latimes--2020-06-26--Black doll found hanged in South Lake Tahoe among nooses discovered around state

A Black doll was found hanged from a power line in South Lake Tahoe this week with a noose around its neck .
Police responded to the incident Tuesday , and a power company helped take the doll down later that day , a news release said .
In the last week , Californians have found and reported three nooses as protests against police violence and racism continue .
The other two were found in Sonoma and Santa Clarita .
The Sonoma County Sheriff ’ s Department launched an investigation into a twine noose found hanging from a tree at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bay Area ’ s largest auto racing venue came a day before a noose was discovered in the Talladega Superspeedway garage of driver Bubba Wallace , NASCAR ’ s only full-time Black driver .
In a statement Tuesday , NASCAR said an FBI investigation concluded that the noose had been in the garage since fall .
In Santa Clarita , Christian Nelson came across a noose-like rope as he walked Monday evening .
His mother , Kelly Bruno Nelson , shared images of it on Facebook .
The next morning , Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rope itself appears to be a boating-type rope , ” said Lt. Ignacio Somoano , a deputy with the Los Angeles Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s Santa Clarita Valley station .
Somoano said the rope ’ s loop-end was manufactured , not tied with a slipknot .
Kelly Bruno Nelson ’ s Facebook post received more than a thousand comments , many of which criticized her and her son , claiming they overreacted because the rope wasn ’ t literally a noose .
“ Was it actually a noose ?
No , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symbolized what it symbolized , and there ’ s absolutely no reason for it to be there , ” said Kelly Bruno Nelson , expressing frustration with the comments .
Deputies initiated an investigation into the rope , which Somoano suggested may have been used for exercise , such as tree climbing or swinging .
One source claimed the rope had been there for two or three months , Somoano said .
Kelly Bruno Nelson said the tree stood off the beaten path and that she didn ’ t believe someone firmly fixed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s not a place where kids would go , or where anyone would hang a swing , ” she said .
Her son saw empty alcoholic beverage cans around the tree , she added .
The South Lake Tahoe Police Department is investigating who hung the doll .
“ At this time , we have not located any witnesses or leads , ” Lt. Shannon Laney said in the department ’ s news release .
Laney told The Times the incident appears to be “ racially motivated.
” “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent the South Lake Tahoe Community in any way , ” he said .
The incident does not amount to a hate crime because it did not target a specific person , he said , but is being investigated as a “ hate incident .
”

A Black doll was found hanged from a power line in South Lake Tahoe this week with a noose around its neck.
Police responded to the incident Tuesday, and a power company helped take the doll down later that day, a news release said.
In the last week, Californians have found and reported three nooses as protests against police violence and racism continue. The other two were found in Sonoma and Santa Clarita.
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The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department launched an investigation into a twine noose found hanging from a tree at Sonoma Raceway. The incident Saturday at the Bay Area’s largest auto racing venue came a day before a noose was discovered in the Talladega Superspeedway garage of driver Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s only full-time Black driver. In a statement Tuesday, NASCAR said an FBI investigation concluded that the noose had been in the garage since fall.
In Santa Clarita, Christian Nelson came across a noose-like rope as he walked Monday evening. His mother, Kelly Bruno Nelson, shared images of it on Facebook. The next morning, Christian Nelson cut it down.
“The rope itself appears to be a boating-type rope,” said Lt. Ignacio Somoano, a deputy with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s Santa Clarita Valley station. Somoano said the rope’s loop-end was manufactured, not tied with a slipknot.
The noose-like rope found in Santa Clarita hangs from a tree on Monday evening. (Christian Nelson)
Kelly Bruno Nelson’s Facebook post received more than a thousand comments, many of which criticized her and her son, claiming they overreacted because the rope wasn’t literally a noose.
“Was it actually a noose? No, it wasn’t. But it symbolized what it symbolized, and there’s absolutely no reason for it to be there,” said Kelly Bruno Nelson, expressing frustration with the comments.
Deputies initiated an investigation into the rope, which Somoano suggested may have been used for exercise, such as tree climbing or swinging. One source claimed the rope had been there for two or three months, Somoano said.
Kelly Bruno Nelson said the tree stood off the beaten path and that she didn’t believe someone firmly fixed the looped rope there to play.
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“It’s not a place where kids would go, or where anyone would hang a swing,” she said. Her son saw empty alcoholic beverage cans around the tree, she added.
The South Lake Tahoe Police Department is investigating who hung the doll. “At this time, we have not located any witnesses or leads,” Lt. Shannon Laney said in the department’s news release.
Laney told The Times the incident appears to be “racially motivated.”
“I think it is disgusting and does not represent the South Lake Tahoe Community in any way,” he said.
Police took the disfigured doll hanged from a noose down from a South Lake Tahoe power line on Tuesday.
(South Lake Tahoe Police Department)
The incident does not amount to a hate crime because it did not target a specific person, he said, but is being investigated as a “hate incident.”


latimes--2020-06-26--San Quentin prison coronavirus outbreak 'tragic, predictable and unacceptable'

The number of infections at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County continues to soar , with more than 500 inmates infected , officials said Thursday .
The pace at which infections have been detected at San Quentin has risen quickly .
According to tallies released by Marin County , there were just 16 inmates at the prison who had tested positive on June 14 , but 489 have been diagnosed since then .
State Sen. Scott Wiener ( D-San Francisco ) said in a statement this week that the outbreak at San Quentin occurred after from the California Institution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , none of whom had been tested up to a month prior to the transfer .
“ The outbreak at San Quentin is at once tragic , predictable and unacceptable .
The fact that 121 men were transferred to San Quentin from Chino without being tested is stunning , ” Wiener said .
He urged the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to reduce the prison population at San Quentin and implement a policy that anyone released or transferred from any prison be tested before being moved .
A memo from health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the San Francisco Chronicle warned that a failure to meet urgent needs at San Quentin would not only have dire implications for men incarcerated at the prison as well as staff , but would also affect the healthcare capacity of hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area .
San Quentin State Prison has the largest number of patients with active coronavirus infections , according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation .
There have been a total of 542 coronavirus cases among inmates , with 539 who are infected and still in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with six having returned to work .
The massive granite-block San Quentin prison , built in 1852 on a Marin County bluff overlooking the bay , is the oldest prison in the state .
It houses thousands of inmates , including all of the state ’ s male death row population .

More than 500 inmates are infected with the coronavirus at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County.
The number of infections at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County continues to soar, with more than 500 inmates infected, officials said Thursday.
The pace at which infections have been detected at San Quentin has risen quickly. According to tallies released by Marin County, there were just 16 inmates at the prison who had tested positive on June 14, but 489 have been diagnosed since then.
State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement this week that the outbreak at San Quentin occurred after 121 inmates were transferred from the California Institution for Men in Chino late last month, none of whom had been tested up to a month prior to the transfer.
“The outbreak at San Quentin is at once tragic, predictable and unacceptable. The fact that 121 men were transferred to San Quentin from Chino without being tested is stunning,” Wiener said.
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He urged the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to reduce the prison population at San Quentin and implement a policy that anyone released or transferred from any prison be tested before being moved.
A memo from health experts dated June 15 that was published by the San Francisco Chronicle warned that a failure to meet urgent needs at San Quentin would not only have dire implications for men incarcerated at the prison as well as staff, but would also affect the healthcare capacity of hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area.
San Quentin State Prison has the largest number of patients with active coronavirus infections, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
There have been a total of 542 coronavirus cases among inmates, with 539 who are infected and still in custody, and 73 among staff, with six having returned to work.
The massive granite-block San Quentin prison, built in 1852 on a Marin County bluff overlooking the bay, is the oldest prison in the state. It houses thousands of inmates, including all of the state’s male death row population.


latimes--2020-06-26--More evidence emerges of the coronavirus slipping in through LAX

After Long Beach physician Dr. Moira Rashid tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-March , she told contact tracers from the city health department that she had flown into Los Angeles International Airport from Munich , Germany , the day before falling ill .
Passengers and crew on the March 13 flight were not informed they had traveled with an infected person because Rashid was not displaying known symptoms of COVID-19 during the flight .
Since then , the risk from asymptomatic people has become clear .
Rashid ’ s flight , Lufthansa 452 , is the third instance identified by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the early stage of the pandemic did not alert travelers into LAX that they were at risk for infection .
Hundreds on these flights returned to their families and communities unaware they might be carrying the virus , potentially seeding new outbreaks .
One passenger , a San Diego County man , died of COVID-19 three weeks after an Asiana Airlines flight from Seoul .
His daughter said that until she read in The Times that a woman aboard his plane was stricken with the virus , “ It was a mystery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were informed by the airline or the CDC that he was on that flight that has that COVID-positive passenger , maybe we could have done [ something ] differently , ” said his daughter , Myelene , who asked that their family be identified with first names only because of privacy concerns .
Her father was given no instructions to self-quarantine , and doctors initially mistook his symptoms for minor ailments .
All three flights occurred in March before coronavirus cases mounted quickly in California .
The infected woman on Myelene ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example , became the first person to die of a confirmed case of the virus in Los Angeles County .
The county Department of Public Health said at the time of the flights that employees were aggressively tracing each new case to control the virus ’ spread .
Air travel , with people sharing close quarters for sustained periods , poses a heightened risk of transmission , and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said it is crucial to track those exposed on planes and to move fast to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s case , the job of tracking down those who had come in contact with her fell to officials in Long Beach , where she lived .
She told investigators from the city ’ s Department of Health and Human Services that she had been on vacation in Egypt in early March and had taken a Nile cruise .
A few days before her flight home , she lost her sense of smell and taste , developments that later became widely known as symptoms of COVID-19 .
Unaware she was sick , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was more than half full , she said , and she didn ’ t recall anyone wearing a mask .
“ The day after our flight , I started coughing , ” said Rashid , a family medicine doctor .
A March 16 test confirmed that she had the virus .
The Long Beach health department ’ s policy in March was to contact individuals who had interacted with the infected person after the onset of symptoms .
( Following new information from the CDC , the department expanded the tracing window in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms . )
Emily Holman , an epidemiologist and communicable disease controller for Long Beach , declined to speak about Rashid ’ s case specifically but noted that authorities didn ’ t recognize loss of taste and smell as COVID-19 symptoms at the time .
Based on the policy then , Rashid was not considered contagious until she began to cough the day after her flight .
Holman said Long Beach has notified the CDC of “ dozens ” of other flights carrying infectious passengers , adding , “ We have them on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times found fell under the purview of the L.A. County Public Health Department .
A passenger on a March 19 American Airlines flight from New York ’ s John F. Kennedy International Airport was hospitalized for COVID-19 a day after landing at LAX , but the department said it did not learn of the man ’ s positive test for 11 days and then closed the case when contact tracers couldn ’ t reach him for an interview .
The man triggered an outbreak in an assisted living facility .
Ninety staff members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 people died , including a 32-year-old nurse .
The Asiana flight from Seoul on March 8 carried a 68-year-old woman who had symptoms before the trip and went into cardiac arrest the day after she landed at LAX .
A driver who picked her up from the airport also died , according to her family .
The county health department contacted the woman ’ s family to reconstruct her final interactions , and a tracer even asked for her flight number and seat assignment .
Still , no passengers or crew were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times it notified a CDC office at LAX , but the CDC said it had no record of any report and the county did not produce documentation despite multiple requests from The Times .
Among the passengers who was not informed of possible exposure on the nearly 11-hour flight was Manuel , a 71-year-old retired civilian Navy worker returning from a monthlong visit to his native Philippines .
From the airport , he went to the Chula Vista , Calif. , home he shared with his close-knit extended family , where his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ welcome back ” signs , his daughter said .
Within a few days , Manuel had ear pain , a headache and a fever .
In the emergency room at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center , he was given a coronavirus test and told he would receive a call if it was positive .
No one ever called , so he assumed he was in the clear , remembered Myelene , his daughter .
A hospital spokeswoman declined to comment , citing patient privacy .
At the time , the family thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his daughter said .
None of the people he socialized with in the Philippines came down with it .
In the days after the flight , he had left the house only twice for quick trips to the store .
But over the next 10 days , Manuel got increasingly sick .
He developed a cough , lost his appetite and became confused .
He went back to the emergency room March 22 and was put on a ventilator .
He died of COVID-19 nine days later .
Manuel ’ s wife also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ When my father died , I felt my one leg has been chopped , ” said Myelene , who emigrated with her parents from the Philippines in 1996 .
For weeks , she thought she was about to lose her mother too .
Sarah Sweeney , a spokeswoman for the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency , said it was impossible “ to know what the impact of contact tracing on this flight would have been.
” “ One would need far more detail than is currently available ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the person who was reportedly symptomatic on the flight ) in order to draw any educated conclusions , ” Sweeney wrote in an email .
Months after Manuel ’ s death , the welcome-home signs still hang in the family ’ s house and his grandchildren struggle with the absence of the man they called “ Lolo.
” “ Every time I ’ m crying they approach me and say , ‘ Mommy , don ’ t cry now .
When Lolo gets better he will come back , ’ ” Myelene @ @

After Long Beach physician Dr. Moira Rashid tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-March, she told contact tracers from the city health department that she had flown into Los Angeles International Airport from Munich, Germany, the day before falling ill.
Passengers and crew on the March 13 flight were not informed they had traveled with an infected person because Rashid was not displaying known symptoms of COVID-19 during the flight. Since then, the risk from asymptomatic people has become clear.
Rashid’s flight, Lufthansa 452, is the third instance identified by The Times in which public health officials in the early stage of the pandemic did not alert travelers into LAX that they were at risk for infection. Hundreds on these flights returned to their families and communities unaware they might be carrying the virus, potentially seeding new outbreaks.
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One passenger, a San Diego County man, died of COVID-19 three weeks after an Asiana Airlines flight from Seoul. His daughter said that until she read in The Times that a woman aboard his plane was stricken with the virus, “It was a mystery where he got it.”
“If we were informed by the airline or the CDC that he was on that flight that has that COVID-positive passenger, maybe we could have done [something] differently,” said his daughter, Myelene, who asked that their family be identified with first names only because of privacy concerns. Her father was given no instructions to self-quarantine, and doctors initially mistook his symptoms for minor ailments.
All three flights occurred in March before coronavirus cases mounted quickly in California. The infected woman on Myelene’s father’s March 8 flight, for example, became the first person to die of a confirmed case of the virus in Los Angeles County. The county Department of Public Health said at the time of the flights that employees were aggressively tracing each new case to control the virus’ spread.
Air travel, with people sharing close quarters for sustained periods, poses a heightened risk of transmission, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said it is crucial to track those exposed on planes and to move fast to prevent new cases.
In Rashid’s case, the job of tracking down those who had come in contact with her fell to officials in Long Beach, where she lived. She told investigators from the city’s Department of Health and Human Services that she had been on vacation in Egypt in early March and had taken a Nile cruise. A few days before her flight home, she lost her sense of smell and taste, developments that later became widely known as symptoms of COVID-19.
Unaware she was sick, she boarded the 12-hour Lufthansa flight. It was more than half full, she said, and she didn’t recall anyone wearing a mask.
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“The day after our flight, I started coughing,” said Rashid, a family medicine doctor.
A March 16 test confirmed that she had the virus. The Long Beach health department’s policy in March was to contact individuals who had interacted with the infected person after the onset of symptoms. (Following new information from the CDC, the department expanded the tracing window in April to include the 48 hours before symptoms.)
Emily Holman, an epidemiologist and communicable disease controller for Long Beach, declined to speak about Rashid’s case specifically but noted that authorities didn’t recognize loss of taste and smell as COVID-19 symptoms at the time.
Based on the policy then, Rashid was not considered contagious until she began to cough the day after her flight.
Holman said Long Beach has notified the CDC of “dozens” of other flights carrying infectious passengers, adding, “We have them on speed dial.”
The other flights The Times found fell under the purview of the L.A. County Public Health Department. A passenger on a March 19 American Airlines flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport was hospitalized for COVID-19 a day after landing at LAX, but the department said it did not learn of the man’s positive test for 11 days and then closed the case when contact tracers couldn’t reach him for an interview.
The man triggered an outbreak in an assisted living facility. Ninety staff members and residents eventually got the virus and 13 people died, including a 32-year-old nurse.
The Asiana flight from Seoul on March 8 carried a 68-year-old woman who had symptoms before the trip and went into cardiac arrest the day after she landed at LAX. A driver who picked her up from the airport also died, according to her family. The county health department contacted the woman’s family to reconstruct her final interactions, and a tracer even asked for her flight number and seat assignment.
Still, no passengers or crew were contacted.
The county health department told The Times it notified a CDC office at LAX, but the CDC said it had no record of any report and the county did not produce documentation despite multiple requests from The Times.
Among the passengers who was not informed of possible exposure on the nearly 11-hour flight was Manuel, a 71-year-old retired civilian Navy worker returning from a monthlong visit to his native Philippines. From the airport, he went to the Chula Vista, Calif., home he shared with his close-knit extended family, where his grandchildren greeted him with hugs and hand-drawn “welcome back” signs, his daughter said.
A beloved grandfather, 71-year-old Manuel of Chula Vista died of COVID-19 in March. (Family photo)
Within a few days, Manuel had ear pain, a headache and a fever. In the emergency room at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, he was given a coronavirus test and told he would receive a call if it was positive. No one ever called, so he assumed he was in the clear, remembered Myelene, his daughter. A hospital spokeswoman declined to comment, citing patient privacy.
At the time, the family thought it unlikely he had the virus, his daughter said. None of the people he socialized with in the Philippines came down with it. In the days after the flight, he had left the house only twice for quick trips to the store.
But over the next 10 days, Manuel got increasingly sick. He developed a cough, lost his appetite and became confused. He went back to the emergency room March 22 and was put on a ventilator. He died of COVID-19 nine days later.
California The pandemic’s toll: Lives lost in California Hundreds of people have died in California due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These are some of their stories.
Manuel’s wife also tested positive for the virus but recovered.
“When my father died, I felt my one leg has been chopped,” said Myelene, who emigrated with her parents from the Philippines in 1996. For weeks, she thought she was about to lose her mother too.
Sarah Sweeney, a spokeswoman for the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, said it was impossible “to know what the impact of contact tracing on this flight would have been.”
“One would need far more detail than is currently available (such as the seat of the individual of the person who was reportedly symptomatic on the flight) in order to draw any educated conclusions,” Sweeney wrote in an email.
Months after Manuel’s death, the welcome-home signs still hang in the family’s house and his grandchildren struggle with the absence of the man they called “Lolo.”
“Every time I’m crying they approach me and say, ‘Mommy, don’t cry now. When Lolo gets better he will come back,’” Myelene said.


latimes--2020-06-26--It's boom times for sign makers. So why aren't they making more money?

Tim Seiger was preparing to start a big project at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in mid-March when California announced a statewide shutdown to combat the coronavirus .
The Placentia resident ’ s company , Ultimate Design , was partnering with another firm to wrap bars and suites in the ballpark with lettering in anticipation of Opening Day .
And now the Angels wouldn ’ t let anyone in the building .
For about a week , as other clients quickly called off projects , jobs slowed down .
Seiger prepared for the worst .
But in a proverbial sign of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and its many demands on human behavior — came with a great need : for signs .
And lots of them .
Flags and awnings and lawn signs now sway in front of businesses where there weren ’ t any before .
Arrows placed six feet apart in supermarkets tell customers how to shop safely .
New neon marquees glow .
A-frames stand on sidewalks and invite people into tax offices , medical clinics , auto body shops .
The signs cajole , warn , scold , invite — and offer words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same song to the public : We ’ re still standing .
And we need you back .
An industry like sign-making seems nonessential at first glance , a superfluous trade for these uncertain times .
But in mid-April , the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency deemed it “ critical infrastructure ” and allowed printers and manufacturers to remain open as long as they instituted a plan to protect employees from the coronavirus .
“ Signs are the most visible invisible industry there is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO of the Virginia-based International Sign Assn.
, who lobbied the government agency for the designation .
“ You don ’ t notice them until you need them .
And right now , we need them.
” Michael Montaño ’ s family has run Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino off Route 66 for more than 80 years and frequently updates the Mexican diner ’ s Instagram page .
But when Montaño realized sumptuous photos of hard-shell tacos and combo plates wouldn ’ t help counter the drop in customers that happened after Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he ordered a couple of 3-by-9 vinyl banners and hung them outside .
“ Open for To Go Orders , ” they read .
It was the first time Mitla has ever resorted to such a campaign .
“ We ’ re happy with the results , ” said Montaño , 44 .
“ We got a lot of ‘ I wasn ’ t sure you were open but I saw your banner ’ over the phone .
It was an incremental boost , and more than ever , that might have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while sign makers like Seiger say they ’ re being called on more than ever before , it ’ s a mixed bag for their bottom line .
Requests for one-off jobs — say , a church that wants the faithful to know Mass is now broadcast online , or a factory announcing new social distancing rules — have flooded the inbox and phone line of David Haroonian , who owns a Fastsigns franchise in West Hollywood .
“ They ’ re ordering signage for COVID protection and shields , and restaurants are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for takeouts , ” said the 56-year-old .
Around this time of the year , Haroonian — who says revenue has fallen by at least 50 % — says his company would be servicing large events like bar mitzvahs and weddings .
“ But all of that is gone , ” he said .
“ Everything helps , but definitely you want bigger jobs — something that ’ s $ 3,000 instead of $ 100.
” Luis Rotulos , who operates out of Lawndale , has experienced the same .
“ I go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be there for six to seven hours , and my phone doesn ’ t even ring once ” for a lucrative order , said the 52-year-old .
The blooming of smaller signs is a barometer of how bad the overall economy really is , he said .
Businesses “ are getting them because they have no business .
They want to get noticed by people , because people are afraid to spend money .
They ’ re afraid for what ’ s going to happen next.
” Anderson , the president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have successfully pivoted to focus on the current demand related to the coronavirus , but must be prepared to do so again .
“ We ’ ve moved on from the initial panic of what do we do to stay alive , ” Anderson said .
“ Now we ’ re moving into a reboot .
What could happen to your customers next ?
” Another challenge that has emerged is material shortages , which she says was never a problem before .
Rotulos said he used to be able to get vinyl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but now it takes about a week .
Also hard to find : an alcohol-based liquid that allows digital signs to function , acrylic to make the plastic sheets necessary for overhead or backlit signs , and aluminum for sandwich boards .
“ And all the prices for material went up , too , ” said Rotulos .
“ We can ’ t put that price on the customer , so our profits fall even more.
” It ’ s a delicate dance sign makers now must navigate that they didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supply Co. , a men ’ s clothing boutique in Santa Ana , Akihiro Tsuneizumi slowly painted a window ad that would eventually read “ Curbside Pickup Online Order ” and “ Now Open ” in white and orange .
Signs decorated multiple storefronts on this stretch of Main Street : for beauty salons , for pupusas , for Colombian fajas ( girdles ) .
At Gunther ’ s , other examples of Tsuneizumi ’ s craft stood inside and outside : a large wooden cutout of the store ’ s rockabilly parrot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that face masks are required to enter .
A plank that announced “ No Homie Discount.
” Owner Cesar Adame said he asked Tsuneizumi for the old-school approach “ because a lot of our customers are in the community , and this allows them to see we ’ re here and we ’ re not going anywhere.
” “ Besides , ” added the 29-year-old , “ we wanted to give Aki some work.
” Tsuneizumi , a 45-year-old native of Japan who has lived in the United States for two years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Playboy that served as his palette .
Business has been “ OK , ” he said .
His big issue is having to lower his fee , because clients are “ hurting a lot right now.
” “ I ’ m lucky I can do different things , ” he said , letting the paint dry before adding another layer .
“ But not others .
It just sucks all around .
”

Tim Seiger was preparing to start a big project at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in mid-March when California announced a statewide shutdown to combat the coronavirus.
His gig ground to a halt, indefinitely.
The 42-year-old isn’t a groundskeeper or construction worker.
He makes signs.
The Placentia resident’s company, Ultimate Design, was partnering with another firm to wrap bars and suites in the ballpark with lettering in anticipation of Opening Day. And now the Angels wouldn’t let anyone in the building.
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For about a week, as other clients quickly called off projects, jobs slowed down. Seiger prepared for the worst.
But in a proverbial sign of the times, the life-altering COVID-19 pandemic — and its many demands on human behavior — came with a great need: for signs. And lots of them.
Flags and awnings and lawn signs now sway in front of businesses where there weren’t any before. Arrows placed six feet apart in supermarkets tell customers how to shop safely. New neon marquees glow. A-frames stand on sidewalks and invite people into tax offices, medical clinics, auto body shops. The signs cajole, warn, scold, invite — and offer words of hope.
All the signs sing the same song to the public:
We’re still standing. And we need you back.
A banner sign advertises pupusas at El Amancer Cafe in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
An industry like sign-making seems nonessential at first glance, a superfluous trade for these uncertain times. But in mid-April, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency deemed it “critical infrastructure” and allowed printers and manufacturers to remain open as long as they instituted a plan to protect employees from the coronavirus.
“Signs are the most visible invisible industry there is,” said Lori Anderson, president and CEO of the Virginia-based International Sign Assn., who lobbied the government agency for the designation. “You don’t notice them until you need them. And right now, we need them.”
Advertisement
Michael Montaño’s family has run Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino off Route 66 for more than 80 years and frequently updates the Mexican diner’s Instagram page. But when Montaño realized sumptuous photos of hard-shell tacos and combo plates wouldn’t help counter the drop in customers that happened after Gov. Gavin Newsom banned dining at restaurants, he ordered a couple of 3-by-9 vinyl banners and hung them outside.
“Open for To Go Orders,” they read. It was the first time Mitla has ever resorted to such a campaign.
“We’re happy with the results,” said Montaño, 44. “We got a lot of ‘I wasn’t sure you were open but I saw your banner’ over the phone. It was an incremental boost, and more than ever, that might have made the difference for us.”
But while sign makers like Seiger say they’re being called on more than ever before, it’s a mixed bag for their bottom line.
Requests for one-off jobs — say, a church that wants the faithful to know Mass is now broadcast online, or a factory announcing new social distancing rules — have flooded the inbox and phone line of David Haroonian, who owns a Fastsigns franchise in West Hollywood.
“They’re ordering signage for COVID protection and shields, and restaurants are putting banners that they’re open for takeouts,” said the 56-year-old.
It’s not enough.
Around this time of the year, Haroonian — who says revenue has fallen by at least 50% — says his company would be servicing large events like bar mitzvahs and weddings.
“But all of that is gone,” he said. “Everything helps, but definitely you want bigger jobs — something that’s $3,000 instead of $100.”
Luis Rotulos, who operates out of Lawndale, has experienced the same.
“I go to the shop, and I’ll be there for six to seven hours, and my phone doesn’t even ring once” for a lucrative order, said the 52-year-old.
The blooming of smaller signs is a barometer of how bad the overall economy really is, he said. Businesses “are getting them because they have no business. They want to get noticed by people, because people are afraid to spend money. They’re afraid for what’s going to happen next.”
Three types of signs are posted outside Impact Juice Bar in Orange. Small businesses are increasingly using outdoor signage to bring back customers. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Anderson, the president of the International Sign Assn., said members have successfully pivoted to focus on the current demand related to the coronavirus, but must be prepared to do so again.
“We’ve moved on from the initial panic of what do we do to stay alive,” Anderson said. “Now we’re moving into a reboot. What could happen to your customers next?”
Another challenge that has emerged is material shortages, which she says was never a problem before.
Rotulos said he used to be able to get vinyl for decals and banners within a day, but now it takes about a week. Also hard to find: an alcohol-based liquid that allows digital signs to function, acrylic to make the plastic sheets necessary for overhead or backlit signs, and aluminum for sandwich boards.
“And all the prices for material went up, too,” said Rotulos. “We can’t put that price on the customer, so our profits fall even more.”
It’s a delicate dance sign makers now must navigate that they didn’t before. At Gunther’s Supply Co., a men’s clothing boutique in Santa Ana, Akihiro Tsuneizumi slowly painted a window ad that would eventually read “Curbside Pickup Online Order” and “Now Open” in white and orange.
Signs decorated multiple storefronts on this stretch of Main Street: for beauty salons, for pupusas, for Colombian fajas (girdles). At Gunther’s, other examples of Tsuneizumi’s craft stood inside and outside: a large wooden cutout of the store’s rockabilly parrot mascot. A paper printout alerting customers that face masks are required to enter. A plank that announced “No Homie Discount.”
Owner Cesar Adame said he asked Tsuneizumi for the old-school approach “because a lot of our customers are in the community, and this allows them to see we’re here and we’re not going anywhere.”
“Besides,” added the 29-year-old, “we wanted to give Aki some work.”
Tsuneizumi, a 45-year-old native of Japan who has lived in the United States for two years, dabbed his fine-point brush in a vintage Playboy that served as his palette. Business has been “OK,” he said. His big issue is having to lower his fee, because clients are “hurting a lot right now.”
“I’m lucky I can do different things,” he said, letting the paint dry before adding another layer. “But not others. It just sucks all around.”


latimes--2020-06-26--'He is our pit bull': LAPD union boss embodies force's troubled past as he touts reform

The full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times and two other California newspapers seemed like an olive branch from three California police unions to thousands of people marching in the streets for police reform .
“ No words can convey our collective disgust and sorrow for the murder of George Floyd , ” read the advertisement .
The ad called Floyd ’ s death a murder — a rarity for law enforcement organizations — but it also advocated an early warning system to find cops in need of retraining , supported a national database to track officers fired for gross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use-of-force analysis website.
” But on the same day , the most outspoken leader of L.A. ’ s 9,900-member police union hit his followers with a much different message .
“ The CHIEF !
Never sell out and back the troops !
” said a Facebook post by Los Angeles Police Protective League board member Jamie McBride .
The message accompanied a video of Daryl F. Gates , a former LAPD chief who ran a department plagued by excessive force and brutal relations with communities of color .
That kind of defiant pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 30-year career in the Los Angeles Police Department and six years on the board of the powerful union , which uses campaign donations to influence city elections .
The Police Protective League puts McBride in front of the news media to signal that rank-and-file officers have had enough of the city ’ s left-leaning political leadership .
The veteran detective exudes the swagger and tribal brio of the old-school LAPD .
He was a street cop with a disproportionate number of on-duty shootings and an investigator who fought management discipline ( including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he remains a sometime actor who plays street thugs and tough cops in movies and on television .
His frequent and public Facebook posts yearn for a bygone era when the LAPD wasn ’ t under attack by what old-timers view as a cadre of timid chiefs , desk-bound geeks and opportunistic politicians .
McBride said via email that he grew up a fan of “ Adam-12 , ” a TV police drama about two LAPD patrol officers who are paragons of rectitude .
“ I wanted to help those who most needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later won election to the union board to make his profession better , he said , and “ to protect , promote and improve wages , benefits [ and ] the working conditions of our members.
” Late in 2018 , McBride posted a video on Facebook ( with snippets from a reality TV show ) showing Black and Latino suspects being body-slammed , stunned with Tasers and chased down by LAPD officers .
It features multiple corpses and streets stained with blood .
The video also shows officers breaking up a fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s headline for the video : “ That good ol days.
” “ What you see in this video is a joy in search-and-destroy policing .
… It ’ s not about protection .
It ’ s not about safety .
It ’ s warrior enforcement , ” said Connie Rice , a civil rights lawyer who has worked with the department on reform measures .
Of officers like McBride , Rice added : “ That ’ s the kind of policing they enjoy .
That ’ s what they live for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is : ‘ Time ’ s up for that .
It ’ s over.
’ The consent of the governed for that kind of policing is done.
” McBride said that the video shows an earlier era of policing but that he acknowledges a need for change .
“ We as a department have instituted hundreds of reforms , yet there is more we can do , ” he said .
He described the video as showing “ the physical aspects of policing and depict [ s ] officers reacting to the actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as instances of caring .
He suggested that multiple surgeries prevent him from serving the community , work he said he misses .
Rice and other longtime observers believe the LAPD has made some progress from what might have been its most belligerent era , beginning with the crack cocaine crackdown of the 1980s and extending into the 1990s Rampart Division scandal , in which anti-gang officers framed civilians and falsified testimony in reports .
But reform advocates say that the genetic code of LAPD and other departments still perpetuates an us-versus-them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ defunding ” of police , a movement that ranges from those pushing an outright elimination of armed officers to those who would keep police but tilt municipal budgets toward social services such as homeless outreach and mental health care .
With the reform fervor rising in the streets , Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Council President Nury Martinez proposed shifting as much as $ 150 million from the police into social services .
The L.A. Police Protective League said the politicians reneged on a promise to consult with them before going public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slight distressed officers who said they already felt besieged by charges of brutality and racism .
The union ’ s leadership met and decided to deploy McBride as the group ’ s most pugnacious voice against marginalization , said a source familiar with the union ’ s strategy .
“ He is our pit bull , ” the source said , “ and he is going to take some hard swings at you if he has to.
” On June 5 , the 51-year-old union leader stood at a lectern in front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board and called Garcetti mentally “ unstable.
” He chastised the mayor and Martinez as hypocrites for benefiting from uniformed protective units while simultaneously moving to reduce police funding .
After leading with McBride ’ s iron fist , a union insider said , the group intends to follow up with the velvet glove of more moderate board members .
McBride insisted in his email that the LAPD has not gotten enough credit for what it ’ s already accomplished : “ Officer involved shootings are at a 30-year low , community briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and every complaint made against an officer is investigated , ” he wrote .
“ We are headed in the right direction and know that there is more to do.
” A few days after his broadside at City Hall , McBride took on protesters .
He told a podcast host that Black Lives Matter was “ an anti-police hate group ” and a “ modern-day Black Panther type of organization.
” Like the other eight directors of the Police Protective League , McBride remains a sworn officer and receives the equivalent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representing his fellow officers .
He lost a vote for president of the Police Protective League by five votes in 2016 but handily won reelection to the board in 2017 .
The Venice-born cop stirs both loyalty and disdain within the ranks of the LAPD .
Reform-minded officers scoff at McBride ’ s ego , his frequent use of force early in his career and his apparent love of command-and-control policing .
McBride ’ s obstreperous stance “ clearly shows he is out of step with the direction the department needs to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community , ” said Mitzi Fierro , a onetime Police Protective League board member , now retired .
A top Police Department supervisor , who asked to remain anonymous to preserve relations with officers , called McBride “ the worst public face of the LAPD.
” McBride said he had “ thick skin ” and wouldn ’ t be bothered by anonymous critics .
He said he and the current board are more reform-minded than Fierro was during her time with the union .
McBride loyalists see him as the tireless champion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world where they are stuck with society ’ s most intractable problems — homelessness , addiction and domestic violence — and blamed when interactions with police go badly .
After McBride went after Garcetti , a Facebook friend cheered him on : “ Get him bulldog !
” McBride joined the LAPD at age 21 .
He received commendations for his field work , particularly his ability to spot suspects carrying concealed weapons and to take illegal guns off the streets of South Los Angeles .
But a 2004 review by The Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many more shootings , a total of six in his first 11 years on the force , than the vast majority of other officers .
The story reported that McBride had been repeatedly criticized for putting himself and fellow officers at risk with careless tactics .
“ I don ’ t have time for that ghetto gun-fighting anymore , ” McBride , then 35 , told The Times .
“ I ’ m getting too old for that .
That ’ s not what I ’ m about.
” But , far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the union director lists The Times ’ article about shootings ( along with roughly 20 film and TV credits ) He insists that the shootings were “ deemed within policy , with the most recent occurring 19 years ago.
” He began his Hollywood moonlighting in 2002 and has worked with Tom Cruise , Jamie Foxx and other stars .
His bio also lists pro wresting star “ Stone Cold ” Steve Austin as his half brother .
But that claim is just a joke , he said .
While the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chief Gates-era LAPD as problematic , McBride insisted he posted the video showing Gates sharply defending officers after the Rodney King beating not as a commentary on reform efforts .
“ My point , ” he said , “ was that our current chief and some of our current civic leaders need to start vocally supporting our police officers ” who feel “ pushed to the limits.
” McBride posted a series of Facebook videos in early June celebrating his fellow officers as they squared off against protesters .
The videos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature rows of cops staring down shouting activists and officers posing in front of graffiti that threatens violence against “ pigs.
” One of McBride ’ s pro-police videos comes with a soundtrack , AC/DC ’ s “ Shoot to Thrill.
” McBride ’ s daughter , LAPD Officer Toni McBride , also appears in the videos , smiling and decked out in full riot gear .
She is also a popular figure among some gun enthusiasts , with multiple online videos showing her blasting away at targets , sometimes in a T-shirt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who joined the force in 2017 , has become another touchstone for anger by police reform activists .
The complaints began early on the evening of April 22 , when Toni McBride was patrolling South Los Angeles .
The official police account of the incident says that after causing a traffic accident , Daniel Hernandez , 38 , advanced at McBride with a knife .
She shot at him six times , killing him .
An investigation by the LAPD is pending while Hernandez ’ s family members have filed two federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of excessive force and wrongful death .
The family has also said it is concerned that the investigation won ’ t be fair because of the elder McBride ’ s clout inside the department , a claim the department rejects .
Hernandez ’ s family wonders why Toni McBride couldn ’ t have avoided using deadly force .
“ They will take hours to de-escalate these things in other parts of the city , so why can ’ t they do that in South L.A. ?
” asked Hernandez ’ s sister , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney for Toni McBride , said that she , like other police , does not like to use deadly force and is saddened by Hernandez ’ s death .
Hanna said the younger McBride had to shoot to defend herself , and many civilians on the scene , as Hernandez ignored repeated warnings to stop and drop his knife .
In an appearance on the “ Hidden Truth ” podcast this month , Jamie McBride decried the lawlessness of protesters following the police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis .
He said only a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LAPD .
“ They love the police , ” he told the host , Jim Breslo .
“ They want to live in an area free of crime.
” The union and McBride have previously argued that the LAPD has already adopted many reforms that make officers ’ actions more transparent to the public , like the use of body cameras and the release of after-action reports on shootings within 45 days .
One official said the police union would support expanded investment in mental health workers , homeless outreach aides , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers to focus on other priorities .
But the group will not abide taking money from the department ’ s $ 1.8-billion budget to pay for those services .
The department needs to be improved , not diminished , the union says .
But McBride ’ s presence as a leader reinforces the feeling of some activists that the LAPD can ’ t be reformed and must be disbanded .
“ If this is who is elected to lead the Protective League , what does that say about the entire police force ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter Los Angeles .
“ That tells me we can ’ t just see modest reform , that the whole department is rotten .
How can you build trust when this is the person doing the talking ?
”

The full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times and two other California newspapers seemed like an olive branch from three California police unions to thousands of people marching in the streets for police reform.
“No words can convey our collective disgust and sorrow for the murder of George Floyd,” read the advertisement. The ad called Floyd’s death a murder — a rarity for law enforcement organizations — but it also advocated an early warning system to find cops in need of retraining, supported a national database to track officers fired for gross misconduct and backed “a publicly accessible use-of-force analysis website.”
But on the same day, the most outspoken leader of L.A.’s 9,900-member police union hit his followers with a much different message.
Advertisement
“The CHIEF! Never sell out and back the troops!” said a Facebook post by Los Angeles Police Protective League board member Jamie McBride. The message accompanied a video of Daryl F. Gates, a former LAPD chief who ran a department plagued by excessive force and brutal relations with communities of color.
That kind of defiant pose has become a trademark for McBride over a 30-year career in the Los Angeles Police Department and six years on the board of the powerful union, which uses campaign donations to influence city elections. The Police Protective League puts McBride in front of the news media to signal that rank-and-file officers have had enough of the city’s left-leaning political leadership.
The veteran detective exudes the swagger and tribal brio of the old-school LAPD. He was a street cop with a disproportionate number of on-duty shootings and an investigator who fought management discipline (including his own) and won, and he remains a sometime actor who plays street thugs and tough cops in movies and on television.
His frequent and public Facebook posts yearn for a bygone era when the LAPD wasn’t under attack by what old-timers view as a cadre of timid chiefs, desk-bound geeks and opportunistic politicians.
McBride said via email that he grew up a fan of “Adam-12,” a TV police drama about two LAPD patrol officers who are paragons of rectitude. “I wanted to help those who most needed it,” McBride said. He later won election to the union board to make his profession better, he said, and “to protect, promote and improve wages, benefits [and] the working conditions of our members.”
Late in 2018, McBride posted a video on Facebook (with snippets from a reality TV show) showing Black and Latino suspects being body-slammed, stunned with Tasers and chased down by LAPD officers.
It features multiple corpses and streets stained with blood. The video also shows officers breaking up a fight and tending to wounded citizens. McBride’s headline for the video: “That good ol days.”
“What you see in this video is a joy in search-and-destroy policing. … It’s not about protection. It’s not about safety. It’s warrior enforcement,” said Connie Rice, a civil rights lawyer who has worked with the department on reform measures.
Advertisement
Of officers like McBride, Rice added: “That’s the kind of policing they enjoy. That’s what they live for. … What the protesters are saying is: ‘Time’s up for that. It’s over.’ The consent of the governed for that kind of policing is done.”
McBride said that the video shows an earlier era of policing but that he acknowledges a need for change. “We as a department have instituted hundreds of reforms, yet there is more we can do,” he said.
He described the video as showing “the physical aspects of policing and depict[s] officers reacting to the actions of those they encounter,” as well as instances of caring. He suggested that multiple surgeries prevent him from serving the community, work he said he misses.
Rice and other longtime observers believe the LAPD has made some progress from what might have been its most belligerent era, beginning with the crack cocaine crackdown of the 1980s and extending into the 1990s Rampart Division scandal, in which anti-gang officers framed civilians and falsified testimony in reports.
But reform advocates say that the genetic code of LAPD and other departments still perpetuates an us-versus-them policing culture.
Some critics demand the “defunding” of police, a movement that ranges from those pushing an outright elimination of armed officers to those who would keep police but tilt municipal budgets toward social services such as homeless outreach and mental health care.
With the reform fervor rising in the streets, Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Council President Nury Martinez proposed shifting as much as $150 million from the police into social services. The L.A. Police Protective League said the politicians reneged on a promise to consult with them before going public with any proposed changes.
That alleged slight distressed officers who said they already felt besieged by charges of brutality and racism. The union’s leadership met and decided to deploy McBride as the group’s most pugnacious voice against marginalization, said a source familiar with the union’s strategy.
“He is our pit bull,” the source said, “and he is going to take some hard swings at you if he has to.”
On June 5, the 51-year-old union leader stood at a lectern in front of the rest of the Police Protective League board and called Garcetti mentally “unstable.” He chastised the mayor and Martinez as hypocrites for benefiting from uniformed protective units while simultaneously moving to reduce police funding.
After leading with McBride’s iron fist, a union insider said, the group intends to follow up with the velvet glove of more moderate board members.
McBride insisted in his email that the LAPD has not gotten enough credit for what it’s already accomplished: “Officer involved shootings are at a 30-year low, community briefing videos are publicly released detailing critical incidents, and every complaint made against an officer is investigated,” he wrote. “We are headed in the right direction and know that there is more to do.”
A few days after his broadside at City Hall, McBride took on protesters. He told a podcast host that Black Lives Matter was “an anti-police hate group” and a “modern-day Black Panther type of organization.”
Like the other eight directors of the Police Protective League, McBride remains a sworn officer and receives the equivalent of his detective’s salary while representing his fellow officers. He lost a vote for president of the Police Protective League by five votes in 2016 but handily won reelection to the board in 2017.
The Venice-born cop stirs both loyalty and disdain within the ranks of the LAPD.
Reform-minded officers scoff at McBride’s ego, his frequent use of force early in his career and his apparent love of command-and-control policing. McBride’s obstreperous stance “clearly shows he is out of step with the direction the department needs to go in order to evolve to better serve the community,” said Mitzi Fierro, a onetime Police Protective League board member, now retired.
A top Police Department supervisor, who asked to remain anonymous to preserve relations with officers, called McBride “the worst public face of the LAPD.”
McBride said he had “thick skin” and wouldn’t be bothered by anonymous critics. He said he and the current board are more reform-minded than Fierro was during her time with the union.
McBride loyalists see him as the tireless champion of the average cop, in a world where they are stuck with society’s most intractable problems — homelessness, addiction and domestic violence — and blamed when interactions with police go badly. After McBride went after Garcetti, a Facebook friend cheered him on: “Get him bulldog!”
McBride joined the LAPD at age 21. He received commendations for his field work, particularly his ability to spot suspects carrying concealed weapons and to take illegal guns off the streets of South Los Angeles.
But a 2004 review by The Times found that McBride also had been involved in many more shootings, a total of six in his first 11 years on the force, than the vast majority of other officers. The story reported that McBride had been repeatedly criticized for putting himself and fellow officers at risk with careless tactics.
“I don’t have time for that ghetto gun-fighting anymore,” McBride, then 35, told The Times. “I’m getting too old for that. That’s not what I’m about.”
But, far from shrinking from his record today, the union director lists The Times’ article about shootings (along with roughly 20 film and TV credits) on the entertainment-industry database IMDb. He insists that the shootings were “deemed within policy, with the most recent occurring 19 years ago.”
He began his Hollywood moonlighting in 2002 and has worked with Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx and other stars. His bio also lists pro wresting star “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as his half brother. But that claim is just a joke, he said.
While the city’s political leadership views any embrace of the Chief Gates-era LAPD as problematic, McBride insisted he posted the video showing Gates sharply defending officers after the Rodney King beating not as a commentary on reform efforts.
“My point,” he said, “was that our current chief and some of our current civic leaders need to start vocally supporting our police officers” who feel “pushed to the limits.”
McBride posted a series of Facebook videos in early June celebrating his fellow officers as they squared off against protesters. The videos, titled “Hold The Line,” feature rows of cops staring down shouting activists and officers posing in front of graffiti that threatens violence against “pigs.” One of McBride’s pro-police videos comes with a soundtrack, AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill.”
McBride’s daughter, LAPD Officer Toni McBride, also appears in the videos, smiling and decked out in full riot gear. She is also a popular figure among some gun enthusiasts, with multiple online videos showing her blasting away at targets, sometimes in a T-shirt labeled “Warrior.”
The younger McBride, who joined the force in 2017, has become another touchstone for anger by police reform activists. The complaints began early on the evening of April 22, when Toni McBride was patrolling South Los Angeles.
The official police account of the incident says that after causing a traffic accident, Daniel Hernandez, 38, advanced at McBride with a knife. She shot at him six times, killing him.
An investigation by the LAPD is pending while Hernandez’s family members have filed two federal lawsuits, accusing McBride and the LAPD of excessive force and wrongful death. The family has also said it is concerned that the investigation won’t be fair because of the elder McBride’s clout inside the department, a claim the department rejects.
Hernandez’s family wonders why Toni McBride couldn’t have avoided using deadly force.
“They will take hours to de-escalate these things in other parts of the city, so why can’t they do that in South L.A.?” asked Hernandez’s sister, Marina Vergara.
Larry Hanna, an attorney for Toni McBride, said that she, like other police, does not like to use deadly force and is saddened by Hernandez’s death. Hanna said the younger McBride had to shoot to defend herself, and many civilians on the scene, as Hernandez ignored repeated warnings to stop and drop his knife.
In an appearance on the “Hidden Truth” podcast this month, Jamie McBride decried the lawlessness of protesters following the police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis. He said only a few Black residents don’t like the LAPD. “They love the police,” he told the host, Jim Breslo. “They want to live in an area free of crime.”
The union and McBride have previously argued that the LAPD has already adopted many reforms that make officers’ actions more transparent to the public, like the use of body cameras and the release of after-action reports on shootings within 45 days.
One official said the police union would support expanded investment in mental health workers, homeless outreach aides, substance-abuse prevention experts and others to allow officers to focus on other priorities. But the group will not abide taking money from the department’s $1.8-billion budget to pay for those services. The department needs to be improved, not diminished, the union says.
But McBride’s presence as a leader reinforces the feeling of some activists that the LAPD can’t be reformed and must be disbanded.
“If this is who is elected to lead the Protective League, what does that say about the entire police force?” asked Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles. “That tells me we can’t just see modest reform, that the whole department is rotten. How can you build trust when this is the person doing the talking?”
Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-27--Column: As coronavirus surges, more stores are going cashless. The price tag is racism

With coronavirus cases on the rise yet again , I knew it was only a matter of time before the sign appeared on the door of my favorite coffee shop .
“ PLEASE NO CASH PAYMENT AT THIS TIME .
CREDIT CARD AND CONTACTLESS PAYMENT ONLY.
” None of the baristas want to handle wads of potentially contagious dollar bills that customers pull from their pockets , especially with some counties halting or reversing their reopening plans and officials from other counties openly worrying that California is starting to lose the battle against COVID-19 .
Early on , in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration advised retailers to install systems that let people pay from afar to minimize opportunities for the coronavirus to spread .
And in response , cash wasn ’ t accepted when public golf courses reopened in the city of Los Angeles , nor when a smattering of businesses opened their doors again in Manhattan Beach and Pasadena .
All of this has renewed talk about a “ cashless society ” potentially being within reach .
According to a recent survey commissioned by Square , the San Francisco-based mobile payment giant , small business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper money in a little more than a decade and that the pandemic will accelerate the switchover .
“ On average , small business owners now think the U.S. will become cashless six years sooner than they predicted last year when asked the same question , ” according to the survey .
As we rush into this brave new , supposedly safer world brought to you by California ’ s tech industry , know that there will be trade-offs .
Like so many of the policies and strategies that we ’ ve deemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutting down the economy to the jobs we chose to spare as “ essential , ” this will almost certainly exacerbate existing racial inequities .
Consider that about 6.5 % — or 8.4 million — American households don ’ t have a checking or a savings account with a bank , according to a survey from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp .
The vast majority of them are Black or Latino — the same people who are getting COVID-19 at disproportionate rates , are losing their jobs at disproportionate rates and , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are becoming homeless at disproportionate rates .
That ’ s why it was a bit troubling to read the results of another round of research from Square .
In early March , according to the company , only 8 % of the many retailers using its products across the U.S. were effectively cashless — or , in other words , accepting at least 95 % of their transactions with credit or debit cards or through some other contactless method .
By mid-April , it had climbed to 31 % .
In Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but moved away from cash grew from 8 % in early March to 31 % in late April , and has settled around 25 % in mid-June , according to Square .
I suspect the percentage of these businesses will rise again in the near future , given the spike in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations for COVID-19 across the country and in Southern California , in particular .
The incentive is certainly there for businesses .
What ’ s more , there ’ s nothing to stop them .
L.A. , like most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses from going completely cashless .
Hence , my favorite coffee shop .
Philadelphia does , though , along with all of New Jersey and Massachusetts .
And then there ’ s San Francisco , which , as far as I can tell , is about the only city in California to require all businesses to continue taking dollar bills .
Former Supervisor Vallie Brown , who is running to win back her District 5 seat in November , proposed the ordinance last year , driven by the issue of inequity .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have credit cards and they didn ’ t have bank cards , ” she told me .
“ When I started to talk to people about why , they were like , ‘ We can ’ t afford bank fees .
We live paycheck to paycheck and you have to have a certain amount in your bank account .
That last $ 50 , we ’ re going to need it for food.
’ “ People who are living really on the edge , they can not afford $ 20 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t do it.
” This is especially true in California , which has the highest poverty rate in the nation — about 18 % , according to the Census Bureau — when the cost of living , namely housing , is factored into the equation .
Also , undocumented immigrants make up 10 % of the state ’ s workforce and are overrepresented in providing essential services such as healthcare , food and construction .
They , too , often lack bank accounts because , as Brown put it , “ they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they should be.
” What ’ s heartening is that this whole cashless society thing isn ’ t a done deal yet .
There is still plenty time to be thoughtful about how we work through the many inequities that have been revealed by the pandemic , especially with the economy .
Other cities should consider bans along the lines of what ’ s on the books in San Francisco .
Because even as that city came to an abrupt halt over COVID-19 , reopened its economy and has started shutting it down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t been any pushback .
“ If someone comes into your store , and they have cash and they say they don ’ t have the credit card , for someone to say , ‘ I ’ m sorry , I can ’ t help you.
’ We need to step back and say , ‘ this isn ’ t right , ’ ” Brown said .
“ This may be all they have .
”

Before San Francisco adopted an ordinance requiring businesses to accept cash, some posted signs such as this one warning customers they only accepted cards and digital transactions.
With coronavirus cases on the rise yet again, I knew it was only a matter of time before the sign appeared on the door of my favorite coffee shop.
“PLEASE NO CASH PAYMENT AT THIS TIME. CREDIT CARD AND CONTACTLESS PAYMENT ONLY.”
None of the baristas want to handle wads of potentially contagious dollar bills that customers pull from their pockets, especially with some counties halting or reversing their reopening plans and officials from other counties openly worrying that California is starting to lose the battle against COVID-19.
Advertisement
Early on, in fact, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration advised retailers to install systems that let people pay from afar to minimize opportunities for the coronavirus to spread. And in response, cash wasn’t accepted when public golf courses reopened in the city of Los Angeles, nor when a smattering of businesses opened their doors again in Manhattan Beach and Pasadena.
All of this has renewed talk about a “cashless society” potentially being within reach. According to a recent survey commissioned by Square, the San Francisco-based mobile payment giant, small business owners believe the nation will completely ditch paper money in a little more than a decade and that the pandemic will accelerate the switchover.
“On average, small business owners now think the U.S. will become cashless six years sooner than they predicted last year when asked the same question,” according to the survey.
Permit me a word of caution.
As we rush into this brave new, supposedly safer world brought to you by California’s tech industry, know that there will be trade-offs. Like so many of the policies and strategies that we’ve deemed necessary to combat the coronavirus, from shutting down the economy to the jobs we chose to spare as “essential,” this will almost certainly exacerbate existing racial inequities.
Consider that about 6.5% — or 8.4 million — American households don’t have a checking or a savings account with a bank, according to a survey from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The vast majority of them are Black or Latino — the same people who are getting COVID-19 at disproportionate rates, are losing their jobs at disproportionate rates and, in California, are so poor that they are becoming homeless at disproportionate rates.
That’s why it was a bit troubling to read the results of another round of research from Square.
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In early March, according to the company, only 8% of the many retailers using its products across the U.S. were effectively cashless — or, in other words, accepting at least 95% of their transactions with credit or debit cards or through some other contactless method. By mid-April, it had climbed to 31%.
In Los Angeles County, the businesses that had all but moved away from cash grew from 8% in early March to 31% in late April, and has settled around 25% in mid-June, according to Square.
I suspect the percentage of these businesses will rise again in the near future, given the spike in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations for COVID-19 across the country and in Southern California, in particular.
The incentive is certainly there for businesses to do it. What’s more, there’s nothing to stop them.
L.A., like most cities, doesn’t prohibit brick-and-mortar businesses from going completely cashless. Hence, my favorite coffee shop. Philadelphia does, though, along with all of New Jersey and Massachusetts.
And then there’s San Francisco, which, as far as I can tell, is one of the few cities in California — along with West Hollywood — to require all businesses to continue taking dollar bills. Former Supervisor Vallie Brown, who is running to win back her District 5 seat in November, proposed the ordinance last year, driven by the issue of inequity.
“A large population of people just didn’t have credit cards and they didn’t have bank cards,” she told me. “When I started to talk to people about why, they were like, ‘We can’t afford bank fees. We live paycheck to paycheck and you have to have a certain amount in your bank account. That last $50, we’re going to need it for food.’
“People who are living really on the edge, they cannot afford $20 or $50. They just can’t do it.”
This is especially true in California, which has the highest poverty rate in the nation — about 18%, according to the Census Bureau — when the cost of living, namely housing, is factored into the equation.
We also have the most homeless people, the vast majority of whom don’t use banks.
Also, undocumented immigrants make up 10% of the state’s workforce and are overrepresented in providing essential services such as healthcare, food and construction. They, too, often lack bank accounts because, as Brown put it, “they’re scared of federal government, which they should be.”
What’s heartening is that this whole cashless society thing isn’t a done deal yet. There is still plenty time to be thoughtful about how we work through the many inequities that have been revealed by the pandemic, especially with the economy.
Other cities should consider bans along the lines of what’s on the books in San Francisco. Because even as that city came to an abrupt halt over COVID-19, reopened its economy and has started shutting it down again, Supervisor Dean Preston said there hasn’t been any pushback.
California’s tech revolution must be inclusive.
“If someone comes into your store, and they have cash and they say they don’t have the credit card, for someone to say, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t help you.’ We need to step back and say, ‘this isn’t right,’” Brown said. “This may be all they have.”


latimes--2020-06-27--Coronavirus infection rate spiking in California, a troubling sign of community spread

Of the many coronavirus metrics rising in California , one of the most troubling is the rate in which coronavirus test results are now coming back positive .
A Times data analysis found that as of Friday , 5.7 % of coronavirus test results in California over the preceding seven days came back positive , a rate not seen since early May .
A week ago , the rate was 4.7 % , a rate that had been largely stable for June until just Sunday , when there was a dramatic shift in the numbers .
Health officials say the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection indicated that the virus is beginning to spread in communities as more counties in California ease stay-at-home orders , allowing many businesses to reopen .
The state has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks that officials attribute to a variety of factors including people increasingly leaving home ; holding social gatherings ; failing to wear face coverings ; outbreaks in nursing homes , prisons , newly opened workplaces and overcrowded homes ; and recent political protests .
The so-called “ positivity rate ” has become an increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is spreading , and its steady rise over the last week is causing concern .
“ The numbers do tell us that we ’ re seeing an increase in community transmission , ” Barbara Ferrer , the director of public health for L.A. County , said this week .
On Sunday , the rate of coronavirus tests confirming infection over the previous seven days in California was up to 4.8 % .
The next day , it was 4.9 % .
By Tuesday , it was 5.3 % , and on Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , one of the nation ’ s most important agricultural areas east of San Diego , now has the highest test positivity rate of any county in the state , with a seven-day average of 23 % — well over the 8 % rate that causes particular concern among state officials .
Outbreaks there have overwhelmed local hospitals , forcing more than 500 patients to be sent to other counties for care .
The situation in Imperial County is so bad that Newsom said Friday the state was recommending that county officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time officials have taken such a drastic move .
With 5,744 cases and 73 deaths , Imperial County has the highest rate of coronavirus cases per capita in California , according to The Times ’ pandemic tracker .
“ We are advising and counseling them to move forward and reinstitute a stay-at-home order , but they will move at their discretion , ” Newsom said .
“ If they are not able to come to some consensus , I am committed to intervening as is my role and responsibility as governor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an increasing number of California counties the state is monitoring because they have exceeded criteria set by the state to address the pandemic , including thresholds for hospitalizations and positive COVID-19 tests .
Initially , the list was focused on Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley , but now has spread to the Bay Area .
Including Imperial , the 15 counties are Contra Costa , Fresno , Kern , Kings , Los Angeles , Riverside , Sacramento , San Bernardino , San Joaquin , Santa Barbara , Santa Clara , Stanislaus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in denial about the worsening pandemic to realize the new reality .
“ Let us disabuse ourselves that somehow — the lazy punditry that was out there — that somehow this is a seasonal disease and triple-digit weather will annihilate it .
Look at these states that are seeing unprecedented record increases , ” Newsom said .
Conditions were also deteriorating Friday in San Bernardino County .
Officials there said local hospitals are beginning to reach “ surge capacity ” because of new coronavirus cases , meaning they are getting close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They stressed that there is still room for more patients but said the system is becoming stressed .
The county said it would consider opening alternate care sites for patients if hospitals fill up .
California has seen a 36 % increase in hospitalizations of patients with confirmed COVID-19 disease , and a 24 % jump in ICU patients with verified infections , over the past 14 days .
Los Angeles County is also recording an increasing rate of test results coming back positive for the coronavirus .
On Friday , 8.8 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a daily average over the past week .
Two weeks ago , on June 12 , it was 5.8 % .
While the rate of positive test results can help show the influence of more robust testing on rising case counts , there are still some pitfalls .
At the beginning of the pandemic , tests were limited and often only available to critically ill patients .
Now in many parts of California , people without symptoms may be able to get swabbed for the virus .
That would drive the positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the day , it ’ s really not telling us for sure what ’ s happening in the community , ” said Ron Brookmeyer , a biostatistician and dean at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health .
“ A falling positivity rate could be reflecting just that there ’ s a skew now , a shifting of who ’ s coming in for testing.
” Nonetheless , Brookmeyer said the recent increase in California ’ s positivity rate is a “ troubling early warning sign , ” adding that rising hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would next be keeping a very careful eye on numbers of new hospitalizations , ” he said .
In L.A. County , there were 1,302 hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections on June 1 .
As of Thursday , there were 1,660 — a 27 % increase .
The worsening pandemic has caused Newsom to put a pause on issuing rules that would allow counties to reopen other industries , such as amusement parks .
As a result , Disney said this week that Disneyland will not be able to open as previously planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing to suggest California will be able to allow counties to open more industries any time soon , based on the rising cases and hospitalizations , Newsom said .
Newsom warned that the number of new daily deaths will likely go up in a few weeks .
It can take three to four weeks after exposure to the virus for infected people to be hospitalized , and four to five weeks after exposure for patients to die from the disease .
Rising levels of disease caused several counties in the San Francisco Bay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening process .
San Francisco is experiencing a surge in rates of COVID-19 infection and will have to pause its reopening , the city ’ s health director said Friday .
Businesses that were scheduled to reopen Monday will now stay closed , said Dr. Grant Colfax , director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health .
They include hair salons , barbershops , tattoo parlors , zoos , outdoor bars and outdoor swimming pools .
On June 14 , 2.7 people per 100,000 tested positive for the virus , Colfax said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , that rate had jumped to 5.1 per 100,000 .
“ We went from a yellow to a high orange , and if that continues over the next couple of days , we could be in our red zone , ” which could trigger more restrictions , Colfax said .
He said hospital capacity remained “ relatively good.
” In Marin County , officials decided to pause the reopening of gyms , tattoo parlors and nail salons that was planned for Monday , although they will allow indoor dining and haircuts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Area ’ s third most populous county , Contra Costa , has seen its number of COVID-19 hospitalizations rise by 42 % in the last seven days .
“ This … indicates a true increase in community spread , ” officials said .
Younger people are also increasingly getting infected , with 55 % of cases in people aged 40 or younger ; in April , they comprised only 38 % of cases .
“ It ’ s a sign that younger people are playing a major role in driving the increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This highlights why it ’ s important for everyone to avoid social gatherings , observe physical distancing and wear masks or face coverings when around others , ” Contra Costa County officials said .
“ There is concern that these increases may lead to a surge in very ill people that could overwhelm the local healthcare system , ” officials said .
Officials raised the possibility that Contra Costa County would delay the reopening of businesses that are scheduled to reopen on Wednesday , including indoor dining , bars , gyms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We realize many people are eager to resume normal activities .
However , if we adjust the reopening timeline , it will be because we have a chance to prevent the pandemic from getting out of control in the county , ” Contra Costa County officials said .
Times staff writers Maura Dolan in San Francisco and Phil Willon in Sacramento contributed to this report .

Sean Greene, Rong-Gong Lin II, Alex Wigglesworth

Of the many coronavirus metrics rising in California, one of the most troubling is the rate in which coronavirus test results are now coming back positive.
A Times data analysis found that as of Friday, 5.7% of coronavirus test results in California over the preceding seven days came back positive, a rate not seen since early May. A week ago, the rate was 4.7%, a rate that had been largely stable for June until just Sunday, when there was a dramatic shift in the numbers.
Health officials say the rising percentage of coronavirus test results confirming infection indicated that the virus is beginning to spread in communities as more counties in California ease stay-at-home orders, allowing many businesses to reopen.
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The state has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks that officials attribute to a variety of factors including people increasingly leaving home; holding social gatherings; failing to wear face coverings; outbreaks in nursing homes, prisons, newly opened workplaces and overcrowded homes; and recent political protests.
The so-called “positivity rate” has become an increasingly close-watched indicator of how much the coronavirus is spreading, and its steady rise over the last week is causing concern.
“The numbers do tell us that we’re seeing an increase in community transmission,” Barbara Ferrer, the director of public health for L.A. County, said this week.
On Sunday, the rate of coronavirus tests confirming infection over the previous seven days in California was up to 4.8%. The next day, it was 4.9%. By Tuesday, it was 5.3%, and on Friday, it was 5.7%.
Rural Imperial County, one of the nation’s most important agricultural areas east of San Diego, now has the highest test positivity rate of any county in the state, with a seven-day average of 23% — well over the 8% rate that causes particular concern among state officials. Outbreaks there have overwhelmed local hospitals, forcing more than 500 patients to be sent to other counties for care.
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The situation in Imperial County is so bad that Newsom said Friday the state was recommending that county officials reimpose a strict stay-at-home order — the first time officials have taken such a drastic move. With 5,744 cases and 73 deaths, Imperial County has the highest rate of coronavirus cases per capita in California, according to The Times’ pandemic tracker.
“We are advising and counseling them to move forward and reinstitute a stay-at-home order, but they will move at their discretion,” Newsom said. “If they are not able to come to some consensus, I am committed to intervening as is my role and responsibility as governor in the state of California.”
Imperial is among an increasing number of California counties the state is monitoring because they have exceeded criteria set by the state to address the pandemic, including thresholds for hospitalizations and positive COVID-19 tests.
Initially, the list was focused on Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, but now has spread to the Bay Area. Including Imperial, the 15 counties are Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.
Newsom urged people in denial about the worsening pandemic to realize the new reality.
“Let us disabuse ourselves that somehow — the lazy punditry that was out there — that somehow this is a seasonal disease and triple-digit weather will annihilate it. Look at these states that are seeing unprecedented record increases,” Newsom said.
Conditions were also deteriorating Friday in San Bernardino County. Officials there said local hospitals are beginning to reach “surge capacity” because of new coronavirus cases, meaning they are getting close to hitting their licensed limits for the number of available beds .
They stressed that there is still room for more patients but said the system is becoming stressed. The county said it would consider opening alternate care sites for patients if hospitals fill up.
California has seen a 36% increase in hospitalizations of patients with confirmed COVID-19 disease , and a 24% jump in ICU patients with verified infections, over the past 14 days.
Los Angeles County is also recording an increasing rate of test results coming back positive for the coronavirus. On Friday, 8.8% of coronavirus test results were confirming infections as a daily average over the past week. Two weeks ago, on June 12, it was 5.8%.
While the rate of positive test results can help show the influence of more robust testing on rising case counts, there are still some pitfalls.
At the beginning of the pandemic, tests were limited and often only available to critically ill patients. Now in many parts of California, people without symptoms may be able to get swabbed for the virus. That would drive the positive rate down.
“At the end of the day, it’s really not telling us for sure what’s happening in the community,” said Ron Brookmeyer, a biostatistician and dean at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “A falling positivity rate could be reflecting just that there’s a skew now, a shifting of who’s coming in for testing.”
Nonetheless, Brookmeyer said the recent increase in California’s positivity rate is a “troubling early warning sign,” adding that rising hospitalizations and deaths could follow.
“I would next be keeping a very careful eye on numbers of new hospitalizations,” he said.
In L.A. County, there were 1,302 hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections on June 1. As of Thursday, there were 1,660 — a 27% increase.
The worsening pandemic has caused Newsom to put a pause on issuing rules that would allow counties to reopen other industries, such as amusement parks. As a result, Disney said this week that Disneyland will not be able to open as previously planned on July 17.
There’s nothing to suggest California will be able to allow counties to open more industries any time soon, based on the rising cases and hospitalizations, Newsom said.
Newsom warned that the number of new daily deaths will likely go up in a few weeks. It can take three to four weeks after exposure to the virus for infected people to be hospitalized, and four to five weeks after exposure for patients to die from the disease.
Rising levels of disease caused several counties in the San Francisco Bay Area to signal a slowdown in the reopening process.
San Francisco is experiencing a surge in rates of COVID-19 infection and will have to pause its reopening, the city’s health director said Friday.
Businesses that were scheduled to reopen Monday will now stay closed, said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
They include hair salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors, zoos, outdoor bars and outdoor swimming pools. On June 14, 2.7 people per 100,000 tested positive for the virus, Colfax said in a virtual news conference. By Thursday, that rate had jumped to 5.1 per 100,000.
“We went from a yellow to a high orange, and if that continues over the next couple of days, we could be in our red zone,” which could trigger more restrictions, Colfax said. He said hospital capacity remained “relatively good.”
In Marin County, officials decided to pause the reopening of gyms, tattoo parlors and nail salons that was planned for Monday, although they will allow indoor dining and haircuts to resume on that day.
The Bay Area’s third most populous county, Contra Costa, has seen its number of COVID-19 hospitalizations rise by 42% in the last seven days.
“This … indicates a true increase in community spread,” officials said. Younger people are also increasingly getting infected, with 55% of cases in people aged 40 or younger; in April, they comprised only 38% of cases.
“It’s a sign that younger people are playing a major role in driving the increase in new cases and potentially infecting vulnerable individuals. This highlights why it’s important for everyone to avoid social gatherings, observe physical distancing and wear masks or face coverings when around others,” Contra Costa County officials said.
“There is concern that these increases may lead to a surge in very ill people that could overwhelm the local healthcare system,” officials said.
Officials raised the possibility that Contra Costa County would delay the reopening of businesses that are scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, including indoor dining, bars, gyms, hotels, nail salons and tattoo parlors.
“We realize many people are eager to resume normal activities. However, if we adjust the reopening timeline, it will be because we have a chance to prevent the pandemic from getting out of control in the county,” Contra Costa County officials said.
Times staff writers Maura Dolan in San Francisco and Phil Willon in Sacramento contributed to this report.