latimes--2020-03-30--Amid shades of Great Recession, day laborers struggle to find work during coronavirus

Gabriel Reyes was $ 600 short of his $ 1,800 monthly rent and April was around the corner .
The day laborer was so desperate for a job he created a cardboard sign that listed his welding skills and cellphone number .
“ I figure this way they know what I do since there ’ s so many of us out here , ” he said .
For a month , the husband and father of three had been soliciting work in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Paramount .
In his pockets , he carried little pieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to give to potential employers .
He couldn ’ t even calculate how many he had passed out .
“ I ’ ve only managed to earn $ 40 , ” Reyes said .
“ I don ’ t know if the landlord will give us a break.
” The economic fallout of the novel coronavirus has affected almost every major industry sector of the United States .
More than 3.3 million people in the country have filed first-time jobless benefit claims .
But if there ’ s a constant of economic crises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — especially black and Latino workers — tend to take the biggest hits .
In the hierarchy of labor in America , you don ’ t get much more tenuous than the humble day laborer , whose livelihood often depends on a barometer of economic optimism .
A vast majority of them are immigrants living in the country illegally or working without visas and work permits .
They don ’ t have access to paid sick days , health insurance or unemployment benefits .
Reyes worries about becoming infected .
But necessity sends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most workers don ’ t have money saved up and must pay bills and rent .
“ We can ’ t afford to stay home , ” he said .
“ We have to come out and look for a job.
” Pablo Alvarado , executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network , said that on any given day nearly 120,000 men and women are working as day laborers or are looking for day-labor jobs at more than 700 hiring sites in at least 22 states .
The sites include job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stations .
At least 125 of those sites are located in California , with 70 of them being day labor work centers ; 10 of those centers in Los Angeles County have closed because of coronavirus fears , Alvarado said .
The pandemic has presented an unusual challenge for the nonprofit organization , which spent the last few weeks trying to figure out whether to keep some of its centers open .
But with so few jobs and because some of the workers were within the high-risk age group , some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep the centers open or not will be determined by the number of jobs .
There ’ s still a few jobs left but I just don ’ t know for how long , ” Alvarado said .
The organization has begun raising money to launch the Immigrant Worker Safety Net Fund , a donation program that will provide financial support to day laborers , especially those who are 60 or older .
Alvarado said the group has managed to raise about $ 30,000 through small donations from the public .
One recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sat on chairs and metal benches next to a green oil pump jack in Signal Hill .
They made small talk under blue tarps .
Inside a small shack , three women sat together looking for housekeeping jobs .
Nearby , 60-year-old Jose Hernandez , the job coordinator , wore an orange vest as he kept an eye out for potential employers .
When the outbreak happened , there were still some jobs coming through .
There was hope .
Then , the skies opened up .
“ The rain stopped us from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But there ’ s also more jobs after everything grows.
” On this afternoon , seven workers managed to get jobs ; six the day before .
The coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of events many of the workers depend on for jobs .
The rains were tough , but there was another challenge : Some people were suddenly nervous about letting other people into their homes .
Since 2011 , Hernandez has been contracted by the city to manage the day labor job center located near a Home Depot .
But his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when he began volunteering with a nonprofit organization that ran it .
Not long afterward , the U.S. was hit by the Great Recession .
People lost their livelihoods and jobs dried up for day laborers .
“ Things were not so great then , ” Hernandez said .
Competition for jobs was so fierce that laborers would make mad dashes toward potential employers and sometimes got into fistfights .
But over the years , Hernandez said , a sense of relative calm descended .
He helped organize workers so they wouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minimum wage .
The fights ebbed .
Hernandez implemented a lottery system using a bingo cage and balls to ensure a level of fairness .
Each morning , day laborers who perform jobs such as demolition , construction or gardening received a ticket with a number .
When a job offer came , Hernandez used the bingo cage to roll the balls and randomly select a number .
The lucky winner got the job .
Workers with special skills such as electricians and plumbers got to toss a coin for jobs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are far from it , and with so few jobs Hernandez has to do things differently .
Every afternoon he removes the bingo balls from the cage and calls the numbers out to check which workers are still at the center .
Hernandez said there ’ s no telling what the next few months will be like , but he hopes work will start to pick up again .
He said the drop in jobs doesn ’ t compare to the 2008 recession , when he had about 115 men and women looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell how bad it could get , he said .
Alvarado said that even during the recession , there were some jobs .
But the coronavirus has created a crisis of maximum abruptness — like hitting a wall .
People are now contending not only with an economic downturn , but with a pandemic that could make them or their loved ones seriously ill — or kill them .
Alvarado said all this makes the day laborer ’ s future more uncertain than ever .
“ When you ’ re a day laborer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re going to get a job that day .
You don ’ t know if you ’ re going to be hired by an honest or unscrupulous employer , you don ’ t know if white supremacists will show up.
” he said .
“ This is every day , and now the coronavirus amplifies all these uncertainties to a level we ’ ve never seen before.
” In 2007 , Reyes put a $ 24,000 down payment on a home in Artesia .
The moment was blissful .
He had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a family .
His journey , which began in Hidalgo , Mexico , as a teenager , living in a laundry room for years until he could save money , had eventually paid off .
“ It was a gradual process , ” he said .
“ I was very happy.
” That happiness lasted a year .
The recession slammed into the country and the welding work Reyes had performed for a contractor dried up .
He lost his job and his home .
“ It ’ s a funny thing ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in life , then the next day you ’ re down here , ” he said .
As the economy improved so did life for Reyes and his family .
He rented a house in Bellflower and began welding for another contractor .
As the years moved on from the recession , things were good .
Then the coronavirus came .
Once again , the contractor he labored for stopped receiving work .
Reyes lost his job .
Again .
And so now he holds a sign , hoping someone will notice his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the entrance to the Home Depot , he once again worried about his family .
About his home .
About being evicted .
Even with the state issuing a ban on evictions , Reyes said , no law would stop the bills and rent from piling up .
He said he would pay his landlord whatever amount of money he managed to raise .
He hopes he can reason with the landlord .
“ I have to be optimistic , ” he said .
“ I try to think positively because if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that do me ?
”

Gabriel Reyes, 49, of Bellflower was laid off during the pandemic and is now trying to get work as a day laborer outside Paramount Home Depot.
Gabriel Reyes was $600 short of his $1,800 monthly rent and April was around the corner. The day laborer was so desperate for a job he created a cardboard sign that listed his welding skills and cellphone number.
“I figure this way they know what I do since there’s so many of us out here,” he said.
For a month, the husband and father of three had been soliciting work in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Paramount. In his pockets, he carried little pieces of paper with his name and number to give to potential employers. He couldn’t even calculate how many he had passed out.
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“I’ve only managed to earn $40,” Reyes said. “I don’t know if the landlord will give us a break.”
The economic fallout of the novel coronavirus has affected almost every major industry sector of the United States. More than 3.3 million people in the country have filed first-time jobless benefit claims.
But if there’s a constant of economic crises, it’s that low-wage earners — especially black and Latino workers — tend to take the biggest hits. In the hierarchy of labor in America, you don’t get much more tenuous than the humble day laborer, whose livelihood often depends on a barometer of economic optimism.
A vast majority of them are immigrants living in the country illegally or working without visas and work permits. They don’t have access to paid sick days, health insurance or unemployment benefits.
Reyes worries about becoming infected. But necessity sends him out to look for work. Most workers don’t have money saved up and must pay bills and rent.
“We can’t afford to stay home,” he said. “We have to come out and look for a job.”
Sandra Lopez, assistant jobs coordinator for a group helping the day laborers, calls out numbers of day laborers still waiting for work at a Home Depot parking lot. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, said that on any given day nearly 120,000 men and women are working as day laborers or are looking for day-labor jobs at more than 700 hiring sites in at least 22 states. The sites include job centers, home improvement stores and gas stations. At least 125 of those sites are located in California, with 70 of them being day labor work centers; 10 of those centers in Los Angeles County have closed because of coronavirus fears, Alvarado said.
The pandemic has presented an unusual challenge for the nonprofit organization, which spent the last few weeks trying to figure out whether to keep some of its centers open. But with so few jobs and because some of the workers were within the high-risk age group, some of the centers closed.
“Whether we should keep the centers open or not will be determined by the number of jobs. There’s still a few jobs left but I just don’t know for how long,” Alvarado said.
The organization has begun raising money to launch the Immigrant Worker Safety Net Fund, a donation program that will provide financial support to day laborers, especially those who are 60 or older. Alvarado said the group has managed to raise about $30,000 through small donations from the public.
Jose Garcia, 63, of Long Beach waits in the parking lot of a Home Depot for work as a day laborer. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
One recent afternoon, more than a dozen men sat on chairs and metal benches next to a green oil pump jack in Signal Hill. They made small talk under blue tarps. Inside a small shack, three women sat together looking for housekeeping jobs. Nearby, 60-year-old Jose Hernandez, the job coordinator, wore an orange vest as he kept an eye out for potential employers. When the outbreak happened, there were still some jobs coming through. There was hope.
Then, the skies opened up.
“The rain stopped us from working,” he said. “But there’s also more jobs after everything grows.”
On this afternoon, seven workers managed to get jobs; six the day before. The coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of events many of the workers depend on for jobs. The rains were tough, but there was another challenge: Some people were suddenly nervous about letting other people into their homes.
Since 2011, Hernandez has been contracted by the city to manage the day labor job center located near a Home Depot. But his time at the center dates to 2007, when he began volunteering with a nonprofit organization that ran it. Not long afterward, the U.S. was hit by the Great Recession. People lost their livelihoods and jobs dried up for day laborers.
“Things were not so great then,” Hernandez said.
Competition for jobs was so fierce that laborers would make mad dashes toward potential employers and sometimes got into fistfights. But over the years, Hernandez said, a sense of relative calm descended. He helped organize workers so they wouldn’t agree to take jobs below the minimum wage. The fights ebbed. Hernandez implemented a lottery system using a bingo cage and balls to ensure a level of fairness.
Jose Hernandez, jobs coordinator for the day laborers, waits in the Home Depot parking lot for work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Each morning, day laborers who perform jobs such as demolition, construction or gardening received a ticket with a number. When a job offer came, Hernandez used the bingo cage to roll the balls and randomly select a number. The lucky winner got the job. Workers with special skills such as electricians and plumbers got to toss a coin for jobs.
That was in normal times. These are far from it, and with so few jobs Hernandez has to do things differently.
Every afternoon he removes the bingo balls from the cage and calls the numbers out to check which workers are still at the center.
Hernandez said there’s no telling what the next few months will be like, but he hopes work will start to pick up again. He said the drop in jobs doesn’t compare to the 2008 recession, when he had about 115 men and women looking for work. But only time will tell how bad it could get, he said.
Alvarado said that even during the recession, there were some jobs. But the coronavirus has created a crisis of maximum abruptness — like hitting a wall. People are now contending not only with an economic downturn, but with a pandemic that could make them or their loved ones seriously ill — or kill them. Alvarado said all this makes the day laborer’s future more uncertain than ever.
“When you’re a day laborer, you don’t know if you’re going to get a job that day. You don’t know if you’re going to be hired by an honest or unscrupulous employer, you don’t know if white supremacists will show up.” he said. “This is every day, and now the coronavirus amplifies all these uncertainties to a level we’ve never seen before.”
In 2007, Reyes put a $24,000 down payment on a home in Artesia. The moment was blissful. He had a home in the United States and a family. His journey, which began in Hidalgo, Mexico, as a teenager, living in a laundry room for years until he could save money, had eventually paid off.
“It was a gradual process,” he said. “I was very happy.”
That happiness lasted a year. The recession slammed into the country and the welding work Reyes had performed for a contractor dried up. He lost his job and his home.
“It’s a funny thing; one moment you’re up here in life, then the next day you’re down here,” he said.
As the economy improved so did life for Reyes and his family. He rented a house in Bellflower and began welding for another contractor. As the years moved on from the recession, things were good.
Then the coronavirus came. Once again, the contractor he labored for stopped receiving work. Reyes lost his job. Again.
And so now he holds a sign, hoping someone will notice his plea for work. As he stood near the entrance to the Home Depot, he once again worried about his family. About his home. About being evicted. Even with the state issuing a ban on evictions, Reyes said, no law would stop the bills and rent from piling up.
He said he would pay his landlord whatever amount of money he managed to raise. He hopes he can reason with the landlord.
“I have to be optimistic,” he said. “I try to think positively because if I get depressed, what good will that do me?”


latimes--2020-03-30--L.A. jail inmates say lack of soap and toilet paper heightens coronavirus fear: 'Like slow torture'

The thin bar of soap Joseph Clarino said he and other inmates get at Los Angeles County ’ s Men ’ s Central Jail is supposed to last three days .
Clarino said he ’ s lucky if it ’ s enough for one shower — maybe two if cut in half — and that the shortage extends to other supplies .
Some inmates , he said , recently used torn bedsheets when toilet paper ran out .
Across the street at Twin Towers Correctional Facility , Richmond Davis said fellow inmates were cleaning with the same mop they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overflowed with sewage .
As concerns over the novel coronavirus grow , conditions inside the nation ’ s largest jail system have raised alarms among civil rights advocates and inmates , who say social distancing is impossible when more than 100 people are crowded into a dorm and some bunks are three feet apart .
Inmates , they said , may go days without the cleaning supplies needed to keep themselves safe .
“ This is worse than a cruise ship , ” Kristopher Howard , an inmate who has been in jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said in a phone interview from Twin Towers .
“ Everybody ’ s on top of each other .
… I ’ m scared .
I ’ m scared for what could happen.
” There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , inside the sprawling L.A. County jails , which typically house about 17,000 people .
But cases have emerged at lockups elsewhere .
Men ’ s Central recently dealt with an outbreak of mumps in some of its dorms that infected 47 inmates and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff , underscoring how rapidly infections can spread behind bars and contribute to overwhelming the medical system .
COVID-19 outbreaks at Rikers Island and other jails in New York City infected more than 230 prisoners and staff .
In California , inmates have also tested positive in Orange County and in state prisons .
Robert L. Cohen , a physician who is a member of the NYC Board of Correction , said the New York outbreak was exacerbated by a 10-day delay in releasing people early .
Over the last four days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 400 inmates , down to 4,900 , he said , offering a cautionary tale to jail and prison leaders across the nation .
“ Wasting time is going to waste lives , and no one should die in jail who doesn ’ t have to , ” Cohen said .
As of late Friday , 44 L.A. County jail inmates had been isolated and tested because they showed flu-like symptoms or had a fever .
Of those , 35 tested negative .
In the meantime , hundreds of inmates housed in units with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , part of an effort to prevent a potential outbreak .
Some said it ’ s only a matter of time .
“ I ’ m anticipating at some point I will get a positive result — and then we have a plan for that , ” said Jackie Clark , the county ’ s correctional health director .
The Sheriff ’ s Department did not respond to questions about how many personnel , if any , have tested positive for the virus .
The Assn .
for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members has tested positive , and it expects that number to grow .
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said last week that cleaning crews have “ doubled up on all the cleaning protocols ” and that an ongoing education campaign is provided in English and Spanish .
“ All of the high-traffic areas and surfaces are constantly being sanitized .
We have a lot of inmate crews , and they have all the protective gear necessary , and they are scrubbing everywhere they can.
” He said every inmate has access to soap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in every single cell , ” but some inmates suffering from mental illness may not want to adhere to hygiene standards .
Villanueva ’ s remarks were at odds with what some inmates told The Times in telephone interviews last week .
Benedek Virag , who was moved from state prison to county jail last fall , said there ’ s no regular delivery of soap or cleaning supplies .
“ Sometimes we get it ; sometimes we don ’ t , ” he said from Twin Towers .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 38 , and Howard , his bunkmate , said they first learned of COVID-19 from news accounts .
But they said regular newspaper deliveries ended around the time the virus paralyzed life in the U.S. , and since then deputies have blocked television news broadcasts .
“ We ask almost every day to watch the news , and they never let us , ” Howard , 35 , said .
“ We want to see what ’ s going on.
” “ I feel like I ’ m gon na die in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Howard said , inmates are shown a video in which a doctor advises them not to touch , hug or kiss , and to wash their hands .
“ Even on a non-virus day , there ’ s a danger to being in the jail .
And now you ’ re adding the virus in it too ?
” Virag said .
The Sheriff ’ s Department has taken steps in recent weeks to reduce the jail population , releasing 1,700 inmates .
As of Friday , there were fewer than 14,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey moved last week to release hundreds more pretrial detainees accused of nonviolent crimes .
Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Kathryn Barger , meanwhile , ordered public health officials to examine conditions in the lockups to identify “ all necessary and appropriate measures ” to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among inmates and staff .
“ The point is that you don ’ t want disease incubating in the county jail system , and we have an obligation to make sure that that isn ’ t the case , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the jail assessment .
He called reports of inadequate cleaning supplies “ unacceptable.
” Ron Kaye , a Pasadena attorney who has sued the Sheriff ’ s Department and other law enforcement agencies over conditions in jails , said L.A. County jails are notorious for low hygiene standards and unhealthy conditions .
“ They are essentially sitting ducks , ” Kaye said of inmates .
“ This is not meant to be a death sentence.
” “ If the virus erupts in custody , it ’ s going to spread like wildfire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Central Jail , Steve Kaplan and other inmates said the 9300 dorm — home to 100 or so people — was locked down for more than a week after two people fell ill. No inmates were allowed in or out , which meant no court and no attorney visits .
During that time , inmates said , deputies began wearing masks and gloves , but some medical requests were ignored .
Kaplan , 58 , said he has severe asthma and made more than a dozen requests for an inhaler .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was given an inhaler on March 4 and again on March 25 after he indicated he had lost it .
Kaplan , who has been in jail on a probation violation since December , when he was arrested on suspicion of trespassing in the lobby of a downtown L.A. hotel , said sleeping is difficult .
He said he contends with almost always being cold , with the dorm maintained at about 60 degrees .
“ It ’ s like slow torture , keeping us in these conditions , ” Kaplan said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m traumatized for 22 hours a day.
” He is scheduled to be released in late May .
Clarino , 30 , said that the dorm ’ s mop head is broken , there ’ s no squeegee to clean the restrooms , and only two of six phones work , but there ’ s nothing with which to wipe them down .
The body odor is so strong that deputies will joke , “ Man , it really stinks in that dorm ; thank God for the masks , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmates as the 9300 dorm ’ s “ house mouse ” to liaise with deputies .
When inmates asked for masks , he said , deputies told them to buy them online .
“ They almost treat it like everyone in here has the plague , ” Clarino said .
Clarino said he and others are considering standing six feet apart , instead of sitting on their bunks , when deputies come by for head counts , in an act of protest to prove how difficult it is to practice social distancing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said he also struggles with keeping distance in his pod of 44 people and worries because he has a history of asthma and respiratory infection .
He and other inmates typically dilute any cleaning solutions with water to make them last longer .
While Davis was on the phone with a reporter , two 24-ounce bottles of cleaning solution appeared in his pod , he said .
“ They must be listening , ” he said .

Some L.A. County jail inmates said they don’t have adequate cleaning supplies to keep themselves safe.
The thin bar of soap Joseph Clarino said he and other inmates get at Los Angeles County’s Men’s Central Jail is supposed to last three days. Clarino said he’s lucky if it’s enough for one shower — maybe two if cut in half — and that the shortage extends to other supplies. Some inmates, he said, recently used torn bedsheets when toilet paper ran out.
Across the street at Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Richmond Davis said fellow inmates were cleaning with the same mop they’d used days earlier when a toilet overflowed with sewage.
As concerns over the novel coronavirus grow, conditions inside the nation’s largest jail system have raised alarms among civil rights advocates and inmates, who say social distancing is impossible when more than 100 people are crowded into a dorm and some bunks are three feet apart. Inmates, they said, may go days without the cleaning supplies needed to keep themselves safe.
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“This is worse than a cruise ship,” Kristopher Howard, an inmate who has been in jail for almost a year and a half, said in a phone interview from Twin Towers. “Everybody’s on top of each other. … I’m scared. I’m scared for what could happen.”
The Men’s Central Jail. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, inside the sprawling L.A. County jails, which typically house about 17,000 people. But cases have emerged at lockups elsewhere. Men’s Central recently dealt with an outbreak of mumps in some of its dorms that infected 47 inmates and led to vaccinations of 4,500 inmates and staff, underscoring how rapidly infections can spread behind bars and contribute to overwhelming the medical system.
COVID-19 outbreaks at Rikers Island and other jails in New York City infected more than 230 prisoners and staff. In California, inmates have also tested positive in Orange County and in state prisons.
Robert L. Cohen, a physician who is a member of the NYC Board of Correction, said the New York outbreak was exacerbated by a 10-day delay in releasing people early. Over the last four days, authorities have cut the jail population by 400 inmates, down to 4,900, he said, offering a cautionary tale to jail and prison leaders across the nation.
“Wasting time is going to waste lives, and no one should die in jail who doesn’t have to,” Cohen said.
As of late Friday, 44 L.A. County jail inmates had been isolated and tested because they showed flu-like symptoms or had a fever. Of those, 35 tested negative. In the meantime, hundreds of inmates housed in units with those awaiting test results are also quarantined, part of an effort to prevent a potential outbreak.
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Some said it’s only a matter of time.
“I’m anticipating at some point I will get a positive result — and then we have a plan for that,” said Jackie Clark, the county’s correctional health director.
The Sheriff’s Department did not respond to questions about how many personnel, if any, have tested positive for the virus. The Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs said Saturday that at least one of its members has tested positive, and it expects that number to grow.
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva briefs the media at the Hall of Justice about safety precautions the department is taking regarding COVID-19. (Nick Agro / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said last week that cleaning crews have “doubled up on all the cleaning protocols” and that an ongoing education campaign is provided in English and Spanish.
“All of the high-traffic areas and surfaces are constantly being sanitized. We have a lot of inmate crews, and they have all the protective gear necessary, and they are scrubbing everywhere they can.”
He said every inmate has access to soap and running water “at all times, in every single cell,” but some inmates suffering from mental illness may not want to adhere to hygiene standards.
Villanueva’s remarks were at odds with what some inmates told The Times in telephone interviews last week.
Benedek Virag, who was moved from state prison to county jail last fall, said there’s no regular delivery of soap or cleaning supplies.
“Sometimes we get it; sometimes we don’t,” he said from Twin Towers. “It’s a crapshoot with that.”
Virag, 38, and Howard, his bunkmate, said they first learned of COVID-19 from news accounts. But they said regular newspaper deliveries ended around the time the virus paralyzed life in the U.S., and since then deputies have blocked television news broadcasts.
“We ask almost every day to watch the news, and they never let us,” Howard, 35, said. “We want to see what’s going on.”
“I feel like I’m gonna die in here,” he said.
Instead, Howard said, inmates are shown a video in which a doctor advises them not to touch, hug or kiss, and to wash their hands.
“Even on a non-virus day, there’s a danger to being in the jail. And now you’re adding the virus in it too?” Virag said.
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger signed an executive order that clears the way for the Sheriff’s Department to release more inmates from Men’s Central Jail, shown. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
The Sheriff’s Department has taken steps in recent weeks to reduce the jail population, releasing 1,700 inmates. As of Friday, there were fewer than 14,500 inmates in custody.
L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey moved last week to release hundreds more pretrial detainees accused of nonviolent crimes. Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Kathryn Barger, meanwhile, ordered public health officials to examine conditions in the lockups to identify “all necessary and appropriate measures” to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among inmates and staff.
“The point is that you don’t want disease incubating in the county jail system, and we have an obligation to make sure that that isn’t the case,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who requested the jail assessment. He called reports of inadequate cleaning supplies “unacceptable.”
Ron Kaye, a Pasadena attorney who has sued the Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies over conditions in jails, said L.A. County jails are notorious for low hygiene standards and unhealthy conditions.
“They are essentially sitting ducks,” Kaye said of inmates. “This is not meant to be a death sentence.”
“If the virus erupts in custody, it’s going to spread like wildfire,” he added.
At the Men’s Central Jail, Steve Kaplan and other inmates said the 9300 dorm — home to 100 or so people — was locked down for more than a week after two people fell ill. No inmates were allowed in or out, which meant no court and no attorney visits. During that time, inmates said, deputies began wearing masks and gloves, but some medical requests were ignored.
Kaplan, 58, said he has severe asthma and made more than a dozen requests for an inhaler. The Sheriff’s Department said Kaplan was given an inhaler on March 4 and again on March 25 after he indicated he had lost it.
Kaplan, who has been in jail on a probation violation since December, when he was arrested on suspicion of trespassing in the lobby of a downtown L.A. hotel, said sleeping is difficult. He said he contends with almost always being cold, with the dorm maintained at about 60 degrees.
“It’s like slow torture, keeping us in these conditions,” Kaplan said. “It’s horrible. … I’m traumatized for 22 hours a day.”
He is scheduled to be released in late May.
Clarino, 30, said that the dorm’s mop head is broken, there’s no squeegee to clean the restrooms, and only two of six phones work, but there’s nothing with which to wipe them down.
The body odor is so strong that deputies will joke, “Man, it really stinks in that dorm; thank God for the masks,” said Clarino, who was elected by inmates as the 9300 dorm’s “house mouse” to liaise with deputies. When inmates asked for masks, he said, deputies told them to buy them online.
“They almost treat it like everyone in here has the plague,” Clarino said.
Clarino said he and others are considering standing six feet apart, instead of sitting on their bunks, when deputies come by for head counts, in an act of protest to prove how difficult it is to practice social distancing.
At Twin Towers, Davis, 56, said he also struggles with keeping distance in his pod of 44 people and worries because he has a history of asthma and respiratory infection. He and other inmates typically dilute any cleaning solutions with water to make them last longer.
While Davis was on the phone with a reporter, two 24-ounce bottles of cleaning solution appeared in his pod, he said.
“They must be listening,” he said.


latimes--2020-03-30--California pot dispensaries are open during coronavirus crisis. Some want them closed

In designating California ’ s marijuana industry as essential under the state ’ s COVID-19 stay-at-home order , the administration of Gov .
Gavin Newsom has argued that the health benefits of keeping pot shops open outweigh the risks — even as opponents of the policy call it reckless .
Critics say it doesn ’ t make sense to allow people to congregate at cannabis stores , increasing the chance of infection , so they can buy products that are smoked at a time when the virus is attacking respiratory systems .
Other states have restricted sales to those for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit cannabis store crowds at a time when residents are being told to stay in their homes and practice social distancing .
But in his March 19 statewide order shuttering most businesses and directing residents to remain at home , Newsom exempted those deemed by the state public health officer to be “ Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers , ” who “ protect health and well-being of all Californians.
” In accordance with Newsom ’ s order , the health officer issued a list of essential employees who can stay on the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices , power plants , hospitals , pharmacies and cannabis retailers .
Newsom was the leading proponent of Proposition 64 , the 2016 ballot measure that legalized the sale of cannabis for recreational use in California .
His administration is making the same argument he made four years ago as lieutenant governor in supporting the recommendation of the state health officer to keep marijuana stores open .
“ Access to legal , regulated and safe cannabis is essential , especially for California residents who rely on cannabis as their medicine , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior advisor on cannabis .
Opponents of Proposition 64 , including Kevin Sabet , head of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana , said there are health risks in smoking cannabis , while pills and other medicines made from cannabis are available elsewhere for medical patients .
“ Given the choice of marijuana-based FDA drugs available at pharmacies , deeming pot shops ‘ essential ’ makes no more sense than allowing tobacco stores , ” Sabet said .
The state ’ s decision to allow stores to stay open was a welcome reprieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has been struggling to compete with the black market .
Licensed growers and sellers say they have been hurt by high taxes , strict regulation and the refusal of most cities in the state to allow pot shops .
The state has 1,100 licensed retail stores and home delivery firms and many have seen a surge in sales since the COVID-19 outbreak began .
During the nine-day period ending March 21 , average daily sales were up 40 % compared to the first two and a half months of the year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that tracks cannabis transactions .
Home deliveries are also up significantly .
The rush of buyers ranges from “ people with chronic medical needs including pain , to people who just need to relax in a time of great anxiety , ” said Roy Bingham , co-founder and CEO of the company .
He said his firm found that uncertainty over the future availability of cannabis also had people buying 25 % more than they typically do to stock up .
Anxiety over future access to cannabis has been spurred by reports of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has banned sales for recreational use , limiting stores to providing medical marijuana , while Nevada is only allowing deliveries , barring in-person sales .
Michigan sales must be done curbside or by delivery .
California ’ s order leaves room for cities and counties to adopt tougher standards that could require the closure of pot shops , some in the industry worry .
Advocacy groups including the Cannabis Consumer Policy Council are urging other cities and counties to follow the lead of Los Angeles , San Francisco , Oakland , Berkeley and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pot shops open .
“ This is not the time to put patients or consumers at risk , ” said Nate Bradley , executive director of the policy council that comprises cannabis advocates , veterans , labor leaders and business owners .
“ The pandemic increases symptoms of anxiety and PTSD in our veteran population and many patients have suppressed immune systems , ” Bradley added .
“ Forcing them into the illicit market only further puts them at risk and further burdens public safety resources.
” Assemblyman Rob Bonta ( D-Alameda ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales increase , others are struggling .
One retailer in his district decided to temporarily shut its doors to protect workers and customers with immunodeficiency issues , Bonta said .
“ They don ’ t want to risk exposure , ” he said .
The state Bureau of Cannabis Control said retailers that continue to stay open “ must adopt social distancing and anti-congregating measures , ” and are required to comply with the Center for Disease Control guidelines for cleaning and disinfection of public areas .
In response , many stores , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are offering curbside service , allowing people to order cannabis online and text the business when they arrive to have the product brought out to their car .
“ I ’ m trying to limit the amount of personal interaction of my employees with any member of the public , ” said Jerred Kiloh , owner of the store .
He had to get special permission from the state bureau to waive the requirement that stores conduct sales transactions in a secure indoor area .
On one recent day , Kiloh said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose drivers were provided with cannabis products they had ordered , in addition to customers who went inside the store for their orders .
Still , the potential for transmission of the virus between customers and employees at pot shops is cited by some who say the state is making a mistake in allowing pot shops to remain open when bars and nightclubs have been ordered shut .
“ Allowing workers to congregate to distribute this damaging and dangerous drug in the presence of this pandemic can not be justified in the least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southern California resident who is vice president of Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana , noting that people face special risk from COVID-19 if their immune systems are impaired or they have lung or respiratory problems .
Dale Gieringer , director of the legalization group CAL NORML , called Chipman ’ s claims “ unsubstantiated by a group that likes to blame marijuana for everything.
” Gieringer , who has written on cannabis health issues , said studies have shown chronic cannabis smoking , like all smoking , can raise the risk of respiratory infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ susceptibility .
But he said that is not true of edible cannabis .
“ On the other hand , it could be argued that cannabis has demonstrated beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in treating auto-immune diseases like [ multiple sclerosis ] , rheumatoid arthritis , endometriosis , etc.
, in which the body is damaged by its own immune response , ” Gieringer said .
While more medical research is needed on the health impacts of cannabis , some studies have raised concerns about cannabis use negatively impacting the immune system , said Dr. Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the university ’ s Pulmonary Function Laboratories .
Tashkin co-authored a 2014 study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology that found habitual smoking of marijuana has “ a number of effects on the respiratory and immune systems.
” They include “ an increased prevalence of acute and chronic bronchitis ” and “ striking endoscopic findings of airway injury ( erythema , edema , and increased secretions ) .
” Those who use cannabis products for non-medicinal reasons should avoid doing so during the COVID-19 outbreak , he said .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advise them to stop smoking cannabis , ” Tashkin said .
“ Smoking anything increases risk.
” Chipman said he believes the state ’ s designation of cannabis as an essential industry can be attributed to the industry ’ s political clout in the state Capitol , noting that Newsom has a political stake in seeing the legal market succeed because he led the campaign for Proposition 64 .
“ Gavin Newsom has had blinders on related to marijuana and its impacts on public health and safety for years , ” Chipman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido , are siding with the governor on the decision to keep cannabis stores operating during the pandemic .
“ I agree with the state ’ s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 thus far , ” Waldron said , “ But I think it ’ s also important to keep open as many businesses as possible , as long as that doesn ’ t interfere with virus mitigation and employees and customers are protected .
”

Cannabis retailers, deemed essential by the state, have been allowed to stay open during California’s COVID-19 lockdown.
In designating California’s marijuana industry as essential under the state’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order, the administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom has argued that the health benefits of keeping pot shops open outweigh the risks — even as opponents of the policy call it reckless.
Critics say it doesn’t make sense to allow people to congregate at cannabis stores, increasing the chance of infection, so they can buy products that are smoked at a time when the virus is attacking respiratory systems.
Other states have restricted sales to those for medical needs or to deliveries, seeking to limit cannabis store crowds at a time when residents are being told to stay in their homes and practice social distancing.
Advertisement
But in his March 19 statewide order shuttering most businesses and directing residents to remain at home, Newsom exempted those deemed by the state public health officer to be “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers,” who “protect health and well-being of all Californians.”
In accordance with Newsom’s order, the health officer issued a list of essential employees who can stay on the job including those in grocery stores, welfare offices, power plants, hospitals, pharmacies and cannabis retailers.
Newsom was the leading proponent of Proposition 64, the 2016 ballot measure that legalized the sale of cannabis for recreational use in California. His administration is making the same argument he made four years ago as lieutenant governor in supporting the recommendation of the state health officer to keep marijuana stores open.
“Access to legal, regulated and safe cannabis is essential, especially for California residents who rely on cannabis as their medicine,” said Nicole Elliott, the governor’s senior advisor on cannabis.
Opponents of Proposition 64, including Kevin Sabet, head of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, said there are health risks in smoking cannabis, while pills and other medicines made from cannabis are available elsewhere for medical patients.
“Given the choice of marijuana-based FDA drugs available at pharmacies, deeming pot shops ‘essential’ makes no more sense than allowing tobacco stores,” Sabet said.
The state’s decision to allow stores to stay open was a welcome reprieve for California’s cannabis industry, which has been struggling to compete with the black market. Licensed growers and sellers say they have been hurt by high taxes, strict regulation and the refusal of most cities in the state to allow pot shops.
The state has 1,100 licensed retail stores and home delivery firms and many have seen a surge in sales since the COVID-19 outbreak began. During the nine-day period ending March 21, average daily sales were up 40% compared to the first two and a half months of the year, according to BDS Analytics, a firm that tracks cannabis transactions. Home deliveries are also up significantly.
The rush of buyers ranges from “people with chronic medical needs including pain, to people who just need to relax in a time of great anxiety,” said Roy Bingham, co-founder and CEO of the company.
He said his firm found that uncertainty over the future availability of cannabis also had people buying 25% more than they typically do to stock up.
Anxiety over future access to cannabis has been spurred by reports of tougher rules in other states. Massachusetts has banned sales for recreational use, limiting stores to providing medical marijuana, while Nevada is only allowing deliveries, barring in-person sales. Michigan sales must be done curbside or by delivery.
California’s order leaves room for cities and counties to adopt tougher standards that could require the closure of pot shops, some in the industry worry.
Advocacy groups including the Cannabis Consumer Policy Council are urging other cities and counties to follow the lead of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and others in adopting local rules to keep pot shops open.
Advertisement
“This is not the time to put patients or consumers at risk,” said Nate Bradley, executive director of the policy council that comprises cannabis advocates, veterans, labor leaders and business owners.
“The pandemic increases symptoms of anxiety and PTSD in our veteran population and many patients have suppressed immune systems,” Bradley added. “Forcing them into the illicit market only further puts them at risk and further burdens public safety resources.”
Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) said while many cannabis businesses have seen sales increase, others are struggling. One retailer in his district decided to temporarily shut its doors to protect workers and customers with immunodeficiency issues, Bonta said.
“They don’t want to risk exposure,” he said.
The state Bureau of Cannabis Control said retailers that continue to stay open “must adopt social distancing and anti-congregating measures,” and are required to comply with the Center for Disease Control guidelines for cleaning and disinfection of public areas.
In response, many stores, including the Higher Path in Sherman Oaks, are offering curbside service, allowing people to order cannabis online and text the business when they arrive to have the product brought out to their car.
“I’m trying to limit the amount of personal interaction of my employees with any member of the public,” said Jerred Kiloh, owner of the store. He had to get special permission from the state bureau to waive the requirement that stores conduct sales transactions in a secure indoor area.
On one recent day, Kiloh said there were 15 cars outside his store whose drivers were provided with cannabis products they had ordered, in addition to customers who went inside the store for their orders.
Still, the potential for transmission of the virus between customers and employees at pot shops is cited by some who say the state is making a mistake in allowing pot shops to remain open when bars and nightclubs have been ordered shut.
“Allowing workers to congregate to distribute this damaging and dangerous drug in the presence of this pandemic cannot be justified in the least,” said Scott Chipman, a Southern California resident who is vice president of Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana, noting that people face special risk from COVID-19 if their immune systems are impaired or they have lung or respiratory problems.
Dale Gieringer, director of the legalization group CAL NORML, called Chipman’s claims “unsubstantiated by a group that likes to blame marijuana for everything.”
Gieringer, who has written on cannabis health issues, said studies have shown chronic cannabis smoking, like all smoking, can raise the risk of respiratory infections, which are a factor in COVID-19 susceptibility. But he said that is not true of edible cannabis.
“On the other hand, it could be argued that cannabis has demonstrated beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in treating auto-immune diseases like [multiple sclerosis], rheumatoid arthritis, endometriosis, etc., in which the body is damaged by its own immune response,” Gieringer said.
While more medical research is needed on the health impacts of cannabis, some studies have raised concerns about cannabis use negatively impacting the immune system, said Dr. Donald Tashkin, a UCLA professor and director of the university’s Pulmonary Function Laboratories.
Tashkin co-authored a 2014 study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology that found habitual smoking of marijuana has “a number of effects on the respiratory and immune systems.” They include “an increased prevalence of acute and chronic bronchitis” and “striking endoscopic findings of airway injury (erythema, edema, and increased secretions).”
Those who use cannabis products for non-medicinal reasons should avoid doing so during the COVID-19 outbreak, he said.
“If they are not dependent, I would advise them to stop smoking cannabis,” Tashkin said. “Smoking anything increases risk.”
Chipman said he believes the state’s designation of cannabis as an essential industry can be attributed to the industry’s political clout in the state Capitol, noting that Newsom has a political stake in seeing the legal market succeed because he led the campaign for Proposition 64.
“Gavin Newsom has had blinders on related to marijuana and its impacts on public health and safety for years,” Chipman said.
But some GOP lawmakers, including Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido, are siding with the governor on the decision to keep cannabis stores operating during the pandemic.
“I agree with the state’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 thus far,” Waldron said, “But I think it’s also important to keep open as many businesses as possible, as long as that doesn’t interfere with virus mitigation and employees and customers are protected.”


latimes--2020-03-30--Column: Everyone is vulnerable to coronavirus. But seniors still need to take extra precautions

Being a card-carrying member of the “ most vulnerable ” generation — old geezers — my hearing-challenged ears perked up when our governor announced that half of California ’ s coronavirus victims were between ages 18 and 49 .
Seniors 65 and older amounted to less than a quarter of those stricken .
“ Young people can and will be impacted by this virus , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom told a news briefing last week .
His message was clear : Everybody ’ s vulnerable .
OK , everyone , I thought , stop pointing the finger at us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sickly , defenseless disease-carriers our political leaders and medical experts have suggested .
Stop treating us like pariahs who need to be both protected and shunned — any more than younger population groups .
Some state figures tended to prove my point , I thought — at least initially .
As of Saturday , 51 % of Californians afflicted with COVID-19 were ages 18 to 49 , according to the state Department of Public Health .
That ’ s higher than their 44 % share of the state ’ s population .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 % of the COVID-19 cases .
Their slice of the population is only 18 % .
But ditto with us old folks .
People over 65 made up 22 % of the cases , significantly higher than our population share of 15 % .
Youngsters 17 and under accounted for a mere 1 % of those testing positive .
They ’ re 23 % of the population .
Perhaps the most vulnerable : men .
They represented 55 % of the cases .
Maybe only men should be ordered to stay at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Louise Aronson , 56 , a geriatrics professor at UC San Francisco School of Medicine and author of a bestseller , “ Elderhood : Redefining Aging , Transforming Medicine , Reimagining Life.
” Aronson set me straight .
By reading the state data , one could conclude that seniors are no more vulnerable to the coronavirus than middle-aged or young people .
But that conclusion would be wrong .
The older we get , she said , the more likely we are to be hit hard by the virus .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off has gradually diminished over the years .
If you ’ re really old , instead of kicking the disease , the odds are higher that you ’ d kick the bucket .
We all know this instinctively , but it ’ s human nature during dangerous times not to acknowledge the truth and to question it , especially for elders in reasonably good health for our age .
“ Old people are more likely to get very sick , need hospitalization , require breathing support and to die , ” Aronson told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the world that if you have a serious medical condition and are very old , you have almost no chance of survival if you ’ re sick enough to show up at a hospital.
” The state hasn ’ t released age numbers about Californians who have died from the coronavirus .
But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week that 80 % of Americans who had died from the virus were 65 or older .
The CDC lists people who are at least 65 as “ high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it says so are those “ of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions.
” They include chronic lung disease or asthma , serious heart trouble , a weakened immune system — perhaps caused by cancer treatment — obesity , diabetes , and kidney or liver ailments .
“ Most older people have at least one risk factor , ” Aronson says .
“ High blood pressure , hypertension , diabetes , heart disease , a history of stroke , cancer , lung disease — smoking.
” Yes , let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generation smoked like a chimney — as we used to say — in our youth .
Fortunately , I never did .
Smokers — even former smokers with damaged lungs — are now ripe targets for COVID-19 , a respiratory disease .
Older people are especially vulnerable because their immune systems have gradually weakened , regardless of whether they ’ ve had cancer treatment , Aronson says .
So they ’ re less equipped to fight off the highly contagious disease .
And “ their organs are not functioning as well as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Your lungs probably don ’ t work as well whether or not you smoked .
“ The kidneys don ’ t work as well .
Lots of people don ’ t realize they have chronic kidney disease that is really , really common in the higher age group .
That impacts the body ’ s ability to manage acute treatment with drugs and intravenous fluids.
” Younger people have a “ physiological reserve ” that seniors don ’ t , Aronson continues .
When older people “ are living a normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
But if the body is stressed , they do notice it.
” “ Frail people are at a higher risk for the illness and for complications during hospital stays , ” Aronson says .
“ They have increased vulnerability to the disease and the likelihood of bad outcomes — both from the disease and the treatment.
” Aronson worries that older people will just be kissed off during the pandemic , as in : “ They ’ re on their way out anyway.
” “ Older lives matter , ” Aronson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start judging people based on age and social contributions ” and conclude it ’ s acceptable for old folks to “ just lay down and die.
” Some pundits and academics across the country have suggested that a good plan would be to free up people under 65 who haven ’ t contracted the virus and allow them to return to work — while keeping us very vulnerable geezers under house arrest .
“ I think everybody should stay at home , ” Aronson says .
But let ’ s hope not for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — especially if there ’ s still no Major League Baseball on TV .
We ’ re extremely vulnerable to going stir crazy .

About 150 seniors were in line by 7 am. at Gelson’s in La Canada Flintridge on March 20. The store policy now says that only seniors 65 and older can shop from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Being a card-carrying member of the “most vulnerable” generation — old geezers — my hearing-challenged ears perked up when our governor announced that half of California’s coronavirus victims were between ages 18 and 49.
Seniors 65 and older amounted to less than a quarter of those stricken.
“Young people can and will be impacted by this virus,” Gov. Gavin Newsom told a news briefing last week. His message was clear: Everybody’s vulnerable.
Advertisement
OK, everyone, I thought, stop pointing the finger at us seniors. Maybe we’re not the sickly, defenseless disease-carriers our political leaders and medical experts have suggested. Stop treating us like pariahs who need to be both protected and shunned — any more than younger population groups.
Some state figures tended to prove my point, I thought — at least initially.
As of Saturday, 51% of Californians afflicted with COVID-19 were ages 18 to 49, according to the state Department of Public Health. That’s higher than their 44% share of the state’s population.
People ages 50 to 64 accounted for 26% of the COVID-19 cases. Their slice of the population is only 18%.
But ditto with us old folks. People over 65 made up 22% of the cases, significantly higher than our population share of 15%.
Youngsters 17 and under accounted for a mere 1% of those testing positive. They’re 23% of the population.
Advertisement
Perhaps the most vulnerable: men. They represented 55% of the cases.
Maybe only men should be ordered to stay at home. Forget it.
I called Dr. Louise Aronson, 56, a geriatrics professor at UC San Francisco School of Medicine and author of a bestseller, “Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life.”
Aronson set me straight. By reading the state data, one could conclude that seniors are no more vulnerable to the coronavirus than middle-aged or young people. But that conclusion would be wrong.
The older we get, she said, the more likely we are to be hit hard by the virus. That’s because our ability to fight it off has gradually diminished over the years. If you’re really old, instead of kicking the disease, the odds are higher that you’d kick the bucket.
Why? Basically, we’re wearing down.
We all know this instinctively, but it’s human nature during dangerous times not to acknowledge the truth and to question it, especially for elders in reasonably good health for our age.
“Old people are more likely to get very sick, need hospitalization, require breathing support and to die,” Aronson told me.
“We already know from across the world that if you have a serious medical condition and are very old, you have almost no chance of survival if you’re sick enough to show up at a hospital.”
The state hasn’t released age numbers about Californians who have died from the coronavirus. But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week that 80% of Americans who had died from the virus were 65 or older.
The CDC lists people who are at least 65 as “high risk for severe illness” from COVID-19. But it says so are those “of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions.” They include chronic lung disease or asthma, serious heart trouble, a weakened immune system — perhaps caused by cancer treatment — obesity, diabetes, and kidney or liver ailments.
“Most older people have at least one risk factor,” Aronson says. “High blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, a history of stroke, cancer, lung disease — smoking.”
Yes, let’s face it, this older generation smoked like a chimney — as we used to say — in our youth. Fortunately, I never did. Smokers — even former smokers with damaged lungs — are now ripe targets for COVID-19, a respiratory disease.
Older people are especially vulnerable because their immune systems have gradually weakened, regardless of whether they’ve had cancer treatment, Aronson says. So they’re less equipped to fight off the highly contagious disease.
And “their organs are not functioning as well as they used to,” the geriatrist adds. “Your lungs probably don’t work as well whether or not you smoked.
“The kidneys don’t work as well. Lots of people don’t realize they have chronic kidney disease that is really, really common in the higher age group. That impacts the body’s ability to manage acute treatment with drugs and intravenous fluids.”
Younger people have a “physiological reserve” that seniors don’t, Aronson continues. When older people “are living a normal life, they don’t notice it. But if the body is stressed, they do notice it.”
“Frail people are at a higher risk for the illness and for complications during hospital stays,” Aronson says. “They have increased vulnerability to the disease and the likelihood of bad outcomes — both from the disease and the treatment.”
Aronson worries that older people will just be kissed off during the pandemic, as in: “They’re on their way out anyway.”
“Older lives matter,” Aronson says. She fears governments will “start judging people based on age and social contributions” and conclude it’s acceptable for old folks to “just lay down and die.”
Some pundits and academics across the country have suggested that a good plan would be to free up people under 65 who haven’t contracted the virus and allow them to return to work — while keeping us very vulnerable geezers under house arrest.
“I think everybody should stay at home,” Aronson says.
But let’s hope not for up to 12 weeks as Newsom envisions — especially if there’s still no Major League Baseball on TV. We’re extremely vulnerable to going stir crazy.


latimes--2020-03-30--USNS Mercy accepting first patients

USNS Mercy accepting first patients

Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter , sent six days a week .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks in front of the Navy hospital ship Mercy after its arrival into the Port of Los Angeles on Friday. Director Mark Ghilarducci of the Office of Emergency Services, left, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mark Ghaly also attended.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-03-29--Replica ship Pilgrim, longtime SoCal field-trip destination, sinks in Dana Point Harbor

One of the first times the replica ship Pilgrim was mentioned in the Los Angeles Times , it was under the headline “ Vagabond Youth.
” It was 1974 , and a group of young Southern Californians had answered an ad in the paper from Capt .
Ray Wallace , who offered them the experience of a lifetime if they ’ d pay $ 1,000 and fly overseas to help him on a boating trip from the Spanish and Portuguese coast all the way back to Monterey — maritime experience recommended but not necessary .
Though the journey was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the vessel and that trans-Atlantic trip imbued all who spent time on it with a classic sense of adventure .
But after nearly 40 years anchored in in Orange County ’ s Dana Point Harbor , where hundreds of thousands of kids since 1981 have toured the vessel and spent overnight field trips on it , the adventure is over , at least for now .
For reasons still unclear , the vessel began taking on water sometime over the weekend and keeled over Sunday morning , its hull partially submerged in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one side .
The boat is so old and fragile that its current owner , Dana Point nonprofit the Ocean Institute , isn ’ t sure it will be able to save the vessel .
Workers spent Sunday evening ensuring that no hazardous materials leaked into the harbor and stabilizing the boat so it could be floated and the hull inspected , said Wendy Marshall , president of education and operations at the Ocean Institute .
Since news of the capsizing spread Sunday , Marshall and others have been flooded with emails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support from past visitors to the Pilgrim , she said .
One man , who works in marketing , told Marshall that he hadn ’ t really tapped into his creative side as a kid until , on a Pilgrim field trip , he was assigned watch for two hours and had to figure out how to describe the nothingness that is night-watch duty in the ocean .
“ Honestly , the memories are going to be the hardest thing to replace , and the authenticity of the quarters , ” Marshall said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy this on Amazon.
” The original Pilgrim was built in the 1830s and was immortalized by one of its seamen , Richard Henry Dana Jr. , in the book “ Two Years Before the Mast , ” which documented the ship ’ s trading route between Boston and Los Angeles .
Back then , the vessel traded California cow hides in New England and returned to the West Coast with furniture after a perilous , yearlong trip that rounded Cape Horn , said Bill Steel , 62 , whose uncle built the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , Steel said , entrepreneurs in Monterey had the idea of creating a small maritime tourist and school destination out of a replica boat and reached out to Steel ’ s uncle , Ray Wallace , to build it .
Wallace also built Disneyland ’ s Sailing Ship Columbia .
Wallace flew to Denmark , Steel said , where he found a wooden hull roughly the size of the one described in Dana ’ s book .
He brought the hull down to be completed by shipbuilders in Portugal , where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carnation Revolution overthrew the Estado Novo authoritarian regime .
Wallace suddenly found himself in hostile waters and was detained , his nephew said .
Using cunning — and liquor — he plied a guard and made his escape to the Canary Islands .
There he came up with the idea for an ad in American newspapers offering an adventure for a novice crew that would help him finish the trip — and fund it .
The resulting journey and the crew ’ s arrival in Southern California were reported by newspapers nationwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locals on trips to coastal islands and down to Mexico , the Pilgrim replica permanently anchored in Orange County ’ s Dana Point Harbor , named for the original Pilgrim sailor , in 1981 .
“ This is probably the end of the line for the Pilgrim , and I ’ m really sad to say that , ” Steel said .
“ But I think it ’ s an opportunity for all the people who have ever been on the Pilgrim to rally , to show their support ... because it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re really going through as a society .
It really couldn ’ t have come at a worse time.
” Even if the vessel can ’ t be saved , Marshall said , workers hope to salvage the boat ’ s rigging and other portions that could be restored for future use .
In the meantime , the institute will lean on its two other ships for educating local children , though neither has the Pilgrim ’ s captivating history .

One of the first times the replica ship Pilgrim was mentioned in the Los Angeles Times, it was under the headline “Vagabond Youth.”
It was 1974, and a group of young Southern Californians had answered an ad in the paper from Capt. Ray Wallace, who offered them the experience of a lifetime if they’d pay $1,000 and fly overseas to help him on a boating trip from the Spanish and Portuguese coast all the way back to Monterey — maritime experience recommended but not necessary.
Though the journey was a one-off for the Pilgrim and its crew, the vessel and that trans-Atlantic trip imbued all who spent time on it with a classic sense of adventure.
But after nearly 40 years anchored in in Orange County’s Dana Point Harbor, where hundreds of thousands of kids since 1981 have toured the vessel and spent overnight field trips on it, the adventure is over, at least for now.
For reasons still unclear, the vessel began taking on water sometime over the weekend and keeled over Sunday morning, its hull partially submerged in about 10 feet of water and leaning to one side.
The boat is so old and fragile that its current owner, Dana Point nonprofit the Ocean Institute, isn’t sure it will be able to save the vessel. Workers spent Sunday evening ensuring that no hazardous materials leaked into the harbor and stabilizing the boat so it could be floated and the hull inspected, said Wendy Marshall, president of education and operations at the Ocean Institute.
Advertisement
Since news of the capsizing spread Sunday, Marshall and others have been flooded with emails, phone calls and text messages of support from past visitors to the Pilgrim, she said. One man, who works in marketing, told Marshall that he hadn’t really tapped into his creative side as a kid until, on a Pilgrim field trip, he was assigned watch for two hours and had to figure out how to describe the nothingness that is night-watch duty on the ocean.
“Honestly, the memories are going to be the hardest thing to replace, and the authenticity of the quarters,” Marshall said. “You just don’t buy this on Amazon.”
The original Pilgrim was built in the 1830s and was immortalized by one of its seamen, Richard Henry Dana Jr., in the book “Two Years Before the Mast,” which documented the ship’s trading route between Boston and Los Angeles.
Back then, the vessel traded California cow hides in New England and returned to the West Coast with furniture after a perilous, yearlong trip that rounded Cape Horn, said Bill Steel, 62, whose uncle built the Pilgrim replica.
More than a century later, Steel said, entrepreneurs in Monterey had the idea of creating a small maritime tourist and school destination out of a replica boat and reached out to Steel’s uncle, Ray Wallace, to build it. Wallace also built Disneyland’s Sailing Ship Columbia.
Wallace flew to Denmark, Steel said, where he found a wooden hull roughly the size of the one described in Dana’s book. He brought the hull south to be completed by shipbuilders in Portugal, where he was anchored in April 1974 when the Carnation Revolution overthrew the Estado Novo authoritarian regime.
Wallace suddenly found himself in hostile waters and was detained, his nephew said. Using cunning — and liquor — he plied a guard and made his escape to the Canary Islands. There he came up with the idea for an ad in American newspapers offering an adventure for a novice crew that would help him finish the trip — and fund it.
The resulting journey and the crew’s arrival in Southern California were reported by newspapers nationwide, including The Times. After carrying other locals on trips to coastal islands and down to Mexico, the Pilgrim replica permanently anchored in Orange County’s Dana Point Harbor, named for the original Pilgrim sailor, in 1981.
“This is probably the end of the line for the Pilgrim, and I’m really sad to say that,” Steel said. “But I think it’s an opportunity for all the people who have ever been on the Pilgrim to rally, to show their support ... because it’s kind of a symbol of what we’re really going through as a society. It really couldn’t have come at a worse time.”
Even if the vessel can’t be saved, Marshall said, workers hope to salvage the boat’s rigging and other portions that could be restored for future use. In the meantime, the institute will lean on its two other ships for educating local children, though neither has the Pilgrim’s captivating history.


latimes--2020-03-29--Inside a Long Beach distillery churning out hand sanitizer to battle COVID-19

The floor is sticky , and the air smells like booze .
At Portuguese Bend Distilling in Long Beach , a skeleton crew in medical masks and Carhartt work shirts clambers around the copper still and stainless-steel fermenters that , in normal days , would be churning out vodka and gin .
The little distillery , with its steampunk vibe and a gigantic American flag on the wall , now exudes a kind of pandemic patriotism .
The alcohol is flowing , and it ’ s being used not for cocktails but for something desperately needed to fight the novel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just no alcohol out there , ” said Simon Haxton , the master distiller and part-owner .
Over the last two weeks , the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau issued allowing distilleries to immediately start producing hand sanitizer , and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the making and distributing of it .
Small local distilleries like Portuguese Bend and in Santa Ana have rallied to the cause .
“ We ’ re the little guys .
We can do it , ” said Riahna Bjornsen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tattooed on her arm and a modern-day Rosie the Riveter attitude .
Besides working here , she ’ s an adjunct professor of communications at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga ( now teaching classes online because of COVID-19 ) .
She said she was made for times like these , when long hours and creative solutions are demanded .
“ I feel like I ’ ve trained my whole life for this , ” she said .
Portuguese Bend had to close its restaurant to in-house diners on March 17 because of escalating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neutral-grain , high-proof alcohol meant for vodka , and the staff figured they would make a bit of sanitizer to help out the community .
But word got out fast .
“ We realized that there wasn ’ t any in the grocery stores , that people were having a hard time finding it , ” Haxton said .
“ We said , ‘ OK , we ’ ll put it in little bottles and give it away when people come and pick up food .
“ Before you know it , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the utility companies , from the post office , hospitals , police departments.
” Homeland Security came and picked up some bottles .
Tesla called .
So did Southern California Edison .
Torrance Memorial Hospital wanted to place a huge order .
The distillery , named after the Portuguese Bend area on the Palos Verdes Peninsula that was a hotbed for rum smuggling during Prohibition , typically produces 100 to 150 gallons of alcohol a week .
It hopes to double or even triple its production of non-potable alcohol for the hand sanitizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be enough to meet demand .
“ The numbers that are coming in are pretty staggering , ” Haxton said .
The distillery crew is just Haxton and three others .
A few days ago , when the bar and restaurant were reduced to takeout and delivery only , Haxton had to lay off 85 % of his staff .
The waiters .
The bartenders .
It was a gut punch for the distillery , which just opened last June .
“ They ’ ve been ride-or-die , with us since the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We just really don ’ t have any money coming in.
” For now , he hopes his former staffers are able to get unemployment benefits and stimulus checks soon .
In the empty restaurant , an old wooden fishing boat is suspended from the ceiling .
The boat is named , appropriately , Moonlighting .
The bar is now lined with white 1-gallon plastic jugs .
Their labels have the Portuguese Bend Craft Distillery logo and the words : HAND SANITIZER NON-STERILE SOLUTION .
In these days of shortages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand sanitizer have been hard to come by .
Haxton said they ’ ve converted a few cosmetic containers with spray pumps into sanitizer bottles .
The distillery makes the sanitizer alcohol out of corn , using an FDA formula that requires it to be denatured , meaning it has additives such as acetone or methanol to make it foul-tasting and poisonous so people don ’ t drink it .
The alcohol is mixed with hydrogen peroxide and glycerin and —voila !
— hand sanitizer is born .
Andy Carlos , a bearded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and black disposable gloves , feels lucky to still be working — and at a job he loves — right now , with so many people losing work .
There ’ s just so much demand for hand sanitizer , and only so much they can make .
Carlos compared it to working at an animal shelter , seeing all the cats and dogs and wanting to take them all home .
“ We just wish we could do more , ” he said .
It ’ s unclear how long Portuguese Bend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business .
Could be weeks .
Could be months .
It certainly wasn ’ t what Haxton pictured when the distillery opened last summer .
“ We haven ’ t had our one-year anniversary , ” Haxton said .
“ There ’ s a lot of products we still have yet to make .
I ’ m looking forward to making the whiskeys , and I never would have thought that instead of making the best whiskey in the world we ’ d be making hand sanitizer .

The floor is sticky, and the air smells like booze.
At Portuguese Bend Distilling in Long Beach, a skeleton crew in medical masks and Carhartt work shirts clambers around the copper still and stainless-steel fermenters that, in normal days, would be churning out vodka and gin.
But these aren’t normal days.
The little distillery, with its steampunk vibe and a gigantic American flag on the wall, now exudes a kind of pandemic patriotism. The alcohol is flowing, and it’s being used not for cocktails but for something desperately needed to fight the novel coronavirus: hand sanitizer.
“There’s just no alcohol out there,” said Simon Haxton, the master distiller and part-owner.
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Over the last two weeks , the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau issued emergency regulations allowing distilleries to immediately start producing hand sanitizer, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration eased restrictions on the making and distributing of it.
Small local distilleries like Portuguese Bend and Blinking Owl Distillery in Santa Ana have rallied to the cause.
“We’re the little guys. We can do it,” said Riahna Bjornsen, a Portuguese Bend distillery staffer with flowers tattooed on her arm and a modern-day Rosie the Riveter attitude. Besides working here, she’s an adjunct professor of communications at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga (now teaching classes online because of COVID-19). She said she was made for times like these, when long hours and creative solutions are demanded.
“I feel like I’ve trained my whole life for this,” she said.
Portuguese Bend had to close its restaurant to in-house diners on March 17 because of escalating stay-at-home orders. It had some leftover neutral-grain, high-proof alcohol meant for vodka, and the staff figured they would make a bit of sanitizer to help out the community.
But word got out fast.
“We realized that there wasn’t any in the grocery stores, that people were having a hard time finding it,” Haxton said. “We said, ‘OK, we’ll put it in little bottles and give it away when people come and pick up food.
The distillery crew at Portuguese Bend Distilling is churning out hand sanitizer instead of the usual vodka and gin. (Mark Potts / Los Angeles Times)
“Before you know it, we were starting to get phone calls from the utility companies, from the post office, hospitals, police departments.”
Homeland Security came and picked up some bottles. Tesla called. So did Southern California Edison. Torrance Memorial Hospital wanted to place a huge order.
Advertisement
It’s all been a bit... overwhelming.
The distillery, named after the Portuguese Bend area on the Palos Verdes Peninsula that was a hotbed for rum smuggling during Prohibition, typically produces 100 to 150 gallons of alcohol a week. It hopes to double or even triple its production of non-potable alcohol for the hand sanitizer, and even that won’t be enough to meet demand.
“The numbers that are coming in are pretty staggering,” Haxton said.
The distillery crew is just Haxton and three others.
A few days ago, when the bar and restaurant were reduced to takeout and delivery only, Haxton had to lay off 85% of his staff. The waiters. The bartenders.
It was a gut punch for the distillery, which just opened last June.
Riana Bjornsen, a Portuguese Bend distillery staffer, at work making alcohol for hand sanitizer. (Mark Potts / Los Angeles Times)
“They’ve been ride-or-die, with us since the beginning,” Haxton said of the staff. “We just really don’t have any money coming in.”
For now, he hopes his former staffers are able to get unemployment benefits and stimulus checks soon.
In the empty restaurant, an old wooden fishing boat is suspended from the ceiling. The boat is named, appropriately, Moonlighting. The bar is now lined with white 1-gallon plastic jugs. Their labels have the Portuguese Bend Craft Distillery logo and the words: HAND SANITIZER NON-STERILE SOLUTION.
In these days of shortages, even the jugs and bottles for the hand sanitizer have been hard to come by. Haxton said they’ve converted a few cosmetic containers with spray pumps into sanitizer bottles.
The distillery makes the sanitizer alcohol out of corn, using an FDA formula that requires it to be denatured, meaning it has additives such as acetone or methanol to make it foul-tasting and poisonous so people don’t drink it.
The alcohol is mixed with hydrogen peroxide and glycerin and —voila! — hand sanitizer is born.
Andy Carlos, a bearded distillery worker in a black face mask and black disposable gloves, feels lucky to still be working — and at a job he loves — right now, with so many people losing work.
There’s just so much demand for hand sanitizer, and only so much they can make. Carlos compared it to working at an animal shelter, seeing all the cats and dogs and wanting to take them all home.
“We just wish we could do more,” he said.
It’s unclear how long Portuguese Bend will be in the emergency hand sanitizer business. Could be weeks. Could be months.
It certainly wasn’t what Haxton pictured when the distillery opened last summer.
“We haven’t had our one-year anniversary,” Haxton said. “There’s a lot of products we still have yet to make. I’m looking forward to making the whiskeys, and I never would have thought that instead of making the best whiskey in the world we’d be making hand sanitizer.
“But here we are.”


latimes--2020-03-29--Coronavirus outbreak at Yucaipa nursing home leaves 12 infected, one dead

San Bernardino County officials said 12 people at a Yucaipa nursing facility tested positive for the virus Saturday after a resident of the facility died of COVID-19 earlier in the week .
At least one of the people who tested positive worked at the facility , which officials did not immediately name .
The 89-year-old woman had underlying health conditions and died Thursday , officials said .
In addition , a resident of a second Yucaipa nursing facility has symptoms of the illness , officials said .
County public health staffers are working with both facilities to expedite testing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This is the first instance we have had in our county of a concentrated COVID-19 outbreak , ” Erin Gustafson , acting county health officer , said in a statement .
“ The county will do everything within its ability and authority to minimize the tragedy this pandemic has the potential to create in our communities.
” The L.A. County Department of Public Health is monitoring 14 institutional facilities that have reported one or more confirmed cases of the virus among residents and staff , including three extended-care homes that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Friday .
Those reporting three or more cases are the Kensington Redondo Beach assisted living facility , Belmont Village senior living in Hollywood , and Alameda Care Center , a skilled nursing facility in Burbank , said Barbara Ferrer , the health department director .
Staff , residents and their families have been notified of the outbreaks , and officials have identified no deficiencies at any of the facilities , she said .
In addition , Silverado Beverly Place , a nursing home in the Fairfax district , — a man admitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a second resident and an employee , according to family members of residents and representatives of the facility .
San Bernardino County had recorded 76 cases and three deaths .

San Bernardino County officials did not immediately name the Yucaipa facility where the outbreak was reported.
San Bernardino County officials said 12 people at a Yucaipa nursing facility tested positive for the virus Saturday after a resident of the facility died of COVID-19 earlier in the week.
At least one of the people who tested positive worked at the facility, which officials did not immediately name.
The 89-year-old woman had underlying health conditions and died Thursday, officials said.
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In addition, a resident of a second Yucaipa nursing facility has symptoms of the illness, officials said. County public health staffers are working with both facilities to expedite testing of all residents and employees, they said.
“This is the first instance we have had in our county of a concentrated COVID-19 outbreak,” Erin Gustafson, acting county health officer, said in a statement. “The county will do everything within its ability and authority to minimize the tragedy this pandemic has the potential to create in our communities.”
The L.A. County Department of Public Health is monitoring 14 institutional facilities that have reported one or more confirmed cases of the virus among residents and staff, including three extended-care homes that have reported three or more cases, officials said Friday.
Those reporting three or more cases are the Kensington Redondo Beach assisted living facility, Belmont Village senior living in Hollywood, and Alameda Care Center, a skilled nursing facility in Burbank, said Barbara Ferrer, the health department director. Staff, residents and their families have been notified of the outbreaks, and officials have identified no deficiencies at any of the facilities, she said.
In addition, Silverado Beverly Place, a nursing home in the Fairfax district, has reported three cases — a man admitted to the facility last week, followed by a second resident and an employee, according to family members of residents and representatives of the facility.
San Bernardino County had recorded 76 cases and three deaths.


latimes--2020-03-29--Edward Howard, who brought movies, bathrooms and a sense of dignity to skid row, dies at 63

Edward Howard was the student body president at his junior college in Detroit and a civil rights leader who revered the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. and brought radical feminist activist and academic Angela Davis to campus .
In the 1980s , Howard came to Los Angeles , like so many others , for job opportunities and ended up managing a perfume and cosmetics counter at a Macy ’ s department store , and later was a caregiver for developmentally disabled people , before falling into drug addiction and landing on skid row , his brother Lee Howard said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles Mission , Howard emerged once again as a community leader , this time pressing years-long fights with the city over providing homeless people on skid row with jobs , self-determination , bathrooms and hygiene resources .
Howard , who lived in a skid row residential hotel , died March 24 after battling congestive heart disease .
He was 63 .
The COVID-19 pandemic had lent new urgency to the community leader who brought movies and bathrooms to skid row .
For Howard , bathrooms were always a civil rights issue and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dignity , friend Charles Porter said .
“ He always said the community has the answers ; what we lack are the resources , ” Porter said , adding that his favorite expression was ” This is egregious and reprehensible ” and his favorite King quote , “ An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.
” Howard was known as Eddie H. , reflecting his rejection of the legacy of trauma and oppression tied to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slaves , friends said .
“ He took great pride in his blackness and his African names ; Yao ( an Akan name from Ghana given to males born on a Thursday ) and Akinyemi ( a Yoruba name from Nigeria , which means “ the courageous one ” ) , said Porter , who works with United Coalition East , a skid row community drug prevention project of Social Model Recovery Systems Inc. Howard was a member of the Los Angeles Community Action Network , the Skid Row Community Improvement Coalition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter .
He also worked his own street outreach ministry .
All the positions were unpaid .
“ He was a giver , even growing up , ” his brother said .
While he avoided taking credit for his work , he was honored by the performance company Los Angeles Poverty Department as a skid row “ visionary ” at their Walk the Talk parade and festival .
He also helped bring a work source office to skid row to train community residents for jobs .
In 2016 , Howard advocated for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pocket parks on skid row .
While some were apprehensive of the gatherings and feared they could incite violence , the movie nights proved to be highly successful , officials said .
“ He was key in getting people excited and making sure little things were provided like the popcorn , ” said Alisa Orduna , Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s former director of homeless policy , who now works in a similar capacity in Santa Monica .
Howard was also active in protesting police sweeps and petty arrests in homeless encampments and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council .
The drive failed in 2017 , ending in acrimony and litigation .
It was in the arena of skid row ’ s neverending battle over bathrooms for its homeless population that he made a lasting mark .
He and other members of the Skid Row Community Improvement Coalition worked with the mayor ’ s office .
And in December 2017 , the ReFresh Spot , a 24-hour , community-run laundry , bathroom and shower center , opened in trailers in skid row .
Howard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter Dejah , sisters Mary and Lois , and brothers Lee and Darryl .

Edward Howard was a member of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, the Skid Row Community Improvement Coalition, the Skid Row Community Coalition and Black Lives Matter. He also worked his own street outreach ministry. All the positions were unpaid.
Edward Howard was the student body president at his junior college in Detroit and a civil rights leader who revered the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and brought radical feminist activist and academic Angela Davis to campus.
In the 1980s, Howard came to Los Angeles, like so many others, for job opportunities and ended up managing a perfume and cosmetics counter at a Macy’s department store, and later was a caregiver for developmentally disabled people, before falling into drug addiction and landing on skid row, his brother Lee Howard said.
With his recovery at the Los Angeles Mission, Howard emerged once again as a community leader, this time pressing years-long fights with the city over providing homeless people on skid row with jobs, self-determination, bathrooms and hygiene resources.
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Howard, who lived in a skid row residential hotel, died March 24 after battling congestive heart disease. He was 63.
The COVID-19 pandemic had lent new urgency to the community leader who brought movies and bathrooms to skid row. For Howard, bathrooms were always a civil rights issue and a matter of treating people with respect and dignity, friend Charles Porter said.
“He always said the community has the answers; what we lack are the resources,” Porter said, adding that his favorite expression was ”This is egregious and reprehensible” and his favorite King quote, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
Howard was known as Eddie H., reflecting his rejection of the legacy of trauma and oppression tied to names that owners bestowed on African American slaves, friends said.
“He took great pride in his blackness and his African names; Yao (an Akan name from Ghana given to males born on a Thursday) and Akinyemi (a Yoruba name from Nigeria, which means “the courageous one”), said Porter, who works with United Coalition East, a skid row community drug prevention project of Social Model Recovery Systems Inc.
Howard was a member of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, the Skid Row Community Improvement Coalition, the Skid Row Community Coalition and Black Lives Matter. He also worked his own street outreach ministry. All the positions were unpaid.
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“He was a giver, even growing up,” his brother said.
While he avoided taking credit for his work, he was honored by the performance company Los Angeles Poverty Department as a skid row “visionary” at their Walk the Talk parade and festival.
He also helped bring a work source office to skid row to train community residents for jobs. In 2016, Howard advocated for outdoor films at Gladys and San Julian pocket parks on skid row. While some were apprehensive of the gatherings and feared they could incite violence, the movie nights proved to be highly successful, officials said.
“He was key in getting people excited and making sure little things were provided like the popcorn,” said Alisa Orduna, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s former director of homeless policy, who now works in a similar capacity in Santa Monica.
Howard was also active in protesting police sweeps and petty arrests in homeless encampments and in the skid row campaign to break away from the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. The drive failed in 2017, ending in acrimony and litigation.
It was in the arena of skid row’s neverending battle over bathrooms for its homeless population that he made a lasting mark. He and other members of the Skid Row Community Improvement Coalition worked with the mayor’s office. And in December 2017, the ReFresh Spot, a 24-hour, community-run laundry, bathroom and shower center, opened in trailers in skid row.
Howard is survived by his son Darrius, daughter Dejah, sisters Mary and Lois, and brothers Lee and Darryl.