latimes--2020-07-01--As coronavirus cases surge, California pauses multimillion-dollar testing expansion

In April , Gov .
Gavin Newsom launched a multimillion-dollar state initiative to bring COVID-19 testing to the people and places with the least access : rural towns and disadvantaged inner-city neighborhoods .
California is now halting its expansion , citing costs , even as the state is getting walloped by record-setting spikes in new infections and double-digit increases in hospitalizations .
The state will no longer fund new testing sites , despite pleas from counties for additional assistance — and it has closed some locations and moved them elsewhere .
It also has threatened to pull testing out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen interviews with county public health officials .
While it ’ s early in the process , some winners and losers have emerged : El Dorado County , east of Sacramento , lost its testing site in the town of Shingle Springs in June because it couldn ’ t fill enough appointment slots , while Fresno County gained a site that had been pulled from elsewhere , said its health officer , Dr. Rais Vohra .
Yet San Mateo County has asked state officials three times for a second state-funded venue to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but has been “ told no , repeatedly , ” said Justin Mates , deputy county manager .
So the county transformed its sole state site into a roving testing unit .
“ Equity is certainly a concern for us , ” Mates said .
“ We really need help with testing access if we ’ re going to reach our Latino residents and places like East Palo Alto , ” a diverse city whose population is mainly Latino , African American and Asian/Pacific Islander .
California has committed up to $ 132 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing companies , Verily Life Sciences and OptumServe , to offer free coronavirus tests at more than 100 sites that the Newsom administration has identified as “ testing deserts.
” The expansion has dramatically increased the state ’ s overall testing numbers , which swelled from 16,000 tests per day in April to 105,000 on Monday .
Testing is also available at county-funded locations , private pharmacies , hospitals and community clinics .
State Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly confirmed that California is pulling sites out of counties that aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off funding for new locations .
“ With every asset and resource — especially when it ’ s scarce — you want it to go to places where it ’ s most needed , ” Ghaly said .
“ It wouldn ’ t be prudent or wise to maintain spending in a place where resources aren ’ t being used.
” Newsom has voiced concern about the testing price tag , given “ unprecedented ” budget shortfalls .
“ There is a big cost associated with testing , ” he said in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the state wants to see counties fill at least 80 % of testing slots at each location .
And if testing drops below 50 % for a few days or longer , counties are warned , the sites could be transferred elsewhere .
Counties argue that there ’ s a public health benefit to keeping underperforming locations open — simply to ensure that testing is available to rural and disenfranchised communities .
Across the state , counties are fighting to save state-funded sites even as they are being overwhelmed by increased numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social gatherings .
“ It ’ s how we are able to quickly identify where the virus is and if there are hot spots , ” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye , health officer for Sacramento County , where holiday celebrations and booze-fueled gatherings among family and friends are sending infection rates soaring .
Contra Costa County saw its testing numbers drop in June and was at risk of losing a state-funded site until it proved it could keep appointments near 80 % of capacity , said its health officer , Dr. Chris Farnitano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a state-funded site north of Temecula would be “ moved to another county ” if it didn ’ t get its testing above 50 % , according to an email from the state ’ s testing task force .
The state told Mendocino County it could lose its state-funded site , the only free testing available within a two-hour drive for some rural residents , if it didn ’ t push numbers up .
Alameda County grew so frustrated with state requirements that it undertook a testing expansion of its own .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ depend on the state , especially to reach our vulnerable communities , ” said Dr. Jocelyn Freeman-Garrick , an emergency room physician at Highland Hospital in Oakland , who is leading the county ’ s testing task force .
El Dorado County , which lost its site , so far has maintained a relatively low count of COVID-19 cases .
It can ’ t afford to replace the site but will “ make do , ” said county spokesperson Carla Hass .
Ghaly said the state is working with counties in danger of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fill testing slots .
State officials declined to say how many counties have lost sites , but as new infections have soared , testing numbers are starting to pick back up .
The list of counties at risk of losing a site has dwindled from around a dozen in early June to a few last week .
Public health experts say focusing so intently on testing numbers , and not on adequate testing in Black and Latino neighborhoods , risks abandoning communities that already face immense barriers to healthcare .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll keep seeing the kinds of surges that we ’ re seeing now , ” said Dr. Tony Iton , formerly the top health official for Alameda County and now a senior vice president of the California Endowment , which is working with counties to expand testing in underserved neighborhoods .
Entrenched socioeconomic barriers also make it difficult to get , and keep , testing numbers up .
For instance , people who want to be tested at state sites often need Internet access and an email address .
Most sites are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many low-income people can ’ t meet those requirements , while undocumented immigrants fear that providing personal information to obtain a test could expose them to immigration officials , said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib , a former health officer of Santa Clara County who is leading its testing program .
“ We can have all the tests we want , but if people are afraid to come and get tested , it ’ s not going to be of any benefit , ” he said .
State contracts that fund the testing sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to expire Aug. 31 , and administration officials have not told counties whether the state will continue funding them after that , said Mimi Hall , president of the County Health Executives Assn .
of California and director of public health for Santa Cruz County .
Counties can ’ t afford to keep the sites running , said Hall , who is on the state ’ s testing task force .
“ It ’ s hard to plan when we don ’ t know how long we ’ ll be able to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story was produced by KHN ( Kaiser Health News ) , which publishes California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation .
KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

Carson Mayor Albert Robles self-tests for COVID-19 at a new drive-up site outside the Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center.
In April, Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a multimillion-dollar state initiative to bring COVID-19 testing to the people and places with the least access: rural towns and disadvantaged inner-city neighborhoods.
California is now halting its expansion, citing costs, even as the state is getting walloped by record-setting spikes in new infections and double-digit increases in hospitalizations.
For the record: The original version of this story suggested that El Dorado County had just one state-funded testing site. It has two, and the story has been updated to reflect that.
The state will no longer fund new testing sites, despite pleas from counties for additional assistance — and it has closed some locations and moved them elsewhere. It also has threatened to pull testing out of underutilized sites, according to nearly two dozen interviews with county public health officials.
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1 / 37 Drive-through COVID-19 testing in Boyle Heights. Experts say widespread testing is crucial for states to be able to safely reopen their economies. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 37 Testing in Boyle Heights. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 37 A testing sample is sealed. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 37 Putting on personal protective equipment before testing. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 37 Testing in Boyle Heights. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 37 A patient is screened before testing. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 37 Information is collected from a patient. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 37 Boyle Heights COVID-19 testing. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 37 Juan Infante, a certified medical assistant, takes the temperature of a patient before she gets tested. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 37 Carson City Mayor Albert Robles does self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 outside of a community center in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 37 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 37 A Carson resident passes a sealed self-test to a health official at a drive-up testing site. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 37 Carson resident Melvin Smith, 64, does self-testing. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 37 A person drops a specimen at a COVID-19 mobile testing site in Bell. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 37 A person swabs their mouth at a COVID-19 mobile testing site in Bell. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 37 A man talks with a healthcare worker outside Kedren Community Health Center in South LA, where they are offering walk-up coronavirus testing along with other medical services. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 37 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 18 / 37 A portrait and quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. overlooks a new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 37 Julie Montez, right, sits in her car as a nurse administers a coronavirus test at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 20 / 37 Nurses pose for a fun photo between breaks at a drive-through public testing for coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 21 / 37 Healthcare workers tend to a driver in line at a drive-through Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing site at the Westminster Mall in Westminster. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 22 / 37 Healthcare workers tend to a driver in line at a drive-through Coronavirus testing site at the Westminster Mall in Westminster. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 23 / 37 Gessie Lurlay is working as a coronavirus screener at the Camarena Health Center in Madera. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 37 Francis Gon-Gibbs, of LA County Fire Department Lifeguard Division, stands at the entrance of a new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 37 A man drops off his self-administered COVID-19 test in a blue bin at a drive-up test site at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 37 Workers direct drivers at a drive-up test site for COVID-19 at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 37 A man misses the blue bin while dropping off his self-administered COVID-19 test at a drive-up test site at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 28 / 37 Workers help conduct drive-thru coronavirus testing at Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 29 / 37 A sign directs people to drive-thru coronavirus testing at Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 30 / 37 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All In This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location, at the South Bay Galleria, in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 37 A woman shows her notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for COVID-19 at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 32 / 37 Coronavirus CO drive-thru sample collection takes place at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan/Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 33 / 37 San Bernardino County health care worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-thru sample collection that took place at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 34 / 37 Motorists, line up on Stadium Way, near Dodger Stadium, waiting to enter a parking lot and be tested for the coronavirus. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 35 / 37 Members of the Los Angeles Fire Dept. wear protective gear while handing out kits to people to swab the inside of their mouths to test for the coronavirus, inside a parking lot on Stadium Way, near Dodger Stadium. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 36 / 37 Riverside County medical personnel screen a car of load of four people at a coronavirus drive-though testing facility for Coachella Valley residents in the parking lot of the Southwest in Indian Wells. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 37 Aerial views cars lined up for drive-through coronavirus testing inside a parking lot on Stadium Way near Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
While it’s early in the process, some winners and losers have emerged: El Dorado County, east of Sacramento, lost a testing site in the town of Shingle Springs in June because it couldn’t fill enough appointment slots, while Fresno County gained a site that had been pulled from elsewhere, said its health officer, Dr. Rais Vohra.
Yet San Mateo County has asked state officials three times for a second state-funded venue to address testing gaps in Black and farmworker neighborhoods but has been “told no, repeatedly,” said Justin Mates, deputy county manager. So the county transformed its sole state site into a roving testing unit.
“Equity is certainly a concern for us,” Mates said. “We really need help with testing access if we’re going to reach our Latino residents and places like East Palo Alto,” a diverse city whose population is mainly Latino, African American and Asian/Pacific Islander.
California has committed up to $132 million in contracts with two private COVID-19 testing companies, Verily Life Sciences and OptumServe, to offer free coronavirus tests at more than 100 sites that the Newsom administration has identified as “testing deserts.” The expansion has dramatically increased the state’s overall testing numbers, which swelled from 16,000 tests per day in April to 105,000 on Monday.
Testing is also available at county-funded locations, private pharmacies, hospitals and community clinics.
State Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly confirmed that California is pulling sites out of counties that aren’t generating high enough numbers and cutting off funding for new locations.
“With every asset and resource — especially when it’s scarce — you want it to go to places where it’s most needed,” Ghaly said. “It wouldn’t be prudent or wise to maintain spending in a place where resources aren’t being used.”
Newsom has voiced concern about the testing price tag, given “unprecedented” budget shortfalls. “There is a big cost associated with testing,” he said in late June.
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A Newsom administration official confirmed that the state wants to see counties fill at least 80% of testing slots at each location. And if testing drops below 50% for a few days or longer, counties are warned, the sites could be transferred elsewhere.
Counties argue that there’s a public health benefit to keeping underperforming locations open — simply to ensure that testing is available to rural and disenfranchised communities. Across the state, counties are fighting to save state-funded sites even as they are being overwhelmed by increased numbers of COVID-19 cases, linked largely to social gatherings.
“It’s how we are able to quickly identify where the virus is and if there are hot spots,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, health officer for Sacramento County, where holiday celebrations and booze-fueled gatherings among family and friends are sending infection rates soaring.
Contra Costa County saw its testing numbers drop in June and was at risk of losing a state-funded site until it proved it could keep appointments near 80% of capacity, said its health officer, Dr. Chris Farnitano.
Riverside County was warned June 16 that a state-funded site north of Temecula would be “moved to another county” if it didn’t get its testing above 50%, according to an email from the state’s testing task force. The state told Mendocino County it could lose its state-funded site, the only free testing available within a two-hour drive for some rural residents, if it didn’t push numbers up.
Alameda County grew so frustrated with state requirements that it undertook a testing expansion of its own.
“We realized we couldn’t depend on the state, especially to reach our vulnerable communities,” said Dr. Jocelyn Freeman-Garrick, an emergency room physician at Highland Hospital in Oakland, who is leading the county’s testing task force.
Which California counties are reopening? To contain the spread of COVID-19, parks, restaurants and stores are slowly reopening.
El Dorado County, which lost a site, so far has maintained a relatively low count of COVID-19 cases. It can’t afford to replace the site but will “make do,” said county spokesperson Carla Hass.
Ghaly said the state is working with counties in danger of losing sites to give them a chance to fill testing slots. State officials declined to say how many counties have lost sites, but as new infections have soared, testing numbers are starting to pick back up. The list of counties at risk of losing a site has dwindled from around a dozen in early June to a few last week.
Public health experts say focusing so intently on testing numbers, and not on adequate testing in Black and Latino neighborhoods, risks abandoning communities that already face immense barriers to healthcare.
“If you ignore these communities, then we’ll keep seeing the kinds of surges that we’re seeing now,” said Dr. Tony Iton, formerly the top health official for Alameda County and now a senior vice president of the California Endowment, which is working with counties to expand testing in underserved neighborhoods.
Entrenched socioeconomic barriers also make it difficult to get, and keep, testing numbers up. For instance, people who want to be tested at state sites often need Internet access and an email address. Most sites are drive-through, requiring access to a vehicle.
Many low-income people can’t meet those requirements, while undocumented immigrants fear that providing personal information to obtain a test could expose them to immigration officials, said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, a former health officer of Santa Clara County who is leading its testing program.
“We can have all the tests we want, but if people are afraid to come and get tested, it’s not going to be of any benefit,” he said.
State contracts that fund the testing sites were extended in June but are set to expire Aug. 31, and administration officials have not told counties whether the state will continue funding them after that, said Mimi Hall, president of the County Health Executives Assn. of California and director of public health for Santa Cruz County.
Counties can’t afford to keep the sites running, said Hall, who is on the state’s testing task force.
“It’s hard to plan when we don’t know how long we’ll be able to keep them,” Hall said.
This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


latimes--2020-07-01--Protests over police brutality and criminal justice reform intensify race for L.A. district attorney

Less than a week after video surfaced of a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into the neck of George Floyd , the man challenging Jackie Lacey for the office of Los Angeles County district attorney attempted to connect the tragic case to her record of failing to prosecute killings by police .
By late June , after weeks of unrest and protests over Floyd ’ s death that included demands for her resignation , Lacey joined other L.A. County law enforcement leaders in calling for the creation of a task force to investigate future police killings , a possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biased toward police .
The November contest between Lacey and former San Francisco Dist .
Atty .
George Gascón to oversee the nation ’ s largest prosecutor ’ s office had already been framed as a test of appetites for criminal justice reform , with Gascón the flag-bearer for a nationwide movement to elect progressive prosecutors and Lacey representing a more traditional approach to crime and punishment .
But with hundreds of thousands protesting police brutality nationwide and the phrase “ defund the police ” moving from the fringes to a topic of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race is now being reshaped largely around which candidate is best poised to hold law enforcement accountable .
Recently , that has proved problematic for the incumbent .
U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff ( D-Burbank ) withdrew his endorsement of Lacey , citing the need to “ end systemic racism & reform criminal justice.
” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti seemed to walk back his support of Lacey ’ s bid for a third-term last month , saying “ it may be ” time for a change in the district attorney ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when policing is on trial so to speak , and some municipalities across the country … are talking about approaching public safety and law enforcement through different models , what [ Lacey ] represents is certainly out of step with people who are taking to the streets , ” said Darnell Hunt , a professor of social sciences and African American studies at UCLA .
The momentum shift seems especially dramatic for a contest Lacey nearly captured three months ago .
Lacey secured 48.65 % of all votes cast in the March primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she needed to avoid a runoff .
Gascón tallied 28 % and former public defender Rachel Rossi took home 23 % of the ballots .
Political consultants were quick to chastise Gascón for entering the race too late and questioned whether his campaign had failed to broaden his appeal beyond activists .
But Floyd ’ s killing appears to have dramatically increased the size of the reform movement that Gascón will need to energize his upset bid .
Thousands have taken to Los Angeles ’ streets for demonstrations against police brutality in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office or home .
Nationally , two-thirds of Americans now say they support the Black Lives Matter movement , according to a recent Pew Study .
Asked about the effect the reform movement might have on the race , Lacey pointed to polling that suggests the slogan “ Defund the Police ” is unpopular , while noting other issues may be of equal importance in voters ’ minds five months from now .
“ Yes , people are going to be talking about social justice and reform , but I think in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who show up in November are going to be equally concerned about their safety , ” said Lacey , who has often criticized Gascón as being soft on crime .
Statistics show violent crime increased in San Francisco and Los Angeles County while both were in office .
Locally , attitudes about policing that were once derided as radical have begun to gain traction with established politicians .
City leaders are considering cutting as much as $ 150 million from the LAPD ’ s budget , and a number of elected officials have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent methods of shutting down protests spawned by Floyd ’ s killing .
Lacey still retains strong support among law enforcement unions and boasts a raft of endorsements from some of California ’ s most powerful politicians , including Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Ted Lieu ( D-Torrance ) .
San Francisco Mayor London Breed also spurned Gascón and endorsed Lacey last year .
Close ties to law enforcement , however , could become an “ albatross ” for Lacey if energy around criminal justice reform remains high through November , said Jody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Those kinds of endorsements are under scrutiny now , in a way they never have been before , ” he said .
“ It used to be something prideful , to have police union endorsements .
Now it may be stigmatized.
” During the March primary , nearly all of the $ 2.2 million in outside committee spending that benefited Lacey came from law enforcement unions .
Lacey has often been criticized for her reliance on union donations , an implication that police are buying favorable treatment from her .
Gascón @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling on the State Bar of California to preclude elected officials from accepting financial support from law enforcement unions , calling it a conflict of interest .
Lacey rejected the idea .
Dustin DeRollo , a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Protective League , said he believes any incumbent would naturally face an uphill battle in November during a time when calls for reform are popular .
But he noted that a successful district attorney has to balance public safety with accountability , and argued Lacey is far more qualified to accomplish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only one candidate on the ballot that ’ s going to be able to keep neighborhoods safe while also continuing good work on reform at the local level like dealing with mental health reforms , as Lacey has done , ” he said .
Brian VanRiper , a political consultant who has worked on numerous Los Angeles City Council races , also warned that consistent messaging from police unions about issues of homelessness and property crime that plagued Gascón in the Bay Area could shift the focus to public safety .
“ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to be safe , ” VanRiper said .
Experts and consultants say the records of both Lacey and Gascón on accountability will be ripe for scrutiny after recent protests .
Although both candidates filed dozens of cases against police officers for misconduct during their respective terms , charges against officers for on-duty killings were extremely rare .
Gascón declined to prosecute any officers for fatal uses of force in San Francisco , including the killing of Mario Woods , whose death garnered national attention .
Lacey has also rarely brought charges in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck asked her to prosecute .
She did file manslaughter charges against a sheriff ’ s deputy in late 2018 , however , and also recently decided to prosecute an LAPD officer caught on video beating an unarmed homeless man .
Asked about his record , Gascón has said he was hamstrung by state law that severely limited when an officer could be charged for using fatal force .
An Assembly bill modifying that standard , which was signed into law last year , was supported by Gascón but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have charged the officer who shot Woods under the new law .
“ Her failure to take action and hold police accountable has been a subject of conversation for a long time here , namely by the Black community , ” Gascón said .
“ I think what is happening now , after the Floyd case , is people who would not traditionally be paying attention to this issue , are.
” Lacey said the law change has not led to a rush of charges against officers and that Gascón was trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get himself elected .
“ He keeps saying , ‘ Hey , I woulda , coulda , shoulda , ’ but he didn ’ t .
I feel like he ’ s out there jumping in front of the Black Lives Matter parade , painting himself almost as their answer .
Vote for me and I would have prosecuted some of these officers , ” she said .
“ I think ... you kind of need to be incredibly naive to believe it.
” Gascón has leaned more heavily into the recent protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and City Atty .
Mike Feuer not to prosecute nonviolent demonstrators arrested for curfew violations , while criticizing the LAPD ’ s use of force to end demonstrations .
Lacey has also shown some deference to the movement .
In addition to the proposed creation of the task force that would investigate police killings , Lacey said she would not prosecute anyone for dispersal order or curfew violations .
She also ordered her office ’ s investigators to cease using carotid restraint holds .
Armour said that although both candidates have records that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by police violence , Gascón is probably more appealing to a progressive electorate .
“ You ’ re not gon na find many people with an immaculate record .
So will the defund-the-police people ... say that George Gascón has enough daylight between him and Jackie Lacey that I can feel decent about supporting him , or even good about supporting him as the alternative ?
” Armour asked .
“ Gascón can make a plausible case for being that kind of candidate.
” If Gascón is to topple Lacey , he will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters who supported Rossi , who also espoused a reform agenda during the primary .
Voter data shows Lacey trounced Gascón by 15 to 20 percentage points in a number of demographics in March , including majority Black and Latino voting precincts and households earning less than $ 60,000 .
But with Rossi ’ s voters , Gascón would gain a significant edge .
Combined , Gascón and Rossi would have bested Lacey 56 % to 43 % among households earning less than $ 60,000 annually , and 54 % to 45 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still hold a slight edge , 51 % to 49 % , among majority Black precincts .
With the White House in play in November , a surge of progressive voters seeking to drive President Trump out office could also benefit Gascón .
Rossi said she has had discussions with Gascón ’ s campaign about a possible endorsement , though she ’ s still evaluating getting involved in the general election .
No matter what she does , Rossi believes Floyd ’ s killing and the fallout that followed ripped open a wound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by November .
“ It feels different , ” she said .
“ The population of the people involved in the protests seems different .
It seems broader.
” Times staff writers Priya Krishnakumar and Dakota Smith contributed to this report .

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey and former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascón will face off in a November election to determine who will lead the country’s largest prosecutor’s office through 2024.
Less than a week after video surfaced of a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into the neck of George Floyd, the man challenging Jackie Lacey for the office of Los Angeles County district attorney attempted to connect the tragic case to her record of failing to prosecute killings by police.
By late June, after weeks of unrest and protests over Floyd’s death that included demands for her resignation, Lacey joined other L.A. County law enforcement leaders in calling for the creation of a task force to investigate future police killings, a possible nod to criticisms that internal reviews are biased toward police.
The November contest between Lacey and former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascón to oversee the nation’s largest prosecutor’s office had already been framed as a test of appetites for criminal justice reform, with Gascón the flag-bearer for a nationwide movement to elect progressive prosecutors and Lacey representing a more traditional approach to crime and punishment.
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But with hundreds of thousands protesting police brutality nationwide and the phrase “defund the police” moving from the fringes to a topic of debate for the L.A. City Council, the race is now being reshaped largely around which candidate is best poised to hold law enforcement accountable.
Recently, that has proved problematic for the incumbent. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) withdrew his endorsement of Lacey, citing the need to “end systemic racism & reform criminal justice.” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti seemed to walk back his support of Lacey’s bid for a third-term last month, saying “it may be” time for a change in the district attorney’s office.
“In this moment, when policing is on trial so to speak, and some municipalities across the country … are talking about approaching public safety and law enforcement through different models, what [Lacey] represents is certainly out of step with people who are taking to the streets,” said Darnell Hunt, a professor of social sciences and African American studies at UCLA.
The momentum shift seems especially dramatic for a contest Lacey nearly captured three months ago.
Lacey secured 48.65% of all votes cast in the March primary, falling just shy of the majority she needed to avoid a runoff. Gascón tallied 28% and former public defender Rachel Rossi took home 23% of the ballots. Political consultants were quick to chastise Gascón for entering the race too late and questioned whether his campaign had failed to broaden his appeal beyond activists.
But Floyd’s killing appears to have dramatically increased the size of the reform movement that Gascón will need to energize his upset bid. Thousands have taken to Los Angeles’ streets for demonstrations against police brutality in recent weeks, sometimes marching on Lacey’s office or home. Nationally, two-thirds of Americans now say they support the Black Lives Matter movement, according to a recent Pew Study.
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Asked about the effect the reform movement might have on the race, Lacey pointed to polling that suggests the slogan “Defund the Police” is unpopular, while noting other issues may be of equal importance in voters’ minds five months from now.
“Yes, people are going to be talking about social justice and reform, but I think in the end, the majority of voters who show up in November are going to be equally concerned about their safety,” said Lacey, who has often criticized Gascón as being soft on crime. Statistics show violent crime increased in San Francisco and Los Angeles County while both were in office.
Locally, attitudes about policing that were once derided as radical have begun to gain traction with established politicians. City leaders are considering cutting as much as $150 million from the LAPD’s budget, and a number of elected officials have condemned law enforcement’s at times violent methods of shutting down protests spawned by Floyd’s killing.
California Times sues L.A. County sheriff over withholding records on deputy misconduct The Los Angeles Times has filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County, alleging that the Sheriff’s Department has repeatedly refused to turn over public records about deputies involved in misconduct or shootings.
Lacey still retains strong support among law enforcement unions and boasts a raft of endorsements from some of California’s most powerful politicians, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance). San Francisco Mayor London Breed also spurned Gascón and endorsed Lacey last year.
Close ties to law enforcement, however, could become an “albatross” for Lacey if energy around criminal justice reform remains high through November, said Jody Armour, a law professor at USC.
“Those kinds of endorsements are under scrutiny now, in a way they never have been before,” he said. “It used to be something prideful, to have police union endorsements. Now it may be stigmatized.”
During the March primary, nearly all of the $2.2 million in outside committee spending that benefited Lacey came from law enforcement unions. Lacey has often been criticized for her reliance on union donations, an implication that police are buying favorable treatment from her.
Gascón recently joined a number of prosecutors in calling on the State Bar of California to preclude elected officials from accepting financial support from law enforcement unions, calling it a conflict of interest. Lacey rejected the idea.
Dustin DeRollo, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said he believes any incumbent would naturally face an uphill battle in November during a time when calls for reform are popular. But he noted that a successful district attorney has to balance public safety with accountability, and argued Lacey is far more qualified to accomplish both.
“There’s really only one candidate on the ballot that’s going to be able to keep neighborhoods safe while also continuing good work on reform at the local level like dealing with mental health reforms, as Lacey has done,” he said.
Brian VanRiper, a political consultant who has worked on numerous Los Angeles City Council races, also warned that consistent messaging from police unions about issues of homelessness and property crime that plagued Gascón in the Bay Area could shift the focus to public safety.
“In their heart of hearts, most voters want to be safe,” VanRiper said.
Experts and consultants say the records of both Lacey and Gascón on accountability will be ripe for scrutiny after recent protests. Although both candidates filed dozens of cases against police officers for misconduct during their respective terms, charges against officers for on-duty killings were extremely rare.
Gascón declined to prosecute any officers for fatal uses of force in San Francisco, including the killing of Mario Woods, whose death garnered national attention. Lacey has also rarely brought charges in high-profile shootings, including one case when former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck asked her to prosecute. She did file manslaughter charges against a sheriff’s deputy in late 2018, however, and also recently decided to prosecute an LAPD officer caught on video beating an unarmed homeless man.
Asked about his record, Gascón has said he was hamstrung by state law that severely limited when an officer could be charged for using fatal force. An Assembly bill modifying that standard, which was signed into law last year, was supported by Gascón but not Lacey. Gascon has said he would have charged the officer who shot Woods under the new law.
“Her failure to take action and hold police accountable has been a subject of conversation for a long time here, namely by the Black community,” Gascón said. “I think what is happening now, after the Floyd case, is people who would not traditionally be paying attention to this issue, are.”
Lacey said the law change has not led to a rush of charges against officers and that Gascón was trying to take advantage of the movement to get himself elected.
“He keeps saying, ‘Hey, I woulda, coulda, shoulda,’ but he didn’t. I feel like he’s out there jumping in front of the Black Lives Matter parade, painting himself almost as their answer. Vote for me and I would have prosecuted some of these officers,” she said. “I think ... you kind of need to be incredibly naive to believe it.”
Gascón has leaned more heavily into the recent protest movements than Lacey. He urged Lacey and City Atty. Mike Feuer not to prosecute nonviolent demonstrators arrested for curfew violations, while criticizing the LAPD’s use of force to end demonstrations.
Lacey has also shown some deference to the movement. In addition to the proposed creation of the task force that would investigate police killings, Lacey said she would not prosecute anyone for dispersal order or curfew violations. She also ordered her office’s investigators to cease using carotid restraint holds.
Armour said that although both candidates have records that might not sit well with voters frustrated by police violence, Gascón is probably more appealing to a progressive electorate.
“You’re not gonna find many people with an immaculate record. So will the defund-the-police people ... say that George Gascón has enough daylight between him and Jackie Lacey that I can feel decent about supporting him, or even good about supporting him as the alternative?” Armour asked. “Gascón can make a plausible case for being that kind of candidate.”
If Gascón is to topple Lacey, he will probably need to capture many of the voters who supported Rossi, who also espoused a reform agenda during the primary. Voter data shows Lacey trounced Gascón by 15 to 20 percentage points in a number of demographics in March, including majority Black and Latino voting precincts and households earning less than $60,000.
But with Rossi’s voters, Gascón would gain a significant edge. Combined, Gascón and Rossi would have bested Lacey 56% to 43% among households earning less than $60,000 annually, and 54% to 45% among Latino voting precincts. Lacey would still hold a slight edge, 51% to 49%, among majority Black precincts. With the White House in play in November, a surge of progressive voters seeking to drive President Trump out office could also benefit Gascón.
Rossi said she has had discussions with Gascón’s campaign about a possible endorsement, though she’s still evaluating getting involved in the general election. No matter what she does, Rossi believes Floyd’s killing and the fallout that followed ripped open a wound that can’t be sewn shut by November.
“It feels different,” she said. “The population of the people involved in the protests seems different. It seems broader.”
Times staff writers Priya Krishnakumar and Dakota Smith contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-01--A third day of coronavirus surges in L.A. County brings alarm

There were new danger signs Tuesday that the novel coronavirus is spreading more rapidly through Los Angeles County as officials reported the third straight day of more than 2,100 additional confirmed cases .
Officials reported 45 more COVID-19-related deaths and 2,779 more cases .
Monday brought L.A. 's highest single-day tally , which pushed the county .
“ The L.A. County community needs to come together again to slow the spread of COVID-19 , and we need to act with haste and urgency , ” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement .
Orange County set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new confirmed coronavirus cases .
The county now has nearly 14,000 cases and 340 deaths .
Orange County reported 56 coronavirus-related deaths last week , its highest weekly death toll since the pandemic began .
California as a whole hit a grim milestone Tuesday when it exceeded 6,000 deaths .
That is still far fewer than other coronavirus hot spots such as New York and New Jersey , but the increase in overall case numbers and the stress on hospitals are raising alarms .
The enormous surge in cases , which now total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to order anyone traveling to his state from California — and 15 other states that have seen recent surges — to self-quarantine for 14 days .
New York has been among the hardest hit of all states , recording more than 31,000 deaths .
New Jersey follows with more than 15,000 deaths , Massachusetts has more than 8,000 , and Illinois , Pennsylvania and Michigan each have more than 6,000 , according to .
Health officials have attributed the rising numbers to a combination of factors : the further reopening of many businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases from private gatherings .
health officials now estimate that 1 in 140 people are unknowingly infected with the coronavirus , a massive increase since last week ’ s projection of 1 in 400 .
With that in mind , Dr. Christina Ghaly , the county ’ s health services director , said officials were preparing for a surge in hospitalizations and an “ increase in mortality ” in the coming weeks .
Officials had warned of the possibility of a surge in cases with a resurgence in activity , but they weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the jump occurred .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said he planned to announce new restrictions Wednesday , ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend .
“ We ’ ll be making some additional announcements on efforts to use that dimmer switch that we ’ ve referred to and begin to toggle back [ to ] our stay-at-home order and tighten things up , ” Newsom said .
“ The framework for us is this : If you ’ re not going to stay home and you ’ re not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enforce , and we will.
” Los Angeles and Ventura counties have announced beach closures for the holiday weekend , and L.A. has added fireworks displays to the list .
Meanwhile , bars across California — many of which only recently reopened — are being forced to again announce last call .
The taps will close Tuesday in Riverside County under a new health order .
“ People don ’ t social distance well after a couple drinks , and it ’ s one of the hardest environments to trace contacts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kaiser said in announcing the decision .
“ My hope is that this will be only temporary and further closures won ’ t be needed , but it all depends on what every one of us as a county do to slow more spread.
” The county had allowed bars to reopen June 12 .
But Riverside , like many areas of California and the , has surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks , forcing officials to slow down or walk back businesses that have been closed during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer dine-in services can still serve alcoholic drinks , but only as part of a meal , county officials said .
Riverside was one of eight counties that the state recently recommended issue local health orders closing bars .
The others were Contra Costa , Santa Clara , Sacramento , San Bernardino , Ventura , Santa Barbara and Stanislaus .
Others weren ’ t given the choice .
On Sunday , Newsom ordered seven counties — Los Angeles , Fresno , Kern , San Joaquin , Tulare , Kings and Imperial — to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sell alcoholic drinks without serving food at the same time .
In light of the state ’ s recommendation , Sacramento County has amended its public health order “ to take bars off of the list of allowable activities , ” officials said in a statement .
That revised order went into effect Monday .
Santa Barbara County has done the same .
The order there stipulates that brewpubs , breweries , bars and pubs should close starting Wednesday unless they also offer dine-in meals .
But wineries and tasting rooms can remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in anticipation of the holiday weekend , is a proactive measure to curb the spread of COVID-19 locally , ” said Dr. Henning Ansorg , the county ’ s health officer .
“ We have to keep each other safe during this time .
”

Signs and barricades let people know of the closures of the Strand and the beach in Hermosa Beach earlier this year. Such signs will be back up this weekend.
There were new danger signs Tuesday that the novel coronavirus is spreading more rapidly through Los Angeles County as officials reported the third straight day of more than 2,100 additional confirmed cases.
Officials reported 45 more COVID-19-related deaths and 2,779 more cases. Monday brought L.A.’s highest single-day tally, which pushed the county past 100,000 infections .
“The L.A. County community needs to come together again to slow the spread of COVID-19, and we need to act with haste and urgency,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement.
Orange County set its own daily record Tuesday with 779 new confirmed coronavirus cases. The county now has nearly 14,000 cases and 340 deaths.
Advertisement
California Newsom warns of more coronavirus restrictions and enforcement ahead of July 4 weekend Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered tougher restrictions on indoor activities for most of the state, marking a major step backward in the reopening and an attempt to slow an alarming rise of the coronavirus in 19 counties.
Orange County reported 56 coronavirus-related deaths last week, its highest weekly death toll since the pandemic began.
California as a whole hit a grim milestone Tuesday when it exceeded 6,000 deaths. That is still far fewer than other coronavirus hot spots such as New York and New Jersey, but the increase in overall case numbers and the stress on hospitals are raising alarms.
The enormous surge in cases, which now total more than 223,900 statewide, has prompted New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to order anyone traveling to his state from California — and 15 other states that have seen recent surges — to self-quarantine for 14 days.
New York has been among the hardest hit of all states, recording more than 31,000 deaths. New Jersey follows with more than 15,000 deaths, Massachusetts has more than 8,000, and Illinois, Pennsylvania and Michigan each have more than 6,000, according to Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus tracker .
Health officials have attributed the rising numbers to a combination of factors: the further reopening of many businesses, mass protests over the death of George Floyd and clusters of cases from private gatherings.
L.A. County health officials now estimate that 1 in 140 people are unknowingly infected with the coronavirus, a massive increase since last week’s projection of 1 in 400. With that in mind, Dr. Christina Ghaly, the county’s health services director, said officials were preparing for a surge in hospitalizations and an “increase in mortality” in the coming weeks.
Officials had warned of the possibility of a surge in cases with a resurgence in activity, but they weren’t prepared for the speed at which the jump occurred.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he planned to announce new restrictions Wednesday, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
“We’ll be making some additional announcements on efforts to use that dimmer switch that we’ve referred to and begin to toggle back [to] our stay-at-home order and tighten things up,” Newsom said. “The framework for us is this: If you’re not going to stay home and you’re not going to wear masks in public, we have to enforce, and we will.”
Los Angeles and Ventura counties have announced beach closures for the holiday weekend, and L.A. has added fireworks displays to the list.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, bars across California — many of which only recently reopened — are being forced to again announce last call.
The taps will close Tuesday in Riverside County under a new health order.
“People don’t social distance well after a couple drinks, and it’s one of the hardest environments to trace contacts in,” Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said in announcing the decision. “My hope is that this will be only temporary and further closures won’t be needed, but it all depends on what every one of us as a county do to slow more spread.”
The county had allowed bars to reopen June 12. But Riverside, like many areas of California and the country at large , has seen a worrying surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks, forcing officials to slow down or walk back plans to reopen businesses that have been closed during the pandemic.
Restaurants, breweries and pubs that offer dine-in services can still serve alcoholic drinks, but only as part of a meal, county officials said.
Riverside was one of eight counties that the state recently recommended issue local health orders closing bars. The others were Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Sacramento, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Stanislaus.
Others weren’t given the choice. On Sunday, Newsom ordered seven counties — Los Angeles, Fresno, Kern, San Joaquin, Tulare, Kings and Imperial — to close bars, breweries and pubs that sell alcoholic drinks without serving food at the same time.
In light of the state’s recommendation, Sacramento County has amended its public health order “to take bars off of the list of allowable activities,” officials said in a statement. That revised order went into effect Monday.
Santa Barbara County has done the same. The order there stipulates that brewpubs, breweries, bars and pubs should close starting Wednesday unless they also offer dine-in meals. But wineries and tasting rooms can remain open.
“This action, particularly in anticipation of the holiday weekend, is a proactive measure to curb the spread of COVID-19 locally,” said Dr. Henning Ansorg, the county’s health officer. “We have to keep each other safe during this time.”
Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-01--Column: On this California beach, snowy plovers and dune buggies are in a fight for survival

What I ’ m about to tell you is not fake news .
But you may need to read it twice to believe your eyes .
State Department of Parks and Recreation rangers have purposely destroyed the nests of threatened shorebirds here to clear an environmentally sensitive stretch of beach and dunes for off-road vehicle enthusiasts , who turn out by the thousands , including one group that calls itself the Jerk Pirates .
So you ’ re thinking maybe we ’ re not in California anymore , right ?
Wrong .
We are in San Luis Obispo County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a decades-long tradition of sand buggies carving up the magnificent dunes and RVs driving onto the glorious beach .
But as my mate Louis Sahagun reported two weeks ago , the war between off-roaders and environmentalists has escalated on California ’ s Central Coast , ever since the popular off-road site was shut down a few months ago because of COVID-19 with no date yet set for its reopening .
That was bad news for the Jerk Pirates but good news for snowy plovers , who expanded their nesting area when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they did until park rangers began big-footing Mother Nature .
California Coastal Commission officials flew into a frenzy and ordered state parks officials to stop brushing away plover nests , relocating birds , and installing stakes and flags to discourage breeding .
“ The Coastal Act protects sensitive habitats including beach areas that endangered species depend on for their survival , ” said Coastal Commission director Jack Ainsworth .
But the Coastal Commission bears some responsibility here too .
Back in 1982 , it was the commission that gave the parks department a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designated off-road vehicle park at Oceano Dunes .
The coastal agency has lived to regret that decision and wants to gradually phase out off-roading , but even as state and federal agencies are trying to work out an agreement , environmentalists and off-roaders are digging in deeper .
Last week , I was greeted by passionate , sign-waving conservationists when I arrived at the beach in Oceano on a sun-splashed , breezy day .
They pointed out the families lugging coolers , chairs and umbrellas down to the water ’ s edge and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a scene in normal times , because when off-roaders are allowed the beach becomes a dangerous highway , scaring off those interested in a mellower experience .
“ It ’ s like the Wild West , ” said Bonnie Ernst , despite claims to the contrary by off-roaders , who say theirs is a warm and friendly family-oriented tradition .
The enviros told me the vehicles and their drivers stay on the beach for days at a time , plowing through the surf and dunes well into the night and leaving mounds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality is so bad from churned-up sand and silica , they said , it ’ s a serious health hazard in the largely low-income agricultural areas near the shore .
Last year , according to news reports , six people died in off-roading accidents on the beach .
No wonder the plovers have been avoiding the area .
Former San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Evelyn Delaney handed me a copy of her recent testimony before the Coastal Commission , in which she offered her take on the situation .
“ The crowd that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bullies… .
They drive around in big pickups , flying Confederate flags , gunning their engines .
They don ’ t follow any rules .
They are daredevils in the dunes.
” So how could this be , here in a state that has made coastal conservation a civic duty and moral imperative ?
Some argue that the tradition , which began in Pismo Beach many decades ago , is immensely popular , drawing 2 million visitors a year , pumping tens of millions of dollars into the local economy and benefiting state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , excuse me , but we ’ re talking about a natural wonder , a treasure , and a fragile piece of a larger ecosystem that is under attack by human disruption and the current reckless dismantling of environmental protection at the federal level .
Every bird , every insect and every clam matters .
The temporary benefits of gas-powered playthings are not worth the lasting loss to the universe .
But it ’ s not just the parks department that doesn ’ t seem to get it .
Talk about having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t believe the comment in Sahagun ’ s story by a spokeswoman for the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service .
“ While we are excited to see plovers stretching their legs to build nests in new locations , ” she said , “ these new areas are unfavorable because they are designated for vehicular recreation when open to the public.
” With friends like that in the U.S. government , fish and wildlife need no enemies .
If those new areas are so “ unfavorable , ” why not just bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the nests ?
Or why not hand out shotguns and turn the dunes into a game hunting preserve ?
A small part of me , very small , says that in a state where the rich have cordoned off access to the beach and views of the beach , an off-road beach zone is one way to break that grip .
But park the rigs on the pavement , enjoy the beach by skimboard or boogie board , and let the dunes be sculpted by nature rather than by churning wheels .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrators for comment , they didn ’ t respond .
Instead , they handed me off to their boss , Mark Gold , executive director of the state ’ s Ocean Protection Council .
Gold ’ s credentials as a conservationist and marine biologist are unimpeachable , but he admitted he finds himself wedged into a tight spot on this issue , and said he had just gotten off the phone with 25 state and federal officials trying to figure out how to proceed .
Gold said messing with the plover nests “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , were just doing what they did naturally for hundreds if not thousands of years before humans got in the way .
The plover nesting season runs from March to September , Gold said , and the state is trying to protect nesting activity through that period .
And then what ?
That ’ s unclear , Gold said , and it ’ s complicated .
If an off-road vehicle park were proposed today , it would never happen , Gold said .
But the state hopes by the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that takes conflicting desires and goals into account .
And what might such a plan look like ?
“ It remains to be seen , ” Gold said .
Well good luck with that , because just as the environmentalists have drawn a line in the sand , so too have the off-roaders , who say they ’ ve made many concessions and seen their designated park area shrink over the years .
This quote from one of the off-roaders makes clear that compromise is not on the agenda : “ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Danny Hensley , 51 , who said he ’ s been off-roading on the beach since he was a mere lad .
He and his wife , Lea , live in Oceano and have a company that sells ropes used for hauling stuck vehicles out of the sand .
Danny said that ’ s where the name Jerk Pirates , a social group now 6,000 strong , came from .
Danny acknowledges that he has seen a few Confederate flags on the beach , but also Mexican flags , gay pride flags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You see every religion , every nationality , gay , straight , transgender — everybody , and everybody gets along , ” said Lea , who told me that if she had to pick between vacationing in Hawaii or Oceano , she ’ s going with the dunes .
She and her husband said the charges about trash , bad air quality and general mayhem on the beach are all lies , though others dispute that .
And they invited me to spend a few nights on the beach to see for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , if the off-roaders are ever allowed back .
Me , an honorary Jerk Pirate ?
I don ’ t quite get the thrill of it , nor would I look forward to digging sand out of every orifice .
But I accepted the invitation , and will let you know how that goes — if it goes .
I made it clear to the Hensleys , though , that I don ’ t think recreational vehicles should be allowed anywhere near an 1,100-mile coast that is one of the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the state if it doesn ’ t shut down the destruction derby for good .
In this fight , I ’ m for the birds .

During times when off-roading is allowed at the Oceano Dunes, south of Pismo Beach, the beach is crowded. When the area was closed because of COVID-19, snowy plovers started nesting there.
What I’m about to tell you is not fake news. But you may need to read it twice to believe your eyes.
State Department of Parks and Recreation rangers have purposely destroyed the nests of threatened shorebirds here to clear an environmentally sensitive stretch of beach and dunes for off-road vehicle enthusiasts, who turn out by the thousands, including one group that calls itself the Jerk Pirates.
So you’re thinking maybe we’re not in California anymore, right?
Advertisement
Wrong. We are in San Luis Obispo County, just south of Pismo Beach, home to a decades-long tradition of sand buggies carving up the magnificent dunes and RVs driving onto the glorious beach.
A western snowy plover, a bird whose numbers have shrunk from tens of thousands to fewer than a thousand in the last 50 years but can still be found at Oceano. (Jim Greaves / Associated Press)
But as my mate Louis Sahagun reported two weeks ago, the war between off-roaders and environmentalists has escalated on California’s Central Coast, ever since the popular off-road site was shut down a few months ago because of COVID-19 with no date yet set for its reopening.
That was bad news for the Jerk Pirates but good news for snowy plovers, who expanded their nesting area when the dune buggies left, or at least they did until park rangers began big-footing Mother Nature. California Coastal Commission officials flew into a frenzy and ordered state parks officials to stop brushing away plover nests, relocating birds, and installing stakes and flags to discourage breeding.
“The Coastal Act protects sensitive habitats including beach areas that endangered species depend on for their survival,” said Coastal Commission director Jack Ainsworth.
But the Coastal Commission bears some responsibility here too. Back in 1982, it was the commission that gave the parks department a permit to operate California’s only designated off-road vehicle park at Oceano Dunes. The coastal agency has lived to regret that decision and wants to gradually phase out off-roading, but even as state and federal agencies are trying to work out an agreement, environmentalists and off-roaders are digging in deeper .
Advertisement
Last week, I was greeted by passionate, sign-waving conservationists when I arrived at the beach in Oceano on a sun-splashed, breezy day. They pointed out the families lugging coolers, chairs and umbrellas down to the water’s edge and said you don’t see such a scene in normal times, because when off-roaders are allowed the beach becomes a dangerous highway, scaring off those interested in a mellower experience.
“It’s like the Wild West,” said Bonnie Ernst, despite claims to the contrary by off-roaders, who say theirs is a warm and friendly family-oriented tradition.
The enviros told me the vehicles and their drivers stay on the beach for days at a time, plowing through the surf and dunes well into the night and leaving mounds of trash and broken bottles behind.
Air quality is so bad from churned-up sand and silica, they said, it’s a serious health hazard in the largely low-income agricultural areas near the shore.
Last year, according to news reports, six people died in off-roading accidents on the beach.
No wonder the plovers have been avoiding the area.
Former San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Evelyn Delaney handed me a copy of her recent testimony before the Coastal Commission, in which she offered her take on the situation.
“The crowd that uses the dunes is a bunch of bullies…. They drive around in big pickups, flying Confederate flags, gunning their engines. They don’t follow any rules. They are daredevils in the dunes.”
So how could this be, here in a state that has made coastal conservation a civic duty and moral imperative?
Some argue that the tradition, which began in Pismo Beach many decades ago, is immensely popular, drawing 2 million visitors a year, pumping tens of millions of dollars into the local economy and benefiting state parks through fees for beach use.
Well, excuse me, but we’re talking about a natural wonder, a treasure, and a fragile piece of a larger ecosystem that is under attack by human disruption and the current reckless dismantling of environmental protection at the federal level.
Every bird, every insect and every clam matters. The temporary benefits of gas-powered playthings are not worth the lasting loss to the universe.
But it’s not just the parks department that doesn’t seem to get it. Talk about having to read something twice, I couldn’t believe the comment in Sahagun’s story by a spokeswoman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“While we are excited to see plovers stretching their legs to build nests in new locations,” she said, “these new areas are unfavorable because they are designated for vehicular recreation when open to the public.”
With friends like that in the U.S. government, fish and wildlife need no enemies. If those new areas are so “unfavorable,” why not just bring the off-roaders back and let them plow through the nests? Or why not hand out shotguns and turn the dunes into a game hunting preserve?
A small part of me, very small, says that in a state where the rich have cordoned off access to the beach and views of the beach, an off-road beach zone is one way to break that grip. But park the rigs on the pavement, enjoy the beach by skimboard or boogie board, and let the dunes be sculpted by nature rather than by churning wheels.
When I reached out to state parks administrators for comment, they didn’t respond. Instead, they handed me off to their boss, Mark Gold, executive director of the state’s Ocean Protection Council. Gold’s credentials as a conservationist and marine biologist are unimpeachable, but he admitted he finds himself wedged into a tight spot on this issue, and said he had just gotten off the phone with 25 state and federal officials trying to figure out how to proceed.
Gold said messing with the plover nests “should never have happened.” The birds, he said, were just doing what they did naturally for hundreds if not thousands of years before humans got in the way. The plover nesting season runs from March to September, Gold said, and the state is trying to protect nesting activity through that period.
And then what?
That’s unclear, Gold said, and it’s complicated. If an off-road vehicle park were proposed today, it would never happen, Gold said.
But the state hopes by the end of the year to have a plan that takes conflicting desires and goals into account. And what might such a plan look like?
“It remains to be seen,” Gold said.
Well good luck with that, because just as the environmentalists have drawn a line in the sand, so too have the off-roaders, who say they’ve made many concessions and seen their designated park area shrink over the years.
This quote from one of the off-roaders makes clear that compromise is not on the agenda: “We’re the endangered species here,” said Danny Hensley, 51, who said he’s been off-roading on the beach since he was a mere lad.
He and his wife, Lea, live in Oceano and have a company that sells ropes used for hauling stuck vehicles out of the sand. Danny said that’s where the name Jerk Pirates, a social group now 6,000 strong, came from.
Danny acknowledges that he has seen a few Confederate flags on the beach, but also Mexican flags, gay pride flags, and people of every sort.
“You see every religion, every nationality, gay, straight, transgender — everybody, and everybody gets along,” said Lea, who told me that if she had to pick between vacationing in Hawaii or Oceano, she’s going with the dunes.
She and her husband said the charges about trash, bad air quality and general mayhem on the beach are all lies, though others dispute that.
And they invited me to spend a few nights on the beach to see for myself what it’s like out there, if the off-roaders are ever allowed back.
Me, an honorary Jerk Pirate? I don’t quite get the thrill of it, nor would I look forward to digging sand out of every orifice. But I accepted the invitation, and will let you know how that goes — if it goes.
I made it clear to the Hensleys, though, that I don’t think recreational vehicles should be allowed anywhere near an 1,100-mile coast that is one of the world’s great marine habitats, and shame on the state if it doesn’t shut down the destruction derby for good.
In this fight, I’m for the birds.
steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-07-01--L.A. school board cuts school police budget by $25 million after student protests

The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday approved an immediate 35 % cut to its school police force , a reduction of $ 25 million , in response to weeks of protests by student activists and community groups who had called for the elimination of the department .
The board action also calls for officers to give up their uniforms and patrol off campus , and will lead to the layoffs of 65 officers in the 471-employee department .
The money saved will be allocated to fund staff to specifically serve the needs of Black students and a task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issue of student and campus safety .
“ L.A .
Unified has to continue to be a leader in showing what can happen when we believe in self-determination , when we empower communities to help this organization transform itself , ” said board member Monica Garcia .
The 4-3 vote was supported by Garcia , Jackie Goldberg , Nick Melvoin and Kelly Gonez .
Opposing the move were board President Richard Vladovic , George McKenna and Scott Schmerelson — all retired longtime school administrators who expressed concerns about safety risks .
Goldberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delugach , said Tuesday night that the resolution also would require officers to be unarmed and would prohibit the use of pepper spray .
However , those provisions were not in the resolution read aloud to the board .
The portion of Garcia ’ s language that was preserved said the money saved would go to “ support African American student achievement to the extent of the law.
” And until safety alternatives are worked out , all schools would have access “ to appropriate community support in the event of an emergency.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ added an amendment that would bar the school district from replacing the school police by contracting with the Los Angeles police , the county sheriff ’ s department or a private security force .
The vote to reduce the police force came at the end of a 13-hour meeting that started with public comments over the issue , which has roiled the school district since June 8 , when leaders of the teacher ’ s union joined with activists and called for the elimination of the police department .
Several student protests in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement calling for the “ defunding ” of police .
Local activists have long opposed the school police , but their effort gained momentum after the death in May of George Floyd in the custody of the Minneapolis police .
L.A. Unified joins several other school systems , including Oakland Unified , that have recently decided to move away from bringing armed officers onto campus , whether they are employed by the district or are part of a municipal police force .
The shape of the final resolution was a compromise between Garcia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Goldberg , who offered the smaller amount as an alternative and added the provisions about the uniforms and where the officers could be stationed .
Goldberg advanced her compromise after Garcia pressed the issue by bringing it back to the board one week after her earlier defunding effort failed .
Speakers against the school police dominated more than five hours of public comments ; there also were numerous and passionate defenders of the police .
“ There is nothing I can say to move the board that hasn ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said as she began her 11th-hour bid .
Board members then debated for hours , just as they had last week .
Goldberg praised the quality of the school police force but said that the students “ have made an impact on me.
” She added : “ I have been moved to tears since the death of Mr. Floyd.
” Vladovic said it would have made more sense to get parent and student input districtwide rather than to act immediately .
Both he and McKenna talked of violent episodes in their personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for police .
McKenna talked of officers establishing positive relationships with students , often serving as mentors .
In fact , all board members spoke of the district ’ s police force as a model agency and preferable to relying on the Los Angeles Police Department or the county sheriff ’ s department .
The groups pushing to eliminate the school police said they would have preferred Garcia ’ s original 50 % cuts but would continue fighting toward the goal of completely eliminating the department .
“ This decision is a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking to cut the school police department and fund Black futures , ” said student organizer and recent Venice High School graduate Mya Edwards .
“ The fight for real school safety has only just begun , ” said Black Lives Matter L.A. co-founder and L.A. Unified parent Melina Abdullah .
“ A powerful coalition has formed and will not stop until we rid police from schools and invest in visions of safety that are grounded in meeting student needs.
” “ We fundamentally believe that resources make our schools safe , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager of the Brothers , Sons , Selves Coalition .
Before the vote , school police Chief Todd Chamberlain told the board the cut would result in an immediate reduction of 65 officers and would limit officer presence at high schools to school hours Monday through Friday .
In addition , he said , 39 vacancies would not be filled , and there would be no overtime available to fill the gaps .
The department has a total of 472 employees , including 344 sworn officers , who are certified to carry weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , armed officer ; middle schools have an unarmed security aide ; and elementary schools rely on roving patrols for safety issues .
Groups of officers typically arrive quickly at a school when a serious security call is sent out .
Officers also would not be able to provide security for adult and night school , he added .
After-hours security would be virtually eliminated , making it difficult to deal with burglaries , vandalism and trespassing .
A detective who focused on sex-trafficking prevention would surrender those duties .
Perhaps the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the department ’ s intervention and prevention efforts would have to end .
Garcia responded that the task force could have the goal of resolving the issues raised by Chamberlain in different ways .
Vladovic said the cut , in effect , destroys the infrastructure of the police department .

L.A. school board member Monica Garcia succeeded Tuesday in her efforts to slash funding for school police as part of the budget for next year.
The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday approved an immediate 35% cut to its school police force, a reduction of $25 million, in response to weeks of protests by student activists and community groups who had called for the elimination of the department.
In the wake of the decision, the department’s police chief, Todd Chamberlain, who has been in the job less than a year, resigned from his post Wednesday, district spokeswoman Shannon Haber said.
The board action also calls for officers to give up their uniforms and patrol off campus, and will lead to the layoffs of 65 officers in the 471-employee department. The money saved from the cuts is to be allocated to fund staff to specifically serve the needs of Black students and a task force that will study ways to reimagine the issue of student and campus safety.
“L.A. Unified has to continue to be a leader in showing what can happen when we believe in self-determination, when we empower communities to help this organization transform itself,” said board member Monica Garcia.
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The 4-3 vote was supported by Garcia, Jackie Goldberg, Nick Melvoin and Kelly Gonez. Opposing the move were board President Richard Vladovic and members George McKenna and Scott Schmerelson — all retired longtime school administrators who expressed concerns about safety risks.
District officials could not provide an answer Wednesday afternoon as to whether officers would keep weapons, after Goldberg’s chief of staff said Tuesday night that officers would be unarmed and barred from using pepper spray.
“I’m sitting in a roll call and everyone is in uniform and everyone has their weapons,”school police union President Gil Gamez said Wednesday afternoon.
The portion of Garcia’s language that was preserved said the money saved would go to “support African American student achievement to the extent of the law.” And until safety alternatives are worked out, all schools would have access “to appropriate community support in the event of an emergency.”
Just before the vote, Garcia added an amendment that would bar the school district from replacing the school police by contracting with the Los Angeles Police Department, the county Sheriff’s Department or a private armed security force.
The vote to reduce the police force came at the end of a 13-hour meeting that started with public comments over the issue, which has roiled the school district since June 8, when leaders of the teachers union joined with activists and called for the elimination of the police department.
Several student protests in Los Angeles were part of a nationwide movement calling for the “defunding” of police. Local activists have long opposed the school police, but their effort gained momentum after the death in May of George Floyd in the custody of the Minneapolis police.
L.A. Unified joins several other school systems, including Oakland Unified, that have recently decided to move away from bringing armed officers onto campus, whether they are employed by the district or are part of a municipal police force.
Advertisement
The shape of the final resolution was a compromise between Garcia, who proposed a 50% reduction, and Goldberg, who offered the smaller amount as an alternative and added the provisions about the uniforms and where the officers could be stationed.
Goldberg advanced her compromise after Garcia pressed the issue by bringing it back to the board one week after her earlier defunding effort failed. Speakers against the school police dominated more than five hours of public comments; there also were numerous and impassioned defenders of the police.
“There is nothing I can say to move the board that hasn’t been said by passionate advocates,” Garcia said as she began her 11th-hour bid. Board members then debated for hours, just as they had last week.
Goldberg praised the quality of the school police force but said that the students “have made an impact on me.”
She added: “I have been moved to tears since the death of Mr. Floyd.”
× Nationwide, protesters and activists have been calling to “defund the police.” But what does it actually mean? And why are so many people calling for it to happen?
Vladovic said it would have made more sense to get parent and student input districtwide rather than to act immediately.
Both he and McKenna talked of violent episodes in their personal experience as principals that justified the need for police. McKenna talked of officers establishing positive relationships with students, often serving as mentors.
In fact, all board members spoke of the district’s police force as a model agency and preferable to relying on the LAPD or the Sheriff’s Department. Several L.A. School Police officers spoke passionately at the meeting about their own experiences and the need to maintain the department from the perspective they have as police officers and Black L.A. Unified parents themselves.
“That was a coordinated effort,”said Officer Travis Fenderson, who recently formed a Black police officers coalition. “There needs to be representation from ... behind the badge, that looks like the community.”
The groups pushing to eliminate the school police said they would have preferred Garcia’s original 50% cuts but would continue fighting toward the goal of eliminating the department.
“This decision is a huge step that the LAUSD School Board is taking to cut the school police department and fund Black futures,” said Students Deserve organizer and recent Venice High School graduate Mya Edwards.
“The fight for real school safety has only just begun,” said Black Lives Matter L.A. co-founder and L.A. Unified parent Melina Abdullah. “A powerful coalition has formed and will not stop until we rid police from schools and invest in visions of safety that are grounded in meeting student needs.”
Christian Wimberly, a youth advocate with the Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition, said that he attended Fairfax High School for two years, where school police were present, but that he felt safer as an 11th- and 12th-grader at CATCH Prep Charter High, where community members greeted students as they came and left campus, and mediated conflicts. There were no school police, he said. Now he hopes the $25 million in funding goes where it is meant to, quickly.
“A lot of people have made promises,” said Wimberly, 18. “That’s the only thing I hope, is that they’re going to be able to get the money to the people they say” will get it, such as counselors.
Before the vote, Chamberlain, the school police chief, told the board the cut would result in an immediate reduction of 65 officers and would limit officer presence at high schools to school hours Monday through Friday. In addition, he said, 39 vacancies would not be filled and there would be no overtime available to fill the gaps. The department has a total of 472 employees, including 344 sworn officers, who are certified to carry weapons.
High schools typically have one assigned, armed officer, middle schools have an unarmed security aide and elementary schools rely on roving patrols for safety issues. Groups of officers typically arrive quickly at a school when a serious security call is sent out.
Officers also would not be able to provide security for adult and night school, he added. After-hours security would be virtually eliminated, making it difficult to deal with burglaries, vandalism and trespassing. A detective who focused on sex-trafficking prevention would surrender those duties.
Perhaps the most compelling loss, Chamberlain said, is that the department’s intervention and prevention efforts would have to end.
Garcia responded that the task force could have the goal of resolving the issues raised by Chamberlain in different ways.
Vladovic said the cut, in effect, destroys the infrastructure of the police department.
L.A. Unified Supt. Austin Beutner said during the meeting that implementing a police cut of this size would take time and the board would need to provide more clarity on the intent of the amendment and the “letter and spirit of the directive.”
“If there is a belief that the staff can provide what exists now or differently in a span of weeks, I think that’s unrealistic,” Beutner said. “I will just share a little bit of my frustration that there wasn’t time to do the work that we as staff would like to do to properly inform this conversation.”


latimes--2020-07-01--At least 176 test positive for coronavirus at Ventura County farmworker housing complex

An outbreak of COVID-19 has left at least 176 residents and staff members infected at a farmworker housing facility in Ventura County .
Of the 216 tests administered to people affiliated with the facility , more than 80 % returned positive .
The infected residents — all men , mostly in their 20s and 30s — either have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic .
None have been hospitalized for COVID-19 , said Rigoberto Vargas , the Ventura County public health director .
The county had recorded a total of 2,926 confirmed cases as of Tuesday evening .
The outbreak at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Villa Las Brisas , which provides agriculture employers with temporary housing for their workers .
The complex ’ s dorm-style rooms each generally house up to nine people , Vargas said .
Residents can also congregate in a common eating area , recreation room or barbecue area .
But as concerns about the coronavirus rose , the housing facility implemented several preventive measures .
Total capacity was reduced from 441 residents to 205 , with four or five people in each room .
Meal hours were staggered to reduce numbers in the dining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to curtail the spread of the virus .
Its agricultural commissioner allotted 1 million masks to farming sites .
County officials sent fliers that described COVID-19 symptoms to farmworkers , and they wrote guidelines employers could follow to prevent spread .
Physicians visited farms to answer questions about the virus and to educate workers about preventive techniques .
For several months , the measures worked : Farmworkers accounted for an average of only 2 % of total positive cases , a county statement said .
But on June 17 , two residents at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Vargas was unsure how the men had caught it .
The housing complex took action : The two individuals were quarantined .
Community dining was replaced with catering .
Twenty-five residents who worked for the same contractor as the two COVID-positive men were also tested .
But then there were 12 new cases .
Soon , the 14 COVID-positive residents were moved to an off-site motel .
But within a week , more farmworkers from three independent contractors reported COVID-19 symptoms , said a statement from Alejandro Castilla , housing program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s when the county conducted “ the full , on-site testing of the entire 200 '' people , which yielded the high number of positive results , Vargas said .
Apart from the 14 residents who were moved to the motel , all other infected residents remain at the Villa Las Brisas housing complex .
Health workers attend to sick residents directly in their rooms .
All of the residents who tested negative for COVID-19 were provided alternative off-site housing .
The housing complex has implemented contact tracing , along with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding , “ To date , the county has not required any changes to our safety or hygiene protocols .
”

An outbreak of COVID-19 has left at least 176 residents and staff members infected at a farmworker housing facility in Ventura County. Of the 216 tests administered to people affiliated with the facility, more than 80% returned positive.
The infected residents — all men, mostly in their 20s and 30s — either have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. None have been hospitalized for COVID-19, said Rigoberto Vargas, the Ventura County public health director.
The county had recorded a total of 2,926 confirmed cases as of Tuesday evening.
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The outbreak at the farmworkers’ housing complex occurred at Villa Las Brisas, which provides agriculture employers with temporary housing for their workers. The complex’s dorm-style rooms each generally house up to nine people, Vargas said. Residents can also congregate in a common eating area, recreation room or barbecue area.
But as concerns about the coronavirus rose, the housing facility implemented several preventive measures. Total capacity was reduced from 441 residents to 205, with four or five people in each room. Meal hours were staggered to reduce numbers in the dining hall.
The county also took steps to curtail the spread of the virus. Its agricultural commissioner allotted 1 million masks to farming sites. County officials sent fliers that described COVID-19 symptoms to farmworkers, and they wrote guidelines employers could follow to prevent spread. Physicians visited farms to answer questions about the virus and to educate workers about preventive techniques.
For several months, the measures worked: Farmworkers accounted for an average of only 2% of total positive cases, a county statement said.
But on June 17, two residents at Villa Las Brisas tested positive for the coronavirus. Vargas was unsure how the men had caught it.
The housing complex took action: The two individuals were quarantined. Community dining was replaced with catering. Twenty-five residents who worked for the same contractor as the two COVID-positive men were also tested.
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But then there were 12 new cases.
Soon, the 14 COVID-positive residents were moved to an off-site motel. But within a week, more farmworkers from three independent contractors reported COVID-19 symptoms, said a statement from Alejandro Castilla, housing program manager at Villa Las Brisas.
“Our property manager immediately contacted Ventura County health officials,” he said.
That’s when the county conducted “the full, on-site testing of the entire 200” people, which yielded the high number of positive results, Vargas said.
Apart from the 14 residents who were moved to the motel, all other infected residents remain at the Villa Las Brisas housing complex. Health workers attend to sick residents directly in their rooms. All of the residents who tested negative for COVID-19 were provided alternative off-site housing.
The housing complex has implemented contact tracing, along with a review of health protocols, Castilla said, adding, “To date, the county has not required any changes to our safety or hygiene protocols.”


latimes--2020-07-01--Newsom warns of more coronavirus restrictions and enforcement ahead of July 4 weekend

More than six months after Mayor Eric Garcetti predicted that a new housing project for homeless people would open every @ @ @ @ @ been only one other opening to celebrate .
The coronavirus pandemic is one reason for @ @ @ @ @ one .

Lisa and Todd Smith of El Dorado Hills, Calif., in Huntington Beach on Wednesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered tougher restrictions on indoor activities for most of the state, marking a major step backward in the reopening and an attempt to slow an alarming rise of the coronavirus in 19 counties.
The governor took action to halt visits to indoor restaurants, bars, wineries and tasting rooms, entertainment centers, movie theaters, zoos, museums and card rooms for the next three weeks in Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino and Sacramento counties and other regions hit hard by the virus.
Jesus Segura, right, serves customers at the Original Pantry in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
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Pedro Armenta cleans menus at Du-par’s restaurant at the Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Jose Mlgar cuts a piece of pie for a customer at Du-par’s restaurant. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Martin Tario, who co-owns Du-par’s with his wife, Frances, covers up “dine in” on a sign at the restaurant. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Christopher Gonzalez, along with other employees at Guerrilla Taco, wears protective gear as the restaurant opens for dine-in service on Wednesday. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
A man jogs in downtown Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
George Vouzou works out at Venice Beach on Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Isiah Hilt gets air while doing tricks in Venice Beach on Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Venice Beach on Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
David Ruiz of Compton plays football a Venice Beach on Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
From left, Adan Gutierrez, Ramon Ayala, Vicente Fernandez and Chris Hernandez outside the Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Bob Thatcher, 74, in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Shoppers in Santee Alley in the Garment district in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
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Learning to surf in San Clemente on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Jaden Veal, 7, and his father, James Veal, of Hawthorne purchase fireworks. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
From left, Daniela Valenzuela, 4; mother Lorena, 38; sister Sofia, 6; sister Camila, 9; and father Cesar, 41, at the Santa Monica Pier on Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Bartender Christina Flintland serves drinks at Elvie’s Public House in Covina. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)