latimes--2020-11-10--San Francisco, facing a coronavirus uptick, shuts down indoor dining again

San Francisco health officials announced Tuesday that they would be rolling back several coronavirus reopenings , meaning that indoor dining will be suspended , capacity at gyms and theaters will be reduced and the city ’ s high schools will have to wait to reopen .
The city has one of the state ’ s lowest rates of coronavirus cases and deaths and was not forced by state health officials to implement the new restrictions .
But health authorities have noticed a recent uptick in cases and decided to act to prevent another surge of infections .
The new restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11:59 p.m. , represent another blow to the city ’ s famed restaurant industry .
“ Unfortunately , we ’ ve been in this for a long time now , and people are tired and people have gotten complacent , ” said Mayor London Breed , who has received national acclaim , and some local blowback , for her handling of the coronavirus .
Unlike many cities statewide , San Francisco has regularly been more restrictive than state mandates in reopening its economy .
The payoff has come with a low infection rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first urban center in California to enter the least restrictive tier for reopening .
Yet over the last two weeks , health authorities have noticed a rise in the positivity rate for coronavirus that gives them concern .
Although they still will allow certain schools to remain open , or reopen , they are ordering high school to take a pause before resuming classes .
In a news conference Tuesday , Breed and San Francisco ’ s public health director , Dr. Grant Colfax , also warned San Franciscans to take heed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonessential travel , and to limit holiday gatherings only to household members .
If gathering with non-household members does occur , Colfax urged people to have these celebrations outside , wear masks and maintain social distancing .
He noted that eating and drinking are particularly risky as these behaviors require the removal of masks .
“ We need to remember that the virus is not only still with us , but there is more around than ever before , ” Colfax said .
“ The virus , unfortunately , has no boundaries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not have a holiday schedule.
” He said the new restrictions and guidelines were established to ensure hospital capacity in the coming weeks and prevent the possible reinstatement of a shelter-in-place order .
“ We are unfortunately taking a step back to make sure we can move forward in the future , ” said Colfax , who presented a slide showing that cases in the city have more than doubled since early October .
Between Oct. 21 and Nov. 5 , the rate jumped from 3.7 cases per 100,000 people to 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80 new cases a day — up from 32 at the end of October .
He said the jump was being seen statewide .
On Tuesday , state health officials announced that 11 counties , including Santa Cruz and Contra Costa counties in the Bay Area , were being moved back to more restrictive tiers in the state ’ s coronavirus reopening system .
While California “ remains in much better shape in terms of case increases compared to the rest of the nation , ” Colfax said , the state saw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last two weeks .

San Francisco health officials announced Tuesday that they would be rolling back several coronavirus reopenings, meaning that indoor dining will be suspended, capacity at gyms and theaters will be reduced and the city’s high schools will have to wait to reopen.
The city has one of the state’s lowest rates of coronavirus cases and deaths and was not forced by state health officials to implement the new restrictions. But health authorities have noticed a recent uptick in cases and decided to act to prevent another surge of infections.
The new restrictions, which go into effect Friday at 11:59 p.m., represent another blow to the city’s famed restaurant industry.
“Unfortunately, we’ve been in this for a long time now, and people are tired and people have gotten complacent,” said Mayor London Breed, who has received national acclaim, and some local blowback, for her handling of the coronavirus.
Unlike many cities statewide, San Francisco has regularly been more restrictive than state mandates in reopening its economy. The payoff has come with a low infection rate, resulting in San Francisco becoming the first urban center in California to enter the least restrictive tier for reopening.
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California How San Francisco became a COVID-19 success story as other cities stumbled San Francisco shut down early in the pandemic and later limited reopening. Now the city is the first urban center in California where the risk of infection is rated as minimal.
Yet over the last two weeks, health authorities have noticed a rise in the positivity rate for coronavirus that gives them concern. Although they still will allow certain schools to remain open, or reopen, they are ordering high school to take a pause before resuming classes.
In a news conference Tuesday, Breed and San Francisco’s public health director, Dr. Grant Colfax, also warned San Franciscans to take heed as the holidays approach, recommending cessation of nonessential travel, and to limit holiday gatherings only to household members.
If gathering with non-household members does occur, Colfax urged people to have these celebrations outside, wear masks and maintain social distancing. He noted that eating and drinking are particularly risky as these behaviors require the removal of masks.
“We need to remember that the virus is not only still with us, but there is more around than ever before,” Colfax said. “The virus, unfortunately, has no boundaries, no limits, and … it certainly does not have a holiday schedule.”
He said the new restrictions and guidelines were established to ensure hospital capacity in the coming weeks and prevent the possible reinstatement of a shelter-in-place order.
“We are unfortunately taking a step back to make sure we can move forward in the future,” said Colfax, who presented a slide showing that cases in the city have more than doubled since early October.
Between Oct. 21 and Nov. 5, the rate jumped from 3.7 cases per 100,000 people to 9 per 100,000, he said, averaging 80 new cases a day — up from 32 at the end of October.
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He said the jump was being seen statewide. On Tuesday, state health officials announced that 11 counties, including Santa Cruz and Contra Costa counties in the Bay Area, were being moved back to more restrictive tiers in the state’s coronavirus reopening system.
While California “remains in much better shape in terms of case increases compared to the rest of the nation,” Colfax said, the state saw a 29% increase in new cases in the last two weeks.


latimes--2020-11-10--In 'a panic situation,' L.A. may turn the Convention Center into a homeless shelter

Several members of the Los Angeles City Council have asked the city to study the feasibility of using the Los Angeles Convention Center , which has gone dark during the COVID-19 pandemic , to shelter homeless people .
This move is a reflection of the increasingly desperate situation thousands of homeless people face living on the streets .
As coronavirus cases rise again in Los Angeles , the move is also a reflection of the increasingly slim chances of large-scale events at the Convention Center in the near future .
Councilman Curren Price , who introduced the motion , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exacerbated conditions on the streets and that it was incumbent on elected officials to act more decisively during extraordinary times .
“ We ’ re in a panic situation along with a pandemic situation .
Folks on the streets are just suffering , ” he said .
“ Getting people off the street is important , ” added Price , whose downtown district includes the Convention Center , along Figueroa Boulevard .
“ My sidewalk areas are just un-passable .
It ’ s unfair for the neighbors — for those who are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go down the sidewalk .
... We have to do a better job of housing individuals who are homeless.
” All City Council members are under pressure from U.S. District Judge David O. Carter to shelter homeless people in their districts .
Carter , who is overseeing a lawsuit alleging that the city and county have not done enough to get people off the street , has said he ’ d like each council member to set a target for the number of new beds they would create .
Price ’ s 9th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has more than 4,800 homeless residents , according to a 2020 count , second-highest in the city .
Nearly half of those were sheltered , a rate well above the city average , but there were still nearly 2,700 people on the streets .
Carter has focused as well on areas near freeways , and Price ’ s district has one of the largest populations of people living beside a freeway .
He said the Convention Center would help him shelter this group .
During the civil unrest in the aftermath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the National Guard used the center as a staging area for guardsmen and women to sleep .
When the pandemic began to rage , the California National Guard set up a field hospital in the center in anticipation that local hospitals might be overwhelmed by coronavirus cases .
That never came to pass .
Since then the center has mostly sat empty , with state health rules prohibiting large-scale events such as Los Angeles Comic Con .
Price says he doesn ’ t see convention business returning for years .
Others worry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheltered in the center , the lack of adequate supportive housing could strand them there long after the pandemic has passed .
Mayor Eric Garcetti said he was open to the idea of using the convention center as a shelter but didn ’ t want anything to come at the expense of using hotel and motel rooms , which he said have been more effective as a way to move people off the street .
“ I think it merits studying , ” he said .
“ I ’ d like that report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lall , president and chief executive of the Central City Assn .
of Los Angeles , said her organization supported homeless housing of all types but that she hoped the feasibility study would take into consideration downtown residents and examine whether “ this is the highest and best use of the Convention Center and analyze the nexus of the Convention Center as an asset for generating revenue.
” Doane Liu , executive director of the city ’ s Department of Convention and Tourism Development , said he would follow the council ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a complete understanding of the cost and potential effects on the city ’ s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ We have to be realistic about what the costs are , ” Liu said .
“ Specifically , our Convention Center does not have enough bathrooms , does not have any showers .
When the building is empty , electricity and utilities are not on .
Those are costs that are going to need to be borne by somebody.
” When the National Guard bivouacked there in May , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showers , cleaning and meals added up to $ 1 million for six days , Liu said .
There ’ s also a potential conflict with use of the Convention Center for events such as the L.A. Auto Show .
“ We have legally binding contracts for the Convention Center practically every day for the next five years , ” Liu said .
“ Across the board , every one of our clients wants to have our event the minute the state allows it.
” Newly elected Councilman Kevin de León , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a written statement that the Convention Center could be a safe refuge for unhoused Angelenos “ now facing the long winter months with virtually no access to a warm place to sleep at night .
Responding to this humanitarian crisis of biblical proportions requires us to be nimble and creative , doing everything in our power to move people off the street and indoors.
” Los Angeles wouldn ’ t be the first city to shelter homeless people in a convention center .
At the beginning of the pandemic in late March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its convention center .
By the summer , about 1,300 people were bedding down for the night in the cavernous facility .
By the end of the year , when the center is expected to return to its original use , about $ 40 million will have been spent to run it as a shelter .
“ This wasn ’ t a long-term financially sound solution .
It ’ s not inexpensive , ” said Ashley Bailey , spokeswoman for San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer .

California National Guard members set up cots for a field hospital at the L.A. Convention Center in March as part of the city’s COVID-19 response.
Several members of the Los Angeles City Council have asked the city to study the feasibility of using the Los Angeles Convention Center, which has gone dark during the COVID-19 pandemic, to shelter homeless people.
This move is a reflection of the increasingly desperate situation thousands of homeless people face living on the streets. As coronavirus cases rise again in Los Angeles, the move is also a reflection of the increasingly slim chances of large-scale events at the convention center in the near future.
Councilman Curren Price, who introduced the motion, said in an interview that the pandemic had exacerbated conditions on the streets and that it was incumbent on elected officials to act more decisively during extraordinary times.
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“We’re in a panic situation along with a pandemic situation. Folks on the streets are just suffering,” he said.
“Getting people off the street is important,” added Price, whose downtown district includes the convention center along Figueroa Street. “My sidewalk areas are just unpassable. It’s unfair for the neighbors — for those who are in the community — who can’t go down the sidewalk.... We have to do a better job of housing individuals who are homeless.”
All City Council members are under pressure from U.S. District Judge David O. Carter to shelter homeless people in their districts. Carter, who is overseeing a lawsuit alleging that the city and county have not done enough to get people off the street, has said he’d like each council member to set a target for the number of new beds they would create.
Price’s 9th District has more than 4,800 homeless residents, according to a 2020 count, second-highest in the city. Nearly half of those were sheltered, a rate well above the city average, but there were still nearly 2,700 people on the streets.
Carter has focused as well on areas near freeways, and Price’s district has one of the largest populations of people living beside a freeway. He said the convention center would help him shelter this group.
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During the civil unrest in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in Minnesota, the California National Guard used the center as a staging area for troops to sleep. When the pandemic began to rage, the National Guard set up a field hospital in the center in anticipation that local hospitals might be overwhelmed by coronavirus cases.
That never came to pass. Since then, the center has mostly sat empty, with state health rules prohibiting large-scale events such as Los Angeles Comic Con.
Housing & Homelessness A judge commandeers L.A.’s City Hall in his campaign to curb homelessness Judge David O. Carter, who has ruled that local agencies must clear homeless people from encampments alongside freeways, holds a hearing at City Hall — a reflection of how a legal case has made its presence felt in L.A. politics.
Price says he doesn’t see convention business returning for years. Others worry that, once hundreds of people are sheltered in the center, the lack of adequate supportive housing could strand them there long after the pandemic has passed.
Mayor Eric Garcetti said he was open to the idea of using the convention center as a shelter but didn’t want anything to come at the expense of using hotel and motel rooms, which he said have been a more effective way to move people off the street.
“I think it merits studying,” he said. “I’d like that report to be turned around quickly.”
Jessica Lall, president and chief executive of the Central City Assn. of Los Angeles, said that her organization supported homeless housing of all types but that she hoped the feasibility study would take into consideration downtown residents and examine whether “this is the highest and best use of the convention center and analyze the nexus of the convention center as an asset for generating revenue.”
Doane Liu, executive director of the city’s Department of Convention and Tourism Development, said he would follow the council’s direction but wanted to be sure it had a complete understanding of the cost and potential effects on the city’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have to be realistic about what the costs are,” Liu said. “Specifically, our convention center does not have enough bathrooms, does not have any showers. When the building is empty, electricity and utilities are not on. Those are costs that are going to need to be borne by somebody.”
When the National Guard stayed there in May, the costs for furniture, portable bathrooms, showers, cleaning and meals added up to $1 million for six days, Liu said.
There’s also a potential conflict with use of the convention center for events such as the L.A. Auto Show.
“We have legally binding contracts for the convention center practically every day for the next five years,” Liu said. “Across the board, every one of our clients wants to have our event the minute the state allows it.”
Newly elected Councilman Kevin de León, who seconded Price’s motion, said in a statement that the convention center could be a safe refuge for unhoused Angelenos “now facing the long winter months with virtually no access to a warm place to sleep at night. Responding to this humanitarian crisis of biblical proportions requires us to be nimble and creative, doing everything in our power to move people off the street and indoors.”
Los Angeles wouldn’t be the first city to shelter homeless people in a convention center. At the beginning of the pandemic in late March, San Diego moved homeless people into its convention center.
By the summer, about 1,300 people were bedding down for the night in the cavernous facility. By the end of the year, when the center is expected to return to its original use, about $40 million will have been spent to run it as a shelter.
“This wasn’t a long-term financially sound solution. It’s not inexpensive,” said Ashley Bailey, spokeswoman for San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.


latimes--2020-11-10--Brother of San Bernardino terrorist sentenced to probation in marriage fraud scheme

Syed Raheel Farook , whose brother and sister-in-law killed 14 people in the 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino , was sentenced Monday to three years of probation for his role in a marriage scheme that allowed his wife ’ s sister to remain in the United States .
The bogus marriage was between Mariya Chernykh , a Russian citizen , and Enrique Marquez Jr. , who emerged as a key figure in the terror attack .
Marquez was sentenced last month to 20 years in prison for providing Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife with the two assault rifles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crimes .
After marrying on Nov. 29 , 2014 , Marquez petitioned the U.S. government to grant Chernykh legal residency , according to an FBI agent ’ s affidavit filed in Marquez ’ s case .
Marquez told agents investigating the San Bernardino attack that he ’ d agreed to pose as Chernykh ’ s husband in exchange for $ 200 a month , which Chernykh deposited in a joint bank account , the affidavit said .
Syed Raheel Farook and his wife , Tatiana , signed a certificate attesting that they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
Marquez and Chernykh posed together for photographs , and Farook submitted affidavits saying he would support the couple financially .
Farook also created a phony , backdated lease that purported to show Marquez and Chernykh had lived together for a year , according to the indictment .
Farook , his attorney wrote in court filings , received nothing of value in exchange for helping his sister-in-law remain in the United States under fraudulent pretenses .
“ The sole impetus to his crime was love of his family , the happiness of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter to grow up with her cousin , ” the attorney , Ron Cordova , wrote .
Chernykh has pleaded guilty to conspiracy , perjury and making false statements , and Tatiana Farook has pleaded guilty to conspiracy .
Both women have yet to be sentenced .
As their interview with immigration authorities neared , Marquez told Chernykh in a text message that he was “ just a little anxious and want to talk more about the interview , ” according to the affidavit filed in his case .
“ OMG !
!
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out here , ” Chernykh wrote back .
“ If they decline me , ” she added , “ it ’ s my problem not yours.
” On Dec. 2 , 2015 , the day before the interview , Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife , Tashfeen Malik , stormed a holiday potluck for staff at the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health , where Farook worked as a health inspector .
Wearing ski masks and black clothing , they opened fire with the rifles that Marquez had purchased a few years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rounds and fled before the police arrived , leaving behind pipe bombs hidden in a backpack , 14 people dead and another 22 wounded .
The couple were killed later that day in a firefight with the police .
Agents uncovered the fraudulent marriage while investigating the terrorist attack , authorities said .
Syed Raheel Farook was born in Chicago but moved at a young age with his family to Pakistan .
After living for six years in Pakistan , the family returned to the United States , settling in Orange and Riverside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after high school and worked as an information systems technician , his attorney wrote in a sentencing memo .
He obtained a top-secret security clearance and was deployed to Iraq for eight months , the memo says .
Honorably discharged from the Navy , Farook returned to Southern California with his wife , Tatiana , whom he ’ d met while stationed in Virginia , his attorney wrote .
He held a number of jobs — cell phone accessory salesman , bank teller , customer service representative — while attending Riverside Community College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college Farook worked for the California State Board of Equalization , a job he held until he pleaded guilty to the immigration fraud conspiracy in 2017 .

FBI and Homeland Security investigators remove a computer and other materials from the Corona home of Syed Raheel Farook during a search of the home. Syed Raheel Farook was sentenced Monday to three years of probation for his role in an immigration fraud.
Syed Raheel Farook, whose brother and sister-in-law killed 14 people in the 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, was sentenced Monday to three years of probation for his role in a marriage scheme that allowed his wife’s sister to remain in the United States.
The bogus marriage was between Mariya Chernykh, a Russian citizen, and Enrique Marquez Jr., who emerged as a key figure in the terror attack . Marquez was sentenced last month to 20 years in prison for providing Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife with the two assault rifles used in the attack, among other crimes.
After marrying on Nov. 29, 2014, Marquez petitioned the U.S. government to grant Chernykh legal residency, according to an FBI agent’s affidavit filed in Marquez’s case. Marquez told agents investigating the San Bernardino attack that he’d agreed to pose as Chernykh’s husband in exchange for $200 a month, which Chernykh deposited in a joint bank account, the affidavit said. Syed Raheel Farook and his wife, Tatiana, signed a certificate attesting that they’d witnessed the marriage, an indictment says.
Marquez and Chernykh posed together for photographs, and Farook submitted affidavits saying he would support the couple financially. Farook also created a phony, backdated lease that purported to show Marquez and Chernykh had lived together for a year, according to the indictment.
Farook, his attorney wrote in court filings, received nothing of value in exchange for helping his sister-in-law remain in the United States under fraudulent pretenses.
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“The sole impetus to his crime was love of his family, the happiness of his wife and the opportunity for his daughter to grow up with her cousin,” the attorney, Ron Cordova, wrote.
Chernykh has pleaded guilty to conspiracy, perjury and making false statements, and Tatiana Farook has pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Both women have yet to be sentenced.
As their interview with immigration authorities neared, Marquez told Chernykh in a text message that he was “just a little anxious and want to talk more about the interview,” according to the affidavit filed in his case. “OMG!! Enrique I’m the one freaking out here,” Chernykh wrote back. “If they decline me,” she added, “it’s my problem not yours.”
On Dec. 2, 2015, the day before the interview, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, stormed a holiday potluck for staff at the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, where Farook worked as a health inspector. Wearing ski masks and black clothing, they opened fire with the rifles that Marquez had purchased a few years earlier. They fired at least 65 rounds and fled before the police arrived, leaving behind pipe bombs hidden in a backpack, 14 people dead and another 22 wounded. The couple were killed later that day in a firefight with the police.
Agents uncovered the fraudulent marriage while investigating the terrorist attack, authorities said.
Syed Raheel Farook was born in Chicago but moved at a young age with his family to Pakistan. After living for six years in Pakistan, the family returned to the United States, settling in Orange and Riverside counties.
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Farook joined the U.S. Navy after high school and worked as an information systems technician, his attorney wrote in a sentencing memo. He obtained a top-secret security clearance and was deployed to Iraq for eight months, the memo says.
Honorably discharged from the Navy, Farook returned to Southern California with his wife, Tatiana, whom he’d met while stationed in Virginia, his attorney wrote. He held a number of jobs — cell phone accessory salesman, bank teller, customer service representative — while attending Riverside Community College and Cal State Fullerton.
After finishing college Farook worked for the California State Board of Equalization, a job he held until he pleaded guilty to the immigration fraud conspiracy in 2017.


latimes--2020-11-10--Disneyland announces more furloughs, blames California coronavirus rules

After calling some employees back to work in anticipation of reopening Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park , the Anaheim resort has announced it will furlough many of those recalled workers now that it is clear the reopening won ’ t happen soon .
In a memo to employees , Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock blamed the state ’ s coronavirus protocols for keeping the reopening timeline for the theme parks — which have been shut since mid-March — in “ limbo.
” “ We find ourselves in the untenable situation of having to institute additional furloughs for our executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Potrock said in the Monday memo .
Disney representatives declined to say how many employees are being furloughed but said that the resort operators had over the last few months called previously furloughed employees back to work in anticipation of reopening the theme parks only to realize that the state guidelines announced last month will keep the parks closed for the foreseeable future .
Most of the furloughs are aimed at those workers who had been called back to work , Disney representatives confirmed .
Disneyland executives , along with the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been pressuring Gov .
Gavin Newsom to create health protocols that let the parks reopen soon .
But last month , Newsom issued guidelines that tied the reopening of the parks to the infection rates and number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the counties that are home to the parks , as well as to an equity benchmark .
When the spread of the virus in a county falls enough , the theme parks in that county are allowed to reopen .
Based on the state guidelines , Disneyland and Disney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open until summer 2021 or perhaps later , Dr. Clayton Chau , director of the Orange County Health Care Agency , said last month when the state guidelines came out .
Before the pandemic , the Disneyland Resort employed more than 30,000 workers , making it the largest employer in Orange County .
About 10,000 of those employees have since been laid off , according to company sources who asked not to be named because they were not cleared to divulge that information .
The employees who have been furloughed can collect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised to continue paying to provide them with health insurance benefits as long as the furloughs last .
Shops and eateries in the business district known as Downtown Disney , which is adjacent to the theme parks , have been open since July .
A stretch of retail stores and restaurants within California Adventure Park is scheduled to open Nov. 19 .

Now that it’s clear Disneyland and California Adventure won’t reopen soon, Disneyland Resort says it will furlough many workers it had recently brought back.
After calling some employees back to work in anticipation of reopening Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park, the Anaheim resort has announced it will furlough many of those recalled workers now that it is clear the reopening won’t happen soon.
In a memo to employees, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock blamed the state’s coronavirus protocols for keeping the reopening timeline for the theme parks — which have been shut since mid-March — in “limbo.”
“We find ourselves in the untenable situation of having to institute additional furloughs for our executive, salaried and hourly cast,” Potrock said in the Monday memo.
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Disney representatives declined to say how many employees are being furloughed but said that the resort operators had over the last few months called previously furloughed employees back to work in anticipation of reopening the theme parks only to realize that the state guidelines announced last month will keep the parks closed for the foreseeable future. Most of the furloughs are aimed at those workers who had been called back to work, Disney representatives confirmed.
Leaders of the Disney Craft Maintenance Council — the union that represents plumbers, machinists, sheet metal workers and other skilled laborers — said about 900 of their members were called back to work at the resort in July and that about 650 of them are now being furloughed.
Meanwhile, Unite Here Local 11, which represents hotel and food workers, said Disney hasn’t furloughed any of its members lately. The company recently called about 50 members back, the union said, to work in a new timeshare section of the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa that launches next month.
Disneyland executives, along with the state’s other theme park operators, have been pressuring Gov. Gavin Newsom to create health protocols that let the parks reopen soon. But last month, Newsom issued guidelines that tied the reopening of the parks to the infection rates and number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the counties that are home to the parks, as well as to an equity benchmark. When the spread of the virus in a county falls enough, the theme parks in that county are allowed to reopen.
Based on the state guidelines, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park may not be allowed to open until summer 2021 or perhaps later, Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, said last month when the state guidelines came out.
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Before the pandemic, the Disneyland Resort employed more than 30,000 workers, making it the largest employer in Orange County. About 10,000 of those employees have since been laid off, according to company sources who asked not to be named because they were not cleared to divulge that information.
The employees who have been furloughed can collect state unemployment benefits, and Disney has promised to continue paying to provide them with health insurance benefits as long as the furloughs last.
Shops and eateries in the business district known as Downtown Disney, which is adjacent to the theme parks, have been open since July. A stretch of retail stores and restaurants within California Adventure Park is scheduled to open Nov. 19.


latimes--2020-11-10--Man shot and killed by Ventura police fired first, authorities say

A man fatally shot by Ventura police last week at the end of a car pursuit fired a handgun at officers before being killed , officials said .
Ventura police did not initially disclose what led to Thursday night ’ s shooting of Javier Magana , 32 , of Thousand Oaks , other than to say he was a suspect in a shooting in Oxnard .
On Monday evening , the department said that a preliminary investigation concluded that Magana was armed with a handgun and pointed the weapon at officers .
“ The suspect had a handgun in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weapon and pointed the handgun at the officer .
The officer fired his handgun , striking the suspect twice , ” the department said in a statement .
The fatal encounter Thursday evening began as Oxnard police pursued an armed suspect who authorities said was involved in a shooting in the city .
Oxnard officers radioed for assistance from Ventura police , and that department took over the pursuit about 7:30 p.m. , Ventura Police Cmdr .
Sarah Starr said .
Ventura police said , based on interviews with witnesses and video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Magana ’ s vehicle struck a fence along the north side of Harbor Boulevard before he got out of the car and ran from officers , who chased him on foot .
Ventura authorities said it was during that brief foot pursuit when Magana pointed his gun at police and fired the weapon .
Police returned fire , killing him .
A preliminary coroner ’ s investigation said Magana died from a gunshot wound to the chest .

A Ventura police officer fatally shot a man after a vehicle pursuit that began in Oxnard, where the man was a suspect in an assault.
A man fatally shot by Ventura police last week at the end of a car pursuit fired a handgun at officers before being killed, officials said.
Ventura police did not initially disclose what led to Thursday night’s shooting of Javier Magana, 32, of Thousand Oaks, other than to say he was a suspect in a shooting in Oxnard.
On Monday evening, the department said that a preliminary investigation concluded that Magana was armed with a handgun and pointed the weapon at officers.
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“The suspect had a handgun in his hand, and within seconds, fired the weapon and pointed the handgun at the officer. The officer fired his handgun, striking the suspect twice,” the department said in a statement.
The fatal encounter Thursday evening began as Oxnard police pursued an armed suspect who authorities said was involved in a shooting in the city. Oxnard officers radioed for assistance from Ventura police, and that department took over the pursuit about 7:30 p.m., Ventura Police Cmdr. Sarah Starr said.
Ventura police said, based on interviews with witnesses and video and physical evidence, they found that Magana’s vehicle struck a fence along the north side of Harbor Boulevard before he got out of the car and ran from officers, who chased him on foot.
Ventura authorities said it was during that brief foot pursuit when Magana pointed his gun at police and fired the weapon. Police returned fire, killing him. A preliminary coroner’s investigation said Magana died from a gunshot wound to the chest.


latimes--2020-11-10--Body found at site of Eagle Rock house fire

A man ’ s body was found amid the rubble of an Eagle Rock house destroyed by a fire this week , the Los Angeles Fire Department said Tuesday .
Flames engulfed the 110-year-old , two-story home on Oak Grove Dr. Monday evening and took about two hours of “ relentless defensive operations ” by more than 100 firefighters to extinguish , fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey said .
Firefighters and a group of urban search and rescue specialists returned Tuesday morning to search through the remains of the house after neighbors and relatives alerted officials that an older man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be located , Humphrey said .
The body was located around 9:30 a.m .
The person has not yet been identified .
Margaret Stewart , a spokeswoman with the department , said the search of the house had to wait until morning because of safety concerns .
“ The structure is extremely unstable with a good deal of collapse , ” Stewart said .
“ Trying to do that at night , when you can ’ t see , is too dangerous.
” The investigation into the cause of the fire is @ @ @ @ @

A man’s body was found amid the rubble of an Eagle Rock house destroyed by a fire this week, the Los Angeles Fire Department said Tuesday.
Flames engulfed the 110-year-old, two-story home on Oak Grove Dr. Monday evening and took about two hours of “relentless defensive operations” by more than 100 firefighters to extinguish, fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.
Firefighters and a group of urban search and rescue specialists returned Tuesday morning to search through the remains of the house after neighbors and relatives alerted officials that an older man who sometimes lived at the property could not be located, Humphrey said.
The body was located around 9:30 a.m. The person has not yet been identified.
Margaret Stewart, a spokeswoman with the department, said the search of the house had to wait until morning because of safety concerns.
“The structure is extremely unstable with a good deal of collapse,” Stewart said. “Trying to do that at night, when you can’t see, is too dangerous.”
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, Stewart said.


latimes--2020-11-10--Sinkhole from broken water pipe swallows van in Crenshaw

A large patch of asphalt near the intersection of Buckingham Road and Obama Boulevard caved in around 5:30 a.m after an 8-inch water pipe burst , said Ellen Cheng , a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power .
The van , which was parked at the time , tumbled into the hole and landed on its side .
No one was injured , according to Cheng .
The broken pipe left about 20 nearby residents without water and it was unknown how long it would take to restore service , Cheng said .
What caused the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cheng said the age of the pipe might be a factor .
“ We ’ re looking into , you know , the history of the pipe and if there ’ s anything that can give us information , ” Cheng said .
“ It ’ s a little bit early now to know.
” Los Angeles ’ network of aging , increasingly fragile water pipes has been a problem for years with breaks damaging property and ruining streets .
A 2015 Times investigation found that about one-fifth of the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly all will reach the end of their useful lives in the next decade .
They are responsible for close to half of all water main leaks , and replacing them is a looming , $ 1-billion problem for the city .

A broken water pipe beneath a Crenshaw street opened a sinkhole that swallowed a van Tuesday morning.
A large patch of asphalt near the intersection of Buckingham Road and Obama Boulevard caved in around 5:30 a.m after an 8-inch water pipe burst, said Ellen Cheng, a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power.
The van, which was parked at the time, tumbled into the hole and landed on its side. No one was injured, according to Cheng.
The broken pipe left about 20 nearby residents without water and it was unknown how long it would take to restore service, Cheng said.
What caused the pipe to fail was under investigation. Cheng said the age of the pipe might be a factor.
“We’re looking into, you know, the history of the pipe and if there’s anything that can give us information,” Cheng said. “It’s a little bit early now to know.”
Los Angeles’ network of aging, increasingly fragile water pipes has been a problem for years with breaks damaging property and ruining streets.
A 2015 Times investigation found that about one-fifth of the city’s water pipes were installed before 1931 and nearly all will reach the end of their useful lives in the next decade. They are responsible for close to half of all water main leaks, and replacing them is a looming, $1-billion problem for the city.


latimes--2020-11-10--In big Republican victory, Harley Rouda concedes to Michelle Steel in O.C. congressional race

In a major win for the GOP , U.S. Rep. Harley Rouda conceded to his Republican opponent , Michelle Steel , in the race for California ’ s 48th Congressional District , one of several hard-fought contests in areas that until recently were considered conservative strongholds .
The election win hands back to Republicans one of several seats lost in 2018 when Democrats made big gains in Orange County and other red-leaning areas .
Steel remained ahead of Rouda by 2 % , or 7,000 votes , as of Tuesday .
Steel will now serve as one of the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside newly elected Democrat Marilyn Strickland of Washington , who is of Black and Korean American heritage .
The 65-year-old ’ s success marks a major political reversal in purpling Orange County and a win for California ’ s Republican Party , which has lost power in recent years across the state .
“ I was proud to be the first Democrat ever to represent California ’ s 48th Congressional District , ” Rouda said in a statement .
“ While one campaign ends today , another is just beginning .
I look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s two years in Congress with my accomplishments on Nov. 8 , 2022.
” While voter registration has flipped in favor of Democrats across the county , Steel ’ s district remains one of two districts that maintain their Republican voter registration advantage .
It was one of several tight races in which Republicans were trying to take congressional seats in red-leaning suburbs that Democrats grabbed during the 2018 “ blue wave.
” It ’ s unclear when the other races will be called .
Trump lost to Biden in Orange County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to have done well in this election .
Challenger Young Kim , a former state assemblywoman , is trying to oust incumbent Gil Cisneros in their rematch for the 39th District .
That race is close , with Kim slightly ahead .
Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith appears to have taken the lead over incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia in the race for the 25th Congressional District , according to the latest data from the Los Angeles and Ventura county registrar offices .
The roller-coaster race saw Garcia , a Republican , ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count .
As of Tuesday morning , Smith held a 1,287-vote lead .
“ Thank you for all your kindness , patience , and support , ” Smith tweeted Monday night .
“ My team and I appreciate you !
We will continue to honor the process as officials do their important work.
” Smith currently holds 160,756 votes , or 50.2 % , to Garcia ’ s 159,469 votes , or 49.8 % .

In a major win for the GOP, U.S. Rep. Harley Rouda conceded to his Republican opponent, Michelle Steel, in the race for California’s 48th Congressional District, one of several hard-fought contests in areas that until recently were considered conservative strongholds.
The election win hands back to Republicans one of several seats lost in 2018 when Democrats made big gains in Orange County and other red-leaning areas.
Steel remained ahead of Rouda by 2%, or 7,000 votes, as of Tuesday.
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Steel will now serve as one of the first Korean American women in U.S. Congress, alongside newly elected Democrat Marilyn Strickland of Washington, who is of Black and Korean American heritage.
The 65-year-old’s success marks a major political reversal in purpling Orange County and a win for California’s Republican Party, which has lost power in recent years across the state.
“I was proud to be the first Democrat ever to represent California’s 48th Congressional District,” Rouda said in a statement. “While one campaign ends today, another is just beginning. I look forward to having voters compare my opponent’s two years in Congress with my accomplishments on Nov. 8, 2022.”
While voter registration has flipped in favor of Democrats across the county, Steel’s district remains one of two districts that maintain their Republican voter registration advantage.
It was one of several tight races in which Republicans were trying to take congressional seats in red-leaning suburbs that Democrats grabbed during the 2018 “blue wave.” It’s unclear when the other races will be called. Trump lost to Biden in Orange County, but Republican candidates in down-ballot races appear to have done well in this election.
Challenger Young Kim, a former state assemblywoman, is trying to oust incumbent Gil Cisneros in their rematch for the 39th District. That race is close, with Kim slightly ahead.
Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith appears to have taken the lead over incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia in the race for the 25th Congressional District, according to the latest data from the Los Angeles and Ventura county registrar offices.
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The roller-coaster race saw Garcia, a Republican, ahead by 432 votes entering Monday’s count. As of Tuesday morning, Smith held a 1,287-vote lead.
“Thank you for all your kindness, patience, and support,” Smith tweeted Monday night. “My team and I appreciate you! We will continue to honor the process as officials do their important work.”
Smith currently holds 160,756 votes, or 50.2%, to Garcia’s 159,469 votes, or 49.8%.


latimes--2020-11-10--Amid coronavirus surge in California, 11 counties fall backward in reopening plans

Eleven counties moved back to more restrictive tiers in California ’ s coronavirus reopening system Tuesday , an unprecedented regression as the state contends with an increasingly worrying surge in infections .
Among the backsliders were San Diego , Sacramento and Stanislaus counties , all of which moved into the purple tier — the strictest category of the state ’ s reopening roadmap .
A spike in cases in San Francisco prompted officials there Tuesday to ramp up restrictions , meaning that indoor dining will be suspended , capacity at gyms and theaters will be reduced and the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen .
This week also marked the first time that no counties moved forward into a less restrictive tier , said California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly .
“ We anticipate , if things stay the way they are , that between this week and next week , over half of California counties will have moved into a more restrictive tier , ” he said Tuesday .
“ And so that certainly is an indication that we ’ re concerned and that we have to keep a close watch on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three new additions to the purple tier , nearly one-quarter of California counties now find themselves living under the most stringent coronavirus-related restrictions .
The others are Los Angeles , Riverside , San Bernardino , Imperial , Monterey , Tulare , Madera , Sonoma , Tehama and Shasta counties .
California ’ s system , which determines the extent to which businesses , schools and other public spaces can operate , is broken into four color-coded tiers : purple , followed by red , orange and yellow .
Moving to the purple tier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce capacity or move their operations outdoors .
Counties are placed into tiers based on two primary metrics : the average daily number of new COVID-19 cases for every 100,000 residents and the percentage of conducted tests that detect the coronavirus .
The counties are at risk of regressing if their metrics fall in the defined range of a more restrictive tier for two straight weeks .
“ To advance back into the red Tier 2 , Sacramento County needs to have lower daily case rates .
The only way to do that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Sacramento County ’ s health officer , Dr. Olivia Kasirye .
“ We all have a part in this.
” The other counties that moved backward Tuesday were Amador , Contra Costa , El Dorado , Placer and Santa Cruz , which are now in red ; and Modoc , Siskiyou and Trinity , now in orange .
State officials have said the tiered system is deliberative by design — meant to give officials time to review and digest data before deciding whether wider reopenings or further restrictions are warranted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed the tier status the way we did , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said during a briefing Monday .
“ It was about being more and less restrictive — not based upon political whim , but based upon the data , based upon the epidemiology , based upon the facts on the ground and , again , based upon local conditions in the 58 counties throughout the state of California.
” As of Tuesday ’ s tier update , 13 counties are in the purple tier , 22 are in red , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think a number of counties are indeed experiencing quite high levels of cases — not necessarily the highest they ’ ve ever seen , but certainly compared to the lows we ’ ve been experiencing over the past couple months , ” Ghaly said .
Business owners in counties that now find themselves in the purple tier will have to adjust their operations to meet the stricter guidelines .
For instance , restaurants will no longer be allowed to offer indoor dine-in service .
At tiny Masullo Pizza in Sacramento @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be felt too hard .
When word first came that indoor dining would be allowed at reduced capacity , the neighborhood favorite — with its open kitchen and communal tables — decided to play it safe and keep diners outside , said cook Paul Quiroz .
“ We ’ ve been really stringent , ” he said , adding that the pandemic hasn ’ t hurt sales too badly so far .
“ We ’ ve been fortunate in that .
We have a decent amount of business.
” Not everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yoga in the core of Sacramento ’ s once-thriving midtown district , owner Ellen Moe said she has lost about 70 % of her revenue since the pandemic started , but had just seen a minor uptick since being able to resume in-studio classes with 10 % capacity at the end of September .
The latest news , though , has her feeling like “ every time we get a little momentum , we get shut down again.
” The studio moved classes outside during the warm summer months , but “ now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sacramento , ” she said .
While she wants to keep her customers safe , Moe said she wished there was more help for businesses such as hers .
“ My business has been decimated , ” she said .
Randall Selland , who owns six restaurants in Sacramento — including Ella , a favorite of legislators in the nearby Capitol — said he was frustrated by what he sees as “ no coherent message on how to get through this.
” Ella has been closed since March because its overhead and location @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population made it difficult to do outdoor dining , Selland said .
Though his other establishments have invested in outdoor dining , fall temperatures hit hard in Northern California this week , and he thinks diners willing to brave the cold will be “ few and far between.
” He said he would like to see a more targeted approach to closures .
“ This blanket shutdown , I don ’ t think it ’ s right , ” Selland said .
“ It should be a case-by-case effort .
If you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down , instead of just going back and forth all the time.
” While moving to a more restrictive tier will undoubtedly present challenges from a business perspective , Ghaly said he views the larger issues of public and economic health as intertwined .
“ We do think about it very broadly , and a number of us believe and see evidence that working to control the transmission of COVID — making sure that it doesn ’ t have the horrific impact in California that we ’ ve seen in other parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the globe — is protecting not just our public health in the narrow sense , but our broad sense of public health , which includes our economic health , ” he said .
While the reasons for increased coronavirus spread — and the type of behaviors and venues driving those trends — can vary from county to county , Ghaly said this week that “ almost each county that ’ s having increased transmission , they mention private household gatherings as a major source of spread.
” Health officials throughout the state have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that residents ’ choices on gatherings , as well as the precautions they do or don ’ t take when doing so , will play a major role in shaping how the pandemic plays out .
California already finds itself at a new crossroads .
Coronavirus cases are beginning to trend distressingly upward in the state and are skyrocketing in many parts of the nation .
The latest seven-day average for new cases statewide is 6,078 , up from the 14-day average of 5,216 .
The state is fast approaching 1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , had officially recorded more than 18,000 deaths .
The virus also continues to spread faster in certain communities ; in Santa Clara County , it ’ s in the heavily Latino neighborhoods of East San Jose and Gilroy .
In Los Angeles , the eastern San Fernando Valley neighborhoods of Pacoima and Sun Valley have double the adjusted coronavirus case rate of the county ’ s , with the communities reporting rates of 506 cases per 100,000 residents and 456 cases per 100,000 residents , respectively , over the last two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases per 100,000 residents .
More than a dozen other communities are also of particular concern because of increasing rates of cases : Palmdale , Lancaster , East Los Angeles , Van Nuys , El Monte , Downey , Pomona , North Hollywood , Glendale , Santa Clarita , South Gate , Florence-Firestone , Canoga Park and Panorama City .
That said , experts say , the virus won ’ t just stay in certain pockets .
“ This virus is going to spread .
That ’ s what this virus does .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the communities that are seeing higher case rates , ” said Dr. Sara Cody , the Santa Clara County health officer .
Dr. John Swartzberg , an infectious disease expert at UC Berkeley , said he believes the coronavirus is likely to swamp California in December and that parts of the state economy will have to be shut down .
Swartzberg said the virus is spreading through travel from states where it is out of control , and California will not be spared .
“ Within a month after Thanksgiving , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up significantly , ” Swartzberg said .
“ California is going to be very worried , and we will start to see things close down.
” Times staff writers Susanne Rust and Maura Dolan contributed to this report from San Francisco .

Luke Money, Anita Chabria, Rong-Gong Lin II

Eleven counties moved back to more restrictive tiers in California’s coronavirus reopening system Tuesday, an unprecedented regression as the state contends with an increasingly worrying surge in infections.
Among the backsliders were San Diego, Sacramento and Stanislaus counties, all of which moved into the purple tier — the strictest category of the state’s reopening roadmap. A sharp rise in cases in San Francisco prompted officials there Tuesday to ramp up restrictions, meaning that indoor dining will be suspended, capacity at gyms and theaters will be reduced and the city’s high schools will have to wait to reopen.
This week also marked the first time that no counties moved forward into a less restrictive tier, said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.
“We anticipate, if things stay the way they are, that between this week and next week, over half of California counties will have moved into a more restrictive tier,” he said Tuesday. “And so that certainly is an indication that we’re concerned and that we have to keep a close watch on what’s happening.”
With the three new additions to the purple tier, nearly one-quarter of California counties now find themselves living under the most stringent coronavirus-related restrictions. The others are Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, Monterey, Tulare, Madera, Sonoma, Tehama and Shasta counties.
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California’s system, which determines the extent to which businesses, schools and other public spaces can operate, is broken into four color-coded tiers: purple, followed by red, orange and yellow.
Moving to the purple tier forces many businesses and organizations to either reduce capacity or move their operations outdoors.
Counties are placed into tiers based on two primary metrics: the average daily number of new COVID-19 cases for every 100,000 residents and the percentage of conducted tests that detect the coronavirus.
The counties are at risk of regressing if their metrics fall in the defined range of a more restrictive tier for two straight weeks.
“To advance back into the red Tier 2, Sacramento County needs to have lower daily case rates. The only way to do that is to do what we know works,” said Sacramento County’s health officer, Dr. Olivia Kasirye. “We all have a part in this.”
Advertisement
The other counties that moved backward Tuesday were Amador, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Placer and Santa Cruz, which are now in red; and Modoc, Siskiyou and Trinity, now in orange.
State officials have said the tiered system is deliberative by design — meant to give officials time to review and digest data before deciding whether wider reopenings or further restrictions are warranted.
Blood is being drawn for a COVID-19 antibody test at South Central Family Health Center. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
“This is exactly why we designed the tier status the way we did,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a briefing Monday. “It was about being more and less restrictive — not based upon political whim, but based upon the data, based upon the epidemiology, based upon the facts on the ground and, again, based upon local conditions in the 58 counties throughout the state of California.”
As of Tuesday’s tier update, 13 counties are in the purple tier, 22 in red, 17 in orange and six in yellow.
“I think a number of counties are indeed experiencing quite high levels of cases — not necessarily the highest they’ve ever seen, but certainly compared to the lows we’ve been experiencing over the past couple months,” Ghaly said.
California L.A. County declares new coronavirus surge, sparking increased alarms During the most recent seven-day period that ended Sunday, Los Angeles County reported more than 13,000 cases, a 38% jump from the previous week and the highest number of weekly cases in more than two months.
Business owners in counties that now find themselves in the purple tier will have to adjust their operations to meet the stricter guidelines. For instance, restaurants will no longer be allowed to offer indoor dine-in service.
At tiny Masullo Pizza in Sacramento, though, the new restrictions won’t be felt too hard.
When word first came that indoor dining would be allowed at reduced capacity, the neighborhood favorite — with its open kitchen and communal tables — decided to play it safe and keep diners outside, said cook Paul Quiroz.
Advertisement
“We’ve been really stringent,” he said, adding that the pandemic hasn’t hurt sales too badly so far. “We’ve been fortunate in that. We have a decent amount of business.”
Daniel Garcia, 5, from left, his mother Magdalena Hernandez, 40, and brother Alonso Garcia, 9, from the City of Commerce, wear protective masks while walking along Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Not everyone has been so lucky. At Solfire Yoga in the core of Sacramento’s once-thriving midtown district, owner Ellen Moe said she has lost about 70% of her revenue since the pandemic started, but had just seen a minor uptick since being able to resume in-studio classes with 10% capacity at the end of September.
The latest news, though, has her feeling as if “every time we get a little momentum, we get shut down again.”
The studio moved classes outside during the warm summer months, but “now it’s pretty chilly here in Sacramento,” she said. While she wants to keep her customers safe, Moe said she wished there was more help for businesses such as hers.
“My business has been decimated,” she said.
Randall Selland, who owns six restaurants in Sacramento — including Ella, a favorite of legislators in the nearby Capitol — said he was frustrated by what he sees as “no coherent message on how to get through this.”
Ella has been closed since March because its overhead and location in an area with a large homeless population made it difficult to do outdoor dining, Selland said.
Though his other establishments have invested in outdoor dining, fall temperatures hit hard in Northern California this week, and he thinks diners willing to brave the cold will be “few and far between.”
Advertisement
He said he would like to see a more targeted approach to closures.
“This blanket shutdown, I don’t think it’s right,” Selland said. “It should be a case-by-case effort. If you are not following the rules, you get shut down, instead of just going back and forth all the time.”
While moving to a more restrictive tier will undoubtedly present challenges from a business perspective, Ghaly said he views the larger issues of public and economic health as intertwined.
“We do think about it very broadly. And a number of us believe and see evidence that working to control the transmission of COVID — making sure that it doesn’t have the horrific impact in California that we’ve seen in other parts of the nation and other parts of the globe — is protecting not just our public health in the narrow sense, but our broad sense of public health, which includes our economic health,” he said.
While the reasons for increased coronavirus spread — and the type of behaviors and venues driving those trends — can vary from county to county, Ghaly said this week that “almost each county that’s having increased transmission, they mention private household gatherings as a major source of spread.”
Advertisement
Health officials throughout the state have been emphasizing that mantra for months, saying that residents’ choices on gatherings, as well as the precautions they do or don’t take when doing so, will play a major role in shaping how the pandemic plays out.
California already finds itself at a new crossroads. Coronavirus cases are beginning to trend distressingly upward in the state and are skyrocketing in many parts of the nation.
The latest seven-day average for new cases statewide is 6,078, up from the 14-day average of 5,216.
Dr. Grace Neuman, left, uses a Coronavirus nasal swab to test Kwesi Nelson 17, at Central Family Health Center on Tuesday. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
The state is fast approaching 1 million total cases and, as of this week, had officially recorded more than 18,000 deaths.
The virus also continues to spread faster in certain communities; in Santa Clara County, it’s in the heavily Latino neighborhoods of East San Jose and Gilroy.
In Los Angeles, the eastern San Fernando Valley neighborhoods of Pacoima and Sun Valley have double the adjusted coronavirus case rate of the county’s, with the communities reporting rates of 506 cases per 100,000 residents and 456 cases per 100,000 residents, respectively, over the last two weeks; the countywide rate is 188 cases per 100,000 residents.
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More than a dozen other communities are also of particular concern because of increasing rates of cases: Palmdale, Lancaster, East Los Angeles, Van Nuys, El Monte, Downey, Pomona, North Hollywood, Glendale, Santa Clarita, South Gate, Florence-Firestone, Canoga Park and Panorama City.
But, experts say, the virus won’t just stay in certain pockets.
“This virus is going to spread. That’s what this virus does. And so it’s not just about the communities that are seeing higher case rates,” said Dr. Sara Cody, the Santa Clara County health officer.
Dr. John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert at UC Berkeley, said he believes the coronavirus is likely to swamp California in December and that parts of the state economy will have to be shut down.
He said the virus is spreading through travel from states where it is out of control, and California will not be spared.
“Within a month after Thanksgiving, the number of cases is going to be up significantly,” Swartzberg said. “California is going to be very worried, and we will start to see things close down.”
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Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Times staff writers Susanne Rust and Maura Dolan contributed to this report from San Francisco.


latimes--2020-11-10--LAPD officer arrested in theft of car a year ago from Orange County dealership

A Los Angeles police officer has been arrested on suspicion of car theft by Orange police detectives in connection with the theft of a vehicle from a used-car dealership in October 2019 , officials said Tuesday .
Matthew Calleros was taken into custody Monday by detectives from the city of Orange .
He was released from Orange County Jail in the early hours of Tuesday morning without bail , records show .
He could not be reached for comment .
Orange police said investigators developed a lead that led them to identify Calleros , a veteran officer in the LAPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theft of the vehicle on Oct. 25 , 2019 , from a used-car dealership in the Orange County city .
Investigators are working with the LAPD and Orange County district attorney , and the investigation is ongoing .
Calleros is a 24-year veteran of the LAPD .
LAPD officials said they learned of the investigation into Calleros on Monday .
“ We are fully cooperating with the Orange Police Department , and we have also initiated our own personnel investigation , ” the department said in a statement .
“ Officer Calleros has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powers suspended pending the outcome of both investigations .
”

Booking photo released by the Orange Police Dept. shows Los Angeles Police Officer Matthew Calleros. Calleros, who was arrested on suspicion of stealing a car from a Southern California dealership last year.
A Los Angeles police officer has been arrested on suspicion of car theft by Orange police detectives in connection with the theft of a vehicle from a used-car dealership in October 2019, officials said Tuesday.
Matthew Calleros was taken into custody Monday by detectives from the city of Orange. He was released from Orange County Jail in the early hours of Tuesday morning without bail, records show. He could not be reached for comment.
Orange police said investigators developed a lead that led them to identify Calleros, a veteran officer in the LAPD’s Hollenbeck Division, in the theft of the vehicle on Oct. 25, 2019, from a used-car dealership in the Orange County city. Investigators are working with the LAPD and Orange County district attorney, and the investigation is ongoing.
https://twitter.com/CityOfOrangePD/status/1326201071027449857
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Calleros is a 24-year veteran of the LAPD. LAPD officials said they learned of the investigation into Calleros on Monday.
“We are fully cooperating with the Orange Police Department, and we have also initiated our own personnel investigation,” the department said in a statement. “Officer Calleros has been assigned home and his peace officer powers suspended pending the outcome of both investigations.”


latimes--2020-11-10--Police shoot, kill man suspected in fatal stabbing in Santa Fe Springs

A Whittier police officer shot and killed a man suspected of stabbing two people in Santa Fe Springs on Monday night , according to a report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department .
The deadly encounter began around 5:50 p.m. after Whittier police received a 911 call from the 12200 block of Telegraph Road .
Authorities heard screaming on the call and believed there had been a car crash .
The first officer to arrive at the scene encountered a man authorities said was armed with a knife .
The man charged at the officer , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
Detectives with the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s homicide bureau responded after the shooting .
Deputies determined the man police had shot had earlier stabbed two people who were traveling in a car with him , authorities said .
Both victims , a man and a woman , were taken to a hospital , where the woman was pronounced dead .
The man remained in critical condition Tuesday morning .
After the shooting , the assailant was also taken to a hospital , where he was pronounced dead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials have not released the name of the man who was shot , the stabbing victims or the officer involved in the shooting .
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s homicide bureau at ( 323 ) 890-5500 .

An investigation is underway after a man suspected of stabbing two people was shot and killed by a police officer in Santa Fe Springs Monday night.
A Whittier police officer shot and killed a man suspected of stabbing two people in Santa Fe Springs on Monday night, according to a report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The deadly encounter began around 5:50 p.m. after Whittier police received a 911 call from the 12200 block of Telegraph Road. Authorities heard screaming on the call and believed there had been a car crash.
The first officer to arrive at the scene encountered a man authorities said was armed with a knife. The man charged at the officer, who fired at him, sheriff’s officials said.
Detectives with the Sheriff’s Department’s homicide bureau responded after the shooting. Deputies determined the man police had shot had earlier stabbed two people who were traveling in a car with him, authorities said. Both victims, a man and a woman, were taken to a hospital, where the woman was pronounced dead. The man remained in critical condition Tuesday morning.
After the shooting, the assailant was also taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the Sheriff’s Department said.
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Officials have not released the name of the man who was shot, the stabbing victims or the officer involved in the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department’s homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500.


latimes--2020-11-10--L.A. Times and Tribune agree to settle pay-disparity lawsuit for $3 million

The Los Angeles Times and Tribune Publishing have agreed to pay $ 3 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit brought by a multiethnic group of journalists who alleged that they were paid less than their white male counterparts .
The lawsuit , which alleged gender , race and ethnic discrimination , was filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court in June .
Late last month , Judge David Cohn gave preliminary approval to the proposed settlement and certified a class of nearly 240 current and former reporters and editors who would be eligible for back pay .
Under the settlement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ copy editors and line editors employed by The Times from Feb. 14 , 2015 , to Oct. 26 , 2020 , could receive a portion of the award .
All women who worked as reporters or editors during that period would be covered .
Cohn is expected to give final approval to the settlement at a March hearing .
The $ 3-million settlement would be paid by the two publishing companies and their insurance carriers .
Chicago-based Tribune Publishing owned The Times until June 2018 , when it was sold to Patrick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local control .
The class-action lawsuit alleged The Times violated California ’ s Equal Pay Act and California ’ s Business and Professions Code .
The two companies have denied the allegations .
They did not admit any wrongdoing or any violations of state law .
“ The claims date back a number of years to previous ownership , ” Hillary Manning , spokeswoman for The Times , said in a statement .
“ We ’ re pleased that the judge gave preliminary approval to the settlement and that the matter is headed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early 2018 , when the paper was owned by Tribune .
Frustrated by years of mismanagement and stagnant pay , the newsroom voted to join the NewsGuild sector of the Communications Workers of America .
The Times ’ nascent guild demanded that Tribune provide salary data for newsroom employees .
The data confirmed long-standing suspicions that the salaries of women and people of color lagged behind those of white male colleagues , said Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Bettina Boxall , who became the lead plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit .
Boxall was joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; former reporter Angel Jennings ; copy editor Angela Jamison ; and Deputy Metro Editor Bobbie “ B.J.
” Terhune .
Boxall and Terhune are white ; Esquivel is Latina ; and Braxton , Jennings and Jamison are Black .
Boxall said leading a class-action lawsuit over pay inequities was “ one of the proudest moments ” in her 33-year career at The Times .
“ This puts the company on notice that women and people of color have to be valued — and paid — just as much as white men , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represented by Michael Morrison , a partner in the Century City law firm Alexander , Morrison & Fehr .
If the judge approves the settlement , Morrison ’ s firm would receive $ 1 million in attorneys ’ fees .
More than $ 1.9 million would be divided among members of the class .
The payments would be calculated using a formula tentatively approved by the judge .
“ I ’ m very pleased that both Tribune and the L.A. Times decided to settle this early on , and that it wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Morrison said .
“ It ’ s best to put this matter behind us and allow people to focus on what they do best , which is to write and edit great stories.
” The newsroom ’ s first collective bargaining agreement , approved in late 2019 , attempted to resolve long-standing inequities .
( The class-action lawsuit was separate from the guild activities . )
Earlier this year , after George Floyd protests sparked an internal debate about race and equality , The Times acknowledged past mistreatment of people of color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In September , Dr. Soon-Shiong wrote an apology to readers : “ Over its history , The Times has also mirrored , and in some cases propagated , the biases and prejudices of the world it covers , reflecting and shaping attitudes that have contributed to social and economic inequity , ” he wrote .
The Times also created a position to focus on newsroom culture , and Jennings was selected .
She joined the newsroom ’ s senior-most leadership team as assistant managing editor for culture and talent .
Editor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the case , the author of this report would be among the class of women eligible for back pay under terms of the settlement .

Tribune Publishing and the Los Angeles Times have agreed to a settlement to end a class-action lawsuit alleging pay disparities since 2015.
The Los Angeles Times and Tribune Publishing have agreed to pay $3 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit brought by a multiethnic group of journalists who alleged that they were paid less than their white male counterparts.
The lawsuit, which alleged gender, race and ethnic discrimination, was filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court in June. Late last month, Judge David Cohn gave preliminary approval to the proposed settlement and certified a class of nearly 240 current and former reporters and editors who would be eligible for back pay.
Under the settlement, all Black and Latino reporters, copy editors and line editors employed by The Times from Feb. 14, 2015, to Oct. 26, 2020, could receive a portion of the award. All women who worked as reporters or editors during that period would be covered. Cohn is expected to give final approval to the settlement at a March hearing.
Company Town L.A. Times faces painful reckoning over race in its staff and pages Two years after the Los Angeles Times reverted to local ownership, the country’s largest metropolitan daily newspaper is facing a painful internal reckoning over glaring deficiencies and missteps regarding race and representation in its pages and its staff.
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The $3-million settlement would be paid by the two publishing companies and their insurance carriers. Chicago-based Tribune Publishing owned The Times until June 2018, when it was sold to Patrick and Michele Soon-Shiong, returning the paper to local control.
The class-action lawsuit alleged The Times violated California’s Equal Pay Act and California’s Business and Professions Code.
The two companies have denied the allegations. They did not admit any wrongdoing or any violations of state law.
“The claims date back a number of years to previous ownership,” Hillary Manning, spokeswoman for The Times, said in a statement. “We’re pleased that the judge gave preliminary approval to the settlement and that the matter is headed toward a resolution.”
Tribune Publishing declined to comment.
The dispute originated in early 2018, when the paper was owned by Tribune. Frustrated by years of mismanagement and stagnant pay, the newsroom voted to join the NewsGuild sector of the Communications Workers of America. The Times’ nascent guild demanded that Tribune provide salary data for newsroom employees.
The data confirmed long-standing suspicions that the salaries of women and people of color lagged behind those of white male colleagues, said Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Bettina Boxall, who became the lead plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit.
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Boxall was joined by reporters Greg Braxton and Paloma Esquivel; former reporter Angel Jennings; copy editor Angela Jamison; and Deputy Metro Editor Bobbie “B.J.” Terhune. Boxall and Terhune are white; Esquivel is Latina; and Braxton, Jennings and Jamison are Black.
Boxall said leading a class-action lawsuit over pay inequities was “one of the proudest moments” in her 33-year career at The Times. “This puts the company on notice that women and people of color have to be valued — and paid — just as much as white men,” she said.
The journalists were represented by Michael Morrison, a partner in the Century City law firm Alexander, Morrison & Fehr. If the judge approves the settlement, Morrison’s firm would receive $1 million in attorneys’ fees.
More than $1.9 million would be divided among members of the class. The payments would be calculated using a formula tentatively approved by the judge.
“I’m very pleased that both Tribune and the L.A. Times decided to settle this early on, and that it wasn’t a long, drawn-out process,” Morrison said. “It’s best to put this matter behind us and allow people to focus on what they do best, which is to write and edit great stories.”
The newsroom’s first collective bargaining agreement, approved in late 2019, attempted to resolve long-standing inequities. (The class-action lawsuit was separate from the guild activities.)
Earlier this year, after George Floyd protests sparked an internal debate about race and equality, The Times acknowledged past mistreatment of people of color, including those within its own ranks.
In September, Dr. Soon-Shiong wrote an apology to readers: “Over its history, The Times has also mirrored, and in some cases propagated, the biases and prejudices of the world it covers, reflecting and shaping attitudes that have contributed to social and economic inequity,” he wrote.
The Times also created a position to focus on newsroom culture, and Jennings was selected. She joined the newsroom’s senior-most leadership team as assistant managing editor for culture and talent.
Editor’s note: While not a plaintiff in the case, the author of this report would be among the class of women eligible for back pay under terms of the settlement.