latimes--2020-05-16--Rural California is reopening despite little coronavirus testing. Is it too soon?

Bolstered by new coronavirus testing sites recently opened by the state , 23 rural California counties this week began to shake off some of their social restrictions and resume a semblance of pre-pandemic life .
More are expected to follow .
But testing in many of those places has been slim , both due to a lack of access and demand , leaving questions about how much the coronavirus is circulating in communities .
“ It ’ s hard to say just how much hidden disease is out there , ” said Aimee Sisson , public health officer for Placer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where restaurants and some retail stores are allowing patrons back with new protections .
California is engaged in an unprecedented statewide experiment , easing off social-distancing restrictions in some places , while keeping them firm in others .
If it works , some Californians will be able to restart businesses and jobs and rebound from the pandemic ’ s economic carnage .
If it fails , the virus will swell in parts of California so far untouched , spreading the heartbreak into rural communities , many of which were impoverished before the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inequity of opening takes shape , tensions will likely grow .
“ People are probably of the mindset that when everyone is in it together , the entire state is in it together , they are willing to put up with it , ” said Jeffrey Klausner , professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health .
“ What we are obviously seeing is this home confinement fatigue and people are just kind of irritated and anxious.
” An analysis of available data by The Times suggests that testing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas — and that despite the capacity to test , the number of people being swabbed in many counties planning to reopen remains small .
To gain state permission to restart businesses , counties had to demonstrate they could handle outbreaks — including the ability to test widely .
For most rural counties , that capacity wasn ’ t available through county health labs and private facilities .
But California in recent weeks has helped counties create about 90 new testing sites statewide — a secretive effort that saw sites pop up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times for details .
That new testing capacity has unexpectedly given rural counties ammunition to argue they meet the criteria to reopen , even where there has been little local interest in getting tested .
President Trump issued remarks Friday that both reflected — and encouraged — the resistance to more testing nationwide .
“ When you test , you find something is wrong with people , ” said the president .
“ If we didn ’ t do any testing , we would have very few cases.
” Many of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what Gov .
Gavin Newsom has dubbed “ Phase 2 '' — are depending on those new testing sites to reach required benchmarks .
But since the state has opened new testing sites only in the last days or weeks , counties have conducted only a few thousand tests across the region .
In Shasta County , where the population is about 180,000 , health officials say they have the capacity to test more than 4,500 people per week — meeting the state mandate of being able to test 1.5 people per 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a snapshot of that testing for the first week of May shows that the county ran a total of 683 tests , or less than 100 per day .
It had supplies on hand to run only about 1,500 tests , according to documents submitted to the state .
Yuba and Sutter counties , which turned in a joint application for a variance on state orders , said 2,223 tests had been conducted on residents , testing an average of 59 residents a day in the past week , below state mandated levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus and low demand for testing in justifying their request to partially reopen .
In Tuolumne County , which includes part of Yosemite National Park and has seen only two coronavirus cases , the county is reporting about 13 tests daily .
Though this falls far below the mandated level of about 82 tests per day , county officials argue that the county ’ s low case count and hospitalization rate mean it should be eligible for a variance .
County health officials said that part of the difficulty in ramping up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While California ’ s biggest urban areas — Los Angeles and the Bay Area — have taken a significant hit from the coronavirus , the northern part of the state , home to a large number of counties that are reopening , has been nearly untouched — about 20 people there have died from the virus .
Three counties — Lassen , Sierra and Modoc — haven ’ t reported a single case , despite being home to multiple state and federal prisons and other institutional settings , hot spots for the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the California Department of Public Health and State Health Officer , said essential services in rural counties are “ less readily available , ” making testing and other preparations essential .
Lassen County Public Health officer Barbara Longo acknowledged that despite not having any positive tests , her county currently is a testing desert .
About 160 tests have been conducted so far , giving it the lowest per capita testing rate in the state , according to a Times analysis .
“ A lot of it is people just aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said , “ If they are not sick they just don ’ t have a desire , I guess , to get tested.
” She hopes that will change next week .
She said the state , in partnership with Silicon Valley testing company Verily and UC San Francisco , is flying in more than 16,000 tests and will conduct a massive surveillance testing effort that she hopes will include almost every nonincarcerated person in the county .
State health officials could not immediately say why Lassen had been chosen for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Lassen ’ s residents reside in two state prisons and one federal correctional facility , and many workers at those institutions live 85 miles away in Reno , she said , increasing the chance of exposure despite the “ real frontier ” setting of the county .
But Longo said she is unsure how many residents will be willing to submit to the test .
“ I don ’ t know how they are going to receive it but we are going to be really pushing it as a positive thing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said , will be , “ We want to stay safe .
To keep yourself safe , we need to know what we really have here.
” Lassen isn ’ t alone in its skepticism .
In nearby Shasta County , more than 2,000 people gathered for an unauthorized rodeo , prompting a rebuke by the county health director .
“ There are people who believe their Constitutional rights are being violated by the shutdown and we should open everything up and not care what the Governor says , ” said Kerri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shasta County Department of Health and Human Services .
Placer County ’ s Sisson said that the notion of surveillance testing can be a “ scare ” for some , making it language she ’ s “ trying to get away from.
” She has received threats because of county health orders .
“ I was told , ‘ We know what you are doing ...
The patriots are watching .
We are coming after you , ” she said “ The same caller was concerned that our hospitals were empty .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word hoax , but that was the idea , that this was all sort of made up.
” Sisson , Longo and others point out that despite the low numbers of tests , other indicators , such as low hospitalizations , support the argument that the virus in not widespread in their areas — adding both to the challenges of enforcing social distancing and the case for restarting businesses .
Since the pandemic started , Schuette said only eight people have been hospitalized in Shasta .
“ It does not appear that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying this , ” said Schuette .
While rural areas seem to have so far escaped the worst of the outbreak , county officials know they being watched closely by state government and their neighbors to the south .
The dangers of minimal rural testing were recently illustrated in Kings County , where health officials were unable to detect early a coronavirus outbreak at the Central Valley Meat Co. in Hanford .
Last week , after encountering some “ logistical difficulties , ” the state helped create a testing site aimed at checking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late to prevent widespread contagion .
As of Wednesday , more than 200 employees had been infected .
In Placer County , Sisson said the new sites have “ been a transformation for us .
It basically doubled our testing capacity.
” She and others expect to see an uptick in cases , but believe they can be contained .
Sisson is planning to test 20 % of all staff and residents of skilled nursing facilities on a weekly basis to prevent an increase .
If a positive case is found , every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and positive cases traced , she said .
In Shasta , health officer Karen Ramstrom this week urged employers to take advantage of the new capacity to test by sending employees on a regular basis , such as every two weeks , whether they are sick or not .
Ramstrom said during a briefing her goal is to keep any new cases at “ a slow simmer , not a full boil.
” But if Shasta and other rural counties are successful at what Sisson says is largely “ an experiment , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for others to follow suit too soon , and feed perceptions the virus isn ’ t as bad as the science shows .
“ North California , it ’ s kind of like a different animal .
It almost feels like a different country , ” said Peter Chin-Hong , an infectious disease specialist at UCSF .
“ I ’ m worried people will look at it and say , ‘ Hey look , nothing happened .
We can do it too .
’ ”

Lanie Gil, a server at the Courthouse Cafe in Marysville, cleans a table. Yuba is one of the rural California counties where such businesses have begun to reopen.
Bolstered by new coronavirus testing sites recently opened by the state, 23 rural California counties this week began to shake off some of their social restrictions and resume a semblance of pre-pandemic life. More are expected to follow.
But testing in many of those places has been slim, both due to a lack of access and demand, leaving questions about how much the coronavirus is circulating in communities.
“It’s hard to say just how much hidden disease is out there,” said Aimee Sisson, public health officer for Placer County, just north of Sacramento, where restaurants and some retail stores are allowing patrons back with new protections.
Advertisement
California is engaged in an unprecedented statewide experiment, easing off social-distancing restrictions in some places, while keeping them firm in others.
If it works, some Californians will be able to restart businesses and jobs and rebound from the pandemic’s economic carnage. If it fails, the virus will swell in parts of California so far untouched, spreading the heartbreak into rural communities, many of which were impoverished before the pandemic.
Throughout the state, as the inequity of opening takes shape, tensions will likely grow.
“People are probably of the mindset that when everyone is in it together, the entire state is in it together, they are willing to put up with it,” said Jeffrey Klausner, professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “What we are obviously seeing is this home confinement fatigue and people are just kind of irritated and anxious.”
Advertisement
An analysis of available data by The Times suggests that testing is still largely concentrated in urban, coastal areas — and that despite the capacity to test, the number of people being swabbed in many counties planning to reopen remains small.
To gain state permission to restart businesses, counties had to demonstrate they could handle outbreaks — including the ability to test widely. For most rural counties, that capacity wasn’t available through county health labs and private facilities.
But California in recent weeks has helped counties create about 90 new testing sites statewide — a secretive effort that saw sites pop up with little public notice, despite requests from The Times for details.
That new testing capacity has unexpectedly given rural counties ammunition to argue they meet the criteria to reopen, even where there has been little local interest in getting tested.
President Trump issued remarks Friday that both reflected — and encouraged — the resistance to more testing nationwide.
“When you test, you find something is wrong with people,” said the president. “If we didn’t do any testing, we would have very few cases.”
Many of the counties requesting permission to partially reopen — what Gov. Gavin Newsom has dubbed “Phase 2” — are depending on those new testing sites to reach required benchmarks. But since the state has opened new testing sites only in the last days or weeks, counties have conducted only a few thousand tests across the region.
In Shasta County, where the population is about 180,000, health officials say they have the capacity to test more than 4,500 people per week — meeting the state mandate of being able to test 1.5 people per 1,000 residents for the fast-track approval.
But a snapshot of that testing for the first week of May shows that the county ran a total of 683 tests, or less than 100 per day. It had supplies on hand to run only about 1,500 tests, according to documents submitted to the state.
Yuba and Sutter counties, which turned in a joint application for a variance on state orders, said 2,223 tests had been conducted on residents, testing an average of 59 residents a day in the past week, below state mandated levels. County officials cited low incidence of the virus and low demand for testing in justifying their request to partially reopen.
In Tuolumne County, which includes part of Yosemite National Park and has seen only two coronavirus cases, the county is reporting about 13 tests daily. Though this falls far below the mandated level of about 82 tests per day, county officials argue that the county’s low case count and hospitalization rate mean it should be eligible for a variance.
County health officials said that part of the difficulty in ramping up testing is that residents resist it.
While California’s biggest urban areas — Los Angeles and the Bay Area — have taken a significant hit from the coronavirus, the northern part of the state, home to a large number of counties that are reopening, has been nearly untouched — about 20 people there have died from the virus.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Three counties — Lassen, Sierra and Modoc — haven’t reported a single case, despite being home to multiple state and federal prisons and other institutional settings, hot spots for the virus.
Still, Dr. Sonia Angell director of the California Department of Public Health and State Health Officer, said essential services in rural counties are “less readily available,” making testing and other preparations essential.
Lassen County Public Health officer Barbara Longo acknowledged that despite not having any positive tests, her county currently is a testing desert. About 160 tests have been conducted so far, giving it the lowest per capita testing rate in the state, according to a Times analysis.
“A lot of it is people just aren’t presenting [symptoms],” she said, “If they are not sick they just don’t have a desire, I guess, to get tested.”
She hopes that will change next week. She said the state, in partnership with Silicon Valley testing company Verily and UC San Francisco, is flying in more than 16,000 tests and will conduct a massive surveillance testing effort that she hopes will include almost every nonincarcerated person in the county.
State health officials could not immediately say why Lassen had been chosen for the large effort.
More than a third of Lassen’s residents reside in two state prisons and one federal correctional facility, and many workers at those institutions live 85 miles away in Reno, she said, increasing the chance of exposure despite the “real frontier” setting of the county.
But Longo said she is unsure how many residents will be willing to submit to the test.
“I don’t know how they are going to receive it but we are going to be really pushing it as a positive thing,” she said.
Her message, she said, will be, “We want to stay safe. To keep yourself safe, we need to know what we really have here.”
Lassen isn’t alone in its skepticism. In nearby Shasta County, more than 2,000 people gathered for an unauthorized rodeo, prompting a rebuke by the county health director.
“There are people who believe their Constitutional rights are being violated by the shutdown and we should open everything up and not care what the Governor says,” said Kerri Schuette, public information officer for the Shasta County Department of Health and Human Services.
Placer County’s Sisson said that the notion of surveillance testing can be a “scare” for some, making it language she’s “trying to get away from.”
She has received threats because of county health orders.
“I was told, ‘We know what you are doing ... The patriots are watching. We are coming after you,” she said “The same caller was concerned that our hospitals were empty. I don’t think they used the word hoax, but that was the idea, that this was all sort of made up.”
Sisson, Longo and others point out that despite the low numbers of tests, other indicators, such as low hospitalizations, support the argument that the virus in not widespread in their areas — adding both to the challenges of enforcing social distancing and the case for restarting businesses.
Since the pandemic started, Schuette said only eight people have been hospitalized in Shasta. “It does not appear that there are a multitude of people that are carrying this,” said Schuette.
While rural areas seem to have so far escaped the worst of the outbreak, county officials know they being watched closely by state government and their neighbors to the south.
The dangers of minimal rural testing were recently illustrated in Kings County, where health officials were unable to detect early a coronavirus outbreak at the Central Valley Meat Co. in Hanford. Last week, after encountering some “logistical difficulties,” the state helped create a testing site aimed at checking plant workers. But it came too late to prevent widespread contagion. As of Wednesday, more than 200 employees had been infected.
In Placer County, Sisson said the new sites have “been a transformation for us. It basically doubled our testing capacity.” She and others expect to see an uptick in cases, but believe they can be contained.
Sisson is planning to test 20% of all staff and residents of skilled nursing facilities on a weekly basis to prevent an increase. If a positive case is found, every person at the facility will be tested and positive cases traced, she said.
In Shasta, health officer Karen Ramstrom this week urged employers to take advantage of the new capacity to test by sending employees on a regular basis, such as every two weeks, whether they are sick or not.
Ramstrom said during a briefing her goal is to keep any new cases at “a slow simmer, not a full boil.”
But if Shasta and other rural counties are successful at what Sisson says is largely “an experiment,” some experts fear it will create pressure for others to follow suit too soon, and feed perceptions the virus isn’t as bad as the science shows.
“North California, it’s kind of like a different animal. It almost feels like a different country,” said Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at UCSF. “I’m worried people will look at it and say, ‘Hey look, nothing happened. We can do it too.’”
Sacramento bureau reporter Patrick McGreevy contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-16--L.A. County looks at whether some cities could reopen sooner than others

Even as coronavirus deaths and new cases continue to rise , Los Angeles County officials offered more insights Friday into what it would take to further reopen a local economy devastated by the pandemic .
L.A. County remains the epicenter of the novel coronavirus in the state , with more than 1,700 deaths and more than 35,000 confirmed cases .
On Friday alone , officials announced 962 more cases and 47 additional deaths .
But like the rest of California , some areas of the county have seen far fewer cases and deaths than others .
That ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determine whether it ’ s possible for individual cities that meet the benchmarks to move to the next stage of reopening before other parts of the county do .
Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Friday that the cities of Santa Clarita , Lancaster and Palmdale have approached the county to inquire about reopening and appear to meet Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s criteria .
She said she ’ s asked county counsel and the Department of Public Health to provide an analysis of whether there ’ s anything in the governor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so .
Other Southern California counties — Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino and San Diego — are working to forge a coalition to jointly lobby Newsom so they can further reopen their local economies .
Los Angeles County and some Bay Area counties have urged caution in reopening too quickly , fearing it could lead to a second wave of outbreaks and ultimately hurt the economy more in the long run .
But some rural counties that have seen comparatively little impact from the coronavirus are reopening at a much faster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state moves into what Newsom has deemed , it has become possible for those counties to go further in terms of reopening businesses , provided they meet certain criteria .
Nearly a third of California ’ s 58 counties have certified to the state that they have contained the spread of the virus , which allows them to reopen restaurants to dine-in service , as well as shopping malls and other businesses , Newsom said Thursday .
Those 19 counties are mostly in rural areas of Northern California with small populations .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s population and do not include urban centers such as Los Angeles or San Francisco .
The state is continuing talks with other counties that are trying to meet state standards for testing , hospital availability and numbers of cases .
While deaths continued to rise in Los Angeles , Barbara Ferrer , the county ’ s public health director , also offered some encouraging news and a better explanation of how officials will determine when to ease stay-at-home rules .
There are 1,733 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals , with about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As we continue to see slight decreases in the number of people who are hospitalized over the last week and a half , we are encouraged , ” Ferrer said .
She said the average number of hospitalizations is one of several metrics officials are monitoring to determine when to relax additional stay-at-home restrictions .
“ There are two important questions that we need to be always answering through our recovery journey , ” Ferrer said .
“ The first question is how capable are we of slowing the spread of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ask is how effective are we at preventing the spread of COVID-19 ?
” To answer the first question , the county is looking at five metrics : • Whether there are enough intensive care beds .
• Whether there are enough ventilators .
• Whether hospitals have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment .
• Whether adequate resources are in place to investigate coronavirus cases reported to the Department of Public Health .
• Whether the county has the capacity to administer at least 15,000 tests per day .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is monitoring average daily deaths and hospitalizations to ensure those figures have either decreased or remained stable over the last 14 days .
Officials are also tracking deaths by race , ethnicity and community poverty level to make sure no one group is seeing outsized increases .
Another important component is making sure that the majority of skilled nursing facilities with coronavirus cases have been offered testing to all staff and residents in a timely manner , Ferrer said .
A total of 892 people living in institutional settings have died , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said .
They represent 51 % of the COVID-19 deaths reported by L.A. County .
As of Friday , more than 282,000 people in the county had been tested and received their results , with about 11 % testing positive .
Coronavirus hospitalizations appear to be stable in L.A. County , and the county has an adequate number of hospital beds , intensive care units and ventilators to treat the volume of patients expected over the next four weeks , according to projections released this week by a county Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say it ’ s not yet known how the relaxation of stay-at-home rules will affect transmission of the virus .
If spread increases , healthcare facilities could see an influx in patient volume after two to four weeks , according to the county ’ s modeling .
Even with a marked increase , the county projects there still would be enough hospital beds and ventilators to treat the volume of patients on the high end of the models .
But there ’ s a chance the demand for intensive care beds could surpass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the predictions state .
For that reason , officials say they will be keeping a close eye on the data as stay-at-home rules are relaxed , and they could reimpose restrictions if hospitalizations shoot up .
Meanwhile , Newsom on Friday appealed to a group of Native American tribes to reconsider plans to reopen their casinos in the coming days , warning that the COVID-19 pandemic poses a continuing threat to public health .
While many tribal casinos that closed in March because of the virus remain shut down at least through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Diego County have notified customers that they are reopening in the next week .

Alex Wigglesworth, Luke Money, Patrick McGreevy

Carlos Marroquin, 53, owner of Planet Soccer, practices social distancing while talking to customer Benton Watkins, 13, of Santa Clarita, as he tries on a new pair of cleats inside the store in Newhall.
Even as coronavirus deaths and new cases continue to rise, Los Angeles County officials offered more insights Friday into what it would take to further reopen a local economy devastated by the pandemic.
L.A. County remains the epicenter of the novel coronavirus in the state, with more than 1,700 deaths and more than 35,000 confirmed cases. On Friday alone, officials announced 962 more cases and 47 additional deaths.
But like the rest of California, some areas of the county have seen far fewer cases and deaths than others. That’s why Los Angeles County officials are trying to determine whether it’s possible for individual cities that meet the benchmarks to move to the next stage of reopening before other parts of the county do.
Advertisement
Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Friday that the cities of Santa Clarita, Lancaster and Palmdale have approached the county to inquire about reopening and appear to meet Gov. Gavin Newsom’s criteria.
She said she’s asked county counsel and the Department of Public Health to provide an analysis of whether there’s anything in the governor’s order that would permit the cities to do so.
Other Southern California counties — Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego — are working to forge a coalition to jointly lobby Newsom so they can further reopen their local economies.
Los Angeles County and some Bay Area counties have urged caution in reopening too quickly, fearing it could lead to a second wave of outbreaks and ultimately hurt the economy more in the long run.
But some rural counties that have seen comparatively little impact from the coronavirus are reopening at a much faster clip than urban counties. As the state moves into what Newsom has deemed Phase 2 of its reopening plan , it has become possible for those counties to go further in terms of reopening businesses, provided they meet certain criteria.
Nearly a third of California’s 58 counties have certified to the state that they have contained the spread of the virus, which allows them to reopen restaurants to dine-in service, as well as shopping malls and other businesses, Newsom said Thursday.
Those 19 counties are mostly in rural areas of Northern California with small populations. They represent about 4.5% of the state’s population and do not include urban centers such as Los Angeles or San Francisco.
The state is continuing talks with other counties that are trying to meet state standards for testing, hospital availability and numbers of cases.
While deaths continued to rise in Los Angeles, Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director, also offered some encouraging news and a better explanation of how officials will determine when to ease stay-at-home rules.
Advertisement
There are 1,733 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals, with about 25% in intensive care units.
“As we continue to see slight decreases in the number of people who are hospitalized over the last week and a half, we are encouraged,” Ferrer said.
She said the average number of hospitalizations is one of several metrics officials are monitoring to determine when to relax additional stay-at-home restrictions.
“There are two important questions that we need to be always answering through our recovery journey,” Ferrer said. “The first question is how capable are we of slowing the spread of COVID-19?. … And the second question we ask is how effective are we at preventing the spread of COVID-19?”
To answer the first question, the county is looking at five metrics:
Whether there are enough intensive care beds.
Whether there are enough ventilators.
Whether hospitals have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment.
Whether adequate resources are in place to investigate coronavirus cases reported to the Department of Public Health.
Whether the county has the capacity to administer at least 15,000 tests per day.
To answer the second question, the county is monitoring average daily deaths and hospitalizations to ensure those figures have either decreased or remained stable over the last 14 days. Officials are also tracking deaths by race, ethnicity and community poverty level to make sure no one group is seeing outsized increases.
Another important component is making sure that the majority of skilled nursing facilities with coronavirus cases have been offered testing to all staff and residents in a timely manner, Ferrer said.
A total of 892 people living in institutional settings have died, the majority of them in skilled nursing facilities, she said. They represent 51% of the COVID-19 deaths reported by L.A. County.
As of Friday, more than 282,000 people in the county had been tested and received their results, with about 11% testing positive.
Coronavirus hospitalizations appear to be stable in L.A. County, and the county has an adequate number of hospital beds, intensive care units and ventilators to treat the volume of patients expected over the next four weeks, according to projections released this week by a county Department of Health Services team .
Still, researchers say it’s not yet known how the relaxation of stay-at-home rules will affect transmission of the virus.
If spread increases, healthcare facilities could see an influx in patient volume after two to four weeks, according to the county’s modeling.
Even with a marked increase, the county projects there still would be enough hospital beds and ventilators to treat the volume of patients on the high end of the models. But there’s a chance the demand for intensive care beds could surpass the number available by early June, the predictions state.
For that reason, officials say they will be keeping a close eye on the data as stay-at-home rules are relaxed, and they could reimpose restrictions if hospitalizations shoot up.
Meanwhile, Newsom on Friday appealed to a group of Native American tribes to reconsider plans to reopen their casinos in the coming days, warning that the COVID-19 pandemic poses a continuing threat to public health.
While many tribal casinos that closed in March because of the virus remain shut down at least through the end of this month, three casinos in San Diego County have notified customers that they are reopening in the next week.


latimes--2020-05-16--11 firefighters hurt in downtown L.A. explosion that caused fires at several buildings

An explosion in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday caused a large fire that left 11 firefighters injured , authorities said .
Firefighters first received a call about 6:30 p.m. about a structure fire in the 300 block of Boyd Street south of Little Tokyo , said Erik Scott , a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department .
While firefighters were inside attempting to find the source of the blaze , there was “ a significant explosion , very high , very wide , rumbling the entire area , ” Scott said .
The explosion was so powerful that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street and melted the helmets of some firefighters , he said .
Eleven firefighters were receiving treatment for burn injuries , Scott said .
All were taken to County-USC Medical Center .
At a news conference at the hospital late Saturday night , Mayor Eric Garcetti said three of the firefighters sustained critical but not life-threating injuries .
All were expected to survive .
“ We ’ ve been saying for the last two months even more than usual how much we appreciate our medical personnel and first responders , ” Garcetti said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deeply grateful for the both of them.
” Scott said more than 240 firefighters had responded to the blaze before it was extinguished shortly after 8 p.m. An initial investigation of the scene identified the business as Smoke Tokes , a warehouse distributor with supplies for butane hash oil , he said .
The cause of the fire has not been determined .
“ It ’ s very tough to see our brothers and sisters go through something like this , ” Scott said .
He described how several firefighters were inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the initial blaze when the explosion occurred , causing a tremendous roar that arriving personnel described as sounding like “ a freight train or a jet engine.
” A massive ball of flame erupted out of the building , Scott said .
Firefighters ran “ straight through that ball of flame to get to safety across the street , ” he said .
Jeralyn Cleveland was celebrating a family birthday party on the roof of the 13-story apartment building she manages three blocks away when she saw the explosion .
“ Everyone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that went off , ” said Cleveland , 37 .
“ It was like a mushroom.
” Cleveland said there are small fires all the time in the neighborhood , which borders skid row , but she had never seen anything like this before .

An explosion in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday caused a large fire that left 11 firefighters injured, authorities said.
Firefighters first received a call about 6:30 p.m. about a structure fire in the 300 block of Boyd Street south of Little Tokyo, said Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.
While firefighters were inside attempting to find the source of the blaze, there was “a significant explosion, very high, very wide, rumbling the entire area,” Scott said. The explosion was so powerful that it blackened a fire engine parked across the street and melted the helmets of some firefighters, he said.
Advertisement
Eleven firefighters were receiving treatment for burn injuries, Scott said. All were taken to County-USC Medical Center. At a news conference at the hospital late Saturday night, Mayor Eric Garcetti said three of the firefighters sustained critical but not life-threating injuries. All were expected to survive.
“We’ve been saying for the last two months even more than usual how much we appreciate our medical personnel and first responders,” Garcetti said. “Tonight I’m doubly and deeply grateful for the both of them.”
Scott said more than 240 firefighters had responded to the blaze before it was extinguished shortly after 8 p.m. An initial investigation of the scene identified the business as Smoke Tokes, a warehouse distributor with supplies for butane hash oil, he said. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
“It’s very tough to see our brothers and sisters go through something like this,” Scott said.
He described how several firefighters were inside the building and on the roof fighting the initial blaze when the explosion occurred, causing a tremendous roar that arriving personnel described as sounding like “a freight train or a jet engine.”
A massive ball of flame erupted out of the building, Scott said. Firefighters ran “straight through that ball of flame to get to safety across the street,” he said.
Advertisement
Major fire in Little Tokyo/downtown Los Angeles at San Pedro and Third. Dangerously close to Skid Row residents, senior and low income housing. Major smoke screen, ash is raining for blocks. pic.twitter.com/s4coh3xbgq — sean miura (@seanmiura) May 17, 2020
Jeralyn Cleveland was celebrating a family birthday party on the roof of the 13-story apartment building she manages three blocks away when she saw the explosion.
“Everyone in my building thought there was a bomb that went off,” said Cleveland, 37. “It was like a mushroom.”
Cleveland said there are small fires all the time in the neighborhood, which borders skid row, but she had never seen anything like this before.


latimes--2020-05-16--Judge issues order for Los Angeles to move homeless living near freeways, citing health concerns

Thousands of homeless people living near freeways in Los Angeles County are in line to receive alternative shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic after a federal court judge ordered local authorities to find them housing .
The preliminary injunction , issued Friday by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter , requires city , county and homelessness officials to provide space in shelters or alternative housing for the estimated 6,000 to 7,000 county residents living near freeway overpasses , underpasses and ramps .
Carter ’ s ruling compels local governments to develop a plan for doing so by Friday .
Homeless residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of contracting COVID-19 and spreading the disease throughout the community , but also of being exposed to lead and other carcinogens as well as being hit by cars , Carter wrote in the ruling .
“ As with many issues involving individuals experiencing homelessness , no party appears to be addressing this problem with any urgency , ” Carter wrote .
The order would apply to an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 homeless residents living near freeways in the city of Los Angeles , with the remainder living near freeways in other L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s decision is the most definitive step he ’ s taken to compel local leaders to address the estimated 60,000 homeless residents throughout the county .
In March , the advocacy group L.A. Alliance for Human Rights sued public agencies across the county , accusing them of allowing unsafe and inhumane conditions in homeless camps .
Since the case was filed , Carter has persuaded L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and other local officials to come up with solutions to the region ’ s homelessness problems more quickly , especially given the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skid row and other homeless hot spots throughout the region to better understand the issue .
Daniel Conway , policy advisor with the alliance , said it was clear Carter was becoming frustrated with the lack of definitive action .
Conway hoped the ruling was the first step toward the judge guiding a radical shift in how the region handles homelessness issues .
“ Everyone ’ s committed to seeing this through , ” Conway said .
“ The challenge becomes , how high are we aiming here ?
Are we trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal settlement or are we trying to fundamentally change how we deal with homelessness ?
” It ’ s unclear how city , county and homelessness officials will respond to the order , though Carter laid out guidelines on what shelter must be offered .
All shelters and alternative housing must allow for at least six feet of distance between residents , provide adequate hygiene options and nursing and security staff .
Homeless residents must be allowed to retain possession of their belongings and be given notice of available housing .
While homeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a shelter or alternative housing , they could be required to move away from a freeway once sufficient housing is available .
The most significant new program to house homeless residents during the pandemic is Project Roomkey , a statewide effort that uses empty hotel and motel rooms .
In Los Angeles , however , just over 2,000 previously homeless residents are sheltered with about 500 other beds available , according to information provided in court Friday by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority , not nearly enough space to comply with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s order allows parties in the case to develop an alternative plan and submit it to him for review by Tuesday .

A homeless encampment beneath the 405 Freeway on Venice Boulevard. Those who live in the camp call it “Westside skid row.”
Thousands of homeless people living near freeways in Los Angeles County are in line to receive alternative shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic after a federal court judge ordered local authorities to find them housing.
The preliminary injunction, issued Friday by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, requires city, county and homelessness officials to provide space in shelters or alternative housing for the estimated 6,000 to 7,000 county residents living near freeway overpasses, underpasses and ramps. Carter’s ruling compels local governments to develop a plan for doing so by Friday.
Homeless residents living near freeways are not only at risk of contracting COVID-19 and spreading the disease throughout the community, but also of being exposed to lead and other carcinogens as well as being hit by cars, Carter wrote in the ruling.
“As with many issues involving individuals experiencing homelessness, no party appears to be addressing this problem with any urgency,” Carter wrote.
Advertisement
The order would apply to an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 homeless residents living near freeways in the city of Los Angeles, with the remainder living near freeways in other L.A. County cities or unincorporated areas.
Carter’s decision is the most definitive step he’s taken to compel local leaders to address the estimated 60,000 homeless residents throughout the county. In March, the advocacy group L.A. Alliance for Human Rights sued public agencies across the county, accusing them of allowing unsafe and inhumane conditions in homeless camps.
Since the case was filed, Carter has persuaded L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and other local officials to come up with solutions to the region’s homelessness problems more quickly, especially given the coronavirus outbreak. The judge has personally toured skid row and other homeless hot spots throughout the region to better understand the issue.
Daniel Conway, policy advisor with the alliance, said it was clear Carter was becoming frustrated with the lack of definitive action. Conway hoped the ruling was the first step toward the judge guiding a radical shift in how the region handles homelessness issues.
“Everyone’s committed to seeing this through,” Conway said. “The challenge becomes, how high are we aiming here? Are we trying to meet thresholds for the sake of a legal settlement or are we trying to fundamentally change how we deal with homelessness?”
It’s unclear how city, county and homelessness officials will respond to the order, though Carter laid out guidelines on what shelter must be offered.
Advertisement
All shelters and alternative housing must allow for at least six feet of distance between residents, provide adequate hygiene options and nursing and security staff. Homeless residents must be allowed to retain possession of their belongings and be given notice of available housing. While homeless residents could not be ordered to go to a shelter or alternative housing, they could be required to move away from a freeway once sufficient housing is available.
The most significant new program to house homeless residents during the pandemic is Project Roomkey, a statewide effort that uses empty hotel and motel rooms. In Los Angeles, however, just over 2,000 previously homeless residents are sheltered with about 500 other beds available, according to information provided in court Friday by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, not nearly enough space to comply with Carter’s order.
Carter’s order allows parties in the case to develop an alternative plan and submit it to him for review by Tuesday.


latimes--2020-05-18--Napolitano and UC chancellors will take a 10% pay cut amid coronavirus-related budget crisis

University of California President Janet Napolitano announced Monday that she and all 10 campus chancellors will take a 10 % pay cut in the coming academic year to help offset the public university system ’ s staggering financial losses caused by the coronavirus crisis .
In a letter to the campus community , Napolitano also announced salary freezes for nonunionized staff and nonstudent academic employees , along with efforts to cut costs in such areas as nonessential travel and service agreements .
But she said UC would continue its academic advancement program , which awards merit promotions and pay increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and maintain the system ’ s vaunted teaching and research enterprise .
Napolitano noted that estimated systemwide financial losses totaled nearly $ 1.2 billion from mid-March through April as the pandemic forced UC hospitals and health centers to suspend elective medical procedures and campuses to send most students home , shift to online learning and lose revenue from canceled housing and dining contracts .
In addition , Gov .
Gavin Newsom last week announced a revised state budget for 2020-21 that includes a 10 % funding cut of $ 372 million — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 % increase for the UC system .
“ We anticipate these losses will continue to climb in the months ahead , ” Napolitano wrote .
“ I know some of this news is unsettling , during an already difficult time .
Though we have many difficult challenges ahead , UC is resilient and we will get through this together.
” Napolitano earns a base pay of $ 570,000 , ranking 73rd among 268 public college leaders tracked by the Chronicle of Higher Education .
The average base pay of UC chancellors is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 670,000 for peers in the Assn .
of American Universities .
UC will continue to work with state and federal authorities to secure more funding , she wrote , but much of that assistance is designated for student financial aid .
Napolitano also said UC officials would begin discussions with employee unions “ to be sure they understand the current reality of our financial circumstances.
” Several UC employee unions , however , are scheduled to present research findings Tuesday that they say show the university is “ remarkably well-positioned ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tuition hikes or other severe austerity measures , according to a statement by AFSCME Local 3299 .
UC regents are set to discuss the effect of COVID-19 on university finances and academic programs in online meetings beginning Wednesday .

University of California President Janet Napolitano announced a 10% pay cut for herself and chancellors as the coronavirus outbreak devastated UC finances.
University of California President Janet Napolitano announced Monday that she and all 10 campus chancellors will take a 10% pay cut in the coming fiscal year to help offset the public university system’s staggering financial losses caused by the coronavirus crisis.
In a letter to the campus community, Napolitano also announced salary freezes for nonunionized staff and nonstudent academic employees, along with efforts to cut costs in such areas as nonessential travel and service agreements. But she said UC would continue its academic advancement program, which awards merit promotions and pay increases, to ensure a stable faculty pipeline and maintain the system’s vaunted teaching and research enterprise.
Napolitano noted that estimated systemwide financial losses totaled nearly $1.2 billion from mid-March through April as the pandemic forced UC hospitals and health centers to suspend elective medical procedures and campuses to send most students home, shift to online learning and lose revenue from canceled housing and dining contracts. In addition, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week announced a revised state budget for 2020-21 that includes a 10% funding cut of $372 million — a reversal from his January proposal of a 5% increase for the UC system.
Advertisement
“We anticipate these losses will continue to climb in the months ahead,” Napolitano wrote. “I know some of this news is unsettling, during an already difficult time. Though we have many difficult challenges ahead, UC is resilient and we will get through this together.”
Napolitano earns a base pay of $570,000, ranking 73rd among 268 public college leaders tracked by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The average base pay of UC chancellors is about $500,000, compared with about $670,000 for public college peers in the Assn. of American Universities.
UC will continue to work with state and federal authorities to secure more funding, she wrote, but much of that assistance is designated for student financial aid.
Napolitano also said UC officials would begin discussions with employee unions “to be sure they understand the current reality of our financial circumstances.” Several UC employee unions, however, are scheduled to present research findings Tuesday that they say show the university is “remarkably well-positioned” to withstand a pandemic-caused fiscal disruption without layoffs, tuition hikes or other severe austerity measures, according to a statement by AFSCME Local 3299.
UC regents are set to discuss the effect of COVID-19 on university finances and academic programs in online meetings beginning Wednesday.


latimes--2020-05-18--4 children with rare inflammatory disease test positive for coronavirus; 21 under investigation

Four children in Los Angeles County diagnosed with a rare inflammatory disease have tested positive for COVID-19 through antibody testing , officials said Monday .
The county is investigating an additional 21 possible cases of the multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with the illness , County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
The nearly two dozen cases have been identified since March 1 and are under investigation .
“ There are no reported deaths .
But as people have noted , this is a very serious illness — although very rare in children , ” Ferrer said .
Three of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the disease have required admission to a pediatric intensive care unit .
The condition is referred to as both MIS-C ( multisystem inflammatory syndrome ) and PIMS — pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome .
The disease causes inflammation and swelling around the blood vessels , symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously reported a possible link between the novel coronavirus and the syndrome .
Doctors in the United Kingdom , Los Angeles , New York and a handful of other areas have previously identified the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , including three patients at Children ’ s Hospital Los Angeles who displayed symptoms of the syndrome earlier this month and tested positive for the virus .
County officials are working with hospitals to identify any additional cases .

At a drive up testing site, Covid Clinic medical assistant Jennifer Quinlan collects a sample for coronavirus COVID-19 testing at the San Elijo campus of Mira Costa College Cardiff last month.
Four children in Los Angeles County diagnosed with a rare inflammatory disease have tested positive for COVID-19 through antibody testing, officials said Monday.
The county is investigating an additional 21 possible cases of the multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with the illness, County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. The nearly two dozen cases have been identified since March 1 and are under investigation.
“There are no reported deaths. But as people have noted, this is a very serious illness — although very rare in children,” Ferrer said.
Advertisement
Three of the 25 children who have tested positive for the disease have required admission to a pediatric intensive care unit.
The condition is referred to as both MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome) and PIMS — pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome.
The disease causes inflammation and swelling around the blood vessels, symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously reported a possible link between the novel coronavirus and the syndrome.
Doctors in the United Kingdom, Los Angeles, New York and a handful of other areas have previously identified the condition among children who tested positive for the coronavirus, including three patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles who displayed symptoms of the syndrome earlier this month and tested positive for the virus.
County officials are working with hospitals to identify any additional cases.


latimes--2020-05-18--Officials alarmed by crowds at Malibu beaches, some local parks, warning of dangers

The narrow strip of Zuma Beach in Malibu over the weekend was filled with hundreds of people , many with faces uncovered , who parked in residential neighborhoods and partied in large crowds at night , according to one local reporter who asked county supervisors if they were aware of the disregard for the county ’ s stay-at-home order .
“ The only way we ’ re going to get into a position where we go into the next phase is by people acting responsibly , so when I hear stories like this it frustrates me , ” said Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday news conference .
“ Enforcement ’ s going to be the key , but I would hope that people would use common sense , ” she added .
Department of Public Heath Director Barbara Ferrer said she was aware of people ignoring the order in Malibu and said people were following county orders on other beaches .
But without everyone complying , she said , it would make the path to reopening difficult .
“ We can continue to reopen if we all do our part , ” Ferrer said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their obligation to make it safe for others , it ’ s impossible to continue to move down a path toward recovery , because this is what will end up overwhelming our healthcare system.
” Officials faced problems in other parts of Southern California as people sought refuge from months-long stay-at-home orders , drawn to trails , parks and beaches by warm weather .
This was the first weekend Los Angeles County beaches were opened , and people could be seen milling about at Santa Monica Beach on Saturday afternoon , despite restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department said no individuals were cited over the weekend .
The county also checked on 1,600 businesses and found that about 1,000 were not in compliance with the safer-at-home directives , Ferrer said Monday .
Ventura County was forced to close a popular park that had been reopened to pedestrians and cyclists after crowds swarmed the area over the weekend .
On Sunday morning , the county closed Foster Park after reports of crowding and illegal parking the day before .
Dave Sasek , director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency , said in a statement that people were not following guidelines to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus .
“ People were parking illegally outside of the entrance and crowding the area , so we have had to close the park , ” Sasek said .
“ We hope we can open the area soon.
” In Orange County , the Sheriff ’ s Department did not issue any citations to people violating coronavirus-related measures .
Carrie Braun , director of public affairs for the department , said it has an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vast majority have complied voluntarily.
” Meanwhile , Joshua Tree National Park announced Monday that park entrances , parking lots and trails are open again .
Joshua Tree had closed visitor centers in March and shut down access completely after reports of visitors flooding the park .
“ With the lower summertime visitation numbers in mind , we have worked closely with the health offices in both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties to ensure that the type of recreation at Joshua Tree is in line with current health advisories , ” Joshua @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ By opening the park in phases , we plan on being able to take measured steps that ensure the safety of our staff and visitors while providing increased access to our national park .
“ Ventura County has largely avoided the high numbers of cases and deaths from COVID-19 seen in other parts of California due to restrictive measures meant to limit the spread of the virus .
The county has reported 764 positive COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths .
While 237 cases are still under active quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 15,550 people have been tested .
Theresa Lubin , the county parks manager , said Foster Park had been open for a few weeks and is the only park to have issues of crowding .
The Ventura County Star reported that a county Sheriff ’ s Department captain confirmed that someone had broken a lock on the park ’ s parking lot .
“ There were quite a few people who came in .
They may have been looking to do some day camping , and that right now is not permitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re encouraging people to exercise and get fresh air , but to keep moving.
” The county has recently started loosening measures , allowing beach access for residents to walk , surf or run , but they are not allowed to sit or lie down .
The Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Office about “ big turnout ” at the Punch Bowl trails , along with a photo of cars parked along the road leading to the trails .
“ Parking is extremely limited , ” the tweet read , and deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parking restrictions .
“ There were large crowds showing up , ” said Steve Lutzke , public information officer for the California Highway Patrol in Ventura , and the area appeared more congested than on a typical weekend .
The agency helped address traffic on SR-150 , where parking for the Punch Bowl trails is temporarily restricted .
The agency issued warnings but no citations , Lutzke said , although one resident had seven cars towed that were blocking the entrance to his home .

Surfers take advantage of the low tide swell at Malibu Surfrider Beach as Los Angeles County Beaches reopened for active use only.
The narrow strip of Zuma Beach in Malibu over the weekend was filled with hundreds of people, many with faces uncovered, who parked in residential neighborhoods and partied in large crowds at night, according to one local reporter who asked county supervisors if they were aware of the disregard for the county’s stay-at-home order.
“The only way we’re going to get into a position where we go into the next phase is by people acting responsibly, so when I hear stories like this it frustrates me,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger during a Monday news conference. “Enforcement’s going to be the key, but I would hope that people would use common sense,” she added.
Department of Public Heath Director Barbara Ferrer said she was aware of people ignoring the order in Malibu and said people were following county orders on other beaches. But without everyone complying, she said, it would make the path to reopening difficult.
“We can continue to reopen if we all do our part,” Ferrer said. “If people are gonna blatantly disregard their obligation to make it safe for others, it’s impossible to continue to move down a path toward recovery, because this is what will end up overwhelming our healthcare system.”
Advertisement
Officials faced problems in other parts of Southern California as people sought refuge from months-long stay-at-home orders, drawn to trails, parks and beaches by warm weather.
This was the first weekend Los Angeles County beaches were opened, and people could be seen milling about at Santa Monica Beach on Saturday afternoon, despite restrictions against sitting or lying on the beach. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said no individuals were cited over the weekend.
The county also checked on 1,600 businesses and found that about 1,000 were not in compliance with the safer-at-home directives, Ferrer said Monday.
Ventura County was forced to close a popular park that had been reopened to pedestrians and cyclists after crowds swarmed the area over the weekend.
On Sunday morning, the county closed Foster Park after reports of crowding and illegal parking the day before. Dave Sasek, director of the county’s general services agency, said in a statement that people were not following guidelines to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Advertisement
“People were parking illegally outside of the entrance and crowding the area, so we have had to close the park,” Sasek said. “We hope we can open the area soon.”
In Orange County, the Sheriff’s Department did not issue any citations to people violating coronavirus-related measures. Carrie Braun, director of public affairs for the department, said it has an education-first policy with individuals, and “the vast majority have complied voluntarily.”
Meanwhile, Joshua Tree National Park announced Monday that park entrances, parking lots and trails are open again. Joshua Tree had closed visitor centers in March and shut down access completely after reports of visitors flooding the park.
“With the lower summertime visitation numbers in mind, we have worked closely with the health offices in both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties to ensure that the type of recreation at Joshua Tree is in line with current health advisories,” Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith said in a statement. “By opening the park in phases, we plan on being able to take measured steps that ensure the safety of our staff and visitors while providing increased access to our national park. “
Ventura County has largely avoided the high numbers of cases and deaths from COVID-19 seen in other parts of California due to restrictive measures meant to limit the spread of the virus. The county has reported 764 positive COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths. While 237 cases are still under active quarantine, 502 people have recovered. Overall, 15,550 people have been tested.
Theresa Lubin, the county parks manager, said Foster Park had been open for a few weeks and is the only park to have issues of crowding. The Ventura County Star reported that a county Sheriff’s Department captain confirmed that someone had broken a lock on the park’s parking lot.
“There were quite a few people who came in. They may have been looking to do some day camping, and that right now is not permitted,” Lubin said. “We’re encouraging people to exercise and get fresh air, but to keep moving.”
The county has recently started loosening measures, allowing beach access for residents to walk, surf or run, but they are not allowed to sit or lie down.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office tweeted about “big turnout” at the Punch Bowl trails, along with a photo of cars parked along the road leading to the trails. “Parking is extremely limited,” the tweet read, and deputies and California Highway Patrol troopers were enforcing parking restrictions.
“There were large crowds showing up,” said Steve Lutzke, public information officer for the California Highway Patrol in Ventura, and the area appeared more congested than on a typical weekend. The agency helped address traffic on SR-150, where parking for the Punch Bowl trails is temporarily restricted. The agency issued warnings but no citations, Lutzke said, although one resident had seven cars towed that were blocking the entrance to his home.


latimes--2020-05-18--San Francisco expects wider reopening in coming weeks

San Francisco ’ s director of public health said Monday he was “ cautiously optimistic ” that the city will be able to reopen more in the next two to four weeks .
Dr. Grant Colfax , speaking in an online forum , said San Francisco entered phase 2a of reopening on Monday by allowing retailers to open for pick up and delivery .
Phase 2b , he said , will involve relaxing restrictions on schools , offices , childcare and summer camps .
He indicated that it was likely summer camps will be permitted , but said they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent new infections .
As long as San Franciscans continue to social distance , practice good hygiene and wear masks , the next phase is just around corner , he said .
Barbershops , hair salons and nail parlors , though , will not be reopened for at least another month , he said .
“ So far the game is going relatively well , ” Colfax said , “ but we are only in the second inning of a long game.
” He said the virus will remain a threat in San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
As the city continues to expand testing , the number of positives will surely rise , he said .
The city will be examining whether the rate of positives goes up or stays stable , he said .
The city will also keep an eye on the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 .
Now , 6 % of those in hospitals in San Francisco have the disease .
Colfax said the city needs to make sure that not more than 20 % of hospital patients have COVID-19 before reopening further @

The view of downtown San Francisco as seen from a drone.
San Francisco’s director of public health said Monday he was “cautiously optimistic” that the city will be able to reopen more in the next two to four weeks.
Dr. Grant Colfax, speaking in an online forum, said San Francisco entered phase 2a of reopening on Monday by allowing retailers to open for pick up and delivery. Phase 2b, he said, will involve relaxing restrictions on schools, offices, childcare and summer camps.
He indicated that it was likely summer camps will be permitted, but said they will have to abide by health guidelines to prevent new infections.
As long as San Franciscans continue to social distance, practice good hygiene and wear masks, the next phase is just around corner, he said.
Advertisement
Barbershops, hair salons and nail parlors, though, will not be reopened for at least another month, he said.
“So far the game is going relatively well,” Colfax said, “but we are only in the second inning of a long game.”
He said the virus will remain a threat in San Francisco for at least the next 18 months.
As the city continues to expand testing, the number of positives will surely rise, he said. The city will be examining whether the rate of positives goes up or stays stable, he said.
The city will also keep an eye on the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19. Now, 6% of those in hospitals in San Francisco have the disease. Colfax said the city needs to make sure that not more than 20% of hospital patients have COVID-19 before reopening further.


latimes--2020-05-18--Orange County coronavirus cases dip after spike last week

Orange County health officials announced 59 new coronavirus infections Monday — breaking a streak of five straight days when the daily number of new cases broke triple digits .
It remains to be seen whether this is a deviation or part of an observed pattern , however .
For weeks , the county has generally announced comparatively few COVID-19 cases on Mondays and Tuesdays , only to see the numbers rise later in the week .
Last week , for instance , the Orange County Health Care Agency reported 53 new coronavirus infections on Monday and 59 on Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the most significant day-over-day growth in case counts since the outbreak began — including a single-day high of 226 new confirmed infections on Thursday .
Cumulatively , there have been 4,434 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Orange County .
Of those who have tested positive , 461 have been residents of skilled nursing facilities and 350 have been county jail inmates .
No new fatalities were reported Monday — keeping the county ’ s death toll at 88 — and the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized dipped to 194 , the lowest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are hospitalized as of the latest update , 78 were in intensive care .
That figure has been largely flat over the last five days for which data are available .
Note : The “ other ” category includes unincorporated areas , as well as cases in the county ’ s jails .
Daily updates are preliminary and subject to change as the county receives new information .

People walk along the shoreline in Seal Beach on May 11.
Orange County health officials announced 59 new coronavirus infections Monday — breaking a streak of five straight days when the daily number of new cases broke triple digits.
It remains to be seen whether this is a deviation or part of an observed pattern, however. For weeks, the county has generally announced comparatively few COVID-19 cases on Mondays and Tuesdays, only to see the numbers rise later in the week.
Last week, for instance, the Orange County Health Care Agency reported 53 new coronavirus infections on Monday and 59 on Tuesday, but the rest of the week saw some of the most significant day-over-day growth in case counts since the outbreak began — including a single-day high of 226 new confirmed infections on Thursday.
Advertisement
Cumulatively, there have been 4,434 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Orange County. Of those who have tested positive, 461 have been residents of skilled nursing facilities and 350 have been county jail inmates.
No new fatalities were reported Monday — keeping the county’s death toll at 88 — and the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized dipped to 194, the lowest level since May 9.
Of those who are hospitalized as of the latest update, 78 were in intensive care. That figure has been largely flat over the last five days for which data are available.
Age breakdown of cases:
0-17 — 139
18-24 — 439
25-34 — 791
35-44 — 654
45-54 — 778
55-64 — 699
65-74 — 439
75-84 — 291
85+ — 203
Unknown — 1
Age breakdown of deaths:
25-34 — 2
35-44 — 4
45-54 — 8
55-64 — 11
65-74 — 14
75-84 — 28
85+ — 21
California Do you know someone who has lost the battle with COVID-19? In our effort to cover this pandemic as thoroughly as possible, we’d like to hear from the loved ones of people who have died from the coronavirus.
Cases by community:
Aliso Viejo — 24
Anaheim — 701
Brea — 30
Buena Park — 137
Costa Mesa — 64
Coto de Caza — 6
Cypress — 55
Dana Point — 24
Fountain Valley — 50
Fullerton — 153
Garden Grove — 224
Huntington Beach — 291
Irvine — 154
La Habra — 77
La Palma — 16
Ladera Ranch — 13
Laguna Beach — 44
Laguna Hills — 27
Laguna Niguel — 35
Laguna Woods — 8
Lake Forest — 37
Los Alamitos — 62
Midway City — 10
Mission Viejo — 60
Newport Beach — 133
Orange — 212
Placentia — 85
Rancho Mission Viejo — 6
Rancho Santa Margarita — 19
San Clemente — 57
San Juan Capistrano — 45
Santa Ana — 744
Seal Beach — 15
Stanton — 46
Trabuco Canyon — 12
Tustin — 65
Villa Park — 6
Westminster — 75
Yorba Linda — 67
Other — 353
Unknown —192
Note: The “other” category includes unincorporated areas, as well as cases in the county’s jails. Daily updates are preliminary and subject to change as the county receives new information.


latimes--2020-05-18--Joshua Tree National Park reopens, but with limitations

Joshua Tree National Park reopened to the public Sunday after closing for two months amid the coronavirus crisis .
Parking lots , trails , family campsites and some bathroom facilities were reopened Sunday afternoon , according to spokesperson Hannah Schwalbe .
Joshua Tree Superintendent David Smith said the park worked closely with health officials in San Bernardino and Riverside counties to ensure it was “ in line with current health advisories.
” “ By opening the park in phases , we plan on being able to take measured steps that ensure the safety of our staff and visitors while providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Smith said in a news statement Monday .
Visitors consistently came and went Sunday , but the area wasn ’ t overrun , Schwalbe said .
Loop trails inside the park , including Barker Dam and Hidden Valley , are one-way only .
“ People were excited to see the park again , ” Schwalbe told The Times via email .
“ We were pleased to not have as much crowding as we did when the park first began decreasing access in March.
” Joshua Tree began limiting access March 16 before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide stay-at-home orders , Schwalbe said .
Visitors centers and group campsites will remain closed , officials said .
And while family campsites are open , it is recommended that only members of the same household camp together , officials said .
All 520 sites are available on a first-come , first-served basis .
All programs and special-use activities are closed through May 31 , according to the park ’ s website .
Entrance stations will be staffed regularly , but employees won ’ t be collecting fees .
Schwalbe referred to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the following steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 : • Enjoy the outdoor recreation areas around your local community .
• Visit with members of your household only .
• Practice social distancing by maintaining six feet of distance between you and anyone outside of your household .
• Bring hand sanitizer , a mask and other items to stay clean and safe .
There are no hand-sanitizing stations within the park , and most of the restroom facilities do not have running water .
• Maintain space while passing others on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but park officials ask that you camp in small groups with only members from your household .

Joshua Tree National Park reopened to the public Sunday after closing for two months amid the coronavirus crisis.
Parking lots, trails, family campsites and some bathroom facilities were reopened Sunday afternoon, according to spokesperson Hannah Schwalbe.
Joshua Tree Superintendent David Smith said the park worked closely with health officials in San Bernardino and Riverside counties to ensure it was “in line with current health advisories.”
“By opening the park in phases, we plan on being able to take measured steps that ensure the safety of our staff and visitors while providing increased access to our National Park,” Smith said in a news statement Monday.
Advertisement
Visitors consistently came and went Sunday, but the area wasn’t overrun, Schwalbe said. Loop trails inside the park, including Barker Dam and Hidden Valley, are one-way only.
“People were excited to see the park again,” Schwalbe told The Times via email. “We were pleased to not have as much crowding as we did when the park first began decreasing access in March.”
Joshua Tree began limiting access March 16 before completely closing access on April 1 amid statewide stay-at-home orders, Schwalbe said.
Visitors centers and group campsites will remain closed, officials said. And while family campsites are open, it is recommended that only members of the same household camp together, officials said. All 520 sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
All programs and special-use activities are closed through May 31, according to the park’s website.
Advertisement
Entrance stations will be staffed regularly, but employees won’t be collecting fees. Schwalbe referred to the park’s website for more information .
Park officials recommended the following steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19:


latimes--2020-05-18--As a few churches challenge stay-at-home order, fears of more coronavirus outbreaks

For the most part , religious institutions have been rigorously following California ’ s stay-at-home rules , cancelling services and curtailing in-person contact .
But several incidents over the last few weeks have sparked concerns from health officials , including some churches that have reopened in violation of the rules .
Other groups have launched legal challenges to the rules , saying it violates freedom or religion .
Earlier this month , a federal judge ruled that California Gov .
Gavin Newsom had the right to ban church assemblies in the interest of public health during the coronavirus outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strongly worded warning after a person who attended an in-person religious service on Mother ’ s Day tested positive for the coronavirus .
That organization held the service despite county rules , exposing the entire congregation to the virus , officials said .
The person received a positive test result the day after the service , which had more than 180 attendees , officials said .
Officials were working to notify all those who attended and obtain testing for them .
The pastor , Mike Jacobsen of Palermo Bible Family Church , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to hold the service , saying that he would “ never with knowledge put anyone in harms [ sic ] way.
” “ For 7 weeks we have been kept out of our church and away from our church family , ” Jacobsen wrote in the post , which has since been deleted .
“ I am fully aware that some people may not understand that for our church it is essential to be together in fellowship.
” Reached by phone Sunday night , Jacobsen confirmed that his church was the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately comment on the situation , saying he needed some time to think about it .
Meanwhile , a livestreamed Mother ’ s Day church service in Northern California is being blamed for a cluster of coronavirus cases in Mendocino and Lake counties .
Mendocino County health orders permit churches to produce events that are livestreamed or recorded , provided certain precautions are taken .
Three people who became infected physically attended the May 10 church service in inland Mendocino County , which involved singing , and two of them participated , county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials did not name the house of worship but said they were urging church leaders to do so themselves to encourage congregants who were present to seek testing .
The Mendocino County resident who became infected was a man over 65 living in the Ukiah Valley , whose case was reported to the county Public Health Department on Friday evening , officials said .
He became the 14th case of the coronavirus recorded by the county .
The man was isolated at home .
County public health officials learned of the church service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he became infected .
Officials described the man as a close contact of two Lake County residents who also attended the service and were diagnosed Saturday afternoon .
One was hospitalized Saturday at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley , officials said .
The other was in isolation at home .
The residents are the only two active cases of coronavirus reported by the Lake County Health Services Department .
Eight other residents there have recovered from the virus , according to health department figures .
Neither Lake nor Mendocino County has recorded any deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County are still advised to stay home as much as possible , and social gatherings beyond members of an immediate household remain prohibited .
But an updated health order issued May 8 cited progress in slowing the virus ’ spread and permitted a number of new businesses deemed lower-risk to resume operations .
The order permits churches , concert halls , playhouses and other venues to perform operations necessary to record or livestream an event , provided they limit attendance to 12 people , maintain social distancing requirements and take other infection-control precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar activities , venues are instructed to take risk-mitigation measures that may include placing Plexiglas screens between singers , ensuring proper ventilation and positioning singers so they are more than six feet apart and not face-to-face , the order states .
Mendocino County officials said it ’ s critical for people who produce such events to observe the precautions to avoid outbreaks , particularly when singing is involved .
Overall , the vast majority of religious institutions have followed stay-at-home orders and canceled in-person services .
But there have been a few exceptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks elsewhere in the country .
In March , 45 people became infected with the virus and two died after attending choir practice at a church in Mount Vernon , Wash. Health officials concluded that the virus was almost certainly transmitted through the air from one or more people without symptoms .
Experts said at the time that it was possible that the forceful breathing action of singing dispersed viral particles in the church room that were widely inhaled .
In-person church services that are not held for the purpose of livestreaming or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elsewhere under the stay-at-home order issued by the state .
In San Diego County at least two churches , in Chula Vista and Oceanside , held religious services in person Sunday despite orders .
Rushing Wind Church in Oceanside and Hilltop Tabernacle in Chula Vista followed through with plans to hold in-person services despite local health orders prohibiting such gatherings , according to CBS-8 .
A Rushing Wind official said last week that the church would follow federal health guidelines during the service , urging people to bring masks and asking people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to watch the service online .
Oceanside police spokesman Tom Bussey said officers responded to calls about the service .
He said the crowd was wearing masks and following social distancing rules .
He was not aware of other details about the response , but said officers generally educate the public about the orders in place before considering citations .
Chula Vista police said that they didn ’ t visit Hilltop Tabernacle on Sunday because they didn ’ t receive any complaints .
On four previous occasions since late March , Chula Vista @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to complaints about both indoor and outdoor services .
No citations have been issued .
Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion when the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi was ordered to cease services , Judge John Mendez ruled in Sacramento .
On Friday , a federal judge in San Diego denied a request from a Chula Vista church for a temporary restraining order against the state that would allow it to hold in-person services .
U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a legal use of state authority in the time of a health emergency .
The South Bay United Pentecostal church had sued Newsom and other state and county officials over the orders and Newsom ’ s plan to gradually reopen the state .
Under that plan , in-person religious gatherings would be allowed in the third stage of a four-stage program .
The state is moving through the second stage .
Times staff writer Laura Newberry and San Diego Union-Tribune staff writers David Garrick and Greg Moran contributed to this report .

The coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, shown in purple, infects a cell, colored in green.
For the most part, religious institutions have been rigorously following California’s stay-at-home rules, canceling services and curtailing in-person contact.
But several incidents over the last few weeks have sparked concerns from health officials, including some churches that have reopened in violation of the rules. Other groups have launched legal challenges to the rules, saying they violate freedom or religion. Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that California Gov. Gavin Newsom had the right to ban church assemblies in the interest of public health during the coronavirus outbreak.
Public health officials in Butte County issued a strongly worded warning after a person who attended an in-person religious service on Mother’s Day tested positive for the coronavirus. That organization held the service despite county rules, exposing the entire congregation to the virus, officials said.
Advertisement
The person received a positive test result the day after the service, which had more than 180 attendees, officials said. Officials were working to notify all those who attended and obtain testing for them.
The pastor, Mike Jacobsen of Palermo Bible Family Church, spoke out on social media about his decision to hold the service, saying that he would “never with knowledge put anyone in harms way.”
“For 7 weeks we have been kept out of our church and away from our church family,” Jacobsen wrote in the post, which has since been deleted. “I am fully aware that some people may not understand that for our church it is essential to be together in fellowship.”
Reached by phone Sunday night, Jacobsen confirmed that his church was the site of possible contagion, but declined to immediately comment on the situation, saying he needed some time to think about it.
Meanwhile, a livestreamed Mother’s Day church service in Northern California is being blamed for a cluster of coronavirus cases in Mendocino and Lake counties.
Mendocino County health orders permit churches to produce events that are livestreamed or recorded, provided certain precautions are taken.
Three people who became infected physically attended the May 10 church service in inland Mendocino County, which involved singing, and two of them participated, county officials said in a news release. Officials did not name the house of worship but said they were urging church leaders to do so themselves to encourage congregants who were present to seek testing.
Advertisement
The Mendocino County resident who became infected was a man over 65 living in the Ukiah Valley, whose case was reported to the county Public Health Department on Friday evening, officials said. He became the 14th case of the coronavirus recorded by the county.
The man was isolated at home. County public health officials learned of the church service while tracing his contacts to investigate how he became infected.
Officials described the man as a close contact of two Lake County residents who also attended the service and were diagnosed Saturday afternoon. One was hospitalized Saturday at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, officials said. The other was in isolation at home.
The residents are the only two active cases of coronavirus reported by the Lake County Health Services Department. Eight other residents there have recovered from the virus, according to health department figures.
Neither Lake nor Mendocino County has recorded any deaths related to COVID-19.
Residents in Mendocino County are still advised to stay home as much as possible, and social gatherings beyond members of an immediate household remain prohibited. But an updated health order issued May 8 cited progress in slowing the virus’ spread and permitted a number of new businesses deemed lower-risk to resume operations.
The order permits churches, concert halls, playhouses and other venues to perform operations necessary to record or livestream an event, provided they limit attendance to 12 people, maintain social distancing requirements and take other infection-control precautions.
For events that involve singing or similar activities, venues are instructed to take risk-mitigation measures that may include placing Plexiglas screens between singers, ensuring proper ventilation and positioning singers so they are more than six feet apart and not face-to-face, the order states.
Mendocino County officials said it’s critical for people who produce such events to observe the precautions to avoid outbreaks, particularly when singing is involved.
Which California counties are reopening? To contain the spread of COVID-19, parks, restaurants and stores are slowly reopening.
Overall, the vast majority of religious institutions have followed stay-at-home orders and canceled in-person services. But there have been a few exceptions.
Such activity has been linked to outbreaks elsewhere in the country. In March, 45 people became infected with the virus and two died after attending choir practice at a church in Mount Vernon, Wash.
Health officials concluded that the virus was almost certainly transmitted through the air from one or more people without symptoms. Experts said at the time that it was possible that the forceful breathing action of singing dispersed viral particles in the church room that were widely inhaled.
In-person church services that are not held for the purpose of livestreaming or recording remain banned in Mendocino County and elsewhere under the stay-at-home order issued by the state.
In San Diego County at least two churches, in Chula Vista and Oceanside, held religious services in person Sunday despite orders.
Rushing Wind Church in Oceanside and Hilltop Tabernacle in Chula Vista followed through with plans to hold in-person services despite local health orders prohibiting such gatherings, according to CBS-8.
A Rushing Wind official said last week that the church would follow federal health guidelines during the service, urging people to bring masks and asking people who are ill or have weak immune systems to watch the service online.
Oceanside police spokesman Tom Bussey said officers responded to calls about the service. He said the crowd was wearing masks and following social distancing rules.
He was not aware of other details about the response, but said officers generally educate the public about the orders in place before considering citations.
Chula Vista police said that they didn’t visit Hilltop Tabernacle on Sunday because they didn’t receive any complaints.
On four previous occasions since late March, Chula Vista police have visited the church, responding to complaints about both indoor and outdoor services. No citations have been issued.
Newsom’s stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion when the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi was ordered to cease services, Judge John Mendez ruled in Sacramento.
On Friday, a federal judge in San Diego denied a request from a Chula Vista church for a temporary restraining order against the state that would allow it to hold in-person services.
U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant said the orders do not discriminate against religion and are a legal use of state authority in the time of a health emergency.
The South Bay United Pentecostal church had sued Newsom and other state and county officials over the orders and Newsom’s plan to gradually reopen the state. Under that plan, in-person religious gatherings would be allowed in the third stage of a four-stage program. The state is moving through the second stage.
Times staff writer Laura Newberry and San Diego Union-Tribune staff writers David Garrick and Greg Moran contributed to this report.