closer to serving his three-year term , according to new court filings .
Federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson said this arrangement “ will address the defendant ’ s stated medical concerns ” and will also “ protect the health of other inmates who share defendant ’ s anxiety over the potential introduction and spread of the virus at this now-unaffected facility.
” Stone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal prison in Jesup , Georgia , next Tuesday .
There are currently no confirmed coronavirus cases at the prison , according to recent court filings .
The court order Friday night means that as of now , Stone must surrender at the prison on July 14 .
The order came after a week of limbo .
Stone requested a 60-day delay , and the Justice Department followed up by saying it supported his request , but stressed that he wasn ’ t getting special treatment because he is a longtime friend and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jackson ’ s order appeared on the court docket , Stone was on Fox Business Network , and suggested that the Justice Department was covering up the existence of a coronavirus outbreak at the prison where he ’ ll serve his sentence .
He also repeated his request for a pardon from Trump .
“ I think this is a death sentence , ” Stone said .
“ I don ’ t think I will live to see my appeal succeed , which is why I have been very forthright about my praying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a commutation of my sentence … or , of course , a pardon .
That ’ s completely within his power.
” Stone was sentenced to more than three years in prison for lying to Congress about his role as a backchannel between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks during the 2016 election .
He was also convicted of witness tampering after obstructing Congress ’ inquiry into Russian meddling .
Earlier in the week , the Justice Department said it wasn ’ t opposing Stone ’ s request for a 60-day delay request because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are letting all defendants who aren ’ t a flight risk delay their prison terms during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The US Attorney ’ s Office for the District of Columbia has uniformly adhered ” this standard for postponements , federal prosecutors said Thursday .
“ For that reason — and that reason only — the US Attorney ’ s Office for the District of Columbia does not oppose ” a 60-day postponement .
Prosecutors noted that this nationwide guidance was set by Attorney General William Barr and has been in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading rapidly across the US .
In its filing on Thursday , the Justice Department explicitly denied trying “ to exert any influence ” over whether the Bureau of Prisons postponed or adjusted the date of Stone ’ s surrender .
• AG William Barr set to testify before Congress next month The case has been marred by allegations of political interference by Trump , Barr and other top officials at the Justice Department .
A career prosecutor who quit the Stone case in February testified to Congress this week that political appointees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case to “ cut Stone a break ” at sentencing because of his close relationship with Trump .
On several occasions , Trump has said he is considering a pardon for Stone .
Trump ’ s critics say this would amount to a brazen abuse of power — even if it is a legal exercise of presidential authority — because Stone was convicted of lying to Congress to specifically protect Trump .

By Marshall Cohen | CNN
A federal judge on Friday delayed the prison sentence of Trump ally Roger Stone for two weeks, and ordered him to spend that time at home, a de facto quarantine that puts him one step closer to serving his three-year term, according to new court filings.
Federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson said this arrangement “will address the defendant’s stated medical concerns” and will also “protect the health of other inmates who share defendant’s anxiety over the potential introduction and spread of the virus at this now-unaffected facility.”
Stone had been scheduled to report to a federal prison in Jesup, Georgia, next Tuesday. There are currently no confirmed coronavirus cases at the prison, according to recent court filings. The court order Friday night means that as of now, Stone must surrender at the prison on July 14.
The order came after a week of limbo. Stone requested a 60-day delay, and the Justice Department followed up by saying it supported his request, but stressed that he wasn’t getting special treatment because he is a longtime friend and adviser to President Donald Trump.
As Jackson’s order appeared on the court docket, Stone was on Fox Business Network, and suggested that the Justice Department was covering up the existence of a coronavirus outbreak at the prison where he’ll serve his sentence. He also repeated his request for a pardon from Trump.
“I think this is a death sentence,” Stone said. “I don’t think I will live to see my appeal succeed, which is why I have been very forthright about my praying that the President acts, either with a commutation of my sentence … or, of course, a pardon. That’s completely within his power.”
Stone was sentenced to more than three years in prison for lying to Congress about his role as a backchannel between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. He was also convicted of witness tampering after obstructing Congress’ inquiry into Russian meddling.
Earlier in the week, the Justice Department said it wasn’t opposing Stone’s request for a 60-day delay request because federal prosecutors in Washington DC and elsewhere are letting all defendants who aren’t a flight risk delay their prison terms during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has uniformly adhered” this standard for postponements, federal prosecutors said Thursday. “For that reason — and that reason only — the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia does not oppose” a 60-day postponement.
Prosecutors noted that this nationwide guidance was set by Attorney General William Barr and has been in place since March, when the coronavirus began spreading rapidly across the US.
In its filing on Thursday, the Justice Department explicitly denied trying “to exert any influence” over whether the Bureau of Prisons postponed or adjusted the date of Stone’s surrender.
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Russia downs 20 drones over Crimea following a spate of attacks on Moscow National News | Tensions rise as West African nations prepare to send troops to Niger The case has been marred by allegations of political interference by Trump, Barr and other top officials at the Justice Department. A career prosecutor who quit the Stone case in February testified to Congress this week that political appointees at the Justice Department meddled in the case to “cut Stone a break” at sentencing because of his close relationship with Trump.
On several occasions, Trump has said he is considering a pardon for Stone. Trump’s critics say this would amount to a brazen abuse of power — even if it is a legal exercise of presidential authority — because Stone was convicted of lying to Congress to specifically protect Trump.


mercurynews--2020-06-26--‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ with swimming and diving comes at the right time

Nintendo has impeccable timing .
Just when “ Animal Crossing : New Horizons ” was on the verge of going stale with the lack of new content , the developer recently announced a July 3 update that adds major new features .
The most obvious one is swimming and diving .
It ’ s an option that appeared previously in “ Animal Crossing : New Leaf ” and will make its debut on the Nintendo Switch title .
Players will need to grab a wet suit so they can swim and dive around their islands .
Players can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coast and find new sea creatures to add to their museum and perhaps terrify Blathers .
Along with swimming , Pascal , a red sea otter , will make an appearance in “ New Horizons.
” He loves scallops and if players find one , they can trade it to him for mermaid-themed crafting recipes .
Lastly , Gulliver has a wardrobe change .
He ’ s dressed more like a pirate and helping him will get players a special reward .
Although his tasks to find his communicator pieces are redundant at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the golden shovel as a reward .
Seeing Gulliver washed up on the beach is a good thing .
Taken all together , “ New Horizons ” looks like it will continue to keep fans busy .
Being able to swim opens up new opportunities for exploration and new ways to make more Bells , the game ’ s in-game currency .
The feature will probably motivate some players to redesign their island and take advantage of the rocky shore and pier , which look like starting points for swimming .
The feature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done well with the game switching to an overhead perspective so players can dive to the bottom and pick up red starfish and other critters .
With the free update , it will keep players hooked on the experience .
Personally , I ’ ve been looking for a new project on the island after finally paying my last home loan to capitalist monster Tom Nook and building an arcade .
With a new area to explore , “ Animal Crossing : New Horizons ” will continue to keep me busy during summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is expected in August .
Data miners have found some interesting tidbits about possible future updates including the possibility of fruits and vegetables , seafood , cooking and a third upgrade to Nook ’ s Cranny .
It looks as though my decision to build a restaurant row on my island could pay off .

Nintendo has impeccable timing. Just when “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” was on the verge of going stale with the lack of new content, the developer recently announced a July 3 update that adds major new features.
The most obvious one is swimming and diving. It’s an option that appeared previously in “Animal Crossing: New Leaf” and will make its debut on the Nintendo Switch title. Players will need to grab a wet suit so they can swim and dive around their islands. Players can’t go far but they can hug the coast and find new sea creatures to add to their museum and perhaps terrify Blathers.
Along with swimming, Pascal, a red sea otter, will make an appearance in “New Horizons.” He loves scallops and if players find one, they can trade it to him for mermaid-themed crafting recipes.
Lastly, Gulliver has a wardrobe change. He’s dressed more like a pirate and helping him will get players a special reward. Although his tasks to find his communicator pieces are redundant at times, they are essential to getting the golden shovel as a reward. Seeing Gulliver washed up on the beach is a good thing.
Taken all together, “New Horizons” looks like it will continue to keep fans busy. Being able to swim opens up new opportunities for exploration and new ways to make more Bells, the game’s in-game currency.
The feature will probably motivate some players to redesign their island and take advantage of the rocky shore and pier, which look like starting points for swimming. The feature itself looks as if it’s done well with the game switching to an overhead perspective so players can dive to the bottom and pick up red starfish and other critters.
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What to play: ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ will keep gamers busy during August Entertainment | ‘First Descendant’ crossplay beta delayed until September but will be open to all With the free update, it will keep players hooked on the experience. Personally, I’ve been looking for a new project on the island after finally paying my last home loan to capitalist monster Tom Nook and building an arcade. With a new area to explore, “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” will continue to keep me busy during summer or at least until the next update, which is expected in August.
Data miners have found some interesting tidbits about possible future updates including the possibility of fruits and vegetables, seafood, cooking and a third upgrade to Nook’s Cranny. It looks as though my decision to build a restaurant row on my island could pay off.


mercurynews--2020-06-26--Trump says he signed an order to protect monuments

President Donald Trump said on Twitter Friday that he has signed an executive order on protecting monuments , an action the President had been teasing for the past week .
“ I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments , Memorials , and Statues – and combatting recent Criminal Violence , ” the President wrote Friday .
“ Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country !
” The text of the act has not been released .
It ’ s not clear how the order differs from the existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the President claimed earlier this week that he had “ authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument , statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison.
” CNN has reported some Trump allies had been pushing the White House to take a stance — any stance — on the racial issues fracturing the country .
While some outside advisers had advocated for an even more forceful condemnation of looting and property destruction , they concede that even a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the debate would better serve the President than his seeming refusal to , as one adviser put it , “ pick a lane ” and show leadership on the issue .
This outside adviser said the monuments executive order , which they pushed to the White House , would be a “ symbolic step ” toward elevating the law and order message that some feel has been undermined by the administration ’ s inability to stop the destruction of problematic statues and failure to cajole state and local authorities to do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive order comes as the Trump administration has been preparing a major effort to protect national monuments that Trump has previously described as part of the country ’ s heritage , including assigning US Marshals to oversee them , people familiar with the plan said earlier this week .
The order Trump said he signed Friday was part of that push .
Trump personally instructed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to restore the only Confederate statue in Washington , DC , after it was torn down last week , two people familiar with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sight of the statue being burned and torn down on June 19 , tweeting , “ The D.C. Police are not doing their job as they watch a statue be ripped down & burn.
” He later instructed Bernhardt to put the statue of Confederate Gen. Albert Pike back up , as first reported by NBC .
When asked about Trump ’ s request to restore the Pike statue , the National Park Service said , “ It is the intent of the National Park Service to mitigate any damage to any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to any criminal activity.
” Senior Pentagon officials , including Defense Secretary Mark Esper , are seriously concerned about the militarized appearance of police and other civilian law enforcement officers responding to the recent protests roiling the country , according to a senior defense official .

[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/06/23/trump-lafayette-square-attack-vpx.cnn”]
By Nikki Carvajal and Sarah Westwood | CNN
President Donald Trump said on Twitter Friday that he has signed an executive order on protecting monuments, an action the President had been teasing for the past week.
“I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues – and combatting recent Criminal Violence,” the President wrote Friday. “Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country!”
The text of the act has not been released. It’s not clear how the order differs from the existing Veterans’ Memorial Preservation Act, under which the President claimed earlier this week that he had “authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison.”
CNN has reported some Trump allies had been pushing the White House to take a stance — any stance — on the racial issues fracturing the country.
While some outside advisers had advocated for an even more forceful condemnation of looting and property destruction, they concede that even a conciliatory approach that embraces the other side of the debate would better serve the President than his seeming refusal to, as one adviser put it, “pick a lane” and show leadership on the issue.
This outside adviser said the monuments executive order, which they pushed to the White House, would be a “symbolic step” toward elevating the law and order message that some feel has been undermined by the administration’s inability to stop the destruction of problematic statues and failure to cajole state and local authorities to do so in other cities.
Friday’s executive order comes as the Trump administration has been preparing a major effort to protect national monuments that Trump has previously described as part of the country’s heritage, including assigning US Marshals to oversee them, people familiar with the plan said earlier this week. The order Trump said he signed Friday was part of that push.
Trump personally instructed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to restore the only Confederate statue in Washington, DC, after it was torn down last week, two people familiar with the matter told CNN.
Trump raged at the sight of the statue being burned and torn down on June 19, tweeting, “The D.C. Police are not doing their job as they watch a statue be ripped down & burn.” He later instructed Bernhardt to put the statue of Confederate Gen. Albert Pike back up, as first reported by NBC.
When asked about Trump’s request to restore the Pike statue, the National Park Service said, “It is the intent of the National Park Service to mitigate any damage to any statue, monument, and memorial damaged due to any criminal activity.”
Senior Pentagon officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper, are seriously concerned about the militarized appearance of police and other civilian law enforcement officers responding to the recent protests roiling the country, according to a senior defense official.